The area surrounding Heiyun Town, including nearby villages and the wilderness, was quite vast.

However, with Han and Yunduo both having cultivation abilities, and with the help of talisman paper for faster travel, they made quick progress.

As the daughter of the Yun family, Yunduo was naturally equipped with all sorts of treasures.

She might be a bit naive, but she was certainly rich in resources.

The first place they arrived at was still the familiar location: Gaojia Village, where they had been before.

Han scanned the entire village with his eyes and noticed faint traces of yin energy in certain directions. As the sun grew stronger, the yin energy gradually faded.

Yunduo, on the other hand, had her own methods. She took out a compass-like device, infused it with her spiritual power, and immediately the needle began to move.

The direction it pointed to matched Han’s observations.

"This is a Ghost-Seeking Disk," Yunduo explained. "It’s used to detect yin energy and locate ghosts. It’s one of the most basic magical tools and not very valuable."

So many tools... Han couldn’t help but marvel. Yunduo was fully prepared, well-equipped in every way.

On the other hand, Han only had his innate Yin-Yang Eyes.

Without the Yin-Yang Eyes, one would have to rely on mental energy to search, and in the daylight, with its strong yang energy, the yin energy would be much weaker, making it easy to miss any ghostly presences.

It was still morning, and by noon, the yang energy would only intensify further.

Ghosts were typically suppressed by the sunlight during the day, and it was rare for them to manifest. But this was actually Han and Yunduo’s opportunity—dealing with ghosts in the daytime was much easier than at night.

Taking advantage of a weakened foe—why wait until nightfall?

Han and Yunduo, one relying on innate talent and the other on a magical tool, had no trouble locating the ghosts during the day.

Following the Ghost-Seeking Disk’s guidance, the two quietly entered the village without drawing attention.

Dealing with ghosts quietly was the best approach.

"Han, I know a Soul-Calming Spell. Let me take care of it later," Yunduo offered.

The Soul-Calming Spell was a type of exorcism magic that allowed wandering spirits to rest in peace.

But Han declined, "Let me handle it. I can perform an exorcism too."

"You can?" Yunduo tilted her head in confusion. "But... aren’t you still in elementary training? How do you know how to perform exorcism magic?"

Han quickly fabricated a reason. "Before coming here to see Aunt Mu, I learned it through special means. My master knows about it, but I never had a chance to use it before, so I didn’t mention it to Aunt Mu."

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Even if Yunduo told Lu Qingmo, Han wasn’t worried. She already knew about his exorcism abilities from daytime encounters, and it wouldn’t hurt to ask her for clarification later.

The exorcism technique Han mentioned was the Three Lights Blessing Mirror, a magical artifact forged with the combined powers of the sun, moon, and stars, along with the energy of good fortune.

Han had learned about it during his private talks with Lu Qingmo in the peach grove.

The first ghost he dealt with using the mirror had left behind a trace of pure soul energy. Now, he wanted to see if it was normal for such energy to appear after exorcising a ghost.

Lu Qingmo had said it was unusual but that it was still a good deed.

This time, Han was determined to handle the ghosts in the wilderness, ensuring their peaceful passage and receiving their gratitude in return—a perfect win-win.

Han suspected the pure soul energy was likely a result of the mirror’s blessing energy, which assisted in the process of exorcising spirits.

It seemed that the reward from his first tree-cutting event was quite powerful after all.

He thought back to the first ghost he encountered and wondered if the pure soul energy from that encounter could provide even greater benefits.

The ghosts controlled by Huang Shiren had been unfortunate souls, captured and tortured to death.

Yunduo reluctantly agreed to let Han take the lead, but she insisted that he promise to back her up later, ensuring that she hadn't forgotten her role—just that she was giving Han the opportunity to shine.

Upon reaching an area with noticeable yin energy, they found a simple house with a body inside, guarded by someone who failed to notice their presence.

Just as ghosts can hide from people, so can cultivators.

Han pondered, "Did these people die recently, and did the earthquake trigger their transformation into ghosts?"

With his Yin-Yang Eyes, nothing could hide from him.

He noticed a wandering ghost hidden in a piece of wood, dull and confused.

Most ghosts who linger in the mortal realm end up causing harm, but if the spirit is not intelligent, the best solution is to guide it to its proper resting place.

Han extended his hand, subtly activating the Three Lights Blessing Mirror. A flash of white light, and the ghost vanished, leaving only a tiny bead of pure soul energy the size of a grain of rice.

Just as expected.

The "grain" immediately entered Han’s body, unnoticed by Yunduo.

Though Han didn’t inspect his soul directly, he could sense a slight fluctuation in his spirit, as if he had made some small progress.

For someone at his current level, this small amount of pure soul energy could barely be considered a significant gain.

"If this is really the blessing of reincarnation, the ghost’s gratitude..." Han wondered.

Could reincarnation truly be real? Was the Underworld, the realm of the dead, truly a thing?

"Looks like the exorcism worked," Yunduo said, clearly happy. "Since that’s the case, I don’t need to do anything. I can just take a break."

Han noticed her happiness and shared in her satisfaction.

It seemed his act of guiding the souls to peace wasn’t just a win-win—it was a triple win.

What a victory.

There were two other areas of lingering yin energy in Gaojia Village, which Han dealt with in turn. The pure soul energy they left behind was similar to the first ghost’s.

In a world like this, an earthquake could cause far-reaching consequences.

After leaving Gaojia Village, Han and Yunduo made their way to Niujia Village.

Prioritizing the villages with more people and potential danger, they handled the ghosts efficiently, clearing them without delay.

But when they arrived at the fourth village, something felt off.

The yin energy here had almost disappeared, indicating that ghosts had been present. However, the ghosts themselves were nowhere to be found.

"What’s going on? Did the Ghost Management Department take care of this?" Yunduo asked, puzzled.

"Probably not..." Han said, focusing on a clay jar. It seemed to be where the ghosts had hidden before disappearing.

Under his Yin-Yang Eyes, Han could see not only the remnants of the ghost’s yin energy but also a faint, ominous aura.

Cold, bloodthirsty, and violent—it was a familiar feeling.

The broken magical artifact Huang Shiren had used to control ghosts had emitted a similar aura.

Han, no longer a soul novice, recognized the presence of a Soul Refining Banner.

The Ghost Management Department wouldn’t use such an artifact.

If they did, then something far more sinister was afoot.