Chapter 27: Do People Actually Collect Ghosts?

"Oh, look, the big boss is back to patronize my business again? What would you like to buy today? Or is there something you don't understand that you'd like to ask about?"

Seeing Feng Xue walk into the shop with his large pack, Ninth Aunt's eyes lit up, and she immediately rose to greet him.

Although her shop was a long-standing establishment, ever since that foreign monk arrived, the wealthy in the county preferred to have him handle those so-called Western funerals. Her business had plummeted; if it weren't for the fact that everyone still liked to burn gold ingots and paper effigies during the Qingming Festival, she might not have been able to keep the doors open. Since she had finally snagged a wealthy patron, she had to treat him well.

Watching Ninth Aunt trip over in her small, hurried steps, Feng Xue remembered his manners. He stepped aside to clear the center of the doorway, entered sideways, and then offered a polite greeting: "Good morning, Ninth Aunt. I've come primarily about ghosts this time. Didn't you mention before that I could buy them from you?"

"That, huh?" Hearing it was about ghosts, Ninth Aunt immediately adopted a serious demeanor. She led Feng Xue to a seat and, while brewing tea, said, "Ghosts are common enough, but finding a suitable one is truly difficult. Tell me your requirements first."

"Er, I actually thought you'd have a list for me to choose from!" Feng Xue gently stroked the willow-wood charm on his finger, his gaze drifting involuntarily toward the strange, carved wooden deity statues illuminated by the flickering eternal lamps and incense.

Noticing his gaze, Ninth Aunt immediately understood his thoughts and spoke with great solemnity: "Sir, you might have misunderstood. When I said 'sell,' I meant selling information about ghosts. The ghosts I enshrine here are not for sale."

Seeming worried that Feng Xue might take it the wrong way, she paused only for a moment before explaining: "The ones in these human-shaped statues are infant spirits—children who died before they were born. Keeping such spirits is against the laws of nature. I only enshrine them to dissipate their resentment. If no one seeking children comes to take them home, I send them to be reincarnated on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month.

"These spirit tablets belong to the elderly in the county who have no kin. They had no relatives, and their burials were humble. The county provided some money, and I add incense and candles every year so they won't be bullied in the afterlife while waiting to be reincarnated. Occasionally, when villagers want to perform spirit mediumship, they can ask them to go down and find someone.

"As for these strange-looking ones, they are the ones who caused trouble in the vicinity. Most have human lives on their hands. Some I caught, some were caught by Daoist Qian, and others were caught by our predecessors. They are kept here, suppressed by the ancestral spirits and the incense of the county, until their resentment fades and they can re-enter the cycle of reincarnation."

At this point, Ninth Aunt divided the brewed tea into three cups. She placed one before the tablet housed in the central shrine, then pushed another toward Feng Xue.

Feng Xue held the teacup but did not drink, asking instead: "Then what kind of information are you talking about? And since you know where these ghosts are, why not capture them?"

Hearing this, Ninth Aunt was slightly surprised, but she quickly composed herself, assuming Feng Xue was just a spoiled rich kid who had picked up a few tricks after throwing money at some master. She organized her thoughts and explained: "Ghosts are actually quite common, but most go directly to the Underworld. They live there for a period, during which their obsessions gradually dissipate, allowing them to enter reincarnation without burdens. Of course, some who accumulated virtue in life, or have descendants who are successful, can have their incense offerings in the mortal realm continue, allowing them to cultivate an 'yin spirit' and remain in the Underworld as minor officials.

"The ghosts we usually speak of that remain in the mortal realm are those whose obsessions were too heavy before death. They can't even enter the Underworld, let alone reincarnate. These are called wandering ghosts. Generally, they aren't harmful; they drift for a while until their obsessions fade and they move on. Only a few rely on incense offerings or scare people to gather the 'will-power' needed to sustain their obsessions."

"But isn't it said that if a ghost has harmed people, it can't be tamed?" Feng Xue frowned, doubting the "Ghost Taming Manual" Ninth Aunt had given him.

Ninth Aunt shook her head: "It's not that they can't be tamed, but that they can't be domesticated. Let's put it this way: if you wanted to guard your home and hunt a little, would you raise a dog, or would you try to capture a man-eating tiger? The tiger is certainly stronger than the dog, but how much effort would it take to tame it? And can it truly be domesticated? Or would it turn on you the moment you show weakness?

"Ghost Taming is, after all, just a technique to make life easier. If you want to learn combat skills, I advise you to find a master and apprentice properly, or else no one will want to bear that kind of karmic debt."

Feng Xue nodded to show he understood and continued, "Then where do the ghosts you introduce come from?"

"They are collected by others, of course."

Feng Xue had thought the idea of "ghost organ donation" was outrageous enough, but he hadn't expected to hear something even more absurd from Ninth Aunt. Seeing his "are you kidding me" expression, she blinked helplessly: "Usually, if a novice practitioner learns ghost taming, the ghosts they use are cultivated by their elders. For someone like you, who is self-taught, if you don't want to use those immoral methods, there are generally only two sources:

"One is the 'wild god.' These are wandering ghosts that accidentally consumed incense and offerings, slowly forgot their original identity, and began to think of themselves as gods, yet they lack official Underworld status. They are called wild gods or spirits. For example, a corpse left on the side of the road—a kind person buries it and lights a few sticks of incense, and eventually, it becomes rumored to be a 'Road God' who ensures safe travel. Everyone who passes by pays their respects. Over time, it truly believes it is a Road God. These wild gods lack Underworld ordination and have no real power; their incense is easily cut off. The ghosts prepared for juniors are often raised this way.

"As for the second type, it's what I call 'collected ghosts.' In life, these were often high-ranking officials or master craftsmen. After death, their souls cling to their favorite possessions. These items are often valuable and change hands frequently. In the process, the ghost absorbs the 'will-power' generated by the owner's affection for the object, allowing it to persist. If it absorbs malice, it can even turn into one of those cursed objects from stories that bring disaster to whoever keeps them.

"Some practitioners specialize in collecting such antiques. Because any object possessed by a ghost usually has value, buying them is never a loss. They collect them, but they don't play with them or offer them incense. The ghost on the object slowly dissipates, leaving only a pure, empty shell of 'will-power.' This shell is similar to a phantom god, but not as strong, and can be easily controlled by an ordinary person.

"This way, they earn money from the antiques, gain the reputation of an exorcist, accumulate merit by preventing ghosts from harming people, and earn positive karma for helping ghosts into reincarnation. Finally, the empty shells on the antiques can be sold to novices like you who lack ghosts. However, this line of work requires significant money and a long time; only old, established shops can afford it.

"These empty shells have low risk, a good image, and a gentle temperament, making them perfect for a beginner like you. As for the downsides... well, there are some, but for you, they shouldn't matter."

"Oh?" Seeing Ninth Aunt hesitate, Feng Xue immediately understood. He reached into his robes, pulled out a gold bean, and handed it over. Ninth Aunt took it, nipped off a small piece to return, and smiled, "The downside, naturally, is that it's expensive! But, of course, a big spender like you wouldn't care."

Feng Xue laughed and immediately stated his requirements.