Chu Qianli’s scientific argument instantly left everyone stunned.
It took them quite some time to digest the concept of resonance caused by vibration frequencies, yet they still refused to abandon their own viewpoints.
Joe shook his head and said, “Just because ordinary people can’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
Huang Jue, using himself as an example, argued persistently, “Hey, don’t be so skeptical. There are plenty of supernatural occurrences in this world! Last time, when I was in the south, I saw it with my own eyes—the vengeful spirit at that time…”
Chu Qianli cut him off firmly, “It wasn’t a vengeful spirit.”
“How could it not be a vengeful spirit? Then tell me, what exactly did I see!?”
“Don’t ask. If you ask, it’s quantum entanglement.”
Huang Jue was dumbfounded. “W-what entanglement…?”
“That’s why you all need to study! Study hard, my friends! When you understand quantum mechanics, then we can revisit this discussion!” Chu Qianli waved her hand grandly, delivering her concluding remarks.
Huang Jue: “?”
A couldn’t help but laugh. “So, without knowledge of physics, we can’t discuss higher-dimensional worlds?”
The crowd was still clearly unconvinced. They all wanted to persuade Chu Qianli and began chattering away, slowly surrounding her.
Tan Muxing watched this scene unfold and recalled how she had spoken about her experiences with her peers before. A strange sense of déjà vu crept over him. She had mentioned that she was often ganged up on—and now, he could see why.
Fortunately, Chu Qianli was well-versed in handling debates and was already highly experienced in confrontational settings.
She clapped her hands to restore order and spoke in a friendly manner, “Alright, alright, no need to get so worked up, my friends! When discussing academic matters, we need a proper structure. I don’t subscribe to your ghost and spirit theories, but even if we’re debating this, we should first establish a unified standard, right?”
The others questioned, “A unified standard?”
“Look, on this side, we have our orthodox Taoist friends, and they already have their own system,” Chu Qianli stood up, gesturing with her right hand toward Xu Zaiyuan and Liu Jun. Then, with her left hand, she pointed to Huang Jue on the opposite side. “And here, we have our Chuma practitioners. Your systems are already conflicting—who governs who hasn’t even been settled yet…”
“We also have a Norse guardian deity here, who has taken an international flight all the way to China. Now, in this territory, which god should take precedence? That’s another unresolved issue,” Chu Qianli glanced at Joe and said seriously, “You divine beings haven’t even figured out your immigration policies, yet you’re forcing me to believe? That doesn’t seem quite fair, does it?”
Lilith interjected, “These are all just manifestations of cosmic energy.”
“Great! Now we have someone bringing up cosmic energy,” Chu Qianli remarked with interest. “So, does anyone here study Kabbalah?”
A responded, “I’ve dabbled in it.”
Chu Qianli decisively concluded, “Not bad, that’s already quite a few perspectives. In that case, why don’t you all have an internal discussion first and elect a representative to debate with me?”
A: “?” There’s even a procedure for this?
Huang Jue eyed the Taoist practitioners from Qianmen with hostility. “Well, since we’re in the Eastern world, our system should take precedence. That just leaves me and these stinking Taoists, doesn’t it?”
Xu Zaiyuan and Liu Jun stared coldly back at him.
Joe objected indignantly, “Runes are sacred symbols granted to humanity by Odin! Simply dividing things based on geography is far too narrow-minded…”
Lilith added, “Cosmic energy is omnipresent!”
Everyone had their own beliefs and perspectives, each arguing their own case.
Previously, Chu Qianli had been the one under siege. But with a single strategic move, she successfully redirected the chaos elsewhere, instantly freeing herself from trouble. Instead, the theists were now locked in an explosive debate, and soon, the entire room was abuzz with heated discussions!
Shi Zhuoqu hurriedly attempted to restore order, but to little effect. “Everyone, calm down! The translators can’t keep up…”
Once they delved into professional discussions, various religious and metaphysical terms started flying around. Without knowledge in these fields, it was nearly impossible to accurately translate what was being said!
Chu Qianli, well-versed in both Eastern and Western teachings, could easily keep up with the conversation. Now that she had successfully stirred the pot, she simply stepped back, watching the spectacle unfold with amusement. She even praised, “Good, keep arguing. Make it even louder.”
Mei Rujing muttered indifferently, “They’re so noisy.”
Tan Muxing: “……”
Tan Muxing couldn’t help but notice that his fellow atheists were indeed showcasing a defining trait—remaining completely uninvolved and simply watching the drama unfold.
Shi Zhuoqu and the others struggled to regain control of the situation. It wasn’t until the wall-demolition work was finally completed that the chaos in the conference room began to subside.
A staff member hurried in to report, “We’ve found a passageway!”
The construction team had followed Chu Qianli’s directions and had been knocking down the wall for quite some time without success. Then, at last, a long and narrow passage was revealed—there was indeed a hidden, sealed-off space on the third floor.
Chu Qianli’s words were just verified. As the only one who found the location, she naturally astonished the others!
Joe was dumbfounded and said, “She doesn’t even believe in these things…”
A looked thoughtful. “If we set aside ideological differences, her abilities are undeniable.”
Chu Qianli: “…No, friends, if we don’t talk about vague stuff, your abilities are undeniable too.”
The theists regretted that someone so accurate could still not believe in gods, while the atheists regretted that someone so accurate would still insist on mentioning gods. For a moment, they remained unable to reconcile their views.
Huang Jue was the first to propose, “Isn’t today the perfect opportunity? We’ll know who’s right soon enough!”
“I admit that you and Mei Mei are extremely accurate in feng shui and divination, but everyone has their own areas of expertise, so let’s not speak in absolutes,” Huang Jue said. “The yin energy here is incredibly strong, and now that the secret chamber has been opened, the real test is just beginning.”
Xu Zaiyuan said calmly, “The wandering spirits from the Five Ghosts Fortune Method have yet to be appeased.”
Joe closed his eyes to sense the surroundings and murmured, “I can already feel the darkness seeping out.”
Chu Qianli: “My friend, that might just be because the air conditioning is too cold. Ask them to turn it up to 26 degrees.”
Joe: “?”
Shi Zhuoqu immediately suggested, “Why don’t we move over there?”
Since a new passage had appeared in Ting Feng Xi Yu Lou, they naturally had to explore it. Everyone left the conference room, and even many external practitioners followed, gathering at the crumbling wall, peering inside.
A narrow passageway was filled with eerie winds, sounding eerily like a baby crying, causing those nearby to instinctively back away.
“What a strong yin energy!”
“This isn’t something ordinary people can purify. Just standing here is draining my energy…”
“I need to get out! The magnetic field here is terrible—I can barely breathe!”
The surrounding practitioners hesitated in the face of the bottomless passage. Some turned and fled, unwilling to stay, as if they had sensed something.
Standing beside Chu Qianli, Tan Muxing suddenly felt a gust of wind surge upward. Something grainy brushed past his face, and he asked in confusion, “What was that?”
Huang Jue’s voice suddenly turned sharp. At some point, he had entered his possessed state, sneering, “The Five Ghosts are at work.”
He had been normal inside the conference room, but standing at the edge of the passage, he was now in a spirit-possessed state, his voice transformed into that of Huang Xian. This startled the others.
Chu Qianli calmly refuted, “No, it’s just a lot of dust.”
Huang Xian: “?”
Lilith, clutching her crystal ball, hesitated as she sensed the shift in Huang Jue’s energy. “Is this…?”
Liu Jun took out his ritual implement. Noticing the spirit possession, he said sternly, “You’ve finally revealed yourself!”
Huang Xian sneered, “You, a mere minor practitioner, can’t even handle the Five Ghosts. Do you really think you can deal with me?”
Xu Zaiyuan frowned at the passage, instinctively reaching for his peachwood sword. “Let’s deal with what’s below first.”
Everyone stood at the passage entrance, ready for battle.
Mei Rujing remained expressionless. “You all keep asking why I have no friends. Just look at this bunch of ghost-obsessed weirdos. How am I supposed to make normal friends?”
In the metaphysics circle, Mei Rujing truly had no friends. At her level, there were few people she could even hold a conversation with.
“Alright, alright, Rujing-jie, let’s follow local customs and respect our friends’ beliefs.” Chu Qianli even clasped her hands together piously before looking down the dark passageway with a sweet smile. “Although I am a Marxist believer, if I must pretend ghosts exist, then let’s be clear: debts should be settled with the right person. The current owner is the Mondeson Group, so if anyone below is seeking justice, don’t look for the wrong people.”
Shi Zhuoqu: “???”
The theists remained serious as they observed the anomalies, yet the atheist trio saw absolutely nothing, creating two completely different atmospheres. The others were engaged in Battle of the Psychics, while Chu Qianli and her group were essentially filming Scientific Investigation.
Huang Xian let out a mocking laugh and took the lead down the passage. “I want to see exactly what kind of little ghosts are here.”
With someone taking the first step, the others naturally followed.
Xu Zaiyuan saw Chu Qianli approaching the passage and suddenly said, “You’d best not go in.”
Chu Qianli was taken aback.
Mei Rujing stopped in her tracks upon hearing this and looked over in confusion.
Xu Zaiyuan was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, “Your situation is unusual. You shouldn’t be wandering outside in the first place, but things have already turned out this way. You should avoid places like this, where yin energy gathers.”
Xu Zaiyuan had calculated that Chu Qianli was the same kind of person as him. However, instead of seeking refuge in spiritual cultivation, she had continued to dwell in the mundane world. He feared she was like a spent arrow, with little time left.
Tan Muxing’s heart wavered. He suddenly thought of Daoist Xu Qian and realized that Xu Zaiyuan had seen through Chu Qianli’s lifespan!
Joe didn’t know about Chu Qianli’s lifespan, but he could sense something was off and suddenly realized, “Right, your constitution is special. You really shouldn’t be here.”
Chu Qianli had already sensed that Xu Zaiyuan was skilled in divination. Hearing his words, her mind raced, and she immediately understood that she had met a formidable opponent—this man was no ordinary practitioner!
Chu Qianli replied leisurely, “It’s not that I shouldn’t be here. It’s just that you think I shouldn’t be.”
Xu Zaiyuan frowned slightly and asked, “…What do you mean?”
“You think I shouldn’t be wandering outside. But I think I shouldn’t be locked away either. If you’re forced to choose a path of cultivation, is that really cultivation?”
Xu Zaiyuan was stunned, as if struck by her words.
Chu Qianli knew that seeking refuge might be effective—that cutting ties with family, setting strict limits on herself, and seeking ways to offset karmic burdens might extend her life. But it all felt strange to her.
If survival required her to stop being a person, then what was the point?
One of the reasons she remained an atheist was because if something could only be achieved through divine intervention, then this world was fundamentally unreasonable. Gods had their ways, but humans should have their own as well.
After speaking, Chu Qianli began descending the passage, only to feel a gentle tug from behind.
Tan Muxing looked down at her with concern. “Maybe… you should stay up here instead?”
Chu Qianli was surprised. “Xingxing, you’ve never believed in metaphysics!”
“But… but what if this old passage is dangerous…” Tan Muxing hesitated, unable to voice his fear of Xu Zaiyuan’s words. Instead, he scrambled for an excuse, his gaze shifting. “And it hasn’t been inspected for a long time. If you trip or bump into something, that wouldn’t be good either.”
Tan Muxing truly had no interest in metaphysics or ghosts, but he didn’t want to risk her safety.
His intentions were good, but she instantly exploded.
Chu Qianli immediately jumped in frustration, throwing a tantrum in protest. She even pretended to punch the big white bear and sourly complained, “I finally get it—you always listen to the Daoist priests! Last time it was the same, and now it’s happening again! I’m clearly the number one in the world, so why won’t you listen to me?”
Tan Muxing, faced with her flurry of bear punches, panicked and defended himself, “No, no, no, I didn’t—”
She felt utterly wronged. “I’ve done so many divinations for you, and now you believe him after just one sentence? Does that make sense? Does it!?”
“…It doesn’t. It doesn’t.”
The little troublemaker clung to her guardian, protesting for a long time. In the end, she still stormed into the passage, though she seemed to be holding in a breath of frustration.
Tan Muxing sighed in distress. “…That’s really not what I meant.”
He was just worried she might be in danger—how did that turn into doubting her astrology skills?
Mei Rujing said coolly, “That’s why parents shouldn’t casually compare their kids to the neighbor’s. It really hurts their self-esteem.”
“……”
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
