You wicked ghosts dare to deceive that girl? Hmph, you think she's easy to fool, don't you? Her nature is innocent and kind. Stop kidding yourselves—how could humans and ghosts ever be friends, especially ones like you? Friendship is a lie; what you really want is her blood. Heh, I've seen this sort of thing too many times to be surprised anymore.
The old, raspy voice in the darkness rambled on. Behind him, Yuna Ji giggled. Gradually, color returned to the surroundings—the sky, the grass, an endless plain, all covered with withered yellow grass.
Qingyuan, you handle it. I'm going back to my show.
Yuna Ji said this as she pulled out her phone, put on her headphones, and a green glow flashed—suddenly, a soft-looking bed appeared. She lay down, and Mr. Brown walked over to sit at the bedside, smiling at me.
Shadow laughed heartily and bounced off into the distance, while I sighed helplessly.
Alright, old man, we really are the girl's friends, and we mean no harm. Who exactly are you? Is the Eastern Emperor here? If he is, let him come out—he should be able to vouch for us.
As soon as I finished speaking, a burst of wild laughter erupted, swept in by a howling wind.
That Eastern Emperor kid—none of his words can be trusted. This time, I found the girl's body completely invaded by ghostly energy. It must've been going on for a long time, all from keeping company with ghosts. Yet that Eastern Emperor only said she'd been traveling in the world of the living, never mentioning any dealings with ghosts.
Damn, I cursed inwardly. Who knows where that Eastern Emperor guy went? It's been ages and nothing's changed. Just as I was puzzling over it, there was a sudden swish—a broadsword blazing with golden light slashed right toward my face.
In an instant, I drew Belle—clang!—blocking the strike. The force was overwhelming, sending me flying and landing in a crouch on the ground. Looking up, I saw an old man, armored like the Eastern Emperor, wielding a brilliant golden broadsword and glaring fiercely. On closer inspection, it was Chief Frank, the village chief of Nameless Village.
Just like the first time the Eastern Emperor emerged from Rofina's body and saw me, but this old man called the Western Guardian seemed even stronger than the Eastern Emperor. With just one strike, I understood.
After his attack, the Western Guardian stopped moving. His gaze shifted to the three behind me and the massive black coffin.
"Well? You get it now, don't you? You're no match for me."
Before I could finish, the Western Guardian swung his blade at me again. I raised Belle, letting killing intent pour out from my body, determined to defeat him first.
"Qingyuan, if you get careless, you'll regret it."
Mr. Brown said quietly. I responded, but the situation had already changed. As the Western Guardian's blade neared me, it suddenly flared with golden light. I felt an overwhelming force suppressing me. Shocked, I tried to resist, but it was too late.
With a sharp sound, I was sliced clean in half. Instantly, a barrage of blade shadows assaulted me, my body hacked into countless pieces. Fury surged from deep within—I roared.
A crack rang out. I dissolved into Black Mist and dispersed, but the Western Guardian relentlessly attacked, his blade slicing right through the fog. He pinpointed my Ghost Soul in the mist; I twisted away from his strike, Belle now wrapped in thick killing intent.
"I warned you—if you keep this up, I won't hold back."
With a whoosh, the Western Guardian's eyes widened as his blade split in two. I kicked him square in the chest, sending him flying.
"It's settled. Let's not drag this out."
I sheathed Belle, but the Western Guardian rose, glaring at me with fury. He tossed his blade aside.
Suddenly, I turned my head—water sliced past me, splattering black blood. I stared at the Western Guardian, his arms spread, palms open, fingers clenched tight. I sensed a flowing energy—water. I realized it instantly.
A crash and a snap echoed out. The Western Guardian stared in shock as streams of water around me froze solid. Black ice trapped his hands. I glared at him coldly, Belle raised.
The Western Guardian's eyes widened. Belle was already descending toward his head, but I stopped just short.
"Is that enough?"
I asked. Just then, applause echoed out. I looked over—golden light shimmered as the Eastern Emperor floated toward us.
"Old man Western Guardian, you can't beat Qingyuan now. Two years ago, he wasn't even my match. Calm down. There are good people and bad people in this world, and the same goes for ghosts. If we've survived these two years, it's all thanks to those so-called evil ghosts."
With a gust, the Western Guardian vanished. I saw a complex look in the Eastern Emperor's eyes as he gazed into the distance.
"What the hell is going on? Why didn't you explain all this sooner? Damn it."
I cursed. The Eastern Emperor just smiled helplessly.
"Sorry, Qingyuan. Of the Four Guardians—East, West, South, and North—I'm the only one who's changed. The other three still despise ghosts by nature. I used to be the same."
"What exactly are you all?"
I asked, studying the Eastern Emperor. I'd always found him strange, like one of the sacred spirits of the twelve zodiac, but there was something different. His power felt more like a force of nature—untouchable, unpredictable.
"You could call us gods."
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I blinked, even more confused, staring at the Eastern Emperor.
"Qingyuan, they're not gods in the way you think."
Mr. Brown interjected. My confusion deepened.
"You're the gods people talk about, right? The ones who represent the four directions—East, South, West, and North."
The Eastern Emperor looked at Mr. Brown in surprise, then nodded.
"We've existed since humans first learned to tell direction. Call us gods, or call us spirits. Ordinary people can't sense us, not even ghosts. Only through the central figure—our medium—can we take form in this world."
"Rofina, right?"
I muttered. The Eastern Emperor nodded.
I eyed the Eastern Emperor, then asked seriously.
"What exactly is Rofina Howard? I heard Blood Fiend mention her bloodline is incredibly rare."
"Sigh, Qingyuan, she's the descendant who inherited the Prime Ancestor's bloodline."
I swallowed, baffled. Mr. Brown and Yuna Ji drifted over.
"Seriously?"
Yuna Ji asked. Mr. Brown smiled, but the Eastern Emperor's expression was deadly serious.
"From the very beginning, humans were weak—barely surviving in a harsh world. But Heaven gave us wisdom, and with constant struggle, we gained experience and slowly evolved. Then, our greatest enemy appeared—ghosts."
The Eastern Emperor spoke as we landed on the ground.
Ghosts wielded power many times greater than humans. In the face of their threat, people began harnessing the forces of nature—Heaven's gift, hidden within the soul, able to repel ghosts.
Those able to fight ghosts became known as the Prime Ancestors, each possessing unique powers to battle the supernatural. Over centuries, their bloodline grew rare as humanity multiplied.
Legend says their bloodline descends from Nuwa. Once humanity developed ghost-repelling spells and objects of faith, this clan nearly vanished.
"Long ago, to ensure the bloodline endured, a great one cast a spell—allowing the Prime Ancestor's soul to ignore the boundaries between worlds, reincarnating every hundred years. Our task as guardian spirits is to retrieve and nurture the Prime Ancestor's bloodline each cycle."
"But why?"
The Eastern Emperor hesitated. I pressed him.
"You didn't secretly take that girl from her parents as soon as she was born, did you?"
The Eastern Emperor smiled awkwardly, then nodded in resignation.
"To fight the evil forces in this world, preserving the bloodline is essential. If someone in the magic world obtained the Prime Ancestor's blood, their spells would become vastly more powerful. And for ghosts or corpses—their foundation is human. If they got the Prime Ancestor, used correctly, their strength would be unmatched."
"Does she know? Does that girl know the truth about herself?"
I stared seriously at the Eastern Emperor. He lowered his head and shook it.
"Maybe it's cruel for her. Her fate was set from birth. And the Prime Ancestor has one more vital task—when they reach a hundred, there's something they must do."
— End of Chapter —