The Strange Pond, the Appearance of the.........

Although the wraith couldn't make a sound, a gust of eerie wind began swirling around Lin Yuan and Hu Tao.

Clearly, the wraith was struggling in its final moments.

However, Lin Yuan's dragon aura was the most effective power against creatures of the underworld. The wraith's violent movements gradually weakened under the blast of fire elemental energy.

"All done," Hu Tao said.

Dealing with these tainted wraiths was Hu Tao's specialty.

Seeing that the wraith was beyond saving, she skillfully lifted it with her spear, chanting softly.

Just as Hu Tao was about to purify the wraith, the Black Mist of Karma that entwined the wraith suddenly surged toward her.

Instinctively, she flicked the wraith off her Homa Staff, distancing it from the black mist.

The mist, along with the wraith, fell off the edge of a nearby cliff, plunging into the dark waters below.

Hu Tao let out a sigh of relief and remarked with surprise, "The karmic burden on that wraith was intense. Almost got me."

If the Black Mist of Karma had touched her, Hu Tao would have been shielded, preventing possession, but it would've cost her some valuable countermeasures.

"Ying ying ying."

Lin Yuan flew over to check on Hu Tao.

Even he was caught off guard by the black mist's sudden retaliation.

It seemed his dragon aura couldn't fully suppress such remnants of the fallen.

Hu Tao playfully tapped Lin Yuan's head, grinning. "Heh, thanks for your concern, silly. But this Grand Master is an expert at dealing with these things. No need to worry."

She pulled out a talisman from her chest and explained, "This is a protective charm passed down through my family for generations. It's protected countless Grand Masters from strange harms, and this Black Mist of Karma is no exception."

Lin Yuan's round dragon eyes studied the talisman closely, sensing a trace of elemental power from it.

Surprise flickered in Lin Yuan's eyes—this talisman was no ordinary object. He could detect a hint of ancient Adepti magic within it.

The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's long history clearly had some deep roots. With protective talismans like this, it was no wonder Hu Tao hadn't been harmed by various evil spirits even when she became a Grand Master as a young girl.

After putting away the talisman, Hu Tao looked over the edge of Wuwang Hill, staring at the pitch-black pool below.

The surface of the pool was still, lifeless.

"Strange," Hu Tao muttered. "I've been running into these wraiths way more often lately. What's going on?"

In the past, Hu Tao could go an entire year without encountering a wraith burdened with such strong karma.

But lately, she'd been seeing them every few days.

If she hadn't spent her childhood honing her skills in fighting these ghostly entities, even she would have struggled against these eerie beings.

There was definitely something odd behind the frequent appearances of these wraiths.

Lin Yuan nodded.

A wraith encountering an auspicious creature like him should have fled like other spirits, but instead, it actively attacked.

The Black Mist of Karma clearly had a profound effect on these wraiths.

And the presence of such karmic burdens, similar to the remnants of demon gods, didn't just appear out of nowhere.

Even so, Lin Yuan had no intention of investigating further. After all, in Teyvat, the remnants of fallen gods were a common sight.

Hu Tao glanced once more at the still, dark pool, her concern not fully eased. "I wonder if that Black Mist of Karma has really dissipated. How about we go down and check, silly dragon?"

Lin Yuan nodded in agreement.

The black mist was truly dangerous. If they didn't confirm its disappearance, it might later attach itself to someone else.

Hu Tao's habit of making sure the job was done right earned Lin Yuan's admiration.

The two, dragon and human, slowly descended the cliff, making their way to the edge of the pool.

The pool was deep and dark, impossible to see where the wraith had gone.

Hu Tao dipped her Homa Staff into the water, probing the depths.

She found nothing but managed to coat her staff in mud.

Seeing the ominous red Homa Staff sullied like this, Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

That staff was a legendary weapon in the original game. So many players had spent a fortune trying to pull it from the gacha.

Even Lin Yuan had to shell out 648 yuan to get his hands on the Homa Staff back then.

And now, Hu Tao was using it to stir up muddy water.

What a waste of such a powerful weapon.

Hu Tao shook the mud off the staff, her frustration evident. "It won't be easy to confirm if that black mist is really gone."

The wraith had definitely dissipated after she speared it, but the black mist was another matter.

Suddenly, Hu Tao's eyes gleamed mischievously, and Lin Yuan felt a shiver of unease.

Hu Tao was clearly plotting something again.

Sure enough, Hu Tao turned to Lin Yuan with a smile. "How about you dive into the pool and take a look, silly dragon? If you don't find anything, we can just leave it at that."

Lin Yuan glanced at the pitch-black pool and shook his head without hesitation.

Although his dragon heritage allowed him to soar through the skies and dive into the depths of the ocean, there was no way he was entering this eerie pool.

Even though he had a human soul, Lin Yuan had inherited some dragon traits, and one of them was a distaste for filth.

"So, what do you suggest we do?" Hu Tao asked, spreading her hands helplessly.

Lin Yuan grunted. Since he wasn't going into the water, he would use his dragon aura to scan the area.

While his dragon aura wasn't meant for scouting, the Black Mist of Karma had a natural aversion to his aura, like a mortal facing its nemesis.

If the black mist was still here, Lin Yuan's aura would surely drive it out.

With that thought in mind, Lin Yuan unleashed his dragon aura, sweeping it over the pool.

For a moment, it seemed as though the entire pool had stopped moving.

But even with his aura extended to its fullest, there was no sign of the black mist. It appeared to have vanished along with the wraith.

"Ying ying ying," Lin Yuan called out, waving his little claws.

Hu Tao blinked and said, "Oh? So the Black Mist of Karma has disappeared? Well, in that case, let's get back to work."

As a Grand Master, Hu Tao's dedication to her duties made her a model boss.

With the wraith dealt with, it was time to complete the next order of business.

Just as Hu Tao was about to put away her Homa Staff, the pool suddenly stirred.

Thick, impenetrable steam began to gather and condense in a single direction above the water.

The water, which had been still as death, began to roil, as if suddenly brought to a boil.

The steam converged toward the center of the pool, forming what appeared to be a blue, water-like altar, as if it were summoning something.

Lin Yuan tensed, feeling a growing sense of unease.

As the mist gathered, a soft voice, as if singing a lullaby, echoed from the fog, reaching both Hu Tao and Lin Yuan's ears.

Combined with the strange phenomenon unfolding before them, the eerie atmosphere grew even more intense.

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A/N:

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