Gu Zhe rubbed his head inside the storefront.
I didn't expect sending those things over by sensing their location in the Netherworld to leave me a little dizzy and tired.
It wasn't Ritual Transmutation that exhausted me, but the unseen guidance I provided to show them the way.
One was instinctive, a mysterious, chaotic power of creation that wouldn't affect me. But guiding the way wasn't covered by my talent, so that seemed to consume something like my mental energy or sanity.
It wasn't much, but I still needed to take it seriously! Maybe it was also because my body and mind were only of mortal rank?
That was normal. Getting everything without paying a price would have been strange!
He recalled the information he had heard through that Doll.
The ghost named Qiu Jianguo had also received less of the intent from the incense offering than the others. Perhaps that was because the Paper Effigy offering had consumed some of it while following that intent down to its destination.
Still, this time I really did use a location to burn my Nether Offering and transform it in another world into something that conformed to that world's rules. That further confirmed my profession and talent.
A few other minor problems were nothing worth mentioning!
Gu Zhe's eyes and face were filled with delighted surprise.
Compared with this now-confirmed supernatural power,
the Gu Family's little bankruptcy crisis was hardly worth mentioning.
A deep, shifting amusement shone in Gu Zhe's eyes.
There was so much I could do with this. I just had to adapt to changes in reality. One thing was certain: reality would change! And those changes would accelerate in a cycle...
He rubbed his head.
Then he sent his consciousness into the Netherworld Land again.
As he sensed the apartment building, information appeared.
[Name: Mysterious Gu Family Nine Springs Apartment, Building One] [Owner: Gu Zhe] [Rooms: 69] [Effects: 1. Habitable (fully equipped), 2. Resists erosion by yin winds, 3. Stabilizes ghost minds; normal cultivation rate, 4. Sturdy; can withstand attacks to a certain degree]
This was the information he could access as the building's owner.
The effects were fairly ordinary.
They were simply the functions of a normal building, though he gave the third effect an extra look.
Perhaps his mortal rank meant he could only fold and craft ordinary-grade Nether Offerings.
That was no surprise. In fact, it was already much better than he had imagined.
Next, Gu Zhe shifted his consciousness into the Human Effigy under his command. This was a little easier to control than a Paper Figure.
This time,
they belonged to him, and he could control them.
The main door opened.
A being whose features, torso, and limbs were all somewhat out of proportion walked out.
A pleasant smile, as gentle as a spring breeze, even appeared on its face.
However,
not a single ghost felt any springlike warmth.
That mismatched body and those stiff features forcing such a deliberate smile looked downright twisted!
The being, which might have been a ghost or some other anomaly, stiffly turned its head to survey the crowd.
"Everyone, the Gu Family is just starting out here in the Netherworld Land. We've now established the Nine Springs Apartment so you can all live peacefully beyond the grave."
"Don't worry. In the future, the Gu Family will also relaunch its real estate, logistics, financial services, and other businesses. With support such as mortgages, we'll help you rediscover the warmth you once knew..."
Seeing this "ghost" spout an endless stream of nonsense,
the watching ghosts could no longer hold back.
"Cut the crap! Is this a legitimate apartment building or not? If it is, how do we move in?"
"Don't panic, everyone. Of course it's legitimate. The Gu Group only conducts legitimate business. Since these are apartments, naturally they're for people-er, ghosts-to live in!"
"It's just... do you have rent?"
This was an experiment of Gu Zhe's.
In fact, before the apartment building appeared,
he had already sent Paper Figures "down to the lower realm" and tried having them collect things from the Netherworld.
But...
He was in the living world, while the Paper Figures were in the world of the dead. The Ghost Gate was closed, and he hadn't found a single passage into the Underworld, so he had no way to retrieve what the Paper Figures collected. All he could do was dream of it.
In other words, he couldn't cash it out.
Eventually, after pondering his talent and profession,
he sensed something within: offerings from the living world could guide the transformation, and the same process could work in reverse from the world of the dead.
His talent, Ritual Transmutation, had never specified where things had to be transformed from or to!
The more he considered the implications, the more insanely powerful they seemed. It truly was a supernatural power born by chance when chaos and spacetime collided with his profession!
Although he had formed an idea,
and was ready to try it,
there was one problem.
Even Gu Zhe himself had no idea what he should charge as rent!
He remained composed on the surface, making the ghosts find him utterly mysterious.
Inside, he was panicking like hell.
The Heaven and Earth Bank hadn't shown up either. What served as currency in this Netherworld Land?
Could someone give me an online payment system connected to all the worlds?
Even if I asked for something else, I wouldn't know what to ask for. I knew neither its value nor its name!
Seeing the ghosts hesitate,
he continued calmly:
"These apartments have four effects. First, they're habitable and fully equipped, with private kitchens, bathrooms, and rooms, letting you recover your memories of being human and your dignity as ghosts. Second, they resist erosion by yin winds. That needs no explanation, right?" In fact, Gu Zhe didn't really understand it either; he had never experienced being a ghost! "Third, they stabilize your minds and provide a normal cultivation rate. You can imagine how important it is to cultivate in peace. Fourth, they're sturdy and can withstand attacks to a certain degree! They're certainly much safer than wandering around!"
After Gu Zhe finished speaking,
he clasped his two uneven, asymmetrical arms behind his back.
His stiff face turned toward the ghosts.
His gaze lingered briefly on a Red-Clothed Female Ghost and a Headless Ghost in particular.
Those two clearly gave off a much more sinister chill.
Everyone present was a ghost, so they all had a gloomy, deathly air, but those two were noticeably more unnerving.
For now, Gu Zhe knew little about these ghosts, so he kept his questions to himself.
Although Gu Zhe's inscrutable demeanor was an act, he truly was calm inside.
He was in no hurry, after all. His supernatural profession and talent were clearly extraordinary. Besides, while this apartment building looked enormous in the Underworld, in the living world it was merely a paper spirit house he had folded and crafted himself!
Like Jiang Taigong fishing, he would wait for the willing to take the bait!
Sure enough,
one ghost could no longer hold back.
Especially a Vengeful Ghost already brimming with madness.
The ghost holding his own severed head suddenly bared his teeth, then strode toward Gu Zhe.
Perhaps he wasn't approaching the Doll controlled by Gu Zhe, but the apartment entrance blocked by its body.
"Grr... move, move... or else..."
As he approached,
his severed head continued to growl.
"Or else... I'll swallow you... move..."
An inexplicable chill began to spread...
"Move..."
Gu Zhe remained calm.
"What are you offering in return... and why all the growling? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were a reincarnated beast..."
"Move... move... the key, give me the key... Raaagh..."
As he drew closer and saw Gu Zhe still calmly blocking his way,
the Headless Ghost's snarling expression grew increasingly frenzied and hideous.
The last trace of calm and reason vanished completely.
The eyes in his severed head turned bloodred, then began to seep blood. His neck also started to rot and bruise, and there seemed to be some kind of marks on it...
"Oh, so a car accident took your head off!"
Those words were like a lit fuse.
"Raaagh..."
The severed head suddenly flew out, lunging at the Doll.
Its mouth stretched wide enough to occupy half its head, a horrifying sight, while the teeth inside grew sharper and sharper.
Yin energy swirled around the body, and the fingernails on both hands sharpened. A muffled roar came from within it as it lunged forward too!
At this transformation,
the other ordinary ghosts trembled, eyes and bodies alike.
Was this a Vengeful Ghost, one rank above ordinary ghosts?
How terrifying!
If they hadn't wanted to see how the equally mysterious apartment manager would respond, these ordinary ghosts would have fled long ago.
Even Qiu Jianguo, who had a servant to rely on, shook with fear.
Could my servant protect me against this Vengeful Ghost?
After all, it was merely strong and sturdy, with no special supernatural powers!