The Cycle of Reincarnation in the Four-Courtyard House: A Journey Through the Heavens

As soon as Shi Jian finished speaking, his sharp gaze swept over the group of Maoshan disciples present. For a moment, the entire place fell silent. All the Taoists lowered their heads and remained silent, with no one taking the initiative to respond.

Just as the room fell silent, Shi Shaojian suddenly stepped forward, a confident smile on his face, and volunteered, "Master, only my personal involvement can ensure the success of such a difficult task!"

Upon hearing this, Wen Cai and Qiu Sheng, who were standing nearby, suddenly brightened up and quickly nodded in agreement.

Having just endured ridicule, the two men immediately agreed when Shi Shaojian took on the important task, and only wanted to get away from the responsibility as soon as possible.

Shi Jian, who was in the main seat, suddenly turned his head, his brows furrowed, and glared fiercely at Shi Shaojian.

Just moments before, Shi Shaojian had been full of vigor and confidence, but in an instant, he was so frightened that his heart trembled, his words stopped abruptly, and he quickly and obediently shrank back.

Shi Jian's gaze returned to Wen Cai and Qiu Sheng, and he said in a cold voice, "As the saying goes, one person does the deed and one person takes the blame. The trouble caused by the escape of the ghosts this time was all caused by the two of you, so it is only natural that you should step forward and take responsibility."

Hearing this, Lin Jiu felt helpless and could only nod slightly, acquiescing to the arrangement.

As soon as the words were spoken, the group of Maoshan disciples did not delay any longer and immediately set off for the northern outskirts of Renjia Town.

This place is open and flat, with good air circulation, no houses to block the view, and no evil energy from the mountains and forests to interfere with it. It is an excellent site for setting up the Innate Bagua Formation.

With everyone working in an orderly manner and each fulfilling their duties, they began preparing for the formation in a methodical way.

The Innate Bagua Formation is a grand formation of the Maoshan School, with a large scale and complicated procedures. It requires countless materials such as cinnabar, talisman paper, peach wood flags, and Qiankun compass. Moreover, the location of each formation eye and the outline of each formation pattern must be accurate and error-free, without the slightest carelessness.

Such a massive array project cannot be completed overnight; it will take at least three days to take shape.

The countryside was empty and dull, with only the desolate scene of wind blowing through grass and trees all day long. Shi Shaojian, who was always restless, playful and lustful, could hardly bear such a boring life.

His eyes darted around slightly, and he immediately moved closer to Shi Jian, bowing obediently and asking, "Master, the array in the northern suburbs is being managed by all the senior uncles and fellow disciples. I am new to this place and would like to visit the town to familiarize myself with the local customs and terrain, so that I can assist in finishing up the array and avoid any oversights in the future."

Shi Jian was intently examining the location of the array's core and deducing its structure, his mind completely focused on the important matter of setting up the array. Upon hearing Shi Shaojian's words, he assumed that Shi Shaojian was simply restless and wanted to relax: "Remember to go and come back soon."

"Thank you, Master!" Shi Shaojian was overjoyed and quickly replied, his heart already bursting with happiness.

In fact, as early as when he first entered Renjia Town with Shi Jian, his attention had already been drawn to a lively place in the town.

At the entrance of the town's central street, the Yihong Courtyard has an ornate gate and lanterns hanging high. People come and go in an endless stream, and the faint scent of cosmetics wafts through the streets, making its extravagant and lively atmosphere particularly eye-catching.

At that time, he was by his master's side, and although he was itching to do something, he could only suppress the excitement in his heart and dared not do anything out of line.

But that fleeting glimpse of prosperity and splendor had already left a deep imprint on his heart, making him unable to forget it.

Now that he had finally broken free from his master's control, Shi Shaojian could no longer contain himself.

He turned and strode off, heading quickly toward the tranquil haven in town that he longed for.

It was a little past four in the afternoon. The brothels in Renjia Town were usually open at sunset and bustling at night. But at this moment, the gate of Yihong Courtyard was closed. The gate tower was magnificent but deserted. The lanterns hanging high had not yet been lit. The courtyard was quiet and there was no trace of the extravagant and lively atmosphere of the night.

Shi Shaojian arrived full of excitement, but upon seeing that Yihong Courtyard was not yet open, his face immediately fell, and his enthusiasm waned considerably.

He stood at the door for a moment, looking around. Feeling bored, he decided to turn around and go to a restaurant on the street to have a couple of drinks to pass the time.

But just as he turned around, he caught a glimpse of a graceful figure slowly walking out of the entrance of a cosmetics shop not far away.

The woman was graceful and gentle, with a simple long dress that made her skin look as white as jade. She had a refined and elegant temperament, and every move she made was dignified and gentle like a lady from a prominent family. She was completely different from the ordinary women in the town. This woman was Ren Tingting, who had gone out alone to buy cosmetics.

This encounter was not accidental; the situation in Renjia Town has been stable recently, and everything is in good order.

Five days earlier, Li Xiao had temporarily bid farewell to Ren Tingting and traveled to Cairo to keep his appointment with Evelyn.

Ren Tingting was fully aware of Li Xiao's purpose in traveling far away.

However, she knew that Li Xiao was no ordinary man and that she could not possibly control him on her own. So she brought him some local specialties and asked him to give them to Evelyn, whom she had never met, as a gift.

Ren Tingting's generosity and open-mindedness also made Li Xiao's impression of her better and better!

Having nothing to do today, Ren Tingting went out alone to the town's cosmetics shop to choose cosmetics and jewelry.

Influenced by her, the girls of the same age in the town have gradually fallen in love with dressing up and grooming themselves. They often go out together to choose cosmetics. Today, she came here specifically to buy cosmetics and planned to teach the girls makeup skills.

She had just stepped out of the shop carrying a brocade bag filled with cosmetics when she bumped into Shi Shaojian, who had come out specifically to hunt for women.

Shi Shaojian was known for his lecherous and frivolous nature, and had seen many vulgar women in brothels. He had never seen such a refined, elegant, gentle, and pure young lady from a prominent family.

Upon first seeing Ren Tingting's stunning beauty and gentle demeanor, he was instantly captivated, a deep lust flashing in his eyes, and his heart filled with lust.

However, Shi Shaojian, whose lustful desires had been rekindled, did not rashly step forward to forcibly entangle her.

He was always cautious and well-versed in some unorthodox methods. He knew that in broad daylight and under the watchful eyes of many, rashly striking up a conversation or pestering someone would only earn him a reputation for being frivolous and attract criticism.

In his mind, he would never rush into a relationship with any woman he set his sights on; he had the means to completely control her without anyone noticing.

Shi Shaojian suppressed the lust in his eyes and casually brushed past Ren Tingting.

In the instant the two crossed paths, his fingertips moved slightly, his movements as swift as a blur. With exquisite skill, he silently and stealthily plucked a strand of hair from Ren Tingting's hair and carefully hid it between his fingers.

Meanwhile, Ren Tingting, oblivious to everything, continued to walk lightly along the street, still carrying the brocade bag in her hand. She was completely unaware that she had been targeted by villains and that a single hair of hers had been stolen, sowing the seeds of future trouble.

After succeeding, Shi Shaojian's lips curled into a sinister smile. Without lingering, he turned and walked straight into a restaurant on the street, ordered some food and drinks, and began to sip leisurely, waiting for night to fall.

As night falls, the streetlights gradually illuminate the streets, and the hustle and bustle of the day fades away.

Shi Shaojian had already quietly left the town and headed straight for a dense forest in the southern suburbs.