"My name is Lin Feng."
...
Over the years, Lin Feng had heard plenty of outrageous tales—stories of pigs giving birth to human babies, mountain demons abducting men, and even parrots mimicking human bedroom sounds. But an old man having intimate encounters with a ghost? That was a first.
Lin Feng had nothing but admiration for Jing Sansheng.
Compared to the young men from his village, Lin Feng's own "romantic exploits" were already considered bold. Yet they paled in comparison to Jing's legendary escapades. The mix of danger, thrill, and a touch of tender romance in such tales was truly eye-opening.
Lin Feng and the chubby kid were soon kicked out by Jing Sansheng. As for Nie Yuxuan, the bearded man, he seemed to be on the receiving end of a beating—his screams occasionally escaping the house.
Neither Lin Feng nor the chubby kid had any appetite left. Lin Feng activated his "Sky Eye," while the chubby kid pulled out a divination planchette from who-knows-where. The two crept stealthily toward the direction where the ghostly woman had disappeared, both looking mischievously curious.
"Hey, Fatty, does your sect offer... special services like this?" Lin Feng gulped, his expression sleazy.
The chubby kid was instantly furious. "Nonsense! My Talisman Sect is a prestigious school with over a thousand years of history! As the leader of the southern sects, we'd never stoop so low!"
Lin Feng raised an eyebrow and pointed to a nearby well. "Prestigious, my foot. That old man's house belongs to your sect, this well is yours, and so is the ghost inside. If this isn't your sect's doing, are you saying Jing Sansheng found her himself?"
The chubby kid's face turned beet red. He stammered out a defense, "You... you don't get it! The Fight Sect's Tiger Fist Technique boosts yang energy, naturally attracting ghosts. What's that got to do with my Talisman Sect?!"
Lin Feng sneered, "Blaming everything on the ghosts, huh? And you dare call yourselves an honorable sect."
The argument got the chubby kid worked up. Determined to prove his sect's innocence, he declared he would exorcise the ghost.
At the well, the chubby kid pulled out a series of glowing talismans, holding them like a gambling god clutching a hand of cards. These weren't ordinary talismans—they shimmered with a divine brilliance.
"Watch closely, Lin Feng! I'll finish this ghost off right here!" the chubby kid announced.
As he spoke, a translucent figure appeared beside the well—a young girl in thin clothing. She sat on the edge of the well, trembling as she eyed the talismans in fear.
The ghost was a girl around sixteen years old, her delicate features visible through her translucent form. Dressed in a sheer gown that hinted at the undergarments beneath, she looked pitiful and scared.
"Spare me, master!" she pleaded, her voice quivering. "I've never harmed anyone. Please, I beg you to let me go…"
The girl sobbed, her tears falling like rain.
Unmoved, the chubby kid retorted, "How am I supposed to know if you've harmed anyone or not? Either way, I can't let you stay."
The girl cried harder, her sobs heart-wrenching. But the chubby kid remained resolute.
Lin Feng glanced at him and urged, "What are you waiting for? Do it already."
The chubby kid shot him a glare. "How can you be so heartless? She's begging for her life, and you're not even trying to stop me?"
Lin Feng smirked and flipped him the middle finger. "You were never planning to kill her. Cut the act. Jing Sansheng was right—you're cunning as hell."
Caught in the lie, the chubby kid sheepishly put away the talismans. He wasn't stupid; the ghost had been lingering near their sect's headquarters, so she was unlikely to be truly malevolent. His earlier posturing had just been for show—he was hoping for an excuse to back down. Unfortunately, Lin Feng had seen right through him.
Trying to salvage his dignity, the chubby kid crossed his arms and huffed. Lin Feng turned to the ghost. "You don't seem very powerful, but your appearance isn't that of a typical spirit. Did you use some ghostly technique to change your form?"
The ghost hesitated, then nodded. "Yes... Decades ago, an elder taught me a method to restore my living appearance."
Lin Feng nodded thoughtfully. With a wave of his hand, a veiled female ghost appeared—Ah Chou.
Ah Chou currently resided in Xiu Gai, a vessel created by Niu Meng. Lin Feng thought of their arrangement as akin to cohabitation and had mentally classified Ah Chou as Niu Meng's girlfriend.
"This is my friend's lady. Maybe you could teach her how to look prettier? Don't worry, I'll make it worth your while."
He handed the ghost a stack of spirit money.
Ah Chou, who harbored a natural fear of Lin Feng, nodded hesitantly. Though she didn't interact with him often, his aura was overwhelming—especially knowing he owned a jar capable of refining ghosts into candles. However, upon hearing his request, her eyes sparkled. Whether alive or dead, what woman wouldn't want to be beautiful?
The ghost girl gasped in surprise, her gaze flitting between Lin Feng and Ah Chou. She was both awed and intrigued. The boy's heavy yin aura marked him as no ordinary human. Yet he was not only keeping a ghost but also actively bargaining with one. This was a first for her.
Clutching the spirit money, she nodded hesitantly. "I'll do my best…"
...
Leaving Ah Chou to her lesson, Lin Feng and the chubby kid returned to the courtyard.
By now, the gathered disciples had formed a crowd. A handsome man in a tailored suit stood at the center, addressing them. It was none other than Lu Zhen, the man Lin Feng had seen earlier at the welcoming ceremony.
"Brothers and sisters, welcome! Your presence brings honor to Green Bamboo Hill," Lu Zhen began. "As you know, the Southern Sect Conference occurs once every twelve years—a cherished tradition. Today, not only will you have the chance to meet fellow cultivators, but there will also be a series of events to entertain and challenge you. Each event allows groups of up to three participants. Those who succeed will be rewarded with treasures left by our esteemed ancestors!"
The mention of "treasures" immediately electrified the crowd.
Lin Feng's interest was piqued. Having acquired the Floating Cloud Robe, he understood the value of such artifacts. The robe enhanced his spiritual energy and doubled the duration of his Sky Eye technique. It even came with its own unique skill. Priceless.
"Fatty, your sect sure is generous," Lin Feng commented, recalling that a Floating Cloud Robe alone cost eighteen gold ingots—a luxury item.
"Name's Wang Qian, not Fatty!" the chubby kid corrected. "And treasures? Please. Back in the day, Fuyu Mountain rivaled Maoshan as the cradle of exorcists. Our sect was drowning in treasures."
"Since you don't care about them, why don't we team up? Help me snag one?" Lin Feng suggested, rubbing his hands together eagerly.
"Fine," Wang Qian replied. "But only if you tell me how you're raising ghosts. I'm curious."
"Raising ghosts? It's not what you think! They're more like tenants—room and board included!" Lin Feng protested.
Not wanting to explain further, Lin Feng flipped out an urn and said, "This thing lets me do it. But good luck finding one."
Wang Qian wasn't convinced. "I'm not talking about the vessels. I mean the offerings. Ghosts need constant incense offerings to survive in the mortal world. Usually, these come from their descendants or the recently deceased. But your spirit money—how does it work? Don't tell me that ghost earlier was your grandma, because I won't believe you."
Grandma, my foot! Lin Feng thought bitterly.
His spirit money came from the Ghost Marketplace—10 merit points for ten stacks, available in all varieties. The description read "Issued by the Underworld Bank, for ghost use only." It was a cheap trick Lin Feng often used to placate ghosts. Nothing special.
"You want some? A thousand bucks per stack," Lin Feng quipped, pulling out another wad of ghost money.
Wang Qian hesitated briefly before pulling out a crumpled 500 yuan note. "Give me half a stack."
Lin Feng stared in disbelief as Wang Qian handed over the money, grinning like he'd just snagged a bargain.
Was he serious? Lin Feng thought. Did exorcists really have this much money to throw around? A stack of ghost money for 500 yuan?
Lin Feng quickly calculated his remaining merit points—around 2,000. If he converted it all to ghost money, could he really sell it for 2 million yuan?
This could be his chance to finally turn his life around!
Flush with excitement and half a stack of ghost money richer, Lin Feng happily extended an invitation to Wang Qian.
"Though we'll need one more person," Wang Qian pointed out.
Lin Feng pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, Miss Nie? We're short a teammate for the treasure hunt. Care to join?"