Chapter 18: Beads and Little Yellowfish (Request for Votes)

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Only after the person left did Ji Yun realize belatedly that he hadn't even asked his lifesaver's name. Having saved his life this time, it would be good to meet again someday... and say thank you. Ji Yun gave a self-mocking smile. It seemed he was helpless. Such a master of the mystical arts certainly didn't need his gratitude. They had merely come to repay a debt owed to his ancestors. He had no right to impose. With that thought, Ji Yun let go of his worries and carefully opened the yellowed envelope.

In this age of instant communication, few still used letters as a means of delivery. Ji Yun cautiously unsealed the envelope and took out its contents—only two items: a folded piece of black paper and a black-and-white photograph. At a glance, Ji Yun's eyes trembled involuntarily upon seeing the photo. It was a selfie of a middle-aged couple dressed in vintage adventure attire, beaming happily at the camera—as if commemorating a joyful trip. The image was not very clear, with the faded yellowish tint of a century-old photograph. Yet those heartfelt smiles gave Ji Yun an inexplicable sense of peace. Because the couple in the photo were his parents.

Seeing the photo eased the unease in Ji Yun’s heart. He muttered, “Where have Mom and Dad gone?” He tried to find location coordinates in the photo, but curiously, the background was an old steam locomotive adorned with dragon motifs, seemingly a relic from the late previous dynasty—obviously not a modern scene. “Could this be some kind of boundary realm?” After tonight’s ordeal, Ji Yun immediately guessed the steam train in the picture might be a scene from a liminal domain.

He looked again and noticed some vague human figures far behind his parents. Strangely, those silhouettes were blacked out with ink blotches, especially the closest figure, which was obscured the most, probably because they noticed the camera. It seemed his parents didn't want to reveal those people's faces. Recalling what the mysterious woman had said earlier—that his parents were on a top-secret mission and the others might be members of a national team—Ji Yun figured the faces were intentionally blurred to avoid leaks. “Makes sense. If this got out, it could cause me trouble…”

Finding nothing else remarkable, Ji Yun flipped the photo over and saw several lines of blue-black ink written in delicate script—it was his mother’s handwriting:

“Xiaoyun, don’t worry about us. Some things cannot be explained to you now. Go to 212 Chunfu Road, North City District, and find your third uncle. Remember, do not mention ‘The Ghost Gate Coffin’ to anyone.”

The words felt like a voice from the past, as if his mother were affectionately calling his childhood nickname. Ji Yun felt an inexplicable relief. Now that he had news, it was no longer a disappearance. Visiting his third uncle should reveal the truth.

Besides the photo, the envelope contained a piece of black paper with a unique texture. Ji Yun had assumed it was a letter from his parents, but upon opening it, his expression froze. Embossed in red on black were two large characters: “Marriage Contract.” “What’s going on here?” Ji Yun was taken aback. He hadn’t expected a marriage certificate. Looking at the text inside:

“The union of two families, sealed in one hall, a bond of eternal harmony... Groom: Ji Yun Bride: Chen Changqing.”

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Indeed! Ji Yun’s family ran a coffin shop, so he was familiar with some folk customs. Typically, marriage contracts were written on red paper. Such a black-paper marriage contract was never meant for the living. “So this is the marriage contract the ‘Forbidden Woman’ mentioned?” Ji Yun suddenly understood. He had thought the wedding ceremony in the ancestral hall was just a formality, but there was an actual marriage contract. The ceremony had been held, and the contract existed—meaning he really had another wife now.

Only then did Ji Yun recall the old fortune teller’s words about an “underworld love blossom,” which probably referred not to Shang Xiaoyu but to the person named Chen Changqing on the contract. No wonder the old man said that arranged marriages by parents might not be the best but often the most suitable. The lifesaver was naturally the most fitting.

This also explained why the “Forbidden Woman” had access to his room 304 before—it was arranged by his parents. Once the contract was signed, her status was legitimate. She became, by right, a daughter-in-law of the Ji family. “So, the ‘Forbidden Woman’ is called Chen Changqing?” Ji Yun repeated the name softly and found it quite pleasant. Although he had never seen her face, perhaps because of the lifesaver’s glow, there was a gentle serenity beneath her calmness that suggested peace and prosperity.

Just as he pondered this, the black-paper marriage contract suddenly ignited with green flames. Seeing it burn toward his hand, Ji Yun instinctively dropped it—the contract was consumed by fire midair, like ritual paper burnt in the countryside. This was a kind of spiritual contract communicating between the living and the dead.

Ji Yun didn’t know what function the contract served, so he let it burn without hesitation. He touched the wound on his chest, now completely healed. He marveled at the Forbidden Woman’s extraordinary abilities and muttered, “If doctors had such powers, it’d be miraculous.” He couldn’t help but envy—supernatural individuals could heal fatal injuries so effortlessly.

Wait... that’s odd! What about the family heirloom, the iron coffin with the ghostly head? Chen Changqing said she came to help him integrate that ancient Ji family artifact. Ji Yun recalled sealing Shang Xiaoyu in the coffin before. Could it be that he had become a supernatural being as well? Before he could get excited, he realized a problem.

But... what supernatural ability do I have? How do I use it? The coffin was gone. Ji Yun remembered the incantation he had chanted earlier and tried again, holding out one hand and reciting the spell. Nothing happened. He repeated it several times—still useless. Something seemed missing. “...” Ji Yun was at a loss. He wondered why other supernatural beings could transform into zombies or cat-faced old women, but he couldn’t do anything. Had he been wrong? Was he not a supernatural being?

At that moment, the bright moonlight streamed into the room, reminding Ji Yun he was still inside the liminal realm. “Better leave this place first.” Remembering the terrifying scenes from before, he dared not linger. Following Chen Changqing’s directions, he hurried toward the main gate of the Liu manor.

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Strangely, the moment he stepped out of the manor’s gate, the surroundings shifted instantly. He was back in his home at 304, Happiness Community—just as if he had never left.

Ji Yun looked around at the familiar furnishings with a dreamlike feeling, as if removing a 3D headset after watching a film. The grand courtyard of blue bricks and black tiles vanished from sight. The door was still wide open, the iron gate still closed. Outside remained a chaotic battlefield scene. The reality of the previous fierce fight was confirmed—it hadn’t been a nightmare.

Ji Yun stood at the doorway clutching the envelope with the photo. Suddenly, he glanced sideways and saw through the window the pitch-black bathroom next door. Now he realized that the scene of the Forbidden Woman bathing earlier wasn’t an attempt to lure his soul, but a magical duel already underway between Chen Changqing and Shang Xiaoyu. She had been mentally preparing for the rules of the ghost bride’s deadly methods in the liminal realm. So that was it—so deliberate.

Outside, all was deathly silent. The light rain had stopped; pale green moonlight filtered into the room. The terrifying atmosphere lingered. He couldn’t stay home any longer. Remembering the note behind the photo, he decided to visit his third uncle quickly.

Opening the iron security gate, Ji Yun stepped out—but barely a few steps beyond the threshold, his body froze. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a figure lying in the shadows! “Someone’s here!” Ji Yun’s heart jumped. The shape, adorned with a feathered headdress, was instantly recognizable—it was the zombie man from before. He was out?

Ji Yun’s heart skipped a beat, but he quickly noticed something odd. The figure lay motionless in a strange posture—dead? Ji Yun realized that the reason he survived the liminal realm full of horrific spirits was because he had powerful allies. This guy did not.

Having seen so many ghosts, he was not afraid of a freshly dead corpse. Quietly, Ji Yun approached. The zombie man had a yellow talisman stuck to his forehead, and his body was covered with wounds. Seeing the antique official robe from the previous dynasty’s fourth rank again, Ji Yun found it oddly fascinating—like a zombie stepping out of a movie.

Looking closely at the talisman, Ji Yun recognized it as the “Corpse Suppressing Talisman” the cat-faced old woman had placed on Shang Xiaoyu’s head. Crimson cinnabar characters adorned the paper, faintly shimmering with golden light—but it was fading.

Ji Yun had never seen a real zombie before and wasn’t sure whether this one was merely sealed by the talisman or truly dead. Reaching out to check for a pulse or breath, an unexpected scene unfolded. The moment his hand touched the corpse’s dark cyan skin, the body began to crumble like sand, as if an ancient artifact unearthed after centuries was oxidizing and disintegrating into a cloud of dust—vanishing completely.

“The corpse aura has dissipated?” Ji Yun sniffed; the heavy stench of death was gone. He confirmed the zombie man was truly dead. Only a few scraps of cloth, a black bead, and some small yellow fish remained where the body had lain.

Ji Yun looked at these items, puzzled. “Why didn’t these two things crumble away?”