Spirit Remains

Xu Yi's heartbeat gradually quickened.

He did not say those words aloud—

Then my spirituality should be suited to receiving this Night Roaming God inheritance.

Jing Tao had clearly seen that fact.

She merely answered Xu Yi's question:

"[Spirit Remains] are bones that possess special spirituality.

Night Roaming Gods, Hundred Night Miasma, and some ordinary people with powerful spirituality all have the potential to become Spirit Remains.

Each individual's spirituality is different, and the abilities refined into Spirit Remains are different as well."

"I have already tested Ji Xiao's Spirit Remains—this [Fox Incense]. Its ability is this:

After the Fox Incense is lit, within a very small area—roughly ten square meters—anyone who smells the incense will collapse to the ground uncontrollably.

It lasts for about three minutes.

After three minutes, the Fox Incense's spirituality will lose control.

What kind of disaster will occur after its spirituality loses control... I do not know.

Once a Spirit Remains' spirituality loses control, disaster is inevitable. It is a very serious matter, and no one can bear the consequences.

So, if you use this Fox Incense, you absolutely, absolutely, absolutely must not use it for more than three minutes at a time!"

As Jing Tao spoke, her feelings were somewhat complicated.

During the time Xu Yi had just been unconscious, she had tested Ji Xiao's Spirit Remains.

She released the Ghost Man Xu Yi had once seen, lit the Fox Incense, and kept them both within the same space.

The Ghost Man collapsed amid the fragrance. It held on for nearly three minutes, and as the three-minute mark approached, she nearly lost control of it.

She watched with her own eyes as it came within a hair's breadth of being transformed by the spirituality in the Spirit Remains, which was about to lose control, into some unknown and terrifying evil spirit.

If this Fox Incense were used on a person, no one knew what would happen after three minutes.

"That Night Roaming God inheritance I just mentioned specializes in the containment, management, registration, and sealing of Spirit Remains.

It is dangerous work, because some Spirit Remains are 'dead remains.' Like this Fox Incense—they can be used as soon as you get them, so long as you heed each Spirit Remains' particular taboos.

But some Spirit Remains are alive—they are 'Living Remains.'

Living Remains... are difficult to handle, and very dangerous."

Jing Tao looked at Xu Yi, her tone grave:

"So you had better not use that ability again.

If you accidentally create a Living Remains, not even an Orthodox God will be able to save you!"

Xu Yi said seriously:

"I will be careful."

Jing Tao nodded.

"Half of a Night Roaming God's abilities come from Spirit Remains...

You have not yet become a Night Roaming God. It is too early to speak of this."

Jing Tao did not pursue the subject any further.

Leaning against the back of her chair, she looked at Xu Yi. She seemed to be speaking of unrelated matters, but every word struck straight at Xu Yi's heart, answering the doubts that had filled him from earlier that day until now:

"During the day, there were no living people in this residence except my father.

The layer of black gauze shrouding my residence is a [Demon] called the Mist Veil Demon. It can simulate a dark environment and allow Hundred Night Miasma to appear during the day.

That fake gatekeeper was a [Monster], transformed from this residence's gatekeeper's room...

While the Old Gatekeeper was alive, he was human. He guarded this place for decades—he had been here even before my family moved in.

The Old Gatekeeper served several generations of masters. Later, he died of illness, but his obsession with guarding the home catalyzed the gatekeeper's room. He merged with it and became a [Monster].

Although [Monsters] cannot communicate normally with people, our Old Gatekeeper was loyal to the bitter end and had never dropped the ball.

You saw through him today because his spirituality happened to be running out.

When something happened to the fake gatekeeper, it triggered the restriction I had set, and that was how I learned someone had invaded the residence.

The flower beds, the peace jars, the main gate, the corridors... and places you could not see were all spiritual traps. Once triggered, the consequences would be severe.

You found Ji Xiao not because you were lucky, but because Ji Xiao's spirituality attracted your spirituality and drew you into this cellar.

What else do you not understand?"

Xu Yi asked:

"Everyone's spirituality is different?"

Jing Tao nodded heavily.

"Yes. We are born that way."

Xu Yi asked again:

"What exactly is Ji Xiao?"

Jing Tao answered:

"She was originally human.

She was a dancer at the Neon Grand Ballroom.

Later, as age dimmed her beauty, she grew intensely jealous of younger dancers. She used some evil arts of the Animal Path to alter her face and body, hoping to return to youth. Instead, she became tainted with the spirituality of a fox spirit and turned into a [Demon].

As long as someone speaks with Ji Xiao for more than three minutes, she can control them for thirty seconds. That is her ability as a demon.

Thirty seconds is enough for her to crack bones and suck marrow.

She used that demonic art to blind many people, eat many people, and bewitch many people.

Once, when my father went to the Neon Grand Ballroom to discuss business with a client, she set her sights on him. He inhaled her soul-bewitching incense, fell into her trap, brought her home, and made her a concubine.

Later, I accidentally discovered her true form and drove her out.

In retaliation, she seduced some collateral relatives of the Jing Family, concocted all manner of plots, broke my father's spine, and seized my family's property.

"At the height of our prosperity, my family not only owned a Medicinal Soap Factory, but also ran a small textile mill.

My hometown produces a kind of pear called the Guanghe Pear. My father bought them in bulk from our hometown, so they were plentiful and cheap. Back then, all the common people in Puxi City ate our Guanghe Pears!"

After saying that, she lowered her head slightly.

The movement was small, but Xu Yi still caught it.

"Later, with Ji Xiao's help, all of the family's businesses were seized by our relatives."

"At that time, I had nowhere to turn. I lived each day in fear and unease, terrified that Ji Xiao's next target would be me.

I was fortunate enough to meet my master. He brought me into the fold and made me a Night Roaming God, allowing me to see through Ji Xiao's tricks and avoid being murdered by her sinister methods.

Later, I worked very hard at using spirituality and studied very hard. I even prayed for the Outer God's help at school, and only then did I narrowly survive until today."

An Outer God?

Looking at Jing Tao's attire, Xu Yi thought that she most likely attended a joint-venture school. In that case, the Outer God she spoke of was probably a foreigner's god.

Whether it was the one born in Zhumadian or the one born in Jerusalem, however, he did not know.

"Finally, one time when she was off guard, I devised a way to knock her unconscious and abducted her here."

Those simple words contained bitterness and hardship that could never be spoken to outsiders.

Xu Yi remained silent.

"So that was the truth."

Jing Tao did not continue speaking.

By the faint firelight, the girl looked at the pink-and-white Fox Incense at her feet, her gaze somewhat unfocused.

After five years of back-and-forth enmity, now that her great vengeance had finally been avenged, she did not feel even the slightest bit of happiness.