Chapter 651: Extra Chapter 1: Coercion

While speaking, I noticed the black air between my grandfather's brows growing denser and heavier, the corners of his mouth sagging, drooping down, his lips taking on a deathly gray hue.

An omen that his time was up……

Jin Wuya had originally come carrying the small coffin to question my grandfather.

As a deceitful craftsman, he could also see my grandfather's abnormality.

He stared at my grandfather's brow and asked, "Old sir, what's wrong with you? Sit down, have a sip of tea, and speak slowly."

My grandfather waved his hand and said, "I don't have much time left; I know little about that tomb, after all, since Aunt Rou's great-grandfather and the others escaped from it, no one has dared to trespass there."

He paused, as if making a great decision, reached toward the small coffin, and said, "Wuya, hand over the small coffin; let it accompany me into burial. Take Aunt Rou and leave the Shi Family, leave this place of right and wrong, and in this life never think of having children again—live out the rest of your days in peace."

It turned out that what my grandfather had been waiting for was actually this small coffin.

He wanted to bury the small coffin with him, so that the Shi Family's curse and backlash would perish together with him.

"Old sir, you're thinking too simply," Jin Wuya said. "In this world there has never been a wall that doesn't let wind through; the secret of the earth fetus will not disappear with your death. If you bury the small coffin, you will not find peace even after death; for the sake of obtaining the earth fetus, they will stop at nothing."

Digging up graves and tombs is the old trade of grave robbers.

My grandfather gave a light cough, his body swaying weakly, he said breathlessly, "I'm already dead; why bother with after‑arrangements? I only want Aunt Rou to live."

At this moment I was immersed in the grief of my grandfather's impending death, utterly unable to discuss these matters as calmly as they were doing.

On the contrary, Jin Wuya thought even more: "If the small coffin could be cremated..."

"Impossible." My grandfather directly interrupted Jin Wuya, saying, "First, cremation would damage the seal on the small coffin; second, the earth fetus cannot be burned away, so don't even think about cremation—it would not solve the problem and would only bring unnecessary trouble."

"Don't interfere in this matter anymore; whoever wants the earth fetus, let them dig for it."

I understood.

My grandfather meant to toss this hot potato aside.

As for who will pick up this hot potato and what consequences will follow, that's no longer our concern.

It turned out that my uncle was merely the first move my grandfather made; this second step, he intended to muddy the waters, and the whole Lingnan region was truly going to change.

For a moment I actually didn't know how to respond.

In the marketplace I can call the wind and summon the rain, but how dare I question my grandfather's decision about the earth fetus that the Shi Family has failed to handle for generations?

If he could still think of any other method, he wouldn't have resorted to this desperate measure.

My grandfather coughed violently a few times, then his breathing began to labor, his body swaying on the verge of collapse; I instinctively reached out to support him.

Yet he kept his gaze fixed on Jin Wuya, pressing him to make a decision.

"Grandfather, I'll do as you say and bury the small coffin with you," I declared, "but since we can't resolve the earth fetus problem, I am destined to bear no children in this life… then… let him go; he is innocent after all, and I will manage the rest of my life on my own."

I could feel Jin Wuya's scrutinizing gaze projected from beside me; I did not turn my head to look at him.

Having made a decision, I should not keep dragging Jin Wuya into the abyss.

I have weathered too many great storms; I know full well that my grandfather's decision will bring endless future troubles.

His pressing of Jin Wuya amounted to nothing more than eyeing Jin Wuya's behind‑the‑scenes connections, hoping to continue using him to protect me.

But for me, my dearest relatives have all passed away, and I will ultimately have no children of my own; I can let go and calmly accept my fate.

Whether I take the initiative or am passive, I no longer want to make use of Jin Wuya.

He is too innocent.

Yet my grandfather flatly ignored me, obstinately pressing Jin Wuya: "Wuya, do you agree or not? Give me a definite answer."

Blood flowed from the corner of my grandfather's mouth; he began to gasp heavily, exhaling more than inhaling.

I was at a loss, turned and shouted at Shi Yin: "Medicinal pills, ginseng pellets… fetch anything that could keep my grandfather clinging to life."

My grandfather shook his head, and Shi Yin simply stood there motionless.

My grandfather said, "Aunt Rou, even if a Great Luo Immortal came, they couldn't save me, Wuya..."

He then called out Jin Wuya's name again.

After that, he could no longer stand at all; I could feel his body beginning to twitch slightly.

"I agree!"

Jin Wuya shouted, "Old sir, I agree with you—I will surely take good care of Shi Rou; I swear to heaven, as long as I live in the second half of my life, I will treat Shi Rou well, otherwise may heaven strike me with five thunderbolts."

My grandfather smiled.

Then he slowly closed his eyes and passed away just like that.

Jin Wuya strode over, first placing the golden‑thread nanmu small coffin into my grandfather's coffin, then personally changing my grandfather's burial garments; together with Shi Yin he lifted my grandfather's corpse into the coffin and helped arrange his appearance.

My grandfather had said that after Jin Wuya emerged from the underground tomb, the ancestral tomb's formation array could only be maintained for half a day.

Therefore, my grandfather's funeral could not be a grand affair; we had to bury him in the ancestral tomb overnight.

My grandfather had already arranged everything; Jin Wuya bustled about, coordinating with Shi Yin.

Those who did the heavy lifting were all subordinates of Shi Yin.

The ancestral tomb had already reserved a burial plot for my grandfather.

Just as the coffin was about to be lowered into the ground, in a daze I thought I heard movement coming from inside the coffin.

When the first sound arrived, I thought I had misheard.

But soon after, the sound came again; I pricked up my ears and held my breath.

That sound was indeed coming from inside the coffin, like fingernails scratching the inner walls.

I hurriedly said, "There's still sound in the coffin; my grandfather might not be dead yet."

Having just lost my closest kin, my emotions were already unstable; now I was even indulging in the fantasy that my grandfather could truly come back to life.

As I spoke, I lunged toward the coffin, but Jin Wuya caught me in his arms.

I shoved him, saying, "You heard it too, right? It's the sound of fingernails scraping the coffin's inner walls—my grandfather is calling for help!"

"Shi Rou, calm down," Jin Wuya said, "the old sir has already passed; that sound may not have come from him."

"Whether it is or not, just open the coffin and take a look—we'll know," I nearly shouted, "what if it really is my grandfather?"

Jin Wuya also did not dare to guarantee.

Shi Yin however spoke: "Not Elder Shi, bury according to the plan."

The eight who carried the heavy load were all loyal warriors; they only listened to Shi Yin.

Jin Wuya held me tightly, not letting me rush up to do foolish things; Shi Yin directed his subordinates, lowering the coffin bit by bit into the grave pit, then filling in the soil.

The sound of fingernails scratching the inside of the coffin grew louder and sharper.

Even though half the soil had already been filled in, I could still hear……