White temples
Upon arriving at the library, Shangguan Qin opened the door, stood at the entrance, and said to Wen Ya, "Although I don't know what you're looking for, this place is temporarily yours. When you're finished reading, come find me, and I'll take you back."
Wen Ya nodded.
After Shangguan Qin closed the door and left, Wen Ya took a look around the library.
Unlike the library in Yuhuang Temple, the bookshelves here are equipped with tracks. Wen Ya didn't understand, but Si Mucheng had seen them before. He exclaimed, "It's like an archive room. So many books?" He walked over curiously.
The library is large, but conveniently, all the books are categorized and easily accessible.
This saved Wen Ya time. She found the classification of magical artifacts in the ancient book and was about to pick up a book to look at when Si Mucheng came over and asked softly, "What are you looking for? I'll help you."
Before Wen Ya could speak, he realized something: "Ah, it must be information about the Soul-Returning Lamp, right? There are so many books here..."
Wen Ya didn't say anything and started searching on her own.
Actually, she didn't have high hopes, but she just felt she wouldn't be satisfied without seeing it. Besides, she didn't believe there was absolutely no information; a magical artifact, passed down to the present day, wouldn't have been completely forgotten.
However, as she flipped through the books one by one, her heart grew heavier and heavier.
Just when she thought she would find nothing again this time, Si Mucheng suddenly called out to her, "Xiaoya, we found it!"
Wen Ya suddenly turned her head, put down the ancient book in her hand, and went to Si Mucheng's side.
Si Mucheng held the book in one hand and pointed to it with the other: "Look, here."
Wen Ya didn't care about anything else, took the book from Si Mucheng's hand and examined it carefully.
This is a notebook that records some strange tales and rare magical artifacts. One of the entries is indeed about the Resurrection Lamp.
Wen Ya's heart pounded violently. If she could find out why the Soul-Returning Lamp was causing this, and why the ghosts were coming to her door because of it, then all the strange phenomena would have an answer.
She skimmed through the pages; this page contained the origin and general introduction of the Soul-Returning Lamp. The Soul-Returning Lamp was forged by a magic artifact maker to revive his master. The last paragraph of the notes stated that the Soul-Returning Lamp had succeeded once.
Wen Ya was taken aback. Successfully? Someone used the Soul-Returning Lamp to bring someone back to life?
She continued reading, where the instructions for activating the Soul-Returning Lamp were recorded. Wen Ya quickly flipped to the next page, and then both of their expressions froze.
Si Mucheng asked in surprise, "Why is there nothing after that?"
Wen Ya flipped through the pages, and the page about the Soul-Returning Lamp clearly had a sequel, so why couldn't she find it? Moreover, the two pages were not connected at all.
Then, Wen Ya noticed something amiss. She opened the book, looked at it carefully, and her heart sank.
"What's wrong?" Si Mucheng noticed her odd behavior. "Did you discover something?"
Wen Ya showed him the marks on the book: "It's been torn."
Upon hearing this, Si Mucheng quickly took the book and saw the remnants of paper left after it had been torn in the middle. He asked in surprise, "Was it torn from the beginning, or was it torn later?"
Wen Ya shook her head. Although she was inclined to believe that someone had unknowingly torn away the activation method of the Soul-Returning Lamp, she was still somewhat inclined to believe that someone had secretly torn it away.
A person's image popped into her mind.
Shangguan Zheng had mentioned that his maternal grandfather had visited Yucheng in his early years, and according to Shangguan Zheng, his grandfather seemed to have a good relationship with him, as they were able to read together by candlelight late into the night. If that were the case, he would be able to enter the Shangguan family's library and see this notebook.
It's no wonder Wen Ya thought that way; it was just too much of a coincidence. Coincidentally, the Soul-Returning Lamp was passed down from the Wen family; coincidentally, this page contained the method for activating the Soul-Returning Lamp; coincidentally, the Soul-Returning Lamp had probably already been activated.
But if it was my maternal grandfather, why would he activate the Resurrection Lamp? Besides, he had already passed away, and the Resurrection Lamp was activated after his death... The timeline is wrong.
Si Mucheng was somewhat disheartened. He had finally found a clue, only to have it snatched away by someone else. What kind of situation was this?
Wen Ya quickly composed herself, put the notes back on the bookshelf, and said, "It seems there's nothing else. Let's go."
As the two emerged from the library, they encountered Shangguan Qin at the stairwell. She exclaimed in surprise, "You've finished reading?"
Wen Ya nodded.
Shangguan Qin didn't say anything more, just waved his hand and said, "That's perfect, I'll take you back."
Once they were in the car, and it had just driven out of the manor, Si Mucheng suddenly slapped his thigh: "Oh no!"
Shangguan Qin asked anxiously, "What happened? What happened!"
Si Mucheng scratched his head: "I forgot my car is still parked in the suburbs."
After Shangguan Qin learned how they got there that morning and where they parked their car, she nodded and said, "I know where that is. I'll take you there."
Soon, Shangguan Qin dropped them off at their destination. Si Mucheng breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his rented car still parked safely by the roadside. Just as he was about to get out, Shangguan Qin called out to them, "Which family does that man who's abusing dogs belong to?"
Shangguan Qin's tone was ambiguous, but Si Mucheng knew that the young lady was probably angry. That guy who abused the dog was going to be in big trouble. However, the young lady was acting on behalf of heaven, and that guy deserved it.
Si Mucheng enthusiastically pointed out the address of the dog-abusing man to Shangguan Qin and carefully described the man's appearance to ensure that Shangguan Qin would not mistake him. Only then did he get out of the car with Wen Ya with satisfaction, change to a rented car, and drive back to the city.
Back at the hotel, Si Mucheng saw that Wen Xiaofeng had run away again and couldn't help but ask, "Why have I never seen Wen Xiaofeng eat anything? Where does it usually go?"
Wen Ya paused for a moment before saying, "Xiao Feng is different from other chickens."
"I can see that," Si Mucheng nodded. "He's a little too clever."
Wen Ya said "Oh": "Because it is a magical artifact."
"What?!" Si Mucheng exclaimed in shock. "What is that thing?"
Wen Ya seemed amused by his reaction, and with a smile, she explained, "Xiao Feng was the last gift my parents gave me."
She suddenly mentioned her parents, which surprised Si Mucheng.
Just then, the elevator doors opened, and someone stepped out. Si Mucheng swallowed what he was about to say, interrupted. When they got into the elevator, even though it was just the two of them, Si Mucheng didn't know whether he should continue the conversation.
But Wen Ya spoke first: "Xiao Feng was originally just an ordinary chick. It was bought from a stall outside an elementary school that dyed small animals to attract younger students."
Si Mucheng secretly calculated, could the chick live that long?
Wen Ya seemed to have guessed what he was thinking and continued, "Later, after my parents... after they passed away, Xiao Feng also developed problems and was on the verge of death. My grandfather unexpectedly obtained a small magical artifact called the Longevity Bowl. Once the artifact entered his body, it merged with his body. Xiao Feng was still Xiao Feng, and he also became the artifact. He didn't need to eat or sleep, but he could stay with me for a long time."
Si Mucheng suddenly realized, and Wen Ya, as if thinking of something, smiled and said, "Look, now only it's left to keep me company."
"How could that be!" Si Mucheng retorted instinctively, "I am your disciple. A teacher for a day is a teacher for life. I can stay with you, Master!"
Wen Ya couldn't help but laugh when she saw him, a tall and imposing man, joking around in the elevator.
Back in her room, Wen Ya took out the Soul-Returning Lamp, and as she expected, three of the petals had already lit up.
Si Mucheng looked at the flower petals and said, "So, the little dog ghost also got into the lamp?"
Wen Ya frowned. If the banished ghosts can light up the resurrection lamp, will "they" be able to reincarnate?
She dared not think about it, but she couldn't stop it. If she wasn't mistaken, more ghosts would come knocking on her door because of the resurrection lamp.
Because he left early, Wen Ya's room curtains were not drawn, and the room was somewhat dark. Si Mucheng walked to the window and muttered, "This resurrection lamp is really a ghost..." He suddenly pulled open the curtains, and unexpectedly, a face with blood flowing from all seven orifices entered his field of vision.
Si Mucheng's voice suddenly rose in pitch: "Gah... Ah!!!!"
The visual impact was so strong that Si Mucheng felt his heart stop beating. He stared blankly out the window at the person—no, the ghost.
Upon hearing his call, Wen Ya immediately rushed to his side. The long-haired girl outside the window stared blankly at Wen Ya, tears of blood suddenly streaming from her eyes.
Si Mucheng hadn't seen such a bloody ghost in a long time, and his legs went weak for a moment. It was clear at a glance that the girl had died a horrific death. At first glance, all he noticed was that she was covered in blood, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't hard to see fishing lines on her joints and neck. In short, the girl had been dismembered.
When Si Mucheng realized this, shock overwhelmed his fear.
He opened his eyes wide and whispered, "'She'...isn't she very old..."
Wen Ya clearly noticed the ghost's appearance as well. The girl was wearing a school uniform, the kind that looked like a sack, a sporty school uniform with a unique student vibe, a uniform that middle school students complained was ugly.
The school badge on the ghost's chest was soaked in blood, making it impossible to tell which school it belonged to.
Wen Ya's lips twitched, her eyes seeming to show reluctance: "...Whether old or young, male or female, death comes without reason."
Si Mucheng felt a lump in his throat, unsure whether to feel regret or sadness: "But this is too cruel. Who is it? This child should still be a high school student."
Wen Ya let out a breath. She looked down at the resurrection lamp in her hand. The wick was flickering. It seemed that the ghost was after the resurrection lamp again.
Seeing the female ghost outside the window also fix her gaze on the resurrection lamp, Si Mucheng turned his head and saw the expression on Wen Ya's face. He paused and asked, "What's wrong?"
Wen Ya shook her head: "I don't know whether I should help 'her' or not."
She hadn't figured out what the resurrection lamp needed ghosts for, and what would happen to those ghosts who had lost their obsessions and failed to enter reincarnation—would they really become fuel for the resurrection lamp? Was she harming "them" by dispelling their spirits?
Si Mucheng understood Wen Ya's thoughts. He lowered his head and looked at her: "But if you don't dispel them, there will still be exorcists who will dispel 'them'. If 'them' came here because of the Soul-Returning Lamp, then no matter who dispels 'them', 'them' will enter the Soul-Returning Lamp. Since the Soul-Returning Lamp is currently activated, let's see what happens when it is fully lit in the end."
Wen Ya paused, then looked again at the girl outside the window, whose eyes were filled with earnestness.
Wen Ya had seen such earnestness in the eyes of countless ghosts; it was their lingering attachment to the mortal world. But no one but her could understand it.
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