Realm of the Night God

Master Wu understood the principle that one should seek the moon while the water is near, so he made preparations in advance to renovate the third floor. His goal was for Yang Haoran to eventually let him settle here.

As a subordinate, Master Wu wouldn't foolishly negotiate with his superior, so he patiently waited for Yang Haoran to speak.

Now that Yang Haoran had invited him to move in, his goal was finally achieved, and he couldn't be happier.

"I've been waiting for this day for a long time," Master Wu sighed.

Yang Haoran smiled and replied, "I don't have servants or attendants here. I'm worried you might not be accustomed to it."

"Boss, you're overthinking it. Although I'm getting older, I'm not that delicate. I've faced hardships and grievances since I was sensible. I can adapt to both a life with servants and without them," Master Wu replied.

Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran chuckled and said, "It seems I misunderstood before. Since you're willing, I naturally welcome it."

Pointing to the bookshelf, Yang Haoran added, "These books in my collection should be useful to you. Feel free to read them when you have time."

Master Wu expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Boss."

"It's just a small matter. Don't worry about it. Well, you've worked hard today. Take a rest, and there will be more tasks for you in the future," Yang Haoran said with a smile.

"Hehe, being able to help Boss is my pleasure. If you need anything, just let me know. I'll take my leave now," Master Wu said before exiting the room.

Yang Haoran nodded in response, and Master Wu left the study. After Master Wu departed, Yang Haoran didn't return to his room. Instead, he lit a cigarette, tapped the table lightly with his fingers, deep in thought about something.

When dawn broke, after briefing Xiaokang and Xiu Juan, Yang Haoran left his residence once again. However, this time he wasn't alone; he was accompanied by the serpent demon Bai Xue.

Throughout the journey, Bai Xue wore a serious expression, looking rather displeased.

Although she had torn off the sportswear she bought yesterday in frustration, she had put it back on today. However, the energetic charm from the previous day was absent from her composed face.

Yang Haoran understood the reasons behind Bai Xue's current state, but he didn't explain or waste time consoling her. In his view, their relationship was purely cooperative. If Bai Xue wanted to sulk, he wouldn't be bothered by it, nor would he waste time appeasing her.

Today, bringing Bai Xue along was to subdue the malevolent spirit she had mentioned. Since Yang Haoran couldn't be sure if Bai Xue was deceiving him, he had to take her along on this mission.

Bai Xue didn't refuse Yang Haoran's request, not because she didn't want to but because she had no choice. Yang Haoran held her lifeline, and if she didn't follow his instructions, who knew what he might do.

No, not even a ghost would know what Yang Haoran might do!

Currently, they were in Lecheng Shilin Town, a relatively well-known town in Lecheng. Not only the locals but also people from other regions were familiar with Shilin Town. It had gained a reputation not only in Lecheng but also beyond.

Shilin Town owed its fame to the dense stone forest within it, attracting many tourists over time. This stone forest's uniqueness and mystique had made Shilin Town one of Lecheng's renowned scenic spots. Although it wasn't flooded with tourists, the daily influx was considerable, bringing decent revenue to Lecheng and Shilin Town each year.

Lecheng wasn't originally affluent, but thanks to the stone forest as a tourist attraction, the locals enjoyed better living conditions compared to other impoverished towns.

Today is no exception, with people bustling in and out of Shilin Town, mostly tourists. The locals are busy conducting business, leaving little time for leisurely strolls on the streets.

"Bai Xue, are you sure we're in the right place? Is the malevolent spirit you mentioned really here in Shilin Town?" Yang Haoran asked, hands in pockets, glancing at the serpent demon with a serious face.

Bai Xue shot Yang Haoran a disdainful look and replied, "My life is in your hands, do you really think I would deceive you?"

Yang Haoran smiled and said, "It's not that I don't trust you; I just have doubts. I haven't sensed any Yin Qi here, which should be present if the malevolent spirit you speak of really exists."

"Don't sugarcoat it; you simply don't believe me. Don't think I don't know. If you truly believed me, you would have let me go long ago. You wouldn't have locked me in yesterday!" The serpent demon responded with resentment, her face darkening.

Yang Haoran chuckled awkwardly, momentarily unsure how to respond to the serpent demon's question.

Seeing Yang Haoran remain silent, the serpent demon huffed and continued sulking.

Yang Haoran paid no attention to the serpent demon's mood. What concerned him at the moment was whether there really was a malevolent spirit in Shilin Town and if he had been played by the serpent demon.

Initially, upon hearing this information from the serpent demon, Yang Haoran found it hard to believe. This was one of the reasons why he insisted on keeping the serpent demon with him; he had trouble accepting the existence of a malevolent spirit in Shilin Town.

While he wasn't from Shilin Town originally, being a Lecheng resident, he had visited the town many times. He had never heard any rumors of hauntings or other supernatural events in Shilin Town. Typically, malevolent spirits had little interest in the souls of ordinary people. Still, given their resentful and brutal nature, it was hard to believe they would tolerate the constant flow of tourists, inevitably causing chaos.

Yet, that wasn't the case. Shilin Town had always been peaceful, leading Yang Haoran to question the authenticity of the information provided by the serpent demon.

Of course, he only questioned it; he didn't outright deny it. He couldn't be sure there weren't factors he didn't know about, so he refrained from drawing conclusions. After all, not sensing Yin Qi didn't necessarily mean there was no malevolent spirit in Shilin Town. Yang Haoran wasn't omniscient, and there was much he didn't understand.

The reason he expressed his doubts and questioned the serpent demon was to extract more information from her. He wanted to prepare more effectively, ensuring he didn't get into trouble due to lack of information.

Unfortunately, the serpent demon wasn't buying into his approach. If she weren't angry, he might have successfully drawn more information from her. However, in the current situation, she seemed more interested in teasing him.

"Hey, everyone! I'm currently in Shilin Town in Lecheng. Look at these houses, full of a sense of history, witnesses of time, traces of the years, that... that... well, I don't know how to describe it. Anyway, that's it!"

A live streamer was broadcasting, and as Yang Haoran and the serpent demon passed by, the streamer noticed Bai Xue, causing his eyes to widen.

"Guys! I found a treasure! I saw a beauty! I've never seen such a beautiful beauty before! Let me treat your eyes too!"

The streamer's voice reached both Yang Haoran and the serpent demon. Yang Haoran merely smiled faintly, while the serpent demon stuck out her tongue and licked her crimson lips.

"Another streamer. What a coincidence!" The serpent demon sneered coldly, a hint of murderous intent in her tone.