Shadowed Traces, Hidden Trials

After Xu Jie explained the art of spirit channeling to him, he never brought up the subject again. He merely warned him that no matter how weak an esper capable of performing spirit channeling might seem, such individuals were far beyond his ability to contend with. Thus, he should abandon any delusions of playing the righteous avenger and refrain from meddling in affairs beyond his reach. Spirit puppets, once forged through this arcane craft, were typically created with a specific purpose and, at the very least, posed no immediate threat to ordinary people. 

Since his mentor had spoken so decisively, Ling Yun did not dwell too much on the unsettling presence of spirit puppets in Tongjiang City. However, when he first encountered one, its craftsmanship had been crude—the corpse retained its original, unaltered form, making it immediately distinguishable as a reanimated body to even an untrained eye. But now, beyond the subtle disturbances he could sense within the psychic field, there was no visible difference between these spirit puppets and living humans. 

Could it be that Ma Ge and his gang had also been turned into spirit puppets? A chilling realization struck Ling Yun as he recalled the fleeting glimpse he had of their departing figures during his meeting with Chen Feng and Zhao Yu. 

"What's wrong?" Xia Tian and Xia Zhen, sensing his sudden unease, tensed up and asked in unison. 

Ling Yun quickly recounted his previous encounter with Zhao Yu and the others. As his story unfolded, the expressions on Xia Tian and Xia Zhen darkened, their brows furrowing in deep concern. 

Xia Tian's face grew grim. "I initially assumed that middle-aged man was the only spirit puppet in the city. But from what you've described, it seems there are far more than we anticipated. Could it be that someone has been actively using spirit channeling all this time?" 

"No matter the reason, spirit channeling belongs to the domain of dark arts. Especially within China, such occurrences should never be allowed. We must investigate this thoroughly, uncover the identity of the one performing the ritual, and report it to headquarters." Xia Zhen's voice carried a rare steeliness, her youthful face set with determination. Ling Yun couldn't help but take a second look at her—perhaps she wasn't as unreasonable as he had first assumed. 

Xia Tian turned to Ling Yun. "You are not affiliated with the National Esper Bureau, so technically, this has nothing to do with you. Even I am only loosely connected to the organization, though my ties run deep. Xia Zhen, on the other hand, is a trainee under the bureau's direct supervision. It is our duty to investigate any anomalies related to espers. Would you be willing to join us in tracking down the source of these spirit puppets?" 

Ling Yun hesitated. Xu Jie had explicitly warned him against meddling in such affairs. But he was young, curious, and emboldened by his abilities. The prospect of unraveling an esper-related mystery was too tempting to ignore. Besides, with Xia Tian and Xia Zhen at his side—both connected to the National Esper Bureau—he would have some level of protection. Even if they encountered danger, he was confident in his ability to escape. 

After weighing his options, curiosity won out over caution. Besides, if he refused, it would make him seem cowardly compared to the determined Xia Zhen. After a brief pause, he nodded. 

"Good." Xia Tian wasted no words. "Follow me. The presence of that middle-aged man has already left the city." 

With a single leap, he landed on the side wall of the alley. His toes barely brushed against it before he propelled himself onto the lamp post outside, not pausing for even a moment as he soared toward the rooftop of a high-rise building. In the blink of an eye, he had already widened the gap between them by a hundred meters. 

Xia Zhen followed closely behind, moving with effortless grace, mirroring his every step. 

Ling Yun was taken aback by their astonishing speed. Fortunately, his training under Xu Jie's spatial field had honed his reflexes, and he had undergone rigorous combat training, making him no stranger to high-speed movement. Without hesitation, he launched himself after them, tracing their trajectory. 

The three espers traversed the cityscape with astonishing agility, bounding from streetlights to treetops, weaving between buildings in a seamless dance. The only sound that accompanied them was the faint whisper of air rushing past their bodies. Despite the presence of pedestrians below, none took notice of the supernatural spectacle unfolding overhead. 

In the span of a single meal, the trio had reached the outskirts of the city. Sure enough, they spotted the middle-aged man on a highway leading toward the suburbs. But rather than shambling forward like a mindless automaton, he was seated inside a taxi. The driver, too, was a spirit puppet—an older man of similar age. The sight sent an eerie chill down Ling Yun's spine, bringing back memories of his first encounter with a spirit puppet, which had also involved a taxi driver. 

The vehicle moved at a moderate speed, maintaining a steady sixty kilometers per hour. Even without exerting their full strength, Ling Yun and his companions had no trouble keeping up. 

"Don't get too close," Xia Tian cautioned. "Spirit channelers can imbue their creations with traces of their own psychic energy. These fluctuations are highly attuned to esper auras—if we close the distance too much, the spirit puppet might detect us." 

Understanding dawned on Ling Yun. No wonder he had sensed something off when he first encountered the spirit puppet that night. The driver must have detected his esper energy, which explained why the taxi had approached him deliberately. However, he had been expecting to hear news about a corpse being discovered by now. The fact that nothing had surfaced in the media suggested that authorities had swiftly covered it up to prevent public panic. 

Xia Zhen frowned in contemplation. "Why create so many spirit puppets? Doesn't the spirit channeler realize that this will inevitably lead to mass hysteria? The longer this continues, the more certain it is that the Esper Bureau will take notice." 

Xia Tian shook his head. "I don't know. But if we keep following the trail, we'll find out soon enough."

Xia Zhen nodded. Though she was an apprentice at the Abnormal Abilities Headquarters, she was still young, and her experience in worldly affairs paled in comparison to Xia Tian, the mastermind behind the Sihai Group. As for Ling Yun, there was no need to mention—his abilities were inferior, and he was two years younger than Xia Zhen. Naturally, among the three, Xia Tian took the lead. 

Moving as gracefully as a wisp of smoke, Xia Zhen sighed regretfully, "Brother Xia Tian, if only you were more diligent in cultivating your abilities, you would have joined the Abnormal Abilities Headquarters long before me—perhaps even earlier than Sister Xia Lan." 

Xia Tian smirked, his expression roguish. "Don't bring up that girl, Xia Lan. My dad never stops comparing me to her. Every day, he nags about how I waste my time, saying Xia Lan is younger than me yet has already become a senior member of the headquarters. Heh, how many people could even match her? Isn't she hailed as the most gifted ability user in the Xia family in the past three hundred years? No wonder she trains so obsessively—she's probably aiming to become an instructor." 

Xia Zhen rolled her eyes. "Uncle is right. You do waste your time, neglecting your cultivation while roaming around idly. And now you're blaming others? Sister Xia Lan is my idol. In a few years, she'll likely be promoted to vice instructor." 

Xia Tian chuckled. "Even if I trained a hundred times harder than her, I still wouldn't catch up. It's better to focus on my financial empire. It brings in money, lets me indulge in life's pleasures, and I even get to be a crime lord—what's so bad about that? How is that not a proper career? Besides, I'm just a puppet in this underworld empire. In the end, I still have to follow the headquarters' orders. There's really no fun in it." 

Ling Yun listened silently as the siblings conversed while on the move. He couldn't help but feel a sense of astonishment—he had never imagined that ability users had entire family lineages. He had known nothing about such matters before, nor had he ever heard whispers of them. But then, he chuckled wryly at himself. Even with the slightest bit of thought, it was obvious—how could beings as extraordinary as ability users be known to ordinary people? They would naturally remain one of the world's most well-kept secrets, just like the Abnormal Abilities Headquarters, which had been entirely unknown to him until recently. 

"By the way, Ling Yun, I haven't asked yet—does your family have a strong lineage? Your mastery over your mental field is quite refined. You must have undergone strict, formal training," Xia Tian asked, glancing back mid-leap. Xia Zhen, too, turned her gaze toward the silent, reserved youth, curiosity flashing in her eyes. Clearly, she was interested in learning more about Ling Yun's origins. However, she didn't think too much of it. After all, the Xia family was the largest and most powerful ability-user clan in China. Judging from Ling Yun's demeanor, he was probably from some minor ability-user household—there were many such individuals registered in the headquarters' confidential archives. 

"No, I don't have any sort of family lineage. My parents and relatives are all ordinary people. I'm an only child, and they don't even know I have an ability," Ling Yun shrugged. 

"Impossible," the Xia siblings said in unison, their faces filled with disbelief. 

"Ling Yun, if you don't want to reveal your origins, that's understandable. But at least make your story more convincing. If your parents and relatives are all ordinary, where did your ability come from? Are you saying you acquired it later in life?" Xia Tian smirked playfully. Xia Zhen also pursed her lips into a faint smile, assuming that Ling Yun, embarrassed by his humble background, was hesitant to speak after hearing about the prestigious Xia family. 

"That's exactly it. How did you guess? I only awakened my ability two months ago. By the way, do you know how one gains an ability?" Ling Yun suddenly became excited. He had long wanted to understand how he had come to possess his power, but he had never found any clues. One of his reasons for seeking out other ability users was to unravel the mystery of his own existence. 

The Xia siblings exchanged speechless glances. Did this guy seriously not know that all ability users were born with their powers? Or was he just playing dumb? 

"Let's focus on tracking that corpse puppet. We don't want to lose it," Xia Tian said, putting an end to the ridiculous conversation. He hadn't expected Ling Yun, who seemed so honest, to be capable of pulling such pranks. Truly, appearances could be deceiving. 

As they conversed, they had gradually fallen behind the taxi. Hastily, they quickened their pace. 

Half an hour later, the taxi pulled over by the roadside. The driver and the middle-aged man stepped out, leaving the highway and heading toward the thickets on the left. In the distance lay the forest where Ling Yun had previously encountered the Heaven and Earth Yin Spirit Array set up by Yu Xiu Jie. 

Recalling how he had first met Yu Lao, Ling Yun couldn't help but find it all incredibly surreal. However, now was not the time to alert the old master. Otherwise, Yu Xiu Jie would undoubtedly reprimand him harshly—and perhaps even order him to turn back immediately. As long as the array's barrier remained untouched, Yu Xiu Jie would have no way of knowing what he was up to. 

Without the aid of a vehicle, the corpse puppets' movements became noticeably sluggish. After all, they were mere cadavers; if one observed closely from behind, their stiff, unnatural gait would become evident. 

The group remained silent as they traveled. Upon reaching the small cliff at the edge of the Yin Spirit Array, Ling Yun deliberately withheld any mention of its existence. This formation was the culmination of Yu Xiu Jie's life's work, and though it had ultimately failed, he had no desire to see his mentor's painstaking efforts disturbed. The Xia siblings, despite being ability users, were completely oblivious to the anomaly hidden beyond the precipice. 

The corpse puppets continued their winding ascent, traversing several small hills before finally stopping in a barren expanse littered with broken stones. This place lay dozens of miles deeper into the mountains than the Yin Spirit Array. It was a true wilderness, devoid of forests or vegetation, an unfrequented wasteland untouched for years. 

Concealed behind a massive rock formation, the trio peered through the cracks, observing the movements of the two corpse puppets. By now, the sky had completely darkened. The silhouettes of the mountains loomed ominously under the night's veil, resembling monstrous figures crouched in the shadows, casting an eerie and foreboding atmosphere. 

The corpse puppets stood motionless like statues for a full quarter of an hour before suddenly, as if receiving some unseen command, they resumed their steps. And then, as if stepping into an entirely different realm—like sinking into water—their figures flickered and vanished into thin air.