After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Shi Qinglian seemed to have guessed that Emperor Cangqi had asked this question beforehand, and calmly replied, "Your Majesty, besides Buddhist doctrines, I also have some knowledge of divination and tracking."

"Young Master Xie carries a murderous aura, like a beacon in the darkness; while Jiang Du's spiritual power is pure, leaving subtle traces as he walks through the world. When the two are not together, their auras are dispersed, which may cause interference."

"Now that they have gathered together, their auras are intertwined and connected, making them like twin stars, and easier to capture and lock onto in my magic."

Shi Qinglian raised his eyes, his gaze calm and resolute. "I hope Your Majesty will trust me. I am willing to sign a military pledge: if I fail to capture these two, I am willing to accept any punishment."

Emperor Cangqi stopped tapping, and the imperial study fell silent.

He stared at Shi Qinglian for a long time, so long that the air felt oppressive and suffocating.

Finally, Emperor Cangqi revealed a gentle smile, and his tone softened:

"Qinglian, you flatter me. Of course I trust you. I am very pleased that you share my burdens. In that case, I will entrust this matter entirely to you. Just let me know if you need any manpower."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty. I will certainly live up to your expectations." Shi Qinglian bowed respectfully.

However, just as he bowed his head in greeting, a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes, so fast it was almost an illusion.

At this moment, Emperor Cangqi casually instructed the eunuch standing beside him: "Pass on my decree, instructing Master Wudao of Huguo Temple to select eight monks proficient in formations to be at the command of the Imperial Preceptor from this moment on."

"You must bring Prince Xie back alive. As for Jiang Dusheng..." Emperor Cangqi paused, his tone casual yet laced with murderous intent, "His life or death is irrelevant. But if he is captured alive, bring him to see me."

"This old servant obeys the decree." The head eunuch bowed and accepted the order, then quietly withdrew to make the arrangements.

Shi Qinglian paused slightly, then returned to normal, seemingly having no objection to Emperor Cangqi's dispatch of personnel:

"Your Majesty's considerations are thorough. With the assistance of the eminent monks of Huguo Temple, this journey will surely be even more successful."

Emperor Cangqi smiled and nodded, waving him away. "Go, I await your good news."

"Your subject takes his leave." Shi Qinglian bowed again and withdrew from the imperial study.

As he turned and walked away along the palace path, the sunlight shone on his plain robes, yet it seemed unable to penetrate the gloom that permeated his entire being.

Beneath his wide sleeves, his fingers, hanging at his sides, tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white.

A hint of mockery flashed deep in Shi Qinglian's eyes.

He knew perfectly well that Emperor Cangqi did not believe him.

Sending people from the Huguo Temple is ostensibly to assist, but in reality, it's to monitor and hinder him, and even... if necessary, they might eliminate him as well.

Inside the Imperial Study, time seemed to stretch out due to the somber atmosphere.

Emperor Cangqi sat alone on the large dragon throne, remaining motionless for a long time.

The stack of memorials on the desk remained open, the vermilion brush lying aside, the ink already dry.

As the light outside the window gradually brightened, he finally moved his somewhat stiff body and slowly stood up.

Without summoning any eunuchs, he walked to a huge screen inside the imperial study, painted with a picture of the vast land.

My fingers rotated in a specific order on an inconspicuous carved dragon pattern on the side of the screen.

"Click".

After a few soft clicks of a mechanism, the entire wall behind the screen slid open, revealing a deep, downward passage.

The passageway was inlaid with luminous pearls on both sides, which emitted a faint, cold light that illuminated the stone steps beneath our feet.

Emperor Cangqi stepped inside, and the wall behind him silently closed again, isolating him from the outside world.

The stone steps were short, ending at a heavy black iron gate.

He raised his hand and pressed a button, and the mechanism opened again.

Inside the door, however, lay a completely different world.

This is a room that is decorated in an extremely elegant and comfortable manner.

The floor was covered with a thick velvet carpet, the tables and chairs were made of fine sandalwood, the walls were adorned with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and the incense burner in the corner emitted a delicate pear fragrance.

Wisps of pale white smoke dispelled the oppressive atmosphere underground.

In the center of the room, a woman leans against a chaise longue covered with brocade.

She wore a pale yellow palace dress, her hair loosely tied up with a simple white jade hairpin inserted at an angle, and a few strands of her black hair casually falling over her shoulders.

She was looking down at a book in her hands, her profile appearing gentle and serene in the glow of the pearl.

Hearing the door open, she didn't even look up, simply turning a page of her book, as if the person who came in had nothing to do with her, or... she was already used to such intrusions.

Emperor Cangqi's gaze fell upon her, his eyes becoming extremely complex, a mixture of scrutiny, nostalgia, and an almost morbid greed.

He slammed the iron gate shut, cutting off the last sound from the outside world, and walked toward the woman.

Emperor Cangqi's footsteps were almost inaudible on the soft carpet, but the woman clearly knew he was approaching.

She finally looked up from her book and gazed at Emperor Cangqi.

It was an extremely beautiful face, with delicate and exquisite eyebrows and eyes, fair skin, and rosy lips.

Emperor Cangqi walked to the bedside, not noticing her aloof demeanor.

His gaze lingered almost greedily on that familiar silhouette, as if he were looking through her at another figure that had long since vanished into the past.

Emperor Cangqi's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. His voice unconsciously lowered, losing its imperial majesty and becoming softer, almost dreamlike, as he called out, "Achu..."

Upon hearing this, the woman's previously calm expression instantly darkened.

She tossed the book onto the low table beside her with a soft "thud," staring directly at Emperor Cangqi without any attempt to hide her displeasure.

"Your Majesty, as I've already stated, my name is Wan Ning, Zhou Wan Ning. Not A Chu as you claim. If you call me by the wrong name again..."

She paused, looked away from the wall, and said in a colder tone, "I will not say another word to you."

Such offensive words and actions, if spoken in the imperial court or the inner palace, would be enough to punish her for a grave offense of disrespect.

However, Emperor Cangqi was not angry. Instead, a glint of light flashed in the depths of his eyes, as if he was pleased by the rejection, or as if he saw another figure in his memory who would also give him the cold shoulder through this vivid dissatisfaction.

He immediately stepped forward, sat down on the edge of the couch, and pulled the woman into his arms with an irresistible force, his tone even carrying a hint of coaxing:

"Yes, yes, it's all my fault. I was confused. Wan Ning, I won't call you that again."

This woman was none other than the eldest daughter of the Zhou family, who had been saved and had her face replaced by Zhou Mama's own daughter's body in Pingqiao Town using the substitution technique.