Having made all the necessary preparations, Han rode straight back to the snowy mountain.

  Upon arrival, he dismounted and hastened up the mountain, keeping his omniscient perspective active, carefully observing the surroundings.

  Suddenly, two red markers appeared within his field of vision. Upon closer inspection, Han was slightly surprised—it was Luo Hui and Sun Tong.

  Their pace wasn’t particularly fast, indicating that they were carefully searching every direction. However, given their current trajectory, it was inevitable that they would also end up at the snowy mountain.

  In other words, had Han not appeared here, the ones to discover Zhu Zhangting would have been them.

  Was this simply good luck on their part, or was there more to it?

  The mountain was blanketed in perpetual snow. As the wind howled, flurries danced through the air, dusting Han’s clothes in white.

  Before long, the shrine came into view. Han walked in without hesitation.

  Inside, a fire crackled, casting flickering light around the ancient temple.

  A middle-aged man stood near the flames. His features were identical to the portrait of Zhu Zhangting drawn by Yuan Yihan and the others.

  However, his eyes were different—deep and abyssal, radiating an eerie chill that altered his entire demeanor.

  "You passed by earlier but didn't stop," the man spoke, his voice frigid.

  "What made you come back?"

  Han smiled slightly. "Traveling at night is inconvenient, so I figured I’d rest here for a bit."

  "I didn’t expect to run into a friend here."

  "Ghost Division asked me to deliver a message to you."

  "Tell me, how does it feel to use someone else’s body?"

  Before Han’s words even fully landed, Yuan Yihan’s spirit shot out of the Soul-Hosting Talisman and launched a deadly strike.

  At the same time, Han swiftly backed away, distancing himself from the battle.

  "Demon! Prepare to die!"

  A dark shadow burst out from Zhu Zhangting’s head, intercepting Yuan Yihan’s attack.

  It was an elderly figure, frail and withered, as if a gust of wind could knock him over.

  "Ghost Division… Yuan Yihan?"

  "So, it’s you—Soulfiend Elder!"

  Boom!

  The surrounding spiritual energy surged violently, and in an instant, the entire shrine exploded, unable to withstand the power of two battling spirits.

  Han had retreated far away, yet he still heard the sharp whistle of something rushing toward him.

  It was Zhu Zhangting.

  And yet, it wasn’t.

  The man’s lifeless eyes were void of consciousness. His flesh was already breaking apart, turning unrecognizable in an instant.

  Through Han’s omniscient perspective, Zhu Zhangting’s marker had turned gray—he was already dead.

  This was a corpse, attacking in a final act of violence!

  "Watch out! This is a corpse-puppet technique—he has only one strike in him!" Yuan Yihan warned urgently.

  Han remained calm. The fragment of the Soulfiend Elder's spirit might be beyond his ability to handle, but a mere Zangfu Realm corpse-puppet? That was hardly a problem.

  Lifting his treasured warhammer, Han swung it forward.

  Snow exploded into the air, blotting out the sky as a deafening shockwave reverberated through the valley.

  When the snow finally settled, Zhu Zhangting’s broken corpse lay motionless on the ground.

  A single hammer strike—killing a Zangfu Realm cultivator!

  Seeing Han unharmed, Yuan Yihan focused entirely on subduing the Soulfiend Elder’s lingering spirit.

  Just as Lu Qingmo had predicted, Yuan Yihan was more than capable of handling this battle. Now that the Soulfiend Elder was caught in a fight, he wouldn’t be able to escape.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  The sky flashed with brilliant lights as spiritual energy raged. This was no ordinary battle—it had long surpassed the realm of mortals, reaching the domain of mystical arts and divine techniques.

  Had ordinary people witnessed this, they would have undoubtedly mistaken it for the work of gods.

  "Yuan Yihan! We will meet again!" A venomous voice echoed through the mountains.

  "And you, boy with the hammer—I won’t forget you!"

  The Soulfiend Elder's lingering spirit suddenly erupted with an unnatural surge of power before dissipating into the wind.

  Han scoffed.

  Him? A hammer-wielding warrior? What nonsense.

  That had nothing to do with him—he was a swordsman!

  Meanwhile, the massive commotion had attracted Luo Hui and Sun Tong. Han could see through his omniscient perspective that they were now rushing toward the shrine at full speed.

  Upon reaching the mountain, their expressions darkened at the sight before them.

  "That traitor was really hiding here!" Luo Hui growled, his voice laced with anger.

  "You two arrived as well?" Yuan Yihan’s spirit emerged from the swirling snow, eyeing them with mild surprise.

  The two immediately bowed. "Vice Chief."

  Sun Tong quickly explained, "We were searching the nearby area when we sensed a battle breaking out here, so we rushed over."

  Yuan Yihan nodded. "You two are lucky. If you had encountered the Soulfiend Elder before we did…"

  "You should be thanking Patrolman Han. If not for him spotting the Soulfiend Elder ahead of time, Luo Hui might have escaped, but Sun Tong—you would have died here today."

  Luo Hui and Sun Tong exchanged glances before giving Han a curt nod of gratitude.

  Han responded with a smile, though inwardly, he felt nothing but indifference.

  Not only had their hostility toward him not diminished, but it had intensified.

  What was wrong with these two?

  Were they working with Tianmu Sect?

  That thought struck Han like a lightning bolt.

  If someone wasn’t officially part of Tianmu Sect, yet cooperated with them for personal gain while still belonging to Ghost Division, what would their status be?

  Han pondered for a moment before reaching a conclusion.

  They would still be labeled as Ghost Division members.

  He had seen individuals acting as double agents for factions before, but omniscient perspective had never explicitly labeled anyone as a traitor.

  And yet, such people undoubtedly existed.

  Han had never hesitated to assume the worst in others.

  Now, Luo Hui and Sun Tong had officially earned his suspicion.

  If they were colluding with Tianmu Sect, then their sudden appearance here made perfect sense.

  And what would be the outcome for them?

  Rather than facing danger, they would likely take credit for uncovering the enemy and walk away with honor.

  It wouldn’t be the first time these two had conveniently found the right targets.

  Yuan Yihan proceeded to clean up the battlefield, collecting Zhu Zhangting’s remains.

  With a shake of his head, he muttered, "This man was probably not a member of Tianmu Sect. He was likely a victim."

  "If he had truly been a part of Tianmu Sect, the Soulfiend Elder wouldn’t have needed to kill him first before taking over his body."

  "All the officials of Yinhua County had already been thoroughly investigated. No one suspected him until he suddenly turned on his colleagues."

  A county magistrate betraying his people was a grave affair.

  Before discovering the possession, Yuan Yihan and the others had been furious, believing Zhu Zhangting had deliberately defected.

  But now that the truth was laid bare, all the inconsistencies became apparent.

  "What would have happened if the Soulfiend Elder had escaped?" Han asked.

  "Zhu Zhangting’s entire family would have been executed. The officials of Yinhua County, and even those of Qinghua County, would have been sent to the state capital for interrogation."

  Hearing this, Han let out a silent sigh of relief.

  Had Luo Hui and Sun Tong reached the shrine first and been slain by the Soulfiend Elder, his Punishment Decree mission would have been indefinitely delayed.

  Now, with the situation stabilized, Qinghua County’s magistrate wouldn’t be dragged into the mess.

  Though Han had acted for his own benefit, he had inadvertently saved several lives.

  In the dead of night, Han unexpectedly sought out Yuan Yihan to bid his farewell.

  Yuan Yihan was taken aback. “Why the sudden decision to leave? Why not rest until dawn before setting out?”

  Han smiled and shook his head. “There are urgent matters in Heiyun Town that require my immediate attention. I can’t afford to delay.”

  A sudden departure was exactly what he wanted.

  “If duty calls, I won’t insist on keeping you,” Yuan Yihan said warmly. “If you ever have time, feel free to visit the Yuan family. You and Fang’er are both young—I'm sure you’ll have much to talk about.”

  “Next time, for sure.”

  Under normal circumstances, having participated in such an event, Han should have returned to the prefectural city with the others for further arrangements. However, as a Ghost God Patroller, he was not bound by conventional rules.

  Yuan Yihan watched Han leave, his gaze thoughtful. He held Han in high regard—an individual with exceptional talent, solid strength, and a strong background.

  If all the Yuan family’s friends were like him, how could their lineage not prosper?

  Yesterday, he had witnessed Han’s hammer strike against Zhu Zhangting’s corpse. That display of power was nothing to scoff at.

  Han went to the stables of the Ghost God Division, retrieved his horse, and just before exiting the premises, he turned back for a final glance.

  As expected, Luo Hui and Sun Tong crossed paths once again at this late hour. Han sneered.

  Instead of heading straight back, he took a deliberately circuitous route, zigzagging east and west before finally approaching the small snow-covered mountain—a path that was the very definition of roundabout.

  Riding swiftly, Han abruptly pulled the reins as he neared the mountain. He then turned back a few steps, hesitated, and finally pressed forward again.

  Stopping by a small stream, he let his horse drink while taking out a handful of special feed, offering it to his steed.

  Gently running his hand through the horse’s mane, Han’s concealed expression turned grave.

  “My friend, you’ll need to give it your all later,” he murmured. “If I falter, you must carry me safely back to Heiyun Town.”

  The horse neighed, as if it understood, its cry a solemn response to Han’s words.

  After ensuring the horse had eaten and rested, Han gave it a moment to digest. Then, with a resolute breath, he swung onto the saddle. A chilling aura surrounded him—like a warrior about to charge into battle.

  And in truth, that was exactly what he was about to do.

  From his omniscient vision, he could see two figures hiding within the snow-covered mountain. When he had momentarily turned back, they had shifted slightly. When he resumed his approach, they fell still once more.

  Mother God Cultist: Tie Yi, Viscera Refinement Realm.

  Mother God Cultist: Wei San, Viscera Refinement Realm.

  Something was definitely off.

  The wind howled, stirring the snow atop the mountain. As Han and his horse pressed forward, the falling snow veiled them in white—dusting his hair, cloaking his robes.