As Zhao Renshu got closer and closer to the flute melody, the sound became quite familiar. He quickly passed some people and tried to get as close as possible to the front row. When he was about to pass another row of people, he realized that the person playing the flute had stopped and turned around.
The people walking on the street also stopped, their trance broken. She picked up a paper lantern and checked everyone in the front row. She began to absorb the life energy of individuals by putting her lips on their lips. When she absorbed the fifth person in the second row, she saw Zhao Renshu standing behind the third row. She stopped and approached Zhao Renshu. It did not take Zhao Renshu long to figure out who she was.
She wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face on his chest. She whispered, "Renshu, I miss you so much."
Zhao Renshu pulled her hands away. "Hu Qingge," he said, his voice flat. He pushed her away.
"Renshu, please come back with me," Hu Qingge pleaded, tears streaming down her face. She held his right hand. "I have been looking for you for two years. I miss you so much."
"Hu Qingge, I have told you that I can only be your friend," Zhao Renshu said firmly.
"I don't want to be your friend!" Hu Qingge yelled distraughtly. "I want to be your wife!"
"I'm sorry," Zhao Renshu said indifferently, "I already have one, and I love her very much."
"I can be your second wife," Hu Qingge insisted, holding Zhao Renshu's hand again. "Please, I can be anything, just let me be with you."
"Except for her, I don't love others," Zhao Renshu said firmly, his gaze unwavering.
Hu Qingge wiped away her tears. "If you are here, then she must be here," she muttered, her eyes narrowing.
"Why are you hurting these people?" Zhao Renshu asked, his voice sharp.
Hu Qingge laughed, a chilling sound. "It's all because of you. Where is she?"
"I have already told you," Zhao Renshu replied, his patience wearing thin.
"And I remember every word," Hu Qingge said, a dark smirk playing on her lips.
"Then you should know if you dare to touch a single hair of her, I will kill you without hesitation," Zhao Renshu warned, his voice low and dangerous.
"That's exactly what you told me before you walked away," Hu Qingge laughed, turning around and shouting. "Ping'an! I know you are here. Renshu will not hurt these innocent people, but they will hurt him. Come out! You come out!" She turned around and screamed into the darkness, "If you don't come out, on the count of three, I will direct these puppets to hurt your beloved husband. One..."
Hidden on top of the roof, Guo Baiyu held Ping'an's hand tightly and shook his head, urging her to wait.
"She is a fairy like us," Xiao Dan whispered. "Look behind her." She pointed at the shadowy figure behind Hu Qingge. "There is another shadow."
"The shadow is attaching itself to her," Guo Baiyu observed. "The spirit is taking advantage of her desire. If she feeds on the energy of people, it also means that she is feeding on the spirit."
"Two..." Hu Qingge shouted, her voice echoing through the silent street.
"Could it be one of the criminals?" Ping'an asked, her eyes fixed on the scene below.
"The only way to know is to catch it," Guo Baiyu replied.
"How do we catch a spirit?" Xiao Hui asked, intrigued.
"Attract it with what it wants," Guo Baiyu said. He turned to Ping'an. "If the spirit finds a better owner, they will abandon the previous owner. We learned this from Waterfall City." He kissed her gently on her lips.
Ping'an smiled, then turned to the Xiao sisters, who were on cloud nine with "aw" expressions on their faces. "Snap out of it. We are trying to catch a criminal," she chided playfully.
"But the way Baiyu kisses you is too sweet," Xiao Hui said, her sexy smile lingering.
"It must be a good thing to have two lovers who are not jealous of each other and love you deeply," Xiao Dan added, her voice sexy. She smiled and blinked. "Ah... I'm so... jealous."
Ping'an walked to the edge of the roof and jumped off, landing lightly on the street below.
"Three!" Hu Qingge screamed, her face contorted in rage.
She played the flute again, but the pitch was different this time, sharp and commanding. Everyone on the street, including the hypnotized villagers, turned their heads and stared at Zhao Renshu.
"I don't believe you will kill innocent people," Hu Qingge taunted Ping'an.
The people surrounded Zhao Renshu and began to attack him.
"Miss Hu, I am here, please stop," Ping'an pleaded, stepping forward.
Hu Qingge was consumed by rage. "Ping'an! You finally showed up!" she shrieked madly.
"Miss Hu, reject the spirit who clings to you," Ping'an urged.
"No!" Hu Qingge screamed, battling an unseen force within her.
The spirit Landou realized that the vessel in front of her was much better than the current one. The strong, pure yang energy floating in Ping'an's body was irresistible. Landou tried desperately to pull herself out of the old vessel.
"You are not getting out!" Hu Qingge shrieked, resisting with all her might.
"Let me out! I want that vessel!" Landou screamed. Ping'an saw the black shadow trying to pull away from Hu Qingge's body, twisting and fighting.
"Miss Hu, don't resist. Let go of the shadow," Ping'an urged again.
Landou tried her best to get rid of Hu Qingge. Landou and Hu Qingge fought each other within Hu Qingge's body. Guo Baiyu and the Xiao sisters attacked the possessed people from behind, trying to subdue them without harm.
Zhao Renshu drew his sword, preparing to kill the villagers who were attacking him, his patience at an end.
"Renshu, they are only controlled, and we do not kill the innocent!" Guo Baiyu shouted, seeing his intention.
"Now, smart pants, do something because I'm running out of patience!" Zhao Renshu yelled back.
Guo Baiyu turned to the Xiao sisters. "Put them to sleep!"
Xiao Hui jumped up, floating gracefully in the air and casting a sleep spell. However, people were still walking around and attacking Zhao Renshu, seemingly unaffected.
Xiao Hui shook her head. "Baiyu, it's not working!"
"Renshu! Rope!" Guo Baiyu shouted.
Xiao Dan flew over, standing next to Zhao Renshu. Zhao Renshu kicked the people who were surrounding him. He conjured a rope talisman and threw one end of the rope to Xiao Dan, who grabbed it. Zhao Renshu and Xiao Dan used the rope to tie some of the people together and pushed the group towards Guo Baiyu.
Guo Baiyu conjured his Earth talisman and locked the people inside a dirt wall. The people inside began to scratch and hit the earth wall, disoriented. After several attempts, the four friends successfully caught all fifty people inside the dirt wall.
Landou finally broke free from Hu Qingge and went straight to Ping'an, convinced she could take over Ping'an's body. Once she was close to Ping'an, she tried to enter, but she could not.
"How?" Landou screamed, frustrated, trying again and again, paying no attention to anything else.
Guo Baiyu took the opportunity to send an arrow to the center of the shadow. Landou screamed, and the smoky form began to slowly dissipate. Then a white, shiny pearl appeared, and then floated into the palm of Ping'an's right hand. She closed her right palm, and then reopened it, but the pearl was gone, having been absorbed.
"Good thing, the spirit energy is weak," Guo Baiyu said, relieved. "This could have been as bad as Waterfall City. There were no casualties this time, which is good." He turned to Ping'an and smiled at her. "We did a great job."
Walking slowly behind Ping'an, Hu Qingge pulled out a small dagger and raised it to stab Ping'an, her eyes filled with maniacal rage, but Zhao Renshu jumped over quickly and blocked the dagger from Hu Qingge, catching her arm. Hu Qingge passed out immediately. As she slowly fell to the ground, Zhao Renshu grabbed her hand, preventing her from landing roughly. The people locked inside the dirt wall began to regain consciousness and appealed for help.