Chapter 25: Saving the Wronged Soul

The evening breeze gently blew, and the lotus leaves on the lake lazily swayed.

A small figure moved along the lakeshore.

[Just five more steps, and we’ll reach the place where the victim fell into the water, and where their soul is sealed.] Huai Ze landed on a large, oval stone ahead.

Fang Yuean took five steps, and suddenly, purple light appeared beneath her feet, forming a magical array with a talisman.

[Hmph! A child’s trick.] She casually picked up a crooked little stick, extended her finger, and traced a few strokes in the air over the stick. [That damned Taoist who assists evil should suffer backlash.]

After saying this, she crouched down, placed her palm on the ground, and forcefully inserted the branch into the array.

A strong gust of wind blew towards her, sweeping her hair back.

In the blink of an eye, the paper talismans in the array turned to ash, and the patterns of the magical array cracked.

In an alley in the city, a Taoist priest with the surname Li, who had been soundly asleep, suddenly sat up and spat out a mouthful of black blood.

He suddenly became clear-headed, quickly calculating with his fingers, gradually widening his eyes in shock.

He immediately got out of bed and dressed, intending to go to Yuhua Mountain outside the city to invite his master out of retirement.

The purple light of the magic formation dimmed, eventually disappearing.

Fang Yuean threw away the wooden stick, swept her hair back, stood up, and brushed the dust off her hands.

When she looked up again, the illusion of a young boy appeared.

The boy looked around, touched his face, and appeared incredulous.

He uncertainly asked, “But little miss, did you save me?”

Fang Yuean nodded.

The boy immediately shed tears, bowed, and said, “Guo Lang thanks the young miss. I thought I would never see the light of day again.”

Fang Yuean sat on a large stone, swinging her small feet. “It wasn’t for nothing. That Lin Xu guy, trying to conspire with others to harm my brother. I need you to follow him starting tomorrow.”

Guo Lang looked slightly disappointed, his expression sorrowful. “He is still harming people.”

Fang Yuean said, “Don’t worry, his retribution will come soon. As long as you do as I say.”

Although Guo Lang didn’t understand why this little girl had such great power, he knew that anyone who could help him see the light of day and punish evil was no ordinary person.

He chose to believe her and join her in punishing Lin Xu.

Fang Yuean led Guo Lang out of the Imperial College.

On the way, they chatted, and she asked, “Why did Lin Xu kill you?”

Guo Lang lowered his head and floated beside Fang Yuean.

“Because I didn’t listen to him and didn’t want to join him in bullying our classmates, so he started targeting me. The day I died was his last chance for me, but I still didn’t do what he said.”

“That night, he invited me to the lakeside, saying that as long as I went, he wouldn’t trouble me anymore.”

“After we met, we had a dispute. In his rage, he hit my head with a stone, then pressed me into cold water until I lost consciousness. He thought I was dead, so in panic, he threw me into the lake, and I was completely drowned.”

“Later, I saw him bring his father to erase the footprints by the lake, creating the illusion that I had accidentally fallen into the water, and the case was closed with that conclusion.”

“My parents aged a lot in one night. I couldn’t bear it and often wandered around the Lin family.”

“After a while, the Lin family felt things were going wrong, so they brought a Taoist, who calculated that my vengeful spirit was unwilling to leave and was affecting the Lin family’s fortune.”

Guo Lang sneered. “Old Master Lin said I was malicious, obsessing over his grandson. To take revenge on me, he had the Taoist perform a ritual in their home and sealed me by the lakeside.”

Fang Yuean tugged on his hand. “Don’t worry, when you go back this time, no one can harm you. I’ve opened Lin Xu’s ghost-eye. As long as you follow him, he will be able to see you.”

“When his will becomes weak enough to go mad, lead him to the street, and ask him anything. He will confess to everything, and the evidence will be in place.”

Guo Lang’s frown relaxed. He had been worried about the lack of evidence. With this, the emperor’s Dragon Shadow Guard would definitely hear something and report it, leading to a major investigation into the Lin family.

Guo Lang expressed his gratitude. “It’s still a few hours before dawn. May I go home to see my parents?”

“Of course.”

The boy smiled and bowed, then turned and floated toward his home.

Fang Yuean flicked her hand, and a flash of golden light fell onto Guo Lang’s phantom.

Huai Ze landed on Fang Yuean’s shoulder, watching Guo Lang’s vanishing figure.

“Earlier, on the way here, you heard me say his parents have been unable to move on these past years. Did you help them see him?”

“Well, there’s still some kindness in you,” Huai Ze teased.

Fang Yuean immediately fluffed up in anger, grabbed him, and growled, “Nonsense! I’m a demon, how could I be kind! I don’t like what you’re saying, say it again!”

Huai Ze rolled his eyes in exasperation, responding half-heartedly, “Alright, alright, you’re a big bad guy, a great demon.”

Fang Yuean snorted, waved her hand, and threw him away.

“I’m so tired, I’m going to sleep.”

The next morning.

Listening to the birds outside the window, Lin Xu slowly opened his eyes.

His vision was blurry as he scanned the room and saw a figure. Thinking it was a servant, he asked, “What time is it?”

“It’s the hour of Wu.” A boy’s voice answered.

Lin Xu took a moment to react, realizing the voice wasn’t that of his servant.

He frowned and got up. When his vision cleared and he saw Guo Lang in the scholar’s robe, his eyes widened in shock. He screamed and fell off the bed.

Guo Lang floated in front of him, squatted down, and kindly said, “You should get up and go to the Imperial College, or it will be too late.”

“Go away!” Lin Xu yelled, hurriedly getting up and stumbling to grab a long sword. He drew it and lunged at Guo Lang without hesitation.

Lin Xu panted heavily. Seeing the sword tip sink into Guo Lang’s body, his face twisted into a grin.

The next moment, however, Guo Lang kept walking toward him.

Lin Xu hurriedly pulled out the sword, but the sensation of stabbing through nothing and the lack of any blood or real body made him panic.

He swallowed hard, then dropped the sword and turned to flee.

As he faced the morning light, he squinted. When he finally saw the scene outside, he found five or six people standing in the yard, of all ages and both genders.

When they turned at the sound of footsteps, their terrifying appearances made Lin Xu’s heart race to the limit. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

When he woke up again, Old Master Lin and his parents were in the room with him.

Lin Xu breathed a slight sigh of relief, but before he could fully relax, he saw Guo Lang, who had been squatting by the bed, stand up.

“You’re awake?”

His pupils trembled as he quickly got up, pointing at Guo Lang. “Quick, take him out!”

Old Master Lin looked at the empty spot where his grandson was pointing, frowning slightly.

Lin Xu’s father also seemed to be deep in thought.

Old Master Lin and his son left the room, leaving Lin Xu’s mother to stay with him.

Old Master Lin stroked his two goat-beard whiskers and said, “I’m afraid there’s something unclean, coming to bother Xu’er.”

Lin’s father whispered, “Father, do you think it could be Old Master Xu?”

Old Master Lin snorted lightly, “Whoever it is, it doesn’t matter! Just have someone bring that Taoist back and perform some rituals in the manor. It’ll be fine after that.”