Mysterious Revival

"Just take me out as a convenience?"

Zhang Jian's face immediately darkened upon hearing Yang Jian's words, this guy really dared to say it, with no hesitation, as if talking about something trivial.

Did he think he was insignificant?

Or did this guy become so inflated that he didn't take other spirit manipulators into account?

"Since you want to kill me, there's no rush in these few minutes, at least let me understand why. It seems to me like this is our first meeting, and nothing prior relates me to you." Zhang Jian asked seriously, while recalling the recent events in his life.

No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't figure out anything that would involve Yang Jian.

Was it because a friend of his was bullied by him while playing in this bar?

Or was it that someone had bribed Yang Jian to deal with him?

While pondering, Zhang Jian also took a careful look at his surroundings.

The scope of the Ghost Domain didn't seem large, only less than a hundred squared meters in size. If it really came to a fight, he might not necessarily lose to this guy...

Yang Jian suddenly smiled and took a few steps forward, "I too only met your circle of friends for the first time today, and yet became the target of your suppression. Some things don't need a reason to be done, just like ghosts need to kill, as long as the conditions are met, then it is death. It just so happens that you meet my conditions for killing someone."

Zhang Jian's expression faltered, and he couldn't help but step back, wary of Yang Jian while also realizing something, "I see, your issue is with President Fei's circle who wants to deal with you, so you want to take action first. But I am just a minor figure in that circle, to speak harshly, my life or death... wait, you're not here for me, you're after President Fei?"

He suddenly remembered that he was responsible for covertly protecting President Fei.

If he died, then President Fei encountering Yang Jian today would have no chance of fighting back.

"You're not as dull as I imagined, I indeed came for that President Fei," Yang Jian nodded.

"This matter can be negotiated. If you want to kill President Fei, go ahead, as for me, I'll act as if I never showed up today. I won't obstruct your actions, and I won't lift a finger to protect him," Zhang Jian immediately said, without hesitation, selling out President Fei.

Yang Jian's gaze shifted slightly, an eye not his own eerily watching Zhang Jian; "You guys planned to find an opportunity to take me down at the meeting, and as President Fei's bodyguard, would you not know about it?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jian's eyes narrowed slightly.

Yang Jian knew about this matter?

What a joke, the meeting took place barely two days ago, and those who attended were the core figures of the circle, making it impossible for any leak.

"It seems like you are aware of it, and since you do, you continue to protect that President Fei, your stance is quite clear. With that clarity, you are no longer unrelated to this matter, and that's why I came today," Yang Jian said emotionlessly, his voice colder than ever.

Dammit.

Zhang Jian felt like cursing at this moment, so Yang Jian had chosen to target him first.

"Moreover, there's no need for you to waste time. Even if I keep the Ghost Domain open while talking to you, it doesn't affect me much. I am far from a full resurrection of the Evil Ghost, so if you don't want to die, you might try to struggle a bit. Who knows, maybe you could escape my Ghost Domain." Yang Jian waited for Zhang Jian's counter-attack.

Li Yao's information didn't have the details of Zhang Jian's ghost, so he had to be more cautious.

Even a person who had subdued a ghost could instantly kill themselves, so the safest method was to probe a little.

Caution is something every ghost controller must possess.

Zhang Jian may have appeared arrogant when toying with ordinary people, but the moment he stepped into Yang Jian's Ghost Domain, he dropped that arrogant attitude and became extremely serious and vigilant, even immediately trying to stall for time by speaking.

Even if it only wasted a few dozen seconds of Yang Jian's time, it could increase his own chances of survival.

"Killing me won't do you any good, and if we really fight it out, I might die, but you won't feel good either. How about this, starting from today I'll leave this city, withdraw from our circle of friends, and I guarantee I won't leak any information about you. Let's shake hands and make peace. Of course, as compensation, I can give you some money and some assets from this place, the value of which will satisfy you,"

Zhang Jian's forehead was slightly beading with cold sweat; he felt Yang Jian's resolve to kill him was very firm.

Firm to the point of being difficult to persuade.

This was definitely not a good thing.

"Do you really think there's any room for turning back after I've already used the Ghost Domain?"

Yang Jian retorted, "If you had taken the initiative to say these words the moment I walked in the door, it is highly likely I wouldn't have killed you. But you knew that my arrival boded ill, yet you played dumb, even talking about joining our circle of friends, pretending to be completely clueless,"

"Do you really think I've survived up to this point by doing what? Since you fear me and don't dare to make the first move, then I won't be polite."

Having said that, his pale, bloodless and cold palm seemed to move towards Zhang Jian.

Zhang Jian immediately sensed something was off, and almost instinctively wanted to counterattack, but it was already too late.

He felt as if various parts of his body were grasped tightly by cold, ghostly hands, rendering him completely immobilized, and bruises like handprints appeared on his cheeks, while his neck was gradually twisting to one side under the influence of a terrifying force.

"Crack! Crack!"

Sounds of cervical vertebrae breaking emanated from his neck.

Zhang Jian's expression was fierce, his breathing rapid; he wanted to struggle desperately but was utterly helplessly. He couldn't even see where the ghost that wanted to kill him was.

Yang Jian stood calmly opposite him, watching as his neck was slowly twisted.

In the eyes of others, Zhang Jian was just standing there motionless, but in the eyes of Yang Jian, there were several hands of the dead on Zhang Jian's body. These hands held him tightly, like evil ghosts claiming his life.

"Not planning to use the abilities of your ghost?"

Yang Jian's gaze shifted slightly, "Or does he not have confidence to act now, waiting for an opportunity? After all, he knows I have subdued three ghosts... In that case, I'll give him a chance to kill me."

As a ghost controller, Zhang Jian appeared totally defenseless. He was in pain, fearful, his eyes widened, his neck twisted beyond ninety degrees, and his body convulsed subconsciously, yet he still could not move.

"It seems you are more fragile than I thought. Such a weakling was actually President Fei's bodyguard? Well then, you can go on your way in peace." Explore more stories at My Virtual Library Empire

Along with his voice, came the sound.

"Snap."

A crisp cracking noise of broken bones rang out as Zhang Jian's neck was completely twisted, his head spinning around on his neck for two full turns before dangling down softly while his body lost the ability to move and stopped twitching.

"Waste of my time,"

Yang Jian spoke with a hint of contempt as he turned to leave, the red light around him gradually fading.

However, at that moment.

Zhang Jian, lying on the ground with his neck broken and no longer breathing, suddenly opened his eyes.

His body deflated rapidly like a balloon, leaving nothing but an empty sack of skin; meanwhile, the air filled with the putrid stench of decaying flesh, the overwhelming scent giving off the impression that one might suffocate on the spot.

"Yang Jian, you're as good as dead."

Zhang Jian's voice echoed around like that of an Evil Ghost, although his body was eerily motionless.

The thick odor of corpse stench came together, vaguely forming the outline of a person that enveloped Yang Jian's body and made its way into him through his mouth and nose.

Yang Jian's body shuddered and then went still.

"Do you know why the people in my circle don't openly acknowledge me? Because I can invade the body of any ghost manipulator and replace them. The guy on the ground was just a body I previously occupied, and now, you're next,"

Zhang Jian's voice seemed to reverberate in Yang Jian's mind, his tone fiendishly mad.

He had only one chance to kill Yang Jian, and he had to wait for the right moment; otherwise, he couldn't possibly capture Yang Jian who possessed the Ghost Domain—he would just suffocate to death trying.

But once he found an opportunity, Zhang Jian believed he had a good chance of doing away with Yang Jian. After all, he was only human and humans could die. Plus, if he was lucky enough to control the body that commanded three ghosts, the next "Ghost Eye" would not be Yang Jian, but him—Zhang Jian.

Soon.

Zhang Jian's voice disappeared, and so did the nearly suffocating stench of death that permeated the air.

Everything seemed to return to calm.

Was it a success?

This thought arose in Zhang Jian's mind; he no longer felt the presence of Yang Jian.

But he also felt as if he didn't acquire a new body...

It was as though what he had just killed was not a living person, but an inanimate object.

"Ghost that invades bodies? Indeed, a very dangerous thing. If I'm not mistaken, that stench of death was the ghost itself. Ordinary people who smelled it would be killed instantly, right? You hid the scent very well, not letting it out at first for fear I might become wary."

However, in the next moment, Yang Jian's voice once again echoed in the room.

The instant he heard this voice, Zhang Jian's heart sank.

"How is this possible?"

Then Zhang Jian began to realize that the body of Yang Jian he had just invaded was disintegrating into a pile of dirt exuding foul odor, scattering on the ground.

The thick stench of decay lingered.

"Nothing's impossible. You were just in the first layer of my Ghost Domain. Now, welcome to the second layer," as the words were spoken, everything was once again enveloped in red light.

Not far away, Yang Jian stood emotionlessly, motionless, his forehead sporting an extra eye that gave off an eerie glow, like a ghast scouring everything.

"Two layers of Ghost Domain?" Zhang Jian paused briefly.

Yang Jian continued, "By the way, I personally am in the third layer of the Ghost Domain. Unless your ghost can invade this layer, there's no way it can kill me. After all, my code name 'Ghost Eye' isn't for nothing. What you see in front of me might not really be there."

Within the third layer of the Ghost Domain, the nonexistent Zhang Jian reverted to his true form.

It was a highly decayed corpse, standing there as rotting flesh continued to fall off its body.

Black blood, broken skin, and putrid corpse liquid... that was the source of the foul stench.

This disintegrated rot was not precisely pieced together, but was in a state of fragmentation.

The only part left intact was Zhang Jian's head.

This state of erosion by the ghost suggested that revival wasn't far off, no wonder his mind was extremely unstable.

"Damn it,"

Zhang Jian's head, looking much like a resurrected Evil Ghost, was horrifically fierce, filled with resentment and hatred towards Yang Jian.

"There's no need to be angry, the gap between us is clear."

As Yang Jian spoke, another Ghost Eye appeared on his palm. He slowly raised his hand and placed it on his forehead, "Moreover, your ghost is of no value for containment. Such things are too unpredictable and inherently dangerous, so the best course is to have you disappear."

Upon finishing.

The fifth layer of the Ghost Domain activated instantly, and the gaze of the Ghost Eye, along with a beam of red light, enveloped Zhang Jian.

The next moment

The Ghost Domain vanished and so did Zhang Jian, along with the ghost that was eroding his body, leaving no trace behind.

"Even ghosts can be sent away, huh? Incredible," Yang Jian murmured as he touched the eye on his palm upon seeing the emptiness before him.

But he knew that the dispatched ghost hadn't died—it had just temporarily disappeared from the real world and might reappear later.

Whether it would resurface in the same place or elsewhere was unknown.

What was certain, though, was that Zhang Jian was definitively dead.