The story from earlier was chilling, but now that I was out of Mu Fenghua's house, my resolve began to waver. That village sounded like a death trap. Six people almost didn't make it back alive—what chance would I stand venturing alone into such a sinister place? Seeking thrills was one thing, but chasing death? That was pure idiocy.
The little ghost girl saw through me immediately. She had an uncanny ability to read my thoughts as easily as reading a book. Her mocking laughter confirmed she knew exactly what I was thinking. "So, you're chickening out, huh?"
Tch. How could I admit defeat? "Chickening out? Never! I'll go, just as soon as I save up enough for the trip." The words tasted hollow even as I said them. The trip fund was as nonexistent as my chances of winning the lottery.
"Hmph, I knew it. For your information, that village is infamous. It's not just haunted by regular spirits—there's a ridiculous number of ghostly babies there."
"Ghost babies?!" The term sent shivers down my spine, but I quickly puffed out my chest and countered, "Stop trying to scare me. Once I've saved up, I'll head there immediately!"
Back at my rental unit, I shifted gears and asked the ghost girl how to deal with the entity possessing Mu Xi. The little ghost girl explained it was likely a vine spirit—a tree demon with at least several hundred years of cultivation. This one, however, seemed oddly timid. The reason? It had been uprooted, severed from its connection to the earth. Without its roots, it was significantly weakened.
To deal with the spirit, the best method was fire. However, since it was inhabiting Mu Xi's body, torching it was obviously not an option.
The solution was to lure it out. Vine spirits, unlike ghosts, didn't draw power from human energy but rather from the essence of the earth. Mu Xi lived in an upstairs apartment, far from any soil. This had likely starved the vine spirit, making it increasingly feeble. However, if left unchecked, it would eventually choose to kill Mu Xi in a desperate attempt to sustain itself. Thankfully, we still had time to act.
The plan was simple: At midnight, lead Mu Xi to a large tree. Surround her with a ring of fire, leaving a single exit. The fire would terrify the spirit, forcing it to abandon Mu Xi and retreat into the nearby tree. From there, we'd seal it with talismans and burn the tree with mystical fire to destroy the spirit completely.
I quickly gathered supplies: yellow paper and a brush to create three sealing talismans and three flame talismans. After painstakingly drawing the symbols, I went to inform the landlady of the plan. She was skeptical, but desperation made her agree to try anything.
At 11:30 p.m., I went downstairs. The landlady was already waiting but told me Mu Xi was too frightened to leave her room. That complicated things. I didn't exactly have the strength to force her outside.
The ghost girl had an idea: "Get a big tree branch." Following her instructions, I broke off a leafy branch and returned. Waving it gently in front of Mu Xi, I noticed her tense demeanor softened. Her eyes glowed with hunger as she fixated on the branch.
Bingo. The starving spirit couldn't resist. Slowly, I used the branch to lure her out of the room and downstairs to a massive tree near the street.
By the time we arrived, it was almost midnight. The spirit seemed torn—its glowing green eyes darting between the branch and the large tree ahead. It was cautious, aware something was amiss.
"Quick, pour the gasoline!" the ghost girl urged.
I circled Mu Xi with gasoline, leaving a gap toward the large tree. Just as I lit the fire, Mu Xi let out a blood-curdling scream. Flames shot up, and the vine spirit emerged—a horrifying, root-like face twisted in agony.
The landlady gasped, "Will she be okay?"
"She'll be fine," I reassured her, clutching the talismans.
The spirit fled through the gap in the fire, heading straight for the large tree. I slapped a sealing talisman onto the trunk and recited a chant:
"Spirits of flame, heed my call. Ignite the power of Zhuque's might. Three Flames, descend from the heavens. Burn the demon, seal its form—by law, so it is done!"
Ideally, my chant alone would ignite the talisman, but my limited spiritual power left it inert. Instead, I grabbed a burning stick from the fire and touched it to the talisman. The tree let out a piercing wail as the flames took hold.
Black vine-like tendrils emerged from the bark, writhing and snapping like angry snakes. The trunk bulged grotesquely, as if something inside was struggling to burst free. The sealing talisman emitted a faint golden glow, keeping the spirit trapped while the fire intensified.
Finally, the vines disappeared. The trunk cracked open, oozing green sap that quickly turned to black smoke. With a final shriek, the spirit was destroyed.
"It's done. The vine spirit's toast!" the ghost girl cheered.
Mu Xi lay unconscious nearby, her face pale but peaceful. The landlady, overjoyed, carried her daughter upstairs with surprising strength. I was about to follow when the sound of clapping caught my attention.
Across the street, a sleek silver BMW was parked. Leaning casually against it was a sharply dressed young man, smiling and applauding. Had he been watching the whole time?
"See? Good things always come your way!" the ghost girl teased.