Chapter Ten: The Death of the Traveler from Another World!

He had never expected this traveler from another world to be so ruthless, killing at the slightest provocation and causing such an uproar. Now, in the current situation, he could only care for himself.

Several ghostly soldiers brushed past Wang Ling, chasing after someone else, completely unaware of his presence. Wang Ling had already gathered and concealed all his energy; to the ghost soldiers, he was no different from grass, wood, or stone, not a trace of living aura detectable from his body.

The ghost soldiers lost Wang Ling in their pursuit, but Zhen Yunzi was not so fortunate. Though his abilities surpassed Wang Ling's, he had only just arrived in this world and knew nothing of its ways or dangers. Now, he could do nothing but flee in panic through the night, stumbling as he was pursued by a squad of ghost soldiers led by their captain.

Despite his efforts, Zhen Yunzi was quickly overtaken by five gusts of ghostly wind. Cursing inwardly, he wondered why the authorities of this world were so perverse—was it not enough to rule over the living, that they must also command ghosts and gods? As the ghost soldiers closed in, Zhen Yunzi suddenly stopped, gritting his teeth. "You leave me no choice. You bring this upon yourselves!"

With clear reluctance, he carefully drew a talisman from his chest. The moment it touched the air, it burst into flames. From within the fire emerged the vague form of a golden-armored divine general, who leapt out, spear in hand, striking at the ghost soldiers.

"You dare to forge a spirit soldier!" the ghost captain shouted in panic and fury. Yet as the guardian general appeared, the flames around him seemed to engulf everything within a ten-foot radius. In an instant, only terrified howls remained as the ghost soldiers and their leader were consumed.

Zhen Yunzi sneered, "Ignorant fools. At the height of my Jade Heaven Temple, I could drown such lowly ghosts with a single mouthful of spit. Even now, though my temple is in decline, it is not for the likes of you to trample!" As he laughed coldly, the ghost captain and his entire squad were incinerated by the divine general's flames. This time, there would be no reunion for them.

In a storeroom of Danling County Hall, an official on night duty was reviewing some records when a sudden crackling sound startled him. He saw that a row of bamboo plaques, each dedicated to a spirit, shattered inexplicably. His face changed at once, and he hurried out.

Moments later, a magistrate wearing a yellow sash and bearing a bronze seal entered with the clerk. Seeing six broken plaques, his face turned ashen. "Well, well, well! Someone dares to kill officers of the court and now has slain an entire squad of ghost soldiers along with their captain. Remarkable! Truly remarkable!" Though he spoke of marvel, his face grew only more severe. Removing his bronze seal, he bellowed, "Brazen fiend! You have murdered my officials and my ghost soldiers—your crimes are beyond forgiveness! Go! Kill this man for me. At my command, you will act!"

No sooner had his words fallen than figures in black armor stepped from the plaques and iron tablets arranged on the shelves, standing in formation. "Yes, sir!"

"Send my orders to all the local gods and spirits of the county. Mobilize the forces; I want this criminal found and captured. He will be dragged to the dungeons, torn apart, and his soul cast into the ghost prison to endure five hundred years of fire!"

"Yes, sir!"

In the next moment, countless ghostly figures—hundreds of ghost soldiers under the command of two captains—marched forth, their carriages rumbling as they drove a dozen chariots out beyond the city walls. At the same time, light invisible to mortal eyes flared in the City God Temple, and soon after, lights arose from every shrine and altar around Danling—public and private alike—summoned by the wrath of the authorities, sending forth their own ghostly soldiers.

Zhen Yunzi was completely unaware that a vast net had closed around him. All of Danling, within and without the city, was now crawling with at least a thousand ghost soldiers, summoned by the magistrate’s fury, all converging to surround and capture him in one fell swoop.

In truth, Zhen Yunzi had no inkling of the seriousness of the situation. Having just eliminated the ghost squad and their leader with a cold laugh, he muttered, "If the tiger does not show its might, it's mistaken for a sick cat. In the days when my Jade Heaven Temple flourished, our ancestors were numbered among the immortals..."

But such words were meaningless now, for that belonged to another world. With the laws of his home world altered and spiritual energy dissipated, even the immortals had likely long since perished. Zhen Yunzi put aside these idle thoughts.

Yet soon, he sensed something amiss. All around, shadows flickered and the wails of ghosts echoed. The moon was obscured by clouds, plunging the night into utter darkness. Only now did Zhen Yunzi begin to feel a growing unease—how he wished Wang Ling were here! With a native guide, he would not be so helpless, so blind to the ways of this world.

"Too bad the Jade Pivot between worlds needs more than ten hours to cool. Only then will the Celestial Lotus bloom again and let me return to my own world. How am I to endure such a long wait?"

As he fretted, he noticed something even stranger: not a whisper of wind could be heard. The night was already black as pitch, the moon completely hidden—one could not see a hand before one’s face. But now, even the chirp of crickets and the rustle of wind had vanished, leaving a silence so oppressive it was terrifying.

A sense of imminent danger welled up within him, but just as he realized it, it was already too late—

Suddenly, the world was ablaze with light. Countless torches—which burned with an eerie green flame—illuminated everything. Under their glow, ranks of ghost soldiers appeared, their faces twisted and savage, exuding a chilling aura. Black mist swirled around a dozen war chariots, atop which stood warriors clad in black armor who gazed down coldly, their powerful presence enough to freeze the soul.

Unaware of the looming danger, Zhen Yunzi was oblivious—but Wang Ling was not. Not long after evading the ghost soldiers himself, he saw flames in the distance and heard the agonized howls of the ghosts as they were incinerated.

Wang Ling’s hair stood on end. "Such audacity! This traveler is reckless beyond measure, courting death. In broad daylight he slaughtered innocent villagers, and now acts so brazenly under cover of night—I cannot save him. I must only hope not to be dragged down with him..."