A’Piao considered himself to have been a ghost for many years and had rarely feared anyone, but the young girl before him — who hadn’t even fully grown yet — was one of those rare exceptions. Looking at that spine-chilling smile on her face, he felt it was even more terrifying than being a ghost.
“Stop smiling like that,” A’Piao said, his voice uncertain. “Even if someone is posing under the name of that Third Mistress Lu, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the Rong Family.”
Lang Jiuchuan glanced at him sideways. “I believe you should be keeping an eye on things relevant to the Lang Family, so you couldn’t possibly be unaware that on New Year’s Eve, the Rong Family sent two Daoren with the intent of using sinister arts to harm the Lang Family.”
A’Piao laughed awkwardly. “That commotion was so enormous, it was naturally impossible not to notice. Quite a few little ghosts came fleeing to Tongtian Pavilion for refuge.”
“Since you already knew, how can you still say it might not be the Rong Family?” Lang Jiuchuan said. “It’s obvious they used the matter of Qi Xinyu as a cover to try and kill me again.”
As if a scourge like me is that easy to kill.
A’Piao muttered under his breath.
“Hmm?”
A’Piao hastily said, “Now that we have a general direction, what are your plans?”
Lang Jiuchuan leaned in close, blinking her eyes. “Why? Are you willing to cooperate with me to bring the Rong Family down?”
A’Piao picked up the soul incense that was nearly burned out and took several long, deep draws, smiling with narrowed eyes. “This soul incense really does invigorate the spirit — your craftsmanship is quite impressive.”
Heh. Changing the subject.
“Find this person for me, and however many medicinal ingredients you provide, I’ll make that much incense for you.” Lang Jiuchuan said, “Consider it a trade. As for silver — no matter how much more you want, it’s just gilding a statue to dazzle ghost eyes at best. It can’t compare to this soul incense, which nourishes and replenishes the soul. For cultivators like you, your ghost power would be all the stronger for it.”
She certainly didn’t believe that A’Piao, operating as a shopkeeper here, was only acting as a shopkeeper. He must be cultivating as well. A ghost who didn’t strive to advance, making no progress in ghost power or spiritual power, would sooner or later face the fate of being subdued.
A clever ghost would certainly find ways to cultivate and grow stronger. The ghost path was still a path, after all.
A’Piao looked at the incense, then looked at Lang Jiuchuan. “It isn’t that I’m unwilling to trade with you, but do you know why within a ten-li radius around the Rong Family’s clan grounds, not a single wandering spirit or stray ghost ever appears?”
Lang Jiuchuan was somewhat surprised. “I’d be glad to hear more.”
A’Piao laughed coldly. “Naturally, it’s because of the Rong Family’s so-called ‘righteous path.’ They are most adept at advocating that those not of their kind must harbor different intentions. When it comes to ghosts, demons, and evil spirits, regardless of whether they are good or bad, they treat them all as wicked beings to be exterminated. And that’s not all — they also capture these ghosts to drive and refine their Daoist arts, and have even been known to engage in the practice of smelting ghosts. It is precisely because of this that no ghost dares appear in that area, for fear of being discovered by the Rong Family’s righteous practitioners and being taken captive, with no possibility of escape — let alone reincarnation.”
Lang Jiuchuan raised an eyebrow. “What, do all the Daoren of the Rong Family possess Heavenly Eyes that allow them to see ghosts?”
“Heavenly Eyes are difficult to attain, and Dharma Eyes refined through true fire are even rarer — not just anyone can possess them.” A’Piao gave her a meaningful sideways glance, thinking inwardly: someone like you, who can see through my true form at a single glance, is even rarer still.
He took another draw of the soul incense and said, “They may not have Heavenly Eyes, but one must never underestimate their protective spiritual treasures. Even if they cannot see a wandering ghost, they will still sense its presence when one draws near. In such circumstances, an experienced old ghost might still have a chance to escape, but for the younger, weaker ghosts, most would be captured. Furthermore, every clan grounds of every Mystic Clan has formation arrays laid down within them. For demons and ghosts who enter, unless their spiritual power is strong enough, it is simply seeking death.”
“It seems their foundations are indeed not shallow.”
A’Piao scoffed with disdain. “They are merely living off the remnants of their ancestors’ glory. If you asked them to set up a great formation now, I imagine it would take the combined strength of the entire clan.”
Those who do things backwards — endlessly pursuing power, fame, and status while neglecting cultivation — will sooner or later squander whatever their ancestors left behind.
“Tongtian Pavilion boasts that if you have silver, you can buy any information. I believe you absolutely have the means to do so. Help me gather as much information about the Rong Family as possible — the more the better, nothing too small or large to include, and especially regarding this woman with the teardrop mole.” Lang Jiuchuan tapped the half-portrait. “I’m not in a rush. As long as the information is useful.”
“If you’re not in a rush, then I’ll have someone collect what they can. Whether it will be useful — that I cannot guarantee.”
Lang Jiuchuan brightened with delight. “I knew it — I’ve always felt a special affinity with Tongtian Pavilion, particularly warm and familiar, and with you, A’Piao, it feels like meeting an old friend at first sight…”
“The affinity you’re referring to is a karmic curse!” A’Piao cut her off, truly unable to bear listening any further. Just hearing it gave him the distinct feeling he was about to be thoroughly fleeced for nothing.
“A karmic curse is still karma.” Lang Jiuchuan shifted her words smoothly and said, “Oh, right — do you know of anywhere where a large tomb has been desecrated and the corpse inside has gone missing?”
“Could you be referring to the matter of the Fourth Young Miss Qi of the Marquis Zhongyong estate being harmed?”
“Tongtian Pavilion truly is well-informed.” Lang Jiuchuan’s eyes flickered as she said, “I once divined that a great demonic evil is about to emerge. Miss Qi was not the first victim, nor will she be the last. A considerable number of women with pure Yin birth characters have already been harmed, their Yin essence and souls completely drained. I’m not certain whether that thing only targets the living, so if you have ghost acquaintances, have them be on their guard. Don’t let themselves become someone’s tonic.”
If even Yin ghosts are being devoured, then the spiritual power involved is far beyond ordinary.
A’Piao stiffened at this. “Is an evil Ghost King about to emerge?”
“Would a Ghost King drain women of their Yin essence and souls?”
A’Piao furrowed his brow. “A Ghost King grows powerful by devouring ghost souls — the more fierce and Yin the soul, the greater the replenishment. Once successfully consumed, the power also becomes its own. Those so-called ‘righteous practitioners’ also have those Ten Thousand Ghost Banners they smelt, don’t they? The principle is the same.”
Lang Jiuchuan shot him a sideways look. “Anyone who forges such dark and sinister spiritual treasures is no member of the righteous path. Stop being so sarcastic. I’m simply asking — in all your years as a ghost, have you ever encountered a demon or evil spirit like this? One with fangs, that specifically craves the Yin essence of women?”
“Corpse Fiends have fangs, but the formation of a Corpse Fiend requires the alignment of heavenly timing, geographic advantage, and even human factors.” A’Piao said, “To start with human factors — the corpse must be buried in a way that prevents decay from the moment of interment, with the most fierce cases being those who died with deep, unresolved resentment. As for geographic advantage, burial in a place of extreme Yin and deathly malice is required, and if there is a Yin formation reinforcing the surroundings, emergence is even more likely. As for heavenly timing — a Yin day must be chosen to absorb blood and break through the earth, though it is not exclusively the blood of women.”
Lang Jiuchuan nodded. That matched her expectations, but there was a slight discrepancy with the hexagram reading. “Then, is there anything more sinister and demonic than a Corpse Fiend? Do you have any such records here — whether folk histories, legends, or Daoist rumors? I’d like to borrow them to read.”
A’Piao narrowed his eyes and raised an eyebrow, asking, “Could it be that the Ninth Young Miss wishes to rid the world of evil?”
“How remarkable — in your eyes, I actually turn out to be a good person!”
A’Piao replied, “Truly remarkable — you actually have some self-awareness.”
Lang Jiuchuan let out an amused scoff. “Those who rise early always do so for a reason. I’m a frail, timid woman with a heart of stone by nature — where would my warm-heartedness come from? It’s definitely because I want the great merits that come from exterminating evil that I’d even consider ridding the world of harm. So, A’Piao, lend me your help. The stronger I become, the better the soul incense I can make, and the more you benefit from it. This way, I benefit, you benefit, and everyone benefits — a win-win!”
A’Piao: “……”
No wonder you opened a shop to work as a Yin-Yang Master. Turns out you were born with a silver tongue.