Hundred Ghosts Parade at Night

Chapter 9: Hundred Ghosts Parade at Night

Ji Li had no idea that she had already been labeled "big chest, no brain" in Lu Xun's mind.

She was still in a rather excited state, because she had caught the subtext in Lu Xun's words—that plump older sister was actually a cultivator!

Ji Li yearned for cultivation more than anything, after all, possessing a Magic Sword and a Demonic Art meant she had already obtained a ticket in.

As long as Lu Xun became her Cauldron, she could begin cultivating.

But she herself knew this was a path of no return.

If she weren't truly burdened by a blood-soaked vendetta, she would never have considered this Demonic Art.

But now things were different—a legendary cultivator was staying in the same inn as her!

Although her image didn't match Ji Li's imagination of a cultivator, regardless of height or weight, a cultivator was still a cultivator!

Among martial artists, how many could step from martial arts into the Dao?

Though she remembered that those who did were all extraordinary, most martial artists, even if they trained their whole lives, could never match a cultivator.

If she were fortunate enough to take a cultivator as her master, and one day achieved success in cultivation, she could avenge her parents!

Ji Li couldn't help but straighten her back and lift her chest, as if she had already plunged into boundless fantasies.

Lu Xun looked at her, wanting to say: "Miss, snap out of it!"

Not a drop of wine touched her lips, yet she was already this drunk?

It took a long while before Ji Li came back to reality: "How can you be sure she's a cultivator?"

"Because ever since she came to our room, your sword has changed," Lu Xun said helplessly. This silly girl still hadn't noticed the difference in the Wedding Dress Sword?

"Eh!?" Ji Li quickly lowered her head to glance at the Wedding Dress Sword.

If she circulated the True Qi within her body, she could previously sense a faint spiritual charm on the sword, but now it felt like a piece of Mortal Iron, merely good-looking.

Yet she could confirm it was still the same sword, just different on the surface.

"It's like... a layer of illusion?" she couldn't help but say.

Lu Xun nodded.

"Did you notice it back then?" Ji Li asked, puzzled.

Lu Xun nodded.

"You're amazing!" Ji Li couldn't help but exclaim.

"[Affection +1...+1...+1...]"

Lu Xun's mouth twitched: "..."

He looked at Ji Li and said, "The reason I called you here to sit for a bit was to discuss this matter with you."

He continued, "Cultivation sects are always eager to recruit disciples. Your family background is clean, your circumstances are pitiable, and meeting one is a stroke of fate. There shouldn't be any major issues—the key is whether you have Cultivation Aptitude."

"You know so much!" Ji Li propped her cheek on her hand, gazing at Lu Xun.

"[Affection +1...+1...+1...]"

Enough already! Can we have a proper conversation!?

Back to the point, so-called Cultivation Aptitude, on the Tian Chen Continent, was something profoundly mysterious. But in the game, it was the special attribute [Comprehension].

Lu Xun currently had [Comprehension 1], the lowest level, just barely crossing the threshold for cultivation, allowing him to walk the legendary trash-turned-prodigy path.

However, his [Comprehension] could be improved, whereas natives like Ji Li, unless they encountered some great fortune in the future, obtained a grand opportunity, and lucked into a protagonist template, would never change their talent for life.

Ji Li took a sip of the tea provided by the small shop and said to Lu Xun, "Does that mean as long as I have Cultivation Aptitude, I have a good chance of entering a sect?"

Lu Xun nodded. "A very good chance."

Ji Li's round little face tightened slightly, looking a bit nervous.

Her martial arts talent was indeed excellent, but her cultivation talent... that remained to be seen.

And Lu Xun was still a level 0 noob, so he couldn't tell anything for now.

Looking at Ji Li's small face, Lu Xun hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping.

There were things he knew clearly in his heart, after all, he had encountered Murong Yan when playing his low-level account before and knew her true identity.

But he couldn't tell Ji Li now, because he had no way to explain how he knew.

"She'll find out when the time comes," Lu Xun thought to himself.

The weather grew colder, and the sky turned somewhat gloomy.

It was already late when they entered the city, and now it was nearly dark, looking like rain was on the way.

Many passersby were hurrying home, and from what Lu Xun overheard, he learned that today was actually the Ghost Festival.

The Ghost Festival, also called the Seventh Month Half, was known as the Ghost Festival.

Tonight, Wei County would likely be a bit quieter. Many people should be staying home, not venturing outside.

Upon hearing that today was the Ghost Festival, Ji Li lowered her head slightly, her fingers stroking the Wedding Dress Sword lying across her lap, the rims of her eyes faintly reddening.

She was thinking of her parents.

Lu Xun didn't know how to comfort her in that moment, but instead recalled a passage:

[He watched the nurse carry me out of the delivery room. Back then, I was crying, and he was laughing.

I watched him sleep inside the coffin. Now, I'm crying, but he no longer pays me any mind.]

Parting forever through life and death—it's simply something that leaves one feeling powerless.

"Let's head back," Lu Xun said to Ji Li.

She nodded obediently.

After returning to the inn, Ji Li ate a little something casually, then shut herself in her room.

Outside, it indeed started to rain—a torrential downpour with no sign of letting up.

Lu Xun, rarely alone, lay on his bed, listening to the rain as he continued pondering his next steps, refining his plans.

Late into the night, Lu Xun heard urgent knocking at his door. When he opened it, he saw Ji Li standing there, holding the Wedding Dress Sword.

And this Wedding Dress Sword was faintly trembling!

Since it had become a Magic Sword, it already possessed its own spirit. For the sword to suddenly tremble like this, there had to be a reason.

Lu Xun was currently just a level-zero newbie, and Ji Li was merely a martial artist. Their senses might not even match the sword's.

"Something's off! Let's go, take a look outside!" Lu Xun said.

He wasn't afraid of running into trouble. If the sky fell, the tall ones would hold it up first. This inn housed cultivators, and if anyone had to take the brunt, it would be Murong Yan.

Going downstairs, the inn was eerily quiet, though the sound of rain was noisy.

Only Murong Yan sat alone by the entrance, her body blocking half the door.

She was somewhat surprised to see Lu Xun and Ji Li coming down, but after a glance at the Wedding Dress Sword in Ji Li's hand, Murong Yan understood what was going on.

The rain outside was truly too heavy, and with it being the Ghost Festival, it felt as if the temperature had dropped a bit.

Lu Xun glanced outside. Due to his special nature, his eyes could perceive more information. Even though he was still a low-level character and hadn't practiced any techniques, he could still see many things ordinary people couldn't.

He had only casually looked out the door, but now he couldn't help widening his eyes.

He saw such a wondrous scene:

—In the heavy rain, a Hundred Ghosts Parade at Night, and someone mixed in among them, happier than the ghosts themselves.

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