Chapter 18: Exorcising Evil and Driving Away Ghosts

Gu Wang recalled the scene at the welfare home.

Because of the Bone Child’s presence, the welfare home naturally had some Yin energy, so it wasn’t surprising that a sinister sorcerer targeted it.

Although the Bone Child was careful not to harm the children, after spending a long time there, the children inevitably picked up some Yin energy.

At the same time, the little Bone Child spent the most time with He Xiaohua, so she had the most Yin energy clinging to her.

Gu Wang had also asked the Bone Child about this, and the little one said that it was because of the birthmark on He Xiaohua’s arm that she felt a sense of familiarity, so she liked to follow He Xiaohua.

Gu Wang knew why; Hong Hui also had a similar birthmark on her wrist, which was probably a coincidence.

He Xiaohua was just an ordinary child.

Could those people have been after the Bone Child? Or perhaps…

Gu Wang suddenly remembered another child. The child named Pei Zirui at the welfare home, because he was missing a soul fragment, Gu Wang couldn’t discern his origin, only vaguely seeing that this child would face further calamities in the future.

Thinking of this, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. He had left his phone number with the welfare home, so they should contact him if they needed help.

Regardless, a bad person being brought to justice today was always a happy occasion.

Gu Wang’s eyes curled into a smile. He naturally wore a three-part smile, and when he was in a good mood, his expression became even more serene and especially captivating.

As he strolled through the park, many girls secretly blushed while looking at him. However, he didn’t notice.

The next day, as Director Gu opened the amusement park gates, he found Chang Xu queuing with a few of his buddies.

This man was true to his word. He said he’d support the amusement park’s business, coming back every few days. Sometimes, he came alone, sometimes with his girlfriend.

Today, his girlfriend absolutely refused to leave the house when she heard they were going to the amusement park. Reluctantly, he had to bring his friends instead.

Today’s situation was a bit special.

Gu Wang’s eyebrow twitched as soon as he saw Chang Xu’s face, and he waved him over.

Chang Xu obediently trotted over, ditching the queue. “Master Gu, what’s up?”

Gu Wang looked at his glabella. “Why do I feel like you’re going to have bad luck recently?”

Chang Xu jumped in fright. “Ah? No way! I was planning to travel with Tongtong recently. Bad luck won’t do! Is there any way to resolve it?”

Gu Wang: “Don’t rush, let me calculate.”

However, after a moment of calculation, he chuckled. “Turns out it’s not you who’s having bad luck, it’s your girlfriend… Achoo!”

Gu Wang rubbed his nose. “I feel like she’s going to come looking for me.”

Chang Xu was momentarily stunned, then quickly reacted, fawning, “Hehehe, Master Gu, did Tongtong run into something? Please help her; she’s my dear girlfriend!”

Gu Wang’s mouth twitched, and he pulled out his phone.

Chang Xu watched as he glanced at his phone.

The next second, his phone rang, and the caller was indeed Zhou Tong. He couldn’t help but inwardly marvel: Is everything calculated? This is too divine!

Gu Wang was also a little surprised. He had an intuition that Zhou Tong would call, but he didn’t expect it to be so accurate.

As his Yin energy was suppressed, his senses also became sharper. He answered, and the person on the other end said something unknown. Gu Wang asked in confusion, “The Candle Maiden’s candle? It shouldn’t have any special effects. Okay, come over, I’m available.”

Hearing that his girlfriend was coming, Chang Xu happily waited at the entrance, saying he would go in with her later.

Gu Wang walked around the amusement park and found that many people had already entered the Bone Child’s maze.

What was peculiar was that most of the players in the maze were female.

Many girls chattered about how cute the little skeleton was, how adorable the little butterfly painted on its skull was! And how well-arranged its ribs were!

Gu Wang’s mouth twitched as he listened. Today’s female college students are terrifying!

By the time he finished his rounds, Zhou Tong had also arrived. With her was a short-haired girl, tall, and with a unique aura—none other than her classmate, Wan Sui.

Zhou Tong stood aside, pouting, feeling incredibly unlucky. She had prayed all day for nothing to go wrong, but Wan Sui came looking for her first thing this morning. She hadn’t even dared ask what it was about; she just rushed over with her, afraid of delaying.

After the introductions were made, Gu Wang asked, “What’s wrong with the red candle?”

Wan Sui was also puzzled as to why there was such a fuss. She said, “I just wanted to ask if that red candle is for sale. My grandma really likes it, and I want to buy a few more to make her happy.”

Chang Xu: “That’s it?” Didn’t you say Tongtong was going to have bad luck?

Zhou Tong was also surprised: “That’s it? I thought after lighting the candle, you saw… something!”

Wan Sui was even more confused. “Saw what? Saw light?”

Only Gu Wang’s expression was different among those present. Slightly serious, he carefully observed Wan Sui’s face and asked, “Do you mind if I read your palm?”

Wan Sui hadn’t fully understood anything yet, but she was okay with a handsome man reading her palm. So, she extended her fair, delicate hand.

Gu Wang observed seriously for several minutes before asking, “Why does the elder like that red candle?”

Wan Sui said, “It’s like this: My grandma is over eighty this year. She’s always had trouble sleeping and experiences auditory and visual hallucinations. We’ve all been quite worried about her. When she was young, she was an inheritor of Fu opera, performing her whole life. Fu opera has many night scenes, and the prop candles are all specially made and very exquisite. That day, when I saw that red candle, it reminded me of my grandma, so I took it home to show her.”

“Then today she called me and said that after lighting that candle for a few days, her sleep was much better, and her ears no longer had hallucinations. She asked if I had any more, so I wanted to buy her a few.”

The girl’s worldview hadn’t been impacted yet, so she made a very sensible guess: “I guess maybe the candle reminded her of her opera days, and when her mood improved, her body naturally got better too.”

After she finished speaking, she noticed everyone’s expressions were strange.

Zhou Tong and Chang Xu looked like they wanted to speak but held back, while Gu Wang seemed deep in thought.

Zhou Tong whispered, “Um, if I may ask, what did Grandma hear in her hallucinations?”

Wan Sui: “Just, she heard people singing opera. It’s a common problem for old people, right?”

After she said that, she saw Zhou Tong’s face fill with sympathy.

Wan Sui: ???

Gu Wang said, “As far as I know, that red candle doesn’t have a calming effect. However, I’m not entirely clear either. Let’s call the owner to ask.”

With that, he slightly raised his hand and snapped his fingers towards a certain spot.

A few minutes later, a graceful figure emerged from the white mist that perpetually enveloped the Fengdu Amusement Park.

Before the person even came into focus enough to see her face clearly, Wan Sui exclaimed, “What grace!”

Her family had a background of opera performers, and on stage, people first notice the eyes, then the posture. She was especially attuned to this aspect.

The Candle Maiden walked in with a smiling face. “Thank you for the compliment, little sister.”

Wan Sui’s head began to sway. She called me little sister!

Gu Wang explained the situation and asked for the Candle Maiden’s opinion.

The Candle Maiden smiled. “Director, that red candle indeed doesn’t have a calming effect, but it has other uses.”

Zhou Tong couldn’t help but ask, “What uses?”

Candle Maiden: “Exorcising evil and driving away ghosts.”

Zhou Tong almost blurted out: Aren’t you a ghost yourself!

Gu Wang, however, understood her meaning.

The Candle Maiden was a very special kind of demon and ghost from ancient times. She often worked alongside the Lamp Shadow Hag, and her power was immensely strong.

Only in modern times, when electricity reached every household, did fewer people use candles.

One hundred years ago, which household didn’t have candle lamps?

Candlelight was the source of the Candle Maiden’s power; the more candlelight, the greater her strength.

Don’t let the Candle Maiden’s current gentle appearance, confined to an amusement park and obeying Gu Wang, deceive you.

In ancient times, the entire city of Yaoguang wouldn’t have been enough for her to cause trouble.

Some people even worshipped the Candle Maiden as a folk deity!

Therefore, if she claimed she could exorcise evil and ward off ghosts, she truly could do so; it meant ordinary ghosts couldn’t get near her.

Not understanding what Gu Wang was thinking, the Candle Maiden softly said, “Regarding what this little sister said about the elderly person’s hallucinations, I’m afraid they are not hallucinations…”

“Ah? What is it then?” Wan Sui was stunned, her expression slowly stiffening. “N-no way? Are you saying my grandma is seeing ghosts…”

Zhou Tong immediately leaned in and whispered something.

Wan Sui’s expression became conflicted, and a little fearful. “Alright then, please, Master Gu, come to my house to take a look. Do you have time today?”

Gu Wang lightly coughed twice, standing up with impeccable posture but quickly. “Yes, let’s go now.”

Chang Xu even praised, “As expected of Master Gu, always addressing people’s urgent needs!”

Zhou Tong hummed twice, whispering, “Of course. Ghosts who can sing opera aren’t common…”

At this point, the advantage of having a ticket-selling young lady became apparent. Otherwise, how could Director Gu leave whenever he wanted?!

The group passed the long queue at the ghost ticket booth, and Gu Wang noticed the Candle Maiden still following behind them. Seeing his puzzled expression, the Candle Maiden slightly curtsied. “The red candle manifests my power, but I haven’t sensed any ghostly aura. It must not be an ordinary ghost. Let me accompany you.”

“As for the Embroidered Building, there’s no need to worry. After absorbing the Yin energy you bestowed, my spiritual power has grown significantly, and I can now conjure a clone.”

She meant well, and Gu Wang naturally wouldn’t refuse.

The group got into a car and drove to the address Wan Sui provided. Speaking of which, because the amusement park’s business had improved, getting a taxi nearby had become much easier.

Before, hailing a taxi took more than ten minutes, but now it usually takes less than a minute.

Many taxi drivers even wait for customers at the entrance.

The car traveled for over an hour when Zhou Tong, who happened to look outside, was completely stunned. “Wait, isn’t this Yaoguang City’s famous wealthy district?”

There was a villa area in the south of the city, known for its good location, tranquil environment, and excellent facilities. However, it also had high housing prices, and it was locally called the “wealthy district.”

Wan Sui’s face flushed crimson. “No, no. It was all left by my ancestors; it has nothing to do with me!”

Zhou Tong chuckled, “Treat me to a meal and I’ll keep it a secret for you!”

Wan Sui: “You wish!”

She led the way, bringing the group to a small yet exquisite villa.

Gu Wang took one look, and his brows furrowed.

The Candle Maiden also whispered, “Something is strange here.”

Gu Wang nodded, raised his hand, and opened his Yin eyes.

This was truly odd.

While too much Yin energy in an ordinary home wasn’t ideal, it was also said that no place on earth was free of burials; where hadn’t people died in these vast lands?

Thus, Yin energy existed everywhere.

The principle of Yin and Yang harmony also applies here, as long as it isn’t excessive.

But looking at this small villa, it was so spotless that there wasn’t a hint of Yin energy, like a dry, empty space suddenly appearing on a damp beach—abrupt and obvious.

This wasn’t a feat that a single red candle could achieve; even the Candle Maiden herself couldn’t pull it off.

What on earth was going on?