"Gh...ghost?"
Both children had grown considerably more resilient to the supernatural since getting to know Bai Fanxian. But they didn't want to believe their own ears — that their lady would be the one to bring it up.
So it was more surprise than fear.
"This is quite interesting..." Liu Yianfei stroked his chin thoughtfully. He looked at the moon casting pale golden light overhead and asked Bai Fanxian:
"Will my lady be staying tonight?"
Tang Yeye's eyes sparkled. The excitement overwhelmed all fear, especially with their lady right there beside them.
Even if a ghost really appeared, could it truly fight against their lady who was as powerful as an immortal deity?
Liu Yianfei himself wouldn't be surprised if she had ghost-banishing techniques on hand.
"Mm..."
"Stay! Let me stay!"
"Me too."
Both Tang Yeye and Hui'er quickly raised their hands excitedly, as if the day's hard training had done nothing to them.
"...Aren't you all tired?"
Bai Fanxian sighed. Tonight she had planned to simply wait and prove certain things herself. She hadn't expected it would turn into a big deal.
"I'm not tired!"
Tang Yeye raised her hand enthusiastically while Hui'er nodded. The more she heard that while she was training in seclusion, her younger sister had spent time with their lady doing all sorts of things, the more jealous she felt.
"Do as you please..."
In the end, Bai Fanxian didn't object. Anyway, she wasn't certain the ghost would really appear. Perhaps even if they waited, nothing would happen at all.
That night accidentally formed into a ghost hunting party.
.
.
.
Night on Bai Fanxian's private island was filled with tranquility, as if in a place beyond the human world. The high-level Border performed its function at full efficiency. Life force filled the air until one could almost see it with the naked eye.
*CRACK...*
In the deep forest, still not transformed by Bai Fanxian into open space, faint tremors occurred in midair. Normally the Border would not have left this alone — it would have started suppressing whatever was trying to push through.
But this time the Dragon Border remained calm.
The meaning had two possibilities.
Either it was harmless, not worthy of attention.
Or it was someone already allowed to freely enter and exit.
"Help... me."
A voice full of weakness and suffering drifted through the forest. Above the small rift, a black shadow slowly appeared, rising to stand on two legs.
Its appearance was like a human in every way.
Except it looked like a mass of energy barely gathered together, extremely weak. Its body trembled slightly, ready to disintegrate at any moment.
It glanced left and right in surprise.
Had this place changed so much that even a soul couldn't remember?
...Perhaps only it would ever know.
.
.
.
"Didn't they say they'd wait to see a ghost?"
Huang Zihuan spoke with a warm, amused voice. Worried something might happen and out of a sense of duty, he had stayed calmly watching from the side even as the hour slipped past midnight.
But those two little troublemakers were now curled up together on the sofa, dozing with their heads bumping gently against each other without waking.
"These children are really tired."
Bai Fanxian didn't think to wake them. The elderly butler, understanding her heart, disappeared for just a few seconds and returned with a large blanket. He carefully covered both children.
"The General went there..."
Because his mind was bound to the Border, he could sense Liu Yianfei's presence heading straight toward one part of the island.
Liu Yianfei himself had become aware of the Training Tower. He wanted to try it even at this late hour — which for a Sage-level cultivator, who could go several more days without sleep, was nothing at all.
Bai Fanxian had arranged the tower's third floor for him properly. Before coming out, she had also explained how to open the tower and use it completely.
"Mm... what kind of training room would suit us?"
The General walked through the forest with a smile, his long white sword across his shoulder. He breathed in deeply, taking in as much of the overflowing life force as he could.
*WHOOSH!*
Something was moving in the forest.
Liu Yianfei, who had been enjoying the atmosphere, stumbled. He narrowed his eyes and released his Heaven Sense everywhere — across dozens of meters in every direction, passing through everything. Even the smallest thing couldn't escape his awareness.
"..."
Silence was the only answer. The General was surprised. His Heaven Sense couldn't detect a single living thing that could have made that sound!
"...Am I imagining it?"
Liu Yianfei still wasn't confident. His hand gripped the sword hilt and stayed tight, ready to draw at any time.
But while he was about to pull his Heaven Sense back —
"Help... me..."
A voice full of weakness and trembling sounded right beside his ear before he could prepare!
No matter how strong-willed he was, he would have jumped. Especially when his own Heaven Sense had just confirmed there was no way anyone else could be within dozens of meters of him.
*WHOOSH!*
Liu Yianfei drew his sword... On this island, there was no way anyone existed besides Bai Fanxian's people. And that made it even more certain no one would play a prank — especially not the two girls, who he was confident were asleep when he left.
Meaning... intruders?
"Help... me..."
But the sentence made Liu Yianfei furrow his brow. How could this voice reach him when Heaven Sense couldn't sense its origin? Or was this really a ghost or spirit? Importantly, what it kept saying wouldn't stop nagging at him.
Help me?
These words reminded him of the story he'd heard. The island's previous owner had recorded hearing this very voice often when the moon was full. Liu Yianfei looked up above his head. The round pale golden moon was shining in the middle of the sky.
He looked around. His demeanor seemed to give that mysterious thing even more confidence. The voices increased in frequency and volume until finally, it was as if these hoarse cries were coming from every direction.
"Help me..."
"Help... me."
"...Help me."
"Help... me..."
"...Help... me..."
The cries for help were like mental attacks. They came without stopping, full of something that could easily drive listeners mad. The longer it went, the more emboldened they seemed. Trees and grass around began rustling as if some shadows were constantly moving.
If ordinary people encountered something like this, they would surely run until exhausted.
"Uh... what do you want help with?"
The General tried to negotiate. But it seemed ineffective.
"Help me..."
This persistent, hoarse voice kept saying the same words no matter what. Even as a General of the Army, he had no way to respond if the other side just kept repeating itself like this.
"...Help me."
That voice still didn't stop. Liu Yianfei furrowed his brow, uncertain. If people didn't know better, they'd think he was in a desperate situation.
Should he go get his lady here?
Liu Yianfei was pondering. It might be better if it were like that.
"I understand... I'll go get someone who should be able to help you. So can you wait here first?"
...But —
"Help me."
"Got it... so please..."
"...Help me."
"Right. Please open the way first..."
"Help me!"
*SNAP!*
"Purification."
*WHOOOM...*
Like something in Liu Yianfei's head snapped. Qi surged outward like white waves in all directions with him at the center. Radiance of brilliant purity covered the forest in the blink of an eye. The Dragon Border made a faint groaning sound in response. Black shadows hiding behind trees scattered, becoming gray mist spreading through the air!
"..."
Liu Yianfei looked like a deity. He appeared flustered after coming to his senses. Everything had gone quiet around him, as if the earlier event had never happened.
...Why was I the one who encountered this ghost!?
His lady and the children had been so interested in this ghost. But it had just kept crying "help me" until he accidentally used "Purification" without realizing — and probably sent that spirit to paradise already!
Now how should he tell his lady?
*WHOOSH!*
But while he was worrying, four people's forms appeared several meters above his head. It was Bai Fanxian leading in front, with the elderly butler using his finger to control the two children floating behind.
"Uh..."
The General sweated. He scratched his face lightly, trying to think of how to explain. In front of him, the girls had completely lost their drowsiness, faces fully excited and expectant.
"Where's the ghost!?"
The question he least wanted to hear. But before the General could apologize for destroying the girls' dreams, Bai Fanxian was already looking around. Liu Yianfei's qi bursting out had made her rush here — he was in the middle of the forest, not the tower, meaning something had intercepted him on the way.
"Actually..."
*GRAB*
"Meow!?"
Before Liu Yianfei could explain everything, Bai Fanxian grabbed something several meters away like grabbing air. But when she pulled it back, everyone's eyes widened.
Because what was bound by Bai Fanxian's qi in midair, struggling, was a black kitten only slightly larger than an adult's palm!
It had jet black fur contrasting with golden eyes shining like the moon. Fluffy and short-legged, it looked more like a stuffed toy than a real living thing.
Cute...
This thing, no matter which angle you looked from, appeared small and round in every part. Even Bai Fanxian herself accidentally stared at it for a while.
But —
"Meow! Let go meow! Help Kuro meow!"
For some reason...
...This cat could actually talk!