"This thing is useful to me!" Xiao Hua said calmly. "Zi Ye, can you capture this demonic being?"
Ever since discovering that Zi Ming was Zi Ye, this was the first time Xiao Hua had addressed her by that name. Though it was only a casual "Zi Ye," it set Zi Ming's heart ablaze, and the familial affection Zi Yan had hollowed out of her earlier instantly brimmed over once more.
"No problem, Fellow Daoist Xiao!" Zi Ming smiled faintly and clapped her hand, taking a round bone bead from her embroidered pouch. The bead was crystal-clear and translucent. "Go!" With a light shout from Zi Ming, the bone bead flew into the black qi. As the bone staff in her hand swung, all the black qi, together with the demonic shadow, poured into the bead like a giant whale swallowing water!
The bone bead instantly turned black. Amid the threadlike black qi, a savage demonic shadow could occasionally still be seen drifting within!
"This belongs to Fellow Daoist Xiao!" Zi Ming pointed, sending the bone bead flying before Xiao Hua.
Xiao Hua looked at it and shook his head. "Zi Yan was likely possessed by a demonic being. This involves Houtu Village's secrets, and it seems it would be even more useful to Zi Ye, wouldn't it?"
Yet Zi Ming smiled. "I already know what I needed to know. And what I do not know... is also what I do not wish to know! If Fellow Daoist Xiao discovers anything and feels it can be told to me, then tell me later. I fear that after hearing this demonic soul's words, I would see everyone in Houtu Village as an enemy. Rather than that... I would rather not pursue the matter!"
"Good!" Xiao Hua said with a smile. "Zi