Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Boss Lu, Want to Raise a Ghost?

"Have you been hungry for a long time?"

Once a Cultivator reaches Foundation Establishment, they can begin Fasting.

However, some Cultivators enjoy experiencing the myriad flavors of the mortal world, so they retain their appetite just like humans.

As for Fasting Pills, they’re tasteless things disdained by many Cultivators.

They did fill your stomach, though.

Lu Wu had never seen a Cultivator as starved as Zhang Yue.

"Ah, I don’t have any money."

She’d used up her last Fasting Pill long ago.

She got lost on her way here after receiving a summons from her Sect. The journey was supposed to take two days, but it took her half a month.

What little resources she had were completely depleted from feeding her ghosts.

She had forced herself to endure for so many days, and just when she thought she couldn’t go on, she happened upon this pancake stall.

In Zhang Yue’s eyes, Lu Wu was a living Bodhisattva.

The living Bodhisattva, Lu Wu, sensed the other woman’s poverty and kindly made her another pancake—a free one.

"This pancake is so good. I’m Zhang Yue of the Ghost Sect. What should I call you, Boss?"

"My name is Lu Wu. Everyone calls me Boss Lu."

"Boss Lu..."

Her hunger now abated, Zhang Yue licked the corners of her mouth and her fingers, still craving more. She wanted another pancake.

But she couldn’t even produce ten Spirit Stones.

Not wanting to freeload again, an idea suddenly sparked in Zhang Yue’s mind.

"Can I trade this for another pancake?"

As she spoke, Zhang Yue took out a large pouch, reached inside, and after some rummaging, pulled out a pitch-black lump.

The moment she let it go, it instantly expanded, transforming into an adult ghost floating before Lu Wu.

It was a hanged ghost.

Its tongue was stretched out so long it almost dragged on the ground.

Its upturned eyes twitched slightly, its gaze fixing on Lu Wu.

"I’m very easy to raise. One pancake a day is enough,"

the hanged ghost said shyly.

As one of Zhang Yue’s ghosts, they shared a sense of taste. If not for the constraints of their contract, he definitely would have snatched the pancake from his master.

To curry favor with Lu Wu, the hanged ghost curled its lips into a cruel smile that could scare someone to death.

...

Suddenly hit with this jump scare, Lu Wu nearly failed to draw her next breath, and her vision went dark.

She frantically waved her hands, fighting the urge to pass out.

"No, no, thank you! I can’t raise a ghost."

’Please, oh please, call off your magic!’

’Seeing a ghost in broad daylight is seriously going to give someone a heart attack.’

Sensing Lu Wu’s resistance, Zhang Yue put the hanged ghost away with a hint of regret.

’Damn it!’

’The plan to find a new keeper for these ghosts failed again.’

’How did I get stuck with all these old, weak, sick, and disabled ghosts? The dignified Eldest Senior Sister of the Ghost Sect, eaten into poverty by her own ghosts! Who can I even complain to about this?’

In the Green Origin Realm, for ghosts to become stronger, aside from absorbing Yin Qi to cultivate, their keepers must make offerings of precious items or food containing Spiritual Energy.

’But all of those things cost Spirit Stones to buy!’

’To feed her forty-nine ghosts, she hadn’t even been able to afford a new "mandarin ducks playing in water" bodice in years.’

The more she thought about it, the more miserable Zhang Yue felt. She looked at Lu Wu and had the strong urge to throw herself at her and cling to her leg.

’These pancakes have Spiritual Power in them! The crucial thing is, all my little ghosts like them. They’re crying and screaming for pancakes.’

’And most importantly, they’re cheap.’

’If you won’t raise my ghosts, then raise me, Boss Lu!’

Finally, with a pained look, Zhang Yue reluctantly took out a pitch-black stone. It was the size of her palm and looked like a pebble on the surface, but it was covered in intricate golden patterns.

The patterns didn’t seem to be carved but were an integral part of the stone.

"Boss Lu, can I trade this for some pancakes?"

Zhang Yue asked.

Her expression...

Oh, right. You can’t read a deadpan face.

"That’s a Soul Gathering Crystal."

Lou Xiaotian recognized it and quickly shot Lu Wu a meaningful look right in front of Zhang Yue.

’Take it!’

That was the meaning Lou Xiaotian conveyed.

Soul Gathering Crystals are a type of Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, and an extremely rare one at that.

This type of Crystal Stone has the natural ability to stabilize a soul.

If a soul is guided into a Soul Gathering Crystal at the moment of death, it can temporarily escape the cycle of reincarnation. Then, using the Soul Gathering Crystal as a vessel and supplementing it with other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, a new body can be condensed.

You could say this item can give a Cultivator a second life. If it were put on the market, people would fight to the death over it.

Even Lou Xiaotian was incredibly tempted, but he knew his own limits.

Lu Wu was tempted but didn’t agree.

’Something like this... forget a few pancakes, even if she sold herself, she might not be able to afford it.’

’Offering something so far beyond the value of the trade could only mean the other party has an ulterior motive.’

"I want Boss Lu to accompany me in performing a ritual. Don’t worry, I, Zhang Yue, swear on my life that there will be no danger."

Ghost Cultivators believe in destiny.

To meet in a place like this, for the other person’s food to have such a special use for ghosts... Zhang Yue had a gut feeling that she was finally about to break through the bottleneck that had held her back for so long.

To pay with a Soul Gathering Crystal for this chance was a true bargain.

"Agree to it."

As Lu Wu hesitated, Uncle Li’s voice popped into her mind.

The words from the ever-present Uncle Li gave the cautious Lu Wu her confidence back.

"Okay."

Lu Wu agreed.

The rest was simple: make pancakes, make pancakes, and keep making pancakes.

The spatula flew, and one after another, piping hot pancakes came off the griddle. The curling aroma was enough to haunt Zhang Yue’s dreams; even the blind old man at the village entrance "looked" over again.

Feeling the agitation of her little ghosts, Zhang Yue ruthlessly suppressed them.

Her eyes turned imperceptibly toward the nearby village, the grave look within them unseen by Lu Wu.

Lu Wu worked her arms with practiced speed, and after a fair bit of effort, all forty-nine pancakes were finished.

Each one was made with care and neatly arranged.

Trying hard to resist the temptation, Zhang Yue took out a ritual altar. After she silently recited an incantation, the altar grew in size.

On the black altar, which was about a meter high, sat an offering table. In front of the table were several spirit tablets.

Numerous names were carved onto the spirit tablets.

’This ritual process is pretty convenient and fast.’

When Lu Wu looked over, she felt as if she were meeting the gazes of certain entities.

She helped Zhang Yue arrange the pancakes, then stepped aside. She didn’t need to do anything else; just being there was enough.

"Come and get it!"

Zhang Yue shouted, lighting candles and burning incense.

The incense smoke rose, but instead of scattering into the air, it was captured by something in mid-air and vanished.

The long incense sticks burned at an unnatural speed, and along with them, the heat from the pancakes also dissipated.

On the offering table, the pancakes looked unchanged on the outside, but their aroma was gone.

This meant that the ghosts being worshipped had accepted the offerings and were enjoying them.

"Delicious."

"So this is a pancake? This little boss’s skills are way better than that woman back home."

"Hey, you finished yours, why are you stealing mine?"

"I’m the boss, so I get to eat more."

"Hey, I’m floating."

"You’re a ghost. If you don’t float, who will?"

From the void came a series of voices.

Some were deep, some high, some old, some young.

Men and women, old and young—they were all there.

They were Zhang Yue’s forty-nine ghosts.

"Wait, I’m floating too! My body feels so light... Ah, it’s coming! The feeling’s coming! Quick, catch it, catch it!"

"It’s coming for me too!"

"Let’s all do it together. We’ve all seen each other before, and it’s not the first time. Don’t be shy."

"Come on, a little harder! I can take it."

"Ooooh~~~"

Lu Wu was just marveling at the scene when she heard these ecstatic-sounding words that seemed to be getting rather lewd.

’No, no, no! That kind of talk will get you banned!’

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