Chapter 25: After Killing the Guests, Kill the Waiter

The Essence-Absorbing Ghost appeared as a bewitchingly seductive woman, full-figured and adorned in exquisite makeup, every gesture and expression dripping with charm. Unlike others of its kind, it did not feed on human souls, lifespans, or flesh; its specialty was the consumption of vital essence.

As Xia Tianqiong sat down, mirror in hand, the Essence-Absorbing Ghost struck first. It opened its crimson lips wide and inhaled sharply. Gusts of wind materialized from thin air, sweeping across Xia Tianqiong’s body before being drawn into its mouth. This was no ordinary wind; it was a force that stripped away the vital essence of any living being it touched. Xia Tianqiong felt his energy plummeting, his limbs growing heavy and weak—the immediate consequence of such a rapid drain.

He hurriedly turned his mirror toward the ghost, invoking the "Mirror Devours All" technique of the Mirror Ghost. A massive suction force enveloped the entity, attempting to drag it into the glass. Yet, the ghost remained seated, completely unaffected. Xia Tianqiong felt a flicker of surprise, but a moment’s reflection revealed the truth: the suction from the ghost’s own mouth was perfectly counteracting the mirror’s pull. No wonder it had been so bold as to share his table; it had the strength to back it up.

The situation was precarious. He could not pull the ghost into the mirror, but it could continue to siphon his essence from across the table. If this continued, he would be drained dry. Throughout the tavern, patrons—both human and supernatural—watched the life-or-death struggle with bated breath. The surviving humans, realizing this was no sanctuary and finding no way to escape, prayed that he would cause enough chaos for them to flee. The supernatural beings were torn; some hoped the human would be killed for his arrogance in daring to provoke them, while others feared his death, as they all coveted the gold he carried and wanted the honor of claiming it for themselves.

"He thinks that because he’s contracted a few wild ghosts, he can run rampant here. How utterly reckless. A man like that is bound to meet his end sooner or later," Bai Yichen remarked, nearly clapping at the sight of Xia Tianqiong’s predicament. Then, he reconsidered; if the man died here, he would have no way to fulfill his mission, as he had been sent to recruit him. "Jingjing, you must intervene and save him!"

Bai Jingjing shook her head. "He should be able to handle this ghost himself. Don't forget, he hasn't used his teleportation ability yet."

No sooner had she spoken than Xia Tianqiong vanished from his seat, instantly reappearing in the shadows behind the ghost’s table. The Essence-Absorbing Ghost froze, its face flashing with panic. A moment later, a tremendous suction force struck from behind. Before it could even turn around, its body—along with the chair it sat upon—was pulled uncontrollably into the mirror.

The ghost’s ability, the Essence-Absorption Technique, was only effective against humans. Since Xia Tianqiong had no interest in it, he had no intention of forming a contract. "Kill it directly and convert it into nether-currency," he commanded his three ghostly subordinates inside the mirror space, then turned his attention to his next target.

"Excuse me, may I share your table?" Xia Tianqiong asked with a sincere, polite smile. The ghost he addressed was a burly man with a thick beard, dressed in ancient official robes, resembling a zombie. The creature’s expression darkened, and it spat out, "Get lost! You wretched human, if you’re so capable, go to the second floor. Is bullying the weak down here supposed to be fun?"

"Oh? You know the term 'bullying the weak'? You’re quite modern. Would you consider forming a contract with me? I'll look after you!" An eighteen-year-old youth saying "I'll look after you" to a rugged brute made for a bizarre sight. The surviving humans, seeing his modern attire, had assumed he was a normal person, but hearing this, they began to suspect he was just as deranged as the rest.

"Scram. I don't care for human money." The brute was stubborn. Xia Tianqiong didn't push it and moved on to others. He asked several more, but none would agree to share a table or sign a contract. The tavern's first floor was populated only by "wild-level" ghosts, whose strength was mediocre and clearly no match for him. However, these ghosts weren't stupid; gold was good, but not worth dying for. Xia Tianqiong couldn't force them without triggering the tavern's death rules.

Frustrated, he returned to his seat to finish his meal. Now that the ghosts on this floor knew of his prowess, there was no chance of sharing a table, leaving only the second floor. But the second floor was home to "ferocious-level" ghosts. Of his four contracted ghosts, only the Ghost Infant was of that caliber; the other three were mere wild-level ghosts, so his combined strength might not be enough to overcome the hazards above. He couldn't go up lightly.

The waiter scurried over, eyes squinting and mouth stretched into a fawning grin. "Sir, you’ve broken five plates and a chair just now. That will be three thousand five hundred nether-notes in damages."

"Just deduct it from the gold I gave you earlier. No need to inform me," Xia Tianqiong said dismissively.

The waiter nodded and peeked at him cautiously. "And the remaining gold... is it to be a tip for your humble servant?"

"In your dreams! I still need to find someone to share a table with, and I’m sure I’ll break more things. Whatever is left when I finally leave is yours."

"But... but there are no more ghosts willing to share a table with you!"

"There aren't any now, but what about the new arrivals?" The Wujian Tavern saw a steady stream of new patrons—both human and supernatural. New ghosts wouldn't know of his reputation, and that would be his chance. The waiter’s expression soured; he had hoped to keep the gold, not wait for new victims. How long would that take?

If this continued, wouldn't his two taels of gold eventually run dry? The waiter’s face grew increasingly dark. It was angry.

Xia Tianqiong, who had been eating, hadn't paid much attention to the waiter until he felt a cold, sinister aura emanate from it. He looked up and suddenly realized something: the waiter and the chef were ghosts, too. They could be killed or contracted.

The waiter, realizing it had let its guard down, quickly suppressed its aura and apologized, preparing to retreat. But it suddenly felt a piercing, predatory gaze from Xia Tianqiong—a gaze filled with intense killing intent.

"Sir, what are you doing?" The waiter stepped back, suddenly afraid. This human seemed addicted to killing ghosts.

"Nothing!" Xia Tianqiong picked up a piece of mutton, put it in his mouth, and began to chew loudly, deliberately smacking his lips at the waiter.

The waiter’s face changed drastically. It realized what was happening. "Sir, I am a member of the tavern staff. You cannot kill me."

Xia Tianqiong didn't answer, continuing to smack his lips with such volume that it could be heard two tables away. Other ghosts began to look over, and the surviving humans, though confused, turned their attention to the commotion.

"I’m smacking my lips! Are you not going to do something about it?" Xia Tianqiong prompted when the waiter hesitated. One of the tavern's rules was: *Do not smack your lips.* If the sound could be heard at the next table, the death rule was triggered. According to the rules, the waiter was required to intervene, drag the rule-breaker away, and deliver them to the chef to be killed.

But the waiter didn't dare approach, let alone attack. The death rules of the Wujian Tavern were fundamentally designed to target humans, but if one was strong enough, they could turn the rules to their advantage. Xia Tianqiong hadn't been able to attack the waiter at will, but by triggering the rule, he forced the waiter to act against him, giving him a legitimate reason to strike back. He could kill it or contract it—either way, it was his.