Chapter 32: To Gain Rebirth

Just as the villagers were swept up in their emotions, ready to vent their anger on the corpse of the Snake Demon, “Gong Yang” moved.

His right hand was still holding up the Snake Demon’s body, so he simply pressed down with his left hand.

The demon-catching Gong Yang held an unquestionably lofty position in the hearts of the villagers, so the moment he made a move, everyone immediately fell silent.

“Gong Yang” narrowed his eyes and smiled faintly:

“Everyone, would you care to hear a word from me?”

The tone of “Gong Yang’s” voice sounded a little strange, but in this moment of excitement, no one paid attention to that detail.

The Village Chief of Hongjia Village leaned on his cane and said tremblingly:

“Taoist, you captured and slew this fiend for our Hongjia Village. Your grace is like giving us new life. Whatever request Taoist has, Hongjia Village will certainly comply.”

“Gong Yang” slowly shook his head:

“This demon was rampant, wreaking havoc for days, killing your beloved kin, and killing two of my colleagues. His crime was unforgivable. He should indeed be burned, to console the spirits of the victims in the heavens.”

“It is only a pity that my two colleagues who went up the mountain to catch the demon left behind no bones.”

“In order to bring them the good news of the Snake Demon’s execution, to console their souls, why don’t we place the Snake Demon’s corpse inside the house of that corpse collector, and burn it together?”

The Village Chief exchanged glances with several esteemed elders beside him, then nodded:

“Good! We shall do as Taoist says.”

......

After “Gong Yang” and the Village Chief agreed on burning the Snake Demon’s corpse, he placed the Snake Demon’s body inside Hong Sanjiang’s house.

Outside, the villagers had already piled firewood.

“Gong Yang” stepped out the door and nodded at the Village Chief.

“Throw!”

“Crack!”

“Crack!”

One torch after another was thrown down, strands of fire sparked, and soon Hong Sanjiang’s house was engulfed in roaring flames.

Inside, the Snake Demon whose scales had been stripped still lay quietly.

The moment the firelight began to devour it, its form slowly twisted, as if in the blazing flames it had come alive once again.

Watching as the house and the Snake Demon vanished together into the world, the Village Chief of Hongjia Village muttered:

“May the dead rest in peace, and gain rebirth.”

Standing beside the Village Chief, “Gong Yang” looked at the twisting flames, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile:

“May they… gain rebirth.”

After a moment of silent mourning, “Gong Yang” stuffed a bag into the Village Chief’s hands:

“These are the Snake Demon’s scales that I plucked off. They serve as proof of its death.”

He stressed the latter half of the sentence, then chuckled lightly:

“I counted them. The Snake Demon’s scales are quite many. The Village Chief may distribute them among the villagers—one scale each. They will serve well as protective charms, don’t you think?”

The Village Chief stroked his beard, glanced at the heavy bag of snake scales in his hand, and nodded:

“Good.”

Seeing this, “Gong Yang” cupped his hands, then headed toward Hong Mountain.

The Village Chief and villagers looked on, puzzled:

“Taoist?”

“Gong Yang” waved his hand:

“Now that the Snake Demon has been executed, vengeance is repaid. It is time I left as well. Take care, all of you.”

The villagers gazed at “Gong Yang” with gratitude:

“Might we know Taoist’s name? So we may build a shrine in your honor, and worship day and night.”

Without stopping his steps, “Gong Yang” gradually disappeared into the mountains:

“The Bureau of Heaven Monitoring, a wandering demon catcher.”

......

On the third day after “Gong Yang” subdued the demon, Hong Tianyun and Hong Wen finally returned, belatedly.

Behind them followed a Taoist, whose expression carried faint sorrow.

“Brother? You were back?”

Hong Wen snapped out of his daze and came to his senses:

“Hmm? Hong Sheng?”

Hong Sheng looked at his older brother:

“Brother, what was wrong?”

Hong Wen forced a smile:

“I’m fine, little brother. Uncle and I invited a Taoist from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring. He would avenge Father, Uncle Sanjiang, Ding Fan, and Xu Han for us.”

When the names Ding Fan and Xu Han were spoken, the Taoist standing behind Hong Wen visibly grew more sorrowful.

However, Hong Sheng’s expression suddenly became strange:

“Brother, I’m afraid you’ve brought the Taoist here for nothing.”

Hong Wen’s face changed:

“What? Do you mean the Snake Demon knew the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring was coming and fled in the night?”

Hong Wen fully cleared from his daze, grinding his teeth.

Hong Sheng shook his head:

“Brother, you misunderstood. What I meant was that the Snake Demon had already been captured and killed by a Taoist from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring.”

“What did you say!”

This exclamation did not come from Hong Wen but from the sorrowful Taoist behind him.

He grabbed Hong Sheng by the collar:

“You say the Snake Demon was already dead?”

Hong Sheng did not take offense at the Taoist’s rudeness:

“May I ask, Taoist, who are you?”

The Taoist realized he had overreacted, loosened his grip on Hong Sheng, and apologized:

“Sorry, my name was Wei Hanyu. I was the master of Ding Fan and Xu Han.”

“They came to Hongjia Village to exterminate demons because of me. I never expected that after I set out to catch the demon, I would be separated from them forever……”

Hearing this, Hong Sheng cupped his hands:

“So it was Taoist Wei.”

Before Hong Sheng could offer words of consolation, Hong Wen grabbed his younger brother’s collar again:

“Little brother, you just said the Snake Demon had been captured and killed by a Taoist from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring?”

Hong Sheng smiled helplessly:

“Brother, loosen my clothes first…… Yes, the Snake Demon was already dead. These are its scales.”

Hong Wen took the snake scale from Hong Sheng’s hand, stared at it for a long time, and blankly said:

“Yes, these were the Snake Demon’s scales……”

Hong Sheng watched Hong Wen and Wei Hanyu, both distraught:

“The Snake Demon was indeed dead. It was burned to death in front of all of us.”

“More than that, the Taoist from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring had plucked every single scale from its body. Each villager received one scale — they said they could be used as talismans.”

When Wei Hanyu sensed the lingering demonic aura on the scale had not yet completely dissipated, he finally regained his composure:

“Judging by the feeling, this scale had only left the Snake Demon’s body three days ago. It appears the Snake Demon that killed my two disciples truly was dead.”

Wei Hanyu exhaled, then cupped his hands toward Hong Sheng:

“Friend Hong, do you know the name of that Taoist from the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring? He has avenged my disciples; when I return I should thank him properly.”

Hong Wen shook his head:

“Sorry, Taoist. That Taoist did not leave a name. He only said he was a wandering demon-catcher of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring.”

Wei Hanyu brightened with understanding:

“That was it. The Bureau of Heaven Monitoring had a post of wandering demon-catchers. They did not seek fame or fortune; they roamed the West Sea, sworn to kill all demons and evils.”

“Only they would care so little for their own names.”

Wei Hanyu cupped his hands toward the direction of the sun:

“Wei Hanyu, third-rank Taoist of the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring’s Ningjiang County branch in Yongzhou, thanked the wandering demon-catcher.”

Then he looked at the Hong brothers:

“Since the danger to Hongjia Village was over and the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring’s affairs were busy, I would not stay long. I would go up the mountain to pay respects to my two disciples, then depart.”

With that, and escorted by Hong Sheng, he left Hongjia Village.

After Hong Sheng returned home, he found Hong Wen still clutching the snake scale tightly, murmuring to himself:

“The Snake Demon died just like that…… Father…… I hadn’t even had time to avenge you, and the Snake Demon is already dead……”

Hong Wen could not help but recall Taoist Chen Qu’s words at the Bureau of Heaven Monitoring a few days earlier:

“I’m sorry, young friend Hong Wen. After appraisal, you truly had no aptitude for cultivation. You could not cultivate or wield spells, spiritual bodies, or magical implements.”

“I understand your desire to avenge your kin. The Bureau of Heaven Monitoring would not slack in exterminating demons; we would certainly help you seek vengeance.”

“For you, wouldn’t it be better to let go of the past and start your life anew?”

“Even if your father were alive, he would not want you to sink forever in such grief, unable to pull yourself free, would he?”

Hong Wen held the snake scale, his eyes vacant:

“Let go of the past, start over, huh……？”

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