Those with the ability to cross into the underworld and communicate with the spirits are always extraordinarily sensitive. At this moment, Shen Cuiyu could clearly sense the bone - deep sorrow permeating the air.
It was the years - long grievance and unwillingness pent up by Shi Qiu.
Over the years, Shi Qiu had been consumed by hatred. The sole purpose of her lingering soul in the world was revenge.
Now that it was all over, she couldn't find meaning in her existence and naturally felt helpless.
Shen Cuiyu thought for a moment. Then, under the surprised and confused gazes of everyone, she stepped forward alone and walked up to the skeleton that had been curled up under the millstone for seven years.
She didn't shy away from the filthy surroundings and the overwhelming resentment. She just stood there quietly for a moment. Then, she took off her outer robe. Bending down, she gently wrapped Shi Qiu's small, distorted skeleton bit by bit, carefully...
Throughout the process, Shen Cuiyu looked solemn. The look in her eyes was not pity, but rather a respect for life and an understanding of injustice.
The celestial masters finally understood - Shen Cuiyu was preparing Shi Qiu's body for burial.
"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes," Shen Cuiyu murmured in a cold yet strangely soothing voice. Her words slowly penetrated the lingering resentment. "The body has perished. The past sufferings should fade away with the mortal remains..."
Shen Cuiyu's voice wasn't very loud, but the bone - chilling resentment that had been swirling in the mill actually froze for a moment!
The nauseatingly sweet and putrid smell in the air also seemed to be swept away by a fresh mountain breeze, fading a bit...
Shi Qiu stared blankly at Shen Cuiyu as she gathered her bones. A strange sense of sorrow suddenly welled up in her heart.
Perhaps because she died under the millstone, over the years, Shi Qiu's soul had always been bound by an invisible heavy pressure. Every day, she felt as if the millstone was still pressing on her back, so heavy that it was hard for her to breathe.
But just now, the weight that had bound her for seven years had miraculously lessened.
The feeling of being treated seriously was so good that she actually felt... like crying.
This thought surprised even herself! She had been dead for seven years. She should have been unable to shed tears long ago...
After Shen Cuiyu had properly gathered Shi Qiu's bones, she buried them and erected a simple but proper tomb.
Only then did Zhong Shengwan step forward. A faint spiritual light glowed from his fingertips as he gently touched Shi Qiu's forehead.
After a moment, he withdrew his hand, frowning slightly:
"Your soul has been eroded by the suppression formation for too long and has undergone a mutation," he said calmly. "Now you are neither an ordinary living soul nor a complete undead soul. You're more like a wandering soul caught between the realms of the living and the dead."
Having said that, he looked at Shen Cuiyu, thinking of a solution:
"Her obsession is too deep and her karma remains. What's more troublesome is - " his gaze turned to the body of the child that Shi Qiu had possessed. "Although this body is a stillborn fetus, since Shi Qiu has forcefully occupied it, she has become involved in the web of cause and effect. If we try to forcibly transcend her, it might backfire and cause her soul to disperse."
Hearing this, the celestial masters all sighed. It meant that Shi Qiu had now become an anomaly outside the three realms. She couldn't enter the underworld, couldn't stay in the human world for long, and couldn't even be considered a true case of soul - possession and rebirth...
Dong Fangxiao had witnessed Shi Qiu's experiences in the illusion and felt very sorry for her. Hearing this, she was anxious and couldn't help but say:
"How can this be Shi Qiu's fault? It was An Peng who killed her first! Are we just going to let her be a homeless wandering soul forever because of this?"
"So," Shen Cuiyu continued, looking at Shi Qiu with a clear gaze. "Come back to the Myriad Phenomena Academy with us."
As soon as she said this, everyone was stunned.
The Myriad Phenomena Academy was filled with restrictions everywhere. How could Shi Qiu, a wandering soul, enter?
But Shen Cuiyu silently looked at the small body not far away and explained:
"Your resentment has faded a lot. We can use a formation to maintain the connection between your soul and your physical body. After we return to the academy, you can start studying and even cultivating again. When your obsession fades and your karma is repaid, you can live like a normal person."
These words left Shi Qiu stunned for a long time.
"Can I... live like a normal person?" Besides being happy, Shi Qiu was also a bit worried. "But I've looked like a ghost for so long..."
"You look great now," the yellow - rank female disciple replied. "There are formations in the academy to purify resentment and scriptures to soothe souls. There are also many classmates. Everyone will like you!"
"Yeah, yeah. When we get back to the academy, we'll take you to the cafeteria for a meal..."
"Forget it. What's so good about the cafeteria food? I heard that the Kuailv Pavilion has new dishes."
Shi Qiu listened blankly to the chattering of these disciples. She felt as if something warm was struggling to grow in her chest...
So this was what it felt like to have friends...
Finally, Shi Qiu nodded. "I'm willing... to go back with you."
Shen Cuiyu took out three incense sticks and gently twirled them between her fingertips. The tips of the incense sticks ignited without fire, and the curling smoke rose straight up.
She firmly inserted the incense around Shi Qiu's wandering soul and the small body, forming a clean circle.
This formation was quite large, and Shen Cuiyu alone couldn't complete it. Fortunately, there were many disciples on this trip. They could surely complete it together.
Zhong Shengwan, as the one with the highest spiritual power in the group, had taken his position at the eye of the formation. At this moment, spiritual light flowed from his fingertips as he precisely completed the formation.
Seeing this, the other disciples quickly took their positions. Their spiritual powers converged like rivers flowing into the sea. A pure and holy light rose from the incense circle, gently enveloping Shi Qiu's soul.
Shi Qiu felt a long - lost warmth surging from all directions.
The warmth was like the spring sun melting the snow, gradually dispelling the seven - year - old cold from her soul.
As the cold faded, the hideous wounds on Shi Qiu's soul gradually healed. Her distorted limbs returned to their natural state, and finally, the true appearance of a delicate girl emerged - she was wearing a washed - out cloth dress, with a hint of scholarly air between her eyebrows, but her face was pale as if transparent.
The next moment, her soul returned to her body. "Xiaoxiao" slowly opened her eyes. She looked down at her hands and feet and truly felt a different kind of ease and freedom!
The disciples exchanged glances and finally broke into smiles.
But a yellow - rank disciple asked thoughtfully, "Will Dean Ren allow Shi Qiu to enter the academy?"
Shen Cuiyu smiled. "He will."
At this moment, Ren Daoyuan, standing on the highest star - watching platform in the academy, sneezed twice.
He looked into the distance at the faint spiritual light fluctuations in the direction of the mill, stroked his beard, and smiled.