Chapter 9: Soul Guide Lamp, Evolution Artifact​​

​​[Jin Ping Mei]​​: Book

Grade: Li (Ritual)

Quantity: 1

Description: Though possessing no power to ward off evil or suppress malevolent forces, this item can enhance skills in certain… specific areas.

<Start>

Lin Ye initially thought a martial arts manual had dropped.

But flipping through it page after page revealed something else.

No combat techniques.

Only… positions.

Once he confirmed this fact, Lin Ye’s face fell.

So…

Bro nearly died nine times over, burned through every last trump card.

And in the end…

Hell, all I got was some damn erotic book???

Still.

After recalling the ghost’s identity, Lin Ye settled into acceptance.

As everyone knows,

I am a Lecherous Ghost.

Is it really so outrageous for a Lecherous Ghost to carry a copy of Jin Ping Mei?

"Fine," he muttered. "Now that you're gone, I'll take custody of this."

With that,

Lin Ye stowed Jin Ping Mei into his pack.

Late at night, when solitude gnawed and restlessness plagued him, he could pull it out to pass the time.

"Right, Xiao Cui," he said, turning. "Thanks for your help back there."

If not for Xiao Cui’s intervention,

right about now,

Lin Ye would likely be a corpse!

"Master, your safety is my reward. This lowly one did only what was expected," the pot vibrated with a soft hum, almost a sound of joy.

"Speaking of which," Lin Ye continued, "it’s nighttime. Can you come out of the jar now?"

After all this time together,

Lin Ye had never actually seen Xiao Cui’s true form.

"Master, Xiao Cui can emerge," the voice whispered from within the jar, "but this lowly one fears startling you."

Last time,

when she materialized beside the grave mound out of thin air, it had left quite a psychological shadow on Lin Ye.

This time,

she dared not act rashly.

"It’s okay," Lin Ye reassured. "Come out boldly. I’ve braced myself."

If it were early on, he definitely would have jumped.

But these past two days,

far too many strange events had occurred.

Lin Ye was gradually acclimating to this bizarre new world.

"Understood, Master."

Then,

the jar’s stopper popped open on its own.

A wisp of icy, spectral energy drifted out from the earthenware pot.

Immediately after,

a faint, translucent figure slowly coalesced from the surrounding gloom.

It was a ghostly maid adorned with twin coiled buns of hair, her form seemingly veiled in a layer of faint, mist-like vapor.

As the spirit moved, the mist swirled gently around her.

From a distance,

the sight was ethereal, dreamlike.

Name: Wang Xiao Cui

Tao Skill (道行): Ghost Soldier (Early Stage)

Classification: Ghost!

Current Form: Ghostly Maid (Next Form: Spectral Handmaiden).

Skill: Whispering Murmur

​​[Whispering Murmur]​​: In life, Wang Xiao Cui was merely a servant girl in a landlord's household, possessing no tangible skills. Her sole ability is to utter soft whispers from inside her jar to frighten away lingering passersby.

"Master, did I… scare you?" Xiao Cui asked cautiously.

"No, not at all," Lin Ye replied. "You look quite pleasing, actually."

Lin Ye studied Xiao Cui closely.

Her attire, though archaic, clearly displayed exquisite patterns of lotus blossoms.

Ghostly complexions are typically pallid, yet on Xiao Cui, this paleness held a peculiar charm.

Coupled with the two tiny buns atop her head,

and viewed from afar,

Xiao Cui resembled a playful fish darting through water—nimble and agile—or an ethereal spirit gliding through mountain forests, her every motion suffused with natural grace and vitality.

"Thank you, Master."

Xiao Cui’s face bloomed with a shy smile at the compliment.

Like an epiphyllum opening beneath moonlight, it radiated an unusual, delicate beauty.

"By the way," Lin Ye inquired, glancing at the pot beside her, "since you're out, is this Ghost Jar useless now?"

If Xiao Cui no longer needed it, perhaps he could use it to store corpse oil.

"Master," Xiao Cui corrected gently, "though it resembles a wine jar, its true name is 'Urn'."

The kind used in the phrase "catching a turtle in an urn."

In life, Xiao Cui’s family had been poor.

Unable to afford a coffin after her death.

Yet, simply discarding a young girl’s remains in a mass grave was unseemly.

Therefore,

her family buried her ashes within this urn.

Instinctively,

Lin Ye scanned it for information.

​​[Ghost Urn]​​: Artifact

Grade: Shou (Longevity)

Quantity: 1

Description: Can be used as a storage jar to ease pack burden. Alternatively, it can be used to… imprison ghosts!

Wait!

Imprison ghosts?

Suddenly, Lin Ye recalled a plot from a movie.

With a single drop of essential blood essence as a guide, couldn’t such an urn potentially suck a ghost inside?

Then,

as if reading his thoughts, Xiao Cui spoke softly.

"Master, if it serves you, please keep it."

"But what about you?"

"This lowly one can inhabit various objects," Xiao Cui assured. "Such as a black umbrella... or perhaps a spirit banner."

Lin Ye possessed neither a black umbrella

nor a ghost banner.

After some thought, Lin Ye decided to shelve the matter for now, until he found a suitable vessel.

"There is another thing."

"Master?"

"This 'Form' designation... what does it mean?"

Tao Skill clearly meant cultivation level, but what was 'Form'?

He distinctly recalled seeing the same term when checking the Lecherous Ghost's stats.

Only,

the Lecherous Ghost’s next form was 'Libertine Ghost'!

"Master," Xiao Cui explained, "Think of 'Form' as lineage evolution. This lowly one's potential is limited, however, allowing only two stages of ascension."

"Evolution?" Lin Ye murmured.

"Yes. After Xiao Cui evolves into a Spectral Handmaiden, she can advance further to a 'Blood-Weave Secret Envoy'."

It sounded eerily similar to Agumon evolving to Greymon, who then evolved to MetalGreymon.

"And the Lecherous Ghost?"

Lin Ye’s curiosity was piqued.

"The Lecherous Ghost can evolve into a Libertine Ghost, who can then evolve into a Scarlet Robed Lust Demon."

It paralleled the earlier zombie progression: Risen Corpses evolve into Jiangshi, Jiangshi evolve into Purple Jiangshi, Purple Jiangshi evolve into...

Until finally culminating in Jiang Chen.

"How exactly does one achieve this evolution?" Lin Ye pressed.

He imagined a future scenario:

Others leading packs of Agumon,

while Lin Ye commanded legions of Greymon… or even MetalGreymon.

The sheer potential for dominance

was almost unimaginable.

"Master," Xiao Cui replied, "the path to evolution is neither truly difficult nor purely simple. One merely requires the corresponding Artifact to trigger it. Yet such Artifacts… they are found by fortune, not by search. They are said to be exceedingly rare."

"And your Artifact? What is it?"

"This unworthy one requires a 'Soul Guide Lamp' to evolve into a Spectral Handmaiden. But such an item…" Xiao Cui shook her head slowly, mist swirling. "Xiao Cui has never heard of it."

Her life’s experience had been narrow indeed;

in life, her world was confined within the landlord's walls.

"A Soul Guide Lamp?"

"Correct!"

Hearing this,

Lin Ye immediately accessed the Trading Post.

But the results were destined to disappoint.

Many lords,

drawing talents related to lantern-making at the start,

had stocked the market racks—white lanterns, red lanterns… yet none offered the Soul Guide Lamp Lin Ye sought.

"Do not be discouraged, Master," Xiao Cui offered gently. "Xiao Cui is content whether she evolves or not. Just being by your side brings her joy."

"I'm fine," Lin Ye said.

Truly,

he deeply desired to see Xiao Cui ascend.

But he also recognized the truth: if Evolution Artifacts were easy to find, this world wouldn't teem with lower-form ghosts.

Therefore,

this matter,

Lin Ye had no choice but to tuck it away deep within his heart for the time being.