Dao Lao's tone changed, and he continued, "However, if the Mold Luck Level is greater than or equal to three stars, then this misfortune has been forcibly imposed on the victims, and we must find a way to deal with this misfortune and its creators."
"So, you mean that Mold Spirit Energy is used to create troublemakers with a Mold Luck Level of three stars or higher?" Hao Yun summarized based on Dao Lao's explanation.
"Yes, you can understand it that way. Because the misfortune caused by mold spirit energy forcibly created is not part of the world's plan. Therefore, these misfortunes not only harm innocent lives but also may affect the balance and stability of the lower realm, causing even more serious chain reactions," Dao Lao responded while still observing the inspection results of the couple on the screen.
After the Mold Spirit Energy Tracking System analyzed layer by layer, only a faintly flickering purplish-red outline remained on the screen for the couple.
"Is this Mold Spirit Energy?" Hao Yun asked, looking at the purplish-red outline.
"This is the mark left by Mold Spirit Energy on them, indicating that they have been targeted by that Mold Spirit Energy," Dao Lao corrected.
"So, what do we do now?" Hao Yun asked.
First, inexplicably becoming an assistant to the Mold Spirit Energy Tracking Priest, then immediately encountering Mold Spirit Energy that was harming others. Hao Yun couldn't help but feel a bit nervous at this moment. However, amidst the tension, he seemed to also feel a strange excitement. Being about to participate in the capture of Mold Spirit Energy, he had put his previously suspended heart back into his chest. Because Hao Yun could now be sure that Dao Lao hadn't deceived him or harbored any ill intentions toward him. Dao Lao was truly a priest who descended from the heavens, and Hao Yun had indeed become the assistant of this descending priest.
"First, we need to find the Mold Spirit Energy that intends to harm them, and then figure out a way to capture that Mold Spirit Energy to help this couple out of trouble," Dao Lao calmly answered Hao Yun.
Dao Lao then reminded Hao Yun, "By the way, it's best for us to secretly help them eliminate the Mold Spirit Energy, and try not to let them know our situation. Because once they know they are entangled by Mold Spirit Energy and that we can help them eliminate it, it will cause fluctuations in their energy. In this way, Mold Spirit Energy is likely to perceive our existence and escape before we can capture it. You see, Mold Spirit Energy is very good at escaping, so if we alert it prematurely, our actions are likely to fail."
"Additionally, when Mold Spirit Energy escapes, in order to erase its traces, it may resort to drastic actions against the marked victims, causing them even greater harm. So remember, we must be low-key when executing the mission, to avoid letting Mold Spirit Energy perceive our true identity. Do you understand?"
Hao Yun nodded, indicating his understanding. Although he didn't know how to hide his own aura, Dao Lao assured him in this regard. Because Hao Yun had just joined the Divine Realm, he was still a human and did not possess any special powers. Therefore, as long as he didn't disclose his true identity to Mold Spirit Energy, it would never imagine that he was a Mold Spirit Energy Tracking Priest.
"Hehehe! Mom! Dad! Why are you still here?" At this moment, a childlike voice that sounded empty and soulless suddenly came from outside the window. Then, a small ghost with a purplish-blue body lightly flipped in from the window.
The little ghost had a creepy smile on its face, hopping around the couple who were still huddled together in distress, saying, "Mom! Dad! I'm back! Oh, I just went out for a big circle! It really tired me out!"
"Mom, Dad, let's go home! I'm so tired! I want to go home and sleep!" The little ghost continued to playfully climb all over the couple, combined with the painful expression of the couple, making the whole scene look quite eerie.
"G-G-Ghost—!" Since seeing the little ghost appear, Hao Yun had been trembling all over with fear. He didn't even have time to think about how he could see this little ghost. Because what he had to do now was to control his legs, which were becoming weak, to prevent himself from falling to the ground due to fright.
To prevent Hao Yun's abnormal reaction from being noticed by the little ghost at the other end of the corridor, Dao Lao hurriedly pulled Hao Yun to the other side of the corridor, close to the wall, and said in a deep voice, "Hey? Hey! Hao Yun, pull yourself together! As long as the little ghost doesn't know you can see it, it won't do anything to you. Its target is the couple, not us. We're perfectly safe!"
"But... but that's a ghost! I... you didn't say that our mission also includes catching ghosts!" Hao Yun, propped against the wall, kept taking deep breaths and questioning with a tearful voice.
"It's just a little ghost, it's not that scary. Strictly speaking, ghosts are formed by what you call souls. They're just a variant form of life from another timeline," Dao Lao said.
"Another timeline?" Hao Yun asked puzzledly.
"Right, another timeline. In fact, in this world, there exist countless timelines. Many of them exist parallelly without any connection, while many others are intertwined chaotically. Some timelines even coexist in highly overlapping forms," Dao Lao said.
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"So you mean, this little ghost is actually a mutated life form that crossed over from another world?" Hao Yun asked.
"Normally, yes," Dao Lao nodded. "According to the principle, if one of the timelines in two different ones is in a higher civilization era, the higher-order beings living in that timeline might possess the ability to cross into the lower civilization era of the other timeline. Conversely, if a being from a lower-level civilization timeline accidentally gains sufficient power, it can also cross into a relatively higher civilization era. As for ghosts, although they are formed from the souls of lower realm creatures after death, they also follow these rules."
"However, according to the data just detected by my Mold Spirit Energy Tracking System, that little ghost indeed crossed over from a world with a civilization era lower than this timeline. So, according to the crossing rule I just mentioned, that little ghost should have crossed here with the help of Mold Spirit Energy. Because, the three-star bad luck detected just now came from it. That little ghost is most likely corrupted by Mold Spirit Energy."
"So, you mean—in a way, that little ghost might also be a victim?" Hao Yun asked.
Although Hao Yun said so, there was a suspicion of trying to make up for that little ghost. But in Hao Yun's view, thinking like this was more about hoping to change his perspective on that little ghost and thus pull himself out of the inner terror.
"Well—maybe! There may be such a possibility, but it doesn't rule out the possibility that the little ghost itself is a malicious spirit," Dao Lao pondered.
"Regardless, that little ghost is a problem we must face now. So whether it is a victim or not, we must first find a way to subdue it. Let's go, we should go and gather some intelligence first, to see what the background of that little ghost is? More importantly, we need to figure out what intentions the Mold Spirit Energy has on that couple," Dao Lao said, pressing Hao Yun's shoulder to ask if he could continue the operation.
"Phew—! Let's go! I'll, I'll follow behind you and cover your back," Hao Yun took a deep breath, gathering courage to say.
Of course, Dao Lao, who had always been hunting Mold Spirit Energy alone, did not think he needed someone to cover his back, nor did he think Hao Yun really wanted to cover his back. Hao Yun was just simply still afraid and wanted to hide behind Dao Lao, using him as a shield.
However, despite knowing Hao Yun's thoughts, Dao Lao didn't say anything more. Because, for someone who had just realized how he became a Mold Spirit Energy Tracking Officer and suddenly saw a terrifying creature he had never seen before, Hao Yun's ability to stabilize his emotions in such a short time and express his willingness to continue facing the little ghost possessed by Mold Spirit Energy was enough to satisfy Dao Lao with his performance.
"Remember, stay calm, don't deliberately make eye contact with that little ghost to avoid exposing that you know it exists," Dao Lao continued to instruct Hao Yun on the chat channel while signaling him to follow him down the corridor again, heading towards where the couple was.
"Hao Yun, you have to join the conversation appropriately later, try to attract their attention. I'll find a chance to put a tracker on them."
"A tracker? Aren't you a priest? You actually need to use high-tech means to track others? Shouldn't you track them through spells?" Hao Yun, terrified and nervous, couldn't help but sarcastically comment.
"Who said immortals can only use spells? Moreover, high-tech stuff doesn't necessarily have nothing to do with spells, and spells don't necessarily not need high-tech. For us gods in the Heavenly Realm, high-tech and spells have long lost obvious boundaries. These two have long coexisted in a 'you are within me, I am within you' manner!" Dao Lao replied impatiently, while also complaining that Hao Yun had too many questions!
Hao Yun shrugged, indifferent to Dao Lao's complaints. After all, he was just a pure novice who had just joined the Realm of Spirits, and isn't it normal to have many questions? However, thanks to the verbal joust they just had, Hao Yun's mood was much calmer now. The previous fear had basically disappeared, and Hao Yun even vaguely began to look forward to the confrontation with the little ghost that was coming up.
Hao Yun and Dao Lao pretended to chat as they passed by the couple, as if they casually glanced at the couple who were sitting together. Then, Hao Yun acted as if he recognized the couple and exaggeratedly exclaimed, "Oh, so it's you here! Oh my! I thought I couldn't find you! Thank you so much for saving us! We really appreciate it!"
Having said that, Hao Yun quickly bowed respectfully to thank them. At the same time, he pulled Dao Lao next to him with a hint of annoyance and said, "Why don't you thank our saviors?! If they hadn't helped in time, you, old man, might have drowned in the river! Hey! You're so old now, you can't be so willful in the future!"
Dao Lao was instantly furious. Little brat! Clearly, you want to take the opportunity to retaliate and push all the blame for falling into the water onto this old man's head! Dao Lao thought irritably.
However, Dao Lao was not an easy target. He smiled apologetically and thanked the couple very sincerely, "Yes, yes, yes! It's all my fault! It's all my fault for being so confused! I just fell into the water with this silly grandson of mine! Thank you two for your timely help. Let me express my gratitude to you both!"
With that, Dao Lao clasped his left hand over his right, and gave the couple a standard bow with clasped hands.
At this moment, the couple had also recognized Hao Yun and Dao Lao. They hurriedly stood up and both supported Dao Lao. The man in particular was very embarrassed and kept saying, "No, no, no, you mustn't do this, we can't afford your old man's salute. It's just our duty to help others in need. I'm a retired soldier, serving the people has always been my duty."
Only then did Hao Yun have a chance to carefully look at the appearance of the couple.
The man had a firm facial contour, dark skin, a well-proportioned and powerful figure. He stood tall and straight, estimated to be at least a head taller than the 1.83 meters tall Hao Yun. This made him look like a giant bear standing there, giving off a very oppressive feeling. However, the righteous gaze in his eyes made him exude a righteous air. It didn't make me feel afraid, but instead gave me an inexplicable sense of security.
The woman was at least 165 centimeters tall. She stood there gracefully, with the demeanor of a noble lady and a virtuous wife and mother, appearing very approachable. Although her eyes were visibly swollen from crying, they remained clear and transparent, unable to conceal the intelligence shining within them. Additionally, she was wearing a pristine white nurse uniform at the moment. From the name tag on her chest, she should be a nurse working in this hospital.