Seven Tenths Ripe

Pro State, Knife Ghost Ridge.

Cui Tike was gathering the divine statues from the sunflower disks inside the Divine Temple. Although Li Banfeng had previously explained the sunflowers' function, Cui Tike was still shocked when he saw the actual results.

"So much popularity, stored with terrifying efficiency." Cui Tike picked up a divine statue and fastened it onto his own head. The pure popularity gave him some hallucinations.

"It feels like new life is being conceived within my body!" Cui Tike was extremely excited. "I have new inspiration. I can see my dreams drawing closer and closer—"

Cui Tike, immersed in joy, suddenly lost his smile and looked beyond the Divine Temple with full vigilance.

There was noise, fighting. Someone had broken into Bastard Slope. Cui Tike could not be certain of his judgment. The way he enhanced his hearing was by causing a certain degree of disease in his auditory nerves. This strengthened his ability to catch faint sounds, but also weakened his ability to distinguish them.

"It could be the wind, falling rocks, or DaoLao Ghosts fooling around." To be safe, Cui Tike disguised himself as a DaoLao Ghost and followed the sound to Songde Village. In a cornfield, he saw Anna being besieged by DaoLao Ghosts.

The corn was growing well, which pleased Cui Tike greatly. DaoLao Ghosts needed grain too.

Anna was not in good condition. Cui Tike was still hesitating over how to handle her. Though he and Anna normally addressed each other as brother and sister, Anna was an intruder after all.

"Mingka~"

Cui Tike let out a low, muffled roar, and the DaoLao Ghosts besieging Anna temporarily stopped attacking.

Anna was covered in scorch marks and blood. Very little skin remained on her originally lovely cheeks. Her vision was terribly blurred, and so