Not long after that trip to the market in Raozhou City, when they had heard the first whisper of spring snow, the end of the year soon arrived.
This time, coming home for the New Year meant a family reunion, quite different from spending the previous one on Mount Luofu. As the holiday approached, Xing Yan took Qiong Rong, Xueyi, and his father into Raozhou City early to buy their New Year provisions. Besides the rice cakes and sweets Qiong Rong loved, they bought all the Peachwood Exorcism Talismans and Tusu Wine needed to ward off evil. While buying the peachwood charms, Xing Yan happened to notice the Ghost King Ring glimmering faintly on his finger. Only then did he suddenly realize that, although he had been home barely more than a fortnight, those days of fighting, killing, gods, and ghosts already seemed far away.
Putting aside such stray thoughts, he waited peacefully at home for the New Year. On the day before New Year's Eve, the mountain temple sent down a young Daoist attendant with a pair of ghost-repelling peachwood charms personally made by the head of Shangqing Palace's Horseshoe Courtyard. In fact, even without the attendant's explanation, Xing Yan recognized the old Daoist's handiwork the instant he saw those familiar, crooked strokes on the peachwood boards.
On the final day of the year, the whole household grew busy. Xueyi and Qiong Rong helped Xing Yan's mother clean the house, while Xing Yan went down to the village to paint peachwood charms for his neighbors. His father brought out the treasured portraits of their ancestors and reverently hung them one by one in the main room, then arranged the incense burner and lit fine sandalwood incense that he normally could not bear to use.
After nightfall, the family, together