Chapter 57: Jiyuan Feels a Bit Nervous

The creaking sound of the village gate still echoed behind them. The old man, still supporting Ji Yuan, didn't release his grip and led him directly inside for a dozen steps until they reached a house with mud-plastered outer walls.

"Sir, be careful, the threshold is very high; lift your foot!"

The high threshold was no joke; it was genuinely tall, feeling roughly as high as his calf. Ji Yuan instinctively lifted his foot and stepped inside the house with the old man.

This house didn't resemble a typical residence. It had only one room, lacking a kitchen or an inner hall. Inside, there was merely a table with a lit oil lamp, four long benches, and two beds set to the side.

'Hmm, it's more like a temporary dormitory!'

Once inside, the old man finally released his hand and gestured for Ji Yuan to sit.

"Please sit, sir. My surname is Xu. May I ask your esteemed name and where you reside?"

As he spoke, he thoughtfully moved a bench to make it easier for Ji Yuan to sit. The sound of the bench scraping the ground resonated in Ji Yuan's mind like an invisible line.

"Thank you, elder. My surname is Ji, and I am from Ning'an County."

As Ji Yuan spoke, he felt for the table's edge and sat down, placing his bundle and umbrella on it. The old man picked up a bowl from a stack of inverted dishes on the table and lifted the clay pot beside it to pour water for Ji Yuan.

"Oh, from Ning'an. Here, at night, we generally don't just welcome strangers. As the old saying goes, 'Only the living cast a shadow and feel warmth,' and 'When traveling at night, never look back if someone calls your name.' Strange things happen these days, so we always have to be careful. Did I just seem overly cautious to you, sir?"

The water poured into the bowl with a crisp sound, filling it and splashing a little.

"Please drink, sir."

"It's no trouble; caution prevents mistakes. Thank you!"

After thanking him again, Ji Yuan sniffed the water and then drank it without hesitation. At that moment, the old man suddenly asked a question.

"Sir, you're a ghost, aren't you?"

"Pfft..."

Ji Yuan spat out a mouthful of water.

"Cough, cough, cough... You're joking, elder; of course I'm not a ghost!"

This sudden, blunt question choked Ji Yuan, causing him to cough for quite a while, as the old man beside him repeatedly apologized.

"No offense, sir, please. My memory isn't good; I just suddenly remembered something and instinctively wanted to confirm it. It's just that our area is so remote, and it's rare for anyone to arrive alone at night."

Ji Yuan coughed a few times, circulating his spiritual energy to soothe the irritation in his throat, then asked, feeling both resigned and curious.

"Confirm what? Didn't you already take my pulse, elder?"

"You're right, you're right. It's just that some people are dead and don't even realize they're not alive anymore. Those are the hardest to distinguish; you have to tell them directly. We call this local method 'Yuanyang Fa'."

'What a strange name? "Far Ocean"? "Resentful Form"? It couldn't possibly be "Mandarin Duck," could it?'

Shaking off those thoughts, Ji Yuan directly asked the old man.

"Elder, do you often have ghosts here?"

Otherwise, why such tension? But as long as they weren't vengeful spirits, it wouldn't be a major issue.

"A few years ago, we did encounter a spirit seeking a substitute. In these remote parts, for dozens of miles around, we're the only village, so everyone is on guard, just in case any strange entities gather here. Ghosts aren't too bad, though; as the saying goes, 'People fear ghosts a little, but ghosts fear people more.' Strength comes in numbers, and our village has plenty of hot-blooded young men..."

The old man paused, then, after a slight hesitation, continued.

"It's just that we once had a 'beautiful woman snake' causing trouble here. This season, once night falls, everyone stays indoors if they can!"

"A beautiful woman snake?"

Ji Yuan frowned inwardly. Could it be a demon?

"Yes, it's supposedly a large snake with a woman's head that likes to trick young men and then devour them."

"A woman's head? And it can speak and deceive people? Elder, don't tell me tall tales!"

Ji Yuan gasped, instinctively recalling Lu Shan-jun from Niukui Mountain. Was this something ordinary people could guard against just by being wary?

The oil lamp inside flickered, casting swaying light in the still dim room, mirroring Ji Yuan's unsettled mood.

Demonic spirits capable of speech possessed considerable cultivation, having refined their 'cross bones.' They weren't mere minor spirits that could be accidentally killed by an iron rake or hoe. And if this snake truly had a human head...

Ji Yuan almost didn't dare to think about it, even feeling an urge to leave. But going outside... his chest felt constricted with anxiety.

Surely this county had a City God? Were they still overseeing this place?

"Ah, many people know about this. It caused panic in our village for a long time. Why would I trick you? Let's not talk about it anymore..."

At this, the old man rose from a bench and went to prepare the other bed.

"Sir, my home is in the inner village. This house at the village entrance is a temporary lodging for those guarding the path. Please make do here for the night. If you need to use the latrine later, you can wake me, and I will assist you."

"By the way, sir, are you hungry? If so, shall I get you something to eat?"

"No, thank you, I'm not hungry."

Ji Yuan politely declined, then went to help prepare the bed. The bedding smelled as if it was frequently aired, but even if the scent was strong, he didn't mind; he wasn't particularly concerned about such things, nor did he have the mental space to be.

"Woof woof woof... woof woof woof woof..."

Outside, waves of dog barks mingled with a few curses. Ji Yuan listened carefully and seemed to hear phrases like "disgusting" and "bad luck."

Seeing no reaction from the old man beside him, Ji Yuan temporarily set aside his unease and asked about his travel plans.

"Elder, what is your village called, and where is it located in Shunbao County? What's the best way to get to Jiao County?"

"Shunbao County?"

Hearing the old man's puzzled tone, Ji Yuan felt a sense of dread.

"My dear sir, you've strayed quite far off course. This is Shanghegou Village, already in the northeast corner of Suiyuan County. You've long passed Baoshun."

"What!?"

'Suiyuan County? Have I run past two counties?'

The paperweight map was indeed intricate, but its lines were so fine that the scale was hard to discern. It only allowed for a general understanding of the relative positions of different regions. Cramming all thirteen prefectures of Dazhen onto it was a feat beyond its limits. A single county appeared as just a tiny dot, and inscribing even the smallest names to mark the official roads was already a divine craftsmanship by the military judge. A true sense of distance could only be gleaned from the depiction of an entire prefecture.

'So I underestimated my leg strength?'

He had probably overshot his destination unknowingly when he used the illusion spell and light footwork to pursue those three fast horses.

'Speeding truly complicates things!'

Ji Yuan, sighing inwardly, quickly continued to question the old man.

"Then if I want to go to Chunhui Prefecture, elder, do you think it's better to retrace my steps or choose another route?"

"Well, I haven't traveled that far myself. How about this, Mr. Ji, you should rest first. Tomorrow morning, you can ask the merchants who are also lodging in the village. I heard they are eventually heading to Duming Prefectural City; perhaps they'll know the best route!"

"Sigh... it seems that's my only option!"

Oh, how I miss phone navigation...

***

Night deepened.

Villagers slept earlier than city dwellers, and there was no night watchman. The old man inside was already snoring, and occasionally, a few dog barks drifted in from the village outside.

Ji Yuan lay on the bed with his eyes closed but remained awake. On one hand, the snoring beside him was too distinct in the quiet night, especially to his acute hearing. On the other, he was tracing the paperweight map, mentally replanning his route.

"Woof woof woof... woof woof woof woof... woof woof woof..."

"Woof woof woof woof..."

The dog barks suddenly intensified. Ji Yuan opened his eyes almost the instant he heard them, realizing that many village dogs had gathered in one spot, barking furiously in a single direction.

After a brief silence, the barking gradually subsided.

Old dogs often possess a certain spiritual insight, a fact Ji Yuan had observed once before in Ning'an County. Moreover, in his previous life, he had always heard elders say that dogs' eyes could perceive spirits. Thus, the persistent barking concerned him somewhat.

'Feeling a bit uneasy...'

***

By the river outside the village, a long, dark shadow slid across the ground, slowly crawling in an S-shape along the bank. Its dense scales scraped against stones and branches, emitting a hissing friction sound.

At one point, the dark shadow lifted its body, gazing into the distance towards the village, revealing its stout form and the white scales on its belly.

"Hiss~~~ hiss~~~"

After standing for a moment, flicking its tongue, waves of agitated barking erupted from the village. However, the domestic dogs were generally just barking near the fences, showing no intention of dashing out.

"Hiss~~~"

The large snake lowered itself, its slightly bulging body twisting a few times along the bank.

With a "plop~~," accompanied by the sound of water being displaced, the long, dark shadow slid into the river. Nearby, several small boats rocked back and forth from the ripples on the water's surface.