The figure of the ghost messenger had quietly faded away in the curling white smoke, as if it had never been there. The once - thick resentment in the courtyard was gradually dissipating. Feng Chuman's soul began to show a deep weariness and relief.
Shen Cuiyu knew that the time had come.
Feng Chuman had died too young and in such a tragic way. She was a fierce ghost who died an untimely death. Her resentment had prevented her from being reborn.
Now that her obsession was over and her resentment had dispersed, she couldn't stay in the human world for long. Shen Cuiyu had to send her to the underworld quickly to be reborn.
Shen Cuiyu washed her hands, burned incense, dipped her brush in cinnabar, and with a flowing stroke, drew a rebirth talisman on the paper.
While she was doing all this, Pei Yu was quietly watching by her side.
He had seen many celestial masters and eminent monks hold salvation ceremonies. The processes were extremely cumbersome and long, with complex scriptures being chanted for a whole day.
But Shen Cuiyu's salvation ceremony was different from any Pei Yu had ever seen. It was extremely simple. She only softly chanted two sentences of scriptures, and not far away, Feng Chuman began to change suddenly!
The once hideous and festering wounds actually healed at a visible speed. The distorted, bloody and blurred facial features gradually became clear and gentle, and finally showed the delicate outline of a sixteen - year - old girl.
Feng Chuman raised her hand and let the long - missed sunlight shine through her fingers and fall on her face. An unprecedented lightness and warmth enveloped her.
She felt like a fallen leaf that had finally broken free from the spider web and would float with the gentle breeze to a warm and peaceful place.
In the light, Feng Chuman's figure became fainter and fainter, but her expression became more and more gentle. She finally looked up at Shen Cuiyu. In her clear eyes, there was gratitude, melancholy, and calmness towards the unknown journey ahead.
"Thank you, celestial master, for sending me on my way... If there is an afterlife..." Her voice was very soft, but every word was clear. "I think I will still choose to be a girl again. I hope that by then, I can live freely and fearlessly."
A gentle breeze with a breath of liberation blew through the courtyard. Shen Cuiyu stood still. She lowered her eyes, and her gaze fell on her light - yellow dress. The place that had been stained red by Feng Chuman's blood was now as clean as new with the dissipation of the resentment, leaving no trace.
Pei Yu looked at everything around that had returned to normal and felt as if he had passed through a different era.
He glanced at Shen Cuiyu beside him. She still looked like an innocent girl who knew nothing about the world. But who could have thought that it was this unremarkable little girl in front of him who had personally resolved the obsession of this fierce ghost.
The bone - chilling cold in the courtyard had long since disappeared. The afternoon sun became bright and warm again, shining on the unconscious people of the Qin family.
Shen Cuiyu whispered a few incantations. With a spell gesture, all the people of the Qin family felt a sudden shock in their minds, as if someone had struck a big bell in their heads, and they gradually woke up.
Mrs. Qin covered her head and got up blankly. "Celestial master... What happened..." Her eyes caught sight of Qin Keyun not far away. Mrs. Qin suddenly let out a scream and quickly stepped forward to pick her up. She shook her gently, and the girl in her arms slowly opened her eyes.
"Mother..." Qin Keyun frowned. She felt as if she had slept for a long time. When she woke up, her whole body ached. "Mother, I seem to have had a very long dream, but I can't remember anything when I woke up..."
Shen Cuiyu handed the scroll in her hand to Mrs. Qin and said calmly, "The wronged soul in the painting has dispersed. You just need to bury this scroll, erect a tombstone and engrave words on it to end the last cause and effect. Miss Qin is also fine. She is just physically weak now. Let her soak in the sun more, and she will recover in a few days."
"Thank you, celestial master! Thank you, celestial master! The Qin family will always remember the great kindness of the celestial master!" Hearing this, Mrs. Qin carefully took the scroll. While thanking Shen Cuiyu, she hugged Qin Keyun tightly and murmured softly, "My child, it's good that you're awake. Nothing else matters..."
...........
After this matter was over, Shen Cuiyu returned to the Shen Mansion and enjoyed a few rare days of peaceful and leisurely time.
To Shen Cuiyu's surprise, during this period, Prince Pei actually sent someone to deliver several boxes of things, only saying that they were tokens of gratitude.
Shen Cuiyu took a brief look and was amazed at Pei Yu's generosity.
The Qin family was truly grateful. After Qin Keyun had recuperated for a while, Mr. and Mrs. Qin brought their beloved daughter and prepared generous gifts, and personally came to the Shen Mansion.
As salt merchants in Yangzhou, the Qin family was extremely generous!
Dozens of heavy pear - wood boxes painted with gold and colors were carried by servants. The grand procession almost blocked half of the street outside the Shen Mansion!
The boxes were filled with rare treasures and precious medicinal materials, a dazzling array of items with incalculable value.
The commotion was so great that passers - by who didn't know what was going on thought it was the betrothal gifts for a nobleman's wedding. They all rushed over to watch the excitement. When they got closer, they heard the Qin family's steward loudly announce:
"The Qin family of Yangzhou is grateful for the life - saving grace of Celestial Master Shen Cuiyu. We have specially prepared these humble gifts and come to pay our respects!"
Hearing this, everyone was in an uproar!
Celestial master? Life - saving grace? Miss Shen Er, Shen Cuiyu?!
"Good heavens! Is it the Shen Cuiyu who was still stupid and on the verge of death not long ago..."
Now she had actually become a celestial master who could exorcise evil spirits and was thanked so grandly?!
This news was like pouring a ladle of cold water into boiling oil. It instantly caused a stir in the capital!
The people around were talking loudly. Their eyes were all fixed on the slowly opening gate of the Shen Mansion. Their looks were either curious and amazed or in awe and inquiry. They all wanted to catch a glimpse of the little celestial master.
In the front hall of the Shen Mansion, the atmosphere was warm and heart - warming.
Shen Zanghai sat at the top. His usually calm face could hardly hide his pride. He was smiling and chatting with the grateful Mr. Qin.
Mrs. Zou was sitting beside them. She held Mrs. Qin's hand and gently asked about Qin Keyun's recovery.
The most excited one was Shen Mu'an.
This young master of the Shen family had been walking with a spring in his step these days. He told everyone vividly about his younger sister's "legendary deeds" of how she had used her supernatural powers to save Miss Qin.
Now he was dancing with excitement as he gestured to a group of friends who had come after hearing the news:
"Look! This was A Cui's first time going to the underworld and communicating with spirits alone, and she did it so beautifully. She sent that century - old fierce ghost to be reborn cleanly! What is this? This is 'the young phoenix sings clearer than the old one'! She is truly a girl of our Shen family!"
Shen Mu'an was beaming with pride. His tone was ten times more excited than if he himself had achieved a great feat!
After that day, the threshold of the Shen Mansion was almost worn out by the continuous stream of visitors!
There were those who sincerely admired the celestial master's supernatural powers and came to make friends, those who were curious and wanted to find out the inside story, and also many people whose families seemed to have something amiss and wanted to invite Shen Cuiyu to judge the matter...
But the center of all this, the little celestial master Shen Cuiyu who had been pushed to the forefront, was quietly drawing talismans in her own small courtyard at the moment.
The outside noise and praise didn't seem to disturb Shen Cuiyu's inner peace too much. Shen Cuiyu knew that her journey as a celestial master in this life had just begun.