Chapter 876: Search

Chapter 876: Search

“Clatter, clatter, clatter...” Zhao Wu’s teeth chattered uncontrollably from fear, his face ashen.

He couldn’t help but be terrified; the funeral clothes earlier could have been a mistake, but there was no mistaking the bloodstained sack before him—this was truly a ghost!

“Gho—gho—ghost…” Just as Zhao Wu was about to cry out, Dogwa beside him reached out and clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Don’t shout! It has no eyes, it can’t see!”

Hearing Dogwa’s lowered voice in his ear, Zhao Wu stared fixedly at the sack in front.

He saw that it truly was as Dogwa had said—it seemed not to notice them, still hopping along with a bounce.

“Quick, let’s go, let’s go fetch help!” The two pulled at each other, retreating in terror.

Just then, muffled, indistinct sounds came from within the sack, sending chills down their spines as they scrambled away in a panic.

They fled fast and returned fast, the flickering torches gradually illuminating Niuxin Village.

“Hurry, hurry! Look at the bloodstains on the ground—that thing is up ahead!” Gripping his white-haired blowpipe again, Dogwa felt his courage return.

With the large crowd behind him, it was as if someone else had been the one scared into wetting his pants.

Now all of Niuxin Village had gathered; the village militia, eyes blazing with murderous intent, carried various weapons, and Yang Xiaohai clutched his rotten-wood Ruyi scepter.

This, it could be said, was the full strength Niuxin Village could muster.

If even this failed, they would have no choice but to run to the capital for outside help.

The firelight suddenly illuminated the solitary sack on the road. The abrupt appearance of the thing startled those in the front ranks, and they all stumbled back.

On the pitch-black village path, a lone bloodstained sack suddenly hopped into view. This eerie sight sent a shudder through everyone—it was too uncanny.

Dogwa, hiding among the crowd, stammered at the sack, “You—you—you dare come here to harm us! Do you think you haven’t died fast enough? Do you know whose territory this is?”

At the sound of Dogwa’s voice, the sack stopped. The movement made Dogwa shrink back in fright.

The sack bent slightly, and after a moment, a very tired voice emerged from inside.

“Is that… Brother Erjiu? It’s me, Liu Zongyuan of the Moon Gate.”

The villagers of Niuxin exchanged bewildered glances. Who was Erjiu? Who was Liu Zongyuan? No one in the village was called that.

“Erjiu is our master’s alias. That thing knows our master.” Lü Xiucai, leaning on a single crutch, sidled over from the side.

With a stick strapped to both legs, he could barely walk, but very slowly.

Hearing this, Dogwa’s fear vanished. He stepped out from the crowd and stared at the sack in wonder. “Elder Brother Li even knows this?”

Seeing it was an acquaintance of Brother Li’s, Yang Xiaohai asked with concern, “Are you alive or dead? Can’t you open the sack? Let me open it for you.”

“Don’t touch me!” The bloodstained sack leaped back a big step.

“I barely managed to keep my life going using the Moon Gate’s Cohesion Art. If you open it directly, I’ll really die!”

After saying this, Liu Zongyuan asked impatiently, “Everyone, I’m here to ask your Elder Brother Li for help. This is a matter of life and death; I hope you’ll forgive my rudeness.”

“Elder Brother Li? We really don’t know. He was hauling grain a while back, but lately he hasn’t even done that.”

“He’s like a fairy now, soaring high and low every day. Where he is now, we really have no idea.”

Lü Xiucai moved forward, studying the bloodied sack, and asked tentatively, “Do you have something urgent with my master? If I run into him later, I’ll pass along your message.”

Liu Zongyuan’s voice grew anxious. “In my state, what good will that do later! I’m here to ask your master to avenge me!”

“In the past, we worked together. I helped him gather plenty of information. Now that I’m like this, he can’t just leave me to die.”

“Who… did this to you?” Lü Xiucai asked again.

Liu Zongyuan’s reply came through gritted teeth. “Who else! The White Lotus Sect!”

“These rising heretics! Just like the Dharma Sect before!”

“Impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Lü Xiucai retorted instinctively at once.

Strictly speaking, he himself was now a follower of the White Lotus Sect.

He then explained to Liu Zongyuan, “I’ve dealt with them. Within the White Lotus, brothers and sisters are equal, rich or poor. And today’s White Lotus is not what it used to be.”

“They no longer kill people. The master’s wife burned all the sacrificial divine arts and techniques.”

“That’s all lies—a dog can’t change its taste! If the White Lotus hadn’t done wrong, why would I bother looking for them?”

“If they’d only killed a few, I’d have turned a blind eye. But they wipe out entire villages!”

“And they disguise it as plague outbreaks. Hmph! Do they really think such cheap tricks can fool the Moon Gate?”

“I don’t believe it. Where are they? Take me there!”

The bloodstained sack swayed slightly. “You can’t go. They’re formidable—even Ji Xiang is dead. Only Brother Erjiu can handle it safely.”

He paused, then added, “And he’s the Emperor’s man. He can let His Majesty know that this White Lotus Sect must never be left unchecked!”

Lü Xiucai, simmering with anger, leaned on his crutch and hobbled up to the sack. “Take me with you! I’m a White Donkey. If it really is the White Lotus, they won’t lay a hand on me!”

Hearing that the other was also a member of the White Lotus, Liu Zongyuan fell into thought.

“I’ll tell you the place. Go yourself. They’re at Dafa Temple, two hundred li southeast of Niuxin Village.”

With that, Liu Zongyuan didn’t even ask where Li Huowang was. He turned decisively and hopped away, as if afraid someone might follow.

As Liu Zongyuan left, the others in Niuxin Village buzzed with discussion.

“Isn’t the White Lotus that faith Junior Sister Bai and Xiaoman follow?”

“A real heresy? Can’t be. I’ve chatted with White Lotus folk—they’re just like normal people.”

“Ah, you never know. Remember what we dug up under the shrine before?”

These words unsettled Lü Xiucai. He turned to Dogwa. “Dogwa, can you fetch me a cart?”

“What? You’ve only got one arm left. Why are you still stirring things up? This is something for big shots like Brother Li to handle.”

Lü Xiucai thought of his dead elder brother and sister-in-law, his mad father, and his nephew whose fate was unknown—all because of the Dharma Sect.

“No! I have to see this with my own eyes. The White Lotus is definitely not the Dharma Sect! Definitely not!!”

Sorry, only one chapter today. I’ll make it up later. Driving on the highway was too tiring.

(End of Chapter)