127: Ghost Hunting Project
As Li Wen passed through the “Ghost Street” scenic area and approached the secret realm step by step, he truly began to appreciate the endless charm contained within Pingdu Mountain.
However, with each step he took, he could clearly feel the surrounding Yin energy gradually intensifying, and that bone-chilling cold made him shiver.
The process of entering the secret realm was still handled by Teacher Lu.
In just a short while, poor Li Wen watched as the once-ample credit balance on his student card dwindled to just over four hundred points in the blink of an eye.
Just as Li Wen was about to step into the secret realm, Teacher Lu suddenly gave him a kind reminder.
“Stay safe~”
If he hadn't heard that, it would have been fine, but it was precisely this sudden word of concern that made Li Wen's heart clench, instantly giving rise to a hint of fear.
However, when he truly stepped into the secret realm, the expected eerie feeling disappeared without a trace.
Not only that, but it seemed as if nothing could be perceived here.
It was completely unlike the distinct sensation of teleportation he experienced in the Guifeng Village secret realm; at this moment, he felt as if he were in a desolate land shrouded in thick fog, with all his sensory abilities seemingly locked away.
After a moment of stalemate, perhaps stimulated by the dense fog, Li Wen's latent soul power within him activated on its own.
An invisible force, like a gentle breeze, swept through, quickly opening up a small area for him.
And Ya Bao and Qing Yan, who had been following him, also reappeared in his line of sight at this time.
At the same time, the areas formed by these three integrated seamlessly, like three puzzle pieces, eventually merging into a broader, larger visible area.
“No wonder they say people live on in the spiritual world after death; so this is what the spiritual world is like!”
Li Wen murmured to himself. He secretly mused that without strong spiritual power as support, he probably wouldn't even be able to glimpse a corner of this world.
After finishing his complaints, Li Wen, as usual, instinctively began to carefully scan his surroundings.
As his gaze constantly shifted, suddenly, within his visible range, a solitary wooden sign appeared not far away.
The wooden sign looked a bit old, but the carvings on it were still very clear and legible.
Above the wooden sign, several large characters were written in a flourishing script—[Pingdu Mountain Secret Realm Rules].
Looking further down, the specific rules were meticulously listed:
One, with this wooden sign as the center, a circular area with a radius of one hundred meters is designated as a safe zone. Within this safe zone, only a special creature called a [Faceless Ghost] will exist, and no wild pet beasts will appear.
Two, once outside the safe zone, the strength of wild pet beasts will gradually increase with the distance from the safe zone. Not only that, but being outside the safe zone will continuously consume one's soul power, so it is essential to carefully assess one's abilities before acting and not to venture blindly.
Three, successfully defeating a [Faceless Ghost] can effectively enhance one's soul power, thereby further expanding the visible distance.
“Pingdu Mountain Tales”
Within the mysterious and eerie Pingdu Mountain, some unknown taboos and secrets are hidden.
First: Within these deep mountains, never silently recite the names of any deceased. It is as if uttering the name will trigger some taboo, leading to unforeseen consequences.
Second: If you are fortunate enough to encounter wild pet beasts carrying scythes, remember never to show any hostility towards them. Although these pet beasts may appear fierce, perhaps as long as you remain friendly, they will not attack you.
Third: Bovine pet beasts and equine pet beasts can communicate simply. However, their transmitted words must never be easily believed.
After all, no one knows what truth or lies are hidden behind these animal languages.
Fourth: If you unfortunately encounter a humanoid pet beast over two meters tall carrying a butcher knife, you must immediately turn and flee without hesitation.
Because such an existence is highly likely to bring fatal danger; even a slight delay could lead to eternal damnation.
Fifth: More importantly, this land seems to have an absolute king ruling over everything.
Therefore, under no circumstances should you proceed in a straight line for more than 500 meters.
Otherwise, the chances of being summoned by the terrifying king will greatly increase.
When Li Wen first saw these so-called “rules,” he felt a bit strange, but on the surface, they seemed reasonable enough.
But for some reason, he always vaguely felt that there was something slightly different about the handwriting.
Li Wen couldn't quite put his finger on what it felt like, just a bit... too fresh?
So, he checked again carefully.
Sure enough, on the back, there was also a line of extremely tiny text hidden.
All of this is my personal fabrication; there's no need to take it seriously.
—Teacher Lu
“I'm done, you're playing with my emotions, you stinky snake.”
And it's true, as the terrifying effects brought by those strange tales continuously layered, Li Wen felt his heart beating much faster, and an urge to immediately flee the place couldn't help but arise in his heart.
However, just as he was about to turn and leave, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind.
Anyway, this ticket was bought for Qing Yan; he wasn't the one who actually had to stay in this terrifying place!
Thinking of this, Li Wen calmed himself slightly, enduring the fear in his heart and continuing to stay.
On the other side, Qing Yan, who had originally been equally resistant to this terrifying place, experienced an unexpected change.
Shortly after she entered, she successfully absorbed her first [Faceless Ghost]. At that moment, an indescribable sense of satisfaction instantly surged through her heart.
This feeling was as if her long-hungry soul had suddenly received a sumptuous feast, and after being sated, she felt incredibly comfortable.
Although the [Faceless Ghost] within the safe zone were basically only entry-level existences, for Qing Yan, whose soul growth was not yet complete, they were like timely rain, perfectly filling the missing parts of her soul.
This unprecedented feeling of exhilaration was so intense that it was even comparable to gaining attribute point bonuses.
It was precisely because of this that Qing Yan's attitude took a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn, from initial resistance to current cheerful acceptance.
At this moment, Li Wen already had a clear plan in mind.
He intended to help Qing Yan absorb as many [Faceless Ghost] as possible to supplement her soul power to a sufficiently strong level, enabling her to stay stably outside the safe zone for a long time.
The recovery rate and consumption rate only needed to be equal.
Only in this way could he ensure that she could transmit messages through the contract at the first sign of danger, making it convenient to summon her.
Only then could he confidently let Qing Yan temporarily stay in this seemingly terrifying but very important place for her.