Chapter Thirty-Four: Journey Through the Shadow Realm! Journey Through the Shadow Realm!

Seeing this, the child grew anxious and, unable to care for anything else, hurriedly plunged into the water to scoop once more. The water near the shore was not truly deep, but in his haste, he took two steps forward, and soon the water reached past his waist. Fortunately, the treasured fish, perhaps exhausted from its earlier leap, had slowed, and with quick reflexes, he managed to catch it again in his net. A look of delight immediately lit up the boy’s face. He gripped the net tightly and, exerting all his strength, hauled the treasured fish out of the water.

“What luck…” At this moment, Chen Yushu had also come near and could not help but marvel inwardly. He had not expected the boy’s fortune to be so remarkable—finding a treasured fish right at the water’s edge. It was well known that the value of a treasured fish was no less than that of a treasured herb. A single stalk of treasured herb was worth at least thirty taels of silver, and those of finer quality could fetch dozens or even hundreds of taels. Treasured fish were the same; whenever they appeared on the market, they were bought for high prices, the lowest starting at over thirty taels. Some rare varieties with special properties could even sell for several hundred or a thousand taels. He did not recognize the species of this particular fish, but even the most ordinary of treasured fish were of great value—enough to sell for over thirty taels, which could make a small household rich overnight.

Excitement shone on the young boy’s face as he turned, eager to head back to shore. But as soon as he took a step, his expression changed dramatically to one of terror. He cried out in panic, “Help, save me…”

At that moment, a mass of black hair, stirred by the undercurrent, rose from beneath the surface. Beneath the hair, a slender body and a pair of pale hands became visible. One of those hands reached forward and seized the boy’s calf in a vice-like grip, pulling so hard that he nearly toppled over.

“A drowned ghost…” Chen Yushu’s face changed at once. The sudden turn of events startled even him. Earlier, seeing the boy and his grandfather making offerings by the water, he had already guessed that the drowned ghost was lurking nearby. When he saw the boy return alone, he was curious, and when he watched him catch the treasured fish, he finally drew near. Yet he hadn’t expected the drowned ghost to truly be here, and so fierce, emerging in broad daylight to drag the boy into the water.

“Save me… brother, help me…” The boy screamed in terror, his young face drained of color. Chen Yushu felt a surge of anxiety.

Drowned ghost.

Although he had encountered several ghosts before, this was the first time he had seen such a creature of the water. Even though the “Chronicle of the Supernatural by Li Chao” described these beings in detail, and he had learned a number of methods to deal with them, he had no spiritual cultivation himself. Unlike Li Chao, who could wield spells and use consecrated relics, or even perform rituals, his own means were extremely limited—almost nonexistent.

Yet, the more dire the situation, the calmer he became.

Save the boy!

As long as it was within his power, he would try. If it endangered his own life, he would not hesitate to flee as far as possible.

Fortunately, he knew that while drowned ghosts were extremely dangerous in the water, they were much weaker on land. Moreover, it was daytime. With the boundary between yin and yang in effect, ghosts and spirits—drowned ghosts among them—were all affected by the time of day, and their power was greatly diminished in daylight. Some would even dissolve under sunlight. Standing on the bank, a good seven feet from the water, with the sun about to rise, he was at little risk.

Thus, he did not turn and run. His mind worked rapidly, recalling a case from the “Chronicle of the Supernatural by Li Chao” in which the author, as a young man, encountered a drowned ghost. He had not lifted a hand but instead communicated and intimidated the spirit into retreat.

Before now, even if Chen Yushu knew the method, he would not have been able to attempt it. Communicating with a drowned ghost was not something just anyone could do, not even those with deep spiritual strength. Either the ghost would come to them in dreams, initiating contact—such as when he had spoken with Li Pei, who had entered his dreams—or, for a “Yin-walker,” only in a meditative state, when mental energy was particularly active, could such communication occur. In the trade, this was called “walking in the yin,” which was the origin of the title “Yin-walker.”

Previously, he would have found it impossible, even knowing the method. But now, having reached the third level of scholarly attainment—“awakened insight”—his mental strength had grown considerably, and his meditative state had gone from shallow to stable. He could now enter meditation at will, even while moving.

Without hesitation, he focused his mind.

In the next moment, everything around him seemed to slow. Opening his eyes, he saw the boy still standing in the water, struggling, the treasured fish in the net gathering strength but unmoving. Beneath the surface, the drowned ghost seemed to sense something, slowly rising until its waterlogged, unrecognizable face broke through. It was a frightening sight. Yet Chen Yushu remained calm.

He spoke in a low voice, “Release him at once.”

“Do you know who I am? Do you dare act before me—are you seeking another death?”

He continued, his expression taking on a solemn dignity. “Might I ask, young lady, who you are? I am only seeking justice for myself—to punish the faithless man who wronged me. Is that so wrong?” The drowned ghost’s face, just above the water, did not move its lips, but a voice issued forth.

“I am a disciple of the Lady of the Purple Star beneath Mount Huang. My master is on friendly terms with the Dragon King of the Blackwater River.” Chen Yushu fabricated a righteous identity, saying sternly, “If you wish to seek revenge, go after your enemy. Why trouble this boy? He is not your foe. You claim to seek justice—do you mean to kill the innocent? Do you wish me to strike you down here and now?”

“Please, Immortal, do not be angry. I have my reasons for seeking him,” the drowned ghost replied, its tone now tinged with fear. Its voice continued, “Last night, the ghost-woman came to me, saying the Wu family would offer a sacrifice to spare the boy’s life. I agreed, believing that debts should be paid by those who owe them, and was willing to let him go. Yet I felt unsatisfied, and this boy’s constitution is unusual. So I later found him in a dream, asking him to guide me to my betrayer. In return, I would lead a treasured fish to linger where he made his offering and help him catch it. But though he promised last night, he never fulfilled his word nor told me where the faithless man was. So, in my anger, I decided to drag him down to accompany me in death…”

As the drowned ghost spoke, its ghastly face turned upward, eyes opening to reveal a glint of bitter resentment.