The entire shack trembled slightly. The wine in Elder Peach's bottle bubbled as if boiling, and waves of immense force pressed toward me.
Gray.
I muttered softly. Elder Peach laughed, then his face turned serious as he stared at me, his eyes sharp as torches. He shouted loudly.
It's either black or white.
With a loud slap, Elder Peach struck the table. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared before my eyes. I saw figures in Daoist robes wielding swords, thrusting at me. I could only stare wide-eyed at the scene, unable to react.
Good wine!
I shouted, mouth open wide, and the vision vanished. A stream of liquid rushed toward me. I gulped it down, wiped my mouth.
Everything strange vanished. Elder Peach stared at me coldly.
I stretched out my hand, palm up. Wisps of black energy rose, and tiny figures emerged from my palm, whimpering indistinctly, as if struggling.
I'll give it back to you, Priest.
With a wave of my hand, five tiny figures shot out from my palm and returned to Elder Peach's wine bottle.
This was just a warm-up. The Five Ghost Technique can't deal with you anymore.
I nodded, extended my hand, and with a crackling sound, the entrance to the Shadow Realm opened.
Go inside, Priest.
In a flash, I was inside the Shadow Realm. Elder Peach followed me in. I stood atop a cherry blossom tree, while Elder Peach stood opposite me, golden light appearing beneath his feet—seven golden points.
Power surged, earth and sky reversed. I stared at Elder Peach as Deathbane Aura spilled from his body.
Ethan Zhang, why have you come to find me?
I said nothing, just watched Elder Peach quietly. A pink mist-shrouded Belle appeared slowly in my hand.
Step on the Seven Stars, subdue demons and ghosts, divine weapon, act swiftly by decree...
With a boom, I raised Belle to shield my chest. Elder Peach clasped his hands, his index fingers together in a strange gesture, pointing at my heart—my ghost soul's location. His eyes glowed gold, and a golden shield seemed to surround his body.
A surge of overwhelming force crashed into me—golden light blazed, cherry blossoms whirled, and the violent currents tore the little pavilion behind me from the ground. Even the apartment walls began to crack and crumble. My face and body were pinned by this crushing wind, the skin on my cheeks trembling violently.
A thick layer of Deathbane Aura gathered around Belle. There was still a gap between the sword in my hand and Elder Peach's fingers, but now Belle began to bend under the pressure.
For the first time, I felt the true power of sorcery—such immense force. Yet I had no thought of retreat. Suddenly, the seven golden points beneath Elder Peach's feet flashed. I didn't hesitate; my cloak whipped around me, and in a streak of black, I vanished from his sight.
With a thunderous crash, the force smashed into the apartment building. When I emerged from my shed skin, there were seven massive holes in the wall, arranged like the Big Dipper.
Unbroken yet broken, broken and linked—by decree of the Supreme Lord, act swiftly...
Suddenly, I caught a glimpse of Elder Peach's hand seals—too fast for the naked eye. Golden and silver orbs twisted around me, pulling my body toward them as if trapped.
Impressive.
I muttered, unable to wait any longer. Deathbane Aura surged from my body, and my hands began to move. Elder Peach darted through the air, golden light flashing as he attacked. His hands formed new seals, lips chanting incantations.
With a swift motion, I hurled Belle at Elder Peach. Twin swords of Deathbane Aura formed in my hands. I unleashed bursts of Deathbane Aura, trying to break free from the golden and silver orbs. They were dissolving my ghost energy—a strange, uncanny feeling.
Five Thunders strike—divine weapon, act swiftly by decree...
A rumble shook the air. As I looked up, five bolts of lightning—red, gold, white, blue, and violet—struck down from the sky all at once.
With a deafening crash, my mind began to blur, as if melting away. I felt nothing. In a haze, I saw Elder Peach draw a peachwood sword.
The instant I regained awareness, a peachwood sword was pressed against my neck. I didn't move; my hands were gone, seemingly absorbed into the golden and silver orbs on either side.
I managed a faint smile.
Priest, I'm not here to fight you.
Why aren't you fighting seriously, Ethan Zhang?
I shook my head. The golden light around Elder Peach faded, and my hands slowly emerged from the golden and silver orbs, which vanished. We drifted down to the ruined pavilion. My Shadow Realm was repairing itself, Deathbane Aura rising everywhere. Gradually, my domain returned to normal.
I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I've met plenty from the sorcery world before, but this time I couldn't even fight back. Even if I gave it my all, the result would probably be the same.
The pavilion was restored. Elder Peach and I sat inside. With a wave of my hand, Deathbane Aura rose from the table, and two steaming cups of tea appeared. Elder Peach sipped, nodding. His Daoist robe was faded and patched, and he looked rather shabby. Up close, I saw his cheeks were covered in stubble and his hair was greasy.
With a soft clang, I saw Elder Peach pull out a delicate white jade cup, thicker than a thumb, and place it on the table. A golden character for 'premature death' was etched on it. I stared, puzzled.
All who enter my gate must first accept the three cups: Solitude, Ruin, and Premature Death.
I stared at the cup, confused. It seemed ordinary, but this fine white jade vessel had a shallow chip, as if it had centuries of history. The patterns were exquisitely carved.
Solitude means dying alone, never marrying or having children. Ruin means everything is broken—even if someone gives you new clothes, you must burn holes in them with incense to show they're ruined, and you can't keep money overnight. Premature Death means you can't live past fifty.
I murmured, starting to understand.
But I've already lived 397 years, and this cup still can't be broken.
I swallowed, staring at Elder Peach in shock. I'd heard the Nine Sons of the Daoist Sect were all over a hundred, but what he said surprised me.
Elder Peach took out the bottle of wine, gulped down several fierce mouthfuls, then handed it to me. I hesitated, drank, and instantly my organs felt scorched by fire. A wave of drunkenness crashed over me—my head spun, vision blurred, and I could barely see.
This is wine for the gods. An ordinary ghost would be torn apart by it.
I kept driving the foreign substance from my body. Swellings rose all over me, gusts of breath sounded, and white light streamed out from within. I felt much better—it's been ages since I tasted wine.
Why is it that, since ancient times, the Dao is always one step behind the demons?
I nodded.
There are things righteous men simply cannot do.
Elder Peach chuckled, then tilted his head back.
I should have been buried long ago. But in that moment, I didn't want to die, so I survived. Over the years, I've come to regret everything I did back then.
I watched Elder Peach, and saw the desolation in his eyes.
Our Maoshan Sect's sorcery has its roots in Daoism, but it runs counter to the Daoist way. Many have used these arts for profit and evil—everyone knows it. If you use ghostly arts for evil, you might enjoy wealth and glory in this life, but after death, the heavens will demand repayment, and even more suffering awaits. I know exactly where I'll end up.
I swallowed, watching Elder Peach. His eyes grew distant, and he took another deep drink.
Back then, the ghost path ran wild, and everyone in the sorcery world lived in fear. My master died in battle with the Ghost Lord. I spent my life searching for a way to defeat them, but only now do I realize—the human heart is the greatest evil spirit.
I didn't know why Elder Peach told me all this, but I wanted to listen. He had a rare honesty in his eyes, a bit like Zhang Wuju.
Xiaoyaozi once told me, what you're doing now goes against the will of heaven. I hesitated to help you, but I'm also one who defies heaven. To have survived this long... sigh...
Priest, what exactly did you do?
I was deeply puzzled. For someone so upright, there was a shadow behind him—a darkness released from within. Only now did I sense it.
Do you know the art of life extension?
My heart skipped a beat. I stared at Elder Peach, who slumped over the table, his eyes bleak as he looked at me.
It's taking someone else's lifespan to extend your own, isn't it?
Elder Peach nodded.
Before my master died, he warned me never to touch such taboos. But as my end drew near, I began searching for suitable boys. I thought, if I couldn't find any, it was fate. If I did, then heaven wanted me to live.