The female ghost began darting frantically around the classroom.
To be precise, she was floating—her legs below the calves were translucent, and her feet never touched the ground.
She wailed pitifully, still clutching that little white flag in her hand. "I-I just wanna live! My death was already so random, can’t you guys go bother some other ghost?"
"Damn, this little thing is fast," Zhang Chao muttered, watching the ghost zip around at an alarming speed. He turned to Wang Yanran and shouted, "Got any tricks to pin her down?"
Ghosts usually had their own specialties.
This one had clearly invested all her points into speed.
Running speed, to be exact.
But no matter how fast she was, the walls and door had been sealed with talismans. A low-level ghost like her stood no chance of breaking through.
Seeing Zhang Chao struggle to catch her, Wang Yanran pulled out another talisman. With a sharp flick, it burst into flames.
"Hold!"
The talisman froze mid-air, transforming into crimson chains of light that lashed out and tightly bound the fleeing ghost.
"Eh?!!!"
The chains coiled around her neck, waist, and thighs, squeezing her already oversized backpack even more prominently.
"Whoa, that’s handy," Zhang Chao remarked, impressed.
The Wang Family Ghost Control Technique really was something. Among all the prominent families, the Wangs were the most notorious for tinkering with spirits and ghouls.
"These only work on low-level ghosts, and I’ve only got a few left," Wang Yanran said. She had come fully prepared for this assessment—her position as the Wang Family’s heir was at stake. She couldn’t afford any slip-ups.
Even if it was just dealing with a measly ghost.
"Feels like I could punch her to death right now," Zhang Chao grinned, flashing his pearly whites as he eyed the immobilized ghost.
"Then hurry up," Wang Yanran snapped, glancing at the burning talisman. Once it fully burned out, the spell would break.
"Heh heh."
Zhang Chao sauntered up to the ghost. "Tsk tsk, what’d you eat to grow like this? Too bad you’re gonna die by my hand today."
"Waaah, what did I even do wrong? I’ve never hurt anyone! I even hide during the day!" The ghost wailed even louder.
"Your existence is the mistake," Zhang Chao scoffed. "A formed ghost like you? Sooner or later, that resentment’ll build up, and you’ll start killing."
"N-no way! I don’t have any resentment! I choked to death on instant noodles!" the ghost protested.
"Zhang Chao!" Wang Yanran barked, furious that he was wasting time chatting. "Move it!"
Zhang Chao raised his fist, grinning savagely—when suddenly, the classroom door slammed open with a screech!
The abrupt noise froze the room for a split second. Everyone turned to see a disheveled-looking guy standing at the entrance, as if he’d sprinted here.
"Huh? Y’all into some kinky roleplay?" Ye Chuan blinked at the girl bound in glowing chains. "Damn, bondage? Y’re going all out, huh?"
Wang Yanran’s eyes narrowed.
"Who are you? How can you see that ghost?"
Ordinary people couldn’t perceive spirits unless they had innate spiritual sight. If this guy could see it, he wasn’t normal.
"Zhang Chao!" she warned sharply. "He’s not some random bystander!"
Zhang Chao gave an acknowledging grunt, sizing up Ye Chuan’s appearance before asking, "Which family are you from?"
"Me?" Ye Chuan pointed at himself and smirked.
"Heh."
His gaze shifted to the bound ghost, and he realized—this big-chested, wide-hipped girl was his target.
He’d expected something horrifying, but she looked like any other girl.
And a pretty cute one at that. Maybe keeping her around wouldn’t be so bad.
"No clue what you’re up to, but I want her too. Wanna negotiate?" Ye Chuan offered, his tone still casual.
Wang Yanran frowned. "She’s just a stray ghost."
"I’m not stray!" the ghost squirmed indignantly, wriggling like a caterpillar. "I have a name! It’s Lan Xiaoke! Lan—Xiao—Ke!"
"Shut up!"
Wang Yanran slapped a talisman onto Lan Xiaoke’s thigh. With a sizzling crackle, the ghost convulsed as if electrocuted.
"Owwww, that hurts so bad!" Lan Xiaoke whimpered after the shock, tears streaming down her face. Her once-pristine school uniform was now singed and blackened.
"Too scared to name your family, huh? Then eat dirt!"
Zhang Chao didn’t care who Ye Chuan was. Seeing no response, he sneered and lunged forward without hesitation, throwing a punch straight at Ye Chuan’s face!
Ye Chuan casually raised an arm to block.
Zhang Chao’s fist collided with his forearm—but then Ye Chuan’s eyes gleamed coldly. A surge of cyan energy rippled across his skin, forming scaly, luminous armor over his arm.
"You wanna fight?" Ye Chuan said flatly.
"Wha—?! Spiritual energy?!" Zhang Chao stumbled back, shocked. "You’re a Transcendent Warrior too?"
"Transcendent Warrior?" Ye Chuan processed the term briefly before retaliating without another word—his fist rocketed straight into Zhang Chao’s jaw!
The punch was blindingly fast. A dull thud echoed, and Zhang Chao crumpled to the ground, eyes rolled back.
"Kids these days, passing out the second they hit the floor," Ye Chuan muttered, stepping over Zhang Chao’s unconscious body as he advanced toward Wang Yanran.
Wang Yanran paled. Zhang Chao, despite his hotheadedness, was one of the top talents among the younger generation. Who the hell was this guy to take him down in one hit?
"Hey buddy, mind handing over this big-tiddy, wide-hipped cutie?" Ye Chuan’s tone was oddly cheerful, like a street vendor hawking skewers.
Wang Yanran finally realized—he was messing with her. Her temper flared.
"I am Wang Yanran of the Wang Family!"
"Never heard of you." Ye Chuan’s deadpan reply choked her.
Wang Yanran took a step back—then immediately spun around and bolted!
Ye Chuan blinked.
Huh?
Shouldn’t she try fighting me first before getting knocked out?
And she’s just leaving her buddy here?
But Wang Yanran wasn’t sticking around. If Zhang Chao got floored that easily, she stood no chance. Survival was the priority.
Ye Chuan didn’t bother chasing. Instead, he reached out and crushed the floating talisman with his fingers. The chains dissipated, and Lan Xiaoke flopped to the ground, hugging her head.
"I won’t run, I won’t run! Stop zapping me, waaah! This ain’t Myanmar—even ghosts gotta get tased now?!"
"Just end me already! Don’t let me die painfully again!"
Watching the cowering ghost, Ye Chuan rubbed his chin.
A coward, huh?