Forbidden to Capture Rare Cute Ghosts - Chapter 14

Nan Deng slept well, waking up when it was daytime.

He slowly crawled out of the quilt, to find Xiao Tu fast asleep at the edge of the bed.

The room was dark as the curtains obstructed most of the light. Sunlight streamed in through the gaps.

Nan Deng got down from the bed, intending to find where Lian Yi was.

As he reached out to open the door, he suddenly discovered that his sleeve, which was previously torn, had recovered.

“Huh?”

He peered down, the tear left by Xiao Tu’s bite was also gone. Even the fabric of his clothing no longer seemed faded.

Nan Deng was astounded, running his hand over his sleeves and inspecting them for a good while.

Was this because he consumed the living soul? His spectral body’s clothing had automatically restored itself.

Looking at the tightly shut door, Nan Deng seemed to understand something. His fingertips passed straight through the wooden door panel.

He could walk right through the wooden door!

His eyes widened in astonishment, taking two more steps forward, he was indeed able to move to the hallway without any obstruction.

The lighting throughout the house was dim, all the curtains were tightly drawn, not at all like daytime.

In the dining room, a few little paper men laid out the prepared meals in a rush, swiftly escaping back to the crevices at the top of the cupboard, afraid of being discovered by Xiao Tu.

At this moment, Nan Deng also found Lian Yi outside the dining room.

His excitement was palpable as he announced to Lian Yi like he was showing off a treasure, “I’ve become stronger!”

Nan Deng demonstrated to him, his spectral body passing through the kitchen wall and then returning.

Previously, he could only just pass through some rough glass, and wanting to go into the wardrobe required him to open the wardrobe door first. Now, it wasn’t necessary.

Nan Deng was excited and went straight to the study from the dining room and back several times.

Lian Yi watched quietly, with a faint smile on his lips. “Good.”

The curtains were drawn for Nan Deng’s sake, so his actions would be almost unrestricted.

After amusing himself for a while, Nan Deng joined Lian Yi at the dining table, watching him eat.

He quickly grew bored and wandered off to the living room to watch TV, thus missing the tiny paper men quietly emerging to help with the dishes.

The little paper men were waterproof, thanks to the spirit arts infused into them. They cleaned up the dining table and the kitchen, bathing in the sink along the way. When they returned to the cabinet, they left a trail of wet footprints on the countertop.

By the afternoon, Nan Deng had gone off to his bedroom to sleep again.

————————

In the city center square, a black cat leaped over a bush and paused, gently twitching its nose.

Lin Jiu, along with a few others, trailed far behind, curious about where it was heading.

Hei Mao had been patrolling in the area for quite a while, which was unusual as it typically only appeared at night.

It even made a distinct visit to the location where the celestial masters had appeared, only to leave after a quick look.

Lin Jiu thought this could mean something, so he quickly led others to catch up.

Hei Mao would occasionally increase its pace, making it difficult for the group to keep up.

As darkness approached, they lost track of it again.

Feeling disappointed, Lin Jiu was on the verge of giving up and turning back when he heard a surprised exclamation from a celestial master next to him, “Look over there!”

Lin Jiu looked up to see the black cat they had lost, appearing in a tree not too far away.

It leaped down from the branch with grace and started walking over.

The other celestial masters thought the earth spirit was finally going to interact with them, however, Hei Mao stopped in its tracks and let out a frustrated “meow”.

It seemed annoyed, possibly knowing these celestial masters had been tailing it and unsuccessful in shaking them off, it finally lost patience.

Hei Mao knew that Nan Deng had been taken away by a celestial master and when it noticed Nan Deng had been gone a long time without returning, it hurried into the city to look for him, but it didn’t catch even a hint of his scent – none of these celestial masters had come into contact with Nan Deng.

Hence, Hei Mao figured it would go back and check, since there were bunny heads with Nan Deng, he should be safe.

What really bothered it was the group of celestial masters that persistently followed it.

Lin Jiu attempted to approach it, “We mean no harm, we just want to know… do you need any help?”

Hei Mao kept its gaze steady, its fluffy tail erect as it paced around in its place.

Seeing Lin Jiu not leaving, it no longer held back, its front claws digging into the ground as it hissed at the group.

At the same moment, they were hit by a sudden gust of energy.

The sudden attack caught the celestial masters off guard; only Lin Jiu was able to step back a few paces to steady himself. The others were knocked down by the force of the energy and had to scramble back up, looking quite disheveled.

When they looked up again, Hei Mao had disappeared without a trace.

Lin Jiu was astonished and puzzled. “How could it be so powerful?”

Born less than a month ago, this earth spirit was almost as strong as two senior celestial masters.

Hei Mao rarely interacted with the celestial masters, and this was the first time they had directly felt its strength, which was growing rapidly.

Could it be that the mountain god was really here and had personally chosen and nurtured the black cat as an earth spirit, making it so extraordinary?

The increasing number of vengeful spirits had persisted for nearly twenty years, and many people in the celestial masters’ inner courtyard believed that the mountain god had completely disappeared, or it would not have been absent for so long.

Lin Jiu shared the same view. Even after discovering some signs, he still chose to prioritize searching for Ghost King.

However, a series of unusual events started happening, seemingly proving the same thing.

Compared to the feeble and ancient ghost god realm and the chaotic gods of legends, which could be benevolent or malevolent, perhaps only the mountain god could truly be called a god – the leader of all living beings.

God still existed and was finally willing to reveal itself.

But where would God be now?

Lin Jiu’s palms began to sweat as he held back his complex emotions.

Seeing the same perplexed expressions on everyone’s faces, he said: “Let’s head back for now and prepare for tonight’s shift.”

———————–

On the outskirts, Hei Mao arrived at Nan Deng’s usual resting spot and began to roam around.

Ren Shi also quietly arrived, flying up high to survey the area. Not long after, it descended beside Hei Mao, pointing in a particular direction.

There was a house with its lights on, standing out against the surrounding darkness.

Hei Mao looked up at the house, its bright golden eyes revealing a hint of confusion.

It only remembered that Nan Deng had left with a person possessing a celestial master’s aura but couldn’t recall what that person looked like. So, it spent most of the time wandering around the city, searching in places where celestial masters often gathered.

Ren Shi had been an earth spirit for much longer and was more intelligent. Hei Mao decided to check out the house with it.

The two companions set off together, carefully searching for clues along the way.

The closer Hei Mao got to the lit house, the more it retrieved hazy memories from its past.

This was the place where it first encountered Nan Deng when it was still not an earth spirit.

The house’s doors and windows were tightly shut. The black cat sniffed carefully along the outer walls, barely catching a faint scent.

Inside the living room, Nan Deng was watching TV, fully engrossed. He was on his last half-episode of the day; he’d have to wait until tomorrow to watch the rest.

The same commercials played over and over. After changing channels multiple times, Nan Deng started to get bored and went to look for Lian Yi.

The bathroom was filled with the sound of running water as Nan Deng phased through the wall.

Lian Yi lay half-submerged in the bathtub; hearing the noise, he opened his eyes.

Nan Deng came over and sat by him, dipping his hand into the water: “It’s so warm here…”

He figured that Lian Yi was taking a bath; the hot water in the bathtub flowed continuously without ever cooling.

Nan Deng, having seen nothing before, was curious about everything. He wanted to try lying in the tub himself but was too embarrassed to ask.

He reached out to scoop some water but ended up phasing through the edge of the tub. His soul slipped into the water, lying atop Lian Yi.

Nan Deng quickly emerged; curiously, he touched his own cheek, drenched from the warm water.

“Splash–“

Water splashed in all directions. Lian Yi sat up straight, drops of water rolling down his body.

He looked at Nan Deng with a cool gaze and ordered, “Leave.”

The bathroom was steamy, making it hard for Nan Deng to read Lian Yi’s expression. He didn’t seem angry, though.

“Why?” Nan Deng moved to hug Lian Yi’s arm, “I’m not hungry today, I won’t bite you.”

He explained earnestly, just like a clingy kitten, not understanding why Lian Yi suddenly wanted him gone.

Then, Nan Deng noticed a faint blush on Lian Yi’s ears.

His expression still indifferent, Lian Yi watched Nan Deng. After a moment, his voice softened considerably: “Go out first.”

“Alright…”

Nan Deng reluctantly let go of him and obediently left the room.

He had barely gotten back to the living room when he heard a couple of catcalls outside.

Recognizing the sound, Nan Deng moved to the window, carefully drawing back the curtains.

The street outside was pitch black, with no electric lights showing. Everything should probably be safe.

Nan Deng glanced back; he could still hear the sound of water running in the bathroom.

He decided to pass directly through the wall, standing outside the wall of the house to survey the surroundings.

“Meow, meow…” Hei Mao noticed Nan Deng right away, calling out to him and running over.

Joining the cat was Ren Shi, a creature Nan Deng recognized as the little sprite that could glow and fly.

“It really is you,” Nan Deng crouched down and rubbed the top of Hei Mao’s head, “Did you come just to find me? Are you worried about me?”

He explained, “I came here to lie low, I’ll be fine.”

Seeing Nan Deng, everything appeared to be normal. He was in high spirits, his previously torn sleeve had mended itself.

Hei Mao relaxed and hopped into Nan Deng’s lap, purring, and licking its own tail.

It was then that Nan Deng noticed a small wound on the cat’s tail. He wasn’t sure when it was obtained.

He gently touched it with concern, “Are you hungry?”

Hei Mao brushed against his fingers, not appearing to want food.

Ren Shi also wanted some attention from Nan Deng and moved closer without hesitation, gripping his arm tightly.

The lion had some fresh scratches and was softly humming with its face buried in Nan Deng’s clothes.

Sitting down on the ground, holding Hei Mao and Ren Shi, Nan Deng wondered about the possibility of bringing them inside the house.

Would Lian Yi reject them? He’d previously made a tiny paper figure for the rabbit head; he probably wouldn’t mind a cat and a small sprite.

“I’ll go open the window,” Nan Deng suggested, “Can I bring you two inside?”

But as soon as he asked that, he felt the strong resistance of the two creatures in his arms.

Hei Mao’s tail swung sharply, while Ren Shi shook its head fiercely against Nan Deng’s arm.

They liked only Nan Deng and didn’t want to enter an unfamiliar house. Perhaps they still had their own matters to attend, because Hei Mao wasn’t always with Nan Deng.

“Alright then,” Nan Deng murmured to himself, “I can’t afford to keep you…”

The rabbit head alone was already quite a handful. Today it had woken up and gnawed all the leaves off the living room plant. Thankfully, Lian Yi wasn’t angry.

Meanwhile, the rabbit head was on the hunt in the kitchen.

It hopped onto the countertop, discovering a slight trail of dried-up water stains along the edge, which led it to a cabinet.

The rabbit head’s nose twitched, and it leaped inside to explore.

Squeezed up against the top of the cabinet were several tiny paper figurines, shivering with fear.

Luckily, the rabbit head didn’t notice them and quickly turned around to leave.

Having found nothing appealing to eat, the rabbit head continued its search elsewhere, ending up at a low cabinet near the door.

It bit onto the handle of the cabinet drawer, pulling it up and down, effectively opening the drawer.

Inside was a small clay pot with a yellow piece of inscribed paper stuck to its lid.

This was something the celestial master used to contain spirits. The rabbit head was excited upon seeing it; it opened its mouth and bit down on the lid.

It looked small, granting it an unassuming appearance. However, it was actually incredibly strong, and it managed to bite a small hole in the pot’s lid, damaging the charm.

The few resentful spirits trapped inside were overjoyed and tried escaping, but the narrow exit was quickly sealed up again.

Two crisp, white incisors squeezed in, and a few spirits were sucked over.

“What is this thing!”

“I can’t move! Ah! It hurts!”

The ceramic pot isolated most of the painful yells, and the rabbit head happily crunched away, devouring all the spirits inside.

Discarding the now-empty pot, the rabbit head licked its lips in satisfaction.

Besides, the pot was just the right size. The rabbit head didn’t have to change its shape; it could eat its fill just like this.

Once again licking its lips in satisfaction, it hopped off the low cabinet, tossing the empty pot behind it.

“What have you done?”

A chill voice sounded, and Lian Yi appeared in the living room.

He glanced at the opened drawer and the remnant of the clay pot, narrowing his eyes at the rabbit head on the floor.

The Ba Gua ring hidden among the bedroom clothing was prepared to fly over at any moment.

The resentful spirits in the clay pot were caught by Lian Yi upon his first arrival. He originally planned to hand them over to Lin Jiu for some time.

But since Lin Jiu rarely inquired about it, it had been left here all this time.

On the ceramic pot, there was a charm, causing soul-bodies to burn upon contact. But the rabbit head remained unscathed.

And the few resentful spirits inside… they were eaten by it?

Unaware of the happenings inside, Nan Deng was still outside. Hei Mao and Ren Shi didn’t linger for long, preparing to depart.

Ren Shi clenched Nan Deng’s sleeve, seemingly wanting to pull him along.

By now, both of their wounds had healed, and Nan Deng hadn’t noticed.

He hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the window, “Where are you going? I…”

Perceiving Nan Deng’s dilemma, Ren Shi let go of him and flew near him, affectionately kissing his hair.

Hei Mao was also reluctant to part ways, circling around Nan Deng’s feet twice before leaving together with Ren Shi.

Nan Deng watched their retreating figures, attempting to phase through the wall to re-enter the house, but his soul body was blocked.

He paused, perplexed, as his second attempt failed yet again.

Nan Deng touched the rough wall, puzzled about the reason and unwilling to linger outside any longer.

The glass of the window was not the same material as the bathroom. He reached out, lightly tapping on it.

The sound immediately alerted Lian Yi, who approached the window and heard Nan Deng’s voice, “I can’t get in…”

Lian Yi opened the window, allowing Nan Deng to climb in.

“How did you end up outside?”

Unfazed, Lian Yi activated his spiritual arts while he conversed with Nan Deng.

Out of sight from Nan Deng, the drawer of the low cabinet near the door closed and the damaged ceramic pot was hidden.

“I can no longer phase through walls,” Nan Deng expressed his slight disappointment, hugging Lian Yi, “And I’m so tired…”

As he caught a whiff of Lian Yi’s scent, he suddenly felt hungry.

Was it because he phased through walls too many times today? His sleeves were intact, and his clothes hadn’t torn apart again.

The rabbit head innocently approached, coming to Nan Deng’s feet.

“No big deal.”

Lian Yi softly reassured Nan Deng, locking eyes with the rabbit head’s black pupils.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, he ultimately decided to hold his patience.

Translator Footnotes:

嘩啦 (huā lā): This is a Chinese onomatopoeic expression representing the sound of water splashing.

餓不餓 (è bù è): Literally translates to ‘hungry or not hungry’. It’s a common casual way of asking someone if they want to eat, showing care for the person being asked.

LOL, Nan Deng falling inside the bathtub on top of Lian Yi is what I asked for!!! Lian Yi is shy… Nan Deng fell for Lian Yi first, but Lian Yi fell harder. I’m just curious about Xiao Tu… Now I’m not sure if it is the Ghost King, ’cause if it was, the 2 eart spirits wouldn’t let him next to Nan Deng…

¯_(⊙_ʖ⊙)_/¯

What do you think about this chapter? Let me know in the comments.

I love ya ❤️ (•́ ω •̀๑)