Spirit Reaper - Chapter 21

Chapter 21: Three-in-One Chapter—A Life for a Beautiful Dream, If Only It Were You…

“Qin An…” Looking at the woman who had torn through space and now stood firmly protecting her, Wuyi’s eyes grew hazy.

This elegant woman in red was Qin An. But then, who was the childhood sweetheart from her dream—the one who looked at her with such adoration, wishing to meld their souls into one? Who was the real Qin An? And who, truly, was Yu Wuyi?

“You blockhead! The moment I leave your side, you let a low-level thing like this bewitch your heart?” Sensing her distraction, Qin An stepped toward Wuyi and tapped her forehead. “Wake up!”

A sharp pain shot through Wuyi’s brow. Her dilated pupils refocused, and the mist in her eyes cleared instantly.

Yes. She was a blockhead—distracted and easily manipulated. She wasn’t the beloved daughter of doting parents, nor a sheltered girl who had people to coax her out of a sulk. She was the “Calamity Star” the villagers spoke of, born with a Body of Pure Yin coveted by ten thousand ghosts. She was the Acting Emissary under Qin An and her partner in a contractual marriage.

She was Yu Wuyi.

“Qin An… you haven’t said a word lately. I was…” I was worried about you.

“Quiet. This is no time for small talk. Now that you’re awake, take your half-crazed roommate and get out. I can’t directly interfere with mortal karma or kill this third-rate entity at will. I can only buy you some time.” Red ribbons spiraled around Qin An as she dropped into a combat stance.

Wuyi looked at Liu Shu, who had collapsed by the desk. “Go, now!”

“Right… okay!” Wuyi didn’t dare dally. She moved to Liu Shu’s side and hoisted her up.

“Everything has an order. I chose this target first. Who are you to cut in?” The Senior Sister in Red was furious that her “deal” had been interrupted. Her long, dark nails scraped against the concrete floor, creating a deafening, screeching noise.

“You aren’t worthy of speaking to me.” Qin An smirked, commanding her red ribbons to strike. In an instant, the room became a blur of two red figures clashing.

Wuyi hurried Liu Shu out of the building. After placing her in a safe spot, she couldn’t stop worrying. She remembered that Qin An was still injured and hadn’t fully recovered her strength.

Rumble—! Sudden thunder shook the ground as dark clouds swallowed the sky. Rain began to pour. Wuyi felt a pang of dread. Qin An can’t get hurt.

“Soul-Hooking Whip!” She summoned her weapon and dashed back toward Room 419.

The sounds of battle had vanished. The hallway was deathly silent—a silence so heavy Wuyi could hear the frantic rhythm of her own heart. She crept to the door and peered inside.

The room was a wreck. Wood chips and dust floated in the air. Two red figures lay on opposite sides of the room.

“Qin An!” Wuyi recognized her immediately. She ran to her side and lifted her, but her heart sank. Qin An’s aura was so faint she could barely detect it. Wuyi immediately applied a talisman and chanted to stabilize her soul.

It worked. Qin An’s eyes fluttered open, though she looked exhausted.

“Qin An, are you okay?” Wuyi’s hands trembled.

“Tsk,” Qin An frowned with annoyance. “Do I look like I’m okay? Stop worrying about me and go check on that one.”

Wuyi propped Qin An against the wall and walked over to the Senior Sister in Red. The spirit’s dress was charred, and the room smelled like burnt wood. Wuyi felt no pity. “She’s unconscious. Should I just end her? She’s hurt so many people, and she hurt you.”

She raised her whip, but Qin An barked, “No! You can’t kill her.”

“Why not?”

“If you want to taste the wrath of Heavenly Thunder, be my guest.”

“Heavenly… Thunder? You mean that strike earlier… was Heavenly Thunder?”

Wuyi was stunned. According to ancient texts, Heavenly Thunder was the manifestation of the Tao’s order to maintain the laws of karma—a phenomenon that appeared once in a thousand years. She had just seen it?

“Wait… you said ‘also’?” Wuyi looked at Qin An in disbelief. “You were hit by it?”

“Not entirely. That was just a warning strike, far from the real thing. Besides, that unlucky ghost ‘shared’ most of the damage for me.” Qin An shrugged. “She has unfinished business and karmic debts. Until those are resolved, she cannot be destroyed.”

“What ‘karmic debt’? She’s an evil ghost!” Wuyi hissed.

“I understand your youthful temper,” Qin An said calmly. “But this Red Spirit is clever. Everyone who died in Room 419 made a voluntary deal with her. A life for a beautiful dream—it was mutual. We can only intervene directly when a spirit takes a life against a human’s will. That is the law of the Heavens. Her crimes will be judged by the Ten Yamas once her past is resolved.”

“Fine! Then she lives for now.” Wuyi was so angry she laughed. She picked Qin An up in a bridal carry. “Forget the ghost. Let’s talk about you.”

“What are you doing?” Qin An was startled by the sudden lift.

“You’re injured, and you’ve been hiding from me. Did something happen in the Underworld?”

“That’s none of your business,” Qin An said stiffly. Then, softening her voice, she added, “Instead of worrying about me, think about how to settle things here. Do your job well in the mortal realm, and I’ll reward you. Once everything is settled, I can grant you one wish.”

Wuyi sighed. “I understand. I’ll take care of things here. It won’t happen again.”

“Good. You’re sensible,” Qin An smirked. “Since you understand, I’ll be going.”

“Wait!” Wuyi’s voice turned awkward. “Your injuries… they got worse because you saved me. So… I should take responsibility!”

She didn’t want to owe Qin An any more favors.

Qin An burst out laughing, her phoenix eyes curving beautifully. “You really are a blockhead, worrying about responsibility at a time like this.” She tapped the side of Wuyi’s neck. “I wasn’t going to, but since you offered, it would be rude to decline my little Emissary’s face, wouldn’t it?”

Wuyi shivered as Qin An leaned in. “Just to pay back the debt… as long as it helps you recover…”

Ssh—! Pain flared in her neck. Qin An bit down, but controlled her strength, like a cub teething.

“What? Regretting it? Too late. You agreed. I won’t pass up a chance to taste this. I’m not a ‘good person,’ after all.”

The moonlight spilled through the window, illuminating their silhouettes. After a long moment, Qin An pulled away, wiping blood from her lips with a look of pure satisfaction. “You’re quite bold, letting me drink like that. Do you have any idea how attractive your blood is to ghosts?”

“I won’t let other ghosts get close,” Wuyi smiled. “Besides, I’m useful to you, and you’ve invested thirteen years in me. I trust you.”

“Hmph. You have the right attitude,” Qin An said, her strength visibly returning. “Thanks for the blood, little Emissary. Watch yourself; I can’t always save you. Until next time.”

With a wave of her sleeve, a red fabric obscured Wuyi’s vision. When it cleared, Qin An was gone.

“Gone just like that…” Wuyi touched her neck. The bite mark was prominent. “That Qin An… she’s wicked. Who knows how long it’ll take for this mark to fade? She definitely could have done it without leaving a scar…”

…

A few days later, Wuyi stood in Liu Yan’s office. Liu Yan noticed the silk scarf around Wuyi’s neck. “Nice scarf. It suits your skin tone.”

Wuyi laughed awkwardly. Curse you, Qin An! She had to wear a scarf in the middle of summer to hide the tooth marks.

“Auntie Liu, I want to talk about the Senior Sister in Red,” Wuyi said, turning serious. “The whole academy must have noticed the resentment around that building. Why hasn’t it been handled?”

Liu Yan sighed and handed Wuyi a file. “Her name was Xu Huixin. She hung herself twenty years ago. She’s a ‘Bound Spirit’—she can’t leave that building. As long as no one provokes her, she’s ‘safe.’ But since you’ve stepped into the mud, you have to finish it. Here is the list of students from her year. Start there.”

Wuyi took the file. If she solved this, it would count as two academic credits!

Back at the dorm, she researched. Xu Huixin had been a star student—a 4.5 GPA, scholarships, everything. But her records went blank in her junior year. Wuyi looked at her roommates. Two had died shortly after her. Only one survived: Qi Yishu, who now worked for a top tech firm.

Wuyi also found a photo in a pocket watch she’d found at the dorm. It was Xu Huixin with a man. Wuyi recognized him—it was Ren Zha, a prestigious professor at the university.

…

Wuyi arranged a meeting with Qi Yishu through her connections. Qi Yishu looked exhausted, with dark circles under her eyes.

“Ren Zha killed her,” Qi Yishu said, her eyes turning red at the mention of the name. “He and everyone who spread the rumors… they are all killers.”

She told the story: Xu Huixin had admired Ren Zha, her young and talented lecturer. But rumors began to spread—a PDF was circulated claiming she had seduced him for scholarships. It was all lies, but the cyberbullying and isolation broke her. She just wanted Ren Zha to speak up for her, but he stayed silent to protect his career.

“Xu Huixin died, and that scum became a professor!” Qi Yishu sobbed.

“I want to help her,” Wuyi said. “But her resentment is blocking her from reincarnation. I need your help to solve this at the source.”

…

That night, Wuyi and Qi Yishu hid in the weeds near the abandoned dorm.

“Are you sure he’ll come?”

“He’s guilty,” Wuyi whispered. “He’s more afraid of her than anyone.”

Sure enough, Ren Zha appeared, carrying a box of paper money and gold ingots to burn as offerings. He knelt before the door, crying. “Huixin, I’ve been coming here for years. I’m atoning! Please, let me and my family go! It wasn’t just my fault—it was the people who spread the rumors! It was a critical time for my career… go find the real villains, let me go…”

Wuyi was disgusted. “What a coward.” She went to confront him, but a sudden scream rang out. Ren Zha vanished into thin air, leaving only a flashlight on the ground.

“It’s Huixin! She’s taking her revenge!” Qi Yishu laughed hysterically.

“Stop!” Wuyi grabbed her. “If she kills him, her sins will be too heavy. She’ll suffer even more in the afterlife. I have to stop her.”

“I’m coming with you,” Qi Yishu insisted. “It’s been twenty years. I want to see her.”

Wuyi hesitated, but Qin An’s voice echoed in her head: “Take her. Trust me.”

Wuyi bit her finger and drew a protection ward on Qi Yishu’s back. “Stay close. Don’t listen to anything you hear. They will try to take your life.”