Chapter 39: Soul Scattered to Oblivion

“Come on, let’s get to business.” Old Man Jiang pulled me along, and the old and the young walked together into the graveyard in the middle of the night.

As soon as we entered the graveyard, a wave of coldness rushed straight into my heart. Old Man Jiang shouted, “Where is the calming incantation I taught you? Recite it silently in your mind. If it does not work well, you can say it out loud.”

I quickly started reciting it in my mind. To be honest, I did not want to see those things again. Surprisingly, the incantation Old Man Jiang taught me really worked. After silently reciting it a few times, I found that I no longer felt cold at all.

After walking a short distance, we reached Li Fengxian’s grave. Old Man Jiang looked around, then took a roll of thread from his bag.

“This is ink thread. It is very good for sealing coffins and graves,” Old Man Jiang explained to me as he spoke, circling the grave in a specific pattern, leaving only a gap.

“Master, why are you sealing Li Fengxian’s grave?” I asked, somewhat confused.

“This is not to seal Li Fengxian. It is to keep other spirits from coming in and stealing the substitute soul,” Old Man Jiang explained briefly.

After sealing the grave, Old Man Jiang lit three sticks of incense at Li Fengxian’s grave and burned a stack of spirit money. Then he took the substitute doll, muttered something under his breath, and set it on fire.

Very quickly, the flames engulfed the substitute doll. Old Man Jiang stood up and stared at the firelight, no one knew what he was thinking.

“Master, what did you just chant?” I asked curiously.

“It is a blessing chant. It is a kind of prayer used to dissolve resentment and give blessings to a soul,” Old Man Jiang explained.

After a while, the fire died down, and the substitute doll was burned to ashes along with it. The surroundings became quiet.

Just as I was about to ask whether this method worked and why there was no reaction, I heard faint crying sounds near my ear. That sound was very familiar, just like my second sister when she was possessed.

In the dim light, I saw a woman in a cyan opera costume tightly holding another woman in a pink opera costume. Both of them were in tears.

“You are willing to appear in this form to give thanks, even if it means soul scattering and oblivion? Or is it that once this resentment dissipates, you will no longer exist?” Old Man Jiang frowned, his voice carrying a hint of sorrow.

What does appearing in this form to give thanks mean? I did not understand. I thought my so-called heavenly eye had opened again, but it seemed not. Still, hearing Old Man Jiang’s tone and the words soul scattering and oblivion, my heart tightened.

In a hazy state, the woman did not speak much. She simply pulled the woman in pink and bowed deeply toward me and my master, then said, “Even a brief reunion is worth more than waiting for hundreds or thousands of years. Fortunately, I did not wait too long. Fortunately, my eyes no longer see a sea of blood. I have committed too many sins. Thank you. Thank you...”

Her voice was extremely gentle and graceful, nothing like the resentful and insane tone when she had possessed my second sister. Now, looking closely at her features, her eyebrows were like painted willows, and her eyes were full of autumn water. She was beautiful to the extreme, truly worthy of being a famous opera star of her time.

“I will guide you,” my master suddenly shouted.

At the same time, my master formed a relatively simple set of hand seals and began chanting. But at that moment, I noticed Li Fengxian’s figure growing fainter and fainter, though she was still smiling and looking at the woman beside her with deep satisfaction.

“Master, Li Fengxian is fading,” I suddenly said loudly, feeling a little unable to bear it.

Old Man Jiang, who had been chanting and forming seals, suddenly sighed and stopped everything. He just quietly watched it all, then said in a distant voice, “Even if one is reborn through countless lifetimes, living in confusion and emptiness is meaningless. Perhaps some people only need a single brilliant moment, even if it means soul scattering and oblivion. The Buddha speaks of breaking free from the mortal world, the Dao says the Great Dao is heartless, but what exactly is emotion? Compared to bliss, compared to the Dao, it is what truly captivates and traps people. Is it the world that is unclear, or is it... sigh...”

I listened without fully understanding. I was only seven years old, still confused about even the emotions between family members, let alone something as heavy as love that could take lives.

Li Fengxian disappeared. I stared blankly at the empty grave in front of me, as if everything that had just happened was an illusion. Had Li Fengxian even appeared at all?

“Master, where did she go?” I turned and asked. I needed an answer to feel at ease.

“She...” Old Man Jiang pressed my small head with his hand and remained silent for a long time before saying, “I originally wanted to tell you she was reborn, but I do not want to lie to you. She has completely disappeared. From this world onward, there is no longer anyone called Li Fengxian. Not even a soul remains. She has vanished completely.”

Old Man Jiang had not lied to me in the end. Perhaps because in the future I would have to face many harsh things, unlike other children who were always given fairytale-like comfort.

“She is gone?” I could not quite believe it. For some reason, I felt like crying. She was clearly a vengeful ghost who harmed my second sister.

“She is gone. I used the substitute doll to fulfill her wish and dissolve her resentment. But once the resentment is gone, she also ceases to exist. Heaven’s net is vast, and nothing escapes it. She harmed others because of her resentment, and that cannot be erased just because she is pitiful. I originally wanted to use the guiding technique to send her fully onto the path of reincarnation in the underworld, but the laws of heaven are not something someone like me can change. I was too stubborn,” Old Man Jiang said calmly, though his tone carried a sincere compassion for Li Fengxian.

My heart felt sour for no reason, and I wiped my eyes with my sleeve. Suddenly I asked, “Master, the substitute doll is not really Yu Xiaohong, so why did Li Fengxian...?”

“This substitute doll, in addition to transformation patterns, also carries special hand seals. Combined with Yu Xiaohong’s Eight Characters, it is basically a temporary deception. That alone is enough. By dissolving resentment, she becomes an ordinary spirit. With the guiding technique, she can be sent into reincarnation. This is one of the Daoist methods of transcendental release,” Old Man Jiang explained patiently.

This time I did not ask anything further. I also did not question why my master had deceived Li Fengxian. I understood, in my own way, that this was also an act of compassion. If she could enter reincarnation, that would be best. If not, at least her resentment was gone, and she would not continue suffering as a vengeful ghost before leaving in peace.

The two of us stood there in silence for a while, as if we could still see that era, that Li Fengxian who was more beautiful than peach blossoms, dancing gracefully on the stage.

“Forget it. Let’s go back first and help your sister’s soul recall. The matter in this graveyard also needs to be resolved sooner or later.” With that, Old Man Jiang took my hand and left. As we went, he glanced back at the graveyard and gave a strange cold snort.

On the way back, I could not help but say, “Master, there was also a male vengeful ghost there who bullied me before. Are you not going to take revenge for me?”

“All the spirits in that graveyard will be purified. The fate of vengeful ghosts is never good. He will likely not escape soul scattering and oblivion either. Of course, it depends on how much wrongdoing he has committed.”

“All of them will be purified? That sounds exhausting. Master, why were the two vengeful ghosts I met both young?”

“Heh, exhausting? Not really. Once that yin place is broken, things become easier. As for why they are mostly young, it is not absolute. But people who die young usually have much heavier resentment than those who die of old age. Think about it. Filial duties not fulfilled, children not raised, love unfinished, dreams not realized. How can their resentment not be strong? That is why most vengeful ghosts died young. Too many attachments, too deep resentment.”

“Master, what exactly is a ghost? Why do I always feel dazed when I see them, like my mind is not clear? It all feels unreal and uncertain.”

“That, I will tell you when you are older. You only need to know that you are not exactly seeing them. More precisely, you are sensing them. It is not something imaginary. If you think carefully, there are traces to follow. Of course, you must go to school and learn more knowledge to verify these things.”

“Master, you do not look like an educated person. Are you tricking me into going to school?” I thought that after following my master, I could escape the hated school. Even though I still somewhat missed Su Rou and my other friends, I did not expect him to encourage me to go to school, so I felt the need to remind him that he did not look educated either.

“Heh.” Old Man Jiang looked at me with a kind smile. But in the next second, his face turned furious. He grabbed me and slapped my bottom hard, shouting, “I will beat you to death, you little brat!”

I was angrily dragged home by Old Man Jiang. As soon as I got back, I flopped onto the bed and ignored him. It was already late at night, and my parents were still waiting. My eldest sister could not hold on any longer and lay down next to my second sister to sleep.

My second sister was bound by the Soul Locking Knot and lay so quietly that she looked like she was asleep. In reality, she had not opened her eyes for three consecutive days. My mother cooked liquid food and fed it to her like she was feeding a baby.

Seeing that I ignored him, Old Man Jiang did not bother with me either. He directly said to my father, “The haunting vengeful ghost has been dealt with. Tonight I will call the soul back for the second daughter. Prepare a table and follow me. Xiuyun will also come. You will personally bring her soul home.”

My mother nodded quickly. As long as it could save my second sister, she would dare to bring even a demon home.

I quietly got up. To be honest, after this day, I realized I actually somewhat liked staying with Old Man Jiang. He had opened a door to a world that was so strange and fascinating to me.

So the four of us set out together. I followed behind without saying anything. Old Man Jiang suddenly grinned at me and said, “San Wa Er, why are you following along?”

“Hmph.” I puffed up my face and ignored him.