The spirit was a female ghost.
She looked nothing like Zheng Hui.
Her features were ordinary, her appearance plain—so unremarkable that she’d be lost in a crowd without a trace.
Once separated from the mismatched “hardware” of Zheng Hui, her expressions became noticeably more vivid.
Mr. Feng couldn’t believe it. “Who are you?!”
The system was stunned: [He’s acting so convincingly! Not at all like someone who’s known Zheng Hui’s appearance for a long time.]
Qi Quan: [He really doesn’t know.]
[What?] The system was baffled.
Qi Quan’s words cut deep: “You think Zheng Hui’s body is still occupied by your first love, right?”
“Impossible! That’s impossible!” Mr. Feng took a few terrified steps back, staring hard at the ghost’s unfamiliar face, then turned to Qi Quan. “You must have tampered with something!”
Qi Quan glanced at the ghost. “Don’t you want to say something to him?”
The ghost stepped forward.
The man instinctively retreated a few steps.
On the ghost’s pale face, a few strands of grievance flickered. She lowered her head, wiped away tears that didn’t really exist, and said in a hoarse voice, “A-Kai, don’t you remember me?”
Feng Kai shuddered all over. “I don’t know you! Why are you inside Hui Hui’s body?”
His panic and disbelief were genuine.
Zheng Guangming and Chen Feilu were completely confused by his behavior.
Just a moment ago, Feng Kai had acted like the mastermind behind the scenes!
“You really don’t remember me,” the ghost said softly, tears welling up, looking pitiful for a moment—but in the next second, her expression darkened suddenly. Black mist covered her eyes as she roared angrily, “You only remember that bitch Zhou Qian! You only remember her! Not even your own wife…”
“Shut up!” Feng Kai’s aura surged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
He was quite savvy, red-eyed as he said to Zheng Guangming, “Big brother, I truly don’t know that Hui Hui’s been possessed by this filthy thing. I thought she was just traumatized and changed like this. Luckily, you noticed something was wrong and brought in a master.”
Chen Feilu caught on: This guy was pretty sly.
After all, no one could prove he knew that the person inside Zheng Hui’s body wasn’t really Zheng Hui.
He was just an innocent victim.
Zheng Guangming was disgusted too. With Feng Kai’s previously polished, scoundrel-like face, he definitely knew something.
But there was no evidence.
Zheng Guangming ignored him and asked Qi Quan, “Master, is Hui Hui still salvageable?”
If this ghost had taken over Hui Hui’s body, then where was Hui Hui?
Qi Quan glanced at the man. “Ask him.”
Zheng Guangming immediately rushed over to Feng Kai, grabbed his collar, almost lifting him off the ground, and growled fiercely, “Where did you take Hui Hui? Tell me now!”
He was tall and strong; when angry, he was intimidating, towering over Feng Kai.
Feng Kai’s glasses were crooked, and he didn’t even bother to fix them. “I don’t know, I really don’t know. Big brother, I like Hui Hui so much—how could I let this strange ghost take over her body?”
Qi Quan said, “Because you thought it was your first love.”
Feng Kai: “...”
[Boss, how did you figure that out?] The system admired.
Qi Quan: "It's simple. Feng Kai's facial features show that he once had a deep and passionate first love, but sadly, that first love passed away early. He doesn't care at all about the strange situation with Zheng Hui, which means he knows about it. But he doesn’t realize that the 'Hui' inside Zheng Hui is actually another female ghost."
[So what role exactly does he play in all this?]
Qi Quan: "He is both the mastermind and the deceived."
[I see, he’s basically shooting himself in the foot.]
"Speak up! Where is Huihui?" Zheng Guangming was nearly frantic.
He didn’t care about whatever entanglement Feng Kai had with the ghost; all he wanted was his sister back.
The ghost spoke softly, "Feng Kai, do you know why Zhou Qian had a miscarriage?"
"Shut up!" Feng Kai lost all composure. "I don’t know what you’re talking about!"
The ghost’s eyes glowed with dark energy as she stared at him, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips, as if enjoying his expression on the brink of collapse. With a rough voice, she said:
"Because your parents are snobs. They wanted you to marry a rich wife, someone like Zheng Hui, whose family could provide the funds to boost your career."
"Stop talking nonsense! I only love Huihui!" Feng Kai shouted.
The ghost chuckled coldly, "Last night you were still calling me 'Qianqian,' and now you’ve forgotten? Feng Kai, you love Zhou Qian’s gentle nature and are reluctant to leave Zheng Hui’s wealthy family, but you can’t stand Zhou Qian’s poverty and can’t live under Zheng Hui’s dominance. So you came up with the perfect plan—to combine the two of them and enjoy the benefits of both, right?"
Zheng Guangming: !!!
Chen Feilu: Holy crap!
System: "Damn! Feng Kai is twisted!"
"Who are you! Who the hell are you?" Feng Kai’s eyes were bloodshot as he swung his fists at the ghost.
System: "He was so calm just now, how did he suddenly go crazy?"
Qi Quan: "Anyone capable of doing something like this is already crazy."
The system shivered involuntarily as it thought about it.
Just now, when the ghost was inside Zheng Hui’s body, the mismatch between the software and hardware—the glitches—were truly unsettling.
And Feng Kai wasn’t scared at all?
Zheng Guangming snapped back to reality, grabbed Feng Kai by the collar, and punched him hard in the face. His glasses fell off, the lenses shattered, and the frame was crushed underfoot.
"Pervert! Pervert! Pervert! Tell me! Where’s my sister?"
"Hahaha," Feng Kai suddenly burst into wild laughter, his dark eyes fixed on Zheng Guangming. "Your sister? She’s just lying on the sofa, isn’t she? Zheng Guangming, your whole family is crazy!"
Qi Quan was annoyed by the noise and sealed Feng Kai’s mouth with spiritual power.
“If you don’t want to talk, then don’t.”
"Mmm mmm mmm..."
Qi Quan then turned to the ghost. "If you have anything to say, now’s your chance. Say it all, then you can move on."
The ghost was silent.
Her pale face turned even whiter as she quietly pleaded, "I never wanted to hurt anyone. I just... I just..."
"I get it. You just want to be with the one you secretly love," Qi Quan nodded calmly. "Talk more now, because you won’t get another chance later."
The ghost let out a pitiful wail.
She knew she couldn't match Qi Quan's strength, so for now, she could only fight for the greatest benefit—confessing her feelings to Feng Kai.
“Back in high school, you often wrote love letters to Zhou Qian and had a girl deliver them for you. You probably forgot the girl who helped you deliver those letters, right?”
Feng Kai: “……”
“That’s right, I’m that girl who delivered your love letters.”
Chen Feilu wiped his face, thinking, "How did this perfectly normal supernatural channel turn into a teenage heartbreak drama?"
The girl went on and on, recounting the bittersweet memories of her high school crush. She wore a smile, as if that long-gone time was the most unforgettable chapter of her brief life.
“I liked you so much, so much. But why did you have to like Zhou Qian? Why did you have to like...
Zhou Qian!”
Chen Feilu muttered quietly, “But... what did Zhou Qian ever do wrong?”
“She did nothing wrong!” The ghost laughed coldly, “Her only mistake was making a man unable to forget her. After all these years, he even hired a master to bring her back to life, to be reborn in Zheng Hui’s body.”
Feng Kai: “……”
“But you didn’t expect this, did you? When you and the master stood before Zhou Qian’s tombstone, what you saw wasn’t Zhou Qian’s spirit—it was mine.”
“Ugh ugh ugh...”
“Want to know why?” The ghost smiled eerily, “Because before I died, I just wanted to see you a little longer.”
Feng Kai often visited Zhou Qian’s grave, and the ghost’s lingering wish before dying was to see Feng Kai frequently. Her attachment caused her to cling to Zhou Qian’s tombstone. The graveyard’s heavy yin energy allowed her to stay in the mortal world for quite a while.
Every time Feng Kai came to visit, she could shamelessly admire his handsome face, no longer forced to bow her head in shame like before.
But Feng Kai didn’t come every day—at most, once a month.
From luxury to frugality is hard.
Humans become greedy, and ghosts are no different.
Waiting a whole month was torture for her. She wanted to stay by his side forever, to watch him day and night.
Finally, one day, her chance came.
Feng Kai came with a Taoist master.
She was terrified at first, thinking Feng Kai had discovered her and was going to send her away.
She hid trembling behind the tombstone.
Feng Kai anxiously asked, “Master, is she still there?”
The master, cold and aloof, replied, “Yes.”
“Can you perform the ritual?”
“Yes.”
And so, the ghost was taken back to Feng Kai’s home by the master.
The master trapped her inside Zheng Hui’s body. It was agonizing—she felt none of the freedom or lightness she had as a ghost. But when she opened her eyes and saw Feng Kai’s affectionate gaze, she stopped caring about anything.
She imitated Zhou Qian’s tone and mannerisms perfectly. She even fabricated a story about missing a child lost to miscarriage, using Zhou Qian’s own history to dispel Feng Kai’s suspicions.
After all, it’s always difficult to adapt when one’s soul occupies another’s body. Even if she acted strangely, Feng Kai wouldn’t suspect too much.
She would never tell Feng Kai that the master had deceived him.
But now, the dream was finally shattered.
She watched Feng Kai’s devastated, nauseous face and couldn’t help but laugh.
Her laughter was sharp and haunting.
Qi Quan: “……”
With a casual flick of his hand, Qi Quan sealed the ghost into a peach wood talisman.
The peach wood talisman now contained four spirits: Qin Ruo, the long-bearded Celestial Master, Wei Hao, and the newly arrived female ghost.
It was no different from a prison cell.
“Why is it so cramped in here!” Qin Ruo shouted angrily. “Newcomer, get over to the side!”
The female ghost said nothing.
She quietly pressed herself into a corner, not daring to argue with the prison bully.
“Knock, knock, knock.”
There was a knock at the door.
“Hello, police? Is anyone home?”
Qi Quan ended Feng Kai’s silencing spell.
Feng Kai’s eyes lit up, and he hurried over to open the door. As soon as it opened, he choked up and said, “Officer, it was me who reported this. They harmed my wife, and now she’s unconscious!”
Two police officers stepped inside and saw Zheng Hui lying on the sofa. One asked, “Have you called an ambulance?”
Feng Kai was taken aback. “No.”
Since Zheng Hui wasn’t truly injured or ill, he hadn’t thought of it.
The officers frowned, surveying the living room. It didn’t look like a scene of violent struggle, and the others seemed unnervingly calm.
“Officer, look at my face,” Feng Kai pointed at Zheng Guangming. “He’s the one who hit her.”
Zheng Guangming had just punched Feng Kai’s face, leaving several visible marks.
“Call an ambulance first,” one officer instructed. “The rest of you will need to come with me later.”
At that moment, Chen Feilu stepped in front of the two officers and pulled out an ID card.
The words “National Special Case Investigation Department” caught their eyes.
The two officers exchanged glances, surprise evident in their eyes.
Their department had just received notice yesterday about a newly established agency—an official, government-backed unit similar to theirs, dedicated to handling special cases. It was called the “National Special Case Investigation Department.” If they encountered such cases during investigations, they could transfer them to this unit.
What kind of special cases they handled, no one really knew.
Colleagues speculated it might be about investigating cold cases or cleaning up social misconduct.
But no one expected to see this ID so soon.
A fellow officer—this made things easier.
“Comrade, what’s going on here?” one officer asked.
Chen Feilu answered seriously, “We’re from the Investigation Department. This case is now under our jurisdiction. The victim here does not need an ambulance.”
The officers thought: the notice was only issued yesterday, so it was unlikely a scammer would already have forged such a credential. Still, they asked cautiously, “Can we see your ID?”
Chen Feilu handed it over.
The officers flipped it open.
[Chen Feilu, Male, 20 years old, Chief Consultant Assistant, National Special Case Investigation Department, ID No. xxxxxx]
There was a red official stamp below. It looked genuine.
They returned the ID and asked, “Are you sure no ambulance is needed?”
He hesitated, glancing at the motionless Zheng Hui.
Chen Feilu was about to explain when suddenly, a very thin spiritual thread rose gently from Zheng Hui’s third eye.
It was the Master.
He stared intently.
Ordinary people couldn’t see the spiritual energy manifest as a fine thread; only a novice like Chen Feilu could.
Everyone else: ???
Why was he suddenly staring so fixedly at the young woman?
Feng Kai shouted in anger and shock, "Why are you looking at her? Officer, please call an ambulance! They’re bad people, scammers! Don’t listen to their nonsense!"
Just now, he saw Chen Feilu show his badge to the police. Although he didn’t get a clear look, the change in the officer’s attitude made him realize that things were quickly spiraling out of his control.
What should he do? What on earth should he do?!
Qi Quan extended his spiritual energy deep into Zheng Hui’s soul, probing bit by bit. After a short while, the spiritual thread curved, slowly extending outward.
[Boss, what exactly are you doing?]
[Every person’s body and soul are perfectly matched. Even if a female ghost has taken over Zheng Hui’s body, having used it for over twenty years, she can’t suddenly become someone else overnight. The lingering instincts will guide us to find her true soul.]
The system applauded: [Impressive, boss!]
The spiritual thread cautiously stretched out its tendrils, as if searching and testing, gradually drifting toward a bedroom.
It was from this very bedroom that the “Zheng Hui” had just emerged.
The master bedroom of the house.
Qi Quan followed the thread and opened the door.
Suddenly, the spiritual thread became excited, twirling in the air before striking a specific spot.
It was a wedding photo — a solo portrait of Zheng Hui.
She wore a pristine white wedding dress, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers, standing on lush green grass, her smile dazzlingly bright.
And this photo faced directly toward the bed.
...
Chen Feilu stepped in behind and, seeing the scene, felt a chill run through his entire body, making him shiver uncontrollably.
If Zheng Hui’s soul really was trapped inside this photo, then every night she would have to watch her husband cozying up to another woman — what kind of torment would that be?
Especially since the other woman was using *her* body.
When Feng Kai held that body, was he calling her “Huihui” or “Qianqian”?
Qi Quan gazed softly at the woman in the photo and said gently, “Zheng Hui, it’s time to come back.”
No sooner had he spoken than the spiritual thread suddenly withdrew from the photo, pulling out an elegant and beautiful woman.
The woman glanced at Qi Quan briefly, then, under the thread’s tug, instantly returned to her body.
Chen Feilu held his breath.
The others were utterly confused.
First, they stared at Zheng Hui, then their vacant gazes shifted to the photo in the bedroom, and then back at Zheng Hui again.
Had they all gone mad?
Outside, the wind stirred the curtains, sunlight streaming in, bringing a touch of warmth to the cold-toned room.
Zheng Hui’s eyes suddenly snapped open.
The very first thing she did upon waking was to rush at Feng Kai, slapping him repeatedly — over a dozen hard slaps — until her arms gave out. Not even the police could stop her.
“Pervert! Scumbag! Die! You got rich off me, and this is how you treat me! You’re dead meat! You really are dead meat!”
System: [What a spectacular scene — even the curses sound beautiful.]
Qi Quan: ……
“Huihui!” Zheng Guangming snapped back to reality, his face lighting up with joy. “Huihui! It’s really you! You’re back?”
But the hysterical Zheng Hui suddenly froze in place.
She turned around to look at Zheng Guangming, opened her mouth, froze for a few seconds, then suddenly threw herself onto him and burst into tears.
“Brother! Brother! Feng Kai hurt me! He hurt me! I want to put him in jail!”
Zheng Guangming wiped away his tears. That was more like it! This was how Miss Zheng of the Zheng family should be—there was no way she’d pretend to be mentally ill every night.
He patted Zheng Hui’s shoulder, his tough exterior softening with affection as he said, “Alright, do whatever you want. We’ll divorce him! We’ll put him behind bars! If he dares to bully you, our whole family won’t let him off!”
Feng Kai knelt on the ground, his face swollen and red, utterly desperate.
How could things have come to this? How did it all turn out like this?
The police officers exchanged glances: as expected, this was a special case, one they couldn’t quite understand.
“Assistant Chen, what’s going on here?”
Chen Feilu looked at Qi Quan’s methods with deep admiration, his eyes shining brightly. “This is the chief consultant from the Investigation Department, Qi Quan. She just saved Ms. Zheng Hui. We’ll handle this case thoroughly. Thank you all for coming out.”
“No trouble at all,” the police waved their hands. “So, what about Mr. Feng…”
“Of course, he will be taken away by us,” Chen Feilu replied.
Li Guoyan had already explained the Investigation Department’s procedures to him. Any case involving the mystical sect—whether the suspect is a sect member or an ordinary person—must be brought to the Investigation Department for interrogation, and then sent to the special court for judgment.
Once convicted, sect criminals are sent to a special prison, while ordinary criminals go to regular prisons.
Now, they needed to escort Feng Kai to the Investigation Department.
“On what grounds are you arresting me? I don’t know anything! I know nothing!” Feng Kai shouted and raged.
Chen Feilu clicked his tongue. “You can scream all you want once you’re behind bars.”
He turned to the Zheng siblings. “The victim and witnesses need to give statements.”
“That’s right, that’s right,” Zheng Guangming nodded repeatedly.
Zheng Hui bowed deeply to Qi Quan, sincere and grateful. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
Qi Quan simply replied, “Mm.”
The Longjiang City Investigation Department was located in a standalone villa on the outskirts, with no address plate—probably a temporary office. Since cases were few and manpower limited, there was no need for a large operation yet.
Once the system was fully established, its reputation would surely rival the Taoist Master Association.
The car stopped in front of the villa.
Qi Quan closed her eyes in the back seat to rest, instructing Chen Feilu, “You take them inside.”
She didn’t get out of the car.
Chen Feilu immediately understood and respectfully asked, “What about the female ghost?”
Qi Quan pulled the ghost out, binding her with a spiritual energy chain, and handed her over to Chen Feilu.
The ghost whimpered, “I didn’t mean to, it was Feng Kai and the master who cast spells forcing me into Zheng Hui’s body.”
“…”
So, when it came time to go to the station, she wasn’t going to keep feeling sorry for Feng Kai?
Feng Kai furiously cursed at her.
Zheng Hui slapped him hard across the face, and he quieted down.
The group, along with the ghost, entered the Investigation Department. Qi Quan remained in the car, meditating quietly.
After a short while, Chen Feilu returned to the car.
He was Qi Quan’s exclusive assistant and did not participate in interrogations.
“Master, the Investigation Department colleagues said that once the case is closed, they will provide us with a detailed transcript.”
Qi Quan opened her eyes. “Why?”
“Ah?” Chen Feilu was puzzled. “You’re the chief consultant. Since this case is personally handled by you, shouldn’t it have been assigned to you in the first place?”
Qi Quan replied, “Oh.”
Chen Feilu thought to himself: The master really doesn’t like mundane affairs.
He pulled out his phone and reported, “Director Lu just sent me a video about Wei Hao’s mother. He also said that Wei Hao’s level is too high for the Longtan City Investigation Department to handle, so they’ve asked you personally to take care of it.”
The peachwood talisman was crowded; indeed, it was time to clear some space.
Qi Quan then released Wei Hao.
The malevolent spirit could freely change its form. To avoid Wei Hao taking up too much space in the car, Qi Quan shrank him down to about the length of a finger.
He hung there listlessly in midair.
Qi Quan instructed Chen Feilu, “Play the video for him.”
Destroying a high-level malevolent spirit requires a significant amount of spiritual energy. If the spirit could be persuaded to willingly dissipate, that would be even better.
Wei Hao’s tragic fate in life was truly pitiful, but after death, he had harmed many people and was doomed to never enter reincarnation.
Chen Feilu placed the phone upright in front of him and started the video.
The video was specially recorded by Lv Shengyang.
In the footage, an elderly woman with graying hair and a frail figure stood outside a shed. She stooped forward, repeatedly clasping her hands in gratitude, bowing deeply to the police officers with tears streaming down her face. “Thank you all, thank you for giving my son justice. In my next life, I will repay you by becoming an ox or a horse…”
Wei Hao burst into tears.
“Director Lu said the authorities will arrange for the elderly lady to live in a county nursing home, where she will be cared for and no longer have to survive by scavenging garbage. When her time comes, someone will perform the funeral rites for her,” Chen Feilu’s voice was hoarse.
Among everyone involved in this case, the most innocent and heart-wrenching was Old Mrs. Cao.
When the video ended, Wei Hao sobbed uncontrollably.
“I’ve failed her,” he pounded his head desperately. “I caused deaths, I betrayed her teachings.”
Qi Quan said calmly, “Being her son was your blessing.”
“Yes, it was my blessing,” Wei Hao said with a mournful smile. “Please thank Director Lu for me, and everyone who helped bring justice and cared for my mother. I must go now.”
He was reluctant to leave this mortal world, but those who do wrong must face the consequences.
His ghostly form turned into specks of gray light and completely dissipated.
Longjiang City First Hospital.
Mrs. Song had kept vigil all night. In the early hours, she finally witnessed an accident happen right before her eyes.
The fluorescent tube above the hospital bed suddenly exploded without warning, terrifying her so much she nearly fainted.
The shattered fragments of the tube struck Song Lin’s head almost entirely. If it weren’t for the bandages covering his face, he might have been seriously injured or disfigured.
Mrs. Song was truly terrified.
Accidents were like a persistent tumor, always lurking nearby. She didn’t know when another accident might strike, or if the next one would take Song Lin’s life.
Or perhaps, the lives of the entire Song family.
Old Song was already lying in the hospital bed—how much longer could she hold on?
If she also fell, what would become of the Song family?
The nurse carefully removed the fragments of the broken lamp and replaced the hospital bed with a new one.
Mrs. Song sat nearby, tears streaming down her face.
“Mom…” Song Lin struggled to open his eyes and weakly called out.
Mrs. Song hurriedly wiped away her tears. “Lin, are you feeling unwell? I’ll go find the doctor.”
“No… Mom… please ask Qi Quan… ask her to save me…” Song Lin’s voice was faint and broken.
At this point, he no longer dared to doubt the *Diary of the Wealthy Family*.
The series of accidents were no coincidence.
Earlier, when the hospital bed suddenly collapsed, he had caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure—pitch black, with deep, cold, merciless eyes, as if watching him step by step toward hell.
Song Lin wouldn’t gamble anymore.
“But… but…” Mrs. Song was moved by her son’s pleading eyes and couldn’t find the words to respond.
If her son’s life was at stake, what use was money?
But such a serious matter had to be discussed with Old Song.
She nodded firmly, “I will ask her to save you.”
Leaving the ward, Mrs. Song went to find her husband.
Chairman Song was already awake. Seeing Mrs. Song, he quickly asked, “How is our son?”
“He’s not in any immediate danger, but…”
Mrs. Song recounted all the recent accidents and the fact that she had asked a master for help. Then, with determination, she said, “Old Song, I want to save our son. No matter how much Qi Quan asks for, I’m willing to pay. Money can be earned again, but if he dies, what’s the point of money?”
Chairman Song was speechless.
He hesitated, “Did she really say we have to ‘spend the entire family fortune’?”
“She did,” Mrs. Song said, holding onto a sliver of hope. “I don’t know what exactly ‘spend the entire family fortune’ means. Maybe it’s not as extreme as it sounds.”
Chairman Song sighed deeply. He was not as optimistic as Mrs. Song.
The Song family’s foundation was built painstakingly over decades—how could they just throw it all away?
But if they didn’t, the accidents would keep coming, and in the end, the family might be destroyed.
Tears welled up in Chairman Song’s eyes.
He was a man of firm decisions; otherwise, he wouldn’t have built the family empire.
“Old Du and Old Qi advised me before, but I didn’t listen. This is probably a calamity for the Song family. If we can get through it, it will be fine. You go ask Master Qi to help, and while you’re at it, find out about her rules. Don’t offend her.”
Mrs. Song nodded. “Alright.”
She immediately left the hospital and instructed the driver to head to the lakeside villa.
Standing once again at the gate of the lakeside villa, her mindset had already shifted.
She pressed the doorbell.
Su Rong opened the door with a smile. “The master is out on business. Please come back another time.”
Mrs. Song spoke urgently, “When will the master be back? I can wait!”
Su Rong was about to respond when another car pulled up.
It was Zheng Guangming’s car.
The master had returned!
Su Rong’s smile deepened suddenly, and Mrs. Song instinctively turned around.
Under the tall tree canopy, a young and beautiful woman stepped out of the car. She wore a beige knitted cardigan, her hair loosely tied back, exuding a somewhat lazy and casual air.
Mrs. Song’s eyes lit up as she stepped forward.
“Master Qi, I apologize for my earlier rudeness—”
A thin, black thread suddenly shot out from her hair, piercing toward Qi Quan’s eye with lightning speed!
Chen Feilu and Su Rong didn’t even have time to shout.
The black thread struck the pupil.
“Pfft.”
The faint sound of something bursting reached Chen Feilu’s ears. He stared in shock at the shattered black thread, feeling both terrified and awed.
A cluster of black liquid, wrapped in spiritual energy, hovered in the air.
Chen Feilu pushed Mrs. Song aside and stood in front of Qi Quan, his tone sharp and stern: “What are you doing?!”
Mrs. Song was completely stunned.
She hadn’t seen the black thread fly out, but she clearly saw it stop right before Qi Quan’s eyeball.
“It’s not me… it’s not me! I really didn’t mean to harm Master Qi. I came to ask him for help—how could I possibly want to hurt him?!” She was so anxious that her words stumbled over each other.
Qi Quan glanced at her coldly and said lightly, “You may leave.”
“Master?” Mrs. Song’s despair turned into a desperate plea. “Master, please save us. We’ll pay any price!”
Qi Quan replied, “I’ve already told you the solution. How you choose to proceed is up to you.”
The ball of spiritual energy wrapped around the black thread fell into her palm. She turned and walked toward the villa’s front door.
Mrs. Song cried out anxiously, “But, but—”
Chen Feilu blocked her way, his face cold. “The Master has already given you a way out. What are you hesitating for?”
Mrs. Song staggered backward, tears streaming down her face.
At the lakeside villa.
Qi Quan had just sat down when Su Rong brought over a cup of tea at just the right temperature, and Xue Hong handed over neatly sliced fruit. The service was impeccable.
Having thoughtful ghost attendants really was a blessing.
Qi Quan took a sip of tea, ate a piece of melon, leaned back on the sofa, and released the black thread’s corpse.
The body was already in pieces, unrecognizable.
“Master, what is this thing?” Chen Feilu asked.
Qi Quan said, “In the world of the occult, there’s the sword path, talisman path, and formation path—these three are well-known. But beyond these, there are many lesser-known methods. The beast-taming path is one of them.”
“Last time, we tracked beetles!” Chen Feilu recalled. “Could it be that Yan Wu released bugs again this time?”
Qi Quan said with interest, “This is far more advanced than tracking beetles. It’s called the Ghost Gu—a sinister, stealthy poisonous insect. It moves incredibly fast. Those who are infected often don’t even have time to react before the insect burrows into their body.”
[Master, how did you avoid it?] the system asked in admiration.
Qi Quan: [My body is covered with a layer of protective spiritual energy. The Gu insect can’t break through my defense, so it can’t enter my body.]
The occult world is full of cunning and treacherous methods. She had encountered many in her previous life. Knowing that enemies were present, how could she have put herself in danger?
There are probably very few who can break through her protective spiritual energy.
Su Rong asked, “What harm does the Ghost Gu cause?”
“It damages the dantian and spirit platform, greatly reducing cultivation, and can even turn someone into an ordinary person,” Qi Quan said...
She ignited spiritual flames—ghostly blue fire that consumed the Gu insect’s corpse until it turned to ash.
Xue Hong’s face darkened. “The enemy has made a move. Isn’t it time for us to strike back?”
“Don’t worry, the counterattack has already begun.” Qi Quan lifted his head and looked at Chen Feilu. “Notify the Investigation Department. Arrest Yan Wu.”
Chen Feilu’s spirit jolted. “Yes!”
Inside a room somewhere in Longjiang City.
Suddenly, Yan Wu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, his face as pale as gold paper. His eyes widened in terror, disbelief written all over his face.
How is this possible? How could this be?
The Ghost Gu was cultivated with his own essence blood over eight years before it finally matured. Although it was only level six, the power of the Ghost Gu lay in its ability to instantly break through the defenses of any Celestial Master two levels higher than itself!
Celestial Masters at level eight or below simply couldn’t withstand it!
The Gu insect was connected to his essence blood—it was almost like a half-extension of himself. So the moment the Gu insect died, he suffered a backlash and severe injuries.
He had been careless.
Qi Quan’s cultivation was far more unfathomable than he had imagined!
This isn’t good; he had to get out of here quickly!
Without a second thought, the man grabbed a swift-travel talisman and was about to leap out the window to escape Longjiang City.
Suddenly, a large net covered his head.
Having just suffered the backlash, his vital energy surged chaotically, and his spiritual power couldn’t be used effectively. Trapped in the net, he failed to break free in time.
“Bring him back,” said the newcomer cheerfully.
They had been secretly tailing him for a long time and acted immediately after receiving orders.
The authorities were not without means.
Yan Wu couldn’t see what was happening outside the net; he could only hear the voices.
“Bring him back? Where to?”
Was Qi Quan the one who ordered them to capture him and take him to the Linhu Villa?
Filled with questions, he was taken to the interrogation room of the Investigation Department.
“Where is this?” he asked.
It looked like a police station, but the chairs here could restrain spiritual power.
He couldn’t use any spiritual power at all now.
The Celestial Master Association’s Law Enforcement Department? But why would the Celestial Master Association arrest him?
“Name?”
“Yan Wu.”
“Gender?”
“...Male.”
“Age?”
“Seventy-four.”
“Cultivation level?”
“Level six.”
At this point, Yan Wu suddenly understood something.
He had vaguely heard rumors before that the government was starting to crack down on the mystic sects and was establishing Investigation Departments nationwide to handle cases of Celestial Masters breaking the law.
He had scoffed at it before.
Crackdown on the mystic sects?
The mystic sects had deep roots and flourished widely. There were countless Celestial Masters in major sects and noble families. Could they really be cracked down on just like that?
Impossible.
The talent pool alone was far inferior to the mystic sects, let alone high-level Celestial Masters.
High-level Celestial Masters lived freely and gloriously within their sects or families. How could they possibly work for the government?
Because of this, mystic sect practitioners became even more rampant.
They were utterly fearless of the authorities, never believing the government truly had the power to rein them in.
So what was going on now?
Could Qi Quan be the government’s secret trump card?
His mind was filled with questions.
“Do you know why you’re sitting here?”
Yan Wu remained silent.
“Ten years ago, you operated a ghost marriage trafficking ring in Longjiang City, harming at least five hundred innocent girls, didn’t you?”
Yan Wu: “......”
“Six years ago, you were involved in...”
Harboring a murderer, helping him eliminate the vengeful spirits of his victims, and then giving him a disciple’s talisman to help him escape legal punishment—is that right?”
Yan Wu kept his head down.
“Four years ago, you…”
“Wait.” He finally spoke, cutting off the interrogator’s question.
The interrogator waited.
Yan Wu smiled faintly and said, “You accuse me of harboring him, but aren’t you yourselves harboring and condoning?”
“What do you mean?”
“Qi Quan secretly keeps ghost servants, yet you don’t arrest her?”
The interrogator was speechless.
Yan Wu sneered, waiting for their response.
“We handle cases based on facts, not on the ‘Tianshi Regulations.’ As long as there’s no crime against heaven or humanity, we don’t interfere.”
Yan Wu was left speechless.
“Can I get a lawyer?” he asked.
The interrogator was silent.
Of course, he could get a lawyer.
Besides cultivation, practitioners of the Xuan Sect also engage in worldly practice—learning and working is a form of cultivation.
Take Ning Zhi, for example; he went to university like anyone else.
Within the Xuan Sect, there are also legal masters—Tianshi—but the Investigation Department doesn’t operate by secular law; they have their own set of rules.
“Don’t dodge the question! Yan Wu, answer me!”
Yan Wu said, “I am a Tianshi Master of the Tianshi Association. You have no authority to detain or interrogate me.”
“…”
Forget it, just hold him for a while.
Lakeside Villa.
Chen Feilu received the interrogation results on Feng Kai’s case and forwarded them to Qi Quan.
“Master, Feng Kai admitted that he asked Master Lu Shen—who’s quite well-known around their area and popular among acquaintances—to help.”
Feng Kai was an investor, so most of his contacts were from the financial world.
The more money you make, the more you drift, and the more unsettled your heart becomes.
Generally, when business grows, people tend to believe in something—except for the Song family, who were an exception.
Lu Shen was introduced to Feng Kai by others. His appearance fee was quite high. Booking him required a fifty-thousand deposit, with the final fee depending on the difficulty of the task.
Feng Kai’s request wasn’t too difficult, but not simple either. The price was five million.
Five million—that could buy him the warmth and tenderness of his first love, and Zheng Hui’s fortune.
Why not?
But what he never expected was that the spirit summoned wasn’t his first love, Zhou Qian, but an unknown female ghost.
“This Lu Shen helped with something that goes against the natural order. The Investigation Department has decided to summon him for questioning,” Chen Feilu said.
Qi Quan nodded. “Good.”
“Master, I’m heading to Longjiang City. Do you have any instructions?”
Qi Quan: “Study hard, improve every day.”
Chen Feilu couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time.
Longjiang City First Hospital.
“Is it still only these four words?” Chairman Song coughed lightly, wincing in pain, his face pale.
Mrs. Song said, “Yes, I guess she means we need to make a move first, to show it to… that person.”
Chairman Song nodded.
He pondered for a moment, then asked, “What’s the deal with the attack on the Master’s belongings? The Master didn’t misunderstand you, did he?”
Mrs. Song wasn’t stupid.
She had been panicked because her husband and son were injured, but now that she had calmed down, she had begun to figure things out.
“That kind of thing can only be a mystical Taoist technique. It must have been cast by that Taoist master Yan Wu. He wants to harm Master Qi…”
Chairman Song was startled. “Why?”
“That’s unclear,” she frowned, “He clearly admires Master Qi, so why would he want to harm him?”
Chairman Song understood and said, “I’m afraid the admiration is fake, but the harm is real. He’s betting that the technique is powerful and wants Master Qi to confront it head-on. You need to tell Yingxue not to trust him anymore.”
“Alright.” Mrs. Song hesitated, “When should we start liquidating the assets?”
Chairman Song’s face was bitter. “Company shares, real estate, cars, jewelry, antiques—anything that can be converted into cash, we’ll sell it all and donate the money. As for the antiques, let’s donate those to the museum.”
Overnight, the Song family collapsed.
When Qi Yingxue received this news, she was tending to a twisted ankle.
Pressing deeply on the injured spot, she bit back a cry of pain.
“Auntie, are you really planning to give away all the family wealth?” Qi Yingxue held her phone, incredulous.
The Song family’s assets were worth billions—just giving it all away?
Wouldn’t that leave the Song family penniless?
She tightened her grip on the phone, breathing rapidly. “Auntie, don’t rush. Let’s ask Qi Quan to deal with that thing first. We don’t necessarily have to liquidate everything. What about Alin? What does he say? Isn’t he still hospitalized with Uncle?”
Mrs. Song said, “I’ve already told him, and he agreed. Yingxue, nothing is more important than life. This is the only chance he has right now. As for the hospital bills, I’ll borrow the money. Once they’ve recovered, we can repay it slowly.”
Qi Yingxue was speechless.
The Song family has fallen. What should she do now?
