Chapter 52 [VIP]

A sudden chill ran down Jiang Zhuochen's spine, making him hiss softly.

The ghost whose bones were crushed and scattered in life could not enter the cycle of reincarnation after death. He can now be sure that there are ghosts here, and he can also be sure that the vengeful ghost carrying his master's soul is Zhong Bai. Moreover, this ghost was torn apart and sealed in the ashes by Li Mingtian and used as paint to paint the picture.

These two aren't master and disciple? What happened to make things like this? The retaliation is too cruel.

Jiang Zhuochen's thoughts quickly drifted back to the main topic.

The scattered power of the ghosts was weakened, causing the suppressed master's soul to leak its aura. Because it was scattered, the aura was weaker than usual, which is why Xu Xing's experience this time was different from before.

But why did the ghost's power increase, completely obscuring the master's soul aura? And what is the connection between this and Li Mingtian's soul separation disorder?

Jiang Zhuochen exhaled, lowered his eyes, entered a meditative state, and took down the longevity lamp that was hanging in the air.

He sat cross-legged, touched the lamp wall, and stretched out his palm to let the drifting soul rest on it. "Master, can you retrieve your soul yourself now?"

The soul silently swayed its tail.

Undeterred by the negative answer, Jiang Zhuochen continued, "Then can I still draw out the soul like last time?"

The spirit continued to wag its tail.

“Okay…” Jiang Zhuochen said, propping his head up with his hand, looking slightly annoyed.

In fact, he could guess that this wisp of remnant soul was scattered and incomplete, so how could it be drawn out?

He silently comforted himself, opened his eyes, and followed the route he remembered to Li Mingtian's studio.

Since the other party sealed Zhong Bai's ghost in the ashes, he had to take the remaining ashes with him to see if he could lure them out and restore some of Zhong Bai's consciousness.

The dilapidated tenement building looked particularly desolate in the dead of night. Jiang Zhuochen subconsciously slowed his steps and arrived at the studio door, preparing to pry it open.

Suddenly, a loud slamming of the door reached his ears, and Jiang Zhuochen's eyes sharpened. He immediately crouched down alertly.

Then, heavy footsteps echoed in the studio, paused for a few seconds, and then walked back to the break room.

Jiang Zhuochen abandoned the idea of ​​entering openly through the door. He listened intently for a while but found no movement. He then crossed the studio and pried open the door to the next room.

A faint 'click' sound rang out briefly in the silence. Jiang Zhuochen stopped what he was doing, slipped through the half-open doorway, and then moved through the darkness, quietly climbing over the window connecting to the outside and concealing his presence as he entered the room.

The next second, clear voices came through without any obstruction.

"Teacher, are you satisfied with this painting? I showed it to a few colleagues today, and they all said it's another masterpiece. I suppose you'll be satisfied with it too? It's no use if you're not satisfied, since you've been dead for a long time."

After speaking, there was a long silence, so long that Jiang Zhuochen thought the other person was about to come out, when he heard a sneer that sounded like he was venting his anger.

"Are you happy? Didn't you hope I would have some of your traits? Didn't you want me to be your trump card? Now it's your turn to be my muse, providing me with inspiration. How can you not be considered a good student you personally taught?"

"What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for?! You're the dirtiest person in the world. What right do you have to call me wicked and scheming? Even if I were wicked, wouldn't people outside still fawn over me and praise me blindly?"

Li Mingtian chuckled twice and then stopped. "Oh right, I had that stinky Taoist priest attach your soul to my ashes. Now you can see my fame from all those art exhibitions. Jealous? I want you to keep watching, to watch how I make my mark on history step by step!"

The last sentence had a hint of gritted teeth. Jiang Zhuochen, hiding behind the curtains, frowned even more deeply. Although he had already suspected they had a grudge, he still found Li Mingtian's words quite unbelievable.

"Why are you ignoring me?! Stop pretending, I know you can hear me! Open your eyes and take a good look, who else can bring you glory besides me? What makes you think you can treat me like this!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a rustling sound began inside, like the dull noise of a pile of particles hitting a tiled wall.

"You made my life miserable in life, so you won't have an easy time in death either. I've been wearing that bracelet that stinky Taoist priest gave me. It must have been uncomfortable when I was near you, right? You deserve it!"

Jiang Zhuochen retreated to the balcony beforehand. A short while later, the person inside finished venting and left, breathing heavily, slamming the door shut.

He waited patiently for a while, making sure Li Mingtian wouldn't return, then sneaked into the lounge and found the object that made the strange noise in the bottom storage cabinet between the bed and the wall.

It was an oval, unremarkable gray-black earthenware pot.

Jiang Zhuochen opened the lid, and after seeing the contents clearly in the moonlight, he was overjoyed and gently tapped the inside of the jar with his fingertips.

It came to me without any effort at all.

He replaced the ashes with charcoal ash, took the urn, put the switched urn back in its original place, and then returned to the villa without lingering.

Jiang Zhuochen didn't dare to catch his breath until he got back to the first floor. He rubbed his throbbing forehead and turned his palm over, as much of the spiritual energy that had been rapidly condensed by the pills had been used up.

He carried the jar upstairs, and for some reason, he felt increasingly guilty as he walked. He slowed his steps, and even the fingers that were pressing on the earthenware jar turned slightly red.

He kept praying in his heart that Xu Xing was asleep. He took the last step, turned the corner, and saw that the living room light was still on. In the dim light, he saw Xu Xing with his eyes closed and his head propped up.

He abruptly stopped the endless cycle of thoughts running through his mind, and like a thief, he carefully moved his shoes close to the ground, inching his way towards the room.

Unfortunately, Xu Xing woke up as if sensing something after taking only a couple of steps, glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and then silently looked at him.

Jiang Zhuochen's throat tightened, and he awkwardly whispered, "Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

Why isn't he sleeping? Just a few words, yet they have such a powerful impact? Xu Xing thought he wasn't planning to come back tonight.

In that fleeting glance, he took in the other person's stiff and unnatural expression. After all, he had recently angered the other person, so he couldn't be too hasty.

"Did they find the ashes?"

Jiang Zhuochen didn't dwell on the question he asked casually, and nodded in response when he heard the other party speak.

Xu Xing waved and patiently waited for Jiang Zhuochen to slowly walk over. Just as the other was about to sit on the single sofa next to him, Xu Xing reached out and pulled him.

Jiang Zhuochen staggered and fell to the side of Xu Xing. The heat of their skin touching made his eyes gradually become dazed, and he held the jar at a loss.

Xu Xing felt as if a feather had gently brushed against his heart, softening him like water while simultaneously rippling outwards in uncontrollable waves, leaving him restless. Warm fingertips brushed against the other person's hand, and his expression softened.

"What will it be used for?"

Jiang Zhuochen's senses slowly returned, and she pursed her lips, glancing at him uncomfortably. "Restore Zhong Bai's ghostly consciousness; I have something to ask him."

That glance was complex, but Xu Xing couldn't decipher any element of resistance. He casually turned his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, his gaze falling on the jar he was holding. "May I see it?"

Jiang Zhuochen didn't speak, but hesitated for a while before placing the jar on the coffee table and trying to draw out the remnant soul from the ashes with a talisman.

Unfortunately, the faint light flickered at the mouth of the jar and then went out completely, with no reaction from the ashes.

He was puzzled at first, then he remembered that Li Mingtian said he had something on him to suppress ghosts, so he had been suppressed and the ghosts were injured and fell into a deep sleep.

Since it's not feasible here for now, Jiang Zhuochen has no choice but to go to the exhibition hall again tomorrow to see if he can lure out the remnant soul from the painting. If he had known he would have to make this trip, he wouldn't have been so reluctant to part with that little bit of spiritual energy.

A soft, low sigh escaped his lips. Xu Xing turned his attention to the other person's face and asked gently, "Did you fail?"

"Hmm." Jiang Zhuochen was dejected. He tore the used talisman in half and threw it into the trash can. "Logically speaking, Li Mingtian was already in such a state, so his remaining soul should be here, but it didn't respond. I'll try the one at the exhibition hall after dawn."

Xu Xing's expression remained unchanged, but his words, calm and cold, shattered his hopes. "Yesterday was the last day of the exhibition."

"It's over?" Jiang Zhuochen's fatigue vanished upon hearing this, and he immediately straightened his back. It's over so quickly?

Seeing Xu Xing nod, he became a little anxious. He had just sat up a little when he realized he hadn't done so, so he plopped back down. He faced Xu Xing, and suddenly a thought flashed through his mind.

"Li Mingtian wants you to give him the venue for the overseas exhibition, you..."

"What?" Xu Xing crossed his arms and leaned back on the sofa, looking nonchalant, but his intense gaze seemed to encourage Jiang Zhuochen to finish his sentence.

Jiang Zhuochen was momentarily bewildered, his heart skipped a few beats for no apparent reason, and his lips slowly parted. But ultimately, he was frightened by the other party's unpredictable attitude over the past few days, and his emotions gradually cooled, a hint of hesitation appearing between his brows.

"Never mind, I'm afraid you won't agree."

This change was keenly observed by Xu Xing. He twitched his fingers, wanting to erase all the negative emotions Jiang Zhuochen harbored about him. "How do you know I won't agree if you don't tell me?"

Jiang Zhuochen's lips twitched down, as if he were complaining aggrievedly: "Because you rejected me."

"Then ask around some more," Xu Xing leaned closer, propping himself up on the sofa, and placed his other hand on the other person's face, his fingertips tracing tenderly across their lips. "Maybe I'll agree."

Jiang Zhuochen tried to dodge, but couldn't, so he gave up and asked, "So, will you help or not?"

Seeing his prey jump into the trap, Xu Xing lowered his voice and coaxed, "If you agree to one condition, I'll help you."

Jiang Zhuochen looked at him in disbelief and protested, "Isn't this still a case of not wanting to help?"

"Weren't you willing to do anything for your master? Now you're not happy about it?"

Jiang Zhuochen was immediately hit where it hurt. He thought of the longevity lamp in his sea of ​​consciousness, where his master's soul was already beckoning to him, and they would meet soon.

Xu Xing gently stroked the corner of his eye with his index finger, causing the man's eyelashes to tremble uncontrollably. "You must be very tired these past few days. Do you still have the energy to deal with the ghosts you've attracted?"

Jiang Zhuochen realized that this person had him completely under their control. He was not only tired, but he also longed to sleep back in the mountains, the place where he could be carefree, throw tantrums without getting hurt, and have someone to protect him.

After a long pause, he reluctantly asked, "What are the conditions?"

"No rush," Xu Xing said with a smirk, "You can do it."

A note from the author: