Zhang Shi peeked out from inside the room. It was dark, but Zhang Shi could still vaguely make out the appearance of the person who came.

"Xiuxiu, this is it. Over the years, that black tiger has been guarding the ancestral hall, and the core of the spirit-gathering array must be here."

Huo Xiuxiu stopped in front of the gate and looked into the courtyard. Seeing that the courtyard was empty, she took a step forward, intending to break into the ancestral hall.

Huo Linjian quickly stopped Huo Xiuxiu when he saw her actions.

"Xiuxiu, don't be careless. I was attacked by some kind of unseen creature today, which is very likely related to outsiders."

Huo Xiuxiu nodded, but her feet didn't stop moving.

The courtyard gate reacted to Huo Xiuxiu's intrusion, suddenly emitting a green light that blocked her way.

Huo Xiuxiu took out a bell from her sleeve and shook it gently. The bell made a pleasant sound, and the green light disappeared with the sound. Huo Xiuxiu and Huo Linjian walked into the courtyard side by side.

Zhang Shi stared at the bell, guessing that this might be the Soul-Solving Bell required for the mission. He immediately walked out of the side room, took out Lao Duan, and wondered whether he should just snatch it directly.

Unable to see Zhang Shi's presence and ignoring his covetousness, Huo Xiuxiu put the bell back into her bosom, wandered around the courtyard for a while, and then pointed, causing the stone door of the underground palace to open automatically, revealing the underground staircase.

"The black tiger isn't nearby. Let's act quickly before it returns."

After saying that, the two, or rather the two ghosts, walked into the underground palace hand in hand with smug expressions.

Zhang Shi could guess that it was probably because their arrival had taken away the Soul-Binding Bell that was originally used to suppress Huo Xiuxiu, which allowed her to escape.

"I just don't know what the connection is between these two ghosts and the spirit-gathering array below."

After glancing at An Ye's porcelain pot in his backpack, Zhang Shi sneered and followed the two down into the underground palace.

——

As soon as Huo Xiuxiu came down, she noticed the abnormality of Grandpa An's memorial tablet. She flew over to the tablet and asked with a puzzled look.

"Where did the spirit-gathering jar go?"

Huo Linjian also looked astonished and murmured.

"How could that be? Could it be that Black Tiger sensed our approach and left with the Spirit Gathering Jar beforehand?"

Huo Xiuxiu frowned, then took out the Soul-Releasing Bell and gently shook it at Grandpa An's memorial tablet.

Seeing this rare opportunity, Zhang Shi grabbed Lao Duan and moved close to Huo Xiuxiu, raising the cleaver to strike.

Suddenly, an aged voice echoed in Zhang Shi's mind.

"If I were you, I wouldn't choose to take action now."

Zhang Shi's arm, which had been raised in mid-air, froze. He looked around and confirmed that he and the two ghosts were the only ones in the underground palace.

"Ring ring ring~"

Huo Xiuxiu gently shook the bell in her hand, which seemed to trigger a resonance in the entire spirit-gathering array, causing visible ripples to appear in the void.

Zhang Shi didn't know what Huo Xiuxiu was up to, but he felt that the bell must be the quest item.

Thinking of his teammates whose fates were still unknown, Zhang Shi raised his arm once again.

"Hey, hey, hey, don't move!"

The aged voice appeared once again.

Zhang Shi confirmed that he was not hallucinating. After checking around, he finally discovered that the Soul-Binding Bell in his backpack was emitting a faint glow.

"Holy crap, it's Yao Lao?"

Zhang Shi never expected that the plot of the novel would happen to him. He immediately took out the Soul-Binding Bell and examined it carefully.

“I’m not called Yao Lao, you can call me Master An.”

Zhang Shi's mind stirred slightly, and he placed Lao Duan across the Soul-Binding Bell, threatening him.

“You’ve seen everything that happened to me today, haven’t you? Tell me, what is your background, and what is your purpose in hiding in the bell?”

"Hey, hey, young man, peace is the most important thing. Let's not resort to violence, lest we hurt this old man."

"Stop talking nonsense and get to the point."

“Young man, do you know that after you were injured by Black Tiger, it was I who used up the power I had accumulated over many years to save you? How dare you turn around and threaten this old man?”

Zhang Shi sneered when he heard what Master An said.

"Hehe, so it was you who turned me into this inhuman, ghostly state. Then I should repay you even more."

After saying that, Zhang Shi moved Lao Duan even closer to the Soul-Binding Bell.

"Hey, hey, don't hit me, don't hit me! I'll talk, I'll talk, okay?"

Seeing that Master An finally gave in, Zhang Shi finally let go of Old Duan.

At this moment, Huo Xiuxiu had already put away the bell and was searching for something with Huo Linjian in the underground palace.

After a moment's pause, An Ye revealed his true form.

Zhang Shi looked over and saw the figure of an old man with a hunched back, radiating golden light.

Zhang Shi nodded to Zhang Shi and began to explain in detail.

"I was originally the ancestral spirit of the Huo family, but due to an accident, my soul resides in this soul-binding bell."

"Huo Family Village was once prosperous, but prosperity must eventually decline. Suddenly one day, black fog descended from the sky, enveloping the entire village and blocking out the sunlight. None of those who went out to explore returned, and for many years, very few people have been able to enter."

Zhang Shi interrupted and asked.

"You said not many people can get in, so that means people have gotten in before?"

Grandpa An nodded and replied.

"Outsiders like you are not the first batch."

"Oh? So what was their final outcome?"

"Some died, some left."

Zhang Shi became curious about what Master An had said. If what Master An said was true, then there might be more than one scroll in this village of doubt.

Zhang Shi asked again.

"Alright, I got it, old man. Where are my friends? What's wrong with me?"

Grandpa An blew on his golden beard, seemingly somewhat dissatisfied with Zhang Shi's attitude, but still patiently continued speaking.

“Your friends are living out past karma, and your current state is called present karma.”

Zhang Shi was somewhat confused by what Master An had said.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying. I just want to know if they are safe and how we can get out of here.”

Grandpa An stroked his beard and said with a smile.

"If I could rescue you from the Black Tiger's jaws, I can certainly protect your friends as well. As for whether you can leave safely, that depends on yourselves."

Looking into An Ye's sly little eyes, Zhang Shi found himself increasingly unable to believe him.

"Stop trying to evade the issue; what does it mean to look at ourselves?"

“As far as I know, you outsiders have your own ways of getting around. If I really had a way to leave the village, I wouldn’t have ended up in a soul-dwelling artifact, watching helplessly as the village fell.”

When Zhang Shi heard what Master An said, he turned his gaze to Huo Xiuxiu.

"I see you are very interested in the Soul-Solving Bell; I'm afraid that's what you're after on this trip."

Zhang Shi nodded and asked in return.

Why did you stop me when I was about to make a move?

"I'll answer," said Master An, pointing to Huo Xiuxiu's figure.

"Xiuxiu is the only one in the village whose three souls are unified. If you come into contact with her, she will ignore the barriers between the past and present and see through your true strength. With your current strength, I'm afraid you're in grave danger."

Zhang Shi frowned upon hearing this, quite puzzled by what Master An meant by "past and present".

"Explain in detail!"