Chapter 182 The Moonlight Is Extremely Beautiful Tonight; Returning to the Coffin Shop...
A hundred years ago, evil beings from another world invaded spiritual cultivation. The cultivators fought bravely but were defeated one after another.
The ten cultivators of the Dao Sect rushed to the Dingsheng Sect and demanded that the sect leader of the Dingsheng Sect reveal the whereabouts of Ji Mingran, a disciple of Luanfeng.
Unexpectedly, Ancestor Jiang Xiaoyi of Luanfeng dropped a bombshell: Ji Mingran, a disciple of Dingsheng Sect's Luanfeng branch, has gone alone to another world to strike at the heart of the evil and eradicate its root!
The brave warrior went forth never to return. Ji Mingran silently embarked on his journey of no return. The ten cultivators of the Dao Sect were greatly shocked and immediately accepted Jiang Xiaoyi's proposal to form a truly unified alliance and launch a full-scale counterattack against the otherworldly evil beings in the spiritual cultivation world.
The once-prosperous sect, which had been in decline for over three hundred years, unleashed astonishing combat power. Led by Jiang Xiaoyi, a group of cultivators from the sect successively defeated the evil beings that were eroding their souls.
At the same time, the evil tide that had been in the lead suddenly began to retreat.
Combining the experience of the Dingsheng Sect in eradicating evil, the ten cultivators of the Dao Sect formed a comprehensive force, attacking evil from land, sea, and air. Meanwhile, Yu Tianxing and Ji Xingyang of the Unnamed Sect provided strong assistance in pursuing soul-devouring evil creatures and eliminating the threat.
With the combined efforts of the spiritual community, the invasion of otherworldly evil spirits was temporarily brought under control in less than a month.
The rift in the sky has not reappeared.
Dingshengzong became famous from then on, and Ji Mingran, who made contributions, was even revered as a legendary saint.
The Dingsheng Sect held a superior position, but repeatedly refused the invitations from the Ten Daoist Masters to join the alliance.
Several cultivators who played a significant role in this battle against the epidemic have since disappeared without a trace.
It is said that these cultivators have achieved perfect merit, so they have all gone into seclusion to meditate, striving to advance their cultivation level and welcome the day of ascension to immortality.
......
In the vast sea of stars, the stars that emit a faint glow are inconspicuous.
The mist that surrounded it gradually solidified.
The spiritual energy circulates repeatedly from bottom to top and then from top to bottom. The flow of spiritual energy forms a gentle breeze that blows through the sea of clouds, drifts to the earth, sweeps across the deserted streets at dusk, and shines on the small shop sitting in a deserted corner along with the moonlight.
A small signboard hangs above the shop, and through the moonlight, a large character for "ginger" can be faintly seen.
Sighing as they passed through the closed wooden door, someone grumbled, "Boss Jiang is a heartless boss; he treats people with no mercy."
Another person lamented, "Poor Mingran, he suffered so much back then."
With a loud thud, something slammed onto the table, startling everyone. The first person to speak shouted, "Grandma Ming has suffered, but we're no less! She's been tormented by that heartless boss for a few years, but the three of us have been tormented for a hundred years! A hundred years!"
As he spoke, Guan Wangzhen broke down, clutching his head and shouting, "Why don't we escape? We'll come back after Grandma has recovered!"
Shen Qingluo glanced at him and continued arranging the talismans and funerary objects on the shelf: "We've waited for so many years, what's one more time?"
Zhu Shibai, who was busy with his abacus, looked up and reminded him, "Wang Zhen, don't forget to clean the table properly, or we'll have to wipe it again."
Guan Wangzhen angrily grabbed the strip of cloth he had thrown on the table and vigorously wiped the counter: "I know, I know, now I know why my two senior brothers from Luanfeng didn't come along. It turns out they know what kind of person Boss Jiang is!"
Zhu Shibai chuckled and shook his head: "Boss Jiang usually has to search for Granny Ming's scattered soul essence in the realm, so we should take care of things related to this shop."
Guan Wangzhen said helplessly, "Shouldn't we go looking together? I really don't understand the point of opening this shop. If we save money by managing the shop, we might find it faster."
“We can’t compare to Boss Jiang. She’s been in the small world for many years, and she must have her reasons for opening a shop.” Shen Qingluo walked to the corner where there was a paper effigy and carefully wiped the paper effigy placed in the front position.
Unlike other paper effigies made by mediocre artists with ink blots for eyes and red circles for cheeks, Shen Qingluo's carefully wiped paper effigy features particularly exquisite facial features and clothing.
With thick eyelashes, dark eyes, and upturned pink lips, she looked very happy.
If it weren't for her lifeless black eyes outlined in ink, one would easily mistake her for a cheerful and kind young woman from afar.
"Fortunately, both Boss Jiang and Yu Tianxing had experienced the splitting of their primordial souls, and the time it took for her soul to reassemble was two hundred years less than what they had experienced before."
"You made this decision because you considered this as well." Shen Qingluo looked into the dark eyes of the paper effigy and said in a low voice, "Right, Mingran?"
The paper effigy did not respond.
"Don't rush." Zhu Shibai smiled slightly at the paper effigy. "It's time to prepare dinner. Let's go over there, otherwise Boss Jiang will be angry when he comes back and sees there's no food."
As if on cue, Guan Wangzhen grabbed the strip of cloth and hurriedly walked through the wooden door behind the counter: "I'm going right now, I'm going right now."
Shen Qingluo nodded in agreement, "Okay."
The footsteps faded into the distance, and the shop fell silent.
The lifelike paper effigy smiled gently, quietly absorbing spiritual energy under the moonlight streaming through the window.
Ji Mingran really wanted to answer Shen Qingluo's question.
Yes, that's what she thinks.
Unfortunately, it's something that can't be done or said.
The sudden "smack" of the cloth strip that Guan Wangzhen had just flicked startled her awake.
I awoke from a long, deep sleep, my mind hazy and my body limp. I overheard snippets of conversation from my three companions.
It took her a lot of effort to gradually understand what they were saying.
Ji Mingran rolled his eyes, scanning the scene before him.
The square shop had neat wooden shelves on all four walls, and on top of the shelves were various funerary items such as bowls, wine cups, incense burners, and talismans.
In front of her was a counter, where Zhu Shibai had been standing and talking.
Hmm, this layout and setup... isn't this just like Boss Jiang's old shop?!
How come the three of them are also working for Boss Jiang?
Listening to what they were saying, Ji Mingran strained his eyes and finally saw his reflection in the bronze mirror placed in the upper left corner opposite him.
Oh wow, a paper effigy.
This time it really was her turn to be Boss Jiang's paper effigy.
Ji Mingran slowly recalled the memories before he fell into "sleep".
She used her own spirit as a sacrifice to reverse the World-Destroying Array and create the Spirit-Nourishing Array. Judging from how well Boss Jiang has built up her shop, she must have succeeded.
Planets that have lost their destiny give rise to life. The mutated species that survive on these planets should also become part of this world, becoming "humans," which in turn gives rise to civilization.
She took away the Spirit Essence Stone, the Spirit Inheritance Ring, and the sect's jade token, which Boss Jiang and Yu Tianxing can use to find her.
According to her three companions, it must have taken them over a hundred years to gather her primordial spirit. Boss Jiang followed the same method and kept her primordial spirit inside a paper effigy.
I reckon that with a little more rest, she'll be able to speak in a dry, lifeless voice like she used to.
Although she has lost her physical body, her soul should still be able to materialize, right?
I just don't know how long it will take.
As he was lost in thought, a creak sounded, and a thin beam of light fell onto the stone floor.
The shop door was pushed open.
Not knowing who had come, Ji Mingran couldn't turn around.
"Why are you all alone here?" A soft voice reached her ears, and a tall figure stopped in front of her.
Ji Mingran also saw the person's appearance clearly.
Her face was as beautiful as jade, her eyebrows and eyes as exquisite as a painting, and her demeanor was exceptional.
"Hey, Yu Tianxing!" Ji Mingran greeted excitedly.
He couldn't hear it.
Bending down, Yu Tianxing gently picked her up and led her to the courtyard behind the coffin shop.
The courtyard, where coffin boards were stacked, was cleared out to create a small open space. The three busy people had already arranged the tables and chairs neatly, and the soup noodles, dishes, and fruits and vegetables on the table were also arranged one by one.
Guan Wangzhen was on high alert, standing straight with a tense expression. When he saw that it was Yu Tianxing, he breathed a long sigh of relief: "It's you. I thought it was Boss Jiang."
Zhu Shibai laughed and said, "Don't be so nervous."
Shen Qingluo pulled out a chair and waved to her, "Here, here."
Yu Tianxing carefully placed her on the chair and sat down beside her.
After waiting for fifteen minutes, Boss Jiang finally arrived.
Ji Mingran clearly felt Boss Jiang glance at him.
"Boss Jiang, you know I'm awake, right!" Ji Mingran shouted.
But Boss Jiang remained unmoved. After finishing his meal as usual, he reviewed the work of his three companions that day, deducted some of their wages, and then sent them back to rest.
“This place is not like the spiritual cultivation world. Your cultivation level has just reached the Foundation Establishment stage. If you don’t eat and sleep properly, you won’t be able to do any work for long. Oh no, I mean you won’t be able to find Mingran’s soul essence.” Boss Jiang said this, and then went back to his room with a flourish.
The three companions stayed behind, miserable, to clean up.
Judging from how familiar they were with tidying up, it probably wasn't their first time.
Yu Tianxing promised to have Xiao Ji come and do a big shopping spree the next day, thus saving himself the trouble of cleaning up. Then he picked her up and went back.
Ji Mingran thought she was going to be put back into the shop, but Yu Tianxing took her away directly.
The four people in the shop didn't come out to stop them.
“Boss Jiang said that following your past behavior might help you recover quickly.” Yu Tianxing held her and walked slowly on the cobblestone path. “But why are you still so silent? I remember you used to love to talk.”
Bathed in moonlight, Ji Mingran accelerated his absorption of spiritual energy. Upon hearing this, he hesitated to speak.
Not to mention that she couldn't speak in her current state, it was the middle of the night, and Yu Tianxing was holding a paper effigy and talking to himself. Who knows if it would scare passersby?
If her paper effigy actually started talking, wouldn't the scene be even more bizarre?
Yu Tianxing continued to hold her while talking.
He said that he had been gone for several days and was unable to return in time to tell her because he had gone back to the imperial city and retrieved a treasure for nurturing the soul from the imperial city's treasury.
The treasure has been handed over to Boss Jiang for research. Once it is confirmed that it can be used, it will be put on her.
He recounted who he had met along the way and what interesting things he had heard during his absence.
Ji Mingran listened with great interest.
That's interesting. Sharing recent events is something she used to do with Yu Tianxing. She would talk and Yu Tianxing would listen.
Now the situation is reversed.
Yu Tianxing's voice was already deep and pleasant, and as he recounted all sorts of novel things, his attention was immediately drawn to him.
"Jiang's coffin shop is making a name for itself again. I've heard from various merchants in the Luoshui area that they're planning to come and discuss jointly establishing a funerary goods business with her. I reckon she's about to make a fortune again," Yu Tianxing said.
Although Yu Tianxing couldn't hear him, Ji Mingran still responded: "Yes, Boss Jiang has been in this business for at least several hundred years, so it's no wonder he's made a fortune."
“I have a feeling that Guan Wangzhen will leave in a few days. Zhu Shibai and Shen Qingluo seem to be ready to go out and look for him, probably also wanting to take a break.” Yu Tianxing had already seen through the three’s plan.
Yes, Boss Jiang really knows how to make things difficult. Back then, Xiao Can was always at the shop, never stopping for a moment. The three of them are cultivators, so of course Boss Jiang wouldn't let them off the hook by making them do hard labor. Ji Mingran expressed his understanding.
“I also made a midnight snack tonight. If you suddenly recover, you can eat it too,” Yu Tianxing continued.
"Oh dear, it's a pity she can't eat anymore." Ji Mingran estimated the time it would take for her to resume normal eating and clicked her tongue in regret.
"The moon is exceptionally beautiful tonight, can you see it?"
"Yes," she wholeheartedly agreed.
He stopped his slow, forward steps, still holding her.
"Hmm?" Ji Mingran asked, puzzled.
"Huh???" Ji Mingran belatedly realized what was happening, his eyes widened, and he suddenly looked up.
Her dark, lacquer-like eyes were already lowered, the moonlight falling into them and shattering into silver scales, sparkling with starlight. Yu Tianxing's expression and lips curved into a smile as he hugged her tightly.
"You're back."
[The story is complete.]
Author's Note: Aaaaaaah, I've finished!
I screamed again, "Aaaaaaah, I'm done!"
This is my first post, so please bear with me as it's been a bit bumpy. Thank you everyone!
There are so many feelings I want to express, but in the end, Mingran has finally come to the end of this chapter of her story, and she will continue to walk towards her perfect ending in her life.
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