Li Ze realized something was amiss. His narrow eyes fixed on Yunxi. "Ran Xiaoyou, can you explain? How do you know this Lord's friend?"
Yunxi looked at the man restrained beneath the Soul-Capturing Mirror. Understanding flashed across her face. She had thought his death back then had come too easily, and when she searched his soul she had found nothing useful. So he had been ruthless enough to sever his own soul.
To make up for the deficit, he had devoured the wicked souls and ferocious ghosts that escaped the underworld, barely piecing himself back together, then chosen the path of a ghost cultivator. If he had continued cultivating, he might have returned to his peak. Unfortunately for him, he ran into Yunxi again, and the Soul-Capturing Mirror sensed the underworld's mark on him. Hence today's dramatic scene.
Yunxi smiled. "City Lord Li Ze, it is a long story, but I can confirm he is an evil cultivator who infiltrated the Weiling Realm to cause trouble. He crossed hands with me before. I destroyed his physical body and crushed 'half' of his soul. I did not expect he had a backhand and would take the ghost-cultivator path."
Li Ze narrowed his eyes, his tone cold. "You are certain?"
Yunxi nodded. "Certain. He targeted me again and again and nearly killed me. How could I mistake my own enemy?
I do not know why he became friends with City Lord Li Ze or why he moved into the manor, but this place is closest to Yunxiao Sea. It is difficult not to suspect his true purpose.
City Lord Li Ze, why not search his soul?" Her suggestion was kindly delivered.
The ghost cultivator trapped under the mirror struggled against its restraint, to no avail. He immediately begged Li Ze for help. "City Lord, she lies. I do not know her at all. She is using that soul artifact to embarrass you. Do not be deceived."
Yunxi flicked her nail. "I do not know your surname or given name, true, but I remember your natal artifact, a three-edged sword. Twice you stretched your hand toward the Weiyu Realm. Once to seize the Evil God's weapon, Long Ya. Once to shield the passage between Huaxian Gate in the Weiling Realm and Huaxian Gate in the lower realm, all to send more evil cultivators into the Weiyu Realm.
Fortunately, this Lord and companions returned in time, destroyed the passage, and destroyed your body along with part of your soul. If you have forgotten, this Lord does not mind helping you remember."
Yunxi raised the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff. The violet-gold power of thunder that danced along the staff made even Li Ze crease his brow.
The ghost cultivator shuddered despite himself. The faint movement did not escape Li Ze's eyes, nor Yunxi's. She thumped the staff against the floor and said with open mockery, "Seems some memories have returned. Let me guess why you split your soul. Was it because of that thread of 'soul thunder' this Lord gifted you?"
The ghost cultivator steadied himself. "I do not understand what you mean."
"No matter. It is enough that someone understands."
She glanced at Li Ze and continued. "Soul thunder is hard to endure. Yet you devoured escaped wicked souls to replenish yourself. Are you a fool?
The wicked souls and ferocious ghosts of the Eighteen Hells all bear the underworld's brand. There is nowhere to hide. Otherwise, the Soul-Capturing Mirror would not have seized only you. Did you think because underworld bailiffs find it inconvenient to act openly in the cultivation world, the matter would be dropped?"
Yunxi finished and exaggeratedly covered her mouth.
Li Ze's mouth twitched. By now he believed Yunxi. His friend's weapon was indeed a three-edged sword. Without knowing him, she could not have described it so precisely.
Zhang Lingrui and Zhou Lingchuan pressed their lips tight to hold back their smiles.
"You are unlucky. This Lord accepted the underworld's commission to haul every escaped wicked soul back. So stop struggling and enter the Soul-Capturing Mirror."
She flicked a sphere of thunder into the man's body. A heartbeat later, howls erupted from the rear courtyard, laced with curses. "You relentless woman, you have ruined our plans again and again. When the Evil God returns, that will be the day your soul is scattered and destroyed!"
Yunxi waited until he finished venting, then sent a strand of soul force. The man was drawn completely into the Soul-Capturing Mirror. Li Ze did not interfere this time, and the process went smoothly.
She swept her sleeve, putting away the Soul-Capturing Mirror and the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff, then smiled and cupped her hands to Li Ze. "I have disturbed City Lord Dàrén. Please forgive me."
Li Ze no longer wished to speak. He waved his hand. "Go well. I will not see you out."
Still smiling, Yunxi bowed once more and left with Zhang Lingrui and Zhou Lingchuan.
After they departed, Li Ze's face darkened. He summoned a trusted aide and ordered a thorough investigation of the ghost cultivators who had come with him to Haoran City.
Yunxi was new to the area and did not grasp how serious it was to have an evil-cultivator mole appear inside the City Lord's Manor, but Li Ze understood. Taking benefits is one thing. On matters of principle, he dared not be careless.
All the more since the infiltrator had entered the manor as Li Ze's "friend." If the man had succeeded, Li Ze would not have escaped responsibility and might have become an accomplice of evil cultivators. Fortunately, he met Ran Xi today, and she happened to be carrying an underworld commission. Otherwise, the evil cultivator might truly have burrowed in.
Yunxi's visit to the City Lord's Manor had been productive. She said what needed saying and forged the connections she intended to forge, in her view at least. Best of all, she had seized an old enemy. That felt excellent. Yunxi returned to the Wei estate in buoyant spirits.
On the third day, Yunxi released the flying boat again. She escorted the Wei and Feng clans, along with the cultivation families willing to continue following Haoran Sect, out of Haoran City. A completely new beginning awaited them.
A month later, Yunxi guided the flying boat down at the necessary pass into the Yuechu Mountain Range. This was Hao Ran Zhēnzūn's chosen place of seclusion. In just one month, it no longer looked so desolate. Green had begun to spread over the peak where Haoran Sect now stood.
After disembarking everyone, Yunxi handed the remaining tasks to the four followers behind her and returned to the sect to make her report.
Below the Yuechu Mountain Range, Hao Ran Zhēnzūn had already staked out a relatively safe area suitable for building a new city. The low-stage disciples of Haoran Sect had raised the first outlines. With many family cultivators joining, construction of Yuechu City sped up.
The Wei and Feng clans joined the city-building as well, selecting a fine site for their new clan grounds. Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.
Upon her return, Yunxi met with Hao Ran Zhēnzūn and Hao Yi. She reported the trip to their old lands and recounted the encounter at the City Lord's Manor with the evil cultivator who had turned to the ghost path, explaining their past enmity in full.
Haoran Zhēnzūn stroked the short beard at his chin. "It seems the evil cultivators set their sights on the seal deep within Yunxiao Sea long ago. They failed in the lower realm, so they are seeking new ways to unbind the Evil God's body."