Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 23

“After much persuasion, I managed to talk her out of her murderous thoughts. But I had to promise her that whenever she wanted to possess me, I would cooperate.”

Yunniang’s gaze fell on the window frame, her beautiful almond eyes looking vacant.

“On the day the Daoists were capturing demons, she said she wanted to possess me, and I agreed thinking she was just being playful. Only today did I learn that I had been cursed, and my mother intended to curse me to death…”

Yunniang’s voice trembled, tears welling up in her eyes. She slowly turned to look at Madam Ding, who was sitting with her knees pulled up, and asked:

“Mother, why? I have always served you diligently, when did I ever make a mistake? How could you be so cruel?”

Madam Ding, knowing that the current Yunniang was her true self, regained her confidence and glared at her fiercely as she answered:

“You were possessed, of course I had to find a way to eliminate you! Even if I were to report to the authorities, I would be justified! You’ve been married into the Fan family for five years without bearing a single child. How do you have the face to stay in the Fan family?!”

Fu Xue couldn’t stand it. “Hey, is the purpose of living in this world just to have children? If you want to treat yourself like a breeding sow, that’s your business, but don’t treat others like sows too!”

Yun Qing stroked her chin and said:

“This makes sense now. It was that little thing who possessed you and fought with the two Daoists, saving your life. But her magic powers were insufficient, which ultimately damaged your spirit, leading to your recurring nightmares.”

Yunniang believed this explanation and frowned, saying, “But why didn’t she tell me…”

“Naturally, she was afraid you would be scared, and didn’t want you to worry.”

Yunniang was startled by these words.

Fu Xue asked, “Senior sister, what exactly is that little thing? She can’t really be a nightmare demon, can she?”

Yun Qing raised an eyebrow. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?”

“I… hehe.” Fu Xue scratched her head embarrassedly.

Yun Qing asked Yunniang, “Tell me, what’s the child’s name?”

Yunniang looked back at the window frame, as if she could see the child’s figure through the window. “She said her name was Little Tower.”

Yun Qing smiled and asked Fu Xue, “Obvious enough?”

“Huh?”

Cheng Suiyan urged from the side. “Yun Qing, stop being mysterious and just tell us.”

Yun Qing turned to look at Jiang Baiyu. “Baiyu, you tell them.”

Jiang Baiyu crossed his arms and answered concisely with two words in a flat tone. “Vessel spirit.”

(TL: 器靈-can be translated as “Artifact Spirit” or “Weapon Spirit”, depending on the context.)

His manner resembled that of a good student called upon by a teacher in a classroom, which triggered many unpleasant memories for Cheng Suiyan, who suddenly felt this young man was quite pretentious.

When Fu Xue heard the words “vessel spirit,” it was as if lightning had struck across the pitch-black night sky. Her eyes brightened as she clapped her hands. “Ah, so that’s it! I should have understood earlier!”

Yunniang asked, “What does that mean? Is Little Tower… not a demon?” She asked with a hopeful expression.

Yun Qing sighed and said, “Yunniang, your grandfather must have loved you very much.”

“Yes, my parents died early, and my grandmother also passed away early. My grandfather and I relied on each other, and he was very good to me.”

“No, he loved you even more than you saw or thought.”

Yunniang looked confused. “How do you know?”

“Because it was your grandfather’s compassionate love for you that created Little Tower.”

Vessel spirits were rare and special beings that were born from people’s emotions and will.

The most famous vessel spirits were sword spirits. When a swordsmith’s skill reached divine levels, and they were extremely focused and dedicated during the forging, their body and mind becoming one with the sword, while harboring intense emotions during the process…

When all these stringent conditions were met, there was a chance to give birth to a sword spirit. Some swordsmiths, when their emotions reached a certain intensity, would even sacrifice their lives for the sword.

Besides these, ancient texts also recorded spirits of zithers, paintings, and the like. The principles of their formation were the same as sword spirits—they were born from human emotions and will, though these were extremely rare.

As for the case of Mingyue Tower, it was truly unprecedented.

Little Tower’s appearance wasn’t merely because Grandfather Han was highly skilled—there were too many skilled craftsmen in the world—but more importantly because this old man had loved his granddaughter consistently for over a decade, pouring his love into the construction of Mingyue Tower.

It could be said that every detail of Mingyue Tower was filled with his emotions. These emotions were like tiny streams, gradually accumulating over fifteen long years, eventually forming a deep sea of compassion.

This sea was so broad, accommodating, gentle, and full of vitality that it miraculously nurtured the vessel spirit Little Tower.

Vessel spirits generally didn’t possess evil energy, unless they were born from extreme negative emotions or committed numerous evil deeds after their birth. This was why Yun Qing and the others couldn’t locate Little Tower using methods for detecting evil spirits.

Vessel spirits could typically dwell in other objects of the same type.

Since Little Tower was born from a building, she could correspondingly possess other buildings and dwellings. In other words, theoretically, she could control all houses in the world and all objects within those houses.

Of course, the degree of control also related to the vessel spirit’s own spiritual power.

If Little Tower wanted to possess a person, then like other supernatural beings, she needed the person’s consent. Forced possession would result in “being possessed by evil.”

Vessel spirits always had deep connections with humans.

Little Tower originated from Grandfather Han’s compassionate love for his granddaughter, so even though she didn’t know Yunniang, she felt a closeness to her at their first meeting and developed a protective instinct.

When Little Tower said she felt sad when Yunniang was sad, it wasn’t just sweet talk, but simply an instinct.

Therefore, a mischievous and playful child like Little Tower could always be considerate of Yunniang’s feelings. This was also an instinct, an extension of Grandfather Han’s love.

After explaining this to Yunniang, Yun Qing added, “Your grandfather’s love for you is the most unique in this world, not only unprecedented but, I believe, will also never be matched.”

Yunniang collapsed onto the bed as if all strength had left her body.

Suddenly, she recalled many things about her grandfather.

Grandfather was a taciturn man, not good at expressing himself. In her memory, he was always busy working.

He had hands like old tree bark, with deep lines carved by the frost knife of time.

These hands were so powerful yet so dexterous. Their food, clothing, shelter, and even every stitch of thread, all came from these hands.

Grandfather was known for being honest and forthright, with a gentle disposition. Even if others scolded him to his face, he usually just smiled it off.

Everyone said he was spineless. The only time he wasn’t was when someone called her a bearer of bad luck who had caused her parents’ deaths, and Grandfather beat that person up.

Grandfather had always been strong, able to lift her up to pick fruits from trees.

Grandfather was observant, always silently remembering her preferences. For example, she liked sesame and peanut-filled tangyuan, preferred rabbit-shaped sugar figurines, and thought candied haws filled with red bean paste were the best…

Grandfather’s gaze at her always conveyed a kind of sadness amid contentment.

Grandfather said, people should be honest.

Grandfather said, he had no accomplishments and couldn’t give her a life of wealth and nobility.

Grandfather said, he couldn’t accompany her for a lifetime.

Grandfather said, he had spent his life building towers for others, but this time he was building one for themselves, to be her dowry. A dowry meant confidence, and he hoped that after she married, she would have confidence.

Grandfather said, it would be called Mingyue Tower.

……

He was truly an utterly ordinary man.

Of humble birth, plain appearance, timid character, who lived silently and died quietly. His life passed by in mediocrity, like dust that rises and falls with the wind, with no one caring which speck of dust he was.

Yet such an ordinary person had left pearl-like emotions in this world.

Yunniang cried, starting with quiet sobs that gradually became louder until she wailed openly.

“Grandfather, I regret so much! Had I known our grandparent-grandchild relationship would only last fifteen years, why didn’t I treat you better! My poor grandfather!!”

Yun Qing’s eyes grew hot as she turned and walked out of the room, standing in the courtyard to look at the moon in the sky.

The moon of this mortal world always seemed tainted with chaos and noise, not as pure and bright as the moon in the mountains.

Fu Xue walked to her side, wiped the corner of her eye, and called out, “Senior sister.”

“Hmm.”

“I miss Master.”

Yun Qing clenched her fists tightly, tilted her face back to force back the tears, and again responded with a “Hmm.”

“Senior sister, will we ever find Master?”

“We definitely will.”

****

In a golden cage, Le Chenzi leaned against the bars, holding a peanut in his hands. The peanut had been roasted and peeled, slightly yellowed, and was as big as his face.

Never in his life had he imagined that one day he would eat peanuts by hugging and nibbling on them.

Due to being struck by lightning multiple times, his clothes were tattered, his hair disheveled, and there was a patch of blackened skin on his cheekbone, as if it had been burned.

Le Chenzi took a bite of the peanut, then used a small “bowl” made from a leaf to scoop liquid from a white porcelain bowl nearby. After drinking, he made a satisfied sound and praised:

“Good wine!… Next time bring a roasted chicken to go with the wine.”

The person outside the cage silently watched him and asked, “Are you ready to write today?”

Le Chenzi chuckled and asked in return, “If I write, will you spare my life?”

After a long silence, the other person finally answered honestly, “If I don’t kill you, this hatred cannot be assuaged.”

“Then let’s just continue this stalemate. I definitely can’t outlast you.”

“I will turn you into a living puppet.”

“Hehe, it takes at least ten years to make a living puppet. I’ll enjoy myself for ten years first.”

It was unclear what about these words angered the other person, but Le Chenzi was struck by lightning again, and even his peanut was scorched.