It was the sound of a prayer, a voice profoundly benevolent and gentle, conveying nothing but a warm sense of goodwill.

Indeed, the potent influence moved heaven and earth; the dark shadow obscuring the moon slowly vanished, and within minutes, the moon was completely revealed.

Its pure, bright light pierced every corner of the Fushou Hall, as the pinpoint of light in the air drifted leisurely down to the floor.

“What is happening?” the Ghost King couldn't help but exclaim.

Suddenly, he felt a powerful surge of vital energy erupting from Dongzi, shoving his body outward.

The Ghost King moved with indescribable speed, flying straight out through the window of Xiao He’s room.

Under the moonlight, the ice encasing Zhou Huan slowly vaporized, and sensation slowly returned to his body.

However, the internal frostbite became increasingly apparent, leaving every patch of flesh bruised and purple.

Enduring the pain, he formed the hand seals for the Two Paths of Soul Summoning.

“Bingyuan, Hongkun, return to your bodies!” As Zhou Huan’s words fell, he spat out a mouthful of black blood.

“I truly underestimated this Ghost King.” Following that, he retrieved a pouch from his bag and began sprinkling its contents precisely according to the formation he had previously laid out.

“Hongkun, can you move?” Zhou Huan straightened his aching waist and chest, his body trembling.

Hongkun, also suffering from injuries to his spiritual body, clenched his jaw so tightly it felt like he might grind his teeth to dust.

He managed to stand and shuffled over to Zhou Huan’s side.

“Master, these are the talismans I just finished writing.” As he spoke, he pulled out another stack of talismans from his own bag and scattered them across the floor, following Zhou Huan’s pattern.

The Ghost King, having just been thrown down from upstairs, saw Zhou Huan moving again and was unwilling to let him go.

He instantly reappeared beside Zhou Huan and lunged down with a grab.

Zhou Huan had already prepared his Heavenly Silkworm Gloves.

He ignited a Soul-Breaking Talisman and slammed it forcefully onto the Ghost King’s glabella point.

“Aiya!” the Ghost King cried out, his voice laced with apparent surprise.

His entire spiritual form recoiled backward.

“Clever move, Zhou Huan, you actually had this trick.” “Hongkun, Cinnabar Array!” Zhou Huan and Hongkun took up two corners, while Shi Bingyuan painfully managed to stand and sat cross-legged to form the third corner.

The three of them formed a perfect triangle, trapping the Ghost King inside.

“Cinnabar flies, spirit body shatters, essence separates!” Zhou Huan’s Heavenly Silkworm Glove shot out with a swish, striking the Ghost King squarely in the chest.

The Ghost King seemed to instantly lose his balance; his entire spiritual form slumped onto the ground with a whoosh, his two spectral eyes hazy like clouds.

“What is happening?” The ghostly energy enveloping the Ghost King gradually began to dissipate.

He looked at his own form in utter astonishment as it slowly transformed into wisps of black vapor.

“No! I haven’t found my physical body replacement yet; I can’t be extinguished like this! Master Zhou, spare me!” This Ghost King truly knew how to bend and yield, making himself seem like a noble figure.

Zhou Huan and the others barely had any strength left to reply; simply maintaining the formation to force the Ghost King’s dissolution was taxing enough.

Just then, Dongzi tumbled down from upstairs and rushed straight toward the Ghost King, throwing himself onto the Ghost King’s spiritual form.

In less than ten minutes, the Ghost King’s body had reverted to the initial black sphere of light, but this time it was just a single point, floating up and down within Zhou Huan’s formation.

“Dongzi, move away!” Zhou Huan dropped his hand seals and turned to speak.

“Hongkun, Bingyuan, you can stand down too; the Ghost King can’t move anymore.” Zhou Huan finished speaking, but Dongzi hadn't budged.

“Dongzi, move away.

What’s wrong with you?” “Brother, my legs are numb.

Didn’t you see I was rolling down? I just tried to stand up and lost my balance, so I just flopped right onto the Ghost King.” Dongzi’s explanation was difficult for everyone present to comprehend.

Zhou Huan shook his head and smiled faintly.

“Alright, move off to the side.

I need to have a word with this marvelous Ghost King.” “Master Zhou, I submit.

Please let me go!” the black point of light spoke, but its voice now sounded extremely hoarse.

Zhou Huan managed a pained smile.

“How could I possibly let you go? Weren't you just trying to kill us a moment ago? Why are you no longer demanding our deaths?” “It was merely my temporary arrogance, Master Zhou, please don’t hold it against me.

You should all withdraw the formation!” the Ghost King pleaded bitterly, sounding exceedingly sincere.

But Zhou Huan had no intention of being fooled by him again.

Zhou Huan slowly stood up.

“The formation cannot be withdrawn.

You will stay here in my Fushou Hall from now on; I will find you a place to cultivate properly.

Let me tell you, I knew the driver was a trap the moment he arrived, and I knew your cinnabar was fake.

If I hadn't had some stock left, you really would have consumed us tonight.” “Master Zhou is decisive and astute.

Please let me go back outside.

If I stay in your Yang residence, wouldn’t I be taking advantage of you?” The Ghost King sounded quite earnest in his plea.

But Zhou Huan granted him no reprieve.

He took out a gourd from a drawer in the hall, carefully placed the black point inside it, and then affixed two talismans to the gourd.

He then addressed the gourd, “Ghost King, cultivate well in here.

This time, I am acting on behalf of Heaven to recapture you.

If you commit offenses again in the future, or in later generations, beware that my karma with you will not cease.” When Zhou Huan finished speaking, the detestable Ghost King fell silent.

However, the injuries sustained by the others were severe, and Tian Xiong and Huo’s condition was truly grotesque.

Even after the ordeal was over, the two remained lying down, only showing faint signs of breath and heartbeat; otherwise, they would have been treated as dead.

Now, only Dongzi remained fully functional.

The entire Fushou Hall was in chaos.

Zhou Huan, having no other choice, stiffly headed to his dispensary to find a large collection of medicines, then instructed Dongzi step-by-step on how to apply them to treat everyone’s injuries.

“Brother, what should we do to save these two?” Dongzi asked Zhou Huan, as he didn't know the specific cause of their condition this time.

Furthermore, Dongzi was completely ignorant of medicine; he could only follow Zhou Huan’s orders, considering it a major success if he didn't mix up the ingredients.

“Right, Dongzi, everything is settled here.

Take Xiao Yan’er to see her mother!” Dongzi carried Xiao Yan’er out the back door.

As dawn broke, the white light outside intensified.

The woman who emerged was the Ms.

Zhao they had seen before.

“Ms.

Zhao, your child is here.

If you wish to see her, please manifest yourself.” “Cough, cough, alright!” Ms.

Zhao seemed to be experiencing some defect in her spiritual body this time, as she coughed continuously.

Her spirit form looked incredibly weak, and what was even stranger was that it rapidly aged, instantly turning her hair snow-white, as dazzling as frost.

Zhou Huan looked upon this great, benevolent practitioner with deep respect, rising to bow profoundly to the woman.

“Sister, your cultivation is impeccable; what caused the Ghost King to enter your spirit body? Look at the trouble he stirred up.” “Ah, it’s all my fault.

I only wanted to go home and see my husband and daughter properly, but unexpectedly, I encountered the Ghost King.

The moment I stepped through my door, he entered my spirit body.

Since then, I’ve been trying to control him, but I never could.

In the end, he occupied more than half of my spirit, perhaps because he intended to borrow my cultivation—that much is evident.” “Alright, Sister Zhao, you should go back and resume your cultivation, striving for immortality soon.

As for your family and your child, your human connections have reached their end; do not pursue them anymore.

Go back.

However, thank you for your plea earlier.

That intervention alone must have cost you ten years of cultivation.

Hurry and cultivate,” Zhou Huan earnestly persuaded her.

The Maiden Zhou, with tears in her eyes, drifted away.

Xiao Yan’er watched, stunned.

She only reacted when her mother was already gone, realizing who that was.

She didn't cry but instead raised her hand to wave goodbye to her departing mother.

“Master, we were too badly injured today.

Tomorrow...?” Tian Xiong meant that he was worried about others noticing the ashen faces and panda-like dark circles on everyone at Fushou Hall, which would surely be bad and might affect the hall’s business later on.

“Uncle Zhou, I have a request.

I wonder if Uncle Zhou can grant Xiao Yan’er’s wish,” the child spoke at this moment, sounding as if she had suddenly matured, so composed was she.

Zhou Huan bent down, placing one hand gently on Xiao Yan’er’s head.

“What is it, Xiao Yan’er?” “Xiao Yan’er wants to become Uncle Zhou’s disciple.

In the future, I too want to vanquish demons and uphold righteousness.” The child’s aspiration brought the only moment of genuine joy everyone had experienced that night.

“Tian Xiong, hang up the ‘Closed for Reorganization’ sign outside.

Treat the driver brother until he’s healed before letting him leave.

Go to the backyard and lock the door.

We will pick everyone up from the hospital in three days.” After giving his instructions, Zhou Huan first returned to his room, where he and Xiao He fell into a deep sleep.

It was truly strange; Dongzi guarded the Fushou Hall alone for three full days, handling everything from waking with the sun to eating and washing clothes.

And truth be told, Dongzi managed these tasks exceptionally well.

As a result, the injured in the Fushou Hall recovered remarkably quickly.

After three days, Zhou Huan and Shi Bingyuan, whose internal energy was stronger, had almost completely recovered, though Tian Xiong and Hongkun were still lagging slightly.

But the best recovery was Xiao He’s; she had almost climbed out of the shadow of losing her child.

The driver brother, once healed, ran off quite quickly, speeding away once he confirmed his body was fine.

“Xiao Yan’er, today your aunts and uncles will take you to see your father, alright?” Tian Xiong remained Xiao Yan’er’s dedicated bodyguard.

The group of seven traveled in two cars, heading toward the hospital.

Xiao Yan’er sat in Zhou Huan’s car and murmured, “Master, your disciple has a question.” “What is it, Xiao Yan’er? Your Master is willing to answer you.” Zhou Huan had indeed accepted Xiao Yan as his disciple.

Xiao Yan’er fumbled around in her pocket, finally pulling out a sheet of talisman paper.

She held it up and asked Zhou Huan, “Master, I’ve invented a new talisman.

Look at my ‘Egg Talisman’: Make all ghosts appear…” Zhou Huan exchanged glances with Shi Bingyuan and Dongzi behind him.

It seemed that in Xiao Yan’er, they glimpsed echoes of their own childhoods…