Volume One, Chapter Seventeen: Stealing Lifespan and Fortune

Qin Yu's round, doe-like eyes narrowed, and a cunning glint flashed between her brows. With every gesture, she summoned her spiritual energy. Bringing her index and middle fingers together, she aimed them straight at the faceless stone statue.

Such abundant and untainted spiritual energy was the bane of all ghosts and monsters. Yet oddly, the faceless statue showed no fear. It lounged lazily within its stone shell and mocked her, "Your spiritual energy is indeed pure and clean, but it’s useless against me, because we share the same lineage..." The creature paused, excitement lighting its tone with pride. "I thrive on genuine incense offerings, while the merit you've accumulated can be absorbed by me."

Qin Yu cultivated by solving others’ problems and accumulating faith, while the faceless statue fed on the power of incense and offerings.

Her glittering eyes seemed to hold countless stars as she regarded the statue. Though her appearance was sweet and docile, a wildness sparked within her. "That depends on whether you have the ability to absorb it," she retorted.

Rather than restrain her spiritual energy as the statue suggested, Qin Yu intensified it. The statue, realizing her intent, grew frantic with terror.

Desperate to halt the absorption, it found its efforts futile.

"You lunatic! Stop! Stop at once!"

More and more spiritual energy flooded into the stone, making its surface shine brilliantly in the darkness. Upon closer inspection, fine cracks began to spider across the statue, the light seeping out through the fissures.

Just as the statue was about to burst from the overwhelming energy, the entity inside was forced to abandon its post. The moment it leapt out, it was seized by Mu Ling, who had been waiting outside.

Thanks to his time with Qin Yu, Mu Ling, though trained in the ghost arts, had followed the righteous path. His ghostly aura was like a whip dipped in chili for lesser spirits, excruciatingly painful. Soon, the creature’s true form was revealed—

"What the hell is that?"

"Is that a... a rat?"

"But it has human limbs!"

"The body and limbs don’t match at all."

"What on earth is this thing?"

"I have a bold theory—could it be a person and a rat stitched together?"

"Your guess is bold, and closest to the truth. It is indeed a patchwork ghost."

As the name suggests, a patchwork ghost is created by disassembling and reconstructing the limbs and bones of spirits, forging a new entity.

Before them now was a patchwork ghost, a combination of man, woman, and rat.

Ancient texts once recorded a rat that drank the fragrant oil of the Lingji Bodhisattva and became a menace to the mortal world. Rats, it seems, possess the greatest affinity for Buddhist virtue, yet lack the root to attain enlightenment. Even with such innate potential, they cannot grasp the ultimate truth.

The mastermind who created this patchwork ghost exploited the rat’s unique trait—to steal incense, confuse hearts.

Qin Yu planted her foot firmly on the patchwork ghost, who was wailing pitifully, scorched by her pure righteousness. "Master, immortal, spare me! I was wrong! I’ll never dare again!"

"If you make another sound, I’ll rip your tongue out and use it as a shoelace."

Her voice was gentle and sweet, but it sent the patchwork ghost’s tiny, beady eyes swimming with tears.

"The master is smiling, yet I’ve got goosebumps all over."

"My wife’s fighting prowess is truly impressive!"

"For a moment, I almost feel sorry for the patchwork ghost."

When the ghost finally quieted, Qin Yu withdrew her foot.

She crouched down to meet its gaze. The patchwork ghost dared not look at her, contorting itself and inching backward, terror etched across its face, as if Qin Yu were the true monster here.

"From now on, you answer whatever I ask. Any lie, and I’ll..." She tightened her fist, the cracking sound making the patchwork ghost tremble like a leaf.

"Spare me, auntie, I’ll talk! I’ll say everything!"

"How did you end up like this?"

"I don’t know."

"Hmm?"

"Spare me, auntie, I really don’t know! When I was a rat, I had no intelligence. I don’t even remember how I died! By the time I became aware, I was already like this!" Afraid she’d stomp him again, the patchwork ghost spilled everything in a rush. "Then a big ghost appeared. He stuffed me into the statue and told me that only by being worshipped could I exist—otherwise, I’d be scattered to nothing..."

"How did you end up at Li Yue’er’s house?"

"After telling me that, the big ghost sealed me with a talisman. I don’t know how much time passed before I faintly heard a girl crying. I lured her to break the seal and take me home."

At this point, the patchwork ghost’s shifty little eyes darted around, his whiskers twitching nervously.

"Auntie, no matter what I say next, please don’t hit me, alright?"

Qin Yu rolled up her sleeves, her smile sweet and gentle. "Then I’ll give you a beating now, so I won’t need to later."

"No wonder she’s my wife—her logic is flawless!"

"That rat must be questioning its entire existence after meeting the streamer."

Elsewhere.

Lu Jinyuan watched the girl on screen rain fists and kicks on the patchwork ghost, his hand pressed lightly to his lips, unable to hide the smile in his eyes.

—

Bruised and battered, the patchwork ghost hugged its head, curling into a ball.

He had never encountered someone so violent!

"Keep talking."

"Li Yue’er took me home, but she wouldn’t worship me. To convince her, I used a few tricks..."

"What tricks?" Seeing his evasive look, Qin Yu guessed it was nothing good.

The patchwork ghost hesitated, but the memory of her fists forced him on.

"I just made her father break his leg, and let him eat expired food to get poisoned..."

With each confession, he glanced at Qin Yu, his voice growing softer. "I also told her that as long as she worshipped me, I could ensure her father’s safety..."

"So you exploited her innocence to steal her lifespan and fortune?"

From the moment Qin Yu first saw Li Yue’er, she sensed the girl had lost at least ten years of life and half her luck.

"What?!"

"Poor Li Yue’er! She was tricked, and now her lifespan’s stolen too."

The patchwork ghost shook his head frantically, desperate to explain lest he be beaten again. "It wasn’t me, I swear! I’m dead—I don’t need lifespan!"