Back at the Ji residence, Shi Lan was in no hurry to take action and continued to practice witchcraft with Ji Lang every day.

Half a month later, the full moon shone brightly on the courtyard. Shi Lan bathed and changed her clothes, and danced gracefully under the moon.

After finishing her dance and confirming that she had successfully activated that mysterious energy, Shi Lan took out a strand of hair she had obtained from the Shi family. The thick, black strand belonged to Zhou Shi. Shi Lan muttered incantations and gently brushed the strand of hair with her slender white fingers. Instantly, the strand of hair turned into specks of dust as if it were flying ashes and dissipated into the air.

Shi Lan squinted, panting softly. When she sensed that malicious intent heading straight towards the Shi residence, her pale lips curled up slightly, revealing a weak smile.

Less than three days later, a young boy ran to report that the young master of the Shi family had come to pay his respects. At this time, Shi Lan was sitting next to Ji Lang, holding a scroll about exorcising ghosts, breaking evil spirits, and summoning souls.

Ji Lang turned his head to look at Shi Lan, who was staring intently at the bamboo slips with her head down. Sunlight shone through the gaps, casting slanted spots of light on her face. It should have been warm, but Ji Lang could see a chilling coldness in it.

"You don't want to see him?"

Ji Lang is naturally carefree and extremely willful, but he is very kind to those he cares about, and Shi Lan happens to be one of those people he cares about.

Shi Lan chuckled softly and asked him in return, "Does your cousin want to see him?"

Ji Lang pursed his lips and didn't say anything.

Naturally, he was unhappy, but he was his sister's husband and A-Lan's father, so even if he was unhappy, he had to give him some face.

Shi Lan put down the book and sat up straight from leaning against the table. "I should still meet my uncle. I roughly know why he came."

As she spoke, Shi Lan's eyes darted around, and a mischievous glint in her eyes inadvertently appeared.

Ji Lang raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips. His features, which bore a resemblance to Shi Lan's, revealed a dashing and unrestrained arrogance. "Fine, I'll listen to A-Lan."

Soon, Mr. Shi walked in.

Upon entering, he bowed respectfully and said, "Young Master, save me." He raised his eyes slightly and saw Shi Lan sitting to the side. He was taken aback, seemingly surprised to see her there. However, having spent decades in officialdom, he quickly suppressed his surprise and revealed an unnatural expression of kindness on his face. "Ah Lan is here too."

Shi Lan stood up, bowed, said "Father," and then sat back down.

Seeing her actions, Shi's father immediately became uneasy.

Although Shi Lan's actions were polite, her attitude was indifferent and aloof, showing no joy whatsoever from the long-awaited reunion between father and daughter.

Ji Lang watched this scene with cold eyes, his dark eyes narrowing slightly, a fleeting glint of cold light appearing and disappearing.

"What brings the remonstrating official here?"

Ji Lang's voice was arrogant and indifferent. Shi's father felt a flush on his face, but he couldn't care less about his embarrassment. Thinking of Zhou Shi at home, who seemed to be insane, talking nonsense and even mentioning the deceased Ji Shi, Shi's father wished he had never married this woman.

“My wife is ill, and I beg the great shaman to help her,” said Mr. Shi, bowing deeply, his face flushed with anxiety.

Ji Lang glanced at Shi Lan and saw that she was looking down at the books and didn't seem to notice anything. After thinking for a moment, he lazily got up from the couch.

"Very well, it's not impossible for me to help, but Ah Lan is getting married in a few days, and what about the dowry..."

Shi's father immediately replied, "A-Lan is the legitimate daughter, so her dowry must be of the same standard as the other concubines who marry far away, with no less."

Ji Lang nodded in satisfaction, "Elder sister's dowry is separate."

Mr. Shi nodded in agreement, feeling bitter inside, but dared not show it on his face.

Seeing that he answered readily, Ji Lang didn't want to make things too difficult for him. However, knowing that A-Lan would receive a large portion of Shi's father's fortune, she was in a very good mood.

So he walked out gracefully, followed by his father, Shi, whose face was long and sullen.

The concubines who could accompany Duan Yang to the State of Zhao all came from wealthy families with fiefs of two thousand shi (a unit of grain). Shi Fu was just a minor prefect in the past, and even now, as a remonstrating official, his fief is only eight hundred shi. If he were to compare his dowry with those families, he would have to tighten his belt for the next few years.

When he agreed, he was thinking of using the dowry that Ji Shi had brought to make up the amount, but Ji Lang was shrewd and immediately put an end to his idea.

Shi Lan looked at her father's disheveled figure and gave a cold smile.

Zhou's illness is difficult to cure. It requires the blood and essence of a close relative to make a decoction and to gradually regulate her condition in order to improve. If she encounters any great joy or sorrow, or is slightly stimulated, the illness may relapse.

Oh dear, what will you do then?

evening.

Shi Lan stopped her graceful dance, her fair face glistening with sweat. Ji Lang, dressed in a long robe, rode the wind and stood before her in an instant.

Shi Lan calmly took the damp handkerchief that A Ping handed her, wiped her face, and then turned to Ji Lang, "My cousin is back."

Ji Lang looked at Shi Lan with a complicated expression, his dark, clear eyes brewing a silent storm.

After Shi Lan ordered the worried A Ping to leave, she walked lightly to a table to the side, poured a cup of warm and palatable soup, and slowly walked over.

"Your cousin has found out the cause of Zhou's illness, hasn't he?"

Shi Lan reached out to offer the soup, but Ji Lang kept his arms close to his sides, showing no intention of accepting it.

Shi Lan didn't press the matter. She raised her small head slightly and looked directly at Ji Lang with her dark eyes, saying, "Uncle, you've guessed it, haven't you? That's right, Zhou's illness is indeed related to me."

Shi Lan's quick and decisive admission made Ji Lang's heart tremble. He stared at her for a long time before slowly saying, "Do you know that practicing such insidious witchcraft consumes one's own life essence and shortens one's lifespan?"

Shi Lan nodded. Because she was worried about the excessive energy expenditure, she only stirred up the lingering vengeful spirits of those who died in the Shi family because of Zhou, letting them choose whether or not to seek revenge. She didn't expect that Zhou's sins were so deep that she had already been tormented to the point of being delirious after only three days.

Looking at the resolute Shi Lan, Ji Lang sighed softly. He knew Shi Lan well; once she made up her mind, nothing could change it. Her stubbornness could make her cultivation progress by leaps and bounds, but it could also become the root of her destruction.

"Don't do this again in the future. Your essence and blood need time to recover," Ji Lang had a thousand pieces of advice in his heart, but in the end he could only utter this one sentence. At this moment, he also regretted it a little, wondering if imparting all his knowledge would ruin this intelligent junior.

Shi Lan pursed her lips and smiled silently, her eyes filled with deep emotion.

This cousin really loves her; he cares for her so much that even though he knows he's broken a taboo, he can't bear to say anything harsh.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and Zhou's condition improved a lot. Occasionally, she was able to recognize the people around her when she was lucid, but most of the time she was still confused.

On this day, the news that Shi Lan had been waiting for arrived: the palace had sent someone to invite her to the palace.