Chapter 118: A Spirit Hidden Within the Painting; My Brother Told Me Not to Play With You; A Malignant Presence?

Chen Yushu entered the study immediately, grinding ink while contemplating how to compose his letter. As he ground the ink, he slowly came to a halt.

This letter could not be sent.

He knew that Sister Qiao’er was currently in seclusion, at a critical moment in her journey toward Dao. The slightest disturbance could cause her efforts to fall short at the final hurdle. She had already helped him enough. Even if he could not offer her assistance, he must not become a burden. Furthermore, since he had invited this trouble upon himself, he had to bear the consequences. He could not rely on others for everything. If he relied on Sister Qiao’er this time, what about the next, or the time after that? Blindly taking from others was not his nature. At best, they were merely fellow villagers and neighbors; that she looked upon him favorably and helped him was a kindness, not an obligation he should take for granted.

All he needed to do was prepare as best as he could. As for the final outcome, he would decide that himself.

With this thought, Chen Yushu gradually felt at ease. However, he did not want to waste the ink he had already ground, so he began to draw—he painted a white tiger.

One, two, three pictures... The white tiger in the paintings gradually transformed from its initial fierce and menacing state into one of serenity and peace. It looked like a white tiger resting quietly under the afternoon sun, so calm, harmless, and even endearing, making anyone who saw it want to reach out and stroke it. Yet, if one viewed it from a different angle or with a different mood, one would find the same white tiger wearing a ferocious expression; though seemingly tranquil, it was vicious and cruel. Just standing there, it seemed to embody an endless sense of power.

The white tiger remained the same, yet because the viewer was different, and their state of mind and emotions varied, it manifested different expressions.

Hidden Spirit! A spirit hidden within the painting!

Chen Yushu finally stopped his brush. A look of trance appeared on his face. In his mind, countless experiences and insights regarding the White Tiger Contemplation Method flowed, as if he had practiced it thousands of times in this short span, making him intimately familiar with it. Only then did he realize that his White Tiger Contemplation Method had broken through. It had ascended from the minor accomplishment stage to the major accomplishment stage.

"The White Tiger Contemplation Method has reached major accomplishment."

Chen Yushu glanced at his attribute panel. Sure enough, he saw the words indicating that the White Tiger Contemplation Method was now at the major accomplishment stage. He couldn't help but sigh with emotion. He had not expected that by simply painting, he would grasp the mystery of the "hidden spirit" and, in turn, elevate his cultivation experience significantly.

"A major accomplishment in the White Tiger Contemplation Method is naturally different. Not only has it been optimized based on its previous foundation, but the speed of contemplation has also increased significantly. What used to take one stick of incense to contemplate once can now be done in one and a half sticks of incense—an increase of more than thirty percent. Furthermore, even when I am not actively cultivating, the speed of its automatic operation has accelerated quite a bit. Previously, it took ten sticks of incense for one automatic cycle; now, it only takes seven. This means that every seven sticks of incense, my White Tiger Contemplation Method completes an automatic cycle, allowing for about a dozen extra cycles throughout the day."

A trace of joy appeared on Chen Yushu's face. While this didn't bring about a earth-shattering change in his strength, it greatly increased his cultivation speed. The long-term benefits were clear; at the very least, his incense cultivation could reach the three-stick level much faster.

"At this current rate, it might only take about ten days or so to achieve it."

Chen Yushu glanced at his attribute panel again, unable to hide his satisfaction.

[Immortal Law Cultivation: Two Sticks of Incense (25/100)]

Based on an increase of five points per day, he was now gaining six or seven points daily. Even at the minimum of six, it would only take eleven or twelve days.

He then stepped out of the study. The two sticks of incense in the room had long since burned out. His time spent painting, though it felt short, had actually lasted three hours. With such time, even thick, long sticks of incense would have burned away—not to mention that Xiao Yin had been constantly absorbing their energy, greatly shortening their lifespan.

He saw Xiao Yin playing in the courtyard. She was truly obedient; because of his prohibition, even when Xiao Hong had come to the courtyard yesterday to find her, she hadn't gone out, leaving Xiao Hong looking back with every step, appearing quite dejected. Chen Yushu couldn't help that. Knowing that the Taoist Guangyi was about to target the Zuo family estate, he naturally didn't want Xiao Yin involved. If she happened to be playing there at that moment, wouldn't it be dangerous?

Just as he was muttering to himself, he saw Xiao Yin suddenly look up toward the outside of the courtyard.

"Xiao Hong? Why are you here? You should go back, though. Brother Yushu told me not to play with you."

Soon, Xiao Yin's voice drifted out. In his "constant stillness" state, Chen Yushu could hear the voices of ghosts and spirits even without performing the "walking in the shadows" technique. However, such things were relatively rare and astonishing to many ghosts, so Chen Yushu had never revealed this ability. He kept it hidden even from Xiao Yin, as she was, after all, Sister Qiao’er’s spirit messenger. No matter how grateful he was to Sister Qiao’er, he wouldn't easily expose such a private and special detail.

He turned his head to look outside. Indeed, Xiao Hong was clinging to the courtyard wall. Her face, however, was filled with anxiety, and her tone carried a plea: "Xiao Yin, help me! Please, beg your brother to help me save my grandfather. He is being bullied, surrounded by many people. He told me to run, but I don't know where to go. I can only come to you. I only know you here, and I only play with you..."

"Ah, what happened to your grandfather? He is very powerful, surely he will be fine." Xiao Yin’s face was filled with hesitation. She wanted to help, but she knew Xiao Hong’s grandfather was powerful; if even he needed to ask for help, it must be a major danger. She did not want Brother Yushu to take risks.

"Xiao Yin, tell your brother—your brother can set up an altar, he is already very powerful, he can definitely help my grandfather!" Xiao Hong pleaded urgently, looking at Chen Yushu standing in the courtyard. Seeing Xiao Yin still hesitating, she gritted her teeth and jumped directly into the yard.

This was a major taboo among ghosts. Entering someone's home was like trespassing; the master of the house could attack them immediately upon discovery. That was why she had always stayed by the gate. She feared causing a misunderstanding that would lead Chen Yushu to strike her. She knew he was formidable, capable of setting up altars to suppress dozens of evil spirits and ghosts; even if she were stronger than those, she would be no match for him. But at this moment, she had no choice. Once inside, she didn't hesitate, immediately kneeling down as if fearing that if she were too slow, she would face an attack.

"Xiao Hong..." Xiao Yin was stunned, then cautiously walked over to Chen Yushu, tugging his sleeve: "Brother Yushu, please don't blame Xiao Hong. She has something she needs help with, that's why she rushed in."

"What is it?" Chen Yushu asked. His gaze, however, looked past the courtyard toward the Zuo family mansion, and he silently activated his "Qi Observation" technique.

Has it finally begun? He hadn't expected them to choose tonight. But it made sense. He knew that tomorrow, many martial artists and occult practitioners in Jianghuan Town would head to Water Curtain Gully to explore the ancient tomb. If they didn't act today, they would likely have to wait until after that expedition. Clearly, the Taoist Guangyi did not want to wait that long. He had only managed to gather so many practitioners because of the gathering; once that was over, who knew how many would bother to help him attack the Zuo family estate? Choosing today was logical.

He had tried his best to avoid this, even instructing Xiao Yin not to associate with Xiao Hong, yet it was unavoidable.

Looking toward the Zuo mansion, he saw evil energy surging, a terrifying, malevolent force seemingly ready to cover the sky. Simultaneously, powerful auras were distributed around the mansion, seemingly trying to divide the power within. The collisions were intense. Though distance prevented him from seeing the details, the violent tremors in the air were enough to show the intensity of the battle.

Undoubtedly, the malevolent energy held the upper hand. It was truly formidable, far exceeding the feeling the evil zombie had given him.

"Truly ferocious," Chen Yushu sighed inwardly. It was expected; if it weren't so dangerous, no one would have dared to leave it empty for years.

"Xiao Hong wants to ask you to help save her grandfather," Xiao Yin said.

"I cannot save him," Chen Yushu shook his head. "Furthermore, humans and ghosts follow different paths. Its presence there has already affected the human way. Sooner or later, someone will come to suppress it. If not them, then someone else. Moving away is the best choice."

He could not possibly intervene. Even if the ghost weren't winning, stepping onto the battlefield would, by all accounts, force him to side with the Taoist Guangyi and the others. Because he was human, and it was an evil entity. They were naturally opposed. Humans had rights and wrongs, but evil, by nature, harmed people. Even if it hadn't attacked commoners, their mere proximity to such a presence could cause illness or death. Its existence in the human world dictated an irreconcilable conflict.

"No, Grandfather has long wanted to leave, but he can't," Xiao Hong said anxiously. Xiao Yin relayed her words.

"A land-bound spirit?" Chen Yushu’s brow twitched. A land-bound spirit was a type of ghost trapped in a specific area after death for some reason. This one at the Zuo estate was simply too powerful.

"Wait?" Chen Yushu felt a sudden sense of wonder. To his knowledge, the Zuo estate had been a normal home three years ago, housing many people. Then, after an unknown incident, the survivors had fled, and rumors of hauntings began. This meant the "evil" guarding the Zuo estate—Xiao Hong’s grandfather—had grown to this level in just three years. Even Xiao Hong, who possessed no vile energy or bloodlust on her soul, was a powerful fierce ghost. There must be a secret in this house—a secret that allowed ghosts to improve rapidly. Perhaps that was why Taoist Guangyi had suddenly offered to help his friend reclaim the house.

*BOOM!*

Suddenly, Chen Yushu noticed that the malevolent energy at the Zuo mansion surged, instantly suppressing all other alien auras. Then, the energy there returned to silence, as if nothing had happened. Using his Qi Observation, he could only see that the malevolent energy remained, though it was much weaker and depleted compared to before. The other auras around the house had vanished.

The battle was over? The evil entity had won? Chen Yushu’s heart sank. He had hoped the Taoist Guangyi would win, as he always felt uncomfortable passing by that place. But it seemed...

*Whoosh...*

Suddenly, Chen Yushu felt the temperature drop sharply, enough to make even his constitution feel the chill. Silently, a figure appeared outside the courtyard. It was an elderly man in brocade robes, looking wealthy and stout. He stood with his hands behind his back, appearing abruptly, which gave off an incredibly eerie vibe.

"Grandfather! Grandfather, are you alright?" Xiao Hong, who had been kneeling, suddenly jumped up with joy, rushing toward the figure. But the old man waved his hand, and Xiao Hong found herself unable to get close.

The old man fixed his gaze on Chen Yushu. Even though his look was peaceful and contained no overt power, Chen Yushu felt a heavy pressure that made his expression grim. He roared silently in his heart: *Isn't he a land-bound spirit? How did he get out? And why did he come to me?*

What should he do now? Were the neighbors, Zhao Yufeng and Qi Jichuan, asleep? Had they noticed? Should he strike now or surrender? Chen Yushu’s nerves were pulled taut; he felt like he was facing an enemy of unprecedented magnitude. This old man was the most "significant" entity he had ever encountered. He hadn't expected it to come straight to him after finishing the battle. Was it planning to finish him off too? However, judging by its aura, it hadn't emerged from that fight unscathed. Perhaps he had a fighting chance?

He felt a bit more secure thinking of the many talismans he possessed. The only pity was that time was too tight; the entity had arrived so quickly that he hadn't had time to set up an altar. Otherwise, he would have tried the power of the "Sinful Bone."

"I must go. Qinghong, I leave her in your care," a voice came. It was the old man, speaking to Chen Yushu. Because of its immense power, it had created a field of influence that allowed its voice to reach Chen Yushu clearly. It didn't know that Chen Yushu could hear it regardless.

"Hmm?" Chen Yushu was stunned. He realized that Qinghong must be Xiao Hong’s name. Zuo Qinghong? But what did "leave her in your care" mean?

"I should have left three years ago. The town does not allow beings of our level to exist. Those are the rules. Otherwise, 'they' will come looking. But for Qinghong, I had to stay. She is my only granddaughter. She died at the hands of a treacherous servant... It was my negligence; I didn't see the problem, so I had to guard her to ensure she wasn't bullied." The old man’s voice grew agitated, filled with rage, causing the surrounding Yin energy to vibrate, which made Chen Yushu feel uneasy. Could his talismans handle this?

But soon, the old man looked at Xiao Yin, and his voice returned to peace. "Thank you, little girl, for coming to play with her every day. She has been lonely for too long. Having you as a companion made her happy every day. But I truly must go. Having exposed my strength, 'they' will surely come looking. In this situation, it is too dangerous for Qinghong to follow me, and I cannot rest easy leaving her alone. So, I have been looking for a suitable person who can take her in, so she can survive even in the human world. I had my eye on that little girl, but she refused, saying she would find someone suitable for me."

The old man looked at Chen Yushu again. "She didn't say who, but I have no time left. I must leave today. I don't have time to find anyone else. Since you are familiar with her, I will entrust Qinghong to you. I had some regrets, but looking at you now, this seems like a more suitable choice."

"And if I refuse?" Chen Yushu finally spoke. He instinctively disliked this feeling. *A more suitable choice? Am I supposed to be a ghost's bodyguard?* He didn't want to bring such a "living ancestor" upon himself. Even if it was an "evil" entity—or perhaps something even stronger—he knew that such entities often lingered in towns. For example, the "evil" entity Li Chao had kept had remained near Jianghuan Town for months after destroying the Li family, even killing Li Pei in a pharmacy. Yet, no one had come to deal with it.

But this old man was adamant that as soon as he revealed his strength, "they" would sense it and pursue him. Judging by the old man's fearful expression, he was likely a "specter," and "they" were likely powerful figures from the Yin Suppression Division. Chen Yushu knew he was being reckless, but this felt like a final entrustment. He was gambling that the old man would compromise for the sake of his granddaughter. It was like the relationship between a parent and a teacher; even if the parent was powerful, they would lower their guard before the teacher because their child was under the teacher's care.

Fortunately, Chen Yushu won the bet.

The stout old man was silent for a while before saying, "I don't need you to take special care of her. Just ensure her safety. Her ghost age is less than three years; you can even treat her as your spirit messenger. Her future depends on her own fortune. As a reward... these items have not been tainted by my aura, so 'they' cannot track them. You can use them with peace of mind."

He waved his hand, and a pile of objects appeared on the ground outside the courtyard. Then, he turned to Xiao Hong, his mouth moving as if giving final instructions.

*Ghost talk!* Chen Yushu couldn't understand it. Even with his "constant stillness," he could only understand human speech. This was like a dialect he hadn't learned. After a while, the old man bowed to Chen Yushu and vanished into thin air. Xiao Hong stood frozen, her face full of sorrow.

"Gone? Finally gone!" Chen Yushu breathed a sigh of relief after a long moment. Facing such an entity, he felt truly helpless. Fortunately, the entity had no malice and was genuinely entrusting his granddaughter to him.

He looked at the objects wrapped in black cloth on the ground. He couldn't see what was inside, but since they were a gift, he didn't mind accepting them. He stepped out, retrieved the bundle, and returned to the yard. He then looked at Xiao Hong, feeling a slight headache.

"My strength is still insufficient," he sighed inwardly. He did need a suitable spirit messenger. He had learned the technique from Sister Qiao’er long ago, but he had never found a suitable candidate. Xiao Hong, with her fierce ghost-level strength, intelligence, and a ghost age of less than three years, was truly the perfect choice for a spirit messenger.