The breath Zhou Huan heard sounded like a woman’s, yet its ebb and flow made it impossible to pinpoint the source. Despite the confusion, the situation cemented his belief: this was a supernatural occurrence, and a particularly peculiar one at that. He couldn't quite articulate how it was peculiar, only that this apparition seemed utterly devoid of malice. The pair of shoes from earlier also stood out, strangely noticeable and deeply uncanny. Even Zhou Huan's compass couldn't definitively categorize the phenomenon as stemming from the Yin realm.

At the scene, the firemen meticulously searched the building, confirming that no one remained inside. Furthermore, the area affected by the fire showed minimal structural damage, requiring only simple repairs. Even the individuals rescued from the blaze were unharmed.

All of this left Zhou Huan feeling no pressure, only a persistent, unanswered question.

“Are you the Captain?” Zhou Huan approached a leading fireman, asking with utmost courtesy, “I have something I need to ask you.”

The fireman responded with equal politeness, “Go ahead, sir. What is it?” It seemed the incident hadn't burdened him much either; there were no casualties, not even injuries, and extinguishing the fire had been remarkably smooth.

“I was wondering,” Zhou Huan probed cautiously, “after you cordon off the site, could I perhaps take a look inside?”

The Captain didn't object. Instead, he replied graciously, “By all means. I’ve already placed men inside. If you need anything, just tell them directly.”

Zhou Huan found this astonishingly easy. Normally, anyone requesting access to a scene like this would be detained and questioned. The sheer smoothness of the situation made him hesitant and suspicious, though nothing concrete gave him cause for alarm—it was simply the sudden, unexpected friendliness of the entire encounter.

“But… I can just walk in? I don’t need to sign anything, or have someone accompany me?” Zhou Huan pressed the Captain more directly.

The Captain smiled broadly. “Master Zhou, what are you saying? It’s so late, and you’re the only master-level figure daring enough to enter a place like this right after a fire. Who knows what’s going on in there. Go ahead. Though, I do have one favor to ask of you, Master Zhou.”

“Then tell me. I, Zhou Huan, will do what I can,” Zhou Huan replied.

“Whatever you find inside, come out and help me write a more thorough report, alright?” The Captain lowered his voice as he said this.

Zhou Huan laughed. “Agreed. But let’s be clear upfront: I investigate matters of the spirit. If the information isn't useful to you in that regard, I won't be writing it down.”

“Yes, yes, Master Zhou. Be careful now, hurry inside!” The Captain, wearing a forced smile, escorted Zhou Huan to the doorway.

Zhou Huan bypassed the tape and entered. The interior was pitch black from the soot. Strangely, despite the intensity of the fire, the electrical wiring remained intact, showing no signs of short-circuiting. Only the lightbulbs were darkened; everything else in the room was quite visible.

Four or five firefighters were inside, collecting evidence and searching for the cause of the blaze.

“Master, your reputation precedes you. Even these young soldiers know of you. But what exactly are we looking for in here?” Shi Bingyuan whispered close to Zhou Huan’s ear. “Oh, and my compass isn't reacting either. Could this be man-made, like that incident with Sun Jianyuan’s distant relative?”

“No. I feel we aren't facing a malevolent spirit this time, but a stubborn, benevolent one. And this goodness isn't ordinary,” Zhou Huan analyzed.

Shi Bingyuan continued to press, “Not ordinary goodness? What do you mean? If it’s a ghost, the compass should react, shouldn’t it?”

“Not necessarily. A compass fails to register two kinds of souls: a god who has achieved true fulfillment, or the soul of a truly enlightened virtuous person,” Zhou Huan explained.

“I understand the god who has achieved fulfillment, but what about the soul of an enlightened virtuous person?”

“Enlightened means their path is upright; virtuous means they have benefited others. Such a soul means they are on the verge of becoming a god, yet they are held back by a single thought—perhaps an unfulfilled wish from life, perhaps a desire to see a certain person, or… well, for practitioners, these are all considered trials,” Zhou Huan said, having already moved toward the window near the back courtyard. Outside was Old Zhao’s dilapidated shack. He squinted through the dim light by the window, straining his eyes to see everything.

“So, Master, are you saying that if we cultivate, we will also encounter various trials?” Shi Bingyuan asked carefully. At over sixty and still unmarried, his remaining endeavor was cultivation—the refinement of his own soul.

Zhou Huan didn't answer immediately, only nodding. His eyes suddenly fixed on the window frame, where a dark, gummy patch adhered, looking like scorched rubber.

“Ouch!” Shi Bingyuan stumbled slightly, crying out. Several firefighters turned to look. Shi Bingyuan quickly added, “Where did all this water come from?”

“It’s a fire scene, of course there’s water!” the firemen replied with faint smiles before turning away.

Zhou Huan turned back to Shi Bingyuan. “Are you alright? Maybe you should head out first; wet feet for too long can upset your stomach.”

“I’m fine, just felt a chill. Master, it’s strange, there’s clearly an extra step here by the window, right before the stairs. How could water spray all the way up here?” Shi Bingyuan’s comment alerted Zhou Huan, who immediately looked back at Shi Bingyuan’s feet.

“Yes, how did the water get here? Where did it originate?” Following the imaginary water trail, Zhou Huan ascended the stairs. As he went higher, the floor became cleaner, but the path of the water remained distinct. When he reached the top floor, the sound of rushing water filled the air.

“Master, there’s water!” Shi Bingyuan exclaimed impatiently.

Zhou Huan followed the sound of the running water. The two men entered a room near the stairwell landing and were confronted by a sink basin, completely full. The drain was clogged, and the faucet was wide open, causing water to spill over profusely.

Who did this? Zhou Huan wondered inwardly. He glanced at Shi Bingyuan, then called out softly, “Is anyone on the second floor?”

The firefighters downstairs heard him and called back loudly, “There’s no one on the second floor! This second floor is the fire safety room; we use it when we aren't back to check things.”

“Then did one of you turn on this faucet?” Zhou Huan asked next.

“The faucet? Wait a moment!” Two firefighters rushed up the stairs to Zhou Huan’s side. By then, Zhou Huan had already turned off the tap.

“Was the faucet running just now?” the fireman inquired of Zhou Huan.

Shi Bingyuan nodded. “It was running; it was gushing when we came up!”

Zhou Huan confirmed with a firm nod. The fireman looked at them, seeming unable to believe it. He reached out and turned the faucet on sharply, then frantically turned it off again. “Master Zhou, this… this is impossible!” The fireman’s face grew pale, beads of sweat forming at his temples.

“What’s wrong? Is there… something going on?”

The fireman stared fixedly at the faucet, his lips dry. “Yes, something is wrong. I personally sealed this faucet shut with a wrench. It can't be opened without our specialized tools—even an expert would need to borrow equipment from us. I should know. So, unless I turn it on, this faucet simply cannot be opened, unless…”

“Unless what?” Shi Bingyuan pressed closer.

The fireman’s complexion began to turn slightly green. “Unless there is… there is something unclean… Ah!” Upon saying this, the two firemen spun around and bolted. Apparently, the phantom had a significant effect on them. It was surprising that two grown men were so terrified of a spirit, unless they had suffered a loss due to ghosts before.

Zhou Huan shook his head, turned to Shi Bingyuan, and said, “You look around upstairs. Try not to disturb anything. I’m going downstairs to check on things and deal with that cowardly fireman.” With that, Zhou Huan swiftly descended the stairs.

Shi Bingyuan calmly surveyed the second floor, wrapping anything that seemed useful in Fu paper and placing it into his bag.

Downstairs, Zhou Huan found the two firemen, one chugging water from a large bottle.

“Were either of you frightened by a spirit?” Zhou Huan asked, adopting the demeanor of a physician.

The two men nodded convulsively, their eyes wide with panic.

Outside, the Fire Captain, having heard his men were thoroughly spooked, rushed inside. Upon hearing Zhou Huan’s question and seeing his team, he immediately slapped them both across the face. “Look at you, so useless! Master Zhou is here, what are you afraid of?” Then, forcing a wide, toothy grin, he continued, “Master Zhou, perhaps you could take a look? They aren't functioning properly like this.”

“Heh heh, certainly,” Zhou Huan replied, casually pulling out two sheets of Fu paper. He lit them, blew the ashes into the water bottles they were holding, and instructed, “You’ve been startled, and drinking water is a natural reaction. So, both of you must drink the entire bottle in one go, or the remedy won't work.”

Reassured by Zhou Huan’s words, the two men immediately uncapped their bottles and downed the contents in one swallow.

“Alright, you’ll be fine soon. Go outside and rest for a while.” Zhou Huan turned back to investigate the room. He was actually gaining quite a lot. He collected a stack of photographs—whether they were useful or not remained to be seen, but they certainly gave the Fire Captain plenty of material to analyze as evidence.

Zhou Huan continued his search near the window, convinced that any area the water had flowed through from upstairs would yield some clue.

Just as Zhou Huan was searching, Shi Bingyuan shouted from upstairs, “Master, hurry up here! I’ve found something very strange, which I suspect will be very useful to us!”