The PVC pipe, having already pierced halfway through the imp's body, suddenly burst. A column of golden flame surged violently within the imp, causing it to shriek and writhe in agony, tearing its body in two. With a few piercing death cries, the flames rapidly consumed the bisected imp entirely, flickered a few times in mid-air, and then extinguished, leaving behind nothing but scattered ash.

The swarm of ghosts that had been moments away from touching Kuang Feifan's body vanished instantly. Only a few wisps of cold wind swirled past him.

"Hoo..." Kuang Feifan exhaled, realizing that placing the talisman inside the PVC pipe had been the right move. He instinctively relaxed his body and leaned back, only to feel emptiness where his back should have been.

He quickly tensed his waist, straightened up, and turned his head. The restroom door was gone; behind him stretched a long corridor lined on both sides with countless toilet stalls.

For a moment, he felt dazed. What should have been an absurd sight now appeared profoundly eerie to Kuang Feifan. He glanced back again and could only manage a wry smile; it seemed this wave of terrifying experiences was not ready to release him yet.

Behind him, an endless row of stalls lined both sides. Though he knew it was an illusion, he was compelled to move forward. Creeak, the sound of stall doors opening echoed from behind, growing nearer.

He didn't want to turn around, or perhaps he dared not. The continuous sound of doors opening kept coming, soon closing in on his position, as if every single stall door had opened simultaneously.

He felt waves of damp, cold air wash over him. Visible swirls of grey-black mist heavily enveloped him, further obscuring his vision.

This inability to see the truth caused his heart to hammer violently. He involuntarily pulled out his last remaining talisman but didn't know where to throw it. In the misty surroundings, countless footsteps arose. Even though he knew it was a hallucination, what he heard, saw, smelled, and felt was so utterly real.

Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice cut through: "Throw the talisman on the ground, quickly!"

It was Bai Ru!

Kuang Feifan flung the talisman at the ground in front of him, simultaneously chanting, "Dragon God's Decree! Southern Fire God Zhurong, lend your power! Burn from within, exterminate the evil!!!"

Instantly, a blaze nearly as tall as a man rose from the ground. In the blink of an eye, a circle of fire formed around Kuang Feifan, and fire snakes rapidly shot out along the ground in all directions.

At the same moment, illuminated by the fire's glow, a staff, entirely black yet emitting a silver sheen, appeared before him, passing through the door of the toilet stall on his right.

"Hold it!" Bai Ru's voice rang out again.

Kuang Feifan grasped the staff without hesitation. As if by magic, Bai Ru materialized beside him.

There was no time for explanations. Kuang Feifan and Bai Ru stood back-to-back within the circle of fire. Bai Ru held the staff horizontally before her with her right hand and tossed a talisman into the air with her left.

As she threw the talisman, the circle of fire extinguished. The talisman in mid-air radiated a light that wasn't dazzling but managed to illuminate the area around them once more.

When the flames died down, Kuang Feifan discovered the illusory surroundings had vanished. He and Bai Ru were now back in the original restroom. He was standing right in front of the innermost glass window, which was wide open. Two more steps forward, and he would likely have tumbled right out.

However, leaning against Bai Ru, Kuang Feifan felt an unusual calm. Seeing Bai Ru again made him feel that there was nothing left to fear.

Since nothing unusual happened immediately, Kuang Feifan couldn't help but lower his voice and ask, "What just happened? How did I lose you?"

"We must have been trapped in different illusions. It seems the ghosts in this school building planned to separate us from the start. Your decoy plan didn't work," Bai Ru replied, her tone remarkably casual.

"There seemed to be quite a few ghosts," Kuang Feifan said, somewhat perplexed, briefly recounting the oddly shaped ghosts he had just encountered.

"Those were likely just phantoms, but there must be a more powerful ghost in charge. It's just strange; I can't yet imagine what happened to conjure ghosts with such intense (resentful power)," Bai Ru admitted, feeling puzzled.

"What do we do now? Did you find that missing student?" Kuang Feifan inquired.

"No..." Bai Ru stopped mid-sentence. A cold wind blew from an unknown source, carrying the damp, slightly fishy air that rushed toward them. A faint rustling sound reached his ears, like countless tiny insects crawling over dry leaves. Several shadowy figures slowly materialized at the restroom entrance.

They were in a men's room, not very large—urinals on one side, stalls on the other—leaving little room to maneuver. Now, not just at the doorway, but on the ceiling and walls, shadowy humanoid figures began to emerge faintly.

Kuang Feifan turned, stepping behind Bai Ru, facing the door.

"So many again? Be careful!" Kuang Feifan instinctively warned, then immediately remembered that Bai Ru was far more capable than he was.

Bai Ru nodded seriously and said, "I know. You be careful too. Stick close to me."

Saying this, she swung the black staff in her hand. The silver light emanating from it suddenly flared intensely. The shadowy figures advancing on them paused, receding slightly, pushed back a considerable distance toward the doorway.

"That thing in your hand seems quite potent..." Kuang Feifan commented.

Bai Ru responded with a simple "Mm," "This is called the Demon Subduing Staff."

She offered no further explanation. This artifact, specifically designed for subduing demons and exorcising spirits, originated from a master renowned for crafting such implements in the exorcist community. Although Bai Ru was not a true Heavenly Master heir, with this artifact, she could contend with all manner of fiends, evil spirits, and malevolent specters.

Unlike traditional exorcism tools like peach-wood swords or talismans, the Demon Subduing Staff was essentially a fusion of the traditional staff and the wand. Its extendable function, much like a telescopic baton, made it convenient for carrying, and it could house exorcism talismans inside to amplify its power. Furthermore, the runes carved into the staff not only enhanced the user's spiritual energy but could also cause a ghost to disintegrate upon a single heavy strike from the rod, even if wielded by an ordinary person with no spiritual power.

Of course, this was hardly the right moment for Bai Ru to advertise the staff, but watching her swing it, causing the silver radiance to surge and the specters to recoil, Kuang Feifan felt he needed to procure a suitable weapon from Bai Ru soon.

At the doorway, the figures coalesced into two spectral shapes floating in the air, both wearing identical school uniforms. One was the imp with the contorted features Kuang Feifan had seen earlier at the end of the corridor. The other imp, hovering mid-air, stared intently at Kuang Feifan and Bai Ru with blood-red eyes, its face ferocious. It was only held back by the Demon Subduing Staff in Bai Ru's hand.

Just then, slow, distinct footsteps sounded from outside the restroom door. A student appeared in the entrance. He stood there blankly for a moment before raising his leg to walk toward them. Each step was stiff and slow, his body swaying slightly, as if sleepwalking. His arms hung limp at his sides, failing to swing with his gait.

This student was clearly not a malicious spirit formed from a soul. Kuang Feifan immediately realized he was being controlled by a ghost. He wasn't breathing, his face was pale and ashen, and his eyes were fixed on their position without focus—just like the moving gray jacket from before.

Seeing the student appear, Bai Ru’s eyebrows furrowed tightly. Principal Hao had shown them a photo of the missing student on his phone—it was this very student. Now, it was obvious that the missing student was possessed, his every movement dictated by the ghost.

There were many ways to deal with such a possessed ordinary person, but extreme caution was necessary; a slip-up could damage the original soul, forcing her to abandon the idea of using the Demon Subduing Staff directly.

The student walked toward them step by step, drawing nearer. Kuang Feifan blurted out subconsciously, "What is he trying to do?"

As soon as he spoke, the student stopped walking while still some distance away from them.

Kuang Feifan froze. At that moment, a look of rage suddenly flashed across the student’s expressionless, pale face. The previously unfocused pupils of his eyes shot out two coin-sized balls of green light, instantly casting his face in a ghastly pallor.

"Die..."

The student's lips didn't move, but the sharp sound pierced Kuang Feifan’s mind like an awl, forcing him to involuntarily raise his hands to cover his head, trying to block the intense headache caused by the sonic wave.

Bai Ru’s body also flinched involuntarily, a look of pain crossing her features. Simultaneously, the student lunged toward Kuang Feifan with incredible speed, reaching out to strike forcefully at his chest.

Kuang Feifan had the wide-open window right behind him. If the student's blow landed, he could be knocked right out the window. But at this critical moment, Bai Ru could not use the Demon Subduing Staff in her hand. Although she knew the student was possessed, striking his body with the staff would not only harm the possessing ghost but would also injure the student’s own soul.

As the student's hand neared Kuang Feifan's chest, a vicious smile spread across his face, the green light in his eyes blazing fiercely. He seemed to know Bai Ru wouldn't dare strike him with the silver-glowing staff, his expression conveying extreme cunning, calculation, malice, and mockery, along with the fierce intent to kill him without fail—a complex mix of emotions.

All this happened in a flash. Kuang Feifan hadn't even lowered his hands from his head, and Bai Ru hadn't managed to pull the talisman out of her pocket.

Kuang Feifan felt the student's hand make contact with the fabric over his chest.