Volume One, Chapter 12: Becoming a Master of the Arcane

“Boss!”

Before Wang Defa arrived, his voice had already reached them. In the next moment, a disheveled figure appeared around the corner, executing a perfect somersault and slipping precisely into a pre-prepared cover.

The narrow alleyway was left with only Chu Xinghe standing alone. Clutching the Ghost Mirror tightly in his hand, he awaited the imminent Ghost Finger.

Here it comes!

A shapeless black mist, with indistinguishable facial features, writhed before Chu Xinghe’s eyes. It exuded a chilling aura. From its right sleeve extended a shriveled finger, thin skin stretched taut over its bony knuckles.

That single grotesque finger had slaughtered nearly an entire hotel. If left unchecked, it would wipe out everyone in the city center.

“Come on, you ghostly fiend!”

Fearing the Ghost Finger might ignore him, Chu Xinghe directly taunted it. As if provoked by his defiance, the once limp, withered finger slowly lifted, aiming squarely at this little mouse before it.

Now...

Chu Xinghe was about to adjust the Ghost Mirror to face the Ghost Finger, but to his horror, he found himself completely immobile.

Damn it!

Move!

Just move!

At some unknown moment, a faint black mist spread from the Ghost Finger to envelop Chu Xinghe’s body. The mist was bone-chillingly cold, causing his hairs to stand on end and his blood to seem to freeze. The most primal fear encoded in human genes was forcibly dragged out, gripped tightly by an invisible hand, rendering him paralyzed.

Witnessing this, Wei Hongying and the others nearly tore their throats out—

“Xinghe!”

“Xinghe!”

“Boss!”

No matter how desperately they shouted, they could not stop the Ghost Finger’s movement. The shriveled finger pointed unerringly at the center of Chu Xinghe’s brow.

“No!”

...

The expected piercing into his head did not happen. Instead, blood seeped from the corner of Chu Xinghe’s mouth as he, in a critical moment, used the Ghost Mirror to block the Ghost Finger’s attack. He bit down hard on his tongue, already pressed between his teeth, using the sharp pain to wrest control of his body back.

At this moment, the Ghost Finger seemed locked in place by some mysterious immobilization magic, hovering motionless in midair.

Simultaneously, the copy of the Ghost Finger within the Ghost Mirror, about to shatter the glass, fragmented instantly, dispersing into subtle ripples that faded quietly into nothingness.

With the reflection of the Ghost Finger completely gone from the mirror, the one in the real world underwent a staggering transformation. The dense black mist that once enveloped it began to dissolve rapidly, as if scorched by a blazing flame.

In the blink of an eye, the vast and sinister black mist shrank until it was almost invisible. The last wisp, as if drained of vitality, slowly retreated into the shriveled fingertip that resembled a dead twig.

The Ghost Finger no longer looked menacing or eerie; it appeared ordinary and unremarkable, like a withered branch found along the roadside, stirring no waves at all.

“Xinghe, now’s your chance!”

By the time Wei Hongying called out, Chu Xinghe had already lowered the Ghost Mirror and grabbed the now-frozen Ghost Finger with his right hand.

To become a Master of the Occult, one must command the uncanny. But mastering the uncanny is no easy feat.

Take this Ghost Finger, for instance. Without restraining it, don’t even talk about mastery—just approaching it would result in a bloody hole.

Right now, the Ghost Finger was at its weakest, a fleeting opportunity. Every second wasted increased the chance of its revival.

Without hesitation, Chu Xinghe seized the Ghost Finger the moment it faltered. As soon as his palm touched the finger, a bone-deep, excruciating pain spread through his hand.

“Ah!”

Chu Xinghe collapsed to his knees, groaning in agony. His right hand was utterly powerless; he felt as if something was tearing through his flesh and gnawing on his bones.

“Xinghe~”

Wei Hongying stood nearby, tears streaming down her face as she watched Chu Xinghe’s pale, suffering expression. She placed herself firmly in front of him, determined to prevent anyone from disturbing him, even though her heart was breaking as well.

This bit of pain was nothing compared to the road Chu Xinghe still had to walk.

“*Huff... huff...*”

Chu Xinghe gasped for breath like a man pulled from underwater, sweat soaking his back, his face drained of any color—pale as a corpse.

He shakily raised his right hand, turning it over. Aside from some sweat, there was nothing unusual; not even a scratch. It was as if the bloodthirsty gnawing and bone-crushing pain had been an illusion.

Yet he could clearly feel something new on his hand, like a phantom limb reminding an amputee, instinctively urging him to take control.

“Xinghe, stop! Don’t use the uncanny power recklessly. Every time you do, the uncanny force revives a little more. Then it will control you, not the other way around.”

Wei Hongying immediately saw through Chu Xinghe’s intentions and halted him. The uncanny was not a talent to be flaunted at festivals; it was a price paid to demons only in desperation.

Chu Xinghe ceased his movements at her words. The once-shriveled index finger regained its moist fullness.

“So this is the power of the uncanny?” He had just felt as if he could pierce the sky with a single finger.

“Xinghe, don’t lose your mind. That’s the uncanny deceiving you. The more you indulge in its power, the faster it will revive.” Wei Hongying had seen too many consumed by the uncanny.

“I understand now.” Chu Xinghe shook his head to dispel the distracting thoughts. With Wei Hongying’s support, he stood up. “Am I a Master of the Occult now?”

“Yes, you are.” Wei Hongying wiped away her tears and affirmed with certainty.

“Boss, I’m counting on you from now on.” Wang Defa crawled out from his cover. With Chu Xinghe’s growing strength, he could finally enjoy the shade beneath a great tree.

“This is your reward.” Wei Hongying was even more direct, standing on tiptoe to kiss Chu Xinghe’s cheek.

“You... you...” Wei Hongying was so angry she choked back tears. How had she not thought of this earlier, only to be beaten to it by this woman?

Seeing the situation turn awkward, Wang Defa quietly slipped away. He couldn’t bear to witness this boss’s battlefield of love, especially when it involved fighting over a man with oneself.

“Ahem, although the Ghost Finger problem is resolved, the Ghost Mirror issue...” Chu Xinghe quickly changed the subject, acknowledging the pressing trouble still at hand.

“What? The Master of the Occult wants to operate on me?” Wei Hongying linked her arm with Chu Xinghe’s, speaking intimately.

“Be serious, we’re talking business.” Chu Xinghe’s tone was helpless. He couldn’t bring himself to harm her, nor did he want to.

“What’s there to say? Either me or her—if she’s here, I’m not; if I’m here, she’s not.” Wei Hongying bit Chu Xinghe’s ear, her voice seductive. “Or maybe you want both? I’m fine with that, it depends if she agrees. But the time limit is only one day.”

Wei Hongying’s words caught Wei Hongying off guard, her ears burning. Though she knew it was meant to ease the sorrow, she couldn’t help but blush and feel her heart race—it was utterly shameless.

“Is there really no other way?” Chu Xinghe’s gaze remained gentle and sympathetic, unmoved by Wei Hongying’s teasing.

Caught in his gaze, any lingering smile on Wei Hongying’s face vanished, replaced by panic and despair. The calm she had struggled to maintain crumbled utterly.

“Don’t do this...” Wei Hongying buried her head in Chu Xinghe’s shoulder, clutching his waist tightly. Her voice choked with sobs. “If you keep this up, I’ll really want to kill her...”

Listening to her earnest cries, Chu Xinghe’s expression grew complex. He could not bear to dislike her now. Perhaps only she herself truly understood how desperate she had become.

...