460: Chapter 460 A Life of Romantic Encounters, The Spellcaster's Trail

A night of chaos.

The Chen Family's Old Matriarch was rushed to Cui City's best private hospital, directly admitted to a top-tier special care ward that was closed to the public.

Tiny beads of blood seeped out from beneath her skin all over her body, as if she had been pierced from the inside out by countless invisible steel needles.

Her entire body convulsed in excruciating pain, letting out hoarse roars as she endured unimaginable torment.

The hospital mobilized its top medical team, yet could not find any pathological cause.

In the end, they could only force her into a deep sleep by injecting a large dose of sedatives.

As the task executors present, Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bailing naturally did not stand by and watch.

With a calm demeanor, Fang Cheng assisted in directing the flustered servants to handle the subsequent matters.

Lin Chuqiao used her own Mental Energy to comfort Madam Chen Li, who was on the verge of collapse, reducing her pain all the way until she was escorted to the emergency rescue room.

After all this tossing and turning, the horizon had already begun to turn pale with the dawn.

The VIP lounge on the top floor of the hospital.

Second Young Master Chen Xuan had not slept all night, his eye sockets sunken deeply, and Yingjun's face was filled with exhaustion and suppressed anger.

A cup of scalding coffee was held in his hand, steam rising, yet it seemed unable to dispel the chill in the depths of his eyes.

"Mr. Bai, Young Miss Chu, this time... thank you all."

He expressed his gratitude in a somewhat hoarse voice.

"Young Master Chen, do not worry too much. The most important thing right now is to stabilize the situation; the Family cannot continue to descend into chaos."

Lin Chuqiao sat on the chair opposite him and comforted him in a soft tone.

Second Young Master Chen Xuan nodded slightly, his expression still heavy, as if pondering something.

Suddenly, he raised his head abruptly, looking intently at Fang Cheng:

"Mr. Bai, you said reinforcements from your team can arrive in Cui City tomorrow?"

Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bailing sat side by side, nodding upon hearing this:

"If everything progresses smoothly, tomorrow morning they can move into your honorable residence, and by then we can officially take action."

"Good!"

Second Young Master Chen Xuan's brows were tightly knitted, as if having made up his mind, and he said in a low voice:

"Our Chen Family also has quite a few experts. At that time, I will have them return from the Secret Realm to cooperate fully and obey Mr. Bai's commands."

"I only ask that this fiend be brought to justice as soon as possible, to return peace to our Chen Family."

His tone was very earnest, clearly having been pushed to the limit by the series of changes.

Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao exchanged a glance, neither speaking.

A silent atmosphere spread among them.

Outside the window, the sky had completely brightened, and the morning sun pierced through the clouds, dyeing the entire city in a golden hue.

Just at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

"Xuan, how is it? What did the doctor say?"

An anxious voice sounded; it was Second Young Master Chen Xuan's aunt and uncle rushing over with several collateral relatives.

Their faces were full of worry, and as soon as they saw Second Young Master Chen Xuan, they immediately surrounded him, asking about the Old Matriarch's condition all at once.

Second Young Master Chen Xuan immediately forced himself to perk up, stood up to greet them, and briefly explained to the relatives, his tone carrying the steady sense of responsibility that the Family's head manager should have.

Fang Cheng, Lin Chuqiao, and Bailing stood quietly to the side, watching them converse.

Over the next hour or so, the Chen Family's direct and collateral relatives arrived at the hospital one after another.

Some people were originally taking refuge in the Family's Secret Realm, but upon learning the news, they couldn't help running out to visit.

Hearing that even the Old Matriarch had been attacked and hospitalized, everyone wore sorrowful expressions, some weeping with grief, some filled with righteous indignation, and some cursing in low voices.

The originally quiet atmosphere of the VIP lounge was replaced by this sudden hustle and bustle.

Among them, a young man in his twenties stood out particularly glaringly among a group of elders.

He was dressed in well-tailored name-brand casual wear, his appearance was Yingjun, and the corners of his mouth held a frivolous smile that was completely out of place with the surrounding sorrowful atmosphere.

From the conversations of others, it was learned that he was another core direct member of the Chen Family, Chen Qiming.

Fang Cheng's gaze narrowed slightly, and a piece of intelligence data floated into his mind.

Chen Qiming ranked third among the Chen Family's four direct grandsons, yet he was the least favored by the Family's elder members.

He was naturally wayward, behaved in an uninhibited and flamboyant manner, and was a typical playboy.

His biggest hobbies on ordinary days were street racing, picking up chicks, and making merry in nightclubs.

He even relied on the Chen Family's Bloodline ability to open a Feng Shui metaphysics company, specially interpreting physiognomy and guiding fortunes for those female celebrities.

In reality, he used the opportunity to get close and play with them for amusement.

While Fang Cheng was secretly observing, Chen Qiming also turned back and discovered the three unfamiliar faces at the edge of the crowd.

When he saw Lin Chuqiao and Bailing, his eyes instantly lit up.

His gaze unscrupulously sized up the two women back and forth, lingering for several seconds especially on Lin Chuqiao's slender curves.

That gaze was extremely aggressive, flashing with a strange glow, as if it could pierce through clothing and peek at what lay within.

Fang Cheng frowned, taking half a step forward without a sound, right in front of Lin Chuqiao to block that impudent gaze.

"Qiming, weren't you staying in the Secret Realm? Why did you run out?"

Seeing him, Second Young Master Chen Xuan immediately excused himself from his speaking uncle and walked quickly toward him.

"Hmph, what is there to stay in the Secret Realm for? It's suffocatingly boring."

Chen Qiming curled his lips, his tone carrying a trace of impatience:

"If it weren't for uncle insisting on locking me inside, I would have come out long ago. Hearing that grandma had an accident, I just found an opportunity to run out and take a look."

Second Young Master Chen Xuan's brows frowned slightly, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he only sighed.

Afterwards, he pulled Chen Qiming and walked toward Fang Cheng and the others, making introductions for both sides:

"Three of you, this is my third younger brother, Chen Qiming. Don't look at his young age; he is very talented in Feng Shui."

"Qiming, these three are experts sent by Naihe Bridge to assist us in investigating the case: Mr. Bai, Young Miss Chu, and Young Miss Bailing. They are all quite accomplished in sorcery and Gu."

"Pleased to meet you."

Fang Cheng nodded, responding briefly.

"Hehe."

Chen Qiming returned a light chuckle, but his gaze skipped over Fang Cheng and directly fell upon the graceful Lin Chuqiao standing behind him.

"I didn't expect there to be such a pretty Young Miss among the experts. I thought they would all be old fogies and rough men like the previous batches..."

As he spoke, he reached out his hand, wanting to shake hands with Lin Chuqiao.

Yet his gaze was firmly glued to that bright and charming face, revealing unmasked covetousness.

Lin Chuqiao ignored this uninvited show of goodwill, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.

Seeing that she was unmoved, Chen Qiming was not annoyed.

He immediately withdrew his hand, the corners of his mouth curving into a frivolous arc:

"I heard from Second Brother that you are quite knowledgeable in sorcery and Gu. I wonder if Young Miss Chu is interested in Feng Shui physiognomy?"

"How about going for a drink with me later so we can have a good chat? Perhaps I can help you carefully examine your physiognomy and calculate your fortune for coming to Cui City—whether it is auspicious or ominous would be clear at a glance."

Lin Chuqiao smiled slightly, looking at him with a cold gaze, and declined:

"Thank you for Young Master Chen's kind intentions, but unfortunately we are here to solve the Chen Family's trouble, not to go on vacation and play."

She paused, slightly shifting the topic, her tone carrying a bit of mockery:

"As for Feng Shui metaphysics, I also have some slight research into it. Please forgive me for being blunt, Young Master Chen's body is entangled with peach blossoms; I'm afraid you will soon have a peach blossom tribulation, so I hope you will be extra careful."

Bailing listened from the side, pressing her lips together in a chuckle, her gaze looking at Chen Qiming also carrying disgust.

Hearing this, the frivolous smile on Chen Qiming's face froze slightly, a trace of surprise flashing deep in his eyes.

It seemed he did not expect this woman to dare talk back to him, and her words even carried an ominous prophecy.

Seeing the atmosphere become somewhat stiff, Second Young Master Chen Xuan immediately used the excuse of discussing Family matters to pull Chen Qiming into a nearby lounge without giving him a choice.

The room door closed with a crisp click.

In the corridor, besides the Chen Family relatives who came to visit, there also stood three slightly abrupt figures of outsiders.

Lin Chuqiao turned her head sideways, her gaze falling upon Fang Cheng.

She saw that he was staring at the tightly closed lounge door, his slightly leaning forward broad shoulders still looking as if they were deliberately blocking someone's line of sight.

Lin Chuqiao was not angry because of the previous matter; instead, the corners of her mouth outlined a pretty arc.

That arc was very shallow, yet it revealed a bit of gentleness and playfulness.

Her eyes also hid specks of starlight, resembling a little girl secretly rejoicing after a successful prank.

"What? Worried I would be seen through?"

She blinked mischievously, her voice soft, carrying a hint of playfulness.

Hearing this, Fang Cheng turned his head back, his gaze colliding right into that pair of eyes filled with smiles.

Deep within his eyes, a faint smile could not help revealing itself, his brow slightly raised in a noncommittal manner.

Lin Chuqiao raised her hand, taking out the Qilin wooden talisman she wore close to her body from her collar, her fingertips gently stroking the carved patterns on it.

"Rest assured, I was prepared long ago."

"Although the Chen Family's 'Spirit Pupils' sound intimidating, in essence it is also a kind of Mental Energy application, just a little trick that has only just peeked into the threshold."

Lin Chuqiao's tone was calm as she said softly:

"This amulet is not an ordinary handicraft; it can disrupt spiritual fluctuations, just like an invisible fog shielding the wearer's spirit and Physical Body."

"When Chen Qiming spied with 'Spirit Pupils' just now, he probably only saw a dazzling and blurry ball of spiritual light, and could not probe anything else."

"Besides, ever since absorbing the bloody rain, my Mental Energy has now reached A-grade level; I haven't put a mere profligate son in my eyes..."

Lin Chuqiao chuckled again, her words full of confidence.

Hearing her explanation, Fang Cheng did not reply.

After all, this kind of topic was too private and seemed somewhat overstepping.

The relationship between the two of them apparently wasn't close enough to chat about these things casually.

Yet Lin Chuqiao seemed to see through his thoughts, couldn't help pressing her lips together.

As her gaze turned gracefully, her line of sight briefly met Fang Cheng's, and an invisible current seemed to flash across the air.

A faint blush appeared on her face, the corners of her eyes quietly dyed with a touch of soft charm, her long eyelashes trembling gently.

An ambiguous atmosphere quietly bred and spread between each other.

Just at this moment, Bailing, who had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two, curiously leaned over, her gaze shifting back and forth between Fang Cheng and Lin Chuqiao.

"Little Chu sister, what are you talking about? What fog, what spiritual light?"

Bailing's voice was crisp, carrying a young girl's unique innocence, instantly shattering that subtle romantic ambiance between the two.

"Also, that Third Young Master Chen is so annoying, his eyes are like they're poisoned, always staring at people!"

Hearing this, Lin Chuqiao couldn't help letting out a soft chuckle.

That ambiguous atmosphere from just now was instantly swept away completely by Bailing's straightforwardness.

She helplessly shook her head and reached out to rub Bailing's hair:

"We weren't talking about anything complicated, just discussing the tricks of the Chen Family's 'Spirit Pupils'."

Fang Cheng also steadied his mind, pulling his thoughts back to business, and turned to look at Bailing, asking:

"That's right, after you fell asleep last night, what on earth happened? It was all chaotic before, and I didn't have time to ask you for the specific details in detail."

Hearing this, the curiosity on Bailing's face was immediately replaced by memories, and her brows furrowed slightly:

"I can't explain the specific situation clearly either; I was sleeping soundly at that time when suddenly I heard a huge commotion coming upstairs, as if someone was smashing things and someone was shouting 'Help'."

"Little Chu sister and I ran up to take a look, and saw... the Chen Family's Old Matriarch lying on the ground, with a lot of blood flowing from her body."

"It was like her whole body was pricked full of sewing needles, beads of blood bubbling out one by one, and she was still shouting in her mouth 'Don't prick anymore, don't prick anymore', that scene was too terrifying!"

After Bailing finished speaking, Lin Chuqiao also took over the conversation, her tone carrying a bit more solemnity:

"What the Chen Family's Old Matriarch encountered should be 'Needle Sorcery', and the person who cast this sorcery is very likely inside the Chen Family."

Hearing this, Fang Cheng's gaze instantly froze:

"How so?"

"When I was researching Nanyang folk customs before, I came into contact with sorcery; it is mainly divided into two casting methods: drug sorcery and flying sorcery."

Lin Chuqiao cleared her throat and then explained:

"Drug sorcery is relatively simple and direct; it is poisoning or planting Gu through food and drinking water, without the need for incantation to trigger it, achieving the effect of punishing the target."

"Flying sorcery is remote casting and manipulation, but it likewise requires a medium."

"Elementary sorcerers require the victim's blood, hair, and birth date, while top-tier sorcerers can plant a curse imperceptibly with perhaps just a single thought or a single gaze."

She paused, the eyes behind her lenses flashing with a faint glow.

"The 'Needle Sorcery' that the Chen Family's Old Matriarch was afflicted with is a very sinister and cruel sorcery. The spellcaster must first send special fine needles secretly into the victim's body through food and water using the method of drug sorcery."

"These 'sorcery needles' usually lie dormant and motionless, but once they need to deal with the target, driven by flying sorcery, they will crazily pierce through the body, making a person wish they were dead."

She looked at Fang Cheng, her tone solemn:

"To achieve such a shocking effect as the Chen Family's Old Matriarch, both drug sorcery and flying sorcery methods must be used simultaneously."

"And the combined use of these two sorceries requires the spellcaster to have a thorough understanding of the inner situation of the Chen Family."

After listening, Fang Cheng touched his chin, his tone carrying analysis:

"So to speak, there is a high probability of a mole in the Chen Family?"

"That's right."

Lin Chuqiao nodded and continued speaking along Fang Cheng's words:

"As the saying goes, 'a mighty dragon does not crush a local snake.' The Chen Family is an aristocratic Family with Bloodline Legacy capabilities, entrenched in Tiannan Province for so many years."

"Even no matter how strong that sorcerer's strength is, it's impossible for them to be so willful and reckless on their turf, coming and going freely without even letting the Chen Family find the culprit's trail."

"That's right, I said this didn't make sense; there definitely is a mole."

Hearing this, Bailing also made a sudden realization expression.

"Therefore, right now we can be almost one hundred percent certain of one thing."

Lin Chuqiao's eyes suddenly turned sharp, and she said in a low voice:

"Either someone from the Chen Family is secretly helping that sorcerer transmit messages and provide convenience."

"Or... the culprit is someone from the Chen Family itself!"

(End of Chapter)