Chapter 37: “The Deal Is Done, Payment Received—Goods and Silver, Both Settled.”

“F*ck!”

This time, the expletive didn’t come from Xie Jingting—it came from the skin-flaying ghost.

Because she suddenly remembered how her 1.0 Carslan doll-like eyes had been gouged out.

Tu Shanju sensed her fury and said coldly, “You already took your revenge with your own hands. After getting your satisfaction, you’re still lingering in the mortal world and harming others? Isn’t that going a bit too far?”

“Heh, you’re just a Knife-Borrower. Back in ancient times, between the two of us, I’d be a grand general, and you—at most—a weak little scholar who couldn’t even—AH!”

Before she could finish, Tu Shanju flicked a pair of scissors straight at her, pinning her to the armored door of Chen Younan’s bedroom.

The ghost let out a sharp scream, then was immediately trapped by five glowing golden rings that sealed her in place.

Tu Shanju clapped the dust from her hands, turned to Chen Younan, and said, “Come on. Take a good look and see what’s different between this and that skin-changing ghost you watched.”

Then she tilted her head toward the group of friends cowering behind her. “You all take a look too. I remember someone just said they’d seen a monster?”

Everyone now behaved. They shook their heads vigorously.

What they were thinking now was: never mess with Xie Shiyu’s fiancée again—this girl holds grudges like no other!

Seeing them so cowardly, it was Tu Shanju’s turn to scoff in disdain.

“Fine. So no one wants to look? I’m about to seal her up, last chance. Once this shop closes, no more business!”

Everyone held their breath. Forget it! Let someone else take that chance—they were out. They’d be dogs if they regretted this.

Tu Shanju shook her head, full of regret. She took out a talisman and drew two quick strokes on it with her index and middle fingers.

And then they all witnessed something straight out of a movie.

A golden light beamed onto the skin-flaying ghost. Then, as if pulled by an immense force, the ghost was sucked into the paper right before their eyes and disappeared.

Tu Shanju casually stuffed the talisman into her pocket and turned to the still-stunned Chen Younan, “You lost. Don’t forget—handstand and eat sh*t.”

The butler helped Chen Younan up from the floor. His face was flushed red with embarrassment and fury.

“I’m tired. I’m going to bed. The party’s over—everyone out! The rest we’ll talk about tomorrow!”

As he said that, he cast a side glance at Tu Shanju—only to find her staring at him with utter contempt.

His spine stiffened. “Butler Xu, prepare a generous gift for me tomorrow and send it to the Xie family as thanks.”

Xie Jingting and the others snorted mockingly, “Ew~ sore loser.”

Tu Shanju said nothing. She simply lowered her head and reached into her pocket.

Chen Younan’s eyes widened instantly.

Because that ghost was sealed in that pocket.

In a flash, Chen Younan dropped to his knees before her. “I was wrong, Master Tu! I shouldn’t have had any bad thoughts about you! I’ve learned my lesson—you’re my boss from now on! You say east, I go east. Just please don’t take that thing out—she’s a real ghost!”

Tu Shanju paused and seriously considered, “Fine. If you don’t want to eat sh*t, then run ten laps around South University’s track tomorrow while shouting: ‘I’m Xie Jingting’s loser—I’ll never measure up to him in my life!’”

Chen Younan hesitated for a moment.

Tu Shanju reached into her pocket again.

He panicked and nodded like crazy.

Whatever. Worst case, he’d just go study abroad—better than being flayed alive!

Tu Shanju was satisfied. She shot a challenging eyebrow raise toward Xie Jingzhou and Xie Jingting.

This battle solidified Tu Shanju’s reputation among Nancheng’s elite second-generation circle.

And their unanimous verdict?

The last person in the world you want to provoke.

---

The next morning, Tu Shanju returned to the Bureau.

But this time, she didn’t go inside.

After all, she still had to exit through the back later—troublesome.

Xie Shiyu’s car was already waiting not far away.

She asked the elderly gatekeeper to notify Liu Li to come “sign for the delivery.”

The old man, hearing that Tu Shanju was here to deliver the skin-flaying ghost, immediately gave her the look people give when they see other people’s terrifyingly capable kids.

Tu Shanju returned a polite smile.

Once the message was delivered, Liu Li sprinted out at top speed.

What Tu Shanju didn’t know was that her spell-casting stunt yesterday had made Liu Li her low-key superfan.

If Knife-Borrower teachings weren’t forbidden from being passed on, he’d have begged her to take him as a disciple.

Tu Shanju handed him the talisman. “This contains the skin-flaying ghost. I’ve also cleared the yin energy from the ancient dress. Before attaching to the dress, she also killed someone. The body was dumped at…”

Tu Shanju always conducted business thoroughly. She didn’t like offering after-sales service.

This ghost had died tragically and unjustly, yes—but if she hadn’t taken revenge yet, Tu Shanju wouldn’t have interfered.

But she had avenged herself three years ago.

And yet in the three years since… she had become addicted to flaying people.

After death, a soul’s seven spiritual essences scatter—along with all emotions and desires.

Most ghosts lose their humanity.

Especially those who’ve passed the first seven days, then the third week (21 days), the fifth week (35 days), and finally the first anniversary.

The longer they linger, the more their humanity fades.

Many ghosts miss their families and return home, but they’re unaware—or don’t care—that their yin energy harms their loved ones.

They know it.

But with their human emotions so thin, they no longer think about consequences—just their own desires.

Like some elderly people who miss their grandchildren, and instead of going to their graves, follow the child around. Then the child gets mysteriously sick from prolonged exposure to yin energy.

There are plenty of such cases.

And as for this skin-flaying ghost—her obsession was revenge.

She wanted the sadistic killer who murdered her to suffer the same fate: being skinned alive.

She successfully evaded both the underworld’s spirit catchers and the mortal world’s Bureau investigators, and achieved her revenge.

But in doing so, she stayed in the mortal world too long. In the process, she lost all remaining humanity—and fell in love with the act of skinning.

Tu Shanju didn’t reason with such ghosts.

Her approach was always one word: fight.

Liu Li was on the verge of tears. Her skills were too impressive.

He handed her 30 lollipops—made from distilled ghost energy overnight—and even got her a cute pink pouch to store them.

Tu Shanju had brought a backpack today. After accepting the candy, she pulled out a thick white-covered book and opened it.

Without even using a pen, she simply pressed her joined index and middle fingers across the most recent page.

Then she looked up at Liu Li and said:

“The deal is done. Payment received. Goods and silver—both settled.”

Liu Li dazedly nodded.

After Tu Shanju got into the car and left, he muttered to himself:

“I heard she’s not even twenty-two yet, so she can’t take the official exam. What kind of dumb rule is that? People on Earth can take exams at eighteen, but the underworld insists on twenty-two? Can’t they make an exception for a genius like her?”