I trapped Xu Xiaoling with one arm, while my other hand quickly pulled out a Clear Heart Talisman. I licked it with my tongue, letting a bit of my blood mix in to strengthen the spell. Then, in a rushed motion, I pressed it onto Xu Xiaoling’s face.

A wave of cold energy shot out from her body, and I instinctively spat in the direction of the energy. There was a loud ghostly scream, and the cold presence vanished. I couldn’t tell if the ghost had left or not.

When Xu Xiaoling had fallen under the ghost’s control, I hadn’t sensed any negative energy. It was clear this ghost had some real skill; it knew how to hide its presence.

Four encounters with ghosts, and I’d dealt with two of them using hair-pulling and spit. At this point, being a Taoist priest at my level was truly unprecedented.

"Ah! Let me go!" Xu Xiaoling screamed.

I quickly released her and said, "You were just possessed by a ghost."

"Ghost?! Is it still here?" Xu Xiaoling asked, panic creeping into her voice as she grabbed my shirt.

I replied honestly, "Not sure, it's too dark to see."

"Then why could the ghost see us?"

Her question made me snap my fingers. "Almost forgot. There’s a ghost in my makeup box too."

"Your... makeup box?!" Xu Xiaoling stammered.

"The one you gave me last time."

I rummaged through my backpack, pulled out the makeup box, removed the Yang Talisman, and opened the lid. I let Big Bull out.

As soon as it emerged, Big Bull started grumbling. "I was suffocating in there! Bro, where’s my mom?"

"Big Bull’s mom passed out. She was just possessed. I couldn’t see clearly, but you should check on her. Also, see if there are any other ghosts in this room."

...

That ghost had fled, but Big Bull's mom was weak from the possession and bedridden. I gave her some Bull’s Tears, let her meet with Big Bull, then left some money with her. Xu Xiaoling and I left the hospital.

On the way out, Xu Xiaoling suddenly asked, "Have you ever seen Detective Conan?"

"Yeah, why?" I was a bit confused by her question.

"Well, wherever Conan goes, there’s always a case. He can just casually watch a movie and end up stumbling into a murder... I think you and Conan are alike!"

She teased.

I chuckled. "Conan’s just following the plot. Me... well, it's fate. Bad luck’s been following me my whole life, so this kind of thing is normal. Sorry about messing up your clothes today."

"It’s fine, I’ll just wash them..." she shrugged.

That evening, Cheng Dong treated us to dinner. After sending off the three women, he said, "Brother Xiao Long(Bruce), I’m sticking with you from now on. I’m born and raised in Qiling City, and I’ve got a solid network. I’ll introduce clients to you, just give me a little cut."

I nodded. "Alright, we’ll split 28%. If you’re serious, let’s see what you can bring."

True to his word, over the next two weeks, Cheng Dong brought me four clients. But the pay wasn’t as much as Boss Qian’s—ranging from five thousand to thirty thousand—but it added up. I earned over forty thousand in that time, all while still doing my regular work.

I told Cheng Dong, "Don’t ignore a client just because their budget’s low. If they’re poor, even if they can’t pay, we should still help. I’ll cover the costs myself."

This was advice from the female knight—don’t let money be the only thing that drives you.

I also sent Big Bull to the underworld using secret techniques.

And the good news? I finally managed to create two Communication Talismans!

Three days ago, I sent one to the old conman. The method was taught to me by the female knight, and I wasn’t sure if he’d actually receive it.

Tonight, I planned to contact him.

After work, I rode an old bike, with a black backpack on my back, carrying rope and a bucket, heading to the outskirts of Qiling City. This old bike was something Cheng Dong used before—it had become my main form of transport.

The trip was about 30 kilometers. Since it was dark, I couldn’t ride too fast, so it took me a full hour to get there.

The village I arrived in was poor, with mostly mud houses. There was one house no one lived in, a so-called "haunted house," where people claimed ghosts appeared frequently, so no one dared to go near.

But I had observed that there were no ghosts in that house. My destination was that very house.

The village was so poor, they still used well water, and every household had a well.

The "haunted house" was completely empty. Everything that could be taken had been, including the pulley, rope, and wooden bucket used for drawing water.

I parked the old bike in the yard, grabbed my flashlight, and walked into the "haunted house."

By 11 PM, I quickly tied the rope to the bucket, dropped it into the well, drew a bucket of water, and poured it into a bowl. I then placed three Yin Talismans around the bowl, pressing a Communication Talisman beneath it, and whispered the old conman’s name: "Niu Jintao... Niu Jintao..."

The cold energy around the bowl suddenly thickened, and the bowl trembled. Water splashed onto the talisman, but I kept chanting.

After a while, the bowl stopped shaking, and the water had reduced by half. Soon, a face appeared in the water—his face!

What the heck? Was this like a QQ video call?

Before I could process it, the old conman, just as surprised as I was, murmured, "Huh? The Communication Talisman actually works?"

"Master! It’s so good to see you again!" I pretended to wipe a tear, trying to butter him up. I had to ask him for a favor soon, and I figured a little flattery wouldn't hurt.

The old conman, without hesitation, cursed me with a huge debt of 1.5 million before hanging up the call. If I didn’t flatter him a little, I wouldn’t survive this conversation.

"Xiao Long(Bruce), stop crying. Even though we’ve only met twice, the bond is deep."

"Master, what about Mu Rong?" I asked, playing along.

"Oh, she left three months ago. I don’t know where she went, but she was very kind to me!"

"Master, how are things on your side? When will you reincarnate? I’ll visit you!"

I already had a plan. I’d take on the old conman as my disciple in his next life, teach him some tricks, and then leave him with a 3 million debt and run off.

The old conman sighed, "Xiao Long(Bruce), I regret not accepting you as a disciple sooner. I didn’t have time to teach you much... No inheritance to leave behind, either..."

I patted his back sympathetically, "It’s alright, Master. By the way, I hope you’re not surnamed Hu."

"By the way, did you receive the Golden Vase Plum I burned for you?"

"Yes," he nodded.

"Master, do you need me to burn some paper money for you?"

"No need, no need. It won’t reach me anyway."

"Wait... didn’t you receive the book and the talismans I burned for you?"

The old conman explained, "The books and talismans were enhanced with ‘spiritual energy,’ so I could receive them. But printed paper money? Not a chance. And our currency isn’t paper money either."

"Master, how’s your Daoist cultivation going?"

"Actually, that’s why I came to see you."

Half a month ago, I had managed to cultivate a small amount of true Qi..."

"Wait!" the old conman interrupted. "You just cultivated a bit of true Qi half a month ago? Didn’t Mu Rong feed you ginseng?"

I hesitated before answering, "She did... about a hundred and more roots."

He sighed and shook his head. "Xiao Long(Bruce), you’ve got terrible talent. After eating all that premium ginseng, it still took you this long to cultivate some true Qi?"

I fell silent. After a long pause, the old conman spoke again, "Forget it, forget it. I’ll accept you as a disciple. Even if your talent is lacking, I’ve got ways to help!"

"Xiao Long(Bruce), let me tell you something about the underworld. It’s not like the legendary Hell. There’s no Yama, no Black and White Impermanence, no Ox-Head and Horse-Face, no Naihe Bridge, and no Meng Po Soup… Anyway, enough small talk. Let me briefly explain my current situation. Because I practiced Taoist arts in my past life, I caught the attention of a senior, who took me on as an apprentice. So, I don’t need to reincarnate. Right now, I’m cultivating something called 'Hidden Energy.'"

"Hidden Energy? What’s that?" I asked, intrigued.

"Every living being has a latent energy within them. This energy comes in many different attributes. Through cultivation, you can strengthen it, and this energy is called Hidden Energy."

"I'm still a beginner myself, so I don’t know much about it yet."

"For example, my Hidden Energy is fire."

As he spoke, the old conman’s entire body was surrounded by flames, completely transforming into a fire person!

It was truly amazing!

My eyes lit up. "Master, is that the Yang Fire inside you?"

"I told you, I’m just starting out, so I don’t fully understand it myself," the old conman replied with a chuckle. "I’ve been making some connections, though. I’ll see if I can return soon and test you in person, to see what kind of Hidden Energy you have."

We chatted for a bit longer, then "hung up" the video call.

At the same time, the Communication Talisman was officially destroyed. If I wanted to contact the old conman again, I’d need to create a new one.

The fiery display the old conman just showed me reminded me of the Human Torch from the Fantastic Four. What an incredible ability!

If I had that power, Summer Chaoran wouldn’t even stand a chance…"