Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Kong Shiquan was a man currently questioning his own sanity.

Recently, the capital had been gripped by rumors of supernatural hauntings, culminating in several unexplained deaths within the Forbidden City. The Emperor, terrified out of his wits, had fled the palace overnight to seek refuge in the remote mountain villa. As the Commander of the Imperial Guard, Kong Shiquan naturally had to follow, dragging his elite troops into the wilderness.

Deep down, however, he scoffed at the entire affair.

He was a man of steel and blood; he did not believe in demons or ghosts. He was convinced the “hauntings” were the work of charlatans—wizards and tricksters performing illusions to deceive the Emperor for power and wealth.

So, when his scouts reported a flying vessel descending from the sky carrying “immortals,” Kong Shiquan had assumed the con artists had simply followed them from the capital. They were clearly here to create mystery and continue their swindling.

Enraged that these grifters dared to cause chaos even here, he had ordered the attack without hesitation.

But the events that followed—a man catching a blade with his forehead, the sheer crushing pressure of their presence—had shattered his worldview.

It seemed that immortals and monsters truly walked the earth.

“General! His Majesty summons you!” A personal guard’s voice snapped him out of his reverie.

Kong Shiquan jolted upright, shaking off his dread. “Where is he?”

” at the main gate,” the soldier whispered.

Kong Shiquan hurried to the entrance. There stood Emperor Zhang Ju, flanked by three teenagers who looked barely old enough to leave the nursery.

They were no older than fifteen or sixteen. One was a round-faced, cheerful fatty; another was a handsome, pale-skinned youth; the third was a petite girl buzzing with excitement. These were the “Immortal Masters” he was supposed to rely on?

Confusion warred with duty, but Kong Shiquan didn’t hesitate. He strode forward and dropped to one knee. “Your Majesty!”

“General Kong,” Zhang Ju said, skipping all pleasantries. “You are to escort these three Immortal Masters back to the palace immediately. Find the murderous spirit haunting the grounds and eliminate it.”

Kong Shiquan felt a chill run down his spine, but his discipline held. He clasped his fists. “Yes, Your Majesty!”

“We need to move. We’re traveling again tomorrow, and I don’t want to waste time here,” a voice piped up.

Kong Shiquan looked up. It was the round-faced fatty, Cao Mo, looking impatient.

“Correct,” the Emperor added nervously. “The palace is a hundred li away. It will take an hour by horse. General, there is no time to delay. Handle this with the utmost speed.”

“Understood!” Kong Shiquan rose to his feet and barked orders at his men. “Bring four horses! Now!”

Moments later, four sturdy warhorses were brought forward. Kong Shiquan swung into the saddle with practiced ease.

“I… I’ve never ridden a horse before,” the petite girl, Feng Xi, said hesitantly. “I don’t think I know how.”

“It’s fine! It’s simple,” Cao Mo laughed. “Just sit on it. If it fights you, just use your spiritual energy to control its muscles!”

“Exactly,” Wu Zhengtian added, swinging onto his own mount. “Treat it like controlling a magical artifact.”

Encouraged, Feng Xi nodded. She leaped lightly, landing on the horse’s back with the grace of a swallow. A moment later, a faint hum of energy radiated from her, and the horse stood stock still, completely subdued. She beamed, looking as if she had been riding for years.

Kong Shiquan watched this casual display of power with awe.

“Immortal Masters,” he said, his voice respectful. “Shall we depart?”

“Let’s go!”

With Kong Shiquan leading the charge, the four riders thundered into the night, galloping toward the capital.

One hour later.

The looming walls of the capital rose from the darkness. It was nearing the Hai hour (9-11 PM), and the massive city gates had long since been barred to the public.

For the Commander of the Imperial Guard, however, this was a trivial obstacle. Kong Shiquan roared a command at the watchtower, and the terrified soldiers scrambled to unbar the gates, bowing profusely as they creaked open.

Ignoring the guards, Kong Shiquan led the three young cultivators straight through the sleeping city, bypassing checkpoints until they breached the inner sanctum of the Imperial Palace.

“General Kong, where is this fierce ghost located?” Cao Mo asked, reigning in his horse.

Kong Shiquan, who had never believed in the ghost until today, struggled to recall the reports. “I… I am not entirely certain. However, the maids who died were all found near the Palace of Compassion and Peace. It is likely the entity resides there.”

“Then lead on.”

The group galloped through the deserted stone pathways, arriving quickly at the rear of the palace complex.

The Palace of Compassion and Peace stood apart from the other compounds. While lanterns flickered elsewhere, this courtyard was swallowed by absolute darkness. A cold wind whistled through the eaves, carrying a sound that resembled a woman’s low, mournful weeping.

The temperature plummeted. It was a cold that seeped through armor and skin, making one’s hair stand on end.

“This is it, right?” Cao Mo pointed at the imposing red doors.

Kong Shiquan suppressed a shudder. “Yes. This is the place.”

Cao Mo dismounted, his demeanor shifting from playful to professional. “Xiao Xi, Zhengtian. There’s necrotic energy drifting here. The target is definitely inside. It’s not strong, but stay sharp.”

“Don’t worry,” Feng Xi chirped.

“Hehe, I have an [Evil Slaying Talisman] on me,” Wu Zhengtian said, patting his chest proudly. “A ghost like this won’t dare come near me!”

Without further planning, the three teenagers charged the gate. Cao Mo raised a leg and delivered a casual front kick.

CRACK!

The thick, reinforced timber exploded inward, showering the courtyard with splinters.

Kong Shiquan stood frozen by the horses, staring at the shattered remains of the door. He swallowed hard. That kick would have turned a human being into a paste.

He did not follow them in. Drawing his new broadsword, he stood guard at the entrance, his knuckles white as he peered into the gloomy yard.

Half an incense stick’s time passed.

BOOM!

“It’s over there! It’s a female ghost!”

“Don’t let it escape!”

CRASH!

Shouts erupted from within, accompanied by the sounds of heavy impacts and shattering masonry. The courtyard descended into chaos.

Outside, cold sweat soaked Kong Shiquan’s back. He gripped his sword until his fingers went numb, his eyes darting around the darkness.

“Mother of… is there actually a ghost?”

Just as his nerves were about to snap, he saw something that made his blood freeze.

A semi-transparent figure flew out of the courtyard. She was dressed in tattered white robes, her face deathly pale. Where her eyes should have been, there were only hollow, black pits.

And she was flying straight at him.

“Shit! What is that?!”

Terror seized him. Kong Shiquan stumbled backward, swinging his broadsword in a desperate, frantic arc to ward off the apparition.

But the impact never came.

The white shadow didn’t even acknowledge his existence. It streaked past him like a bolt of lightning, moving faster than his eyes could track, and vanished into the distance within seconds.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

The three young Immortal Masters burst from the courtyard, kicking up dust as they sprinted past the stunned General, chasing the white shadow with the speed of hunting leopards.

One fled, three pursued, disappearing into the depths of the palace grounds.

Kong Shiquan stood there for a moment, blinking as if waking from a dream. Then, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and scrambled onto his horse.

As he spurred his mount to chase them, a single, frantic thought dominated his mind.

This is fucking thrilling!