The Cui Family of East Town
Lost in thought, Zheng Que glanced up at the sky. It was nearing the end of the Si hour, the shadows shortening as the sunlight grew intense.
He calculated the time in his mind, then walked directly to the withered tree and sat cross-legged beneath it. Activating the 【Spirit Eye Technique】, he fixed his gaze on Qing Li, who was hanging from the tree branch.
At this moment, although the Yin Qi around Qing Li had stopped flickering, it had clearly thinned considerably. The black mist rising from her body had also faded to near nothingness. Through the vision of the 【Spirit Eye Technique】, the female ghost’s dress appeared exceptionally pure white.
Time passed slowly. It wasn’t until around the third quarter of the Wu hour that the Yin Qi around Qing Li finally fully recovered. Her entire form was once again shrouded in a chilling aura, and that pure white dress seemed draped in a thick layer of black gauze, becoming indistinct between light and shadow.
“A two-hour period of weakness.”
“The side effects of this 【Spirit Descent Technique】 seem rather significant.”
“However, during these two hours, although Qing Li is very weak, she isn’t entirely without combat ability.”
“Only immediately after releasing the 【Spirit Descent Technique】 does Qing Li have about ten breaths of time where she can’t move at all.”
Zheng Que mentally summarized the pros and cons of the 【Spirit Descent Technique】. Confirming that Qing Li had fully recovered, he closed his eyes and began cultivating.
Skillfully calming his mind, his consciousness sank into the void, continuously drawing in the cold energy and absorbing it into his body.
Zheng Que’s body temperature slowly dropped, while the Yin Qi and Spiritual Qi within him rapidly increased. Unconsciously, he opened his eyes to find himself in a vast, dilapidated hall, cold winds howling through its gaps.
The yellowed Book of Life and Death lay open before him. Black energy gushed from between his brows like a long dragon, pouring into the scroll.
Zheng Que looked at his remaining lifespan recorded in the Book of Life and Death: sixteen years, seven months, and ten days.
Three days left.
At dusk, Zheng Que finished his cultivation and left the ruined temple with Qing Li, heading home.
The path was desolate and sparsely traveled, with an air of bleakness. Only the sound of his own footsteps echoed quietly through the streets and alleys.
Turning a corner, Zheng Que immediately spotted an old man dressed in slightly worn short coarse clothing, a sweat towel wrapped around his head, standing anxiously at his doorstep. The old man kept raising his sleeve to wipe away sweat.
This old man was short and thin, with dark skin and an honest face, now etched with worry and distress, as if he had encountered some difficulty.
Zheng Que’s gaze swept over his face and immediately recognized him as Cui Fugui, the head of the Cui household in the east of the town. The Cui family once had several members, but misfortune had struck them one after another, leaving only father and daughter to rely on each other.
The Town of Lasting Fortune was not large. Although Zheng Que had no particular friendship with the Cui family, he had crossed paths with them a few times in the streets and alleys, though they weren’t very familiar.
At this moment, Cui Fugui also saw Zheng Que and hurried forward. “Zheng Que, I heard you know magic now and even helped Old Zhao family exorcise a ghost…”
Before he could finish, Cui Fugui suddenly noticed a translucent figure following not far behind Zheng Que. Amidst disheveled hair, a pair of crimson eyes stared fixedly at him.
A ghost!
Cui Fugui’s face instantly paled with fright. He immediately tried to turn and flee, but his legs couldn’t react in time. Staggering like a drunkard, he nearly fell after taking just one step.
Zheng Que quickly steadied him and asked, “Uncle Cui, what brings you here?”
As he spoke, Zheng Que had already activated the 【Spirit Eye Technique】. In his vision, Cui Fugui appeared entirely gray and dull, without the slightest halo, completely normal, just an ordinary person.
After confirming that Cui Fugui posed no threat, Zheng Que released his grip. Seeing the man still staring fearfully at Qing Li beside him, he quickly explained, “This is my ghost servant. Without my command, she won’t harm anyone. Old Cui, there’s no need to worry.”
Hearing that she wouldn’t hurt anyone, Cui Fugui finally let out a sigh of relief, though he still hurriedly took several steps back, as if trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and Qing Li.
Collecting himself, Cui Fugui dared not waste any time. “I… something strange has happened in my home too.”
“Zheng Que, now that you can even command ghosts and monsters, you must have learned great skills. You have to help me!”
“As long as you’re willing to help, I’ll give you half of my family’s food rations from now on!”
“Whatever you ask, as long as my family can manage it, we won’t refuse!”
Hearing this, Zheng Que remained calm and did not immediately agree. He still didn’t know what exactly the strange occurrence Cui Fugui mentioned was.
What if it required him to deal with an especially powerful ghost? He certainly didn’t have the ability for that right now.
Thinking this, he shook his head slightly and said, “Old Cui, I don’t even know what has happened in your home yet. How can I help you?”
“You’d better hurry and tell me what’s going on.”
Cui Fugui snapped back to attention. “In my home, there’s a well passed down from our ancestors.”
“Our family has used this well for several generations, and nothing strange has ever happened.”
“But… but these past few days, when I go to fetch water, I keep catching glimpses of several children playing by the well out of the corner of my eye.”
“Yet whenever I approach or look carefully, there’s nothing there!”
“Moreover, this morning, my daughter inexplicably stood by the well talking to herself, and in the end, she almost jumped in!”
“Luckily, I noticed in time and stopped her…”
Cui Fugui’s voice trembled slightly as he spoke, as if he was still shaken by what had happened that morning.
Zheng Que listened carefully, then nodded.
A well, children.
The situation in Cui Fugui’s home was likely a water ghost.
Additionally, since the water ghost’s attempt on Cui Fugui’s daughter was thwarted by him, the water ghost’s strength probably wasn’t too formidable.
With Qing Li’s help, they should be able to handle it.
Whenever he killed a ghost, it could enhance Qing Li’s strength. He couldn’t pass up a ghost that came knocking and wasn’t too powerful.
Thinking this, Zheng Que immediately asked, “After discovering the well had a problem, have you continued drinking water from it?”
Cui Fugui shook his head at once. “No! Once I noticed there seemed to be children by the well, I stopped drinking water from it!”
Zheng Que nodded. Water contaminated by a water ghost would carry its Yin Qi, and ordinary people who drank it could easily suffer mishaps.
But since the Cui family hadn’t drunk from the well, he would only need to deal with the water ghost.
Having assessed the situation, Zheng Que said, “I think I understand what’s going on.”
“I can go to your home and take a look now.”
Seeing Zheng Que agree, Cui Fugui’s face lit up with joy. “Thank you!”
“Follow me.”
As they spoke, Zheng Que followed Cui Fugui toward the east side of the town. Soon, they arrived before a small, solitary courtyard.
The courtyard was built from sun-dried mud bricks, with straw that had mostly rotted away piled on the walls. The wooden door bore faded spring couplets, and inside stood a few thatched huts.
Just as the two approached the courtyard gate, Zheng Que heard several somewhat familiar voices in his ears.
“Drown her! Drown her!”
“Hahahaha…”
“She’s almost dead!”
“Serves her right! Haha… she deserves it…”