“Desire? That old geezer clearly told me, ‘Don’t ask to live together, only to die together’… Yet, as soon as I was lying on my sickbed, he got involved with his secretary!” The ghost woman sneered, “So I reminded him every day, ‘Don’t forget what you said—I’m waiting for you…’”

“Not only did he not repent, he dared to hire a master to drive me out! Ha! Unfortunately, my son’s a fool, hiring a crooked master! These charlatans know nothing but using dark arts to drain his vitality and boost his energy!”

“I don’t know where this fake master got a statue of a ‘Joyful Buddha’ for soul-cultivation and found a young girl to bond with it! He made that little girl the host for the ritual!”

The ghost woman’s voice was utterly chilling, her anger like claws scratching at the floor, creating a piercing sound!

“I saw it with my own eyes—I saw it myself! That little girl was licking his filthy body, sitting on him, her virgin blood spilling onto him… I wished I could tear that old scoundrel and that little b*tch apart!”

She clawed at the floor in a mad fury, even scratching her own neck, drawing blood on the neck of the middle-aged man she was possessing.

“…Calm down, that’s your son,” I said, feeling a bit nauseous at the sight of his bloody, mangled neck.

“Son?” she sneered. “What a wonderful son… he found a girl barely in her teens for his father, doing this right in front of me, naked, going at it! Ha-ha…ha-ha-ha…”

This was beyond cruel—no woman could endure seeing something like that.

After a mad episode, the ghost suddenly began to weep softly, “When I was young, I was as beautiful as you… I believed he would grow old with me, believed he would be faithful… but men’s words can’t be trusted!”

They say one mad woman could take down ten men, let alone a mad ghost; her jealousy had already driven her insane.

“You’re already dead. Let go. Reincarnate, find a good man,” I advised, “What’s the point of haunting an old man on his last breath?”

She stood up, swaying, guiding her son’s body toward me—

“Yes, I thought that too… but reincarnation would mean forgetting everything. I can’t let go of the hate—if you want to help fulfill my wish, then… let me stay in your body!!”

She screamed, flew out from her son’s body, and charged at me!

My ring burst into light; whenever something like this happened, it always raised a shield around me—

A voice suddenly rang in my ear: “Little Lady, quickly, recite the mantra!”

Da Bao? How was his voice in my mind? What mantra?

“The incantation! Little Lady, the incantation! Forget it; just repeat after me—Devotedly bow to… Great Compassion and Mercy, Great Sage of Compassion. Netherworld’s Bei Yin Feng Du, Mysterious Emperor, Savior of Nine Infernal Sins!”

I followed his chant, and instantly felt a chilling wind at my back. I turned to see two somber little ghosts in black robes with square black hats standing behind me.

“Ah!” I screamed—they were ghosts on both sides of me!

The black-robed ghost glanced at me gloomily, “Little Lady, weren’t you the one who summoned us… What’s there to be afraid of?”

He waved his chain, and the other ghost held up a sign. The ghost woman’s spirit immediately froze in place, staring blankly.

“This one hasn’t killed anyone, this job’s easy.” The ghost wrapped her up, giving me a crooked grin, “Next time, Little Lady, remember to call us for good jobs like this.”

I was stunned—these ghosts were summoned by me? Judging by their looks, they must be Netherworld messengers!

“Wait, wait!” I hurriedly called them back, “Do you know where Jiang Qi Yun is?”

Jiang Qi Yun? The black-robed ghost shook his head, looking confused.

For some reason, I found his clueless look oddly cute. Have my values been completely turned upside down?

“Who’s that? We don’t know…” The black-robed ghost said kindly, “How about asking the Cheng Huang? He’s the local deity, he should know.”

They don’t know who Jiang Qi Yun is? I frowned, trying a different approach, “Then… what about Lord Di?”

“Lord Di…” The black-robed ghost trembled, looking at me in terror, “Little Lady, you must be joking. Don’t you know His Majesty’s whereabouts better than us?”

The two ghost messengers refused to linger any longer. They dragged the ghost woman’s spirit along, muttering, “How dare you run; we’ll blow you to pieces when we get back!”

They vanished, leaving me holding the badge Jiang Qi Yun had given me, dazed. He once told me he had much to do in the mortal world, but I didn’t know what any of it was.

“Xiao Qiao? Are you okay? The dark energy in here seems to have cleared.” My brother opened the door, with Hou Zhi Yu and ghost messenger Da Bao hiding behind him.

“Yeah, it’s gone.” I nodded and beckoned to Da Bao, “Come here; I have a question for you!”

Da Bao smiled sheepishly, and I dragged him out into the courtyard to question him sternly, “How did you speak into my ear just now?!”

“That’s just a little trick; all ghost messengers can do it…” Da Bao mumbled.

“Then how did you know to tell me to chant the mantra to summon ghost messengers?!”

Da Bao’s expression grew more pitiful, “Little Lady, His Majesty left that badge with you; it’s a permit to command ghost messengers. I thought you knew…”

Really? So Jiang Qi Yun gave me this badge as a way to command ghost messengers?

Da Bao’s eyes darted, and he whispered, “Little Lady, I’ll work as your runner and errand boy from now on. I’ll definitely earn more than being a ghost messenger. You’re part of the Shen family, very famous in the circle, and His Majesty has such a soft spot for you. With permission to command ghost messengers, you’ll be unstoppable! Following you, I’ll surely make a good living!”

A soft spot for me? I couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He left in anger, and I have no idea where to find him.

###

Hou Zhi Yu’s father looked ten years older after all this drama, though it was his own doing. If he hadn’t turned to a crooked master, he wouldn’t have suffered his mother’s ghost’s wrath. He’s getting what he deserves.

With my brother’s persuasion (more like cajoling), Miss Hou took a copper gourd from our shop to ward off evil. We sold her that gourd, and my brother received a five million transfer.

But he immediately moved it to my account, saying he’d spend it all on games if he kept it himself!

After this incident, a rumor started spreading in the circle—a Kun Dao from the Shen family and a Yin Merchant from the Mu family had joined forces, causing quite the stir.

“Kun Dao means me?” I asked ghost messenger Da Bao.

Da Bao nodded, “Yes. Men are Qian Dao, and women are Kun Dao. It’s just a form of address. But the Shen family’s Kun Dao are known for being domineering in the circle—if anyone messes with their cases, they don’t bother respecting anyone. That’s why Master Liu from the Hou family walked away immediately—he’d rather lose money than offend a Shen family woman.”

I was speechless. That’s so intimidating! I guess I should keep a low profile and not flaunt my mother’s compass around too freely.

“Xiao Qiao, the old woman called. She wants you to come by her shop—”