Monster Hunter, start with a wife!

Bai Zhenghong's faint smile suddenly vanished.

He remained silent for a few seconds before slowly speaking, his expression slightly grave, "Not good."

"Oh?" Cheng Zhuo asked in surprise, "What happened?"

"Alright then," Bai Zhenghong said, standing up. "Come back to the old house with me and see for yourself."

"it is good."

Cheng Zhuo also stood up.

Wei Tiancheng waved his hand with a smile: "You all go ahead, I won't get involved. Lord Cheng, when you have time another day, I'll treat you to some of Tianji City's signature dishes."

"must."

Cheng Zhuo nodded slightly and followed Bai Zhenghong out of the office.

Gao Wang followed quietly behind the two.

They returned to the parking lot, switched to the Bai family's car, and headed south of the city.

The Bai family's old residence is located in the old city area in the south of the city. It covers a very large area and is a group of ancient courtyard buildings with high walls and black tiles, carrying the ancient architectural style of the old era.

The car drove through the side gate and walked along the stone path. The guards patrolling along the way bowed and saluted when they saw Bai Zhenghong.

Finally, the car stopped in front of a detached house.

The courtyard was in a remote location, surrounded by tall cedar trees. The gate was tightly closed, and two guards, both at the seventh level of cultivation, stood at the entrance.

"Come with me." He turned around, straightened his clothes, and said, "You were the only one who had some contact with her recently. If you see it for yourself, you might be able to figure things out."

Bai Zhenghong led the way, saying as they walked, "For the first two days after Luo Wei came back, she could still say a few words, but then she locked herself inside and wouldn't answer the door for anyone. By the time we realized something was wrong and forced our way in, she was already like this."

As he spoke, he pushed open a heavy wooden door.

A chill instantly rushed out.

Behind the door are stone steps leading down, and the light reflects the frost that has condensed on the stone walls. The further down you go, the colder it gets.

At the end of the stone steps was a stone chamber, its walls covered with thick ice crystals, and in the center sat a semi-transparent ice coffin.

A woman lay in the ice coffin.

It was Bai Luowei.

Cheng Zhuo was slightly stunned when he saw the female version of "Huangfu Bai" for the first time. The real Bai Luowei was still quite different from the appearance of the split soul.

She wore a plain white dress, and her long, black hair spread out on the ice like a piece of ink satin.

Her eyes were tightly closed, long eyelashes covered her eyelids, and her perfectly delicate face appeared too pale, while her lips had a very faint bluish-black tinge. She looked as if she were asleep, or as if she had stopped breathing.

Cheng Zhuo carefully sensed it.

The ice layer on her outside wasn't frozen on by external force; it seeped out from inside her body.

The walls of the ice coffin were covered with fine frost flowers, the patterns crooked and twisted, spreading along the acupoints on her body like a net, trapping her inside.

"We've had three eighth-level healers examine him," Bai Zhenghong said, standing beside the ice coffin in a low voice. "They couldn't find anything wrong. His pulse, his vital energy, and his body are all normal; he just won't wake up. This ice is also strange; it breaks and grows back, and even when heated with fire, it melts faster than it forms again."

He turned to look at Cheng Zhuo, a hint of expectation in his eyes: "Did you notice anything unusual when you last saw her?"

"No, we haven't seen each other for several months."

Cheng Zhuo took two steps forward and stood on the other side of the ice coffin.

The chill crept up his trousers, and he held his hand an inch above the ice, his necromantic energy quietly circulating.

A faint, chilling aura seeped out from the ice.

It is a sticky, putrid smell, carrying the stench of a soul being eroded, hidden deep within the ice, barely perceptible to ordinary healers.

It has the same aura of the strange abyss that Hei Wuchang possesses.

It's just denser and more concealed than the Black Impermanence.

Cheng Zhuo withdrew his hand and secretly asked the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon, "Is this the same kind of parasitism technique as Qi Yuan?"

"Similar, but more complicated. She doesn't actually have any problems; it's just that her main soul isn't in her body. This is her original self-protection against parasitism," the Purple-Gold Divine Dragon replied. "Once we find her main soul, all of this can be easily resolved."

"Can you tell anything?" Bai Zhenghong asked.

"I have a clue," Cheng Zhuo said calmly, "but I'm not confident right now."

Bai Zhenghong's eyes suddenly lit up, and he took half a step forward: "Do you know what it is?"

"It's like an evil spirit possessing someone." Cheng Zhuo didn't go into detail about Qi Yuan's situation, only giving a brief explanation: "Another soul is hiding inside her body, trying to take it over. But her own main soul isn't there, so this freezing is her way of protecting herself."

Bai Zhenghong's expression changed drastically:

"Possession? But why didn't the High Priest detect anything unusual?"

"It's a complicated story, but it goes like this..."

Cheng Zhuo recounted what he knew about the Abyss Planting Technique and the strange Black Impermanence he encountered in the Land of Annihilation. He also told him everything the dragon had said and the message Bai Luowei had left for him.

"So, Luo Wei's main soul is likely still trapped in the Land of Annihilation?" Bai Zhenghong said with a solemn expression.

"I can't be sure either," Cheng Zhuo said, shaking his head slightly.

"I understand." Bai Zhenghong nodded. "I also know some people from the Land of Annihilation on Chongxuan Star. I've come to inquire about them. If you have any ideas, please do help Luo Wei."

"Okay, I will do my best," Cheng Zhuo said.

"Alright." Bai Zhenghong sighed, stood beside the ice coffin, paused, and then said:

"Thank you for your help today, young friend."

Bai Zhenghong knew this couldn't be rushed, and nodded repeatedly:

"Gao Wang will come to pick you up first thing tomorrow morning. He knows the entrance well. The Shadow Zone is eerie; having him go in with you will be good for your safety."

"Thank you, senior."

Cheng Zhuo glanced back at Bai Luowei, then nodded and took his leave.

Stepping out of the stone chamber, the wind in the courtyard grew colder.

Cheng Zhuo looked up at the sky. A few stars had already appeared on the dark blue sky, hazy and indistinct.

The airship travels along its flight path in the night sky, with thousands of lights shining below.

Cheng Zhuo leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes to rest, and sorted out the day's gains in his mind.

Bai Luowei's condition has been confirmed; it's more serious than expected. The search for her main soul seems to be going nowhere.

However... he remembered that Bai Luowei had said she was trapped in the Black Stone Demon Palace.

Perhaps we can try to find another way to look there.

……

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

After Cheng Zhuo and his group finished packing, Gao Wang was already waiting for them at the hotel entrance when they came downstairs.

He changed into a more practical outfit, made of gray cloth, with a black belt around his waist and a cloth bag slung over his back. He looked more approachable than yesterday, but even more capable.

Seeing Cheng Zhuo come out with seven girls, Gao Wang frowned almost imperceptibly.

He originally thought Cheng Zhuo was going alone, but he didn't expect him to bring his whole family with him.

But he didn't say anything more.

His only responsibilities were to lead the way and provide basic assistance.

"Good morning, everyone." Gao Wang nodded slightly. "The car is ready. We'll head straight to the entrance of the Ice Ruins. I'll explain the rules for entering along the way."

The group boarded the hovercar.

The car quickly drove away from the city and flew towards the northern border.

The view outside the window gradually changed from a bustling urban area to a wasteland. Further north, the land was covered with snow, and the continuous snow-capped mountains rose and fell on the horizon.

Gao Wang sat opposite him and began to explain the rules of the shaded area.