I dominated the game from the start with cards.

After the lingering shadows and ghostly remnants dissipated, the valley returned to its usual tranquility, broken only by the rustling of the wind through the treetops. However, this tranquility felt eerily unsettling, like the calm before a storm, unsettling the soul. Ye Ling put away his cards, his brow furrowed. He felt something was amiss, as if an invisible eye was watching them, but he couldn't find any clues. "This feeling… is like being watched by a venomous snake," he murmured. Shu Yao gently grasped Ye Ling's hand, offering him silent comfort. "Perhaps we're just being too tense," she said softly, a hint of worry in her eyes. Elder Ling stroked his long beard, his gaze sweeping deeply over the surrounding woods. "Caution is always wise," he said gravely. "Evil spirits are cunning; we cannot be careless." The group left the valley and returned to their temporary lodging nearby. For several days, Qingyue had been sullen and depressed. She had experienced too much, and her young heart had been deeply shaken. At night, she was often awakened by nightmares, filled with horrific battle scenes, grotesque faces, and piercing screams. Shu Yao held Qingyue tenderly, patting her back gently, trying to comfort her. "It's alright, it's all over," she said softly. "You're safe now, we'll protect you." However, Qingyue's nightmares didn't lessen; she grew increasingly thin, her face turning pale, which worried Ye Ling and Shu Yao even more. “She can’t go on like this,” Ye Ling said, his heart filled with anxiety as he looked at Qing Yue’s increasingly haggard appearance. “We must find a way to help her get rid of these nightmares.” Elder Ling also noticed Qing Yue’s unusual condition. After a moment of contemplation, he said, “I’ve heard of a spiritual practitioner skilled in healing emotional trauma. Perhaps he can help Qing Yue.” A glimmer of hope flashed in Ye Ling’s eyes. “Senior, do you know where that spiritual practitioner is now?” Elder Ling smiled slightly. “I know where he is, but…” He paused, turning his gaze to Ye Ling, “It won’t be easy to persuade him to come out of seclusion.” Ye Ling understood Elder Ling’s meaning. That spiritual practitioner must be a reclusive master, and persuading him would inevitably require a price. But he said without hesitation, “As long as Qing Yue can be healed, I’m willing to pay any price.” Shu Yao looked at Ye Ling’s resolute eyes, her heart filled with emotion. She knew that Ye Ling would give everything for Qing Yue. That night, Ye Ling stood alone in the courtyard, gazing at the starry sky, his mind filled with countless thoughts. He recalled his experiences with Shu Yao, Elder Ling's teachings, and Qingyue's terrified little face. Suddenly, he sensed something amiss; the feeling of being watched returned. He whirled around, only to see an empty courtyard and swaying shadows in the distant woods. "Who is it?" Ye Ling whispered, clutching a card tightly in his hand. There was no response, only the wind whistling past his ears. Ye Ling cautiously looked around, but still found nothing unusual. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. He knew the danger hadn't truly left; it was merely lurking in the shadows, waiting for its chance to reappear. He turned and walked into the house, pushing open the door, only to see Shu Yao standing there, looking at him with concern. "What's wrong?" Shu Yao asked. Ye Ling shook his head. "Nothing, it's just..." He suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the shadows behind Shu Yao, where something seemed to be wriggling.

"Just what?" Shu Yao asked疑惑地. Ye Ling didn't answer. He slowly stretched out his hand and pointed to the shadow behind Shu Yao... Ye Ling didn't speak, but his gaze was fixed on the shadow behind Shu Yao. The shadow writhed even more violently, as if something was about to burst out of its shell. Shu Yao noticed Ye Ling's strangeness and followed his gaze, but she saw nothing. "What's wrong? What did you see?" she asked nervously. Ye Ling took a deep breath, and a card that shimmered with a ghostly blue light appeared in his hand. "Don't be afraid, I'm here," he said softly, holding the card in front of him. However, the shadow suddenly disappeared, as if it had never been there. Ye Ling frowned. He knew that this was only a temporary calm, and the real danger was yet to come. In order to resolve Qing Yue's nightmare as soon as possible, Ye Ling decided to use the reputation he had accumulated in the supernatural world to find the spiritual healer who was skilled in healing emotional trauma. He spread the word, inviting all kinds of supernatural people to gather, and publicly stated that he was willing to pay any price just to heal Qing Yue. Ye Ling had roamed the supernatural world for many years, earning a widespread reputation and wielding considerable influence. Upon hearing the news, supernatural individuals from all walks of life responded, including several reclusive masters. Three days later, an elderly man with white hair and a youthful face arrived at Ye Ling's residence. Dressed in simple clothes, he possessed an air of otherworldly wisdom, holding a jade-green bamboo staff, and radiating a powerful spiritual energy with every movement. This old man was the spiritual practitioner Ye Ling was seeking, named "Xuanjizi," said to possess the ability to see the past and future, proficient in various supernatural spells, and especially skilled in healing emotional trauma. Upon seeing Qingyue, Xuanjizi observed her quietly for a moment before saying, "This child's mind has suffered severe trauma and requires treatment with special spiritual techniques." For the next few days, Xuanjizi treated Qingyue daily. He soothed her wounded soul with gentle spiritual energy and dispelled her fear with ancient incantations. Gradually, Qingyue's nightmares lessened, and a smile returned to her face. Seeing Qingyue's condition improve day by day, everyone was happy for her. Shuyao was especially grateful to Ye Ling, knowing that without him, Qingyue might never have escaped the torment of her nightmares. As evening fell, the setting sun painted the sky a golden-red. Shuyao prepared a sumptuous dinner for Ye Ling to express her gratitude. The table was laden with various delicious dishes, their aroma filling the air. "Thank you, Ye Ling," Shuyao said softly, "If it weren't for you, Qingyue..." "Don't talk nonsense," Ye Ling interrupted her, "Qingyue is also my friend, of course I have to do my best to help her." They smiled at each other, everything understood without words. Night fell, and moonlight bathed the earth. Shuyao nestled gently in Ye Ling's arms, Ye Ling inhaling the fragrance of her hair and feeling her tenderness. They sat quietly like this, enjoying this rare moment of peace and warmth. Suddenly, Ye Ling sensed something amiss. He abruptly looked up at the window… “It seems someone’s coming.” The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the courtyard in a warm golden light. The air was filled with the aroma of food, and Shu Yao hummed a light tune as she busied herself in the kitchen. Tonight, she had specially prepared a sumptuous dinner for Ye Ling to celebrate Qing Yue’s recovery and their rare moment of peace. Qing Yue sat in the courtyard, basking in the warm sunlight, a faint smile on her face. These past few days, under Xuan Jizi’s treatment, her nightmares had completely vanished, replaced by beautiful memories shared with Ye Ling and Shu Yao. She recalled the first time she met Ye Ling, his slightly naive appearance, and Shu Yao’s gentle smile, a warm feeling welling up inside her. She truly felt how fortunate she was to have these friends. Night slowly fell, and a bright moon hung high in the sky, casting its cool light. Shu Yao and Ye Ling set up a table in the courtyard and enjoyed the carefully prepared dinner. Under the moonlight, Shu Yao's face was even more beautiful, and Ye Ling's gaze was filled with tenderness. "Ye Ling," Shu Yao gently leaned into Ye Ling's arms and said softly, "You've had a hard time these past few days." Ye Ling smelled the fragrance of her hair and felt her gentleness, a feeling of indescribable happiness welling up in his heart. "Silly girl, I'd do anything for you." He gently stroked her hair, his tone full of affection. The two of them quietly nestled together, enjoying this rare tranquility and warmth. The moonlight, like water, poured over them, as if draping them in a silver veil. "You know," Shu Yao looked up into Ye Ling's eyes, her eyes sparkling with happiness, "I feel like I'm dreaming right now." "Yes," Ye Ling also sighed with emotion, "After going through so much, we can finally be together properly." Shu Yao nodded gently, burying her head in Ye Ling's arms, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling a deep sense of security. Suddenly, a soft footstep broke the silence. Ye Ling looked up alertly, his gaze sweeping around. "It sounds like someone's coming..." he murmured, a hint of wariness in his voice. A dark figure flashed past the corner of the wall, moving with astonishing speed. Ye Ling's heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He gripped Shu Yao's hand tightly, his eyes resolute and cold. "I'll go check it out." Ye Ling released Shu Yao, stood up, and spoke with a barely perceptible tension in his voice.

Shu Yao stood up as well, her eyes filled with worry. Ye Ling gave her a reassuring look, then turned and walked in the direction the shadow had disappeared. Shu Yao stood there, watching Ye Ling's receding figure, silently praying for his safety. Suddenly, she heard a cold voice behind her: "He won't be coming back..." Shu Yao turned around sharply, only to see Qing Yue standing behind her, her face pale, her eyes empty, and her tone terrifyingly sinister. Shu Yao was startled and quickly took a few steps back, looking at Qing Yue warily: "Qing Yue, what's wrong?" Qing Yue didn't answer, but slowly stretched out her hand, pointing at Shu Yao, muttering incantations, and a chilling aura emanated from her. Shu Yao immediately realized that Qing Yue was being controlled! Ye Ling followed the shadow and arrived at an abandoned courtyard. The shadow was extremely fast, disappearing in the blink of an eye into a dilapidated house. Ye Ling cautiously approached, pushed open the creaking door, and a putrid smell rushed out. The room was dimly lit, with only some dilapidated furniture vaguely visible. Suddenly, a chilling voice came from a corner: "You've finally arrived." Ye Ling immediately became alert, conjuring a card in his hand that emitted a faint glow. "Who's there?" he asked in a deep voice. A figure slowly emerged from the shadows—it was Gui Sha. He wore a sinister smile, his eyes filled with malice. "Ye Ling, your good days are over." At the same time, Shu Yao was confronting the controlled Qing Yue. Qing Yue pressed forward relentlessly, the black energy in her hands growing increasingly intense. Shu Yao dodged while trying to wake Qing Yue: "Qing Yue, wake up! It's me, Shu Yao!" But Qing Yue seemed deaf, her attacks growing more ferocious. Shu Yao knew this couldn't go on; she had to find a solution quickly. Elder Ling noticed the anomaly and rushed over. He immediately recognized Qing Yue's condition and intervened, a golden light enveloping Qing Yue, temporarily suppressing the evil power controlling her. "Shu Yao, quickly take Qing Yue away from here!" Elder Ling shouted anxiously while fending off the black energy surging from Qing Yue's body. The battle between Ye Ling and Gui Sha had also reached a fever pitch. Gui Sha's strength far exceeded Ye Ling's expectations; the cards in his hand seemed to have little effect on Gui Sha. "Your little tricks are useless against me!" Gui Sha laughed wildly, his black energy surging and forming a giant skull, which lunged at Ye Ling. Ye Ling quickly dodged, but was still injured by the chilling aura emanating from the skull, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Just then, Elder Ling arrived with Shu Yao and Qing Yue. Seeing Ye Ling injured, Shu Yao was frantic and rushed forward to heal him. Elder Ling then engaged in a fierce battle with Gui Sha. With Elder Ling's help, Ye Ling gradually gained the upper hand. He threw out his cards one by one, forming powerful attacks, ultimately defeating Gui Sha. The Ghost Fiend collapsed to the ground, its body gradually dissipating into black smoke, leaving only one sentence echoing in the air: "This is just the beginning..." Afterwards, Elder Ling explained the whole story to everyone. It turned out that some minor forces, jealous of Ye Ling's growing power, secretly spread rumors that Ye Ling's abilities were obtained through evil means, hoping to sow discord between Ye Ling and other spirits. Elder Ling stepped forward to clarify the rumors and presented evidence proving that Ye Ling's abilities were legitimate. Those spirits misled by the rumors apologized to Ye Ling, and he magnanimously forgave them. Although the crisis was temporarily averted, Ye Ling still felt uneasy. He knew that the Ghost Fiend's appearance was not accidental; there was definitely a larger conspiracy behind it. He began to pay attention to suspicious spirits around him, only to find them extremely cunning, always managing to disappear without a trace. One night, Ye Ling was meditating in his room when he suddenly sensed an unusual aura. He abruptly opened his eyes and saw a dark figure standing in the doorway, staring at him. "You..."