Lu Yuan looked at the Xu family patriarch before him with complete bewilderment.
The Xu family patriarch also looked helpless, "You heard right. It was that little grandson Gu Qingwan saved."
"Although Gu Qingwan pulled the boy ashore, he still choked on water and was left with lingering health problems. He contracted consumption and died within a few years."
"That county magistrate lamented that his grandson had died at just over ten years old, so he found someone to arrange a ghost marriage for him."
Speaking of this, the Xu family patriarch shook his head helplessly, "I don't know how exactly, but it ended up being arranged with Gu Qingwan."
"That magistrate colluded with the clan elder, took two silvers, and went to deceive Gu Qingwan's parents who were already mad and demented. The matter... was settled just like that."
"In the end, they dug up the grave and opened the coffin, dressed Gu Qingwan in a red wedding dress again, then reburied her..."
Lu Yuan's throat went dry. He stared at the Xu family patriarch in shock as a terrifying thought emerged.
"Then... at that time Gu Qingwan had been buried for nearly three years. Her body..."
He couldn't bear to finish the rest but the Xu family patriarch understood Lu Yuan's meaning and immediately said with a strange expression, "Strange as it sounds, logically after two or three years of burial, the body should have been unrecognizable. But when they opened the coffin, she looked exactly as she had when she first died."
"Perhaps it was that breath of resentment keeping her preserved, so her body didn't decay..."
Speaking of this, the Xu family patriarch couldn't help but sigh, "I don't know the specific details anymore...
After all, I wasn't even born yet at that time. I only heard about these things later."
...
Around two in the afternoon, Lu Yuan had basked in the sun for a full two hours in the courtyard.
That yin cold qi seeping from his bone marrow was finally dispersed by the scorching sunlight.
His whole body was like a cold-blooded animal emerging from hibernation, finally recovering normal body temperature and strength. However, this could only last one day. Tomorrow at noon, he must continue sunbathing for two hours.
"Brother Lu, shall we go?"
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an came over, asking eagerly.
Lu Yuan sat up from the lounge chair and directly waved his hand.
"You two wait here. I'm going up the mountain first."
"Take some money and go buy some things in town. Buy whatever we're short of."
After hearing the Xu family patriarch's words, Lu Yuan's heart felt blocked but regarding this matter, he truly didn't know how to help Gu Qingwan eliminate her malevolent qi.
Too tragic.
Each and every incident was forcing someone into a dead end.
She saved someone out of kindness, but ended up losing both her own life and her brother's. Her father went mad, her mother insane, family destroyed, everyone dead and that wasn't all.
Finally, in the end, they made her marry that little grandson to continue serving him in the netherworld.
What ghost formed from such blood feuds and condensed resentment could anyone withstand?
Lu Yuan knew he didn't have such great cultivation to dissolve this kind of hatred.
It seemed he could only wait until this round of jobs ended, then return to True Dragon Temple to ask that unreliable old man.
Although that old fellow only knew how to drink heavily all day, his abilities were genuine.
Perhaps he had a solution but before that, he should still go thank her.
After all, she had saved his life.
Whether thanking a person or thanking a ghost, there was no reason to go empty-handed.
Of the celestial incense he'd taken from Earth's Mount Tai Jade Emperor Hall, there were still over ten sticks left. Lu Yuan planned to burn them all for Gu Qingwan.
Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an took the money and excitedly went out to shop.
Lu Yuan originally wanted to go up the mountain alone for some peace and quiet but Zhao Qiao'er wouldn't feel at ease no matter what and insisted on accompanying him.
Lu Yuan thought it over. He had some things to ask her anyway, so he nodded in agreement.
...
On the mountain path, Lu Yuan and Zhao Qiao'er walked side by side in front, while Wang Fu and his group of martial artists followed far behind, keeping their distance.
"People from Wuqing Temple came this morning?"
Lu Yuan turned his head, asking curiously.
Zhao Qiao'er nodded her delicate chin, her tone carrying a hint of matter-of-fact coldness.
"Of course they had to come. After pulling such a disgraceful desertion, do they still want their century-old reputation at Wuqing Temple or not?"
"But I didn't bother seeing those small fries. I had Wang Fu dismiss them."
Hearing Zhao Qiao'er's words, Lu Yuan blinked, "So that's the end of it?"
Zhao Qiao'er's beautiful eyes flowed. She turned to look at Lu Yuan and chuckled softly, "How could I let them off that easily? First, I'll string them along until someone with higher status comes to negotiate with me. Those few aren't qualified enough and couldn't settle anything anyway."
Hearing Zhao Qiao'er's tone, Lu Yuan knew in his heart that his beautiful auntie was planning to demand an exorbitant price. However, Wuqing Temple deserved it.
As the premier temple beyond the pass, their fees were ridiculously high. Employers paid big money hiring them precisely for professionalism and reliability but then what did they do? When facing danger, they turned tail and ran, leaving the employer to wait for death. Now they had to pay big money to resolve it.
These matters had nothing to do with Lu Yuan, and he didn't care. He was just asking casually. Then Lu Yuan got straight to the point, "Auntie Qiao'er, what exactly is your situation?"
Come to think of it, Lu Yuan still didn't know why Zhao Qiao'er had appeared here or why she was conducting such a ritual.
Speaking of this, Zhao Qiao'er sighed eerily, "Got latched onto by something dirty..."
Lu Yuan didn't speak, waiting for Zhao Qiao'er to continue.
A flash of disgust crossed Zhao Qiao'er's eyes as she continued, "When I was young, my family arranged a match. At first it was quite nice. His family wasn't very wealthy, but he was quite ambitious."
"I was quite fond of him at the time. But then I discovered he was using my money to keep a woman on the side."
Speaking of this, those soul-stealing beautiful eyes of Zhao Qiao'er's instantly flashed with a terrifying fierce light.
"I was furious. Using my money to keep a woman was one thing, but that woman was filthy trash from a brothel!"
"In my rage, I had someone chop them both up and feed them to the wild dogs outside the city."
Lu Yuan: "..."
Well then, he knew this beautiful auntie was definitely not as soft and fragrant as she appeared on the surface.
Zhao Qiao'er continued with an annoyed expression, "It had been over ten years. I'd almost forgotten what that pair of cheating dogs looked like. But recently, they suddenly latched onto me."
"Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and see them both standing at my bedside, staring at me eerily."
"Sometimes while walking in the courtyard, I'll trip for no reason. Anyway, it's very unlucky."
When Zhao Qiao'er spoke of this, there was no fear on her face, only pure disgust and irritation.
She paused, then said, "Later I had people from Wuqing Temple look into it. They said the problem might be with my family's ancestral graves."
Lu Yuan pondered for a moment and nodded.
"What they said wasn't wrong. Something from over ten years ago suddenly latching onto you now, it's most likely a problem with the ancestral graves. When the yin residence is unsettled, the yang residence is unstable... But how did..."
Before Lu Yuan could finish, Zhao Qiao'er cut him off decisively.
"I was schemed against!"
"Quite a few people in Fengtian City know about my situation. I suspect those old bastards set a trap for me here in advance."
Those old fellows?
Lu Yuan guessed she meant Zhao Qiao'er's business rivals in Fengtian City.
The White Deer Commerce Association was the premier merchant association beyond the pass, but it wasn't the sole power in Fengtian City. However, Lu Yuan didn't understand these underhanded business tactics and didn't want to ask more.
He pulled out an antique-styled bell from his pocket and handed it over.
"Auntie Qiao'er, if you trust me, wait until I finish this round of jobs and I'll come break the illusion for you."
"During this time, wear this Awakening Bell on you. It will protect you from those two little ghosts' harassment."
This artifact's full name was the Nine-Aperture Thunder Sound Awakening Bell. It was a supreme artifact the system had given Lu Yuan after subduing demons and eliminating evil.
The bell's body was neither copper nor iron, but carved from the core of lightning-struck agarwood, the wood black as ink. Looking closely, natural purple-gold lightning patterns flowed within.
The bell's tongue was a century-old coffin nail, with its malevolent qi dissolved through incense offerings.
It had been soaked in cinnabar for forty-nine days, with a rice-grain-sized mountain ghost tear crystal embedded in the nail head.
Inside, the Later Heaven Eight Trigrams were etched using secret methods. Outside, it was embossed with cloud patterns of the twenty-four solar terms.
At the top where the cord threaded through were three Northern Song "Chongning Tongbao" coins.
Wearing such an artifact would absolutely prevent harassment from those two little ghosts.
Zhao Qiao'er's jade hand received that exquisite little bell. Her enchanting beautiful eyes blinked, looking at Lu Yuan with watery tenderness, her voice both coquettish and soft.
"Auntie doesn't trust anyone but you now~"
"So when will dear nephew come find Auntie?"
Hearing these alluring words, Lu Yuan grinned.
"I still have two jobs left. After settling them all and returning to the temple, it'll be at least ten days to half a month."
"Don't worry. Before New Year's anyway, I'll definitely handle this matter for you perfectly so you can peacefully celebrate a good new year."
After Lu Yuan finished speaking, Zhao Qiao'er's slender jade fingers painted with bright red nail polish pinched Lu Yuan's cheek, then she said coquettishly, "Come as soon as you can~"
"Auntie misses you~"
Lu Yuan grinned, showing his white teeth, "Alright!"
...
Reaching the mountaintop, Lu Yuan didn't let Zhao Qiao'er follow anymore.
He went alone to Gu Qingwan's lone grave, while Zhao Qiao'er's group waited quietly in the distance.
Arriving at the grave, Lu Yuan without another word took out all the remaining dozen or so sticks of Jade Emperor Hall celestial incense and lit them.
Wisps of smoke curled up, exotic fragrance assailing the nostrils.
He respectfully inserted all the celestial incense before Gu Qingwan's grave.
Lu Yuan didn't say much, just sincerely bowed to thank her for saving his life.
Moreover, he solemnly promised he would find a way to help her escape this sea of suffering and be reborn soon.
After speaking, that lone grave remained utterly silent without any movement.
Lu Yuan bowed three more times before turning to leave.
Around three in the afternoon, everyone had finished packing.
Lu Yuan's group of three headed to Donglin Village to find the next job.
While Zhao Qiao'er's group was returning to Fengtian City.
The two parties were going in different directions, one south, one north. They finally bid farewell and parted at the market entrance of Ningyuan Town.
Of course, during this time Lu Yuan couldn't escape Zhao Qiao'er's nagging to come find her in Fengtian City soon.
Lu Yuan readily agreed to everything.
...
The journey passed without conversation.
In the winter beyond the pass, days were short and nights long.
Just after five o'clock, the sky had already turned completely dark.
At this time, Lu Yuan's group of three was still nearly two hours away from Donglin Village.
"Brother Lu, I'm hungry."
Xu Erxiao called out weakly from behind Lu Yuan.
As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Cheng'an at his side immediately chimed in.
"I'm hungry too."
Hearing the two gluttons' calls from behind, Lu Yuan helplessly grinned.
He looked up at the pitch-black road ahead and said, "Let's walk a bit further. Lin Family Village is ahead. The pork pastries there are delicious!"
Hearing this, Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an immediately perked up. The two simultaneously swallowed their saliva and said excitedly, "Great!"
"That's perfect! I'm eating five of them!"
Watching the two behind him and their limited aspirations, Lu Yuan couldn't help but grin.
He was just about to tease them more when the smile on his face froze in the next second, then disappeared without a trace.
His entire body, as if struck by an invisible thunderbolt, suddenly stiffened in place.
Lu Yuan's sudden behavior stunned Xu Erxiao and Wang Cheng'an.
The two instinctively looked back. Behind them was a night road where they couldn't see their own hands. Except for the wind, there was nothing then the two turned back to look at Lu Yuan curiously, "Brother Lu, what's wrong?"
At this moment, Lu Yuan stared fixedly at the depths of that impenetrably thick night curtain behind them.
There, a line of blood-red text was silently flickering.
[Name: Gu Qingwan]
[Type: Ghost Bride]
[Cultivation: Ominous]
[Weakness: Ominous]
[Danger Level: ★★★★★★★★★★]
No way!!
This super-dangerous entity...
How the hell did she latch onto me?!!