The Binder

Chapter Three: The Journey Begins

Chapter Three: The Journey Begins

Lin Ran walked through the mists of the ghost realm, his mind focused on the jade seal—the artifact that haunted Han Shuyi’s spirit. The chill of the realm was constant, pressing against his skin like a forgotten memory. He had been here countless times before, yet the realm never felt welcoming. It was a place that shifted and bent to the will of the souls that lingered, and Lin knew he would need to tread carefully.

Han Shuyi’s story had given him a clue, though it was vague and worn by centuries of death. The ghost had mentioned that the jade seal, the symbol of the House of Han, had been taken by the imperial court. That was where Lin needed to begin—back in the world of the living, in the archives of history.

With a practiced flick of his wrist, Lin opened a portal between the ghost realm and the living world. A shimmering tear appeared in the mist, glowing with faint light. He stepped through it, and the swirling gray fog gave way to the vibrant world of the living. The transition was always disorienting, the sudden rush of color, sound, and warmth a stark contrast to the muted cold of the ghost realm.

He found himself standing in a bustling city. The streets were alive with the clamor of merchants, their carts filled with goods, and the chatter of people going about their daily lives. It was a modern city, but beneath its surface, history still lingered—buried in forgotten temples, crumbling ruins, and dusty archives. Lin adjusted his worn coat and walked deeper into the crowd, his sharp eyes scanning for his first stop.

It didn’t take long before he found it. The old Imperial Archives stood at the heart of the city, a vast building that had stood for centuries, housing records that stretched back to the earliest dynasties. If there was any trace of the House of Han and its tragic downfall, it would be here.

Lin moved quietly through the archives, his presence unnoticed by the scholars and researchers who filled the halls. He had mastered the art of blending in, becoming a shadow in the background of the living world. He found a secluded corner and began to sift through the ancient records.

The search was tedious. Scrolls and manuscripts were piled high, each one detailing the rise and fall of countless families, wars, and political intrigues. The House of Han had been erased from history, just as Han Shuyi had said, but Lin was used to looking for traces in the places others overlooked. It was in the margins of a military record from a forgotten war that he found his first clue—a brief mention of a seal being taken from the traitorous General Han Jianzhi and sent to a temple as a gift to the gods.

Lin’s eyes narrowed. The jade seal hadn’t been destroyed, as he had feared, but hidden away in a temple. That was a start.

The temple mentioned in the record had long since fallen into ruin, but its location was clear—a remote mountain range to the west, far from the bustling cities and the eyes of the imperial court. Lin rolled up the scroll and tucked it into his satchel. His next destination was set.

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Days later, Lin stood at the base of the mountains, his breath fogging in the cool air. The path ahead was treacherous, overgrown with wild vegetation and crumbling stone steps. He could feel the weight of the ghost realm pressing against the living world here—this was a place of history, of forgotten battles and abandoned shrines.

He climbed steadily, his senses alert. The mountains were quiet, but he knew better than to trust the silence. Spirits often lingered in places like this, drawn to the energy of old temples and lost relics. As he neared the top, the ruins of the temple came into view, its once-grand pillars broken and scattered, moss creeping over the stone. The entrance was partially collapsed, but Lin could see the faint glow of something deeper inside.

Stepping carefully over the rubble, Lin entered the temple. The air inside was thick with the presence of spirits. They clung to the shadows, whispering and watching, but none dared approach him. Lin had long since learned how to move through their world without disturbing them, though he could feel their curiosity.

In the center of the temple, beneath a broken statue of an ancient god, lay an altar. It was covered in dust and debris, but something shimmered faintly on its surface—a delicate box, etched with the imperial seal. Lin’s heart quickened. This had to be it.

He approached the altar and carefully lifted the box. It was heavy, and the craftsmanship was exquisite, a relic of a time long past. As he opened it, the faint glow intensified, revealing the jade seal inside. It was a small, polished piece of stone, carved with intricate designs and bearing the mark of the House of Han.

Lin’s fingers brushed the surface of the seal, and immediately, he felt a rush of energy. The artifact pulsed with the weight of centuries, its history tied to the fate of Han Shuyi and his family. This was no ordinary relic—it was a powerful object, one that could bind the living and the dead, and perhaps, offer the ghost the peace he sought.

But before Lin could slip the seal into his satchel, the air around him shifted. The shadows in the temple deepened, and a low, guttural growl echoed through the ruins. Lin’s hand froze. He wasn’t alone.

From the darkness, a figure emerged—a spirit, but not like any Lin had encountered before. It was massive, its form twisted and monstrous, its eyes burning with hatred. Lin realized at once what it was: a guardian spirit, bound to the temple to protect the relics from those who would seek them.

The spirit roared, its form lunging at Lin with the speed of a storm. Lin moved quickly, dodging its first attack and rolling across the stone floor. He had faced guardian spirits before—they were powerful, but not invincible. His hand reached for his satchel, where he kept a variety of ghost artifacts, each one useful for different encounters.

With a swift motion, Lin pulled out a small bell. It was an artifact he had acquired in another long-forgotten temple, its sound able to disrupt the energy of spirits. He rang it sharply, and the air vibrated with a piercing tone. The guardian spirit recoiled, its form flickering as the bell’s sound weakened its grip on the physical world.

But Lin knew he had little time. He needed to leave the temple before the spirit could recover. Clutching the jade seal, he made for the entrance, his eyes darting between the collapsing ruins and the spirit’s looming presence. The ground trembled as the spirit gave one last roar of defiance, but Lin was already gone, slipping back into the mists of the mountain, the jade seal safely in his grasp.

His journey was far from over, but he had the artifact. Now, he only needed to fulfill his promise to Han Shuyi—and in doing so, perhaps uncover even deeper mysteries that awaited him in the ghost realm.