Everyone looked at each other in dismay. While terrified, they were also somewhat confused. Old Yang stared blankly at Uncle Yang for a moment and suddenly realized what Uncle Yang was doing - Uncle Yang was chopping firewood.
Uncle Yang had no children throughout his life, and his wife passed away when he was in middle age.
Little Yang grew up under Uncle Yang's watchful eye, so Uncle Yang always regarded Little Yang as his own child.
However, after Tang Ruo proposed that Little Yang become a son - in - law, the relationship between the uncle and nephew hit rock bottom.
Growing up in different environments, people have different cognitions and acceptance abilities of things. Uncle Yang couldn't accept Little Yang becoming a son - in - law, but he hoped that Little Yang and Tang Ruo could have a good outcome.
Uncle Yang was a widower and had never managed to save much money in his life. So, with a tough - talking but kind - hearted nature, he started looking for jobs everywhere, thinking that he could save enough for a wedding gift before the two children got married.
The day before Uncle Yang died, he was still telling Old Yang that he was going up the mountain to gather some firewood, but he accidentally fell into a small pond and drowned on his way to work the next day.
Old Yang never expected that going up the mountain to chop firewood would become Uncle Yang's last obsession.
Old Yang couldn't hold back his tears and sobbed.
His crying was no small matter. Uncle Yang in the pond suddenly lifted his head, his eyes wide open, staring directly at everyone.
The moment he saw Tang Ruo, a strong hatred suddenly welled up in Uncle Yang's eyes. A fierce evil aura, like a life - taking white silk ribbon, tightly entangled Tang Ruo. Tang Ruo couldn't dodge in time. It was as if he had instantly fallen into a cold lake, and his breathing became increasingly difficult.
Then, Uncle Yang was seen crawling towards Yu Nian and the others on all fours.
Uncle Yang's look was so terrifying that the Yang family was terribly frightened and began to flee in a panic.
At this moment, Yu Nian walked against the crowd and said calmly, "Hide behind me."
Yu Nian raised his hand and waved. Several red threads instantly flew out and firmly pinned Uncle Yang in place.
Tang Ruo slumped to the ground weakly, covering his throat and coughing non - stop.
A talisman paper was thrown over, and Uncle Yang's evil aura suddenly turned into two thick iron chains as thick as an arm, firmly trapping him at the bottom of the pond. Uncle Yang struggled desperately and mumbled something incoherently.
Yu Nian let out a soft sigh.
Uncle Yang lost his life for no reason. How could he not bear a grudge?
Yu Nian took out a writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and carefully wrote several talisman papers. He pasted them on the four corners of the pond, then placed incense sticks and talisman papers by the pond and lit them.
The yellow paper and incense burned out together. The moment the last scarlet spark went out, Yu Nian reached out and knocked twice on the edge of the pond.
One after another, several "click" sounds came from the edge of the pond. The originally thick - looking edge of the pond unexpectedly shattered into several pieces.
Uncle Yang trembled violently, then slowly opened his eyes. Gradually, there was light in his pitch - black eyes.
He moved his rotten lips and said hoarsely, "What year is it now?"
Yu Nian looked at him and patiently explained, "It's been a whole year since you died."
Uncle Yang was in a daze for a long time before muttering, "Has it really been that long?" He raised his eyes and looked at Old Yang, his voice tinged with a sob, "Big Brother."
Old Yang quickly took two steps forward. Tears blurred his vision. "Second Brother, are you cold?"
Uncle Yang was still wearing the shabby gray - blue jacket he had on before he died. He was thin, and the jacket was thin too. He looked like a piece of cloth hanging on a tree branch, as if it would disappear with a gust of wind.
Uncle Yang looked at his elder brother and showed a simple and bitter smile. "I'm not cold." His gaze swept over Tang Ruo and Yang Qi, and his eyes dimmed for a moment. Then he shook his head self - deprecatingly. "Forget it. It was my own carelessness. There's nothing to complain about. If only I had been more careful when I went up the mountain that day..."
Yu Nian stepped forward and said to Uncle Yang, "I'll send you on your way."
Yu Nian whispered a few incantations that no one understood. The iron chains on Uncle Yang's body instantly broke.
Uncle Yang let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Master. The shackles on my body are gone. I'll be on my way now."
The moment his voice fell, Old Yang watched helplessly as Uncle Yang's figure gradually faded away. Finally, it disappeared along with the incense ash and paper ash by the pond.
At the same time, the jadeite box shattered, and the puppet representing Uncle Yang spontaneously combusted and disappeared.
Yu Nian threw the remaining puppets into the fire until they were completely burned. After a few soft crackling sounds, the surroundings returned to calm.
Old Yang asked cautiously, "Master, is this evil situation resolved now? But my son..."
At this moment, Tang Ruo suddenly threw himself at Yu Nian's feet and tightly hugged her thigh.
"Master, I'm begging you. Yang Qi's curse can't be lifted. I've given so much for him. If he wakes up, it'll be completely over between us!"
Seeing Tang Ruo crying, Yang Qi panicked and rushed to her side. His eyes were unfocused, and like a child, he was flustered as he tried to help her up.
"Ruoruo, don't cry..."
Yu Nian looked down at Tang Ruo, who was crying pitifully. "Do you know what state a person under a curse is in every day?"
Tang Ruo shook his head blankly.
Yu Nian reached out and covered Tang Ruo's eyes, silently chanting a few incantations.
When Tang Ruo opened his eyes again, the whole world had changed. He saw that Yang Qi's limbs were tied with dense threads. He was like a puppet, and every movement was being led.
"Look clearly. He's not Yang Qi. A person controlled by a love - gu curse is no different from an imbecile with an incomplete soul. Their perception of the outside world is extremely dull. Is the person you really want to marry a puppet?"
Tang Ruo was stunned. Memories of his time with Yang Qi flashed through his mind.
Yang Qi used to love her very much. Although they quarreled occasionally, they could both feel each other's affection. Yang Qi was a real, flesh - and - blood person.
But since Yang Qi was cursed, the dark circles under his eyes were so heavy that they were turning blue. He was listless all day long. Every expression seemed to be carefully calculated, without the slightest bit of vitality, just like wearing a white porcelain mask.
Although Yang Qi was obedient to her, there always seemed to be something missing in his eyes when he looked at her, hazy and unfocused.
Thinking of this, Tang Ruo gradually let go of Yu Nian's hand.
Did she love Yang Qi as a person or just his face?
Yu Nian ignored Tang Ruo and reached out to tap Yang Qi on the top of his head three times. Yang Qi trembled all over. A faint light seemed to flash in his eyes, and he stood still on the spot.
Yang Qi's pupils dilated. All the things that had happened during this period suddenly flooded into his mind.
He turned his head and looked at Old Yang. His lips trembled for a moment, and he called out hoarsely, "Dad...?"
"Hey." Old Yang quickly responded. His eyes suddenly turned red. After being in a daze for a long time, he murmured, "It's been so long since I last heard this 'Dad'."
The Yang family couldn't hold back their tears and were about to take Yang Qi home.
But Tang Ruo suddenly staggered to his feet and grabbed Yang Qi's hand. "Yang Qi, are you going to leave me?"
Everyone stopped in their tracks. Their eyes were filled with hostility as they looked at Tang Ruo.
Tang Ruo bit his lip, his eyes filled with tears. "Yang Qi, I don't have my mother anymore. Now are you going to leave me too?"