I'm Already the Richest Man, Why Did My System Just Arrive?

Chapter 205: Chapter 143: Purification Ceremony, Centennial Worm

The Purifying Witch, Xiaozhao, was taken aback. "Grandpa’s back?"

"Yes! He could have come back at any time, but he chose now of all times!" The old man patted his chest to catch his breath. "The Fifteenth Generation heard about this and said he wants to meet our two guests from the outside!"

"Grandpa wants to see them?" Xiaozhao’s tone grew tense. "Does Grandpa think... I did something wrong?"

"That’s not it. Since our two guests are determined to interfere in Jingtang’s Purification Ceremony, it can’t proceed without a proper explanation. That would only lead to more sorrow," the old man said reassuringly.

Zheng Xiu stood up. Ever since he’d learned this matter might be related to a "strange case," he had been warily scanning his surroundings, worried that the events here might attract Ye Weiyang. But this place was on the remote southwestern border of Daqian. Forget Ye Weiyang and the imperial garrison; there wasn’t even a County Magistrate.

Though it was called a town, it was really just a settlement for the local people. Zheng Xiu could have easily torn down its two-man-high earthen walls with his bare hands. It was a far cry from what one would call a "town."

His guard up, Zheng Xiu had overheard their conversation. He walked over to the boy known as the "Sixteenth-Generation Purifying Witch" and said calmly, "Since you don’t have the authority to decide, take me to your grandfather. I want to know what’s really going on here. To be honest, I have no desire to interfere with your customs, but to ask me to stand by and watch you burn another innocent person alive... forgive me, but that’s something I cannot do."

The Sixteenth-Generation Purifying Witch gritted his teeth. Reluctantly, he finally agreed to take them to see the Fifteenth-Generation Purifying Witch—the boy’s grandfather.

The crowd parted, clearing a path.

With complicated expressions, everyone watched as Zheng Xiu and Ruchen followed Xiaozhao away.

Before leaving, Zheng Xiu glanced back and saw all the townspeople staring at the woman and her baby with fear, keeping a wide berth. The vivid expressions immediately reminded him of the complicated looks of horror, fear, and disgust on everyone’s faces—men and women alike—after a rich young playboy in a brothel works up the courage to announce he has a venereal disease.

The analogy was crude, but that was genuinely how Zheng Xiu saw it.

Zheng Xiu was, in fact, also quite puzzled about what strange things were happening in this remote border town.

Ruchen walked in front while Zheng Xiu followed behind, surveying their surroundings. He had already made up his mind: if he spotted a Raven, he would immediately unleash a Big Move to destroy it, and to hell with the consequences.

The group arrived at a nearly derelict house.

The courtyard was overgrown with withered grass and piled high with fallen leaves. A stone table in the yard was thick with dust. It was clear no one had lived here for a long time.

Xiaozhao slapped his forehead, then hurried forward to unlock the door—it seemed he always carried the key with him. He had them wait outside the courtyard while he went inside. A moment later, he allowed Zheng Xiu and Ruchen to enter.

Xiaozhao emerged from the house, supporting a stooped, white-haired man who looked to be well over seventy.

A foul, musty smell hung in the air. The old man was holding a string-bound ancient tome. The writing on the tome’s cover had faded with the years. It was an antique from who knows how many years ago.

"You two young brothers have righteous hearts; this old man understands," the elder sighed. "We have lived in this little place for decades, for centuries. We have our own rules and customs. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, we wouldn’t want to burn people alive either. As for the reasons why... you will understand once you read this old book."

The old man wasted no time on pleasantries or even an introduction. He immediately handed Zheng Xiu the answers he was looking for.

The process was so smooth it only made Zheng Xiu more curious about the truth behind this "man-burning ceremony." He plopped down on the stone table in the courtyard and began to flip through the ancient tome.

The writing on the tome’s cover had faded with the years. Of the four characters making up the title, Zheng Xiu could only make out the second, which meant "darkness," and the fourth, which meant "record."

The old man stepped forward and turned to a specific page for Zheng Xiu.

Though the cover was in terrible shape, the contents inside were mostly intact.

This page recorded a type of insect called the "Cotton Shedding."

The Cotton Shedding had another name: the "Centennial Worm."

The book was at least two hundred years old, and the script used inside was significantly different from the common script of Daqian. Zheng Xiu deciphered it character by character. Suddenly, his finger, which had been tracing the lines, came to an abrupt halt. He muttered:

"This is a... a worm from the Darkness?"