Volume 6, Chapter 345 – Dear Yue, Your Father Has Passed Away

Qi Huang woke from her dream, feeling a chill on her cheeks. She instinctively wiped them and found traces of moisture.

‘Was I crying?’

She wasn’t sure. After a brief recollection, she decided she must have been moved by the misfortunes of Yao Yao’s family, which led to her shedding tears in her sleep.

‘But thankfully, it was just a dream!’

She comforted herself, though a thorn seemed to have lodged in her heart, leaving her unsettled. Perhaps, deep down, she knew it wasn’t just a dream.

The sky was already bright, and Qi Huang still had to tend to the ghost tomatoes. She couldn’t stay in bed forever, so she got up and washed. Her adoptive parents had already left to manage their small grocery store, while her main body remained in the bedroom, cultivating day and night.

Before long, Tang Ping arrived.

Tang Ping was the girl Qi Huang had hired to oversee the ghost tomato purchasing shop. Now, she had another identity, Liu Keqian’s fiancée.

“Fairy Qi, I came specifically to inform you, the shop hasn’t received any ghost tomatoes for over ten days now.”

Tang Ping wore an apologetic expression.

“As expected.”

Qi Huang smiled faintly, unsurprised.

“You knew this would happen?”

Tang Ping was taken aback.

“Indeed. From the beginning, when we received one every two or three days, to later when it took five or six days, I knew this was inevitable.”

Qi Huang replied calmly.

“But why? We’ve been offering a very high price.”

Tang Ping couldn’t hide her frustration.

“Because ghost tomatoes are limited in number. Our shop is located in a remote place like the Honghua Sect, where information is scarce. Most sellers come from nearby prefectures, so it’s only natural that the supply would eventually dry up.”

Qi Huang explained.

“I see… So what should we do now?”

Tang Ping asked worriedly.

“Close the purchasing shop. There’s no need to keep it open.”

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Qi Huang made the pragmatic decision.

“Ah? Then… what about me?”

Tang Ping panicked. She didn’t want to lose her job, finding such easy work in a small place like the Honghua Sect, with its tens of thousands of residents, wouldn’t be simple.

“From now on, you’ll help Yuan Jie take care of the ghost tomatoes at home. Your pay will remain the same.”

Qi Huang instructed. Tang Ping had been with her for over half a year, diligent in her duties. With Liu Keqian’s connection, Qi Huang naturally wouldn’t dismiss her so easily.

“Understood! Thank you, Fairy!”

Tang Ping was overjoyed.

‘Fortunately, I had the foresight to have the Golden Fortune Auction House handle promotion and purchases.’

Qi Huang felt a hint of pride. The auction house’s clientele spanned the entire realm, its influence far surpassed her little shop in this backwater. Now, she could rely on supplies from other regions.

When Qi Huang stepped outside to the greenhouse, she found Yuan Jie already watering and weeding. A satisfied smile crossed her face. Small details revealed much, it seemed she had indeed found good future sisters-in-law for her two brothers.

From then on, Qi Huang focused most of her energy on “dreaming”. Seeing Cheng Ling’s memories required luck, so she hadn’t made much progress.

Of course, she wasn’t idle during this time. She often went out with her senior sisters to eliminate wandering spirits and malevolent ghosts in the prefecture. There were two reasons: first, she came from humble origins and wanted to help the common folk; second, she wanted to eliminate potential threats to ensure her senior sisters wouldn’t face danger on solo missions.

Unfortunately, wandering spirits were transient, and with the Pingshan Mass Burial Ground nearby, evil entities in Huangtian Prefecture could never be fully eradicated.

The zombie crown prince, Jiang Feng, was still studying the Western Radiance Dynasty’s military deployments. He was merely biding his time, he had no intention of being a mountain bandit forever. Besides, even that unstable position was threatened by the dormant evil sealed within.

“Your Highness!”

General Li, the Silver Corpse, entered.

“General Li, have you found any descendants of the Jiang Clan? Don’t tell me there’s still no news.”

Jiang Feng didn’t look up, his tone laced with warning.

“Reporting to Your Highness, there is news, but…”

General Li hesitated, his expression conflicted.

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“Speak freely. I pardon you in advance.”

Jiang Feng set down the documents and raised his head.

Taking a deep breath, General Li solemnly said, “When the rebels stormed the palace, they slaughtered the entire imperial clan, not a single survivor.”

Jiang Feng inhaled sharply, his jaw tightening audibly. After a moment, he let out a self-deprecating laugh.

“I should have expected this. Yet, I still held onto a sliver of hope.”

“Your Highness, we must avenge this!”

General Li kowtowed fiercely.

“Of course we will. But now is not the time.”

Jiang Feng sat back down calmly.

“Is it because of the Crown Princess and that cat spirit?”

General Li ventured cautiously.

“Not entirely.”

Jiang Feng shook his head. “General Li, don’t forget—we are now of the ghost race. If we rise in rebellion, the Immortal Alliance will surely intervene. At our current strength, even the Western Radiance Dynasty would crush us like an egg, let alone the Immortal Alliance.”

“…”

General Li fell silent.

“Patience, General Li. As the saying goes, ‘A gentleman’s revenge can wait ten years.’ I swear the Lin Clan will pay in blood.”

Jiang Feng gritted his sharpened zombie fangs.

“This general understands. But there’s that unstable factor inside. Given the overwhelming yin energy it emits, if it awakens suddenly, it may be difficult to handle.”

General Li’s face showed unease.

“No matter. We are both of the ghost race, conflict isn’t inevitable. After all, we share the Immortal Alliance as a common enemy.”

Jiang Feng reassured him.

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That night, Qi Huang finally glimpsed Cheng Ling’s memories again in her dream.

Cheng Ling stumbled forward, clutching the Human Skin Mask. Though her pace was slow, her persistence gradually carried her farther from the Honghua Sect.

Of course, she didn’t let her guard down. While this distance kept her safe from her main body, it also increased the risk of encountering other dangers, wandering spirits lurked everywhere in this world.

For safety, Cheng Ling hid in a secluded cave.

‘What should I do now? Live the rest of my life behind a mask? People will surely treat me as a monster!’

She fell into deep thought. But her main body had only given her a single face, what choice did she have? Unlike plants, humans couldn’t sprout new skin just by watering themselves.

‘Forget it. Even if I only have this one face, it’s better than being imprisoned in my main body’s Sea of Consciousness.’

She comforted herself and settled into the cave.

Over the next few nights, Qi Huang continued to witness Cheng Ling’s memories. She remained cautious, staying in the cave by day and venturing out only at night. Nothing unusual occurred.

Then, Liu Yingyue sent good news, she had acquired the first ghost tomato.

Qi Huang was overjoyed and carefully instructed her to store it safely, ensuring no one touched it. The poison was beyond ordinary physicians’ abilities to cure.

Liu Yingyue acknowledged the warning before ending the communication.

That night, Qi Huang dreamed again—but this time, the protagonist was none other than the little girl named “Yao Yao”.

When Qi Huang opened her eyes, her consciousness was, as usual, attached to Yao Yao.

On the tattered bed before her, Yao Yao’s grandmother was critically ill, her body reduced to skin and bones, her complexion sallow, her lips so thin they barely covered her teeth.

“Ah Hua… I don’t have much time left. There are things I must tell you.”

The old woman spoke with great effort.

“Mother, say whatever you need to. We’re listening.”

Her son, Ah Hua, choked back tears.

“First, Ah Hua.”

The old woman looked at her son, her tone grave. “You must understand, marrying a wife like Yuan Yuan was a blessing earned over lifetimes. After I’m gone, you must take care of her and Yao Yao. Never betray her. This is my only request of you in this life. Can you promise me?”

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“Don’t worry, Mother! If I ever wrong her, may lightning strike me dead!”

Ah Hua raised his hand in oath.

The old woman then turned to her daughter-in-law. “Yuan Yuan, since marrying into this family, you’ve never known a single day of peace. The fact that you’ve stayed… this old woman is endlessly grateful. But I must tell you, if life becomes unbearable, you can leave. I won’t blame you, and neither will Ah Hua. Just… please take Yao Yao with you.”

“Mo… Mother-in-law… don’t worry… I… I’d rather die than leave Ah Hua.”

Yuan Yuan sobbed.

“Good child.”

The old woman’s eyes reddened. Then, she looked at the timid Yao Yao. “Sweetheart, don’t be afraid. Grandma is just tired. Whether I wake up or not, I’ll always watch over you, until you grow up… marry… have children… and live a full life.”

With those words, the old woman closed her eyes, a faint smile on her lips.

That day, Yao Yao lost the grandmother who had doted on her. Two years prior, she had lost her equally loving grandfather.

All because of illness.

Though Yao Yao was too young to fully understand, blood ran thicker than water. Her heart felt hollow, and she cried harder than the adults.

Once again, Qi Huang woke with tears on her face. The “dream” had felt too real. By now, she was certain—it wasn’t just a dream!

“Who is this Yao Yao? Why does Cheng Ling keep dreaming about her?”

Qi Huang fell into deep thought but found no answers. The only way to unravel this mystery was to continue observing the dreams.

Over the next month or two, Qi Huang saw more of Cheng Ling’s dreams. After losing her grandmother, Yao Yao’s family stabilized. Her parents worked together, gradually paying off their debts, and their circumstances improved.

Qi Huang quietly rejoiced for them. As Yao Yao’s father had said, no one stays unlucky forever, right?

Meanwhile, in the real world, Liu Yingyue had completed her task. But before the news could spread, it somehow reached the Liu family, eliciting mixed reactions.

A few days later, the poor girl received devastating news from her mother.

“Dear Yue… your… your father… has passed away!”

Her mother’s hoarse voice came through the Thousand-Mile Communication Tube.

“Wha… what?”

Liu Yingyue felt as if thunder had struck. Darkness swallowed her vision, and she collapsed, unconscious.