Xun Kun pressed his lips tight with anger and was about to summon the soul bell within his body to break the formation, when the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella inside Yunxi reacted first. Without its master's call, it slipped free and opened slowly above the four of them.
The black dragon woven across the canopy did not hesitate. It dove toward the formation at their feet, flicked its tail once, and shattered the array, freeing them on the spot.
Yunxi lifted her hand and caught the umbrella's handle. The black dragon sank into the floor, then resurfaced a moment later, coiling the old ghost who had schemed against them and tossing him at their feet. It hovered, glaring at him like a predator.
The old ghost had lost all his former composure. His body grew several shades paler. He knelt and trembled. "Spare me, Dàrén. I did not recognize Mount Tai before my eyes. I was insolent. Please let this old ghost off just this once. I will never dare again."
Xun Kun said icily, "You are not the shop's owner. Call your master here to talk. We have no wish to dirty our hands."
Meanwhile, Yunxi was already speaking with the umbrella's spirit. "Hei Yao, why so proactive this time? And your strike did not drain my soul power. That makes me curious."
Hei Yao's voice was calm. "Master, have you forgotten? I am the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella. I was born of the Nine Nether, forged from the bones and scales of a nether dragon. In the Underworld, fighting with me gives you a natural advantage."
"I do remember. But finding you in the cultivation world, and with wind as your foremost attribute, made it easy to overlook your origin and materials."
"All dragons command wind and rain. Wind is but one of my attributes. The artificer enhanced my wind affinity, so the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella was categorized as a wind-attribute treasure."
Yunxi listened, then asked, "Hei Yao, since you came from the Nine Nether, do you want to revisit your old home? Is there some wish left undone? I do not know how your body was captured, nor why you left the Underworld, but if you became a spirit of your own will, there must be a reason. Perhaps I can help you find the answer."
Hei Yao was silent for a while, then said, "Since I awakened as an artifact spirit, I remember nothing from before. I only have memories from the time of my awakening. You cultivators often say past matters need not be pursued. What came before, good or bad, did not happen to me, Hei Yao the spirit. There is no need to chase it or add trouble. Things are fine as they are."
Yunxi almost gave him a thumbs-up. That was more clear-sighted than she was. She still planned, after achieving her path, to return to the world she had crossed from just to look.
"Alright. If that's how you want it, we will do it your way."
After the old ghost sent a message talisman to his shopkeeper, Yunxi recalled the black dragon and returned the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella to her body.
Without the dragon's deterrence, the old ghost stopped shaking like a sieve, but he kept sneaking three-whites glances at Yunxi, sclera showing around his pupils.
Han Lian snorted. "Stop staring. Keep it up and I will dig your eyes out."
The old ghost jerked his head down at once.
Moments later, a gaunt man draped in soul artifacts flashed into the shop. He paused when he saw the four of them, then looked at the old ghost curled on the floor like a quail. His brows pinched together, but he still gave a polite clasp-fist salute. "Honored guests, what did this old ghost do to offend you?"
Xun Kun's voice was deep. "Your underling lured us to the second floor and activated a vile soul-draining array to steal our soul power. Did you know of this?"
"Perhaps there is some misunderstanding. The old ghost has served Qianbao Pavilion for many years. This is the first I have heard of such a thing."
Clearly, the shopkeeper trusted his man.
Seeing this, the old ghost cried out, "Young master, save me. They forced their way into Qianbao Pavilion, I could not resist, so I called for you. They are trying to black—"
He never finished. Xun Kun sealed his mouth with a gesture.
The gaunt man's brow tightened, displeasure flickering.
Yunxi gave a slight, dismissive curl of her lip. "What should we call the shopkeeper?"
"I am Rong Le."
"Shopkeeper Rong Le, is it not possible your old ghost specifically targets newly arrived ghosts without backing? He takes their soul power, and no one suspects him, because Qianbao Pavilion has a respected name and serves as his shield. He gains the benefit while Qianbao Pavilion takes the blame. It is profit without risk."
The old ghost's eyes bulged. He groaned through the seal, fiercely denying Yunxi's words.
Rong Le kept his face calm. "If what the young lady says can be proven, I will deal with this old ghost and offer apologies."
Yunxi smiled. "To prove it, a soul search would suffice."
Rong Le frowned and refused. "Such methods are forbidden in the Underworld."
"Oh? Then it is simple. My friend can make him speak of his own will. Would Shopkeeper Rong Le care to listen?"
A glint passed through Rong Le's eyes. He nodded. "Very well. I would like to hear what this old ghost has been doing behind my back. But if he is innocent, how will the four of you compensate for the damage you have done to my shop?"
Yunxi thought for a breath, then lifted the Nine Nether Dragon Umbrella on her palm. "We have not yet exchanged for soul stones since arriving. If we cannot prove the old ghost's guilt, I will compensate you with this treasure."
At the umbrella's appearance, Rong Le's gaze stuck to it. Surprise flashed and quickly faded. He pressed, "Are you certain?"
"Of course."
"Good. Then let us begin."
"Wait."
Han Lian's frosty voice cut in.
Only then did Rong Le look at Han Lian, impatience in his tone. "Aren't you together? Why the disagreement?"
Han Lian slapped the counter beside her and snorted. "Is the Underworld home to only one clever ghost, and that is you? We are staking a heavy treasure. If we lose, you get a windfall. And you? If we are right, what will you pay? Do not think you can wave it away with a few ghostly words."
"Amitabha. Shopkeeper Rong Le, that is not very upright," Yun Chen Fózǐ added.
Pressed by Han Lian and Yun Chen Fózǐ, Rong Le's expression cooled. "Qianbao Pavilion deals honestly. If the old ghost truly did such filth and ruined my pavilion's name, anything in this shop is yours to take."
"Shopkeeper Rong Le is generous," Xun Kun said mildly. He summoned the soul bell into his hand and rang it before the old ghost's eyes.
Soundless ripples spread from the bell in waves.
From resistance, the old ghost slowly sank into calm. Xun Kun's voice dropped. "Old ghost, tell us what happened when you met the four honored guests today."
"Yes. Today, four newly entered ghosts came in. Their soul power was dense, and this old ghost coveted it. I invited them to the second floor and activated the Soul-Draining Array."
As the confession continued, Rong Le's face grew uglier by the breath.
When Xun Kun put away the bell, the old ghost blinked, then blurted, "Young master, I was controlled. Those words were not true."
Rong Le cleared his throat, trying to salvage the situation, but Yunxi smiled. "Shopkeeper Rong Le, do not rush to deny it for him. I have more evidence."