Stella told me that these so-called Paper Spirit Ghost Soldiers are the ghosts left behind from ancient battlefields. These ghosts gather together and become Ghost Soldiers.
That's why people often witness Ghost Soldiers marching through certain places - a terrifying sight. The Ghost Soldiers are paper figures that Nuwa's Forsaken Shade has lured and controlled, then used to kill people.
Ghost Soldiers themselves are more vicious than ordinary ghosts. They are the spirits of soldiers who died violently in ancient wars, making them extremely cruel.
Stella urged me to run. She couldn't handle so many Ghost Soldiers alone, but if I could hold out until sunrise, they would disperse on their own.
Paper figures fear fire, and Ghost Soldiers fear light. Once the sun rises, they wouldn't dare show themselves.
I looked up at the sky - still dark, with only a faint, hazy sun visible. I wondered what evil sorcery Nuwa's Forsaken Shade had performed. At this rate, my body will be cold long before the sun comes out.
Forget it. If I'm going to die anyway, I might as well fight!
I took off my jacket and lit it on fire. When the Ghost Soldiers lunged at me, I threw the burning jacket at them. With several poofs, the Ghost Soldiers immediately caught fire.
Paper figures are supposed to fear both water and fire, but my triumph was short-lived.
Before I could celebrate, the Ghost Soldiers spewed black ghostly resentment that instantly extinguished the flames.
"Heh, boy, did you think these were ordinary paper figures? Water and fire are useless against them!" Nuwa's Forsaken Shade cackled eerily from her palanquin. "Today, your life is forfeit. I gave you chances, but you refused to take them."
If even fire doesn't work, how are we supposed to fight these Paper Spirit Ghost Soldiers?
"Suppress evil spirits, subdue forces, calm unrest, extinguish disasters, and break obstacles!"
Suddenly, Stella began chanting. She interlaced her fingers into a complex hand seal, and the yellow Taoist talisman at her fingertips shot forward like a flying sword. It cleanly decapitated the front row of Ghost Soldiers, sending sparks flying everywhere.
The severed heads rolled across the ground - yet they weren't destroyed. They twitched as if ready to reattach to their bodies at any moment.
"The Five-Word Demon Subjugation Incantation, hmm? Pity you haven't mastered it yet."
Nuwa's Forsaken Shade snapped her fingers inside the palanquin, and the severed heads instantly floated back into the air, returning to the Ghost Soldiers' bodies. The creatures craned their necks and were as good as new.
"Shit, this is tough. These Ghost Soldiers are harder to deal with than evil spirits," Stella cursed.
Once the Ghost Soldiers had fully recovered, they completely ignored Stella and charged straight toward me.
Damn it, no escape now. Grandpa, I've failed you - but I don't regret my choices. If I must die, then so be it!
Just at that moment, a sharp clang rang out as a sword descended from the sky and embedded itself horizontally in the ground before me.
It was a peach wood sword, but far more exquisitely crafted than Stella's. Larger and covered in intricate runes, the weapon pulsed with pure spiritual energy.
"Eldest Brother!" Stella exclaimed, her face lighting up with surprised joy.
Behind us appeared a striking young man dressed in pristine white Taoist robes. His handsome features held a cold severity, different from modern pretty boys - his aura was diamond-sharp, powerful and domineering. Just his presence made all the Ghost Soldiers freeze in their tracks.
Looking at him, I recalled an ancient poem: The stranger on the road is pure as jade, the young master peerless in this world!
Wait, this is Stella's eldest brother? Apart from being ridiculously handsome, he looked barely older than me - maybe by just a year or two.
But Philip appeared middle-aged. How could this "big brother" be so young?
Does their hierarchy not follow age?
"Kluge? This girl actually invited trouble here," Nuwa's Forsaken Shade spat hatefully from her palanquin, clearly disdainful of the newcomer.
"Paper Spirit Ghost Soldiers. This Forsaken Shade has claimed many lives," Kluge remarked impassively, appearing completely unfazed by the spectral army.
"Since you Celestial Master sectarians insist on opposing me, I'll slaughter you all!" Nuwa's Forsaken Shade suddenly shrieked.
An eerie, incomprehensible chant began emanating from the black palanquin - a maddening murmur that scattered concentration. Under its influence, the Ghost Soldiers renewed their assault.
Kluge scattered a stack of yellow Taoist talismans. Where they landed on Ghost Soldiers, massive flames erupted, incinerating an entire row. He then yanked his peach wood sword from the ground and with a single sweeping strike, decapitated dozens more.
The severed heads turned to ash upon hitting the ground. I watched as black smoke drifted from the fallen Ghost Soldiers, revealing tattered paper figures beneath.
Such terrifying Paper Spirit Ghost Soldiers were instantly slaughtered by Kluge without breaking a sweat.
"Kluge, this isn't over! We'll meet again!" Nuwa's Forsaken Shade declared. Suddenly, with a poof, the black paper palanquin and paper figures burst into flames and burned to ashes.
"Hmph, playing tricks." Kluge snorted coldly. He thrust his mahogany sword into a nearby tree. Strangely, though the sun still hadn't risen, the tree cast a shadow - and Kluge's sword had pierced precisely through that shadow.
A muffled grunt sounded, as if someone behind the tree was vomiting blood. Kluge struck the tree with a swift palm strike, and a figure immediately flew backward from behind it, collapsing to the ground while spitting blood.
It was a beautiful woman, likely in her thirties. She wasn't conventionally pretty but had an intensely seductive quality, with a face like a vixen's.
This...could this be Nuwa's Forsaken Shade? But that doesn't make sense - shouldn't she be an old woman? Why is she this young?
"Nuwa's Forsaken Shade," Kluge said calmly, "you used sorcery and paper-crafting arts to enrich yourself by harming others. Did you ever imagine you'd meet this end?"
According to Kluge, this really is Nuwa's Forsaken Shade?
"Hmph, I'm outmatched. I've got nothing to say. Kill me if you want - it's your call now." Nuwa's Forsaken Shade completely gave up, lying helplessly on the ground at our mercy.