Haze & Hope
"OK everyone, don't need to get nervous. According to our team's research, there is only one foundation-building ghost inside. Just follow us and don't run around." said the burly man with a huge axe over his back. His name is "Zhang Yao" and he is the only foundation-building monk on this team.
There are seven people on this team. Two in the ninth level of the Qi building, one in the eighth level, two in the seventh level and Su Chen is the only one in the sixth level.
Well, if you look at the surroundings, you will see thick fog everywhere. Without using consciousness you won't see anything with your eyes. And even that won't help much.
That's why Su Chen is holding a small candle with a pale flame in his hand. This candle can dispel the haze but also attract the ghost's attention if you're not careful. Well, he is a cannon foder since he is the weakest.
You can't blame him since even this role cost him 10 spiritual stones he has saved for 6 months. Life is hard in this haze and Su Chen is fed up with living like a slave.
"Su Chen, let's go. Don't be nervous, we will save you if anything happens." Hei Lao tapped his soldier when he was lost in his thoughts.
This is the only person he is familiar with on this team. He is also the one who introduced him to this secret cave exploration. Hope, everything goes as he says.
Su Chen smiled, and said solemnly, "OK, I am in your hand."
"Haha, don't worry. This cave isn't that dangerous. You may get some good opportunity if you are lucky." Hei Lao replied meaningfully.
"OK, don't waste time. Shi Ling, arrange a formation at the entrance. I don't want someone stabbing my back." the team leader said.
"Ok, boss." Shi Ling replied and started to arrange a simple formation at the cave entrance. He is the only formation master in the team and seems to be from the "Shi family" from the Hexuan town.
The cave we are going to explore this time isn't big. Well, at least looking at its entrance. This cave was found by Ye Rouxi, a slim girl with an average appearance. She is also in the ninth level of cultivation.
"Boss, formation is ready. We will know if someone is on our tail," said Shi Ling.
"OK, Su Chen, you stand in the middle. Don't let that candle go out. Me, Shi Ling, and Rouxi will be at the front, rest of the people will be at the back. Pay attention and don't ruin the formation." the team leader commanded in a horse voice.
"Thank you, leader." Su Chen happily replied. At least, they didn't ask him to go first.
"Haha, don't worry, I will cover you from the back," said Hei Lao. While two other people at the back didn't pay much attention to him. Hei Lao is in eight levels of Qi training while the remaining two are in the Ninth and Seventh respectively.
Everyone started to enter the cave cautiously. The soil under the foot is very wet with a black substance of unknown origin. If you aren't careful and get it on your skin, it will be a hell of a job to scrap it out.
A few meters ahead, you can't see the entrance to the cave anymore. The candle can only illuminate 20 meters around. So, it is important to be cautious lest you don't know how you die in this ghost place.
While everyone was walking slowly but firmly, some sounds started to appear. It seems something is crawling somewhere. No matter what, it sounds creepy. Su Chen sudder.
The tunnel from the cave has been going downward for the last fifteen minutes. The sounds of crawling and nasty smells are getting heavier.
Finally, a relatively large cavern appears in everyone's view. Team leader Zhang seems to have found something. He gestured to be quiet and took out a small grass with three petals.
This grass is very common in this area. It is called ghost-luring grass that can attract low-level creatures from the haze.
Zhang Yao quickly threw the grass in the middle of the opposite side of the entrance so that they wouldn't get blocked.
The moment the ghost-luring grass touches the black soil, it starts to shine with faint blue light. It's leaves seem to be between reality and illusion. It is truly a magical sight.
However, the sound of something scratching and running around quickly pulled Su Chen's thoughts. The ground seems to be vibrating and a large number of grotesque creatures appear in everyone's sight.
These creatures are generally called spector which has a phantom-like appearance. They generally don't have any eyes since they don't need them.
They can be in an animal-like shape with a distorted physique. Also, they smell really bad. At least, Su Chen is having a hard time concentrating here.
While Su Chen was observing them, team leader Zhang quickly cast a simple fireball spell to clear out those creatures. Apparently, he didn't want these small flies to ruin his expensive ghost-luring grass.
"OK, get ready to fight. I will be responsible for holding up the big one. Try to clear up the remaining one as soon as you can. Su Chen, fix that candle in that wall and attach a defense talisman next to it."
Su Chen quickly fixed the candle on the wall next to it and applied a defense talisman as he was told. We don't want to lose vision while fighting, do we?
While everyone was preparing for the fight, the wind started to blow rapidly. The temperature in the cavern quickly dropped to the freezing point. Even Su Chen with the sixth level of Qi training shivered a little.
Zhang Yao quickly stepped forward with his axe and stabbed the ghost at the front squarely on its head. It splits into two from head to toe and dissipates into the air.
The axe seems to be a medium-grade profound magic weapon. This kind of weapon is coated with ghost powder so that it can kill without applying any spells.
As far as Su Chen knows, weapons in this world are divided into Magical and Spiritual whereas the former is divided into Yellow, Profound, Earth, and Heaven level. Spiritual weapons are very scarce and Su Chen doesn't know much about them.
Anyway, Su Chen currently cannot affords the lowest of them. He can only use a low-grade Yellow sword along with his spells to fight such ghosts.
Once the team leader Zhang killed the first one, a hoarse ghost roar came from behind. The sounds seem to penetrate the soul. Fortunately, everyone already applied the soul defense talisman before entering the cave.
With the roar, all the ghosts that are chasing the grass converge towards team leader Zhang. So, team members, He Lao, Rouxi, and the other two quickly encircled the ghosts and started fighting.
While Shi Ling dropped the formation disk and prepared an attack and defense formation. Everyone seems to be on track since they are an old team.
Su Chen also quickly intercepted a ghost with the Sixth level of Qi training. It has a human-like figure with a ghostly aura surrounding it.
The main thing you need to consider when fighting with a ghost is its Yin poison. Such poison can directly affect your soul and immobilize you briefly. So, it can be fatal if you are not careful when fighting.
Su Chen briefly distanced himself and cast the flame spell on his sword. Since ghosts in the haze are semi-physical, a weapon can damage them if you coat them with your spell.
Su Chen quickly drew his sword and drew an arch targeting the head. The ghost let out a shrill howl and dodged it in the air.
Its terrifying claw swiped his chest almost instantaneously. Fortunately, Su Chen quickly distanced himself using the feather technique.
Well, since his movement technique is low-grade, he seems a little low. Still, Su Chen quickly crouched down and fired his sword at the waist cutting the ghost into two halves.
He breathed a sigh of relief. That was close. By the time he killed one, his team members had already cleared all the mobs. The team leader Zhang is still fighting the big one.
So, everyone quickly started to attack from the distance. Since this ghost is in the early stage of the foundation building, a Qi-training monk will get killed if he is near.
Still, with everyone input, the team leader easily solved it after a stick of intense. Everyone sighed in relief and started to recover the spiritual energy.
The candle is still lit with a pale yellow flame. The sound and wind also stopped at some points. It seems the fight is over.
Su Chen was in a good mood. For the first adventure, it wasn't that bad. Su Chen smiled inwardly.
"OK, stand and hurry up. We need to search the cave and rush out immediately. It isn't over yet." team leader Zhang warned.
Generally, this kind of cave with a ghost leader will have some hidden spiritual treasure. If you aren't fast collecting, it may attract other creatures instead.
Zhang Yao quickly picked up the candle from the wall and started walking forward. He seems a little anxious and expectant.
The ghost-luring grass is already dead with dim light. It cannot survive long outside without care.