A Foundation Establishment cultivator at the age of thirteen — in the minds of ordinary mortals, that might not sound particularly formidable. But in the hearts of those who cultivated, it was an existence that touched the sky. In a human world where spiritual energy was this sparse, thirteen years of age, Foundation Establishment — which part of that was not astonishing?

And this person was the National Preceptor’s own directly transmitted disciple.

Everyone among the occult clans came to know: the National Preceptor’s disciple had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment. Only, no one had witnessed it — and most assumed that disciple was none other than the current Holy Maiden of the dynasty.

As for the Holy Maiden, the Imperial Princess Tantai, upon learning that her companion had advanced, her reaction was more shock than joy. The look she gave her was filled with worry, and she said: “You should have been slower. A little slower.”

Qingyi lay smiling across her lap and said: “I’ve entered Foundation Establishment, and you’re not even happy for me — if someone didn’t know better, they’d think you were jealous of me.”

The Imperial Princess Tantai’s eyes reddened.

She had already come of age, grown tall and graceful, with breathtaking beauty. Years of cultivating the way had given her a cool and quiet nature — she rarely spoke much to others — and she naturally carried an otherworldly air about her, like a noble ice lotus blooming on a mountain peak. Now, with tears threatening to fall from such a beautiful face, it could melt anyone’s heart.

“Why are you about to shed golden tears — could it be that I was right after all, and you truly are jealous of me?” Qingyi raised a brow, reached out a fingertip, and wiped away the teardrop at the corner of her eye.

The Imperial Princess Tantai said nothing. Her pair of glassy eyes, clear and luminous, were now steeped in deep worry and sorrow.

“A’Yue — what are you afraid of?”

The Imperial Princess Tantai lowered her gaze, and as their eyes met, Qingyi’s phoenix eyes — already naturally lively — had grown even more clear and lucid since achieving Foundation Establishment, carrying within them what seemed like a power to perceive the hearts of others, making it difficult to look at directly.

She awkwardly withdrew her gaze and said: “Master…”

Qingyi’s smile faded slightly. She sat up abruptly from her lap and said: “Master, you’ve come.”

The Imperial Princess Tantai’s face went slightly pale, but she rose even faster, resuming her usual cool composure, and looked up — sure enough, the National Preceptor had appeared within sight.

This was the sharpened perception of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

But why did it feel so terrifying? A’Qing has become stronger — yet somehow this doesn’t feel like a good thing. Is it because of that increasingly fervent look in Master’s eyes? A’Qing looks like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered.

Yet the Imperial Princess Tantai dared say nothing. He was Master — the National Preceptor, revered by all people of this dynasty.

The National Preceptor approached them both, looked at the two of them, and said: “What were you two talking about?”

“Nothing more than little girls’ private whispers. Has Master come for something?” Qingyi asked, smiling.

The National Preceptor looked at her and said: “Now that you have successfully achieved Foundation Establishment, it is also time for you to travel the world and put your skills to use for the benefit of others. There are worshippers who have brought their plea to the Canglang Temple — a distinguished family called the Luo family in Bian City of Wen Province has a son who has been possessed by a vengeful ghost. They have sought out many monks and Daoists to drive it away, all to no avail. Are you willing to go and resolve it?”

Qingyi immediately nodded: “Your disciple is willing to go.”

The National Preceptor handed her a Ten-Thousand-Form Vajra Umbrella and said: “Now that you have entered Foundation Establishment, your strength is unlike before. Spirit talismans are nothing to speak of for you now, and ordinary formations likewise. This Vajra Umbrella, as a spirit implement to commemorate your entry into Foundation Establishment — I hope you will take the eradication of evil and the upholding of the righteous way as your mission, and never forget the original aspiration that led you to the path.”

Qingyi’s heart was moved. She received it with both hands and said: “Your disciple will respectfully abide by Master’s teachings.”

“Go.”

Qingyi gave him another bow, then looked toward the Imperial Princess Tantai for a moment, winked roguishly at her, and turned to leave.

The Imperial Princess Tantai stood frozen, watching her receding figure, and felt a sharp pang in her heart — as though it had been hollowed out.

A’Qing…

“Qingyi has already entered Foundation Establishment — what about you?” The National Preceptor stood beside her and cast an indifferent glance: “You are the Holy Maiden of Great Dan. Your mission is to guard the eternal foundation of our Tantai clan, to pray for the people’s blessings and welfare — all of which require sufficient strength and spiritual fortune. I hope you will not squander this bloodline and your master’s teachings.”

The Imperial Princess Tantai bent her waist and bowed her head in acknowledgment, and only when there was no longer any trace of another’s presence nearby did she lift her head. That breathtakingly beautiful face was pulled taut, and she stared in the direction Qingyi had left, as clear crystalline tears slid from the corners of her eyes. It was not until the sky had grown dark that she finally turned and entered the cultivation courtyard.

And from that day forward, she never again saw the companion who had grown up by her side since they were small. Master never mentioned her. Only when the things belonging to A’Qing on Cang Mountain began to quietly disappear one by one did she realize in shock — that young girl with the clear and luminous eyes had seemingly left very little trace of her existence behind. It was as though the world had forgotten this person had ever existed.

How could it be like this?

Qingyi knew nothing of her companion’s worries. Entering the mortal world was like a fish returning to water for her — she cut down the wicked and exorcised ghosts all along the way, cured the sick and saved lives. When she finally arrived at the Luo family’s doorstep, she came to understand what kind of vengeful ghost could leave so many of her fellow practitioners unable to drive it away.

It was not that the ghost was fearsome enough to defy exorcism — it was that its identity and origins were deeply troubling.

The Luo family’s patriarch was the Regional Inspector of Bian City, and he had only one son — named Luo Yu — thirteen years old this year, a precious treasure born when the couple had already passed thirty. Luo Yu had been frail and sickly since birth, yet possessed of extraordinary intelligence — though barely thirteen, he had already passed the examination and earned the rank of Xiucai.

But Luo Yu had been possessed by a vengeful ghost, and his already frail body was growing ever more lacking in yang energy. The protective talismans he had worn since childhood were struggling to suppress that vengeful ghost. The servants who remained close to Luo Yu were all caught up in various misfortunes — some dead, some injured.

Regional Inspector Luo had sought out countless monks and Daoists to drive out the evil and capture the ghost, but none could do anything about it. Even after consulting the occult clans and understanding the full chain of cause and effect, they too found themselves powerless against the ghost.

Not because they lacked the ability to drive it out — but because they lacked the courage.

This vengeful ghost was, in truth, the real Luo Yu. When Madam Luo had been in labor, the ghost — the real Luo Yu — had not yet opened his eyes to see the light of the world. In the very instant of his birth, the present Luo Yu had seized his body and fate, and driven him out.

The ghost Luo Yu was clearly recorded in the Book of Life and Death as having been reincarnated — yet he had lost his physical form and become a wandering soul without a home, unable even to reincarnate. Meanwhile, the nameless soul who had seized his body had taken over his physical form, his life fate, and everything else, and had become the Luo family’s sole cherished son, showered with all the love and doting in the world. How could that be acceptable?

The ghost Luo Yu naturally harbored resentment and grievance, but the impostor was no ordinary case of soul-seizing — someone had aided him in being reborn, making his fortune stronger, so the ghost could not take his body back. Later, the Luo family couple obtained talismans and had them worn by their son, which made it even harder for the ghost to get close. His resentment grew deeper, and over the years he had sustained himself by absorbing the yang energy of those who served by the impostor’s side — even devouring other wandering souls to strengthen his own ghost power.

So more than ten years passed in this way. The servants at Luo Yu’s side changed batch after batch, and the ghost — having absorbed mortal yang energy — had transformed into a vengeful ghost. He watched as Luo Yu carried his identity and was praised by all, beloved by his parents, accomplished in his studies. With resentment at its peak, he had taken lives, crossed fully into the ranks of the vengeful dead, and made up his mind to kill the impostor and reclaim his body.

Given this chain of cause and effect, what Daoist would dare take on the karmic debt of killing Luo Yu? In the Book of Life and Death, he was recorded as a living person — who would be willing to bear the sin of taking a life?

But if the ghost were not destroyed, he would certainly kill the current Luo Yu once he reclaimed the body — and yet the Regional Inspector and his wife refused to allow it, for the son in their hearts had been, from first to last, only the Luo Yu they knew.

And so it was this ghost that made the matter so thorny, and left this exorcism at an impasse.

Qingyi looked at the Luo couple calmly and said: “So even if it means setting things right, you have no wish for that now?”