"After becoming a Festival Adept, Festival No.1 High School should've given you a one-month break, right?"
Sikong Xi asked.
"Mm."
Bai Jue nodded and said, "I was originally planning to check out one of the spatial gates near Tiankui City next. But judging by this, it seems like the Night Watchers already have plans for me?"
"Of course."
Sikong Xi smiled faintly.
"I told you before—joining the Night Watchers will help you grow as fast as possible. That wasn't an exaggeration."
"The cultivation method your school gave you is only the most basic one. Later, I'll personally choose the most suitable and highest-quality cultivation method available in Tiankui City for you."
"On top of that, we'll assign instructors to train your combat techniques."
"During this period, you'll also be given missions to ensure you grow in all aspects."
"As for spatial gates—you'll go eventually. I'll arrange it."
Hearing this, Bai Jue chuckled.
"So… am I a special case?"
"Of course you are."
Sikong Xi laughed as well.
"Exceptional people naturally receive exceptional treatment."
"Night Watchers also need achievements to request more resources from headquarters. If we cultivate you well and send you to a main city in the future, headquarters will be happy, Tiankui City's performance will improve, and you'll get better resources."
"A win-win-win."
Bai Jue nodded with a smile, then stood up.
"So what should I do next?"
"Nothing. Just wait here."
"I'll go get your cultivation method and your Night Watcher credentials. Once you have them, you can leave and come back tomorrow."
After saying that, Sikong Xi turned and left the office.
Bai Jue didn't mind. He sat on the sofa and flipped through the files Sikong Xi had given him earlier.
Ghosts.
He didn't mind having more—
in fact, the more, the better.
As a Zhongyuan Festival Adept, he was a natural counter to ghosts. As long as the strength gap wasn't overwhelming, any evil spirit he encountered had only one fate—
Being absorbed.
A cold wind stirred.
Black mist surged from Bai Jue's right shoulder, condensing into a vivid crimson figure that hovered silently beside him.
The Ghost Bride.
She didn't speak.
Yet her voice suddenly echoed within Bai Jue's mind.
"You want ghosts? I have many."
"You do?"
Bai Jue turned to her, surprised.
"Do you know where there are evil spirits?"
The Ghost Bride nodded.
She opened her palm.
Black mist swirled and condensed into a map.
The location wasn't far from Tiankui City—just outside the city limits.
"Here," her voice sounded again in Bai Jue's mind, cool yet gentle.
"There is a ghost. A Ghost King."
"A Ghost King?"
Bai Jue froze for a moment—then excitement flashed across his eyes.
A Ghost King.
If he could absorb it…
Even if he couldn't summon it right now, he would be able to in the future.
The Ghost Bride was bound as the gatekeeper of the Underworld Court and couldn't be summoned freely.
But if he had another Ghost King—
Then once he reached First Rank, he would be practically invincible.
However…
Ghost Kings were not easy to deal with.
Any Ghost King was at least Third Rank—far beyond his current strength.
With his present power, taking one head-on was unrealistic.
Bai Jue frowned.
As if sensing his thoughts, the Ghost Bride's voice sounded again.
"Don't worry. She listens to me. She won't hurt you."
Bai Jue was stunned.
"You know that Ghost King?"
The Ghost Bride nodded.
"…Damn."
Bai Jue stared at her for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"Contracting you was worth it."
Was this a buy-one-get-one deal?
Even so, he wouldn't rush over immediately. Strength still came first.
Soon after—
Sikong Xi returned.
She was holding a bulging document bag.
Tossing it to Bai Jue, she said, "Here. Your cultivation method and Night Watcher credentials are inside."
"The Night Watchers have a unified internal website. Your credential number is also your login password."
"You can check it out later. It includes intelligence from other regions and lets you search for resources you're interested in."
"Got it."
Bai Jue nodded, stood up, and said, "If that's the case, I'll head back now."
"Mm. Come back tomorrow."
"And be careful lately. The city hasn't been peaceful—some rats have slipped in. They might target you."
"Evil organizations?"
Bai Jue asked.
"Yes."
Sikong Xi nodded.
Bai Jue twitched the corner of his mouth.
"That shouldn't have anything to do with me, right? I'm just a newly awakened Apprentice Festival Adept."
"But you're an abnormal one."
Sikong Xi narrowed her eyes and smiled.
"You awakened Zhongyuan. Rats have sharp noses."
"They might already know about you and be thinking about how to recruit you."
"And if you refuse…"
She paused meaningfully.
"Well. You know how it goes."
"I don't."
Bai Jue rolled his eyes, turned around, and walked out of the office.
My festival is too strong—what do you want me to do about it?
Shaking his head, Bai Jue left the luxurious building.
The sky had darkened without him realizing it.
Night had fallen.
Under the night sky, the city lights glittered—no different from the world before his transmigration.
But darkness still lingered in many places.
"Tsk. Still early."
"No need to rush home."
"I'll go catch some ghosts first."
With a cheat system backing him, catching ghosts while fighting and earning rewards sounded pretty good.
Having made up his mind, Bai Jue turned and headed toward the slums.
Tiankui City's slums—
A true slum.
The air was thick with nauseating stench. Filth, decay, and despair were everywhere.
People on the verge of death lay scattered about, barely clinging to life.
This was Bai Jue's first time here since transmigrating.
He frowned deeply at the sight.
"There are three evil spirits in the slums according to Sikong Xi's intel."
"Let's deal with them quickly."
Just as the thought crossed his mind—
Bai Jue narrowed his eyes.
A cold glint flashed through them.
He turned and stepped into a dimly lit alley.
The moment he entered—
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Footsteps echoed from all directions.
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