Late at night, the Youma Community was shrouded in silence.

The news of the Card Master's death, once spread, had quite an impact on the residents within the community.

For those who end their own lives, resentment is heavy after death, roaming around looking for a scapegoat.

Some were even more afraid to go out at night, fearing they might encounter the ghost of the Card Master.

In the corner of a small square, a wooden Earth Shrine was placed on the ground.

The statue of the Earth God inside the shrine appeared kind and benevolent; upon closer inspection, it bore a slight resemblance to Sun Yan.

These past few days, many people had come to offer incense, thus a thin layer of incense ash had accumulated in the shrine, imbuing it with a trace of spiritual aura.

"It seems that the Chinese are indeed diligent in offering incense, burning incense and worshiping deities is ingrained in their bones."

A figure drifted out of the Earth Shrine, clad in an Earth God robe, holding a peachwood staff — it was Sun Yan.

As the offerings to the shrine increased, Sun Yan could unlock more abilities, allowing him to exercise the powers of an Immortal through the shrine.

Such as bestowing dreams, providing blessings, exorcising evil, promoting crop growth, night patrol, and more.

At this moment, Sun Yan's state of being neither human nor ghost was one of the Earth God's duties, a night patrol surveillance.

He could wander this area affected by him, patrolling to check for any signs of evil spirits causing trouble.

Compared to aimlessly roaming with Sosia at night, undertaking a night patrol through the Earth Shrine was much easier and more efficient.

Gazing at the apartments in the Youma Community, Sun Yan effortlessly drifted inside.

The night patrol was intangible, capable of passing through walls and doors, unhindered by any barriers.

Sun Yan then began patrolling the apartment floor by floor; if he detected traces of evil spirits, his physical body would immediately spring into action and arrive at the scene to perform an exorcism.

Outside the Card Master's home, someone had placed a porcelain dish by the door with some meat offerings.

Beside it, a bowl of rice had a white candle planted in it, its wax continuously dripping onto the surface of the rice, sculpting it in wax.

Tap, tap, tap!

At the end of the corridor, a gaunt face with protruding cheekbones, skin stretched over bone, suddenly appeared.

It turned out to be the little boy Sun Yan had seen earlier on the street, sneaking bites of roadside offerings.

His stomach growled incessantly, following the scent of incense wafting through the air, unconsciously leading him towards the Card Master's residence.

Upon seeing the meat on the porcelain dish at the door, the boy's eyes immediately lit up.

Unable to hold back any longer, he rushed forward, grabbing a chicken leg and devouring it ravenously.

The white candle on the bowl of rice suddenly flickered, the previously motionless flame danced a few times, and inexplicably went out.

It transformed into two wisps of blue smoke drifting eerily, resembling two tiny snakes, which snaked into the boy's nostrils.

The boy's eyes rolled back instantly, his body convulsed as he collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.

"Xiao Bao, Xiao Bao, where are you?"

At the end of the corridor, a woman's voice echoed; dressed in tattered clothes, disheveled with only one shoe on, she anxiously called out.

Soon she approached and discovered the boy lying on the ground, hurriedly rushing forward, worriedly cradling the boy in her arms: "Xiao Bao, Xiao Bao, what happened to you! You mustn't be hurt, if you leave, how will your mom survive alone?"

The woman's voice was sharp and piercing, shouting and yelling in the dead of night instantly caught the attention of Sun Yan patrolling a few floors below.

He swiftly floated up to investigate, quickly locating the source of the commotion.

Seeing the boy cradled in the woman's arms, Sun Yan felt utterly astonished: "Strange, clearly just a seven or eight-year-old child, yet his heartbeat seems to belong to an elderly person of seventy or eighty."

Sun Yan hovered beside the boy; in his current Earth God night patrol form, ordinary people could not perceive his presence.

Placing his hand on the boy's chest, Sun Yan checked his physical condition.

He sensed an external force that didn't belong to this child, accumulating at his heart.

Though Sun Yan couldn't determine what effect this external force had, it was likely nothing good.

Just as Sun Yan intended to save the boy, a black mist unexpectedly began to spread along the corridor.

The black mist emanated from the corridor's end, quickly enveloping Sun Yan's position.

"Black mist?!"

At the sight of this bizarre phenomenon, Sun Yan recalled Ma Glasses' earlier warning.

'If a black mist suddenly rises, remember to stick to the wall, hold your breath and stay still, perhaps it can save your life'

At the corridor's end, a low murmur emerged, the sound was very peculiar.

As if someone was softly singing a tune or whispering, the noise became increasingly distinct as it approached.

Feeling the imminent danger, Sun Yan immediately dived into the disheveled woman's body, forcibly controlling her to pick up the boy, stand against the wall.

Simultaneously, he covered her mouth and nose, forbidding any breathing.

Facing such an unknown situation, even Sun Yan had to be cautious.

After all, he had only unlocked the night patrol ability from the Earth Shrine so far.

The black mist surged like waves throughout the corridor, advancing one after another towards the front.

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