After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

At midnight, outside Changling City, behind the Jingci Temple.

The night was as dark as ink, the moon was hidden and the stars were few.

The mountain wind whistled through the forest, adding to the desolate and eerie atmosphere.

In front of a secluded tomb, a plain-colored cloth curtain created a quiet place that stood out from the surrounding darkness.

Yellow talismans hung from the four corners of the curtain, trembling slightly in the wind, their edges shimmering with golden light.

The Duke of Wei and his wife were both present, standing a short distance outside the curtain. Their faces were solemn and worried, and their eyes were fixed on the movements inside the curtain.

Wei Mingli was placed in a warm, airtight sedan chair, guarded by her trusted maid and nanny, and stopped at the edge of the curtain.

The sedan curtains were drawn low, and only her face could be vaguely seen. Under the occasional flickering lantern light, it appeared even paler and more translucent, like a glass doll that would shatter at the slightest touch.

Cui Wenjing, on the other hand, was held tightly by two burly guards from the Duke of Wei's mansion, kneeling before the grave.

He was in a sorry state, his brocade robe filthy, his hair ornament askew, and his face no longer bore any resemblance to the refined young gentleman he once was, though the madness in his eyes remained.

The punishment for him was quickly decided by the enraged Duke of Wei and the head of the Cui family who rushed to the scene after Jiang Dusheng left the Duke of Wei's mansion.

This matter is so vile and insidious that if it were to spread, it would be a devastating blow to the reputation of the Cui family of Boling, who pride themselves on their integrity, and could even jeopardize the entire family's standing in the imperial court.

Therefore, after weighing their options, the Cui and Wei families chose to keep it a secret from the outside world.

Cui Wenjing has been removed from the Cui family genealogy and stripped of all his identity and rights.

The Cui family publicly claimed that he had suddenly fallen seriously ill, was delirious, and was behaving erratically. They said he had been sent to a remote family temple to recuperate, which was tantamount to life imprisonment.

Surprisingly, upon hearing the news, Cui Wenjing's beloved remained devoted to him and volunteered to go with him.

This seemingly foolish affection caused some ripples in the eyes of the Cui family, but in the end, the Cui family acquiesced.

Perhaps it's good to have someone caring about you.

As for the compensation, concessions, and subservience imposed on the Duke of Wei's mansion, it goes without saying that these actions would severely damage the Cui family for years to come.

Jiang Dusheng neither agreed nor criticized this approach.

Her purpose was simply to save people, resolve karmic entanglements, and deliver the souls of the deceased.

Secular punishments have their own rules.

At this moment, she stood before the grave, a soul-guiding lamp at her feet, her expression solemn, her whole being enveloped in an aura of inviolable solemnity.

The cinnabar birthmark on her forehead, illuminated by the faint glow of the surrounding talismans and lanterns, seemed to come alive, subtly shimmering with a crimson light, creating a striking contrast with her cool, fair complexion.

Xie Jinchen stood slightly behind her, his dark robes almost blending into the night.

As the appointed time approached, Jiang Dusheng stepped forward, his gaze falling upon the tomb in front of him inscribed with "Lin Shi Wantang".

The air was filled with the smell of burning incense and paper money, along with an invisible, chilling atmosphere that lingered.

"Let's begin." Her cool voice broke the silence of the night.

Jiang Dusheng closed his eyes, clearing his mind of all distractions, and his spirit sank into a state of clarity and tranquility.

The sound of the wind around me, and even the breathing and heartbeats of the people behind me, seemed to disappear in an instant.

The mountain wind continued to howl, but it quietly ceased within three feet of her.

Jiang Dusheng chanted softly, his voice not loud, yet it pierced the night, carrying a penetrating power and compassion that reached even the deepest depths:

"The path to the spring is secluded, and the soul returns in the mist. There was once a Lin family daughter, Wantang, who was born on the day of Bingxu in the month of Xinsi in the year of Gengzi, and died on the day of Wuzi in the month of Bingyin in the year of Dingsi. Her beautiful soul withered early, and her regret is hard to dispel."

Jiang Dusheng's voice echoed through the mountains and fields, and the flame of the soul-guiding lamp placed beside her swayed gently.

"You were born into a good family and were of virtuous character, but alas, your love was misplaced, and you entrusted yourself to the wrong person."

"He gave his heart to the wrong person and was used instead. He died with his body incomplete and his soul was filled with resentment."

"Even more lamentable is that flesh and blood were used as bait, and dew as a medium, to aid and abet evil and harm the innocent."

"This is not your original intention, but rather the result of the selfish and wolfish nature of the treacherous Cui Wenjing."

Her speech slowed, each word seemingly carrying an invisible weight, pressing down on Cui Wenjing, who was kneeling on the ground trembling.

The latter's face was ashen, his teeth chattering. He tried to lower his head and shrink back, but the guards held him firmly, leaving him no choice but to face the tomb.

"Cui Wenjing, in order to escape your predicament, you have resorted to evil magic, blaspheming the dead and harming the living."

"You have caused Lin Wantang, the daughter of the Lin family, to suffer unease after death, her soul defiled; and you have caused Wei Mingli, the daughter of the Wei family, to suffer unjustly, her life hanging by a thread. Your sins are countless and beyond description, and heaven and earth are outraged!"

Jiang Dusheng's voice suddenly turned stern, like a guillotine falling in judgment.

Cui Wenjing trembled violently, as if being whipped by an invisible lash. A strange, hoarse sound came from his throat, but he couldn't utter a single word; only fear remained.

Jiang Dusheng changed the subject, his voice returning to its ethereal and compassionate tone, his gaze softening as he looked at the slightly raised grave:

"Lin Wantang, I have summoned your soul here today not to increase your resentment, but to release you from your bondage."

"Once the cause and effect are clarified and the karmic debts are transferred, you will be sent to the Pure Land to re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

"Now there is a woman named Mingli from the Wei family, an innocent victim of evil magic. She is of pure and kind nature, but her life hangs by a thread due to your evil magic."

"Your resentment should be directed at the true culprit; why take it out on the innocent and only increase your own sins?"

As she chanted, the temperature around her seemed to drop a few degrees.

From that solitary grave, wisps of black aura, barely perceptible to the naked eye, began to slowly seep out, vaguely forming the outline of a woman.

The woman's face was filled with sorrow, tears of blood streaming from her eyes, and a wound on her chest from which black energy was constantly seeping.

The silhouette stared intently at Cui Wenjing, sending chills down the spines of everyone present.

"Now, the sinner Cui Wenjing is here, and he shall personally confess his sins and repent for his evil deeds."

Jiang Dusheng's gaze shot towards Cui Wenjing, and at the same time, he flicked his finger, sending a golden light into Cui Wenjing's brow.

Cui Wenjing froze, then as if an invisible force had gripped his throat, his mouth opened uncontrollably, and he began to recount his crimes.

The black outline of resentment rippled violently, emitting an increasingly mournful wail.

A sudden gust of cold wind arose from all around, swirling the ashes of the paper money, as if countless wronged souls were echoing and weeping.

The temperature around the cemetery dropped to freezing, and even the guards couldn't help but chatter.

Jiang Dusheng remained unfazed. She formed a hand seal with her left hand, and with her right hand, she drew a line in the air, uttering a clear shout:

"Now we cleanse the impurities with pure water, offer incense as a sacrifice, pave the road with white rice, and ward off evil with peach wood!"

She sprinkled the clean water prepared by the Duke of Wei's mansion onto the grave and the resentful silhouette, then solemnly placed incense, candles, and fruit on it, sprinkled white rice along a specific trajectory, and inserted peach branches into the four corners of the curtain.

With each step, the fluctuations of the resentful aura diminished, and its color changed from deep black to dark gray.

"Lin Wantang, listen to my words!"

"The true culprit has confessed, and the cause and effect will be clear. Your infatuation and resentment can now be released; your flesh and blood should return to their rightful place."

"I will now perform a ritual to guide your soul, leading it away from suffering and to the Pure Land."

"Your grudges will be judged by the laws of the mortal world and the underworld; your innocence will be proven by the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people."

"Wei Mingli suffered innocently, her life stolen."

"Now, through the mouth of the sinner Cui Wenjing, I will recount his crimes and condemn his evil practices; with cinnabar talismans, I will sever your wicked bond with the Lin woman!"

"With the guiding lights of the soul-illuminating lamps, may they illuminate the path home, guiding the stolen life force back to its rightful place!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she suddenly slapped the last talisman drawn with cinnabar in her hand into the air towards the resentful silhouette.

At the same time, with a flick of his other finger, a glimmer of light entered Wei Mingli's brow inside the sedan chair.

"Imperial Decree: May resentment dissipate! May the soul find peace! May life return!"