TL: Hua

Chapter 13: Shi Wuyan

The middle-aged man with the green thread tied around his neck was slightly plump with a kindly face. Standing less than two steps away from the water ghost, he was completely oblivious to the ghost’s presence.

Clutching the water grass, the water ghost saw the middle-aged man, and the yin energy surrounding it grew even denser. The speed at which the “water drops” fell accelerated, tapping away on the ground without leaving a single trace.

Because those weren’t water drops at all. They were the water ghost’s pure yin energy.

Faint red threads flickered faintly between You Xingyue’s fingers. Having fused with the thread from Wangfu’s main body, both the threads and the spiritual energy within him had achieved a qualitative leap.

Especially his spiritual energy—even a single strand of Wangfu’s spiritual energy could surpass decades of cultivation by ordinary demons, and its overwhelming pressure was truly extraordinary.

Thus, the moment You Xingyue mobilized his spiritual energy, the water ghost picked up on the anomaly. Gripping the water grass, it vanished in the blink of an eye.

However, the green thread around the middle-aged man’s neck did not vanish with it. A fierce ghost seeking a life would never rest until its goal was achieved. As long as the middle-aged man left You Xingyue’s sight, the water ghost would strike.

Goosebumps broke out over the middle-aged man’s arms. Rubbing his sleeves, he muttered, “Why did it suddenly get so cold?”

As the water ghost’s yin energy intensified, the Pixiu’s fur instantly puffed up again. Held in Gu Min’s arms with all four paws sticking up, it let out low, rumbling growls of threat from its throat.

You Xingyue subtly glanced at the Pixiu: Such a tiny thing, yet it worries its heart out for this household.

“You brought a classmate home? Why are you all standing at the door instead of coming in?”

Another man, whose face bore a slight resemblance to Gu Min, spoke up.

When You Xingyue was a child at the orphanage, he had seen this man before. He was Gu Min’s father, Gu Xuan.

Gu Min cast a hesitant glance at You Xingyue.

Gu Min had been seeing ghosts for twenty years, but he had never encountered a fierce ghost as menacing as this water ghost. Glowing green all over and daring to manifest outdoors near sunset, one could easily imagine how deep its resentment ran.

However, Gu Min couldn’t see the thread, so he was unsure who the water ghost was actually targeting.

You Xingyue gave Gu Min a subtle nod.

Gu Min took the hint instantly: “Dad, Uncle Wu. This is You Xingyue, a friend of mine.”

Gu Xuan beamed merrily: “Come in, come in, it’s hot outside.”

With that, Gu Xuan led You Xingyue inside while subtly sizing him up, his eyes filled with curiosity. As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father. Gu Xuan understood his son well; though Gu Min appeared easygoing and accessible on the surface, he was actually quite guarded. Usually, the only friend he conversed closely with was his childhood friend. When on earth did he make such a good friend?

Probably a classmate? He looked so young and handsome, almost like a celebrity.

“Dad.”

Gu Min cleared his throat, signaling his father not to stare so intently at You Xingyue.

Gu Xuan retracted his gaze and smiled warmly: “You kids go ahead and hang out. I’ll chat with your Uncle Wu for a bit.”

Walking alongside Gu Min, You Xingyue asked in a low voice, “Who is that Uncle Wu beside your father?”

Gu Min whispered, “Wu Xingfang. He’s a business friend of my father’s. They’ve been close friends for over a decade. Could that water ghost outside have followed him here?”

You Xingyue: “Yes. If I’m not mistaken, the water ghost wants his life. However, leaving the place where it drowned before sunset to follow him all the way here cost it a lot of strength. Plus, with the Pixiu protecting the Gu residence, it doesn’t dare step inside.”

The Pixiu squirmed out of Gu Min’s arms, scrambled up to the top of Gu Min’s head, tucked its four paws in, and huffed, “How dare it act so brazenly on my territory! If it dares take one step inside, I’ll bite it to death.”

Gu Min let the Pixiu climb all over him, casually balancing the vessel spirit on his head.

You Xingyue shook his head: “You’re spoiling him to the point of turning him wild. That fierce ghost looks like it has lingered in the mortal realm for decades. Its yin energy is extremely heavy, making it an exceptionally troublesome ghost. You want to fight it? Are you throwing your life away?”

That last question was directed at the Pixiu.

The Pixiu shook its little head and grunted twice.

Gu Min smiled self-consciously, pursing his lips: “I’ll try to talk him out of it in the future.”

Gu Min added softly, “Although Uncle Wu is stingy and shrewd, he has never wavered on matters of right and wrong. Boss, could you please help Uncle Wu out? Of course, I’ll convince him to pay according to the market rate.”

You Xingyue pondered: “I’ll think of a way.”

Gu Min gave a grateful smile: “Uncle Wu believes in ghosts and gods. He goes to the Taoist temple every year to burn incense and pray for blessings, so he’ll definitely believe you, Boss.”

You Xingyue thought to himself: That might not necessarily be true.

As the two spoke in hushed tones, Wu Xingfang remarked, “Old Gu, have you renovated your house recently? Did you replace the air conditioner?”

Gu Xuan was puzzled: “No. Why do you ask?”

Wu Xingfang said, “The moment I stepped inside, my whole body felt comfortable. You have no idea, but for the past few days, my throat’s been sore, and I’ve been coughing. My whole body felt freezing, and even my bones ached. I thought it was a severe cold, but taking medicine didn’t help at all. I was planning to visit the Taoist temple tomorrow to pray.”

Saying that, Wu Xingfang rubbed his arms and cast an uneasy glance at the window: “Why does it feel a bit chilly again? Lately I keep feeling like someone is staring at me, but there’s nobody around. It gives me the creeps.”

You Xingyue turned his head. Beside a small window of the villa, a pair of murky eyeballs was glaring fixedly at Wu Xingfang. The water ghost was back, lurking around the villa’s perimeter.

Ghosts with unresolved grudges possessed deep obsessions. Once they locked onto a target, they wouldn’t easily give up. Wu Xingfang planned to go to the Taoist temple tomorrow. Having heard this, the water ghost would definitely make its move tonight.

Noticing You Xingyue’s gaze, the water ghost split its mouth open in a grin, revealing wet river mud and even the tiny corpses of fish and shrimp stuck between its teeth and gums.

Under the water ghost’s glare, You Xingyue unscrewed his drink and took a calm, composure-filled sip.

Over on the other side, Gu Xuan chimed in: “Yesterday, I actually felt the house was getting too old and needed a remodel. Every night, I hear thumping noises upstairs, and tissues and cups on the coffee table fall off for no reason. I was starting to suspect the house was haunted.”

The Pixiu focused intently on the top of Gu Min’s head, pretending to hear nothing.

Gu Min, eavesdropping: “…”

You Xingyue, eavesdropping: “…”

Your house isn’t haunted by a ghost. It’s haunted by a cat.

As the men chatted, the sky darkened completely.

Wu Xingfang rubbed his arms once more, slipped on his jacket, and stood up reluctantly: “I think your house is fantastic. It’s already past seven, so I should get going. My wife is waiting for me to have dinner.”

Gu Xuan: “Alright, I won’t stand on ceremony with you then.”

Seeing that Wu Xingfang was about to leave, You Xingyue set down his drink bottle and stood up with a smile: “Uncle Wu.”

Wu Xingfang looked at You Xingyue in confusion: “Hello, what is it?”

You Xingyue said, “I notice you’ve had some dealings with water recently. I’m afraid you might be running into some bad luck associated with water.”

Being targeted by a water ghost seeking his life was, of course, running into trouble with water.

Wu Xingfang chuckled and said cheerfully, “You know about these things too? But you’ve got it wrong. I don’t know how to swim, and I don’t even dare step into a swimming pool. How could I have dealings with water?”

Gu Min could see the grim face of the water ghost out of the corner of his eye. Fearing that Wu Xingfang wouldn’t believe it, he spoke up to help: “It’s true, Uncle Wu. I think you might have crossed paths with something unclean recently.”

Wu Xingfang was surprised: “Haven’t you always doubted these things? You wouldn’t even come along when asked to burn incense; how come you believe it now? Still, I also feel like I’ve run into something unclean, so I’m going to the Taoist temple tomorrow to burn incense.”

Wu Xingfang believed in ghosts and gods, which made You Xingyue breathe a slight sigh of relief.

You Xingyue stated plainly, “Going tomorrow to burn incense will be too late. It is right outside right now. The moment you step out, it will follow you.”

Since a human life was on the line, Gu Min couldn’t help feeling anxious: “Uncle Wu, just stay here tonight. My friend here is well-versed in metaphysics and Taoist arts. He can help you.”

Wu Xingfang stared at You Xingyue’s overly gentle and handsome face, shaking his head: “Young Taoists your age at the temple can’t even chant scriptures properly! Besides, I’ve visited all the masters in Yingjiang City, and none of them are as young as you.”

There was one thing Wu Xingfang left unsaid: This young man is way too pretty, speaks so gently, is quite tall, and wears glasses. He looks like a celebrity but doesn’t seem very reliable.

Gu Min and the Pixiu turned their heads simultaneously, two pairs of bright, shining eyes filled with hope. Gu Min urged, “Boss, tell Uncle Wu’s fortune, and he’ll believe you.”

You Xingyue: Are you helping me, or are you digging a pit for me?

Boss You said calmly, “I don’t know how.”

Normally speaking, anyone in the field of metaphysics would know a bit of fortune-telling. But You Xingyue… was only half a metaphysics practitioner.

Wu Xingfang felt utterly helpless. He felt that Gu Min and his classmate were probably going through a belated rebellious phase, starting to tinker with metaphysical nonsense.

Wu Xingfang instructed earnestly, “Child, do you have a Taoist practitioner license?”

You Xingyue: “…No.”

Wu Xingfang shook his head in distress, looking like a mentor facing a promising youth on the verge of straying: “Our modern society values holding a certified license for the job. Without a certificate, how can you exorcise demons and catch ghosts? Doing this without a license counts as suspected fraud! Besides, I’ve already called the master at the Taoist temple, and he did a calculation for me. He said it’s nothing major. I just need to be careful lately.”

Thank you for the two idiots’ assistance, Wu Xingfang now fully viewed You Xingyue as a new-age scammer.

You Xingyue pondered for a moment, then suddenly took two steps forward: “Pardon me.”

He grabbed Wu Xingfang’s hand.

Wu Xingfang: “??”

He tried hard to break free, but despite looking slim, the young man possessed astonishing hand strength. Wu Xingfang couldn’t pull away at all.

The next second, an indescribable surge of warmth rose up. You Xingyue swept his hand through the air in front of Wu Xingfang’s neck, and the suffocating sensation Wu Xingfang had felt for days instantly eased significantly.

Wu Xingfang clutched his neck, his eyes wide as he looked You Xingyue up and down. Only then did he realize that this remarkably handsome young man was actually an insider to the trade.

You Xingyue severed the green thread around Wu Xingfang’s neck and tied a red string around his wrist instead.

Recalling his own impassioned “licensed-practitioner theory” from just moments ago, Wu Xingfang’s face flushed red. “Th-that…”

You Xingyue expressed understanding: “It’s fine. I really am not an official Taoist priest. I’m just the owner of an antique shop who happens to know a few tricks. I merely cleared away some of the yin energy for you just now. Uncle Wu, you should feel much better now.”

Wu Xingfang gave an appreciative smile, though deep down he still wanted to visit a Taoist temple to consult a true master. “I do feel quite a bit better, thank you. I was blind earlier and failed to recognize your real capability, Boss… Well then, I shall head to the Taoist temple tomorrow.”

Wu Xingfang had been burning incense at the Taoist temple in Yingjiang City for twenty years, so he naturally felt more inclined to trust an official establishment.

This time, You Xingyue did not stop him. Instead, he took a step back, politely maintaining a normal social distance. Folding his hands together, he looked calm and gentle as he smiled subtly. “Alright.”

Gu Xuan watched the entire scene in dumbfounded awe. It was only when Wu Xingfang patted his shoulder to take his leave that Gu Xuan snapped out of it to see him off. Before stepping out, he couldn’t help stealing several glances at You Xingyue.

Gu Min hesitated: “Boss?!”

The water ghost hasn’t left at all! It’s still outside the window, watching them like a hawk.

You Xingyue chuckled softly. “He doesn’t trust me. Besides, even if you made him stay here, it would only guarantee his safety for tonight. We can’t guard him around the clock, so we still need to resolve this at its root.”

Gu Min understood instantly: “Boss, you’re using Uncle Wu as bait.”

You Xingyue walked slowly to the door and watched as Wu Xingfang got into his car. The eerie green water ghost slithered through the car window and cast a cunning, triumphant smile toward the villa through the glass.

You Xingyue said, “A water ghost can return to the place where it drowned in an instant. If I take the initiative to make a move, it will definitely run faster than I can. We can only find a suitable opportunity.”

Outside the villa, Wu Xingfang’s black sedan glided into the dark night.

Inside the car, Wu Xingfang sat in the back row with his eyes closed, resting. After being touched by that antique shop owner, the discomfort in his body had lessened considerably, allowing him to take a brief rest.

Behind the backrest, a distorted ghost shadow slowly emerged. Foul, green water slid down the headrest onto the seat. Holding a strand of green water glass in its hand, the ghost shadow raised its arm.

At the same time, You Xingyue remained standing at the villa’s entrance, bathed in the warm light of the hallway lamp. He added softly, “I think it will choose to strangle him.”

Gu Min and Gu Xuan both shuddered at the same time.

Gu Min knew very well that You Xingyue meant the water ghost would choose to strangle Wu Xingfang to death.

Inside the car, the driver caught a strange smell. Looking into the rearview mirror, his eyes widened abruptly. He instinctively slammed on the brakes, and an uncontrollable, terrified scream tore from his throat—

The bloated green water ghost was holding a strand of water grass, wrapping it tightly around Wu Xingfang’s neck!

Feeling suffocated in his sleep, Wu Xingfang snapped his eyes open. His throat felt as though bound by a rope, and his breathing grew strained.

Just as his face swelled from lack of air, the red string on his wrist snapped with a sharp clack. Dozens of red threads lashed out in reverse, binding the water grass and giving Wu Xingfang a chance to catch his breath, gasping frantically!

Human survival instincts are immensely powerful. Though his arms and legs had turned to jelly, Wu Xingfang shoved the car door open and tumbled out, scrambling on all fours as he ran back toward the villa!

The water ghost inside the car screeched, turning into a green shadow as it swooped out of the vehicle! The red threads immediately chased it out of the car, though their speed couldn’t quite keep up with the phantom shadow, leaving them to trail tightly behind.

The car hadn’t driven far, only just cleared the villa’s front gate. Wu Xingfang hadn’t run this fast since graduating from college. His chest heaved violently, and just when he felt like his lungs were about to explode, he finally burst back into the villa.

“Master!”

“Master, save me!”

Throwing all dignity to the wind, Wu Xingfang called out for help at the top of his lungs as he ran.

Unable to see anything, Gu Xuan asked in confusion, “What happened?”

As he spoke, he stepped forward to support Wu Xingfang, only to be grabbed tightly by his son!

Gu Min’s breath was hurried. This was his first time witnessing the subjugation of a fierce ghost. “Don’t go over there! Wait until the boss finishes dealing with that ghost!”

You Xingyue snapped his fingers.

At that moment, both the ghost shadow and the threads were extremely close to him. Receiving a boost of power, the threads accelerated instantly, catching up to the shadow and tying it up securely amidst the ghost’s shrill screams.

Dragged by the red threads, the water ghost crashed heavily onto the ground!

Wu Xingfang scrambled up and hid behind You Xingyue.

You Xingyue’s expression remained tranquil. He didn’t look at all like someone who had just subdued a fierce spirit. Even his breathing was smooth and steady.

He looked down at the water ghost, feeling a rare headache coming on. “To be honest, not only can I not tell fortunes, but I also don’t know how to perform rites for the dead. If I let you go, you’ll probably harm people again. What should I do with you?”

Water ghosts were different from ordinary ghosts. They actively sought out substitutes. Releasing it into the wild would inevitably lead to harm.

Wu Xingfang quickly urged, “Master! This is a fierce ghost. You’d better beat it to death quickly!”

You Xingyue: “Hmm… that doesn’t seem quite appropriate.”

When a living person dies, a soul remains; but if a soul dies, it ceases to exist entirely. Therefore, even when dealing with vengeful ghosts, the first choice is to perform a ritual to help them pass on. However, You Xingyue didn’t know how to deliver souls to the afterlife. Whenever he encountered troublesome ghosts, his go-to solution was to beat them up and kick them out.

The water ghost spat in indignation. Having witnessed You Xingyue’s capabilities, it was terrified of actually being banished by him and quickly blurted out, “Every debt has its debtor! You, named Wu! You owe me! Even if you don’t pay me back in this life, you’ll have to pay it back in the next!”

The water ghost’s throat sounded as if it were filled with mud and sand, its voice unnaturally coarse.

Wu Xingfang panicked: “What do I owe you?!”

The water ghost flew into a rage: “You demolished my home; of course I have a grudge against you!”

“When I was alive, I was pulled down into the lake by a water ghost to be its substitute! I’ve been wanting to find a new substitute ever since, but on the second day after I died, someone installed a fence around the lake! I waited and waited for forty years! Just when the fence finally broke, you flattened the lake, saying you wanted to build some shopping mall!”

Reaching an emotional climax, the water ghost burst into noisy wailing: “Do you know how hard it’s been for me all these years? I couldn’t bring myself to drag the little kids down. When those young girls had such pretty legs, I got so mesmerized watching them that I forgot to pull them down! Over ten years ago, I pulled down a young man, but he turned out to be a police officer! And I wasn’t that twisted yet. His yang energy was so strong that not only did he not drown, but he even gave me a beating!”

“I waited for forty years! And you dumped so much dirt over my corpse! Wuwuwu…”

You Xingyue: “Stop crying… You failed to harm anyone and got beaten up instead, yet you still have the nerve to complain. I’ve never seen such an embarrassing fierce ghost.”

Wu Xingfang said falteringly, “The feng shui master I consulted said the lake was bad and that many people had drowned there, so it needed to be leveled as soon as possible. I… Master, what should we do next?”

You Xingyue rubbed the space between his brows. “Judging the matter on its own merits, leveling the lake was a good deed, but burying your remains under all that earth did indeed do you a disservice.”

Fearing that they might really end up killing it, the water ghost hurriedly pleaded, “Master! I had the intent to harm, but I never succeeded! I know I was wrong; I beg you to spare my life, Master!”

“A water ghost pulling people under is an obsession. Even if I let you go, you won’t be able to change. Besides, the lake has been leveled. Where could you even go? I’ll send you… send you to the Underworld.”

You Xingyue pursed his lips. Those three words hovered on the tip of his tongue. After a moment of silence, he slowly uttered a name: “Shi Wuyan.”

Deep within the underworld mist, the ghost deity opened his eyes.

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