Chapter 253: Letting Go Completely

Chapter 253 -252: Letting Go Completely

“Why don’t you experience what it’s like to be dismembered, too.”

As the female ghost’s voice faded, dense Yin Qi surged from all directions, enveloping the man and seeping into his nose, ears, and mouth…

The man let out a pained whimper and quickly collapsed. The scene from that day flashed before his eyes, only this time, he was the one on the stone slab.

The man didn’t last long before he stopped breathing.

The female ghost finally showed a hint of emotion, sneering, “How useless.”

Seeing that things had wrapped up, Gu Qingyin walked over and clapped her hands to get the attention of all the victims’ souls. “Alright, girls, time to line up for reincarnation. Line up in order of death. Of course, you can cut in line if you want, as long as the ghost in front of you doesn’t mind.”

The victims’ souls looked at each other, then began to move about chaotically. Once they had formed a line, almost every soul at the front was holding the hand of a child.

Gu Qingyin sighed to herself. ‘Sometimes, even ghosts are more humane than people.’

Zhang Qiuyan came over to help. As the two of them performed the purification rites, the old courtyard quickly emptied.

Changsheng’s mother was the last one. She nodded gratefully at Gu Qingyin and Zhang Qiuyan, waiting with a look of relief for them to send her on her way.

But after a flash of white light, she was still there.

The female ghost was stunned. Gu Qingyin’s brow furrowed. “Do you have some unfulfilled wish?”

The female ghost shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

Gu Qingyin didn’t believe her. “Do you want to see Changsheng one last time?”

The female ghost fell silent.

Gu Qingyin understood. “Let’s go. We’ll take you to him.”

Zhang Qiuyan, getting the hint, took out her Compass to find his location. Without the interference from the other victims’ souls, the Compass quickly pointed to Changsheng’s position.

Zhang Qiuyan was a little surprised. “He’s not far. Just up ahead.”

The female ghost, however, wasn’t surprised at all. “He’s always like this. Sometimes he just stands at the gate. Sometimes, when he can’t take it anymore, he runs into the courtyard. This is actually the farthest he’s gone.”

The two women and the ghost left the courtyard, and before they had gone far, they saw an expressionless Changsheng by the side of the road.

“Go on. Your mom wants to say a few words to you before she leaves.” Gu Qingyin was blunt. “If you want to see her, go back to the courtyard. If not, fine. I’ll give you five minutes to think about it. When time’s up, I’m sending her on her way.”

With that, Gu Qingyin pulled Zhang Qiuyan back to the courtyard, leaving the female ghost behind. It wasn’t like Changsheng could see her anyway.

Once they were some distance away, Zhang Qiuyan asked nervously, “What if Changsheng doesn’t come? Does that mean his mother will never be able to reincarnate?”

“She will,” Gu Qingyin said, glancing back and gesturing for her to look. “It’s best if Changsheng comes, of course. But if he doesn’t, his mom will have seen his attitude. That should be enough for her to give up completely and leave.”

In the end, it was her identity as a mother that kept the ghost from being truly ruthless toward Changsheng. Once her heart was broken completely, she would be forced to let go of everything she couldn’t before.

Zhang Qiuyan had a sudden realization. ‘Qing Yin sees things so clearly. We look about the same age, so why do I feel like a clueless child in front of her?’

Zhang Qiuyan sank into a state of self-loathing, her face filled with misery.

Gu Qingyin gave her a strange look. ‘What’s with that expression? It’s not like she needs to empathize that much.’

Before she could ask, Changsheng walked over with a heavy expression—it was truly rare to see such gravity on a child’s face, a testament to how life’s hardships had forced him to mature prematurely.

But that was no excuse for being an accomplice to a villain.

“Where is she?” Changsheng asked expressionlessly as he entered the courtyard.

Gu Qingyin raised an eyebrow and snapped her fingers. The female ghost instantly materialized, standing right next to Changsheng.

Changsheng was clearly startled.

Seeing this, Gu Qingyin offered a “kind” reminder: “Your mother has been following you the whole time, you know.”

Changsheng’s face turned even paler. He swallowed hard, mustered his courage, and looked up at the person who appeared in his dreams every night.

She had changed so much. A look of confusion appeared in Changsheng’s eyes, and for a moment, he didn’t dare to recognize her. But he quickly confirmed that this strange female ghost before him was, indeed, his mother.

She called to him, “Zai Zai.”

Changsheng’s lips moved, but in the end, he couldn’t bring himself to say the word.

Getting no response, the female ghost didn’t seem to mind. She tried her best to make her smile less frightening and whispered her instructions, “Grandpa Niu next door is very fond of you. If you’re ever hungry and can’t find food, go to him. Tell him you’re willing to take care of him in his old age, and he won’t let you starve.”

Changsheng watched her, still not speaking.

The female ghost continued, “Once the famine is over, you must study hard. Get good grades, leave these mountains, and go see the outside world.”

“I have to go now.” The female ghost, whether intentionally or not, avoided calling herself his mother. “Zai Zai, when you grow up, you must be a good person.”

The female ghost looked at Gu Qingyin. “I’ll have to trouble you.”

Gu Qingyin acknowledged her. “Let’s begin.”

Seeing this, Changsheng anxiously took a step forward. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

The female ghost didn’t turn around. “There’s no need,” she said softly.

Gu Qingyin began to chant the incantation. In all her years, this was the first time she had ever recited it so slowly.

The female ghost’s body began to glow.

Changsheng grew more frantic and blurted out, “I did it on purpose! I knew what he wanted to do, but if I didn’t obey, I would have been the one to die! You said it! You said you’d do anything for me! You said you’d even give your life for me!”

At this, Changsheng’s voice choked with sobs, and he finally looked like the child he was supposed to be.

The female ghost still didn’t look back at him. Her voice was unnaturally calm. “Mm, I don’t blame you.”

Those were her last words. As her voice faded, she was finally sent on her way, a sign that she had truly and completely let go.

Gu Qingyin watched the devastated Changsheng and inwardly curled her lip. ‘That was on purpose. I deliberately waited until she said those words before sending her off. Let him guess. Let him wonder if his mother ever truly forgave him.’

From now on, this moment would follow Changsheng for the rest of his life, a constant torment to his soul. That was the real punishment.

“Let’s go. Time to head back.”

The matter was settled. Gu Qingyin turned and walked away. ‘Another day of pro bono work,’ she thought, ‘and inside the Ghost King’s illusion, no less. This is insane.’

Zhang Qiuyan hesitated for a moment before walking over to Changsheng. “Remember your mother’s words,” she said softly. “Study hard, be a good person, and don’t disappoint her again.”

Changsheng wept silently, staring at the spot where his mom had vanished.

Zhang Qiuyan sighed and turned to leave.

They were almost back at the courtyard when Zhang Qiuyan spoke again. “What do you think Changsheng will be like when he grows up?”

Gu Qingyin smiled but didn’t answer directly. “What’s done is done. Why trouble yourself over it?”

Zhang Qiuyan paused, then smiled with relief.

‘That’s true. Who knows how many years ago all this happened in the illusion anyway.’