After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

With everything ready, Jiang Dusheng held the bone flute, made a hand seal with his left hand, and spiritual light flowed from his fingertips as he drew a pale golden soul-soothing talisman in the air and infused it into the bone flute.

The bone flute trembled slightly, emitting a warm luster.

A clearer female silhouette emerged from the flute and floated above the incense smoke from the burner.

The smoke enveloped her, making her faint figure appear even more distinct.

Mo Qiuniang had long, loose hair and wore a coarse cloth dress, but her soul no longer fluctuated. She looked at the three people in the room with a mixture of curiosity and bewilderment.

Jiang Dusheng placed the bone flute next to the incense burner, then took a half step back and formed a hand seal.

Her spiritual energy slowly emanated, resonating with the Soul-Soothing Incense to form a Soul-Soothing Domain, protecting Mo Qiuniang's soul within it, helping her resist external interference and concentrate her consciousness.

"Mo Qiu Niang," Jiang Dusheng began, his voice clear and peaceful, echoing gently in the Soul-Soothing Domain, "Now there is a descendant of an old friend, with a sincere heart, repenting for her mother's past sins. You may listen quietly."

"If you have any feelings or desires, you may express them here. This place is pure and can protect your mind and spirit."

Jiang Dusheng nodded slightly to An Wu, giving him a look.

Upon seeing this, Anwu immediately took two steps forward and knelt down solemnly again three feet in front of the incense burner.

He took a deep breath and looked earnestly into the rising smoke.

Although his mortal eyes could not clearly perceive the entirety of the soul's form, and he could only vaguely sense the subtle changes in the smoke and a strange chill, he remained extremely solemn, every word filled with remorse:

"Sister Qiu Niang, I am Zhang Jia's Fifth Brother." His voice was a little hoarse. "My mother heard and saw everything that happened to you that night. She is so sorry!"

"She heard your cries for help and saw the thug committing the crime, but she was too scared to rush in and save you, nor did she dare to call for help immediately. When the officials came to question her afterwards, she didn't dare to tell the truth. She... knew she was wrong!"

"For the past few months, she has lived in regret every single day, and her dreams are filled with the scene from that night."

"Today, on behalf of my mother, I kowtow to you and admit my wrongdoing! I know that no amount of remorse can bring you back to life or make up for the suffering you have endured. That evil person has already paid the price with his life!"

"Sister Qiu Niang, I beg you... I beg you to stop being troubled by this matter and be freed from it as soon as possible. Go where you belong! If you still have resentment or bitterness in your heart... bring it all on me! I am willing to take the blame for my mother without any complaints!"

After speaking, he slapped his head three more times, each thud echoing clearly in the silent room, as if striking an invisible chain of cause and effect.

The purple smoke from the incense burner seemed to sway slightly with Anwu's words and kowtows.

Mo Qiuniang's soul quietly looked at him, and in the depths of her eyes, a faint light seemed to flash, as if it were a mixture of sorrow and resentment, a sigh and a sense of release.

The yin energy around her did not increase in this Soul-Soothing Domain; on the contrary, it seemed to become more peaceful. The intense aversion she originally felt to An Wu's aura faded at a visible speed.

Jiang Dusheng keenly sensed this change and knew that Anwu's sincere repentance and sense of responsibility had touched Mo Qiuniang's obsession and resolved some of her resentment.

She seized the opportunity, her hands swiftly changing hand seals, her voice ethereal and otherworldly, as she chanted:

"At that time, the Savior from Suffering, the Heavenly Venerable, filled the ten directions..."

"He constantly uses his divine power to save all sentient beings, liberating them from suffering and enabling them to be reborn in a better realm, forever freeing them from the cycle of rebirth..."

As the scriptures were recited, each word seemed to transform into a faint golden light, merging into the wisps of purple smoke and encircling Mo Qiuniang's soul.

Jiang Dusheng gathered pure, soft golden light at his fingertips and touched the center of Mo Qiuniang's brow.

As the golden light entered, Mo Qiuniang's soul trembled slightly, as if it had been infused with a warm spring.

Her soul became more transparent and solid, and the lingering confusion between her brows gradually dissipated under the soothing golden light and scriptures.

The entire process was solemn and dignified, with the incense burning gently and the chanting of scriptures clear and resonant, cleansing the soul.

Jiang Dusheng stood there, his expression focused, as if enveloped in a faint, clear light.

This wasn't the first time Xie Jinchen had watched Jiang Dusheng perform rituals to help the souls of the dead, but each time, his heartstrings were silently plucked, and he always felt... it was exceptionally beautiful.

At this moment, Jiang Dusheng possessed an awe-inspiring and unapproachable radiance, yet strangely, it overlapped with the vivid woman in his memory who was sometimes awkward but soft-hearted, forming an incredibly lifelike Jiang Dusheng.

As the last verse fell, Jiang Dusheng gave a soft shout, and an invisible force of attraction connected him with the Netherworld:

"Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, soul to the netherworld, obsession can be dispelled!"

"Imperial Edict!"

The moment the word "敕" was uttered, it seemed as if some rule had been violated.

An ancient, primordial aura quietly descended into the room, and the gates of hell opened.

Mo Qiuniang's soul calmed down completely amidst the lingering effects of the soothing incense and scriptures.

She glanced one last time at An Wu kneeling on the ground, then at Jiang Dusheng, and bowed slightly as if to express her gratitude.

Immediately afterwards, the soul transformed into tiny specks of starlight, slowly dissipating within the Ghost Gate without a trace.

The incense in the censer had just burned out, and the last wisp of smoke rose and disappeared without a trace.

The room returned to silence, with only a faint, lingering fragrance in the air as evidence of what had just happened.

Jiang Dusheng breathed a sigh of relief and put away the bone flute and incense burner.

She looked at An Wu, who was still kneeling on the ground, seemingly not yet fully recovered from the shock and guilt she had just felt, and said gently:

"Get up. Your sincere repentance and sense of responsibility have largely dissipated her resentment, and her remaining obsessions have been appeased. Now her soul returns to the underworld. You have repaid your mother's debt, and this karmic debt is now settled."

Upon hearing this, An Wu suddenly came to his senses and quickly got up.

His legs were numb from kneeling for so long, and he swayed slightly, but he quickly steadied himself, bowed deeply to Jiang Dusheng, and spoke with gratitude in his voice:

"Thank you so much, Madam! If it weren't for your great power and compassion, my son and I would not be at peace, and my sister Qiu Niang would not be free! On behalf of my mother, I thank you for your grace in helping her to be reborn in the Pure Land!"

Jiang Dusheng waved his hand, his expression returning to its usual calm. "It's my duty. However..."

She abruptly changed the subject, extending her fair hand, "Give me a copper coin to settle this matter."

An Wu was taken aback for a moment, then understood. He quickly took out a copper coin from his pocket, presented it with both hands, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Madam!"

Jiang Dusheng took the copper coin and casually put it into his sleeve.

Upon seeing this, An Wu bowed and quietly slipped out, carefully closing the door behind him.

Jiang Dusheng turned around and met Xie Jinchen's gaze, which had not left his eyes.

His gaze held undisguised admiration and a kind of focused attention that made her ears burn.

"What are you looking at?" She subconsciously looked away, trying to maintain her usual calm tone.

Xie Jinchen approached and naturally took her arm.

Instead of his usual teasing, he lowered his head, his gaze falling on the sleeves of their clothes that had touched, and remained silent for a moment.

When he spoke again, his voice was unusually somber: "I just suddenly feel... I'm not good enough for you."

Xie Jinchen raised his eyes and looked at her eyes, which widened slightly in surprise.

"You're so kind," he continued, each word seemingly drawn slowly from the depths of his chest, stained with the blood of the past and the overwhelming sense of shame that surged within him at that moment.

"Able to guide the departed souls, discern the hearts of men, uphold righteousness and adhere to the Way, with a heart that holds fast to its principles, as clear as a gentle breeze and a bright moon. And I..."