Chapter 98

The news of Master Gu’s return to Baiyu Town spread quickly. Perhaps not many ordinary people knew about it-after all, most of the townsfolk weren’t in town at the moment. Aside from a few workers busy with post-disaster reconstruction, there weren’t many idle residents around. Even the children had been sent away to study elsewhere. However, the little ghosts had no such concerns. Most of them were still lingering in town, and as soon as they caught wind of the news, they gathered at the foot of Baiyu Temple to sneak a peek. Some of the bolder ones weren’t satisfied with just watching. They raised their voices and called out eerily:

“Master Gu, Master Gu…”

“Master Gu, we know you’re here. Come out already…”

“Master Gu, come on, come on…”

Their calls were unsettling, almost like they were summoning a spirit, yet there was an odd sense of eager flattery in their tone.

Liao Yuan, the old monk, leaned on his staff as he walked to the temple gate. He glanced at the little ghosts hiding under the trees and in the corners of the walls, snorted through his nose, cleared his throat, and began chanting scriptures in a loud, exaggerated voice. The booming sound sent the little ghosts scurrying backward in fright, terrified that the chanting might dissolve their very souls.

Who among them didn’t know that Monk Liao Yuan was a disciple of Zong Nan, with profound mastery of Buddhist teachings and formidable powers? None of them dared to approach him.

Satisfied, the old monk nodded in approval. He was pleased. These little ghosts had always liked to compete with him for Sis Gu’s attention. Who would’ve thought that after decades, with generations of little ghosts coming and going, they were still trying to compete with him for her?

But their retreat didn’t last long. Before long, Old Master Yu came rushing over in a panic, shouting, “Something’s wrong! Something’s happened! Several of our little brothers have been captured!”

… What?! The little ghosts had been captured?!

The story wasn’t a long one. To express their gratitude to Master Gu, they had accepted her request to wander the mountains daily, phasing through trees and rocks in search of the pit she had mentioned. They had been searching for days, making it almost a daily ritual. They had even scoured the nearby hills multiple times, not missing a single crack in the rocks. After all, there were many of them, and their collective strength was formidable. Many of the little ghosts had perished in the disaster, yet they were filled with gratitude toward Master Gu. This self-organized group had grown to include hundreds of little ghosts.

And wouldn’t you know it, their efforts finally paid off-they discovered a particularly strange pit.

The pit was located behind Baiyu Temple’s mountain. A little ghost had accidentally phased into it. The place was filled with an intense aura of resentment and malice. The moment the little ghost entered, he was so overwhelmed by the oppressive atmosphere that he trembled in fear. Just as he was about to flee, he was swept away by a swirl of Black Mist.

Old Master Yu had been outside at the time. After waiting for ages without seeing the ghost emerge, a few other little ghosts suggested going in to check. Maybe he had found something? But as soon as they entered, they too failed to return. Old Master Yu, waiting outside, had no idea what was happening. He began to wonder if there might be some kind of treasure inside. But as soon as he stepped in, he saw the little ghosts being dragged away by the Black Mist, screaming and wailing.

The Black Mist was eerie and unpredictable, almost as if it had a will of its own. It bound the ghosts and dragged them deeper inside.

Terrified, Old Master Yu turned and fled without a second thought, rushing over to seek help.

As for the pit itself, it was incredibly well-hidden. Despite wandering the mountains for so long, they had never noticed its existence. There weren’t even any gravestones or markers nearby. Yet as soon as they discovered it, trouble arose. Several little ghosts had been captured, and their fate was uncertain. That’s why Old Master Yu had come running for help, fearing that if he were too late, there wouldn’t even be a trace of their souls left.

When Liao Yuan, the old monk, heard about this, he was utterly shocked. Since when had such a bizarre pit appeared behind Baiyu Temple’s mountain? And what kind of powerful ghost could be lurking there?

What else could they do? They had to gear up and head out!

Gu Feiyin had just finished her breakfast when she heard the news. Without hesitation, she decided to join them. After all, the stronger the little ghost, the older its ghostly age and the deeper its cultivation. Such a ghost must have captured plenty of other little ghosts, and the treasures it had hoarded were bound to be abundant.

Old Master Yu led the way, his pale face appearing even more rigid and cold. “Master Gu, you must be careful. That Black Mist is truly terrifying. Once it ensnares you, there’s no escaping. It would be disastrous!”

Gu Feiyin nodded solemnly. Indeed, she had to be cautious. Otherwise, she might end up in trouble before she could get her hands on the treasure. That would be infuriating.

Liao Yuan, the old monk, immediately said, “Shizhu Gu, don’t worry. I’ll protect you.”

Gu Feiyin glanced at his frail, wrinkled face and his old, creaky limbs. He used to be small, dark, and ugly, but at least he could run and jump. Now, he was just an old man. Forget running and jumping-he could barely walk fast without risking a fall. If anything happened, she’d probably end up having to take care of him.

Liao Yuan, seeing the disdain in Sis Gu’s eyes, looked utterly dejected. Was it his fault that she had missed him in his prime?

…

Gu Feiyin led a group of monks and little ghosts up the mountain in a bustling crowd. Old Master Yu was at the front, nervously guiding the way. He kept speculating-was there an ambush ahead? Or perhaps the other side was a group of Big Ghosts who had migrated here, knowing this place had a high death rate and plenty of new ghosts, and had come specifically to wreak havoc?

His theories grew more and more outlandish, scaring the little ghosts half to death. They began to panic, saying that if it were true, they’d be doomed.

“Down with the forces of evil! We swear never to bow to them!”

“Exactly, we will never surrender!”

“If they dare target us, we’ll fight them to the end!”

“Yes, fight them to the end!”

The little ghosts were fired up, their spirits soaring, as if they couldn’t wait to charge into battle right then and there.

Unfortunately, when Gu Feiyin and the monks arrived at the scene, she found herself in a dilemma. There was no entrance to the pit; the little ghosts could phase through the ground, but she couldn’t. To get in, they’d have to dig a hole first.

With no other options, Gu Feiyin sent Old Master Yu and a few little ghosts down the mountain to borrow some hoes and shovels. Digging a pit without tools was impossible. She also instructed the little ghosts to search the area for any other possible entrances.

The sound of digging echoed through the air, and before long, they had excavated a pit several meters deep. Standing at the edge, Gu Feiyin peered down. Behind her, Liao Yuan craned his neck and asked, “Are the little ghosts really in there? Why can’t I sense anything at all?”

Gu Feiyin gave Liao Yuan a sympathetic look and sighed. This Gou Wazi might be growing older, but his spiritual cultivation hadn’t improved one bit. He hadn’t inherited any of the Handsome Monk’s lofty demeanor.

Liao Yuan: “…” 🙁

Jingxing had no intention of comforting his Shifu and chuckled, “If we can’t sense the presence of the tomb’s inhabitants, perhaps there’s a barrier blocking the aura, or maybe the ghost inside knows some technique to conceal its presence. That’s why we haven’t detected the Malevolent Ghost here.”

Zhen Du added, “If the ghost inside has such skills, we should all be extra cautious.”

Gu Feiyin nodded. If the ghost was that formidable, it must have hoarded plenty of treasures. Wouldn’t she strike it rich?

Just as they were talking, a sharp scream came from Old Master Yu’s direction. It turned out that after all their digging, they had finally broken through! The moment they did, the suppressed aura of resentment and malice surged from the ground. The chilling, dark, and eerie energy sent shivers down everyone’s spine. Even the little ghosts instinctively stepped back a few paces.

“Did we break through?”

“Seems like it, but why do I have a bad feeling about this?”

“This is terrifying. Could there really be a Malevolent Ghost in there that’s been around for hundreds or even thousands of years? Will it eat us?”

“Don’t be scared! We have Master Gu. There’s no way it’s stronger than Master Gu!”

That was true. In their eyes, Master Gu was the most powerful being. Everything else paled in comparison-even Liao Yuan, the old monk, couldn’t hold a candle to her.

Gu Feiyin wanted to go over and take a look, but before she could, the quiet forest suddenly erupted into chaos. A fierce wind swept through, sending leaves and stones flying everywhere. The gust was so strong that it was hard to keep one’s eyes open. Gu Feiyin stumbled backward, nearly falling, and had to grab a nearby tree to steady herself. Liao Yuan was almost blown into the sky, but Jingxing and Zhen Du each grabbed one of his arms to keep him grounded. The little ghosts were even worse off, flailing and screaming as they were tossed around in the air.

Such a display of power-it had to be a formidable little ghost!

Even Jingxing and Zhen Du felt a surge of tension, their bodies instinctively bracing for a fight.

When they looked up, they saw a long-haired woman in black floating in mid-air. Her face was pale and ghastly, her black eyes filled with malice as she glared at them like they were insignificant ants she could crush with ease.

“Who dares cause trouble in my territory?!”

The little ghosts clung to each other, barely managing to stabilize themselves. They stared in shock, not just because of the overwhelming ghostly aura and the woman’s commanding presence, but because she was stunningly beautiful. Her pale, stiff face, blood-red lips, and emotionless eyes were mesmerizing, making it hard to look away.

“She’s so beautiful…”

“Beautiful? What’s beautiful about her? She’s a ghost! If the Yin Messengers catch her, she’ll be thrown into a boiling cauldron.”

“Exactly. She’s captured our ghosts. Don’t let her charm you.”

The female ghost snorted coldly, her icy gaze growing sharper. “If you don’t want to die, get lost.”

She had no intention of wasting time with them. As she turned to leave, her peripheral vision caught sight of something unusual. Among the naturally floating little ghosts, there were several monks standing firmly on the ground. And besides the monks, there was a long-haired woman with a cold expression, staring straight at her.

This long-haired woman showed no trace of fear. Instead, she locked eyes with the ghost and, after a moment, curled her lips into a strange smile. Then she called out, “Xiao Yan? Xiao Yan!”

The female ghost: “…………?!”

No, she wasn’t called Xiao Yan. Such a tacky name was absolutely not hers.