The moment Lang Jiuchuan’s “all right” fell, the world spun around her — her consciousness returned to her body, and she groggily sat up from the floor.

“Child, your forehead is swollen.” Fu Qi stared at the lump rising on her brow, startled.

Lang Jiuchuan reached up to touch it, and sure enough there was a small bump on her temple — she had hit the corner of the stool when she fell and sustained the injury.

“It’s nothing.” She looked at Fu Qi and, recalling the scene she had witnessed, frowned and asked: “The battlefield at Fenghuo Pass has fallen into a cycle, endlessly repeating the moment you all gave your lives for the city. How did you come to arrive at this shop of mine, and how did you come to know that you had been trapped in that cycle without ever leaving?”

Fu Qi shook his head: “I did not know at first. All I remember is collapsing in the snow, and just before my eyes closed, I caught sight of a small glimmer of golden light. When I opened my eyes, we were once again in the act of giving our lives for the city. And just before my eyes closed again, that golden light had grown larger — and so it went, again and again, the light growing larger each time, until it was large enough to look like a crack beneath a door. Then one day I opened my eyes, and it was no longer that scene on the city wall with my brothers — I was at the front of your shop.”

He let out a rueful smile and said: “Perhaps there is a guiding force in the workings of fate. We were trapped in that single day for too long — so long that even heaven could not bear to look on, and specially delivered a guiding light to lead us home.”

Lang Jiuchuan shook her head and said: “It is that heaven, unwilling to let loyal souls remain unsettled after death, wished to guide you all into the cycle of reincarnation, to be reborn as people once more.”

Fu Qi did not dispute this. If the name of loyal souls was to be used, he and his Fu Family soldiers had well and truly earned it.

His spirit was beginning to fade slightly, and so Lang Jiuchuan said: “Fenghuo Pass is the place where your bones were buried and your souls became trapped. What I saw just now should have been the memories that surged forth from your spirit. As to the specific reason why you are trapped there — whether it is because of your obsession or some external factor — I am not yet clear. So I will need to go to that place myself and look carefully, to find the cause of the soul-trapping before I can guide these loyal souls through the crossing.”

Soul-trapping was not difficult in itself — placing a soul-trapping formation would accomplish it. But for the three thousand Fu Family soldiers’ souls to be trapped on the exact day they gave their lives for the city, and to be endlessly repeating the events of that day — that was highly unusual.

She would need to examine the site in person to understand what was happening. If it was purely a case of obsession-driven self-entrapment, she could set up a ritual altar and dissolve the obsession to guide the souls toward peace.

The fear was that other factors were at play.

Fu Qi said: “Two hundred years have already passed, and from the old location of Fenghuo Pass to Fengdu was already three thousand li. The road there from here is long — and you are but a child…”

Lang Jiuchuan gave a faint smile: “General, I am a Heavenly Master. As a Heavenly Master who commands the mystic arts, I naturally will not be traveling by ordinary means. On this point, please set your mind at ease.”

She could see that Fu Qi’s spirit was weakening, so she said: “Before then, would the general be willing to enter my treasure vessel to rest and restore your soul? Your spirit is somewhat faded — some time recuperating would do it good.”

“I rather liked that signboard outside,” Fu Qi said, gesturing toward the entrance, “and I can watch the people coming and going from there, and feel something of this peaceful era.”

“That was only intended as a temporary place to shelter. The longer you stay there, the more your soul recovers, and the heavier your killing aura grows — I’m afraid it might make the people of this shop want to give us a wide berth.” Lang Jiuchuan smiled.

Fu Qi cupped his hands in apology: “I am sorry for the inconvenience.”

“It is no matter. This shop was opened precisely for those with a destined affinity to the Way.” Lang Jiuchuan summoned the Xiaojiu Pagoda and said: “There is a soul-nurturing formation within the pagoda. Please rest easy, General.”

“Then I impose upon you.” Fu Qi gave a nod.

Since he was willing, Lang Jiuchuan drew his soul smoothly into the pagoda.

Lang Jiuchuan put away the Xiaojiu Pagoda, and thinking back on what she had witnessed at Fenghuo Pass, found her emotions still unsettled. To be trapped on the day of one’s death and forced to relive the act of giving one’s life for the city over and over — was that not a burning away of one’s own soul?

“If General Fu had never come here, and they had continued in that loop indefinitely — what would have become of them?” Jiangche spoke with a brooding weight from within her sea of consciousness: “Would they have lived forever without dying?”

“You only need to look at the General’s spirit to know what would have become of them. His soul is quite weakened — do you think that is simply from lying dormant?” Lang Jiuchuan’s gaze was clear and cool: “It is because he has been burning all this time.”

“If a spirit wishes to be reborn through fire, it requires either an extraordinary stroke of fortune, or a will so unyielding that even as it dissipates it refuses to vanish — only then can it use the inferno to emerge renewed. Without that, repeating the burning endlessly will eventually leave nothing but ash.”

It was the same as with the true samadhi flame — very few had ever escaped its burning.

Jiangche’s voice became more somber still: “If even General Fu, a man of such deep and weighty merit, is this weakened, what state must those soldiers be in?”

Indeed — and so this task of theirs had become urgent.

Leave it too long, and the three thousand souls of the Fu Family soldiers might not even be able to become spirit soldiers. They might simply scatter and dissolve right where they were.

Lang Jiuchuan said: “Two hundred years is a transformation as vast as oceans turning to mulberry fields. Let us first find some geographical records and see what Fenghuo Pass has become in the present day.”

Jiangche was uncharacteristically eager: “Then let’s hurry.”

“You’re being quite energetic about this.” Lang Jiuchuan rose and walked toward the door as she spoke: “What moved you?”

“Heroic and loyal souls — they are things that make the heart bow in reverence.” Jiangche said: “And you yourself asked for nothing in return before agreeing. Were you not equally moved by their loyalty and faithfulness?”

Lang Jiuchuan did not reply to that.

Zhuang Quanhai had been keeping watch outside the entire time. When he saw her emerge, he hurried forward, and upon seeing the red swelling at the corner of her temple, let out an alarmed cry: “Which ghost patron did you get into a fight with?”

Lang Jiuchuan touched the spot on her temple and shook her head: “I simply walked into the corner of the table — it’s nothing serious.”

“Well then — that patron, where is he now?” Zhuang Quanhai asked carefully.

“He’s left for the time being. You’ve worked hard these past days — I’ll write you a calming tonic prescription, drink two doses and you’ll be fine.”

“Oh goodness, young lady, whether I can calm down is not what matters right now! Look at the shop — it’s been open this long and not a single piece of business has come through, not a single copper coin earned. At this rate, we’re heading for a loss!”

Lang Jiuchuan paused her steps and looked at him tugging anxiously at his own beard, a face full of distress, and smiled: “Hasn’t business already come to the door? This ghost patron is only the first. More will come in due time.”

“And this patron — how does one collect payment?” Zhuang Quanhai couldn’t help but ask.

“Some ghost patrons are not incapable of providing gold and silver that living people can use — they keep their own private stores. And of course, if they cannot offer gold or silver, they have other things that I need.”

Zhuang Quanhai did not ask what those things were — his instincts told him it was not his place to ask.

“By the way, Ding Mangu heard you had come and specifically stopped by to pay his respects and express his gratitude.” Zhuang Quanhai composed his expression and said: “His daughter’s unjust case has been cleared, and he himself has escaped imprisonment — all thanks to your righteous assistance.”

Lang Jiuchuan did not demur modestly, and said: “It was all a matter of affinity and circumstance. The same as this shop of mine — I only do business with those who have the right affinity. So you need not worry. Those with a destined affinity to the Way will come to the Wanshi Shop of their own accord.”

Zhuang Quanhai looked at her unruffled composure and had nothing more to say. Well, fine. After all, a daughter of a noble military household wanted for nothing in terms of food and lodging — even a loss was a loss they could absorb. Besides, the overhead costs weren’t much, and the medicinal herbs would keep.

Lang Jiuchuan walked out into the front hall and sure enough saw Ding Mangu, dressed in plain white mourning garments, sitting outside waiting for her. When he saw her, he lifted the front of his robe and sank to his knees: “Ding Mangu bows in gratitude to the young lady for her great kindness.”