Three days later.
Early in the morning, the tranquility of the Huo family manor was broken by the urgent ringing of the telephone.
Huo Yuwei, who was reading the latest newspaper on the sofa, answered the phone. Lin Wei's urgent voice came through the receiver, "Young Master Huo, something has happened in Miao territory!"
"What's going on?" Huo Yuwei's expression turned serious.
"Master Qingyangzi and his companions have been ambushed and are trapped in a valley in the Ten Thousand Mountains. There are powerful array formations interfering with their communication, making it intermittent. In the last message, the Master said... that the old man is preparing a grand sacrificial ceremony to summon the Lord of the Underworld with the souls of ninety-nine young boys and girls on the night of the alignment of the seven stars!"
Huo Yuwei gripped the microphone tightly. "Ninety-nine? Where did he get so many children?"
“Forty-seven children have gone missing in the past three months around Miao territory, plus those transferred from other strongholds,” Lin Wei said gravely. “Now only twelve are left. And he specifically requested…”
What do you want?
Lin Wei paused for a moment, then said, "I want Qiqi."
"What?!" Huo Yuwei jumped to his feet. "How does he know about Qiqi?"
"I don't know, but he left a message on the altar. He said, 'If you want the lives of these forty-seven children back, exchange them for that three-and-a-half-year-old girl.' He also said that he knew Qiqi was a pure Yin body, making her the most suitable 'vessel' for the sacrifice."
Huo Yuwei's face turned ashen. "Absolutely impossible!"
“Of course we won’t agree,” Lin Wei said quickly. “The special departments and the Xuanmen Association are already organizing a second rescue team. But the formation in that valley is very strange; even a master like Daoist Qingyangzi is trapped, let alone the others…”
"What do you need the Huo family to do?" Huo Yuwei asked directly.
“We need Young Master Huo’s help,” Lin Wei said. “Before being trapped, Daoist Qingyangzi sent back some data on the array’s fluctuations, saying that Young Master Huo might be able to analyze the array’s weaknesses. And…”
She hesitated for a moment, "The Taoist priest also said that if the situation becomes critical, perhaps we can ask Fellow Daoist Qiqi for remote assistance. But it's just remote; there's absolutely no need for her to go to Miao territory in person."
Huo Yuwei was silent for a moment, then said, "Send the data over, and I'll let Xiao Jiu take a look."
After hanging up the phone, Huo Yuwei immediately went to find Huo Yusen.
In the study, Huo Yusen was studying something on the computer screen when he heard footsteps and looked up. "Big brother, what's wrong?"
"Something's happened in Miao territory." Huo Yuwei succinctly relayed Lin Wei's words, then transmitted the received data to him. "Can you analyze this formation?"
Huo Yusen's face fell, and his fingers rapidly tapped on the keyboard.
Complex waveforms and 3D models appeared on the screen, and the data stream scrolled rapidly.
Five minutes later, he frowned. "This is the 'Nine Nether Soul-Locking Array,' an ancient evil array. The array is based on nine earth vein nodes, drawing on the earth's yin energy to form a closed space. The spiritual power of those inside the array will be suppressed, and their souls will be slowly eroded."
Is there a way to crack this?
“Nine array eyes need to be destroyed simultaneously.” Huo Yusen pulled up another diagram. “But each array eye is guarded by an evil entity, and they must all be destroyed within a quarter of an hour, otherwise the array will automatically repair itself.”
He paused, then added, "The most troublesome thing is that this formation interferes with spatial positioning. Daoist Qingyangzi and the others probably don't even know their exact location right now. Even if we send people there, they won't be able to find the precise location."
Huo Yuwei's expression turned grave. "So, they can only rely on themselves now?"
“No.” A sharp glint flashed in Huo Yusen’s eyes. “There is another way: to break the formation with the formation itself. Set up a reverse formation outside to forcibly tear apart the spatial barrier of the Nine Nether Soul-Locking Formation. But this requires…”
What do you need?
“We need at least three array masters, as well as a ‘catalyst’ that can accurately locate the space within the array.” Huo Yusen looked at Huo Yuwei. “And this catalyst should ideally be a personal item belonging to someone within the array. Or, a drop of blood from a blood relative.”
Huo Yuwei immediately understood, "Did Daoist Qingyangzi leave something behind in the Huo family?"
“When he came last time to examine Qiqi’s injuries, he left behind a protective jade pendant,” Huo Yusen said. “That jade pendant carries his aura and can be used as a trigger.”
"Then what are we waiting for? I'll contact the Xuanmen Association immediately."
“But there’s still a problem,” Huo Yusen interrupted him. “Setting up the reverse formation will take time, at least three days. And the alignment of the seven stars only has seven days left.”
Huo Yuwei's heart sank.
In other words, they must rescue Qingyangzi and the others within four days, or they will not be able to stop the sacrificial ceremony in time.
"Xiao Jiu, how confident are you?"
Huo Yusen pursed his lips. "If you give me the best equipment and materials, and two array masters to assist me, I'm 60% confident."
60%.
This probability is considered high under normal circumstances, but now it involves dozens of lives, so it's still too risky.
"Big brother, let me try." Huo Yusen's eyes were firm. "Besides, I think Qiqi can help too. Not by using spiritual power, but by using her talent."
"What talent?"
“Qiqi has an extremely strong ability to sense soul fluctuations,” Huo Yusen said. “Although she can’t use her spiritual power now, she can still sense the aura of souls. If we let her touch Master Qingyangzi’s jade pendant, she might be able to sense the situation inside the formation and give us a more precise location.”
No one wanted the little girl to be in danger more than him.
But no one knew better than him how guilty and sad Qiqi would feel if she knew that Qingyangzi and the others were in trouble, and that he was unable to help them because he was worried about them.
He didn't want the little girl to resent him in the future.
Huo Yuwei hesitated.
He didn't want Qiqi to get involved in danger again, but there really wasn't a better way at the moment.
"I'll go ask Qiqi what she thinks."
In the garden, Qiqi was having a video call with Tingting.
"Qiqi, my dad said it's very dangerous in Miao territory, and he told you not to go." On the screen, Tingting looked worried.
Qiqi hugged her teddy bear and said, "Yes, Qiqi knows. Big Brother and Little Nine Brother don't want Qiqi to go."
"But I heard that those bad guys have kidnapped a lot of kids like us," Tingting whispered. "Qiqi, do you think they might be in danger?"
"No, Grandpa Qingyangzi has already led people to rescue them." Qiqi forced a smile.
"What about you, Qiqi? You saved so many people last time, they must hate you to death. Won't they secretly come and hurt you?"
Seeing Tingting's worried look, Qiqi grinned and said, "Qiqi isn't afraid of them at all. Qiqi has big brother and little brother Jiu to protect her, and many, many powerful people to protect her. Tingting, don't worry. But you, those big bad guys have been kidnapping children everywhere lately. You and Xiaopang have to be careful, okay? You must never go out alone, you have to go with Mom and Dad."
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