Similar to his first encounter with Yang Mei, Huang Quan found himself once again standing at the entrance of the apartment. The female ghost had returned to her original form, no longer appearing fierce or possessive. Instead, she seemed rather innocent and demure. She bowed slightly and spoke in a soft voice, "My Lord, may I ask for your help in fulfilling my lingering wish?"

Huang Quan sighed lightly, "I would have been inclined to help you, but your resentment is too deep, and you’ve harmed others. For now, let your anger subside, and then we can talk."

"However, you may start by telling me about your life."

The ghost, Ling Mei, nodded gently. She was aware of her heavy sins, but as a wandering spirit, consuming Yang energy was her only means of survival.

"My Lord, I am Ling Mei from No. 13 Jingnan Road," she began.

Ling Mei? The name struck a chord in Huang Quan’s memory. He pondered, trying to recall where he had heard it before.

Ling Mei bit her lip and continued, "In life, I was a movie star, living a life of fame and adoration, but I lost myself in it. I went from one man to another, knowing full well why they were with me, and never giving my true heart in return."

"But at the peak of my career, I met him—Qi Fei, an actor as well. He was different from the others, always caring for me, understanding my thoughts even without words."

"I thought I had found my soulmate," Ling Mei said, her expression turning sorrowful as tears welled in her eyes.

"But it wasn't long before I discovered that Qi Fei was cheating on me. Right before my eyes, he was with another actress… in bed."

As she recounted her story, Huang Quan couldn’t help but feel a flicker of resonance, recalling his own similar experience. Though he kept his face impassive, he continued to listen to Ling Mei.

"If it had been before, I would have left without looking back. I wouldn’t have given up the entire forest for just one tree. But this time… this time, my heart truly broke."

"I couldn’t move on, fell into depression, and no doctor could help. About a week ago, I don’t remember much, but I smelled gas… I struggled, but it was no use. I died in that cloud of gas."

"My Lord, if you can fulfill my wish, please help me find out the true cause of my death."

Initially, Huang Quan had felt some empathy, but the more he listened, the more he realized that Ling Mei wasn’t exactly a paragon of virtue. Her fate seemed to be a form of karmic retribution. His impression of both parties soured, and he quickly dismissed her plea with a few indifferent words.

Back in the real world, under the same sky, Huang Quan stood in the courtyard when Tang Lao Ye emerged from the villa and approached him.

"Young man, I cannot thank you enough for what you’ve done. As promised, here is your reward," Tang Lao Ye said, handing Huang Quan a check. The string of zeros on it reflected the value of Huang Quan’s deed.

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Huang Quan glanced at the check, then nonchalantly folded it and slipped it into his pocket. Although inwardly excited—this was a staggering amount for him—he had grown accustomed to handling such situations with composure after recent events.

This scene was observed by the departing Taoist, who was left simmering with anger. Inside the villa, Tang Ming had regained consciousness, and Tang Lao Ye was expressing his gratitude to Huang Quan. Meanwhile, the steward took out his frustration on the Taoist, who was left with no chance to claim any reward.

However, just as the Taoist was about to leave, he caught sight of Tang Lao Ye handing the check to Huang Quan. Enraged, the Taoist couldn’t stand the idea of Huang Quan taking what he believed was rightfully his.

"Young man, might I ask which school you follow? I’ve been exorcising spirits and securing homes for over a decade, yet I couldn’t discern the method you used," the Taoist called out.

Huang Quan turned at the sound, recognizing the Taoist’s attempt to bluff him. He knew the Taoist’s skills were rudimentary—sufficient for dealing with minor spirits, but no match for a vengeful ghost. Huang Quan ignored him, deeming it beneath him to converse with a charlatan.

The Taoist mistook Huang Quan’s silence for fear, convinced that he had struck a nerve. After all, he had studied the Taoist texts extensively and still couldn’t identify Huang Quan’s methods. He concluded that Huang Quan must have simply capitalized on his own efforts, with his exorcism taking effect just as Huang Quan arrived. Hence, he felt entitled to a share of the reward.

"Hey, kid! If you can’t explain your methods, it’s clear you’re just riding on my coattails. I played a part in curing Young Master Tang, so you shouldn’t pocket that money without sharing it. How about a sixty-forty split in my favor? Then I won’t hold it against you."

Huang Quan nearly laughed out loud at the audacity. He had seen shameless people before, but this was a new level. Well, since the Taoist was offering, Huang Quan decided to play along.

Smiling, Huang Quan stepped closer. "Taoist, you suggest a sixty-forty split. So, who gets the sixty and who gets the forty?"

The Taoist puffed up with pride. "I did most of the work, and you just swooped in at the end. Naturally, I should get sixty while you get forty!"

"Sixty percent, Taoist? That’s quite ambitious. And you even want a motorbike? That’s pretty greedy, don’t you think?" Huang Quan interrupted with a loud exclamation, deliberately catching Tang Lao Ye’s attention.

The Taoist froze, stammering, "I never said anything about wanting a motorbike! What are you talking about?"

Huang Quan frowned and continued, "Aren’t monks supposed to be free from worldly desires?"

Tang Lao Ye, who had only caught snippets of their conversation, was now under the impression that the Taoist wanted a motorbike. He glanced at the dusty, unused bike in the corner of the courtyard and decided to make a goodwill gesture.

"Young man, I’ll give you that motorbike. It’s just sitting here, and if you ride it while continuing to help others, it would be a way for our family to contribute to society."

Feigning modesty, Huang Quan scratched his head. "Tang Lao Ye, I couldn’t possibly accept…"

The Taoist was left stunned. He had intended to discredit Huang Quan, but instead, Huang Quan had skillfully manipulated the situation in his favor. Just as the Taoist was about to warn Tang Lao Ye about the "fraud," Huang Quan had already mounted the bike and was riding away.

Shaking his head in disbelief, the Taoist muttered, "Tang Lao Ye, I never asked for a motorbike. And besides, that guy didn’t even use any real Taoist techniques. How could he have exorcised the ghost? I suspect…"

Tang Lao Ye, having had enough, rolled his eyes and returned to the villa, signaling to the steward as he passed. The steward immediately grabbed a broom and, without warning, began beating the Taoist out of the courtyard.

"Out! How dare you spout nonsense here!"

Meanwhile, Huang Quan, now astride the motorbike, was making his way from the Tang estate. Still unfamiliar with the controls, he accidentally scraped against a Mercedes as he turned onto the main road.