Ghost Oath

I looked at Martial Uncle, who nudged his chin towards the female ghost. "What about her? Just leave her here?"

Martial Uncle was also at a loss, so he looked at the female ghost and asked her what her plans were.

The female ghost looked up at Martial Uncle, then turned her head to look at me.

From her gaze, I saw a hint of 'excitement'?

I thought to myself, Holy crap! He's not thinking of… me, is he?

Then the female ghost looked at me and said timidly, "Um... can I follow you?"

I froze, my mouth forming an 'O' shape as I stared at the female ghost in disbelief.

I don't know how long passed like that. When I came to my senses, I started playing the victim.

I looked at the female ghost with a face full of terror and said, "Sister! I killed your subordinate to save my own life.

It was absolutely unavoidable. That well was also destroyed by Martial Uncle, it has nothing to do with me.

Your current state is also thanks to Martial Uncle's actions. I was just a bystander the whole time.

I almost lost my life just for glancing over there.

If you're angry, you can't take it out on me! As the saying goes, every wrong has its cause, every debt has its debtor.

You should go find the person who turned you into this! I am an innocent bystander!

Besides, you're a dignified Ghost King. If I may speak frankly.

If you wanted to kill me, it would be as easy as crushing a bug.

And I'm just an ordinary person with no special skills.

My family is dirt poor, and there were no unusual celestial phenomena when I was born.

Why are you fixated on me? Please, great Ghost King, spare my life.

How about this? Tell me what you like about me, and I'll change, okay?"

After hearing my speech, Martial Uncle looked at me with a face full of grief and indignation.

I blushed and lowered my head, thinking about how I had completely thrown Martial Uncle under the bus.

I couldn't help but feel a bit... well, the atmosphere was incredibly awkward.

I lowered my head, fiddling with the hem of my clothes, so embarrassed my toes were curling out a three-bedroom, one-hall apartment.

Martial Uncle glared at me, his eyes threatening to burst. "You... you coward.

My poor brother, who lived a life of honor, has a grandson like you."

Then Martial Uncle grumbled and muttered for a long time.

I just lowered my head and closed my eyes, ignoring whatever eloquent speech he was giving. I just wasn't listening.

After a while, Martial Uncle seemed to have tired himself out, stopping and looking at me resentfully.

I don't know if my brain short-circuited or what.

I just replied, "Is that all?"

Martial Uncle flipped his wrist, and a bamboo strip about as thick as a thumb appeared out of thin air in his hand.

Immediately after, he roared, "Today, I will cleanse the sect in my brother's stead."

Seeing this, I stood up and bolted. Martial Uncle was shouting behind me.

He yelled, "Don't run, don't run."

I yelled back as I ran, "Don't chase me, I'm not running."

We ran around the underground space twice like that, and then I was too exhausted to run anymore.

Martial Uncle propped himself up on his knees, breathing heavily. I leaned against a rock, looking at Martial Uncle with lingering fear.

I spoke first, asking Martial Uncle if we could call a truce for now and fight later.

Martial Uncle agreed, and I started walking back the way I came.

Halfway there, Martial Uncle called out to me. I asked him what was wrong, and he said to help him over.

Seeing that he was still holding the bamboo strip, I said he had to throw it away first.

Martial Uncle flipped his hand, and the bamboo strip vanished into thin air. Only then did I dare to go over and help him.

Thus, uncle and nephew slowly ambled back to our original spot.

After sitting down and catching our breath, Martial Uncle asked the female ghost why she wanted to follow me.

The female ghost said she wanted to follow me not because of my current state, but because she saw potential in my future.

Martial Uncle pondered for a moment, then nodded and said to the female ghost, "Continue."

The female ghost organized her thoughts and said, "When I was alive, I knew a bit about physiognomy. I saw that his appearance was extraordinary.

And he had the strongest attribute. So, I'm betting on his future, not his present.

Before he grows into his full potential, I can lend him a hand."

Of course, in return, once he has grown, he will also need to help me with some things.

I also want to see the outside world. Having someone from the outside world by my side is always a good thing.

Another reason is that without you all, I wouldn't be able to break through this great formation with my current strength.

But if you all help me operate it, it will be much easier."

I looked at the female ghost suspiciously and said, "Didn't that formation open already?

It opened when we came down, so how could you not get out?"

The female ghost looked at me and replied, "That formation traps ghostly creatures and yin creatures, but it doesn't trap people.

Ordinary people can't, but an ordinary cultivator can open it with ease."

Martial Uncle glanced at the female ghost, then asked her, "Is this what you're after?

And you said that once my nephew grows up, he'll help you. Can you tell me what you need help with?"

The female ghost said that while she was here, she was ordered around by the Corpse King, enduring humiliation and constant beatings.

Once they got out, a great battle would be inevitable, likely a fight to the death.

However, the female ghost couldn't defeat the Corpse King, so she wanted to use me to deal with the Corpse King together.

Of course, she meant using my "future grown self."

Hearing this, Martial Uncle nodded and said, "Your intentions and motives make sense.

Then how can you guarantee that you won't harm my nephew in the future?

I, an old man, don't believe just your empty words."

The female ghost looked up at Martial Uncle and asked, "Then how can you believe me?"

Martial Uncle said with a serious expression, "Unless you make a 'Ghost Oath,' I will believe you this once."

I watched as the female ghost hesitated, then seemed to ponder.

After a while, the female ghost seemed to have made up her mind.

Then, with a resolute tone, she said to Martial Uncle, "Alright, I promise you."

Hearing this, Martial Uncle nodded, signaling her to make the oath.

The female ghost stood up, raised three fingers to the sky, and then said in a solemn tone:

"Today, I, Ghost King Nangong Yiyi, hereby swear.

After we get out, I will definitely not harm the two people before me.

If I break this oath, my soul shall be scattered."

As soon as the female ghost finished speaking, a yellow light flew from somewhere and drilled into her forehead.

The female ghost's body swayed, then she calmed down.

Seeing this entire process, Martial Uncle relaxed considerably.

His tone towards her also became more amiable, no longer speaking in his previous harsh manner.

Then Martial Uncle said, "Let's go, let's get out first."

Hearing this, I prepared to get up. Before I could even stand, the female ghost's voice came.

"Wait."

Martial Uncle and I looked at the female ghost with questioning eyes.

I thought we'd finished talking. What other tricks does this woman have up her sleeve?

The female ghost said, a little embarrassed, that she needed to be sealed first.

Otherwise, the formation would sense her presence and attack her. If she were attacked by the formation again, her soul would be scattered.

Hearing this, Martial Uncle took out a small porcelain bottle, opened the cap, and gestured for the female ghost to enter.

The female ghost smiled slightly and transformed into a wisp of red light, entering the porcelain bottle.

Martial Uncle capped the bottle, affixed a talisman to it, and then put it into his bosom. He then said, "Let's go."

I asked Martial Uncle how we were supposed to get out since the path we came down had collapsed. Martial Uncle said it was fine.

He told me to stand next to him. I walked to Martial Uncle's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.

Then Martial Uncle grabbed my shoulder with one hand and formed a sword finger with the other.

He then pointed sharply upwards, and several bamboo stalks as thick as bowls emerged from beneath our feet.

They lifted me and Martial Uncle all the way towards the opening. The bamboo grew longer and longer.

I looked back. The bamboo behind us seemed to be getting thinner and thinner.

There was also the sound of wind whistling past my ears. What if it breaks and we fall? I thought.

However, it was just a false alarm. Before long, Martial Uncle and I landed on our feet.

Then we followed the path we had come, all the way back to the graveyard on the back of the mountain.

Breathing in the fresh air, my body and mind finally felt truly relaxed.

I took out the electronic watch from my bag and checked the time. It was around ten o'clock at night.

I didn't know how long we had been inside, but it was definitely not the night we went in.

Then I asked Martial Uncle, "Martial Uncle, do you know how long we were inside?"

Martial Uncle said it was probably about four days, if he remembered correctly.

I replied with an "Oh," thinking, Who cares how many days it was? It's good that we got out alive.