You don't want your secret to be revealed by others, right?

For outsiders, it was like a game with only one life; if they died, they just stopped playing.

But for the natives, it was a suicide mission.

Better to find someone willing to cooperate.

"You're quite attentive." The Seventh Princess sized up Lin Yue and said, "Then you try, but I advise you not to get your hopes up."

"I know."

Lin Yue nodded.

He didn't think he was very smart. Beiyuan Mountain had been around for many years, and the ghost in the village had existed for a very long time; many talents from Great Yong had tried, but no one had ever solved the mystery of this eerie issue.

He didn't believe he could solve the puzzle just by reasoning, analyzing, and investigating.

The only breakthrough point was the Innate Divine Power of Secret Listening.

Therefore, he had to see the ghost with his own eyes.

...

Night fell.

In the borrowed courtyard, Lin Yue had bought a lot of good wine and food today and added some calming and soothing medication powder. After getting the family drunk, they had succumbed to a deep sleep.

There was no other way; this made it easier to operate and avoided unnecessary trouble.

Lin Yue held a lantern in his hand and silently sat on a stone stool in the courtyard. The man surnamed Jing was sitting beside him, anxiously waiting.

Based on today's investigation, as long as it was within a villager's courtyard, even with the door open, no household had ever been haunted; it seemed that as long as they did not go out at night, they were fine.

"Brother Jing, I toast to you."

Lin Yue casually picked up a wine cup, toasted the man surnamed Jing, and said, "It's about time."

The man surnamed Jing drank the liquid, immediately put down the cup, picked up two more lanterns, stood up, and said, "Alright, Jing is going."

Lin Yue also took out a small bottle from his bosom, poured out a few drops of murky liquid, and gently applied it to his eyelids.

This was a special medicinal liquid that allowed mortals to see ghosts and other spiritual bodies. Although it was difficult to prepare using only mortal ingredients, it did have some effect, much better than seeing nothing at all.

In the vast night, the man surnamed Jing walked out through the open courtyard door.

He went out with the mindset of facing death, so his steps were somewhat resolute.

Lin Yue also stood up and walked to a position three steps away from the courtyard door, which was open wide enough for a clear view.

"Let me see with my own eyes..."

Time passed slowly.

The man surnamed Jing just stood under a date tree outside the door, holding a lantern in his hand, and another lantern hung on the tree. The dim firelight clearly illuminated his figure.

After a moment,

Lin Yue suddenly noticed a movement in his eyes as the man surnamed Jing suddenly turned his head to look behind him and whispered a warning, "It's here!"

"Hmm?" Lin Yue immediately stepped forward.

Then, he saw the man surnamed Jing's face suddenly change, and he collapsed to the ground limply, as if drained of strength, yet he still struggled desperately, trying to move backward.

Then—

Silently, a figure in a black robe with a hat appeared in Lin Yue's view, holding an open sack, drifting slowly toward the man surnamed Jing.

The next moment, the man surnamed Jing collapsed weakly on the ground.

Then, the figure in the black robe slowly turned around and looked toward Lin Yue inside the courtyard.

"Clang."

Lin Yue didn't hesitate to shut the courtyard door.

He had now seen it with his own eyes.

This ghost was indeed as the investigation had shown, harboring no grievances or deadly enmity, but rather cold and mysterious, clearly not just a simple ghost.

Now, all he could do was wait.

...

As time passed day by day.

Lin Yue still had over seven thousand copper coins, so he wasn't in a hurry to leave Beiyuan Village. He temporarily continued to wander around the village, getting to know the people in each household.

Earning money wasn't urgent in just a few days, and after getting to know these native villagers, the likelihood of triggering secrets was higher, and the help was also greater.

Moreover, no matter what opportunity arose, none could be as precious as the hint of power from the beginning of time, as mentioned in the Seventh Ring Level secrets.

Thus, the following actions would inevitably revolve around this core point; all else could be set aside.

From the moment Lin Yue witnessed that ghost, the first secret he obtained was Third Ring Level.

—The prescription of 'White Spirit Soup' in the village's Old Medicine Hall was, in fact, the formula for a First Grade Spirit Pill, 'Essence Seizing Dispersion.'

The second secret was Second Ring Level, of no particular use.

The third secret...

The fourth...

As days passed, Lin Yue continued to receive secrets; although they were mostly Third Ring, with a few being Fourth Ring, some secrets proved very valuable, enabling him to earn a considerable amount of money.

He was not in a hurry, just waiting patiently.

The Seventh Princess thought he was still investigating the ghost issue and couldn't help but reproach him twice. Seeing that he appeared to be very clear-headed, she didn't continue.

Finally...

Half a month later, during a noon.

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

"Ding!"

Six powerful sounds, like great bells, exploded in Lin Yue's mind. As everything around him stood still and all sounds hushed, the lofty and resonant bell tones echoed endlessly in his mind.

"Sixth Ring?"

Lin Yue immediately began to listen carefully.

Over the years, this was merely the sixth Sixth Ring Level secret he had encountered; it was indeed very precious.

In the next moment, a faint and illusory voice began to whisper.

"Did you know? The so-called ghost of Beiyuan Village is merely an avatar of the Beiyuan Mountain, carrying in its pocket various significant opportunities. It seeks in the darkness those who could trade with it. However, those who cannot afford to pay will have their souls taken and be expelled by it. But... a wealthy person carrying ten thousand Big money can qualify to trade with it."

The voice gradually faded into obscurity.

"So that's how it is..."

Lin Yue murmured, "Ten thousand Big money?"

He now understood why the haunting incident in Beiyuan Village had remained a secret to this day.

How could this be revealed?

As long as it was nighttime, one could encounter it in Beiyuan Village, but if you didn't have ten thousand Big money, your soul would be taken immediately, leaving no chance to uncover the secrets.

Moreover, cultivators who entered Beiyuan Village were seeking opportunities and would generally spend their money once they had accumulated enough. It was rare to see anyone who had amassed a couple of thousand Big money, as there wasn't much in Beiyuan Village worth that much.

On the surface, it was just a village of mortals with rather extortionate lodging fees; what could possibly be worth a million or two copper coins?

Not to mention, most outsiders struggled to even gather a thousand Big money, let alone ten thousand.

Even knowing that accumulating ten thousand Big money could bring a significant opportunity, few people would manage to collect such an unimaginable and frightening amount.

"Ten thousand Big money, huh..."

Lin Yue pondered, "Just safeguarding this money is a problem..."

There were rules in the mysterious Beiyuan Mountain: the more money one carried, the more likely they were to encounter bandits.

It was said that carrying a few hundred Big money could attract hundreds of bandits, and with several thousands, who knows how many would attempt a robbery.

If a thousand bandits trained in martial arts were to surround him, he wasn't too sure he could survive an escape.

"Hmm... maybe this way?"

Lin Yue thought for a long while and came up with an idea.

...

The next day, beside a field within the village.

"What do you mean?"

The Seventh Princess sized up Lin Yue, feeling something was off, and couldn't help but say, "Why do you want me to safeguard your money?"

Lin Yue looked at her seriously and said, "In this Beiyuan wilderness, the person I trust most is you, Qiuhe. I plan to go out and earn more money, but keeping it on me is troublesome. I'll be much more at ease if you can safeguard it for me."

The Seventh Princess had already struck a deal with the Village Chief. She could live in the village for free as long as she helped with the farming for this year.

So, as someone who didn't need to go out, no matter how much money she carried, she didn't have to worry about bandits.

"You trust me?"

The Seventh Princess felt even more peculiar, "But we've only known each other for half a month."

"Some people might only know each other for a day, but already feel more like confidants than those they have known for ten years," Lin Yue said earnestly.

This man definitely wants to become a Prince Consort... the Seventh Princess muttered to herself internally, still somewhat hesitant.

"Should I pay you a safeguarding fee?" Lin Yue said, "You name your price."

"No need, just cover my food expenses," the Seventh Princess said helplessly, shaking her head, "Since you trust me, I'll safeguard it for you. Don't worry; I don't care about your money."

"That's right, I trust you completely, Qiuhe," Lin Yue smiled.

After all, if she really dared harbor other intentions, he could simply ask her —

You wouldn't want the secret that you are the Holy Daughter Qiu Zhi of Chanjua Temple to be revealed, would you?