Mysterious Ghost Illumination

Within the Zhao Mansion.

There were many people present now.

Aside from the County Office, the other three great families, some gangs, and even the Four Seasons Pharmacy and the Weapon-Forging Shop had all sent representatives.

Qin Jiu exchanged greetings with the various attendees, trying to glean more information.

But it was as if a layer of fog hung over everything.

No one could say for certain what the demon's intentions were, or what the hidden hand behind it all truly wanted.

"Qingyue, Qingyue, look quickly."

"Isn't that the man who almost became your husband?"

Just then.

Qin Jiu had just walked out of the main hall.

When he heard this remark.

He furrowed his brow and looked up to see a group of spirited young men and women in form-fitting attire walking toward him from the Zhao family courtyard. Han Qingyue was clearly among them.

The latter spotted Qin Jiu, paused for a moment, then nodded in greeting.

She then muttered discontentedly to the woman beside her, "Senior Sister Ye, please don't speak nonsense. My heart is set solely on the martial path. I have never been betrothed to anyone, and I have no feelings for that Young Master Qin. Besides, the world is full of outstanding talents like carp swimming upstream—why would I choose a dissolute playboy?"

Though her voice was barely audible.

Qin Jiu had now reached the pinnacle of Skin Polishing, and his five senses were keen. Every word fell into his ears without exception.

But he merely smiled faintly at this.

There was no ripple in his heart.

"Patriarch Qin, please wait a moment."

Suddenly.

A slightly plump man chased out from the hall.

It was the newly appointed head of the Qian Family.

Qin Jiu paused mid-step, turned back in surprise, and said, "Does Patriarch Qian have further advice?"

"Advice? I wouldn't dare."

"Our Qian Family will soon be selling off our properties in both the inner and outer city. Tonight, I have specially invited the Han Family, the martial arts schools of the inner and outer city, and others to a banquet. Patriarch Qin, would you be interested?"

As the man spoke, he wiped sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

His physique was slack.

Qin Jiu could tell at a glance.

That the man had never practiced martial arts.

But what surprised him most was not that the Qian Family patriarch was an ordinary person, but the mention of selling off their properties.

"Patriarch Qian, are you all..."

"Our Qian Family is moving away from Songshan County."

The Qian Family patriarch sighed. "A few days ago, our family suffered a great calamity. I thought that was already tragic enough, but I never expected that today, the Zhao Family would be wiped out in a massacre. There is no longer a single Internal Strengthening martial artist in my household. If we stay in the city and the demon returns, what happened to the Zhao Family today will be our Qian Family's fate tomorrow."

"Moving away?"

Hearing his sigh.

A strange expression crossed Qin Jiu's face.

This Qian Family certainly had boldness—abandoning the vast industries they had rooted in Songshan County for years and moving the entire family away.

But he had to admit, this move wasn't a bad one.

The county town was now seething with undercurrents, and the four great families were bearing the brunt of it.

Whether the demon, or the person behind it, was targeting a few families or the entire county, since no martial artist could stand against them, leaving was the only good option.

Thinking this.

He couldn't help but feel a flicker of temptation.

But only for a moment. Qin Jiu quickly suppressed the look on his face and nodded. "I will come by tonight."

"Good, good, good."

"Then I will await Patriarch Qin's arrival."

The Qian Family patriarch left, satisfied.

Wang Yue's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly, and he couldn't help but remind him, "Young Master, the Qian Family mainly deals in dyeing and cloth. Why would you want to..."

"Uncle Wang, no need to worry."

Qin Jiu shook his head. "Since the Qian Family is inviting all the local powers and moving the entire family out of Songshan County, I'll go to gather information from all sides. I also want to see if the Qian Family, making such a public spectacle, can actually get away smoothly."

"If this method proves feasible, our Qin Family may have no choice but to follow the Qian Family's example."

"Still, I have a feeling this won't go smoothly."

After returning to the Qin Family.

Qin Jiu dismissed all the servants and took the Cold Jade Marrow into his room.

"Ghost Illumination..."

"I wonder what kind of talent it will be."

He held the pitch-black iron lump in his hand.

With a thought, the Red Seal rumbled with a deep vibration. At the same time, the fist-sized Cold Jade Marrow instantly had a corner vanish, and the Silver Frost Fox illustration within his mind also disappeared.

"Hum—"

At this moment.

Qin Jiu felt as if an invisible heavy hammer.

Had slammed violently into the depths of his soul, nearly knocking him unconscious.

"Ugh—ah!"

He let out a pained roar.

This agony of the soul was more excruciating than any cruel torture in the world.

Fortunately, this sensation lasted only an instant.

If it had continued.

Qin Jiu reckoned his very spirit would have dissipated on the spot.

"This is..."

After he recovered his senses.

He discovered that he seemed to have gained an innate ability.

With just a slight shift of thought.

The surrounding scenery lost all color. Whether it was furniture and tables, or teacups and potted plants, everything turned into a vast expanse of white, as if he had stepped into an endless void.

Yet when Qin Jiu raised his hand, he could still touch the objects in front of him.

But within his field of vision, there was only a blinding whiteness.

"No, not just white."

"There's also gray, black..."

Qin Jiu was startled.

With a mere flicker of his mind, his consciousness seemed to cross space, arriving beside a streak of black light.

"My late father, Qin Xiong, because of your instigation, ultimately died at the hands of Qin Jiu."

"Why won't you help me take revenge!"

"I hate this!"

The moment he approached the mist-like black light.

He heard several voices filled with venomous resentment.

Qin Jiu was somewhat stunned.

At first, he thought he had encountered a vengeful spirit, but listening again, the voices sounded familiar—they seemed to belong to an external surname guard he had once seen.

"If I go by the real-world layout, I should be at the Martial Arts Arena right now."

He pondered.

Then walked over to a few streaks of gray light nearby.

And this time, voices also rang out.

"Qin Jiu's heart is too ruthless. Qin Xiong deserved to die a thousand deaths, that's true, but his family were all his cousins and siblings—yet he killed them without a second thought. This Qin Family is not worth staying in. I advise you all to leave soon too. With your martial skills, you can make a living anywhere. Why continue to stay in the Qin Family and aid the wicked?"

"After all, he's just a brash young man. Not understanding the ways of the world is normal."

"Brother Li, you..."

Hearing this.

Qin Jiu's consciousness stirred, and his mind instantly snapped back.

The surrounding white void simultaneously dissipated rapidly, revealing the familiar scenery of his room.

He opened his eyes and was about to move.

But an unprecedented fatigue, even a sense of dizziness, struck him instantly.

"This talent consumes so much mental energy."

Qin Jiu furrowed his brow.

He had no choice but to sit down on the edge of the bed.

At the same time, he understood the general function of the talent in his heart.

This Ghost Illumination talent could not only discern others' malice toward him, but also, under the talent's enhancement, allow his consciousness to enter a state resembling divine travel, thereby eavesdropping on the conversations of the black-gray mist.

As for the range—

It depended on the strength of his own mental power.

After resting briefly, Qin Jiu left the room and had a servant summon Wang Yue to the East Wing. Then he spoke: "Uncle Wang, regarding the guard squad, I recall there's one named Xie Xuan. He seemed to have a close relationship with Qin Xiong in the past. Find some people to investigate him."

"It's best to start the investigation from Wei Yan, Qin Xiong's former confidant."

"Also."

"Have someone send over some precious medicines to restore energy."