Because of the festival, the city was exceptionally lively. Even the gloomy weather could not keep people indoors.
Many shops along the streets were still tying up streamers and hanging decorative lanterns. Hawkers called out their wares, most of which were dragon-shaped lanterns, hats, river lanterns, or painted masks of evil ghosts. There were also rouge and powder, jade pendants and hairpins, balls for cuju, cloth dolls, and other little toys. Most numerous of all were the stalls selling pastries, candies, and snacks, which were naturally the children’s favorites.
Xiao Chunhe and Ye Shijiu both loved to play and were curious about everything they saw. Liang Yun had spent years moving between Lintu and the capital, so none of this was new to him. But with good friends beside him and no need to restrain himself, he was even more boisterous than the other two.
Yue Jingming walked along the river with the brothers Ji Luo and Ji Chen. Little black-canopied boats drifted by from time to time, most of them selling lanterns or wooden swords and spears for children. On both banks, people were erecting wooden frames and tying on colored ribbons in preparation for that evening’s rites.
Yue Jingming asked, “Is this the river where the ghost trouble occurred in the past?”
Ji Chen smiled. “That’s right. It was originally called the Zhang River. After the disaster with the fierce ghost, the prefect invited Daoists to rename it the Weisui River. They even built a Daoist temple at the dragon-vein site, but the wars that followed gradually left it abandoned. Only a small shrine remains.”
“The Weisui River joins the Yunshui River to the north, so it’s a fairly large river. Farther north of the Yunshui, only the Heshui and Luo Rivers can compare.” Ji Luo explained, “They say that back in the days of the Li Dynasty, this river was extremely wide and long. Its tributaries reached as far as Ningming and Chilan in the northeast.”
Yue Jingming looked at the placid water. “Then it is an ancient river indeed.”
“People say there’s a gate on the riverbed leading straight to the underworld, but no one knows whether it’s true. After all, this Thousand-Dragon Water Festival is only based on legend. No one has ever seen a fierce ghost.” Ji Chen looked toward Ji Luo. “Wouldn’t you agree, Elder Brother?”
Ji Luo was not looking at him. “There are many things in this world that are impossible to know for certain. Some people look human, for example, but they’re more frightening than fierce ghosts.”
Ji Chen’s smile stiffened. “Are you unhappy again, Elder Brother?”
Without even glancing at him, Ji Luo said, “Daoist Yue, I’ve spotted a friend. I’ll go greet him.”
Yue Jingming replied, “By all means, Brother Ji.”
Ji Luo left without looking back. Ji Chen sighed helplessly. “I’m sorry you’ve had to witness this, Daoist Master. Ever since my elder brother failed the examination, he has had nothing but cold looks for me.”
Since this was another family’s business, Yue Jingming had little to say. Fortunately, Xiao Chunhe soon returned carrying a white-dragon lantern in one hand and a bamboo drinking cup in the other. There also seemed to be something hanging around his neck.
“This is sour-plum drink with ice in it. It’s sweet and tart and tastes wonderful. Hurry, try some.” Xiao Chunhe pressed the bamboo cup into Yue Jingming’s hand, then excitedly put on the mask hanging from his neck. “Look!”
It was a fox mask, its red-and-white patterns painted with lifelike detail. Two clusters of red tassels hung from each side near the ears, and an auspicious-cloud design adorned its forehead. The alluring, upturned fox-eye openings perfectly matched the shape of Xiao Chunhe’s eyes. With the mask on, only the lower half of his face remained visible, his mouth curving in a wicked little smile. He and the mask seemed almost to have become one.
Yue Jingming said earnestly, “It looks very good.”
“Everything at that stall was puppies, kittens, evil ghosts, or dragons. This was the only fox mask. I had to be quick to snatch it up.” Xiao Chunhe took it off and fitted it over Yue Jingming’s face. “I bought it especially for you.”
Yue Jingming looked at him through the mask.
“I bought some food and little toys too. I put them all in my neckerchief.” Xiao Chunhe enthusiastically shared his purchases with him. “I’ll show you when we get back. Hurry and taste the drink.”
With no way to refuse, Yue Jingming took a sip of the sour-plum drink. It was rather too sweet, but faced with Xiao Chunhe’s expectant gaze, he still offered a fair assessment. “It’s good.”
Xiao Chunhe was about to take the lantern and look for Ye Shijiu when someone suddenly took the white dragon out of his hand. He turned to find Yue Jingming inspecting it. “Is this for me too?”
“Huh?” Xiao Chunhe was taken aback. “Of course it’s for you.”
Yue Jingming took the lantern, so Xiao Chunhe simply untied the neckerchief at his waist and fastened it around Yue Jingming’s wrist. “Everything in here is yours.”
Yue Jingming smiled faintly. “Many thanks, Young Master Xiao.”
That smile made Xiao Chunhe’s ears itch. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. “There’s no need to be polite, Daoist Yue. I’m yours too.”
Ji Chen had already gone on ahead. Yue Jingming raised a hand and pinched Xiao Chunhe’s reddening earlobe. “Don’t talk nonsense.”
Xiao Chunhe glanced around. Seeing no one watching, he leaned in and stole a swift kiss on Yue Jingming’s cheek. Yue Jingming gave him a warning look.
Xiao Chunhe draped an arm over his shoulders and beamed as brightly as the spring sunshine. Yue Jingming lowered his head and took several long drinks of the sweet beverage before handing the bamboo cup back. “You can have the rest.”
With that, he continued walking.
Holding the remaining half cup of sweet drink, Xiao Chunhe drained it in one breath. He hurried to catch up, elated. “Brother Jingming, I’ve got an ice cube in my mouth. Want some?”
Yue Jingming fixed his attention on the river and replied evenly, “No.”
Yet he unconsciously moved a little closer to Xiao Chunhe.
Xiao Chunhe crunched on the ice cubes. The demon-gu was aching faintly, but this was one of the rare moments when he felt truly carefree. Walking shoulder to shoulder with Yue Jingming through the bustling streets, he felt as though the sweetness of that drink had filled every bone and limb. He wished he could wrap Yue Jingming up and tumble around with him a few times.
Yue Jingming shared a piece of pastry with him. “Ji Luo left heading east.”
“Did you place a Yingshi Talisman on him?” Xiao Chunhe asked after swallowing his pastry.
“Mm. No ghost qi has appeared around him, so we’ll observe for now.” Seeing Xiao Chunhe leaning closer for more pastry, Yue Jingming added, “If you eat until you’re stuffed, you’ll turn into a little fox again.”
“I can transform even when I’m not stuffed.” Xiao Chunhe asked with studied restraint, “Do you prefer the little fox or the big fox?”
Yue Jingming lowered his eyes and thought seriously for a moment.
Xiao Chunhe grew impatient. “Hurry up! Tell me!”
Yue Jingming said, “My memory is a little hazy. You’d better transform a few more times so I can compare.”
Xiao Chunhe stared at him expressionlessly. Yue Jingming calmly looked away. Xiao Chunhe gave him an irritated pat on the chest. “In your dreams!”
Yue Jingming took the blow with a smile. Xiao Chunhe’s breath caught, and he hurriedly turned aside to compose himself.
Thank goodness this handsome Daoist rarely smiled. If he smiled at Xiao Chunhe like that every day, the demon-gu would probably have crawled all the way up to the top of his head!
* * *
Ji Luo stood in a tall pavilion and watched Ji Chen searching for him in the distance. Ye Shijiu and Liang Yun had long since vanished into the crowds. Yue Jingming and Xiao Chunhe, meanwhile, were walking together, entirely absorbed in their own intimate gestures. Neither had noticed him at all.
When he thought of how those two had interrupted his wedding night with Lu Yu, he could not help feeling angry and embarrassed. Yet jealousy was mixed in as well. Those two were free to flirt and enjoy themselves, but they had to come and ruin his good time. How infuriating!
Ji Luo rubbed his face, descended from the pavilion, removed his outer robe, changed into plainer clothes, and hurried into the crowd.
Far away, Yue Jingming said quietly, “He’s gone west. The ghost qi and resentment around him have grown much stronger.”
Xiao Chunhe gave a mocking chuckle. “You spoiled his good time, and now you’re enjoying romance yourself. No wonder he’s jealous and resentful. I imagine he’s in a hurry to summon that ghost.”
Yue Jingming said, “Follow him.”
Ji Luo traveled all the way to the muddy flats outside the western part of the city. Water plants grew thickly here, and a charity mortuary stood across the river. It was an excellent place for heavy yin qi. He bit his finger and deftly drew a formation on the bank.
Before long, Lu Yu crawled out of the formation.
“Xiaoyu.” Ji Luo took an instinctive step forward, then halted awkwardly. “Last night… you weren’t hurt, were you?”
Lu Yu fixed him with a dark expression. “There are Daoists in your house, yet you still dare summon me? Are you afraid I haven’t died thoroughly enough?”
Ji Luo frowned. “But you’re already dead.”
“…” Lu Yu ground his teeth. “That doesn’t mean I can’t be beaten until my soul scatters. I’m so weak. How am I supposed to fight those Daoists?”
Ji Luo’s eyes filled with pity. He stepped forward and embraced Lu Yu. “It was my fault. Don’t be afraid, Xiaoyu. I’ll protect you.”
“Hah.” Lu Yu laughed coldly. “You’ll protect me? If you had been able to protect me, I wouldn’t have been beaten to death and sunk into the river.”
Ji Luo’s eyes reddened, his heart aching as though cut by a knife. He stepped back in guilt, but Lu Yu caught him around the waist and pulled him tightly against his body. The fierce ghost greedily inhaled the scent of the living man, his voice cold and clinging. “Enough. Let’s not mention the past. Since we consummated our marriage last night, hurry down and keep me company.”
Ji Luo held him tenderly. “All right.”
Lu Yu smiled maliciously. “Come down and be my second wife. Then I can enjoy the good fortune of having you both.”
Ji Luo froze, shoved him away, and demanded angrily, “You really have someone else down there?”
Lu Yu’s lips curved. “Brother Luo, you love me so much. Surely you wouldn’t mind? Anyway, caring about me is nothing but talk for you. You only say you want to die to placate me. In truth, you don’t dare—”
Smack.
Ji Luo slapped him across the face.
He had held back, so the slap was neither particularly hard nor particularly light. On the fierce ghost’s cheek, it was barely stronger than a caress. Yet Lu Yu’s eyes instantly darkened. “You dare hit me?! You could never bear to lay a finger on me before.”
Ji Luo was so furious that his vision went dark. “Daoist Yue and Young Master Xiao were right! Once someone dies and becomes a ghost, he isn’t the same person he was before. My Xiaoyu could never betray me, not even in death. You accursed ghost! How dare you impersonate Lu Yu!”
Lu Yu stared at him in astonishment. “I’m impersonating Lu Yu?”
Ji Luo glared at him hatefully. “You keep claiming you’ve got someone else. Bring him up here and let me see him. What little underworld ghost dares fight me for my man?”
The dripping-wet fierce ghost choked. “He… he’s shy. He doesn’t like going out.”
“He has the nerve to be shy?” Ji Luo’s anger blazed even hotter. “Lu Yu, there had better truly be such a person down there. Otherwise, once I go below, I’ll kill him first and then you. I’ll make sure neither of you can ever reincarnate, even if your souls have to be scattered!”
The yang qi in the furious living man’s body abruptly blazed so hot that even the fierce ghost was driven back a step. Lu Yu said, “He doesn’t matter. In any case, we’ve already consummated our marriage—”
“Consummated? What consummation? We were interrupted. The wedding rites don’t count as complete!” Ji Luo was burning so fiercely with jealousy that the resentment surrounding him seemed several times stronger than the fierce ghost’s.
Lu Yu had shot himself in the foot. He hurried to soothe Ji Luo. “Actually, I made it up to deceive you. I only wanted to make you anxious.”
The yang qi around Ji Luo abruptly subsided. He hesitated. “Really?”
Lu Yu threw his arms around him and wheedled, “Really. I’m just angry that you got me killed.”
“I’ve told you so many times. I never told anyone that I wanted to elope with you. That night I gathered my travel money, disguised myself as a servant, and didn’t let anyone…” Ji Luo’s muddled thoughts suddenly cleared for an instant. He pushed Lu Yu away. “Wait. That night I ran into Ji Chen.”
Lu Yu frowned. “Brother Ji Chen?”
“What do you mean, Brother Ji Chen? I’m your brother!” Ji Luo glared at him and raised a hand to silence him. “I remember now. That night I accidentally bumped into someone, and he steadied me. But it was so dark I couldn’t see his face. He was wearing a servant’s clothes.”
“Of course. Life was hard for him then. Father, Mother, and Grandmother never paid him much attention, so he had to do menial chores around the residence.” Ji Luo muttered to himself. “He must have recognized me! And he’d been there earlier too, when someone discovered us together in the back garden!”
Lu Yu’s gaze chilled. “I’ll kill him.”
“Come back.” Ji Luo caught hold of him. “These are only my guesses. I have no proof. What if Ji Chen is innocent?”
Lu Yu said, “It must have been him. He’s always been jealous of how much everyone favored you, and he must hate you for it.”
Ji Luo said, “No. I have to get to the bottom of this!”
“What do you mean?” Lu Yu’s expression darkened.
“Xiaoyu, I’ll die a little later. First I have to find evidence that Ji Chen caused your death,” Ji Luo said. “I won’t let you have died for nothing.”
Lu Yu objected. “You should hurry up and die so you can come down to keep me company. Even if you find evidence, it won’t bring me back to life. I might as well kill him myself.”
“How could we do that?” Ji Luo pushed him away a little. “You’re so weak that you certainly couldn’t beat him. I’m still alive, so I have more ways of dealing with him than you do.”
The ghost qi surrounding Lu Yu suddenly thickened. He leaned toward Ji Luo and began unscrupulously draining the vital essence from his body. With a sinister expression, he said, “There’s no time. Tonight, when the ghost gate opens for the Thousand-Dragon Water Festival, I have to take you with me.”
Ji Luo shuddered in alarm. “I’m afraid of ghosts, Xiaoyu. Don’t frighten me.”
“Afraid of ghosts? Then why did you make such pretty sounds last night?” Lu Yu’s face contorted ferociously. He seized Ji Luo by the wrist and dragged him into the water.
Ji Luo was both embarrassed and furious. Under the terror of impending death, his thoughts cleared for an instant. The Yingshi Talisman Yue Jingming had left on him flashed faintly. In the end, his instinct to survive prevailed. He desperately grabbed a rock on the riverbank. “No! Something about this isn’t right. I have to find out the truth!”
Lu Yu clamped both of Ji Luo’s wrists together and pressed his entire ghostly body over him. His blue-black face twisted into something hideous as he roared, “None of that matters! Come down and keep me company! I want you to come down with me!!!”
Lu Yu held Ji Luo by the wrists and dragged him inch by inch into the river. A scholar’s strength could not compare with that of a fierce ghost. Despair gradually filled Ji Luo, and he slowly stopped struggling.
Fine, then. He could die just like this and go below to be with Xiaoyu… But what if Xiaoyu really had someone else in the underworld? It didn’t matter. Once he was dead, he was dead… But why should he have to be the second wife?!
Ji Luo began struggling frantically again. “Let go of me!”
Lu Yu seized him by the throat. The whites of his eyes turned an inky black and fangs protruded from his mouth as he snarled, “Come down and keep me company!!!”
Ji Luo closed his eyes in despair and let the riverwater rise over his mouth and nose.
At that very moment, countless red threads erupted from the river and wound around Ji Luo’s and Lu Yu’s arms and legs. Ji Luo felt his entire body abruptly hoisted upward, and he burst through the surface of the water.
Standing on a rock, Ye Shijiu gathered the red threads in one hand while forming a ghost hand seal with the other. “Master! Martial Uncle! I’ve caught them!”
Ji Luo lifted his head and saw Yue Jingming and Xiao Chunhe on the riverbank.
Hearing the shout, both men sprang into action. Xiao Chunhe stepped onto the red threads, grabbed Ji Luo by the arm, and began pulling him toward shore. Yue Jingming, sword in hand, struck at Lu Yu in the middle of the river. Sword and halberd collided, sending fierce qi surging in every direction. Ye Shijiu nearly slipped off his rock, but Liang Yun caught him in time.
Two willow leaves had been pasted over Liang Yun’s eyelids. Staring in shock at the red threads in the river and the dense masses of water ghosts climbing along them, he hastily obeyed Yue Jingming’s instructions and flung burning paper money toward the middle of the river.
Smelling the incense offerings, the ghosts scrambled up from the red threads and stretched out their arms to snatch the paper money fluttering through the air.
In the middle of the river, Yue Jingming and Lu Yu had already exchanged dozens of blows. Xiao Chunhe held Ji Luo’s increasingly heavy body tightly and swept his fan to drive back the dead souls climbing up from the riverbed. He shouted, “Little Ye, put more strength into it!”
Ye Shijiu desperately poured true qi into the red threads and gritted his teeth. “I can’t! There are too many water ghosts down there. Ji Luo and that fierce ghost are connected by a formation!”
Hearing this, Yue Jingming drew out a copper-coin sword bound together with red cord and slashed fiercely through the space between Ji Luo and Lu Yu.
Something seemed to snap in midair with a sharp, clear sound. Ji Luo’s body suddenly grew much lighter. Xiao Chunhe seized the chance to drag him toward shore, scattering the water ghosts blocking their path as he ran.
The resentful souls within the halberd were held in check by Ye Shijiu’s red threads. Liang Yun, though frightened, used the paper money to lure most of the water ghosts away. With a nimble leap, Xiao Chunhe hauled Ji Luo onto the bank and immediately slapped several Soul-Calming Talismans onto his forehead.
Lu Yu flew into a rage. “Stinking Daoist, you’re courting death!”
Yue Jingming continued fighting while forming hand seals and chanting. Golden light blazed ever brighter around him. A faintly manifest Ghost-Passage Talisman appeared above Lu Yu’s head. Yue Jingming shouted sternly, “Lu Yu! Why haven’t you gone down yet?”
The Ghost-Passage Talisman pressed down with a roar. Waves churned and golden light flooded the river. The water ghosts that had received paper money scattered and fled, while the wronged souls inside the halberd cried and reached toward the talisman. Yue Jingming could not bear the sight. He drew incantations on every Ghost-Passage Talisman he had and scattered them all. The wronged souls and water ghosts desperately seized the talisman papers. A road leading toward the underworld faintly appeared in the void, and the spirits raced toward it, each eager to go first.
Lu Yu remained tightly bound by the red threads in the middle of the river. Yue Jingming advised him, “Lu Yu, life and death have separated you. You’ve attained cultivation of your own, and you’re no longer a mortal of this world. Your bond with Ji Luo has reached its end. Don’t force it. Let go of your obsession and go cultivate on your own.”
The ferocious look faded from Lu Yu’s face. With reddened eyes he gazed at Ji Luo on the shore. “Ji Luo, do you truly not want me anymore?”
Ji Luo looked back at him through tears. “It’s not that I don’t want you, Xiaoyu. Just—”
“Ji Luo.” Xiao Chunhe suddenly interrupted in a low voice. “Talk to him properly. Don’t keep saying things that will deepen his obsession. If you truly want what’s best for him, persuade him to let go and cultivate in peace. He won’t come to a good end if this continues.”
With the formation Lu Yu had planted inside him severed, and several Soul-Calming Talismans placed on him, Ji Luo finally came back to his senses. He gritted his teeth and said, “Lu Yu, go back. Go back and cultivate well. I… when fate brings us together again, we’ll naturally meet.”
Lu Yu gave a bitter, desolate laugh. “Fine. Fine. If you truly don’t want this in your heart, I won’t cling to you any longer.”
As he spoke, he rose and stepped toward the path guided by the Ghost-Passage Talismans.
Yue Jingming looked toward Ye Shijiu. Taking the hint, Ye Shijiu withdrew the red threads from the river, leaving only several knots securing the formation. Liang Yun also let out a relieved breath and set the brazier aside. On the bank, Xiao Chunhe guarded Ji Luo and put away his fan.
Lu Yu slowly sank beneath the water.
“Elder Brother!” A voice suddenly rang out behind everyone. Ji Chen hurried toward them. “You mustn’t do anything foolish!”
Everything happened in an instant. Ji Chen rushed straight toward Ji Luo, but inadvertently kicked over the brazier Liang Yun had set down and tugged loose the knots Ye Shijiu had left to secure the formation. The wronged souls and water ghosts following the path toward the riverbed immediately became agitated.
A living person had barged into the rite, bringing a sudden surge of yang qi. The Soul-Passage Formation was broken, and all their efforts had come to nothing.
Yue Jingming hastily formed hand seals to stabilize the formation. Xiao Chunhe was so furious he kicked Ji Chen away. Ye Shijiu and Liang Yun scrambled to repair the damage, but it was already too late. In the river, Lu Yu saw Ji Chen and was suddenly overcome by hatred. He summoned his halberd and charged straight at him. Yue Jingming raised his sword to block, but Lu Yu immediately wheeled around, snatched the still-stunned Ji Luo beside him, and plunged into the river.
“Put him down!” Xiao Chunhe, who was closest to Ji Luo, reacted in an instant. He caught Ji Luo by the lower leg and was dragged into the river after him.
Yue Jingming followed without the slightest hesitation, leaping into the water.
Liang Yun cried anxiously, “What are we going to do now?!”
Seething with fury, Ye Shijiu took a length of red cord and tied up Ji Chen. He said viciously, “You’d better pray to Heaven that my master and martial uncle are all right. If even a single hair on their heads is harmed, I’ll send you and your whole family down to keep those water ghosts company!”
With that, he grabbed Liang Yun by the collar and leaped into the river with him.
Liang Yun was horrified. “Do I have to go too… glug, glug… Help! I can’t swim… glug, glug…”
From the shore, Ji Chen stared in terror as they went down one after another. His expression shifted unpredictably. “Madmen! They’re all a bunch of madmen who don’t care whether they live or die!”
The dew lay heavy in the late-autumn night. Gradually the muddy surface of the river returned to stillness, with no further movement at all.