Netherworld’s Spirit Envoy - -

In this situation, I didn’t know what to do; leaving wasn’t an option, nor was staying here. Why were Lin Zhe and Leilei still not making any moves? Without them, I dared not act alone.

After a while, the cold feeling at my back gradually vanished. With a stir in my heart, I blinked a few times and walked forward.

Heaven knows how much courage I mustered, trying to keep myself calm as I took large strides forward, muttering to myself, “Why can’t I see anything? Where is this place?”

Even I could hear the tremor in my voice, but I didn’t dare stop, afraid that halting would lead me into the grasp of that Shadow.

Eventually, I couldn’t shake off that Shadow. When I had taken no more than five steps forward, it suddenly appeared in front of me. However, I never expected it to be a woman-a beautiful woman at that.

I couldn’t discern her age; with just a glance, her captivating allure ensnared my heart. My rational mind knew she could be a Ghost Woman, but I couldn’t control my heart’s reaction to her.

Her skin was pale, radiating a glowing luster; her bright black eyes were captivating, a black veil adorned her head, and her body melted into the darkness, with bright scarlet lips standing out vividly.

Such a woman, even as a Ghost Woman, made me believe in the saying: “To die beneath a peony flower, is to be charming even as a ghost.”

At that moment, I was truly moved. Though Leilei was also beautiful, her beauty was vibrant and filled with vigor, bright and delightful, making people feel refreshed and longing.

Yet, this woman was different; she was a lonely, solitary flower needing care but full of unique feminine charm. Her slightly furrowed brows were laden with sorrow, making one want to envelop her in their arms, offering her all their tenderness.

“Would you like to come with me?” she asked softly, her voice gentle and magical, like sacred music to my ears.

Involuntarily, I nodded.

The moment our eyes met, I was deeply captivated. There was an indescribable feeling in her gaze; the more I looked, the harder it was to extricate myself, and I didn’t want to leave anymore.

The woman led in front, while I followed behind. There was no end in sight, and I was powerless, seeing nothing and no one but her in my mind and eyes.

“Xiaofei, don’t go!” A sharp voice suddenly rang out in my mind, like an alarm bell booming, instantly jolting me into full awareness.

The woman in front of me, previously of stunning beauty, now bore a face crawling with maggots, resembling a skull. Her hair was tangled atop her head like a bird’s nest.

Seeing her plot exposed, the Ghost Woman became enraged and immediately reached out her hands toward me. Her hands were skeletal, with pale nails still attached, about a cun long, creating a horrifying sight. Without a second word, she reached straight for me.

I couldn’t dodge in time and the Ghost Woman clutched my neck, a suffocating sensation overwhelming me. My eyes rolled back and I was on the verge of passing out.

“Lin, Lin Zhe…” I couldn’t hold on any longer. Where was Lin Zhe? I had just heard his voice; why wasn’t he here yet? If he didn’t arrive soon, I wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer.

The Ghost Woman’s face suddenly came close to mine, her exposed teeth looking ancient, as if they had been sun-bleached for decades, now somewhat broken and incomplete.

I was already lifted off the ground by the Ghost Woman, the sense of suffocation intensifying. I desperately tried to gain some ground with the tips of my toes, trying to catch my breath.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound came from behind. Lin Zhe rushed over, seeing my dire condition. Without a word, he placed one hand over his chest and the other in a sword-finger gesture against his forehead, pinching a spirit talisman between his fingertips, muttering an incantation.

“Given by the divine, attached to my body, the armor of Vajra, aid me in exorcising evil, quickly by divine command, rise!”

After reciting the incantation, Lin Zhe pointed his finger, and the spirit talisman flew directly towards the Ghost Woman. As it reached her, it exploded into a fierce blaze. The spirit talisman, engulfed in flames, seemed to have no effect on it, but the Ghost Woman, clearly dreading it, let out a loud scream and hastily released me, retreating backward.

As soon as I landed, Lin Zhe ran over to support me, “Are you alright?”

I swallowed hard, “I’m okay, but if you had been any later, I would have…”

Before I could finish, the Ghost Woman suddenly attacked. Lin Zhe, unable to care for me, threw me to the ground and engaged in combat with the Ghost Woman.

The Ghost Woman, dressed in a wide black robe, moved her sleeves, creating a series of sharp whooshing sounds.

Unable to confront her directly, Lin Zhe continuously dodged, which somewhat put him at a disadvantage, allowing the Ghost Woman to dominate. The two were at a stalemate, with Lin Zhe unable to find an opportunity to strike. Watching anxiously from the side, I felt helpless to intervene.

During this moment of chaos, the Yin-Yang Notebook suddenly appeared before me.

“Master, use the ‘Summoning Spirit’. It’s the bane of the Ghost Woman. Just summon it,” it suggested.

Following the advice of the Yin-Yang Notebook, I quickly summoned the ‘Summoning Spirit’. The moment I saw it, I was once again completely bewildered.

The ‘Summoning Spirit’ was quite the sight-about the size of a fist, with an endearing appearance. Its mouth split its body in half, and though it had no teeth, a small, agile black tongue flicked out. When it noticed me, it licked my face, covering it with a layer of sticky slime.

Lin Zhe was still tangled up with the Ghost Woman, so I shouted, “Lin Zhe, get out of the way! Let me handle this!”

Seizing the opportunity, Lin Zhe threw out a spirit talisman, forcing the Ghost Woman to retreat and widening the gap between them. I took the chance to throw the ‘Summoning Spirit’ towards her, albeit with a somewhat incongruous incantation, “Go, Pikachu!”

Lin Zhe paused and looked at me, perplexed, asking, “What?”

Suddenly, the ‘Summoning Spirit’ confronted the Ghost Woman. It opened its wide mouth, releasing a long, resonant “buzz” that reached Lin Zhe’s ears, and he immediately collapsed, unconscious.

I forgot to mention: the ‘Summoning Spirit’s’ sound specifically targets souls. Given that we were in the illusion created by the Ghost Woman, it indicated that we were already operating in our soul forms. Therefore, its sound affected both Lin Zhe and me as well. And I also forgot to mention that covering your ears before the sound comes out can effectively block it…

The Ghost Woman responded to the ‘Summoning Spirit’s’ sound by entering a frenzied state. Her once pitch-black eyes turned crimson, her long hair exploded outward, and her black robe fluttered wildly, creating an eerie and terrifying spectacle.

Within moments, blood began to flow from her eye sockets and mouth in large quantities, and the Ghost Woman’s frantic movements gradually ceased. Her hands dropped weakly to her sides, her head lolled to one side, and she became still.

Seeing this scene, the ‘Summoning Spirit’ surprisingly displayed an excited expression, leaping onto the Ghost Woman and starting to devour her with its wide-open mouth.

It actually ate the Ghost Woman!

I stood there, watching wide-eyed, unable to muster the strength to move my feet. I nearly forgot that Lin Zhe and I were in our soul forms, and since the ‘Summoning Spirit’ seemed so fond of souls, weren’t we in grave danger?

But I had no idea how to leave this place, and with Lin Zhe unconscious at such a critical time, I was at a loss for what to do.

“Lin Zhe, Lin Zhe, wake up! Please, wake up!” I hurried over to Lin Zhe’s side, shouting loudly.

Unexpectedly, Lin Zhe didn’t wake up, but the Summoning Spirit was drawn to the noise. It turned around, still holding the Ghost Woman’s arm in its mouth. As soon as it heard me calling, it dropped the arm and eagerly trotted over to me.

“Oh no,” I thought, ready to defend myself by using my shoe as a weapon if it dared to approach me. It was acting just like a dog spotting a piece of meat.

The Summoning Spirit leaped onto me, licking and nuzzling me, which sent shivers down my spine. After getting cozy with me for a while, it moved over to Lin Zhe. With its tiny black paw, barely the size of a fingernail, it gave Lin Zhe’s earlobe a sharp tug.

“Ow!” Lin Zhe yelped, jumping up from the ground, yet his earlobe showed no signs of injury, looking perfectly intact.

The Summoning Spirit swiftly cleared away the Ghost Woman’s remains, then sprang back towards me. The Yin-Yang Notebook opened, and the Summoning Spirit slipped right inside, disappearing from sight.

“What just happened? Why did I pass out? Where’s the Ghost Woman?” Lin Zhe asked, seemingly unable to recall the recent events.

I shrugged, indicating my own confusion. “Don’t worry about it. The Ghost Woman’s gone. Just figure out a way to get us back. Leilei is still out there by herself. I have no idea how she’s doing.”

Lin Zhe nodded in agreement, quickly pulling out two spirit talismans from his pocket. He slapped one on me and one on himself, closed his eyes, and began to recite an incantation. Suddenly, I felt a sensation akin to landing firmly on the ground.

Behind Lin Zhe stretched the blackness of the night, and beneath my feet was the littered road, with dim lights flickering in the distance on either side.

“Honk…” A flash of headlights appeared not far ahead as a truck approached. Lin Zhe grabbed my arm, and we quickly moved out of the way. The truck sped past us, leaving our hearts pounding.