Chapter Forty-Four: Sealing the Coffin and Returning to Ghost City

A mouthful of blood gushed forth, and Lin Ran immediately felt a wave of relief wash over his body; the oppressive weight on his heart vanished without a trace. He slowly raised his head, his gaze complicated as he looked at the little ghost girl before him, his expression indecipherable—neither joy nor sorrow.

"Hey! I saved you and you don’t even say thank you!" The little ghost girl, seeing Lin Ran silent for so long, was visibly annoyed, her lips pursed so high one could hang a tiny oil bottle from them.

"Thank you," Lin Ran forced out, his tone unnatural. It took him quite a while to squeeze out those words. To thank a ghost, and a little ghost girl at that, especially when she had just saved him—it felt awkward.

"Hmph!" The little ghost girl snorted, turning her head aside, clearly unimpressed by Lin Ran’s lukewarm gratitude.

"By the way, what’s your name?" Lin Ran chuckled dryly, steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Yan’er!" The ghost girl shot Lin Ran a glare, as if to say he’d finally gotten something right. The chill on her face faded a little.

"You really are foolish! You actually took your little stick and struck that coffin! Oh, honestly, you’re hopeless!" Yan’er regarded Lin Ran as if he were a simpleton.

Lin Ran said nothing, his gaze dimmed. In the past few days, he’d witnessed the power of the Mourning Staff and had grown reliant on it, never expecting he’d use it to smash the coffin at that moment.

"Still as boring as ever! Hmph!" Yan’er pouted, mumbling under her breath at Lin Ran’s silence.

"Ever? You know me?" Lin Ran suddenly fixed his eyes on Yan’er. It was possible this little ghost girl named Yan’er knew his identity.

"I don’t! You have the Soul Summoning Bell, don’t you? Why didn’t you use it? Don’t tell me you don’t know how!" Yan’er realized she’d let something slip and quickly pointed to the bell hanging at Lin Ran’s waist, diverting the topic.

"Don’t know me?" Lin Ran frowned at Yan’er. The more evasive she was, the more convinced he became she knew who he was.

"I... Ah? They’re coming!" Yan’er, unsure how to explain, suddenly noticed the Five Ghosts Carrying the Coffin had somehow caught up.

Lin Ran’s face darkened as he looked ahead; being interrupted just when he was about to uncover something intriguing left him thoroughly vexed.

"Just now you said the Soul Summoning Bell could deal with them?" As he quickly pondered a solution, Lin Ran recalled Yan’er’s earlier words and turned to ask.

"Yes! The Soul Summoning Bell, like the Mourning Staff, can subdue all ghosts!" Yan’er nodded in explanation.

"Uh, how do you use it?" Lin Ran picked up the Soul Summoning Bell and asked.

"You really don’t know how?!" Yan’er couldn’t help but rub her forehead, surprised her casual question had hit the mark.

"I never said I did!" Lin Ran was candid. Since she wasn’t going to reveal any mysterious secrets about his past, he might as well get something practical. Without the Mourning Staff, he couldn’t guarantee dealing with ghosts would be so easy next time.

"Just think of the one you want to capture, then shake the bell towards them!" Yan’er seemed unfazed by Lin Ran’s straightforwardness.

"That simple?" Lin Ran stared at Yan’er, wide-eyed.

"Yes!" Yan’er nodded.

"Then anyone could use this thing!" Lin Ran’s eyes widened further.

"You think anyone can? This belongs to you—no one else can use it!" Yan’er rolled her eyes.

"That’s great!" Lin Ran felt elated upon hearing Yaner’s explanation.

Seeing the ghost coffin carriers draw near, Lin Ran gripped the bell and stepped forward. He locked his gaze onto the Five Ghosts Carrying the Coffin and gave the bell a gentle shake. A clear chime rang out, and the ghosts’ advance halted abruptly—they vanished into thin air.

Lin Ran’s arm froze in midair, his eyes nearly popping out. He’d hoped to use the Soul Summoning Bell to show off, but his shake simply made them disappear.

"Where did they go?" After a while, Lin Ran turned and asked Yan’er timidly.

"They’re inside the bell now!" Yan’er pointed to the bell in Lin Ran’s hand.

"Inside the bell?" Lin Ran looked at the Soul Summoning Bell in confusion. It could actually store ghosts?

"How do you let them out? Will they still try to capture me once released?" Lin Ran, ever straightforward, decided to remain so.

"Let them out the same way you put them in! Once released, they’ll obey you!" Yan’er explained.

Lin Ran immediately understood. He silently recited “Five Ghosts Carrying the Coffin,” shook the bell gently, and the ghosts appeared before him. Lin Ran, as if discovering a new continent, played with them joyfully.

Yan’er watched Lin Ran, speechless. How could he be so clueless after reincarnation?

"By the way, why did the Five Ghosts Carrying the Coffin come after me?" Lin Ran suddenly turned to Yan’er, growing increasingly suspicious. The matter reeked of intrigue. And that strange man with a slight limp—Lin Ran couldn’t recall ever offending such a person.

"Because you have this! And the Mourning Staff!" Yan’er pointed at the Soul Summoning Bell in Lin Ran’s hand.

"It?" Lin Ran frowned at the bell. Was it really the cause of his troubles?

"Yes! Both the Soul Summoning Bell and Mourning Staff are nemeses of ghosts! That man fears you, so he wants to eliminate you!" Yan’er nodded.

"Him? Who is he?" Lin Ran’s mind raced. Could Yan’er’s “him” be the same mysterious man?

"He’s the steward of this place!" Yan’er didn’t name him, but clearly pointed toward Ghost City.

The steward of Ghost City? The Lord of the City of Wrongful Death. Lin Ran’s eyes narrowed to slits. If it was truly him targeting Lin Ran, everything made sense. That night, Lin Ran had dispersed two ghosts feeding on vital energy, alerting the Lord of the City of Wrongful Death, leading to tonight’s attempt to capture him.

Lin Ran suddenly realized a grave problem. If the Lord of the City of Wrongful Death really sought his demise, it wasn’t just because Lin Ran posed a threat, but perhaps because Lin Ran had unwittingly stumbled upon some scandalous secret—possibly the siphoning of residents’ vital energy.

"This matter is probably much more complicated!" Having figured this out, Lin Ran’s eyes gleamed with icy, murderous intent.

Yan’er shivered involuntarily at the sight of the killing intent in Lin Ran’s eyes. For the first time, she sensed such a chilling aura from him.

"Don’t act recklessly! You’re no match for him yet! He knows far more than that!" Yan’er hurriedly said, regretting she’d revealed anything.

"Stay out of it! I’ll handle this myself!" Lin Ran shot Yan’er a cold glance. The murderous rage in his heart could no longer be contained. Now, with Guo Ting’s living soul at risk in the City of Wrongful Death, if the lord failed to eliminate Lin Ran tonight, he might target Guo Ting. Lin Ran resolved to venture into the City of Wrongful Death once more.

"Fool! You think I want to meddle in your affairs? The sooner you die, the sooner you reincarnate!" Yan’er, seeing Lin Ran ignore her warnings, stomped her feet in anger, cursed, and flew away.

Lin Ran frowned as he watched Yan’er disappear. He knew she meant well, but he had no choice—Guo Ting’s soul was still in the City of Wrongful Death.

Having been chased by the Five Ghosts Carrying the Coffin nearly all night, Lin Ran was utterly exhausted. Since Ghost City was still far away, he summoned the coffin carriers to carry him back, saving himself some effort. Seated atop the coffin, Lin Ran watched the scenery whiz by, marveling at their speed.

By the time he reached the outskirts of Ghost City, dawn was breaking. To avoid unnecessary trouble, he dismissed the coffin carriers and walked into the city. By the time he entered, daylight had fully arrived, and the streets were bustling with commuters and vehicles.