C6 The Azure Dragon Hidden Evil

The village wasn't large, home to just a few dozen families, all living in old wooden houses.

Upon entering the village, the silence was so profound that not even a dog's bark could be heard.

But that made sense, considering villagers typically rise and retire with the sun.

I sensed something amiss in the village, but couldn't quite put my finger on it. It wasn't long before I noticed a small hill at the back of the village, barren and devoid of trees.

Pausing, I turned to my companion and asked, "Beauty, is your grandfather laid to rest on that hill?"

Zhong Ling nodded, affirming, "Yes, security guard."

Her gaze was laden with trust. Clearly, having witnessed my capabilities, she had come to believe in me.

I felt an unease about the geomancy of the place. Taking a deep breath, I urged Zhong Ling to pick up the pace, and we quickly made our way to the hill. It wasn't particularly tall, just a few dozen meters, so we ascended with ease.

Atop the hill, the desolation was palpable; not a tree or even a slightly taller blade of grass in sight.

Grandpa Zhong's grave was at the summit.

Zhong Ling then shared with me, "Security guard, my grandfather's grave is here because a geomancer recommended this spot. He said the open view, with the mountains and water, would bless our descendants and ensure the family's prosperity."

I took in Zhong Ling's words, but my focus remained sharp. Standing high, I scanned the area below with my flashlight.

The village lay beneath the hill, the landscape open and vast.

I quickly noted that no mountain around was higher than this hill, which suggested the geomancy was indeed favorable—a veritable treasure spot of auspicious energy.

Yet, the absence of flourishing vegetation puzzled me. As I pondered this anomaly, my eyes caught sight of something that instantly altered my expression.

Initially, I suspected my eyes were deceiving me. Rubbing them, I glimpsed a wooden pagoda towering at least twenty meters high in the village. It had an ancient look to it, yet its presence was odd, especially in such an unremarkable village. Who would erect a pagoda in such a place?

Strangely enough, the pagoda aligned perfectly with Grandpa Zhong's grave in a straight line. This realization held me spellbound for a moment.

I soon became engrossed in contemplation, a term surfacing in my thoughts: "Green Dragon Concealing Malevolence." The mere idea caused a chill to run through me.

Reexamining the surroundings, it became clear that the hillside where Grandpa Zhong lay was part of a mountain range that stretched around in a "pot-shaped" formation. Essentially, the range resembled a "green dragon," with the village situated at its mouth. Yet, the pagoda acted as a cork, sealing the dragon's breath and creating a den of malevolent energy.

What should have been a site of favorable geomancy, blessed by the stars, had been manipulated into something sinister.

It made sense why the hillside was so desolate.

The geomancer who had chosen this site for Grandpa Zhong was clearly no saint. A burial in the "Green Dragon's Lair of Malevolence" almost guaranteed misfortune and peril for the descendants.

Noticing my prolonged silence, Zhong Ling called out, "Security guard, what's on your mind?"

Turning to her, I saw confusion etched on her face, an expectation for an answer. Without hesitation, I inquired, "Why did your grandfather choose to be buried behind this village? Was it solely on the geomancer's advice?"

Zhong Ling, sensing the gravity in my tone, responded earnestly, "Pretty much. The geomancer claimed that Zhao Ditch is an ancient village with a history spanning a thousand years..."

As Zhong Ling spoke, my face suddenly turned grave, and I cut her off mid-sentence, urgently asking, "What did you say the name of this village was?"

Zhong Ling, sensing my heightened emotions, didn't hesitate and answered promptly, "Security guard, this place is called Zhao Ditch..."

The name 'Zhao Ditch' set off waves in my heart. I recalled my grandfather's dying words, warning me never to venture to Zhao Ditch and to be cautious of anyone bearing the Zhao name. Despite suspecting that my grandfather's clarity might have been clouded by his impending death, perhaps spouting delirium, the mention of 'Zhao Ditch' still sent a shiver down my spine.

But it was too late for regrets; I was already here.

I was lost in thought when Zhong Ling's voice broke through, "Hey, security guard, what's the matter? Are you okay?"

Snapping out of my reverie, I fixed Zhong Ling with an intense look and pondered for a moment before asking, "Beauty, does everyone in Zhao Ditch share the Zhao surname?"

"Of course, people in Zhao Ditch are surnamed Zhao," Zhong Ling responded without missing a beat.

Her answer triggered a cascade of doubts in my mind. Zhong Ling's grandfather, surnamed Zhong, was buried in Zhao Ditch. Moreover, this place was known as the "Green Dragon Hidden Evil." Something didn't add up.

But for now, I had to put aside these mysteries. There were only two solutions to the issues plaguing Zhong Ling's family. The first involved moving the pagoda; if it were relocated, the area in front of Grandpa Zhong's tomb would open up, aligning the geomancy favorably and dissipating the malevolent energy weighing on his grave.

I was confident that removing the malevolent energy from Grandpa Zhong's grave would improve the geomancy for Zhong Ling's household.

Yet, relocating the pagoda was next to impossible.

If that wasn't feasible, then the only other option was to move Grandpa Zhong's grave itself and to inspect whether there was any vessel harboring 'kept evil' within it.

Once I had this realization, I didn't hesitate and blurted out, "Listen, there's a way we can tackle this issue for you."

Clearly not one to wait, Zhong Ling cut me off before I could get another word in, eager as ever, "What's the method?"