The Spreading Shadow
Jiang Shangbai's strange feet were indeed peculiar. The headless ghost that attacked him was firmly pinned to the ground, unable to move, only struggling instinctively, seemingly trying to escape this terrifying suppression.
The difference between them became apparent in an instant.
Yang Jian was not shocked; on the contrary, he felt it was only natural. He knew that the abilities of ghosts were not differentiated by strength or weakness, but only by whether they were restrained and the degree of their resurgence. Just like his Ghost Eye, he didn't even have a Ghost Domain at first, but later he gained Ghost Domain. Then, with the addition of his Ghost Eye, he could directly send away ghosts that were not very terrifying. Such a change would have been unimaginable before.
And today.
Under the curse of the music box, Yang Jian can ensure his survival and therefore has no worries about the vengeful ghost resurrecting.
In this situation, it would be a waste not to further explore the abilities of the vengeful spirit. If he can survive the curse of the music box, he will definitely go further than others on the path of controlling vengeful spirits.
"Yang Jian, I'm not as easy to deal with as you think. My previous suggestion still stands. Let's stop here and call it a day." Jiang Shangbai shouted loudly, stepping on the headless ghost shadow, having regained some confidence.
Negotiation also requires leverage.
He hadn't received a response from Yang Jian before because he thought that all of them had been killed one by one and were about to die, so they weren't qualified to negotiate.
Jiang Shangbai had now blocked the attack of the Ghost Eye, blocked the invasion of the ghost hand, and even trampled the headless ghost under his feet. He believed that he and Yang Jian were evenly matched. Perhaps Yang Jian's methods were more ruthless and terrifying, but he himself was not so easily killed by the Ghost Shroud.
The difference isn't that big.
"Yang Jian, stop hiding. I know you're still alive. If you were dead, things would be completely different. These repeated attacks prove you're seeking revenge. Real ghosts don't just target our social circle."
Jiang Shangbai followed the swaying ghostly shadow beneath his feet and looked toward where Yang Jian was.
The signal is clear; I know you're there.
"We did make some mistakes, but adults shouldn't hold grudges. On behalf of my friends, I apologize to you. Besides, you've already made a big scene today; there's no point in continuing."
"Children need to apologize when they make mistakes, but adults have to pay the price when they make mistakes." The next moment, Yang Jian's figure appeared; he was indeed standing at the other end of the ghostly figure.
The black shadow stretched from his feet all the way to Jiang Shangbai's feet.
Looking at Yang Jian's perfectly intact, even overly healthy, complexion, Jiang Shangbai couldn't help but narrow his eyes, feeling utterly astonished.
Why is it that this guy has controlled three ghosts and used the abilities of vengeful spirits one after another, yet he doesn't seem to have been corrupted at all? Judging from his energy level, it seems like he won't face any risk of vengeful spirits reviving for more than ten years. He might even be able to fall in love, get married, and have children.
He's practically an anomaly in the paranormal world.
"Even if the abilities of the vengeful spirits are equal, if it really comes down to a fight, I will definitely be the first to awaken as a vengeful spirit." Jiang Shangbai's heart sank again. He realized that he and Yang Jian couldn't afford to waste time.
When three ghosts face off, the one in the worst condition will definitely die first when the vengeful spirit revives.
"Would sufficient compensation satisfy you?" Jiang Shangbai attempted to negotiate. "I am, after all, a captain at Headquarters. Please give me a chance."
He didn't want to die. He had endured so much and come to this point; how could he willingly die at the hands of Ghost Tamer?
Yang Jian looked at him, a cold smile playing on his lips. "You think you can withstand my attack by stepping on my shadow and relying on the Ghost Shroud I handed over to Headquarters? The reason I'm willing to come out and talk to you isn't because I want to negotiate, but because I want you to die knowing why. Even if I don't have a resurrected vengeful ghost, I can still wipe out your entire circle of friends with my own hands."
"Don't try to scare me with your captain status. I was captain before dawn, but so what? Your circle of friends didn't give me, the captain, a single chance. If you said you'd take me out by six, you'd take me out by six."
"Now, I'm just repeating what you did to me before on you. Isn't that fair?"
Jiang Shangbai darkened. "You struck first."
"If I don't make the first move, do you expect me to wait until you've laid out everything perfectly before I act? Even kids know that the one who strikes first has the advantage. Do I need to explain that? I know you're trying to stall for time. Did you send out a distress signal earlier? Sure, someone is on their way, but it's useless. I can take you out before they arrive. If the timing is right, they'll be collecting your corpse when they get to the bottom of the building."
After Yang Jian finished speaking, he pointed to the ground and said, "And during the time we were talking, didn't you notice anything amiss?"
Jiang Shangbai suddenly looked down.
The dark shadow he had stepped on had spread out before his eyes, like a drop of thick ink falling on the surface of water, threatening to stain the surrounding area black.
The area rapidly expanded, and in the brief exchange, the entire dilapidated top floor was covered by the black shadow. Moreover, the black shadow gradually rose from the ground, its vague outline resembling corpses about to come to life.
"A vengeful ghost has resurrected?" Jiang Shangbai's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly looked at Yang Jian.
Is this guy insane? Using the power of a vengeful ghost so recklessly, isn't he afraid of dying?
Or is it that Yang Jian is determined to eliminate everyone in his circle of friends, and is willing to pay any price?
There was no time to think about it anymore.
Although he stepped on the shadow, he couldn't suppress such a large area of darkness. The feeling of instability under his feet became more and more severe, and the cold sensation that had never invaded his body before began to surge out from under his feet.
Suddenly.
Several black arms emerged from the pitch-black ground, each with a black hand gripping Jiang Shangbai's arms, legs, and neck, and beginning to pull him slowly from above to the ground.
Jiang Shangbai was sinking; he was about to be completely engulfed by the darkness beneath his feet and swallowed up by the terrifying shadow.
"Yang Jian, we have no grudge against each other, why did you have to go to such lengths?" Realizing he was about to lose, he couldn't help but shout anxiously.
Yang Jian didn't want to waste words with him. If Jiang Shangbai hadn't been at the Ping An Building today, he might not have deliberately tried to kill him and would have given Headquarters some face. But today, he was here.
This means that he was involved in the process of getting himself killed.
No enmity or grudge?
How could he even say that?
Do you really think Yang Jian is a three-year-old child, someone you can easily fool?
"Wouldn't it be better to just disappear from this world quietly?" Yang Jian walked over, his face cold, and grabbed the man's neck, slamming him to the ground.
The headless ghost was devouring him too slowly; he couldn't wait any longer.
This press plunged Jiang Shangbai into utter despair. He discovered that the Ghost Shroud had no effect at this moment, and the chilling ghostly shadow instantly invaded his body.
After that, he lost all sensation in the areas that had been eroded.
It felt as if my body had suddenly acquired a new owner.
"This Yang Jian has hidden methods? He can suppress my ghost; that's the ability of Ghost Messenger."
Jiang Shangbai tried to struggle, tried to scream, but he could do nothing. He could only watch helplessly as the Yang family forced him into the black, ghostly shadow, quickly engulfing and swallowing him.
"The Ghost Shroud actually requires three people to completely neutralize its effect?" Yang Jian frowned as he watched Jiang Shangbai disappear into the shadows.
He realized he had underestimated this Ghost Shroud.
Was it because I had been inside a hungry ghost for a period of time, or was the Ghost Shroud itself so terrifying that I hadn't noticed it before because I was too weak?
"It doesn't matter anymore. This Ghost Shroud is mine now. The stronger its power, the better. This shroud is the easiest strange object to control so far, and the side effects it brings are all within my tolerance range." Yang Jian's eyes flickered slightly. He wasn't interested in Jiang Shangbai's other ghosts.
All I want is to get back the Ghost Shroud that originally belonged to me.
As for whether to use it myself or keep it as a backup plan, I'll think about that later.