Chapter 118: Obsession

After the old woman finished speaking, she turned around shakily and hurried into the thatched cottage.

Li Yue tugged at the corner of my clothes, clearly having something she wanted to say but holding back.

Zhang Chang radiated an air of ease, mingled with joy. He truly looked like someone who had been away for many years and had finally returned home.

The old woman, who had initially seemed desolate and lonely, now appeared like a wife awaiting her husband’s return. Her joy and excitement were so palpable that they even made me feel a touch of happiness myself.

"Come upstairs and sit for a while. Have a home-cooked meal, get a good night's sleep, and then we shall set off again."

Beyond the ease in Zhang Chang’s voice, there was a gentleness, as if he were a completely different person from before.

I nodded and led Li Yue upstairs.

The three of us climbed into the stilted house. The second floor was impeccably clean, with simple bamboo tables and chairs. The light from a single candle illuminated the small room.

The enticing aroma of fish stirred a ravenous hunger in my belly. Li Yue, too, was clearly swallowing hard.

The old woman brought out a large enamel basin filled with braised fish, steam rising in thick clouds. Fresh wild vegetables garnished the dish, making it even more mouth-watering. After setting down the fish, she brought out several bowls of vegetables, rice, and a pot of yellow wine.

Zhang Chang’s eyes were slightly reddened. He drank a cup of wine and smiled as he put a piece of fish into his mouth.

"Old woman, your cooking is still as delicious as ever. It must have been exhausting waiting for me all these years."

Zhang Chang’s voice was touched with emotion. I had never imagined hearing such sentimental words from someone so elderly.

"It passed in the blink of an eye; those years felt like a single day. It’s just that I’ve grown old, and you have, too."

The old woman sat beside Zhang Chang, resting her head gently on his shoulder.

I didn't disturb them. I ate quickly and signaled for Li Yue to do the same. Li Yue, however, kept glancing under the table as if looking at something. I shook my head slightly at her, gesturing for her to stop looking.

The braised fish was incredibly flavorful—the best I had ever eaten in my life. Yet, Li Yue put down her chopsticks after only a few bites.

Once finished, I looked at Zhang Chang and smiled. "Li Yue and I will head down now."

"The first thatched hut on the left, next to the kitchen, is the room I prepared for my son. Rest well tonight; we’ll be on our way tomorrow." Zhang Chang’s voice was easygoing, his previous hostility completely vanished.

"Are we still leaving?" The old woman’s voice trembled slightly.

Zhang Chang smiled, took another sip of wine, and said, "I won't let you wait for me in such loneliness again. I’m taking you with me."

I bowed my head and led Li Yue downstairs. Once we reached the space beneath the stilted house, Li Yue’s hands were still trembling. She bit her lip, about to speak.

I made a shushing gesture and scanned the thatched huts, finding the one Zhang Chang had mentioned. After pulling Li Yue inside, I realized there was a candle lit in here as well. The room was exceptionally clean—spotless. In a place like this, such cleanliness felt rather unnatural.

"That’s... that’s a dead person," Li Yue whispered, her voice low and shaky. "I’ve never seen a ghost with such deep obsession. She must have been dead for over twenty years. That meal just now—it was ghost food. How could you eat so much of it?"

I sighed. "The dead can have obsessions, too. I never looked at the ground because there was no need. That old woman didn't see us at all; she only saw Zhang Chang. She has been waiting for him to come home all these years. She won't harm Zhang Chang, so we have nothing to fear."

As I said this, I thought of my mother. She, too, had been waiting for me in her coffin for so many years.

"Get some sleep tonight. It's safe here." I pointed to the straw bed.

Li Yue’s gaze was vacant, as if she hadn't understood my words. She hesitated, then lay down on the bed.

"The ground is cold, and the humidity is high here. Sleep on the side of the bed later. Don't sleep on the floor; I won't think you’re trying to do anything." Li Yue spoke in a low voice, her tone much gentler than her usual playful self.

I took a deep breath and nodded. We had been through life-and-death situations together during this time. My heart was clear of any impure thoughts, so I felt no guilt. However, I felt no sleepiness.

Li Yue soon fell into a deep sleep, emitting faint snores. I surveyed the room—a simple straw bed, a cabinet. Everything was clean, with nothing left out. The candle was a deep yellow, placed in the corner of the cabinet; it felt as if it had been there for years, only lit when we arrived.

I felt only hatred for Zhang Chang’s son and for 'Funeral Liu.' Yet, staying in the room prepared for him, the feeling was strangely complex.

Sitting by the threshold, I took out the White Book to read. I had only gone through about a tenth of the techniques of mountains and rivers; there was still so much to learn.

I don't know how much time passed, but the moon in the sky became like a giant silver plate, casting down a clear, bright light. It was only then that I saw Zhang Chang had come down from the stilted house. He was holding a box, squatting beneath the house, picking something up.

With the bright moon and sparse stars, my vision was unobstructed. My pupils contracted—Zhang Chang was picking up pieces of white bone.

He placed the bones into the box, murmuring to himself, "Old woman, the fish was delicious, just like it tasted forty years ago. You are still beautiful; in my heart, you haven't aged a bit."

"Our son committed too many evils; he has brought this upon himself. Fortunately, the daughter he left behind bore a son. He is pitiable, having lost his parents at birth, but he is also lucky—he can survive without taking lives."

"You were unwilling to borrow life to survive, and I am already very old. I will take you with me, we will find our son, and then we will bring our grandson back. The three of us will stay here forever and never leave again. I swear, I won't make you wait ever again."

Finally, Zhang Chang lifted a pale skull. He placed it solemnly into the box, closed the lid, put the box into his pack, and slung it onto his back.

I put away the White Book, my heart skipping a beat. I now understood why Zhang Chang had come here. Beyond just visiting home, it was for the old woman—his wife, the mother of 'Funeral Liu,' who had been waiting for over thirty years.

I couldn't bring myself to hate Zhang Chang. There was simply no reason to.

Zhang Chang stood up, turned around, and his gaze landed on me. He smiled and said, "I met Xiao Yue outside the mountains. I didn't want her to enter the Yalong Mountains, because once you enter, you cannot leave."

"For a long time, we lived here; this was our home in the truest sense. But the Yalong Mountains needed a Great Elder. When my father began his ascension, I had to guard that place. I promised her that my son and I would return, but I never expected that this departure would last forty years. I haven't returned once since entering the Changyuan Stronghold."

I exhaled and said calmly, "I understand that feeling. My mother waited for me for twenty years, so no matter the cost, I will bring her back to life."

Zhang Chang smiled. "Perseverance is something many people lack, yet it is indispensable for those who wish to achieve great things. With such perseverance, you will not fail."

"I have roughly guessed your abilities. I can give you something."

My pupils contracted. "What is it?"

Zhang Chang produced a pitch-black wooden jar and tossed it to me. As I caught it, a chilling aura emanated from the jar.

"This jar is made from the heartwood of a thousand-year-old locust tree, soaked for ten years in a concoction brewed from the remaining branches and leaves. You can raise ghosts inside it."

"Your abilities stem from the soul; you need to consume souls to manifest your power. I am already very old, and to prevent any unforeseen events, you need the capability to handle things."

My breathing quickened.

"Don't kill the good ghosts. But the Yin Dragon River is full of 'reincarnation guests' who are unwilling to leave. Capture some as your 'provisions.' It’s better to be prepared."

I had never considered storing ghosts, but Zhang Chang was right. Though it was cruel, I had no other choice. Furthermore, as Zhang Chang had said, one doesn't kill good ghosts, and capturing evil ones is an act of salvation.

I nodded, my voice raspy. "When, where, and how do I capture them?"

Zhang Chang pointed toward the Yin Dragon River, his tone turning cold. "Now. There is a ghost in the Yin Dragon River that must die today. You will swallow it later. I will teach you how to capture a ghost."

I narrowed my eyes. There was a trace of killing intent in Zhang Chang’s voice. He hadn't been back in forty years—what ghost could be here to provoke such murderous intent from him?