"Brother, there really isn't any more." Dongzi searched until he was sweating profusely, his face etched with disappointment.

"Fine then, let's just say there isn't any. But later, whatever Yu Qiu asks for, you have to give it to her. Otherwise, she won't listen to anything we say, and she’ll end up feeding you steamed buns again." Zhou Huan seemed to be deliberately frightening Dongzi, but his performance was quite convincing.

Dongzi frowned, tied the bag in his hand tightly, and handed it over to Zhou Huan.

"Why give it to me? Don't you like Yu Qiu? You keep it. Let's go back."

"Master Zhou, today seems to have gone smoothly. We found what we were looking for in less than two hours!" Old Zhang said this while pushing open the dry well cover with a creak.

Zhou Huan climbed out of the well. This was a side passage from the exit of the abandoned building, a place rarely frequented. Dongzi and Old Zhang also crawled out from the sewer. Old Zhang then replaced the cover, and Zhou Huan led them toward Fushou Hall.

Upon entering Fushou Hall, Zhou Huan woke the little beggar. His condition had improved significantly, and he no longer showed aversion upon seeing Zhou Huan. Zhou Huan found an overcoat and wrapped the little beggar snugly. Standing up, he said, "Dongzi, take care of the equipment; don't leave anything behind. We're going to the North District of the Shantytown."

"Master Zhou, in all my years, I’ve never seen a master like you dealing with spirits. I want to see it," Old Zhang pleaded with Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan agreed. He picked up the little beggar, brought Dongzi along, and they left Fushou Hall, heading straight for the North District of the Shantytown.

At the Yu Family Steamed Bun Shop, Yu Qiu, sealed by Zhou Huan's talisman, was still shrouded behind the white curtain. Zhou Huan stepped forward, pulled back the curtain, and spoke, "Yu Qiu, look at your child. She has just regained her health, and we’ve found your remains. Tell us, what are your remaining requests?"

"I have no requests. I just want to hold my son, just hold him!" Yu Qiu’s gaze was filled with desperate longing, her sorrow over missing her child, separated by the gulf between the living and the dead, was truly desolate.

Zhou Huan’s heart instantly softened. He reached out and carefully peeled the talisman from Yu Qiu’s Yintang (the spot between the eyebrows).

Despite the scorching sun beating down, Yu Qiu exerted every ounce of her strength to crawl down the stairs to where the little beggar was. She reached out and gently stroked the little beggar’s head: "Son, live well. From now on, stay with your Uncle Zhou. He will help you continue living."

The little beggar nodded readily: "Okay, Mama, don't worry. Your son will live well. I promise to burn much spirit money at your grave in the future, to ensure Mama has flowers underground. Otherwise, I wouldn't truly be your son."

Hearing the little beggar’s words, Yu Qiu suddenly became enraged. Her eyes glared fiercely at Zhou Huan: "Zhou Huan, after I trusted you so completely, what is this child you've brought here? He looks exactly the same!"

Zhou Huan turned to look at the little beggar. The child was baring his teeth in a wide, eerie grin, almost as if challenging Zhou Huan.

"Brother, this isn't right. The child was fine when we left!" Dongzi also noticed something was amiss.

Zhou Huan surveyed the little beggar from head to toe, then burst into laughter: "I know! I forgot to place a talisman on the little beggar when I left. There are many souls in our Fushou Hall; this must be some reckless ghost possessing the child’s body." Zhou Huan quickly drew a talisman and pressed it onto the little beggar’s Yintang: "Get out!"

"Ah, Zhou Huan, how dare you use a talisman on me! Hmph, I’m not leaving. It’s rare to find an unoccupied vessel of pure essence; virgins and celibates are so hard to find these days. I’m not going!"

Zhou Huan roared in anger: "Old Green-Faced Woman, don't think I don't know who you are! If you don't come out now, I'll summon your master to capture you!"

"Ah, this feels terrible. Zhou Huan, I beg you, remove the talisman! I can't stand it. Otherwise, I’ll consume this child’s three souls and seven po!" The Old Green-Faced Woman continued to threaten Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan’s reaction was subdued. He simply smiled faintly: "Old Green-Faced Woman, you have resided in Fushou Hall for quite some time, and I never forced you out. I never expected you to bully a child this time. Usually, I refrain from acting against you out of respect for your master. But if you provoke me this time, see how I deal with you."

"You filthy ghoul, give me back my son!" Yu Qiu’s voice grew louder and louder, as if she might rupture her throat. The spectral form of Yu Qiu, restrained by Zhou Huan’s talisman, struggled violently.

Sensing danger, Zhou Huan saw that both spirits were risking annihilation by trying to break free from the talisman. He shouted, "Yu Qiu, stop! If you don't, not only will you never see your own mother again, but you might also never see your son!"

"Brother Huan, I’m here!" Dongzi appeared, clutching a talisman inscribed with the character for 'Annihilation' (Mie). Dongzi leaped forward and slapped the talisman onto the Baihui point on the little beggar's crown.

At that moment, the Old Green-Faced Woman screamed: "Fine! Zhou Huan, you dare to destroy me? Ah..." A wisp of black smoke rose from the little beggar's head and then scattered in the wind.

Zhou Huan frowned deeply: "Dongzi, when did you learn that trick? Destroying her like that will bring us endless trouble!" It seemed Zhou Huan was genuinely furious.

"Brother, I just wanted to settle this quickly. I didn't want that old hag leading us around."

"Nonsense! Do you know who her master is? He was my greatest opponent in a past life, also a Master of Longevity (Shoushi), and incredibly skilled. If he seeks trouble with us, we won't be able to do anything at all," Zhou Huan paced back and forth.

Yu Qiu looked at Dongzi, her eyes filled with gratitude. She then turned to Zhou Huan and said, "Master Zhou, don't worry. At worst, I, Yu Qiu, will offer one soul in exchange for one. This is nothing. For my son, I am willing!"

Zhou Huan sighed deeply: "Alas, let it be. Karma and consequence will resolve themselves over time. I will handle this matter. Dongzi, you return to Fushou Hall immediately and prepare the Soul Summoning Altar. After I resolve the situation here, I will return to help the Old Green-Faced Woman restore her soul."

"Brother, can she be restored?"

"We'll try. The probability of success isn't high. Now, hurry up and go. If you don't understand anything, call me." Zhou Huan turned to look at Old Zhang, who stood aside utterly stunned. He had never witnessed such a professional interaction with spirits. Moreover, he couldn't even see Yu Qiu or the Old Green-Faced Woman, so anyone unaware of what was happening would simply think they were madmen spouting nonsense.

Dongzi stared blankly at Zhou Huan. He had only intended to show off what he had learned, but his good intentions had only complicated matters. Finally, he sullenly obeyed Zhou Huan's instructions and left.

Zhou Huan pressed a finger against the little beggar’s Renzhong acupoint. The little beggar took a deep breath and slowly regained consciousness. He rubbed his eyes, looked around, and suddenly spotted Yu Qiu sitting on the second floor: "Mama!" The little beggar stumbled up the stairs and rushed toward Yu Qiu, intending to throw himself upon her, but since one was flesh and blood and the other a spirit, he tumbled onto the floor instead.

Yu Qiu watched her child, tears streaming down her face: "Good child, Mama can no longer take care of you. Stay close to Master Zhou; he will care for you as much as I would have."

The little beggar remained strong and nodded firmly: "Mama, don't worry. I’m grown up now. I will definitely stay with Master Zhou."

"Yu Qiu, come with me. I'll take you to see your mother and father. After that, I will send you for reincarnation. Stop wandering in the Intermediate Realm," Zhou Huan said, pulling a small black jar from his pocket. He slowly ascended to the second floor and gently lifted the talisman from Yu Qiu’s Yintang. Yu Qiu’s spectral form slowly entered the small jar. Zhou Huan then affixed the talisman over the jar's opening.

"Master Zhou, can we leave now?" Old Zhang, hearing that Zhou Huan’s conversation was nearing its conclusion, asked proactively.

Zhou Huan sealed the small jar, bent down, and lifted the little beggar: "Let’s go. Uncle will take you to see your maternal grandparents. Are you happy?"

The little beggar’s expression was solemn, yet beneath the seriousness lay a trace of excitement and joy.

Old Zhang drove the car to the location Zhou Huan indicated—a cemetery, precisely the secluded small house where Yu Laotai had taken Zhou Huan that night.

Zhou Huan held the little beggar. He removed the talisman sealing the jar. Yu Qiu's phantom form slowly emerged from the small jar. The little beggar stayed beside Yu Qiu, kneeling before the tombstone.

Two vague shadows slowly materialized from the tombstone. A hollow voice echoed from above: "Good girl, my grandson. Now that you can visit us, we are at ease. Live well from now on. Your father and I are doing fine here; don't worry about us."

"Father, Mother, I am a ghost now, and soon Master Zhou will help me reincarnate. I have entrusted your grandson to Master Zhou’s care, so you can rest assured," Yu Qiu said, tears flowing freely.

The two shadows in the air turned to face each other. Then Yu Laotai said, "Since that is the case, let us go for reincarnation together. The child must walk his own path." Yu Laotai looked toward Zhou Huan: "Master Zhou, we will trouble you to help our entire family reincarnate!"

"Very well then." Zhou Huan patted the little beggar’s head: "Bow to your maternal grandparents and your mother!"

"Mm!" The little beggar bowed, then rose and stepped behind Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan took out a bundle of spirit money, lit it, and burned it before the grave. He then drew another talisman, lit it, and rubbed the ash in his hands. Next, Zhou Huan smeared the ash onto the tombstone and then onto the jar that had held Yu Qiu. He placed the small jar before the tombstone and shouted fiercely: "Go!" A slow ascent of blue smoke rose from the tombstone, and the phantom forms of Yu Qiu and Yu Laotai dissipated.