Chapter 181: It's time to keep the promise!

The sky was between darkness and dawn, that moment of yin and yang transition, the most hazy and silent time of day.

On a sheltered, sun-facing slope behind the village, a new earthen pit had already been dug.

Beside it rested a thin coffin, not finely crafted but solid and sturdy.

The coffin was made of ordinary pine wood, carrying the fresh scent of lumber.

Hu Huxu, Lu Yuan, and Hu Yangyang, her eyes swollen and red, stood silently by the pit.

Hu Yangyang had clearly learned from her father about her mother's "true" departure and the truth of these years.

Her little face was taut, her lower lip bitten hard, tears flowing silently down her cheeks, yet she stubbornly refused to cry out loud.

Hu Huxu had changed into relatively clean old clothes, the tear tracks on his face already dry, leaving only a quiet sorrow.

He personally placed his wife's body, wrapped in clean bedding, carefully into the coffin, his movements gentle as if afraid of disturbing a sleeping person.

Lu Yuan understood. This was for him to perform the final step.

Guiding the soul into the earth.

To completely sever this lingering bond, allowing that wisp of remnant soul to rest in peace and smoothly embark on the path of reincarnation.

Lu Yuan stepped forward, stopping three feet from the head of the coffin.

The morning wind blew over the hill, carrying the faint grassy smell and the coolness of dew.

Lu Yuan's expression solemn, he took three items from his robe.

A stack of pre-cut yellow ceremonial paper money.

A thin red cord soaked in cinnabar.

And a blue talisman inscribed with a passage and salvation incantation.

Different from the previous soul-summoning talisman, this one's color was more subdued, its runes leaning towards pacification and guidance.

"Yangyang, come here."

Lu Yuan beckoned to Hu Yangyang.

Hu Yangyang wiped her tears and walked to Lu Yuan's side.

Lu Yuan handed her the stack of paper money and said quietly,

"When I say 'send' later, you slowly scatter this paper money, one piece at a time, into the coffin, covering your mother."

"In your heart, keep thinking, wish her a smooth journey, don't worry about us."

Hu Yangyang nodded vigorously, clutching the paper money tightly in both hands.

Lu Yuan then turned to Hu Huxu, handing him the red cord:

"Wind this around your left wrist, three loops, tie a slipknot."

"No matter what you hear or feel later, you must not untie it, nor approach the coffin."

"This is your final connection to her, and the guiding rope to send her off."

Hu Huxu complied, his rough fingers somewhat clumsily winding the cord around his wrist and tying the knot.

With arrangements made, Lu Yuan took a deep breath of the mountain's clear, cold air, faced the coffin, and formally began.

Lu Yuan first held the blue "Passage and Salvation Talisman" between two fingers, suspending it before his chest.

He recited in a low voice the opening passage of the "Supreme Cavern Mystery Numinous Treasure Salvation from Suffering Wondrous Scripture":

"At that time, the Salvation from Suffering Celestial Master, pervades the ten directions."

"Constantly using majestic divine power, rescues and uplifts all living beings."

"Enables them to leave the path of delusion, living beings unknowing, like the blind seeing the sun and moon..."

The incantation was not loud, yet carried a strange, calming power, lightly dispersing with the mountain wind.

As he recited, Lu Yuan began walking Yu Steps, circling the coffin slowly.

These were not the attacking or entrapping Gang Steps, but the "Pacify the Land Yu Steps" specifically used in Taoism for guiding departed souls and pacifying yin spirits.

The footwork was steady and measured, each step seemingly measuring yin and yang, smoothing the local "qi."

After completing one circle, Lu Yuan stopped, facing the direction of the rising sun in the east, symbolizing new life and reincarnation.

Lu Yuan formed the "Passage Hand Seal" with his left hand, while his right hand gave the blue talisman a gentle shake.

The talisman ignited without fire, transforming into a wisp of straight, blue smoke that coiled upward. It did not scatter with the wind but rose straight up about a foot before slowly dispersing.

The blue smoke turned into a faint, fragrant blue mist of light, enveloping the area above the coffin.

"Soul returns to its place, worldly bonds are severed."

"Now borrowing the compassionate light of the Supreme, to open the underworld path, guide the way forward."

Lu Yuan's voice was clear and bright as he spoke to the coffin, both informing the remnant soul within and announcing to the local earth deities.

After speaking, Lu Yuan nodded to Hu Yangyang.

Hu Yangyang understood. With trembling hands, she picked up the first piece of paper money and gently scattered it into the coffin, covering her mother's chest.

In a childish voice tinged with sobs, she whispered:

"Mother... have a smooth journey... don't worry about me and little sister..."

One piece, then another. The yellow paper money, like autumn leaves, slowly drifted down, gradually covering the woman's body in the coffin.

With each piece that fell, the blue mist of light enveloping the coffin seemed to ripple slightly, as if bidding final farewell and offering comfort to the remnant soul.

By the time Hu Yangyang scattered the last piece of paper money, she was already in tears. Hu Huxu gently pulled her back to his side and held her.

Seeing the paper money coverage complete, Lu Yuan knew it was time.

His expression turned serious. His hands swiftly formed hand seals—this time, the "Open Underworld Path Seal" and the "Sever Worldly Bonds Seal."

Once the seals were formed, he pointed his fingers like a sword and made three slicing motions in the air towards the coffin.

This was not an attack, but a symbolic cutting through the barrier between yin and yang.

A symbolic severing of the remnant soul's connection to this place, and the final, unnecessary "threads" that could form bonds with its living relatives.

"Dust returns to dust, earth returns to earth, soul returns to the dark realm."

"This life's bonds are exhausted, do not look back again."

"The Yellow Springs path opens, ascend swiftly to bliss!"

With a final clear shout, Lu Yuan pointed his fingers towards the red cord on Hu Huxu's wrist!

Whoosh!

The red cord moved without wind, detaching itself from Hu Huxu's wrist. Yet it did not fall to the ground. Instead, as if possessing life, it flew through the air towards the coffin.

The moment it touched the blue mist of light, with a soft *poof* sound, it transformed into specks of red light-dust, merging into the mist and disappearing.

This symbolized the completion of the bloodline guiding task, the worldly bonds completely severed.

Simultaneously, the blue mist of light above the coffin, as if fulfilling its final mission, began slowly contracting inward.

As if being absorbed by the coffin, it gradually faded and vanished.

Seeing this, Lu Yuan knew the salvation and guidance were complete. The remnant soul had been formally "sent" off, embarking on the path of reincarnation.

Lu Yuan ceased his rituals, simply standing quietly, giving a slight nod towards the coffin as a final farewell.

"Close the coffin."

Lu Yuan said to Hu Huxu, his voice returning to its usual tone, though carrying a hint of fatigue.

Hu Huxu, eyes red, nodded heavily. Together with Hu Yangyang, they stepped forward and slowly closed the heavy coffin lid.

The sound of nailing the coffin echoed dully through the mountains, once, then again, as if striking the heart.

Drawing the final period on nine long years of painful obsession.

The coffin was lowered into the earth, yellow soil covering it. Soon, a new grave mound appeared on the hillside.

No tombstone was erected, only a simple wooden plaque inserted, with crooked characters carved by Hu Huxu's knife:

[Beloved Wife Xiu'e's Grave]

Hu Huxu, leading Hu Yangyang, kowtowed heavily three times before the grave.

Hu Yangyang finally couldn't hold back, throwing herself before the grave and weeping loudly.

The morning light finally pierced the clouds, spilling onto the hillside, dyeing the new grave's yellow earth with a faint layer of gold, and dispelling the night's yin chill.

Lu Yuan stood a bit further away, watching this scene, his face expressionless.

He knew that for Hu Huxu's family, the pain had not completely vanished.

But at least, a wrong cycle had ended. Life had the possibility of moving forward again.

And he, too, had something he must do immediately.

Hu Huxu gave his wife's wooden plaque a final touch. He wiped the tears from Hu Yangyang's face. When he turned and walked towards Lu Yuan, his eyes had become different.

They still held sorrow, but more so a resolute determination, and a hint of urgent eagerness to fulfill a promise.

"Daoist Priest Lu,"

Hu Huxu's voice was hoarse yet clear.

"This matter here is settled."

"I'll take you to the Liu Family now."

"On the way, I'll tell you everything I know."

Lu Yuan nodded, offering no extra words.

"Let's go."

...

Returning from the back hill, the sky was fully bright, but the thin mist shrouding the village hadn't yet dispersed, carrying a crisp, damp chill.

Hu Huxu's home, that low earthen hut, appeared particularly dilapidated and quiet in the morning light, as if it too had undergone a silent transformation.

Hu Huxu didn't delay, pushing open the creaking wooden plank door directly.

The room still retained the smoky oil smell and faint herbal scent from last night. The fire in the hearth had long gone out, leaving only a pile of cold ashes.

The unconscious Hu Tutu still lay quietly on the kang bed, wrapped in thick quilts, only the barely perceptible rise and fall of her chest proving she was still "alive."

"Yangyang, go boil some water. Wipe your sister's face, and make something to eat."

Hu Huxu instructed Hu Yangyang, who followed behind him, his voice low but steadier now.

Hu Yangyang, eyes red, nodded and silently walked to the stove to start the fire.

The little girl seemed to have grown up a lot overnight. Her movements still carried a child's clumsiness, yet they exuded a calmness incongruent with her age.

Hu Huxu turned and walked towards the western room, the one piled with clutter.

He didn't go near the cabinet hiding the tunnel entrance again. Instead, he went to the very back of the room, moving aside several dusty, broken wooden boxes.

This revealed an extremely well-hidden secret compartment in the wall behind, sealed with mud.

He picked away the long-dried mud clumps with his fingers and retrieved a flat package wrapped in several layers of oilcloth.

The package wasn't large but seemed to have some weight.

He carried it to the main room and placed it on the small table that Lu Yuan had flipped over and righted again.

He unwrapped the oilcloth layers one by one. What was revealed inside made Lu Yuan, standing waiting at the doorway, raise an eyebrow slightly.

The first things that caught the eye were several strangely shaped lamps.

Not oil lamps, more like something made from a mixture of metal and special pottery. The lamp bowls were small, no larger than a baby's fist, with an ancient, simple shape.

Their surfaces were covered in twisted runes that didn't belong to the Taoist system, exuding an ancient and sinister aura.

The lamp bodies were a dark, bluish-black color, as if saturated with the traces of time and some indescribable power.

These were the true forms of the "Soul-Sustaining Lamps" that the Hu Family of Continuing the Lamp was famous for.

Judging by their quality and the complexity of the runes, they were absolutely incomparable to the crude imitation on Hu Tutu's bedside.

Besides the lamps, there was a stack of neatly cut, peculiarly textured dark yellow paper, with faint, fine fibrous patterns.

It seemed to be made from some kind of tree bark mixed with other materials. This was the "Yin Talisman Paper" specifically used for drawing the Hu Family's secret talismans.

Several talisman brush tips were a dark red, apparently made from special animal hair mixed with minerals.

A small box containing a solidified, faintly fishy-smelling black paste, probably the "Soul-Guiding Ink" used for drawing specific talismans.

Additionally, there were several small bronze bells strung with red cord, their bodies covered in rust.

But when shaken gently, they produced an unusually dull sound, as if capable of directly vibrating the soul.

A short length of dark red thread, as if soaked in blood.

And several irregularly shaped black stones emitting a faint, yin-cool aura.

Likely "Soul-Nurturing Stones" or "Soul-Suppressing Stones" collected from extremely yin places.

These were all the Hu Family of Continuing the Lamp's prized ritual tools, each exuding the unique aura left by years of use and nurturing.

They were completely different from the balanced, peaceful, or majestic thunderous authority of Taoist ritual tools. They leaned more towards the yin, subtle, and bizarre, directly affecting the soul level.

Hu Huxu didn't avoid Lu Yuan's gaze. He carefully inspected each ritual tool, brushing off nonexistent dust with his fingers.

His eyes were focused, as if bidding farewell to old friends.

He wrapped the several "Soul-Sustaining Lamps" separately in soft cloth and carefully placed them at the bottom layer of a sturdy cloth bag.

The talisman paper, brushes, Soul-Guiding Ink, bronze bells, blood thread, Soul-Nurturing Stones, and other items were also sorted and wrapped in oiled paper.

He stuffed these things into different compartments of the bag.

His movements were slow, meticulous, carrying a near-ritualistic solemnity.

After finishing this, he went back into the inner room.

After a while, he came out carrying a bulging coarse cloth bundle.

Inside were some dry rations, a water skin, a fire starter, several changes of old clothes, and a small packet of salt and herbs.

He tied this bundle to the outside of the bag.

Finally, he walked to the kang bed, squatted down, and looked at the unconscious Hu Tutu.

He reached out, his rough palm gently stroking his daughter's cold, pale cheek.

Deep pain and reluctance showed in his eyes, but more than that, a resolve.

"Yangyang."

Hu Huxu turned his head and spoke to Hu Yangyang, who was silently adding firewood by the stove. His voice wasn't loud but was exceptionally clear.

"Your father needs to go out with Daoist Priest Lu to handle some matters."

"The time... it's hard to say. Could be a few days, could be longer."

Hu Yangyang looked up, her little face full of tension and unease, but she bit her lip and nodded hard.

Hu Huxu continued his instructions, his tone unprecedentedly serious:

"You stay home, take good care of Tutu. Give her water on time, wipe her face and hands with a damp cloth, don't let her body stiffen."

"In the clay pot by the stove, there's the medicine I prepared. Every morning and evening, dissolve a small spoonful, slowly drip it into her mouth using a reed tube. Don't let her choke."

"Remember, not a single drop more, and don't miss a single day!"

Hu Yangyang nodded heavily, her eyes reddening again, but she held back her tears.

"I remember, Dad."

Hu Huxu took a deep breath and continued:

"There's enough food at home to last a while."

"If firewood runs low, go to the back hill and gather some dry wood. Don't go far, stay near the village."

"At night, bolt the door well. Don't open it for anyone who knocks."

Hu Huxu itemized his instructions, covering every detail.

"If... if your father hasn't returned after a month..."

Hu Huxu paused, his Adam's apple bobbing as he looked at Hu Yangyang's young but bravely resolute face.

The words that followed seemed difficult to utter.

But he took another deep breath and said them.

"...then you go to town, find Manager Liu at 'Liu's Paper Horse Shop,' show him the tiger-head wooden carving I left for you."

Hu Yangyang's tears finally couldn't be held back, rolling down.

But she immediately wiped them away fiercely with her sleeve, saying with a sob-filled yet firm voice:

"Dad... you *will* come back!"

"Tutu and I will wait for you!"

Hu Huxu gave a heavy "Mm" in response, stood up, and didn't look at his daughter again, as if one more glance might shake his resolve.

He shouldered the heavy bag filled with ritual tools and travel gear, checked his robe and waist for anything missed.

Then, he turned, facing Lu Yuan who had been standing quietly at the doorway, witnessing everything.

"Daoist Priest Lu, on my side, I'm ready."

Hu Huxu's voice regained its previous steadiness, even carrying a trace of the solemnity before embarking on an unknown, perilous journey.

"Let's go."

Lu Yuan's gaze swept from Hu Huxu, past the tearful yet straight-backed Hu Yangyang.

Finally, it settled on the unconscious Hu Tutu on the kang bed. His eyes flickered slightly, but he said nothing.

He simply turned decisively and was the first to walk out of this earthen hut filled with sorrow, resolve, and a final trace of warmth.

Hu Huxu took one last look at his home, at his daughter, then also strode out with firm steps.

He casually pulled the creaking wooden door shut behind him.

It was time to fulfill the promise!