What is this?
Not only the evil spirit didn’t know, even Shui Miao himself was clueless.
He simply channeled all the water-based spiritual energy within his body, activating his powers as instructed by the female ghost. As for why a single droplet of multicolored water appeared, he desperately hoped someone would step forward and explain it.
“Ahh! No…”
Suddenly, the evil spirit covered its eyes in terror. Immediately after, its head emitted a multicolored light that quickly spread, enveloping its entire body. In the blink of an eye, the colorful light vanished, transforming into nine floating, multicolored water droplets.
Shui Miao sensed with his spiritual awareness and detected no trace of the evil spirit’s presence—it seemed to have completely disappeared.
The nine tiny droplets resonated with Shui Miao’s will. They were extremely pure, brimming with mysterious power.
At Shui Miao’s mental command, the immortal energy and spirit-devouring force withdrew. He grabbed the droplets into his hand. Surprisingly, the droplets automatically imprinted themselves into his palm, fusing with his skin!
“Immortal Master, thank you for avenging me!”
Seeing Shui Miao’s incredible prowess, the female ghost immediately bowed in gratitude.
The female ghost was also quite strong. From her many unusual behaviors, Shui Miao deduced she had intentionally emitted signals indicating she was in danger, kidnapped and in need of help.
When Shui Miao arrived at the location today, his suspicions were confirmed.
Yet, Shui Miao was as clear as a mirror—he sensed that this female ghost wasn’t entirely innocent. In fact, she was clever and cunning.
Someone who could turn the tables on an evil spirit and manipulate it so completely couldn’t possibly be ordinary.
Shui Miao raised his hand, helping the ghost to her feet. Looking at her, he furrowed his brow and asked, “That monkey demon is your third brother, and the hedgehog demon is your eldest brother?”
“Yes, that’s right…”
The female ghost’s eyes flickered. “I won’t hide anything from the Immortal Master. What they did was actually… well… me…”
She hesitated, clearly withholding something.
Shui Miao’s frown deepened. “I forgot to mention—I’m a pretty straightforward person. You don’t have to speak, but if you do, I’d better hear the truth. If you try to deceive or hide anything from me…”
“I wouldn’t dare! I won’t do it again!” The ghost was startled, quickly kneeling again. “Immortal Master, I had no choice. I never wanted to harm anyone—it was all the evil spirit’s fault. Every three years, he kills someone, absorbing their soul for power. This year, he ordered me to kill someone too, trying to turn me into another evil spirit. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it, so I asked the monkey and hedgehog demons for help. Fortunately, fortunately, they failed!”
“Stand up…”
Shui Miao couldn’t help shaking his head. “One thought can lead to virtue, another to vice. You almost fell into eternal damnation. But have you considered—what would you have done if I hadn’t shown up?”
“I would have. I probably would have.” The ghost lowered her head.
Shui Miao sighed softly. “I understand. You may go now. I hope you remain a good ghost and don’t harm the innocent.”
“Thank you, Immortal Master! Thank you!”
Relieved, the ghost vanished in a flash.
Shui Miao frowned in thought. People resorting to any means for survival didn’t seem wrong. If he put himself in the ghost’s position, he knew he would have struggled too. For an ordinary person, maintaining a kind heart despite such pressure was already extremely difficult. But for someone pursuing the Dao, choices must be clear-cut. The Dao allows no ambiguity.
So, if he really were in the ghost’s place, what would he have done?
This question seemed simple, yet was actually very complex.
Often, the Dao reveals itself precisely in such seemingly simple dilemmas.
“Shui Miao, are you okay?”
Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi approached, noticing Shui Miao’s dazed expression, puzzled.
“I’m fine. I was just thinking about something.”
Shui Miao smiled slightly and recounted what had just happened. Then he asked Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi, “If you were in her place, what would you have done?”
“Hmm…”
Chu Miaoyi hesitated briefly. “It’s hard to say. It depends on whether you want to be good or bad. If you want to be good, try to persuade your master, maybe even turn him good—that solves the problem. But if you choose to be bad, then just kill, kill, kill.”
“That’s impossible. How would an evil spirit listen to you?” Lin Xue shook her head. “If it were me, I’d train hard and kill that evil master before he forces me to kill someone.”
“Sis, cultivation doesn’t come that easily, you know.”
Chu Miaoyi scratched her head awkwardly.
Lin Xue waved it off casually. “Just thinking out loud. Do your best. Hey, Shui Miao, what do you think?”
“…”
Shui Miao was still pondering the best solution. “The female ghost’s method might be the best option, but I still feel there must be a better way—I just can’t think of it right now.”
“Alright, forget it. This is getting too complicated. Let’s just go back.” Lin Xue waved her hand, heading toward the car. “Oh, there was a female corpse by the car… Hmm, where did she go?”
Shui Miao and Chu Miaoyi looked toward the car. The corpse was indeed gone.
“She… went underground…”
Shui Miao sensed with his spiritual awareness and discovered the female ghost had taken the corpse underground.
Seeing this, Shui Miao couldn’t help worrying—would she, over time, become another evil spirit?
“…”
Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi looked at each other.
Lin Xue suddenly smiled. “Well, I was worried about where to put her anyway.”
“Shui Miao, so… are we just going to let this case drop?” Chu Miaoyi considered further, also worried the female ghost might become another evil spirit.
Shui Miao was at a loss, unsure what to do.
Suddenly, he recalled the evil spirit’s earlier words—how no one helped him when he tried to be good. At that thought, Shui Miao suddenly saw the answer. “One thought can lead to good, another to evil. We should build a temple nearby so she can cultivate in peace, receive offerings, and bring blessings to the area.”
“That’s a good idea, but nowadays, temples aren’t so easy to build.”
Chu Miaoyi liked the idea but knew it was impractical.
Lin Xue suddenly had an idea. “Right, I remember there’s a nunnery not far south from here. What if we take her body there?”
“No!” As soon as Lin Xue spoke, Shui Miao heard the female ghost’s voice in his mind. “Don’t send me to the nunnery. There’s an old turtle demon there, very powerful. I can’t fight her. If you truly want to help me, please find me a tomb. Let me have a home. I swear I won’t do evil—I’ll be a good ghost, waiting for my chance to reincarnate.”
“Fine. Bring out your body, and we’ll find you a good tomb with good feng shui.”
Shui Miao looked toward the car and exhaled deeply.
In a flash, the female ghost’s body reappeared.
※※※
Around 4 PM, after running paperwork and calling in favors, they finally secured a tomb.
Needless to say, tombs these days were damn expensive—three ten thousand yuan for a single plot. Shui Miao had no money, so Lin Xue paid upfront, and Shui Miao promised to repay her tonight.
“Thank you…”
As Shui Miao was about to leave after placing the body in the tomb, the female ghost’s voice echoed in his mind again.
“No thanks needed. This is just karma. You deserve it.”
Shui Miao replied mentally and left with Lin Xue and the others.
But the ghost’s voice came again. “Don’t let you repay those three ten thousand yuan. Before you found my body, go south from there about three miles—you’ll see a small river. By the riverbank grows a thick peach tree. In the water beneath it lies half a sunken concrete boat. Inside the boat’s cabin, under smelly mud, there’s a large box filled with gold bars…”
“Whose gold is that?”
Shui Miao was slightly taken aback and slowed his pace.
“By the peach tree lives a family in a small villa, with three Tibetan Mastiffs in their yard. Their son is a high-ranking, corrupt official in Huanghai City. The money was hidden there by his father. After you take the gold, if possible, please give some to my parents. I couldn’t care for them in life—I hope to make amends now.”
Shui Miao nodded gently. “Alright. Where do your parents live?”
“South of that river, there’s only one household—that’s my home. Our house is surrounded by water, with a path only to the west. You’ll know when you get there.” Her voice softened. “Immortal Master, thank you. If you need anything, I’d be happy to do anything for you.”
“Uh… You’re welcome. I’m in a hurry. I’ll go now, I’ll go now…”
Shui Miao felt a jolt in his heart and hurried to catch up with Lin Xue. He couldn’t help feeling like the ghost was hinting at something more.
※※※
Back at the bureau, Shui Miao, Lin Xue, and Chu Miaoyi returned the female student to campus.
Still, many of the girls were frightened.
After last night’s events spread like wildfire, many had moved out.
Shui Miao decided to see it through. He drew several Heavenly Might Talismans and distributed them to the girls, instructing them to place them under their pillows to calm their nerves.
After leaving the dormitory, Lin Xue and Chu Miaoyi dragged Shui Miao to a small restaurant for dinner.
Shui Miao, long accustomed to spiritual cultivation that nourished his body, rarely felt hunger.
He ate a little, then turned his attention to the day’s video recordings.
Watching himself upside down in a ditch, talking to himself like a madman, Shui Miao frowned and muttered, “Those who cultivate can see what ordinary people cannot. My being upside down might be explained as my soul descending underground. But why could everyone see the whirlwinds, yet the camera captured nothing?”
“I think I know!”
Chu Miaoyi suddenly dropped her chopsticks, excited.
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