He was terrified, realizing the true horror of what he had experienced and the value of life. He knew few possessed such abilities as Master Gu, and finding another would be difficult. Even if he managed to find someone, he might not survive long enough.

The car remained stationary. After much thought, Xiang Chengjun made a decision and turned the car towards the hotel.

Back at the hotel, when Xiang Chengjun knocked on the door, Gu Qin opened it without surprise. She invited him in.

"Master Gu, did you see that I would encounter danger?" Xiang Chengjun asked.

Gu Qin nodded. "Yes, I saw it. If I hadn't helped, you would have been seriously injured, but not dead."

Xiang Chengjun was speechless, feeling both fear and admiration for Gu Qin.

After much deliberation, he asked, "Master Gu, is there really no room for negotiation? Must it be half the shares?"

Gu Qin nodded. "No negotiation. To be honest, it's hard to find someone to save you now. I don't have much confidence either, because I don't know exactly what's trapped down there. If we don't resolve it, you might not last three days."

Xiang Chengjun didn't respond immediately, then finally said, "Fine, if you can save me, I'll give you half the shares."

What mattered most was his life, not the money. Gu Qin replied, "For the next few days, don't go back home. Stay with me. Go to the next room to rest, and I'll visit the neighborhood tonight."

Xiang Chengjun called his family, booked a room at the hotel, and Gu Qin set up an array to ensure his safety for a few days.

Xiang Chengjun temporarily stayed at the hotel. It was still afternoon, and Gu Qin wasn't in a rush to investigate. She prepared some items and left once it was dark, not wanting Xiang Chengjun to accompany her due to the unknown dangers.

This time, Gu Qin only brought the Flowing Light artifact and didn't bring the White Tiger General. The general rarely accompanied her anymore, usually staying with Cheng Yinxiang.

Since the incident at Changbai Mountain, Gu Qin felt uneasy about the Flowing Light, fearing someone might covet it and use her family to threaten her. That's why she kept the White Tiger with her family.

However, surprisingly, no one had come looking for her since Qin Xiansheng had declared their engagement in front of everyone a year ago.

Gu Qin carried some items and went directly to the residential area, finding an open space and opening her third eye.

When she saw what was below, she frowned. It was a yin beast, more like a place where the beast was nurtured rather than trapped. Somehow, Gu Qin felt this place’s yin beast might be related to Big Brother Qin’s master. The old man had devoted his entire life to raising a truly vicious yin beast, using such sinister methods. This place was probably his creation.

The yin beast was not fully grown, but Gu Qin was confident she could release and destroy it. The only difficulty was breaking the array. It needed to be destroyed to release the yin beast. The beast looked like a black panther, quite fierce.

Gu Qin was wary because if the array was indeed set up by the old man, it might not be easy to break. If she were injured while breaking the array, she wouldn’t be able to control the yin beast, potentially allowing it to escape and harm others.

The yin beast had been suppressed for ten years, and Gu Qin was certain it would attack immediately if it could.

Gu Qin didn’t act rashly and returned to the hotel. She specifically opened her third eye to identify who set up the array, confirming it was indeed the old man.

She had to take it seriously. The old man’s cultivation level was higher than hers, making breaking the array difficult and risky. There was a high chance of injury, which would not only endanger Xiang Chengjun but also many others. This matter required caution.

Gu Qin called Qin Xiansheng, explaining the situation. Qin Xiansheng advised her not to act alone and to wait until morning.

The earliest flight was at six, arriving in Xianggang at seven and reaching the hotel by seven thirty.

Gu Qin slept, setting up an array in Xiang Chengjun’s room, not worrying about immediate danger.

In the morning, Qin Xiansheng arrived. They went to the residential area again, examining the array. Gu Qin said, “Brother Qin, if I’m injured breaking the array, please handle the thing below.”

Qin Xiansheng shook his head. “I think this array was set by my master. Although you’ve improved, his arrays are sinister, making it nearly impossible to escape unscathed. I know him better, what do you think?”

Gu Qin revealed it was indeed her master’s array. Qin Xiansheng smiled. “Then it’s even more reason to listen to me. I’ll break the array, and you handle the creature.”

Gu Qin hesitated, fearing his injury. She had her third eye, giving her an advantage.

“Trust me,” Qin Xiansheng kissed her forehead. “I trust you too. You’ll tell me where it’s dangerous, right?”

Gu Qin finally agreed.

They prepared everything by afternoon. Breaking the array involved destroying several key points. Gu Qin used her third eye to locate them and told Qin Xiansheng. As they prepared to act, Gu Qin felt nervous.

As night fell and the mall closed, security guards left, and Xiang Chengjun was also sent away. The yin beast would emerge near the center of the mall. Gu Qin waited here, where Qin Xiansheng would destroy the final array point.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

Qin Xiansheng meditated for about half an hour, appearing slightly pale but otherwise fine. Gu Qin breathed a sigh of relief. Qin Xiansheng nodded, quickly forming hand seals and striking the array point with a palm. A loud explosion echoed, shaking the ground.

It was midnight. Nearby residents felt the tremor, thinking it was an earthquake and rushing to evacuate. But the sensation vanished quickly, and silence returned. Many returned to bed after a moment.

With the final array point broken, Qin Xiansheng couldn’t hold on, spitting blood. Gu Qin focused on the dense yin qi at the array point. When the black shadow emerged, she shouted, “Beast, surrender!”

A talisman hit the shadow, causing it to scream. Instead of fleeing, it turned and charged at Gu Qin.

Gu Qin drew Flowing Light, meeting it head-on. Flowing Light struck the shadow, which screamed and fell.

Flowing Light, a high-tier artifact, had absorbed much yin qi and digested it for half a year. Now it was stronger, far surpassing a yin beast suppressed for ten years.

With Flowing Light, the black panther was helpless, soon lying on the ground, wounded and bleeding.

The panther looked at Gu Qin with tearful eyes, whimpering like a crying baby.

Gu Qin intended to finish it off, knowing its hatred of humans. This black panther, barely months old, was captured by the old man, tortured, and killed. Its resentment grew, and it died with a hatred for humans.

The black panther hated humans, causing the previous owners’ deaths. Unlike Baihu, it couldn’t be trusted.

Gu Qin hesitated to strike, seeing its tears. Qin Xiansheng approached, noting his minor injury. “Finish it. It can’t be trusted, unlike Baihu.”

Gu Qin agreed, but the panther whimpered, showing remorse. Qin Xiansheng suggested, “Let it live for now. If it doesn’t change, we can deal with it later.”

“Whatever Brother Qin says,” Gu Qin agreed, checking his injuries. “How are you?”

Qin Xiansheng replied, “Don’t worry, just some internal injuries. I’ll recover in a few days.”

Seeing he wasn’t pretending, Gu Qin relaxed.

They resolved the array and the panther, returning to the hotel. The panther, despite injuries, followed obediently.

Xiang Chengjun rushed over. “Masters, how did it go?”

Gu Qin stopped the panther from attacking. “Forget my instructions. Revenge is for the guilty. Find the one who cut your head off.”

Xiang Chengjun was confused. “Gu Master, who are you talking to?”

Gu Qin waved. “Nothing. Most buildings will need renovations. The mall stairs and rooftop need rework, and eight residential floors need changes. I’ll detail the plan. Follow it.”

Xiang Chengjun sighed. “Gu Master, am I safe now?”

Gu Qin warned, “Do good deeds, avoid black money.”

The panther growled, showing its sharp claws, clearly still hostile.

Xiang Chengjun understood nothing, asking, “Okay, I’ll follow your plan.”

The black panther, enraged by its captors, especially those who cut its head off, had a vendetta against Xiang Chengjun. It watched him with hatred.

Xiang Chengjun didn’t understand but followed Gu Qin’s advice, agreeing to the renovations.

Back at the hotel, Xiang Chengjun was relieved. Gu Qin reminded him to do good deeds and avoid black money.

The black panther, despite being subdued, still harbored ill will.

Gu Qin suggested keeping the panther with her, but Qin Xiansheng disagreed. He would take it back to the sect to tame it first.

Gu Qin agreed, noting the panther would eventually join Qin Xiansheng.

After discussing the panther, they talked about Qin Xiansheng’s master. “Brother Qin, don’t you think our encounters with your master are too coincidental? Everything seems connected.”

Qin Xiansheng reflected. “Ren Bushou was obsessed with yin beasts, studying them all his life. It’s no coincidence we keep encountering things related to him.”

The next morning, they flew back to Beijing, the black panther following quietly. It seemed content, albeit reluctantly.

On the plane, the panther behaved, showing hostility but not harming anyone. Gu Qin noted the suicides in the mall were due to design flaws, exacerbated by the heavy yin qi.

Back in Beijing, Cheng Yinxiang went to work, and Cheng’s grandparents were cared for by a nanny. Baihu accompanied Cheng Yinxiang.

Gu Qin and Qin Xiansheng went to the study. Gu Qin worried about the panther’s future. She proposed keeping it with her, but Qin Xiansheng disagreed, suggesting taking it to the sect first.

The panther submitted silently, understanding its fate.

Gu Qin agreed, noting it would eventually join Qin Xiansheng.

This kind of suppressed Yin Beasts have much weaker strength compared to those raised in containers. Moreover, setting up the array is extremely difficult, and most importantly, these Yin Beasts, after being raised, harbor great hostility towards him and definitely won't serve him. Therefore, after the Yin Beasts mature, he needs another method to erase their memories and make them into killing machines that only listen to his commands."

"Ren Boshou is Qin Xiansheng's master."

"I guess he should know that it's very hard to raise Yin Beasts using containers. After all, the Yin Beasts inside the container are almost as powerful as the container itself, mutually restraining each other. Previously, he took apprentices who were very talented; otherwise, they couldn't endure the pain of Yin Beasts entering their bodies. Even if they had talent, after becoming containers, they still couldn't withstand it. So far, only my junior brother and I have endured. Therefore, he probably gave up on using humans to raise Yin Beasts and resorted to using arrays."

"However, the Yin Beasts raised by the array grow very slowly. Perhaps it will take many, many years for them to become powerful. Making these Yin Beasts obey him is even more difficult. Although setting up the array is also very difficult, selecting the location is hard, but it's not certain if there's only this one place. In the future, we need to pay more attention. Now that I've broken his array, he should have also sustained internal injuries, similar to mine, which aren't severe."

Gu Qin asked, "Brother Qin, should we just let him continue like this?"

Qin Xiansheng understood what she meant and said, "I would also like to find out where he is, but his whereabouts are unpredictable, and we haven't received any news from him recently."

Gu Qin lowered her head, frowning. She always felt something was off, but she couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

In the evening, Baihu General came back with Cheng Yinxiang, and upon seeing the prostrate black panther, the general snorted and ignored it, returning to its den.

It was clear that the black panther was very afraid of the general. The difference in their power was too significant. The general was raised as a container along with Qin Xiansheng, starting with roughly the same cultivation level. The black panther, which was only decades old, had a cultivation level less than half of Gu Qin's, and thus could be easily subdued by her. Facing the general, the black panther naturally felt fear.

After having dinner with his family, Qin Xiansheng accompanied Gu Qin downstairs, taking the black panther down with them.

Once they arrived at the parking lot, the black panther got into the back seat, while Gu Qin sat in the passenger seat. She reminded Qin Xiansheng to be careful on the way back and then turned around to see the black panther lowering its head. She laughed and said to Qin Xiansheng, "Brother Qin, it doesn't have a name yet. Let's think of one together."

The black panther's ears twitched.

Gu Qin said, "How about 'Black Cat'? Look, it's like a big cat."

The black panther looked up, bared its teeth, and let out an 'Awooo,' clearly dissatisfied with the name.

Gu Qin said, "So you don't like it? But I like it. Let's call it Black Cat, Brother Qin, what do you think?"

Qin Xiansheng laughed, "It's all up to you."

"Let's call it Black Cat."

The black panther in the back was furious, its whiskers crooked. It bared its teeth at Gu Qin fiercely. Qin Xiansheng turned his head, and the cold light in his eyes made the black panther instantly cower.

Gu Qin told Qin Xiansheng almost the same thing and got out of the car to go back.

Qin Xiansheng watched her get into the elevator before driving back to Jiumen. Upon arriving at Jiumen, Zhu Xi said, "Master, you're back."

Qin Xiansheng nodded. "If anything happens, we'll discuss it tomorrow."

Zhu Xi waved. "There's nothing important. Did you solve everything with Miss Gu?"

"Yes, solved it. Zhu Xi, stand guard outside my door. No one is allowed to enter."

After saying this, he led the black panther into the study.

Upon entering the study, Qin Xiansheng closed the door and sat on the sofa, casually leaning back with his legs crossed. He relaxed in his private space, letting his cold expression show freely.

The black panther clearly sensed how formidable the man was and shrank into a corner, feeling the coldness emanating from him.

Qin Xiansheng looked at it and said, "Come here." His voice was cold, not at all like the gentle man from earlier.

The black panther hesitated but eventually walked over and lay down at Qin Xiansheng's feet.

He looked down at it, closed his eyes, rubbed his temples, and said in a cool tone, "I’ll say this once. Remember, Qian Qian is your master. No matter whom you hate, she is your master. From now on, you must be loyal to her. As for your enemies, they are Ren Boshou. I will help you. Qian Qian doesn’t like you harming others recklessly, so you’re not allowed to. I’ll give you one month to get used to her. I’ll return you to her side, where you’ll follow her orders. During this month, you need to control your wild nature. Do you understand?"

The black panther moved but didn’t react.

Qin Xiansheng didn’t say more. Suddenly opening his eyes, he leaned forward, forming a hand seal, and placed a mark on the black panther’s forehead. "Don’t think about escaping. This mark will allow me to know your whereabouts wherever you are. Only when your strength surpasses mine can you remove it. You should understand what to do."

The black panther finally reacted, lifting its head to bare its teeth at the man. However, sensing his different demeanor, it reluctantly closed its mouth.

Qin Xiansheng leaned back against the chair again, his face cold. He rubbed his forehead again. Thinking about it, he had indeed changed since Kong Xiaoyue tried to harm Gu Qin and her family. Originally, he still had some feelings or humanity toward others, but now he had none. Toward outsiders, he only showed indifference.

The only person or thing he cared about was related to Gu Qin. He was well aware that he wasn’t Qin Jiu, the easygoing and indifferent Qin Jiu, but he did feel some changes in his personality. These changes suggested that his personality might have merged with Qin Jiu’s. That is, the two personalities might have fused.

Qin Xiansheng didn’t know whether this was good or bad. He knew he was Qin Xiansheng, but the changes brought by Qin Jiu’s personality did affect him. However, these changes weren’t necessarily bad; they at least made him more ruthless.

Regardless, the only person he cared about never changed.