Chapter 34: Yin Crows Part 1

Yu Ruoyin carried the coffin on her back, and no matter which road she took, it felt somewhat frightening.

At Zhuang Huaisu’s suggestion, they decided to wait until late at night when the Ghost Market opened, then head to Yin City through it.

The Ghost Market connected the mortal world and the netherworld. Every city had several entrances to it. A few led directly into the Ghost Market, but most reached the boundary between the yang and yin realms first. They had to find the coffins outside the Ghost Market, just like the night before, to step inside.

They could actually walk along the boundary between the yang and yin realms to reach any city, but that would take far too much time.

Zhuang Huaisu planned to take them to buy passage through the Ghost Market. Their target was the direct channel from Yin City to the Ghost Market.

According to the Ghost Market’s rule that entrances and exits changed randomly, this was against the regulations.

But since the Ghost Market was a place of business, as long as they paid the price, there was nothing they couldn’t buy.

Having Zhuang Huaisu with them proved truly beneficial. It was a method Yu Ruoyin would never have thought of, and Zhuang Ciyue wouldn’t have either.

Carrying a coffin anywhere else would definitely cause trouble, but not in the Ghost Market. Plenty of people there carried corpses on their backs. Besides, once inside, they donned masks and black robes. The loose black robes hid the coffin, making it look from afar like just a long box. Not many people would notice them.

Tonight’s Ghost Market was not as lively as the previous night.

Yu Ruoyin did not see the two black-robed figures from last night, nor did she spot that Ghost General.

To buy passage through the Ghost Market, they needed to find the Netherworld’s yin generals.

Aside from that Ghost General, the Netherworld’s yin generals there did not wear masks. Zhuang Huaisu approached one she knew well and made her request to buy passage.

The yin general readily handed them a token. She glanced at Zhuang Huaisu in her wheelchair, her eyes full of teasing. “You’ve ended up like this, and you’re still taking jobs in Yin City.”

Yin-Touchers needed to make a living too. Unless they had ancestral property, they all took on yin-related jobs.

Zhuang Huaisu took them too, but certainly not now.

Zhuang Huaisu leaned against the back of her wheelchair, lifted her head slightly, and reached out to take the token from the yin general’s hand. “It’s not my job. It’s the kid from the family.”

“Little Zhuang?”

Though they all wore masks, the items that blocked auras came from the Netherworld, so the yin general naturally had ways to recognize people.

The yin general circled in front of Zhuang Ciyue and clicked her tongue twice. “Look at you. Your painting yin brush is broken, and you’re still not behaving.”

“How did you… Xing Ruoyan even told you about this!”

Zhuang Ciyue was a bit angry. The yin general patted her shoulder. “It wasn’t her who told me. I saw her return to the Netherworld to repair your painting yin brush for you. We’re both Painting Yin Masters. Your great-aunt’s bone brush hasn’t broken in decades. Why does yours keep breaking?”

“I was about to ask the same.” Zhuang Ciyue had dealt with this yin general plenty of times, so she spoke bluntly. “Maybe the ghost tied to great-aunt’s bone brush is just stronger.”

“I won’t argue that with you.” The yin general chuckled twice, with no interest in chatting idly. “Alright, you’d better get going. Yin City’s been unstable lately. If you go, you might be able to help Little Mei out.”

She left.

But she left behind a question.

Zhuang Ciyue pushed the wheelchair, bending down curiously to get closer to Zhuang Huaisu. “Great-aunt, you’ve never told me which ghost you signed a contract with.”

Zhuang Huaisu’s tone was flat. “A ghost that scattered long ago. What business is it of hers?”

That didn’t add up.

“Doesn’t sound right!”

Yu Ruoyin’s inner voice and Zhuang Ciyue’s words sounded at the same time.

Zhuang Huaisu’s intact right hand rested on the wheelchair’s armrest. Her voice suddenly turned much colder. “I said she scattered, so she scattered. Are you questioning me?”

“Great-aunt, you used to say it was a good yin ghost. Yin ghosts aren’t regular ghosts, so like Ruoyan, it must be an on-duty ghost from the Netherworld.”

“I said she scattered, so she scattered! Didn’t I say that when I tell you to shut up, you shut up?”

“Great-aunt—” Zhuang Ciyue’s tone softened considerably. She pushed the wheelchair with one hand and gently shook Zhuang Huaisu’s shoulder with the other. “Don’t be mad at me. I’m just curious. My friend is right here. Give me a little face.”

Yu Ruoyin carried the coffin and tugged Nan He to slow her steps.

She tried her best to minimize her presence, but Zhuang Huaisu still looked over. “The Borrow Yin Talisman you took out in the shop earlier was a Painting Witch technique. You… how did you manage that? You’re not from the Kang Family. You…”

Hearing Zhuang Huaisu ask, Zhuang Ciyue immediately chimed in. “Yeah, yeah. Xiao Yu, how did you suddenly learn Painting Witch arts?”

Yu Ruoyin pursed her lips lightly, her gaze dropping. Her hand unconsciously lifted to steady the coffin lid. “Auntie Ning said I could.”

She hadn’t even figured it out herself, so she truly couldn’t explain. And even if she had, the reason might not be something she could voice.

Even to her best friend, she couldn’t be completely open anymore.

She had secrets.

Inside hid her dirty, petty self.

Zhuang Ciyue was clearly unsatisfied with that answer and wanted to press further, but Zhuang Huaisu stopped her. “Enough. Don’t ask. Even friends can have secrets.”

Yu Ruoyin hadn’t interacted much with Zhuang Huaisu before. She had seen her only as a reliable senior with a bad temper, but now her view shifted a bit.

Though her temper was poor, she wouldn’t force anyone.

“Thank you.”

Yu Ruoyin thanked her, but Zhuang Huaisu didn’t buy it.

Zhuang Huaisu was willing to associate with her half out of consideration for Zhuang Ciyue’s face and half for the Four Spirits Shop’s sake.

She still favored Zhuang Ciyue a little. As they were about to leave the Ghost Market, her fingers slowly curled around Zhuang Ciyue’s sleeve. “Vanguard Wen says Yin City’s unstable. Are you sure you still want to go?”

“Of course!” Zhuang Ciyue said without hesitation. “Xiao Yu is my only friend. You and Mom kept us apart for three years. I finally made it back to Chong City, so of course I’m sticking with Xiao Yu. Wherever she goes, I go. She’s in trouble now, so of course I’ll help.”

Zhuang Huaisu rubbed her brow bone. “You’d better be able to help. My injuries aren’t fully healed. I won’t act unless it’s dire. Handle it yourself.”

“Great-aunt, I don’t have my brush.”

She softened her voice, terrified that Zhuang Huaisu might really leave her to fend for herself.

“Little Ci.” Zhuang Huaisu shook her head helplessly. “Haven’t you noticed your brush is back yet?”

“Huh? What?” Zhuang Ciyue reached into her bag slung at her side and indeed pulled out the repaired bone brush. “When did this happen?”

“When Vanguard Wen patted you.”

“How did my brush end up with her?” Zhuang Ciyue grew even more puzzled. “Xiao Yu, did you see?”

Yu Ruoyin shook her head honestly. Zhuang Ciyue shook her own head. “Great-aunt, see? Xiao Yu didn’t see it either. It’s not my eyesight. Yours is just too good.”

Her flattery missed the mark. Zhuang Huaisu couldn’t help sighing. “It’s your brush or hers. It’s normal she couldn’t sense it. And… you don’t actually believe she went back to the Netherworld specifically to repair your painting yin brush for you, do you? Repairing a bone brush only needs her bone. What reason would she have to make a special trip to the Netherworld?”

“Great-aunt, that makes so much sense.”

Zhuang Huaisu unceremoniously pinched her. “You’re talking nonsense again.”

“Ouch, ouch, ouch! Great-aunt!” Zhuang Ciyue rubbed her sore arm and furrowed her brows. “How did my ex-girlfriend know we’d go through the Ghost Market and even approach Vanguard Wen? Does that mean there’s a traitor among us?”

“The Four Spirits Shop still has a yin official. It’s no surprise she knows our movements. Yin ghosts can contact each other much faster than we can.” Zhuang Huaisu was utterly out of patience. “You even have to ask about this? In these three years, was it my teaching or you that’s the problem?”

“Great-aunt doesn’t need to reflect. It must be me who’s the problem!”

She responded quickly and cheekily.

Seeing her not only unashamed but even a bit proud only made Zhuang Huaisu angrier. “Stop calling yourself my disciple.”

Zhuang Ciyue chuckled twice. “I was never your disciple anyway. I’m great-aunt’s precious granddaughter.”

Their grandparent-grandchild relationship seemed excellent, which reminded Yu Ruoyin of her own grandmother.

Three years ago, she too had an elder who doted on her that way. She had once been the obedient granddaughter loved by her grandmother.

Yu Ruoyin missed her grandmother a little and felt some guilt.

Ever since meeting Jiang Huaining, her longing for her grandmother had faded. Even staying with someone as powerful as Jiang Huaining, she had never once mentioned finding her grandmother.

She wasn’t just bad; she was unfilial too.

Yu Ruoyin stroked the coffin, which eased her jumbled emotions.

Once Jiang Huaining woke, she definitely would…

Yu Ruoyin realized in horror that even now, she was hesitating. The desire to find her grandmother clashed with her reluctance to trouble Jiang Huaining further, and the latter won out.

Jiang Huaining could be more important than everyone—except the grandmother who had raised her for fifteen years.

What was this?

Fate?

She actually subconsciously gave up searching for her grandmother just to cause Jiang Huaining less trouble.

The thought felt wrong, yet Yu Ruoyin couldn’t suppress it.

Compared to seeing her grandmother, she yearned more for Jiang Huaining to conserve her strength.

Yu Ruoyin shook her head and silently begged her grandmother’s forgiveness.

She didn’t have to rely on Jiang Huaining to find people. She could do it herself.

As long as she learned Painting Witch arts, as long as she had a name and birth details, as long… The more Yu Ruoyin thought, the paler her face grew. Only then did she realize she didn’t even remember her grandmother’s name. Even her facial features were blurring. She only remembered that her grandmother had been very, very good to her.

Sweat beaded on Yu Ruoyin’s forehead. Zhuang Huaisu’s voice pulled her back from her overwhelming guilt.

“Xiao Yu, I still haven’t asked what brush you’re using.” Zhuang Huaisu spoke to Yu Ruoyin while activating the token from the yin general. “Though Painting Witches don’t need contracts with people, a good brush makes drawing talismans and forms smoother. I remember skilled Painting Witches could not only draw talismans but also forms. A couple of strokes could summon yin slaves at the ghost general level.”

Among witches, Painting Yin Masters and Painting Spirit Masters always envied Painting Witch abilities.

Yu Ruoyin pulled herself from her guilt and answered Zhuang Huaisu. “The Formless Pavilion doesn’t sell brushes. I’m using a cow hair brush I took from Auntie Ning’s room. The book said cow hair carries heavy yin energy, which helps gather ghost qi.”

“You’re a Painting Witch, not a Painting Yin Master. Heavy yin energy is useless to you. It’s better to make a brush from spirit materials…” Zhuang Huaisu trailed off. She stared deeply at the coffin on Yu Ruoyin’s back. “I’m worrying over nothing. The owner of the Four Spirits Shop isn’t short on spirit treasures. Once she wakes, you’ll have whatever you want.”

No!

What did Jiang Huaining’s things have to do with her?

She wasn’t following Jiang Huaining for those spirit treasures. She was there because…

Yu Ruoyin felt Zhuang Huaisu’s words sullied her pure affection. Yet she couldn’t refute what she’d gained from Jiang Huaining.

Nan He sensed her poor mood. After staying quiet for a while, she took the initiative to speak to Zhuang Huaisu. “Sister Zhuang, how long until we reach Yin City?”

“…” Zhuang Huaisu’s mouth twitched. “You too? Call me granny like them!”

Nan He’s age meant she could call Zhuang Huaisu not just sister but even little girl.

But Nan He looked just over twenty. She would rather act older than younger.

With her good temper, Nan He complied when Zhuang Huaisu spoke. “Granny Zhuang, when do we reach Yin City?”

“Soon.”

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