Diligence System: From Servant to Martial King-Chapter 392 - 286: The Evil Ghost Knocks, Forced into Despair, Li Xian to the Rescue, the Second Foul Garment!
Ghosts... Mysterious and eerie.
Nangong Liuli saw the ghost knocking at the door outside, her hair stood on end, remembering her third uncle who died at the hands of a ghost for some reason. After his death, he left a "Ghost Record," documenting the related ’Nether River’ and ’ghosts’, which was of great significance and had been classified as a secret record of the Nangong Family, belonging to family confidentiality. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖
The Ghost Record states that typical ghosts include "Chang Ghosts," "Corpse Ghosts," "Child Ghosts"... These types of ghosts have physical forms. Chang Ghosts are formed by the live swallowing and eating by "Tiger Beasts," quite lowly, and not very frightening. "Corpse Ghosts" and "Child Ghosts" are slightly different but similar. Although their names include the word "ghost," strictly speaking, they fall under the category of "monsters."
More formidable ghosts have mysterious origins and causes, which Nangong Liuli is unaware of. The ’Ghost Record’ is restricted, even though she is the legitimate daughter, she is not qualified to observe it. She felt a sense of terror, hearing the knocking sound growing louder. She felt her luck had gone bad, everything was going wrong, even ghosts were coming to her door.
Hurriedly she thought up a plan to cope. Her family had profound knowledge, rare in ghost studies, and common family members lacked research. Yet she happened to know a little, suppressing terror for the moment, she stepped on Lightweight Skill, landing amidst the crown leaves of a fruit tree.
She waved her hand to pluck seven leaves, bit her index finger, and drew talismanic patterns on the leaves. She didn’t understand the meaning of the patterns, but vaguely remembered they could relate to ghosts. When the leaves were drawn, she flung them out, pinning them at seven spots on the vermillion gate.
The knocking sound immediately weakened but soon started again. With each echo, a leaf fell. Nangong Liuli furrowed her brow, thinking hard for another plan.
In such danger, she didn’t care about authenticity. All tactics to deal with the fierce ghost were tried but showed little effect. As she pondered more strategies, she suddenly noticed the vermillion gate had calmed.
Nangong Liuli wondered, "Could it have left?" Relaxed a little, she glanced at the sky, the dark fog appeared to be dispersing, and the silver moon gradually revealed itself. She lightly patted her chest, although unclear what happened, overall, things seemed to be heading in a good direction. Upon recovering her senses, she realized her clothes were completely soaked.
Nangong Liuli suddenly felt scared, noticed that although the dark fog had cleared, the center of the full moon showed a red hue. The moonlight, tinted with red amidst the silver-white, sprinkled onto the roof tiles. Silent to the extreme, eerie to the extreme.
Though the vermillion gate remained tightly shut, the ghost had already entered the courtyard. Nangong Liuli’s sweat dripped down her cheeks, soaking her chest area. Quickly she hid inside the hall and closed the door, fastening the latch.
Though proficient in Martial Arts, the current situation rendered her skills useless. It came suddenly, with no warning. She anxiously waited for a moment, indeed the hall door made strange noises.
This time heard more clearly, only one door apart. The chilling cold froze her whole body, she, usually calmer, found herself unable to withstand the ill-fated dangers she faced.
Involuntarily feeling resentment, inexplicably aggrieved. Why did such perils come her way? Among countless households on Cyan Ox Street, why seek Cyan Ox Residence alone?
Suddenly thought, "Yes... I heard Hua Wuchuo mention. Cyan Ox Residence has been abandoned for several years, could it be for this reason? Alas... cheap things, truly cannot be bought."
Seeing the knocking sound gradually ceased, the ghost stopped its actions, the hall door returned to calm. Nangong Liuli knew the ghost would enter the hall. She gathered her courage, saw some unfinished tea in the hall. She squeezed out vital blood, soaking it into the tea, dyeing it red. Pinched fingers with the tea to draw an array on the ground.
This is the "Array to Cleanse Impurities." Using blood as a guide, because in Nangong Family’s studies, blood is a bridge connecting the nine heavens and linking to the Netherworld. Adding the blood may bring miraculous effects.
She quietly guarded by the array, waiting for the ghost to break in and step onto the array, observing its effect. If the effect was significant, she could then cautiously examine and gradually seek solutions.
Suddenly felt a chilling wind sweep.
Nangong Liuli was dazed, instinctively turned to look elsewhere. Only to see the curtain beside the window swaying without wind, shadows and moonlight crossed, standing there was a ghostly figure. It was ambiguous and eerie, hard to define reality, feeling truly bizarre.
Originally, in her haste, she measured ghosts by conventional wisdom. Ghosts being insubstantial, there was no need for them to break in.
Nangong Liuli exhausted her ideas, arranging a blood array inside the door. Yet it was futile, she both sighed and was annoyed, picked up the teacup to throw at the ghost. This move contained Nagong Family’s secret knowledge, though it seemed a hasty act, it was a probing attempt.
"Bang!"...
The teacup cut through the curtain, smashing into the nearby bookshelf. This bookshelf carved from hardwood was sturdy and solid, even knife cuts left no mark. The moment the teacup hit, the bookshelf shook violently, with a "crunch," completely collapsed.
Nangong Liuli came back to her senses, narrowed her eyes observing. The ghost seemed not to be on that side, yet upon careful recollection, it indeed was on that side. Pondering for a moment, felt even more horror.
The ghost’s form seemed not like a shadow but rather a vague assemblage from what she could see, forming a concept. Like "looking at grass from a distance yet seeing none," the same object, perspective direction distance differed, what was seen felt differed.
More like... possessing the skillful painting abilities of an artist, originally drawing the scenery, but through deliberate arrangement, grouping scenes like grass, trees, rivers, stones... faintly resembling a human.
This ghost had no condensed form. What Nangong Liuli saw as a silhouette was similar to an illusion, everything seen was curtains, tables, teacups... furniture, but when assembled, faintly resembling a human figure standing there. This was even more terrifying, if possessing a definitive form, though ethereal, it’s position and actions could be known... though untouchable, yet visible.
Nangong Liuli turned her head once more. Seeing a lamp post. The lamp post was pitch black, faintly resembling the ghost’s body, the milky white lamp candle, faintly resembling the ghost’s face. Surrounding chairs, decorations, light and shadow... adding one tile here, one brick there, collectively forming a ghostly silhouette.
