Chapter 18: Ghostmancer

Divine Sword Academy.

A middle-aged man was sitting on a chair, which was lowkey and made with red sandalwood. He was looking at the reports in his hand with a frown.

Below his seat sat around twenty people. All of them seemed with a powerful aura.

But now their faces are filled with anxious expressions. They looked at the frown of the middle-aged man, and their hearts started to drum.

"Principal, this is our second batch of students missing. Nowadays, the Ghost Beasts are out of control. If we send more students, all of them will die," breaking the silence, a fat old man with a wriggled face said. His voice filled with anger.

Morgan looked at the speaker. He sighed in a low voice. After he became principal, this was the first time he was in such a dire situation.

The motive of the Divine Sword Academy was fighting for the common people. After the openings of portals and the arrival of alien beasts, they fight in the forefront against these beasts. But a new opening of a portal made them suffer.

Unlike all portals opened, that portal was gloomy and dark. What exited from that portal were unknown creatures without any shape or body.

One can't see those creatures with normal eyes. Only cultivators using spiritual sense can see them. So the arrival of such beasts caught off guard all of them.

Normal people suffered heavy losses. The horrifying thing about such beasts is they can control the body of their victims and infiltrate into human cities.

Even cultivators can't find the clues.

"Look at these reports. A small city in the north with a population of a hundred thousand was annihilated yesterday," pointing to a report in his hand, Morgan spoke with a tinge of anger.

"The situation has become extremely dangerous for common people. If we hide now, what will happen to those people?"

"But, Principal, until now, no one has found a way to kill those creatures! We are sending our students in as food for them."

"But we don't have any choice now. The main branch has already asked me to provide full support," Morgan presented another letter to them.

This letter was written on monster skin, its cover adorned with a sword symbol.

A heavy silence descended upon the room. They were merely a side branch of the Divine Sword Academy. Orders from the main branch had to be followed under any circumstances.

"How is the vice principal doing?" Morgan inquired with concern, scanning the crowd. The vice principal had been the first to lead a group of students into exploring that portal, returning with grave injuries.

The academy had expended significant resources in an attempt to save his life, but all efforts had been in vain.

"He is still in a coma. I'm afraid…" one of the individuals spoke with a trace of sadness.

The Divine Sword Academy placed great importance on camaraderie, mirroring the straightforward nature of sword masters. Thus, most disciples and teachers held a deep regard for one another.

In a moment of frustration, Morgan slapped his hand on the armrest of his chair. If the vice principal were present, surely he would have devised a plan.

"Any news from Austin? Is Ember still in the Qi world?" he inquired after a pause. Ember was a gifted disciple of the academy, and he was determined to ensure her safety.

"No need to worry about her. Austin mentioned she is still in the Qi world, accompanied by that boy Arnard."

"That's reassuring. Inform Austin to return to the academy once she exits the Qi world. Advise them not to roam outside," Morgan declared as he rose from his seat.

"I hope we can find a way to combat these Ghost beasts," his voice resonated through the air as he departed the hall.

This time, Ember and Asher were walking toward the exit of the Qi world, holding hands. They were chatting leisurely and laughing from time to time.

They had decided to use this moment to enjoy the scenery in the Qi world. After six years of cultivation, they were feeling a bit restless.

"Ash, what's your plan now?" Ember asked softly, her eyes on his profile.

"I'm planning to go hunting for those alien beasts. I've already reached the peak stage of spirit awakening, so I need to consolidate my realm through combat," he explained, pulling her towards a nearby tree.

They both settled on a tree branch, and Ember laid her head on his shoulder. They savored this private moment together.

"Then I'll follow you," she murmured, closing her eyes.

"Are you sure? What about your academy and your father?" Asher shook his head.

"The academy, I don't care about. As for my father, I've already sent him a message."

"How did you send a message from here?" he asked, his doubt evident. She took out a paper from her spatial ring. Covered in intricate runes, the paper induced a slight headache as he looked at it.

"This is the communication paper used here," she explained, yawning as she spoke. Asher examined the communication paper with interest. He hadn't expected that this world already had something akin to email.

Suddenly, both of them felt a surge in their heartbeats. They sensed that someone important to them was in danger.

"You feel that too?" they both exclaimed simultaneously. As their heartbeats grew more pronounced, they resolved not to waste a moment. Without hesitation, they sprinted in the direction of the exit.

".."

Amid the untouched expanse of snow-laden terrain, a majestic mountain rose with imposing grandeur. Swirling clouds obscured its peak, adding an air of mystery to its already awe-inspiring presence.

Nestled against the mountain's towering flank, a colossal palace sprawled across the landscape. Carved from glittering ice and adorned with delicate frost-covered spires, the palace was a vision of ethereal beauty.

However, this once-beautiful palace was now surrounded by flames. Agonized cries resonated from all directions. Many young disciples were locked in combat against black-cloaked assailants, their faces concealed by skull masks.

Yet, despite their efforts, the disciples proved vulnerable before their attackers. Blood flowed like a river upon the pristine white snow.

In the palace's hall, a white-haired old woman battled against a man wearing a golden skull mask. The overwhelming strength of her opponent filled her with a sense of despair.

"Why are you doing this? Our Ice Palace never provoked you?" she roared in anger, her voice reverberating through the chaos.

However, her query received a chilling response: a hand pierced through her abdomen from behind. She turned her head to see a figure identical to her own yet exuding a malevolent aura. Horror gripped her as her mouth widened in shock.

"Ghostmancer..." Her voice trembled as her words were cut short by the separation of her head from her body.

"Never done anything wrong!" a low chuckle escaped from the masked man. "See, I am not the one who killed you. What ended your pitiful life was the 'you' in you."

"Slay the heavens, slay the humans; the rise of Ghostmancers is evident," resounding voices sang out from every corner of the palace.

What added an eerie undertone to this scene was that the voices emanated from the very shadows of the disciples who had previously perished.

Gazing upon their lifeless forms, those shadows bore smirks of satisfaction and excitement.