My Lady Always Lacks Ambition

Deng Fucai supported his wife’s arm, and both of them stared at the small clay figurine in Qin Liuxi’s hand, so shocked that their faces turned pale.
"What is this thing? How can such a thing exist?" The couple almost clung together, swallowing saliva frantically.
It really wasn’t until they saw it that they became frightened; the palm-sized clay figurine was dressed in a red bellyband, bald, with all facial features intact, but what was eerie were its eyes, which were dotted with vermillion, and the corners of its mouth were tilted up, making it look particularly sinister.
To them, such a clay figurine, even though they were ordinary mortals, seemed to be an evil object.
But in the eyes of Qin Liuxi, this clay figurine carried a malevolent force. Her eyes narrowed, and as she was about to act, a wail of resentful aura burst out from the clay figurine, shrieking and rushing directly towards Teng Zhao standing beside Qin Liuxi.
"Sin Barrier, how dare you!" Qin Liuxi shouted sharply, without thinking, pulled out a talisman from her breast and flicked it at the resentful aura.
She was fast, but the evil force was faster, already crashing towards Teng Zhao. Unexpectedly, just as it approached, it emitted a piercing wail, and a streak of golden light flashed across Teng Zhao’s chest.
Qin Liuxi’s Exorcism Talisman caught up, rolling up the evil aura. She recited the Evil Extermination Spell, took a string of small imperial coins strung with willow branches from her waist, and swung it over.
"Ow ow ow, ying ying." The evil aura ensnared by the Exorcism Talisman screamed sharply, dispersed, and gradually took shape, which frightened Deng Fucai and his wife to the corner of the bed, shivering.
Too, too vicious!
It was unclear whether it was the resentful ghost or Qin Liuxi.
"I told you not to hurt my disciple." Qin Liuxi struck again.
The object screamed again, its form fully visible now; it was a small female ghost baby, crying miserably and begging for mercy.
Yet, Qin Liuxi showed no sympathy; daring to suck human spirit, even if it was a fetus, it was not a good thing.
After a few more strikes, the ghost baby’s soul was almost dispersed, and she finally ceased.
"Speak, what are you, how did you attach to this clay figurine, and how did you harm people?" Qin Liuxi demanded harshly.
The ghost baby wailed, seeing Qin Liuxi raising the willow branch and small imperial coins again, it dared not cry anymore, and spoke in ’baby language’, conveying its origins through its soul.
"...Heavenly Master, I am wronged, I was just too resentful, I didn’t intend to harm anyone, I’m really just a baby," the ghost baby cried miserably.
"Cut the nonsense."
The ghost baby trembled and said, "I really was wronged, this clay figurine, was kneaded by Master Cizhen of the Nuwa Temple placed under the statue of Nuwa."
"Nuwa Temple?" Qin Liuxi turned to Deng Fucai: "Is there a Nuwa Temple here?"
Deng Fucai did not recall this temple at first, but Deng Cheng did, saying: "Yes, yes, it’s in Ling County, near Blessing Temple, there is a temple called Nuwa Temple, it’s said to be very spiritual, the temple priest’s Daoist name is Master Cizhen, known as the Fertility Goddess, many people seeking children go there."
"Do you know if this clay figurine is enshrined in the Nuwa Temple?" Qin Liuxi raised her hand, displaying the clay figurine, and said, "Eyes dotted on the clay figurine, spirit housed within, with a yin soul housed, it becomes an evil spirit. They should remain calm, but if not, they suck the human spirit, just like this little Nannan."
Deng Cheng’s face turned pale as she said, "I, I have never been to that temple. I’ve only heard that its incense is booming, mainly women going there to pray for children, bringing back Divine Objects to worship, and then they would have children. Could it be that this clay figurine is such a Divine Object?"
Qin Liuxi frowned, sensing something was off.
This clay figurine, much like a paper figurine, could have eyes dotted and a soul bestowed upon it; if it housed a yin soul, even if malevolent, it could be considered alive. If taken back for worship, and if those women then had children, could it be that other dead souls are being reborn through it? What was going on?
Qin Liuxi looked at the Ghost Baby, "What’s going on? Since this figurine is being worshipped, were you originally attached to it or was it something else?"
The Ghost Baby, recalling its own experiences, suddenly emitted an intense resentful energy, once again forming small vortices. Qin Liuxi’s expression darkened, and he raised the Willow Branch and small imperial coins again.
Seeing this, the Ghost Baby restrained itself.
"I don’t want to absorb human spirit energy either, I just don’t want to be beaten down and killed over and over," cried the Ghost Baby.
The cry of a ghost was terrifying, and when the Ghost Baby cried, it was even more shrill and harsh. Deng Fucai and his wife covered their ears, trembling like sieves.
Qin Liuxi had no choice but to throw two amulets to them; they clutched the talismans as if they were lifelines.
The Ghost Baby said, "In the Nuwa Temple, any clay figurine that had been consecrated possessed a baby soul. I was invited by Yuan Er’s wife from Zaozi Village to be worshipped day and night. Seizing the opportunity, as soon as Yuan Er’s wife became pregnant, I hurried to be reborn. The first time, I thought I could become human, but six months in, Yuan Er’s wife went to the Nuwa Temple to fulfill a vow, and learned from Master Cizhen that I was a girl, so she took medicine back and aborted me."
Qin Liuxi felt a chill in his heart.
From the Blood Curse that Si Lengyue had, it was apparent how great the resentful energy could be from an aborted fetus of five or six months.
"After the abortion, my soul, as if drawn by something, returned to the clay figurine and continued to be worshipped by Yuan Er’s wife. Two months later, she was pregnant again, I tried to be reborn, but this time at seven months, she gave birth prematurely. I was born, but her mother-in-law, while cursing Yuan Er’s wife, drowned me in a urine bucket, and once again I returned to the clay figurine."
The more the Ghost Baby spoke, the more intense its resentful energy grew, making the room unbearably cold.
Qin Liuxi suppressed his anger and sent a Sealing over to her.
The Ghost Baby complained, "I knew, if she continued to worship me, I would still be reborn in her womb, only to be aborted again. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I bewitched Yuan Er’s wife, telling her that if she threw me away, she would have a son, and she did just that. Luckily, Nannan happened by, and I bewitched her to bring me back. The wall’s bricks were already loose; with just a little suggestion, she dug them out herself and placed me inside."
"Nannan is very kind; I didn’t want to absorb her spirit energy, but I was too accustomed to the incense offerings, I was too hungry, and she was too enticing," the Ghost Baby admitted guiltily. "I just thought to take a small sip, but then I couldn’t restrain myself."
Incense?
Qin Liuxi glanced towards Deng Shuilan; she had been reborn into a family of accumulated virtue, and her previous life had been meritorious, and the Deng family itself had accumulated merit, which naturally resulted in what is called ’Incense’.
Merit, something coveted by both spirit and mortal alike.
The Ghost Baby absorbed Nannan’s spirit energy because it couldn’t resist the temptation; with it, its soul would be more substantial, and its ghost power stronger.
"Later, her father brought a talisman home and wore it. I didn’t dare absorb any more, until you came," said the Ghost Baby weakly.
It was just a Ghost Baby and couldn’t stray far from the clay figurine; even after absorbing Nannan’s spirit energy, it had only gained some ghost power, along with the resentful energy of being aborted several times without becoming human. How could it compete against the ferocity of Qin Liuxi?
Now, it was subdued; truly tragic!