The lonely road seemed to go on forever, the asphalt glinting under the blazing sun. After what felt like ages, I finally managed to hail a shared taxi heading to Shiling. Inside, it was a mix of smells—old leather, stale cigarettes, and a hint of sweat. My fellow passenger, a middle-aged guy with a rugged face, perked up when he heard where I was going. "What brings you to Shiling?" he asked, his eyes shining with curiosity and something else I couldn't quite figure out.
I'd learned my lesson from last time. "Just visiting family," I said smoothly, leaving out Yang Yu's name. The cabbie's freaked-out reaction earlier was still fresh in my mind—whatever bad vibes came with that name, I wasn't risking it.
As the taxi rolled through the neon-lit streets, my mind was racing. Two days. Forty-eight hours that had turned my world upside down. Niu Shisan's betrayal, Dayang's lookalike, the mirror ghost—each piece of the puzzle fit into a picture of dread that made me question everything. Why had the Niu family lured me to that villa only to disappear? What kind of game were they playing where I was both the pawn and the prize?
The umbrella woman's warning echoed in my head: 'Yang Yu holds your salvation.' But how could I trust anyone now? Even Dayang—the real Dayang—might be in on it. My fingers brushed against the crumpled business card from the chatty passenger. 'Insurance', I thought grimly, holding onto it like a lifeline.
At the edge of Shiling, I flagged down a pedicab, its wooden frame creaking with age. "Know where Yang Yu lives?" I asked the driver, trying to sound casual. "Family business."
The guy's weathered face broke into a grin, showing off a set of yellowed teeth. "Menstruation Brother's kin? Hop in!"
The crude nickname hung in the air like a bad smell as the wheels rattled over the cobblestones. From the driver's rambling, I got a picture of Yang Yu: an eccentric mystic known as "Half-Immortal," both respected and hated. His thing? Diagnosing hauntings with surgical precision—then charging double for the trauma of the truth. 'Comes when you fear, leaves you bleeding', the locals joked.
"Then why'd my last driver bail at his name?" I pressed, my curiosity piqued.
The pedicab slowed, the driver's expression turning dark. "Ah, Huang San..." He spat on the ground. "Ungrateful wretch. Let his mother die while his wife gambled. When her ghost haunted them, Yang Yu cleansed the house—but broadcast their shame across ten villages. Huang slunk off like a whipped dog."
The pedicab stopped in front of a three-story compound that looked like it was falling apart. Moss covered the walls; rusted talismans fluttered like dead moths. My guide refused payment—"Bad juju taking Half-Immortal's coin"—and sped off, leaving me alone in the eerie silence.
The iron gates screeched as I walked in, the sound grating on my nerves.
A figure appeared in the courtyard: early thirties, his silk Tang suit hanging on his thin frame. Yang Yu. Without a word, he yanked off his cloth shoe and 'smacked' my forehead—once, twice, three times—each hit accompanied by tea splashed from his porcelain pot.
"Out!" His voice cracked like dry bones. "Death's already claimed you!"
[
Chapter Fourteen Notes
The "Door Slam" Ritual (闭门羹)
Yang Yu's way of saying "nope" is packed with deep meanings:
- Cutting Ties: Hitting the "Hundred Convergences" spot with a cloth shoe breaks karma links, like hitting the reset button on past drama and stopping future messes.
- Sole Layers: Each fold in the linen shoe stands for a lifetime of karma, showing how much baggage we carry from one life to the next.
- Ghost-Busting Tea: A mix of mugwort and cinnabar makes a killer brew that keeps bad vibes away and cleans up the energy around you.
Tang Outfit Magic (唐装青年)
Yang Yu's outfit is like a superhero suit:
- Star Power: The Ursa Major design helps with astral travel, so you can chat with higher beings.
- Coin Charm: Qing dynasty coins in a Five Elements pattern keep your energy in sync with the universe.
- Barefoot Zen: Walking barefoot lets you tap into the earth's energy for extra strength and balance.
The Pedicab Shaman (三轮车灵媒)
This driver's ride is more than meets the eye:
- Soul Bell: A bronze bell tuned to yin vibes helps guide lost souls to where they need to go.
- Peachwood Shield: Hidden talismans create a bubble of protection around the pedicab and its passengers.
- Living Bridge: The constant motion of the pedicab acts as a link between the living and the dead.
The Drama Queen (瓜娘们儿)
A classic Sichuan character:
- Family Feud Star: A BaZi chart setup that spells trouble at home, making family fights almost inevitable.
- Marriage Wrecker: A glabella line that's a dead giveaway for someone who's gonna mess up your love life.
- Crybaby Palm: Lines that hint at money troubles and personal loss, like a life full of ups and downs.
Ghost Money Rejection (纸钱拒燃)
When the spirit world says "no thanks":
- Underworld Block: Unfinished business keeps the dead from moving on.
- Burn Rate: Every centimeter burned equals a year of lost life, showing how much the living owe.
- Ash Art: The ashes form self-portraits, a creepy reminder that the dead are still around.
Seventh Night Rules (头七回魂)
How to handle ghost visits:
- Footprint Clues: Analyzing footprints tells you what kind of ghost you're dealing with.
- Reverse Treats: Serving foods the ghost hated helps them let go of their earthly ties.
- Yin/Yang Window: Keeping the southwest window open keeps the balance between the living and the dead.
The Info Broker (信息掮客)
This passenger's got secrets:
- Ghost Card: A business card made of Sophora wood that's actually a way to talk to spirits.
- Underworld Hotline: The 04444 number is a direct line to the dead.
- Crow Network: Random encounters are actually a way to recruit living helpers for spirit work.
Karma's Payback (因果报应)
Huang San's getting what's coming to him:
- Family Curse: A haunting that spans three generations, making sure the punishment sticks.
- Death Meter: The taxi meter shows his death date, a constant reminder of his fate.
- Public Shame: Yang Yu's "truth spell" makes sure everyone knows what he did wrong.
These notes build a world where old-school justice meets mystical mechanics. Mixing modern stuff like taxis and business cards with ancient rituals shows how Taoist "Form Follows Function" works. Each idea pushes the hidden trial story forward, making Yang Yu a cosmic judge who blends the everyday with the magical, the now with the forever.
]