Xu Hui's last remark had triggered a thought in Kuang Feifan's mind: if this old woman appearing now was indeed the ghost from the building, she was very likely just a resentful spirit, drawn by the "Soul-Locking Seals" on both of them.

Since she was a resentful spirit, perhaps they could attempt an exorcism. He had picked up some scattered knowledge about this from Gu Yi and Bai Ru, which he had noted down on his phone.

Kuang Feifan beckoned Xu Hui over.

"Got an idea?" Xu Hui walked over and asked.

Kuang Feifan stared at his phone for a long time, then hardened his resolve, sat cross-legged on the floor, and told Xu Hui, "You stand next to me; it might be safer."

"Uh..." Xu Hui scratched his head.

Kuang Feifan had no choice but to explain, "I want to see if I can use this prayer bead set to deliver that old woman's spirit."

Xu Hui knew nothing about this and had no desire to learn. Believing in ghosts was one thing, but he had never considered actively fighting them, so unlike Kuang Feifan, he hadn't bothered researching methods to deal with spirits.

However, he knew the prayer beads in Kuang Feifan's hand were potent. Hearing Kuang Feifan’s intention, he didn't hesitate and stood right beside him.

Kuang Feifan held the prayer beads in one hand and raised his phone with the other, slowly reading aloud from the material displayed.

"Om... Aviraja Hum... Kacaraja..."

This single phrase started haltingly, but gradually, Kuang Feifan began reciting it more smoothly.

Xu Hui naturally had no idea what he was chanting. This mantra was the "Manjusri Bodhisattva Rebirth Mantra," used for guiding spirits. According to Buddhist tradition, the most famous scripture for such rites should be the Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva's Vows, but that scripture was far too long, making it unsuitable for the current tense situation.

Therefore, in certain emergencies, Gu Yi had taught an alternative method: reciting the Rebirth Mantra. Furthermore, there was a saying in Buddhism that chanting mantras could sometimes be more effective than reciting scriptures.

Although the most famous mantra for rebirth is the Dhāraṇī for Removing All Obstacles to Rebirth in the Pure Land, Gu Yi found that text too lengthy, so he had taught Kuang Feifan a different one—the one he was chanting now.

An exorcism ritual usually required specific procedures, but Kuang Feifan couldn't adhere to all those requirements at this moment, so he had to rely solely on the relatively powerful prayer beads in his hand to attempt the rite.

As the mantra flowed more fluently from Kuang Feifan's lips, the room around them subtly began to change.

Kuang Feifan was completely immersed in the chanting and didn't notice the unsettling shifts in the room, but Xu Hui, standing next to him, felt the surrounding temperature alternating sharply between cold and hot, while unseen currents of air seemed to weave around them.

Soon, a series of eerie, low growls echoed all around: "Hsss... Hah... Hah..."

Xu Hui’s eyes widened involuntarily. Distorted human shapes flickered sporadically in the room, visible only as if viewed through rippling water, fleeting and unstable.

"Is this mantra really that effective?" Xu Hui exclaimed in surprise.

Suddenly, a sharp chill hit the back of his neck.

Startled, he spun around violently.

The silhouette of the white-haired old woman flashed behind him.

Though it was just a fleeting glimpse, he thought he saw her pale face terribly contorted, as if enduring some indescribable agony.

Kuang Feifan was not faring well either. As he kept chanting the mantra, he felt his entire body tighten intermittently, his heart pounding like a war drum. He clearly heard a "Thump... Thump..." sound near his ears, striking painfully against his eardrums.

Moreover, even though his eyes were closed during the chant, the white-haired old woman's starkly pale face continuously appeared before his eyes—her black pupils nearly protruding from their sockets, the corners of her eyes seemingly split, with hints of red seeping out.

Suddenly, he heard a muffled groan from Xu Hui.

Alarmed, he snapped his eyes open and turned to look at Xu Hui. His expression immediately shifted, and he nearly stopped the mantra he was reciting.

Xu Hui’s face had turned ashen, his features tense. On his left shoulder, half of the white-haired old woman's face was emerging from behind him, slowly raising a chalk-white arm toward Xu Hui’s shoulder.

Kuang Feifan didn't know what would happen if that hand made contact with Xu Hui, and in truth, he didn't even consider the consequences. He sprang up, his hand clutching the prayer beads already clenched into a fist, and drove it towards the space behind Xu Hui.

Xu Hui, suddenly unable to move, saw a fist growing larger and larger rushing toward his own face. For a split second, he thought he saw a faint white glow emanating from Kuang Feifan's fist and half his arm.

The fist, trailing a gust of wind, grazed Xu Hui's cheek and struck past him.

Xu Hui heard a hiss—"Ha!"—and then his whole body suddenly relaxed. He immediately regained control, instinctively flashing to the side, putting as much distance as possible between himself and Kuang Feifan's punch.

Kuang Feifan pulled his hand back in disappointment. Just as his fist was about to connect with the old woman, he saw her bare her teeth and roar at him. Her body flickered, and she vanished from behind Xu Hui.

Coming like the wind and going without a trace, he simply couldn't track the ghost’s movements. It was clear that the prayer beads in his hand were what she feared, but if he couldn't hit her, it was futile.

"I suddenly felt a coldness behind me, then my body felt like it was pinned down by a heavy weight; I could only watch..." Xu Hui explained helplessly.

Kuang Feifan couldn't answer. He kept chanting, daring not to relax for a moment. The disturbances in the room proved the mantra was having some effect, but his own abilities were limited. Since he couldn't achieve a qualitative change, he had to rely on a quantitative change to realize his goal of delivering her spirit.

Constantly chanting was his only option now.

Kuang Feifan sat down again, twisting his body and gesticulating with his hands until Xu Hui finally understood what he wanted.

So, Xu Hui sat down in front of Kuang Feifan, facing him squarely.

Kuang Feifan could think of no other way to ensure Xu Hui's safety. While vigilantly watching the situation around Xu Hui, he continued to chant without pause.

After countless repetitions, both he and Xu Hui clearly saw the white-haired old woman flickering throughout the room. Sometimes she vanished instantly, other times she lingered, her form shifting between solid and ethereal. When she was near them, she would contort her face and claws, attempting to lunge, but she would quickly be swept away by an invisible current of air. When she appeared further away, her white hair would fly wildly, her face fierce as she stared at them, continuously emitting her "Hah... Hah..." snarls.

Several times, just as the old woman seemed about to pounce on Xu Hui, Kuang Feifan would glare furiously, extend his hand holding the prayer beads towards her, and timely drive her away from Xu Hui’s side.

The air currents roaming the room seemed to intensify gradually, and simultaneously, the old woman's appearances became more frequent.

Although there seemed to be no physical exertion, Kuang Feifan was now dripping sweat; rivulets ran down his face, and his brow furrowed tighter and tighter. Several times, he nearly mispronounced a syllable.

Xu Hui nervously watched the old woman’s movements with his eyes, terrified she might suddenly appear behind Kuang Feifan. Soon, he saw that the prayer beads in Kuang Feifan's hand were indeed emitting a soft white light.

Under his persistent chanting, the mantra had finally merged with the spiritual power contained within the beads.