Chapter 26: Scalp Tingling!

"Lan Xiaoman, drink this," Ling Qiu said, turning his ring. A surge of energy condensed into liquid, pooling in his palm.

Lan Xiaoman inhaled the rich, fragrant aroma, finding it so tempting that she followed Ling Qiu’s command almost instinctively.

As she swallowed, warmth flooded her being, filling her with a strength she hadn’t felt in what seemed like an eternity. The uncertainty and drift within her vanished, and it was as if she had been brought back to life.

Ling Qiu explained, "The Soul-Sealing Mark wounded your spirit. Now, your soul is incomplete—you cannot pass on, much less be reborn. From now on, you’ll stay with me. When the opportunity arises, I’ll find a way to help you."

In truth, he hadn’t finished speaking. The Soul-Sealing Mark severed the deceased’s connection to the underworld, leaving them like a nameless outcast, unregistered and lost. Ling Qiu currently had no solution—unless he could fully awaken the power of the Ten Lords of the Underworld and master the laws of reincarnation.

Ultimately, Lan Xiaoman’s tragic fate was a consequence of her own choices.

So, Ling Qiu could not shirk this responsibility.

Besides, Lan Xiaoman was such a delicate and charming young girl.

"Thank you, big brother… What’s your name?" she asked softly.

"Ling Qiu."

"You really want to take me in? I’m a ghost, you know… Aren’t you afraid of me?"

Lan Xiaoman could sense her own spectral state. She knew she had been completely abandoned by this world. If Ling Qiu didn’t take her in, she would likely wander alone for all eternity.

Ling Qiu gave her a gentle smile. "What do you think?"

"Thank you, big brother." At last, a glimmer of a smile appeared on Lan Xiaoman’s face.

"No need to thank me. This is what I owe you."

Before she could respond, Ling Qiu asked, "How old are you?"

"Sixteen…"

"Sixteen and already in college?"

"I skipped grades and got early admission…"

Ling Qiu smiled in surprise. He hadn’t expected that Long Yuelan’s younger sister would be such an academic prodigy.

"Well then, from now on, I’ll be your brother, and you’ll be my little sister."

With that, Ling Qiu gently patted Lan Xiaoman.

For a soul to remain by someone’s side for long, they had to establish a certain bond—like that of siblings.

Lan Xiaoman felt as if Ling Qiu was the warm hearth in her grandfather’s house during winter—a comforting, gentle presence. Overwhelmed with emotion, she sniffled quietly.

Ling Qiu wiped away her tears. "Don’t cry. You look so pitiful like this, but I have to tell you, your crying sounds… are terrifying to others."

"Ah? Really?"

"Really." Ling Qiu chuckled and turned. "Come, I’ll prove it to you."

So the pair—a living brother and his ghostly sister—stepped out of the morgue together.

The moment the door opened, Wu Suowei, who’d been waiting outside, threw his arms around Ling Qiu, trembling so much his legs nearly gave out. "Brother! Did you… did you hear it?"

Ling Qiu feigned confusion. "Hear what?"

"The crying! That mournful, terrifying crying… It was so scary!" Wu Suowei’s face had gone pale. "Do you think… this morgue might be haunted?"

Ling Qiu didn’t answer, but turned back to Lan Xiaoman with a friendly grin. "See? Now do you believe me?"

Lan Xiaoman stuck out her tongue sheepishly and quickly covered her mouth, whispering, "Brother… I won’t cry so easily anymore. Actually, I’m a cheerful person, but you taking me in moved me so much…"

"What the—brother, who are you talking to?!" Wu Suowei backed away in fright as Ling Qiu suddenly turned and spoke to thin air.

Ling Qiu feigned innocence. "I’m talking to you."

"Nonsense! If you’re talking to me, why are you looking behind you?!"

Seeing how scared Wu Suowei was, Ling Qiu smiled. "You’re a doctor, aren’t you? You deal with the dead all the time—are you really afraid of ghosts? I don’t befriend cowards."

"Who says I’m afraid!" Wu Suowei straightened up, trying to act tough. "I was just… worried you’d be scared!"

"Scared of what?" Ling Qiu patted Lan Xiaoman’s head. "With you two by my side, what’s there to be afraid of?"

"Heh, that’s true, with me around… Wait, what did you just say?"

Wu Suowei had just caught up to Ling Qiu when he heard this, and nearly stumbled in shock.

"Two with you? Brother, I’m scared of you now. There’s no one here but the two of us—who’s the third?"

Ling Qiu yawned and strode ahead. "Did I say the third was a person?"

Wu Suowei shuddered and hurried after him. "Brother! Slow down!"

Inside the elevator, Lan Xiaoman tugged Ling Qiu’s hand. "Brother, this guy is such a coward… Hee hee, and his name is strange. Why is he called Wu Suowei?"

"Oh?" Ling Qiu found it odd as well and asked, "Wu Suowei, don’t you think your name is a bit odd? How did your parents pick it?"

The topic shift calmed Wu Suowei a little. "Oh, lots of people ask that. It’s simple! My parents met at sea."

"At sea?"

"Yeah, my mom’s ship got lost, and the rescue team used the radio signal from my dad’s private yacht to find her ship."

He finished, raising his eyebrows. "Romantic, right?"

Ling Qiu: What?

Romantic, my foot.

"I’m asking why you’re called Wu Suowei, not for your parents’ love story…"

"Didn’t I just tell you why?" Wu Suowei hesitated, then suddenly remembered something and grinned. "Oh, I forgot the premise. My dad’s surname is Wu, my mom’s is Wei. My dad used the radio to find my mom, then they got married and had me, so I’m called Wu Suowei."

Ling Qiu: …

Lan Xiaoman: …

"Brother, that’s such a random name. To his parents, Wu Suowei must have seemed pretty unnecessary, huh?"

"I think so too," Ling Qiu agreed.

"Huh? What do you think?" Wu Suowei was puzzled.

Ling Qiu patted him on the shoulder. "Don’t be too upset. After all, you’ve made it this far in life without starving, haven’t you?"

Wu Suowei: ???

Ding.

The elevator doors slid open.

Just as they were about to step out—

"Brother!"

Suddenly, Lan Xiaoman cried out in fear, "That’s… that’s him!"

Him?

Ling Qiu’s eyes narrowed as he looked up. An old man with gray hair and plain clothes approached, expressionless, holding a Yin-Yang Eight Trigrams Mirror in his hand.

"He’s the one… the Taoist who cast the Soul-Sealing Mark on you?"

"It’s him… it’s him…"

It was clear Lan Xiaoman was terrified.

"Don’t be afraid, I’m here."

Ling Qiu twisted his Yanluo Ring. "Get in."

With a hum, Lan Xiaoman’s spirit transformed into a wisp of energy and disappeared into the ring.

The old Taoist paused, sensing something amiss as he stared suspiciously at Ling Qiu.