The Three Pure Ones' Secret: Expressing Spirit

Seeing that the answer went beyond what was originally intended, Yin Yuhong said to me incredulously in a low voice, "Wow~ Not bad, Pu. I didn't expect you to have such a talent."

I looked at her, smiled shyly, but felt incredibly smug inside. You see, although I'm not a good student and don't like studying, while I'm not exactly a master photographer, I've been playing with cameras since middle school, so I have a natural advantage in that area!

In fact, Yin Yuhong is also a very talented photographer, but she is not good at lifestyle photography; rather, she excels at highly professional landscape photography. She seems to have won some kind of award, which is quite prestigious, but I haven't paid much attention to those. I only remember our teaching director, Lao Wang, mentioning it once in class.

Yin Yuhong added me as a friend, and she would sometimes share things about her life with me. Although we had a lot to talk about, most of it was thanks to Li Quan and Li Peng, those two clueless guys, helping me out. Actually, those two old guys weren't trying to teach me how to get Yin Yuhong's attention; they just wanted to find an opportunity to get to know Yin Yuhong's two girlfriends.

Yin Yuhong is a girl who attends classes diligently and studies honestly every day. When she chatted with me, she said that she wants to be a master landscape photographer in the future. I didn't know how to respond to her, so I could only wish her success. She also has two good friends who are both very beautiful. One is good at makeup and styling, and the other is good at setting the scene. The three of them make a perfect photography team.

The relationship between people is really strange. In the first semester, we didn't talk much and were like strangers. But once you have a friend of the opposite sex, it's like you catch a contagious disease. One person passes it on to another, and everyone slowly becomes friends.

Yin Yuhong's good friends Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu were inseparable from him every day, and I was probably his only female friend. I also had two bastards, Li Peng and Li Quan, around me, who always had eyes for Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu. Perhaps because Yin Yuhong and I were getting more and more familiar and closer, and those two scoundrels were always hanging around me, the group eventually really did become a couple.

The six of them became completely familiar with each other during an outdoor filming assignment.

It was already mid-October, and the school needed to determine the topics for the entrance exams. Students were required to choose their areas of expertise for the exams, but they had to pass the exams; otherwise, they would have to make up the credits for failing the exams the following year.

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With the practical exam credits for college entrance exams looming ahead, nobody wanted to repeat a year and have to retake the exams. Li Quan, Li Peng, and I completely panicked.

Li Quan and Li Peng would hover around me whenever they had free time, pestering and begging me to invite Yin Yuhong to go out and take photos together for their graduation photography assignment. I knew perfectly well that they weren't really after the credits or the assignment; they were clearly after Yin Yuhong's two girlfriends.

Finally, the guy couldn't stand being pestered by the two of them anymore. He had no choice but to bite the bullet and secretly ask Yin Yuhong out during the break between classes.

I originally thought Yin Yuhong would politely decline, but to my surprise, she agreed without hesitation. She smiled at me with her eyes crinkling, and even went to discuss it with Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu.

It was mid-October, the height of autumn. The countryside outside the campus was already adorned in autumn attire. The ginkgo trees lining the roads were turning yellow in succession, their golden, fan-like leaves layered upon each other, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight. A gentle autumn breeze swept by, and the yellow leaves twirled and drifted down, carpeting the ground with a soft, golden path. In the distance, the maple trees covering the mountains were gradually turning crimson, their varying shades of red layered upon each other, like the setting sun, a tapestry of red and yellow, spreading across the mountains in autumn colors. Everywhere you looked was a gentle yet intense autumn light and shadow, the air carrying the unique crispness and dryness of autumn.

The six of us set off together, carrying cameras and backpacks, chatting and laughing as we embarked on this outdoor sketching trip to complete our graduation project.

The most cunning person on the journey was Li Laoquan. From the moment he first saw Liu Shiyu, he had a plan in mind, just like a lackey of Empress Dowager Cixi: "Here! Liu Shiyu, let me help you carry it, don't tire yourself out!"

When Liu Shiyu saw Li Quan's overly attentive manner, she directly refused, saying, "No need, no need!"

Liu Shiyu was playful by nature, cheerful and lively. She dressed flamboyantly, with bright and lively eyes, and always managed to tease him. She saw through Li Quan's little schemes at a glance, but deliberately didn't expose him, always teasing him and making him laugh.

Li Quan, usually quick-witted and able to outwit anyone, always finds himself at a disadvantage when he encounters Liu Shiyu, leaving her speechless with her sharp retorts. The two bicker and tease each other all the way, a perfect pair of bickering lovers, neither willing to back down. Despite their arguments, there's an unintentional smile hidden in their eyes.

In contrast, Li Peng and Wu Qian on the other side were completely different. Although Li Peng looked honest and taciturn, he became quite talkative when he saw Wu Qian, making her very cheerful. Wu Qian, on the other hand, was a quiet girl who didn't talk much.

But the atmosphere between them was even more open and transparent than between Yin Yuhong and me. Without needing many words, a glance, a casual eye contact, was enough for them to understand each other's feelings. Their interactions were gentle and tacit. However, both were too shy. Although they clearly harbored feelings for each other, they carefully kept them hidden in their hearts, neither willing to take the initiative, afraid of breaking the comfortable friendship they shared. So they quietly tested the waters, silently drawing closer.

With Teacher Cui accompanying him, Lao Meng, who didn't care much about credits, didn't go along. The six of us gathered together, admiring the autumn scenery along the way and taking photos ourselves. Golden ginkgo leaves, crimson maple forests, and a gentle evening breeze rustling the falling leaves.

I occasionally turn my head and I can see Yin Yuhong's profile as she earnestly holds up her camera to capture the scenery, sunlight falling on her hair.

Li Quan was still bickering and joking with Liu Shiyu, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere; not far away, under the shade of a tree, Li Peng stood quietly, secretly glancing at Wu Qian, who was tidying up her makeup and props.

The autumn scenery in the mountains was beautiful, and we were surrounded by a few people. In the end, everyone took photos that they were quite satisfied with.

Soon the setting sun painted the evening sky red, its rays bathing us as we strolled along the Jialing River. A gentle breeze rippled the water. Having played all day, we were all quite hungry, so we decided to eat near the school gate.

This is the first time we've had dinner with three female classmates. Wu Qian and Liu Shiyu used to never even look at Li Quan and Li Peng properly in class, but perhaps we'll become friends from today onwards.

October in southern Sichuan was getting colder. We all ate some not-so-authentic hot pot near the school gate, and I called Lao Meng, who was with his wife. Every time we saw Cui Xingwen, we felt a sense of pressure.

Fortunately, whenever Cui Xingwen came out to meet us, she would remind us, "Hey, I don't eat people. At school, we're teacher and student; outside of school, we're friends!"

But who hasn't been scolded by this auntie in the classroom!

They ate hotpot until midnight, drank quite a bit, and chatted happily. After the meal, a cold wind blew in from the school gate, and everyone shivered. A few of them walked into the school, but perhaps because it was so late, the electric gate at the main entrance was closed.

When people drink, they act without thinking. Li Quan and Li Peng put their arms around each other, saw the door was closed, and were about to climb over it without saying a word. But at that moment, the security guard at the door hurriedly shouted at them, "Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing!"

The group was dumbfounded. The obese security guard, wearing a work jacket, said to us, "Have you been drinking? Playing so late, and even climbing over the wall! Who's responsible if you fall?"

The group smiled awkwardly at him. Although the old man looked quite serious, he didn't make things too difficult for us. Fortunately, Li Quan knew how to handle things and quickly took out a cigarette and said with a smile, "It's not too late, I'm afraid of disturbing your rest."

Although the old man had a serious expression, he was kind-hearted despite his sharp tongue: "Just call me 'Grandpa' if you want to go in. We're all students at the school; I see you coming and going every day. You're not outsiders, and I won't make things difficult for you!"

The old man then opened the door for us: "You're all so young, drink less!"

We smiled awkwardly at the old man, then walked towards the dormitory building, muttering that we'd get together again next time. Old Meng walked slowly behind, holding Cui Xingwen's hand. Watching their backs, I turned around and went home.

After that, life returned to its usual uneventful routine on campus. We attended classes, chatted casually, and occasionally exchanged messages with Yin Yuhong. The days passed at a leisurely pace. Once October was over in southern Sichuan, the weather turned bitterly cold, and the biting wind swept away even the fallen leaves.

It was too cold, and there was a lot of fog in the morning, so we dutifully put on thick coats and scarves and wrapped ourselves up in them. Fortunately, it didn't last long before winter break arrived. With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, the few of us in the dorm started packing our bags and discussing going home.

As Li Quan stuffed clothes into his suitcase, he shouted excitedly, "Da Mangzi and I are going back to our hometown in Yubei for a few days. After the Lunar New Year, we'll fly to Guangdong. It's warm there, and we won't have to stand in the cold wind here anymore!"

Li Peng stood aside and said in a muffled voice, "Yes, I'll go with Li Laoquan to my second uncle's house for the New Year."

I initially thought Li Peng was swearing, but after he explained, I realized that Li Quan's father was Li Peng's second uncle. That explained why Li Quan said Li Peng was his nephew when school started.

Old Meng slowly folded the clothes, glanced up at us, and said in a calm tone, "Xiao Wen and I are going back to Heilongjiang to celebrate the New Year in our hometown."

I raised an eyebrow upon hearing this: "Wouldn't it freeze to death in Heilongjiang? You two should bring plenty of warm clothes."

Old Meng smiled and didn't say much. Cui Xingwen waited for Old Meng on the side. She glared at me, but she wasn't as stern as she was in the classroom. Instead, she was more gentle.

The holiday was fast approaching, and I was incredibly bored at home every day. I tried to hang out with Lao Fan, but he was always too busy. So I messaged Yin Yuhong to ask about her plans for the New Year. She replied quickly; it turned out Yin Yuhong was a local.

I was secretly delighted, thinking that I could finally ask her out for a stroll and some sightseeing during my annual leave. But before I could even make the invitation, she sent me a message saying that she was going on a trip with her family.

I spent the entire holiday alone at home, bored to the point of feeling like I was going to rot, while she had a blast, chatting with me wherever she went, sending me pictures of sunsets at the beach, seas of clouds in the mountains, and occasionally videos, chattering away about her travels: "Look at the scenery here, isn't it gorgeous! The winters here aren't cold at all, it's so comfortable!"

Looking at the photos she sent and listening to her tone in the video, I felt like a curious child, feeling both envious and a little empty. At home, all I did was play on my phone and space out, which was incredibly boring.

Feeling incredibly bored, I learned the "Spirit Transmission Incantation" from the "Spirit Transmission Technique" and found three different incantations specifically for summoning gods, demons, and ghosts.

It turns out that the incantation is the same for the beginning, only a few lines at the end. Silently recite the divine incantation: "Heaven and earth and all things return to Yin and Yang, the two energies of Yin and Yang roam in all directions..."

A short while later, Chang Qingqing appeared in front of me looking listless. Seeing her exhausted expression, I asked her curiously, "What's wrong?"

She was a snake demon by nature, and naturally afraid of the cold. In winter, she would become lazy and unwilling to move. When she came to my house, she curled up on the sofa next to the electric heater and said, "Big brother, I'm a snake, I need to hibernate, okay!"

I looked at her and gave an awkward laugh: "I forgot, hehe!"

Chang Qingqing squinted and glanced at me lazily, her voice languid: "It's freezing outside, I'm too lazy to move, so I'll just stay here. I'll be your family's guardian spirit and protect your family's peace."

I stared dumbfounded at the alluring snake spirit in front of me: "Huh? There's such a thing? Are you kidding me?"

Chang Qingqing slowly opened her eyes, her expression suddenly becoming serious, the languidness from before gone. She looked at me and said in a deep voice, "I'm not being silly. I have a karmic connection with your family from decades ago. Your grandfather and your second grandfather both saved my life back then."

My interest was immediately piqued, and I slid my chair right next to her, eagerly pressing for details: "A life-saving grace? What exactly happened between my grandfather and second uncle when they were young? My family has never mentioned it to me!"

Chang Qingqing looked out the window and casually slammed it shut. Her eyes were serious, as if she were lost in a distant memory. She slowly said, "Back then, your grandfather and second uncle were only six or seven years old. Life was hard in those days, and they often went hunting in the mountains."

"Once, the two of them went into the mountains to chase a wild boar. When they got to the deep forest, they accidentally bumped into me. At that time, I had just taken shape and was accidentally trapped in a mountain trap. I was also targeted by a weasel demon who had been cultivating for a hundred years. That weasel demon was extremely vicious and determined to kill me. It bit me so badly that I was covered in wounds and on the verge of death."

My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly asked, "Did my grandfather and second uncle save you?"

"That's right." Chang Qingqing nodded, her tone becoming a bit heavier. "Your second uncle is kind-hearted. Seeing how pitiful I was, he stepped forward to help without saying a word. Your grandfather had hunting equipment and was also very brave. The two brothers worked together and chased away that weasel demon. They even rescued me from the trap. But that weasel demon was extremely petty and held a grudge. Because of this incident, it completely resented your grandfather and second uncle."

Your grandfathers injured it, and it even retaliated against them. However, later they met Old Man Cui, who, in order to resolve the weasel demon's hatred and prevent it from harming your family, eventually took your second grandfather as his apprentice. That's why your second grandfather became a Taoist priest.

However, he has been secretly cultivating all these years, waiting for the opportunity to take revenge. I have been keeping an eye on his movements all these years, also to protect your family and repay the life-saving grace from back then.

After hearing this, I was stunned. I never imagined that my grandfather and second uncle had such an experience when they were young. I finally understood why Chang Qingqing insisted on staying in my family as a guardian spirit. It turns out that there was such a past hidden in this story.

I looked at Chang Qingqing and couldn't help but say, "No wonder you kept saying you were connected to our family, so that's how it is."

Chang Qingqing curled back up on the sofa, her tone returning to its lazy state: "Otherwise, do you think I'd willingly run to your house in the dead of winter? I have to repay the kindness I owed you back then, and I also have to help your family protect your family from that weasel demon. With me here, you can have a peaceful New Year."

I sat to the side, my heart unable to calm down for a long time. It turned out that such strange things had happened around me.