A Call to the Divine

A surge of indignation rose within Bai Wanwan. If not for the onlookers, she would have long since slapped that insolent little female ghost on the backside. ‘So disrespectful! What’s wrong with sharing a meal? Being rich doesn’t make you superior… I, Bai Wanwan, was a young lady of means once too!’

“Miss Deng,” Liu Guochang interjected, clearing his throat and stepping forward to mediate, “perhaps now isn’t the time for extraneous remarks.”

His primary reason for personally coming here, beyond simply showing respect to the Deng family’s elder, was to assist Bai Wanwan and ensure that no one from the Deng family harbored any suspicions towards her. After all, Master Bai had genuinely helped him, effectively saving his life, and even the lives of his entire family. Liu Guochang valued his family above all else, and thus, Bai Wanwan’s profound kindness was a debt he would never forget.

He had also discreetly investigated Bai Wanwan’s identity, for the surname Bai was quite sensitive in Baishi. The colossal, deeply entrenched family that once dominated Baishi also bore that very name. Yet, despite his thorough inquiries, all information regarding Bai Wanwan came up blank. He couldn’t find a single clue, let alone any connection between her and that formidable Bai family. However, his intuition told him it was impossible for someone to exist in the world without leaving any trace. Either the person was very young, having only recently been born, or… some powerful force was operating behind the scenes. Therefore, Liu Guochang dared not treat Bai Wanwan with anything less than utmost respect.

“Master Bai, please continue,” Liu Guochang urged. “Didn’t you say half the problem was solved? How should we resolve the other half?” He gazed at the shattered idol, and for some inexplicable reason, he too felt something was profoundly amiss with it. Especially after it broke, an ominous sensation instantly enveloped him, causing him to instinctively recoil several steps.

“The other half, you ask?” Just as Bai Wanwan spoke, a sudden gust of sinister wind arose. Though it was June outside, the wind carried a bone-chilling cold, like the dead of winter. Crack! With a deafening crash, Jin Baihan’s main doors slammed shut. Strangely, despite being glass, they produced a horrifying creak, like an ancient wooden courtyard gate.

“The other half has arrived,” Bai Wanwan announced. She glanced around, observing as the surrounding space began to twist and distort. Wallpaper peeled away, revealing countless things that resembled raw flesh and blood. Cracks on the walls twisted into grotesque human faces, mouths agape, their empty eyes fixed on Bai Wanwan and her companions.

Such a terrifying spectacle was utterly foreign to ordinary individuals like Liu Guochang and Deng Shuqi. Deng Shuqi, in particular, was so petrified that her legs gave out, sending her collapsing directly onto the floor. The current Jin Baihan now resembled the lair of a man-eating demon. Deng Shuqi simply couldn’t believe that such a horrifying place was the very foundation of her esteemed Deng family. How could this possibly be a place meant to bless her family with peace and safety?

“M-Master Bai! Please save me…” At this moment, Deng Shuqi no longer cared about her image. Though she had encountered supernatural events at night before, those were mere trifles. This current, hellish scene, however, was genuinely eroding her sanity.

“Don’t panic,” Bai Wanwan said softly. “These are all illusions created by that malevolent ghost. It thrives on scaring people; such tricks are its specialty.” Her composure slightly calmed Liu Guochang and Deng Shuqi. They couldn’t help but think, ‘A master truly lives up to their name. This ability to remain unflustered in the face of danger is something we could learn from for a lifetime.’

“H-how do we resolve this, Master Bai?” Liu Guochang’s voice was now stuttering, and he even regretted getting involved in this favor. Helping others was commendable, but sacrificing oneself to do so would be too great a loss.

“This malevolent ghost’s cultivation is not shallow,” Bai Wanwan explained, a hint of difficulty creasing her brow. “By feeding on the Deng family’s fortune, its current strength is not to be underestimated. The entire Jin Baihan is its territory, and within its domain, even I find it difficult to fully exert my abilities.”

“Two million! Master Bai, our Deng family is willing to pay two million!” Deng Shuqi exclaimed, no longer caring about the cost. In other words, she truly had nothing left but money to use as leverage.

“There is still a way,” Bai Wanwan declared. “Just because I can’t solve it doesn’t mean no one else can. Bring me my talismans and brush. I refuse to believe that among the countless heroic spirits and mighty figures in this world, there isn’t one who can subdue this little ghost before us!” She paused, then stated with conviction, “I will summon a deity!”