The northern suburbs, located to the north of Yu City, have never been cultivated. It is a region of towering mountains and rugged ridges, rarely visited by humans. There have long been rumors among hikers about encountering strange and eerie phenomena in this area. Now, after the recent cosmic upheaval, a small ghost domain has indeed emerged. The origin of ghost domains remains a mystery, but each one is a death zone, strictly off-limits to the living, filled with an abundance of deathly energy and all manner of malevolent spirits. A particularly notorious example is the Night Demon Ghost Domain in the western region of China. Once home to over ten million people, the city of Xijing has now been completely engulfed by the Night Demon Ghost Domain, transforming it into a forbidden zone for the living.
The unbroken chain of mountains rises and falls like a giant dragon lying in wait upon the earth. Jiang Xiao and his group are about to enter these mountains. Each face in the group shows a mix of emotions—some are excited, while others are fearful. Even though they are only dealing with harmless wandering spirits, the pressure is still significant for these adolescent boys and girls.
"Jiang Xiao, how about we stick together later?" The chubby boy tugged at Jiang Xiao's hand, his voice tinged with worry.
Jiang Xiao shook his head, "No, we'll cover more ground if we split up." His shadow, in this world, was likely an anomaly, and it was best not to expose it to others. Jiang Xiao glanced briefly at Bai Qimeng, who was surrounded by a crowd of followers. Despite having just become a Spirit Master, she already exuded the aura of a leader.
Seeing that the time was right, Chen Fan spoke up, "Alright, let's head into the mountains." As soon as he finished speaking, the group exchanged uneasy glances, hesitating to take the first step.
Suddenly, Jiang Xiao stepped forward. Unlike the others, who were hesitant and looking around, he walked with unwavering determination. Watching his retreating figure, the others' expressions shifted subtly.
"Who's that?"
"Isn't that Jiang Xiao from Class Three?"
Chen Fan, standing on the periphery, nodded to himself, "This boy has a decisive temperament, quite commendable. It's just a pity his talent is lacking..."
Bai Qimeng, who had just organized a team of six, intending to set an example as the first leader, saw Jiang Xiao steal her thunder. "Hmph, let's go!" She memorized Jiang Xiao's figure and then led her team forward.
"That idiot, he's got no skills but loves to stand out in situations like this," Zhang Hai sneered, then led his own group into the mountains.
...
In the dense forest, towering trees and thick underbrush surrounded them. Jiang Xiao, fully alert, moved forward cautiously. Despite it being noon, the forest felt eerily like night. Sunlight couldn't penetrate the thick canopy, and the woods were dark and silent, exuding an ominous atmosphere.
"It's fine, they're just wandering spirits," Jiang Xiao reassured himself, taking a deep breath.
Suddenly, a cold wind blew. Jiang Xiao shivered, his expression sharpening, "Here it comes!" Along with the wind, a faint white mist began to rise around him, resembling morning fog but much paler and more sinister.
A dark flash. A bizarre dagger appeared in Jiang Xiao's hand, held in a reverse grip. Feeling the smooth, jade-like texture of his life-bound spirit weapon, he felt a bit more confident.
At that moment, the temperature in the forest plummeted, as if they had entered an ice cave. "Young man... do you know where my eye has fallen?" A mournful, resentful voice whispered in Jiang Xiao's ear, so close it felt like it was right next to him. He even felt a cold breath on his neck!
Jiang Xiao's hair stood on end, and his legs nearly gave way. But he bit his tongue hard, regaining control of his body, and slashed through the air with his dagger. A human-shaped mist was torn apart like a garbage bag. A drop of pale liquid fell from the air. Jiang Xiao quickly took out a jade bottle and caught the droplet. This was the essence left behind after a wandering spirit was destroyed. It was said to be highly beneficial for Spirit Masters' cultivation, not as valuable as spirit pearls but still worth something. The jade bottle had been distributed by Chen Fan on their way here.
"Phew," Jiang Xiao sighed in relief after successfully defeating a wandering spirit. Although it had been easy, the sudden fear had left him momentarily disoriented.
"This dagger feels quite natural to use," Jiang Xiao thought, recalling the sensation of slicing through the spirit. There had been no resistance, as if cutting through tofu, and his spiritual energy hadn't been significantly depleted.
"If only I had more skills," Jiang Xiao mused. But before he could think further, another spirit emerged from the mist—"Why... am I dead... while you still live... I hate you..." This spirit was more solid than the last, filled with resentment, loathing the living and desiring to turn everything into death. Just hearing its voice sent a shiver down Jiang Xiao's spine. It was far more terrifying than any horror movie sound effect.
Jiang Xiao didn't dare be careless. He immediately swung his dagger again, dispelling the spirit—"Wuwu... have you seen my daughter..." "My stomach is leaking... it hurts so much... help me..." "I regret... that woman is hiding under my bed..." The wandering spirits, formed from negative emotions, each whispered their grievances, shaking Jiang Xiao's resolve. A single misstep, and he could lose his mind to these restless spirits.
After what felt like an eternity, the mist around Jiang Xiao finally dissipated. "It seems that each swing of the dagger consumes some of my spiritual energy," Jiang Xiao thought, wiping the sweat from his forehead and catching his breath. He then retracted the dagger back into his body. However, seeing the jade bottle now one-third filled with the misty essence, Jiang Xiao felt that his efforts had been worth it. Moreover, the battles with the spirits had given him a newfound belief—ghosts could be defeated!
"But I wonder how much the others have collected..." Jiang Xiao frowned. "Wait, I'm alone, but Bai Qimeng and Zhang Hai have teams. If they pool their resources, there's no way I can compete." Additionally, Jiang Xiao knew that one of Zhang Hai's lackeys had a rifle as his spirit weapon. Life-bound spirit weapons were manifestations of one's inner self, and anything could be conjured—rifles, even missiles. However, the bullets fired were formed from spiritual energy and consumed a significant amount, far more than swinging a dagger. Moreover, as Spirit Masters advanced in rank, their abilities would become incredibly versatile. They could traverse space in an instant, closing distances rapidly. Ranged Spirit Masters without protective skills would be easily defeated if an enemy got close. But at the beginning, rifles were undoubtedly more efficient than other weapons.
"Damn it! I really wanted that green-level spirit pearl!" Jiang Xiao gritted his teeth, frustrated by his lack of options.
Just then, a line of text formed from ink appeared in his eyes: "...Since you can't compete with the teams by defeating spirits normally, you decide to venture deeper into the forest to find a white-level ghost. In a graveyard, you encounter the White Mist Ghost..."