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I said, "Holy has done wrong, but I did not help him commit bad deeds. He has received enough retribution, and he will no longer serve the wicked. I wonder if Master Yin has heard the saying, 'If you can spare someone, then spare them.'" My tone was neither servile nor arrogant; although he was a few years older than me, I had my own reasons and did not feel guilty.
He changed the subject and asked, "What level are your Five Spirit Generals?" I did not answer him; such matters were confidential, and I would not disclose them to an outsider without cause. Instead, I countered with a question: "That ghost has already been subdued. Do you want me to disperse it, or will you do it yourself? We both know that this kind of ghost has completely changed its nature; if it goes below, it will only meet a fate of being scorched to nothing."
His eyes dimmed, and even the corners began to glisten with moisture. Compared to his earlier fierce demeanor, this was a completely different feeling. I was taken aback; I hadn't expected such a reaction from him. Just as I was still puzzled, he choked out, "I know this principle all too well. Go ahead; thank you." After saying this, he slid off his chair and sat down on the floor, bending his legs and hugging his head between his knees, looking very sorrowful.
I knew he must have something weighing on his mind but did not pry further. I returned to Xiao Chen's room, took out some offerings, and performed a simple ritual. Then I crafted a Thunder Summoning Talisman and tossed it beside the Female Ghost. After walking around Gangbu, I threw a half-burned talisman onto the Thunder Summoning Talisman spell. Both talismans ignited. My hands quickly traced an incantation in the air above the burning talismans. At the moment the last talisman burned out, I slapped my palm against the Female Ghost's forehead. The Female Ghost slowly vanished until she became nothingness. At that moment, the expressionless Five Spirits merely nodded slightly at me before swiftly entering Xiao Chen's room—vanishing without a trace.
I knew he had returned to his object of attachment. Moreover, I also understood that I would have to treat this benefactor with fine food and drink again.
Of course, none of this was visible to Holy or Xiao Chen; perhaps Master Yin could see his Female Ghost, but he didn't look at all. So they had no idea what I was doing. It was only when I said, "Alright, the ghost is gone; we can live in peace now," that they truly sighed in relief. They then lay down on the ground, clearly exhausted from the earlier confrontation.
I walked over to Master Yin and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Humans and ghosts are on different paths. No matter how significant this ghost was to you in life, you cannot keep it by your side or use it to harm others. Such things only end up harming oneself... You are older than me; you should understand this principle better."
He looked up at me with sorrow and tears on his face—his complexion a patchwork of bruises—yet after staring at me for a second, it seemed he emerged from his sadness. He wiped away some tears with his sleeve, and his expression gradually became calm as if he had something to say. I sat down on the ground and said, "If you wish to share, I'm more than willing to listen."
He said, "I've held this in for so long that even my senior brothers and master don't know about it. But today, having met you, I can't help but want to tell you: she is gone now; I've held back for too long. I'll share this secret I've kept for eight years with you."
His tone was friendly as if we were good friends together rather than having just fought.
As soon as he finished speaking, Holy and Xiao Chen crawled over from the ground. Since Master Yin wanted to share with everyone, they certainly wouldn't miss out. The four of us sat in a circle; if we were sitting on chairs, it would be just short of having a mahjong table in the middle.
This sudden shift in atmosphere made everyone feel a bit awkward. I said, "Master Yin, we wouldn't have known each other without fighting; I'm sure you wouldn't do these things without reason—you must have your story. We were wrong for attacking you earlier; I apologize." Xiao Chen and Holy nodded in agreement: "Master Yin, it was our fault. We're sorry." Then Holy raised his palm and gave himself a hard slap across the face with determination in his eyes as he declared, "I swear I'll never dare to steal again! If there's a next time, may I be hit by a car!"
Master Yin nodded; we couldn't really dissuade him from making such an oath. I jokingly added, "That slap sounded nice! Keep going! If you can slap out a tune of Naval Port Night for us to hear!" The last part was sung in the melody of Naval Port Night.
"Holy" lowered his head and whispered, "Damn." "Xiao Chen" burst into laughter, and "Master Yin" chuckled as well. Then he said, "Alright, everyone, stop messing around." He composed himself and began to recount the story of the ghost.
This female ghost was originally "Master Yin's" fiancée. Eight years ago, just before their wedding, she was involved in a car accident and died on the spot. It was indeed a tragic accident, which explained her current state. Since "Master Yin" worked in this field, he was unaware of the rumors spread by some practitioners of "Cultivation," who claimed that he could not have a wife. As a result, her parents blamed "Master Yin" entirely for their daughter's death and harbored deep resentment towards him. Even when "Master Yin" wanted to perform a ritual for her, her family forcefully expelled him from their home, refusing to allow him to step into their mourning hall again.
"Master Yin" loved her deeply and could not accept her departure; he was overwhelmed by longing. He did not wait for the "Seven Days After Death" to bring her spirit back; instead, he went directly to the accident site known as the "Call of Souls" and brought her ghost back with him. At that time, she was still conscious and unwilling to leave. Despite his reluctance—understanding better than anyone that once a person dies, their soul must return—he ultimately hid her spirit due to her desperate pleas. Since the ghost had not experienced the "Seven Days After Death," she lacked the guidance of "Yin Chai" and thus missed out on reincarnation. Over time, even the best "Soul Vessel" could not contain her.
"Yes, yes," he continued. "Although I am a spoiled rich kid, hearing this makes me reflect on many things. I used to think that life was just about getting by and that human emotions were cold and indifferent. Now I realize that if you treat everything with sincerity, you will reap great rewards. Life is wonderful; I shouldn't have lived like a walking corpse at such a young age."
I said, "If your brother were here, he might be so moved he'd hug my leg and cry, hahaha."
They all laughed. Seizing the moment, I said, "Enough of this sentimental talk; it's getting late. Let's find a place to feast! This one's on me." Just as "Holy" was about to speak, I interrupted him: "This money is a loan to you; none of your current funds are yours. You need to sort everything out and either contact the 'Victim' or hand it over to the police—do whatever it takes to return it." He nodded and replied, "Thank you, Brother Liu. I've found a job and earned some legitimate money; I'll pay you back as soon as possible." I laughed heartily and went inside to gather my things. "Master Yin" helped clear away any lingering negative energy from "Holy."
The four of us headed to a bustling food stall.
With "Master Yin" having resolved his worries, "Holy" stepping into the light, and "Xiao Chen" gaining insight, everyone left with something valuable from the experience. We spent four or five hours enjoying our meal together. Plus, since "Master Yin" was quite generous, we all drank heartily.
As for me... I gained clarity on right and wrong, understood human emotions better, and made close friends in this field.
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