“How did Lady Zhi get here!”
Constable Zhang was overjoyed and said repeatedly:
“This is wonderful! Lady Zhi, quickly tell them that I’m a living person, not some chang ghost! That hunter has probably been dead for ages and is just trying to lure us to our deaths!”
“Although I don't know who this hunter is, he's definitely a ghost.”
Nan Zhi was crisp and direct, pointing at the red exclamation mark floating above Chunsheng's head that no one else could see:
“And judging by the Yin energy on him, he’s been dead for at least nearly half a year.”
Chunsheng didn't recognize Nan Zhi; a flicker of confusion flashed across his eyes before he shouted to the crowd again:
“Quickly follow me! That fierce tiger has become a demon, profoundly bizarre and sinister. This lady is probably a chang ghost in disguise as well! If we don’t leave now, it’ll truly be too late!”
As he spoke, Chunsheng pointed at the ground and roared:
“Look closely! This lady doesn't even cast a shadow, yet she claims not to be a chang ghost! The two of them are definitely working together!”
The crowd stared wide-eyed. Sure enough, beneath the dark night where clouds obscured the sky and the faint firelight flickered, there was not a trace of a shadow beneath Nan Zhi’s feet!
Constable Zhang was actually a ghost!
Was Lady Zhi also a ghost?!
The men nearly fainted, their hearts plunging and soaring through rollercoasters of shock.
“Roaaar—!”
Right at that moment, a tiger let out a long roar from deep within the mountains, its reverberation shaking the forest and startling countless birds and beasts into flight.
Constable Zhang hollered wildly, raising his official saber and slashing toward Chunsheng:
“You monster! What kind of witchcraft did you use?! Give Lady Zhi’s shadow back!!”
“You chang ghost! How dare you turn around and bite back!”
Chunsheng rolled across the ground, tossing up a handful of sand that forced Constable Zhang back two steps. Seizing the momentum to retreat beside the crowd, he grabbed an officer and yelled sharply:
“Quick! Follow me! From the sound of it, that tiger is right nearby! If we don’t run now, it’ll be too late!”
Terrified out of their wits, the crowd threw all caution to the wind and scrambled together, following Chunsheng as they squeezed into the forest.
“Wait! I can explain! I only have no shadow because I'm wearing the 【Paper Skin Garment】! That hunter is the real ghost!”
Seeing the crowd cramming forward, with Nan Yi trapped among them like a helpless little lamb, Nan Zhi hurriedly gave chase—
It was only an instant.
The firelight died out, and the moonlight dimmed to a faint sliver.
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
As if possessing a consciousness of their own, the forest vines fell to the ground like countless slithering snakes, writhing and twisting like apparitions to cut off Nan Zhi's line of sight.
She adjusted her field of view and discovered withered trees closing in from all directions, looming over the crowd like a torrential onslaught—
Wearing a bizarre grin, Chunsheng vanished into the thickets.
Immediately after, Nan Zhi felt the surrounding environment undergo a sudden shift.
A fragrant mist drifted through the air, and ethereal gauze fluttered as red candlelight filtered through faded red drapery, casting a soft, ambiguous glow upon the ground.
A beauty sat upon a couch, her clothes half-undone.
Upon a golden table, luminous jade cups overflowed with fine wine.
Beside the purple bamboo couch, jade platters were laden with delicacies and rare treats.
Clusters of purplish-red grapes and jade-green watermelons sat in abundance, along with snow-white, peeled lychees that rolled down, tumbling right to Nan Zhi's feet.
She gave one a light kick, momentarily unable to tell whether it was real or an illusion.
The yamen officers stood frozen in place, a strange radiance gleaming across their faces; each seemed to be witnessing a completely different scene.
“Hehehe, Xiaocui, be with me. I’ll marry you in the future! Just give me a little kiss, alright?”
“So much money! I’m rich!!”
“So much gold!! So much gold! It's mine, it's all mine!”
“Fine wine! Smells so good! And this roast meat—I’ve never tasted roast meat this fragrant in my entire life!!”
“Look at this—top-grade silk and tea! If I sell all this, I won’t have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of my life!”
“Hehehe...”
Hazy and coquettish laughter from a woman echoed softly. Behind the sheer curtain, a beauty with snow-white skin and crimson lips appeared, radiating irresistible charm.
—In truth, there was no concrete scene; everything was merely veiled behind a thick haze, growing blurrier the harder one tried to discern it.
The red curtain fell away.
Nan Zhi, the only one who remained conscious, locked eyes with the female ghost behind the drapery.
The female ghost, currently striking a provocative pose: “...”
Oh no, why is it a woman?
The silent Nan Zhi: “...”
Oh no, why is it a female ghost?
“What sharp eyes you have. But where did a little hussy like you come from, daring to snatch food from my mouth?!”
The female ghost paused for a moment before the realization finally hit her, her face darkening instantly:
“This is the Mountain Lord's territory! An ignorant passing ghost like you dares to ruin the Mountain Lord's good fortune?! Just watch as I gouge your eyes out to brew wine!”
“No, Big Sister, at least show a bit of professional ethics and turn into a handsome man to tempt me! If you don't even try to tempt me, how do you know I won't fall for it?”
Nan Zhi lamented heartbrokenly. Having just heard that chang ghosts could transform into whatever a person desired to seduce them, she had actually harbored a bit of anticipation:
“Do you have 185cm pure-hearted puppy-dog college boys? What about rough-and-tumble handsome uncles with stubble and eight-pack abs?
“What? You don’t have either? Why are you so unprofessional?
“Love what you do and excel at it! You have to tailor your pitch to client needs, understand?!
“Really, believe me. Even though I claim to despise thirst traps, I secretly browse them in my private bookmarks.”
“What nonsense are you babbling about!”
Believing Nan Zhi was toying with her, the female ghost extended her claws, transformed into a white blur, and lunged straight at Nan Zhi—
Nan Zhi rolled across the ground, dodging the strike with immense agility.
Using her long blade to vault upward, she leaped into the air, chanted an incantation, and slapped a palm straight toward the female ghost's chest!
“Wind stirs first, then thunder follows; three thousand five-thunders descend with a million soldiers of lightning and fire. Fire burns the world; demons turn to dust!”
“Thunder, come—!”
Is this person a damned Taoist priest?!
The female ghost instinctively looked up, only to see the sky completely serene—no churning clouds, let alone flashes of lightning.
Just as she was secretly gloating that her opponent was bluffing, an agonizing pain struck her chest the very next second!
Arcs of lightning crackled faintly across Nan Zhi's palm. A streak of electric threads followed the strike, slamming solidly into the female ghost's chest!
【Skill: Five Thunder Protection Curse (Chanting the Thunder Curse summons heavenly thunder for protection, warding off evil and repelling hundreds of ghosts)
(This skill has an innate restraining effect against ghost-kind and demon-kind. Upon activation, there is a 10% chance to inflict an awe-struck effect on enemies)】
Lightning magic inherently possessed extraordinary suppression against ghost-demons, not to mention that the female ghost had underestimated her opponent and taken a strike brimming with lightning intent head-on!
Her entire soul began burning from her chest, turning to ash inch by inch like charred wood.
If the female ghost were in the modern era, she would have cursed on the spot:
What kind of decent person leads a fight with their ultimate ability?!
Isn't a fight supposed to be a probing back-and-forth where we trade blows before finally unleashing our ultimates to clash head-on?
How did she end up running into a reckless lunatic who drops lightning magic right at the opening bell?!
Aren't you afraid of shocking yourself?!
Where is the respect?
Where is the trust?
Without time for further thought, the female ghost shrieked in agony:
“Aaaah! Mountain Lord, save me!!”
As if sensing the female ghost's torment, a fierce tiger roared from deep in the mountain. The next moment, an invisible force snatched her away—
The chang ghost's illusion dissolved, and the surroundings returned to normal, leaving behind a complete mess on the ground.
The vast expanses of red gauze earlier were nothing more than shadows cast by the forest trees.
The purple bamboo couch was merely the stone monument of a desolate grave.
As for the fine wine, delicacies, gold, and jade—the wine was rainwater pooling inside a human skull, while the treasures were just scattered mud pellets and pebbles strewn across the ground.
The enchanted officers sat or sprawled on the ground with frenzied expressions, incessantly stuffing mud balls and human bones into their garments.
Even the gourmet food they had seen was transformed from toads and centipedes.
As the yamen officers gradually regained their senses and saw that the gold in their shirts had turned into human bones and the fine wine into muddy water, they were utterly horrified.
“What happened?! Where’s my tea?! Where’s my silk?!”
“Where’s my gold ingot?! Was it you?! Did you steal my gold ingot?!”
“Bleurgh—I remember entering a tavern and eating a bowl of meat that smelled so good... bleurgh—why did it turn into muddy water?!”
“My Xiaocui! My Xiaocui!”
Some were not even fully awake, grabbing and brawling with their companions in utter chaos.
Nan Yi, on the other hand, lay on the ground with his eyes closed as though drunk, appearing to have simply passed out.
Rate on N.U.
