Chapter 2: Erlang, It's Time to Offer Incense

This is a world where Confucian scholars are revered above all, where reading alone can grant one power, wealth, and strength. The greatest calamity facing this land is not natural disaster or war, but rather the omnipresent ghosts and the spectral mist that blankets the continent.

Though his memories were fractured, Xu Ye had gained a rough understanding of this world’s system of power. He lived in a country called Liang. Much like the world he had known before, here in Liang, one could earn official rank, wealth, and status through scholarly achievement. Yet there was a crucial difference: those who studied could also gain a force known as Righteous Vitality.

This Righteous Vitality was somewhat akin to the internal energy of martial artists in tales of fantasy; it could be used to strengthen the body and refine weapons. Once a scholar accumulated enough of this vital force, they might even wield powers akin to spells and supernatural feats. The former owner of Xu Ye’s body had witnessed scholars traverse an entire street in a single stride, or summon a gust of wind across the surface of water with a mere sweep of their sleeve.

For Xu Ye, now trapped in dire straits, this Righteous Vitality was a lifeline, for it was the bane of ghosts.

Indeed, ghosts existed in this world. In truth, most regions of this land were overrun by such spirits; human nations like Liang were rare. The very reason Liang could stand firm amidst a world dominated by ghosts was largely due to the scholars and their Righteous Vitality.

“If only the former owner of this body hadn’t wasted his days in debauchery and idleness, failing to accumulate any Righteous Vitality, he would never have been hounded by these spirits.”

“Now, the only way to banish the ghost is to obtain that sacred artifact enshrined in the ancestral hall.”

So Xu Ye calculated silently. According to the scant memories about exorcising ghosts left by the body’s previous owner, without Righteous Vitality of his own, the only way to banish such a spirit was with a sacred artifact.

Such sacred artifacts were objects nurtured with a scholar’s Righteous Vitality, akin to Daoist treasures in fiction. The one in the Xu family’s ancestral hall was left by their founding ancestor, Xu Jiugé—a teaching ruler he had used in his youth.

“To awaken the Righteous Vitality within the sacred artifact, one must recite famous works and verses of the current age. Though I do not know the literature of this world, I still remember a few poems from the world I once knew. I just don’t know how well they will work.”

“Furthermore, the verses recited during exorcism must carry a martial spirit. I wonder if the few I have prepared will suffice.”

Though he had a plan, Xu Ye still felt unease. He would have only one chance—if he missed it, not only would he fail to avenge this family, he would likely perish as well.

Creak…

As Xu Ye meticulously reviewed each step of his plan in his mind, the door to his room suddenly opened.

There stood the ghost wearing the face of Lady Man, smiling sweetly, swaying gracefully as she approached him.

Though Xu Ye’s eyes were open, all light had faded from within them.

“Er Lang, it’s time to go.”

Lady Man came to the bedside and gently lifted Xu Ye, placing him in a wooden wheelchair pushed by a ghostly maid.

“After this full moon, I will truly be a member of the Xu family. Then, Er Lang, I promise I’ll treat you well.”

As she spoke, she lowered her voice, pressing her face close to Xu Ye’s, and then, licking her lips, she continued, “I will savor you, Er Lang, from head to toe, inch by inch, until you are inside me—and then, we shall never be parted.”

Lady Man’s words sent a chill down Xu Ye’s spine.

Most of the body’s former owner’s memories concerned wine and women, so Xu Ye still did not understand why this ghost insisted on waiting until the full moon to consume him. He vaguely suspected it was related to the teaching ruler in the ancestral hall—perhaps after the full moon, the ghost would be able to approach or become immune to the artifact’s power.

…

A moment later.

Pushed by Lady Man’s ghostly maid, Xu Ye arrived in his wheelchair at the entrance to the ancestral hall.

Today was overcast, the sky heavy and gray, the sun invisible. Even so, the ghostly maid held an umbrella for Lady Man.

At the hall’s entrance, a crowd had already gathered.

Like Lady Man, each held an umbrella.

Noticing Xu Ye’s arrival, those gathered at the ancestral hall’s door all turned in unison to look at him, then stretched their mouths back to their ears in ghastly grins, filling the air with chilling laughter.

Every face was one Xu Ye recognized from memory.

But now, it was clear that these were nothing more than ghosts wearing the skins of the people he’d known.

Adding the two beside him, there were thirty-six ghosts in all—could he really handle them?

Counting them silently, Xu Ye’s nerves tightened once more.

He had no choice.

“It seems everyone’s here,” Lady Man chuckled, pushing Xu Ye through the crowd to the first row.

In that foremost line stood Xu Ye’s parents and elder brother.

“Master, it’s time to offer incense.”

Lady Man bowed gracefully to Xu Ye’s father.

“Mm…”

The old man nodded mechanically.

He shuffled stiffly to the ancestral tablets, took up a stick of incense from the altar, and slowly lit it.

As the old man offered incense, Xu Ye’s vacant gaze happened to fall upon the teaching ruler resting on the altar’s shelf.

From a distance, it looked like a simple, aged strip of bamboo.

Yet, inexplicably, Xu Ye felt a sense of peace as he looked upon it.

“Big brother, come push Er Lang forward,” Lady Man said with a sudden smile after Xu Ye’s brother had made his offering.

Just as Xu Ye suspected, the ghost dared not approach the ruler.

Thud…

Xu Ye’s elder brother, long since replaced by a ghost, walked over with heavy steps.

In Xu Ye’s memory, his brother’s name was Xu Yuan: tall, refined, and handsome, newly admitted to a renowned academy in the city. Their parents had placed great hopes in him.

Had Lady Man not disguised herself and used the bedridden Xu Ye as bait, killing him would have been difficult.

Xu Ye could still recall how the ghost lay in bed for three days after killing Xu Yuan.

“Er Lang, it’s your turn to offer incense.”

With stiff hands and feet, Xu Yuan pushed Xu Ye to the altar, personally lighting a stick of incense and placing it in Xu Ye’s hand, then guiding his limbs to perform the ritual gesture.

“It’s time.”

Xu Ye, while letting his “brother” manipulate him, secretly took a deep breath, preparing to seize the moment when the ghosts were distracted to grab the ruler.

Though his body remained weak, having vomited the medicinal soup for several days, he still had strength enough for this.

But just as he was about to move, Xu Ye realized—the shelf that moments ago had held the teaching ruler was now empty.