The recording pen played the conversation between Lin Wan and a strange man. They plotted how to frame Qin Zhizhi, how to swallow up the Qin Family's property, and even mentioned colluding with external forces.
Lin Wan's face instantly turned ashen. She never expected that Qin Zhizhi would have such evidence! "You... when did you..."
"From the moment you stepped through the gates of the Qin Family, you should have expected this day would come." Qin Zhizhi looked coldly at Lin Wan, without a trace of pity in her eyes.
The contents of the recording quickly spread throughout the banquet hall, and the crowd looked at Lin Wan with eyes filled with anger and disdain. Father Qin was trembling with rage; he never imagined that he had been deceived by this woman for so many years!
"Someone come! Arrest this vicious woman for me!" Father Qin roared. Soon, Lin Wan was taken away by the police who arrived upon hearing the commotion. Before leaving, she cast a vicious glance at Qin Zhizhi, her eyes filled with hatred.
Lin Wan's capture was deeply satisfying to everyone, and the Qin Family returned to its former peace. Father Qin finally saw Qin Jiaojiao's true colors and sent her back to her old home in the countryside. Everything seemed to have settled, but Qin Zhizhi felt a vague unease in her heart.
Who was the person behind Lin Wan? Why were they targeting the Qin Family? "Zhizhi, what's wrong?" Yin Sichen noticed Qin Zhizhi's abnormality and asked with concern. "I always feel things aren't this simple." Qin Zhizhi frowned deeply. "Lin Wan is just a pawn; there is a greater force manipulating all of this behind her."
A trace of solemnity flashed through Yin Sichen's deep eyes. He took Qin Zhizhi's hand and said in a deep voice, "Don't worry, I will help you." Qin Zhizhi looked at him gratefully, a wave of warmth surging in her heart.
However, right at that moment, a man in black suddenly appeared at the entrance of the banquet hall. Holding a black envelope, he said in a chilling tone, "Miss Qin Zhizhi, my master requests your presence." Qin Zhizhi and Yin Sichen exchanged a glance, both feeling a sudden ominous premonition rise in their hearts.
The sudden appearance of the man in black was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up murmurs of discussion throughout the banquet hall. Qin Zhizhi and Yin Sichen exchanged a look, both seeing solemnity in each other's eyes.
"Who is your master?" Yin Sichen stepped forward, shielding Qin Zhizhi behind him, radiating a freezing aura as he demanded. Facing Yin Sichen's oppressive aura, the man in black remained unruffled: "Is the name of my master someone a junior like you can inquire about? Miss Qin Zhizhi, please, don't make my master angry." Qin Zhizhi tugged at Yin Sichen's sleeve, motioning for him not to be impatient.
"I'll go and be right back," she said softly, her tone resolute. Yin Sichen gave her a deep look, and finally let go of his hand, watching her leave with the man in black. Outside the banquet hall, a black sedan was parked silently.
The man in black opened the car door, and Qin Zhizhi bent down and got in. The car quickly started up and vanished into the night. Yin Sichen did not stop her; instead, he turned and walked back into the banquet hall. He went to a corner and dialed a phone call: "Investigate for me. I want to know everything about that man in black who was just here."
On the other side, Qin Zhizhi was brought to a secluded tearoom. An elderly man dressed in a green robe, with the ethereal air of an immortal, sat before a tea table, leisurely sipping fine tea. Seeing Qin Zhizhi enter, the elder put down his teacup, a gentle and kind smile appearing on his face: "Zhizhi, you're here."
Qin Zhizhi was startled in her heart. She could sense that the cultivation of the elder before her was unfathomable—definitely not that of an ordinary person. What shocked her even more was the elder's form of address, as if... he had known her for a very long time.
"You are?" Qin Zhizhi asked tentatively.
"You don't remember me? I am your master from your past life, Taoist Qingfeng." The elder sighed softly, his eyes filled with deep affection. A roar echoed in Qin Zhizhi's mind. Master from her past life? Could it be... that she truly possessed memories of a past life? Taoist Qingfeng seemed to see through her thoughts and slowly recounted: "In your past life, you were exceptionally talented and my proudest disciple. It's just a pity... you were harmed by treacherous villains and your soul was scattered. This master spent a century of cultivation to gather a wisp of your lingering soul and send it into reincarnation. Now that you have finally awakened your past-life memories, this master can finally rest at ease."
Qin Zhizhi experienced a mixture of emotions. She struggled to digest this information while also pondering whether her master's appearance was related to the recent predicament she had encountered. "Master, the reason you came to find me this time is because..." Qin Zhizhi asked hesitatingly.
Taoist Qingfeng nodded, his expression turning serious: "This master has foreseen that you will encounter a calamity in this lifetime. And this calamity is related to an ancient immortal cultivation sect. They have been secretly manipulating the mortal world, attempting to subvert order and wreak havoc among humanity."
"An immortal cultivation sect?" Qin Zhizhi's heart stirred. Could it be that the person behind Lin Wan belonged to this immortal cultivation sect?
"Correct," Taoist Qingfeng said in a deep voice. "They have been searching for an ancient divine artifact, and that divine artifact is within you."
A tempest raged in Qin Zhizhi's heart. She faintly guessed that the ancient divine artifact her master spoke of must be the System.
Meanwhile, Yin Sichen had also obtained some clues through his own investigations. He discovered that the person behind Lin Wan was indeed connected to a Mysterious Organization—an organization that operated covertly, used ruthless methods, and seemed to possess some kind of supernatural power... Yin Sichen felt a vague unease in his heart, sensing an invisible pressure closing in on him and Qin Zhizhi.
"Zhizhi, you must stay safe," Yin Sichen murmured softly, gazing at the pitch-black night sky outside the window, his deep eyes filled with worry. He clenched his fists, secretly swearing in his heart that no matter the cost, he would protect Qin Zhizhi's safety.
In Taoist Qingfeng's secluded dwelling, Qin Zhizhi began her journey of cultivation. Taoist Qingfeng imparted an ancient cultivation mental technique to her and instructed her on how to utilize the Spiritual Power within her body. Qin Zhizhi was already naturally gifted, and coupled with her cultivation foundation from her past life, her cultivation advanced by leaps and bounds, quickly breaking through the Qi Condensation Stage and reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage.
"Not bad, Zhizhi. Your progress is very fast." Taoist Qingfeng looked at Qin Zhizhi before him and nodded with gratification.
"This is all thanks to Master's guidance," Qin Zhizhi said modestly, though her heart was filled with joy and confidence.
Taoist Qingfeng continued, "Zhizhi, the System within your body is actually an ancient divine artifact called the 'Qiankun Mirror'. It can help you cultivate and also assist you in fighting enemies. However, you must remember: with greater power comes greater responsibility. You must use it well and not be consumed by that power."
"Master, rest assured, Zhizhi understands." Qin Zhizhi nodded solemnly, understanding her master's good intentions.
In the days that followed, Qin Zhizhi worked hard at her cultivation while attempting to communicate with the System to explore more of its functions. She discovered that the System not only provided various cultivation resources but also helped her enhance various skills and even foresee the future. "It seems this System is even more powerful than I imagined," Qin Zhizhi thought to herself, filled with anticipation for the future.
Meanwhile, Yin Sichen was not idle either. Using his connections and resources, he began investigating that Mysterious Organization. He discovered that this organization was called the "Xuanming Sect", a long-standing evil immortal cultivation sect that had been secretly developing its forces, attempting to subvert order and rule the world.
"Xuanming Sect..." A cold flash crossed Yin Sichen's eyes. He knew a great battle was inevitable.