Wandering Spirits

The northern outskirts of Yucheng lay untouched, a vast stretch of towering mountains and dense forests, rarely visited by humans.

In the past, there had been rumors of hikers encountering strange and eerie phenomena here. But ever since the world's mystical transformation, a small-scale Ghost Realm had truly taken root in this area.

The origin of Ghost Realms remains a mystery, but one fact is certain—every Ghost Realm is a land of death, filled with an overwhelming aura of decay and sinister spirits.

Among the most infamous is the Night Demon Ghost Realm in the western region of China.

Once a bustling metropolis with a population in the tens of millions, Xijing City had now been completely consumed by the Night Demon Ghost Realm, turning into a forbidden zone where no living being dared set foot.

---

Stretching endlessly, the rolling mountain range resembled a colossal dragon coiled beneath the earth.

At this moment, Jiang Xiao and the others stood at the foot of the mountain, preparing to enter.

Their faces displayed a mixture of emotions—some were eager, some were hesitant.

Even though they were only facing harmless wandering spirits, the sheer psychological pressure on these young, inexperienced teenagers was immense.

"Jiang Xiao, how about we stick together later?"

The chubby boy tugged at Jiang Xiao's sleeve, his voice laced with unease.

Jiang Xiao shook his head. "No. We'll be more efficient if we split up."

His own shadow was likely an anomaly in this world. It was best not to expose it to others.

His gaze flickered toward Bai Qimeng, who was surrounded by a group of admirers.

Despite having just become Spirit Tamers, she already carried herself like a natural leader.

Seeing that enough time had passed, Chen Fan spoke up. "Alright. Enter the mountain."

The moment his voice fell, everyone hesitated, glancing at one another, reluctant to take the first step.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, Jiang Xiao stepped forward.

Unlike the others, he didn't hesitate or look around for reassurance—he simply walked forward with unwavering determination.

A ripple of surprise flashed through the crowd.

"Who's that?"

"I think it's Jiang Xiao from Class Three."

Standing at the edge of the group, Chen Fan gave a subtle nod of approval. This kid has a decisive mindset… He could be promising, if only his aptitude weren't so poor…

Bai Qimeng had just gathered a six-person team and was about to take the lead herself when Jiang Xiao stole the spotlight.

"Hmph. Let's go!"

She took one last look at his retreating figure before stepping forward.

"Pfft, that idiot. No real skill, just trying to stand out."

Zhang Hai spat disdainfully, then led his own group into the forest.

---

Deep within the dense forest…

Towering trees loomed overhead, their thick branches intertwining to block out the sky.

Jiang Xiao moved cautiously, his senses sharpened.

Although it was noon, the moment he stepped into the woods, the world around him darkened unnaturally, as if night had fallen.

The sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense canopy, leaving the forest in an eerie twilight.

A heavy silence blanketed the air, carrying a strange and unsettling tension.

"It's fine. They're just wandering spirits."

Jiang Xiao took a deep breath, steadying his nerves.

Rustle, rustle—

A sudden gust of cold wind swept past him.

His body tensed, and his pupils shrank.

"It's here!"

Along with the chilling breeze, a pale mist rose from the ground, swirling like morning fog—except this mist was much colder, much more sinister.

A flicker of dark light.

A strange, ominous dagger materialized in Jiang Xiao's hand.

Feeling its smooth, jade-like surface, he regained a bit of confidence.

Just then, the temperature around him plummeted. The forest turned into an ice-cold abyss.

"Young man… do you know where my eyes have fallen…?"

A mournful, whispering voice slithered into Jiang Xiao's ear.

The sound was so close—it felt as if the speaker was right behind him, breathing against his neck.

A chill crawled up Jiang Xiao's spine. His legs nearly gave out from sheer terror.

But in the next instant, he bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain jolting him back to control.

Without hesitation, his dagger flashed through the air in a swift, deadly arc.

Rip!

The pale mist shattered like a torn piece of cloth.

A single droplet of milky-white liquid fell from the air.

Jiang Xiao quickly retrieved a jade bottle from his chest and caught the droplet inside.

This was the essence left behind after a wandering spirit was vanquished—valuable for Spirit Tamers in their cultivation.

Though not as precious as Soul Beads, it still held monetary worth.

The jade bottle had been distributed earlier by Chen Fan for this very purpose.

"Whew—"

Jiang Xiao exhaled deeply.

The battle had been easy, but the sudden surge of fear had nearly overwhelmed him.

"This dagger… it really suits me."

Weighing the weapon in his grip, he recalled the sensation of slicing through the spirit.

There had been no resistance—just a clean, effortless cut, like slicing through tofu.

Even more importantly, it had barely consumed any of his spiritual energy.

"If only I had more skill slots..."

Before he could reflect further, the mist thickened once more. Another shadowy figure drifted toward him—

"Why… did I die… but you still live…? I hate it… I hate it so much…"

This wandering spirit was more solid, its form nearly tangible.

Its voice was filled with malice, resenting the living, longing to drag everything into death.

The sheer emotion in its words sent another shiver down Jiang Xiao's spine.

This was far worse than any horror movie.

Without delay, he swung his dagger once more—

"Have you seen my daughter…?"

"My stomach… it's torn open… It hurts… Help me…"

"I regret it so much… That woman… She was hiding under my bed all along…"

Each wandering spirit's voice echoed through the air, carrying fragments of past grievances.

Jiang Xiao gritted his teeth, forcing himself to remain steady.

A single lapse in focus would allow these spirits to seize his mind, drowning him in paranoia and fear.

---

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the mist began to fade.

"It seems that every attack with the dagger consumes a bit of my energy."

Wiping the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, Jiang Xiao took deep breaths and withdrew his dagger.

Glancing at his jade bottle, now filled a third of the way with spirit essence, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

And something else…

Conviction.

"Ghosts can be defeated."

But then, a new concern surfaced in his mind.

"I'm working alone, but Bai Qimeng and Zhang Hai are in groups. If they pool their resources, there's no way I can match them."

From what he knew, Zhang Hai's lackey wielded a rifle as his spirit weapon.

A Spirit Tamer's weapon was shaped by their soul—anything could be manifested, even a missile if their will was strong enough.

However, each attack consumed spiritual energy, and firearms were far more draining than melee weapons.

Still, at this stage, a rifle's efficiency far exceeded that of close-combat weapons.

"Damn it! I really want that Green-Grade Soul Bead!"

Jiang Xiao clenched his fists in frustration.

Just then, something shifted in his vision.

A line of dark ink materialized before his eyes, forming words:

*"Realizing you can't compete with them in a normal hunt, you decide to venture deeper into the forest in search of a White-Grade Ghost.

In a desolate graveyard, you encounter… the White Mist Ghost."