Raising Them Freely

"Let's go catch ghosts," Zhao Qian said seriously.

"Catch ghosts?" I frowned. If this were before, I might have scoffed. But after all the things that happened in Xiao Yi Hamlet, it was hard not to believe now. Besides, I had one living in my pocket.

However, catching ghosts was a life-threatening job, not like washing dishes or hauling bricks. Of course, the pay wasn't comparable to ordinary jobs either. Just look at the Audi Zhao Qian was driving.

"Yes, catch ghosts," Zhao Qian answered me with absolute certainty.

"Don't you know Taoist magic? Can't you catch them yourself? Why are you looking for me?" I couldn't help but wonder. Seeing her previous abilities, driving away some Lingering Spirit and wild ghosts shouldn't be a problem. Moreover, from what Old Hai implied, her family was probably a Taoist lineage, so she would know quite a bit of orthodox magic. Then why would she need to hire an outsider to catch ghosts?

It was probably more than just catching ghosts.

"I can't... Didn't you see? I'm only half a Feng Shui master. Like that fierce ghost we dealt with today, I was helpless. And something big happened in my family, something no expert can solve. That's why my father told my brother and me to invite your Grandma, Witch Zhou, out of seclusion." Zhao Qian shook her head with a wry smile, looking at me expectantly.

"So my grandma passed away, and you came looking for me? Heh, let me tell you, I haven't learned a single move from my grandma. The fierce ghost I dealt with earlier was also something I just got from my grandma's legacy. I don't know anything about catching ghosts, so you should find someone else." I dismissed her idea. After all, my knowledge of my grandma's magic was limited to the books I saw when I was little. If I were to catch ghosts, at most I could release the little fierce ghost for her to deal with.

Zhao Qian fell silent. After a while, her eyes actually turned red. "You're lying to me..."

"I'm not lying! Before the funeral procession, I had never seen a ghost. The Lingering Spirit in Xiao Yi Village was also the first time I saw them. This is because I obtained my grandma's Spirit Communication Talisman." Seeing that she was about to cry, I immediately felt around in my pocket and took out the Spirit Communication Talisman, which had become so faded I could barely see it, and handed it to Zhao Qian.

If I hadn't taken it out, I wouldn't have known. My Spirit Communication Talisman, in its current state, had probably lost its effect.

"Careful! Someone's ahead!"

Just as I turned to hand the Spirit Communication Talisman to Zhao Qian, she suddenly shouted.

I slammed on the brakes, but when I looked ahead, there was no one there except for the incredibly quiet night.

"I'll be damned, there was definitely someone there!" Zhao Qian hurriedly opened the door and got out to check if we had hit someone.

She looked under the car but found no trace of anyone being hit. Just as she was about to look up, she froze: No, it looked like a pair of footprints were walking behind the car...

Zhao Qian was startled and looked around. The surroundings were empty. To the left was a mountain, and to the right was a cliff. The road wound down the mountainside, looking like a place prone to accidents. Where could anyone be?

I frowned in the car, watching Zhao Qian. At that moment, Sister Wife suddenly tugged my sleeve. I immediately turned my head. This turn almost scared the life out of me!

A woman in pure white clothes, her face covered in blood, was sitting in the back seat. Her eyes and mouth were full of blood. Her fingers, already bent into several unnatural angles, were reaching out to touch Yu Xiao Xue, who was sleeping soundly next to her!

However, something on Yu Xiao Xue's body suddenly repelled her, and she quickly retracted her hand.

It was Yu Xiao Xue's Spirit Communication Talisman!

At that moment, I remembered that my Spirit Communication Talisman was still with Zhao Qian. I immediately opened the lid of the soul urn in my pocket. But at that very instant, the white-clothed female ghost also turned her head, her pupil-less eyes staring at me, and then lunged at me.

"Possession!?" I felt a surge of terror in my heart, remembering Zhang Kaifu's tragic fate. I never thought I would be lucky enough to experience this day!

The moment the female ghost grabbed me, I felt a chill all over my body, as if my soul had been ripped out. Almost instantly, my body lost control!

Why couldn't Sister Wife protect me? I struggled to think.

"Idiot."

Just as I was thinking this, Sister Wife's voice somehow entered my ear, and I suddenly regained consciousness.

My body returned to my control, but I still felt very cold, so cold that I was trembling all over.

I looked closely and saw that the white-clothed female ghost, I didn't know when, had been dragged out of my body by my pet little fierce ghost, like a dead dog being dragged by its hair. Then, it opened its mouth, full of sharp teeth, and bit off half of the white-clothed female ghost's face!

The white-clothed fierce ghost writhed like a twisted snake, even trying to claw at the little fierce ghost. However, the little fierce ghost showed no mercy, directly biting off the other's entire head, and then, like sucking on jelly, swallowed the entire white-clothed female ghost.

Afterward, she began to stare at me with her terrifying black eyes, showing a predatory expression.

My heart turned cold. Did this fierce ghost not let me have full control either?

I took out the soul urn, and the little fierce ghost immediately bared its teeth, its expression fierce, as if it might swallow me at any moment, just like it had the female ghost.

My face turned grim. I thought about reciting the incantation to reprimand her, after all, we had a contract.

The little fierce ghost was displeased. It chattered in ghost language and angrily turned its head away, ignoring me.

I didn't understand why, thinking it was angry that I gave the Spirit Communication Talisman to Zhao Qian.

"You don't want to go back?" I asked, slightly displeased.

The little fierce ghost looked at me and nodded, grinning with its bared teeth.

I felt like this little fierce ghost was going crazy from being cooped up in the soul urn. If I locked her up again now, it might cause even bigger trouble. After all, she looked like a little loli. So, I could only pretend to be stern and say, "Then remember, don't lay a hand on my friends, not even a touch."

The little fierce ghost nodded vigorously, then floated over and extended its slender hand.

I was startled, thinking she was going to do something, but she actually climbed onto my shoulder!

I watched this happen with some fear, unable to move, until she was completely on my shoulder, her arms wrapped around my neck, and her head resting by my head!

Am I that familiar with you?! I thought to myself, unable to contain my internal complaints. Yet, she leaned on me as if we were very close, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world, like she had returned to her own home.

Fortunately, she was weightless, otherwise, besides being mentally exhausted, I would have been physically strained too.

Fearing she might bother others, I could only grit my teeth and pretend she didn't exist, continuing to sit in the driver's seat, deciding to let her be.

Zhao Qian, outside the car, had seen me release the little fierce ghost and also saw it end up on my shoulder. However, she didn't dare to come in. Her ghost-catching tools were in the trunk, so she watched helplessly.

Only after I dealt with the white-clothed fierce ghost did she run in. "Tian Ge! Are you alright? It's all my fault for taking the important Spirit Communication Talisman from you!"

"I'm fine... Ah... Achoo!" I felt a wave of dizziness. I think I caught a cold.

That powerful ghost almost succeeded in possessing me. If it weren't for the little fierce ghost pulling me out of its body before the possession was complete, I probably would have ended up booking a room directly in the hospital morgue.

"This ghost is very powerful. It could see me even without the Spirit Communication Talisman. It's not an ordinary Lingering Spirit." I took a deep breath and started the car.

"Brother Tian, don't you have any protective items? Like tortoise shells, consecrated white jade, or something similar? If you had those, not only could you avoid them, but they wouldn't dare to easily approach you." Zhao Qian rummaged through the glove compartment in the passenger seat, pulled out some cold medicine, and hastily handed me a bottle of water.

As she handed me the medicine, she clearly glanced at the red-clothed fierce ghost clinging to my neck. Her hands trembled, and she swallowed hard, almost crying from fear.

"I've never even seen a ghost before, how would I have that stuff?" I understood that I was naturally heavy with Yin energy, attracting fierce ghosts. However, before, Sister Wife protected me, keeping all spirits and ghosts at bay.

But for some reason, this time Sister Wife had a problem and couldn't scare away the fierce ghost. I suspected it might be because of what happened at Grandma's place earlier, which had drained her energy.

I didn't dare to say it directly, so I just took the medicine and drank the water, handing the bottle back to Zhao Qian.

Zhao Qian took the water and glanced again at the little red-clothed fierce ghost. When the little red-clothed fierce ghost noticed Zhao Qian's attention, it expressionlessly turned its head to look back at her.

Zhao Qian's teeth chattered, making a clattering sound.

"Don't scare people! She can see you. If you scare her again, I'll lock you back up!" I snapped. Only then did the red-clothed fierce ghost turn its head back and continue to cling to my neck.

Zhao Qian breathed a sigh of relief, but as she was about to put the water back in its original place, her cheeks inexplicably turned red.

I immediately understood the problem. The mineral water just now had been opened. It was clearly water that Zhao Qian had drunk herself. In her haste, we had indirectly kissed.

"You might have heavy Yin energy, making you prone to attracting those things. When we get to the county town later, you should stay at my place. My house has been feng shui-arranged by a master, and I've also buried many treasures that can ward off evil. Those ghostly things wouldn't dare to come. Besides, Yu Xiao Xue is a single girl; you can't have her staying alone in a hotel room, can you? The things you attract are so powerful; even if they can't harm you, they could harm Yu Xiao Xue," Zhao Qian said, her face still flushed.

"You saw the one on my shoulder. I'm afraid of disturbing your family," I said sheepishly. I could imagine that the Zhao family was a large one, with many people. I still had Grandma's leather suitcase, and I was harboring a red-clothed fierce ghost. I couldn't just go to someone else's house like this.

But Yu Xiao Xue was indeed someone I needed to consider. My Spirit Communication Talisman had basically lost its effectiveness, and Yu Xiao Xue wasn't much better off. The white-clothed female ghost had just sat beside her. I either had to make her stay far away from me, or I had to protect her well.

"It's... it's fine. That's your familiar. Besides, I live alone too; I don't live with my family. My elder brother just returned from the military and is very busy. He's always out drinking with his friends and brings all sorts of people home. His place is too noisy, it's impossible to live there. You and Yu Xiao Xue can stay at my place first, consider it an invitation from your friend, okay?" Zhao Qian looked at me expectantly.

With things said to this point, I couldn't refuse any longer. I could only say, "Alright, I'll consider it an invitation between friends. But I never agreed to the ghost-catching work you mentioned earlier. You saw it yourself; I almost got possessed just now."