Chapter 46: The Incident

Lin Yue’s heart was pounding wildly, still shaken from the shock.

She had never encountered anything so bizarre in her life.

An unknown terror had appeared beside her, making her now tremble uncontrollably, her mind flooded with fear.

“Sister Lin, what exactly happened? My front door’s still open!” Li Yi’s doubts grew heavier.

But from Lin Yue’s expression, it seemed something terrible had occurred.

“Li, Li Yi, listen to me,” Lin Yue suddenly grabbed Li Yi’s shoulder and fixed her eyes on his: “I have to tell you a terrifying truth—about your home...”

She had intended to reveal the bizarre truth.

But the words died on her lips.

For Lin Yue had just sensed, nearby, a strange and terrifying gaze watching her—like prey trapped in a cage facing the ultimate predator.

She would die.

She would definitely die.

If she spoke the truth, Lin Yue had no doubt she would be killed instantly.

Her eyes darted in panic, scanning left, right, front, back.

People passed by, everything seemed normal—yet she herself was the only abnormal thing here.

No matter how hard she probed, she could not lock onto that strange watching gaze.

But Lin Yue was certain: the unseen person was nearby, watching her constantly.

“Miss Lin, what’s wrong with my home?” Li Yi pressed.

Lin Yue recoiled. She dared not continue, dared not expose the terrifying truth—she could not bear the cost. But she was certain: that being could not be Li Yi’s mother. It was an unknown terror beyond a cultivator’s comprehension.

And that terrifying being had been wandering near Li Yi’s residence, living alongside him.

Had she not come for this visit, Lin Yue would never have discovered this astonishing secret.

“N-nothing. Your home is fine. I was just acting strangely a moment ago—I’m fine now.” Lin Yue changed her tune, choosing not to reveal the truth.

“Good,” Li Yi exhaled in relief. “I thought something had happened to you—I got scared.”

Lin Yue fell silent, but her mind remained sharply alert, still sensing everything around her.

At that moment, she realized the strange gaze had vanished—the sense of danger had lifted—as if everything before had been her illusion.

“If I don’t tell Li Yi the truth, will I stop being watched by that thing?” She took a deep breath, calming herself, forming a tentative hypothesis.

“Li Yi himself seems unaware of the anomaly... But he’s only just opened his Spiritual Medium, not yet awakened his Spiritual Sense. Even in meditation, he cannot perceive that strange figure.”

“But this balance won’t last. As Li Yi continues cultivating, he will inevitably awaken his Spiritual Sense—and then he’ll discover this terrifying secret. When that happens, Li Yi will be in danger.”

“No. I can’t stand by and let Li Yi die. I must find a way to help him—even if I can’t defeat that strange being, I must at least free him from its grasp.”

Thinking this,

Lin Yue spoke seriously: “Li Yi, I just remembered something important—I have to go back.”

“Alright, Sister Lin, go ahead,” Li Yi nodded.

Lin Yue looked at Li Yi’s innocent, oblivious face, her gaze complex. She clenched her teeth and said firmly: “Li Yi, take care of yourself at home. Stay alert. If you sense danger, run immediately—don’t hesitate, don’t look back.”

“Of course. I’m terrified of dying,” Li Yi laughed.

“Good. I’ll go. I’ll speak with Yang Yi about the Guiding Technique—don’t worry.” Lin Yue said nothing more, immediately hailed a taxi, and left.

Li Yi watched Lin Yue depart, a wave of confusion rising in him.

Just now, Lin Yue clearly had something important to tell him—but she stopped herself.

What could it be?

It seemed related to me...

I can’t guess. Can’t guess.

Forget it. She’s gone. Thinking won’t change anything.

Li Yi muttered to himself, turned, and left without lingering—he returned home. His house held many valuable items; if thieves broke in, it would be disastrous.

But Lin Yue’s sudden alarm had shattered his focus—he could no longer meditate.

Li Yi instead began practicing punches at home.

“I’ve only just learned these punches. I haven’t fully mastered them, nor endured enough life-or-death battles. They’re incomplete. I must refine them, develop my own unique style—so I can defend myself against cultivators in the future.”

“Time is tight. I can’t waste it.”

With this thought, Li Yi locked himself indoors and trained.

He seemed naturally gifted at punching. Since grasping the force, generating punch energy came easily—but he still needed to push himself, unlock all the potential within his body, and experiment with more advanced striking techniques.

“Thud! Thud!”

Muffled explosions echoed through the living room.

Li Yi was absorbed in his training, oblivious to everything else. When tired, he sat in meditation. When hungry, he drank Golden Nutrient Solution—nourishing his body while regulating his condition.

But one thing, as he feared, had occurred.

Three days later.

Anding District, Zone Eight, No. 781.

A three-story detached villa.

In the villa’s courtyard, a tall woman with a long ponytail sat cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed, breathing slowly as she sensed every inch of soil, every blade of grass. The sensation of perceiving everything around her with closed eyes was astonishing.

And not only that—she could sense her heartbeat, the flow of her blood...

“Is this Spiritual Sense?” Ning Wu slowly opened her eyes. The light within them grew sharper; she seemed to have ascended to a higher level.

“Ning Wu, something big has happened.”

Suddenly, a low voice sounded behind her.

Lao Ya’s face was grim. He strode forward, utterly unconcerned that he had interrupted Ning Wu’s cultivation.

“Lao Ya, what’s got you so out of character? That’s not like you,” Ning Wu frowned slightly.

Lao Ya stepped closer, lowering his voice: “Ning Wu, do you remember that boy named Li Yi?”

Li Yi?

Now a Spiritual Sense cultivator, Ning Wu’s body had evolved further, her memory sharpened. At Lao Ya’s mention, she recalled instantly: “The incident in the Ruined City District a month ago? I remember him—he got lucky, escaped alive from Anding District. What? Why are you so interested in him?”

“An hour ago, a friend told me a man named Li Yi entered the Danger Zone under Yang Yi’s guidance. You know Yang Yi’s team suffered heavy losses—even his companion Qin Qing nearly died. But Li Yi not only returned alive, he successfully hunted a Biao beast. Yang Yi offered twenty million to buy it. Most importantly, Li Yi is now a Spiritual Medium cultivator.” Lao Ya spoke rapidly.

Ning Wu frowned skeptically: “You think the Li Yi working under Yang Yi is the same one we found a month ago?”

“Not just think—I confirmed it. They’re the same person,” Lao Ya said. “Ning Wu, don’t you realize? Only a month has passed. That Li Yi went from an ordinary person to a Spiritual Medium cultivator. No—he didn’t even take a full month to open his Spiritual Medium. This cultivation speed can’t be called genius—it’s impossible.”

Ning Wu’s face turned pale. She leapt to her feet, instantly grasping the gravity: “An Oddity. Only an Oddity could cause such rapid transformation. That Li Yi obtained an Oddity in the Ruined City District.”

“Damn it—he hid it well. Gave us a pile of trash clothes, kept the real treasure for himself. We’ve been searching in the wrong direction—thought the treasure was with Wang Hu, and overlooked the one we should never have missed.”

“This Li Yi is cunning. Using the Oddity to secretly cultivate. Thank heavens we found out early—if we’d waited a few more months, his realm might surpass ours. Then we’d never get the Oddity back.”

Lao Ya asked immediately: “Ning Wu, what do we do now?”

Ning Wu gritted her teeth: “No question. Kill Li Yi. Take back the Oddity. And we can’t wait—act today. No more delays.”

“If we move, we must ensure total success. Otherwise, we’ll alarm him and he’ll flee,” Lao Ya whispered. “Besides, Li Yi is now a Spiritual Medium cultivator. He hunted a Biao alone in the Danger Zone. His strength is no longer negligible.”

“I know.”

Ning Wu calmed herself. “This can’t be made public. If word leaks, the Oddity won’t be ours. Every cultivator in Tianchang City will come clawing for a share. And we only get one chance—if we fail, Li Yi might panic and hand the Oddity over to authorities. Then we’re finished.”

“Lao Ya, investigate Li Yi’s information—find his address. I’ll organize the team. We strike tonight.”

“Understood,” Lao Ya nodded, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

That was a genuine Oddity.

“By the way, do you know a man named Wang Kui?” Ning Wu suddenly remembered. “He’s said to have a sniper rifle stolen from an Investigator—it’s specially designed to kill cultivators and supernatural beings.”

“You want to hire him? He’s a wanted criminal. The Investigation Bureau is hunting him,” Lao Ya exclaimed.

“I’m just securing insurance,” Ning Wu said seriously. “I’d rather not hear the gunshot—but I’d rather pay that price than fail.”

Lao Ya thought for a moment, then nodded solemnly.