Chen Bing, the blind fortune-teller, explained that the roots of the nine trees were missing because they had been absorbed by the corpses buried beneath them. The trees, intended to represent the Yin energy, had become nutrients for the zombies, and their growth drew from the deathly aura that permeated the graveyard. This turned the entire area into a breeding ground for the dead, a "corpse-feeding" land where the dead would inevitably transform into zombies. To make matters worse, the Feng Shui of the area had been completely ruined. What was once a prosperous and lucky site had become a breeding ground for misfortune.

Chen Bing went on to explain that the number nine in the trees was significant in Feng Shui. "Nine" symbolized completion or culmination, and in this case, it foretold that everything the Dai family had earned over the years would soon be lost. Their wealth would vanish, and their prosperity would turn to dust.

The people present were in awe of Chen Bing’s profound knowledge and insight, but I couldn’t help but wonder: Was this old man really blind, or was he faking it? How could he possibly smell Feng Shui and detect the transformation of trees and graves?

Dai Lao Ye, still visibly shaken, interrupted. He insisted that the trees in front of their tombs were not the ones Chen Bing described. The family had planted pine and cypress trees, exactly two of them, which followed the proper custom for tombs—why then had this curse taken root?

The Taoist master responded calmly, explaining that the trees had been switched out as part of a long-term scheme. "This formation did not come to be overnight. It could have taken decades, even centuries, to set it up. Someone has invested a lot of time and effort into this."

The question arose: Who could bear such a long-standing grudge against the Dai family? Why would someone go to such lengths to destroy them?

Dai Lao Ye thought for a moment but then shook his head. "I don't know. In recent generations, we’ve had no major enemies. Even in business, there were only minor conflicts, nothing that could lead to such an intense vendetta."

The Taoist master frowned, clearly puzzled. "If there were no deep-rooted enemies, then why go to such extremes? Someone must have had an unimaginable grudge to cause this much destruction. Think carefully. Could you have overlooked something?"

Dai Lao Ye’s face became even more somber. He remained silent for a while, clearly hiding something.

At this point, Chen Bing chuckled softly. "If you're asking us to help, Dai Lao Ye, it's best you reveal everything. Otherwise, any attempt to resolve this may backfire. Concealing the truth will only make things worse."

Reluctantly, Dai Lao Ye sighed and, under pressure from the others, began to recount an old family secret.

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He pointed to the ancestor in the coffin and began the tale. "The story begins with my ancestor, Dai Xian. Back in his time, the family was poor, and his only hope was to pass the imperial exams and rise to fame. He failed twice, but was determined to try again. But he was penniless, and every time he traveled to the capital to take the exam, he had to beg for food along the way."

One fateful year, Dai Xian ran out of provisions and was unable to beg for enough food. As he journeyed through the mountain roads, he fainted from hunger.

Fortunately, he was saved by a kind young lady from a wealthy family who not only gave him food but also supplied him with extra provisions. Dai Xian was incredibly grateful and vowed that if he ever succeeded, he would repay her kindness.

The young lady smiled and said, "No need to thank me. Your good intentions are enough."

She then left in her palanquin, and Dai Xian continued on his journey. But fate had other plans. He was soon ambushed by a group of mountain bandits who saw that he was poor and helpless. They decided to kill him for sport, but before they could, Dai Xian claimed that there was a wealthy caravan up ahead, traveling with a beautiful lady. If they pursued, they could steal all the wealth and kidnap the lady.

The bandits, eager for a rich prize, agreed and forced Dai Xian to lead them. Sure enough, they caught up with the wealthy lady and her entourage. The bandits killed the servants and took the young lady, who was then subjected to unimaginable torment.

Dai Xian, horrified by what was happening, fled in panic, but the bandits were too preoccupied to chase him. He survived and made it to the capital, where, as fate would have it, he passed the imperial exams and became the top scholar—success beyond his wildest dreams.

Years later, Dai Xian remembered the young lady he had failed to protect, and he felt deeply guilty. He set out to find her, but when he arrived at the mountain, he found only her remains, scattered across the road. She had been left to rot, her body and those of her servants left unburied. This guilt haunted him, and when he returned home, he sought revenge on the bandits, sending soldiers to eradicate them all.

But the damage was done. Dai Xian’s life was marked by his betrayal of the lady who had once saved him, and he became consumed with regret. His health deteriorated, and he died young, unable to escape his guilt.

Dai Lao Ye sighed deeply. "This happened long ago. The dead have no cause for resentment. My ancestor made a terrible mistake, but it’s in the past. It doesn’t matter now."

I couldn't hold back. "Damn, Dai Xian was a piece of work! A woman saves him, and he repays her by leading bandits to her death? Then he says it doesn’t matter because it happened hundreds of years ago? That’s a pretty messed-up ancestor!"

As soon as I spoke, the room fell silent. The other practitioners, their eyes filled with disdain, shot me with disapproving glares, as if to say, You’re standing in the Dai family’s ancestral tomb and insulting their ancestor? Watch your mouth!

I quickly cleared my throat and turned the blame to the dwarf, Xing. "Ahem, Uncle Xing, we should respect the dead. After all, the dead have no say in the matter. You shouldn’t speak ill of the deceased."

Xing, caught off guard, could only shrug, knowing I had just dumped the blame on him.

The others sneered at me, making noises of disapproval, clearly amused by my attempt to deflect.

Dai Lao Ye, impatient now, waved his hand and said, "Enough! I didn't gather you all here to listen to a family history lesson. I need someone to break this Seven Killing Formation. A million for anyone who can solve it."

But the Taoist master shook his head. "It’s useless. This formation can’t be broken."