Chapter 144

Chapter 144

◎She Wants to Live◎

Li Hongqian had not yet truly witnessed Ji Nanxing's abilities. He only knew that Ji Nanxing was also a Taoist, who could see ghosts and see through him at a glance, which instinctively made him fearful.

But that was when he was isolated and helpless. Now, he had a Taoist by his side, someone older than Ji Nanxing, and presumably more powerful.

So, upon seeing Ji Nanxing, Li Hongqian instinctively hid behind the middle-aged Taoist, even attempting to twist the truth: "Master, this is the Taoist I told you about. Not only is he unwilling to help me reclaim my body, but he also wants to imprison my soul to make way for that wild ghost!"

Xiao Ye, who had a Heaven's Eye Charm on him, couldn't help but curse: "Ghosts really do spout nonsense without a shred of truth. You can spout such lies so easily; it seems you’ve been telling deceitful ghost stories quite often."

With someone by his side, Li Hongqian spoke with confidence: "Dare you say you haven’t been favoring that wild ghost, wanting me to give up my body for her?!"

Ji Nanxing, however, didn’t look at Li Hongqian. Instead, he flicked his finger, sending a burst of energy that struck Li Hongsheng, knocking off the charm on his body.

Li Hongsheng, who had been immobilized, was immediately able to move again. He quickly backed away several steps, putting distance between himself and the middle-aged Taoist.

The middle-aged Taoist frowned and said, "Young man, as a Taoist, you should know that the balance of yin and yang cannot be reversed. This person’s body has been taken over by a wild ghost, which is a disruption of the natural order. Regardless of the family’s internal conflicts, at the very least, yin and yang must be restored."

Li Xin, holding onto her brother, turned to Ji Nanxing and pleaded tearfully: "Please, little brother, help us. Don’t let them take my second brother away. He’s good; he’s not a bad ghost. He’s really good, wuwu (crying sound)."

Li Hongsheng patted his sister’s head and then looked down at 'Li Hongqian,' who was struggling to sit up.

'Li Hongqian' met his gaze with a smile, then patted Li Xin reassuringly and said, "So you all knew. I thought I had kept it well hidden."

Li Xin wiped her tears and said, "Because you don’t know how much the real Li Hongqian hates me. He would never pat my head and call me his sister, never take care of me when I’m sick. He’s wished for my death since childhood. He would never share a peaceful meal with us. The only thing he ever did when he came home was ask for money. He would never listen to Dad talk about business, never speak nicely to Mom, and he would never listen to Big Brother. So no matter how much you try to hide it, you’ll never be like him."

Li Xin reached out and hugged him: "Please don’t go. I want you to be my second brother. Big Brother wants you to be his brother too, and Mom and Dad, we all care about you. Don’t go, okay?"

'Li Hongqian' lowered his eyes. This was no longer up to her. Whether she stayed or left was no longer in her hands.

Meanwhile, Li Hongqian, standing behind the middle-aged Taoist, no longer wore a look of disgust and ferocity but instead appeared heartbroken: "No matter what, we’re family. Just because I didn’t like you before, you’re helping a wild ghost take over my body? That’s my body; you have no right to decide for me!"

The middle-aged Taoist seemed to have understood some of the Li family’s situation, but as Li Hongqian said, the body was his, and even his family had no right to decide for him.

The real challenge now wasn’t the Li family—ordinary folks who couldn’t stop him—but these two young men who had suddenly appeared.

The middle-aged Taoist looked at Ji Nanxing: "Fellow Taoist, I don’t want to clash with you. I believe you should understand that your interference will disrupt the balance of yin and yang. As a Taoist, you should be well aware of the consequences. Li Hongqian might not be a good person, but the body is his. That’s not a reason for a wild ghost to take it over. If you feel sorry for this ghost, I can perform a ritual to help him move on to the next life."

Ji Nanxing smiled: "You’ve got it wrong. I’m not here to interfere; I’m here to reclaim what’s mine."

The middle-aged Taoist was puzzled, while the Li siblings felt a cold dread in their hearts. They had truly believed these two young men were here to help.

Li Xin tightened her grip on her brother’s hand, looking up at him with eyes full of despair. So, the Li Hongqian they all cared for was going to be driven away, and the one who treated them like enemies was coming back?

Before the middle-aged Taoist could voice his confusion, Ji Nanxing raised his hand and gently shook the Golden Bell on his wrist.

The Golden Bell on Li Hongqian’s body appeared with the ringing but gradually dissipated under Ji Nanxing’s control.

The middle-aged Taoist’s expression changed slightly. He also had a soul-summoning bell, but his was just an ordinary tool for catching ghosts, like a regular peach wood sword or five emperor coins—things that could be bought with a bit more money.

But the young man’s bell was a magical tool, and not just one, but two.

Boosted by the prayer beads, the power of the Golden Bell wasn’t just doubled; the difference was such that if he wanted to extract the wild ghost from Li Hongqian’s body, it would take a lot of effort. With these two magical tools, it would be much easier.

Before the middle-aged Taoist could get a closer look at what Ji Nanxing was wearing on his wrist, Ji Nanxing withdrew his hand after dispelling the Golden Bell’s mark and stepped back, adopting a detached stance.

The middle-aged Taoist instinctively looked at Li Hongqian, only to see that the faint trace of vitality in Li Hongqian’s body was dissipating at a visible rate. In just a few moments, wisps of black energy surged out of his body, completely erasing the last traces of life.

In the time it takes to blink, Li Hongqian had completely transformed from a living soul with a trace of vitality to a dead soul.

The middle-aged Taoist was stunned: "This..."

Li Xin, who could see the ghosts, instinctively clutched her brother's hand. Li Hongqian had always been a terrifying presence to her, and now his transformation from a living soul to a dead soul was visible to the naked eye. His body was shrouded in black mist, terrifying Li Xin so much she wanted to hide behind her brother.

Li Hongsheng couldn't see the ghost, but judging by the expressions of the middle-aged Taoist and Li Xin, he could guess what had happened. He asked his younger sister, "What's wrong?"

Li Xin whispered, "He's become very scary, covered in black mist, like a ghost."

Just moments ago, Li Hongqian still retained a trace of human vitality, but now, he had completely turned into a ghost.

Li Hongqian himself was confused, but seeing the middle-aged Taoist's drastic change in expression, he realized something was wrong. He couldn't help but touch his face and asked, "What's going on?"

The middle-aged Taoist frowned, "Why is your ghostly aura so strong? When you came to me, I told you that you only had a trace of vitality left. If that vitality is completely severed, you can never return to life. Now, your vitality has been completely cut off. Even if the female ghost were willing to give up the body, you can't go back."

Upon hearing this, Li Hongqian's face changed drastically. He glared at Ji Nanxing, "Was it you! What did you do to me to stop me from reclaiming my body!"

Ji Nanxing wasn't angered by his accusation. He spoke calmly, "I told you, harboring evil thoughts makes you susceptible to being eroded by ghostly aura. I don't know what evil deeds you've committed these past few days, but the ghostly aura has completely covered you. As for what I did, I saw that your vitality was about to dissipate, so I placed a talisman on you to preserve the last trace of your vitality. Since you don't need my help, I naturally took back my talisman. What happens to you after I take it back is none of my concern."

The middle-aged Taoist glared at Li Hongqian, "Didn't you say he helped the female ghost take over your body!"

It was his lack of cultivation that prevented him from seeing the talisman on Li Hongqian. He only saw that Li Hongqian still had a trace of vitality left, unaware that this trace of vitality was preserved by the young Taoist.

He had nearly believed Li Hongqian's lies, thinking that the young man was biased by the Li Family's favoritism towards the ghost!

Li Xin's eyes widened. She squeezed her brother's hand and glanced back at 'Li Hongqian', whispering, "Did you hear that? He can't come back."

These words were undoubtedly a huge blow to Li Hongqian. He said unwillingly, "Why can't I return to life? She was dead and could still take over my body. Why can't I do it myself!"

The middle-aged Taoist frowned, wanting to explain to him, but the reasons were complex, involving the right timing, location, and various coincidences. It wasn't something that could be explained in a few words.

Just as he was unsure how to proceed, Ji Nanxing said, "Because he has merit. He did good deeds in life, and after death, he carried merit. You can think of the merit on him as the trace of vitality that helps him return to life. Now, he has vitality, so he can survive in your body. But you have completely become a dead soul, so naturally, you can't return."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged Taoist's expression changed again. He hadn't realized the ghost carried merit. He had assumed the other was just an ordinary female ghost who had taken over a living person's body and then ingratiated herself with the family to be accepted and fully integrate into the body.

He never expected that what helped her return to life was merit.

Before he could lament his lack of skill due to age, Li Hongqian had already gone mad, charging at 'Li Hongqian'. The hatred in him was almost tangible, turning into ghostly aura: "Why! This is my body, no one can take it away! Give it back! Give me back my body!"

Seeing him charge over with a ferocious expression and surrounded by ghostly aura, Li Xin screamed in fear. 'Li Hongqian' immediately shielded her in his arms.

But she had just been summoned by the soul-calling bell, and her soul was unstable. Being charged at by Li Hongqian, she was actually forced out of the body.

The body instantly fell unconscious, and the soul was forced out. Li Xin, whose ability to see ghosts had been granted by the middle-aged Taoist, immediately exclaimed upon seeing the soul in the body: "Oh my God, the brother she thought she had was actually a sister!"

Ji Nanxing was also stunned. He hadn't known that the soul in the body was a girl because he hadn't cultivated to the level where he could see the soul through the flesh. But when he had first seen 'Li Hongqian', he had sensed a youthful aura about him.

It was a kind of freshness rarely seen in males, not femininity, but a brightness that radiated from within.

Xiao Ye, standing nearby, was also shocked: "A female ghost."

So this female ghost had been living in a man's body. The first thought that came to his mind was how awkward it must have been for her when it came to bathing and using the restroom. How much mental preparation had she needed to adapt so well?

Li Xin, who had been forced out of the body, hadn't even had time to react before the talisman on her body heated up again, and a pulling force dragged her back into Li Hongqian's body.

Seeing she had almost been forced out, Li Hongqian's expression instantly became manic. He knew it was possible—if he could force her out, he could return.

But with two Taoists present, how could they let him have his way? His reckless actions not only prevented his return but also caused the body to lose its soul's support, leading to complete death.

Without Ji Nanxing needing to act, the middle-aged Taoist rang the Golden Bell, and a talisman flew from his hand, pinning Li Hongqian to the ground as he tried to charge forward.

Immobilized, Li Hongqian began to curse loudly, not only at Ji Nanxing but also at the middle-aged Taoist, the ghost in his body, Li Xin, and Li Hongsheng, calling them ungrateful and accusing them of letting him die to seize the family fortune.

Annoyed by the noise, Ji Nanxing threw a talisman, silencing him, and said, "I told you, if you lie enough, you'll start believing it yourself. You claim they let you die to seize the family fortune, but you know better than anyone how things got to this point."

Li Hongsheng couldn't hear the curses, but from the young Taoist's words, he could guess what Li Hongqian was ranting about. But he was more curious about the reason: "Do you know something?"

Ji Nanxing: "He willingly gave up his body. He didn't want to live, but his suicide was just a scare tactic, not a real attempt to die. He probably didn't expect that drinking and taking pills that day would push his weakened body to the brink of death, causing his soul to leave and giving the current occupant a chance to live."

Ji Nanxing looked at Li Hongqian, whose eyes were bulging: "Your malice started here. You'd long wanted them dead. Seeing the ghost survive in your body, you started plotting. You wanted to kill your parents, brother, and sister. Ghosts don't need evidence to kill. In the two months he was in your body, you weren't trying to return but looking for chances to kill. Unfortunately, the Li family is wealthy, and those born into such families carry blessings. Your attempts failed each time. You realized your soul was weakening and that if you didn't return soon, you'd lose the chance for good. So you came to me first, then to him."

The "him" referred to the middle-aged Taoist, who was shocked by the twists in the story, his face pale with anger.

Li Hongsheng paused: "So the near-miss accidents weren't coincidences or done by others, but by Li Hongqian? My mother almost fell down the stairs. She said she felt a push, but no one was home. That wasn't an illusion? Li Hongqian, they're your parents. Are you even human?"

Li Xin, hiding in Li Qian's arms, hadn't noticed anything unusual in the past two months. She was just amazed that her second brother's body had been taken over by another soul and realized how much better the new brother was, so she stuck close to him. As for the extra bodyguards, she thought it was because her elder brother was worried about the new brother and wanted to protect her. She hadn't realized there had been several close calls at home.

Ji Nanxing looked at the middle-aged Taoist: "Now you know why he can't return. With such malice, repeatedly using ghostly energy to try to kill, he's long past the point of no return."

Of course, he hadn't noticed this immediately upon meeting Li Hongqian. It was only after placing the Golden Bell mark on him and seeing 'Li Hongqian' that he noticed the connection between the body and the real Li Hongqian's soul had been severed, leaving only the thinnest thread of life and death, which led him to this conclusion. But since the body still belonged to Li Hongqian, as long as the ghost was willing to give it up, Li Hongqian could still return. Even if Li Hongqian's actions would be punished by the authorities, that could be dealt with after his return.

But Li Hongqian had run away and found another Taoist, trying to trick him into helping him reclaim his body.

Looking at Li Hongqian, who was now suppressed on the ground, the middle-aged Taoist sighed: "This is the result of too much wrongdoing. A living soul can only survive outside the body for seven days at most. Because someone occupied your body, you were given a chance to return. But for over two months, you didn't cherish it. Instead, you repeatedly plotted to harm others. Li Hongqian, this outcome is your retribution."

Fortunately, he was stopped just now, or he would have harmed someone. If he had incurred karmic retribution, how much merit would he need to accumulate to make up for it?

Regardless of Li Hongqian's unwillingness, he had been corrupted by ghostly energy. Since he couldn't return, he couldn't be allowed to harm others outside. The middle-aged Taoist took out a small porcelain jar and sealed Li Hongqian inside, then turned to look at Li Xin and the person behind her.

Li Xin instinctively reached out to protect the person behind her: "You've taken one already; you can't take both. Otherwise, you'd be committing murder!"

The middle-aged Taoist chuckled: "Little girl, do you know the difference between humans and ghosts?"

Li Xin turned her head: "I don't know. All I know is that she's now my family."

Li Hongsheng also stepped forward: "Since he can survive in my brother's body, it must be his fate. Master, please be merciful."

The middle-aged Taoist sighed: "Alright, this must be destiny."

Ji Nanxing walked over and looked at 'Li Hongqian': "What's your name?"

'Li Hongqian' replied: "My surname is also Li, and my given name is Qian. That day you appeared at the art exhibition, it wasn't a coincidence, was it?"

Ji Nanxing smiled: "Of course not. I went there specifically to find you. But after meeting you, I realized the situation was different from what Li Hongqian had described, so I held off. I didn't expect Li Hongqian to be impatient and run off to find another Taoist."

The middle-aged Taoist stood awkwardly to the side, almost causing trouble with good intentions and being outmatched in skill, which was quite embarrassing.

Li Xin looked at Ji Nanxing: "So you won't take her away, right?"

Ji Nanxing also looked at Li Xin: "Even though the body belongs to your brother, the soul inside doesn't. Can you really accept that?"

Li Xin nodded repeatedly: "Of course! We've known about this for a while. She doesn't hide it at all. We've gotten along very well these past months and are already family."

Ji Nanxing could tell they got along well. Family members have an aura, and whether the aura is harmonious reflects the atmosphere of their interactions.

Li Qian's aura has blended into the Li Family, which shows that she regards them as her own family, and they’ve accepted her wholeheartedly.

However...

Ji Nanxing turned to Li Qian and asked, "Can you really accept living in Li Hongqian's body in the future?"

At this, Li Qian’s face turned red. At first, it was pretty awkward. She wouldn’t even open her eyes or move her hands while showering, just letting the water rinse over her with her eyes closed. But over time, she got used to the male body, and as a man, many things were indeed easier than being a woman.

"I... I want to live." So whether she could accept it or not, if she wanted to survive, she had no choice but to adapt.

Ji Nanxing said, "Just because you’re alive now doesn’t mean you won’t pay for these years when you die. The reckoning won’t be easy. Are you sure you want to stay?"

Li Xin fell silent, and Li Hongsheng also stopped speaking. They wanted her to stay, but not if it meant a heavy price.

Li Qian said, "I’m sure." Only by staying alive can she do what she wants. Even if she could be reincarnated, the next life’s her wouldn’t be the same as the current her.

Ji Nanxing nodded and said, "Alright, from now on, you are Li Hongqian. But remember, this is still a disruption of yin and yang. If you do something bad, the retribution will multiply. Here’s some advice: do good deeds—think of it as paying off your future reckoning early."

Li Qian sincerely thanked him. She’s been really lucky. Whether in her previous life or this one, she’s encountered good people.

As the ghost-hunting Taoist left, Li Xin breathed a sigh of relief, turned around, and hugged Li Qian. "I’m glad you’re still here. Luckily, I was careful and noticed something was off with you. If I hadn’t come, you would’ve been taken away just now!"

Li Xin wiped her tears and said, "Thank you, thank you all. Even though you knew I wasn’t him, you didn’t call me out and still accepted me."

Li Hongsheng reached out to her and pulled her up from the ground. "So I’m not getting another brother, but a sister? That’s fine—sisters are less trouble than brothers."

Li Xin said with distress, "Do I call her sister or brother?"

Li Hongsheng replied, "Just call her brother—it’d be weird if others heard otherwise."

Li Xin nodded and then asked, "Should we tell mom and dad about this?"

Li Hongsheng thought for a while and said, "Let’s not tell them—it’ll just upset them."

Even though they’d planned to give up on Li Hongqian before, they still left him a house and some savings. But Li Hongqian wanted to kill them. It’s better not to let mom and dad know. They’re old, and sadness could harm their health. It’s better for them to live out their years in peace and happiness, unaware.

Li Xin held Li Qian’s hand and walked out of the grass, suddenly exclaiming, "I’m late for my debate!"

Li Qian said, "I’m sorry, it’s all because of me."

Li Xin smiled and hugged her arm. "Missing a debate for a sister? Totally worth it!"

Watching their family get into the car and leave, Ji Nanxing, already sitting in the car by the roadside, withdrew his gaze.

Xiao Ye opened a bottle of cold drink and handed it to him, then took out a wet wipe to clean the exposed skin on his body. "Why’d you pick a grass pile to handle this? Those fluffs will definitely itch when they stick to you."

Ji Nanxing took a sip of the drink and watched him wipe his arms and legs. "That’s pink muhly grass, tall enough to block the view. Handling such unscientific events must be done away from people."

Xiao Ye took off the Heaven's Eye Charm that had lost its effect from his body. "Who was that middle-aged Taoist?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head. "He shouldn’t be from our side. Fortunately, he’s not the type who catches ghosts on sight." Otherwise, there would’ve been a fight today.

The middle-aged Taoist, buying a plane ticket home, couldn’t help but sneeze, feeling that someone was talking about him. He quickly sped up the booking process. He had to leave this place as soon as possible. Big cities are full of hidden talents. He couldn’t even compare to a young man. It’s better to leave quickly to avoid further embarrassment.