Chapter 44: Talisman Bomb

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: Talisman Bomb

A bloodcurdling scream jolted Lin Xian awake. He looked up and was met with the sight of "Lin Tian’s" blood-red eyes and monstrous face.

He jumped in fright. ’How could I have just mistaken this thing for my sister? I must be crazy!’

After taking a few gasping breaths, Lin Xian clutched his wildly pounding heart and turned to look at Lin Tian, his face pale and pitiful.

Lin Tian rolled her eyes in disgust. "What are you waiting for? Get over here!" ’They’re about to start fighting, is he just going to stand there and be cannon fodder? How can Lin Xian be so stupid!’

Lin Xian scrambled over, his gaze filled with guilt and remorse as he looked at Lin Tian. "I’m sorry, I..."

"Shhh!" Lin Tian raised a finger to her lips and pulled him down to crouch by the bed. "The glasses-free, 5D fantasy epic is about to begin! Don’t keep me from the main event!"

Lin Xian was speechless, his expression complicated. "When did you get so gutsy?"

Lin Tian sighed wistfully. "I was terrified at first. But you get scared enough times, and you just get used to it."

She wasn’t sure if it was because Gu Qingyin was here or because that ghost had taken her form, but her fear had turned to anger. Now that Lin Xian had snapped out of it, she was completely in the mood to sit back and watch the show.

Out in the hallway, the Ghost Cultivator had revealed its true form. It was a pitch-black figure, barely recognizable as humanoid. Nothing was clear except for a pair of ruby-like red eyes, making it impossible to discern its gender.

"Tsk." Gu Qingyin covered her nose and mouth in disgust, her voice muffled. "Just how many people have you eaten?" ’The stench is worse than a sewer. So uncivilized.’

The Ghost Cultivator let out a sinister cackle. Without wasting any words, it flooded the corridor with Yin Qi, which coalesced into a colossal, monstrous face that charged forward with its cavernous mouth agape.

Unfazed, Gu Qingyin closed the hotel room door and casually slapped a talisman onto it.

Inside the room, Lin Tian’s shoulders slumped instantly. It was like watching an incredible trailer, only to click on the full movie and discover you needed a VIP membership.

Disappointed. Upset. Ready to start cursing.

Seeing her reaction, Lin Xian asked tentatively, "Should I... go open the door?"

Lin Tian rolled her eyes. "I haven’t had enough of living, thanks." She might not be as scared anymore, but that didn’t mean she had a death wish.

She looked Lin Xian up and down, asking suspiciously, "Did that ghost scramble your brains?" ’Otherwise, how could he ask such a moronic question?’

Lin Xian’s mouth twitched. ’And here I was, feeling guilty.’

The instant the door shut, the menacing ghostly face was right in front of Gu Qingyin.

Gu Qingyin raised a slender palm, thrusting it forward in a move that seemed as futile as a mantis trying to stop a chariot. But with a loud CRACK, the ghostly face shattered on impact.

It was like a high-speed train smashing into a cliff face, breaking into a million pieces.

Gu Qingyin shook out her hand, a lazy smile playing on her lips as she narrowed her eyes. "Not bad. It had some kick to it."

The Yin Qi churned silently. Concealed within it, the Ghost Cultivator stared at Gu Qingyin with a dark, brooding gaze, its mind reeling with shock and uncertainty.

’Did she just block my Yin Qi attack with her bare hand? How can a mere mortal touch Yin Qi?’

’No,’ the Ghost Cultivator thought. ’She must have prepared a talisman in her palm beforehand. She’s just bluffing!’

’Deceitful Heavenly Master!’

’So what if she has talismans? Big deal. I can make them too!’

The Ghost Cultivator extended a finger and began to trace in the air. A rune slowly took shape, and a profound, arcane aura began to spread.

Hm?

A glint of sharp interest flashed in Gu Qingyin’s eyes.

Before leaving the mountain, she had read about Ghost Cultivators in her master’s study.

Ghost Cultivators are exceedingly rare. For a ghost soul to even begin on the path of cultivation, it must possess profound karmic merit and destiny. If one could truly attain ascension, fighting opponents far above their level would be as easy as breathing.

However, the path of a Ghost Cultivator is fraught with difficulty. They must question their heart, nurture their nature, cultivate virtue, and sever all desire. In short, they must act completely contrary to their ghostly instincts.

Extremely few Ghost Cultivators manage to persevere. From ancient times to the present, only a handful have ever successfully ascended, and most of them now hold office in the Underworld.

But once they step onto the path of cultivation, Ghost Cultivators and ordinary ghost souls might as well be two different species. It would be no exaggeration to say they are as different as heaven and earth.

Ghost Cultivators have their own unique systems of cultivation and attack. If they are good, it is not unheard of for them to become the closest of allies with a Heavenly Master; if they are evil, they are mortal enemies.

This Ghost Cultivator had clearly been cultivating for who knew how many years, able to draw runes with Yin Qi, yet it still couldn’t stop itself from breaking the prohibitions and ruining its practice.

Gu Qingyin couldn’t help but feel it was a shame. ’So many years of bitter cultivation, about to be destroyed in an instant. What a tragic waste,’ she thought.

As she mused, Gu Qingyin’s hand was already in motion, tracing a talisman in the air with the fluid grace of moving clouds and flowing water.

If the Ghost Cultivator was a child just learning to write, then Gu Qingyin was a reclusive master of calligraphy. The two were not even in the same league; there was simply no comparison.

After finishing her drawing, Gu Qingyin even waited for a moment. ’It’s been trying so hard,’ she thought. ’I should at least let it finish its talisman. Otherwise, it feels like I’m bullying a ghost.’

Finally, the Ghost Cultivator finished her talisman. But instead of throwing it, she used the talisman as a container, rapidly pouring a massive amount of Yin Qi into it. The rune quickly swelled, emitting an ominous, ghostly light as its aura grew more dangerous. At the same time, the Ghost Cultivator could no longer suppress her glee and began to taunt Gu Qingyin loudly and without restraint.

"You Heavenly Masters are nothing but sanctimonious hypocrites! You’re dying to kill me, yet you always act all righteous, trying to give me a ’dignified’ death." The Ghost Cultivator’s voice was filled with hatred. "Bah! You frauds!"

"Every Heavenly Master who ever looked down on me has died by my hand. And you... will be no exception!"

Judging by her tone, the Ghost Cultivator was extremely confident; she had likely used this trick to successfully kill several Heavenly Masters in the past.

Gu Qingyin’s expression remained unruffled. In fact, a flicker of interest appeared in her eyes. "It seems I really did underestimate you. But... you’re not the only one who knows that trick."

Before the words had even left her lips, the rune beside her hand flared with a blinding light, as if it had suddenly been fully charged.

But unlike the Ghost Cultivator’s, Gu Qingyin’s rune didn’t deform in the slightest. Its aura remained contained, emitting only a faint, almost imperceptible, pressure.

Gu Qingyin’s eyes sparkled with eagerness. "Well then, let’s see whose rune bomb is stronger."

Rune bomb?

The Ghost Cultivator froze for a second before the words registered. ’Okay, the name is simple and easy to understand, but calling my ultimate move that completely robs it of its cool factor! Don’t you think there’s something wrong with that?!’

"It’s called the Mountain Shattering Talisman!"

Gu Qingyin didn’t understand why she was so worked up. She nodded in confusion. "I know. A bomb shatters mountains, right?"

"It’s the Mountain Shattering Talisman! It has nothing to do with bombs!" the Ghost Cultivator yelled, agitated.

Gu Qingyin blinked blankly, still not understanding the outburst. She pursed her lips. "Whatever. Same difference."

The Ghost Cultivator grew even more furious. ’How can she just say "whatever"?! This is the first ultimate move I ever learned! It holds a special significance!’