Initially, Min Ziqiong's mother intended to play the ghost to scare Ying Chen, perhaps hoping he would hand over the true formula for the Mirage Realm.
However, upon hearing Ying Chen threaten to call for ghost hunters, she quickly stepped out to explain, "Don't make that call! I'm not a ghost, I'm not a ghost… Look, I have a shadow! How can ghosts have shadows?"
Min Ziqiong's mother hastily moved into the light by the doorway, pointing at her shadow to reassure Ying Chen. If Ying Chen actually made the call, this matter would inevitably become known to outsiders. Once it was known, how could they discreetly obtain the Mirage Realm formula? Moreover, calling a celestial master to catch ghosts would take hours of procedures. Did they still have business to attend to? Most crucially, what if the celestial master was a charlatan, unable to distinguish between human and ghost, and actually took her for a ghost? She would then face a beating and might even be sent away. In that case, she'd be in a predicament with no way to explain her suffering! Therefore, she had to stop Ying Chen, had to explain clearly!
Unfortunately, Ying Chen didn't seem to believe her. Ying Chen remained cautiously distant from Min Ziqiong's mother, looking at her with suspicion. "Are you sure that's your shadow? I thought it was a tree's shadow?"
Min Ziqiong's mother quickly moved. "How could it be a tree's shadow? Look, it moves with me! It must be my shadow!"
"Oh, it does seem to be your shadow!" Ying Chen exclaimed, as if suddenly enlightened.
"Now you believe me, right?" Min Ziqiong's mother said, relieved. She thought they could finally discuss important matters, but Ying Chen shook his head vigorously. "I don't believe you!"
"..." Min Ziqiong's mother was dumbfounded. She had confirmed it was her shadow, so why didn't he believe her?
"Do you think I haven't watched Hong Kong movies? I just watched one starring Uncle Nine not long ago. There was a female ghost who used this trick to fool the protagonist's disciple! She then mingled with the crowd and killed many people!"
"It wasn't until Uncle Nine rushed back that they discovered the female ghost had possessed a living person, which is why she naturally had a shadow!"
"Therefore, a shadow alone doesn't clear you. Otherwise, I'd end up like the protagonist's disciple!" Ying Chen said with a serious expression. This infuriated Min Ziqiong's mother. She was so engrossed in a movie she was confusing fiction with reality. How old was he? Couldn't he be more mature?
"Wife, why don't you explain it to him again… This matter shouldn't involve anyone else anyway," Min Ziqiong's father suggested. Min Ziqiong's mother couldn't help but roll her eyes. She wanted to curse him but, for the sake of one hundred and twenty billion, she had to endure it. She continued speaking to Ying Chen, "Ying Chen, I'm truly human, not a ghost. How about this, think about what features the ghost possession had in the movie? Then, check if I have those features. Wouldn't that prove my innocence?"
Ying Chen's eyes lit up upon hearing this. "Right! How could I not have thought of that?" He then fell into thought. Soon, Ying Chen's eyes brightened. "I remember! When Uncle Nine stabbed the possessed person with a peach wood sword in the movie, the person felt no pain! They charged forward with Uncle Nine's peach wood sword, nearly tripping him!"
"This means that if I stab you with a peach wood sword, we can find out if you're a ghost or not!" Upon hearing this method, Min Ziqiong's mother's face turned pale. She repeatedly shook her head, "No, no, no, this method won't work. Think of another one…"
Ying Chen's expression immediately became solemn and serious. "You refuse this method, which means you're afraid of the peach wood sword! It means you have something to hide! Ah, no, it means you are a ghost!"
"Then why waste words with you? I'm calling a celestial master to exorcise you!" With that, Ying Chen reached for his phone.
"Wait, wait, wait, Ying Chen, hold on a moment. I'll try to persuade your aunt," Min Ziqiong's father quickly intervened. He then pulled Min Ziqiong's mother aside and whispered, "Wife, just let him stab you. It's just a peach wood sword, not a real sword, nothing will happen! No matter if it hurts or not, just pretend it hurts and scream loudly, proving you have sensation and are not possessed. Isn't that it?"
"Forget it, for one hundred and twenty billion, I'll endure it!" Min Ziqiong's mother gritted her teeth and said. She then walked up to Ying Chen. "Come on! Stab me! The innocent will remain innocent. Since I say I'm not a ghost, I dare to accept any verification!"
Ying Chen looked at Min Ziqiong's mother with admiration. "Just for your spirit, Aunt, I believe most of it. But for the remaining half, we'll see after the verification."
"Wait for me here." With that, Ying Chen returned to the villa. When Ying Chen emerged, he was holding a decorative peach wood sword. "Coincidentally, there's a decorative peach wood sword in the villa."
"It's as if it was prepared for you, Aunt!"
"Shall I begin?"
"Begin!" Min Ziqiong's mother nodded, displaying a fearless spirit. But a second later, she regretted it. Because when Ying Chen pulled the peach wood sword from its sheath, he discovered its edge was surprisingly sharp! It was not blunt like a normal peach wood sword; its edge was honed to be extremely thin. Furthermore, judging by the color of the wood, it was also very hard. This meant the peach wood sword possessed considerable offensive power!
"Wait… wait…" Min Ziqiong's mother was terrified and stammered, trying to get Ying Chen to "wait a moment." However, Ying Chen interrupted her. "I understand, you want me to 'stare clearly'! Don't worry, I absolutely won't miss!" With that, Ying Chen lunged forward with the sword!
"It's over!" Min Ziqiong's mother thought in utter horror.
*Slash!*
A sound of steel entering flesh echoed. A splash of blood bloomed on Min Ziqiong's mother's body. The peach wood blade had penetrated half a finger's depth into her!
But a bizarre scene unfolded. Min Ziqiong's mother neither cried out nor complained, showing no signs of pain. She reacted not at all. She even blinked and stared at Ying Chen suspiciously, asking, "Did you stab me?"
Witnessing this, Min Ziqiong's father's expression changed. How could this be? Why would his wife feel nothing when the peach wood sword pierced her body? Could it be that she wasn't human but was possessed by a ghost? Cold sweat immediately trickled down Min Ziqiong's father's face.
Ying Chen also looked incredulous and terrified, shouting, "You… you… are not human!"
"You are a ghost!"
"You tried to trick me!" With that, Ying Chen abandoned the peach wood sword and bolted backward. He ran more than ten meters before stopping.
"I'm not a ghost, I'm really not a ghost! How could I be a ghost?"
"It's just… why did I feel nothing when the sword was stuck in me?"
"Did I… actually die?" At this point, Min Ziqiong's mother herself began to doubt.