Ling Sheng and Fu Jiuge added each other as friends, and they returned to Longjiang City with Qi Quan.
On the way back, Qi Quan received a message from Li Guoyan.
[Li Guoyan: The suspicious person who passed information to Yan Fengqing twenty years ago has been identified. Gao Peilan, female, 22, died thirty years ago, suicide by falling from a building. She was eight months pregnant at the time of death.]
The system felt a chill: [That's too tragic!]
To fall from a building while pregnant, her heart must have been filled with utter despair.
It asked: [Could this Gao Peilan be "The Squirrel Who Loves Hazelnuts"?]
Qi Quan said: [Uncertain for now.]
She replied to Li Guoyan: [Any photos?]
Not many people could afford photos thirty years ago, but Longhai City was a major metropolis after all. Gao Peilan's family was relatively well-off, and she had taken quite a few photos during her lifetime.
Li Guoyan sent one.
The photo was taken over thirty years ago. Gao Peilan was still in university at the time, her eyes and brows lovely and bright, with a touch of charming naivety. She looked like someone who led a happy life.
For someone originally so happy to despair and jump from a building shows the magnitude of the blow she suffered.
The specific reason that led to her suicide hadn't been uncovered yet; after all, thirty years had passed. Her parents fell ill and died early because of this incident, and finding other people who might know the details would take time.
From the remarks made by "The Squirrel Who Loves Hazelnuts" in the group chat, her aversion to men was evident.
It was highly likely she had been deeply hurt in a relationship.
[Great One, we just took down Cai Ji and the others. Won't the ghostly thing behind them lie low for now? What if he never shows himself and continues to harm people?] The system worried anxiously.
Qi Quan couldn't answer that.
If their guess was correct, and the mastermind behind it all was indeed the deceased He Xiuyu, then after scheming for so many years, he would absolutely not let them catch him easily.
If he wanted to exploit loopholes in the Heavenly Law, he would be extremely cautious.
But it was reasonable to speculate that, due to the collapse of the Tianqi organization, He Xiuyu probably wouldn't make any major moves for the time being.
This also just gave the Mystic Arts world time for reorganization.
After this battle, the Mystic Arts world should accept the leadership of the Investigation Department and undergo reforms. But reform isn't just talk; concrete measures need to be implemented.
These were all headaches for Li Guoyan to deal with.
The car drove smoothly all the way back to Longjiang City.
Qi Quan and Ling Sheng had been away from home for too long. Su Steward and Teacher Xue had been bored out of their minds at home. The former, aside from cultivating ghost arts, spent his time studying recipes. The latter, aside from cultivation, just studied, not even bothering to eat.
Upon hearing the news of their return, they were overjoyed.
Su Rong started preparing dishes early in the morning, all of Qi Quan and Ling Sheng's favorites. Xue Hong used a dust-clearing talisman to clean the house spotlessly and fed the fish in the pond until they were full.
When movement sounded outside the courtyard, she immediately poured freshly brewed tea, floated to the courtyard gate, wearing her prettiest dress, to welcome the villa's masters home.
Qi Quan opened the courtyard gate, and a tall figure instantly rushed over, saying with utmost delight, "Great One, you're finally back!"
"Mm, we're back." Qi Quan replied with a smile.
This business trip had indeed been long.
Only upon returning home did she feel a long-missed sense of comfort.
She sat on the living room sofa, drinking the brewed tea, smelling the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen, admiring the scenery in the courtyard, her heart gradually growing peaceful.
Before long, Su Steward was bringing dishes to the table.
Qi Quan took a bite, her eyes lighting up. It seemed Su Steward's culinary skills had improved even further during these days she was away.
During this period, she had been eating food cooked by Ling Sheng. Although Ling Sheng's cooking was also excellent, different people create dishes with different flavors. Changing it up occasionally prevents getting tired of the taste.
"Great One, what's the situation outside now?" Xue Hong asked curiously.
She and Su Steward had been staying in the villa, completely unaware of the storms outside.
Qi Quan picked out the key points and told them.
"Peak Human Sovereign realm?" Su Steward was momentarily stunned, then his eyes showed admiration. "The Great One is truly extraordinary."
To challenge a peak Human Sovereign while only at the second tier of the Human Sovereign realm—only the Great One could accomplish that.
Xue Hong said, "Since... the Tianqi organization is destroyed, will the Mystic Arts world be peaceful from now on? Won't we have to worry about being captured by evil cultivators anymore?"
"No." Qi Quan denied.
Su Steward and Xue Hong exchanged a look, both showing surprise.
Could it be that after wiping out one batch, another would sprout?
"The Siren Group hasn't been dug out yet." Qi Quan said slowly. "Cai Ji was just a pawn. There's still one behind him."
The two ghosts: "..."
When will there ever be peace and quiet?
Su Steward said with a smile, "Great One, since the person behind this is lying low for now, we don't need to worry too much. You've been on a business trip for so long, and you just got home today. How about resting and relaxing?"
"Do you have something in mind?" Xue Hong asked.
Su Steward nodded. "When the Great One was away, Young Master Du and the others came by once. They brought quite a few things, including some discs. How about watching a movie after dinner?"
"Oh, right." Xue Hong agreed. "The Great One seems to rarely watch movies, and Ling Sheng hasn't formally watched one to this day."
[Great One! I want to watch a movie too!] The system exclaimed excitedly.
Qi Quan was indifferent either way, but seeing their expectant faces, she nodded in agreement.
After dinner, Su Steward went to clean the kitchen. Xue Hong prepared fruits and snacks to enjoy during the movie. Ling Sheng sat at the table organizing his medical notes.
Only Qi Quan lounged comfortably on the sofa.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang from outside.
Ling Sheng put down his notes, walked through the courtyard, and went to open the door.
It was Shen Hui.
He had just dropped off Qi Quan and Ling Sheng, then went to the police station to pick up the completed ID cards. He came to deliver them after the meal time had passed.
"Physician Qi, here is your ID card." Shen Hui handed it over.
Ling Sheng didn't take it immediately. First, he took out his phone and typed two words.
[Thank you.]
Shen Hui was momentarily taken aback, then smiled sincerely. "You're welcome."
He left after delivering the ID card.
Ling Sheng closed the door, clutching the ID card, returned to the living room, hesitated for a moment, then walked up to Qi Quan, squatted down, and presented the ID card to her as if offering a treasure.
"Keep it safe yourself. Carry it with you for travel from now on." Qi Quan instructed.
Ling Sheng nodded.
He carefully tucked the ID card into his pocket.
Xue Hong prepared the fruit platter and snacks, found a box of discs, and brought it before Qi Quan, saying, "Great One, please pick one."
"Let Ling Sheng pick." Qi Quan said.
Ling Sheng obediently lowered his head, didn't even look at the disc covers, and randomly pointed at one.
Xue Hong pulled it out, saw the cover, and couldn't help but laugh.
"'The Ghost Wife's Temptation'. What luck! Picked a ghost movie right away, and quite suitable for us to watch."
In this room full of either celestial masters or ghosts, a ghost movie was indeed fitting.
Just then, Su Steward finished cleaning the kitchen, floated into the living room, and sat on a nearby sofa.
The living room had a TV and playback equipment.
Xue Hong inserted the disc and asked, "Should we draw the curtains? It'll create more atmosphere."
"Alright." Qi Quan nodded.
She rarely watched movies. In fact, she had never watched a single movie from beginning to end and had never even been to a cinema.
Today was actually the first time she was watching a film with family and friends.
Xue Hong pressed the remote, and the living room curtains all closed. The curtains were blackout, so once fully shut, not a sliver of sunlight came in, plunging the entire living room into darkness.
Coincidentally, the horror movie began its opening scene. The background music played through the surround sound system, making it seem especially eerie.
A female ghost suddenly appeared on the screen.
The actress's face was painted pale and stiff, her lips crimson, her eyes glowing green. Under the lighting and atmosphere, she looked extremely terrifying.
However, the two humans and two ghosts in the living room all remained expressionless.
They didn't find it scary, just ridiculous.
The female ghost paused facing the camera for a few seconds, then slowly turned around.
The camera followed her perspective, pushing from the entryway of the living room to the bedroom door.
...
The female ghost wore a bright red dress, her jet-black long hair cascading down her back. She stretched out a pale, withered hand and placed it on the bedroom doorknob.
A faint rustling sound seemed to come from inside the bedroom.
The two humans and two ghosts simultaneously thought: There's definitely someone inside trying to save themselves.
The movie deliberately used slow motion to build a tense, horrifying atmosphere. Even the female ghost opening the door took a full minute, leaving the living room audience in silent speechlessness.
The door finally opened.
Qi Quan: ?
Su Rong: ...
Xue Hong: Oh my.
Ling Sheng: !
System: [Wahhhh! I'm tainted, I'm tainted, I'm tainted!]
Inside the dim, gloomy bedroom, a man and a woman, completely unaware, were engaged in activities unsuitable for children.
Just... absurd.
They were here to watch a ghost movie, not an action film!
Qi Quan leaned back calmly on the sofa, watching the action on screen without the slightest ripple of emotion.
Su Steward coughed lightly, lowering his head in embarrassment.
Xue Hong glanced around. Seeing Qi Quan completely unbothered, she also pretended to be composed. When her gaze swept past Ling Sheng, she noticed curiosity flickering in his eyes.
Although she was Ling Sheng's teacher, having taught him from elementary school through university, she hadn't covered certain types of knowledge.
This kind of scene must be quite novel to him.
Fortunately, the camera didn't linger on the couple, shifting back to the female ghost.
The female ghost curled her lips into a sinister smile and reached out to kill the immoral pair, when suddenly a person jumped out from the wardrobe. Dressed in Taoist robes and holding a peach wood sword, he chanted incantations and thrust the sword towards her with a whoosh.
The two humans and two ghosts: ???
The scoundrel sat up from the bed, sneering contemptuously, "You think you can harm me? Even as a ghost, you're still an idiot!"
After fighting the Taoist for a moment, the female ghost was injured. Knowing she was no match, she fled the room with hatred.
The Taoist gave chase relentlessly as she desperately tried to escape.
This was a bizarre, deserted street. In front of shop doors, a few broken neon lights flickered weakly. From a dark alley, a hand suddenly reached out and yanked the female ghost inside!
The camera zoomed in on the hand's owner.
He was also playing a ghost, likely one of a decent rank, as his appearance was almost like a living person's, not as horrifying as the female ghost's.
"Wait," Qi Quan suddenly said. "Pause it."
Xue Hong pressed the remote, pausing the movie.
"Master, what is it?"
Qi Quan scrutinized the male actor's face carefully and said, "This person is already dead."
Xue Hong and Su Steward were shocked.
They were ghosts themselves, yet they hadn't sensed any ghostly aura from him!
This was truly unbelievable.
The system hugged itself fearfully: [Big Boss, so is he a ghost? Can ghosts act in movies?]
Qi Quan: [Ghosts have physical forms, no different from living people.]
Actually, she hadn't noticed at first either, but her intuition told her this male actor seemed off. Looking closely, she realized he was a ghost.
She was already at the peak of the Human Sovereign realm. Even she hadn't reacted immediately upon seeing this ghost, let alone others.
No wonder this ghost dared to act in movies so brazenly.
Qi Quan suddenly thought of something and asked Ling Sheng, "Can you tell he's a ghost?"
The young man didn't react, just stared down at his own hands, as if he hadn't heard.
The living room fell silent for a moment.
"Ling Sheng, snap out of it!" Xue Hong called out loudly.
Ling Sheng looked up abruptly to find Su Steward and Teacher Xue looking at him with teasing expressions. His face suddenly felt hot.
He sat up straight, flustered, and looked at Qi Quan, his ears turning red.
Qi Quan: "What were you thinking about?"
Ling Sheng shook his head hurriedly, his gaze even becoming somewhat evasive.
Qi Quan didn't press further. She tilted her chin towards the screen and said, "Take a look."
The young man turned to look at the TV.
As soon as his eyes met the male ghost on screen, he paused, then pulled out his phone to type: [He is a ghost.]
"How can you tell?"
...
Ling Sheng was stunned, hesitantly replying: [A feeling.]
He didn't know how he could tell; he just knew it was a ghost.
Qi Quan understood what he meant.
"Keep watching."
The movie resumed.
The male ghost didn't have many scenes. His purpose was to teach the female ghost how to cultivate ghostly arts. After learning, the female ghost became extremely beautiful and alluring. She went back to seduce the scoundrel and then tortured him thoroughly.
It wasn't much of a ghost movie, mainly telling the story of how the female ghost, after becoming beautiful, captivated everyone and took revenge.
Very satisfying, very melodramatic.
Xue Hong asked tentatively, "Should we keep watching?"
Qi Quan: "Ling Sheng, pick another one."
The young man looked hesitantly at the box of discs. What if he picked another movie with that kind of content?
"Choose based on your intuition."
Ling Sheng had no choice but to randomly select another disc.
Fortunately, the new movie was a proper horror film, without too much melodramatic plot.
Halfway through the movie, Xue Hong exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that the male ghost from before?"
It turned out he had acted in more than one film.
Seemed like a ghost obsessed with acting.
Qi Quan asked Su Steward, "Were these discs sent by Du Jiaming?"
"Young Master Du and the others came together, bringing quite a few gifts. These discs were just mixed in. I'm not sure exactly who sent them. Should I ask now?" Su Rong replied.
"Yes."
Su Rong dialed Du Jiaming's number.
The other side answered quickly.
"Su Steward! You needed something from me?"
Su Rong put the call on speaker and asked, "Last time, you and Zhang Chengyan and the others sent some gifts. Among them was a box of movie discs. Who sent those?"
"Hehe, that was me," Du Jiaming said sheepishly. "Earlier in the group chat, Teacher Xue mentioned being bored at home, so I thought of sending some discs for you all to pass the time."
He was referring to the "Master's Guardians Squad" group chat.
Su Rong asked, "Why are they all horror movies?"
"They're not all horror movies. I remember there were quite a few other genres. I didn't know what you'd like, so I put in all kinds of films."
Su Rong and Xue Hong: "..."
So Ling Sheng randomly picked two, and both were horror movies?
What kind of luck was that?
Du Jiaming added, "Actually, I never used to watch horror movies, but since meeting the Master, I've become really interested in this stuff. Coincidentally, I have a friend who makes horror films, so I asked him for a bunch. Have Su Steward and Teacher Xue watched any? Any criticisms or suggestions?"
"What do you need criticisms and suggestions for?" Xue Hong asked curiously.
Du Jiaming said with chagrin, "Well, I'm interested in the mystical arts, but I have no talent. So I thought about investing in a few horror movies to get my fix."
"..."
Su Rong stifled a laugh and said, "No suggestions, they're fine. When does your horror movie start filming?"
"Soon, it's being filmed at the film and television base." Du Jiaming teased, "Will Su Steward and Teacher Xue come to visit the set?"
Su Rong looked at Qi Quan.
Qi Quan asked, "Have all the actors been cast?"
"Master!" he exclaimed joyfully, "Master, you're back! Yes, all actors are set, just waiting to pick a date to start filming."
Qi Quan: "Could you provide a list of the actors and their photos?"
"Of course!" Du Jiaming agreed without hesitation, "I'll send them to Su Steward shortly."
He didn't ask Qi Quan why she wanted them; it wasn't a big deal anyway.
Du Jiaming was very efficient and soon sent over the actor list with corresponding photos.
Su Rong flipped through them and said in surprise, "It's that male ghost!"
They had already seen this ghost in two horror films today.
Was this really just a coincidence?
The system was also confused: 【Big shot, what's going on exactly?】
Qi Quan: 【This ghost has cultivated a special ghost technique, or used some other method to conceal its ghost form. I only noticed something amiss after observing carefully just now.】
【Can Ling Sheng see it easily?...】
Qi Quan: 【He is a born spiritual body; he should be very sensitive to both spiritual power and ghostly energy.】
System: 【So what's wrong with this ghost? Has it harmed people?】
【It feels very familiar to me.】
【Very familiar? Have you seen it before?】
Qi Quan: 【Remember 'The Squirrel-Loving Hazelnut' in the Siren King's group chat?】
【I remember, the one whose real name was Xiong Wangchun, who was killed by his wife after abusing her. You found him using his son's hair, but he was instantly annihilated upon discovery.】
Qi Quan: 【Mm, they give me a similar feeling.】
The system understood: 【You mean, they might have the same master?】
【Mm.】
Xiong Wangchun was instantly destroyed back then, and Qi Quan suspected he might have been someone's ghost servant.
Only a ghost servant could be killed by their master's mere thought.
While deep in thought, she suddenly received a message from Li Guoyan.
【Li Guoyan: We've uncovered some information about Gao Peilan's cause of death. Thirty years ago, she graduated from Longhai University. Due to an unplanned pregnancy, she had to marry her boyfriend early. According to sources, her husband cheated on her during her pregnancy. The exact details of what happened in between haven't been verified yet. All we know is that she jumped to her death when she was eight months pregnant.】
The system was puzzled: 【She committed suicide out of despair just because of infidelity?】
Qi Quan also sensed there was more to the story.
She replied to Li Guoyan: 【What about her husband?】
【Li Guoyan: It's said that not long after her death, her husband became mentally unstable. His current whereabouts are unknown; the department is investigating.】
Qi Quan: 【Please help me investigate another person.】
She sent over the information about the actor ghost.
Li Guoyan replied quickly: 【This person is named Zhang Feng. He died five years ago; he was an extra when alive. Master, is there a problem?】
Qi Quan: 【No major problem, it's just that he's planning to join another film crew.】
Li Guoyan: ???
Longjiang City Film and Television Base.
The extras, having received their pay, left the set one after another, asking in the group chat if there was any more work.
Zhang Feng was also inquiring about opportunities in the extras' group.
Suddenly, someone patted him on the shoulder from behind and said, "Hey man, your acting's not bad! And you're so young, the future looks bright!"
Zhang Feng loved hearing such praise and replied with a grin, "You're not bad either. Let's encourage each other."
"Hey, have you found your next gig?"
Zhang Feng nodded, "Got one, but it hasn't started filming yet."
"Wow, already booked before it even starts? Must not be a small role, right?"
"Not a big one either, just a casual part."
The man pulled out a cigarette and offered it, "Hey man, hook a brother up with an introduction, will you?"
Zhang Feng waved his hand, "I don't smoke. I'm just a minor role, how could I make introductions?"
"Even an extra role is fine. Please introduce me. Later, if I get into other crews, I'll introduce you too."
Zhang Feng was somewhat tempted. He hesitated, "Even if I introduce you for an extra role, it'd probably only be playing a corpse."
"Playing a dead person is nothing, as long as there's money."
Zhang Feng said, "It's a ghost movie. You still want in?"
"Of course! Absolutely!" The man quickly took out his phone, "Hey man, add me as a friend?"
Zhang Feng opened his QR code.
"Alright, Brother Feng, thanks so much. Let me treat you to a meal."
Zhang Feng didn't refuse.
"Brother Feng, your profile picture is pretty interesting. Looks like some kind of talisman pattern, haha."
Zhang Feng lowered his eyes, the corner of his mouth lifting as if just making casual conversation, "Yeah, a peace talisman requested from a Taoist temple."
"You believe in that stuff?" the man said in surprise, "But then again, you're filming ghost movies, so having this peace talisman for peace of mind makes sense."
Zhang Feng asked, "Aren't you going home for dinner tonight? Don't you need to make a call?"
"Ah, what's there to call about? I have no father, no mother, no relatives at all. I'm an orphan."
...
Zhang Feng patted his shoulder, full of camaraderie, "Don't worry, I'll definitely try my best to get you a role with lines."
"Thank you so much!"
After the meal, the man said, "Brother Feng, where do you live? Let me give you a ride."
He patted his little electric scooter.
Zhang Feng smiled, "No need. Your scooter can't carry passengers; you'll get fined if the traffic police see you. I'll walk back; it's good exercise."
"Brother Feng is such a law-abiding good citizen!" The man got on his scooter and suddenly said, "Brother Feng, where did you get that peace talisman? I was thinking, since I'm going to act in a ghost movie, maybe I should get one too."
Zhang Feng lifted his eyelids and smiled at him, "It's not some famous temple. Just the Lingxu Temple up in the northern suburbs. Heard of it?"
The twilight was deep, half of his face hidden in shadow, his pupils somewhat dark. The neon lights from the street lit up, making his skin appear rather pale.
The man suddenly felt a chill, but didn't pay it much mind, replying, "I know of it. I'll go check it out when I have time."
"Mm."
"See you later, Brother Feng!" The man rode out a meter, then remembered something and stopped to ask, "Oh, by the way, is the talisman expensive?"
Before he could finish the question, he realized Zhang Feng was already gone.
"Whoa, he left so fast!"
Zhang Feng chose a corner without surveillance cameras, transformed back into his ghost form, and floated back to Lingxu Temple.
His level wasn't high, but he cultivated a special ghost technique that allowed him not only to turn into a human and enjoy everything humans could, but also to evade detection by the Heavenly Master Association and the Investigation Department.
Even super high-level Heavenly Masters would find it hard to sense his ghostly aura.
Lingxu Temple was located on a hill in the northern suburbs. It wasn't famous, but it had quite a few devotees in Longjiang City.
It was late, and the temple gates were closed.
Zhang Feng floated into the dormitory at the back of the temple, materialized, and said to a teenager playing on a computer nearby, "Another offering took the bait today."
"If you keep being this reckless, aren't you afraid of getting caught?" The teenager took off his headphones, "Tianqi has already been destroyed. If you don't act more carefully, be careful..."
"Pfft—" Zhang Feng's lips curled in mockery, "I'm not careful? I wonder who was discovered by the Investigation Department in the middle of the night, had to use thunder talismans to destroy equipment, and fled all the way from Longjing to hide here. Cai Guang, what right do you have to tell me what to do?"
Cai Guang fell silent for a moment, then said, "The Siren group has been discovered, and the authorities are watching closely. If you get exposed again, it will only slow down the Master's cultivation progress."
"Isn't that just your incompetence?" Zhang Feng drifted onto the bed, crossing his legs. "I've been acting for so many years without being discovered. Everything you touch gets exposed. If Gao Peilan hadn't noticed something was wrong in time, her soul would have scattered just like Xiong Wangchun's."
Cai Guang: "..."
"The Master never involves himself in these mundane affairs. Last time, if you hadn't been useless and let the investigation lead to Xiong Wangchun, would the Master have had to personally kill him?"
Cai Guang hung his head.
"I think it's you who needs to be more careful. The Master is in seclusion, at the most critical juncture. If you hold him back now and ruin the Master's plans, he will surely be disappointed in you."
Cai Guang put his headphones back on, a flash of malice in his eyes.
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan carefully sorted through the threads of the matter.
The Tianqi organization was destroyed, and the "Ghost King" had also surfaced.
As for the mastermind being He Xiuyu, it was still just speculation, not yet confirmed.
When the Investigation Division requested He Xiuyu's files from the Guiyuan Sect, they found his records were extremely brief and clean. The Guiyuan Sect had also left behind no traces of him from his lifetime.
According to Yin Yi, He Xiuyu was indeed extremely skilled in divination and was famous in the mystical community for this ability. But very few knew he also studied talisman arts.
Yin Yi was not He Xiuyu's disciple; He Xiuyu never took a disciple in his life. Although he was the sect leader, his temperament was not approachable, and few truly understood him.
Yin Yi only knew about his research into talisman arts because his own master had mentioned it.
If he hadn't been the sect's chief disciple back then and had to visit He Xiuyu's residence several times on sect business, he wouldn't have recognized Cai Ji during the cleanup operation.
Cai Ji was He Xiuyu's servant. He... would run into Cai Ji every time he went, which left some impression.
As a sect leader, leaving no traces from his lifetime showed He Xiuyu had made preparations before his death.
The cleaner it was, the more it proved his guilt.
Where would such a cautious person hide?
Qi Quan asked her system: [If you were He Xiuyu, how would you hide?]
The system thought seriously and said: [The most dangerous place is the safest place.]
[For him, what is the most dangerous place?]
The system instinctively said: [He's a ghost, so the most dangerous places should be like... heavenly master sects and families, right? Or maybe the Heavenly Master Association.]
[No.] Qi Quan said, [Look at Zhang Feng, acting without fear.]
Although Longjiang City didn't have any major sects or families, it did have a Heavenly Master Association and an Investigation Division. Yet Zhang Feng was still passionate about starring in ghost movies.
If even Zhang Feng didn't fear heavenly masters, how much less would a ghost general on the verge of becoming a Ghost King?
The system suddenly remembered and said: [I know what he fears most!]
[What?]
[It's you, Boss!] the system exclaimed, [And Ling Sheng!]
Otherwise, there would be no need for him to go to such lengths, suppressing Qi Quan and imprisoning Ling Sheng.
Although he didn't act with his own hands, both Qi Quan being switched at birth and Ling Sheng being imprisoned stemmed from his manipulation.
He Xiuyu exploited Cai Ji's greed, luring him to steal the forbidden technique book, leave the sect, and establish the Tianqi organization.
He could similarly exploit Ding Ji's psychology, letting him obtain the forbidden technique book, become a peripheral member of the cultist organization, and carry out actions to suppress the Child of Destiny.
The commonality between Cai Ji and Ding Ji was: mediocre talent, but sky-high ambition.
Cai Ji's forbidden technique book stated that Qi Quan would be an obstacle to achieving immortality. Did the forbidden technique book Ding Ji snatched from a ghost also contain similar words that tempted him into these actions?
Why go to such redundant lengths?
Because He Xiuyu was a cautious person. He couldn't allow any mistakes; he needed to have a backup plan.
There was a time gap here.
He Xiuyu first divined her birth, wrote this information in the forbidden technique book, and let Cai Ji steal it.
After he died and became a ghost, he then divined Ling Sheng's appearance.
By then, using Cai Ji again wasn't feasible, so he devised another plan, finding a narrow-minded and greedy person like Ding Ji.
Everything then fell into place.
Cai Ji, fearing the prophecy, would definitely send people to monitor her birth. Ding Ji, also fearing the prophecy about her, would operate primarily within Longjiang City.
One was the cult leader, the other a peripheral cult member. One giving orders, the other implementing them. Perfect.
Ding Ji was in the know. He Xiuyu didn't have to worry about an uninformed person carelessly handling an infant, causing unnecessary oversights.
And once Ding Ji realized the prophecy was true, he would pay extra attention to the second prophecy about Ling Sheng.
That's why, three years later, he appeared in Longhu City, found Fu Jiuge, made her give birth to the child, and imprisoned the child in a cave to suppress his destiny.
Prompted by the system, Qi Quan finally straightened out her train of thought.
Even though He Xiuyu had made all preparations, he wouldn't be truly at ease. He would keep watching his greatest obstacle.
Longjiang City!
Could he be in Longjiang City?
Qi Quan suddenly remembered: the Tianqi organization had thirty hideouts across the country, but none in Longjiang City.
Why?
Qi Quan couldn't think of an answer for now.
She instantly released her spiritual sense, covering the entire city of Longjiang.
Last time, when she sent Xue Hong to capture the love-struck male ghost who pushed people off buildings, she had already covered the whole city.
Back then, she was tracking the male ghost based on the traces of the concealment talisman on him, automatically filtering out other people and events in the city in her mind.
This time was different.
If Cai Ji could block her spiritual sense in his cave dwelling, He Xiuyu naturally could too.
Her spiritual sense soared over the city, gradually extending to the remote, desolate outskirts, probing bit by bit...
Nothing, nothing, still nothing.
Her spiritual sense moved extremely smoothly through the entire city, encountering not the slightest obstruction.
Was her guess wrong? Or was He Xiuyu already this cautious?
Her spiritual sense reached the Lingxu Temple in the northern suburbs.
She had been here once before, to lure Du Jiaming and the other two, using the peace talisman to find Qin Ruo, who used the Peach Blossom Seal.
When she came, she found all the Taoist priests in this temple were ordinary people without cultivation, so she didn't pay further attention.
Her spiritual sense reached the dormitory behind the temple, again without being blocked.
The dormitory was full of men who had taken off their Taoist robes. She had no intention of looking closely and was about to move on when she suddenly paused.
There seemed to be a heavenly master of considerable level.
It was normal for a temple to have heavenly masters, but a high-level heavenly master appearing in a small Lingxu Temple made her take note.
Keeping her spiritual sense in place, she dialed Meng Yunzheng's number.
"Senior!" Meng Yunzheng said excitedly, "Any instructions?"
Qi Quan asked: "Does the Investigation Division have a roster of all heavenly masters currently in Longjiang City?"
"Yes, Senior. If you want to see it, I'll bring it over tomorrow immediately."
"No need. Help me check something: is there a Level 7 heavenly master at Lingxu Temple?"
Meng Yunzheng remembered the data; he didn't need to check. He said directly: "No."
"Thank you."
She hung up.
Spiritual sense couldn't "see" people; it only sensed the presence of a target through spiritual energy.
Qi Quan sensed the presence of a seventh-level celestial master, but she didn't know what they looked like.
She didn't want to alert them, so she immediately withdrew her spiritual sense.
Her spiritual sense encountered no obstruction, which could be due to two reasons.
Either the target was not in Longjiang City; or the target wasn't using their spiritual sense to conceal themselves.
If it was the former, it meant her previous line of thinking was wrong; if it was the latter, it meant the target's cultivation level was so high they had nothing to fear.
Just like Zhang Feng, who appeared freely among people, completely unafraid of being discovered.
But there was a question: since Zhang Feng could cultivate a special ghost technique to conceal his ghostly aura, why did the powerful ghost behind the Siren group leak its aura?
Why would someone as cautious as He Xiuyu make such a mistake on this matter?
Qi Quan thought for a moment, then got up and left her room.
[Master, where are you going?]
[To find Ling Sheng.]
The system was shocked: [What time is it! Isn't it inappropriate to go to his room so late?]
Qi Quan didn't understand: [Why? I need to discuss something with him.]
[Alright then.]
Inside his room, Ling Sheng was still awake.
He held a carving knife, frowning at a piece of jade, seeming unsure where to start, as if no matter how he carved it, it wouldn't be satisfactory.
He had never encountered this situation before.
A few outlines had begun to appear on the jade, resembling a girl's face, but it was just a rough shape; the facial features hadn't been carved yet.
He stared at the jade, troubled.
"Knock, knock, knock."
A sudden knocking at the door startled him. For some reason, he felt guilty. Flustered, he stuffed the unfinished jade carving into his pants pocket, threw down the carving knife, used a flick of spiritual power to turn the lock, and opened the door.
It was Qi Quan outside.
His eyes lit up, and he was about to step forward to welcome her, but then he remembered the jade carving in his pocket. His guilt made him hesitate.
Qi Quan didn't notice his complicated emotions and simply asked, "May I come in?"
Ling Sheng quickly nodded, pulled out his own chair, cast a cleansing spell on it, and gestured for Qi Quan to sit.
The door closed.
Qi Quan sat on the chair, looking at the young man who was standing quite far from her, a trace of surprise flickering in her heart.
Why was he keeping his distance?
Never mind, let's get to the main issue.
"That male actor was a ghost. You recognized it at a glance today. Why?"
She had asked this question while watching the movie. Ling Sheng had said it was intuition at the time, but she suspected it wasn't just that.
Hearing this, Ling Sheng was stunned.
Thinking of the movie scenes he saw today, his gaze involuntarily drifted... towards Qi Quan's face, then flinched away as if startled. His face inexplicably grew hot, and his heartbeat became somewhat unruly.
Qi Quan asked in surprise, "What's wrong with you?"
Why is your face so red?
Ling Sheng shook his head.
He didn't know why he was like this either. He just felt somewhat uncomfortable physically, and even more flustered inside.
He forced himself to look only at the floor, banishing the images that shouldn't be in his mind, and carefully considered Qi Quan's question.
Qi Quan frowned. "Is there a problem with your spiritual energy circulation?"
She stood up and walked over to Ling Sheng, reaching out to take his wrist, using her spiritual energy to sense his condition.
Ling Sheng never refused her. Although he instinctively wanted to flee, he forcibly held himself still. However, the agitation only grew stronger, spreading from his face to his neck, which also turned red.
"Your spiritual energy is fine," Qi Quan said, releasing his wrist. "If you're not feeling well, rest early. I can ask you tomorrow."
She finished speaking and turned to leave.
A hand tugged at her sleeve.
Qi Quan turned back.
The young man typed on his phone with his other hand, then held it out for her to see.
[I can sense fluctuations of spiritual energy, whether from humans or ghosts.]
Ghost power is also transformed from spiritual energy.
Qi Quan: "Even when they try to conceal it?"
Ling Sheng nodded.
"You can sense my spiritual energy too?"
Ling Sheng typed: [It was easy before, now just a little bit.]
Qi Quan understood.
His sensing ability also had limits; she estimated it could only detect those below the Human Immortal and Ghost King realms.
She said, "You can sense it, and you can also conceal it."
She remembered during their first business trip to Longjing City, Ling Sheng had followed her, often seeming to have no presence at all.
Ling Sheng nodded again.
Qi Quan said directly, "Conceal yourself to the best of your ability. Let me see."
Ling Sheng complied.
He communed with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Gradually, he seemed to merge with his surroundings, his presence becoming almost non-existent.
The system exclaimed: [He's really gone!]
Qi Quan couldn't help but smile.
With her peak Human Emperor realm cultivation, if she wasn't paying attention, it was difficult to detect him. Even though a person was standing right in front of her, it was as if her perception was being obscured.
She said, "Get some rest early. Come with me on a trip tomorrow."
Her sleeve was tugged again.
The phone was extended: [Should I bring my ID card?]
Qi Quan was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.
He really did remember her words well.
"No need. We'll just be within the city."
The phone was extended again, asking: [Can I still watch movies in the future?]
"Of course you can."
After answering, Qi Quan reflected on whether she was usually too strict, making him ask so cautiously even about watching a movie.
Ling Sheng breathed a sigh of relief.
He didn't understand why he felt so uncomfortable after watching the movie.
Teacher Xue had said that if you don't understand something, studying it a few more times will make it clear.
He needed to watch it a few more times.
