Child-Mother Ghost and Child-Mother Dao

Yang He shuddered. He had still underestimated the bizarre world within the Ghost Lotus lore.

"Hiss."

A sharp pain shot through his right arm.

He raised it and saw a purplish-red infant handprint on his wrist. The scene he had witnessed through Spiritual Vision had not been an illusion.

"The Main World is already this terrifying. Humans and ghosts are separated by only a layer of Window Paper, yet in the Lore World, humans and ghosts coexist!"

"There isn't even any Window Paper!!"

In the Lore World, ghosts did not need humans to see them before they could attack. The moment a ghost saw a person, it could strike directly.

"Lotus root? Who the hell calls this thing lotus root?!"

Yang He's face flushed red, but he did not immediately retreat to shore.

In just a little while, the Spiritual Vision he had spent would pay for itself. If he died, he died.

"Help!!"

Zhang Kai screamed repeatedly. Yellow grease floated on the lake's surface, and the stench of blood spread through the air.

The lake water was black as ink, making Zhang Kai's condition impossible to see. All they could make out were countless bubbles continuously rising.

The screams abruptly stopped, replaced by heavy, despairing gasps that made one's scalp tingle.

Spiritual Vision: 0.8 points

The darkness in Yang He's eyes became clear. He saw Zhang Kai's entire body wrapped in hair, while an infant clung to Zhang Kai's chest in some strange manner, wailing as it gnawed at his flesh.

"Yang He! Run!"

Xu Dabao did not have time to think. He tore free of the red rope and swam desperately toward shore. The others did the same, terrified of dying in the lake.

"I only heard that Qing Lake's lotus roots were highly spiritual. Can someone tell me why lotus roots eat people? Why do they eat people?!!"

Xu Dabao looked back at Yang He, only to see him stare into the deep water for several breaths before doing the opposite, laboriously swimming toward Zhang Kai.

"Has he gone insane?!"

Yang He ignored Xu Dabao's warning and desperately pulled himself forward with the red rope.

Zhang Kai thought Yang He had come to save him and struggled even harder. As a result, tender lotus leaves slowly sprouted from his chest.

The lotus leaves were bewitchingly colored, their veins resembling layer upon layer of flesh.

At the same time, Qing Lake in Yang He's eyes became increasingly bizarre.

Spiritual Vision: 1 point

The moonlight was hazy, and Qing Lake shimmered with ripples. Countless infants were soaking in the water.

Yang He's movements became stiff, and a layer of white frost covered his skin. Yet his gaze remained locked on the infant tormenting Zhang Kai.

The infant focused only on drawing nourishment. Its limbs had already rooted themselves into Zhang Kai's internal organs.

"Even if I die, I should at least take back a souvenir."

Yang He's eyes reddened. He gripped the red rope and looped it directly around the infant's right arm, then pulled with all his strength. Its cries grew more and more shrill.

Ripples spread across the water's surface. Something even more horrifying was approaching.

Zhang Kai stopped struggling and said with trembling lips, "Little brother, forget about me. It's coming..."

"Who?"

"The Three Mountains Goddess."

Yang He's heart jolted. A pair of slender jade hands settled on his shoulders.

A woman's gentle murmur drifted over. "Young Master."

Then came a second pair, a third pair, a fourth pair...

Dense arms caressed Yang He's chest and abdomen. The fragrance of rouge filled the air, while a long, narrow neck wound around him three times. A woman sighed softly beside his ear.

"Young Master, how cruel-hearted you are. Do not harm our child~~"

Yang He's eyes grew intoxicated. Then agonizing pain erupted from his abdomen as the Three Mountains Goddess stuffed lotus seeds into his organs. Lotus leaves were about to sprout.

Seeing this, he hesitated no longer. He planted his right foot on the lotus-root infant's back and yanked with all his strength. A pallid lotus-root arm fell into his hand.

Yang He grabbed the lotus-root arm, thoroughly enraging the Three Mountains Goddess.

"Ah!"

His flesh was torn open. Yang He could feel the Three Mountains Goddess holding his heart in both hands, and incomparable cold drowned his consciousness.

His vision went black, and amid spinning heavens and earth, he left the Lore World.

Cooking smoke curled upward, and firewood crackled.

Yang He's clothes were soaked through with sweat. When the early spring cold wind blew, he could not help leaning against the wall and dry-heaving.

Old Man Yang was busy in the kitchen and did not notice his younger son's miserable state.

Yang He vomited up a bellyful of sour water, then collapsed limply in the corner. His heartbeat slowly settled, and he summoned the panel.

Spiritual Vision: 4.5 points

Merely coming into contact with the Three Mountains Goddess had caused Spiritual Vision to surge. It was clear just how unnatural she was.

Your role, 'Lotus Root Harvester,' has died. Lore performance concluded.

Obtained 'Half Ghost Lotus Root.'

Obtained 'Twenty Taels of Broken Silver.'

Obtained 'Grudge-Soaked Red Rope.'

The phantoms of three items floated before Yang He's eyes.

Yang He could choose to bring them into the Main World for free, or directly exchange them for Spiritual Vision.

Twenty taels of broken silver can be exchanged for 0.1 points of Spiritual Vision.

"Bring it into the Main World."

With a thought from Yang He, a money pouch containing broken silver fell into his hand.

The broken silver inside was not made up of complete ingots and bore no official markings, but that did not stop it from being used in the Main World. Twenty taels was already a considerable sum.

Grudge-Soaked Red Rope can be exchanged for 0.8 points of Spiritual Vision.

The red rope emitted a bloody stench and was only half a meter long.

Grudge-Soaked Red Rope

A low-grade yin artifact formed by soaking in ghost blood. It cannot be used against ghosts, but it can affect Living Person. Tightening it around blood vessels can block yang energy.

"0.8 points of Spiritual Vision won't make much difference. Better keep it for self-defense."

Yang He nodded in satisfaction and tucked the faintly cool red rope into his clothes.

Humans and ghosts in the Main World were separated by a layer of Window Paper. Although the Hungry Ghost was an imminent threat, Living Person were no less dangerous.

"As for the Ghost Lotus Root..."

The Ghost Lotus Root was the strangest of all. It looked no different from an infant's arm, except its severed end displayed the structure of lotus root, with bloody fluid slowly seeping out.

Half Ghost Lotus Root

A yin object derived from a Ghost Child's limb. It can be refined through the Child-Mother Dao and is one of the yin objects required for a Child-Mother Ghost to advance into an Evil Ghost.

Half Ghost Lotus Root can be exchanged for 2.1 points of Spiritual Vision.

"Child-Mother Ghost."

Yang He recalled a book about ghosts and monsters he had read in his previous life. It had described Child-Mother Ghosts.

Legend had it that when a pregnant woman died from a miscarriage, she would retain her obsession with childbirth after becoming a ghost. At dawn, she would give birth to a thousand Ghost Child, then swallow every one of them at dusk.

The Child-Mother Ghost of Qing Lake in the lore was somewhat different. For some reason, it was connected to lotus roots.

"Exchange it."

Spiritual Vision: 6.6 points

Yang He currently had no way to handle yin objects. Keeping the Ghost Lotus Root would definitely bring trouble. If Peibai had a Child-Mother Ghost, it might very well draw an undeserved calamity upon him.

He had to be cautious. This world was simply too dangerous.

"Besides, ordinary people cannot stay in contact with yin objects for a Long Period."

Yang He held the red rope for only a moment before his arm began to go numb. The Ghost Lotus Root was likely like a hot potato—keeping it would be courting death.

"I wonder whether the Main World has cultivation methods for the Child-Mother Dao."

"If there's market demand, Qing Lake's number of Ghost Child could make someone rich."

Yang He merely entertained the thought. The Hungry Ghost Path was for Martial Artist; there was no way the Child-Mother Dao could be normal.

"A He."

Old Man Yang opened the kitchen door and said helplessly, "Dinner may take a little while longer. I'm going next door to scoop up a bucket of well water."

"Father, what's wrong?" Yang He frowned slightly.

"Some cat or dog probably died in the well, making the water smell terribly fishy. Fortunately, it's running water. It should be fine in a few days."

Old Man Yang carried the wooden bucket and turned to leave the courtyard.

Yang He's pupils contracted as he instinctively looked toward the well. With six points of Spiritual Vision, he could already see the subtle traces around him.

The well mouth was wet.

It was once again the Hungry Ghost's unique mucus, fresher than the mucus atop the eaves.

Had it just flowed out not long ago?

"Hungry... so hungry..."

Yang He stood on full alert as a grotesque head emerged from the well mouth.

The Hungry Ghost's Upper and Lower Jaw stretched wide. In only half a day, its head had become covered in wounds, half its tongue had been torn off, and its greedy eyes remained fixed on Yang He.

It raised its head to glance at the sky, then bent down and crawled back into the well.

I'm off to attend a banquet, so I'm posting early. Starting tomorrow, updates will be at eight every evening.

Thanks to Heavenly Secrets Tail Meow and Da Lei Li Le Bai E for becoming alliance leaders, thanks to Qingluan Flower Fragrance for becoming a sect leader, and thanks to Book Friend 20190501083802996, I Am the Little Matchstick Selling Boys, Shu Ba, LELTSKING, and Big Big Big Big Big Monster for the tips.