Chapter 187 — The Ghost Path
The Sword Questions the Heavens · Page 3 of 5
Mr. Gui was taken aback, and heard Xiaowan continue: "This soul-gathering art—when I was little and mischievous, I was playing carelessly in Grandfather's old house and slipped and fell into a dry well. That was where I found these arts recorded on the well wall. I was still young then and learned them haphazardly, and in all these years I've used it only once. Why—is Senior very interested in this art?"
Mr. Gui was silent, and after a long while he gave a long sigh. His voice carried a desolate note, a sense of bleakness.
Xiaowan and Zhou Yixuan exchanged a glance, neither knowing why the black-clad man had suddenly grown so low in spirits. But after a moment, they heard Mr. Gui call out hoarsely from in front: "Little girl, what is your name?"
Zhou Yixuan frowned, but Xiaowan had already answered: "My name is Xiaowan."
Mr. Gui nodded and said: "There are some things I would speak of with you alone. Will you come over here?"
Zhou Yixuan's brow furrowed deeply; plainly he did not want Xiaowan staying near this fellow reeking of ghostliness. But Xiaowan did not think so much of it—remembering that this man had after all just saved her life, she nodded and said: "All right." With that, ignoring Zhou Yixuan's silent attempts to stop her, she walked over.
Mr. Gui watched Xiaowan come before him and nodded slowly, seeming rather approving of this young woman. When she drew near, he spoke slowly, as though carefully weighing his words even as he spoke, and said in a low voice: "Would you be willing to cultivate these Ghost Path arts?"
Xiaowan started, speechless for a moment. But looking at the eyes behind Mr. Gui's black veil—eyes that shone bright and piercing—it was clearly no joke, and she could not help hesitating and wavering.
With Mr. Gui's experience, a close study of Xiaowan's expression let him guess her thoughts **. He did not press her, only saying: "When you were casting just now, facing countless wandering spirits, what did you feel in your heart?"
Xiaowan blushed, then paled a little, and said in a low voice: "I—I was a bit afraid."
Mr. Gui said mildly: "There is no shame in being afraid. The world is ignorant and mostly fears ghosts and spirits, not knowing that the talk of ghosts is but a state between a man's death and his next birth. What men fear lies mostly in their own inner demons."
He pointed at Xiaowan and said: "Take you, for instance. When you cast just now, fear was in your heart. Though you could still cast, before your eyes there must have been countless illusions—all sorts of hideous and savage visions, no?"
Xiaowan nodded again and again and said: "Yes."
Mr. Gui gave a cold laugh and said: "In truth, the crux of the so-called Ghost Path is the mastery of inner demons. If you are calm and composed, no wandering spirit or phantom can move your will. And think carefully—those wandering spirits grew angry and struck back, and seemed utterly hateful and violent. Little do you know that they are just like the countless people of this world: once they see a chance to escape with their lives and return to the span of yang years, how could they not go mad for it?"
He clasped his hands behind his back and sneered: "The people of this world accuse ghosts of ferocity, never knowing they are just the same themselves. Is that not laughable?"
Xiaowan's face turned thoughtful, and she nodded slowly.
Mr. Gui said again: "I know your mind. You dislike the Ghost Path's reputation. But just now you used a Ghost Path art to save that Wild Dog's life—which shows the Ghost Path is not utterly without merit. Today I see in you a gift for the Ghost Path such as appears once in a century, and I truly cannot bear to let it pass. So I have a mind to teach you." Here he gave a faint smile and said, "As for what comes later—if you find my deeds too wicked and wish to kill me, that is of no matter either. We of the Ghost Path have always held these worldly courtesies to be so much dogshit."