An Unexpected Turn of Events

Next, Zheng Que began practicing the Life Planting Technique to replenish the spiritual power he had consumed while cultivating the two spells just moments ago.

In the boundless void, he focused intently on capturing strands of icy air. The familiar chill seeped into his body bit by bit, and under the impetus of the cultivation technique, it transformed into wisps of spiritual breath, accumulating into an increasingly viscous mist within his Qi Sea.

As more spiritual energy and yin energy were drawn into his body, Zheng Que opened his eyes and looked at the decaying space of the Wide Hall.

He lowered his head and looked at the Life and Death Book spread out on the long table.

Behind his own name in the Life and Death Book, his remaining lifespan was still sixteen years, seven months, and ten days.

Looking at this record, Zheng Que nodded slightly. His lifespan had not changed, which meant that he would not encounter any life-threatening danger when he went to Zhao the Second's house later.

Thus, he looked around the dilapidated Wide Hall space, confirmed that nothing had changed, and then sat on the limping grand armchair, waiting quietly.

A long time later, the black mist surging from between his brows completely submerged into the Life and Death Book.

The surrounding scene rippled like water. Soon, after a bizarre and surreal distortion, he returned to the room in the small town.

Feeling that his spiritual power had fully recovered, Zheng Que stood up immediately and glanced at the sky outside. The sun was slanting to the west, and the remaining daylight shone through the window lattice into the room, stretching the cluttered items on the floor into long, dark shadows. It was already dusk.

He did not hesitate and immediately said to Qing Li, who was hanging from the crossbeam, "Follow me."

With that, Zheng Que walked straight out the door.

The Zhao family lived right next door. After walking a few steps along the courtyard wall, he arrived at the gate, which was plastered with faded spring couplets.

The setting sun dragged across the moss-covered wall, dyeing the outer wall a warm, molten gold, making the inside of the courtyard appear even darker—like a well filled with gloom and coldness.

Zheng Que stood before the courtyard gate. Suddenly, the wind picked up, and as fallen leaves fluttered about, they struck his shoulders like a sudden downpour.

He glanced behind him; Qing Li was hovering in mid-air, following closely by his side.

Knock, knock, knock!

He knocked on the door three times and called out, "Brother Zhao, are you home?"

Creak!

As soon as his voice fell, the gate was opened from the inside. Standing at the entrance was a woman in a wooden hairpin and a cloth skirt. She had an apron tied around her waist and was still clutching a handful of half-picked vegetables. She carried the scent of a kitchen fire, as if she had just been cooking and picking vegetables at the same time. It was Zhao the Second's wife, Sun Cui'er.

Seeing her, Zheng Que's expression remained unchanged, and he immediately activated the Spirit Eye Technique.

The next moment, in his field of vision, this seemingly virtuous and beautiful farm woman was wreathed in black mist, and the density of the yin energy surrounding her was no less than that of Qing Li!

This wife of Zhao the Second truly had a major problem!

At this moment, Sun Cui'er glanced left and right, then immediately leaned close to Zheng Que and whispered in a very low voice, "Young Master, come in quickly. You must help me tonight!"

Her expression was urgent, and her gaze was fixed directly on Zheng Que, seemingly completely unaware of Qing Li behind him.

Hearing this, Zheng Que walked into the courtyard without changing his expression, quickly scanning his surroundings.

The Zhao family courtyard had a simple layout: three rooms directly facing the gate, with a side room on each flank serving as a kitchen and a woodshed. Farming tools like rakes and hoes were propped up by the doorway.

The doors and windows of all the rooms were tightly shut, making it impossible to see what was inside. Two large trees grew against the wall, with a rope strung between them for drying laundry.

Other than that, the ground was nothing but packed earth; at a single glance, there was nothing else to be seen.

At this moment, a cold wind whipped through the courtyard. The lush trees shed their leaves in a flurry, like a sudden downpour, covering the ground in an instant.

The fading sunlight was blocked by the perimeter wall, leaving the courtyard in a dim, hazy gloom where objects appeared blurred. No lamps were lit inside the rooms, which looked like pitch-black voids. Only Sun Cui'er stood alone, delicate and pretty, behind the doorway. Half of her fair face was bathed in the lingering glow of the sunset, radiating its characteristic warmth, while the other half was hidden in shadow. The eye on that side glinted like shards of ice, locking onto Zheng Que without a blink.

Zheng Que thought quickly. He knew the situation of Zhao the Second's family. There had originally been four people: Zhao the Second's father, mother, and his older brother, Zhao the Eldest.

However, Zhao the Eldest had died prematurely at the age of ten, and Zhao the Second's father had passed away from illness half a year ago.

Now, there were only two living people left in this house: Zhao the Second and Old Lady Zhao.

Bang!

At that moment, the courtyard gate shut on its own.

"Young Master, come quickly to the inner room with me." Sun Cui'er followed at Zheng Que's side, speaking as she reached out to grab his arm.

Zheng Que immediately stepped back, avoiding her reaching hand, and asked coldly, "What are we doing in the inner room?"

Sun Cui'er lowered her head, a few stray locks of hair falling by her ears as she said, seemingly shy, "I have heard that once a husband has a child, he will love his wife more and become more considerate toward her."

"However, my husband refuses to touch me right now. If I want a child, I can only ask you, Young Master, to go to the inner room and make love with me, so that I may conceive an heir from you."

"That way, once I have a child, my husband will surely treat me well!"

"You already promised just now, Young Master; I beg you, you must help me!"

???

Zheng Que was momentarily stunned. This favor was certainly stimulating, but...

Swish!

Zheng Que suddenly slashed his own palm, simultaneously forming a complex hand seal.

Ghost Controlling Technique!

Since he had already confirmed that the other party was not a living person, he had no intention of wasting any time.

The next moment, the cultivator's blood, imbued with pure yang energy, transformed into a mist of blood. Like a living creature, it soared up and surrounded Sun Cui'er completely.

"Ah!!!"

Sun Cui'er let out a shrill, piercing scream, seemingly terrified of Zheng Que's spirit blood.

Her cry alerted the people inside the house. The door to the kitchen next to them swung open, and an elderly woman wearing a patched dress, her face weathered by hardship, rushed out.

The moment the elderly woman saw the situation in the courtyard, she flew into a rage. She grabbed a hoe from the side and charged at Zheng Que. "Let go of my daughter-in-law!"

As she spoke, Old Lady Zhao swung the hoe in her hands, aiming a vicious blow at Zheng Que's head.

Zheng Que was currently facing away from Old Lady Zhao. Hearing the wind whistling behind him, he couldn't help but frown. He was in the middle of casting a spell; if he stopped now, Zhao the Second's wife would certainly escape!

His thoughts raced, and he immediately looked toward Qing Li at his side. "Stop her! Don't hurt—"

Before he could finish saying "her," Qing Li's figure had already vanished from where she stood!

Clang!

The sound of the hoe hitting the ground rang out. Old Lady Zhao, who had just rushed out of the house, was instantly hoisted into the air by an unseen force.

Zheng Que furrowed his brows, turning his head to say something, but his expression shifted abruptly.

In the vision of his Spirit Eye Technique, Old Lady Zhao, who was suspended in the air, was surging with black smoke—the intensity of which was even greater than that of Sun Cui'er.

This Old Lady Zhao of the Zhao family had long since ceased to be a living person!