Since all these rules and superstitions are outdated, what's wrong with me indulging in some me

However, because the soul is not completely separated from the body and is forcibly pulled, the information obtained may also be fragmented and chaotic.

Lu Changsheng focused his spiritual power into a single line, like a probe, carefully touching the core consciousness of the illusory soul. At the same time, he asked in a deep voice, his tone carrying a spiritual guidance:

"Who are you? Why did you attack us?"

The phantom of the soul trembled violently, and the message it conveyed suddenly became clear and singular, filled with the resolute determination of executing a command:

"Kill... that guy named 'Success'..."

The goal is to become a talented young man!

Lu Changsheng felt a chill in his heart.

"Who ordered this? Who gave the order?"

Lu Changsheng immediately pressed for answers, his mental energy like a sharp cone piercing the deepest source of fear in the soul's illusory memories.

The illusory soul twisted, as if enduring immense pain, and the fragments of information it conveyed carried a strong sense of dread:

"...It's...Xiao Lian..."

Xiao Lian!

Although he had suspected it beforehand, the confirmation still weighed heavily on Lu Changsheng's mind.

"Why? Why kill him?"

Lu Changsheng fired off a barrage of questions, trying to extract more information.

The phantom of the soul began to twist and expand violently, and the next second—

A sudden change has occurred!

The light on the surface of the phantom soul began to flicker rapidly, and its outline began to blur and fade, like an image with a poor signal.

"His soul is dissipating on its own!"

An Zhiyu's eyes narrowed, and she said in a low voice.

Lu Changsheng also sensed it. He tried to channel the spiritual energy from the jade pendant into the thin man's body, but it was like throwing a stone into the sea.

He made a decisive move and immediately severed the connection of mental energy.

Under the watchful eyes of the group, the thin man's illusory soul gradually faded in color and became increasingly blurred, eventually turning into wisps of pale gray smoke that silently dissipated into the air.

On the ground, only a rapidly cooling and stiffening corpse remained.

Lu Changsheng's face was pale, his body swayed slightly, and he forcibly suppressed the stinging pain and nausea in his mind.

The failure to guide the soul, coupled with the backlash from the self-destruction of the soul, left him in poor condition, but his mind remained clear.

He was panting as he analyzed the situation rapidly.

"But at least two things are confirmed: first, their goal was clearly to succeed; second, Xiaolian was the key instigator, and may even have held a very high position."

"Are you alright, Brother Lu?"

Cheng Caijun quickly helped Lu Changsheng up.

"fine."

Lu Changsheng took a few breaths.

An Zhiyu flipped her hand, and a small pill appeared in her hand. She handed it to Lu Changsheng.

"To help you recover quickly."

Lu Changsheng hesitated for a moment before taking it.

The pills were slightly warm to the touch, with an even stronger fragrance. Just smelling them relieved his headache a little.

He put the pill directly into his mouth.

The pill melted instantly in the mouth, transforming into a gentle yet powerful warm current that quickly flowed down the throat and spread throughout the body.

The fatigue and stinging sensation quickly subsided, the weakness was greatly reduced, and my complexion regained some color.

"Thank you, it works very well."

Lu Changsheng felt his energy rapidly returning and nodded his thanks to An Zhiyu.

This pill is no ordinary medicine; it will probably require a lot of points to prepare.

An Zhiyu nodded slightly, said nothing more, and turned her gaze back to her surroundings.

"Walk."

What just happened was just a minor incident; Lu Changsheng had not forgotten their goal.

Several people knocked the giant unconscious and tied him together with the young man.

Lu Changsheng continued walking towards the stone house in the middle of the village. On the way, he briefly explained to An Zhiyu what Leo had seen that night.

After walking for about five or six minutes, the group stopped in front of the stone house.

Lu Changsheng did not barge in directly. Instead, he raised his hand, bent his fingers, and knocked three times on the rough wooden door.

"Thump, thump, thump."

The knocking sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet alleyway, even drowning out the whispers of the villagers and the sound of the wind in the distance.

Inside the room, the light from the oil lamp seemed to flicker.

After a moment of silence, the village chief Chen Shan's flat, cold voice, devoid of any emotion, came from inside the door:

"Enter."

Lu Changsheng took a deep breath, pushed open the half-closed wooden door, and stepped inside.

Cheng Caijun and An Zhiyu followed closely behind.

The wooden door creaked softly behind me, as if shutting out the outside world.

The room was even darker than the alleyway, with only the oil lamp on the table casting a dim, flickering glow that barely illuminated a small area around it.

Village chief Chen Shan stood behind the wooden table, still wearing his crisp dark blue Zhongshan suit, his back to them. The oil lamp cast his shadow on the mottled earthen wall, making it appear distorted and enormous.

He did not turn around immediately when he heard the three people enter.

The room fell eerily quiet. Cheng Caijun unconsciously placed his hand on the dagger at his waist, while An Zhiyu stood still, her aura completely concealed, like a sharp sword hidden in its sheath.

Lu Changsheng suppressed the discomfort caused by the environment and took the initiative to speak, breaking the silence:

"Village chief, please forgive my intrusion in visiting so late at night."

His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Chen Shan slowly turned around.

His face appeared even paler and stiffer under the lamplight, as if covered with a layer of frost.

Lu Changsheng wondered if it was just his imagination. He felt that the village chief Chen Shan looked weaker than when he first met him, and there was a faint aura of death surrounding him.

But those eyes remained bright and piercing, calmly sweeping over Lu Changsheng and the other two. A very subtle ripple seemed to pass through the depths of their eyes, but it instantly returned to the stillness of a deep pool.

"Mr. Lu, Miss An, and... Mr. Cheng."

Chen Shan's voice was flat and cold, revealing no emotional fluctuations.

"What brings you here so late at night?"

Lu Changsheng didn't beat around the bush, looking directly into Chen Shan's strangely calm eyes, and said in a deep voice:

"We've come to ask a few questions. About the 'rules' of Luoshan Village, about Blind Chen's 'fortune telling,' and about why Miss Xiaolian is so determined to take my friend's life."

He emphasized the words "take life," his gaze sharp, trying to discern something from the other person's face.

However, Chen Shan's expression did not change at all, as if he had only heard a common topic such as "How is the weather today?"

"Wait a moment, I will give you an explanation for this matter."

The three were taken aback. What did he mean by "explain"?

Village chief Chen Shan remained indifferent for two or three minutes.

"She's back."

Chen Shanping stated it bluntly, as if stating a trivial fact.

Lu Changsheng and the other two were taken aback. Then, an inconspicuous little door on the inside of the stone house was pushed open, and a small figure walked in—it was Xiao Lian.

She was still wearing that faded red floral cotton-padded jacket and her hair was tied in pigtails, but the moment she saw Lu Changsheng and the other two, the sweet smile on her face disappeared, replaced by a nervousness that she tried her best to hide.

"I'm back."