Taking the Soul

Xu Yuan went back to his room to sleep. After waiting a while, he listened carefully. There was no more sound from his Stepmother's side; she must have been fast asleep. He then quietly got up and slipped out of the courtyard.

Lin Wanmo stood behind the bed, watching.

Her eyes held deep worry: He's truly audacious.

Her first instinct was to go out directly, grab the boy by the scruff of his neck, and drag him back.

But her thoughts shifted, and she didn't do it.

Xu Yuan went straight to the east end of the alley after leaving the courtyard. He gently knocked on the door: "Uncle Mao."

Uncle Mao clearly hadn't slept yet. He asked in a muffled voice, "Who is it?"

"Uncle, it's me, Xu Yuan."

Uncle Mao opened the door. Just as Xu Yuan was about to enter, he found a chisel glinting with cold light pressed against his forehead.

Uncle Mao quickly withdrew the chisel: "It really is you, kid. I thought it was some Malevolent Spirit with no eyes, trying to trick me into opening the door with this knocking and answering method."

Xu Yuan chuckled and entered: "If a Malevolent Spirit used this method to trick you, it would truly be suicidal."

Uncle Mao closed the door and chided, "In the middle of the night, why aren't you sleeping soundly at home? What are you running around for? It's too dangerous."

Xu Yuan said, "I need to ask Uncle for a favor. Lin Wanmo and I just killed someone..."

Uncle Mao's eyes widened: "You have to call her 'Mother'!"

Xu Yuan pouted: "Alright, alright, let's hurry. If we're any later, I'm afraid the Soul will be captured."

Uncle Mao asked, "Who was the person killed?"

Xu Yuan: "I don't know who it was, that's why I need your help to interrogate the Soul."

Uncle Mao hesitated, not unwilling to help, but worried about dragging Xu Yuan into danger.

Xu Yuan pleaded, "Uncle, you've always doted on me the most since I was little. When I was three or four, you let me ride on your shoulders to the temple fair."

Uncle Mao grunted: "It was indeed strange. Every time you rode on my shoulders, you'd pee all over me. It was fine with Grandpa Shen and your father..."

Xu Yuan's old face flushed: "It just shows I'm closest to you."

A smile bloomed on Uncle Mao's worried face. He grabbed a few woodworking tools: "Let's go."

A moment later, the two returned. Uncle Mao held a ghost in his hand, which was none other than "Ghost Ding Qian."

Uncle Mao was a Divine Cultivator.

Entering the house, Uncle Mao lit an oil lamp and then gently blew on the flame. With a whoosh, the originally orange-red flame turned dark blue, casting a chilling gloom over the small room.

Uncle Mao held the ghost and looked at it under the lamplight. Old Qian's Soul looked indifferent, seemingly unconcerned by everything that had happened.

Uncle Mao shook his head: "No need to ask. This kind of Soul is rare. No matter how much you torture it, it won't say anything."

Xu Yuan nodded: "Then let's do it your way, Uncle. I just want to know who is behind him."

Uncle Mao nodded, rubbed the hand holding the ghost, and the Soul of Old Qian shattered. His entire life's memories turned into countless "fragments" and "images" before quickly dissipating.

No one could simultaneously capture such vast yet fragmented "images."

Uncle Mao only made a quick judgment. Then, his hands danced, and he pulled out a few fragments that were closest in time.

He then showed them to Xu Yuan.

Xu Yuan saw a rather large back garden.

He saw Old Qian diligently refining Souls and forging Yin Soldiers.

He saw Old Qian going to Qilipu.

He saw Old Qian in a row of secluded houses, cooking his own dinner, and after eating, heading straight for River Worker Alley.

"That's enough," Xu Yuan said.

He had a general idea of where Old Qian came from.

Xu Yuan thanked Uncle Mao: "I'll head back now."

Uncle Mao waved his hand, dispersing all the residual Soul fragments: "I'll walk you back."

"It's just this short distance..."

Uncle Mao, however, insisted. He grabbed Xu Yuan's arm and escorted him home.

Xu Yuan cautiously returned to his room. He listened again; his Stepmother's side was still quiet. He was relieved that she hadn't noticed his little excursion and took off his clothes to sleep.

Uncle Mao returned after seeing Xu Yuan home. As he reached his doorstep, he suddenly realized something. He turned his head and saw Lin Wanmo standing nearby.

Uncle Mao grinned, a little embarrassed.

After all, he had just helped Xu Yuan keep something from Little Mo.

Lin Wanmo did have some complaints towards him. Her small face was set, but she wasn't here to demand an explanation: "Grandpa Shen wants everyone to go over."

Uncle Mao nodded and followed Lin Wanmo to Grandpa Shen's house.

There was a well at the corner.

As the two passed, something clawed its way out of the well opening, its pair of blood-red eyes snapping open—then quickly closing. The claws loosened, and with a plop, it fell back into the well.

The two paid it no mind.

When they arrived at Grandpa Shen's, Aunt Wang was there as expected.

Grandpa Shen leaned against the headboard, smoking his pipe. Seeing them enter, he said, "Everyone's here. Let's begin."

Lin Wanmo, however, interjected, "Grandpa, let me ask something first."

She then turned directly to Uncle Mao, "Did you just help Xu Yuan take that Divine Cultivator's soul?"

Uncle Mao let out an "Mm," thinking, It's not that I don't want to keep it a secret for you, Yuan kid. You're afraid of your stepmother, and I'm a little afraid of this fiery young girl...

Uncle Mao explained the situation, and Lin Wanmo's eyebrows shot up. "He's trying to..."

Grandpa Shen waved a hand. "It's actually the same thing we're about to discuss."

Lin Wanmo stopped talking, crossed her arms, and sat back down.

Grandpa Shen said, "People from the Qu Hui Division just came. They want Yuan kid to join them. This is a big deal, and I, an old man, dare not make the decision alone. I called everyone here to discuss it."

Aunt Wang shook her head incessantly, her head nearly flying off. "It's too dangerous, I don't agree!"

Uncle Mao hesitated. "Yuan kid's Fate Cultivator and Pill Cultivator legacies weren't inherited from our alley."

Aunt Wang glared. "What do you mean?"

"If he didn't inherit our legacy, he's technically not one of us from the alley. He has a chance to break free..."

"You don't consider Ah Yuan one of your own!" Aunt Wang was truly angry.

Uncle Mao backed away slightly. "When have I not considered him one of our own? What I mean is, what's so great about being from this alley? We've been trapped here for generations. Although it's risky, this is an opportunity for Yuan kid. The Qu Hui Division is actually a good place. If he can get an official position in the future, he can completely shed the identity of a sinner from River Worker Alley."

Aunt Wang snorted. "Easy for you to say. With our status, what kind of future can we have even if we join the Qu Hui Division?"

Uncle Mao didn't argue with her. His thoughts had been made clear anyway.

"Grandpa Shen," Aunt Wang asked, "what are your thoughts?"

Grandpa Shen puffed on his pipe. Aunt Wang waved away the smoke drifting towards Lin Wanmo. "You're smoking near the child—Say something."

Grandpa Shen stopped smoking. "When Ma Tianshou first brought it up, I instinctively refused. But after thinking about it carefully, since Yuan kid has become a Fate Cultivator... this seems like destiny. We should probably give it a try."

His words were vague, but everyone present understood what he meant by "give it a try."

Lin Wanmo blurted out, "I sent him to Qihetan Town to keep him away from family matters, not to burden him with such a heavy responsibility! I actually never expected him to become a Fate Cultivator!"

Grandpa Shen sighed. "But it just so happened that Yuan kid did."

Everyone fell silent.

Xu Yuan's trip to Qihetan Town was actually arranged by Xu Huanyang before his death.

Lin Wanmo was merely an executor.

A few pieces of "Old Year Grain" could lure a June Bug in the vast Ghost Witch Mountain? Xu Huanyang probably didn't expect that to succeed either.

But it just so happened that it did.

It couldn't help but make one think of... the Xu family's "destiny"!

After a long while, Grandpa Shen spoke again. "Two support, two oppose. So, it's the old rule:

Please let the elders decide."

The three of them nodded.

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