Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 64: Multiple Taboos

Disaster Relief Tower.

Dian’er hummed a cheerful tune as it happily prepared the ritual log.

This time’s “Fierce Wind E” would surely be easy to resolve. It had even drafted the report’s beginning and ending in advance.

Fang Xiu wasn’t a Disaster Resolver yet, so he couldn’t be assigned specific E-resolution tasks. Dian’er still had to follow procedure: draw a few candidate rituals from the Causality Furnace and then assign them accordingly.

…And even the heavens seemed to favor it. It had drawn the Fierce Wind E!

The scenery around Fierce Wind E was beautiful, and its taboos weren’t particularly dangerous, but it was oddly hard to deal with.

Due to certain special reasons, the Underworld had given up on using it to cultivate ghost immortals. But it wasn’t as ridiculous as the Huanxi E either, so the Underworld just let things run their course, letting sacrifices handle it on their own.

Almost all previous sacrifices had died due to personal reasons. For someone like Fang Xiu, this ritual was just right. There was no need for excessive physical exertion, just some brainwork.

To be safe, Dian’er had even selected a lone Disaster Resolver. If Fang Xiu messed up, the resolver could at least guarantee the ritual’s success.

Dian’er felt this arrangement was absolutely perfect.

Even that nightmare Huanxi E had been handled by Fang Xiu in just three days.

This little Fierce Wind E? Should be child’s play.

Once Fang Xiu became a Disaster Resolver, as his assigned handler, Dian’er’s own compensation would get a discount too. Fang Xiu might even thank it!

……

“The Underworld gave us another pain-in-the-ass job,” Fang Xiu concluded after listening to Cheng Songyun’s summary.

He had just returned to the courtyard, only to find his teammates looking subtly weird, while the group of eight newcomers flocked around the lone man, chatting noisily.

Compared to Fang Xiu’s own team of “the old, the young, women and children,” these young folks clearly preferred this “metaphysics master” type.

The lone man had introduced himself as Jiang Xun, a practitioner of Taoist arts. He had chiseled features, a reserved expression, and an aura of sophistication.

Jiang Xun had been the first to help the newcomers by providing food. He had performed a divination in front of everyone and then easily picked persimmons and greens from the yard.

Along with three to five wild rabbits he had caught, everyone’s meals were secured.

Fang Xiu knew that even if he brought out the offerings from Weishan Village now, they wouldn’t impress anyone much. Compared to familiar, mundane food, these young people probably preferred “campfire-style foraging”.

At least for now, Jiang Xun was quite the center of attention.

With food in hand, the young ones had relaxed. They sat around Jiang Xun, chattering away with questions. Jiang Xun hardly responded and just enjoyed his meal leisurely. His aura of power was unmistakable.

“Auntie Cheng already explained a bunch of stuff, and they didn’t take in any of it,” Guan He grumbled, having overheard parts of their talk. Fang Xiu just patted his shoulder and shook his head.

They’d already done their part by voluntarily explaining the rules.

Since Jiang Xun wanted to build his own rapport, Fang Xiu wasn’t interested in interfering.

As long as the newbies didn’t go berserk, there was no need to battle over popularity. They were here to resolve the E, not win elections.

After calming the indignant Guan He, Fang Xiu kindled a ghost flame in the other corner of the courtyard.

While tending the fire, he casually described the area beyond the courtyard. Under the blue sky and white clouds, with the scent of roasted chestnuts in the air, it was hard to feel upset.

“…So we’re near a normal town, but a wind wall is blocking the way. Fang Ge, you sure that’s not something the Underworld set up?” Guan He asked, now calm and trying to analyze again.

Fang Xiu: “The Underworld wouldn’t bother with something so convoluted.”

The wind wall had an unnecessarily complicated feel to it, unlike the crisp boundaries of past rituals. Not to mention Bai Shuangying had verified it as a taboo, and even the Mid-Autumn E’s borders were more straightforward than this.

“We can’t leave this place. Maybe that’s a death taboo. Then there’s that couple… No screaming? No stealing? No fighting…? Hard to say.”

Guan He thought hard, nearly letting the fire that was roasting the chestnut almost ignited his shoes.

Fang Xiu nudged the chestnuts with a stick. “Don’t worry. It’s only the first day.”

Then he got up to wash his hands at the hand-pump.

The pump was rusty but functional. Fang Xiu poured some canned syrup in as a primer and began working the handle.

With loud creaks and wheezes, water gushed out from the spout and splashed onto the ground.

Bai Shuangying leaned over curiously. It was his first time seeing such a device.

Fang Xiu smiled. “Old folks used this a lot. It’s mostly obsolete now. Not just you. Even those newbies probably don’t recognize it.”

“Then how do you?”

Fang Xiu paused. “There was one just like it in my grandma’s yard.”

“You mean your grandmother who died violently,” Bai Shuangying recalled.

He remembered… It was the woman who had died suddenly in front of Fang Xiu, harboring resentment toward him before her death. Yet Fang Xiu’s tone held only distant regret when he mentioned “grandma”.

“She called it the ‘Water Snake Trick’ and used it to tease me.” Fang Xiu said softly. “She’d summon little water snakes and said washing with them kept me healthy, helped heal wounds, washed away all worries…”

He hummed the rest in a local dialect, quiet and gentle like clear water over stone.

Then he chuckled self-deprecatingly and stretched his arms to wash.

As if responding to his lullaby, with a squelching noise, the water suddenly changed color…

From crystal clear to murky blood-brown, mixed with bits of flesh and long strands of hair.

In the golden, idyllic light, this streak of blood red was violently out of place. Chunks of flesh slithered through the water, squirming and glimmering darkly. Tangled hair emerged slowly from the spout, alive with eerie grace.

The blood and flesh crept along the ground and the hair curled forward in a stench of rot, inching toward Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu: “!!!”

He gripped the handle tighter and pumped even faster in surprise. This wasn’t water to wash one’s hand. It was ghost food full of promise!

The flesh: “?”

Fang Xiu panted as he furiously worked the pump. The evil spirit inside hesitated…its flesh quickly melted into the blood, the red growing faint. Even the dangling hair started to shrink back into the water pipe.

“Wait!” Fang Xiu lunged for the hair, grabbing only the tip.

It was sticky and wet, making it hard to grip.

He looped it around his finger and tugged like in a game of tug-of-war. The thing in the pipe resisted just as fiercely. In the end, Fang Xiu lost due to brute strength and nearly fell backward.

The pump water returned to clear, as if nothing had happened.

Fang Xiu exhaled heavily. He sulkily washed his hands and returned to the fire. The roasted chestnuts now felt hard to swallow.

He couldn’t help but poke Bai Shuangying. “There’ll be more evil spirits tonight. We’ll grab a few together.”

Bai Shuangying nodded. “How do you know it wasn’t a strong one?”

“After seeing Old Man Fu and Li Shuo, I’ve got a theory… Ordinary ghosts will pull jump scares. Powerful ones don’t bother.”

Fang Xiu gestured seriously. “Like little animals puffing up in fear, while massive beasts leave only giant claw marks. The latter doesn’t try to scare you, but they’re way more terrifying.”

Bai Shuangying watched him for a while.

When Fang Xiu said this, his nose wrinkled a bit and his lips curled into a smile. He looked at Bai Shuangying with unguarded affection.

Just as Bai Shuangying was beginning to understand that gaze, Fang Xiu looked away, toward Jiang Xun.

Suddenly, another scream rang out. It was from that same couple again.

The curly-haired girl cooed “babe” endlessly as she fed her boyfriend, like he’d hurt his brain instead of his leg.

A few eyes flicked over. The lip-pierced guy flushed red and shouted, “I’m not disabled!”. He then slapped the girl’s hand away.

Her face changed instantly. Just as she was about to lash out, the guy screamed again…

This time, he collapsed to the ground, gasping and wide-eyed, as if buried by unseen rocks. He flailed helplessly and groaned, eyes bulging like they might pop out.

Jiang Xun rushed forward. The pierced guy sat up dazedly, seemingly recovered.

“What the hell? Another taboo?”

The lip-pierced guy coughed and complained, “We didn’t even figure out the last one, and here comes another?”

Lu Yang licked his lips nervously and stepped up. “Maybe we’re not allowed to hit each other?”

It was noon and the autumn light was warm, yet all this weirdness felt even more unsettling.

Jiang Xun thought for a moment, then gave Lu Yang a light smack on the back of the head, but nothing happened.

“These two incidents were vague. There may be more conditions involved,” he said calmly, his voice deep and clear, instantly reassuring.

The curly-haired girl started sobbing. “I wanna go home. This place is scary…”

Before she could finish wailing, she shrieked again. “Fuck, my shoe…!”

Before everyone’s eyes, her right shoe vanished.

She had been wearing expensive, tightly laced Doc Martens. But in a blink, one shoe vanished like it evaporated into thin air. The girl panicked and huddled with her boyfriend, the two of them chanting “don’t be scared, babe” in unison.

The other newbies: “…”

Lu Yang glanced at Cheng Songyun and asked Jiang Xun, “Wasn’t it just three taboos?”

“You said: the wind outside is a barrier. That’s one taboo. The couple argued and lost a piece of flesh. That’s another possible taboo. He hit her and collapsed. Maybe that’s another. Now her shoe disappeared… That’s four?”

Jiang Xun replied coolly, “Three taboos are common, but it’s not a rule.”

Lu Yang responded with an “oh,” then looked toward Fang Xiu’s group with a bit of disappointment.

Fang Xiu, on the other hand, was quite enjoying the show, openly watching it enthusiastically.

Beside the ghost flame, Cheng Songyun mused aloud, “There’s so many taboos… Could it be like Weishan Village?”

Guan He shook his head. “It feels different. Back then, at least the ‘taboo punishments’ were consistent. These… are all over the place.”

Fang Xiu turned to Mei Lan: “What do you think?”

She had been quiet until now and didn’t respond right away. “I-I don’t know. I’m not good at analyzing this.”

Then she added, as if realizing something. “If you need help with anything else, just let me know.”

Fang Xiu just smiled at her and didn’t press further.

“Oh right, Bai Shuangying…”

Fang Xiu turned to his ghost…only to realize something was wrong. “Bai Shuangying?”

Bai Shuangying was gone.

……

Inside the abandoned main house.

Sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating Bai Shuangying’s white robes.

He stood with his back to the light, his pale eyes locked onto a shadowy corner.

“I know you’re the master of this place. Don’t worry, I’ll pretend not to know.”

[……]

“Just remember, don’t interfere with my human.” Bai Shuangying spoke calmly. “If you act rashly, he’ll definitely see through everything.”

Static crackled from the darkness.

“You ask why?”

“Because I want to understand him. But he always gets distracted looking at others.”

So he needed more time… More, and more, and more attention.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 63: Courtyard in the Forest

The beginning of the fourth ritual was remarkably quiet.

Fang Xiu wasn’t the type to hold big or small meetings casually. He simply issued a formulaic statement, “Everyone follow orders and don’t mess around”, and wrapped up the pre-ritual briefing.

At this point, anyone with half a brain already understood the basic ritual routine.

To be honest, Fang Xiu didn’t feel responsible for “protecting everyone,” so his expectations weren’t high. As long as no one went against him, everything was negotiable.

With Jia Xu’s self-destruction as a cautionary tale, no one objected.

The paper figure Dian’er led the group to the second floor. At the moment, golden-red leaves blanketed the floor, and the entrance to the “Hall of Disaster Resolution” had turned into a familiar countryside courtyard gate.

Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying, as usual, walked at the rear of the group. Fang Xiu instinctively reached out his hand and Bai Shuangying habitually extended his wrist.

Fang Xiu hadn’t expected such cooperation. He didn’t stop in time, and his fingernails lightly scratched Bai Shuangying’s hand making his heart skip a beat.

Bai Shuangying showed no reaction. Fang Xiu took the opportunity to adjust his grip and tried to act like the handholding was perfectly natural.

Then he became unsure about how tightly to hold Bai Shuangying’s hand.

Too loose and it might slip, too tight and he might hurt the ghost. After hesitating for too long, he started worrying whether his palm would get sweaty. That would certainly be embarrassing.

Fang Xiu began questioning the romance stories he had seen. In those, the protagonists all seemed born with innate mastery of handholding, hugging, flirting; everything was timed perfectly.

In practice, he was nervously readjusting his grip every other second. Those screenwriters were all liars. Even he, a liar himself, had been duped.

…Even killing someone didn’t make his heart beat this erratically!

There was an upside, though: Fang Xiu suddenly noticed his observational skills had improved dramatically. The whole world looked like it had been given a dreamy filter, looking vibrant, crisp, and clear.

For instance, he noticed the toe of his left shoe was scuffed, and his pants were overly wrinkled. He noticed how Bai Shuangying’s hair ends were so clean they looked synthetic, and his white clothes shimmered with a faint, soft glow.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fang Xiu saw Bai Shuangying watching him intently. He turned his head to meet his ghost’s gaze directly.

Though Bai Shuangying’s sclera looked human, they lacked visible capillaries, like flawless porcelain.

Noticing the human looking at him again, Bai Shuangying blinked.

His gaze had been fixed on Fang Xiu’s lips.

Yesterday, Fang Xiu had sucked his injured fingertip, and Bai Shuangying still remembered that burning warmth and comfort.

Unfortunately, once saliva left Fang Xiu’s mouth, the vital energy quickly dispersed into yin energy. If he wanted to taste Fang Xiu’s soul essence, kissing or having sex were the most efficient methods.

But Fang Xiu didn’t agree. He’d said, “Only if you like me.”

Bai Shuangying had seen countless expressions of joy, anger, sorrow, love, and hatred, both among humans and animals. He had seen a herd of pigs run but had never tasted pork himself*.

*Clarity: It’s a colloquial way of saying you haven’t experienced it personally, but have heard about it, seen it, so you have a slight understanding of it.

…Had he ever truly liked anything?

He had existed for so long, he’d grown used to being alone, never needing to “cling” to anything external.

Yes, he had been curious about many things, but everything lost its novelty eventually. He had never liked anything, only disliked.

“Understanding Fang Xiu” was proving to be difficult, Bai Shuangying thought, but at least it wasn’t unpleasant.

Before stepping through the gateway, they both turned their heads in unison toward the direction of the “Shrine of All E’s.”

Sure enough, under the Underworld’s illusion, they couldn’t see the shrine at all.

Fang Xiu muttered a few words regretfully. If it were truly a top-secret place, the paper figure wouldn’t have shown it to them at all. Compared to some “millennia-old dark secret of the Underworld”, the shrine felt more like a “restricted factory zone” of the human world.

“If we get the chance, I’ll take you inside to see,” Fang Xiu said, squeezing Bai Shuangying’s wrist.

“Mm.”

……

As they stepped across the threshold, a crisp autumn breeze greeted them.

The morning sun illuminated a forest of golden-red trees. Birds chirped clearly, accompanied by the low drone of autumn cicadas. The air was fresh and dry. Fang Xiu instinctively took a deep breath, his lungs feeling freshly rinsed by the wind.

Before them lay a modestly sized country courtyard.

Though it was an abandoned courtyard in the forest, Fang Xiu didn’t sense anything ominous. The walls were freshly whitewashed, and the layout was clean and dignified. It was clearly once cared for meticulously.

The surrounding shrubs were a bit overgrown but artfully arranged.

The season was right. Red berries dotted the bushes, and unknown wildflowers bloomed along the fence. At a glance, Fang Xiu spotted a disused vegetable garden, a chicken coop, and a dusty air conditioner unit.

Compared to this, Weishan Village had felt steeped in cursed yin energy.

Without Jia Xu around to yap and point, the others scanned the area and then turned to look at Fang Xiu. He sighed, paused at the half-open courtyard gate, and knocked gently.

“Coming!” a voice called from inside, surprisingly warm and welcoming.

Then the wooden door creaked open, revealing a slightly nervous round face. It was a very young man in a brightly printed hoodie. His soft, pampered skin and trendy outfit didn’t match the rustic courtyard at all.

Sure enough, the young man scanned the five of them and cautiously asked, “You guys are sacrifices too?”

Fang Xiu: “…Yeah.”

Amazing. Without even being asked, this guy had blurted out, “I’m a newbie,” “I’m a sacrifice,” “I’m not cunning”…all at once.

After scrutinizing them for a moment, the youth gave an “oh” and awkwardly opened the gate wider.

Inside were already two other groups, visibly distinct in style.

One group was all young people. Exactly eight of them, looking so fresh-faced it was almost touching. Like the round-faced youth, they radiated the naïveté unique to students.

The other group consisted of only one man. He was well-groomed, with a strange aura, appearing in his forties or fifties.

His attire was plain, revealing no obvious magic weapons. He stood silently in the shadows, observing Fang Xiu. He was definitely a veteran.

A gust of wind stirred the fallen leaves. Fang Xiu’s ankle felt a chill, and he shuffled his pant leg down.

“What a big courtyard,” Guan He couldn’t help but exclaim.

Guan He followed Fang Xiu closely, but his attention was drawn to the scenery rather than the people…

The inside of the courtyard was even more refined than the outside.

It held a main house and two wings. Handwritten couplets graced the doors, bold and powerful, though the red paper had faded.

Several beautiful persimmon trees stood in the courtyard, branches heavy with fruit. An old-fashioned hand pump stood in the center and there were even scallions and chili peppers grew in the corners. Everything evoked a sense of comfort.

With the surrounding forest scenery, the place looked entirely untouched by any E.

The round-faced youth hesitated briefly, then introduced himself: “This is our first… first time participating in a ritual. If we cause any trouble, please forgive us…”

The other seven nodded anxiously.

It all felt like a lifetime ago.

When they had met Lao Mian and Mai Zi in Weishan Village, the couple had also been in their fourth ritual, while they were pure rookies. Only half a month had passed, and the roles were reversed.

Cheng Songyun and Guan He looked thoughtful. Cheng Songyun smiled and nodded at the young group, who visibly relaxed.

During their conversation, the lone man in the corner quietly slipped out of the courtyard.

Fang Xiu said, “Cheng Jie, Guan He, Mei Lan… You three set up camp here. Don’t touch anything in the rooms yet. I’ll scout around with Du Zhichao.”

Cheng Songyun and Guan He nodded steadily. Mei Lan gave her usual quiet response without any particular reaction.

Cheng Songyun kept glancing toward the new kids, so Fang Xiu added quietly, “You can tell them the basics, but keep your distance.”

He’d chosen these three because they had reliable self-defense skills. If there were any threats among the new kids, they could handle it.

As for basic information… newbies didn’t even know what taboos were. Better to warn them ahead of time than risk disaster.

With everything settled, Fang Xiu left the courtyard with Bai Shuangying and Blondie.

Blondie wore his usual ingratiating smile, eyes darting around. “Fang Ge, this place is incredible. There’s nothing’s lacking… Hey look, these wild greens are edible, and I even spotted rabbit droppings. There are wild hares here!”

Fang Xiu stepped on the soft leaves and gave two absent-minded replies.

The area was indeed well-stocked. They hadn’t gone far before seeing chestnut and apple trees laden with fruit. Mushrooms and greens were abundant, making this a far better ritual than the ones.

But he hadn’t brought Blondie along to test survival skills.

“You used to hang around Jia Xu a lot. Did he ever mention gambling?” Fang Xiu asked casually.

Blondie answered immediately, “Course he did! That guy never shut up about how good he was. Yeah right. He couldn’t play for shit!”

Fang Xiu filtered the nonsense. “He invited a lot of people to gamble at his place. You knew about that, right?”

“Yeah, but they weren’t really friends…”

According to Jia Xu’s bragging, he brought “tasteful and well-off” “high-class people” to his place. He hosted sessions himself, offering fine tobacco and liquor.

Besides the app, they also livestreamed betting sessions in a private room, betting on stones, horses, anything. It was a full-on upscale gambling den.

Jia Xu made a lot of money from this “service”, but it all became his gambling fund.

“He acted like such a big shot, but he was just a setup guy for a scam ring. Who knows what he was so proud of,” Blondie sneered.

But Fang Xiu didn’t think it added up.

Jia Xu came from an average background, young and recently rich. Under normal circumstances, it would’ve been hard for him to mingle with middle-aged elites or wealthy second gens, let alone host such events.

Plus, he had a day job and lived with his girlfriend at night. There was no time to run a gambling ring.

…More likely, someone else had set it up and just used Jia Xu’s name.

Fang Xiu frowned. “He never mentioned anything else?”

Blondie shook his head, then remembered something. “He complained once that the person managing the house was rude to him. That’s it.”

“Someone managing his house?”

“Like a housekeeper or something. He didn’t say much.”

Fang Xiu sighed. He’d known it… Anything that didn’t sound cool, Jia Xu wouldn’t elaborate on.

As he mulled it over, he rubbed his arms. Maybe it was just his imagination, but the forest wind seemed stronger now.

Blondie, fit as ever, darted around happily. Suddenly he climbed a jujube tree. “Shit… There are people outside the forest! Someone’s working in the fields!”

He leapt down and headed that way. Fang Xiu frowned and followed cautiously.

But after just a few steps, the strange wind intensified.

It didn’t stir a single leaf yet made it hard for Fang Xiu to stand. If Bai Shuangying hadn’t grabbed him, he might’ve toppled over.

Blondie pressed forward another few steps. The wind distorted his face and peeled at his skin. Finally, he retreated, crawling back with wind-chapped skin.

Fang Xiu looked behind them. The wind wall’s placement was uncanny. Just a few more steps, and the farmhouse courtyard would’ve vanished from sight.

“This is a taboo… Not a ghost or Underworld doing,” Bai Shuangying said concisely.

He’d been strangely quiet the whole time. Fang Xiu rubbed a tree trunk and asked softly, “Did you sense anything unusual?”

Bai Shuangying: “The yin energy is thick here, but there are very few ghosts. Too clean.”

“…?” That sounded eerily like the Huanxi E. Fang Xiu tensed immediately.

Bai Shuangying spread his fingers, feeling the wind normalize. “Yin energy is suppressed during daylight. It’s best to investigate again at midnight.”

As he’d said, daytime was boringly peaceful. They walked around the “wind wall boundary” with the courtyard as center.

Aside from finding part of a taboo, Fang Xiu picked up chestnuts and jujubes, and enjoyed the autumn scenery.

There were no creepy tombstones, hidden chambers, or twisted sacrificial altars.

The ritual zone was so normal it felt like a Class 4A scenic area, and the resources were outrageously rich. If not for the taboo, Fang Xiu would’ve assumed this was a “reward level”.

He glanced at Bai Shuangying.

Bathed in golden autumn light, Bai Shuangying’s ghost aura was subdued. Dressed in flowing white, standing quietly among the trees, he seemed like one with nature.

But Bai Shuangying caught him staring. After a pause, he solemnly handed Fang Xiu some sweet jujubes, instantly breaking his ethereal vibe.

Under that intense gaze, Fang Xiu obediently ate the jujubes.

They were crisp and sweet. Bai Shuangying really had a knack for picking fruit. Damn, if he hadn’t brought Blondie, this scouting trip would’ve been perfect.

They had been out nearly all morning. It was time to return.

……

Back in the courtyard.

After Cheng Songyun’s “Taboo 101”, the eight newbie players looked confused, then shifted into ultra-cautious mode, classic rookie behavior. Now aware of the death taboo, they didn’t even dare sneeze, eyes tearing up from the effort.

A few wanted to pick some persimmons for supplies but backed off. Their faces were filled with unease.

Cheng Songyun suddenly understood how Mai Zi must’ve felt watching over them before. These newbies really did look harmless.

“I’m Lu Yang,” the round-faced youth introduced himself. “Thank you so much for explaining. Otherwise, we’d be totally lost.”

Though he didn’t seem very reliable, compared to his panicking companions, he was relatively “emotionally stable”.

At least he had the presence of mind not to mention the Underworld’s support outright.

Just as Lu Yang was expressing thanks, a loud shout startled Guan He, who nearly pulled out his black gauze veil.

A couple among the new eight had started fighting.

“Are you fucking psycho? What the hell’s wrong with you?!” shouted a boy with pierced lips.

“I brought that food. If you’re gonna eat it, ask first!” the girl snapped. She wore a cute backpack and had huge wavy curls. Her voice clashed wildly with her appearance.

Lu Yang: “…Ignore them. They fight every few days and make up fast.”

The other five acted unsurprised, turning their heads or muttering complaints under their breath.

The couple’s argument devolved into local dialect, their pitch rising and vocabulary growing incomprehensible.

Cheng Songyun, as an outsider, couldn’t intervene and just waited quietly.

But after a few minutes, the boy suddenly screamed. The newbies scattered in panic.

The girl froze, face turning pale. “What’s wrong, babe?”

The boy didn’t answer and just stared in horror at his right leg. His pants were quickly soaking with blood, and the smell filled the air.

Before Cheng Songyun could react, the lone man from before appeared out of nowhere. “Take them off.”

The boy winced, sweating. “What the f—”

The man cut him off calmly. “If you don’t want to die, take them off.”

Faced with spreading blood, the boy caved. He pulled down his jeans, and everyone gasped.

A chunk of flesh the size of a walnut was missing from his thigh.

The wound’s edge was rough, as if the flesh had vanished into thin air and blood was flowing freely.

The lone man crouched down, inspected the wound, then pulled a yellow talisman from his pocket. He dipped it in the blood and drew an unrecognizable symbol.

Then he snapped his fingers, and the paper burned with a pure white flame.

“It’s not the death taboo. Just bandage it up. You’ll be fine. I’m off.” He stood and left.

The girl threw herself on the boy, sobbing like he’d just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. The rest stared at the man in awe.

Cheng Songyun’s long theoretical lecture couldn’t compete with this dramatic scene.

Cheng Songyun and Guan He watched too.

After checking the wound, the man turned back and lean against the wall to smoke with a relaxed expression.

When he crouched down earlier, a red string had peeked from his collar. It seemed something was hanging from it.

---

The author has something to say:

After three stressful instances, time for a light interlude!

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 62: The Conditions for a Kiss

Top floor of the Disaster Relief Tower.

Ghost Immortal A’Shou was contentedly flipping through the ritual report, with tea and flaky pastries specially prepared by her side.

How satisfying. That malignant tumor, the Huanxi E, had finally been resolved.

Normally, eight rituals would take no more than half a year, shortest being a month. But the Huanxi E could trap its sacrifices for two to three years. The Underworld had to expend enormous ghost power just to maintain the sacrificial bodies in the mortal world.

After Dian Wu returned to the Disaster Relief Tower, she happily approved a full year of paid leave for it. Even Dian’er benefited. Part of its Mid-Autumn Festival fines were waived.

At this moment, Dian’er was rubbing its hands, eagerly awaiting the report feedback. It was grinning from ear to ear, its face completely devoid of gloom and instead full of mortal joy.

A’Shou finished the report and, satisfied, ate a pastry. “Undoing both the Mid-Autumn E and the Huanxi E… This Fang Xiu kid’s not bad.”

Dian’er nodded vigorously. “Exactly! I haven’t seen such a dazzling newcomer in ages. Do you think we should induct him into…”

Halfway through, it caught itself and quickly lowered its head. “Oops, too talkative.”

A’Shou gave it a sidelong glance and said offhandedly, “That depends on how he does in the fourth ritual.”

She knew what the paper figure was implying.

Some humans were naturally clever, highly skilled at undoing the E. They would be selected by the Underworld and designated as “Disaster Resolvers”.

The Underworld would assign these individuals to teams meant to tackle particular E’s, offering them special treatment in return.

It was frustrating, though. The Underworld had sent countless Disaster Resolvers to deal with the Huanxi E, but it was like throwing meat buns at dogs. They never returned.

One such Resolver, “Uncle Hou”, had even turned into one of the Huanxi E’s protectors.

“…If Fang Xiu can resolve four E’s, I’ll nominate him as a Disaster Resolver.” A’Shou took a sip of tea. “But not yet. He’s not even halfway through the rituals, and there are still too many people in his team.”

Dian’er nodded hastily. “Understood, understood.”

“But if you really like Fang Xiu, you can show him a bit of favor. Just don’t overdo it.”

Dian’er was deeply touched. “Yes!”

Seeing how cheerfully the paper figure beamed, A’Shou couldn’t help but laugh.

It wasn’t out of guilt or compassion, but purely because having a star performer under its watch brought it prestige too.

She casually closed the report, preparing to file it, when a strange daze washed over her.

Oh, right… They’d retrieved the sacrificial body from the Huanxi E. Fang Xiu’s body was especially strange. Most of his internal organs were mutated and fused, with only the heart and brain relatively intact…

According to the report… What did the report say again…?

A’Shou rubbed her temples and reopened the last page. She suddenly found herself unable to recognize the familiar characters. Each stroke seemed to twist and writhe on the page like worms.

The meaning of the words bypassed “reading” and drilled straight into her mind.

[■ghost■■possession,■■■■body. ■■magic weapon is■■.]

[The seductive ghost■■possession. Damage■■host’s■■magic weapon is normal.]

[The seductive ghost isn’t good at possession. Damage to the host’s flesh and magic weapon is normal.]

Yes. A seductive ghost isn’t skilled at possession. They damage the bodies they inhabit. This was common knowledge… common knowledge…

A’Shou murmured to herself and closed her eyes.

The Disaster Relief Tower had unique properties. Her will being slightly disturbed wasn’t that unusual. In a tipsy haze, she filed the report onto a wooden rack.

In the dim firelight, the rack extended endlessly into the darkness. Every slot was packed with scrolls and books, like rows of neatly stacked corpses.

A’Shou reached out and lightly brushed her fingertips across the dusty records.

Only “successful resolutions” earned a corresponding entry. If a sacrifice was simply fed to a ghost, nothing would be recorded.

That little scholar in red… How many more times would his name appear here?

……

Fang Xiu’s room on some level of the Disaster Relief Tower.

“You’re bad at possession, so that’s why I had such a strong reaction?” Fang Xiu asked curiously.

Regarding the side effects of their possession-fusion move, Bai Shuangying had simply said he “wasn’t good at possession.” Like birds not suited for swimming, or beasts unsuited to flight, it was just his nature.

Fang Xiu accepted it easily. Everyone had their weaknesses.

“It doesn’t really matter. The main issue was just that this ritual had too many people. Normally we could’ve just hidden together.”

Fang Xiu was understanding. “And being possessed by you wasn’t all that uncomfortable. You’re not that bad at it.”

Bai Shuangying nodded politely. “It was quite comfortable being inside you.”

Fang Xiu: “………………”

Fang Xiu coughed loudly a few times, changing the subject. “Perfect timing. Let’s go exploring before lunch.”

Bai Shuangying gave a neutral “Mm,” his expression unchanged.

Outside, the courtyard was the same as when they first arrived. Only now, three doors were sealed with white strips marked with runes Fang Xiu couldn’t read.

They belonged to three fallen teammates. According to the paper figure, they had likely died suddenly in the real world.

Fang Xiu stood in front of Jia Xu’s door for a while and knocked a few times. As expected, there was only silence inside.

Bai Shuangying: “Are you mourning him?”

“As if.” Fang Xiu shook his head. “I just think it’s a shame Qin Wangshu’s parents never got a chance to take revenge.”

“But Jia Xu is already dead,” Bai Shuangying said, puzzled.

“Even death has value. Jia Xu died too lightly.”

Another incomprehensible concept, Bai Shuangying thought.

To him, death was final, a pure “action”. Once a person died, their karma would gradually fade. Love, hatred, grudges would all dissolve with time.

If even death had meaning…

“So how do you plan to die?” Bai Shuangying asked bluntly.

Fang Xiu froze for a few seconds, then looked at him and gradually smiled.

“Well, I definitely don’t want to die in a ritual. That’d be lame.”

Bai Shuangying knew humans liked to “leave a legacy”, but that was for the living. As for trading death for something…

[One life for that many beasts… Worth it…]

He suddenly remembered that human warrior with eyes similar to Fang Xiu’s.

So he asked, “Do you want to exchange your life for your enemies’?”

Fang Xiu looked at him again, his brows curling into a smile. He scratched his nose and said earnestly, “Why not just wish them dead? Why pay with my own life?”

Bai Shuangying slowly lowered his head, giving up. This human was truly hard to grasp.

Fortunately, Fang Xiu cheerfully dragged him along and skipped the topic altogether.

The courtyard was small. There were only eight rooms and two tables on the first floor. A ninety-year-old could explore the whole place in ten minutes.

Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying looked around but found nothing unusual.

Soon, Fang Xiu set his sights on the mysterious second floor. Just as they stepped past the incense burner blocking the stairs, Dian’er appeared.

“Where are you headed?” it asked brightly.

Fang Xiu: “Just wandering.”

“Well, the second floor isn’t usually open. If you want a look, I’ll need to take you.”

It rubbed its hands like a fly. “It happens that I’m free right now. What do you say?”

Fang Xiu had originally wanted some time alone with his ghost. He glanced at Bai Shuangying, only to find the ghost looking curious and eager.

Fang Xiu sighed inwardly and didn’t object. “Lead the way.”

Dian’er: “You got it—!”

This was their first time visiting the second floor outside of ritual hours.

Without the Underworld’s “ritual scene overlay”, the second floor revealed its true appearance. Its style matched the first floor, with red lanterns hanging from the eaves.

But unlike the first floor, it had only two doors.

The two antique-style doors faced each other, both with name plaques.

The one they usually passed through bore the characters “Hall of Disaster Resolution”. A brass lock secured it, which looked nothing special.

The other, which was usually hidden, was labeled “Shrine of All E’s”. Its lock was made of bronze, stained with strange filth, and tangled in countless chains. It looked ominous.

That door had always been hidden by illusions, so Fang Xiu had never noticed it.

“The Hall of Disaster Resolution connects to the mortal realm. It only opens during rituals.” The paper figure explained, “We use it to link your ritual grounds, so you can cross between the realms. Right now, it’s just a void out there.”

Fang Xiu stared at the other door. “And the Shrine of All E’s?”

The paper figure hesitated, then forced a smile. “That’s for Underworld personnel only. It’s not accessible to sacrifices. That’s the rules. I can’t open it.”

Sounds like some kind of employee-only elevator, Fang Xiu thought.

But his ghost was very interested in the Shrine. Bai Shuangying stood before it, poking the chains, rubbing the bronze lock, utterly absorbed.

Fang Xiu: “You really can’t open it?”

The paper figure said sincerely, “I really can’t. Last time it opened, it was to welcome a new ghost immortal.”

As they spoke, Bai Shuangying began picking at the chain. A crackling noise erupted, and he instantly pulled back his left hand, brow twitching.

Fang Xiu rushed over and saw his fingertip charred and refusing to heal.

“Does it hurt?” he held Bai Shuangying’s hand and inspected the wound carefully.

Bai Shuangying: “It’s fine.”

When he simulated human form, he fully replicated human senses. It did hurt a bit.

But thinking of what Fang Xiu suffered in the Huanxi E, Bai Shuangying found it too petty to complain.

The paper figure noticed too. “Yikes! You mustn’t touch that! The curse was placed by Lady A’Shou herself. It’s very nasty!”

“How do we treat the wound?” Fang Xiu asked directly.

“Your ghost didn’t use a forceful spell and just touched it. It’ll heal naturally.” The paper figure thought for a moment and added, “If you’re willing to trade a magic weapon, I could get you some Essence Ointment. It’s the best thing for recovery.”

Bai Shuangying declined at once. “Not necessary.”

If it were anyone else, maybe. But with Fang Xiu’s food card, magic weapons were better saved for summoning headless evil spirits.

Seeing Bai Shuangying refuse, Fang Xiu didn’t press the matter. But before they left, he cast a few more glances at that door.

……

Back in their room, Bai Shuangying fell into thought. The exploration had yielded one good and one bad result.

The good news: he’d sensed strong karmic energy behind the door. That karmic aura matched the seal’s, meaning the Shrine and the binding spell were intimately linked.

The bad news: Ghost Immortal A’Shou was indeed powerful. Even with his ability after 73 chains broke, Bai Shuangying couldn’t undo the seal quietly. If he made a move, A’Shou would notice immediately.

He needed another way to investigate the Shrine…

Suddenly, a warm wetness touched his wound. The pain eased and became light as air.

Bai Shuangying looked down. Fang Xiu was holding his hand, gently sucking on his injured fingertip.

Fang Xiu’s eyes were downcast, ears a little red, but his expression was pure. His tongue curled clumsily, nothing like his usual agility when lying.

Bai Shuangying loved this speechless version of the human. After nearly a minute, he asked, “What are you doing?”

Fang Xiu released his finger and pointed to his moist lips. “Healing.”

“The paper figure said in this Tower, my flesh is a manifestation of soul-essence. If essence ointment heals wounds, then so should my essence.”

Blood was essence so saliva probably counted too.

Bai Shuangying raised his hand. The wound was indeed healing. The charred skin was plumping, then turning pale again, as if it was never injured.

Fang Xiu’s treatment worked, almost too well. Was ordinary soul-essence from a human supposed to be this effective?

In rituals, Bai Shuangying had entered Fang Xiu’s body. But that body was a sanctioned magic weapon of the Underworld. It sealed the soul essence like a vacuum pack. He never got to taste it properly.

Now intrigued, he cupped Fang Xiu’s face, intending to sample some essence directly.

But as soon as he leaned in, Fang Xiu blocked his face with one hand.

Bai Shuangying: “?”

He tilted his head, white eyes blinking between fingers. His expression clearly said, “Didn’t you say you liked me? Then why not?”

Fang Xiu answered seriously, “No.”

Bai Shuangying thought he was too formal. So he suggested, “Then I’ll wait till you’re asleep and slip into your mouth?”

Fang Xiu was silent for a few seconds. “Because I like you. That’s why not.”

Fang Xiu understood. Even if he kissed Bai Shuangying, or spent the night with him under the excuse of “feeding soul essence”, Bai Shuangying probably wouldn’t object. He might just treat it like a late-night snack.

The experience was tempting. But it wasn’t the kind of relationship Fang Xiu imagined.

Even knowing it was destined to end, he wanted to treat this seriously instead of using his ghost as a fantasy placeholder.

Maybe Bai Shuangying wouldn’t grasp the nuance, but he did, and that was enough.

And Bai Shuangying had one merit: once Fang Xiu made things clear, he’d accept it quietly with an “Mm”, and would never go against his will.

“Mm.” Sure enough, Bai Shuangying didn’t understand but agreed.

“…Then when will you kiss me?” A few seconds later, he asked bluntly.

Fang Xiu thought for a moment. “When you like me a little too.”

Looks like I won’t get a taste today. Bai Shuangying fell silent.

After a while, he could only “Mm” in reply, regrettably letting the matter go.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Besides blood and saliva, there is something else Fang Xiu can produce that is also essence. And Bai Shuangying will definitely get to taste that, eventually.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 61: Double Rewards

Upon hearing those words, Bai Shuangying remained remarkably calm.

At the moment, he was in human form. Fang Xiu was merely infatuated with his appearance, just like a scholar seduced by a fox spirit or a seductive ghost. As long as Bai Shuangying returned to his true form, Fang Xiu would snap out of it.

The next second, Bai Shuangying’s body began to melt. His facial features distorted and merged together, dripping wetly downward like a wax statue placed in an oven.

His eyes turned to fluid and slipped through Fang Xiu’s fingers, streaming down the back of his hand. In less than ten seconds, all that remained was a dreamlike “liquid mass” hovering in front of Fang Xiu.

Bai Shuangying squirmed slightly, calmly “gazing” at Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu caressed the floating creature before him. “…This is just right.”

Then he leaned in again and kissed the blood mole that hadn’t disappeared.

This time, the kiss wasn’t so light. Fang Xiu slightly opened his mouth and gently bit into Bai Shuangying’s core. His tongue brushed over the soft fluid as his heartbeat grew so loud it was almost noisy.

“Looks like I really do like you.” Fang Xiu casually thumped his chest.

Bai Shuangying: “……”

Bai Shuangying: “?”

He could no longer understand this human.

Seeing Bai Shuangying freeze midair like an ice sculpture, Fang Xiu slowly crawled back onto the bed. “I just wanted to tell you. You don’t have to respond.”

Bai Shuangying remained frozen in the air.

“From now on, I’ll probably want to get close to you. I just didn’t want to do it without your knowledge.” Fang Xiu slid under the covers again. “If it bothers you, you can stay away.”

Without the pain or bodily damage, Fang Xiu rolled around beneath the blanket, soon wrapping himself into a soft cocoon.

Bai Shuangying dropped onto the mattress with a splat, flowing mechanically.

Humans had once offered him countless prayers, but even back then, none had dared say they “liked” him.

Fang Xiu clearly believed evil spirits didn’t care about humans. He’d even said they were only crossing paths temporarily and would eventually part ways. Fang Xiu had called him a “perfect friend”… Humans changed too fast!

[Why?] Bai Shuangying couldn’t hold back the question.

Fang Xiu poked his head out of the blanket, leaving just his eyes exposed. “Because it makes me happy.”

[I can’t marry you.] Bai Shuangying stated bluntly.

“I know, of course.” Fang Xiu let out a half-laugh, half-sigh.

Three of the eight rituals had passed; their journey was nearly halfway through. Fang Xiu knew he’d stick firmly to his life plan, and everything else was just an “experience”.

Liking Bai Shuangying was an enriching, novel experience. It even improved his overall condition.

Fang Xiu believed in expression over suppression. If he liked someone, he’d embrace it boldly. Besides, Bai Shuangying wouldn’t reciprocate, which suited him just fine.

Yet, hearing Bai Shuangying say the truth aloud still tugged at something inside him.

It was a sour, itchy feeling that was hard to describe. He savored it quietly before curling completely under the blanket.

“I’m not placing emotional bets. I won’t be obsessing about ‘winning back principal and interest’.”

He mumbled softly. His heart thumped uncontrollably, a numbness spreading from the nape of his neck to his eyes.

Outside the blanket, Bai Shuangying remained silent for a while before slowly returning to human form. The mattress dipped under his weight. He patted the blanket bulge that was Fang Xiu and eventually peeled back a corner to peek inside.

“Since you like me, I should be allowed on the bed too.” Bai Shuangying considered the request very reasonable.

Fang Xiu let out a couple of nervous grunts under the blanket, then wore a serious expression like negotiating terms. “Can I hold you while we sleep? I promise I won’t do anything else.”

“Mm, sharing a bed is enough. No need to invite me to dinner.” Bai Shuangying responded with understanding.

Fang Xiu: “……”

He slowly sealed off the blanket gap, releasing a puff of hot air.

In the end, Bai Shuangying got his wish and lay on the bed.

Compared to the bathtub and the rock-hard ceiling of the Huanxi E, the mattress was far more comfortable, and Fang Xiu was too.

To prevent Fang Xiu from gnawing on him in the middle of the night, Bai Shuangying decided to rest in human form. Fang Xiu kept his promise, curling up like a baby and pressing his forehead against Bai Shuangying’s chest, sleeping soundly while clinging to him.

It wasn’t an intimate gesture.

Bai Shuangying didn’t need sleep.

He quietly observed Fang Xiu in the dark, fingers playing with the other’s hair. Fang Xiu’s hair was very soft, like the winter coat of a wild animal.

The toll of the third ritual finally showed. Fang Xiu was sleeping deeply. His hands clung tightly to Bai Shuangying’s sleeve, and his heartbeat was half a beat faster than usual.

His relaxed yet heightened expression resembled a young beast settling into a new den or embarking on its first hunt.

Each time Bai Shuangying learned more about Fang Xiu, Fang Xiu presented new puzzles.

Strangely, this never irritated or bored him.

Imagining “understanding Blondie to lift the seal”, Bai Shuangying would rather smear his body on a wall like wallpaper than share a bed with that guy.

Not that there was anything to understand. Blondie was just a transparent vulgar thing from the start.

As he mulled it over, Bai Shuangying’s fingers casually pried open Fang Xiu’s lips, feeling the softness of his mouth and the firmness of his teeth.

Fang Xiu mumbled in his sleep but didn’t resist; he just buried his face deeper into Bai Shuangying’s chest, growing even more relaxed.

His human really was different. Though Bai Shuangying couldn’t pinpoint exactly how.

……

In the morning, Fang Xiu nuzzled into his ghost’s chest. “Good morning.”

He spent half a minute marveling at the joy of being alive, basking in a refreshingly pleasant morning.

Compared to several days of constant agony, he felt like the Underworld had turned into paradise.

If it weren’t for the reward collection, he would’ve happily cuddled his ghost all morning. After lazing around for a while, he finally got up to tally the ritual loot.

This time, Fang Xiu’s gains were far less than before…

They only brought back that bonus chip.

The chip was the same as ever, its eyeballs spinning around rapidly, scanning its surroundings.

According to Bai Shuangying, it didn’t even count as a proper magic weapon.

It was just a leftover soul scrap from the Huanxi E’s “parasitic brain matter”, fused with human bone to create the object.

“A specialty souvenir, I guess.” Fang Xiu stared at it for a few seconds, then placed it next to the Mid-Autumn E group photo.

As for new magic weapons, he got none. Worse yet, he’d lost a jade Buddha. At this point, he only had one left.

Shrugging, Fang Xiu packed away the jade Buddha, pulled out Lao Jin’s demon mirror, and loaded up his food card on the spot.

Bai Shuangying: “!”

Fang Xiu explained, “Without Lao Jin’s special skill, this thing’s just dead weight.”

It could detect hostile intent? Whatever. He already assumed everyone was hostile by default.

A headless evil spirit suddenly appeared, and Fang Xiu shoved it toward Bai Shuangying with the nagging tone of Cheng Songyun. “You’ve gone three days without eating. If I take you to eat and you just sit and watch, I’ll lose my appetite.”

Bai Shuangying nodded and prepared to feed, but then noticed Fang Xiu staring at him intently.

Bai Shuangying: “……”

He suddenly realized the side effect of the confession. He now couldn’t help noticing everything Fang Xiu did, trying to figure out what exactly this human’s “love” entailed.

Caught up in it, he forgot how he normally consumed evil spirits.

In the end, Bai Shuangying sulkily reverted to his true form, enveloped the headless evil spirit, and swallowed it whole.

As for the taste, he honestly couldn’t tell.

Fang Xiu looked heartbroken, as if thinking, “Oh no, my ghost was starving that badly”, leaving Bai Shuangying speechless.

Then came breakfast time, and the atmosphere turned even stranger.

Cheng Songyun and Guan He sat at their usual spot, warmly greeting Fang Xiu.

With Jia Xu gone, the other table now only had Blondie and Mei Lan. The courtyard felt empty and quiet.

Blondie peeked at Fang Xiu several times before awkwardly asking, “Fang Ge, where’s J-Jia Xu?”

Other than Cheng Songyun, the other three hadn’t seen the moment Fang Xiu killed Jia Xu.

So Fang Xiu replied, “There was an accident.”

His tone was calm. Guan He immediately believed him.

Blondie’s eyes darted around. “Makes sense, makes sense. He spent all his karma, didn’t even leave a way out. Nothing to be done.”

He didn’t even offer a moment of silence for Jia Xu and just kept glancing at Fang Xiu while speaking, his tone dripping with flattery like a mangy dog showing its belly.

Mei Lan, as always, was silent. She nodded at Fang Xiu and quietly ate breakfast.

Though no one said it aloud, everyone had already come to the same conclusion: Fang Xiu was now, without question, the group’s leader.

“The Huanxi E is gone. Those who removed it shall receive bonus rewards—”

“Fang Xiu removed the E. Many rewards shall be granted—”

The paper figure Dian’er cheerfully hopped onto the incense burner, clearly in high spirits.

“The Huanxi E was a great scourge in the Underworld. Fang Xiu’s efforts benefitted both realms, so an extra reward is added this time!”

Fang Xiu paused, midway through grabbing a tea egg. “An extra reward?”

Even Bai Shuangying turned his head. It was rare for the Underworld to be this generous. Clearly they’d suffered greatly. Two rewards? Missing an extra magic weapon wasn’t such a loss after all.

The paper figure nodded enthusiastically. “Exactly! That Huanxi E was beyond repair! Its karma was rolled up like a snowball. You can choose two anomaly skills, no limit!”

Blondie didn’t dare cheer. He seemed to have lost his appetite, eyes glued to the scene.

Fang Xiu had no interest in the Huanxi E’s gambling taboo.

He’d originally been torn between two anomalies. Now, given another shot, of course he wanted both. A responsible adult takes it all.

“For the first skill, I want the Huanxi E’s innate power supply.” Fang Xiu decisively named his choice.

In a horror environment, the scarce essentials were always the same. He now had unlimited food and a nuclear-powered lighter. Next practical necessity: electricity.

The paper figure had long grown used to Fang Xiu’s whimsical requests and looked serene. “Mm-hmm, go on.”

“For the second, I want basic illusion creation.”

He didn’t expect to create a vast illusion like Huanxi world. Just being able to project a phantom was enough. It could be very useful in a pinch.

“Oh wow, excellent choices!” the paper figure said enthusiastically.

“About that ‘power supply’… You can’t use it to zap people or ghosts, but basic charging’s fine.”

“As for ‘illusion creation’, you’ll be able to create untouchable phantoms. They can follow simple commands, make noise, basic actions… That’s about it. Confirm?”

Fang Xiu: “…Confirm.”

He extended his left arm for the skill engraving. This time, the trigrams “Zhen” and “Dui” surfaced together, then sank into his skin.

“The Huanxi E belongs to thunder. Zhen and Dui restrain and harmonize. Same rule applies: these skills only work until all rituals are complete.”

The paper figure rubbed its hands together, its grotesque eyes nearly disappearing in glee. “Three rituals, four trigrams… This is unprecedented! Boundless future awaits—!”

“You flatter me.” Fang Xiu scratched his cheek.

He didn’t care for any “bright future”. He was just assembling the most efficient horror survival loadout.

The way Dian’er fawned was starting to creep him out. Clearly, breaking the Huanxi E had earned the paper figure its own hefty reward.

Seeing Dian’er about to launch into another wave of praise, Fang Xiu hurriedly finished his breakfast and shot to his feet.

Faced with one pair of ghost and four pairs of human eyes, he swallowed his food with difficulty and puffed out his cheeks. “Let’s rest for now. We’ll talk more at dinner.”

Then he dashed back to his room.

First, he pulled out his speaker and charged it, confirming that he really had become a human power bank. Goodbye, battery anxiety.

Then, with a wave of his hand, he summoned another “Fang Xiu”.

The illusion looked perfectly real, identical to the real Fang Xiu. It blinked playfully and smiled. “Bai Shuangying.”

Bai Shuangying stepped forward and grabbed at it. The illusion dispersed like mist.

“Realistic enough but collapses with a touch. It’s a good decoy,” Bai Shuangying concluded.

“That’s exactly what I wanted,” Fang Xiu replied cheerfully. He waved again and summoned a phantom of Bai Shuangying.

“…Fang Xiu.”

“Bai Shuangying” stood with black hair draped down, blank expression, and snowy white eyes devoid of emotion.

Bai Shuangying found it remarkably accurate. Its appearance and voice were exactly the same as his. It felt like looking in a mirror. But Fang Xiu’s smile slowly faded, and his brows knit.

“Why doesn’t it look right?” he muttered.

Bai Shuangying asked, “What’s wrong with it?”

“I don’t know. Just looks fake.” Fang Xiu dismissed the illusion with a sigh. “Forget it. Mine’s flashier making it a better decoy.”

Bai Shuangying found that reasonable and casually changed the subject. “So, what’s your plan for today?”

He wanted to study Fang Xiu further.

Caught off guard, Fang Xiu’s lips curled slightly. “We’ve got nothing to do. How about we go exploring?”

“Exploring?”

“Yeah, we’ve been here so long and never really looked around the Tower.”

He used to avoid unnecessary outings because Jia Xu would always drag him into meetings.

But things were different now. After three rituals, he’d basically united the group.

Guan He and Cheng Songyun were dependable allies. Blondie was the typical bully that would cower to the strong, so he was unlikely to stir trouble anytime soon.

The only uncertain one was Mei Lan.

She barely had a presence—quiet, ordinary, a distant “accessory”-type. And somehow, across three rituals, she’d come out completely unscathed.

Once or twice could be luck, but three times? Fang Xiu was starting to notice.

Especially since, back when confessing their blood debts, Mei Lan hadn’t fully come clean.

Still, she hadn’t done anything to hinder him. Fang Xiu decided to keep observing.

He put the thought aside and returned to the “exploration” topic. “…Since the paper figure’s in a good mood, we might as well learn more about the Underworld.”

Bai Shuangying pondered for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement.

……

Mei Lan’s Room.

After bathing in the soul-nourishing spring, Mei Lan dressed as usual. She wore a fashionable green blouse that was elegant yet practical, dark culottes, and a matching silk scarf.

She loosely tied up her hair with a ribbon, then gently picked up a pendant.

The pendant was made of green jade, carved into a strange shape. At its center were two seal script characters, nearly joined together…

[Guishan*]

*Clarity: (归山). It translates to Return (to the) Mountain.

She put it around her neck, tucked it beneath her scarf, then under her clothes.

With everything in place, Mei Lan knelt before an old altar table. Hands clasped, eyes shut, face blank.

A stream of low chanting spilled from her lips.

Whether it was a prayer or a curse, it was impossible to say.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>