“A ghost from the Hundred Ghosts Ranking?” Han Sifan frowned, her expression darkening. Brother Xiang lowered his head, deep in thought, before suddenly looking up. “I’ve got it! Xiao Hui said when he first saw the ghost, its yin energy was faint, even weaker than a wandering spirit. And it’s tied to the Three Sha Position. Could it be… the Spirit Within Paint?”

“What’s a Spirit Within Paint?” I asked.

Han Sifan explained, “The Spirit Within Paint is ranked seventy-third on the Hundred Ghosts Ranking. It’s a type of malevolent ghost trapped within a painting. If the owner of the painting was deeply attached to it before their death, and they died with the painting hanging in their home’s Three Sha Position, while also passing away in that exact position, this ghost is created.”

“Is it powerful?” I turned to look at her.

“Extremely,” Han Sifan replied without hesitation. “But it’s only terrifying on the nights of the first and fifteenth days of the lunar month. The rest of the time, it’s even weaker than a wandering spirit. Plus, it can’t leave the fifty-meter radius of the painting. If we’d come on the right day, we could’ve dealt with it with a single flick. But now… clearly, we’re here at the wrong time.” She frowned deeply.

“So, should we…” I was just about to suggest coming back tomorrow when I turned and froze. The door behind me was gone, replaced by a solid wall.

“The illusions cast by a Spirit Within Paint are on a whole other level compared to that little ghost cat from before.” Han Sifan’s face darkened as she stared at the wall behind us. Brother Xiang didn’t look much better—in fact, I’d never seen him this grim. Not even when that Menma went berserk back in the military district.

“What do we do now?” I glanced around the room filled with heavy yin energy. So far, nothing bizarre had happened, but the ominous atmosphere was suffocating.

Han Sifan frowned and said, “We’ll have to fight the Spirit Within Paint. It’s skilled in illusions, sure, but it might not be able to beat us in direct combat.”

“Illusions? Then what’s with this wall?” I reached out to touch it, feeling the rough texture under my fingertips.

Han Sifan shook her head. “It’s an advanced illusion, altering your sight, touch, and even smell. What you’re touching is still a smooth door, but it feels like a rough wall. If your mind can let go of the idea of a wall, it will disappear. But as long as you believe it’s there, it’s as real as can be.”

“That’s… so deep,” I muttered, feeling a headache just thinking about it.

“It’s not entirely hopeless,” Brother Xiang said, trying to sound reassuring. “It’s ranked on the Hundred Ghosts Ranking, sure, but it’s only seventy-third. Worst case, Xiao Hui, you’ve got that Tuo Luo Sha in your jade pendant. If things get really bad, we’ll let it out to fight.” Despite his confident tone, his voice trembled slightly. “Sister Fan, Xiao Hui, you two should head to the Three Sha Position and see if the painting is still there. Try to destroy it. If you can’t, find a corner and recite Buddhist scriptures. Survive until dawn, and we’ll be safe.”

“Why recite scriptures?” I asked, puzzled.

Brother Xiang explained, “The Spirit Within Paint attacks through illusions. It creates the scariest or most desirable scene from someone’s mind and traps them in it. Once your spirit fully succumbs to the illusion, you’ll discover you’re already dead—your soul trapped forever in its created world.”

My heart skipped a beat. To die without even realizing it? I glared at Brother Xiang. “And what about you? You’re staying here? Damn, isn’t that just avoiding danger?” His plan clearly left me and Han Sifan to take the risk while he stayed safe.

Han Sifan smacked me on the head. “Don’t talk nonsense. Brother Xiang’s job is the most dangerous.”

She explained that the Spirit Within Paint had sealed the door behind us, pouring much of its energy into solidifying this illusion. If Brother Xiang left with us, the door would lose its purpose, and the ghost would redirect all its energy to attacking us.

After hearing this, I couldn’t help but feel a bit touched. For once, Brother Xiang didn’t seem so annoying.

“Don’t worry about me. We’re not so easy to kill. I’ve done the calculations; our fates are strong. We’re not dying today.” Brother Xiang grinned and plopped down onto the ground, closing his eyes to meditate.

Exchanging a glance with Han Sifan, I sighed and followed her toward the Three Sha Position.

The Three Sha Position is a special spot in a building that changes based on the year’s Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Brother Xiang had sensed the position shifting as soon as we entered, which led him to suspect a Spirit Within Paint was involved.

There’s a simpler way to locate it. For instance, in the Year of the Rat, it’s in the south. In the Year of the Ox, it’s in the east. Tiger year? North. Rabbit year? West. The other eight years follow the same cycle. While the exact spot can vary depending on the building’s structure, the general direction remains the same.

The Three Sha Position is a sinister place. You shouldn’t place ancestral tablets or statues of deities there. For instance, if you put a God of Wealth statue there, you’re bound to lose money that year.

Trailing behind Han Sifan, I carefully followed her up to the second floor. Since I’d seen the ghost upstairs earlier, I suggested heading straight there.

The second floor was cluttered with furniture and draped in cobwebs. It didn’t take us long to spot the painting on the east wall.

The painting was chilling—a relic from the 1940s or 50s. It depicted a pale-faced woman wearing a blood-red bridal gown.

The woman in the painting looked as though she were getting married, her lips curling into an eerie smile.

I instinctively stepped forward, ready to destroy the painting, but Han Sifan grabbed my arm. “Careful. It’s not that simple.”

She scanned the surroundings warily, her expression suddenly turning shocked as she stared at a nearby table. “Brother… why are you here?” she murmured, her eyes reddening with emotion.

I froze. Han Sifan had fallen into an illusion. Reaching out to pull her back, I was met with a sharp kick to my stomach. Han Sifan shoved me aside and ran toward the table with a radiant smile, mumbling softly to herself like someone who’d lost their mind.

Watching her, I realized that her deepest wish was to see her brother again.

But then… what about my deepest wish?