My words have become law; I truly have no desire to display my divine power before others.

"Wan'er was killed in the mass grave west of the city, and Mei'er was killed on the official road outside the city... The two are not far apart... They might be the same person, and he is approaching Wen'an County!"

The Paper Goddess quickly made a judgment, and her heart sank.

The other party's purpose was very clear: they were after her, or rather, they were after her tentacles that she had spread out.

"Could it be that they noticed something unusual about Willow Flower Lane? Or are they simply trying to stand up for what's right?" Her mind raced.

"Regardless, we must prepare as soon as possible... Should we report this to 'that person'?"

Thinking of "that person," the red light behind the paper goddess's beaded curtain flickered slightly, revealing a deep sense of awe and dread.

That was the being that gave her life and power, the unfathomable Demon Lord.

However, "that person" also strictly ordered that they should not be disturbed unless it was a matter of life and death or a major breakthrough.

Although he had secretly accelerated the pace of his harvesting over the years, he had remained relatively discreet. The loss of only two spirit paper figures was alarming; if he were to rashly report it now, things might get out of hand…

Just as she was hesitating, at the edge of the altar, a paper maidservant who was pressed against the corner of the wall and almost blended into the shadows suddenly moved silently.

The paper maid's face did not have a seductive expression, but was painted with the attire of a maid.

The paper goddess shifted her gaze, and a wisp of yin energy shot out, disappearing into the body of the paper maid.

The paper maidservant "came to life" and walked stiffly to the altar.

A soft, languid voice, completely different from that of the paper goddess, came from the paper maid.

The sound resonated directly within the mind of the Paper Goddess:

"Sister Paper, what has angered you so much? Even from a distance, I can feel the turbulent yin energy emanating from you."

It's a painted skin.

The Paper Goddess perked up and immediately responded with her mind, relaying the news that two spirit paper figures had been destroyed and that a powerful figure was suspected of approaching Wen'an County.

"Oh? Is that so?" The Painted Skin Goddess's voice carried a hint of surprise and solemnity.

"Wan'er and Mei'er have both fallen? It seems the visitors are up to no good. Did you alert the Lord, sister?"

"Not yet," said the Paper Goddess. "I'm hesitating. The Lord has given strict orders that we must not disturb him unless it is absolutely necessary."

The loss of just two paper effigies is painful, but if it were to alarm the Lord, I fear I would be punished.

"Sister's thoughts are correct." The Painted Skin Goddess's voice carried a hint of agreement.

"Our lord seems to be preparing for a major event and has no time for anything else. We can handle these minor matters ourselves."

But... to deal with Wan'er so cleanly and efficiently, this person must be quite skilled. What are your plans next, sister?

The Paper Goddess's scarlet eyes flickered as she looked at the "Thousand Soul Paper Coffin" in the center of the altar, which was faintly visible and entangled with countless blood-red runes.

And beneath the paper coffin, the "Blood Vengeance Spirit Pivot Array" patterns, which were already mostly completed and exuded an ominous aura.

"The Blood Vengeance Spirit Pivot Array is 80% complete. The Thousand Soul Paper Coffin is still missing 36 pure Yang souls for refinement before it can be fully activated and become a ghost realm of its own."

Even if a cultivator with a century of cultivation were to break in, I would be 70% confident of trapping, killing, and refining them!

The Paper Goddess's voice was ruthless and confident, "I originally wanted to be more cautious and proceed slowly... but now it seems I need to speed things up."

"Do you need my help?" the Painted Skin Queen asked.

"At the county government office, that foolish magistrate has been completely bewitched by me and is now obedient to my every word."

It's not difficult to divert some materials or create some chaos to distract attention.

"Not for now," the Paper Goddess said thoughtfully. "It's not easy for you to infiltrate the county government, and it concerns the master's long-term plans, so it's not advisable to expose yourself too early."

The most urgent task is to ascertain the identity, movements, and level of cultivation of that master.

If he was just passing by exorcising demons, he might not have bothered to investigate the details of Willow Flower Lane. But if he really came for us…”

She paused, her voice growing even colder:

"Then let him never return! Perfect, my Thousand Soul Paper Coffin and Blood Vengeance Spirit Pivot Formation are still missing a powerful enough main soul to suppress the core!"

The soul of a highly accomplished cultivator is far more nourishing than the souls of hundreds or thousands of ordinary mortals!

"Sister, what a spirit you have!" The Painted Skin Goddess chuckled, but her voice also turned cold.

"In that case, I will stay here at the county government office and offer my support to my elder sister."

I will have that stupid magistrate increase the night patrols these next few days, especially around Willow Flower Lane. Ostensibly, it's to maintain order, but secretly... maybe we can find some clues in advance.

"If that Taoist priest really dares to come, I'll make sure he knows the consequences of meddling!"

"Thank you for your trouble, sister," said the Paper Goddess. "You must also be careful. This person was able to kill Wan'er, so he might not be unaware of the Painted Skin technique. Although you are favored in the county government, you are still in the public eye."

"Don't worry, sister." The Painted Skin Goddess's tone was tinged with smugness and malice.

"This body of mine was carefully crafted. I spent several months with that foolish magistrate, and he didn't notice a thing. On the contrary, he became more and more infatuated with it."

As long as I don't deliberately reveal my weaknesses, even someone with real skill might not be able to see through me in a hurry.

Moreover... the official air of the county government seal, to some extent, is the best cover.

The Paper Goddess nodded slightly; that was indeed the case.

The authority of the government has an air of grandeur and can suppress evil magic, but conversely, it can also confuse certain investigative spells.

The use of a painted skin to conceal a cunning move was indeed a brilliant strategy.

"In that case, let's split up and prepare," the Paper Goddess said finally. "I will speed up the collection of 'living souls' and at the same time lay more spies to keep a close eye on unfamiliar faces entering the city, especially Taoists and monks."

Sister, while you're at the county government office, keep an eye out for any reports received by the authorities, or for anyone trying to inquire about Willow Flower Lane or Moonlit Pavilion through official channels.

"Understood," the Painted Skin Goddess replied. "Sister, you must also be careful and not send out spirit paper figures so easily, lest you alert the enemy and suffer unnecessary losses."

"I understand."

After the exchange was completed, the faint light in the eyes of the paper maid who served as the medium faded, and she returned to her stiff posture, slowly retreating back into the shadows in the corner.

The underground paper house returned to silence, with only a faint green fire flickering.

The Paper Goddess sat upright on the altar, her scarlet gaze from behind the beaded curtain falling on the dozen or so unconscious young men neatly stacked beside the Thousand Souls Paper Coffin.

Their faces were ashen, their breaths weak, and their yang energy was being slowly drawn out by the paper coffins—part of the "materials" she was preparing to complete the grand formation.

"Thirty-six...we still need to hurry."

She murmured to herself, and gently waved her pale paper hand.

A few wisps of black mist, barely visible to the naked eye, entered the men's mouths and noses, making them fall into a deeper sleep, while simultaneously increasing the efficiency of their extraction.

"A master? A Taoist priest?" A silent, resentful, and expectant smile appeared on her lips.

"Come...come quickly...my 'tomb' is ready for you...I will make sure your soul is scattered and you are forever my slave!"