When the Dead Have Souls, They Answer the Call

"Why?" Gu Yang murmured. "What exactly are Specters...?"

He would gladly fight enemies in bloody battle, but slaughtering these unarmed commoners now left Gu Yang with an inexplicable ache in his heart.

Though, judging from everyone's reactions and Master Liao's words, he had some guesses.

But did they truly have to be killed?

Hearing this, Liu Zhuang immediately sighed. "Don't blame Master Liao for being ruthless. My family lives near his, and I heard from my father that Master Liao's entire family died in a Specter Calamity. That's why he hates those who ignore the authorities' warnings."

"You know why?" Gu Yang abruptly turned, his eyes blazing as he stared at Liu Zhuang. "Why did Master Liao give such an order? And what is a Specter Calamity?"

"Mm..." Liu Zhuang fell silent for a moment, then asked somewhat doubtfully, "Every year near the year's end, the city goes under martial law. Even if you were selected into the Martial Academy from outside the city, after cultivating there for several years, you should know about this, shouldn't you?"

"I've been in the Martial Academy for less than a year. I've never spent the New Year in the city. Please explain it to me." Though Gu Yang was agitated, he softened his tone as he spoke.

The others were all earnestly carrying out Master Liao's orders. There were enough Martial Academy disciples that one fewer made no difference, so Liu Zhuang simply stopped and stood beside Gu Yang, explaining in a low voice, "In truth, if these people aren't killed, the harm caused will be even greater. The reason lies in the Specter Calamity I just mentioned."

As Liu Zhuang explained, Gu Yang came to understand the cause of it all.

In truth, the Human Race throughout Cangzhou had possessed a cultural tradition of worshipping their ancestors since ancient times.

But around the year's end several decades ago, a terrifying kind of creature suddenly appeared within Cangzhou.

They looked human, their bodies dim and translucent. They possessed no reason and were murderous by nature. Canglong Island named these creatures Specters.

Canglong Island paid an enormous price to destroy the Specters that had ravaged Cangzhou at the time, but the devastation they caused had still not fully recovered even after several decades.

There were many theories regarding the Specters. Some claimed they were a race that had migrated from afar, while others said they were weapons of war created by the Alien Race.

In the end, only after Canglong Island's great experts deduced the truth was it confirmed that Specters were a special form of life created through various processes after a living being died.

And if the living called out to and worshipped the dead, then if the other party had already become a Specter, it would be very easy to summon it over and have it possess the one who had called it.

Yet the Specter that answered the summons was no longer the family member it had once been, but a mindless monster.

More importantly, after a Specter descended, if it possessed no host, it could only move within a certain range. But once it entered a possessed state, it could move freely, unrestricted by territory or distance!

Over thirty years ago, everyone had only just endured the Specter disaster and had yet to fully understand its nature. Thus, when handling an incident, those in charge at the time overlooked the child in a woman's womb.

As a result, after the Specter descended, it directly transformed into a Ghost Infant, tore through her belly, and ravaged an entire street.

It was also in that disaster that Master Liao, still a child at the time, lost his entire family to the Ghost Infant's hands, save for himself.

In truth, one speculation was not wrong. This really was a weapon of war, because Specters were artificially created. This had also been confirmed by Canglong Island's great experts.

After all, the Human Race had worshipped their ancestors for countless years without any trouble before. Since trouble had now appeared, something must have been pulling strings in the shadows.

Whoever tampered with ancestral worship could not escape the death penalty!

Canglong Island had long issued a notice: any information related to the thing behind the Specters had to be reported to Canglong Island immediately.

If the information was verified, the informant would receive a mountain of rewards.

After hearing the full story, Gu Yang felt not the slightest desire for rewards. All he felt was boundless killing intent—killing intent toward the life hiding behind the curtain, the one that had planned all this.

No wonder the Gu Family had never commemorated his elder brother, who had died young. Was it because his parents did not miss him? No. It was because they could not!

No wonder Master Liao had given such an inhuman order. Was it because Master Liao was cold-blooded and heartless? No. It was because he had no choice!

For the safety of others, for the safety of even more people, he could only act this way. Only then could the disaster be contained within the smallest possible scope.

He could not blame his parents, nor could he blame Master Liao. Then who should he blame?

His heart filled with hatred, killing intent spilled from Gu Yang's eyes. Standing beside him, Liu Zhuang immediately shuddered.

Just then, the disciples returned one after another and reported to Master Liao, "All residences have been checked!"

"Mm. Gather all the living people together and lead them out of this village. You should leave as well. Ignore those villagers and return directly to the city." Master Liao waved a hand and replied expressionlessly.

"Master Liao, then you..." One disciple stepped forward, his eyes full of reluctance.

"I... I'll remain beside those villagers. If any Specters descend, I'll naturally deal with them." Master Liao answered as though it were only natural.

"Master Liao, we'll stay with you!" Upon hearing his words, the disciples all stepped forward.

Even Gu Yang took a step forward. Though he said nothing, determination shone in his eyes as well.

At this moment, a suffocating gloom lodged in his chest. If he did not let it out, he would never find peace. If he simply left like this, he would never forgive himself.

Martial training was not meant merely for slaughtering one's own people. Its blade should be pointed at enemies, whether they stood in the open or lurked in the dark!

Unfortunately, Master Liao did not see it that way.

"Don't just stand there! Get the people out first!" Master Liao's tiger eyes widened as he barked, "You? A bunch of little brats who haven't even condensed Blood Qi—if a Specter stood right in front of you, you still wouldn't be able to touch it!"

"Yes." A chorus of helpless replies rang out.

A short while later, the disciples led a group of trembling commoners out of the village and onto the official road.

Master Liao immediately began driving them away, but by then, it was already too late.

Yin winds howled as three Specters emerged from the void and pounced directly at the crowd.

"Run!" Master Liao roared, his Blood Qi erupting in an instant.

"Boom!" Terrifying Blood Qi solidified in midair, transforming into a gigantic whale. At the same time, Master Liao's skin turned dark blue.

Power surged through his legs, and his long blade danced. Master Liao immediately charged toward the three Specters.

On the other side, Gu Yang's face was full of struggle, yet he still followed the wailing commoners toward Wan City.

But at that moment, a little girl beside him abruptly stopped crying. Her eyes turned pitch-black, sharp nails extended from her five fingers, and she silently reached for Gu Yang...