Lucas Lu had always assumed that Uncle Jiu was already settled in Renjia Town. But when he was first taken in, he quickly realized that wasn't the case at all.
Uncle Jiu didn't even have a proper place to stay yet.
For the first few days, they wandered without a home, spending nights in abandoned temples. The wind howled through broken roofs, and the nights were cold and restless.
One day, they passed by a nameless village.
The moment they approached, a heavy, oppressive yin aura hung in the air. Even Lucas could tell something was terribly wrong at a glance.
"That's a strong yin presence. This village has likely fallen to a malevolent spirit," Uncle Jiu said, his expression turning grave.
Without hesitation, he carried Lucas into the village. Leaving a baby outside alone was far too dangerous. By the time he returned, there might not even be a body left.
Step by step, Uncle Jiu advanced cautiously, every movement measured and alert.
Meow!
A black cat suddenly leapt from a nearby rooftop and vanished into the shadows. Uncle Jiu tightened his grip on the peachwood sword in his hand.
Since entering the village, that cat had been the only living thing they had seen.
At the village entrance, Uncle Jiu had already used willow leaves to open his spiritual sight. Yet despite that, he hadn't seen a single ghost.
Just as he was about to finish searching the entire place, something caught his attention.
The ancestral hall at the village entrance.
Unlike ordinary halls filled with incense smoke and offerings, this one exuded nothing but thick, chilling yin energy.
Uncle Jiu frowned, his gaze sharpening. With swift movements, he drew out several talismans.
"Heaven above and earth below, spirits heed my command. Let all evil retreat. By decree!"
The talismans shot into the air, glowing with a brilliant golden light. As if guided by invisible threads, they scattered and positioned themselves around the ancestral hall, sealing it off completely.
"Evil creature, show yourself at once!"
His voice rang out like thunder, even the surrounding yin energy seeming to falter under its force.
Then, reflected in Lucas's clear, crystal-like eyes, a figure slowly appeared.
A woman in a blue robe, her long hair dragging along the ground.
Uncle Jiu narrowed his eyes. The ghost was wrapped in dense karmic resentment. It was obvious. This entire village had been slaughtered by her alone.
"You vile spirit! You dare massacre an entire village. Do you not fear divine punishment?"
The blue-robed ghost made no reply. Only a chilling sound of bones grinding echoed faintly.
Lucas, however, recognized her instantly.
"Chu Renmei? The Haunted Village… I knew this place felt familiar. So this is her territory. But can Uncle Jiu handle her at this stage?"
In the films from his previous life, Uncle Jiu always gave off an overwhelming sense of security. But right now, he was still young. It was hard to say how strong he truly was.
Seeing that the ghost remained silent, Uncle Jiu's gaze hardened. He stomped the ground and surged forward, moving with incredible speed.
Chu Renmei flickered like a mirage, her figure blurring as she retreated instantly.
With sword in hand, Uncle Jiu gave chase.
Through the empty village streets, man and ghost clashed again and again. Though Uncle Jiu managed to strike her several times, his attacks never truly landed. Her body would blur and reform elsewhere, escaping each time.
Two hours passed in relentless pursuit.
Yet Chu Renmei never left the village. She remained bound within its boundaries, circling endlessly.
Uncle Jiu's patience began to wear thin.
"A bound spirit… If I don't destroy her today, anyone who wanders into this place in the future will meet the same fate. No. She must be eliminated."
Just then, something stirred within Lucas's sea of consciousness.
The Sheep Talisman began to glow softly.
At the same time, a faint white radiance appeared around his body, spilling into the outside world.
That light drew Chu Renmei's attention instantly.
She stopped fleeing.
Instead, she turned and lunged straight toward Lucas, attempting to snatch him from Uncle Jiu's arms.
Uncle Jiu shielded the child with one arm while wielding his sword with the other, fending her off.
As they clashed, the glow around Lucas flickered.
And then, something astonishing happened.
Lucas's soul drifted out of his body.
"Lucas, get back inside!" Uncle Jiu shouted in alarm.
But Chu Renmei reacted even faster. Driven by instinct, she rushed upward, trying to devour his soul. Something deep within her told her that consuming it would bring unimaginable benefits.
Lucas's soul continued rising, and Uncle Jiu couldn't reach him in time.
The ghost was just moments away from grabbing him.
Even without a face, her excitement was palpable. Meanwhile, Uncle Jiu leapt across rooftops, desperately trying to intercept her.
At the very last moment, everything froze.
Chu Renmei's ghostly form stopped moving entirely.
Lucas's soul hovered gently in the air, swaying slightly.
"So the Sheep Talisman works like this too… She looked terrifying, but I can control her soul directly."
A smile spread across his tiny face, innocent and adorable.
Under his control, both souls slowly descended back toward the ground.
Uncle Jiu approached, confusion written all over his face.
"Lucas, come back quickly!"
He made hand gestures as he spoke, clearly worried that prolonged separation would harm the child's soul.
Lucas simply turned his head and gave him a small smile before looking back at Chu Renmei.
His chubby little hand lifted, fingers curling slightly.
In response, her entire ghostly form began to twist and distort.
"Let's see what else I can do."
His expression was filled with the delight of someone playing with a new toy. To others, it looked irresistibly cute.
To Chu Renmei, it was pure terror.
An invisible force spread from his hand. The yin energy within her began to dissipate rapidly. Even the surrounding atmosphere started to clear.
"A ghost domain… No wonder I couldn't catch her. To form one at the level of a vengeful spirit… her resentment must be immense," Uncle Jiu murmured.
By now, very little yin energy remained in her body.
"Purifying a vengeful spirit… not bad. Hm? I can see her memories too?"
In an instant, Lucas witnessed her past.
Her suffering was even more tragic than what he remembered from the films.
"No wonder her resentment ran so deep. Anyone in her place would have turned into this."
He shook his head quietly.
Then his soul drifted back into his body.
The moment he returned, exhaustion hit him like a wave. The world spun, and sleep overtook him almost instantly. His tiny fingers curled toward his mouth as he drifted off, looking utterly peaceful.
Uncle Jiu gently adjusted the swaddle, then looked toward the immobilized Chu Renmei and sighed.
Though he couldn't see her memories, he could feel the weight of her hatred.
"Your vengeance has been taken. Now go to the underworld and cleanse your sins. May your next life be free from such suffering."
With that, he began to chant the Soul Sending Mantra.
"From the boundless source of the immortal path,
All is purified under the great Dao.
By its power, the gates of the underworld open.
Let the soul pass unhindered to rebirth.
Refined anew, to live once more.
Merit fulfilled, the cycle complete.
By decree!"
A faint mist appeared in the distance.
Within it, the outline of a gate slowly formed.
From the gate stepped a shadowy figure dressed in dark official robes, its face obscured.
An underworld envoy.
It walked up to Chu Renmei, placed shackles upon her, and led her through the gate. Moments later, both vanished without a trace.
As she was taken away, a stream of merit descended upon master and disciple.
Uncle Jiu felt a refreshing clarity wash over him.
Meanwhile, the sleeping Lucas smiled faintly in his dreams.
Without lingering any longer, Uncle Jiu adjusted his hold on the child and continued southward on their journey.