Section 2

The man turned his head to glance at the woman, and at that moment, the light in the array dimmed. The man's figure became indistinct, and the woman's appearance also returned to its weathered state, as if everything that had just transpired was merely a fleeting dream for the onlookers. The woman, unable to find the man's figure, appeared slightly flustered, unaware that her husband's hand had been gently touching her cheek all along, separated by an insurmountable barrier of life and death

Shen Li supported her for a moment before stepping out of the room. The instant she crossed the threshold, Shen Li felt a wave of dizziness; her already depleted magical power was further drained, leaving her nearly exhausted. Her steps faltered, and just as she was about to fall, Xing Yun gently steadied her. Before Shen Li could express her gratitude, she felt a sudden tightening in her chest, and the world seemed to expand around her. She transformed back into her original form, still in a state of shock, when she heard Xing Yun's light laughter as he picked her up.

In the end, the man nodded; he was willing to leave

Xingyun lightly remarked: "This formation cannot be maintained for long. Therefore, if you have something to say, you should quickly finish speaking with them"

Shen Li opened her mouth but remained silent, for she still wanted them to stay a little longer, even if just for a moment

This result should be good, yet Shen Li's heart cannot feel lightened.

Shen Li gestured and said, "Can't you see such a large ghost?"

Today, she vaguely suspected that the woman was possessed by a ghost. Initially, she thought it was a minor spirit summoned by her obsession, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be the husband she was searching for. However, the paths of humans and ghosts are different. As they spent more time together, it was inevitable that the woman would be affected, shortening her lifespan.

"I invoke the River of Forgetfulness in my name." Each word resonated powerfully as she waved her hand, touching the man's brow. With a gesture, she formed a seal, and the light surged violently before softening. The man's figure slowly transformed into countless specks of light, resembling fireflies on a summer night, swirling around the stooped woman before gradually ascending into the depths of the night sky

Both individuals were taken aback upon hearing this. The man turned to look at Xingyun in surprise, while the woman tightened her palm and murmured, "Accompanying me for over ten years? You have accompanied me for over ten years? You..." It seemed as if she had just noticed the man's attire and his unchanged appearance. Her expression became slightly dazed, "Is it really like this... So it turns out, it is like this..."

Their earthly ties should have long been resolved

She walked barefoot, and the blue garment was too loose for her, yet it did not appear cumbersome on her. Her silhouette was upright, exuding a vigor surpassing that of a man as she stepped forward gracefully

Xingyun pressed her wings down and asked: "What is the matter?"

Shen Li was taken aback again upon hearing this; this person actually saw through what she intended to do

"Madam," Shen Li gently held the frail hand of the woman, "He left in order for you to have a better life. Do you feel this intention?"

However, the ghost did not heed her words, but instead stared at Shen Li with a sinister gaze, preparing to attack her once more

Are you satisfied with such a result

The man's face was filled with sorrow, and he could not help but raise his hand to touch her face. Meanwhile, Xingyun silently bit his fingertip, letting two drops of blood fall onto the stones of the formation. The light within the formation intensified, causing the man to truly touch the woman, whose hand should have belonged to a ghost. Feeling the real sensation, the man suddenly exerted strength in his arms and fiercely embraced her.

"Do you know she has been waiting for you, searching for you?" Shen Li turned to ask him. The man's expression was bitter as he gazed at the silhouette of the woman on the paper window, gently nodding his head. Shen Li continued, "Do you want her to know where you are?"

Therefore, she originally intended to drive the ghost away from the woman, but now...

Wait! Shen Li slapped Xing Yun's face with a chicken wing, and the newly sprouted feathers pricked Xing Yun's face painfully. "Did you not see? There are still matters here that have not been resolved!"

"Hmm, I will." After the battlefield has calmed down, it is often she who assists her soldiers in returning their souls to the River of Forgetfulness. The soul-retrieving technique is something Shen Li is all too familiar with. "No need to arrange formations," she says lightly. This is the only spell that she cannot fail, regardless of the circumstances. Because with this technique, she has guided the souls of thousands of brothers, and no matter how severe their injuries, this technique cannot fail.

Xingyun asked Shen Li: "I can arrange the Soul Ferry Array, but I lack the magical power to ferry souls. Are you skilled in the Soul Guiding Technique?"

Feeling it... After a long silence, the woman finally spoke in a hushed tone, "How could I not feel it? I heard it... He was humming a folk tune as he walked away. He wanted me to be at ease." Her moist tears fell onto Shen Li's hands, and Shen Li silently helped her back to the room

The man was somewhat at a loss; he did not dare to move his feet, merely staring fixedly at the woman, unsure of how to place his hands, sometimes clenching them tightly, sometimes extending them. He opened his mouth but did not make a sound, yet the woman understood what he was trying to say; he was calling her "wife." This was a term that had not graced her ears for fifteen years.

"To force someone to stay in this world not only harms her but also leaves oneself without a place to find peace." The tone was calm and unremarkable, "Naturally, whether to stay or leave is entirely up to you, my brother."

Shen Li turned her head to look at him, and the man lowered his brows, gently nodding his head

Her murky eyes instantly became moist: "You are back... you are back." She was so happy that her voice trembled, yet her wrinkled face revealed a childlike smile. She hurriedly took a few steps forward, stepping into the circle, but just as she was about to touch the man, she abruptly stopped.

Behind her, there was a cloud of dust. He threw the stone in his hand, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness: "Cluck, cluck, you are causing trouble again by running around."

With a sigh, Xingyun suddenly raised his voice and said: "Humans and ghosts are on different paths, my brother, do you know that by staying by her side for over ten years, you have nearly exhausted her lifespan"

"Climbing the wall," he said calmly, taking a few steps forward to pull Shen Li into his arms. "There is a curfew at night, don't you know? Let's go back."

Shen Li looked at Xing Yun in astonishment: "This formation..." This formation connects life and death, goes against the heavenly path, and its power is immensely strong

The night once again fell into silence, with only the old woman gazing at the night sky, emitting an incomprehensible sob.

The man paused above the characters as he followed his words, as if a beam of light was infused into the characters. The stones arranged in the courtyard began to glow one after another, and finally, all the beams of light converged on the man, making his body appear even more solid and distinct than before. Xingyun smiled and said, "Go knock on the door and tell her that her husband has returned."

The woman appeared to be extremely tired and soon fell asleep.

He looked at Shen Li with surprise, his face filled with longing, as if asking her, "Is it possible?"

This point was something Shen Li had not considered; Xing Yun was too mysterious, leading her to mistakenly believe that he could handle anything. After pondering for a moment, she explained to Xing Yun: "Earlier today, when that woman came looking for me, I sensed a strange aura about her. However, the sunlight was too strong during the day, and I could not discern it. It was only after following her tonight that I discovered him. It seems that after dying on the battlefield all those years ago, his obsession was too deep, preventing him from entering the cycle of reincarnation. In the end, his soul returned home, drifting to her side, and he has been watching over her ever since."

She could not stop the tears from falling, amidst the brilliance of the moment, time seemed to flow backward for them, smoothing out her wrinkles and weariness, transforming her into that woman in the prime of her youth, while he, clad in new armor, retained his old appearance, as if it were the last night of bidding farewell to her husband. They were still young, without the fifteen years of separation between life and death.

Ah... ah... The woman trembled as she reached out her hand to embrace him, but there was nothing left to hold on to.

Shen Li did not ask anything and hurriedly ran over to peck at the wooden door with her sharp beak. After a short while, the wooden door opened, and the woman frowned as she said, "It is a bit noisy tonight; I haven't finished sewing the clothes for Sanlang yet..." There was a pause in her speech, and the woman's murky eyes seemed to sparkle as if illuminated by the light in the courtyard.

The clouds have drifted away, and the outer garment has been shed

Shen Li stared at him blankly and asked, "How did you come here?"

Shen Li remained silent. After the clouds were arranged, he used his finger as a brush to write an unknown character in the center, then stepped back and said: "Let that ghost float over this character."

She trembled as she touched her hair and face: "Look at me, I am completely unprepared, look at me, I haven't even prepared a meal for you. I think you have been back for so many years..." Her voice broke uncontrollably, "So many years, where have you been? Do you know how long I have waited for you... Do you know that others think I am crazy, and even I think I am crazy... I can hardly wait any longer. I cannot inquire about your life or death, I cannot find any trace of you, I have mended clothes with nowhere to send them, I have written letters that no one can read! ... Do you know that others think I am crazy, and even I think I am crazy... I can hardly wait any longer. I cannot inquire about your life or death, I cannot find any trace of you, I have mended clothes with nowhere to send them, I have written letters that no one can read! Where have you been hiding!"

Xing Yun let out a sigh: "You really are a foolish chicken." He said, "Do you want me to dance around and conjure up a ghost? Who would believe a verbal description?" He placed Shen Li on the ground, then began to arrange several stones around him, seemingly organizing them according to some formation. "Since we have already intervened, we might as well do it to the best of our ability. Just remember, once it is done, do not regret it."

Shen Li understood that he was inquiring about the matter concerning that woman and her husband. After a moment of silence, she replied: "This outcome had already sown the seeds of dissatisfaction fifteen years ago." Once a person is gone, no matter the outcome, it will never be a good one

She took a step forward in disbelief: "Sanlang..."

Seeing Shen Li remain motionless for a long time, Xing Yun said: "Why not let them decide for themselves?" Shen Li was taken aback, and Xing Yun continued, "Both of them are ordinary people, unfamiliar with the ways of yin and yang, and they do not understand the significant impact that yin energy can have on a person. Since we have come this far, it would be better to inform them of everything and allow them to decide their own course of action."

Shen Li hurriedly said, "I am here to help you!" Upon hearing this, the man was slightly taken aback, and his expression softened a bit. Shen Li took a couple of breaths, just about to speak, when the mistress of the other room was startled by the previous sound. As the door opened, the woman, unable to see the ghost, curiously stared at Shen Li and asked, "Where did this hairless chicken come from?" As she spoke, she began to walk over, but before she could take two steps, a stone suddenly struck her on the head. The woman rolled her eyes back and fainted on the ground.

Xingyun was taken aback for a moment, then followed the instructions to take off the blue garment, while Shen Li slipped into the clothing. After a short while, golden light began to shine through the blue garment, the dazzling brilliance surged forth, and in the instant that Xingyun closed his eyes, the person beside him had already moved forward.

Shen Li nodded: "Xingyun, go and convey the message."

Xingyun furrowed her brows slightly: "I only understand the secrets of heaven, and I am not a practitioner of the Dao, so I cannot see ghosts"

"Stop! Stop... cough..." Shen Li hurriedly shook her head.