The paper figure was crudely cut, its outline simple and rough.
Nothing else was drawn on the paper figure's face except for a pair of eyes. Most terrifying of all, the ink used to dot the eyes was blood-red.
Looking closer, there was a pattern drawn right in the center of the paper figure's torso, positioned exactly where its heart would be.
It was a neat circle. Inside the ring was a strange bird with long wings and a single, straight tail feather, its beak tightly clutching a slender branch. The lines were sketchy but clearly legible.
The entire little paper figure lay flat on the tabletop. It moved without any wind, trembling slightly.
Even though all connections had been severed, a faint, lingering sensation of a cold, prying gaze still clung to it, hovering around everyone and refusing to dissipate.
Bai Ci drifted down to the side. When she saw the paper figure's unique totem, the supernatural knowledge she had crammed over the past few days came in handy once again.
This paper-cut pattern was highly unique, with a complete form and a clear imprint. It was likely a signature mark belonging exclusively to a specific type of spell or lineage of inheritance.
In other words, this was the most direct clue anchor.
As long as they traced this unique mark back to its source, they would definitely be able to uncover the origin of the person spying on them, completely opening up a breakthrough for the next step of their investigation.
While some relied on crammed, last-minute knowledge, others relied on cheats.
Not only Bai Ci, but also Zheng Gang. As an archaeologist, the moment a new clue node lit up on his panel, he instantly recognized the value of this pattern.
He leaned in close to the table, carefully examining the pattern, and began to explain as he observed.
He took the clues obtained from his class skill, packaged them in high-sounding language, and relayed them to the others.
In short, he was translating system-speak into layman's terms.
“This totem has immense historical research value.”
“I'm indeed helpless when it comes to supernatural and chaotic forces; that isn't my field. But getting to the bottom of things, cross-referencing ancient texts, and tracing origins—that is my professional specialty.”
“I request to dedicate the next few days to researching documents,” Zheng Gang said, raising his hand.
“The Zhao family has its own library, and there's a large public library and a history museum in the city. Ancient texts, miscellaneous records, Republican Era archives, and local gazetteers might contain records that can pin down the origin of this Ring of the Feather-Clutching Bird pattern.”
True to his background as a historian, he had already given the totem an appropriate name.
“You guys handle the supernatural exorcisms, and I'll handle the document tracing. We'll divide the work to complement each other for maximum efficiency.”
This arrangement was sound and reasonable, and everyone nodded in agreement.
Standing to the side, Wu Daoqing watched everyone harmoniously finalize their division of labor. While he was glad that their communication was so smooth, a trace of doubt and confusion couldn't help but rise in his heart.
He hadn't originally intended to ask such a slightly offensive question. But after a moment's hesitation, because of his favorable initial impression of them, he decided to ask frankly.
“Everyone, I have a question.”
“We are all members of the occult community who possess spellcasting abilities. Why don't we use supernatural means to investigate the source of this evil?”
“Why are your preliminary investigations so heavily skewed toward conventional methods like worldly verification and document cross-referencing? It seems a bit... too safe.”
It was almost jarringly out of place.
They didn't seem like people who possessed supernatural powers, but rather a group of clever ordinary people pretending to be masters of the occult.
Wu Daoqing silently swallowed the last half of his thought.
“Junior Brother, you have a solid foundation in cultivation, but you lack experience solving cases in the mortal world.”
“In our line of work, solving a case or breaking a curse never starts with a magical showdown or exorcism right off the bat.”
“As the old saying goes, 'If the foundation is weak, the earth will shake and the mountains will crumble.' Those magical techniques are trump cards and killing blows to break the deadlock, but worldly clues are the foundation.”
“Only by first clarifying the genealogy, family grudges, historical changes, and past relationships—all these tangible, basic clues—can we accurately eliminate wrong directions and lock onto the root cause when we delve deeper.”
“Blindly casting spells to investigate will only waste your spiritual energy for nothing. It might even alert the entity behind the scenes, leading to self-defeat.”
“It really is fate. Before you arrived, we were just discussing this very topic, only to realize that all of us share the same philosophy of securing our footing before launching an attack.”
Wu Suowei spoke with great clarity and reason, his tone perfectly measured.
The worldly-naive Wu Daoqing was instantly convinced. Though there was still a hint of lingering confusion in his eyes, he nodded repeatedly.
“So that's how it is. Thank you for the guidance!”
He cupped his hands sincerely, his voice filled with genuine realization.
“Master always used to warn me, 'Cultivate the heart before cultivating the art; only by walking the path can one understand its truth.' In the past, I only took it as general advice, but today I truly understand the profound meaning behind it.”
“As expected, a thousand days of closed-door cultivation cannot compare to a single journey into the mortal world. Please guide me well in the days to come; I will certainly study with an open mind.”
Having said that, he earnestly asked about their subsequent plans.
“So, will we continue to proceed using worldly investigation methods? Which specific direction should we look into?”
Just as everyone was lost in thought, Bai Ci, who had gone back online, timely spoke up.
“Are there any more large-scale generational gaps in the genealogy book after the Republican Era?”
Zheng Gang was slightly taken aback. He tried his best to recall what he had seen when flipping through the genealogy book earlier, before finally shaking his head with certainty. “No.”
“After the Republican Era, although the Zhao family members died young in every generation, with none living past thirty-five, there were never any gaps spanning two or three generations like those recorded in their earlier history.”
For a moment, he couldn't figure out the connection, but Wu Suowei beside him had a sudden flash of insight, instantly grasping the core logic.
“I understand.”
“This means that the Zhao family's strange lifespan issue is highly likely related to the fact that there have been no more generational gaps in the genealogy book since the Republican Era.”
Although they hadn't known each other long, the players present could all feel that the Ghost Immortal was indeed much easier to talk to when in her female state, and she was even willing to join their discussions.
While everyone was deep in their own thoughts, an incredibly bold theory—one completely unrelated to the current discussion—suddenly exploded in the mind of the spirit medium, Ou Li.
Ghost Immortal, Ghost Immortal...
Could it be that one side was a ghost and the other was an immortal? If so, this female voice must represent the immortal side!
The logic of this wild theory was so perfect that the more Ou Li thought about it, the more she felt she was an incredibly rare genius in theoretical deduction. Becoming increasingly excited, she momentarily lost control of her emotions.
With a loud slap, her hand slammed heavily onto the solid wood tabletop.
The loud slap shattered the pensive silence.
In an instant, everyone's gaze snapped to Ou Li, filled with confusion and expectation.
“Sister Ou, do you have some new insights?” Mi Ke was the first to ask.
Wu Suowei and Zheng Gang also looked over, waiting for her thoughts.
At this moment, Ou Li instantly panicked, her palms sweating and her scalp tingling with anxiety.
She did have an insight, but it was about the Ghost Immortal. Could she possibly say that out loud right now?
Of course not!
Rate on N.U.
