A woman's cries echoed through the room. Zane Zhuang stared in shock—his mother was holding a whip, striking the matron again and again.
The question left the Three-Eyed Ghost speechless again.
Zane Zhuang saw his younger self, trembling and crouched in the corner. Furious, he rushed forward, but everything was just an illusion.
"Who are you? Show yourselves!"
Zane Zhuang stared curiously at the third eye on the Three-Eyed Ghost's forehead.
But the scene continued. Whenever his father was away, Zane and his mother suffered inhuman treatment. Sometimes they went days without food—it was normal. Any slight mistake meant a beating for both mother and son.
Zane Zhuang looked at the Three-Eyed Ghost in astonishment, then smiled.
"Heh heh, so that's how it is. You hate them, don't you? When you were young, they treated you like this. If you hate them, just kill them. People are terrifying—they're your enemies."
Zane Zhuang clutched his head, pain splitting his skull. These agonizing memories had eased a little when he studied with Eugene Henderson and Victor Fan.
As he grew older, Zane Zhuang gradually understood why he and his mother were treated this way. His father's wife had given birth to three daughters, but no son. His mother, on arriving at the Johnson Family, bore Zane immediately. The matron's attitude toward them grew worse and worse.
In the end, his mother was tortured to death. Zane Zhuang's childhood was defined by one word: hate. He hated those who tormented his mother, hated his father—even after his mother's death, his father never spoke of it. When his father finally had a son, he took Zane to Victor Fan's home.
At that time, only one person was there for him: Eugene Henderson. As a child, Zane Zhuang rarely spoke, and eventually became mute. Eugene would talk to him again and again, eat with him, play with him. Even now, thinking of that friendship brings tears to Zane's eyes.
The Three-Eyed Ghost rested his chin on his hand, his smile fading as he stared at Zane Zhuang.
Suddenly, dozens of ghosts appeared all around, converging on Zane Zhuang. They pinned him down, biting him—blood streamed from his wounds.
Zane Zhuang smiled, falling silent. Suddenly, a violent wind whipped through the air, and the world shifted—a rare and eerie anomaly. The snowflakes that had been gently drifting down now spun outward, as if swept away by an unseen current determined to keep them at bay.
Zane Zhuang shouted. With a thunderous sound, he broke free from the ghosts. Waves of black, strange energy burst from his body.
Three-Eyed, you brat—are you here to cause trouble?
A cold voice echoed—it was the Trinity Ghost. He swept his gaze over the other ghosts, his whole body radiating green light.
The ghosts that had surrounded Zane Zhuang scattered. Zane collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
The Three-Eyed Ghost stood up and stepped aside.
Zane Zhuang ignored the Trinity Ghost and, tending to his wounds, asked a question.
"When is the Ghost Painting Book Immortal coming back?"
"Should be soon. Someone's causing trouble at his home—he must've sensed it by now."
The Trinity Ghost spoke, pointing to the scattered memorial tablets. One of the larger tablets had shattered completely.
There was nothing to eat in this ruined village. By midmorning, Zane Zhuang, weakened by his wounds and the cold, lay dying in a house, sheltering from the wind. He was starving, but his body wouldn't move.
The Ghost Painting Book Immortal said, looking at the Three-Eyed Ghost.
Zane Zhuang spoke. The Trinity Ghost looked at him in surprise.
"Hey, hey, I did help you, you know!"
On the way, Zane Zhuang didn't need to run—he sat on a scroll and was flown directly back through the air. As soon as they arrived at the inn, Zane's mother revealed her crimson nails, her gaze brimming with hostility and fear toward the Ghost Painting Book Immortal and the Three-Eyed Ghost.
Zane Zhuang retorted, and the Trinity Ghost floated away, laughing.
"Alright, suit yourself."
As dusk fell, Zane Zhuang managed to stay awake thanks to the wine he carried, still waiting for the Ghost Painting Book Immortal to return. Suddenly, he caught a whiff of something delicious. Swallowing hard, he struggled to his feet. Smoke was rising in the center of the village, and Zane staggered toward it.
"Smells good?"
It was the Trinity Ghost, holding three golden roasted wild chickens, grinning at Zane Zhuang. Without a word, Zane grabbed one, let it cool for a moment, and started eating.
"I've never seen anyone as shameless as you, haha!"
The Trinity Ghost burst out laughing.
After a hearty meal, Zane Zhuang regained some strength. He sat in a house, fire burning at the door. Sleepiness crept in as he stared longingly at the darkened sky. Since morning, after the Trinity Ghost spoke, he hadn't seen a single ghost.
It's not impossible, heh, but it's difficult. Besides, based on my calculations, this baby girl may only have a few hours left. Three-Eyed, go fetch some calamity energy and help her hold on while I think of a solution.
As the Ghost Painting Book Immortal spoke, the Three-Eyed Ghost helplessly waved his hand.
"What would you gain by lying to me?"
With a whoosh, the Three-Eyed Ghost floated out of the inn. The Ghost Painting Book Immortal sat down, took out a brush, and began drawing in the air.
Man and ghost sat quietly by the fire, saying nothing, silent for a long time.
"That eye of yours—what do you see?"
Zane Zhuang stared curiously at the third eye on the Trinity Ghost's forehead.
"The future."
Zane Zhuang looked at the Trinity Ghost in astonishment, then smiled.
"You don't believe me?"
Zane Zhuang shook his head.
"Believe it or not, if you really can see the future, can you tell me what's coming?"
"You really are straightforward, heh. I can't actually see the future, but I can foresee certain things. That's why I saw you and didn't kill you."
"What things?"
(This chapter is not finished yet~ Please click next page to continue reading the rest!)
The Trinity Ghost rested his chin on his hand, his smile fading as he stared at Zane Zhuang.
"The future tells me that one day, you and I will fight. And you might be the greatest opponent I've ever faced."
Zane Zhuang smiled, saying nothing. But just then, a fierce wind arose, and a rare anomaly appeared—the snowflakes that had been drifting down now flew outward, as if an invisible force was driving them away.
"He's back—the old Ghost Painting Book Immortal."
"Trinity, you brat—are you here to cause trouble?"
An old, authoritative voice descended from the sky. A flash of green light, and an elderly man in white robes, with a beard, appeared before Zane Zhuang and the others.
"A human?"
Trinity Ghost was already on his feet, then stepped aside.
"Old man, I didn't come to cause trouble. It's this guy who needs something from you."
Without hesitation, Zane Zhuang got up and approached the Ghost Painting Book Immortal.
"Sir, I have something urgent and need your help. I hope you'll assist me."
After Zane explained the situation, the Ghost Painting Book Immortal, whose face had been green with anger, calmed down a bit and looked genuinely interested.
"You can save a dying baby with calamity energy? Impossible, absolutely impossible."
The Ghost Painting Book Immortal said, looking at the Trinity Ghost.
"Hmph, you're just a half-baked amateur. I told you before—someone used calamity energy to save a dying person, but there's more to it. In the end, the family didn't just fail to save anyone, even the living started dying one after another. It was just the speculation of people with some magical skills. Calamity energy may be pure, but it's utterly harmful to humans—it's filthy energy. Once you touch it, misfortune follows. Take me to see for myself."
Zane Zhuang was shocked—the old ghost actually smiled, as if he had found something amusing.
On the way, Zane Zhuang didn't need to run—he sat on a scroll and was flown directly back through the air. As soon as they arrived at the inn, Zane's mother showed her crimson nails, glaring at the Ghost Painting Book Immortal and Trinity Ghost with hostility and fear.
"Mother, these two are here to help."
After some explanation, when the Ghost Painting Book Immortal saw the baby girl still clinging to life, he clapped his hands and laughed with delight.
"There really are such strange things in this world! Haha, I didn't expect to encounter one. Young man, tell me everything—how did this baby girl come to be?"
Both Fan Li and Wu Zheng had warned Zane Zhuang never to reveal the girl's origins to anyone.
"Sigh, you really are a fool. We're not human, we're ghosts, right? Just tell us. I swear I won't tell anyone else."
Watching the baby girl's breath fade, Zane Zhuang had no choice but to tell them everything.
"So that's how it is? Heh. Normally, a living person is born with both yin and yang, but this baby girl has only yin, no yang. No wonder she absorbed the calamity energy—it can extend her life."
"Is there any way to save her?"
"It's not impossible, heh, but it's difficult. Besides, based on my calculations, this baby girl may only have a few hours left. Trinity, go fetch some calamity energy and help her hold on while I think of a solution."
As the Ghost Painting Book Immortal spoke, Trinity Ghost helplessly waved his hand.
"Fine, this is much more interesting than being bored all day."
With a whoosh, Trinity Ghost floated out of the inn. The Ghost Painting Book Immortal sat down, took out a brush, and began drawing in the air.
"I can save the baby girl, but you have to tell me where the baby boy is."
"What do you want to do?"
Zane Zhuang jumped up, agitated.
"Oh, it's nothing. I just love collecting strange stories, so the baby boy's story is essential."