Dragon Coffin

Chapter 7 Jade

"Hey, kid, was that really a ghost I saw last night?" Su Bai rubbed his eyes. The scene from the previous night was still fresh in his mind. He had spent several hours trying to digest it and now sat weakly in the antique shop, staring at Yue Qing, the so-called Maoshan technique successor.

Su Bai had asked around and found that the so-called Maoshan technique was a mysterious Taoist skill from Chinese legend, capable of exorcising ghosts and subduing demons, inspiring awe and reverence. Initially known as the Jade Maiden's Divine Art, the existence of Maoshan practitioners was already bizarre. As for his own constitution, it wasn't unheard of either. So, what the boss and Yue Qing's father said carried some credibility, making the situation all the more troublesome!

The ghost path at the crossroads had been broken. Although the person responsible had not been caught, no more ghosts had appeared nearby. Yue Qing naturally wouldn't let go of the person behind that figure. Unfortunately, there were no clues now, and he had to turn his attention to the mark on his own hand.

"Absolutely real," Yue Qing said. "Do you want to cooperate with me?"

"Kid, you said it's absolutely real. I saw it clearly last night too." Su Bai weakly held his forehead. "A ghost possession is no joke. You need to stick with me."

Yue Qing suddenly extended his hand in front of Su Bai. On the back of his hand was a golden lotus mark, which looked like it could be a sticker at first glance. But Su Bai rubbed it hard, until Yue Qing's hand was red, without any change. "It's really natural. Damn, it's unique."

"A lotus," Yue Qing said with a wry smile. "Just like the folk legend that Yang Yuhuan had a jade ring on her arm at birth, I was born with a golden birthmark on the back of my hand. Ordinary people have black birthmarks, but mine is golden. They say the nurse who delivered me was scared out of her wits. I was lucky not to be sent to a research institute for study."

"The shape alone doesn't reveal much," Su Bai said. "I can't help you at all."

"Over the years, my father has also made some efforts. There's a place with the same pattern as the one on my hand." Yue Qing said, extending his hand closer for Su Bai to see. "A lotus is also called a water lily. Have you heard the origin of the water lily?"

"My IQ is 180, and you’re testing me with such a simple question?" Su Bai laughed. "It's said that the water lily is the incarnation of a beautiful maid, Yu Ji, from the Queen Mother of the West's side. Yu Ji sneaked down to the mortal world and lingered, unwilling to leave. When the Queen Mother of the West found out, she used a lotus throne to trap Yu Ji in the lake, embedding her in the mud forever, never to return to the heavens. For a guy to have such a feminine mark on his hand is really annoying."

"I don't feel like you're sympathizing with me," Yue Qing said.

As they chatted idly, Xue Fen seemed oblivious. Su Bai was curious about her. Such a beautiful girl with a peculiar personality. Speaking of the devil, she placed a jade piece in front of them and turned to leave. Yue Qing glanced at it, his expression changed, and his eyebrows lit up. He pointed at the jade, "Golden light appears, protecting the real person. Urgent as a command!"

The emerald jade glowed, and a black figure popped out, then shrank in a corner, covering its head with its hands. "Spare me, spare me!"

Su Bai also saw it. It was a man in ancient costume, and a handsome one at that! With elegant features and a frail body, his thin frame was obvious. He looked at Yue Qing in fear, peeking through his fingers. From this small gap, Su Bai could see his jade-like face, starry eyes, and sword-like brows, a perfectly handsome man.

This guy is real, coming out of the jade and still in an ancient costume. Su Bai's mind went blank. He had seen another ghost!

Yue Qing, who never let a ghost go, placed his right hand on his chest, ready to cast a spell. The man in an ancient costume suddenly trembled and shouted, "Spare me, I know what the mark on your hand means!"

The ghost emerging from the jade was what's known as a Gui Ghost. "Gui" refers to the jade tablet, which became a popular ceremonial object starting in the Warring States period. After a high-ranking minister died, it was common to place a jade Gui in their coffin, either held in their hand or placed in their mouth. Some ministers, unwilling to let go of their esteemed status from their lifetime, would sometimes have their souls inhabit the jade Gui, becoming what is called a Gui Ghost. Gui Ghosts are not evil spirits by nature, and theoretically, they don't need to be exorcised. However, Yue Qing's nature was such that he would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go.

His extreme approach was halted by the words of the ghost in ancient attire. Su Bai later learned that although Yue Qing couldn't remember names or connect faces to names, he could see every ghost, remember their faces, and recall their names. This was because he had opened his "heavenly eye." In Maoshan technique, those with advanced cultivation could open this heavenly eye, located beneath the Baihui acupoint on the head, between the eyebrows, and deep behind the glabella. There are different ways to obtain the heavenly eye: through cultivation or as a gift bestowed. Yue Qing, however, belonged to neither category. Like the golden mark on his hand, it was an innate ability.

With much given, much is lost. This was Yue Qing's understanding of his fate.

The ghost’s words were true. When he saw the golden mark on Yue Qing's hand, he couldn't help but think of someone else who had the same mark, identical in position, size, and shape. To explain this, we must first delve into the identity of this Gui Ghost.

This Gui Ghost was a famous handsome man from history. "My name is Wei Jie." As soon as Wei Jie spoke, Su Bai shuddered. "Are you the famous handsome man from history who was literally watched to death?"

It seemed even ghosts could change their expression, as a hint of blackness appeared on Wei Jie's face. This wasn’t Su Bai's imagination; the tale of Wei Jie being watched to death was a well-known historical anecdote. The Jin Dynasty’s handsome man, Wei Jie, due to his striking appearance and extraordinary demeanor, was constantly surrounded and watched by people, ultimately succumbing to psychological pressure and dying. People at the time said he was "watched to death," hence the term.

Wei Jie's beauty not only captivated women but also made men's hearts race. One year, Wei Jie visited his uncle's house with his mother. His uncle, a dashing and self-assured general, was stunned upon seeing his nephew. Trembling, he said, "With a gem like you around, I feel ugly!" After that, he took Wei Jie everywhere, often saying, "Traveling with Jie is like having a bright pearl beside me, illuminating everything." These words spread, earning Wei Jie the nickname "Yu Run," or "Jade Moisture."

"Where have you seen the same mark?" Yue Qing raised his hand, and Wei Jie, terrified, clutched his head. "Spare me, master! In an ancient tomb underground, the corpse there does not decay, and it has the same mark on its hand as you!"

Su Bai slapped his face, trying hard to accept everything. The day's events gave him the illusion that he was in a dream. He pinched himself hard—it hurt, so it was real. With a bitter face, he suddenly thought about asking the origin of the jade. He quickly went to find Xue Fen. "Where did this jade come from?"

"All the items in the antique shop were personally brought back by the boss," Xue Fen replied. "A customer wanted them just now but changed their mind at the last minute."

This girl was concise and straightforward, leaving Su Bai speechless. He returned to the inner room, where Yue Qing said, "Don’t waste your energy. The jade is just a medium. Gui Ghosts use jade as a medium to reside in. The origin of the jade isn't important."

"Right, the most important thing is the location of that tomb." Su Bai looked at the ghost, wondering if, after using the cow's tears once, he could see ghosts every time.