“At the time, Translator Long said he needed to make a special stone coffin, so my descendants helped with the labor. After the stone coffin was finished and we were about to send it to him, he suddenly claimed he wasn't home. We looked for him over ten times, but the fellow was simply nowhere to be found. That’s when I started thinking about revenge.” The ghost sounded quite pitiful, seemingly genuine, but Zhou Huan didn't believe him an ounce, knowing that ghost talk couldn't be trusted, especially with a deceitful specter waiting outside the Five Elements Formation.

Zhou Huan immediately asked, “I know who you are now. Are you that ‘Money String’ Scar mentioned?”

“Precisely me. We initially agreed that I would help him sell things. But then, all I heard from the mountain was the sound of gunfire and explosions, and the man never returned. After a long time, when even the Japanese forces were finished, I saw Translator Long pushing a cart up to the burial site. A short while later, he wheeled out a corpse. I followed him for quite a distance after that and only then realized the rascal was dealing in munitions. This matter was significant, but out of respect for Scar, I let it go. At the time, I never imagined this whole affair would suddenly succeed. Later on, I heard that Translator Long had established an anti-Japanese joint force.”

Zhou Huan felt increasingly weary listening and pressed on, “Did you know whether he was serving as the 'Big Flower' or the 'Lesser Flower' back then?”

“Of course I knew. Everything he bought was for the whole group, and he procured all the tools himself. Generally, he never asked anyone for favors, which made me think he was an extremely wealthy man. When he started recruiting, he prepared provisions based on the configuration of an independent regiment—how could there be any surplus? That’s what he claimed himself. After driving out the Japanese devils, the fellow shamelessly took up an official position in the military, yet I received nothing. Later, I died, and my family enshrined me in our home, where I remained until the day of the incident.”

This Money String was quite tenacious. The man had promised to sell his goods, yet the man lost his life, and he was still quibbling over the arrangement. Furthermore, in all the subsequent affairs Translator Long handled, Money String was hardly involved, yet he still wanted a share of the benefits—truly worshipping wealth above life.

“Money String, listen carefully. If your soul continues to linger in the mortal realm and refuses to depart, be wary, or you might find yourself utterly annihilated.” Zhou Huan’s words were not a mere warning.

Money String shuddered violently at Zhou Huan’s declaration. “I will certainly leave, but I just can’t figure out where Translator Long got so much money, and how he still had so much gold after spending it.”

“What do these matters have to do with you?” The talisman in Zhou Huan’s hand began to burn, and he roared at the spirit, “From now on, you will tell me how you sustained your injuries and the reason why. Did you engage in a major confrontation with him?”

“Hahaha, alas, it’s all because my skills were inferior; otherwise, it would be that despicable traitor lying here!” Money String realized he misspoke immediately after uttering that, quickly changing his tune. “That despicable translator is truly a villain. I saw him descending with a large bag of items from the burial site, so I went up and asked if he needed help selling them. But the fellow acted as if possessed, immediately punching and kicking me, shouting, ‘You’re no good, always coveting my possessions!’ I don’t know what happened, but I was absolutely no match for him, so I let him go.”

“He beat you into this state in just a few moves?” Zhou Huan pressed Money String immediately after.

Being questioned by Zhou Huan, Money String started having second thoughts. His tone suddenly became less firm, almost subtly hesitant. “Actually, I can’t be entirely sure he was the one who beat me like this. All I remember is having a conflict with him during the day, and afterward, I cursed him fiercely. So I suspect he came to my place at night and thrashed me, leading to my eventual death from my injuries.”

“I’m truly done with you. What kind of intelligence do you possess? He gained the upper hand during the day; why would he bother attacking you again at night? You share no deep, bitter feud. Even if you were some traitor, you hadn't committed any major offenses. Why would he kill you?” After speaking, Zhou Huan flung the talisman in his hand toward the sky. “You out there, beyond the formation, behave yourself! Don't try to find a gap to slip in, or you can test my Five Elements Formation!” As the words fell, the burning talisman in Zhou Huan’s hand shot far away. The five piles of fire instantly collapsed into ash, and illuminated by the light of the crimson moon, they formed a circular Five Elements Formation, its radiance stabbing toward the azure sky.

“Ah!” The female ghost from the burial ground was truly persistent, reckless of life and death. Even in this state, she still tried to enter. She always assumed her Crimson Moon Curse was effective everywhere, but that wasn't the case. The effect here was far inferior to that within the tomb, and besides, Zhou Huan wasn't incompetent; he was prepared this time. Thus, it was only natural that the female ghost couldn't penetrate the Soul Summoning Altar; this Five Elements Formation was more than enough trouble for her.

Zhou Huan smiled faintly. “Either you go back now and wait, or you stay quietly where you belong.”

The female ghost quietly retreated. Zhou Huan seized Money String by his messy hair. “You old fool, let me tell you, you have no claim to any money now. Translator Long’s descendant is here. If you harbor any wicked thoughts, take a good look at the gear I’m wearing. Moreover, I’ve already used all those gold pieces as funerary offerings for you. Get lost now! I don’t have time to deal with you. I know everything you just told me. As for your injuries, I’ll tell you, your own subordinate must have done it.”

“My subordinate? How do you know?” Money String was very confused.

Zhou Huan explained, “Only your subordinates could pull off a maneuver like that to get close to you at night, and have the means to beat you to death as they did, especially those two louts guarding your door.”

As Zhou Huan finished speaking, Money String fell silent. He pondered for a long time, and suddenly, blood began to stream from his eyes again. Weeping and sobbing, he lamented, “Master Zhou, I realize now. The reason Translator Long could be fooled by my child’s deception might be that he knew what I was thinking. Otherwise, he wouldn't have carved those grooves inside the coffin. I realize now that I harmed him.”

“Perhaps not. Very well, next, I’ll let you see clearly whether he intended to rebury your bones or if he had other remains to inter. Follow me!” Saying this, Zhou Huan pulled a red cord from his bag and coated it with a thin layer of gold powder. “Come on, I must tether you; otherwise, what if you refuse to listen?”

“Where are you taking me?”

“I’m taking you to find that person. If my analysis isn't wrong, the knot in your heart will unravel there. Prepare yourself to descend and reincarnate!” Zhou Huan admitted that his statement was based entirely on his own speculation and analysis; he believed Translator Long was the most crucial figure in this entire affair. Then, Zhou Huan shouted toward the outside, “Long Sheng! Boy, take us to the place on the mountain where your grandfather used to sit!”

Long Sheng looked at the female ghost outside the formation, the ghost inside the formation, and Zhou Huan, a man audacious enough to trifle with spirits. He was truly shaken. Upon hearing Zhou Huan’s command, he stood frozen on the spot, clueless about what to do.

“Hey, what are you doing? Didn’t you hear me talking to you!” Zhou Huan added a sharp reprimand.

Only then did Long Sheng snap back to reality. “Ah, right! I’ll go get the flashlight!” Long Sheng swiftly ran down from the Soul Summoning Altar, preparing to exit the Five Elements Formation set up by Zhou Huan. The moment he stepped outside the formation, a danger slowly crept toward him. The dry, skeletal hand had already clamped onto the back of Long Sheng’s neck. Suddenly, this hand became incredibly sharp, aiming to stab viciously into Long Sheng’s nape.

Long Sheng sensed something was wrong. He whipped his head around and instantly his legs went weak, his expression lost, and tears streamed down his face as his hands desperately blocked the blade-like skeletal hand.

At that precise moment, a red cord, coated in gold dust, flew in from behind the skeletal hand. With a mere twitch of this red cord, it tightly bound the female ghost—now appearing as a mere skeleton—in front of Long Sheng, rendering her completely immobile. Just then, Zhou Huan’s voice boomed, “Good heavens! You dare not touch the people inside the formation, yet you won’t let go of those outside. Well, you’ll get a taste of my Arhat Rope now. You will follow us to find what you need to know!”

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