Ghosthouse

"So what were you so spiritedly discussing when I came?" Nie Li asked changing the topic.

"Yes, that," said Nie Zexi remembering. "Actually you can help us with this. Can you find any mistake with this inscription scroll?"

Nie Li looked at the scroll and smiled. It must be the same scroll Ye Ziyun showed his counterpart in the novel. "So what conclusions you have come up with?" Nie Li asked.

"I can't find any mistake" she complained. "I was planning to make a new scroll with this pattern to test it."

"The pattern is correct. The problem is the ink." Nie Li said.

"Oh. But it feels like the patterns are powered."

"Because the type of the demon was chosen correctly. It's just that instead of the blood of Snow Wind Spiritual Worm, the master used the blood of its larva."

"But why would anyone do that?" Ye Ziyun asked.

"This was an expert forgery" Nie Li answered.

"It's too much of a hassle to find the most suitable blood. I prefer to use the most powerful suitably attributed blood." Nie Zexi said.

"When the master creates the same type of scroll many times, they try to optimize the process. And if the blood wasn't from the correct type of demon beast, forgery would have been found out."

"Ugh! Thank you. I don't know how much time I would have wasted on it"

"Yes, thank you Nie Li." Ye Ziyun chimed in. She had been trying to find the fault with this scroll for a month. Even teachers hadn't been able to provide answers. And Nie Li could find the fault at one glance.

The more she learns about him the more impressed she becomes. And these artifacts! They were so incredible. And it looks like he made them himself. How could she compete with that?

For as long as she could remember she always wanted to be the best. To impress her father, grandfather, and her family, so that they would see that she wasn't worse than Ye Han.

But Nie Li wasn't Ye Han. He didn't take away her father's attention from her. Instead, he helped her and showered her with attention. He returned her best friend to her. Maybe she doesn't need to compete with him. There is also the fact that he likes her. She distractedly started playing with her abstruse gemstone necklace.

Nie Li also became distracted. He looked from her elegant fingers now playing with the necklace to her beautiful face.

Nie Zexi looked at them with exasperation.

"Was that all you wanted to talk about?" she asked Nie Li.

"Basically," Nie Li said, quickly coming to his senses, "Also, I bought some property in the mid-ring. Two mansions, one of them has been in ruin for 70 years. I want to explore it. And I wanted to invite…"

"You bought Mo family's mansion?" Ye Ziyun asked interrupting him.

"Umm, yes. You have heard of it?" Nie Li asked surprised.

"Yes, everyone heard of it. It's a ghost manor."

"Ghosts?" Nie Li asked frowning. Was it some kind of haunted manor? But why hadn't he heard about it before? Even in his previous life. "I haven't heard about it," he admitted.

"Me too," added Nie Zexi looking interested.

"Oh. It's common knowledge among the nobles of the main City I guess," she said. "I know a bit more because I heard my father and grandfather talking about it once."

"Can you tell us about it more?" Nie Li wanted to learn more about his new property.

"Yes, there is nothing secret about it. The manor was always known as a ghost manor, but no one could prove it. I remember my father complaining that no–one wanted to buy it and adjoining territories. There were rumors that all previous owners died in mysterious circumstances or became cursed."

"So that's why the City Hall was so accommodating, even lowered the price for me," Nie Li said. He wouldn't have worried about the ghost rumors in Robert's world, but in this world, ghosts were real and usually very dangerous.

"Oh don't worry. There are not any ghosts really. It's just a rumor. My grandfather personally checked it when a merchant family who owned its neighbor was slaughtered. He didn't find any ghosts."

"I don't know what's worse. Ghosts that can kill an entire family without anyone noticing or the ghosts that can evade a Legend rank demon spiritualist's senses," Nie Li said worriedly.

"That would be the case if that family was killed by ghosts. Later it was revealed that the family was poisoned by their distant relative, who wanted to inherit their fortune." Ye Ziyun told them, "But still rumors persist to this day. And no one wanted to buy that manor," she finished with a horror film vibe.

"Maybe we should just avoid it for now." Nie Li said.

"No! Don't even think about it! We must investigate it. I am calling Ning'er. Meet us at the school entrance after one hour." She ordered him and ran out of the room excitedly. Silence reigned for a moment until Ye Ziyun's head again appeared at the door. "Thank you, sister Zexi," she again disappeared.

"She is spirited," stated Nie Zexi breaking the silence.

"Yeah and very adventurous," Nie Li added. Since he remembered her, she was always like this. In his previous life, she began showing those traits only after Glory City's destruction. This time she was more confident in herself and acted bolder.

But that doesn't mean Nie Li should also be reckless. Even if there were no ghosts, it still pays to be cautious.

"Okay, sister Zexi keep that phone close to yourself. If something happens I will send a message. If you get it or we won't appear till the evening, call Nie Wen and tell him 'Emergency call' and my address. He knows what to do."

He also left hurriedly, leaving Nie Zexi puzzled.

--------------

He returned to his room and decided to prepare the necessary equipment. His sword should be good because of the plasmic edge. But he must make some lightning element weapons for the girls. It was good against ghosts. He had already prepared an artifact armors for them but didn't know what kind of weapons girls liked so he didn't make one. Making an artifact weapon was not easy. In the end, he decided to make enchanted swords for them. That should be enough for now.

He prepared his things and headed towards the gate earlier to wait for the girls there. After some time a demon horse-drawn carriage appeared.

"Jump in!" said Ye Ziyun opening its door.

"Oh, okay," Nie Li entered the carriage. It was a convenient and fast mode of travel in the city. Especially if you aren't a cultivator and can't run at the speed of a demon horse yourself, or if just don't want to run.

Xiao Ning'er was waiting inside.

"How are you Nie Li?" she asked.

"Good, and we are now heading towards another ruin to explore." Nie Li said.

"At least this time there won't be any Demon apes." Xiao Ning'er replied smiling.

"Yes. Instead, we have ghosts."

"I told you there are no ghosts," said Ye Ziyun who turned to them after telling the coachman the address where to go.

It had taken them not long to reach the manor. They kept their discussion to mundane things.

They left the carriage at the gates of the manor. The gates were in good condition. But he had seen them yesterday. Nie Li approached the guards the City Hall appointed on his behalf and showed them the documents proving his ownership. They wouldn't allow them to enter otherwise.

The guards warned them of the dangers of the old structures that could collapse. One older guard even warned them about the ghosts but others quickly shushed him. The chief guard told him not to worry about the superstitions and that they had never seen a ghost during their patrol of the grounds.

Actually, Nie Li also didn't believe in the existence of ghosts here because most of the reports about them came from commoners. And commoners were very superstitious like in any medieval society. But still, there was a small possibility that they were right.

At the entrance, there were some buildings for the guards, and Nie Li and the girls used one to change their attire. Nie Li gave the girls the armor and weapons he made for them. Girls brought their own but seeing the quality of the equipment he was gifting they took them. Though it required a bit of convincing on his part because both of the girls didn't want to take advantage of him.

But Nie Li still got his rewards. Girls looked simply phenomenal in their new armors. Figure-hugging but still modest, it looks like girls liked them as well. If he wasn't a cultivator he could have made a great career in fashion with all the designs he had in his mind.

Then he helped the girls to integrate their cell phones into their armors. Nie Li and Ye Ziyun showed Xiao Ning'er how to use it. In the end, when they left the guardhouse fully equipped, they made a striking sight if the dropped jaws of the guards were any indication.