Chapter 5

Once again, it is the Nine Yin, originating from the same source as Lu Ji. In recent years, the Southern Yama has remained quite peaceful, with demons and monsters going about their own ways. If a creature capable of absorbing souls were to emerge from Nine Yin Mountain, then all beings within the Three Realms would be doomed.

She nodded, "This is the fifth case... If it is still this ailment, I may have to make a trip to Mount Jiu Yin."

It was originally a matter of course; the lover died under mysterious circumstances. Shouldn't one want to investigate? Who would have thought that this woman would behave unusually, dismissively stating that it must be an old ailment, "He was already weak before, so today's incident is not sudden." After saying this, she cupped her hands in farewell, hastily lowered the curtain of the sedan chair, and instructed the bearers to carry the person away.

When will Master return to the East to take a look, and visit that city again?" she said flatteringly, "I can accompany you; revisiting the old place might lead to new discoveries.

From her chaotic description, it was difficult to discern any clues. She mentioned having spent three months in this state, like a soulless walking corpse. Having been a spiritual healer for a long time, she had encountered numerous spirits and, in theory, should not be surprised by any bizarre ailments. When a person dies, they become a ghost; when a ghost dies, they become a spirit. To exist for three months in a state that is neither ghost nor spirit, while having purpose and thought, is truly astonishing.

The oil lamp on the table flickered, casting a dim light on the corners of her eyes. She averted her gaze and said, "Lacking a soul, in the next life, one will become a fool"

Wu Fang rolled his eyes as he entered the room and closed the entrance to the stone tablet. He did not plan to take any more patients tonight; the situation was too suspicious, and he needed to clarify the sequence of events first

She pulled up her sleeve, covering her wrist, "There is no need for the young lady to worry, this is not an ailment, but rather a blessing for her. Whether human or demon, while alive, one possesses three souls and seven spirits; only when all souls and spirits are intact can one enter the cycle of reincarnation. However, there are always attachments in this world, and some deceased are willing to sacrifice a spirit to protect those they cannot bear to part with. The mark on the young lady's wrist is a bloodline, which can save your life in times of danger; after the situation has passed, this line will naturally disappear."

She casually advised the pig demon, "Please accept my condolences and adapt to the changes. I just took his pulse and noticed some anomalies. May I ask, miss, did he suffer an attack before falling ill?"

Do demons fear ghosts? Wufang really wanted to tell her that her little lover, even if turned into a corpse, would probably not have the interest to pursue her. However, out of good manners, he swallowed his words and said, "If you find it inconvenient, you can find a place to cremate him. I am very curious about the cause of his death. If there are any unusual phenomena after the cremation, I hope you will definitely come to Wuliang Sea to inform me."

Wu Fangyue increasingly felt that something was amiss, "What I mean by saying that the soul has vanished is not what you think. Young lady, could you tell me where you come from?"

The person in the sedan chair entered the barrier, and she had long been waiting outside. Before the woman could say anything, she reached out to probe the Heavenly Origin, and as expected, it was yet another abandoned shell.

Wu Fang does not feel this way; the corpses scattered across the mountains and fields emit a stench that reaches the heavens. Although she is a fierce person, she does not reminisce about such scenes at all

Qu looked at her intently, seeing her straighten up amidst the intricate interplay of light and shadow, a solemn expression emerging on her beautiful face. "Are you from the Nine Yin?"

The woman paused slightly, "No, we came from Hengshi Mountain, but we are not far from Jiuyin... Do you think he still has a chance?"

The fox girl left in tears, and Wu Fang accompanied her to the door. The lanterns swaying on both sides of the bluestone path elongated her silhouette. Qu Ruxing sighed beside her, "In this world, the only people who treat you the best are your parents"

The pig demon gradually calmed down and thought for a moment before saying, "I have always been trapped in my cave, and he has had no opportunity to go out."

During the consultation period, Wu Fang was always very busy, as she only opened her doors once every half month, and patients coming from afar continuously sought her out. She was skilled in treating demons and even more proficient in ghostly ailments, such as inexplicably having one's body occupied or experiencing strange phenomena without reason; ultimately, one could find the root cause of these issues with her assistance

It seems that there are quite a few female demons in the vicinity of Jiuyin Mountain who abduct men. Wu Fang turned to look at the person in the sedan chair and said, "Miss, allow me to speak frankly. This is the fifth case I have recently treated. The symptoms are the same, and no clues can be found. There is no need to expend effort on treatment, as it is beyond recovery. If you wish to know the cause of the illness, please inform me of the truth. Whether it is due to a disease or some other reason, I will investigate thoroughly to uncover the facts."

The inexplicable causes and symptoms of the illness present a significant challenge for her. Having practiced medicine for many years, she has never witnessed a patient die before her eyes, yet recently, such incidents have occurred one after another, severely tarnishing her reputation. Perhaps she is overly suspicious, always feeling that someone is secretly orchestrating all of this, or perhaps the true intention is simply to draw her attention.

A fox woman stepped into her clinic and gracefully bowed to her

Wu Fang glanced at her and asked, "Has a close relative of yours passed away recently?"

She did not answer her, but instead inquired about the patient's background, "How long has the young lady been with him? Has it been exactly three months?"

The soul that is sent out must return to its rightful place, and it is necessary to descend to Fengdu, even to the Eight Cold Hell. That is a place where a young lady cannot go; the paths of demons and ghosts are different. If one goes there, it would betray your mother's heartfelt intentions

There exists a kind of emotion in the world, which is the bond between family members, devoid of selfishness, transcending life and death. Without a father or mother, I sometimes envy those children who are deeply loved by their parents

I have recently been feeling anxious and lacking in energy. Three days ago, I fell ill, and upon waking, I discovered this. The fox woman sat gracefully on the mat, rolling up her sleeves to reveal her delicate wrists. At first, I thought it was just a minor scrape, but no matter what spells I cast, I cannot eliminate it. I am worried that an evil spirit has entered my body, so I specifically came to seek Miss Yan's diagnosis for me

The fox girl was quite surprised, holding her wrist through the sleeve, "Are you saying that the essence of my mother has transformed into this thread? You previously mentioned that one must have a complete soul to be reincarnated; what happens if it is not complete?"

I believe that it was during the time when the enchantresses were indulging in their revelries that they failed to exercise proper restraint, each one behaving like a wolf or a tiger, exhausting people to the point of death

If Qu Ru knew, she would realize that she is the loneliest at this time; having a grave to pay respects to is better than having an unknown origin

Without turning around, he walked back into the house, saying as he walked: "Tomb-Sweeping Day is approaching, make sure to prepare well, and go to the mountain to pay respects to your parents."

Although she felt sympathy for the mother and daughter, there were things beyond her capacity that she could not do

The pig demon, deeply affected, gently caressed the man's cheek and murmured: "I have always been deeply in love with you, yet you have never liked me. Who is that person who has stolen your soul? Did you die to take revenge on me for imprisoning you?"

She vanished into the barrier, instantly disappearing as if she had never existed. The pig demon picked up the corpse, intending to find a suitable location to build a fire, when he encountered a slender woman. The woman was forming a seal with her fingertips, chanting incantations, and was commanding a dozen large rats to carry a person over. The pig demon was dumbfounded, not expecting the rats to possess such strength, balancing a wooden board on their heads, on which a person lay, swiftly passing by and causing her to stumble greatly.

She waved her sleeve and shattered the mirror, feeling that things seemed to be becoming increasingly unpredictable

The pig demon let out a loud cry, "Is someone trying to lay their hands on him? Miss Yan, could you help me check if his virginity is still intact?"

She looked up, the moon hanging high in the sky, the starlight dazzling, just as it had been for the past hundred years. Once a person dies, what follows is no longer related to her. She stood up, picked up the oiled paper umbrella by the roadside. Earlier, in the city of Tianji, the rain had poured down like a torrent, and throughout this journey, the umbrella had not yet dried. She placed the umbrella back on her shoulder and walked towards the stone tablet. By the time the pig demon looked up, she had already walked far away, leaving only a graceful figure for it to admire.

What has been happening lately, encountering such symptoms one after another, there must be some reasons behind it

Qu Ru glanced sideways and said, "Why does mutual affection feel like being a thief? It’s really not about stealing someone away, is it?"

No one should criticize her for being coarse; after all, one cannot know the hardships she may be facing

The pig demon sobbed, saying: "Nine Yin Mountain is too far from here. I have traveled day and night, wearing out the soles of my shoes."

Qu Ru stood on the lampstand, tilting his head and said: "I have not been to the world beyond Yanfu, but I know that Jiu Yin Mountain is in the land of Brahman. It is said that there used to be a Vajra guardian, but after the Vajra attained Nirvana, that land gradually turned into a filthy place. The Yin Mountain is overgrown with wild grass, home to many strange beasts, and the blood scorpion originates from there... If I am not mistaken, this is now the territory of the Nightmare Capital. In the Nightmare Capital, there is an ancient demon who has lived for ten thousand years, ruthless and cruel, with a penchant for eating infants... Every full moon night, the city is filled with the cries of children, and the demons and ghosts of the land tremble in fear; Master must have heard of him."

The pig demon cried, tears streaming down and snot running, "It's not that I arrived late, but that I spent too much time on the road. Oh, Miss Yan, my path of love has been fraught with difficulties. I haven't touched him for three months, and now I truly regret it. What illness does he have? I know he has a bad temper, but he can't just die because he's unhappy! He always complains that I'm ugly. Last month, I made a special effort to dress up, and he even smiled at me. Who would have thought he would become confused that night? I carried him on my back for ten days and nights, ten days and nights! But just as we arrived here, he breathed his last." He always complains that I'm ugly. Last month, I made a special effort to dress up, and he even smiled at me. Who would have thought he would become confused that night? I carried him on my back for ten days and nights, ten days and nights! But just as we arrived here, he breathed his last.

She hurriedly called out, "Will the corpse of my little lover undergo a transformation? What if it gets up and chases after me?"

The fox girl paused for a moment, then lowered her head and said: "It was my mother, who passed away a month ago. I was not by her side at that time, and now thinking back... I truly feel an overwhelming sense of regret"

She waved her hand, and a shimmering light appeared before her, through which everything outside the barrier could be seen. In Tianji City, the rain poured incessantly, and Zhenyi was still lying on the bed. The perspective shifted to the foot of Shizhang Mountain, where a sedan chair arrived in front of a stone tablet. Outside the sedan stood a beautiful woman, and as the curtain was lifted, a drowsy man could be seen inside.

Qu Ru looked towards the distant stone path and said, "Another one?"

The pain of losing a loved one inevitably brings sorrow. After quietly listening to her cry for a while, he finally asked: "Why didn't you bring him to the Wuliang Sea earlier? Given the severity of his illness, he must have been unwell for quite some time, right?"

Mount Jiu Yin is located in the northwest of Chatu and does not belong to Yanfu. It is a pity that Master Lian is not here; otherwise, we could seek his advice. " She turned to Qu Ru and asked, "Do you know that mountain? Whose jurisdiction has it been under all along?"

Without strength to laugh, "A man's virginity cannot be tested."

However, I discovered that his spirit has long since vanished. Could it be that someone took advantage of your absence and infiltrated your dwelling?

"It seems that there will be trouble in Yingshan," she said with a furrowed brow. "I cannot fathom the mysteries within. Why are all the afflicted young men? Why do they all appear soulless and spiritless..."

The fox girl was taken aback, her expression gradually shifting from astonishment to sorrow, and she finally began to cry, choked with emotion as she asked: "Miss, do you have a way to return this soul to my mother? I have grown up and have the ability to protect myself, so she should not have to make such a great sacrifice. To become a fool... When my mother was alive, she was so intelligent; I cannot allow her to fall to this state."

The pig demon is still crying heart-wrenchingly, indicating deep sorrow. She said that this person would rather die than submit, and it is this refusal that makes one even more concerned. The pig demon is different from the last time when Lu Ji came; Lu Ji was beautiful and could easily find love. As for her, she is coarse and stout, with broad shoulders and a thick waist. Anyone who could accept her would certainly not be an ordinary person

This issue involves privacy, and the other party clearly does not wish to answer. They responded ambiguously until the other party threatened to dismiss them, at which point she candidly revealed: "It has indeed been exactly three months. I cannot disclose his origins to the spiritual healer; in any case, we are mutually affectionate, unlike those who indulge in promiscuity."