Chapter 24

Yu He was holding a lamp. The lamp was very exquisite, with a lampshade made of an unknown material that was crystal clear, allowing the flame inside to be seen. The light reflected on Yu He’s robe, giving him an eerie, ghostly appearance. His arrival forced the farce to end. The Yaksha ghost fled quickly, disappearing as fast as lightning, and the room became clean. When Xue Ming looked again at where the old woman had been standing, she saw that the old woman had disappeared entirely, leaving only Nie Xiaoqian’s corpse, which was broken in half.

Jiang Xing bounded in with long strides and immediately picked up Nie Xiaoqian’s leg bone, running around the room as if he had found a toy.

Nie Xiaoqian was already seriously injured. Seeing this scene, she almost fainted but dared not move because Yu He was standing at the door. She could only cast a sorrowful glance at Xue Ming.

Xue Ming saw that she was pretty pitiful. Moreover, she had been the one to dig up the corpse, and when it was now being snatched around like a ball, she felt both tragic and amusing. She coaxed Jiang Xing, “Dear Crane, be good; you can’t play with this; give it to me.”

Jiang Xing, very intelligent and obedient, ran over happily upon hearing Xue Ming’s words and placed Nie Xiaoqian’s corpse at her feet.

Xue Ming went forward to pick up the other half, reassembled it, and wrapped it in a straw mat, pretending it was still intact. When she turned her head, she found that Nie Xiaoqian had turned into fragile glass in expression and body. Her feet were almost transparent, floating in the air like light smoke, shrinking into the corner, clearly severely injured by the old witch’s strike.

Too weak, she thought. She had been fierce when chasing her, but now she had turned into a soft-footed shrimp. Xue Ming thought that this underling was not very worthwhile.

She placed Nie Xiaoqian’s corpse back in the corner. When she turned around again, Yu He had already entered the room.

Xue Ming joyfully greeted him, smiling, “Ghost King, are you out for a walk? How come you ended up at my door?”

Yu He, tall and slender, made the already small room seem even more cramped as he stood inside. When he saw Xue Ming approaching, he took two steps back without a trace, saying, “I’m not here for you.”

Xue Ming thought: Why are you squeezing into my small room if you’re not here for me? Can’t you see it’s crowded?

She smiled and said, “I thought so too.”

Yu He did not respond, gazing at the bundle at the head of her bed. The bundle was originally bulging and filled with clothes. Later, the clothes either rotted or were lost and could not be found. Now, it was filled with things Xue Ming had taken from the Heaven and Earth shop. The small box next to it contained some seemingly worthless magical artifacts left by the original owner. Although she didn’t know how to use those things, she kept them by her bedside, feeling secure with them under her pillow while she slept.

Yu He walked to the bedside, opened the small box, and looked inside. His expression did not change, and it was unclear what he was looking at.

“However, the arrival of the Ghost King truly brings glory to my humble abode!” Xue Ming was already used to dealing with his cold face and responded smoothly, rubbing her hands together, “I wonder if the Ghost King has any treasures that can store items and could lend me one for a while?”

Yu He took a small sword wrapped in brocade from the box. It was initially small, and in his hand, it looked even more like a child’s toy.

Xue Ming had once placed high hopes on this small sword, thinking it was the mighty sword in Yan Chixia’s hand. But later, when ghosts were chasing her, the small sword did not seem to have any effect, so she threw it in the box and never touched it again. Whether this thing was a real treasure was another matter. In any case, it probably required some spell to activate it, which Xue Ming did not know how to use. She said, “I can exchange it with you if you like it. Just give me something like a Qiankun Bag.”

He glanced at her lightly and said, “How come you don’t know how to use your own things?”

Xue Ming didn’t know if he was referring to the sword or the other small trinkets in the box. Feeling somewhat guilty, she smiled awkwardly and said, “It depends on whose things they are. These certainly can’t compare to the treasures in the Ghost King’s hands. I feel more secure using yours.”

Yu He did not respond further. He threw the small sword back into the box, took a palm-sized brocade pouch from his sleeve, and tossed it to Xue Ming.

Xue Ming caught it perfectly. It felt light and silky in her hand, with a smooth satin surface embroidered with pine trees and flying cranes. The drawstrings were adorned with two bright yellow tassels, making it look like an expensive item.

Xue Ming was delighted and opened the brocade pouch, intending to put Nie Xiaoqian’s bones inside. As soon as she aimed the pouch’s opening at the bones, it sucked them in like a vacuum cleaner.

“Wow! What a convenient treasure!” Xue Ming exclaimed. She then proceeded to suck her own bundle and box into the pouch, pulled the drawstrings to seal it, and casually hung it on the ring at her waist, thanking Yu He.

Seeing her bones finally settled, Nie Xiaoqian felt relieved and turned into light smoke, disappearing.

The room fell silent again. Xue Ming quickly tidied her clothes and, having made her plans, proactively spoke to Yu He, “Ghost King, may I borrow Jiang Xing? I want to find someone in this temple.”

To be precise, it wasn’t a person but the ghost that had invaded her dreams three times. Xue Ming had been sleeping all day, and now, she was full of yang energy and feeling very spirited. She planned to take advantage of the long night to find the blue-clad male ghost. Although she didn’t know why Yu He was out in the middle of the night, it certainly wasn’t for a walk, or he wouldn’t have ended up at her door.

Xue Ming didn’t ask much; she only needed Jiang Xing to accompany her. Although the crane looked small, it seemed quite powerful. It had pecked Nie Xiaoqian away last time and could understand human speech.

Hearing Xue Ming mention its name, Jiang Xing immediately circled around her feet, looking very happy.

Unexpectedly, Yu He seemed to have plenty of free time and said, “I’ll go with you.”

Xue Ming was stunned for a moment, thinking this was a stroke of luck. With Yu He by her side, she could walk through this dilapidated temple without fear. She eagerly made a “please” gesture, “Ghost King, after you.”

The night was deep, and after a heavy rain, the air was filled with a cool breeze and the scent of many flowers, making breathing refreshing. The moon was bright, and without clouds to obscure it, it shone brightly, casting a silver light on the ground.

Xue Ming and Yu He walked under the moonlight, a step apart. The lantern stretched their shadows long and overlapped slightly, giving a sense of closeness. Jiang Xing circled around them like a child on an outing. She had known Yu He for about a week, and most of their interactions were in bed. It was rare to be outside together properly. In fact, Yu He’s personality wasn’t particularly bad. Compared to the constantly angry and resentful Nie Xiaoqian, he was much more emotionally stable for a ghost. When not driven by lust, he seemed quite normal. Not to mention, Yu He had saved her by transferring yang energy to her. Regardless of his motives, he had indeed saved her, making him a good ghost.

Xue Ming looked at his back, wondering what kind of person Yu He was in life. He always exuded an indescribable aura, and all his actions and gestures were like those of a living person. Xue Ming might have forgotten he was a ghost if it weren’t for his bloodless skin and pitch-black ghost claws.

As Xue Ming was thinking, she heard Yu He’s cold voice, “You want me to lead the way to find someone?”

Xue Ming snapped back to reality and said, “I’m not familiar with this temple. I only remember that two locust trees are growing together in the courtyard. Ghost King, with your vast powers, do you know where that place is?”

Yu He called out, “Jiang Xing.”

Jiang Xing spread its wings and soared into the air. As it flew up, its body suddenly shrank and turned into a small paper crane leading the way.

Xue Ming couldn’t help but praise “Jiang Xing is really amazing.”

Yu He glanced at her, not responding to her casual compliment, and simply said, “Follow.”

The two of them then followed Jiang Xing deeper into the temple. It was in a direction completely different from the lotus pond area, which Xue Ming had never set foot in. The surroundings were silent and pitch dark, with the occasional night breeze rustling the leaves.

After walking for about ten minutes, they suddenly came upon a very grand hall. However, with only the lantern in Yu He’s hand for illumination, they could barely see the tall door in front of them. The old vermilion color of the door looked incredibly eerie in the dim light. The rest of the hall was hidden in darkness, making it difficult to see its whole appearance. Just one look at the door made Xue Ming’s hair stand on end, feeling something was off. She glanced at Yu He standing beside her, feeling much braver. After all, he was a Ghost King, so dealing with this small temple shouldn’t be a problem. Any small ghosts who dared to come at them would seek their own doom.

Xue Ming didn’t dare take the lead and once again made a “please” gesture, hinting that Yu He should go first.

Yu He naturally saw through her little thoughts but didn’t mind. He stepped forward, and with a slight push, the tall vermilion door creaked, particularly jarring in the quiet night.

The door opened a crack, and Yu He stepped over the threshold. His figure and the light from his lantern were immediately swallowed by the darkness.

Xue Ming was startled and quickly took two big steps to follow him through the door crack. She saw that Yu He was still there and hadn’t disappeared. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief and stayed close to him, walking side by side. She had no lamp and no means of self-defense. If she got separated from Yu He here, her chances of survival would drop to eighty percent. She had to stick close to him.

Xue Ming shivered, her arm brushing against Yu He’s. She looked around nervously, instinctively seeking the light source like a small animal. Although she appeared timid and cautious, something was endearing about her.

Yu He did not stop her from getting close. He seemed more satisfied with this than when she deliberately kept her distance earlier.

Jiang Xing continued to lead the way. After entering the door, they walked through a long corridor. Although it was too dark to see its size, Xue Ming could hear their footsteps echoing, indicating it wasn’t a small space.

After several turns, Xue Ming, who had a poor sense of direction, felt dizzy and disoriented in the dark, maze-like environment. This hall was much larger than she had imagined, likely the core area of the temple, and undoubtedly very dangerous.

Xue Ming suddenly felt grateful for Yu He’s unexpected appearance tonight. She had thought the blue-clad male ghost’s residence was just a small courtyard like in her dream, but it turned out to be such a place. If she had come alone, she might not have made it back.

Thinking this, Xue Ming moved even closer to Yu He. She then heard his calm voice, “We’re here.”

Xue Ming looked up and saw a narrow courtyard gate at the end of the light. She could vaguely see the branches of locust trees reaching out from inside the wall. It was summer, and the locust flowers were in full bloom. Having completed its task, the small paper crane flew back to Yu He’s side, circled around Xue Ming a few times, and finally flew into Yu He’s sleeve.

The two of them entered the courtyard gate side by side. The lantern’s light spread around, revealing a small outline. It was just like the courtyard Xue Ming had seen in her dream. To the left of the gate, near the wall, were the twin locust trees. Without the fog to obscure them, she could see the gnarled old roots intertwined on the ground. The trunks were thick, and it would be difficult for two people to encircle them. The main trunk formed a “Y” shape, splitting into two trees with numerous branches. In the dim light, she could vaguely see the white locust flowers covering the tree crown, surrounded by green leaves. When the wind blew, they swayed gently.

Xue Ming saw the small room from her dream on the opposite side. The blue-clad male ghost was sitting inside, always waiting for her to push the door open. Now, she was really going to find out. She took two steps forward, but when she glanced to the side and saw no one, she turned back to see Yu He still standing there, looking at the locust tree.

Xue Ming quickly returned and whispered, “Ghost King, let’s go inside and look. The person I’m looking for is in there.”

Yu He clearly had seen something. His gaze was focused, but when Xue Ming followed his line of sight, she saw nothing but the dimly lit locust flowers. Could Yu He be in the mood to admire the flowers?

Seeing that Yu He didn’t move, Xue Ming became anxious. She just wanted to quickly find the blue-clad male ghost, figure out what was happening, and leave this eerie place as soon as possible. So, she instinctively reached out to pull him. As her fingers touched his wrist, a sudden thought crossed her mind. Her fingertips slid along the back of his hand and into his palm, holding his hand.

Yu He’s hand was still cold; even his palm wasn’t warm, but it was soft, with some calluses but not rough. Her fingertips hooked his long fingers. Xue Ming, now full of yang energy, had warm hands, and soon her warmth spread to his palm.

Xue Ming had no emotional foundation with this handsome ghost, yet they had done everything—kissing, hugging, rolling around in bed. Their relationship was still a strange mix of unfamiliarity and intimacy, neither awkward nor comfortable. But when she held Yu He’s hand, her palm against his, her heartbeat involuntarily skipped and slowly lost its rhythm.

Yu He withdrew his gaze from the locust tree and turned to look at Xue Ming, his eyes calm and unruffled.

Xue Ming met his gaze and suddenly felt her face heat up. She tried to pull him along, whispering, “Let’s go inside and take a look.”

She had been prepared for Yu He to shake her off, but to her surprise, he didn’t react and let her lead him toward the small house. The closer she got, the more nervous and scared Xue Ming felt. Standing at the door, she unconsciously tightened her grip on Yu He’s hand. She glanced at him, saw that he was still standing beside her, and mustered the courage to push the door open.

The light shone into the room, revealing an interior similar to other side rooms and identical to the scene in her dream. Stepping over the threshold, she saw a slightly narrow room with a table and chairs, but the blue-clad male ghost who should have been sitting at the table with his back to the door was not there.

When Yu He entered the room, the lantern illuminated the scene clearly. The room was relatively clean and did not look like it had been uninhabited for long. She saw a bundle on the table, scattered writing materials, a wooden bucket on the floor, and miscellaneous items like shoes. The bed was against the wall, and someone was lying on it, neatly covered with a quilt, looking as if they were asleep.

Just seeing this scene made Xue Ming’s skin crawl. She tried calling out to the bed several times, but the person lying there didn’t respond. She remembered the male ghost from her dream, guessing he had died a terrible death, and hesitated at the door, too scared to move forward.
This was scarier than watching horror movies alone under the covers.

Yu He lost patience after seeing her retract her steps several times. He let go of her hand and walked inside. As he passed the table, he placed the lantern on it and went to the bed, lifting the quilt to reveal the person lying there.

The room wasn’t large, and Xue Ming only took a few steps forward before she saw the scene on the bed, letting out a scream in fright.

On the bed lay a man dressed in a blue robe, his skin pale with a bluish tint, his eyes wide open, and a line of blood tears falling from the corners of his eyes. His mouth was sewn entirely shut with blood threads, making him look extremely terrifying. His body was spread out in a “大” shape, with his palms facing up, each palm nailed with a bloody nail.

This was a very fresh corpse, not decomposed and not eaten by insects, as if he had just died recently. Strangely, he hadn’t bled much, and the bed was clean.

This was the male ghost who had frequently appeared in her dreams. Just one look made Xue Ming’s legs go weak. She didn’t know whether to move forward to Yu He or retreat away from the corpse. It was clear that some sinister magic had killed this person, and more importantly, she felt that the nails in his palms looked familiar.

Xue Ming stood still, calming her fear before moving to Yu He’s side. As she passed the table, she saw a book on it. The lantern beside it illuminated the words on the cover.

Xue Ming turned her head to look and felt a chill run down her spine, her whole body turning cold. She stopped and slowly picked up the book. Under the bright light, she saw the title: “Ning Caichen’s Idle Book.”

Xue Ming had previously learned that this term referred to the ancient practice of recording daily life or personal reflections, essentially a diary.
Her pupils trembled, and she felt her blood run cold, her heartbeat accelerating wildly. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably as a terrifying thought crossed her mind.

The appearance of Ning Caichen’s diary here meant that the man who died so tragically on the bed was very likely Ning Caichen himself.

So the question arose: who was the Ning Caichen she had seen when she first woke up in this world, the one who had always treated her like a brother?

At that moment, even the wind stopped. The surroundings were eerily silent, the darkness swallowing all signs of life. Xue Ming couldn’t hear any sounds other than her own, but suddenly, two crisp knocks came from behind her.

Startled, Xue Ming turned around sharply and saw Ning Caichen standing in the doorway, asking gently, “Brother, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?”