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

Jiang Dusheng sensed something, stopped chanting the incantation, and looked at her.

"Master..." the woman began, her voice light and airy, yet carrying a hint of relief and calm, "You... came to see me, didn't you?"

Jiang Dusheng felt a clear resonance from the earring, and she nodded. "Yes. I've come to save you at Yue Rao's request."

Wen Yusui's shattered soul trembled slightly, revealing a sorrowful yet relieved smile:

"As expected... Sister Yue Rao always thinks of me."

She gazed in the direction of Changling City, her eyes filled with no resentment, only deep regret.

"I was sold into the brothel by my parents when I was a child. I've never seen anything good or tasted anything sweet. I long for... I long to have a home of my own."

"The old woman said that in another month, she would deflower me and have me serve customers... I'm terrified, and I dream of escaping that place." Her voice grew softer and softer, as if she were recounting an old dream that had nothing to do with her.

"So when Lin Muxuan... promised me a stable and wealthy life and a proper marriage with illusions, I felt like I had grasped a lifeline and foolishly believed him... Little did I know that I was sending myself into a real hell."

She withdrew her gaze, looked at Jiang Dusheng, and bowed deeply: "Miss, thank you. Thank you for coming to end all of this, allowing me... and them, to finally be free."

"Please, could you please pass on a message to Sister Yue Rao for me..." Wen Yu Sui's figure became increasingly transparent, her speech quickened, and with a final plea, she said, "Just say that Yu Sui thanks her."

"This life is too bitter and too short... In the next life, I hope we can both have a clean and honest birth, live with dignity, and never fall into prostitution again."

As soon as she finished speaking, her last figure turned into streaks of light and drifted towards the gates of hell.

Jiang Dusheng watched her go, feeling a little heavy-hearted.

She suddenly raised her hands, no longer forming hand seals, but with her palms facing upwards, holding them lightly in front of her.

She slowly mobilized the little spiritual energy remaining in her body, closed her eyes, concentrated, and sent her voice, imbued with the power of prayer, toward the soon-to-close reincarnation passage:

With my meager spiritual power, I offer you a blessing:

May you be born into an ordinary yet warm family in your next life, with loving parents and close siblings.

May your journey be less frost and snow, and more warm spring sunshine and bright autumn moon;

May your souls be cleansed of the pain and wounds of this life, leaving only peace, joy, and clarity.

May you eventually find the ordinary happiness you seek, and the simple peace you long for!

"Go forth, and do not look back."

As she spoke, the pale golden aura of blessing, like fireflies, drifted and swayed, following the last few wisps of soul light, and merged into the illusory image of the soon-to-disappear Gate of Hell.

Though faint, it was a farewell made with goodwill.

After doing all this, Jiang Dusheng let out a long sigh of relief, his face looking even more exhausted.

She could clearly feel the depletion of spiritual energy within her body, and her meridians felt empty and hollow.

Enduring the burning pain from the friction on her inner thighs, she gritted her teeth, mounted her horse, and trudged about ten miles in the direction she remembered coming from.

Finally, I saw a few dim lights ahead.

There is only one inn in this village, built beside the official road, and it looks quite simple.

Jiang Dusheng asked for a room, hastily ate some simple food, and quickly washed up before practically collapsing onto the hard bed.

The moment her head hit the pillow, exhaustion washed over her like a tidal wave, and she was almost immediately on the verge of falling into a deep sleep when a sudden chill, without warning, permeated the room.

It wasn't the chill of the night wind outside the window, but the coldness of the departing spirits.

Jiang Dusheng's eyelids didn't move, but his spiritual senses were already heightened.

She could sense a non-human presence in the room, but there was no murderous intent or evil aura.

She couldn't be bothered with it; she just wanted to seize the time to regain her strength.

But that cold, sinister presence didn't seem to be staying put.

Jiang Dusheng had his eyes closed, but he could feel it floating around in the small room.

Sometimes it would stop at the table, sometimes it would approach the bed, and sometimes it would stare blankly at the dilapidated window, stirring up gusts of cold wind that disturbed people's peace of mind.

Once, twice…

Just as the eerie energy swept past the bed for the umpteenth time, Jiang Dusheng could no longer bear it. He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze as cold as stars in the dim light of the oil lamp:

"If you keep wandering around and disturbing the peace, I'll make sure your soul is scattered to the winds right now."

The originally invisible yin energy suddenly paused, as if startled, and quickly condensed into the phantom of a young man dressed in brocade robes.

His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and his voice trembled:

"You...you can see me?!"

Jiang Dusheng didn't get up, remaining lying face down against the wall, only slightly tilting his head and frowning as he said:

"What are you doing coming into my house? Do you think this is your backyard?"

Her tone was unfriendly; anyone would be in a bad mood if they were harassed by a wandering ghost when they were exhausted.

The male ghost was taken aback by her question, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his pale face. He subconsciously blurted out, "I...I just...think you're handsome."

Jiang Dusheng: "..."

The air seemed to freeze for a moment.

The male ghost seemed to realize his words were inappropriate and quickly waved his hands, "No, young lady... oh no, Master! Master, please calm down! I... I didn't mean to offend you!"

"I was just downstairs when I saw the master's serene face, like...like a fairy, and I was momentarily lost in thought, that's why..."

He explained incoherently, then, as if suddenly remembering the important matter, his face showed even greater urgency:

"Master! Since you can see me, you must possess profound Taoist skills. Could you... could you have mercy and do me a favor? I... I have money! I will repay you handsomely!"

Jiang Dusheng raised an eyebrow slightly, finally sitting up slowly, and lazily asked, "Tell me. What's the matter?"

Seeing that there was room for negotiation, the male ghost perked up and quickly said, "I am originally from Qingwu, surnamed Chen, and given name Yu. I came here to travel and enjoy the scenery, but who knew... who knew that I would encounter fierce bandits and unfortunately die."

A look of sorrow crossed his face. "After I died, my soul was somehow trapped in this area and couldn't go far. My remains were hastily buried under the third old locust tree to the east of this inn."

"Master, your ability to communicate with both the living and the dead is truly extraordinary. Could you please collect my remains, along with my wandering soul, and send them back to my hometown for burial? My family has some wealth, and I will certainly repay you handsomely!"

It turned out to be an unfortunate scholar who died far from home, his soul trapped in a foreign land.

Jiang Dusheng glanced at him a few times, a glint of light flashing in the depths of his eyes.

She didn't show it on her face and readily agreed, "I can help you with this. However, I need to go back to Changling City to take care of some things first, and then I'll take you back to Qingwu City."

Upon hearing this, Chen Yu's joy faded slightly, and he hesitated, saying, "This... Master, could you hurry? I've been away from home for a long time and I really miss my family. I'm also afraid they'll be waiting anxiously for news of me..."

His words were earnest, and his eyes revealed his urgency.

Jiang Dusheng looked up at him, her gaze calm. "Is it urgent?"

Chen Yu felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze. His eyes darted around for a moment before he stammered, "It's not that I'm in a particular hurry... I just want to go home as soon as possible so I can feel more at ease."

Just then, the faint sound of galloping hooves came from downstairs, growing louder as it approached, and finally stopped in front of the inn.

The inn wasn't very soundproof to begin with, and with the night deep and quiet, any noises from downstairs could be clearly heard.

Immediately afterwards, a deep, somewhat cold voice rang out from the downstairs hall, asking the manager:

"Shopkeeper, is there a woman with a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows checking in tonight?"