Fire Ash Offering

That's right.

Zhou Yang smiled and nodded, saying, "I just feel that Quzha treated his wife as his slave, so I guess his wife's death might not be as simple as an accidental fall into the water."

"However, this is just speculation. Quzha's wife is dead, so there's no way to verify it."

"Yes."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

At this moment Gemei couldn't help but ask Zhou Yang, "What... what does this have to do with Zeweng's madness?"

Upon hearing his words, everyone looked puzzled and turned to Zhou Yang.

"I really suspect that the thing that possessed Zeweng, causing him to go mad and strangle himself, is related to Quzha Zeweng." Zhou Yang's expression turned serious. "You all heard the crazy things Zeweng said when he went mad just now."

The Tsen Demon that possessed him kept asking, "Where is she?" at that time, because it always felt that Zeweng had hidden the person he was looking for.

"I think that the Tsen Demon is looking for the soul of Quzha's deceased wife."

"Zeweng sent Quzha's wife to heaven. When Quzha returned home, he didn't see his wife's spirit and felt that Zeweng had hidden her spirit..." "Ah!" Gemei was shocked upon hearing this.

After thinking about it carefully, he felt that things might really be as Aji said.

However, some questions remain.

Gemei couldn't help but want to ask Zhou Yang again.

However, just as he was about to speak, Gonpo grabbed his sleeve and stopped him.

He turned to look at Gonpo and saw Gonpo displeased expression— Gemei immediately realized, "Gonpo thinks I'm talking too much with his apprentice and that I'm trying to steal his apprentice!"

Thinking of this, the first feeling that arose in Gemei's heart was not one of absurdity or helplessness.

Gemei felt a pang of shame that her thoughts had been discovered!

He coughed twice but didn't say anything.

Gonpo then released his sleeve, looked up at Zhou Yang, and said, "Hey! Disciple Aji!"

"That Quzha was a real, living person!"

"How could a living person possess Zeweng's body? Although what you said before is all correct, and it seems like everything fits together, the fact that Quzha is a real living person makes all of this fall apart." Zhou Yang nodded in agreement.

This is precisely where his current concerns and doubts lie. "Yes, that's why I can't be completely sure whether the thing on Zeweng's body is related to Quzha."

"This is just a preliminary guess. If you have any other clues, please tell us, and we'll take another look!"

Such a bizarre event was something even an experienced sky burial master like Gonpo had never heard of, and Zhou Yang dared not make any guarantees.

To avoid making overly definitive statements that might obscure other clues.

The group looked at each other, at a loss for what to do.

"Why don't you find two fast runners who are familiar with the area of Manitang and go to Manitang to take a look?"

"Look for Quzha."

"If you find him, don't disturb him. Don't let him think that you've come specifically to find him."

"Come back as soon as you're sure he's still in that village."

Zhou Yang then offered his suggestion.

Before he could finish speaking, someone immediately raised their hand and volunteered. "I'll go! I know Manitang; I've been there many times!" The person who raised their hand was Jiekan.

When Zhou Yang saw Jiekan's excited expression, he immediately felt troubled.

This job requires someone who is quick-witted.

But Jiekan was a hothead. He went there excitedly, and when he saw Quzha, he was sure to stare at him intently. If Quzha had nothing to do with what Zeweng had on him, then so be it. At most, if Quzha thought Jiekan's gaze was unfriendly, he would go over and fight Jiekan with a "heh heh."

But if Quzha is related to what Zeweng has, Jiekan will inevitably alert the enemy.

You can't do it!

Zhou Yang changed his mind and ultimately rejected Jiekan's self-recommendation.

He was afraid that if he phrased it too subtly, Jiekan wouldn't understand.

"Why not?" Jiekan immediately became anxious. "Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"I'm very smart and quick-witted!"

He stiffened his neck, staring intently at Zhou Yang, looking utterly foolish.

Zhou Yang looked at him, his expression unchanged. "You have more important things to do!" Jiekan, who was about to explode, suddenly brightened up when he heard Zhou Yang's words. He grinned, scratched his head, and laughed, "Okay!"

"I have to do something more important!"

Gonpo looked at Jiekan, then at his apprentice, and laughed.

"Then let's go, you and my brother." At this moment, a yellow-faced man wearing a blue robe raised his hand to Zhou Yang, "Manitang is our home."

"We've always lived here as corpse carriers; Master Zeweng introduced us to the work."

"Leave the task of observing Quzha to the two of us."

Beside the sallow-faced man, a man who looked similar to him but had a three-pronged mustache also smiled and nodded.

In the family relationships of this region, the eldest brother holds extremely important responsibilities.

In order to withstand the ever-changing external environment, the family's property needs to be preserved as much as possible, so that it is not continuously diminished or completely depleted due to the division of the family property among the brothers. In this case, the eldest brother needs to take on all the family property, while the younger sons will go out to manage it.

The eldest brother wielded considerable power.

For his younger siblings, the eldest brother is like a mountain.

Their word is law, and their decisions cannot be changed. Now that the older brother with the sallow complexion has agreed, the younger brother with the three-pronged mustache must follow suit.

"Gama, Pingcuo!" Zeweng stood up, placed his right hand on his chest, and bowed to the two brothers. "Thank you!"

The elder brother Gama, waved his hand and then left with Pingcuo.

"What did I do?" Seeing the two leave, Jiekan began relentlessly questioning Zhou Yang, "What did I do?"

You must stay here and guard this place well!

Zhou Yang's expression was serious. "That Tsen Demon that possessed Zeweng might come back in a while."

"You stay by Zeweng's side and keep your eyes on him at all times, but if he does anything amiss—don't disturb him, just tell me immediately!"

"Okay!" Seeing Zhou Yang's serious tone, Jiekan immediately felt that his work was of utmost importance.

He nodded repeatedly and agreed to the matter very seriously.

Zhou Yang then said to Zeweng, "Master Zeweng, the Tsen Demon that left you will definitely not let this go. It must still think that you have hidden the person it wants, and it will definitely come back to ask you for that person."

"To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, I'll have to linger at your house for a while longer until I catch Tsen Demon."

"How could it be a disturbance?" Zeweng shook his head solemnly, a deep purple bruise on his neck, oozing blood. "You saved my life. As long as I live, Zhima can live well. If I die, this family will cease to exist."

"So you saved our whole family's lives too."

"You can stay as long as you wish! Tujichinpo, Gaso!"

Tujiqinpo, Gaso, means "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, I will remember it!"

As Zeweng spoke, he clasped his hands together in front of his chest and bowed to Zhou Yang.

Zhou Yang also stood up and returned the greeting to Zeweng.

He then said, "Because Tsen Demon could come back at any time, I need to tie you up again to prevent any accidents—that way, even if Tsen Demon suddenly attacks, the ropes binding you will give me some time to react."

"Good!"

Without hesitation, Zeweng nodded in agreement.

Then, the group brought out several bundles of rope and tied Zeweng up tightly.

Seeing that the matter was not going to be resolved anytime soon, the group did not linger and disturb them any longer. After exchanging a few words with Mr. and Mrs. Zeweng, they all took their leave.

Before leaving, they would all make a point of greeting Zhou Yang. Gonpo, hiding to the side, watched as so many people came to greet his apprentice, his old face practically splitting into a wide grin.

Before long, only six people remained in Zeweng's fortified house.

Besides Zeweng and Zhima, there were also Zhou Yang, Gonpo, Jiekan, and Gemei.

"Gemei, what are you still doing here?"

Gonpo's expression turned unfriendly, and he immediately asked Gemei.

"Today is a lucky day!" Gemei grinned, laughing heartily. "No corpses were brought today, and I don't have much to do, so I'll stay here with Zeweng, watch over him, and help him out!"

"Thank you, thank you!" Zeweng, who was tied up, nodded repeatedly.

"Alright, then you can keep an eye on Zeweng!" Gonpo sneered a few times and pulled Zhou Yang over. "Since we're going to wait here for Tsen Demon to come, we'll have to find a way to keep it here once Tsen Demon arrives."

I'll teach you a kind of "Fire Ash Offering".

"The Tsen Demon hiding in the shadows will come and be attracted by the Smeared Ash Offering, wanting to enjoy them."

"After it eats the offerings, even if we can't see it, it will leave footprints covered in wood ash wherever it goes."

"That way, we can follow the footprints to catch up with it." Before Gonpo finished speaking, Aji whispered in Zhou Yang's ear, "That's indeed the case."

Zhou Yang nodded immediately. "Okay, Master, please teach me how to make this kind of offering!"

Gonpo smiled, then suddenly turned to look a few steps away— Gemei was standing there, straining his ears to listen to Gonpo and his apprentice's hushed conversation. He couldn't make out what they were saying before he met Gonpo's face, which was turned to stare at him.

Gemei was extremely embarrassed and kept rubbing her hands together while forcing a laugh.

How to make offerings is a secret among our families!

"How could you eavesdrop?!" Gonpo preemptively confronted Gemei.

In truth, Gemei hadn't heard a word the master and disciple said. Now, when Gonpo asked him this, his face flushed red, but he was utterly speechless. "I didn't hear anything! I didn't hear anything!"

"No!" Gonpo suddenly stood up and walked towards Gemei. "You overheard one of my Tsen Demon Offering, so you must teach my apprentice the ritual you've learned!"

"Ah..." Gemei was speechless, but her eyes darted around rapidly.

He noticed Zhou Yang turning to look at him, and was about to speak when Gonpo suddenly laughed inexplicably again, "Gemei, you don't have any apprentices either, do you?"

"Aji, how about I become your apprentice too?"

"From now on, I will be his master, and you will be his second master... Are you willing, Gemei?"