Lakeside Villa.
After Zhang Chengyan and the other two left, more visitors arrived with gifts.
It was Chen Feilu.
He had rushed back from Longjing City straight to Lakeside Villa, bringing Mid-Autumn Festival gifts for his respected "Master."
He brought Ning Zhiting's share as well.
"Master, Brother Ning is on a mission and couldn't make it. He specifically asked me to deliver his gift too."
Qi Quan smiled and said, "That's very thoughtful of you."
"Master, I also have some questions about cultivation I'd like to ask you."
"Go ahead."
A question-and-answer session ensued.
Qi Quan was immensely knowledgeable, and Chen Feilu was quick-witted, so the teaching session concluded swiftly.
Chen Feilu's face was full of admiration; he truly wished he could learn by Qi Quan's side every day.
But he still needed to get his university diploma.
"Master, I still have two years until graduation. When the time comes, please don't refuse me," Chen Feilu said pitifully before leaving.
Qi Quan: "..."
She smiled and closed the door.
Carving Room.
Ling Sheng held a carving knife, meticulously engraving a jade plaque.
After the recent attack on the formation, the stock in the storeroom had diminished somewhat, so he needed to replenish it.
As he carved, he suddenly remembered something. He took out his phone and searched for keywords: [Men, career, plus points.]
The first search result: [Ladies, Listen Up: How to Make a Career-Successful Man Find You More Attractive and Earn Bonus Points.]
The second: [Which Zodiac Signs in Women Can Add Points to a Man's Career.]
The third: [Debating with Wife: A Man's Career is More Important Than Family. Need Arguments! Bonus points! Urgent!]
Ling Sheng: ...
He decisively turned off his phone.
During the discussion about Zhang Chengyan's career, Teacher Xue's words had stirred ripples in his heart.
Should he also have his own career?
But it seemed all he knew how to do was draw talismans.
During dinner, Ling Sheng was uncharacteristically distracted.
Xue Hong asked with concern, "Is there a problem you can't solve?"
He shook his head.
"Does the food not suit your taste?" Su Rong asked with a smile.
Ling Sheng continued shaking his head.
"So what exactly is on your mind?" Xue Hong examined his expression carefully and suddenly laughed. "Our Ling Sheng has his own little thoughts now."
When they first met, his expressions weren't this varied.
Ling Sheng's expression stiffened, and he could only lower his head to eat his rice.
After dinner, Qi Quan convened a family meeting.
The theme was: Caring for Family Members' Physical and Mental Health.
As the head of the household, she had a responsibility to care for and protect every family member.
She looked at Ling Sheng. "Speak up. What were you thinking about during dinner?"
The system teased: [Ling Sheng is growing up, has his own little secrets now.]
Qi Quan's opening remark carried the authoritative air of a patriarch.
Xue Hong and Su Rong watched Ling Sheng with amused anticipation.
Under the gaze of the three, Ling Sheng had no choice but to lower his head and type on his phone.
He extended the phone, the screen clearly displaying a sentence: [Teacher Xue said, having a career is a big plus for a man. I want to have my own career.]
The three and the system: ...
Xue Hong asked in surprise, "Did I say that?"
Seeing Ling Sheng nod, she searched her memory. It turned out she had casually mentioned it today while listening to Zhang Chengyan's complaints.
That was it?
She sighed and said, "You're already very impressive. You don't need a career for bonus points. Of course, if you want to pursue a career, I fully support you. But what to pursue and how to go about it, we should ask our Master."
Ling Sheng looked at Qi Quan with hopeful eyes.
Qi Quan respected his choice and asked, "What do you want to do?"
If Ling Sheng could have thought of it, he wouldn't have been spacing out during dinner.
He shook his head.
Qi Quan thought for a moment and said, "You've read the talisman books. You have great talent in talisman-making. I'll give you a few more books on formations, sword techniques, and medical arts. Decide after you've finished reading them."
A Natural Spiritual Body does not need to be graded by levels.
Taoist masters differentiate levels by the spiritual power stored within their bodies. However, a Natural Spiritual Body, in the same environment, can utilize far more spiritual power than a high-level Taoist master. As long as the world's spiritual energy exists, a Natural Spiritual Body's power will not be exhausted.
Previously, when she advanced at Lu Jiang's residence, Ling Sheng's spiritual energy was depleted because nearly all the spiritual energy around the house had been absorbed by her for her advancement. He had to use the spiritual energy stored within his own body to support her through the process.
In short, Ling Sheng does not need to cultivate like an ordinary Taoist master.
But having a body full of spiritual power isn't enough; he needs to learn how to use it.
It depends on which path suits him best.
The young man nodded eagerly, his eyes reflecting starlight.
Qi Quan returned to her room, selected a few books, and handed them to him.
These books were ones she had transcribed during her spare time. Fortunately, the language of Taoist methods is concise, each book was thin, and it hadn't taken her much effort.
Ling Sheng obediently took the books back to his room to study.
Qi Quan, however, did not cultivate.
After drawing a few talismans, she went to the front courtyard's atrium and began arranging a formation using formation stones.
The system asked: [Great One, what are you doing?]
Qi Quan: [Have you heard of long-range attacks?]
[Of course, games also have melee and ranged attacks.]
Qi Quan smiled and said: [I want to try using a talisman from Longjiang City to shatter a formation in Longjing City.]
The system: ???
Great One, are you serious?
From Longjiang City to Longjing City, it's a six-hour drive by car!
It watched in a daze as Qi Quan tinkered. After setting up a small formation, she placed a talisman within it.
The talisman patterns were dense and complex, but a few strokes in the center formed a clearly recognizable pattern.
The system exclaimed in surprise: [That's a sword!]
[Yes.]
[A sword drawn on a talisman paper? What kind of talisman is this?]
[A composite talisman I researched before, combining talisman and sword techniques. Haven't tried it yet, haven't thought of a name either.]
The system: ...
The Great One is always dedicated to researching these strange yet incredibly powerful Taoist methods.
The talisman paper was placed at the formation's eye. Qi Quan placed a spirit talisman beside the formation stones.
The formation activated.
A blazing sword light shot up from the talisman paper at the formation's eye, streaking across the night sky like a meteor, racing towards the direction of Longjing City.
Qi Quan had already obtained the precise coordinates of that mansion from Li Guoyan. She had programmed the attack; the sword light would only strike the formation of that mansion.
Under the starry night sky, a pale golden streak of light flashed and vanished, cutting through hundreds of kilometers of sky at a speed invisible to the naked eye, accurately piercing towards the suburban mansion in the capital.
Inside the mansion, Yan Fengqing suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
He frowned, immediately put down his carving knife, maneuvered his wheelchair out of the room, and looked up towards the direction of Longjiang City.
The steward had been waiting outside the room and asked with concern, "Master, do you have any instructions?"
Yan Fengqing frowned, his tone strained as he said, "Do you feel an extremely powerful pressure?"
The steward looked in the direction he indicated but saw nothing. He instinctively replied, "No—"
Under the vast starry sky, an intensely bright light rushed closer, growing brighter and brighter...
"Oh no!" The steward immediately reacted, pushing Yan Fengqing's wheelchair to return to the house.
But it was already too late.
The overwhelmingly powerful sword light pierced through the sky, carrying a force that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth, accurately striking the mansion's protective formation shield.
Crash—
The seventh-level formation shattered abruptly.
The steward stood dumbfounded, having already forgotten to flee.
Faced with such a formidable sword radiance, he couldn't muster any thought of escape.
Yan Fengqing gripped the armrests of his wheelchair tightly, staring intently towards Longjiang City, muttering in a low, almost frenzied voice, "Impossible, how is this possible? This simply cannot be!"
"Master, the formation is broken. I'll go activate the backup formation."
As soon as the steward finished speaking, another sword light appeared in the night sky.
Again?!
There were no more arrays left in the courtyard to slash!
Terror-stricken, his legs felt as if filled with lead, nailed to the ground, unable to move.
The sword light struck directly into the courtyard. In an instant, the earth shook, mountains trembled, and dust filled the air.
The sword light blasted a deep pit in the courtyard.
If not for the protective talismans they wore, they would likely have been reduced to a bloody pulp.
The steward's face paled with horror, and he said in disbelief, "What... what on earth is going on?"
He had only heard of long-range missiles, never long-range sword light!
When the sword light first appeared above the mansion, the major factions in Longjing City had detected it.
By the time the sword light appeared again, the major factions had swiftly prepared recording talismans and captured a complete image of the sword light streaking across the sky.
These two sword lights directly intimidated the entire Mystic Sect of Longjing City.
Longjing City Investigation Department.
Li Guoyan was equally astonished by these two sword lights.
Coming from the direction of Longjiang City, striking Yan Fengqing's mansion with pinpoint accuracy—who else could have done such a thing but Qi Quan?
He knew Qi Quan was strong, incredibly strong, but he never imagined she could be strong to this extent.
Outside his office, the young men and women were already immersed in excited discussions.
He let out a long sigh and was about to call Qi Quan when his phone chimed.
[Master Qi: I previously developed a type of composite talisman but never had the chance to test it. I just conducted two tests.]
Li Guoyan: ...
Such a rare thing as a composite talisman, and the Master could invent it herself?
But thinking of the compression talismans just delivered, he found it understandable.
Master Qi could not be judged by ordinary standards.
"Chief Li!" Di Meng burst into the office excitedly. "The monitors show the impact points of the sword lights were at Yan Fengqing's courtyard! The first one shattered the courtyard's protective array, the second left a huge crater in the yard. No casualties."
His admiring expression was unmistakable.
"It was the Senior, right? It must have been her! Only she could do this!"
Li Guoyan nodded. "It was her. She used a composite talisman."
"A composite talisman! That's so awesome!"
Truly, those two sword lights had shocked their colleagues at the Investigation Department for a whole year!
Li Guoyan replied to Qi Quan: [Master, your composite talisman is truly astounding. May I ask what kind of composite talisman it is?]
[Qi Quan: A combination of talisman arts and sword arts.]
Li Guoyan sighed in admiration: [The Master always has ingenious ideas.]
[Qi Quan: For the Mystic Sect in the new era, innovation is the source of development.]
Well said!
Li Guoyan felt immensely encouraged that the Investigation Department had such talent.
He asked: [Is this a long-range attack talisman? What's the maximum range?]
[Master Qi: Currently, from Longjiang to Longjing is the limit, but both the talisman and the array can be improved.]
Li Guoyan: [Does it also require an array?]
[Master Qi: Yes, the array provides the power for the talisman.]
Li Guoyan understood.
This composite talisman couldn't be widely used yet, but it could serve as a secret weapon in reserve.
He said cheerfully: [We look forward to the Master's improvements.]
"Chief Li, Yan Fengqing's courtyard array is broken, the yard has a huge crater, and the walls are damaged. Investigators observing from outside have spotted him. Should we summon him for questioning now?"
After extracting a confession from Yan Mao, the department had planned to summon Yan Fengqing for questioning. However, Yan Fengqing's residence was protected by a seventh-level array, and no one answered the door. The department had no choice but to post people outside to keep watch.
Who could have imagined that Senior Qi could launch a long-range attack directly from Longjiang City? One sword light shattered the seventh-level array, another blasted through the courtyard ground, giving Yan Fengqing a uniquely dramatic warning.
Incredible.
Li Guoyan was in a very good mood. "Good. Summon him immediately."
At the mansion in the outskirts of the capital.
Yan Fengqing sat in his wheelchair, staring fixedly at the deep pit in the courtyard, his face pale and contorted.
No sword cultivator's sword light could fly hundreds of kilometers through the sky and land precisely on its target.
The only thing he could think of was a composite talisman.
Having studied talisman arts for so many years, he had only seen legends of composite talismans in ancient texts. He had also attempted to create one, but the conditions were too stringent, and he had never succeeded.
At this moment, he was absolutely certain these two sword lights came from a composite talisman.
A fusion of talisman arts and sword arts!
As a fervent enthusiast of talisman arts, he was thrilled to witness the power of a composite talisman firsthand.
But as the target of the attack, he could not accept that his enemy had created a composite talisman before he did!
Yan Fengqing had spent his whole life competing.
In his youth, he competed with Yan Fengjun. Later, he competed with the Daoist companion of Fu Jiuge, a genius of talisman arts in the Mystic Sect. Now, with only a crippled body left, he competed with his own legs.
He lived in pain and wanted others to suffer too.
The courtyard wall, affected by the sword light, had a breach. Outside the breach appeared several young people wearing Investigation Department uniforms, their eyes burning as they looked at him.
Yan Fengqing lowered his head and laughed mockingly.
"Open the courtyard gate. Let them in."
Rather than having them break in by force, it was better to maintain composure and not lose face.
Although he had already been made a fool by the two sword lights, his opponent was not the Investigation Department, but Qi Quan, hundreds of kilometers away.
—He was certain it was Qi Quan.
The steward sighed softly and opened the gate. The investigators stepped inside.
Their eyes immediately fell on the huge crater in the yard.
The Grandmaster is too amazing!
A long-range attack—how did she think of that?!
They had been watching outside the courtyard and had a close-up view of the two sword lights streaking from the horizon. It was a scene they would never forget.
One of the investigators suppressed his excitement, looked at Yan Fengqing, and said sternly:
"Mr. Yan Fengqing, based on Yan Mao's confession, you are suspected of inciting others to intentionally trespass on a citizen's residence. Please come with us."
Yan Fengqing sat under the corridor eaves and said unhurriedly, "Now my residence has also been trespassed upon. I am a victim as well."
Investigator: "..."
Another investigator, quick-witted, said, "You repeatedly refused the Investigation Department's summons. This is enforcement action."
First breaking the array, then issuing a warning.
Yan Fengqing chuckled softly. "I didn't incite anyone. Summoning me based solely on one person's testimony is unfair."
"Citizens have the obligation to cooperate with investigations. Your refusal grants the Investigation Department the authority for enforcement action."
Yan Fengqing lowered his head in thought, then, with his handsome and refined face, said, "Alright. I'll go with you."
"Master?!" the steward couldn't help exclaiming.
Yan Fengqing glanced at him. "While I'm away, you are in charge. Make sure nothing goes wrong."
The steward felt a chill: "Yes."
There were still things in the mansion that must not be seen by the Investigation Department. Before they obtained the authority to search the premises, he needed to move them.
The Yan Family Residence.
Upon hearing the news, Yan Fengjun almost dropped his teacup.
He asked in surprise, "The array shattered with one strike? The courtyard was damaged? And Yan Fengqing went with the Investigation Department people?"
Steward: "Yes."
Yan Fengjun set down his teacup, his expression of shock gradually subsiding.
When Yan Mao was arrested earlier, he had wondered what method the Investigation Department would use to successfully summon Yan Fengqing.
Perhaps they had exhausted the formation's spiritual power with attack talismans, perhaps they had invited Qi Quan to come to Longjing City to take action, or perhaps Yan Fengqing himself was cooperating with the investigation.
But he never expected it to turn out like this.
Those two sword beams not only pierced through Yan Fengqing's defenses but also left him deeply shaken.
Fortunately, he had not made an enemy of a powerhouse like Qi Quan.
Just as he was thinking this, his phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Sect Master Yin of the Guiyuan Sect.
"Brother Yan, you know what that was, right?" Yin Yi's voice held barely concealed excitement.
Yan Fengjun laughed, "Of course I know. The legendary composite talisman."
"A composite talisman! That was a composite talisman!" Yin Yi exclaimed in awe. "I've only read about them in ancient texts. All these years, so many talisman masters have studied diligently, yet none have succeeded in creating a composite talisman, let alone one with such immense power. I thought it was just a legend, but who would have thought..."
Even the usually dignified and proper Sect Master Yin was left sighing in admiration.
Actually, this wasn't the first time Qi Quan had used a composite talisman.
When she went to capture ghosts at Yao Mountain before, she used two protective formation talismans. Protective formation talismans are a fusion of talisman arts and formation arts, a type of composite talisman.
However, at that time, only Ning Zhiting, Chen Feilu, Fang Ye, and two ordinary people were present, so others were unaware.
Moreover, compared to the awe-inspiring sword talismans, protective formation talismans are much gentler and wouldn't attract much attention.
The entire mystical community of Longjing City was so excited by the two sword beams that they stayed up all night.
Qi Quan, however, slept soundly.
Early the next morning, she was lured awake by the fragrance of osmanthus pastries.
The Mid-Autumn Festival had arrived.
Breakfast was freshly baked osmanthus cakes. Butler Su's skills were impeccable, and the ingredients had been purified of impurities by Ling Sheng's hands. Eating them was pure enjoyment.
"Master, after the meal, I'll pack a few boxes of osmanthus cakes to send to my parents, as well as the Du, Yang, Zhang, and Qian families. How does that sound?" Butler Su asked.
These families had helped the Lakeside Villa quite a bit.
Qi Quan nodded, "You decide on these matters. But, will you deliver them yourself?"
Butler Su shook his head, "I plan to use a flash delivery service."
"Good."
Right now, with the mystical community and the evil cultivators locked in a struggle, in her opinion, it was better for the people and ghosts in the villa not to go out casually.
When the four families received gifts from the Lakeside Villa, they were overjoyed.
Qian Kun, being the youngest, couldn't keep things to himself and excitedly showed off in the group chat.
[Qian Kun: Ahhhhhhh! Our family received pastries from the Lakeside Villa!!!]
[Sun Yu: So jealous! And hateful!]
[Su Nuanuan: Our family received some too. [dancing.jpg]]
[Peng Peng: How do they taste? I heard you say before that the tea from Lakeside Villa is especially good.]
Qian Kun had previously gone to plant fruit trees for the Lakeside Villa and was rewarded with a cup of tea. The taste of that tea was something he still remembered to this day.
[Qian Kun: Wuwuwu the pastries are really so fragrant, but my parents and I can't bear to eat them!]
[Su Nuanuan: Hehe, super delicious!]
[Sun Yu: Don't worry, I'm coming to your house right now to help you eat them!]
[Peng Peng: Me too.]
[Qian Kun: Get lost! My house doesn't welcome you!]
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, everyone had returned home, so visiting was easy.
[Qi Yuan: Save some for me?]
The group chat suddenly went quiet.
When Qian Kun was showing off, he hadn't thought that much about it. It was only when Qi Yuan spoke up that he belatedly realized the Qi family might not have received a gift from the Lakeside Villa.
This was very awkward.
[Qi Yuan: Don't be like that, I was joking. I didn't go home, I'm doing a part-time job here in Longjing.]
[Peng Peng: Brother Yuan, why are you doing a part-time job?]
[Sun Yu: Brother Yuan, if you're in trouble, just say it! Don't stand on ceremony with us!]
[Su Nuanuan: What's wrong with a part-time job? Being self-reliant is pretty good, isn't it?]
[Qian Kun: Sister Nuanuan is right! Brother Yuan, I support you in getting rich through your own labor!]
[Qi Yuan: ……]
In another group chat for second-generation heirs, the situation was similar.
Du Jiaming and the other two were bragging in the group, leaving Qi Lin and Song Lin speechless and even wanting to leave the group.
Lakeside Villa.
Ling Sheng had spent the entire night reading all the books Qi Quan had given him. After breakfast, he came to Qi Quan's room.
He typed on his phone: [I want to study the Medical Path.]
His understanding of the Talisman Path was already deep enough. He wasn't interested in the Formation Path or other paths. Only the long-lost Medical Path was worth delving into.
Qi Quan wasn't surprised by his choice.
The Natural Spirit Body seemed born for the Medical Path.
Heaven's Dao favored him, and he held "benevolent love" for the world.
Qi Quan smiled and asked, "How do you plan to start your Medical Path career?"
In the current mystical community, there was no such practice as the Medical Path. Pioneering a new field wouldn't be easy.
Ling Sheng showed a look of confusion.
He typed: [I'll think about it some more.]
Qi Quan had no intention of interfering with his career plans. After he left the room, she focused on her cultivation.
While she was peacefully celebrating the festival, Sect Master Yin and Fu Jiuchong, along with several seventh-level elders, set foot in Longlin City. Master Wan went to the remote Longtang City.
Their mission today was to destroy the two production bases in Longlin City and Longtang City.
Sect Master Yin sighed, "Brother Fu, look at us. We've become unofficial members of the Investigation Department now."
Taking orders from Li Guoyan to come here and crack down on evil cultivators.
Fu Jiuchong said coldly and gravely, "Cracking down on evil cultivators has always been the duty of the mystical community. It's just that the community was weak, forcing the authorities to step in and reorganize."
Seeing the children's skeletons at the abandoned den in Longhu City had left him deeply unsettled.
Jiuge's child was still missing, very likely in the hands of those insane evil cultivators. He didn't even know what state they might be in now. Just thinking about it felt like a lump of cotton was stuck in his chest.
Twenty years ago, Jiuge and her husband died pursuing clues. Twenty years later, he must seek justice for his sister and brother-in-law!
Sect Master Yin continued sighing, "That's true, but back then, we also lost many elite disciples in our pursuit of the evil cultivators."
The mystical community had the will but not the strength.
Fu Jiuchong: "The mystical community of the past was scattered. It's different now."
Back then, the various factions of the mystical community refused to submit to each other, each acting on their own. Naturally, they couldn't consolidate resources or come up with the best plan to destroy the evil cultivator organization. Now, with official leadership, they would surely restore peace to the mystical community.
Sect Master Yin was taken aback for a moment, then thought of the two sword beams he saw last night and couldn't help but smile.
"That's true."
Longjing City Investigation Department.
After overnight interrogation, Yan Fengqing still hadn't said anything.
The Investigation Department had no evidence. They couldn't convict him based solely on Yan Mao's testimony.
He sat in his wheelchair, face pale, expression calm, showing no trace of panic, as if he truly had a clear conscience.
"What do we do, Captain Di? We can't hold him for too long either," a team member said worriedly.
Based on their investigative experience, this Yan Fengqing was highly suspicious, but there was just no evidence.
Di Meng was also troubled.
Suddenly, the technical department sent good news.
"Captain Di, based on multiple pieces of information transmitted from Longjiang, we've tracked the traces of 'Siren King' and obtained a lot of intel, including the identity and location of 'Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut,' messages from various sub-groups, and member profiles, etc."
"Excellent!" Di Meng's face lit up with joy. "Who is this 'Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut'?"
"According to the records, he's already dead."
Di Meng raised an eyebrow. "A real ghost?"
"Very likely," the technician said. "But it's also possible someone is using a dead person's identity."
Di Meng: "Send me the file."
Previously, the technical department had been unable to find any trace of the "Siren King" and "Siren Queen." Fortunately, Qi Quan provided the video from the Shadow-Retaining Talisman and information on that ordinary man from Zhang Chengyan's company. Through these two individuals' online footprints, the technical department finally managed to locate the "Siren King's" group and quietly infiltrated it.
They had finally caught "Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut."
The identity records showed that this "Hazelnut" was a 37-year-old male. His time of death was ten years ago, and the cause was being accidentally stabbed to death by his wife during a domestic violence incident, after she finally fought back.
The weapon was a small fruit knife.
Such a man deserved his death.
The records only showed this much. As for whether this "Hazelnut" was indeed an abuser, they could only verify that after capturing him.
But the current situation was that they could locate living people, but not the dead.
Where could they find this "Hazelnut"?
The case had hit another dead end.
The mastermind behind this was truly cunning, using ghosts to increase the difficulty of solving the case.
Di Meng's head was starting to ache.
"Captain Di, perhaps we should consult the Senior Advisor?" a team member suggested.
Di Meng thought for a moment and finally decided, "Alright."
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan received Di Meng's call.
"Senior, we've identified 'Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut,'" Di Meng said, getting straight to the point. "He's already dead. We can't locate his position, which means we can't capture him."
Qi Quan pondered for a moment. "Does he have any living relatives?"
"Senior, are you suggesting..." Di Meng hesitated, "...using his relatives to deduce his location?"
"Yes."
"But if he's only a white ghost below the third level, he might be influenced and drawn by his relatives' bloodline. If he's above the third level, wouldn't it be very difficult... to deduce his location through divination?"
Qi Quan explained, "The reason divination fails is because their own power is strong enough to resist the pull of kinship."
For ghosts above the third level, if a Taoist master wants to use relatives to divine a ghost's location, it requires immense mental effort. The higher the ghost's level, the more difficult the divination.
But difficult doesn't mean impossible.
Thinking of her mysterious and unfathomable methods, Di Meng's confidence suddenly surged. He asked excitedly, "Senior, do you have a way?"
"First, confirm if he has any living relatives. Direct blood relatives are best."
"Understood!"
The Investigation Department quickly identified the man's relatives.
Ten years ago, he was stabbed to death by his wife who finally fought back. Overwhelmed with terror, his wife then took her own life without hesitation, leaving behind their seven-year-old son.
The son, who had witnessed everything while hiding in a room, suffered severe trauma. After a high fever lasting several days, he became mentally impaired. He is now adopted by a welfare institution.
The welfare institution is in Longtang City.
The Longtang City Investigation Branch, upon receiving the task from headquarters, immediately obtained a hair sample from the teenager and expedited its delivery to Lakeside Villa.
It arrived in Qi Quan's hands just before the Mid-Autumn Festival reunion dinner.
Qi Quan set up a small formation. She placed a single hair at the formation's eye, channeled her spiritual power, and activated the formation.
She had seen "Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut's" avatar in the Shadow-Retaining Talisman video. The avatar emanated dense ghost energy, indicating a high level.
To accurately locate the direction of a powerful ghost required sufficient spiritual power to sustain the spell. Furthermore, the spell-casting Taoist master had to be at least two levels higher than the powerful ghost. This was extremely challenging for ordinary Taoist masters.
At first, the hair strand remained motionless. Then, it slowly began to rotate, moving at a snail's pace around the formation's eye.
Longtang City.
In a remote mountain village, Xiong Wangchun held his phone, typing rapidly.
He had many groups on his phone, with messages popping up one after another. But he didn't find it annoying at all; he loved this feeling of controlling everyone. It made him forget the humiliation from ten years ago.
Ten years ago, while disciplining his disobedient wife, he was accidentally stabbed to death by her.
Xiong Wangchun had always enjoyed the thrill of controlling women. Such a careless death became his obsession.
How could he be killed by a weak woman?
He should be the one controlling women's life and death.
This obsession made him resist reincarnation.
Ordinary ghosts couldn't linger in the mortal world for long, but powerful ghosts could.
Filled with malice, Xiong Wangchun continuously harmed people to increase his ghost power. Later, he encountered a Taoist master. He was subdued by the master and became the master's "servant," forced to work for him.
Fortunately, the master didn't ask him to do much, only to manage all the "Siren King" groups.
Over ten years, his cultivation steadily improved. He could now split into many ghost shadows, allowing him to chat in different groups simultaneously without issue.
He loved this job.
He controlled those greedy men, and those men in turn controlled those lowly, cowardly women.
He was the true Siren King!
Xiong Wangchun opened a group. Someone had uploaded another video of a woman committing suicide for love. He watched with relish. Just as he saw the woman frantically slashing her own throat with a knife, he—
His ghost body suddenly turned cold.
He stood up in alarm, sensing an inexplicable pressure approaching.
The intuition of an eighth-level green ghost was extremely sharp.
He instinctively tried to raise a defense, but it was easily shattered. A low, unhurried chuckle seemed to ring in his ears.
"Got you."
Xiong Wangchun's eyes widened. An invisible pressure enveloped him, rendering him immobile.
He had only felt such terrifying power from his master!
Just as he was about to struggle desperately, his ghost body suddenly exploded.
Xiong Wangchun stared fixedly in one direction, making gurgling sounds.
He was a ghost servant, bound by an unequal contract.
His master only needed a single thought, and he would be utterly annihilated.
Thus, the eighth-level green ghost vanished from the world.
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan paused for a moment before calling Di Meng. She told him the specific location and added, "By the time you find him, he had already been eliminated."
Di Meng was shocked. "How did the other party know?!"
Qi Quan: "Ghost servant."
"I understand," Di Meng said gravely. "That 'Squirrel' from the 'Siren Queen' group, could it also be a ghost servant?"
Common ghost servant contracts are unequal.
The master can dispose of the ghost servant with a mere thought at any time and place.
It was highly likely that "Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut" died this way.
Qi Quan: "His phone should still be there."
Although the information inside had probably been wiped by a network expert, it was at least evidence. Handed over to the technical department, there was a possibility of recovering the data.
"I've already sent investigators from the Longtang branch."
Qi Quan said, "This subtle method seems different from the previous ones."
"Senior, Director Li said something similar," Di Meng replied. "The Peach Blossom Mark, ghost marriage, stealing merit, the Explosive Blood Pill... these methods are cruel and blatant, but they're all basically related to forbidden Taoist arts. However, these two groups feel very different."
Qi Quan: "Mhm."
The earlier cases all stemmed from forbidden Taoist arts. Even though they were forbidden, they were still related to Taoist methods. But "Siren Queen" and "Siren King" seemed out of place among these cases.
The perpetrators in the earlier cases were mostly Taoist masters, but this one was operated by ghosts.
What could the person behind this gain from these groups?
Qi Quan pondered thoughtfully.
The investigation team had retrieved Xiong Wangchun's phone, and the information on it had indeed been wiped clean.
Fortunately, the team had already intercepted information on many members. Following these leads, they could continue the pursuit.
Meanwhile, based on the clues provided by the investigation team, Yin Yi, Fu Jiuchong, and a few others had finally located the production base in Longlin City.
They used high-level concealment talismans, remaining undetected for the time being.
Sect Master Yin gazed into the distance, frowning. "Does something feel off?"
Fu Jiuchong's expression was equally grave.
It was normal for a production base to be hidden deep in the mountains. What was abnormal was its peculiar feng shui relationship with the terrain of the Hengfeng Sect.
There was a complementary, mutually reinforcing dynamic.
The distance wasn't particularly close, but the connection was remarkably tight.
An ordinary master might not see it, but Yin Yi was, after all, the sect master of the number one major sect. It was impossible for him not to have some special skills. He was extremely proficient in the intricacies of feng shui and fortune, even capable of discerning levels beyond his own.
Even with an eighth-level protective array shielding it, the Hengfeng Sect could not block his discerning eyes.
A sudden chill ran through Yin Yi's heart.
"That's not right. Doesn't the Hengfeng Sect only have a few seventh-level elders? How could they have an eighth-level mountain-protection array?"
The reason the Hengfeng Sect could only rank third was precisely because they lacked an eighth-level elder overseeing them, always falling short of the Xuanqing Sect and...
The Guiyuan Sect.
Who would have guessed they had quietly established an eighth-level array?
A master capable of setting up an eighth-level array must have cultivation at least at the eighth level or above.
They had been completely unaware of this situation.
Why had Yu Lanzhi been hiding this from them?
Exchanging glances, they all had a vague guess in their hearts. Without hesitation, they headed straight for the production base.
The production base was located beneath a deep pool at the bottom of a cliff within a mountain range.
This underground structure was incredibly well-hidden.
It could only mean the ambitions of the person behind it were vast.
Before they could even get close, an invisible barrier blocked their way. A flash of light suddenly appeared on the barrier, and surging spiritual power transformed into a heavy hammer, striking toward them!
Ninth level! It was actually a ninth-level array!
They nimbly dodged the attack.
Before accepting the mission, they had no idea the so-called "high-level array" was a ninth-level one!
Yin Yi's face darkened. "We've been discovered. Let's leave this place immediately."
With just a few seventh-level masters like them, breaking through was utterly impossible.
Inside the Hengfeng Sect.
Yu Lanzhi's eyes snapped open.
He looked up in a certain direction, his heart filled with extreme shock.
How could this be?
How did they find this place so quickly?!
Logically, those captured by the investigation team all had puppet seals. They shouldn't have been able to reveal the truth.
He felt extremely uneasy.
After a moment, with no further fluctuations from the array, he calmed down slightly.
Right, that array was ninth-level. No matter how many people came, it would be useless.
Lakeside Villa.
Night drew its curtain, and a bright moon slowly rose above the treetops.
The table under the skylight courtyard was laden with delicacies, including freshly steamed hairy crabs.
This was Qi Quan's first time dining in the courtyard, which held a unique charm.
The villa's lights reflected in the pool water under the skylight, like brilliant starlight fallen to the bottom, shimmering and dazzling.
The osmanthus wine brewed by Butler Su himself was fragrant, mellow, and sweet, more intoxicating than the moonlight itself. Xue Hong took a sip of wine, then a bite of crab, feeling utterly content.
After all, she was in a ghost form now; however much she ate wouldn't cause any illness.
Right in the midst of this beautiful scene, the villa's telephone rang.
Su Rong paused, then drifted to the living room to answer it.
After just a few moments, he drifted back out.
"Master, it's Director Meng on the phone."
Meng Yunzheng usually wouldn't bother her without good reason.
Qi Quan got up to answer the call.
"Master, I truly apologize for disturbing you during the holiday, but just now, a group brawl broke out at the Master Association. The head of the supervision team was injured in the arm while trying to break it up—specifically, the meridians in his arm. If he doesn't receive treatment, I'm afraid his cultivation will struggle to advance further." Meng Yunzheng's tone was quite dejected.
With the supervision team stationed at the Master Association, friction with the association's staff was inevitable, but no one expected it to escalate into a full-blown brawl.
Those masters, in their excitement, had struck without holding back, damaging the supervision team leader's meridians.
These meridians specifically referred to the ones used for cultivation.
A master's cultivation requires spiritual energy to circulate smoothly within the body without the slightest obstruction. Damage to any meridian would affect one's cultivation level.
Qi Quan's expression turned cold. "Where is he now?"
"In the medical room at the department."
Qi Quan looked toward the front courtyard, her gaze meeting Ling Sheng's, who had turned his head with concern.
An idea began to form in her mind.
"I'll head over right now."
