However, there is no medicine for regret in the world, and it is even more impossible to change cause and effect.
Xie Qian thus fell into Ye Zheng's trap and became a hostage.
Without the resentment from the washing pool, Ye Zheng had no choice but to take a desperate gamble.
She didn't have much time left.
She could feel the depletion of her life. She knew she wouldn't live for more than a week and couldn't hold out until the next full - moon night.
Anyway, she had to try to activate this formation.
As for the lives of others, it was none of her business.
Selfishness was written into her soul.
The cellar of Ye Zheng's house was also filled with overwhelming resentment. She originally didn't want to harm the villagers who worshipped her, which was why she carried out the refinement in the outside cave.
But the outside cave was destroyed. In that case, she could only sacrifice the entire village.
When Ning Yitao and her group arrived at the village entrance, it was already dark, but the entrance was brightly lit.
All the villagers were standing at the entrance, like well - trained guards. Each of them had a blatant look of malice in their eyes.
They were holding shovels, broadswords, and pitchforks in their hands. Their faces seemed to say, "If you dare to come closer, we'll attack."
Duan Qinghuai frowned and stepped sideways to block their unfriendly gazes from Ning Yitao.
Yun Lianmeng was sharp - eyed and saw Xie Qian hidden in the crowd. She patted Chu Zhiyuan and said, "Look, Xie Qian is in that corner."
Looking in the direction she pointed, Xie Qian was kneeling on the ground, tied up tightly. Her hair was in a mess, and there was a cloth in her mouth to prevent her from speaking. She could only make muffled sounds.
Next to her stood a slightly plump man with a square face. He was earnestly saying something to Xie Qian.
Xie Qian was extremely angry and kicked the man with her feet.
The man was very good - tempered and didn't get angry.
Instead, an old couple beside the man got angry. It seemed that they were the man's parents. The old woman directly slapped Xie Qian across the face, leaving a clear handprint on her face.
Yun Lianmeng gasped in shock at that slap.
As Ning Yitao walked forward, the expressions of the villagers became more and more solemn. The village head, who was leading them, said, "No outsiders are allowed to enter the village."
Ning Yitao pretended not to hear. With a raise of her eyes, a strong wind swept in. All the villagers were blown backward and could only watch helplessly as Ning Yitao and her group stepped into the village.
They could only wave the weapons in their hands in vain.
Xie Qian, who was sitting on the ground, looked at Ning Yitao in surprise as she entered.
Chu Zhiyuan stepped forward to untie her bonds and asked, "Have you seen the witch?"
Hearing this, Xie Qian nodded vigorously, her eyes lighting up. "I'll take you there."
The villagers couldn't get close to Ning Yitao because of the strong wind. But unexpectedly, when Xie Qian said she would take them to find the witch, the old woman who had slapped Xie Qian in the crowd suddenly knelt down and cried loudly.
Like a shrew, she knelt on the ground, wailing and crying, "You heartless thing! How could our family have a daughter - in - law like you? This will bring ruin to the Di family!"
It turned out that the old couple were Xie Qian's in - laws. Di Dahong was holding his wife, Chen Chunhua, but it was just a pretense. He didn't really try to stop her.
It seemed that he was trying to stop his wife to protect Xie Qian, but the condemnation in his eyes for Xie Qian was extremely strong.
The middle - aged man who was originally standing beside Xie Qian was Di Yong, her husband.
In the impression of Ning Yitao and the others, according to Xie Qian's description, her husband was a gentle and considerate man. Everyone who knew him spoke highly of his character, and he was very enthusiastic about helping others.
But now it seemed that wasn't the case.
When Di Yong heard that Xie Qian was going to expose the witch's location, his originally mild - looking features were now a bit distorted. He roared,
"Xie Qian, you're gambling with the lives of the whole village."
Xie Qian saw Di Yong so angry for the first time. Hearing what he said, she was a little afraid that what he said was true and hesitated for a moment. She looked at Ning Yitao uneasily.
Ning Yitao felt a bit annoyed. Why did these people still help the swindler count the money after being deceived?
She folded her arms across her chest and tilted her head to look at Xie Qian. "If you don't take me to find that so - called witch, you'll really be the one to kill the whole village."
As she said this, she looked up at the sky.
The moon, not yet fully round, was gradually rising into the sky. A transparent gray cloud faintly covered the moonlight, as if a wisp of light smoke had risen, hazy and dreamy.
It was so quiet all around that even the sound of the grass moving seemed audible. All the scenery was lying silently in the half - light and half - darkness, half - clear and half - blurred, not as concrete as in the daytime.
The air was filled with a faint smell of blood that could be detected if one sniffed carefully.
The moon, which was already halfway up the sky, would, as long as it reached midnight and became fully round and hung high above their heads, activate the formation that used the village as a medium, and there would be no way to reverse it.
Ning Yitao didn't want to waste any more time. She looked at everyone with a slightly fierce look in her eyes and said in a voice full of pressure,
"All the children in your village should have been sacrificed to that so - called witch tonight. Has anyone among you, except Xie Qian, ever suspected her? You've been indifferent to the witch's actions of killing and drinking blood. Today, you'll pay the price for your indifference."
The Di Yong family seemed not to care at all. They thought that as long as Xie Qian didn't take Ning Yitao to find the witch, they could buy time for the witch.
Ning Yitao's eyes swept over Xie Qian, who looked hesitant. She said nonchalantly,
"Time is running out. Since you don't trust me, there's no need for us to cooperate anymore. Even if you don't say anything, I can still find her."
There were too many formations laid by Ye Zheng in this village, which had disrupted Ning Yitao's judgment. She could find Ye Zheng, but it would take time.
Ning Yitao took out an ancient bronze coin from her pocket. Just as she was about to toss it, Xie Qian stopped her. She touched the cheek that had been slapped by Chen Chunhua and said urgently, as if she had finally understood,
"I believe you. I have no choice but to believe you. Those people can even give away their own flesh and blood. They have no humanity. I'll take you there."
"No way!" A shrill voice pierced through the air, like a ghost struggling to break free from its shackles.
Di Yong was so anxious that his heart seemed to jump out of his throat. He was so angry that his face turned red, his lips were trembling slightly, and his head felt like it was about to explode.
Seeing that his tough attitude couldn't stop Xie Qian, he started to play the sympathy card.
"Qianqian, we'll have more children. If you choose Di Sumu, I'll die. Do you really want me to die?"
Xie Qian's tears fell instantly. "So it was really you. You knew from the very beginning. He was our own son. Do you know how he's being tortured now? You're so heartless."
After Xie Qian said this through gritted teeth, she was completely disappointed in Di Yong. She resolutely led Ning Yitao and her group to search in the village.
Only then did Duan Qinghuai discover that there was more to this small village than met the eye.
The village didn't look like it did from the outside, where all the houses could be seen at a glance. The villagers had built a shrine under a thatched cottage.
They had already made countless turns since entering the village entrance just to find the thatched cottage.
Even the entrance was very hidden, covered with straw. There were several hidden talismans sealed at the entrance. If it weren't for Xie Qian's help, they would have wasted a lot of time.
Xie Qian opened the wooden board on the ground. A long staircase came into view, seemingly endless, like a dark abyss with no end in sight.