After leaving the village, the procession soon reached a place called Wuli Slope. The terrain was flat there, situated between Wuxian Mountain and Yao Village. My family had a piece of land right there, and that’s where Grandpa was buried.

　　I remember that day clearly—the weather wasn’t good. A group of people, eager to get home, were shoveling dirt like mad. As I watched the mound of Grandpa’s grave rise bit by bit, my heart sank to rock bottom. The only person who ever cared for me was gone. I was now an orphan, a lonely, unwanted child.

　　At that moment, I knelt in front of Grandpa’s grave like a fool, just staring blankly at the freshly dug earth, my mind completely blank.

　　“Gouwa, it’s time to go back,” Wang Chunsheng said to me. The others who had come along had already left; he was the only one still there.

　　“Village head, you go ahead. I want to stay a little longer.”

　　Wang Chunsheng looked up at the sky; it was dark and heavy, with thick clouds rolling in layers.

　　“The weather’s turning bad. You should head home soon.”

　　“I know.”

　　After he left, I stayed there by Grandpa’s grave, as if I’d lost my soul.

　　Here's the translation, ensuring it's natural, culturally respectful, and consistent:

　　I had no idea how long I’d been standing there when it finally started to rain—not heavy, just a light drizzle. I glanced up at the sky; the raindrops fell softly, chilling me to the bone, mirroring exactly how I felt inside.

　　“Why are you standing here like a fool? The man’s already dead!”

　　I didn’t know who said it, but I turned around and saw a man dressed in a worn-out Zhongshan suit. He looked to be around fifty, with messy hair and a half-empty bottle of liquor in his hand, clearly already a bit tipsy.

　　I didn’t respond—I didn’t want to, and I didn’t have the energy to. I just turned back around and continued to stare blankly.

　　The man glanced around, then suddenly said, “Hmm… Backed by the mountain, water flowing in front, a gentle slope to the left. The Green Dragon position is a bit lacking, but it’s still a pretty good feng shui spot.”

　　His words made me freeze for a moment, and I looked at him again. There was something about him—something that told me he wasn’t just some ordinary person.

　　This burial site was chosen by someone Wang Chunsheng had specifically hired. I heard the man he brought in spent a long time inspecting the area before settling on this spot. Yet this guy had just taken one look and could already describe the layout of Grandpa’s grave.

　　“Are you a feng shui master?”

　　The man chuckled and then, to my surprise, plopped down right where he was standing.

　　If it were just some random guy, I’d probably think he was crazy—sitting on the wet ground in the middle of a rainstorm, especially on hard, yellow earth. Anyone with a normal mind wouldn’t do that. But with this guy, I didn’t think that way. I didn’t even dare.

　　“Yes!” he replied with a smile.

　　The art of feng shui, also known as geomancy, is a study of the harmony between heaven and earth. “Kan” refers to the heavens, and “yu” refers to the earth. Feng shui isn’t some kind of superstition—it’s a profound science that observes the changes in energy and fortune. Perhaps because of its depth, feng shui masters have always been somewhat mysterious.

　　Grandpa used to say that a truly skilled feng shui master knows the secrets of heaven and earth, understands destiny, and can manipulate the balance of yin and yang to change someone’s fate and fortune, making them incredibly powerful. That’s why the most skilled feng shui masters are often called “Half-immortals.”

　　I stood there, stunned, as Grandpa’s words flashed through my mind.

　　Those who understand feng shui must also understand the balance of yin and yang.

　　Thinking of this, I suddenly felt a surge of hope.

　　“My name is Wang Xiaofeng, from Yao Village, just five miles away. I…”

　　My mind was a mess at the time, and all I could think about was asking him to help me see Grandpa again! But just as the words were about to leave my mouth, I realized how foolish and naive I was being.

　　I didn’t care whether he was really a feng shui master or not. Even if he was, could he really be that powerful? And even if he had a way, this was our first time meeting—why would he help me?

　　I lowered my head, suddenly finding the whole thing a bit ridiculous.

　　“Do you want to see your grandpa again?” he asked suddenly.

　　I snapped my head up, staring at him in disbelief. “Sir, how do you know that?”

　　He smiled, as if he knew I was going to ask.

　　“It’s not that hard to figure out.”

　　I looked at him, still in disbelief.

　　“Sir, are you serious? You really have a way?”

　　“Of course I do!”

　　I rushed over to him. “Then please, tell me!”

　　He thought for a moment, took a swig of his drink, and said, “Kid, I can help you, but I’m not going to do it for free. You know, this isn’t something just anyone can do.”

　　I was too desperate to care about the details. “I’ll give you all the money I have!”

　　But he shook his head and suddenly looked at me seriously. “I want you to become my apprentice, to be my disciple. Do you agree?”

　　I froze, not expecting him to say that.

　　In the world of feng shui, the master-disciple relationship is sacred. Once you take someone as your master, you become part of their lineage. A disciple must show utmost respect to their master, and in return, the master must pass on all their knowledge without holding anything back.

　　But I didn’t know who he was, and I wasn’t sure if he was the real deal. All I could think about at the time was seeing my grandpa again.

　　So, without giving it much thought, I immediately agreed.

　　He finally smiled and said, “Good! Good! Good!”

　　“Actually, seeing your grandpa is pretty simple.”

　　“What do I have to do?”

　　“On the seventh night after your grandpa’s death, the night of his spirit’s return, you need to burn some paper offerings before it gets dark. After burning the paper, lightly sprinkle the ashes on the ground.” He emphasized, “Remember, just a thin layer on the ground will do!”

　　I nodded, listening intently.

　　Then, he put his hand on my shoulder and stared directly into my eyes, his gaze sharp and intense.

　　I was so startled that I shivered, my legs almost giving out beneath me.

　　“Just as I thought,” he said, releasing me with a simple comment.

　　“And then what?” I asked.

　　“Wait for your grandpa to appear.”

　　“Just wait?”

　　“That’s right. The reason I told you to sprinkle the ashes on the ground is because when they come, they’ll definitely leave some traces on the paper scraps.”

　　I frowned, confused. “But Grandpa’s already dead. How could I possibly see him?”

　　He chuckled and took another swig of his drink.

　　“Don’t worry, others won’t see him, but you will!”

　　“Me?”

　　He glanced at Grandpa’s grave and sighed softly.

　　“But your grandpa can’t stay for long. He’ll come at midnight and leave before dawn. He has to go by the time the sun rises!”

　　“Midnight? I have to wait until then?”

　　“Yep.”

　　He took a gulp of his drink and wiped his mouth.

　　“There’s a path for the living and a path for the dead. Remember this well—it’s the first thing I’m teaching you!”

　　“I’ll remember.” I looked at him and asked, “Master… what’s your name?”

　　He smiled and said, “Liu Guoxing.”

　　“Liu Guoxing…” I murmured, then looked at him again.

　　But he had already turned around and was walking away.

　　“Master, where can I find you?” I shouted after him.

　　“I’ll find you!” he called back, waving his hand without turning around. As I watched his figure recede into the distance, I started to think he might actually know what he was doing.

　　I thought for a moment, replaying Liu Guoxing’s words in my head.

　　He made it clear—I just needed to burn the paper offerings on the seventh day, right before the spirit’s return.

　　Almost everyone knows about the spirit’s return on the seventh day. It’s said that the deceased will come back to their home to take one last look at their loved ones.

　　“Waiting until midnight…”