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Chapter 1: Ghostly Marriage
The dark room was devoid of light, illuminated only by the flickering candles. Every time my grandfather conducted a soul-ritual, he would retreat to this dark room after handling the affairs of the deceased. He needed to calm his mind in order to rest well; the dark room felt like a separate space, isolated from the world, with excellent soundproofing.
There was a history behind my grandfather's use of this dark room.
He had purchased this place to run a funeral home business, drawn particularly to this very dark room. Neither my grandfather nor the original owner knew exactly when it had been built.
The original owner had gone abroad and never returned. According to my grandfather's initial speculation, this dark room was constructed as a refuge during times of war.
That explained its concealed and sturdy design; it would not be an exaggeration to describe it as impregnable.
My grandfather placed his coffin here, feeling secure and at ease, yet he never anticipated that I, his unfilial disciple, would lend it out.
The dark room was not only structurally sound but also had good ventilation for secrecy.
In case of danger, one could stay in the dark room for days as long as they prepared enough food and drink.
With the fire pit nearby, I burned a hundred letters of affection for Wu Shengxiu.
Before I finished burning the last letter, I faintly heard sobbing.
“Wu Shengxiu.” Knowing she was present put me at ease; what I feared most was that Ji Xiaoying would cause trouble during her mourning period.
Wu Shengxiu emerged, holding those hundred letters of affection.
Each letter contained Zhou Xiao's deep feelings and remorse.
It would be best if Zhou Xiao could move Wu Shengxiu's heart.
This would save me a lot of trouble.
The most dreaded thing during a funeral is unexpected disturbances. I thought that without Wu Shengxiu around, Ji Xiaoying's funeral should proceed smoothly.
"Alright, it's all in the past. I don't want you to become a Ghostly Spirit. You should know that your fate with Zhou Xiao is not yet over; you two are destined for a Ghostly Marriage. So once I finish dealing with Ji Xiaoying's affairs, I'll gladly arrange a Yin Marriage for you."
With a loud creak, the Coffin Lid opened, and Zhou Xiao emerged, bowing deeply to me while holding the tearful Wu Shengxiu. "No, please don't. I can't accept this. If you must thank someone, thank my grandfather."
Wu Shengxiu and Zhou Xiao exchanged silent glances, sharing a bittersweet smile before both returned to the coffin, waiting for me to complete Ji Xiaoying's matters so they could wed. Resolving Wu Shengxiu's grievances and facilitating a Yin Marriage would certainly bring about additional Yin De.
After that, I needed to head to Ji Xiaoying's house.
No, it should be Chi Zhi Ping's house.
On my way there, I posted a notice at the shop entrance stating that there were tasks to be done today. Anyone wishing to purchase items from the Counter could simply leave their money there; they could buy what they needed without hesitation.
Since the Funeral Home opened, my grandfather had always operated this way.
With no one around, the Funeral Home stood wide open.
The items in the Counter wouldn't diminish unless someone foolish enough attempted to steal things meant for the dead—then their time would surely come.
It's important to note that aside from us, there was also a neat row of Paper Figurines in the Funeral Home.
Such places are considered unlucky; generally, anyone of sound mind wouldn't dare to default on payments or steal items meant for the deceased.
So I could confidently go about my business.
I had to admit, Chi Zhi Ping's family was indeed wealthy.
From a distance, I could see my grandfather organizing people for the Spirit Pavilion—it was top-notch, elegant and luxurious, enhanced by colorful lighting effects that made it spectacularly beautiful.
I arrived a bit early; the guests had not yet gathered completely. A few helpers and guests were quietly conversing in small groups, while some sat inside the Spirit Pavilion burning paper and watching over the guiding lanterns. This entire area was reserved by Chi Zhi Ping; an entrance and exit path had been temporarily opened on one side while this side was designated for Chi Zhi Ping's funeral arrangements.
It was clear just how complex Chi Zhi Ping's background was.
A giant portrait, three times larger than a regular one, hung high above the entrance of the Spirit Pavilion. The charm and grace of Ji Xiaoying were still evident in the portrait, her smile captivating and enchanting.
A man dressed in a sleek black suit stood there, exuding an air of sophistication despite being middle-aged. I could confidently say he was Chi Zhi Ping, the epitome of a refined gentleman.
At first glance, it was hard to believe he had once served time in prison.
He stood at the entrance of the Spirit Pavilion, gazing toward the wealthy district where I was entering.
I had just completed my grandfather's arrangements for the deceased, so I needed to be fully alert to handle any unexpected events that might arise.
Taking a deep breath, I feigned relaxation and strode confidently toward Chi Zhi Ping.
Just as I was about to approach him, a woman emerged from the side. She was stunningly beautiful, even younger and more attractive than Ji Xiaoying.
"Zhi Ping, when will the mortician arrive? When can we proceed with the burial?"
Her voice was melodious and sweet. As she spoke, her hand casually intertwined with Chi Zhi Ping's. I instinctively slowed my pace and deliberately shifted my gaze elsewhere. I waited for her to leave before approaching Chi Zhi Ping to clarify why my grandfather couldn't attend and to discuss the funeral arrangements.
Ji Xiaoying's remains were to be cremated. The ashes were still at the funeral home; the hearse needed to go there to collect them before heading to the burial site.
Wealthy individuals often purchased prestigious burial plots with names like Babaoshan, Phoenix Mountain, and Return Tomb—strange yet notable titles.
I had heard that Ji Xiaoying's resting place was at Songling Cemetery.
Songling Cemetery was situated in an artificially landscaped area, where a few square meters of burial space could cost over a hundred thousand. It was outrageous; they were truly a group profiting from death.
For me, these man-made graves could never compare to naturally formed resting places.
Nature is wonderful; as long as it’s not a necropolis, the deceased can roam freely among the living.
Time passed quickly.
I had almost reached the entrance of the Spirit Tablet when Chi Zhi Ping was still chatting away with that woman.
This was not good. I walked straight into the Spirit Pavilion, and immediately a helper greeted me, "Please come in, are you here for a service?"
"From Ma Wu Funeral Home."
As soon as the helper heard this, he hurriedly ran out to whisper a few words to Chi Zhi Ping's relatives.
Before long, someone went to notify Chi Zhi Ping.
Upon hearing that the Mortician had arrived, Chi Zhi Ping rushed over. When he saw me, his eyebrows shot up in surprise as he asked, "Are you a sparrow?"
"I'm sorry, I'm not a sparrow. I'm Ma Qi, Ma Wu's grandson."
"Is your grandfather not coming?"
"He has something urgent to attend to, so I'm here to handle the funeral arrangements."
Chi Zhi Ping hesitated for a moment, skepticism and distrust evident on his face. He looked angry and crossed his arms but couldn't express his fury. He struggled to suppress his anger and asked, "Can you handle this?"
"If I can't, then..." I locked eyes with him. My deep gaze flickered with anger, but I couldn't let it show in front of so many people.
"Fine then, just make sure nothing goes wrong... Hmph..."
I had a clear idea of whether I could successfully carry out the funeral.
Standing at the front of the mourning hall, I held my hands in the Pangu Finger position. I whispered incantations in a low voice, intending to invoke the Exorcism effect. Even if there were other enemies besides Wu Shengxiu trying to disrupt the funeral proceedings, my Pangu Finger would have an immediate effect.
Unless an unseeing New Soul recklessly disregarded the cycle of reincarnation and charged in recklessly, there shouldn't be any other strange occurrences.
Everything was ready.
Fire Basin, Chi Zhi Ping's daughter, Chi Xinrong, lifted the fire basin and smashed it at my command!
The spirit was summoned—
The Hearse led the way, a white flower at the front swaying in the wind, producing a soft sound. I saw Chi Zhi Ping holding hands with that woman who had appeared out of nowhere, walking off to another place.
Chi Zhi Ping could not personally send Ji Xiaoying off; that was a taboo.
But he also couldn't be so intimate with another woman at this critical moment; that would be inappropriate.
Someone was specifically responsible for scattering the toll money. A handful of Hell Money was thrown down, and a gust of evil wind swept up the fluttering Hell Money, striking Xuan Xuan. Xuan Xuan rushed straight towards Chi Zhi Ping and the woman behind him, as the scattered Hell Money danced in the air like countless yellow paper butterflies, fluttering under the astonished and incredulous gazes of the onlookers—beautiful yet eerie.
Seeing this scene, I calculated with my fingers and sensed something was amiss—there was a problem.
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