《Phantom Exorcist: The Spiritbound Cultivator [Horror, Cultivation]》


 1. Strange noise from above

    Lionel loved three people the most in his life: his mother, his grandfather, and himself. Now, two were gone, and he was the only one remaining.


    Cancer was a bitch. It had claimed his mother first and now, he had lost his grandfather as well. At least, his old man had lived to see him become an adult. Although Lionel was distressed, he pacified himself with this truth.


    Lionel stood outside his manor, the manor his grandfather had left for him. He still couldn''t comprehend how his old man was so loaded. The man''s bank balance was more than he could comprehend, and now, everything belonged to him.


    ''Did Grandpa stumble upon a gold mine in the past? How did he earn so much money?'' Lionel wondered for the nth time as he entered the place that looked more depressing than it ever had been. Now that it was nighttime, it felt even more eerie and dismal.


    Although it had been his home for years, Lionel felt strangely unsettled. A strong feeling of uneasiness haunted him and he couldn''t brush it off even though he was in a familiar setting.


    Frowning lightly, he strode past the kitchen after locking the doors, ditching his dinner for the night. He wasn''t hungry even if he hadn''t eaten much in the day.


    The automatic lights lit up sensing his presence. Lionel wasn''t worried about burglars or intruders. The manor was equipped with antiburglar alarms and it wasn''t that easy to enter the place.


    Moreover, the place was haunted, or that was what the town''s people said. Nobody dared to linger around the manor premises, let alone think of breaking into it.


    ''Haunted?'' Lionel scoffed at the mere thought. He hadn''t seen any ghosts even once and it had been more than a decade since he started staying there. What a good joke!


    ''If this place is haunted, then I''ll pluck my eyeballs out,'' he thought, once again finding the notion ridiculous. ''Who even started this rumor? They must have lost their minds.''


    Lionel pulled out his phone and scrolled through the messages, the ones he had ignored for the past few hours. The group chat consisting of his classmates had become active sometime at noon. Everybody was speaking about the town festival.


    His university, the only one in the town was recruiting volunteers to help at the festival and Lionel didn''t hesitate even for a moment before filling up the form.


    ''It might serve me as a distraction,'' Lionel thought, trying hard not to focus on his grief.


    Lionel sighed softly and looked at his splendid yet lonely place. The place was huge and could possibly fit more than a hundred people at a time.


    With he being the sole owner and occupant, Lionel felt the loneliness creeping in on him even more. However, he didn''t have the heart leave the place and live elsewhere. It was his house, the place where he had lived all his life.


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    Running a hand through his hair, he glanced at the time on his phone.


    12.17 a.m.


    ''Was I out for such a long time?'' he wondered, not expecting it to be past midnight.


    To stop himself from thinking about his grandfather, he had spent the entire day at his university''s library. He only returned home when the kind librarian reminded him that it was night already.


    "I need to sort my life out. Otherwise, I''ll be hopeless," he mumbled as he made his way towards the stairs.


    However, before he could take a step ahead, he heard a strange noise from above. It was as if something was being moved. In the absolute silent place, the sound was like a blaring horn, impossible to miss.


    Frowning lightly, Lionel narrowed his eyes and focused again, pondering if he was imagining things.


    But when he heard the strange sound again, this time louder than before, his heart skipped a beat as fear engulfed him and he broke into a cold sweat. The sound was coming from within the manor. To be precise, it was coming from somewhere above him.


    Lionel''s body turned cold while he stood paralyzed in fear. ''What is that sound? Don''t tell me...'' He stopped, the mere thought of the possibility making his head spin.


    The manor was brightly lit. But he did not attempt to climb the stairs and seek the noise. It was as if the moment he climbed the stairs, he''d be plunged into darkness.


    Lionel knew he couldn''t stand at the foot of the staircase forever. Mustering all his courage, he climbed the stairs slowly, keeping his eyes and ears open.


    Once again, the townspeople''s words flashed in his mind. Haunted. Haunted. Haunted.


    Lionel didn''t want to believe it. But was the place actually haunted? The notion kept popping in his mind every few seconds.


    Once he was at the top of the stairs, Lionel realized he had broken out into a cold sweat, his shirt clinging to him like a second skin.


    Licking his lips nervously, he followed the sound which seemed to be coming from his grandfather''s room. With every step he took, the noise grew louder and the air turned colder.


    His body trembled. But he remained strong as he stood outside his grandfather''s room.


    Lionel was damn certain that he heard someone take his name as if summoning him in. As if in a trance, he opened the door and entered the room and everything went silent at once. Even the chill around him vanished.


    Lionel broke out of his stupor and looked around him in a daze. Everything felt weird, he felt weird. But he ignored the feeling and scanned his grandfather''s room, the very room he hadn''t stepped into since his grandfather had passed.


    Letting out a sigh of defeat, he took a casual look around, holding himself from reminiscing the good times when he still had a family. Just when he was about to move past the table beside the bed, he saw a strange book, one he had never seen before.


    The book, which looked more like a dairy was maroon and had golden borders. At the center was a symbol that looked more like a star, but not quite at the same time.


    Intrigued, he opened the book, and the wording on the first page scared the shit out of him.


    To the next Valkorin in line,


    Since you are reading this diary, it means you are the next one to embrace the power. Prepare yourself for your life will change from now onward. The ones you might have assumed to be myths will start visiting you soon.


    But worry not. Your power will aid you in dealing with them. Study the book well, and you will be good to go.


    Important: Do not fear the unknown. They may be powerful. But you are more than capable of overpowering them.


    ~ Eryndor Valkorin.

 2. First mysterious guest

    Lionel had been apprehensive since the moment he had found the diary. He hadn''t turned to the next page. The first page itself had given him nightmares for two nights. His nerves only relaxed on the third day when nothing outworldly had happened to him.


    Biting his lower lip, he stared at the diary which now lay on his table. After he found it, all the strange noises stopped and the manor became silent again.


    Though Lionel wanted to stay far away, his curiosity was piqued again and he couldn''t help but want to find out what exactly the dairy contained.


    Lionel didn''t know who Eryndor Valkorin was. But since they shared the same surname due to him taking his maternal grandfather''s, he assumed him to be his ancestor.


    Straightening his body, he swallowed a gulp before he opened the dairy. This time, the words on the first page didn''t affect him as much as when he stumbled upon it. Instead, it seemed like he was reading a fantasy book.


    However, the next few pages perplexed him, terrified him even. There were strange markings and detailed descriptions for chanting a spell, drawing a talisman, and even catching ghosts.


    Lionel couldn''t make a head or tail of it. But surprisingly, he remembered all that he had read, including the minute details and those that didn''t hold much significance.


    Though confused, he didn''t stop turning the pages and reading the content and as time passed, he became invested in it. Lionel was intrigued by the different methods used to catch ghosts and for a moment, he wondered if it was written by someone with a creative mind.


    ''Maybe he wrote it to pass his time,'' he thought and turned to the next page.


    By the time he reached the last page, Lionel remembered every word he had read. It was as if the diary was imprinted in his mind and he could recite everything he had read in it even in his sleep.


    ''What is happening? Why do I suddenly have a photographic memory? Am I blessed?'' he pondered, his eyes staring blankly at the wall before him.


    Brushing aside his peculiarity, he returned to the last page of the diary that was yet to be read.


    Now that you have reached the last page, it means you have accepted who you will become in the future. Once you close the diary, your powers will be activated and you will start seeing things you have thought to be imaginary.


    But there is nothing to fret about. You know how to handle those things. Be brave, be confident.


    Remember, evil can never prevail over good.


    ~ Eryndon Valkorin.


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    Lionel''s puzzlement only increased and he scrunched his face in wonder.


    "What is he trying to say? Why did he write such bizarre words?" he muttered and read the words again.


    Finding nothing significant, he closed the diary, and the moment he did so, the diary vanished. Startled, Lionel widened his eyes and stared at the spot where the diary had been previously.


    ''What the heck just happened? How...''


    He almost screamed in fright when he felt a strange kind of warmth pass through him. His body started heating up and he felt as if his chest was about to explode. Even the air around him felt different.


    A bolt of lightning flashed in the room. But Lionel had his eyes closed. So, he didn''t witness the terrifying scene. He was in intense misery to notice anything else.


    The pain was something he had never experienced before and Lionel gritted his teeth as he took deep breaths. However, the burning sensation only increased as time passed. It was as if someone was trying to pull his soul out of his body.


    Just when he was about to pass out in pain, the peculiar feeling vanished. Everything turned normal at once as if his agony had all been a dream. If not for his drenched shirt and a faint warmth in his chest, Lionel would have brushed it off as his illusion.


    "What the hell just happened? What was that?"


    Lionel was utterly lost and he looked at the table, which was empty. An unbelievable notion sprang in his mind. But he shushed it off as quickly as it had come.


    "I must have lost my mind. I must be imagining things."


    Although Lionel tried to appease himself, he couldn''t disregard that the diary had vanished before him. It was the undeniable truth.


    Also, even if the burning sensation in his body had lessened greatly and he wasn''t in agony anymore, he still felt a strange warmth course through his body.


    Lionel couldn''t decipher what was happening. Everything seemed out of place and there wasn''t anyone he could look for to seek answers.


    Surrendering in defeat, he left his room, pushing aside his thoughts for the time being.


    It was already 8 p.m. and he was famished. He had survived on just a sandwich since morning. His stomach was grumbling and Lionel quicked his footsteps and reheated the leftover pizza from the night before.


    To pass his time, he switched on the television and settled for a comedy movie. Although the story was lacking, the comedy was good. At least, a good time pass.


    There wasn''t much to clean. After disposing of the trash, he returned to the living room. His grandfather never liked to have servants or guards. So, there weren''t any in the manor.


    They only had a cleaning lady who would clean the house every Saturday and stock the refrigerator.


    Lionel too had become accustomed to it over time and had learned to do all his tasks. Munching on an apple, he slung one of his legs over the sofa arms, his pose utterly uncouth.


    He didn''t care about his indolent sitting posture. But that didn''t mean, someone else who was watching him for some time didn''t.


    "Tch, tch, tch, child, sit properly. Be dignified."


    As soon as Lionel heard a sound from behind him, he screamed at the top of his lungs while the half-eaten apple dropped to the ground. His vision turned black and he broke out into a cold sweat while his heart pounded in fear.


    "You...you...you..." His voice trembled and his throat was blocked, making him unable to speak coherently.


    Lionel was mortified to see a man who seemed to have walked out of a fantasy movie looking at him in annoyance.


    "Did you have to shriek like a banshee? I thought my eardrums would shatter," he chastised, ignoring the poor man''s obvious fright.


    "Who..who.." Lionel''s voice cracked and he stuttered with great difficulty. "Who are you?"


    The man, who seemed to have aged gracefully and held the aura of a scholar, pushed his robes behind his back.


    "Let me introduce myself, Lionel. I am Eryndor Valkorin. You are my descendant. The diary you read today was written by me."

 3. Legacy

    "You..you...you... you are Eryndor Valkorin?" Lionel was too stunned to speak properly. He kept gaping at the man as if he was a ghost.


    Eryndor smiled in acknowledgment. His eyes twinkled with kindness as he looked at his descendant gently. His soft gaze held emotions that Lionel couldn''t decipher. Yet, surprisingly, he felt a sense of familiarity with him as if he had known him for a long time.


    "I am, although I would prefer you call me Elder," Eryndor remarked, stroking his beard. "After all, I am more than a few centuries old."


    Now, Lionel was scared. His expression morphed into terror and he moved a few steps away, prepared to run for his life. His face lost all its color and he was close to having a heart attack.


    "Your efforts will be in vain, Lionel. You may try to run, but you cannot. I will always find you," Eryndor informed as if reading his mind.


    "How is it possible?" Lionel was shocked out of his mind. He thought of ways to leave the place without alerting the man, but he couldn''t find a way. The man would catch him in a blink. He was after all a ghost.


    "You may want to sit down. Let us have a good conversation, shall we? I have something to tell you." Eryndor pointed towards the couch and Lionel subconsciously nodded.


    Did he even have a choice?


    Lionel took one of the couches and sat still, his body tense and straight. He kept his legs close as if he was facing someone formidable. He didn''t dare relax even for a moment.


    Eryndor sighed and sat far away on one of the other couches. He understood Lionel''s fear. The young man had seen the same expression as others every time he made his presence known, only that the people had been different.


    "You may have some questions. Before you start, shall I speak first? It might answer some of them." Eryndor allowed Lionel to choose, showing him that he meant no harm.


    Lionel nodded again, his tongue paralyzed to speak. His body was slowly turning cold and he felt suffocated. But he didn''t show it.


    "You have already read the diary. So, you more or less must have an inkling as to what our conversation might be related to." Eryndor started without beating around the bush.


    "Wait a minute!" Lionel intervened, ignoring the old man''s obvious expression of annoyance.


    "Don''t tell me." The young man''s eyes widened when a notion hit his mind. "The power you mentioned in the diary - has it got to do with ghosts?"


    Eryndor dismissed Lionel''s impudence and his lack of respect for him. His smile widened and he nodded. "You are wise."


    "Will I start seeing ghosts from now onwards?"


    Lionel hoped for the man to deny it, to give him a negative answer. He was already spooked with one ghost, he couldn''t handle more.


    Alas, his prayers fell on deaf ears.


    "Yes. You will carry on my legacy from today."


    Can he deny this legacy? Lionel didn''t want such a scary legacy.


    "You know the techniques to deal with the ghosts. Why are you still frightened?"


    Eryndor could not grasp why the young man seemed as if he was close to death. His crying face didn''t evoke any pity. Instead, he only found it amusing.


    "I am a normal person. It would be strange of me if I weren''t scared," Lionel sassed, not caring that the man before him was his ancestor.


    "I would be pleased if you respected me, son. I am your elder," Eryndor warned, not entertaining his impertinence anymore.


    Lionel wanted to complain. But he bit his tongue and remained silent when he saw the old man''s no-nonsense demeanor.


    "Why did I get this power all of a sudden..." Lionel was about to stop. But when he noticed the old man''s stern face, he added, "Elder?"


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    Satisfied, Eryndor smiled to himself. "Because your grandfather is no more."


    Lionel didn''t understand for a moment. But the truth soon dawned upon him and he jumped to his feet as if his butt was on fire.


    "Holy shit! Is that what it is?"


    "Language, son," Eryndor admonished, his expression turning dark instantly. "Where did you learn such foul words from?"


    "Sorry." Lionel snuck out his tongue but didn''t stray away from the conversation. "Grandpa had these powers too, didn''t he? Is that why he''d behave mysteriously sometimes?"


    "More or less."


    "Do only the people from the Valkorin family have this power?" Lionel recalled what he had read on the first page of the diary.


    "I presume so," Eryndor agreed.


    "Why didn''t Grandpa tell me? At least I could have prepared myself for it."


    "He just didn''t want to scare you. This matter is not normal, after all, and you were still young."


    "True that." Lionel didn''t deny it this time.


    "Can I forsake this power?" Lionel didn''t want to have such power at all. Who in their sane minds would want to deal with ghosts on a day-to-day basis?


    Wait, were ghosts real? Lionel''s question vanished as quickly as it had sprung in his mind. They had to be. Otherwise, how could the man who had died years ago be sitting before him?


    "You can..."


    Lionel''s eyes lit up.


    "After you die. Until then, no one can separate this power from you."


    Lionel''s shoulder sagged and he felt terrible. ''Could someone kill me right now? I don''t want to live anymore?''


    "Child, the power is not as bad as you think." Eryndor tried to persuade him.


    "Elder, it''s easy for you to say. I don''t want to be greeted by ghosts as soon as I wake up in the morning."


    A scene immediately played in his mind and Lionel saw himself waking up and staring at a creepy-looking ghost whose face was peeling off and blood was dripping. The scene was so terrifying that he closed his eyes and shook his head as he screamed at the top of his lungs.


    "Child, I have experienced all that you are imagining. But it is not that terrible."


    Eryndor felt bad for him. Given a chance, he did not want to put his descendants through the misery. But he was helpless. They had to bear the power their family was destined to have.


    "Elder..." Lionel sighed, not having any words of argument.


    "Lionel, I understand your troubles. But the world needs you, child. They need your power, to save them."


    "But..."


    "And trust me when I say you can overpower the evil spirits. Please."


    Lionel''s heart softened at the old man''s desperate pleas. He saw how helpless he looked and couldn''t help but feel terrible for him.


    "I understand, Elder," he relented finally.


    "Good, child. Good."


    Lionel suddenly felt as if he had been tricked. The old man, who had a sad expression a second ago, was beaming with joy as if he had conquered the world.


    ''Can I take back my words?'' he wondered.


    "Now that you have accepted who you have become, I have a few words of advice."


    ''Can I not listen to them?'' Lionel didn''t want to listen to him. But he had no choice.


    "You must be feeling a strange kind of warmth in you," Eryndor started and Lionel nodded, his eyes widening in surprise.


    "That is your soul energy. It is quite similar to qi. It was dormant all these years. It is active now. You must start cultivating from today, child. The more you cultivate the more powerful you will become."


    "How will my soul energy help me deal with the ghosts?"


    "More than ghosts, I would prefer to call them spirits. As for your question, positive qi which is called yang will suppress negative qi or yin."


    Although the old man didn''t explain it explicitly, Lionel understood what he was saying.


    "You will have positive qi until you follow a righteous path. Anything that has your spiritual energy like the talisman you draw or the spells you chant will eliminate the evil."


    Everything fell into place instantly and Lionel''s confusions were cleared all at once. All the questions he had in mind were answered as well.


    "You have read the diary. You know what to do. Do you have any questions?"


    "Yes, Elder." Lionel nodded when a question popped into his mind suddenly.


    Eryndor waited patiently. Not once did he show any frustration towards him, and this alone was enough for Lionel to revere him.


    "Will you be with me from now on?"


    Even though it was the first time they were meeting, Lionel felt a strange kind of relief in his presence. He wouldn''t be alone when he dealt with the malicious spirits.


    "No, child. My time here is about to end. Once I am done here, I will not appear before you again."


    "Elder..." Lionel''s heart dropped and he looked at the man pleadingly. "It is our fate, child. We cannot do anything about it."


    "Elder, I...I..."


    "Lionel, I understand your thoughts and apprehensions. But you have nothing to worry about. You are meant to do good deeds. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have been granted this power," Eryndor explained, his body slowly turning transparent and Lionel almost teared up.


    "My time to leave is nearing. Do you have any other questions?"


    "Yes, Elder. Should I keep my powers hidden from others?"


    "That is up to you, Lionel. It will not hinder you in any way. But I suggest you remain low as much as possible."


    "Yes, Elder."


    Eryndor''s body was almost invisible. He had a few more seconds at most.


    "My time is up, Lionel. Be brave and protect the innocent. The world needs you."


    With that, Eryndor disappeared completely and the room turned warm for a moment before returning to normal.


    Lionel stared blankly at the spot Eryndor had been a moment ago. It took a few seconds to return to normal and once his brain started working again, he smacked his forehead in dismay.


    "I forgot to ask the most important question," he gritted his teeth, annoyed at himself for being stupid. "What am I going to do if none of the techniques mentioned in the diary will eliminate the evil spirit?"

 4. Marrow cleansing

    Lionel didn''t react for a long time as he digested everything he had learned that day. The television continued to play in the background, but he paid no attention. His thoughts were filled with all that he had heard from Elder Valkorin and the contents of his diary.


    As time passed, he eventually accepted that he had the power to see ghosts. The sooner he started cultivating his power, the better.


    From the diary, Lionel knew that he was a Novice Spirit Seer and only possessed the Ghost Sense. He could see the ghosts, but couldn''t exorcise them yet. Heck, the only way to escape from the ghosts, even the weakest, was to run for his life.


    "Elder Valkorin was right," Lionel muttered, his brows contorting into a thoughtful frown. "I need to start cultivating. Otherwise, I will end up dead before I can even use my powers."


    Lionel didn''t have to force his brain to remember. He knew what exactly he had to do.


    Switching off the television, he donned a lotus pose on the ground and closed his eyes. Taking his deep breaths, he concentrated on his Qi.


    At first, he didn''t feel anything; it was just akin to meditating. But soon, he felt the spiritual energy gush through him, the warmth coursing through his body slowly.


    But barely a few minutes later, he halted when he sensed an obstruction. His spiritual energy had stopped moving as if something was repelling it.


    Lionel, however, didn''t lose heart and started from the beginning, only to meet the same result again. Soon, sweat drops adorned his forehead and his face lost all its color.


    Yet, Lionel didn''t give up and tried repeatedly, and eventually, his attempts bore fruit. The spiritual energy that had remained stagnant started moving again.


    Lionel didn''t stop even once. Every time he sensed an obstruction, he would try again and again until he overcame it.


    He didn''t know how long it had been since he started cultivating. He didn''t stop until the spiritual energy had reached his entire body.


    Satisfied, he peeked at his Qi and was stupefied to find that he was still stuck at the Ghost Sense. After all the hard work, he hadn''t ascended to the next level of Novice Spirit Seer, let alone to Spirit Handler. What a bummer!


    Downcast, he let out a sigh and opened his eyes. ''Cultivating my powers is more tedious and time-consuming than I thought.''


    Shaking his head, he stood up, only for his eyes to widen when he realized how light his body felt.


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    ''I am not dreaming, am I?'' he wondered. Yet, the truth was undeniable. The proof lay within him. His body had become lighter and all the discomfort and pain he had previously felt, especially at his joints had vanished.


    "What magic is this? Amazing!" Lionel''s previous dispirited self vanished and he cheered at his achievement. Jumping in joy, he looked around him, only to be dumbstruck when he noticed the sun shining brightly outside the window. From the angle and the intensity of the rays, it seemed sometime after noon.


    "How long was I cultivating? Don''t tell me..." Lionel pulled out his phone, but couldn''t power it up. Confused, he plugged it to the charger and waited for it to charge before powering it up.


    Lionel lost his mind completely when he noticed the time.


    3.17 p.m.


    However, it was the date that shocked him to the core. He had spent an entire day and a half, almost thirty-eight hours cultivating.


    "Don''t tell me..." Lionel couldn''t believe the truth and checked the time on the Internet.


    When all searches yielded the same result, Lionel''s head spun and he lost his ability to speak. He just kept gaping at his phone like a fish. He was so overwhelmed that all he could do was cuss under his breath.


    "Fucking hell!"


    Lionel wanted to cuss more. But his stomach rumbled all of a sudden, pointing it out to him that he hadn''t eaten anything for a day and a half. It was only then he realized that he was famished.


    Not in the mood to cook, Lionel ordered some lamb chops and fried rice and returned to his bedroom to freshen up first. The moment he looked at his reflection in the bathroom mirror, he let out a scream of terror.


    "What garbage is this?" He looked at himself, covered in filth. It looked as if he had rolled around in the mud for a few hours. "Is this me?"


    Lionel almost threw up due to the filth and the stench and he got into the shower immediately, unable to bear it anymore. He took a long shower that lasted more than an hour, scrubbing all the dirt off him. He only left his bathroom when he felt clean.


    When he looked at his reflection in the mirror again, Lionel nodded and even felt that he had become more refined. But he didn''t dwell more upon it. Instead, he dressed quickly and returned to the living room.


    During the entire time, his stomach hadn''t stopped protesting even once. Lionel didn''t even look at his phone. He knew the food was already delivered.


    So, without wasting time, he ran towards the gate. The delivery boy had left his food package by the gate. His instructions. After all, no one dared to enter the manor premises.


    Lionel didn''t attend to anything else until he had his fill and his stomach was satisfied. Sighing in relief, he leaned back on the chair and licked his lips.


    Now that his stomach was full, his thoughts returned to himself. He recalled his dark reflection and tried to uncover what might have happened.


    Biting his lower lip, he went through the contents of the diary, precisely looking for the information related to cultivation and the steps involved in it.


    "Ahhh!" Lionel drawled when he recollected what he had read. "Elder Valkorin had mentioned that the first step would involve marrow cleansing. Is that what I did?"


    Lionel was utterly perplexed. He had no idea what had transpired for there wasn''t much detail related to the marrow cleansing. He could only stare blankly while he tried to put two and two together.


    But when his mind still remained confused, he gave up and returned to his bedroom. Even though he wasn''t that exhausted, he still felt sleepy. He pushed away all his thoughts and jumped on his bed.


    Sleep first, everything else later.


    With that belief, he went to sleep with a contented smile on his lips.

 5. At the ancient market – Part 1

    Lionel entered the ancient market, his eyes taking in everything around him curiously. It was his first time there and everything intrigued him.


    There were antiques, paintings that seemed to have transcended ages, gemstones that were hard to find anywhere, hard-to-obtain herbs and much more. It was as if he had opened a treasure trove.


    Surprisingly, the market wasn''t as empty as he thought it to be. Instead, people were walking around and the business was in full swing.


    Even though he wanted to explore more, he was on a mission. So, Lionel first looked for a shop that sold talismans and cinnabar pens. Although he was stuck at the Ghost Sense, he had spiritual energy in him. He could start practicing drawing the talisman.


    But before he could find the shop, he was attracted by shouts from somewhere nearby. His feet automatically took him in the direction from where the sound was coming, his penchant for drama making him forget about his mission for the time being.


    Once he approached the shop, he heard an argument between the shopkeeper and another man.


    "This is an authentic painting. How can you say this is fake?" the shopkeeper argued while the old man didn''t believe him even once.


    "This painting is fake. You cannot convince me otherwise. I am not going to buy it."


    Lionel glanced at the old man who seemed to be in his late fifties or early sixties. The man had a clean and straightforward temperament. The aura around him was filled with righteousness and Lionel''s impression of the man rose significantly.


    However, when he looked at the shopkeeper, his deductions were completely different. The man''s eyes were gleaming cunningly. No matter how much he looked at him, he seemed like a swindler. Nothing about him seemed right. Lionel even felt that all the objects in the man''s shop were fake. There wasn''t even one authentic item.


    The public wasn''t helping the old man. They were just interested in the drama. Even when the shopkeeper almost forced the man to buy the painting, nobody stepped forward to intervene.


    Unable to tolerate such ruffian behavior, Lionel stepped forward and pushed the painting back. He even shielded the old man behind him.


    "I have never seen a hooligan behave so audaciously in the presence of a crowd," he remarked, compelling the shopkeeper to back off.


    "Neither have I seen a crowd so inhuman that they are willing to watch the thug have his way but not interfere and uphold justice. My eyes have opened today."


    The crowd was stunned speechless. They were just mere spectators. Yet, they had been called inhuman. They didn''t know if they should bash the young man or feel guilty about their behavior.


    Lionel ignored all of them and turned towards the old man who was staring at him gratefully. "Are you alright, Sir?"


    The man nodded, smiling at him faintly.


    "Good." Returning his gaze to the shopkeeper, he gave him a displeased stare. "When did it become alright to force a customer to buy things? Shouldn''t it be the customer''s choice whether they want to buy anything or not?"


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    The shopkeeper had no words of retort. His mind went blank when facing such an aggressive man.


    "Moreover, you are even passing off a fake as an authentic item. I should commend your courage."


    The shopkeeper was agitated this time and he glared at Lionel. "Who are you calling a ruffian? You are the ruffian here. And who told you that this painting is fake? This is authentic and if you auction it, it''ll go for millions."


    Lionel scoffed and rolled his eyes in disgust. "Then, keep your painting to yourself. We cannot afford it. Sir, shall we leave?" He turned towards the man who hadn''t spoken a word since he had intervened.


    The man nodded at him and Lionel led him away, ignoring the shopkeeper''s curses. He didn''t even react when the man threatened to sue him for tarnishing his shop''s reputation.


    "Thank you, young man. Thank you so much. If not for you, I''d still be arguing with him," the man thanked him sincerely and beamed at him strangely and Lionel frowned on seeing his odd expression.


    "No worries. Be careful, Sir. There are more fake items here than authentic."


    "You seem to know a lot. Would you mind helping me?"


    Now, it was Lionel''s turn to be speechless. He was just helping the man evade the swindler. How did the situation turn into this?


    Lionel didn''t have the heart to reject him on seeing his hopeful gaze. Eventually, he relented and agreed to help him.


    "What are you looking for, Sir?"


    "Before we begin, would you mind telling me your name?"


    Lionel hesitated. But on seeing his righteousness, he didn''t dither anymore. "Lionel."


    "Good, good. I am Walter Higgins. It''s a pleasure to meet sure."


    "The feeling is mutual, Mr. Higgins. Now, would you mind telling me what you are looking for?"


    Lionel wanted to finish helping the man soon and return to his mission. The more he dawdled, the more he''d delay his cultivation and improvement.


    "I am looking for an authentic painting, Lionel. It''s a gift for my father."


    "I see. Let''s take a look around first, shall we?"


    The man agreed instantly, having no qualms with his suggestions and the duo started walking in the ancient market. While Lionel kept a look around for any authentic paintings, he didn''t forget to note down all the shops selling talismans and cinnabar pens.


    Lionel and Walter walked around a few lanes, but couldn''t find anything authentic, that is until they found a shop that barely seemed to hold anything worthwhile from outside.


    But in Lionel''s eyes, the place was a goldmine. He found quite a few items that could be sold for a few hundred thousand dollars if not millions. Without hesitation, he entered the shop, forcing Walter to follow suit.


    Lionel ignored the man behind him. Instead, he focused on the painting hanging behind the counter.


    "You should buy this painting, Mr. Higgins," Lionel suggested. His eyes were filled with admiration as he stared at the powerful strokes.


    It was the painting of a majestic stallion. Its black, lustrous hair flew with the wind as it galloped in the meadow. Even a casual glance was enough to show how awe-inspiring it was. It screamed of power, royalty, and respect. The painting was stunningly beautiful and so life-like that it seemed the stallion would jump out of it any time soon.


    At first glance, Lionel knew that it was an authentic painting and if they auctioned it, it would go for millions.


    "This one?" Walter frowned and studied the painting. However, he couldn''t find anything astonishing in it. It seemed like a normal painting.


    "Yes. It''s my suggestion. It''s up to you to follow it." Lionel hadn''t missed Walter''s skeptical look. He just led him to an authentic painting. The decision to buy lay in his hands.


    "You should listen to him." The shop assistant''s eyes flashed with greed when he saw the customers. They were the first customers in a long time and he couldn''t help but be giddy with excitement.


    "This is one of the most valuable pieces in our shop. Since you found it, I''m going to sell it to you for three hundred dollars."


    Lionel was speechless at his words. Did he even know how valuable the painting was? Three hundred? It was a marvelous deal. He had thought it''d cost at least a few thousand.


    Walter wasn''t convinced. He didn''t find the painting that attractive and he pursed his lips thoughtfully. Although he wasn''t willing to buy it, he didn''t have the heart to disappoint the young man who had helped him before.


    "I will only pay two hundred and fifty," he haggled and the assistant cursed under his breath. But he still agreed to sell it. Even though it wasn''t the price he had stated, he would still make a profit of fifty dollars. He rolled the painting and placed it in a scroll case before handing it to his first customer in a long time.

 6. At the ancient market – Part 2

    Once Walter was done paying for the painting, he looked for Lionel and found him standing in front of a showcase. "What are you staring at, Lionel?"


    Although he wasn''t in favor of the painting he had bought, he was still polite. The young man had helped him avoid paying thousands to a swindler. For that reason alone, he was thankful to him.


    "Could you show this rock to me?" Lionel glanced at the assistant who was staring at them excitedly. Even though the man''s eyes were filled with greed, he didn''t mind it.


    The shop assistant wasn''t a bad person. He was merely greedy. He had never harmed anyone and his background was clean. So, Lionel didn''t mind doing more business in his shop.


    The assistant''s eyes lit up when he noticed more business. So, he didn''t hesitate and came over to help his customer look at the item he was interested in. However, his expression faltered when he noticed what the man was interested in.


    A rock?


    Why?


    What''s so interesting about the rock?


    However, he didn''t comment about it and removed it for him to take a look.


    Lionel nodded subtly to himself. The shop assistant wasn''t forceful like the one he had reprimanded some time back. He was accommodating and courteous.


    While Walter and the assistant didn''t find anything noteworthy about the rock, Lionel became excited as soon as it was taken out.


    At first glance itself, his heart had settled on the rock. He didn''t know why but he was oddly attracted to it. His heart was asking him to buy it. Else, he''d definitely regret it.


    And Lionel didn''t hesitate even for a moment. He wanted the rock and he''d buy it at all cost.


    The moment the rock was out of the showcase, Lionel sensed a strong spiritual energy from it. Even though it was as only big as his palm, the energy in it was unbelievable.


    Lionel''s eyes twinkled in joy and he almost snatched the rock from the shop assistant.


    "I want to buy this. How much is it?"


    The assistant frowned on seeing his oddly thrilled expression. Doubtful, he examined the rock a few times. But he couldn''t discern anything special about it. Not knowing why the young man was this enthusiastic, he stated a price that was within an acceptable range.


    Fifty dollars.


    Lionel was surprised once again. But he didn''t hesitate to buy it. He had struck a bargain.


    While the assistant looked at him as if he was a rich fool, Walter started worrying about him. But he didn''t know how to prevent him from squandering.


    "I have other things I wish to buy as well," Lionel stated and the assistant cheered at his luck.


    In no time, he had sold a painting, a rock, more than a hundred talismans, and twenty five cinnabar pens.


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    "Please visit us again, customers." He handed the packed things to them and even beamed at them, hoping for them to visit daily.


    "Have a good day!" Walter said with a gentle smile.


    Lionel had a good impression of him. Even though he had charged them more for the painting and maybe even the rock, the talismans, and the pens were priced decently. His impression of him rose significantly and he even nodded at him before leaving.


    The shopkeeper watched with glee and waited until they were gone before running towards the inner room.


    "Master, Master, Master," he shouted, happiness radiating on his face.


    "Why are you shouting? Can''t you let this old man sleep in peace?"


    "Master, we had two customers today." The assistant didn''t mind his scoldings and relayed the information.


    "Oh, what did they buy?" The man didn''t budge from his makeshift bed and kept his eyes closed.


    "The painting by the counter, the useless rock in the showcase, and some talismans and cinnabar pens."


    The old man''s eyes snapped open and he stared at the assistant in surprise. "What did you just say?"


    The assistant didn''t dare meet the man''s wise eyes. It was as if he could see right through him. He was scared. Yet, he didn''t delay and repeated whatever he had said previously.


    "Wise choice indeed."


    "Master, I wonder why he bought that useless rock. Does he have some strange hobby?"


    "A fool will never understand a wise man''s actions." That was all the man said before he closed his eyes again.


    The assistant was stunned and speechless by his snarky remark. But he didn''t take it to heart and returned to the counter, humming a song in content. It was a wonderful day indeed.


    Meanwhile, Lionel and Walter left the shop and entered the lane that led to the exit of the ancient market.


    "Mr. Higgins, I am done with my shopping. If there''s nothing..."


    "Sure, sure, go ahead. Thank you for today." Walter didn''t hold him back anymore. It was already kind of the young man to help him evade the swindler, let alone help buy a painting. Even though he wasn''t that impressed with what he had bought, he was still grateful.


    Lionel knew what exactly was running in the man''s mind. But he didn''t take it to heart. Instead, he nodded at him and left the market.


    Meanwhile, Walter decided to explore more and look for another painting. However, before he could even start, his phone rang and Walter didn''t dilly-dally on seeing who was calling him.


    "Dad..."


    "Son, where are you?" The old man sounded cheerful and Walter scratched his head in wonder.


    "I was buying something, Dad. What''s wrong?"


    "An important guest is visiting us today. Come home soon."


    "Yes, Dad." Walter didn''t dare waste any time. His plan to buy another painting had to be postponed for the time being.


    When Walter reached home, the guest had already arrived and his family was attending to him.


    "Son, you are here." His father beckoned him inside and Walter rushed in, only to halt for a moment when he noticed who the guest was.


    Rufus Abernathy.


    Walter was surprised and jubilant to see such a revered man at his house.


    "Hello, Mr. Abernathy." Walter was polite and greeted him happily.


    "Hello, hello." Rufus was cordial and greeted him back.


    "Dad, I didn''t know you knew Mr. Abernathy."


    "It''s a long story." His father brushed it off with a smile. But he didn''t miss the scroll case his son was carrying and his eyes narrowed curiously.


    "Son, what are you holding?"


    Walter was embarrassed and he hid it behind him. "It''s nothing, Dad. Nothing at all."


    His awkward expression and unconvincing words only served to heighten the old Higgins'' interest and he looked at his son sternly.


    Under his scrutiny, Walter had no choice but to surrender.


    "It''s a painting. I chanced upon it and thought it looked nice." Walter glanced at Rufus discreetly and his heart dropped when he noticed that the man''s gaze too was fixed on him.


    "Would you mind if I take a look?" Rufus asked, much to his worry.


    ''Would I mind? Yes, I would mind. Who doesn''t know you, Sir? You are the famous antique appraiser, Rufus Abernathy. I don''t want to show this fake painting to you and embarrass my father.''


    Walter was cornered and he didn''t know what to do. He darted a pleading look at his father.


    Instead, it only backfired.


    "Son, show him the painting."


    Now, Walter had no choice but to show the painting to everyone. With a heavy heart, he opened the scroll case and unrolled the painting before placing it on the table for everyone to see.


    Something surprising happened the next instant that made Walter go into utter shock.


    Rufus, who was watching calmly, jumped to his feet and picked up the painting as if his life depended on it.

 7. Million dollar painting

    Walter was shocked to see the revered man''s actions and gaped at him in wonder. Not just him, his entire family too was baffled and they looked at each other questioningly.


    "Where did you get this painting? How did you find it?" Rufus ignored their expressions and asked excitedly, admiring the painting to his heart''s content.


    "Rufus, what''s wrong? Why are you this agitated?" Walter''s father, Jack asked in concern and took a good look at the painting.


    The painting looked good. The artist had done a great job of capturing the power the stallion held, wild and regal. The colors were vibrant, and the strokes were deep. However, the blemish on the edges, which had turned yellow, showed that it wasn''t new.


    The painting was brilliant and even he, who had taken just a mere glance, felt an aura he couldn''t fathom. But he couldn''t decipher who the artist was. It didn''t seem familiar.


    "Jack, this is... this is..." Rufus'' lips trembled as he tried to remain calm. "This is King Salathiel''s last painting. It''s his favorite horse, the one that helped him win the battle. It was said to have been painted by him personally. You have no idea how priceless this is."


    King Salathiel? The man painted this? It''s his favorite horse?


    Walter''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets and he examined the painting again. His heart picked up speed while he held his breath.


    Who didn''t know King Salathiel? He was the man who had fought hard for his kingdom in the seventeenth century. He was the man who had protected and ruled over their ancestors. He was the man they worshipped.


    It was said that he had painted his favorite horse, the only painting of his ever...


    ''Is this the one?''


    "Elder Abernathy, is this that painting?" Walter didn''t ask explicitly, but Rufus understood, and he nodded.


    "Yes. Where did you find it, son?" Rufus stared at him as if he was a divine being. "Will you sell it to me? I''ll buy it for a hundred thousand dollars."


    "A hundred thousand dollars?" Walter''s head spun and his legs turned jelly instantly.


    "Is it not enough? How about two hundred thousand?"


    Walter''s heart almost leaped out of his chest at the offer. He was tempted. He had paid merely two hundred and fifty for it and was now being offered a hundred and fifty thousand. He didn''t know how to react for a long time.


    "Old Rufus, who are you trying to fool here?" Jack stood up and glared at his friend before looking at the painting with star-struck eyes.


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    "My son might not know the value of this painting, but I do. And I know its worth isn''t anything less than a million dollars. Don''t try to trick us?"


    "A million dollars?" Walter felt as if he wasn''t even on this planet. It was like a dream.


    "Yes, son. Where did you buy it?" Jack nodded, breaking into a toothy grin. Although he wanted to hold the painting and cherish it until his last breath, he didn''t dare snatch it from Rufus. What if he ended up tearing it?


    Jack broke into a cold sweat and shook his head. He waited impatiently, silently urging Rufus through his gaze to hand over the painting.


    "Dad..." Walter hesitated, embarrassed to even think about how he had stumbled on the painting. It wasn''t even he who had found it in the first place.


    Walter''s eyes shone and his gratitude towards Lionel increased. He now held the young man on a high pedestal.


    "I bought it at the ancient market." Walter stopped at that. He didn''t reveal anything else, while he waited to take a good look at the painting.


    "Rufus, I think it''s time you returned the painting to me," Jack said sternly, his patience running thin.


    "But..."


    "And we will not be selling it." Jack remained adamant and didn''t succumb to Rufus'' pleas, leaving him with no choice.


    Rufus stared at the painting as if it were his child as he returned to Jack. He was close to crying and his dispirited expression made Walter praise Lionel once more.


    The young man had not just saved him from being looted, he had even helped him obtain a treasure worth millions. A deep sense of regret filled when he realized how he had behaved after buying the painting. He hadn''t been that enthusiastic and even doubted Lionel for a moment.


    Walter felt like smacking his head for his foolishness. ''If only I hadn''t been stupid...''


    Jack admired the painting for a few seconds before he placed it back into the scroll case. He then secured it inside his study while all Rufus could do was stare at him in envy.


    It was only when Rufus departed after an hour or so that Jack raised the topic, holding his son captive beside him. "Son, how did you find the painting? Be honest with me."


    Jack hadn''t missed the strange expression on his son''s face previously and he more or less had an inkling that Walter hadn''t chanced upon it himself. He wasn''t that knowledgeable about paintings, nor was he lucky.


    Walter knew he couldn''t hide the truth from his father. So, he revealed all that had transpired at the ancient market while his family listened to him. Even his son who was usually indifferent to such things was intrigued.


    "I knew it!" Jack smacked his thigh loudly and Walter jumped in shock. "Someone must have helped you. Do you know who he is? What does he do?"


    "Dad, all I know is his name. Lionel."


    Jack''s blood boiled at his son''s foolishness and he looked at him as if he was dead meat. "Don''t you have other information about him? What does he do? Where does he live?"


    "Dad, it''s my first time meeting him." Walter didn''t know if he should laugh or cry. As far as he remembered, his father had never lost his cool. But now...


    Well, he was electrified too. So, he didn''t blame his old man.


    "You are hopeless. I am going back to my painting."


    "Umm...Dad, I bought it," Walter pointed.


    "Wasn''t it a gift for me?" Jack deadpanned and returned to his study, leaving his son helpless.


    "Grandpa, wait for me." Walter''s son, Kalvin ran behind him leaving the couple in the living room.


    "Why were you so careless?" His wife, Martha slapped his hand lightly and sighed deeply.


    Walter just raised his hand helplessly.


    "If you find him next time, thank him sincerely. He did us a huge favor."


    "Definitely. We owe him. I will not be careless and stupid next time." Walter said in resolve, making up his mind to visit the ancient market a few times, hoping to meet him soon.

 8. Cleansing Talisman

    Oblivious to the chaos his actions had created in the Higgins family, Lionel returned home happily and examined the rock he had bought.


    To a normal person, the rock seemed trash, something that shouldn''t have been bought at all. But not to Lionel.


    Lionel had sensed a strong energy from it, attracting him to it. It was as if he would regret it for sure if he didn''t buy it. He trusted his instincts. After unlocking the Ghost Sense, he had developed skills that once seemed impossible.


    Lionel examined the rock. But he couldn''t find a way to extract the energy.


    An idea sprang in his mind and he directed the spiritual energy in him to the rock.


    At first, nothing happened.


    But soon, he felt a strange sensation in him, and he realized that the energy in the rock was fusing with his spiritual energy.


    The dense energy circulated between him and the rock and once the rock lost all its spiritual energy, it turned into power.


    Lionel was baffled. He stared at the grey powder in his hand and on the floor. What shocked him more was that his cultivation level had increased.


    Previously he was at the intermediate level of Ghost Sense. But now, he was at an advanced level. The sudden spike delighted and frustrated him at the same time. He had spent a day and a half cultivating and had barely managed to reach the intermediate level of Ghost Sense.


    A mere rock had helped him reach the advanced level. What kind of sorcery was this?


    Lionel was disgruntled. But that didn''t stop him from ogling at his newly bought treasures. If it were before, he would have laughed at anyone who told him he would one day buy talisman papers.


    But now, they were his greatest treasures. Since ghosts weren''t a myth, he had to be prepared.


    What if he was out on a walk and a wandering ghost decided to greet him?


    Lionel felt his hair on the end stand at the mere thought. ''I need to improve fast and start drawing talismans. I can''t ignore my safety.''


    Lionel sat cross-legged on the floor and placed a blank talisman before him. He recalled the easiest talisman that could be drawn.


    Cleansing talisman.


    He didn''t dare think of more powerful talismans. He would need to use a lot of his spiritual energy to draw them and he wasn''t at that stage yet.


    Recalling the drawing from the diary, Lionel began drawing it. No sooner had he started, the cinnabar pen broke, startling the man until his eyes widened.


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    "What just happened? How did the pen break?"


    Not just the pen, even the talisman paper had gone to waste. His first trial was unsuccessful.


    Lionel didn''t give up and tried again, only to meet the same fate.


    On the third trial, he managed to draw the talisman without destroying the cinnabar pen. But the talisman didn''t have any spiritual energy in it. It was utterly useless.


    Frustrated, Lionel pulled at his hair. He picked up the fourth talisman and closed his eyes for a moment. Slowly, channeling his qi, he guided it to the pen and started drawing the talisman.


    Soon, his forehead was drenched with sweat and his wet shirt clung to him. Lionel felt the spiritual energy in him depleting. But he didn''t give up. He continued drawing.


    Sweat trickled down his cheek while dark spots filled his sight. Lionel gritted his teeth and persisted. He just had one stroke left.


    The last stroke sucked the soul out of him and once he was finally done, he collapsed to the floor. He felt utterly drained and disoriented. Drawing a talisman was even more taxing than any exercise.


    Lionel breathed deeply while he gathered his energy. He couldn''t even sit up straight.


    After a long time, he finally recovered a little and sat up to examine the talisman. He noticed a faint spiritual energy in it. His attempt this time had been a success.


    "Yay," Lionel shouted in glee and grinned like a Cheshire cat.


    Although the Cleansing Talisman he had drawn wasn''t that strong, it was still a good attempt and Lionel cheered at his achievement.


    He wanted to continue. But his body was in no condition to support him. So, he gave up. He had to rest well and rejuvenate his energy before he drew again.


    Lionel was tempted to test the talisman. Cleansing Talismans could purify low-level dark energy. What about the one he had drawn?


    ''Would mine work? It''s a low-level talisman after all,'' he thought skeptically. ''Moreover, is there any dark energy in the house?''


    Lionel wasn''t sure about it. He didn''t sense any.


    "Let me give it a try."


    Lionel threw the talisman in the air. But it just floated for a few seconds before it fell beside him. There wasn''t any strange reaction,


    "Why did it not work? Does that mean there is no dark energy here?" he pondered, but couldn''t come up with a possible answer.


    Stressed, he gave up thinking and ordered some food for himself again.


    Right at that moment, his phone rang and he answered it when he noticed who was calling him.


    "Will, wassup?"


    "Lio, you and I have been chosen as volunteers for the town festival," William spoke excitedly.


    "Is it? I didn''t check my messages today."


    "I thought so. You''ve been added to the group chat. Reply over there first."


    "Sure, will do."


    "How are you doing, by the way?"


    "I''m fine."


    William didn''t probe further, deciding not to rip the bandaid and reopen the wounds.


    "Hey, did you hear about Mrs. Carlson''s daughter?" William''s tone changed, sounding gossipy all of a sudden.


    "What about her?" Lionel had no idea about what he was referring to. Since his grandfather''s death, he had isolated himself from the world pretty much.


    "There are rumors that she lost her mind. She has been behaving strangely recently."


    "Ohh..." Lionel was unbothered.


    "Some even say she might have been possessed. Funny, isn''t it?"


    Lionel''s heart skipped a beat this time and he became alert at once.


    "What did you just say?" he asked incredulously.


    "Hey, Lio, calm down. I''m just stating what I heard," William said with a chuckle.


    "Will, did you say Mrs. Carlson''s daughter was possessed?"


    "I''m not saying it. It''s the rumor that''s spreading around."


    "Will, I have got to go. I''ll talk to you later."


    "But.."


    Lionel ended the call hurriedly without listening to William, his heart pounding in anxiousness.


    ''I must check what''s wrong with Mrs. Carlson''s daughter. What if...'' Lionel clenched his fists tight as he stared at the talisman. ''What if she''s actually possessed by a ghost?''

 9. Testing the talismans

    Two days later.


    Lionel stood outside Mrs. Carlson''s house and hesitated. He was scared yet tempted. He was scared to think about his first possible encounter with a ghost. But he was tempted to find out his current strength.


    Lionel was more interested in testing the Cleaning Talismans he had drawn in the last two days. He had managed to draw four Cleansing Talismans in two days, each more powerful than the previous. Now, all that remained was for him to test them.


    Mustering his courage, Lionel knocked at the door and waited. For a moment, the thought of aborting his plan entered his mind. But he pushed it away.


    Since he''d face ghosts one day, he could take this chance to learn and improve.


    The door opened and Mrs. Carlson''s exhausted face came into his sight.


    "Mrs. Carlson," Lionel greeted his professor with a smile.


    "Lionel, it''s you. Come inside." The woman opened the door wide and welcomed him.


    Lionel''s smile vanished the moment he entered the house. He hadn''t felt it outside the house, but now that he was inside, he sensed it. There was a dark energy in the house. Though weak, it was there for sure and his expression turned serious at once.


    "How are you, Mrs. Carlson?"


    "Sophia, who is it?" Mrs. Carlson''s husband, Phil entered.


    "This is Lionel. He is my student, Phil."


    Lionel greeted the man who seemed equally exhausted as his wife.


    "What brings you here, Lionel? Is everything alright?" the woman asked worriedly and Lionel gave her a sympathetic smile.


    Lionel studied his professor and her husband calmly. While he wasn''t that proficient at physiognomy, he could still find out if a person was good or bad.


    The couple before him were kind and virtuous. They had never harmed anyone. Their eyes held no malice. So, his impression of them improved, and his resolve to help them strengthened as well.


    "Mrs. Carlson, I heard about your daughter. How is she?"


    Lionel watched his professor''s smile fade. Even her husband became serious as a depressed silence fell over them for a few seconds.


    "Nia is doing well, Lionel. Don''t listen to the rumors circulating in the town."


    Lionel didn''t believe in the rumors. Rather, he believed in his instincts.


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    "Mrs. Carlson, what do the doctors say?"


    "They aren''t able to detect what''s made her fall sick." Sophia sighed heavily while her shoulders drooped.


    Lionel glanced at his professor''s husband who looked equally crestfallen.


    "May I take a look at her, Mrs. Carlson?"


    His words stunned the couple and they looked at him warily.


    "I just want to take a look."


    Sophia looked at her husband who shook his head instantly.


    "Lionel, I..."


    "Mrs. Carlson, I may have a cure for Nia''s condition." Lionel looked between the couple and saw how wide their eyes had gone in shock.


    "What did you just say?" Phil was the first to react and he stood up, agitated.


    "Mr. Carlson, I won''t say for sure, but I might have a way to help your daughter."


    Lionel didn''t show it on his face. Only he knew how anxious he was at that moment. He was taking a big risk by speaking before confirming if he was capable or not.


    It was a gamble, Either he could actually help his professor''s daughter or he would be labeled a liar.


    "What would you know? Go home and study, kid." Phil scoffed and looked at him in anger.


    "Mrs. Carlson, there''s no harm in trying. What if I can actually help Nia?"


    Lionel aimed at his professor who wasn''t as stubborn as her husband. His words made her soften her stance and she faced her husband, pleading him to give in.


    "Phil, let''s allow him to give it a try."


    "Sophia, our child is already suffering. Do you want her to suffer more? Aren''t the strange rumors in the town enough? Do you want another person to add to the flames?" He gritted his teeth and glared at Lionel.


    Sophia''s eyes welled up and her shoulders shook. "What else can we do? I can''t see our daughter suffer. What if he actually has a way?"


    "What if he doesn''t?" Phil directed his furious gaze towards his wife.


    Sophia remained silent, not knowing how to counter him.


    "Mr. Carlson, if I''m unable to cure your daughter, then I''ll consider myself unworthy of being Mrs. Carlson''s student."


    "Your words are all nice to hear. They don''t do you any harm. It is my daughter who will suffer." Phil spat, his eyes turning red in anger.


    "Mr. Carlson, how about this? If I can''t cure your daughter, you may punish me however you want."


    Lionel didn''t know how else to convince the man. If he wasn''t desperate to test his talismans, he''d have walked out of the house by now.


    Phil had nothing to say this time. Although he was still annoyed, he wasn''t objecting anymore.


    Taking his silence as his consent, Sophia brought Lionel to her daughter''s room.


    The dark energy was stronger inside the room. For a moment, Lionel wasn''t certain if he could ward it off. Feeling a strong, suspicious gaze on him, he turned around to face his professor''s husband who was right behind him.


    Lionel didn''t show any fright under his scrutiny and stepped inside the room further. Ignoring his diffidence, he inspected the girl on the bed.


    Nia seemed to be in her early teens. Her face was deathly pale and she looked haggard.


    Lionel frowned. Instinctively, he placed two of his fingers on her forehead. The next instant, he felt a negative energy inside her.


    If he was doubtful before, he was sure now. A ghost had possessed Nia. But what surprised him was that he didn''t sense any ghost inside her or anywhere around him.


    "Mrs. Carlson, may I know how long your daughter has been like this?"


    "It''s been two weeks now. Why? Lionel, what''s wrong?" Sophia''s face lost all color and her worry heightened when she saw her student''s grim face.


    "Mrs. Carlson, my next actions might shock you. But please don''t interrupt me."


    "But.."


    "Please, Mrs. Carlson, Mr. Carlson."


    Lionel sought permission from both of them. While Phil didn''t say anything, he nodded and Sophia followed suit.


    "Thank you."


    Lionel wasn''t sure how strong the dark energy inside Nia was. So, he used the strongest talisman he had drawn.


    Phil''s expression changed when he saw what Lionel was about to do. Even Sophia was taken aback. But they didn''t intervene and watched him silently.


    Lionel didn''t waste time and smacked the talisman on Nia''s forehead and the next instant, Nia shrieked in agony.

 10. Eliminating the dark energy

    Nia''s screams were especially heart-wrenching and Sophia lost all her rationality on seeing her daughter in pain.


    Forgetting Lionel''s request, she hurried to stop him. But Phil was quick to hold her back.


    "What are you doing? Can''t you see our daughter is in pain?" Sophia thrashed in his arms while tears rolled down her eyes.


    Phil was equally devastated, but he was sensible. He saw things that his wife had overlooked.


    Nia hadn''t responded to any treatment or care previously. She had remained unresponsive even when some of the best doctors in the town treated her.


    However, now, Lionel had managed to wake her up from her slumber. Although she was screaming and in pain, it was still a development and he sincerely hoped for the young man to cure his daughter.


    Phil didn''t say anything but continued to hold his wife back, allowing Lionel to continue.


    Lionel didn''t break his focus and watched Nia thrash on her bed. Her miserable cries made him feel terrible. But he could do nothing either.


    Soon, the talisman vanished, and immediately after, a black wisp of smoke escaped from her body.


    While the black smoke wasn''t visible to the Carlson couple, they were bewildered to see the talisman vanish. For a moment, they even wondered if they were imagining things. How could things disappear just like that?


    Nia stopped screaming and her eyeballs moved behind her closed eyelids. It took her a few minutes to open her eyes.


    While the couple was spooked, Lionel was surprised as well. He hadn''t expected his talisman to work. Had he done a good job at it? Was it that powerful or was the dark energy too weak? He couldn''t fathom.


    Phil and Sophia were overwhelmed with joy and held their breaths as they saw their daughter''s flutter open.


    Phil loosened his arms around his wife, and Sophia dashed towards her daughter. "Nia, how do you feel? Are you okay?"


    "Mom, I feel weak," Nia croaked.


    Although Nia''s face was deathly pale, she looked better than before. The couple were relieved and their eyes lit up in joy.


    "I want to sleep," Nia continued, her eyes blurry with sleep.


    Sophia glanced at Lionel, who was still observing her daughter. At first, she had been apprehensive about her student. What could he do when the doctors found nothing amiss with Nia?


    But now, after seeing his skills, she had nothing but admiration for him. Lionel was her family''s savior and she held him in high regard.


    Sophia didn''t know what to do. Was it okay for her daughter to continue sleeping? Will she fall into a coma again? The mere thought made her restless and she pleaded with Lionel, not caring that he was younger than her by a few decades.


    Lionel touched Nia''s forehead. Unlike before, he didn''t sense any dark energy in her. The talisman had worked its charm. So, he nodded at his professor.


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    Nia was drowsy. Not knowing what was happening around her, she fell into a deep sleep in no time.


    Lionel moved his gaze away from Nia and looked around the room. Although the dark energy inside her had been obliterated, he still felt some inside the room.


    Recalling the instructions in the diary, he pulled out another Cleansing Talisman, the first one he had drawn successfully, and threw it in the air.


    Sophia and Phil gawked at him with their jaws dropped at his magical actions. Again, the talisman vanished into thin air.


    While the couple didn''t sense it, Lionel felt the air to have turned less cold. This time, he didn''t feel any dark energy inside the room.


    "Lionel, what''s happening? How..."


    "Mr. Carlson, I need to inspect your house first. Is that fine?"


    Nia and her room had been dealt with. But their house still had traces of dark energy and he had to eradicate all of it before his job was done.


    "Sure, sure." The couple didn''t have any qualms with his request. His actions had opened their eyes and they were willing to agree to anything he said.


    Lionel walked out of Nia''s room. He didn''t examine any of the rooms on the floor he was in. Even without entering them, he sensed them to be fine.


    So, he came to the ground floor and frowned instantly when he sensed traces of negative energy. Though faint, it was still present and he had to use another talisman to eradicate the negativity in the house.


    This time, he didn''t feel anything ominous. The house didn''t have any more dark energy.


    Lionel felt his heart bleed when he saw that he had used three out of four talismans he had drawn in such a short time. Vowing to become stronger, he finally faced the couple who was following him silently.


    "I presume you have some questions for me, Mrs. Carlson."


    "What was that?" Sophia finally managed to ask the question that had been haunting her for quite some time.


    "Mrs. Carlson, my words seem ridiculous. But will you believe me if I tell you your daughter encountered something she shouldn''t have?"


    Sophia and Phil believed him instantly. There was no reason not to. His actions had proved everything.


    "Is it true that she was being possessed?" Sophia asked with a shaky voice, dreading the answer.


    "I wouldn''t say so, Mrs. Carlson. It''d be more accurate to say she was being haunted. But I''m not an expert. So, I can''t say for sure."


    If he wasn''t an expert, who was? Lionel was more of an expert than anyone they knew.


    "Is Nia alright? Will there be a problem in the future?" Phil was worried for his daughter.


    Lionel had managed to wake her up today. What if she was in trouble again tomorrow?


    "Yes, she is fine and will wake up after a few hours. As for your other question, I apologize, Mr. Carlson, I can''t answer right now."


    The Carlson couple looked as if someone had punched their gut.


    "Lionel, please, please save my daughter." Sophia held her student''s palm and begged him desperately.


    "Mrs. Carlson, it''s not that I don''t want to help. I don''t know what kind of thing your daughter has encountered to tell you accurately."


    "Then...then..." Phil understood the underlying meaning behind his words and his hope was ignited.


    "I''ll visit again in three days. But if you notice something strange about Nia in the meantime, contact me immediately. Also," Lionel pulled out the last talisman he had with him. "I''ll give this to you, Mrs. Carlson. If you face a similar situation, you can use it."


    "Lionel, may I have a few more of these?" Phil asked hopefully.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Carlson. I only have one with me. I''ll bring a few more next time."


    "Thank you, Lionel. Thank you so much." Sophia was grateful. He had helped them at their critical time for which she''d be eternally thankful.


    "Lionel, please tell us your fees." Lionel had exhausted quite a lot of energy in helping them. Phil didn''t know who else to pay him other than money.


    "Mr. Carlson, it''s up to you." Lionel genuinely hadn''t thought about it. He hadn''t fixed any fees for his services yet.


    But he didn''t reject Mr. Carlson''s money. After all, he had worked hard for it, exhausting his spiritual energy and even putting his life at risk.


    Moreover, he recalled what he had read in the diary.


    Every action carries a price, bound by the laws of karma. To accept help without offering something in return was to invite unseen retribution, for karma demands balance in all things.


    If Lionel helped without compensation, the imbalance would invite consequences¡ªnot for him, but for those he helped. As for what the consequences were, nobody knew.

 11. Haunted again

    Lionel was stunned. He stared at his phone again, reading the message he had received from his bank.


    2000 dollars.


    The Carlson couple had transferred 2000 dollars to his account. Although the amount didn''t faze him for his bank account had a lot more than anyone could comprehend, he was still in disbelief that his small act of kindness had profited him greatly.


    Lionel suddenly had an understanding. He stared at the manor before him, his manor, the house his grandfather had left for him. ''Is this how you were earning money, Grandpa?'' he wondered.


    2000 dollars wasn''t a lot of money. But to him, it was still a lot and he briefly considered returning some of it. But he stopped short and decided to speak with the Carlson couple in person. Moreover, he had yet to provide them with more talismans.


    Lionel closed and locked all the doors and windows, his mind returning to the important matter at hand. He had three days before he returned to the Carlson house to investigate.


    So, he took this time to cultivate and draw talismans.


    On the first day, nothing happened. He was still at a bottleneck, stuck at the Ghost Sense of Novice Spirit Seer stage, but he was able to draw talismans with more power.


    It was on the second night that he had a breakthrough.


    Lionel felt a minute fluctuation in his spiritual energy and his heartbeat spiked. He continued cultivating, feeling the change in him. Albeit subtle, there was a change, and this change continued for a long time until everything became stagnant again.


    He had reached the next level in Novice Spirit Seer. He was now a Silent Exorcist.


    Lionel instantly tested his powers and drew the Cleaning Talisman. He succeeded in one go; this time, it had dense spiritual energy, better than all the talismans he had drawn previously, even when combined.


    Testing his might, he tried to draw another talisman, one that required more spiritual energy. The Blessing Talisman.


    The Blessing Talisman wasn''t as easy as the Cleaning Talisman. But he didn''t lose hope and drew it with utmost focus. Surprisingly, he was able to draw it. Although the spiritual energy in it wasn''t that thick, he still felt it.


    Lionel cheered with his achievement and in no time, he had exhausted all his spiritual energy in stacking Cleansing Talismans and Blessing Talismans.


    A smile crept up on his lips and he stared at the stack of talismans, his treasure trove.


    Sighing softly, he glanced at the time. It was already past dinnertime. Surprisingly, he wasn''t that hungry. Not bothering to have something, he retired for the night, deciding to focus on everything else afterward.


    However, he had barely laid down on his bed when his phone rang and Lionel answered it immediately when he saw who was calling him.


    "Mrs. Carlson." Lionel''s thoughts started to run wild. Why was she calling him at this time of the night? Was something wrong? Did something happen to Nia?


    "Lionel, I... I..." The woman could barely speak, and Lionel''s heart almost jumped out of his chest. A terrible feeling was creeping up on him.


    "Mrs. Carlson, is Nia okay? What happened?"


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    Lionel couldn''t fathom what had happened and Sophia''s incoherent words weren''t helping him much.


    "Lionel, it''s me, Phil."


    "Mr. Carlson," Lionel was glad his professor''s husband was calm compared to his agitated wife. "Is Nia fine?"


    "Nia, is fine, Lionel. She is recuperating well. It''s just that...just that..." He hesitated for a moment and Lionel''s brows drew together in confusion.


    "Nia''s friend has fallen unconscious and her symptoms look exactly the same as Nia''s before you helped her."


    Lionel understood what was happening. Although it wasn''t what he had expected, he wasn''t surprised. Instead, he became apprehensive at once. The situation wasn''t looking good.


    "Mr. Carlson, I''ll be there soon. Text me the address."


    "Thank you, Lionel."


    Lionel drove towards the place his professor''s husband had texted him. The night was eerily calm, with barely anyone present on the streets. It was close to midnight after all.


    Observing the area he was reaching, he pushed his tongue against the inside of his cheek. It was one of the posh areas in the town, where the rich lived.


    Lionel didn''t even have to enter the house to find out what was wrong. As soon as he reached the villa, he felt a strong negative energy from inside. It was denser than how it had been in the Carlson family.


    Lionel knocked on the door lightly and waited as he studied his surroundings. He was surprised to see his professor opening the door for him. She seemed to be crying; her eyes were red and puffy.


    "Lionel, please come inside."


    Sophie led him inside and Lionel looked around, his frown deepening with each step he took inside the villa.


    "Lauren is Nia''s friend and classmate and she fell unconscious a day ago. The doctors weren''t able to determine anything. When I found out, I thought... I thought..." Sophie was overwhelmed with fear and she could barely manage to speak without stuttering.


    "I understand, Mrs. Carlson." Lionel didn''t say much until they reached the living room.


    "Lionel, this is Susan Wallace and Brian Wallace, Lauren''s parents," Sophie introduced. "And that''s Jacob, Lauren''s elder brother."


    Lionel wasn''t surprised to see Phil along with the Wallace family. Instead, he was surprised to see another familiar face. He recognized Jacob. After all, they studied in the same university. The only difference was that Jacob was his senior and was in a different department.


    "I know you." Jacob pointed his finger at him, his eyes narrowing in realization.


    "Yeah. I''m your junior at the university," Lionel acknowledged and nodded at the Wallace couple.


    "Where''s Nia?" Lionel didn''t say more and glanced at his professor.


    "My sister is with her. She''s safe," Phil replied, understanding why Lionel enquiring about his daughter.


    "Good." Lionel was glad that they hadn''t left the poor girl alone, after all that she went through.


    "Phil, what''s happening? Who is he and why is he here?" Brian asked, skeptical about Lionel and his intentions.


    "Brian, as I told you before, I think Lauren is being haunted by the same ghost that haunted my daughter."


    Brian jumped to his feet instantly and glared at Phil. "My daughter isn''t possessed by any ghost. Don''t you dare accuse her maliciously."


    Lionel felt a deja vu, only that he wasn''t at the receiving end of Mr. Wallace''s wrath this time, unlike the previous time.


    "But..."


    "Mr. Carlson, let me," Lionel interrupted, bringing everyone''s attention to him.


    "I don''t want to listen to you. You swindler. What did you feed Phil and Sophie for them to support your bullshit?" Brian shouted.


    Lionel narrowed his eyes, disliking the man''s tone. He didn''t mind the man''s suspicion. But calling him a swindler before testing him wasn''t something he was unwilling to accept.


    "Get out of here before I call the police."


    "Are you sure, Mr. Wallace?" Lionel was annoyed and he didn''t hide it from them. "If I leave today, I guarantee no one can save your daughter."


    While Brian scoffed, deeming his words to be bullshit, his wife thought otherwise. His eyes widened in fear while her face lost all color. Her eyes teared up and she bit her lip for a moment before deciding to take the risk.


    "Brian, let''s give him a chance."


    "Susan, you..." Brian was vexed and his eyes rounded in shock.


    "What if he can help our daughter?"


    "Yes, Brian. Trust me when I say Lionel helped Nia. I hope Lauren''s situation is different from my daughter''s. But what if it''s the same?" Phil stated, his face serious and stressed. He hadn''t missed Lionel''s annoyed gaze and he had every right to be. He''d too felt angry listening to Brian''s insults.


    "No doctor or specialist will be able to save her then."


    "I agree, Dad. Let Lionel try once," Jacob too agreed and gave Lionel a strange look.


    Brian gritted his teeth but remained silent, accepting their suggestions. But that didn''t stop him from glaring at Lionel who looked equally irked at him.


    "Mr. Carlson is right. Your daughter, Lauren''s situation is the same as Nia''s," he started, holding the Wallace couple''s gaze. "Only that Lauren''s is more severe and dangerous."

 12. Ghost mark

    "What a load crap of bullshit!" Brian didn''t believe Lionel already; his words only heightened his suspicions.


    Lionel looked at him coldly, his face barely showing any expression. He was showing the man respect, giving his professor and his senior face. But the man remained adamant in insulting him.


    "I think Lauren doesn''t need me. You''re free to find whoever you want." Lionel didn''t show them any mercy this time and left the living room, without waiting for anyone.


    He was intrigued to learn how capable he had become and how powerful his new talismans were. He was also interested in the ghost that had haunted Nia and now Lauren. But his self-respect was paramount. He wouldn''t help anyone who kept on insulting him.


    "Lionel, wait," Phil shouted and ran after him, but not before glaring at Brian.


    Even Jacob looked displeased, finding his father unreasonable. Glancing at him annoyedly, he followed Phil to stop Lionel from leaving.


    "Lionel, please wait."


    Lionel stopped when he heard his professor''s husband. However, he didn''t hide his fury as he waited to see what the man was up to.


    "Lionel, don''t take Brian''s words to heart. He is just worried about Lauren."


    Lionel wasn''t persuaded by him. Brian had a strange way of showing his worry. "Mr. Carlson, you and I know that isn''t his worry speaking. Instead, it''s his arrogance. I''m not obligated to help him in the first place and even more so after he insulted me."


    "I understand, Lionel. But..."


    "Lionel, I apologize on my father''s behalf. Please forgive him." Jacob arrived and apologized sincerely.


    "It''s strange that the man at fault doesn''t consider it so, while the others do. I won''t accept your apology. You may look for someone else to help your sister."


    Lionel didn''t budge and turned to leave, only to stop when Jacob blocked his path.


    "Lionel, you have every right to be angry. Show your anger on my Dad. But please help Lauren. Please," Jacob begged, not caring about his father. His sister''s well-being was his current priority.


    "Please, Lionel. Help us," Phil too added, hoping for the young man to soften his stance just once.


    "I''ll ensure Dad doesn''t get in your way."


    "How? Can you control his mouth?" Lionel sneered, not believing Jacob''s fanciful words.


    "Just trust me this once. Please. If Dad insults you again, you''re free to leave and no one will stop you."


    Lionel observed Jacob who seemed to be at his wits ends. His heart softened and he nodded, deciding to give them one last chance, for Lauren''s sake.


    "Thank you, Lionel. Thank you so much."


    "But let me warn you. My fees aren''t that cheap." Lionel didn''t hide the truth.


    After Brian''s stupid stunt, he decided to hike his fees.


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    "No problem. Just help Lauren."


    Lionel accompanied Phil and Jacob inside the villa. He didn''t even glance at Brian who sat with a dark expression. It seemed he had been told off by the two women.


    "I''d like to see Lauren."


    "Sure."


    Jacob took the lead, ignoring his father while the others followed behind him.


    Lionel forgot about his displeasure for the time being and focused on the dark energy in the villa. The closer he approached Lauren''s room, the stronger it became.


    Phil''s heart dropped when he saw the young man''s grave face. The situation wasn''t good at all.


    ''Will Nia be in danger again? Will she...'' Just the thought of Nia being haunted by a ghost again made his legs lose strength and he almost buckled to the ground.


    If not for Lionel holding him in time, he would have dropped to his knees for sure.


    "Are you alright, Mr. Carlson?"


    Phil didn''t react. He didn''t even respond. He remained silent and that alone gave Lionel his answer.


    Patting his shoulder lightly, he smiled at him assuringly. "I''ll try my best to protect your daughter. With me around, nothing will happen to her."


    Lionel didn''t know why he was trying to comfort the man. He didn''t know what kind of evil he was dealing with or if it was something he could even handle. Yet, he couldn''t stop himself when he saw Phil''s pale face.


    Fortunately, his words helped Phil recover and his face lost some paleness. He looked better than before.


    "Thank you, Lionel."


    Lionel nodded as they proceeded towards Lauren''s room.


    Jacob was already inside and Lionel''s jaw dropped when he saw Lauren. The girl''s face was covered slightly with cadaveric qi. He hadn''t witnessed something like that around Nia. But with Lauren, it was impossible to not see it.


    ''Could it be because I am now a Silent Exorcist?'' he wondered, pursing his lips.


    Sighing heavily, he walked towards Lauren. As soon as he placed his fingers on her forehead, he sensed a strong dark energy. But along with it, he also sensed a mark, a ghost mark. Whatever was haunting Lauren had left its mark on her.


    Lionel examined the girl on the bed. She was pale, resembling a corpse, just.


    At first, he hadn''t noticed it. But now, he did. Lauren''s life force was being sucked dry by the ghost and if this continued, she would die in two days.


    "Whatever happens next might blow your mind. But please don''t interrupt me." Lionel''s gaze especially lingered on Brian who only rolled his eyes at him.


    He was about to remark snarkily again, only to stop when his wife glared at him threateningly.


    Lionel ignored him and picked one of the Cleansing Talismans with strong spiritual energy.


    As soon as he smacked it on her forehead, Lauren started twitching.


    Everyone gasped in fright when they saw her condition. What mortified them was that she started screaming, a shrill scream that almost exploded their eardrums. It didn''t sound anything like human.


    Although Phil and Sophia had already braced themselves for what was about to come, they still were spooked.


    Susan, Jacob, and Brian''s conditions were more terrible, especially Brian''s. His eyes almost popped out of his sockets when he saw the talisman Lionel had smacked on his daughter''s forehead disappear in thin air.


    ''What the heck!''


    Lauren twisted in agony as she kept screaming. There was a surge in the negative energy and Lionel noticed that the cadaveric qi was now covering her entire face. She would die soon if this continued.


    Instantly, he smacked a Blessing Talisman on her forehead and it started to work its charm.


    The Blessing Talisman devoured the cadaveric qi while the Cleansing Talisman eliminated the dark energy.


    Meanwhile, Lionel threw another Cleaning Talisman in the air to eradicate the dark energy that had filled the room in just a few seconds.


    Seconds passed and Lauren finally stopped twitching and screaming. While no one noticed anything amiss, Lionel did. He instantly saw a wisp of black smoke leave her body.


    This smoke was different. It held a lot of resentment energy and Lionel''s lips thinned into a line thoughtfully.


    Lauren''s eyeballs rolled behind her eyelids while everyone held their breaths. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open and she looked around.


    However, she was too weak, weaker than Nia and she fell asleep again.


    "Lauren...." Susan stopped herself, recalling Lionel''s warning.


    "She''s fine now." He nodded and moved away, allowing the Wallace family to check on her.


    Lionel didn''t linger inside the room anymore and walked out. He was surprised to see how effective his Cleansing Talisman had been. There wasn''t any residual negative energy in the villa.


    "Lionel, what the hell happened there?" Phil was right behind him and asked him. His worldview had changed completely and he was now petrified.


    "About that..." Lionel thought for a moment. "I''d like to have a word with you all later. I have a few questions to ask."

 13. Haunted house

    Ten minutes later, Lionel sat in the living while the others sat before him.


    Unlike before, Brian looked as if someone had stolen his soul. The man was beyond frightened and he was short of losing his consciousness.


    Lionel diregarding again and directed his gaze at Phil and Jacob who were sitting side by side.


    "Lionel, what the hell happened there? How..." Jacob was still in shock. For a moment, he wondered if he was dreaming, a lingering effect after watching a good horror movie.


    "Well, it''s exactly what you saw. Lauren was being haunted by a ghost, the same one that haunted Nia."


    Jacob looked as if someone had punched him in the gut.


    Lionel pitied him and wanted to stop. But he didn''t when he recalled the questions he wanted to ask them.


    "Lauren''s situation was actually worse than Nia''s."


    Phil''s brows knotted into a frown and he looked at Lionel apprehensively. "What do you mean?"


    Lionel ran a hand through his hair and sighed softly. "Whatever was haunting Lauren was sucking her life force dry. If this continued, she would have become a corpse in two days. Even I wouldn''t have been able to do anything then."


    Jacob and Susan broke into a cold sweat while the Carlson couple felt their blood run cold. Their breaths were stuck in their chests as they tried to digest the truth they had just heard.


    "Is Lauren safe now?" Jacob asked, his mind going blank at the thought of him losing his sister. "Will the...will the ghost haunt her again?"


    "I''m not sure." Lionel didn''t lie to them to pacify them. "I sensed a lot of resentment in the air when Lauren stopped twitching. There is a chance the ghost might return to exact revenge."


    "Lionel, please help my sister. Please save her." Jacob immediately dropped to his knees and begged him, holding his hand desperately.


    Lionel was their final straw. If he gave up on them, no one could save Lauren.


    Jacob had seen how effective Lionel''s methods had been. Even if he had doubts about his sister being haunted by a ghost previously, all of it vanished once he saw his astonishing moves.


    "I..."


    "Please, Lionel. Please save my daughter," Susan too begged, her eyes red with tears. She was about to kneel as well when Lionel stopped her.


    "Please, Mrs. Wallace. I''ll do my best to help Lauren."


    Barely had he helped Jacob back to his seat when Brian knelt before him, startling everyone.


    "Mr. Wallace, what..."


    "Lionel, I was wrong. I am at fault. I shouldn''t have insulted you. I shouldn''t have...." Brian was reminded of the scene he had seen in his daughter''s room and he trembled visibly. "Please forgive me."


    Lionel didn''t speak a word. He looked at him coldly before glancing at Jacob, who understood what his junior was asking him.


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    "Dad, get up."


    "But..."


    "Mr. Wallace, you don''t have to apologize. I won''t accept your apology." Lionel rejected him without mercy.


    "But..."


    "And you''re only apologizing because you realized only I can save your daughter. Otherwise, you wouldn''t have hesitated to throw me out of your house by now."


    "No, no..." Brian shook his head. He had learned his lesson. He regretted his loose mouth. He really did.


    "Hold your breath, Mr. Wallace. I''m not interested in your apologies. I have other matters to handle." Lionel turned his head away and returned to the issue at hand.


    "Mr. Carlson, Jacob, I have a few questions to ask."


    "Go ahead, Lionel." Phil nodded, not bothered by his behavior with Brian. The man deserved it. Who asked him to be stupid and insult people without thinking?


    "Nia and Lauren were haunted by the same ghost. While I didn''t sense any mark on Nia, the ghost had left a mark on Lauren. I think it may be because it was feeding on her life force."


    Phil shifted uncomfortably while he waited for Lionel to ask his question.


    Even Jacob sat still as he listened to his junior while Sophia and Susan remained silent.


    "Do you know anything the girls did that might have attracted the ghost to them?" Lionel asked his first question.


    Jacob frowned, not understanding what Lionel was getting at. "Lauren and Nia are classmates and friends. They meet almost every day. I am not sure what they did."


    "What I meant was did they ever do anything out of the norms? Maybe they visited a place they shouldn''t have or picked up something strange?"


    Jacob''s frown deepened while Phil tried to recall if Nia had mentioned anything along those lines.


    "I can''t..." Jacob shook his head. However, Susan interrupted him before he could finish.


    "Wait a minute!" Her eyes widened in horror as she looked at Lionel in disbelief.


    "Mrs. Wallace, do you know something?" Lionel narrowed his eyes as he observed her.


    "A week ago..." Susan gulped and looked at Jacob briefly before continuing, "Lauren and her friends visited the haunted house. It was the day after their exams ended. I think...I think..."


    Susan couldn''t continue anymore and a tense silence fell over the place.


    "Lionel, do you think...." Sophia dreaded to think of the possibility. "Do you think they provoked something at the haunted house?"


    "Well..." Lionel tapped his fingers on his knees. "I won''t deny the possibility, Mrs. Wallace. Whatever Nia and Lauren provoked must have been at the haunted house. But..."


    Lionel stopped for a moment as he thought about it. "May I know how many people had joined them on this adventure?"


    The Wallace family and the Carlson couple weren''t fools to not understand what Lionel was trying to imply.


    "I''m not sure, Lionel. There were two other girls for sure," Sophia answered, her voice quivering slightly. "But there might be more. I''ll have to ask Nia about it."


    Lionel rubbed his head, feeling a slight headache creeping in on him. His lack of sleep for the last two days and the depletion of his spiritual energy over the day, while he stacked talismans, were taking a toll on him.


    "I should leave now." Lionel stood up, prompting everyone to jump to their feet in agitation.


    "No, you..."


    "Relax, Mrs. Wallace. Lauren is out of danger for now. The ghost won''t haunt her for the time being," Lionel assured the woman who was just short of kneeling before him again.


    "Mr. Carlson, I''ll visit you tomorrow. I need to have a word with Nia."


    Phil nodded, unable to find his words.


    "Lionel, do you..." Sophia hesitated, unable to put forth her request directly.


    "Mrs. Carlson, these are the talismans. Give them to Nia." Lionel handed her a Cleansing Talisman and a Blessing Talisman.


    "But..." Sophia glanced at Phil who took over instantly.


    "Can you give us a few more, Lionel? We..."


    "Mr. Carlson, that ghost won''t attack you. Otherwise, you would have shown some signs by now. Its targets are only the ones who provoked it," Lionel explained.


    "Lionel, could you give us some talismans as well?" Jacob asked, eying the talismans in Mrs. Carlson''s hands greedily. Since he knew their power, he wanted them as well.


    "Sure. That would be a thousand dollars each and I used three talismans on your sister before. Adding them with my fees would be fifteen thousand dollars."


    Although his fees weren''t exorbitant, everyone was still taken aback and they gawked at him speechlessly, especially the Carlson family.


    Lionel handed two talismans to Jacob after Brian transferred fifteen thousand dollars to his account.


    Nodding lightly at them, he turned around to leave.


    "Lionel, I..." Brian started, but Lionel didn''t stop to listen to him.


    It was time to return home to his sleep. Everything else could wait.

 14. Teaching a lesson

    "Lionel, do you have a minute?" Phil approached Lionel, his face red with embarrassment. His eyes kept moving awkwardly as if he was guilty of something.


    "Sure, Mr. Carlson." Lionel closed his car door and leaned against it, nodding at his professor''s husband to speak his mind.


    "About your fees..." Phil started, slowly losing his voice, and Lionel immediately understood where this was going.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Carlson. You paid me more than what I had intended to ask you."


    "But..." Phil wasn''t convinced.


    How could his mere two thousand dollars be enough when Lionel charged fifteen thousand from the Wallace family? It was almost ten times what he had paid the young man.


    "Mr. Carlson, when I decided to help you, I did it for my own selfish reasons. Since I couldn''t do it for free, I had to charge you for my services." Lionel started explaining, swallowing his yawn with great difficulty.


    "In fact, I feel you overpaid me. I actually want to return..."


    "No, Lionel. You can''t. It''s obvious I paid you less. I..."


    "No, Mr. Carlson. How about this? I''ll accept your two thousand dollars and drop this matter," Lionel suggested. He was utterly drained and just wanted to return home and crash.


    "I..." Phil still wasn''t convinced. He hesitated, not knowing what to do.


    "Would you feel better if I told you I punished Mr. Wallace for insulting me by overcharging me?" Lionel softened his tone when he saw that his professor''s husband was still in a dilemma.


    "What?" Phil was taken aback. He had never considered the matter from this angle.


    "It''s true. I haven''t decided on my fees yet. Since Mr. Wallace kept insulting me, I just took some compensation." Lionel shrugged with no remorse.


    "Well, if you say so." Phil scratched his head.


    "I hope you don''t mind." Lionel smiled faintly before turning his head to meet his senior''s gaze.


    Phil had no idea that Jacob had followed him out. But Lionel did. He had noticed him the moment the man had stepped out of his house.


    Jacob remained silent as he walked toward the duo.


    "My father needed some reality check. I guess it had to be through you," Jacob said with his pursed lips.


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    Lionel stifled another yawn and shook his head to clear his sleep.


    "Gentlemen, I''d have continued the conversation if it were another time. But not right now. I''m exhausted and in severe need of sleep. If you''ll excuse me."


    Phil slapped his forehead, startling Lionel with his unexpected actions.


    "Look at me. I''m sorry, Lionel. I..."


    "It''s fine, Mr. Carlson."


    When Jacob noticed how tired his junior looked, he asked, "Do you want me to drop you home?"


    "No. I can manage." Lionel smiled and told Phil, "I''ll visit Nia tomorrow evening. Good night, everyone."


    With that, he entered the car and drove off.


    Meanwhile, Phil licked his lips, finding the situation utterly tricky.


    "Mr. Carlson, we should return. The others are waiting for us."


    Jacob tilted his head and waited for the older man to start walking first before he followed him.


    Meanwhile, Brian kept pacing in the living room anxiously, glancing at the door every few seconds. Once Jacob and Phil returned, he rushed to his son instantly.


    "Jacob, did Lionel say anything?" he questioned, not giving his son a moment to breathe.


    "No, Dad."


    Brian''s hopeful gaze faltered, and his shoulders drooped.


    "What''s the use of being depressed now? You should have controlled your mouth before you went off like a loose cannon," Susan chided, done with her husband''s mindless actions.


    "I thought... I thought..." Brian sighed in defeat, having no words of argument.


    "Well, be careful from now on. We never know when who we''ll have to look to for help," Phil suggested and pressed his glabella. "Your ego could bring your downfall even before you know it."


    Brian didn''t argue this time. Although Lionel didn''t realize it, everyone else who was familiar with him knew what he was actually trying to do by insulting the young man.


    He wasn''t being skeptical about his skills. Instead, he was subtly humiliating him by being condescending.


    "If it makes you feel better, Lionel overcharged us to punish us."


    Jacob didn''t hide the truth from his family. His father deserved to know that he was just a rich man. In front of Lionel and his skills, his father was nothing.


    "What do you mean?" Susan asked, not understanding what her son was trying to convey.


    "Well, I meant what I said." Jacob shrugged lightly and gave his father a cryptic glance. "I''m going to check on Lauren. Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Carlson, and thank you so much for your help today."


    "We did nothing." Phil brushed him off lightly.


    "No, Mr. Carlson. If you hadn''t invited Lionel to help us, I''m afraid we would have lost Lauren."


    "We are sailing in the same boat, Jacob. Our children are in danger. I''ll do everything to protect them."


    Jacob smiled gratefully. Although they were worried about their daughter more and helped them to protect her, it was true that they had helped his sister.


    "We should leave as well." Sophia stood up, and Phil nodded.


    "Yes. It''s getting late. We''ll see you."


    "Umm... Phil, Sophia." Brian stopped them before they left. "Is it possible for me to visit you tomorrow? I want to apologize to Lionel personally."


    Brian looked at them hopefully while Phil hesitated. He wasn''t sure if Lionel would welcome the thought.


    "I''ll have to ask Lionel first."


    "Sure. Sure. Please do." Brian didn''t mind it, as long as he could meet the young man who had helped his family from a great calamity.


    "I''ll text you tomorrow morning."


    "Do you think the other children will be in danger as well?" Sophia questioned once they were in their car.


    "We can''t rule out the possibility. First Nia and now Lauren." Phil sighed, feeling defeated.


    He could have dealt with the danger if humans were involved. But they were dealing with supernatural things, and he had no idea what to do. He could only leave it to the man who had broadened his world view.

 15. What happened at the haunted house?

    Lionel arrived at the Carlson''s house exactly at 4 p.m. He wasn''t surprised to see Brian and Jacob waiting for him.


    Phil had already sought permission in the morning, and Lionel had no reason to stop them from meeting him. After all, Lauren''s life was still in danger, and they needed his help to save her.


    Lionel greeted everyone one by one.


    "How is Lauren now?" he asked his senior, ignoring Brian for the time being.


    "She is awake now, although she''s weak."


    "She''ll need a week to return to her health. Give her some time," Lionel assured and finally turned to the man who seemed to be on tenter hooks.


    "Hello, Mr. Wallace," he greeted Brian last, which the man didn''t mind.


    Lionel hadn''t taken a good look at the man the previous night. He had been more focused on Lauren and the danger she was in.


    Now that he did, he noticed how distinct the man''s facial features were. Arrogance aside, he had the innate shrewdness of a businessman. Surprisingly, he was bound to reach greater heights in the future and achieve more than he already had.


    Lionel''s gaze instantly moved towards Jacob, and his lips arched into a smile when he saw a faint white light around his senior.


    Jacob would surely follow in his father''s footsteps and continue his business. But unlike him, he would also be a philanthropist and help a lot of people in need.


    "Lionel, I''m so sorry." Brian started, breaking Lionel''s chain of thoughts. "Please forgive me for my impudence the previous night."


    Lionel smiled and shook his head. His displeasure ended the moment he had charged an exorbitant fee. He wasn''t the one to hold grudges, especially with someone who had turned over a new leaf.


    "It''s fine, Mr. Wallace. We are good now." Lionel brushed him off and even smiled at him assuringly.


    Brian''s depressed face lit up, and he beamed with joy. His entire body was radiating relief and delight as if he had conquered the world. "Thank you, Lionel. Thanks a lot. Your forgiveness means a lot to me."


    Lionel was surprised. But he didn''t probe more into it and looked at Nia, who was sitting silently beside his professor.


    "Hello, Nia. How do you feel today?" he asked gently, treating the young girl as his sister.


    "I feel fine," Nia replied softly, and Lionel noticed her striking resemblance to her mother, not just in her features but in her mannerisms as well.


    "Good, good. Are you able to sleep well at night?"


    Nia glanced at her mother, who nodded at her lightly.


    "I have nightmares sometimes. Do they count?"


    "What kind of nightmares?"


    Nia licked her lips and fidgeted in her spot. Lowering her head, she hesitated, dawdling for a long time before mustering all her strength.


    "I''ve been having the same dream since I...you helped me," she corrected herself before continuing. "It''s all dark and cold, and I can''t see anything. But I always hear something beckoning me."


    "Why didn''t you tell us, Nia?" Sophia asked instantly, her concern for her daughter getting the best of her.


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    "I was scared." Nia was close to tears, and she sniffled softly, making everyone feel terrible.


    "Did you have the nightmare yesterday as well?" Lionel questioned gently, making sure not to aggravate her all the more.


    "Surprisingly, no."


    Lionel hummed lightly and looked at his professor, whose eyes were fixed on his daughter.


    "Mrs. Carlson, where are the talismans I gave you yesterday?"


    Sophia was taken aback to have been questioned suddenly, and it took her a few seconds to respond.


    "I..I placed them under Nia''s pillow."


    "Would you mind if I take a look?"


    The Carlson couple had no qualms with his request, and the crowd moved to Nia''s room. Even Brian and Jacob followed them, intrigued to find out what was happening.


    "Mrs. Carlson, let me." Lionel stopped his professor from touching the pillow and did the work himself.


    Everyone except Lionel was shocked to find one-third of one of the talismans charred, while the other remained intact.


    ''Just as I thought.'' Lionel picked up the charred Blessing Talisman and turned to his astounded crowd.


    "This talisman protected Nia from the ghost," he explained seriously, and Nia burst into tears instantly.


    "Mom, Mom, please save me. That ghost is scary. Its voice is creepy. Please save me," she dived into her mother''s embrace and wailed loudly, tugging at everyone''s heartstrings.


    Even Lionel, who was the calmest of all, was affected. After all, it was his first time encountering a ghost.


    "Shh, shh, nothing will happen to you. I promise. We are all here," Phil assured and glanced at Lionel, who nodded at him curtly.


    "Yes, Nia. We are all here. I promise nothing will happen to you."


    While Sophia did her best to calm her daughter, the others waited, and eventually, Nia stopped crying after some time. They had returned to the living room, and once again, the crowd looked at Lionel, waiting for him to start speaking.


    "I''ll give you more Blessing Talismans. Please ensure that Nia and Lauren carry them with them at all times," Lionel stressed, and everyone accepted without any questions.


    "Nia, I heard your friends and you visited a haunted house," Lionel started, getting to the main topic finally.


    Nia nodded, sniffling lightly.


    "Do you mind telling me more about it?"


    There were quite a few houses in the town that were deemed haunted. Even his place was considered one of them, even though it was far from being haunted. So, he had to know which place Nia and her friends had visited before he got to action.


    "It''s the haunted house in the West End. One of my friends wanted to visit it and since our exams had ended, we decided to go together."


    Lionel bit the inside of his cheek thoughtfully. He wasn''t unfamiliar with the house Nia was mentioning. Although he had never visited it, he had heard great stories about it, each more horrifying than the other.


    "Okay. Would you mind telling me more? Did you see anything unusual?"


    "We went there in the forenoon when it was bright and sunny. But the house was dark, as if something was obstructing the sunlight from entering inside."


    Nia paused and looked at Lionel, and he smiled at her, gesturing for her to continue.


    "At first, we didn''t find anything strange. The place looked normal except that it was cold inside, like freezing cold. We were together all the time. But one of my friends separated from us when we weren''t noticing, and when we did, we started looking for him."


    "Did you find him?"


    Nia nodded.


    "What happened after that?"


    "After that, we continued to explore the place." Nia stopped suddenly, and Lionel realized that they had reached the most important part.


    "I''m not sure if it was imagination, but I heard a sound, more like a growl, from one of the rooms upstairs, and we were still exploring the rooms on the ground floor. It was like for a second. So, I can''t be sure."


    "What happened next?"


    "We finished exploring the rooms on the ground floor and had thought of searching upstairs. But when we reached the stairs..." Nia gulped in fright, her face losing all its color.


    "When we reached the stairs, we saw something. It was all black and moving towards us. Its eyes were red, blood red..." Nia started panicking, and Lionel knelt before her and held her wrist, sending her some of his spiritual energy to calm her down.


    Nia took his deep breaths, and eventually, her face regained some color.


    "We were scared out of our minds, and we ran out of the house."


    "Did you all run out at the same time?"


    "I did, though. I was the first one to leave. The others came out a few seconds after me while some did after a few minutes."


    "Did all of you make it out?"


    "Yes."


    Lionel frowned, a dreadful notion popping into his mind. "How many of you had gone inside?"


    "Seven. Four girls and three boys."


    "Did you notice anything amiss with any of them after you left the haunted house?"


    Nia shook her head.


    Lionel bit his lip as he looked at Nia for a few seconds, making her apprehensive.


    "Anything else you want to tell me? Something you feel might be important?"


    "Yes." Nia hesitated for a moment. "It was scorching when we left the haunted house. But it felt like the cold night of the winter. It was as if the coldness from the haunted house had followed us out."

 16. Vengeance

    "We need to contact the other five. I''m afraid something terrible is about to happen soon," Lionel said in all honesty, and everybody''s faces paled in horror.


    "Nia, give your friends'' numbers. Let us all call one of them," Phil suggested, and they each took charge of calling the remaining five while Lionel looked on silently.


    Nia had been alright. However, the spirit had marked Lauren, and if Mrs. Carlson hadn''t contacted him quickly, the girl would have died soon.


    Lionel was scared for the other people. He didn''t know how serious their conditions were. All he could do was hope for them to be fine or at least not be marked by the spirit.


    "Hello, am I speaking to Dave?" Sophia''s call connected first, and she moved away when Brian''s call connected as well.


    Even Jacob and Phil were speaking to someone while Nia was yet to speak to her remaining friend.


    Lionel smiled at her assuringly, but it was more like a grimace. His smile held no value in the situation they were in.


    "Pick up, pick up, pick," Nia chanted under her breath as she tapped her feet anxiously. She wasn''t an idiot to not know what was happening. The situation was dire, and there was a high possibility her friends would die if they weren''t saved in time.


    "Hello, Noel." Nia jumped in relief when the call finally connected. "Hi, Mrs. Lard. This is Nia. May I speak to Noel?"


    Lionel listened to Nia speak, and his heart dropped when he noticed the changes in Nia''s expressions.


    "What? Is he unconscious? What happened?"


    Lionel gestured for Nia to hand over her phone to him, and she did it obediently.


    "Hello, Mrs. Lard. This is Lionel, an acquaintance of Nia''s. May I know what''s wrong with Noel?" he asked, dreading the answer.


    "Hello, I..." The woman hesitated, not knowing if she should disclose the truth to a stranger.


    "Mrs. Lard, please be frank with me. Otherwise, I won''t be able to help you. There is a high chance your son might be in danger, and only I can save him."


    Lionel didn''t beat around the bush and jumped to the matter at hand. Time was of the essence. The more they dawdled, the more difficult it would be to save the kids.


    His words managed to scare the lady, and she started speaking immediately.


    "I don''t know what''s wrong with Noel. He fainted all of a sudden in the morning. We have brought him to the hospital. But the doctors have been unsuccessful in finding what''s wrong with him."


    "Which hospital, Mrs. Lard?"


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    "Hospital Hyacinthe."


    "I''ll be there soon."


    Lionel ended the call and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.


    "Lionel, Lionel, Lionel." Sophia came running, her face devoid of any color.


    A moment later, even Brian, Phil, and Jacob joined them, and their expressions weren''t any different than each other''s.


    A terrifying feeling surrounded Lionel while he held his breath.


    "Lionel, this child, Katie, she''s fallen unconscious. Today morning," Sophia said, barely managing to speak coherently.


    "Oh no! Ryu too fell unconscious today," Brian said, confirming Lionel''s thoughts.


    "Sia too," Jacob added, and everyone''s eyes moved to Phil immediately, hoping that at least one of them was safe.


    Alas, their prayers fell on deaf ears.


    "Will is at the hospital as well."


    "Fuck! Dammit," Lionel didn''t hold back, letting out the curses in frustration. He didn''t care that his professor was nearby. The situation was more complex than he had thought.


    "I''ll have to go to them. Their lives might be in danger." Lionel stood up, his expression darkening as time passed.


    The previous night, he had sensed a strong, resentful aura in Lauren''s room after he had helped her ward off the evil spirit. And just as he had assumed, the spirit was out of vengeance. It was out to take the other five kids'' lives.


    "Mrs. Carlson, please take Nia to Mr. Wallace''s house and stay the kids. These are for you in case something happens." Lionel handed her three talismans randomly and rushed out of the place, gesturing to the three men to follow him.


    "Where are they?" he shouted, sprinting towards his car.


    "Hospital Hyacinthe," Phil replied, and Brian nodded, confirming that the kid''s parent he spoke to was at the same hospital.


    However, Jacob shook his head. "Sia''s parents brought her back home."


    "Okay. Let''s go to Hospital Hyacinthe first. I can see the three of them at once. How about the kid Mrs. Carlson spoke to?"


    "Let me call her." Phil didn''t waste time and called his wife while Lionel started his car. To his surprise, Jacob took the shotgun seat.


    "Umm... what are you doing?" Lionel questioned, his brows contorting into a confused frown.


    "Accompanying you," Jacob answered, equally puzzled.


    "Why?"


    "Why can''t I?" Jacob asked as if it was his right.


    Before Lionel could persuade him otherwise, Phil returned. "The child is at Corbin Hospital."


    "Shit!" Lionel cursed under his breath when he realized it would take him a lot of time to reach Corbin Hospital.


    "Mr. Carlson, would you mind..."


    "Tell me, Lionel. What do I do?"


    "While I go to Hospital Hyacinthe, please go to Corbin Hospital. I''ll give you four talismans." Lionel handed him two Cleansing Talismans and two Blessing Talismans.


    "Use this on the kid first," Lionel said, pointing to the Cleansing Talisman. "And once the kid gains consciousness, throw this in the air." He pointed to the other Cleansing Talisman. "Keep the other two with you, just in case."


    Phil noted his instructions in his mind, ensuring he didn''t miss anything Lionel was saying.


    "Don''t worry, Lionel. Jacob and you go to Hospital Hyacinthe, while Brian and I will go to Corbin Hospital."


    "Thanks, Mr. Carlson." Lionel nodded and pressed on the accelerator.


    "Mind if I ask a question?" Jacob asked when they were halfway towards their destination.


    Lionel nodded, his thoughts too jumbled to reply to him.


    "When did you realize you had this power?" Jacob was curious. Although Lionel''s powers were amazing, they still terrified him, and he wondered if his junior felt the same.


    "A few days ago," Lionel replied honestly.


    "Really?" Jacob asked in surprise, and Lionel nodded.


    "How did this happen? Did you see a ghost or something?"


    "More or less," Lionel replied. Wasn''t Eryndor Valkorin, the man he met almost a ghost?


    If Eryndor Valkorin were to listen to his thoughts, he would roll around in his grave in anger.


    "We''re here." Lionel''s words put a halt to Jacob''s questions.


    "Prepare yourself. Things might get a little dangerous," Lionel warned him. The evil spirit was in its vengeful mode. It could do anything to anyone.


    Lionel sucked in a deep breath before he stepped out of the car as he prepared to tackle the first evil spirit of his life.