The master explained my situation to me in a simple and detailed manner.
I more or less understood what he meant; my essence and spirit had been stolen, and the oil in my lamp had run out.
This made my luck terrible, causing me to constantly encounter foul things.
And those foul things, in turn, liked to cling to people with bad luck.
Thus, it had become a vicious cycle, repeating over and over.
The female ghost who caused the car accident was merely the last straw that broke the camel's back.
It pushed my luck to a critical point.
Fortunately, I met Gu Hui, who is now my master.
However, I still had a question lingering in my heart.
Who stole my lifeforce?
“Master, who stole my lifeforce and left my lamp without oil?”
The master replied calmly:
“Who else could it be? Those foul things!
You have an inherently yin destiny, and in the eyes of those foul things, you are a walking offering.
To consume a bite of your essence and spirit is akin to a year's worth of incense offerings.
They all want a bite of you, they all want to swallow your lamp oil.”
As he spoke, the master’s eyes unconsciously glanced behind me.
As if looking at something, or as if someone was standing behind me.
Noticing his movement, I instinctively turned my head.
It was empty, with nothing there.
The master continued:
“Fortunately, you accumulated merit in your past life and received help from a benefactor.
This is why you have been able to live safely until now.
However, with the accumulation of time, your lifeforce has been gradually consumed to the point of depletion.
Your lamp has also developed serious problems.
It has now reached its limit.
If my deduction is correct.
You should have developed yin spots on your chest.”
I listened with a look of horror.
I didn't know what yin spots were, but the master said they would grow on the chest.
I hurriedly lifted my shirt, and upon looking, I indeed found a dark green imprint about the size of a fist on my chest.
Only a small area in the center of my chest, about the size of a pinky finger, remained its normal flesh tone.
I rubbed it with my hand; it didn't hurt, wasn't itchy, and couldn't be rubbed off.
The master picked up his teacup and took a sip:
“When this thing covers your entire chest.
Even if the foul things don't claim your life, it signifies that your lamp has completely failed.
You will also die.
Those whose lifeforce has been entirely consumed by ghosts, even if they become ghosts themselves, will be substitute ghosts.
They can only wander aimlessly, either being lucky enough to be captured by ghost envoys and taken to the underworld, or finding another substitute ghost.
Otherwise, if you encounter strong sunlight, you will dissipate.”
I was filled with dread and hurriedly asked:
“Master, what should I do now?”
The master put down his teacup and let out a sigh:
“Don’t panic, there’s still a way to save you.
To survive, you must first replenish your body to clear the yin spots, and then increase your lamp oil to extend your lifespan.
But it's not your physical body that needs replenishment, but your cycle of life.
Using this essence of yin and malevolence condensed into an old medicine, we will use poison to fight poison, to first expel the yin corpse qi from your body.
Repair your cycle of life, and fix your decaying lamp.
This old coin is also called ghost longevity money.
When I put it on your hand later, it will seal your essence and spirit.
Allowing it to only enter and not exit, stabilizing your life.
So that your faint lamp flame will not be extinguished by an outsider’s breath.
As for how to increase your lamp oil and extend your lifespan, I will teach you later.”
At this point, the master picked up the old coin, the size of a fingernail, and the old medicine, resembling grass roots, from the table:
“You rest for a while! I'll go make the medicine for you.
By the way, don't eat or drink anything now, to avoid wasting it!”
With that, my newly accepted master paid me no further mind and turned to enter the inner room.
I stood rooted to the spot, watching my master go in.
I had only eaten an apple given by a young female ghost these past two days.
Now I was hungry and thirsty, my stomach feeling hollow.
Yet, my master forbade me from eating or drinking, and even said it would be a waste.
It was perplexing.
But I knew he must have his reasons, so I sat on the sofa and endured.
At the same time, pondering his words, I finally understood the root of my problems.
So it turned out that foul things had been eating away at my life and my essence and spirit, bit by bit, pushing me to the brink of death over time.
However, there were a few things I didn't quite understand.
The master mentioned a second time that I had the help of a benefactor to live until now.
Who was that benefactor? Why hadn't I felt their presence?
As this thought arose, I was suddenly reminded of the strange encounters I’d had before.
The thin blanket that was mysteriously placed over me.
When I was almost hit by a car, someone pulled me from behind.
When Brother Chen, possessed by a ghost, pushed me towards the guardrail, and as I lost my balance and was about to fall off the cliff, my back was nudged.
Last night, when I encountered the fox hag asking for a compliment, I vaguely heard a woman tell me: "Don't say 'similar,' say 'yes.'"
Could it be that these were the benefactors the master spoke of?
Coupled with the master’s occasional glances behind me.
Could it be that this benefactor was an invisible presence, always beside me?
Thinking this, I couldn't help but gasp.
I scanned the surroundings of the room; besides the paper figures and divine statues, I saw nothing…
After sitting in the main hall for about ten minutes.
I saw my master emerge from the inner room, holding a black cup, swaying unsteadily.
However, after he came out, his face had become much paler.
He had been ruddy-faced before, but now he looked sickly.
There were even some bloodstains at the corner of his mouth.
“The medicine is ready!”
The master looked at me.
A smile touched his pale face.
“M-Master, why do you look so unwell, and why is there blood at the corner of your mouth?”
I still felt awkward calling him master.
Hearing me speak, the master quickly wiped his mouth with his hand.
Then he put on an act of being fine:
“Oh! I’m getting old, my gums are bleeding.”
But even I found that excuse awkward.
Gum bleeding wouldn't cause a mouth full of blood, would it?
I had a feeling this might be the price the master had to pay to save me, as he had mentioned before.
I didn't know how great the price was, but judging by the master's appearance now.
It had undoubtedly had a considerable impact on his health.
Before I could ask further questions, the master continued:
“Stop dawdling, this medicine’s efficacy will fade soon.
Drink it, and the yin spots on your body will disappear.”
I hummed in response and took the cup from the master.
I glanced inside; it was a black, viscous liquid with many impurities.
It also had a pungent, fishy smell like decaying fish, which was nauseating.
But to survive, what was this?
I took a deep breath and downed the entire cup.
With a few gulps, I swallowed it.
But as soon as this stuff hit my stomach, I felt a chill.
From my mouth to my stomach, my whole body shivered, and even my exhaled breath turned into white mist.
“M-Master, I-I’m so cold…”
I hunched my body, my teeth chattering.
I felt as if I had been plunged into a river in winter.
That kind of cold spread throughout my body in a very short time.
It made my head hurt, I couldn't stand steadily, and my vision blurred.
Looking at things became hazy, and my body swayed precariously, about to fall.
In this dizzying state, I unexpectedly discovered.
That besides Master Gu Hui and myself, there seemed to be another person standing in the room.
A woman in white with black hair…