Chapter 125

Finally, night fell.

In the main hall of the Zhao family's back compound, a round table was set. A red cloth covered it, with bowls, chopsticks, and wine cups neatly arranged around the edges, and a spread of eight cold and eight hot dishes in the center. The hot dishes and wine would cool if left out too long, but they were meant to be taken away and reheated once the guests arrived.

Zhao Juanhua, the family matriarch, sat at a secondary seat, her head slightly bowed, her face somber. There were other old women her age in the village, but they were all bent and wizened, showing every sign of their years. Yet, on her face, even wrinkles seemed barely visible. However, at a certain age, no matter how well one maintains themselves, the signs of that age will still appear. To unnaturally defy this would seem jarring.

Zhao Juanhua's face was unnaturally pale, her brow bone prominent, her jaw jutting forward, and her lips and nose thick and high-bridged. Her overly three-dimensional features made her appearance unsettling and unnatural. She looked less like someone meant to live among people and more like a statue to be revered in a temple.

Zhao Juanhua was toying with a string of black prayer beads, reciting Daoist scriptures, but her inner anxiety was not calmed by the chants; instead, it grew more intense. Dinner time had passed, but no one had arrived. This meant the guests likely had no intention of dining or connecting with her family. Could it be that she wouldn't even find anyone to kneel and kowtow to, even if she wanted to? Her son had now been missing for another full day. That person must truly be gone.

Zhao Juanhua silently looked at the pair of great-grandchildren standing beside her. Zhao Xilu remained respectfully in his spot, barely moving. Zhao Mengyao's cheeks were still bruised purple, and she was slouching whether standing or sitting.

In truth, this great-grandson was the one who resembled her the most. Even more so, he was superior to her. He had been dark-hearted since childhood. When he was a boy, his mother, frail and withered in bed, struggled to sit up and grasped his hand, telling him: "Your great-grandmother killed me!" He then turned and called for her, repeating his mother's words. Zhao Juanhua still remembered the look of despair on the child's mother's face at that moment. When his mother finally breathed her last, young Zhao Xilu even asked her: "Great-grandmother, can you teach me this longevity spell?" Just listen to that—at such a young age, he was already thinking about living a hundred years.

Unfortunately, she had drained the Zhao family too much. During the Republican era, local warlords would collect taxes decades in advance. While she wasn't quite that extreme, it was close. His woman, the great-grandson's partner, had given birth to two children, both of whom died early. It was as if Heaven itself was collecting its dues from her. Zhao Xilu was well aware of this; he knew that as long as she was alive, he could not have an heir. He pretended indifference, as he was still young, though he already appeared overly mature. Zhao Juanhua admired this great-grandson, yet she also feared him a little. She hadn't lived long enough, so she had to keep him suppressed.

In contrast, her great-granddaughter had always been her hope, someone she expected to go out and bring good fortune, like adding vital water to the Zhao family's nearly dried-up well. The Zhao family had reached a point where relying solely on arranged marriages was no longer viable. Her "parental decrees" no longer carried any auspiciousness. Instead, they had to cast their fishing rod far out, relying on fate and opportunity to reel someone in from outside.

Before Zhao Mengyao filled out her university application, Zhao Juanhua specifically fasted for three days and performed a divination. The three lines of the hexagram brought her immense joy. Zhao Juanhua was almost weeping with joy as she decided on Jinling University for her great-granddaughter. The divination read: Good fortune in Jinling, fate begins in the wider world, transforming a serpent into a dragon. It could be said that after her great-granddaughter went off to university, Zhao Juanhua had been at home, peacefully and comfortably waiting for the day her great-granddaughter would... bring home a distinguished son-in-law!

"Boom." A muffled thud echoed. The beads in Zhao Juanhua's hand scattered across the floor. She snapped her head up and asked, "What happened?"

Zhao Xilu: "It seems to be near the ancestral hall."

"Go check immediately!"

"Yes, Great-grandmother." Zhao Xilu immediately ran out.

"Mengyao, come here."

"Great-grandmother?" Seeing her great-grandmother's affection return, Zhao Mengyao felt a surge of grievance and stepped forward. The next moment, a tremendous force seized her by the neck, lifting her entirely off the ground.

Zhao Juanhua, holding her, dashed out of the hall. Just as she was about to pass through the archway into the front courtyard, her feet suddenly slipped, and the surroundings seemed to shift. The old woman's eyes filled with horror. Who could possibly turn her own array against her? Unable to advance, Zhao Juanhua again grabbed Zhao Mengyao and lunged westward, pushing off the wall with one leg and using one hand to pull herself and her burden over the high wall. But just as she caught sight of the fields outside the wall, her vision shifted again. The wall seemed to rise from the ground, blocking her in once more.

"Thump!" Zhao Juanhua fell to the ground, releasing Zhao Mengyao. Zhao Mengyao rolled several times, her elbows scraped and bleeding. Clutching her raw skin, she began to whimper and cry. Zhao Juanhua also cried. Her family had already lost someone, her own son no less. Not only did she not hold it against them, but she had also prepared drinks in the hall in advance, ready to make amends. But how could they be so unreasonable, so inhuman? Not entering through the gate, not sitting at the table, first seizing control of the array, trapping them like turtles in a jar—it was clear they had no intention of talking, and were determined to wipe out the Zhao family!

Zhao Juanhua had moved several times earlier, and now she was sweating. But her sweat was unlike a normal person's; it was black, viscous, and smelled foul. Zhao Juanhua turned and glared angrily at Zhao Mengyao, who was still whimpering beside her, cursing: "Bad omen! What have you brought upon this family!"

Tan Wenbin plunged a wooden stake into the ground, then took his Yellow River Shovel and tapped it three times. After the third tap, the stake spontaneously ignited, sparks flying. At the same time, a rumble echoed from the Zhao family's backyard. Looking at Zhao Yi, who sat cross-legged, the tops of eighteen wooden stakes glowed with an ethereal light, like will-o'-the-wisps. His hands moved so quickly they blurred into afterimages.

Tan Wenbin, having seen some things alongside Little Yuan, couldn't help but exclaim at Zhao Yi's actions: "Holy crap, Hostage Bro's got some skills!" Zhao Yi, sitting there, heard the comment and a reserved smile touched his lips. Though he had become a hostage and was now under their control, all for a taste of roasted sweet potato, the probing between them had actually never ceased. The other party was clearly hiding their identity, but the more they concealed it, the more worthwhile it was to probe and uncover. Since his methods could draw such a foul-mouthed compliment from someone who was also the most skilled in arrays within their team, it seemed the array mastery of this team was only so-so.

Zhao Yi withdrew his hands, and the surrounding ethereal lights faded, leaving only the thickest stake still crackling and burning. Tan Wenbin jogged forward and helped Zhao Yi to his feet. Zhao Yi smiled faintly, saying, "I, Zhao, have merely shown off a little."

Binbin: "That's enough, it's very flashy."

Zhao Yi didn't quite grasp the meaning of "flashy" for a moment. He probably thought... it was a compliment. In truth, it was because Tan Wenbin was used to Little Yuan setting up arrays, which were usually simple and unadorned. This was the first time he'd seen an array with light and shadow effects.

Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan, maintaining his faint smile: "Fortunately, I didn't fail the task." Li Zhuiyuan nodded calmly. It was, after all, his Zhao family's array. If the other party had trouble even modifying two nodes, he might as well find a sweet potato and choke himself to death.

Zhao Yi said, "I've destroyed the ancestral hall and sealed off the entire backyard. You can go in and 'fish' now." After speaking, Zhao Yi's gaze fell upon Old Man Tian.

Old Man Tian responded with a grunt, his hands swishing, and a dagger reappeared in his palm. He leaped over the front courtyard wall. Li Zhuiyuan looked at Run Sheng, Yin Meng, and Lin Shuyou. Run Sheng and Yin Meng immediately turned and climbed over the wall as well. Lin Shuyou was still pointing at his face: "Do I have to go too?" Tan Wenbin stepped forward and kicked Lin Shuyou squarely in the rear. Only then did Lin Shuyou realize he actually had a fighting mission. Immediately, he gleefully scrambled over the wall.

Zhao Yi looked at Tan Wenbin and asked, "Aren't you going?" Tan Wenbin lifted his Yellow River Shovel and rested it on Zhao Yi's neck: "It's too dark, and fights can get chaotic. My job is to ensure the hostage's safety." Zhao Yi, a little scared, pulled his neck back slightly, reminding him, "Ease up, ease up a bit." Tan Wenbin lowered the Yellow River Shovel, turned, and slung it onto his back. This hostage had to be carried at all times.

Li Zhuiyuan first climbed the wall, then jumped from the wall to the opposite rooftop, finally walking to the eaves of the roof to survey the entire situation below. Though still with a young body, he had diligently practiced his breathing exercises, making his stance exceptionally stable. Previously, with Run Sheng around, he could just put a hand on him to save trouble. But if he truly wanted to rely on himself, scaling walls and walking on eaves would be an exaggeration. Yet, in terms of agile movement and steady steps, he surpassed the average adult.

After Tan Wenbin hoisted Zhao Yi onto his back, climbing the wall was already difficult. Jumping to the opposite rooftop was nearly beyond his strength. Zhao Yi might look sickly, but he was still a full-grown adult with corresponding weight. Ultimately, it took a quick short run-up for him to just barely manage to jump onto the roof.

Zhao Yi directed, "There's a bead on the eastern corner of the roof that needs to be pried open. Only then can the array above take shape, and we'll be safe up here, avoiding any mishaps."

Tan Wenbin: "I don't think that's necessary."

Zhao Yi: "It's better to be safe. Although I've destroyed their ancestral hall, this family should still have cursed artifacts."

"That's not what I meant." Tan Wenbin carried Zhao Yi to the area near the eaves. There, he saw a crane with a bead in its long beak, but the stone bead had already been pried open.

Tan Wenbin: "See? I told you it wasn't necessary." Zhao Yi immediately fixed his gaze on the young man.

The Stone Table Zhao family was a branch of the Jiujiang Zhao family, and their arrays originated from the main clan. Thus, he was familiar with and could easily control them, even more skillfully and effortlessly than the Stone Table Zhao family members themselves. But this young man, he could see through it with a single glance?

Tan Wenbin carried Zhao Yi to Li Zhuiyuan's side. Below, there were two ongoing battles. On one side, Old Man Tian faced Zhao Xilu. On the other side, Run Sheng, Yin Meng, and Lin Shuyou had surrounded Zhao Juanhua and Zhao Mengyao. Since Old Man Tian was meant to be the blade, he would handle his own front. It was clear that no one here considered sending reinforcements. And indeed, at present, there was no need for it. In fact, the moment the array was broken and they stormed in, the fate of the Stone Table Zhao family was sealed. Now, it was merely a matter of seeing what kind of ripple they could create during their downfall, to add a bit of entertainment. There was nothing to be done; the setup for wiping out this family was somewhat overly luxurious.

Originally, for Li Zhuiyuan's side, the task wasn't difficult, far less challenging than traversing the River. And halfway through, they even picked up two extra helpers. When Heaven wants you to fall, it not only won't leave you an opportunity but will even step on the accelerator for you.

"Uncle Tian, what are you doing!" Zhao Xilu already had three horrifying wounds on his body. When he had just arrived at the ancestral hall to check the situation, he was shocked to find it collapsed. Then, a sharp chill ran down his spine from behind. Had he not dodged quickly, the first wound would have been on his neck.

Old Man Tian was also a bit surprised: "Didn't expect the little one from the branch family to have such a hidden skill." Though he hadn't gone all out in his initial strike, he hadn't held back either. Yet, the opponent still managed to avoid a fatal blow, and even after two follow-up stabs, he still hadn't fallen.

Zhao Xilu: "Grandpa Tian, where is Young Master Yi?"

Old Man Tian looked up at the roof. Zhao Xilu also looked up. Zhao Yi, who had just gotten off Tan Wenbin's back, felt a throbbing pain in his forehead at this sight. He was already scrambling to sever ties with the Stone Table Zhao family, and here this guy was, actively drawing attention to him!

Tan Wenbin said slyly, "Ooh-hoo, quite chummy, aren't we?"

Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan and explained, "For Grandpa Tian, only loyalty matters." For family retainers like him, loyalty was paramount; everything else was secondary. And if someone was too clever, their master might not feel completely at ease.

"Young Master Yi!" Just as Zhao Xilu called out, Uncle Tian in front of him vanished. A sharp dagger lunged towards Zhao Xilu's neck. Zhao Yi sighed inwardly. Grandpa Tian was deliberately using him as bait to draw the opponent's attention and create an opportunity for his own sneak attack. But was the issue really whether they could wipe out the Stone Table Zhao family? They had already entered the stage of comparing family backgrounds. Grandpa Tian, acting so scatterbrained, how am I supposed to impress this young man?

"Hehe..." The next moment, Zhao Yi himself chuckled aloud. Because Old Man Tian's dagger still couldn't penetrate Zhao Xilu's neck. A disheveled, filthy woman appeared and blocked Zhao Xilu, opening her mouth and biting the dagger. Zhao Xilu pulled a talisman from his sleeve and stuck it on the woman's back. The woman immediately let out a sharp shriek, her strength surging as she lunged forward.

"Bang!" Old Man Tian was caught off guard and sent flying. Fortunately, his footing wasn't messy when he landed, so he didn't look too dishevelled. But compared to the other battle, which was steadily progressing with orderly precision and the incessant, shrill screams of two women, his fight was a messy back-and-forth—truly embarrassing.

Li Zhuiyuan became interested in that woman. Zhao Yi quickly explained, "This is a living curse artifact, a cursed object refined using a living person as a vessel. The success rate is extremely low, and it's very prone to backfiring."

Li Zhuiyuan shook his head: "More than that."

"Hmm?" Zhao Yi, hearing this, removed the cloth strip from his forehead. After the fleshy slit on his brow twitched twice, he gasped, "How did he do that? Two infant spirits have attached themselves to that woman!" This was no ordinary living curse, for she was both the cursed object and the one casting the curse. Logically, such a thing should be impossible.

Li Zhuiyuan: "A mother-child heart-link curse. He made that woman eat the two newborn dead infants." Zhao Yi felt his scalp prickle at these words, and the fleshy slit on his brow briefly closed. More than the utterly inhuman method of creating curses, what truly frightened him was that this young man could so directly explain the principle and process.

"Your Honor, are you also skilled in curses?"

"Not skilled, never cast one."

"Then how did Your Honor..."

"I told you, there are many old books in my hometown's basement."

Zhao Yi sighed helplessly. "Sigh, you're being evasive again." Li Zhuiyuan silently placed a finger on his own brow. Seeing this, Zhao Yi thought the other person was making fun of him. But when the young man closed his eyes, he faintly sensed something was wrong. This was... traversing the spiritual realm? But what was he doing traversing the spiritual realm at this moment?

Below. The woman, like one possessed, relentlessly attacked Old Man Tian. No matter how Old Man Tian dodged and struck, the woman showed no fear, felt no pain, and only focused on blocking him. Each time Old Man Tian tried to break away from her to attack Zhao Xilu, two infant wails would emanate from the woman, causing Old Man Tian's head to spin and his balance to falter. With this push and pull, the woman truly managed to pin him down.

Zhao Xilu's first instinct was to climb the wall and escape, but the family's array had been altered; now, it only allowed entry, not exit. Seeing escape was impossible, Zhao Xilu turned, intending to find his great-grandmother. He truly didn't care about his great-grandmother. If that old hag hadn't been so secretive about the true family secrets, especially the longevity method, he would have found a way to kill her long ago. But now that the family was in such chaos, "their own kind" could only huddle together for warmth. But who knew? As he stepped out of the archway into the front of the hall, he saw two pools of black ash on the ground, clearly the remains of two exploded curses. And his great-grandmother herself was being beaten and kicked back and forth by a burly man and a tall, eerily calm young man. This was no longer a matter of resisting or not. The opponents were clearly tormenting his great-grandmother, intending to torture her to death. His great-grandmother's situation was even worse than his own. As for his sister, Zhao Mengyao, she was being whipped repeatedly by another woman with a leather whip, screaming and rolling on the ground.

Zhao Xilu turned and ran back. He knelt before the family ancestral hall, clawing at the rubble. The hall originally contained numerous cursed artifacts, all now buried beneath. If he could dig them out, there might still be some hope. There was no other way. He couldn't escape, and he didn't want to die, so he could only desperately cling to any possibility of survival around him.

Above, Zhao Yi's face had darkened. Old Man Tian below likely sensed this too, knowing he had lost immense face. Thus, he no longer held back. Veins bulged on his arms, and with a downward slash, he cut his own wrists with two daggers, which became stained with blood and connected by a chain of blood. Old Man Tian's aura also changed. He pushed forward. The two infant spirits on the woman's shoulders were intimidated by the blood-stained daggers, letting out terrified screams, causing the woman herself to continuously retreat.

Old Man Tian hadn't wanted to use this move. He was a dagger user, and a damaged wrist would mean a long period of reduced combat effectiveness. How then could he protect his young master? But now, he truly couldn't afford not to play rough.

"Give me your life!" Zhao Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief, saying to the side, "It seems it's about to be resolved." Li Zhuiyuan also opened his eyes at this moment, nodding, "Yes, resolved."

Old Man Tian, pressing forward with overwhelming momentum, was about to tear the woman and the two infant spirits on her body to shreds, to reclaim the face he'd lost in their earlier skirmish. Who knew that the woman would suddenly change direction, abandoning Old Man Tian, and instead pounce on Zhao Xilu, who was kneeling and digging at the ancestral hall. Zhao Xilu, hearing the familiar presence behind him, didn't even turn. He continued digging through the rubble with his blood-soaked hands and impatiently said: "Go stop him! Stop him even if you die! I'm about to dig out... Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!!!!!"

Zhao Xilu screamed. His neck was clamped in the woman's death grip. Immediately after, the woman gave a violent shake of her head.

"Rip!" A large piece of flesh was brutally torn from Zhao Xilu's neck.

"You..." Blood gushed from Zhao Xilu's neck. He tried to curse but couldn't make a sound. The woman pinned him down, continuing to tear and bite at him frenziedly, desperately devouring him. The two infant spirits on the woman's body also shrieked excitedly, injecting psychological torment deep into the heart of the man before her. This was her nominal husband, their nominal father, yet also the most despicable beast on earth. At this moment, Zhao Xilu was enduring dual torment, both physical and psychological.

Old Man Tian froze in awkwardness. He had just cut his wrist, shed blood, and used his ultimate move, about to redeem himself, when suddenly he was no longer needed? No, this meant he'd cut his wrist for nothing, making him look stupid, and by extension, his young master above him, too... Old Man Tian took a deep breath. Forget it. Just cut them all down and be done with it.

On the rooftop, Li Zhuiyuan spoke: "Tell him to stop."

Zhao Yi: "Grandpa Tian."

Old Man Tian looked up. Zhao Yi waved his hand, signaling him to retreat. Old Man Tian dejectedly walked back, starting to tear his clothes to bandage his wrist wounds, muttering, "It's over, I've really disgraced Young Master this time."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Don't bite so fast, take your time."

"Hmm?" Zhao Yi looked at Li Zhuiyuan again. Was he talking to him?

Li Zhuiyuan: "Chew slowly, and die by a thousand cuts."

Zhao Yi immediately looked at the woman pouncing on Zhao Xilu. Indeed, the woman slowed down, beginning to tear off Zhao Xilu's flesh bit by bit with her nails, bringing it to her mouth. He was talking to this woman! No, he was controlling this woman!

In an instant, Zhao Yi's hands and feet turned ice cold. The Jiujiang Zhao family's collection of ancient texts was naturally vast, and his status meant no restrictions on his access; he could read whatever he wished. But he had truly never seen a method where someone could simply stand there and take control of something already controlled by another. What kind of mystical art was this? Moreover, it exuded a chillingly sinister aura!

Li Zhuiyuan: "Don't let him die so quickly. Make him savor it slowly. Have your two children torment his mind, control the intensity, keep him barely alive, so his consciousness remains clear and he distinctly feels the pain."

Zhao Xilu, who had already grown weak, only heard a sharp shriek by his ear. His clouded eyes became clear once more. What followed was the clarity of pain, the concretization of fear. He was wide awake, watching himself being subjected to slow torture, being devoured alive. Even now, he had no idea what had truly happened, why things had turned out this way. Why had the woman, who was supposedly under his control and utterly obedient, suddenly turned against him?

Li Zhuiyuan didn't know what Zhao Xilu was thinking at the moment, but if he did, he would probably feel contempt and disdain. He had just attempted to control the woman using the methods from Wei Zhengdao's black leather book. The woman wasn't an undead creature, but she was even easier to control than one. Because she had always been in a 'hazy' state, seemingly obeying Zhao Xilu's commands out of instinct and habit. In reality, Zhao Xilu had no specific constraints over her at all. One could say Zhao Xilu was an incredibly lucky madman and fool. He had been sitting on a volcano, smugly believing he had cultivated a powerful cursed artifact. In reality, the fact that he hadn't been bitten to death by now was truly just dumb luck.

Li Zhuiyuan merely gave a gentle nudge in the woman's memories. He didn't need to alter them; he just needed to wipe away the 'mist' from the memory of how Zhao Xilu forced her to eat her own dead infants, and she awakened. She had been driven mad by torment, escaping reality. When she began to confront it, she naturally knew what to do.

Li Zhuiyuan ended his traversal of the spiritual realm. In his mind, he heard the piercing cries of two infants and the woman's maniacal laughter. Though none of these were pleasant emotions, he was indeed savoring them. This was the backlash from Wei Zhengdao's black leather book. The one buried under the peach orchard back home had been turned into a monstrosity, neither human nor ghost, suffering to this day and cursing Wei Zhengdao all this time. Li Zhuiyuan, however, was enjoying this feeling of backlash, like a barren desert finally receiving its much-anticipated drops of rain.

The fleshy slit on Zhao Yi's forehead, which had been uncovered, was now wriggling rapidly and exaggeratedly. No, it was tearing! He looked at the young man before him, as if seeing a ghost! Through his own 'gate of life and death,' he seemed to hear a demon chewing on souls, savoring their essence. The young man before him was that demon, and mortal souls were his offerings.

"Ouch..." Zhao Yi's foot slipped. If Tan Wenbin hadn't quickly caught him, he would have fallen. Tan Wenbin cursed, "Hostage Bro, are you crazy? Trying to tear up your own ticket?" Li Zhuiyuan reopened his eyes now, his gaze returning to calm. The one under the peach orchard was covered in human faces, but for him, it was only enough for a brief aftertaste.

The young man's gaze fell on Zhao Yi, who instinctively shrank further into Tan Wenbin's embrace. Li Zhuiyuan ignored him, looking instead at Tan Wenbin: "You want to do it yourself, don't you?"

"How could I possibly..." Tan Wenbin feigned shyness, rubbing his hands together.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I can tell."

"Ah, hahaha." Tan Wenbin, imitating Lin Shuyou, scratched his head, "I did indeed tell them." Tan Wenbin had told his companions beforehand that Zhao Mengyao was to be left for him to kill.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "Go ahead."

"Alright, good." Tan Wenbin tossed Zhao Yi aside, turned, and fell backward, catching the edge with both hands, swinging back, and landing. Falling from a normal single-story house like that wouldn't be much of an issue. But the problem was, the Stone Table Zhao family's single-story house was built a bit higher. When Tan Wenbin landed, his heels felt as if they had been electrocuted. He tumbled backward once but quickly got back on his feet, making for a relatively fluid movement.

On this side, Run Sheng and the White Crane Deity also stopped fighting. Zhao Juanhua had been beaten into a massive black tumor, but she was still alive, clinging to a thread of life. There was no helping it; those skilled in curses were inherently masters of dark, behind-the-scenes machinations. When had one ever seen a sorceress who cursed people behind their backs charge into the street with a knife to chop someone down? Zhao Juanhua had merely been clinging to life with her decaying existence. In terms of actual combat skill, she was inferior even to her own deceased son. If the family array was still intact and the cursed artifacts in the ancestral hall were usable, she might have held on. Now, it was like a snail with its shell crushed, facing two large roosters pecking fiercely at it.

But she still wanted to live. She looked up at the young man standing on the eaves, knowing he was the leader of this group. "Spare my life... spare my life... spare my life... I'll do anything, I'll curse anyone you want!"

"Cough cough... cough cough..." Zhao Yi, standing nearby, heard these words and felt both fear and amusement, the two emotions intertwining in his chest, making him cough violently. If he wanted to curse someone, would he need your help? For all you know, he's better at cursing than you are!

Li Zhuiyuan barely glanced at Zhao Juanhua. His attention was more on the White Crane Deity. Old Man Tian's situation had seen some twists because of that woman, but Zhao Juanhua's side had been one-note: she was beaten from start to finish. But there was an interesting detail: the White Crane Deity, who only killed and did not guide souls, was actually tacitly accompanying Run Sheng, tormenting but not killing. Last time, after Lin Shuyou performed three spirit medium sessions, he still bounced back, running around with a head stuck to him. Now, factoring in this time... It meant that the Deity, who had always been impartial and strictly upheld the law, was now also dabbling in human courtesies. It was showing him favor. He could threaten its status, even alter the structure of underworld deities within the temple general system. Yet, at the same time, it also seemed to realize that if this spirit medium could follow him, the accumulation of merit would be incredibly fast. Since the inception of that faction, which temple general had ever been able to follow the Dragon King on the River Journey? A carrot in one hand, a stick in the other; the Deity had also learned to be cordial. However, this was tough on Lin Shuyou. He had been struggling and striving, trying his hardest to integrate into this team, performing diligently and assiduously, all just to elevate the temple general system to the next level... He never expected that his own underworld deity would start competing with him for favor!

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the Deity, and he stepped forward. One foot stepped into the void, and he dropped. Run Sheng quickly moved to catch him, but the White Crane Deity was faster, raising its right hand high. Li Zhuiyuan stepped onto the White Crane Deity's palm, held aloft by it. The Deity retracted its arm, slowly