Chapter Eighteen: The Otherworldly Spirit

Page 1/3

The sky was unusually dark. Gao Wu could barely make out the lake water churning below, but he couldn’t see any sign of Song Mingyue at all.

With his experience from last time, Gao Wu knew how unnaturally cold the White Scale Lake could be—so cold that Song Mingyue probably wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

No matter what her reason was for jumping into the lake, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing. Especially since she’d asked for his help in advance.

Gao Wu didn’t immediately plunge into the lake. Remembering his previous ordeal, he first silently recited his incantation, preparing himself. Only when he felt ready did he leap in.

The icy water closed in from all directions, the chill piercing straight to his bones and organs, freezing him stiff.

He recited the final two lines, activating the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra. In an instant, a dragon of azure light swept through his body inside and out.

Having reached a moderate level of mastery with the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra, his chanting was much faster now, and the power of the spell had also grown.

The paralyzing cold that had seized him dissipated at once. Gao Wu adjusted his posture and swiftly began swimming forward.

The lake was deep and dark, and he saw no trace of Song Mingyue. But between them there was a subtle connection, which now became crucial.

He quickly found her. The girl’s body was rigid, but her eyes shone with an uncanny brightness—so bright they seemed to light up the cold, dark water. Gao Wu even saw his own reflection in her gaze.

Such a phenomenon startled him, but there was no time to ponder. He grabbed the girl by the collar, intending to haul her up to the surface.

Just then, he felt the cold around him suddenly intensify, so much that not even the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra could keep his body from stiffening.

The chill was like an invisible giant serpent, coiling around him and Song Mingyue, tightening with every loop.

This was no illusion—some invisible force was pressing them together face to face, their gazes locked.

The invisible serpent constricted further. Gao Wu felt as if his spine was about to snap and his mind was freezing over, leaving only a primal terror of cold and death.

Fortunately, the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra shielded him from losing his wits to fear.

Song Mingyue clearly wasn’t faring well either, but there was no panic in her sharp, bright eyes—only a blade-like resolve.

Gao Wu didn’t know what she was thinking, but he could sense her strong, unyielding spirit. It was as if she were struggling against something invisible.

No, not just struggling—fighting!

He remembered what his grandfather had said about alien spirits: invisible but real creatures from another world, similar to what people called ghosts or demons, also known as devil spirits.

The unnatural cold around them wasn’t the simple loss of body heat from the water, but the doing of some alien spirit?

Page 2/3

Gao Wu didn’t care what the cold really was—what mattered was breaking free before disaster struck.

If they delayed any longer, they wouldn’t just freeze to death; even the lack of air would be fatal.

He chanted again, urging on the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra. The dragon of azure light danced, dispelling the cold that bound him.

Thanks to his robust physique, his mobility returned at once. Gripping Song Mingyue, he swam with all his strength, broke through the icy surface, and emerged for a long, gasping breath before hauling both of them onto the shore.

Song Mingyue was still stiff, her body cold as ice, but her eyes remained bright, though the blade-like sharpness had faded.

The air outside was still freezing, so Gao Wu carried her straight back to the dormitory.

All the senior students were still in evening classes; at this hour, only the old gatekeeper was in the dorm. The old man was absorbed in his television and didn’t even notice Gao Wu bringing someone in.

There were security cameras at the dorm entrance and in the halls, but unless something happened, no one would check the footage.

With the door shut behind him, Gao Wu let out a sigh of relief. If anyone saw him carrying a beautiful girl inside, there was no telling what rumors might start.

Song Mingyue, soaked through, looked rather bedraggled. After a moment’s thought, Gao Wu set her down on the floor. He only had one bed, and with her clothes covered in water and mud, he’d have nowhere to sleep if she dirtied it.

He figured Song Mingyue wouldn’t care about such details.

Her body was still cold and rigid. Realizing this wouldn’t do, Gao Wu pressed his hand to her forehead and lent her the power of the Azure Dragon Divine Qi Mantra.

He’d done this for others before and knew that outsiders wouldn’t see the mystical glow or sense anything unusual.

Sure enough, the mantra worked its wonders. As the azure light flashed, Song Mingyue’s body softened, and a healthy flush returned to her pale cheeks.

She coughed a few times, spitting out a little water, then managed to sit up, leaning against the radiator with a long, relieved breath.

Gao Wu fetched a fresh towel from his locker and handed it to her before casually sitting down beside her. “Alright, sister, care to explain what’s going on?”

He had nearly risked his own life to save her. He hadn’t felt much at the time, but now that he thought about it, he couldn’t help but feel a little shaken.

Song Mingyue owed him an explanation.

She checked the towel to make sure it was new before wiping her face. Her whole body was uncomfortably damp, but now that the alien spirit’s cold was gone, it was nothing she couldn’t bear.

After a moment’s silence, she spoke softly, “You know about alien spirits, right?”

“I’ve heard of them, but not much in detail,” Gao Wu replied. “Is that strange cold under the lake the work of an alien spirit?”

Page 3/3

“Alien spirits can be thought of as wandering ghosts or evil beings. Scientifically, they’re a kind of stable life-domain force field. In the otherworld, where source energy is dense, such invisible-yet-tangible beings can emerge.

“In our world, where physical laws are stable, the spirit left after death will quickly dissipate, even if it can briefly linger. As our world and the otherworld continue to overlap, the stable zones where the two mingle become what’s known as the phantasmal realm.”

Song Mingyue looked at Gao Wu, her bright phoenix eyes questioning.

Gao Wu shook his head. “I’ve never heard of the phantasmal realm.”

“The phantasmal realm is what people usually call a secret realm. In terms of spatial state, it’s like a mirror, reflecting both the otherworld and our reality, blending the laws of both worlds.

“So every phantasmal realm has two aspects: one a projection of reality, the other a projection of the otherworld. Alien spirits can’t last in our world, but they can survive in these realms.”

As she spoke, Song Mingyue’s expression grew solemn. “What attacked us just now was an alien spirit from the phantasmal realm. In our world, its strength is only about one percent of what it is inside the realm.

“I was born with a keen spiritual sense, and somehow, I resonated with this alien spirit. The other day, I came to White Scale Lake to investigate, was lured by the spirit, and unknowingly fell in. If you hadn’t saved me then, I would have died.”

Gao Wu was puzzled, “If you can’t defeat it, can’t you just avoid it? Why risk your life?”

“I’m already entangled with it through this resonance. There’s no hiding from it. And the longer it drags on, the deeper our connection. Even from a thousand miles away, it could snuff out my mind with ease. I have to destroy it as soon as possible,” Song Mingyue explained.

“I see.” Song Mingyue’s explanation was clear and direct—Gao Wu understood completely.

He thought for a moment, then asked, “So tonight, did you jump into the lake because the spirit lured you again?”

“No, not this time. I saw you and thought I might have a chance to take care of the spirit with your help,” Song Mingyue replied.

“You really do trust me!” Gao Wu was both flattered and surprised. He and Song Mingyue had only met once, yet she’d entrusted her very life to him.

If he’d hesitated even a moment, or refused to jump, she would have died.

Song Mingyue looked deeply at him, then lowered her gaze and spoke softly, “There are six billion gene codes in a person. All our lives, we instinctively search for someone whose genome matches our own.

“I’m certain that you are the one whose genome matches mine. You are worthy of my trust.”

It was the first time Gao Wu had heard such a theory. He was surprised, a little pleased, and a little proud, unable to keep the corners of his mouth from turning up.

He glanced at Song Mingyue again, and found her more and more pleasing to the eye. “This chilly little vixen—her voice is unexpectedly pleasant...”