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

Ren Fengjue continued, "If I'm not mistaken, Zhong Ming didn't die from encountering bandits, but rather, he died at your hands, right?"

Zhong Yi was startled.

Suddenly, it seemed as if I saw Zhong Ming's incredulous gaze again.

Until the moment his soul was taken away, he had no idea what had happened...

Ren Fengjue observed his expression and continued, "You killed him, took his place, and lived on in his body."

"After all these years, haven't you felt any remorse?"

Zhong Yi's lips moved slightly, but he didn't make a sound.

He certainly felt guilty.

Especially those few days after passing the imperial examination and returning to his hometown alone.

He was afraid to hear the words "bell tolling".

Ren Fengjue continued, "Do you still remember A-Wu from Beiding Academy? Back then, he and Zhong Ming grew up together at the academy."

"He said that Zhong Ming said something on the eve of his departure, roughly meaning that he had only passed the imperial examination by chance and had not thought about continuing to take the exams for any official rank. He only wanted to accompany you to the capital to broaden your horizons."

Zhong Yi suddenly looked up.

Zhong Ming had never said this to him.

He would only jokingly say to him, "With our talents, it wouldn't be difficult for us to get a government position in the capital. The problem is that we both have the surname Zhong. If someone calls us 'Lord Zhong,' it's really hard to tell us apart."

"We're the same age, but I was born a month earlier than you. From now on, you'll be 'Little Zhong' and I'll be 'Big Zhong'..."

"Oh no, that doesn't sound very mature..."

Thinking of these words, Zhong Yi felt a surge of emotions, a mix of feelings welling up inside him.

He thought that so many years had passed, and many things would have faded with time.

It turns out that's not the case.

He still looks the same as he did back then.

And those old stories, when recalled suddenly, seem as if they happened just yesterday.

Tears gradually welled up in his eyes.

Ren Fengjue knew he was moved and continued, "How precious it is to have a close friend like Zhong Ming in one's lifetime!"

"And what about Young Master Zhong? As the eldest son of a high-ranking official, he is neither arrogant nor impatient, and he is also very filial."

"You should know better than anyone how he treated you during the two years you were sick."

"Think about it carefully yourself. Are those so-called 'ghosts and gods' helping you or harming you?"

Zhong Yi's pent-up emotions finally erupted at this moment.

He shouted, "I don't need you to lecture me with your grand principles. I haven't wronged anyone!"

"Zhong Ming's scholarship is inferior to mine. Even if he were to go to the capital for the imperial examination, he would hardly achieve anything. I went to the capital in his place and ended up becoming a second-rank official in the court. Isn't that a fortunate thing for him?"

"And my eldest son goes without saying. I gave him his life, and his twenty years of wealth and honor, the envy of everyone as the son of a high-ranking official, were all given to him by me!"

"Right now, I need him; shouldn't he be at my service?"

"I only hate that mortal life is too short. As long as my soul is immortal, I can freely take over any life I want!"

"And you, a hundred years from now, will be nothing but ashes!"

Hearing his insane remarks, everyone knew he was beyond redemption.

Yan Zhengchu couldn't help but say, "Young Marquis, he's been bewitched by that evil spirit and can't be reasoned with. Why not just take him down directly?"

As he spoke, he was about to take out the Bagua gourd and put Zhong Yi's soul into it.

However, at that moment, the screams of the guards came from outside.

Then, a soft, charming laugh echoed around, sometimes near, sometimes far, seemingly both close and distant.

The compass in Yan Zhengchu's arms immediately reacted.

He suddenly realized: "It's that evil spirit from Yanshan, Bai Qingshuang!"

Without thinking, he chased after her.

Yu Lang then remembered that there was such a person, and his heart skipped a beat.

"Why did she have to show up now of all times?"

Ren Fengjue said, "It's not a coincidence; she should have some connection with those so-called 'ghosts and gods.'"

As soon as he finished speaking, the doors and windows suddenly burst open, and a strange gust of wind rushed in.

Not only did it extinguish the candles in the room, but it also made the tables, chairs, and utensils sway from side to side, causing people to feel uneasy.

The three people inside the room were suddenly struck and all lost their footing.

In a moment of desperation, Ren Fengjue had no choice but to grab Xia Ximo's hand beside him.

But this strange wind was beyond human resistance. No matter how hard he tried to put his feet firmly in place, he could not withstand the urging of the wind.

The two were blown backward by the wind. Ren Fengjue reacted quickly and grabbed Xia Ximo, pulling her into a corner.

Yu Lang was also bewildered in the wind when a flying candlestick hit him on the forehead, causing him to see stars from the pain.

In a panic, they hid behind a heavy rosewood screen in a corner to avoid being injured by the flying unidentified objects.

Looking at Ren and Xia not far away, in such a dangerous situation, the two were "clung" tightly together, which made Yu Shaoqing feel a pang of envy.

He couldn't help but shout, "Lord Ren, come here! This can hold them off for a bit!"

Upon hearing the sound, Ren Fengjue was about to go over with Xia Ximo when, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of several chairs being swept up by a strange gust of wind and hurtling towards them.

So he grabbed Xia Ximo's waist, took a deep breath, and quickly moved aside.

However, the wind was relentless and the space was limited, making it difficult for him to maneuver, no matter how agile he was.

Therefore, before he could dodge, he tripped over something.

Seeing that Lord Ren was about to fall in the chaos, Yu Lang instinctively covered his eyes.

However, the next second, Ren Fengjue felt himself being lifted up by a strange force, and he actually stood firmly on his feet.

He and Xia Ximo were then able to hide behind the screen.

However, the strong winds indoors also subsided at this moment.

"Relax."

Xia Ximo glanced at the hand on her waist.

"..."

Ren Fengjue awkwardly let go and took two steps back.

Yu Lang looked around, only to find that Zhong Yi's soul had vanished.

Just as he was about to speak, Xia Ximo's figure blurred, and he had already chased after her.

He didn't react for a moment, but then he saw Ren Fengjue follow.

Xia Ximo noticed a dark figure standing by the window, and without thinking, he chased after it.

She ran swiftly and in the blink of an eye, she was out of the Zhong residence.

However, the current situation is very similar to the dream I had that night at Yunhe Mountain.

The shadowy figure maintained a distance that was neither too close nor too far from her, giving her no chance to get closer, before disappearing into the night without a trace.

Xia Ximo stopped in his tracks. His usually calm and composed heart was suddenly stirred by a long-lost restlessness.

She began to feel—hatred.