When the dry and disbelieving call came from his throat, Fang Ji realized that he had never been willing to believe in his brother’s death.

His brother had always loved him.

His brother had always been willing to accompany him.

How could, how could his brother leave him so suddenly? His brother wouldn’t!

Just like now…

His brother had really come back to find him. His brother couldn’t bear to leave him either!

Thoughts like “the channeling time is limited, you have to say what you want to say and ask what you want to ask as soon as possible,” and “this might just be a fraud’s magic and tricks”… all such thoughts were thrown to the back of his mind.

At this moment, Fang Ji’s entire being was left with only one thought.

“Brother… Brother, Brother! Where are you? Brother, is that you? Brother, say something!”

Fang Ji became uncontrollably agitated.

He struggled, trying to stretch his body and extend his head in the direction the voice came from, trying to touch his brother, whose whereabouts were unknown, wanting to reach out to embrace, to grab his brother.

But his hands were tightly bound by handcuffs behind his back. No matter how he pulled, he could not break free from the cold iron handcuffs.

A thick hemp rope tied him tightly to the headboard.

No matter how he struggled and twisted on the bed, his knees hitting the bed surface with “thud thud” sounds, he could not take a single step off the bed.

A soft sigh came from behind him—a direction completely opposite to where his brother had first spoken—from far away, ethereal.

“I’m here, Xiao Ji. I’m sorry for making you sad these past few days.”

His brother’s voice was low and heartbroken.

From the moment he heard his brother’s voice, Fang Ji’s eyes could not stop streaming with tears.

Now hearing his brother’s voice again, the tears in the light-blocking strap made it difficult for his eyes to breathe.

He asked his brother, crying sadly, “Brother, what state are you in now? Did it hurt that morning? Does it hurt now? You, you…”

His brother’s voice suddenly moved to the back of his bed again.

His brother answered him gently, “It doesn’t hurt, Xiao Ji. I feel very light now. I’m just a little sad that I can’t be by Xiao Ji’s side anymore. But don’t worry, Xiao Ji, Brother will always be watching over you.”

Fang Ji frantically tried to turn his gaze behind him again.

But his body was too tightly bound, he couldn’t turn at all.

Just as Fang Ji wanted to ask something else, his brother suddenly spoke again. His brother’s voice was a little troubled. “Xiao Ji, I… I don’t think I can hold on for too long.”

His brother said with uncontrollable fatigue, “Maintaining this form is… a bit… diff… icult… for me…”

In the latter half of the sentence, his brother’s voice had clearly begun to stretch out.

It became weak, feeble, and could disappear at any moment.

Only then did Fang Ji suddenly remember the time issue and precautions the master had mentioned before the channeling began.

Thinking of how he had subconsciously approached and struggled when he heard his brother’s voice and lost his mind, he instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

Thank goodness, thank goodness the master was experienced and had tied him up in advance, otherwise… otherwise…!

But, wait.

Didn’t the master say the minimum duration for the soul was three minutes? Why did his brother’s voice sound so weak? Could it be that he hadn’t taken good care of his brother’s ashes during this time?

Fang Ji asked nervously and frantically in the darkness, “Brother, your voice… is your soul uncomfortable? Should Xiao Ji, should Xiao Ji find some… yes, Taoist priests and monks for you?”

His brother was gentle and tired. “No, Xiao Ji, don’t worry. Brother is just a little tired, and my strength can’t support me for too long. Does Xiao Ji have anything he wants to say to me?”

Fang Ji sobbed in a low voice. “I… I want to tell you, Brother, I’m sorry. I didn’t intentionally not answer your call that morning. I, I…”

“Brother, Xiao Ji misses you so much. After you left, Xiao Ji thinks about you every day.”

“Xiao Ji regrets it every day. I shouldn’t have been so immersed in my own things that I didn’t even see you one last time, didn’t even receive your last phone call… And, and I could have gone with you. If I had gone with you, would you have been less sad, would you not have, not have… I, I… sob sob sob, Brother, Xiao Ji is so sorry…”

A low, soft sigh came from the air.

The sigh was like his brother’s gentle hand, lightly cupping his cheek, then passing through the light-blocking strap to wipe away his tears.

His brother said softly, “It’s not your fault, Xiao Ji. I was just too excited for Xiao Ji’s gift and didn’t want to disturb Xiao Ji’s preparations—I know, that was the New Year’s Eve gift Xiao Ji prepared for me. If I had known this would happen, I definitely wouldn’t have…”

His brother’s voice grew smaller and smaller, lighter and lighter, as if it were about to drift away in the air.

Fang Ji didn’t even dare to breathe, afraid of missing any of his brother’s words.

His brother spoke softly and slowly, pausing for a moment.

His brother said, “So, it’s not Xiao Ji’s fault. Xiao Ji has to be happier, otherwise Brother will regret having met Xiao Ji when he came home that time.”

Fang Ji cried out in alarm, “No, Brother, don’t regret it! If it weren’t for you back then, I, I…”

His brother said gently, “If Xiao Ji is a little happier, Brother won’t regret it. Brother is very happy to have met Xiao Ji in the last year of my life and to have spent this year with you.”

His brother’s voice gradually faded into the air. In the end, he said softly, “If Xiao Ji misses me, just come to my grave and talk to me. Brother will be waiting for Xiao Ji’s New Year’s Eve gif…”

The word “gift” was not yet out when his brother’s voice completely dissipated.

Fang Ji shouted frantically and blankly, “Brother, Brother!”

But there was no reply.

Fang Ji sat there, stunned.

His vision was a field of darkness, the room a field of silence. Apart from his low sobs and occasional sniffling, no other sound could be heard.

Brother… just… left again?

Brother.

Brother…

After an unknown amount of time, the neat and steady sound of footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

The door to the lounge was gently pushed open and then closed.

After entering the room, the person did not speak, but began to chant an unknown spell in a low voice.

His footsteps lightened once again, circling the room counter-clockwise. Finally, finally, the ritual was complete, the channeling ended, and the footsteps came to his bedside and stopped.

Cold fingers gently touched his cheek.

The light-blocking strap was lifted, and the sudden light stung Fang Ji’s eyes.

Fang Ji subconsciously lowered his head. The tears that had been trapped in his eyes by the strap uncontrollably flowed down his cheeks.

The spirit channeler looked down at him, placed the wet strap aside, and said, “You are the first person I have seen in so many years who has cried so miserably after a channeling. Weren’t you happy to talk to your brother again?”

Fang Ji adjusted to the light and looked up in a daze.

The young spirit channeler’s expression was still calm and cold, only his gaze, when he looked down at him, carried a hint of confusion.

Fang Ji said hoarsely, “No. I was just… just too happy, and I missed my brother too much.”

The spirit channeler’s confusion dissipated, and he replied flatly, “Oh. That’s good. Your brother didn’t waste his money.”

He bent down and untied the hemp rope and handcuffs for Fang Ji.

Fang Ji sat quietly, waiting, not crying, not fussing, not rushing. He just stared blankly at the knitted hat in his lap, not knowing what he was thinking.

The spirit channeler untied the hemp rope and handcuffs, turned around to put the things back into his handbag, and tossed him a handkerchief without looking back, saying:

“The dead cannot be brought back. This channeling has already violated the laws of heaven. When he is buried this afternoon, please have someone send him into reincarnation, otherwise…”

Lin Chen’s voice paused.

Looking back, he saw Fang Ji pulling at the back hem of his robe.

Looking up again, Fang Ji’s lips were tightly pursed, his hand clutching him tightly, his red eyes staring at him without blinking.

Lin Chen: “…Young Master Fang?”

Fang Ji placed the hat on the bed, got off the bed sideways, and stood barefoot on the floor. He stared fixedly at the spirit channeler and said, “Master, please leave me a contact method.”

His voice was much hoarser than before the channeling.

But in his words, apart from the overflowing sorrow, there was finally some sign of life.

Fang Ji asked anxiously, “When can I talk to my brother again? How is the channeling charged? My brother couldn’t hold on for very long just now. Does this mean his soul strength is a bit weak? Is there any way I can help my brother nourish his soul? I…”

The spirit channeler interrupted with a single word, “Stop.”

Fang Ji’s voice caught.

The spirit channeler sighed softly and pried his fingers from his robe one by one, saying, “No contact, no appointments, not short on money. I only came this time because I owed your brother a favor. There won’t be a next time.”

The spirit channeler paused, then continued to answer, “Nourishing the soul is very simple. On holidays and festivals, place some of his favorite things on his grave. No need to burn them, just leave them for seven days and then you can take them back. Don’t offer too much, too much nourishment is not good for the soul either.”

He pulled Fang Ji’s hand off his robe, picked up his bag, and turned to leave.

But the next moment, Fang Ji grabbed his wrist with a backhand grip.

Fang Ji held him tightly, his red eyes unblinking. “It doesn’t have to be paid in money. It can be paid with other things. Do you like jewelry, Master? Special jewelry, the kind that’s one-of-a-kind in the whole world! As long as you can let me talk to my brother again… Master, hey, Master!”

The spirit channeler shook his head and walked towards the outside of the room. Fang Ji refused to let go, so he could only stumble along barefoot, following him out.

The spirit channeler was dragged to the entrance of the lounge. He really couldn’t take it anymore, so he stopped and turned around.

The spirit channeler said, “It’s no use begging me. Frequent channeling is very draining for the channeler. I don’t take orders unless it’s necessary.”

Fang Ji was stunned for a moment, then immediately asked, “What is considered frequent? Does the master need supplements? A medical team? Master, don’t worry, our family has very abundant medical resources. As long as it’s not sudden death, we can…”

Lin Chen: “…”

Lin Chen said with a deadpan expression, “If you keep clinging to me like this, I’ll have to go complain to your brother.”

Fang Ji’s eyes lit up. “You can still send messages to my brother?”

Lin Chen: “…” Long sigh.

Just then, a figure suddenly walked over from a distance.

Since the memorial service ended, Cheng Huanzhen had been searching for his little uncle in the funeral home. He had asked everyone, made all the calls, and even asked the driver who brought his little uncle.

But his little uncle was not there. Nowhere. His little uncle had vanished into thin air!

Walking and walking, he somehow ended up in this place. The corridor was not wide, so the two people in front of him came straight into his line of sight.

The person in the robe had his back to him, so he couldn’t see their face, while the other person was the young master of the Fang family who had fainted from crying at the funeral.

The young master of the Fang family’s state was completely different from before.

Cheng Huanzhen saw that although the young master of the Fang family’s eyes were red, there was a burning light in his pupils.

…So weird.

How much time has passed?

Cheng Huanzhen thought, a little strangely.

But this had nothing to do with his search for his little uncle, so he quickly pushed the question out of his mind.

He spoke politely, “Excuse me, sorry to bother you. Have you seen a young man with a low ponytail, who has just come of age and is wearing black clothes? He’s my little uncle, I’m looking for him.”