Tonight's moon was a bit strange, not white, but tinged with a bloody hue, like a blood-red scimitar, giving off an eerie vibe.

Despite Kuzhu's limp, he walked with brisk steps, effortlessly traversing slopes and obstacles. Sometimes I had to run to keep up with him.

After walking several miles, Kuzhu remained composed while I was panting heavily, my face flushed and sweaty.

I wiped away the sweat and asked Kuzhu, "Great deity, where are we going?"

"Right here, we've arrived," Kuzhu said.

I looked around and realized that Kuzhu had led me to a gloomy mountain valley. The chilly wind howled through the valley, sending shivers down my spine.

I glanced down and felt a chill run down my spine.

The valley was filled with small mounds, decrepit coffins, and scattered bones. Ghostly lights flickered like wandering souls in the wind.

This place... wasn't it Ghost Wail Valley?

All the troubles started that night in Ghost Wail Valley. If Zheng Jun hadn't brought us there that night, none of these events would have happened.

What was Kuzhu doing? Why did he bring me to Ghost Wail Valley?

Kuzhu motioned me to follow him down.

Standing alone above Ghost Wail Valley, I felt terrified. As Kuzhu's figure grew smaller in the distance, I couldn't help but stamp my feet and follow him down into the valley.

It was midnight, and the valley was filled with a chilling atmosphere, giving off a bone-chilling coldness.

This place was already eerie during the day, with the sun barely reaching the bottom of the valley. At night, it resembled the underworld, as if countless demons were emerging from the depths.

Kuzhu walked ahead, unperturbed, while I followed behind. My red outfit stood out conspicuously in the darkness, making me feel extremely uneasy.

Kuzhu stopped in front of a mound, beckoning me over.

I approached and saw a tombstone standing on the mound. Perhaps due to its age, the tombstone was already weathered, with moss growing on it.

I silently read the blurry inscription on it. It was a tomb from the Republic of China era, belonging to a girl named Xu Lianxiang.

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Kuzhu looked at the tombstone, a hint of a smile on his face, muttering to himself, "This one is good! This one is good!"

I stared at Kuzhu in confusion as he turned to me and ordered, "Yang Cheng, kneel in front of the grave!"

Kneel?

Why should I kneel to a stranger who's already dead?

Although I didn't want to, I remembered Grandpa's instructions and suppressed my reluctance. I walked over and knelt in front of the grave.

Kuzhu took out a pair of golden earrings from his sleeve, the same ones that caused Zheng Jun's death. I remembered Kuzhu hiding them in the incense burner last night, so I was puzzled why he had them out again tonight.

Kuzhu placed the earrings on the grave, then took out a pair of red candles and three joss sticks, lighting them all.

I looked at Kuzhu with confusion. It seemed like he was performing a ritual to pay respects to this girl from the Republic era. Kuzhu was only in his fifties, so he couldn't have known her. Why was he paying respects to Xu Lianxiang?

Kuzhu took out a piece of yellow paper with birth and death dates written on it. He lit it with the candles, and it quickly turned to ashes, falling onto the grave.

Kuzhu chanted, "Yin has a path, Yang has a road. Today, I bring Yang Cheng to pay respects to Miss Lianxiang. If Miss Lianxiang agrees, we will accept these earrings as an offering! As long as Yang Cheng can safely overcome this ordeal, he will definitely build a grave for Miss Lianxiang in the future, repaying her kindness!"

I looked at Kuzhu in astonishment. What was he doing for me?!

Was he joking? Xu Lianxiang had been dead for decades, how could Kuzhu help me pay respects to a dead person?

Seeing Kuzhu's serious expression, I couldn't help but speak up, "Great deity, she... she's been dead for so long..."

"Shut up! Don't talk nonsense!" Kuzhu glared at me sternly, frightening me into silence.

The scene was already eerie enough. Here I was, kneeling in front of a century-old grave, lighting red candles and incense sticks, paying respects to a girl from the past.

Moments later, a cold wind suddenly swept through, extinguishing the red candles, and the three joss sticks broke in half.

Kuzhu's expression changed immediately, and I knew it was a bad omen. Broken joss sticks were definitely not a good sign.

Kuzhu picked up the golden earrings and bowed to the grave, "Since Miss Lianxiang doesn't accept, we won't disturb her anymore!"### Polishing Expert

After uttering those words, Ku the Lame turned on his heels and strode away. I couldn't afford to lag behind. I scrambled to my feet, brushed off the earth from my knees, and hastened to catch up with him.

Ku the Lame seemed to possess a sharp vision, navigating through the waist-high tangle of weeds under the feeble crimson moonlight. With neither a flashlight nor a lantern, he scoured the surroundings, his gaze alternating between this mound and that tombstone.

Though young, I wasn't naive. I grasped the essence of the situation, utilizing it to fill the void in my destiny with that elusive specter.

In the recesses of our secluded mountain valleys, the age-old tradition of "spirit veneration" prevailed.

Two years prior, an elderly widower from our village conducted a solemn ceremony, venerating the spirit of a drowned young girl as the "guest of honor." The old woodcutter spared no expense, nearly depleting his life savings. The affair was conducted with great pomp, adhering to tradition, save for the fact that following the ceremony, the drowned girl was laid to rest.

I never fathomed that such a ritual would fall upon me. The more I contemplated, the more dread consumed me, almost compelling me to flee for my life.