Vengeful Ghosts and Wandering Souls

Despite having a rough idea of the Hogwarts castle from books and movies, Li Mu was still amazed by the richness and luxury of the interior when he actually arrived inside. The other students also looked around in amazement.

Going back a bit... After they got off the train, as in "history," the first-year students were led by Hagrid in groups of four, taking boats across the lake to the castle. Li Mu sat with Harry, Ron, and Neville, all of whom greeted Hagrid warmly.

It was clear that Hagrid was also happy to see "familiar faces." He was especially excited when he shouted and directed the students, his voice even louder than usual.

The lake was small and the water was calm, but Harry and Neville were both sitting nervously, afraid that the small boat would get tangled in the weeds or that their heads would be hit by the artificial rockeries jutting out of the lake.

Ron, on the other hand, seemed very relaxed. He secretly rejoiced that Hermione wasn't in the same boat as them. Otherwise, she would probably continue to talk endlessly about the historical origins of the boat ride across the lake, or continue to curiously ask about the connection between Celestial Dynasty Taoism and contemporary magic.

On the train, she had asked Li Mu more than once to teach her—how to cast magic without a wand.

The small boat sailed across the entire lake, and a group of twenty or thirty new students arrived at the castle gate. A female professor in emerald green robes, named Minerva McGonagall, was waiting there, leading them through the magnificent entrance hall, through the dark corridors, and finally into a small, empty room.

Li Mu stood behind Harry and the others, surrounded by young faces. He glanced behind him, and Hermione was still chatting with a few girls about the Hogwarts ceiling.

"Hasn't anyone read Hogwarts: A History?" she seemed surprised. "It says that someone cast a spell on the ceiling to make it show the celestial phenomena outside the castle, so we can see the starry sky outside..."

Before she could finish, Hermione stopped, because Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and began to speak.

Professor McGonagall's words were roughly to welcome the new students, and then introduce the four houses of Hogwarts—Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, named after their respective founders, reflecting their four people's educational philosophies and teaching styles.

Li Mu already knew these things, and he listened absentmindedly.

"In a few minutes, the Sorting Ceremony will begin in front of the entire school. I suggest you pay attention to your personal image." This was Professor McGonagall's last sentence. He glanced at the students and left the small room. "I will come back to inform you later."

Li Mu saw Harry trying to smooth his hair with his hand, and Hermione nervously tidying her clothes, then trying to make her fluffy brown hair a little smoother. Neville and Ron were originally dazed and indifferent, but Hermione, while tidying her clothes, even had time to step forward to remind her friends—

"Neville, your cloak is crooked. Oh!... And you, Ron, what's on your nose, is it dust again?" She said, pointing out the shortcomings of Neville and Ron one by one, but unfortunately, while helping her friends, she forgot to lower her voice, "Pay attention to Professor McGonagall's reminder, it may affect the sorting results!"

Neville and Ron awkwardly tidied their clothes and wiped their noses, their faces turning green under the various gazes of the crowd.

Fortunately, the new students quickly shifted their attention again, after all, the upcoming Sorting Ceremony would determine their way of life for the next seven years. The crowd gradually quieted down, and everyone tried to calm the tension in their hearts, but obviously, they all failed.

A few people discussed the sorting methods in mosquito-like whispers, while most people were so nervous and scared that they couldn't speak—Hermione Granger was an exception, she was still talking non-stop to the people around her about the magic she knew, as if this could give her more confidence. But not many people listened to her.

The atmosphere became more and more solemn, and even Li Mu felt a little nervous. Then, "Ahhh—"

Suddenly a few screams rang out, and Li Mu and the others were almost startled.

"What's wrong?"

"Look over there!"

The new students exploded, talking a lot, and then they quickly knew the reason for the screams.

A group of pearly white ghosts came through the wall from somewhere and were now floating above them. Most of the new students showed terrified expressions, but Li Mu's eyes lit up.

He finally saw a living wandering soul!

The ancient Celestial Dynasty Taoist books say: "After a person dies, the soul ascends to the sky, and the spirit enters the earth, only the three corpses wander, called ghosts." Between heaven and earth, ghosts also have a place to live, which is the Netherworld. However, there are also ghosts whose resentment before death invades the spirit, lingering in the world after death, with heavy Yin and baleful aura, and even the impermanent Yin officials cannot restrain them, and they become vengeful ghosts and wandering souls.

Over the years, these vengeful ghosts and wandering souls may even cultivate into demonic evil demons, which are not a small disaster for the world. Therefore, there are also moral people in the world who respond to the will of heaven, learn Taoism and immortal arts, and specialize in dealing with these vengeful ghosts and wandering souls, demons and monsters in the world...

However, these are just legends. Li Mu once asked Li Jianmin whether there really is a Heavenly Court and Netherworld is hard to say, even if these vengeful ghosts and wandering souls are really transformed by Yin and baleful aura, that is also hard to say.

At least the wandering souls that Li Mu sees now look peaceful. And in "history," they do more good than bad.

The ones floating in the sky in front of them are the ghosts who have lived in Hogwarts castle for a long time. Now, these ghosts were walking and arguing about something, and after a while, they noticed the new students below them.

"Hey! What are you doing here?" asked a fat ghost who looked like a friar.

Almost all the new students held their breath, afraid to make a sound.

So Li Mu's subconscious reply seemed particularly noticeable: "Hello, Fat... Mr. Ghost, we are this year's freshmen, waiting for the Sorting Ceremony."

"Oh, freshmen." The Fat Friar nodded, even giving Li Mu a gentle smile, "Welcome to Hufflepuff, that's the house I used to be in... those were the days."

The other ghosts also sized up Li Mu with interest, and even most of the new students curiously looked at this classmate who dared to talk to ghosts, which made Li Mu, whose skin was as thick as his, blush a little.

Fortunately, Professor Minerva McGonagall walked in at this time, relieving him. She used her unique high-pitched voice to shout loudly to the students, "Freshmen, form a line! Follow me now."

The Sorting Ceremony is about to officially begin.

(End of this chapter)