"I...I...you...you...don't come any closer, my hands are shaking!"
The young man, about fifteen or sixteen years old, was a tall, thin fellow with delicate features. It was a waste of his good looks to become a ghost appraiser.
The system silently complained, as if someone hadn't ruined their appearance at all.
Xiang Wan walked towards him, and the young man kept backing away, his heel slipping on a dry branch and almost falling. Xiang Wan grabbed his arm and took the sword from his hand, sticking it half a foot deep into the ground, the hilt trembling on the ground.
"Great hero, I really didn't mean to ambush you, it was a misunderstanding, really, I swear!"
His reactions were quick, his movements agile, and his act of begging to beg for a leg was incredibly practiced.
Knowing he wouldn't dare to play any tricks, Xiang Wan reached out, pinched his chin, pulled him up from the ground, and stared into his eyes for a long time.
"I...I am a man, it's absolutely true!"
A blush spread from her cheeks to behind her ears, suggesting mostly embarrassment and extreme shyness.
Releasing her fingers, Xiang Wan glanced sideways at his waist and said disdainfully, "If you have bad breath, you should brush your teeth more often; if you're blind, you should wash your eyes more frequently; but as for being blind in the heart..."
"Following you, my heart will no longer be blind, and I'm sure I'll learn everything perfectly, I guarantee it!"
This kid is pretty good at reading people.
Xiang Wan flicked her sleeves, turned around and strode away, leaving behind the words, "Draw your sword. If you can't catch up, just wait for someone else to collect your corpse."
Feng Xiaoguang glanced around, a gust of cold wind blowing past, raising goosebumps all over his body. Without further hesitation, he strained upwards, pulling the sword out with tremendous effort, and quickly ran behind Xiang Wan.
Without the female ghost, the dilapidated state of Xiaoye Village became apparent, and the sense of desolation intensified.
It was the same room. Xiang Wan walked straight in, picked up the dagger stuck in the wall, and felt the curved edge with her fingertips. Before Feng Xiaoguang could stand still, the dagger "whooshed" and stuck into the door behind him, grazing his cheek.
Feng Xiaoguang's face turned pale, his eyes were wide open, and his lips moved for a long time, but he couldn't utter a complete word.
“Report your name, age, and occupation in detail. If you dare to lie, the door will serve as a warning to you.”
Xiang Wan turned around, her cold tone and expression indicating that she was not joking.
Feng Xiaoguang trembled and hurriedly said, "Feng Xiaoguang, sixteen years old, a ghost appraiser. I went out to train and didn't see the truth clearly. I almost accidentally injured you, sir. Please don't take it to heart. If I have offended you, please feel free to make your demands. As long as it can appease your anger, anything is fine."
As she spoke, Feng Xiaoguang's face flushed red again, much to her dismay.
Xiang Wan stood by the window, the pale moonlight shining down, her face, cold as ice, looked somewhat hazy, and an indescribable feeling lingered in Feng Xiaoguang's heart.
He had always thought that a woman's beauty was breathtaking, but he never imagined that a man's handsomeness could be just as arousing. Thinking of this, Feng Xiaoguang felt both embarrassed and somewhat annoyed. It seemed he had just been threatened; how could he not have been wary at all?
Xiang Wan lifted her robe, sat down on the ground, and said coldly, "Ambush is a grave taboo. Even if I kill you today, no one will dare to say a word against it. Do me a favor, and I will set you free; otherwise..."
"Great hero, there's no need to be so polite. Let alone one item, even if it were a hundred, I, Feng Xiaoguang, would have no objection."
Feng Xiaoguang was eager to express his opinion. Xiang Wan glanced at him, a smile playing on her lips, and readily agreed, "Alright, then a hundred pieces."
"..."
What happened to the promise to decline?
Feng Xiaoguang was on the verge of tears, but the words had already been spoken, and he didn't know if it was too late to take them back.
"The first thing you do is close the door and keep watch for me."
Xiang Wan gave orders with such practiced ease that Feng Xiaoguang couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. But he still silently turned around, pulled the dagger off the door, and closed the door.
Because of that female ghost, there are no other ghosts in Xiaoye Village. Now that it's late at night and everyone is quiet, with only Xiang Wan and Feng Xiaoguang alive, the surrounding wandering ghosts will inevitably come looking for trouble. Wasn't Feng Xiaoguang going to undergo training? This is the perfect time.
Xiang Wan closed her eyes and sat down to meditate and regulate her breathing. Feng Xiaoguang looked out the window, then looked at Xiang Wan, put his sword aside, and followed Xiang Wan's example by sitting cross-legged on the ground.
The ghost appraisers in this world practice all sorts of strange and wonderful techniques, but their ultimate goal is the same.
Feng Xiaoguang meditated for a while, then opened his eyes and looked at Xiang Wan, whispering, "Hero? Hero?!"
"Call me Master Jiang." Xiang Wan didn't even open her eyes.
"Master Jiang, I need to use the restroom."
Xiang Wan opened her eyes and stared intently at Feng Xiaoguang, making him blush deeply, before saying, "Alright, boy's urine will drive away evil spirits. Just don't let me smell it, or else..."
His gaze swept coldly between her legs. Feng Xiaoguang was embarrassed and annoyed. She jumped up, turned around, opened the door and went out.
Xiang Wan took out the ghost-catching bag and had the system collect the soul directly. She then threw the female ghost into the soul-capturing comb. It wasn't time to deal with her yet; the comb was the safest place for her.
After finishing all this, there wasn't much time left before dawn, and Feng Xiaoguang still hadn't returned.
Evening did not see him; instead, he leaned against the wall and closed his eyes to rest.
A soft footstep approached the doorway but hesitated to enter. Xiang Wan flicked her finger, sending a pebble flying that struck her squarely in the face.
"Ouch, that hurts so much!"
Feng Xiaoguang came in, clutching his forehead. Xiang Wan quickly stood up, grabbed his shirt by the chest, turned around and pressed it against the door, her voice low and menacing: "Where have you been? Why did it take you so long?"
Feng Xiaoguang was stunned. Why did this familiar tone and accusatory manner sound so awkward?
"Xiao Guang, don't be so willful in the future."
As Xiang Wan spoke, she brought her head close to Feng Xiaoguang's earlobe and whispered, the warmth of their bodies close together making it sound like a lovers' murmur.
Feng Xiaoguang didn't speak. The person observing from a distance, startled, kicked a stone, making a sound. Just as Xiang Wan looked over, he quickly leaped up and disappeared into the night sky.
The person had already left. Xiang Wan slowly backed away, loosened Feng Xiaoguang's collar, and continued to lean against the wall for a short rest as if nothing had happened.
Feng Xiaoguang's heart was pounding so hard he couldn't calm it down, and his mind was in complete turmoil. He slowly squatted down on the ground, practically waiting for dawn with his eyes open.
When everything around her became clear, Xiang Wan got up, walked past Feng Xiaoguang, kicked his leg, and said, "Not getting enough rest is a major taboo for a ghost appraiser. Kid, if you lose your life because of being distracted while you're with me, I will imprison your soul and let you taste the feeling of being burned alive."
After saying that, Xiang Wan strode out. Feng Xiaoguang, who hadn't slept a wink because he was lost in thought, stared blankly at her retreating figure for a long time before finally getting up and chasing after her with all his might.
After they left, Xiaoye Village seemed unable to withstand the ravages of time, aging and decaying at a visible pace. A faint light flickered underground and then disappeared.
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