Celestial Master： I Have an Otherworld-Chapter 115 - 48: Encountering a Ghost (Part 2)

The hall master of Divine Spear Hall, Xu Seng, leapt forward. Seeing his son's pale face, he frowned:

"Where's the person?"

"Esc...escaped." Xu Xiu stammered.

"Escaped!" Xu Seng's eyes widened:

"With your strength, how could you let them get away?"

"Father." Xu Xiu's face showed difficulty:

"It was a little girl."

"Even a little girl should not be spared!" Xu Seng was furious:

"Are you unaware of why the Ling Family was avenged? It's because they let a rival escape back then, resulting in so many deaths."

"The elimination of evil must be thorough!"

"Where did she escape to?"

He grabbed Xu Xiu's collar and shouted angrily:

"Speak!"

Xu Xiu's eyes showed panic, and he tremblingly pointed in the direction afar.

"Chase!"

Xu Seng threw him to the ground and urged the others to pursue swiftly.

*

*

*

Time slowly passed.

No one knew when.

A layer of misty fog enveloped the entire mountain forest, prompting Fang Zheng, who was meditating on a tree, to open his eyes, looking around with surprise.

"Fog?"

The fog was dense, visibility no more than a few meters, beyond which differentiation was difficult.

"Luckily I have a compass."

Shrugging, Fang Zheng took out a compass from his bag, adjusted his direction, and proceeded toward the way he came.

It had been so long, the Ling family's reinforcements should have arrived.

After walking for a while.

Fang Zheng pursed his lips, lowered his head to look at his feet, a hint of confusion appearing in his eyes.

He distinctly remembered coming down from the mountain, so why did he feel he was still heading downward?

Shouldn't he be going up the mountain?

He shook the compass in his hand; the direction hadn't changed.

Looking ahead, in the mist, a halo had appeared at some point, gliding leisurely toward the distance.

Someone?

Fang Zheng's heart stirred, and he hurried to follow the light.

Once close, he could see the light source came from a lantern, held by a man wearing a cap and coarse shoes, resembling a servant from a wealthy family.

Seemingly aware of the footsteps behind him, the servant lifted the lantern to look, then smiled:

"The night is deep, the moon is hidden. Unexpected to encounter a guest here in the deep woods, may I ask whither might you be headed?"

The servant spoke politely and seemed unperturbed by meeting a stranger at such a time, showing a measure of the momentum of a large household.

"Pardon the intrusion."

Fang Zheng cupped his hands, courteously saying:

"I seek the way down the mountain but didn't expect the fog to rise suddenly. Are you familiar with this area, and could you point me in the right direction?"

"So the respected guest is lost." The servant understood:

"However, it's late, descending the mountain is not advisable, and such fog is exceedingly rare, better to wait until it clears."

Fang Zheng frowned.

"To be candid."

The servant continued:

"My master has a manor here in the mountains, visiting once every period for enjoyment; coincidentally, resides here these days."

"The lord is kind and hospitable; staying the night shouldn't be a problem."

"This..." Fang Zheng opened his mouth to speak, intending to say something, but then he shivered, involuntarily sneezing.

Cold!

Why did it suddenly feel colder? As a Second Blood Martial Artist, even he found the chill uncomfortable?

"Did the gentleman catch cold?"

The servant's words carried concern, yet his tone remained unnervingly calm, as he turned the lantern, slowly saying, "Come with me back to the manor; the master may gift clothes to ward off the cold."

"Thank...thank you." Fang Zheng thought for a moment; there seemed no better option, so he nodded and followed.

The two walked along the winding path, soon reaching a turn that opened into a clearing.

Amidst the dense forest stood an ancient-style manor.

The manor spanned wide, lit brightly, like a colossal beast crouching in the mountains, dispersing the surrounding fog.

Hmm?

Looking at the manor ahead, confusion flashed in Fang Zheng's eyes.

Everything before him felt amiss, yet his mind also seemed fogged, hindering additional thoughts.

Thinking led to headaches.

Exhal...h

Exhaling lightly, a struggle appeared in Fang Zheng's gaze, the practiced Yama Visualization Image quietly emerged in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Buzz..."

The Sea of Consciousness lightly trembled.

An imposing deity statue appeared steadily.

Authority unmatched, suppressing the four poles, expanded from the statue's form, dispelling the mist shrouding the mind.

Not right!

Fang Zheng's eyes shrank, finally realizing the problem.

In such desolate mountains, how could there be such a luxurious residence?

Moreover...

So new!

And how could there be a servant wandering the woods at this hour, so warm and hospitable, inviting over without seeking reasons?

"Gulp..."

Fang Zheng's throat rolled, looking again at the servant ahead.

The opponent's face was pale; although spoken elegantly, his gaze was vacant, not seeming shrewd.

The body was weak too; steps glided without touching the ground, not trampling a single flower or grass along the way.

?

Utterly irrational!

"Respected guest."

The servant turned, his ghastly pale face with greenish eyes slightly rotating:

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Fang Zheng muttered:

"Just feel the fog is too thick, choking, but no problem, I have a face cover to wear." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

As he spoke, he pulled out a combined gas mask and thermal sensor headpiece from his backpack.

Wearing the headpiece, everything in sight drastically changed.

The servant disappeared.

The grand manor...

Revealed its true form.

The continuous houses vanished, leaving only a series of grave mounds sprawling under the night.

Bare branches, fallen leaves, cold winds, a mass grave, the moon overshadowed by clouds, sporadic glows evidently emanating from the emerald green ghost fires atop the graves.