On the treatise of customs, tiny words are densely packed like ants.

Upon hearing the words, Lord Meng Yunzhou's eyes flashed with a hint of inquiry, and he stepped closer to Qin An's side.

When he saw the content written in the treatise, his brows furrowed slightly: "Reunion Festival?"

Qin An closed the treatise with a snap: "Lord Meng, have you heard of this festival?"

Qin An had just finished reading all about the Reunion Festival, but with Meng Yunzhou here, Qin An thought it was best to ask.

After all, Meng Yunzhou was the head of the Sanyuan Prefecture and knew more than he did.

After a brief pause, Meng Yunzhou spoke slowly: "It is a festival unique to Changnan County, meaning to commemorate the deceased relatives. During this festival, a renowned local shaman sets up an altar to call upon the spirits to communicate with the living."

Qin An lightly tapped his fingers on the table: "Does Lord Meng believe in such mysticism?"

Meng Yunzhou shook his head and said: "Once a person dies, it's like a light extinguished. If spirits truly existed in the world, why would cultivators pursue immortality with such fervor? It's just a performance. Since this Reunion Festival does have a calming effect on the populace, and the shaman does not seek profit from it, the government lets it be."

Qin An stroked his chin: "If not for money, then what?"

Meng Yunzhou suddenly realized: "Mr. Qin, do you suspect this shaman is in league with Wang Longjie?"

Qin An stood up and said: "Whether it is or not, we'll find out. Please, could Lord Meng get me a detailed map of the Sanyuan Prefecture, especially of Changnan County?"

Meng Yunzhou knew well that when the Mountain Patrol General was handling matters, even someone like him, the head of the prefecture, needed to cooperate. He quickly cupped his fists and left the room.

Shortly after, Meng Yunzhou returned with a map and handed it to Qin An.

Qin An spread the map open, and as his eyes landed on the terrain of Changnan County, his brows knitted tightly: "An array?"

Changnan County was situated on a plain, with flat roads, but there were several rather abrupt peaks surrounding it.

To an ordinary cultivator, these would appear as normal mountains.

But Qin An, as a level eleven Array Master, could easily detect what others could not.

These conspicuous peaks actually contained the essence of an array.

Meng Yunzhou was astonished: "You, sir, also understand arrays?"

He, as the head of the prefecture and a man who drew his blade, naturally understood the roles of the Mountain Patrol Generals of the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Now, seeing Qin An's demeanor clearly indicated he understood arrays, which was extremely rare in the Evil Extermination Bureau.

Qin An nodded: "I know a thing or two."

Meng Yunzhou examined the map and asked: "What kind of array is it?"

Qin An smirked coldly: "A Soul Gathering Array."

Meng Yunzhou, not versed in the way of arrays, showed a hint of confusion after hearing about the array.

Qin An slowly explained: "When people and cultivators die, it's like the light is snuffed out. But if the soul is extracted while alive and channeled into this array, it allows the soul to persist indefinitely."

Upon hearing this, Meng Yunzhou slapped the table: "Unforgivable! Such an array harms the natural order and deserves to be eradicated!"

The extraction of the soul, trapped by the array, was a torment akin to being devoured by thousands of ants.

Qin An rolled up the map: "I'm going to Changnan County, farewell."

Now they had clues, and with the layout of the array marked on the map, Qin An's goal was clear.

Meng Yunzhou restrained his anger: "Mr. Qin, do you require assistance from the provincial guard?"

Qin An shook his head: "Sanyuan Prefecture is unsettled enough; keep them here to maintain order."

Meng Yunzhou stood up: "In that case, let me see you off, Mr. Qin."

Qin An said no more and took his leave.

On the bustling street, people came and went, and Qin An's figure quickly vanished at the end of the street.

...

Changnan County was bustling.

People came and went continuously along the street.

Each person carried a bamboo basket, laden with various fruits.

The constables from the yamen held blades, maintaining order on the street.

At this moment, an old man clad in a black robe, supported by the people, staggered toward a high platform ahead.

The platform, about five meters high, was constructed from excellent timber and very sturdy.

On the platform, there was a long table, covered with talisman papers, a wooden staff, and livestock such as pigs, cows, and sheep.

With the assistance of the people, the old man slowly sat beside the table.

Several people withdrew respectfully, leaving only a middle-aged man behind.

By this time, the people had gathered below the platform, standing in orderly long lines.

The middle-aged man turned back to the old man and asked: "Great Shaman, may we begin?"

Called the Great Shaman, the old man wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief: "Start."

The middle-aged man respectfully cupped his fists, then turned toward the people below, cleared his throat, and shouted: "Reunion Festival… Begin!"

With those words, led by the constables, the people began to ascend the platform one by one.

The first person reached the Great Shaman, bowed to him, then placed the fruit offerings aside.

The Great Shaman picked up a talisman paper and waved it in mid-air; without wind, the talisman spontaneously combusted.

After the talisman burned out, the Great Shaman picked up the wooden staff beside him and began wielding it in the air as if drawing ghostly symbols.

About the duration of a stick of incense later, the Great Shaman suddenly trembled violently, even the staff in his hand fell to the ground.

An aged voice rang out.

"Son, long time no see..."

The person beside the table suddenly became excited and began relating the events of recent years to the Great Shaman.

The Great Shaman seemed to transform into another person, conversing with the people.

The entire process appeared bizarre, yet many of the people were already accustomed to it.

At this moment, amidst the crowd, an ordinarily dressed, plain-looking man observed with great interest.

Even upon close inspection, one would merely think he was an ordinary person.

"Interesting..." Qin An stroked the Cold Star at his waist, his eyes narrowing slightly: "No fluctuation of True Essence, just a common man."

Before coming here, he had changed his mysterious robe, tucked his waist plaque back at his side.

Even his appearance and demeanor were concealed with a human skin mask.

Since he was here to catch a traitor, Qin An couldn't make a grand entrance, lest he alert the enemy.

Everything seemed normal now, and the Great Shaman in front of him obviously put on this act to deceive.

Qin An decided not to act rashly for now.

The Reunion Festival lasted ten days to ensure everyone could see their deceased loved ones, so there was no rush.

Patience would be the key.

Thinking of this, Qin An found a rather inconspicuous corner and watched the performance on the high platform with interest.

...

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, the sky had turned to dusk.

The great wizard shivered for a moment, then returned to his old, frail state, waving tiredly.

Though he didn't speak, the middle-aged man understood.

The middle-aged man stepped forward two paces and shouted loudly, "Today's session is over, we will continue tomorrow!"

When these words were spoken, surprisingly, none of the people under the stage complained, and under the leadership of the constables, they left one after another.

Before long, only the great wizard and the middle-aged man remained on the high platform.

The middle-aged man helped the great wizard down from the platform, said a few words of farewell to him, and then headed off in a certain direction.

The great wizard, leaning on a cane, coughed violently twice and then shakily headed toward the city gate.

In the darkness, a shadow landed silently, quietly following behind.

...

Outside the city gate, there was a silent wilderness.

After walking a few miles beyond the city gate, the great wizard suddenly placed the wooden staff behind his back.

Then, surprisingly, the great wizard began to fly toward a certain place at a swift pace.

In the dark, seeing this scene, Qin An frowned slightly.

"No True Essence?"

He could feel that the great wizard's speed was already beyond ordinary, yet, he wasn't using True Essence, relying instead on his powerful physique to achieve such speed.

Qin An found this increasingly strange and continued to follow behind.

Since he was following the trail, Qin An couldn't afford to alert the enemy prematurely.

Even though the great wizard was extremely fast, Qin An's Dragon Roar Shadow Step was even faster, so it wasn't difficult to keep up.

However, just as Qin An followed for another incense stick's time, the great wizard suddenly stopped.

Then, the great wizard's face suddenly turned pale; he clutched his abdomen, fell to the ground rigidly, and soon lost all movement.

Qin An narrowed his eyes, rubbing the sheath of the Cold Star Saber, but didn't make a move.

As another incense stick's time passed, the great wizard remained lying flat.

After another incense stick's time, the great wizard suddenly flipped up.

A black dagger hidden in his bosom had already been unsheathed.

Qin An sneered: "Tricks of a petty mind."

The great wizard stood up nimbly and shouted loudly: "If you keep following without showing yourself, I'll return to the county!"

Hearing these words, Qin An realized the man's feigning death was meant to lure him.

If he hastily showed himself, he would be met undoubtedly by that black dagger.

Though it wouldn't injure him, such cunning indicated a connection with King Longjie.

Qin An's silhouette flashed, landing silently.

The great wizard tightly gripped his dagger, nervously asking: "Who are you?"

Qin An replied with a question: "Where is King Longjie?"

The great wizard tightened his grip on the dagger: "Are you here to hunt Mr. Wang?"

Qin An drew the Cold Star Saber, slowly advancing: "I don't like asking things twice."

The great wizard, feeling the killing intent from Qin An, trembled violently, clenched his teeth, and suddenly lunged at Qin An with the dagger raised.

No True Essence, yet his explosive speed matched that of a cultivator in the Pulse Condensation Realm.

Moreover, due to the lack of True Essence, appearing as an ordinary person would easily deceive cultivators.

Qin An raised his hand, and with a flash of cold light, skillfully struck the dagger.

The great wizard only felt a pain in his wrist, then saw his dagger, along with his wrist, flying off, blood gushing from the wound.

"Ah!"

The great wizard clutched his wrist, screamed in pain, like a wild duck's cry, exceedingly unpleasant.

Qin An kicked the great wizard's chest, flipped him over, and pointed the Cold Star at his throat: "Now you can talk."

Feeling the chill of the Cold Star, the great wizard shivered and pleaded: "I'll talk, I'll say everything, spare me…"

Qin An mocked: "Seeing you draw your dagger earlier, I thought you'd be tough, didn't expect it to be so easy."

The great wizard's forehead was drenched with sweat, not daring to speak more.

He wasn't tough at all.

Just now he thought Qin An couldn't defeat him, so he attempted to kill Qin An.

But now, preserving his life seemed more important.

Qin An said flatly: "Speak."

The great wizard didn't dare to waste words, enduring the pain, spoke quickly: "Mr. Wang is at Soul-Gathering Four Peaks, which specific peak, I don't know. Every meeting was at one of them."

Soul-Gathering Four Peaks?

With some thought, Qin An understood what it was.

Surely those four peaks forming a soul-gathering array.

"Continue," Qin An said, "What is King Longjie's aim?"

The great wizard wiped the sweat from his forehead, tremblingly said: "I don't know, back then my life was ending, yet Mr. Wang saved me, let me continue this deceitful trade, I could only comply. My ability to deceive them was because I knew the household matters of these people, that's why I could act so realistically…"

Qin An asked: "You possess no True Essence, yet how do you have near Pulse Condensation Realm strength?"

Qin An wasn't interested in the mechanism of the great wizard's deceit.

A person clearly at death's door, yet forcefully brought back.

More bizarrely, when the great wizard showed non-human abilities, he didn't use True Essence, achieving near Pulse Condensation Realm strength purely with his physique.

Even cultivators who specialize in physical refinement need True Essence for assistance.

This great wizard was exceedingly odd.

Upon hearing this, the great wizard kept silent, showed a hint of struggle in his eyes.

Qin An's lips curled slightly, waving the Cold Star.

With a flash of cold light, the great wizard's arm flew high.

"Ah!"

A scream echoed through the wilderness, causing one's hairs to stand.

The great wizard's shoulders trembled incessantly, stammered: "It's the souls, I consumed many souls, and stored them within, my ability stems from burning others' souls…"

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