Chapter 40: Other Shore Demon Flower Part 3

Wang Ya answered, “She did—said not to use the scroll recklessly, that since I’m not Feng Family bloodline, I had to be careful not to get sucked into it myself. The usage is simple: open it when using, close when not—no seals, no invocations, nothing. I just don’t get why you all went to such lengths for this thing that only works at night in Yin Qi-heavy places, and is super dangerous to boot? Collect ghosts? Kill enemies? Not afraid of collateral damage! When the scroll unfurls, it collects people and ghosts alike—whoever it covers is done for!” She said, “Zhang Qingshui, if not for the blood feud between your Zhang Family and the Feng Family, and its meaning as a Family Heirloom, I’d gladly give it to you for free.” Originally, Wang Ya thought the Yin Spirit Scroll was a powerful weapon at night, barely offsetting its troublemaking flaws. But after it released that huge demon flower, she truly didn’t dare use it anymore. Opening the Bardo Realm across Yin and Yang Realms? Whether she’d survive was questionable.

Zhang Qingshui said, “I told you, the Zhang Family never intended to touch the Yin Spirit Scroll from the start.”

Wang Ya asked, “Then why did the Zhang Family exterminate the Feng Family?”

Zhang Qingshui said, “The Feng Family Inheritance is always passed to legitimate heirs, not concubine-born. A concubine-born disciple, unwilling to accept it, came to the Zhang Family on my great-grandfather’s birthday—many guests were there that day. He revealed many Feng Family secrets, including this scroll, and the perfect timing to deal with the Zhongyin Feng Family. That drew the Righteous and Evil Paths to join forces. The true instigator of the Feng Family extermination wasn’t the Zhang Family, but that concubine-born son. These years, everyone searched for the Yin Spirit Scroll because Feng Yuqin once opened it on the Yellow Springs. Hundreds of experts who chased her into the Yellow Springs Road all turned to dry bones and rotting soil after a burst of red light, their Divine Souls extinguished—only a few who entered the Yellow Springs depths survived. Feng Yuqin fled deep into the Yellow Springs with the scroll and vanished. There’s also a rumor that the scroll marks the Ultimate Yin Acupoints in underground Yin Veins, and at those Yin Vein Ultimate Yin Acupoints, one can open the Bardo Realm. You know people all die, but if buried in Yin Veins and cultivating by attaching to them, one can become a Mountain God or Earth Immortal.”

Why did the Ghost Granny hate Huang Qi and Wang Ya to the bone? Because they destroyed her corpse and the Yin Vein it was buried in. Why did the Ghost Family want the Yin Spirit Scroll? Still for the Yin Veins.

Wang Ya sighed deeply, about to say, “Then once I find my Grandma, whoever wants this scroll, I’ll give it to them.” But Zhang Qingshui continued, “That concubine-born son also said the Feng Family’s thousand-year treasures were buried in the Yin Vein treasure acupoints marked on this scroll.” Wang Ya’s eyes lit up; she froze and exclaimed, “They’re after the Yin Spirit Scroll for the Feng Family Treasure?”

Zhang Qingshui said, “The Zhongyin Feng Family, a Xuan Men thousand-year clan’s inheritance and foundation—who wouldn’t want it?”

Wang Ya eyed Zhang Qingshui sideways. “You want the Feng Family Treasure too?”

Zhang Qingshui said, “The Zhang Family isn’t as strong as the Feng Family, but we’re not weak. To say we’re not curious or want to see the Yin Vein treasure acupoints the Feng Family relied on? Impossible. Wang Ya, heading to the Underworld Courts is nine deaths out of ten; I bet your Grandma wouldn’t want you and Wang Cheng’an dying there searching for her. Your Grandma once raided the Underworld Courts; maybe she knows how to enter the Bardo Realm. Why not try the Bardo Realm first to find her?”

Wang Ya pondered silently.

During their conversation, the Yin Qi on the Yellow Springs Road swirled up again, and the Wandering Souls that had vanished earlier emerged from who-knows-where.

A Soul-Guiding Lamp slowly floated over from the darkness, hovering above Zhang Qingshui’s head, its soft light enveloping her.

Wang Ya knew the Zhang Family was performing the Opening Yellow Springs ritual to guide Zhang Qingshui back to the Yang Realm.

Zhang Qingshui looked at Wang Ya and asked, “Wang Ya, are you coming back?”

Wang Ya thought for a moment. “Yeah, let’s go!” If there was danger, she could Open Yellow Springs and escape again.

Zhang Qingshui nodded lightly. She took Huang Qi’s hand and said softly, “Little Qi, let’s go back.” She led Huang Qi, following the Soul-Guiding Lamp back. Old Tang, Wang Ya, and Wang Cheng’an followed behind Zhang Qingshui, slowly advancing into the darkness.

They followed the Soul-Guiding Lamp, with Wandering Souls on both sides ceaselessly calling, “Come back, don’t go…”

Wang Ya even heard her Grandma’s voice: “Yaya, I’m here…”

Wang Cheng’an said, “Yaya, I hear a ghost imitating Mom’s voice.” He said with disgust, “It doesn’t sound like her at all!”

Wang Ya glanced sideways at Wang Cheng’an and silently followed behind Zhang Qingshui. After walking a stretch, she felt something off. With a Soul-Guiding Lamp, they should exit the Yellow Springs quickly, but after hundreds of meters, the darkness ahead was still endless, the road underfoot seemingly without end.

Huang Qi called out, “Qing Jie, wait.” She stopped and said, “Something’s not right.”

Wang Ya pulled an Evil-Breaking Talisman from her pocket and struck the Soul-Guiding Lamp. It remained, not an illusion conjured by Yellow Springs Road Wandering Souls to confuse them.

Seeing Wang Ya use talisman paper, Old Tang knew something was wrong and asked, “Wang Ya, what’s up?”

Wang Ya took out the Ghost Collecting Bell and handed it to Zhang Qingshui. “Zhang Qingshui, hold the bell and keep walking forward. Old Tang, wait a sec.”

Huang Qi said, “No need to test; we’re going in circles. Wang Ya, didn’t you secure your scroll? I keep feeling that flower demon’s aura following us.”