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Without calling out Chen Peiling, Ye Chenfeng already knew that the hand resting on his shoulder was not from a friendly source. The cold, gloomy aura emanating from the fingertips was something no human possessed. He turned around, knowing something serious was about to happen. Without looking back, he took a sidestep, swiftly turned right, and launched a talisman. A sharp scream echoed as the black mist dissipated like smoke.
Chen Peiling emerged, clutching her chest and exclaiming, "That was close."
Ye Chenfeng hadn’t clearly seen what had just ambushed him. He heard Chen Peiling mention that it was a shadow dressed in Funeral Clothes, indistinct and standing right behind him, reaching out to tap his shoulder.
If he wasn’t mistaken, this was a New Soul.
New Souls weren’t terrifying; what was frightening was that they didn’t know they were dead. They wandered around for three days after death, following their preferences and habits from life. If they encountered an unfortunate soul, there was a high chance that the New Soul would tap their shoulder and steal their spirit away.
The person whose spirit was taken would temporarily be fine but would remain in a dazed state. It was only on the night of the New Soul’s return that those who had been tapped would face trouble.
So how did this New Soul come about? Did it follow Chen Peiling here, or had it always existed within the campus?
Upon closer inspection, Ye Chenfeng noticed that a piece of paper had somehow made its way onto his heel.
This was an Old Money note, specifically placed on the chest of the deceased.
Ye Chenfeng speculated that this Old Money must have been accidentally brought in from outside the school. Initially stuck to his shoe, it had shifted position while walking, revealing part of it on his heel. He set the Joss Paper alight and said to the air, "Take your money."
In the past, Ye Chenfeng hadn’t known about this particular rumor in the supernatural community: any Hell Money—whether burned or scattered on the ground as Joss Paper—could be gathered and incinerated but should never be carelessly stepped on.
The Old Money he had inadvertently brought in had quietly followed him as a New Soul. He had been so focused on finding Ye Feng that he almost fell into its trap.
As for how the Old Money came to be and what legends surrounded it, that seemed tied to certain customs. Local traditions were endless and could not be easily explained; sometimes it was better not to speak of things that were unclear.
To cut a long story short, Ye Chenfeng had come specifically to wait for Ye Feng. However, unexpectedly, he hadn’t shown up. Ye Chenfeng remained hopeful and waited until the last person in the campus went to bed before deciding to return to his dormitory.
Chen Peiling was unwilling to let go, even as Ye Chenfeng was about to leave. She gazed dreamily at the top of the library building.
"He won't come."
"Why?" Even ghosts could cry, and Ye Chenfeng watched as Chen Peiling wept. But her tears were not clear; they were colored, likely related to Ghostly's own cultivation.
Chen Peiling told Ye Chenfeng that she had once jumped from this building, unaware of her death until after it happened.
The moment of death was truly strange and utterly incomprehensible.
She still remembered falling from a great height, the instant her body made contact with the ground. The pain surged through her entire being, and she could still see people moving before her eyes. She felt the excruciating agony of her body tearing and twisting until her consciousness faded away, feeling another version of herself detach effortlessly from the shattered body, the pain gradually receding.
Without pain, she was under the illusion that she was still alive.
But in reality, the people she saw could not communicate with her.
They could not see her; no matter how much she shouted or questioned, no one responded.
In that world, Chen Peiling felt incredibly lonely.
After her death, her family came to the site of the incident to pay their respects. She approached them to speak, but still, no one acknowledged her.
Despondent and unsure of what to do, one day she encountered a "person." This "person" told her not to waste her efforts; she was already dead, and others could not see her.
Naturally, Chen Peiling did not believe it.
The "person" told her that if she didn't believe, she could continue jumping off the rooftop. If she felt pain, then she had not died.
Chen Peiling jumped off the rooftop repeatedly for a long time before she realized that she was truly dead.
After her death, she went to find Ye Feng.
Ye Feng seemed to sense something but could not see her. He appeared somewhat dazed and listless, and after that, she never saw him again.
Perhaps it was at that moment that Ye Feng had died.
Not finding Ye Feng, Ye Chenfeng had no choice but to return to his dormitory. As he left, Chen Peiling was still sitting in the spot where she had fallen, lost in thought.
Ye Chenfeng—Ye Feng.
Ye Chenfeng smiled bitterly; it was just one letter apart. If he were Ye Feng, where would he be now? He remembered Chen Peiling saying that their first meeting took place at Artificial Lake.
Moreover, tonight was also a significant day for Chen Peiling; it was the anniversary of the night they first met at Artificial Lake several years ago.
Artificial Lake!
Thinking of Artificial Lake, Ye Chenfeng suddenly had a flash of inspiration. Could it be that he was at Artificial Lake? It must be so! He hurried back to call out to Chen Peiling.
Ye Chenfeng and Chen Peiling rushed to Artificial Lake.
There was only one streetlight far away around Artificial Lake. According to Chen Peiling, when there was water in Artificial Lake, there used to be streetlights all around. It was unclear when it stopped being used; most students had gone to swim in the pool, and this place gradually became desolate.
As evening fell, Ye Chenfeng passed by and noticed that the Artificial Lake had grown quite a bit of wild grass, clearly indicating it had been neglected.
Now, the Artificial Lake appeared as a dark mass.
Chen Peiling, filled with anticipation, circled the lake searching for signs of life. Finally, she shook her head in disappointment and shouted into the water with a megaphone, "Ye Feng, where are you?"
Ye Chenfeng could sense her sadness and tried to comfort her. "Take a break; I'll take a look."
A cold breeze brushed against their cheeks, bringing with it a chilling sensation.
In the darkness, the plants rustled in the wind, creating an eerie sound that made it seem as if something sinister was lurking in the grass, ready to emerge and send shivers down their spines.
Under a crooked willow tree stood a shadowy figure with its hands clasped behind its back, looking dejected and lost.
Ye Chenfeng tried to approach quietly, but he still startled the figure.
In an instant, the shadow merged with the willow tree and vanished from sight.
Ye Chenfeng cleared his throat. "Is Ye Feng here?"
Silence enveloped them—too quiet. Aside from the faint sounds of the wind stirring the willow branches and wild grass, there seemed to be nothing else.
He walked toward the tree and pulled out his flashlight. As he shone it around, the beam flickered across a tall figure, who startled and covered their face with their hands, revealing a pale visage.
"Ye Feng, don't hide. She's looking for you."
"Ye Feng" stopped and asked, "Who is she?"
"Chen Peiling."
"Ye Feng" was surprised. "Where is she?"
"Ye Chenfeng" smiled wryly and said, "You both didn't die at the same time or in the same place, so Yin Chai's error prevents you from meeting."
"Ye Feng" nodded, looking anxious as he said, "I'm sorry, I've been looking for her and can't find her."
"Listen to me, I'll let you see her right away."
As long as he could see "Chen Peiling," "Ye Feng" agreed to whatever "Ye Chenfeng" said.
"Ye Chenfeng" took out a soul summoning talisman, recited an incantation, and set it ablaze.
In that moment, "Chen Peiling" appeared before him, but "Ye Feng" could not see her.
At the instant the talisman burned, they both saw each other—
"Peiling..."
"Ye Feng..."
Seeing them embrace, Ye Chenfeng smiled silently and quietly withdrew.
He walked quite a distance, yet he could still hear Ye Feng scolding Chen Peiling: "Lingzi, you are so foolish. You should never have chosen this path."
Chen Peiling replied, "If I made the wrong choice, why did you follow me?"
Ye Feng said, "After you died, I came across a book that stated the Underworld is different now. The rules have changed; anyone who disdains life will face severe punishments in hell and will not be granted reincarnation."
Chen Peiling wanted to find Ye Feng because she hoped they could both be reincarnated together. Hearing his words, she felt disheartened and utterly dejected.
Ye Feng continued, "Disdaining life is a great act of filial piety. Our bodies and skin come from our parents; if you want something, you take it, but if you no longer want it, you just throw it away. That's why the Underworld specifically changed this rule."
Ye Chenfeng was unsure whether Ye Feng's words were true or not; he didn't yet have the qualifications to engage with matters of the Underworld.
For now, he just wanted to return to his dormitory and get a good night's sleep.
In the dormitory, the Three Troublemakers weren't as troublesome as they seemed on the surface. Since it was late and he feared falling asleep without hearing them knock, he decided to wait at the door for them.
Knowing they were waiting for him, Ye Chenfeng went to a nearby temporary barbecue stall and brought back some skewers for them to eat.
After finishing the skewers, it was almost time to sleep. They each washed up and prepared for bed.
After a long day of hustle and bustle, Ye Chenfeng was certain he would sleep well that night. However, just as he closed his eyes, he suddenly saw someone standing at the foot of his bed.
It was important to note that his bed was a bunk bed.
How tall must a person be to reach the height of a second-floor loft and stand there silently?
The darkness was thick, and Ye Chenfeng was startled, unable to see who the person standing there was or what they looked like.
Just then, someone called out to him.
"Ye Chenfeng, it's me, Shen Binghan."
Shen Binghan! Ye Chenfeng was confused and leaned forward to get a better look.
The person who had been standing there was gone, and all he could see was the Little Monk Shen Binghan, smiling at him.
Puzzled about the whereabouts of the earlier figure, Shen Binghan said, "I am now a Local Ghost Enforcer, here to collect the souls from the Ghost-Collecting Gourd. You should be careful..."
"Weren't you saying that once an Evil Spirit enters the Ghost-Collecting Gourd, it’s doomed? How can you still collect it?" Ye Chenfeng asked, his body stiff and unable to move as he stared at Shen Binghan.
Shen Binghan replied, "I didn't know before either; I only found out after going to the Underworld."
Ye Chenfeng wanted to ask about the Four Hospitals but shouted instead, "Shen Binghan, don't go! Tell me what's going on with the Four Hospitals!"
His shout woke up Shen Binghan in the dormitory, who cursed him for being crazy. It jolted Ye Chenfeng awake—was it just a dream? Instinctively, he looked at the Ghost-Collecting Gourd, picked it up, and shook it lightly; it felt weightless.
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