Chapter 11: The Bewitching Yellow Immortal

“What is that smell? Why is it so fragrant?”

My father stood far away, yet he could catch the scent wafting through the air around him.

The fragrance from the coffin was incredibly strong, yet it wasn’t a harsh or overpowering aroma—rather, a faint, delicate fragrance that carried far.

It was quite peculiar.

Zhao, the madwoman, suddenly changed her expression.

She roughly pushed me into the coffin and then turned to my grandfather, asking, “Old Han, do you remember in the ancestral hall when you promised me that if I helped this child, those who protect him would owe me a favor?”

My grandfather froze for a moment.

Then, hesitantly, he said, “Well... that’s not entirely up to me, is it?”

He hadn’t dared to speak directly to the one inside the coffin; he only knew the other party was formidable, and that his grandson’s fate depended on her.

Besides, seeing how fierce the woman was, he didn’t dare to agree lightly.

Zhao snorted coldly. “After these three years of tribulation, I’ll come to your grandson myself and ask.”

My grandfather didn’t respond.

Instead, he stared into the black void and asked, “What do we do now?”

“Go back and wait. No one can survive if they stay here!” Zhao cursed, then turned and left.

It was clear that even Zhao was somewhat frightened.

My father and grandfather kept glancing back at the dark abyss, then gradually disappeared beyond the mountaintop.

Inside the coffin, I looked around with wide-eyed curiosity at the pitch-black space. It was surprisingly large—seemingly sized for two to sleep in.

My bottom rested on the woman’s foot.

I tapped her foot twice with my little hand, then wobbled and began to crawl further inside.

A cold voice whispered in my ear again: “Sit below and don’t crawl around!”

I froze in place.

Then I crawled forward again, reaching the woman’s lower abdomen. She wore a pale green garment, made of thin, gauzy fabric.

The woman inside the coffin grew agitated.

“What are you stupid child doing?”

For some unknown reason, she could only speak but not move.

I reached out and lightly patted her stomach.

“Pat!”

A soft sound echoed.

Staring at her belly, I muttered, “Open… open…”

“What do you mean open… it won’t open!”

Her clear, chilly voice didn’t understand at first, but quickly realized what I meant and shouted anxiously.

“I’m telling you, you brat, behave! Don’t think that just because your spirit is sealed, I won’t hold you accountable. If you dare move a single finger, I’ll throw you out to feed the ghosts!”

Perhaps frightened by her threat, I actually stopped moving, then resumed crawling upward.

I reached the woman’s pronounced chest.

“You really don’t fear death, huh? I told you—” she began, but before finishing her sentence,

I showed no interest in the soft mound before me and crawled sideways a bit.

Then I lay between her ribs and arm.

Curling my body, I formed a small nest.

Like a kitten, I nestled inside and hugged the woman’s waist, drifting off to sleep.

The woman’s voice fell silent.

After a short while, the quiet was broken by the sound of a rattle.

“Boleng boleng—”

At the sound, my eyes suddenly opened from sleep.

I looked around inside the dark coffin.

Slowly, I crawled toward the opening.

“Boleng boleng—”

The sound seemed magical, beckoning me to come out.

When I reached the coffin’s mouth,

the enticing sound outside grew clearer.

“Boleng boleng—”

I smiled, struggling to stand and lifted my head.

Outside, in the silent graveyard,

there were many children.

One larger boy was playing with a rattle.

The other children were engaged in various games.

Three girls were playing jump rope.

Two girls held the rope while the one in the middle looked especially adorable.

Her fair face beamed with a smile as she jumped like a little angel.

Her twin ponytails swayed with each bounce.

Familiar, joyful voices filled the air.

“Little ball, kick your feet, Marigold blooms twenty-one!”

“Two five six, two five seven, two eight two nine thirty-one!”

“Three five six, three five seven, three eight three nine…”

The surroundings were quiet.

Only their pure laughter and innocent joy broke the stillness.

As a child, I was immediately drawn in. I had no idea what they were doing, but it seemed fun, and I wanted to join.

I struggled to climb upward.

Clumsy and awkward, it took great effort to reach the mountaintop graveyard.

Just as I was about to approach,

the familiar cold voice whispered in my ear: “Fool, come back! They are not human!”

Not far off, the big boy smiled kindly at me.

“Child, do you want to play with this?”

He smiled as he rattled the rattle in his hand.

“Boleng boleng—”

I chuckled softly.

Took a stumbling step forward.

“Come on~ let’s play together~”

His smile deepened, looking all the more sinister in the stillness of the graveyard.

Hearing his call, I took another step.

One step.

Another step.

Closer and closer.

The big boy continued to rattle the toy, his eyes fixed hungrily on my feet, watching me move further away from the tomb.

Just as one foot stepped outside the grave’s boundary,

his smile grew wider—greedy, almost like I was delicious prey.

But I was too young, too foolish to notice anything wrong. I only felt his smile was an invitation to happiness.

Finally,

my other foot gradually left the grave.

His smile turned evil, his face twisting grotesquely.

It became impossible to discern his original features.

The next moment—

“Woooaaaaaaaaaah—”

A sharp, animalistic scream pierced the air, making my ears ache.

I looked up.

The smiling big boy had transformed into a creature with a pointed snout and gaunt face.

His green eyes glowed in the darkness.

Whiskers around his mouth bristled fiercely.

“Hehehe, Yin Tianzi, I’ve been waiting for this day!”

A sharp, eunuch-like voice echoed.

The boy fully morphed into a yellowish beast—not an ordinary one, but covered in silver-white bristles, sharp like needles, each strand distinct.

His fur stood on end.

Like a wild cat ready to pounce, baring teeth, he lunged forward.

I was still unaware of the danger.

Confused, I looked around.

The girls who had been playing jump rope had all transformed into yellow-brown beasts.

Their eyes wide open,

all four-legged, charging straight at me!