The comment section of "Diary of a Wealthy Family" is bustling with activity.
["If you see me, please tell me to go prepare my lessons": Wuwuwuwu, thank you so much, author! I really, truly don't know how to express my gratitude! Anyway, I will remember this kindness forever! Five deepwater torpedoes!]
["I'm dying of laughter": Seeing "Lesson Preparer" being so sincere makes me feel like something really happened. So, what actually happened?]
["Book famine is killing me": Sigh, some people really don't care about others' lives. Cheers to the author!]
["Malan flowers bloom thirty-one": The Master is benevolent and compassionate, saving people from dire straits. One hundred deepwater torpedoes!]
["Rich lady, do you still need a leg accessory?": What does "stolen life" mean? Like someone stealing a university admission spot? If that's really the case, then I hope whoever stole that university spot rots in the eighteenth layer of hell!]
["Today is very auspicious": Wuwuwuwu, my heart aches for the Master, one hundred deepwater torpedoes!]
["Today brings great profit": Master, we are all your loving family! One hundred deepwater torpedoes!]
["Auspicious and Profitable": Master, don't be sad, I'll take care of you from now on! One hundred deepwater torpedoes!]
["Passerby A": These days, I can't even understand comment sections anymore. I'm outta here.]
"Diary of a Wealthy Family" is quite popular online these days.
As soon as a new chapter was published, some busybody compiled a list of key points and posted it on Weibo.
["First in Line for Gossip": Let me analyze the key points of the latest chapter of "Diary of a Wealthy Family".
First, the author mentioned going on a business trip, which was likely to handle a metaphysical case in another city. This case is related to the ghost marriage case and also to the comment left by @PleaseKindPeopleHelpMe.
Therefore, I speculate that this "PleaseKindPeopleHelpMe" intentionally asked the Master to help find the girl in order to carry out some illegal activities. The Master probably saw through this from the beginning, which is why she never responded.
So here's the question.
Why did that Wei Huanyang from the Hengfeng Sect give out the specific address?
If he couldn't read her fortune from her appearance, how did he calculate the specific address? If he could read it, why would he give out the specific address?
What puzzles me even more is, this matter originally had nothing to do with him, why did he butt in?
Secondly, the "stolen life" mentioned by Master Bai Shui, I seem to have heard something about it. I just saw local news about students, teachers, parents, and rescue personnel mysteriously disappearing in the mountains. An hour after a second batch of rescuers entered the mountains, all personnel were safely rescued.
Not long after, police excavated a thirty-year-old skeleton from somewhere within the mountain. The specific details are still under investigation.
As for the content later in the chapter, I won't comment.
But regarding the first two incidents, I just want to ask two questions.
When practitioners of the metaphysical arts use their methods, can they really disregard the lives of ordinary people?
Can those who steal others' lives, even kill others, receive the punishment they deserve?]
Once this post was published, countless comments flooded in.
Many people started thinking, that's right, why did Wei Huanyang so carelessly give out the specific address without any regard for the girl's safety?
Even if "PleaseKindPeopleHelpMe" wasn't a bad person, what about others who saw it online? What if someone followed that address to do something bad?
When the system saw this analytical post, it felt a bit odd, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong.
[Big boss, take a look at this article.]
Qi Quan skimmed through it and said, [Directly pointing out the flaws within the metaphysical community, that's brave.]
[Isn't he afraid of being targeted by the metaphysical community?]
Qi Quan: [Since he dared to post it, he should have the ability to protect himself. While there are indeed many problems within the metaphysical community, there are also people with decent character. Ning Zhi is one, and this person might be another.]
[But he's riding on your popularity, and he's putting you in the spotlight.] The system was somewhat displeased.
Qi Quan laughed: [I also rode on Yuan Qing's popularity once.]
System: ...
Longlin City.
Han Mian had just returned to the hotel from the Wei family. Furious, he punched the wall, his chest heaving violently.
He had come for the Xue Hong case.
An innocent female teacher was brutally dismembered at Longjiang University. If not for casually hooking a living soul, which attracted Master Qi... and their attention, the case might have remained buried for another dozen or several decades.
Now, all the evidence points to Wei Tao. They originally had the authority to take Wei Tao away. Unfortunately, Wei Tao produced some kind of metaphysical identity card, claiming he was no longer under the jurisdiction of secular law and that the police had no right to interfere.
"Captain Han, what do we do now?" The young officer was equally furious, his fists clenched tightly. "We've already asked our superiors. The metaphysical community has indeed done similar things before."
"Does joining the metaphysical community mean you can escape punishment after killing someone? Since when is that the rule!" Han Mian threw another punch at the wall.
The wall shuddered with a "thud".
"Hey, can you keep it down in the middle of the night?" The soundproofing in the small hotel was poor, and the guest next door shouted loudly. "Go to sleep, stop disturbing people."
Han Mian: "Sorry."
He took a deep breath, sat on the bed, and gulped down most of a bottle of mineral water.
"Captain Han, actually, we've seen this kind of thing before." The young officer lowered his voice. "In some historical dramas, villains who harmed many people could have their crimes absolved just by shaving their heads and becoming monks. It's pretty much the same nature."
Han Mian: "..."
He tugged at his hair. "No, a murderer must be punished. Otherwise, where is justice?"
The young officer nodded vehemently. "Captain Han, since they're using the metaphysical community's influence to evade responsibility, then we can also ask the metaphysical community for help."
"Ask who?" Han Mian frowned. "Master Qi doesn't have a Master's Certificate. If we involve her in this, it might cause unnecessary trouble."
The young officer sighed.
"Captain Han, get some rest early. You haven't slept much for several days now."
Han Mian nodded. "Alright, you go too."
While he was investigating the Xue Hong case, police from Ningtao County also arrived in Longlin City, found Cao Fang, and placed her under protection.
Lv Shengyang personally led the team.
The disappearance case on Yao Mountain involved many people, and he had to give an account to the people of Ningtao County.
The seventy-seven-year-old woman had a head of gray hair and was frighteningly thin.
When they found her, she was hunched over, rummaging through a trash bin for vegetable leaves that weren't yet rotten. She clutched a woven plastic bag filled with drink bottles and cans.
A few young officers' eyes reddened immediately.
Cao Fang's physical condition wasn't great, but her spirits were surprisingly good, as if something was sustaining her, preventing her from collapsing.
The old woman's hearing had declined, but her speech was still fairly clear.
Upon hearing the police's purpose, she became so agitated she immediately tried to kneel and kowtow. Luckily, Lv Shengyang reacted quickly and caught her, preventing her from actually kneeling.
If they had let the old woman kneel, they'd probably have their lifespans shortened.
The Wei Hao incident was originally a failure of the Ningtao County police. Thirty years later, they only learned the truth because of the disappearance case. Even now, they still couldn't give this strong and great mother the justice she deserved.
Cao Fang took them to her dwelling—an extremely simple shack with almost no belongings inside.
It was hard to imagine how the old woman had survived in this city for so many years.
Lv Shengyang left a few officers behind to take statements and took others with him to the Longlin City Police Department.
They had already been in contact before his arrival.
However, Fengmao Group is a giant in Longlin City. "Wei Hao" was the president of Fengmao Group at the time. Relying solely on the words of the Yao Mountain ghost, it was impossible to bring him down.
Fengmao Group's business scope is very broad, covering almost dozens of industries in Longlin City, with tens of thousands of employees. It could be said that a single move affects the whole situation.
Lv Shengyang and Han Mian were plagued by the same frustration.
Longjiang City.
The sudden accident involving the Song father and son shocked the entire upper-class circle, and the stock market of Shengyuan Real Estate was in turmoil.
Qi Yingxue never imagined that a casual excuse she made would lead to things turning out like this.
In the hospital corridor, Mrs. Song was crying uncontrollably.
With her husband and son lying on the operating table, their lives hanging in the balance, and Shengyuan Group in a state of panic, her mind was a complete blank. She simply didn't know what to do and could only pin her hopes on the Qi family.
The Qi family and the Song family...
were related by marriage. In such an emergency, the Qi family was the only one she could think of.
"Auntie, A-Lin and Uncle will be alright," Qi Yingxue sat beside her, sobbing as she offered comfort.
On the other side, Qi Changrong had already learned the details of the incident.
The Song father and son had gone together to attend a banquet today. Everything was normal initially, but on the way back, they suddenly collided with an out-of-control large truck. Their high-performance car, worth tens of millions, was sent tumbling over a dozen meters.
But the strange thing was, the driver only suffered minor injuries, while the Song father and son were injured in the crash. Mr. Song's injuries were relatively lighter, but Song Lin suffered multiple fractures all over his body. Both were now lying on the operating table.
Everyone couldn't help but think of "The Diary of a Wealthy Family."
Qi Changrong asked Mrs. Song, "Has Chairman Song or A-Lin had any minor accidents recently?"
Mrs. Song stopped her tears, thought for a moment, and her expression gradually turned grave. "Yes, quite a few times. But who doesn't have minor mishaps in life? And they were all just small accidents, so we didn't pay them much mind. The most serious one was just two days ago when the elevator A-Lin was in malfunctioned. He was trapped inside for two hours and came out unconscious."
Qi Yingxue cried, "Why didn't he tell me!"
"That day..." Mrs. Song's eyes were red, "You also had an incident. He didn't want you to worry. He even wanted to go see you, but I saw his face was too pale and couldn't bear to let him. Yingxue, it's not that he didn't care about you, please don't blame him, blame me."
"Compared to his health, what does my little issue matter?" Qi Yingxue shook her head desperately, tears rolling down. "I just want him to be okay now."
Mrs. Song patted the back of her hand, feeling very comforted.
She didn't care about the online gossip; she only cared about Qi Yingxue's feelings for her son.
The light in the operating room went out.
Mrs. Song immediately stood up and rushed forward, already forgetting her usual elegant demeanor.
"Doctor, how are they?"
The doctor said, "No life-threatening danger, but the injuries will require a long time to recuperate."
"That's good, that's good." Mrs. Song's emotions were too volatile, and she nearly fainted, but was supported by Gu Qiao.
"Family, you should go rest for a while. We'll keep watch, you can rest assured," she said.
Mrs. Song was grateful but shook her head, "I want to see them wake up."
The Longjiang City second-generation group chat was buzzing with discussion.
[Du Jiaming: What's the situation now? Is Song Lin okay? Although he can be a bit aloof and arrogant, his heart isn't bad.]
[Yang Su: No life danger, but he'll probably need half a year to recover.]
[Zhang Chengyan: He looked terrible when they carried him to the hospital, covered in blood.]
[Du Jiaming: So, was this really an accident, or...]
[Zhang Chengyan: Do you guys remember how Song Lin was always having bad luck before? I believe the master. That North Suburb factory definitely has problems.]
[Qi Lin: Haven't you all looked at the information related to the North Suburb factory?]
[Yang Su: Hey, we're not like you and Song Lin, capable of taking charge alone and participating in this project.]
[Du Jiaming: Go on, what did you find?]
[Qi Lin: Actually, the investigation materials at the time mentioned that the abandoned factory in the North Suburb was built twenty-eight years ago. But not long after completion, a fire suddenly broke out overnight, killing many people and leaving only a few factory buildings. It was classified as a major safety accident at the time. Because so many people died, the land was left idle and remains so to this day.]
After so many years, with the urban expansion of Longjiang City requiring more land resources, the North Suburb plot was naturally included in the city's planning blueprint.
So much time had passed, the tragedy of that year was already sealed in history, and no one paid it much mind anymore.
[Zhang Chengyan: So many people died. Do you think... could they have died unjustly?]
[Du Jiaming: That's probably not it. Could the land have been problematic even before the factory was built?]
[Zhang Chengyan: It's driving me crazy! The master specifically mentioned the North Suburb again in her post today. It definitely wasn't without purpose.]
[Yang Su: Even if Song Lin and Uncle Song are out of danger this time, what about next time? Or the time after that?]
[Du Jiaming: Let's not discuss that for now. I just want to know if the master really...
cut ties with your family? @Qi Lin]
[Qi Lin: Yes.]
[Zhang Chengyan: Oh wow. I didn't know how to interact with you before. You're the master's older brother, should I show you some respect too? Now it seems it's not necessary. We can just be like before.]
[Yang Su: [Handshake]]
[Qi Lin: ...]
He had never thought about taking advantage of Qi Quan. Qi Quan made it very clear when she saved Qi Yuan that there was truly no possibility of any further connection between her and them.
The "Criminal Elements" group chat.
[Qian Kun: Did you guys hear? Brother Song and Uncle Song had an accident!]
[Sun Yu: We know. Is it related to the North Suburb?]
[Peng Peng: I have a question. Why would the master, knowing the North Suburb has problems, not go and subdue the possible ghosts there?]
[Qian Kun: ...]
[Su Nuanuan: I also have a question. Why did someone insist on pushing the project even after the master gave a warning?]
[Qi Yuan: @Pengpeng If you don't understand, don't talk nonsense.]
[Su Nuanuan: @Pengpeng Do you think catching ghosts is easy? Is cultivation simple for the master? Is she obligated to go subdue ghosts? How do you know if the master has her own considerations? How do you know what's really going on with the North Suburb land? Why should the master pay the price for the Song family's land?]
[Peng Peng: Sister Nuanuan, Brother Yuan, I know I was wrong. My brain short-circuited, and I just blurted it out. I understand now. The master must have her own reasons, and she gave a very kind warning. It's just that some people who aren't afraid of death insisted on charging ahead.]
[Su Nuanuan: Just wait. This matter will definitely have a conclusion.]
Longlin City.
Wei Huanyang got up early to check if his Weibo followers had increased, but instead—
[Are you really some disciple of the Hengfeng Sect? Can you really tell fortunes? Then why couldn't you see that the girl's parents had passed away?]
[I think it's not that you couldn't see, but that you simply didn't care. You don't take human life seriously at all!]
[What are you all talking about? Couldn't the girl have adoptive parents?]
[Adoptive parents? Hey, Wei's fans upstairs, maybe read more news and don't get scammed by online fraudsters!]
"What kind of mystic master is this, disregarding human life! Trash!"
"What news are you all talking about? Is it about 'Please kind people help me'? Why haven't I seen it?"
"Follow 'Longtan City Public Security Bureau', you're welcome."
Wei Huanyang saw everyone cursing him under his Weibo post, and his follower count was plummeting. Furious, he released his spiritual energy, shattering the water glass on the table with a crash as it spilled onto the floor.
"Master?" a young attendant asked from outside.
Wei Huanyang: "Get lost! Don't bother me!"
He searched for Longtan City Public Security Bureau and saw their latest announcement.
【Longtan City Public Security Bureau V: Recently, our city cracked down on a ghost marriage business chain and arrested multiple individuals involved. Among them, suspect Ma @Please kind people help me used the guise of 'parents' to fraudulently obtain victim information online, employing extremely cunning and vile methods. We hereby advise all netizens to use the internet rationally and guard against scams.】
Wei Huanyang: "..."
The official announcement was a total slap in the face.
He hadn't taken it seriously at first. It was just because "White Water Real Person" had suddenly risen to prominence, rapidly gaining followers by riding on "Yuan Qing's" popularity, which made him uncomfortable.
What's a writer of supernatural fiction doing pretending to be a mystic master?
Of course, he was usually busy with cultivation and didn't constantly monitor Weibo.
That day, when he opened Weibo, he saw his fans discussing in the comments, mentioning that "White Water Real Person" was a fake mystic master who would go silent and not reply when he couldn't figure things out, completely incomparable to their Master Wei.
Driven by vanity, and to solidify his own mystic master persona and attract more fans, he casually posted a Weibo about the girl's address.
As for what intentions "Please kind people help me" might have had, or what consequences exposing the girl's address might lead to, he hadn't considered at all.
But he never expected that such a trivial matter would cause him to crash and burn!
It's all that White Water Real Person's fault for meddling!
...
Also, the Weibo post by "First Line for Gossip" was clearly mocking him.
When had Wei Huanyang ever suffered such humiliation?
He immediately observed the profile pictures of "White Water Real Person" and "First Line for Gossip," attempting to divine their fortunes.
But just as he looked at White Water Real Person's profile picture, his eye suddenly sharp pain, as if pricked by a needle, and he couldn't help but cry out in agony.
There was only one reason for this situation—
White Water Real Person's cultivation level was higher than his. His attempt to divine her fortune was an offense, and that attack just now was a warning.
Wei Huanyang was stunned.
A high-level mystic master, not focusing on cultivation properly, why write supernatural fiction?
After recovering for a while, he opened his eyes again and looked at the "First Line for Gossip" profile picture.
This time there was no needle prick, but the profile picture was shrouded in a faint mist, making it unclear.
Wei Huanyang: "..."
Feeling targeted.
Two random people, and both are high-level mystic masters?
This "First Line for Gossip" was at least on the same level as him.
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan was designing autumn clothes for Su Rong and Xue Hong when she received a call from Han Mian.
"Master, Wei Tao obtained an identity token from the Mystic Gate. We can't easily touch him now." The usually upright and spirited police captain sounded uncharacteristically dejected.
His tone was filled with confusion and suppressed anger.
Qi Quan said, "Don't worry, the matter will be resolved soon."
"Really?" Han Mian sounded somewhat disheartened. "But the Wei family clearly has connections with the Mystic Gate. If the Mystic Gate insists on protecting them, can we still bring the murderer to justice?"
Qi Quan: "Yes."
Her tone was so certain, as if she already knew something.
Han Mian's eyes suddenly lit up. "Master, is it... is that organization going to be established?"
Qi Quan smiled. "Officer Han, you've worked hard. I have a guest, let's talk later."
The authorities were far more decisive than Han Mian imagined.
At the very least, before inviting her, the authorities had already been secretly cultivating talent. However, the Mystic Gate was teeming with capable individuals, and the authorities lacked a master powerful enough to suppress the Mystic Gate, so they couldn't bring it into the open.
The actions of the Mystic Masters Association during the Yaoshan incident once again crossed the authorities' bottom line. It was estimated that the authorities would soon take action.
The first to bear the brunt would be those involved in the Yaoshan incident.
"Master, there's a visitor. His name is Zheng Guangming. He says he's a friend from Yaoshan and has brought a token." Su Rong reported from outside the room.
Qi Quan: "Understood. Brew tea for the guest."
She finished sketching the last outfit and went to the living room.
Upon seeing her, Zheng Guangming immediately stood up, bowed deeply to her, and said with heartfelt gratitude, "Master Qi, thank you so much for saving my life!"
System: 【Hearing thanks daily has become numb.】
Qi Quan glanced at his face and said calmly, "Mr. Zheng, you didn't come today just to express thanks, did you?"
"Master truly is a master!" Zheng Guangming took out the sparrow jade token and handed it to Qi Quan. "This was found under the cliff, intact. Captain Lin's work is of a special nature, so he couldn't come personally to thank you and return it. He entrusted me to come on behalf of everyone."
Qi Quan: "Hmm."
She took the jade token, playing with it in her palm.
"There's one more thing I'd like to consult you about. Don't worry, I specifically inquired about the rules of your profession and definitely won't take advantage of you." His expression was sincere.
Qi Quan: "About your sister?"
Hearing this, Zheng Guangming was completely convinced, his expression growing even more respectful. "Yes. She married into this area a few years ago. I came last night and stayed at her place. She works here and rarely returns to our hometown except during holidays, and even then, she mostly goes to her husband's family. I haven't seen her for quite a long time, but this time when I saw her, I noticed she's changed a lot."
Qi Quan: "Tell me more."
"It's her mental state that seems off. She used to be very lively, but now she doesn't talk much, her reactions are slow, and she smiles less. Last night, I got up and saw her sitting on the sofa, holding a doll in her arms...
humming a song. I called out to her, but she didn't respond. Then her husband came and coaxed her back to the room."
System: 【So creepy!】
Qi Quan asked, "What did your brother-in-law say?"
Zheng Guangming wiped his face. "He said my sister had a miscarriage before, the blow was too great, and she couldn't handle it mentally, so she became like this. But my sister never mentioned this to our family. Such a big thing, would she really hide it from everyone?"
"Has she seen a psychologist?"
"She has, and took medication, but it didn't work." Zheng Guangming said with a pained expression. "All this is what my brother-in-law said. My sister barely talks to me anymore."
【Big shot, could it be a ghost possession?】 The system was now fully immersed in this supernatural channel.
Qi Quan looked at Zheng Guangming.
【He doesn't have any yin energy on him.】
【Oh, then probably not. Could it just be as his brother-in-law said?】
Qi Quan said: 【However, there's another possibility. Zheng Guangming has saved many people and has deep merit. Even if he picked up a bit of yin energy, it would quickly be dispelled by his aura of merit.】
The system learned something new: 【I see! So what should we do now?】
"Do you have a photo?" Qi Quan asked.
Zheng Guangming, with his extensive experience in rescue work and meticulous nature, quickly took out his phone and flipped to the latest photo in his album. "I felt something wasn't right, so I secretly took this before leaving this morning while they weren't paying attention. It's not a full frontal shot."
In the photo, the woman had casually tied her hair into a low ponytail. Her complexion was somewhat pale, her eyes vacant, and she was holding a watering can.
"She happened to be going to the balcony to water the plants," Zheng Guangming said. "I turned off the sound effects and secretly took this picture."
It was strange.
Clearly a person who had lost her spark, yet she still thought to water the flowers. People who tend to plants usually have a love for life. If she had truly suffered such a great blow that it affected her mental state, how could she still remember the flowers on the balcony?
Qi Quan withdrew her gaze and said, "This is not your sister."
System: ???
Zheng Guangming's eyes widened, and he said urgently, "What do you mean?"
His mind was a complete muddle, unable to process thoughts.
Qi Quan: "To be precise, this is your sister's physical shell, but the one residing inside is not your sister."
"......"
Zheng Guangming felt a chill shoot from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head.
He said with difficulty, "Master, I beg you, please help my sister!"
How could this happen? How could such a thing happen to his sister?
System: [Big Boss, is his sister possessed by a ghost?]
[Yes.]
[Then... does her husband know?]
Qi Quan: [Good question. I don't know either.]
[Big Boss, are you taking this case?]
[Of course, why wouldn't I? It's not like I have to travel far.]
System: The Big Boss seems to be more accommodating towards people who possess virtue and merit.
Qi Quan looked at Zheng Guangming: "Choose a time. I'll go with you to their home. It's best if your brother-in-law is also there."
"Thank you so much!" Zheng Guangming hurriedly bowed in gratitude. "Master, tomorrow is Saturday. They don't work and will be at home. How does that sound?"
"Fine." Qi Quan nodded. "Come here at nine tomorrow morning."
"No problem!"
With the matter settled, Zheng Guangming got up to leave. Su Rong saw him out to the courtyard gate.
"Mr. Zheng, you might have inquired about the rules of the Mystic Arts world, but you probably aren't clear about the Master's rules."
Zheng Guangming, who had been thinking about getting a new bank card, was taken aback. "What rules?"
Su Rong whispered a few words with a smile.
Zheng Guangming: ???
What? A novel?
Not long after Qi Quan returned to her room, she heard the system announcement: [Big Boss, "Light in My Heart" has gifted you five hundred 'Deep Waters'!]
Five hundred 'Deep Waters', converted into lifespan, meant fifty days. She was still making a profit.
Now, "Diary of the Wealthy" received daily gifts of 'mines' from dedicated readers, with Du Jiaming and others being the most diligent, not missing a single day.
Qi Quan's lifespan continued to extend.
In a pleasant mood, she started making small clothes...
Wei Huanyang, however, was furious.
He had previously looked down on "Diary of the Wealthy" and wouldn't deign to read it, but now that he was being criticized, he couldn't swallow his anger. He read from the first chapter to the latest.
The accusatory tone in the latest chapter truly infuriated him.
Wei Huanyang had been exceptionally talented since childhood, taken in as the closed-door disciple by the Hengfeng Sect's leader, and had been pampered and praised while growing up. When had he ever suffered such indignity?
If he couldn't deal with the White Water True Person, couldn't his senior brothers and sisters?
White Water True Person, just you wait!
Longjing City, the Ning Family Residence.
Ning Zhi returned from the Exorcist Association and, under the concerned gazes of his family, made an extremely difficult decision.
"Respected elders, brothers and sisters, I have decided to withdraw from the Exorcist Association starting today. To avoid implicating you all, I am willing to request removal from the family registry. I am truly sorry!"
The family had cultivated him to be the future head, pouring all sorts of cultivation resources into him. His current actions were no different from those of an ingrate.
But he had no choice.
The Exorcist Association had released him, giving face to the official authorities, and allowed the Ning family to continue holding Exorcist Certificates. However, he knew that while the Association wouldn't openly act against the Ning family, they could employ various underhanded methods to restrict them in private.
The Exorcist Association's target was him. Perhaps only if he left the Ning family could they continue to gain a foothold in Longjing City.
Second Uncle Ning stroked his goatee and said, "You should first tell us what exactly happened."
"Yes, yes," others chimed in.
Ning Zhi then recounted all his experiences during this period. Of course, he didn't elaborate on the private matters concerning the lakeside villa.
"Ah!" Second Uncle Ning shook his head with a sigh. "Actually, most of the things you mentioned, we experienced in our youth as well."
Ning Zhi said, "I want to join the official Investigation Department. This time, it was the official authorities who sent people to rescue me."
"Very well. Our Ning family was never particularly welcome in Longjing City anyway," Second Uncle Ning said. "Actually, over a decade ago, the Mystic Arts world once intensified its crackdown on evil cultivators, but it had little effect. Moreover, the techniques of evil cultivators are bizarre and treacherous. Many young cultivators were lost at that time, so the Mystic Arts world gave up."
Ning Zhi nodded. Qin Ruo had indeed said something similar about "the situation being tense back then" after seeing the water ghost Qi Zheng.
"It seems the official authorities are determined this time. However, the influence of the Mystic Arts world runs much deeper than you imagine. The official authorities may not necessarily be able to protect you," another elder of the Ning family said.
Ning Zhi showed no fear on his face: "I believe there are righteous cultivators within the Mystic Arts world. Not everyone is willing to collude."
At the very least, the people in their Ning family had principles.
In front of everyone, he burned his Exorcist Certificate and then put on the work badge just issued to him by the authorities —
National Special Cases Investigation Department - Longjing City Branch - Field Team - Fourth-Level Investigator
From now on, he was Investigator Ning, not Exorcist Ning.
Second Uncle Ning patted his shoulder. "Good lad! This counts as having a government job, right? We have high hopes for you!"
Ning Zhi's eyes suddenly grew moist.
How fortunate he was to have such a family!
"Second Uncle, I've already received my first assignment and need to depart for Longlin City immediately. I must go now."
Second Uncle Ning nodded. "Go ahead. Be careful."
Longjiang City.
In the hospital, the Song father and son woke up one after the other. Mr. Song's condition wasn't too severe, but Song Lin, with multiple fractures all over his body, lay immobilized on the bed like a mummy.
Song Lin had never been in such a wretched state before.
He somewhat regretted taking on the North Suburb project.
Although it hadn't been confirmed that his accidents were all due to the dark energy from the North Suburb, this car accident had dealt him a heavy blow.
The pain was wearing down his willpower.
Mrs. Song seemed to have aged overnight, staying by their hospital beds, unwilling to leave for a long time.
"Auntie, you've been up all night. Your body won't be able to take it. With me and the nurses here, everything will be fine. Please go rest," Qi Yingxue urged.
Mr. Song looked at his wife with a guilty expression, forcing out a breathy whisper, "Go rest."
"Yingxue, then I'll trouble... you. And you're still wearing a bandage yourself," Mrs. Song said gratefully. She really couldn't hold on any longer and went back to rest.
Qi Yingxue sat by Song Lin's bedside, forcing a comforting smile. "A'Lin, you'll recover soon. Don't worry."
Song Lin's gaze fell on her foot.
"It's nothing, just a slight sprain," she said with a light laugh, teasing herself. "Probably heaven punishing me for doing something wrong."
Song Lin looked at her inquiringly.
"It's nothing. You rest well," she said.
Song Lin was indeed severely weakened and soon closed his eyes, falling into a deep sleep.
Qi Yingxue quietly left the hospital room, closed the door, thought for a moment, and took a business card from her bag.
It bore words like "Yan Wu, Sixth-Level Exorcist."
There was more than just Qi Quan in this world who was an exorcist!
She was deliberately not dealing with the sinister energy in the northern suburbs, deliberately letting the Song family suffer, deliberately wanting Ah Lin to go beg her.
A master with such malicious intentions, yet so many people idolized her!
Qi Yingxue couldn't swallow this injustice. She input the number and sent a text message: [Hello, can I consult you about something?]
Yan Wu replied after a moment: [Go ahead.]
Qi Yingxue: [I've been having frequent accidents lately, is it possible I've encountered something evil?]
Yan Wu: [What kind of accidents specifically?]
Qi Yingxue sent over all the details of Song Lin's accidents.
There was no reply from the other side for a long time.
Yan Wu wasn't playing hard to get; he just felt this "client" might have encountered something more than ordinary evil.
High-level masters generally don't act lightly.
Minor spirits aren't worth the effort, major spirits require caution.
No one's cultivation comes easy; he needed to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to intervene.
Judging from the continuity and severity of these accidents, the spirit's level was not ordinary.
However—
He had only given out one business card recently, so this unknown number was very likely someone from the Qi family.
Anything related to Qi Quan piqued his interest.
He slowly typed: [I need to see the situation in person.]
Receiving the reply, Qi Yingxue felt somewhat apprehensive.
Should she really invite the master?
Meanwhile, Mrs. Song woke up with a start after less than two hours of sleep.
She scrambled out of bed in a panic, about to order the driver to the hospital, when several guests arrived at the house.
It was Mrs. Du, Mrs. Yang, and Mrs. Zhang.
Their four families were all major players in Longjiang City, usually interacting quite closely and having a good relationship.
The three of them first offered extensive comfort, bringing Mrs. Song to the brink of tears, before getting to the main point.
Mrs. Zhang: "I heard your Song Lin had several accidents before?"
"That's right," Mrs. Song wiped her tears.
Mrs. Du: "Do you know about the incidents where our Jiaming and their boys ended up in the hospital?"
"I know."
Mrs. Yang: "Then you also know we invited a master to save our sons?"
The entire Song family didn't believe in such things, so they had always been skeptical of the stories circulating in their social circle.
She nodded gently, "You mentioned it before."
Mrs. Zhang advised, "If you ask me, it's better to invite a reliable master to take a look. Even the unluckiest person has a limit, and your Song Lin's situation seems to go beyond mere bad luck."
"Exactly, aren't you afraid he'll have another accident before his injuries even heal?" Mrs. Du countered.
Mrs. Song's heart clenched. Ah Lin couldn't afford another accident!
He was lucky to escape with his life this time, but what about next time?
She already felt something was subtly wrong, and hearing the three of them say this, she no longer cared about superstitions or feudal beliefs. She decisively asked, "Can you help refer me to someone?"
"The one who saved our sons was Master Qi," Mrs. Zhang said. "Let me be clear, you can't doubt her just because she's young. Even masters from Longjing City couldn't compare to her!"
"Absolutely," the others chimed in.
Mrs. Song was torn between laughter and tears: "If I don't trust her, I still trust you all, don't I?"
Lakeside Villa...
Qi Quan had made four sets of autumn clothes, two for Su Rong and two for Xue Hong.
Although ghosts couldn't feel seasonal temperature changes, life still needed a sense of ritual.
Butler Su received the clothes and, as always, showed a grateful smile, happily taking them back to his room to change.
Xue Hong was more straightforward, changing right in front of Qi Quan into a set of women's tailored trousers and a jacket, looking slim, long-legged, and sharp.
The other set was casual wear, elegant and tasteful, made from a fabric with a nice drape, very comfortable to wear.
She was extremely satisfied with both.
"I always thought I had bad luck, but now I feel my luck is truly unbeatable."
Qi Quan: "I'm also very lucky, saving a lot on tutoring fees."
"......"
Xue Hong said helplessly, "You have more money in the bank than you can count, and you still begrudge a little tutoring fee? See, someone else is bringing you money."
The visitor was indeed Mrs. Song.
She got out of the car, stood at the gate of the Lakeside Villa courtyard, and nervously rang the doorbell.
Mrs. Zhang had come with her and comforted her, "The Master is very approachable, don't worry."
"I know, I'm just worried about Ah Lin and his father," Mrs. Song replied softly.
Not being by their side, she couldn't feel at ease.
The door was opened by Su Rong, who had already changed into his new clothes, looking exceptionally handsome.
Mrs. Song, consumed by anxiety, had no mind to appreciate a handsome man. She just said, "Hello, I'd like to ask the Master for help."
"Please come in."
Su Rong led them into the living room.
At that moment, Ling Sheng entered carrying a tea tray and poured tea for the two ladies.
Mrs. Song, originally distraught, shouldn't have noticed anyone's appearance, but when she caught a glimpse of Ling Sheng out of the corner of her eye, she was suddenly taken aback.
She blurted out without thinking, "Have we met before?"
Su Rong: ?
Ling Sheng acted as if he hadn't heard, finished pouring the tea, turned, and left.
Mrs. Song: "......"
Qi Quan stepped into the living room.
She had heard the previous sentence but paid it no mind. Regardless of Ling Sheng's identity, he was now a member of the Lakeside Villa.
She had absolutely no intention of investigating his background.
Mrs. Song straightened up: "Master Qi, my visit is presumptuous, I apologize for the disturbance."
Qi Quan got straight to the point: "You're here for Song Lin."
"Yes, I beg Master Qi to save him."
Qi Quan said calmly, "I can't save him."
"Master Qi," Mrs. Song was on the verge of tears, "I know you young people had some disagreements before. I apologize to you here. As long as you save him, our Song family will agree to any request!"
Qi Quan sighed inwardly: "It's not that I won't save him, it's that I cannot."
"Master Qi..."
"Mrs. Song," Qi Quan interrupted her, her expression serious, "If the Song family does not give up on that plot of land in the northern suburbs, Song Lin's accidents will be endless."
Mrs. Song: "......"
"Of course, even if you give it up now, you will have to pay an extremely high price to secure peace."
"What price?" Mrs. Song asked instinctively.
Qi Quan said lightly, "Dissipate your entire family fortune."
Mrs. Song: ???
Mrs. Zhang: Well, this...
The system was shocked: [Big shot, is this true? You're not just trying to scare her, are you?]
Qi Quan: [Guess what level the thing in the northern suburbs is?]
[Six... level six?]
Qi Quan: [It is indeed level six, but it's a spirit approaching level seven. Against such a spirit, even a master of the same level would find it difficult to gain an advantage. For the Song family to break this situation, they must make a sufficient gesture. Otherwise, if the major spirit isn't appeased, all efforts will be in vain.]
[How did such a powerful spirit appear?] The system was surprised.
Qi Quan: [Who knows.]
The living room fell into silence.
After a moment, Mrs. Song stood up and said politely, "Master Qi, thank you for your time."
She turned and left the Lakeside Villa.
The system was very curious: [Big shot, why don't you go subdue that major spirit? What if it becomes a blue-level ghost and brings disaster to the world?...]
Qi Quan: [I still have to write my novel, no time.]
System: ......
It didn't believe that for a second!
