Fate Trading System – Chapter 157

Plan A

Red Moon in the Barrier 21

Cloud Lady

Su Xin was pulled away by the Village Chief’s wife, but before leaving, she cast a meaningful glance at Mu Qi, signaling her to take good care of her younger brother at home.

“His health hasn’t been improving at all, getting worse and worse as time drags on. Now he can barely hold on. I don’t know what to do. Today he looks like he wants to give his last words, telling me to quickly find you – he wants to see you one last time before he dies.”

The Village Chief’s wife spoke rapidly and anxiously, wiping tears from her eyes as she walked and talked.

“It’s alright, A Po [ā pó, respectful term for elderly woman], don’t cry, don’t cry. Let’s hurry.”

The Village Chief had indeed been quite fond of the original Tong Ning, as he felt she was an obedient and sensible child who greatly respected her elders.

Upon arrival, the Village Chief’s wife lifted the curtain to their home.

A stale, unpleasant odor wafted out, but Su Xin’s expression remained unchanged as she quickly walked inside.

“Grandfather, I’m here.”

The Village Chief’s spirit seemed fairly good at the moment, showing signs of the last radiance before death.

“Ah Ning, you’re here. Old woman, go fetch some water. I need to speak with Ah Ning.”

“Alright.”

The Village Chief’s wife wiped her tears, dried her hands on her clothes, and let out a sigh.

“Ah Ning, has Grand Aunt passed away?”

The Village Chief asked, his manner urgent.

“Yes, it’s been a few days now.”

Su Xin nodded.

The Village Chief’s face turned ashen as he nodded helplessly.

He was known as the most well-informed person in the village. The Village Chief had excellent relationships with everyone, especially with women, though these relationships were different from the usual attention young ladies might give to men. The women treated him like a close confidante [guīmì, female best friend], sharing their fears and concerns with him. Being the Village Chief who frequently moved about the village, he knew many secrets others didn’t.

The Village Chief told Su Xin a story from the village chronicles [cūnzhì, historical record of village] about Cloud Lady, but what he shared went beyond those written records.

The chronicles only vaguely recorded that Cloud Lady died from exhaustion, and the villagers built a temple to commemorate her.

However, the events that followed weren’t recorded in the village chronicles but were documented elsewhere.

The Village Chief had obtained another very old book, written by a talented author who recorded the events of that time. The book served as something of a confession.

The Village Chief learned the truth from that book, though he wasn’t sure if it was fiction written for entertainment or fact, until one day when Grand Aunt came to find him.

The Village Chief had kept many people’s secrets, being someone who could keep confidences well, but now on his deathbed, he wanted to share them.

Those who had asked him to keep their secrets had already died one after another, and now he too was near the end of his life.

From the Village Chief’s subsequent words, Su Xin sensed the greed and ugliness of human nature.

There was indeed a young woman named Yun who brought medicinal herbs to save the village’s people. At that time, the village was much larger than now, with many more inhabitants, but no one knew how to treat illnesses. If someone fell ill, they could only wait for death.

After Cloud Lady saved everyone in the village, exhausted from her efforts, the recovered villagers warmly hosted her. After resting for a while, she prepared to bid farewell.

When the villagers learned of her intention to leave, they tried to persuade her to stay, but Cloud Lady was determined to leave. She said she wanted to go elsewhere to treat sick people and couldn’t remain in this village.

The villagers panicked, wondering what they would do if they fell ill after Cloud Lady left. Without her, they would have no one to save them and would have to wait for death as before.

The villagers imprisoned Cloud Lady. She was frightened and angry, unable to understand why the people she had saved would treat her this way, keeping her locked up and preventing her departure. She accused them all, but they remained silent.

The Village Chief of that time came forward to beg Cloud Lady to stay as their village doctor, saying they would only face death if they fell ill.

Cloud Lady, having no choice, said she couldn’t remain imprisoned forever. If that were the case, she wouldn’t treat anyone. However, she offered to teach her medical skills to one person, and then the villagers would let her leave. The Village Chief agreed.

Cloud Lady selected a woman and taught her to identify herbs, brew medicine, and understand medical principles. Though she didn’t teach everything thoroughly, she passed on all her medical knowledge within just three years. By then, she prepared to leave, having already unwillingly spent three years there. She was unhappy, as her wish was to travel the world practicing medicine.

However, on the night she was packing, a drunken man broke into her room and r*ped her.

The next day, no matter how much the man apologized, Cloud Lady remained cold and distant.

When the villagers came, Cloud Lady didn’t want to make a scene and tried to leave quickly, saying brief goodbyes. But at this moment, the man declared that since he and Cloud Lady had consummated as husband and wife, she was now one of their villagers and couldn’t leave.

Cloud Lady was furious at his unreasonableness, only to discover the villagers were indeed helping the man surround her, preventing her escape.

Cloud Lady now understood she had trusted the wrong people – they had never intended to let her leave.

She looked pleadingly at her apprentice, hoping she would speak up, but the girl turned her head away. Cloud Lady later learned that the man who had r*ped her was the girl’s brother.

Cloud Lady was imprisoned for attempting to escape.

During her imprisonment, she suffered multiple violations. When the man said he would marry her, Cloud Lady slapped him hard across the face.

Perhaps because he couldn’t get a response from her, the man pursued another girl and planned to marry her instead.

Cloud Lady remained imprisoned, but her status changed from private property to public property. Even solitary old men dared to enter her room to commit unspeakable acts.

Her resentment reached the heavens. She had come with good intentions to save everyone, only to be repaid with such cruelty.

One day, Cloud Lady finally wore through her chains and left the room. By then, she was six months pregnant, her belly swollen, not knowing who the father of her child was.

Covered in filth, she didn’t run. Instead, she asked a passerby to gather all the villagers. Her appearance was horrifying, showing no trace of her former gentle demeanor.

Cloud Lady held an extremely sharp stone, which she had spent a long time sharpening. In front of everyone, she endured the pain and cut open her own belly. Everyone was terrified and dared not approach.

Cloud Lady forcefully pulled out her fully formed child from her belly, bloody and still attached to the umbilical cord.

“I was blind to trust you beasts. Now, I swear by my child and my soul, none of you will die peacefully!”

With her hateful curse delivered, Cloud Lady soon died from massive blood loss.

Everyone panicked. Someone suggested burying her in a coffin with extra nails to prevent her soul from achieving reincarnation, thinking this would stop her revenge.

People of that time held great reverence for spirits and ghosts.

“But this method didn’t work. Instead, it provoked Cloud Lady’s fury, leading to even more terrible revenge.”

The Village Chief sighed, lamenting their sinful actions.

Cloud Lady slaughtered most of the village until a passing Daoist priest discovered this and used great power to stop her.

The priest wanted to help Cloud Lady’s soul find peace and pass on. He dismantled the coffin and reburied her in a place with good feng shui, but Cloud Lady still wouldn’t relent.

Having no choice, the priest had the villagers build her a temple. Cloud Lady was confined beneath it, with daily offerings of incense to dissolve her resentment, using the living’s energy to suppress the ghost. The incense offerings could never cease, or chaos would ensue.

Thus, the villagers developed the custom of worshiping Cloud Lady as their primary ritual during New Year and other major events.

“The village population has dwindled, and with fewer incense offerings, we can’t suppress her anymore. That’s why she’s come out for revenge.”

The Village Chief’s face showed deep sorrow. This chaos was caused by their ancestors hundreds of years ago – what did it have to do with their generation? Yet they must pay for their fathers’ debts all the same.

Su Xin’s heart grew heavy as she now understood the origin of this barrier. After centuries of purification through incense ash, perhaps Cloud Lady’s mind had cleared – otherwise, she would have massacred the village immediately like before, rather than setting up this barrier to trap people.

Or perhaps her power had weakened, requiring focal points to maintain the barrier.

“It’s such a pity for you children, still so young.”

The Village Chief shook his head, suddenly coughing several times. His wife, who must have been waiting outside for a while, hurriedly entered with water.

“Ah Ning, this old man is failing. Go back and look after your brother. Stay as long as you can.”

Perhaps because he had finished telling his story, the Village Chief’s spirit suddenly declined. His wife anxiously tried to help steady his breathing.

“Grandfather, I have one more question. Do you know who left that sickle by my doorstep?”

“That… it was Grand Aunt who left it. She was the keeper of Cloud Lady’s temple. She sensed something was wrong first and knew many things. She couldn’t tell you directly to leave, so she tried to frighten you into taking your brother away quickly. You put the sickle away without making a fuss, but you didn’t leave either. By then it was too late – the village was already sealed.”

The Village Chief closed his eyes, his breathing becoming labored. He tightly gripped his wife’s hand and passed away in her arms.

In the system space, Tong Ning covered her face, realizing it had been a warning, not a threat.

“Old man…”

The Village Chief’s wife dropped the bowl, calling out numbly to the person in her arms.

They had both reached the age where death approached, having weathered decades together without any grand romance, just the simple reality of daily family life.

“Old man… how could you leave me behind like this, without even saying goodbye? I was hoping you’d get better so I could cook for you again, make your favorite braised pork hocks. I’d stew them until they’re very tender. Your teeth aren’t good anymore since you’re old, I’d let you have two, alright…”

Su Xin closed her eyes, not knowing how to console her, though she understood that at this moment, the old woman didn’t need consolation.

The Village Chief’s wife continued her quiet murmuring. Su Xin lifted the curtain and stood outside, already knowing the outcome.

“Old man, don’t go too far ahead.”

A raised voice rang out, followed by deathly silence.

Su Xin lifted the curtain and went back inside, preparing to arrange for the elderly couple to be buried together.

Their passing was as quiet as their life together had been – not dramatic or grand, but like a gentle stream that had flowed steadily through time.

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