Chapter 586: This Old Man Should Never Have Made That Oath!

A corner of the Yongjie Municipal Waste Treatment Plant.

Lin Nian stood quietly to the side, fully focused as she watched Lu Yibei perform the targeted soul-summoning spell formation. She had no objections whatsoever to Lu Yibei’s suggestion to summon the soul of the sturdy man first.

She had originally intended to learn it secretly; watching once more meant one more chance to master it.

A special spell formation like soul-summoning was certainly a skill most intelligence brokers would want to acquire, let alone targeted soul-summoning.

It is said that when a person dies, their light goes out, but if one could make the dead speak, it would undoubtedly become a vital source of intelligence.

When she first began secretly learning Lu Yibei’s targeted soul-summoning spell formation, Lin Nian was full of confidence. She memorized every detail and step of setting up the incense altar without missing a thing.

But then, when Lu Yibei took the suona from her waist and skillfully began to play, Lin Nian frowned.

Because of her Third Grandpa, she had often visited the Jin Opera Theater as a child, so she had some understanding of instruments like the suona. It wasn’t hard to make it produce sound—somewhere between a week and a few months of practice would do—but reaching a level like “Gu Qianqian’s” was no easy feat.

She wondered what level of playing this spell formation required. If it had to be that advanced, it might take years of hard work… Lin Nian thought, continuing to observe “Gu Qianqian.”

Then…

She gradually began to feel despair.

While performing the targeted soul-summoning spell formation, “Gu Qianqian” not only chanted silently but also used her body to block certain key changes on the incense altar, making it impossible for Lin Nian to catch more details.

Yes, Lu Yibei was indeed guarding against Lin Nian learning it in secret. Although being able to learn something after watching just once was rare, it wasn’t absolutely impossible.

After all, the targeted soul-summoning spell formation wasn’t very complicated. She had memorized it completely after watching Qing Ji perform it just once.

What if Lin Nian could do the same?

Never underestimate anyone!

A moment later.

A disturbing psychic energy fluctuation descended abruptly, breaking through the psychic energy Lu Yibei had wrapped around the altar. With a muffled “Bang!”, the altar and the items on it instantly burst into splinters, hurled in all directions by powerful shockwaves.

As the fierce wind struck, Lin Nian instinctively raised her arms in a cross to shield her face. Wood chips and copper fragments shot at her like speeding bullets, stinging her arms painfully. Wind howled in her ears, and in a daze, she heard a chilling laugh.

That laughter stirred a mental tempest, like an invisible pair of giant hands hurling her consciousness into the clouds.

Her thoughts plunged into chaos instantly; not a single lucid idea remained in her mind. Even her Spirit Pattern was affected, giving her the faint, creeping sensation that it was about to spiral out of control.

After a short while, the wind stopped, the laughter in her ears gradually faded, and Lin Nian’s consciousness slowly returned to normal.

She steadied herself and glanced toward “Gu Qianqian,” noticing how utterly drained “Gu Qianqian” looked. She completely abandoned the thought of secretly learning the spell.

If even a major haunting like Gu Qianqian could be inadvertently tortured half to death, such a dangerous spell formation wasn’t worth learning anyway! Lin Nian thought.

————

The inadvertent glimpse into the existence of that unknown haunting left Lu Yibei feeling uneasy.

Her purpose in coming to Shizhou City, besides figuring out how to obtain the fragment of the Pure Lotus Sword, was simply to find Hu Chuan and, through him, locate Zhang Shuo.

She hadn’t planned on any complications, much less making an enemy of some unknown, powerful existence.

She was just mulling over whether to adopt an “if you can’t beat them, join them; if you can’t join them, report them” approach when Lin Nian’s voice suddenly sounded beside her.

“Did… did it fail?”

Hearing Lin Nian’s words, Lu Yibei was silent for two seconds, then nodded. “How should I put it? It failed, but not completely.”

After all, I discovered something extraordinary… Lu Yibei added mentally.

Wu Yutang, Liang Jiuyuan, and a certain item on Lin Nian’s Third Grandpa all carried a similar, unsettling aura, and their bodies had undergone a degree of fusion with that item…

The two points Wu Yutang mentioned before his death—the “Esoteric Society” and “using external objects to enhance power”—were deeply concerning. That bizarre folding fan in his hand might well have come from the Esoteric Society…

Liang Jiuyuan, who had pursued them to Lin Nian’s home, and the old man who died unexpectedly on a stage were both connected to my secret investigation of Hu Chuan. That means Hu Chuan is very likely closely linked to the Esoteric Society, perhaps even a core member…

Damn it. Although all the pieces of information are finally connecting, and I roughly know where to look for Hu Chuan, the situation has become increasingly thorny! Lu Yibei thought.

Seeing “Gu Qianqian” remain silent for a long time, Lin Nian asked weakly, “So, s-so will you still help me summon my Third Grandpa’s residual soul?”

I’m pretty torn about this matter too… Lu Yibei muttered to herself internally, shrugged, and said, “In matters like this, I, Gu Qianqian, keep my word. But right now, it’s definitely not possible…”

As she spoke, she glanced at the wreckage scattered around the exploded altar, her brows furrowing deeply as she sank back into thought.

The ghostly thing I saw when summoning Liang Jiuyuan’s residual soul is highly likely connected to the Esoteric Society as well. And just recently, someone issued a designated task to her through the Haunting Chat Site, instructing her to infiltrate the Esoteric Society.

The person who issued this task not only knows her background but also knows something about the Esoteric Society; their identity is probably far from simple.

Who could that person be? What is their purpose in issuing this designated task to me?

Do they genuinely want me to assist in investigating the Esoteric Society, or is that person actually a member of the Esoteric Society, setting a trap to catch me?

Now that I know the man in black selling that “wondrous item” might be a lead to contacting the Esoteric Society, I could coax Miss Fang into making initial contact, to test their background. But how can I ensure Miss Fang’s safety? Lu Yibei thought.

Just then, her phone suddenly vibrated. She pulled it out and glanced at it; it was a call from Shem.

“That guy… didn’t I tell him to take good care of Miss Fang? Why is he calling me for no reason? I shouldn’t have given him my contact info!”

Lu Yibei grumbled as she answered the phone. Hearing the words from the other end, her expression changed instantly.

“What the hell? Miss Fang is missing? You two grown men, how could you fail to watch over one girl properly?”

“Holy Son, please calm your anger!” Shem explained on the other end of the line. “It’s not that we weren’t watching her. My room and Salih’s are right next to hers, and we took turns standing guard at her door. But we never imagined she would climb out the window and down the external drainage pipe to leave—and we’re on the twenty-third floor!”

“If it were just that, it wouldn’t be so bad. We noticed she hadn’t gone far yet, but just as we were about to chase after her, a series of bizarre accidents happened…”

As Lu Yibei listened to Shem recount the series of unbelievable mishaps he and Salih had experienced, the corner of her eye twitched uncontrollably.

“…Holy Son, that’s exactly how it all went down. I suspect we encountered these accidents because we were tainted by the stench of misfortune clinging to her.”

“Uh…” Lu Yibei was silent for two seconds, then said flatly, “I understand. You two search the nearby area for her first. I’ll head over shortly.”

After hanging up, she looked at Lin Nian and instructed, “I have some urgent business here and need to leave. Regarding summoning your Third Grandpa’s residual soul, I’ll help you later. For now, go start gathering the materials and items needed for the soul-summoning.”

“If it’s convenient, also help me collect those strange rumors you mentioned earlier, about psychics becoming overly dependent on items. I’ll transfer the payment to you later.”

“And finally… stay safe. If you run into trouble, there’s no shame in just making a run for it!”

With that, she swiftly headed toward the plant’s exit, simultaneously focusing her mind to communicate with the Paper Cicada Immortal.

She planned to make good use of the time traveling to Sleepless Street by having a proper exchange with Zhang Huainan.

————

Late at night, in the third watch, at Moon-Gazing Cave on the Back Mountain of the Great Pure Palace.

Zhang Huainan, who had been busy for half the night, turned off the light, lay down in bed, and prepared to sleep.

There was a reason he had lived to such an old age. Besides his formidable strength, he had long maintained a strict daily routine.

Staying up this late tonight was already against his habits.

However, just as he was lying in bed, feeling the first stirrings of drowsiness, he saw the Paper Cicada Immortal on the table stand up and wave at him.

Seeing this, Zhang Huainan hurriedly got up, went to the table, and connected with the Paper Cicada Immortal. Immediately, the voice of “Gu Qianqian” sounded in his ear.

“Old man, are you there?”

“Hey, I’m here,” Zhang Huainan replied with a beaming smile. “I didn’t expect you to contact me so soon? Whatever it is, just say it outright?”

So I can go to sleep afterward, Zhang Huainan added silently to himself.

“Old man, have you heard of the Esoteric Society?”

Zhang Huainan froze for a moment, his expression turning instantly serious. “Oh? The Esoteric Society? Where did you hear that name? Did Lu Yibei tell you?”

Lu Yibei, “…”

“That’s right, he told me. He discovered something concerning the Esoteric Society, and he felt it necessary for me to inform you.”

“He glimpsed, through some special means, a haunting that may be lurking behind the Esoteric Society.”

Zhang Huainan, “???”

Didn’t that kid just take on the designated task a few hours ago? And he’s already uncovered a key lead?

He truly is worthy of being Senior Brother Qing Ji’s descendant! His efficiency in stirring things up is top-notch. But still…

This makes me look a bit useless in comparison!

Zhang Huainan thought, quickly pressing further. “And then? What is that haunting?”

“Uh, something’s come up on my end. I’ll tell you later… Let’s leave it for now. Bye-bye!”

Pausing briefly, Lu Yibei added another reminder, “Oh, right. Don’t you spy on me before I contact you. You swore an oath!”

“Rest assured! How could I be one to break an oath?!” Zhang Huainan answered, then put down the Paper Cicada Immortal and sat to the side, waiting for “Gu Qianqian’s” response.

And that wait lasted the entire night…

It was a sleepless night. Zhang Huainan just sat there quietly, staring at the Paper Cicada Immortal, suppressing the growing urge in his heart to contact “Gu Qianqian” through it, feeling utterly tormented.

The Paper Cicada Immortal was right at his fingertips. He clearly only needed to expend a negligible amount of psychic energy to reach “Gu Qianqian” and ask her about the unfinished information.

But, bound by the oath, he could do nothing. He could only wait.

Thus, his mind churned with a thousand twists and turns, an unbearable itch like a cat scratching at his heart.

When the early morning sunlight spilled in, Zhang Huainan finally couldn’t hold back, gritting his teeth and spitting out a curse, “Dammit, I never should have made that oath!”

Why do I feel she’s even more like Senior Brother Qing Ji’s descendant than Lu Yibei?

So utterly tormenting!