A wisp of incense smoke arose.

The young man standing before the altar had ghastly features. His cheekbones were sunken, and dark circles had laid unkempt under his bloodshot eyes. The young man's lips were dry and cracked, opening up to greet, "Each guest... should... only take... one incense... stick."

It was clear that he was a ghost.

"Many thanks." Wei Wuxian clasped his hands and bowed.

The three couples each took one incense stick. They watched the young ghost step to the side, allowing them to access to the altar better.

Wei Wuxian didn't know what to pray for. He just bowed his head, knelt down, then pretended to pray and worship the painting of fortune. The remaining three couples followed his lead, having no wishes on their minds.

After some time, they simultaneously raised their heads.

"Place your... sticks on the... censer." The young ghost melancholically said.

The three couples did as they were told to do. After inserting their incense sticks on the censer, they stepped backwards. They were unsure of how to start a conversation...

"What's this good sir's name?" Wei Wuxian asked.

The young ghost didn't respond.

"Good sir?" Wei Wuxian clasped his hands. "Can this lowly one ask for your name?"

Finally, the young ghost opened his mouth. "I am not... a... good sir."

Wei Wuxian's eyebrows lifted up in surprise. He'd never seen such a well-mannered ghost before! "Then... How should I address this sir?"

"...Ping Hai." The young ghost was fluent in saying his own name.

Lan Zhan began to ask the questions. "Do you remember any occurrences of blue fire? Or perhaps, do you find the name 'Yi Ran' familiar?"

Upon hearing the name 'Yi Ran', Ping Hai had imperceptibly stiffened.

"Yi... R-Ran." Ping Hai had stammered the name, as if trying to confirm if it was familiar or not. "Y-Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran Yi Ran Yi Ran Yi Ran!"

Out of nowhere, Ping Hai's voice had thickened with anger. "Yi Ran!" He gnashed his teeth. The young ghost's once tranquil expression had darkened into one of absolute fury. "I know Yi Ran... I know her! Yi Ran! I know Yi Ran!" He sounded like he'd descended into madness.

Ping Hai's small frame of body had spasmed, as if remembering all of his anguish memories. "Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran... Yi Ran...!"

"Understood... understood..." Shen Qingqiu was at a loss of how to deal with such a ghost. "We understand now. But... do you have any recognition of blue fire?"

Ping Hai shook his shivering ghost body. "I die... from Yi... Ran... she is mad... she has... fire... burn down village... hurt us... fire hurts... fire is hot... fire is blue..."

The three couples looked at one another. So it turned out that Yi Ran used to be in Square Town. Perhaps she was a visitor or an original villager as well. As expected, she was the cause to the village's fire. It was because of her fire did Square Town get burned down and incinerated... then all the original villagers died. After the incident, new villagers rebuilt Square Town.

"Do you remember what exactly happened?" Lan Zhan asked.

Ping Hai's body had shuddered even more. Veins popped out from his neck, squirming around in a frenzy. "I don't... Ping Hai... don't want... to remem...ber..."

The three couples were at a loss.

They wanted to understand the past of Square Town. This might help them investigate the village more, while enable them to hunt down Yi Ran faster.

"It seems that there might be other ghosts who haunt Square Town at night, like Ping Hai." Xie Lian analyzed. "The question is how do we let them rest..."

"No worries." Hua Cheng patted his lover's shoulder. "We can always burn them to ashes."

"But..." Xie Lian mumbled.

The black cat (Little Snow) on his shoulder had yawned.

"Yi Ran... she..." Ping Hai began his dialogue again. "She... will never... let us... rest... in peace. She... burns new village... she don't care... about innocent... she wants to... burn... everything... new and old... Square... Town."

The three couples analyzed. It seemed that Yi Ran burned down the old Square Town... now that Square Town is rebuilt, she is trying to burn the village again.

"It seems that the Immortal is stopping her from doing so." Shen Qingqiu sighed. How nice it was for a random Immortal to pass by and help-

"No... there is... no Immortal." Ping Hai cut in. "...my friends... they stop... Yi Ran... from... burning the village."

Immediately, Shen Qingqiu's jaw dropped.

No way. Yi Ran was so strong with her blue fire. How could some mere ghosts stop her from destroying Square Town? And besides... doesn't this mean that the Immortal were the ghosts!?!

So the entire time, the villagers of Square Town were worshipping to the Immortal while hating on the ghosts... but in the end, it turned out that they were worshipping to the ghosts the entire time!?! So the ghosts were the Immortal... the entire situation was such a mess.

The three couples wanted to ask Ping Hai more questions. However, they were interrupted by a loud rupture at the entrance of the shrine-

"HAHAHA! LOOK AT THIS!" It was the group of twenty men, who were trying to hunt down the 'Immortal'. They sauntered inside the shrine, with those burly figures and heavy boots clambering up the room. "IS THIS THE IMMORTAL WHO'S SETTING SQUARE TOWN ON FIRE!?!"

Ping Hai was puzzled. As a ghost, he'd been used to quiet and tranquility.

With the sudden loud sound, he was unable to react. "...Immortal set... fire?"

"Leader," One of the twenty men scoffed. "That puny man couldn't possibly be the Immortal. Look at him. His limbs are so skinny that not even chicken bone can compare! Actually... he looks more like a dead person than alive!"

"So it seems that the Immortal is all but bones." The leader snickered.

Unconsciously, the three couples began to guard Ping Hai, despite the latter's identity as a ghost. Even though Ping Hai was a ghost, he was far more important to learning the truth than the group of twenty burly men. This made the three couples like the ghost more than humans.

"...I don't set fire." Ping Hai stepped forwards. He was peaceful and face devoid of any expression. "There is... no Immortal."

"HUH!?!" The leader was furious, landing himself in an uproar. "We came all the way to Square Town just to kill the Immortal, and here you're telling me that there was none!" His face turned red and bloated up in anger. "I-I... I don't need to kill any Immortal! I'll kill you!"

He brandished up his sword. The remaining twenty men unsheathed their swords as well.

"You... kill... me?" Ping Hai tilted his head. His expressionless face had darkened. "This shrine... does not... welcome you... You... are... not guests. Please... see yourselves... out."

The twenty men charged.

They were heavy and loud, with the shrine on the verge of collapse-

"Didn't you hear him?" Hua Cheng sneered. He unsheathed E-Ming, and he himself withstood the force of all twenty men's swords. "You're all uninvited to this shrine. Although the young man's speech is lofty and hefty... hearing him wouldn't be a problem, even if your ears are filled to the brim with ear wax."

Then, he lifted his wrist. Immediately, all the twenty men's swords were deflected.

"GODDAMN IT!" The twenty men hurried into a formation. They surrounded the three couples ceaselessly, pointing their swords at the centre. Their swords were pointed a sharp angle, leaving practically no room for escape.

All of a sudden, Luo Binghe ducked. He began stomping and kicking at the twenty men's knees, knocking them off balance.

The twenty men had fallen backwards, collapsing onto their bottoms.

"Leave, or I make you leave." Hua Cheng deadpanned. At that moment, the twenty burly men had felt the aura and pressure of a Ghost King (well, not even half of it).

"HAH!?!" The leader wanted to argue back.

However, it was then Lan Zhan had enough of the loud noise. "Noisy." His brows furrowed, and his hands gestured into a hand seal. All of a sudden, it was like all of the twenty burly men had their mouths zipped. They were unable to say anything, and could only let out howls of a bullied wolf.

This seal was the Silencing Spell, which was used by the GusuLan Clan to seal disciples' mouths. This seal could only be removed by GusuLan members.

"Anything to knock them out with?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"...I have Ruoye." Xie Lian patted his silk bandage.

He was about to command Ruoye, but then suddenly, the leader of the twenty men had spasmed. He threw himself at Ping Hai, clearly trying to take down the ghost-

"...no fighting... in... my shrine."

All of a sudden, all the twenty men couldn't breathe. They felt suffocated, like something had seized their necks. They gurgled, with their consciousness flickering in and out. Then, the twenty men fell unconscious. The force seizing their necks had diminished, then finally disappeared.

Ping Hai had withdrawn his ghastly strength.

The twenty men collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

"They... gone." Ping Hai sighed. His ghostly features were sunken, making him appear more tired than ever. "No more... noises."

Shen Qingqiu nodded. "We originally wanted to ask you some questions."

Ping Hai muttered, "Ask... away."

"We were wondering why the ghosts are protecting Square Town from the fire. All the new villagers thought that the ghosts—you guys were the one who set the fire." Xie Lian explained. "They've already built a stone pillar to represent their worship to the 'Immortal'. They don't like you guys, and yet you guys are protecting them."

"...in no cent." Ping Hai's eyes were sunken. "We protect... because... they... innocent."

The three couples fell silent. They've never seen ghosts so righteous before.

"Actually, we have a favour to ask you, Ping Hai." Wei Wuxian said. "We know that it may be difficult for you, since you don't want to reminisce the past. How about... we go access your memories for you?"

Lan Zhan's eyes widened. He meant... Empathy?!?

By engaging in Empathy, the user is able to experience the past of a ghost or a fierce corpse. It was a dangerous method for the user.

"...my... me mo ries?" Ping Hai ruffled a hand through his hair.

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Are you willing to cooperate with us?"

Ping Hai appeared worn out. It was like his entire soul and being was fatigued, toyed around with, and drained of energy. He then lifted his timid head. "O... kay."

"Wei-xiong, what are you planning to do?" Xie Lian was slightly concerned.

Wei Wuxian saw his compassion and felt moved. He explained the use of Empathy. After hearing that, the three couples fell silent. "We need a supervisor, someone to oversee our physical body's condition. The user will have to channel their spirit to the ghost. There is also a need for a personal code. This is to make sure the user's body isn't possessed by the ghost."

Xie Lian felt worried. "Wei-xiong, isn't it too dangerous for you to do it alone?"

"Ahh... Xie-xiong." Wei Wuxian wanted to cry. You're too kind!

Shen Qingqiu shook his head. "I'm not so masterful in the aspects of channeling spirit. I can act as a supervisor."

Luo Binghe clung onto his Shizun's forearm. "I'll stay with Shizun!"

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng volunteered, "We'll go visit the memories too."

Lan Zhan held Wei Wuxian's hand, "I'll go with you."

The three couples had decided on what they were going to do. The personal code was Shen Qingqiu's fan. "Alright then. Ping Hai," they turned to the young ghost, "We'll begin now."

Wei Wuxian, Lan Zhan, Xie Lian, and Hua Cheng began channeling their spirit to Ping Hai.

The five people sat around in a circle. Then, they explored in the young ghost's memories.

"Ah-Hai, go clean up the shrine for me!" That sound was his mother.

Ping Hai's hair was messed around to brush at one side of his forehead. A tuft of black hair had risen from his lack of sleep. Ping Hai sat up from bed. He had a childish face when alive, with a pair of annoyed brown eyes. Ping Hai was mad that his sleep was interrupted.

"Okayyy..." Ping Hai yawned.

He got up from his bed, walking downstairs, then entered the shrine. Ping Hai noticed an open window, then heard a sound of clamour from outside.

Ping Hai was alerted. What is going on outside?

He poked a head out the window. "Huh?"

A child was crying, as he was pushed over by someone. That said-someone had many patches of dirt smeared across their face. This culprit was a young girl, who had dust all over her clothes of rags. "Stop crying. What a crybaby." The young girl babbled.

She had stolen the child's lollipop.

The young girl popped the lollipop in her mouth, chewing it thoroughly. The crying of the child had grown louder.

This was the first time Ping Hai met the homeless girl.

Without him realizing it, his heart was beating erratically fast.

A child is crying...

Wei Wuxian: sigh it hasn't even been a minute yet, and I'm already missing Luo-xiong. It's just that the nostalgia is too strong...

Meanwhile, a certain Luo Binghe sneezed.

Luo Binghe: Who's talking about me! 😤