Long Xiao inspected the graveyard and instructed Xiao Ming to find the owner of the graveyard in the village. He was to inform them that there was a problem with the burial site that needed to be addressed by exhumation, or it would affect the future development of their clan.
Upon learning that the graveyard indeed had issues, the young man who had previously consulted Luo Tianshui about the site rushed to discuss countermeasures with the eldest members of his clan.
When the elders heard that the graveyard was problematic and required exhumation, they quickly gathered the young men of the clan, armed with shovels and hoes, and proceeded to the graveyard.
Seeing that Xiao Ming had brought people, Long Xiao asked, "Who among you has the highest seniority? Who can make decisions on this matter?"
An old man with a white beard stepped forward and said, "Speak to me if there's anything."
Long Xiao pointed to a newly buried grave from a few days prior and said, "Someone has tampered with this grave. You'd best dig it up and check if the person inside is from your clan."
"Are you sure? Cremation is encouraged nowadays. We buried ashes. How can we tell?"
"Dig it up. It's unlikely to be ashes inside. Ashes wouldn't emit Yin Sha energy."
"How could it not be ashes? I saw it myself during the burial. It was the second son's wife."
"Dig it up. For the safety of your clan. If you don't, the Yin Sha energy will affect you all soon."
Exhuming a grave was a difficult decision for the elders of a clan.
If it only affected one person, he wouldn't have easily agreed to the exhumation. However, hearing Long Xiao say it would affect the entire clan, he dared not refuse.
The elder called for several young men to dig up the grave. Long Xiao said to Zhang Minlan, "Minlan, you and the others should also step back. The Yin Sha energy from the corpse is very potent; it could affect you."
As the grave was dug open, a blood-red coffin was revealed. The Yin Sha energy began to leak out, and all the villagers felt a chill.
"Why did it suddenly get so cold?" the elder beside Long Xiao said, bewildered.
The elder, being frail, received more of the Yin Sha energy than others.
Long Xiao reached out and tapped his glabella, imparting a trace of life force. He said, "Your Yang Qi is too weak, of course you feel cold."
A warmth entered the elder's body, making him feel as comfortable as if he were bathed in spring breeze. The pain from his chronic leg ailment vanished instantly.
"How can this be? I feel like I've become younger," the elder murmured happily.
"Don't spread it around. I gave you some Yang Qi. Have your clan members retreat. The Yin Sha energy will intensify once the coffin is opened, and I don't have that much Yang Qi to give you all."
The elder, knowing the preciousness of Yang Qi, loudly instructed the villagers to retreat, asking everyone to move out of the graveyard's vicinity.
Everyone could clearly feel that as soon as they left the graveyard's perimeter, the coldness disappeared.
"So strange, why isn't it cold anymore?" someone muttered to themselves.
Long Xiao leaped into the grave pit. He grabbed the coffin lid with his hand and applied force. With a bang, the lid was flipped open.
Zhang Minlan and the others, standing above the grave pit, peered into the coffin. They discovered that instead of an urn, there lay a male corpse dressed in a dark blue robe.
Long Xiao looked up at Zhang Minlan and the others and said, "You all should also step back. I need to handle the Yin Sha energy from this corpse."
Zhang Minlan retorted unhappily, "It's just dealing with a corpse, what's there to keep secret?"
Long Xiao glared at Zhang Minlan and said, "The Yin Sha energy from the corpse is too heavy. I fear it might harm you."
As they were speaking, Zhang Minlan's expression suddenly changed, and he shouted, "Brother Zhao, come up quickly!"
Hearing Zhang Minlan's shout, Long Xiao turned to look at the coffin and saw that the corpse inside had stood up.
Startled, Long Xiao quickly scrambled out of the grave pit. The corpse followed Long Xiao, leaping out and lunging at him.
Long Xiao rapidly retreated, employing his 'Ghost Xuan' footwork to evade the charging corpse. He shouted, "Everyone retreat! The corpse has mutated!"
The villagers who had attended the funeral knew that they had buried ashes. Seeing a corpse jump out of the grave left everyone stunned.
The Yin Sha energy from the corpse was so intense that the entire graveyard became as cold as an ice cellar. Frost instantly appeared on the surrounding vegetation, which had been somewhat green.
The young men, terrified, scattered and fled. Several elders stumbled, and soon some fell to the ground.
Long Xiao stepped forward to help a fallen elder and roared, "People, have you no regard for your elders?"
The young men realized that they had only thought of their own escape and were neglecting the elderly.
As the young men helped the elders retreat further, Long Xiao and Xiao Ming turned and charged towards the corpse.
Zhang Minlan looked at the Zhang brothers and said, "What are you still waiting for? Go!"
The Zhang brothers threw punches and rushed forward, assisting Long Xiao and the others in attacking the corpse radiating intense Yin Sha energy.
When Long Xiao attacked, the 'Crimson Flame Worm' again showed its head, attempting to pounce on the malevolent corpse, but Long Xiao held it back.
Although the corpse's movements were slow, it was incredibly tough and impervious to blades and spears. Even Xiao Ming's Xuan Tie cleaver couldn't cut it.
After landing a few punches on the corpse, the Zhang brothers' bones nearly shattered. They resorted to kicking.
Long Xiao did not use his Five Elements Qi. His right hand struck the corpse, only managing to push it back a single step.
"Lure it back to the grave pit. I will deal with it," Long Xiao shouted.
The four of them maneuvered around the corpse, attacking it, and soon it was near the grave pit. Long Xiao kicked it into the pit and yelled, "You all retreat. I will handle it."
In truth, Long Xiao could have shattered the corpse, but if it were to be shattered, the malevolent energy would quickly disperse, causing great harm to the villagers.
The Zhang brothers and Xiao Ming retreated rapidly. Long Xiao unbuttoned his shirt and said, "Go, absorb its malevolent energy."
The 'Crimson Flame Worm' lunged at the corpse, biting its neck and began to suck. Long Xiao watched as the 'Crimson Flame Worm' was instantly enveloped in white frost.
The corpse, sensing the loss of its malevolent energy, stopped trying to reach the surface. It stood in the grave pit, shaking its neck and arms furiously, attempting to dislodge the 'Crimson Flame Worm'.
However, the 'Crimson Flame Worm' held on tightly, and the corpse's arms, unable to bend, could not reach it.
Long Xiao stood at the edge of the pit and watched for over ten minutes. When the frost on the 'Crimson Flame Worm' dissipated, he quickly called out, "Come back."
The 'Crimson Flame Worm' flew back into Long Xiao's clothes in a daze and soon fell asleep.
With the 'Crimson Flame Worm' no longer absorbing its energy, and supported by the residual malevolent energy, the corpse crawled out of the grave pit again.
This time, the corpse was not as tough. Long Xiao's punch sent it flying five to six meters. The corpse fell to the ground. Xiao Ming rushed forward and struck its neck with his cleaver, severing its head.
The corpse's body was still moving. Xiao Ming swung his cleaver at its legs and arms.
With its legs and arms removed, the corpse could only writhe on the ground, unable to stand up again.
"Find some oil and set it on fire to burn it," Long Xiao said, pointing at the corpse's mangled torso.
Soon, someone brought wood and gasoline, and a fire was lit. As the flames blazed, the Yin Sha energy was completely eliminated, and the corpse's torso gradually stopped twitching.
Everyone returned to the grave pit and found the urn in a corner. The urn was placed back in the coffin, the coffin lid was secured, and the grave pit was refilled.