The woman said, “My father- and mother-in-law passed away half a year ago. Now, there’s only myself and my infant son at home. I have an elder brother named William Carter, who lives in Wang Family Village to the west of the city. I beg you, sir, to bring him this message. I would be eternally grateful…”

James Thompson nodded and said, “I will help you deliver the message. Is there any other wish you have yet to fulfill?”

The woman shook her head and said, “The only thing I worry about is my infant son still in swaddling clothes. Now I can leave in peace…”

As she spoke, her figure became even more ethereal.

James Thompson sighed, “Rest in peace on your journey…”

“I, Mrs. Bolton, thank you, sir, for your great kindness. I will repay your favor in the next life…”

The woman gave him a final bow, gazed affectionately at the baby on the bed, and her figure completely vanished from the world.

A trace of red light appeared out of thin air where she disappeared and surged into James Thompson’s body.

James Thompson felt a jolt of energy and once again sensed a feeling of joy. The joy from this woman far surpassed the sum of all the joy James Thompson had collected before!

Emily Thompson stood beside him and seemed to sense something unusual as well. She said softly, “This is her joy of gratitude, born from a mother’s love for her child. Even in death, she could not let go of this obsession. You fulfilled her wish, and she has given you the joy of gratitude as her repayment…”

James Thompson looked at the mother and child on the bed, sighed, and said, “I’ll go inform her brother…”

William Carter was a simple-looking man. When he heard the news of his sister’s death, he was overcome with grief. James Thompson handed the baby to him and then left.

He had always thought that ghosts and spirits were terrifying things, but his first encounter turned out to be like this.

The ghosts in reality seemed a bit different from what he had imagined.

James Thompson asked Emily Thompson, who was beside him, “Boss, aren’t yin spirits and ghosts afraid of sunlight?”

Emily Thompson replied, “Who said they’re afraid of sunlight?”

“I read it in a book…”

“Nonsense, not to be trusted.”

James Thompson didn’t dwell on the question. After thinking over the day’s events, he asked, “Boss, you just said Mrs. Bolton was the lowest level of yin spirit. Are there different levels of ghosts?”

“Of course.” Emily Thompson looked at him and reminded, “Don’t think all ghosts are like the one you saw today. If you had encountered a resentful spirit or an evil spirit instead of a yin spirit, you might not have survived. Resentful spirits can already use yin energy to attack, and evil spirits can even form physical bodies. Even cultivators with weak powers may not be a match for them…”

James Thompson made a mental note: in the future, if he encountered monsters or ghosts, it was best to stay as far away as possible.

After warning him, Emily Thompson added, “But not all monsters and ghosts are evil. Some are kind. Since you can’t tell whether they mean you harm, it’s best to keep your distance when you meet them.”

Even without her warning, James Thompson would have kept his distance from such things. But somehow, he always seemed to run into them by accident—like the yin spirit of Mrs. Bolton, and that talking fox…

At this moment, Emily Thompson said again, “I didn’t expect you to find a way to collect the seven emotions so quickly. Today is the full moon. The evenings of the new moon, full moon, and month’s end are the best times to refine the seven souls. I’ll teach you the incantation for soul refinement now. Starting tonight, you can try to condense your souls…”

James Thompson was overjoyed and quickly said, “Thank you, boss…”

That night, at midnight.

James Thompson sat cross-legged on his bed, palms facing upward, guiding his spiritual power while softly chanting, “Pure energy circulates nine times, refining souls and banishing evil, heavenly beasts guard the gate, fair maidens hold the pass, the seven souls are gentle and at peace with me, do not act rashly, observe the source of form…”

Within his body, a faint red glow appeared, eventually merging completely into his flesh and disappearing.

……

At dawn, James Thompson was sleeping soundly when suddenly a song drifted into his ears. It happened several times, and even covering his head with the quilt was useless.

He had cultivated until late last night and had only just fallen asleep. Even though the woman’s singing was melodious and ethereal, pleasant to the ear, to James Thompson it was nothing but noise.

He crawled out of bed, groggy, walked into the courtyard, and shouted over the wall, “It’s so early in the morning—why are you wailing like a ghost? Can’t you let people sleep?”

After speaking, he paused, instantly sobering up.

Ever since he lost his seven souls and his body lost its alertness, he had slept until noon every day, completely oblivious to any noise outside. Today was the first time he’d been woken up by someone!

Didn’t that mean his first soul was gradually condensing?

Before James Thompson could rejoice, a voice full of embarrassment and anger came from outside the wall, “What time do you think it is, and you’re still sleeping? Are you a pig?!”

Chapter 009: The New Neighbor

Besides that angry voice, James Thompson also sensed a surge of anger.

He immediately used the guiding technique to draw in that trace of anger. The second soul, Fuxi, governs consciousness and is born from anger. Any emotion directed at him is useful and shouldn’t be wasted.

And yet the other person was the one disturbing the peace! James Thompson retorted over the wall, “I’ll sleep as late as I want—what’s it to you?”