Upon hearing the word "ghost," everyone felt a shiver down their spine.

Yet, both Hua Che and Chu Binghuan remained calm and composed.

"The Ghost Festival, the day of the year with the heaviest Yin energy," Hua Che explained, "Whether human or demon, after death, the soul will go to the ghost realm. The ghost realm is a lawless place, where they fight each other. If one can survive for seven days, they can be reincarnated and enter the cycle of rebirth. Otherwise, if consumed by other ghosts, they can only choose the 15th day of the seventh month to escape the ghost realm. If they don't want to perish, they must form a body within a day, or, they must possess someone. Otherwise, the spirit cannot survive in the world."

Everyone listened in astonishment.

Hua Che continued, "For cultivators, their souls and consciousness are a big supplement for ghost cultivators. Zuo Qi was just unlucky enough to encounter a ghost cultivator who escaped from the ghost realm."

"Then what..." Wen Yuan's mouth was agape, extremely shocked. "Eighth junior brother, how do you know so much about ghost cultivators?"

Hua Che was taken aback, only then realizing he had said too much.

Faced with suspicious glances from all directions, he racked his brains for an excuse, "Well, it's written in books! ' Records of Demon Dao’s Secrets.' You guys haven't read it in Master's library?"

Mu Rongsa was really fooled by this, "Why bother reading that stuff? It’s not like I'm going to be a demon cultivator."

Hua Che vaguely replied, "Knowing oneself and the enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles. There's no harm in taking a look."

"There are indeed records about the demon and ghost realms in the books, but how do you know the detailed survival methods in the ghost realm?" Chu Binghuan spoke, his deep gaze fixed on Hua Che's face. "Unless you've seen it with your own eyes or experienced it firsthand, how could you know so much?"

Hua Che felt flustered by the question. Chu Binghuan was indeed too sensitive and not easy to fool.

However, when it came to bluffing and talking non sense, Hua Che never suffered losses: "Don't be so surprised. There are many unofficial historical records. I know many secret stories that you don't know about, much more than what you know, little Ice Cube."

Chu Binghuan pursed his lips, his expression complex.

Hua Che looked at Lu Yao and the others, "What are you all standing around for? Do you have any exorcism talismans?"

"Oh, we do." Shang Qing disciples were full of treasures. Lu Yao quickly dispersed more than twenty exorcism talismans, making it impossible for ghost cultivators within a radius of a hundred miles to escape.

As they followed the trail of Yin energy, as soon as they entered a remote town, a scream was heard from behind.

Wen Yuan and Lu Yao drew their swords and rushed over, As they followed didn't want to be left behind and joined in the excitement.

Hua Che and Chu Binghuan stayed in place. From time to time, there was a loud noise from afar, and a black shadow burst out of the roof. Wen Yuan followed closely behind it, with Lu Yao following.

Mu Rongsa shouted towards Hua Che, "Quick, stop him!"

From afar, it looked like a figure emitting black aura. When it approached, it turned out to be a frightening skeleton.

Before Hua Che could act, Chu Binghuan rushed up, his Listening Spring sword unsheathed, his qi tearing through the air. He thought he could cut the skeleton in half with one sword, but unexpectedly, the black aura blocked his attack.

Hua Che shouted, " Little Ice Cube, don't underestimate him, He has been cultivating for at least a hundred years!"

The Heavenly Dao is most lenient to humans, strict with demons, and most cruel to ghosts.

Regardless of the depth of their cultivation or their level, demonic beast cultivators experience tribulations every hundred years. Those with good luck can survive and continue their cultivation, otherwise, they perish.

As for ghost cultivators, they transform after a cultivator's death. They would be able to cultivate blood and bones after a hundred years, while flesh and skin would take a thousand years to cultivate. They face tribulations every ten years. They are the outcasts of the six realms, unwelcome in heaven and earth.

This ghost cultivator had already cultivated his skeleton, indicating a cultivation age of at least a hundred years.

As Chu Binghuan's sword aura swept through, the skeletal body seemed unbelievably light, floating like a feather, moving swiftly as if riding the wind, charging straight towards Hua Che.

Its speed caught Chu Binghuan off guard. He squeezed his left hand, and a gleaming golden whip soared into the air, surging with force, cutting through the black mist and viciously coiling around the waist of the skeletal frame.

Simultaneously, Hua Che cast a soul-locking spell, hitting the skeletal frame right on target.

To prevent the soul-locking spell from struggling with the ghost cultivator's century-old cultivation, Chu Binghuan didn't release the whip.

Besides Listening Spring, Chu Binghuan also possessed a spiritual weapon named Soul Burner.

Crafted from dragon tendons and dragon bones, it emanated golden light and burned fiercely like fire, in stark contrast to the Listening Spring Sword, which was ice-cold.

Though the ghost cultivator's cultivation surpassed theirs, with a spiritual weapon in hand, it couldn't escape.

However, a ghost cultivator in skeletal form couldn't speak, only struggle desperately.

Hua Che asked, "Did you kill Zuo Qi?"

The ghost cultivator remained silent.

"What's your name, and what was your identity before you died?"

Silence followed.

Hua Che, hands on hips, said, "Hey hey hey, if you can't talk, can you write? Can't your claws move?"

Long Nose chimed in, "Why waste time talking to it? I'll take it back to the Shang Qing Immortal Sect and execute it publicly!"

The ghost cultivator suddenly struggled violently, its bones scraping against the Soul Burner, revealing tiny cracks.

Hua Che pondered.

After Mu Rongsa and the others returned, Hua Che looked at Wen Yuan and Lu Yao and said, "This ghost cultivator seems to be repelled by you guys. So, I'll chat with it alone!"

"Nonsense!" Long Nose was the first to object. "What are you going to talk about with it, and why alone?"

"Shut up," Mu Rongsa glared at him. "It's not like you caught it. We'll handle it however we want. If you're not happy, deal with it!"

"You!" Long Nose fumed.

Wen Yuan hesitated, "Junior Brother Hua Che, isn't this... too dangerous?"

"It's tied up, not dangerous at all. Even if it wants to do something, can't I call for help?" Hua Che said casually, "To avoid wronging others, it must confess, right?"

"Confess? What's the point!" Long Nose raged, "Ghost cultivators and demon cultivators deserve to die. Even without the Zuo Qi incident, we immortal cultivators should exterminate demons and ghosts whenever we encounter them!"

Chu Binghuan suddenly spoke with utmost seriousness, as if declaring something to everyone:
"Not all demonic cultivators are ruthless murderers who delight in killing the innocent. Some demonic cultivators are peaceful and avoid causing trouble for others."

Ignoring the bewildered gazes, he pushed the ghost cultivator into a small firewood shed, then looked at Hua Che. 'If anything happens, call me in time.'

Chu Binghuan's sense of justice left Hua Che somewhat bewildered. He followed into the shed after a moment of hesitation.

Hua Che didn't start his interrogation immediately but stared keenly at the ghost cultivator for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

Then, he waved his hand, setting up a sound barrier to isolate their conversation, and continued to observe the ghost cultivator.

Another incense stick passed. Seeing the ghost cultivator becoming restless, Hua Che suddenly spoke, 'What's your name?'

Leaning against a stack of firewood, the ghost cultivator remained unresponsive.

'I'm Hua Che, a disciple of the Lingxiao Palace. I don't know how long you've been dead. Have you heard of this sect?'

With no eyes, only two black voids, it was impossible to discern emotions. After some time, the ghost cultivator raised its skeletal hand and began writing in the air: 'Aren't you afraid of me?'

A sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy, not afraid of a ghost cultivator.

Though demons might be vicious, at least they were usually attractive. Ghost cultivators, however, were both bloody and ugly.

It took a hundred years to form bones, he would need a thousand years to form flesh, painstakingly crafting organs from the heart position. Their appearance was gruesome, resembling victims of wild beasts, missing chunks of flesh everywhere, horrifying and nauseating.

'What's there to fear?'

The chilly moonlight penetrated the window, reflecting in Hua Che's clear eyes, revealing a cold gleam.

'I've also been a ghost cultivator.'

 

Translator : DarNan