Chapter 24

C24 – Wishful Thinking

“What’s amiss?” Others present scanned their surroundings, suspecting an intruder.

Teng Yu furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss. After a moment, he remarked, “It’s... nothing much. Perhaps it’s just the tension in this hall.”

He had caught a whiff of an unfamiliar scent moments ago, right beside him. Ever since his mother’s poisoning incident, his olfactory senses had sharpened. Perceiving an odd odor, he suspected an intruder.

Yet, the scent had vanished, leaving emptiness around him, incapable of concealing a person. Had he misjudged?

Truthfully, the pungent stench of blood in the basement overwhelmed any other scent.

Gesturing for Han Qing to relax his vigilance, Teng Yu turned to Mo Hanshan, inquiring, “Earlier, Uncle Mo mentioned the Soul Gathering Formation. Where did you encounter it? Has anyone succeeded in its use?”

Mo Hanshan’s excitement surged as he elaborated on the formation’s origin, “It was uncovered from the Evil Sect. Though someone attempted it, success eluded them. However, the formation not only preserves a soul but also purportedly revives the deceased. Look, Ru Er’s corpse is remarkably intact, isn’t it?”

Witnessing this outcome bolstered Mo Hanshan’s belief in Liu Ru’er’s potential revival.

Teng Yu pondered, recalling his mother’s visage moments earlier. He couldn’t deem it a favorable outcome; her countenance bore a demonic quality, unlike anything his mother possessed.

“Uncle Mo, my reverence for you stems from your benevolence toward the Empress Dowager. Yet, I cannot condone any rash actions from you!” Teng Yu rose, dusting off his cloak, and stood silently by the blood pool for a moment before leading his retinue away.

Though Yin Xu harbored concerns for his Soul Gathering Pearl and hesitated to depart, he understood the inopportune timing and followed suit, departing with them.

Finding a suitable offering to finalize the Soul Gathering Pearl’s enhancement was paramount.

For the time being, let the precious soul orb remain within this woman’s body.

Exiting the concealed cellar, Teng Yu and Yue Yang promptly vacated the Loong’an Temple. Yin Xu trailed behind, marveling at the master and servant’s exceptional Qing Gong skills. Were it not for his mastery of Devilish Exercise reaching level 2, he’d struggle to keep pace.

His sojourn in the basement consumed considerable time; when he emerged, dawn had already broken. The snowy sky and scant pedestrian traffic characterized the morning.

As he trailed them into the city, Yin Xu recognized the route, growing increasingly bewildered upon seeing them enter a familiar courtyard.

“What an uncanny coincidence!” Yin Xu muttered, casting a dubious gaze skyward, suspecting he’d been toyed with by fate.

Opting to cloak himself with the Invisibility Charm, Yin Xu discreetly followed them into the courtyard.

Had he foreseen their shared lodging, he might have refrained from trailing them altogether.