“A Wu, she gave birth! A son! Both mother and child are safe! I have a grandson now!”
Old Mrs. Chen’s voice was so loud that it reached the ears of the onlookers, sparking a flurry of discussion.
She grabbed Jing Wu’s hand, her eyes red with joy, and stuffed red-dyed eggs and joy money into her palm.
“I forgot to give you the divination fee earlier. It’s all here together with the joy money—sixty copper coins in total. Take it quickly. When I got home, I saw my daughter-in-law lying on the ground, clutching her stomach and crying out in pain. If it weren’t for you, it might have been two lives lost. Once my daughter-in-law finishes her month of confinement, I’ll have her come thank you in person.”
“No need. It was your daughter-in-law and grandson’s fate not to die. Even without me, they wouldn’t have lost their lives.” At most, they would have suffered a bit more. Jing Wu kept this last part to herself.
“No, no, no. No matter what, you saved both of them.”
Jing Wu looked down at her fingers stained red by the eggs and was about to speak when she saw Old Mrs. Chen scratching her head sheepishly.
“I was afraid you’d leave, so I rushed the dyeing a bit. They’re not dry yet—don’t mind it, alright?”
“It’s fine, Old Mrs. Chen. I really should be heading back now too.” Jing Wu smiled, her eyes curving, and placed the red eggs into Shao Che’s empty sweet potato basket before bidding farewell cheerfully.
The uncle and niece had already packed up their things earlier, so they left right away.
As they passed by Ciyouyuan, Jing Wu paused for a moment, then said to Shao Che, “Uncle, wait for me a moment.”
Shao Che looked at the three large characters of Ciyouyuan, unsure what she intended to do, but nodded anyway and waited for her by the entrance.
Jing Wu went inside and donated half of the divination fee and joy money Old Mrs. Chen had given her to Ciyouyuan. Divination and Fortune Telling revealed heavenly secrets, which could easily diminish one’s own blessings and incur Divine Retribution. By donating half of the earnings, she could balance the Karmic Ties and accumulate merit.
When she handed the money to the matron of Ciyouyuan, she felt the merit within her increase, and only then did she walk out satisfied.
As the two walked home, Shao Che hesitated for a long moment. “A Wu, did you really learn Fortune Telling at Shuangcheng Guan?”
“Yes, not just divination and Fortune Telling, but also spell and talisman techniques. My master taught me everything he knew.” Jing Wu followed behind him, walking toward home. “But I haven’t mastered them yet. Give me five more years, and I’ll surely achieve something.”
If the Jing family hadn’t written urging her to return quickly, and if her master hadn’t advised her to go home, she would never have wanted to leave the mountain.
By the time the two entered the village entrance, the sky had already darkened.
In the village, a few households had already closed their doors and turned off their lights for the night.
As Jing Wu passed by one house, she caught the scent of a malevolent ghost. Turning her head, she saw a woman in green clothes sitting cross-legged on the eaves, her hair disheveled, her gaze sinisterly fixed on Butcher Chen working in the yard.
Her heart skipped a beat. She extended her hand and performed a divination calculation, her brow tightly furrowed.
Just then, Shao Che cheerfully greeted Butcher Chen, and the two exchanged a few words.
Jing Wu watched as the green-clad Female Ghost shifted her gaze to her uncle and thought, This is bad. She stepped forward, blocking the ghost’s line of sight, and glared at her in warning.
But the Female Ghost only smirked provocatively before vanishing from the eaves. Jing Wu’s frown deepened.
Upon returning home, she immediately took out the only ten talismans she had brought from Shuangcheng Guan and distributed four ghost-repelling talismans to the Shao family.
“Uncle, keep this talisman paper close to your body.”
“Ah? What is this?” Shao Che took the talisman paper and asked in confusion.
“I brought it from Shuangcheng Guan. It’s for protection. All of you must keep it close.”
Upon hearing this, Aunt, looking at the patterns on the talisman paper, assumed it was drawn by her master and carefully put the talisman away. She also made sure her twin sons did the same.
Shao Che, catching his wife’s glance, also tucked the talisman close to his body.
“Uncle, for the next few days, no matter where you go, keep the talisman with you,” Jing Wu said seriously to the man. “Also, no matter what sounds you hear these nights, do not go outside.”
The Female Ghost had come seeking revenge. If she still had her senses, she should understand the warning Jing Wu had just given. The worry was that she might have lost her reason and harm innocent people.
Butcher Chen had committed unforgivable acts against her, so Jing Wu would not stop the Female Ghost from seeking revenge. But if she tried to harm the innocent, Jing Wu would have to take action and subdue her.
Shao Che, rarely seeing her so serious, instinctively nodded and agreed.
Jing Wu turned her gaze to Aunt and her two young cousins. Seeing them nod as well, she finally felt at ease.
She walked into the courtyard, formed hand seals, and set up a protective barrier to prevent the Shao family from running out.
After dinner, Jing Wu returned to the attic where her eldest cousin lived. Since he studied in the county town and rarely came back, this attic was given to her.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, converting today’s merit into cultivation.
Downstairs, Shao Che was vividly recounting to his wife the incident involving Old Mrs. Chen on the street that day.
The woman listened with great interest. Realizing her niece’s abilities, she began to ponder the words Jing Wu had spoken that evening.
In the middle of the night, a piercing scream from outside startled Jing Wu awake. She had no intention of intervening, as this was the retribution Butcher Chen and his wife deserved for the killings they had committed.
Just as she closed her eyes, intending to go back to sleep, she sensed the approach of a malevolent ghost.
In the courtyard, the cries for help from Butcher Chen’s daughter rang out: “Uncle Shao, save me! Please open the door!”
Hearing the familiar voice, Shao Che didn’t think much of it. He opened the door and walked into the courtyard.
Butcher Chen’s seven- or eight-year-old daughter gave Shao Che, who had come out to check, a sinister smile. Seeing him step out of the protective barrier, she extended her hand, transforming it into sharp claws, aiming to deliver a fatal blow. However, she was scalded by the talisman on his chest and staggered back.
Shao Che, terrified by the eerie smile and the crimson claws, felt a burning sensation on his chest. Remembering his niece’s words from earlier that night, he scrambled back into the house.
By then, Jing Wu had appeared in the courtyard unnoticed. Looking at the girl, she immediately saw through the other soul residing within her body. She swiftly cast a talisman, forcing the Female Ghost’s soul out. “You have already taken revenge on Butcher Chen’s family. Why involve innocent people?”
“What good person could be associated with that beast?” The green-clad Female Ghost glared at the frail girl before her, hatred burning in her eyes. She frowned. “I underestimated you. It seems you have some skill.”
Severely injured by the talisman, her rage intensified. Consumed by hatred and losing all reason, she instantly transformed, soaring into the air, intent on dragging everyone in Luzhu Village to their deaths.
Today, no one in this village would be spared!
Jing Wu furrowed his brow, immediately conjuring four or five spirit ropes to tightly bind the female ghost flying in mid-air. He yanked her down, formed hand seals, and sent a mind-clearing incantation into her body, restoring her sanity.
“Why? Why must even you stop me?” The female ghost, her reason returning, slumped to the ground, her face filled with agony. “Butcher Chen deceived and humiliated me, drowned my daughter. His wife beat me to death right after I gave birth. Why didn’t you stop them back then, but now you come to stop me?”
Jing Wu sighed. The person before him was Yu Niang, who had lost both parents in childhood and was raised by her grandmother. When she was fifteen, her grandmother passed away, and she lived alone in a house by the river.
One day, Butcher Chen passed by and saw her washing clothes by the river. Struck by her beauty, he conceived wicked intentions. Upon learning she had no parents and lived alone, he took advantage of a dark and windy night to break into her home and force himself upon her.
Afterward, to keep her from making a scene, he deceived her, promising to marry her.
In this world, survival was especially difficult for women. Yu Niang dared not imagine the gossip and scorn she would face if this matter became public and people knew she had lost her chastity. She could only swallow her grievances and pin her hopes on Butcher Chen, wishing he would one day take her as his wife.
But days passed, and Butcher Chen repeatedly broke into her home. Even when she became pregnant, he still did not marry her.
Butcher Chen was over forty and had only one daughter. He had always wanted a son but, fearing his wife’s ferocity, dared not take a concubine.
Upon learning Yu Niang was pregnant, he schemed to keep the child but discard the mother. To placate her, he promised to marry her immediately after she gave birth.
However, after ten months of pregnancy,
Yu Niang gave birth to a daughter. Greatly disappointed, Butcher Chen had no desire to raise another girl and threw the infant into a latrine to drown.
No matter how Yu Niang pleaded, she could not save her daughter.
Butcher Chen’s wife learned of this and stormed over, beating the recently delivered Yu Niang to death.
Yu Niang died with deep hatred. After death, she transformed into a malevolent ghost, absorbing spiritual energy to cultivate. She lurked in Butcher Chen’s home for three years, finally seizing the opportunity for revenge today.
Jing Wu withdrew from Yu Niang’s memories, looked at her crimson-eyed form, and sighed. “Butcher Chen and his wife committed heinous deeds and deserve death. But the other villagers did nothing to you. You must not harm them.”