Chapter 549: Magic Overcomes Magic

### Chapter 545: The Devil Outwits

For the past few days, Cheng Yu had been confined to a small, cramped room, whether in his dreams or in reality.

Feeling as if he were rotting away, he couldn't bear to stay in the cubicle any longer. So, he rose from the bed and walked towards the door.

Outside, birds chirped, and dust motes danced in the sunlight streaming through the doorway, indicating a bright, sunny day.

The moment Cheng Yu stepped through the doorway, the light streaming in was suddenly blocked by his own body.

Outside, it was completely dark.

What…?

Oh no! He tried to turn back into the room, but behind him, there was nothing—the cubicle was gone.

Only Bai Ziqiu remained, sitting in his original spot, smiling at him—

With that smile, his mouth stretched to his ears, revealing a row of sharp teeth, long and short, like a crocodile’s.

It was only then that Cheng Yu belatedly realized Bai Ziqiu had been sitting in the corner all along, never once approaching the beam of light at the door!

That light must have been the last shred of clarity in his mind.

"You walked out of your mind's inner chamber, abandoning the protection of Bai Ziqiu's candlelight." Under Cheng Yu's horrified gaze, Bai Ziqiu's face slowly transformed into the Hundred-Faced Nightmare. Both heads let out a cackling shriek, "Come, it's time we settled old scores!"

***

Bai Ziqiu first returned to the county yamen to check on Cheng Yu.

If anyone else had entered, they would have seen the spellcaster still in a coma, Fan Sheng guarding him like a wooden statue, not moving an inch, and a pale golden candle lit in each of the room's four corners.

Other enchantments were hidden there; anyone attempting an open robbery or covert infiltration would find themselves in deep trouble.

"All peaceful?" It should be, as He Xiao and Fu Shanyue, the primary suspects, hadn't had a chance to act in the past half-hour.

Fan Sheng nodded, "All is peaceful, Master Bai, rest assured. How is Wu Kai?"

"Dead."

Fan Sheng was startled. "Then only Cen Boqing remains?"

"Indeed," Bai Ziqiu rubbed his forehead. "The last one standing."

"Zhongsun Mou is dead, and Wu Kai is dead too. Cen Boqing must not be harmed. I'll send more people to guard him."

"Zhongsun Mou was killed by Mai Xuewen; Wu Kai, I fear, was killed by the faction that produces the immortal elixir. These two groups are opposing each other, yet they've managed to eliminate all our clues and witnesses," Bai Ziqiu sighed faintly. "Both sides are essentially handing Cen Boqing over to me, huh."

Fan Sheng said dryly, "Master Bai, you've truly toiled."

"It's no toil. Compared to previous cases, this one is much simpler. On my very first day in Baishajue, I arrived just as Cen Boqing confessed. All I need to do is take him back. Could anything be smoother?"

Bai Ziqiu said no more. He returned to his inn to wash up and change, then went for breakfast.

Baishajue, waking up in the morning light, was as bustling and vibrant as ever.

Just like He Lingchuan, Bai Ziqiu sampled the local famous sesame beef flatbreads, then enjoyed two *mianwo* (fried dough cakes) with sweet egg wine. Afterward, he ascended the Chaohu Pagoda for a panoramic view, and then went to inspect the site of Fan Sheng's defeat by He Lingchuan—

Lotus Palace.

Of course, after the incident involving Shui Ling, only withered lotus remains were left here.

However, his route was actually centered around the county yamen, ensuring he could return quickly with little effort if anything happened.

On his way back, he passed the inn where he was staying and saw people inside and out craning their necks, looking around curiously.

They were likely wealthy and influential families residing in Baishajue, hoping to pay their respects to the Chief Commissioner.

Bai Ziqiu had no intention of acknowledging them. He turned a corner and proceeded to the county yamen.

Magistrate Tian immediately reported that constables had moved all of Wu Kai's belongings from Cen Boqing's residence and were now examining them item by item.

Wu Kai had been careful in life and might not have left useful clues; however, Bai Ziqiu was even more meticulous, unwilling to overlook any detail.

By the time he finished, it was already afternoon. He and Fu Shanyue had originally scheduled Wu Kai's interrogation for this time, but with the suspect now dead, the procedure was canceled.

Fan Sheng remained in Cheng Yu's cubicle, where the four corners of the room still had ever-burning lamps lit.

But Cheng Yu was still unconscious.

Bai Ziqiu walked in with his hands clasped behind his back. "No abnormalities?"

"None that I can see," Fan Sheng replied, pointing to the four candles. "The enchantments haven't been triggered at all, and the flames have remained perfectly still. But Cheng still hasn't woken up."

The room door was open, yet the flames of the four candles remained quiet, never flickering.

Natural breezes could not stir them; yet, they were remarkably sensitive to other influences.

His tone was heavy, clearly recognizing this as the most significant anomaly.

He had personally witnessed Master Bai administer a considerable amount of potent medicine to Cheng Yu—enough to revive five or six dying old men and send them dancing.

Why wasn't it effective for Cheng Yu?

Bai Ziqiu observed closely for a few moments, then reached out to check Cheng Yu's pulse. "His injuries have greatly improved," he noted, seeing that even Cheng Yu's complexion was somewhat rosy.

The potent medicine provided by the Chief Commissioner was certainly no joke. "His heart and lungs are also clear," he added.

There was no logical reason for him not to wake up.

Something was amiss. Bai Ziqiu's face darkened. He pondered for a moment, then took a platinum candle from his sleeve.

After last night's chase, only a stub of the candle remained, but Bai Ziqiu still lit it.

This candle-spirit possessed a special function, but as the candle was almost spent, it could only be used one last time.

As the flame ignited, Bai Ziqiu did not extinguish it as he had last night. Instead, he whispered a few prayers to the flickering light.

Soon, the candlelight turned light green.

That faint, phosphorescent light made the cubicle, otherwise bright and warm under the midday sun, suddenly feel eerily cold. The two guards on duty outside couldn't help but shiver, feeling a sudden chill pierce their hearts.

Of course, the two people inside the cubicle were not afraid.

"This light can illuminate the soul," Bai Ziqiu explained. He brought the green candle flame close to Cheng Yu, positioning it directly in front of his mouth and nose where he breathed.

The candle flame, of course, remained perfectly still. Fan Sheng, however, felt as if the scene before him had a double image and quickly rubbed his eyes. Bai Ziqiu's expression, meanwhile, changed dramatically.

Fan Sheng's heart tightened. "What's wrong?"

Bai Ziqiu didn't answer. With a flick of his hand, he beckoned a guard inside and brought the candle flame close to the guard's mouth and nose. "Look," he instructed.

Under the light of the flame, the guard's entire figure, including his face, appeared somewhat blurry. Fan Sheng strained his eyes to focus and realized the guard's features seemed to fade, with only a flickering wisp of white light, like a flame, behind his glabella—the area of the brain—similarly pulsating without cease.

"This is what a human soul looks like when illuminated by a soul-illumining candle," Bai Ziqiu's voice carried a note of anger. "Now, look at Cheng Yu!"

No matter how he illuminated him, Cheng Yu's mind was utterly empty, like a house without its owner.

"He lost his soul long ago; he can't wake up!"

"How could this be…?" Fan Sheng exclaimed, losing his voice. "I've been guarding here the entire time; no evil presence could have gotten close!"

The enchantments hadn't been broken, and there hadn't even been a warning.

Bai Ziqiu, of course, was aware of this. His eyes shifted slightly. "When did Cheng Yu lose his soul?"

Fan Sheng couldn't answer that question, nor did Bai Ziqiu expect him to.

Last night, when Bai Ziqiu interrogated Cheng Yu alone, the man had been conscious for over ten breaths and answered two of his questions. At that time, Cheng Yu's soul was still intact.

Afterward, Cheng Yu fell unconscious, so he had to interrogate the guard instead. Then, Fu Shanyue arrived with He Xiao.

After those two left, he returned to Cheng Yu's cubicle, set up enchantments, and asked Fan Sheng to stand guard.

This meant Cheng Yu had lost his soul during the time they—the three of them—were interrogating the guard and Cen Boqing.

Fu Shanyue and He Xiao could likely be ruled out as suspects, as Bai Ziqiu himself was present as a witness.

According to Cen Boqing's own confession, he had temporarily brought Cheng Yu in to deal with He Xiao, and it had no connection to his immortal elixir business. Therefore, Cheng Yu's loss of soul should not be attributed to the person behind Wu Kai's murder.

Who wanted to kill him?

Could it truly be, as He Xiao claimed, that the malevolent entity whose golden body was previously incinerated came seeking revenge on Cheng Yu?

Cheng Yu had previously sealed his soul in the Dreamland Bottle, and the guard's testimony confirmed he harbored a deep fear of something. They tried repeatedly and finally succeeded.

Progress in Baishajue seemed smooth; the "true culprit" had been prepared for him. Yet, Bai Ziqiu encountered immense resistance whenever he attempted to investigate further.

He let out a long, heavy sigh.

How many factions, truly, were entangled in this strange case?

***

He Lingchuan sat on the rooftop playing his flute, accompanied by the gentle breeze and the rustling bamboo.

Skill improves with practice, and his technique had advanced considerably; he could now fluently play several tunes.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror felt it was finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. "You have a lot of room for improvement!" it commented.

He Lingchuan flicked the mirror surface with a finger. "Remove the words 'of space'! Or just remove 'room for improvement' entirely!"

As a beginner, he still lacked refined finger techniques and mastery, but he certainly didn't lack stamina.

Both flute and *xun* playing demand good lung capacity. Complex melodies often rely on sustained notes combined with various techniques. While others might practice until dizzy, blurry-eyed, and short of breath, He Lingchuan, with his cultivation, had long developed habits of controlled breathing. His internal energy was long and continuous, giving him a natural advantage here.

He knew his musical talent was limited, however. At best, he could pretend to be a cultured youth; no matter how much he practiced, he would never reach a level of true mastery.

Nevertheless, the focus and tranquility achieved during playing were greatly beneficial for cultivating his calm and meditative mindset.

This was also why many cultivators enjoyed learning a musical instrument as a supplementary practice.

The case of killing demons and extracting their pearls, which had been investigated starting from Shuangyi Town, came to an end with Cen Boqing's confession. He Lingchuan could finally enjoy a few days of leisure, relaxing his body and mind.

Throughout the investigation, even when he huddled indoors to escape the rain, he had to keep his nerves taut, constantly wary of a sneak attack from his adversaries.

The Soul-Capturing Mirror also sighed, "This case is far too complicated."

"There's nothing wrong with complexity," He Lingchuan remarked. It allowed his understanding of Beijia to deepen layer by layer.

How could the superficial observations from his previous travels have revealed so many intricate details?

The mirror remained uneasy. "Are you truly not afraid Cheng Yu will expose you?"

"Was it wise to simply leave Cheng Yu in Bai Ziqiu's hands and let things unfold?"

Cen Boqing had already confessed, so Fu Shanyue would no longer interfere with how Bai Ziqiu handled Cheng Yu. As Fu Shanyue himself had said, Cheng Yu was just an irrelevant person.

He Lingchuan smiled. "He won't."

"Why?"

He Lingchuan smiled without speaking.

As a spirit artifact, the mirror spoke to its master in a way others couldn't hear. However, every word and action of He Lingchuan might be observed by Bai Ziqiu; who knew if the Chief Commissioner possessed some magical means to monitor him?