This kind of altar...

Damn it, I barely heard about it before crossing over.

What era is this even?

Are there actually people still using rituals that even cultivators have phased out?

Zhang Feng couldn't help but ask Dog Bro:

"Are we... still going to perform a ritual?"

Dog Bro shook his head and said:

"It's not a ritual, it's a memorial!"

"A memorial?"

Zhang Feng's expression became even stranger.

Isn't this thing for honoring the dead?

Good grief, didn't you say your master is having a birthday?

A memorial?!

Oh my, what an unlucky way to celebrate a birthday...

Wait a minute!

Suddenly, Zhang Feng's eyes narrowed slightly.

When he was in there, during the exchange with Song Rentou, something he had temporarily shelved began to surface slowly in his mind.

The heart!

To be precise, eating a heart raw!

Such an act, Zhang Feng had really never heard of before crossing over, considering any serious Evil Cultivator doing such a thing.

Serious Evil Cultivator...

That's right, there are unserious Evil Cultivators.

A serious Evil Cultivator simply follows their Evil Cultivation Sect's cultivation technique, progressing step by step, steadily, diligently, just like Zhang Feng and his kind.

But those unserious Evil Cultivators...

They would always find some unscrupulous methods of cultivation to make themselves even more sinister.

Yet before crossing over, he hadn't heard of many unserious Evil Cultivators doing such disgusting things.

After all, cultivators are human too.

Which normal person could eat a human heart raw?

But before crossing over, there was indeed one category of Evil Cultivator he knew of, who needed to do such disgusting things!

And that is an Evil Cultivator possessed by a vengeful ghost!

Just like what he did to Ma Xiaotong...

Sealing the vengeful ghost's form into a body, making that body appear like a normal person.

However, Ma Xiaotong did it in her way.

And vengeful ghosts have their ways too.

And then combining what he saw earlier in the Celestial Eye's video call, a woman appearing similar to Ma Xiaotong's existence.

And, like Dog Bro just said, setting up an altar for a memorial.

Good grief!

An idea slowly formed in Zhang Feng's mind:

"The Evil Cultivator I've been searching for, could it actually be a vengeful ghost?!"

If that's really the case...

It would indeed make things a lot easier.

Since he naturally restrains vengeful ghosts.

But is this Evil Cultivator really a vengeful ghost?

Zhang Feng still couldn't be sure.

At this point, Dog Bro patted Zhang Feng on the shoulder once again, saying:

"What are you thinking about? Why are you spacing out?"

Zhang Feng's thoughts returned to his consciousness.

And then he shook his head awkwardly, saying:

"I just don't understand..."

"Aren't we celebrating a birthday? Why do we need a memorial... isn't that a bad omen?"

Dog Bro nodded, listening to Zhang Feng, and said casually:

"We thought the same thing at first."

"But this is arranged by the master, and we've been doing it this way for years. We just need to follow along."

Saying that, a slight smile appeared on Dog Bro's face.

Looking at Zhang Feng, he said:

"Ayang, regarding the altar, only we disciples know, and only we handle the setup and participate in it."

"Now we're having you join, and you'll take part in the memorial too."

"So, you'll definitely become our Old Nine, don't worry! Everyone will call you Ninth Master by then! Excited?"

Excited my ass!

If that Evil Cultivator really is a vengeful ghost.

You're having me become the disciple of a vengeful ghost?

Are you kidding me? Excited?

But on the surface, Zhang Feng smiled excitedly, loudly saying to Dog Bro and Chicken Bro:

"Thank you, Dog Bro, thank you, Chicken Bro!"

Dog Bro and Chicken Bro exchanged a glance.

Chicken Bro waved, then wobbly walked off in one direction.

Dog Bro stayed behind to explain to Zhang Feng how to set up the altar.

The main structure of the altar hasn't changed much over the years.

Just needed some new wreaths, yellow paper, and the like.

After instructing Zhang Feng on how to place these items, he told him to go out and purchase them.

Such things are, of course, more conveniently bought.

Once he was done with the instructions, Dog Bro's voice suddenly turned serious:

"This altar has to be ready by tonight!"

Zhang Feng slightly reacted upon hearing that, maintaining a natural expression, asking seemingly inadvertently:

"Is it really so urgent? Isn't the birthday tomorrow?"

Dog Bro looked at Zhang Feng, revealing a piece of news that instantly made Zhang Feng feel a sense of urgency:

"All the guests will arrive today."

"Because Master arrives in Haicheng at midnight, and the memorial starts at midnight tonight too!"

"What?!"

Zhang Feng was taken aback.

He thought he had two days, figuring the Evil Cultivator wouldn't reach Haicheng until tomorrow evening, for the grand celebration.

Unexpectedly, it was at midnight?!

Will this... be on time?

Will those Shen Hanshan mentioned be able to gather by tonight?!

This urgency made Zhang Feng's earlier surprise purely heartfelt.

Looking at Dog Bro, Zhang Feng immediately said:

"I'll go buy it now!"

With that, he turned around and ran outside.

Dog Bro watched Zhang Feng's back, laughing as he shouted:

"It's not that urgent, why so tense?"

Seeing Zhang Feng running far without replying, Dog Bro laughed while shaking his head:

"Tense is right, midnight is a big deal for him! When I joined, I was even more nervous! Haha!"

Is that what Zhang Feng was nervous about?

No way!

The word was that all the guests would be arriving today.

And the Evil Cultivator would enter Haicheng at midnight.

Would he really wait for Shen Hanshan's people to arrive tomorrow?

No way!

Delaying is risky.

The longer the delay, the higher the chance this group could escape.

Considering the undercover in their public safety system!

So Zhang Feng left in such a hurry, not to buy wreaths for the Evil Cultivator.

But to find the people Shen Hanshan sent to Haicheng, Guo Hao!

He had no idea how Guo Hao had been faring with Wang Hai over the past few days.

This was his first time leaving the park area openly during the daytime.

And he wondered if Wang Hai would find out if he met Guo Hao in broad daylight?

Not long after, Zhang Feng arrived at the lodging where Ma Xiaotong and Guo Hao were staying earlier.

Sure enough, they were not there.

But Zhang Feng wasn't anxious.

Instead, he squatted at the lodge entrance, waiting!

He wasn't waiting for Guo Hao, but Ma Xiaotong.

Indeed, in a restaurant two streets away, Ma Xiaotong, sitting with her head down at a table, faintly emitting a chilly aura, slowly raised her head.

In those gray eyes, no light could be seen.

There were five people at the table.

One of them, not a human, but a ghost, was Ma Xiaotong.

There was also Guo Hao, Wang Hai, and two others he hadn't met before.

They seemed to be Wang Hai's subordinates or companions.

Ma Xiaotong got up from her chair and softly said:

"I'm going to the restroom."

Then she turned and left the table.

After Ma Xiaotong left, perhaps it was an illusion, but the remaining four at the table seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief?

...

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