Spirit Binding and General Commanding, Old Daoist of the Pei Family, Water Ghoul Soft Armor

Luo Bin narrowed his eyes, his mind rapidly flipping through recent images of Chen Manqing.

At the estate outside the city, she had slept from the afternoon of the previous day until nearly noon the next... Back at the Chen Residence, she was listless too, as if she could never sleep enough.

Luo Bin turned his head and said, "Junzhi, go wait for me at A-Jing's place first. I have some business to take care of."

Hu Junzhi assumed Luo Bin had been invited by some "opera star" or "courtesan," agreed readily, and hurried off to find Chen Jing.

Luo Bin's gaze darkened slightly. "What exactly does your young lady know?"

Before the coquettish woman could answer, a white car pulled to a stop about fifty paces ahead.

Four people got out of the car, instantly drawing Luo Bin's attention again. Among them was a young man with a gaunt, slightly thin face—it was none other than Wu Gou, whom he had encountered during the Elite Selection.

The remaining three consisted of a driver and a middle-aged woman in a floral dress. Without a doubt... the last one was Chen Manqing, dressed in a plain white qipao.

Wu Gou noticed Luo Bin first, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before a faint disgust surged in his eyes. He then whispered two words into Chen Manqing's ear, and her gaze immediately locked onto Luo Bin.

Luo Bin found it somewhat amusing. This Wu Gou really was Chen Manqing's dog, following her everywhere and even taking it upon himself to spot enemies for his master...

When Chen Manqing saw Luo Bin, she froze for a moment. He was in a suit and leather shoes, his frame broad and slightly imposing—it seemed a bit different from a few days ago...

But none of that could offset the disgust she felt from the bottom of her heart. A toad lusting after swan meat—that was probably the kind of person he was.

Her face remained composed, but a trace of disregard and contempt flickered in her eyes.

"Miss Chen, what a coincidence running into you here..." Luo Bin spoke first.

Chen Manqing brushed past him as if she hadn't heard a word. Wu Gou, a slight curl at the corner of his mouth, followed behind her and walked straight on.

Just as expected...

Luo Bin's probing greeting was meant to gauge where Chen Manqing's mindset currently stood. He hadn't expected her aversion to him to be this severe...

That was reassuring, then... He would head to Su Yunong's place, treating it as curiosity about what shameful secrets this Chen Family's eldest daughter might have worth savoring.

Seeing Chen Manqing's cold attitude, the coquettish woman feared the bait she had laid earlier might fail, so she quickly added, "Young Master Luo, the information my young lady has will definitely be to your liking..."

Luo Bin's lips curved slightly. "Is that so? Lead the way, then."

Qunyu Garden was called an opera garden, primarily focused on performances, but the surrounding area was filled with shops and establishments run by foreign compradors, merchants, and powerful figures... It lacked the warmth of everyday life but was thick with an air of extravagance.

The two arrived at a richly fragrant coffeehouse.

As they entered, Luo Bin swept his gaze across the room. A woman sitting by the window set down her coffee, rose, and walked over with a smile.

"Young Master Luo, Yunong has been longing for your visit. Last time, the setting wasn't quite convenient, but this time, I must properly thank you."

Su Yunong wore light makeup. Her attire wasn't a qipao but a tailored, form-fitting silk dress that hugged her curves, her cheeks smooth and lovely...

Luo Bin nodded with a smile. "Miss Su need not thank me. What brought me here is the information you have—it's quite intriguing to me... I wonder what exactly is causing the eldest young lady to be so prone to drowsiness?"

Su Yunong didn't answer. She moved with light, graceful steps into a private booth.

"I hear you were once a guard for the Pei Family?"

Luo Bin smiled faintly, unashamed of his humble origins. "That's right."

Su Yunong continued, "That's no small feat—climbing to such a high position in such a short time. It shows your boldness and no small measure of martial talent..."

She emphasized the words "martial talent," her eyes fixed intently on Luo Bin's expression. He remained perfectly composed.

"And what does this have to do with the Chen Family's eldest daughter?"

Su Yunong took the coffee the waiter brought and gently pushed it toward Luo Bin. "The eldest young lady's condition is hardly unrelated to the Pei Family."

Luo Bin narrowed his eyes. "I'd ask Miss Su to enlighten me."

"I imagine that when you were still of humble beginnings, working as a guard for the Pei Family, you must have heard of something... The Pei Family once hosted a Daoist priest, a man with a unique skill—a strange art called [Spirit Binding and General Commanding]."

Spirit Binding and General Commanding!

Luo Bin began sifting through the jumbled memories of his predecessor. In an instant, countless scenes flashed through his mind like a film reel.

"Spirit Binding and General Commanding? I've heard of it..."

Su Yunong adjusted her sleeves, leaned forward, and brought her jade-like face close to Luo Bin's across the table. In that moment, the distance between their eyes was no more than two fists apart.

"A person has three souls and seven spirits... Among them, the three souls are beyond human control. This strange art, Spirit Binding and General Commanding, has two functions. One is to summon and command Strange Specters for one's own use within certain limits.

The other is to seize an ordinary person's 'spirit.' Of course, seizing a person's spirit comes with conditions."

Luo Bin's breathing quickened. Based on his recent observations of Chen Manqing, it was entirely possible that one of her spirits had been taken—after all, such a subtle and hidden change as excessive drowsiness...

Su Yunong had unknowingly picked up on this subtle detail, and the fact that she dared to say it to his face meant she was confident in her judgment...

"What conditions?" Luo Bin suppressed the agitation in his heart.

"A personal item that has been steeped in the eldest young lady's aura for years would suffice.

As for that old Daoist of the Pei Family, I know little about him. But lately, the eldest young lady has been frequenting Qunyu Garden with a young man, looking listless—I've seen it with my own eyes. The most amusing part is that when she watched five operas with that young man, she fell asleep during four of them."

At this point, Su Yunong's seductive eyes relaxed slightly, as if she had encountered something amusing.

Luo Bin now had some guesses in his mind, and seeing Su Yunong's casual sense of control over everything, a chill crept into his heart...

This woman—what was her background? How had she set her sights on the Chen Family, and how was she so intimately familiar with these details and circumstances?

His wariness immediately sharpened.

"Miss Su, revealing such important information—what's in it for you?"

Su Yunong replied, "I just enjoy talking to clever people.

Don't you realize your own potential?

Breaking through a realm in one night, and among all the candidates the Chen Family has scoured for years to match the 'Primordial Stance,' you're the only one with terrifyingly high compatibility... These things aren't hard to find out.

For a young man with extraordinary martial talent, we always go out of our way to recruit him..."

Luo Bin frowned and asked, "'We'?"

"Let's not get into that for now. If you have any demon materials or precious medicines to trade, just come to me. I'll give you the best price I can..."

Luo Bin decided not to overthink it. He would steadily improve his strength first. As long as Chen Manqing didn't die, he had no obligation to run around for her...

At this moment, Luo Bin remembered the Water Mountain Ghoul scales still lying idle with Zhang Huai and the other man. "Miss Su, you have a wide network. I have a Demon Specter scale—could you help me make it into two pieces of close-fitting soft armor?"

Su Yunong was slightly surprised. "It seems Mr. Luo has been quite productive lately. Send the materials to me, along with your body measurements... I'll let you know when they're done."

"Thank you."