Only I Cultivate

After dealing with the heartless ghost, Feng Fan's team moved forward, but their troubles had only just begun.

Most of the ghosts in the house weren't strong, but their sheer numbers made things difficult. Just as Luo Li had slain the heartless ghost, three apparitions appeared in front of them.

Luo Li quickly spotted them and reacted. "These are weak ghosts, apparitions. Use iron to delay them and run."

Kong Han and Li Kang, holding the makeshift weapons, clenched their fists in anxiety. They didn't move at Luo Li's command, afraid to face the ghosts head-on.

The delay in their response angered Feng Fan. They were already at a disadvantage—what were they hesitating for?

He grabbed the stirrer from Kong Han, the closest to him, and charged at the ghosts. "If you guys want to stay put, fine. I'm going!"

With a wide swing, Feng Fan hit all three ghosts. There was little resistance, just the feeling of striking slightly denser air.

But he knew it had worked, at least in part. The three ghosts vanished briefly, giving him the chance to run past them.

"D-Don't leave us here!" Zhou Niu yelled, chasing after him.

But their hesitation proved fatal. The makeshift weapons weren't strong enough. The moment Zhou Niu tried to slip past the ghosts like Feng Fan, they materialized again and attacked her.

Kong Han, Li Kang, and Ding Qing watched in horror as the three ghosts devoured Zhou Niu. Their jaws opened and closed as they feasted on her alive.

"AAAAH! HELP ME!" Zhou Niu screamed, trying to crawl toward Li Kang, but the ghosts clung to her like ticks, making her movements unsteady.

Feng Fan glanced back, frowning at the scene. 'These useless idiots…'

Luo Li also frowned but didn't act. Her situation was already dire. If she used her power on every apparition they encountered, they'd all be dead soon enough.

To survive, she needed to conserve her energy. Raised in a family of Hunters, Luo Li knew well how to prioritize.

Feng Fan ran back and swung the stirrer at the apparitions. Each time the ghosts reappeared, he swung it again.

He turned to Ding Qing, Li Kang, and Kong Han with a stern look. "Go!"

His shout snapped them out of their stupor, and they quickly rushed past him.

'Is this what they call a pig teammate?' he thought.

His gaze then fell on Zhou Niu, trembling slightly on the ground, her face twisted in pain. Blood oozed from the wounds the ghosts had left on her.

"Luo Li, is there any way to save her?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.

Luo Li shook her head, her voice devoid of emotion. "Even if the ghosts' spiritual energy hadn't tainted her body, it would still be impossible to treat her here. The best option is to end her suffering."

Feng Fan was taken aback by her cold words. He hadn't expected someone so beautiful to be so merciless.

"N-No... help me... please," Zhou Niu pleaded weakly from the ground.

Feng Fan steeled himself and plunged the stirrer through her brain, ending her life instantly, and sparing her from further pain.

He thought he would feel guilty—after all, this was the first person he'd killed. But, contrary to his expectations, he only felt a brief discomfort, as if something inside him was pushing those bad emotions down.

He made one last swing at the three apparitions before running past them, leaving them behind.

Feng Fan ran for a few seconds before spotting the other three again. This time, they seemed to have learned their lesson, with Li Kang wildly swinging the stirrer at two more apparitions.

'These things might seem scary, but as long as you're careful, they can't do much harm,' Feng Fan thought.

When Kong Han saw Feng Fan approaching, he signaled for him to hurry. The five of them continued on their way toward the gun collection in silence.

Throughout the journey, no one asked about Zhou Niu. There was no need to. Like many of their other classmates, they already knew her fate.

The journey wasn't long, but the farther they went, the paler Luo Li became. Feng Fan noticed her breath was much heavier than before—she wouldn't last much longer.

Li Kang, who was in front, carefully opened the door with one hand, gripping the stirrer tightly in his other hand.

Once inside, the room's contents came into view. Dozens of old models were displayed—some behind glass cases, others on wooden shelves. 

A few cardboard boxes could be seen off to the side.

The guns didn't have ammunition, but even if they did, they would be pretty much useless.

Li Kang, holding one of their two makeshift weapons, picked up a small box and filled it with a few guns, while Ding Qing and Kong Han, with their hands free, grabbed a larger box and placed more guns inside.

As for Feng Fan, already carrying Luo Li and holding the stirrer, he didn't take any guns. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but Feng Fan couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Then, it hit him like a jolt of electricity.

'This place should be where most of the ghosts are concentrated. These are the same weapons that killed them. Why haven't we seen any ghosts here?'

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, his sixth sense screamed a warning!