The previous investigation had yet to conclude, and now, with this new development, things had gotten even more complicated.

  Han was speechless. You guys really outdid yourselves this time.

  "Any leads on Zhu Zhangting?" Han asked. "What if he's already left the Yin Hua region?"

  Yuan Yihan shook his head. "One of my men practices a Daoist technique that allows him to track someone’s location through their blood or hair. However, this technique fails beyond a certain distance. Since he can still use it, that means Zhu Zhangting hasn't left the area yet."

  "But something is off about him. We can't pinpoint his exact location, though he should still be within Yin Hua."

  "The county and nearby villages have already been searched—no trace of him."

  Upon entering the city, Han also scanned the area using his Omniscient Vision, but he, too, found no sign of the traitor.

  He even spotted the Qing Hua Commandant, and based on the identity markers, there were no indications that he was secretly affiliated with the Tianmu Sect.

  Soon, Yuan Yihan introduced Han to his fellow officers—members of both the Divine Sentinels and the Martial Command Bureau whom he had brought from the provincial capital.

  "This is an Eighth-Rank Ghost Sentinel, a special position distinct from regular personnel. He’s been sent here specifically to assist us," Yuan Yihan said, omitting any further details.

  The gathered officials exchanged glances, offering slight nods of acknowledgment.

  Han discreetly checked their identity markers in Omniscient Vision—all normal. No hidden affiliations.

  "The Tianmu Sect’s base in Qing Hua County was discovered and destroyed thanks to this Ghost Sentinel’s efforts. A major achievement," Yuan Yihan continued.

  But just as Han thought everything was going smoothly, something unexpected happened.

  As soon as Yuan Yihan mentioned the Qing Hua operation, two men’s identity borders turned red!

  · Luo Hui, Martial Command Bureau of the provincial capital.

  · Sun Tong, Divine Sentinels of the provincial capital.

  Han's heart skipped a beat. He subtly glanced at the two men.

  Why would they harbor hostility toward me just because I took down a Tianmu Sect base?

  This is the first time we’ve met—you don’t even know my name.

  Could it be jealousy over credit?

  But if that were the case, their hostility should have shown up earlier, the moment Yuan Yihan introduced me—not after the Qing Hua operation was mentioned.

  Unless...

  They’re pissed because I made their jobs harder?

  Yeah, right. Not buying it.

  Han kept his suspicions to himself but made a mental note to be wary of these two.

  Even the weakest red border signified at least some level of hostility. He had to stay on guard.

  After the welcome banquet, Han privately asked Yuan Yihan about his subordinates. That’s when he learned something interesting.

  "Sun Tong is skilled and highly regarded, even by Director Ye," Yuan Yihan explained. "During this operation, he and Luo Hui worked together multiple times to capture Tianmu Sect operatives. They've been instrumental in the crackdown."

  So they're elites, huh?

  Even if they had to work overtime because of me, they still reaped a lot of credit from the operation. Why would they be hostile toward me?

  Something wasn’t adding up.

  That night, Han wandered the streets of Yin Hua County, using Omniscient Vision to observe his surroundings.

  The provincial authorities had done a thorough job—there were no remnants of the Tianmu Sect hiding in the city.

  Zhu Zhangting was nowhere to be found either.

  But Han did see Luo Hui and Sun Tong meet in secret.

  He had no idea what they talked about.

  Their identity borders remained red—unchanged, still inexplicably hostile toward him.

  The next morning, the search for Zhu Zhangting resumed. Yuan Yihan remained in the county seat, coordinating operations, but each search team had a way to contact him.

  Given his cultivation level, if they found Zhu Zhangting, he could fly to the location instantly.

  To hold a vice-director position in a provincial capital, he had to be at least in the Sunwalker Realm.

  "Vice Director Yuan, I’ll head out as well," Han said.

  Yuan Yihan hesitated. "Why trouble yourself, Ghost Sentinel? Just wait for the results. If Zhu Zhangting is still in Yin Hua, we’ll find him sooner or later. No need for you to exhaust yourself."

  Han didn’t respond.

  He had come all this way to help, yet Yuan Yihan was telling him to just sit back and wait for the credit.

  The underlying message was clear: You don’t need to put in the effort. When we catch him, you’ll get a share of the glory anyway.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  But Han politely declined. He wasn’t here to collect free merit—he wanted to wrap this up quickly and cash in his accumulated virtuous deeds.

  Relying on the provincial forces alone? Who knew how long this would drag on? If more unexpected delays popped up, it would only frustrate him further.

  Besides, the fact that Zhu Zhangting had been exposed yet still hadn’t left Yin Hua was suspicious enough.

  Who knew when he might decide to run?

  As Han rode away, Yuan Yihan watched him go, letting out a small sigh.

  "He’s got some real drive."

  Initially, when he received Director Ye’s message about Han, Yuan Yihan had assumed he was just another young officer looking to piggyback on the operation for prestige.

  Not that he minded.

  The Yuan Clan was one of the dominant powers in Tianyue Province, and they had arranged plenty of “merit-sharing” opportunities for their own people.

  After all, why fight tooth and nail to climb the ranks, only for your descendants to start from scratch? That would make all his success meaningless.

  With a Divine Steed beneath him and Omniscient Vision fully activated, Han’s search efficiency far outstripped the others’.

  Regular search teams had to comb through locations carefully, scanning for energy signatures to avoid missing anything.

  Han?

  He swept past areas like a gust of wind, glancing only briefly before moving on.

  If Yuan Yihan saw him searching like this, he’d probably be dumbfounded.

  "This is your idea of searching?! I thought you were driven, but you’re just another smooth talker who avoids real work!"

  Despite his speed, Yin Hua’s territory was vast. By the time he finished checking most of it, night had already fallen.

  As Han galloped past a snow-capped mountain, something made him pull back on the reins.

  He turned, gazing back at the peak with a serious expression.

  That mountain...

  Something’s off.

  According to Omniscient Vision, the place was called Little Snow Mountain, known for its perpetual snowfall and an abandoned shrine near its summit.

  The shrine had no deity... but someone was inside.

  Han had found Zhu Zhangting.

  That was inevitable.

  With such a powerful ability, as long as Zhu Zhangting was still in Yin Hua, there was no way he could escape detection.

  But something was very wrong.

  The identity marker next to Zhu Zhangting’s portrait read:

  [Zhu Zhangting, Commandant of Yin Hua Martial Command Bureau, Visceral Realm (Possessed)]

  Possessed?

  And above his portrait, another identity was displayed:

  [Soul Demon Master, Tianmu Sect Protector]

  Han’s pupils contracted slightly.

  If I’m understanding this right…

  Zhu Zhangting isn’t just hiding—he’s been possessed by this “Soul Demon Master.”

  For someone to possess a Visceral Realm martial artist, their strength had to be terrifying.

  Han exhaled slowly.

  Yeah… this just got a lot more complicated.

  If he hadn’t found out ahead of time, the provincial forces would’ve walked straight into a nightmare.

  That’s why he hadn’t stopped at Little Snow Mountain—he couldn’t risk alerting the entity inside.

  He didn’t know the full nature of this possession, so blindly charging in was out of the question.

  He needed backup.

  The so-called "Soul Demon Master" would never have expected that his presence had already been exposed—thanks to a power beyond comprehension: the omniscient perspective.

  Whether it was searching for treasure in Black Mountain or tracking someone down now, this ability was nothing short of an overwhelming advantage.

  Han took out his communication snail.

  “Hello, Aunt Mo?”

  “Hm?”

  “I’ve run into a situation.”

  “What happened?”

  “It’s a practitioner from the Mother Celestial Sect—one capable of possessing a Visceral Realm martial artist.”

  "Clang!"

  A loud noise came from the other side of the snail, as if a kettle had been knocked over.

  “A practitioner capable of possession? Soul Demon Master? Blood Ghoul? Shadowed Sky Minor Lord?”

  Lu Qingmo’s voice was no longer calm; she instantly rattled off several names.

  “You ran into this alone?”

  “Yes.”

  A deep inhale came from the other end.

  “Pass the snail to him—I’ll talk to him myself. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

  “Uh… that won’t work.”

  Han stroked the mane of his prized steed and said,

  “I don’t even know who he is. And besides, I’ve already put quite some distance between us.”

  “I found Zhu Zhangting, but my instincts tell me there’s another soul inside him, controlling his body.”

  Han quickly explained his findings.

  “…”

  For a long moment, there was nothing but silence on the other end—until the call was abruptly cut off.

  But the next second, Lu Qingmo called back.

  “A practitioner capable of possessing a Visceral Realm warrior—that’s an ability exclusive to those in the Manifestation Realm.”

  “The names I mentioned earlier? They’re the three known Manifestation Realm powerhouses of the Mother Celestial Sect active in this region.”

  “But you don’t have to worry—no matter which one it is, the spirit attached to Zhu Zhangting is only a fragment of their soul. Yuan Yihan should be able to handle it.”

  “Notify him immediately. Let him take care of it. If he asks for your help, you can agree—there won’t be any danger.”

  She paused for a moment, then continued with a slightly gritted tone.

  “And next time… say everything in one go!”

  “Wait until you get back—then you’ll—”

  Before finishing her sentence, Lu Qingmo cut the call once again.

  Han stared at the communication snail, a smirk playing on his lips.

  "Ah, women—I get it now."

  —

  In the Peach Grove, Lu Qingmo pressed a hand against her chest.

  Her heart was still racing from shock, but she was also so frustrated that her chest ached.

  Staring at the snail in her hand, she had the rare urge to smash it into pieces.

  —

  Meanwhile, Han took out a talisman and burned it—a message for Yuan Yihan.

  Compared to the communication snail, this method was undoubtedly cruder and had limited range, but it remained the standard mode of long-distance communication.

  Before long, a whirl of energy swept through the air—Yuan Yihan had arrived.

  Or rather, his soul had.

  “Where is Zhu Zhangting?” he asked.

  Han pointed over his shoulder. “There’s a snow-covered mountain back there, with a shrine at its peak. He’s inside.”

  “I have a special artifact from Director Lu. I didn’t go up the mountain, but I sensed his presence, so I called you immediately.”

  Han knew he couldn’t just tell Yuan Yihan that he figured this out instinctively.

  He gave a slightly altered explanation instead.

  “There’s something off about his aura—it’s unstable, chaotic. It feels as though his own soul is gone, and someone else is controlling his body.”

  “…Another person controlling his body…” Yuan Yihan’s expression turned serious. He had already suspected something, and he didn’t doubt Han’s words.

  A巡游 envoy lying to me?

  A disciple of the Grand Dao Monastery misinterpreting an artifact’s readings? Impossible.

  “If that’s the case, I suspect Zhu Zhangting has been possessed by a Taoist master skilled in soul arts.”

  “I’ll summon reinforcements. We’ll take the mountain together.”

  “If I go alone, he’ll sense me coming, and the possessing soul might escape.”

  "Aunt Mo really does think ahead."

  “I can take you up the mountain,” Han said.

  Yuan Yihan hesitated. “I can handle the spirit, but Zhu Zhangting is still Visceral Realm.”

  “Don’t worry, I have my own means of survival. You just need to deal with the soul—that shouldn’t take long, right?”

  “No. It won’t.”

  “Then I can hold out just fine.”

  If they waited for backup, too much time would be wasted—and time meant uncertainty.

  After a moment of thought, Yuan Yihan finally agreed. But first, he handed Han a protective talisman.

  Then, he took out a wooden plaque—and to Han’s surprise, his entire soul vanished into it.

  “This is a Spirit Vessel Plaque. It can house a soul without harming it and provides concealment.” Yuan Yihan’s voice resonated from within the plaque.

  “With your warrior’s aura masking me, we won’t be detected.”

  Han nodded.

  "Alright, then. Let’s get this done."