CHAPTER 88: CHAPTER 87: SKILL OF PUNISHMENT SOUL

When Hu Ma was stunned by the eerie sight before him, the old shopkeeper moved swiftly and deftly, not even glancing at the human skin. With quick steps, he headed straight into the main room.

In the pitch darkness, Hu Ma couldn’t see what was happening inside. Besides, he was leaning on a crutch and didn’t dare to rush in.

He only heard chaos inside, mixed with cries of pain and the sound of breaking jars.

But after only a few moments, the old shopkeeper dragged someone out and whispered, "Light the lamp."

"Yes!"

Hu Ma, slightly startled, quickly responded. He pulled a Fire Stick from his pocket and went into the main room to find an oil lamp.

The faint light of the Fire Stick illuminated the room’s contents. A quick glance around shocked Hu Ma so much that he momentarily forgot to breathe.

It was too eerie.

He saw the floor was covered in blood; some had dried, while other patches looked freshly spilled.

Cabinets and furniture lay mostly broken, as if recently shattered.

Following the dim light of the Fire Stick, he saw a jar on a wooden table against the wall. It was similar to the one he had seen the peddler with, only slightly larger.

The jar was now smashed, and a startlingly white, bizarre object had flowed out. It resembled some sort of embryo, yet it was much larger, vaguely like a deformed female infant. The sight alone was terrifying. The thing had already been crushed to death, but parts of its flesh still trembled slightly.

In front of the jar, incense was burning, and there were three offerings.

The first offering was a skull with tiny strips of blood and flesh clinging to it, its hollow eye sockets staring at the ceiling.

The second platter held a heart and liver.

The third platter, however, was filled with five white steamed buns... which were, indeed, real buns.

Zhou Datong’s inquiries had been accurate. The shadow that sneaked into the Zhao Family’s home that night was indeed from the Tan’er Sect. They had secretly murdered Widow Zhao, using her flesh and blood for a sacrifice, and her skin had been treated with Sorcery to deceive the neighbors.

That human skin could move and talk, almost deceiving even me, let alone the neighbors?

Thinking about his malicious cruelty made my heart tremble.

But he forced himself to calm down. He found the oil lamp that had fallen aside; fortunately, it wasn’t broken. He lit it with the Fire Stick and brought it outside.

The old shopkeeper was already sitting on the stone mill in the courtyard. The person he had dragged out knelt upright before him, seemingly unbound. It appeared the old shopkeeper had some way to control him, as the man wore a despairing expression, his eyes closed.

"Speak!"

The old shopkeeper pulled a dry garment off the clothesline, wiped the fresh blood from his hands, and tossed it aside.

Then, looking at the man kneeling before him with a profound gaze, he sneered, "Where has Sun Laojiu hidden?"

"When will he be back?"

"..."

The man seemed to know he wouldn’t survive. He closed his eyes and, after a pause, opened them again, gritting his teeth with a cold smile.

"I was wondering why Hua Shaozi went missing. It seems he fell into your hands, right?"

"Heh, heh. I advise you, old man, don’t waste your efforts. Give us brothers a quick end. I won’t say anything..."

"..."

"Still tough, huh?"

Hu Ma was slightly surprised as he sized up the man, who looked like a common villager.

Blood on his face made him look somewhat sinister. Without it, his eyes actually held a kind, smiling look.

"Trying to be a tough guy, acting all stiff-necked, aren’t you?"

The old shopkeeper sneered at him and said indifferently, "That peddler who came earlier, was that Hua Shaozi?"

"He was just like you, unwilling to talk. But I smashed him to death with one blow, and after I questioned him carefully, he talked."

"..."

"Heh, he said..."

The man started to sneer, but suddenly sensed something was amiss, and his heart jumped.

He looked at the old shopkeeper with disbelief, his voice trembling. "You questioned him after he died?"

"You..."

"When did you Shousui men acquire the skills of the Execution Soul Path?"

"..."

"I learned it just for you lot."

The old shopkeeper said indifferently, "I spent three pounds of Blood Food to acquire this skill."

"But it was worth it."

"Without learning this dharma method, how could I properly entertain old friends like you when you returned?"

"..."

The Shopkeeper now appeared very calm, almost as if he were genuinely chatting with old acquaintances.

The man, in a state of utter confusion, his voice hoarse, asked, "You... how did you know we would return?"

"Heh, heh..."

The Shopkeeper glanced at the two large carts parked in the courtyard. The Zhao Family made tofu, so having a cart or two wasn’t unusual, whether for collecting soybeans from the countryside or selling tofu in the city.

But for a single tofu shop to have two carts made the courtyard feel rather cramped.

The Shopkeeper looked at the man, a sinister smile on his face. "Playing tricks? Did you really think I couldn’t see through the skills of your Tan’er Sect?"

"You talk about deceiving the world. Maybe there are people who truly possess such skills and could transport such a large batch of Blood Food."

"But it definitely wouldn’t be you low-class lot!"

"So, no matter how flashy your tricks, I knew you would definitely return. I’ve been waiting here for you all along!"

"..."

Upon hearing this, not only was the man shocked, but Hu Ma’s earlier suspicions were also instantly confirmed.

So that batch of Blood Food is indeed still somewhere around this town?

Brother Er Guotou was right. That batch of Blood Food, though it attracted evil spirits at the time, was never actually transported away.

But it wasn’t the old shopkeeper who had hidden it; it was the Tan’er Sect.

This matter had clearly been kept from the old shopkeeper. They created the illusion that the Blood Food had been transported away, intending to wait for things to calm down before sneaking back to retrieve it. But the old shopkeeper had seen through their ruse long ago and surmised that these people would inevitably return.

But if the Shopkeeper had guessed this, why didn’t he report it to his superiors?

"Haha, haha..."

With his secrets suddenly revealed, the man was shocked. But then, for some reason, he unexpectedly burst out laughing. "Unlike your daughter, you indeed are clever."

"But it’s a pity you’re mistaken, thinking you could get the whereabouts of that batch of Blood Food from me? Let me tell you, you’re overthinking it, because Ninth Grandpa never told us..."

"We were just ordered to check if Hua Shaozi was dead or alive and then prepare two large carts. That’s all."

"We don’t know anything else. Even if you kill me and want to use Asking Spirits, you won’t get anything from me..."

"..."

The old shopkeeper stared at him intently. The man, though panicked, deliberately puffed out his chest and looked back at the Shopkeeper.

His gaze was unwavering, as if to confirm he was telling the truth.

After a brief silence, the old shopkeeper merely sighed softly and said to Hu Ma, "Prepare three incense sticks for me, a pair of candles, and bring a basin to catch the blood."

"You... you..."

The man’s composure finally broke, his panic showing. "I told you, I really don’t know..."

"Yes."

The old shopkeeper said, "But I still have to ask. Not just to find out about that batch of Blood Food, but mainly to make you suffer a bit!"

When the man heard this, his face turned pale, and a chilling sensation seized his heart.

Hu Ma dared not delay. He hurriedly searched inside and indeed found the incense and candles the Shopkeeper needed.

Ironically, they were pulled out from a black bundle. This bundle clearly didn’t belong to the Toufu Zhao family but seemed to be something this Tan’er Sect man had brought with him.

Once he handed them to the Shopkeeper, the Shopkeeper simply grabbed the man and strode into the main room.

Uncertain of what transpired inside, Hu Ma guessed the Shopkeeper had likely sealed the man’s mouth and nose in some way to prevent his screams from alarming the neighbors.

But Hu Ma could feel waves of coldness infiltrating his body, an unsettling prickling sensation, as if something Non-human had crept into the courtyard. He had to stoke the stove fire to barely maintain his composure.

This main room...

He glanced at the main room but quickly averted his gaze.

He didn’t know what kind of bizarre and cruel punishment was being carried out in the main room, but Hu Ma knew it must be quite something.

A full One Incense stick’s worth of time passed before the Shopkeeper came out.

Hu Ma saw he was covered in fresh blood from head to toe, his face grim, as if he had returned from hell.

Silently, Hu Ma tore down a drying cloth from the line and handed it to him.

The Shopkeeper wiped his hands and face, then casually tossed the cloth aside. He sat down on the millstone and quietly reached for his pipe to smoke.

"Aren’t you curious?"

It’s unknown how much time passed before he suddenly asked Hu Ma.

"Not curious."

Hu Ma said, "That’s not something a helper burning green incense should concern himself with. I’m just here to repay the Shopkeeper’s grace for teaching me his skills."

"I have no interest in other matters."

"..."

The Shopkeeper glanced at him. Seemingly finding no pretense in Hu Ma’s demeanor, he sighed softly. "You’re smart."

"Truthfully, I’m not concerned about that stolen Blood Food either. I’ve already taken the blame. Now, I just need to wait for this Tan’er Sect scum to return and eliminate every last one of them."

"..."

The courtyard fell into a prolonged silence once again.

Hu Ma suddenly said, "But if there’s one thing I am still concerned about..."

"Can Sister He be cured? Perhaps those people have an antidote... or some other remedy?"

"..."

In the flickering light of the oil lamp, it was apparent that the Shopkeeper’s eyes had dimmed.

After a long pause, he whispered, "Difficult. Far too difficult..."

"That Beast Creation Technique... they scalded her skin with hot oil and skinned a vicious dog alive. Using a Secret Technique, its skin was fused onto hers, growing into one piece, inseparable..."

"...It’s her fate!"

"But I am her father; I can’t ignore her. I have to try and see if there’s any luck for her."

"..."

Hu Ma asked no more, whispering, "We should head back, Shopkeeper. They should have finished swapping the items by now on that end."