Zhou Huan stared fixedly at the tomb, a hint of triumph glinting in his eyes: "Just as I suspected, this matter is likely directly connected to me. This 'tomb bursting' signifies that the tomb’s occupant’s spirit never departed. There must be a reason; something left undone, something they couldn't complete, forcing them to wait with such obsession. But after realizing the ultimate disappointment, they naturally burst the tomb, exposing their remains to the wilderness, becoming an isolated wraith. From that moment, they are finally free from the entanglement of what they once held so dear—meaning, the spirit, from the instant the tomb burst, became unbound."

"Master, what you're saying is quite profound; I don't quite grasp it. Could you explain it in more detail for us?" Both Shi Bingyuan and Tian Xiong shared the same sentiment; they didn't fully understand Zhou Huan’s meaning, but what they did understand was that the ghost they had seen yesterday was no longer present.

"What I mean is, the ghostly old woman we saw yesterday is gone today. Normally, she should be guarding this spot, but today she burst the tomb, so her soul has vanished elsewhere. Therefore, the immediate priority is discovering the whereabouts of her spirit. Otherwise, a wandering spirit is terrifying. If it becomes a benevolent wraith, it can help people; if it turns malevolent, who knows how many innocents it might harm. Furthermore, the nature of a wraith is that it is unbound by the constraints of time; given sufficient ghostly power, they can rewind to the past or surge into the future." Zhou Huan spoke of these matters as if they were novel concepts, perhaps things not even recorded in the texts of the Longevity Masters.

Tian Xiong and Shi Bingyuan, unsure of the exact state Zhou Huan was describing—having never witnessed such a phenomenon themselves—spoke in unison: "Master, just tell us what we need to do now. If we encounter the tomb-burster, then we’ll understand the meaning of the spirit of the burst tomb."

"What we must do now is refill the grave, burn the proper paper money, and restore the tombstone!"

The first two tasks Zhou Huan mentioned were manageable, but restoring the tombstone would take time, and given the late hour, it seemed impractical.

"Master, the tombstone is only half left—how can we possibly restore it like this?"

Zhou Huan smiled. "Is that hard? Let me show you your Master's method!" With that, he pulled a small pickaxe from his bag and began chipping away at the two halves of the tombstone, carving out two small pegs and corresponding grooves. When the peg slotted into the groove, the stone not only became sturdy but also preserved every last character etched upon it.

This move by Zhou Huan left his two disciples dizzy; they had never witnessed such an esoteric skill—perhaps this was the first time such a technique had ever been deployed.

The three of them restored the grave, then simultaneously took out their compasses, spinning them in their hands. Strangely, even though all three focused their intent on the old woman’s spirit, the needle on the compasses simply pointed skyward, motionless.

"Master, what is happening?"

Zhou Huan looked up at the sky, then reached into his pocket and pulled out two talismans. On one, he quickly inscribed characters indicating "Past Several Hundred Years," and affixed it to one side of the dial. He then inscribed another, "Future Several Hundred Years," and affixed it to the opposite marker. Zhou Huan announced, "Watch closely. This is the method I devised specifically to track this ghost’s whereabouts."

As Zhou Huan pointed his sword-like finger, the needle instantly straightened, began sliding down from the "Past Several Hundred Years" marker, traveling until it settled firmly around the mark corresponding to three centuries prior, unmoving.

"It seems she truly has returned to that era. This situation is proving more complicated than anticipated."

"Why is it complicated?" Shi Bingyuan asked Zhou Huan.

Zhou Huan let out a long breath. "When I spoke of entering seclusion, I actually intended to take you two back to the era of my previous incarnation. There are certain matters from that time that seem unresolved, though I truly don't know the full story behind them. Then there are the two spirits Tian Lang released the other day, and Hu Tingting’s spirit—it all seems to have become tangled chaos."

"Master, what can we do about this?" Tian Xiong inquired.

Shi Bingyuan chimed in, "Yes, Master, what can we do? We can't go back to the past."

"Who says we can't? With so much talk of traversing time these days, I tell you, time travel is real; it’s just that people don't know how to manage it stably. Generally, only those with considerable cultivation can aspire to it; if one’s actual soul leaves the body, returning is never guaranteed." Zhou Huan smiled as he spoke, a smile full of confidence and self-satisfaction.

"Master, why are you smiling?"

"For us, the journey back won't be so difficult. I developed a technique long ago, and I’ve used this method—it works remarkably well. But we must guarantee no disturbance, which is precisely why I arranged for this period of seclusion." Zhou Huan had actually settled on this plan the night before, devising meticulous arrangements; this time, it seemed Zhou Huan was determined to succeed or perish trying.

Why did Zhou Huan make such a grand decision and take such drastic action? Because behind all this lay a convoluted and intricate history. The matters concerning him and Tian Lang, the issue with that old woman, and several other messy little incidents all occurred in the past. However, the Zhou Huan of that past life had entered seclusion at that very time, achieving nothing beyond learning the methods of a Funeral Director. He later established the Shou Shi Sect and never imagined it would grow to its present scale. There must be interpersonal conflicts interwoven in this history, which is why Zhou Huan decided he absolutely had to return to that time to resolve these matters.

"Master, then how can we ensure we return to the past?" Shi Bingyuan asked.

Tian Xiong crowded in with curiosity, "Yes, Master, and where will our place of seclusion be?"

"Hahahaha, don't worry about that. Traveling back in time is easy, as long as you follow my instructions, you can go back. But at that time, you won't be present. Bingyuan might meet his ancestor, and Tian Xiong will meet your former master. So, we are all connected by fate. If we go back together, there must be something we are destined to complete together. I have chosen the seclusion chamber at Baoguang Temple; protectors from both the Yin and Yang realms will be watching over us, so there's no need to fear about returning."

Hearing this, Tian Xiong and Shi Bingyuan felt as if a great weight had been lifted, instantly relaxing.

"Let's go. We don't need to worry about this place anymore. We'll head down the mountain. Tomorrow morning, we leave for Baoguang Temple. I believe the Venerable Abbot Dehong has arranged everything for us." With that, Zhou Huan led his two disciples down the mountain.

"Master, I still wanted to ask you—what is the principle behind time travel?"

"It’s based on the basics I just mentioned. Traveling to the past requires two necessary factors: an unfinished karmic connection remaining in the past, and the person possessing immense willpower and steadfast resolve to return safely. However, those who travel in time are broadly divided into two categories. One is Soul Transmigration, meaning the three hun and seven po travel across, materializing as physical beings in the past. The other is Spiritual Wandering, where only one or two souls cross over, allowing them only to observe what they wish to see, but rendering them incapable of taking any action."

Zhou Huan explained this to his two apprentices. Tian Xiong and Shi Bingyuan benefited immensely; they now possessed a deep understanding of the concept of time travel and sufficient confidence for the practical application the next day. After all, with Zhou Huan by their side, they had nothing to fear. At worst, they’d just follow their Master and live as carefree, detached spirits, certain not to suffer any serious harm.

As Zhou Huan was driving, he noticed the moon in the sky seemed red again, and his own eyes flickered intermittently. Perhaps the closeness of these recent events was catching up to him, making Zhou Huan feel undeniably weary. Nevertheless, he insisted on resolving this current matter completely, for he had left behind many unresolved threads of destiny in the past.

The master and his two disciples spent the journey discussing the plans for the following day and debating the theories of time travel. The car slowly wound its way back to Fushou Hall. That night, Fushou Hall transformed into a place of genuine celebration; colored lanterns illuminated every corner of the house. Truly, it was the night of the bridal chamber and flickering candles, where butterflies dance amid the blooms. Heaven’s joy, the water of immortals, red lights and green wine—life is but intoxication, yet one must resist desire, resist desire!