I proved immortality through the imperial examination.

Chapter 183 Catching Ghosts
The powerful demon at the Core Formation stage finally appeared, its chilling and terrifying aura filling the entire area.

Suddenly, he paused, his scales caved in, his joints dislocated, and streams of black energy were drawn out from between his scales, forming a vortex.

In a short while, its three-zhang-long body shrank as if cut by a knife, its scales disappearing under its skin, leaving only a ring of dark, hard scales around its shoulders, neck, and collarbone.

In an instant, he completed his transformation.

He transformed into a powerful and imposing young demon.

He had a rugged profile, high brow bones, a nose like the back of a knife, and extremely thin lips.

His shoulders and back were as broad as mountains, with muscles bulging under the skin.

His pair of cold, dark eyes held no emotion; he simply swept his gaze coldly over the people on the deck.

Suddenly, a cold, hard smile appeared on his lips. He raised his large hand, palm facing outward, two fingers together, and slowly traced his Adam's apple.

Xue Xiang was stunned; this guy even knew how to perform a throat-slitting ritual.

Strangely, he did not lead the demons to attack, but instead formed a large formation, seemingly waiting for something.

Whoosh.

The hull of the bone boat suddenly lit up, and array patterns appeared, as fine as fish scales, layer upon layer, wrapping the entire bone boat into a white suit of armor.

Old Qi pressed his left palm down in the air, and his knuckles suddenly tensed.

The dominoes hanging above the mainmast suddenly trembled and sang, like dozens of thin drums resounding in unison.

The oar bones hidden beneath the deck simultaneously turned outwards, with hundreds of bones extending from both sides of the hull and pushing backwards in unison.

The white-boned boat first gathered its strength briefly, then suddenly surged forward.

A deep groove was forcibly carved into the sea surface. A burst of light flowed along the hull, and the bone boat transformed into a white ball of light, disappearing into the misty sea in an instant.

The white bone boat traveled over a hundred miles in one breath before finally stopping.

The crowd finally calmed down from the immense pressure.

"What have you been doing so far?"

Someone shouted, "Why didn't you activate this protective formation earlier? Are you just waiting for several people to die?"

Gradually, public opinion began to rise.

"Yeah, Lao Qi, you've taken everyone's money, so you have to take responsibility. Wouldn't it be safer to start operating sooner?"

"If the shield had been there earlier, we could have accelerated and solved the problem much sooner."

"........."

The complaints rose up like sparks falling on dry grass.

Old Qi stood at the bow of the boat, his eyes sweeping across the crowd like a blade slicing through each person's face.

Gradually, the complaints subsided.

After all, everyone understands that in order to survive in this demon realm, it ultimately depends on someone else.

Old Qi said coldly, "I can understand that you all have grievances, but shouldn't you first get to the bottom of this?"

You only paid for the boat tickets. Qi was only responsible for bringing you in. He has no obligation to guarantee your safety.

If you all, like Fellow Daoist Good Luck, readily shower me with money, I can activate my defense and speed boost throughout the entire process.

However, Qi must state that activating this defense will consume two hundred spirit stones.

"One accelerated run will cost one hundred spirit stones. Who's going to reimburse me for that?"

Old Qi paused, then raised his hand and tapped the hull: "This Bone Boat looks like a skeleton, but it's actually a pot. You have to add firewood to put it in the pot."

If we don't add fuel to the fire, we'll just drown in the sea. All of you who come out here risking your lives to earn money are people who are calculating.

After I go out to sea, I know exactly how much I'll have left after deducting costs and losses.

You want yourselves to be safe. But who's going to pay the price for safety?

A silence fell over the deck. The wind whipped a few strands of hair around, and the only sound was the low murmur of the sea.

No one responded to Lao Qi anymore.

After all, the danger had passed, and he himself hadn't died; only his unfamiliar companions had died, which was of no importance.

As for adding more money, that would be an unnecessary increase in costs. After all, people take risks to make money, not to waste it.

Xue Xiang was speechless. He had originally wanted to suggest that one of them contribute a little more blood so that Lao Qi could maximize the defensive restrictions.

Seeing everyone's reaction, Xue Xiang knew that bringing it up would be pointless.

He walked towards Old Qi carrying his wine gourd, took out the boundary seal, and set up the barrier. "Old Qi, people's hearts are like this, why get angry?"

With a solemn expression, Old Qi said, "I'm used to seeing people's true colors, so why would I be angry with them? I'm just thinking that our escape was too easy."

There might be more to this than meets the eye.

Xue Xiang said, "I remember you said that it's only three hundred li to the place where we gather morning and evening dew."

Just now, you activated the Bone Boat's acceleration and traveled about a hundred miles. Why didn't you discuss it with everyone? If each person pooled together seven or eight spirit stones, it would have been enough to speed directly to our destination.

Old Qi said, "Collecting morning and evening dew depends on the weather. What's the use of arriving at the destination if the time isn't right?"

Just as Xue Xiang was about to speak, his expression suddenly changed drastically.

His Dark Eyes had already spotted the southwestern horizon, where the horde of demons that had attacked them earlier were rushing towards them.

He exclaimed in alarm, "A demon attack!"

Old Qi suddenly looked up: "Where?"

"southwest!"

As he spoke, Xue Xiang tossed a large cloth bag to Lao Qi, "Activate the protective formation immediately."

Old Qi was overjoyed. He then manipulated the compass in his palm for a while, and the white bone boat emitted white light again, and the defensive shield gathered once more.

Then I heard him shout loudly, "Dominoes, position thirty-six, start; oars, quarter speed; mainmast, pressurize."

Old Qi uttered a series of commands, like a string of clean, crisp pebbles falling into water.

A series of crackling sounds rang out in an orderly fashion, each sound creating a tiny ripple on the burst of light. The ripples collided and engulfed each other, eventually absorbing all the noise into the membrane.

With a whoosh, the bone boat sped away once more.

The leading Core Formation demon had already charged thirty feet away. The white bone boat sped up again, but he didn't chase after it. He just stared at the crowd with a cold gaze.

Having escaped the oppression of the Core Formation Demon, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

The white bone boat sped through the foggy sea, its bone oars striking the surface of the water in unison, the splashes of water exploding outside the flash of light and being left hundreds of feet behind in an instant.

The ship was still trembling slightly, but the people on deck were gradually recovering from their panic.

"Thanks to Lao Qi."

Someone clasped their hands in a fist salute and shouted loudly.

"Yes, if it weren't for your quick thinking, we would probably all have perished under the claws of that Core Formation demon."

"As expected of a seasoned leader, I'm impressed. This ticket was definitely worth buying."

The voices mingled and surged up like a tide.

Old Qi simply raised his hand and said coldly, "If it weren't for Fellow Daoist Good Luck giving us spirit stones, the protective array of the White Bone Boat wouldn't have been activated."

If you want to thank someone, thank him.

As soon as he finished speaking, the deck fell silent, and dozens of eyes turned to Xue Xiang.

After a flurry of thanks, no one was willing to share a single spirit stone.

Old Qi raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at Xue Xiang.

It seems to be saying: I was right, weren't I? They only offer empty promises.

Xue Xiang, however, had no interest in holding a grudge.

He said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, there's no need for thanks. I'll just say one thing."

Have you ever thought about why the demons were able to catch up with us even after we fled a hundred miles away?

Judging from the timeline, they clearly didn't take any detours and caught up with us.

This can only mean one thing: either they marked this ship of bones, or one of us is acting as their accomplice, a traitor.

As soon as he finished speaking, the deck fell into a deathly silence.

Old Qi's expression suddenly changed, and his voice turned cold and hard: "Good luck is right!"

The White Bone Boat's defensive shield is imbued with a gentle flame, which will burn away any demonic marks that attempt to attach themselves.

As you can see, the protective shield is layered like scales, with not a single gap.

In that case, only the possibility of good luck remains: there's a treacherous spirit among us.

In an instant, the atmosphere on the deck suddenly froze.

"Impossible, this is impossible. We are all human, don't we even respect the rules against being human or demon?"

"I think so too. It's an overreaction. Why make everyone so nervous?"

"At worst, we can just activate the protection and acceleration a few more times. Even if the demons are exhausted, they still can't catch up. Why should we panic?"

"........."

"shut up!"

Old Qi shouted, silencing the entire room, "Easy for you to say! Do you think you've got the Qi guy figured out?"
If no one takes out spirit stones, the White Bone Boat will no longer activate its protective shield.

Whether we live or die, let fate decide.

Xue Xiang finally understood: these guys were desperate for money even in their final moments, and they wouldn't shed a tear when they saw the coffin.

He said in a deep voice, "I wonder if you have noticed that the demons surround us without attacking, and chase us without fighting, probably because they want to exhaust our spirit stones."

The demons weren't in a hurry, because they knew that with the courier ghosts around, they could follow us until our spirit stones were completely used up.

Upon hearing this, everyone turned ashen-faced.

"If there really are vengeful spirits, none of us will escape!"

"Who is it? Who is it?"

"No wonder they were so accurate in their pursuit! Someone must be up to something!"

The growls and curses mingled together, carrying a deep sense of fear.

"If we don't find that traitor, we'll all die in this sea!"

"Yes! We must find them!"

Search! Search thoroughly!

Before long, the voices of the crowd gradually converged into one conclusion:
If the evil spirit is not eliminated, everyone will die.

A sea breeze swept by, stirring up wisps of mist that swirled between the decks, like an invisible hand pressing the chill into everyone's hearts.

At that moment, everyone looked at Lao Qi.

Old Qi stood at the bow of the ship, squinting as he scanned the crowd. His gaze finally settled on Xue Xiang, and he said loudly, "I know my own limitations. I'm good at shipping, but I don't have the ability to read people's hearts."

I recommend Good Luck Fellow Daoist.

I just spoke with him; Fellow Daoist Good Luck is clear-headed, intelligent, and open-minded.

If he were in charge, he'd be guaranteed to catch the mole.

These words, once spoken, were like a stone thrown into the heart of a lake.

Before long, voices of approval arose.

Firstly, it was a tough job, so no one volunteered.

Secondly, Xue Xiang had previously offered to pay spirit stones to help everyone escape.

It left a good impression on everyone.

But some raised objections: "Wait a minute. Who can guarantee that Good Luck isn't the accomplice? If he is the accomplice, making him the leader to catch ghosts is like a thief catching a thief! Aren't we just sending ourselves to our deaths?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's hearts tightened.

Xue Xiang, however, remained calm and said, "That makes sense."

But I can promise that if I take charge, and after finding and eliminating the treacherous spirit, the demon race still manages to pursue us, then I will voluntarily disembark to eliminate this threat to you all.”

With Xue Xiang making such a statement, even those who wanted to find fault could no longer utter a word.

Old Qi shouted loudly, "Gentlemen, what are you still hesitating about?"
With demons lurking behind us, if we keep making excuses and delays, what good will it do to find someone to take charge when we're already dead?

Finally, no one objected anymore.

Xue Xiang took out two bags of spirit stones and handed them to Lao Qi, saying, "Accelerate twice more when the time is right, and shake off the pursuers."

Old Qi took the spirit stone, beckoned his subordinates, and threw the spirit stone over.

Everyone knew that Xue Xiang was buying time to catch the accomplice.

And so, another round of praise followed.

Xue Xiang looked around calmly and said, "I am deeply honored that you have chosen me to be the person in charge."

But if you're in charge, you must have the authority to do so.

I cannot allow myself to be contradicted by everyone, leading to a situation where nothing is accomplished in the end. If that happens, I would rather not take the position.

He paused, then raised his voice: "Of course, I will never abuse the power you have given me."

Everything I've done is before your eyes; you are all welcome to supervise me.

"Good luck, fellow Daoist, just go ahead and do it."

Old Qi said, "Time waits for no one. We're all not blind. If you have any ideas, just say so."

Everyone agreed.

Xue Xiang nodded: "In that case, the first rule is: please remove your cloaks and hats."

The disguise need not be removed, but I must see your eyes and faces.

These words immediately caused a stir in the room.

Someone said coldly, "What's this? Don't we even have the most basic right to privacy?"

"That's not quite right. If you can't even read between the lines when catching an insider, that's impossible."

"Exactly, who knows who? Why are they being so secretive?"

"...

Soon, the dissenting voices were drowned out by the voices of agreement.

Finally, Old Qi made the final decision: "Anyone who refuses to remove their cloak and hat may disembark. The White Bone Boat is navigating perilous terrain; how can we allow you to act so cleverly?!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of eyes on the deck turned to the reluctant individuals. The atmosphere was as cold as a knife's edge.

Some people turned pale and gritted their teeth as they removed their cloaks.

Someone muttered curses under their breath, but eventually took off their straw hat.

In a short while, the dense mass of heads on the deck finally came into view. Some were haggard, some were cold and stern, some were sinister, and some were dull and lifeless, but all were naked and exposed to the sunlight.

The sea breeze howled, lifting their hair and the hems of their clothes.

Everyone's eyes were like knives, clashing with each other, filled with bewilderment and wariness.

Xue Xiang scanned the deck with his gaze, silently memorizing the information. The atmosphere on the deck was tense, like a bowstring taut, ready to snap at any moment.

"Alright, good luck, you've got the power you wanted. Now hurry up and catch the accomplice."

“I think it’s difficult. The fact that the Chang Gui dares to cooperate with the demon race shows that he doesn’t even care about his ancestors. I counted, there are still nearly a hundred people on the ship. Among so many people, it won’t be easy to find the Chang Gui.”

"........."

Xue Xiang waved his hand to stop the commotion, "I have my own plan. Listen to my instructions, and you will surely be able to see through the thieves."

Xue Xiang walked slowly to the center of the deck and took out an ebony tray from his sleeve.

The tray has a water ripple pattern, with a layer of lettering in the center.

With a flick of his finger, the literary energy surged, and the words suddenly rippled and coalesced into two characters: "Question the Heart".

The two words sparkled with brilliance, rising and falling slightly as if they were breathing.

Xue Xiang said in a deep voice, "This formation can sense people's hearts. Whether someone is a thief or not, one can know for oneself."

After saying that, he took out the boundary seal and used his mind to control it, creating a space in the southeast corner of the deck.

"Please enter one by one, and explain your spells to conceal your inner and outer selves. I can use the two words 'ask your hearts' to sense your state of mind. Whether you are a thief or not can be determined by how intensely the two words 'ask your hearts' resonate."

After Xue gave the instructions, Lao Qi volunteered to enter the space sealed by the boundary seal.

He activated his spiritual energy to conceal the space sealed by the boundary seal.

Initially, the two characters "问心" (ask your heart) on the tray remained motionless.

A few breaths later, the two characters “问心” rippled violently and actually coalesced into the character “贼” (thief). Old Qi was shocked and shouted loudly.

Unfortunately, the boundary seal blocks sound, and no one outside can hear it.

In an instant, the word "thief" transformed into the word "pass the checkpoint".

Old Qi remained silent, unable to understand what Xue Xiang was up to.

Immediately afterwards, the words on the tray changed again, now warning that one should not utter a single word after leaving the area.

Knowing the gravity of the situation, after leaving, Old Qi instructed the sailors to accelerate the White Bone Boat once again.

In the blink of an eye, the time it takes for an incense stick to burn has passed, and everyone has completed the "heart-searching" test, including the sailors on the ship.

Instantly, the atmosphere became tense, and everyone looked at Xue Xiang.

Someone couldn't help but ask, "Fellow Daoist Good Luck, has there been any result?"

"Have."

Xue Xiang calmly uttered a single word.

The sound fell like a pebble thrown into a lake, instantly creating ripples hundreds of feet high.

An uproar erupted on the deck.

Xue Xiang raised his hand and pointed at a man in black robes in the crowd.

The man's expression suddenly changed, and he exclaimed, "Nonsense! This is impossible! What evidence do you have... He's talking nonsense!"

"Fellow Daoist, please calm down, there are still thieves around."

After speaking with a smile, Xue Xiang pointed to the middle-aged man in a green robe on the left.

The middle-aged man in the green robe flew into a rage, "You scoundrel, how dare you falsely accuse your grandfather..."

Xue Xiang ignored him and then pointed to the third person.

The man was dressed in a white robe, with a handsome face, a youthful appearance, and an exceptionally composed demeanor.

When Xue Xiang pointed him out, he laughed loudly, "What a joke! Why don't you just say this whole ship is full of traitors?"

Seeing that the situation was about to descend into chaos.

Old Qi said loudly, "Stop talking and listen to what Fellow Daoist Good Luck has to say."

If they can't explain their reasoning, then it's not too late for everyone to get angry.

"Yes, that's not right. Fellow Daoist Good Luck said that he got off the boat himself."

Someone finished him off.

With things said to this extent, naturally no one made any more trouble.

Xue Xiang said loudly, "Now that things have come to this, I will not hide anything from you all."

The words "Question the Heart" on this tray are not intended to provide any insight into the tester's state of mind.

But sometimes, a fake test can detect the real one.

Once you enter, the words "ask your heart" will change under my control.

I want to state beforehand that if the word "ask your heart" changes, it will prove that the test taker's state of mind is unstable.

Therefore, when I manipulate the meaning of the words "ask your heart," as long as the test taker has nothing to hide, they will feel that the test is inaccurate, feel greatly wronged, and some may even shout angrily.

"Exactly."

"Me too, I thought this thing was inaccurate."

"Good luck is on the side; I've had the same experience."

Everyone agreed.

Xue Xiang pointed to the three people he had named, "Only these three fellow Daoists entered, and when the words 'Asking the Heart' changed, these three showed no reaction."

Suddenly, everyone turned to look at the three of them.

The man in black robes shouted, "Our minds are as firm as a rock, and we remain calm in the face of adversity, and this isn't enough?"

"Exactly, what's the big deal? A peaceful state of mind has become a fault."

"After entering, he kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his mind, and did not look at the words on the tray at all, nor did he know that the words on the tray had changed. What kind of mistake is this?"

"........."

The man in the green robe and the young man also joined in protesting.

Everyone looked at Xue Xiang; clearly, the explanations given by the two men were not far-fetched.

Xue Xiangdao said, "What you're saying sounds nice, but in reality, you're just trying to evade testing."

There are roughly two types of people who would skip a test.

One type is those with extremely poor mental fortitude who worry that they cannot control themselves and will be unable to cope with the mental state test, so they simply enter a meditative state.

One type is the real thief.

Therefore, by identifying the three of you, I am not saying that all three of you are thieves, but rather that the thief is among the three of you.”

These words caused an uproar, and everyone's positions shifted abruptly.

Before they knew it, they had surrounded the three people Xue Xiang had identified.

In an instant, the three of them cried out in protest against the heavens.

"It's unfair, this is not fair."

"Yes, the three of us are hidden deep inside, concealed by the black energy we release. How do you know our situation?"

"Yes, I think he's talking nonsense and trying to scare us."

"........."

The three were accused of being accomplices and had no time to prove their innocence, so they simply banded together for mutual support.

Xue Xiang said, "I possess a secret technique that allows me to see in the dark and see through illusions. If you three don't believe me, you can test me on the spot."

The man in the green robe said coldly, "Let it be a test then."

At that moment, he summoned a wisp of black energy and held it in front of him, then held up two fingers with his hand, saying, "I'm extending a few fingers."

Those standing behind him could clearly see him extend two fingers.

This test was fair and just.

"Two fingers."

Xue Xiang replied.

The man in the green robe suddenly looked back, suspecting that someone had given Xue Xiang a meaningful look.

"No need to look anymore. The wood grain on your left foot is vertical, your right foot is on a rag, and as soon as you took another step, your right foot came off the rag..."

Xue Xiang reported his actions through the black mist.

The man in the green robe was speechless.

Old Qi praised, "Only someone with such extraordinary abilities could devise such a scheme."

"Gentlemen, I think there's no need to argue anymore. The spies are among the three of them. Let's just drive them all off the ship."

"That's how it should be."

"We should not take unnecessary risks for these three people."

"Not killing the three is already an act of great magnanimity on our part."

"........."

No one is willing to take risks, especially for strangers.

There was a great deal of discussion.

The men in black robes, the men in green robes, and the young man in white robes all cried out in protest.

The young man in the white robe argued vehemently, "If we cannot distinguish right from wrong, the three of us will die unjustly."

The three of us could be wronged to death right now, but who knows if you won't be the ones wronged next time?

Is there any reason in the world that cannot be discerned?
In my opinion, this "Good Luck Comes" is a case of the thief crying "stop thief!" No one is so generous as to throw around spirit stones right away.

When he questioned Lao Qi earlier, he also scattered a lot of spirit stones.

Now, in order for everyone to escape, he has been giving Lao Qi a large number of spirit stones.

Gentlemen, it is true that we have come here to collect morning and evening dew, but the real reason for collecting morning and evening dew is to save money.

There's no reason for him to be so extravagant; he doesn't seem like a dew collector at all.

In my opinion, he's a traitor, there to disrupt us, to throw us into disarray, to make us distrust each other, and ultimately to collapse without a fight..."

"Yes, that's it."

"This person is too sinister; don't trust him."

The men in black robes and the men in green robes also started to make a fuss.

Immediately, many pairs of surprised and suspicious eyes appeared in the crowd.

"Don't cry until you see the coffin."

Xue Xiang pointed at the young man in white robes and said, "You are the 'Chang Gui' (a type of ghost).

As soon as these words came out, the whole place fell silent.

The men in black and green robes retreated, keeping their distance from the young man in white.

The young man in white robes, his face filled with grief and indignation, roared to the sky, "I knew it! I knew it! Ladies and gentlemen, everyone has eyes! Because I identified him, he's now trying to frame me..."

"shut up!"

Old Qi roared, "You'll have your turn to reason later. Let Good Luck finish speaking."

Xue Xiang stared at the young man in white robes and said, "Do you know why I ultimately identified you?"
Indeed, when I used the "Questioning the Heart" test just now, the three of you did use meditation to resist the test.

Of course you don't know that I can see through the black fog you've created.

When I announced the end of your test, both the black-robed and green-robed Daoists showed expressions of relief.

And you, your face showed smugness and disdain.

Before the young man in white could speak, Old Qi stared coldly at him, and the people closest to him strode forward to approach.

Xue Xiangdao said, "I'm pointing you out last because I want to see how you would react if I pointed out the black-robed man and the green-robed man first."
Of course you don't know that I've been secretly observing you.

When I announced that the man in black robes was a vengeful ghost, you visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

I know that even in this situation, you will still deny it.

To verify the truth of what I say is simple: hand over your storage treasure, and a test will tell.

Such long-distance coordinate transmission is impossible without secret artifacts.

If an inventory of your storage ring yields no results, I am willing to bear the punishment of being held accountable and voluntarily leave the Bone Ship.

"No need, I trust you."

Old Qi stared at the young man in white and said, "Are you going to take it out yourself, or will we do it for you?"

"Kid, you'd better think carefully before you speak."

"You scoundrel, you almost killed me!"

"........."

As the crowd drew near, the young man in white robes raised his hands, shouting, "I'll take it, I'll take it..."

At that moment, items appeared at his feet.

"Do you think we're fools? You think we'd willingly produce evidence?"

Someone shouted.

Someone stepped forward, tore off his storage ring, and threw it to Lao Qi.

"This is troublesome, no one can break this thing."

"The restrictions on storage treasures are already ingenious; who could break them?"

"Let him take it himself, he definitely won't want to, and we can't break the restrictions on the storage ring."

"........."

Amidst the clamor of voices, the young man in the white robe once again loudly protested his innocence.

Xue Xiang snorted coldly, "Old Qi, give it to me."

Old Qi handed him the ring.

Xue Xiang pointed rapidly in mid-air, tracing ancient patterns, and streams of spiritual energy swirled around the ring. Suddenly, a soft "poof" sound was heard, and the white-robed youth's expression changed drastically. "An illusion! An illusion! He couldn't possibly have broken through the restrictions on my storage ring!"

Whatever he takes out, it's all from his own storage ring. He's the one who's a traitor, he's the one who's…

Amid the shouting, Xue Xiang tossed the ring to Lao Qi.

After Lao Qi inspected the items, several more items appeared at the feet of the young man in the white robe.

Suddenly, a strangely shaped object made of folded paper appeared in Lao Qi's hand.

"Soul-possessed paper puppet!"

Someone shouted, "This is a restriction created with the spirit of Yin, which splits one soul into two paper puppets, allowing them to be guided by each other's soul power and track each other even across thousands of miles."

"What a thief!"

"The dog was slaughtered."

"Fellow Daoist Good Luck is indeed extraordinary!"

(End of this chapter)