Page 78

The evening breeze carried a slight chill as the group prepared to leave.

The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the ground.

The air was tinged with a sense of anticipation and relief.

Gu Xuesong had returned to the Gu family estate fully intact, much to the joy of everyone in the household.

Chen Hui had already instructed the servants to prepare pomelo leaves, personally using them to brush away any lingering misfortune from her husband. Watching his wife bustling about, Gu Xuesong couldn’t help but smile. “You’ve worked hard.”

“What do I have to be tired about? It’s our daughter who deserves the thanks. Without her, this situation could’ve ended disastrously,” Chen Hui replied, waving off his gratitude.

Under her questioning, she had learned that the kidnappers weren’t ordinary people. If it had been anyone else, even the wealthiest family in the capital like the Gus would’ve been powerless against unreasonable cultivators.

“Our daughter and I can each thank you separately; there’s no conflict there,” Gu Xuesong said naturally.

This explanation made Chen Hui chuckle. After finishing with the pomelo leaves, she softly announced, “The banquet is ready. Let’s go over now.”

Since the crisis surrounding her husband had been resolved, Grandmother Gu hadn’t allowed the feast to be dismantled—it remained set up as usual.

The reason wasn’t just for celebration but also to reward their daughter’s achievements.

And when it came to their daughter’s preferences, Chen Hui knew exactly what to do—food.

As the banquet began, she continuously served dishes to Yāo Yāo, who ate with great enthusiasm. Her little cheeks puffed up with every bite, drawing laughter from the entire Gu household.

After the meal concluded, Yāo Yāo suddenly tugged at Chen Hui, asking her to dress her up in a pretty dress.

“Yāo Yāo, it’s so late—are you going out again?” Chen Hui glanced at the sky. It was almost bedtime—why change clothes now?

“Yes, yes, I’ll be going out soon,” Yāo Yāo nodded, not hiding her intention to visit her master in the underworld.

Upon hearing that her adopted daughter’s master had become a ghost immortal in the underworld, Chen Hui couldn’t help but feel happy for him.

At the same time, she was astonished that her daughter could directly enter the underworld—a feat unheard of for living beings.

After confirming repeatedly that her daughter was unharmed, she finally relaxed.

“Don’t worry, Yāo Yāo. Mommy will make you look like a little fairy so your master can rest assured.”

Chen Hui’s mind was sharp, instantly understanding her daughter’s intentions. She became serious, even selecting several valuable accessories from her jewelry box to adorn Yāo Yāo.

Her goal was clear—to show Yāo Yāo’s underground master that the Gu family was wealthy enough to take good care of his precious disciple.

Unaware of her mother’s thoughts, Yāo Yāo obediently cooperated throughout the process. After more than half an hour of preparation, she finally caught sight of her reflection in the full-length mirror—and froze.

Because she looked excessively regal!

A necklace of emerald-green jadeite, rings adorned with dazzling gemstones, even her hairband sparkled with expensive jewels.

Fearing her master might not recognize the value, Chen Hui even brought out a gold-threaded handbag.

The bag, crafted through meticulous forging techniques, featured gold hammered into fine threads and intricately woven together.

It was further embellished with pearls the size of pigeon eggs. Despite its small size, the bag weighed six or seven catties, with over eighty percent of it being pure gold.

“Wow, it’s so beautiful!” Yāo Yāo twirled in front of the mirror, thoroughly satisfied with her mother’s efforts. With this outfit—and especially the bag—Old Daoist Qinghan would surely see how well she was doing.

Meanwhile, Liu Dong arrived personally to take away Chen Xiuming, the evil cultivator.

Upon receiving news from the master, he felt dizzy.

This was a seventh-level cultivator! Just a few days ago, dealing with a sixth-level cultivator had caused an earthquake within the organization.

How had they managed to subdue a seventh-level one so quickly? What level was this master truly at?

Even the leader of the Special Operations Team, Chen Qiushi, grew curious and decided to come personally.

The two waited in the Gu family’s main hall, only to see Yāo Yāo descend the stairs, bedecked in jewels. Their first thought upon seeing her was simple—so dazzling!

To put it bluntly, the ensemble Yāo Yāo wore was worth several houses in the capital city.

“I presume this is Master Yāo Yāo, whom Director Liu frequently mentions. My name is Chen Qiushi, current head of the Special Operations Team. It’s an honor to meet you,” Chen Qiushi greeted calmly. His experience in high society meant he’d seen stranger things and remained unfazed.

At the same time, he discreetly assessed her—but found himself unable to penetrate her aura. After all, his cultivation was only at the sixth level.

“Hello, Uncle!” Yāo Yāo noticed his scrutiny but paid it no mind.

She went to the guest room and dragged out Chen Xiuming.

Now stripped of his cultivation, his bodily functions were rapidly deteriorating.

Though he appeared middle-aged due to his previous cultivation extending his lifespan, without it, his remaining days were numbered—perhaps just a few months left.

“Blood Butcher?” Chen Qiushi scanned him, then froze upon seeing the captive’s face, which resembled a dying dog.

“You know him, Uncle? Great! Then take him back for interrogation!”

Yāo Yāo didn’t plan to use soul-searching techniques—not only because these evil cultivators often had prohibitions in place to block crucial information, but also because she feared attracting the attention of the mysterious leader suspected to be the Human Emperor.

She currently stood no chance against him.

Before, she hadn’t known better and offended him recklessly. But now that she understood the stakes, trying again would be foolish.

“Uncle, don’t attempt soul-searching on him—he has prohibitions in place. You’ll suffer backlash,” she warned.

“Thank you for the reminder, Master,” Chen Qiushi replied, forcing a bitter smile. Truthfully, they lacked the ability to search the soul of a seventh-level cultivator, even one whose powers had been nullified.

As the highest-ranking member of the Special Operations Team, Chen Qiushi knew much about these evil cultivators, especially those at the sixth level and above. It was essential knowledge; underestimating their strength could lead to catastrophic failures for the entire team.

Seventh-level experts were rare and never completely unknown.

Initially, Chen Qiushi assumed Yāo Yāo could only handle someone newly entering the seventh level.

But to learn it was the Blood Butcher—a cultivator who had reached the peak of the seventh level—was shocking.

Not only was he infamous for his brutal methods and hunting of talented cultivators, but his combat prowess was formidable.

Years ago, he had escaped from the hands of an eighth-level cultivator, the leader of the Daoist sect.

After so many years, his strength should’ve only grown stronger. Yet here he was, captured and stripped of his cultivation. Did this mean that this three-and-a-half-year-old child possessed abilities rivaling the Daoist sect’s leader?

No, it was more than that. The Daoist sect’s leader was nearing the end of his life, his potential exhausted, with little hope of advancing further. But this child was extraordinarily young. In no time, she would surpass everyone.

Realizing this, Chen Qiushi felt his breath hitch. His gaze toward Yāo Yāo grew intensely heated. If he could recruit her, the Special Operations Team would no longer need to fear the Daoist sect.

Their biggest disadvantage against the Daoist sect lay in the lack of high-level cultivators. Such beings were too agile for conventional weapons to handle effectively; only cultivators of equal rank could contend with them. Below the sixth level, modern weaponry could compensate.

With this in mind, Chen Qiushi’s smile widened. However, he didn’t rush to recruit her, knowing she had rejected such an offer before. For now, building a good relationship was key. He had also learned about Gu Xuesong’s kidnapping and already formulated a plan.