During the days she was held captive, Wen Ting thought countless times about reporting to the police after she got out. She wanted to make that scumbag Huo Xingye pay.
But that thought was quickly extinguished on the ambulance ride to the hospital.
Dr. Chen Ming, the young man who came to pick her up, gave her a detailed account of the Huo Family’s status in Yun City. He said it was no exaggeration to call them the local emperors, and that an ordinary girl like her, with no power or connections, couldn’t possibly afford to cross them.
He suggested it would be better for her to focus on recovering, take a settlement, and leave. Then she could live a good life anywhere. After all, in all the time she was held, Huo Xingye hadn’t done anything to her besides restricting her freedom.
Even her current health problems were the result of her own hunger strike and a prolonged lack of nutrition.
Wen Ting opened her mouth to argue several times, but she couldn’t find the words. She was at a complete loss.
’He makes it sound like it’s my own fault for being ungrateful,’ she thought. ’But what else could I do besides protest with a hunger strike? I couldn’t just kill myself, could I? I wanted to leave, not die.’
Wen Ting fell silent.
As she was about to get out of the car, Chen Ming smiled warmly. "Think it over carefully during your hospital stay. Miss Wen, you’re a smart woman. I’m sure you’ll make the right choice."
Wen Ting closed her eyes, exhausted. ’And to think I once believed Chen Ming was a kind and gentle person,’ she thought. ’Looking at him now, he’s clearly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.’
The next afternoon, Gu Qingyin went to a dim sum restaurant in the city center as arranged. She ordered a few dishes and reviewed some files while she ate, waiting for Liu Ergou to arrive.
Liu Ergou had sent the files yesterday, but she had been busy drawing talismans and preparing her Magic Artifacts, so she hadn’t had time to look them over.
The current client was a young, wealthy businessman named Gu Xifeng. From his photo, he had the air of a refined intellectual. His public reputation was excellent—a successful career, a loving marriage. He was the very picture of a man who had it all.
Gu Qingyin’s gaze fell on Gu Xifeng’s face. ’So much for public perception,’ she mused. ’What his face reveals doesn’t match his reputation at all.’
Gu Xifeng’s request was to capture a ghost. But the captured ghost was not to be purified or destroyed—he wanted to keep it and make offerings to it.
Gu Qingyin: ’...Is he nuts?’
Gu Xifeng said that the ghost had been someone very important to him in life, and he couldn’t bear to let her go. He had previously hired a Heavenly Master to seal the ghost inside his villa. A few days ago, however, something went wrong. The ghost became extremely aggressive and completely unresponsive.
Over the next few days, the ghost’s aggression intensified, and the seal on the villa was on the verge of breaking.
Left with no other option, Gu Xifeng had to seek help from another Heavenly Master.
Just as she finished reading the file, Liu Ergou arrived.
Gu Qingyin asked, "Gu Xifeng didn’t kill her, did he?"
It took Liu Ergou a second to understand the question. He puffed out his chest and said, "Nope. I looked into it. It was a suicide."
Gu Qingyin nodded and pressed on, "What was their relationship?"
The pride went out of his posture. "Is that important?"
Gu Qingyin’s expression was dead serious. "Not at all. But I’m curious. It’s in a woman’s nature to gossip."
Liu Ergou sighed. "Just ask the client yourself when we see him."
"Fine," Gu Qingyin said, standing up. She popped the last piece of dim sum into her mouth. "Let’s go now."
Liu Ergou glanced at the empty plates and sighed with regret. ’I was so busy talking I didn’t get a single bite!’
The villa where the ghost soul was sealed was located in the East Suburb of Yun City.
The area was nestled between mountains and water, with stunning scenery. Many wealthy people bought villas here, but it was too far from the city. Most homeowners only came for a few days at a time on the rare occasion they could get away, so the majority of the villas stood empty.
This, in turn, made it convenient for Gu Xifeng to house the ghost soul.
When the two of them arrived, Gu Xifeng was already waiting outside the villa’s gate.
"Heavenly Master," Gu Xifeng said, walking over to greet them. He gave a polite nod and got straight to the point. "Are any further preparations needed?"
Liu Ergou shook his head, pulling out his phone to check the time. "We’ll wait another ten minutes."
He stared grimly at the villa, his heart tightening. ’This ghost committed suicide and was then trapped here after death,’ he thought. ’Her resentment festered until she became a Fierce Ghost. The whole villa is shrouded in ghost energy; those old talismans used to seal the ghost soul are useless now.’
’The only reason the Fierce Ghost hasn’t escaped is because she’s become an Earth-bound Spirit. She’s physically unable to leave.’
Gu Qingyin was also observing the villa. After a quick assessment, she sent a text to Liu Ergou.
After reading it, Liu Ergou’s expression turned serious. He explained the situation to Gu Xifeng, concluding with the most important point: the price was going up.
Instead of getting angry, Gu Xifeng smiled. "So, Heavenly Master, you’re saying she can’t leave now, even if she wanted to?"
Putting on the air of a transcendent master, Liu Ergou gave a cool nod. "Her sanity has been overwhelmed by resentment. She has become an Evil Spirit that knows only slaughter. If we leave her be, her range of activity will gradually expand, and the nearby residents will be endangered."
Gu Xifeng considered this. "Heavenly Master, are you confident you can restore her sanity?"
Liu Ergou didn’t dare make any promises. He snuck a sideways glance at Gu Qingyin. Seeing her give a slight nod, he adopted a profound tone. "It will be difficult. But if I give it my all, I’m about eighty percent certain."
That settled it for Gu Xifeng. "Heavenly Master, I’d like to change the terms of the commission. I no longer need you to capture her. Just restoring her sanity will be enough."
’Previously, I wanted her captured and sealed so I could bring her back to my main residence and make daily offerings to dispel her resentment,’ he thought. ’But since she can’t leave now, I suppose I’ll have to set up an altar for her in this villa instead.’
"Twenty million," Liu Ergou quoted, his expression calm but his heart pounding in his chest.
’Gu Qingyin really has some nerve!’ he thought. ’I’ve been a Heavenly Master for years, and I’ve never quoted a price this high! It’s insane!’
"Done," Gu Xifeng agreed instantly.
Liu Ergou was stunned. ’This world has finally gone mad in a way I can no longer comprehend.’
Gu Qingyin narrowed her eyes. ’Tsk. I should have asked for more.’
Once ten minutes had passed, Gu Qingyin followed Liu Ergou toward the villa.
Only then did Gu Xifeng spare a glance for Gu Qingyin. "Is she also a Heavenly Master?"
"Mhm," Liu Ergou said with a slight cough. "She’s my friend’s apprentice. Here to assist me."
Gu Qingyin smiled and nodded.
This was the cover story they had agreed on during the trip over.
Gu Qingyin was young and beautiful, a far cry from the public’s image of a Heavenly Master, so they had fabricated an identity for convenience. Originally, Gu Qingyin had wanted to pose as Liu Ergou’s apprentice, but he had flatly refused.
His reasoning was quite sound: he was afraid it would shorten his lifespan. And thus, a nonexistent friend was conjured out of thin air.
Gu Xifeng didn’t ask any more questions. He followed them silently, his head bowed, lost in thought.
When they reached the villa’s front door, Gu Qingyin had to stop him. "Mr. Gu, you can’t come inside."
"Why not?" Gu Xifeng frowned. "I was allowed to observe before."
Gu Qingyin laughed. "Before, she was just an ordinary ghost soul. Now, she’s an Earth-bound Spirit that’s become a Fierce Ghost. Do you really think that’s the same? Our commission is to restore the Fierce Ghost’s sanity. If you want us to add ’protect the client’ to our duties..."
Gu Qingyin’s smile widened. "That’ll cost you extra."