Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Sect of Ghost Arts

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The ghostly figure was visibly terrified. I sat opposite him, deep in thought. After a moment, I asked again, “Do you swear there is not a single word of falsehood in your story?”

“I swear it, I swear it,” he replied immediately.

Watching his reaction, I pressed further, “Then how can you assure me? I can’t trust just one side of the story.”

He froze, unsure how to respond as I pressed relentlessly. I smiled and said, “Why don’t you take a ghost oath?”

At the mention of the ghost oath, his face changed abruptly. “Master, I’m truly not deceiving you. Why won’t you believe me? You know well that breaking a ghost oath brings down the wrath of the five thunderbolts—the death is unbearable...”

Before he could finish, I interrupted with a wave of my hand. “If you’re telling the truth, then why fear the ghost oath?”

He fell silent, seemingly embarrassed. I didn’t push him further and simply crossed my legs, watching quietly.

The ghost oath is a form of solemn vow in the underworld, far graver than oaths made in the living world. A broken oath above ground might earn scorn, but a broken ghost oath calls down heavenly thunder, resulting in an endless torment until the soul is utterly destroyed. Ghost oaths circulate not only in the netherworld but also within our supernatural community. Many practitioners insist on such oaths when making agreements or deals to ensure no one is cheated or manipulated. It is a common safeguard among us.

I sat facing the ghostly figure, who remained silent and visibly uneasy. Growing impatient, I tightened my grip on the Sky Chant Pierce. A silver arc of electricity crackled around the spear, emitting a sizzling sound. The ghost snapped back to attention, his eyes fixed on the growing flash of silver lightning.

“Stop, Master! Don’t!” he pleaded. “I will swear the ghost oath, I will!”

I smiled faintly and lowered the Sky Chant Pierce. “Very well. This is your third chance. Don’t waste it.”

Terrified, he nodded and clasped his hands above his head—a traditional gesture for taking the ghost oath. Trembling, he intoned, “I am Huan Fang, a wandering ghost in the underworld. Today, I solemnly swear that if there is a single falsehood in what I have said, may the heavenly thunder strike me down, and may my soul be scattered.”

He finished and opened his hands, releasing a wisp of black smoke that dissipated into the air, signaling the oath was complete. I finally smiled, retracting the spear. “You are Huan Fang, then?”

He nodded. I retrieved a talisman for exorcising spirits. The moment Huan Fang saw it, he cried out loudly, “Master, you promised to spare me after the oath! How can you go back on your word?”

I was taken aback and lightly tapped his head. Dazed, he rubbed his round skull. I looked at him and said, “Who said I went back on my word? The spiritual energy in this talisman has already been dispelled. You may enter.”

Huan Fang stared at the talisman, realization dawning. “Master, what you mean is...”

I nodded. His face brightened, and he bowed deeply. “Thank you, Master, thank you.”

I gave a small grunt of acknowledgment. “Come in.”

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With that, Huan Fang transformed into a swirl of ghostly mist and vanished inside the talisman. After securing the talisman, I said, “Once this matter is resolved, I will send you back to the underworld.”

“Thank you, Master!” his voice echoed again before falling silent.

I lay back down on my bed, but sleep had deserted me. My mind kept turning over what Huan Fang had said about the faceless crowd. Who exactly were they? Why were they causing trouble here? And why abduct Cao Wen?

After a moment, the door suddenly opened. I turned to see my master returning. He paused, seeing I was still awake, glanced at the clock, and said, “Boy, it’s three o’clock. Still not asleep?”

I shook my head and sat up, recounting everything that had just happened. My master listened, stunned, then sat on the edge of the bed. “A faceless group used black powder to drug a bunch of underworld ghosts and dragged them here to cause chaos?” He pointed to the floor as he spoke. I nodded.

He fell silent for a moment before asking, “Is that accurate?”

“Yes, very accurate. I just made him swear the ghost oath.”

“A ghost oath? That’s good—at least there’s some guarantee.”

I nodded and then asked, “Master, where did you go just now? You’ve been gone a long time.”

“I went to the underworld,” he replied.

I was stunned. “Why did you go to the underworld?”

He shook his head. “I went to ask Qi Yuan. I’ve always felt this matter isn’t simple—it’s either the work of the Ghost Path or connected to it. Qi Yuan has some dealings with them.”

“Any news?” I pressed.

He shook his head again, remaining silent. I understood his meaning. Then he sighed. “Get some rest. Worrying won’t help. One must be sharp to handle things properly.”

I nodded and turned off the light, lying back down. At sunrise the next day, I heard my master moving about in the room. I wasn’t sure if he had slept at all. He cared deeply about Cao Wen—that’s just his nature.

Hearing the noise, I got up and said groggily, “Master, why are you up so early? Did you sleep at all last night?”

He didn’t answer directly but nodded without facing me. I yawned, got out of bed, and then his phone rang. He answered on speaker, saying, “Li Xin, any news?”

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Li Xin’s voice came through the line: “Yes, Senior. You were right.”

“Trouble in the Ghost Path?” my master asked.

Li Xin confirmed, “I used some contacts in Shaanxi, and indeed there’s trouble within the Ghost Path. It seems someone inside has rebelled. If the intel is correct, the leader is Ghost Mountain.”

“Ghost Mountain? The second-in-command of the Ghost Path?”

“Yes. After the rebellion, both the Ghost Path’s head, Ghost Sky, and Ghost Mountain suffered heavy damage. The faction is split in two. Ghost Mountain has sent several squads across provinces, including Beijing. The reason we hadn’t uncovered this before is because he seems to have powerful backers. I can’t say who exactly, but this person is influential. Senior, be cautious. If you need backup, just call me.”

After Li Xin finished, my master didn’t hesitate. “You’re just an office worker; what help can you offer? But there’s something else I’ll need you to focus on.”

“Alright, no problem. I’ll call you as soon as I have news,” Li Xin promised.

My master nodded. “Thanks. Keep your phone on 24/7. I’ll be waiting for good news.”

“Understood.” Li Xin ended the call.

My master then went to the bathroom. Looking at the rising sun, he washed his face and sighed deeply. “Boy, today is going to be busy.”

I nodded, already dressed. “What’s the first step?”

He stood by the window, hands behind his back. “We start by gathering information on the Ghost Path members.”

With that, he turned and left. I followed him out of the hotel. Along the way, he hailed a cab and headed to a small teahouse outside Beijing.

I looked at him, puzzled. “Master, will we find news about the Ghost Path here?”

He shook his head. “No, but there’s a seer inside. He’s a divine man who knows all through divination. We’ll ask him first.”

I said okay, and we entered. The morning teahouse was quiet and peaceful. The staff were already bustling about, carrying teapots. A few elderly gentlemen sat playing mahjong and chess.

My master led me upstairs to an antique-looking room. Inside, I saw an elderly man with graying hair intently studying a chessboard. Hearing the door open, he paid us no mind. My master bowed and said, “Honored Seer, may we trouble you for a moment?”