Ghost in the palace

Night fell over the barbaric camp like a thick blanket, hiding whispers, fears, and secrets beneath its folds.

Inside the undercover group’s tent, only a dim lantern flickered.

The Emperor was sharpening a dagger.

The Empress was pretending to read an old recipe scroll.

The twins were whispering.

The new man was hugging a pillow afraid of bears.

Yao Qing was pacing, muttering curses about how the Emperor forced her into this insane mission.

The ghosts hovered near the ceiling silently, unusually tense.

Outside, the barbaric clan prepared their strange nighttime rituals — drums, chants, bone-rattling instruments. Shadows danced across the tents.

Then—

A soft humming sound cut through the night.

”Did you hear that?” the Empress whispered.

Before anyone could answer, something on the ground began to glow.

It was faint at first — a soft pulse of light under the stack of clothes.

Then stronger.

Brighter.

Until finally—

WHOOSH!

A burst of blue-white light shot out.

The book the old shaman woman had given the Empress — the one wrapped in sealed cloth —

slid out by itself across the floor.

It hovered.

Opened.

Pages flipped violently as if a storm lived inside it.

The Emperor jumped to his feet.

”What sorcery is this?!”

The twins screamed.

The new man fainted sideways.

Yao Qing grabbed a stick, ready to attack the book.

The ghosts were horrified.

Li Shen whispered, ”This... this is no ordinary shaman magic.”

Fen Yu covered her mouth. ”It’s activating on its own—!”

Wei Rong’s ghost blade shimmered. ”It’s a summoning.”

And then—

A glowing sigil expanded beneath everyone’s feet.

Circles layered over circles.

Old runes.

Ancient symbols.

Lines of energy swirling like living serpents.

The tent shook as if the earth itself was trembling.

”EVERYONE MOVE BACK!” the Emperor shouted, pushing the Empress behind him.

But it was too late.

The sigil pulsed once—

twice—

BOOM!

A shockwave exploded outward.

---

Dragged Into the Trial Realm

A blinding flash swallowed them whole.

The Emperor, , Yao Qing, the twins, and the new man were ripped off the ground, dragged into the center of the glowing sigil.

”WHAT IS HAPPENING?!”

”I DON’T WANT TO DIE!”

”MY GOAT!!”

”I DIDN’T EVEN GET MARRIED!”

Their screams echoed—

Then vanished.

The ghosts, trying desperately to follow, slammed into an invisible barrier.

Fen Yu shrieked, ”NO! We can’t enter?!”

Li Shen gasped, ”The realm rejects spirits!”

Wei Rong clenched his ghost blade. ”They’re trapped inside a spiritual trial!”

Inside, the group fell through darkness—

Until suddenly, they landed on solid ground.

Not the tent.

Not the camp.

But an endless white space that stretched in every direction.

The air vibrated with ancient power.

Their bodies felt weightless.

Their minds felt exposed.

The book floated before them, glowing a deep gold.

A voice whispered:

**”To survive the darkness ahead...

You must face the darkness within.”**

---

The Emperor’s Enlightenment — Fear of Losing His Wife

Black mist rose around the Emperor, shaping itself into a terrifying vision:

The Empress, lying on a cold floor.

Blood dripping from her hands.

Her eyes empty.

Her body still.

A voice whispered: ”She will leave you.

She will die because you could not protect her.”

The Emperor staggered.

”No...”

Mist formed another vision — the Empress laughing happily with another man.

”You will lose her heart too.”

He dropped to his knees, breath shaking.

But then... he saw the real Empress across the white realm, looking back at him, alive.

He stood.

”No. I will not lose her.

I will protect her — even from myself.”

Golden light burst from his chest.

A sword formed in his hand — sleek, black metal with a golden dragon carved into the hilt.

He had passed.

---

Yao Qing’s Enlightenment — Fear of Betrayal

Yao Qing saw her old memories:

Her family being falsely accused.

Her father stripped of his title.

Her mother crying.

Her friend Lian An left helpless.

Her heart screamed,

”It wasn’t our fault! We were framed!”

A shadow rose and whispered: ”You will always be powerless.

No one will believe you.”

Yao Qing clenched her fists.

”No. I will restore my family.

I will rewrite the truth.”

A burst of violet light shattered the shadow.

A long thin sword appeared in her hand — fast and elegant like wind.

---

The Twins’ Enlightenment — Fear of Abandonment

The boy twin saw himself alone in a cold alley.

”No one wants you.”

”You are weak.”

”You are a burden.”

He cried.

But then the Empress’s voice echoed:

”You are my child... even if only here.”

He stood.

The girl twin saw people pushing her away.

”You bring trouble.”

”You don’t belong.”

”You ruin things.”

She trembled.

But then the Emperor’s earlier words echoed gently:

”Stay behind me... I will protect you.”

Both twins glowed with soft blue light.

Two small swords appeared — matching, twin-bladed, light but fierce.

---

The wei rong Enlightenment — Fear of Worthlessness

He saw himself being mocked.

”You are useless!”

”You are good for nothing!”

”You are annoying!”

Tears streamed down his face.

The shadow whispered: ”No one needs you.”

He shouted back:

”SISTER LIAN NEEDS ME!!

I HELP WITH GOATS!

I AM GOOD AT GOATS!”

The shadow froze.

Outside the realm, even Wei Rong muttered,

”...He passed??”

Light burst from the new man.

His sword appeared — short, sturdy, comically shaped like a farming blade...

but glowing with power.

L

They Return From the Trial

Light swallowed them.

They were thrown backward—

BAAM!

They hit the floor of the tent again.

The sigil faded.

The book fell shut.

Silence.

Everyone gasped for breath.

The Emperor stood first, sword in hand.

Yao Qing touched her blade in awe.

The twins hugged their swords.

The new man tried to sharpen his on a rock.

The ghosts stared in shock.

Fen Yu shrieked, ”YOU — YOU ALL HAVE SPIRIT SWORDS?!”

Wei Rong whispered, ”Their cultivation... jumped several layers.”

Li Shen studied the closed book. ”This is divine-level spiritual training.

Only chosen ones undergo it.”

The Emperor turned to the Empress.

”Where did this book come from?”

He wasn’t angry.

Just stunned.

The Empress opened her mouth to explain—

but hesitated.

Her ghosts floated down gently.

Fen Yu said, ”Let us explain, Empress.”

And they did.

How she went to the market.

How she met the powerful shaman woman.

How the woman said ghost-human hybrids were rising.

How she gave the book to the Empress.

How it would open only when the time was right.

The Emperor felt cold.

”So the barbaric clan...

are the ghost-breeders?”

Wei Rong nodded. ”It matches everything we’ve seen.”

Li Shen added, ”They are not working alone.

Someone stronger is behind this.”

The Emperor tightened his grip on his sword.

”We end this.”

The twins puffed their chests. ”We will fight!”

Yao Qing smirked. ”We too.”

The new man saluted his goat-blade.

”For the goat!”

The Emperor blinked slowly.

”...Fine.”

Fen Yu crossed her arms dramatically.

”HELLO?

WE are strong too! We helped!

Why are THEY getting credit?!”

Wei Rong sighed, ”It’s because we are ghosts. They can’t mention us.”

Li Shen nodded, ”We must stay hidden.”

Fen Yu sulked in the corner.

The Empress laughed softly.

”Don’t worry. You three are my strongest allies.”

They brightened.

And thus—

A new power awakened.

A new mission formed.

A new Chapter began.

They were no longer just undercover refugees.

They were...

Ghost-Hybrid Hunters.

Author’s Note — Thank You From My Heart 🌸

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