Chapter 54: The Ghost Town and the Immortal Crystal Fragment

She didn’t know why Bai Mengqi was so fixated on that video recorder, but she trusted that Bai Mengqi had her reasons.

A subtle unease stirred within Zi Yanran, a persistent feeling that the video recorder held some hidden danger.

Consequently, she too grew vigilant.

Just then, a knock echoed from outside. Zi Yanran swiftly set down her food and rose, preparing to answer the door.

“Someone’s here. I’m leaving for now, but I’ll be back tonight.”

Bai Mengqi offered a quick greeting, then vanished into invisibility once more, soaring out through the window. She had no desire for others to discover her presence just yet.

Zi Yanran nodded to her, then opened the door to find Captain Liang standing there.

“Is there something you need, Captain Liang?” she asked politely.

Captain Liang looked at Zi Yanran, her face etched with confusion, and inquired, “Miss Zi, who were you just speaking with? I heard voices inside.”

A jolt went through Zi Yanran, but she feigned nonchalance. “Oh, it was just my personal bodyguard. She was talking to me.”

Captain Liang visibly relaxed upon hearing it was Bai Mengqi.

“Is it that Miss Bai? I’ve actually been hoping to meet this mysterious Miss Bai, to see if she’s truly as formidable as the Jiang City Anomaly Bureau claims,” she said, her curiosity piqued.

The Jiang City Anomaly Bureau already knew Bai Mengqi’s identity, so naturally, headquarters was also aware.

Zi Yanran smiled. “There will be an opportunity, but for now, let’s discuss official matters first.”

With that, she invited Captain Liang into the house.

****

Meanwhile, Bai Mengqi flew with utmost speed, following the source of the power she had sensed.

She knew that a fragment of Immortal Crystal was emanating power fluctuations from that location.

Not long after, Bai Mengqi arrived at a desolate area on the outskirts of Tokyo. She surveyed her surroundings, finding only overgrown weeds and an overall sense of barrenness, like a long-abandoned small town.

However, the moment she stepped into the town, a chilling gust of wind swept through, making Bai Mengqi shiver. She looked up at the sky, where dark clouds gathered ominously, as if foretelling an ill event.

‘Heavenly Eye!’

Bai Mengqi formed a hand seal, and golden light flared in her eyes.

Under the scrutiny of her Heavenly Eye, the desolate town transformed. It was permeated by a dense, ominous aura, filled with countless dead souls. Many vengeful spirits also drifted through, making it resemble a ghostly market.

“So many dead souls and vengeful spirits, along with other malevolent entities. They all seem to be bound to this area by some force,” Bai Mengqi observed.

She was certain that one of the Immortal Crystal fragments was hidden here.

Before entering, she noticed a sign at the entrance. Its general message warned that chemical substances had leaked here, making the area dangerous and prohibiting public entry.

Bai Mengqi strode in boldly. In the eyes of the dead souls, she appeared as the Great Immortaless herself, enveloped in divine light, her white robes fluttering.

As the divine light shone upon these dead souls, their hazy expressions instantly cleared. They knelt before Bai Mengqi, their faces reflecting a sense of salvation.

“Very well, I shall grant them release.”

Bai Mengqi formed a single hand seal and began to chant a mantra.

Under the power of this mysterious incantation, the light emanating from Bai Mengqi intensified. Wherever it touched, the dead souls dissolved into pure light of the soul, vanishing into the heavens and earth.

This was the Daoist Rebirth Mantra, specifically used to guide lingering souls from the mortal realm to their next life.

Bai Mengqi had mastered many Daoist techniques, all of which the Great Immortaless had adapted from this world’s Daoist arts.

As for the vengeful spirits, they could not directly enter the cycle of reincarnation.

The light from Bai Mengqi was like potent poison to them. The moment it touched them, they shrieked in agony, scrambling to distance themselves from her.

Along her path, Bai Mengqi observed many unique Japanese exorcism artifacts, including talismans and seals. This indicated that something truly terrifying must be hidden in this place.

Further she ventured, the more vengeful spirits she encountered, eventually even seeing malevolent spirits.

Judging by the appearance of these malevolent entities, they seemed to be the original inhabitants of this place. Each carried a heavy burden of resentment, having died unjustly, their souls forcibly confined to this area.

A blood-red thread extended from each of them, all pointing in a single direction.

Even the malevolent spirits, upon seeing Bai Mengqi, only dared to let out guttural roars from afar, whether out of fear or an attempt to intimidate her.

Malevolent entities generally lack the ability to directly harm people. They typically interfere with the mental state of the living through psychic energy, thereby controlling them to commit suicide or simply terrifying them to death in their ghostly form.

Therefore, if a person harbors no fear in their heart, malevolent entities are largely powerless.

Of course, malevolent entities can evolve. If they transform into ghost demons, that becomes an entirely different matter.

“This level of resentment must have accumulated over decades. It’s strange; Japan isn’t without powerful anomaly users. Why haven’t they completely eradicated this place?” Bai Mengqi mused, feeling a touch of bewilderment.

This area had become an inherent barrier, different from the fox demon’s barrier last time. This one was far more stubborn.

Finally, after traversing numerous paths, Bai Mengqi arrived before a remarkably eerie house.

While other areas were teeming with resentment, this particular spot stood out like a solitary boat in the dark night, devoid of any malevolent aura, appearing no different from an ordinary residence.

But as the saying goes, extremes meet, and this was clearly abnormal.

Bai Mengqi could already sense her Immortal Crystal fragment.

The moment she drew near, inside the house, a pair of pale eyes suddenly opened in the darkness.

“Hmph! Playing tricks.”

Bai Mengqi walked directly to the courtyard gate, opened it, and stepped inside.

As she approached the house, the scenery within a three to four-meter radius around her completely shifted, transforming into a sinister, dilapidated mansion.

“Oh, you have some skill, do you? This resentment has truly reached the pinnacle of malevolent spirits, making you a regional ghost king,” Bai Mengqi remarked, growing increasingly surprised.

Just as Bai Mengqi was about to enter the house, the main door suddenly swung open.

A seemingly ordinary Japanese woman, wearing a gentle smile, emerged.

“A guest has arrived. Please, come in, esteemed guest,” the woman said, her eyes narrowed.

Bai Mengqi was somewhat taken aback that the other party showed no fear of the power emanating from her. Not only that, but behind the woman stood a small boy, who, however, was clearly terrified of Bai Mengqi.

“Aren’t you going to ask why I’ve come?” Bai Mengqi spoke.

Bai Mengqi suddenly asked in fluent Japanese.

Don’t ask why she knew Japanese; languages, for cultivators, were perhaps less challenging than elementary school math problems.

“I know, so please, young lady, come in for a discussion.” The woman seemed utterly unafraid of Bai Mengqi.

Bai Mengqi hadn’t intended to be overly polite, but the woman’s unusual demeanor made her curious to see what tricks she might be hiding.

Bai Mengqi remained inwardly vigilant, yet outwardly maintained her composure.

She slowly stepped into the house, her gaze sweeping across the surroundings, attempting to catch any unusual signs.

The interior furnishings were simple and rustic, like a cozy little home.

“Excuse me, what exactly happened here?” Bai Mengqi asked directly.

She didn’t immediately resort to action, instead curious about the terrible events that had transpired in this small town on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Before Bai Mengqi acted, she always sought to understand the situation clearly, then decided whether to completely eliminate the opponent or leave them a glimmer of hope.