Code words

The car turned left and right, soon emerging onto a broad street.

The street could hardly be called desolate. There were few vehicles on the road, but the shops on either side bustled with activity. Plenty of vendors lined the street, and police officers in green uniforms could be seen on patrol.

As Chen Ying gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar sights before him, the words "the bustle of everyday life" suddenly came to mind.

The sun shone brightly overhead. Beneath its brilliant light, all the spirits and ghosts seemed to have vanished, leaving only a peaceful, tranquil human world before him.

"Did you not sleep well last night, husband?"

"Mm."

According to Wu Jie, Granny Chen had come to speak to her last night about finding him a teacher to train him in martial arts.

In other words, when Granny Chen came, he should have been downstairs chatting with that old ghost.

Jie probably knew he had gotten up in the middle of the night.

"What time did Granny come last night? I lay there for ages, but I didn't hear anyone talking..."

"You don't know yet, do you, husband? Granny can enter dreams. She made the arrangements in a dream."

"Enter dreams?"

"That's right. Go into other people's dreams."

"Can you teach me?"

Chen Ying looked at Wu Jie's fair wrist.

"Granny swore an oath that she wouldn't teach her own family, so she taught you. You haven't sworn any oath, so naturally you can teach me."

Wu Jie gave a bitter smile.

"Have you still not remembered, husband?"

"No. I can't remember a single thing from before."

"Actually, Granny has her reasons too."

Wu Jie explained.

"Granny came from Zhongzhou. She and Grandpa were both masters. Demons and ghosts caused trouble in Zhongzhou, and there were many feuds. My father-in-law died in Zhongzhou, and so did your parents. Granny brought you to Hong Kong-Kowloon City by herself, washing her hands of that life and never involving herself in those old affairs again."

"She thought that would keep you safe, and that you could live peacefully here from then on. But she never expected that some people would still refuse to stop, even setting their sights on you."

"Granny deeply regrets it, actually. She said that if she had known this day would come, she would never have sworn that oath back then. But now, I'm afraid it's too late for you to learn her arts."

As Wu Jie recounted those events, Chen Ying more or less filled in a tale of old martial-world feuds in his head.

Granny Chen and the old man were experts proficient in all kinds of magic. Their chivalrous deeds had offended all sorts of powerful figures, and their feuds had brought disaster upon their family. Disheartened, the old woman had taken her beloved grandson far away, washing her hands of that life and withdrawing from worldly affairs.

But life was unpredictable. More than a decade later, their enemies had finally come knocking and taken his predecessor's life.

"Too late?"

Chen Ying asked curiously.

"There are countless traditions and lineages in the world. Not just ours-Fusang and the Westerners all have their own systems. The arts Granny practices are founded on visualization. The more advanced the technique, the greater its demands on the mind."

"There are what we call the three higher souls and seven lower souls. The mind is a manifestation of the soul's transformations. Whoever attacked you used a method called Soul-Calling to forcibly seize your three higher souls. Even though Granny had a way to call them back, your soul was already gravely damaged in the process."

At that point, Chen Ying really wanted to say, Your granny didn't actually call them back.

"So if you were to practice Granny's arts now, it would do you harm rather than good. If anything went wrong, it might add fuel to the fire and cause a serious problem."

"So..."

"For now, we need a method that strengthens the body from the outside. This Teacher Wen we've brought you to study under is an old acquaintance of Granny's. He's been staying here in Hong Kong-Kowloon these past few days."

"Martial arts?"

"Vigorous blood and vital energy can subdue ghosts and gods too."

"Ghosts and gods? Are there gods in this world?"

That was another question Chen Ying had.

The tenants in Granny Chen's little building were all manner of ghosts and monsters. No, a more accurate description would be that her building was a prison for ghosts and monsters, and Granny Chen was something like its jailer.

Since ghosts existed, were there sword immortals who slew demons and vanquished evil, sages who delivered humanity from suffering, and gods who stood high above and ruled over a domain of heaven and earth?

"Gods?"

A trace of gravity suddenly appeared on Wu Jie's face.

"Perhaps. No one has ever seen one. This world is full of evil beings and sinister sects that borrow the names of gods. Some religious sects worship particular deities too, but true gods and immortals have been nothing more than elusive legends since ancient times."

"If there really are gods, then judging by the state of the world today, they're most likely evil gods."

The car slowly came to a stop. Both sides of the street were still bustling.

It was a medicine shop. A black plaque with the gold characters "Grace-Extending Hall" hung in the center, flanked by a couplet. The first line read, "Better that the medicines on our shelves gather dust," and the second, "May all people be free of illness."

People streamed in and out. Business was clearly booming, which did not quite match the sign.

The old man named Uncle Qing opened the car door. Chen Ying carefully stepped out and softly thanked him.

The sun hung high overhead, its blazing light leaving him slightly dazzled.

I'm not a ghost after all. Otherwise, how could I stand being exposed to sunlight like this?

As that thought crossed his mind, Chen Ying sensed something and abruptly turned his head.

A pitch-black shape crouched on the eaves of the medicine shop's roof. Beneath two enormous wings was an old woman dressed in ragged clothes. She wore a hemp garment of indeterminate age, and a pair of wings sprouted beneath her ribs. Her hands and feet were like birds' talons, and her murky yellow eyes stared venomously at the people passing outside the shop.

Chen Ying raised his head to look at her. As though sensing it, she turned to stare down at him.

"That's a Plague Hag. She loves feeding on the vital essence and blood of the sick. If someone is already ill, even a little torment from a ghost like that will cost them their life."

Wu Jie's voice came from behind him.

"Is she hunting by keeping watch here?"

"More or less."

"Why doesn't anyone do anything about her?"

Wu Jie did not answer directly.

"This ordeal has actually opened your Night Eye, husband. These ghosts that can move about in daylight aren't something ordinary people can handle. This Plague Hag's abilities rank among the best in all of Lingnan."

"Why not capture her?"

Chen Ying watched the ghost called a Plague Hag. She had evidently found a new target. Spreading her wings, she soared into the sky like a real owl and flew off into the distance.

"Because I can't bear to part with her."

A voice came from inside the medicine shop.

Chen Ying turned to look and saw a tall, thin middle-aged man slowly walking out. He wore a long gown and a pair of tortoiseshell glasses. His features could only be called regular, but he exuded an imposing presence, like a spear thrust straight into the heavens.

"You're Chen Ying?"

The middle-aged man narrowed his eyes slightly.

"The three teachings have always been passed down; a single stick of pure incense brings blessings vast as the sea. May I ask, brother, how many treasure mountains have you entered? How much fine incense have you burned?"

"You jest, Mr. Wen. My husband is not a member of our tradition."

Jie replied politely.

"Granny asked me to send you her regards."