Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

Following the compass's guidance, Yan Zhengchu arrived at the gate of a side courtyard in Yuelai Villa.

Seeing that the gate was locked and the area in front of it was overgrown with weeds, it was clear that no one had been there for a long time.

The chains were rusted and worn, so even if we found the key, we might not be able to open the gate.

He frowned slightly, then simply touched the ground with his feet, leaped over the courtyard wall, and jumped directly into the courtyard.

Similar to the situation outside the courtyard, the courtyard was also overgrown with weeds and tangled branches. Because no one trimmed or cared for them, they could even block out the houses on both sides during the bleak winter season.

It's hard to imagine that the seemingly grand and luxurious Yuelai Mountain Villa would have such a desolate place.

I wonder who lived in this courtyard before…

As Yan Zhengchu pondered, he approached the main room and looked up to find a black talisman pasted on the door.

He paused, his steps faltering.

As the saying goes, people are divided into good and bad, and so are talismans.

Only sorcerers with wicked intentions would use black talismans.

Looking at the talisman above, Yan Zhengchu immediately understood.

No wonder I didn't sense any ghostly presence after entering the villa last night.

Originally, it was "suppressed" by this black talisman.

However, this ghost clearly harbored a lot of resentment and had a strong obsession. Even though its soul was suppressed, the resentment it had accumulated over the long term could still manifest as a shadow and wander around the manor.

The reason it stole Yu Lang's shadow was probably to keep them there and seek their help.

Yan Zhengchu immediately took out a yellow talisman, covered it with the black talisman, and silently chanted a spell. The two talismans repelled each other and quickly burned to ashes.

At that moment, a strong wind suddenly swept through the courtyard, rattling the doors and windows as if something was trying to escape from inside.

The sound was like a sob, sending chills down one's spine.

Upon seeing this, Yan Zhengchu took a step back. The door creaked open, and a shadow quickly floated out.

His gaze sharpened, and he cast a Soul Gathering Talisman. When the shadow landed and transformed into a human form, it confirmed his suspicions.

Master Yan, his heart filled with mixed emotions, walked up to the ghost and asked in a low voice, "Tell me, how do you wish us to help you?"

-

Led by a servant, Xia Ximo arrived at the courtyard of Miss Shen.

Her arrival surprised the two old women who were chatting idly in front of the door.

Although I don't know what the situation is, how can outsiders be allowed to enter the inner garden?

An old woman immediately blocked their path: "Who goes there? This isn't the place..."

Before he could finish speaking, a white shadow flashed past.

The next second, the two old women froze on the spot and lost consciousness.

The spirit of the lamp, Wuyou, was finally able to come out and get some fresh air.

Floating in mid-air, it said to Xia Ximo with a hint of smugness, "I'll take care of a problem for you while I'm at it. You're welcome..."

The latter still didn't appreciate its kindness and went straight into the yard.

Just as Yan Zhengchu said, the door to the main room was locked, and at this time there was only a maid guarding the door.

The maid was initially puzzled by the strange woman who had entered the courtyard alone.

As the other person approached, a sense of fear welled up inside him.

"Open the door."

Xia Ximo coldly uttered two words, exuding immense pressure.

Looking into those cold, dark eyes, the maid trembled slightly, not daring to refuse. She immediately took out her key and opened the door.

The moment the door opened, all that could be seen was a mess, with broken bowls, plates, and cups scattered everywhere, and a foul smell of medicinal soup lingering in the air.

At first glance, it does indeed look like a room where a patient lives.

But it would definitely not be a rich young lady's boudoir.

Upon closer inspection, it was found that in addition to the locked door, all the windows were also sealed off, making it impossible to see any sunlight.

It's clearly a cage.

Xia Ximo frowned.

Meanwhile, Miss Shen Yue of the Shen family was curled up on a small couch, looking pale and thin, and in a daze.

Faced with the stranger who suddenly walked in, she was nervous and scared, but she just hugged herself and watched the other person's every move warily.

Looking at the scene inside, Wuyou couldn't help but angrily curse, "That old man Shen is such a scoundrel! He claims to love his daughter so much, but is this how he treats her?"

"This isn't just hypocrisy, it's downright utterly depraved!"

Xia Ximo was about to take a few steps closer to Shen Yue.

To everyone's surprise, the other person immediately grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, yelling, "Don't come near me! I don't want to take my medicine, and I don't want to get married!"

She gripped her sleeves tightly with both hands, and the veins on the back of her fair and thin hands were faintly visible due to the force.

I don't know what kind of coercive treatment they've undergone these past few days to develop such a defensive mentality.

Xia Ximo silently took a step back, maintaining a certain distance from her, and then asked, "What exactly did your father, Shen Li, do to you?"

Upon hearing the name Shen Li, Shen Yue abruptly raised her head, her eyes filled with hatred, and roared, almost as if each word was stained with blood, "He is not my father!"

-

When Ren Fengjue uttered the words "marry into the Ling family manor," Shen Li's eyes turned sinister and terrifying, as if he wanted to kill someone.

He seemed to loathe the word "marry into the family," gritting his teeth as he angrily corrected, "This is Yuelai Villa, and has nothing to do with the Ling family."

Ren Fengjue nodded, but said, "Yuelai Villa is indeed a good name. Miss Shen's name is Shen Yue, and the old master dotes on his daughter, so all his properties are named after her."

"Not to mention the daughter's wedding, they spared no expense in organizing a grand affair, inviting the entire county to a banquet. All this extravagance was 'for' Miss Shen."

He then exclaimed in admiration, "Mr. Shen, you truly are a good husband and a good father!"

Shen Li could easily tell that there was a hidden meaning in his words.

It sounds like praise, but it's actually all sarcasm.

But given his current achievements, why would Shen Li care about a few words?

"Yue'er is my wife's only child. If I don't love her, who should I love?"

Yu Lang couldn't stand it anymore and couldn't help but scold, "You really won't shed a tear until you see the coffin; your skin is thick to the extreme."

Ren Fengjue was able to remain calm. He slowly stood up and walked to Shen Li.

"Mr. Shen, have you ever asked yourself if you feel even a shred of remorse towards Mrs. Shen and Miss Shen?"

Although his tone was calm, Shen Li noticed that his eyes were full of scrutiny and his aura was imposing.

For a moment, the words were on the tip of my tongue, but I hesitated to answer.

But he also knew that there was no turning back.

Suppressing her guilt, she gave a cold laugh and retorted, "Why should I feel remorse for my dearest loved ones?"

Ren Fengjue smiled slightly, then asked, "And what about this Young Master Qin Shu's mother? Do you feel any remorse?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Li froze, and Qin Shu's expression turned extremely ugly.