As said by Fan Zheng, upon meeting somebody who could see or hear them, a ghost would usually do everything it could to bother that person in hopes that they would help them fulfill their last wishes, be it burying their remains properly or solving their resentment. Honestly, ghosts were more inclined to the latter as they normally only turned into lingering spirits after feeling like they got deprived of justice.
It was rare to see one wanting to linger around the place of their death to help others, yet here there was a bunch of them! Such a pity n.o.body appreciated this miracle. People were truly more inclined to a.s.sume that all spirits, as long as they were not their loved ones or ancestors, were bad.
In Jiang Li"s opinion though, it was normal. But Fan Zheng, as someone who had the most dealings with ghosts among the group, was an embarra.s.sment since he did not notice their difference with the typical malicious spirits.
Fan Zheng even led his sister and friends in the direction of the village, thinking the matter of greatest importance was to escape from the battalion of spirits!
"Tch. This has become trouble."
In irritation, Jiang Li swore to beat up each of these students, Zhan Rong and Fan Zheng included, in their dreams once they fell asleep later. Anyways, in their corporeal state, they wouldn"t truly suffer. They would even be able to help an annoyed ghost quell his dissatisfaction with them.
Meanwhile, the female ghost leader gave Jiang Li a look of disbelief when he entered Zhan Rong"s necklace and managed to get into the village through that. The change in the other"s expression did not escape his sight. Jiang Li knew the reason for that reaction was that for several centuries, she had lived but it was the first time she saw a non-living pa.s.sed through the invisible wall.
"This kind of cheating can be done?" The female ghost gasped as the thought showed in her face. "I never thought of this!"
Excitement, hope, and malice all flashed one after another. In no time, the woman flew over with unmatched speed, leaving her cronies behind.
It was apparent her goal was to attach herself to an item too. She wanted to get inside! Her expression that translated what she was feeling inside was overflowing with madness and desire for blood.
She even shouted a command to the other spirits, "Charge!!!! Possess them!!!! Or any item in their person!!!! Tonight, we will slaughter those devils! Kill!!!!!"
Every word conveyed conviction. The ambition was grand and bloodcurdling. An order she never pa.s.sed to her followers prior to this was said and it was easily accomplished since they suddenly became very spirited and full of determination.
However, when she rebounded from the invisible barrier and got forced out of a hair accessory on Guo Hanying"s head, her expression turned blank. For a moment, she was like that before a realization naturally came upon her. Her red bloodshot pair of eyes turned menacingly at Jiang Li.
"AAHHHHHHH!" The surroundings blanketed by shadows suddenly became more ominous due to this sharp-pitched cry.
At that moment, the female ghost had branded Jiang Li in her mind as an enemy. Her anger prompted her to begin wreaking havoc as she tried to breakthrough using brute force.
Sadly, not even her could go against something left by a legendary monk. Her effort bore no results.
…
"Wow. That ghost instantly turned against me after seeing I can bypa.s.s the restriction," Jiang Li exclaimed in his heart when Fan Zheng"s group reached the entrance.
He had just recovered from the daze after witnessing personally a fellow spirit being rejected by the village. That very spirit was now charging like crazy towards him like a madwoman. Throwing herself into the protective halo of the village, if not drilling her hair into it, or clawing at it. The sounds she made was spine-chilling.
In his current state, if he were to go outside confronting the female lunatic, he would only be able to hold on for five seconds before being forced to run away fast. He had no confidence that he would remain in one piece. Even if he was strong originally, the long period of captivity within that odd dark place had weakened him significantly he did not even dare waltz under the sun, whereas in his estimate, that fierce lady ghost was powerful enough to have no problem walking directly into a church. The difference was quite large. He really had to work hard if he wanted to restore more of his strength to at least not be easy prey for high-level monks and beings like her.
Because these students kept shouting like crazy, the villagers were naturally awakened from their slumber. A few of them had come out to meet the foreigners. Dress in humble and coa.r.s.e clothing, the villagers really looked simple and honest. Even though deep inside, they were all annoyed for being awakened at midnight, they managed to restrain themselves. The seven men who welcomed them also had restrained themselves from showing their joy looking at the four beautiful college ladies.
From the moment, Fan Zheng"s group barged into their piece of land, they had begun their performance.
"Welcome to our village, foreigners. We are glad to have you here. Please, let us escort you into our little community so you can get some rest."
Jiang Li briefly appreciated the fake warm att.i.tude and care of these people. Not long after, he lost interest and turned back to the direction where the spirits were still madly yelling at him.
"Kill. Kill. kill."
He laughed, "They sure have a very simple vocabulary."
Had this bunch been a group of mortals and they were facing somebody they hate, colorful profanities would have rained already. In comparison, these fellows of him were much cuter.
"Anyways, did they become hostile because I am originally from this place?" he wondered.
A night pa.s.sed and the tension Fan Zheng and the others felt also flew away. When morning came, all of them stared blankly at the wall for quite a while, still couldn"t believe that they had survived a life and death situation like that.
"Once I get back to the city, I"ll make sure to sow good karma so the heavens would hear my pleas and not make me go through that again," Fan Lan tearfully said in an unhurried manner to which the others nodded.
She pulled everyone into a group hug in which none of them knew a laughing Jiang Li, who made himself not easy to be noticed, had mischievously joined in, plastering himself on Zhan Rong"s back.
Hours later, Fan Zhen and the others met up with the kind man in his late forties who welcomed them into the village.
"Did you just say you and your friends got ambushed on all sides by several unseen beings?" asked the village head, Zhao Guo, with wide eyes. His tone of voice hinting disbelief.
Fan Zheng had just narrated to him their experience. The young man said it in a low-key and hesitant manner, frequently looking around for eavesdroppers in slight fear he would be taken for a madman. Clearly, it took him a lot of brain cells to decide whether to ask about the village"s circ.u.mstances.