"That would be best." Zhao Fusheng forced herself to remain calm, laughed once, then spread the jade book in her palm and looked it over several times. Her peripheral vision sensed the Fan brothers' changing expressions. She pursed her lips and added:
"I resurrected from the dead. I'm very frightened about these matters. Without asking clearly, it's hard to feel at ease. I also ask the two Fan brothers to be more understanding."
Hearing her say this, the two brothers also felt it made some sense. Thinking that before this she was just an ignorant peasant girl, her current aggressive attitude was probably just due to narrowly surviving a great calamity.
Thinking this way, their ugly expressions eased considerably.
She very likely had a ghost attached to her now. If not desperate, Fan Bisi didn't want to tear his face with her either. So he acted magnanimous. "You're right. Though we two brothers were also helpless, it's true we made you wade through these muddy waters. Ask whatever you want."
Zhao Fusheng laughed coldly in her heart but smiled on the surface. "My Life-Soul Register is lit, right?"
After she held this emerald jade book, she vaguely felt a connection between herself and this jade register, as if she was faintly restricted by it. Those talismans constrained her, making her uneasy.
"Correct."
Things had come to this point—there was no need to hide. Fan Bisi nodded:
"When you entered the Demon-Suppressing Bureau, you already lit up the Life-Soul Register. Once in the Life-Soul Register, life and death are controlled by the court."
Worried that Zhao Fusheng would feel uncomfortable hearing this, he added:
"But you also understand Wan'an County's situation. The court has abandoned this place, so normally speaking, as long as you don't leave Wan'an County, you won't be constrained by this Life-Soul Register."
Once ghost fog arose, it wasn't easy for an ordinary person to run around everywhere.
Though Zhao Fusheng seemed to have temporarily subdued a malevolent ghost, a ghost's power wasn't so easily used. One misstep and it was instant death.
Fan Bisi kindly suggested. "Why not find a place to stay and enjoy yourself properly."
His suggestion wasn't at all in Zhao Fusheng's consideration. She'd narrowly escaped death—she wasn't here to wait for death in this place again.
Fan Bisi was shrewd and observant. Seeing her disapproval, he didn't say more.
Anyway, looking at the current situation, the ghost fog's coverage in Wan'an County was increasing. According to what Xu Yu wrote in the Universe Book, once ghost fog increased, the probability of encountering ghosts would grow.
By then, Zhao Fusheng would sooner or later deal with ghosts again. After dealing with them, she'd know how terrifying ghosts were, and then she'd naturally understand his suggestion was most useful.
"Tell me about the Life-Soul Register's origins." Zhao Fusheng asked again.
This question was also within Fan Bisi's expectations.
In fact, after these two brothers were constrained by the Life-Soul Register, he'd also tried to investigate its origins and details, attempting to find a way to break free.
But this matter wasn't even a secret in the Demon-Suppressing Bureau. The court hadn't tried to conceal it at all. When he investigated, he immediately found out.
"I just said, this Life-Soul Register actually directly seizes one of your souls, planting ghost language in your life-soul so it's controlled by ghost language."
Thinking of the strange nature of ghost language earlier, Zhao Fusheng nodded. "You said the ghost language was drawn by Jia Yi..."
"Correct." Fan Bisi wholeheartedly wanted to escape Wan'an County's Demon-Suppressing Bureau, so he didn't beat around the bush and spoke directly.
"The ghost Jia Yi possesses is very special. Jia Yi actually isn't its first controller."
The situation Fan Bisi described reminded Zhao Fusheng of the ghost causing trouble in Wan'an County. She didn't speak, but Fan Bisi was very perceptive. From her expression, he guessed what she was thinking and said. "Are you thinking this malevolent ghost inheritance situation is somewhat similar to the out-of-control malevolent ghost from our Wan'an County's Zhao Qiming?"
"Yes." Seeing he'd seen through her, Zhao Fusheng simply nodded.
"The situation is indeed the same. If powerful enough, anything can become a resource—ghosts are no exception." Fan Bisi said:
"From this point, you can know how terrifying the court's foundation is." The court possessed quite a few malevolent ghosts, and with rich variety. "To make a long story short. This ghost excels at killing with ghost language, similar to plague curses. Once infected by its ghost language, death is inevitable."
This malevolent ghost's methods naturally weren't limited to what Fan Bisi described, because Zhao Fusheng caught a key point—when Fan Bisi mentioned this ghost, he'd used a term: Sha-class.
What this so-called 'Sha-class' meant, she had no idea, but hearing it gave her an ominous feeling.
"After the court controlled this ghost, through generations of enhancement..." Fan Bisi said this much and paused:
"You also understand what this so-called enhancement means. While humans control ghosts, ghosts are also absorbing human essence and soul for their use. Malevolent ghosts can also level up."
"..." Zhao Fusheng's heart grew even more uneasy.
"In the process of raising this ghost, its level rose to at least Sha-class, developing the art of using ghosts to control minions."
Fan Bisi asked. "You know what ghost minions mean, right?"
"I've heard of it." Zhao Fusheng's face paled slightly as she said. "Legend has it that after tigers eat people, they raise the people's ghosts as minion ghosts."
"More or less like that." Seeing her use legend to compare, Fan Bisi frowned but didn't refute, continuing instead. "The court created jade books, with the ghost writing ghost language on them. After the books were made, each time a soul was contracted, it was equivalent to 'paying tribute' to this ghost."
In other words, the court indirectly raised this ghost with the souls of numerous Demon-Suppressing Bureau ghost controllers, while this ghost was constrained by the court.
"In a sense, our existence is like this ghost's minions, controlled by it. Once someone rebels against the court, they'll immediately be killed by this ghost's rule power."
"..." He'd explained very clearly. Instantly, Zhao Fusheng felt cold from head to toe, her expression extremely ugly.
Seeing her expression, Fan Bisi knew she was displeased. He left time for her to digest this information. He'd originally thought she might need a long time to accept all this, but unexpectedly, moments later she asked again, "You said ghosts easily lose control. The court controls this ghost—aren't they afraid this ghost will lose control and kill indiscriminately, throwing all Demon-Suppressing Bureaus under heaven into chaos?"
Seeing how quickly she'd adjusted her emotions, Fan Bisi almost looked at her with new eyes.
"So what? In this kind of world, the current situation could be considered quite peaceful. But who can guarantee this peace will last?" He said calmly. "As we speak with you now, who knows—maybe one day we two brothers will encounter ghosts and die?"
Speaking of life and death, all three fell silent for a moment.
After a long while, Fan Bisi couldn't hold back again and urged. "Fusheng—"
"What's the rush?" Zhao Fusheng shook her head and asked again, "Your life-souls need me to remove them before you can leave Wan'an County. If I want to leave Wan'an County, who should remove my Life-Soul Register?"
"There's no way to remove your life-soul! Moving life-souls requires handling by ghost controllers at general rank or above in the court."
And the court had already abandoned this place.
Having talked for so long, he was gradually losing patience. Afraid Zhao Fusheng's questions would be endless, he spoke bluntly, "I advise you not to think about other things. You're in the Life-Soul Register—there's no way to leave Wan'an County. Don't think that just because you've controlled a ghost now, you're extraordinary. I said before—"
"Wait!"
Zhao Fusheng originally had many more questions to ask, especially wanting to ask about when he mentioned 'ghost minions' earlier and his expression was strange. But unexpectedly, before she could ask, Fan Bisi's words made her extremely uneasy. "What do you mean 'controlling a ghost'—"
"You died at a ghost's hands yet could resurrect from the dead. What kind of ability is this—don't tell me you don't know?" Fan Bisi didn't want to beat around the bush with her anymore and spoke directly.
"You mean to say..."
"Only ghosts' power is this terrifying. Ghosts are immortal and indestructible. Perhaps they can be sealed and their power dismembered, but humans can't kill them. You resurrected from the dead—this kind of power is clearly ghost power. You borrowed a ghost's power. If you haven't controlled a ghost, what else could it be?"
"..."
Alarm bells rang in Zhao Fusheng's heart. "You mean the ghost from the Demon-Suppressing Bureau before hasn't left yet?"
"You haven't died yet—how could it leave?" Fan Bisi countered.
"How have I not died? I died yesterday!" Zhao Fusheng's hair stood on end. "I died yesterday!"
She didn't know how to explain the situation clearly to the Fan brothers, but last night's 'dream' had obviously displayed the complete course of events: the original Zhao Fusheng had clearly already died at the malevolent ghost's hands. She was just an innocent person who, by chance and coincidence, borrowed a corpse to return to life.
From the perspective of life-souls, she and the original Zhao Fusheng weren't even the same person...
"According to what you said about ghosts' killing principles, I already died at the ghost's hands yesterday. The cause and effect are settled..."
"Ghosts killing people don't talk principles with you. You haven't died, so it doesn't count as completing the ghost's killing rules. Though I also don't know how you managed to restrain this out-of-control malevolent ghost and temporarily control it, putting it into a dormant state, this state isn't permanent. Once you 'wake it up' and use its power, that will be your death date."
After speaking, he rarely showed humor and said:
"Did you see Old Zhang from the coffin shop across the street? Our Demon-Suppressing Bureau is shrouded by a ghost domain. He dares to open a coffin shop here because he knows many people die here—he has business to do and refuses to leave."
"..."
Zhao Fusheng's heart instantly sank to the bottom. For a moment, her mind went completely blank.
After she came to her senses, her heart was both shocked and angry, extremely agitated.
She subconsciously reached back to touch her back.
That earlier eerie cold sensation, that feeling of being watched—it seemed it wasn't her illusion after all. She hadn't expected that after the original Zhao Fusheng died, the malevolent ghost that killed her hadn't left but instead clung to her like a lingering evil spirit, hiding somewhere unknown.
She'd narrowly survived and been reborn in the mourning hall, but was born into this strange world. Now her life-soul was restricted by a ghost, becoming someone else's ghost minion. At the same time, a deadly malevolent ghost was wrapped around her body. According to the Fan brothers, her life was about to end. How could she live like this in the future?
"Hehe." Fan Bisi laughed coldly:
"Entangled by a malevolent ghost, you can never escape for your entire life. Either you control it, or it drains you dry. Listen to my advice—honestly hide away and don't try to use the ghost's abilities. With good luck, you might live an extra year or two. With bad luck, you probably can't even hold on for ten days or half a month."
Zhao Fusheng's expression fluctuated between dark and light as she held the emerald jade book. Fan Bisi added, "For the sake of our impending separation, I'll tell you one more piece of news. Keep this emerald jade book safe."
"What do you mean..." Zhao Fusheng gritted her teeth and asked.
Fan Bisi was also afraid of provoking her to the point where she'd act recklessly without caring about consequences. His tone softened, "Don't think that being in the Life-Soul Register with your soul controlled by a ghost is entirely a bad thing. The reason you previously attracted a ghost but lived these days, besides being born with extraordinary fortune and having your parents' blood relatives' fortune supporting you, is also because of this Life-Soul Register."
Only ghosts could deal with ghosts.
"The Life-Soul Register is a malevolent ghost's object. In other words, you're a minion of Jia Yi's ghost, its prey."
At that time, the out-of-control ghost in Wan'an County's Demon-Suppressing Bureau wanted Zhao Fusheng's life. This was undoubtedly two ghosts competing, both sides contending.
"So in the later stages, though the Life-Soul Register is also a ghost object, it's also your life-saving item. If you activate the malevolent ghost on your body, the ghost in the Life-Soul Register can protect you for a while."
"..." Zhao Fusheng wanted to curse.
But the situation had reached this point. Her anger was useless, and cursing was a waste of effort. She forced herself to calm down, then discovered a question. "According to what you're saying, ghosts are also divided into levels, aren't they?"
"Yes." Fan Bisi's face showed an impatient expression. Seeing her questions were endless, his face darkened.
"You said the ghost controlling the Life-Soul Register has reached Sha-class..."
"At least Sha-class!" Fan Bisi interrupted her.
Zhao Fusheng didn't quibble with him about these small issues anymore, only saying:
"If the ghost controlling ghost minions has already reached Sha-class, then the ghost on my body could still kill me under its power, wouldn't that mean..."
"It's not the same."
Fan Bisi forcibly suppressed his impatience and explained again:
"Our method of distinguishing ghost levels, besides looking at the ghost's strength, also comprehensively evaluates based on its destructiveness and other aspects."
"If a ghost is very powerful but only kills people singly with limited power, then although its level is high, it's not very troublesome. But ghosts like the one controlling the Life-Soul Register that can control large numbers of minions—as you said, once it loses control, it can cause mass casualties. This kind of ghost is what truly makes the court wary, so such ghosts are also much higher level."
After speaking, he changed tack. "However, having said that, a ghost minion controller's power naturally isn't limited to large-scale killing. Its own power is very terrifying. The reason you were ultimately killed by this malevolent ghost in Wan'an County is actually because the Life-Soul Register is only the ghost minion controller's avatar, not its main body."
"If Jia Yi himself came here, the situation would be different. Powerful ghost controllers can not only drive away malevolent ghosts but might even control them. Otherwise, do you think how Wan'an County's ghost passed from Zhao Duan's hands into Zhao Qiming's?"
Zhao Fusheng's heart instantly turned half cold.