Zane Zhuang hadn't told the Ghost Painting Book Immortal where Yin Choujian was hiding. It was already the third day. Although he relied on Trinity Ghost to recover Yin Death Breath and continued to prolong the baby girl's life, her condition was still dire.
"Old man, have you figured out a way yet?"
Zane Zhuang was extremely anxious. For the past three days, he kept repeating this question, while the Ghost Painting Book Immortal was like a headless fly, frantically pacing about.
"You brat, do you know who I am? How dare you speak to me like that, you..."
"You said you'd come up with a solution."
Zane Zhuang replied bluntly, then paused, clenching his fists and glaring angrily at the Ghost Painting Book Immortal.
"Right now, you're our only hope. I can't do anything, but you can. Since you can, I trust you—hurry up and figure something out, old man!"
Trinity Ghost burst out laughing, looking at Zane Zhuang with some admiration.
"Maybe that place has a solution, old man. Have you forgotten? When someone is about to die, a part of their vitality goes to that place and stays for a while."
Suddenly, the Ghost Painting Book Immortal seemed to remember something, looking excitedly at Zane Zhuang and Trinity Ghost.
"That's right, how could I forget? Ah, I'm getting senile. There's one more place—ghosts like us can't enter, only those on the verge of death have the privilege. This baby girl's vitality is so weak that before she dies, part of it has already gone to that place."
"What kind of place is it?"
Zane Zhuang immediately stood up and asked.
"We don't know what it's called, since we've never been there. I heard about it from someone who came back from the dead and still remembered it. It's an endless forest, full of wandering souls and wild ghosts. When a person's vitality enters, those souls devour it and the person never returns—then they're truly dead. Hurry, if we go now, it's not too late."
As the Ghost Painting Book Immortal spoke, suddenly—whoosh—a sound, and Zane Zhuang's mother flew out from the small jar.
"No, Zane! You mustn't go there, absolutely not!"
Zane Zhuang looked at his mother in confusion, while the Ghost Painting Book Immortal shook his head.
"It's true. If you go there, you might never come back. But if you don't go, that baby girl won't survive. Her illness has drained all her vitality; only by going to that place can you retrieve it. Otherwise, she's doomed."
"How do I get there? Tell me."
Zane Zhuang didn't hesitate at all. His mother immediately grabbed him, trying to stop him.
"Zane, for an unrelated infant, how can you be so reckless? Listen to your mother, you..."
Zane Zhuang shook off Mrs. Zhuang, his face twisted in anger.
"Because she's still alive, Mother. She's still alive..."
Three-Eyed seemed to notice something, then spoke.
"Madam, let him go. He has faced his loved ones again and again, powerless to save them. That's why he's angry—angry at himself. You must understand that."
Three-Eyed spoke as he patted Zane Zhuang's shoulder.
"You may have some unique qualities, but you don't truly know any real spellcraft, do you? That technique you tried to use that day—do you know why it failed?"
Zane Zhuang looked at Three-Eyed in astonishment.
"Because that spell requires a calm mind and spirit. Whoever taught you must have told you to keep your heart clear, but you—you're full of rage. Outwardly you seem composed, but inside, you're burning. Take this, and remember: unless absolutely necessary, do not use it."
As he spoke, Three-Eyed took out a dark green stone, glanced around, and put it into a small pouch before handing it to Ghost Painting Book Immortal.
"What is this?"
Zane Zhuang watched as Ghost Painting Book Immortal wrote the character for 'forbidden' on it with his brush.
"It's a stone used by Three-Eyed to condense Ghost Aura. For us, the Ghost Aura inside is ordinary, but for wandering wraiths, just sensing it will keep them away. Its effect lasts only a short while, but it can scare off those spirits."
Ghost Painting Book Immortal approached Quinn Jones, plucked a strand of hair from her crown, and with a wave of his hand, the window flew open. A dried leaf fluttered in; he placed the hair on the leaf, and a stream of green energy enveloped it. Soon, the leaf hardened like stone.
"Carry this with you. You must sense her presence—if you feel Quinn's aura, you'll find her."
"Are you sure you can reach that place? My Zane..."
"We absolutely can. I stake my life on it."
After Ghost Painting Book Immortal spoke, Mrs. Zhuang said no more.
"I've lived many years, and so has Three-Eyed. We've heard of such things countless times and witnessed them more than once. I am certain that place exists. For ghosts of our level, possessing this item—you may never have heard of it before."
Thin, crystalline green threads—like spider silk—spilled from the bodies of Ghost Painting Book Immortal and Three-Eyed, filling the room in an instant.