Old Madam Liu heard Yu Daohen say this and poured out all the remaining gold and silver treasures, setting them ablaze with a lighter.
The firelight illuminated the surroundings clearly in the darkness. Vaguely, in the glow of the fire, Yang Fanglan saw figures scrambling for something.
Yang Fanglan broke out in a cold sweat. Yu Daohen's gaze turned icy as he looked at these figures.
Old Madam Liu then poured out all the tea. Yu Daohen said, "Alright, let's go."
As Yang Fanglan took a step, her foot was pulled again. Just as she was about to speak, a powerful force whistled through the air. With a crack, the ghost-striking whip landed at Yang Fanglan's feet. A scream rang out, followed by a wisp of white smoke.
Yang Fanglan shivered in fear, nearly dropping the lamp in her hand. Her legs felt weak, unable to move an inch. Yu Daohen's cold eyes shot forward.
Seeing this, Old Madam Liu supported Yang Fanglan and walked forward. Yu Daohen whipped out another lash, but this time it struck at Old Madam Liu's feet. With another crack, screams erupted once more.
Yu Daohen swung three more times. The whip, woven from willow branches, began to break apart, strand by strand. They continued on their way, shaken but unharmed.
When Yang Fanglan and Old Madam Liu saw the villa not far ahead, their hearts leaped with joy. Yu Daohen also shrugged, knowing they were safe now.
"Master Yu," Old Man Xu called from behind.
Yu Daohen turned his head and suddenly realized, "Damn it."
When he turned back, a layer of mist rose before his eyes. Focusing, he realized he wasn't on the road at all, but in an alley, with houses stretching endlessly on both sides.
"Ghost's Eye Trick?" Yu Daohen took two peach leaves from his pocket and placed them over his eyes, muttering, "Is it evil, is it not? Is it a ghost, is it not? Peach wood calms the soul, peach leaves open the eyes. Open."
As he removed the peach leaves, the scene returned to its original state. Old Madam Liu and the others had already reached the doorway.
Yu Daohen breathed a sigh of relief. Once they were inside, it would be over. But for some reason, Yang Fanglan stood at the doorway, unmoving.
Yu Daohen walked over. Old Madam Liu whispered, "Master Yu, another ghost is blocking the way."
Yu Daohen glanced at the whip, which was on the verge of breaking, and swung again. The ghost-striking whip snapped completely into two sections, and screams erupted from beneath their feet. .oΓg
As Yang Fanglan stepped over the threshold, a small boy's voice suddenly called out from behind, "Mama."
Old Madam Liu's face showed alarm. Just as she was about to stop her, Yang Fanglan had already turned around. The flame in the lamp was rapidly shrinking. Just as it was about to extinguish, Yu Daohen snatched the oil lamp, shielding the flame with one hand while pulling out a yellow talisman with the other and sticking it to the lamp's wall.
The moment the yellow talisman was affixed, the flickering flame stabilized. Yu Daohen handed the lamp back to Yang Fanglan and stood by the doorway, his eyes fixed intently on one spot.
The streetlights, which had been illuminated, suddenly went out. Old Madam Liu narrowed her eyes and looked outside. When she looked ahead, she suddenly knelt down, her face pale, "Wearing red, it's red!"
Yu Daohen glanced at Old Man Xu, who was lying on the threshold, and said in a heavy tone, "Old Man Xu, you must hold your ground."
Old Man Xu sat up, his eyes fixed on the same spot, and said sternly, "No problem, no problem, I can hold it."
Yu Daohen pulled out a yellow talisman with his left hand and gripped the object on his back with his right, ready to draw it at any moment. His eyes were locked on the front, and the hand holding the object on his back tightened its grip.
A figure floated forward, clad in a red dress, its face obscured by long hair. Its hands were as white as snow. Most notably, it didn't walk but floated in the air, drifting closer.
Yu Daohen narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the approaching figure. Just as he was about to draw the object from his back.
The figure suddenly stopped. Its hair seemed to come alive, parting to reveal a face so pale it was inhuman. Those lifeless eyes stared directly at Yu Daohen.
A sinister smile spread across its face, a distortion impossible for a human. A gust of wind blew, and the figure vanished from its spot. The passing streetlights also returned to normal.
Yu Daohen let out a long sigh and slumped onto the threshold. Seeing the red-clothed female ghost disappear, Old Man Xu frowned, "Red clothes, green eyes, feet three inches off the ground. A Sha Gui, it's a Sha Gui!"
Yin Gui, generally, are those who die unjustly and whose resentment is too deep to reincarnate. Their clothes are usually white. However, if they have harmed ten or more lives, their clothes turn red, and their eyes turn green. This is what is known as a Sha Gui.
Yu Daohen stretched lazily and said indifferently, "Whether it's a Sha Gui or not doesn't matter. As long as Zhao Yicheng's soul returns tonight, all this will be over."
A moment later, a cry sounded from upstairs. Yu Daohen grinned, got up, dusted himself off, and turned to leave, saying, "Soul returned, person arrived. This matter is concluded."
Old Man Xu shook his head and smiled faintly. At that moment, the door upstairs opened, and Zhao Yiyi walked out. She gazed at Yu Daohen's retreating back, like a streetlight in the darkness, giving a sense of loneliness.
Old Madam Liu emerged from the room and chuckled, "Since the soul has been summoned back, this old woman will not disturb you further."
Zhao Yiyi watched Yu Daohen's back disappear into the night, then turned to Old Madam Liu and asked, "Grandma Liu, do you know his origins?"
Old Madam Liu paused, looking at Yu Daohen, who had vanished into the darkness, and said in an aged voice, "You're asking about him."
Old Madam Liu pondered for a moment, "How about this, this old woman will tell you a story."
Legend has it that seventeen years ago, a village suffered an unprecedented drought. It hadn't rained for three years. Rivers and wells had all dried up, leaving not a drop of water, and many villagers died. Just as the villagers were at their wits' end, it suddenly rained heavily that night. Simultaneously, a baby boy was born. Due to a difficult labor, his mother died at birth. That same month, his father took the boy out of the village on business. They were involved in a car accident on the road, and the car plunged off a cliff. Strangely, the boy was unharmed, but his father died. From then on, the boy was only left with his grandmother, who raised him. However, good fortune was short-lived. When he was fifteen, his grandmother, who had raised him since childhood, also passed away. For reasons unknown that year, the boy sold all his property and left the village.
Old Madam Liu sighed and shook her head at this point, continuing, "It was half a year ago that he came to Jiangdu and opened a spiritual shop. No one knows where he went after leaving his hometown, what he did, or what he experienced. All that is known is that from then on, Jiangdu had a Master Yu."
Having said this, Old Madam Liu walked towards the main door, while Zhao Yiyi gazed lost in thought in the direction Yu Daohen had gone.