Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

All I could see was a fog.

A strange red moon hung high in the sky.

She walked heavily through the crowd, not knowing where she was going.

Suddenly, an old tree appeared in front of me, without a single leaf on it.

The withered branches, resembling skeletons, stretch all the way to the horizon.

Where is this?

She stood there stunned, and when she looked down again, she found that her hands and feet were bound.

"Mo Gu, you slaughtered the entire Spirit Sword Sect! Your crimes are heinous and utterly wicked!"

"He is now imprisoned in the Nine Netherworlds, never to be reincarnated!"

A chilling voice came from all directions, elusive and unpredictable, seemingly real yet illusory.

"Who?"

She looked around, and when she turned back, the area behind her was now filled with blinding light and shadow.

"Mogu, the hundred-year period has come. I grant your soul permission to return to the mortal realm to atone for your sins."

"You must ferry thirty-two wronged souls across the mortal realm and light the soul-ferrying lamp before you can re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

"Remember, this body only has three years left. You must fulfill the unfinished wishes left behind by its original owner in the human world as soon as possible."

"Otherwise, if the soul is scattered in an instant, all previous efforts will be in vain."

The light and shadow disappeared.

Darkness engulfed the entire dream.

Xia Ximo suddenly sat up with a start, only to find herself sitting in a chair, the numbness in her legs feeling somewhat unfamiliar.

All was silent. The lone lamp in the room had not yet burned out, but the sky was already bright.

Just as she was about to stand up, she noticed a black lotus lamp on the table beside her, which did not seem to be of this world.

In the morning light, Xia Ximo picked it up and examined it carefully.

The lotus lantern was no bigger than the palm of a hand, with thirty-two lotus petals and no wick, giving it an eerie feel.

Looking at this object, three words suddenly came to mind.

—The Soul-Crossing Lamp.

Footsteps came from outside the door, as if someone was quietly approaching.

Xia Ximo put down the lotus lantern, got up and walked to the door, then opened it.

The people outside seemed taken aback, but after a moment, they revealed a kind smile.

"Is Miss Xia awake?"

It was the butler I'd met briefly yesterday.

Xia Ximo nodded.

Ren Cong continued politely, "I've instructed the servants to bring hot water. Miss, please wash up and have your meal in a little while."

"Um."

She remained aloof and unconventional, even in front of Ren Fengjue.

Ren Cong had already understood this and didn't care about it.

He handed over the silver he had prepared beforehand, and said, "This is a small token of Lord Ren's appreciation; please accept it, Miss Xia."

Xia Ximo looked at the heavy package in his hand and hesitated for a moment.

She had no idea what was inside.

Ren Cong observed her expression and explained, "Miss Xia is new to the capital. If she doesn't have money to rely on, she'll likely face many inconveniences."

Hearing this, Xia Ximo finally realized what was happening.

"He gave me money?"

There was finally a hint of unease in his tone.

A smile appeared on Ren Cong's lips as he thought to himself, "Although he doesn't adhere to etiquette, he can still be moved by money."

It seems...

He replied respectfully, "That's right."

"How much?"

"Um?"

Ren Cong doubted whether he had misheard, and quietly lowered his raised hand slightly. "It's one hundred taels of silver."

"Um."

The other party responded with a calm reply, but said nothing more.

He took the money from his hand and turned to go inside.

They didn't even utter a single word of thanks.

"..."

Staring at her retreating figure, Ren Cong stood there in a daze, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

After Xia Ximo finished washing up and eating, Ren Cong had no choice but to visit again.

This time, however, he brought two people with him.

"Miss Xia, this is Manager Liu of Jinxiu Clothing Store and Tailor Master Li."

Xia Ximo, unaware of the purpose of the visit, frowned slightly.

Seeing this, Ren Cong had no choice but to patiently explain, "Lord Ren instructed that two winter coats be made for Miss Xia."

Tailoring clothes?

She subconsciously glanced down at herself.

Having been trapped in the extreme cold of the Nine Netherworld for a hundred years, they had long forgotten what warmth was.

At this time, the soul has not yet fully merged with the body, the yin energy cannot dissipate, and the chill will constantly seep into the bone marrow.

The thick winter clothes were practically useless to her.

However, on second thought, we are now living in a peaceful and prosperous era, and people not only seek to be well-fed and clothed, but also to maintain a sense of dignity.

Her tattered clothes made her look somewhat out of place.

Then let's temporarily conform to the world and follow the customs.

"it is good."

Ren Cong smiled and nodded, then winked at Manager Liu beside him.

Manager Liu dared not delay, so he stepped forward, his face beaming, and asked, "Does the young lady have a style she'd like?"

Xia Ximo didn't even lift his eyelids: "No."

"Then... is there anything special about the fabric?"

"no."

Manager Liu's expression stiffened slightly: "Then..."

"You decide what to do."

"..."

The questions, however, put Manager Liu in a difficult position.

In their line of business, they aren't afraid of customers who have complicated demands and difficult attitudes.

After all, their Jinxiu Clothing Store is the best clothing store in the capital, and even the empresses and princesses in the palace praise it highly.

This girl, whose background is unknown, has a truly perplexing attitude.

If it weren't for the young marquis's sake...

After hesitating for a moment, Manager Liu forced a smile and said, "In that case, let Master Li bring some blueprints for you to take a look at, young lady."

For the seasonal clothing produced by Jinxiu Clothing Store, they would invite famous painters from the capital to come and take samples.

These artists are all highly skilled, and the details and color schemes they paint are almost identical to the real objects, making them extremely realistic.

Xia Ximo looked at each drawing without showing any emotion.

Don't you like it?

Li, the tailor, was quietly observing her expression and was thinking about how to start a conversation when he noticed that her eyes suddenly fixed on the painting basket behind him.

There was also a separate scroll inside that hadn't been taken out.

"Young lady, this roll is last year's winter clothes."

Xia Ximo didn't say anything, but simply extended her hand to him.

Li the tailor paused for a moment, then glanced at Manager Liu. Seeing that the other party had no objection, he handed over the items.

The scroll unfolds, revealing only four sets of clothing, yet the style is completely different from before.

In addition to paying attention to the details of the clothing, this artist also painted the corresponding figures, whose expressions and the rendering of the scene blend together, making each piece of clothing and accessory more vivid and radiant.

Despite the great effort put into it, it was left unsigned.

Xia Ximo's gaze swept across the landscape, finally settling on a girl in a red cloak standing in the snow, her expression slightly sorrowful.

Tailor Li chimed in, "This cloak was the most fashionable style last year; almost every noblewoman in the capital kept one."

Just as he was about to continue, the other person suddenly asked, "Is this artist already dead?"

Li the tailor choked instantly.

Manager Liu's expression also changed.

Seeing that they remained silent, Xia Ximo calmly withdrew his gaze and ordered, "I want these four sets of clothes."

After recovering from his shock, Li the tailor was at a loss for words.

Manager Liu was stunned for a long time before he came to his senses.

"What are you standing there for? Hurry up and take this young lady's measurements!"