Chapter 286 - 138: But, It Shouldn’t Be This Strange

Chapter 286: Chapter 138: But, It Shouldn’t Be This Strange

But her delight lasted only a moment before she seemed to remember something. Her gaze dimmed, her lips forming a small pout, and with an air of obvious dejection, she stepped forward and gave a proper curtsy.

"Xiaoqian greets Master."

The other female ghosts also stopped their chores and bowed respectfully.

Jiang Mu looked at the girl’s pouting, aggrieved expression, which reminded him of a wronged young wife. He felt an urge to laugh but suppressed it and asked, "Where’s your Granny?"

Yu Xiaoqian said in a low voice:

"Granny went out early this morning. She said she needed to find some materials to set up an Array and stabilize the space. Oh, and... before she left, Granny ordered us not to call her Granny anymore. We are to call her ’Lady Si Ru.’"

’Lady Si Ru?’

Jiang Mu’s mouth twitched.

’This woman gets into character fast. We haven’t even started the deification process, and she’s already picked out her divine title?’

He scoffed silently, waved for the other female ghosts to get back to work, and then beckoned to Yu Xiaoqian.

"Xiaoqian, come with me."

One in front of the other, they went to a relatively intact side room behind the temple.

After closing the door, Jiang Mu took the modified Ghost Pill from within his robes, rested it on his palm, and held it out to Yu Xiaoqian.

"This is your Ghost Pill. You silly girl. You gave it to me just like that and never even thought of asking for it back? Weren’t you afraid your soul would be scattered to the winds after three days?"

Yu Xiaoqian looked at the Ghost Pill, bit her lower lip, and said softly:

"My life was saved by you, Master. Once I gave the Ghost Pill to you, it became yours. If you have a use for it, please keep it. If you find it useless... you can just throw it away. I... wouldn’t dare ask for it back."

Heh.

’Is this girl being passive-aggressive with me?’

Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow, but seeing her plaintive yet resigned expression, he no longer had the heart to tease her.

He pressed the Ghost Pill into her hand and said in a serious tone:

"Alright, stop moping. I’ve re-refined this Ghost Pill for you. It’ll be of great benefit to you. Take it now."

Yu Xiaoqian finally looked up, giving Jiang Mu a somewhat surprised glance. Then, she obediently took the Ghost Pill and placed it in her mouth.

But the next moment.

Her delicate brows furrowed deeply, her small face scrunching up. She spat the Ghost Pill back out, holding it in her hand and looking at Jiang Mu with a wronged expression.

"Master... what did you do to this Ghost Pill? It’s so bitter... so bitter it’s making the back of my tongue go numb."

’Bitter?’

Jiang Mu was taken aback.

He took the Ghost Pill, sniffed it, and even stuck out the tip of his tongue to lick it a little.

’It’s tasteless.’

’Just a faint, cool sensation. Where would any bitterness come from?’

"It is! It’s very bitter, extremely bitter!"

Yu Xiaoqian insisted, even sticking her tongue out for a moment as if the bitter taste still lingered.

"Don’t fool around."

Thinking the girl was just being coy, Jiang Mu pinched her chin and forced the Ghost Pill into her mouth. "I don’t care if it’s bitter or foul, just swallow it. I went to a lot of trouble to prepare this, so don’t let it go to waste."

"Mmph... mmph..."

Forced, Yu Xiaoqian had no choice but to try her best to swallow.

But no matter how hard she tried, it was as if the Ghost Pill had a will of its own. The moment it slid to the back of her throat, a powerful repulsive force would push it right back out.

After several attempts, the girl was choking so hard that tears welled up in her eyes.

Jiang Mu watched the distressed girl, his brow tightly furrowed.

’What’s going on?’

’Could it be that I used too much Demonic Qi to modify it, causing the Ghost Pill’s properties to change and become incompatible with her Soul Body?’

He mulled it over for a moment, then picked up the slick, wet Ghost Pill and placed it in his own mouth.

Before he could even swallow, the Ghost Pill, like a baby swallow returning to its nest, slid down his throat and settled comfortably in his abdomen, right within his Dantian.

Not only was there no rejection, but it even radiated a familiar, affectionate pulse.

’Well, just great.’

’So it was tainted by my Demonic Qi and now it belongs to me.’

Jiang Mu was left completely speechless.

Now that the pill had acknowledged him as its master, it had become his bonded item. For Yu Xiaoqian to try and merge with it again was tantamount to forcibly stealing something of his; naturally, she would be rejected.

He tried circulating his Spiritual Power, then his Demonic Qi, attempting to activate the Ghost Pill in his abdomen.

But the Ghost Pill remained like a stubborn stone, sitting there inertly.

It neither absorbed energy nor underwent any change, as if it were nothing more than a trivial trinket.

’Now this is a problem.’

’If she can’t merge with the Ghost Pill, she’ll still end up with her soul scattered.’

Gazing at the beautiful, tear-streaked girl with her lost expression, Jiang Mu suddenly asked, "Xiaoqian, when you were alive, was there anyone you liked? Were you ever betrothed? Or was there a man who held your heart?"

Yu Xiaoqian was taken aback by his abrupt question. Not understanding why he would suddenly ask such a thing, she shook her head in a daze. "No, I don’t think so."

"Are you sure? After all, given your condition, you might have lost many of your memories."

Jiang Mu stared into her eyes.

Yu Xiaoqian said with conviction:

"Really, I didn’t. I just don’t quite remember how I died or where my home was, but I haven’t forgotten everything else. I truly didn’t have anyone I liked when I was alive... No, wait. I did."

She changed her answer mid-sentence.

"So, which is it?"

Jiang Mu frowned.

Yu Xiaoqian lowered her head, her hands twisting the hem of her robes. "Not before..." she whispered. "...but later, I did."

Jiang Mu understood the implication behind her words and fell silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.

After a moment, he suddenly took a step forward.

He reached out, wrapped an arm around her impossibly slender waist, and pulled her into his embrace.

"Ngh!"

Yu Xiaoqian was caught off guard and let out a short, startled cry.

She was completely bewildered, as if lost in a fog.

"There are two ways to return the Ghost Pill to you."

Jiang Mu said, looking earnestly into the girl’s clear eyes, "One way is rather complicated, and it will take a lot of time and effort.