Bai Yu selected a straight peach branch and cut three feet of white cloth.
The white cloth was washed in rootless water, then left under the blazing sun for three days.
Then, with strokes that danced like flying dragons and phoenixes, he drew Evil-Suppressing Talismans, Transformation Talismans, Ghost-Binding Talismans, and many other sigils upon it.
As he drew the talismans, he also chanted incantations to consecrate them.
Seven days later, a Soul-Suppressing Banner was complete.
Bai Yu took it to a hill thick with Killing Intent. With a few gentle shakes, the Killing Intent there scattered at once.
He put away the Soul-Suppressing Banner and returned to the mortuary.
"Mm, no matter what, it's better to be prepared."
In the days that followed, he resumed his routine of conducting funerals, practicing martial arts, and drawing talismans.
Unhurried and unruffled, the years lay peaceful and bright.
But that peace was shattered by someone.
That day, Bai Yu was on duty in the front hall.
A group of monks hurried in, carrying a corpse.
The monk at the front was fat and broad, with kind eyes and a benevolent face. He was actually a Fifth-Rank Martial Artist.
Of the four monks behind him, two were third-rank and two were fourth-rank. All of them possessed considerable strength.
Strangely, every monk carried a large gourd on his back.
The fat monk smiled and pressed his palms together.
"Benefactor, this humble monk's lay disciple died suddenly. I have come to borrow this treasured place for his burial. I hope you can accommodate us."
He kindly offered a tael of silver.
Bai Yu accepted the silver and led them into the rear courtyard.
"Master, please come in. If you need us to perform any rites, just let us know."
Bai Yu merely mentioned it in passing. Monks generally performed their own rites for the dead and had no need for the mortuary's services.
To his surprise, the fat monk took out five taels of silver and said,
"I ask that you make arrangements and perform a funeral rite for my disciple, so that he may rest in peace beneath the earth."
Bai Yu did not think much of it and readily agreed.
Yet the instant he saw the corpse's face, he froze.
The corpse's skin had turned bluish, and its face was twisted in pain, yet it looked inexplicably familiar.
It was Mangzi!
Once a funeral bearer, now he was the one being borne to burial.
Once he had dreamed of roaming the ends of the earth, yet in the blink of an eye, he had entered a little black box.
Bai Yu could not help sighing again and again. He even returned a tael of silver to the master.
"Master, he was once our friend."
"Rest assured, I will certainly choose him a good place for burial."
"I cannot take less from others, but I cannot accept this payment."
The fat monk pressed his palms together.
"Benefactor, you truly have a heart of gold. You will surely be blessed in the days to come."
When they heard that Mangzi had died, Uncle Jiu, Zhu Tong, and Old Zhang all rushed over.
Old Zhang shook his head.
"That child never listened to advice. How could the world of martial wanderers be so easy to roam?"
The few of them handled everything personally, performing rites and burying him.
Uncle Jiu stood to one side, conversing with the fat monk.
From their conversation, Bai Yu caught the general gist of things.
The fat monk was called Golden Dragon Abbot, a man of the martial world.
Earlier, he had been seriously wounded in a clash with bandits and had been saved by Mangzi.
Mangzi had seized the chance to take him as his master, begging Golden Dragon Abbot to take him into the martial world.
Yet Mangzi remained as reckless as ever. The moment he had learned something, he charged alone into a bandit stronghold to uphold justice on Heaven's behalf—and was killed.
Mangzi's recklessness had ultimately become the "burial" of a funeral.
Bai Yu finished playing a mournful tune.
Golden Dragon Abbot and several disciples also came forward to offer incense and pay their respects.
Every one of them wore a sorrowful expression and sighed without end.
It seemed the bond between master and disciples ran deep.
At that moment, however, Bai Yu looked toward the Burial World Record.
Funeral target: Wang Mang! Identity: Lay disciple of Golden Dragon Temple. Age: 19. Cultivation: Third-Rank Martial Artist. Funeral participation: 51%. Ordinary reward: Strength +12, Life Experience +110. Optional rewards: Iron Corpse Skill, Dragon Force Art, Arhat Fist, Golden Bell Shield, Yin Energy +3, Vitality +45...
Bai Yu instinctively sensed that something was wrong.
Mangzi's funeral rewards actually included things like the Iron Corpse Skill and Yin Energy. At a glance, they reeked of ghosts and darkness.
Bai Yu kept his face expressionless as he secretly examined the Burial World Record.
Through the Burial World Record, Bai Yu could view certain scenes from Mangzi's life.
Mangzi truly had saved Golden Dragon Abbot.
Then Golden Dragon Abbot had taught him several powerful techniques and constantly urged him to practice.
Over the past two or three years outside, Mangzi's memories contained nothing but cultivation. There was nothing else.
The final scene, however, was fixed on one month earlier.
Mangzi sat in a large vat, soaking in medicinal liquid.
Golden Dragon Abbot and a young man in white stood nearby, waiting.
The young man in white asked,
"Is everything ready?"
Golden Dragon Abbot nodded.
"Only the final step remains."
The young man in white spoke in a drifting voice.
"Fear is the finest tonic."
"For the great cause!"
Golden Dragon Abbot echoed,
"For the great cause!"
The next moment, the young man in white lifted a hand and fired several silver needles into Mangzi's head.
The last thing Mangzi saw was Golden Dragon Abbot's kindly, benevolent face.
Bai Yu secretly drew a sharp breath.
Mangzi had died a month ago!
The murderer who had killed Mangzi chatted and laughed with Golden Dragon Abbot, and had even murdered him right before his eyes.
Even with Bai Yu's steady mind, his hands slowed for a moment, and the suona immediately slipped out of tune.
Golden Dragon Abbot turned back in surprise.
"What is wrong, little benefactor?"
Bai Yu took a breath and said,
"Master, Brother Mang and I were old friends as well. Seeing him like this, sorrow rose from the depths of my heart."
"Alas, if I had known, I would have stopped him from wandering the martial world."
Golden Dragon Abbot still wore that kindly, benevolent expression as he said,
"Benefactor, there is no need for excessive grief. Those who have left the household have long seen through life and death."
"Since Wang Mang chose to roam the martial world, he must have long been prepared for it."
Bai Yu sighed, collected himself, and completed the funeral rites.
That evening, Bai Yu probed cautiously.
"Master, by custom, our mortuary must prepare a patron's appearance and dress him in burial clothes."
"Old Zhang usually handles this matter, but Brother Mang and I were acquainted, so let me do it."
Golden Dragon Abbot recited a Buddhist invocation.
"Amitabha. Benefactor, the customs of our Buddhist sect differ somewhat from those of ordinary people."
"Leave such matters as changing burial clothes and placing him in the coffin to my four unworthy disciples."
Bai Yu did not press the issue, but deep down, he became ever more certain that there was something sinister about this group of monks.
He cupped his hands and said,
"In that case, naturally we shall follow the customs of the Buddhist sect."
"Then what about keeping vigil tonight?"
Golden Dragon Abbot said,
"There is no need to trouble you benefactors. This humble monk and my disciples will simply recite sutras and pray blessings for Mangzi."
Bai Yu naturally nodded in agreement.
At night, everyone in the mortuary returned to their rooms to sleep.
The night gradually deepened.
Golden Dragon Abbot and two disciples sat around Mangzi, continuously chanting scriptures.
The moment midnight passed, a monk dropped down from the roof beam.
"Master, they are all sound asleep."
Golden Dragon Abbot abruptly opened his eyes. His former kindly, benevolent expression had vanished, replaced by a face full of vicious Baleful Intent.
"Jueming, were you discovered?"
The monk named Jueming hurriedly replied,
"Please rest assured, Master. We have investigated everything thoroughly. The strongest people in this mortuary are merely two martial artists, one second-rank and one third-rank. Neither is worth fearing."
Golden Dragon Abbot said coldly,
"Proceed according to the original plan!"
Before you continue