Why is my anime art style so weird?

A series of stiff footsteps approached from afar.

Xu Ming was suddenly startled and quickly gestured to stop them. Then, he cautiously peered out and quietly observed the city wall.

Nothing could be seen from the city wall, but the sound of footsteps was slowly approaching.

Xu Ming couldn't help but frown, and he quickly activated his spiritual vision.

The dark wall suddenly became clear.

Xu Ming's pupils suddenly contracted. In his spiritual vision, he could vaguely see some blurry black shadows lined up in an orderly procession, slowly walking along the passageway on the city wall.

It's a troop of ghost soldiers!

In Xu Ming's field of vision, the group of ghost soldiers suddenly stopped, and then rushed towards this side in unison.

Oh no! We've been discovered!

Xu Ming couldn't help but curse himself for being stupid.

Hiding in blind spots is for dealing with living people. These ghost soldiers don't see with their eyes at all; they sense the enemy's location through their aura.

It was nighttime, and he was a living person, so close by. Unless these ghost soldiers were blind, they would spot him instantly.

There's nothing we can do!

I originally wanted to sneak in, but now I can only 'sneak in'!

Without saying a word, Xu Ming immediately raised his phone, aimed it at the location of the ghost soldiers, and pressed the shutter button.

Click!

With a soft thud, a thunderous purple-gold flash exploded.

The ghostly soldiers wailed and instantly turned to ashes.

However, Xu Ming soon heard a series of hurried footsteps in the distance, mixed with the sound of metal scraping.

Xu Ming's face darkened.

As expected, the nearby ghost soldiers were alerted.

There's nothing we can do about that.

Xu Ming suddenly waved his hand, and Parker and Erina immediately rushed out.

A howling wind arrived in an instant, and snowflakes flew everywhere. Frost completely covered the passageway on the entire city wall.

Suddenly, a large number of snow-white figures appeared in the passageway; they were ghost soldiers covered in snowflakes.

However, these ghost soldiers are inherently of the Yin and cold element, so ice-attribute spells seem to have very limited effect on them.

“Parker, you’re in charge of slowing them down.”

"Erina, you used lightning magic!"

Xu Ming immediately issued a new order.

"learn!"

Parker gave an awkward military salute.

"Hmph! I know!"

Erina kept a cold expression and ran her hand directly through the strands of hair at her temples.

Sizzle!

Her fingertips immediately drew out a series of blue arcs of electricity.

Erina then gathered the electric arcs into a blue lightning spear and hurled it at the surging ghost soldiers.

The lightning spear instantly struck the first Yin soldier, then leaped onto the second. In a short while, the lightning spear seemed to split apart, instantly forming a huge net that enveloped all the Yin soldiers in one fell swoop.

The power of divine punishment instantly wiped out all the Yin soldiers.

Xu Ming sighed.

This time, it really can't be hidden anymore.

So he simply swaggered over with Erina and Puck to the front of the White Gate Tower.

Two enormous bronze Pixiu statues stand at the main entrance of the city gate tower.

However, after a long period of wind and rain, these two Pixiu have long been covered with verdigris, especially on their heads. The verdigris and wear have made the baring teeth of the Pixiu indistinct, and their faces seem to be showing a strange, incredibly anthropomorphic smile...

The paper windows of the main gate of the White Gate Tower had long since rotted away, and the tattered paper fluttered in the cold wind, like pale fingers beckoning and summoning something.

The gaps in the door were covered with purple talismans, on which were written a large number of strange characters that were completely incomprehensible in blood-red cinnabar.

Even without activating his spiritual vision, Xu Ming could see the visible purplish-black negative energy squeezing out from the cracks in the door.

Xu Ming told Parker to throw an icicle at the gate in front of him, and Parker did as he was told.

Bah!

Crimson lightning immediately shot out from the purple rune, shattering the ice pillar in an instant.

Parker immediately looked embarrassed.

The little cat's face puffed up, and it raised its paw. A large amount of ice element gathered on its head, quickly forming a huge ice ball.

Just as it was about to throw the puck, Xu Ming suddenly spoke up:

"and many more!"

Parker immediately stumbled and almost fell.

It quickly looked at Xu Ming with a melancholy expression.

"What's wrong, Amin?"

Xu Ming stroked his chin.

“I’m thinking about something… This trial mission isn’t simply about killing the vengeful ghost haunting the White Gate Tower, but about uncovering the truth behind the events.”

Upon seeing those talismans, Xu Ming finally understood.

Now the entire city of Xiapi knows that the White Gate Tower is haunted. If this is part of the puzzle-solving process for this trial, then it's far too easy.

It's like a classic French meal served with canned herring as an appetizer.

It feels so out of place.

"Then what should we do now?"

Parker spread out his cat paws, and Erina glared at him.

Xu Ming carefully examined the talisman pasted on the door.

These talismans were clearly made by a master and were incredibly powerful. It was surprising that such powerful talismans could not completely seal what was inside... Xu Ming was completely unsure what unpredictable and terrible consequences might occur if he rashly broke the talismans.

After thinking for a moment, Xu Ming made a decision.

The commotion we just caused has rendered our infiltration pointless. Besides, since there's no time limit for this trial mission, we might as well leave now, find more clues, and then make further plans.

"Let's..."

Just as Xu Ming was about to speak, a chill suddenly shot from his tailbone straight to the top of his head, as if something terrifying was watching him from behind.

Xu Ming immediately turned around to look.

A blood-red figure had appeared at the window on the second floor of the White Gate Tower at some unknown time, standing there silently.

Whether it was because the night was too dark or for some other reason, Xu Ming couldn't see very clearly.

It was only vaguely discernible that it appeared to be a woman wearing a blood-red gauze dress and a blood-red veil over her face.

Although he couldn't see the woman's face clearly, Xu Ming felt that she seemed to be looking down at them with a cold, ruthless gaze that chilled them to the bone.

Xu Ming acted almost instinctively, picking up his phone and pressing the shutter button to take a picture of the woman.

Chapter 714 Night Fishing

Click!

The purple-gold flash disappeared in an instant.

Xu Ming looked up and squinted as he carefully observed the scene on the second floor.

What happened next took Xu Ming by surprise.

The blood-red figure slowly turned to ashes under Xu Ming's gaze.

Just when Xu Ming thought it was just an ordinary vengeful ghost that he could easily destroy, an unknown folk song suddenly rang out.

The song was mournful and ethereal, like a narcissus illuminated by the bright moonlight in the dark night.

Immediately afterwards, a large number of blood-red light spots suddenly appeared in the air. These light spots quickly gathered together and formed that familiar blood-red figure once again.

He came back to life!?

Xu Ming couldn't help but glance at the purple talisman pasted on the door. No wonder the expert the prefect had invited didn't directly exorcise the evil spirits in the White Gate Tower.

It's not that I'm unwilling, but that I'm unable to.

"Amin, what do we do next?"

Both Parker and Erina turned their gazes toward Xu Ming.

They had clearly witnessed the dead coming back to life, and it's no exaggeration to say that this was probably one of the most troublesome enemies they had ever faced.

Feeling the cold gazes directed down from upstairs once again, Xu Ming remained silent for a moment, then waved his hand.

"Let's go back first."

Soon the two people and the cat turned and walked towards the foot of the city wall.

The figure in crimson remained standing there, watching, watching, until their figures disappeared around the corner…

The city of Xiapi is surrounded by numerous lakes and rivers, among which two major waterways flow together: the Yi River and the Si River. Both rivers converge into Luoma Lake to the east of Xiapi, which is why Xiapi is rich in aquatic products.

Under the cover of night, the fishing boats on the rivers and lakes are brightly lit all night long, creating a spectacular scene that is a unique feature of Xiapi.

Just as Xu Ming was exploring the White Gate Tower at night, a fisherman surnamed Sun was rowing his fishing boat, drifting on Luoma Lake.

Like most families who make a living on the shore of Luoma Lake, Sun Yufu's home is a small fishing boat with a hut built on the bank.

The fishing boat is only three or four meters long, and apart from the fish hold, it can only accommodate two or three people.