Parting and Encounter

Something was very wrong!

Chen Cuo took a deep breath and suppressed his unease and surprise.

He edged half a step closer, then studied the Facial Mask intently.

Lines across the Facial Mask traced a blue-green face with fangs. The details differed in many places, but he could still make out the face of the Evil Ghost!

Compared with the Evil Ghost's savage features, the Facial Mask looked more exaggerated and less vicious. Even so, Chen Cuo could not help recalling how terrifying that Evil Ghost had been!

"I don't remember collecting anything like this!"

At first, a chill ran down Chen Cuo's spine. Once he saw the mask clearly, he even hurried back several steps. But it merely hovered in the air without changing, and his fear eased a little. As he thought back carefully, one detail suddenly came to mind.

"When the Evil Ghost lunged at me, I touched the gourd, then raised my arm to block it. There was a faint glow around me. I thought Daoist Zhou might have arranged something, but he never mentioned it. Could the gourd have protected its owner on its own? After all, if the mask can appear in the Dream Marsh, it should be connected to the Gourd. And the Evil Ghost was originally intangible—it was only just now that I could have touched it..."

Chen Cuo tried to follow that possibility through, but too many questions remained.

"The Gourd could only absorb things that had been damaged within the past hour. Did the Evil Ghost count as damaged? Or did this happen because it was linked to my mind?"

The more he thought about it, the more he shook his head.

"This is too dangerous. I shouldn't dwell on it. That thing is even stranger. Whatever I do, I mustn't touch it..."

That was what he thought, yet he could not resist stepping toward the Facial Mask. "I'm just getting closer. I won't touch it..."

As he approached, he faintly heard a multitude of whispers, as though countless people were speaking at once.

The voices were too soft and low for him to make out a word.

Murmuring "don't touch it" to himself, he nevertheless raised an arm. A brush materialized in his hand, and he brought it toward the Facial Mask.

"I'm not using my hand."

He muttered under his breath, but just as the brush was about to touch the Facial Mask, a wave of cold descended. It chilled Chen Cuo to the bone, and a sense that something was wrong surged through him. He hastily pulled the brush back.

The cold vanished at once.

"This thing... really is strange!"

Chen Cuo stared at the still-hovering Facial Mask, his brows drawn tight and his expression grave. He did not try to prod it again.

"Should I ask the Daoist? But that would bring up the Dream Marsh. Still, this could be nothing—or it could threaten my life, even disturb the Dream Marsh..."

As he pondered, his mind suddenly blurred. He immediately understood why.

In the waking world, Chen Cuo opened his eyes.

Chen Hai stood beside him. The household steward had just woken him.

"Mother hasn't come yet? Wasn't she going to question me?" Chen Cuo looked around, but saw no one else.

"Master Zhou suddenly said he was leaving for a few days," Chen Hai replied. "My lady couldn't persuade him to stay, so she hardly had time to come speak with Your Lordship." He moved a few steps closer. "The Daoist said he still had something to tell Your Lordship before he left, so the old madam sent me to fetch you."

"I'll go now." Far from surprised, Chen Cuo felt relieved. He followed Chen Hai straight to the front courtyard.

As they approached, he heard Zhou Youzi speaking with the old madam.

"Your Lordship possesses a measure of renown. Though the pill is gone, that should suffice to nurture the Ink Crane. Please give it to him, old madam, so this bond may be fulfilled."

Chen Cuo's Mother looked deeply hesitant.

Left to herself, she would have favored her eldest son. But Zhou Youzi had given them both the pill and the Ink Crane, and this concerned an opportunity to enter the Immortal Sect. Now that he had asked outright, she could hardly refuse him to his face. They reached an impasse.

Zhou Youzi continued, "This is a matter of fate. If it succeeds, Your Lordship has an affinity with the Immortal School. If not, he will have prepared the way for the commandery prince. Besides, I shall return in a few days. I will contact my sect while I am away and may be able to use this as a reason to seek another Immortal Opportunity for your household."

With Zhou Youzi having said so much, Chen Cuo's Mother could only nod for the time being, however reluctant she remained.

Chen Cuo breathed a sigh of relief. His opinion of Zhou Youzi improved further.

Zhou Youzi also let out a breath of relief, though he quickly concealed it.

Chen Cuo's Mother did not delay. To set Zhou Youzi's mind at ease, she immediately had the box containing the Ink Crane brought over and told Chen Hai to hold it for now. Then she warned Chen Cuo, "If you can't use it, don't force it. Understand?"

Chen Cuo nodded. His eyes rested on the box, eager to try.

Zhou Youzi suddenly asked, "Where is the third young lady?"

"There has been much to do today, so I didn't have her come," Chen Cuo's Mother said. "Did you wish to bid her farewell, Master Zhou?"

Zhou Youzi hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "No need." He cupped his hands in farewell, but glanced at Chen Cuo as he left.

Chen Cuo understood. "Mother, I'll see Master Zhou off."

"As you should." Watching the two of them, Chen Cuo's Mother grew more suspicious.

Outside the prince's residence, Chen Cuo walked alongside Zhou Youzi and asked about the missing servant.

"I found a few clues in the room," Zhou Youzi said. "After investigating with a spell, I'm certain the Evil Ghost was responsible."

"Why did the ghost take him?"

"The Wisdom Sword wounded it badly, and it needs to recover. Someone it has bewitched carries it in his mind. The ghost can use such a person to regain its strength."

Chen Cuo nodded, then asked, "Where did it take him?"

Zhou Youzi hesitated, then shook his head. "My abilities are limited. I don't know. I'll consult fellow cultivators on this journey."

Hearing that, Chen Cuo could not help worrying. He thought of the ghost-faced Facial Mask in the Dream Marsh and hesitated.

Seeing his expression, Zhou Youzi said, "The Evil Ghost formed from Human Thought and reflects the human heart. Anyone who has read the essay might give rise to it. Since it has gone into hiding and taken someone, I expect it means to gather strength first. Only when more people have read and immersed themselves in the essay will it truly strike. Your Lordship is its source and its foundation. You must not let doubt take hold, or the ghost will exploit it."

"Then the farther the essay spreads, the greater the danger to my life?" Chen Cuo's voice was heavy. He had already suspected as much, and now it was confirmed. But stopping the essay from spreading was almost impossible.

"Fortune and disaster go hand in hand. Your Lordship need not worry too much. There are many capable people in and around Jiankang. They will not let an Evil Ghost run rampant, so it would not dare draw attention to itself. If you remain concerned, you could stay at a Buddhist temple for the next few days." Zhou Youzi took an embroidered pouch from his robes. "This contains instructions for commanding the Ink Crane. Learn them as soon as you can. It can hear what is hidden and perceive the unseen. If the Evil Ghost comes, it can warn you."

Chen Cuo's mouth went dry. He took the pouch and finally said, "I was tired earlier, so I took a short nap..."

"Did you sense something?" Zhou Youzi interrupted.

"Hm?" Chen Cuo stared at him in surprise.

"Nothing." Zhou Youzi shook his head, then asked with some urgency, "Did you discover something else in your dream?"

"I saw a ghostly Facial Mask in my dream. It looked like the Evil Ghost. Do you know what it means, Daoist?"

Zhou Youzi's expression changed abruptly. Then he knitted his brows and fell into thought.

At the sight, Chen Cuo could not help asking again.

"It's too early to say," Zhou Youzi replied, shaking his head. "But it shouldn't be a bad thing."

Chen Cuo perked up and pressed him for a reason.

Zhou Youzi shook his head without answering. When Chen Cuo persisted, he said, "My knowledge is limited, and I must confirm it before I speak. But before Your Lordship begins cultivating, if you dream of that Facial Mask again, you had best not touch it in the dream."

Chen Cuo asked a few more questions. When it became clear Zhou Youzi would say no more, he finally gave up and cupped his hands in farewell. "I hope you return soon, Daoist."

Zhou Youzi nodded. Only after he saw the fear and worry leave Chen Cuo's face did he turn away and quietly let out a long breath. He quickened his pace, reached a distant street corner in the blink of an eye, then took one more step and vanished.

After seeing Zhou Youzi off, Chen Cuo returned to the prince's residence and exchanged a few words with Chen Cuo's Mother. She repeatedly hinted that he must not compete with his elder brother for the opportunity.

After a few perfunctory replies, Chen Cuo was finally able to head home.

"How can I not worry when an Evil Ghost has its eye on me?" In the Ox Cart, he stroked the box holding the Ink Crane. "The pill entered the Dream Marsh, and now I have the Ink Crane too. I should be twice as happy. Instead, this happened. I can't tell whether it's a blessing or a curse, and I have no idea what to do. Come to think of it, the Daoist told me to stay at a temple. Why didn't he tell me to go to a Daoist Temple?"

As he thought, his gaze roamed over the street outside, his mind racing. Then his eyes widened, and he stared fixedly out the window.

At the street corner outside, beside a drainage ditch,

an old beggar in ragged clothes sat cross-legged on the ground, grinning at Chen Cuo.

Second update! Please give me, you know, some recommendation votes. And if you're passing by, add this to your favorites...