Xie Zhirou

The fear in the butler's eyes deepened. "The first was that concubine. She was found in the garden, covered in blood, with all her limbs missing, as though she had suffered terrible torment before she died."

Su Li nodded. "And then?"

"Then... then several servants died every day in all sorts of ways. Only then did we realize that the madam might really have returned for revenge. Many people were killed before they could escape the estate."

"The general realized the problem too. He invited many ritual masters, but none of them helped."

"By then... we had been killed too and become departed souls. The madam was too powerful, but for some reason, she didn't destroy our souls. We only dared to cower in hiding. Then I saw the madam torture the general to death in the same way."

Su Li narrowed his eyes. "What about that general? Didn't he become a ghost?"

The butler trembled. "The general and that concubine were tortured for five years before their souls finally scattered."

Su Li looked pleased. "Well done."

The Headless Female Ghost could not help saying bitterly, "They deserved it!"

The butler looked at the two of them and involuntarily shrank back in his Soul Body.

Su Li thought for a moment, then continued, "Do you know what your madam is doing now?"

"It... it seems that after she died, she happened to discover her child's Soul Body. But he had been too young when he died, and his death had been so terrible that he became a ghost... The madam has always wanted to save her child. After everyone in the estate died, she rarely came out."

"So she's been using the resentment and ghostly energy of the entire estate to sustain her child all these years?"

"...Yes, but lately the madam has been in a frenzy. Her child seems to be in a bad state right now... so we haven't dared to come out."

Su Li smiled in understanding. Then, without waiting for the butler to continue, he gathered all the resentful souls into the Ghost Ring.

He let the Ghost Ring's energy circulate slowly, refining all the resentful souls.

There would be even more Soul Crystals this time.

Zheng Xing asked Su Li, "Boss, where should we go next?"

"To find that general's wife."

They arrived at the general's wife's quarters. The place had an antique elegance and was quite clean, as though it was swept regularly.

Su Li's gaze shifted, and he walked straight toward a stand holding a vase beside the bed.

He gave it a hard twist. The floor beneath the bed opened, revealing stairs. There was probably a hidden chamber below.

After Su Li and the others entered, they saw a dark pool in the very center of the chamber. In the middle of the pool stood a platform, with the Soul Body of a boy about three years old on it.

The energy emanating from the pool slowly flowed toward the Soul Body.

But the Soul Body was very unstable, as though it might dissipate at any moment.

Just then, a resentful female voice rang out. "Who are you?!"

A woman appeared before them, dressed in red ancient robes, with golden ornaments adorning her head.

This vicious ghost was very different from the others. Apart from her extreme pallor, she was beautiful, with bright red lips, but towering resentment and ghostly energy radiated from her entire body.

Her eyes were filled with resentment and wariness. "Who are you?!"

She took a fighting stance, as though she would tear them apart if Su Li gave the wrong answer.

Su Li circulated the demonic power throughout his body. An oppressive aura instantly rose around him, revealing a trace of black-and-red energy.

The female ghost immediately felt a mountain-like weight pressing down on her.

Her Soul Body was instantly wracked with unbearable pain. It seemed that if the energy of the person before her touched her, her soul would scatter!

He's so powerful... has he come to kill me?

No... I can't die yet. My Xuan'er!!

What she feared now was not the destruction of her soul, but what would happen to her child if she was gone!

Her voice was shrill. "No... no... Xuan'er..."

Su Li moved a finger.

The female ghost felt her whole body lighten. The mountain-like weight vanished, and the pain in her Soul Body slowly faded as well.

She spoke weakly. "What... exactly do you want?"

Su Li did not answer her. He only looked at the boy's Soul Body behind her.

Sensing his gaze, the female ghost hurriedly dropped to her knees. "My lord, please spare my child. Please!"

As she spoke, she repeatedly kowtowed to Su Li.

Su Li parted his lips. "Your child. I can save him."

The female ghost stopped kowtowing, as though she had heard something unbelievable. "Wh... what?"

Su Li repeated, "That Soul Body. I can keep him from dissipating."

Shock filled the female ghost's eyes. She did not doubt Su Li's words. Someone like him would have killed her already if he wanted to. She also believed he had the power to save Xuan'er, but why would he help her?

"My lord, what would you have me do?" Her tone was firm. As long as her child could be saved, she would do anything.

A surge of black energy emanated from Su Li's hand and rushed toward the boy's Soul Body.

The female ghost kept her eyes fixed on her child, watching the changes in him, her face full of concern.

The beam of energy enveloped the boy's Soul Body, then slowly disappeared as it was absorbed.

She saw her child's Soul Body become exceptionally stable. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Mother," he called.

The female ghost's eyes widened at once. She teleported to her child's side in a flash and held him in wild joy, as though embracing a lost treasure recovered, tears like blood streaming from her eyes.

"My Xuan'er..."

Then she carried her child over to Su Li and knelt before him. "Thank you for saving Xuan'er, my lord. Whatever you want me to do, I will accomplish it even if my soul must scatter!"

Su Li stared at her. "What is your name?"

"My name is Xie Zhirou."

Su Li pointed at the child. "And what is his name?"

A complicated look filled Xie Zhirou's eyes. "He was originally called Yin Tingxuan, but that man wasn't worthy, so I changed Xuan'er's surname to Xie. Xie Tingxuan."

Su Li nodded. "You'll work under me from now on. You don't need to worry about your child, either. He can even grow up in the future."

Ecstasy shone in Xie Zhirou's eyes, and she promptly bowed low. "My respects, my lord!"

"You have no objections?" Su Li raised an eyebrow.

Xie Zhirou's gaze was respectful. "You saved my child, my lord. I will always be loyal to you!"

"Get up." Then Su Li pointed at the Headless Female Ghost. "Follow her back in a little while."

Xie Zhirou stood and bowed. "Yes."

Wonderful. I can stay with my child forever.

Then she bowed to the Headless Female Ghost as well. "Sorry for the trouble."

The Headless Female Ghost shook her head, thinking that people from ancient times had so many formalities.

After leaving the hidden chamber, Su Li told Xie Zhirou, "I'll be taking all the resentful souls in this estate."

Xie Zhirou bowed. "Please go ahead, my lord."

She even took the initiative to help Su Li catch the resentful souls that fled.

The general's estate became completely quiet.

Back at the hotel, Su Li washed up and reclined on the bed.

Yuan was beside him.

He turned to Yuan and said, "I'm not a good person. I didn't help Xie Zhirou and her child today because I'm kind."

Yuan gazed at him gently. "I know, Master."

Yuan was telling Su Li stories.

Some fairy tales.

Su Li slowly fell asleep to Yuan's gentle, low voice.

"Master, I will always stay with you."

A smile unconsciously curved Su Li's lips.