The ghost returned the fragment of the soul to Chi Yu.

Seeing the scene before him, Chi Yu glared at Li Xin, “Why did you stop me?”

“Master, we must report to Yan Luo first. Only after both of them are dead can they be punished. It’s better to go along with her wishes; this way, good and evil will eventually be repaid,” Li Xin said in a lowered voice.

“But this violates the regulations,” Chi Yu responded.

“Can everything in the world really follow the rules?” Li Xin whispered, “Master, just turn a blind eye. This matter will pass.”

“But…” Chi Yu hesitated, feeling that Li Xin had a point but still feeling uneasy.

“Master, don’t think too much. This is a matter of cause and effect; we need not concern ourselves with it. The most important thing now is your fragment of soul,” Li Xin reminded him.

Realizing the priority, Chi Yu sighed, “Fine, I will report this to Yan Luo later.”

The ghost emerged from Old Master Han’s body and stood in front of Chi Yu. Li Xin immediately stepped forward to protect Chi Yu, in case the ghost suddenly went berserk.

Chang Wu and Chang You also became cautious.

Chi Yu gently patted Li Xin’s shoulder, “It’s fine, she won’t make trouble.”

“Master, but what if…” Li Xin hesitated.

“She no longer has any attachments, she won’t harm anyone,” Chi Yu said, looking kindly at Li Xin. “Let her speak, she probably still has something to say.”

Li Xin, who had never defied Chi Yu, nodded. He assessed the ghost before him and, seeing that she was no longer as arrogant as before, finally relaxed. “Alright, but you must stay here and not come any closer to her.”

“Good,” Chi Yu agreed and turned to the ghost. “If you have something to say, speak now.”

The ghost paused before asking, “Master, am I too wicked to be reincarnated?”

Chi Yu nodded, “According to the rules of the underworld, you must first serve your sentence in hell. After completing your sentence, it will be determined if you are eligible for reincarnation.”

“And them?” the ghost asked.

“They will be judged by the rules of the underworld as well,” Chi Yu replied.

The ghost lowered her head, then asked, “Has my child been reincarnated?”

Chi Yu shook his head, “I don’t know. But if you want to find out, I can look into it for you.”

The ghost finally revealed an excited smile, choking on her gratitude, “Thank you, Master.”

“Then come with me,” Chi Yu said, conjuring a soul-binding rope from his hand to restrain the ghost.

Li Xin quickly stepped forward to block him, “Wait, first hand over that fragment of soul.”

The ghost looked at Li Xin and smiled faintly, “Tianshi, don’t be in a hurry. I still have one wish left. Let me see my unborn child, and then I will hand it over willingly.”

Li Xin looked at Chi Yu, who nodded, “Agreed. Come with us, and after nightfall, I will fulfill your wish.”

“Thank you, Master,” the ghost said, gazing at Chi Yu with overwhelming joy.

Chi Yu took a small black gourd from his waist and told the ghost, “Go inside here, I’ll take you out.”

The ghost obediently climbed into the gourd.

Chi Yu hung the gourd back at his waist and said to Li Xin, “Let’s go.”

Li Xin glanced at the chaotic hallway, shook his head, and instructed Chang Wu, “Let’s go. We’re done here.”

With that, the group exited the hospital and prepared to return to the villa at the top of the mountain.

Not far from the hospital, Chang Wu noticed a black car tailing them.

“Master Li, that car behind us seems suspicious.”

Li Xin checked the dashboard camera, “Let’s make a few more turns and lose it.”

“Understood, Master Li.”

Chang Wu immediately accelerated, weaving through the heavy traffic.

The car behind continued to pursue them relentlessly, its driving skills matching theirs, as if determined to catch up.

Li Xin furrowed his brows, wondering who was in that car.

No one in Rong City dared challenge him like this.

Chi Yu suddenly thought of the person who had abducted the ghost yesterday. He took the gourd from his waist again and asked the ghost inside, “Was the person who took you yesterday one of your accomplices?”

The ghost replied, “I have no accomplices. That person, like you, also wanted that fragment of soul.”

“Who was it?” Li Xin immediately pressed for more details.

“I don’t know, but that person had no human aura, it felt like a ghost,” the ghost corrected herself quickly, “No, not a ghost. It was different from me, I can’t say for sure.”

“Where did they take you?” Chi Yu asked.

“To an abandoned factory in the suburbs. There was another person there, seemed like his boss.”

“His boss?”

“Yes,” the ghost replied, “The person who took me was following orders from him, so I think he must be the boss.”

Chi Yu was puzzled and turned to Li Xin, “They also want my fragment of soul. What is their purpose?”

Li Xin’s brow furrowed with suspicion, “No one should know that your soul still exists. Who are these people?”

Chi Yu also felt uneasy and asked the ghost, “Did you overhear them say why they wanted the fragment of soul?”

“They didn’t say,” the ghost replied.

“Could you see their faces?” Chi Yu asked again.

“No, they all wore masks.”

Seeing that he wasn’t getting any more answers, Chi Yu put the gourd back at his waist.

Chang Wu turned the corner at an intersection and drove for another half hour before managing to shake off the car behind them.

He breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax.

“Master Li, we lost them.”

Li Xin nodded, “Not bad. You’ve got decades of experience, anyone would have to pull over when they’re up against you.”

Chang Wu smiled proudly, but before he could say anything, Li Xin spoke again with a hint of meaning.

“Although it took you this long to shake them off, they’re certainly not easy to deal with.”

Chang Wu’s smile vanished as he coughed lightly, “This person is indeed troublesome. Looks like we’ve encountered a skilled opponent.”

Li Xin saw that Chang Wu understood and didn’t say more, simply instructing, “Hurry back, don’t keep your master waiting outside for too long.”

“Got it,” Chang Wu replied, speeding up to head back to the mountaintop villa.

Chiyu kept his word. After returning to the mountain-top villa, he contacted the Qingmian Ghost officer and had him investigate where the female ghost’s child had reincarnated.

That night, Chiyu cast a spell on a mirror, and the scenes of the child’s current life appeared within it.

He led the female ghost to the mirror and showed her. “This child was reincarnated into a fairly prosperous farming family. He has a younger sister, and the family earns a living by farming and raising some cattle and sheep. Life is quite fulfilling, and the family is harmonious. He married last year, and his bride is a childhood sweetheart, so their relationship is very strong.”

The female ghost listened intently to Chiyu’s words, her eyes never leaving the image in the mirror. She stared fixedly at the simple-minded man inside the mirror.

He was eating dinner with his family at the same table. Though the meal was nothing more than simple, plain food, his face was filled with a blissful smile.

The female ghost shed two tears and laughed with a trembling voice, “I wronged him in the past life, but seeing him live well in this life, I can finally rest easy.”

“In this life, he has two children. His life has had no major upheavals, but also no great wealth, a life where he can live in peace,” Chiyu added.

The female ghost nodded through her tears, smiling. “This is good enough. As long as he lives peacefully, I will be content.”

Chiyu nodded, “Now that your wish is fulfilled, you can surrender your residual soul.”

The female ghost gazed at the mirror one last time, then turned to Chiyu and Li Xin. “Thank you, my lord. Now that my revenge has been taken, my wish has been fulfilled. There is nothing left for me to linger on in this world. This residual soul is of no use to me anymore. Please, take it.”

Chiyu hesitated and looked at Li Xin. “They merged willingly. I’m not sure I can separate it so perfectly. Besides, my soul is already incomplete. What if…”

“It’s fine, leave it to me,” Li Xin smiled slightly, reassuring Chiyu. “I’ve never separated a soul either, but I’m confident I can make it come out on its own.”

“Come out on its own?” Chiyu was confused. “My two souls have no reaction to it, which shows how incomplete it is. I suspect it has no consciousness. How could you bring it out?”

“Did you forget? We still have the other three souls.”

Chiyu suddenly understood, but after a brief moment of happiness, he felt disheartened.

He shook his head. “It might not be useful. They are all incomplete. Even if they are gathered together, they might not sense each other.”

Li Xin tried to persuade him again, “How will you know it won’t work if you don’t try?”

The female ghost, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up, “You don’t have to make things so complicated. I have a method that will definitely work.”

Both men turned to look at her, and Li Xin quickly asked, “What method?”

“I don’t want to go to the Underworld to be punished for killing those two animals, nor do I want to reincarnate and suffer again,” she said, her gaze dimming as she showed a bitter smile. “This world is too cruel and dangerous. Even if I’m fortunate enough to be reborn as a human, I will still be that weak person, manipulated and trampled upon. So whether it’s this world or the Underworld, I don’t want to go. I only wish to help you, my lord.”

After saying this, the female ghost gripped her neck tightly with both hands, and her body immediately turned red, flames of ghostly fire igniting around her.

“No!” Chiyu immediately realized what she was about to do, but it was too late to stop her. “Why go to such lengths? Even if you return again, how do you know it won’t be a happy life?”

“My lord, I am tired, so tired. Just let me be free.”

With a sorrowful scream, a strand of her soul flew out. Li Xin acted swiftly and immediately caught the residual soul in the prepared jade statue.

The female ghost’s soul completely dissipated, vanishing before the two of them.

Chiyu stared blankly at the dissipating soul, muttering to himself, “Was I like this back then?”

“You are different from her. She was consumed by despair and destruction. You, on the other hand, are trying to save the world. It is not the same,” Li Xin said seriously.

Chiyu snapped back to his senses. “I spoke so quietly, and you could hear me?”

Li Xin nodded. “Every word you say is like an edict to me. I must always listen carefully.”

Chiyu did not detect any romantic meaning in Li Xin’s words and thought he was teasing him, so he gave him a serious look. “I never instructed you to do that.”

Li Xin immediately realized the misunderstanding and gave a helpless smile. “Of course not. I just enjoy hearing my senior speak. Even after a thousand years, I still do.”

Chiyu felt something was off with his words, but couldn’t put his finger on it. Even though he had merged with a soul, he still felt somewhat oblivious.

“Do as you wish,” Chiyu sighed deeply. “I’ve already reported the grievances of this female ghost in her previous life, so the Underworld has it on record. But now that her soul has dissipated, I need to report it again.”

“Are you going back to the Underworld?” Li Xin asked.

“No, I’ll just send a message,” Chiyu replied, looking at Li Xin. “You seem to be afraid of me leaving?”

Li Xin lowered his head, murmuring, “I searched for you for a thousand years, and now that we’ve met again, I naturally don’t want to part with you.”

Chiyu looked at Li Xin, who appeared as if he had been wronged, like a large plush creature, and lightly chuckled. “Have you decided what you want to do next?”

Li Xin raised his head. “If you don’t leave, I’d like to try merging these souls into your body, and then we can go find other souls.”

Chiyu nodded. “Alright, let’s do that.”

“Good, let’s go to the secret chamber now.”

Li Xin immediately led Chiyu to the secret chamber, where they began researching how to quickly restore the souls to their full form.

Chiyu asked Li Xin to summon all the souls from the jade statues. Their levels of damage were different, and so was the remaining magical power.

“Simply nourishing them with the jade statues can only ensure that their soul bodies don’t scatter. So I’ll perform purification rituals daily to remove any filth they encounter, and I’ll send some of my magic power to help them recover,” Li Xin explained while performing the ritual. “But so far, only the one you merged with is in better shape. The others are still in a fragmented state.”

Chiyu approached one of the jade statues, looking at the thin, broken soul, and cautiously asked, “Do you still recognize me?”