Ye Ling considered Jian Shishi's words for a moment before replying, "I understand about this matter. I will consider investigating it later."
Jian Shishi quickly said, "Do you know where that research institute is? It's very hidden. I can take you!"
"I'll find it myself."
Ye Ling said faintly, then pushed open the door and walked out of the office.
He could naturally see that Jian Shishi wanted to accompany him to the research institute.
However, Ye Ling did not like bringing a burden with him when he was handling important matters.
Therefore, regardless of Jian Shishi's intentions, Ye Ling had no intention of bringing her along.
Furthermore, before dealing with the Jiang family and that Tianhui Research Institute, Ye Ling intended to deal with the Ghost Gate first.
The Ghost Gate was likely the true culprit behind the Ye family's demise, and from Jiang Wuhong's memories, Ye You had ultimately fallen into the hands of the Ghost Gate.
Setting aside other matters, based on these two points alone, Ye Ling would not allow the Ghost Gate to continue to roam freely in this world.
Seeing Ye Ling approaching with Jian Shishi, Zhang Daoyuan, who was standing at a distance, also bowed slightly and greeted, "Young friend."
"Please trouble you to send this girl home," Ye Ling said without hesitation, handing Jian Shishi over to Zhang Daoyuan. "Although there are not many enemies left in this area, it is late, and this is an old industrial zone. It is dangerous for this girl to go back alone."
Zhang Daoyuan glanced at Jian Shishi, seemingly surprised that Ye Ling was willing to help a girl.
Zhang Daoyuan smiled with satisfaction, then bowed slightly to Ye Ling and said, "Young friend, rest assured, leave her to this old Daoist. With this old Daoist escorting her, this young lady will not be harmed in any way."
Although Zhang Daoyuan had not made a move in this steel mill, it did not mean that Zhang Daoyuan's strength was lacking.
With Zhang Daoyuan's cultivation as a fifth-rank异士 (yi shi - extraordinary person), apart from the experts gathered in this steel mill today, there was virtually no one in Jiangcheng who could harm him.
Seeing that Ye Ling was not escorting her personally, Jian Shishi asked, "Aren't you coming with us?"
Ye Ling said nonchalantly, "I am going to destroy the Ghost Gate."
Upon hearing Ye Ling's words, Zhang Daoyuan trembled. He looked at Ye Ling with disbelief and asked in surprise, "Young friend, you already know the exact location of the Ghost Gate?"
In the martial world, the Ghost Gate had maintained its tenacious vitality precisely because its headquarters were too secretive. Many sects could not find Qiu Baiyi, making it impossible to eradicate them completely.
If the Ghost Gate's headquarters were exposed, it would be a great fortune for China!
Ye Ling did not hide anything and nodded, "I just searched the souls of Lu Wende and Xie Shuangjun and found the Ghost Gate's headquarters."
"At this time, they should be sacrificing evil spirits within the sect. The sect leader Qiu Baiyi will personally preside over the ceremony. It is a good time for me to catch them all in one net."
"Young friend, you can search souls?"
Upon hearing the words "soul searching," Zhang Daoyuan's heart was immediately stirred by a tempestuous wave!
This secret technique of soul searching had been lost since the Qin and Han Dynasties, two thousand years ago.
Currently, apart from the Soul Guiding Lamp of the Zhuge family in Xichuan, which had the effect of prying into memories, there was no other method in the whole of China that could pry into a person's memories!
If Ye Ling truly mastered the secret technique of soul searching, let alone his strength, just this method of soul searching alone would be enough to make Ye Ling a highly sought-after figure in the whole of China and even the world!
Countless forces would vie for him!
Modern warfare was largely intelligence warfare. Even within the circle of 异士 (yi shi), with the depletion of spiritual energy and the decline of major sects, most 异士 (yi shi) in the circle would avoid large-scale battles.
In such an environment, intelligence work became extremely important.
Take the joint efforts of various sects to annihilate the Ghost Gate back then as an example. If someone had mastered soul searching to extract Hu Jinrui's memories when the Deputy Sect Leader of the Ghost Gate, Hu Jinrui, was captured, the Ghost Gate would have been completely wiped out back then, and those subsequent tragedies would not have occurred.
Zhang Daoyuan suppressed his shock and then said excitedly to Ye Ling, "Since young friend knows the location of the Ghost Gate's headquarters, I will immediately inform the sect and have the sect leader gather all righteous factions to re-encircle and suppress the Ghost Gate!"
"No need. I am enough for the Ghost Gate. You just need to protect her."
Ye Ling said faintly, refusing Zhang Daoyuan's suggestion, and then his entire being was enveloped by demonic energy.
"Young friend, I suggest..."
Before Zhang Daoyuan could persuade him further, Ye Ling disappeared.
Looking at the empty space ahead, Zhang Daoyuan's words were stuck in his throat, and he stood there stunned.
"He... disappeared?"
Jian Shishi rubbed her eyes and stared intently at the spot where Ye Ling had vanished, her heart filled with unimaginable shock!
Ye Ling's ability to fly was already exaggerated enough, and now he could also teleport?
This was already a true immortal, wasn't it?
Jian Shishi could not imagine.
After a long while, Zhang Daoyuan finally came back to his senses, shook his head, and said with a wry smile, "It seems... he doesn't need our help..."
"When did our Great Yan Hua produce such a person?"
The teleportation method Ye Ling displayed just now...
No longer belonged to the category of seventh-rank 异士 (yi shi).
...
Putting aside the matters concerning Zhang Daoyuan and Jian Shishi for the moment, after leaving the steel mill, Ye Ling stood in the sky above Jiangcheng, gazing at the brightly lit city below.
As an evil sect that was hunted and pursued by all righteous factions, everyone assumed that the Ghost Gate's headquarters would be hidden in some deep mountains and old forests.
However, combining the memories of Lu Wende and Xie Shuangjun, Ye Ling discovered that the Ghost Gate's headquarters were located underground in Jiangcheng!
"The Ghost Gate's headquarters are clearly in Jiangcheng, yet Qiu Baiyi still set up a branch in Jiangcheng... He is quite an interesting person."
Ye Ling muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with a red glow. The underground structure of the entire Jiangcheng city unfolded before his eyes.
Subway lines, sewers, national defense cables... various underground facilities were intricately complex.
Ye Ling's eyes quickly scanned various underground facilities and finally sensed a faint spiritual energy reaction beneath the end of a subway line.
"This subway line has the least passenger traffic and is close to the river. The Ghost Gate headquarters built beneath this subway, and after 11 o'clock when the subway stops running, it is also convenient for sect disciples to enter and exit the sect at this time..."
"What a great location!"
Ye Ling's lips curved slightly, and he flew towards the Ghost Gate headquarters.
At the end of the tunnel of Jiangcheng Subway Line 7.
Ye Ling stood in the dark tunnel, looking at the advertisement board of the Jiang Group hanging on the tunnel wall, his eyes filled with increasing amusement.
"The disguise formation has also kept up with the times. I wonder if the Jiang family paid you advertising fees?"
Ye Ling reached out to touch the advertisement board, and spiritual energy surged, revealing a dark red formation within the board.
Ye Ling easily broke through the formation, the advertisement board moved, and a passage leading underground appeared behind it.
Looking at the dark passage ahead, Ye Ling smiled slightly and swaggered in.
The formation activated again, and the advertisement board returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened.
...
At this time, underground in Jiangcheng, the headquarters of the Ghost Gate.
In a sealed and spacious underground space, the surroundings were adorned with lamps made from human skulls, with blue spectral flames flickering in their skeletal eyes.
In the center of the room was a black altar, and Qiu Baiyi, dressed in white, stood barefoot at the edge of the altar, chanting obscure scriptures.
Around the altar, thirty-six black-robed Ghost Gate disciples knelt on the ground, paying homage to Qiu Baiyi and chanting equally obscure scriptures.
In the center of the altar was a bronze coffin with its lid tightly shut.
Thick iron chains were embedded at the four corners of the altar, connecting to the bronze coffin lid.
A sealing talisman was also affixed to the lid of the bronze coffin.
In front of the coffin lay a female corpse that had been bled dry, the blood flowing along the grooves on the altar towards the bronze coffin.
The entire space was incredibly oppressive, and for ordinary people, it was more like a nightmare!
At this moment, a black-robed figure stood up from among the Ghost Gate disciples. He held a peculiar short saber with an eye carved on its hilt in both hands, slowly walked to the altar, and knelt before Qiu Baiyi.
"Sect Leader, the time has come."