Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The reason this small villa was only a few hundred thousand and had been on the market for so long was not without cause.

The moment Shen Wang stepped into the place, he sensed the presence of yin energy.

But this yin energy was strange, very pure, unlike other ghosts whose yin energy is always mixed with negative emotions like resentment, anger, and hatred.

Seeing the little ghost, Shen Wang understood.

The little ghost was a genuine one, not only weak in power but also appeared to be around seven or eight years old, with delicate features and a round face.

He looked no different from a normal human child, except for his paler skin, which made him even more adorable.

His eyes were wide with terror as he stared at Shen Wang, tears almost spilling out.

Even the coldest-hearted person would feel a pang of sympathy upon seeing him... except for Shen Wang.

"Come here," Shen Wang commanded.

The little ghost glanced around hesitantly, then, under Shen Wang's gaze, cautiously moved to the side, only giving up when he realized Shen Wang's eyes were following him.

Although he could have floated over in an instant, the little ghost chose to walk step by step, hesitantly, like a child afraid to enter his home after a mistake.

"What's your name? How did you die?" Shen Wang asked, watching the little ghost's timid movements.

The little ghost stood timidly in front of Shen Wang, his eyes clear and bright: "I forgot."

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow.

The little ghost burst into tears: "I really forgot, I'm not lying to you."

Li Pingping and the others, whose Yin-Yang eyes Shen Wang had opened, exchanged looks, their expressions complex.

They were initially frightened at the thought of a ghost being present but felt less scared knowing Shen Wang, the powerhouse, was with them.

Now, seeing the little ghost crying, they felt not fear, but pity for the ghost.

"Bro, be nice when you talk, don't be so harsh," Li Pingping, the soft-hearted one, spoke up for the little ghost first.

The other two quickly nodded in agreement.

All adults in their twenties, they were bullying a child... well, a ghost child, and they even made him cry. It was shameful.

A pang of guilt tingled in the hearts of the grown men.

Shen Wang glanced at them: "Should I leave then?"

They immediately reassured their consciences, feeling no pain anymore: "No, no, no, Shen, there is a distinct boundary between humans and ghosts... you know, 'different kinds, different minds.'"

It was a joke, after all. No matter how pitiful the ghost looked, it was still a ghost. If it weren't for Shen Wang's presence, they would have fled long ago.

It might look harmless now, but who knows if it could turn into another Toshio Saeki.

Remembering Toshio Saeki's eerie demeanor, Li Pingping and the others instinctively shivered and huddled closer to Shen Wang.

The little ghost noticed their movements and stopped his loud wailing, turning to quiet sobs.

Shen Wang wasn't fooled by this act and changed his question: "How long have you been living here?"

The little ghost thought for a moment, then answered with intermittent sobs: "I forgot."

He genuinely had forgotten everything.

Shen Wang observed him thoughtfully.

This little ghost's aura was so pure it didn't seem ghostly. Usually, people turn into ghosts due to lingering attachments and regrets from their lives, and these dissipate before they enter the cycle of reincarnation.

Regardless of their consciousness or memory, at the moment of becoming a ghost, their aura would be tinged with the resentment and regret from their life.

This little ghost showed no negative emotions in its aura, suggesting no attachments or regrets. Logically, it should have entered the cycle of reincarnation... This situation, more than a ghost, seemed akin to a spirit.

"What have you done to the people in this house?" Shen Wang asked again.

Li Pingping and the others perked up their ears.

The little ghost glanced at them with little confidence and said, "I, I didn’t do much... I was just playing with them."

With no memory and invisible to people, the little ghost was very lonely, so he found ways to play with the occupants of the house.

He couldn’t do much, only trapped them in the corridor for hide-and-seek, turned off their lights when they went to the bathroom at night, made the toilet water turn red, and knocked on their doors unexpectedly… that’s all.

Li Pingping and the others were stunned.

No wonder the villa's price was so heavily reduced.

Let alone bizarre supernatural events, even if it were a living person doing this every night, they would be driven to nervous breakdowns.

"They had so much fun playing." The little ghost said proudly, puffing out his chest, "They screamed really loud!"

…It didn’t sound like a fun experience at all.

There are bratty kids among the living, and apparently, bratty little ghosts among the dead.

Li Pingping and the others were enlightened and deeply moved, but while bratty kids could be disciplined, a bratty little ghost could only be dealt with by Shen Wang.

Shen Wang also didn’t expect that the seemingly innocent and fair little ghost would be so adept at scaring people. Fortunately, the little ghost was not malicious and hadn’t harmed anyone.

After pondering for a few seconds and stroking his chin, Shen Wang declared, "From now on, you'll be my air conditioner."

Little Ghost: "???"

His mouth turned down, on the verge of crying again.

"If you don't want to be the air conditioner, then I'll scatter your soul to the winds."

The little ghost hiccupped, suppressing its cries and nodded its head, looking utterly wronged.

Air conditioning... Well, air conditioning it is. At least it won't lead to soul dispersion. The little ghost comforted itself, its tiny face wrinkling into a bundle.

As gruff as he was, Shen Wang was truly endearing. Upon hearing his words, Li Pingping and others knew the little ghost was harmless and immediately crowded around in excitement.

"So young and already gone, how pitiful."

"Such a round, cute little face."

"Come on, call me 'brother' and let's hear it..."

Surrounded by three living people, the little ghost trembled in fear, curling up into a ball.

It never imagined, after 'playing' with others, that it would end up as a plaything itself.

This thought made it feel even more wronged.

At that moment, the most terrifying 'demon king' spoke again: "If you're going to be an air conditioner, act like one."

The little ghost peeked at the 'demon king' through its fingers.

"From now on, you'll learn from the other air conditioners. You must adjust to whatever temperature is asked of you with precise control."

The little ghost: "???"

Unable to bear this humiliation, the little ghost let out a cry and floated towards the door.

The living people left in the room looked at each other before bursting into laughter: "Hahaha..."

"Brother Shen, how could you scare him like that? You scared him away," Wang Kai laughed so hard he hit the floor.

Of everyone there, Shen Wang laughed the loudest: "Such a coward, yet daring to scare others. It's only fair he gets a taste of his own medicine."

Li Pingping, wiping tears of laughter, asked Shen Wang, "What's his story? Are you going to take him as your little brother?"

Only Shen Wang would think of keeping a little ghost as a minion.

"It's his destiny," Shen Wang replied, "Being young, he's unburdened by worldly concerns. An accident turned him into a spirit. If he follows the right path, becoming a ghost cultivator isn't out of the question."

A ghost with such pure yin energy could advance quickly in cultivation.

But being a spirit also made it easy to stray and become a malevolent ghost, causing harm.

And there were some ruthless cultivators who would capture such talented spirits for use in their nefarious practices...

"Since we've crossed paths, it's fate. Offering him shelter for a while wouldn't hurt."

Li Pingping nodded in semi-understanding: "So, he's to be an air conditioner?"

Everyone fell silent for a few seconds before bursting into laughter again.

Teasing the kid was too much fun.

After laughing, Li Pingping couldn't help but worry: "Bro, you bought a house; do you have enough money left? Do you need a loan? How much do you have to repay each month? I can work part-time and contribute around a thousand if you need..."

"Don't worry, I paid in full," Shen Wang boasted with his substantial wealth, "You guys can stay anytime, rent-free!"

Li Pingping was surprised. The notorious miser was splurging? It seemed he really had made a fortune.

"Just keep the place clean," Shen Wang added.

Wang Kai, caressing his computer, happily agreed: "Thanks, Brother Shen! You're mighty! Cleaning? Leave it to us!"

Li Pingping and Xu Cheng exchanged glances, remaining silent.

...It was hard not to suspect that the stay was just an excuse, and the main motive was to save on cleaning costs.

Speaking of money, Shen Wang pondered over his finances, considering the funds needed for his future cultivation, a sense of urgency welled up: "Isn't there a job that's less demanding, doesn't interrupt my cultivation, and pays well?"

Hearing his mutterings, Li Pingping nodded earnestly: "Of course, there is."

Shen Wang's eyes lit up.

"Just lie in the wishing well at the nearby temple. You don't even have to move, and lots of people will throw money at you."

Shen Wang: "..."

Li Pingping burst into laughter at the rare sight of Shen Wang being stumped.

Shen Wang playfully flicked his forehead: "If I'm going to be a turtle in a wishing well, I'm dragging you in as a little turtle."

The 'little turtle' laughed heartily.

Xu Cheng pondered for a moment before tentatively suggesting, "Brother Shen, didn't you earn money by doing fortune-telling live streams last time? Why not continue with that?"

After hearing this, Shen Wang thought for a few seconds, then smacked his fist into his palm: "You're right."

Initially, the live stream was just a counterattack, but now it seemed like a viable way to make money.

Without hesitation, Shen Wang opened his computer and started a live stream.

As soon as he went live, people quickly noticed.

[The broadcaster you follow, 'Your Daddy's Here,' is live now!]

Those who entered the stream to comfort him paused at the sight of the username 'Your Daddy's Here.'

In the recording, Tang's mother's tone was arrogant, and her words were both vicious and hurtful. Anyone empathizing with Shen Wang's perspective would feel saddened.

To the audience, Shen Wang appeared as a pitiful figure, unloved by his father, scorned by his mother, longing for familial affection, yet humiliated and insulted by his own mother.

Those who had been following him for a while remembered that this was the man who, even when vilified by the entire internet, could start a live stream to confront netizens, silencing his critics with his powerful and assertive presence.

Soon enough, oblivious new followers rushed in.

[Sob, go Shen Wang!]

[Stay away from the Tang family for your safety. Forget biological parents, it's all an illusion. Shen Wang, don't be soft-hearted, don't go back!]

[The handsome guy is so pitiful, indeed the wealthy families have too much drama, my heart aches for him.]

[The Tang family are all trash, but he's the good sprout from a rotten bamboo.]

[You donated fifteen million in one go, from now on I'm your die-hard fan. As long as you don't break the law, I'll never turn against you.]

[Hope the handsome guy can have a new start, a new life.]

Watching the colorful barrage of comments, Shen Wang raised an eyebrow. Along with comforting words, there were occasional gift effects. In just a few minutes, a long list of names had formed on his gift leaderboard.

"Thank you for your gifts." Shen Wang smiled very happily.

[Holy cow, does such a good-looking guy actually exist in real life?]

[Whose heart is racing? It's mine, no worries.]

[Sob, just thinking about how a guy this handsome could have such a tragic past, it feels so unfair.]

[Maybe it's precisely because fate is fair that he has such a hard life.]

Watching as the topic gradually shifted from comfort to something else, Shen Wang touched his face, feeling quite emotional: "I never thought I'd have a day where I'd rely on my looks."

After saying this, he smiled again at the camera.

The camera in the villa was much clearer than those in internet cafes. This high-definition beauty effect sent the chat into a frenzy.

Though he said so, Shen Wang had no intention of actually relying on his looks for a living: "Come on, let's do fortune-telling live, two thousand per session, fair to all ages."

[Fortune-telling?]

[Has this guy gone crazy? Promoting feudal superstitions in public?]

[Two thousand per session? What is he doing, trying to squander all the goodwill he's accumulated?]

[Thought he was a good guy, but it hasn't been long since he cleared his name, and now he's scheming to make money... Just like his Tang family roots.]

[Better off relying on his looks.]

Shen Wang remained unfazed by the negative comments.

"Not everyone loves money; some prefer dollars, others gold. How can I, a mere mortal, expect universal adoration?"

Suddenly, a lavish gift effect took over the entire screen, clearing all the comments.

[Go, Brother Shen!]

The gift, with its simple four-word message, clearly showed her support.

It took a while for the grandiose gift effect to vanish before the audience could comment normally again.

[Holy cow, Feng Xiaomian? How do they know each other? Is Shen Wang really venturing into live streaming?]

[Are they close? Feng Xiaomian is blatantly clearing the chat for Shen Wang.]

[Feng Xiaomian is also streaming! She’s streaming... Shen Wang’s live?]

[Goodness, what’s their relationship? Feng Xiaomian is using her popularity to boost Shen Wang!]

[Feng Xiaomian just broke up with Grey Wolf a few days ago, she couldn’t have found a new partner so quickly, right?]

Various speculations emerged incessantly, but soon, with the influx of viewers from Feng Xiaomian's live stream, these comments were overshadowed.

[Coming from Xiaomian's side, cheering for Shen Wang!]

[Here to support Xiaomian’s friend~]

Shen Wang hadn't expected Feng Xiaomian to help him, especially with a gift worth ten thousand.

"Such wealthy VIP clients should be well taken care of." Shen Wang pondered for a few seconds: "In the future, when you have a boyfriend, bring him to me. I’ll give you a fortune reading for free."

Before others could react, Feng Xiaomian quickly sent a barrage of comments.

[Thank you, Brother Shen!!!!]

The abundance of exclamation marks indicated her immense happiness and excitement.

The netizens were baffled.

[What’s happening here?]

[Could it be that Shen Wang really knows fortune-telling?]

At that moment, someone sent a gift worth two thousand, requesting a reading.

Shen Wang, seeing this, immediately opened a connection. On the other side of the camera was a young man who seemed a bit nervous: “Shen, Brother Shen.”

Shen Wang’s gaze shifted, and he asked: “Are you looking for something?”

The young man's eyes lit up, quickly responding: “Yes, yes, exactly, I’m looking for something!”

"There's a family heirloom in my house, an emerald bracelet. It was passed from my grandmother to my mother, and it's supposed to go to my wife eventually... After I told my girlfriend about it, she wanted to see it."

"I sneaked it out to show her, but the next day it was gone. We had a huge fight over it, nearly breaking up."

"If this bracelet is lost, my mom, grandma, and dad would definitely be furious with me..."

Since losing the bracelet, the young man had been anxious for days, tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep, his hair falling out in clumps.

While scrolling through his phone in his anxious state, he stumbled into Shen Wang's live stream and saw him doing fortune-telling.

He didn't believe in it initially, but now, desperate to find the bracelet, he thought to try his luck with this metaphysical approach.

When Shen Wang immediately pinpointed his need to find something, the young man felt a surge of hope, his eyes fixed on Shen Wang: "Brother Shen, you must save me! Please, I'm begging you!"

Hearing the young man's story, the audience turned into amateur detectives, speculating wildly.

[So filial, sneaking out a family heirloom to show his girlfriend... What if the girlfriend took it?]

[Suspect the girlfriend stole it +1]

[The value of an emerald bracelet can vary greatly, from a few hundred to millions. If it's one of the expensive ones, he should call the police immediately.]

[He dares not involve the police, that would alert his family.]

At this point, Shen Wang also spoke up: "You should report it to the police."

The young man: "???"

The audience: [???]

[If fortune-telling is just advising to call the police, I could do that too.]

[Indeed, calling the police is the best option here.]

The young man's face was downcast: "Brother Shen, I know I can report it to the police... but if I do, my family will find out."

He dared not let his family know about this matter.

Shen Wang slowly asked, "Do you know how much your bracelet is worth?"

The young man was startled: "I don't know, maybe... tens of thousands?"

He hadn't researched jade, just assuming from the prices he remembered seeing in malls.

Shen Wang shook his head.

"Then... a few thousand?" the young man guessed hesitantly. Even without much knowledge of jade, he sensed his family heirloom was quite exquisite, not seeming like something worth only a few thousand.

"One hundred," Shen Wang stated a figure.

The young man was taken aback.

[That cheap? Is it a marble heirloom or something?]

[Really? Never seen it, how can he know the price?]

"Thousand."

Instantly, the young man's pupils contracted, and he inhaled sharply.

Before, he just thought he would get beaten half to death for stealing the family heirloom. Now, he truly believed his life was in danger.

At this point, he couldn't afford to worry about getting beaten or losing face. Trembling, he picked up his phone to call the police.

The barrage of online comments started to pour in.

[Really? A million-dollar bracelet, what does that even look like?]

[Jade of this price range is rare and sought after, especially if it's been passed down for at least a hundred years... If it's real, it would definitely be even more expensive.]

[If my kid ever dared to steal...]

[Please don't call him your son, refer to him as the defendant.]

Just as he was dialing the emergency number, a voice from outside the door said, “Old Zhu, didn’t you lose a bracelet? Is this your bracelet?”

The guy was stunned.

“Go check it out,” Shen Wang gestured to the guy.

The guy woodenly opened the door, and outside, his flatmate was holding a small box with a surprised look: “Look, is this it? We’ve been searching for so long and couldn’t find it, but when I was sweeping today, I found it under the sofa... I don’t know how it got there…”

The guy opened it and sure enough, it was his bracelet!

He was both shocked and overjoyed, finding it effortlessly after an exhaustive search!

He couldn't find it no matter how hard he searched these past few days, but it appeared out of nowhere when he stopped looking!

So happy he almost lifted his flatmate in a hug and spun him around. After expressing his gratitude, he hopped back to his computer: "Shen Ge! I found my bracelet! I found it!"

“My life is saved!”

Carefully taking out the bracelet and wiping it over and over, the guy was almost in tears.

[…You better return this bracelet soon. With your intelligence, it's hard to keep it safe.]

[Knowing it’s worth a million and about to call the police, and then your friend finds it. Don’t you think something’s off?]

[Haven't seen someone this innocent in a long time, screenshot for keepsake.]

[Innocent (foolishly) pure (stupid).]

Even the silliest person would realize something was amiss after such a hint.

He carefully placed the crystal-clear jade bracelet back into the small bag, and then into the box: "Shen Ge? This…"

"This bracelet has been worn for so long, it's well-nourished, free of impurities, lustrous and translucent. It has even gained a spiritual essence. Treasure it well," said Shen Wang.

Just a glance earlier revealed its refreshing green hue, making its million-dollar price tag seem an underestimate.

Most importantly, after being nurtured through generations, the bracelet has acquired a spiritual essence, able to protect its owner from misfortune and ensure safety, almost like a semi-magical artifact.

The guy nodded in agreement, then hesitantly added: "My roommate…"

"You already have your suspicions, don’t you?" Shen Wang smiled.

The guy’s expression was complex as he sincerely thanked Shen Wang, disconnected the call, and then sent several gifts in a row.

[So, did Shen Wang know from the beginning that his roommate took the bracelet? Why didn't he say it outright?]

[Saying it directly without evidence would be pointless. What if the other party adamantly denied it? This strategy forced them to produce the bracelet and recover the item, not bad.]

[Did no one notice that bracelet? It’s so beautiful, looks like glass but even prettier.]

[Shen Ge is awesome!]

[Why on earth did the Tang family choose that scumbag who plays multiple sides over this treasure? What were they thinking?]

[Maybe they developed feelings, or maybe it's a case of like attracting like.]

After showing off his skills a bit, several people gathered to send gifts, hoping for a fortune reading.

The netizens went from disbelief at first to admiringly calling him a master. The barrage of comments was full of praises, occasionally mixed with curses directed at the Tang family.

Watching Shen Wang bask in admiration, Tang Jiu clenched his fists tightly, grinding his teeth.

He had gone to great lengths to trample Shen Wang down, making him despised and cursed by everyone. Yet, in such a short time, their roles had completely reversed.

Shen Wang became universally praised, while he, Tang Jiu, was trampled into the mud, spat upon by every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

"Damn it! Useless!"

A cup barely missed Tang Jiu's face and smashed against the wall, the boiling water inside splashing on his cheek, scalding it red.

At the bedside, Tang's mother's right cheek was swollen and red, marked with a clear handprint. She bit her lip, tears streaming down.

Tang's mother, still strikingly beautiful and well-maintained even nearing fifty, had a mature charm. In the past, her restrained tears would have softened Tang's father's heart, leading him to hold and comfort her.

Now, Tang's father lay on the hospital bed in patient's garb, his face dark with anger: "How dare you cry? Look what you've done to the Tang family!"

"I... I didn’t know he would record it..." Tang's mother said through tears, trying to explain, but was cut off by Tang's father's angry curses.

"Who told you to go to him? Who told you to say those things? Creating such a mess in C City, where does that leave our family's face!" Tang's father grew angrier as he thought about it, grabbing something and smashing it on the floor, "The company is even affected because of a woman like you. Do you know how much our stock price fell?"

Listening to Tang's father berating Tang's mother, Tang Jiu held his phone, his eyes darkening.

Shen Wang had sent out the recording and started live streaming, stepping on the Tang family... Tang Jiu couldn't help but hate him.

He hated how his carefully planned scheme was so easily thwarted. Now, Shen Wang had become a celebrity with many fans. If he disappeared, someone would surely notice.

The worst part was that everyone knew about the discord between Shen Wang and the Tang family. If anything happened to Shen Wang, the first suspects would be the Tang family, him, Tang Jiu!

His plan to take Shen Wang's blood had completely fallen through.

Without the bloodline of the Tang family, he couldn't inherit the family legacy. What would he do now?

Ever since the idea of a blood transfusion struck him, Tang Jiu had been obsessively fixated on inheriting the Tang family's bloodline.

He always felt that once he obtained the bloodline inheritance, he would become stronger and his path ahead smoother... but now everything was ruined!

And the reason for all this was just because Tang's mother made a phone call to Shen Wang...

Containing his resentment, Tang Jiu stepped forward, placating perfunctorily: "Dad, mom didn't do it on purpose..."

As Tang Jiu spoke, Tang's father, who had calmed down a bit, became furious again: "That idiot! A fool with long hair but short on wisdom! Creating such a big mess, and still daring to say it wasn't on purpose. If she did it intentionally, she'd ruin our Tang family completely!"

Tang's mother was overwhelmed by the scolding, feeling very wronged. She knew she had made a mistake and could only quietly argue: "You all also cursed him, how was I to know he would record it, and only record my voice."

Tang's mother didn’t feel she did anything wrong. Everyone in the Tang family had cursed Shen Wang at some point. It was just her bad luck to be recorded.

"And you!" Tang's father didn't hear Tang's mother's quiet muttering. Turning his anger towards Tang Jiu, he said, "If you hadn't come up with that plan to ruin his reputation, he wouldn't have had the chance to strike back!"

The old Shen Wang was just a nobody, a small-time hoodlum unnoticed and uncared for, whose death would have gone unremarked.

Yet, it was Tang Jiu who came up with that foolish plan, thrusting him into the public eye.

Being cursed by everyone also meant he was known by everyone. At this point, how could he possibly disappear without a trace!

"You mother and son are equally foolish..."

Tang's father continued his tirade, but Tang Jiu, unlike his mother, wouldn't just stand there and take it. He immediately retorted, "I consulted you about this matter. It was only after you agreed that I acted."

"You're passing the blame? You think this is my fault?" Tang's father slammed his hand on the bed, furious. "You're not even of Tang blood. We've exhausted all our resources to raise you, and not only are you ungrateful, you blame others when things go wrong?"

"Tang Jiu, Tang Jiu, I really regret now, choosing you over Shen Wang."

In this confrontation between Tang Jiu and Shen Wang, Tang Jiu had been utterly defeated.

Tang's father suddenly felt reflective. If Shen Wang had the ability to cultivate, with his temperament and capabilities, maybe he would have been more suited for the Tang family, capable of taking it to greater heights.

Or even if he lacked such talents, just being raised as a normal person and working in the company could have brought in considerable profits.

Why hadn't he left any room for reconciliation, ending up in this irreconcilable situation with his own son? Tang's father sighed deeply.

Tang Jiu's face was twisted in displeasure, but still reliant on the Tang family's resources and not yet strong enough on his own, he had to change the subject: "I'll go out and get you a glass of water."

As he stepped out of the hospital room, the sound of Tang's father's scolding and Tang's mother's sobbing continued behind him.

Tang Jiu closed his eyes for a moment.

"Is that Tang Jiu? The fake young master of the Tang family?"

"Shh, keep it down... Don't let anyone hear you, yes, that's him."

"With such a wealthy family, yet they forced Shen Wang to leave home, even manipulating his biological parents. They're really cunning and manipulative."

"Inheritance battles in rich families are more thrilling than any TV drama."

"He's not even that good-looking, not as much as Shen Wang. How does he have so many girlfriends, and even his parents are charmed by him..."

"Who knows? Maybe he's sweet-talking."

"When I went to their ward to change the dressings, the atmosphere was so tense. His mother even got hit, truly a rotten family."

"Shen Wang leaving the Tang family was the best decision he ever made."

As Tang Jiu heard the nurses' gossip, he suddenly opened his eyes, glaring fiercely at the nurse, startling them into scattering quickly.

"That was scary, he looked like he was about to devour me. He didn’t hear us talking, did he?"

"Probably not, we were quite far away..."

Standing in the quiet corridor for a few seconds, Tang Jiu's gaze flickered uncertainly. Now, he not only wanted Shen Wang's blood, he wanted Shen Wang dead!

Following the normal path was no longer an option. Tang Jiu walked into the emergency staircase and made a phone call.

"Hello?"

"Qian Liangjun," Tang Jiu called out, then asked, "How are you doing now?"

On the other end of the line, Qian Liangjun snorted, "How else? Recovering from injuries."

He had taken his junior to Liu Zhengyi's house to exorcise a spirit, not expecting that the vengeful spirit was showing signs of evolving into a fierce ghost, nearly killing both him and his junior.

It was Shen Wang who arrogantly came by, blatantly colluding with the vengeful spirit, buying some time. He managed to contact his sect, but Shen Wang had escaped beforehand.

He hadn't taken this task through the Metaphysical Society, but privately, which was already against the rules, and he had brought his junior along, causing him to be seriously injured, compounding his offenses.

If it weren't for the severe injuries he had also sustained, he would have probably been severely punished.

Even so, Qian Liangjun was fined a large sum and placed under house arrest for introspection.

"Did you say Shen Wang was colluding with an evil spirit?" Tang Jiu asked.

At the mention of this, Qian Liangjun became agitated: "Yes, I'm certain! He must have been in cahoots with that evil spirit! If he hadn’t run off with it prematurely, we would have caught them red-handed when my master arrived!"

"What did your sect say?"

"They said they would conduct a thorough investigation."

Tang Jiu smiled slowly: "You witnessed it yourself, you're the clearest witness. What's there to investigate... Why don't you redeem yourself by contributing to their capture..."

The Tang family was also a member of the Metaphysical Society, but Tang Jiu dared not let his family know about this.

So, he had to use others to do his bidding.

As Tang Jiu plotted to use others for his scheme, a hand with distinct knuckles turned off the phone. The owner of the hand smiled brilliantly, his eyes ice cold: "The real and fake young master... interesting."

Someone knocked on the door: "Brother."

A head with long, silky hair almost touching the floor peeked in, her smile bright and face innocent.

"It's my little sister," he said meaningfully, smiling, "What brings you here?"

"Why are you wearing black, brother? Don’t you always prefer white clothes?" His little sister entered, curiously asking.

If Shen Wang were here, he would recognize that the man in the black robe was Gu Dongting.

"What's so good about white?" Gu Dongting propped his head with one hand, squinting at his little sister, his tone nonchalant, "Black is better. It can hide all the filth."

His half-closed eyes were filled with murderous intent.

His little sister felt a chill, pausing mid-step: "Is it? Black does seem more resistant to dirt."

The two looked at each other across a desk, each smiling more brilliantly than the other, but the little sister suddenly felt a pang of unease: Was her upright and aloof brother always this fond of smiling?