The third fellow was named Edward Guo. Born into poverty as the second son, he arrived in this world just as the sun rose. Shortly after he was weaned, his parents sent him to a master at a nearby mountain temple, who gave him the Buddhist name Charles Du.
The old monk, James Yu, had first discovered this unborn child while seeking alms in the village one day. Possessing keen insight, he saw at a glance that the child in the womb had a profound spiritual root. If he learned Buddhism, he would achieve great things; but if he grew up here with his family, he might die young.
After many negotiations with Edward Guo's parents, they finally agreed. With one son and two daughters already, they could no longer afford to raise another child.
Edward Guo entered the temple under the name Charles Du. James Yu taught him to read and learn Buddhist principles. Charles Du grew day by day, and by the age of twenty, he had never left the mountain.
I found it very strange that from the moment Charles Du was born, there was not a trace of baleful aura on him. Even at twenty, he still had no sign of dark energy.
From a young age, Charles Du was compassionate and curious about all things. Over the years, James Yu taught him some ghost arts. The temple, old and in disrepair, struggled to survive, so James Yu reluctantly accepted exorcism commissions to keep it running.
Charles Du participated in many of these exorcisms, which brought considerable income to the nearly defunct temple. In Buddhism, exorcising ghosts is not about destroying them, but about delivering them from suffering.
Despite his youth, Charles Du had already mastered advanced Buddhist arts, able to purify the evil energy from even fierce ghosts.
But now, I finally saw it: wisps of dark energy on Charles Du's shoulders. James Yu seemed to have anticipated this and had noticed it too.
During a consecration ceremony at the temple, many guests arrived, some hoping to invite the monks to their homes for rituals to dispel misfortune.
James Yu called Charles Du into his room, hoping he would stay in the temple, devote himself to Buddhist practice, and avoid venturing into the mundane world.
Charles Du was puzzled. He couldn't understand what mistake he had made. His master, who was like a father to him, forbade him from leaving the mountain, while other disciples were free to do so. Only he had to remain, chanting sutras and cleaning the temple, as James Yu instructed.
Charles Du did not dare slack off in the slightest. Yet the dark energy around him grew deeper with each passing day.
James Yu felt a pang of guilt. The disciple he had raised with his own hands now had to deal with worldly troubles and ghosts because of the temple's difficulties. Most ghosts they encountered were malicious. Sensing darkness growing in Charles Du's heart, James Yu hoped he could overcome this trial—and inherit his legacy.
But this time, James Yu wanted Charles Du to rely on his own strength to get through it.
For days, Charles Du was in turmoil. Though he said nothing, he was deeply troubled, thinking his master was punishing him for some mistake. He lost all heart for Buddhist practice.
About three months later, his fellow disciples returned, but his master was nowhere to be found. The senior disciple called Charles Du into the room and took out an urn. Charles Du collapsed in tears, clutching his master's ashes.
During an exorcism, a fierce ghost—the Green Wraith—appeared. The mission failed. James Yu was gravely wounded while protecting his disciples. Some of the senior brothers were left permanently disabled.
As he lay dying, James Yu entrusted the senior disciple to pass on his legacy to Charles Du, asking him to continue his Buddhist practice in the temple. When Charles Du turned twenty-six, he was to succeed the senior disciple as abbot.
For days on end, Charles Du lost all will to practice Buddhism. He spent his time weeping, talking to the urn, pouring out everything he wished he could say to his master. Since childhood, Charles Du had always confided in his master, talking late into the night. Now, it was too late. His master would never hear him again.
No matter how the senior disciple tried to comfort him, Charles Du remained mired in grief. The dark energy completely engulfed him, and murderous intent—directed at ghosts—boiled in his heart.
Half a month later, Charles Du began strict self-cultivation, following the regimen his master had prepared long ago. James Yu had always known he faced a great trial in life; if he failed, he would never find peace. This was another reason James Yu didn’t want Charles Du to leave the mountain.
In just a few years, Charles Du’s mastery of Buddhism caught up to James Yu’s, and he devoted himself to practice every day.
At this time, half of Charles Du’s body was shrouded in dark energy, and the other half radiated golden light. In six short years, he studied Buddhism day and night.
When Charles Du turned twenty-six, the senior disciple handed over the position of abbot to him. The old abbot officially lifted the ban on leaving the mountain. Everyone knew why Charles Du was going down: he had unfinished business.
Alone, Charles Du descended the mountain, searching everywhere for the Green Wraith who killed his master. He traveled between the worlds of the living and the dead.
Charles Du began killing ghosts instead of delivering them. He no longer showed compassion, nor did he spend hours chanting sutras to purify their dark energy. Every ghost he met, he killed—his actions drew attention throughout the supernatural world.
Most notably, the Renegade Monks took notice. They tried to recruit Charles Du into their ranks, but he politely refused and continued his search for the Green Wraith. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find a trace.
Year after year, day after day, Charles Du turned thirty-six. He spent only two or three months a year at the temple, always out searching. The dark and golden energies within him remained evenly balanced.
Finally, after countless hardships, Charles Du found the Green Wraith who killed his master. Without hesitation, he used every skill he had, battling the Green Wraith for three days and nights—until he finally killed it.
At that moment, I saw the dark energy on Charles Du instantly devour all the golden light within him. The time had come.
Thunder rumbled and rain poured from the sky as I followed Charles Du to a ruined temple, ready to act.
“You evil ghost, how long have you been following me? How many years? Did you think I didn’t know—even in this dream?”
I was stunned, completely shocked by Charles Du’s words. I walked over as he raised his monk’s staff, golden light radiating from his body, his eyes filled with murderous intent.
"Since you already know, then I must kill you."
As I spoke, the baleful aura within me surged forth like a rushing stream.
"It’s you—what are you doing here?"
A startled cry came from behind me. My heart sank. I turned to see a figure with crimson eyes—Ethan Zhang, Earth Soul—he had entered my dream.
I said nothing. Charles Du raised his monk’s staff and began chanting Buddhist sutras. For ghosts, the sound was like a death knell. I clutched my head as my baleful aura grew unstable—Charles Du was formidable. Perhaps I was no match for him now.
But I absolutely could not lose—especially not in front of Ethan Zhang.
I struggled to control my nearly collapsing baleful aura, directing it toward Charles Du. But whenever it touched his golden light, it was instantly dispelled. Charles Du swung his monk’s staff at me.
I conjured a sword of baleful aura and charged at Charles Du. After years of training among vengeful ghosts, my condensed baleful energy had weight—it wouldn’t dissipate so easily.
With a clang, my baleful sword collided with Charles Du’s monk’s staff. Black energy swirled around us. I felt Ethan Zhang’s worried gaze on my back—he was concerned about me. I managed a smile. I couldn’t lose—not in front of him.
Inside, I was conflicted and in pain, as if burning alive. There was so much I wanted to tell Ethan Zhang—even the smallest things. Especially about Rachel Lan. Like Ethan, I found myself captivated by her, moved by this woman.
She was like a pure flower growing on a cliff, always able to make Ethan Zhang unconsciously follow her every move.
With a crash, my baleful sword finally dispersed. The monk’s staff struck my body, and I spat black blood, flying backward and collapsing to the ground.
His gaze was the same—full of worry. Maybe even Ethan Zhang himself didn’t realize he was worried about me. I got up and watched Charles Du quietly. He was chanting, his power growing stronger. Beneath the golden light, there was endless darkness. He had mastered his baleful energy, turning it into strength.
Would I lose? No, absolutely not. I was no longer the same as him—we had taken different paths, become strangers. I refused to lose, not even a little. It should be me worrying, since Ethan Zhang is now so weak he can only defeat lesser ghosts by risking his life. But now, he’s the one worrying about me.
Baleful energy surged wildly from within me as I looked on.