Volume 1, Chapter 142: The Peculiar Secret Country Spiritualist

Michelle's eyes widened. It took her a moment to fully comprehend the meaning behind Chi Xingwan's words.

A sudden, inexplicable wave of excitement stirred within her, leaving her completely flustered and at a loss for what to do.

"I was merely speaking casually. Please don't take it to heart, nor should you feel any burden."

"...Right, right," Michelle replied absentmindedly. "Pardon me, could you drive me back to the hotel? I'd like to rest."

"Of course." Chu Fangfei started the engine again.

Upon arriving at the hotel, Michelle bid the two farewell. Watching her retreating figure, Chu Fangfei asked, "Sister, what do you think she will do?"

Chi Xingwan got out of the car and moved to the passenger seat. "I'm not sure. Actually, I don't know her very well; I only know she is a good person, especially when contrasted with the other spiritual masters from the Mi Nation."

Chu Fangfei pursed her lips. "Indeed, she is quite pleasant. Working alongside her on missions these past few days has been quite comfortable. I truly hope we have the opportunity to collaborate again in the future."

Along the way, she suddenly asked, "Sister, if Michelle decides to break away from the Mi Nation Spiritual Masters Association, where could she possibly go?"

"Aren't you asking the obvious?" Chi Xingwan chuckled. "Is there any other association in the entire world that would dare openly poach people from the Mi Nation?"

Chu Fangfei laughed as well. "You're right. Now it all depends on her own choice."

She hadn't even bothered to ask whether their own association would be willing to accept Michelle should she agree. A moment's thought made it obvious that they would never refuse.

The number of spiritual masters globally was scarce, especially those with immense talent like Michelle, who were practically impossible to find by seeking. Once Michelle agreed, Xu Hengyang would gladly risk falling out entirely with the Mi Nation to take her in.

Returning to Everlasting Night Street, Chi Xingwan first went to report on the mission's progress to Xu Hengyang.

Xu Hengyang sighed a little upon hearing about Dong Xuezhi's situation, but it lasted only a brief moment. A spiritual master of his age had already experienced far too many helpless and tragic affairs of this sort, forging a heart as unyielding as diamond.

"Oh right, those two spiritual masters from the Mi Nation, Tim Olson and Maria Jones, were deported by Smith late last night."

Chi Xingwan raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Xu Hengyang said with disdain, "Yesterday evening, Smith personally brought them over to apologize to us, claiming he would punish them. The so-called punishment is that they are barred from participating in spiritual master activities for a year."

Chi Xingwan sneered. "He's quite clever."

"Isn't he? It's completely harmless to them yet leaves us with nothing to say. What a brilliant scheme. As expected of a team leader, every single one of them is an absolute fox."

The Mi Nation Spiritual Masters Association was much like the Huaguo Spiritual Masters Association: spiritual masters earned points by completing missions, and these points could be exchanged for cultivation materials.

Being barred from spiritual master tasks for a year meant that both Tim and Maria would be unable to earn any points during that time. For an ordinary spiritual master, this would be a devastating blow.

However, for aristocrats like Tim and Maria, who had their powerful families to rely upon, this punishment was entirely inconsequential.

"What on earth are they trying to accomplish?" Chi Xingwan asked. "I keep feeling like everything about this is strange."

During her interactions with Michelle over the past few days, she had probed both overtly and covertly, learning that Mr. Smith had indeed given them instructions to suppress the Huaguo spiritual masters, but these directives lacked any real enforcement.

The proof was that after several days, even though Michelle's body was in the Mi Nation camp while her heart belonged elsewhere, and she had done absolutely nothing to suppress the Huaguo spiritual masters, Mr. Smith remained completely unconcerned.

Xu Hengyang actually shared this sentiment. The Mi Nation spiritual masters had arrived looking imposing and aggressive, yet they had made no real moves. It was highly abnormal.

"I've already had people keep a close eye on them in secret. Whatever they are plotting, the moment it poses a threat to us, I will put a stop to it."

"Alright, let's set this aside for now," Xu Hengyang said. "Luming came back yesterday."

Chi Xingwan immediately sat up straight. "Did they find Riley?"

Xu Hengyang replied, "He was found, but he managed to escape. Luming discovered some clues, and I plan to discuss them with Brother Charlie today. There's no harm in letting you know beforehand."

He sighed. "That old fox Riley seems to have colluded with the demonic cultivators."

Demonic cultivators?

"Our preliminary suspicion is that Riley is connected to the demonic artifact you recovered, as well as the branded soul."

He was referring to the demonic artifact Mr. Zou had used to harvest vital life force, and the skinny cat.

"What should we do next?" Chi Xingwan asked.

Xu Hengyang stated, "I will contact the Lan Nation Spiritual Masters Association and issue a global wanted notice for Riley. You don't need to worry about that; your current priority is to handle the upcoming Spiritual Masters Exchange Conference well."

Leaving Everlasting Night Street and returning to the Xiao family residence, Chi Xingwan felt a lingering sense of unease. She had always trusted her intuition, and after much thought, she concluded the source of her worry lay with the demonic cultivators.

She locked her bedroom door, set up a protective barrier, and then retrieved an ancient tortoise shell from her inner realm to perform divination.

She cast it three consecutive times, yet still obtained no result. Chi Xingwan felt a jolt in her heart—someone had deliberately obscured the mandate of heaven to prevent others from finding him through any means.

Fortunately, although no definitive result came from the divination, the hexagrams did not indicate immediate danger. At least for the time being, even though Riley and his associates were dangerous individuals, no major crises were imminent.

Calming herself slightly, Chi Xingwan decided to find something to occupy her mind and distract her attention.

Casually cutting out a paper figurine, Chi Xingwan tapped its forehead. The paper doll began to move stiffly, its motions growing smoother by the moment.

She then produced a hair tie—the very one Michelle had accidentally left behind in Chu Fangfei's car. She placed the hair tie in front of the paper doll. The figurine hugged the hair tie for a long moment before letting go.

"Do you remember this spiritual aura? Go find her."

The paper figurine hopped around on the table a few times before starting to run. It leaped from the edge of the desk, drifted suspended in the air, and floated out through the window.

Borne along by the wind all the way, it arrived at the hotel where the Mi Nation spiritual masters were staying. The five-star hotel had an entire floor booked out, with every single room being a suite.

Observing her surroundings through the eyes of the paper doll, Chi Xingwan once again mentally marveled at the immense wealth of the Spiritual Masters Association, as all expenses for the spiritual masters of various countries during the exchange conference were fully covered by the Huaguo Spiritual Masters Association.

The paper doll drifted back and forth through the hotel corridors until it finally located Michelle.

Michelle was pacing anxiously up and down the hallway, her expression tense as her fingers nervously twisted and rubbed against one another.

Abruptly, one of the doors swung open, giving her a start.

Mr. Smith looked at Michelle, his gaze entirely devoid of warmth. "Michelle, were you looking for me?"

"...Yes." Michelle hardened her heart and stepped forward. "I wish to report to you on the progress of this mission alongside the Huaguo spiritual masters."

Mr. Smith turned sideways, making room. "Come inside and speak."

Once Michelle entered the room, Mr. Smith personally poured her a cup of water. "You must have already heard about Tim and Maria. Fortunately, you were there this time, otherwise we would have no idea where to save face as Mi Nation spiritual masters."

The reason the Huaguo Spiritual Masters Association had been willing to let the matter go so lightly this time was largely due to Michelle. They had treated Michelle and the duo of Tim and Maria differently, earning Michelle the respect of the Huaguo spiritual masters.

Hearing Mr. Smith's praise not only failed to bring Michelle any joy, but instead made her tighten her nerves even further.

She finally summoned her courage and said, "Mr. Smith, there is something I must tell you."