98

On the other side, a day before receiving an unexpected visitor, Gu Yan, who was completely unaware of the events taking place, was currently in a dilemma. Suddenly, something flashed through his mind and he remembered that he actually had a cleaning robot.

Gu Yan placed a storage box on the cleaning robot, and in a moment of fun, placed his armful of cat inside the storage box. Pressing the 'start' button on the robot, it began to go around the house while carrying a large cat.

The furry creature that was trapped in the transparent plastic box didn't have any resistance towards Gu Yan's sudden playfulness. It only let out a low mewl. The Ghost King who'd turned into a green-eyed cat narrowed his eyes at the dark-haired youth who was walking towards the refrigerator.

As long as this person was happy… Curling into a ball, the green-eyed cat leisurely swayed its tail back and forth within the box.

While an ordinary day passed by in the house, a certain department was extremely busy.

"The group we stationed at the business district are denying ever having seen them. Just how did they return like that?" The young man speaking had never come into contact with the dark-haired youth he was currently monitoring on his screen. However, ever since that incident, he'd known of this person's existence from his teacher.

There was only one entrance to the Ghost City in the entire capital, so there was no other way he could have left. Therefore, Zhao Yan threw out his scepticism.

This was the only disciple he'd approved of and accepted, who coincidentally shared the same surname with him. Zhao Xu couldn't answer his question because he too didn't know the reason.

Regardless, this person had returned, so all was well. Ever since that incident concluded, Zhao Xu was the person who had been plagued with the greatest guilt amongst the party since he had been the one to invite the dark-haired youth along on this expedition. In the end, he'd not only failed to ensure their safety, he'd even caused a civilian to sacrifice himself for them.

"Tsk, Old Zhao, you can finally rest assured. This person is still well and alive… Hmm, wait a minute. Rewind the tape a little." It was an extremely difficult task for a civilian to leave the Ghost City relying solely on himself. The relief that came from seeing this person alive had caused the divination masters present to momentarily forget this point. But now, a sharp-eyed person suddenly noticed the abnormality in the recording.

"Look at his hands, is he holding something…?" Luo Qun raised his hand and pointed towards the dark-haired youth's arms on the screen.

The person on the screen had opened the door with one hand while the other was angled in a strange way. Would a normal person need to hold his other arm in such a strange way when opening a door?

Now that this action had been pointed out, the people who were caught up in seeing this person alive looked over the tape and realised something was amiss. Moreover, as people from a unique profession, they couldn't help but let their mind stray to various possibilities.

Regular surveillance measures could not record certain forms of existence. So, even in a room full of divination masters with their divine eyes awakened, it was impossible for them to see anything from a video. However, technology had advanced to the point that it could accomplish many things that were impossible before. With appropriate equipment, the people present could finally see the dark-haired youth carrying a cat as he opened the door.

"Old Xu, didn't you say this man was an ordinary person?" Luo Qun who could finally see the situation for what it was, slapped his thighs and stared at the screen with a complicated expression.

For a ghost to obediently remain by his side without causing a fuss, how could this dark-haired youth be a normal person? Moreover, now that he thought back, the Ghost King seemed to hold an interest towards this 'civilian'. They had apparently found the reason.

"He didn't even have his divine eye opened the first time I met him." However, this didn't rule out the possibility that it might have been a disguise. Zhao Xu didn't say these words out loud but the people present could guess it.

"We still need to give our greetings. Moreover, doesn't that thing begin soon? Old Xu, do you think…" The reason why Luo Qun had slapped his thighs earlier out of agitation wasn't from seeing the ghost, but because he'd seen a ghost obediently follow beside that person. Apart from those who delved in the field of spirit control, regular divination masters wouldn't be able to achieve such a thing.

In the entire spiritual world, spirit tamers were the rarest class of divination masters, yet they were rapidly declining. Even if one were to flip the vast spiritual world upside down, it was impossible to find more than a few spirit tamers who were knowledgeable and proficient in their field. The main reason was that unlike fengshui and physiognomy, spirit taming wasn't a skill that could be learnt and perfected with practice. Spirit taming and runes had something in common, and that was that they both required talent.

To put things bluntly, it would depend on the founder's decision as to whether you could make a living out of it or not.

Zhao Xu knew his old friend was referring to the spiritual convention held in June. The spiritual organisation was an international organisation with its main goal as world peace. Each country had a representative in the spiritual organisation and the ranks within naturally caused internal struggles amongst the representatives of those countries.

There was only one situation where the representatives would put aside their differences to work together and that was when they were fighting against the Ghost City.

Everyone had their own misgivings but no matter what happened between countries, it couldn't compare to the safety of the human realm. Therefore, those petty fights would be overlooked.

Just like the previous time they entered the Ghost City for negotiations, along with people from China, there were many representatives from foreign countries. And after they'd selected the representatives to enter Ghost City, there were many others waiting outside the gates.

As for the spiritual convention held in June, that was the day when the battleground where the representatives from various countries would fight incisively, opened. The underhanded methods used to gain victory over their rivals could be seen every year, each one fiercer than before. The problem with these underhanded methods was that it was difficult to trace them back to its perpetrator and virtually impossible to seize any evidence.

However, the checks this year were more rigid, causing the representatives to hold back.

Although it was a convention, the result of the competition was a crucial indicator which would affect the ranks and standing of those representatives in the spiritual organisation. The spirit tamer division had always been a burden dragging their hind leg for China. But now, they seemed to have found the perfect person to take part…

This person was young enough and fulfilled all the requirements. The only problem laid in whether or not he was willing to attend the convention.

"He'd even hid this from us, doesn't it show that he's unwilling…" Before they could act on it, Zhao Huan poured a basin of cold water over their hopes. This caused the older divination masters to momentarily lose their expectations.

"Everything has a chance and needs to be tried before we know the answer. People will also change, just like their face1." Grandmaster Luo, a specialist in his field, spoke. Then, they went to notify other staff to prepare a vehicle.

In terms of experience, Luo Qun was on par with him. For all he knew, the deep confidence on his face may turn into bitter helplessness the next time they met. There were many reasons for the change in their once inextricable relationship but the common denominator was how quickly the human heart changed.

"Ding dong—"

After settling his hunger, Gu Yan was holding his family's cat in the living room to rest when he heard the doorbell. His face was still half-buried in the thick fur on the cat's back, and he had to slowly lift his head up to turn his face towards the door.

Pushing the cat onto his shoulders, Gu Yan headed for the door and peeked through the eye-hole. When he looked out once more, he let out a low hum.

The people who had come weren't unexpected. Petting the cat on his shoulders, Gu Yan thought for a moment before opening the door.

There were some things that were better stated clearly from the beginning than to conceal and wait for others to find out.

Of the three people who'd arrived, two of them were people Gu Yan was familiar with while the last one was a stranger. However, from the moment he'd opened the door, the gazes of the three were firmly glued to his left shoulder.

Everyone present had awoken their divine eye and could naturally see the ghost sitting obediently on the dark-haired youth's shoulders. It was a rarely-seen cat-shaped ghost.

This cat's fur coat was bright and clean, not resembling a pet who had been abused before its death in the slightest. So, how did it become a lingering spirit after it died?

"Hello, Seniors. Do you want to come in?" After their previous meeting, Gu Yan had changed from an ordinary person to his present status. Naturally, he knew these people who'd come to visit him now definitely had a hole in their brains from overthinking matters.

However, this wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If the hole in their brains could offer an explanation for what was happening, he would just have to nod and agree with anything they said.

"You're a spirit tamer?" Just as he sat down and before even taking a sip of the tea in his hands, Grandmaster Luo turned towards the dark-haired youth who was holding the cat spirit in his arms. When he spoke, his tone and expression seemed strange.

Although this was a question, Luo Qun already had an answer in his heart. After all, the matters couldn't be any more obvious.

The hand stroking the cat froze. In his heart, Gu Yan swiftly considered the rationale behind this explanation before affirming their guess.

No wonder the evil spirit they'd encountered in the Shen family's villa had run off the instant it saw him. He knew it! How could an evil spirit be afraid of an ordinary human? Watching the youth nod and accept, Zhao Xun stood by the side and quickly found a reasonable explanation for the matters that had happened previously.

"Do you really hate mixing with the spiritual organisation department of our country that much?" Zhao Xun couldn't help but sigh deeply as he asked.

As people of the older generation, the obligation to serve and protect ordinary humans had been drilled into them ever since they paid their respects to their respective teachers. But as times changed, this school of thought gradually declined and the new generation of divination masters refused to accept this task. They only cared about earning money from the wealthy using their powers and leading a carefree life.

Their country's spiritual organisation department wasn't a triad either. So, if the new generation of divination masters weren't willing, the country couldn't force them.

"…Not really." Gu Yan loved his country. As a good citizen with upright morals, he was willing to contribute to his country. It was just a little difficult to explain his current predicament.

Just as his words fell, a young man standing by the side spoke up, "Since that's the case, we're lacking a spirit tamer for the spiritual convention in June. As a citizen of the country, shouldn't you make an effort to contribute?"

The person who spoke kept making strange eyes at him, causing his teacher to whack his head.

"Ouch, master. Why did you hit me? Didn't I help you bring up this question?" Zhao Huan touched the back of his head. He had been brought up just like this by his teacher, but he never grew any smarter.

Recalling the settings he had written for the divination masters in the contents of this section, Gu Yan understood the reason behind the other's words.

The spiritual convention that came once every four years was extremely important. Yet, China was always lacking a spirit tamer. In the original setting, their country had been forced to forfeit in this division since they truly didn't have anyone who fit the criterion to take part.

Being forced to forfeit was the most infuriating matter, especially since they didn't have any good reason. In the last convention, China lacked a spirit tamer and was forced to forfeit. As a result, their standing in the spiritual organisation fell.

"Naturally, I will do my best and won't shirk responsibility." Having promised this, Gu Yan was destined to have a relationship with the spiritual organisation from now on. Although he didn't like finding trouble, he still nodded.

Zhao Xun never expected his own disciple's indecent manner of speech actually caused the dark-haired youth to accept their proposal. For a second, he choked, unable to squeeze out a single word.

By the time he could speak once more, he gave a low cough. He continued gripping the cup in his hands, "Is this your contracted spirit? I think it's better to change it. You can keep it if you like, but you can't bring it to the competition. I've seen a couple of other tamed spirits before, but never a cat. It's too—!"

Zhao Xu choked on the mouthful of tea he'd just swallowed. Coughing violently, he stared in shock at the pale and beautiful ghost who'd appeared out of thin air.

Isn't this the fucking common enemy of their entire spiritual world?

"Master." Xie Lan scooted closer to the youth and rested his chin on the latter's shoulders. With narrowed eyes, he murmured cooperatively.

His cold voice carried a trace of hoarseness and the Ghost King's greeting was enough to leave everyone in a daze. Yet, this person's brows were furrowed. Those who were more ignorant would think it was an obedient child.

At this time, Zhao Huan abruptly stood up. Looking at his teacher's state, should he hurry up and return to the car to find a heart-stabilising pill for him?