The interrogation room fell into silence.
Cai Ji could accept his own failure, could accept being exterminated by a child of fortune, but he could not accept that his entire life had been nothing but a joke.
How could he possibly be just a minor pawn on the chessboard?
"I saw him die with my own eyes. How could he still be alive?" Cai Ji shook his head, on the verge of a breakdown.
"He is indeed dead," Qi Quan said. "And you, from being his menial servant in life, became his shield after his death."
Cai Ji was struck another devastating blow.
He had just been smug about his achievements, only to be told now that it was all just a dream manipulated by someone else.
"Then tell me, if he's dead, why is he doing all this? What does he want?"
Li Guoyan answered him: "The Siren clusters, luring people to suicide, which is a sacrifice of life. Through this ritual, he strengthens his ghostly form, aiming to become a Ghost King."
"A Ghost King? What's the use of becoming a Ghost King?"
Cai Ji still didn't understand. Before leaving the Guiyuan Sect, he was just a menial servant with little chance to peruse the sect's ancient texts, never gaining access to such knowledge.
Qi Quan explained: "A Ghost King corresponds to a Human Immortal. Both can break free from the cycle of reincarnation, existing freely and without restraint."
"What's so good about being a ghost?"
Qi Quan: "Once he breaks free from reincarnation, he is no longer a mere ghost. He can enjoy everything the living can enjoy, while also possessing powerful ghostly abilities and an extended lifespan."
"..."
Considering the former sect leader's search for forbidden arts before his death, Cai Ji was starting to believe it.
He had truly thought the former sect leader died with regrets back then.
Who could have guessed he had already set a trap?
An insignificant little servant had thus become the head of a sinister cultivation organization, drawing the attention of the mystical sects in the open, while that person secretly accumulated power in the shadows, attempting to become a transcendent Ghost King.
Cai Ji had planted puppet talismans in so many people, but in the end, he himself was the true puppet.
How utterly laughable.
Li Guoyan continued to twist the knife: "You are now a wisp of a soul, sitting in this interrogation room, while that person is secretly hidden somewhere, perhaps in one of your undiscovered bases, on the verge of becoming a Ghost King."
Cai Ji made one last struggle. "But without you all, I would have already become a Human Immortal by now."
"You think becoming a Human Immortal is easy?" Qi Quan asked. "Can one become a Human Immortal just by relying on forbidden arts that harm others? Wouldn't that mean everyone in the world could become one?"
Cai Ji's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"To ascend from Human Sovereign to Human Immortal, one must undergo a trial of the heart. Can you truly say your heart is clear and without guilt?"
"..."
"Even if you don't believe what you did was wrong, if during the trial you learned the whole truth, knew you were just a pawn meant to draw fire, are you sure you could pass that stage?"
Cai Ji shuddered all over.
He didn't know. He was just a servant. He had relied on forbidden arts to forcefully rise from a lowly servant to the peak of the Human Sovereign realm and naively thought the Human Immortal realm was just a step away.
But in reality, he could never have become a Human Immortal.
[But, Great One, aren't the Siren clusters also about harming people? Can the one behind it all really become a Ghost King?]
Qi Quan: [Exploiting a loophole in the Heavenly Dao. Those people voluntarily sacrificed their lives. What does that have to do with him?]
[But the talismanic patterns with illusion magic, isn't that incitement?]
Qi Quan: [He merely drew the talismanic patterns. As for their use, whether they were exploited by others, no one can say for sure.]
[Huh? What does that mean?]
Qi Quan stated plainly: [Before this, did you think Cai Ji was incited by someone?]
The system paused, then had a sudden realization.
Utilizing the desires of the human heart, weaving a seductive net, making those people, like Cai Ji, believe they were in control, when in fact they were merely puppets manipulated by their own desires.
[That's too terrifying!]
Li Guoyan's previously somewhat relaxed mood grew heavy again.
They had dismantled one sinister cultivation organization, but there was an even more cunning mastermind behind the scenes.
He tapped the table, his sharp gaze fixed on Cai Ji, and said, "I imagine you are also unwilling to remain someone else's puppet. Speak up, who is 'Ghost'?"
Cai Ji was silent for a moment, then said, "I have a request."
"Speak."
"I know my crimes are unforgivable, and what awaits me is surely soul dispersion. But before my soul scatters, I want to see that person's soul scatter with my own eyes, if what you say is true."
Li Guoyan: "Agreed."
Cai Ji raised his head, looking at the glaringly bright light on the ceiling, and said faintly, "His name is Cai Guang. Seventeen years old. A seventh-level Celestial Master. Of course, that rank was achieved by piling up elixirs."
"Did you adopt him?"
Cai Ji smiled self-deprecatingly. "Yes. I adopted him when he was three."
"Three years old..." Li Guoyan asked, "Was he one of the trafficked children?"
"Yes. It was just a coincidence that day. I happened to see him, discovered his talent was quite good, his fortune not ordinary either, and conceived the idea of training him to work for me."
Fourteen years ago, the internet was in a period of rapid development. Electronic products were gradually entering public view. Cai Ji realized the organization had to keep up with the times; he needed talent in network-related matters.
Cai Guang's mind was very sharp; he grasped many concepts as soon as he learned them.
Destined to become a ghost in the network, unable to live in the sunlight, Cai Ji named him Cai Guang (Light).
With Cai Guang's operations on the network, the sinister cultivation organization developed more extensive operations and grew at an extremely rapid pace.
For some unknown reason, he never planted a puppet talisman in Cai Guang.
He had a special trust in him, mixed with a certain reluctance, perhaps because he had invested effort in Cai Guang.
Cai Ji used to think that was the reason, but now, he had learned to question.
Happening to see Cai Guang outside the cave dwelling, conceiving the idea to train him, being unwilling to plant a puppet talisman—none of these actions fit his usual temperament.
Cai Ji sighed with emotion. "He was indeed very obedient."
But whose orders he was obeying was another matter.
Once the floodgates opened, they couldn't be stopped.
Cai Ji confessed everything, including several overlooked small bases and the more secretive business chains of the Tianqi organization.
For the following period, the Investigation Department would be very busy.
Fortunately, more and more Celestial Masters were applying to join the Investigation Department, injecting fresh blood and lightening the burden on the investigators.
Testing all registered Celestial Masters, compiling data, interrogating suspects, dealing with implicated sects and families...
By the time everything was finished, a week had passed.
During that week, the Investigation Department did not forget to search for Cai Guang, but Cai Guang seemed to have evaporated from the face of the earth, leaving no trace.
The Investigation Department's decision regarding the implicated sects, especially the Hengfeng Sect, was announced.
The Hengfeng Sect was dissolved. All its Celestial Masters had their certificates temporarily revoked and were to undergo ideological education. After completing their studies, they would be assessed. Upon passing the assessment, their certificates would be returned.
Regarding the whereabouts of the Celestial Masters after the dissolution, the Investigation Department also offered suggestions.
They could join other sects or families; they could become free rogue cultivators; they could apply to join the Investigation Department.
Although these Celestial Masters were not involved in the case, the nature of the Hengfeng Sect's leader and elders participating in a sinister cultivation organization was too egregious. The authorities had to issue a warning.
The dissolution of the Hengfeng Sect was inevitable.
Outside the sect grounds, disciples gathered around Feng Ke, asking him what choice he would make.
Feng Ke pondered for a moment, then said with a smile, "That day in the sect, I looked up at Senior Qi's heroic bearing and admired her powerful yet unarrogant character. I want to follow in her footsteps and join the Investigation Department."
"Ah! I think the same way, I want to join the Investigation Department too!"
"Count me in!"
"Me, me, me!"
Longjing City.
Di Meng arrived at the guesthouse early in the morning and knocked on the door of Qi Quan's residence.
Shen Hui opened the door.
He asked, "Investigator Di, what brings you here?"
Di Meng grinned and said, "Naturally, I'm here to pick up Senior to the Department."
"Pick up?" Shen Hui was puzzled. "Can't I just take her there?"
Di Meng smiled smugly. "Today is the commendation ceremony. To show respect, the Department specifically sent me to escort Senior Qi."
"I bet you weren't specifically sent, were you?" Tang Mian came out of her room, teasing him.
She had recently had a breakthrough in her cultivation in Longlin City. After consolidating for two days, she hurried to Longjing to stay by Qi Quan's side.
Di Meng chuckled. "Ning Zhi wanted to come too. We fought over it, and I won."
"..."
Shen Hui said, "That still doesn't mean you can take my job."
"It's fine. After the ceremony, we'll be returning to Longjiang and will see Senior every day," Tang Mian patted Shen Hui's shoulder.
Shen Hui brightened up. "That's true."
Di Meng felt as if he had swallowed a huge mouthful of lemon, so sour it was.
After a grand and sweeping cleanup operation, Qi Quan's status within the entire Mystic Realm was now unshakable.
She was the super expert who had eliminated three Human Sovereign realm cultivators!
Even if they were Human Sovereign realm cultivators boosted by drugs, they were still Human Sovereign realm, yet the great master had annihilated them in a single move.
Everyone present was utterly impressed by her.
In this operation, the Investigation Department also established immense authority and gained recognition from many young exorcists.
Since the authorities released the list of individuals involved in the case, the reputation of the Exorcist Association had plummeted to rock bottom.
Many names on the list were high-ranking officials and staff within the Association. How could such a corrupt association still be qualified to govern exorcists?
Many sects and families also had exorcists who colluded with the evil cultivator organization. Even the top family, the Yan family, and the third-ranked sect, the Hengfeng Sect, were not spared.
Moreover, the organization's leader, Cai Ji, was originally a menial servant from the top sect, the Guiyuan Sect.
As for the matters related to the Siren groups, the authorities had not yet made them public.
This situation was truly a disgrace to the entire Mystic Realm.
Qi Quan was the Chief Consultant of the Investigation Department and had made the greatest contributions in this operation, so she deserved the highest commendation.
Other meritorious personnel would also receive their due awards.
Di Meng glanced around the living room and asked, "Where is Senior?"
As soon as he finished speaking, a figure descended from the second floor.
Her hair was tied in a neat high ponytail, and she wore the uniform of the Investigation Department. The fitted uniform accentuated her tall, straight figure, making her look heroic and impressive.
Qi Quan usually dressed casually and comfortably; this was the first time she had worn the uniform.
The three of them immediately brightened up.
...
Senior looks incredibly good in uniform!
Before they could recover, another figure appeared.
He wore the same uniform, standing on the steps behind Qi Quan, tall and slender, his gaze fixed on the person in front of him.
The three downstairs: "..."
It was just... a double assault of stunning beauty.
Lingsheng had also performed great deeds in this operation.
He and Xie Lanzhou worked day and night drawing talismans. Most of the spirit talismans, protective charms, and attack talismans used by the Investigation Department during the operation were drawn by them.
Furthermore, all the injured whose meridians were damaged during the operation were sent to Longjing City and received proper treatment.
Thanks to him, there were no casualties for the Investigation Department and the Mystic Realm this time.
He would also be commended.
Since he couldn't continue using illusion magic to conceal his face during the commendation, Qi Quan dispelled the illusion, allowing his true appearance to show.
However, revealing his true face carried certain risks.
From the interrogation of Cai Ji, it was concluded that Fu Jiuge's ambush and subsequent discovery by Ding Ji were not coincidences but traps set by someone behind the scenes.
The target was the child in Fu Jiuge's womb.
Once Lingsheng was exposed to the public, it might attract a lot of trouble.
But from another perspective, since that person had guided Ding Ji to suppress the "Heaven's Favored Child," they would surely keep a close watch on Lingsheng's situation.
Perhaps as early as when Qi Quan killed Ding Ji and brought Lingsheng back to the villa, the other party already knew.
Whether Lingsheng showed his face or not didn't matter much anymore.
Moreover, Qi Quan never feared the demons and monsters hiding in the darkness.
To some extent, her and Lingsheng's circumstances were quite similar.
She was also a stumbling block in that person's eyes.
Two stumbling blocks coming together might just smash the other party to pieces, scattering their soul.
The malevolent ghost hiding in the shadows probably never foresaw this day when it divined their fortunes, did it?
"Chief Consultant Qi, Chief Physician Qi, please get in the car," Di Meng saluted, saying with a serious expression.
Qi Quan and Lingsheng got into his car, while Shen Hui and Tang Mian followed behind in another car.
Di Meng drove extremely steadily this time.
In the back seat, Lingsheng sat upright, but his head was turned towards Qi Quan, gazing intently at her profile.
Qi Quan: ?
She turned her head to meet the young man's gaze and asked, "What is it?"
Lingsheng swiftly turned his head back, flusteredly avoiding her gaze, and shook his head.
Pfft. The system couldn't help but laugh.
Qi Quan: What are you laughing at?
System: Hehe, nothing.
Silence returned to the car as it drove towards the Investigation Department.
This commendation ceremony was held with great grandeur. The sect leaders, family heads, and elders from various forces who participated in the cleanup operation, such as Yin Yi, Fu Jiuchong, Wan Du, and others, were all present.
Also gathered in the Investigation Department's auditorium were the exorcists who had performed exceptionally well in operations across different regions.
The commendation ceremony was broadcast live within all local Investigation Departments.
In the auditorium, the esteemed figures sat in the front rows, with two seats left empty in the very center.
Sect Leader Wan of the Xuanqing Sect said with admiration, "Sect Leader Yin, being able to fight alongside Senior Qi is truly enviable."
He had led his team to Longtang City at the time and missed witnessing Senior Qi's magnificent feat of slaying the Human Sovereigns, which he had always regretted.
Yin Yi smiled gracefully. "Senior Qi is indeed a model for the Mystic Realm."
Actually, he hadn't seen much at the time.
The battle between two Human Sovereign realm cultivators was so fast they could barely see anything. He only vaguely saw the final two...
enormous black-red blades engulfing Cai Ji.
But that didn't stop him from feeling a bit superior in front of Wan Du.
"Who is that? He looks somewhat familiar," Wan Du said, looking towards a seat not far away, surprised. "And why is there a trace of ghostly aura?"
"Xie Lanzhou," Fu Jiuchong beside him suddenly spoke. "The first-place winner of the Mystic Realm Grand Competition years ago."
Winning first place as a rogue cultivator had made Xie Lanzhou a hot topic in the Mystic Realm that year.
Wan Du suddenly remembered. "So it's Brother Fu's brother-in-law! But he..."
"He was also a major contributor to this cleanup plan," Yin Yi explained. "Master Xie, as a ghost cultivator, spent twenty years investigating thirty evil cultivator hideouts and secretly rescuing many children."
Wan Du said respectfully, "Truly worthy of being the Mystic Realm's top champion back then."
He then asked, "Why is there another empty seat next to him?"
"I'm not sure about that either," Yin Yi shook his head.
Suddenly, several figures appeared at the auditorium entrance.
The entire hall fell silent, watching the newcomers with immense fervor.
Li Guoyan walked at the very front, his posture tall and imposing, his aura incredibly strong.
Everyone involuntarily craned their necks.
Finally—
Qi Quan, clad in her uniform, appeared in their line of sight.
Like a peerless sword, sharp and powerful, the crisp uniform made her appear even more towering and majestic, inspiring awe and immense reverence in everyone's hearts.
Everyone was inwardly cheering.
This was their Senior Qi Quan!
But when another figure appeared beside Qi Quan, most people wore expressions of surprise and confusion.
Who was he?
Ling Sheng rarely showed his true face in public. Apart from the few who knew his real identity, even within the Investigation Department, not many recognized him.
Why could such an unknown person stand beside Senior Qi Quan? Why could he walk into the auditorium alongside Director Li?
Under the gaze of the crowd, Ling Sheng went and sat down next to Xie Lanzhou.
Only Fu Jiuchong's eyes widened in shock.
He stared intently at Ling Sheng's face, his eyes filled with disbelief.
How remarkably similar this face was to his sister's!
Moreover, he was sitting next to Xie Lanzhou.
What did this mean?
Fu Jiuchong's emotions churned violently, so much so that he didn't even hear Yin Yi calling him.
"Brother Fu, Brother Fu, it's starting."
Fu Jiuchong snapped back to reality, taking a deep breath. Once the ceremony was over, he had to get to the bottom of this.
Investigation Departments across the country were simultaneously broadcasting the commendation ceremony live.
Inside the Longjiang City Investigation Department's auditorium, the investigators couldn't contain their pride. Thunderous applause erupted the moment Qi Quan appeared.
The applause lasted for a long time.
They weren't at the live broadcast site, and the atmosphere in their auditorium wasn't as solemn and dignified as at the headquarters. Investigators whispered among themselves, and even the person in charge, Meng Yunzheng, seeing this, turned a blind eye.
Truth be told, he wanted to join the discussion too.
"Wuwuwu... Senior is so beautiful and dashing! She looks super, super good in that uniform!"
"Longjiang City! Senior is from Longjiang City!"
"Will Senior stay in Longjing City from now on, or continue living in Longjiang?"
"Senior must come back to Longjiang!"
"Huh? Who's that next to Senior?"
"Haven't seen him before, but his looks are truly top-tier!"
"Rare to see someone standing next to Senior whose looks aren't completely overshadowed by hers."
"Did you notice, he's always half a step behind Senior, and his gaze is always fixed on her?"
"It seems... that's really true!"
...
The commendation ceremony officially began.
Meng Yunzheng gave a light cough, and the auditorium instantly fell silent.
Director Li Guoyan of the National Investigation Headquarters took the stage to deliver a speech.
Although he was an ordinary person, no one dared to look down on him. The medals he had earned and the contributions he had made were achievements that everyone in the Investigation Department found hard to match.
In this solemn and dignified setting, he rarely revealed a trace of a smile, passionately recounting the achievements made since the establishment of the Investigation Department and the results of this nationwide large-scale cleanup operation.
Thunderous applause echoed from below the stage, and investigators watching the live broadcast from various locations also clapped excitedly.
They felt proud to wear this uniform.
Li Guoyan's speech was concise, powerful, and weighty as a thousand pounds, each word striking deep and stirring emotions.
Many people's eyes reddened, tears welling up.
"This cleanup operation has been successfully completed. Everyone who participated will receive commendation."
Hearing this, everyone knew it was time to award the merit medals.
Needless to say, Senior Qi Quan would definitely receive the Special Class Merit!
Her contributions were witnessed by all; no one could question or deny them.
Without her invention of the Unity Talisman, without her development of the Composite Talisman, without her live teaching sessions, without her single-handedly defeating the Human Emperor realm leader Cai Ji, there would be no commendation ceremony today.
This medal was the consensus of the public.
When Qi Quan took the stage to receive and have the medal pinned on her, the applause from below was even more deafening than thunder. Many people cried tears of excitement.
Standing on the stage, a surge of warmth filled her chest—full, swelling—an emotion she had never felt before.
[Big Boss, congratulations! You look really, really, really handsome today!] The system excitedly lavished praise.
Qi Quan smiled. [Thank you.]
Compared to being revered by disciples in her sect, a scene like this was even more touching.
It seemed her mindset was different from before.
After the medal-awarding ceremony concluded, Qi Quan returned to her seat.
The second to receive commendation was Xie Lanzhou.
Many present didn't know Xie Lanzhou. Listening to his story with puzzled expressions, they gradually felt a sense of pity, but after the pity came even greater admiration.
For twenty years, unwavering, he had located thirty hideouts and preserved countless pieces of evidence. This contribution carried immense weight.
Not to mention, after returning, he had worked day and night drawing talismans.
Everyone gave him a warm round of applause.
Xie Lanzhou smiled with exceptional joy.
After him, Yin Yi, Fu Jiuchong, and a group of other senior figures all received commendations.
Finally, someone noticed something unusual.
"Senior Yin, Senior Fu... they all accepted official commendations?"
"They all rendered meritorious service, so why couldn't they accept official commendations?"
"No, what I mean is, accepting official commendation implies..."
"Implies what?"
"How can you be so slow!"
"Oh! I get it now!"
Many people sensed this shift in the wind.
Were the major sects and families of the Mystic Arts world about to accept the leadership and supervision of the official authorities?
Just as the mystics were pondering this, Ling Sheng taking the stage interrupted their train of thought.
Although Ling Sheng didn't directly participate in combat, he had provided many talismans for the Department and treated numerous injured after the cleanup operation. Such contributions could not be erased no matter what.
When the identity of Chief Physician was announced, the entire hall erupted in an uproar.
Fu Jiuchong was stunned, immediately turning his gaze to Xie Lanzhou.
Xie Lanzhou smiled and nodded at him...
Fu Jiuchong: "..."
He never imagined that the person who cured his sister Jiuge would be her own child!
This was truly... fate.
Others thought: So this is the Investigation Department's divine doctor? He's so young!
The Longjiang City auditorium also went wild.
"If I remember correctly, the one who treated dozens of injured at our department before was Senior Qi's assistant, right?"
"It was him!"
"Although the face is different, I'm sure the build is exactly the same!"
"It's Senior Qi's assistant! Even the hairstyle is the same!"
"I never knew the assistant was this good-looking!"
"If the little assistant became the Chief Physician, will he still stay by Senior Qi's side?"
"Not sure."
The revelation of the divine doctor's identity genuinely shocked the vast majority of people.
The commendation ceremony gradually approached its conclusion. Those able to take the stage and receive awards were all individuals with outstanding merits.
Other mystics who participated in the cleanup operation and rendered meritorious service would receive one treatment slot and one invitation card. The remaining mystics who merely participated would receive a live-stream invitation card.
Both the treatment slots and invitation cards were extremely valuable.
The treatment slot could be used for oneself or for relatives and friends.
Anyone with damaged meridians or dantian could receive one free treatment opportunity using the treatment slot.
The mystics were incredibly excited.
This was an opportunity countless mystics had dreamed of!
In the past, the Mystic Arts world had no medical practitioners. When Taoist masters were injured, they had nowhere to seek treatment. They not only had to endure the pain but also watch helplessly as their cultivation stagnated, or even regressed and vanished.
Countless Taoist masters faded into obscurity because of this.
Some masters, having witnessed their friends and family suffer for years, actually shed tears upon hearing this news.
There was hope!
Thank goodness they hadn't chosen to retreat. Thank goodness they had taken part in this battle!
After the commendation ceremony, Li Guoyan personally escorted Qi Quan to her car.
His expression was grave as he said, "Master Qi, there are ghosts in the shadows. You and Physician Qi must be careful."
Qi Quan nodded. "Thank you."
After being away on business for so many days, she truly missed home.
Li Guoyan watched them leave, then turned back to the Investigation Department. Entering an interrogation room, he saw Yan Fengqing and asked, "How does it feel?"
He had specially arranged for Yan Fengqing to watch a live stream alone, showing him the news that Fu Jiuge's child could treat damaged meridians.
— Anyone who knew Fu Jiuge would be certain of Ling Sheng's relationship to her just by looking at his face.
Yan Fengqing had indeed recognized him.
His fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white, veins bulged on his forehead, and his face was nearly contorted. His voice squeezed out from his throat as he laughed maniacally, "You told me this on purpose, didn't you? To see me filled with regret?"
He did regret it, but he refused to show weakness before Li Guoyan.
Li Guoyan shook his head. "That wasn't my intention."
"Hmph." Yan Fengqing clearly didn't believe him.
"Twenty years ago, you received a letter from 'The Ghost'. It instructed you to deliberately fabricate false information to lure Xie Lanzhou and then Fu Jiuge to Longhu City one after the other, and then arrange an ambush to kill them."
Yan Fengqing lifted his eyelids slightly. "You already asked about that yesterday."
"However, the one who gave you that order was not the 'Honored Master' you believed it to be." Li Guoyan observed his expression.
That ghost hiding in the shadows still had no trace. Based on current evidence, only Yan Fengqing...
had been in contact with that side.
He wanted to see if he could find a new lead.
Yan Fengqing looked up in surprise. "What do you mean?"
His astonishment seemed genuine.
Li Guoyan said seriously, "Your so-called 'Honored Master,' that is, Cai Ji, never issued such an order back then. He was merely a pawn himself. And you? You weren't even a pawn."
Yan Fengqing: "..."
A proud son of heaven could accept being a pawn, but not being less than a pawn.
He stared blankly at Li Guoyan for a moment, then suddenly began to laugh.
"Cai Ji..." Yan Fengqing laughed until tears streamed down his face. "So that's his name."
Li Guoyan: "He was originally a menial servant under the former sect master of the Guiyuan Sect."
Yan Fengqing wiped away his tears, a faint smile curling his lips.
"A menial servant? A menial servant is just fine."
"He left the sect with only second-level cultivation. But by using forbidden arts, he became a high-level Taoist master in an extremely short time and established the Tianqi Organization."
Cai Ji had personally witnessed the despair of the former sect master as his lifespan neared its end. That despair relentlessly assaulted him, breeding greed within.
He wanted immortality.
"Life as long as heaven's" was the ultimate goal he pursued.
However, everything he experienced was merely a dream woven for him by someone else—a dream steeped in blood and cruelty.
After a long silence, Yan Fengqing suddenly spat out with hatred, "A mere menial servant! A mere menial servant! A mere... cough, cough, cough!"
He coughed violently, as if trying to cough his entire lungs out.
Li Guoyan watched him quietly, without a trace of sympathy.
His current fate was nothing but the consequence of his own actions.
He continued twisting the knife: "Based on the existing confessions and evidence, it can be inferred that the former sect master of the Guiyuan Sect, He Xiuyu, is likely the true mastermind behind all this."
"What?!" Yan Fengqing questioned, "Didn't Sect Master He pass away long ago?"
He Xiuyu died when Yan Fengqing was just a teenager, a prodigy of the Yan family. He had followed the family head at the time to attend the funeral at the Guiyuan Sect, so he remembered it clearly.
Sect Master He was indeed confirmed dead.
"Ordinary people can become ghosts after death, and so can Taoist masters," Li Guoyan stated. "The person who sent you the order and used you as a tool for murder was not Cai Ji."
A chill ran down Yan Fengqing's spine.
A ghost hidden in the shadows, knowing all his affairs, had used him to set a trap and kill.
He asked with difficulty, "If it really was him, why would he want to kill Fu Jiuge?"
"On the forbidden arts manual Cai Ji stole, there was a prophecy. It stated that if one practiced the forbidden arts, a person of great fortune would appear to obstruct their path to immortality. The specific birthplace and birth time were clearly marked."
Yan Fengqing wasn't stupid. He understood almost immediately.
"It was deliberate?"
What kind of forbidden arts manual would contain such a prophecy?
Only an ignorant menial servant like Cai Ji would believe it completely.
Li Guoyan nodded. "He Xiuyu was famous in the Mystic Arts world for his divination arts back then. This was the child of destiny he divined before his death, the one who would hinder his path to becoming a Ghost King."
"What does that have to do with Fu Jiuge?" Yan Fengqing asked.
Li Guoyan replied, "The one he divined before his death was Qi Quan. Three years later, he divined another child of destiny—precisely Fu Jiuge's child."
"..."
Yan Fengqing truly couldn't accept it.
His cooperation with the Tianqi Organization, while not entirely voluntary, at least meant he wasn't kept completely in the dark.
A dead man turned ghost, secretly manipulating events for decades, all just to become a Ghost King?
His voice was hoarse as he asked, "Why are you telling me all this? What do you want?"
"I want to ask, is that letter still in existence?"
This might be the only clue left; even a single letter couldn't be overlooked.
Yan Fengqing: "It's gone."
Li Guoyan's expression didn't change; this was within expectations.
He said nothing more and turned to leave.
"But I can imitate the handwriting," Yan Fengqing suddenly said. "And I investigated the source of the paper back then."
His cooperation with Tianqi hadn't lasted long back then, and his vigilance was quite high. After receiving the letter, he immediately sent someone to secretly investigate its origin and memorized the handwriting on it.
The letter had no return address. The handwriting was unremarkable, seemingly ordinary, even a bit delicate. But the stationery was unusual.
Li Guoyan turned back.
"I have a condition," Yan Fengqing looked at him.
Li Guoyan nodded. "Go on."
"I want to see him utterly destroyed, his soul scattered. If what you say is true."
Li Guoyan: "..."
It seemed the hatred ran as deep as Cai Ji's.
Yan Fengqing probably thought that without that letter, he likely wouldn't have moved against Fu Jiuge. Then Fu Jiuge could have given birth safely, the child would have grown up in the Fu family, studied medical arts, and there would have been hope for curing his legs.
But he might have forgotten that it was precisely because he joined the Tianqi Organization that he caught He Xiuyu's attention.
Li Guoyan agreed.
Yan Fengqing said, "Back then, there was no online 'Ghost' network; information transmission wasn't that fast. I had people investigate the clues very carefully, without alerting the other party."
"What did you find?"
"That kind of thick, colored letter paper had just become popular in Longhai City. It hadn't spread widely yet and was rare in Longjing City," Yan Fengqing explained. "Following this lead to Longhai City, through purchase records and handwriting comparison, I found a person."
Li Guoyan was quite surprised.
Searching for purchase records in Longhai City and conducting handwriting comparisons was an extremely difficult task at the time. To be able to find this person amidst such a massive amount of information shows Yan Fengqing's capability and determination.
With such skills, why didn't he do something good instead of joining a sinister cultivation organization?
What a pity.
"What kind of person?" Li Guoyan asked.
Yan Fengqing: "A dead woman."
"..."
"So the lead ends here." Yan Fengqing, appreciating his look of astonishment, felt a certain pleasure. "Does Director Li have anything else to ask?"
Li Guoyan, however, smiled and said, "Coincidentally, the person I'm looking for is also a dead woman."
Yan Fengqing: ?
"Tell me, who is she."
The user "Squirrel Who Loves Hazelnuts" from the Siren Queen group still hadn't been found. She should be a major ghost of similar rank to Xiong Wangchun from the Siren King group.
Such a major ghost lingering in the mortal world, guiding others to suicide, is a rather dangerous matter.
Even though the authorities have already urged the public to download the software to prevent being lured by groups like the Siren group, there will always be those who like to be contrarian, or simply don't care.
A female ghost capable of transmitting information twenty years ago is certainly not a nobody.
Not seeing the expression he had hoped for on Li Guoyan's face, Yan Fengqing said with some disappointment, "Longhai City, Gao Peilan."
Li Guoyan immediately left the interrogation room and ordered someone to look up the information.
"Director Li, she's been dead for at least twenty years. It won't be easy to find," an investigator said. "It wasn't digital office work back then. Records were all handwritten, with very few being printed."
Li Guoyan said, "Contact the local investigation office in Longhai City. Get the detailed information as soon as possible."
"Yes, sir!"
On the other side, Qi Quan and Lingsheng returned to their accommodation and did not immediately go back to Longjiang City.
Just as Shen Hui and Tang Mian were puzzled, someone came to visit.
It was the Fu family.
Seeing Fu Jiuge's face, the two instantly understood.
So the Senior had already guessed. The reason they didn't return to Longjiang immediately was because they knew the Fu family was coming.
Shen Hui made tea for the guests, while Tang Mian went upstairs to inform Qi Quan.
The three members of the Fu family sat on the living room sofa, all looking anxious.
"Dad, is he really Aunt's child?" Fu Luanfei asked excitedly. "That makes him my cousin, right?"
Fu Jiuchong nodded firmly. "Yes, your cousin."
"So that means Cousin saved Aunt twice. That's fate."
Fu Jiuchong suddenly smiled.
"Yes, fate."
As soon as the words were spoken, they saw Lingsheng coming downstairs carrying a suitcase.
Behind him were Qi Quan and Tang Mian.
After the commendation ceremony, Qi Quan no longer concealed Lingsheng's face, but still shielded his special constitution.
"Senior Qi." Fu Jiuchong and the other two quickly stood up.
The Fu family could never repay the debt of gratitude they owed Qi Quan in this lifetime, so no amount of respect was excessive.
"Mr. Fu, Ms. Fu, Miss Fu." Qi Quan gave a slight nod. "You can speak with Lingsheng. I'll go wait in the car first and leave this space for you."
"That's not necessary!" Fu Jiuge said decisively. "Senior Qi, we won't delay your journey. Just being able to meet, to know that Lingsheng is doing well, is already more than enough for me."
She looked at Lingsheng, then suddenly took out her phone from her bag and said with a smile, "Could we maybe add each other as contacts first?"
Lingsheng was stunned and instinctively looked towards Qi Quan.
Qi Quan: ...
Ms. Fu is indeed quite a unique person.
