Chapter 3: Back to the Beginning
Qin Liu looked at Liu Haoyu’s expression and tilted her head in confusion.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, nothing.”
Let it be this way, this little ghost is quite good in her current state anyway.
There’s no need to tell her these things, lest she worry unnecessarily.
However, there’s still one point worth noting.
If, according to what’s written on the paper.
The failure of the ritual is due to a problem with the living sacrifice.
Then, based on Liu Haoyu’s understanding of sacrificial rituals in supernatural events.
The biggest problem with the sacrifice is likely to be the soul.
It’s very possible that the ritual failed because Qin Liu’s soul was too powerful.
It’s like trying to power an air conditioner remote with a car battery—if something goes wrong, it’s the devil’s fault, isn’t it?
And since that’s the case, it means all is not lost.
Perhaps there’s a way to bring Qin Liu back from the black coffin.
With this thought, Liu Haoyu looked at the black book beside him.
He then took out the paper and placed it on the cover of the black book.
The latter began to emit a faint light, and then the book slowly opened, writing a line of text on it.
“The one who tied the bell must also untie it. Perhaps Gu Qianyang will know the answer to all this.”
“But the problem is, isn’t Gu Qianyang already dead?”
The bloodstains on the black book were clearly visible, and word by word, it gradually pointed Liu Haoyu in the right direction.
“…Indeed, so you must find another way.”
“Return to Jiangliu City.”
“At that initial starting point, you might find the answer you’re looking for.”
—–
Time moved to the morning of the next day.
Liu Haoyu was packing his luggage.
Although he had been in Jiangquan City for quite some time, he still didn’t have much luggage.
It could all fit into a single backpack.
After finishing packing, he said to Qin Liu.
“Let’s get ready to go back, we’ve been here for quite a while.”
“Mmm…”
Qin Liu hesitated. She actually wished she could stay here.
Everything here was the most familiar to her.
But Qin Liu also knew… her physical problems had to be resolved, otherwise, the consequences would be endless.
This was not good for her, nor for Liu Haoyu.
However, after a moment of hesitation, she said.
“Can I go tell Liu Zining?”
“That’s right,” Liu Haoyu nodded. “We can’t just leave without saying goodbye.”
After getting permission, Qin Liu went upstairs to the second floor.
At this time of day, Liu Zining would definitely still be sleeping.
Qin Liu knew her younger sister Liu Zining’s habits well. She often stayed up late, so she wouldn’t want to get up before eleven or twelve.
But now it was time to leave, and she had to drag her out of bed.
“Knock, knock, knock…”
Qin Liu knocked on the door, but there was no response.
So, she poked her head through the door and looked at the dark interior.
Liu Zining’s bedroom was like a pigsty, with messy things scattered everywhere.
She was sleeping naked on the bed, having even kicked the quilt aside.
Her restless little hand was placed inside her…
While sleeping soundly, she scratched herself.
Looking at her disheveled younger sister, Qin Liu’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.
She suddenly wanted to drag this girl to Jiangliu City.
Otherwise, with her sleep schedule and mental state, her body would collapse before long.
But… she didn’t know how her real younger sister was doing…
With this thought, Qin Liu’s eyes became a little sad.
However, she didn’t show it obviously.
The young girl walked forward and nudged Liu Zining’s shoulder.
“Wake up.”
“Mmm… mmm~”
Liu Zining let out a sleepy moan, drool flowing from the corner of her mouth. Her body was sprawled out, a stark contrast to her usual beautiful girl appearance.
“Sister, hehe~ Big brother-in-law’s is so big… I want to eat big brother-in-law’s…”
“What are you dreaming about!”
Hearing this, Qin Liu immediately couldn’t hold back. Her face turned red, whether from shyness or anger, and she picked Liu Zining up.
The groggy girl suddenly felt her body lose weight and opened her eyes, blinking around.
“Huh? Where’s the apple? Where’s my big apple?”
“…”
Qin Liu silently put Liu Zining down.
She covered her face, feeling a bit embarrassed to recall.
So, she had misunderstood?
“Ah?” Liu Zining finally noticed Qin Liu standing in front of her and said a bit shyly, “Sister, why did you come in? You didn’t even knock and tell me.”
“I knocked, but you were sleeping like a log.”
Qin Liu sighed as she looked at Liu Zining.
“How late did you stay up last night? Take better care of yourself.”
“Didn’t stay up, didn’t stay up. I went to sleep around 1 AM.”
Liu Zining said with a smile, but no one knew if she was telling the truth.
“Sigh…” Qin Liu sighed again. “I might be going back to Jiangliu City with Liu Haoyu today. Looking at you like this, I really can’t help but worry.”
“Ah?!”
Liu Zining, who was still a bit sleepy, almost jumped out of bed.
“No way? You… you’re not staying here?”
It was clear that Liu Zining didn’t want Qin Liu to leave.
The latter felt the same way, but life was like this, separation was the norm.
“Liu Haoyu and I need to figure out how the black coffin works, and… find a way to get me out of the black coffin, so we have to go back to Jiangliu City to continue our investigation.”
“I see…”
Liu Zining stopped smiling. While she understood, she couldn’t help but feel sad.
Qin Liu reached out to hug her, but her body passed through.
Unable to do so, she had to materialize a hand with her resentment and gently pat the girl’s head, comforting her.
“I’m not not coming back, so don’t be so sad. If anything happens in the future, call Liu Haoyu to contact me.”
“Take good care of yourself, and don’t stay up late every day.”
It is said that older brothers are like fathers, but aren’t older sisters also like mothers?
Even though Liu Zining had countless reluctances, she could only nod and say.
“Okay! If brother-in-law bullies you, you must tell me. I promise to carry a train overnight and rough him up.”
“Pfft! Alright, alright, okay, we’ll be going now. Take care of yourself.”
Qin Liu smiled and walked towards the door. However, once she stepped out of the room, she suddenly lost all strength.
“Let’s go, it’s getting late.”
Liu Haoyu had been waiting outside the door for a long time. Seeing this, the girl’s smile returned to her face.
“Yeah! Let’s go back. If we renovate that little house, it can barely be a new home.”
—–
At the same time, in Jiangliu City.
Deng Xiaolin was standing in front of a nameless withered grave.
She held a peachwood sword, wearing a yellow Taoist robe.
With her remarkable talent, she had inherited the legacy of Old Deng and become a newly promoted ghost exorcist.
Looking at the withered grave before her, the young girl inserted the peachwood sword into the ground.
The withered grave was surrounded by bamboo.
Willow and bamboo were both Yin and cold objects, easily attracting fierce ghosts.
What’s more, why was there such a withered grave in this desolate bamboo forest?
In terms of Feng Shui, building a tomb in such a place was an extremely ominous sign.
Legend had it that strange sounds could be heard from this place late at night.
Even during the day, people passing by could hear human voices from the forest, but upon closer inspection, they found nothing.
She had inquired from the surrounding lonely souls and wild ghosts, and it seemed that this withered grave belonged to some important figure in the past, but the family seemed to have died out, so no one had ever paid respects to it.
Deng Xiaolin took a deep breath. Although it was already close to noon, she felt a strange coldness in this place.
For safety’s sake, she planted two candles on either side of the grave.
One blue and one red.
At the same time, to appease the tomb owner, she lit three incense sticks on the grave.
After the three incense sticks, she had to leave, whether there was a response or not.
“This junior comes to question ghosts and has caused offense. Please forgive me.”
Deng Xiaolin’s purpose for coming here was to find the strange sounds in the bamboo forest.
However, at present, the strange sounds in these bamboo forests were very likely related to this grave.
By questioning ghosts, she might be able to find out its grievances and regrets. Once they were resolved, this place should return to peace.
As she spoke, Deng Xiaolin presented a bowl of unsolidified chicken blood.
The sun was high in the sky, but the Yin energy in the surroundings had not diminished much.
Deng Xiaolin silently recited her name.
Soon, the two candles in front of the grave suddenly lit up.
The faint flame emitted a cold glow.
Various ominous premonitions made Deng Xiaolin’s heart tighten.
But she didn’t intend to stop. She took out a pair of chopsticks from her pocket, stirred the chicken blood gently, and silently recited her name.
“Deng Xiaolin… Deng Xiaolin… Deng Xiaolin…”
As time passed, the name that echoed in her mind seemed to no longer be her own voice.
The forest became colder and colder, as if something was focusing its gaze on the young girl.
Cold, strange, and terrifying—all these signs made Deng Xiaolin’s unease grow stronger.
The chicken blood in the bowl began to reflect her own shadow.
The recitation stopped abruptly, and Deng Xiaolin saw the reflection in the bowl grinning.
But the problem was… she wasn’t smiling.
