A Long-Awaited Encounter

“What… what is happening?”

Bai Wanwan surveyed her surroundings, her gaze drawn to the dressing mirror where a slender figure slowly rose, then gracefully glided towards her.

A palpable chill enveloped her, yet Bai Wanwan saw no one directly before her. Her eyes were fixed on the dressing mirror, where the enigmatic figure steadily drew nearer.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” she muttered, “I’ve lived this many years and this is a first. I never thought such supernatural occurrences genuinely existed!”

As Bai Wanwan watched the slender figure draw closer, any trace of fear had completely vanished from her. In its place was an overwhelming surge of…

Excitement!

And why wouldn’t she be thrilled?

For years, she had diligently followed her grandfather, immersing herself in the world of folklore. Her days were a monotonous cycle of drawing talismans, folding spirit money, and crafting paper effigies. Mistakes were met with punishment, while correct execution yielded no praise.

Bai Wanwan had acquired a formidable array of skills, yet they had remained utterly without application. To outsiders, their practices often appeared to be little more than elaborate performances.

The talismans, imbued with an air of profound mysticism, were, in practice, predominantly used for simple blessings.

After all, feats like summoning lightning or conjuring fire… they sounded like fantastical elements ripped straight from a novel.

Bai Wanwan herself had never even encountered a ghost, so how could these arcane talismans possibly prove effective?

But now, everything had changed. The situation unfolding before her was an undeniable, genuine supernatural event!

This meant that the myriad skills Bai Wanwan had diligently cultivated throughout her life were, just as her grandfather had always promised, truly valuable. With dedicated study, any ability, no matter how obscure, would eventually find its moment of purpose.

It was the exquisite beauty of seeds finally blossoming into a bountiful harvest…

“A ghost! I’ve seen a ghost… I’ve finally seen a ghost!”

Overwhelmed with joy, Bai Wanwan burst into tears, even prostrating herself towards the east. Her face was already streaked with rivulets of emotion.

This unexpected reaction startled the indistinct figure, visible only through the dressing mirror. Its slow, deliberate approach towards Bai Wanwan faltered, momentarily freezing in place.

“Grandpa,” she sobbed, “I’ve finally seen a ghost! You were absolutely right; as long as one truly dedicates themselves to learning, every skill, no matter how niche, will eventually find its moment of truth.”

Bai Wanwan reverently bowed three times towards the east, then turned her gaze back to the dressing mirror.

Her eyes, once soft and gentle, now held a distinctly different gleam. The moment she completed her bows to the east, a subtle yet unmistakable fierceness ignited within Bai Wanwan’s gaze, replacing her former placid demeanor.

“A marriage malevolence,” she declared, her voice now sharp, “You intend to drag me into the eighteen layers of hell through a ghost marriage, to suffer in your stead while you reincarnate? Hmph! Such a paltry trick, daring to flaunt itself before a true master! Show your true form, now!”

With a swift, almost casual motion, Bai Wanwan plucked a tissue from the coffee table. Without a moment’s hesitation, she bit her finger, drawing blood, and began rapidly sketching and inscribing on the paper.

In that very instant, the once unremarkable white paper began to radiate a pulsating golden glow.

The slender female ghost, who had initially dismissed Bai Wanwan as having gone mad from fright, instantly recoiled, her ethereal form trembling as she witnessed the meticulous way Bai Wanwan crafted the talisman.

‘Wait… you actually know how to do this?’

*Snap!*

Bai Wanwan advanced with a precise Heavenly Gang Step, then swiftly pressed the white paper onto the ground. Immediately, the surrounding environment began to dim, and the female ghost unleashed a piercing shriek.

The eerie scene receded as if time itself were unwinding, continuously vanishing until only a slender woman, clad in a red wedding dress, remained. She stood pitifully, her gaze fixed on Bai Wanwan, radiating an appeal that would stir compassion in any onlooker.

“Please, don’t… don’t kill me.”

The female ghost possessed a face of exquisite beauty. Despite the ominous aura clinging to her, her peerless, captivating appearance compelled Bai Wanwan to linger for a second, then a third glance.

Her eyes were now riveted to the talisman Bai Wanwan had secured to the ground. She stood utterly immobilized, rooted to the spot.

That talisman was unequivocally no mere casual sketch. Its immense power was such that even King Yama himself, were he to appear, would likely yield a respectful three-tenths of his authority!

Indeed, even venerated historical figures, whose names were etched into the Hall of Heroes, would, upon witnessing this talisman crafted by Bai Wanwan, respectfully address her as, “Miss Bai!”

What more could a mere minor female ghost like herself, one who struggled even with reincarnation, hope to achieve?

Judging by Bai Wanwan’s demeanor, she seemed to be proficient in everything—Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism—a master of all three schools. Though her methods appeared unconventional, the sheer oppressive aura she exuded was undeniable.

Furthermore, simultaneously cultivating all three paths was, by all accounts, an impossibility. Yet, Bai Wanwan… had demonstrably accomplished it!