Volume One: The Soul-Guiding Gourd and the Spirit-Kindling Lamp Chapter 40: Ghostly Visitors at Midnight

Time flew by, and dusk soon draped its veil over the world.

Gu Mo was immersed in the ancient tome in his hands, feeling himself gradually drawn into its depths. Strangely, the gluttonous, foolish Empress Wang had not come out to make a ruckus, nor was there any sign of Xiao Yulou, that scruffy Taoist. For a moment, the tiny candle shop was shrouded in a rare silence.

Just then, the music from the phone on the counter broke the quiet—sweet notes drifting through the air.

Gu Mo reached out to silence the alarm, glanced at the time, and saw there were still a few minutes left until 7:07. He gave a bitter smile and muttered to himself, "They say no normal person listens to this song. Looks like that's spot-on!"

He then took out the Soul-Burning Lamp and Spirit-Gathering Gourd from his black bundle. Staring at these two artifacts from the Underworld, Gu Mo was instantly confounded. He still couldn’t quite grasp their purpose, but since his grandfather had insisted, he had no choice but to comply. After all, Gu Mo was nothing if not a dutiful grandson.

He picked up the Spirit-Gathering Gourd and shook it. A bone-chilling cold raced through his nerves. With a pop, he lifted its lid. Under the lamp’s glow, the interior was utterly empty—nothing to be seen. Gu Mo frowned, pressed his lips to the gourd’s rim, and called inside.

"Hey~"

He then placed his ear by the mouth, listening intently. No echo answered him, as if the space within was surprisingly vast.

After this series of peculiar antics, Gu Mo carefully tipped the gourd over his palm. When he thought he felt something, he rubbed his fingers together. Yet apart from that icy sensation, nothing else appeared.

Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, a wild green ghost flame blazed up on his fingertips. Gu Mo’s features contorted in shock.

"Damn!"

Uttering a classic curse, he felt the Soul-Locking Chains within him begin to stir restlessly. To avoid an untimely demise, Gu Mo had no choice but to stick his finger in his mouth. After a few seconds, he opened his mouth and checked his hand—the damned ghost fire hadn’t gone out. Instead, it burned even fiercer.

Desperate, he waved his finger wildly, quoting a famous line, "Still burning! Why bother? What’s the point?"

Seeing the cup of water on the counter, he steeled himself and plunged his finger into the steaming hot water. But what happened next made him question everything. The hot water neither extinguished the ghost fire nor even dampened its beauty—the green flame danced contentedly.

A crackling sound echoed; the steaming water instantly froze into ice. Gu Mo was utterly stunned—the green ghost fire in the ice seemed to mock his ignorance.

With 7:07 approaching, Gu Mo felt like an ant on a hot pan, restless and frantic. Suddenly, the green ghost fire on his finger extinguished without warning.

He managed a bitter smile, doubting his brief existence once more. Even so, with a trembling heart, Gu Mo slowly poured the Spirit-Gathering Gourd over the Soul-Burning Lamp.

Strangely, he saw no oil pour from the gourd—an oddity indeed.

He picked up his lighter and pressed it, but the flame refused to ignite. Gu Mo cursed under his breath. "Damn it! Of all times, it fails now!"

Left with no choice, he grabbed his phone and headed toward the convenience store across the street. But just a few steps in, a thunderous sound erupted from the counter behind him.

The Soul-Burning Lamp had ignited on its own, flickering with a sinister green ghost fire. Gu Mo was bewildered.

"Damn—what’s going on?"

A cold wind swept in, and dense white mist billowed outside the candle shop’s door. Oddly, the smoke carried a pleasing scent of powder.

Gu Mo shivered, goosebumps sprouting everywhere. The scene was eerily familiar, reminding him of the two ghost envoys, Black and White Impermanence. The ghost fire in the Soul-Burning Lamp surged higher.

A respectful voice came from outside the door: "Shopkeeper~"

Gu Mo’s nerves tightened, his body tensed. The voice alone told him a female ghost had arrived.

‘A ghost visiting deep into the night—this is trouble!’

With trembling heart and anxious expression, he stared at the dissipating mist. As it cleared, a female ghost appeared, clad in thin white gauze.

At a glance, she looked just like Nie Xiaoqian from the classic ghost romance, and to be precise, like the version played by Joey Wong. Ethereal and beautiful, her skin was fair, her eyes brimming with tender affection like starlit rivers, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders. The gauzy dress floated around her, teasing the boundary between seen and unseen. The faintly visible white undergarment quickened Gu Mo’s heart.

How to describe her?

A thousand charms, an irresistible allure; fairness like autumn’s frost, eyes deep as the heavens—a celestial maiden descended to earth.

Any man would lose his composure before her—yes, just like that!

But Gu Mo had seen the true face of the painting’s immortal, and since she was a ghost, he harbored no impure thoughts.

The ghost in white gazed at Gu Mo, bashfully lowering her head in a gentle bow.

"I greet you, sir."

Gu Mo, scrutinizing the beauty, frowned and spoke softly. "One does not visit the temple for no reason. May I ask what you require?"

The ghost covered her face with slender fingers and smiled sweetly. "Sir, might you guide me across tonight?"

Gu Mo’s head spun—he hadn’t yet mastered the art of subduing wandering spirits, and now one needed to be guided. He was in a real bind.

Yet she moved with the grace of a noble lady.

He couldn’t understand why such a ghost from ancient times had appeared—it made no sense!

In that brief moment, Gu Mo coughed lightly and said with difficulty, "Madam Ghost, forgive me. I have just taken over this candle shop and do not know how to guide souls."

(Since she was an ancient ghost, Gu Mo adapted his speech to the era.)

The ghost floated closer, gazing at Gu Mo with eyes like galaxies, smiling shyly. "Sir, please don’t tease me. If you are willing, I can spend the night with you."

Gu Mo trembled, frightened. After all, Li Gang, who bought the painting’s immortal, was a cautionary tale. Who knew if this ghost would drain his essence?

Besides, if her true form was like the painting’s immortal, Gu Mo would surely be sickened.

After a moment, Gu Mo swallowed and forced a sheepish smile, his face earnest. "Madam Ghost, I truly don’t know how to guide souls. The Taoist next door is away, but if you need anything, I can relay your request."

The beautiful ghost in white nodded, half believing him. "Very well."

Just then, she glanced at the incense on the shelf and licked her lips. Gu Mo hurried over, grabbed two bundles of incense and a string of gold ingots, and handed them to her.

"Madam Ghost, though I can’t help much, please accept these offerings as a token of friendship."

She reached gracefully toward her waist, but Gu Mo waved her off. "Madam Ghost, let’s just be friends..."

She smiled at him again. "Sir... I cannot accept unearned gifts. If you ever need my help, I will come to your aid."

She bowed, smiled, and said, "My name is Li Jingchu. Do not forget it, sir."

With that, Li Jingchu vanished into thick smoke.

Only after the ghost had completely disappeared did Gu Mo break out in cold sweat.

"Damn, grandfather really set me up! I've seen fathers trick their sons, but never grandsons! Guiding lost souls every seventh day of the month—at this rate, they’ll be chanting for my soul!"

No sooner had he finished, the Soul-Burning Lamp on the counter extinguished itself in eerie silence.

Gu Mo managed a bitter smile, finally able to relax. He returned behind the counter and resumed reading his three ancient books.

He didn’t know how much time passed before a bone-deep chill swept through his body. No need to guess—it was the foolish Empress Wang again.

A cold wind blew, and the Empress Wang materialized on the counter, swinging her beautiful legs and hooking Gu Mo’s chin with a finger.

Her bell-like laughter rang out. "Hey, little sidekick, you sure have luck with beauties! Was that ghost pretty?"

Gu Mo curled his lips into a wicked smile. "She was breathtaking! Elegant and refined—a true lady, a delicate gem."

At his words, Empress Wang’s temper flared; her playful kicking stopped abruptly.

Gu Mo didn’t need to glance sideways to sense her mood, and a mischievous grin crept into his heart.

‘Heh heh—if you keep twisting my ear, I’ll seize any chance to tease you!’

He pretended to continue his studies, his face lit with longing as he said, "Everything about her was perfect—especially her temperament. No one can compare, not even you, Your Majesty!"

He stole a glance at her expression—the Empress Wang had walked straight into his trap. Her delicate face shifted from green to pale.

This prank was too much fun!

Encouraged by his success, Gu Mo boldly continued to provoke her. "To have such a one—what more could a man wish for?"

In an instant, the Empress Wang should have exploded in fury, but she merely replied, "Mm."

Gu Mo was stunned. "Mm? Just a mm!"

She shyly lowered her head, blooming like a delicate flower bud.

She sniffed the air, then looked at Gu Mo nervously. "Little sidekick, who else came here earlier?"

Gu Mo paused, held the gold bar in his palm, and recounted the events of the day in detail.

Her face twisted as if struck by lightning. "Little sidekick, you’re finished! Not even a Grand Golden Immortal can save you!"

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