This Weird Game Didn't Look Dead

Among the twenty-five prefectures of the Jia Five Realm, Yue Prefecture was neither the largest nor the smallest. It had the Clear Duckweed Mountains, the Fishwater Rivers, and a stretch of barren land unloved by grandmother or uncle. Grain would not grow there, nor was it fit for fishing or animal husbandry, so it became a gathering place for unruly commoners unwilling to pay taxes to the imperial court.

Blackheart Mountain stood within that barren land, though not deep inside it, but along its edge. As for the Jian Gorge Sect, it was situated in the Clear Duckweed Mountains. That mountain range held countless rare treasures, and immortal herbs that had absorbed the essence of sun and moon could sometimes be encountered by chance.

The original reason Clear River City had been built was also to prevent other cultivators from entering the Clear Duckweed Mountains to gather immortal herbs.

Scattered households stood across that barren land.

Their houses were crude, barely enough to shield them from wind and rain. The people within could barely survive as well, starving one meal and eating their fill the next. Whenever the weather turned cold, quite a few would often freeze to death.

And if they fell ill, although the people here knew a little about herbs, their knowledge was exceedingly limited. Thus, should they contract some serious illness, they could only leave it to fate.

Taking advantage of the night, Tan Shuchang encountered a wandering soul as soon as he arrived.

It was the hazy figure of a young girl in tattered clothes, standing beneath an old tree and staring blankly ahead without moving an inch.

Without hesitation, Tan Shuchang stepped forward and cupped his fists in greeting. "Miss, this student has a job that provides food and lodging. Would you be willing to come? If you do not speak, I shall take it as your agreement."

Wandering souls possessed no consciousness. Some that had begun to develop malevolence were somewhat aggressive and would devour the vital essence of the living. But a wandering soul like this one would only stand there in a daze.

Thus, Tan Shuchang simply took this wandering soul away. After all, silence counted as consent by default.

After taking the wandering soul, Tan Shuchang did not leave immediately. He tossed the food and cold-weather supplies he had brought with him before the doors of the nearby households, then departed.

This was payment for taking away someone's "ghost daughter."

Since Tan Shuchang did not know whose family she belonged to, and it would not have been convenient to ask from house to house, he simply gave something to every household. After all, wherever a wandering soul lingered, its residence from when it was alive was bound to be nearby. This was one of the great laws governing wandering souls.

Including this wandering soul, Tan Shuchang had successfully found eight wandering souls.

He immediately entered that Weird Game.

He intended to use these eight wandering souls to exchange for another four fierce ghosts. Since this Weird Game allowed him to compensate for fierce ghosts with wandering souls, Tan Shuchang had no reason to let such a splendid opportunity slip away.

As for exchanging for even more...

Tan Shuchang did not quite dare to do that now. After all, this Weird Game did not look like it was dead.

Because it required Tan Shuchang to compensate for the property losses within the instance, the Weird Game granted him temporary privileges that allowed him to bring wandering souls inside.

This time, when Tan Shuchang entered the Weird Game, all he saw was pitch-black darkness. But soon, two rows of green light appeared before him. They illuminated a path and faintly revealed an ancient temple ahead.

Tan Shuchang walked forward. The path was completely unobstructed until he reached the ancient temple.

For four blue-faced fierce ghosts were standing before the temple.

One had a single horn on its blue face, one had fangs, one had a long tongue, and one had four eyes.

"My name is Shun Buwangxi."

"My name is Ni Buhuanglei."

"My name is An Busheyi."

"My name is Wei Bujingju."

The four fierce ghosts each announced their names, then shouted in unison at Tan Shuchang, "Who goes there? Why has one of flesh and blood trespassed into the Bitter Buddha Realm?"

As the four fierce ghosts spoke together, four layers of malicious intent domains descended directly upon Tan Shuchang.

Naturally, however, they could do nothing to Tan Shuchang.

Grade A malicious intent resistance could withstand even the gaze of a Yin God head-on, let alone the fact that Tan Shuchang was not merely Grade A in this regard.

"Please inform him that this student, Tan Shuchang, committed an offense and was punished by being made to compensate with wandering souls." Tan Shuchang cupped his fists, though he forcibly suppressed a flicker of greed in his eyes.

After all, these were four "living" fierce ghosts!

If he caught these four, he could immediately use Fierce Ghost Lifting Lotus once more. How many cultivators in the world could resist the temptation of gaining twelve years of cultivation all at once—with no aftereffects, and even gaining insights into their cultivation method at the same time?

"I shall report to the Earth-Destroying King. Wait here." Of the four fierce ghosts, the blue-faced ghosts called Ni Buhuanglei and Shun Buwangxi stepped out, then walked toward the depths of the ancient temple.

The other two fierce ghosts did not watch Tan Shuchang either. Each merely turned toward a different direction, as though transforming into two stone statues.

Tan Shuchang did not have to wait long. Soon, the two blue-faced fierce ghosts called Ni Buhuanglei and Shun Buwangxi returned. The moment they saw Tan Shuchang, they asked, "Did you bring the Impermanence Token?"

"I did."

Tan Shuchang took out the token.

"Then where are the wandering souls for compensation?" one of the two fierce ghosts asked again.

At this, Tan Shuchang flicked his sleeve and shook out the eight wandering souls he had stored within it.

"Eight? Not bad! Not bad! You are indeed ambitious. The Earth-Destroying Venerable said that if you prove adequate, he will grant you a post!" Ni Buhuanglei nodded slightly.

As this fierce ghost nodded, it seemed to trigger some invisible mechanism, directly causing the Impermanence Token in Tan Shuchang's hand to undergo a dramatic change.

It even trembled slightly and emitted a humming sound.

This token seemed to have awakened intelligence!

"Langshou Ghost City still lacks someone to hold it down. Since you can capture instance fierce ghosts, you shall go and take charge there!" A voice drifted out at that moment. It did not belong to the four blue-faced fierce ghosts before him, but came from within the ancient temple.

As that voice fell silent, another cold, genderless voice sounded. "The Earth-Destroying King reviewed the wandering souls' memories after death and learned that, though you are living, you still possess a merciful heart toward ghostly beings. Thus, you have earned the Earth-Destroying King's favor and have been exceptionally promoted to Lord of the Ghost City."

"The Lord of the Ghost City has the following authority: immense power of disposition over the fierce ghosts within the Ghost City. One-tenth of all production within the Ghost City belongs to the Lord of the Ghost City."

"Any instance appearing within the Ghost City or in the regions surrounding it shall be deemed property of the Ghost City. The Lord of the Ghost City may alter the basic rules of such instances."

"Do you accept?"

"If you refuse, you will be branded with the Earth-Destroying Mark. Should you encounter fierce ghosts under the Earth-Destroying King in the future, they will carry out unrestricted pursuit and assassination against you."

After hearing this, Tan Shuchang's eyes lit up again. This Lord of the Ghost City actually had two ways of being unlocked!