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

Looking at his wife in front of him, Zhu Peng was heartbroken.

"I won't change it, Xiaoyun. I don't want the new clothes anymore. I just want you. I just want you to be alive!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yun, who seemed dazed, appeared to be moved, and her eyes welled up with tears.

But she was still fixated on his new clothes, her tone full of guilt.

"The New Year is almost here, and you've been wearing your old clothes for three years. It's time to get some new ones, Peng-ge. I'll make you one..."

As she spoke, her hands, though empty, seemed to hold old needles and thread, and she began to sew, stitch by stitch.

Seeing this scene, Zhu Peng's heart was bleeding.

He began to rage: "Who on earth ruined you? Which bastard ruined you! I'll tear her to pieces!"

The roar startled Xiaoyun.

Yan Zhengchu, who was outside the formation, immediately reminded her, "Don't be too loud, you'll frighten her!"

Xiaoyun was clearly terrified. She covered her head, her face contorted in pain, and suddenly squatted down on the ground, blood seeping from her body…

Then, large patches of blood soaked her once-clean clothes.

"Brother Peng, save me! Brother Peng, come back and save me!"

As she cried out, flames began to appear at the hem of her clothes, and in a short while, her whole body began to burn.

Zhu Peng was shocked, and the candle in his hand almost slipped out of his grasp. But at the critical moment, he was pulled back from the formation by a suction force.

"Taoist Master! Please save Xiaoyun!"

Yan Zhengchu's expression was grave as he explained, "Her soul was already weak, and after being frightened like that, it has scattered..."

Zhu Peng said remorsefully, "I...I didn't mean to, I just..."

"It's my fault for forgetting to remind you beforehand."

Master Yan sighed.

He thought that arranging for the young couple to meet was simply to ease their longing for each other, and perhaps this would dispel Xiaoyun's obsession.

Unexpectedly, things have backfired and become even more complicated.

At this moment, Xia Ximo had already rushed over upon hearing the noise, while Ren Fengjue, fearing to disturb the spirits, stood outside the door.

She glanced around the room and saw that Xiaoyun's spirit was no longer there. Her face turned cold. "What happened?"

Zhu Peng said with a pained expression, "I scared Xiaoyun's soul away..."

Then, he rushed outside and said to Ren Fengjue, "Young Master, I'm certain Xiaoyun was murdered! I saw so much blood! And fire! You must help me find the killer!"

Upon hearing this, Ren Fengjue understood and simply said, "I will not stand idly by in this matter, so you can rest assured."

Although Yan Zhengchu acted in time, he only managed to retrieve one of Xiaoyun's soul fragments. He said to Xia Ximo, "Xiaoyun's soul only followed us here because of a bit of obsession. After being frightened like this, her soul fragments scattered. Now we must find her three soul fragments and the other six soul fragments as soon as possible..."

Zhu Peng felt increasingly guilty: "Daoist Master, it's all my fault. I was too reckless."

Yan Zhengchu said, "There's no point in saying more. I also bear some responsibility. The most urgent thing is to find the soul."

As he spoke, he glanced at the sky; it was almost dark. "Let me make some arrangements first."

Master Yan immediately set up a soul-locking formation in the backyard. Then, he put Xiao Yun's soul into a compass and, based on the ghostly energy, could roughly determine the location of the soul.

He then roughly marked the positions of the three souls and the remaining six spirits according to the compass, and found that except for the main soul, the rest were still in the palace.

This put Yan Zhengchu in a slightly awkward position, and he couldn't help but glance at Xia Ximo.

The other person noticed his gaze and looked at him as well.

Yan Zhengchu immediately smiled and said frankly, "I might have to trouble Miss Xia."

Xia Ximo: "Speak your mind."

"Xiao Yun's main soul has left the palace and is probably in the southwest..."

Xia Ximo understood immediately, but asked him in return, "Can you handle the rest?"

Yan Zhengchu quickly replied, "Leave it to me."

She gave a nonchalant reply and turned to walk out.

Yan Zhengchu finally breathed a slight sigh of relief, then turned around and counted the places where the souls were scattered, realizing that at least eight people would be needed.

Including the three from Zhujia Village, and adding Yu Lang and A Xia, there are only five people.

Ren Fengjue has too much yang energy, so he definitely can't be counted.

That would require three more people…

Just as they were in a dilemma, several figures walked in from outside the courtyard.

The person in charge was Zhao Wan.

The princess had come to call them to prepare for the New Year's Eve dinner, but upon seeing such a large commotion, she thought it was the work of ghosts again.

Fortunately, she was someone who had experienced "big events," and asked with a puzzled look, "Are there ghosts causing trouble in my house again?"

Yan Zhengchu immediately explained the whole story to Zhao Wan.

He added, "I was just thinking of borrowing a few people from the princess."

Upon hearing this, the servants who had been watching the commotion immediately dispersed quietly, fearing they might get into trouble.

Knowing that they were afraid of ghosts and spirits, Zhao Wan immediately asked Xiao Xizi to summon the Golden Feather Guards.

Last time in the secret chamber below, the Golden Feather Guards were unable to do anything for the princess, and they felt very guilty.

Upon hearing the princess's command, the general immediately led his men to the scene.

Master Yan selected three people whose yang energy was not strong enough, and together with the three from Zhu Family Village, they made a total of five people.

He took out a copper coin, cast a spell, and wiped it across everyone's eyes one by one.

Next, he wrote down where they needed to go on a piece of paper and handed it over.

"Go to the location written on the paper and use the 'Soul-Guiding Candle' to draw the soul into this formation."

"Remember, when you see her, avoid frightening her. Don't speak. She will naturally be attracted by the candlelight when she sees the 'Soul-Guiding Candle'."

"Note that you only have one hour."

Everyone nodded and then left.

As soon as they left, Yu Lang and A Xia were invited to the backyard by servants.

Yu Shaoqing had a smile on his face before entering, but after hearing Yan Zhengchu's words, he realized it wasn't good news at all...

"Does this really have to be done by us?"

Master Yan said, "The remaining two 'spirits' are somewhat special; I'm afraid they won't be able to suppress them."

Yu Lang: "..."

Ah Xia, who had been left behind in the guest courtyard, suddenly became quite interested and came over, asking, "What does the Taoist priest need me to do?"

"The methods are all the same," Master Yan explained. "However, because she had lingering resentment before her death, it will turn into vengeful energy, which will be more pronounced when it corresponds to the 'anger' and 'evil' among the seven souls."

"The spirit cannot harm people, but it can frighten them. If you understand this, you will be able to deal with it."

Asha nodded immediately.

Yu Lang knew he couldn't refuse, so he could only reluctantly agree.

Yan Zhengchu gave them "soul-guiding candles" and used copper coins to capture a fragment of Xiaoyun's soul into their eyes. He then reminded them, "Souls prefer yin, so you can search in yin directions, especially near water, under trees, and in shady corners."

"Remember, you must be back within one hour."

After the two left, Yan Zhengchu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He sat under the formation, intending to talk to Ren Fengjue, but when he turned around, he found that the young marquis had already disappeared.