Chapter 121: Escorting the Wandering Souls

After bidding farewell to the agent, Cao Kong walked toward the small residence with Cao Xiang following closely behind.

"Brother, this house is haunted. Are we really going to live here?" Cao Xiang’s brow was creased with worry.

"We could choose not to, but do you have any money?"

Hearing this, Cao Xiang’s expression fell, and he said no more. The two brothers possessed many spiritual treasures, but they lacked common currency; and those spiritual items were things that ordinary mortals could not withstand.

The small residence had no name and was tucked away in a secluded area. The gate was overgrown with vines, giving it an air of quiet solitude. There was no lock; when pushed open, it creaked rhythmically. Entering the courtyard, they discovered a loquat tree, its branches spreading wide like a canopy. Aside from appearing old and gathering some weeds, the house was remarkably free of dust.

Cao Kong stood quietly in the courtyard, sensing its tranquility. As the evening breeze brushed past, bringing a refreshing coolness, he said, "See what the house is missing. We will find a way to replace them in the coming days. Since we have entered the mortal realm, we must follow its customs."

Cao Xiang obediently went to inspect the place. It was neither too big nor too small—more than enough for the two of them. The beds, benches, and chairs, though aged, were still functional. If anything, they would just need to purchase some bedding and cooking utensils later.

"Brother, we don't have much money left. Buying so many things might not be enough."

Cao Kong laughed. "It’s simple. Buy some grain; I will brew wine to trade for money, and you can serve as a wandering physician. That way, we can earn a living while accumulating merit."

"What about our meals in the meantime?"

Cao Kong pondered for a moment. "Hmm, going without food for a few dozen days won't kill us."

Cao Xiang: o((⊙﹏⊙))o

Cao Kong burst into hearty laughter.

That night, as Cao Kong sat in meditation, he suddenly heard a faint, ethereal song. Looking up, he saw a shadow on the wall, resembling a slender woman dancing. Cao Kong’s expression remained unchanged; he sat peacefully, listening intently.

"Brother, there's a ghost!"

With a thud, Cao Xiang burst in, his internal vital energy surging. Following the sound, he spotted the shadow on the wall. The moment he entered, the female ghost vanished instantly, as if scorched by fire.

"Do not be rude. This young woman is the owner of this house, and we are merely guests. How can a guest be disrespectful to the host?"

Cao Kong had already perceived that the female ghost possessed a clear, spiritual aura rather than a malevolent one. He surmised that she must have held a deep obsession in life, causing a spark of her spirit to remain undissipated after death, manifesting as a wandering shade. Cao Xiang’s Taoist vital energy, derived from the Longevity Star, was upright, peaceful, and majestic; naturally, such a spirit—not even reaching the level of a ghost immortal—would flee from it.

After hearing Cao Kong’s explanation, Cao Xiang realized his mistake and bowed to the room. "My apologies for the intrusion. It was unintentional; I hope you will forgive me."

There was no response from the room. Cao Kong felt thoughtful; perhaps the ghost was muddled, acting only on instinct. He wondered why, if a spirit remained, no officials from the underworld had come to collect it.

"Do not worry, go and rest," he said. Though puzzled, Cao Xiang nodded and left.

From then on, Cao Kong and the female ghost left each other in peace. Every midnight, the woman’s singing would echo, though it was indistinct, filled with a lingering sense of grievance.

In Qingyun City, a new wandering physician and a wine peddler appeared. The physician was kind-hearted, charging only a few copper coins for consultations. The wine peddler’s brew was mellow and fragrant, though he sold only a limited amount each day at a low price. This inevitably drew the envy of some taverns, but when they tried to buy his recipe, Cao Kong naturally refused. Some people harbored malicious thoughts, but upon learning that Cao Kong lived in that small house, they abandoned their schemes—better not to provoke a place known to be haunted.

Cao Kong enjoyed the peace. He spent his days meditating, and in his leisure time, he walked the streets, selling wine and savoring the smoke and dust of the mortal world. As for Cao Xiang, things were even more interesting: due to his handsome appearance and exceptional medical skills, many women took a liking to him, sending bold matchmakers to the small house to propose. Cao Kong politely declined them all. Cao Xiang, upon hearing this, showed no reaction, but in the privacy of his room, he would hide on his bed, laughing and rolling around.

Time passed until the Winter Solstice. On this day, the shortest day and longest night, the transition between yin and yang reached a critical juncture. After this day, yang energy would gradually grow, and yin would weaken. Conversely, this was the moment when yin energy was at its peak.

That night, the woman’s song echoed once more, mournful and lost. Hearing it and sensing her intent, Cao Kong realized the spirit was driven by obsession but lacked consciousness. "Very well," he said. "I have stayed in your home for many days; it is time to offer something in return."

He pressed his fingers into a sword-seal, aimed at the spirit’s location, and issued a low command: "By decree, manifest!"

He drew upon the incense energy from the clay-gilded statues in Qindao City. Whether due to the distance or the difficulty of manifesting a spirit, the drain was significant. Suddenly, a woman appeared before Cao Kong, her form translucent.

The woman immediately knelt before Cao Kong. No longer muddled, her eyes were clear, though her face wore a look of bitter sorrow. "Please, Master, grant me transcendence and send me to reincarnation."

Cao Kong asked for her story, and she answered him point by point. She had been a native of Qingyun City, betrothed to a man she loved deeply. One day, her husband fell ill, and the physician’s prescription lacked a vital ingredient. She went outside the city to gather herbs, only to encounter mountain bandits. Her fate was...

She died after enduring much suffering, but even in death, her thoughts remained with her sick husband. Her obsession was so deep that her spirit returned to her old home, only to find it draped in mourning cloth. The loquat tree in the courtyard had grown into a canopy, and her spirit was trapped there by her own obsession.

With a spirit in the house and songs heard at midnight, the residence was deemed unclean, until Cao Kong arrived.

Hearing the story, Cao Kong sighed, lamenting the many tragic souls in the human world. He sat cross-legged and began to chant the *Supreme Scripture of Salvation*, seeking to guide her soul to reincarnation.

The sound of the scripture filled the courtyard, drifting like smoke, calming the spirit.

*“At that time, the Heavenly Lord of Salvation filled the ten directions with his presence, using his divine power to rescue all beings, leading them from the path of delusion... to absolve all sins and overcome all perils...”*

As the scripture resonated, a gentle breeze stirred, encircling the woman’s spirit like a protective shroud, guiding her soul toward the underworld.

The woman wept and bowed in gratitude, then vanished from the mortal realm. The loquat tree in the courtyard rustled in the wind.

Just then, an immortal descended from the sky, looking imposing and radiant, with a precious talisman hanging from his waist.

"Ha! Three hundred days have passed in the heavens. My treasure should be refined by now."

As he headed toward Mount Honglu, his ears twitched, and he heard the chanting. His expression turned to one of surprise.

"Eh? That is the Heavenly Lord’s scripture. Who is chanting it?"

He cast his magical gaze toward Qingyun City and saw Cao Kong. He observed his profound Taoist aura and the "non-leaking" state of his essence, spirit, and qi, all contained within him—clearly, his cultivation was not shallow.

"I recall that some time ago, the Heavenly Lord took a personal disciple in the Azure Flower Realm of Eternal Joy."

The man murmured, a smile appearing on his face.