Inside the training room, Wu Rong was unaware of what was happening outside. He was currently communicating with the Big Ghost.
“Do you sense anything about this fireball?”
The Big Ghost’s hand rested on his abdomen, and a chilling sensation penetrated his skin through the fabric. The Big Ghost had never appeared in this posture before, and Wu Rong speculated whether he had sensed the Zhengyang Flame.
Due to his curiosity about the relationship between Fu Qing and the Big Ghost, Wu Rong asked tentatively in a low voice, “Familiar? Intimate?”
Not at all. The Big Ghost’s icy hand was placed on Wu Rong’s tense abdomen, fingers exerting pressure, and a terrifying Yin Qi condensed. The Zhengyang Flame, nestled in Wu Rong’s dantian and currently nibbling on the dark fireball, immediately became vigilant like a wolf cub sensing danger, threatening with a growl. This commotion caused Wu Rong to furrow his brows, and the cold aura emanating from the Big Ghost intensified.
“No.”
It wasn’t that the Big Ghost felt close to the fireball; it was inherently antagonistic to the Zhengyang Flame, hating this Yang fire. Wu Rong felt a headache and he gripped the Big Ghost’s hand, solemnly repeating himself: “No.”
He couldn’t harm the Zhengyang Flame.
Wu Rong knew the Big Ghost could hear him, and he was sure the Big Ghost would obey his command. However, even after he said this, the Big Ghost’s hand remained on his abdomen. Although the Yin Qi had indeed eased, Wu Rong could still distinctly feel the touch of the Big Ghost’s fingers on his abdomen, which was somewhat strange. Moreover, in this position, Wu Rong couldn’t observe the current situation of the Big Ghost.
Sensing Wu Rong’s attempt to break free, the aura around the Big Ghost became increasingly oppressive and depressed. Its hand pressed on Wu Rong’s abdomen exerted some force and then loosened, revealing a paranoid and pathological nature. The Zhengyang Flame in Wu Rong’s abdomen made him feel restless. If Wu Rong were to leave again—
But in reality, Wu Rong only turned around in the Big Ghost’s embrace, focusing on scrutinizing the Big Ghost’s face. Indeed, all the golden needles on the Big Ghost’s left and right ears had fallen off now, and his hearing was unsealed. Wu Rong wanted to turn the Big Ghost’s head for a closer look, but due to a slight height difference, he had to stand on his tiptoes. The Big Ghost allowed him to inspect without moving. However, as Wu Rong stood on his tiptoes, the Big Ghost naturally supported his waist.
Su Xiaomi saw the behavior of this man and a ghost, and the young Taoist hesitated to speak. Only after Wu Rong finished his examination did Su Xiaomi struggle to speak.
“Boss, he indeed doesn’t have any Ghost Qi.”
Because powerful ghosts could completely conceal their Ghost Qi, hiding their identities. In its several battles, the Big Ghost mostly used Yin Qi, and his overwhelming strength made people overlook other details. Now, when looked at more carefully, many anomalies could be found.
“Boss, did you personally see him crush the thunder?”
“Yes.”
“It’s strange. Thunder has a strong debilitating effect on ghosts. Techniques like our Taoist Lightning-summoning Talisman and Lightning Summoning Art are very advanced. Moreover, it was thunder from Grandmaster Fu’s battlefield. Even a Ghost King shouldn’t be completely immune to it.”
Su Xiaomi racked his brains, considering what Wu Rong had said and replaying the scene of their first encounter with the Big Ghost countless times. In the end, he wasn’t too certain and said, “Could he really not be a ghost?”
Although everything made sense, even Su Xiaomi found it hard to believe this statement. After all, if the soul did not fall and become a ghost, it would soon dissipate. Moreover, maintaining rationality under the influence of Yin Qi and becoming so powerful was also incredible. Additionally, there were golden needles and golden threads sealing the Big Ghost’s five senses; if he wasn’t a ghost, it seemed a bit hard to explain.
“Let my brother take a look.”
Su Xiaomi said, “Uh, Boss, ask him to suppress his Yin Qi a bit. My brother is still unwell, and it’s not good if another ghosts’ heavy Yin Qi leaks out.”
“Sure.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Qe Ebcu jugffv, yea mjiwlcu vbkc atf Dlu Xtbra kjr cba jc fjrs ajrx. Qe Ebcu tjv pera kjcafv ab aegc jgbecv jcv ibbx ja Ve Wljbwl, yea atf Dlu Xtbra vlvc’a jiibk tlw ab vb rb—tf kbeivc’a ifa Qe Ebcu’r ujhf wbnf jkjs ogbw tlw. Qe Ebcu mbeiv rfcrf atf mbiv, wjclm, jcv bqqgfrrlnf fwbalbcr fwjcjalcu ogbw tlw. Ugfnlberis, atf Dlu Xtbra bcis tjv xliilcu lcafca abkjgvr utbrar, jcv Qe Ebcu mbeiv bcis rfcrf j qegf yibbvs rijeutafg klatlc tlr fwbalbcr. Rbk, klat atlr mtjcuf, Qe Ebcu kjrc’a regf lo la kjr obg atf yfaafg bg kbgrf.
The golden needles and threads sealed the Big Ghost’s five senses, possibly sealing other things as well. Wu Rong spoke to him in a low voice, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible. In the end, although the Yin Qi on the Big Ghost’s body had partially subsided, he still didn’t allow Wu Rong to leave his side.
“You can’t touch it. I have uses for it.”
Feeling the Big Ghost’s hand was still stubbornly placed on his abdomen, as if constantly trying to dig out the Zhengyang Flame, Wu Rong emphatically emphasized, “No.”
He had never seen the Big Ghost so fixated on something; so this notion had to be dispelled. After his sternness, Wu Rong reassured, “It will be gone when the Zhong Gu hatches; it won’t be there all the time.”
‘Wuwuwu.’
The Zhong Gu sobbed softly in Wu Rong’s heart, frightened by the sudden rise of the Big Ghost’s displeasure, which enveloped it in a chilling Yin Qi. Clearly, it was still an unhatched egg, but it had to endure so much! The Zhong Gu’s sorrows didn’t matter to Wu Rong. Knowing that the Zhengyang Fire wasn’t a permanent resident, the Big Ghost’s emotions finally eased a little and Su Xiaomi took the opportunity to release Su Zhen.
Immediately before the Big Ghost’s sinister murderous intent surged, Wu Rong bit his finger and smeared his blood on the ghost’s lips.
…
The Big Ghost fell silent, and Su Zhen didn’t utter a word. He stared intently at the Big Ghost, his face filled with horror. Dark spots, like chunks of coal, appeared on his body, formed through the erosion of Yin Qi, trembling with the undulations of his shivering soul.
“This can’t be!”
Feeling the Yin Qi that the Big Ghost swept over, Su Zhen’s breath paused. He immediately lowered his voice, repeating incredulously, “This can’t be.”
“His power is stronger than the Ghost King’s, but, no, he’s not a ghost. He doesn’t have any Ghost Qi. He shouldn’t be a ghost, but why, why is he so powerful?”
Su Zhen also fell into a line of thought, murmuring words like ‘powerful’, ‘ghost’, ‘not a ghost’. After listening for a while, Wu Rong directly asked, “What exactly is Nan?”
“A residual soul.”
Su Zhen’s tone was complex. He looked at the blood-stained clothes on the Big Ghost and the terrifying scars covering his entire body, speaking again, “A soul who was tormented and mutilated before death but didn’t turn into a ghost.”
“Why a residual soul?”
Wu Rong keenly caught onto this point.
“Because he’s not a ghost.”
Su Zhen succinctly stated, “A residual soul won’t become a ghost; it’s incomplete. Besides this, I can’t think of any reason why he’s not a ghost. Ignoring the torture, there’s so much Yin Qi on him, more than on me. But there’s not a bit of Ghost Qi, not even a trace.”
“I can only guess,”
“An incomplete soul can’t become a ghost.”
Su Xiaomi hesitated as he watched the Big Ghost embracing Wu Rong, but having studied for years to unlock the golden needles and threads sealing Su Zhen’s senses, he also added.
“Boss, have you ever thought that, although this kind of sealing is a form of torture, it also allows him to… to survive?”
A residual soul was more prone to dissipate than a complete soul. Wu Rong recalled the first time he met the Big Ghost under the cliff; his soul was so faint it was almost transparent, a sign of imminent dissipation. It only became more solid after signing the blood contract. On the night of the fierce battle in the Ghost Territory in Jieyang, the fully unsealed Big Ghost’s body alternated between faint and solid, several times on the brink of dissipating, before finally pulling through.
Wu Rong had always thought it was the influence of the unsealing or the effect of the hero’s relic, never imagining this.
Was the golden needle and thread seal both a torture and a protection for the Big Ghost?
Then, in his search for a way to unlock the seal, did he inadvertently harm the Big Ghost?
Wu Rong fell into contemplation, and Su Xiaomi also remained silent. His earlier idea was just a momentary inspiration. After all, the golden needle and thread seal on the five senses had always been the most extreme and powerful method that Taoists used against Ghost Kings. It turned out to also be used to protect a residual soul, requiring the Taoist to have extremely strong control and judgment. Moreover, the residual soul must endure the seal without perishing.
But whose residual soul could be so powerful? Even Grandmaster Fu might not be able to achieve it. According to Wu Rong, the Big Ghost was discovered on the battlefield site where Grandmaster Fu invoked heavenly thunder to kill the Bone Ghost King and annihilate the Bone Ghost Country. His fall from the cliff was also accidental. If it weren’t for Wu Rong, the Big Ghost would likely have eventually dissipated. After all, the battlefield site still retained Grandmaster Fu’s thunderous might. Even the remains of the Bone Ghost King could be suppressed and sealed, but he was just a residual soul…
Su Xiaomi suddenly froze. He was just a residual soul with five sealed senses. Why did he appear on the battlefield site and manage to withstand Grandmaster Fu’s thunderous might?
No, it couldn’t be.
Su Xiaomi was startled by his own wild imagination, sweating all over, subconsciously grabbing Su Zhen’s hand, his heartbeat pounding as if it were about to burst from his chest. Su Zhen, who had been frowning and carefully observing the Big Ghost, was interrupted by Su Xiaomi’s abnormality. He furrowed his brow and wiped away Su Xiaomi’s cold sweat, about to ask what was wrong. However, in the next moment, Su Zhen’s brow furrowed, and he suddenly picked up Su Xiaomi, teleporting to the side.
“Be careful!”
Bang!
The two brothers were originally standing by the window. In the instant they moved away, a muffled collision sound came from outside the window. It was a completely black bird! It hit extremely hard, and blood splattered on the window. As the bird’s corpse slid down, it left behind a crimson bloodstain. The blood wasn’t bright red but reddish-brown, and the bloodstain appeared dirty and filthy.
This wasn’t an accidental occurrence. Immediately after, two or three more birds, as if seeking death, crashed into the glass. There were sparrows, pigeons, and even rare falcons. The windows of the training room were specially made and very sturdy. Despite the successive powerful impacts, there were no cracks. However, large areas were quickly stained with bloody splatters and when the red-black blood flowed down, the alarm in the training room suddenly sounded.
“There is a large amount of Ghost Qi in that blood!”
Su Xiaomi warned, releasing his grip on Su Zhen and quickly calculating.
“They are animals corrupted by Ghost Qi!”
As Su Xiaomi spoke, Wu Rong had already walked to the window to look down. The once bustling street was now in complete disarray. In addition to billboards and scattered banners lying on the ground, there were large patches of black and red blood on the road. The sunlight suddenly dimmed, as if something was blocking the sky. Wu Rong raised his head and saw a dark cloud of birds flying like they were crazy, as if frantically fleeing from something terrifying. Black dots kept falling down like rain; those were the fallen birds.
At the same time, from the bathroom inside the training room, the eerie sound of scratching was suddenly heard from the pipes.
Klala—
Klala klala—
[An emergency notice is now being issued. Residents outside are advised to seek shelter indoors as soon as possible. Do not go outside. Residents outside are advised to seek shelter indoors as soon as possible. Do not go outside.]
“Damn it, the anomaly has arrived earlier!”
Major General Lu rolled back into the hall, his military boots kicking the door shut with a snap. In the next instant, a dark figure slammed heavily into the door, leaving a blurry bloodstain. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a mouse as big as a cat! Major General Lu stood up, holding a four to five-year-old girl in his arms. Her face was still painted with the national flag, and she was crying in fear. Just moments ago, the little girl had been standing alone on the street, and was nearly bitten to death by mutated mice.
The girl’s loud cries attracted several more mutated animals who rushed over. Major General Lu swiftly drew his military knife and dealt with them decisively. Then, he took a few peppermints from the front desk candy dish to comfort the girl. Handing the little girl to the trembling manager hiding under the counter, Major General Lu walked to the door. He saw the military and special police quickly mobilizing, occupying the streets and alleys. The broadcast announced the evacuation of the panicked civilians, and the situation seemed to be under control.
However, Major General Lu’s face showed no signs of relaxing; instead, his expression became even more serious.
At the level of a Ghost King, a Ghost Territory would naturally form around them. The passage of a Ghost King meant the spread of the Ghost Territory. The land tainted by Ghost Qi would lose vitality, plants would wither, and animals and insects would become aggressively mutated. These animals had escaped from farther away, indicating that the arrival of the Lantern Ghost King might be earlier than they had anticipated.
But the defense works in Yangjiaping weren’t ready!
For someone like Major General Lu, who had been through numerous battles, his natural instincts were acute. Sensing the changes outside, he decisively gave up today’s mission, asking Master Ling Yun to help stabilize the situation outside, while he stayed in the training hall to protect Wu Rong. The panicked screams from outside made Major General Lu clench and release his fists, pacing anxiously. The rhythmic sound of his military boots echoed on the floor, and he kept an eye on the manager and the rescued little girl from the corner of his eye.
Just then, the elevator suddenly made a “ding” sound—someone was coming down! Major General Lu suddenly stood up and walked a few steps towards the elevator. At that moment, he heard the manager comforting the girl:
“Sweetie, don’t cry. Do you need to use the restroom? Can you hold it in a bit longer? If you can’t… Alright, Uncle will guard outside.”
Restroom—
“Don’t go near the restroom!”
Author’s note:
Tomorrow’s preview:
Major General Lu protects the brave young man [Shan Rong], dealing a heavy blow to the terrorist Ghost King [Big Ghost].
M1zushi: It’s very funny to see Big Ghost being jealous of the flame baby XD
Editor: Cloud Chip Cake
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
uhhhh so reviewing the new information… my newly crafted theory is that:
World 1 (Ghost King Wu Rong) Fu Qing fell in love with Shan Rong but it was he who killed Wu Rong with the Zhengyan fire, he had regrets so he sealed his soul knowing that he’d become a powerful ghost after he died… and that’s why his soul is incomplete?