The Ghost Insists on Giving Me a Beautiful and Powerful Wife! - Chapter 28.2

The continuous discussion entered her ears. Yu Ruoyin felt this was prejudice. She remembered Jiang Huaining saying that their Spirit Painter Clan first cursed their blood relatives, and then their close companions.

The curse affected living beings, not inanimate objects.

She wanted to argue with the people outside. It wasn’t because she suddenly had extraordinary courage, but because of a surge of indignation.

Because she was the same—equally lonely, equally destined to curse everyone she cared about to death.

They couldn’t control their fate.

They were already so unlucky, yet they were still being mocked. How was that fair?

Yu Ruoyin was lost in thought when a figure suddenly floated out of the shop. It was a girl, carved out of pink jade, with particularly endearing blue eyes.

Xia Yu called her an old thing, but she looked at most seven or eight years old.

The girl walked up to the black-robed person, respectfully bending low: “Why have you returned?”

The black-robed person pointed at Yu Ruoyin: “She is buying something.”

“Your friend?”

“No.”

The girl trotted on her small legs up to Yu Ruoyin: “What do you need, please?”

Yu Ruoyin took two steps into the shop, looked at the girl’s serious little face, and cautiously stated her needs: “I need Spirit Painter materials, Moon Essence Paper and Cloud Zither Sand.”

Daoist talismans are generally made from a pulp of bamboo that is at least ten years old, having absorbed sufficient earth spiritual essence. High-grade talismans are made from the pulp of century-old mulberry bark, which is then offered with incense for half a month to absorb the energy from the incense smoke. Anyone can make them.

Spirit Painter materials are a bit different, only requiring Moon Essence Paper and Cloud Zither Sand. The raw material for Moon Essence Paper is also bamboo pulp, but the pulp must be placed under the moonlight to draw in the essence of the moon for half a month before production can begin. Cloud Zither Sand must be placed under the sunlight to receive the baptism of the sun’s essence for half a month. Only Spirits have the ability to draw in the essence of the sun and moon, which is why Spirits have always provided the Spirit Painter materials, and they must be special Spirits capable of drawing in the sun and moon’s essence without absorbing it for themselves.

“Spirit Painter materials?” The girl glanced at the black-robed person: “Are you sure you want to buy these? Is there a mistake?”

“No.”

Yu Ruoyin remembered Xia Yu saying that Spirit Painter materials were not sold to outsiders. She pulled out the Ghost Token and handed it to the girl.

The girl froze when she saw the red Ghost Token. She respectfully accepted it, rubbed it a few times, and turned to look at the black-robed person: “The Four Spirits Shop’s Ghost Token.”

The black-robed person didn’t speak. The girl returned the Ghost Token to Yu Ruoyin: “The items stored by the Four Spirits Shop in the Ghost City are all too precious. The Moon Essence Paper and Cloud Zither Sand are not worth that much money. You only need to pay me a little gold.”

“Gold?”

Was gold the most basic currency here?

But she didn’t have any gold.

Yu Ruoyin was distracted. Nan He suddenly snatched the Ghost Token. She forcefully bit off about a third of the token. She handed the broken piece to the girl and returned the other part to Yu Ruoyin. The piece of the Ghost Token in the girl’s hand quickly faded from red and turned into a gold bar, while the missing part of the Ghost Token in Yu Ruoyin’s palm quickly regrew, returning to its original appearance.

“I will fetch the Moon Essence Paper and Cloud Zither Sand for you immediately.”

The girl accepted the gold and hurried toward the back room.

The shop immediately fell silent again. Yu Ruoyin rubbed the regrown Ghost Token and awkwardly touched Nan He’s sleeve: “How did you know the gold was here? Could it be… because you’re very sensitive to auras?”

Yu Ruoyin recalled Zhuang Ciyue saying that Spirits are very sensitive to auras and quickly found an answer.

She waited obediently in Wuxiang Pavilion. She glanced at the two black-robed figures and gently bowed: “Thank you.”

The black-robed person didn’t speak, but the second black-robed person asked her: “You can paint spirits?”

“I think so.”

If it were someone familiar, she would definitely say that Jiang Huaining said she could, so she definitely could.

But she didn’t even know the identity of these two people in front of her.

There was another short silence.

The black-robed person uncharacteristically initiated a conversation with Yu Ruoyin. She pointed at Nan He: “If you want to help her recover her consciousness, you can try Zifeng Hall. The shop owner there can awaken dormant memories.”

Nan He’s lost consciousness was due to her spiritual contract being unresolved, her memory gradually fading, and her awareness blurring, causing her to live entirely by instinct. If she recovered her memory, she would regain much of her clarity, and perhaps she could even dissolve the spiritual contract herself, eliminating the need to bother Jiang Huaining. This was an excellent idea.

Yu Ruoyin’s eyes instantly lit up: “Could you take me there?”

“Me?”

The black-robed person’s questioning voice made Yu Ruoyin’s heart pound.

She seemed to have asked the wrong question, but the black-robed person’s companion suddenly agreed: “Take her over.”

“Okay.”

With her opening her mouth, the black-robed person readily agreed.

She was still cold, but she had already walked to the door, waiting only to take the Moon Essence Paper and Cloud Zither Sand before leaving.

Before the girl returned, they were greeted by Zhuang Ciyue.

Although heavily disguised, it was not difficult for Yu Ruoyin to recognize Zhuang Ciyue because of some of her small gestures, which Yu Ruoyin was very familiar with. Moreover, Zhuang Ciyue had circled outside Wuxiang Pavilion several times, making her hard to miss.

She had indeed come here after failing to find Nan He.

“Sister Yue.” Yu Ruoyin ran over and grabbed Zhuang Ciyue.

Zhuang Ciyue said in distress: “Ah, I forgot to tell you not to shout names here.”

She was remorseful.

Yu Ruoyin was at a loss: “What’s wrong?”

“It’s easy to be targeted,” Zhuang Ciyue pointed at the black-robed figures and pulled Yu Ruoyin back into the shop. “Never mind, it’s not that important. I don’t have any treasures on me, so even if they find me, it’s useless, and the place we’re staying now is absolutely safe…”

Only after saying all this did Zhuang Ciyue notice the others in the shop who were not with them.

She immediately lowered her voice: “How did you find your way here?”

Yu Ruoyin pointed at the black-robed person: “I asked that adult to bring me over.”

Zhuang Ciyue’s eyes went dark, and she nearly fainted: “My goodness, I really forgot to tell you too many things! Fortunately, nothing happened to you, or I’d be finished!”

“What is it?”

“You can’t ask people for directions in the Ghost City.” Zhuang Ciyue kept her voice extremely small and low: “Everyone is wearing black robes and masks, making it difficult to discern their identities. Forget about distinguishing good from bad, you can’t even tell male from female. If the person was a malevolent ghost… you’re lucky this person actually led you here. If you were unlucky… I dare not imagine…”

Yu Ruoyin felt a little scared now: “Then… then how does everyone find what they want?”

“Those without a clear goal just wander around. Those with a clear goal are either brought by an elder or have their own means of finding the place,” Zhuang Ciyue grumbled: “If you don’t even have the ability to find the right place, why bother dabbling in the Yin realm?”

Yu Ruoyin felt a moment of disappointment.

Even through the black robe, Nan He sensed her sadness.

She moved closer to Yu Ruoyin and tapped Zhuang Ciyue’s hand: “You said the wrong thing. Her… her heart is crying.”

Zhuang Ciyue wanted to bite her own tongue: “I wasn’t talking about you, oh! You’re just starting out, so it’s normal to have some…”

“It’s okay.”

Yu Ruoyin said it was okay, but she didn’t quite look okay.

Zhuang Ciyue wanted to comfort her, but Yu Ruoyin first noticed the black-robed person who was about to leave after getting the second black-robed person: “You…”

She didn’t know how to ask her to stay. The second black-robed person spoke: “You promised to take her to Zifeng Hall.”

The black-robed person’s voice was still very cold: “That Spirit Painter will take her.”

She was impossibly domineering. After speaking, she pulled the second black-robed person away, not even sparing them a glance.

Yu Ruoyin was a little confused. Zhuang Ciyue shrieked: “How… how did she know I’m a Spirit Painter? Did you tell her?”

“No.” Yu Ruoyin thought carefully and pulled Nan He closer: “That person’s sensory ability seems very good. She just sensed that Nan… is a Spirit.”

Yu Ruoyin swallowed Nan He’s name: “She might have also sensed the Spirit Painter.”

“How is that possible?” Zhuang Ciyue grabbed Nan He: “She can sense you, so you should be able to sense her, right? What sect is she from?”

Nan He: “She… she is the same.”

“The same as what?”

Nan He didn’t speak. She just suddenly grabbed Yu Ruoyin’s hand.

Before Zhuang Ciyue could press for an answer, the girl came out from the back, holding a huge box: “This is what you asked for.”

Yu Ruoyin stored the box in the Red Jade Fruit: “Thank you.”

The girl smiled at her: “My name is Niehuan, and you are welcome to visit Wuxiang Pavilion again next time.”

“Okay.”

After saying goodbye to Niehuan, Yu Ruoyin and Zhuang Ciyue headed toward Zifeng Hall. Zhuang Ciyue was still loudly proclaiming: “That person really found a good solution for us! If we can resolve the issue at Zifeng Hall, we won’t need to rely on that Yin Official anymore! That’ll shut her up!”

Ever since she sensed Lu Qingzhen’s concern about Yu Ruoyin’s weakness, Zhuang Ciyue had held a strong opinion against Lu Qingzhen.

Yu Ruoyin was grateful for Zhuang Ciyue’s protection but felt she shouldn’t escalate the conflict: “She is worried about Aunt Ning. It’s normal for me to be weak when I’m just starting out.”

“Hmph!” Zhuang Ciyue snorted twice, still clearly upset.

Yu Ruoyin was helpless. As she walked with Zhuang Ciyue, she suddenly stopped. She looked back in the direction of Wuxiang Pavilion: “I think I know who she is.”

“Who?”

“The only remaining girl of the Spirit Painter Clan.”

Yu Ruoyin’s guess was not unfounded.

She had seen it—Niehuan’s respectful attitude toward the black-robed person.

That level of respect surpassed what was due even after knowing she was from the Four Spirits Shop. If she were anyone else, it would be unreasonable, but if she were the sole remaining bloodline of a family that had cooperated for years, it would be perfectly logical.

“That really is possible. Aunt said she’s very powerful. It’s possible she guessed I’m a Spirit Painter, but… what about the other one?” Zhuang Ciyue tugged at Yu Ruoyin and lowered her voice to ask: “Their Kang family can’t even field two people now, and it’s unlikely she has friends. Everyone in the circle avoids her. A normal person couldn’t possibly be here.”

Zhuang Ciyue’s question stumped Yu Ruoyin. She could only shake her head and answer truthfully: “I don’t know.”

Too many questions were holding her back. The immediate priority was Nan He’s matter. As for the rest, if they ever met again, perhaps she would find out.

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