Outside the Ding section of the civilian workers, there was a rocky beach by the shore of Crescent Lake.

Five or six people in black were either sitting or standing.

A brazier was placed in the middle of them. The faint scent of insect repellent spread with the flames.

Slap!

Shangguan Yu slapped his own face, killing an insolent mosquito.

The flickering firelight cast a gloomy shadow on his face.

He had been feeding mosquitoes here for six days.

"Damn rat!"

"Young Master, that person might have already run away," suggested one of the people in black cautiously, "Shall we, perhaps, let it go?"

Being on edge during the day and dealing with evil spirits, and then feeding mosquitoes at night, it wasn't easy for them either.

Shangguan Yu nodded slightly; he had wanted to withdraw long ago.

But he couldn't be the one to suggest actively pulling out.

Otherwise, his father Shangguan Ji would certainly scold him for his lack of patience.

Thinking this, he couldn't help but look up at the robust figure opposite him.

He saw the other's face and hands darkened, completely covered with Soul Strength!

A mosquito landed on the back of the other's hand, raised its head to sting fiercely, and its mouth broke upon impact!

Shangguan Yu: "..."

So, it's just you who has Soul Strength, huh? Always causing trouble!

Shangguan Yu struggled to adjust his expression, saying warmly and amicably, "Bai... Miss, what do you think?"

That was close! He almost called her Bai Brother!

Cui Cui, sitting next to Bai Miaojin, giggled, "He wants you to carry the can for him."

Despite her blatant words, Shangguan Yu acted as if he didn't hear a thing.

Bai Miaojin gave Shangguan Yu an expressionless glance, "Hmm, he's gone."

"Right?" Shangguan Yu's face lit up with excitement.

"So, shall we withdraw?" Shangguan Yu asked with a smile.

"Fine," Bai Miaojin nodded indifferently.

"Since Bai... Miss has spoken, then let's pull out. It's not worth it for a rat, making Miss Bai suffer mosquito bites," Shangguan Yu chuckled.

"Mosquitoes can't bite me," Bai Miaojin said flatly.

Shangguan Yu: "..."

No need to emphasize, I freaking saw it!

Shangguan Yu pretended not to hear, continuing on his own, "I'll try one last time, if the resonance is still faint, then we'll withdraw!"

The other few people in black echoed enthusiastically with beaming faces.

Now they could leave.

He raised his right hand as he spoke, revealing a golden silk White Jade Bracelet on his wrist. Like the past six days, he sent out the Curse Command without much thought. ṞαNổβΕś

Buzz!

Like a swarm of bees taking flight, the White Jade Bracelet suddenly buzzed loudly.

Shangguan Yu looked astonished: "It... It really worked?!"

Immediately afterward, his face beamed with joy: "Chase!"

Shangguan Yu instantly dashed out following the direction of the bracelet's vibrations, with the other people in black closely following him.

...

Chen Mu was manipulating paper ghosts to fly into Crescent Lake when he suddenly noticed a group of people rapidly approaching from behind.

"Aren't these the people who check the Iron Ring every day?"

"Not sleeping in the middle of the night but hiding outside on watch, they're so dedicated?"

Seeing a few people coming straight for the ghosts, Chen Mu realized.

"Indeed, they have perceptive methods."

Chen Mu sighed, admiring their persistence.

For six consecutive days—inspecting by day, guarding by night, they certainly didn't fear hardship.

"If that's the case, they can suffer a bit more."

...

At one in the morning, Chen Mu discarded the golden silk White Jade Bracelet and controlled the paper ghosts to return home.

"It's a pity they only ran around Crescent Lake for eight laps before stopping," Chen Mu sighed, "These people aren't stupid."

"Well, having thrown away the golden silk White Jade Bracelet, the matter should probably be considered over," Chen Mu said, feeling relieved.

Although they had been investigating for several days without finding him,

Over time, there was no guarantee that they might take drastic measures.

If one day, in a moment of folly, they took away all the Netherworld Threads, he would be exposed immediately.

"It's just a shame about that golden silk White Jade Bracelet."

That must have also been a Magic Artifact.

"Safety first."

"Now that I've avoided disaster by spending money, I can finally hide in peace. Once I master Shell Soul, I will..."

"Sun Dawang, you're not being honest,"

A crisp voice suddenly rang out from behind him.

Chen Mu's scalp exploded with alarm as he abruptly turned around.

Sleeve Sword Technique!

Whoosh!

The ebony dagger plunged fiercely into the figure behind him.

Yet Chen Mu's face changed dramatically.

"Cui Cui?!"

What terrified him even more was that despite the dagger clearly passing through her body, she remained unharmed, standing in the same spot.

Just like an illusion, without any physical form!

The very next moment, a majestic figure suddenly passed through Cui Cui's body.

The dark, massive fist, akin to a giant hammer, thundered towards Chen Mu's face.

Instinctively, Chen Mu raised his left arm to block.

Bang!

The fist collided with his arm.

A surge of impact force suddenly spread from the point of collision.

Zap!

Chen Mu's sleeve instantly burst into tatters.

"Ha!" Bai Miaojin's eyes sparkled with brilliance, "Finally, someone can catch my fist!"

Her mouth gaped open, her face twisted into an expression of excitement by her muscles.

Hiss!

A puff of white smoke spewed from her mouth and nose.

In the next instant, her fists tore through the air, pummeling down like raindrops.

The sound of the punching wind was so fierce that Chen Mu's face stung from the scraping.

An extreme sense of danger assailed his brain in an instant.

Jet black Soul Strength gushed out recklessly.

Hum!

His muscles suddenly swelled throughout his body.

In just a moment, he transformed from a thin young man of 1.75 meters to a muscular giant of nearly 1.9 meters.

"Want to kill me? I'll finish you off first!"

Sleeve Sword Technique!

Clang clang clang clang...

The constant collisions between fist and dagger generated an intense clashing noise that shot upwards in an instant.

In just three breaths, the two had collided at their limits ninety-three times.

A fierce look flashed in Chen Mu's eyes.

Risking a breakthrough in his defense, a sliver of his spirit diverted.

"Five Ghosts..."

"Stop!"

A crisp voice rang out between the two.

Bai Miaojin's majestic figure suddenly retreated.

You say stop and I should stop?

"Five Ghosts Moving..."

But in the next moment, the Ghosts, which he had summoned, were unexpectedly seized by Cui Cui from her invisibility?!

Chen Mu was so shocked that he instinctively stopped the Five Ghosts Moving Mountain and instead stared at Cui Cui, dumbfounded, "You..."

"Me? Aren't we the same kind?" Cui Cui blinked and smiled cheerfully.

"Good strength," Bai Miaojin said calmly,

As if her frenzied state had never occurred.

Catching ninety-three strikes of the ebony dagger with bare hands and having unharmed hands like a normal person?!

"How strange." Cui Cui released her grip, prodding the floating cloud of black smoke in the air.

Without Chen Mu's control, the Ghost simply hovered foolishly mid-air, allowing Cui Cui to manipulate it.

"This guy has only a survival instinct. How did you achieve symbiosis?"

"When it possessed you, how did it not consume you?"

Symbiosis? Possession? What the hell are you talking about!

"Cui Cui, let's go," Bai Miaojin glanced at Chen Mu. She turned around and left the tent.

"I won't tell if you don't, and nobody will know what happened tonight," Cui Cui said with a cheerful smile as she walked backward.

"It's not easy to come across someone of our kind; don't die on us."

Chen Mu stood there, dazed.

If not for his ragged sleeve as a reminder, he would have thought the whole encounter had been a dream!

Weren't these two here to capture me?

Why did they leave so abruptly after an inexplicable fight?

Same kind? Did they mistake something?

And that Cui Cui, with her unreal figure and ability to grab Ghosts at will, she... she isn't human, right?!

Having encountered her several times, how had he not noticed at all?!

Chen Mu looked around; nothing in the tent had changed.

Their fierce combat had taken place within a very confined space.

The nine comrades affected by the Mesmerizing Divine Smoke were still sleeping peacefully, unaware of anything.

Chen Mu was completely baffled, "Should I run, or run, or just run..."

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