"Hey, wait for me!"

The tail behind her was quickly shaken off. Xiang Wan followed the wisp of green smoke to a mass grave.

A wisp of smoke drifted into one of the graves, and in the area covered by thatch, a faint blue ghost fire flickered.

The fact that they turned into will-o'-the-wisps indicates that these people's souls have long since lost consciousness and will gradually dissipate into the world over time. Therefore, adhering to the principle of not wasting anything, Xiang Wan collected them all into her ghost-catching bag, waiting for the system to slowly purify and absorb them.

“Let me tell you, I’ve caught you doing everything you’ve done. You’re engaging in wicked practices, even targeting wandering ghosts. I will not stand idly by.”

Xiang Wan turned around, and the hotheaded young man was clearly stunned for a moment. He tightened his grip on his sword, but did not run away.

He's brave, but a bit reckless.

This was his first impression of Xiang Wan.

Ignoring him, Xiang Wan drew a talisman with her bare hands, pointed to the spot where the green smoke was, and the talisman disappeared while a ghost appeared.

The more glorious she was before, the more miserable this female ghost is now.

His entire body was covered in signs of dryness, his sparse hair hung loosely on his bald head, his eyes were sunken, and his mouth and nose were empty.

Upon seeing the ghost appear, the naive young man unconsciously shifted the direction of his sword, then reluctantly moved it towards Xiang Wan, wavering between his two sides.

Xiang Wan pulled out the Soul-Capturing Comb and said, "You are utterly wicked, but because you still have a sliver of goodness left, I will allow you to enter this comb. Otherwise, the underworld will send you to the eighteenth level of hell, where you will never be reincarnated."

Suddenly, ghostly flames ignited in the hollows of the female ghost's eyes, clusters of firelight that seemed to be burning her soul.

Why didn't you fall for it?

"It's simple, because of your song. There are no ponds here, and you've never had a child. You don't belong here; you were tricked into coming here, weren't you? What benefits did that ghost who tricked you promise you?"

"I do not understand."

"In a mountain village, there's no way to afford elaborate makeup and attire, so you've preserved your appearance and clothing to a great extent from the moment you were alive. The fabric and patterns of your clothing must be found in towns, and the cosmetics and face powder wouldn't be as plentiful here. This village has only started to fall into disrepair in the last three years, yet you claim to have stayed here for ten years. That mummified corpse wasn't an infant, but an object deliberately placed there to bind your soul. Now that the object is destroyed, the ghost that deceived you will soon come knocking, and the underworld will come to take you. Neither of these outcomes is what you want. Burning your soul won't help, because they will surely imprison you before you disappear. So, would you trust me just this once? Perhaps I can still help you."

The female ghost remained silent for a moment, gradually extinguishing the flames in her eyes, and said in a low voice, "He said that as long as I stay here and collect enough life force, I can break free from the control of the underworld and freely travel between the human world and the underworld to find my lover."

"I didn't kill anyone from Xiaoye Village. They were the ones who were bewitched and insisted on raising a ghost to amass wealth. I just... I just..."

"You just didn't stop it, and took the opportunity to fish in troubled waters, absorbing life force through that mummified corpse, right?" Xiang Wan interjected.

The female ghost nodded slowly. "The little ghost's appetite grew, and it became increasingly dissatisfied with the offerings, starting to eat people. To stop the little ghost, the villagers heard from somewhere that as long as they sealed all the gaps with waxed paper before going to bed at night, they would sleep soundly. However, the little ghost was enraged and howled every night, causing panic in the village. Many people couldn't bear the stimulation and chose to move away, but they couldn't escape the little ghost's pursuit. Those who stayed behind, under the long-term harassment, became mentally unstable and were lured by the little ghost, smashing their windows and committing mass suicide in the mountains. These graves were built by some kind-hearted people."

"The brat doesn't dare touch you, is it because of that mummified corpse?"

The female ghost nodded, "Every now and then, he comes to collect the life force."

"Your body is here too?"

"It is my refuge. I cannot leave Xiaoye Village until I have enough soul power."

"How long has it been since that ghost last left?"

"I don't remember, it was about two years ago."

"Where did the kid go?"

"She went with him."

"Is your lover also doing things for him?"

"he……"

The female ghost hesitated, and Xiang Wan understood immediately. Without further ado, she put her back into the ghost-catching bag.

Those ghosts are playing a very long game, and this female ghost is just the tip of the iceberg. The truth behind it all remains shrouded in mystery. The road ahead is fraught with peril; it's time to train someone to assist them.

Xiang Wan turned around and looked at the naive young man. The latter swallowed hard, his grip on the sword hilt tightened unconsciously, and his palms began to sweat.

"If you want to live, stay by my side."