We got down the car when we reached the Institute, heading first to Uncle Quan’s classroom and found him reading a newspaper at his desk. He peered through his glasses when we came through the door, beaming brightly at us as he put down the papers. Lin Feng’s little apprentice darted over to him, joyously calling him “Grandpa Lin”. We left the little girl in his care and told him of our crusade to Inner Mongolia. The old man patted Lin Feng on his shoulders at the end of our tale. “I will have nothing to say to you, Son. You have my whip and my darts. Use them well and be careful!”

We took our leave and walked to the end of the corridor and pushed through the door. To say that the room was in complete disarray would be an understatement; it was pandemonium. We waded through the clutter of objects in the room and even found a shabby sock on the desk at the front of the classroom with holes on it! An old man was lazing in his armchair, listening to a recording of a pingshu (storytelling) oratory by Shan Tianfang, although I knew not what year the recording was from. He was deeply absorbed in the story, feeling so at ease as if he did not notice us coming in. Lin Feng whistled in amazement. “Wow… You seem to be enjoying yourself, Blind Master!”

Old Man Chen laughed vilely. “Just an old senile indulging in his simple vices!” He remarked, sending us all howling with glee. Yuan Chongxi walked to him and helped to put away the tattered sock. “Look at you, Teacher… The state of things after I’ve been gone…” The old man feigned an indignant snort in return. Hardly perturbed by his mentor’s puerile shenanigan, Yuan Chongxi made no mention of it. “We have something to tell you, Teacher. We’re going to Inner Mongolia tomorrow…” And Yuan Chongxi plunged into a story of what happened, relating everything to Old Man Chen. His teacher shifted uneasily in his armchair. “Very well! It is time the three of you rascals see the world yourself! In my heydays, when I was still a great seer, I…” “Hold your horses, Teacher. I’m just here to inform you of my departure. We’re well acquainted with the glorious tales of your prime ourselves!” Yuan Chongxi cut him off, afraid that his teacher might drone on about the picaresque exploits of his illustrious past. The old man scoffed angrily, “Hmph! You brat! Very good! You have grown up now! You’d even have a sweetheart now, and me, your teacher and father-surrogate, is out of the picture now! If it was not for me, you would have been a beggar, you ungrateful urchin! For all the years I have fed you, nurtured you, and trained you!” “I did not forget of the kindness you have shown me, Teacher. Moreover, I do not have a sweetheart!” The old man pursed his lips like an irate child. “Hmph! You’re taking me for a fool!” He snorted. “Honest, Teacher!” Yuan Chongxi implored, getting upset. He gestured to us both. “These two here can be my witness! You can ask them if you’re doubtful!” Immediately we hurried to help speak on Chongxi’s behalf.

But the reaction of the old man was nothing we had expected: he leaped from his chair! “Impossible! This cannot be! I was certain that I was right when I made my calculations! This brat will meet experience romance in his twenty-first year of age!” “Err… How about we leave this for a later discussion, Teacher…” Yuan Chongxi smiled weakly. The old man crumbled back to his chair, mumbling incomprehensibly, “Even so… A block-head like you might not even notice it even if anyone does fall for you… That is, if anyone does indeed fall for you…”

Yuan Chongxi was on the verge of passing on when he heard his mentor’s mumblings. But the old man immediately said sharply, “As your mentor, I have nothing to give you but this! Take this with you!” He reached to the bottom of his desk and retrieved a box. A thick coat of dust covered its every surface. He opened the box and revealed its content: a luopan (a geomantic compass used in fengshui and Chinese divination). The old man lifted the luopan and sneered coarsely that oddly reminded me of villains in movies and TV dramas. “Heh heh heh heh!” He grinned. “This is the heirloom passed on to me by my mentor and to him by his own mentor! It is now yours. At long last, I have realized the wish of my teacher to continue our line!” He waved us off, signaling for us to leave as he returned to his pingshu recording.

Yuan Chongxi’s eyes were red and moist when we left the room. It was not hard for us to guess that the luopan must have been extremely important to Old Man Chen. The luopan, made of peach wood, was covered with countless, miniature lacerations and gashes that shaped like markings of tiny lightning bolts that spread across every inch of the luopan’s surface. That alone made it evident that the luopan was not made of ordinary peach wood; in fact, the lumber used to craft this artifact came from a peach tree that was struck by lightning, endowing the wood with greater strength against evil in addition to being extremely robust in sturdiness. It was a material most rare and highly sought after. Moreover, like what Old Man Chen had said, this was the heirloom of the Old Man Chen’s order! By presenting it to Yuan Chongxi, Old Man Chen had effectively recognized Chongxi as his heir!

There was nothing to be said, for no amount of words would ever take away the guilt and sadness that now palpitated within Yuan Chongxi. We moved upstairs to the third floor. We had just climbed up the stairs when we saw a familiar face outside the Head Person’s Office. It was Mr. Zhang, Zhang Baoguo. We hurried up and greeted him and he too acknowledged us. There was a worried look on his face, hence I asked him if anything was wrong. Apparently, he was here with his wife, Aunt Fen. As mentioned before, Aunt Fen was resurrected after her death with the body of another person; hence Aunt Fen would occasionally be indisposed due to a complication akin to graft-versus-host diseases of post-transplant complications which could only be alleviated from time to time by Father.

Aunt Fen came out of my father’s office as we were talking to Mr. Zhang. She looked well, and Mr. Zhang was relieved to see her cured. Aunt Fen tapped lightly at the back of my head. “So the three rascals are back. What brings you here to bother your father?” Abashedly, I replied, “It’s not that I return only when I have hairy business at hand, Aunt Fen! But we’re here today to inform my father that we have to make a long trip. We’re wondering if he might have some instructions for us.” “Oh?” Aunt Fen remarked curiously, “Where are you lot going to?” “Inner Mongolia!” “What are you going there for?” she asked, very surprised. I scratched the back of my head and gave her a summary of what happened recently. At the end of our story, Aunt Fen nodded thoughtfully. “I see. So that’s the reason for your trip northbound… So you will be going undercover as tourists?” We nodded, and I said, “Yes. This is to prevent from causing alarm to the enemies there. The evil cult has spies everywhere, hence it’s prudent to be careful so as to not rattle any cages yet.” “Would you be interested in some help?” Aunt Fen asked, her eyes sparkling suddenly with inspiration. “But Aunt Fen, this is a trip of untold dangers!” I remarked, not knowing what did she have in mind, instead she said, “Well, I had thought of asking my ghostly sisters to accompany you. You might be able to use their help, and they would also be able to spend some time outside. Since you’re declining my offer…” Immediately I said, “Ah! Why did you not tell me earlier! Very well then! We could use their help!” There are times when spirits and ghosts could prove to be more useful than humans! With the female ghosts providing backup, there could even be unknown advantages! Aunt Fen broke into a smile and said, “All right. I’ll wait for you downstairs. Come with me to my place to fetch Xiao Qi (Little Seven; the youngest of the Seven Sisters) and the others then!”

We took our leaves from Aunt Fen and her husband, and pushed through the door of the Head Person’s Office. Father was drinking off his flask, his head arched back as he emptied the contents of the bottle into his mouth. “Anymore, and you’ll be drinking like a goldfish, Father,” I said, “You should be wary of your age.” Father put down his liquor flask and scowled at me. “And you’re old enough to give me lessons now!” He immediately reverted to his usual and impassive self as we got to business. “When are you leaving?” he said at once; expectedly he had known of our trip even before we said anything. “Tomorrow morning,” I replied and he nodded. “Very well. Be careful there and make sure to pack your gear. Ah, that reminds me. How will you be going?” “By plane, of course,” I remarked offhandedly, “I have already booked a flight when we were on the way here. 4 P.M. tomorrow at the capital’s international airport.”

Father frowned. “And how would you expect to pass Customs with your sword and Lin Feng’s darts and whip?” I was stunned; I had not thought of this! I had overlooked the fact that our weapons were all items prohibited on planes! But in a split second, I had another idea. “Ah! I know a trick, Father!” I demonstrated a few handseals and said, “I know the trick to summon the sword. I can tie everything to the sword; Lin Feng’s weapons and anything else banned from flights. Once we reached Inner Mongolia, I’ll just have to recite the spell and summon the sword to me! I’ll only have to bring the scabbard with me!” Lin Feng emitted a whoop, praising my ingenuity. Father smiled with exasperation, shaking his head. “All right. It will still work, nonetheless; albeit a tad crude. Do as you will,” he said. It was not until some time later that I found out that Father had intended to teach me a new trick, the ability to ride on swords and fly; just like what I had read from fantasy wuxia novels! Then again, I had but only one day to learn and practice, which might not be in time after all. Then again, I could not help feeling sorry for not glum for speaking too soon; I might have been able to learn something new from Father after all!

We walked out of the Institute, and there was Mr. Zhang and Aunt Fen waiting for us by the doors. We followed behind their car and went to their home. At their residence, Aunt Fen led us upstairs into an empty room. The room had no furniture and windows, save for a long altar, above which sat six wooden figurines. This could only be six of the Seven Sisters of Tangshan, otherwise known as the Seven Ghostly Sisters to some. I fished out three talismans and gave one each to Yuan Chongxi and Lin Feng. Together, we recited some incantations and burn the talismans simultaneously to attain a temporary and artificial Divine Sight. We looked again at the altar, and there were the ghosts of six lasses sitting in a line along the altar!

I recognized immediately Xiao Qi, who was sitting at the end of the line. “Yo, Xiao Qi! It’s been a long time!” I snickered playfully and she waved to me. Lin Feng and Yuan Chongxi looked dubiously towards me. “This is the ghost of the young woman who had drowned in the case of Fearless Hao! Her name is Xiao Qi (literally, Little Seven, the youngest of the Seven)!” I said to them as I made a quick introduction, “Like the rest, she’s one of Aunt Fen’s Ghostly Sisters!” And my companions greeted Xiao Qi too.

I cast a glance at Aunt Fen. “Err… Aunt Fen? Some help here?” I asked, gesturing to the rest of the Sisters. Aunt Fen flashed a glare to the spectral figures of her Sisters and barked, “I’ll let them introduce themselves!” Xiao Qi pointed impishly to the ghost beside her. “This is Xiao Liu (literally, Little Six),” and gestured to another one just after, “And that’s Xiao Wu (literally, Little Five).” We addressed them both and Xiao Qi pointed to the next one in line, “That’s Xiao Si (literally, Little Four), while the one next is Xiao San (literally, Little Three),” which earned her a scoff from the ghost, “Hmph! What Xiao San (in Chinese slang, “Xiao San” colloquially refers to a “kept woman” or a “mistress”)! Have a care with how you speak!”