Feng Ya unwrapped the silk cloth one layer at a time, sighing as he went.

A’Piao’s heart was in knots. He looked toward the ghost guard with an expression that said: You are the clever one — quickly tell me, what exactly did I do wrong?

The ghost guard shot him a look of weary disappointment and reminded him, “Fool. She manipulated you into revealing information.”

Manipulated into revealing information?

A’Piao blinked, and immediately retraced how Lang Jiuchuan had managed to get him to talk when she had handed over this item.

She had produced the object and asked him to pass it along to the Pavilion Master for safekeeping. He had very naturally accepted it, asking only what it was — but whether or not it was something he could actually arrange, he had never once said.

Had it been an outsider, he would have kicked the person out on the spot. Who did they think they were, telling his master to keep something just because they said so? How presumptuous could one get?

But Lang Jiuchuan was not an outsider — she was the Master’s little adversary. And so he had accepted it. Accepted it. Accepted it and…

She was no fool. Given how readily he had agreed, she had likely already guessed some portion of the truth.

A’Piao’s ghostly complexion went white. He knelt down at once, his face a picture of shame. “Master, A’Piao deserves to die.”

Feng Ya had already fully unwrapped the silk cloth, revealing the Imperial Transmission Seal within. He stared at it for a long moment, then laughed.

Truly…

How fine a thing karma was.

He looked at A’Piao and said, “Never mind. Rise. You were never a match for that little trickster to begin with — being outmaneuvered by her is perfectly natural.”

A’Piao stood, and ventured carefully, “Master — do you truly know her? Then you must know where she came from? You have no idea — her origins are so strange and full of twists, and now she is desperate to uncover the full truth. If you know, then perhaps…”

Feng Ya said, “Every right and wrong, every cause and consequence — she must unravel them herself. Once she has traced it all to the source, she will finally be able to live with clarity.”

Hearing the cool detachment in that tone, A’Piao immediately dared not utter another word.

“She has always wished to meet the Master.”

Feng Ya turned his gaze to the seven-colored lotus soul-nurturing lamp. “The time has not yet come.” He paused, then added, “One stick of merit incense, and you were won over entirely — advocating on her behalf?”

A’Piao startled, and hurriedly produced the stick of merit incense, extending it forward. “A’Piao would not dare.”

“Keep it — she gave it to you. That is her way.” Feng Ya said. “Even though she can be a foolish creature, she keeps her accounts straight. Help her, and she will not let you go without your due reward. She holds karma dear.”

A’Piao tucked it away again with quiet delight, then said, “Master, rest assured — from now on, A’Piao will be far more careful, and will not be talked out of anything by her again.”

Dealing with Lang Jiuchuan, who seemed to have eight hundred different schemes turning in her mind at once, would clearly require cultivating a few more schemes of one’s own.

“She already suspects. It is of no consequence. You may go.”

A’Piao bowed respectfully, turned to leave, then felt that something was not quite right. He turned back — and saw that Feng Ya had just turned around as well, revealing what he had been standing in front of.

That lotus lamp. That faint, drifting soul within.

A’Piao’s pupils contracted sharply. Before he could make out anything more clearly, Feng Ya gave a wave of his hand and swept him out entirely.

Feng Ya lowered his head and ran his fingers slowly over the Imperial Transmission Seal. Whatever thought had crossed his mind, a faint, knowing smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, and he gave a cold exhale of quiet amusement.

He placed the Imperial Transmission Seal beneath the platform of the lotus lamp. The auspicious and blessed energy surged upward into the lamp stand, then flowed down into the soul resting within the flame.

“No matter how thoroughly one schemes, it is still no match for the will of heaven. From where it was taken, to where it shall be returned — wait and see.” Feng Ya looked at the Imperial Transmission Seal, a sharp gleam flashing through his eyes and gone.

The ghost guard brought the merit incense forward. “Master — shall I light this incense?”

“Light one stick. Take one for yourself. It is good for you.” Feng Ya glanced back, his eyes taking on a few traces of warmth — as though drawn to some memory of long ago, of a certain someone who had obtained something precious and presented it with an air of triumphant pride.

His slender fingers drifted over the remaining sticks of incense, as though touched by a quiet sense of longing.

The ghost guard slipped away silently.

Lang Jiuchuan brought Fuqi back to the Wanshi Shop. The two courtyards behind it were filled with sounds of activity — she inquired and learned that the Zhuang Family members were packing their belongings.

She found a side room, set up Fuqi’s memorial tablet, and placed beside it a box of incense. “Inside are also two sticks of merit incense — use them during cultivation. The everyday soul incense may be lit at any time. I have already completed the paper body. I will bring it to you when it is ready, and once you light it into spirit, you will be able to move about in the mortal world.”

Fuqi bowed with great solemnity and said, “Come with me.”

Lang Jiuchuan was somewhat puzzled, but asked no questions and simply followed him out.

Fuqi led her to another room in the rear courtyard. Lang Jiuchuan saw the several small ghosts standing guard at the room’s entrance, narrowed her eyes, and turned to Fuqi. “Did you learn this from A’Piao — turning the Wanshi Shop into a ghost establishment as well? The Zhuang Family has not even finished moving out yet.”

Fuqi explained, “I did not let them wander about freely. I sent a dream to Zhuang Quanhai and warned him not to come near this room, or else he would face the consequences. These are several small ghosts I hired — you can burn some spirit money and candles and incense and wine offerings for them later. That will settle their payment.”

Lang Jiuchuan looked at the several small ghosts and said, “Fine then — stand aside.”

The small ghosts hurriedly clasped their hands together in salute. “Many thanks, Celestial Master! We have kept faithful watch — not a single person has dared to come and pry.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s brow arched upward.

She pushed open the door and stepped inside — and stopped in her tracks, eyes going wide.

Heavens above — had she walked into a treasure vault?

There were more than a dozen large chests. Several contained gold and silver glinting in brilliant yellow and white. Several others stood open, filled with ornate boxes and loosely arranged objects — jewels and ornaments of every variety, jade and precious stones. Two chests held rows of scroll paintings, with antique books stacked among them.

She went over and casually unrolled one of the scroll paintings. It was an ink landscape full of spiritual vitality, signed with the name Wangshan — a masterwork of the painting immortal Wangshan himself.

Lang Jiuchuan’s heart gave a wild thump. She also examined the antique books — qin scores, chess manuals, and music notations as well as ancient texts, all of them rare surviving copies with no duplicates.

She walked over to the jewelry chests and picked up a camphor wood box at random, opening it to find it filled with southern pearls no larger than a thumb — each one perfectly round and exquisitely lustrous. Alongside them were somewhat smaller imperial-grade pearls, perfectly suited for stringing into a flowing-bead bracelet.

The gold and silver needed no further description — the quality was exceptional throughout.

Everything in this room must have been worth a price beyond calculation.

“Whose grave did you dig?” Lang Jiuchuan said. “Ill-gotten gains are not so easily accepted.”

Fuqi immediately replied, “These are mine. We military officers — our official stipends are in truth not particularly generous, but if you wish to accumulate fine things, all you need to do is win battles. What I have belongs partly to what I showed openly, and partly to what I kept hidden, in preparation for contingencies and unexpected changes. In total I had three hidden caches. The other two are gone. Only this one — stored beneath the ruins of an old site — had not been found. So I summoned five ghosts to transport it all here.”

Lang Jiuchuan now understood what those five small ghosts stationed outside had been for.

The Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth — he had learned quickly.

“You personally intervened to guide my Fujiajun soldiers’ souls through. I have not yet given you proper payment for that work, but payment is owed, even if delayed. Please accept this, Miss.” Fuqi spread his hand with extraordinary magnanimity. All of this is yours now.

Lang Jiuchuan rubbed her hands together. “How could I possibly—”

Was she about to come into a windfall?

“Wealth and possessions are external things. I have no descendants, and I intend to walk the path of ghost cultivation from this point forward. There is no use in keeping them.”

Lang Jiuchuan’s eyes curved into a smile. She patted his hand. “Do not worry — my ghost will not be poorly treated. The soul incense — I will make sure you have plenty.”

Well, he had given far too much. She would have to add something on her end as well.

Fuqi also smiled. Now this was how a child should be — able to laugh from the heart. Very good. It seemed that to coax a child, you truly did need these worldly, material gifts.

“Miss — you have a visitor.” Zhuang Quanhai’s voice rang out from outside.