Chapter 48: The First Traces Of Yin And Yang

Bulldozer cautiously pulled to a stop, seemingly worried about startling Mu Wanxuan, who was quietly lost in thought. He even stepped on the brake pedal with unusual gentleness.

In the passenger seat, Zhou Yinglong rubbed his eyes as he woke up. "We're here?"

"Yes. Senior Brother, you can head back to the mountain first. My senior sister and I need to handle some personal matters," Wang Sheng said. "If a martial uncle asks about us, just say our master went to the Zhongnan Mountains to visit an old friend and that senior sister and I are out traveling."

Still a bit groggy, Zhou Yinglong muttered, "G-got it. Master Qing Yanzi is out too?"

Wang Sheng nodded and mumbled a few more words, then looked up to see Mu Wanxuan standing by the roadside. He pushed the car door open and walked toward his senior sister.

Well, time to make way, Zhou Yinglong thought.

"Senior sister?" Wang Sheng called softly, as if worried about startling Mu Wanxuan. His gentle tone bore no trace of the sharpness he had displayed while slashing through a fierce spirit.

The beautiful woman glanced around, her gaze lingering like a painted silhouette. His voice alone was enough for her to recognize who had arrived. When she finally found Wang Sheng, her eyes sparkled, and her lips curved into a bright smile.

"Let me carry those." Wang Sheng picked up their suitcases. He whispered, "Still no word from Master?"

"

Mm.

" Mu Wanxuan frowned slightly as she remembered their earlier discussions. She shook her head gently, her eyes showing a hint of worry.

She was clearly concerned about their junior sister, even though she had only seen her in photos.

Wang Sheng smiled faintly. "It's fine. We'll face this together. For as long as nothing unusual happens, we should be able to handle it. Master has done so much for us; we can't just stand by and do nothing."

Mu Wanxuan nodded in agreement and followed him toward the four-wheel drive.

Bulldozer and Mou Yue jumped out of the car, stood up straight, and gave Mu Wanxuan a respectful look.

A little reserved, Mu Wanxuan just gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and nodded politely at the two.

Wang Sheng quickly stowed their luggage, gave brief introductions, and bid Zhou Yinglong farewell. He then continued his journey with his senior sister.

Their arrival and departure were swift. With his senior sister replacing Zhou Yinglong, Wang Sheng felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.

It would take them three to four hours to reach their target city. The sooner they arrived, the less danger their junior sister would face.

The seating arrangement inside the car also shifted. Naturally, with his senior sister present, Wang Sheng sat in the back with her.

Mou Yue eagerly took the front passenger seat. Once she fastened her seatbelt, she turned to Mu Wanxuan, her round face filled with admiration.

"Fairy Bu Yu, you're so beautiful," Mou Yue gushed, "and your skin is flawless! With your figure and looks, it's a pity you're not in skincare commercials."

Mu Wanxuan blinked and gently tugged on her junior brother's arm for help, her expression a silent plea.

Wang Sheng reassured, "Don't worry, senior sister. She's the mistress's subordinate, not a bad person. She won't do anything inappropriate."

Mou Yue looked aggrieved. Her efforts to be friendly only earned her a lukewarm remark of "not a bad person."

Bulldozer chuckled softly. After glancing at Mu Wanxuan through the rearview mirror a few times, he focused on driving and refrained from further distractions.

"Does the mistress have any plans for this operation?" Wang Sheng asked.

"She hasn't sent out an official one yet. We've only gathered limited intelligence so far," Mou Yue replied, her tone serious now that they were discussing official business. "Our investigation unit was only recently established, and we haven't resolved many cases yet, so this mission is very important to us."

Bulldozer added, "This also involves our captain's daughter, so please understand if there are personal stakes."

Mou Yue shot Bulldozer a glare. "From the information we've gathered, this incident doesn't just involve the captain's daughter. Since we found signs of cultivators causing trouble in the shadows, it's within reason for us to intervene. Daoist Priests Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan, please don't think we're dragging you into this purely for personal reasons."

Seeing Mou Yue's slightly nervous expression, Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan exchanged a knowing smile.

"This matter is personal for us as well. We're not helping because of the Special Investigation Unit's request; we're here to help the captain," Wang Sheng said. "The person you're trying to rescue isn't just your captain's daughter—she's also our junior sister."

"What?"

"Are you serious?"

Mou Yue and Bulldozer looked stunned.

"Junior Sister? The captain's daughter is your junior sister?" Mou Yue's eyes lit up. Then, with a hand on her forehead, she exclaimed, "Wait, the captain and your master have history together?! No way! My brain is about to explode!"

Wang Sheng stretched. "That's the situation. Master is off visiting a friend and cultivating, so he's unreachable at the moment. As his disciples, we can't just stand by and let his daughter be bullied or put in danger."

"

Mm!

" Mu Wanxuan nodded firmly. Her slender fingers swiped across her phone screen, and she held it up to show a meme that perfectly captured her feelings—an anime character with disheveled hair and two blood-dripping machetes, their expression crazed and determined.

Wang Sheng calmly added, "That's why although we'll help with the rescue, our priority is saving our junior sister. This might not entirely align with your investigation's objectives."

Mou Yue and Bulldozer exchanged a glance before nodding lightly. They understood what Wang Sheng meant.

Their goals could overlap, but the focus of their actions differed.

Buzz!

Mou Yue and Bulldozer's pockets vibrated simultaneously. Mou Yue quickly pulled out her ID, which projected a stream of information.

"Is it the plan?" Wang Sheng leaned closer to look, but the text was reversed from his angle, making it hard to read.

"No, it's about that corrupt cultivator Lee Qiran." Mou Yue pursed her lips slightly. "News just came in—he's dead."

Dead?

Wang Sheng instinctively thought it could have been his own doing, but Mou Yue's next words made his frown deepen.

"Lee Qiran's death is quite strange. When he was sent to the research institute—" Mou Yue cleared her through. "

Ahem

. When he was sent to a classified location, his injuries had already stabilized, and no abnormalities were detected in his body.

"But as soon as they arrived and connected him to instruments for testing, a bug burrowed out of his forehead, and he died on the spot."

𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

A bug?

Wang Sheng quickly came up with a few possibilities, though none could be easily articulated. "Can you share more details? Maybe I can help you figure something out."

"Of course! Your help in this matter is more than what we can ask for. Please wait a moment; I'll apply for permission."

Mou Yue immediately went to work, making a few quick phone calls and speaking in hushed tones. Soon after, her phone and ID began vibrating as the relevant information about the corrupt cultivator was organized and sent over for Wang Sheng to review.

His senior sister leaned over out of curiosity, glancing at the photos on Mou Yue's phone. Her delicate brow furrowed instantly.

In the images, Lee Qiran was shown lying on his back, his eyes wide open. However, his eyeballs were shriveled, and his face was covered in dark-purple and green lines. The bloody thumb-sized sunken wound in his forehead seemed to be evidence that something had drilled through his skull from the inside.

Swiping through the images, he soon found the culprit—a small worm resembling a silkworm chrysalis. It was now just a preserved specimen, though.

"That's a Gu bug," Wang Sheng remarked.

Mou Yue turned to Wang Sheng as best as she could to take notes in her small notebook.

Wang Sheng quickly scrolled through more photos, searching for additional useful information. He stopped at a close-up shot of Lee Qiran's arm. On the inside of his elbow was a subtle black-and-white tattoo of the Tai Chi symbol.

Few people would understand the significance of the pattern. But for Wang Sheng, the tattoo and the wound were all too familiar.

The Yin-Yang Cult, which had once wreaked havoc in the cultivation world for several years in his previous life, had already started its covert activities in this timeline.

The world was never short of ambitious individuals. Since the resurgence of primal qi, some of those who previously couldn't achieve their aspirations seemed to have found new opportunities to rise.

Wang Sheng wanted to warn the Special Investigation Unit to be on guard against the Yin-Yang Cult. However, after some thought, he hesitated.

While he knew that the Yin-Yang Cult was strong, having recruited many corrupt cultivators and unaffiliated practitioners, it had once wreaked havoc across the Hua Republic at its peak. It had also clashed with Daoist sects in both open conflict and covert struggles for years before the Daoist sects finally joined forces to suppress it.

However, he had no clear understanding of their exact operations, core members, or true objectives. Most of what he knew came from news articles and scattered information.

After deliberating, Wang Sheng chose a few photos and showed them to Mou Yue.

"I've seen this kind of Gu poison in an ancient text. It's called the Yin-Yang Blood-Devouring Gu poison. The source of this Gu poison usually comes in pairs—one yin and one yang—and are interlinked. Cloaking them in Daoist spells and inserting them into someone's ear inflicts the person with Gu poison, which enhances their spiritual consciousness.

"However, if the Yang Gu bug is put in cold water, the Yin Gu bug will go berserk, devouring the victim's flesh and brain. Conversely, putting the Yin Gu bug in hot water will drive the Yang Gu bug into a frenzy, killing the victim from thousands of miles away."

As Bulldozer frowned, Mou Yue pursed her lips. "Is that even real?"

"The proof is already right in front of you, aren't they?" Wang Sheng retorted calmly.

Mou Yue quickly nodded. "Did you notice anything else? Please share as much as you can."

"Yes, this symbol here," Wang Sheng said, handing the phone back to Mou Yue. The screen displayed the enlarged Yin-Yang symbol. "This may seem like the common Tai Chi symbol used by Daoist sects, but it's not. You should have someone compare it closely. There are subtle differences between this tattoo and traditional Tai Chi symbols."

"What does that signify?"

"That a powerful organization was backing Lee Qiran. The Yin-Yang Gu poison, this symbol, and the wooden cauldron artifact I destroyed all indicate that the corrupt cultivator organization that had been supporting him has already grown into a sizable operation. The Special Investigation Unit should quickly establish contact with the major mountain sects."

Mou Yue frowned in thought, seemingly connecting the dots. She then looked at Wang Sheng in shock. "The haunting at the Li family estate wasn't just about Lee Qiran seeking personal revenge! Could the Li family's assets be the real target of the corrupt cultivator organization backing Lee Qiran?"

Wang Sheng smiled faintly. The girl was quite sharp; it didn't take much for her to piece it all together.

"The key factors in cultivation are methods, wealth, companions, and location. This principle doesn't just apply to orthodox Daoist cultivators. Unaffiliated practitioners and corrupt cultivators also need resources to purchase cultivation materials."

Wang Sheng left it at that. These matters were for the investigation team and the police to delve into; they had little to do with him directly.

"I'll report this immediately! Thank you so much for your insights!" Clenching her fists in excitement, Mou Yue turned back and immediately went to work again.

Wang Sheng glanced at his senior sister. With an expression full of questions, she blinked at him in confusion. The worry that had been lingering in his heart instantly dissipated.

It was just a large-scale organization for corrupt cultivators. There was no need to fear them. After all, he was no longer the same person he used to be in his past life.