In the backwoods of Taiyi Temple on Nanling Mountain, a tiny girl of about three or four sat cross-legged on a stump, wearing a little Taoist robe.

Her big eyes stared down the path below the mountain, not blinking.

Master had told her her brother would come today to take her home.

Her real brother!

But…

Lydia Bell let out a long, grown-up sigh.

Been waiting all day, not even a shadow showed up. Not a ghost!

Was Master messing with her again?

But thinking about his fortune-telling skills, good enough to decide life and death, she stayed put.

She clenched her little fists and muttered, “If Big Bro doesn't show, I’m pulling all Master’s hair out!”

The thought made her giggle.

But suddenly, the sky changed. In a blink, dark clouds covered everything, and black mist rolled through the woods ahead.

Her pink little face turned serious. “Evil spirit?”

Bold, huh. Daring to cause trouble right outside a Taoist temple.

She jumped off the stump, cracked her fingers, and dashed straight toward the path below.

Meanwhile.

At the foot of the mountain, inside a black carriage.

Sebastian Bell stared at the rearview mirror grimly. “No one’s following us, right?”

Cordero Baker rolled his eyes. “No. There’s only one way up. If anyone was behind us, I’d have seen it.”

“Good,” Sebastian nodded, satisfied.

He opened the door to get out, but Cordero grabbed his arm. “Sebastian, think it over. Something feels off about this.”

Sebastian Bell—the seventh son of the Bell family, born with a silver spoon. Groomed by the family, he entered showbiz, immediately hitting peak popularity with his looks and resources. A real top-tier celebrity.

But these past months, it was like bad luck stuck to his back.

Brand deals, TV shows—everything fell apart. Problems with actors, with directors, even with filming ranges.

Then, right when he landed a deal with a luxury brand and was waiting to sign it, he got dragged into a criminal case.

“Sebastian, that guy who claims he saw it all and can clear your name... he showed up way too conveniently.”

“And if he really cared about safety, why not go to the cops? Why come straight to you?”

“You think you’re more useful than the police?”

Sebastian frowned. “If he went to the cops first, how’d he ask me for money later?”

Cordero twitched.

He opened his mouth to argue again, but Sebastian had already thrown his hand off and jumped out of the car.

He scanned the area, saw nothing suspicious, then strode straight into the woods.

But as soon as he stepped in, a chill ran down his spine.

He wrapped his coat tighter and looked around warily. “Didn't think the mountain would be this cold.”

“Sebastian Bell.”

A voice, icy-cold, echoed through the trees.

He turned, but saw nothing. His heart thumped.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”

His voice echoed louder, trying to steady himself. “If you want to talk business, stop sneaking around like a ghost!”

“Hehehe…”

It was a woman’s voice. Cold. Sharp. Full of sorrow.

The black mist surged forward, forming into a shape. A deathly pale hand reached out from the fog, aiming for Sebastian.

His eyes widened. “!!!”

Wha…

What the hell?!

Just as the hand was about to grab him, a yellow talisman flew over and slapped onto it.In a flash, the talisman burned away, and that ghostly hand turned to ash.

Lydia Bell darted over to Sebastian Bell, her hands forming quick seals before tossing out a few more talismans. "Brazen spirit! You dare cause trouble right in front of Taiyi Temple?"

The black fog, thick with sinister energy, flared up as the talismans ignited, revealing the soul of a woman within.

The woman stared at the glowing child, eyes wide with fear. "So... so bright."

Lydia grinned, tipping her chin up proudly. "Of course I am!"

She reached into the air and grabbed. The soul shrank uncontrollably, drifting into her small palm.

"No! Let me go! You’ve ruined everything—my master won't spare you—"

Before she could finish, Lydia slapped a yellow paper over her.

"Shut it!"

With a firm smack of her little hand, the last trace of dark energy in the ghost’s soul shattered clean.

She folded the talisman casually into a triangle and stuffed it into her pocket.

"Nice," she chirped, grinning from ear to ear.

Merit +1!

Sebastian Bell stood there, blank-eyed—then his eyes rolled up, and he dropped straight to the ground.

Lydia blinked in surprise. His head hit the dirt with a thud.

"Oof, that’s gotta hurt," she muttered, rubbing the back of her own head empathetically.

She waddled over, lips puffed in slight annoyance, and carefully propped him up.

Then she saw the bloodline marking on his face—her eyes widened.

“Brother?”

So it really was her brother!

But... he passed out. How was he supposed to take her home now?

While she stood there, frowning in confusion, Cordero Baker came rushing up, breathless.

He froze when he spotted Sebastian sitting on the ground, and next to him, a tiny kid squatting calmly.

“What’s this? I thought we came to meet a witness. This the witness?”

Hearing the voice, Lydia looked up. The guy was clean, aura matched her brother—must be his friend.

She raised a pudgy finger to her lips. “Big brother, quiet. My brother’s asleep.”

Cordero's mouth twitched. “Asleep? Seriously? Wait a sec—”

His eyes sharpened as he stared at the little one. “Did you just call him your brother?”

He looked the girl up and down. Dusty blue robes, hair tied with a wooden pin, face soft like carved jade, eyes sparkling like stars.

Too damn adorable.

Then it hit him—three years ago, that hush-hush affair in the Bell family...

“You... you’re Sebastian’s real sister? How’d he find you? Where’ve you been? Who raised you?”

Lydia frowned thoughtfully before replying, “Master told me to wait here for my brother.”

Cordero: "..."

So she found Sebastian, not the other way around?

“Well, wake him up. Let’s head back. This ain’t a place for naps.”

He walked over, gave Sebastian’s arm a few firm pats. “Sebastian? Wake up, man. Sebastian—”

Sebastian's eyes shot open. Panic flooded his face.

“Ghosts—AH, cough!” He cut himself off the moment he saw Cordero.

With an awkward laugh, he cleared his throat. “I, uh, had a nightmare. Super vivid.”

Lydia leaned in, little head poking into his space. “Brother, that wasn’t a dream.”

Sebastian: “!!!”

“You—what are you doing here?” His eyes widened. “Wait, not a dream? You mean...”

There really was a ghost?!

Cordero: “...”

So he wasn’t sleeping. He fainted from fear.