Chapter 36: The Ocean and the Mountain (1)

“How long can our portable magnetic device last here?” Wu Zui didn’t press forward, but instead asked.

“If you press on your armband, you can channel magnetic energy into it. Given the magnetic reserves of a first star, plus what’s already in the device, we should have about two hours—enough for a round trip,” Wang Yichuan explained.

Soon, the three of them were shrouded in a magnetic energy membrane and entered Qian Family Village.

The moment their feet touched the red rust, the ground creaked as if they were treading on shattered bones. A chill surged through their hearts. Then, a seductive voice echoed in their minds, causing all three to halt in their tracks.

“Worship me! You shall have descendants, peerless beauties, riches, endless longevity… Worship me…”

The voice seemed to carry an irresistible allure, and Wu Zui and his companions even saw visions of children playing at their feet, golden mansions, beautiful wives and concubines, and eternal youth. These blessings seemed within reach, only requiring their consent to worship.

Suddenly, three human-like faces formed of red rust floated before them. Each face was filled with jagged fangs and, where eyes should have been, two triangular black voids, as if ready to suck in their souls.

The faces drew close to their foreheads, and blue magnetic energy was sucked from their bodies into those triangular eye sockets. The blue membrane that protected them was thinning at an alarming rate.

At that moment, a surge of red energy was drawn from Wu Zui and instantly ignited the rust-formed face before him. Thick black smoke billowed from the face, and a piercing scream snapped the three back to their senses.

“Magnetic Energy Slash!”

Wang Yichuan extended his arms, forming a blue blade of light between his hands. With a horizontal sweep, the three rust-red faces shattered.

“With blood, suppress the Divine Court.”

A voice echoed in Wu Zui’s mind. He hesitated, uncertain whether this was another illusion.

Then, pain pricked his chest. In his mind, he saw the Heart-Seeking Sword housed within him vibrating, as if signaling that it was the one who had spoken.

“Was that you speaking to me?” Wu Zui asked in his heart.

The Heart-Seeking Sword vibrated again, assuring him this was no hallucination.

“Does ‘Divine Court’ mean… the acupoint between the eyebrows?”

Receiving affirmation, Wu Zui didn’t hesitate. He wrung a drop of blood from the shirt tied around his wrist and let it fall onto the acupoint above his brow. Instantly, the chill vanished, and even the drain on his magnetic energy eased considerably.

Only then did Wang Yichuan, having just shattered the faces with his magnetic blade, notice the rust on the ground. It had reformed into red stains.

“We were careless! I didn’t expect it to ambush us right at the entrance!” Wang Yichuan said with lingering fear.

Xiao Keyan still hadn’t recovered.

Where are all my delicious dishes?

With Wang Yichuan’s explanation, Wu Zui and Xiao Keyan realized that the specters of Haishan had tried to trap them in an illusion, preventing them from controlling their bodies. While they couldn’t possess them, they could drain their magnetic energy—leaving them to die helplessly.

But now, the specter’s failed attempt had backfired, leaving it temporarily incapacitated. This was the perfect chance for the group to press ahead.

“How many stars’ worth of specters can you handle?” Wu Zui asked Wang Yichuan.

“All third-star ghosts are no trouble at all—let’s call it fourth-star level. I was among the first to awaken magnetic energy, so mine is among the strongest,” Wang Yichuan replied coolly.

“That light blade—what star level is required to use it? It looked so cool!” Xiao Keyan was more interested in the magnetic energy blade, as it suited her heroic temperament.

“You can project magnetic energy at third star. Since you’ve just awakened, you’ll likely get there in a few months, maybe sooner given these strange celestial phenomena. Let’s hurry, while the specters in Haishan are unable to act.”

Wang Yichuan glanced anxiously at the foot of Haishan.

“Drip a drop of blood here first—this will greatly lessen the effect of the red rust on us!” Wu Zui said, pointing to the blood at his Divine Court acupoint.

Xiao Keyan obediently put her finger to her lips, hesitated, but couldn’t bring herself to bite. Her eyes darted toward Wu Zui, and she squeezed a drop of blood from the shirt around his wrist.

“Master, biting your finger hurts!” she explained, seeing Wu Zui’s surprised look.

“…” Wu Zui.

(⊙…⊙)

Seeing Wang Yichuan still dazed, Wu Zui squeezed out a drop of his own blood and dabbed it on Wang Yichuan’s brow.

The moment the blood touched Wang Yichuan’s Divine Court acupoint, he felt the red rust’s corruption significantly weakened, the biting chill vanishing altogether.

“This…” Wang Yichuan began.

“Don’t ask. If you ask, I won’t know!” Wu Zui cut him off, unwilling to launch into a lengthy explanation that would take until nightfall—by then, the specters of Haishan could have wiped them out several times over.

Wang Yichuan dropped the subject, and the three set off at a run toward Haishan. Meanwhile, outside Qian Family Village, Xiao Keyan’s assigned car still sheltered Qian Lan, watched from above by the vengeful spirit of the car crash.

With magnetic protection, Wu Zui and the others were safe from possession unless their reserves ran dry—a difficult feat. Qian Lan, however, with her portable magnetic device, was much more vulnerable.

As soon as Wu Zui’s group entered the village, the car crash spirit targeted the “delicacy” inside the vehicle.

At first, Qian Lan noticed nothing. But when she went to replace the portable magnetic device, it was far sooner than Wang Yichuan had predicted. The device was new and should have lasted thirty minutes, but barely twenty had passed before it needed changing.

As she switched devices, the car’s magnetic defense flickered for a moment. In that instant, the vengeful spirit surged in and possessed Qian Lan.

“Delicious…”

Possessing Qian Lan, the crash spirit moaned with satisfaction. Having just escaped Qian Family Village, where her family was slaughtered and the village seethed with resentment, Qian Lan’s negative emotions were pure and abundant—perfect for the vengeful spirit’s needs. Her eyes glowed red, signaling the spirit’s complete control. Qian Lan was dead.

Despite Wang Yichuan’s magnetic correction therapy, the residual resentment in her body was more than a third-star spirit could absorb in a short time.

“Qian Lan” opened the car door and left, heading away from the village. She hadn’t gotten a spirit investigator’s body, but Qian Lan’s would suffice for now. Until she consumed every trace of energy, there was no need to risk a direct confrontation.

In a blink, “Qian Lan” vanished…

At the foot of Haishan, thanks to the blood at their Divine Courts, Wu Zui’s group had used far less magnetic energy than Wang Yichuan expected. Sealing off Haishan now seemed a far more manageable task.

“Beyond this point, the specters will attack again. Stay alert,” Wang Yichuan cautioned, eyeing the winding stone steps and checking the time.

“Understood,” Wu Zui and Xiao Keyan replied, gripping their golden weapons more tightly.

They started up the steps. Fortunately, Haishan wasn’t very tall—otherwise, climbing all the way up before fighting specters would be exhausting.

“Ow, ow—help! Please, someone save me!”

Barely a third of the way up, they heard a delicate woman’s cry from above. Looking up, they saw a young woman sitting at the edge of the steps.

She looked to be in her early twenties, dressed in a pale yellow court qipao. Her large eyes, nearly as charming as Xiao Keyan’s, sparkled with life.

She sat there, her long white legs exposed, weeping prettily as she massaged a bruised, swollen ankle.

“Sirs, would you carry me down?” she asked Wu Zui and Wang Yichuan, her voice syrupy sweet, eyes blinking pitifully.

“…” Wu Zui.

“…” Wang Yichuan.

The two men were speechless. Never mind how impossible it was for a living woman to be here—could she at least have worn modern clothes? Dressed like an ancient official’s daughter, was she filming a period drama?

Even Xiao Keyan wasn’t fooled by this ghost. She stood beside Wu Zui, ready to watch the show.

Could it be that the specters of Haishan, having gone so long without sacrifices, were still stuck in last century’s mindset?

Wang Yichuan pretended to fall for the ruse, approached the woman, and held out his hand. “Miss, are you lost? Let me help you down the mountain.”

“Thank you, kind sir, I…” The woman blushed and reached out, but the moment her hand neared, a pair of crossed magnetic blades flashed from Wang Yichuan’s hands. In an instant, the court-dressed woman dissolved into drifting black smoke, her fading scream still audible within.

“Let’s go,” Wang Yichuan said, not looking back, his voice calm.

None of them noticed the fleeting flash of red in Wang Yichuan’s eyes.