As the paper figures got closer, I noticed that four of them were carrying a small sedan chair.
This was beyond eerie.
Running into something like this right after stepping out? Just my luck.
But my position was awkward—I was too close to them. If I moved even slightly, those colorful paper figures would spot me immediately.
Just as I was hesitating, the sedan chair's curtain was lifted, and a yellow weasel leaped out.
If it were an ordinary yellow weasel, I could kill one with a single rock.
But this one coming out of the sedan chair was eerily human-like. It was dressed in a bright red outfit, had a red flower pinned to its chest, sharp teeth, and small, beady eyes that glowed green. It was wearing a festive expression.
At that moment, I understood what was going on.
This creature was here for the female corpse—its intentions were obvious.
Seeing how excited it was, even clenching its legs together, my anger flared.
Even if I didn't want something, I wouldn't let a beast have it.
People in the Northeast may revere these "Huang Xian" (weasel spirits), but in our region, no matter how human-like it appeared, it was still just a chicken-stealing animal.
When my grandfather was in good health, he would kill several of them every year.
As I searched for a rock, the creature reached the doorway, clasped its paws together, and bowed toward the house. In a sleazy tone, it spoke human words:
"Darling, your husband has come to take you back to the mountains."
Hearing it talk scared me so much that I dropped the rock I had just picked up.
There were plenty of strange tales in the mountains, and I had heard many stories of spirits and monsters.
My grandfather had once told me that a family in the mountains had offended a yellow weasel, and within a few days, all seven members of the household were dead.
I hesitated for a moment, and the weasel, puffing out its white-furred chest, eagerly stepped toward the door.
Two of the colorful paper figures behind it followed stiffly, ready to help push the door open.
Seeing it act so smug, all I could think about was the woman's face.
This beast didn't care whether she was breathing or not—it would defile her just the same.
With that thought, I picked up a rock and hurled it at the creature.
Just as it was about to step inside, the rock struck the back of its head. It tumbled over, rolling onto the ground.
But it quickly got up, its beady eyes glowing with rage under the moonlight. It scanned its surroundings and snarled,
"Who's there?!"
As soon as I threw the rock, I ducked behind the embankment, holding my breath like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.
And right after throwing it, I regretted it.
Provoking this creature would only bring endless trouble.
As I was dwelling on my mistake, I suddenly felt an itch on my neck, as if a small brush was tickling me.
I looked up and saw the creature crouched above me on the embankment, reaching down with a paw, tracing circles on my neck.
Our eyes met—mine wide with shock, its small and glowing green.
In the next instant, I snapped out of it, grabbed it by the neck, and slammed it hard against the embankment.
The creature shrieked in pain, clawing at my hand, leaving two bloody gashes.
The sharp sting made me reflexively fling it away.
It rolled a few times on the ground before getting up again, blood dripping from its mouth.
Glaring at me with its glowing green eyes, it growled viciously,
"Kid, do you even know who I am? Around here, everyone fears me—Huang Jiu! You dare ruin my plans? I'll have your life!"
This thing was truly something—despite being slammed like that, it was still standing.
Facing the enraged creature, my own temper flared.
I was a living, breathing human being—why should I be scared of some animal?
I pulled out the coin sword tucked into my waistband, climbed up the embankment, and charged at it without hesitation.
Huang Jiu didn't flee. Instead, blood still dripping from its mouth, it smirked smugly like a scheming villain.
My grandfather had taught me many things. Though I had never used them before, I was well-practiced.
I stepped aside, smeared my bleeding wound onto the coin sword, and the blade instantly turned scorching hot.
Seeing the reaction, I felt more confident.
But just as I was about to attack, Huang Jiu's eyes flashed green, and suddenly, my head felt heavy, my mind hazy.
Behind him, the eight paper figures turned stiffly, raised their arms, and moved toward me in unison.
My heart sank—I was in trouble.
Yellow weasels were known for bewitching people's minds. The family in the mountains had fallen victim to this—one moment the father had been fine, the next he had gone mad, slaughtered his entire family with a butcher's knife, and then hanged himself.
I was clearly being affected now.
As I was about to lose my senses, I bit my tongue hard, the pain jolting me back to clarity.
I immediately swung my coin sword.
Paper figures were still just paper—no matter how eerie, they remained what they were.
With one sweep, I tore all eight of them apart. Black smoke billowed from their remains, and several palm-sized yellow weasels scurried out in panic.
Huang Jiu stared at my coin sword, eyes flickering. He tried to bewitch me again.
But before he could, I hurled the sword straight at him.
Quick on his feet, he dodged, slipping out of his red wedding robe and scurrying a few meters away, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Realizing it feared the coin sword, I rushed to pick it up and chased after it.
Panicked, Huang Jiu spun around, lifted its rear, and let out a burst of yellow smoke from its behind.
This thing could speak human words, so it must have cultivated for over a hundred years. And now it had the audacity to use a fart attack?
The stench was unbearable—tears streamed down my face as I gagged, waving my hands to disperse the smell while staggering backward.
Seizing the opportunity, Huang Jiu and its little minions darted up to a higher spot.
Turning back, it glared at me and sneered,
"Kid, you're dead. Even the gods can't save you. Mark my words!"
I was too busy reeling from the stench to respond.
By the time I recovered, Huang Jiu and its minions had already vanished into the Ten Thousand Mountains behind Jiangkou.
I looked up at the moonlit mountains, not daring to pursue.
The great river flowed east, carrying endless coffins and corpses.
Those vast mountains hid too many eerie secrets—otherwise, why would a coffin have drifted into my courtyard?
Once I finally cleared my head, my eyes still burned, and my clothes reeked of that foul stench.
But since I was already here, I pushed open the door to check inside.
The female corpse was still there.
"You troublemaker—you almost got me gassed to death by a yellow weasel!"
Seeing her still there, I wasn't sure if I felt relieved or annoyed. I grumbled.
I wanted to go home and change, but I was worried that Huang Jiu might return.
Luckily, there were some old clothes from my second uncle in the house. I changed into them, finally getting rid of some of the smell.
Looking at the female corpse again, I felt lost.
I had no idea how to deal with her.
I could only hope that Huang Jiu hadn't been bluffing—that he really was the most powerful creature in the area.
If that was the case, then perhaps the scent of this corpse would keep other things away.
Dealing with one weasel spirit was enough for me.