Starved Abomination
Abominations do roam the frosty, chilling path, With swollen rumbling bellies, necks adorned in wrath. They spread their malice freely, cunning and so sly, A fearsome presence to behold, loathsome to the eye.
In the past, at the foot of the New West, there was a village called Changuang. In this village lived a young man who had pledged his life to a childhood sweetheart, giving her a white jade pendant as a token of their love, and vowing to propose once he had become successful. The young man was a peddler, making a living by trading grain in the surrounding areas. One day, a luxurious ferry sailed down the river near the village, more splendid than anything the villagers had ever seen. At the bow stood a plump monk in a yellow robe, radiating golden light. The villagers believed he must have been enlightened.
After the arrival of the ferry, the temple in the mountains grew larger and larger, and the young man's grain trade flourished.
One day, the young man went to trade grain and did not return for over a month. The girl, worried, inquired about the temple's location and went there to find him. When the young man finally returned to the village, they missed each other, and the girl disappeared.
The young man gathered some brave villagers to search for her in the mountains. They found no trace of her but came across a towering pagoda by the riverbank. The young man led them there to rest.
As they approached the pagoda, the door suddenly opened. Curious, someone peeked inside and screamed. Behind the door was a dungeon extending deep underground, seemingly holding many people. The villagers, filled with righteous anger, stormed into the pagoda. After a few steps, they heard a loud bang, and the door vanished. Strange-looking yaoguais with scythes and huge bellies emerged from the prison, laughing wickedly.
One of them threw a bag of silvers to the young man and then eagerly leapt forward, swinging his scythe and cutting the nearest villagers into pieces. Realizing they had been deceived by the young man, the villagers fled deeper into the prison. The young man watched them and murmured, "Having lost my love, I cannot afford to lose my wealth."
