Volume One: The Soul-Gathering Gourd and the Spirit-Kindling Lamp Chapter 34: A Lesson in Morality

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Inside the small incense and candle shop, a chilling wind swept through...

Gu Mo clung tightly to the Soul-Binding Chain pressed to his chest, the bone-piercing cold seeping into every corner of his body, leaving even his soul trembling!

But the other end of the Soul-Binding Chain was fastened to not one, but two spirits. This was awkward, to say the least.

Looking up, Gu Mo saw a wandering male specter, seemingly around forty, struggling in agony.

The ghostly man was dressed like a successful professional: not only was he in a tailored suit, but his slicked-back hair and gold-rimmed glasses gave him an air of cultured refinement. Every detail bespoke a gentlemanly demeanor.

Yet this very gentlemanly ghost was, right before Gu Mo’s eyes, attempting to harm the troublesome child. Shameful indeed!

After a few fruitless struggles, a visible layer of white frost began to form on the transparent apparition.

Suddenly, the ghost’s hands turned ghastly and monstrous, latching tightly around Gu Mo’s neck!

Gu Mo’s face flushed crimson as the grip tightened, but, startled as he was, his mind couldn’t help but grumble:

“Seriously, the neck again! What is it with these demons and spirits and their obsession with strangling me? Is there really no other trick up their sleeves? It’s utterly ridiculous!”

In the span of just a few days, Gu Mo’s neck had already been the focus of far too much unwanted attention!

Perhaps he’d grown used to such attacks, for, despite being choked by the ghost, Gu Mo wasn’t all that afraid.

“If this wandering soul fears the soul-chilling cold of the Soul-Binding Chain, then I’ll be sure to give him a proper taste!”

With this thought, Gu Mo let his body sink lower, and tiny green ghostly flames ignited in his palms. As soon as the flames appeared, the cold of the Soul-Binding Chain intensified, climbing to a new level.

Faced with this, Gu Mo felt his entire body go numb. Even the ghost strangling him shuddered violently!

In a flash, Gu Mo seized the chain and tightly wound the icy links around the ghost’s hands.

A soul-piercing howl rang out, the ghost’s grip on Gu Mo’s throat instantly loosening.

In a blink, the suit-clad spirit collapsed to the ground, curling up into a trembling ball, his transparent form shivering uncontrollably.

As soon as the ghost opened his mouth, a torrent of icy air rushed out.

Seeing this, Gu Mo crouched down and frowned at him. “See? I tried talking sense into you, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look at the mess you’re in!”

With a touch of mockery in his tone, the shivering ghost immediately began to beg for mercy.

“I’m… I’m sorry, big brother, I know I was wrong! Please, could you let me go?”

Gu Mo hesitated. He had only called out for the Soul-Binding Chain in desperation, never expecting it to respond so eagerly. Besides, this ghost was rather weak—not much resistance at all, and he was already crumbling. But Gu Mo had no idea how to retract the chain, and the troublesome kid was still in a state of soul separation. Who knew how to reunite his spirit with his body?

If something fatal happened in the incense shop, jail time would surely follow!

After a moment’s thought, Gu Mo spoke righteously, “Why would I let you go? So you can hurt that kid again?”

Hearing this, the ghost on the floor was filled with regret, eyes brimming with tears—his misery was plain to see.

But as for how to deal with him, Gu Mo was at a loss.

At that moment, from the entrance, a sage-like voice sounded:

“Boundless Heavenly Venerable!”

Recognizing the voice, Gu Mo managed a wry smile and turned his head, though his own greeting was far less polite.

“Taoist Xiao, what the hell were you doing, leaving me to face the dead alone?”

Dressed in black robes, Xiao Yulou merely smiled, waving his hand with practiced calm. “Brother Gu, I’m too full of yang energy. If I’d stayed in your shop, would that spirit have dared show his face?”

With that, Xiao Yulou flipped a hand, producing a red wine gourd. He looked down at the trembling ghost and declared, “Yours is a pitiful fate. I will take you into this gourd, and when the Gates of the Underworld open, guide your soul to reincarnation.”

The ghost had no choice but to accept his fate.

As Xiao Yulou closed his eyes and drew a Taiji symbol with one hand, he pointed at the ghost.

With a pop, the wine gourd’s lid sprang open. In a whoosh, the ghost was sucked inside.

With a crisp clatter, the icy Soul-Binding Chain fell to the floor, and Gu Mo felt a chill as the chain burrowed back into his body.

Gu Mo was left utterly confused.

“Taoist Xiao, why did this thing return to me?”

Xiao Yulou flicked his sleeve and strode over to the unconscious boy.

With a yellow talisman pressed to the child’s forehead, Xiao Yulou channeled the transparent soul back into the boy’s body.

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Then, adopting a sage-like pose, Xiao Yulou called out to the door, “Come in!”

A second boy in a school uniform crept in, as red-haired as the one on the floor.

“Master, will Xiaohu be alright?”

Xiao Yulou snorted and addressed the nervous student, “What’s your name, kid? Why are you wandering about at midnight and getting into trouble with wandering ghosts?”

The boy at the door trembled and stammered, “I-I’m Ji Yongfei, but my buddies call me Little Ji!”

Realizing how awkward that sounded, he quickly corrected himself, “I mean, just Ji. And that’s my best friend, Wang Xiaohu. Master, is he going to be okay?”

Xiao Yulou coughed and pressed, “Tell me what happened. You haven’t explained yourself yet.”

Ji sighed, still shaken. “We’re both first-years at Beihuang High. School’s been on lockdown lately—it’s so boring, so the four of us decided to sneak out at night to an internet café. Just as we climbed the back wall, Xiaohu said he needed to pee, so he went under a tree. Before he was even done, he started foaming at the mouth and convulsing. I thought he was having a seizure and shoved grass in his mouth to keep him from biting his tongue. But then he went berserk, chasing and biting us like a madman. The three of us ran for our lives in different directions. I hid in a pile of trash and only survived by luck. After that, I followed Xiaohu all the way here…”

With the story told, Gu Mo smiled to himself, thinking that at least one friend had stayed by Xiaohu’s side.

Suddenly, Wang Xiaohu’s eyes flew open. With a couple of muffled cries, he scrambled out the door. Seeing this, Ji hurried after him.

Moments later, Xiaohu was doubled over a trash bin outside, vomiting violently.

Even through the wall, Gu Mo could imagine the stench and the scene all too vividly.

He frowned, thinking this at least saved him the trouble of pumping Xiaohu’s stomach.

When Xiaohu finally looked in the trash, he was terrified to see the mess—half-chewed white candles and ceremonial paper.

The boy broke out in a cold sweat, nearly collapsing into the bin if not for Ji grabbing him.

Still terrified, Xiaohu kept retching until he had nothing left but bile and bitterness. Ji, though wrinkling his nose, stood by, gently patting his friend’s back.

When Xiaohu was finally done, the two boys returned inside.

Gu Mo sat behind the counter, frowning in thought.

“Big brother, was Xiaohu… possessed?”

Gu Mo snapped to attention and put on an adult’s air. “Isn’t it obvious?”

Looking at Xiaohu, Gu Mo noted that the kid’s features were decent enough—just that shock of red hair made him look ridiculous.

“Listen, kid. You don’t have to believe in ghosts, but you must respect them! Never relieve yourself wherever you please.”

Gu Mo handed him candles, joss paper, and offerings. “Every year at Qingming, remember to pay your respects at that lonely grave. Next time you’re desperate, pick your spot carefully—and cough three times, just to say, ‘No offense, spirits!’”

The two boys accepted the offerings in a daze and thanked him earnestly.

Checking his phone and seeing it was nearly dawn, Gu Mo said, “It’s late. You two should get back to your dorm and rest.”

The boys bowed solemnly to Gu Mo and Xiao Yulou.

But Xiao Yulou coughed lightly and said, “Wait a moment, you two.”

The youngsters looked at him in confusion.

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“Master, what is it?”

Xiao Yulou frowned, flicked his sleeve, and declared, “Your hair is too long. Without sunlight on your foreheads and crowns, you’re shrouded by ‘dark clouds’. That brings bad luck!”

He continued sternly, “Go back, get your hair trimmed, and behave yourselves! Keep clean, or you’ll keep running into demons and spirits.”

Frightened, the two boys thanked him profusely and left together, arms slung around each other’s shoulders.

Watching them, Gu Mo couldn’t help but think of his own childhood friends, and memories of those distant days welled up in his heart.

As Wang Xiaohu noticed that the incense shop had no front door, he found it odd...

When the two boys had gone, Gu Mo frowned and turned to Xiao Yulou.

“Alright, featherhead, you’d better explain what’s really going on here!”

Xiao Yulou only smiled mildly. “Brother Gu, what is it you wish to know?”

Gu Mo frowned, momentarily unsure where to begin. After all, today was the first day they’d met, and so much had already happened.

After a moment’s thought, he spoke:

“First, what’s our connection? Why would you help a stranger like me?”

“Second, what’s with your Taoist powers? How do you summon things from thin air?”

“Third, what’s the deal with my ‘Extreme Yin Fate’? Why are all these spirits drawn to me?”

...

The barrage of questions left Xiao Yulou momentarily at a loss.

But he had weathered many storms; these answers were not as difficult as Gu Mo imagined.

After a moment of silent consideration, Xiao Yulou looked up and replied sincerely, “Brother Gu, do you recall the zombie in your shop?”

At the mention of that sinister creature, Gu Mo shuddered. It was only days ago.

“Taoist Xiao, what are you getting at?”

With a long sigh, Xiao Yulou answered, “There are many things I could tell you, but it may be too soon. If I reveal too much of fate…”

Halfway through, Gu Mo interrupted, his expression dark. “Cut the nonsense, featherhead. I’m no child and don’t have time for riddles!”

Xiao Yulou was put on the spot, holding back words that threatened to spill out.

Finally, after a long silence, he relented. “Brother Gu, listen carefully.”

With another deep sigh, he continued, “That zombie hanging in your shop’s rafters was no stranger—it was your grandfather Gu Yanzhi’s adopted godson, though you never met him.”

Gu Mo was more confused than ever. “What? My grandfather had an adopted godson? Why?”

Xiao Yulou smiled faintly. “His name was Gu Mo, but the ‘Mo’ as in ‘stranger.’ Your grandfather did it to keep you safe.”

Gu Mo was utterly baffled. “To keep me safe? Why?”

Xiao Yulou moistened his lips, then with a flick of his finger, caused tea to fill an empty cup. After blowing away the steam and taking a sip, he replied, “Because, Brother Gu, someone has been watching you since the day you were born!”

“What?”

Gu Mo could scarcely believe his ears.

Just then, as Xiao Yulou sipped his tea, his expression suddenly tensed—a strong scent of blood filled the air…