Chapter 1: Meeting Again in Cold Dew
The door of the inn was pushed open with a creak, and a tall and slender figure walked in against the light, with the white mist of the Cold Dew day on his robe.
The lobby was dark and shabby. On each wooden table stood a pale candle, its blue-green flame flickering, illuminating the hall in a vague and unreal way.
A figure slowly walked to the table, lifted the skirt of his dress, and sat down. Ropes were pulled around the lobby, and four rows of paper flags were hung in the air. Although there was no wind, the flags rustled.
Above the counter was a cracked wooden plaque with four ornate gilded characters: Xiyuan Sanfang.
"How can this inn still make money if it's closed in broad daylight?" The figure spoke in a very clear and calm voice.
"Yes." A cold voice replied.
The figure turned around and saw the waiter appeared silently at the table: "Sir, you are here."
He held a paper lantern, used for visiting graves, illuminating Jing Cangming's figure. She looked to be a girl of eighteen or nineteen, with light eyebrows and round eyes, a pure and unparalleled beauty. Her long ponytail was majestically tied up, flowing high. A long sword hung at her side, and she wore a glazed sea-blue robe. The cuffs were tightly tied, the waist belt was embellished with silver, and the hem cascaded down, revealing silver-white trousers and boots.
The waiter's face was filled with a smile that never faded once it was wide open, and his lips remained oddly curved as he spoke: "Sir, are you here for a quick meal or to stay the night?"
Cang Ming touched his thin purse and said with a smile, "Buy a glass of water first, thank you."
A cup of steaming white water emerged from the void. Then, a little maid holding the water walked out of the darkness, grinning an eerie smile identical to the waiter's. "Sir, would you like ordinary white water, or water that can maintain a human form?"
Cang Ming pretended to be indifferent to their elusive skills: "The cup in your hand is fine." The little maid handed over the teacup with a grin. Cang Ming elegantly skimmed the white water twice with the tea lid, took a sip, and praised: "Good water." He put down the cup, and had a yellow talisman in his hand ready to go.
The little maidservant still had a bright smile on her face when she asked, "Sir, is this your first time in Yancheng?"
Cang Ming said, "Exactly. I passed by your shop and it seemed a bit haunted, so I came in to take a look."
The little maid replied without a single mistake, "It's quite common for ghosts to haunt troubled times. Where is there no ghostly aura? On the first day of the lunar month, the smoke from the incense burner in the Confucian Temple gathered into a ghostly statue. On the fifteenth day, a man suddenly collapsed while eating and turned into a hollow skin..."
Cang Ming smiled faintly and looked out the window. Three days ago, she received an unsigned letter stating that a demonic spirit was haunting Fengyan City in the Central Plains. The letter requested that Taoist Priest Cang Ming be present, as she would be handsomely rewarded.
Although it is a chivalrous act for a Taoist priest to catch ghosts, she was the first disciple of the Wangxian Sect at that time, and she managed to create another first after falling into poverty.
She became the first person in the world to charge for exorcism.
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The Wangxian Sect uses sword dancing as a method of cultivation. The disciples dance with swords in hand to exorcise demons and monsters, which is a beautiful story.
Ten years ago, nineteen-year-old Cang Ming accompanied her master on a demon-slaying expedition, slaying countless ghosts. Wielding a sword, she danced with such grace that the wind and clouds swirled, her robes fluttering. That very night, she was transformed into a wandering immortal, known as the Dancing General. Wandering immortals are immortal, sometimes appearing only once in centuries. For a time, Cang Ming was unrivaled, unrivaled in the world.
Before leaving the mountain to travel, she said to her master, "I think being a wandering immortal is nothing. I want to become a god!"
At that time, the Forget Immortal Platform was filled with curling incense and a vast expanse of rosy clouds. The master smiled and replied, "Those who slay countless evil spirits can cultivate into wandering immortals. Wandering immortals who have experienced heavenly tribulations, punished evil and promoted good, and achieved perfect merit can ascend to become celestial officials and be deified in the Heavenly Palace. And among these nine heavenly officials, only those who pacify the world and protect all living beings can become supreme gods."
The nineteen-year-old Cang Ming spoke eloquently, "Becoming a god is my obsession. Of course, the great way is invisible. If I want to become a god, I need to resolve my obsession and think without thinking."
This elegant conversation on the Forget Immortal Terrace quickly became a legendary story. Not long after, Cang Ming left the mountain to travel. Just as he was about to achieve godhood, he suddenly received news of his parents' tragic death.
The streets and alleys were abuzz with talk, and storytellers along the walls spun countless versions of the legend. They clapped their hands and excitedly recounted: "General Wu had since gone astray, transformed into the Star of Death!" She murdered her master, stole the pearl crown buried with him, and vainly sought to control the world with this magical artifact. What a scoundrel! No wonder, in addition to the Wangxian Sect, the Tongduo Sect, the Buwen Sect, and the Yunxia Sect also joined in the hunt for the Star of Death. Never before had the four major sects been so united.
Later, even her two best friends believed the stories. Only Cang Ming knew that her parents were murdered and her pearl crown was stolen, and the mastermind behind these two things was the enemy she had been looking for for many years.
From then on, Cang Ming was charged with a shocking crime and had to hide from place to place, making a living by catching ghosts.
Although she catches ghosts for money, she will also catch them even if they don't pay her. This isn't entirely because she's kind-hearted and brave—she needs to accumulate merit to become a deity.
Years passed in the blink of an eye, Cang Ming spent her days hunting ghosts and searching for the whereabouts of the pearl crown, trying to follow the clues and find the culprit behind the catastrophe. In her plan, perhaps the day she found her enemy would be the day she became a god. Then, she, a celestial official, could avenge her grievances with a wave of her sleeve...
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Cang Ming drank the water in one gulp and was about to quietly put up a talisman in this haunted house when the little maid appeared silently again and gently placed a plate of sesame cakes in front of Cang Ming.
The little maid said with a smile: "The weather is cold and the water cools down quickly. I will give you a plate of freshly baked snacks to warm you up. Don't be disgusted."
This pastry was very rough and hard like a tortoise shell. Cang Ming picked one up and looked at it, but he didn't smell any poison. He put it in his mouth and chewed it for a long time, and there was indeed no smell of poison.
She put the yellow talisman back into her arms and said with some shame, "Thank you for your kindness."
"Sir, you are so polite." The little maid said with a grin, "Are you in Fengyan City to visit relatives and friends?"
Over the years, wherever Cang Ming went, she would first look for pearl crowns in various shops. She asked, "Is there any place in this city that sells jewelry and antiques?"
The little maid smiled even more brightly: "Oh, you are here to buy jewelry." She seemed to really believe that someone who only wanted to buy a glass of water would go to a jewelry store.
Cang Ming asked intentionally or unintentionally: "For example, a pearl crown, do you have one?"
The little maidservant said, "Sir, are you looking for a pearl crown with carved patterns and inlaid with kingfisher feathers, the kind beloved by beauties, or a pearl crown with magical powers that can bring down the world?"
Cang Ming was secretly shocked. Ten years had passed, the four major schools had declined, and the popular gossip had changed several times. No one mentioned the strange pearl crown anymore. She didn't want to tell the truth, nor did she want to lie. She just smiled and asked, "Is there such a treasure in Fengyan City?"
The maid pointed to the east side of the city: "The weirdest antique shop in the area might have what you want."
Cang Ming nodded in thanks, wrapped the remaining two pancakes and put them in his arms, put on his mask, stood up and walked out of the inn.
The streets were deserted, paper money flew from door to door, and the city felt eerie and desolate. A group of Taoist priests, carrying swords, wine jars, ghost-torturing sticks, Three Purities bells, and other objects, clanked into a house. Some brandished swords in prayer, while others rang bells to exorcise demons. One Taoist priest, gazing intently into the distance, suddenly spit out a strong drink, dislodging a denture.
Cang Ming shook his head, then noticed that their talismans were quite well drawn, and nodded approvingly, as if urging them to do a good job. One of the Taoist priests glanced at her and muttered to himself, "What an ugly mask."
“…”
After walking a few miles east along the river, an antique shop appeared at the end of her sight. It was a five-story old building, its door tightly shut; it looked like it wouldn't be open today. Cang Ming slowed down her pace, hands behind her back, and slowly walked forward. Even though it wasn't open, she didn't know where else to go.
The ancient building stood by the river, with its back against the forest, looming in the distance. The surrounding scenery was picturesque, with clear water and gentle breezes. Cang Ming nodded and muttered to himself, "Excellent feng shui."
When I looked away again, I suddenly saw a flash of white light in the distance.
Before the white light could settle, Cang Ming had already dodged and hidden in the bushes. A silver-white figure appeared on the previously empty road, as if it had fallen from the sky.
The figure looked around warily, confirmed that no one was around, and then walked towards the antique shop.
Although this man moved in a ghostly and thief-like manner, he was handsome and his steps were light, as if he was a person who had not been out for a long time and was finally able to enjoy the sunshine. Even his back showed an extraordinary demeanor.
Cang Ming followed skillfully. This kind of stalking was a basic skill she had acquired through years of catching ghosts and thieves.
The man stopped in front of the antique shop, and Cang Ming also stopped immediately.
She pushed aside the leaves blocking her view, only to be greeted by a dazzling scene. A young man, no more than twenty, sat leaning against a large tree in front of the door, whistling leisurely. She had never seen such a handsome young man in the world. Cang Ming felt that he was strangely familiar, but she couldn't recall where she had met him before.
Suddenly, the young man looked up and saw Cang Ming peeking at him from behind the leaves. At that moment, his thick eyebrows raised slightly, and his narrow, deep eyes opened wide. His gaze was indescribable, as if the clouds had suddenly parted and the sun had appeared, and the universe had suddenly broken through.
Cang Ming felt like a stalker hiding in the bushes, spying on a distinguished young man, only to be caught red-handed. She coughed dryly, then walked out and asked righteously, "Excuse me, is the antique shop open today?"
The boy still looked at her with a strange look.
Cang Ming asked again: "Is the antique shop closed?"
Boy: "What an ugly mask."
Cang Ming: “…”
The young man lowered his eyes, and when he raised them again, his expression was back to normal.
Cang Ming asked calmly but with dignity, "Young Master, since this place is closed, what are you doing here?"
He stood up and said, "I don't know."
His voice was deep and cold, and he was tall. Cang Ming looked up at him, unsure of his age.
Cang Ming asked: "Where is your home? Why don't you go home?"
The young man suddenly lowered his head and said aggrievedly, "I have no home. They are all dead. Everyone bullies me. I have nowhere to go."
Cang Ming was startled and unconsciously lowered his voice: "You don't have a home either? Then... why did you come to the antique shop? Where is the owner of this shop?"
The young man said coldly, "The owner of this shop does what he wants. Sometimes he gets up at noon, sometimes he opens the door to welcome customers at midnight, sometimes he travels around, and sometimes he stays indoors."
Cang Ming said, "I think he is an interesting old man."
The boy asked, "What does the girl want to buy from the shopkeeper?"
Cang Ming hesitated for a moment and said, "I wonder if this shop sells... pearl crowns?"
The young man turned and walked towards the back of the ancient building, leaving a message from afar: "If you want to come in, follow me."
"Wait a minute." Cang Ming hurriedly jogged to catch up.
The young man wore a silver-white outer robe, with a navy-blue undershirt, trousers, and boots. His long hair was tied into a high ponytail, swaying lightly with his steps.
Cang Ming felt that this outfit was a little familiar, but he forgot where he had seen it.
The boy took her to the back of the building. The back door was also locked, and there was a ladder next to it leading to the fifth floor.
He jumped onto the ladder first and looked back to ask, "Can you do it?"
Cang Ming said, "Climb high?"
"Yeah." Without waiting for Cang Ming to reach out to stop him, the young man moved like a flash. With a few light taps, he jumped to the top in the blink of an eye, looked down at Cang Ming, and jumped in from the window.
Cang Ming, one hand frozen in the air, watched without blinking, thinking to herself that there were indeed masters among the common people. It was a shame that this young man was a thief, not doing his job properly, and actually robbed the antique shop right in front of her. Cang Ming thought with considerable pride that even if it wasn't for the sake of merit, she couldn't just ignore it.
So she immediately stepped lightly on the ladder, leaped to the middle of the ladder, then did a somersault and jumped onto the windowsill on the fifth floor, and jumped down.
"Ah?" Cang Ming took a breath.
The imagined scene of kneeling on one knee, supporting oneself with one hand, and landing gracefully on the ground did not happen, because this building actually went straight from the ceiling of the fifth floor to the ground of the first floor.
The utilization rate of the area is too low.
Cang Ming only had time to think of this sentence.
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