Chapter 20: Soul Search

This evil spirit had already transformed into a fearsome fiend, terrifyingly powerful, yet it seemed to be trapped by something. I had no idea why this malevolent being had come for me, but what I needed to do now was find her before she found me, learn her origins, and destroy her in advance.

With this thought, I hurriedly gathered the remains of the white powdered medicine from the floor, along with the inexplicably appeared white dress and embroidered shoes, and threw them all into the furnace, burning them to ashes. Then, I filled a basin with clear water, poured the blackened ashes into it, and began to recite the soul-seeking incantation recorded in the Grand River-Quelling Canon.

"Heaven’s command returns to my heart, nine heavens pursue the soul, three springs turn beneath my hand, and the soul is revealed to heaven and earth!" As the chant ended, I formed the necessary hand seals and drew a forceful arc through the air, pointing sharply at the basin of ashen water on the floor.

In that instant, the basin began to shake. The ashes, shifting and swirling, arranged themselves into the silhouette of mountains and rivers. There were peaks and streams within the basin, one main summit towering above all, much higher than the surrounding mountains. Beneath this main peak, in the river below, a cluster of ashes spun ceaselessly.

That was where the fiend resided. I fixed my gaze on the whirling mass of dark ash, but before I could memorize the landscape within the basin, a wave of murderous energy erupted from the water. With a deafening bang, the metal basin burst apart, drenching me in ashen water.

Clearly, the fiend had sensed my attempt to track her and shattered my soul-seeking spell. Fear welled up within me—her powers were formidable, likely beyond anything I could contend with. If I didn’t uncover who was targeting me before she broke free, I truly might lose my life.

I fetched a dry towel and wiped my face clean, then resumed examining the footprints on the floor. The icy prints had completely vanished with the departure of the evil spirit, but another set—those of a living person—had become even more distinct with time. I estimated the size: about a forty-four. Feet that large were uncommon. Though Crossing River City was vast, few people knew my address on my very first day here. I resolved to investigate once morning came. If I could track down those who had my address and compare their shoe sizes, I’d be able to find the one who wished me harm.

Having settled on this plan, I checked the time—past four in the morning. In just a few hours, dawn would break. Surely that evil spirit would not return again tonight. Relieved, I returned to bed to catch some much-needed rest.

Luckily, nothing strange happened in the house during the second half of the night, and I slept soundly. It was not until a knocking at the door awoke me the next morning that I stirred. Thinking it might be a customer, I hurriedly got up and opened the shop door.

Standing outside was a girl in a red dress, short-haired and delicate, her eyes red and cheeks sorrowful. It was Bai Xiaoli. She looked as though she had just cried her heart out.

"Xiaoli, what’s wrong?" I quickly invited her in, fetched a stool, and had her sit before pouring her a cup of hot water. Throughout, Bai Xiaoli only stared at me in silence, as if she were a changed person, the joy she’d shown when we met yesterday utterly gone.

She did not touch the water I’d poured. Instead, she reached into her pocket, took out the pocket watch I had given her the day before, and handed it back to me, saying quietly, "Pi Yangxi, I’m returning this to you…"