My Little Ghost

Volume 1.0.1 — The Transition

The Bai clan of the Central Country is one of the most influential and powerful clans amongst the cultivation world of the modern era. In each generation where fewer and fewer children are born with a magic core, the Bai clan’s main family line descendants are all born of high level cultivator parents, giving birth to children with the healthiest magic cores.

Bai Bing Wen is considered a genius not only in his generation but also in his entire family and clan. At the age of nine, he has reached the third level of cultivation, making him the youngest to achieve this high amongst his peers.

Now that he’s already eighteen and only a couple of years away from finishing his academic years, he’s already reached the seventh light of the sixth level of cultivation. He’s one level higher than his brother who’s two years ahead of him, and only two lights behind his eldest brother who’s already finished his academic years three years ago.

Because of his reputation, more than half the school population either envied or admired him. During the elemental test on the first day of academic years when new students come in, it has been a trend for people to see who the famous Bai brothers are, or if they live up to their reputation that has gone beyond the borders of the school’s realm. They especially look forward to seeing the famous, talented Bai Bing Wen.

“I’m telling you, Xiao Bing. Great-grandfather’s stories are true!”

Bai Bing Wen rolls his eyes subtly at his brother, checking his storage ring for the nth time to make sure he’s not forgotten anything. “Stop it, gege. It’s already appalling that such a world in the future exists, let alone, to hear you actually believe it? How old are you, three?”

Green and blue neon sparkles scatter around the living room as Bai Bing Wen casts a music talisman in the air. Various instruments start playing, drowning the entire living room with an instrumental piece that his older brother, Bai Li Jie, hates the most.

“I’m just saying, Xiao Bing,” Bai Li Jie insists, placing a pair of charmed mufflers into his ears. His snowy white hands with slender fingers absently pick on invisible specks of dirt on his black jeans while he sits on the armrest of their father’s white couch. His gold eyes look up to meet Bai Bing Wen’s as he goes on, “How else did our great-grandfather achieve immortality? It’s hard enough for anyone to reach the ninth light of the eighth level. And to think that only a few immortals are still alive. I’m telling you. His so-called made up stories about traveling into the future where technology has ‘supposedly’ invented an overflowing spiritual energy capsule is more believable than the myths of mystical creatures on the school’s scriptures at the entrance.”

“Great-grandfather is just making fun of your gullible nature. Even grandfather is telling him to take it easy on these stories he tells you because he knows you’ll believe whatever great-grandfather says—”

“I can’t hear you,” Bai Li Jie cuts him off, pointing to his ears where two charmed mufflers are attached with purple sparkles around them. His soft brown hair is down like always, bangs almost covering his innocent golden eyes. His oversized pink hoodie almost swallowing up his whole body, making him look younger than Bai Bing Wen.

Anywhere Bai Bing Wen looks, there is no way that his older brother is actually older than him. He looks more like a grade school student than an academy senior who’s a year away from graduating his academics. His progress in cultivation is a bit slower by the Bai clan’s standards but he’s never discouraged nor jealous because he’s always surrounded by people who love him for his innocent smiles and his shameful yet shameless behavior. An eye candy, too, just like everyone else in their family.

Bai Bing Wen snaps his fingers to stop his music talisman and walks over to where his brother is seated. He takes the in-ear charmed mufflers away with a small, dimpled smile, leaning over. “Jie-gege, it’s the last day of school break. We’ll be going back tomorrow and this is how you want to spend the last night at our house? Mulling over great-grandfather’s fictional stories?”

With a knowing smile, Bai Li Jie crosses his arms over his chest, feigning ignorance. “How else do you plan to spend it, then?”

Bai Bing Wen clicks his brother’s storage ring and places the mufflers inside. “Just like the old times.”

Trying to hide his giggles in his hands, Bai Li Jie looks out the living room entrance to see if anyone is else is listening. When he’s certain that everyone is in the huge dining hall, he nods at his brother. “Deal,” he agrees quickly.

Two minutes later, the eldest child of the main family, Bai Zhang Wei, is heard screaming his lungs out into the vast estates of the Bai clan.

“The two of you are grounded for bullying your brother again,” the Bai family head chides the two boys who are hardly keeping the evil smiles from showing on their faces.

“We’re sorry, dad,” they say together in a practiced speech, already knowing that their parents can do nothing about them now that they are leaving for school tomorrow and staying there for a few months. They know that by the time they’re back home, their forgiving eldest brother and their loving parents have probably forgotten about the prank they pulled on their brother tonight, like always.

“Xiao Bing!” a deep voice calls out from the hallway, resembling their father’s, followed by approaching steps. A tall man wearing glasses with his brown hair brushed up to perfection walks into the kitchen where the scolding is happening. His golden eyes glaring holes into Bai Bing Wen’s forehead. “You punk. When are you going to grow up?” He scolds weakly, hugging himself and grabbing a stool as he catches his breath. “I know your Jie-gege can be a pushover but stop dragooning him into mixing charmed concoctions into my drinks every single time that your breaks are about to end. This isn’t funny anymore.”

Bai Bing Wen gives him a convincing shocked expression. “Why are you always so sure that it’s my doing?”

“Because aside from me and dad, who else can charm level six concoctions in this house just for fun?” Bai Zhang Wei snaps back, placing his hands on his hips as he forcefully regains his composure.

“Wait. Does that mean grandfather and great-grandfather have pulled a prank on him, too?” Bai Li Jie asks, aghast, next to Bai Bing Wen.

“Your grandfather and great-grandfather are the worst,” their father chimes in, obviously hearing his second son’s question. “You know, they put a time charm on my sleeping elixir on Ah-Zhang’s birthday and made me believe I’ve missed ten years’ worth of memories of my child’s lives for a whole day. That’s how horrible they are.”

“It’s just a level three charm. You’re a level eight cultivator,” Bai Zhang Wei exasperatedly tells their father.

“Still, that’s not right,” the Bai family head insists.

“Dad, you put uncle in a love charm to his worst enemy in school. I’m sure you simply earned your karma,” Bai Zhang Wei argues, crossing his arms over his chest as if taunting his father to speak some more.

“And your uncle must have been grateful for that because that ugly, scrawny kid I charmed him with is now married to him thanks to me.”

“This ugly, scrawny kid?” another voice chimes in, making everyone in the room look in the general direction of the kitchen’s entrance.

“Oh my gosh, uncle. How are you always so handsome? You surprised me,” Bai Li Jie gasps out, covering his red face with his hands.

Rong Qing Yuan of the Rong clan walks into the kitchen in his pristine suit with three paper bags with purple sparkles around them in his left hand. At the age of eighteen, he married into the main Bai family’s eldest son—Bai Hao Ran—and has been closer to his husband’s family ever since. He’s slightly taller than Bai Bing Wen who’s outgrown his second eldest brother by a foot and a few inches. His body is not too lean and not too muscular, just the exact type that their uncle would go for. With blue eyes and shoulder-length straight black hair, he seems painfully gorgeous—a complete opposite of what their father has always been telling them.

Bai Bing Wen snorts out a peal of laughter. “Look at my brother. He sees someone who brought gifts and he’s praising you to the skies.”

“You’re more handsome,” Rong Qing Yuan tells Bai Li Jie with a playful wink, giving him one of the paper bags. “Here’s yours,” he says next, giving one to Bai Bing Wen, “And yours,” he finishes, giving the last one to Bai Zhang Wei.

“And mine? I’m still the head of the family, you know,” Bai Zhao Wei asks with an unimpressed scowl on his face.

“Brother-in-law, it’s tradition for the older to give gifts to the younger ones. Aren’t you ashamed to ask for a gift from me when you’re two years my senior?”

“You are married to my older brother. That makes you my senior... Never mind. I won’t accept them anyway. I’m sure you’re just going to give me low quality herbs and whatnot to spite me,” he grumbles.

“Kids, I hope you don’t take your father’s rambles to heart. He’s just pretty upset that your mom and I dated for three days when we were seven years old so he tries to get back at me anyway he could.”

“And here you are. Always antagonizing my husband whenever I’m not looking,” a  warm voice of a lady fills the room as Wei Mingmei walks in.

Bai Zhao Wei is the first to greet his wife, followed by the eldest son, the second son, and finally, Bai Bing Wen who has earned yet another scolding.

“I heard from your dad. What are you two doing to your gege again?”

“They mixed a transfiguration charm into my drink, mom,” Bai Zhang Wei explains.

Wei Mingmei glances at her eldest son before her sparkling golden eyes finally land on Bai Bing Wen with a proud look. “What kind? Is it level six, medium class, at least?”

“Mom! You’re encouraging him,” Bai Zhang Wei complains, looking at their father as if asking for help.

“Honey, what are you doing? I’ve got this under control,” the family head tells their mother with a sweet smile.

With a charming dimpled smile that mirrors Bai Bing Wen’s so much, their mother walks towards her son, the clacking sound of the heels of her shoes echoing in the room. “If it’s at least a medium class and sixth level charm, I’ll give you a light punishment and nothing happens to your brothers. But if it’s not, I’m giving you a heavy punishment, a light punishment for my Xiao Jie, and a handsome reward for my Ah Zhang. So, tell me. What’s the class and level of the charmed concoction?”

Bai Bing Wen’s shoulders droop as he answers in a quiet voice, “Low class, level six.”

There’s a hint of a proud smile in Wei Mingmei’s eyes, regardless, as she turns to face the rest of the people in the kitchen. “Ah, what a shame. Very well. My Xiao Bing will get his heavy punishment, and my Xiao Jie will get his light punishment for being an accomplice. As for my lovely Ah Zhang, since this isn’t the first time you’ve been the receiving end of your little brothers’ schemes, I’ll be giving you a handsome reward, as promised.”

“You better make it worth it, mom. I have to get back to work early morning tomorrow and my body is already starting the transfiguration process. With Xiao Bing’s tricks, I’m sure this would last for more than a couple of days.”

“Yes, yes, I know. Xiao Jie, your punishment is to try making a decoction for the charmed mix that your brother made—”

“What? That’s not even a proper punishment, mom! Make him gather purple flames in Qilin River or catch a demon beast, at least.”

“Look at your brother,” Wei Mingmei says, facing her eldest son. “Can you actually stand the idea of this cute little face and beautiful hands hunting for demon beasts in this cold night?”

Unconsciously, Bai Zhang Wei glances at his brother who’s now staring at him with big glassy golden eyes and a small pout. His button nose a little red and sniffling as he hugs his paper bag to his chest.

“Fine,” Bai Zhang Wei breathes out in exasperation

“Wow. I can’t believe that worked on him again,” Bai Bing Wen remarks, looking at his second brother with surprised eyes. “Cheeky bastard,” he calls out with a chuckle.

“Now for my Ah Zhang’s reward, your uncle Qing Yuan brought some high level weapons in the top class for your dad as a gift. They’re all yours now. I seem to recall seeing the latest arrows advertised these days mixed in them and some rare spiritual plants from your uncle Hao Ran. They’re all yours, too.”

“Wait. Why are you giving away my presents?” the family head asks dumbly, finally snapping out of his little trance.

“I seem to recall someone saying he would never accept them. Gifts are gifts, we should be grateful for it. Especially when they’re top class herbs and weapons,” Wei Mingmei says, sending a playful smile to her husband.

“Sister-in-law, have you seen the kids? Oh.”

Everyone turns to look at the entrance of the kitchen to see Bai Hao Ran—the family head’s older brother—in his usual oversized plaid shirt and jeans, looking a little lost to see everyone in the kitchen.