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“In other words, is this the source we’ve been searching for?” Duan Rongrong asked in a low voice.
“This concentration of Yin Qi... not necessarily.” Yan Kai shook his head slightly.
By then, Lu Sheng had already begun inviting the strange visitors to demonstrate their abilities.
The Taoist who had spoken earlier gave a low chuckle.
“This is the skill I possess,” he said, extending his hand.
From somewhere, he produced a stone, gripping it firmly in his palm. With a sharp squeeze—
Swish...
Fine powder spilled from between his fingers, caught by the wind and drifting away like ash.
The others who had arrived with him stared in disbelief. Even the strongest martial masters in Jiulian City might not be capable of such a feat.
The female knight-errant in male attire grew even more solemn, fixed the Taoist with a serious gaze. Even Yan Kai’s expression shifted, now watching with keen interest.
Such strength—crushing stone into dust—was a mark of astonishing internal power. To meet someone of this level here was wholly unexpected.
Around them, the guards, servants, and maids gasped softly in awe.
Lu Sheng said nothing. His eyes narrowed as he studied the Taoist closely, a deep frown forming.
The Taoist chuckled again.
“So? Young Master, do you find my skill to your liking?”
Lu Sheng exhaled slowly. His gaze suddenly sharpened like a drawn blade.
“This scent… it's fossil powder! You lying, deceitful Taoist! Arrest him!”
Everyone froze in shock.
Before they could react, two burly guards surged forward, slamming the Taoist to the ground with practiced efficiency.
The Taoist screamed and thrashed, but with two guards holding him down, the domineering aura he’d displayed moments ago—crushing stone into powder—had vanished entirely.
He was just an ordinary man.
One of the larger guards leaned in, his voice rough and direct. He was among those who had witnessed Lu Sheng slay the female ghost the night before, and now stood as one of the eldest son’s most loyal followers.
“Eldest son, how shall we deal with this man? Shall we notify the authorities?”
Lu Sheng stared at the Taoist, disgust flashing in his eyes. “No need to bother the government. Drag him out and chop him up.”
“No! Young Master, please—I was just desperate! I only wanted to earn a little money! I was momentarily blinded by greed!” The Taoist’s face turned deathly pale as he pleaded, his entire body trembling. Cold sweat streamed down his cheeks. “Eldest son, I beg you—spare my life!”
“Yes!” the guard barked without hesitation.
He and his men dragged the Taoist out of the courtyard.
Nearby, beside the Lu family’s parade ground, stood a torture chamber—built for swift executions. The Lu family’s wealth and influence were so vast that the local authorities often turned a blind eye to their private justice.
Yan Kai and the others stood frozen in shock as they watched the Taoist disappear beyond the gates. Moments later, a shrill scream pierced the air from outside.
Lu Sheng stepped forward again, a pleasant smile returning to his face as if nothing had happened.
“Now that we’ve dealt with the fraud, let’s move on. Next, please show your skill.”
The remaining onlookers exchanged wary glances, their understanding of Lu Sheng shifting profoundly.
He looked refined and soft-spoken—but beneath that surface lay a cold, decisive ruthlessness. He could turn on a person without warning and act with lethal resolve.
A long silence followed.
Eventually, the second participant stepped forward: Master Zhentan, a monk from Red Lotus Temple. His hands trembled slightly, but he still forced himself out.
“I... I suddenly remembered... there’s something urgent I must attend to back at the temple…”
He hadn’t come to display a skill. He had come to escape.
Sweat trickled down Master Zhentan’s forehead as he addressed Lu Sheng.
Behind him, the younger monk fared even worse—his face was pale, his forehead drenched in sweat, and his legs visibly trembling.
“Since Master has urgent matters to attend to, please, feel free to go.”
Lu Sheng’s smile remained gentle and courteous. He didn’t press them further and signaled for a maid to escort Master Zhentan and his companions out.
Just like that, three participants left at once.
Only three remained: the female Ranger and Yan Kai.
“Next, allow me.”
The Ranger, dressed in men’s attire, stepped forward and drew the twin swords at her waist.
“I specialize in lightfoot techniques, whether it's quick moves or long chases, as well as tracking and reconnaissance. I believe I can assist in finding the missing.”
Lu Sheng’s interest was piqued.
“Oh? And may I ask for your name, Miss?” he said with a warm smile.
“Zhuan Feng.”
“Chuan Feng?” Lu Sheng blinked in confusion.
In response, the Ranger quickly traced two characters on the stone table with her fingers. Everyone leaned in to look.
Her surname was indeed Zhuan.
Lu Sheng nodded thoughtfully.
“Well then, Miss Zhuanfeng, how do you intend to demonstrate your abilities?”
Zhuanfeng sniffed the air, then crouched to the ground. Carefully, she examined the soil and surrounding marks. Lowering her head, she placed her ear to the ground and remained silent for several moments.
Then she stood up and spoke calmly.
“I can determine that you, Master Lu, and your group arrived at this courtyard less than two hours ago. There were two separate teams of guards and maids who entered and left to clean—no more than ten people total—about an hour ago. After that, your group arrived. None of you, not even your guards, have entered any of the rooms in this courtyard. Clearly, this location was prepared recently as a test site. Even you haven’t had the chance to explore the interior.”
As soon as she finished, Lu Sheng and the others widened their eyes in astonishment. Even the surrounding guards and maids looked as if they had seen a ghost.
Just by sniffing, observing, and listening to the ground, she had deduced so much with eerie accuracy.
This Miss Zhuanfeng was no ordinary person.
“Impressive!”
Lu Sheng clapped softly, his expression filled with genuine admiration.
“Miss Zhuanfeng, regardless of how you made your deductions, you’ve passed the test. Now then, that leaves the last two...”
His gaze shifted to Yan Kai and the remaining participant.
Yan Kai remained composed, but Duan Rongrong was clearly shaken.
She had just witnessed the seemingly gentle Mr. Lu order a man dragged away and executed without hesitation.
How could someone smile so calmly one moment and issue a death sentence the next?
To her, this man was terrifying. Even his kindness might be a mask for something far more lethal.
From that moment on, Duan Rongrong silently marked Lu Sheng as an extremely dangerous man.
But Yan Kai stepped forward, his expression calm, his voice steady.
“If I’m not mistaken,” he said, eyes sharp as blades, “Mr. Lu’s injury was caused by an invasion of Yin Qi, correct?”
Lu Sheng raised an eyebrow, this time genuinely intrigued.
Someone could actually see through his condition?
“The injury appears to be in your lower abdomen,” Yan Kai continued, “but thankfully, your internal organs remain unharmed. Still, if Yin energy remains inside the body without being expelled, it will eventually harm the Yang.”
He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a small black porcelain vial.
“This is a bit of Yang-Restoring Water I refined myself. If you have the courage, give it a try.”
The nearby maid stepped forward, accepted the bottle from Yan Kai, and placed it on a tray before offering it to Lu Sheng.
“Please remember to return the bottle to me after drinking,” Yan Kai added coolly.
Lu Sheng picked up the vial, pulled out the cork, and held it to his nose.
A wave of warmth spread through him at once.
The scent alone seemed to melt away the chill that had plagued his body since the injury.
The heat rising from the vial seeped into his chest, loosening something that had been locked in place.
He had indeed been suffering from a cold, gnawing sensation ever since that blow to his abdomen. Though the injury seemed minor, the lingering coldness had been nearly impossible to dispel.
No amount of Yang-tonifying herbs or sunlit training helped. Warmth came briefly—but the moment he rested, the cold would creep back in.
And now, with just a single sniff of this strange elixir, he already felt… better.
Lu Sheng looked at the porcelain bottle in front of him, smiled faintly, and without hesitation, lifted it to his lips and drank.
A faint metallic tang spread across his tongue, followed by a sharp, spicy flavor. A stream of heat flowed smoothly down his throat.
He let out a long breath. Warmth surged through his body, like basking in the summer sun at mid-morning—comforting, penetrating, and full of life.
The coldness that had plagued him began to dissolve rapidly, vanishing like spring snow under sunlight.
“Taoist Yan, you’re truly remarkable,” Lu Sheng said, clearly impressed. “This Yang-Restoring Water will certainly be included in your reward.”
“So, I passed the test?” Yan Kai asked calmly.
“Of course. All three of you, come with me.”
Lu Sheng slowly stood up, leaning slightly on a guard for support, then led Yan Kai, Duan Rongrong, and Zhuanfeng into the inner chambers of the Yellow Crane Courtyard.
The maids quietly excused themselves, and the guards withdrew, leaving only one large, burly man to remain by Lu Sheng’s side.
Click.
The door closed behind them. Only five people remained in the room.
“Here’s how it all started...” Lu Sheng began, recounting the details of the first disappearance.
The three listened intently, occasionally interjecting with questions about specific details.
Lu Sheng answered what he could, and the burly man beside him filled in the gaps.
The discussion went on for nearly half an hour.
After gathering all the facts, Yan Kai lowered his head in thought, then looked up with a serious expression.
“The type of ghost you encountered, Young Master, is what I call a ‘demon ghost.’”
“Demon ghost? What is that exactly?” Lu Sheng asked, his curiosity piqued. It was his first real glimpse into the mysterious world hidden beneath the surface.
“Ghosts aren't simply the souls of the dead,” Yan Kai explained solemnly. “They're born from intense emotions—resentment, jealousy, hatred, deep grievances—condensed into a form and sustained by the Yin energy in their surroundings.”
“One or two are manageable. But if left unchecked, they multiply—infecting others, killing more, and spawning even more ghosts.”
“From the Yin Qi clinging to you, I’d say the ghost you encountered had been left alone for quite some time.”
Lu Sheng’s expression shifted slightly.
“Left alone... then who knows how many ghosts are already in Jiulian City?”
"It's very likely," Yan Kai nodded. "Leave this matter to me. You should focus on recovering at home. But let me make it clear—I'm only responsible for dealing with the ghost. As for finding the missing people..."
"I'll handle that," Zhuanfeng interrupted. "I've encountered similar ghost cases before. I have some experience."
Lu Sheng nodded in agreement.
"Then, Taoist Yan, is there anything I can do to assist you?"
By now, he truly believed that this Yan Kai was no ordinary man—he was a true professional.
"This demon is far beyond your ability to handle," Yan Kai said calmly. "Since you've already provoked it, the best thing you can do now is to leave Jiulian City immediately. Otherwise, you’ll just end up as its next meal."
"Also, our primary mission here is to investigate the truth behind the Xu family massacre."
"I want to help too," Lu Sheng said earnestly.
Yan Kai’s brows furrowed.
"I said no, and I mean it. Ordinary people like you are of no use in matters like this. Even if you've trained in martial arts, you're more likely to become a liability."
"Martial arts are useless against ghosts!" he said bluntly.
Off to the side, Duan Rongrong broke into a cold sweat. She feared Mr. Lu might lash out at such disrespect.
Lu Sheng opened his mouth to speak, but Yan Kai cut him off.
"Enough. This isn’t something common folk should interfere with."
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