Chapter 1: The Ghost of the Imperial City

In early autumn, the great bell of the imperial city chimed three times, and a chilly drizzle began to fall.

As dusk approached, a gate on one side of the imperial city silently opened. Two rows of paper umbrellas, interspersed with faintly red lanterns, slowly moved through the gateway.

The middle-aged man leading the procession, clad in official robes and a cap, paused briefly after passing through the gate. He gazed with a solemn expression at the path, shrouded in misty rain, winding between deep courtyards and high walls.

"Elder Ning, please come in."

The man addressed as Elder Ning was an old man named Ning Qinshui. Over seventy years old, with white hair, he meticulously wore a Taoist robe and a Taoist topknot. Though his face was very gaunt, the keen glint deep within his pupils resembled an unextinguished ember beneath ashes.

Behind the old man followed a boy and a girl, both similarly dressed in Taoist attire.

The boy appeared to be fifteen or sixteen, while the girl was younger. Both were slender and delicate. They walked with their heads bowed, occasionally raising their gaze slightly to secretly observe the grand, distant palaces within the imperial city.

In the fine drizzle, the imperial city appeared exceptionally quiet and serene.

After traversing a long corridor, majestic halls came into view. The boy, dressed in simple Taoist attire, felt a growing sense of oppression and subtle unease. His steps slowed. The young girl beside him glanced at him, a smirk playing on her lips, her expression disdainful.

The middle-aged man led the three into a palace courtyard, which was quite large. Maidservants, holding umbrellas and tending to the flowers and trees, bowed slightly upon seeing the middle-aged man.

Skirting a spirit screen and passing through a long corridor, the man led them forward. A side room at the end was open. The middle-aged man explained, "The master of this place is currently away. Elder, you and your two disciples may settle here for now. Regarding the exorcism and purification, a master of ceremonies will come to discuss it with you later."

Ning Qinshui's fingers, which had been subtly moving within his sleeve, suddenly stopped. He turned to glance at the man and chuckled, "It doesn't matter for an old man like me, but my two disciples are young. Being contaminated by malevolent energy is no small matter; they cannot stay in this haunted house."

The middle-aged man's expression subtly changed, and he asked with a smile, "Elder, why do you say that?"

Ning Qinshui smiled faintly, knowing the man had brought him here to test him. Instead of stepping over the threshold, he took a copper coin from his sleeve and lightly tossed it. The coin landed precisely on the threshold but didn't stop. Instead, it tumbled and bounced as if alive, finally leaping back into the old man's outstretched palm.

Ning Qinshui closed his hand, gripping the coin tightly, his expression growing more solemn. After a moment, he spoke slowly.

"The owner of this room died three days ago. The lingering malevolent energy suggests they were possessed and died by suicide. Someone performed a ritual here, but that person… also died. Everyone in the household has also fallen ill to varying degrees. If not for our arrival today, this palace courtyard would likely be sealed, wouldn't it?"

The middle-aged man gazed deeply at him, his expression filled with admiration and approval. He raised a hand, and the maidservants and the women trimming the trees retreated. Once they were alone, the man cupped his hands and said:

"The rumors are indeed true; Elder's Taoist methods are clearly distinct from those who came before. I brought you here today with the intention of testing you, but it seems there's no hiding your ability. Please don't take offense, Elder."

Ning Qinshui smiled faintly, "It's alright. I know several itinerant Taoists with insufficient skill have died here before. Your testing my abilities was also for my sake."

"This courtyard is indeed unsuitable for residence. Please allow me to escort you to another courtyard." The man nodded slightly. "Elder, when would you be able to perform the ritual?"

Ning Qinshui glanced at the darkening sky, where the rain was beginning to subside.

"At midnight," the old man said, his voice slightly hoarse. "By then, I hope that lord will not forget his promise."

"Of course not," the man smiled. "My name is Song Ce. If there's anything else unclear, just send someone to find me."

Their voices faded, and a small vermilion bird on the eaves shook off the rain and flew away.

"I often tell you both that we Taoist practitioners uphold righteousness, like a candle flame in the night. No matter how overwhelming the darkness, it cannot extinguish that tiny glimmer of light. So, as long as you stay close to me, there's no need to panic. Even if things don't go as planned, we can simply escape."

Ning Qinshui sat in a grand armchair, looking at the boy and girl standing beside him, and spoke earnestly, "Later, during the ritual, both of you must remember to keep your minds pure. Do not entertain any perverse or malicious thoughts, or evil spirits might seize the opportunity to enter. If that happens, your master won't be able to save you. Changjiu, Xiaoling, have you remembered?"

The boy's name was Ning Changjiu, and the girl's name was Ning Xiaoling.

Ning Changjiu listened meticulously with his head bowed. When the old man asked, he respectfully nodded, "I've remembered."

The girl also spoke respectfully. With her head bowed, her eyes subtly shifted, revealing a hint of disdain and resentment.

Ning Qinshui nodded and said, "Then both of you should meditate and calm your minds. At midnight, you will join your master in subduing the demons."

"Yes," they replied in unison.

After giving his instructions, Ning Qinshui rose and walked out the door. Once outside, he flicked his whisk, and the door closed with a soft thud. The old man looked back, his gaze cold, as if looking at corpses.

The boy and girl had not truly embarked on serious Taoist cultivation and naturally did not perceive Ning Qinshui's cold gaze through the closed door.

Ning Changjiu, heeding his master's advice, sat cross-legged and chanted softly.

Ning Xiaoling glanced at him and said coldly, "Idiot, do you really believe that old geezer's nonsense?"

Ning Changjiu ignored her and continued to meditate.

Ning Xiaoling sat in the grand armchair, her small body seemingly curled up within it. She crossed her slender legs, her hands resting on her knees, but she wasn't meditating. Instead, she lightly tapped her knees, saying indignantly, "You idiot probably can't tell, but that old geezer's way of looking at us has been getting stranger lately. Sometimes it's like he's looking at his hidden gold and silver, and sometimes it's like he's looking at..."

She pursed her lips, not finishing her thought, and sighed, "Anyway, he might sell us off any time."

Ning Changjiu opened his eyes in displeasure and retorted, "Our master bought us, and he hasn't treated us badly. Why would you say such things?"

Ning Xiaoling let out a cold laugh. "What has he taught us all these years?"

Ning Changjiu stubbornly replied, "Master must have his reasons."

Ning Xiaoling scoffed, then sighed, "When you buy chicks and ducklings and raise them, do you teach them martial arts or human principles? No, you just wait until they're plump, then either sell them or slaughter them to eat."

Ning Changjiu was uncomfortable with her analogy. He frowned, wanting to argue, but he was at a loss for words and didn't know how to respond.

He simply didn't understand why his junior sister, who looked so delicate and lovely, often spoke such harsh words.

"Ah..." Ning Xiaoling let out a long sigh. She stopped pretending to meditate. Sitting in the chair, she gently swung her lower legs, her head resting on the backrest, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

She, too, didn't understand why her senior brother, who seemed so spirited, could be so obtuse.

"Actually..." Ning Changjiu hesitated for a moment before speaking uncertainly, "Lately, as we've gotten closer to the imperial city, I keep remembering some strange things."

"Strange things?" Ning Xiaoling became a little interested.

Ning Changjiu nodded. "I often see a Taoist temple. It feels very familiar, as if I've lived there since I was little."

Ning Xiaoling asked, puzzled, "What kind of Taoist temple?"

Ning Changjiu shook his head. "Just a very ordinary one. The temple door is always closed, but inside, there seem to be seven... no, eight people!"

Ning Xiaoling laughed. "Idiot senior brother, the ritual hasn't even begun, and you're already possessed?"

"I don't know either," Ning Changjiu shook his head, smiling self-deprecatingly, thinking how increasingly muddled he was becoming.

He silently recalled his master's teachings and recited a few calming incantations. His heart slowly settled, and he stopped thinking about those elusive matters.

The girl took some dry, cold pastry and slowly chewed it. She watched the night descend outside the window, carrying her secret and confidence, yet feeling increasingly uneasy.

Time passed slowly. Ning Xiaoling thumped the armchair backrest with her fists, growing more and more agitated.

Ning Qinshui returned when it was almost midnight. "Preparations are mostly complete. Come with me."

Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling followed him out. As they closed the door, Ning Changjiu whispered, "Junior sister, don't be scared. I'll protect you."

*You* should be the one who's scared, thought Ning Xiaoling with a cold snort. She pretended not to see the beads of sweat on his forehead, inwardly calling him an idiot, but still nodded slightly.

Ning Qinshui took two yellow talismans from his sleeve and handed one to each of them. He said gravely, "These are protective talismans. Keep them on you. If anything unexpected happens later, they can save your lives."

Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling took the paper talismans and thanked their master in unison.

Night fog gradually enveloped the imperial city.