I decided to first send the soul of Feng Zhenzhen, who died tragically in a car accident, on its way and perform an exorcism ritual for her.
Generally, the souls of the deceased would be directly chained by the ghost catchers from the Underworld and taken back to the Netherworld for trial. Then, on the seventh night after death, the ghost catchers would bring them back to the places where they used to live. After that, they would return to the Netherworld to await punishment or queue up for reincarnation.
Those souls that weren't taken away by the ghost catchers would become wandering spirits.
Although it sounds easy, as if wandering spirits were everywhere, in fact, the ghost catchers from the Underworld could take on countless forms. As long as someone was about to die, there would always be a ghost - catcher there to guide the soul. Moreover, there were the Black and White Impermanence, Ox - Head and Horse - Face, these powerful ghost officers in the Underworld, who were in charge of dealing with those resentful ghosts that were reluctant to go to the Netherworld to settle their accounts.
The souls that could escape the arrest of the ghost catchers by themselves were extremely rare.
However, there were four such souls by my side!
As I was setting up the altar, I frowned and thought.
My A Jian was an old ghost. He had a special identity. Not only the ghost catchers, but even the Ten Kings of the Underworld would show him respect. He was willing to follow me just because he was bored in his ghostly life and wanted to find something to do.
Wang Yingxiu, the red - clad vengeful ghost, was one of the mother - and - son evil spirits. Her resentment was extremely deep. The Netherworld usually gave special treatment to those who died a violent death with two lives lost. She could avenge her grievances before going to the Netherworld to settle her accounts.
Feng Zhenzhen and Xiaoshanzi from the Yang family, however, had their souls captured by a powerful and skilled person, who deliberately avoided the guidance of the ghost catchers and left them stranded in the human world.
Such ghosts were the most miserable, and there were only three possible endings for them.
The first was to be refined by a scheming sorcerer into a controllable ghost servant, suffering from the pain of ice and fire every day and never having the chance to be reincarnated.
The second was to wander aimlessly in the world until all their spiritual consciousness was worn away and they vanished into thin air.
The third was Feng Zhenzhen's current state. Her soul had harmed others and was involved in karma. If she wasn't exorcised in time, her resentment would become deeper and deeper. She might lose all her sanity and turn into an evil ghost. By then, she would regard people as prey and kill them. When the heavenly punishment came, she would have accumulated countless lives on her hands. Perhaps it wouldn't just be the pain of reincarnation in the eighteen levels of hell...
I set up my altar on the old - fashioned square table in the main hall of the Yang family. The table was covered with yellow silk. Two red candles in copper holders were already lit. As I chanted the incantation to invite the gods and burned the yellow paper, a small whirlwind rose on the ground of the main hall. There were faint sounds of chains in the whirlwind.
"Please show yourself, great ghost - catcher. Feng Zhenzhen, the daughter of the Feng family, died a violent death. I need your help to guide her soul!"
I loudly chanted and grabbed a handful of paper money and threw it into the broken clay pot prepared in front of the table. With a "boom", a thick stack of paper money turned into grayish - white ashes and whirled up into the air. This meant that the ghost - catcher had successfully received the money.
Since ancient times, money could make the devil push the mill. I let out a small sigh of relief and opened the soul bottle containing Feng Zhenzhen. A faint cold air came out. Feng Zhenzhen's faint figure was already kneeling on the ground.
"Bold ghost! How dare you avoid the arrest of the ghost - catchers and kill two people! You will surely be sent to the prison of copper pillars and have your soul burned to ashes!"
Suddenly, the whirlwind in the air spread out like rolling water waves and swayed in all directions. There were countless translucent and ferocious ghost faces glaring down at Feng Zhenzhen and me.
Feng Zhenzhen was so scared that she curled up into a small ball and looked up at the omnipresent ghost - catchers in horror.
"Great ghost - catcher, you've already taken the money!!"
I shook the soul - guiding bell on the table. The clear sound seemed to catch the attention of the ghost - catcher. One of the countless faces suddenly stretched out in front of me and circled around me.
"Little girl, so it's you!"
A hint of a smile appeared on the transparent face of the ghost - catcher. "You're wearing a skirt instead of a Taoist robe. I almost didn't recognize you... However, even if we're acquaintances, I can't bend the law for personal gain. This ghost has committed a heinous crime and dared to escape the trial of the Netherworld. In fact, I don't have to take care of her anymore..."
As he said this, a small hand materialized under his illusory ghost face. He rubbed his thumb and index finger together, making a well - known gesture.
I knew that money could make the devil push the mill. I immediately smiled obsequiously and threw a "mountain" of ingot - shaped paper money into the blazing fire.
"Of course I know that she deserves death. That's why I'm asking you, great ghost - catcher, to take her back to the Netherworld to settle her accounts. It's also a good deed for you."
I grinned and took out two more stacks of paper money.
"Too little!" The ferocious face of the ghost - catcher showed a rich expression. "At least... five more treasuries!!"
The amount of money in the Netherworld was not measured in "yuan", "jiao", or "fen", nor in "hundreds", "thousands", or "ten - thousands". It was measured in "treasuries".
Just like the warehouses in the human world, they stored not only money but also virtues.
Good people in the world had many treasuries in the Netherworld, so they could bless their descendants or enjoy a happy afterlife. Those with moral flaws, even if they could escape the trial of the Ten Kings of the Underworld, wouldn't have a good afterlife.
The treasuries the ghost - catcher asked me for were just a handful of yellow paper in the human world. With the strong support of Wei Yuan, a rich second - generation, I could even burn a whole paper - making factory for him!!
However, I still bargained with him seriously. Only then did the ghost - catcher happily put the chain on Feng Zhenzhen and disappear into the void...
Si Jiangchen watched me perform this "pantomime" the whole time. The cigarette case on the table was already empty.
After I burned the incantation to send the gods away, Feng Zhenzhen had completely disappeared from the human world.
Her painful and miserable life of more than a decade had drawn a helpless "full stop". I burned a lot of material ingots, hoping that she could be reincarnated into a loving family in her next life and enjoy the warmth that she had never felt in this life.
The fire was dancing on the dim floor of the main hall, shining on my face. It was very hot. The sweat on my head had trickled down my chin and dripped onto the fabric of my chest, forming dark spots.
I picked up the embers of the paper ash to make sure they burned out completely.
At this time, a large enamel teacup was brought to my lips. I subconsciously took a big sip. Immediately, a refreshing coolness flowed into my stomach through my mouth.
Then, I tasted the sweet taste of green bean paste on my taste buds.
Si Jiangchen's voice came from beside me, "I asked them to cook green bean paste. I put some rock sugar in it and chilled it in well water. Don't eat too much cold food. Be careful of getting a stomachache..."
Before he could finish speaking, I took another big sip.
In the hot summer, I was most prone to hypoglycemia. The recent commotion had made me a little out of breath and dizzy. This green bean paste really saved my life!!
The fire in the main hall gradually went out. I saw Aunt Yang carefully lift a corner of the bamboo curtain and ask in a soft voice, "Little Master Du, can I ask you for a favor?"
I had already grabbed the enamel teacup and taken two more big sips. Then I seriously shook my head and said to Aunt Yang, "Aunt, I know you want to see Xiaoshanzi again, but it's not possible!"
"… W - why?!"
Seeing that I had guessed her thoughts, Aunt Yang gently wiped away her tears. "It's all my fault. If I had listened to the Taoist priest earlier, Xiaoshanzi wouldn't have died..."