Chapter Fifteen: Seizing the Body She Obtained Through Her Powerful Connections

Night had fallen, and the monks and Taoist priests at the mourning hall had ceased their chanting. Only a handful of people remained, standing vigil. Outside, thunder rumbled, rain and snow began to fall, and the biting wind howled fiercely, causing the joss paper inside the hall to rustle and the paper-crafted carriages and horses to flutter, revealing their bamboo frames beneath.

Lan Caimeng noticed this and said, “The wind’s picking up. Let’s stop burning the spirit money for now, or it’ll scatter and might start a fire.”

Apart from the coffin, the hall was filled mostly with paper offerings. If a fire broke out, it would be disastrous.

“Understood, Elder Brother,” Lan Caicheng nodded and went to extinguish the ceremonial fire basin. Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine, and he instinctively glanced back. “Who’s there?”

Lan Caimeng looked over. “What’s wrong?”

Lan Caicheng felt uneasy, his eyes scanning the rows of paper-made boys and girls. Swallowing hard, he said, “Nothing, maybe it was just my imagination.”

He had just felt as if someone was watching him, a gaze cold and sinister.

Lan Caize from the third branch laughed, “Fourth Brother, you’re not scared even in Grandfather’s mourning hall, are you?”

Lan Caimeng frowned, disapproving.

Lan Caicheng awkwardly replied, “Of course not.”

Lan Caize smirked, eyes sweeping over the paper offerings. “The craftsmanship of Deng’s Funeral Parlor is exquisite. These paper boys and girls are lifelike, especially the eyes—they’re painted so realistically, almost as if they’re alive. Grandfather is truly blessed.”

Lan Caimeng frowned at his increasingly inappropriate words and scolded, “Sixth Brother, no nonsense in the mourning hall.”

“Pfft, if you’re scolding me, it’s nothing compared to that village girl, Lan Jiu. Compared to her, I’m just a minor nuisance. Besides, I’m not wrong—aren’t these girls pretty? Fourth Brother, what do you say?” Lan Caize glanced at the still-shaken Lan Caicheng.

Lan Caimeng’s expression darkened. “Though Ninth Sister grew up in the village and isn’t as refined as the noble ladies in the capital, she is still our cousin, the child of Second Uncle’s family. Your mockery is disrespectful to both him and Second Aunt.”

Seeing Lan Caimeng’s stern look, Lan Caize gave up and muttered, “Fine, I won’t say any more.”

He admired the most beautiful paper girl, even tapping her red lips before turning away. Unbeknownst to him, those paper girl’s eyes seemed to move, following him with a sinister gaze. Her crimson lips curled into a strange smile.

Bang.

A gust of wind slammed the main door repeatedly, scattering spirit money everywhere. A surge of chilling energy swept in from all directions, making the extinguished hall even colder.

Now, not only Lan Caicheng but even Lan Caimeng and the others frowned—why had it suddenly gotten so cold?

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The door was hit violently by the wind, then slammed shut with a heavy thud. The candles inside the hall went out abruptly.

“What the hell?” Lan Caize’s voice trembled.

Could it be that Grandfather had returned?

Lan Caimeng, as the eldest grandson, was stunned, then instructed Lan Caicheng to fetch a fire striker to relight the candles while he went to pull the door open.

Yet, the tightly shut door didn’t budge an inch.

“Who’s out there?” Lan Caimeng barked, suspecting a prank.

Only the howling wind answered.

Just as he was about to ask again, a piercing howl came from behind, causing Lan Caicheng to nearly lose control. He turned around and saw Lan Caicheng holding a newly lit candle, staring in terror at one direction.

Looking closer, Lan Caize had somehow moved to the row of paper boys and girls, clawing wildly in the air as if trying to grab something. His cheeks hollowed, lips pursed, with drool trickling down, as if someone had pinched his face.

Was he possessed?

Or was he faking?

“Sixth Brother, stop this madness!”

Lan Caize’s throat emitted hoarse sounds as he struggled, “Help...”

It didn’t seem like an act!

The brothers’ hearts raced as they rushed over, only to be enveloped by a sinister aura. Before their eyes, the paper boys and girls came to life, circling them with grinning faces.

They were speechless.

Ghosts haunting a mourning altar were rare but not unheard of. There were tales of restless spirits of unfilial descendants causing coffins to remain unclosed or too heavy to lift. But paper boys and girls turning into ghosts? That was unprecedented.

And now, the Lan family had made history.

The paper boys and girls had come alive.

The place was haunted.

Lan Caimeng and the others screamed silently, staring at the eerie ghost children with pale faces but vividly red cheeks and lips, wishing they could die. Their own faces were even paler than those ghostly paper children.

Unanimously, the three brothers lunged at the door, frantically pulling at it.

They wanted out.

At that moment, Lan Jiuchuan arrived. The courtyard, which had echoed with chanting monks during the day, was now silent except for white mourning flags fluttering. Two or three servants hung white lanterns back up under the eaves, blown away by the wind. From within the hall, a chilling aura spilled forth.

She narrowed her eyes.

“Ah, a few unlucky souls,” she murmured.

Hearing the cries for help from inside, Lan Jiuchuan approached and raised her foot.

Bang.

The door was kicked open violently.

Lan Caimeng and the others at the door were knocked down, sprawling on the floor.

The chilling aura surged toward Lan Jiuchuan.

Piercing screams pierced her ears, sharp and cold.

Unpleasant.

Lan Jiuchuan waved her hand. “Quiet! Shut up, you’re all making a racket!”

The chaotic wails ceased.

But soon, they rose again. How amusing. Why should she listen to these sickly spirits? She looked frail, near death. Why not let them borrow this body for a while, to savor the taste of the living world once more?

However, the ghosts were too many to share.

Whoever seized it first would keep it.

Suddenly, numerous ghostly shadows lunged at Lan Jiuchuan.

Having just used a spell and with her body in a weakened state, one ghost unexpectedly possessed her, vying for control of her body.

Like a tiger fallen from the mountains, bullied by dogs.

Lan Jiuchuan laughed bitterly. She was weak, but not so weak that these pests could bully her at will. She had just acquired this body through connections and hadn’t even warmed it up yet. Now they wanted to snatch it? Had they become ghostly nuisances?

Did the underworld spirits not know who she was?

Without hesitation, Lan Jiuchuan tore the possessing ghost from her body. Before the other ghosts struggling to possess her, she focused her will on her hands and tore.

The unfortunate ghost who had possessed her was shredded to pieces before dissipating into nothingness.

The remaining ghosts were stunned, terrified.

They had encountered a formidable foe.

With a whistle, they scattered in all directions.

No ghost remained in the mourning hall.

Fearing they’d be torn apart if they lagged behind, they fled—better safe than sorry.

Lan Jiuchuan did not pursue. She waved her hand, dispersing the chilling aura in the hall. After all, her body was weak; she could not afford to catch cold.

Turning her gaze, she met the dull eyes of three men lying on the floor. She kicked Lan Caize’s leg. “You’re back to your senses.”