Editor: Crooked
On the night of the first seventh day, the deceased’s soul would return home.1In Chinese funeral customs, there’s a rule of sevens: seven weeks of seven days, a total of 49 days where the family must make offerings/keep vigil. I’m not entirely sure of all the details, but the eventual goal is to help the deceased enter the reincarnation cycle/go to heaven. It is believed that after a person dies, they will forget that they are dead and have little to no control over their apparitions. Only after the first round of seven days, will the spirit suddenly have the urge to go home.
Realizing this day had come, Jiang Luo was a lot calmer than he had originally imagined.
Could he still prevent Chi You from making himself stronger?
Jiang Luo didn’t feel like he had lost against Chi You in any particular aspect. He had a talent that the original character didn’t possess. Furthermore, his talent was extraordinary. Even luckier still, he had found a way to protect himself before the arrival of Chi You’s first seventh.
He turned around and walked towards the wardrobe. His fingers skipped over the brightly coloured clothes and landed upon the dark-coloured clothing.
With refined movements, Jiang Luo changed into a set of black shirt and trousers. He found a hair tie and gathered up his shoulder-length hair. There were a few stray temple hairs scattered messily yet handsomely on either side of his face.
He didn’t appear to be apprehensive at all. Not only was he not apprehensive, he even felt a bit of eager anticipation.
This was the reality of things. If Jiang Luo hadn’t liked stimulation, hadn’t liked horror, he wouldn’t have specifically sought out the novel《Devil》. He wouldn’t have liked the character of Chi You.
He still firmly remembered the eighteen times that Chi You killed him. A gentleman always took revenge and never procrastinated. Jiang Luo was already long past impatience.
He desperately wanted to make Chi You die, and he believed that Chi You was also eager to do the same.
Jiang Luo tied up his hair, eyes lifting towards the mirror. The youth within the mirror seemed to have dazzlingly bright sparks flickering within his eyes.
In the original novel, Chi You’s soul was weak after his death. He didn’t even appear when he was summoned on his first seventh day. After these few days of crossing blades, however, Jiang Luo sensed that something wasn’t right.
Chi You was weak, but he wasn’t that weak.
He could manipulate souls of the dead and even that of the living. Even if he was only manipulating small things like birds, it had already proved that he was different from the description in the original text.
What did that imply?
It implied that in the beginning stages of《Devil》, Chi You was most likely feigning weakness on purpose.
He already had the strength to exact revenge on the original owner, but he acted as if he didn’t. Not only that, he also used his resentful aura to attract the novel’s Number One Celestial Master, Feng Li, who then helped him increase his cultivation for his revenge.
Why would he do something like this?
Jiang Luo frowned.
The original character was a child of the Feng Clan. The Feng Clan was one of the six major sects and was a faction of celestial masters. Currently, Feng Li was even the Number One Celestial Master. In the original’s memory, Feng Li was a man who the original owner was even afraid to mention.
The original owner had the guts to be jealous of and even ruthlessly attack Chi You, all because he had been deceived by Chi You’s hypocritical facade.
Whereas, regarding Feng Li, the original owner didn’t even dare to be anywhere near him.
Although Feng Li’s talent could not compare to that of Chi You, he was also favoured by the heavens. He was not inferior to Chi You in any way. If Chi You had really intended to attract Feng Li’s attention, what exactly was he planning?
Jiang Luo mulled over these questions. After heading downstairs, he happened upon a few of the others.
Today was Chi You’s first seventh. The group was preparing to report to the school that after class, they would leave school grounds together and go pay their respects and give offerings to Chi You.
In the evening when classes were done, Jiang Luo got everything ready and left the school with the others. Before going to the cemetery, they first stopped by a funeral supplies store.
In addition to selling supplies for dead people, the store also had supplies such as yellow talisman paper, cinnabar powder, luopan2A feng shui compass, and other similar tools. Wen Renlian, clothed in an all black dress, led the way as if it were his own home3熟门熟路 – transliteral: a familiar door, a familiar road.. With a small smile, he said, “If you need to buy anything do it quickly. We’d best hurry there before dark.”
Lu Youyi and a few other people scattered in an instant. Jiang Luo browsed the flower wreaths and paper houses displayed at the side of the aisle in the store. His gaze moved towards the counter at the end.
There was a middle-aged man sitting on a rocking chair. His eyes were closed as he rotated a string of prayer beads. Even after hearing that someone had come in, he didn’t open his eyes.
“You can look at whatever, buy whatever…” The boss greeted them lazily. “Knock it and you’ll buy it. Break it and it’ll be ten times the price.”
“This is the place that I told you about where you can buy good materials,” Wen Renlian smiled as he walked over to Jiang Luo, “We are missing a lot of supplies. After we finish replenishing everything, we will head over to the cemetery. You can also look and see if there’s anything you want. “
Jiang Luo nodded. It just so happened that he felt he didn’t have enough commonly-used talismans.
He slowly browsed around the store. The store was not very big. The first floor was only as little as thirty square metres give or take. The dark wooden shelves were stacked full with miscellaneous things. Near the northern side was a set of wooden stairs with no handrails fixed to the wall.
Jiang Luo’s gaze swept across all kinds of objects. A vast majority of these rare and bizarre things he couldn’t recognize. As an occupational disease, the entire time he paid great attention to every detail and every corner. All the way to the innermost part where he spotted an inconspicuous wooden box in a remote corner.
Good things were placed where they could be easily seen. This item was buried so deeply that perhaps even the boss may have forgotten its existence. Jiang Luo’s curiosity piqued and he retrieved the box.
There was a thick layer of grey dust accumulated on top of the box. Jiang Luo blew once, and the dust flew up in disarray.
After the dust cleared, Jiang Luo ran his hands over the box a few times and felt that something wasn’t right. Curious, he placed the box in an empty area. He flipped it back and forth, carefully studying it.
The feeling of this texture told him it was definitely not an ordinary box. Jiang Luo overturned his previous conjectures. It was obvious that someone had their eyes on this box and purposely hid it away, lest it be bought by other people.
His interest grew stronger. Carefully and quietly, he opened the box. Laid conspicuously inside was a bracelet.
The bracelet looked like it had quite a few decades on it. Its surface was engraved with a ring of golden runes. Jiang Luo couldn’t understand the content of these runes. He used the corner of his clothes like a glove and picked up the bracelet. He was a little surprised. At first glance, the bracelet appeared to be made of wood; however, once held in his hand it had the weight of jade. With the naked eye, it could be seen that the quality was very smooth and delicate. It didn’t lose out to exquisite mutton fat jade.
Jiang Luo couldn’t think of what this bracelet could be used for. He brought it out and went to find the shopkeeper. “Boss, what’s this?”
The boss opened one eye and let out a “Yi?” He regained a little energy. “Oh, the Yin-Yang Bracelet4阴阳环 – It technically says Yin-Yang Circle; but that sounds weird so I put Bracelet.. Young One, your luck is not bad. This here is a good item.”
He stretched out a palm and wiggled his five fingers about, “This has a fixed price, no room for haggling.”
Jiang Luo said, “Yin-Yang Bracelet?”
The boss shut his eyes once again, “The Yin-Yang Bracelet is engraved with thirteen golden incantations and secret mantras. It’s effective for self-defence when wearing it on one’s body. Not a single evil will invade their bodies.”
Jiang Luo’s heart was moved. He slipped the Yin-Yang Bracelet onto his right hand. Coincidentally, the Yin-Yang Bracelet fit perfectly around Jiang Luo’s wrist. In the dim light, the jade-like, wood-like bracelet gave off a soft and gentle glow against the black-haired youth’s porcelain skin, neither rejecting the other and harmoniously complementing each other.
Jiang Luo paid the bill, satisfied. Suddenly he saw that one of the prayer beads coiled in the boss’s hand was very different from the others.
In a string of beads made of wood, this particular bead seemed to be made of a transparent material that faintly emitted a white icy aura. Jiang Luo couldn’t help but steal a few more glances at the bead. His right eyelid immediately jumped a few times.
He massaged his right eyelid and asked, “Hey Boss, may I see the prayer beads in your hand?”
The boss’s eyes instantly widened as he looked at Jiang Luo meaningfully, “You wish to look at my prayer beads?”
Jiang Luo smiled, “I can’t?”
The boss gave him a profound look and handed the prayer beads to him, “You can.”
Just as the prayer beads were about to reach Jiang Luo’s hands, however, the string that ran through the prayer beads suddenly broke. The beads instantly fell to the ground, rolling everywhere.
No one had expected that the prayer beads would break so suddenly. Ye Xun and a few others rushed over to help find the beads after hearing the noise, but in the end they found one less bead than there were originally.
The one missing was the one that Jiang Luo saw was completely different.
The boss looked at the remaining prayer beads with a complicated expression. Jiang Luo couldn’t tell what his expression meant, but there seemed to be some hidden fear, yet also a bit of relief and melancholy. After a long while, the boss directly waved his hand as if to chase them away, “Forget it, forget it. It’s not all that important. You guys don’t need to look for it anymore.”
“Hurry up and pay, I’m about to close.”
This kind of store would never be open for business after dark. The group quickly paid, then took a taxi to the cemetery.
The eight people divided into two vehicles and arrived at Chi You’s grave in succession. Chi You was the head of the Chi family, so his grave was located in an even more precious Feng Shui location. When they arrived, there were many fresh flowers and traces of burnt paper on Chi You’s grave. There should’ve been many people who came to pay their respects during the day.
The group consisted of professionals. They quickly arranged the things for summoning, and Ye Xun stepped forward to perform the summoning.
Jiang Luo secretly raised his vigilance and prepared for Chi You’s appearance.
He stood in the middle, guarded by Lu Youyi and a few others who were afraid that Chi You would be too stubborn to listen to their persuasions and would want to take Jiang Luo away that night.
However, in the end nothing happened.
Ye Xun frowned; his eyes widened. “I can’t call back Chi You’s soul.”
Ge Zhu respectfully spoke, “I’ll try.”
However, after trying one after another, Chi You still did not appear. Everyone was completely flabbergasted. Lu Youyi’s brain completely stalled. “Could it be that tonight isn’t Chi You’s first seventh?”
“That’s impossible,” Zhuo Zhongqiu retorted. “We can’t be wrong, Tonight is absolutely Chi You’s first seventh. What’s really strange is that we can’t call his soul…”
Jiang Luo couldn’t tell whether he was relieved or more wary. He frowned, looking at the tombstone under the dark night. He quietly lowered his eyes and sank into contemplation.
Under the eyes of others, his actions becamed tinted by a layer of sadness and despondency. Zhuo Zhongqiu abruptly threw aside the peach wood sword in her hand and lazily drew out her cellphone to call a taxi. “Let’s just stop here and go. I’ll take you guys to a bar for drinks.”
Wen Renlian also put down the things in his hand. He elegantly straightened the creases of his skirt, “Today is Chi You’s first seventh. Everyone is feeling disturbed. Using alcohol to eliminate one’s worries is also a good idea.”
Lu Youyi secretly glanced at Jiang Luo several times, “Okay, sounds good.”
Like this, the group of people left the cemetery and went to a bar. Zhuo Zhongqiu knew how to play. She took them to a big club in the city centre. The venue was dazzling with neon lights, filled with clamourous human figures.
The lights were very dim. As soon as they entered, Zhuo Zhongqiu directly pushed Lu Youyi, Cyril and Ge Zhu straight towards the dance floor. Since they were going out, Ge Zhu had changed into casual clothes. He kept saying, “No, no,” but after standing on the dance floor, he danced more enthusiastically than everyone else.
Jiang Luo watched their lively behaviour. He walked up to the bar and knocked against the counter. He said to the bartender, “Give me a cold beer.”
The lights at the bar were dim. There were only a few downlights set to the lowest brightness where the alcohol was displayed.
The bartender’s visage was shrouded in the darkness. Hearing this, he neither asked Jiang Luo which brand of beer he wanted nor did he start a conversation or crack a joke. Instead, he silently turned around and skillfully brought out a shaker.
Ye Xun was sitting on the left side of Jiang Luo, while Wen Renlian and Kuang Zheng sat on his right. Wen Renlian took out a pack of cigarettes and placed it on the table. He pulled one out and handed it to Jiang Luo. He took a cigarette for himself and placed it between his red lips. He lit it with a smile.
If one didn’t see his Adam’s apple, Wen Renlian’s every movement was overflowing with bewitching femininity, both mature and elegant. Jiang Luo, who was beside him, was not eclipsed by his brilliance in the slightest. Under the colourful bright lights, his countenance was covered with a hazy and ambiguous glow. As he smoked, the dark-haired youth’s beautiful eyes narrowed to thin slits. The people around them looked at the two of them with obscured intentions5似有若无 – as if it’s there but also not there; ambiguous; i.e. seems to be lustful, but also not lustful..
“Originally I thought we would be able to see Chi You today,” Wen Renlian whispered with his head slightly turned to the side, “I even planned out how to persuade him to let you go.”
Jiang Luo chuckled bitterly. He absent-mindedly drew in a breath of smoke. “I thought I would be able to see him too.”
“If he wanted to take you away, he wouldn’t have missed this opportunity,” Wen Renlian said. “Unless his wishes have already been fulfilled, and he’s come around and decided to let you go.”
Impossible.6 怎么可能 – meaning: How was that possible? But he thought it sarcastically so… I translated it as such.
Jiang Luo sneered within his heart. He let out a sigh and propped his cheek with one hand; his eyes were filled with confusion. “Say, Wen Ren, do you think Chi You isn’t actually dead?”
Ye Xun, who had been listening to their conversation, furrowed his eyebrows. “Jiang Luo, Chi You is dead.”
He continued with a stern tone. “You saw it with your own eyes, didn’t you?”
Like the blow of a hammer, Jiang Luo’s face turned pale. His head gradually lowered. He put out his cigarette and muttered, “Yes. I saw him lying in that coffin with my own eyes.”
In the silence, the bartender placed the cocktail he made in front of Jiang Luo.
The wine rippled and undulated. Blood-like liquid slid down the wall of the glass, leaving trails of congealed blood-coloured streaks.
Jiang Luo had clearly ordered a cold beer, but the drink in the glass was as red as fresh blood. He raised his head acutely. With sharp eyes, he stared pointedly at the bartender.
The bartender silently wiped down the wine glasses. Feeling Jiang Luo’s stare, he faced Jiang Luo and plastered on a standard service smile. He was both courteous and polite, but there was a slight, imperceptible stiffness to his movements.
Just like a wooden puppet being controlled by thin threads.
The corner of Jiang Luo’s mouth pulled up into a smirk. He picked up the wine glass and swirled it a bit. Wen Renlian suddenly spoke up, “By the way, that store from earlier… You can also use your talismans to exchange for their items.”
Jiang Luo awkwardly replied, “No. Every day I can only draw seven talismans and each slip is extremely precious. Tonight is also Chi You’s first seventh… I don’t dare to use them casually.”
“Seven slips is already very powerful,” Wen Renlian seemed a bit relieved, “You’re right, it is indeed better to be more careful.”
The bartender suddenly said, “Dear customer, is the drink not to your taste?”
Jiang Luo looked back at the bartender. He pushed the wine glass away mercilessly and stood up. “I don’t want to drink anymore. I’m going to check out the dance floor.”
The dance floor was crowded; people were packed like sardines. As soon as Jiang Luo stepped on the floor, he was immediately approached by a few people. He politely rejected their invitations and searched for Lu Youyi and the rest in the crowd; however, he didn’t see any familiar faces.
Blue light illuminated the bodies surrounding him. Every one of their faces became strange and gloomy, as if they were covered with a thick layer of ghostly air.
Jiang Luo took a step back. Suddenly, someone tapped him on the shoulder.
He turned around and was met with the sight of a surly and handsome face.
This man was wearing a suit that was incongruous with the bar. His melancholic eyes made him seem particularly affectionate when he looked at others. He smiled while speaking to Jiang Luo: “Hey Mr. Beautiful, may I have this dance?”
Jiang Luo raised an eyebrow. He stared at him for a long while before revealing a stunning and flamboyant smile. With a drawn out tone, he said, “Of course you can.”
4 thoughts on “Chapter 11 – Chi You’s First Seventh Day (Part 2)”
YAYYYYYY IT’S BACKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!
I wonder who Mr Mysterious is~~~~~~ smells like ML Chi You~~~~
Thanks for the chapterrrrrrrrrrrrr
Thank you sm for this chapter! 💜 💜 I don’t mind at all if I have to wait. I just wish you will not drop this! 💜 💜 💜 Thank you for your hard work
Thank you for the chapter!
Great chapter