Mysterious Revival

Wang Xiaoming, Guo Fan, and Zong Shan sat at the tea table.

Guo Fan appeared very enthusiastic, showing off his tea-making skills as he prepared to brew a pot of fine tea to welcome the rarely visiting Professor Wang. Although he was nervously drumming up in his heart, uncertain about the purpose of Wang Xiaoming's special visit that day, he understood the necessity of basic courtesy.

What if Wang Xiaoming was petty and took offense at the reception?

However, it had been a few minutes since the three sat down, and not a word had been exchanged between them.

The atmosphere was incredibly awkward.

"Professor Wang, is there something special that brings you here this time?" Zong Shan couldn't help asking, breaking the awkward silence.

Wang Xiaoming shifted his gaze toward Guo Fan. "Last time, your attempt to summon ghosts failed, and because of your failure, the ghost painting incident began to appear in the city area. You don't think that after this happened, there's no relation to you anymore, do you?"

Guo Fan's hand, holding the kettle, stiffened slightly. He quickly replied, "Professor Wang, that's not fair. I risked my life to complete the mission, but what can I do if something went wrong? Who can guarantee that every supernatural event will be perfectly dealt with? Besides, my mistake wasn't intentional, and I almost died there too. It's already good enough that I'm still alive."

"Is Professor Wang here to assign blame?" Zong Shan asked anxiously, "Although the mistake was significant, there are understandable reasons."

"No, I am not here to assign blame," Wang Xiaoming said. "I arranged the plan and the personnel, so I share some of the fault for the errors."

"Then what did you mean by your words just now?" Guo Fan relaxed a little and asked immediately.

Wang Xiaoming looked at him. "Your condition is quite poor."

Upon hearing this, an unusual shade crossed Guo Fan's rigid, pale face. He had been a ghost controller for a long time, almost belonging to the same era as Feng Quan. The reason Feng Quan had survived up to this point was that he had lain in the Ghost Coffin for a few months, which nearly extended his life by two months.

That he was still alive today was indeed quite fortunate.

"Indeed, my condition is a bit poor. Can you solve it, Professor Wang?" Guo Fan didn't hide his condition and asked directly.

Wang Xiaoming said, "I can solve it for you, but I need you to do me a favor."

"What favor? Just say it. As long as I can do it, I'm willing," Guo Fan replied with some surprise, thinking it was just a casual mention, not expecting Wang Xiaoming to actually agree.

Wang Xiaoming said, "I need to borrow something from you for a while."

Hmm?

Guo Fan frowned slightly, jokingly said, "Professor Wang isn't planning to borrow my life, is he?"

"No."

"As long as it's not that, I'm relieved," Guo Fan replied.

"I need the spiritual token you mentioned," Wang Xiaoming cut through the pretense and stated his purpose directly.

At these words, Guo Fan's expression changed drastically, "There's a ghost hiding in that spiritual token; it's a very dangerous thing. Surely, Professor Wang, you wouldn't need it? This item is extremely important to me. I suffer from the assault of a fierce ghost and need to release the ghost in the spiritual token periodically to resist the erosion of another ghost."

"It's precisely because of this that I have been barely surviving and haven't died early due to the fierce ghost's revival. If Professor Wang takes away my spiritual token, wouldn't my death be certain?"

"Can you still come out after entering the spiritual token now?" Wang Xiaoming countered.

Zong Shan, who was beside them, looked on with a hint of surprise. Others might not be aware of Guo Fan's situation, but he knew. Guo Fan could potentially be trapped in the spiritual token at any moment, unable to come out; the failure of their last ghost summoning was because something went wrong with Guo Fan's guidance, and he couldn't control the situation. Although he somehow managed to survive afterwards, the signs of trouble had already surfaced.

The next time, or perhaps the time after that, if Guo Fan enters the photograph within the spiritual token, he really might die.

Guo Fan didn't know how to answer at the moment. He dared not divulge anything to Wang Xiaoming, choosing instead to say, "Last time was an accident caused by an unknown supernatural disturbance. I can still survive for a while like this, so I hope headquarters will give me this chance."

He was different from Yang Jian; he had no space or leverage to negotiate, so he took a very humble stance.

"Here, Professor Wang, have some tea."

Guo Fan poured a cup of tea for Wang Xiaoming, with a bit of an ingratiating intention.

"I have a plan, you might want to listen," Wang Xiaoming said, his face calm as he watched the teacup gradually fill up.

"Professor Wang's suggestions must be excellent, I'm all ears," Guo Fan said.

Wang Xiaoming said, "I need you to enter that spirit position again, after which I will find a way to imprison the ghost inside."

"What?" Guo Fan was somewhat surprised: "If you imprison that ghost, what happens to my body? Won't I die inside it?"

"I will switch you into a different body," Wang Xiaoming said.

Guo Fan shook his head quickly and said, "This is impossible, it's not that simple. You can't easily transfer consciousness; that power only belongs to ghosts, and that ghost is terrifying..."

Before he could finish, Wang Xiaoming interjected, "That's my concern, not yours. I'm just asking you one question, will you lend it or not?"

"Although you are the renowned Professor Wang, I really can't agree to this... I won't lend myself to you." Guo Fan's gaze flickered, and he firmly refused.

Although it was about lending that dreadful spirit position, it was essentially no different from lending his own life.

How could he agree?

Not even if the Celestial King himself came, Guo Fan was not that foolish.

Wang Xiaoming seemed to have anticipated this response, saying, "If you truly won't lend it, then I will have to take it myself, and I hope you won't blame me."

"Wang Xiaoming, what do you mean?" At that moment, Guo Fan stood up abruptly.

"No other meaning, just that I want to take the spirit position from your body within today. You should heed my advice; instead of dying at the hands of a murderous ghost coming back to life, it's better to cooperate with me. This way, you still have a chance to survive." Wang Xiaoming drank up the tea in his cup and then slowly put down the cup.

"Guo Fan, something's wrong, the sky outside... has darkened," Zong Shan suddenly noticed something abnormal at that time.

He observed that outside the window it was pitch-black as if it had suddenly turned to night, even though it was midday.

Not only that, but the darkness outside was so intense it was terrifying, seeping in continuously through the gaps in the window and from all directions of the walls, as if the darkness wanted to devour everyone in the place.

"It's the Ghost Domain." Guo Fan's complexion changed drastically, feeling a strong sense of crisis.

"Has there been a paranormal event? No, that's impossible, is this your doing, Professor Wang?" Zong Shan quickly realized the situation, his eyes staring fixedly at Wang Xiaoming.

Wang Xiaoming said, "Considering that you might not lend me the item, I had no choice but to come and take it myself. And since all of you are ghost manipulators, it would be quite difficult to take something from your hands, so I had to make some insignificant preparations, I hope you don't mind."

After finishing, he raised his head slightly and looked earnestly at Guo Fan.

"Wang Xiaoming, you've gone too far, don't think just because you're Professor Wang that I won't dare to do anything to you, provoke me and I'll take you down today," Guo Fan's anger was sparked, and he said through gritted teeth.

"Of course, you can, I haven't forbidden you from retaliating," Wang Xiaoming said. "As long as you are willing to lend the item to me, that's fine."

His tone was calm, but his stance was just as determined.

He would not rest until he took the spirit position from Guo Fan's hands.