Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Revealing the true nature of the illusionary formation, Shen Wang looked down at the formation beneath his feet, his gaze inscrutable.

In the dilapidated room, as the yin wind ceased, the others and the minor ghosts waved away the floating dust, eyeing the ominous formation.

The minor ghosts were particularly shocked; trapped here for nearly a century, they never realized such a thing existed under their feet!

Azi, with a furrowed brow, asked, "Master, what is this formation for?"

The other dancing girls also began to chatter inquisitively.

"This thing doesn't look like anything good."

"But how did this come to be here... Was it here before we died, or did it appear after?"

"I don’t know, when we were alive, we were too busy entertaining guests to notice what was under our feet."

Shen Wang squatted down, swiping a finger across the red patterns of the formation. He flicked away the dark red, dried blood clots that stained his fingertips, his face growing even darker.

Noticing his grim expression, the whispering ghosts and humans gradually fell silent.

Shen Wang stood up and shared his conclusion with them: "This is your blood." All this blood belonged to the female ghosts who had died here.

The minor ghosts were still confused, but Bai Fuchun already exclaimed in shock, "A formation drawn with their blood..."

Panghe’s expression darkened, "How vicious."

In the place where these poor women died, a formation drawn with their blood ensured that they couldn't pass on, trapping them here until their souls dissipated.

Wushu, from the Mystical Arts Association and known for his keen insight, couldn't help but mutter softly, "This seems like a ghost-nurturing formation..."

"Using our blood to nurture ghosts?" Azi asked naively, "We're already dead, how does that work?"

No one spoke, none wanting to break the harsh truth to them.

Shen Wang sighed imperceptibly, stepping forward. His spiritual power, tinged with anger, struck the formation's weak point. Pure and clean spiritual energy passed through, causing the crimson, tainted patterns to emit a faint red light, struggling in their final moments before melting away like snow under the morning sun.

The minor ghosts, not fully understanding what had happened, watched Shen Wang effortlessly destroy the formation, their faces breaking into sincere smiles.

Though they didn't know the formation's purpose, the idea of their blood being used in such a way felt unsettling. Now that the formation was gone, it felt like an invisible shackle had been lifted from their hearts.

Simultaneously, the oppressive atmosphere of the ghost house dissipated, and daylight, long unseen, began to leak through the sparse roof of the dilapidated room.

The warm, golden sunlight pierced through the dust, shining directly on Azi and Azi's sister.

Startled, they instinctively tried to retreat into the shadows, then realized the sunlight wasn't harming them. The ghosts froze in wonder, gently reaching out to hold the rays of sun they hadn't seen in a century.

The other ghosts were equally stunned, then, like mad, drifted out from the shadows to bask greedily in the golden sunlight, laughing and crying.

"It's the sun! It's the sun!"

"I haven't seen the sun in decades; I thought I'd mold over... I never thought we'd see daylight again!"

"It's so warm, so comfortable..."

The sunlight, which only brings warmth to the living, how could it possibly warm a ghost?

But the cultivators remained silent, watching the young women, no older than twenty, rejoice and celebrate over a mere ray of sunlight, singing and dancing with unbridled joy.

The sun cast upon their faces, not the rosy and fair complexion of living girls, but a pallid, ghostly paleness, radiating a chilling aura. Yet, their faces were lit with radiant smiles, compelling onlookers to overlook their unusual appearance.

For a moment, they seemed alive again, basking normally in the sun.

Their pure joy was so heartfelt that Panghe felt a bittersweet ache, suddenly asking, "Would you like to go outside and see?"

"Hm?" Azi's eyes widened, her teenage eagerness mixed with hesitant disbelief, "Can we really go out?"

Trapped here for a hundred years... Azi had never imagined she could leave and see the world beyond this ghostly domain.

Everyone turned their gaze to Shen Wang, and even the minor ghosts looked at him, their long-silent hearts seemingly pounding with anticipation.

"...” Shen Wang's mouth twitched, "Why are you looking at me?"

Bai Fuchun chuckled, ingratiatingly saying, "Shen Ge, it's not easy to take so many sisters out. We're no match for you. We can only rely on your great powers to help these ladies fulfill their wish."

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow: "You know it's not easy to take them out, huh?"

Bai Fuchun scratched his head, pleading softly with hands clasped, "Do you know the Bai family? I'm from the Bai family. If you can help these poor sisters, I'll have my grandfather refine pills for you! You know my grandfather, right? He's an amazing alchemist, many people beg him to refine pills, but he rarely does..."

Panghe added, "Shen Shixiong, I know you're capable. If you're willing to help them, I'm ready to give you all my credits!"

Shen Wang: "..." Now the pressure was on him.

Under the hopeful gaze of countless eyes, Shen Wang smiled, "Do you really see me as someone so heartless and mercenary?"

Bai Fuchun and Panghe exchanged glances, their fists clenched in excitement.

"Alright, let's go. Let's show these young ladies what the world looks like a hundred years later."

As soon as Shen Wang spoke, everyone, both living and dead, erupted in cheers: "Thank you, Shen Ge! Long live Shen Ge!"

"Wuhu! Charge!"

Shen Wang and his group joyfully took care of all the nuisances, leaving the judges watching through the tiny monitors in the contestants' watches utterly baffled, still unaware of what had transpired.

They only saw Shen Wang and the other contestants gathering, ready to enter the haunted house.

But after they entered the shadowy mansion, the signal from the mini surveillance was disrupted, and nothing could be seen.

The incident happened suddenly, and everyone was caught off guard, creating immediate chaos on the scene: "What happened!"

"Could it be an accident?"

"Should we send someone to rescue them..."

As everyone was discussing animatedly, someone suddenly spoke in a faint voice, "Among those participants, there's Shen Wang."

"Does Shen Wang need rescuing?"

This statement plunged everyone present back into silence.

Shen Wang, an enigmatic figure with a style that's hard to fathom, never suffers a loss and possesses top-notch abilities. With him around... Reluctantly, everyone had to admit that the likelihood of this team needing rescue significantly decreased.

Judges, whose disciples had been harshly disciplined by Shen Wang, exchanged glances before silently looking away.

Although it was embarrassing for their disciples, since disciples from other sects were equally humiliated, it meant no one was actually embarrassed. The judges tacitly agreed not to rescue.

Only Gu Dongting, looking at the motionless monitor, showed a hint of worry: "According to the rules of the Metaphysics Competition, in case of an emergency, the priority is the lives of the participants."

A middle-aged judge from Baiyun Pavilion retorted impatiently, "Which eye of yours saw him in mortal danger?"

Gu Dongting's face showed a hint of stern coldness: "If we wait until they're really in danger, it might be too late."

The middle-aged judge sneered, "In this competition, Shen Wang is the most cunning. Even if all other participants die, he won't suffer."

This remark immediately displeased the other judges: "Do you know how to speak? If you can't, better to keep silent."

"It would be right if all of Baiyun Pavilion's people were the ones to perish."

The judges quickly began bickering again, each as sharp as a needle, unyielding. Gu Dongting glanced at them, fully aware of their intentions.

These judges, displeased with Shen Wang and unwilling to rescue, now faced a situation where among Shen Wang's teammates, Chou Yin was an unaffiliated independent cultivator, and no elder from Pang He's Five Immortals Sect was selected as a judge this year.

The Metaphysics Association valued Bo Yu more, considering Wu Shu only as an alternative. If they could stop Shen Wang, the biggest dark horse, in his tracks, even if Wu Shu was eliminated too, the Metaphysics Association would be more than willing.

In the end, only Bai Fuchun of the Bai family remained.

Gu Dongting looked towards Elder Bai, seated at the center of the judges' panel: "Elder Bai, aren't you worried?"

As Bai Fuchun's grandfather, Elder Bai remained surprisingly calm at this moment, still displaying a kind and benevolent demeanor, watching the judges' clumsy attempts at criticism with a cheerful expression.

Elder Bai, quite relaxed, said, "He has Chou Yin to protect him, what could possibly go wrong."

Gu Dongting was momentarily at a loss for words, remaining silent for a while before slowly speaking, "If one's own strength is inadequate, relying on others is not a sustainable strategy."

Elder Bai also sighed, "Can't help it, my grandson lacks talent in cultivation, only a bit gifted in alchemy. His combat ability is indeed inferior, so he can only follow behind Chou Yin, which is quite a sorry sight."

As soon as he spoke, the judges listening nearby felt a pang in their hearts: everyone in the metaphysical world knew about the astonishing alchemy talent of Bai Fuchun, the young master of the Bai family. Not yet an adult, he could already concoct low-level pills.

Such an exceptionally talented alchemist being described by Elder Bai as 'a sorry sight'... it left others, green with envy, at a loss for words.

Unaware of the thoughts of others, Elder Bai smiled kindly and gently, his tone a mix of scolding and boasting, "My grandson, not interested in cultivation or leisure, only loves alchemy. To put it nicely, it's purity; to put it bluntly, it's inflexibility..."

As this went on, someone couldn't bear it any longer and remarked half-jokingly, "Your grandson is perfect in every way, but why did he choose a man as a partner, and moreover, a tall, rugged man with a disfigured face?"

This hit Elder Bai's sore spot.

Elder Bai's wrinkled face twitched, and he gave the speaker a deep look, "He likes him, and as an old man, why should I interfere and be disliked?"

"With your unparalleled skill in alchemy, Elder Bai, haven't you thought of healing your grandson's husband's face? His face... to say it's a sorry sight would actually be quite fitting."

Elder Bai's gaze grew more intense, losing his usual amiable demeanor: "This is a matter of the Bai family, what does it have to do with you?"

The others were startled, losing their interest in spectating, and those previously blinded by jealousy regained their senses.

This was Elder Bai! Even if he seemed gentle and harmless, he was the patriarch of the Bai family, a renowned alchemy lineage, and the top alchemist in the metaphysical world.

No one in the metaphysical world, including the judges present, could be sure they would never need Elder Bai's favor.

Instantly, everyone was silently regretting, and the atmosphere sunk into a prolonged and unnervingly silent pause.

Meanwhile, Gu Dongting, having known that Elder Bai was not worried, stopped paying attention to the others and focused solely on the surveillance.

The screen belonging to Shen Wang remained dark. Gu Dongting silently calculated the time, resolved to send in rescue if it exceeded his expectations, regardless of the outcome, to save Shen Wang.

Gu Dongting knew rationally that Shen Wang harbored many secrets and his strength was unfathomable, even surpassing him in life-and-death struggles.

But despite this knowledge, Gu Dongting couldn’t help but worry, fearing Shen Wang might encounter an insurmountable problem.

Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight... ten, nine, eight... Gu Dongting counted down in his mind, the numbers getting smaller, nearing his threshold.

Three, two... one! At that moment, Gu Dongting’s eyes sharpened, ready to act, when the long-dark screen suddenly lit up.

It was Shen Wang!

Gu Dongting caught his breath, his gaze intensely following Shen Wang, while the other judges, with their varied thoughts, quickly noticed the restoration of the surveillance and turned to the large screen.

Upon seeing the array captured on the monitor, everyone present was stunned.

"This formation looks familiar... Am I seeing things?"

Once Shen Wang and the others revealed a bit of information, the judges couldn't hold back any longer, bursting out: "Damn it, I knew I wasn't wrong!"

"Such a devious formation could only come from those tricksters!"

"Damn, now it makes sense. The surveillance was disrupted by the formation... But how could their formation be here? This is the imperial capital!"

But after seeing those little female ghosts, the judges' cursing got stuck in their throats.

After a long silence, Elder Bai suddenly sighed deeply, "They look about the same age as my grandson."

At the same age, Bai Fuchun is spoiled and pampered by his family, carefully protected by Chou Yin.

While those girls, tragically died in their youth.

Seeing them line up like little girls who had never been out to play, nervously and excitedly following their leader, everyone felt a pang of sorrow.

Bai Fuchun and others walked out laughing and talking with the group of little ghosts, with Shen Wang trailing at the end.

Lagging a few steps behind, he tapped his watch and whispered a reminder, "This is a formation powered by ghostly energy, nourishing the yin energy. I suspect it's not just about the corpse blood... Dig beneath the formation, there should be something else."

After speaking, urged by the group ahead, Shen Wang also strode out.

The judges, watching the surveillance, were startled, looking at each other: "Who is he talking to?!"

Gu Dongting lowered his eyes, suppressing a faint smile, "He's talking to us."

The judges were even more astonished: "How did he know we installed surveillance!"

Previous metaphysical competitions never had surveillance on participants; this was the first time it was attempted, and the participants were not informed about this.

Since all the contestants were kept in the dark, how did Shen Wang know about it?!

Gu Dongting looked up, his tone even, "You forget, his divination skills are unparalleled."

With Shen Wang's almost magical divination, figuring out this matter was not surprising.

The judges' faces stiffened, their expressions contorted.

Gu Dongting didn't elaborate further; he had already started contacting the staff of a special department, preparing to excavate the formation in the shadowy mansion.

It was only then that the judges realized, "Wait! Shen Wang and his team resolved the shadowy mansion! How is that possible!"

"Isn't that mansion so full of yin energy that even the heads of major sects couldn't handle it? There's even a natural illusion inside, anyone who enters falls into it..."

"Even the head of Baiyun Mountain only managed to seal the mansion to prevent harm to others."

"How did Shen Wang and his team manage it..."

Though they spoke of Shen Wang and his team, all judges knew very well that everyone else in the team had predictable strengths, except for the enigmatic Shen Wang.

And the purification of the shadowy mansion could only be related to Shen Wang.

The judges exchanged glances, internally raising Shen Wang's abilities in their estimations...

But they found, as they kept raising, that Shen Wang seemed to loom over them, almost towering above!

"What kind of monster is this Shen Wang!!!" the judges thought bitterly, raging silently.

Meanwhile, Shen Wang, having briefly informed the officials of the competition, put the matter aside and led the group of little female ghosts out to see the world.

All the contestants had arrived through their own means, except for the client Ma Zhiwen, who drove his car. However, after parking, he hesitated, "It seems like there aren’t enough seats in the car..."

Not to mention the small crowd of female ghosts, even the contestants couldn't all fit, with one too many.

Bai Fuchun instinctively glanced at Chou Yin, and Pang He glanced at Wu Shu beside him.

Before Shen Wang could speak, Wu Shu had already tactfully stepped back, "You all go ahead, I want to check out the locations of other contestants' tasks."

At this moment, the watches of all contestants displayed the message that the shadowy mansion task was completed.

The moment Shen Wang and the little ghosts stepped out of the mansion, this message was announced to all contestants, who were unaware of who had undertaken the task, only knowing that another strong competitor had emerged.

After all, this was the first task shown as completed.

Shen Wang noticed that besides the completed shadowy mansion task, the rest were showing progress in percentages. The second task, named 'Exploring the Ancient Tomb', was at 57% completion.

He took a closer look: If he remembered correctly, wasn't this task drawn by the Miaojiang youth named Si Ke? Quite lucky.

However, due to varying difficulties, each task awarded different points. His task was relatively simple, so the points would probably be less.

Unsurprised by Wu Shu's departure, Shen Wang got into the passenger seat and gestured to Azi and the other little ghosts, "You guys can sit on the roof and fly behind the car, is that okay?"

In the familiar environment of the shadowy mansion, they could chat and laugh with strangers, but once they left, even Azi became restrained.

She 'stood' lightly in place, cautiously responding, "No problem, Master."

She looked pitiful.

Shen Wang paused, feeling a bit of compassion, and handed Azi a Yin-gathering talisman, "Don’t be afraid, it's a peaceful era now."

The other contestants noticed their unease and tried to comfort them, "It's been a hundred years now, completely different from your era. You'll surely like it."

"The world has changed, it's now an era of equality for everyone..."

As Bai Fuchun and others reassured them, the car slowly started moving forward, followed by a swarm of little ghosts trailing behind in a dark mass.

To anyone unaware of the situation, the sight of ghosts chasing after the car could have been utterly terrifying.

Initially, the car's speed was slow, drawing several honks and curses from other drivers. Gradually, it picked up speed, eventually reaching a normal driving pace.

The little ghosts who had easily followed the car were now flying, like kites tethered to the vehicle, or a trailing dark cloud, half-floating in the air, swaying as they followed.

Bai Fuchun kept looking back, worriedly observing the little ghosts, "Is this okay? Are you sure it's safe? They won't get lost, right? What if someone, I mean, what if a ghost can't keep up?"

Shen Wang's eyelids twitched, too lazy to entertain this curious baby.

Azi, sitting on the roof, suddenly leaned halfway into the car, smiling sweetly at Bai Fuchun, "Don't worry, Sister Pang He, we can fly really fast."

This speed is no problem at all!

Bai Fuchun, startled by the sudden intrusion of a half-body and head, "..."

Chou Yin's eyes flickered with amusement as he pulled Bai Fuchun into his embrace, silently comforting.

On the roof, Azi and A Zhi sat side by side, marveling at the towering skyscrapers, the wide, smooth roads, and the calm yet hurried pedestrians.

A Zhi, clutching Azi's arm, said in awe, "Sister, is this the world a hundred years later?"

Such a world was beyond her wildest dreams.