Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost

Yuan City, the hometown of the Exam Ghost.

Following the given address, Wang Linchi quickly found the place. However, it was already abandoned, with only a mansion overrun by weeds remaining.

From this, one could see that the Exam Ghost had also died filled with resentment. Judging by the scale of this mansion, it had certainly belonged to a cultured and scholarly household.

It was quite remarkable that this structure had stood for three hundred years without being encroached upon or demolished.

Wang Linchi had not come to inquire about what had happened. He had simply come to pour a cup of unrefined wine in tribute, with no thoughts of revenge.

Three hundred years had passed; even if he had wanted to help, Xu Lian's enemies would have been long dead.

After pouring the wine, he intended to leave. Just as he took a couple of steps, he suddenly noticed something strange about his vision.

Turning back, he saw the desolate mansion transformed into a golden, resplendent structure, causing him to frown.

Is my luck so bad? I encountered a ghost as soon as I turned around. Wang Linchi was well aware of his situation.

The chances of this being a 'ghostly bewilderment' were low; it was more likely an illusion.

"Did the young master come for the Xu Family?" a voice asked.

At the gate stood a large fox dressed like a scholar. This was indeed a Fox Ghost, but its appearance was a bit odd, different from the one he had encountered before.

The previous Fox Ghost he'd met was like a wild beast, exuding a strong sense of wanting to devour humans. But this one was different; it was more like a domesticated animal, possessing a strong scholarly air. It was highly probable that this Fox Ghost had been carefully raised by the Xu Family and had become their Home-keeping Immortal, hence its scholarly appearance.

"I am acquainted with Xu Lian, the Third Young Master of the Xu Family, who died in a foreign land three hundred years ago. Xu Lian, in his deep sorrow, became the Exam Ghost. I received his teachings and have come today to offer a cup of unrefined wine to his former home," Wang Linchi explained upon seeing it.

A Fox Ghost that had become a Home-keeping Immortal was far more valuable than a wild one. However, he was puzzled. Logically, with a Home-keeping Immortal present, the Xu Family should have prospered and enjoyed long-lasting fortune, not fallen into its current state.

"Although I do not personally know Xu Lian, I have seen his name in the family records. It was indeed three hundred years ago," the Fox Ghost responded. It then added, "If you do not mind, please rest in the mansion for a while. Consider it a reception on behalf of the Third Young Master."

Hearing the invitation, Wang Linchi naturally followed it inside.

The Fox Ghost's strength was actually quite average, only at the Black Iron Level, not even reaching the Mountain Copper Level, let alone being considered a Ghost King.

There were many high-level combatants, but that was relative to the entire Secret Realm. Wang Linchi couldn't expect to stumble upon Mithril or Gold Essence entities wherever he went; he wasn't that fortunate.

Instead, Black Iron Level entities like this Fox Ghost represented the common strength of most ghosts.

The Fox Ghost seemed to have lived here for a very long time. While the mansion looked dilapidated from the outside, the interior was kept clean and tidy.

Soon, it served him a cup of good tea. It wasn't an illusion but real tea, clearly showing that the Fox Ghost also had dealings with the outside world.

"With a Home-keeping Immortal like you here, why has the Xu Family declined to such an extent?" Wang Linchi asked without drinking the tea.

After turning into a Home-keeping Immortal, a Fox Ghost would possess the ability to bless its family with wealth, prosperity, and ensure their peace and auspiciousness.

However, transforming a Fox Ghost into a Home-keeping Immortal was extremely difficult. The best method was naturally to take it in right after its birth and then carefully educate it.

Fox Ghosts that had already matured could also become Home-keeping Immortals, but this required expending enormous human and material resources.

Thus, not just any family could achieve this. Even if they did, there was a risk of backlash, unlike a Home-keeping Immortal raised from infancy, which would wholeheartedly protect the family.

"It seems the young master is quite knowledgeable about ghostly matters," the Fox Ghost replied.

"I know a bit," Wang Linchi responded calmly.

"Although the young master is knowledgeable, as a Home-keeping Immortal, I can only offer blessings and protection; I have no power to engage in combat. If we encounter an attack from the Court or the arrival of a Ghost King, I would naturally be powerless to resist," the Fox Ghost sighed.

The abilities of a Home-keeping Immortal are limited, and moreover, blessings are only an indirect means.

However, hearing that the Fox Ghost only had the ability to provide blessings, Wang Linchi felt it was even more valuable.

This meant it lacked corresponding combat abilities, only possessing the capacity to provide blessings, good fortune, and protection to people, indicating its transformation was exceptionally complete.

The drawback was also very clear: it had no combat strength whatsoever, and everything it provided was indirect.

If converted into a Ghost Pattern, it would most likely passively increase various forms of good fortune for him. Wang Linchi actually felt his own luck had always been quite good.

He seemed to have a knack for turning misfortune into good fortune. If the Fox Ghost's abilities were added to this, it would naturally be even better.

As for the Snake Bone Witch, Wang Linchi desired her abilities, but using someone else's always felt a bit odd.

Therefore, if he could use this Fox Ghost, already a Home-keeping Immortal, it would be even more ideal.

"Could you tell me about it?" Wang Linchi asked.

"This traces back to seventy years ago..." the Fox Ghost replied, choosing not to hide anything, and began to narrate.

"Essentially, seventy years ago, a young man of the Xu Family married a wife. She was indeed beautiful and intelligent, but no one is perfect. This woman, however, was excessively jealous.

One day, this Xu family member couldn't help but praise the beauty of the Water God. His wife overheard this and, on the spot, jumped into the river, killing herself.

This matter became a scandal. Furthermore, because the river's current was turbulent, her body was never recovered.

Before her death, she uttered these words: 'My lord, because you find the Water God beautiful, you wish to slight me? If I die, why should I worry about not becoming a Water God myself?'

Then, after the first seven days—the traditional mourning period—she appeared in his dream, saying: 'My lord, you desired a goddess. Now, I have become one.'

The meaning was clear: He had wanted to marry the Water God, hadn't he? Now that his wife had killed herself and become a water deity, why was he suddenly afraid? After her death, the woman turned into a ghost.

Wang Linchi naturally recognized this ghost. It was the Jealous Wife River God, quite a rare ghost, as fulfilling so many conditions was indeed not easy. The conditions were threefold: a jealous wife; a husband with a peculiar 'preference' (which, in this case, was his admiration for the Water God that her actions twistedly fulfilled); and her death by drowning in a river out of jealousy. To combine these three conditions was rare; such a ghost might not appear even in a thousand years. Even when such jealousies led to death, women usually chose to hang themselves; few jumped into a river.

At that time, I had just become a Home-keeping Immortal for less than ten years and was no match for this Jealous Wife River God.

Furthermore, the woman came from an influential family of officials. When her father heard of her absurd death, he used his connections to exert pressure. Ultimately, this tragically led to the entire Xu Family being wiped out," the Fox Ghost stated, its tone tinged with helplessness.

"That's truly... absurd," Wang Linchi remarked, also unsure how else to comment.

With the blessings of a Home-keeping Immortal, marital ties to an official's family, and being a scholarly family themselves, all the Xu Family needed was to develop steadily to potentially become a prominent local power.

"Indeed, it is extremely absurd," the Fox Ghost affirmed.

"Regrettably, my nether lifespan is dwindling, and I can't eliminate this Jealous Wife River God," the Fox Ghost said helplessly.

"That's not right. Even if you became a Home-keeping Immortal, it shouldn't shorten your nether lifespan. Why do you say it's nearing its end?" Wang Linchi asked, slightly puzzled.

Most ghosts have a lifespan of about a hundred years. Barring accidents, most live out their full term. If they meet with an accident, they die on the spot, with no 'lifespan reduction' to speak of. Moreover, this Fox Ghost had turned into a Home-keeping Immortal. It was venerated by the Xu family and had received divine power, so its lifespan should have been at least one hundred fifty years, if not more. Not even half that time had passed; how could it be about to die?

"An edict from the Court back then cost me nearly half my nether lifespan. If you had arrived a year later, you might not have met me," the Fox Ghost calmly explained.

"The Court can reduce a ghost's nether lifespan? Is that really true?!" Wang Linchi was shocked. He had never imagined the Court possessed such means.

"It is. However, it was also thanks to that edict that I managed to survive this long," the Fox Ghost said. It didn't know much more. After that, although it had some interactions with the outside world, it was extremely cautious, terrified of being caught.

"Only a year of nether lifespan left, huh," Wang Linchi mused aloud, then said, "How about we make a trade?"

The Fox Ghost was curious about what kind of deal he could make with it, so it said, "Please, do tell."

"I'll help you kill the Jealous Wife River God, avenging the Xu Family. In return, I need you to become my Ghost Pattern."

"You should know what a Ghost Pattern is, right?" Wang Linchi asked.

"I know, but my abilities are limited. If I become a Ghost Pattern, I still won't be able to help you kill the Jealous Wife River God," the Fox Ghost replied, assuming it would first become a Ghost Pattern before Wang Linchi would act against the Jealous Wife River God.

As for the influential family involved, it had declined over the past seventy years. Dealing with them would be a mere bonus for Wang Linchi if he could kill the Jealous Wife River God, so he didn't mention it.

"I mean, I'll kill her first," Wang Linchi corrected.

The Fox Ghost was momentarily speechless but then nodded firmly. "It's a deal!"