Chapter 425: Sean And Lana
"This isn’t a safe place," he added, his voice lowering slightly. "You should go back home."
Hearing that familiar, yet distant, tone, something inside Lana stirred.
For a split second, she almost laughed. ’He hasn’t changed at all ...’
That same instinct.
That same habit of protecting others, even strangers. Just like in her previous life.
She suppressed the smile that threatened to form at the corner of her lips and instead looked at him calmly, her gaze steady.
"I’m the mystic cultivator you contacted," she said.
The words fell quietly...but they hit like thunder.
Sean froze. His eyes widened as disbelief spread across his face.
"...What?"
For a moment, he simply stared at her, as if trying to process what he had just heard.
When he had sent that message...he hadn’t expected much.
At best, he thought the site owner might reply coldly... or not respond at all.
But instead...they had asked for details. They had listened. And now they had come.
Yet... This? This young girl standing in front of him?
’This is the person...?’
He clenched his fists slightly. There was something else weighing on him.
Guilt. He hadn’t even discussed payment properly.
The truth was...he couldn’t afford it.
Not the way others demanded. No priest. No celestial master. None of them allowed delays or installments.
And yet...he had deliberately avoided bringing up money.
’...At least... let her save my sister first ...’
The thought made his chest tighten. He knew it was shameless. Desperate.
But he had no other choice.
He looked at Lana again, his voice lowering slightly, uncertainty creeping in despite himself.
"You’re... really the one from the site?"
Lana let out a soft chuckle as she slowly shook her head.
"No," she said, her lips curling into a teasing smile, "I’m just a ghost here... and I came to haunt you."
The moment those words slipped from her mouth, Sean’s face flushed red, a mixture of embarrassment and nervousness creeping up his neck, while Barron burst into loud laughter beside him.
Baron couldn’t take his eyes off her.
His gaze lingered on her delicate features.
"I really didn’t expect," he said, his voice tinged with disbelief, "that the owner of a talisman shop would be... this beautiful."
Lana waved her hand dismissively, as if brushing away something trivial, her expression carrying a hint of playful arrogance.
"What can I do?" she replied lightly. "I’ve been beautiful since birth."
Her tone was effortless, almost lazy, yet it carried an undeniable confidence. Then her eyes shifted toward Sean, sharp and clear.
"Now," she said, "lead the way."
Hearing that, Sean hesitated. His fingers twitched slightly at his side, and for a brief moment, uncertainty flickered across his face.
Without a word, Lana calmly reached into her pocket and pulled out her ID card from Shadowridge University.
The card caught a faint glimmer of light as she held it out toward him.
Sean took it almost instinctively, but the moment his eyes landed on it, his breath hitched.
’Shadowridge University ...’
His pupils shrank. He had never imagined that this young woman standing before him belonged to such a prestigious institution.
His gaze quickly dropped to the department listed on the card, and when he read the words "Mystic Department," his entire body stiffened.
’A... mystic cultivator?’
A cold chill ran down his spine.
He had invited her thinking she might be some sort of celestial master or perhaps a priest, someone capable, yes, but still within the realm of what he could comprehend.
But a mystic cultivator... that was an entirely different existence.
Mystic cultivators were far more powerful than celestial masters or priests. To invite one, a person would usually need over a hundred million dollars in their account.
And yet... she stood right in front of him.
His gaze trembled as it shifted downward to her rank.
The moment he saw it, Peak Earth Rank, his vision nearly went black.
His legs felt weak, as if they might give out beneath him at any second.
A Heaven Rank mystic cultivator might charge a hundred million dollars... but an Earth Rank... no, a Peak Earth Rank cultivator would still demand around fifty million dollars.
Fifty million.
Even in his wildest dreams, he couldn’t gather such an amount.
His fingers clenched tightly into fists, his nails digging into his palms as he lowered his head. His eyes shut briefly.
’Just once...’ he thought bitterly. Just this once, I’ll act despicably... I’ll pretend I didn’t know anything ...’
Without another word, he turned and began leading the way to his home.
The outskirts of the city greeted them with a dull silence.
When Lana arrived in the suburban area, her eyes narrowed slightly.
Compared to the inner city, which was protected by an additional barrier and reinforced spiritual gates, the suburbs felt... exposed.
Here, only crude wooden barricades and poorly carved protective stakes stood guard, barely enough to keep even the weakest ghosts at bay.
The wood was old, splintered, and carried a faint, musty smell, as if it had absorbed years of neglect.
It was said that powerful ghosts could slip through these defenses with ease. And unless they killed at least ten people... no one would even take their existence seriously.
Lana said nothing. She simply followed behind Sean.
When they finally arrived at his house, her steps halted abruptly.
Her body froze. ’This ...’
Her eyes lingered on the structure before her, a fragile hut, no better than the one Tracy lived in.
The walls looked worn and uneven.
In her previous life, Sean had always prioritized cleanliness and comfort. He had ensured she lived well, that she never lacked anything.
Because of that, she had always assumed that before joining the mercenary group, his life must have been decent... otherwise, how could he know what comfort truly meant?
But now...seeing his real home, a sharp ache pierced her chest.
Her hands slowly clenched into fists. ’I see... so this is how you lived ...’