Chapter 56 The Legend of the Small Village

To her, this magnetic energy was pure power!

The immense force made her palm suddenly searing hot.

With her innate magnetic sense, she swept up this energy, drawing the magnetic aura from the Xieya Dagger into her body...

Strangely, as soon as the dagger’s magnetic aura was absorbed, a cold flash and a shadow seemed to slash through her mind—chilling and resounding.

———

It took her about half an hour to finish absorbing the magnetic aura, her internal magnetic sense now more than tripled in strength!

Even her bones felt as though they had stretched and expanded several times over.

The reach of her magnetic sense now extended a full meter and a half beyond her body!

With a flick of her nimble fingers, the Xieya Dagger became a blur in her palm, darting and spinning rapidly; as her arm whirled, the dagger danced through the air, executing several intricate and exquisite offensive maneuvers.

Innate mastery?

Rather, it seemed she had absorbed not only the traces of time from the dagger, but also its very spirit.

Divine weapons possess their own unique aura and might; true weapons can even be sentient, with thoughts of their own.

What Sui Yi touched was precisely those thoughts.

They seeped into her heart, becoming hers to wield.

What she gained was the purest technique for using them...

Yet at present, what she had gained was still rigid knowledge; Sui Yi needed to further contemplate and fully integrate it.

“This magnetic sense is truly terrifying... Not only has it increased my strength and speed three- or fourfold, it’s also snatched up these combat techniques. It’s as if I was born knowing them—how peculiar.”

From another angle, Sui Yi now truly felt the formidable power of her innate magnetic sense, growing ever more wary of this world.

Putting away the Xieya Dagger, she noticed that her freshly washed body was now covered in another layer of gray-black grime.

She paused, realizing the grime could be considered impurities expelled from her body—perhaps an effect akin to cleansing the marrow. But inexplicably, her thoughts drifted to that green liquid spat from the monster’s mouth she’d seen in the water earlier, and the emerald pool beneath it...

———

As soon as she stepped outside, she found Ah A gutting fish.

She paused, apologizing, “Sorry for making you work so hard. You must be hungry...”

“I haven’t really helped you much, and I’m not hungry. It’s you who’s been busy all day... I’ll go cook, you rest.”

Not allowing Sui Yi to refuse, he carried the fish into the kitchen.

A flicker of surprise crossed Sui Yi’s eyes, then she smiled softly, just as Grandpa walked in and, seeing the scene, commented, “That young man is good—knows how to run a household and cares for his wife!”

Sui Yi smiled at the old man, “Seventh Uncle, have you eaten?”

“I have...”

Seventh Uncle was what most villagers called the old man. Sui Yi, not being from the village, had adopted the same address.

She helped him to a chair. He asked casually, “When you came back earlier, you were soaked to the bone—did you fall in the water? Did you catch a chill? Are you feeling unwell?”

The string of concern made Sui Yi a bit uncomfortable, so she shook her head, assuring him she was fine. Satisfied, he said nothing more, but at the commotion from the kitchen, he asked, “That car at the head of the village—your friend’s?”

“Yes... He’s a doctor, a good man. He was kind enough to come and help.”

“That’s very good... Most doctors won’t come to places like ours. You’re a capable girl...”

He sighed, “Your grandmother had a hard life, but her one stroke of luck was having a good granddaughter like you...”

At his words, Sui Yi’s fine, elegant brows drew together. “It’s my good fortune,” she replied quietly.

Seventh Uncle didn’t press further, assuming Sui Yi was simply being modest—she’d always been like this. He subconsciously compared her to the Ye family’s children, his face darkening.

“Your grandmother had six children. During the war, the first two didn’t survive. Then came the famine, and another died. By then, her health was already failing... But for the sake of the Ye family’s lineage, she bore three more: Ye Zhun, Ye Zhang, and Ye Qiu—a daughter every two years. It was a struggle to raise them. Yet, Ye Zhang was unfilial, your grandfather passed early... And Ye Zhun—best not to mention him—he hurt your grandmother even more. Only Ye Qiu...”

Ye Qiu was the youngest daughter of the Ye family, whom Sui Yi should call aunt, though she’d never met her. Years ago, something happened and Ye Qiu had to leave; the old woman secretly gave her money as she went...

Which gave Ye Zhang an excuse...

Things ended up as they did—one could only say the old lady’s life was truly unfortunate.

Sui Yi lowered her gaze, a faint chill in her eyes, and changed the subject: “What happened with the grave?”

Seventh Uncle seemed to have anticipated this question; in fact, he’d come specifically to talk about it.

“Not many in the village know the full story. Those who did have grown old and passed on; I’m one of the few left who knows, but not all the details... On your grandfather’s side, the family used to run a pawnshop, so there was some family wealth, some old artifacts from long ago. We didn’t know what they were, couldn’t read much, and sometimes we barely had enough to eat. No one cared for such things back then, and over time, who knows how much was left by the time it reached your grandfather...

“Then came the Revolution. The Red Guards came and searched the house, accused your grandfather of being a landlord’s descendant, and hauled him away. He wasn't the same after that...

“When he was released, his health was ruined...”

Seventh Uncle talked too long and was out of breath. Sui Yi patted his back until he recovered, then he continued, “We thought the worst was over and life could go on, but then Ye Zhun realized those things were valuable and got greedy, tried to sell them. Your grandfather refused, and in their struggle, Ye Zhun pushed him, injuring him and stealing the things before running off. That final push broke your grandfather completely. He didn’t last long after that. Just as he was fading, Ye Zhang and Ye Qiu both had misfortunes... He couldn’t bear it and passed away.”

Sui Yi listened silently, sensing these were only the prelude; Seventh Uncle had more to say.

“After he died, we held a vigil. None of his three children were there; only your grandmother kept watch—it was so desolate. Even now, I shudder to remember it. That night, I just knew something would happen...”

Something happened?

Sui Yi instinctively looked into Seventh Uncle’s eyes and saw deep terror.

“That night, your grandfather’s corpse disappeared.”

What!

Sui Yi was stunned. Disappeared?

“The piglets, chickens, and ducks in the pigsty were all drained of blood overnight... Two bite marks on their necks. The blood trailed along the ground, all the way into the vigil hall...” Seventh Uncle’s hands trembled, his voice unsteady.

———

“The whole village was terrified—no one dared go near the vigil hall. Your grandmother, longing for her husband, insisted on going. I couldn’t let her go alone, so I forced myself to be brave and accompanied her. But when we entered the hall...”

Seventh Uncle gripped Sui Yi’s hand tightly.

“Your grandfather... he was back, lying there... Blood everywhere, and his mouth stained red.”

“I saw it with my own eyes. So did your grandmother. The older folks in the village who were there then all remember—I’m not lying!”

Older people telling tales fear most that the listeners will accuse them of falsehood.

Sui Yi nodded, “I believe you.”

Seventh Uncle was taken aback. “You believe me?” Most young people nowadays just laugh off such things as stories. Sui Yi was usually so calm and sensible—how could she believe?

“Nothing in this world is absolute,” Sui Yi said with a wry smile, unconsciously rubbing her palm. Hadn’t she experienced even stranger things herself?

“Well said...” Seventh Uncle nodded. “Your grandfather's death was already tragic, then all this misfortune—everyone said he must have died with lingering regrets, a soul unable to rest. With no one keeping vigil, who could blame him for being angry? Maybe that’s why... why the corpse changed... We couldn’t let it go on—the longer it lasted, the worse it would get. Otherwise, he’d have truly become something unclean. So we scattered spirit rice, prayed to all the gods, sealed the vigil hall, and had a Daoist perform rituals. We finally managed to seal your grandfather in the coffin and buried him, even blocking off the area near the grave to keep people away... That’s why no one’s gone there all these years.”

Sui Yi said instinctively, “But there must have been exceptions—someone must have gone... I think I’ve heard rumors...”

Kids aren’t always obedient. She seemed to recall hearing that, back then, a child in the village had vanished mysteriously.

“Yes...” Seventh Uncle sighed, “The one who disappeared was my grandson...”

Sui Yi was stunned.

“That’s why my son refuses to come back.”

His voice was filled with loneliness, neither resentful nor sorrowful—just empty.

———

Seventh Uncle was frail and couldn’t stay long. Seeing him weary, Sui Yi persuaded him to return home. As the old man shuffled away into the darkening night, Sui Yi’s gaze lingered for a moment before she turned back at the sound of a door opening inside the house. She got up and went inside.

As Jiang Yunxiu stepped out of the room, he was greeted by a cup of tea held out to him.

“Thank you for your hard work, both of you.”

The female assistant hadn’t expected Sui Yi to be so courteous, nor so unlike other patients’ families who pestered them with questions. Her manners and poise were impeccable.

That was the assistant’s second impression of Sui Yi.

“You made this tea? Then I must savor it,” Jiang Yunxiu’s tired expression softened, a teasing glint in his eyes.

Sui Yi glanced at him and replied casually, “Yes.”

Jiang Yunxiu smiled and took a sip, his brows lifting in delight. “Excellent tea—your skills are truly exceptional.”

(To be continued...)