Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 86 The Water Ghost, Setting Off Again (3k)

Chen Ye did not make any rash moves. His blood and qi surged secretly as he warily stared at the blurry figure in front of him.

The woman floated silently in the dark, deep water, her head bowed, her long, black hair swaying gently in the water like living seaweed, obscuring her face.

A water ghost? Or something even more sinister?

Chen Ye didn't have time to think too much; now was not the time to investigate the other party's identity.

He suddenly kicked off, and his body shot upwards like an arrow.

But at that moment, the woman moved. She suddenly opened her eyes, and there were no pupils in her eyes, only a pale white.

Immediately afterwards, the long hair that had been flowing like seaweed began to grow wildly, becoming black and thick, like a giant net that swept over Chen Ye, blocking all his escape routes.

These strands of hair exuded a chilling coldness, hundreds of times colder than the lake water itself, and wherever they passed, even the flowing water seemed to freeze.

Chen Ye's eyes narrowed, but he didn't panic.

Just as the giant net of hair was about to touch him, he activated the Nightstalker's innate skill.

His figure instantly became ethereal, as if merging into the surrounding darkness, and then silently passed through the layers of hair netting without causing a ripple.

After passing through the hair, the water was almost within reach, and victory seemed within reach. But just then, Chen Ye suddenly felt a heavy weight on his back, as if someone had fallen on top of him.

It was a cold, slippery touch, pressed against his back, while a few strands of wet hair brushed against the back of his neck, bringing a tingling, itchy sensation to his scalp.

She caught up!
Chen Ye's heart sank. He hadn't expected this thing to be so troublesome, and its methods were so difficult to defend against.

In the moment of crisis, Chen Ye suddenly stomped down!
Shatter Formation Stomp!
Although he was in the water with nowhere to grab onto, the terrifying power contained in this kick still caused the surrounding water to tremble violently, producing a muffled explosion!

With this strike, Chen Ye unleashed his full power of splitting mountains, and his boundless blood and qi erupted like a volcano, instantly boiling over!
"what--!"

A piercing scream, so sharp it was inhuman, exploded behind him.

The chilling sensation clinging to his back jolted him away as if he'd been branded with a red-hot iron.

Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Chen Ye propelled himself forward with his legs, his body shooting out of the water like a cannonball, landing heavily on his small boat.

He gasped for breath, glanced back at the now calm lake, and still felt a lingering fear.

This female ghost is indeed powerful, especially her bizarre methods, which are simply impossible to guard against.

That's just how I am; any other Tanka people would probably have died in the water long ago.

Overjoyed, Chen Ye opened his palm and looked at the spirit pearl that shimmered with seven-colored light, a hint of relief appearing on his face.

I finally got it.

Without hesitation, Chen Ye chose to devour.

A surge of powerful and pure energy instantly flowed into his body, and the Other Shore Ark in his sea of ​​consciousness immediately emitted an unprecedentedly brilliant light.

A familiar feeling of dizziness washed over me, and the surrounding scenery began to distort and dissipate.

……

I don’t know how much time passed.

When Chen Ye opened his eyes again, a bone-chilling cold made him shiver involuntarily.

Surrounded by snow, he lay in a narrow alley, covered with a thin layer of snowflakes, clearly having been there for quite some time.

He raised his hand, and what came into view was a pair of hands with distinct knuckles and slender fingers, which should have been very beautiful, but now both hands were covered with frostbite, some of which were still bleeding, which was shocking to see.

Is this... a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy?

Chen Ye gave the patient a cursory examination and made a judgment.

Then he struggled to his feet and looked around.

The surrounding area consisted of low, dilapidated houses with icicles hanging from the eaves.

Large, feathery snowflakes drifted down from the gray sky. Through the swirling snow, one could see seven- or eight-story buildings in the distance, and even old neon lights flickering faintly in the wind and snow.

Are there neon lights?

Chen Ye's heart stirred.

This indicates that the technological level in this area had already reached a certain level, and it was not purely ancient.

Just then, a flood of complex and chaotic memories rushed into my mind.

After a moment, Chen Ye rubbed his throbbing temples and finally gained a basic understanding of this world.

This is an era similar to the late Qing Dynasty and early Republican era of his previous life.

New things like electric lights, telegraphs, and trains have appeared, but society as a whole still retains many features of the old era.

However, there is one major difference in this world.

That means this world... really does have ghosts!
That's why many of the rules in this world are different from others.

For example, a funeral is not just a ceremony for the living, but a rigorous process.

Especially those who die violent deaths must be handled by professionals, otherwise they are very likely to become ghosts and cause trouble in the area.

Therefore, Taoist priests and Buddhist monks are highly respected professions here, and there are even legendary hermits who are proficient in immortal arts and live in seclusion in the mortal world.

That's it!

Chen Ye suddenly realized why, despite sacrificing a precious seventh-grade spirit pearl, his start was still so miserable and pathetic.

It's not that the ship on the other shore is stingy, but rather that the "energy level" of this world is too high!

In the first world he experienced, the upper limit of martial arts was very low; in the second world, once a Grandmaster of Divine Realm appeared, it was already the limit for mortals.

And in this world, there really are ghosts and monsters, and people who cultivate themselves!

This means he has the opportunity to come into contact with real supernatural power here!

This discovery invigorated Chen Ye, instantly dispelling his initial frustration from the unfavorable start. He then began to sort through the original memories of this body.

It turned out that the city was called Zhenhaiwei, which was a city that evolved from a dock. As a result, all sorts of people came to the city, making it a mixed bag.

The original owner's background was even more bizarre.

He was raised by a prostitute who made a living by selling her body, but according to the woman, she was not the original owner's biological mother either, as his biological mother had died in childbirth when he was born.

When he turned thirteen or fourteen, the brothel could no longer keep him.

Firstly, he is old and it's inconvenient for him to stay in that kind of place.

Secondly, some men who come seeking pleasure are not only interested in women, but also harbor lewd thoughts towards a handsome young man like him.

So after being harassed by a drunk customer, the girls in the brothel pooled together some money and helped him escape.

But what future could a half-grown child have, with no relatives or friends and no skills, who had only learned a few characters from a few educated girls?

He quickly ran out of money, and, suffering from hunger and cold, he was caught in a heavy snowfall. He tried to find a sheltered alley to rest, but once he lay down, he never got up again.

After figuring out the cause and effect, Chen Ye couldn't help but sigh.

What a poor child.

Then, rubbing his rumbling stomach, he began to think about what to do next.

The best way out right now is to find a Taoist temple or Buddhist temple to become an apprentice under, which may activate a new career panel.

But the original owner's memories told him that this was harder than climbing to heaven.

Because those truly capable Taoist priests and monks have extremely high standards for accepting disciples, which is simply beyond the reach of an unknown nobody like him.

Therefore, the most urgent task is to fill our stomachs first, and then get some clothes to keep us warm.

Just then, the gate of the house next to his creaked open.

A tall, serious-looking middle-aged man walked out from inside.

He glanced at Chen Ye in the corner but didn't pay him any attention.

There are so many beggars these days, it's not surprising at all.

He was kind enough not to kick Chen Ye out; anyone else would have shooed him away immediately.

Even so, the man estimated that the little beggar would have little chance of surviving the night.

If they freeze to death tomorrow, the government's funeral service will come to collect their bodies and then hastily cremate them.

This world...

The man sighed inwardly and turned to go back to the courtyard, but Chen Ye suddenly stood up.

Because he heard shouts from the boys in the courtyard, as well as the sounds of them practicing their singing.

Is this a theatrical troupe?

Chen Ye's heart stirred.

The theatrical troupes in this world don't just perform for the living.

They also have an important function: to help wronged souls find peace and perform plays for ghosts and gods!
So this might be an opportunity.

"Sir, please stay!"

Chen Ye called out to the middle-aged man.

The man turned around, looking at him with some impatience: "What is it?"

"I wish to become your apprentice and learn opera. Please accept me as your teacher." Chen Ye's voice was hoarse due to the cold and weakness.

The man was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then burst out laughing.

"Learn opera? What do you think the Peking Opera world is? A shelter? A place where any random beggar can come in?"

Chen Ye didn't argue. He just bent down, grabbed a handful of snow from the ground, and vigorously wiped it on his face.

The melting snow washed away the grime from my face, revealing a clean and pretty face underneath.

He looked up, meeting the man's gaze, and asked again, "Now, is it feasible?"

The man's voice stopped abruptly.

He looked at the boy, and his eyes lit up.

What a beautiful face!

With almond-shaped eyes, a delicate nose, and thin lips, his features are handsome and refined. Although he still has a youthful appearance, he already possesses a certain charm.

This...this person is simply born to be an actor!

Unable to contain his excitement any longer, the man strode down the steps, came to Chen Ye, reached out and pinched him, then felt his bones.

"Great! A promising talent! He was born for this."

The man was so excited that he kept praising it and immediately made the decision.

"Come in with me!"

After Chen Ye was led into the courtyard, the young men and women who were practicing martial arts stopped what they were doing and looked at him with some curiosity.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and practice your skills."

The man glared at them, and they quickly resumed their practice.

"Come with me, let me ask you about your background first." With that, the man led Chen Ye into the house.

(End of this chapter)