The Master of the White Mist

After eliminating the White Mist Ghost, Jiang Xiao finally let out a sigh of relief.

If it weren't for this mysterious and unfathomable shadow, he would have most likely met his end here.

The abilities of ghostly entities were truly eerie beyond comprehension.

But the next moment, Jiang Xiao suddenly froze.

"Wait! Where's my Soul Pearl?"

His eyes widened as he stared at the empty grassland ahead—there wasn't even a trace of the pearl.

Immediately, Jiang Xiao turned his gaze downward to his own shadow, gritting his teeth.

"Hurry up and spit out my Soul Pearl!"

To an outsider, this scene would probably look as if Jiang Xiao had been possessed by some ghostly entity.

But only he knew the truth—there was at least a ninety percent chance that the White Mist Ghost had been devoured by his own shadow.

And yet, this damn thing didn't even leave behind a single bone!

"You bastard, you ate the meat—at least leave me some soup, right?" Jiang Xiao cursed in frustration.

At that moment, a line of distorted text suddenly appeared in his vision:

"...Right hand..."

Jiang Xiao was stunned on the spot. Then, in a daze, he looked down at his right hand.

The once smooth and fair skin had turned dry and deathly pale, resembling tree bark painted with white lacquer—just the sight of it was enough to make his scalp tingle.

At the same time, a dense white mist had silently begun to spread around him once more.

"What?!"

Before he could even feel alarmed, Jiang Xiao suddenly realized something was different about this mist.

Unlike before, this time, the mist gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

Even more astonishing, his vision remained completely unaffected!

Previously, when enveloped in the white mist, one couldn't even see their own hand in front of their face, with all senses greatly hindered.

But now, all those negative effects were gone.

Instead, he felt as if...

He was the master of this white mist!

He could even manipulate it at will!

"I... This... I can use ghostly abilities directly without relying on my Natal Spirit Tool?"

Jiang Xiao stared at his withered, pale right hand, suddenly feeling his throat go dry.

This defied the fundamental laws of this world—

All battles involving ghostly entities revolved around Natal Spirit Tools.

It was common knowledge that a Spirit Master's inner spiritual power could only be fully utilized through the medium of a Spirit Tool.

Even Soul Pearls had to be embedded into a Natal Spirit Tool before a Spirit Master could access the abilities of ghostly creatures.

Yet now, he could directly use the powers of the White Mist Ghost?

Jiang Xiao swallowed hard, then took a deep breath and casually waved his hand.

Whoosh—

The thick white mist parted at his command, splitting to the left and right, revealing a clear pathway.

"It's real!!!"

He had completely gained control over the White Mist Ghost's abilities!

Although the White Mist Ghost was merely a white-rank ghost, its ability was anything but simple.

Jiang Xiao knew this firsthand—he had just experienced it.

The mist not only obstructed vision but also allowed the White Mist Ghost to move undetected, like a silent assassin lurking in the shadows.

No one could predict where the ghost was hidden. It was impossible to detect or anticipate.

And now, Jiang Xiao had acquired the same ability.

No one knows I am here, yet I am everywhere.

"This ability is practically tailor-made for my Natal Spirit Tool! Looks like I'm meant to be an assassin."

Jiang Xiao estimated the range of the mist—about ten square meters. Not too bad.

Moreover, aside from the eerie transformation of his right hand, using this ability didn't seem to consume much of his spiritual energy.

A short while later, his right hand gradually returned to normal.

As he ran his fingers over his now smooth skin, Jiang Xiao frowned slightly.

"Still, the transformation is a bit horrifying. Looks like I'll have to wear long sleeves from now on."

Fortunately, autumn was approaching, and many people were already wearing jackets.

Checking the time, he noted that there was still an hour left until the test ended.

"With this ability, my efficiency in hunting Wandering Spirits should improve significantly. And if even a white-rank ghost's power is this extraordinary... What kind of unique ability does that green-rank Soul Pearl hold?"

With this thought, Jiang Xiao wasted no time. He swiftly ventured deeper into the forest, practicing his newfound powers while gathering Spirit Dew from the Wandering Spirits.

---

Dusk Approaches

As the test neared its end, many students were already making a frantic escape from the Northern Suburb Ghostly Realm.

Yes, escape.

Even though they had just become Spirit Masters, and even though this area only housed harmless Wandering Spirits...

The most direct feeling that ghosts instilled in the living was an overwhelming sense of deathly coldness.

The lingering souls of the dead whispered mournfully in their ears, their sorrowful wails intertwining with the eerie silence of the forest.

For these high school students, who had barely reached adulthood, this test was more of a psychological torment than a combat challenge.

Seeing the pale faces and dazed expressions of the returning students, Chen Fan shook his head slightly.

"And these are just the lowest-tier Wandering Spirits, with absolutely no life-threatening danger. If they ever have to face true nightmare-level ghostly infestations, I'm afraid their legs will turn to jelly."

He couldn't help but feel disappointed.

Even though he understood they were still young and had room to grow...

The current situation probably wouldn't grant humanity much time to prepare.

"Take her to the car and let her drink some ginger tea. Have her get some sun tomorrow."

Chen Fan patted the shoulder of a short-haired girl and instructed her companion.

The girl was slumped on the ground, her eyes vacant, as if her very soul had been drained—clearly a case of spiritual overexposure and ghostly aura infiltration.

Just then, a commotion erupted in the crowd ahead.

A group of students strode out of the forest like triumphant victors.

Leading them was a boy in an Adidas jacket with neatly trimmed bangs—Zhang Hai.

Though he looked somewhat exhausted, his eyes were sharp, and his aura distinct from most of his peers.

The Wandering Spirits had not broken Zhang Hai's spirit.

He had conquered his fear.

"Zhang-ge, you're amazing! You must have had a huge harvest this time, huh?"

Seeing how far Zhang Hai had surpassed their peers, a few boys resting nearby immediately jumped up to flatter him.

A buzz-cut boy, whose Natal Spirit Tool was a rifle, chimed in, "Of course! Do you even know what kind of talent Zhang-ge has?"

Zhang Hai himself simply chuckled smugly.

As he gazed at his weary and shaken classmates, he felt even more certain of his own greatness.

I was born a warrior!

With that thought, Zhang Hai strode confidently toward Chen Fan.

"Senior Chen, this is the Spirit Dew we collected."

He carefully took out a jade bottle and handed it over.

Chen Fan accepted it, scrutinizing Zhang Hai for a moment before nodding approvingly.

"You've done well. Keep up the good work."

Receiving praise from a Tier-3 Spirit Master of the Celestial Palace, Zhang Hai lowered his head, unable to hide his delight.

Looking at the jade bottle—about four-fifths full—Chen Fan was pleased.

It was an impressive achievement.

This was the gap between ordinary students and elites.

Most of the others were too shaken to even care about rewards at this point.

As Zhang Hai drank some water, he casually glanced around and suddenly asked,

"By the way, where's Bai Qimeng's team?"

"They haven't come out yet. Looks like she's determined to get that green-rank Soul Pearl," a boy whispered.

Zhang Hai smirked.

"Figures. Bai Qimeng's parents are both Spirit Masters. We don't stand a chance against her. But as long as we leave a good impression on that Celestial Palace expert, that's enough."

He never intended to compete for first place.

One, because he couldn't win. The top students were all in Bai Qimeng's team.

And two, because even if he could, it wasn't worth earning her resentment.

At that moment, Bai Qimeng's team finally emerged from the forest.

From a distance, everyone instinctively stood up, their gazes drawn to the graceful figure leading the group.

Even Chen Fan grew curious.

Would this school produce the best candidate for this test?

But before anyone could speak—

At the far end of the path, a tall and slender figure appeared.

Jiang Xiao had returned.