The illustrations and notes in the journal were scrawled and messy, clearly the result of haphazard and random recording over time. Each page contained descriptions of different spells.
The first page was about a “Rain Summoning Ritual,” with illustrations showing the hand gestures and the incantation for summoning rain. As the players flipped through the pages, they came across spells like “Stopping Babies’ Night Cry Spell,” “Turning Stone into Gold Spell,” “Summoning Spirits Spell,” and even “Moving Mountains and Filling Seas Spell.” The further they read, the more ridiculous the spells became.
Tian Mingjie couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. “Our master… could he be a charlatan?”
“Look! There’s a ghost repelling and protective spell here!”
Finally, they found something useful. The players stared at the page, which depicted a formation, explaining that it could repel ghosts and protect those inside it from harm.
Someone excitedly said, “So all we need to do is set up this formation in the madam’s room, right?”
But someone else questioned, “Would the system let us complete the task that easily?”
Zhao Luan spoke up at that moment, “It won’t be that easy. Look, the items needed to set up this formation… even in three days, we might not be able to gather them all.”
“Water from a rootless source… isn’t that just rainwater? But what if it doesn’t rain in these three days? Then we’d need to use the rain summoning spell first. And black dog blood? Are there even black dogs in this town? And ashes from a hundred-year-old sandalwood tree? Where on earth are we supposed to find that?”
These tricky items instantly dampened the players’ spirits.
Zhao Luan flipped back to the first page. “Let’s try the rain summoning spell first. If it works, then the spells in this book are real. If not, we won’t have to waste time collecting the rest of the items.”
Everyone agreed with his logic, so they went to find Butler Chen and asked him to help prepare the materials for the rain summoning ritual.
To the players’ surprise, Butler Chen didn’t ask any questions when they requested a rain summoning ritual. He agreed readily. Zhao Luan also casually mentioned that they needed black dog blood and the ashes of a hundred-year-old sandalwood tree. Butler Chen said that finding the sandalwood might take some time, but he’d order the servants to search for it as soon as possible.
The Jin family servants worked quickly, and within an hour, the altar for the rain summoning ritual was ready. The offering table was set with incense, candles, and sacrificial items, and fresh chickens and sheep had been slaughtered. Everything was prepared—except for a player willing to dance the ritual dance.
The master’s notes depicted the dance moves for the rain summoning spell, with little stick figures flailing their limbs. Li Zhi glanced at it and thought the figures looked a lot like the second set of radio gymnastics, The Rising Sun.
Chi Yi poked the distracted and amused Li Zhi. “What are you laughing at?”
Li Zhi replied, “I think these stick figures are kind of cute.”
Chi Yi stared incredulously at the stick figure drawings on the yellowed pages. “I can’t understand your taste at all.”
She jerked her chin toward Zhao Luan, who was practicing the dance. “Aren’t you going to perform the rain dance? Looks like Zhao Luan is about to steal the spotlight.”
Li Zhi followed her gaze. Zhao Luan was standing in the corner, seriously practicing the stick figure dance.
“Let him do it if he wants to,” Li Zhi said, smiling. “I’ve never seen someone perform a rain summoning dance before.”
Chi Yi rolled her eyes at her. “At this rate, Zhao Luan is going to win MVP! You don’t even care, huh? The 1.5x multiplier for points doesn’t tempt you anymore?”
Chi Yi felt like Li Zhi was the only one who deserved MVP, showing a hint of fangirl bias she wasn’t even aware of.
Under her friend’s irritated glare, Li Zhi reconsidered. “Fine,” she said. “I’ll try harder in the next task.”
Chi Yi: “…”
On the other side, Zhao Luan was already getting ready to start the ritual. Despite being a former boxer, his movements were surprisingly coordinated, and he performed the rain dance with a sense of power and rhythm.
Holding a small bell in his hand, Zhao Luan danced and shook the bell. The sharp, thin sound of the bell echoed through the eerie courtyard, his strange body movements paired with low chanting, resembling some ancient summoning ritual.
The already gloomy atmosphere of Qingyu Town seemed to grow even more sinister at that moment.
Chi Yi suddenly shivered, gripping Li Zhi’s hand tighter. “Zhi Zhi, do you think he’s really doing the rain summoning dance? The props were given by the system, but the system loves to mess with us. What if it’s not a rain dance at all, but…”
In front of the altar, Zhao Luan was still dancing energetically. His movements, originally full of strength, suddenly paused and then bizarrely became soft and fluid. Although it was still Zhao Luan’s body, each action and expression exuded the sorrowful demeanor typical of a woman.
Li Zhi, who had been lounging lazily, immediately straightened up and sprang to her feet.
The other players noticed Zhao Luan’s strange behavior as well, and someone couldn’t help but shout, “Zhao Luan, what’s wrong?!”
Zhao Luan slowly stood upright, tilted his head, and glanced at the person who had spoken. He raised one finger to brush his hair aside, and though his body was tall and muscular, his movements took on the grace and mannerisms of a woman locked away in her chamber. The sight was eerie and deeply unsettling.
In a high-pitched, sorrowful voice, he asked, “Have you seen my child?”
“Ah—! A ghost—!”
Several players standing nearby immediately scattered like frightened animals, fleeing in panic. This action enraged the ghost possessing Zhao Luan. Her eyes filled with hatred as she scanned the players, her once soft voice becoming sharp and piercing, “Did you take my child?”
A cold wind whipped through the courtyard, and the scene descended into chaos.
“How could this happen?! Isn’t this the rain summoning spell?!”
“We’ve been tricked by the system! That notebook was a trap!”
Li Zhi quickly made a decision and jumped off the steps. “Chi Yi, the knife.”
Chi Yi hurriedly handed her the exorcism knife.
With a serious expression and an air of determination, Li Zhi grasped the knife tightly and marched toward Zhao Luan, who was still possessed and spinning in place.
Sensing movement behind her, the ghost turned her head, only to see a gleaming kitchen knife slicing through the air, aimed directly at her twisted neck. The blade cut through the wind with terrifying speed and force, as if intent on reducing her to dust on the spot.
The ghost wasn’t the only one startled—every player present was paralyzed by fear at Li Zhi’s stance, unable even to scream. It was as if they could already see the violent scene of blood splattering everywhere, the head severed from the body.
Zhao Luan, in his ghost-possessed voice, let out an enraged but fearful scream.
A gust of wind swept through, and Zhao Luan’s distorted body shuddered. He blinked, as if waking from a nightmare. The moment he opened his eyes, he saw a cold, shining kitchen knife just inches away from his artery, the sharp wind from the blade making his hair stand on end.
Terrified, he looked at the woman in front of him, who seemed ready to end his life, and dared not move. “What are you doing?!”
Li Zhi gave him a friendly smile. “I’m exorcising the ghost for you.” She calmly withdrew the knife. “You’re welcome.”
The audience watching was equally stunned by what had just happened. When they finally processed the scene, the on-screen comments were filled with lively reactions:
【That knife was only 0.01 centimeters away from his throat at the time.】
【How did the rain summoning spell end up summoning a ghost?! That notebook is definitely cursed!】
【Zhao Luan better kneel and thank Li Zhi for saving him.】
【I’d love to interview the person who pushed a teammate in front of the knife only to be saved by that same teammate. How do they feel now?】
【Where are Zhao Luan’s fans now? Weren’t you all bragging that your guy could clear this mission solo? Why so quiet now?】
【Zhao Luan’s fans should really kneel and thank Li Zhi on his behalf. Not too long ago, they were mocking Li Zhi while praising Zhao Luan.】
…
Zhao Luan’s expression was complex. He wasn’t foolish—he realized that something had possessed him during the rain dance, causing him to lose consciousness, and when he opened his eyes, this terrifying situation greeted him. Reflecting on it all, he understood what had happened.
When he first entered the game, he had been wary of Li Zhi. His goal was not only to clear the mission but also to win first place in popularity and MVP. Li Zhi was his biggest competitor in this scenario.
However, once inside the game, Li Zhi had remained low-key and didn’t try to outshine anyone, her performance seemingly average. Gradually, Zhao Luan stopped viewing her as a threat. Who would have thought she would seize this opportunity to stand out by stepping on his moment? Zhao Luan could already imagine how much popularity this flashy scene would gain her.
But Li Zhi had undeniably saved him, leaving Zhao Luan with no choice but to swallow his resentment and direct his frustration at the master’s journal instead.
He had been too hasty! He never should’ve been the one to perform that cursed rain dance. Filled with anger, Zhao Luan stormed over to the altar, grabbed the journal, and was about to tear it apart.
“Wait!” Li Zhi, quick on her feet, snatched the journal from his hand. “What are you doing?”
Zhao Luan growled, “You saw it yourself! This rain summoning spell is a complete scam! Nothing in this book can be trusted!”
Ignoring the murderous glare Zhao Luan gave her, Li Zhi tucked the journal away. “That’s no reason to destroy it. I’ll keep it as a souvenir.”
Zhao Luan, now convinced she was intentionally opposing him, snapped, “Why would you want to keep this haunted thing?”
Li Zhi shrugged. “I think the handwriting looks nice.”
Zhao Luan clenched his teeth. It was certain now—she was deliberately messing with him!
Their argument caught the attention of the NPCs in the mansion. Soon, Butler Chen, informed by the servants, rushed over with an angry expression.
“What are you all doing?!”
The players were momentarily speechless, unsure how to explain. They couldn’t exactly admit that they had tried to summon rain but accidentally summoned the ghost of the former madam instead.
Butler Chen scanned the surroundings with a stern gaze, then said in a low, grave voice, “The rain summoning ritual is a method for mortals to communicate with spirits. During the ritual, the human body opens up its seven orifices, making it vulnerable to possession by malevolent ghosts. How dare you perform such a ritual without setting up a protective ward?!”
What? A protective ward? The book didn’t mention anything about that!
Butler Chen’s heavy gaze swept across the players. “You claim to be disciples of a great master, yet you don’t even understand the basics of the rain summoning ceremony?”
Players: “…”
Crap, the NPC is doubting us.
Chi Yi quickly jumped in, putting on her best performance. “Of course we are! It’s just that our master usually handles these rituals, and we’re not as practiced. We won’t make this mistake again next time!”
The players nodded hastily. “Yes, exactly!”
Butler Chen looked at them suspiciously but ultimately accepted their explanation. He sternly warned, “The madam’s childbirth is a matter of life and death. Human lives are at stake, so don’t take this lightly.”
The players nodded repeatedly. “Of course, of course!”
Butler Chen glanced at the gathering storm clouds overhead. “It’s getting late. After dinner, I suggest you all return to your rooms early and rest. And remember…”
He lowered his voice, “You’re all aware of what happened with the former madam. This mansion isn’t safe at night. Best not to wander around after dark.”
Recalling the ghostly possession from earlier, everyone quickly agreed.
Once Butler Chen left, Li Zhi stared thoughtfully after him.
Chi Yi asked in a whisper, “What’s on your mind?”
Li Zhi handed the exorcism knife back to her. “Nothing, just thinking that Butler Chen seems to know a lot.”
Chi Yi waved her off. “You should keep the knife. You’re better at using it than I am. Besides, if I stay close to you, I won’t be in danger.”
Since she insisted, Li Zhi didn’t refuse and put the knife away.
After enjoying a lavish dinner, night had fully fallen. Under the guidance of the servants, the players returned to their guest rooms. Lanterns hanging from the eaves flickered to life one by one, casting a faint red glow that illuminated the courtyard, making the already eerie mansion appear even more sinister in the darkness.
By this time, the sky had darkened, and thick clouds loomed overhead, signaling that rain was imminent.
Someone exclaimed excitedly, “The rain summoning worked! That master’s journal must be real, but we just missed the step for protection, which is why Zhao Luan got possessed by a ghost.”
“In that case, the ghost-repelling protection formation must be real too! Once the NPC gathers all the materials, we’ll be able to draw the formation.”
The group brought out bowls and basins from their rooms, placing them in the courtyard to catch rainwater. After tonight, they would have the rootless water they needed.
Before heading back to their rooms, Tian Mingjie approached Li Zhi and said, “Li Zhi, let’s leave the master’s journal with you. We all trust you to keep it safe.”