Chi You stood in a deserted corner, facing an empty wall, his face cold as ice.
His breath was ragged. His desire had nearly been fulfilled—only to be forcefully interrupted at the last second. That dark fire, already at its peak, now felt like boiling oil had been poured on top. His eyes glinted faintly red, and beneath his hand, the wall cracked open with a loud snap, the fracture spreading across its entire surface.
The severed desire only burned hotter and more frenzied.
Black mist churned violently around Chi You, the ghostly patterns on his body writhing as if alive.
He looked terrifying—expression cruel and cold. It took him a long time to suppress the emotions on his face before he finally stepped out from the mist and slowly adjusted his clothes.
The tie that had been yanked loose was smoothed back in place. The footprints kicked onto his clothing were dusted off one by one. Chi You moved methodically, even managing to smile a little. If not for the coldness in his eyes, he might’ve looked downright satisfied.
He arrived at his dorm room at Baihua University.
The lock on the door had been changed—a large golden padlock hung from it. Chi You raised his hand, and with just a slight squeeze, the lock split cleanly in two and clattered to the floor.
He stepped into the room and looked around before his gaze landed on the coffee table. A cloth covered something on its surface. He walked over and lifted it, revealing the heart of the divine statue and a Yuan Tian Bead underneath.
Fortunately, the feng shui layout of this room had prevented other greedy spirits from coming to steal them.
Chi You reached out to take them, but just as he was about to touch the objects, he stopped.
These two things were so important—had Jiang Luo really just left them here by accident?
Chi You didn’t think so.
He stood before the coffee table, eyes narrowing as he inspected the area carefully. After a while, he gave a quiet laugh. “So that’s how it is.”
There were faint patterns on the rug beneath the table—together, they formed a hidden formation. Chi You looked up—the ceiling above had a Five Elements Array drawn in red string.
He walked to the edge of the carpet and lifted a corner. Underneath were layers upon layers of yellow talismans.
The vermillion ink on them was still bright red—made from chicken blood mixed with other warding materials.
“So ruthless,” Chi You muttered again.
He yanked the rug back forcefully. The symbols covered nearly half the living room floor—every single one of them identical.
Even back when Chi You was alive, he wouldn’t have dared play with talismans like this.
A person’s qi was limited. Even the most skilled talisman master wouldn’t be able to draw this many in a lifetime.
Chi You muttered, “Truly…”
He stood up, laughing softly. “Frightening.”
If he hadn’t noticed, then the moment he grabbed the divine heart and the bead, the array would’ve triggered. The Five Elements Array would’ve trapped him in place, while the talismans under the rug would’ve all gone off at once. Like stepping on a landmine—he wouldn’t die, but he’d definitely be half-crippled.
Chi You swept the talismans away with a gust of ghostly wind, then finally stepped forward to retrieve the heart and bead. But just as his hand touched them, a burning sensation shot through his palm—followed by a crackling sizzle and the smell of scorched flesh. In a flash, his hand turned black and charred.
Startled, Chi You raised his eyebrows. Only then did he see that a talisman had been drawn directly on the heart of the statue. Next to it were two engraved characters: Jiang Luo.
How fitting—Jiang Luo also happened to be eighteen strokes.
He had given Jiang Luo eighteen deaths to reshape him, and Jiang Luo had marked him eighteen times in return.
Chi You couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle. After a moment’s thought, he set down the divine heart and picked up only the Yuan Tian Bead.
The heart of the statue could awaken a person’s malice and take over their mind. Though Chi You very much wanted to take it, he wanted even more to let the divine heart stir Jiang Luo’s darkness.
He wanted Jiang Luo… to eventually become just like him.
After taking the bead, Chi You lingered in place. Once he was sure that triggering the formation wouldn’t draw Jiang Luo out, he finally turned to leave—disappointed.
But just as he stepped away—
The malicious ghost suddenly stopped again.
He removed the rose brooch from his collar and placed it where the Yuan Tian Bead had been.
“Looking forward to our next,” he whispered like to a lover, “meeting.”
***
Jiang Luo was in an exceedingly good mood.
Feng Li wasn’t home; in the Heavenly Master Residence, only the old Heavenly Master and a few disciples remained. By now the disciples had all retired to their rooms. Jiang Luo leaned against the wall, snickering as he climbed the stairs.
If someone overheard, they’d probably think even the Heavenly Master Residence was haunted.
He couldn’t help it—just the thought of that ghost looking like he was about to have him, only to be thwarted and left unsatisfied and fuming, made Jiang Luo unable to keep a straight face.
He finally dragged himself into his room, rubbed his cheeks sore from laughing, and first made a phone call to Wenren Lian.
After a few exchanged words and confirmation that Jiang Luo had made it back to the Heavenly Master Residence, Wenren Lian finally breathed a sigh of relief and said tiredly, “Get some sleep tonight. We’ll come to the Residence tomorrow, and we can talk more then.”
Jiang Luo asked, “Are you heading back to school?”
“No,” Wenren Lian said. “It’s too late to go back now. We’re going to a hotel.”
Jiang Luo said, “When you come over tomorrow, help me bring the things from my dorm room.”
They hung up quickly. Jiang Luo walked into the bathroom.
But the moment he caught sight of himself in the mirror, the urge to mock Chi You instantly evaporated.
Because he looked even more disheveled than that ghost.
His face was flushed unnaturally red, and sweat had plastered his hair in messy strands to his forehead. The prolonged kissing had worn the skin of his lips thin; just from laughing earlier, he’d tasted the tang of blood on his tongue.
There was also a lingering trace of Chi You’s scent—faint tobacco and incense ash.
Expressionless, Jiang Luo’s gaze drifted downward. His clothes were so wrinkled they were unwearable. On the skin that was exposed, there were fingerprints everywhere, and here and there, conspicuous bite marks.
The only thing worth being thankful for—Chi You hadn’t actually gone further than that.
But the most awkward part—
Jiang Luo realized he seemed to be having a bit of a reaction.
He took a deep breath and acted like he hadn’t noticed, stripping off his clothes.
He was a man, after all. In that kind of situation, who wouldn’t have a reaction? Besides, he was a perfectly healthy young adult.
It was just a normal physiological response.
Having convinced himself with ease, Jiang Luo tossed the thought aside. He raised his hand to check his injuries. The wound on his upper arm, where he’d recently hidden the Yuan Tian Bead, had just started to scab over, but the ghost had torn it open again. Jiang Luo couldn’t even be bothered to bandage it now—he just stood under the shower, letting the warm water pour over him.
Chi You wanted to top him.
That was even more shocking to Jiang Luo than Chi You simply wanting him.
How could that be?
He truly couldn’t understand it.
Although he’d never understood how Chi You had ended up the bottom in the original novel either—but he was!
So why did he suddenly become the one trying to top when it came to Jiang Luo?
And to think Jiang Luo had even assumed that Chi You’s cross-country pursuit was because he wanted him to top…
Jiang Luo covered his face and groaned in agony. After a while, he calmed down.
Clearly, he and the ghost were meant to torment each other—but now things were getting murky. Just recalling the ghost’s breath in his ear and those dark, heated eyes made Jiang Luo feel strange again.
Why did it seem like… Chi You’s desire for him had become too intense?
Was he really that irresistible?
Jiang Luo took his time in the shower. Just before stepping out, he wiped the steam off the mirror.
The black-haired young man in the reflection looked languid, the comfort of the hot water softening some of the arrogance and sharpness from his features. Yet the refined edge and striking presence were still plainly visible.
Handsome.
Jiang Luo admired himself for a moment. D*mn handsome.
Well, given how charming he was, it made sense that even a ghost would be smitten.
Jiang Luo narrowed his eyes. But the more Chi You wanted something, the less Jiang Luo wanted to let him have it.
He thought with no small amount of malice—
Let Chi You’s desire never be fulfilled.
Jiang Luo had never felt such intense lust for anyone before, but that didn’t stop him from imagining just how excruciating it would be to keep it bottled up.
Chi You had best stay miserable.
Until he withered from repression and was ruined for good.
Jiang Luo snorted a few laughs and walked out of the bathroom.
The Heavenly Master Residence was quiet.
If there was anywhere in the world Jiang Luo still felt safe, this was definitely one. The day had been far too intense; the moment he hit the bed, he fell into a deep sleep within minutes.
He slept through the night without a single dream.
At six in the morning, his senior brother Zhou Wudu came to wake him for breakfast.
Zhou Wudu yawned as he gnawed on a bun. “When did you get back?”
“Last night,” Jiang Luo said slowly as he sipped soup. “Where’s Wang Santan?”
Zhou Wudu looked surprised. “You don’t know?”
“Oh right, you were out on that school mission,” Zhou Wudu recalled. He stuffed the last of his bun into his mouth and picked up a spring roll. “Wang Santan went out with the master. Every time Master leaves, he takes a couple disciples. I went last time, so this time it’s Wang Santan’s turn.”
Jiang Luo knew Feng Li had many disciples but didn’t know the exact number. His curiosity was piqued. “How many personal disciples does Master have?”
“Ah, well…” Zhou Wudu frowned. “Gotta count.”
Jiang Luo: “…” He could already tell it was a lot.
After all, the Heavenly Masters’ lineage was famous for its numerous disciples. Zhou Wudu counted for a moment, then held up two fingers on one hand and three on the other. “Master has 23 personal disciples. But the ones who stay with him at the Residence, including you, total six.”
Jiang Luo said, “But I’ve only seen you and Wang Santan.”
“The other three senior brothers are out on errands,” Zhou Wudu looked at Jiang Luo with a mixture of envy and jealousy. “Although we’re all disciples under the master’s name, in the early stages we were all taught by the old Heavenly Master. Only you were personally guided by the master as soon as you arrived at the Heavenly Master Residence.”
“Think of it this way,” Jiang Luo replied, “I was trained by my previous master early on. He was a registered disciple of the old Heavenly Master.”
Zhou Wudu brightened up. “Oh, right.”
After breakfast, Jiang Luo waited for Wenren Lian and the others to arrive. About an hour later, he heard voices outside the living room. When he went out to look, not only did he see Wenren Lian and his group, but also Feng Li, returning travel-worn with something in his hands.
Jiang Luo’s smile froze as he remembered the threat of a broken leg. In the distance, Feng Li had already spotted him.
The sunlight shone overhead, but Feng Li’s gaze was icy cold. They quickly reached the entrance of the living room. Feng Li tossed the item in his hands into Jiang Luo’s arms, gave him one last look, and walked inside. “Come.”
Jiang Luo reflexively caught the item—only for it to squirm in his arms. He instinctively held it down and looked down, surprised. “A living ginseng?”
The ginseng doll was about the size of two adult palms, already with developed limbs and facial features. Its belly was round and plump, and upon hearing Jiang Luo’s voice, it burst into tears.
Ge Zhu leaned in and almost drooled. “Just one root from this thing could fetch a fortune…”
As if it understood Ge Zhu’s words, the ginseng doll immediately stopped crying and went limp in Jiang Luo’s arms, playing dead like a dried-up ginseng corpse.
Lu Youyi also came over and patted the doll’s belly. “Kinda cute.”
Ye Xun muttered, “Not as cute as Little Pink.”
The group entered the living room, where Zhou Wudu poured them tea before standing behind Feng Li.
Feng Li was wiping his hands with a handkerchief. He gave a brief glance at the ginseng in Jiang Luo’s hands. “Take it to the old Heavenly Master.”
Jiang Luo obediently nodded and turned to leave, but Feng Li said, “Don’t move.”
Jiang Luo paused mid-step.
Feng Li frowned and walked over. Even though the young man in black hair was wearing the disciple uniform of the Heavenly Master Residence, tightly wrapped, the marks on his neck and lips were still faintly visible. Feng Li’s expression darkened as he grabbed Jiang Luo’s upper arm, right where a wound was.
A bead of blood slowly welled up. Jiang Luo glanced down and saw that it had already stained his clothing.
“How did you get hurt?” Feng Li asked.
There was no way Jiang Luo could say it was from sneaking off to steal the Yuan Tian Pearl.
His eyes reddened, and he lowered his head in embarrassment. “Teacher, please don’t ask.”
Feng Li still wanted to press, but then heard the black-haired youth say in a voice filled with sorrow and disappointment, “Getting hurt isn’t so bad. At least it helped me see someone clearly.”
The students around them gasped quietly, instantly catching on.
Feng Li glanced at them, narrowed his eyes, then said nothing more. He snapped off a small inch of ginseng root from the doll and said, “Open your mouth.”
Jiang Luo swallowed it. His complexion visibly improved—rosier cheeks, no more soreness in his mouth or pain in his shoulders. Most of his injuries had even healed.
Was this the power of the ginseng doll?
Jiang Luo looked at the doll in awe, only to see it trembling pitifully. It was clearly in pain and wanted to cry, but with Feng Li still present, it held back.
Poor thing. Jiang Luo looked at it with sympathy—then mischievously stroked another strand of its root.
Feng Li said, “Go on.”
The old Heavenly Master lived in the courtyard behind the main building. Jiang Luo carried the ginseng doll past rock gardens and streams until he reached the courtyard gate, where he knocked on the bronze ring.
A disciple opened the door, as if already expecting someone. “Senior Brother, the old Heavenly Master is having tea in the back. Just follow this path to the end.”
Despite being in the city center, the Heavenly Master Residence felt like a hidden paradise. Jiang Luo followed the path to the end, where he saw the old Heavenly Master sitting at a stone table, having tea with someone.
The other person was obscured by the old Heavenly Master, so Jiang Luo couldn’t see his face. As he got closer, he heard the old Heavenly Master chuckle and say, “The tea here is decent. Fated One, won’t you try some?”
His tone carried a trace of subtle deference.
Jiang Luo froze. Fated One?
He’d heard that phrase before, in a conversation between Qi Ye’s father and someone else.
So the “Fated One” referred to a person?
“Grandmaster,” Jiang Luo raised his voice as he approached, “Master sent me to bring you this ginseng doll.”
As he drew closer, he finally got a clear look at the Fated One. The man had pure white hair that flowed long, pinned up like an ancient scholar’s with a wooden hairpin.
At Jiang Luo’s voice, the Fated One looked up at him.
His pupils were extremely light, almost the color of snow. Though he appeared young—no older than his twenties—his eyes held a profound weariness, as if he had seen the rise and fall of entire eras.
He only glanced at Jiang Luo once, but that was enough to make Jiang Luo feel as though he were standing in a world of endless blizzards, the cold so real it could drown him.
The ginseng doll in his arms trembled even harder.
Jiang Luo quickly averted his eyes and smiled at the old Heavenly Master. “Where should I place it?”
The old Heavenly Master glanced at the ginseng and said lovingly, “A five-hundred-year-old ginseng, already grown into a spirit. That rascal Feng Li… How can he feed me a ginseng that’s gained sentience?”
He waved his hand. “Take it back to your master. Tell him to bring me one that hasn’t become a spirit yet.”
Jiang Luo said, “Yes.”
Before leaving, he stole another glance—seemingly by accident—at the Fated One.
Unexpectedly, the Fated One was also looking at him.
Jiang Luo smiled naturally, made no delay, and politely took his leave.
Watching him walk away, the Fated One took a sip of tea and suddenly said, “He’s a good kid.”
The old Heavenly Master smiled and said, “I think so too.”
