The room was filled with a faint, pleasant fragrance.
Qi Quan leaned against the sofa, her gaze calm as she studied the tall, slender young man.
“What’s your name?”
The young man blinked with strikingly beautiful eyes, staring at her steadily before shaking his head.
“How old are you?”
He shook his head again.
“Do you still remember how to speak?”
Silence.
Qi Quan: “…”
She sighed inwardly and said to the system, “I regret this.”
System: “But he’s obedient, well-behaved, and good-looking.”
That made sense.
Qi Quan asked again, “Can you understand when people talk to you?”
The young man nodded slightly, his eyes innocent and confused.
“Since you’re a born spiritual being, from now on you’ll be called Ling Sheng. If you’re willing to live here, you can stay. If not, you’re free to leave. I’ll arrange for someone to teach you daily self-care. Got it?”
Ling Sheng tilted his head, thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
“I don’t keep freeloaders. Once you learn to take care of yourself, you’ll have to work. You can’t just eat and live for free.”
Ling Sheng didn’t respond.
[Boss, don’t you think that name is a bit too hasty?]
Qi Quan: [It suits him quite well.]
[Alright then. Poor Ling Sheng, you’re so serious with him—won’t you scare him?]
Qi Quan smiled quietly. Only the system thought so.
The demon monk trapped inside the peach wood talisman kept shouting incessantly.
At that moment, Su Rong came in carrying a tray of food.
Qi Quan instructed, “Ling Sheng, you must listen to Housekeeper Su from now on. Su Rong, he’s been imprisoned for over a decade, his mind still immature—please teach him.”
“Yes.” Su Rong looked at Ling Sheng in surprise. Thinking of the pain he had endured buried away for so many years, his attitude softened. “Ling Sheng, come with me.”
Ling Sheng obediently followed behind him. Before leaving the room, he glanced back at Qi Quan, a dark shadow flickering in his pupils.
The door closed.
Qi Quan pulled out the peach wood talisman and ignited spiritual flames to burn it. Strangely, the talisman showed no damage at all, but the two trapped souls inside screamed in agony, one cry louder than the last.
“Forgive me, Senior!” Qin Ruo cried out, unable to bear it any longer. “I was wrong! I didn’t recognize your true status and offended you. I deserve to die! Please let me go to reincarnation—I’m in so much pain!”
Qi Quan ate her meal leisurely, speaking as if in casual conversation, “The more honest you are, the sooner you’ll be allowed to reincarnate.”
She had seen too many people facing death with no remorse.
Qin Ruo hurried on, “Senior! I came to Longjiang City searching for people with strong fortune, using the Peach Blossom Seal to steal their luck and vitality. I only wanted to stay forever young, but Ding Ji—he has a bigger scheme!”
Ding Ji was the demon monk’s secular name.
“Tell me, what scheme?”
“Shut up! Shut up, damn you!” Ding Ji roared like thunder.
But now he was just a wisp of a ghost and could do no harm to Qin Ruo.
Qin Ruo was eager to reincarnate and paid him no mind, continuing, “If I’m right, his main target is you, Senior!”
“How amusing,” Qi Quan chuckled lightly, “I’m just an ordinary person from a rural background—why would he target me? Or could it be that the switched-at-birth incident from twenty-two years ago wasn’t an accident?”
Ding Ji: “…”
Qi Quan propped her chin on her hand, staring at the souls trapped inside the peach wood talisman, and said slowly, “Let me analyze it for you. You tell me if I’m right.”
“There exists a kind of extraordinary fate in this world. Those blessed with such great fortune are usually favored by the heavens. If others kill them, it brings about a grave sin, and the heavens will punish the perpetrator. But if one only makes their life difficult, gradually wearing down their will and fortune until they willingly give up on life, no heavenly punishment will follow.”
“In other words, it’s called ‘finding a loophole.’”
Ding Ji was speechless.
“So, for reasons unknown to you, at my birth, you deliberately arranged for me to be switched at the hospital. Then, after I became an adult capable of independence, you made sure I returned to the Qi family. That was the second step.”
“An unfamiliar environment amplifies inner anxiety and fear. Living in the Qi household, I was constantly on edge, walking on eggshells. I tried desperately to prove myself, but how could I compare to a fake heiress who had received elite education for over twenty years?”
Qin Ruo was utterly shocked upon hearing this.
She asked incredulously, “So why did you set up such an elaborate scheme?”
Ding Ji suddenly sneered coldly, “What do you know? All that talk about great fortune and heavenly favor is a load of crap!”
“Were you jealous?” Qin Ruo suddenly understood.
Qi Quan said, “Go on, what’s your final step?”
“Didn’t you already guess?” Ding Ji’s eyes darkened. “Make you willingly give up on life.”
“What’s in it for you?”
“Nothing. I’m mediocre at best. I just can’t stand seeing others blessed with great fortune.”
The system was speechless: [How can someone be like this? His jealousy is way too intense!]
Qi Quan: [Do you really think it’s just jealousy?]
[Or is it not?]
Qi Quan pressed Ding Ji, “Can you tell me, what exactly is your final plan?”
“Getting you to commit suicide on your own is impossible. But what if you die accidentally while doing something fun? Then it’s none of my business.” Ding Ji said with a smug look.
Everything became clear.
Qi Quan nodded, “It’s bungee jumping.”
The system had reported the final moments of the real heiress’s death, but the text only vaguely mentioned she “died from extreme fright during the process,” without specifying the cause.
Qi Quan studied Ding Ji’s slightly startled expression. “Longjiang City does have a bungee jumping club, with the platform built over a lake. Let me guess — there are water ghosts haunting the lake, right?”
When bungee jumping, the brain and heart are already under extreme tension. If at that moment you suddenly see a terrifying water ghost in the lake, dying from fright would be entirely plausible.
In the original story, Du Jiaming and others took the real heiress bungee jumping, and Qin Ruo was definitely among them. With Qin Ruo there, it would have been easy for the heiress to see the water ghost.
Everything made sense now, except—
“If I die, my fortune disappears too. You gain nothing from this. So why did you spend over twenty years setting up this scheme?”
Ding Ji was taken aback by her sharp insight.
He said expressionlessly, “I just can’t stand people with good fortune.”
Seeing him so determined, Qi Quan didn’t press further. Changing the subject, he asked, “Whose child is Ling Sheng?”
“Ling Sheng?” Ding Ji suddenly snapped back, stubbornly, “Picked up from the roadside. Who knows, maybe he just got lucky.”
Qi Quan finished his meal and wiped his mouth.
“You know about the Peach Blossom Seal, but are you aware that the Xuan Sect has another forbidden technique—Soul Searching?”
Ding Ji’s soul trembled, his face suddenly paling.
He had heard of the Soul Searching technique before. Indeed, it was a forbidden art in the Xuan Sect, banned for its cruelty and the extreme demands it placed on the caster.
To perform Soul Searching, the caster must be at least three realms above the target and exercise absolute control over their spiritual energy. One slip-up, and the target’s spirit platform could be shattered, resulting in an excruciating death.
He had no idea what level Qi Quan was at, but he still refused to believe that someone so young could be three realms above him.
Clinging to a thread of hope, he said, “Everything I’ve said is true.”
Qi Quan’s eyes curved slightly. “Have you thought this through? It’s been a long time since I last used Soul Searching; I might be a bit rusty.”
Ding Ji had no choice but to remind him, “I’m a sixth-level Celestial Master.”
“So?”
“Surely you know the restrictions of Soul Searching?”
Qi Quan was too impatient for small talk. He reached out and seized Ding Ji’s soul. Suddenly, a complex Soul Searching talisman pierced into his spirit platform, and Ding Ji screamed in agony.
Just as the memory images were about to reveal themselves, a fierce power surged from deep within Ding Ji’s spirit platform, instantly destroying both his spirit platform and soul.
The soul in his hand shattered into nothingness in an instant.
Qi Quan wasn’t surprised. Someone like Ding Ji, who would rather have his soul scattered than speak, clearly had secrets to protect.
This only confirmed Qi Quan’s suspicion…
That behind him was a massive organization.
That burst of energy resembled a puppet talisman’s self-destruct program, roughly at the eighth level. It seemed this organization had a formidable talent pool.
Qin Ruo, watching from the soul talisman, was stunned.
She had thought Ding Ji’s soul was destroyed by the Soul Searching technique and feared Qi Quan might use it on her too. Hastily, she confessed.
“Senior, I-I’m only following Ding Ji’s orders. I really don’t know anything. Oh, there’s one more thing—the land in the northern suburbs. Huang Qifeng originally planned to use it against the Qi family, but the Qi family never got it. It was me who decided to give it to the Song family. I bear no ill will toward the Qi family!”
“Oh.”
“Senior…”
“Silence.”
Qin Ruo immediately shut her mouth, not daring to utter another word.
In the living room, the Du and Yang families waited quietly. Besides them were Su Nuanuan and Qi Lin.
Normally, these people would be chatting and laughing when they met, but this gathering was thick with awkward tension.
Su Nuanuan glanced at Du Jiaming and Yang Su, breaking the silence with a teasing tone, “Du Ge, Yang Ge, how have you both been?”
Du Jiaming and Yang Su had lost their previous arrogance, smiling warmly in reply, “Doing well, thanks to the master’s miraculous healing hands.”
“You both have read the novel, right?”
“Yes.”
“I remember the chapter about treating Zhang Ge included some post-recovery precautions. You two should watch out for those too.”
Du Jiaming chuckled bitterly, “Nuanuan, don’t tease us. We’ve been through life and death—we’re not about to go back to wild living.”
They were all wary of encountering another ‘Qin Ruo.’
After this incident, the three rascals might finally turn over a new leaf.
Du and Yang’s fathers felt somewhat reassured in their hearts.
They had always been troubled by the children's unruly behavior, but after this ordeal, the kids had matured quite a bit and wouldn’t cause any more trouble. Now that they were settled and ready to inherit the family business, everyone could finally rest easy.
Master Qi was truly a great benefactor to their family!
Once the topic was opened, the group quickly relaxed and dropped all formalities.
Du Jiaming looked curiously at Qi Lin. "How come you have time to wait here today?"
Qi Lin replied, "I came to ask the Master to save my life."
"Isn't the Master your own younger sister?" Yang Su asked in surprise. "Do you really need to come specially to ask?"
Du Jiaming subtly nudged him and handed him a cup of tea, tactfully steering the conversation elsewhere. "You guys know about the 'Yuan Qing Disaster Star' incident, right? Do you think she’s really that unlucky?"
"I checked the victim information compiled online—it actually makes a lot of sense," Yang Su responded.
Su Nuanuan snorted lightly. "Quan Quan already said she’s not a disaster star. Why don’t you believe her?"
"What? The Master said that? Then Yuan Qing must be innocent. I’ll speak up for her right now!" Yang Su played the sycophant role to perfection.
Du Jiaming asked, "Does the Master even follow entertainment gossip?"
Su Nuanuan explained, "Someone kept tagging Quan Quan on Weibo, so she replied. But since Quan Quan spoke the truth, fans of other male stars didn’t like it and started flooding her with insults. Now the comments under that post are full of abuse—all because of that troublemaker ‘Flying Lu Ma’ stirring things up for no reason!"
"Damn! Someone actually dared to mess with the Master! I’m going to find people to go after him!" Yang Su was furious. He opened Weibo but froze instantly. "What’s the Master’s Weibo handle?"
"It’s her pen name. Don’t you even read her column?" Su Nuanuan shook her head. "But you don’t need to fight anymore. That person already apologized last night."
Du Jiaming quickly asked, "What column?"
Su Nuanuan: "…"
Well, it was their first time reading novels, so not knowing about the author’s column was understandable.
Qi Quan finished eating and came into the living room.
Both the Du and Yang families expressed deep gratitude and offered generous rewards.
Su Rong accepted them one by one.
"Quan Quan, are you alright?" Su Nuanuan asked with concern.
Qi Quan smiled gently. "I’m fine. Why are you here?"
"I was a little worried after you left last night."
"Hmm." Qi Quan turned to Qi Lin. "Let’s go."
Qi Lin: ???
Go where?
"You came just to have me rescue Qi Yuan. Now that I’m free, let’s go."
Qi Lin hesitated, eyes full of surprise.
Su Nuanuan snorted quietly. At the hospital, they had suspected the worst of her, but Quan Quan was just soft-hearted.
"Thanks," Qi Lin said, looking a bit embarrassed.
The system was displeased: [Boss, aren’t you going to make him beg you first?]
[Why should I make him? If it’s not Qi Yuan, it could be someone else.]
Besides, Qi Yuan didn’t deserve to die and had already suffered the consequences.
She would save Du Jiaming and the others, so naturally, she wouldn’t abandon Qi Yuan.
System: I have a feeling the boss is up to something.
The Du and Yang families had already left on their own. Qi Lin, Qi Quan, and Su Nuanuan got into the Qi family car.
Seeing Qi Quan appear, Qi Changrong and Gu Qiao both looked pleasantly surprised, but faced with Qi Quan’s coldness, they swallowed their words.
Qi Yingxue was shameless enough and knew how to pick the right moment to earn some favor. With tears streaming down her face, she pleaded to Qi Quan, “Xiao Quan, can you please save Xiao Yuan? I know Xiao Yuan wasn’t kind to you before, and you’re upset with him, but no matter how angry you are, you can’t just ignore his life. If you’re still mad, I can apologize on his behalf…”
“Shut up.” Qi Quan snapped impatiently. “I have one condition.”
“Xiao Quan, you…”
“Ah, can you stop talking nonsense!” Su Nuanuan interrupted her with a look of disbelief. “Don’t delay the treatment!”
Qi Lin also looked at Qi Yingxue with an unfamiliar coldness in his eyes and said sharply, “Qi Yingxue, this is a hospital, not a film set.”
Qi Yingxue was left speechless.
She lowered her head in grievance and hid behind Gu Qiao.
Gu Qiao sighed, “Xiao Quan, whatever you want, we can give it to you.”
“We’re family. Why make things so awkward?”
Qi Quan glanced at Qi Yuan lying on the hospital bed and said, “I can save Qi Yuan, but from now on, I have no relation to the Qi family.”
She wasn’t the original person to begin with. Now that the original was gone and she was taking over, she didn’t want to acknowledge any family ties.
Besides, as someone from the mystical sect, it’s best not to have deep attachments with ordinary people; it’s better for both sides.
Her words stunned everyone present.
Su Nuanuan looked at her worriedly. “Quan Quan, are you sure about this?”
Qi Quan’s expression was resolute. “If you agree, I’ll start immediately.”
For the Qi family, this was a heart-wrenching and difficult choice, but the answer was clear.
Right now, Qi Yuan’s life was the most important.
Qi Changrong sighed helplessly and regretfully, “Xiao Quan, why did it have to come to this?”
“The old me was a burden and trouble to you all. Now, isn’t this a happy ending?”
Gu Qiao burst into tears.
“Xiao Quan, you’re my daughter, not a burden. We never thought that way.”
Qi Quan said calmly, “Forget the past. Since you’ve agreed, go out and close the door behind you.”
Only Qi Quan and Qi Yuan remained in the room.
Qi Yuan’s heart was full of bitterness. “You don’t have to do this. If you hate me, I can leave the family and stop bothering you.”
“I’m living outside now. Whether you leave the family or not has nothing to do with me.”
Qi Quan formed hand seals. The soul inside the peachwood talisman, Qin Ruo, suddenly looked old and weak. Qi Yuan noticed something seemed to be breaking inside his forehead, and his heavy body gradually began to recover.
But his heart felt empty.
Soon, Qi Yuan regained his original appearance, his eyes red as he sat up.
Just as Qi Quan was about to turn and leave, he suddenly called out, “Wait.”
Qi Quan stopped in her tracks.
“Sorry,” he said hoarsely, “and thank you for your warning that day.”
Qi Quan’s hand gripped the door handle. “Don’t forget the payment.”
The hospital room door opened.
Gu Qiao was the first to step forward. Seeing her lively son, she couldn’t help but hold him and cry.
Qi…
Changrong looked at Qi Quan, about to say something, but she said, “Chairman Qi, I have something to attend to. I’m leaving now.”
The distant “Chairman Qi” chilled Qi Changrong’s heart to the core.
He stood there stunned. “Let Qi Lin see you out.”
Qi Quan did some quick calculations.
“That’s fine.”
Qi Lin personally drove Qi Quan.
Neither of them were particularly talkative, and the car was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
[Boss, the comments under your post are blowing up.]
Qi Quan: ?
Her writing had caused such a stir?
With nothing else to do, she opened the app and scrolled down to the comment section.
It was lively—many threads had dozens of replies, making it impossible to see the bottom at a glance.
[Scumbag, get lost: I’ve been reading for years, but this is the first time I’ve seen an author spend so lavishly. I just want to know, the author hasn’t even subscribed to VIP, yet throws out so many plot twists—how do they expect to make a profit?]
[Rich lady still needs leg accessories?: The wealthy don’t lack money, they lack fame.]
[So filial it kills me: Top of the entire site’s reward leaderboard, 666! The comments are more interesting than the story itself.]
[Calling me to prep class: Boss, did you go demon hunting again? Sending you a big cheer!]
[Flying Lu Ma: On Weibo, I was careless and offended the master. I’m throwing deep water your way in hopes you’ll forgive me.]
[So filial it kills me: Here we go again, how much for one comment? Maybe I’ll switch careers to acting.]
[Brother Xu is the Handsomest: Standing guard for that disaster Yuan Qing, trash author! Trash story!]
[Aspiring cat servant: Came here from Weibo gossip, is the author really a true master? The face reading is really accurate?]
[Eat well today too: No way, no way, can anyone really believe this? But for an author who writes supernatural stories, I guess what she says can be trusted?]
Qi Quan: …
How could this even cause such a commotion?
She had only answered one blogger’s question.
“Sorry.” Qi Lin suddenly spoke up. “I wasn’t thoughtful enough about some things before.”
Qi Quan put down her phone, her tone flat. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
After the original character returned home, Qi Lin was the most rational and calm member of the Qi family. All his words and actions were based on protecting the family’s interests, without any personal emotions.
He hadn’t done anything wrong.
Qi Lin said, “Thank you for saving Qi Yuan.”
“Mm, just don’t forget the payment.”
“…”
The topic ended there.
The car quietly drove toward the villa. Before reaching the gate, they saw a car parked outside with two people standing beside it.
System: [That’s the person who chased Qin Ruo last night! Who’s the other one?]
Qi Quan got out of the car.
She had anticipated that these two would bring Qin Ruo’s body here, so she had taken Qi Lin’s car on purpose to let him see it.
The two hurried over to her and, without a word, bowed deeply—so low that their foreheads almost touched their knees.
Qi Quan: …Impressive ligament flexibility.
Qi Lin closed the car door and instinctively stepped in front of Qi Quan, his eyes sharp and commanding as he asked, “Who are you? What do you want?”
Chen Feilu quickly said, “Hello, Mr. Qi. My name is Chen Feilu. The chairman of Hongyuan Group is my father. I wonder if you remember me?”
The Chen family didn’t rank in the top ten in Longjiang City overall, but they stood out in certain fields. Qi Lin had met the chairman of Hongyuan Group before, so he had some impression.
“I remember.”
Chen Feilu smiled. “This is my friend Ning Zhi. We’re here today specifically to visit Master Qi Quan.”
Qi Lin turned to look at Qi Quan.
“Have you brought the person?” Qi Quan looked at Ning Zhi. “Come in together.”
Ning Zhi looked at her tall, slender back and finally understood how his peers felt when they looked at him.
There really are people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens.
A poor student competing with a genius is just asking for humiliation.
He and Chen...
Chen Feilu opened the trunk, hoisted out Qin Ruo’s body wrapped in a burlap sack, and stepped into the lakeside villa.
Qi Lin: ?
What is this thing?
He thought for a moment, and seeing that Qi Quan didn’t stop him, he shamelessly followed inside.
In the living room, Qi Quan sat down on the sofa while everyone else stood to the side.
Ning Zhi asked somewhat awkwardly, “Senior, may I ask how we’re supposed to handle the corpse?”
Last night, he had carried the body back himself. Luckily, he used an invisibility talisman; otherwise, he’d be on the news headlines today.
It wasn’t that he didn’t respect the law, but disputes within the Xuan Sect were usually settled internally, unless someone from the sect harmed an ordinary person, in which case both the sect and secular law enforcement would get involved.
Now that Qin Ruo was dead, and Du Jiaming and the others were alive and well, there was no need to alert the authorities.
Qi Quan said, “Untie the sack.”
Obediently, Chen Feilu untied the burlap, revealing Qin Ruo’s corpse. Because the Peach Blossom Seal had been broken, vitality returned to the victim’s body, making the corpse horrifyingly grotesque.
Inside the peachwood talisman, Qin Ruo kept screaming, “I want to go to reincarnation! I want to go to reincarnation!”
She couldn’t bear to see herself in this state!
Qi Lin frowned, recalling that it was this monster who stood beside his younger brother last night, and he felt a strong sense of unease.
“Su Rong, take a photo and send it to Nuan Nuan,” Qi Quan called over the steward, giving instructions. “She’s going to study out of town. Let this serve as a warning not to drink strangers’ wine.”
Su Rong smiled and responded affirmatively.
Qi Lin: “...”
This is a jab at Qi Yuan, isn’t it?
Thinking about Qi Yuan’s recent behavior, he also took a photo and sent it to him.
Then, thinking better of it, he sent it to the group chat as well.
A person and a ghost couldn’t hear Qin Ruo’s screams from inside the peachwood talisman.
“Don’t take pictures! Don’t take pictures! Waaaaaah!”
For someone extremely vain, this was the most terrifying and cruel torture imaginable.
The system commented at the perfect moment: [So scary.]
The big shot sure knows how to hit where it hurts.
Qi Yuan had just been discharged from the hospital and returned home when he received the photo from Qi Lin. He opened it without much thought.
!!!
He bolted to the bathroom and vomited violently into the toilet.
“Are you feeling unwell? Is this some kind of aftereffect? Should we go back to the hospital and have it checked?” Gu Qiao asked worriedly.
Qi Yuan had no energy left to respond.
He recognized Qin Ruo at a glance; the horrifying face in the photo reminded him of the old face that had appeared for only a few seconds last night.
At that time, he hadn’t even reacted before Qin Ruo had stolen his vitality, causing him to collapse. Later, lying on the hospital bed waiting to die, he had no energy to think about how disgusting that face was.
The photo Qi Lin sent instantly brought back the real image of Qin Ruo, and Qi Yuan just couldn’t hold it in—he vomited until he was dizzy and faint.
He’d probably avoid strange women outside like the plague for a long time to come.
Seeing him like that, Gu Qiao was frantic and about to call their family doctor when the phone on the washbasin rang with a few group messages popping up.
They were from the group Qi Yuan had hastily added himself to in his panic.
The Drunken Revelers Group.
[Su Nuanuan: [picture]]
[Su Nuanuan: The mastermind behind this whole incident.]
Last night, everything happened so fast that except for a very few, no one really saw Qin Ruo’s face change.
[Qian Kun: Ugh!]
[Sun Yu: I was eating just now, and I threw up!]
[Peng Peng: Asking for Yuan Ge’s psychological trauma area.]
[Qian Kun: I want to interview the key people involved about their inner thoughts right now.]
[Su Nuanuan: This incident teaches us that one must keep oneself pure and decent.]
[Qian Kun: Nuanuan, you’re absolutely right! So, when will you let me out of the little black room?]
[Su Nuanuan: Considering the birthday gift, I forgive you!]
……
Gu Qiao stopped reading the messages after that because she was rushing to another… bathroom, clutching the toilet as she vomited violently.
Qin Ruo had been maintaining her youth by stealing vitality and luck, but forbidden arts are forbidden arts after all. Once broken, the caster suffers backlash.
After multiple backlashes, Qin Ruo’s face was utterly ruined, long beyond the realm of a normal person.
Anyone who hadn’t been in close contact with her could barely stand looking at her, let alone those who had once “loved” her.
Du Jiaming and the other two hadn’t even had time to recover from last night’s banquet when they suddenly saw the pictures Qi Lin posted in the group, revealing Qin Ruo’s true face. They all ran off and vomited until they were dizzy and pale.
[Song Lin: ?]
[Qi Lin: You were at the birthday party last night too, didn’t you see it?]
[Song Lin: I was busy and didn’t see it.]
[Qi Lin: Heard about what happened, though?]
[Song Lin: Mm.]
[Qi Lin: I suggest you seriously reconsider developing the Northern Suburb.]
[Song Lin: I don’t believe that.]
[Qi Lin: ……]
[Du Jiaming: Just finished vomiting. Song Lin, trust me, do you forget how miserable I was before?]
[Zhang Chengyan: Second that.]
[Yang Su: Even if you don’t believe it, why not find a master to take a look, just for peace of mind?]
Master Qi already said in the novel that the Northern Suburb land is filled with dark energy — there must be something wrong!
[Zhang Chengyan: Thanks to the master for saving my dog’s life! No, I have to go smash some thunder talismans to calm my nerves.]
[Du Jiaming: I’m going too.]
[Yang Su: Count me in.]
Qi Lin quietly opened the app and started fiercely competing for the top spot on the leaderboard.
[Song Lin: ……]
At the lakeside villa, Qi Lin took a photo and then left. Ning Zhi and Chen Feilu showed no intention of leaving.
Qi Quan gathered spiritual energy at his fingertips and placed it on Qin Ruo’s corpse. The energy transformed into pale blue ghostly flames, and the body instantly turned to ashes.
“The body’s been burned. You all may leave now.”
Ning Zhi mustered his courage and stepped forward: “I am Ning Zhi, twelfth-generation successor of the Ning family in Longjing City. May I ask which sect or school you belong to, sir?”
He searched his mind for a long time but could not find a sixth-level Taoist master named Qi.
He had personally experienced her unfathomable power. Her overwhelming spiritual energy easily shattered the sixth-level spells of the demon monk. Such a person, however, was unknown in the Taoist world — utterly unbelievable.
Ning Zhi had considered the possibility of her being above sixth-level, but that seemed impossible; he was very clear on what sixth-level and above meant.
Her ability to defeat the demon monk must have been due to a slightly higher realm and a more solid foundation than the luck-stealing demon monk.
Qi Quan toyed with the peachwood talisman in his hand, speaking casually: “No sect, no school.”
She had crossed over from another world, all alone. If you asked about her sect, she only had herself.
Ning Zhi: “……”
He didn’t believe her but didn’t want to press further, so he switched the topic.
“Senior, would you be willing to join the Taoist Masters Association?”
If such a powerful Taoist master joined the association, they would be unstoppable, able to handle even more difficult cases.
Qi Quan was someone who hated trouble—there was no way she would make things inconvenient for herself.
“I’m not interested.”
Ning Zhi was once again met with a cold refusal.
He lowered his head in frustration.
Chen Feilu stepped forward with tact, bowing deeply at a ninety-degree angle, his apology sincere: “Master, I apologize for any offense I may have caused online before. Please forgive me.”
Qi Quan asked, “Who are you?”
“My Weibo handle is Feitian Luma. You answered one of my questions.”
“Oh.”
Chen Feilu was not one to let an awkward silence linger. Even though Qi Quan’s attitude was cold, he didn’t just stand there like Ning Zhi. He continued:
“Since you can tell that Yuan Qing isn’t a disaster star, can you figure out why those male actors keep getting into trouble?”
He looked fresh and clean, dressed in a light-colored T-shirt and jeans, radiating youthful energy with a bright, infectious smile.
Qi Quan sized him up and asked, “If you care so much, why don’t you and your friends investigate it yourselves?”
“Uh…” Chen Feilu hesitated...
His gaze involuntarily shifted to Ning Zhi.
Ning Zhi had been focused on the “Peach Blossom Mark” case and wasn’t yet familiar with the “Yuan Qing Disaster Star” incident, his expression somewhat blank.
“There’s a level-three ghost around Yuan Qing,” Qi Quan pointed out.
A level-three ghost didn’t require her to intervene personally.
Ning Zhi’s expression instantly hardened. “I’ll handle it right away.”
He bowed and left the Linhu Villa with Chen Feilu.
At last, the place was peaceful.
Qi Quan relaxed, leaning back on the sofa and pondering what to write for tonight’s update.
A figure appeared at the door, slowly approaching her.
Qi Quan suddenly opened her eyes.
The young man stopped, his amber eyes fixed intently on her.
His long hair had been cut short, with fine strands falling over his forehead, making him look even younger.
He had changed out of the clothes taken from Ding Ji, now wearing a simple T-shirt and casual pants that outlined his tall, slender figure—very much to Qi Quan’s aesthetic taste.
No wonder he was a born spiritual entity.
She leaned back on the sofa, shamelessly admiring his stunning looks, lazily asking, “What is it?”
The young man slowly moved closer, crouching beside her leg, and carefully placed a hand on the back of hers.
Qi Quan: ?
The next moment, a stream of spiritual energy flowed gently into her meridians.
She met the young man’s cautiously pleading eyes.
The system couldn’t hold back: [Wuwuwuwu, Ling Sheng is just too obedient and handsome!]
Qi Quan: …Obedient?
That little expression did make it hard not to soften.
She had cast a spell for Qi Yuan and burned Qin Ruo’s corpse with spiritual fire, which did consume some spiritual energy, but only a tiny bit—no need for special replenishment, a few breaths would restore it.
She pulled her hand away and said seriously, “I don’t need you to provide spiritual energy. You don’t have to do this anymore.”
Ling Sheng looked confused.
Su Rong saw off the guests and returned to the living room just in time. He said, “Master, there’s been some movement on Niu Qiang’s side. I want to go check it out.”
Qi Quan nodded. “Go ahead. And if you have time, find some instructional videos for Ling Sheng.”
“Understood.”
After responding, Su Rong turned to Ling Sheng and said, “Master needs to rest now. Let’s go.”
Ling Sheng slowly stood up, his eyelashes drooping slightly, revealing a trace of disappointment. As he followed Su Rong out the door, he glanced back at Qi Quan once more.
But Qi Quan had already closed his eyes.
The system observed clearly: [He’s so pitiful, boss. Aren’t you being a bit too cold toward him?]
Qi Quan replied: [I’m letting him stay here for free, and you think I’m cold?]
[You’re supposed to be his salvation. He’s devoted himself entirely to you.]
Qi Quan: [If I don’t save him, he can save himself.]
Spiritual beings are born with two extremes: they either become saints or demons.
This young man has been imprisoned for over a decade. Can he still be called normal? Was the destruction of Ding Ji’s body really just an accident?
System: […He’s been locked up for more than ten years. If he could save himself, he would have done it long ago.]
Qi Quan ignored it and returned to his room to start typing.
*
Niu Qiang had been trapped in nightmares for a long time. He hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in days, constantly haunted by the pale face of that child.
“The ghost has come back for revenge! It’s definitely the ghost coming back for revenge!”
He sought out Huang Qifeng, his eyes bloodshot and wild, saying in a chilling tone, “Brother Feng, didn’t you say you’d find a master to get me a talisman? Where’s the talisman? Give it to me now!”
Huang Qifeng was already struggling to keep his own head above water.
He had been anonymously reported, and his company was now under investigation. The things he’d done behind the scenes might all be uncovered.
He desperately tried to contact Qin Ruo but couldn’t reach her. Even going to Qin Ruo’s place yielded no results.
He was sinking into endless panic.
“What talisman? What master? If you want a talisman, go to a temple and get it yourself!”
Niu Qiang fixed his gaze on Huang Qifeng’s wrist, his voice vicious. “Don’t think I don’t know — all these years... if it weren’t for this string of prayer beads, you’d be the one seeing those filthy things! Give me the beads!”
“What are you talking about? You’re crazy!”
Niu Qiang was on the verge of a breakdown. He even saw Huang Qifeng’s face change, the seemingly simple but actually cunning expression twisting into the grin of a little boy!
“Give me the beads! Give me! Hurry!”
The strength of a madman was terrifying. Huang Qifeng couldn’t hold him back. The string holding the beads around his wrist suddenly snapped under the strain, and the beads scattered across the floor.
It was as if a protective barrier near his ear shattered all at once.
Huang Qifeng immediately felt a chill flood through his limbs, and countless dark shadows screamed madly around him.
He let out a terrified scream and collapsed unconscious.
The company’s security guards finally arrived. Seeing their boss passed out, they quickly restrained the frenzied Niu Qiang and called the police.
At the police station, Niu Qiang suddenly regained clarity.
He felt an unprecedented calm. Those pale ghostly faces, the eerie smiles, the hoarse voices—all had vanished.
Overjoyed, he shouted, “Officer! I’ve committed a crime! Please arrest me! I want to go to jail! I want to go to jail!”
The police officer: “……”
Maybe… a drug test first?
The police station was filled with righteousness, and no ghosts or monsters dared to trespass lightly. Naturally, the illusions that Su Rong had cast on Niu Qiang lost their power.
Yet, the shadow that Su Rong had cast over Niu Qiang still took effect. At the very least, Niu Qiang cooperated fully and confessed to the crimes he had committed with Huang Qifeng, including the abduction and murder of Su Rong.
When Su Linhai received the call from the police station, he was completely stunned.
Seventeen years of injustice had finally come to light. The scoundrel who killed his son was finally facing justice.
He embraced his wife, and they wept bitterly together.
As the investigation deepened, the police uncovered numerous cold cases and inhumane criminal networks. There were missing children and women—all sins committed by Huang Qifeng and his gang in their ruthless quest for initial capital.
It was simply beyond condemnation!
Without the protection of Qin Ruo and Ding Ji, Huang Qifeng was nothing.
He admitted to all his crimes, and death penalty awaited him.
His assets were confiscated, his wife divorced him and took the children away. He was left with nothing.
Among the crimes he confessed to, one shocked the upper circles of Longjiang City.
Twenty-two years ago, on someone's orders, he deliberately swapped Qi Quan and Qi Yingxue, which caused the true heiress of the Qi family to be lost and raised outside the family for many years.
The Qi family was stunned.
Qi Changrong was so furious that he suffered a stroke and was hospitalized.
No one had ever imagined that the person they once showed a moment of kindness to had harbored such deep malice against their family!
Gu Qiao felt a chill deep in her heart.
They had been powerless, unable to uncover the truth, always believing it was just an accident. But who would have thought that the suffering of their biological daughter was rooted in someone else’s jealousy of their family?
In Huang Qifeng’s own words, he couldn’t stand the Qi family’s hypocritical, condescending attitude of charity.
He had been scheming for more than twenty years, all to see the Qi family sink into the mud and live in misery.
These horrifying revelations only spread within a small circle in Longjiang City; others remained unaware. But Luo Xiaoyu was not among them.
Ever since a child's remains were dug up from the village river, she had been following the case closely. The villagers had been abuzz with talk.
“I always said it—how did that Huang family suddenly get rich back then? Turns out they’re heartless monsters capable of such evil!”
“So pitiful, only six years old, and killed like that.”
“I heard the child’s restless spirit appeared in a dream, and that’s how his father found him. Spooky, right?”
Luo Xiaoyu listened with growing anger. When she got home, she asked her mother, “Is that Huang, the trafficker, from our village?”
“Yeah,” her mother rolled her eyes, “He got rich over ten years ago and became a big shot in Longjiang City. Never thought he’d be so cruel and heartless!”
Luo Xiaoyu nodded in agreement.
Such a scumbag deserved the death penalty!
Thinking of the little boy who had called out “Daddy,” a storm of grief and anger churned inside her.
“It's late, aren’t you going to bed?” her mother nagged.
“Coming, coming!” Luo Xiaoyu said.
She crawled back into her room and lay on her bed, her mood heavy as she unlocked her phone.
White Water, the popular streamer, hadn’t updated in days. Was he off fighting demons again?
She instinctively opened the Screaming app, and her eyes suddenly widened—there was an update!
White Water had finally posted a new update!
She clicked into the new chapter with a cheerful heart.
[The Peach Blossom Mark wasn’t an isolated case.
After saving one person, two more fell victim.
That malevolent spirit certainly has a big appetite.
They came to me, hoping I could save them just like I saved Number One (let’s call him Number One for now).
But I’m just an ordinary person with low cultivation.
Healing Number One drained most of my energy; I had no strength left to help the other two. Fortunately, their conditions weren’t severe—they could survive for a few more days.
I planned to rest for a couple of days, regain my strength, and then help them.
But I never expected that malevolent spirit’s appetite to grow even bigger.
Two days later was the birthday banquet of Miss Su, the heiress of Shengxin Group.
I was invited.
At the banquet, Miss Su was charming and lovely. She introduced me to her friends, and my invisible younger brother was there too.
Of course, I’ve read plenty of metaphysics books, so now I can see my brother.
He looked pretty much as I imagined—a handsome young man, though his gaze was unsettling.
More importantly, the black cloud hovering over his head was thick and ominous.
That’s a sure sign of impending death!
Even though he once offended me, he didn’t deserve to die. I couldn’t just stand by and watch him perish.
Before I could warn him, he suddenly changed—transforming from a young, handsome man into an old grandpa. He couldn’t even speak before collapsing to the ground.
Chaos erupted around us.
I quickly pulled out a talisman I always carry and slipped it into his clothes. At least before dealing with that troublesome spirit, he could hold on to his life.
The malevolent spirit fled.
Surprisingly, there was a Taoist priest at the scene who chased after it.
I wasn’t at ease, so I followed along.
Before leaving, in a daze, I seemed to catch sight of a young man whose forehead faintly glowed black—he might encounter some trouble, but nothing serious.
After a night of fierce battle, I returned home exhausted.
Someone blocked my door and asked, “Is Yuan Qing a disaster star?”
I sized him up. He was young, full of spiritual energy—a rookie in the metaphysical world, probably lacking experience.
I didn’t know who Yuan Qing was, but there’s no such thing as a disaster star in this world.
Yet people are strange—they always blame their misfortunes on others, as if it comforts their hearts.
But how innocent are those slandered and smeared?
I told the truth.
But very few wanted to listen.
It’s truly bizarre.
The recent events have shattered my worldview. I feel my fragile heart might not be able to take it.
I heard extreme sports can strengthen the heart. I wonder if Jiangcheng has any suitable ones.]
Luo Xiaoyu reached the end of the text and immediately knew that the “xx” referred to Yuan Qing. She had been watching the online turmoil from the sidelines. Bai Shui Zhenren’s Weibo was flooded with hateful comments from various fans, and she had seen it all.
She trusted Bai Shui Zhenren’s words.
Scrolling down to the comment section, she saw someone had already left a remark.
[Brother Xu is the Handsomest in the World: The author is disgusting! Always whitewashing that b*tch Yuan Qing! Are you her fan, writing this to clear her name? My brother is still lying in the hospital. How can you be so vicious!]
Luo Xiaoyu frowned deeply and reported the comment without hesitation.
Such malice was unbearable.
[Really Desperate for New Stories: Ahhh, it’s updated! Keep it up, Bai Shui!]
[Just want to...
[“Where’s the male lead? Why hasn’t he appeared yet?”]
[I’m dying of admiration: I feel like… this content looks a bit familiar.]
[Good luck today: Master! Who’s that young guy at the banquet with a dark spot between his eyebrows? Scared.jpg]
[Great fortune today: Damn, who’s the lucky one this time? Definitely not me, I wasn’t there that day.]
[Great luck and prosperity: I wasn’t there either.]
Those in the know caught the hint in the story — the young man with the dark spot between his eyebrows is definitely in trouble or about to be.
Those who trust Qi Quan naturally take it seriously; those who don’t just scoff.
Luo Xiaoyu is one of those who believe it.
[If you see me, please call me to prepare lessons: The author is so kind, even giving a warning!]
Of course, some new readers found it confusing.
[My OTP is real: Wait, why are the comments so strange? Everyone’s totally immersed in the story?]
[Random passerby A: Came here from VB, the author’s really stubborn to defend someone in a situation like this.]
[456: Isn’t this just an ordinary (and saying ordinary is flattering) fantasy novel? Why are the readers under the story losing their minds one by one?]
Those unaware really can’t understand.
Those in the know excitedly discussed it in their private groups.
[Zhang Chengyan: Did you see the update? Guess who the person with the dark spot between the eyebrows is.]
[Du Jiaming: I guess it’s Song Lin.]
[Yang Su: Agreed.]
[Zhang Chengyan: Damn, exactly what I thought!]
[Song Lin: ?]
[Qi Lin: No, he wasn’t at the scene then. Besides, she won’t say the same thing twice.]
[Zhang Chengyan: True, the master already warned @Song Lin in the story, but the young master didn’t believe it.]
[Song Lin: …… ]
[Du Jiaming: So who is it? Anyway, I wasn’t at the banquet, so definitely not me.]
[Zhang Chengyan: I was far away and didn’t see clearly. But I do know that the people closest to Su Nuanuan at that time were her friends Qi Yuan, Qian Kun, and the others.]
[Yang Su: Excluding Qi Yuan.]
[Du Jiaming: I bet those kids are scared stiff right now.]
Indeed, Qian Kun and the others looked a bit pale.
[Qian Kun: Ahhhhh, I was really close to Brother Yuan that time. Could it be me? I just looked in the mirror and my forehead does feel a bit dark, what do I do!]
[Sun Yu: I think it might be me. Lately, everything’s been going wrong—I trip over flat ground.]
[Peng Peng: Could be me too. I felt Qi Quan gave me a special look before leaving that day.]
[Su Nuanuan: … Stop scaring yourselves. There were a lot of people there.]
The young ones, frightened by the story, couldn’t sleep that night, but Qi Quan slept soundly.
The next morning, Su Rong, as usual, served up a delicious breakfast.
He was in a great mood, a smile on his face, the morning light slanting over him, looking exceptionally handsome.
Another person sat at the table.
It was the Ling Sheng she had rescued.
Seeing two handsome guys so early in the morning made Qi Quan equally happy.
She enjoyed the breakfast and sincerely praised, “Butler Su, your cooking keeps getting better.”
Su Rong was pleasantly surprised by the compliment. “I’ll keep working hard.”
Ling Sheng gripped his chopsticks tightly, his amber eyes slightly dim.
He seemed… completely helpless.
Just after finishing the meal, Wang Hua drifted over, his face marked by reluctance and melancholy.
Qi Quan asked, "Are you going to reincarnate?"
"Yeah, Huang Qifeng has fallen, and my sister... she has children, so I don't need to worry about her. I have nothing left to hold onto."
Besides, no one cared about what he was attached to anyway.
Qi Quan nodded. "Go ahead."
The transparent soul form turned into a speck of light, gradually fading into the air.
Qi Quan heard a weak voice coming from the peach wood talisman.
"I want to reincarnate too, please let me go."
After losing her vitality and fortune, Qin Ruo’s soul was barely holding together. If she didn’t reincarnate soon, she would simply dissipate into nothingness.
Qi Quan felt no sympathy for her.
If you’ve done wrong and hurt others, don’t expect to reincarnate smoothly.
"Master, there’s someone outside visiting. They said..." Su Rong hesitated for a moment before continuing, "They want to invite you to the Heartbeat Club for bungee jumping."
Qi Quan was not surprised; this new chapter was clearly the point.
"Got it. Tell them to wait a moment."
Outside the villa, several luxury cars were parked side by side.
Du Jiaming, Yang Su, and Zhang Chengyan glared at each other.
They had deliberately avoided mentioning it in the group chat last night, planning to invite the Master separately. They never expected each of them to be even more cunning than the others.
"Yang Su, Zhang Chengyan, I got here first. Both of you, get lost!" Du Jiaming snapped.
"Who says I can’t invite the Master? Mind your own business," Yang Su retorted.
"Enough fighting. Wouldn’t it be more fun if we all went together?" Zhang Chengyan acted as the peacemaker. "When the Master comes out later, don’t look so grim."
Du Jiaming and Yang Su sneered but dared not argue loudly anymore.
After a moment, the villa’s front door swung open.
Before the other two could react, Zhang Chengyan scampered over, holding up a delicate little parasol, wearing a fawning smile: "Master, please get in the car."
The other two were speechless.
Damn, this guy really is the sneakiest of them all!
