Crow Language in the Mass Burial Grounds

"A calculated scheme?" Yun Zihai frowned upon hearing this, not understanding what Xu Bai was planning.

"Going there sneakily and coming back sneakily, when the other side already knows the inside story, you will only ever see what others show you." Xu Bai pointed to the corpse on the ground and said, "If the Ye Family really had connections, they would have already taken precautions when you caught him."

"If we go there openly, the other side will be on guard," Yun Zihai pondered.

Xu Bai walked up to Yun Zihai, patted him on the shoulder, and asked in a teasing tone, "Who are you?"

Yun Zihai was stunned, not understanding what it meant to say such a thing at this time.

But he sensed something hidden in Xu Bai's words, so he said that he was Yun Zihai.

"Wrong!" Xu Bai raised his index finger and shook his hand. "You are the governor of Yunlai Prefecture. You are the one who calls the shots in Yunlai Prefecture now. You can investigate however you want. Even if you go to the women's house and spend the night there, they won't dare to say anything because you are the person in charge here."

Yun Zihai: "..."

Hearing this, he seemed to understand and gradually grasped Xu Bai's meaning.

He is the prefect of Yunlai Prefecture, and the entire Yunlai Prefecture must obey his orders.

His going there to investigate the case is clearly for the purpose of investigation. If the Ye Family dares to obstruct him, then they can be punished according to the law.

"Brilliant, Brother Xu." Yun Zihai said that Xu Bai's idea was indeed excellent.

Xu Bai pressed down on the restless Chu Yu beside him and said, "Then let's set off now."

Opportunity knocks but once, so act quickly to avoid any unforeseen complications.

Now that the other party has made a move, they not only have to accept it, but also try their best to retaliate and give the other party a huge slap in the face.

After discussing for a while, the two decided not to linger and headed straight for the Ye Family.

A new official has arrived in Yunnan Prefecture, and he has taken over the Yunlai Prefecture in a self-governing manner. This news is widely known not only among martial arts practitioners but also among ordinary people.

Since Xu Bai had said they would go openly, Yun Zihai didn't hide his identity either. The two of them swaggered towards the Ye Family, attracting the attention of passersby who turned their heads and glanced at them frequently.

As Yun Zihai just mentioned, the Ye Family's residence is not far from the Prefectural Office. The group arrived at the Ye Family's gate in just a few minutes.

Xu Bai stood at the door, looked them up and down, and thought to himself, "No wonder they're a family that made their fortune through war."

The two stone lions at the entrance alone are masterpieces in terms of craftsmanship, and they must have cost a lot of money.

Two servants stood guard at the entrance.

Xu Bai and Yun Zihai swaggered over, followed by Chu Yu, who looked rather timid, which naturally attracted a lot of attention.

Yun Zihai originally wanted to call Liu Er back, but Xu Bai stopped him. After all, it wasn't good to expose too many people, so let Liu Er stay hidden in the shadows.

As Xu Bai and his group approached, the two servants exchanged glances. One of them stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting to Yun Zihai, and said, "This humble servant greets Lord Yun. May I ask what brings Lord Yun to the Ye Family?"

After all, he was the head of a prefecture, a dignified prefectural governor, and the servants naturally recognized him.

However, what puzzled the servants most was why the officials from Yunlai Prefecture would suddenly visit the Ye Family; it was rather strange.

"I've come here specifically to investigate a case. No need for announcements, just open the door." Yun Zihai stood with his hands behind his back, head held high, exuding an air of official authority.

In wealthy households like this, if someone came to visit, they needed to be notified. A servant would return to the mansion and find the person in charge. If the servant knew the person, they would bring them in; otherwise, they would not be allowed to enter.

Upon hearing Yun Zihai say that he had come to investigate a case, the servant took a step back, a look of surprise on his face. He then turned to look at his companion, unsure of what to do.

The Ye Family in Yunlai Prefecture is a particularly low-key family. Although they are a wealthy and powerful family, they are not arrogant and domineering. Now, someone said that they want to investigate a case, and it is the prefect of Yunlai Prefecture, so they are at a loss.

This was the first time they had encountered such a situation, and they were unsure of what to do.

"Is the Prefect more powerful or the Ye Family?" Xu Bai asked.

The servant nodded without hesitation and said, "Of course it's the Prefect."

It's quite obvious that in Yunlai Prefecture, who is more powerful than the Prefect? If someone is truly powerful, they've probably lived too long and have lost all hope for life, wanting to be buried in the ground forever.

"Then what are you waiting for? Open the door now, or you'll be accused of a crime," Xu Bai said.

After being reminded, the servant shuddered, realizing that he had been momentarily stunned and had indeed failed to grasp the primary and secondary relationships.

The servant dared not dawdle any longer. He turned around, pushed open the door in front of him, and bowed his head to show that he had no intention of resisting.

The other servant was doing the same thing, without any intention of disobeying.

After the gate opened, there was a front yard that looked incredibly spacious.

This area must have cost a lot of money. Back in Sheng County, Xu Bai's security escort agency wasn't even this big.

The threshold at the gate was unusually high, almost up to a person's knees, and it would take a lot of time and effort to cross it.

Don't underestimate this seemingly small threshold; there's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

The high threshold of a house is an ancient architectural practice. Many wealthy families had very high thresholds, which represented "high status and wealth".

In the Great Chu Kingdom, there were many rules and regulations regarding thresholds.

It is a symbol representing the dignity and status of the master. When subjects enter or leave the king's gate, they need to walk sideways and must not step on the threshold. This is the etiquette between the king and his subjects, and the distinction between superior and inferior.

The height of the threshold for ordinary people varies. It can be five inches, taking the number five from the element of earth in the Five Elements theory; it can be three inches and six fen, taking the number that is the same as the number of days in a year; or it can be one inch and two fen, taking the number that is the same as the number of months in a year.

In retrospect, the high threshold used by the Ye Family was probably to display their extraordinary status.

After crossing the threshold, we entered the front yard, where servants led the way, and soon we arrived at the back yard.

There was no one in the front yard. It wasn't until we entered the back yard that we finally saw the Ye Family.

"There are people in this world who look so extraordinary," Xu Bai said subconsciously.

People come and go in this backyard, men and women, young and old, but they all have one thing in common.

ugly.

They're really ugly! While they're not exactly utterly ugly, each person's ugliness has its own unique characteristics, which is simply unbelievable.

The Ye Family used to be Corpse Carrier, so you had to be ugly to do it. Xu Bai didn't know how they passed down these superior genes, but he had never seen a normal-looking one.

These two servants were considered normal, after all, they were just hired by the Ye Family to guard the gate, not members of the Ye Family, so their appearance was quite normal.

Xu Bai and Yun Zihai walked in, naturally attracting the attention of those around them. A woman who looked to be about forty years old walked over.

Xu Bai had just noticed that everyone was ugly in a unique way, and this woman was no exception.

I can't quite put my finger on what's ugly about it, but every part of it looks incredibly ugly.

"Greetings, Lord Yun, and this gentleman and young lady. May I ask what brings you to the Ye Family?" The woman bowed slightly, showing great courtesy.

The servant quickly introduced, "This is the First Madam. She happened to be at the manor, so she came over."

The First Madam is naturally the wife of the Ye Family Head.

"I have something to discuss with your Ye Family Head. I have some questions I'd like to ask him," Yun Zihai.

Knowing Yun Zihai's identity, the First Madam dared not offend him. She quickly instructed the servants to take them to the reception room while she went to find the Ye Family Head.

The servants led Xu Bai and his companions to a luxurious room, served them a pot of fine tea, and then took their leave.

Chu Yu appeared listless, seemingly uninterested in everything around her, but instead showed great interest in the former prison cell.

Having been born into royalty, Chu Yu, even somewhat impoverished.

On the contrary, the novelty of it made Chu Yu even more interested.

The group didn't drink tea, but waited patiently. After less than half an incense stick's time, a noisy commotion came from outside, accompanied by several screams.

"Something's happened." Xu Bai and Yun Zihai exchanged a glance, then stepped out to check the situation.

Outside, many members of the Ye Family were running in one direction, as if something terrible had happened.

"Let's go take a look."

Xu Bai and the others didn't say much and followed behind, heading in that direction.

The Ye Family was very large; it took several minutes to reach our destination.

It was an extremely luxurious house; judging from its decorations and exterior, it must have cost a lot of money to build.

At this moment, a huge crowd surrounded the house, three layers deep.

From the outside, there was nothing unusual about it, but he could hear some crying.

"Get out of the way!" Yun Zihai frowned and shouted, causing everyone around him to turn their heads.

The Ye Family members naturally recognized Yun Zihai's identity and dared not block the way, so they all made way for Yun Zihai and his group to enter.

The doors of the luxurious house were wide open, and the First Madam was kneeling on the ground, wailing incessantly. As Xu Bai approached, he could hear the sound of her wailing.

"Why are you so upset? If there's anything wrong, you can talk it out and we can discuss it together!"

"If you leave, the burden of such a large family will fall entirely on my shoulders. How can I possibly support it?"

"Why did you abandon our entire Ye Family? Why did you leave all alone?"

The cries of anguish were incessant.

When Xu Bai got closer, he saw a corpse lying on the ground.

A knife was stuck in the body's chest, clearly a fatal wound, and blood was gushing from it.

Inside the house, there was nothing unusual, but not far from the body, there was a letter.

The letter was open, indicating that the First Madam had already read it.

Xu Bai bent down and picked up the letter from the ground.

At this moment, the First Madam saw Xu Bai and the others arrive, but she didn't say anything and just cried out.

Xu Bai opened the crumpled letter, read it over from top to bottom, and his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

[I dared to send men to attack the prefectural governor without authorization; this is the most heinous crime. I only ask for death to ensure the safety of the Ye Family.]

This simple sentence clearly describes the cause and effect of the matter without any elaboration.

"Take a look." Xu Bai narrowed his eyes slightly and handed the letter in his hand to Yun Zihai.

Yun Zihai took it, and when he saw what it said, his expression was exactly the same as Xu Bai's.

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same emotion in each other's eyes, and then shook their heads in unison.

It's so fake!

It's not just fake, it's ridiculously fake.

With just this little bit of information, the entire blame was placed on the Ye Family Head. Everyone knows the ins and outs of this.

"Fake is one thing, but don't you think it's more like a provocation?" Xu Bai said.

Yun Zihai nodded.

This kind of fake content is obvious to any intelligent person, yet the other party still does it, which is clearly a provocation against them.

The meaning is very simple: I'm just making this feint to show you that you have no clues and can't find me, so what can you do?

"It seems we were right; the Ye Family is at least related," Yun Zihai.

Upon arriving, they discovered that the Ye Family Head was dead. Therefore, the Ye Family must have been involved, otherwise they wouldn't have been silenced. Or perhaps the Ye Family Head was aware of this matter.

"Guessing won't help; we need someone who knows the truth," Xu Bai said, looking at the First Madam with a smile.

As the saying goes, the person next to you in bed knows the inside story best, and just now, the way First Madam of the Ye Family cried and shouted seemed to suggest something.

The First Madam continued to cry and shout, and the conversation between the two men seemed to have no effect on her at all; she cried with great fervor.

Yun Zihai found it very troublesome. Now that the other party was crying like this, how could he bring her back to the Prefectural Office? Since the purpose of the interrogation was to be made, it was naturally impossible to do so at the Ye Family. If the other party came to silence her again, the consequence would be that all the clues would be cut off.

"I'll do it." Xu Bai smiled, squatted down in front of the First Madam of the Ye Family, and then whispered a few words.

These words were spoken in a very low voice, so that only First Madam of the Ye Family could hear them.

As soon as Xu Bai finished speaking, First Madam of the Ye Family stopped crying immediately. She then looked up at Xu Bai, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, and stood up with difficulty.

After standing up, he walked a few steps to the door and announced that he was going to the Prefectural Office to cooperate with Lord Yun's investigation. He told them not to panic and to continue as before.

The whole process was smooth and efficient, without any delay, and was completed in an instant.

Chu Yu's small mouth was slightly open, big enough to fit several eggs, as she stared incredulously at the scene before her.

In just a few words, he instantly brought back the spirits of someone who was crying their heart out.

She was very curious about what exactly was said.

Eager to try, Chu Yu wanted to get closer to Xu Bai, but seeing that Xu Bai was busy with important matters, she suppressed her curiosity and hid behind Xu Bai like a cat.

The way she seemed to want to ask but didn't dare to was like someone whose heart was being scratched by a cat.

"Let's go," Xu Bai said. "Getting back to the Prefectural Office is the priority."

With Xu Bai's words, everything went very smoothly. First Madam of the Ye Family followed them and left the Ye Family, heading straight for the Prefectural Office.

After receiving the instructions from the First Madam of the Ye Family, the Ye Family members dared not say anything more and did as First Madam of the Ye Family said.

By the time they returned to the Prefectural Office, it was already afternoon.

First Madam of the Ye Family followed behind without saying a word, but now that there were fewer people, Yun Zihai and Chu Yu became curious.

"Young Master, what did you say to her just now?" Chu Yu tugged at Xu Bai's sleeve, tilted her head, and asked curiously.

Although Yun Zihai didn't say anything, the expression in his eyes didn't lie. He was also very curious about what Xu Bai had said.

"I told her that now that the Ye Family Head is dead, the Ye Family is a large and powerful family in Yunlai Prefecture. We can't let others divide up our property. As long as Lord Yun is alive, all of this will eventually belong to the First Madam First Madam. All she needs to do is cooperate." Xu Bai glanced at the First Madam of the Ye Family and said with a hint of amusement.

If there is First Madam, then naturally there will be a second, third, and fourth wife.

Although the First Madam of the Ye Family was wailing and looked heartbroken, the content of her wailing was anything but simple.

In just a few words, he took over the heavy burden of the Ye Family. As for whether this burden is heavy or not, who can say for sure? Xu Bai's words were tantamount to telling First Madam of the Ye Family that as long as she cooperated, she could truly achieve legitimacy. With the support of the governor of Yunlai Prefecture, everything would fall into place naturally.

Yun Zihai: "..."

Why do I always feel like I've been covering for Brother Xu lately?

Suddenly, he was given another task: to protect and protect the First Madam of the Ye Family.

"Brother Yun, do you think I'm taking advantage of your influence?" Xu Bai asked with a smile.

Yun Zihai quickly waved his hand and said, "Of course I don't have that idea."

He genuinely didn't have that thought; he was just venting.

"Actually, I'm doing this for your own good." Xu Bai said inscrutably, "You've just entered Yunlai Prefecture and don't even have any manpower. What do you need most? You need people. The Ye Family is a big family in Yunlai Prefecture. Having them help you would be a great thing for you, but all of this is a transaction."

Xu Bai didn't say anything more, but Yun Zihai had already figured it out clearly.

If he helps First Madam of the Ye Family now, she will turn around and help him once First Madam of the Ye Family takes power. It's a fair and reasonable deal.

Thinking of this, Yun Zihai was deeply moved and grasped Xu Bai's hand, saying, "Brother Xu, I never expected you to think of me so much. I feel ashamed. It is my blessing to have met you in this life."

The emotion was genuine; there was no pretense whatsoever. It was all from the bottom of my heart.

Xu Bai: "..."

There was actually one more thing he didn't say: helping Yun Zihai recruit the Ye Family was just a side effect.

But seeing Yun Zihai's inexplicably moved expression, Xu Bai felt it was better not to say it, since it would only make everyone feel awkward.

Chu Yu, standing beside her, took out her little notebook that she always carried with her and began to write down her notes, muttering to herself as she did so.

"Cunning and shrewd, cunning and treacherous..."

Xu Bai was taken aback, then grabbed Chu Yu's ear and dragged her closer.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch..." Chu Yu cried out five times in one second.

"Let's change it to: far-sighted and wise beyond compare."

Chu Yu stared wide-eyed, her face full of pitifulness. Under Xu Bai's coercion and enticement, she finally crossed out those two words and replaced them with new ones as Xu Bai instructed.

While making the changes, she looked aggrieved.

"I'm so angry! Everything I wrote was the truth."

The journey was safe and there were no abnormalities.

When they returned to the Prefectural Office, Xu Bai and Yun Zihai led First Madam of the Ye Family to a room.

The First Madam of the Ye Family remained obedient throughout the entire process, offering no resistance whatsoever. After all, what Xu Bai had told her earlier had given her a different perspective.

"Tell me everything you know, and don't hide anything. I can tell right from wrong," Yun Zihai said solemnly, sitting in his chair and looking directly at the First Madam of the Ye Family.

"I know that recently, the master has been acting very strangely. He often locks himself in his room and refuses to see anyone." First Madam of the Ye Family composed herself and told everything she knew.

According to the First Madam of the Ye Family, the Ye Family Head has been acting very strangely since some time ago. He no longer appears in front of others and spends most of his time alone in his room, except when he is eating.

Moreover, as time went on, everyone noticed that the Ye Family Head had become extremely haggard, as if he hadn't slept for months, and his fatigue was visibly obvious.

This was the first time the Ye Family Head, who was supposed to be able to take on ten men, had ever appeared in this kind of manner. Although everyone was puzzled, no one dared to ask, since the Ye Family Head still held absolute power in the entire Ye Family.

First Madam of the Ye Family didn't dare to ask, but kept her doubts to herself.

Not long ago, the Ye Family Head suddenly found her and gave her a brocade pouch, telling her not to open it and to keep it with her unless a major event occurred.

The brocade pouch had a special seal; once opened, it would be immediately obvious.

Although First Madam of the Ye Family was curious, she thought that she had to maintain a certain image in front of her family head, so she never opened it.

It wasn't until this major incident happened today that she remembered this matter, and she felt it was increasingly absurd.

As she spoke, First Madam of the Ye Family took out the brocade pouch, placed it on the table, and made a very honest face.

Xu Bai picked up the brocade pouch, looked at the specially made seal on it, and easily opened it with a slight pressure of his fingers.

After he saw what was inside, he frowned slightly, and with his thumb and forefinger, he pulled out a fist-sized ball of paper from the pouch.

Through the back of the paper, you can see the ink of writing through it, clearly indicating that the paper is filled with writing.

Xu Bai opened the wad of paper, which was filled with tiny, densely packed characters. After reading it, he handed the paper to Yun Zihai.

"Look, this matter is quite complicated."

After Yun Zihai finished reading, he was about to put the book away when he saw Chu Yu looking at him with a curious expression.

Left with no other choice, Yun Zihai could only hand the letter to Chu Yu again.

As Chu Yu read on, her eyes widened as she looked down, her clear black and white pupils filled with shock.

The letter stated that not long ago, a man dressed in white approached the Ye Family Head.

The man was dressed in white, and his eyes were covered with a white cloth, as if he could not see.

The man told him that he needed to do something, and that it was a very simple thing.

As long as many mirrors are placed along the route of the new prefect when he arrives, he will be safe and sound.

Otherwise, the entire Ye Family would have been slaughtered.

The Ye Family Head believed it, because the man in white had displayed extraordinary strength, a strength that made the Ye Family Head tremble in his heart.

He did as instructed, but the more he did, the more uneasy he felt.

During this time, the man in white visited the Ye Family twice more. After exchanging words with him, the Ye Family Head discovered something amiss.

He discovered the identity of the man in white.

During their conversation, the man in white accidentally revealed a glimpse of skin on his sleeve, where a distinctive tattoo was visible.

The tattoos of Corpse Carrier!

The Corpse Carrier are not only found in the Ye Family, but also in many other places, and this is a unique tattoo belonging to the Corpse Carrier.

Every profession has its unique and peculiar aspects, and the Corpse Carrier is no exception.

The reason why tattoos exist is that this industry is very unique. A unique tattoo can serve to bring good fortune and ward off evil.

The tattoo depicts a fierce-looking ghost head.

The ghost head is malevolent, so we use malevolent energy to suppress malevolent energy! But this tattoo only made the Ye Family Head more and more confused, since their line of work required people who were ugly.

Although the man in white was blindfolded, his exposed face revealed him to be a dashing and debonair young master.

Why would a good-looking person become Corpse Carrier?

When the Ye Family Head was puzzled, he went to consult the classics about their profession, and sure enough, he actually found them.

There have indeed been such unique individuals in their line of work.

It was an extremely secretive branch, and even among the Corpse Carrier, very few knew about it.

He wouldn't know this so well if the Ye Family Head hadn't possessed this book.

This profession is called Corpse Eater.

Why is it called "corpse-eating"? This is, of course, related to the characteristics of the Corpse Carrier.

They make a living transporting corpses all over the country, but what is most likely to happen in this process is the mutation of the corpses. Once they become bizarre, they will cause horror.

Some Corpse Carrier, affected by the evil aura of the corpses, will lose their way on the journey.

If you're lucky, you can get out in three to five days. If you're unlucky, you might be trapped for ten or twenty days, or even forever, until you die, and only then will everything disappear.

Over time, the food and water they carry will gradually become scarce.

When a person has no food or water, they will experience severe hunger, and a hungry person can never resist the temptation of food.

So they set their sights on the so-called corpse.

Nothing can be set as a precedent, and the same goes for their line of work. Ever since that precedent was set, they've discovered the benefits.

The Corpse Eater them, thus strengthening itself.

Furthermore, this can be used as an aid to cultivate another profession, resulting in an astonishing speed of cultivation.

However, there is a limitation: the higher the level, the stronger the corpses required.

The fact that he ate corpses became known to everyone.

At that very moment, the Corpse Carrier also discovered their unique branch, and a great battle ensued.

The actions of the Corpse Eater can be said to have betrayed the very principles of this profession.

The corpses were originally the customers of the Corpse Carrier, but they ate their own customers. In this case, they were despised by the entire industry.

Even worse, some of them colluded with tomb raiders to commit dirty deeds.

That great battle lasted a long time.

The Corpse Eater were a newly emerging profession and naturally couldn't withstand the impact of an established one. They quickly disappeared and have been virtually never seen since.

As for why he is so handsome, that is the effect of eating corpses, not from this branch of the body, and even the Ye Family Head can't explain it.

And in this letter, at the very end, a particularly important clue was finally revealed.

Mass Burial Grounds.

If the man in white is hiding somewhere, it's only in Mass Burial Grounds elsewhere are very slim.

Corpse Eater have this characteristic, but they also have constraints.

What they do is absorb evil spirits.

If one does not consume it for a long period, one will be disturbed by this malevolent energy and will soon die.

Therefore, Mass Burial Grounds is the most suitable place.

That concludes the letter.

Xu Bai stroked his chin and said, "Looks like we should go take a look."

"There's no time like the present, let's go tonight," Yun Zihai nodded.

Now that we've made a discovery, let's hurry over and check the situation.

"What should we do with this person?" Chu Yu asked, sizing up First Madam of the Ye Family.

"Let her go straight home. Let's take care of the important things first," Xu Bai said.

Yun Zihai nodded repeatedly in agreement.

Next, they sent First Madam of the Ye Family home, and then rushed to the Mass Burial Grounds in Yunlai Prefecture without stopping.

The Mass Burial Grounds in Yunlai Prefecture is located in the desolate western suburbs.

Mass Burial Grounds are places where many people who have died have no graves, so they are buried haphazardly in any place, and the graves are dug in different directions, hence the name "Mass Burial Grounds".

Of course, the government also placed the unidentified bodies of murder cases there, and over time, the number of graves buried there increased.

Not to mention living people, even animals wouldn't normally pass through this place; it feels eerie and sinister.

Especially at night, people passing by this place will take a long detour to avoid getting into trouble and suffering bad luck.

At this moment, due to a series of events, it was already late at night. When Xu Bai and the others arrived, the moon was already hanging high in the sky, shimmering with pure white silver light.

The moonlight was bright, but when it fell on this Mass Burial Grounds, it appeared unusually eerie.

"Croak... Croak..."

A strange bird call came from the woods. On a dead tree, a black crow was perched on a branch, curiously observing Xu Bai.

The most terrifying thing at night is the cawing of crows, which is both unpleasant and eerie.

From the outside, the Mass Burial Grounds looked exactly the same as before, without any abnormalities. However, Xu Bai and his group stopped when they got closer.

Xu Bai squinted at the crows in the tree and said, "Brother Yun, it seems we've been discovered as soon as we arrived here."

Yun Zihai followed Xu Bai's gaze and finally fixed it on the crow.

The crow in the tree tilted its head and actually spoke in human language...