There really was a ghost!

"It is the year 15,211 of the Southern Region," Yun Xi answered instinctively.

Her father had only told her the year yesterday. Astonished by how far back the Southern Region's heritage stretched, she had made a point of remembering it.

"The Southern Region? Where is this Southern Region? I am a divine artifact of the Immortal Realm. My true form is a Cangwu Tree from the Immortal Realm.

"For reasons unknown, I ended up here. Young friend, would you be willing to take me with you, so that we might venture into the world together?"

The aged voice carried endless wistfulness.

Yun Xi said, "I..."

Before she could get out "would be willing," another urgent inner voice rang out.

[Nü E, don't let this old fellow fool you! This spirit sword isn't from the Immortal Realm at all. It's just a pee board the tomb's owner casually found for his son! For some unknown reason, it was later made into a spirit sword.]

A p-pee board?

Yun Xi stared in shock at the kindly-looking old man floating above the spiritwood sword, involuntarily backing away.

[It really was made from a pee board. Still, this spiritwood is fairly rare. It absorbs water so well that no amount of pee would leak through. That was precisely why the tomb's owner chose it.]

Yun Xi silently backed away another two steps, nearly bumping into the equally stunned Li Bai behind her.

[But the owner of that tomb was practically a half-immortal. Why would he still need a pee board like a mortal? Oh, oh, I found it! So that's why. His son was a mortal with neither cultivation aptitude nor spiritual roots. No wonder he had to find a pee board.]

Up near the cavern ceiling, the sect master, who had been so confident earlier, and all the elders coughed softly.

They looked here and there, even picking at clumps of dirt on the cavern wall-anywhere but at one another.

They couldn't help it. This was simply too embarrassing. They no longer even knew how to face the disciples beside them.

"We should look at some other spirit swords. Grandpa, we have other things to do, so we'll be going now." Yun Xi swiftly fled the area around the spiritwood sword.

The old man: "????"

His expression was so bewildered that even Lan Yue couldn't resist taking a few more looks.

Those extra looks proved significant. When she returned to the gossip system, she suddenly discovered an additional annotation beside him.

[Old Monster of Cang Mountain: A ghost cultivator born from the yin energy gathered on Cang Mountain. This ghost is cunning and treacherous. He has already devoured the wooden sword's sword spirit and the soul of its previous sword cultivator. Keeping your distance is advised. (Staying in the Spirit-Sealing Ground is safest.)]

*[Holy shit! Holy shit, holy shit! That scared me to death! There really is a ghost!!! So this crafty old ghost devoured this spirit sword's sword spirit ages ago.

No wonder he looked so strange from the start, like he was up to no good! Thank goodness Nü E didn't touch him. Otherwise, wouldn't she have been in terrible danger and kicked the bucket early?]*

Up near the cavern ceiling, Yun Chong's eyes darkened. His earlier embarrassment vanished as he tore the token from his waist, intending to lift the Hidden Sword Pavilion's restrictions that very instant and seize the old scoundrel.

The old scoundrel had dared to trick his daughter. He must have eaten a bear's heart and a leopard's gall to get such nerve!

Thank goodness he was watching from here, with Lan Yue beside her as well. If his daughter had come here alone to choose a sword, wouldn't she have been deceived?

Had it been easy for him to finally find his daughter again?

[Phew. Thank goodness the Hidden Sword Pavilion is a Spirit-Sealing Ground. The old ghost can't replenish his energy at all, so we're quite safe. Otherwise, I'd definitely be scared to death.]

"Young friend, I am a divine sword of the Immortal Realm. Are you truly not tempted? With me in your possession, you could sweep across the Southern Region-even the entire Cultivation World!"

Far away, Yun Xi shook her head over and over, until it bobbed like a rattle drum.

She had heard perfectly clearly: little Lan Yue had said this old fellow was actually an old ghost.

Someone so sinister and treacherous was more than she could handle.

Time to go, go, go!

The old ghost wanted to say a little more, but suddenly felt a powerful pull from the spiritwood sword. His insubstantial figure swiftly vanished.

In that instant, everyone saw the unwillingness in his eyes.

The others nearby were immensely relieved.

"One look at that old fellow tells you he's up to no good. Let's hurry somewhere else. Who knows when he might come out again?" Li Bai suggested nervously.

Everyone else nodded in agreement. Yes, yes, yes-run!

They swiftly moved away from the spiritwood sword, while Yun Chong and the elders above breathed sighs of relief.

The Hidden Sword Pavilion was not merely a Spirit-Sealing Ground. Countless formations were also buried beneath it.

No yin energy could linger here, so this place was still extremely safe.

No wonder that old ghost had only shown himself now. For a mere Ghost Creature to remain in the Hidden Sword Pavilion—wasn't that courting death?

As for why he had suddenly appeared, it was easy enough to guess. Perhaps the fortune surrounding their daughter or niece had awakened him, and he had been unable to resist emerging from the wooden Spirit Sword to deceive the young girl.

After all, the fortune surrounding a person was, in a certain sense, also a form of energy. Most people simply could neither see nor touch it.

"A thousand-year-old ghost actually infiltrated the Southern Spirit Sect. Thank goodness he ended up in the Hidden Sword Pavilion. Had it been anywhere else, wouldn't he have harmed countless disciples of our sect?" Yun Chong's expression was grave.

Most importantly, this ghost had actually tried to trick his daughter and devour Yun Xi's soul!

He was going to tear that old ghost apart until not even a scrap remained!

"Sect Master, once they leave, we'll dispose of this Ghost Creature. The old ghost is far too brazen!"

Everyone nodded together, then turned toward the wooden Spirit Sword with savage smiles.

The Ghost Creature, already sucked back into the spiritwood, still had no idea what fate awaited him.

Meanwhile, Yun Xi involuntarily stopped, because several spirit swords ahead had actually flown toward her of their own accord.

Not only did they fly over, they even twisted back and forth before her, eventually winding themselves into a braided dough twist.

An actual braided dough twist-and one formed by several spirit swords twisting together. Anyone who didn't know better would have thought these spirit swords had come to life.

These spirit swords were so extraordinarily gifted. Could one of them be...

*[Hahaha, I'm dying! These spirit swords are competing with one another! They're so affected and coy, it burns my eyes! Who would have thought their sword spirits were all burly men?

I can't, I can't! This sight is burning my eyes. I need to turn off the system display for now.]*

Lan Yue nearly laughed herself breathless. She had no idea what she had clicked just now, but the writhing spirit swords had abruptly changed.

They had become several burly men twisting back and forth. Wiggling their bottoms and waists was bad enough, but they were even making flirtatious eyes.

Who knew these spirit swords could be so entertaining! This was much more fun than anywhere else. Perhaps she could come by for a stroll more often.

Gahahahahahaha!

The entire cavern echoed with Lan Yue's infectious laughter.

Yun Xi's eyes widened in disbelief. What had Lan Yue just said? The sword spirits of these spirit swords were burly men? And they were wiggling their bottoms? Making flirtatious eyes?

Even Yun Xi, who had grown up in a Prince's Mansion and seen every kind of intrigue and scheming, was stunned.

Meanwhile, the people up near the cavern ceiling scratched their ears and cheeks in restless curiosity.

What burly men twisting back and forth? Could this immortal artifact actually display scenes of sword spirits dancing?

Just what kind of eye-searing spectacle was it? Share it with them so they could see too!

Only her father, Yun Chong, stood there with a thunderous face, snorting through his nose.

When had the spirit swords of the Hidden Sword Pavilion all become such freaks?