Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Wanderers, Ghost Pattern Tattoo_1
「Three days later, Chen Wen and Wang Linchi arrived at the bustling Xuan City.」
Wang Linchi enjoyed a rare moment of leisure, while Chen Wen was out and about all day. It seemed he had gathered quite a few Wanderers. These Wanderers were not common ruffians; like Chen Wen, they were weathered individuals capable of slaying ghosts. Wang Linchi had met them all. Some possessed such terrifying Evil Qi that their strength might have reached the peak of the Mountain Copper Level. The weapons these Wanderers used were each heavier than the last. Wang Linchi had assumed Chen Wen used the Ring Head Knife out of personal preference, but it turned out to be a tradition. From the Xuanhua Axe to the Purple Gold Hammer, and others like the Door Plank Sword or the Big Zen Staff, their common theme was overwhelming opponents with sheer force. They all seemed to regard Wang Linchi as Chen Wen’s apprentice, teasing him occasionally, but no melodramatic incidents occurred. After ten days spent recruiting—a journey from Xian Village to Xuan City—Chen Wen finally had a chance to rest.
"Thank you for your financial support these past few days," Chen Wen said rather abruptly.
"You’re welcome. I’m also helping myself. After all, if we truly enter the Longevity Banquet, I’ll have to rely on you all for protection," Wang Linchi replied sincerely.
He preferred not to act if he could avoid it.
Besides, the money wasn’t his, so spending it didn’t pain him.
"This venture is almost certainly a matter of life and death. So, I’ll say it one last time: please don’t go. If I make it back alive, I’ll bring a Longevity Fruit for you," Chen Wen said calmly.
Wang Linchi had provided so much that Chen Wen felt genuinely uncomfortable letting him accompany them to the Longevity Banquet. Its name was pleasant, but in reality, it was a feast for ghosts.
"I must go," Wang Linchi stated.
He also wished he could just reap the rewards without effort, but the Secret Realm mission wouldn’t allow it. The basic requirement was to participate in the Longevity Banquet and then personally pluck a Longevity Fruit. This meant he had to do it himself; help from others wouldn’t count.
Chen Wen remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "Alright. I don’t know why you’re so insistent on going to the Longevity Banquet, but to help you survive, I need to give you some means of self-protection."
"It has to do with ghosts, doesn’t it?" Wang Linchi said.
"You guessed it. Indeed, after interacting with them these past few days, you would have noticed something amiss even if they didn’t say anything," Chen Wen replied, pulling off his upper garment to reveal a ferocious tattoo that covered his entire body.
The tattoo depicted an incredibly lifelike ghost.
"True Wanderers harness the power of ghosts."
"We capture ghosts and, through a special method, transform them into Ghost Juice. This is then tattooed onto the skin. As time passes, the tattoo gradually takes on the appearance of the original ghost. At that point, the bearer gains all of that ghost’s abilities."
"We call this power a Ghost Pattern."
"However, this isn’t without a cost. Once a Ghost Pattern is tattooed, it continuously consumes one’s lifespan. This process only stops once the tattoo is fully formed."
"That’s why most Wanderers don’t live long. Reaching thirty is considered a ripe old age for them."
As Chen Wen explained, Wang Linchi began to understand the full picture. He wasn’t particularly moved by the prospect of living to thirty. Given the living conditions, sanitation, and other factors in this Secret Realm, dying at thirty wasn’t that different from the norm, considering the average lifespan.
"So, you once consumed a Longevity Fruit and gained ten years of lifespan?" Wang Linchi asked curiously.
"No, I’m only twenty-eight," Chen Wen replied.
What the...? Wang Linchi was stunned. Given Chen Wen’s appearance, anyone would believe he was forty.
"I chose the Food Law Ghost for my Ghost Pattern and suffered a backlash. That’s why I look so old," Chen Wen explained.
The Food Law Ghost was a rather special type of ghost, not an Evil Ghost, but more akin to a benevolent spirit. It often frequented places where people advocated for good deeds; hearing virtuous teachings would sate its hunger.
As for why Chen Wen had turned it into a Ghost Pattern, Wang Linchi didn’t bother to investigate.
"So, that’s why you’re aiming to get a Longevity Fruit—to extend your own life?" Wang Linchi surmised.
"No, I simply want to kill the Ghost King." Chen Wen explained that it was precisely because his own lifespan was short that he wanted to achieve something monumental.
While reaching thirty was a ripe old age for Wanderers, it didn’t mean all of them lived that long. Chen Wen knew his own condition; he had two or three months at most. Death was inevitable then. He had considered extending his lifespan but had ultimately given up on the idea.
If there were a Longevity Catalyst, perhaps he could have obtained it. But now, he was openly using the Longevity Fruit as bait to lure other Wanderers into this affair. Even if a Longevity Catalyst did appear, it wouldn’t fall into his hands. Did people really think Longevity Fruits were so easy to come by? At this banquet, snatching even one would be considered a victory for them. There was more than one Wanderer who needed to extend their life, so naturally, there weren’t enough fruits to go around. Chen Wen didn’t care what happened afterward; his focus was on killing the Ghost King.
"So, what are you getting at? Are you suggesting I get a Ghost Pattern for self-protection?" Wang Linchi asked.
Chen Wen wouldn’t have told him all this for no reason; it had to be leading up to something.
"Yes," Chen Wen said. "I’ve found a ghost. While it’s not comparable to my Food Law Ghost, it’s not dangerous. At most, it will consume one year of your lifespan."
The amount of lifespan consumed naturally differed depending on the ghost used to create the Ghost Pattern.
Wang Linchi was somewhat surprised, though not particularly interested. Given his personality, even if he were to get a Ghost Pattern, he wouldn’t pick an ordinary ghost. If he had to choose, it would be the Ghost King.
"What kind of ghost is it, for you to be so considerate?" Wang Linchi didn’t refuse immediately, deciding to inquire further. After all, it was a kind gesture from Chen Wen.
"It’s an Exam Ghost. You should know about them," Chen Wen said.
He had previously given Wang Linchi a copy of the Ghost Record, which detailed information on numerous ghosts.
Individuals who failed the imperial examinations and subsequently died of depression, their hearts filled with resentment over their lack of success, would transform into ghosts. They often appeared in the studies of Scholars.
This was the origin of the Exam Ghost.
"These ghosts mostly engage in pranks, like disarranging books and writing supplies. Most Exam Ghosts simply wish to entrust their unfulfilled aspirations to others. They don’t harm people; in fact, they sometimes offer significant help to examination candidates. After all, ghosts have their own preferences; they don’t help just anyone."
"There are certainly drawbacks. Exam Ghosts are prone to pedantically flaunting their knowledge, regardless of whether their own ideas and writings are outdated. So, if an Exam Ghost who died too long ago were to ’teach’ a Scholar, they might actually hinder the Scholar due to their obsolete essays or incompatibility with the current imperial court’s literary standards."
Hearing this, Wang Linchi’s interest was piqued. He asked directly, "If it’s made into a Ghost Pattern, what abilities would it grant?"
This seems related to studying. Could it enhance my own learning and research capabilities?
"I don’t know. None of the Wanderers I know have chosen an Exam Ghost," Chen Wen stated plainly. The unspoken reason was, naturally, that it didn’t offer any significant abilities.
His own Food Law Ghost, while not an Evil Ghost, possessed many wondrous powers, ranking it as a first-tier Ghost Pattern. Ghost Patterns themselves had no inherent ranking, but Wanderers had informally classified them based on their abilities. The Exam Ghost was considered third-tier, the lowest. A few Wanderers had made it into a Ghost Pattern, but the effects were underwhelming, so it wasn’t widely adopted.
Actually, Wang Linchi would much prefer the Detaining Soul Ghost, which could capture souls; or the Thunder Ghost, capable of flight, close combat, and directing lightning. Failing that, even the Godlike Ghost—an elite spirit among ghosts that specialized in borrowing human Spiritual Energy, recounting myths, and performing supernatural feats—would be acceptable. The Exam Ghost simply wasn’t on his list. Since he was already going through with this, why choose a practically useless ghost? It was a tattoo, after all, and bound to be painful. Plus, if he decided he didn’t want it later, he’d have to skin it off himself. He wasn’t afraid of pain, but it was the hassle he minded. Better to get it right the first time.
"Not satisfied?" Chen Wen observed Wang Linchi’s expression and understood. "The Exam Ghost is indeed a bit lacking. It’s actually easier to find powerful ghosts, but the lifespan they consume... you wouldn’t be able to bear it."
"Without a Ghost Pattern, if you enter the Longevity Banquet, your status as a living human will be exposed instantly. You’ll become like the Scholar in my story—a dish served at the feast."
"Of course, if you decide not to go, then you’ll have nothing to worry about."
"Then let’s capture the Exam Ghost first. We can discuss the Ghost Pattern itself later," Wang Linchi said, still somewhat dissatisfied.
"Alright, we’ll do as you say for now." Chen Wen didn’t press the issue. He himself had been proud and ambitious in his youth, which was why he had chosen the Food Law Ghost. As for what came next, he wouldn’t interfere with Wang Linchi’s decision, whether he chose to get the Exam Ghost pattern or not. Even if Wang Linchi didn’t get the tattoo but still insisted on going to the Longevity Banquet, Chen Wen wouldn’t try to stop him anymore. He had already tried to persuade him; if that didn’t work, there was nothing more he could do.