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墨書 Inktalez
I chuckled lightly and said, "Master Chen, calm down. Why do you say I took your soul?"
"Who else would dare to oppose me like this?" Master Chen retorted.
I chuckled again but didn't respond. My silence implied agreement. He snorted and said, "I've been nurturing that soul for months. You can't just say you took it."
I replied, "Do you know that the person you captured is the daughter of my friend's friend? And do you really think you could succeed without my umbrella?" In truth, even if I gave him the umbrella, he wouldn't have much confidence in it, and he knew that well.
Master Chen said, "Return the soul to me, and I won't bother you about the umbrella anymore."
"I'm sorry, but I've already sent it away. Master Chen, I don't understand why you insist on keeping Chen Ying's essence. Is it really that important? Without her soul, what use is her essence?" I directly brought up Chen Ying, believing he wouldn't make things difficult for his daughter, who was nearing the end of her lifespan.
Master Chen shouted again, "Have you been investigating me?"
I said, "Master Chen, you should listen to your daughter's voice. Perhaps everything you're doing is wrong in her eyes."
"My affairs are none of your business." After saying that, Master Chen hung up.
Maybe he would go back and have a serious talk with Chen Ying. However, at this point, he should have abandoned any thoughts of continuing this endeavor. First, he wouldn't be able to find a suitable soul in a short time. Second, even if he did find one, he should know that Liu Bi's umbrella was useless to him. I was certain he had no better methods for nourishing the soul. Third, he should understand that this was fate's arrangement; his failure was heaven's way of stopping him. Daoists should be well aware of this, even though he liked to go against the heavens and engage in small acts contrary to the Dao Heart. This matter was not trivial.
What worried me a bit was whether he would seek revenge on me. If so, my upcoming days could become troublesome. However, what is meant to come will come; what is not meant to come will not arrive. My mindset remained positive, and I wouldn't let myself live in fear due to challenges I couldn't face.
The following days were calm; it seemed like life had returned to its previous peaceful state. Master Chen didn't trouble me again, and sometimes Chen Ying would text me to chat. She remained cheerful and optimistic. She even asked if she could become a ghost like Liu Bi after she died. I told her it was impossible because almost everyone goes to the Underworld after death; the chances of staying behind are very low and usually result in a terrifying appearance like Old Zhang.
She asked why Liu Bi could stay. I explained that his experiences were unique; people with such experiences are one in a million. Moreover, staying in the human realm comes with significant costs.
After reading my message, she sent many crying emojis as if she was dissatisfied with what I told her. Perhaps she had romanticized death too much when in reality it is a cruel affair. Living a few more years is worth cherishing; appreciating one's present is what truly matters.
As time passed, my conversations with Chen Ying became less frequent. I knew her condition must be worsening. About two months later, one night, Master Chen suddenly called me and said that Chen Ying was nearing her end and wanted to see me.
Master Chen's tone was calm, lacking the fierce intensity from our last phone call. I asked Master Chen to tell me which hospital, and he replied that it was at his own home, as Chen Ying did not want to leave the hospital and had been brought home instead.
When I arrived at Master Chen's house, it was already eleven o'clock at night. The house was brightly lit, and in addition to him, there were four other masters present, including Master Hu. In the living room on the first floor, there was a large formation that I couldn't even recognize. There were two or three dozen red candles. I curiously asked Master Hu what it was for.
Master Hu spoke in a low voice with a grim expression, "Master Chen plans to buy longevity for his daughter. He wants to go to Yellow Springs Road to retrieve her soul."
I nodded slightly and climbed the stairs. The living room on the second floor had four rooms surrounding it, and only one door was open. Master Chen sat by the bed, rubbing his temples, while Chen Ying lay on the bed, gravely ill.
She had lost a lot of weight; describing her as skin and bones would not be an exaggeration. There was no color in her face, but her eyes were wide open, showing no signs of fear.
I slowly walked into the room. Master Chen glanced at me and said, "You two can talk for a bit; I’ll go prepare. She doesn’t have much time left this time."
Being in this line of work, Master Chen could easily calculate when his daughter would take her last breath—he could even pinpoint the exact minute. So when he said she didn’t have much time left, it certainly meant just that.
I knew what he was preparing for; he intended to wait on Yellow Springs Road for her soul and see if he could bring Chen Ying's soul back. As for the cost of doing so, whether it would be successful, or how long she could live if he succeeded—no one could say.
Master Chen’s statement about her limited time indicated that he had made up his mind to proceed with this plan and believed he could retrieve Chen Ying's soul. This was something I couldn’t interfere with nor had the ability to manage; he had invited several masters over, likely out of concern for any unforeseen circumstances.
I slowly approached Chen Ying's bedside. She had seen me as soon as I entered, but she was too weak to react much. I quietly sat beside her without saying anything, simply smiling at her and nodding gently.
She smiled back slightly, just barely moving the corners of her mouth. I wondered how she communicated to Master Chen that she wanted to see me in such a state; perhaps she had mentioned it when she could still speak, expressing her wish to see me before departing.
I didn’t know why she wanted to see me or what I should say to her. I just kept smiling at her as she blinked slowly, seemingly wanting me to say something.
Leaning closer to her, I whispered softly, "Face it bravely and walk towards the light in your heart; you will see a scenery more beautiful than Ocean Park."
Chen Ying nodded with great effort, slowly closing her eyes. The corners of her mouth lifted slightly as she summoned all her strength to leave behind a faint smile—a smile that would never change again.
I sat by Chen Ying's bedside, and minutes turned into half an hour, then an hour, and finally two hours. I knew this was the time when Chen Ying's soul would depart from her flesh. I didn't want her to leave alone; her father couldn't be by her side, so I would accompany her on this final journey.
When I felt the time was right, I took out a compass to begin my observations. A slight reaction passed through, and in an instant, everything settled into calmness. Chen Ying had already left; she was off to seek more beautiful scenery in Ocean Park.
I got up and went downstairs. The other Masters were still sitting around chatting, with Master Chen responding to them one by one. When he saw me come down, he stood up and said to me, "I didn't call everyone here to help me capture souls. I just wanted to do something that everyone wants to try but hasn't dared to attempt. If you're interested in staying to watch, please do; I'm about to begin."
I looked up at the clock on the living room wall; it was already past one in the morning. I nodded without saying a word.
Everyone stood up and walked together toward the large formation in the center of the living room that I couldn't understand. The four Masters each took a corner and stood still without making any movements. Master Chen lit all the red candles one by one and then sat down on a small altar.
He recited a spell that was neither too long nor too short, then picked up a small golden cup from the altar. I couldn't tell what was inside that cup as he tilted his head back and poured its contents into his mouth. Then he took a bowl filled with rice from the table and emptied it into a Yellow Cloth Bag slung over his shoulder.
He adjusted his clothing; that night he wore a Black Robe with no other colors visible from inside to out. Finally, he grabbed a White Talisman from the table with his right hand, pressed it against his palm, and casually drew a few symbols in front of his face. With a loud "smack," he forcefully slapped the talisman onto his forehead.
Master Chen's body jolted violently before slowly leaning back and collapsing onto the Soft Mat prepared behind him. His mouth slightly opened, and yellow liquid began to seep from the corners of his lips.
The surrounding Masters watched expressionlessly, showing no signs of surprise. They simply stood in their respective positions, quietly waiting for time to pass.
About half an hour later, Master Chen choked awake. His face had turned pale as he spat out all the yellow liquid from his mouth and tore off the White Talisman from his forehead. He glanced at everyone around him and shook his head in disappointment.
One Master sighed and said, "Ah, fate is hard to defy, Old Chen; try to take it easy."
Master Chen nodded as he stood up, took out his phone, dialed a number, and said, "Send a car over now."
He must have been contacting the funeral home.
I exchanged greetings with Master Chen and mentioned that it was late and I needed to head back. With a heavy tone, Master Chen said, "This year marks my regression; would you be interested in attending my regression ceremony?"
"I'll be at your service whenever you need me," I said, forcing a polite smile as I extended my hand.
Master Chen also reached out, shaking my hand. He said, "I've lived most of my life, and in the end, I still can't understand things as clearly as my daughter. Thank you for accompanying her on her final journey."
I replied, "It's the least I can do. Please take care of yourself."
...
This story ends here. Master Chen retired at the end of the year, and I attended the simple ceremony. I didn't see anyone like a social misfit there. Master Chen wore a pure white Zhongshan suit and smiled throughout, his smile genuine without any hint of strain. I knew he had come to terms with things and let go. However, I also understood that his punishment was far from over just because he had retired.
The story of punishment spanned forty-five chapters, starting from when I went out to feed the hungry ghosts, encountering Sister Li who was harmed by her doctor friend. Later, I returned home to accept the punishment given by Yin Chai alongside my master and Master Pan, then helped Mr. Huang resolve his grievances. Once Mr. Huang's grievances were settled, it marked the beginning of my confrontation with Master Chen—though it wasn't exactly a confrontation. It was more like a fateful parting, just expressed differently.
After bidding farewell to Mr. Huang and also to Old Zhang and Zhang Zhen, I seemed to have grown numb to this sadness. Yet when I looked at the faint smile left behind by Chen Ying after her death, my heart was filled with mixed emotions. Even now, I still don't know how to articulate life and death in words. Perhaps Chen Ying's optimistic attitude in facing her final moments will help us understand many things.
Well then, it's not good to dwell too much on heavy topics; let's turn the page after finishing this story. I want to thank everyone for their companionship; now there are over a hundred people following along with the updates daily. Writing updates for you has become a habit for me, and some friends have told me that reading my updates has also become a habit for them. This is an honor for me and makes me feel less lonely while writing these stories. Tomorrow we will start a new tale; let us seek out more beautiful scenery towards that beam of light in our hearts. Goodnight, my dear readers.
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