The Persistent Ghost's Demands
The Mirror Ghost? Sure, the mirror didn't seem like some dangerous object that could bewitch people. Considering its backstory, it was probably just that the ghost had been so attached to our ancestor Dang Wol, to whom she'd gifted the mirror in life, that she'd clung to it even after death.
Even after being rejected, I did my best to build rapport with the ghost. I was determined to get something out of her besides poison arts if I could.
"Could I ask what connection you had to our family? What was your relationship with that Dang Wol person…?"
She who succeeded her father as head of the Tang Clan—my junior sister by name, but like an elder sister to me.
Wait, so the ghost was a disciple of the Tang Clan head? Even without the official surname, that made her an honorary Tang. I took back my earlier dismissal of her as just some local poison pusher. No matter how mediocre her martial arts might be, as a disciple of the clan head, she was bound to know some valuable secrets.
Aiya. Could you perhaps grant me a favor, child?
"Yes?"
I've longed to see how the Tang Clan has changed over the years. If you help me with that, I'll grant one of your wishes in return.
"Of course, Senior."
A wish in exchange—jackpot! At her ready offer, I bolted outside. If I could score something just by giving her a nostalgia tour, it was as easy as dumping soy sauce over Bikini City's entire seafood haul.
The pond has dried up. I used to raise koi here...
I noticed now that, ghost or not, she had eyesight.
So many new buildings. What's that one?
As I'd guessed, Myeong Gyeong Hall was older than Bi Yeon Pavilion.
Oh ho, and more buildings over there.
The ghost wasn't just interested in the area around her old haunt at Myeong Gyeong Hall—she was intrigued by the farther reaches of Tang Family Village too.
"Want to go check it out?"
Leveraging my college minor in Japanese for a freshman-year travel tour gig, I'd become a seasoned guide. I tucked the hand mirror into my top and strolled through Tang Family Village under the cover of night.
"Alright, in order: that's the pharmacy hall, the forge, and over there are the poison storage hall and antidote hall—I haven't been inside those, so I'm not sure."
They probably didn't let kids gawk at poisons. Still, I'd toured the pharmacy and forge before—once a year for "field trip experience day."
"The hidden arts are taught in the back mountains, but masters train in the underground annex, or so I've heard."
I grew herbs and toxic plants in those back mountains too.
From this angle, the Tang Clan had tons of content even in a wuxia world.
For the clan to grow into a full village—your numbers have swelled. Still allied with the Murim Alliance?
"Yeah, they say we're right after the Nangong Clan."
The clan's prestige suddenly felt impressive. Even without my contributions, bragging about my family puffed me up a bit.
After the hand mirror estate tour, I returned to my room's bedding. Having sated her curiosity about the current Tang Clan, the ghost finally took an interest in me.
By the way, what's your family situation?
"My father's the clan head. I've got one elder sister and four elder brothers."
Fifth son?
"Yes. But I'm still too young to keep up with my brothers' skills—there's a big gap."
I calmly and maturely spilled my situation and feelings to the Mirror Ghost. Having been doxxed by ethnic Koreans back in Hell Joseon, I was immune to privacy leaks.
Hmm. Your voice is so childish, I didn't realize. Anyway, forget what I said about granting your wish.
I was stunned by the sudden rejection.
"What? Because of my age?"
Why? Kids were the cutest, like puppies or kittens, right? If I solemnly said, "I want to catch up to my brothers~!" any decent person would want to help—that was basic human nature.
No, it's not the age... It's dark, and your voice is young, so I thought you were a girl.
'What?'
A bad premonition hit, along with a classic wuxia cliché. Webtoons had Tang Clan stories these days, but in the classics I knew, the Tang Clan was a heroine factory.
Why would I honor a promise made to a man?
"Argh!!!"
Even reincarnated, I couldn't escape gender discrimination. I hurled the mirror far away—it landed on my discarded clothes without breaking. My five-year-old body, already worn out from the nighttime outing, fell into deep sleep the moment my eyes closed.
A few more days cohabiting with the ghost taught me I didn't even need to speak aloud for conversation— she picked up my thoughts directly. It was creepy as hell but handy for privacy.
So, how old is your sister? As a girl, she must be learning poison arts, right? Right? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me? Why won't you tell me?
'Cut it out, you're annoying. Auntie.'
Eventually, I stopped trying to ditch the ghost—even without holding the mirror, her voice piped straight into my head. Experiencing a ghost's telepathy before any Radiant Mind Speech in this wuxia world. If my old man gave a damn, he'd have dragged me to some eminent monk for an exorcism. But with no child rights or Dr. Oh Eun-young, and slaving away at Tang Family Fist training, I was in no position. The instructors would just call it shirking practice anyway.
Huh? I hear you fine—don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me, don't ignore me. And don't think some monk can banish me, so don't ignore me, don't ignore me!
Her obsession with Tang women was so intense, I wondered if I'd stumbled into a yuri story. I had no lesbian stereotypes, but this ghost was shady, cranky, and rude—prejudice was inevitable.
'Why are you so fixated? Your junior sister is long dead!'
And you—a man—why are you trying to learn poison arts? It offends me.
I'd tried sweet-talking the damn mirror bitch, of course.
'Dang Yohwan swears on his name: I'll deliver a big sis to you later, so please teach me some poison arts?'
What? You crude brute? Just master Tang Family Fist.
No point talking to her. I gave up cleanly on squeezing any benefits from the ghost now that I had an empty vessel.
'...I'll pass you on, so quit being a pain.'
To whom? Your half-sister? The renowned late-stage disciple?
I shot her expectant tone a sneer.
'Plenty of Tang girls besides my sister.'
Like hell I'd give her my sister. Half-blood or not, she was family, and practically impossible anyway—my twenty-something adult sis was out wandering the jianghu. I planned to offload it on some casual girl friend.
With a village called Tang Family Village in the province, everyone I met as a kid—minus servants—was a Tang.
'As per your wish, to a Tang girl. Be nice to her.'
Really? Which one?
My target for this cursed mirror: Dang Sohee. Distant cousin we played with sometimes, original owner of the glowstone I'd swiped.
Perfect timing—holiday every full moon. Instead of training, I snuck into Tang Family Village's alleys. The safest streets in the Central Plains.
That girl?
'Yeah, the only daughter of the Gold Flower Merchant Group's leader.'
Gold Flower Merchant Group was under Sichuan Tang Clan, so Sohee's dad was basically a salaried CEO. No discrimination though—we all played together.
Other girls our age trained in Tang Family Fist, but not Sohee. Without that, no clan secrets or martial future for her. She'd probably learn business from her dad or marry out later?
'Must be nice, skipping the grueling training.'
Petty revenge too—Sohee wasn't fit for this selfish ghost's martial inheritance.
I expected complaints about the new owner, but she hit me with something random.
Fifth son of the clan head, do you have dreams?
'Huh?'
Dreams? Out of nowhere. Recalling my past life wishes: crypto jackpot, stable job, international marriage, bunny-like wife and daughter. Nothing fancy—just a standalone house like in anime. Okay, maybe a hot ondol floor, so city apartment.
'For now, I'm aiming to succeed my father as clan head.'
Grand words.
'I said "for now." So.'
Plans could change if it got tough. Even if I were the novel protag, subway windows vanishing and Tang Family Fist hell killed any easy-life fantasies. Jianghu was dangerous outside, but born in a powerhouse clan, starvation wasn't on the menu—small mercies.
She continued with that pathetic look.
Whatever you end up doing, you don't seem cut out for medicine.
"Huh?"
Doctors weren't for just anyone, sure—but suddenly? I knew saving lives wasn't easy. Maybe the man-hating ghost was picking a fight.
But her next words weren't casual.
You're dense. Envying a girl who gets beaten?
'What? Sohee?'
Sohee, playing jacks on the ground with stones, spotted me and waved happily. Her bright smile lit up from afar—cute, cheerful, kind. She hung out with a clan head's son like me, mom-less and sidelined. Lent me her glowstone despite my pushy begging. That's why I picked her among all the Tang girls—close enough, and at five, girls needed mirrors. Pricey Western glass too, minus the crazy ghost.
Rushing to Sohee, I grilled the ghost.
'Who hits Sohee? Explain properly, you ghost bitch!'
Though fed up, I'd never doubted the Mirror Ghost's words. But right then, I wished she'd lied.