"Wagadurutus ka!"
Feeling Bai Qi's draconic presence, the oil painting blurted out an ancient magical phrase.
However, this also gave Bai Qi a slightly better impression of the oil painting.
He would never have imagined, even if he were killed, that while he was quietly staying in the ancient castle, he would encounter one of the Eight Great Demons, the Demon of Fire.
"I... my body, why can't I move?"
The oil painting's first instinct was to flee, but by the time it tried, it was too late. It discovered it was trapped within the painting itself.
"Great... Great Demon of Fire, please forgive my ignorance. I beg you to overlook my transgression and let me go."
Retracting his draconic aura, Bai Qi used the magic of the Goat Talisman to extract whatever was attached to the oil painting.
"It really is a ghost."
The true form revealed after being pulled out of the oil painting was a pale blue spiritual entity, what is commonly known as a ghost. However, unlike ordinary ghosts, its body flickered in and out of existence after leaving the painting, as if it might dissipate at any moment.
Bai Qi did not wish for the ghost to dissipate. He was quite fond of this unique spiritual entity.
Ordinary ghosts could only possess and control one object or person. This ghost, besides possessing the oil painting itself, could also split its essence to control a considerable number of armors. It was truly rare among ghosts.
He sealed the fragments of the spiritual entity, returning all but one to the ghost.
After recovering a large portion of its fragmented spiritual essence, the ghost's body stabilized considerably.
Bai Qi asked, "What is your name, and how were you born?"
Facing Bai Qi, the ghost dared not hide anything and poured out everything it knew.
This ghost was named Henger. After dying, it coincidentally became a ghost.
Henger was originally no different from other ghosts, unremarkable. However, it was later captured by the owner of the ancient castle. Numerous experiments were conducted on Henger, accidentally creating Henger's unique constitution.
Incidentally, the owner of this ancient castle was named Weston, a mage who was extremely fond of biological experiments. After the castle was built, he became engrossed in biological modification and alchemy, unable to extricate himself.
Bai Qi looked at Henger again and asked, "Henger, do you choose to become my subordinate, or do you choose death?"
Bai Qi's words were soft, yet Henger broke out in a cold sweat.
This was hardly a choice. If he didn't become a subordinate, he would die. How could he choose? Moreover, a part of him was still in the other's possession; even if he escaped later, the other could still find him using the spiritual fragments. The Demon of Fire was indeed cunning and treacherous.
"Tell me your choice, Henger. Submission, or death."
Henger looked at Bai Qi with an incredibly resolute gaze and said, "Do I even need to say? Of course, it's submission!"
It was a joke. Whether one becomes a subordinate depended on who one's master was. This was the Demon of Fire! How many people had desperately tried to become his subordinate in the past? Now, the Demon of Fire was personally taking him on as a subordinate. How honored was this?
Seeing Henger happily flitting about, Bai Qi frowned. Had he taken in a fool?
Clevan, standing beside him, felt as if he were facing a formidable enemy.
He had been the Sacred Master's top subordinate, but now with Henger's arrival, he had a new competitor.
"Henger, is your body alright?"
After the return of some spiritual fragments, Henger's spiritual body had indeed solidified somewhat, but only relatively.
Henger, snapping out of its excitement, noticed the changes in its body and was greatly alarmed.
It turned out that through Weston's modifications, Henger possessed abilities that other ghosts lacked. However, in exchange, its resistance to external interference had significantly weakened. If Henger remained separated from its host for too long, its spiritual essence would naturally dissipate, meaning it would turn to dust.
To ensure Henger's safety, Bai Qi instructed it to temporarily possess his dragon-headed staff.
"Master, it feels so comfortable in here."
Upon entering the dragon-headed staff, Henger let out a sound of deep enjoyment.
Unlike the oil painting before, the dragon-headed staff was imbued with magic, a magical artifact.
Here, Henger's spiritual essence could be nourished by magic.
If Henger's previous oil painting was akin to a dilapidated shack, then Henger inside Bai Qi's dragon-headed staff was now living in a villa, a grand villa complete with a swimming pool and a sauna.
Bai Qi tapped the dragon-headed staff, and Henger, like a genie from Aladdin's lamp, emerged halfway from the dragon's mouth, peeking out from the dragon pearl it held.
"Great Master, what are your commands?"
Bai Qi said, "You've been here for a long time. Are there any other valuable places in this castle?"
Henger, using its brain which hadn't been used much for years, thought for a moment and said, "Weston was very fond of bio-alchemy. During his lifetime, he created many alchemical creatures. However, these creatures were not very intelligent, and because they were forcibly mixed together, their minds became chaotic, making them wild and uncontrollable. For this reason, Weston froze them in the ice cellar on the third floor. Weston's laboratory is also on the third floor."
Bai Qi nodded, surprised that he might find good things this time.
"You few, move all the books here out and wait for me. Clevan, come with me."
"Just us few?" Rusu looked back at the others, then at the Sacred Master, and with a shiver said, "We guarantee the mission will be completed."
"Master, we can't get through here."
At the entrance to the third-floor stairs, Clevan extended his hand, hitting an invisible wall.
Henger said, "The third floor is Weston's private domain. No one can enter except him."
Bai Qi stepped forward and tapped it with his staff. The invisible wall rippled like water.
"You all step back. I'll do it."
Bai Qi's eyes emitted laser beams, which struck the wall.
Sensing the immense destructive power of the laser beams, Henger on the staff instinctively flinched.
A few seconds later, the wall, unable to bear the strain, shattered like a broken mirror.
Because the ancient castle had been buried underground for many years and had been neglected during the era of magic's decline, many magical traps on the third floor had malfunctioned. The wall Bai Qi had shattered was the last barrier to prevent thieves.
"Master, this way."
Henger led the way, and Bai Qi soon arrived outside the cold storage.
Opening the door, a wave of cold air hit them, making them involuntarily shiver.
It must be understood that the alchemical creatures confined in this cold storage were all wild and uncontrollable. The temperature required to freeze them and induce dormancy was extremely low. At its inception, without magical protection, a person would freeze solid within two minutes of entering, and die within five minutes.
With the passage of time, the temperature in the cold storage had decreased significantly, so only a chill was felt upon opening the door.
Bai Qi cast a protective spell on himself and entered the cold storage.
Looking around, the alchemical creatures in the cold storage were truly a motley assortment.