A Long Journey

"A broken puppet."

The eerie stomach, tightly gripped by the Ghost Ruler, finally stopped wriggling and trembling.

Zhou Yang looked down at the stomach. Fat Mirror Lamp Ghost Ruler on the cashew-shaped stomach, easily revealing the silk threads swirling around it.

Puppet-Thread Ghost Rhyme.

The tangled, disordered threads indicated that this stomach originally belonged to a puppet.

However, the ends of those threads were completely twisted into a rope, and the ends of the rope were very even, as if a section had been cut off with scissors. This shows that this stomach was not a complete puppet.

It was once part of a puppet.

The puppet is the lowest level of ghost, yet it already possesses some characteristics of a true ghost.

But it is actually far less terrifying than a real ghost. The distinction between a puppet and a ghost is like the distinction between a gorilla and a human.

Manipulating and using this puppet stomach is actually not complicated.

Zhou Yang simply enveloped the stomach with the Fat Mirror Lamp, conjuring a thread that connected with the end of the Puppet Threads emanating from the stomach—and the stomach instantly grew into the palm of the Ghost Ruler's hand. With a thought from Zhou Yang, the puppet stomach moved to his lower abdomen in an instant.

He continuously poured Fat Mirror Lamp- infused liquid into the stomach, and gradually, a set of internal organs grew inside.

His stomach slowly expanded, extending from Zhou Yang's lower abdomen all the way to his chest.

This stomach now completely covered Zhou Yang's chest and abdomen.

If anyone were to stab Zhou Yang Zhou Yang the chest or abdomen at this moment, they would only hit his stomach, without damaging his internal organs in the slightest.

"With this puppet stomach, and with the ripples of the Fat Mirror Lamp, I no longer need to take the risk of using the ' Slitting the Belly and Spilling the Intestines ' trick from the ' Draft of Divine Makeup and Ghost Painting ' during the Revelation Ceremony ceremony."

"This stomach is enough to support me through the three steps of giving the discourse, purification, and official burial."

Zhou Yang thought to himself.

In fact, once you've completed the first three steps of the Revelation Ceremony Revelation Ceremony, you can almost consider it a successful one.

The subsequent steps, though they might taint a person with ghostly habits and make them resemble ghosts, are of little consequence to those who merely seek survival. As long as they can live and obtain Official Body, what does it matter if they become like ghosts?

"The subsequent steps of Seedling Sprouting and Seedling Drenching must be done using the ' Visualization Method ' to counteract the various evil influences instilled by the fat and oil, preventing these evil influences from taking root within oneself."

Zhou Yang let out a soft breath. From the moment he first learned of the existence of the "Revelation Ceremony" to now, having finally obtained the corresponding methods for dealing with the five steps of the Revelation Ceremony, in terms of the Guan Village's timeline, only a dozen days have passed.

Even including the time he spent in Daliang Village and Linzang, it was only a little over a month.

Even after more than a month, when he looked back, he still felt that danger lurked everywhere and every step was filled with trepidation.

I need to meet with Luan Xiaofeng and You Chuntian in the next couple of days.

"Teach them the Visualization Method from the ' Lord of the Charnel Ground Homa Offering '."

Zhou Yang thought to himself.

According to Aji, this kind of "Homa offering" ritual is not as precious as the deity practice of the fourfold practice.

The homa offering of the Lord of the Charnel Ground is transmitted to monks when they set foot in a place like a charnel ground. This practice is extremely universal, and even someone like Zhou Yang, who has no Esoteric Nature foundation, can practice it diligently.

It would be appropriate to transmit the Visualization Method from the homa ritual to Luan and You separately.

By relying on this Visualization Method, the two of them will be able to avoid being corrupted by the evil spirits, and in the future, Zhou Yang will have two more helpers in Guan Village.

"Yang'er, the meal is ready."

"Should I bring your food over, or will you eat in the woodshed?" Huang Shaozi's voice called from the woodshed.

After greeting Zhou Yang, she called out to Zhou Baigou, who was also resting at home at the time:

"Baigou, get up and eat!"

"I'm coming right now!" Zhou Baigou replied.

Upon hearing "Big Brother's" voice, Zhou Yang had an idea. He then sealed the Ghost Mouth on his body, responding to his mother's calls while cleaning up all the traces left by the offerings in the room.

He then left the house and went into the woodshed.

On the small table in the woodshed, bowls and chopsticks for three people were already set out.

The mother and her two children's breakfast consisted of three bowls of undercooked rice, a dish of minced meat sauce, and a large bowl of lard.

After greeting his mother in the woodshed, Zhou Yang sat down in a corner. While he was chatting with Huang Shaozi, Zhou Baigou also walked in from outside, sat down silently opposite Zhou Yang, and looked up at Huang Shaozi.

"Eat."

Looking at his two most beloved sons, Huang Shaozi's eyes were filled with satisfaction.

The old woman spoke with a smile, and the eldest brother immediately scooped a large spoonful of grease into his bowl and began to eat in silence. "Eat slowly, no one's going to take it from you," Huang Shaozi scolded Baigou, knowing the dog wouldn't listen, so he moved the bowl of grease closer to Zhou Yang, "Eat more grease, Yang'er."

"The Revelation Ceremony is coming soon; you'll be using quite a bit of this stuff."

"Thank you, Mother!"

Zhou Yang responded gratefully and, as instructed, scooped a large spoonful of the cream into his own bowl.

When only Huang Shaozi's parents were at the breakfast table, the atmosphere wasn't as terrifying and chilling as it was at night.

The mother and her two children could still exchange a few words.

"A-Yang said he's cooking for his family tonight." Huang Shaozi's face was full of a happy smile. "Baigou, you need to come back early this afternoon so you can try your three brothers' cooking."

Zhou Baigou, who was engrossed in eating, looked up at Zhou Yang when he heard Huang Shaozi's words.

A hint of hesitation appeared on that blank face that was exactly like Zhou Laogou's. "Okay."

I'll try to be back as early as possible this afternoon.

"Is Big Brother going to help the Xiao Family again today?"

Taking this opportunity, Zhou Yang asked Baigou, "Yes." Mentioning his "deceased" best friend, a hint of emotion appeared on Baigou's stiff face. "Xiao Fei has too many things going on at home."

"Their own family members were busy making a coffin for Xiao Fei and setting up the mourning hall."

"I'll help his father with setting up the wedding hall and decorating the bridal chamber for Xiao Fei and his fiancée."

After the Baigou spoke, Zhou Yang and Huang Shaozi at the dinner table fell silent.

Huang Shaozi simply felt that Xiao Fei's death was unlucky and was rather reluctant to let his eldest son help Xiao Fei's family.

But since the Baigou had just caused her a scene, she simply kept a sullen face and didn't say a word.

Zhou Yang, however, found the matter quite horrifying.

He couldn't help but wonder, what if he used Xiao Fei's dead skin to wrap up the "River Floater Ghost"—who was actually the ghost inside Xiao Fei Xiao Fei's Human-Skin Ghost —and paired her with him as his bride? Would that cause Xiao Fei to be resurrected on the day of their spirit-summoning wedding?

"Mom, find me some cotton rope."

The oil lamp in the room has run out of wick.

After finishing their meal and clearing away the dishes, Zhou Yang casually exchanged a few words with Huang Shaozi.

Huang Shaozi then went inside and soon brought him a roll of rope. He asked Huang Shaozi for this cotton rope because it was indeed for connecting the wick to the oil lamp, but he also needed to collect the ashes from the burnt wick and arrange them into a "Square Offering," which required a special kind of wick ash.

"I'm going to work, Mom."

Zhou Yang greeted Huang Shaozi and then left the woodshed with Zhou Baigou.

The Baigou darted past him and hurried toward the courtyard gate passageway.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when he suddenly stopped at the end of the passageway and called out, "Father."

In the pitch-black corridor, Zhou Laogou's muffled reply echoed, "Hmm."

Zhou Laogou, with his back hunched and carrying farm tools, walked out of the passageway and appeared in Zhou Yang's sight.

Zhou Yang looked behind the Laogou but didn't see the Heigou.

He also greeted the Laogou: "Dad, you're back from the fields."

"Yes."

Zhou Laogou responded curtly, took two more steps forward, then stopped as if suddenly remembering something, looked at Zhou Baigou and Zhou Yang, and asked again, "Have you had breakfast?"

"I've eaten," Zhou Yang said quickly. "Mother waited for you for a long time, and when you didn't come back, she saved breakfast for you." Hearing Zhou Yang's words, the Laogou's face showed a rare smile, "No need to save any for me."

"I'm going to the Xiao Family." The Baigou said this to the Laogou again, and then hurried away.

Just as Zhou Yang was about to speak, Huang Shaozi peeked out from the woodshed, saw Zhou Laogou in the yard, and asked with some surprise, "Didn't Heigou come back with you?"

"Heigou..." Upon hearing his wife's words, Zhou Laogou seemed to have heard a joke, his lips curling into an uncontrollable grin, revealing pink bits of flesh stuck between his yellow teeth to Zhou Yang. "Heigou has gone on a long trip. He said he won't return home until after the Revelation Ceremony."

The Heigou went on a long trip and won't return until after the Revelation Ceremony?

Zhou Yang was shocked by the Laogou's words!

Anyone who tries to leave Guan Village will first be killed by these Human-Skin Ghost of Guan Village!

There is no other possibility!

So, what kind of long trip did the Heigou take?

"It seems that by taking Heigou's stomach, I've actually allowed Zhou Laogou to eat Heigou's truly fresh, living offal." Zhou Yang's mind raced. "Laogou killed Zhou Heigou!"

"But in the ghost's perception, it's as if it never did such a thing."

"When the Heigou disappears, it automatically assumes in its mind that ' the Heigou has gone on a long trip.' But it also says that the Heigou will return after the Revelation Ceremony..."

"Does this mean that after the Revelation Ceremony, a new person will become Zhou Heigou and enter the Guan Village?!"

"The winter harvest is almost here, and he's gone on a long trip."

Huang Shaozi pursed his lips, clearly displeased that Heigou had suddenly gone on a long trip.

She didn't find anything suspicious about it at all.

What the Laogou promised, she actually did.

"I'm going to work, Dad, Mom."

Zhou Yang maintained a calm demeanor, smiled and spoke with his parents, then followed them out the door.

As they approached the fork in the road at the village entrance, Zhou Yang turned and looked behind him.

Keep walking along this road behind you, then turn west and go around halfway, and you'll reach the farmland on the edge of the village.

I wonder if any fragments of Zhou Heigou's remains can still be found in the Zhou Family's farmland?

Zhou Yang didn't dare look for the answer to this question at the moment. He just glanced back and continued walking along the road.