Page 20

Reclaiming a soul fragmentmight have been difficult for other practitioners of the Mystical Arts, but for Yaoyao, who was naturally attuned to souls, this task was surprisingly simple.

Her plump little hand lifted, her fingertips glowing with spiritual energy. She pointed in the direction of the two children lying on the wooden bench and began to draw their souls toward her.

Both children were soundly asleep, their bodies marked with Yellow Talismans— symbols of peace and soul-binding. The talismans prevented their souls from resisting and created a stillness necessary for the ritual. These talismans not only stabilized the soulsbut kept them passive, ensuring no struggles during the process.

After all, her goal was to reclaim the lost soul, not destroy it. Every spell and precaution had to be meticulously laid out, careful and exact.

"Are we starting now?" Gu Yuasked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

The idea of soul exchangewas too novel and mysterious for him. Before he could say more, a sharp look from the other members of the Gu familysilenced him.

"Seventh Brother, shut up already. Don't disturb Yaoyao."

Chen Hui could see that Yaoyao was unusually focused this time — her small face set with intense concentration. There was no mistaking that this was far more difficult than her usual practice.

Her heart sank at the realization of her younger son's limitations, and she sighed to herself: How did she end up with a child like him? His lack of awareness, even in critical situations, truly baffled her.

Gu Yu, hearing his sister's rebuke, quickly closed his mouth and nervously watched the proceedings. But nothing — absolutely nothing — appeared to him.

Normally, the average person couldn't perceive a soul unless forcibly summoned or drawn into a formation. That's why the last spirit had been visible to him: it was summoned into a spiritual formationby Yaoyao herself.

The Gu family was effectively clueless through this entire process.

"Alright, enough." Yaoyao's calm voice broke through their confusion.

Gu Heng stepped forward hesitantly, looking down at his son, who remained unconscious. "Will Weiwei ever be like other normal children again?"

The health of their child had become a nearly constant worry for the family. Now, with Yaoyao's actions progressing, they could feel a glimmer of hope — but only a small one.

Yaoyao shook her head. "Not that easy. The soul fragment has been lost for too long. Even when it returns to his body, it will need time to reintegrate and stabilize."

She paused, then added, "But there's another problem. Weiwei's body is far too special. His body carries a four-pillar pure Yin constitution, which is the ideal vessel for spirits. If a ghost seizes control, it can skip the afterlife cycle entirely and remain in the mortal world for decades."

The concept was a grim one. A body like Weiwei's could serve as a perfect vessel — this meant a ghost wouldn't need to reincarnate in the underworld. But this was essentially soul hijacking, a forbidden path. Ghosts were naturally wary of this risk, as being discovered by the underworld enforcers would lead to immediate destruction.

However, some ghostly souls were desperate — often having committed sins in their mortal lives — and they risked these methods to stay in the mortal plane.

"Yaoyao, do you have a solution?" Chen Hui suddenly asked, her voice soft. "If you can help Weiwei, I'll be forever grateful. Consider it a mother's plea."

Yaoyao considered this for a moment and then raised her hand. She pulled out a series of spiritual talismansfrom her bag.

"These talismans will allow Weiwei to avoid detection by most spirits. Once he wakes up, I'll teach him a concealment technique. Once he learns it, he'll no longer need these talismans to suppress his presence."

She paused, aware that reliance on external items was always inferior. Still, this was a temporary measure. Weiwei would need time to learn proper techniques — the path of mystical arts was never straightforward.

Yaoyao had spent years focused on restoring her sect after her master's passing. Though she was still young, she had her goals — bringing her sect back into power and training promising disciples to rebuild their strength. She already saw Weiwei as a potential candidateto join her in this path.

Her master had once said, "Fat water should not flow to other people's fields."Her nephew should remain within her sect — a small, yet vital step toward the long-term goal of revival.

"This... this is too good to believe..." The Gu family was overjoyed to hear this. The notion of Weiwei learning the mystical arts was a massive boon to their future — practitioners of spiritual spells had always commanded power and respect.

"Yaoyao, if you're taking Weiwei, what about Seventh Brother? Could you take him too?" Gu Yu's voice came out hopeful and slightly desperate.

Yaoyao hesitated, her small face conflicted. The Huoyun Sect— her sect — followed the path of the elite. Only the best would be accepted into their ranks. Her brother had no special talent, and yet the hopeful look in his eyes tugged at her heart.

Before she could answer, Gu Heng intervened with sharp words.

"Seventh Brother, you're stubborn and slow to learn. Don't push Yaoyao into a difficult position."

Gu Yu clenched his teeth, angered by the words but unable to argue. His brother was harsh, but truthful.

At that moment, Gu Li suddenly asked, "Who will take Qing Kai back?"

Everyone turned to see a figure lying on the other side of the room — a boy looking pale and faintly distressed. His soul had been stolen earlier, and now, without its presence, he appeared frail and vulnerable.

The Gu family hesitated. Despite the boy's state, they felt no true guilt — they had taken back their stolen soul fragment, and as for the consequences, they felt they owed nothing further.

"It should fall to the eldest brother," Gu Xuesong said calmly. "Weiwei is your son. You and Uncle should return him."

His words were final. Gu Heng nodded, confirming his father's request. With Yaoyao's talismans ensuring no disruptions, they could safely move the boy back without unnecessary risk.

"Alright, Yaoyao, we're preparing to leave," Chen Hui said, glancing at her wristwatch. The unexpected events had already delayed their preparations.

Without further hesitation, they set out toward the gathering, knowing time was slipping and that curiosity would soon lead to suspicions among their guests.

Chen Hui reached out, grabbing Yaoyao's hand — her white dress swaying in the wind as they stepped toward the ceremonial grounds.

The stage was set.