Following Madison's instructions, Wanda drove the car to the outskirts of Riverview, winding through narrow roads until they arrived at a secluded villa.

The villa stood alone on a mountainside, with no other structures nearby.

Wanda opened the car door, glanced at the building, and asked worriedly, "Ms. Locke, are Yara and Mia inside?"

"Yeah."

Madison approached the villa's entrance, where two large lion statues stood watch. Only their eyes were painted with bright red cinnabar, making them appear almost alive as they stared unblinkingly at the approaching visitors. Before they could knock, a hoarse, aged voice rang out from within. "Leave."

"I'm here to find my friends," Madison responded.

"None of your friends are here. There are only evil spirits," the voice countered.

Madison pressed her lips into a thin line and stared coldly at the intricately carved doors. "If you don't want me breaking the doors down, you'd better open them."

A scoff echoed from inside. "How arrogant and reckless. Do you even know where you are? How dare you spout such nonsense="

Before the voice could finish, a loud crack shattered the air. The heavy wooden doors splintered and collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash.

Inside, an elderly man holding a fly whisk stood frozen in disbelief, staring at the broken doors. His gaze shifted to Madison, who calmly stepped across the threshold.

His trembling hand pointed at her. "Y-You... Such audacity!"

Madison ignored him, her senses sweeping the place. Without hesitation, she turned and began walking in a specific direction.

The old man hurriedly waved his fly whisk, trying to block her path. However, her cold gaze pinned him in place. When she held two fingers together, a talisman appeared in her hand.

Seeing the talisman, the old man froze mid-step, his expression turning wary. He dared not approach her but followed at a safe distance. He was anxious as he watched her enter the house.

When Madison entered the courtyard, she immediately sensed the powerful presence of a formation.

"Madison, is that you?" Yara's voice called from inside a room.Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

Madison pushed open the door with a bang. Inside, eight talismans were plastered across the room's eight corners, while a complex array of runes glowed faintly in the center. en

Yara and Mia were trapped within the formation.

Mia lay weakly across Yara's lap, her large eyes blinking as she looked at Madison. Yara, in a better condition, waved and flashed a radiant smile. "I knew you'd come."

"This formation was meticulously crafted by my master," the old man at the door said smugly. "No

ordinary person can break it. of you try, they'll only get hurt."

Yara addressed Madison, "I already tried breaking this formation. It's no joke. The craftsmanship is impressive."

Hearing her praise, the old man puffed with pride. "Naturally! Do you know who crafted these talismans and this formation?"

Yara ignored him and turned back to Madison. "But for you, it shouldn't be a problem."

"I see," Madison replied briefly.

Yara smiled, repositioning Mia in her arms. "Just a little longer, and we'll be out of here."

Madison began chanting under her breath. The eight talismans affixed to the corners of the room abruptly detached and flew into her hands. The old man's jaw dropped. "T-This is impossible!"

He stammered, "E-Even if you can remove the talismans, the formation itself—"

In

Before he could finish, Madison sent the talismans flying outward. They adhered seamlessly to the edge of the formation, and the powerful spiritual energy that had enveloped the space dissipated instantly.

In a flash, Yara appeared beside Madison with Mia in her arms. "I'm okay, but Mia isn't doing well."

The formation had been designed to weaken spirits, draining their energy to eliminate any lingering ghostly energy.

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