Even with Ning Yitao around, they still felt a dull headache looming.
They all noticed that the room at the end was surrounded by a thick, black miasma of malevolence and resentment.
In such an environment, anyone who entered would be attacked by nightmares and hallucinations. For ordinary people or those with damaged souls, it could directly harm their fortune.
The resentment was so strong that anyone with insufficient cultivation who accidentally stumbled in would lose their mind and be dragged into the room, becoming nourishment for its master.
Except for Ning Yitao, no one present wanted to get anywhere near that room, let alone open it. Every cell in their bodies screamed in protest at the mere thought of approaching the door.
In their eyes, such an act was nothing short of suicide.
But if Ning Yitao wanted to go, they'd keep their mouths shut. In their eyes, she was practically a force of nature.
If it weren't for her, they wouldn't have even dared to enter this place.
Ning Yitao thought for a moment and decided to put off investigating the room at the end for now. Although she was incredibly curious, rescuing the director took precedence.
But one thing was certain: that room was the root cause of all the strange occurrences in Glamis Castle.
She turned around and headed for the second room from the end on the right, where the director was trapped.
Just then, Zhaocai, full of enthusiasm, volunteered:
"I'll go scout ahead for you. It's been ages since I've stretched my legs. Let me do it. You guys just wait here."
"Sure," Ning Yitao replied. "It'll be a good test to see if all the spiritual energy and merits I've fed you have been put to good use."
"Great! I'm off then. Wait for me!" Zhaocai disappeared in a flash, shrinking its body and squeezing through the crack in the door of the room where the director was being held.
The others waited patiently for Zhaocai's return.
Sarawa speculated, "Do you think the Lady Alexia is staying in that room at the end?"
"Highly likely," Eve shivered. "But there's no way I'm going anywhere near that door. The resentment is just too strong."
Grace looked at Henry, who threw up his hands in despair. "Don't look at me. If Eve can't handle it, there's no way I can. I can't even bring myself to get close."
His reaction made Ji Wangqiu laugh. Since they were about the same height, Ji Wangqiu draped an arm over Henry's shoulder. "Be brave, buddy. You're a grown man."
"Give me a few years," Henry said with determination. "When you see me next, I'll be a whole different person."
Ning Yitao said flatly, "If you're still the same in a few years, you might not be cut out for this line of work."
Henry pouted. "I'll work hard, Miss Ning. I'll transform and catch up with you guys."
The conversation lightened the mood considerably, dispelling the oppressive atmosphere that had hung over them since they entered the second floor.
Grace took out his deck of cards and offered them to Ning Yitao. "Draw a card."
Ning Yitao found it interesting. This was the first time she'd seen such a novel form of divination. Since she couldn't divine her own fate, she might as well see what Grace could make of it.
She drew a card and handed it to him.
The moment she let go, the card hovered in front of Grace.
"You don't have long to live," Grace said gravely. "I can't see the details, but you need to be careful."
Ning Yitao didn't seem bothered in the least. Most people would have panicked and bombarded Grace with questions upon hearing such a prediction.
But she knew it was true. She hadn't accumulated enough merits yet, and her lifespan was definitely limited.
But she wasn't about to give up. She was actively working on accumulating merits.
Just recently, she'd exorcised the Alman family and helped the Heavenly Dao track down two hidden individuals. That should buy her a month or two of extra life.
Little did she know that Grace's prediction had nothing to do with this. But that was a story for another day.
Ji Wangqiu was worried, but seeing Ning Yitao's nonchalant attitude, he decided not to press the issue. He'd wait until they got back and grill Zhaocai for answers.
Sarawa looked concerned. "Zhaocai's been gone for a while. Should we go check on it?"
Ning Yitao nodded. "Let's go."
Ji Wangqiu reminded them, "Mumu said there's lime powder when you open this door. We don't know if it's really lime powder, so to be safe, everyone stand back."
He leaned over and whispered to Ning Yitao, "Let me open the door. I don't want you to get any on you."
Ning Yitao didn't object this time. She stepped back and let him take the lead.
Ji Wangqiu didn't sense any strong resentment coming from the room. "Zhaocai must have taken care of it," he thought.
Sure enough, when they opened the door, they saw the director huddled in the corner, shaking like a leaf, clutching his camera.
Next to him was Zhaocai, now the size of half a house, munching on something.
Ning Yitao walked over and kicked it in disgust. "I let you get away with eating human flesh before, but now you're gobbling up resentment? It's filthy."
Everyone except Henry and Ji Wangqiu stood there in shock. It was the first time they'd seen a snake that big.
Sarawa had initially worried about Zhaocai because of its small size. "I guess I was being paranoid," she thought. "This thing could probably outlive me by centuries."
Zhaocai mumbled through a mouthful of food, "It's your fault. Ever since I started following you, you're always complaining about things being dirty. I'm a mythical beast. This is what I eat. But there's so little spiritual energy in this world, I can't be picky."
Ning Yitao helped the director, who was still trapped in a nightmare, and placed a calming talisman on him.
Suddenly, the energy field in the room became chaotic. A massive shadow emerged from behind the director.
It was a woman, dressed in the clothes of a noblewoman. The moment she appeared, the resentment in the room intensified, swirling like a tempest.
Henry's head started pounding again, and the others showed various signs of discomfort.
But Ning Yitao and Ji Wangqiu remained unfazed, standing there as calm as ever.
Ning Yitao stared at the woman—no, the ghost—standing so close to her. She didn't even flinch.
If it weren't for the dress, it would have been impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman. Her face was completely burned and disfigured, a gruesome sight.
This was undoubtedly the Lady Alexia, who had been burned alive as a witch.
Years of pent-up resentment and malevolence gave her an air of authority. The Lady Alexia maintained the poise of a noblewoman.
"Are you going to leave on your own accord, or do I have to force you out?"
Ning Yitao narrowed her eyes. "Lady Alexia, what if I told you I could help you?"