Once Song Miaozhu began folding golden lotuses, the number of spiritual light particles around her increased.
Three glowing specks of spiritual light hovered near Song Miaozhu's hands and the lotus flower she was crafting. They neither merged with the flower nor entered her body—simply drifting nearby as if observing.
But Song Miaozhu, having experienced this before, remained composed. Their hesitation wasn't mysterious anymore. It merely meant her paper-folding skill was still lacking. The items she created didn't yet meet the spiritual standard.
"If I focus and improve, they'll come."
Sure enough, when she finally folded a first-tier, six-petal golden lotus, one of the spiritual light specks gently fused into the flower. The lotus itself didn't improve in quality, but the other two specks sank into her body.
She felt a sudden tickle in her throat and broke into a fit of coughing.
The three kittens sleeping at her feet scattered in alarm.
But after the coughs subsided, her chest and lungs felt astonishingly clear—more open and refreshed than ever before.
It was as if these spiritual lights were elixirs, subtly altering her body, cleansing her from within. Just like the ancient texts described: the process of bone cleansing and marrow refinement.
She didn't know where this transformation would ultimately lead, but she was certain it was good. With renewed focus, she bent back over her work with greater dedication.
First, the energy worked on her arms. Then her chest, abdomen, waist, back, legs, and feet—finally, even her head. Her entire body felt lighter, more agile. Her skin grew smoother, softer, almost luminous.
Then, as she completed a Grade One, Nine-Petal Golden Lotus, the spiritual light entered her eyes.
And in that instant, her entire field of vision changed.
Spiritual energy had never just appeared when she was making paper art—there had only been one or two floating specks. But now she could see them everywhere, all the time.
Though sparse and scattered—thinner even than the Yin energy of the mortal world—they were undeniably present. They looked like fine white sand, glowing faintly. Visible, yet not obstructing her vision.
Even without crafting paper offerings, Song Miaozhu could now perceive the ambient spiritual energy in the air.
"So this is true 'Heavenly Eye'..."
Curious, she stood and looked around.
Spiritual specks drifted freely. Wind didn't move them. People couldn't see them. She reached out to touch one, but her fingers passed right through. It was nothing like the gentle absorption during paper-folding. These floating lights existed on a different plane—like layers in an image, overlapping reality but never touching it.
They didn't seem to favor naturally grown things either, contrary to what the old texts claimed. Even the century-old locust tree outside her shop had no more spiritual specks around it than anywhere else.
In fact, it was the front of her shop—the place where she often sat folding paper—where the spiritual lights were ever so slightly denser.
She sat down again and folded another lotus.
Now that her vision had changed, she could see everything even more clearly.
As she folded, the nearby spirit lights gathered toward her. Yet only three of them stirred, lively and curious, as though crossing a barrier into the tangible world.
~
"Boss Song! I'm grabbing a case of mineral water. Already paid!"
[Wealth Vault Notification: ¥36 Received]
"Got it! Come again anytime!" Song Miaozhu didn't even look up from her spot by the door, still folding her nine-petal lotus while tracking the movement of the spirit lights.
Carrying the case of water, Cheng Ziyang took a few steps, then turned back. "Boss Song, my shop's renovations will finish in about a week..."
She looked up just as she completed the lotus. "Congratulations! May your business thrive!"
"Thanks!" He hesitated, then awkwardly added, "We're opening next Saturday. With the promotions, we're expecting crowds... There's something I'd like your help with..."
Miaozhu had just absorbed two more spiritual specks. Her mind felt clearer than ever, and with her Heavenly Eye fully awakened, her mood was excellent.
"What is it? If I can help, I definitely will. After all, there are only two shops on Huaihua Alley—if your business thrives, mine won't do too badly either, right?"
These days, her paper shop mainly saw local elders buying gold paper offerings. Cheng Ziyang, with his daily purchases of water and drinks for his renovation crew, was not only her neighbor but also her largest customer.
"It's just… during my opening weekend, could you do me a favor and sit outside folding gold ingots or lotus flowers like you usually do? You'll be doing what you always do. After it's over, you and your friends can come play at my shop for free, try all the escape room themes. I'll even hold off on selling any snacks or drinks during that time."
Song Miaozhu blinked. "That's it? I'd be folding anyway. But how does this help you?"
"It's... atmospheric." He gestured at the alley's aged locust tree and their neighboring storefronts. "With the papercraft and our shop names, it really sells the horror vibe."
Seeing her expression, he hurriedly added, "Not that you're scary! It's just that paper crafy naturally make people think of..."
Song Miaozhu: "..."
So that's why he'd been patronizing her shop. They'd had the same idea all along—using each other's aesthetics to draw customers.
"Alright then! Looking forward to our collaboration," she said. Her gaze drifted toward the signboard hanging above his shop entrance. It read 'Eerie' in bold characters. She raised an eyebrow. "You already finished your sign?"
"Yup! An apprentice at the woodcarving shop made it. I asked to make it a bit rough-looking. Then I splashed on some red paint myself. Looks decent, right?"
"Very thematic," she agreed.
After he left, she opened WeChat and messaged Zhao Mumu:
[Miaozhu]: How's my shop sign coming along?
[Zhao Mumu]: About that... It might take a bit longer. You won't believe this, but Master... Ugh, just come see for yourself.
Song Miaozhu frowned. She'd only asked because Cheng Ziyang's sign—ordered after hers—was already up. Old Man Zhao wasn't one to miss deadlines. Zhao Mumu's evasive tone set off alarms.
"Did something happen to him?"
Heart sinking, she packed her supplies, locked the shop, and hurried to the woodcarving workshop. From a distance, she saw that the woodcarving shop's door was tightly shut—even though it was only 2 p.m.
Delicate carved wood doors, shut tight—and upon them, clusters of glowing spirit specks clung like frost. But Miaozhu had no time to observe. She hurried forward and knocked.
"Grandpa Zhao? Sister Mumu? Are you there?"