Chapter 45.3

Chi Lu looked at his slightly flushed face and quickly reached out, pinching his cheek with a fair amount of force. Jing Shuxing’s face, which was originally just slightly red, instantly turned a deeper shade.

He caught off guard, and a sharp sting spread across his cheek. He glanced at Chi Lu in confusion, only to see her face filled with fierce determination.

“I’ll deal with you later,” Chi Lu glared at him.

This disregard for his own well-being is a problem, and it needs fixing!

Even though Jing Shuxing was covering his face and looking at her with a pitiful expression, Chi Lu remained resolute and cold-hearted, determined to have a serious talk with him and not show him any kindness.

She composed her expression sternly, “Let her go. She has Linghua Sect’s symbols on her, and she might have a significant connection with our sect.”

Jing Shuxing still didn’t understand why Chi Lu was angry, but then he heard her dragging out her words: “Let her—go.”

In the next moment, the invisible spiritual lock around the vengeful spirit’s neck was released. She knelt on the ground, and the round fan slipped from her hand, no longer covering her face.

Chi Lu suddenly felt that the girl’s brows and eyes were somewhat familiar, as if she were someone from her past.

She reinforced the spiritual bindings in her hand, using the Red Soul Whip to intimidate her further. “What is your connection to the Linghua Sect?”

The vengeful spirit revealed her face—it was a young woman who appeared to be a few years older than Chi Lu.

She gritted her teeth as she looked at the Red Soul Whip, then glanced at the protective symbols on her body that were no longer functioning. “And who are you in the Linghua Sect? Why are you with them?”

Within moments of being bound, the protective symbols and formations on her body were completely nullified. It wasn’t through brute force but by someone who was highly skilled in these specific spells and symbols, effortlessly dismantling them.

Given how easily it was done, the young girl before her must hold a significant position within the Linghua Sect.

Chi Lu, confirming that the ghost no longer posed a threat to anyone, sent her spiritual power to scout the area. After ensuring there were no hidden enemies, she confidently introduced herself.

“I am the Young Sect Leader of the Linghua Sect, just came from Fengyue City, and am staying with the Jing family. Is that not normal?”

“Fengyue City.” The ghost repeated the name, rolling the words over her tongue a few times.

Suddenly, she erupted, springing up from the ground. “That’s right, Fengyue City. The people from Fengyue City, the ones with the surname Jing, all have that same aura.”

With that, she pointed at Jing Shuxing and then at Yun Pianpian.

“I’ve been searching for a long time. You people, one by one, hiding in the city like turtles in their shells, refusing to come out. Finally, luck was on my side, and I found two of you at once.”

Chi Lu recalled the malevolent spirits from Fengyue City. They, too, relentlessly pursued those with the surname Jing, and she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of unease.

“If you’re on the verge of revival, why are you seeking them out?” she asked.

The ghost let out a cold laugh and looked up at Chi Lu, changing her tone. “My surname is Xu. Does the Young Sect Leader have any impression of my family’s medical hall?”

Chi Lu thought for a moment and nodded.

Chi Lu suddenly realized who the ghost’s features resembled—the guest of the Linghua Sect, a highly skilled healer.

This healer was extremely powerful, and when Chi Lu was considering how to find a cure for Jing Shuxing, she had even thought about seeking him out directly.

He was a renowned divine healer; if he took action, issues like a shattered spiritual platform or damaged spiritual roots would be trivial.

She glanced back at Jing Shuxing, and couldn’t help but soften her tone a bit when she spoke to the ghost again.

“Your father once mentioned you to me. He only has one daughter, named Xu Shiling.” As she recalled the medical hall, more memories flooded her mind. “He said you were frail and lacked cultivation talent, always recuperating at home. Why are you here?”

From the current situation, it seemed that she had been wandering the spiritual veins all along, using a fan to cover her face, unwilling to show her true self. It didn’t appear that she was being coerced; rather, it seemed she had willingly turned into a wandering ghost to enter the spiritual veins.

Hearing Chi Lu reveal her identity and mention her father, Xu Shiling let out a cold snort.

“He couldn’t find a good solution himself, so he refused to let me die, using his own lifespan to extend mine. If he finds me again, I’ll be forced back into being a parasitic living corpse like before. That feeling is unbearable.”

Chi Lu continued to question her, “If you’re determined to die, then why not reincarnate? Why linger in the spiritual veins?”

“To find someone.”

Xu Shiling lifted her gaze, her expression had remained indifferent, but as she revealed her purpose, a dazzling light erupted in her eyes.

“Young Sect Leader, you are among the living and cannot see the world that our souls can perceive.”

She extended her hand, pointing at Jing Shuxing. “The person I’m looking for is named Jing Cheng, and he has the same aura as your man. Since my lifespan ran out a few years ago, he’s vanished without a trace. Even though I’ve died and come back to life, I still haven’t been able to find him.”

Xu Shiling frowned, tilting her head and angrily waving her round fan. “As they say, ‘alive, you must see the person; dead, you must see the corpse.’ I just took a nap, and this living, breathing person disappeared without a sound. What kind of nonsense is that?”

“I need to find him. Since I couldn’t move freely while alive, always tethered to medicine jars and falling into deep sleep every few years, I decided to become a spirit and search through the spiritual veins, one by one.”

…What did she mean by “my man”?

Chi Lu’s mouth twitched.

Xu Shiling threw her round fan onto the ground, turning it into a platform for spellcasting. She stared at Jing Shuxing with a gaze as fierce as a wolf’s.

“This gentleman, may I trouble you to let me collect a wisp of your aura so I can use it to find him?” she politely requested.

Jing Shuxing seemed not to hear her words. He stood still by the low wall, the light from the bright red lanterns reflecting off him. Though it was warm, red light, it inexplicably added to the sense of loneliness.

He stood there all alone, looking somewhat lost and disheartened.

His dark eyes moved slightly, turning towards Chi Lu, faintly showing a hint of expectation.

Chi Lu was firmly fixed by those watery eyes. She knew well it was his deliberate attempt to entice her, yet she couldn’t bear to continue ignoring him.

After struggling internally for a while, she finally thought of a reason to convince herself.

She needed to keep an eye on Jing Shuxing; otherwise, if he went mad and started harming himself, what would she do?

Just as Chi Lu was about to move, Xu Shiling spoke up again.

“If the gentleman is unwilling, then let that young lady do it. Huh, where is that young lady?”

She glanced towards the courtyard sedan chair, but the bright red sedan was empty.

Chi Lu awkwardly shifted her gaze, landing on the barrier outside the courtyard.

Yun Pianpian was leaning against the invisible wall formed by spiritual power, futilely pounding on it with her hands. “Young Sect Leader, did you forget about me? Let me out, quick!”

Chi Lu raised the corners of her lips. “I truly apologize; I’ll take down the barrier right away.”

She lowered her voice and asked Xu Shiling, “Does she also have the same aura?”

“Yes,” Xu Shiling replied accurately. “Though there are slight differences, it’s still usable for soul-tracking.”

…Soul-tracking?

Chi Lu’s mind stirred slightly as she walked over to the corner and released Yun Pianpian from the barrier.

Before leaving, she sternly warned Jing Shuxing, “Don’t move around recklessly. Stay right here and don’t touch anything.”

Jing Shuxing didn’t look at her; his gaze was cast elsewhere, appearing helpless and forlorn.

Is he feeling sad?

Chi Lu couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt. As she waved her hand to lift the barrier, she wondered whether she should say something to Jing Shuxing.

Suddenly, her arm was grabbed.

Yun Pianpian’s delicate white hand emerged from her wide silk sleeves, grasping Chi Lu’s slender wrist.

“Young Sect Leader, he’s baiting you.” Her eyes curved and her lips turned up in a gentle, sweet smile.

“What?” Chi Lu didn’t even have time to react.

“He’s so capable. If he were truly hurt by you, wouldn’t he seek revenge? The way he’s acting now, it’s just for show, trying to lure you into feeling sorry for him.”

Yun Pianpian extended her other hand and suddenly grabbed Chi Lu, whispering in her ear, “He might seem well-behaved on the outside, but who knows what filthy thoughts he’s hiding inside, like wanting you to hold him or kiss him.”

Caught off guard, Chi Lu instinctively waved her hand to shake Yun Pianpian off.

Yun Pianpian, who had a low status as a maid in Fengyue City, was currently the weakest in cultivation among them, even weaker than the little creatures watching nearby.

After being shaken off by Chi Lu, she stumbled and nearly lost her balance, but Chi Lu, quick on her feet, managed to catch her.

“Sorry,” Chi Lu said, looking apologetic. “Are you okay?”

Yun Pianpian’s face was filled with a smile. She tilted her head slightly and gazed at Chi Lu with gentle eyes.

“Young Sect Leader, the First Young Master is a monster. You mustn’t fall for him.”

“Like…” Chi Lu frowned, unconsciously tilting her head. “Like him?”

It was a word that those around her had mentioned countless times, yet Chi Lu had never been able to fully grasp its meaning.

Yun Pianpian continued to smile, and noticing Chi Lu’s discomfort, she quickly shifted the topic.

She stepped forward and took Chi Lu’s arm. “Young Sect Leader, I think that ghost is really ungrateful.”

“Her family is willing to give up everything to extend her life. That’s a blessing she must have cultivated over several lifetimes. Yet, not only does she not cherish it, but she even runs away from home. Truly foolish.”

Chi Lu softly interrupted, “Don’t say that.”