Yu Nian nodded. "This practice is called the abandoned - elderly kiln, also known as the self - dying kiln. It was originally an evil custom in ancient times. People would dig holes in the mountainside just big enough for one person. They would throw the elderly who had lost their ability to work into these holes. Each time they brought food, they would lay a brick at the entrance of the hole. The elderly in the holes would either starve to death or suffocate."
"After Yu Qihuai threw Granny Yu into the well, he didn't give her any food. The bottom of the well was cold and damp, and Granny Yu was filled with so much resentment that she accidentally turned into a shadow corpse after her death."
He Zhiping was so angry that his hands trembled slightly. "That brute Yu Qihuai! Why on earth did he do this?"
Yu Nian looked at the densely written, already coagulated words in dark red blood on the well wall - "Son".
"How can the complexity of human nature be explained in a few words? I'm afraid only Granny Yu herself knows all this."
Yu Nian took out a section of white wax from Yang Jing'an's backpack, lit it, and placed it in the center of the well bottom.
Yu Nian closed his eyes and, with the white wax as the center, dipped his fingers in cinnabar and continuously drew talismans. As Yu Nian moved, the candle flame flickered violently and made continuous crackling sounds. The moment Yu Nian stopped, the candle went out suddenly.
A sigh of relief came from the darkness.
Everyone climbed out of the well one by one. They found that the red moon in the sky had disappeared. An old, hunched - over and skinny woman was standing quietly beside the well.
She still looked terrifying, but now the resentment around her had disappeared. Her wrinkled face was full of sorrow and exhaustion. The moment she saw Yu Nian, her dull and lifeless eyes gradually lit up. "Is that you, Niannian..."
Yu Nian stared at Granny Yu's cheeks, which were severely sunken due to hunger, and slowly nodded. "Grandma."
A look of joy flashed across Granny Yu's face, but it soon faded. She sighed faintly, and a line of blood and tears dripped from the corner of her eye.
"Master, something's wrong! My mom is missing!"
Not far away, Yu Mingsheng roared hoarsely and rushed towards Zhou Qian and her younger brother. Behind him was Yu Qihuai, looking completely distraught.
Yu Qihuai seemed to have seen something terrifying in the evil formation. Not only was his clothes in a mess, but his face was also frighteningly pale.
When the two brothers just ran in front of everyone, they saw Granny Yu standing in the middle.
Yu Mingsheng was stunned for a moment, then suddenly knelt on the ground and crawled towards Granny Yu in disbelief. "Mom?"
"Hey... Mom is here." The familiar yet strange old voice answered Yu Mingsheng.
Yu Mingsheng couldn't hold back anymore. A man nearly fifty years old pounced into Granny Yu's arms like a young animal. He cried regardless of anything. "Mom, it wasn't a dream... Why do you look like this, Mom..."
Granny Yu raised her festered and blackened hand and lovingly stroked Yu Mingsheng's head. "Mingsheng, don't cry. Mom is old. There will come a day when Mom has to leave..."
Yu Qihuai, who was standing there stiffly, almost popped his eyes out. His lips opened and closed, and then he suddenly let out a scream. "Ghost!" Then he turned around and tried to run away.
Yu Nian gave him a cold look, took two steps, and kicked Yu Qihuai hard on the knee. Yu Qihuai let out a painful whimper and couldn't move anymore.
He was still unwilling and tried to crawl away on his stomach, but suddenly a pair of old - fashioned embroidered shoes appeared in front of him.
Yu Qihuai slowly looked up and met Granny Yu's lifeless eyes.
Granny Yu stared at the trembling Yu Qihuai. A forced smile appeared on her wrinkled face. "My son, why are you running? Is it because you've done something wrong and are afraid that your own mother will come to collect your debt and take your life?"
Remembering the day when he fished Granny Yu out of the well, with her swollen face and unclosed eyes, Yu Qihuai suddenly let out a scream. In extreme fear, he turned to Zhou Qian and Zhou Feiyu and shouted. "Aren't you Taoist priests? Why don't you subdue her? She's a ghost!"
Zhou Feiyu sneered, his voice full of disgust. "You're dirtier and more terrifying than a ghost."
Yu Qihuai was completely desperate. He could only kowtow to Granny Yu continuously. "Mom, I know I was wrong. Please forgive me, okay? I just wanted to scare you. I thought you would give in after being hungry for a few days and transfer the shares you left for Yu Nian to me. Who knew you would die after only three days? How can this be blamed on me? It's just your bad luck... Don't kill me, Mom. I'm your youngest son! I've also spent money on your medicine and treatment over the years. I don't deserve to die!"
After he finished speaking, a deep pain flashed across Granny Yu's empty eyes. She slowly reached out her hand to Yu Qihuai. "Mom doesn't blame you, and Mom doesn't hate you either."
Yu Qihuai was a little stunned, and then a hint of pride flashed in his eyes. He endured the nausea and fear and reached out to touch Granny Yu's hand.
Unexpectedly, just as he raised his head, Granny Yu's expression suddenly darkened. With a loud "pop", a palm full of resentment landed on Yu Qihuai's face.
Yu Qihuai didn't even have time to scream before he was knocked to the ground. His originally smooth face instantly swelled up. He let out a whimper, and a broken tooth fell out of his mouth.
Granny Yu said faintly. "This slap is for your heartlessness and cruelty to your own kin. Don't think I don't know what you're up to. After my death, you held a grand funeral to win people over. You also rushed your elder brother here but secretly wanted to harm him. For the sake of some shares, have you really lost all your dignity?"
Yu Qihuai looked at Granny Yu in disbelief. "Mom..."
Granny Yu didn't answer him. She walked towards him with unsteady steps.
Yu Qihuai was scared out of his wits. He curled up and crawled backwards, but no matter how hard he tried to escape, he couldn't outrun Granny Yu, who had turned into a shadow corpse.
There was another loud noise. Granny Yu's hand trembled slightly, and Yu Qihuai was slapped heavily to the ground. A mouthful of dirty blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
"This slap is for your inability to distinguish right from wrong and your failure as a father! Yu Nian is your own daughter, but you coldly let her drift outside and joined Yu Qing and an outsider to bully her. Do you think you've done right by Yu Nian?"
Yu Qihuai couldn't say a word at this moment. His face was in excruciating pain, as if it was being burned in a fire. The endless fear was about to drown him.
Granny Yu looked at Yu Qihuai quietly for a while, then finally squatted down in front of him. She reached out her hands again and stayed on Yu Qihuai's head for a while, but she never brought them down.
Time passed by second by second. Granny Yu slowly stood up and walked towards Yu Nian. With each step she took, her figure seemed to wither more. By the time she reached Yu Nian, she could hardly support her tottering body. Granny Yu's voice was soft, but her tone was calmer than ever. "Niannian, Grandma is tired. Grandma wants to have a good rest. Grandma knows you have the ability. Send me off."
Yu Nian stared at Granny Yu. She had been relying on a burst of resentment to support her corpse. Now that the resentment had dissipated, Granny Yu's spiritual energy was rapidly fading away.
Yu Nian said softly. "Don't you want to seek justice for yourself?"
Granny Yu had vented her anger for Yu Mingsheng and Yu Nian, but she never mentioned herself.
Granny Yu was stunned for a moment, then shook her head with a smile. Yu Nian saw the tears in her eyes. "The mother - son bond between him and me is over. There's no need. " She paused for a moment and looked at Yu Mingsheng beside her. "Mingsheng, Mom is leaving. Don't be sad. Live a good life."