"Forbidden?"

Hearing this word, Wen Jiu became even more curious.

But as an adult, he knew there were things he shouldn't ask—his curiosity shouldn't bring trouble to others.

Clasping his hands in thanks, he said, "Many thanks, Brother Wang."

"Thank me for what? I didn't say anything." Wang Nian quickly feigned ignorance.

Wen Jiu understood the hint.

After putting away the things in his hands, Wang Nian changed the topic and asked, "Brother Wen, what kind of talisman are you drawing here?"

As he spoke, he picked up a piece and examined it carefully.

The more he looked, the more uneasy he felt, a faint sense of dread creeping up on him.

Wen Jiu responded, "A Soul-Reaping Talisman."

"Shit!"

Wang Nian immediately tossed the talisman away, unwilling to hold it any longer.

"You… you went straight for the most sinister one?" Among the various Yin Talismans used by Yin Talisman Masters, the Soul-Reaping Talisman was infamous for its ruthlessness. To early-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, it was considered the most feared and cruelest of talismans.

One talisman, one stolen soul.

A forbidden technique among Qi Refinement cultivators.

Countless early-stage cultivators had perished at the hands of rogue cultivators wielding Soul-Reaping Talismans.

"Good thing you're not a rogue cultivator and have Mu Canglong as your backer," Wang Nian sighed. "If you were a rogue cultivator, just possessing this talisman alone would make you a target—who knows how many people would want you dead."

Wen Jiu completely agreed with Wang Nian's words. He quickly added, "Brother Wang, once I manage to draw a top-tier Grade-One inferior Soul-Reaping Talisman, I'll give you a few."

Wang Nian nodded, clearly looking forward to it.

The Soul-Reaping Talisman had a fearsome reputation.

But there was no denying its power.

Yet, Dead Man's Peak didn't sell them.

Only rogue cultivators and those who dabbled in forbidden arts had them.

If he could carry a few Soul-Reaping Talismans with him, then should he ever encounter a heretic, he could let them taste their own medicine!

"But be careful—don't let anyone else know you can draw these talismans. Only display your skill in front of Steward Mu." Wang Nian warned him again.

…

A short while later, Wang Nian left.

Now that Wen Jiu had officially become an apprentice disciple, his sister, Wen Ya, no longer brought him food.

After all, he wouldn't lack low-grade spirit rice or low-tier beast meat anymore.

Originally, Wen Jiu planned to head to the Land of Mangled Corpses for training. However, just as he was about to leave, a Night Patrol Division disciple hurriedly arrived, seemingly with urgent news.

"Daoist Wen, Steward Liu has ordered us to gather at the Night Patrol Division—there's an important mission."

An important mission?

Wen Jiu's heart tightened.

After changing his clothes, he headed straight for the Night Patrol Division at Feixian Peak.

When he reached the foot of the mountain, he saw that many Night Patrol disciples had gathered—at least a hundred, possibly two hundred.

All seventeen of Liu Xiao's direct subordinates were also present.

The air in the Night Patrol Division was filled with tension.

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Few spoke, and those who did kept their voices low, as if afraid of disturbing something—or someone.

This made Wen Jiu even more curious.

Did another murder occur?

While waiting, he noticed many people glancing at him with curious expressions.

However, unlike before, no one mocked him for practicing a forbidden path.

Even so, he could feel their distance.

During casual conversations in small groups, no one included him.

Only those who regularly patrolled with him would occasionally say a word or two—but never much.

This sense of isolation made Wen Jiu feel like he was being deliberately excluded.

If he were a young, inexperienced cultivator, he might have found this unbearable.

But having lived two lives, Wen Jiu didn't care.

He didn't even feel the slightest ripple in his heart.

Moments later, the grand doors of the ancient building ahead slowly opened.

It seemed as though people had been waiting inside all along—one after another, twelve stewards of the Night Patrol Division stepped out.

On the second-floor balcony, two figures emerged.

One of them was Mu Canglong.

The other had an aura slightly weaker than Mu Canglong's, but his eyes were piercing, as if they could see through a person's soul.

His gaze swept across the nearly two hundred Night Patrol disciples gathered below, and Wen Jiu was no exception.

When their eyes met, Wen Jiu felt as if he were being watched by some kind of demon.

At that moment, Mu Canglong spoke.

"The Peak Lord has ordered that from today onward, night patrols will be strengthened. The Demon-Slaying Division and the Devil-Suppressing Division will also be joining us. They will patrol during the day; we will patrol at night. We must ensure that the recent treacherous murders do not happen again. Mark my words—if it happens even once more, all salaries within the Night Patrol Division will be suspended for a year!"

Mu Canglong's voice carried an unquestionable authority, sending a shock through the gathered disciples.

Suspended for a year?

That was no small matter.

And now, even the Demon-Slaying and Devil-Suppressing Divisions were getting involved?

This left them even more bewildered.

Why was this happening so suddenly? Wen Jiu was just as curious, wondering if the Night Patrol Division had obtained some crucial information from the captives they caught that night. Could it be that even after what happened last time, those people were still unwilling to give up and continued to fixate on the Forsaken Corpse Grounds?

As Wen Jiu pondered whether he should find a more hidden place to store the corpse, the steward beside Mu Canglong suddenly spoke—his words shocking everyone, including Mu Canglong himself.

"No one is allowed to leave. There is still one more matter to handle!"

As soon as he spoke, the formations around the Night Patrol Division activated, cutting off all possible escape routes and trapping the disciples in front of the ancient building. Wen Jiu could feel the intense killing intent within the formations—he suspected that taking even a single step outside would trigger them.

"Si Kongbai, what are you doing?" Mu Canglong asked in surprise, his voice carrying both shock and suspicion.

Si Kongbai responded frankly, "Daoist Mu, please forgive me. I received a secret order from the Peak Lord and had no choice but to keep this matter under wraps… Once everything is settled, I will personally offer you wine to apologize."

His tone was full of regret, yet in the very next moment, he spoke with a firm and commanding voice. "Li Ye, bring out all the Illusionary Pills. It's time to begin."

Mu Canglong's expression darkened, and a cold killing intent spread from him. "You still haven't answered my question!"

Si Kongbai's face stiffened for a brief moment before he forced a smile. "Daoist Mu, please calm your anger. I am simply following a confidential directive from the Peak Lord. In order to root out the traitor within our ranks, everyone here must consume an Illusionary Pill for interrogation. Anyone who refuses or resists—will die!"

The way he emphasized "will die" made it sound almost deliberate.

Mu Canglong's expression remained grim, but he said no more. As the First Steward of the Night Patrol Division, he technically had the authority, but Si Kongbai was acting under direct orders from the Peak Lord—he had no choice but to comply.

What he couldn't understand was why the Peak Lord had bypassed the elder in charge of the Night Patrol Division and given the order directly to Si Kongbai.

Could it be that Si Kongbai had discovered something shocking when he used Soul Searching on the traitor?

Something unspeakable?

Or had the revelation made the Peak Lord distrust both the elder and even himself?

Seeing that Mu Canglong no longer objected, a smug smile appeared at the corner of Si Kongbai's lips. He then gave Li Ye a meaningful look.

Immediately, Li Ye and his men began distributing the Illusionary Pills.

Each pill was a top-tier Grade One Illusionary Pill—exceptionally expensive.

When Li Ye handed one to Wen Jiu, his gaze carried a sharp, malicious glint.

That sent a wave of unease through Wen Jiu.

From the hushed murmurs of those around him, he soon understood the pill's purpose.

A tool for interrogation.

Once consumed, the person would answer any question truthfully.

If there was a traitor among them, the pill would expose them instantly.

Resisting the effects of the Illusionary Pill was nearly impossible—most low-level Qi Refining cultivators didn't have strong enough mental strength to do so.

Hearing this, Wen Jiu instantly realized what that look in Li Ye's eyes meant.

That bastard wanted to take this chance to force him to reveal information about Fang Zheng and the others!

This son of a bitch!

If I make it through today, the moment I reach Qi Refining Third Layer, I'll kill you!

At that moment, Si Kongbai's cold voice rang out.

"Swallow it!"

One by one, the disciples of the Night Patrol Division consumed their pills.

As the effects took hold, their gazes became unfocused, their expressions dull and vacant.

Wen Jiu held the pill in his fingers, hesitating.

Anxious.

Seeing his hesitation, Li Ye's eyes gleamed with delight.

Meeting Li Ye's gloating stare, Wen Jiu finally swallowed the pill—he wanted to test whether his soul, having lived two lifetimes, could resist its effects.

However, the instant the pill entered his stomach, the Yin Law within his body suddenly erupted.

As if it had encountered a mortal enemy, it lunged at the pill and instantly corroded it—destroying it before it could take effect.

What the hell just happened?

Wen Jiu was stunned.

Baffled.

But there was no time to dwell on it now. Slowly, he imitated the others, pretending to fall into a dazed and sluggish state.

****

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