Zhou Huan first agreed to the evil spirit's demand, moving the bronze mirror that his friend had emphatically warned him never to touch. The moment he did so, Zhou Huan felt profoundly uneasy, but for the sake of the woman he loved, he had no choice. He had to take the desperate risk—this was the nature of worldly love.

"Brother Huan, my stomach hurts again!" Xiao He cried out repeatedly from inside the room. At that moment, Dongzi, Da Luobo, and Yang Xiaoling also rushed over, all expressing deep concern for Wang Xiaohe’s condition.

Zhou Huan snapped at them, "Who told you to come over? I am the only one needed here now. Everyone return to your own rooms." It was the first time the group had ever seen Zhou Huan so furious. When they attempted to help Xiao He, Zhou Huan roughly pushed them back, because Xiao He's agonizing cries were now sounding distressingly normal.

Zhou Huan’s heart was being wrenched apart. Even a normal person screaming for that long would eventually collapse from mental and physical exhaustion. No, I have to find a solution quickly. If this continued, serious problems would arise. If anything actually happened to Xiao He, Zhou Huan would carry the guilt for the rest of his life.

"Master, everything outside is prepared!" Shi Bingyuan ran back and whispered into Zhou Huan's ear.

Zhou Huan smiled faintly. "Don't move yet. Wait for Hong Kun to return. I need to figure out a plan to secure the scene first; otherwise, even if Xiao He doesn't die, she’ll be driven mad from the ordeal." Zhou Huan's concern was valid, as spirits possessing someone usually aim to invade the brain, controlling the neural cells and the host's capacity for control.

"Master, what should we do then?" Shi Bingyuan was also worried sick for Xiao He. If their child were born, it would be the first infant in the Fushoutang—a monumental joy. If something went wrong now, it would surely drive Zhou Huan insane, and Xiao He could not bear the pain of another lost child.

Just then, Zhou Huan sensed someone standing behind him. When he spun around, the face of Xiao He—now purple and swollen—was glaring at him fiercely. As he watched, a small trickle of blood seeped from her mouth; she must have screamed until her lips split.

"I want to give birth! Right now, I want to give birth!" Wang Xiaohe spoke the words herself, yet she seemed completely out of control, raising her hand to violently drag Zhou Huan back into the room. Once inside, she began tearing at Zhou Huan’s clothes, incessantly repeating, "I want to give birth, I want to, right now!"

Seeing this, Zhou Huan felt an overwhelming wave of misery. He swiftly brought his palm down, knocking Xiao He unconscious. She slumped onto the bed, motionless. Then, Zhou Huan watched as a wisp of black smoke slowly drifted out of her body, preparing to float out the window again.

Zhou Huan immediately pulled out the Celestial Silkworm Gloves, the Coin Sword, and a handful of talismans. Using the Celestial Silkworm Gloves as a brush, he rapidly inscribed a few strokes onto a talisman and slapped it onto Xiao He’s chest. He immediately followed this by firing another talisman at the escaping black smoke. Then, he roared, "Shi Bingyuan, bring that mirror back here! I need to reflect whatever is inside Xiao He’s belly!"

At that precise moment, Zhou Huan heard a voice whispering directly into his ear: "Zhou Huan, stop wasting your efforts. Even if I am utterly annihilated, my essence remains within your child. He will not abandon me; he will certainly allow me to return to Xiao He’s body. Haha! Good news for you: my mission is complete today. You may destroy me, but I shall be reborn in Xiao He’s belly tomorrow."

Zhou Huan was momentarily stunned by this declaration. What kind of entity was this? Not only did it control people's minds, but it sought to control their very reproductive ability—this was outrageous.

After a moment of thought, Zhou Huan showed no restraint, turning and unleashing a talisman that scattered the black smoke floating in mid-air. What followed was not the shriek of a dissipated soul, but a burst of vast, echoing laughter that was impossible to grasp.

When Zhou Huan tried to listen more closely, he found the sound had already vanished into thin air, leaving no trace. This absence placed a definite pressure on his psyche. He gazed at the collapsed Xiao He on the bed, feeling a profound surge of sorrow and heartache.

"Master, Master, I’m back!" Hong Kun rushed in from outside. Zhou Huan pulled him aside. "Let’s talk outside!" He then called to Shi Bingyuan, "Watch Xiao He closely. Tell me immediately if anything happens."

Zhou Huan and Hong Kun went into Shi Bingyuan's room. Once inside, Zhou Huan firmly closed the door. Hong Kun then retrieved a sutra from his bag, followed by a small jar.

"What is all this?" Zhou Huan asked anxiously.

Hong Kun caught his breath for a moment. "This sutra contains records almost identical to this entire incident. Everything written here matches exactly what we just witnessed. And there’s this other book—it’s a complete compendium of formations left by an old abbot at the temple decades ago. I noticed many elements here match what we have in our own formation manual, but this one has an addition: the Nine Palaces Heavenly Gate Formation. This formation is similar to the one you initially set up, but the specific application…" Here, Hong Kun paused awkwardly.

"What is it? Is there a problem?" Zhou Huan inquired.

Hong Kun smiled faintly. "No problem, only that this formation demands extremely profound power from the main operator. Otherwise, it’s useless; not only will the task fail, but you yourself could suffer severe injuries."

Zhou Huan thought for a long time. Since returning from the Qing Dynasty, he felt his internal energy was incredibly potent; leading such a formation should be no issue for him. However, the formation required four people. Even counting Hong Kun, they were still one short. Dongzi’s minor internal power meant he’d likely be in peril himself. What to do? Zhou Huan fretted, his mind deeply conflicted.

"Oh, Master, there's one more thing—this small oil jar. It’s filled with congealed oil from offerings of incense and lamp oil dedicated to the Buddha, mixed with some gold dust. The abbot said we might need it," Hong Kun said, opening the jar to show Zhou Huan as he spoke.

Zhou Huan looked down. It was excellent; it was exactly as he had envisioned. Indeed, the old abbot of Baoguang Temple possessed considerable insight. He was intimately familiar with Zhou Huan’s methods, techniques, and habits regarding prop usage. Zhou Huan mixed these oils together, matching them against the liquid prepared by stirring ink into black dog's blood, intended for writing.

"Tell me about this ghost's origin, let me see!" Zhou Huan interrupted Hong Kun.

"According to the Buddhist scripture, this ghost is a child-eating ghoul. The formal term is the Man-Eating Old Hag. She specializes in devouring newborn infants. There is a method to deal with her; the scripture is very clear. It primarily relies on the Ten Thousand Buddhas Mantra, which can shatter her soul instantly," Hong Kun explained. His eyes seemed to clear of internal confusion, and he continued, "Master, regarding Xiao He’s situation, as your apprentice, I also..."

At this point, Hong Kun stopped speaking, saying no more. He handed the two books he brought back to Zhou Huan, then quietly left Shi Bingyuan’s room.

Zhou Huan listened to Hong Kun, then slowly opened the two books. Inside the room, Xiao He had inexplicably drifted off into a deep sleep. Zhou Huan could not reconcile these bizarre occurrences, but since the Ghost Mother was present, he could at least attempt to understand. For now, Zhou Huan's focus was on how to quickly resolve the matter of the Ghost Mother. Yet, a persistent shadow lingered in his heart; he felt this incident was far more serious than any he had previously encountered. When the evil spirits emerged before, he hadn't even felt their presence, unable to detect them at all.

As he flipped through the scripture, he sensed that this particular ghost was originally inclined toward good, yet in the context of its survival, no one could offer an explanation. Perhaps it was incapable of the benevolent aspect, acting solely for its own preservation, no matter how cruelly it had to behave.

Zhou Huan let out a long sigh, then muttered to himself, "This matter is exceedingly difficult. How can a resolution be achieved?"

Just then, a cry of intense pain echoed from Xiao He’s room. Zhou Huan put down the scripture, darted out of the room, and rushed back inside. He saw Xiao He standing before him.

"Brother Huan, I am so sorry. I don't want to be like this, but I can’t control myself. I have said what I needed to say—I want our child!" As she spoke, hot tears streamed down her face. When she finally leaned into his embrace, Zhou Huan felt an inexplicable sense of helplessness and agony.

Zhou Huan gently pushed Xiao He away. "Xiao He, don't worry. I will certainly save your soul. Look behind you, at the room—our marital home. I promise I will marry you and raise our child. Rest assured!"

Saying this, Zhou Huan felt tears welling up, but as a man, he wouldn't let them fall easily. Yet, saying those words brought a pang of sharp sadness when he thought of Xiaoling.

"Master, Master!" Shi Bingyuan called from behind him. But after speaking, Xiao He suddenly went limp, her speech becoming terribly slurred.

"Bingyuan, what is it?" Zhou Huan didn't understand, but seeing Xiao He in her current state, he needed to know what Shi Bingyuan was trying to convey.

Shi Bingyuan looked at Xiao He, unable to form words.

Seeing Xiao He unconscious, Zhou Huan summoned all his strength and carried her back to the bed. She slept peacefully. Zhou Huan gently closed the door, then pulled Shi Bingyuan to the end of the hallway, standing there in silence.

"Master, this is bad! A large crowd of monks has arrived outside, clamoring to see you. I knew you were comforting Xiao He, but I couldn't stop them from shouting for you. Look..."

"Go see them!" Zhou Huan stated firmly. He knew these were the people who had come to help him!