Chapter 5: Opening the Coffin

Chen Yetian continued, “Yes, but all of that is in the past now. You know my Qiang, he has learned everything from me since he was young. One day, he’ll inherit my title as the foremost feng shui master of the Duhe River. Your family makes its living by the river, too. Bai Xiaoli and my Zhiqiang are a perfect match, a pair made in heaven… Ha ha.” The old man, as he spoke, actually broke into a self-satisfied laugh.

Looking at the smug smile on Chen Yetian’s face, I felt a wave of disgust—so, this was why he had plotted against me: to make way for his grandson to marry my fiancée, Bai Xiaoli.

Bai Ranhe’s face showed some hesitation as he said, “That’s what I’ve been thinking too. But my Xiaoli keeps insisting she wants to marry that Pi family boy. I don’t know if she has any feelings for your son…”

Hearing Bai Ranhe’s words, a sweetness blossomed in my heart. So, Bai Xiaoli did know about my grandfather’s betrothal for us, and she was happy to marry me. I couldn’t help but grow eager to meet the fiancée my grandfather had chosen for me, to see what kind of person she truly was.

“Pi Yangxi, that short-lived wretch, is already dead. Miss Bai can’t marry a corpse, can she? Besides, feelings are something you can foster over time. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of persuading Miss Xiaoli myself.” At this, a sly glint flickered across Chen Yetian’s face—his intentions were clear and far from kind.

Hmph. Seeing Chen Yetian like this, I gave a cold laugh, stepped forward, and said, “If you two gentlemen have nothing else to say, could you kindly make way? Don’t delay my Third Uncle’s burial.”

“Alright, alright, we’ll step aside…” Bai Ranhe was about to get in his car, but suddenly stopped, looking up at me with startled eyes. “Wait a minute, young man, did you just say—who did you say was in that coffin?”

“Pi Sansha, my third uncle. Why?” I repeated.

“This… this…” Bai Ranhe was so surprised he could barely speak. He turned to Chen Yetian, who looked just as taken aback.

Chen Yetian, half inside his car, had no choice but to get out again and fix me with a piercing stare. “Young man, how old is your third uncle?”

“Not very old,” I replied deliberately, seeing a hint of relief on Chen Yetian’s face. I went on, “He just turned fifty-seven this year.”

“What did you say? The one in that coffin isn’t Pi Yangxi?” Chen Yetian’s relief evaporated as he pressed me further.

I found his reaction amusing; clearly, he was convinced I’d died yesterday. Without revealing my identity, I replied, “Are you out of your mind? Pi Yangxi is barely twenty—how could he be dead? Why are you cursing people, you old fossil?”

Chen Yetian, the most respected feng shui master in Duhe City, had never suffered such disrespect. His face trembled with rage at my words.

“Mr. Chen, what should we do now?” Bai Ranhe, hearing that I wasn’t dead, grew even more anxious than Chen Yetian.

But Chen Yetian was not ready to give up. He reassured Bai Ranhe, “Don’t worry, Mr. Bai. There’s a distinct scent of Yellow River earth coming from that coffin—it absolutely cannot be anyone else. Tell them to open the coffin!”

Strictly speaking, Pi Sansha had died in the Yellow River ten years ago. It was my grandfather who had extended his life with Yin magic, so of course, his corpse would carry that earthy scent. For Chen Yetian to sense it through the coffin showed he did have some real skill as a feng shui master.

He was so sure I was in the coffin because the female corpse he’d used against me yesterday also carried the scent of the Yellow River. If I’d been killed by her, naturally I’d have that same scent on me.

When word spread through the funeral procession that Chen Yetian wanted the coffin opened, the whole group exploded in uproar. Gone was their earlier fear; furious, they shouted:

“You’ve got some nerve! If anyone dares open that coffin, I’ll see to it you die right here!”

“That’s right! No matter how rich you are, if you think you can throw your weight around in Pi Family Village, you won’t live to leave!”

“We’re just poor folks with nothing to lose—let’s see any of you try it!”

The security team Bai Ranhe had brought was clearly cowed by our defiance; none of them dared make a move toward the coffin.

Chen Yetian had one of his men fetch a large suitcase from the trunk. He opened it to reveal stacks of cash, saying, “Here’s a million yuan. Open the coffin and let us take one look—this money is all yours.”

“To hell with you! Give me a million and I’ll dig up your ancestors’ graves—how about that?” Chen Yetian’s offer had completely enraged the villagers.

“Don’t be ungrateful! No one in Duhe City dares refuse me, Chen Yetian! When I set my mind to something, no one can stop me!” His tone turned cold as his patience snapped. He pulled a yellow talisman from his pocket, crooked lines drawn on it resembling the wind. Even before he activated it, a fierce wind started to howl at the village entrance.

I knew this was a Wind Summoning Talisman, capable of conjuring a storm.

At that very moment, the stench coming from Pi Sansha’s coffin grew stronger, reeking of rot, as if the corpse within was decaying rapidly—or as if something else was taking shape inside at an unnatural speed.