Chapter Seventy-Two: Retreat in Shock

Li Cangshui was Li Yue’s master. Li Yue herself would never dare utter such words, which could be considered near-treasonous. Her tone was cold and detached, devoid of emotion.

Chan Shu had possessed her.

And right beside Li Cangshui, managing it without him noticing.

Li Cangshui suddenly spun around, his face dark and grim. He raised his hand and tapped Li Yue’s forehead and both shoulders three times in quick succession.

Li Yue gave a painful gasp and collapsed to the ground.

My heart raced, the thudding growing faster. Fearing Chan Shu might be hurt, I stepped forward.

Li Yue’s face was filled with panic, her voice trembling and tearful: “Master, it wasn’t me who said that…”

Li Cangshui narrowed his eyes slightly and turned to look at me, his voice colder than before. “The aura on you has changed. You were stalling for time, waiting for this ghost to help you, weren’t you?”

“Don’t be afraid of him.”

Chan Shu’s voice sounded softly at my ear.

A cold, icy hand slipped silently into mine.

My heart trembled—this was the first time Chan Shu had touched me so closely. Cold, with no trace of human warmth, yet it felt incredibly real.

My consciousness quivered, and a fleeting vision flashed before my eyes.

A man dressed in the same long robe as I, holding Chan Shu’s hand. Before him stood hundreds of people, fierce-faced, shouting, “Hand them over!”

The man replied with a chilling, “Get out,” and raised his hand, drawing a talisman in the air with a brush.

The vision vanished as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no further information or memories of Chan Shu and the man. But that aura surged into my mind in an instant, pouring into my body.

Gripping Chan Shu’s hand, I felt as though I had become that man.

The talisman brush at my chest floated out silently.

Li Cangshui was already striding toward me. His figure was slightly tilted, as if lunging forward. Though his movement seemed slow, in the next moment he was right at my chest.

Instinctively, I raised my hand, seized the talisman brush, and drew a stroke downward.

A special energy flowed from my body, infusing the brush. A vertical talisman appeared instantly before me!

It was like a sword, thrusting fiercely at Li Cangshui.

He was right before me, unable to react in time.

The talisman pierced directly into his chest.

Li Cangshui grunted, clutching his chest as his body halted, then spat out a mouthful of blood.

His aura instantly diminished by more than half, and a hint of fear flickered in his eyes.

I gripped the talisman brush tightly, unable to believe I had managed to draw such a talisman.

Yet at the same time, I felt my own aura vanish.

My clothes returned to being ordinary, plain and unremarkable.

“Master!”

Li Yue rushed to Li Cangshui’s side in panic, holding his arm, her face filled with disbelief.

Li Cangshui glared at me, trying to stand, but suddenly spat more blood, his gaze dulling further.

“You’ve wounded your soul. If you don’t leave now, the injury will take root.”

At that moment, Granny Li spoke.

Beside me, Chan Shu gently uttered, “Get out.”

---

“That is not something to be used lightly.”

Li Cangshui’s lips were covered in blood. After rising, he looked at me deeply, coughing blood as he spoke, “Human lifespan is determined by Heaven. To steal years and change fate—Heaven will reclaim. Liu from the mourning business died as retribution; he stole others’ lives, and someone will pay it back.”

Li Yue’s anxious voice was tearful, crying, “Master, please don’t talk anymore.”

When her words fell, Li Cangshui did not pause. He walked toward the mountain pass, heading out of the village, his steps unsteady, clearly heavily wounded.

I knew the sensation of a wounded soul; Li Cangshui being able to walk at all was remarkable.

When he disappeared beyond the mountain pass, the tension in my body suddenly eased, my legs feeling weak beneath me.

Granny Li looked at me with a hint of fear but asked nothing. Her gaze glanced over Chan Shu, as if wanting to speak but holding back.

Chan Shu shot Granny Li a brief look, saying nothing, just gently taking my hand and leading me forward.

My aura was completely drained—utterly emptied.

After putting away the talisman brush, Chan Shu, walking ahead, said softly, “That combat talisman came from the residual aura on your clothes. There’s much you haven’t recalled. Without recovering your old energy, you won’t be able to draw combat talismans for some time.”

I breathed heavily; the mountain path was steep, Chan Shu’s pace slowed considerably. She turned back, lowering her gaze to our joined hands.

Her voice was quiet, tinged with disappointment. “Still nothing.”

My heart skipped, blurting out instinctively, “Nothing what?”

Last time, Chan Shu had looked at my hand the same way, with that same disappointed expression.

Chan Shu shook her head gently, sidestepping the topic. Instead, she looked at the box I carried and said softly, “At Xiao Jiu’s place, there should be a coffin containing your former body. You don’t remember, so you fear it?”

Suddenly, I recalled that feeling—the breath brushing against my hand.

Chan Shu said no more, pausing and leaning gently against my shoulder.

I forced myself to ignore the discomfort, fearing Chan Shu might bring out the body. There were no longer any protections left by Old Master Jiu.

Just as I was thinking how to dissuade her, a pungent scent of burning incense reached me.

Granny Li’s expression changed, her voice grave as she warned, “Be careful.”

The incense smell was nauseating, making me want to retch.

The woods had grown so dark it was nearly impossible to see a hand before one’s face.

At the edge of the forest, an old man in tattered clothes squatted before a brazier.

The brazier’s glow pushed back the darkness a little.

But both the old man and the brazier appeared suddenly, with no warning at all.

Granny Li’s voice was strained and harsh: “An old ghost feasting on incense—someone’s paid him passage money. We need to take another route, don’t go past him.”

Chan Shu’s brow furrowed, my face paled, instantly realizing this must be the work of the Ghost Widow. I tugged Chan Shu, suppressing my anxiety, and said, “Don’t confront him. The Ghost Widow is surely watching us.”

Chan Shu nodded, but her figure quietly faded and vanished.

I stood stunned, feeling a chill coil around me, settling in my chest.

“She’s not a complete soul, can’t maintain a soul body for long. Child, we must go.”

Granny Li, age showing, struggled for breath after just a few steps, her voice trembling from exertion.

I turned, following Granny Li toward another route into the village.

But after only a few steps, the old man and his brazier appeared ahead of us, blocking the path completely.

Granny Li’s face turned grim.

The old man straightened his neck, wearing a look of satisfaction, though his wrinkled face, dirty skin, and the iron-blue hue peculiar to the dead, with sagging eye bags drooping to his cheekbones, made him eerie.

The brazier’s fire was nearly out, and as it dimmed, his expression changed, growing ugly. Suddenly, he spoke in a chilling voice, “Did you bring money?”

His words sounded forced, squeezed from his throat.

Granny Li gripped my hand, whispering, “Don’t answer.”

She led me by the hand, turning to leave.

---

My heart pounded, fast and hard.

I stood rooted, staring intently at the ghost.

He stared back, his gaze moving from the brazier to me.

I had three shock talismans left, but my soul was weak. Using them would leave me with nothing to face the Ghost Widow, and I couldn’t draw more talismans in this state.

If I drained this ghost—

But I hadn’t acted, hoping to catch the Ghost Widow off guard.

She didn’t yet know I had this ability; if she saw, she’d never come near me again.

Gritting my teeth, I turned to follow Granny Li.

But after only a few steps, a heavy hand grabbed my shoulder, the voice chilling to the bone: “No passage money, then your life!”

Granny Li spun around quickly; in her hand, she somehow had a common talisman, which she slapped onto the old man’s arm.

With a ripping sound, his arm turned to bare bone.

His expression grew even more ferocious, reaching for Granny Li’s shoulder.

My face changed drastically.

If I drained him, he’d die and my body would recover.

But if I did—

Thoughts flashed like lightning. Just then, a shock talisman floated out from my chest.

A flash of blood-red light stamped onto the old man’s chest.

He let out a shrill scream, dissolving into black mist that scattered.

“You drew three talismans; now you’ve used one. She’ll surely test you, make you use them all, then come for you herself. The weaker you get, the bolder she’ll become.”

Chan Shu’s voice suddenly sounded in my ear.

My heart lurched—was Chan Shu using this method to lure out the Ghost Widow?

Just then, urgent footsteps sounded behind me.

I spun around and found Wang Bing behind me!

He gripped a dagger, stabbing fiercely toward my chest!

My face changed drastically.

Wang Bing’s expression was twisted and ferocious, shouting, “You deserve to die! She’s not mine, and she should die too!”

I lashed out, kicking Wang Bing in the chest.

But he was solid as iron; the impact nearly broke my leg, failing to push him away.

The dagger in his hand pierced into my chest—

My eyes widened, but I felt no pain, as if something blocked the blade.

Dark energy flickered on Wang Bing’s dagger.

Suddenly, I sensed the icy aura—Chan Shu’s presence—had faded to near nothing.

My face drained of color, eyes bulging, voice trembling and fierce: “No!”

Wang Bing suddenly grinned wickedly, his face alight with excitement and distortion.

From his back, the Ghost Widow silently emerged, her face as ferocious as his.