Chapter 26: The Talisman of Sensing Shadows

After the Lost Soul finished his earnest admonitions, he hunched his back and gradually faded from their sight. The road beneath them shifted once more, returning to the path they had first walked, with the cafeteria’s lights still glowing not far away.

Standing there, Mu Rongxun’s expression shifted subtly.

He could sense that the Lost Soul who had barred their way was, in fact, quite formidable; otherwise, he would have been incapable of conjuring such a bewildering maze. Yet, the ghost had insisted that there were far more powerful entities ahead—some even locked in battle with the ruler of this place—whose strength must surely surpass his own. Otherwise, the Lost Soul wouldn’t have been so fearful, resorting to every means to prevent them from advancing.

Now, Mu Rongxun found himself torn. If he didn’t press forward, he would never find a way out, and failing the second task meant facing the threat of annihilation. But to go forward was to plunge into peril.

“There are only two choices now,” he announced, turning to the other two.

“What?” Both girls jumped, still reeling from the abrupt shift in their surroundings.

“Either we stay here and wait for death, or we move forward and fight for a sliver of hope.”

He didn’t repeat himself. His tone was cool, tossing out the choices for them to decide. He couldn’t guarantee he’d be able to protect them both in the trials ahead; at best, he might be forced to focus his strength on saving just one. Whether they stayed or pressed on, he would let them choose for themselves.

“What do you think?” Still holding hands, the two edged closer. Now was not the time for stubbornness—life and death hung in the balance, demanding careful attention.

“If we remain here, it’s a dead end. Forward lies a desperate chance,” Mu Rongxun repeated coldly, then fell silent, awaiting their decision.

Xu Ying wanted to ask something, but one glance at his face made her shrink back, the words dying on her lips. She exchanged a look with Zhang Jiao.

“Jiaojiao, what do you say?” She trusted her friend deeply, but even the closest of friends couldn’t make this sort of decision for another.

“I…” Zhang Jiao opened her mouth, but, as usual, couldn’t make up her mind. “I’ll do what you do.”

“Alright.” Xu Ying held her gaze, and though the darkness rendered everything vague, she still felt the trust there.

“We’ll go with you,” she declared, her voice firm and decisive, leaving no room for hesitation.

Though they had awakened to new abilities, the two of them were still novices in this strange place, unfamiliar with both the terrain and the myriad uncanny threats lurking about. Staying behind gave them little hope of survival; no matter how long they waited, death would only creep closer. Advancing, no matter how fraught with danger, at least offered a glimmer of hope.

They were adults, after all—they knew which path to choose.

Once Mu Rongxun received their answer, he was silent for a moment before tossing his short sword to her.

“If something strange attacks, channel your power into this,” he instructed.

Xu Ying caught the short sword in surprise, watching the boy’s retreating figure with a silent smile. She had no inkling of what went through his mind.

At the very least, there were ten Paradise Coins at stake. With two people, the odds of survival in danger increased; even if one perished, he could still protect the other. His concern for them was genuine, but not in the way she might have imagined.

Recalling the Lost Soul’s warning, Mu Rongxun hesitated. Moving forward was inevitable, but the direction was another matter. By the ghost’s account, there were many powerful presences ahead—including the lord of this domain—and more importantly, a formidable stranger who had entered.

He decided to take his chances. If luck was with him, perhaps he wouldn’t encounter any dangerous spirits—or perhaps he would run into that formidable newcomer. The risks were great, but there was no turning back now.

Resolved, he gripped his longbow and withdrew a stack of talisman papers from his personal space. These weren’t trophies from Li Jing, but ones he’d traded for at the Special Affairs Bureau—capable of detecting the presence of supernatural entities nearby. The talismans from Li Jing were of higher quality and had different uses.

He divided a few among the two girls, then looked at Xu Ying.

“What is it?” Xu Ying, puzzled, met his gaze.

Mu Rongxun didn’t answer.

“Is something wrong with me?” She looked herself over, then glanced at Zhang Jiao for confirmation, but her friend only shook her head.

“Lead the way,” Mu Rongxun finally said, his tone flat.

“What?” Xu Ying’s voice rose a few notches. “You want me to scout ahead?”

It was incredibly dangerous to be in front—the lead was always most at risk.

Mu Rongxun offered no explanation. In truth, the rear was the most perilous position, but having her take the lead served two purposes: he was unfamiliar with the terrain, and with her at the front, he could respond from the center, able to offer immediate support if anything happened.

Faced with the boy’s icy demeanor, Xu Ying relented despite her reluctance. She certainly didn’t want to be forced at arrowpoint to walk ahead—that would be even more humiliating.

Still, as she led the way, she brandished the short sword angrily, slashing at the air as if an infuriating adversary stood before her.

Zhang Jiao tried to walk beside her, but Mu Rongxun restrained her. The two holding hands could both be overwhelmed at once in a crisis; better for Zhang Jiao to walk in the middle, with him bringing up the rear, constantly vigilant for any movement around them.

Without the Lost Soul’s interference, their progress was swift and unhindered this time. The three pressed on in silence. Soon, the glow from the cafeteria was lost behind them. They passed the place where they had fought the clown before, and continued forward without pause.

The deeper they ventured, the purer the darkness became, and the colder the air grew. Fortunately, with their fire abilities awakened, the two girls—lightly dressed as they were—felt no discomfort from the temperature.

Mu Rongxun, at the rear, remained tense, bow in one hand and a talisman in the other. At intervals, he flicked a spent talisman fragment to the ground and produced another. When a talisman burned, even through the Primordial Spirit gloves, he could feel the heat—alerting him to any change.

A burning talisman meant a spectral presence nearby. If it burned slowly, it either meant the spirit was weak or still some distance away.

Whatever the case, he couldn’t afford to be careless.

He adjusted his grip on the longbow, nocking it so the string faced inward, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. Though he wasn’t skilled in archery, the weapon’s enchantment ensured every shot found its mark—an invaluable advantage.

As he drew out another talisman, he watched it begin to curl and smolder at the edge, the telltale sign that something was drawing near.