Chapter 7: Painted Skin

"Painted skin?"

Upon hearing Gu Xu's words, Xiaohan furrowed her brows slightly, casting a vigilant gaze at Mrs. Wang.

......

In the records of the Exorcism Bureau, there was a documented case:

A scholar encountered an unidentified beauty in the woods and became infatuated with her, bringing her home to live together.

But one day, a ghost hunter informed the scholar, "You are surrounded by evil qi; an evil spirit has attached itself to you."

Suspicious, the scholar secretly observed the beauty from outside her window at night.

To his astonishment, he discovered a horrifying ghost inside the house. It spread human skin on the bed and used coloured brushes to draw on it.

After finishing the painting, the ghost threw the brush aside and draped the human skin over itself, transforming into a beautiful lady in an instant.

This was what they called the "painted skin beauty."

In the end, the poor scholar had his chest ripped open, his heart dug out, and tragically lost his life.

......

"Madam, I don't understand what you're talking about," Mrs. Wang said, her expression bewildered, shaking her head.

Gu Xu smiled lightly, thinking that this lady was quite composed. If it weren't for his extensive knowledge and experience, he might have been deceived by her excellent acting skills.

Truly deserving of being a high-ranking ghost worth 240 merits!

Certainly different from those worthless ones.

"A renowned detective once said that unusual phenomena often provide clues," Gu Xu began, speaking to himself. "You may think you've concealed it well, but there are too many abnormal details that have already exposed your identity."

Abnormal details?

I haven't noticed anything.

Xiaohan looked confused.

Nevertheless, she pretended to understand, nodding in agreement. "Indeed, painted skin. Beings like you, evil spirits and demons, can never escape the discerning eyes of the Exorcism Bureau."

"There are three abnormal details," Gu Xu raised three fingers and continued, "First, as I mentioned earlier, the mirror ghost only feeds on souls, yet Mr. Wang's heart was dug out."

"Second, this courtyard violates numerous feng shui taboos, be it the location or the arrangement—Genshan gate, adjacent to a cemetery, facing bronze mirrors, vines climbing walls..."

"All these undoubtedly gather yin and malevolent energy, bringing illness and calamity to people.

"But for ghosts and monsters, it's a comfortable paradise."

With that, Gu Xu paused for a moment and turned to Wang Guicai beside him. "Guicai, if I'm not mistaken, did your father buy this estate after marrying your stepmother?"

"Yes, sir. After my stepmother expressed dislike for our old house, she kept pestering my father to move here," Wang Guicai replied.

Gu Xu smirked meaningfully. "It seems that both spirits and humans alike enjoy comfortable and cozy environments."

Only the unfortunate Mr. Wang, lying beneath the nine springs, thought he was spending money to please a beauty, but ended up licking the plate empty and losing everything.

The world is truly terrifying.

Marrying without caution, tears for loved ones.

"What's the third abnormal detail?" Xiaohan curiously urged.

"The third," Gu Xu fixed his gaze on Mrs. Wang and continued, "I admit that I am handsome, elegant, and exceptionally charming. However, it shouldn't make a grieving widow gaze at me with such infatuation, eyes filled with desire."

Xiaohan cast a disdainful glance at him. "What does that have to do with Mrs. Wang being a human or a ghost?"

She never expected Gu Xu to be so conceited in private.

Gu Xu chuckled and explained, "I possess a unique constitution that always attracts ghosts and monsters inexplicably."

As the saying goes, "A blessing in disguise."

Although the talent of "Spirit Calling Body" often caused him trouble, it helped him see through the disguises of ghosts and monsters in critical moments.

Although Mrs. Wang was a high-ranking ghost worth 240 merits, her greedy appearance lusting after his body was identical to the "monster" from last night, worth only 10 merits.

Infatuation, greed—the desire for prey was written plainly on her face.

......

Afterward, there was a brief silence.

The atmosphere grew tense and heavy, like the calm before a storm.

Mrs. Wang lowered her head, remaining silent.

Wang Guicai, the young boy, hid behind Gu Xu, his expression filled with fear, his face pale.

"My Stepmother is an Evil Spirit"

After learning this terrifying truth, he suddenly felt incredibly lucky to have made it to this day.

As for Xiaohan, she gently caressed the scabbard in her arms, her eyes peculiarly sizing up Gu xu.

Indeed, he was handsome and pleasing to the eye.

Who would have thought that he could charm both humans and ghosts?

Since that was the case, during missions, as long as she kept Gu Xu by her side as bait, perhaps she could continuously attract ghosts and monsters to their doom.

That way, she wouldn't need to worry about the source of her merits anymore.

Waiting for the rabbit...

No, "waiting for Gu Xu," what a fantastic idea!

I'm truly a genius!

......

In the end, it was Mrs. Wang who broke the stalemate.

"You're right," she said, flashing a seductive smile at Gu xu, "I am indeed a painted skin."

"But so what?"

As she spoke, she reached out her hand to touch her exquisite face.

Her long nails pierced into her flesh, leaving a deep crack.

Then, she lightly lifted it from the wound, as if peeling off a mask, revealing her true form—

Her face was a pale green, with jagged teeth resembling saw blades.

Her withered body was decaying, with white ribs visible beneath the surface.

Her mouth cracked open, eyes gleaming.

Ugly and horrifying.

"Exorcist of the Bureau, did you think that after seeing through my true face, you could leave this estate alive?" the painted skin ghost laughed menacingly.

"Painted Skin Ghost, don't get too arrogant. Watch me slay you with a single strike!" Xiaohan said, unsheathing her sword.

"Xiaohan, immobilise!" the painted skin ghost shouted, interrupting her words.

In that instant, upon hearing her own name, Xiaohan found herself frozen in place, unable to move.

She couldn't even draw her sword from its sheath, let alone slay the painted skin ghost with a single strike.

This was the most passive situation she had encountered since joining the Exorcism Bureau.

"This ghost is so powerful?" she thought uneasily, "I, Xiaohan, a Second Stage cultivator destined to shake the martial world, am I really going to perish here today? I haven't even used my 'Overlord Sword Technique' yet!"

Although her father had left her a jade talisman that she could use to call for help in times of danger, she couldn't move now, let alone have the opportunity to retrieve the talisman.

"Changshou, immobilise!" the painted skin ghost shouted again.

Gu Xu stood still in place, unresponsive.

Observing the two motionless figures resembling sculptures, the painted skin ghost extended its green tongue, licking its lips with a triumphant air.

"I've lived for decades, and I have yet to taste the heart of an Exorcism Bureau practitioner... It must be delicious!"

Having said that, it leisurely approached Gu Xu, once again gazing at him with that infatuated look, sniffing the intoxicating scent he exuded.