The next day passed without much incident. At dusk, I left the shop in Du Chuilun’s care, telling him I would be back before closing, and headed straight to the Wu residence to catch a ghost. In truth, "catching" was a term for those like Lu Lingfeng who commanded and raised spirits; for someone like me who dealt in cold steel and slaughter, it wasn't about exorcism, rituals, or salvation. It was simply about killing a ghost.
Upon entering and investigating, it was even more tedious than I had imagined. It was merely a small female ghost of the Mist-Rising Realm, and she wasn't particularly cute to look at. It was a pity she couldn't wait for the merciful Master Lu to give her a makeover; she was dispersed by a single thrust of my sword, her fragrant soul vanishing into dust. Master Wu was deeply impressed, his previously lukewarm and hesitant attitude vanishing instantly. He even insisted I stay for dinner and invited my junior brother to join. I naturally declined, cupping my hands in farewell. Several men of the Wu household escorted me all the way to the gate.
The Wu residence was located in Yongjia Ward, a standard wealthy district right next to Pingkang Ward. I was just about to tell them impatiently to stop seeing me out when a waft of fragrance drifted over on the wind. From the other side of the road emerged a small, exquisitely carved jade carriage, carried upon the shoulders of four handsome, blue-eyed, long-eared male demon slaves. It moved with a graceful, rhythmic pace. Recognizing the pomp of a top-tier courtesan heading out to accompany a guest, I watched as a slender, elegant hand lifted the carriage curtain just enough to create a tantalizing sliver of an opening. The courtesan revealed less than half her face, nodding in greeting to the Wu family with poise and grace.
I recognized her instantly. It was Yindeng.
For some reason, Yindeng spotted me as well. She ordered the carriage to stop and personally stepped down, her skirts fluttering elegantly. She raised a hand, using a silk handkerchief to shield herself from the setting sun, looking as fresh as a green lotus swaying in the wind and rain. Her expression, however, was one of genuine delight. "So it is Miss Su. I did not expect to see you today. Have you missed me at all these past three years?"
I was amused by her words and replied, "Once a year, I missed you dearly."
Yindeng covered her mouth and laughed. Master Wu, being a man of the world, gracefully took his leave and closed his gates. Hearing how he addressed me, Yindeng blinked. "I should call you Boss Su now. Have you taken over 'Into the Dream' in the East Market?"
"It is truly an honor that my humble shop's reputation has reached Sister Yindeng's ears."
I could see she was somewhat surprised by my seasoned familiarity. She lowered her handkerchief and pointed lightly toward the west. "I am heading to a banquet at the Marquis of Dingyuan’s estate. It’s right across from Lord Wei’s residence."
I understood she was intentionally revealing or testing something, steering the conversation in that direction, but I only smiled. "A joyous banquet awaits; I won't delay your journey, Sister. Come by for a visit when you have time. If you need anything, just send word. If the shop doesn't have it, I'll find it for you."
With her seven-chambered heart of exquisite wit, she naturally understood my stance. She offered a few more polite compliments regarding the business of Into the Dream, bid me a graceful farewell, and returned to her carriage.
I strolled back slowly, picking up some daily necessities, fruits, vegetables, and cured meats along the way. As I returned to the shop with my basket, the sun had just dipped below the horizon. The sky was soft and bright, with a few twilight clouds scattered like pale pastel strokes across the firmament. Du Chuilun was sitting on a small stool by the door. His long limbs looked cramped, yet thanks to his upbringing on the mountain, his posture remained upright and proper. Hearing my footsteps, he stood up abruptly, took the food basket from me, and went inside to fetch water for me to wash my hands.
I laughed. "Seventh Brother, you’ve really taken to the role of an apprentice. You’re the future owner; you don't need to be so diligent with these trivial chores. If we get too busy, we’ll just hire a worker."
He frowned. "I’m the future owner? Where are you going, Sister?"
I hadn't actually thought about that. I just instinctively felt that I wouldn't spend my entire life circling this one small plot of land. "It’s not about where I’m going. It’s that Master chose you to take over. Big Brother and I will hand it to you sooner or later, and then you’ll hand it down to our disciples and grand-disciples."
He gave a quiet "Oh." Only then did I notice several pots of flowers he had placed by the door—seasonal chrysanthemums of various colors. The buds were as small as grains of rice and still green. I praised his thoughtfulness lavishly.
Life settled into a routine. During the evenings or when business was slow, I taught Seventh Brother everything I had learned from the Nie family. Master truly had a keen eye for people; he was a natural. He was meticulous, clever, and calculated with incredible speed and accuracy. His mind was exceptionally flexible; he grasped nuances I hadn't even considered and even invented several ways to increase revenue and cut costs. Thinking back to those months when I was being beaten with a rod by Nie Xueqing... comparisons really were odious.
After ten days, I began to notice someone skulking around the door at night. After observing for two days, I confirmed it was a gang of thugs from the capital—the largest group among the three streets and ten alleys. Their leaders included three people with cultivation as high as mine. Du Chuilun was very worried, but I only gave a faint smile. "I believe he’s called Xun the Eighth. Don't worry. If he dares to move, I’ll turn him into Xun the Dog."
"But there are only two of us..."
"Then we’ll borrow some troops." I patted his shoulder and leaned back with my arms crossed, smiling. "Sleep peacefully. I’ll have a way tomorrow. Oh, by the way, is there any pig’s head meat for sale nearby? Do you know how to cook it?"
He nodded. "It’s available. I can cook it."
"Good. Prepare one tomorrow."
Early the next morning, I smelled the fragrance. Looking down from the stairs, I saw Du Chuilun obediently fanning the flames beneath the stove, carefully tending the fire. I praised him once more, put on my outer coat, and headed straight for the tea stall on the opposite street corner.
This was a tea stall frequented by commoners—porters, cooks, woodcutters, and the like—who waited there for work. I approached a young man wearing a bamboo hat and asked, "Brother, did you gather any wood today?"
The man turned his head, looked at me quietly, and said, "I did."
"Good. I want a load of *dixun*."
The people around us laughed. "This little lady has never bought wood before! The *dixun* you’re asking for is Bupleurum; that’s a medicinal herb. Woodcutters sell split logs, firewood!"
I chuckled and scratched my head, playing along. The man settled his tea bill, stood up, and whispered to me, "Let’s go."
I had used the underworld slang of the capital region. "Bupleurum" referred to people from the government. On my first day, I had scouted the area around Into the Dream and realized at a glance that this young man was a scout for the Yingzhao Temple. Every morning, he would bring a meager load of wood, sell it, and then sit in the tea stall all day. No woodcutter could be that lazy; they’d have starved to death long ago. After dinner, he would take a few buns bought nearby and pass behind our shop—that was his way of reporting to his superiors and passing information.
Once we entered a back alley, he took off his bamboo hat and said coldly, "Boss Su, you shouldn't have spoken to me."
"So you know me. That makes things easier. There’s money to be made; are you in?"
He turned to leave, so I laughed. "Do you know Xun the Eighth? He’s a major nuisance. If I help you capture him and you claim the reward from your superiors, you won't have to sit on that cold bench in the tea stall every day listening to old men brag."
He showed a hint of interest but held out his hand. "I need money too."
"Naturally," I said. "What’s your name?"
"Luo Cheng."
The pig’s head meat simmered and smoked all day. Just as we were about to close, a gust of wind swept into the shop, and a man said with a grin, "Are you truly a deity? You’ve conjured pig’s head meat! How did you know I have a craving for this?"
I grabbed Gu Shuguan by the collar. "You have the nerve to eat? Have you been struggling to save your own skin lately?"
During our meeting years ago, Gu Shuguan had spent half the time rambling about pig’s head meat. I knew he loved it, so I had used the fragrance to lure him in from miles away. He stared longingly at the kitchen and gave a pitiful "Mm." I asked, "Who’s chasing you?"
"Xun the Eighth."
I raised a foot and kicked him over. "You brought a tail to my door too!"
The situation was easily verified. The owner of the jewelry firm had eventually realized he had lost his quarry near Into the Dream. Combined with the natural hostility between merchants, he had hired a gang of thugs to seek revenge. Gu Shuguan and I discussed our strategy over the pig’s head meat, marking out the area for the fight on a map. Seeing Du Chuilun’s worried expression, I laughed. "It’s the perfect time to show some authority for the new management. Seventh Brother, you just stay and guard the shop’s formations. I’ll handle everything."
Luo Cheng was in the middle stage of the Cloud-Swallowing Realm. Combined with myself and Gu Shuguan, who had similar cultivation, it was more than enough. The night the thugs arrived, Luo Cheng blocked their path at the tea stall, Gu Shuguan created a diversion, and I used my invisibility to capture Xun the Eighth. It was effortless; the battle was over in less than half an hour. Du Chuilun breathed a great sigh of relief, his face appearing in the shop window as he smiled and praised me.
I grabbed Xun the Eighth by his topknot and said playfully, "Have your men report back to your master. The family of Vice-Councilor Wen are my relatives, that Eunuch Feng is my backer, and as for the Emperor... I happened to save his life once and have met him. If you don't believe me, feel free to check." He stammered his agreement, and Luo Cheng hauled him away to jail without further word.
The autumn chill deepened. After several days of thin, soft, and constant rain, the sky finally cleared for a day, only for a sinister wind to rise again at dusk. I thought it would just be another night of pattering rain and didn't pay it much mind. However, in the middle of the night, just as I was about to sleep, I heard the sinister wind howling like crashing waves. A familiar, fishy stench seeped through the window—it was Yin-Eroding Rain. I rushed downstairs, opening the door to rescue the items I had left out to air, as well as the pots of early chrysanthemums that had just begun to bud.
The wind and rain raged. The eaves couldn't shield me; droplets of the foul rain splashed onto my skin, stinging with an itchy, burning pain. I had made two trips when I suddenly heard a faint sound from the end of the opposite alley, like metal hitting the ground. I looked up toward the sound. In the pitch-black darkness where one couldn't see their own hand, a ghostly, dim bolt of lightning flashed. It illuminated a blood-stained hand, pale to the point of being translucent, hanging from a wide sleeve. Blood welled along the back of the hand and the fingertips, dripping to the ground. The color and temperature of that hand were not those of a living person.
I froze for a heartbeat. A wave of dizziness rushed to my head, and my heart hammered as if it would burst from my chest. Heedless of everything, I dropped what I was holding and ran toward the mouth of the alley.
The Yin-Eroding Rain was so toxic. Unlike ordinary rain, it didn't flow down the body; it clung to the skin like crawling maggots. The rain blinded me; my mouth, nose, and the corners of my eyes stung with a searing pain. I could hear nothing, see nothing clearly.
The hand vanished in a flash.
I stopped at the mouth of the alley, not daring to go further. Instead, I took a step back. I was afraid to discover that this was merely a dream.
I could only ask in a trembling, soul-shorn voice, "Is it... you?"
In all the world, only this heartless, pathetic, filthy rain answered me, pattering and crawling against my ear, its sound like an ominous sneer.
"Is it you..." My lips curled into a smile. "Come out... Why... are you hurt?"
"Qingming, Wei Qingming... Azhi is back. Azhi is right here..."
For a long time, there was silence.
I suddenly broke. I didn't want to endure anymore; I didn't want to restrain anything. Ignoring the Yin-Eroding Rain seeping into my mouth and pouring down my throat, I opened my mouth and screamed, "Wei Qingming, come out!"
"Have you ever even come to see me..." I wailed, my heart tearing apart. "You said friends could see each other whenever they wished, that if you missed me, you would find me. Then you don't miss me at all! You haven't come for me! Liar!"
"You liar!"
I collapsed to the ground, coughing up mouthfuls of black water, murmuring through tears and laughter, "But I miss you so much... it hurts... it hurts so much..."
