Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, but did not shatter the Spirit Vein.


    With a flick of his fingers, he cast hundreds of spells to form a monitoring formation that clung to the Spirit Vein, which would alert him if anyone approached.


    "The people in this world who know about Spirit Veins either obtained heritage from the Cultivation World, or some old freak has awaken. For the sake of cultivation, they will definitely guard the Spirit Vein. Thus, I shall lie in wait," he said.


    At the same time, the Formation and Prohibition were also observing the Spirit Vein, ready to detonate and shatter it at any time.


    In the future, he would add spells periodically, constantly reinforcing the formation as the Spirit Vein grew, and perhaps one day he would be able to refine it and take it as his own.


    "In the future, whenever I encounter a Spirit Vein, I''ll do the same."


    "If I could add a few more Spirit Veins to the cave heavens, making the Spiritual Energy as dense as the legendary ancient times, then it would truly be an Immortal Realm!"


    Zhou Yi had no intention of dominating an era, but rather watched the tide rise and fall, witnessing the rise and decline of each epoch as a mere chapter in his endless life.


    Back on the surface.


    The ghost shadow had disappeared, fleeing into the vicinity of the underground Spirit Vein, instinctively absorbing Yin Sha to nourish itself.


    The elderly man in white flipped through the conversation records over and over, discussing the existence form of ghostly entities and trying to analyze them with modern science.


    Science isn''t just physics or chemistry; it''s a means to explore the unknown.


    The appearance of ghostly entities would inevitably copse many fields of knowledge while also establishing new truths.


    The most urgent matter to study, naturally, was how to control and eliminate ghostly entities!


    ...


    The Caishikou station waspletely sealed off and dismantled.


    The Imperial Court outwardly imed to have found an underground karst cave, which could copse at any moment, so for the safety of the public, the subway would divert and bypass the area.


    Online, there were many rumors, including but not limited to ghosts, aliens, murders, and more. With truth and falsehood intermixed, after three to five days, no one paid attention anymore.


    Two monthster.


    While there were no changes above ground, underground, aboratory had been constructed, equipped with all sorts of state-of-the-art instruments.


    Passersby would never imagine that beneath the streets they walked every dayy a top-secret facility.


    They still went to work carefree, oblivious to the changes in the world, umting day by day until a drastic change arrived, at which point they cried out for help in panic.


    That day.


    Xiao Ran arrived at the subway''s Entrance A1, descended, and encountered what appeared to be an ordinary rolling shutter gate.


    After swiping his ess card, a section of the wall next to the rolling shutter rotated to open an entrance.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Following three additionalyers of verification, he finally entered theboratory, where dozens of scientists in white coats bustled about, with exmations heard from time to time.


    Xiao Ran saluted the guard, showed his credentials, and asked, "I''m an assistant dispatched from the Investigation Bureau. May I know where Commissioner Wang is located?"


    "Experimental Area A1."


    After checking Xiao Ran''s credentials, the guard personally escorted him to the area that used to be the subway''s men''s restroom.


    The restroom had beenpletely dismantled and was now surrounded by thick transparent ss. Through the ss, one could see ongoing experiments.


    The ghost shadow was seated on a machine, surrounded by crackling arcs of electricity, which caused it to cower and shiver in fear.


    "Reporting!"


    Xiao Ran saluted and said, "Investigation Bureau''s Section A, Xiao Ran, reporting for duty on Commissioner''s orders."


    "Hmm."


    Commissioner Wang, in his forties or fifties with a stern face and serious voice, said, "Xiao Ran? I''ve heard of you, the young man with the innate spiritual eye who discovered the ghostly entity. Weren''t you at the Investigation Bureau coborating on research rted to the spiritual eye?"


    Xiao Ran replied, "The Investigation Bureau screened the military and found two more cases of innate spiritual eye."


    Commissioner Wang nodded slightly, immediately understanding the implication. The Imperial Court naturally trusted those from the military more. He picked up a walkie-talkie and gave an order.


    "Begin the experiment!"


    Inside theb, a scientist typed a series ofmands into aputer, which increased the intensity of the electricity output by the machine, asionally sending sparks flying onto the ghost shadow.


    The ghost shadow let out a piercing scream, its face grotesquely twisted in pain—visible through the soundproof ss.


    Commissioner Wang ordered, "Continue!"


    The electrical surge intensified once more, visibly melting arge portion of the ghost shadow.


    Shriek!


    The scream pierced the ss, straight into the soul, as theb scientists clutched their heads in agony, copsing to the ground.


    "Silence!"


    Through the walkie-talkie, a scientist said, "Finish this experiment, hold on until the end, and tomorrow you''ll get to see your parents and spouse."


    Hearing this, the ghost shadow instantly quieted down, enduring the torture of the electric arcs.


    As wisps of ck smoke dispersed, the ghost shadow''s color went from pitch-ck to greyish translucent; its features were now distorted and blurred, leaving only two glowing red eyes staring fixedly through the ss.


    Xiao Ran''s heart trembled. He felt as if the ghost shadow was looking straight at him and said, "Commissioner, this is already at its limit of endurance!"


    Commissioner Wang''s voice was devoid of any fluctuation, "Increase it further."


    The scientist got up from the floor and entered anothermand, which boosted the machine''s power to its maximum.


    Boom!


    An arc as thick as an arm swept over the ghost shadow, which emitted a harrowing scream and in an instant, turned to ash and smoke.


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    Xiao Ran was dazed for a long time before snapping out of it, only to realize that theb was already handling the aftermath. Everyone was emotionlessly gathering data, discussing the development of weapons to destroy ghostly entities.


    It was as if the ghost shadow that had just perished was nothing more than a mindlessb rat!


    ...


    Late at night.


    Dark clouds obscured the moon, and shadows of people were sparse on the streets.


    A ck car stopped in front of the pawnshop. Xiao Ran rubbed his temples, seeking relief from a headache that had persisted for several days.


    Ever since he witnessed the ghost shadow vanish into smoke in theb, whenever he closed his eyes to sleep, he would dream of two red ghostly eyes staring intently at him, filled with resentment, hatred, and a chilling murderous intent!


    This time, Xiao Ran truly paid a visit to a psychiatrist.