Fortune 034: The Seventh Day

Dusk was falling, the setting sun painting the horizon in brilliant shades of purple and red. Sunlight slanted lazily over his body, like the fond farewell at the end of a joyful gathering with friends.

Nan Shi sat on the sofa by the window, sipping tea. He realized the sunset no longer harmed him; it felt like being wrapped in a giant heated blanket—hot, but a comforting kind of heat.

Yet unease gnawed at him.

The feeling was vague and inexplicable, a nameless anxiety he couldn’t pin down.

He cast a divination to find the source of this unease. One of the coins fell from the table, wedging itself upright in the floorboards.

…Once again, Heaven refused to let him divine.

It seemed that whenever it concerned his own major affairs, Heaven blocked his divinations, though it didn’t mind him asking about trivial matters.

Was this what they meant by “one cannot divine for oneself”?

Nan Shi pondered, then cast another hexagram to ask about Old Li’s safety. The answer was auspicious with hidden danger—what did that mean? Safe for now, but not necessarily later?

He hesitated for a moment, deciding that when in doubt, he should consult his senior brother. Just as he dialed, he spotted a ragged old man outside the window, looking around in confusion.

Nan Shi immediately hung up and opened the window, calling out, “Old Li?”

The old man looked up—it was indeed Old Li. The moment he saw Nan Shi, his face lit up with the smile of a man who’d survived disaster. “Xiao Nan! Xiao Nan, I’m here! I’m so glad you’re alright!”

Nan Shi rushed downstairs, brought Old Li up, and just as their dinner arrived, he pushed the meal in front of Old Li. “Eat something first, catch your breath. I’m just glad you’re safe!”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” Old Li was clearly starving, shoveling food into his mouth as he spoke. “If you hadn’t distracted Mimi back there… I’d never have made it! Xiao Nan, I can’t thank you enough for saving my life!”

“I didn’t do it on purpose…”

“Oh, you! Why so modest after saving my life? Do you want me to kneel and kowtow to thank you?” Old Li said, starting to rise as if to kneel.

“No, no, that’s not necessary.” Nan Shi pressed him back into his seat, resigning himself to accepting the gratitude. “So that cat really was yours? How did it get so big?”

Old Li shook his head. “I don’t know what happened in between—must’ve gone demonic… I just wandered my way here, but that was definitely my cat.”

“Good Jasmine Flower—” Suddenly, an old-fashioned ringtone sounded. Old Li immediately put down his chopsticks, nodded at Nan Shi, and answered the phone quietly, “Hello, son? I’m fine, I’m fine! Come pick me up! Our Mimi’s turned into a spirit and is eating ghosts everywhere! Call the police first, see if the underworld can do something!”

“…What? You’ll be here in eight hours? I’m at the ghost market by YY Mountain… Alright, I’ll meet you there with Mr. Nan!” Old Li hung up and turned to Nan Shi. “Xiao Nan, my son will be here in eight hours. We can rest a bit, then head back to the underworld!”

He sighed. “Never thought Mimi would go demonic… It’s up to the underworld to handle it now.”

“Better have your family use a different exit,” Nan Shi poured himself more tea, reminding him, “I’ve heard that cat is clever, waiting by the ghost market gate for people to come out. We’d best use another exit—better safe than sorry.”

“If it happens again, who could stand it?” Two sips of hot tea sent warmth through Nan Shi. “A friend told me the ghost market only opens one entrance, and you have to wait for it to close before the other exits open.”

Old Li looked surprised. “Who told you that? You sure you weren’t duped? Ghost markets sound mysterious, but they’re no different from mortal markets. Each area only has one entrance, but once inside, you can leave from any exit—you don’t have to wait for the market to close. Just don’t know where you’ll end up.”

Nan Shi was surprised. “You’ve been here before?”

Was Guo Mingfan lying to him?

No, what would he gain by that? Money?

He let the matter rest for now—maybe it was just a misunderstanding. After all, Guo had saved his life; he couldn’t be all bad.

“I’ve been twice.” Old Li reassured him, “Don’t worry. We’ll leave the way we came in. I didn’t see Mimi nearby when I came in… My son’s in security—his car’s built to withstand demon attacks. Mimi can’t do anything to it. Once he arrives, we’ll drive straight to the airport and fly back to the underworld.”

“As long as we’re off this mountain, we’ll be fine.”

Nan Shi hesitated, still wanting to play it safe. “Why don’t we use a different exit?”

“That side’s too dangerous. I’ve already reported it to the mortal police…” Nan Shi paused, “Someone should be here soon to handle it. Don’t be too upset—when a cat goes demonic, it’s like a person going mad. It’s not the same creature anymore. Better to send it off quickly, so it can reincarnate into a better life.”

“Maybe you’ll meet again someday.”

“I know, Xiao Nan, you’re a good kid. No need to comfort me.” Old Li’s brows drew together in sorrow. “I’d like to rest a while longer, but my reincarnation is due in these few days. If I don’t make it back in time… You wouldn’t understand, just coming down here, but missing your reincarnation time is a serious crime—you’ll be sentenced.”

“That serious?” Nan Shi frowned. His instincts told him: whatever happened, don’t use the original exit. That cat was definitely still there.

“The underworld looks peaceful, but it’s a den of tigers and wolves. It’s hard to breathe.” Old Li sighed, “Just muddle through… just muddle through.”

“I have to go, Xiao Nan. I brought you up here, I have to take you home. Otherwise, your family will worry.”

Nan Shi thought about saying, “It’s really not that bad,” but swallowed it. That would be too awkward.

“Wait for me, I’ll check with my people—leaving from the original exit is too risky. I’ll see if anyone can meet us at another exit. If so, we’ll go that way, and your son won’t have to risk it. That big cat really is terrifying.”

He called Steward Zhou, who handled external affairs, and explained the situation. Sure enough, Zhou could send people. He had Nan Shi put the phone to Old Li.

“Hello, sir. I’m the young master’s steward, Zhou. We’re aware of your situation. Please stay where you are—we’ve already sent someone to fetch you and the young master. They’ll arrive in about six hours.”

“If your family comes, we can contact them and ensure you meet safely at a designated location.”

“When the time comes, someone will open the ghost gate for you. You’ll make it in time for reincarnation. Don’t worry.”

Old Li looked lost for a moment. Nan Shi nudged him, and he gratefully replied, “Thank you! I’ll give you my son’s contact info now.”

Zhou agreed, then said to Nan Shi, “Young master, is it convenient to speak?”

“It’s fine, go ahead. Old Li isn’t an outsider,” Nan Shi replied.

“We’ve found Qing Lan’s location. Qing Ying is leading a rescue team. The situation is unclear, and fighting is forbidden in the ghost market. Until our people arrive, do not leave the market.” Zhou, fearing Nan Shi might not listen, added, “Forgive me for saying more—when the Mountain Lord heard you were in danger, he was deeply concerned. Qing Lan failed in her duty and is waiting for you to plead for her.”

Nan Shi answered, “I understand. I won’t go anywhere until you come.”

“Thank you, young master.” Zhou’s smile grew warmer. “You’ve had a hard day. Rest now—when you wake, you’ll be home.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Nan Shi felt refreshed. This was how things should be—enough time, no delays, and risk avoided. That was the sensible choice.

He smiled, “Old Li, wait here. I’ll get you a room. Take a bath, get some sleep. When my people arrive, I’ll wake you.”

Old Li hesitated. “Xiao Nan, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Could I sleep in your room tonight? I think I got spooked earlier—can’t settle down.” Old Li looked at Nan Shi, cautious. “But if you mind, it’s fine.”

As expected, Nan Shi thought for a moment and said, “What’s there to mind? Two grown men, nothing inconvenient. We’ll share a room.”

“Thank you, Xiao Nan.”

***

“Wake up! Wake up!” A familiar voice sounded by Nan Shi’s ear.

He jerked awake, tried to move, and realized he was tightly bound, unable to budge.

“Shh—don’t move,” Guo Mingfan whispered.

Nan Shi turned his head and saw Guo lying beside him, the two of them tied back to back. The ropes burned where they touched his skin.

He looked around. They were in a rough mountain cave, unlit except for moonlight spilling in.

“What happened?” Nan Shi asked, confused.

Guo rolled his eyes. “I was about to ask you!”

“…Huh?” Nan Shi’s head throbbed, physically. “I was just in the inn. Where is this?”

“Outside the ghost market,” Guo said quietly. “What’s your relationship with that old man? Do you know him? Why’d he knock you out?”

“You mean… Old Li? Blue Zhongshan suit, about 1.6 meters, sixties?” Nan Shi blinked, inwardly thinking: As expected.

Old Li had always seemed off, though he couldn’t say exactly why. Ever since they’d reunited at the ghost market, his instincts had been on high alert. He’d thought it was just nerves, but he’d still tried to keep his guard up—though not well enough, apparently.

Guo said, “Yeah, that’s him! What did you do to piss him off?”

“Never mind that for now. He’s a bit odd. Why are you here?” Nan Shi asked.

“I saw you being carried out, tried to stop him, but that old bastard had drugs! Knocked me out in no time and dragged me out too.” Guo sounded both angry and frustrated. “Damn it, that cat is his! He’s going to feed us to it!”

“I thought fighting was forbidden in the ghost market?”

“If he drugs you and says you’re drunk, what can anyone do?”

Nan Shi narrowed his eyes, trying to struggle free, but Guo whined, “Stop! The more you struggle, the tighter it gets. These ropes are made for binding ghosts and demons.”

“Got it.” Nan Shi asked, “Any way out?”

“No. I’m not as strong as that old bastard. Can’t run.”

Nan Shi was about to say more when footsteps sounded outside the cave. Soon, Old Li entered, leading a golden cat.

Seeing Nan Shi awake, he smiled and helped him sit up, even giving him water. “Xiao Nan, you’re awake?”

Nan Shi looked up at him. “Old Li, what’s going on? Why did you tie me up?”

The golden cat rubbed happily against the old man, its massive form now shrunk to leopard size, circling him affectionately.

“Good cat, good cat, be good!” Li Qingtian patted the cat’s head, then pointed at Guo behind Nan Shi. “Xiao Nan, I found out—it was him. After saving you, he thought you were rich and tried to scam you. A hundred thousand a night for a hotel? Not even a five-star charges that.”

“He and the receptionist are old friends. You paid, they split the money eighty-twenty.” With a wave of Li Qingtian’s hand, the ropes between them fell away, and Guo was flung by an invisible force, slamming into the wall. “I didn’t even have to catch him—he delivered himself. Don’t be angry, Xiao Nan. I’ll kill him for you and make it up to you.”

Guo screamed, then fell silent. Who knew if he was dead.

Nan Shi shook his head. “It was only two hundred thousand. I didn’t care. Old Li, just untie me, will you?”

“Young people shouldn’t talk like that. Money’s hard to earn these days!” Li Qingtian said. “I’m avenging you—now I owe you nothing.”

“Mimi, why couldn’t you be more useful?” He suddenly addressed the cat. “If you’d just eaten Xiao Nan, he wouldn’t have been scammed. The ghost market is as deep as the sea—how could a new ghost know the ropes? See, he got tricked.”

“Meow—!” The cat nuzzled Li Qingtian, soft and sweet, as if it hadn’t just eaten people.

“Xiao Nan, I really should thank you. Without you, I’d never have found it.” Li Qingtian hugged the cat. “Now that I’ve found you, I don’t need to reincarnate…”

His words sounded grateful at first, but the more he spoke, the more chilling they became.

Nan Shi stayed silent; clearly, the old man didn’t need him to answer and just kept talking. “You’re a good kid, Xiao Nan. If the underworld weren’t pushing, I wouldn’t covet your cultivation, you know? I even thought we could raise cats together! That tabby in the yard really likes you.”

“But don’t worry, I’ll have someone keep feeding Huahua and Dabai.”

As he spoke, he seemed to convince himself, a faint smile appearing.

This new neighbor was interesting. From the first meeting, he’d noticed Nan Shi, though a new ghost, had a hidden cultivation—and, most intriguingly, it wasn’t even his own.

If not for a stroke of luck, he’d never have noticed.

Usually, that meant some high-born family had sent a child out to train, giving them some cultivation to keep them safe.

He’d resigned himself to never finding Mimi, but when Nan Shi said he could, he’d realized the opportunity was worth it. That’s why he’d gone to such lengths to bring Nan Shi to the mortal world—after all, once across the boundary, even the underworld’s great families found it hard to investigate deaths, and he’d worked hard to get rid of the woman who’d been following him.

Li Qingtian stroked the cat’s back, his smile growing more satisfied.

He’d always been timid, afraid of death, so he’d raised this cat, feeding it souls to steep it in yin energy, planning to use it to fool Black and White Impermanence. But the day he died, Mimi had wandered off…

Still, he couldn’t blame it. Life in the underworld turned out fine. The killings were all blamed on Mimi, not him. His children in the underworld had everything arranged—life was good.

Later, he dreaded reincarnation. Being a ghost was so much freer—forever young, able to cultivate, even fly like in the stories… What was so great about being human?

But defying the system’s reincarnation mechanism was much harder than fooling Black and White Impermanence. If he turned into a vengeful ghost, he’d be dragged to Yama’s court. And he only wanted to keep living, not end up in jail.

Now, here he was in the mortal world.

After so many years, Mimi had devoured so many souls that its yin energy sometimes drove it mad. It only needed one last mouthful of pure cultivation.

Once Mimi ate Nan Shi, he could use its flesh and blood to become a fierce ghost, absorbing all the yin energy and cultivation. Then he’d have power and yin energy, and could live like a normal person.

As long as he didn’t cause a big stir, the underworld wouldn’t bother to hunt him down.

Li Qingtian stroked the cat more gently. “Xiao Nan—no, Mr. Nan, you’re my benefactor! I’ll put up a tablet for you, burning incense every festival.”

Thinking about it, Nan Shi’s arrival was a heaven-sent opportunity—he wouldn’t let it go.

“Old Li, what do you mean?” Nan Shi’s eyes narrowed. “Covet my cultivation? What cultivation? My seventh day isn’t even over!”

By his calculation, when today passed midnight, it would be exactly seven days since his death.

“Don’t play dumb!” Li Qingtian’s kindly face twisted into a sneer, his eyes bloodshot. “Don’t blame me—blame your family for protecting you too well, but not well enough. If you’re so precious, why not keep you close and safe?”

“My Mimi just needs that last bit of cultivation. Once it eats you, I can enjoy life in the mortal world… Don’t worry, Mimi’s mouth is big—one bite and you’re gone. It won’t hurt.”

So this was where Heaven had been waiting to trip him up! No wonder it wouldn’t let him divine!

He couldn’t help but glare past Li Qingtian, up at the sky.

Li Qingtian, seeing him look behind, glanced back warily, but seeing nothing, shook his head. “Xiao Nan, don’t bother with tricks. Your people won’t be here for three hours—they can’t save you.”

“No,” Nan Shi said calmly. “I was just glaring at that damned Heaven. You know I can tell fortunes… Before I saw you today, I cast a hexagram, and Heaven wiped out my result. Otherwise, I’d have known your intentions.”

Li Qingtian didn’t get it at first, then burst out laughing. “You really have a great personality, Xiao Nan. I like you. If I weren’t desperate, I wouldn’t want to kill you.”

“You never did me any wrong and always helped me—waiting for the doctor, looking for the cat, I know you’re a good person.”

“Then don’t kill me,” Nan Shi said. “It’s just a bit of cultivation. When my people arrive, I’ll have them give you some.”

Li Qingtian shook his head. “I’m not stupid. If your people arrive, what chance do I have?”

“Oh, and your bodyguard is with me—don’t worry, she’s fine. She’s too strong; if she were weaker, I’d have used her instead.”

Nan Shi nodded. That was the only good news today.

“Well, enough talk. It’s almost time. I picked a good hour for you… Mimi, send him on his way. He’s delicious—eat him. And the other one too, if you like.”

The cat mewed sweetly, padding toward Nan Shi with agile steps.

It really was a beautiful cat, its fur a brilliant gold, as if always bathed in sunlight.

“Mr. Nan, go in peace. I’ll never forget to honor you,” Li Qingtian said with a sinister smile.

The cat reached Nan Shi, opening its mouth—suddenly enormous, wide enough to swallow him whole. A foul wind blew from its black maw, making Nan Shi gag.

Li Qingtian’s eyes grew redder, a murderous aura gathering around him, spreading from his hems, turning his whole body blood-red.

He was becoming a fierce ghost.

The cat’s mouth closed over Nan Shi, darkness swallowing his vision.

In the midst of chaos, a bell tolled in Nan Shi’s ears—once, twice, deep and distant, as if reminding him of something.

Midnight had come. Nan Shi’s seventh day had arrived.

The dead are muddled; on the seventh day, they awaken.