Late autumn.
A cold wind swept through the outskirts of Blackwater City, carrying with it the faint scent of damp soil and decaying leaves.
Night had already fallen.
The moon hid behind thick clouds, leaving the narrow streets cloaked in darkness.
A thin mist crept along the ground like restless spirits wandering the earth.
Li Shen walked alone through a deserted alley.
The soft sound of his footsteps echoed against the old stone walls.
In one hand he held a small lantern, its dim yellow light barely pushing back the surrounding darkness.
For most people, wandering the streets this late would be unthinkable.
But for Li Shen, it was simply part of the job.
He was a junior clerk of the Spirit Warden Office, the organization responsible for investigating and eliminating supernatural threats across the empire.
Ghost sightings.
Spirit infestations.
Demonic disturbances.
Anything that could not be handled by ordinary soldiers eventually found its way to the Spirit Wardens.
Tonight's mission was simple.
A few wandering spirits had been reported near this alley.
Low-level entities.
Weak.
Dangerous only to ordinary civilians.
To someone trained in basic spirit-slaying techniques, they were little more than pests.
Still, Li Shen remained cautious.
In this world, carelessness often meant death.
He turned a corner.
And suddenly stopped.
Several pale figures floated silently in the air ahead of him.
They hovered just above the ground, their bodies semi-transparent like drifting smoke.
Faint white light leaked from their forms.
From their silhouettes, they appeared to be young women.
Long hair hung down over their shoulders, and their thin bodies were wrapped in ragged burial cloth.
Their faces were deathly pale.
But what truly unsettled the eye…
…were their empty sockets.
Where eyes should have been, there were only two deep hollows filled with endless darkness.
Slowly, the creatures opened their mouths.
Rows of needle-like teeth glimmered faintly in the lantern light.
A cold chill spread through the alley.
"Grave Wraiths," Li Shen murmured.
Creatures born from lingering resentment and stagnant yin energy.
They possessed no true intelligence, but their instinct for devouring the vitality of the living was terrifyingly strong.
A group of them could easily drain a normal person dry in minutes.
The wraiths drifted closer.
Their hollow gazes locked onto Li Shen.
Like starving beasts that had finally found prey.
Yet Li Shen didn't panic.
Instead, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"You've chosen the wrong meal tonight."
He set the lantern down and reached into his robe.
Between his fingers appeared several thin yellow talismans.
The paper trembled slightly in the night wind, crimson symbols carved across their surfaces like burning scars.
These were Spirit-Sealing Talismans, tools specifically crafted to destroy beings formed from yin energy.
And Li Shen had personally drawn them.
He flicked his wrist.
The talismans shot forward like arrows.
At the same time, he spoke a short incantation.
"Stars above, lend your light."
"Sacred fire, answer my call."
"Let wandering spirits return to silence."
Before the final word faded, the talismans ignited.
Golden flames burst into existence.
The darkness of the alley was instantly swallowed by blinding light.
Heat surged outward.
The Grave Wraiths shrieked as the flames engulfed them.
Their ghostly bodies twisted violently, dissolving like mist under the rising sun.
Within seconds—
Everything was gone.
The fire vanished.
The alley returned to silence.
Only a few drifting ashes remained in the air.
Li Shen looked around, slightly surprised.
"That ended faster than expected…"
Originally, he had planned to test the talismans against at least one surviving spirit.
But the entire group had been wiped out instantly.
Either his talisman modification had worked too well…
Or the wraiths had been weaker than expected.
After thinking for a moment, Li Shen took out a small notebook from his sleeve.
Using a charcoal stick, he quickly wrote down several lines.
---
Experiment Log
Date: Year 127 of the Azure Calendar
Test Subject: Grave Wraiths
Objective: Measure destructive power of the modified Spirit-Sealing Talisman.
Result: Targets completely annihilated within two breaths.
Conclusion: Unable to accurately determine maximum damage output due to insufficient target durability.
Estimated power increase: Approximately four to five times stronger than the standard talisman.
Note: Acquire stronger spirit specimens for further testing.
---
Li Shen closed the notebook and tucked it back into his robe.
Then he picked up the lantern.
Tonight's task was finished.
Eliminating several wandering spirits would earn him a modest amount of merit from the Spirit Warden Office.
Enough, hopefully, to exchange for a small bottle of Spirit-Calming Pills.
With those pills, his cultivation might advance a little further.
At present, Li Shen was only at the First Step of Spirit Awakening.
Barely strong enough to deal with minor ghosts like the ones he had just encountered.
Against stronger entities…
He wouldn't stand a chance.
And in this world, weakness often meant an early grave.
For the sake of survival—
He needed to become stronger.
As quickly as possible.
---
Li Shen was not originally from this world.
Three months ago, he had been an ordinary university student on Earth.
A quiet night.
A cultivation-themed game.
A random selection of character talents.
And then—
Darkness.
When he woke up, he had already arrived in this unfamiliar land.
A world where spirits roamed freely beneath the night sky.
Where ancient monsters lurked in forgotten mountains.
Where humans survived only because cultivators stood between them and the darkness.
After inheriting the memories of the body's original owner, Li Shen quickly learned a terrifying truth.
In this world…
Ghosts were real.
And they were everywhere.
Ordinary people had almost no means of resisting them.
Only cultivators—individuals capable of manipulating spiritual energy—could truly fight back against supernatural beings.
That was why organizations like the Spirit Warden Office existed.
They hunted spirits.
Exorcised demons.
And protected the fragile balance between the living and the dead.
Li Shen currently served there as the lowest possible rank.
A junior clerk.
His duties included investigating supernatural incidents, assisting in exorcisms, and eliminating minor spirits when necessary.
It was dangerous work.
Every mission carried the risk of never returning.
And unfortunately…
Li Shen had not received the legendary "System" that many transmigrators in novels possessed.
His only advantages were the three talents he had obtained during character creation in the game before his transmigration.
---
[Perfect Recall]
This talent granted Li Shen an extraordinary memory and exceptional comprehension.
Anything he read or heard could be remembered almost perfectly.
Thanks to this ability, he had already finished reading nearly every manual stored in the Spirit Warden Office archives within three months.
Ghost classifications.
Cultivation techniques.
Ancient talisman formulas.
Forbidden rituals.
In theory, his knowledge already rivaled that of experienced exorcists.
Of course—
Knowledge alone did not make one powerful.
Li Shen often joked that he was nothing more than a "theoretical cultivator."
Still, among all disciplines, talisman crafting was the field he excelled at most.
---
[Spirit Luring Physique]
Compared to the first talent, this one was far less pleasant.
It made supernatural entities unusually sensitive to Li Shen's presence.
To ghosts and wandering spirits, his body was like a beacon in the night.
Irresistibly attractive.
They were naturally drawn toward him.
Which meant that while others might avoid encountering ghosts…
Li Shen often found them appearing on his doorstep.
A troublesome gift.
Though occasionally useful when hunting spirits.
---
[Doomed Prodigy]
The final talent was the one Li Shen hated the most.
It drastically improved his insight and cultivation speed.
Moments of enlightenment came to him far more easily than to ordinary cultivators.
But every blessing carried a price.
Since arriving in this world, Li Shen's body had remained extremely frail.
He couldn't wield heavy weapons.
Even running a short distance left him breathless.
A deep, persistent pain lingered within his chest.
After numerous examinations, every physician gave the same verdict.
His condition was congenital.
Incurable by ordinary medicine.
If nothing changed…
He would not live past the age of thirty.
Li Shen is currently seventeen.
Which meant he had barely more than a decade left.
Unless—
He could defy fate through cultivation.
Li Shen lifted the lantern and continued walking toward the distant lights of the city.
His eyes were calm.
But deep within them burned a quiet determination.
"If cultivation is the only path…"
"Then I'll walk it to the very end."
---