Chapter 57

As the cold wind dissipated, the hall returned to calm. The candles burned quietly, their shadows flickering, and the heavy gloom that had enveloped the hall gradually lifted.

Xia Lingxi and the others did not possess the spiritual senses of a Night Walker, but they could still rely on their intuition to sense that the hall had become safer.

Fire Demon’s gaze was scrutinizing, his tone a mix of surprise and delight as he asked:

"Are you a Night Walker? You’re actually a Night Walker..."

Just a rebuke had driven away the vengeful spirits, making it clear what Wang Tai’s profession was.

"Is it that strange? Jinshui Amusement Park has supernatural elements, so it’s quite normal to have a Night Walker," Zhang Yuanqing smiled and replied, "I can’t guarantee your safety for the other attractions, but for the haunted house, I can ensure your safety until we see the ghost bride."

The four teammates exchanged glances, all seeing a glimmer of hope in each other’s eyes.

They hadn’t expected to have a rare profession in their team.

In a haunted scenario with rampant ghosts, having a Night Walker to protect them was more reliable than most props.

After all, the Night Walker was a professional in this field.

Suddenly, the four teammates looked at Zhang Yuanqing with a sense of reliance.

"We only have one hour. Don’t waste time; let’s see if there are any clues here," Zhang Yuanqing’s gaze swept the hall. With his night vision, he quickly focused on the offering table behind the throne.

He walked to the table and found a red paper pressed under a blue-and-white porcelain plate filled with peanuts and longan.

Zhang Yuanqing picked up the red paper and read it by the candlelight:

"Wedding gifts: weighing rod, gold hairpin, medicinal wine, and wedding quilt."

The others also gathered around.

Xia Lingxi pinched her chin, her bright eyes turning, and said:

"These items aren’t actually wedding gifts, but since the paper says so, it must mean we need to find these four items and present them as wedding gifts."

Finding these four items would make them the groom with the wedding gifts.

Qi Tian Dasheng: "What happens if we don’t find them?"

Fire Demon: "We die, of course. After finding the wedding gifts, the ghost bride will choose one of us?"

Zhang Yuanqing: "Why just one? Why not all of us enter the bridal chamber together?"

Seeing the blank expressions of his teammates, Zhang Yuanqing shrugged: "Just a joke to lighten the mood, you guys have no sense of humor."

The teammates’ expressions remained unchanged.

Xi Shi rolled her eyes, and Xia Lingxi continued:

"The task is becoming clearer. In an hour, the ghost bride will choose a groom. The criterion for selection is the groom with the wedding gifts. So, we need to find these four items in this mansion.

"But whether the chosen one has a chance of survival or is doomed, we don’t know."

Fire Demon sized up the little girl: "You really don’t remember the strategy?"

Her analysis was spot-on.

Xia Lingxi pouted, feigning a wronged look: "I really don’t know."

Zhang Yuanqing glanced at the team size, his heart sinking.

Following the current clues, there were two possible outcomes. The first: finding the four items would mean all team members meet the requirement, and then they would wait for the ghost bride to arrive.

The second: the four items would only ensure four people meet the requirement, and those who don’t will surely die.

The first outcome was manageable, but if it was the second...

Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself:

"If it’s the second, the team will definitely have internal conflicts at this stage. By then, the number of survivors might not even reach four. No wonder the props and skills aren’t sealed; this is forcing us to kill each other. An S-rank dungeon is truly full of danger..."

In that situation, how many team members would be left?

As the team leader, he had a hidden task: the team size must not fall below three.

Additionally, the selection of a groom had a psychological effect, making it seem like only the chosen one had a chance of survival. The lucky one always gets special treatment...

But Zhang Yuanqing was certain that the chosen one would die.

The reason was simple: first, the old version was like this, and second, if the chosen one could survive, the hidden task would be meaningless.

No matter how hard they tried, only one person would be left here.

What difference did it make whether the team size was reduced or not?

Of course, if the ghost bride was a promiscuous queen, that would be a different story.

The ghost bride phase might only kill one person, but the haunted house phase was dangerous for more than just the ghost bride. First, there was the internal conflict within the team, and second, the other vengeful spirits in the haunted house... As the team leader, this dungeon was really tough. If there wasn’t a high reward at the end, it would be unreasonable. Fortunately, I have the Demon Subduing Staff, so I’m not afraid even if I face the ghost bride...

Thinking this, Zhang Yuanqing subconsciously scanned his teammates, noticing their wary gazes, already starting to be on guard against each other.

No one was foolish.

Zhang Yuanqing coughed:

"Time is running out. Let’s find the wedding gifts. Follow me closely, don’t scatter. Ordinary vengeful spirits can’t get close to me."

In this situation, his words carried the most weight, as everyone relied on his profession.

Immediately, the group walked past the screen wall behind the hall and entered the inner courtyard. The winding corridors were adorned with red lanterns, the deep red candlelight casting shadows of trees, flower beds, and rockeries.

In the distance, arched gates connected to other courtyards, and the houses with gabled roofs stood orderly in the night.

The ghost bride must be a wealthy family’s daughter... Zhang Yuanqing mused.

Given the size of this mansion, it was at least a three-compound house.

He surveyed the layout of the houses, then turned to the group: "The yin energy here is very strong. Follow me closely..."

His words were cut short when he turned around to find the hall empty, with no sign of his teammates.

They were gone.

This was a bit scary... Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath and continued walking.

He needed to find them quickly. These people weren’t Night Walkers, and despite their skills and props not being sealed, their means to deal with spirits were limited. If they encountered a troublesome vengeful spirit, they could die at any moment.

He passed through the garden and saw a house ahead with a faint candlelight. The light was dim, casting a ghostly glow through the lattice windows.

The other houses were pitch black.

Zhang Yuanqing cautiously entered the corridor, approached the house, and sensed the heavy yin energy inside, but no vengeful spirits.

He quietly pushed open the lattice door, and the scene inside came into view.

It seemed to be a woman’s bedroom. On the east side was a bed with a low canopy, in the middle was a round table, and by the window was a dressing table with a bronze mirror facing the door.

A gold-embossed weighing rod lay quietly on the dressing table.

Zhang Yuanqing stepped over the threshold, closed the door behind him, and approached the dressing table, picking up the gold weighing rod. It was about half an arm’s length and as thick as a thumb.

This item was used to lift the bride’s red veil, symbolizing "satisfaction and fulfillment."

"Not too difficult, found it right away..."

Just as Zhang Yuanqing was about to leave the room, he heard a buzzing sound, and the Cat King speaker in his pocket emitted a voice:

"That day, she came to Jinshui Amusement Park..."

This troublemaker always spoke at inappropriate times. Hmm, what is it trying to say? It’s also part of the amusement park, so it might know some information... Zhang Yuanqing’s attention shifted to the Cat King speaker, hoping it would reveal something useful.

The Cat King speaker didn’t disappoint, continuing to play:

"The spirits in the haunted house trembled and cowered on the ground. The great being did not torment the weak vengeful spirits but instructed the bride to find a young man. The young man’s name is: Yuanshi Tianzun!"

Zhang Yuanqing’s mind buzzed as if struck by lightning, and he froze.

Looking for me? Looking for me!!

Who wants to find me, and why?

Shock and confusion surged, but then he realized who it was.

The Three Peaks Mountain Lady!

"The official announcement from Taiyi Sect said a powerful boss caused the spirit realm to change. The introduction to Jinshui Amusement Park mentioned that the being had been in a long slumber and was surprised by the new gadgets in the world. These details match the Three Peaks Mountain Lady...

"The Three Peaks Mountain Lady was awakened by me, and she’s looking for me because the Demon Subduing Staff contains half of her yang soul... Damn, this old hag just won’t leave me alone. Can’t she let me be? I’m still a kid..."

Zhang Yuanqing knew that if he continued to level up, he would eventually face the Three Peaks Mountain Lady.

But that should be after he became a high-level spirit realm traveler and used the yang soul in the Demon Subduing Staff to make a deal with the Lady.

He never expected the old hag to have such influence that she could affect a low-level spirit realm.

"Damn, I knew the task couldn’t be this simple. Now it seems, taking out the Demon Subduing Staff might expose my identity?"

The Lady was looking for him because of the Demon Subduing Staff.

"In a spirit realm influenced by the Lady, if I take out the Demon Subduing Staff, the old hag will likely come after me. What would happen to me then? The bosses in the spirit realm might not have a moral code, and they could easily crush me like an ant..."

After careful consideration, Zhang Yuanqing decided to hide his identity and continue the task without using the Demon Subduing Staff.

The consequences of exposing his identity could mean facing the terrifying Three Peaks Mountain Lady, and there were too many unknowns.

Continuing the task, if he could clear the haunted house, nothing would happen. If he reached a dead end, he could always use the Demon Subduing Staff.

With his mind made up, he was about to leave when he saw the door in the bronze mirror open.

He was startled and quickly turned around, but the door was still closed.

What’s going on? Zhang Yuanqing turned back to the mirror, his pupils narrowing.

In the mirror, a woman in a white dress with loose hair stepped over the threshold and walked into the room in a strange posture.

The room in the mirror seemed different from the one he was in.

The woman in the white dress walked to the dressing mirror in a strange way and sat down.

At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing finally saw why her walking posture was strange: she was walking backward.

The next scene would scare an ordinary person to death. The woman in the mirror raised her hand and took off her head, holding it in her arms.

Her hand was greenish-black, with long, sharp, black nails.

The black hair of the head spread out, revealing the woman’s face with eerie white eyes, a pale complexion, and black lips, staring intently at the mirror, as if looking at Zhang Yuanqing in another world.

This ghost has no beauty... Zhang Yuanqing quickly backed away, planning to leave the room.

However, the loose hair in the mirror seemed to come to life, rising like tentacles and piercing through the mirror.

The bronze mirror rippled, and strands of hair penetrated it, wrapping around Zhang Yuanqing’s wrists and body, tightening, trying to pull him into the mirror.

"Hmph!"

Zhang Yuanqing’s eyes glowed with a thick black light, and he opened his mouth, sucking in forcefully.

Spirit Devouring!

This skill that could suppress vengeful spirits only slowed down the hair’s wrapping speed but couldn’t devour the ghost in the mirror.

This ghost was strong, not an ordinary vengeful spirit... Zhang Yuanqing’s feet moved forward bit by bit, getting closer to the bronze mirror.

He quickly thought of a strategy. The Demon Subduing Staff should be used only as a last resort. The Bloodthirsty Blade was a physical weapon, ineffective against spirits, and the Red Dance Shoes’ attack was also physical, making stomping ineffective...

After some thought, he decided on one thing: Little Dopey!

Zhang Yuanqing exhaled a wisp of yin energy, summoning Little Dopey.

"Ababa..." The round, cute infant spirit landed on the dressing table, lazily stretching its limbs, then saw the ghost in the mirror.

In an instant, it reacted like a startled cat, rolling off the dressing table and cowering behind Zhang Yuanqing, crying loudly.

...Zhang Yuanqing scolded: "Useless thing, attack!"

He transmitted the attack command to the infant spirit.

"Ababa!"

Obedience was the nature of a spirit servant. The infant spirit raised its light eyebrows, growled fiercely, grabbed Zhang Yuanqing’s pants, and climbed up to his shoulder, pouncing forward.

The round, plump body penetrated the bronze mirror, sticking to the ghost’s face.

Zhang Yuanqing immediately calmed his emotions, transferring his consciousness to the infant spirit, taking over the ghost’s senses.

The ghost’s sinister face became blank, as if it had suddenly lost its mind.

The deadly hair, like steel wires, lost its strength and fell limp.

Well done!

Zhang Yuanqing immediately summoned Little Dopey back, placing him on his head, and turned to run.

He burst out of the room, and as he returned to the garden, he heard the door slam shut behind him. The candlelight in the room had gone out, leaving it pitch black.

The inner courtyard was filled with cold wind, and many vengeful spirits lurked in the distance, drawn to the Night Walker’s aura but wary of his power, not daring to approach.

"I need to find them quickly, they can’t all be dead..."

Zhang Yuanqing quickly left the garden, passed through the arched gate, and entered the adjacent courtyard. He soon saw Xia Lingxi.

The little girl was standing by a water vat in the corner of the courtyard, leaning into it, her hands gripping the edge, struggling fiercely. Something in the vat seemed to be pulling her in.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t pull herself out of the vat.

Gradually, her struggles weakened, becoming weaker and weaker...

Zhang Yuanqing approached slowly, smelling alcohol. He leaned over and saw dark liquid in the vat, with an infant spirit dragging her by the umbilical cord, which was wrapped around her neck, pulling her underwater.

Zhang Yuanqing picked up Little Dopey, ignoring his struggles, and threw him into the vat.

The umbilical cord infant spirit, seeing a fellow spirit, immediately released the cord and bared its teeth at Little Dopey.

Zhang Yuanqing grabbed Xia Lingxi’s shoulders and pulled her out of the vat.

"Cough... cough..."

Xia Lingxi coughed violently, her face turning red, her wet bangs and hair sticking to her forehead and cheeks.

After a few seconds, she regained her breath and, seeing Zhang Yuanqing’s face, burst into tears:

"Brother Wang Tai, you came to save me! Sob, I never want to enter a spirit realm related to Night Walkers again, it’s too, too scary..."

It was her first time in a dungeon with supernatural elements.

"How did you end up here?" Zhang Yuanqing’s gaze fixed on the vat.

The two infant spirits were fighting in the alcohol, biting and grappling, stirring the dark liquid.

Xia Lingxi tiptoed and glanced into the vat, remembering what she had swallowed, and gagged: "So disgusting, so disgusting..."

After her complaint, she answered Zhang Yuanqing:

"Brother Wang Tai, I followed you out of the hall, and a fog came, and I found you all gone. I searched and ended up here, smelling the alcohol and following the scent to this vat.

"I thought this was one of the wedding gifts. I just lifted the wooden lid, and a rope came out, pulling me into the water."

She looked at the umbilical cord infant spirit in the vat, thinking about the liquid she had swallowed, her face turning pale: "So disgusting, so disgusting..."

Zhang Yuanqing calculated the time and looked at the girl: "You held your breath for quite a while."

Xia Lingxi shook her head, her voice soft: "I have a prop, a bracelet that restores vitality. Without it, I would have suffocated in the vat."

She raised her white wrist, showing a green jade bracelet.

A vitality-restoring bracelet