Chapter Thirty-Six: Ning Caichen

Abbot Huiji had foreseen that the locust demon would imprison Nie Xiaoqian’s soul, take over her body, and refine her into a ghost slave, because her fate was perfectly aligned with that of the demon. He planned to go along with the situation: when the locust demon’s spirit possessed Nie Xiaoqian’s body, he would lead the monks of Lanruo Temple to lay down the Heavenly Net Demon-Subduing Formation, using its purifying fire to incinerate the demon.

Though Abbot Huiji had predicted the demon’s intentions, he had not accounted for Ning Caichen’s unexpected involvement. Deeply devoted to his wife, Ning Caichen could not bear to see Nie Xiaoqian sacrificed simply to destroy the locust demon. Yet, as a mere mortal, he was no match for the monks of Lanruo Temple. All he could do was watch helplessly as his wife was consumed by the demon-subduing fire, choosing to die alongside her.

After his death, Ning Caichen’s soul lingered, bound by an obsession too deep to move on. Qu Zhang, who had been acquainted with Ning Caichen in life and felt responsible for what had transpired, did not dispatch his underworld minions to capture Ning’s soul. What Qu Zhang did not know was that Ning Caichen had obtained a ghostly cultivation method before his death. Talented in life, he advanced rapidly in the ghostly arts after death, soon reaching the ninth rank.

At this point, Ning Caichen, tormented by an inner demon, stormed Lanruo Temple alone after his breakthrough. Though the monks had destroyed the locust demon with the Heavenly Net Demon-Subduing Formation, their losses were grave, and both Abbot Huiji and another ninth-rank monk had yet to recover from their wounds. By the time Qu Zhang arrived, Lanruo Temple had become a domain of ghosts, and all its monks, including the abbot, had met a tragic end.

Qu Zhang could not discern exactly what had happened. He only knew that after killing the monks, Ning Caichen’s inner torment had dissipated, and, unexpectedly, Nie Xiaoqian—whose soul should have been utterly destroyed—had reappeared. By then, Qu Zhang’s power had begun to wane, and as both Ning Caichen and Lady Nie had reached the ninth rank, he left Lan Yin Mountain after a cursory investigation.

He reported the temple’s destruction to the City God of the county, but no response ever came, nor did any Buddhist cultivators from the Song Dynasty arrive to investigate. Thus, the matter faded into obscurity.

Qu Zhang was aware of Abbot Huiji’s plan, and he, too, had played a part; it was he who had brought the couple to Lanruo Temple years ago. Whether Ning Caichen and Nie Xiaoqian knew of his involvement, Qu Zhang could not say, but he harbored guilt and, fearing the couple’s power, never returned to Lan Yin Mountain. If he hadn’t been truly desperate this time, he would never have thought to seek their help.

After listening to Qu Zhang’s account of Ning Caichen and his wife, Su Ye was left unsettled. This was not a matter easily judged. Even if Abbot Huiji’s intent was merely to rid Lanruo Temple of the locust demon, it was wrong to force Nie Xiaoqian to pay with the annihilation of her own soul to achieve that end. After all, she was but an ordinary woman, owing nothing to the temple. Yet the massacre of the monks at Ning Caichen’s hands was equally difficult to comment on.

“Brother Qu, I’ll go back and think it over,” Su Ye sighed. Previously, Qu Zhang had only spoken of the couple’s pure-hearted nature in life, never mentioning their actions after death.

“Very well. The evil cultivators of the White Bone Monastery may make a move on the demon flood dragon sealed in Huoyang Mountain after the new year. I must also make further preparations,” Qu Zhang replied with a smile. Even if Su Ye climbed Lan Yin Mountain, there was no guarantee the couple would agree to help; he had to prepare for the worst.

With his thoughts in turmoil, Su Ye left Luoxing Mountain and returned directly to Jinhua County. Time slipped by, and soon the new year arrived. Because of the looming threat from the White Bone Monastery, a shadow hung over Su Ye’s heart that the festive atmosphere could not dispel.

On the sixth day of the new year, Su Ye left Jinhua County alone and headed for Lan Yin Mountain.

“Lan Yin Mountain…” Standing at the foot of the mountain, Su Ye looked up at the gathering storm clouds and could not help but sigh deeply. After a moment’s hesitation, he began to climb.

Lanruo Temple was built halfway up the mountain, and Ning Caichen and his wife now resided there. As Su Ye set foot on the mountain, two ghosts drifted down from above.

“Please halt, sir. Our master and lady do not receive visitors. We must ask you to turn back,” they called.

These two ghosts were not powerful, only at the third level. Yet the aura of pure yin energy they emitted marked them as no malicious spirits. Sensing this, Su Ye relaxed slightly and smiled.

“Would you kindly inform your master that Su Ye from Jinhua County has come to visit? I have a method that may resolve the problem afflicting your lady,” Su Ye said with a smile.

Qu Zhang had said that Nie Xiaoqian’s soul, which should have been destroyed, had reappeared in Lanruo Temple, though her aura was strange. Su Ye had his own suspicions: perhaps the locust demon, using the power of the demon-subduing fire, had fused its soul with Nie Xiaoqian’s. This would explain why the locust demon later reappeared at the temple. As for what happened thereafter, Qu Zhang knew little, and Su Ye could only speculate.

He possessed a technique capable of suppressing the locust demon’s soul. If Nie Xiaoqian’s soul remained, she might be able to use her own strength to gradually refine the demon’s spirit, thereby increasing her own power. Of course, this was only Su Ye’s theory. Whether it reflected reality, he could not be sure.

Now, forced by circumstance, he offered this as a reason for the couple to see him, since they were otherwise unwilling to receive visitors.

“Please wait here, sir. We will report to our master,” the two ghosts replied, eyeing Su Ye with surprise. After a brief exchange, they dissolved into wisps of yin energy and sped back to Lanruo Temple.

Judging by their reaction, Su Ye felt his guess was likely correct: Nie Xiaoqian’s soul was indeed troubled.

He looked up toward the mountain as a cloud of yin energy drifted down, coalescing into a handsome young man—Ning Caichen.

“Fellow Daoist Su, let us not speak of other matters for now. Do you truly have a way to resolve the issue with my wife?” Ning Caichen’s face was etched with anxiety, his eyes fixed tightly on Su Ye, searching for any hint of falsehood.

“There is a high probability—eight or nine chances out of ten. But I must see your lady first before I can give a definite answer,” Su Ye replied with a gentle smile.