From Soft Feather's perspective:
Just as the two Spirit Ghosts were charging viciously at Shuhang, Senior Song calmly bent down, picked up his phone, and then pulled out a Poison Dragon Grass.
What extraordinary composure Senior Song had! It was as if the two vicious Spirit Ghosts pouncing at him were nothing but worthless trash, completely beneath notice!
Poison Dragon Grass was not exactly a precious medicinal herb, but... this particular Poison Dragon Grass was clearly not wild. Someone had deliberately planted it back then—as the Array Anchor Core.
The moment it was pulled out, an invisible formation barrier unfolded.
The two Spirit Ghosts that had tried to attack Song Shuhang slammed into the invisible formation barrier. It was like flies crashing into an electric fence: after crackling several times, they fell to the ground, unable to rise again. They had clearly lost all ability to resist.
"Th-that's amazing!" Soft Feather exclaimed inwardly.
She was marveling at Senior Song's eyesight!
She had spent so long setting things up here, yet she had not noticed that another formation was lurking here! When had Senior Song discovered it?
That Poison Dragon Grass was the Array Anchor Core of a powerful formation. Unlike an ordinary formation core that merely supplied power, an Array Anchor Core was the switch of a formation. Once it was pulled out, the formation would activate!
This should have been arranged by her father more than sixty years ago.
It seemed that her father had established two layers of sealing formations at Ghost Lantern Temple back then. One layer was a simple Spirit-Binding Formation that merely restricted the Spirit Ghosts' range of movement. It had been set up inside the temple, and had become ineffective after Ghost Lantern Temple was demolished.
The other layer, however, was a powerful sealing formation that normally remained hidden. But as soon as the Poison Dragon Grass was pulled out, it would activate. This was a grand formation meant to subdue the Spirit Ghosts. Once activated, the Spirit Ghosts in Ghost Lantern Temple would be subdued and sealed!
Had Senior Song discovered this second formation the moment he arrived? He had seemingly chosen to sit beside the formation core at random, but in fact, he had been prepared for any accident that might happen to her.
As expected of Senior! I still have so many things to learn!
Thinking this, Soft Feather simultaneously dashed forward and stepped on the two weakened Spirit Ghosts, pinning them beneath her feet.
Afterward, she pulled two beads shimmering with cold air from her large suitcase.
The Soul-Sealing Ice Pearl was a treasure used to seal Spirit Ghosts. Once a Spirit Ghost was sealed inside, and a formation related to contracts was prepared, one could form a contract with the Spirit Ghost!
To prevent any mishaps during the sealing process, Soft Feather had brought many Soul-Sealing Ice Pearls with her.
She held the two Ice Pearls between her fingers and rapidly formed several hand seals with both hands.
"Seal!" she shouted softly.
The two severely wounded Spirit Ghosts had no strength to resist. They were sealed into the two Soul-Sealing Ice Pearls separately!
Under Song Shuhang's wide-eyed stare, the two azure light clusters that had previously danced around Soft Feather were sucked into the two Ice Pearls.
The scene was utterly fantastical!
No scientific knowledge could explain what was happening before his eyes.
Song Shuhang quietly swallowed. At that moment, the worldview he had built over eighteen years collapsed by more than half—perhaps ghosts and monsters really did exist in this world?
Things that science could not perfectly explain might truly exist among humanity in some special form, concealed within the folk legends passed down through the ages?
"Senior, thank you so, so much this time. If you hadn't helped me, those two Spirit Ghosts would probably have escaped. Once they got away, they wouldn't return here again, and finding them next time would be troublesome." Soft Feather was immensely grateful.
"Haha." Song Shuhang gave a dry laugh. At that moment, what else could he say besides laugh awkwardly?
"Senior, there happened to be two Spirit Ghosts. I only need one, so I'll give the other to you! You might not have any use for it with your cultivation, but you can give it to your descendants or disciples." Soft Feather was a very generous person. She did not even blink at the priceless Mid-Rank Spirit Ghost as she extended it toward Shuhang.
I don't even have a girlfriend. Where would I get descendants?
"This thing is too precious. I can't accept it!" Song Shuhang said seriously—are you kidding me? There's a ghost inside this Ice Pearl! Although he was still half skeptical, what if there really was a ghost inside?
What if the ghost came out? What would he do? He was just an ordinary person, with no way to deal with ghosts and monsters. He would surely have his vital essence sucked dry and die!
He really shouldn't accept this thing, right?
"Senior, you must accept it. You helped me so much on this trip to Ghost Lantern Temple! If you don't accept this Spirit Ghost, I won't be able to put my mind at ease, and it'll affect my future cultivation!" Soft Feather was just as serious. She then forcibly stuffed one of the Soul-Sealing Ice Pearls into Shuhang's hand, leaving him no chance to refuse.
Song Shuhang felt a chill spread from his palm. Despite the sweltering weather, his whole body felt cool—if he carried this thing around in summer, it would be like having a portable air conditioner.
"Let's go. We should head back." Soft Feather smiled brightly, quickly packed the things she had set up beside the cemetery back into her suitcase, and cheerfully came over to Shuhang.
Shuhang could only stuff the Soul-Sealing Ice Pearl into his pocket. Since it was Soft Feather's heartfelt gift, he might as well accept it! Besides, the thing had already been sealed. It probably wouldn't come out anytime soon, right?
That was what he thought.
"Let's go back and catch up on some sleep. Then tomorrow morning, we'll go to the station to check the train tickets and get ready to leave." Song Shuhang spoke.
"Mm." Since their goal had been accomplished so smoothly, Soft Feather was in an excellent mood.
The two walked side by side and passed through the small grove.
"Ouch." Soft Feather suddenly cried out. She lowered her head and looked at her right foot. At some point, the shoe on her right foot had come unglued, and the sole had fallen off.
It had been damaged when she had exploded with speed to chase after the two Spirit Ghosts.
Song Shuhang turned his head in confusion. "Hm?"
"My shoe broke." Soft Feather raised her right leg. With the sole gone, her petite jade-like foot was exposed, her crystal-clear toes adorably wriggling.
"I'll support you. The motorcycle is just ahead. Also, I remember there's a commercial street near the hotel. We can go there first and see if they have any shoes." Song Shuhang laughed.
A moment later, the motorcycle roared once more, carrying the two of them away from the Ghost Lantern Temple cemetery.
Soft Feather held her huge suitcase and leaned against Shuhang's back, the corners of her lips raised. She was in an excellent mood.
Song Shuhang felt that the auntie selling sandals on the commercial street was truly a cold and beautiful woman.
Shuhang: "Auntie, how much are these women's sandals?"
The auntie frowned and said coldly, "Forty."
"That's expensive. Will you take twenty?" Song Shuhang ruthlessly haggled. In a place like a commercial street, cutting the price in half when buying something was absolutely the right move.
"Fine." The auntie gave a cold laugh. "Do you want the left shoe or the right one?"
Shuhang: "..."
"Hahahaha." Soft Feather, standing to the side, laughed so hard she could barely stand upright.
In the end, Song Shuhang could only obediently pay forty for the pair of women's sandals and have Soft Feather put them on.
The two got back on the motorcycle and headed toward the hotel.
On the way, Song Shuhang asked in confusion, "By the way, did I offend that auntie just now? Why do I feel like she kept sneering at me? Her laughter even made my back feel chilly."
"How would I know?" Soft Feather giggled.
Senior, your Red-Dust Tempering is still far from enough! she thought.
On the commercial street, the auntie gave an arrogant snort. "I'm only twenty-nine years old plus 144 months this year, and he actually called me an auntie? It's already generous of me not to charge him 250 for a pair. Hmph!"
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Ghost Lantern Temple Cemetery.
After Song Shuhang and Soft Feather had gone far away, a figure walked out of the woods. The figure sighed, took out a cigarette, and lit it with trembling hands before giving a bitter laugh—his laugh was so bitter that it seemed it would remain bitter even a hundred miles away.
The figure was that strange Altar Master. He had remained hidden in the darkness, waiting for an opportunity to act. But in the end, the "opportunity" he wanted had never appeared, and he had been unable to act even if he wanted to.
From beginning to end, he had hidden nearby and played the role of a spectator, watching helplessly as Soft Feather and Song Shuhang took the Spirit Ghosts away.
He had considered forcibly taking the Spirit Ghosts, but he had not dared to act.
Before you continue