Nightmare had already changed the layout of Putuo Tempel so much that it was unrecognizable.
The temple wasn't very big, and both Fang Xiu and Yang Ming were quick on their feet. They should have reached the end by now.
However, ten minutes had passed, and they were still nowhere near the end.
The area was shrouded in fog, with the mist swirling around as if monsters could emerge at any moment, creating a very eerie atmosphere.
As they groped through the fog, Fang Xiu suddenly asked, "How did you get past the graveyard and the steps?"
Yang Ming was a powerful third-tier psychic, but the graveyard couldn't be crossed just by strength.
In the graveyard, a person would split into a living and a dead version of themselves, creating two identical beings.
Even with Yang Ming's strength, facing an identical copy of himself wouldn't guarantee a win, especially since the copy would also have luck on its side.
Compared to that, dealing with evil spirits on the steps wasn't a big deal. Even without knowing the pattern and triggering the spirits, Yang Ming could escape easily with his quick movements.
Yang Ming was initially surprised by the question and then became angry, "Don't remind me. I was tricked in the graveyard."
He explained how he was curious about the sounds from his own grave and dug it up, only to find a clone of himself inside.
They ended up fighting because the clone mimicked everything about him, which was infuriating.
They fought for a long time, but no one won. Eventually, both decided to stop fighting and ended up chatting and getting along well, discovering they had a lot in common.
Yang Ming felt like he had found a kindred spirit, but he had to leave for Putuo Temple. The duplicate agreed to come along to confront Nightmare, but vanished as soon as they left the graveyard.
Yang Ming felt relieved they hadn't become sworn brothers, considering the clone's disappearance.
Fang Xiu was speechless at the story. Yang Ming, noticing the silence, wanted to say more. But there wasn't much left to say about the graveyard incident.
As for the steps, Yang Ming seemed confused, questioning if Fang Xiu was referring to the steps leading up the mountain.
Fang Xiu nodded.
"The steps! They irritate me too. Why would a small temple have so many long steps? It made me run for so long."
"How did you go up the steps?" asked Fang Xiu.
Yang Ming was puzzled. "What kind of question is that? I was in a hurry, so of course, I ran up."
"How many steps did you take at a time?"
"Why are you asking me this? Who counts steps while climbing? Isn't that crazy? I ran up, probably taking three or four steps at a time. Who knows? Well… Are you asking these pointless questions because you feel the silence awkward? Here’s the thing, if you're not good at chatting, you don't have to force it. How many steps I took? Gosh… Next, you'll be asking how many grains of rice I eat."
Fang Xiu was silent, rethinking his purpose. From Yang Ming's story, he figured out how Yang Ming climbed the steps without triggering the temple's traps. Yang Ming must have stepped on odd-numbered steps while running up, avoiding the traps by sheer luck.
"So that's the luck ability, huh?" Fang Xiu muttered to himself.
He realized why Yang Ming was chosen as the leader over the more powerful Bai Qi. Yang Ming's luck allowed him to navigate dangerous situations effortlessly, contrasting sharply with others' experiences in the Specter Zone.
Yang Ming then laughed, "It's not luck; it's God's Plan!"
Fang Xiu felt confused. "God's Plan?"
"Exactly! God's Plan! At first-tier, you show your power. At second-tier, it strengthens. And at third-tier, it awakens! When I reached third-tier, my luck awakened into what we called God's Plan. I am part of God's Plan, born to end this era of Specters!"
Yang Ming laughed heartily, fully embracing his role.
"God's Plan, huh? No wonder you're so lucky. Wait a minute! God's Plan…"
Fang Xiu suddenly remembered the parchment he saw in the president's office at Green Mountain Mental Hospital, which read, "To the lucky one in God’s Plan, want to know the real story? Want to know what the Specter really is?"
Initially, he thought he might be the ‘lucky one,’ but now it seemed that Zhou Qingfeng might have been referring to Yang Ming!
Fang Xiu's mind was racing, piecing together the possibility that Zhou Qingfeng had a grand scheme targeting Yang Ming, the one under God's favor.
Zhou Qingfeng had brought Green Mountain Mental Hospital into reality, right in Greenvine City, which was under Yang Ming's watch. Now, Fang Xiu wondered if it was really a coincidence.
Zhou Qingfeng's plan seemed to lure Yang Ming in, making him face numerous obstacles, find the letter, and then search for a hidden gift.
As for what this gift it was, and why Zhou Qingfeng wouldn't just give it to Yang Ming directly, Fang Xiu thought he might need to find the answers in the hospital.
Now Fang Xiu realized that Green Mountain Mental Hospital was a place of profound secrets. Just one Specter from there, Nightmare, had caused an S-class event. He really wanted to know what level of threat Green Mountain Mental Hospital itself posed.