“What are you, and why are you following me?” The ghost looked at Leo with annoyance, her face twisted with a hint of ferocity.
Leo sneered, “Since you have already died, you should let go of your attachments and return to the underworld. Why do you linger in this world and commit evil deeds?”
“I haven’t done anything evil,” the ghost’s complexion grew even more terrifying. “I have never harmed anyone.”
“Don’t try to argue! You deceived people with ghost money, isn’t that an evil act?”
“I…” The ghost suddenly had no words to say. She let out a fierce roar, “So what? Do you dare to meddle in my affairs? Aren’t you afraid of death?”
“You insignificant ghost, I advise you to return to the underworld quickly, or else your soul will be scattered, never to be reincarnated.”
“Meddling in my affairs? Go to hell!” The ghost erupted in anger, her fingers glowing with a greenish light, aiming straight for Leo’s throat.
Leo quickly threw a thunder striking talisman, and a bolt of lightning struck the ghost’s chest and abdomen.
The ghost let out a heart-wrenching scream and flew backward, crashing heavily to the ground.
“How about that?” Leo took two steps forward, looking down on the ghost.
The ghost never expected Leo to be so powerful. With a single strike, she was severely injured and had no strength to resist.
“Master, I know I was wrong. Please spare me this time, and I promise I won’t do it again.”
“There won’t be a next time.” Leo flipped his right hand, and a heavenly thunder talisman appeared.
“Thunder of Annihilation, go.” Leo’s face was proud as he was about to activate the talisman.
Terrified, the ghost screamed, “Master, spare me! Everything I did was for my daughter!”
Leo was taken aback and interrupted his talisman activation. “What is going on?”
The ghost trembled all over, crying, “My name is Skye, and my husband and I were from Tofu Alley. We used to live a relatively happy life as a family, but unexpected misfortune struck. Shortly after giving birth to my daughter, my father-in-law passed away due to illness, and then my husband died in a car accident. Only my mother-in-law and I were left to struggle to maintain this broken home.”
“Two years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. After depleting our meager savings, I couldn’t afford the treatment, so I died with resentment, leaving behind my elderly and sickly mother-in-law and my poor daughter.”
“After my death, perhaps out of mercy for my concern for my daughter, my soul did not disappear but became a ghost wandering in this world. I was both frightened and delighted because this way, I could always be with my daughter.”
“After I died, my family lost their last means of support. My elderly and sickly mother-in-law couldn’t afford to raise my daughter, and they had to rely on a small amount of relief money to barely get by. Life was extremely difficult for them.”
“Watching all of this, my heart was torn, but as a ghost, I had no power to help them. The only thing I could do was secretly buy things with ghost money and leave them at the doorstep at night, hoping to improve their lives.”
“Other than that, I have committed no other evil deeds. I beg you to have mercy on my wretchedness and allow me to continue caring for my mother-in-law and daughter. If my wish is granted, in my next life, I will repay this great kindness.”
After listening to Skye’s lament, Leo nodded and showed compassion, “So that’s how it is. Alright, I won’t pursue this any further.”
“Thank you, Master, thank you, Master.” Skye burst into tears of joy, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly.
“However, this is not a long-term solution. The longer you stay in this world, the more your malevolent energy will grow. One day, you will lose control of your consciousness and become extremely violent. At that time, whether it is harming others or your own family, it will become a tragedy.”
Skye listened in fear, “What should I do? Master, please advise me.”
Leo’s expression turned solemn, “As long as you can let go of your attachments, I will perform a salvation ritual for you, and you will be able to be reborn and start anew.”
Skye suddenly looked hesitant, “Master, I shouldn’t refuse your kind offer. But my mother-in-law is old and sick, and my daughter is young and has no one to rely on. I really can’t rest assured.”
Leo sighed, “I can ensure that your mother-in-law and daughter will be taken care of in the future. You can go in peace.”
Skye was overjoyed, “Master, I have no way to repay your kindness in this life. If there is a next life, I will express my gratitude for three lifetimes.”
“Let go of your distractions, and I will guide you to salvation now.”
“Master, please wait.”
“What is it?” Leo frowned.
Skye smiled bitterly, “My ashes were taken by Phoul King, imprisoned in the Ghost Tower. Without retrieving them, I cannot enter the cycle of reincarnation.”
“Phoul King? What is that?” Leo was astonished.
Skye explained with a fearful expression, “Phoul King is a combination of an evil ghost and a thousand-year-old zombie, extremely powerful. Recently, Phoul King appeared out of nowhere and occupied the ancient tomb in the mound.”
“Phoul King captures wandering spirits and ghosts, either to serve as its slaves, Ghost Soldiers, or to absorb their essence and souls for its cultivation. Unfortunately, I was also caught by Phoul King and used as a servant. With no power to resist and worrying about my mother-in-law and daughter at home, I could only endure in misery.”
Leo’s expression slightly changed, and he said in a deep voice, “In that case, I will kill this Phoul King and accompany me into the tomb.”
“Yes.” Skye stood up and raised her hand, opening the hole in the mound once again.
Immediately, the two of them stepped into the hole.
After entering, the oil lamps on the walls lit up automatically.
Leo surveyed the surroundings. Under his feet was a long tomb passageway, marked with the wear and tear of many years.
“Master, be extremely careful. There are traps throughout this tomb. Don’t disturb Phoul King prematurely,” Skye turned around and whispered.
Leo nodded.
Skye led Leo deeper into the tomb.
When they reached the end of the passageway, a massive stone door suddenly appeared. The door was engraved with terrifying grave beasts, resembling the gate between the realms of the living and the dead.
Skye gestured for Leo to be silent and carefully approached the stone door, pressing her ear against it to listen.
Soon, she turned back with joy and whispered, “Good fortune. There is no one guarding the door. Phoul King is probably deep asleep, and the Ghost Soldiers are slacking off.”
“Phoul King is inside?” Leo asked.
“Yes.” Skye looked anxious, “Phoul King is in the hall behind the door. Should we open it now?”
Leo took a deep breath and decisively said, “Open it.”
Skye clenched her teeth and activated the mechanism.
The massive stone door slowly opened, revealing a spacious hall inside.
At the far end of the hall, there was a platform where the coffin should have been placed, but now there was a person lying on it.
The person was wrapped in armor, like an ancient general. It was none other than Phoul King, as Skye had described.
Seeing Phoul King, Skye trembled in fear and quickly hid beside Leo.
Leo narrowed his eyes, his steps slow but determined as he approached Phoul King.
Leo planned to strike and kill Phoul King while it was still asleep.
Just as Leo was only a dozen steps away from Phoul King, Phoul King suddenly sat up and stared fiercely at Leo, his face full of ferocity. “A living person?! How did you get in here?”