I couldn't help but reminisce about the nights spent here. Back then, I never thought we would part ways.I've gotten used to having a cold embrace every night. It's a bit chilly, but that kind of hug...What a mess!

Everyone says nine times nine equals one, perfect wholeness. Does that mean I really have to be born nine times! What a joke! Even if I had to live for multiple lifetimes, it wouldn't be enough!

I was startled awake by the child's words, and the child clutched his belly and laughed, writhing about on the gourd.

Jiang Qiyun glared at him: "…Did you come here to scare her"

The little boy grinned and said, “I, I just hope there are more newcomers to the upper realm, don’t you”

His innocent eyes, yet brimming with profound depths, spoke softly: “In the past two or three hundred years, look around, who in this world has attained enlightenment It’s the end of Dharma, everyone has lost their faith. To us, they are all just mindless walking corpses, enjoying life for a while, then reporting to the underworld, and reincarnating again… Ah, it's so boring without new people!”

That's not possible! I already have three little tyrants at home, and they drive me crazy enough. Lanxi, that rascal, is the worst; he’s a handful on his own. How could I dare to have more children…

Jiang Qiyun actually went along with me. After Lan Xi was born, he didn't bring it up again. If I really asked him to take care of the child, I think he would be even less likely to—it's too tiring.

"Cut the crap, with all this worry you wouldn't be in the next realm." Jiang Qiyun said coldly.

The little boy shook his head immediately: "No way! Going back to the mortal realm means entering reincarnation. Which immortal would be bored enough to do such a foolish thing... Sigh, where is the person who needs saving"

Jiang Qiyun casually pointed with his hand, and the little boy jumped down from the gourd and walked over to look at Guo Daxian'er.

Guo Daxian'er's eyes rolled white, blood still frothing from the corner of his mouth, and his limbs twitched slightly.

It turns out that Jiang Qiyun summoned the little spirit boy down to the mortal realm to save people...

The little boy crouched beside Guo Daxian'er, pulling open the shrunken mouth of the gourd and muttering to himself, “You mortal are truly lucky, being able to be saved by the Heavenly Emperor. Now all your blessings have been used up here. Remember to accumulate more yin virtues in the future…”

As he spoke, he poured out a small pill that was half red and half black from the gourd.

Wow……it's the elixir refined in the Qinghua Changle Realm furnace, isn't it I'm so envious……

I crouched aside, eagerly watching. That was the true elixir that all cultivators yearned for!

The little boy raised his hand, holding a half-red and half-black pill in front of Guo Daxian'er's face, and then...

Using his finger, he "dug" out the black half. Black powder fell into Guo Daxian'er's mouth.

"This elixir is beyond your comprehension, but since the little mistress wants to save someone, I'll give you the burnt scraps... anyway, they're going to be scraped off anyway..." he muttered to himself.

This, this is "ash"!

I was dumbfounded. The little boy put the charred pill back into the gourd and looked up at me, asking, "Hmm Little Empress, do you want to eat it too This is ash, you can't eat this..."

I don't want to eat!

But this bit of "ash" seemed to be enough to save even an ordinary person, the effect of invigorating qi was simply magical. It melted into the blood spit from Guo Daxian'er's mouth, and in a short while, Guo Daxian'er suddenly coughed up a black blood clot.

He woke up considerably, his eyes gradually focusing, and he began to look at me.

"Now, I believe it's safe to say that I'm not here to kill and steal, right" I said in a low voice.

A single tear welled up in the corner of his eye, he couldn't tell if it was from pain or emotion. He choked out, "What do you want to know...what do you want to take away..."

I said seriously, "Do you have one of the Sixiang Ghostly Artifacts in your hand If you do, I'm here to borrow it sincerely. You say the cost or term of the loan, and I'll try my best to meet your requirements."

"Who are you" he asked me, looking at me with confusion.

"I am Mu Xia Qiao, the proxy head of the Shen family."

He widened his eyes, coughing and struggling to sit up.

The effects of the Immortal's elixir were indeed beyond words. He sat cross-legged and recovered very quickly.

Should I also get some soot from a child's stove to carry around for protection

The little boy was gone, and Jiang Qiyun ordered the Yin officials and ghost attendants to take away the red-clad male ghost who had been dragged away. The surroundings suddenly fell silent.

The wind howled, and I crouched down by the edge of the cloud-ascending leg of the river, about two or three zhang away, watching that Guo Daxian'er.

The cold light of the flashlight shone on him, he gasped for breath and whispered, “Thank you for saving me…”

"...it's also your lucky break." I replied.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with a wry smile, saying that his misfortune began the moment he obtained this cursed weapon.

The Yin Yang circle has always been something outsiders cannot intrude upon.

It's not that you can just learn a bit of Feng Shui on your own, use an electronic compass, or be a fan of the paranormal, and then join this circle just because you self-taught yourself through Baidu.

Inheritance is the most important, and arguably the only, way to carry on this tradition.

The most common one is family tradition, which forms the foundation of a family's existence. Naturally born into this environment, many things are understood without having to learn them.

Then there's the very important concept of "lineage." Without a lineage, and not being from a prestigious family, you wouldn't be considered an insider. You would simply be a hobbyist or a common believer.

This Guo Daxian, he is a descendant of a family line of "Great Immortals," with his ancestors and forefathers all being Taoist priests. However, in his youth, he was a wastrel, and he happened to live during a time of great societal upheaval. When he was young, he didn't learn much about the relevant magical arts.

And he fell into gambling, leading to a harsh severing of ties with his father. However, after his father's death, even though their relationship was severed, as the only son, he had to inherit the family business. Unfortunately, he lacked skill and could only squander his inheritance.

One day, he found in his father's diary a record of a place where some "property" was hidden. During his gambling years, his father had feared that he would squander the money or that it would be seized by creditors, or even by court order.

His father was right here, in this tomb discovered by his ancestors, where he dug a passage and hid some important artifacts, burying them and planting soil flags. He would often come at night to check on them.

Back then, there were still horses, and people lived around here.

Now there was nothing left, Guo Daxian'er followed the trail to find this place, dug open the cellar, and obtained the magic weapon inside.

There was a magic artifact that was very useful for collecting souls. As a result, Guo Daxian'er became famous and was known as Guo Daxian'er. However, he was timid and could hide his whereabouts whenever he felt uneasy. Since he had no family, he often moved places. Anyway, the money he earned from commissions was enough to cover his basic living expenses.

After several years, Guo Daxian'er discovered that the souls collected by the magic weapon were not liberated, but "swallowed."

This made him increasingly afraid, fearing that he would be swallowed too.

When he wanted to try the "Purification" artifact, that red-cloaked ghost emerged, hiding within the artifact all along. The inept Guo Daxian only realized later that it wasn't his own magical power that was collecting souls, but rather he had been used by the artifact itself.

At this point, the red-cloaked ghost had consumed too many souls and was completely out of control. Guo Daxian'er simply decided to continue cooperating with this "ghost," after all, he only cared about a life of ease and happiness anyway.

Later, just the other day, I dreamt of a lizard-like little monster lying on a magical artifact. When I tried to drive it away, it disappeared...

"That wasn't a dream, you were possessed by a small demon, completely taken over." I frowned and said, "Your artifact and the power of the Red-robed Ghost have already attracted the attention of some demons."

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and whispered, "B-but... this is my treasure... I can't..."

"Compared to following fate, which is more important" I asked him again.

He remained silent, his face contorted in pain.

The Yin officials behind Jiang Qiyun transformed into a gust of Yin wind, retrieving that "artifact".

The weapon rolled at my feet.

A simple lamp base, with a round bowl on top and a bamboo-like stand, rolled to my feet with a clatter.

Lamp How is it a lamp again!he statement was rather irresponsible, it elicited a light and airy smile from him.“Indeed, your surroundings are my Peach Blossom Spring…”He gently stroked my face with his hand.That audacious serpen...