“You lied to me! You’re a priest! You do have power!” the girl shrieked, sliding off his back in terror. Her bloodied, rotting hands reached out, seizing Ban Xia by the throat.
For the second time in a single day, Ban Xia found herself being choked. She cursed silently, this time a full twenty-eight times in her head.
“If you take me in, I’ll kill her first!” the girl screamed. Her fingers grew unbearably hot, as though they carried the flames of hell itself.
Ban Xia’s throat quickly turned red, then blistered, and finally began to fester.
Despite the agony, she managed a bitter smile.
This ghost was clearly more skilled than the previous one. She wasn’t merely strangling Ban Xia; she was roasting her neck, turning it into something akin to a spicy duck neck delicacy.
“Let’s continue. There are 150 jumps left. I’ll carry you and finish them to the end.” Xuan Ye’s voice was still gentle, his gaze clear as he extended a hand toward the girl. “Let go of this lady. I won’t hurt you.”
“I don’t believe you! I don’t trust a single word from a priest!” the girl shrieked, her voice piercing as her fingers tightened around Ban Xia’s neck.
Ban Xia inhaled sharply. The scorching heat at her throat intensified, spreading downward. It felt like boiling water was pouring from the girl’s fingertips, searing her shoulders and flowing toward her chest.
Blisters began to spread across her skin, inching toward her heart. Each one burst rapidly, releasing a stench of rotting flesh.
It was clear the girl was intent on making Ban Xia experience the agony of being burned alive, just as she had.
The pain was unbearable. Even someone as tough as Ban Xia couldn’t hold back a cry.
“Fine! I won’t take you in. Let her go!” Xuan Ye’s voice finally lost its composure.
The girl raised her head, chuckling darkly. Her voice was light, yet dripping with malice. “This lady is so beautiful. I wonder if she’d still look as good if her face rotted like mine.”
With that, her fingers pressed harder. Ban Xia felt a wave of heat surging toward her face, threatening to ruin the skin she spent thousands of silver taels every month to maintain.
Like many women, Ban Xia’s heart quaked violently at the thought.
For a woman, there’s something worse than death: dying ugly.
She wanted to scream but found her throat burned beyond function. Not a single sound escaped as she helplessly watched the heat creep closer to her carefully pampered complexion.
Terror boiled inside her, cresting within two seconds. Then, as if something broke free, a surge of heat erupted from within her body, coursing through her limbs.
This was her unique ability, triggered only in moments of extreme danger or stress. It had the power to repel malevolent spirits.
Not long ago, when she was nearly strangled by the half-person, this same ability had driven him away.
Now, the same phenomenon occurred. Ban Xia leaned back slightly, feeling her pores open wide. A faint white glow shot out from within her, colliding with the girl.
The girl was clearly stronger than the half-person. This attack didn’t drive her away completely but managed to force her hand back by half an inch.
Half an inch was enough.
In that instant, the cave lit up. Xuan Ye spread his fingers, and the crescent-shaped blade he controlled darted forward. Its glow was so fierce it forced the girl to take a step back.
Still defiant, the girl tried to approach Ban Xia again, but the blade immediately retaliated, piercing her forehead by half an inch.
Xuan Ye staggered but steadied himself, his robes rippling as he stepped toward the girl. Gripping the blade’s hilt, he said gently yet firmly, “You’d better listen to me. Step back. Don’t move forward again.”
The girl’s face twisted in despair, her voice rising to a desperate shriek. “She’s burned! Burned by ghost fire! Only I can heal her!”
“Not necessarily,” Xuan Ye replied curtly, his tone sharp.
“Don’t take me in! I don’t want this! I just want someone to stay with me, someone who won’t abandon me, someone to be with me to the very end! That’s all I want!”
Her words gave Xuan Ye pause. The blade in his hand stopped its advance, trembling slightly before holding still.
Ban Xia stomped her foot in frustration. Her throat burned unbearably, rendering her mute, but her mind reeled with curses—at least dozens aimed at this “soft-hearted monk.”
“I’m not soft-hearted, nor am I a monk,” Xuan Ye murmured, as though reading her thoughts. He slowly released his grip on the blade and turned his back to the girl. “I once promised someone I’d keep my word, to do good and live righteously.”
“I promised to finish the game with her, and I’ll keep my promise,” he added, bending down in invitation for the girl to climb onto his back and resume the unfinished game.
“Don’t try to harm this lady again. Otherwise, I’ll sever your seven souls one by one and make you suffer endlessly,” Xuan Ye warned. Though his tone remained soft, it carried an undeniable authority.
The girl hesitated, uncertain, but eventually climbed onto his back. Her fingers lightly encircled his neck as she asked tentatively, “You really… really want to finish the game with me?”
“350!” Xuan Ye counted aloud, not answering her. He swung the floral jump rope again, picking up the rhythm.
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