Don't farm, cultivate immortality!

"Does this... have any special significance?" Yunling asked, looking puzzled.

"Actually, regarding the person you just mentioned, the one who cut off the tiger's head, the very powerful one, she lived in my house for a while," Zhuang Xing said. "Therefore, I know one thing: when that tiger demon's core was dug out, it was bitten by a wild beast."

"The demon core is the source of a demon's power and one of the most valuable things a demon possesses. Some cultivators who tame beasts use demon cores to feed their demon beasts."

"So I guess that five years ago, this white rat in front of us ate the tiger demon's core, which is why it has patterns on its belly that resemble those of a tiger."

“But isn’t it too hasty to make such a conclusion based solely on the pattern?” Yunling reached out to touch the white mouse, but contrary to its usual behavior, the mouse ran away from her side.

“The key point is not the shape and similarity of the pattern, but the timing of its appearance,” Zhuang Xing said. “You should have noticed that this pattern only recently appeared on the belly of the white mouse, and coincidentally, shortly after the pattern appeared, you saw your father and showed symptoms of being possessed by a ghost.”

"Secondly, when I was waiting for you in front of the white rat hole today, the white rat suddenly came to find me and led me to this house."

"Before today, we had basically never met in the village. I didn't know where you lived. The white rat is naturally afraid of people, and it's impossible for it to have followed you into the village and memorized your address. In other words, it led me to you without knowing the way."

"It's not close to you at all today because it senses something about you that it's connected to, and it's through this connection that it found you."

"Therefore, I made an assumption that it is the beast that gnawed on the tiger demon's core, which would explain the abnormality that has appeared on its body today."

Yunling seemed to understand and said, "You mean... the white rat that ate the tiger demon's core... sensed the cougar on my body?"

That's exactly what I mean.

Zhuang Xing nodded, beckoned to the white mouse, and summoned it over.

“The only time the white rat actively sought us out was when it was looking for snake fruit, aside from when it was eating,” Zhuang Xing said. “If you were simply possessed by a ghost, I think even if it knew, it certainly wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to find me.”

“This matter concerns not only you, but also it; it came to me seeking help.”

The white mouse nodded repeatedly, looking as if Zhuang Xing had guessed correctly.

“There are many things involved here that we can’t figure out yet, but there’s one thing we have to do.” Zhuang Xing put his hand on Yunling’s shoulder. “We must get rid of the Yin ghost that has invaded your body.”

"The various phenomena that have happened to you and the white rat make me feel one thing: that tiger demon may not be completely dead yet. It may be using the ghost that your father turned into to plot something very sinister and cunning."

"Ah!" Yunling's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Ghosts and humans are inherently yin and yang. If you let this yin ghost stay in your body, you will only grow weaker day by day. I believe you know what the right thing to do is, Yunling."

Zhuang Xing reached out his hand to Yunling: "People can't come back to life after they die. If your father were still alive, he would definitely want you to grow up healthy and safe. Let's go outside together and get rid of the evil spirits that are clinging to you."

"Don't worry. In the end, Yin ghosts are just as fragile as a breeze. Even a chang ghost is not much stronger than a breeze. As long as you are willing to make this decision, everything will be resolved soon."

Yunling's expression darkened. She lowered her head and took out a small tassel knot from her clothes bag. It was her old hair tie.

She stared at it silently for a long time before finally raising her head.

"Zhuang Xing... Father said he would come back for me..." she said softly, "He clearly made a pinky promise with me, saying he would come back for me..."

In the dimly lit room, Zhuang Xing couldn't see Yunling's face clearly, but he could feel her sadness. An invisible sadness surged towards him from her, like a cold tide.

Zhuang Xing told Yunling all his deductions. He had a hundred reasons to persuade Yunling to get rid of the ghost, but to Yunling, none of those hundred reasons mattered. No reason could cover up the cruel fact that what Zhuang Xing wanted her to do was to kill the father she had waited five years to see.

Zhuang Xing opened his mouth as if to say something, but then felt that anything he said at this moment would be just making excuses. He simply couldn't put himself in Yunling's shoes to understand her grief. If one day his mother died, and he finally saw her spirit again, only to have to send her away with his own hands, what kind of expression would he have at that time?

He didn't know that the thought of his mother dying made his heart feel like it was being ripped apart.

He couldn't offer any words of comfort. He and Yunling both knew what was right, but what was right was so cruel.

Finally, he simply reached out and gently hugged Yunling. He didn't know if it was the right thing to do, but if he didn't, he was afraid that Yunling would be like a dandelion, easily blown away by a breath.

He felt a pair of hands pressed against his back. Yunling's body was so soft, so soft that it seemed to melt into his body. Those soft hands trembled, and Yunling shed tears, wailing in his arms, her tears soaking Zhuang Xing's clothes.

Yunling cried as if she were suffocating. She clung to her only support, and time seemed to stand still at that moment. It was as if the world consisted of only the two of them.

Zhuang Xing listened to her crying and sighed softly in his heart.

He suddenly remembered that evening when Yunling hooked her finger around his and they made a promise that they would never tell anyone about the jade slip.

He finally understood why she made a pinky promise with Zhuang Xing when she made her vow. Because what is promised must be kept. She had made a pinky promise with her father, so even now, she was waiting for her father to take her home.

When she saw her father last night, she must have felt no fear or apprehension. She waited a long time for the person who came to pick her up, and she was initially overjoyed, but now all that joy has turned into sorrow.

Overwhelmed by grief, she cried until her tears ran dry, buried her head in Zhuang Xing's chest, and after a long time, Zhuang Xing heard her speak softly.

"Zhuang Xing... will you leave me someday too...?"

Zhuang Xing didn't reply, but simply took her hand.

He had no other thoughts in his mind, only heartache for the girl who had cried all her tears.

Suddenly, the girl wiped away her tears.

"I'm sorry, I said something strange..."

“Let’s go outside, it’s okay, I can walk by myself.” She stood up, supporting herself with her hands.

Although she stumbled and fell, she managed to stand up on her own.

Zhuang Xing stepped forward to support her, "Didn't we agree that I would teach you to read?"

So... I won't leave...

Yunling looked at his face, neither crying nor laughing, but just looking at him. Suddenly, she rested her head on his shoulder, like a tired child who had found a support.

They reached the doorway, where the blinding sunlight shone down. Yunling covered her eyes with her hands, slowly adjusting her gaze before opening them.

She looked up at the sky and waved to the white clouds, as if saying goodbye to someone.

After saying goodbye, she walked resolutely into the sunlight, without any more hesitation or doubt.

Chapter 43 Remnant Soul

"The reason for coming outside is that ghosts are afraid of sunlight. Fully basking in the sun can greatly weaken their evil energy."

"Besides, this evil spirit has only just invaded your body and can't possibly become a threat."

"As long as you make up your mind and don't waver, you can force it out of your body through the circulation of true qi during the practice of the warm-up technique. At that time, we don't need to do anything else; it will burn out on its own under the sun."

Zhuang Xing explained the key to dealing with Yin ghosts one by one: ordinary people with a strong will and robust qi and blood can drive away Yin ghosts. For cultivators who have cultivated true qi, Yin ghosts are actually low-level demons.

Just like the saying goes, I can kill you even if you're alive, so why would I be afraid of you if you're dead?

There is no such thing as someone becoming stronger after they die.

Killing someone might create a ghost, but the ghost will never be stronger than it was in life. Horror movie plots where the killer is then haunted by a malevolent ghost will not happen in this world.

Ghosts are inherently intolerable to the world. If Yunling had seen someone else last night instead of her beloved father, the ghost would never have been able to enter her life.

It was only because the two were blood relatives that Yunling's attachment to her father far exceeded ordinary feelings, which allowed the evil spirit to take advantage of her vulnerability.

"I'll go somewhere where no one is around. Although the Yin ghosts are weak, if ordinary people come into contact with their evil energy, they may still catch a cold," Zhuang Xing said.

"Hmm." Yunling gripped Zhuang Xing's arm tightly. "I... want to go somewhere where there shouldn't be anyone."

"Tell me which way to go, and I'll help you there."

Zhuang Xing supported Yunling's waist and hands, leading her slowly forward.

Someone in the village cast a glance their way. Yunling lowered her head and suddenly pushed Zhuang Xing away.

"I...I'll walk by myself. I can walk."

"It's okay." Zhuang Xing took her hand again. "Everyone has their own things to do and doesn't have much energy to pay attention to others."

Yunling pursed her lips and looked up.

Indeed, as Zhuang Xing said, most people just glanced at it and then went about their own business.

Those who take care of children will continue taking care of children, and those who pound millet will continue pounding millet.

That's just how the world is; ultimately, everyone cares most about themselves.

She stood there for a while, then quietly leaned against Zhuang Xing and slowly walked out of the village.

The two walked along the path, and the houses were already behind them.

Before long, they arrived at a desolate place.

Before them were many small mounds of earth, with bamboo poles stuck in them and colored paper tied to them fluttering in the wind. Some mounds had tombstones in front of them, while others had only a single bamboo pole.

This is a cemetery. Yunling followed the mounds of earth, identifying them one by one, and finally arrived at two standing tombstones.

"The Tomb of My Elder Brother Yunshu".

"The Tomb of My Wife, Ji Sui".

Two tombstones stand side by side, one of which is clearly older, and the words engraved on it are somewhat blurred.

“My father brought me here to pay respects to my mother before,” Yunling said. “I thought my second uncle must have buried my father and mother together.”

"I want to talk to my father one last time."

"Mmm." Zhuang Xing released her hand.

She took a deep breath, stood in front of the tombstone, and knelt down.

“After Father’s burial, I haven’t been able to come and pay my respects. I came in a hurry today and didn’t bring any paper money or incense. I will definitely find time to make it up to Father in the future.”

She bowed three times, as if she were finally attending the funeral five years ago.

She didn't say anything sentimental, nor did she recount the suffering she endured alone; she simply recounted the recent events little by little.

She only talked about happy things, most of which were related to Zhuang Xing.

Zhuang Xing had a strange feeling. Yunling's father must be listening to these words right now. Seeing his beloved daughter muttering about other people's sons while paying respects to him, how would a father feel?

Is this considered meeting the parents?

But what they were about to do was, in fact, utterly rebellious.

No, no, you can't treat ghosts and living people as the same person.

But... Zhuang Xing then recalled the White Lotus Hermit's demon-slaying diary.

In the twenty-seventh chapter, the Yin Ghost chapter, the brother whose sister's body was possessed wondered if he was really just putting on an act when he first left his sister's body to fool the White Lotus Hermit.

That was a relationship spanning twelve years. At that moment, my brother might have truly wanted to throw himself into the abyss.

Ultimately, the brother killed his father and took over his sister's body.

Perhaps the scorching sun was too painful, and the fear of death overwhelmed the brother's kindness and humanity.

But when the brother later took over his sister's body and faced the empty house, did he ever regret it?

Zhuang Xing realized at this moment that he still knew too little about demonic creatures like Yin Ghosts.