Chapter 15:The Five-Cash Copper Sword And Territory Advancement

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"Is there truly no other way?"

"Could you tell the cultivation level of that Ghost General?"

"I saw clearly, Initial Stage Ghost General!"

Hearing this, the Seductress Ghost first sank into deep thought for a moment before speaking again.

"If he can’t be killed, and his dying wish can’t be fulfilled, then we have to start at the source."

"Which source?"

The grave’s already been dug. Am I supposed to rebuild the mound and put his bones back?

"Simply prevent him from pulling you into the dream again, and the problem will naturally resolve itself."

"How specifically should I do that?"

Lin Ye pondered. He couldn’t possibly just stop sleeping altogether!

"Do you have scissors?"

"No scissors. Would an iron shovel work?" Lin Ye thought of the initial shovel he’d used to dig the grave.

"No."

"What about the coin sword?"

"What grade is it?"

"Longevity-grade."

"Not quite potent enough."

If it were the previous Lust Ghost, it might suffice, but this Ghost General is Initial Stage Ghost General cultivation!

"So what should I do?"

"We’ll just have to take a gamble."

"How do we gamble?"

With his life hanging in the balance, Lin Ye transformed into someone asking a million questions.

"Sleep with the coin sword under your pillow tonight. If it still doesn’t work… then we’ll have to invoke Thunder Ancestor. But..."

"But what?"

"Once or twice might be feasible, but do it too often, and even Thunder Ancestor has times when he’s asleep or not home," the Seductress Ghost quipped once more.

This time, however, Lin Ye grasped her meaning. She implied this method might be a temporary fix, not a long-term solution.

"Alright, I’ve got it!"

By now, it was well into the dead of night. Lin Ye snatched a short nap.

​​DAY SIX​​

Lin Ye returned to intensive gathering.

On one hand, tomorrow was the seventh day—Lin Ye’s "seventh day." The System had warned of an imminent Disaster-level event. Unsure of the specifics, Lin Ye could only bolster his own reserves as much as possible.

On the other hand, the Ghost General’s nightmare awaited him that night. Since digging up the grave yielded nothing, Lin Ye could only seek a new breakthrough by upgrading his territory. He hoped the rewards from leveling up might help him navigate this crisis.

However, the outcome was destined to disappoint Lin Ye. After three days of intense gathering, he amassed another one thousand Ghost Stones and five hundred units of Nethersoil. But the promotion rewards seemed somewhat underwhelming.

​​*Ding! SYSTEM PROMPT: "Conditions met. Upgrade territory?"​​*

​​*"Yes!"​​* Lin Ye's voice brimmed with anticipation.

​​*Ding! SYSTEM PROMPT: "Upgrade successful! Territory advanced from Desolate Mid-stage to Desolate High-stage!"​​*

​​*Ding! SYSTEM PROMPT: "Territory advancement achieved. Worship function unlocked!"​​*

​​*Ding! SYSTEM PROMPT: "Territory advancement achieved. Rewarded with One Blessing Stone!"​​*

​​[TERRITORY]: Tomb Mound​​

​​Grade:​​ Desolate (High-Stage)

​​Structures:​​ Coffin, Tombstone, Burial Chamber, Shrine!

​​Assets:​​ 0!

​​Description:​​ At this stage, the tomb owner's influence extends further, warranting a temple in his honor!

​​Upgrade Conditions:​​ Unknown (Desolate → Resentful Spirit grade requires specialized materials. Conditions must be explored independently).

Lin Ye surveyed the changes. The burial mound behind his headstone had vanished, replaced by a small, dilapidated shrine. The shrine wasn’t large; on its central platform rested only Lin Ye’s own spirit tablet. A censer stood before the tablet, but its incense holder was empty. Lin Ye had unlocked the Worship function. Should anyone offer incense and prayers, Lin Ye could cultivate using the spiritual energy (Incense Power).

Yet, a glance around revealed nothing but more burial mounds, swathed in mist. This desolate wilderness offered no hope for worshipers; Lin Ye discarded the idea immediately.

He then examined the extra reward:

​​[Blessing Stone (Fu Lu Shou Xi Stone)]:​​ Special Item

​​Grade:​​ Unknown!

​​Description:​​ Consume one Blessing Stone to unconditionally upgrade one item below Longevity-grade by one tier!

Meaning:

Ritual-grade → Longevity-grade.

Longevity-grade → Mourning-grade.

Items starting at Mourning-grade or higher cannot be upgraded!

Lin Ye quickly realized that while the territory itself couldn't be upgraded this way, almost everything else could. His wooden coffin could become bronze, his ordinary stone tablet could become a Spirit-Calming Stela... and even his coin sword, currently Longevity-grade, was eligible.

Merging the coin sword with the Blessing Stone could instantly elevate it to Mourning-grade! With this thought, Lin Ye immediately tested it.

​​*Ding! SYSTEM PROMPT: "Blessing Stone detected. Upgrade Coin Sword to Five-Cash Copper Sword?"​​*

​​[Five-Cash Copper Sword]:​​ Weapon

​​Grade:​​ Mourning!

​​Attributes:​​ An exorcism sword wielded to slay ghosts and dispel baleful influences.

​​Additional Attribute:​​ Absorbs moonlight to grow stronger. At full moon, potency rises to Commemoration-grade!

​​Description:​​ Crafted from Five Metals as talismanic coins, embodying round heaven and square earth to ward off evil and neutralize baleful Qi. Draws upon heaven and earth’s spiritual essence and absorbs humanity’s dragon-Qi. Composed of one hundred and eight coins: thirty-six aligning with the Heavenly Stem stars, seventy-two aligning with the Earthly Fiend stars. Hilt fashioned from lightning-struck Sacred Peach Heartwood. Strung together with threads spun from Heavenly Silk, mixed with Aged Cinnabar and the cockscomb blood of an Old Rooster. When forged, this sword knows no taboos; all evils flee before it!

The description of this sword was incredibly tempting! Yet Lin Ye didn't rush to confirm the upgrade. Instead, he consulted the Ghost Vase spirit.

"If, just hypothetically, I had a Mourning-grade coin sword, could it kill the Ghost General?" Lin Ye probed.

The answer came swiftly, without hesitation: "No."

"Why not?" Lin Ye was puzzled. Before the upgrade, she’d said it was "not potent enough." After evolving, shouldn't it be potent enough now?

"You must understand," the Seductress Ghost clarified, "when I said 'not potent enough,' I only meant it fell short for preventing him from dragging you into the dreamscape. I did not say it fell short for killing the Ghost General."

An upgraded coin sword might indeed allow Lin Ye to sleep soundly without needing to invoke Thunder Ancestor’s name. But that was a world apart from entering the dreamscape and killing the Ghost General.

"Could it kill you?"

"Certainly, it could kill me," she admitted. "But the Ghost General’s power has transcended a major realm. The difference between a Ghost Soldier and a Ghost General is simply unimaginable!"

Just consider the immediate scenario: if dragged into the dream again, Lin Ye would be trapped within the Ghost General’s ghost domain. The Ghost General could manipulate the dreamscape at will. Should he choose, he need never even appear in Lin Ye’s sight. Lin Ye could merely sit drinking alone in the tavern... until, on the seventh day, he succumbed completely.

"Then forget it. I won't upgrade it yet."

Lin Ye reconsidered and chose to cancel the upgrade. Tonight, he would first test the original coin sword combined with invoking Thunder Ancestor. If that proved ineffective, then he would seriously consider upgrading the sword. Ultimately, being dragged into the dream three times or four times was essentially the same, as long as it didn't reach seven times.

"Suit yourself," the Seductress Ghost ceased speaking.

Notably, whether because Lin Ye didn't sleep deeply, or perhaps the coin sword actually worked... On the night of the sixth day, Lin Ye miraculously remained untroubled by the nightmare!