Volume One, Chapter 26: Mission Complete, An All-Expenses-Paid Trip

The stalactites along the roadside were breathtaking, each one a natural masterpiece. From time to time, droplets of water fell to the ground, their crisp, ethereal sound echoing delightfully through the cavern—no wonder this was such a famous tourist attraction.

If only the ominous, thickening black miasma along the way didn't make the scene increasingly unsettling, it would have been even more enchanting.

Deep in the underground river, the path came to a dead end. Chi Xingwan halted before a narrow fissure. Within the crack, the black mist had grown so dense it had taken on a tangible form, coiling protectively around something at its heart.

Chi Xingwan reached in barehanded, seized the mass of black mist, and yanked it out. A flash of golden light shimmered in her palm; instantly, the blackness dispersed without a trace.

What it concealed was now exposed.

A piece of meteorite jade was clutched tightly in the arms of a statue—a human figure with a fox mask twisted into a chillingly sinister smile.

Deprived of the black mist’s protection, the fox-masked statue began to utter a sharp, piercing babble. Had Chu Fangfei or Jin Feng been present, they might have suffered a fatal backlash on the spot.

But Chi Xingwan merely frowned. The babble made her uncomfortable, but that was all.

"Will you come out on your own, or do I have to drag you out?" she asked.

The fox-masked statue, enraged and humiliated, grinned even more grotesquely. Clutching the meteorite jade, it hovered midair, its body faintly aglow with a bluish hue.

At once, Chi Xingwan sensed the scene shift around her: she knew she had been drawn into an illusion crafted by the fox-masked statue.

Disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect drifted past her, their forms familiar. Someone reached out to take her hand, but she deftly avoided the touch.

Three thousand years ago, in the aftermath of her sect’s annihilation, Chi Xingwan might have been ensnared by such a dream, unable to break free, destined to perish in the web of fantasy the statue spun.

But now, she had personally avenged her kin, and three millennia had since passed. In her years working for the King of the Underworld, she had seen every last member of her sect safely into reincarnation. She harbored no more regrets.

Casting a lingering glance at her old companions, Chi Xingwan lifted her hand and swept it through the air. The illusion shattered like glass, and reality—the underground river—returned.

With another wave, she summoned a treasure from her inner sanctum: the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda.

The pagoda floated overhead. Six massive golden chains shot from its body, binding the fox-masked statue within. The statue fought furiously, its struggles shaking not only the ground but the very air itself.

Yet its strength was no match for Chi Xingwan’s. At last, it faltered.

Forming a seal, Chi Xingwan forcibly wrenched out the spirit of the statue, and together with the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda that imprisoned it, she tucked both away into her inner world.

Deprived of its spirit, the fox-masked statue fell to the ground with the meteorite jade, its power vastly diminished.

Chi Xingwan produced a talisman and wrapped it several times around the now soulless statue, sealing away any trace of malevolence. Only then did she pick up the meteorite jade and saunter leisurely out of the underground river.

Outside, Chu Fangfei and Jin Feng were anxiously waiting.

Chu Fangfei glanced at her watch and said to Secretary Dai Luming, “Secretary Dai, Advisor Chi has been inside for almost an hour now. Are you sure nothing’s wrong?”

Jin Feng sounded worried as well. “Secretary Dai, the earthquake’s stopped. Shouldn’t we go in and check?”

Dai Luming hesitated, checked the time, and finally said, “Let’s wait another ten minutes. If nothing happens, I’ll go in myself. You two stay here and be ready to assist.”

At the eighth minute, there was finally movement at the cave entrance.

Chi Xingwan emerged, looking weary, a statue dangling from her hand. Though wrapped in talisman paper, the evil radiating from its surface was unmistakable.

Chu Fangfei and Jin Feng rushed to meet her. Chu Fangfei anxiously asked, “Are you all right? Were you hurt? What happened in there?”

“I’m not hurt, just exhausted from using too much spiritual energy,” Chi Xingwan replied.

Of course, this fatigue was feigned—otherwise her abilities would seem too monstrous.

Hearing this, Chu Fangfei immediately stepped forward to support her.

Dai Luming’s attention, however, was drawn first to the fox-masked statue. At the sight of it, cold sweat broke out on her forehead. “Advisor Chi, if I’m not mistaken, this is an evil artifact that’s developed a spirit.”

Chi Xingwan nodded. “That’s right. It took great effort to destroy the artifact’s spirit.”

Dai Luming’s respect was clear—Chi Xingwan truly lived up to her reputation as a top-tier spiritual master, able to destroy an artifact spirit single-handedly.

Chi Xingwan handed the meteorite jade and the fox-masked statue to her. “Secretary Dai, I leave these in your care.”

Dai Luming received them solemnly. “Thank you for your hard work, Advisor Chi. I didn’t expect this mission to take so long. I’ve already booked a hotel for you and your two assistants. Please stay in Jili Town tonight and return to Yanjing tomorrow. All expenses will be covered by the Spiritual Masters Association.”

A business trip at the association’s expense—Chi Xingwan accepted with a smile.

The Spiritual Masters Association was wealthy, and Dai Luming was generous. She booked the trio into the most luxurious hotel in Jili Town, each with their own suite.

Standing on the balcony of her suite, Chu Fangfei threw her head back and laughed. “I never thought I’d get to stay in a five-star hotel!”

The Seven Stars Sect was notoriously poor. On previous trips, they couldn’t even afford hotels; sometimes, to save money, they would spend the night curled up in their car.

Chi Xingwan stood beside her in silence, her gaze fixed ahead. By chance, from the balcony, one could see the guesthouse shrouded in black mist.

Inside the guesthouse, the production team had decorated the courtyard to look especially warm and inviting. All the guests gathered there for a barbecue.

After dinner, as everyone settled in for a casual chat, the seasoned Zhang Qunying and the middle-aged comic Liu Jian led the conversation, prompting everyone to share their experiences.

Among the group, Chi Qianyu and Li Luoqi were both former talent show trainees, and with their popularity, the conversation naturally shifted their way.

But Chi Qianyu dared not say much. Not long ago, she’d been exposed for bullying her peers during her trainee days. Though this was a perfect opportunity to clear her name, she feared the Xiao family would retaliate, so she glossed over her past and steered the topic toward Li Luoqi.

Li Luoqi, with no such scruples, seized the opportunity to speak at length.

“Being a trainee was tough—I’d get up a little after five every morning, go to bed at two or three, practicing singing and dancing without rest. I was always afraid that if I slipped up, I’d be eliminated.”

“During the show, they kept us on a tight leash. No computers or phones allowed. Each of us had only ten minutes a week to call our families. I remember once hearing that a family member was in the hospital, but there was nothing I could do. I wanted to talk longer, but when my time was up, I had to hang up and cry into my pillow later, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing my roommates.”

As he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes. The others quickly comforted him.

Wiping away his tears, Li Luoqi continued, “Back then, I told myself that if I could just get through it, everything would be fine once I debuted. And I did debut, but in reality, the life of a celebrity isn’t as glamorous as everyone thinks…”

He shared much more—how the pressure after debuting nearly drove him to depression, but then shifted to stories of heartwarming moments with fans, expressing his gratitude to them.

Guan He was very pleased with the recording that night. Once filming ended, everyone returned to their rooms to rest.

Yet none of them realized that behind Li Luoqi, the black miasma was growing denser, slowly seething with murderous intent.