Chapter 97: The show is about to begin, isn't it?
Elder Bai hardly dared to appreciate the seductive beauty of Phantom; he only wished to rid himself of this troublesome presence as quickly as possible.
“Ph…Phantom, please, just tell me what brings you here,” he stammered.
Phantom’s slender fingers brushed lightly against the hilt of her blade as she spoke languidly, “Hand over the list of puppets from the lower realm.”
Elder Bai broke out in a cold sweat, trembling as he replied, “Ph…Phantom, the Palace Lord strictly ordered that the list must not be disclosed. Please, I beg you… don’t make things difficult for me.”
The Lord of the Radiant Palace was notoriously suspicious, always keeping countless contingencies in place; the puppets were one of his trump cards. From what Elder Bai knew, the puppets he was aware of were likely only a fraction of what truly existed.
He had a vague sense that the Palace Lord was plotting something…
Before he could finish his thought, Phantom’s figure flickered, and she appeared by Elder Bai’s side, her hand clamped ruthlessly around his throat.
“Don’t be foolish. My patience is limited,” she hissed.
Terrified by Phantom’s ferocity, Elder Bai’s face blanched; his veins bulged as he struggled to pry her fingers from his neck, his voice squeezed out with great effort, “I…I’ll give it…”
Phantom released her grip coldly, allowing Elder Bai to gasp for air, regaining a sliver of strength.
Humiliated—utterly humiliated.
Elder Bai knew Phantom was a lunatic; if he refused her demand, his life would soon come to an end.
Well, as long as he kept it from the Palace Lord, perhaps…nothing would happen?
Phantom took out a silk handkerchief and wiped her hand with slow, deliberate movements, her voice devoid of all emotion. “Hand it over.”
A sheet of paper tinged with yellow light appeared in Elder Bai’s hand. He offered it to Phantom with trembling fingers, “Phantom, please keep this safe. You must…must not let the Palace Lord suspect anything…”
Phantom took the list, and in the blink of an eye, vanished—without so much as a backward glance at Elder Bai.
Only after Phantom departed did Elder Bai breathe a deep sigh of relief, feeling as though he had aged several years in an instant.
…
Phantom appeared silently in Ghost’s chamber.
Within, a man cloaked in black robes stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seeming to pierce the void, lost in contemplation of matters unfathomable.
Noticing the disturbance in the room, his ears twitched slightly. He turned, eyes settling on Phantom. “You’re here?”
Phantom laughed with a throaty undertone, “Brother Ghost, I brought you the puppet list. Tell me—how will you thank me?”
Before her words finished, the list in Phantom’s hand seemed to gain a will of its own, drifting toward Ghost and settling into his palm.
Ghost adjusted the mask upon his face, his voice deep. “A hundred years of divine power.”
A hundred years of divine power in the divine realm—an exceedingly generous reward.
Phantom stepped lightly toward Ghost, extending her jade-like hand as if to touch his chest, but Ghost’s figure flickered, deftly avoiding her touch.
“Brother Ghost, I don’t want divine power. I’m only interested in you.”
“Phantom, don’t make such jokes again.”
Ghost’s voice was as cold as winter frost, chilling Phantom’s heart.
She could not understand why Brother Ghost could never comprehend her feelings…
But who was Phantom? She would never give up so easily! A smile soon forced its way onto her lips. “Brother Ghost, since that’s the case, then please grant me a hundred years of divine power.”
“Very well.”
Ghost raised his hand and tapped Phantom’s forehead, transferring a hundred years of divine power.
“Leave now. Don’t get discovered.”
“What does it matter if they find out? We could just say…we’re cultivating together, couldn’t we?”
“You—enough nonsense. Go!”
“All right, I’m leaving.”
Phantom pursed her lips gently, and her figure vanished on the spot.
Ghost glanced at the list of puppets in his hand, his eyes narrowing.
The real drama was about to begin…