Chapter 2 – Sword Ghost

System: “Detected a Sword Ghost nearby. Host, please note that you can defeat it and form a contract.”

Su Ming was puzzled: “Uh… you mean I can just contract it like that?”

The system explained: “This Sword Ghost is special. It is currently in an unconscious state. Once the Host recovers its body, it can be restored to its peak state and consciousness.”

Su Ming: “What’s its peak state?”

System: “Peak Grandmaster Realm.”

Su Ming’s jaw nearly dropped. Damn, it was that strong! If she could recover its body, wouldn’t she be invincible?

System: “It is currently in a remnant soul state, only at the early Fifth Realm. After restoration, it can reach the Eighth Realm.”

Su Ming thought it over—having more high-combat ghosts wasn’t a bad thing. Besides, she was in her loli form now and could only revert after consuming all her spiritual power. Until then, she’d need them for protection.

Anyway, the loli form was only temporary, definitely not permanent. She really needed this high combat power! (Author’s note: Su Ming thought too much. She’d be stuck in loli form for the next two hundred-plus chapters.)

Su Ming withdrew the Ice Crystal Turtle and Blood Soul Ghost into her body and, following the system’s directions, quickly found the wandering Sword Ghost.

Finally, in a desolate desert, Su Ming spotted the wandering Sword Ghost. It roamed alone, exuding a chilling aura.

However, the Sword Ghost wasn’t in good shape at the moment—its ghostly body flickered in and out of visibility, as if severely injured.

But it hadn’t noticed Su Ming and the others yet, foraging around for food—a strong instinct for survival in its unconscious state.

Su Ming asked the system: “In this state, is there a chance I might accidentally kill it?”

System: “Entirely possible. Host, please be careful.”

Su Ming released the Blood Soul Ghost: “Could I trouble you to help me with something?”

The Blood Soul Ghost was awkward: “I’ll certainly carry out my master’s orders, but that one’s strength is formidable…”

Su Ming reassured her: “Just lure it over here. Leave the rest to Old Turtle.”

The Ice Crystal Turtle was taken aback: “Huh? Wait, what does this have to do with me?”

Su Ming: “I’ll buy you food when we get back—top-grade feed.”

Hearing this, the Ice Crystal Turtle said: “Fine, I think a mere Fifth Realm is nothing. It shouldn’t be able to take me down within three seconds.”

Following the plan, the Blood Soul Ghost drifted out. Sensing the presence of another ghost, the Sword Ghost indeed stopped and began to emanate its own aura.

The Blood Soul Ghost broke out in a cold sweat—this thing was two whole realms above her.

The Sword Ghost charged straight at her. How could it pass up such an easy meal within reach!

Su Ming hurled the Ice Crystal Turtle directly—of course, reinforced with ghostly qi.

The Ice Crystal Turtle roared: “I thought you wanted me to defend! You used me as a projectile! Then why did you have the Blood Soul Ghost lure it over?!”

With a burst of ghostly qi shockwave, the Sword Ghost passed out. Fortunately, the blow wasn’t too heavy—it was still breathing.

System: “Host may directly force a contract. An unconscious ghost creature, once contracted, will never betray for life.”

Su Ming looked at the Ice Crystal Turtle, whose eyes were spinning with stars. She felt a bit embarrassed, but it was so satisfying—who told that idiot to mock her earlier, hahaha.

As for why Su Ming had the Blood Soul Ghost do the luring, it was mainly because she wasn’t sure if the ghost the system provided was reliable. But so far, it seemed dependable enough.

As for Old Turtle, there was no need to mention him. In the two years he had been with her, aside from lazing around every day, being gluttonous and lazy, neglecting his duties, refusing to cultivate, ogling pretty women, and recently developing an interest in lolis, he had no other flaws…

It definitely had nothing to do with her being a lolicon, right? Wait, who’s the lolicon here…

Su Ming pricked her finger and cleanly contracted Sword Ghost. It went very smoothly, and the system panel showed that Sword Ghost belonged to both forms of herself as a spirit pet.

Su Ming asked curiously, “Why is it the same on both sides?”

The system replied, “To help the author pad the word count.”

…

Su Ming placed Sword Ghost, Blood Soul Ghost, and Ice Crystal Turtle together in one spot. “Next, you’ll receive my energy. How much you can absorb is up to you. Especially you, Old Turtle—your head’s already bleeding. I don’t want to have to bandage you up when we get back.”

The two ghosts and one beast prepared themselves, and Su Ming directly condensed a massive ball of spiritual power, pouring the energy straight into them.

Neither Blood Soul Ghost nor Ice Crystal Turtle had expected that Su Ming’s spiritual power in her loli form would be this immense.

A massive amount of energy began flooding into their bodies, and they started breaking through their realms.

Half an hour later, Su Ming felt all the spiritual power in her body drain completely, and she transformed back into her handsome male form.

Su Ming looked at herself. “Oh, I’m back. Woohoo.”

Blood Soul Ghost and Ice Crystal Turtle revealed a hint of regret—Su Ming in her loli form was clearly much cuter…

Su Ming sensed their less-than-friendly gazes. “What are you two planning?”

Blood Soul Ghost and Ice Crystal Turtle quickly averted their eyes from Su Ming, looking embarrassed.

Su Ming said, “Report your results.”

Blood Soul Ghost: “Mid Fourth Realm.”

Ice Crystal Turtle: “Peak Third Realm.”

Su Ming was puzzled. “Huh, that’s not right. Why did you only improve so little?”

Blood Soul Ghost grinned and pointed at Sword Ghost. Hey, this guy actually recovered all the way back to Peak Eighth Realm in one go!

Blood Soul Ghost said, “On one hand, he was competing with us for the energy. On the other hand, Master’s forced infusion method has pretty terrible energy transfer efficiency.”

Su Ming scratched her head awkwardly. Well, she just didn’t want to stay in her loli form forever.

Blood Soul Ghost seemed to guess something. “Could it be that Master can only have that kind of overwhelming strength when transformed into her loli form?”

Su Ming nodded hurriedly.

Ice Crystal Turtle said, “He has to turn into an evil loli to have any combat power.”

Unsurprisingly, Su Ming kicked Ice Crystal Turtle flying, though without ghostly qi backing it, the force was much weaker—he only flew two or three meters.

Su Ming said, “Alright, time to head back.”

To complete her mission, Su Ming had deliberately traveled a hundred kilometers to an extremely remote little village, so remote it couldn’t get any more remote, just to peep at someone bathing. With no surveillance cameras anywhere around, nobody there knew him at all—how could anyone possibly track him down!

“Hahaha, I’m way too clever. Oh yeah!”

Ice Crystal Turtle and Blood Soul Ghost looked at Su Ming like he was an idiot. They suddenly felt like they’d followed a complete fool of a master. Ice Crystal Turtle especially felt that Su Ming was tarnishing his own image.

But thinking about it more carefully, they still had no idea why Su Ming had obtained a Grandmaster Realm loli. It was truly bizarre.

However, Su Ming didn’t notice that a Black-Robed Man had been observing the entire process of her subduing Sword Ghost from the shadows, all the way until Su Ming just left.

The Black-Robed Man transmitted his voice to someone unknown: “She’s back. The plan can begin.”

With that, he vanished into the night, his whereabouts unknown.

Around eight in the morning, Su Ming finally arrived at her doorstep.

Su Ming placed the Ice Crystal Turtle, Blood Soul Ghost, and Sword Ghost all back inside her body, instructing them firmly not to come out casually.

The newly arrived Blood Soul Ghost clearly didn’t understand: “Master, why can’t we come out and move around?”

Ice Crystal Turtle: “Oh dear, you’d better not even speak casually in a moment—or we can just communicate through our consciousness.”

Blood Soul Ghost was still puzzled, and Ice Crystal Turtle explained:

“In a moment, you’ll understand once you’re inside. Just remember, don’t speak, to avoid disturbing the one within.”

Hearing “the one within,” Blood Soul Ghost grew curious—could it be that her master’s home harbored some great hidden power?

But thinking it over, she had inexplicably signed a contract with Su Ming, and a voice had told her to remain loyal to Su Ming for life, and that she could never speak of it, on pain of death. She guessed that Su Ming must be an extraordinarily formidable figure.

Su Ming took a deep breath and knocked on the door:

“I’m back.”