The forbidden technique was broken, and Ji Shengzhe felt a lightness wash over him.
Under the shroud of dark energy, his ghostly form was slowly suffused with a pale golden light, continuously nourishing his injured soul.
"It's very difficult to retrieve merit that has already been seized," Qi Quan said calmly.
Ji Shengzhe hung his head. "I know."
[Master! This is too tragic! Even if we find the villain and make him pay, Ji Shengzhe still won't be able to get a good reincarnation!] The system cried out in indignation.
Qi Quan smiled. "But it's not entirely without a solution."
[Master!]
Ji Shengzhe's eyes lit up, looking at Qi Quan with surprise and hope. Meng Yunzheng was no different.
"Senior, can lost merit really be taken back?"
Qi Quan: "Merit can change fate, commonly known as changing one's luck. A person with merit, barring external influences, often has a smoother path than others. However, for celestial masters, merit has limitations."
"What do you mean?" Meng Yunzheng had never heard of this before.
"Celestial masters cultivate for longevity; they are people of great fortune to begin with," Qi Quan explained. "The Heavenly Dao would not allow celestial masters to obtain merit without limit. Otherwise, using merit for cultivation, wouldn't they ascend to immortality very quickly?"
"The merit a celestial master can accumulate is limited. At each level, the amount of merit they can use is fixed."
Celestial masters attain the Dao and longevity, already having fewer cycles of reincarnation than ordinary people. They cannot accumulate merit like ordinary people do, to be used for a better next life.
If Ji Shengzhe could truly complete ten lifetimes of virtue, his next life might become a cultivator with supreme talent, with the merit accumulated over ten lifetimes all transforming into 'the favor of the Heavenly Dao.'
But after becoming a celestial master, there would be no more beyond that.
This is the limitation set by the Heavenly Dao.
For someone of Qi Quan's cultivation level, the amount of merit she could use was only about one-twentieth of Ji Shengzhe's. Even that one-twentieth, she hadn't yet accumulated enough merit usable at her current level.
Of course, celestial master cultivation doesn't necessarily require merit; one can advance in realm without it. However, having merit to assist increases the probability of a breakthrough.
Like opportunities or sudden enlightenment, merit is also something that can be encountered but not sought.
Moreover, it's not easy for celestial masters to accumulate merit. Celestial masters are born with the duty to exorcise evil and capture ghosts, but exorcising countless evils and capturing numerous ghosts doesn't guarantee accumulating merit.
Many celestial masters therefore don't fixate on merit, but there are also greedy ones who covet the merit of others.
"So, the evil cultivator who used the forbidden technique, the merit he obtained from Ji Shengzhe couldn't possibly all be used on himself. It's very likely he stored it for other purposes," Meng Yunzheng analyzed.
Qi Quan nodded.
"So, as long as we find this person and retrieve the stored merit from him, we can return it to Ji Shengzhe?"
Ji Shengzhe looked excited.
"But the merit might have already been used on someone else, with little left," Qi Quan said.
Ji Shengzhe said firmly, "No matter what, finding it is what matters!"
"If the merit was used on an ordinary person, as long as that person is returned to their state before the luck change, the merit can be refunded. If it was used on a celestial master, the merit cannot be retrieved."
"I'm already like this," Ji Shengzhe said with a bitter smile. "How much worse can it get?"
Qi Quan: "Good."
She tossed out a peach wood talisman. The talisman floated in front of Ji Shengzhe.
As a powerful ghost, he could sense what this was.
But he didn't hesitate in the slightest.
Helping him break the forbidden technique that stole his merit had already made him immensely grateful.
He trusted her!
"Is that all?" Meng Yunzheng felt like he was dreaming.
Qi Quan: "The culprit hasn't... been found yet."
Meng Yunzheng's expression turned solemn. "The Investigation Department will spare no effort in the search!"
Striving to recover as much merit as possible for Ji Shengzhe.
The system's anger also subsided: [Wuwuwuwu, Master, I love you so much! You are the light of this world!]
Qi Quan: ...
That's really not necessary.
[But Master, I still have a question.]
[Speak.]
[A celestial master who seizes another's merit, won't they incur heavenly retribution? And those evil celestial masters before, aren't they afraid of karmic retribution for doing so many bad deeds?]
Qi Quan said: [Doing bad things will be punished by law; this is a truth everyone understands. But every moment in the world, there are people committing evil deeds.]
Everyone understands the principle, but the hand that commits evil cannot be controlled.
[But celestial masters doing these things, aren't they afraid of their souls being scattered?]
Evildoers face punishment, but at least they still have a chance for reincarnation.
Qi Quan: [The law has loopholes, and the Heavenly Dao is not omnipotent. There will always be people who like to exploit gaps.]
The system was convinced: [That's true.]
Longlin City.
Just as Yan Huai exited the train station, he received a message on his phone.
[Father: This is a photo sent by the Hengfeng Sect. When subduing the wetland ferocious ghost last night, an expert left behind a talisman. The method of drawing this talisman is quite unique.]
He zoomed in to look carefully.
It was indeed different from ordinary talismans.
The Yan family had many talisman masters. Even if they came from the same school, each talisman master's method of drawing talismans was different.
It's like practicing calligraphy from the same copybook; everyone's results are different.
Who exactly is this expert?
Could it be an ace up the official sleeve?
Yan Huai hurried to the wetland park, applied an invisibility talisman, and flew with Yan Geng towards the swamp area.
The remnants of the formation were still in place, but without spiritual power to sustain it, it could no longer operate.
He carefully searched the surroundings but found no traces.
Yan Geng muttered, "Brother Huai, do you remember last time at the Celestial Masters Association, we ran into that Ning Zhi from the Ning family?"
"Hmm."
Yan Huai wasn't truly arrogant to the point of ignoring everyone. At the very least, he had some impression of the second and third place winners of the Grand Alchemy Competition.
"At that time, Fatty and I were discussing, saying Ning Zhi was colluding with an evil cultivator in Longjiang City and was summoned by the Celestial Masters Association for interrogation. You heard that too, right?"
"Hmm."
"But not long after, Ning Zhi was released," Yan Geng said mysteriously. "It's said that officials sent someone to negotiate with the Association and took him away. He's now working for the officials."
"Hmm."
"..." Yan Geng said helplessly, "Aren't you curious at all?"
Yan Huai looked up towards the treetops. "You want to say that the officials wouldn't recruit a celestial master who colludes with evil cultivators."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Yan Geng nodded vigorously. "So there was never any evil cultivator to begin with. Then why did the Association want to convict Ning Zhi?"
Yan Huai withdrew his gaze, his expression cold and stern. "Righteous and evil, it's just a matter of different stances."
Who is righteous and who is evil isn't determined by words.
Yan Geng sighed. "So what do we do now?"
"Return to Longjiang City."
"Ah?"
Yan Huai's figure flashed, and he was already out of the wetland park.
When the two returned to Longjiang City, they found the dark energy over the northern suburbs was gone.
Yan Geng rubbed his eyes, shocked. "Brother Huai, it's gone!"
That was a quasi-seventh-level powerful ghost!
Could the Longjiang City Investigation Department really have such a master—
Wait.
This scene felt familiar.
There was one in Longlin City, and now another appears in Longjiang City. It couldn't be... that the officials' masters are mass-produced, could it?
His eyes widened, and he exclaimed, "The master is right here in Longjiang City!"
Yan Huai ordered: "First find accommodation, then go to the Celestial Masters Association."
"Yes!"
The most familiar with the local celestial masters' situation would be the Celestial Masters Association.
Lakeside Villa.
As soon as Qi Quan returned, she released Ji Shengzhe from the peach wood talisman.
Ji Shengzhe: ???
Why were there two other ghosts in front of him?
Su Rong smiled, "The Master has brought back another one."
Xue Hong crossed her arms and said, "Don't worry, he doesn't meet the Master's strict standards for taking on a ghost servant. He won't steal your job."
"..."
Ji Shengzhe felt that after being trapped for so many years, he could no longer understand modern ghosts.
"Let me introduce, Ji Shengzhe, a Level Six Red Ghost from the northern suburbs," Qi Quan said succinctly.
Su Rong extended his right hand, "Hello, I'm Su Rong, the butler here. If you need anything in the future, please don't hesitate to ask me."
Ji Shengzhe shook his hand in a daze.
"I'm the family tutor," Xue Hong said with an air of a cool, capable older sister. "If you have any questions, you can come to me."
"...Hello, teacher."
"Pfft." Xue Hong couldn't help but laugh.
This Level Six major ghost was a bit simple-minded.
She teased, "You're a big celebrity in our Longjiang City now, the most mysterious topic of conversation in high society."
Ji Shengzhe: ?
"Was it you who caused Song Lin's accident?" Xue Hong asked.
"Yes," Ji Shengzhe said seriously. "I was trapped there, and the place is heavy with yin energy. Building a factory there was no good for them. I just wanted them to cut their losses in time."
Xue Hong raised an eyebrow, "Wasn't there a bit of a desire for revenge?"
"...A little," Ji Shengzhe admitted sheepishly. "My mother had an accident because of the demolition. I don't have much goodwill towards those developers."
Song Lin's suffering was not unjust; he should even be thanking Ji Shengzhe for his restraint.
Qi Quan said, "You all chat, I'm going back to my room."
She returned to her room alone to cultivate.
As the butler, Su Rong was in charge of all matters in the villa. He was used to the Master occasionally picking up a pitiful ghost and bringing it home. The routine for hosting ghosts was familiar to the point of being second nature.
He led Ji Shengzhe to a room in the west wing and said, "You'll stay here for now."
The room's appearance and decor were antique, reminiscent of classical Chinese gardens, yet fully functional, drawing exclamations of amazement from Ji Shengzhe.
"A TV! Can I watch TV?"
Su Rong: "..."
He recalled Ji Shengzhe's year of death. Back then, televisions weren't fully widespread yet; they were considered a major appliance, unaffordable for many families, so naturally, he never had the chance to watch one.
"Of course you can."
Ji Shengzhe excitedly floated up, releasing wisps of black energy into the air as he played around.
Su Rong smiled slightly and turned on the TV.
After all, Ji Shengzhe was a ghost; he couldn't use any other household appliances anyway, so there was no need for further introductions.
The seventy-inch screen captured the Level Six major ghost's complete attention. He simply sat down on the carpet and began watching TV with rapt focus.
Su Rong left the room, giving him his space.
Longjiang City Taoist Master Association.
When Yan Huai presented his Level Six Taoist Master certificate, the association staff immediately beamed with enthusiastic smiles.
"Senior Yan, how may I assist you?"
Yan Huai's expression was cold, and he did not reply.
Yan Geng, standing beside him, spoke up, "We'd like to check the list of Level Six and above Taoist Masters registered in Longjiang City."
The staff member was slightly taken aback. "I'm sorry, but there are no registered Level Six Taoist Masters in Longjiang City, let alone any above Level Six."
...
"How can that be?" Yan Geng frowned. "If there are no Level Six masters, then who subdued the major ghost in the northern part of the city?"
And in such a short amount of time!
The staff member looked surprised, "A major ghost in the north of the city?"
"You didn't know?" Yan Geng's eyes widened. "Doesn't the Taoist Master Association have a monitoring department? You didn't detect such a powerful ghost?"
The staff member smiled stiffly, "Sorry, I'm new here, not very familiar with this. There does seem to be a major ghost in the northern suburbs, but it's true that Longjiang City has no Taoist Masters above Level Six."
Actually, most Taoist Masters in Longjiang City had heard of the major ghost in the northern suburbs, even if they hadn't seen it themselves, but none paid it much mind.
That ghost never harmed anyone, and they couldn't defeat it anyway, so they just pretended it didn't exist.
The northern suburbs were far from the Taoist Master Association. Unless you flew up high, you couldn't see any towering black energy. Over time, everyone gradually forgot about it.
Yan Geng felt stifled by his dismissive attitude.
He said coldly, "Now that the major ghost is gone, someone must have taken action. Are you sure Longjiang City really has no Level Six Taoist Masters?"
"Let me think..." The staff member's eyes lit up as he remembered something. "There should be one, but she's not on the association's registry."
"If she's not on the association's registry, how do you know about her?" Yan Geng's expression grew even more unpleasant.
This Longjiang City Taoist Master Association had serious issues with its work attitude!
The staff member noticed his dissatisfaction and immediately straightened up, adopting a serious tone. "Because previously, a Senior Yan Wu came to the association to report that a female practitioner named Qi Quan, who didn't have a Taoist Master certificate, was privately handling paranormal incidents. My colleague and I went with him to visit her. As a result, Taoist Master Yan Wu was... well, defeated by her easily. Considering Yan Wu is Level Six himself, the opponent should be at least Level Six, I suppose."
Yan Huai lifted his eyelids, "Where?"
"Pardon?"
Yan Geng: "He's asking where that Qi Quan lives!"
"Oh, Linhu Villa, Nanhu District."
Yan Huai turned and left.
Someone who could easily defeat a Level Six Taoist Master yet had never registered with the Taoist Master Association was very strange.
"Brother Huai," Yan Geng caught up with him, "do you think this Qi Quan could be a secretly trained expert by the official authorities?"
Only practitioners cultivated by the official authorities wouldn't appear on the Taoist Master Association's registry.
Yan Huai didn't answer, his expression still stern.
The two moved extremely fast, arriving at Linhu Villa in just a short while.
Yan Geng was silent for a moment, then instinctively asked, "Is this expert incredibly wealthy, or are the official authorities exceptionally generous to her?"
This villa was truly impressive.
He stepped forward and rang the doorbell.
A moment later, the door opened. An extraordinarily handsome man, impeccably dressed and smiling, exuded gentlemanly demeanor.
Oh no, a male ghost.
A male ghost!
Yan Geng instinctively reached for his peach wood sword. Yan Huai glanced at him and pressed his hand back down.
"Ghost servant?" Yan Huai uttered two icy words.
Su Rong's smile faded as he met Yan Huai's gaze without fear. "Can I help you?"
"I am Yan Huai, here to pay a visit to Taoist Master Qi."
Su Rong: "..."
The way he spoke was oddly formal and old-fashioned.
Sensing these two meant trouble, he said, "The Master is cultivating and is not receiving visitors."
He moved to close the gate.
"Wait!" Yan Geng stopped him. "Taoist Master Qi privately keeps ghost servants, and the official authorities don't intervene?"
He was genuinely curious.
Keeping ghost servants was a forbidden art in the mystical community. How could the official authorities have no reaction at all?
It was too strange!
Even if the official... authorities valued Qi Quan, they wouldn't let her act so recklessly, would they? If that were the case, why bother rectifying the mystical community?
Might as well keep turning a blind eye.
He truly couldn't figure it out.
Su Rong's face turned cold as he slammed the courtyard gate shut with a smack.
Yan Geng: "..."
He looked up at Yan Huai. "Brother Huai, what should we do now? Yan Wu has high cultivation; he shouldn't have been easily subdued by the Investigation Department. It was probably this Qi Quan who took action."
Yan Huai: "Let's go."
"Huh? Go where?"
"The hotel."
Back at the hotel, Yan Geng was still puzzled. "Brother Huai, what do you think the official authorities are actually thinking? Isn't privately keeping ghost servants the mark of an evil Taoist Master? So, Ning Zhi associating with her really is colluding with an evil practitioner? The Taoist Master Association wasn't mistaken? My head is all muddled now."
Yan Huai: "That ghost's aura is pure and righteous. It has never harmed anyone."
"So?"
"There is no trace of coercion or gloominess."
"Mhm, and then?"
Yan Huai: "The ghosts have not committed atrocities, and neither have the humans. So how can either be called evil?"
"..."
Yan Geng's mindset still hadn't shifted. He hesitated, "But, but the rules of the Xuanmen say..."
"The Xuanmen rules say the Master Association must constantly monitor local ghost activity. Neither side has followed the rules. Which one causes greater harm?" Yan Huai's voice was cold and sharp.
Yan Geng was stunned.
He stared at Yan Huai in surprise, thoughtfully saying, "Brother Huai, I've noticed you talk more now than you did in Longjing, and you're more willing to explain things to me."
Yan Huai: "..."
"But thinking about it carefully, what you say makes sense." Yan Geng nodded. "If Master Qi hasn't used ghost servants to harm people, then it is somewhat acceptable."
He was about to ask more, but saw Yan Huai had already closed his eyes to cultivate, so he shut his mouth.
Yan Geng quietly took out his phone.
He had a friend who previously studied at Longjiang University and stayed in Longjiang City after graduation. If Qi Quan was truly a master, he might be able to find out something.
[Yan Geng: I want to ask you about something.]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: Grinding a game! Wait a sec.]
Yan Geng waited ten minutes.
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: What's up?]
[Yan Geng: Have you ever heard of a Level Six Master named Qi Quan?]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: Qi Quan? Heard of her! She's quite famous. But I don't know if she's a Level Six Master.]
Yan Geng's eyes lit up: [How is she famous?]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: [Link][Link][Link] Read these and you'll know. Each scoop is juicier than the last!]
Yan Geng: ...
The first two links were about Weibo, fine, but what on earth was the last one?
Scream Literature City's "Diary of a Rich Family"?
Are you sure you didn't send the wrong link?
Even though he didn't read novels, he knew this was a web fiction site.
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: Why are you asking about her?]
[Yan Geng: We suspect she's the official expert. The fierce ghosts in Longlin City disappeared overnight, and the major ghost in Longjiang City also vanished suddenly. It should all be the official's doing.]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: It definitely is the official's doing, why even guess?]
[Yan Geng: ??? How are you so sure? Aren't you a rogue cultivator?]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: Ah, this... I've already decided to join the Investigation Department, so you better not get into trouble.]
[Yan Geng: !!!]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: Huh? Wait, you just said you suspect Qi Quan is the official expert who subdued the fierce ghosts? Why do you say that!]
[Yan Geng: We inquired at the Master Association. Her cultivation level should be Level Six or above. Also, the official poached Ning Zhi from the Association, who is on good terms with her. I think she's the expert the official values.]
[Live to Gacha, Die to Gacha: !!!]
Rogue Cultivators Group Chat.
[Gacha Daoist: Guess what I found out!]
[Balding Daoist: You're going bald?]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Got a stye?]
[Gacha Daoist: ...]
[Gacha Daoist: I know who the expert is that led the Longlin City Investigation Department to subdue the fierce ghosts and utterly humiliate the Hengfeng Sect!]
[Balding Daoist: Ahhh! My goddess! Who is it!]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Spill it!]
[Melon-Eating Daoist: How do you know?]
[Gacha Daoist: A friend asked me about someone. He suspects this person is the expert who captured the wetland fierce ghost. The expert is in the same city as me, so lucky! I'm applying to the Investigation Department right now!]
[Balding Daoist: So who is it already!]
[Gacha Daoist: Perhaps, have you read "Diary of a Rich Family"?]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Who hasn't read it? The novel alludes to the ghost marriage case and the Yaoshan ghost. Many are sure the author is from the Xuanmen, and very likely from the official side.]
[Balding Daoist: You mean... Master Whitewater is the goddess?!]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Holy crap, I've eaten her melons before. She seems to have saved a female celebrity who had acid thrown at her. There's a video of her saving someone online. I saw it. She looks to be in her early twenties at most!]
[Balding Daoist: No way? The expert is only in her twenties?]
[Gacha Daoist: If I haven't guessed her identity wrong, she should only be twenty-two. Not just looks twenty-two, but genuinely is twenty-two!]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Oh my god...]
[Balding Daoist: Wuwuwu, then my goddess must be much more powerful than Yan Huai! Where's the video? I want to see!]
[Foot-Picking Daoist: Let me look... Huh, seems it was deleted. It's gone.]
[Balding Daoist: So sad.]
[Gacha Daoist: Don't be sad. Your goddess is serializing a novel.]
[Balding Daoist: Right! I'm going to shower "Diary of a Rich Family" with gifts!]
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan finished cultivating and opened her eyes, hearing the system report.
[Great One, a user "First in Line for Melons" gifted you 500 Deepwater Explosions! "Staying Up Balds" gifted you 200 Deepwater Explosions! "Can Grind Another Hundred Years" gifted you 100 Deepwater Explosions! "Foot-Picking Neighbor Next Door" gifted you 100 Deepwater Explosions!]
Qi Quan converted it into lifespan and immediately felt refreshed and invigorated, thinking she could write for another five hundred years!
In a certain hotel room, Yan Geng clicked on the novel link to "Diary of a Rich Family."
After reading the first chapter, it felt weird.
But since this was a novel written by a "master," he patiently continued reading.
Huh? It seems quite interesting.
It was his first time reading a novel on his phone. He read slowly, time passing bit by bit, until the last chapter.
[She said—]
He frantically tried to scroll further, dumbfounded.
That's it? It ends here? What on earth did she say?
Yan Geng's heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat, desperate to know what that orphanage ghost friend said.
He was really so curious!
He held his phone, restless and fidgeting, and couldn't help but leave a comment asking the author when the next update would be, only to find—
[65987354: Comments posted by regular users and primary VIP users will be displayed after review!]
Ah, this...
Yan Geng felt even more anxious inside. What's wrong with this website? It doesn't even show comments!
"What are you doing?" A cold voice sounded.
His fidgeting state finally caught Yan Huai's attention.
Yan Geng said apologetically, "Sorry, Brother Huai, I didn't mean to disturb your cultivation."
Yan Huai glanced at his phone. "Spend less time on the phone, more time cultivating."
He was strict with himself and equally strict with close disciples from his clan.
Yan Geng said miserably, "Brother Huai, I just can't focus on cultivating right now."
"..."
"Brother Huai, do you read novels? How about I recommend one to you."
"Yan Geng." Yan Huai's expression was stern.
Yan Geng: "It's written by that official expert."
"..."
After a moment, Yan Huai asked, "What novel?"
Yan Geng tapped a few times on his phone. "Sent the link to your phone."
Yan Huai sat upright, raised his phone to eye level, and slowly began reading.
First he frowned, then his brows relaxed, then frowned again, relaxed again, and at the end, it stopped abruptly.
Yan Geng chuckled and asked, "Brother Huai, how do you feel?"
Yan Huai: "..."
"Isn't it itching at your heart, desperately wanting to read the next chapter?"
"..."
"Hey, is this expert doing this for extra cash? Is the official salary really that low?"
Yan Huai finally spoke: "Easy to understand."
"Pfft—"
Yan Geng burst out laughing. What was the difference between this evaluation and the "amateurish writing" comment in the review section?
"Through an absurd story, it exposes the good and evil of human nature, reflects the struggle between powers, and achieves another state of engaging with the world. This is forging a new path."
Yan Geng: ???
Brother Huai, blink if you've lost your mind.
Yan Huai suddenly stood up. "You see it so clearly!"
"..." Yan Geng quickly stopped him. "Where are you going so late?"
"To pay a visit."
Yan Geng was speechless. "Who pays a visit this late? If you really want to go, wouldn't it be more appropriate to visit with gifts tomorrow morning?"
Showing up like this makes it seem like you're looking for a fight.
Yan Huai: "Alright."
He sat back down and began meticulously rereading "The Diary of a Wealthy Family."
"Brother Huai, I just checked out this website's features. If you really like it, why not give this book a tip?"
"A tip?"
Yan Geng patiently taught him how.
"Alright." Yan Huai understood immediately and directly transferred five hundred thousand, throwing it all at "The Diary of a Wealthy Family."
Yan Geng: "..."
Damn, that's really extravagant.
"Ah, it's ten o'clock, the new chapter should be updated!" Yan Geng had already found the answer about the update time from the comment section.
He immediately looked down and refreshed.
[She said—
Because I'm afraid of pain.
I was extremely surprised and asked, "Ghosts are afraid of pain too?"
The ghost friend turned to look at me and said faintly, "Yes, I am."
Her eyes were empty, yet filled with endless despair.
"Every year at this time, I hurt so much, so much. It feels like my body is being torn apart. The time is almost here again. I don't want to hurt, I really don't want to hurt!"
I hurriedly asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"
"I don't want to stay here anymore. Can you let me go?"
I asked, "How can I let you go?"
She was stunned for a moment, shook her head, and the light completely faded from her eyes.
"No, you can't."
As soon as the words fell, a rough, large hand suddenly appeared. It viciously grabbed the ghost friend by the collar, flung her to the ground, and then...
Countless dark ghostly energies enveloped them.
I could only hear shrill cries for help and wails...
and one last, shattered mournful cry.
I felt chills all over.
The originally warm and cozy orphanage seemed to transform into a monstrous abyss, filling me with an inexplicable dread.
I felt deep guilt for my own powerlessness.
That night, I had a nightmare.
In the nightmare, I became food for the monster, being torn to pieces bit by bit.
When I woke up, the bed was ice cold.
I thought, I should do something. I must do something.
If I can't even save my friend, what else can I do?
Today, I met another pitiful ghost.
He died in confusion and haste.
He used to be a kind person, but was trapped for decades because of the wicked deeds of others.
My heart ached for his decades of "imprisonment." I plan to take him out for a walk tomorrow to let his ghostly life have fewer regrets.]
The new chapter ended.
After reading it, Yan Geng couldn't help but ask, "Is the ghost met in the novel today the big ghost from the north of the city we saw?"
Yan Huai put down his phone. "She is going out tomorrow."
"So?"
Yan Geng caught on. "You mean we can't visit tomorrow?"
"Mm."
"That's simple. She's going out for a walk, we can just go for a walk too, right?"
Yan Huai was silent for a few seconds. "Alright."
Lakeside Villa.
The system exclaimed: [Big shot, five thousand depth charges! Five thousand at once! Which tycoon is this again? The username is... Yan Huai? This name sounds somewhat familiar.]
Qi Quan: [Butler Su mentioned it today.]
[Oh right! A Taoist priest named Yan Huai came to visit today. He even recognized Butler Su as a ghost servant and was turned away by him. So what does he mean by dropping so many bombs? A door-opener?]
Qi Quan: [Perhaps.]
She wasn't interested in other people's motives, as long as she could earn lifespan.
Comment section under "The Diary of a Wealthy Family."
[If you see me, tell me to go prepare lessons: Could there be something wrong with that orphanage? That little girl is so pitiful!]
[Running out of things to read is deadly: Scumbags, drop dead!]
[Pythagorean theorem abc: The vast majority of welfare institutions in the country are quite good. Of course, there are definitely a few scumbags. Sigh, I hope the authorities can increase efforts to rectify this area.]
[Dying from laughter: Going out for a walk? The author isn't going to use going out as an excuse to stop updating again, is she?]
Ordinary readers wouldn't pay attention to the tipping leaderboard, but the second-generation heirs competing for rankings daily knew the leaderboard rankings like the back of their hands.
As Qi Quan's personally appointed assistant, Chen Feilu paid even more attention to "The Diary of a Wealthy Family."
Seeing the sudden rise of "Yan Huai," he was utterly stunned.
He turned and asked Ning Zhi: "Brother Ning, didn't you tell me before that the first-place winner of that competition was named Yan Huai?"
They were in the dorm now, so it wasn't good to directly say "Mystic Sect Competition."
Ning Zhi: "Mm, why?"
"Take a look at this." He handed his phone over.
Ning Zhi: ???
Is this Yan Huai? Impossible.
"In my impression, he's a rather aloof person, doesn't communicate much with others, and puts all his focus on cul... studies. He probably wouldn't do something like this."
Chen Feilu asked: "How many times have you met him?"
"Three or four times."
"Then is it possible that you don't really know him?" Chen Feilu said. "Besides, directly using his real-world name is exactly his style, isn't it?"
Ning Zhi: "That's true too."
He glanced at Yan Huai's ranking, then glanced at his own username, "Tranquil and Far-reaching," which happened to be right below Yan Huai, and decisively recharged his account.
Thus, the second-generation heirs studying the tipping leaderboard were baffled.
[Du Jiaming: Who is this "Yan Huai"? Popped up out of nowhere.]
[Yang Su: "Tranquil and Far-reaching" pushed him down again.]
[Zhang Chengyan: Wait, this "Yan Huai" dropped a whole bunch more, he's at the top now!]
[Du Jiaming: Damn, what is he trying to do? Steal my throne? Crush him!]
The three second-generation heirs all recharged and dropped bombs, finally pushing "Yan Huai" down.
In the hotel, Yan Huai was also studying the tipping leaderboard.
He didn't know about this feature originally; Yan Geng pointed it out to him, saying, "Brother Huai, you've always been first in everything before. This time, you're being pushed down by quite a few people."
Yan Huai: ?
His ranking was so low. Would the expert think he lacked sincerity?
Yan Huai himself was the benchmark among the younger generation of the Mystic Sect, a twenty-seven-year-old sixth-level Taoist priest, a genius among geniuses. But after learning that Qi Quan was only twenty-two, a strong sense of rivalry ignited within him.
He had rarely encountered opponents in recent years. Finally meeting one, his excitement was almost unbearable.
Since a direct sparring match wasn't possible in the short term, he would show his respect by dropping bombs.
"Yan Huai" leapt to the top of the tipping leaderboard!
Some cultivators who were secretly following "The Diary of a Wealthy Family" saw this and thought they were still dreaming.
That ice-cold champion of the Mystic Sect?
Impossible!
It must be someone with the same name. The Mystic Sect champion would never read novels.
They refused to have their illusions shattered.
The fierce competition on the tipping leaderboard didn't affect Qi Quan.
The next morning at breakfast, all members of the Lakeside Villa were present, except for the newly arrived ghost.
Su Rong explained, "I went to call him, but he refused to eat."
"Even food has no appeal to him?" Xue Hong was shocked.
Back when she found out she could still taste delicious food as a ghost, she couldn't wait, okay?
Su Rong smiled slightly. "He said he wanted to finish watching this episode."
"..."
Xue Hong asked hesitantly, "He didn't watch all night, did he?"
"Yes."
Ghosts don't need sleep. Watching for three days and three nights straight is no problem.
Xue Hong was deeply impressed. "So, shall we take him along to the resort later?"
"Does the resort have a TV?" Ji Shengzhe suddenly drifted over to ask.
Xue Hong: "..."
Ji Shengzhe realized his mistake. "Hello, teacher. It's not that I don't want to study, it's just that I haven't watched TV in so long..."
"No, you don't need to study." Xue Hong hurriedly waved her hands.
She only has one student!
Just as they finished eating, the second-generation trio arrived in their cars, each one flashier than the last.
Zhang Chengyan had specifically driven an extended limousine and said enthusiastically, "Master, please ride in my car! It's spacious!"
Qi Quan wasn't picky; she could ride in anyone's car.
For convenience, Su Rong, Xue Hong, and Ji Shengzhe were all taken into Qi Quan's peach wood talisman. Only Lingsheng accompanied her in the back seat.
He wore a Concealing Breath Talisman, masking his dense spiritual energy. Any exorcist below Qi Quan's level would be unable to discern his special constitution.
"Master, the resort combines water scenery with forests. There are plenty of fun activities: rafting, boating, camping, barbecuing, jungle exploration, and so on," Zhang Chengyan diligently introduced. "If there are any other activities you prefer, just let me know, and I'll arrange them."
Having fun wasn't part of Qi Quan's life pursuits, so she wasn't very interested. But the main purpose of this trip was to give the two ghost servants in the villa... and Lingsheng a break.
Steward Su, aside from cultivation, only managed household affairs every day. Tutor Xue, aside from studying, only taught. As for Lingsheng, aside from burying his head in practice exams, he buried his head in learning to draw talismans.
It was indeed too monotonous.
She asked the three ghosts in the peach wood talisman: What do you want to do?
Su Rong: A picnic.
Xue Hong: Reading a book while boating is also a kind of romance.
Ji Shengzhe: Can I just watch TV in the room?
Qi Quan: ...
Each one is more laid-back than the last.
She turned to ask Lingsheng, "Are there any activities you'd like to do? You can write them down."
Everyone and every ghost in the villa had been equipped with a phone. After studying, Lingsheng could also type on the phone.
He thought for a moment, typed on his phone for a bit, and then handed it to Qi Quan.
Picnic, boating, jungle exploration.
Qi Quan: ?
She could communicate telepathically with her ghost servants, and Su Rong had asked Ji Shengzhe's preference from within the talisman, so Lingsheng couldn't possibly have heard.
Were the first two a coincidence?
Or had Lingsheng observed Su Rong and Xue Hong's preferences through their usual interactions and written those down?
Or perhaps she was overthinking it, and Lingsheng simply liked those three activities himself.
Qi Quan smiled. "Alright, we'll do these three activities first."
A little over an hour later, the car arrived at the resort.
Du Jiaming and the other two had already made all the arrangements; they could check in directly.
It was a villa-style resort integrated with natural landscapes. The exterior looked exceptionally exquisite and beautiful.
Each villa had enough rooms. The group of people and ghosts stayed in the same villa. Du Jiaming and the other two were busy running around, moving luggage and arranging entertainment activities.
"What's this?" Yang Su pointed at the narrow console table in the entryway.
On the marble tabletop, a forearm-length humanoid statue quietly watched them. The figure had its hair in a high bun, wore Taoist robes, and a horsetail whisk draped from the crook of its left arm, presenting an image of immortal grace.
A staff member from the resort enthusiastically explained.
"This is the Fortune God. It can bring people good luck. Our boss believes in this, so one is placed in every room. Guests can buy one if they like it."
Yang Su: ???
What Fortune God? Wouldn't it be better to just cling to Master Qi's leg?
He asked curiously, "Do guests really buy them?"
"Yes!" the staff member said with a smile. "The vast majority of guests who have visited our resort have bought one because it's really effective!"
Du Jiaming couldn't help but say, "It can really change your luck? How does it work? It can't be that your luck just gets better after staying here for a couple of days, right?"
"As long as you are sincere, your fortune will turn."
"That's not right. Were all the guests who came to your resort unlucky before they came?" Zhang Chengyan asked, puzzled. "Otherwise, how would the change in fortune be so obvious?"
The staff member patiently explained, "Of course not. Everyone encounters more or less unpleasant things in life, but after coming to the resort, everything gets resolved."
"..."
The system humbly sought advice: Big shot, is there really such a thing as a Fortune God?
Qi Quan: Doesn't it sound familiar?
Familiar how? The system asked, then quickly reacted, exclaiming in shock, It can't be that much of a coincidence!
Qi Quan: Don't forget, Ji Shengzhe has accrued merit. Once freed from his shackles, good fortune will follow.
Coming to a resort and discovering something related to "changing fortune" was probably truly a case of fate.
The system: Should we investigate?
Qi Quan: This matter should naturally be handed over to the Investigation Department.
She was just an ordinary tourist here to relax with her family.
There were no surveillance cameras inside the villa... After the staff left, Qi Quan released Su Rong and the other two ghosts.
Du Jiaming and the other two had long guessed Su Rong was a ghost, so they weren't surprised. Two more made no difference.
Ji Shengzhe rushed eagerly into a room to watch TV. Su Rong began organizing ingredients for the picnic. Xue Hong held her phone, reading an academic paper.
"Master, how about the four of us play cards?" Yang Su suggested.
Du Jiaming mocked him, "Haven't you lost enough at the card table these past few days?"
"I refuse to believe my luck is always this bad. With Master here today, my card luck is sure to be prosperous!"
Qi Quan happened to want to test the "Fortune God," so she agreed.
Sure enough, Yang Su's hand was incredibly bad every time, the kind of terrible hand even the best skills couldn't salvage.
"Seriously, my card luck is just too awful!" He covered his face and wailed.
Qi Quan suggested, "How about trying the Fortune God?"
The three men: ???
Master, are you serious?
Qi Quan smiled. "I'm very serious."
"Yeah, I'm quite curious too. Just go and try it." Zhang Chengyan was always very interested in such things.
Du Jiaming also urged, "If Master tells you to go, then go. It's no big deal."
Yang Su was also curious, so he walked over to the Fortune God.
Next to the god was a standing sign with instructions for use.
Scan the QR code below and follow the "Fortune God" official account.
Yang Su did as instructed.
After following, he clicked into the service page.
Recharge 9999 yuan to become a member. After becoming a member, send "Name + Date of Birth" to receive an initial luck value of 100 points.
Yang Su held up his phone for them to see, saying with a look of disbelief, "This really isn't a scam?"
How could anyone believe this?
Du Jiaming: "Just give it a try. It's only 9999 yuan. If you really get scammed, you can definitely get it back by reporting to the police."
"Yeah, yeah," Zhang Chengyan agreed.
Yang Su topped up 9999 yuan and sent his name and date of birth.
[Luck God: Congratulations on obtaining an initial luck value of 100 points. Go and give it a try!]
Yang Su put away his phone, quickly returned to the card table, rubbed his hands together, and said, "Deal the cards, let me see what it's like to have 100 points of luck!"
He was originally just joking, and neither Du Jiaming nor Zhang Chengyan took it seriously, however—
"Wow! My luck really has turned around!"
"My hand is too good, you guys are doomed to lose!"
"Forget it, I could just throw this hand away and still win."
Yang Su, as if injected with adrenaline, won every single round.
Du Jiaming and Zhang Chengyan couldn't help but glance at the Luck God.
It really was remarkably effective!
"Master, what's going on exactly?"
Qi Quan looked calm and composed. "Continue."
By the twentieth round, Yang Su's card luck had noticeably declined quite a bit. In the twenty-first round, he started getting terrible hands again.
He chuckled coldly, "Did I buy just twenty rounds of card luck for 9999 yuan? That's a bit expensive for luck points."
Qi Quan put down his cards. "Butler Su has the ingredients ready. Let's go for a picnic."
"Alright!"
The three of them promptly put the Luck God out of their minds.
Longjiang City Film and Television Base.
Qi Yingxue accidentally fell while filming, scraping the palm of her hand. It was broken skin, oozing tiny beads of blood.
She sat gloomily in a corner, staring blankly at the wound on her palm.
To avoid continuity errors during filming, she couldn't even use a band-aid.
Since returning to the crew, she had clearly felt that the staff didn't respect her as much as they used to.
The label of being scheming and malicious was stuck tightly to her. Everyone looked at her with strange, judgmental eyes.
She really couldn't take it...
anymore.
"I told you, you excel in every aspect, you're just lacking a bit of luck," He Yang stood before her, backlit, looking down at her from his height.
Qi Yingxue gave a wry smile. "Luck? My luck ran out a long time ago."
"If it's gone, you can get it again," He Yang's voice was low. "As long as you have money, you can even buy luck."
Qi Yingxue was silent for a moment, then lifted her head.
"Alright, I'll buy it."
Outside the resort, Yan Huai and Yan Geng, having failed to make a reservation in advance, were stopped by staff.
"Aren't there any extra rooms available?" Yan Geng asked.
Staff: "I'm very sorry, there aren't."
Yan Geng: "..."
Seriously? A resort in a small county town is this fully booked?
He had no choice but to say, "Brother Huai, maybe we should find a place nearby to wait for a bit."
Yan Huai: "Alright."
The two found a noodle shop and sat down.
It was almost noon, perfect for a bowl of noodles.
The place was quite remote, so the noodle shop didn't have many customers. The proprietress, seeing Yan Huai's handsome and impressive appearance, became a bit more chatty.
"Are you two planning to go to the resort?"
"Yes," Yan Geng replied. "We forgot to make a reservation, so we couldn't get in."
The proprietress smiled. "You need a reservation, otherwise you can't get in."
Yan Geng was puzzled. "Logically, this place is pretty remote. Why are so many people coming?"
"I've never been, it's very expensive," the proprietress shook her head. "I've just heard that people who go there have their luck improve. Don't know if it's true or not."
"How could that be? That's just a marketing gimmick," Yan Geng said dismissively.
Proprietress: "Whether it's a gimmick or not, I don't know. But I do know the owner is someone who hit the jackpot."
"How so?"
"He's a local, I used to know him," the proprietress lowered her voice, speaking mysteriously. "Back then, he didn't have a proper job, just hung around on the streets all day. Guess what happened?"
Yan Geng played along: "What happened?"
"He suddenly had a huge stroke of luck, said he won ten million in the lottery!" The proprietress unconsciously raised her voice. "That's ten million!"
"And then?"
Proprietress: "And then? Then he became rich, of course. Isn't that hitting the jackpot?"
Yan Geng: "..."
He thought it was going to be some shocking inside information.
Yan Huai suddenly said, "Search for his photo."
Yan Geng was startled for a moment, then understood his meaning. He went online, searched for a photo of the resort owner, and took a close look.
"Whoa!"
This was not the face of someone destined for great fortune at all!
"Brother Huai, this..."
Yan Huai: "Investigate."
