1249 Days, Heaven Bears Responsibility

en turned his head to open the door, saying softly, "If your feelings are true, then you could be a priest of the tribe within the Mi Jiang Dharma Gate."My mind immediately conjured up the image of Si...My knowledge is limited, so I can only listen to these ancient legends as stories.

But Mu Wanchen said about taking on the responsibility of heaven, I have a deep understanding of this.

In simple terms, it's about a person's karma. Even if your luck is good, it will eventually run out. If you do too many things that harm your karma, you will eventually have to face the consequences.

This burden sometimes falls on oneself, sometimes on family and relatives, and sometimes on descendants. In short, it is a constraint and belief of a cultivator.

In a restless society, ordinary people might not pay attention to the four words "cause and effect," but for practitioners of Taoism, these four words probably permeate their entire lives.

A lifetime....

Perhaps the hermits also knew that attaining immortality through feather transformation and eternal life was an unattainable goal. They only sought longevity and success in their Taoist practices.

We will still face death in the end.

I watched these ethereal soul-calling lanterns, tiptoeing behind Mu Wanchen as he turned the courtyard corridor.

A faint light shimmered around him, and several jellyfish-like soul lamps emerged beside him, flickering with luminescence as they circled his form.

Something in my chest seemed to flash, immediately catching Mu Wanchen's attention. He turned his head and looked at me, asking, "What is it"

"Huh" I was also puzzled, and lowered my head to look at myself.

It's just a little protruding belly, nothing strange about it.

Mu Wanchen reached out and touched my body. He frowned slightly and said, "What's this"

He took out the small pouch hanging from his chest.

"This isn't what you gave me. I put the paper man inside, and also that..." I suddenly understood as he took out a small, gray-white stone bead from inside.

"The Wheel of Rebirth." we both said.

Since I returned, this bead has been just like any ordinary stone on the roadside. It no longer glows or radiates heat. I put it in this pouch and carry it with me.

This pouch isn't very big, nor is it very small. The fabric is delicate and the pattern intricate, but the craftsmanship is just average. I suspect Mu Wanchen sewed it herself.

“How is this pearl glowing Won’t it suck me in again” I stepped back nervously.

Ring ring…

My foot bumped against the fine rope tied in the corner, causing the talisman and bell on top to sway gently.

This sound in the eerily empty house sent shivers down my spine. I got goosebumps and gripped Mu Wanchen's sleeve nervously.

"The witch gave you the Wheel of Reincarnation... It's probably to 'compete' with the underworld for the souls of the Wuzhi people... This can be used to send souls with Wuzhi blood back to the Guiyu Ghost Realm." Mu Wanchen looked at the small bead and said slowly.

"When the bead lit up, does that mean there's a soul of a witch here that can be sent away" I asked anxiously. "Has my monster old hag died"

Ring ring...

Another faint sound, this time not from me bumping into the spirit charm rope, but coming from deep within the backyard.

This haunted house is getting spookier by the day.

"I don't want to stay here any longer, let's go find that hag of a monster quickly The living should see people and the dead should see... souls." I swallowed hard, my heart feeling uneasy.

I now have a little bit of gratitude in my heart for Ms. Xue's indifference to me and my sister.

If we grew up in this kind of place, we would have been crazy long ago.

This is a haunted house, ghost village, spooky place!

Those who are burdens that others don't want to be associated with, just throw them here, let cause and effect take their course. However, for generations the priestesses have stayed here diligently, with nowhere else to go and afraid to leave.

"Old woman, are you still there" I couldn't help but shout.

The backyard was empty, devoid of any response. My voice seemed to be muffled inside a large bell, echoing with a dull resonance.

Ring ring… Ring ring…

That creepy sound kept coming, one after another. If it weren't for Mu Wanchen being here, I probably would have run away by now. I wouldn't even dare to take another step forward.

"Don't be afraid, this is a method used in the formation to confuse ghosts, to prevent outside evil spirits from entering..." Mu Wanchen held my hand tightly and led me through the corridor.

Soon, I saw the seventh white lantern.

The back yard main house, the gate tightly closed, a single solitary white lantern, hung in the center of the corridor.

The fire inside the lantern was flickering very weakly, swaying without wind, making my heart pound in fear.

"I'll go open the door, you hide behind me, don't go far, and don't get too close to me." Mu Wanchen reminded me in a low voice.

"Your request is so difficult! It's neither here nor there, how far should I stand" I wanted to stick to Mu Wanchen's back at this moment.

But my belly is already showing. Usually, Mu Wanchen would hold me at a slight distance when hugging me to avoid pressing on my stomach. Now, he can't even carry me on his back.

"A husband, within a foot of him, is your husband. A foot away, he's just... well, just that." He chuckled softly, stroking the back of my hand before gesturing for me to let go.

I don't know how far a zhang is, I just know that taking one step back is already the limit of my reluctance.

Mu Wanchen usually doesn't smile, he's cold and indifferent to everyone, even a little fierce. The young wife is a bit afraid of him, but when he's with me privately, he speaks softly and sweetly a few more tones.

I'm completely taken in by him. How could I bear to stay away from him

He feigned a glare at me, and I took a step back. He glared again.

One step back, is that enough He could grab me if he just turned around.

"Creak—"

His hand gently touched the door, and it swung open on its own.

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!

In the dim, pale light, an old-fashioned arm chair faced the doorway. As I was about to speak, something suddenly flew out from inside it.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh..." I was so scared that I quickly covered my mouth.

That was a huge, rolling head!

This is the old woman's... soul

Wait a minute, none of the seven Soul-Calling Lamps have gone out!

"She...she...she...is she dead" I was so scared my legs went weak.

"... Soul, come back." Mu Wanchen raised a finger and pointed to a soul lamp beside him.

The dim light seemed to have a calming effect, and the enormous head gradually shrunk, slowly becoming clearer.

It was that gaunt old woman, her body gone, but her head-shaped soul still here. The soul hadn't dispersed, and the soul lamp hadn't extinguished.

"Soul, do you return as a curse" I asked.

"...Since ancient times, Chu land has been known for its many sorcerers and mediums. The "Chu Ci" poem about summoning ghosts mentions a similar incantation. You can use it to summon the souls of those from the witch clan in the future. The Revolving Pearl will attract their spirits... She's not dead yet, but her body is gone. A wisp of her soul is trapped within the formation, kept suspended by the Soul Lamp." Mu Wanchen frowned and said.

Body gone

We really did look around the house, but we didn't see the old woman's body.

I furrowed my brow, thinking. Perhaps the spirit leaving their body was their kind of magic Didn't Ms. Xue use this trick to send me a message before

Could it be that this old woman was driven to this desperate measure!

"I... I thought of a question..." I looked up at Mu Wanchen.

"You said."

"At first, I thought the old woman had hung a soul lamp and set up an array to protect her home... but, but I didn't see her body. Could it be that I was wrong..."

"What did you get wrong"

Although the old woman is frail and shakes when she walks, she's fearless in a fight! She fought fiercely with the dragon king's snake before. Could it be... she hung lanterns inside the house, the last two lanterns should be by the front door! Her body chased after them! Only her soul remains here. That way, even if her body dies, she can still use her soul within this house to send us messages"

Mu Wanchen frowned and nodded: " ... Yes, it's very possible. She might be in the surrounding wilderness right now. Let's go find her!"

"Let's summon the gu spirits to help us search. This place is too dangerous and vast!"

"Okay." Mu Wanchen put on his coats, keeping the soulbound prisoner inside the main house, and got ready to lead me out of the mansion.

Dust billowed suddenly at the front gate of the mansion, nobody knew what had happened. The fox spirit was still guarding the entrance.

I couldn't help shouting, "Mu Mu protect the white paper lantern! Don't let it be extinguished—" figures in my family are made to accompany deceased relatives. Both men and women come to request them. The ‘bones’ of the paper figures contain secret and mysterious techniques. Otherwise, how could...