Soul Lock

A Random Sentence Makes the Ghost King Angry

The next few days passed as usual without a major incident. The duo went to the marketplace every morning and returned back home in the evening. Ju Xin cooked and Wen Lan washed the dishes. Then, they talked about random stuff before calling it a day.

During those days, Wen Lan absolutely had no idea about what he was trying to achieve; gaining his trust? Winning his favour? Making Ju Xin get used to his presence before he struck?

No clue.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to leave Ju Xin or take his revenge in one go. Therefore, he just went with the flow, thinking in time his plan would be clear in his mind. Every night after Ju Xin slept, Wen Lan went to Huang-quan and fulfilled his responsibilities as a Ghost King, so he didn't have to rush anything and could enjoy his revenge more.

That day also started as a normal day, after breakfast, the duo went to the marketplace, but there was something wrong. It was completely empty except three figures lying on the ground lifelessly.

"What is going on?" Ju Xin's face paled, seeing the scene.

"Something evil, I guess," Wen Lan wasn't impressed much. A few dead bodies, so?

"I will check the bodies to find the reason why they are dead," Ju Xin whispered as if he didn't want to disturbed the dead. With soundless steps, he walked towards the dead and crouched down near one of them. He reached his hand to turn the body around, but a deadly cold hand grasped his arm, preventing him from doing so.

"Let me," Wen Lan pulled Ju Xin to his feet and a little far from the corpse before crouching down. Who knew maybe the corpses had poison on them. The same thought also crossed from Ju Xin's mind, so he wanted to warn Wen Lan.

"Maybe it is better if you don't touch him bare handed."

Wen Lan tilted his head up to look at the deity who looked concerned. Smiling with a puff, he said "don't worry, I will be careful," then he grabbed the robe of the dead man and rolled him around on his back as if he had no weight.

Ju Xin felt the breath stuck to his throat, seeing the man's face was full of purple pustules. "Don't touch him!" with a whoosh, he pulled Wen Lan back.

"What is it?" Wen Lan asked with a fake fear.

"It is Zi Hua, the Purple Flower of Huang-quan. It is actually a green plant, similar to peppermint. When it touches you, it creates itching purple pustules and spreads fast on your body, then jumps on the other people nearby. The pain is too unbearable that you kill yourself in the end," Ju Xin pointed at the stab wound on the dead man's chest, proving his point.

"Sounds scary." No, it wasn't that scary at all; a boot crunching was enough to kill it. Still, Wen Lan played along, enjoying Ju Xin's knowledge, "is there a cure?"

Ju Xin rubbed his chin, thinking about it for a short while before saying "I heard that a cup of water boiled with a lotus flower cures it, but I am not sure."

"Hmm," Wen Lan was amazed by people's imagination. Lotus flower, really? "What to do then? Shall we go back home until someone solves the problem?"

Ju Xin opened his mouth to object, but he didn't want to involve Wen Lan in his plan. It could be dangerous and Ju Xin would never forgive himself if something bad happened to him.

"You go back home, I will check around to see if I can help," he said as if Wen Lan would let him do that alone.

"Let's go then," the Ghost King took the lead and walked past the corpses, going towards the path the men seemed to take before arriving at the marketplace.