The early morning hours crept by in silence, save for the raucous laughter echoing from the villa’s courtyard.

In a small pavilion, Qin Lu, Gu Can, Lu Anchen, Lu Xuan, and Cao Yunxi sat surrounded by empty wine jars, their faces flushed with intoxication. The clatter of dice and boisterous shouts filled the air.

“Five sixes!”

“Open! I don’t believe you!”

They were playing “Liar’s Dice,” a game Qin Lu had introduced as a “traditional pastime from his hometown.” In truth, it was just a way to pass the time while the children were off on their ghost hunt.

“Ha! Little Whip Gun, you lose again! Drink!” Lu Anchen roared with laughter, pointing a finger at a sullen Gu Can.

“Damn it!” Gu Can cursed, snatching up his cup and draining it in one go.

“Hahaha!” Qin Lu leaned back, watching the scene with a rare sense of contentment.

Having escaped the suffocating tension of Wuji Market, surrounded by friends he could trust, Qin Lu felt a weight lift from his shoulders. For the first time since arriving in this brutal world, he felt a sense of belonging. The future, once a terrifying void, now seemed filled with possibility.

Just as the game was heating up for another round, a whistling sound cut through the night air.

The group fell silent, looking up.

A streak of green light descended rapidly from the pitch-black sky. As it drew closer, it resolved into the shape of a large, translucent leaf—a flying artifact.

“Huh?” Gu Can squinted. “Old Cao, isn’t that your son? Why is he back alone?”

Lu Anchen frowned, glancing at Cao Yunxi. “Didn’t the three of them go together?”

Cao Yunxi’s expression darkened instantly. He stood up, his gaze locked on the descending figure. “That [Green Leaf Boat] belongs to my wife. Why is A-Da flying it alone?”

The drunken haze evaporated. The five men exchanged sharp glances, the instinct for danger kicking in. They abandoned the dice game and strode out of the pavilion to meet the landing craft.

Cao Mo stumbled off the [Green Leaf Boat], his face pale and frantic. He didn’t even bother with a greeting.

“Father! Uncle Qin! Feng Xi is injured!”

“Injured?!” Qin Lu’s eyes narrowed, his voice dropping an octave. “What happened? How could a mere mortal ghost hurt a cultivator?”

“The female ghost was nothing,” Cao Mo panted, “but she had help…”

Cao Mo quickly recounted the disaster.

The trio had breached the palace with ease, locating the murderous spirit in a secluded courtyard. The fight had been comically one-sided; the ghost was weak, barely a match for three Qi Refining cultivators. However, in their arrogance and lack of coordination, they allowed her to slip through their fingers.

The chase had led them out of the palace, through the chaos of the capital, and into the wilderness. Just as they were about to corner her, two more ferocious spirits ambushed them, covering her retreat.

The pursuit continued until the ghosts fled into an ancient mausoleum.

Foolishly brave, the three teenagers charged in after them.

It was a trap. The mausoleum was a nest, teeming with over a hundred vengeful spirits. They were instantly swarmed. In the chaotic melee, Feng Xi took a heavy blow to her soul. If Qi Xiaofeng hadn’t arrived in the nick of time, using her Seventh Layer cultivation to drag them out, they might have died there.

Qi Xiaofeng had sent Cao Mo back to fetch reinforcements while she guarded the entrance. According to her, the mausoleum was an anomaly—a place thick with spiritual energy in a barren land.

“I see…”

Qin Lu let out a slow breath. His heart rate, which had spiked at the news of Feng Xi’s injury, began to settle.

Soul shock. It was painful, but not fatal. A few days of rest and some soul-soothing pills would see her right.

“Well then!” Gu Can stood up, cracking his neck. His fear was gone, replaced by greed and excitement. “Let’s go take a look! A nest of ghosts in a Qi-barren wasteland? There has to be a reason. Maybe there’s treasure inside!”

“Hmph! These filth dare to hurt our people?” Lu Xuan slammed a fist into his palm. “We’ll scatter their souls to the winds!”

Lu Anchen nodded slowly, his eyes gleaming. “Indeed. This could be an opportunity for us.”

Seeing the group’s bloodlust rising, Qin Lu nodded. “Fine. We go.”

He paused, a thought striking him. “A-Da, go grab the little Emperor. Bring him along. He might be useful.”

“On it!” Cao Mo jumped back onto the Green Leaf Boat and sped off toward the villa.

Qin Lu turned to Gu Can. “Where is your sister?”

“Dunno.” Gu Can shrugged. Then, realizing Qin Lu’s intent, he looked shocked. “Wait, Brother Qin… you’re not actually thinking of calling my sister for this?”

“Of course,” Qin Lu said calmly. “The mausoleum is an anomaly. We don’t know what’s inside. Having a Foundation Establishment expert as insurance is just common sense.”

“Uncle Qin, you worry too much!” Lu Anchen laughed, waving a dismissive hand. “We don’t need a Senior for this. It’s just a few ghosts.”

“Exactly,” Lu Xuan added, puffing out his chest. “We’re five late-stage Qi Refining cultivators. If we can’t handle a tomb of mortal ghosts, we might as well quit cultivation!”

“Yeah, don’t be so timid, Brother Qin! Hehe!” Gu Can grinned.

“Uh…”

Faced with the overwhelming confidence of the younger men, Qin Lu swallowed his caution. He didn’t want to look like a coward in front of his peers. He nodded reluctantly. “Fine.”

Moments later, Cao Mo returned, dragging a bewildered Emperor Zhang Ju behind him. The monarch was still in his silk sleeping robes, shivering in the night air. Cao Mo clearly hadn’t wasted time explaining anything—he had just kidnapped the ruler of the nation.

Qin Lu didn’t bother with explanations either. He waved his hand, and the [Flying Cloud Paper] unfurled from his sleeve.

“Let’s go!”

Infused with spiritual energy, the paper expanded into a large flying carpet. The group leaped on, crowding together as they shot into the sky.

The First-Tier High-Grade artifact wasn’t built for speed, but it was still faster than a galloping horse, and infinitely more direct. They cut a straight line through the night sky, leaving the mountains behind.

In less than thirty minutes, they arrived in the wilderness outside the capital, spotting the anxious figure of Qi Xiaofeng waiting near a dark, ominous mound.