Yu Yang actually stumbled upon this stroke of luck.
Xu Jiatong said, “Xu Shiyue? I do know one. I used to have a neighbor named Xu Shiyue. We knew each other for many years, but we lost contact after she moved away with her father. However, I heard she’s now a criminal police officer…”
She paused and asked, “Do you know her?”
Yu Yang sighed inwardly.
Xu Shiyue actually became a criminal police officer.
Indeed, remarkable people remain remarkable from childhood to adulthood.
She looked at Xu Jiatong, “Tell me what you’ve seen since you crossed over?”
The sudden change of subject made Xu Jiatong freeze for a moment.
“As soon as I crossed over, I saw that handsome guy slit the throat of a man in ancient-style clothing. It nearly scared me to death. Luckily, my throat was hurting so badly I couldn’t make a sound, otherwise it would have been over.”
“That handsome guy seemed a bit mentally ill. After killing someone, he stood there with his head bowed for a long time, as if he’d lost his soul.”
Yu Yang frowned.
Mentally ill? Xie Chi?
She asked, “Why did you follow him here?”
“Him? You mean that handsome guy?” Xu Jiatong was stunned, “The place where I crossed over was too terrifying. It was like a primitive forest with grave mounds and Crooked Neck Trees, and there was a corpse. With the original host’s memories, I remembered that place was specifically for hanging people. I was so scared, of course I wanted to leave…”
Yu Yang interrupted Xu Jiatong, “If you have the original host’s memories, you should know the way out. Yet you chose to keep following a murderer, one you call mentally ill. Isn’t that strange?”
This kind of behavior wasn’t strange in this world.
But someone from a peaceful era wouldn’t likely track a murderer while frightened and with memories providing an escape route.
Xu Jiatong looked dazed, “You’re right. Although he’s handsome, he kills people. Why did I keep following him…”
She frowned, as if just realizing her own odd behavior.
She asked, “Don’t you think that handsome guy gives off a very comfortable feeling? Very safe, very reliable, not scary at all?”
Yu Yang became thoughtful.
Thinking about it, that did seem to be the case.
When she first met Xie Chi years ago, she had felt he gave off a very comfortable and trustworthy vibe.
Oh.
So Xie Chi comes with a built-in filter.
Suddenly the white moonlight doesn’t seem so pure anymore.
Xu Jiatong’s stomach growled.
She said awkwardly, “…Sis, I’m so hungry. Could you take me in and let me have something to eat?”
Yu Yang picked up the Sleeve Arrow from the bushes and said casually, “There’s no food at my place. Go back to your own home to eat. Usually you should eat more good food.”
She wanted to eat too.
Xu Jiatong froze for a moment before exclaiming in terror, “Send me back? Are you going to kill me???”
Yu Yang took out the Talisman Paper from before and continued chanting: “Soul oh soul, I wish to return. With blood as guide, see countless lanterns, with thought as bridge, seek to cross yin and yang, soul return, back to former dwelling.”
Kongming Lanterns appeared.
Xu Jiatong stared at the words on the lanterns, stunned.
“Wuwu, bestie, you really care about me…”
Yu Yang imitated the old Taoist’s words from her dream: “Follow them back, you’ll cross the Black River. Don’t be afraid, once you cross you’ll reach home.”
She didn’t really understand what this Black River was about, but she just followed the instructions anyway.
Xu Jiatong already believed Yu Yang could send her back.
With reddened eyes she said, “Thank you.”
Then asked, “You mentioned Xu Shiyue earlier. Do you want me to bring her a message?”
Yu Yang shook her head, “No need. I estimate that after you return, you won’t remember anything.”
If it were possible to remember, the old Taoist would have instructed the time-traveler before sending them back—for example, telling them to hide their identity upon arrival or advising local authorities.
Clearly, after returning, the time-traveler would forget everything about this side.
“Ah???” Xu Jiatong panicked, “I won’t remember?! Such a legendary experience, and I won’t remember? And that handsome guy…”
She suddenly recalled, “Right, there were a few people who woke up and had no idea what happened… Wuwu, no way, I don’t want to forget…”
Yu Yang lit the Talisman Paper and said, “You’d better calm your mind and focus on going home.”
After speaking, she chanted, “Supreme Decree, Return to Your Body. Xu Jiatong, Three Souls and Seven Spirits, return swiftly!”
The lamp burned out, turning into a thread that pulled the woman’s soul away.
Just as Yu Yang thought it was all over, a yellow paper suddenly drifted down in the cave.
【Xu Jiatong: Good. Now returning to the human world. To thank you for your kindness, I grant you half a year of life.】
The yellow paper burst into flames.
Yu Yang stood frozen in place.
In an instant, she inexplicably felt that she wouldn’t have to fear death for the next six months.
Just as she was about to rejoice, a Revolving Lantern floated before her.
The lantern was densely marked with tiny characters, all reading 【All Things Suitable】.
The Revolving Lantern spun countless times, the small characters flashing one by one, until a line of text drifted out—
【Today’s Auspicious Sign: All Things Suitable】
A red talisman image formed in the void, accompanied by small text: All Things Suitable Talisman. After burning the talisman, actions taken will yield twice the result with half the effort.
Usable times: 3.
Incantation: The Supreme has decreed, remove my calamities. Guardian immortals, protect my fortune.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
The black hole vanished.
The Revolving Lantern disappeared.
The talisman and text all faded away.
But Yu Yang hadn’t yet processed it.
What… just happened?
She had successfully sent Xu Jiatong back.
Because Xu Jiatong was kind-hearted, she was rewarded with half a year of life?
As for that Revolving Lantern, it seemed like a special reward.
After a moment’s thought, Yu Yang took out a blank Talisman Paper.
She pricked her finger and used her blood to draw the talisman she had just seen.
Although the talisman had only flashed briefly, she somehow remembered it clearly.
After finishing the All Things Suitable Talisman, Yu Yang stored it away.
Though the Revolving Lantern was somewhat puzzling, at least the half-year life reward lifted her spirits.
The corpse on the ground now showed signs of hanging.
Yu Yang looked at the body and sighed softly.
“You poor girl, fate was not kind to you.”
She examined the corpse, confirming that not a trace remained on the Yintang Xue, then lifted the body.
Based on what Xu Jiatong had said earlier, she already knew where the struggle had taken place.
Deep in the forest, the canopy was dense and somewhat gloomy.
There were several unmarked graves here. Among the trees behind the graves stood a Crooked Neck Tree, known as the Soul Offering Tree.
Several people had hanged themselves on this tree.
Local lore claimed that those who hanged themselves on this old tree could transform into vengeful ghosts.
As soon as Xu Jiatong mentioned hanging, Yu Yang had thought of this place.
Sure enough.
A broken hemp rope hung from the Crooked Neck Tree; the cut appeared to have been made by a sharp blade.
Likely, during the struggle, a thrown blade had severed the rope, causing the hanging female corpse to fall and be possessed by Xu Jiatong.
She set the body down.
Then began examining the surrounding traces.
Soon, she found a male corpse.
The corpse was none other than Chief Pei’s cousin, Pei Chiye.
This was strange.
Although the Pei Family was also in the southwest, they were not in Nanpu County. How could Pei Chiye have appeared in this forest?
“You deserved to die. With such a large territory of your own to stay in, you had to come to my turf and cause trouble for others. Serves you right.”
While grumbling resentfully, she searched Pei Chiye’s body.
Quickly.
A Talent Recruitment Board appeared in her hand.
The question on it was: “To be or not to be, what comes next?”
The question itself wasn’t strange.
But there were also ink-written words on the paper—
【Young Master Pei, I believe you can answer this question. At the end of the Si hour tomorrow, at the Crooked Neck Tree in Su Ming Forest, please come meet me. Otherwise, you’ll bear the consequences.】
Yu Yang froze.
Was Pei Chiye also a transmigrator?
She looked at the Talent Recruitment Board again.
The handwriting was ugly.
It definitely wasn’t written by the Shizi.
In other words, Pei Chiye had been lured here by someone else!
Yu Yang frowned.
This was troublesome.
She had originally intended to destroy the body and eliminate the evidence.
But if a third person knew about Pei Chiye’s presence here, destroying the evidence might actually block her own path.
Yu Yang stared at Pei Chiye.
If Pei Chiye was a transmigrator, then when did the original Pei Chiye die?
After a moment of silence, she took out her “All Things Suitable Talisman.”
“Shall I try it?”
No sooner said than done.
She lit the Talisman Paper and silently chanted: “The Supreme Deity commands, remove my calamities. Guardian immortals of the Dao, protect my fortune.”
The moment the Talisman Paper burned out.
Yu Yang suddenly recalled something.
It was something hidden in her subconscious, something she couldn’t have thought of no matter how hard she tried, but at this moment, when she needed it, it emerged.
She took out a knife, cut open Pei Chiye’s stomach, and saw a certain organ.
“It’s actually true…”
She put the Talent Recruitment Board back in its original place and quickly disposed of the body.
When she stood up again, she looked around.
In an instant, she felt as if she had become an expert in counter-surveillance. Xie Chi’s baggage hidden in a concealed spot, the traces of struggle everywhere—all became extremely obvious.
Before long.
She had cleaned up all the traces.
The moment she left the forest, Yu Yang was also somewhat dazed.
The so-called All Things Suitable Talisman allowed her to effortlessly unleash her body’s potential while acting, thus achieving twice the result with half the effort.
“This reward… is truly astonishing.”
This talisman must not be mentioned—it could save her life at critical moments.