Chapter 195

In the spectral state, the hands on the coffin became even clearer. Afterimages and white light faded away, leaving only handprints imbued with a mysterious aura. Li Zhuiyuan had long known this, but entering the spectral state just to learn was too extravagant and would only intensify the already immense pressure. Fortunately, now someone could help him carry the burden.

Li Zhuiyuan half-turned, his peripheral vision sweeping towards Zhao Yi, who stood behind him. A dense death aura flowed from the "Life-and-Death Crevice" on Zhao Yi's forehead. The so-called "Life-and-Death Crevice" actually contained only "death," with no "life"; the "life" aspect entirely depended on the individual being alive. It was inherently not a good thing; a normal child with this condition would typically not even survive birth, and those who did would die prematurely. That Zhao Yi had lived this long was an anomaly.

"Hey, I'm here helping you. At least try to concentrate a bit," Zhao Yi said. His voice held a hint of exasperation, as he could tell the young man had been distracted.

Li Zhuiyuan refocused, concentrating on the task at hand. With Zhao Yi's help, he indeed felt more relaxed, and the figure he was molding from his own white cocoon was rapidly taking shape. However, even though he was catching up, his initial pace had been slow, and he was primarily a mimic and a learner. Thus, as expected, the masked figure opposite him still materialized first.

*Crackle...*

The white cocoon split open, and a new masked figure rose. This time, it bore a striking resemblance to Lin Shuyou.

On the other side, the White Crane Child temporarily handed over control of the body to the spirit medium Lin Shuyou, allowing him to use the Yin Gathering Formation to extend their duration. Since the young man hadn't spoken, the Child dared not inject the talismans directly. The Child now realized that being summoned this time was less about killing enemies and more about buying time. Ever since this spirit medium had begun journeying down the river with the young man, the Child had frequently been summoned to strange places and faced bizarre situations. The White Crane Child could now accept all of this, only wishing not to be embodied in a pig's head again, as had happened once before.

*Thump! Thump! Thump.*

"Lin Shuyou" stood with crossed arms and wide-set legs, his swaying form subtly exuding the power of a tiger and a crane. Behind them, Yin Meng, who was observing the battle from above, couldn't help but whisper, "He looks even more spirited and imposing than A-You."

Tan Wenbin replied, "That's normal. When A-You used to perform the ritual, it was the Child descending. This time, the puppet opposite us is using A-You's likeness."

Yin Meng sighed, "If only A-You could be like that in the future, that would be wonderful."

Tan Wenbin said, "Who knows what the future holds? At least now, we have a clear goal, don't we?"

Yin Meng asked, "A goal?"

"It's about our secret arts," Tan Wenbin explained, "the ones that keep us bedridden for ages after use. We aim to use them as common spells in the future. A-You could possess the power he has now, even without entering a trance; Runsheng could exert his full power without fully opening his qi gates; and my ghost manipulation technique could be as simple to use as entering the spectral state."

Yin Meng was afraid Tan Wenbin would stop there. Fortunately, Tan Wenbin merely paused before continuing, "And your poisons could be controlled perfectly." Yin Meng silently breathed a sigh of relief. Although his promise for her felt like mere pleasantry, nothing would be more embarrassing than not being mentioned at all.

However, it was precisely Tan Wenbin's words that rekindled her ongoing sense of crisis regarding her position within the team. Healthy internal competition was essential for a thriving team; everyone strived for their place within it. Yet, Yin Meng held no advantage over the others, whether in seniority, personal relationships, or ability. She used to be able to keep Lin Shuyou in check, but the boy was on a different path, and as the White Crane Child became more discerning, it indirectly elevated Lin Shuyou's standing.

Yin Meng knew that her arbitrary blending of toxins was dangerous, but she couldn't afford to become "rational." Once her capabilities were capped, her value would be significantly diminished. The problem was, advancing toxicology was far from easy. Even with the added versatility of the蛊 worm, there was no clear path forward.

Noticing the despondency in Yin Meng's eyes, Tan Wenbin offered words of comfort: "My two god-sons are going to be reincarnated, and I'm not panicking. Why are you?"

Yin Meng gave an embarrassed smile and said, "We'll definitely find new ways."

Tan Wenbin nodded, sighing, "Let's hope so." The best way to comfort others was to belittle oneself and play the victim. In reality, Tan Wenbin had already found a method. He would never change his decision to send his two god-sons for reincarnation, but his experience of daily interaction with them and the ghost-manipulation techniques he mastered would certainly not be wasted. All of this could lay a solid foundation for greater challenges ahead.

Runsheng glanced at Tan Wenbin and said, "The photo studio." Yin Meng was first puzzled, then enlightened. Deng Chen's photo studio still housed three spirit beasts. They had been too weak before, but with a bit more time, they should recover. Even without his two god-sons, Tan Wenbin could go to the photo studio and take on one, two... or even three spirits, seamlessly integrating them—new wine in old bottles. Moreover, those three spirit beasts would undoubtedly be far superior to the two vengeful infants, both in quality and potential. So, his goal was the clearest.

Tan Wenbin shot Runsheng a glare: *Alright, you comfort her yourself.* Yin Meng took a deep breath, trying her best to appear more cheerful and positive. She didn't want her low spirits to affect others, nor did she want to come across as a resentful, sarcastic woman. "I believe I can figure out my next path."

Runsheng comforted her, "Xiao Yuan will help you think of something; you don't need to waste your effort."

Yin Meng: "..."

Tan Wenbin teased, "Runsheng, if you can't find a wife later, you really can't blame Grandpa Shan for spending all your betrothal gifts."

Just then, "Lin Shuyou" below completed his adjustments, drawing the attention of those above once more. For now, the three of them could only watch; going down would only cause trouble. "Lin Shuyou" didn't wait, immediately inserting the talismans into himself, and his aura surged. He then charged towards the unformed "counterpart" opposite him. The White Crane Child flashed forward, blocking the way between them, and the two collided fiercely.

Unlike before, the Child knew there was a power gap between them and had tried to avoid direct confrontation. But this time, it was impossible; he had to protect the "pile of things" behind him. After several exchanges, the Child's old wounds were joined by new ones. The intensity of this battle meant that he was constantly using his own power to heal Lin Shuyou's injuries; otherwise, he would have collapsed long ago. Other spirit mediums, seeing Lin Shuyou's current treatment, would likely weep with envy. Previously, yin gods would never cherish the medium's body, only focusing on fierce attacks once possessed, let alone using their precious power to heal the medium's body.

However, this support clearly couldn't