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

Xia Ximo was assigned to a separate courtyard, which was quite a distance from the main courtyard.

The room seemed to have been temporarily prepared; upon entering, traces of items previously piled up on the floor could still be seen.

Although the windows on both the north and south sides were open for ventilation, the stale smell that had accumulated over time could not be dispelled.

After Yan Zhengchu led Xia Ximo into the room, he carefully observed her expression, afraid that she might be dissatisfied.

Fortunately, this woman is just generally impolite and lacks manners.

In terms of food, clothing, and daily necessities, he is quite good-natured.

"There aren't many habitable courtyards on Yunhe Mountain, and since there are almost never any female guests on the mountain, the junior brothers tidied up this courtyard that used to store old things..."

Yan Zhengchu forced himself to explain, and then said politely, "Miss Xia, I'm sorry to trouble you to make do here for the night."

Xia Ximo's expression remained expressionless; he simply responded with a faint murmur.

"Um."

"I've already had my junior brother fetch the hot water. If you need anything else, just tell me now..."

"no."

"Then I won't disturb your rest."

Yan Zhengchu practically fled the house.

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

"This Yunhe Mountain truly deserves to be called a good place for cultivation; the spiritual energy is abundant."

"Mogu, don't you feel much lighter after going up the mountain?"

"The spiritual energy in these mountains can suppress the evil energy of the Netherworld that comes with your soul. It will be beneficial if you absorb more of it."

It strolled leisurely around the room, and seeing that the other party ignored it, it floated outside on its own.

Since the fusion of soul and body, Xia Ximo's physical perception has been getting better and better, and naturally he is more and more able to feel tired.

She walked to the bedside and saw that the bedding was brand new and had not been affected by the stale smell of the room.

He quickly washed up, took off his clothes, and went to sleep.

But once I fell asleep, I didn't feel at ease.

In a hazy state, she vaguely heard a voice calling her.

"Ink Bone..."

The shout wasn't from Xia Ximo, but from Mogu.

She opened her heavy eyelids and found herself still in the room, the soul-ferrying lamp still beside her, but Wuyou was nowhere to be seen.

Just then, the window shook slightly. She looked in the direction of the sound and saw a dark shadow flash by the window.

"Mogu, it's been a long time..."

A somber voice echoed all around, sometimes near, sometimes far, accompanied by a cold laugh…

Xia Ximo got out of bed, feeling not only heaviness but also a sense of constraint.

Anxiety and panic began to rise in my heart.

She dragged her heavy steps to open the door, only to see a full moon hanging in the sky, casting heavy shadows on the mountains, creating an atmosphere of oppression.

"Ink Bone..."

A voice, seemingly from nowhere, was still calling to her from a distance.

Xia Ximo felt anxious and, without thinking, followed the sound.

Stepping out of the courtyard, the night was vast and dark, and all the houses on Yunhe Mountain seemed to be hidden in the mist, making them indistinct.

Only that eerie black shadow stood out abruptly.

"Mogu, have you regretted anything over these past hundred years?"

The voice suddenly spoke.

Xia Ximo didn't stop walking, and coldly asked, "Who are you?"

The shadowy figure remained a distance away from her.

"It seems you really don't remember anything..."

The voice sighed softly, then transformed into a sinister laugh, and the dark figure vanished into the mist.

Just as Xia Ximo was about to give chase, Zhou Jing began to shatter, and suddenly the ground beneath his feet gave way to nothingness…

"Ink Bone!"

When she suddenly opened her eyes, she found herself still lying in bed, but her body was covered in sweat.

Wuyou, who was floating in mid-air, breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that she had woken up.

"You're finally awake! What happened to you? I couldn't wake you up no matter how much I called you!"

She has always been a light sleeper.

This is the first time such a situation has occurred.

Xia Ximo sat up, her body still heavy, and thinking about the dream she had just had, she felt a strange sensation in her heart.

Not right.

Something seems off about Yunhe Mountain.

Seeing that her expression was off, Wuyou waved back and forth in front of her again.

"What's wrong with you? Are you even listening to me?"

Xia Ximo paused for a moment before regaining her composure and finally replied, "Did you call me for something?"

Although Wuyou had some doubts, she decided to prioritize important matters.

"In this courtyard, I sensed the presence of the souls of those who died unjustly..."

"Isn't it strange? How could a place like Yunhe Mountain possibly harbor the souls of those who died unjustly?"

This statement confirmed Xia Ximo's suspicions.

She wouldn't have such a dream for no reason.

There was indeed a problem on the mountain.

"take me."

-

The cultivation and residence of Master Tianji was named Xuanji Hall, located on a small peak at the highest point of Yunhe Mountain.

Ren Fengjue followed Yan Zhengchu and walked up a long mountain staircase before finally seeing a room.

At the top of the stairs, a young Taoist priest was waiting. Upon seeing Yan Zhengchu, he stepped forward and addressed him respectfully as "Senior Brother".

He then said, "Master invites you to go straight in."

Strangely, Yan Zhengchu's attitude towards this junior brother was polite but clearly distant, unlike his closeness to the others.

He smiled faintly, said a polite word, and didn't say anything more.

After walking a little further away, he did offer an explanation to Ren Fengjue.

"This junior brother was picked up by Master. He is somewhat aloof and has been by Master's side for many years, so he is not familiar with us."

Ren Fengjue noticed this, but didn't ask any further questions.

Upon entering the Xuanji Hall, one sees a white-haired Taoist priest sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, exuding an air of otherworldly grace and extraordinary temperament.

Yan Zhengchu stepped forward respectfully and bowed deeply, "Master."

Ren Fengjue also bowed and said, "Greetings, Master Tianji."

Upon hearing the sound, Tianji Daoist slowly opened his eyes. Although his beard and hair were white, his bright eyes were still piercing and spirited.

He first glanced at Ren Fengjue before asking Yan Zhengchu, "Has the matter of your Uncle Tianwen been properly handled?"

Yan Zhengchu felt somewhat guilty about this matter and replied cautiously, "My master's spirit has been destroyed, and his body has been cremated into ashes as Master instructed."

As he spoke, he gently placed the urn containing the ashes in front of his master.

The Taoist Master Tianji nodded as he looked at the jar, his expression revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

Seeing that his master did not ask any further questions, Yan Zhengchu immediately knelt on the ground and began to confess all the things that had happened after he went down the mountain to search for the pearl.

He recounted everything on the spot, including the secret chamber of Fu Lou and the evil spirits of Yanshan.

Because of nervousness, his voice trembled, and he dared not look up, but he still truthfully confessed the wrongdoing he had committed.

"This time, I did not follow my master's instructions and went to the residence of Marquis Renxuan without permission. I am willing to accept punishment."

"But Marquis Renxuan has already told me everything that happened in his residence back then..."

"To my surprise, Junior Uncle has become a living dead, lying in the Marquis's mansion for fifteen years."

"Master, you have always forbade me to get involved in this matter, so I dare not ask any more questions."

"But my uncle is a good man. If you have a way to save him, could you please show me the way?"