Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Wei Ning carefully surveyed the surroundings, laying the groundwork for the infiltration later that night. After confirming that no one was watching, he quickly turned to leave.
"Friend, if you walk too fast, you might trip," an elderly voice suddenly called out from somewhere.
Startled, Wei Ning turned around, pretending nothing was amiss. In the moonlight, he vaguely saw an old man. He lived in the Black House next to the Mortuary and had not turned on any lights, which was why Wei Ning hadn't noticed him earlier. Clearing his throat to mask his embarrassment, he said, "Elder, did you call me?"
"There's only you and me here; who else would I call?"
"Elder, do you need something from me? If not, I should be going. The dormitory lights will go out soon." Wei Ning tried to remain polite.
"You walk with a light step, your footfalls are short and weak. Clearly, something is on your mind. Your front foot strikes the ground heavier than usual while your heel barely touches down—it's evident you want to leave quickly but seem attached to this place. Your heartbeat is faster than normal by one beat per minute, and your breathing is more hurried; it shows you're anxious and hiding something you don't want others to know. Am I wrong?"
Wei Ning was taken aback by how much the old man could deduce just from his footsteps and heartbeat. A sense of unease settled in him, but he thought it best not to engage further. Perhaps the old man was just rambling. He hurriedly replied, "I really must go; if I don't leave now, the lights will go out. How about this: when I have time, I'll definitely come back to visit you." With a polite remark, he quickened his pace to leave.
"Are you content to live your life as a lonely person?"
Wei Ning abruptly stopped and turned back. "Elder, what do you mean by that?"
The old man snorted coldly. "Your voice is pure yet lacks depth, carrying a hint of chill; it's clear you've been haunted by an Evil Spirit for some time. Yet there are no signs of yang energy leaking from your voice. If I'm correct, this Evil Spirit means you no harm. You are deliberately allowing it to cling to you!"
As Wei Ning listened, he found the old man's words increasingly perplexing yet oddly reasonable, leaving him little room for rebuttal. The elder continued, "If I'm not mistaken, you must also be from a Taoist Sect and have learned some techniques for Nurturing Ghosts. But my friend, forgive my bluntness: the Maoshan Nurturing Ghosts practice is vast and profound; a slight misstep can lead to harm instead of benefit. Heed my advice: the sea of suffering is boundless; turning back is the way to safety."
Wei Ning's heart raced as he realized he had encountered someone knowledgeable. However, he maintained a calm facade and replied lightly, "I can handle my own matters without troubling you."
The old man sighed and shook his head, saying, "‘With my mechanism, you follow me; you hide while I exist, so that no one knows. Matters of fortune and misfortune are known only to you and me, entering my dreams, intertwined day and night.’ The Peach and Willow Immortals are indeed spiritual beings, but with your current energy, you cannot possibly control such high-level spiritual entities. If one day your strength falls short, I fear you may suffer instead. Furthermore, those who nurture ghosts, no matter how mysterious their methods may be, ultimately just overdraw their future blessings. I worry that at such a young age, you might become obsessed with this path and end up living a lonely life until death."
Wei Ning felt a weight in his heart upon hearing the old man recite Liu Linglang's incantation flawlessly. He realized this person was not speaking nonsense. Wei Ning had already been informed multiple times by Wang Tuozi about the pros and cons of nurturing ghosts; he was well aware of the risks. However, since Wang Tuozi had found a way to break the curse for him, Wei Ning felt bold enough to adopt Liu Linglang.
"Thank you for your concern, but I have matters to attend to and must take my leave." He decided not to linger any longer with the old man and turned to leave.
"Wait, friend! Would you allow me to read your bones?" The old man opened the window and gestured for Wei Ning to come closer.
Curious about this elderly figure, Wei Ning approached and extended his hand through the window. The man touched Wei Ning’s hands as if startled by a snake bite, exclaiming in panic, "Undying Bone! So that's it! So that's it! So that's it!" After repeating "so that's it" three times, he continued, "You are from the Chen Prefecture Wei Family."
Wei Ning nodded and replied, "My name is Wei Ning."
The man quickly shut the window and shouted from inside, "Go away! I have never known you! Never! Get out!"
Wei Ning was left bewildered by the old man's behavior. It was he who had invited him over but now wanted him gone. Seeing that he had been given the cold shoulder, he could only smile wryly and return to his dormitory.
Upon returning to his dormitory, Guo Fei approached him mysteriously and said, "Wei, I just heard something interesting. Did you talk to that old man from Mortuary? Did you go to his house?"
Wei Ning asked curiously, "What’s going on?"
"You’re looking for trouble," Guo Fei replied. "Everyone in school knows this old man is quite peculiar. Although he hasn’t been here long, it seems... I've heard things around campus. Don’t rush..."
"Spit it out," Wei Ning said irritably at Guo Fei's cryptic manner.
"I heard it too, but it might not be true," Guo Fei said, making a gesture across his throat. He then patted Wei Ning on the shoulder with an expression of seemingly infinite sympathy and said, "Take care of yourself. Sigh..."
"Go die," Wei Ning pushed Guo Fei away. "Stop spreading that damn feudal superstition, or you'll find yourself in trouble with the administration."
"Believe it or not," Guo Fei looked at Wei Ning with a pitying gaze, turned around, and walked away, shaking his head while clicking his tongue in contemplation.
After dismissing Guo Fei, Wei Ning suddenly recalled a strange conversation he had with that old man, which added to his curiosity about the mysterious identity of the elder. Who exactly was this old man? What powers did he possess? And did he have any ulterior motives towards him?
For a moment, Wei Ning's thoughts were in disarray, unable to find any clarity.
Comment 0 Comment Count