Chapter 512: The Source
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
"Is there... one more person?"
Hearing that, she focused on the photograph and took out a small bottle of liquid before scattering it on the photograph.
"Sizzle!"
A layer of fog appeared. Only then did she realise that the group photo only consisted of 4 people!
The fifth 'person' was a charred and ferocious looking - evil ghost!
"This position..."
Ma Xiaoling suddenly raised her head and splashed the concoction in her hands. "Miss Wu, be careful!"
Wu Lu remained stunned as she gazed at Xiu Wen.
The boy whom she had slowly grown in love with became emotionless and slowly turned black. Within moments, he had turned into an entire charred corpse!
"Ahhhh!"
With a shriek, the black corpse disappeared before them.
"Why... why must it be him..."
Wu Lu sobbed silently. Suddenly, her mind went blank before her real memories came flooding back.
That's right! There were only 4 of them who went to the apartment! Lu Xia, Yang Guang, Bai Ling and herself! It was weird for there to be another person.
However, none of them even suspected anything!
This was because this ghost had altered their memories, forcing a 'Xiu Wen' into their minds.
To think about it, the cursed photograph was brought out of the apartment by Xiu Wen!
Furthermore, it was also Xiu Wen's idea to visit Master Liu! He knew all along that Master Liu was a quack and would not be able to help with the situation. With that, it resulted in Bai Ling's death!
"No... It's not like this... I remember seeing Xiu Wen and the ghost at the same time..."
Wu Lu shook her head and was on the verge of breaking down.
"It's simple... He either forced you to hallucinate seeing both him and the ghost, or that he has the ability to split himself!"
Fang Yuan turned serious as a gold hue flashed in his eyes.
Such a ghost with the ability to split itself and alter one's memories to toy with humans was already beyond the Spirit Level. It was a Murderous Level ghost!
Even a strong exorcist would have to be careful when dealing with a ghost of such a level!
"A Murderous Level ghost will be able to split itself into multiple entities. If we do not get hold of its source, we will not be able to deal with it! This ghost is harder to deal with compared to the one at the Chen Residences!"
Fang Yuan licked his lips. "This is also a good thing... A ghost of such a level is worthy for me to seal!"
His cultivation was already as high as the realm would allow it to be. If he wanted to become strong enough to deal with more powerful ghosts and curses, he had to increase his cultivation in his Spirit Sealing Body!
After exploring, Fang Yuan realised that the only requirement he had to fulfil to increase the cultivation of his Spirit Sealing Body was that he had to seal powerful ghosts and curses!
"Why..."
Wu Lu sobbed on the sofa, motionless. "Why... why do you want to toy with us?"
After experiencing a series of shocks, she had lost all hope for the world.
"Do you think you can help the situation just by crying?"
Fang Yuan glanced at her. "Let us discuss the price to pay for dealing with this 'ghost'! Because this ghost is already a 2nd Level ghost, we will require a higher price!"
"Be it my money, my life or my everything, I am willing to give it to you!"
Wu Lu shuddered before she gritted her teeth with determination. "As long as you will help me... take revenge!"
"Such a realisation... is this her final struggle as a survivor?"
Fang Yuan stood up and shrugged his shoulders. "Forget it... I understand. Leave the rest to me!"
"Daughter!"
At this point in time, Detective Ma finally snapped out of his trance as he cowardly hid behind his daughter. "You must protect Father and chase the ghost who dare to infiltrate our corporation out!"
After becoming rich, Ma Wencai naturally bought the entire corporation and transformed it into his own business.
What would happen if this place were to become haunted? It would be a disaster!
Detective Ma, a money grubber, would rather die with all the wealth he could possibly have.
"..."
Ma Xiaoling rolled her eyes. She held a test tube in her hands and scanned her surroundings with alertness.
This evil ghost was powerful enough to be able to escape detection from her Yin Yang Eye all along. Now that it had disappeared, she was unable to trace it. The ghost now gave her a grave sense of danger.
"The real Murderous Level ghost will not need to appear in order to kill. It will be able to silence someone while remaining invisible... If humans were to encounter ghosts of such a level, they would stand almost no chance. However, this does not include me!"
Fang Yuan walked in a circle and the gold hue in his eyes started to flash brilliantly.
"Whoosh!"
In an instant, Fang Yuan made his way behind Wu Lu and struck a punch out. "Heavenly Eagle Fist!"
"Chirp! Chirp!"
As Fang Yuan struck his fist out, the joints in his body started to crackle under an extreme force and his blood started to surge quickly, turning him into a human fireball with his core temperature rising up continuously. In an instant, the entire office turned into a furnace.
Even though Fang Yuan was unable to restore his cultivation as a True Divine, there was still a hint of a True Divine's willpower in his martial arts.
"Bang!"
A dull collision sound was heard as 'something' was being smashed behind Wu Lu. The 3 others in the office did not detect anything before Fang Yuan had landed his fist.
"That's it!"
As soon as the ghost was being hit by Fang Yuan, Ma Xiaoling could vaguely see an illusionary shadow. With that, she poured the concoction in her hands towards the shadow. "Reveal yourself!"
A charred corpse appeared as soon as the concoction landed on it. It was the ferocious ghost which Wu Lu and company had seen in the apartment! On its fours, the corpse was crawling about.
"Ahhh!"
Ma Wencai and Wu Lu screamed at the top of their lungs.
While they were still in shock, Fang Yuan took another step forward and forcefully stepped on the head of the charred corpse.
"Bang!"
The charred head exploded and the corpse disappeared once more.
"Is it dead?"
Ma Xiaoling remained dazed as she witnessed all that had happened.
Even she feared for her life the moment she saw this ghost. How could Fang Yuan so simply kill it with a single stomp?
Although she knew that Fang Yuan was powerful, she never knew that Fang Yuan was this powerful!
"No... It's not enough!"
Fang Yuan shook his head. Taking a few more steps, he rushed towards a wall and struck his fist out once more.
"Ohhh! No!!! That is my oil painting from the Renaissance period!"
Under Ma Wecai's shout, the painting and the wall behind it crumbled like sand. The charred corpse appeared once more and was being hit before it turned invisible again.
"Anger? Hatred? In bringing desolation to the world, what exactly are you?"
In the office, Fang Yuan whizzed about and was always fast enough to be able to catch the ghost. Every single time he encountered the ghost, he would use his brute force to smash it.
The 3 of them looked at Fang Yuan fighting the ghost and were utterly stunned.
"Being a split entity, this ghost will need time to restore its form..."
Fang Yuan was extremely clear about this. Every time he had hit the ghost, the ghost would need increased time to restore its form and now, it was taking up to 20 minutes.
"You've proved me wrong. You are not the end of the world. You are only a pile of mess!"
With a flying leap, Fang Yuan arrived at the main door of the office and stretched his hands out, strangling the charred corpse by its neck. "Dissipate!"
"Crackle!"
This split entity of a powerful ghost was being split into two!
Ma Xiaoling shivered. Quickly, the sinister vibes in the office faded away.
"It's done!"
Fang Yuan dusted his hands and walked towards a stunned Wu Lu. "We have some time now. Bring me to the apartment! Let's deal with its source once and for all!"
"Al... Alright!"
Wu Lu stared at Fang Yuan as though he was a God.
Just as she was forced to desperation, such a saviour would deserve her admiration and respect as she became a crazed believer of Fang Yuan. "Thank you! Thank you, Master!"
"Instead of saying all these, why not get moving? According to you, you have another friend who is heading to the apartment, right?"
Fang Yuan glanced at her.
Fang Yuan was merely joking when he mentioned the price to pay for his services.
To Fang Yuan, the source of the Murderous Level ghost and the camera would be the real reward for helping her!
"Right, there's Yang Guang too!"
Wu Lu revealed a look of uneasiness on her face.
...
At the same time, outside the apartment.
Yang Guang was determined to destroy the camera no matter what.
However, the nearer he approached the apartment, the stronger the sinister vibes were. His determination quickly faded away and all the fear he had accumulated since the beginning seemed to have exploded inside him in an instant.
Finally, he could see the apartment from afar.
"Bai Ling..."
Yang Guang clenched his teeth and walked into the apartment.
In the dim environment, his muscles contracted and his heartbeat started to escalate. Unknowingly, his teeth started to chatter as well.
He was getting nearer and nearer!
As he arrived closer to where they had thrown the camera, his memories started to return.
"Xiu Wen... Something is not right, there isn't even a Xiu Wen to begin with!"
Yang Guang felt dizzy all of a sudden. "He is... a ghost! He has been with us all this while! Was he the one who killed Bai Ling too?"
Such a blow caused tears to well up in his eyes.
"Wu Lu! Wu Lu is in danger!"
As the person who was being targeted by the photograph and the fact that she was with the ghost all along, Wu Lu was like walking on a tightrope.
"This is the best chance! If I destroy the camera, I might be able to save Wu Lu!"
Since he was sure that the ghost was with Wu Lu all along, Yang Guang could now feel a burst of courage in him as he rushed into the room in the apartment.
Everything was in the same place since the day they took the group photograph and the camera was still on the shelf.
"That's it!"
Yang Guang scanned the surroundings before taking a step forward. He held the camera in his hands and flung it towards the wall!
"Crack!"
The camera shattered and parts of it flew in different directions. There was also a visible crack on the wall where the camera had hit.
"It's that simple?"
Yang Guang was in disbelief. How could he have destroyed the camera so easily?
"Regardless, the camera is now destroyed. The curse on the photograph should now be lifted, right?"
Before he could leave, a distinct crackle was heard.
Yang Guang froze in his steps. Forcefully, he turned his head around and saw... the wall which they had used as a background to take the photograph started to crumble, revealing a charred corpse in it!
The real source of the curse was never from the normal-looking camera, but... in this wall!