Chapter 51: Ghost Momentum

The Dice emitted a faint white light, indicating its quality was white. It looked entirely ordinary, perhaps even completely useless, yet it floated alone high above the peak of the roller coaster, above even the clouds.

Fortunately, the Cameraman's head structure afforded him excellent vision, which was the only reason Yan Jing managed to spot it from the peak of the Ferris wheel.

'Could this be The Vessel those people are looking for?'

'But... it's white...'

Gripping the Dice, Yan Jing followed Shen Youran's instructions and injected Weird Energy into it, attempting a Tidal Circulation.

"If you manage fewer than ten Tidal Circulations, the compatibility is extremely low."

"Ten to fifty times means it's pretty good."

"Fifty to a hundred times means it's very high."

"If it exceeds a hundred, absolutely do not let the item go."

Shen Youran's instructions echoed in his mind.

Yan Jing silently counted the circulations.

Once, twice, three times... ten times... fifty times...

Over fifty!

His spirits lifted.

He kept going.

Sixty... seventy... eighty... one hundred...

One hundred!

Yan Jing continued for a good while longer, finally stopping at two hundred and thirty-four circulations.

It wasn't that he couldn't continue.

It was just that continuing seemed pointless.

He was currently in the Cameraman's body, so the compatibility meant nothing. The Cameraman wasn't even part of the Ritual System.

That wasn't a big deal, though. He just needed to try it with his own body once the Dungeon started.

Exiting the Inner World, Yan Jing checked his phone out of habit.

Aside from the relentless greetings from his "family," there were only three messages. All were from Shen Youran.

[The trouble is dealt with.]

[Tomorrow morning at nine. No. 43 Lingshan South Road.]

[Training begins.]

...

...

The next day. Eleven days remained until he entered the Dungeon.

Eight forty-five in the morning.

The sun was blazing today. Yan Jing dressed as simply as always.

A light-colored short-sleeved shirt paired with brown sweatpants.

Stepping out of the taxi, he immediately spotted Shen Youran waiting in the shade.

She wore skinny jeans, a white t-shirt with a cartoon fox print, and a striped shirt tied around her waist. A pair of sunglasses hid her eyes.

"Xiao Yanzi, over here!"

Shen Youran waved.

"We're training here?"

Yan Jing looked at the storefront before them.

Beneath a peeling red artistic sign sat a rusty rolling shutter. The most prominent feature was the large characters on the sign:

Wang's Traditional Massage

"Shh!"

Shen Youran pressed an index finger to her lips, motioning for Yan Jing to lower his voice.

"The person we're seeing today has a very eccentric temper. Keep your voice down so he doesn't hear you."

With that, she pulled a mask from her waist and gently placed it over Yan Jing's face.

It was an entirely black mask featuring a fanged ghost face. A single horn protruded from its left forehead.

[Item Name: Ghost Veil]

[Quality: Green]

[Tier Requirement: First Tier]

[Effect: Alters the wearer's voice and Weird Energy fluctuation. This effect lingers for ten seconds after the mask is removed.]

[Description: What a mask conceals are secrets. Beneath a ghost mask often lies a ghost face even harder to show to the world.]

"Good stuff. A gift for me?"

Yan Jing spoke, his voice completely changed.

His originally deep, somewhat magnetic voice had become shrill, like a clown performing in a stage play.

"No, you're paying for it."

Shen Youran rolled her eyes at Yan Jing's deliberate question.

This guy was dead serious sometimes, and completely flippant at others.

The two stepped up to the storefront, and Shen Youran knocked on the rolling shutter.

Three long knocks, four short.

"I have a customer today!"

An elderly voice rang out from behind the shutter.

"I made an appointment yesterday!"

Shen Youran called back.

Rattle, rattle, rattle!

A moment later, the shutter lifted halfway from the inside.

Yan Jing and Shen Youran were just about to head inside when a burly, fifty-something auntie with permed waves and a jade bracelet struggled out from beneath the shutter first.

"You hack! Don't you know how to lift a door higher? Half-assing your work. I'll be your daddy before I ever come back!"

The auntie cursed as she stormed off, leaving Yan Jing to look at Shen Youran. He blinked.

"Is that auntie here for training too?"

Shen Youran looked somewhat exasperated.

"This old guy. Of all the things he could be doing."

"What do you mean, 'of all the things'? I enjoy doing this!"

The elderly voice came from behind the shutter, sounding very displeased.

"Massage is an art."

"Save the nonsense. I paid good money for this, so you're responsible for training him well."

Although she had just warned Yan Jing about the man's temper, Shen Youran wasn't indulging him in the slightest.

"Your rent is over half a year overdue, isn't it, old man?"

"..."

"Hurry up and come in."

Yan Jing and Shen Youran ducked under the shutter.

To Yan Jing's surprise, the shop's interior wasn't the dirty, messy dump he had imagined. Instead, it was exceptionally clean. The floor was covered with air mats, and the walls were fully padded. It looked less like a massage parlor and more like a martial arts studio.

Standing behind the shutter was an old man in a training suit. He had a white beard and long eyebrows, though he didn't have much hair on his head, leaving his crown shining under the lights.

"It's been a long time, Shen Family girl."

The old man spoke, then looked at Yan Jing, sizing him up.

"This is your last gamble? You chose this?"

Shen Youran stepped in front of Yan Jing and sneered.

"Not only do you talk as much as ever, old man, but your eyesight is failing too. Can't you just take the money and do the job?"

The old man shook his head.

"I'm only reminding you. Since this is your final struggle, you ought to act carefully. Don't end up with nothing after all is said and done."

He then turned to Yan Jing with a cold smile.

"Kid, do you know what you're here to learn from me?"

Yan Jing shook his head.

"To learn how to kill!!!"

The old man suddenly raised his voice, evidently trying to startle Yan Jing.

But upon seeing Yan Jing's calm expression, he coughed awkwardly.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"I have a bit of experience."

Yan Jing nodded.

The old man narrowed his eyes.

"No lying in my presence!"

Yan Jing stayed silent. His meaning was perfectly clear.

The old man stroked his long beard, his eyes narrowing further.

"Killing a person is nothing special, young man. The world is vast; don't get too proud. Let me ask you another."

"Have you ever killed any Inner World residents?"

Having asked this, he looked rather pleased with himself.

There was a massive difference between killing a person and killing an Inner World resident. After all, the moment one laid a hand on an Inner World resident, their Mental Immunity Value would drop.

The danger involved couldn't even be compared.

But Yan Jing blinked.

"I have a lot more experience with that."

!!!

"Liar!"

The old man glared, blowing his beard in anger.

"Shen Family girl, your eye for talent is getting worse by the day."

"If you can teach him, teach. If you can't, refund the money. You damned old man, stop talking shit to my guy."

Seeing the old man repeatedly target Yan Jing, Shen Youran grew irritated. She grabbed Yan Jing, turned to leave, and sneered over her shoulder.

"Overdue rent, running an illegal business... I'll report you to the Public Security Association right now, you old coot."

"Wait!"

The old man instantly caved.

"I'll teach!"

"I'll teach him, alright?"

He walked up to Yan Jing and said, "Kid, you're only getting this because I've fallen on hard times. Back in the Fourth Ring Domain, thousands of people begged me for this lesson, and I still might not have given it!"

"Watch closely!"

With that, Weird Energy surged across his body, and the phantom of a suit of armor rose behind him.

It was a purple suit of armor, engraved with a golden lion crest. Its scales shimmered, exuding a heavy, archaic aura. A single glance was enough to tell it was absolutely extraordinary.

The only flaw was the two massive cracks on the armor's chest and arm. The thickly gathered Weird Energy drifted and scattered like air leaking through a draft as it passed those gashes.

He'd been injured, and severely at that. Yan Jing made a mental judgment.

As the Weird Energy continued to surge, the old man standing across from him seemed to become a completely different person. His voice rang out like a booming bell.

"Kid! As players, our sole duty is to improve ourselves by any means necessary, just so we can survive Dungeon after Dungeon in the Inner World."

"Whether it's Items, Rituals, The Vessel, the body, or Weird Energy—even for those who step onto the point of no return that is the Inner World Pathway—it all boils down to one goal."

"Survival!"

"Therefore, you must use everything at your disposal and seize every method to improve yourself."

"Driven by this powerful survival instinct, the Surface World has birthed a group of players whose combat strength is far from weak, even if their Rituals aren't exceptional."

"Relying on the exquisite application of Weird Energy, the constant tempering of combat techniques, a pair of fists, and sheer courage, they have forcefully carved out a place for themselves."

"This category of players is called the 'Self' faction."

"The 'Self' faction does not borrow the power of external objects, nor do they fear their might. Relying solely on their own Weird Energy, they can defeat enemies and secure victory."

"The Shen Family girl has always looked down on the 'Self' faction, yet she still asked me to teach you. That's because she wants me to teach you the most important technique of the 'Self' faction—Ghost Momentum!"

"And it's my own original creation: the Ghost Slaughter Momentum!"

"Compared to ordinary Ghost Momentum, the Ghost Slaughter Momentum can draw you back into the killing scenes of your memories, allowing you to constantly temper your combat skills. From then on, you won't need anyone's guidance; you can perfect your killing techniques entirely on your own."

"Now, kid, receive the momentum!!!"

As his voice fell, the surging Weird Energy visibly shot into the purple-gold armor, strand after strand.

Instantly, dark light flared within the room.

At that moment, the armor seemed to be more than just a phantom. It genuinely melded into the invisible aura surrounding the old man, becoming part of the presence behind him.

An archaic presence spread wildly. Phantoms of brave warriors slaughtering enemies appeared, seemingly dragging Yan Jing through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, bringing him to the most unforgettable battle deep in his memories—the one he wanted to win the most.

Seeing that Yan Jing had already been pulled into the momentum to experience its core, the old man smiled and stroked his long eyebrows.

This reception of momentum wouldn't just allow Yan Jing to better feel the Ghost Slaughter Momentum; it would also recreate the bloodiest Inner World battle in Yan Jing's memory.

In that battle, for every Inner World resident Yan Jing killed, a wisp of bloodstained ghost aura would dye his body.

He wanted to see for himself whether this kid was telling the truth about killing Inner World residents.

"Old man, if you mess around, I really will send you to hell."

Shen Youran's dark, icy voice suddenly rang out from the side, making Wang Zhongmian jump in fright.

"I—I didn't do anything! Calm down, just calm down!"

Terrified, Wang Zhongmian hurriedly waved his hands.

Right at that moment, he seemed to sense something. His pupils suddenly shrank as he stared in disbelief at where Yan Jing stood.

Bang!

A brilliantly crimson ghost aura bloomed behind Yan Jing.

This kid... he was telling the truth...

Before Wang Zhongmian could recover from his shock...

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Like suddenly ignited fireworks, streams of crimson ghost aura appeared behind Yan Jing, one after another.

The ghost auras intertwined and spread, ultimately transforming into a profound sea of crimson blood. The sheer force of it made the phantom purple-gold armor tremble incessantly, forcing it to retreat.

Seeing this scene, cold sweat streamed down Wang Zhongmian's forehead.

Fuck me, did this kid slaughter an entire Clan in the Inner World?!!

Meanwhile, Yan Jing looked at the fiercely imposing enemies across from him in his memory.

He held his breath and focused his mind.

With a flip and an explosive throw, he cleanly dispatched his own "Third Great-Uncle."

Then he turned around, looked at the "family members" glaring at him like tigers eyeing prey, and smiled.