“Chapter 96”

"Chapter 96"

"The chubby ghost, torn, pleaded with Shen Wang: 'Master Shen, this is a competition, I can't...'"

"The preliminary round wasn't very difficult; contestants just needed to find and capture the prop ghosts to accumulate enough points to advance."

"If he really gathered all the other ghosts, all the points would go to Shen Wang alone... The chubby ghost didn't know what would happen to Shen Wang, but he was sure he himself would be severely punished by his own Taoist."

"If it were anyone else making this request, the chubby ghost wouldn't have bothered to respond, but this was coming from Shen Wang."

"The very Shen Wang who crushed a fierce ghost with his bare hands."

"Two wide noodles of tears streamed down the chubby ghost's face, never before feeling such hardship in his ghostly existence, almost wishing he could immediately reincarnate."

"Shen Wang glanced at the chubby ghost indifferently, cracking his knuckles with a krick-krack sound."

"The chubby ghost's pupils quaked, and he shrank into a ball, trembling: 'It's, it's not entirely impossible...'"

"Hearing the satisfactory response, Shen Wang relaxed his fist, speaking earnestly, 'You see, if you had just said that in the beginning, all would have been settled.'"

"After the intimidation, Shen Wang fished in his pocket and pulled out a talisman."

"Seeing the talisman, the chubby ghost realized the gravity of the situation. He fell to his knees, weeping bitterly: 'Master Shen, I was wrong. I'll call all the ghosts right now. If anyone refuses, I'll drag them here myself. Please don't pulverize me!'"

"Shen Wang looked at the talisman, his face expressing speechlessness: 'I am a civilized person, okay? Don't act as if I'm so heartless. Here, take this; consider it your advance payment.'"

"The chubby ghost, trembling, took the talisman. As soon as he touched it, he felt a dense and pure Yin energy. Startled, before his mind could process it, his body had already absorbed the Yin energy sealed within the talisman."

"Just this one talisman is worth several years of his hard work!"

"Greedy for the energy, the chubby ghost absorbed all the Yin energy from the talisman. Watching the talisman paper burn without fire into ashes, his face showed no reluctance: 'Master Shen, this talisman...'"

"Shen Wang smiled slightly: 'For such a talisman, bring me ten ghosts, and you get one.'"

"The chubby ghost's red eyes suddenly shone brilliantly: 'Master Shen, rest assured, however many ghosts you want, I'll make sure you have them!'"

"The national competition gathered the power of all major sects, with a considerable number of ghosts used as props in the arena, some provided by sects like the Ghost-controlling Dao, others freshly captured."

"Not to mention the unfamiliar newly captured ghosts, but those he knew... he could probably exchange for four, five, maybe six talismans. Ambitious, the chubby ghost, surrounded by surging Yin energy, left in a whirlwind of dark ghostly mist."

"Leaving behind a group of onlookers, agape in astonishment."

"Not just the inexperienced youngsters like Little Fatty and the rest, even Shi Yan and Xie Qingming had complex expressions."

"Little Fatty, watching Shen Wang's smooth operation, couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead: 'Shen-ge, is this... really going to work?'"

"While everyone else was diligently capturing ghosts, he had infiltrated the enemy's ranks, tempting them to defect."

"Cunning, truly cunning."

"Shi Yan, with a subtle look in his eyes, uncertainly said: 'Maybe... perhaps... it's not against the rules?'"

"Shen Wang stood tall, righteously declaring: 'Isn’t the competition about who captures the most ghosts? There's no restriction on the method. I haven’t asked for external help, nor have I cheated; it's all on my own effort.'"

"Little Fatty and the others felt that the logic seemed off, yet it also seemed quite reasonable."

"Being able to 'persuade' the chubby ghost was due to Shen Wang's strength, and the talismans he used to tempt the ghosts were also drawn by himself... Indeed, it was all his own effort."

"Shi Yan's mouth twitched; he opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but after a thought, he swallowed his words: 'Well, as long as we can advance...'"

"Shen Wang, a man always giving others 'surprises'. Shi Yan felt a mix of emotions."

"While they debated on-site, those watching the live broadcast off-site were already in an uproar."

"A middle-aged judge slammed the table, furious: 'He's cheating! Disrupting the order of the competition! We should disqualify him!'"

"The elder in the middle, however, leisurely sipped his tea and spoke calmly: 'He has only proposed an idea so far, nothing has succeeded yet.'"

"‘Besides, if not for him, we wouldn’t have realized such a big loophole in our competition.'"

"The others glanced at each other and started to smooth things over: 'How many ghosts can that chubby ghost really bring back? It won’t affect the overall situation, relax.'"

"'You're not targeting him just because he's opposing Baiyun Temple, are you? As cultivators, we should be broad-minded, not petty.'"

"'He's just a young man with unusual ideas…'"

"Over the years, the national competition preliminaries have always been unremarkable without any hitches. This is the first time someone has brought a twist to the preliminaries."

"Though reluctant to admit it, these venerable judges felt a strange excitement."

"No one took Shen Wang's actions too seriously, except for Gu Dongting, who remained silent, eyes lowered, concealing the faint smile in his eyes."

"Such a wildly imaginative act... thinking of Shen Wang, it somehow felt unexpectedly reasonable yet surprising. Gu Dongting gently twirled his fingertips."

"Apart from Gu Dongting, someone else sensed that something significant was amiss."

"The chubby ghost’s contracted Taoist was full of regret, cursing himself for being greedy for little gain and sending the chubby ghost to work in the competition."

"'Fellow Daoist, why so pale? Worried about your ghost being held accountable by the competition officials?' Noticing his expression, someone asked with a hearty laugh."

"Others began to comfort him in a clamor."

"'Don’t worry too much, fellow Daoist. It's just a small interlude in the competition, it won’t affect much.'"

"'Maybe it won't even have time to find other ghost friends before being captured by a contestant.'"

"'But this contestant named Shen Wang, really has an imaginative mind. We could also participate in the competition for fun in the future...'"

"'Will there even be a next time? I bet the officials will step in after this competition ends and add new rules.'"

"'Hahaha, what if, right?'"

"Everyone laughed heartily, except for the chubby ghost's master, whose expression was stiff. He forced a smile on his face while inwardly groaning: 'You have no idea how sociable this chubby ghost actually is.'"

"This chubby ghost, in his lifetime, was a northerner and a crosstalk comedian!"

"On the big screen, numerous camera feeds jostled for space, with the largest in the center occasionally changing scenes, often featuring Shen Wang and his group."

"But as everyone watched, they began to sense that something was amiss."

"'How long has the competition been going? Why hasn't the scoreboard changed at all?'"

"'Hasn't anyone caught a single ghost yet? The contestants this year seem a bit weak...'"

"'Let's wait a bit longer. There are many new formations in the arena this time; many contestants are trapped in them. It's normal for them to be cautious...'"

"'What about the disciples from the major sects? Are they also trapped in those simple formations?'"

"'No, they haven’t even found traces of the Yin ghosts yet.'"

"Amidst the growing buzz of conversation, suddenly someone shouted: 'Look, what is that!'"

"In a corner of the surveillance screen, a massive ghostly aura was slowly writhing, almost filling the entire screen, making everyone’s scalp tingle at the sight."

"'What's happening? Could it be a violent ghost outbreak?! Weren’t the props supposed to be absolutely safe this time!'"

"'Judging by the thickness of that ghostly aura, it could even be of a Minor Ghost King level...'"

"'Sound the alarm, evacuate the contestants!!'"

"Amidst chaos, the judges stood up in unison, about to halt the competition, when that massive ghostly aura revealed its true nature."

"Led by a chubby ghost, a dense throng of smaller ghosts carefully skirted the contestants, advancing in a particular direction."

"Along the way, contestants noticed the abnormal concentration of Yin energy and tried to investigate, but these ghosts, like skilled scouts, always slipped away before the contestants arrived, leaving behind only remnants of their aura."

"Their cautious, zigzagging path was inscrutable, visible only to the audience watching the live broadcast, who could see that these ghosts were heading towards Shen Wang."

"Gradually, the once noisy crowd fell silent, the sound disappearing in a space filled with hundreds of people."

"Everyone watched the chubby ghost energetically speaking, leading the dense group of ghosts towards Shen Wang."

"After a long while, someone finally spoke up dryly: 'Damn, everyone except him might end up with zero points in this competition, right?'"

"A regular ghost is worth ten points, a resentful ghost twenty. In previous competitions, a score of three to four hundred was considered a sign of exceptional talent."

"And now, just a rough count showed that the number of ghosts moving towards Shen Wang was over a hundred."

"At the judges' table, a middle-aged judge slammed his fist on the table, darkly saying: 'Stop the competition!'"

"This time, no one stopped him."

"If they followed Shen Wang's strategy, he could potentially capture most of the ghosts, leaving others with zero points... Setting aside how to determine the advancement rankings, the competition would become a joke if word got out."

"As the judges were about to call a halt with complex expressions, Gu Dongting spoke up indifferently: 'He hasn’t broken any rules.'"

"Gu Dongting’s words stunned the other judges."

"The middle-aged judge scoffed: 'Our competition aims to select the strong. His underhanded tactics suppress other contestants’ environment... While he may not have violated the explicit rules, he has destroyed the spirit of the competition!'"

"The other judges nodded in agreement: 'Indeed, we are a formal competition. Such clever tricks... Even if we let him advance, he won’t get far.'"

"Gu Dongting’s gaze remained calm: 'No matter how far he can go, as long as he hasn't broken any rules, no one can strip him of his right to compete.'"

"'You! You rigid old fool, so inflexible!' someone snapped in frustration, 'If he continues in the competition, and everyone else ends up with zero points, are you satisfied with that?'"

"Gu Dongting calmly looked towards the live broadcast camera: 'Strength comes first. Even if he has captured so many ghosts, as long as the competition isn’t over, others can still seize his spoils.'"

"This means that although Shen Wang used his wits to gather so many ghosts, if he can't protect them, it’s all for naught, merely a futile effort."

"But if he does manage to keep them..."

"The other judges twitched, realizing that if this man succeeds, he'd be stepping on the pride of the entire metaphysical community."

"So many reputable and orthodox sects gathered together, yet none could match the cunning or strength of an obscure, independent cultivator. Where would that leave the dignity of these esteemed sects?"

"The middle-aged judge’s face turned sour: 'What if he just captures these ghosts and then hides somewhere?'"

"As soon as these words were spoken, he was met with Gu Dongting's cold gaze."

"Someone spoke up for Gu Dongting: 'With so many ghosts on him, and the ghost-catching bag not blocking Yin energy, he’s practically a walking Minor Ghost King... In such a situation, if the contestants can’t find him, what’s the point of competing?'"

"Might as well go home and grow carrots."

"The middle-aged judge fell silent for a long while, reluctantly watching Shen Wang and his group in the live broadcast, speechless and resentfully sitting back down."

"Meanwhile, in the live broadcast, Shen Wang and his group had completely taken over the center screen. Beside him were Zhao Hang and Tang Jiu, representing the Metaphysical Association in the competition."

"Someone commented: 'The person broadcasting this really loves stirring up drama, putting them all together.'"

"'Hehe, I like it.'"

"Unlike the leisurely Shen Wang and his group, Zhao Hang was surrounded by many people. With their large numbers and need for more points, they had to work harder to ensure everyone could advance."

"But after searching the forest for a long while, aside from encountering a few formations, they didn’t even see a hint of a ghost."

"Finally sensing some Yin energy and hurrying over, they only found other contestants who had rushed there too, but no ghosts."

"Wandering in the woods for half a day, Zhao Hang grew impatient: 'Damn, where the hell are those things hiding?'"

"'Exactly, the difficulty of this competition is too high, isn’t it just a preliminary round?'"

"'I heard that this time, it was Gu Dongting who requested to increase the difficulty, adding formations to the competition field...'"

"Zhao Hang's expression changed, angrily saying: 'Gu Dongting, always him, I think he’s just idle and bored!'"

"This time, no one responded to his words. The others exchanged glances, practicing the art of turning a blind eye, pretending they heard nothing."

"'Look at him, always wearing white clothes, what an act. Seems pure and dispassionate on the surface, but who knows what he's really like behind closed doors?' Zhao Hang, oblivious to the others' silence and even if he noticed, wouldn’t care, continued ranting, 'He’s even younger than us, why should he lord over us? Just because he’s from the Gu family? Because of his grandfather?'"

"'Pah, just another one riding on his family's coattails, pretending to be so high and mighty.'"

"Someone, unable to bear it anymore, tried to interject: 'Gu... I mean, Gu Dongting, his family background is indeed good, but he’s also very strong, that’s why he can...'"

"Zhao Hang stopped in his tracks, his gaze darkening as he looked at the speaker: 'Who do you think you are?'"

"The speaker’s face changed slightly, maintaining a forced smile: 'Zhao Senior Brother, I... I was just saying, Gu Dongting can’t compare to you...'"

"Zhao Hang suddenly lashed out, kicking the man several meters away, 'Dare to talk to me like that?'"

"'You think you have the right to stand here? I, Zhao Hang, generously took you in, allowed you to team up with us.' After hitting and scolding, still unsatisfied, Zhao Hang kicked him a few more times."

"A bootlicker, unaware of his own status, daring to contradict his master – he was given too much face."

"After venting all of today's frustrations on that person, Zhao Hang finally felt relieved. He nonchalantly dusted off his hands and signaled to those around him: 'What are you looking at? Go find ghosts.'"

"Having witnessed their companion being brutally beaten by Zhao Hang for just a word, the others felt an indescribable emotion, hurriedly using their magical instruments to search for ghostly energy."

"Inevitably, they felt a sense of sadness for another’s misfortune."

"The person who had been severely beaten lay on the ground, covering his head with his hands, curled up, letting Zhao Hang hit and scold him. It was only after the latter left that he unclenched his arms and awkwardly got up from the ground."

"His eyes dim, he stood there for a long time. Glancing in the direction Zhao Hang had left, he didn’t dare to follow and limped away in another direction."

"With one less person in the team, Zhao Hang didn’t care at all. He looked irritably at the few responsible for searching for Yin energy: 'Can you do it or not? If not, just be straight about it and get lost.'"

"'We've been searching for so long and found nothing, damn useless!'"

"Had it not been for the contestants' ability to see the rankings and knowing that others also hadn’t scored, Zhao Hang wouldn’t have been so 'gentle' with these people and would have lashed out already."

"Just as those in charge of searching for Yin energy were panicking, someone suddenly stepped forward: 'I think I felt some Yin energy.'"

"Zhao Hang was startled, his gaze resting on the person, thinking for a few seconds: 'You’re from the Metaphysical Association, what’s your name again...?'"

"'Tang Jiu.' Tang Jiu answered evenly, 'I’m from the Tang family in City C, currently representing the Metaphysical Association in the competition.'"

"City C’s Tang family. Zhao Hang vaguely remembered this family, seeming like a mediocre clan, not quite a big family."

"Looking at Tang Jiu with lackluster interest, Zhao Hang doubted: 'Are you sure you sensed Yin energy?'"

"In a situation where others were using compasses and special magical instruments, Tang Jiu, who used nothing, claimed to have sensed Yin energy, making Zhao Hang utterly skeptical."

"'Whether it’s true or not, we’ll find out if we go and see.' Tang Jiu said confidently."

"After sizing up Tang Jiu a few times, Zhao Hang smirked but still gave face to the Metaphysical Association: 'Alright, lead the way.'"

"Zhao Hang and his group hadn’t followed Tang Jiu for long when they indeed spotted a hurrying ghost. His eyes lit up, and without waiting for others to act, he struck with his sword."

"The ghost barely had time to react before it was stripped of most of its Yin energy and roughly stuffed into a ghost bag."

"At this moment, the previously static scoreboard finally moved."

"Zhao Hang, ten points, ranked first."

"Pleased with the score, the last bit of Zhao Hang’s irritation dissipated. He laughed heartily, patting Tang Jiu on the shoulder forcefully: 'Not bad, you’re good. I’ve got your back from now on!'"

"'Once I have enough points to advance, the next one to gather points will be you.'"

"Hearing this, Tang Jiu remained composed, simply nodding lightly: 'Thank you.'"

"The others who had been following Zhao Hang changed their expressions, wanting to say something but dared not speak out."

"Zhao Hang, oblivious to their expressions, laughed to himself: 'I’m already in first place, and those special department folks are all at zero, what a bunch of idiots.'"

"'Dare to challenge me, I’ll make them kneel and kowtow to me.'"

"He didn’t realize that his actions were being broadcast live on the big screen, almost everyone prominent in the metaphysical community witnessing his behavior."

"The judges exchanged glances, communicating with their eyes, their expressions meaningful. The middle-aged judge, feeling their gaze, could only watch the screen with a face ashen with fury, wishing he could pull that fool out of the screen and give him a good beating."

"The judges had to give face to their colleagues, but those watching the live broadcast didn’t have such concerns."

"'Who is this guy, so arrogant... It’s infuriating.'"

"'Who else could it be, but those from Baiyun Temple? They already look down on others with their noses up in the air, arrogantly. Never thought they would be even worse in private.'"

"'Those people had it coming. In modern society, and they still choose to be someone’s slaves, so pathetic, they deserve to be mistreated.'"

"'Some smaller sects have no choice but to rely on bigger ones for survival... That Tang Jiu seems decent, maintaining his dignity in such a situation.'"

"'He does have some skills, finding Yin energy under these circumstances. It’s a pity he’s with Zhao Hang, otherwise advancing wouldn’t be an issue...'"

"'I really want to smack him hard, what a jerk. Just because they're from a big sect, they think they can bully others like that.'"

"Filled with righteous indignation, everyone’s attention turned to Shen Wang, all hoping for the first time that he would win."

"Shen Wang did not disappoint their expectations. Before long, the chubby ghost had arrived near him with an impressive entourage of ghostly underlings."

"Shi Yan and Xie Qingming didn’t have high hopes for Shen Wang’s plan. They were busy searching for ghostly energy in the woods, especially Xie Qingming, a combat-oriented demon-hunting chief, who was sniffing the air like a police dog, alert and trying to catch any clue from the atmosphere."

"Seeing this, Shen Wang couldn’t help but laugh openly."

"Xie Qingming, expressionless and frustrated: 'You’re just waiting here doing nothing, expecting those cunning ghosts to come to you?'"

"Still leisurely, almost like taking a stroll, making everyone anxious."

"Shen Wang smiled mysteriously: 'How do you know they won’t come to me?'"

"Grinding his teeth in annoyance, Xie Qingming said: 'If ghosts really come to you, even one, I... I’ll call you big brother, be your follower, and listen to your arrangements from now on.'"

"'I won’t deviate from your orders!'"

"'Wow.' Shen Wang blinked, 'Are you sure you want to make such a big bet?'"

"Xie Qingming firmly: 'I’m sure!'"

"After he finished speaking, someone nearby let out a meaningful sigh."

Xie Qingming followed the voices, noticing Xiao Pangzi and the others showing pity.

Xiao Pangzi slowly said, "Minister Xie, have you ever considered... with Brother Shen's dislike for losses, he wouldn’t fight an unprepared battle, would he?"

"Could he also use summoning spells to call those ghosts?" Xie Qingming frowned deeply, "If he really manages to catch a windfall, I’ll give him my position as Demon Extermination Minister!"

Xie Qingming was about to speak when suddenly his expression changed, filled with surprise, "I feel it! Yin energy! Such heavy yin energy!"

"There must be a powerful ghost passing by. What are you waiting for? Grab your weapons and get ready for battle!"

Seeing his companions still motionless, Xie Qingming grew impatient, clutching his demon-slaying sword. Just as he tried to discern the direction of the yin energy, he heard Shen Wang's voice laced with laughter.

"If we're betting, let's bet properly. Don’t expect me to do unpaid work for your Special Department!"

Xie Qingming paused, finally noticing that Shi Yan, Xiao Pangzi, and the others were staring past him with wide eyes, shocked. A thought crossed his mind, and he slowly turned around.

The plump ghost, leading a group of smaller ghosts, floated in the air. The combined yin energy of the numerous ghosts was comparable to that of a powerful ghost, an imposing sight.

The leading plump ghost smiled obsequiously, rubbing his hands, "Master Shen, I've brought all these juniors for you. How shall we settle this?"

Xie Qingming's pupils constricted sharply, cursing for the first time, "Damn."

Fortunately, compared to the others, Xie Qingming's reaction was trivial. Xiao Pangzi was already screaming, his mouth covered in shock, and even Shi Yan stood with eyes wide open, taking a while to recover.

"This method, it actually works."

Shen Wang, with a smug curl of his lips: "When has my method ever failed?"

While the living were still in shock, the plump ghost grew impatient: "Brother Shen, you promised us, about that thing…"

Many voices emerged from the multitude of ghosts.

"We want a basic salary, and benefits like the 'five insurances and one fund'."

"It would be great to have vacation time too. Sometimes I want to visit the place where I died, but I can’t, stuck in that bag, it’s so dark."

"And about the talisman with yin energy, you said if we gather ten ghost heads, we get one talisman. Is that true?"

From their noisy chatter, the living finally understood what was happening.

It’s unclear what the plump ghost did in life, but he first found familiar ghosts, persuading them with grandiose tales, enticing his ghost friends to willingly follow him.

That wasn’t all. The plump ghost then detailed the talisman Shen Wang gave him, praising its effects with an enthusiasm akin to writing a short essay.

The other ghosts were initially skeptical, but once the plump ghost released his ghost energy and they saw his cultivation had indeed improved, all the ghosts couldn't help but be tempted.

Being a ghost is tough, really tough.

Living people need food and salaries, but ghosts staying in the world consume ghost energy and yin energy, which can either be obtained by harming people or only from Daoists.

The yin energy obtained from Daoists is not only scant in quantity but also inconsistent in quality, varying greatly.

Without collaborating with Daoists, ghosts would gradually exhaust their yin energy, leaving them with only two choices: enter the cycle of reincarnation or dissipate into nothingness… This makes ghosts largely dependent on and controlled by Daoists.

What ghosts get to consume entirely depends on the conscience of the Daoist.

Thus, regardless of whether they have a master or not, most ghosts live in misery, alternating between fullness and hunger.

When they heard about a Daoist playing the role of a benefactor, offering high-quality, pure yin energy, all the ghosts were tempted. As for other things like basic yin energy assurance and comprehensive benefits, they didn't hold much hope and just asked casually.

Shen Wang was startled by the emotional outburst of the ghosts: "Yes, ten ghosts for one yin energy talisman."

Shen Wang knew the plump ghost would work hard driven by benefits, but he didn’t expect such zealous efforts.

The plump ghost chuckled, "Some of them I brought, others were brought by different people..."

Shi Yan struggled to restrain his urge to educate, thinking to himself that what the plump ghost was doing was akin to pyramid schemes in the underworld, even using similar recruiting tactics.

"I brought twenty ghosts, give me two talismans first, I want to taste them."

"I only brought eighteen, can we round it up?"

"Little Daoist, do you have enough of those talismans? If not, don’t blame me for turning hostile!"

"What does this 'five insurances and one fund' you advertised mean? Are you setting up a union? I was a party member when I was alive, I can help you..."

Amid the noisy chaos, Shen Wang took out a handful of talismans from his pocket and gestured to Shi Yan to do the registration, with others assisting.

After a chaotic half-day, they finally counted them all. There were over two hundred and sixty ghosts in total, including several higher-grade resentful ghosts, requiring the issuance of over twenty talismans.

Shen Wang nodded, indicating his satisfaction with the number, "This is a manageable amount."

"There are… nearly three thousand points here," Shi Yan murmured, eyes glazed, "Over three thousand points…"

These points, all earned by Shen Wang alone, were unprecedented, breaking the record of the metaphysical competition!

Even when Gu Dongting participated in the competition, he stopped hunting ghosts voluntarily after earning enough points to avoid unbalancing the competition, making his final score quite ordinary.

And now, Shen Wang burst onto the scene, unconcerned about the status quo.

After pondering, Shen Wang asked Shi Yan, "Approximately how many points are needed to advance?"

Shi Yan replied mechanically, "Thirty."

With so many participants, just capturing three minor ghosts and maintaining them amidst the competition from other contestants was enough to pass the preliminary round.

This rule seemed simple, but against the vast number of competitors, it was certainly not easy.

As Shen Wang was about to speak, someone burst out of the woods, excitedly shouting with leaves in their hair, "Senior brother! Senior brother! So many ghosts! I’ve found so many ghosts!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ghosts present turned their heads silently and uniformly towards the newcomer.

The young practitioner, who appeared quite young, shuddered and suddenly burst into tears, crying, "Senior brother, save me, senior brother!"

Behind him, a refined-looking young man stepped out. Upon seeing the mass of ghosts, he too constricted his pupils and instinctively drew his weapon, "Who's there!"

Shen Wang, stroking his chin, walked out helplessly, "Fellow Daoist, please stay calm."

The other party watched Shen Wang warily: "Who are you? Why can you control so many ghosts? Are you participating in the Metaphysical Competition with some ulterior motive?"

Barraged with questions, Shen Wang was rendered speechless.

Shi Yan stepped forward, greeting the refined young man: "Lin Daoist, long time no see."

"Shi Daoist." Seeing Shi Yan, the other visibly relaxed a bit, his guard lowered, "What's going on here?"

He had wondered why he couldn't find any ghosts despite searching everywhere. So far, only Zhao Hang from Baiyun Guan had ten points, while others had none.

"It's a long story," Shi Yan spread his hands, struggling to keep his lips from curling up, "We from the Special Department joined the competition, and Brother Shen, with his brilliant mind, has already captured so many ghosts."

"Once they're put into the ghost bag, they can be converted into points…" As he said this, Shi Yan's smile stiffened for a moment, meeting the eyes of the refined young man.

The refined young man silently observed Shi Yan, then glanced at the moving points behind him.

A head popped out behind him, urging, "Senior brother, act now!"

With so many ghosts, it would be foolish not to seize the opportunity! They were all gathered here, eliminating the need to search for them. How convenient!

Off the live broadcast, everyone gasped in shock.

"Wow, how did someone find out so quickly..."

"With so many ghosts and such heavy yin energy, it would be strange if no one came."

"What about Shen Wang? He attracted these ghosts with his clever tricks, can he really keep them at bay?"

"Does anyone know who that person is?"

"It's a member of the Celestial Master Mansion, Lin Le Liu! He's a leading figure among the younger generation."

"The Celestial Master Mansion, as famous as Bai Yun Monastery?!!"

"Shen Wang is so unlucky... First Zhao Hang from Bai Yun Monastery, and now Lin Le Liu from Celestial Master Mansion. Is he at odds with the major sects?"

Compared to the worried spectators, the expressions of the judges on the stage varied greatly.

A middle-aged judge from Bai Yun Monastery showed a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, mocking: "Fellow Daoist Gu, you're right, relying on clever tricks won't get you far."

"Now he's hit a snag, sooner than we thought, what a pity."

"In this competition, it seems the Celestial Master Mansion will likely come out on top..."

In the eyes of the judges, Shen Wang now seemed like a huge treasure chest; whoever found him first would win the final victory.

But the treasure chest himself had no power to resist.

After mocking, the middle-aged judge couldn't help but express regret: "It's a shame, the first to arrive wasn't from Bai Yun Monastery... Bad luck."

His words immediately displeased another judge: "What luck! You’ve practiced cultivation for so long, don’t you know that luck is the most elusive thing?"

"If it wasn't for Lin Leliu's decent cultivation, able to sense yin energy and rushing here first when noticing something amiss… Humph, Baiyun Guan’s people didn’t even notice the congregation of yin energy."

The judges, who had been united in their anger, immediately started arguing again.

Only the old man in the middle watched the unfolding events with amusement, turning to Gu Dongting, "Xiao Ting, who do you think will win?"

Gu Dongting, observing Shen Wang on the screen who seemed unaware of the situation, slightly curved his lips and confidently said, "Shen Wang."

His voice was unwaveringly certain.

His answer made the old man take a second look at him, a mix of surprise and understanding: "It’s rare to see you think so highly of someone. Do you know him?"

Gu Dongting, without batting an eye, nodded: "More than just acquaintances."

More than acquaintances? The old man didn't grasp the meaning at first, but then chuckled quietly, "More than acquaintances, so a close relationship?"

"You, Gu Dongting, actually have a good friend?" The old man nodded, his tone curious, "This makes me intrigued about this young man. What charm does he possess to catch the eye of Gu Dongting?"

Gu Dongting didn’t respond because in the live broadcast, Lin Leliu from the Heavenly Master's House had suddenly launched an attack.

In the blink of an eye, the attack reached Shen Wang, who still seemed out of sorts.

Whether arguing, chatting with friends, or engrossed in their own matters, everyone couldn’t help but hold their breath, watching the screen anxiously.

"Be careful!"

This unique Shen Wang, he wouldn’t just end his journey here, right? Many felt regret, while others wore expressions of schadenfreude.