The Haunted Farmhouse (Part Two)

A son was born to Tian Dabao’s family, cause for joy and celebration. Yet, rumors spread that my soul had entered his wife’s womb, stirring discontent among his kin. These whispers infuriated me, and following the orders of Lady Fox Immortal, I steeled myself and set out for his home. Just as Lady Fox Immortal had foretold, since the day the child was born, peace had vanished from their household. The wife held the baby and wept, while the husband sat on the kang, his face clouded with worry.

Tian Dabao’s wife soothed the child in her arms, sighing and sobbing, “Oh, what will we do? What sin has our family committed to bring such misfortune upon this child?” Her tears fell onto the baby’s face. The child’s cries were peculiar, his wailing interspersed with eerie laughter—“Hehehehe, the more you cry, the more anxious your mother becomes.” I frowned at the sinister voice that seemed to speak through the crying.

Alas, Lady Fox Immortal was right; surely, some evil spirit was at work here. Thinking this, I pulled from my bosom the mirror she had given me and quietly aimed it toward the source of the strange laughter. “Ah!” I looked in the direction the mirror reflected, and my face changed instantly. What appeared in the mirror stunned me—the ghost, I recognized him. It was the very underworld envoy who tried to take my life at the River of Yin and Yang.

His appearance was unchanged: blood, black and crimson, flowed from his eyes and nostrils. He grinned wickedly at the child, yanking the baby’s arm with a blood-soaked hand. How could the fragile soul of a newborn withstand such force? Witnessing this, I cried out in fury, “Let go! How can a newborn endure your torment, you wicked ghost? Haven’t you committed enough evil?” My words only provoked the displeasure of Tian Dabao’s family.

“You wretched girl, what are you yelling about? Aren’t you afraid of frightening the child? Sixteen or seventeen years old and still behaving badly! Stop pretending to be mystical, get out!” Tian Dabao erupted in anger, and without letting me explain, pushed me outside.

What kind of people are these? I came to help, yet not only do they refuse my aid, they drive me out—truly infuriating. I’ve done all I could for this child! Muttering to myself, I made my way home.

Back at my own house, I remained sullen, no matter how much my parents asked. I insisted nothing was wrong, only that my mood was poor. The day passed thus, until night fell and I had just drifted to sleep. In Tian’s courtyard, the bloody-faced underworld envoy appeared again, drunkenly staggering toward Tian Dabao’s house. A mournful, wailing sound unsettled me.

Something must have happened to the Tian family’s child. How tragic, for a newborn to die after only a few days. As I pondered, the ghostly envoy appeared before me once more, his visage as fierce as ever. He grinned at Wang Xiaochun, Tian Dabao’s wife, who was cradling the child, “Hehehehe, little lady, you’re rather pretty. I have no interest in you, but in your…” Before he could finish, Wang Xiaochun retreated in fright, clutching her baby.

“What do you want? Don’t come near me. I’ve no grudge against you…” Before she could finish, the underworld envoy lunged, grabbing the baby from her arms. “Hehehehe, you may have no quarrel with me, but Xie Lingling does! Give me the child, give him to me!” “Please, let my baby go!” Tian Dabao’s child cried, pleading with the ghost.

But a ghost knows no compassion. No matter how she begged, the envoy seized the child, laughing madly, and transformed into a cold wind that swept the crying baby away into the distance. Oh! It was only a dream, but it terrified me. Sitting up, I picked up my fan, waved away the cold sweat, and just as I calmed myself, a frantic knocking and wild barking erupted outside.

“Who is it?” My mother called as she dressed, picking up a flashlight and heading to the door. “Oh, Dabao! Why have you come so late? What’s wrong?” Tian Dabao stood before my mother, sobbing as if entranced. “Dabao, don’t cry, don’t cry. Is something the matter—do you need money? I’ll fetch some from the cabinet.” “Auntie, I’m not short of money. I came to find Lingling, to ask for her help.” With that, he knelt before my mother.

“Brother Dabao, what are you doing? Get up, a grown man shouldn’t be kneeling and crying like this.” Though I am a woman, I cannot stand to see men behave in such a way. I glared at him, annoyed. “Lingling, please save my son, I’ll kowtow to you.” Turning his head, he knocked it against the floor repeatedly. What parent doesn’t love their child? Watching him, I nodded silently.

“Get up, tell me what happened.” He was agitated, stammering, “Your sister-in-law, she dreamed that our child was taken by a blood-covered ghost soldier. When she awoke, the child had stopped breathing…” As he spoke, he broke down in tears. “It wasn’t a dream, it was real. That ghost envoy told your sister-in-law everything was my doing, and said you should come find me, right?” He nodded.

I understood then—this ghost envoy, punished yet unchanged, would not be stopped until destroyed. Sighing, I looked steadily at Tian Dabao. “Sister, I leave this matter to you. I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you earlier…” “Enough, I don’t blame you! Where does that ghost want me to go?” Tian Dabao stammered, “The Deadwood Grove…” Hearing this, my mother grew anxious.

“Deadwood Grove? Daughter, you mustn’t go! It’s a place from which none return!” She sobbed as she spoke. Oh, so the path to the underworld is called Deadwood Grove! I nodded at Tian Dabao. “Mother, don’t worry, it’ll be fine. Didn’t you say that those destined to live won’t die no matter where they go, and those doomed to die can’t survive even at home?” Smiling at my weeping mother, I gathered the treasures Lady Fox Immortal had given me and set off toward Deadwood Grove.

Deadwood Grove is a place that inspires fear. If someone is homeless, they’d rather stay in a ruined temple than come here, for it is heavy with yin energy, a gathering place for vengeful ghosts. The grove remained unchanged, its distant branches glimmering with dim blue light. Withered twigs blocked the path ahead, and terrifying screams echoed from afar.

The wailing was so mournful, it made my hair stand on end. Green spheres spun around me. In the distance, the ghostly green flames flickered atop graves, one after another. Seeing these ghost lights and hearing the cries of vengeful spirits sent chills down my spine. Nervously, I glanced at the ghost fires around me, tension rising in my heart. “Hahahaha, Xie Lingling, you really came! Last time at the River of Yin and Yang, you escaped me, but this time, I’ll take you back!” The seven-orifice bleeding ghost envoy stood before me, glaring fiercely.

His appearance was monstrous, his face glowing green, blood streaming black and red. His eyes shone an eerie blue, fixed on me with malice. The child in his arms cried, “Wah, wah!” “Stop crying, or I’ll tear you to pieces!” The baby’s soul cried on. “You wicked ghost, your evil is unrepentant! I had hoped the City God would spare you, but you repay kindness with hatred!” I spoke as I glared at him in fury.

“Haha, if not for you, we would have lived peacefully. Your arrival turned us into neither ghosts nor souls! Xie Lingling, you owe me a blood debt!” As he spoke, he reached toward me. “Xie Lingling, remember: no matter what he says, never let him touch you. If he does, you will die!” Remembering Lady Fox Immortal’s warning, I stepped back, dodging his grasp.

“Hahahaha, Xie Lingling, can you escape? We are here as well!” As I frantically evaded him, several vengeful spirits suddenly appeared around me. Ah? “The fat woman who sold pastries? Liu Heng?” Seeing these ghosts, panic seized me. “Hehehehe, Xie Lingling, you can’t escape today! We’ll tear you apart to satisfy our hatred!” The vengeful ghosts reached for me together.

“Miscreants, you brought this upon yourselves; you cannot blame me!” Tears fell as I looked at them. I hated to kill, but their evil left me no choice. I remembered they were once living beings—though cut down by the City God, they could have become animals. Yet they approached, gleaming with blood, threatening. With tears in my eyes, I drew Lady Fox Immortal’s mirror from my bosom.

“Xie Lingling, return my life!” The fat woman’s ghost reached for me with blood-stained hands. I realized too late I had grabbed the wrong treasure; surely, I was doomed. Eyes closed, I heard a heart-wrenching scream. Her ghostly hands touched the mirror, her cries dwindled, and she vanished as white smoke before me. The chilling wails faded, Liu Heng’s spirit fled back to the underworld. Only the ghost envoy clutching the child remained, trembling.

“Good, good! Xie Lingling, you’re ruthless! We’ll find you again! If you want to save the child, come to the underworld and trade your life for his!” The envoy shouted as he carried the weeping child toward the deep pit leading to the underworld. “Stop, miscreant! Your end has come!” With that, I drew Lady Fox Immortal’s peachwood sword and stabbed at his back.