Chapter 56: A Sudden Change

Snap—

The small black flower that had just formed at Su Bao’s fingertips shattered.

It dissipated into nothing.

Su Bao pursed her lips, saying nothing, but her mood was clearly sour.

In ghost cultivation, the presence of an inner core (neidan) signifies power, typically achieved at the level of a Ghost General. The inner core is a mark of strength.

The hierarchy of ghost cultivation ascends from Ghost General to Ghost King, Ghost Emperor, and ultimately to “Soul Sovereign” (Yuhun Zhe), a being capable of commanding all ghosts. A Soul Sovereign could flip the world upside down with a mere gesture, reshaping reality with ease.

Though Su Bao was an Asura Ghost, she was only half of one. Her frail body and three missing souls were still trapped in a glass jar. And it wasn’t even the tenth year yet—the point at which she would be fully refined.

It was said that if an Asura Ghost acted independently, the Asura half would rival a Ghost Emperor, and the Ghost half would rival a Ghost King.

When combined, they would become a Ghost Emperor.

But such power came at the cost of self-awareness, reduced to a mindless force of destruction.

Su Bao’s current abilities…

Still fell short.

The black mist she had formed was supposed to be her inner core.

Truly powerful ghost cultivators could transform their inner cores into weapons or anything else they desired.

But Su Bao…

Had barely managed to form a small flower before it disintegrated.

She was frustrated!

While her presence was enough to intimidate ordinary vengeful spirits, she would stand no chance against a seasoned ghost cultivator.

Lacking strength meant she couldn’t protect herself!

It also meant that if the black-robed elder ever came for her, she’d be dragged back into that glass jar.

She was scared.

Su Bao pouted, visibly disheartened.

Da Hei spread its wings and hugged Su Bao’s neck. “Don’t be scared, Su Bao. Look at it this way—at least you’ve managed to form an inner core now. With more good deeds and spiritual energy, becoming a Ghost Emperor will be a piece of cake!”

Su Bao muttered a quiet “Mm,” still sulking.

***

Meanwhile.

On a picturesque island.

A young woman in a bikini lounged on a beach chair, her long, pale legs gleaming in the sunlight. Her expression was relaxed, almost indifferent, as she casually toyed with a strand of hair while holding a tablet for a video call.

“Master, is she dead yet?” she asked, her voice soft but tinged with menace. A hint of her snow-white skin peeked into the frame, enough to leave the viewer breathless.

On the other end of the call was a man in his early thirties, dressed in a blue Daoist robe.

Though addressed as “Master,” he couldn’t help but gulp at the woman’s sultry demeanor.

His voice was hoarse. “There’s been… a complication.”

“What kind of complication?” The young woman’s previously cheerful expression darkened, her tone still sweet but now laced with a dangerous edge.

“The life star had dimmed completely, which should’ve meant success. But for some reason, it suddenly flared back to life and hasn’t dimmed since. I suspect she’s still alive.”

The woman raised an eyebrow, pondering for a moment.

Then, with icy determination, she said, “If they couldn’t finish the job, there’s no need to keep them around. You’ll take care of them for me, won’t you, Master?”

Useless trash. They couldn’t even kill a little girl. What’s the point of them living? Better they become fertilizer underground.

“That’s a bit harsh. Don’t you think they deserve another chance?” The man hesitated, knowing that killing would bring karmic retribution, especially for cultivators bound by the laws of the universe.

The woman lazily traced her fingers over her pale skin, tilting her head with a faint smile. “Master, you’ll handle it for me, won’t you?”

The man sighed, resigned. “Fine.”

Then, muttering under his breath, he added, “You’re such a seductress. You’ll be the death of me one day.”

“By the way, you’ve been traveling ever since you read her fate and decided to take a break. Don’t you think it’s time to come back?” he asked, his tone eager.

The woman replied coyly, “Master, aren’t cultivators supposed to rise above such worldly desires?”

The two flirted over the call for a while before finally ending it.

As the call ended, a tall, muscular man with a perfect physique walked over from the beach. His eight-pack abs and V-line were on full display, making him look like a walking sculpture.

He leaned down and kissed the young woman on the lips.

The two began to entwine on the sand, their whispers and laughter carried away by the sea breeze…

***

Having consumed Fu Lang’s jade pendants, Su Bao knew she needed to get to work.

She had to find a way to lure out the female ghost in the white dress. This stalemate couldn’t continue—Su Bao wasn’t about to spend her days glued to Fu Lang’s side!

She needed to find more “unlucky people,” trade jade for protection, and quickly build up her strength to safeguard herself.

But before all that…

Su Bao wanted to figure out what was inside that fist-sized rock!

She really wanted to eat it!

After bringing it back to the dorm, she had placed it in her drawer.

But as she tried to sleep, the cool, refreshing scent kept wafting into her nose, teasing her and making her restless.

She couldn’t take it anymore. Late at night, she pitifully leaned over the edge of her bunk bed, staring longingly at the drawer.

She knew rocks weren’t edible!

But she couldn’t stop craving it!

No, tomorrow she had to crack it open and see what was inside. She had to know what was making her so hungry!

The next morning.

While the rest of the dorm prepared for military training, Su Bao, excused due to her dislocated arm, was tasked with observing from the sidelines.

After washing up with Mo Qiao Qiao, Su Bao noticed that Lin Siyi was still lying in bed while the others—Gu Yuan, Shen Tingting, and Zhou Simu—were already up.

Zhou Simu, ever gentle, tried shaking Lin Siyi awake. After a long while, Lin Siyi finally got up, looking completely drained, her eyelids heavy as if weighed down by a thousand pounds.

As she climbed down from her bunk, she accidentally missed a step and stumbled toward Su Bao.

Su Bao…

Emmm…

Jumped out of the way with lightning speed.

Mo Qiao Qiao stared in awe. “Wow, Su Bao, you’re so fast!”

Poor Lin Siyi, however, landed awkwardly on the floor, every part of her body aching.

“Su Bao, what’s wrong with you?! I was falling, and instead of helping me, you jumped away!” Lin Siyi, with the help of Zhou Simu and the others, managed to get up and immediately confronted Su Bao.

Her anger was so intense that she forgot all about the guilt and fear that had been haunting her for days.

All she knew was that if Su Bao hadn’t jumped away, she would’ve landed on her instead of the hard floor!