“The red one. Oh, all of these are so pretty.” A maiden at a small clothing store chirped with pure enthusiasm as she held the red fabric in her hands, caressing and inspecting its beauty.

  This was the Yincu village, small, reserved and distant from any other villages. The people here mind their own business. A village known for its peaceful atmosphere but crude law. Small houses and stalls littered around the small area this village covers right after the Chenlian mountain. If seen from the perspective of fulfillment, this village did not lack any facilities. There were houses to live in, shops to buy, small clinics for healthcare, schools for little children and any other facility one must need for daily use. However what this village lacked were incense, worshipping and gods. In a small village like this it would have been easier to spot a temple however to anyone’s surprise there were none.

  “This one and this, this, this. Please pack these for me!” The maiden exclaimed with joy being able to spot and grab her favorite pieces. Her caretaker besides her only shook her head seeing the noble’s excitement. Seems like the maiden was not just any ordinary girl but a daughter to a noble who visited this village for its unique embroidery and silk.

  The shopkeeper did not bother asking which village or town had they arrived from, he saw his customers and they must be satisfied. “Sure sure. Let me pack these quickly.” The shopkeeper happily arranged the items picked by the noble maiden, and started folding them in a neat bundle. Just then the nobleness spoke again. “Why is it so dull today? Where are the people? The street of such a beautiful embroidery shop must be filled with more people who appreciate its art.”

  At that the shopkeeper fell silent. His movement became less enthusiastic as he sighed harshly, “Nothing important madam.”

  “Is it because of that.. ghost?” The noble maiden pressed in, blinking with curiosity as she asked that question.

  “The noble maiden already knows the reason. Why should she ask?” The shopkeeper does not sound as friendly as he was a moment ago. His expressions however were indifferent as he packed the remaining two silk folds.

  “Aiioo, It's a very interesting story how you all are handling this on your own. Who wouldn't be fascinated and eager to know it. If this humble shopkeeper could share a little, we would be happy! Right, Yumia?”

  The caretaker besides the noble woman flinched upon being called out so suddenly. Regaining consciousness she nodded quickly, not wanting to upset the nobleness.

  The Shopkeeper exchanged a few glances with his wife who sat in a distance, weaving fabric. He turned his attention back to his customers and spoke in a troubled manner, “It's been a few months since this ghost had started haunting this village. We don't even know if this is a case of a ghost or an illness. People claim to see something and then they'll have tremors. Truly unfortunate.” The shopkeeper said sympathetically, shaking his head.

  “Oh my.. that is very scary.” The noble maiden joined her hands in front of her chest, swallowing softly to add to her visible fear. Seeing the exaggeration the caretaker made a look.

  “Is this the reason why there's no people on this street?” The noble maiden asked.

  “No.” The shopkeeper shook his head. “This area is closer to Mount Chenlian. Most victims claimed to see the ghost in that area.” The shopkeeper pointed at the starting line of the dense trees forming an entrance to a forest near the curve of the mountain. “So, people rarely dare to come in this area, fearing they might see the ghost and go crazy themselves.”

  “Why did you not at least pray to martial gods for protection?” Finally the caretaker beside the noble maiden spoke. She sat there silently beside the nobleness the whole time, anyone would think she couldn't speak, but she in fact did speak. “This seems like a big problem.. Months of haunting are nothing normal.”

  “.....”

  The shopkeeper did not look happy hearing that. He held back hoping the two would take that back, but only one did. The nobleness spoke suddenly and quickly, covering the mouth of her caretaker, “Ah! Forgive her! She is not aware of this village’s custom! Um! Can I have my purchase please?”

  The shopkeeper and the nobleness completed the process of purchasing. She handed the shopkeeper his share of money for the fabrics and the shopkeeper handed her the purchase which was later passed to the caretaker. They then immediately fled from the shop, not wanting to spend one more minute under an angry shop owner.

  The shopkeeper took one last glance at the two distancing women before heading back inside his shop.

  After coming to a stop at a great distance, the fair maiden turned to her caretaker and screamed. “Yue what in the misfortune star were you doing!” Where they stood was quite far from the shop, almost at the side of Mount Chenlian, hidden behind tall trees. Finally Mei Wu dropped the disguise and returned to her original form. “That shopkeeper would have thrown both of us out without any fabric!” she complained.

  That's right! If the fair maiden was Mei Wu, the caretaker was none other than Nian Yue. Nian Yue dropped the bags off her hands and Mei Wu immediately dashed to catch them as if her soul was stuck inside those bags. “Are you worried about us being thrown out or losing the fabric?” said Nian Yue.

  “Either you are dumb or pretend to be dumb. Nian Yue, out of all people I didn't expect you to make such a mistake.” Mei Wu scowled, disappointed.

  “I did not make any mistake,” Nian Yue said indifferently. She turned her head in another direction, wearing a sullen face as Mei Wu started lecturing her. Suddenly from the corner of her eyes she spotted something.. someone. A dash of a figure, small and fluid behind a distance tree, peeking at them before running away. Who was that?

  “Did not make a mistake? Oh now you know–” Mei Wu couldn't finish her sentence before she saw Nian Yue running in the direction deeper inside the forest. “Nian Yue!” Mei Wu called out in hopes that the goddess would listen and stop but all she saw was Nian Yue’s disappearing figure as the dense trees swallowed her shadow whole. She clicked her tongue and rubbed her face roughly. All the pretty colors on her face mixed into each other. “I’m never going on a mission with her ever again.”

  Nian Yue came to a sudden stop, catching her run out breath. Her eyes trailed around the area—one tree to another Nian Yue searched for a figure she barely saw. Was that a child? The figure was black, as if a bundle of black mist, forming a figure of a human. Head, limbs and a torso but the details were merely there. If what she saw was right then this wasn't a normal child but a ghost.

  Keeping the lead in mind she continued to descend inside the forest. Time passed, however, Nian Yue didn't seem to find anything, only the never ending trail of trees and the occasional chirping of birds. She was getting frustrated, her chest raised and fell as she breathed to calm herself. Sun shined sharp over her head and that's the last thing she could wish for.

  She took another deep breath to gather the courage to continue, even when she knew searching was meaningless. She can't find the ghost like this. Then why was she wasting her time? The reason was clear, Nian Yue saw something, she couldn't just let it go because she was useless under the gaze of the sun. Not fully after all.

  She was aware that her spirit calling might not work under the divine light of the sun, but she could at least try? Nian Yue took a few steps back until she was under the shade of a tree. She lifted her hands and interlocked the fingers of her both hands together. She then closed her eyes. Silver light emitted from her body, the kind of light that filters through curtains at night, a shimmer in darkness. Her simple white robes of disguise fluttered as she began chanting wordlessly.

  Spirits of all kinds, don't be afraid. If you can hear me, show yourself. I am here to listen to you. I am here to help you.

  All divine beings were in fact capable of sensing the presence of negative and calling out to them, but calling out and connecting were two different things. Nian Yue's voice was a mimic of warmth to cold hearts, and cool to the burning ones. Her words were like a nest to those seeking a place to rest, a place to hide, longing for connection beyond what they are. And since Nian Yue has sworn to not lift weapons against souls regardless of what they have done, the conveying words naturally draw the souls towards her. Her mere presence had the power to attract the lost spirits and those longing to be heard. So if the child ghost was around, he must respond or at least hear her.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Suddenly, the forest fell silent, the chirping of birds and the blowing of leaves came to a sudden stop. It was believed that when a strange occurrence has been sensed by nature, they would warn others, Just like this—hide, do not move. But as Nian Yue focused further, that doesn't seem to be the case. There was no energy she had reached out to yet, nor could she feel it. Likely it's her own voice trying to echo in the empty forest. She tried once again.

  Nian Yue had no intention of ending the call but each time when the silver energy within her rose the rays from the sun would burn it away, causing her voice to cut before she could even connect. She couldn't convey her message no matter how many times she tried or how close she was. Frustrated, she decided to give it one last try, if it didn't work then she would simply give up.

  “.....”

  “...!”

  She was blocked once again, however this time it wasn't the sun that blocked her energy. Her neck was starting to burn, her throat turned dry. She knows how fragile and sensitive her neck and the area of her throat could be, but was that all?

  Nian Yue suddenly choked on nothing as if something just knocked the breath out of her throat. Her already shut eyes squeezed tightly. In the darkness of her closed eyes she saw something—An endless void then a mist of a strange energy clouding her view. It was dark but colorful, as if mist silks were wrapping themselves around her mind in a painful and throbbing knot. At the same time, she felt a ghost of a pressure around her neck, the gentle but painful pressure soon became suffocating. Someone or something was blocking her throat chakra.

  Nian Yue tried to open her eyes and cast a spell to break herself free from the unknown energy trying to choke her but before she could do it the energy disappeared on its own with the same fluidness it appeared, out of the blue. Confused, as the pressure lifted her throat, Nian Yue opened her eyes, wondering at its wake how strange this incident was, but then instead she was met with another bewilderment.

  A pair of dark eyes stared down at her, hidden behind the gloom of tree leaves. The pair of eyes were as alluring as celestial nebula colored in purple yet as horrifying as singularity traps. The black, prominent point in the center of those eyes looked no less than the black holes that swallow one whole.

  Nian Yue was horrified and mesmerized at the same time. Never have she seen a pair of eyes so beautiful it horrifies her, not just the moment but the mere ambience of those.

  Nian Yue wanted to speak, an urge to call out, but no matter what she thought in the end it would all melt away and nothing would come out. Those eyes were hypnotizing that much she knew without a doubt. Stable as if a splendid statue carved out of dazzling jade. Until, those eyes smiled at her, breaking her out of her daydream.

  She was curious, alas she couldn't see the figure of the owner of those alluring eyes. That part of the forest was especially dense with a single pool of sunlight filtering between her and those eyes. However, this was neither the fault of the dense trees nor the lack of sunlight at the place, Nian Yue was staring so intently she didn't realize she was staring through sunlight, and now her eyes felt flashy. Before, she could see the silhouette of a figure behind the trees, but now she couldn't see anything properly. Everything was flashy.

  She immediately shook her head and rubbed her eyes desperately, trying to gain at least a little of her vision. She feared that when she would open her eyes she wouldn't find those eyes again and unfortunately she was right. Behind that one tree where once a figure stood, now there was no one. “Wait!” She called out, almost desperately. Her foot raised and then she took a step forward, wanting to chase down the unknown figure.

  She abruptly paused when she felt a hand over her shoulder. Nian Yue turned around with a swift motion and almost clawed the face of the intruder out of instinct but couldn't as the person started screaming. “Wait! Wait! Wait!!!”

  Nian Yue blinked and then threw an irritated look when Mei Wu’s anxious face came into her view. Her fingers that were still curled into a claw hovered over Mei Wu’s face, very tempted to reach forward and really ruin it. She let out a harsh sigh and took a step back to put a distance between her and the goddess. “Pardon.”

  “You almost ruined my FACE!!” Mei Wu complained and immediately cupped her cheeks before turning away from Nian Yue. She internally thanked the gods of beauty for protecting her this one time, or heaven knows what could have happened to her in three realms, the most beautiful face.

  “How did you find me?” Nian Yue asked.

  “Gods! I had to find you! What would I answer to general Yuelin if I lost his dear descendant!?” Mei Wu said, a little overwhelmed, “That his dear descendant niece is running around in the woods doing god knows what?”

  “....” Nian Yue stayed silent. For a moment she debated whether she should let the goddess know what she had seen. In the end only half of it came out. “I saw a child.”

  Mei Wu blinked, surprised. She then let a snicker arch on her lips, tilting her head to the side. “So you ran behind it?” Mei Wu clicked her tongue a few times while shaking her head. “If you had seen a true vengeful ghost, you would have at least a sum of effect. You seem fine to me.”

  What Mei Wu said felt true to an extent but Nian Yue couldn't deny what she saw and what she encountered. What she felt. The child, the pressure on her throat, the purple eyes. Everything feels so dreamlike. For a moment Nian Yue doubted whether she was even awake.

  Mei Wu chucked and patted Nian Yue’s shoulder. She sighed in relief, which was a mere showcase to Nian Yue. “Poor child. I understand. All of this is new to you. You’ll get used to it, don't worry–” Suddenly Mei Wu turned her head to the direction she came, alerted. Nian Yue noticed the sudden change in atmosphere as well, as Mei Wu fell silent. Nian Yue was prepared too.

  Mei Wu handed the bags she’s been holding to Nain Yue with a smug smile and then changed into her disguise once again. Nain Yue was confused but did not argue.

  “There! There they are!”

  Loud voices and shouts approached their way causing the two goddesses to tense in their place. The shouts continued until a group of men emerged from behind the tall trees. They all wore uptight and irritated faces. It didn't help when they finally found who they were looking for.

  “What are you two doing here deep in the forest!” One of the men from the group asked. His tone was no less than a growl of an angry animal.

  “Oh no. I think we disturbed this lovely village.” The fair maiden or Mei Wu smiled and put on a guilty face. “Yumia saw something and that's how we ended up here.” It wasn't a lie after all.

  “Who are you? Where did you come from!”

  Mei Wu was confused, both by the tone and the question as the men snarled at them. She raised an eyebrow as if asking, why? Her question was immediately answered when they spotted a familiar figure among the group of the men. The shopkeeper from earlier was with them, looking equally crazed.

  “These two are the ones who keep asking about the ghost. That one even mentioned those unfortunate celestials!” He said while pointing at Nian Yue and the group grew enraged.

  Nian Yue grew uneasy. Her guts stirred. Mei Wu on the other hand was irritated. She forced a crooked smile on her lips and spoke. “What are you talking about? What is wrong with mentioning one's deity? Everyone has different beliefs.”

  “Silence! If you do not know about the law here, do not speak!” A man snarled, taking offence in Mei Wu’s words.

  “I don't think they are the oblivious ones. They knew exactly what was offensive when that maid offered her useless advice.” The shopkeeper spoke with the same bitterness.

  “....” Mei Wu ran out of the little patience she had. She eyed the shopkeeper and the man took a step back, coughing in his hand. “What exactly do you want from us?” Mei Wu asked at last. A crooked smile was all she could offer before she decided to take the matters in her hand.

  Nian Yue besides Mei Wu couldn't take it anymore. She fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve, fearing she might have to take the step she couldn't handle the consequences of.

  The group wasn't happy with Mei Wu’s comment. The men gritted their teeth as the topic became heated. Their expressions show their hatred towards the two girls. “You.. You have some connection with those cloud entities do you?” One of them accused the two girls.

  “Forgive me!” Suddenly Nian Yue fell on her knees. Her head lowered with shame. Her hands were joined together in front of her chest as if asking for mercy. “I did not mean to offend you at all!”

  Mei Wu had her eyes wide open. Her lips fell apart, surprised beyond measure. She did not expect Nian Yue to do such a thing. She narrowed her eyes and immediately distanced herself from Nian Yue. After all, she's nothing like apologetic to these stubborn villagers, and thus will not take part in this lowly act.

  The group was shocked at the sudden change in the maid’s attitude. However they took it for another tactic and hissed again. “What is this! Do you think we’ll let you two go just like this!?”

  “No, my madam has nothing to do with what I did. I..” Nian Yue did not dare raise her head. “I’m from Yueyou. I sneaked out of my village to offer help without my kingdom nor my madam knowing.”

  ___ ____ ___

  To be continued:-