Qin Liuxi didn’t notice Qi Qian’s odd behavior, or perhaps even if he did, he wouldn’t care. Isn’t he just curious?
Don’t you know that curiosity killed the cat?
"Master." Ling Rong gave Qin Liuxi a bow.
Qin Liuxi waved his hand, ignoring Qi Qian’s gaze, and said to Ling Rong, "I’ll open the Yin Road shortly. Have a good meal before you set off, and these ingots and clothes will become yours. Holding silver helps in dealing with Ghost Messengers on the road."
Ling Rong was full of gratitude: "Thank you, Master."
She held her son and went to the offerings to ’eat’.
Ying Bei took an ingot and placed it in the fire, rubbed his arms, and said to Chen Pi, "Do you feel it’s gotten colder than before?"
Chen Pi smiled back at him.
Ying Bei almost fell to the ground, shivering, "I know you’re a simple kid, but could you not smile like that? It’s really eerie."
Chen Pi said, "If you really saw something eerie, I’m afraid you’d wet yourself on the spot!"
That’s what they call peeing your pants in fright!
The brat looks like he needs a good thrashing!
Qi Qian, standing next to Qin Liuxi, stiffened, his eyes shifting toward Chen Pi, just to see him burning an exquisitely cut women’s garment, followed by a tiny baby’s clothes.
Recalling Qin Liuxi’s words, his eyes widened, as if he saw a large figure and a small one happily ’eating’ behind the pile of offerings.
Qi Qian closed his eyes: Don’t look, don’t think!
With the King’s Aura protecting his body, no evil shall invade!
After silently chanting a few times, he opened his eyes, only to see Qin Liuxi walking in strange patterns, placing a stone with each step. After a few steps, she stood firm and laid down a talisman.
Qi Qian glanced at where she placed the stones. Alright, it made no sense to him.
He watched as she lit another talisman out of thin air, formed a Sealing with both hands, and chanted solemnly: "With a sad whistling wind the junior approaches, the gloomy pass reveals the open Dao... I beseech to clear the eastern path, summing the envoy to descend upon the Daoist temple... By decree."
Suddenly, an eerie black fog gathered in the east, and a great yin wind blew. In the unseen Void, a Ghost Messenger appeared wearing a tall hat and clutching a dark chain.
"Who has opened the Yin Road to summon Ghost Messengers, is there a soul to guide... Oh, it’s the lord." The Ghost Messenger quickly came before Qin Liuxi and respectfully bowed.
Qin Liuxi transformed two gold ingots and dropped them into the Ghost Messenger’s hand, and also offered two candles. The Ghost Messenger, smiling from ear to ear, flattered, "Lord, why be so polite? Just give your orders, and your servant is at your command."
This was the best-quality gold ingot he’d encountered; he hadn’t expected such good fortune tonight.
"That mother and child died unjustly; now that their wishes are fulfilled, please, Ghost Messenger, help them cut in line so they can reincarnate sooner," said Qin Liuxi.
The Ghost Messenger busily replied, "As the lord commands, I shall obey. But cutting in line is a bit troublesome."
Qin Liuxi sharply picked up on the hesitation in his voice and asked, "What, is there trouble on your side?"
The Ghost Messenger hesitantly rubbed his hands, not daring to speak.
Qin Liuxi transformed another gold ingot, and only then did he slip it joyfully into his pocket and reluctantly said, "An Evil Ghost has escaped from the Nine Netherworld Hell, devouring many ghosts. Now, we must first find out which souls have been devoured, then arrange for those in line to reincarnate, so it will take longer."
Qin Liuxi frowned—An Evil Ghost had escaped?
"Has the Evil Ghost been captured?"
The Ghost Messenger shook his head, "Both Black and White Impermanence have gone out to search. Otherwise, why would a matter for the lord be dealt with by a servant like me?"
This could be troublesome; could it be that creature has fled to the mortal world?