My Little Ghost

Volume 1.4.6 — The Transcendence

Bai Bing Wen stares at Jian Bing, feeling a sense of confusion flashing in his mind. He’s never been asked about this, but that’s because there’s not even a lot of people who are aware of his situation to start with. Now that the little kitty is asking him and right in front of Meng Zhang and Ling Guang, too, he finds it difficult to say the simplest truth.

But then again, it begs the wonder. Does he still want to go back to that world?

“Of course,” he answers, but he feels like this time, there are just so much more that he needs to reconsider before actually deciding to go back.

But Jian Bing follows up his question with what makes this the most complicated decision for Bai Bing Wen... “What about Lord Ji Feng Huang?”

Bai Bing Wen has been thinking about this but he’s never had a concrete answer for himself recently. All he knows is that, if there’s a way that he can keep Ji Feng Huang by his side and still go back to see his family, he would do it. He can’t choose one and leave the other for now although he might need to in the future, but he doesn’t want this to be something to talk about with other people without Ji Feng Huang himself.

So he resorts to what he’s already talked about with his little ghostie if only to put Jian Bing at ease for now.

“We already talked about it. He’s fine as long as we get to marry before I leave.”

“Won’t you miss us when you go back to your world?” Jian Bing asks.

Smiling a little, Bai Bing Wen pats the little kitty’s head. “I’ll probably get myself a tiger beast companion and name it after you. Or a kitten.”

Jian Bing pouts.”I haven’t even seen a kitten yet.”

“I told you, it’s a fierce demon beast that looks exactly like you,” Ling Guang answers. “I’ll show you one once we travel to my empire.”

“Really?” Jian Bing asks with a pout.

“Yes. Those kittens are everywhere.”

“I mean, are they really fierce? You always call me little even when I’m bigger than you and I know you don’t think I’m fierce at all,” Jian Bing complains weakly.

“In my world, they’re small demon beasts,” Bai Bing Wen says. “They belong to the predatory class but everyone still wants to have one with them in their homes.”

“Are they dangerous?” Jian Bing asks.

“They are,” both Bai Bing Wen and Ling Guang answer.

“But why does everyone want them?” Jian Bing asks with those big innocent eyes.

“They’re just like you. They look harmless on the outside but are actually lethal when provoked. And also...” Bai Bing Wen sighs before continuing, “Danger is an attractive paradox. We all want it, but we all fear it at some point.”

“We’ll talk more about this after we’re done with this array,” Ling Guang says. “Now that my interest is already piqued, let’s see what’s good about this trick.”

Despite Ling Guang’s attempt to sound scornful, Bai Bing Wen can’t help but smile his dimpled smile hearing this. “Okay.”

“Do you still need to borrow spiritual energy from us?” Meng Zhang asks.

Bai Bing Wen shakes his head. “No need. This is actually better. I forgot that I really wouldn’t need to borrow spiritual energy coming from an actual core since this world is already filled with it. I only need a little to activate it but the rest would depend on my spiritual power. And since I’m at a high level right now, the chances of success are higher, too.” He turns to look at Ling Guang in the eyes with a sincere smile. “Thank you for letting me mirror your cultivation, Your Highness.”

“Aish. Just go on with it already,” Ling Guang snaps at him.

Bai Bing Wen bows his head a little as a sign of appreciation following their custom. Then he kisses the ring on his hand and whispers a few enchantments before placing the hand wearing that ring in the middle of the array.

“Go on. Look for the little ghost,” he says.

Blue sparkles glow out of the ring, blending with a few specks of golden dust. They dissipate in the air, falling everywhere within the array on the table. The red lines within the circular array light up in glowing blue light, almost blinding them. Not long after this, the three Crown Princes observing the process gasp in disbelief as they hear a familiar velvety voice of a man, speaking out of the complicated array.

“Xiao Bing?”

Jian Bing stands up from his seat and moves closer to the array. “Lord Ji Feng Huang?” he calls out.

“Little kitty? Wait. It’s you? What’s going on?”

Meng Zhang gives Bai Bing Wen a handsome smile, one that he used to give Huang Di before—a smile that reaches the eyes. “It’s working.”

“Xiao Zhang? What is this? Where are you? How... What’s going on? I can hear your voices!” Ji Feng Huang excitedly calls out, voice loud and clear.

“We’re in the bamboo house, Feng-Feng. We’re waiting for you,” Meng Zhang answers, moving his chair closer to Bai Bing Wen where the array is set up.

“What? What is this? How are you doing this? Where’s Xiao Bing?”

“Hey, little ghostie. I’m here.”

“Xiao Bing! I knew it. This is one of your tricks, isn’t it? Is this even true? Am I really talking to you?”

Bai Bing Wen feels panic rising in his chest, hearing Ji Feng Huang’s strained voice. “It’s true. I’m with Meng Zhang, Ling Guang, and Jian Bing right now. What’s going on? Why is your voice like that?”

“The Emperor is looking for you and the whole palace is in total chaos. I disguised myself as an imperial guard to check what they’ve been doing. The Shadow Empress is now turning your whole place upside down.”

Meng Zhang moves forward on his seat, looking troubled. “What?” he blurts out.

“I can’t get close enough. I’ve already tried twice with two different faces. If I try again, they might get suspicious.”

“Why is your voice like that?” Bai Bing Wen asks again.

“It’s nothing to worry about. These transformations are taking up too much of my energy but I need to hold up a little longer. I can’t let them invade your palace. They might see the talismans, the weapons—”

“You don’t need to worry about those. They would look like useless garbage without my permission for them to be of use. It’s a trick I learned from my world. Stop wasting your energy and go back to the infirmary to rest. Are your injuries healing just fine?”

“They’re healing but I keep getting poisoned by the Shadow Empress so it’s slowing down my progress. I’ll hurry out as soon as I’m completely healed. Are you okay? Are you eating well? Don’t worry about Meng Zhang, he won’t poison you. He’s my friend so eat as much food as you want.”

At this, Ling Guang clears his throat, talking in that lively voice of his that Bai Bing Wen first heard from him. “Lord Ji Feng Huang. Have you forgotten about your other martials?”

“Little birdie? You’re really there, too? Oh, I really need to get out of here. How are you, my little kids?”

“Hey, I’m even taller than you by three fingers,” Ling Guang replies snappily, face contorting in annoyance. “Where are you and when are you coming back?”

“I’ll see you all as soon as I get out of here. I’m currently here at the back of the Golden Flower Palace. There’s an empty storage room in here and I’m thankful to have already been hiding before this golden array appeared before my eyes.”

Ling Guang glances at Bai Bing Wen before focusing back on the array. “How soon is that?”

“I don’t know yet. I have a broken limb that would need about three more days to heal without Meng Zhang’s help.”

Hearing his name, Meng Zhang clears his throat, too, and speaks, “That’s... That’s the thing. We’re planning to help you escape.”

“What? No. It’s too dangerous.”

“There are a lot of us that will come to your rescue,” Bai Bing Wen argues. “We can’t just sit here and do nothing while you’re suffering alone in there.”

“I’m not alone. I have all of you in my heart and that’s good enough for me. For now, please don’t do anything.”

“Lord Ji Feng Huang...” Jian Bing calls out with a sad tone.

“I understand that it’s difficult to just wait for something to happen, but this is one of those times when waiting is the best thing you can do to help me. Remember that this empire is filled with opaque mages so if you still want to get out of this realm alive, you have to listen to me. And make sure Xiao Bing doesn’t get back here, too.” Ji Feng Huang lets out a stifled cough before clearing his throat and talking again. “Whatever happens, just wait for me. Okay? They’ve laid more traps and set more illusion-inducing formations than usual so we might not get through it all unscathed this time if we tried because I’m still a little weak. I can’t focus on escaping if I have to worry about the four of you.”

“Five, actually.”

Bai Bing Wen, Jian Bing, and Ling Guang turn to look at Meng Zhang who just spoke.

“What?” Ji Feng Huang asks.

“The berserker we found last time. He’s still not talking but I already have a guess as to what happened to him and who he is.”

“Oh. Where is he?”

“I placed him in the back room and told him that if he’s not willing to cooperate, then he’s not going anywhere. It would have been easier to talk to him if you’re here so... hurry.”

“You have a prisoner in this house all this time without our knowledge? That’s illegal!” Ling Guang says in disbelief.

“It is?” Jian Bing worriedly asks.

Bai Bing Wen is also losing his mind thinking of the numerous offenses that they are unknowingly getting involved with while staying in this innocent-looking place. “It’s not right,” he tells Jian Bing.

The little kitty frowns, turning to look at Ling Guang. “You’ve been doing that all the time that I actually forgot how it’s wrong,” he helplessly complains, looking lost.

“How many times do you see Meng Zhang doing the wrong things? Never,” Ling Guang replies, lightly squishing Jian Bing’s cheeks in between his hands.

“But for Lord Ji Feng Huang, he does all sorts of wrong,” Jian Bing replies smartly, making Bai Bing Wen glance suspiciously at Meng Zhang.

“We took all the effort to get in touch with Feng-Feng. Let’s talk about other things later,” Meng Zhang replies, keeping his eyes focused on the array. “What am I supposed to do with him now, Feng-Feng?”

“Keep him there. I’ll talk to him,” Ji Feng Huang answers, making Bai Bing Wen lose it completely.

“Are you insane?” he blurts out. “That’s illegal detention. And that boy is still a child. What are you doing?”

“I’ll explain it later on, Xiao Bing. For now, you need to trust me.”

Bai Bing Wen can only sit back in his chair and roam his eyes around the room.

“Lord Ji Feng Huang, I miss you. Do you not miss me?” he hears Jian Bing asking.

“What are you talking about? Of course, I miss you, my little kitty. I’ll see you soon.”

Bai Bing Wen absently stares at the table, letting the four of them talk. He notices that amongst the three, Jian Bing is the most excited to talk to Ji Feng Huang. His eyes are lighting up with silver specks of dust and his tiger teeth are showing more than usual.

Ling Guang is a bit temperamental, but then again, this seems to be the normal attitude for him towards everyone. He’s using that lively voice one minute and getting annoyed the next. But in Bai Bing Wen’s observation, this guy also has a big heart filled with intentions of spreading kindness. He just doesn’t want to show it, probably in fear of looking soft.

And there’s Meng Zhang who looks the most comfortable whenever he’s talking to Ji Feng Huang. Bai Bing Wen remembers how Meng Zhang is always acting with noble politeness every time they talk and he’s almost acting similar towards the other two but when it comes to Ji Feng Huang, he shows that he can be a little laidback, too. Last night was probably the only time that Bai Bing Wen has seen him chuckling and laughing like an actual person capable of happiness but he suspects that it has something to do with Meng Zhang’s memories of Huang Di.

Bai Bing Wen has been lost in all these thoughts, feeling a little better just by hearing Ji Feng Huang’s voice from time to time. He doesn’t realize that time has been passing for so long until he feels his spiritual energy depleting. He’s been feeling this uncomfortable sensation so many times in a day ever since he woke up in this world where, ironically, spiritual energy is dense.

“We have to go,” he says, cutting off what Meng Zhang is telling Ji Feng Huang.

The three of them look at him in confusion.

“Xiao Bing? Are you alright?”

This is the longest he’s ever maintained a communication array and with only one source of spiritual energy at that. It only proves that the flow of spiritual energy in this world is truly reliable. However, a communication array with only one source of power is still too much or a single cultivator to carry so it’s not surprising that Bai Bing Wen is already feeling weaker and weaker by the second. He has to say what has to be said to Ji Feng Huang before they get disconnected. In the future, he might as well leave a preformed array on a paper talisman to Ji Feng Huang so that the communication array can rely on two different sources of power.

With not too much time on their plate, he quickly explains to them first what’s going on. “I am running low on...” He pauses when he feels blood dripping out of his nose. Meng Zhang quickly stands beside him, but Bai Bing Wen only waves a hand. He then gestures for them to be quiet before speaking again. “I am running low on spiritual power, little ghostie. It might take a whole day before I can create something like this again so...”  Bai Bing Wen contemplates for a few seconds whether he’s going to talk the usual way he does to Ji Feng Huang with everyone here. Then he smiles to himself because he knows he simply doesn’t care anymore. “Please, take good care of yourself and see us soon.”

Bai Bing Wen almost believes that the communication is already lost but seeing the dimmed blue lights still forming the complicated array, he figures that Ji Feng Huang is just being quiet. Not long after, Ji Feng Huang answers. “I’ll see you soon. Take care of yourself, too.”

“Put your hand inside the array,” Bai Bing Wen tells him.

Ji Feng Huang probably does as he’s told without another word because soon enough, Bai Bing Wen is already feeling his little ghostie’s hand against his. The familiar comfort and his favorite coldness—all in a single touch within the array.

“Is this...”

Bai Bing Wen chuckles to himself lightly. “Soon, little ghost.”

They don’t even get to hear Ji Feng Huang’s answer before the array drawn by blood has turned into blue sparkling dust, disappearing in the air. At the same time, Bai Bing Wen’s head falls forward and with a soft thud as his forehead hits Meng Zhang’s hand preventing him from hitting the table directly, he loses his consciousness once more.