Peninsula: I'm being supported by a top idol.

"Can't!"

The crisp sound was particularly loud in the quiet courtyard.

Choi Si-an turned his head and looked at Liu Zhi-min's apprehensive and protective expression, like a kitten guarding its food. A hint of amusement and helplessness flickered in his eyes.

He explained to her in a low voice:

"The service she's talking about isn't what you think it means. In the context of shamanism or some ancient rituals, it's more like following, serving, or even... recognizing a master or seeking protection."

"I...how would I know!" Liu Zhimin blushed, her face particularly noticeable in the moonlight and the flickering firelight in the distance. Slightly embarrassed and annoyed, she looked away and muttered under her breath:

"She didn't explain it clearly..."

"Cough cough...cough..." The shaman girl clutched her chest and coughed violently a few times uncontrollably. Her face paled even more, clearly indicating that the direct confrontation with the vengeful spirit and the backlash had seriously injured her.

The cough also timely broke the delicate atmosphere between the two.

Cui Shi'an suppressed his smile and looked at the shaman with concern: "You're badly injured, you should go to the hospital to get checked out."

The shaman shook her head stubbornly, wiping away the trickle of blood that had seeped from the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand. Her gaze returned to Cui Shi'an, her eyes filled with an almost overflowing reverence.

"No...no need...I just need to rest, sir...please forgive my intrusion...which general/deity do you serve? A single word from you is enough to terrify that 'great demon'...this...this is no ordinary spirit general!"

Her mind was filled with the shocking image of Cui Shi'an standing firm and repelling the vengeful spirit of the military lord with a single word.

That oppressive aura, originating from the soul, was purer and more powerful than any spirit possession she had ever experienced.

Upon hearing the shaman's question, Liu Zhimin's mood, which had just calmed down, became excited again, and a sense of smugness arose within him, as if he knew a secret that none of you knew.

Before Cui Shi'an could react, she slightly raised her chin, her tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible pride:

"He's the general himself; he doesn't need to serve anyone!"

After saying that, she secretly glanced at Cui Shi'an.

Under the moonlight, he stood straight. Although he was wearing modern sportswear, his calm demeanor was as steadfast as a mountain, and the sharpness hidden between his brows vaguely overlapped with the figure in her dream who was clad in armor, decisive and ruthless.

This discovery gave her a slight thrill and a strange sense of satisfaction.

The shaman's face showed obvious confusion and disbelief. As a shaman who could communicate with spirits, she could indeed sense a different aura from Cui Shi'an compared to that of a living person.

"This...General...Sir..."

Looking at Cui Shi'an's youthful appearance and recalling his awe-inspiring presence just now, she couldn't simply equate the two.

After all, invoking spirits and summoning ghosts is one thing, but being able to manifest in a physical form is another. The latter already falls into the category of ghosts and monsters, which are usually unknown and invisible.

However, Cui Shi'an had no intention of explaining. His past life identity was too complicated, and he himself had not yet fully sorted it out. There was no need to reveal everything to a shaman he had just met.

He subtly changed the subject, his gaze falling on Yeon-soo, the little girl surrounded by her family in the distance, who was still sobbing softly.

"And what happened to that child? How did he get involved with this... filthy thing?"

When the matter was brought up, the shaman girl barely managed to suppress her shock and curiosity. Following Cui Shi'an's gaze, she sighed and explained in a low voice:

"About two weeks ago, Yeon-soo's school organized a summer camp in Jeonju. After visiting some ancient sites and museums near Pungnammun in Jeonju, she started acting strangely on the way back."

The shaman recalled the family's account, speaking slowly to ensure clarity:

"At first, he just talked strange things in his sleep, such as 'a lot of blood,' 'it's so noisy,' and 'don't kill me.' Later, his daytime behavior also became strange. Sometimes he would suddenly talk to thin air, and his appetite became astonishing. He also liked to eat raw food."

"Her family was terrified, thinking that the child had contracted a strange disease. They took her to several large hospitals for examinations, but the results showed that all her physiological indicators were normal. The doctors suggested seeing a psychologist, but the effect was minimal."

"Later, it was her grandmother who felt that the child might have been 'tainted by something unclean,' and through an introduction, she found my shrine."

"I examined the child and found that she was indeed surrounded by very strong evil energy and resentment, so I performed an exorcism with the consent of her family."

As she said this, a look of lingering fear and shame appeared on her face:

"But... I never expected that the spirit possessing the child wasn't just that one evil spirit, but that there was an even more terrifying demon hidden behind it... If it weren't for your timely help, not only would we not have been able to save the child, but everyone would probably be in grave danger tonight."

At this point, the shaman bowed deeply to Cui Shi'an and Liu Zhimin again, and her assistants behind her quickly followed suit, their gratitude evident.

Cui Shi'an remained silent as he visited the historical site, attracting ancient evil spirits?

However, Jeonju was historically the capital of Later Baekje and one of the birthplaces of the Joseon Dynasty. It has many historical sites, and countless souls of those who died in battle are buried underground. There is a possibility that one might be haunted by ancient evil spirits there.

"My lord..." the shamanic priestess softly interrupted his thoughts, "May I join my shrine?"

Cui Shi'an snapped out of his daze and, looking at the hopeful eyes of the other person, was speechless.

"Don't you have your own offerings in your shrine?"

Upon hearing this, the shrine maiden shook her head somewhat embarrassedly: "Ever since my grandmother passed away... the dragon maiden we used to worship left, and now there are no deities worshipped in the shrine..."

Upon hearing this, Cui Shi'an couldn't help but scrutinize her more closely.

By the light of the moon and the flickering fire, he noticed that although the other person's face was covered with thick rune paint, making him look mysterious and even somewhat frightening, the skin on his exposed neck and wrists was smooth and firm, exuding youthful vitality.

Moreover, her posture was not hunched or composed like that of an older person; instead, she had a delicate, girlish quality.

It's just that the "mask" on her face makes it difficult to determine her exact age.

"So that's why you directly used the Seven Star Song to try and summon a spirit into your body?"

"Yes..." The shrine maiden nodded awkwardly.

Although he had already witnessed the messengers of hell, Choi Si-an remained skeptical of the star gods worshipped by shamans.

The reason is simple: there are too many stars in the sky, even more than the number of people on Earth. If each star represented a "deity," the proportion would be too exaggerated.

Therefore, Cui Shi'an deduced that when a shaman invites a star god, it is actually a temporary incense offering. If there happen to be any mountain spirits or wandering ghosts nearby who can sense it and are willing to help, they will be treated with the high-level respect due to a star god.

Unfortunately, no one came to help just now. Perhaps there were no people around, or perhaps they were afraid of the vengeful spirit on Yeon-soo's body.

The shaman glanced back at the Yeon-soo family, who were huddled together in the distance, still shaken. Her voice was barely audible.

"Actually, I know the chances of success are slim... but I've already taken the money, and the family is so anxious... if I don't do something, I'll feel really guilty... and I'm also afraid of ruining the reputation my grandmother left behind..."

"You almost got yourself killed, didn't you?" Liu Zhimin said sarcastically from the side, arms crossed.

She was still a little bothered by the shaman's sudden suggestion to "serve" Cui Shi'an. Although she knew that wasn't what she meant, it still sounded uncomfortable.

The shaman was made even more embarrassed by what she said, and she lowered her head even further, her hands unconsciously twisting her wide sleeves, but she still looked at Cui Shi'an with an almost pleading look, as if he were the only piece of driftwood she could grab in the darkness.

"I don't even fully understand who I am yet, how can you serve me?" Cui Shi'an sighed, then gently waved his hand.

"Besides, I am a living, breathing human being, not some deity or spirit, and I don't know anything about fortune telling, divination, healing, or warding off disasters."

"I can do that!" The shrine maiden seemed not to hear the refusal in his words, but rather saw a tacit hope in them. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she said hurriedly:

"My grandmother taught me all of these things: divination, fortune telling, praying for blessings, and simple healing and exorcism. I can do them all!"

She became increasingly agitated as she spoke, even stepping forward and, disregarding her injuries, preparing to kneel and bow before Cui Shi'an.

"If you agree, I, Jie Duoling, am willing to serve you for life!"

(Note: The Hae clan was one of the eight clans that King Onjo enfeoffed as hereditary nobles after the founding of Baekje. They were collectively known as the "Eight Great Clans". The eight clans were in charge of the operation of various departments of the court. Among them, the Hae clan was in charge of sacrifices, rites, culture and education.)