Yunxi listened to Han Lian, then smiled. "Since we're all in agreement, let's start digging for clues and see if we can find something new."
She flicked out the Memory Jade and froze the image on that eerie green formation designed to siphon their soul power.
On the other side, Black and White Impermanence received word that Ran Xi's group of four had smashed "Qianbao Pavilion." The two exchanged a glance and hurried toward Wanyuan Residence.
Black Impermanence sounded exhausted. "Brother Bai, do you think these four are just born to clash with us? Every time we meet them, it's trouble."
White Impermanence shook his head. "It's not the four of them clashing with us. It's Ran Xi. From the moment our paths crossed with her, this entanglement was inevitable."
Black Impermanence kneaded his cheeks. "If I'd known, I would have given her more soul stones, paid her the full reward for retrieving the Soul-Collecting Mirror. Without Soul Incense, she wouldn't have been able to contact us. Then none of this mess would be dragging on us."
White Impermanence still shook his head. "Even without us, there would have been other underworld envoys. Since she was destined to pass through the Ghost Realm, she must have her mission.
If she hadn't contacted us, how would the underworld have learned what happened on Azure Star, or that our work had gone wrong? If the cycle of rebirth in a small world is severed, have you considered the consequences?
From what I know, ten small worlds now share Azure Star's problem. I quietly asked Judge Cui. Half of those small worlds have already become true dead stars. That means the evil cultivators have harvested the wrath-laden souls of five whole small worlds."
Black Impermanence wanted to cover his ears. Was this something he was even supposed to know?"Enough. Don't cover them. You'll hear it anyway. Since the entanglement is fated, we might as well help actively and earn some merit. I still want a promotion."
Black Impermanence's eyes widened. "Brother Bai, I didn't expect you to be so ambitious."
"Tsk, do you want to keep souls trapped forever? Do you want to collect souls forever? I don't. Let's go. We'll see why they're making such a high-profile move. None of those four are the flaunting type."
Black Impermanence could only keep up.
When Black and White Impermanence arrived at Wanyuan Residence, they tapped the formation and were soon admitted to see Ran Xi's group of four.
Yunxi and the others had already found something about the soul-siphoning formation and were debating whether to share it, when Black and White Impermanence came calling.
This time Yun Chen Fózǐ spoke first. "What brings you two here? Did you bring good news? Can we leave the Ghost Realm already?"
Black Impermanence cleared his throat and spoke before White Impermanence. "We heard you smashed 'Qianbao Pavilion' today and worried you might be in trouble, so we came to check on you."
Yunxi's look said, "You're overthinking it."
"It wasn't anything big. An old ghost coveted our soul power and set a formation to trap us. We destroyed the formation. Then the ghost servant's master came to make trouble. He talked about compensation, but he wanted to send us away without paying a single soul stone. I lost my temper and didn't hold back. The shop got flattened.
Don't worry. No innocents were harmed. We also explained everything to Captain Li Ze of the patrol. He confirmed it had nothing to do with us and personally escorted us back to Wanyuan Residence. He went after that shopkeeper Rong Le."
Black and White Impermanence exchanged a glance. They could tell Ran Xi's words had some water in them, but since the Patrol Division had already taken over, all they had to do was wait for the results.
"In any case, it's best if you're unharmed. Still, I think it's safer for you to remain in Wanyuan Residence," White Impermanence reminded them again.
Yunxi nodded, then gave Han Lian a quick wink. Han Lian immediately understood, spread the Ghost Realm map across the table, and smiled. "We're in a hurry to return to Weiyu Realm. Which route would get us back in the shortest time?"
Black and White Impermanence didn't know how to answer. They truly had no idea when the four would leave or which route they would take.
Yunxi asked casually, "Earlier, Li Ze also told us to stay put. He said there was a massacre in a city nearby. The soul power of the entire city's ghost cultivators was drained, and even his colleagues in the Patrol Division weren't spared."
Black Impermanence replied on instinct, "He must mean Chimei City."
The moment he spoke, the four found Chimei City on the map. Sure enough, it wasn't far from Fengdu City where the Judge Division was located.
White Impermanence wanted to stop him, but it was too late. They had clearly been led on, and his brother had blurted it out.
Yunxi noticed the helpless flicker in White Impermanence's eyes and smiled. "Brother Bai, that really was what Captain Li Ze told us. He just didn't say where it was. I was curious, so I asked in passing. You can't call that leaking secrets."
White Impermanence shook his head. "This matter has already spread among us underworld envoys. It isn't much of a secret. The problem is we haven't caught the culprit yet. After the Azure Star incident broke, the entire underworld focused on rechecking the Book of Life and Death. Only the Patrol Division is still pursuing this case."
"Any leads?"
White Impermanence shook his head. "None for the time being."
Yunxi considered for a moment, then projected the formation the old ghost had set up. "Have you seen this array before?"
Black Impermanence's face tightened, but he first glanced at White Impermanence. When White Impermanence nodded, he said, "This formation matches the one that appeared in the sky before Chimei City was emptied. How did you learn of it?"
Yunxi tossed the Memory Jade to White Impermanence. "See for yourself."
White Impermanence watched, then handed the jade to Black Impermanence and said, "So you've attracted the thing that destroyed Chimei City. No wonder."
"Captain Li Ze went to investigate 'Qianbao Pavilion,' but we don't know how that's going. Have you received any updates?"
Black Impermanence shook his head. "No. We only came because we heard you smashed the shop. We have no news yet."
"The other side's plan failed, and now they know they slipped up. They won't show themselves easily. If you hear anything, please tell us. We don't like being kept in someone's thoughts."
"All right."
Black and White Impermanence then took their leave.
After they were gone, Yunxi said, "Tell me, why would the evil cultivators risk exposing themselves? What do they gain?"
Han Lian said, "Test our strength?"
Yun Chen said, "To see whether we've connected this to the evil cultivators?"
Xun Kun said, "There is definitely a purpose. We just don't know it yet."
That very night, an eerie green formation surfaced above Wanyuan Residence, shrouding the entire courtyard within.