The spirit phantoms, rarely seen in town on ordinary days, were everywhere in this place. Between the branches and leaves, in the shadows of mossy stones, rows of little heads would pop up from time to time, curiously watching Emily Bennett, this outsider who had entered the forest.

Emily Bennett was crouching down, using a piece of cake to lure a tiny rabbit spirit hiding behind a nearby tree.

The little spirit was only about a foot tall, with a pair of soft, drooping rabbit ears hanging behind its head. Two small hands stretched timidly out from its snow-white sleeves, wanting to take the cake from Emily Bennett's hand, but also a bit afraid.

“Don’t be scared, it’s for you.” Emily Bennett carefully offered the cake. “Hey, would you like to be my apostle?”

The rabbit spirit was startled when she spoke, and with a whoosh, it jumped back into the grass and disappeared.

“Even the rabbit spirit failed.” Emily Bennett sighed in frustration, plopping down on a thick tree root. She looked at the fragrant cake in her hand and ate it herself.

Should she have brought carrots after all?

She rummaged through the items she carried with her. In fact, there were many magical tools in her family’s storeroom—Sanqing Bells, Jade Emperor Seals, Tianpeng Rulers, Bagua Mirrors—all gathering dust on the shelves. But aside from a bell for dispelling spirits and a seven-star short sword for protection, Emily Bennett mainly carried the talismans she had crafted over the years.

Her master, Ethan Young, whether subduing demons or exorcising ghosts, mostly used talismans and hand seals, disliking reliance on external objects. Emily Bennett, following his teachings, also preferred to study the way of talismans.

She was no longer the little girl from seven years ago; writing talismans in the air was now second nature. If she had been ruthless enough to use a Five Thunder Talisman just now, that delicate little rabbit spirit would probably have been roasted in an instant. Thinking of the timid look of the little rabbit, she felt reluctant and amused. Such an apostle, kept in the courtyard, would be nothing but cute and probably of little use.

As she was thinking, a yellow-furred monkey darted past her, snatched the basket beside Emily Bennett, and leapt up to a high tree branch. It waved the basket triumphantly and mocked Emily Bennett with exaggerated gestures.

“Hehehe, it’s been years since I’ve seen a human here. Let me see what you’ve brought to honor your grandpa.”

Emily Bennett was furious. She formed a “twist” seal with one hand and shouted, “Come down!”

The yellow monkey was caught off guard by this move. Suddenly, it felt a powerful force seize its body, and it could no longer stand on the treetop. With a cry, it tumbled down from the branch.

Emily Bennett caught the falling basket with her left hand, and with her right, she formed a “well” seal to trap the monkey spirit on the ground. She then flipped out a golden thunder talisman. The yellow talisman paper fluttered in the wind, crimson runes glowing with spiritual light, and thunder rumbled in the air.

“Spare me, great immortal, spare me! Don’t strike, don’t strike!” The yellow monkey was quick-witted. Seeing things go wrong, it immediately raised its hands in a bow, kowtowed, and begged for mercy.

“Will you… be my apostle? If you agree, I’ll spare your life,” Emily Bennett asked.

“Yes, yes! To follow a great immortal—why wouldn’t I? Of course I’m willing.”

The monkey’s mannerisms were just like a human’s, with a sly, ingratiating air that was both comical and ridiculous.

Half-believing, Emily Bennett put away the Five Thunder Talisman in the air. Unexpectedly, the monkey spirit was not as incompetent as it seemed. With a flip, it broke free from the “well” seal and bounded off into the depths of the forest.

As it fled, it turned back to bare its teeth and make fierce faces at Emily Bennett.

Miss Bennett was angry now. She took off after it. “It’s you, then! I’ll beat you half to death first, then make you my apostle. Looks like the elders were right after all.”

But the forest was the monkey’s domain, especially for a monkey that had gained spirit. Emily Bennett soon lost track of the yellow monkey and had to stop to rest.

The rabbit was too timid, the monkey too cunning. What kind of little spirit would be suitable to catch?

Emily Bennett knew the reason for her failure. She still lacked real combat experience and wasn’t decisive enough—she couldn’t bring herself to use lethal force.

The next one she saw, no matter what kind, she would seriously injure and drag home. She made up her mind.

In the dim depths of the forest, faint, subtle sounds could be heard. With her keen spiritual sense, Emily Bennett noticed the movement and quietly parted the bushes to investigate.

There was a huge banyan tree with gnarled roots, and beside its thick roots was a lump of silvery-gray fur.

Emily Bennett carefully approached. Fireflies rose from the grass, but the tangled ball of fur lying in the long grass remained motionless.

Emily Bennett gently turned it over with a branch and found it was a juvenile wolf, not yet fully grown. It was badly injured, its hind leg bitten off, a gash in its belly, and blood and filth nearly covered its original fur color. In the forest, even among beasts, fights usually ended with a bite to the throat. Looking at the many wounds, Emily Bennett couldn’t understand what could have caused such a young animal to suffer such a collective attack and torment.