Volume One: The Soul-Guiding Gourd and the Soul-Igniting Lamp Chapter 16: The Arrival of the Weathered Woman in Her Thirties
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At dawn, the first ray of sunlight poured into the room, infusing life into the flowers, birds, fish, and insects, all basking in nature’s generous gifts.
Gu Mo, exhausted from the previous night, squinted as he slowly awakened.
“Damn it!”
With a resounding curse, Gu Mo jolted upright, threw off his blanket, and hurriedly checked his clothes.
Seeing his trousers perfectly intact, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
“Thank heavens nothing happened!”
He forced a bitter smile as he muttered this. The King of Hell, Jiang Jingxue, was probably still asleep.
“What kind of world is this? It’s gotten to the point where even a grown man like me has to protect his chastity.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Gu Mo crashed back into the comfort of his bed.
“With the world upside down, I have to cultivate at night. I might as well enjoy a good sleep during the day!”
Yet, as soon as Gu Mo closed his eyes, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something urgent had slipped his mind.
He took a deep breath and began to think over his current situation.
My name is Gu Mo. I’m twenty-eight years old.
My grandfather sent me away when I was young. After graduating from college not long ago, I’d been studying and working in other cities.
Single?
Wait, I do have an ex-girlfriend—Li Hongyan.
Because my grandfather passed away a few days ago, a phone call brought me back to Beihuang Town.
Unexpectedly, I was lured into the Underworld from the incense shop.
Among the relics my grandfather left were three ancient books, an artifact called the “Soul-Guiding Gourd,” and the key to the incense shop.
Incense shop? …Incense shop!
“Damn it!”
The moment Gu Mo thought of the incense shop, his whole body tensed in alarm.
“I’m doomed, the shop’s front door is still broken!”
That thought made him leap to his feet, hastily pull on his clothes, grab the black bundle containing the ancient books, and race toward the shop.
He sped along like an ant on a hot pan, feeling the scenery around him shift rapidly.
A journey that should have taken over twenty minutes was covered in mere minutes.
Panting heavily, Gu Mo stood at the entrance, drenched in sweat.
As soon as he looked up, he saw the ruined wooden door and the mess scattered across the shop’s floor.
Gu Mo squinted, his features twisting together in dismay.
The stench was so foul it seemed to manifest as swirling black mist, slowly spreading through the incense shop.
Fortunately, no one was watching, nor did the shop show any signs of customers.
Gu Mo could only clamp his nose and mouth, open the doors and windows for ventilation, then sit on the nearby steps and light a cigarette.
After a few puffs, an awkward smile crept across his face.
“What was I thinking? Even if there were thieves, who would rob an incense shop? It’s terrifying enough just being here!”
After this bitter laugh, Gu Mo curiously glanced at the surrounding shops.
He hadn’t returned in years, and the town had changed a lot. High-rises now surrounded the area; even across from the incense shop, a chain convenience store had opened.
He stubbed out his cigarette and smiled wryly.
Though Beihuang Town was remote, it was only an hour’s drive from the city. Many who couldn’t afford city housing chose to live here.
If given the chance, it’d be best to wander around and reacquaint himself with the place.
After a brief rest, Gu Mo stood and began sweeping up the debris inside the shop.
Moments later, he sat at the counter and started examining the three ancient books in his bundle.
The one titled “Wraiths of Fate” read almost like a novel. Though illustrations were scarce, the content was bizarre and fascinating, leaving Gu Mo increasingly bewildered as he read.
“Are there really so many kinds of spirits and monsters in this world?”
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Muttering to himself, Gu Mo smiled faintly.
Just then, a shuffling sound came from the doorway.
Instinctively looking up, Gu Mo saw a ragged old man passing by the incense shop. Though it was only a fleeting moment, Gu Mo caught sight of a scroll peeking from the old man’s arms.
Once the old man had moved on, Gu Mo raised his brow in suspicion.
“Huh? Why was there black mist emanating from that scroll? Could it be something strange?”
No sooner had he spoken than he felt a sudden slap to the back of his head.
No need to guess—it had to be Jiang Jingxue, the King of Hell!
Gu Mo forced a bitter smile; nothing good ever happened when this foolish girl appeared.
He cleared his throat and assumed a serious tone, “You may be the King of Hell, but I’m your husband. Next time, don’t hit me when you show up.”
At this, Jiang Jingxue’s laughter rang in his mind like silver bells.
“I’ve told you, until the ceremony is complete, I can hit you whenever I please!”
Gu Mo was utterly helpless at her words, and in his misery, the old man who had just passed by returned.
A strong smell of smoke wafted in.
The old man stopped at the entrance, peering curiously into the shop. Driven by curiosity, Gu Mo sized up this peculiar visitor.
He looked to be in his fifties, barely over 1.6 meters tall, extremely thin. His silver hair, dark circles, and sallow skin revealed he cared little for his health.
His clothes were so tattered that the phrase “ragged attire” barely sufficed; they were mere strips of cloth, and his sneakers practically whistled with every step.
Strangest of all, wisps of black mist seemed to seep from the old man’s body.
Even so, he clutched the scroll tightly to his chest, as if terrified someone might snatch it away.
Gu Mo stood and greeted him politely.
“Sir, is there anything you’d like to buy?”
The old man trembled with rage, glared fiercely, and snapped,
“Who are you calling ‘sir’? You little brat, I’m only thirty! Want me to smack you?”
Gu Mo’s face immediately darkened.
‘Why is this old man so rude? He clearly looks ancient—how could he possibly be thirty?’
After venting, the old man scowled and grumbled,
“Shopkeeper, give me a bundle of incense, an incense burner, and a pair of red and white candles!”
Suppressing his irritation, Gu Mo turned to the shelves.
His grandfather’s incense shop was well-stocked, each offering labeled with a price tag, so there was no risk of mischarging.
He packed the items into a black plastic bag and handed them over.
“Incense, five yuan; burner, twenty; candles, ten. Thirty-five in total.”
The ragged old man glanced at the bag, then pulled out a brand-new iPhone.
“Where’s your payment code?”
Gu Mo was taken aback; his grandfather would never have had such a thing. So, he opened his own WeChat.
Beep—thirty-five yuan received!
After paying, the old man turned and walked out, but not before shooting Gu Mo a venomous glare.
“Next time, keep your eyes open, you idiot!”
Gu Mo scowled. Encountering such a fool first thing in the morning was truly unlucky.
Just as he was about to curse, Jiang Jingxue’s voice rang in his mind.
“Minion, that old man is suspicious!”
Gu Mo snorted coldly.
“No kidding! If I weren’t trying to do business, I’d have smacked him already!”
The next instant, he felt another hard slap to the back of his head.
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“Minion, did you notice the scroll in the old man’s arms?”
Gu Mo frowned, “What about it? Isn’t it just a tattered thing leaking black mist? Unless it’s some antique!”
Jiang Jingxue, seeing Gu Mo’s temper, refrained from hitting him again.
“In my opinion, that scroll holds a ‘Spirit of the Painting’!”
Gu Mo’s anger faded as he raised a curious eyebrow.
“Spirit of the Painting? What’s that?”
Jiang Jingxue chuckled, “It’s a female ghost refined within the painting! Didn’t you notice how haggard that old man looked?”
Gu Mo’s mind raced.
“Spirit of the Painting… Is it like those tales where the ghost gets up at night, smears rouge and powder onto the painting, then sticks it to her face? That way, she becomes beautiful and can roam about, draining men’s vitality?”
Jiang Jingxue explained patiently,
“More or less. Since he hasn’t gone far, hurry and follow him!”
Gu Mo curled his lip in refusal.
“Forget it! He brought this on himself. I don’t want to invite disaster.”
He rolled his eyes and began to complain,
“If it’s not ghosts of day and night, it’s female zombies. I can barely avoid them as it is!”
Jiang Jingxue reached out her ghastly pale hand and twisted Gu Mo’s ear tightly.
“Minion, without the Soul-Guiding Gourd, how will you refine lost souls? Without refining them, where will you get ghostly energy? And without ghostly energy, aren’t you afraid of the Soul-Binding Chains inside you?”
Three deadly questions made Gu Mo waver.
But who knew how powerful that ‘Spirit of the Painting’ might be?
If things went wrong, his life could be forfeit!
With that thought, Gu Mo sat coldly on his stool and flipped open the ancient book on the table.
“Hmph!”
Jiang Jingxue snorted and fell silent.
Gu Mo began to study the book called “Fuxi’s Serpent Fist.” He muttered to himself,
‘Even if I want to capture lost souls, I need a skill to rely on! Otherwise, I’d be throwing eggs against a stone. I’m not that foolish!’
Determined to learn, Gu Mo carefully studied the ancient text.
As he read, reverence for the yellowed pages grew within him.
“Fuxi’s Serpent Fist” detailed the essence of the technique, with annotations that enlightened Gu Mo.
To practice serpent fist, one needed a robust physique. Its forms emphasized agility and explosive force.
Suddenly, Gu Mo thought of martial arts films—those snake-style masters.
But he was a complete novice; where would he find wooden stakes and wine bottles to train with? Besides, without guidance from a master, a lifetime of practice would be wasted.
He thought of Old Master Chu in the neighboring yard, but with his shop door unrepaired, he couldn’t leave without worry.
With a sigh, Gu Mo packed up his phone and bundle. But leaving the shop unattended felt unsafe.
So, standing at the doorway, he grinned and picked up the paper figure in the corner.
Just then, Jiang Jingxue, attached to him, spoke up.
“Minion, are you a pervert? Why are you picking up the paper figure?”
Sweating, Gu Mo offered no explanation. He simply propped the paper figure against the broken door, then closed the door tightly.
With everything ready, Gu Mo curved his lips in a mischievous smile.
“Heh, anyone coming to cause trouble will be scared out of their wits!”
He imagined the look of terror on the face of a would-be intruder.
With a wicked grin, Gu Mo headed leisurely toward the nearby bus stop…