The fourth floor.
The banquet on the ship was in full swing, with members of various families chatting and laughing, enjoying the leisurely atmosphere of the gathering.
All the Dragon Tiger Mountain Taoists stood solemnly around the perimeter of each floor.
According to reliable information, there was definitely going to be a major event on the cruise ship today!
Although they stood on the sidelines, their gazes were fixed on the two individuals picking desserts in the buffet area.
Su Muwan, holding an empty plate, pointed at the array of pastries in front of her: "Qin Luo, except for this and that, I want everything else."
Qin Luo looked at his already overflowing cart and couldn't help but ask, "Miss, are you really going to finish all of this?"
"Hmph! Don't question a beauty's appetite."
"Understood, Miss."
Qin Luo glanced at the staff behind them. On the surface, they appeared normal, but in reality...
"Do you need these as well?"
"Certainly, please wait a moment."
The staff member maintained a professional smile and then brought over a few premium pastries.
"Thank you," Su Muwan replied politely.
"You're welcome, my lady."
"??"
Su Muwan blinked, then suspiciously glanced at the smiling cruise staff.
She leaned closer to Qin Luo, grabbed his collar, and pulled him aside, whispering, "Hey, Qin Luo, is there something off about that guy?"
"Huh?"
Qin Luo looked at Su Muwan in surprise. "Why do you say that?"
"It's just... he called me 'my lady.'"
Qin Luo chuckled. "What's wrong with that? You spent a fortune to be here. Isn't it nice that they offer such service?"
"Watch this."
With that, Qin Luo walked up to the staff and requested a few more pastries.
The staff member packed them up neatly. "Here you go, my lady."
Afterward, Qin Luo shrugged at Su Muwan, who now looked enlightened. "See?"
"Oh, I see now."
"Never mind then."
Su Muwan stopped overthinking and followed Qin Luo as they pushed their cart to a nearby table.
A short while later, a mother and child approached the dessert station. The child pointed at the pastries and looked up at the staff. "I want this one."
The staff member's smile faded, and he replied indifferently, "Use the tongs over there to help yourself."
The mother frowned. "But I saw you helping those two earlier."
"Do you need me to repeat myself, or are your ears just for decoration?"
Mother and child: "??"
In a corner, the former Celestial Master, Zhang Tianquan, dismissed a family head who had come to toast him. He frowned as he gazed out at the weather.
There was no trace of evil aura.
So why was the weather so abnormal?
Had the great evil spirit mastered its aura to such an extent that even they couldn't detect it?
But...
Zhang Tianquan glanced at Su Muwan and Qin Luo sitting at a small table not far away.
It was clear that Su Muwan was radiating an intense malice.
That malice struck him like a bolt to the head, sending chills down his spine.
Even without the presence of evil aura, the sheer malice was terrifying.
Was this... the great evil spirit?
Zhang Tianquan's expression darkened. He took a step forward, intending to get closer to monitor them, when suddenly—
Whoosh!
A staff member in a chef's uniform, head bowed, pushed a cart past Zhang Tianquan.
On the cart was a silver platter covered with a silver dome.
In an instant, the figure boarded the elevator and disappeared from the floor.
Zhang Tianquan froze in place.
His pupils contracted sharply, and he whipped his head around to look at the retreating figure.
!!!
An evil aura surrounded the figure. This was clearly... another entity on par with the great evil spirit!
How could this be?
Was there a second great evil spirit on this ship?
No... that couldn't be it.
Zhang Tianquan quickly recalibrated his thoughts. He turned back to look at Su Muwan, who was happily indulging in sweets.
Damn it, why hadn't he realized it sooner?
Would a great evil spirit really be so fond of sweets?
Therefore!
The Su Muwan enjoying desserts was no longer the evil spirit!
The true evil spirit had already left her body!
What a brilliant diversionary tactic!
Most importantly!
Zhang Tianquan stared at the departing staff member. On their cart was... a sinister banner radiating evil aura!
This evil spirit was clearly not an ordinary one!
Combined with what Suan Tianxing had told him earlier—that Su Muwan had thrown a banner into the sea—it was obvious that this was the evil spirit's method of switching vessels.
Damn it.
There was no time to call Suan Tianxing for backup.
Moreover, Su Muwan couldn't be removed from the watchlist just yet.
So...
He immediately instructed the Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples on the floor, "Inform your senior brother, Suan Tianxing, to come and keep an eye on Su Muwan!"
"I need to handle something urgent."
"Yes, Master!"
The disciples responded in unison.
Zhang Tianquan felt reassured and rushed to the ship's elevator. Seeing that the staff member had descended to the lowest level, he didn't hesitate and bolted down the emergency staircase.
In a corner of the dining area, Qin Luo withdrew his gaze from Zhang Tianquan.
A faint glimmer flashed in his eyes, and the corner of his mouth curled into a slight smile.
This was getting interesting.
There was another evil spirit on the ship.
Zhang Tianquan... the former Celestial Master.
He made a quick calculation.
The future... unfolded before his eyes.
With that in mind, he turned to Su Muwan, who was happily munching on cream puffs while scrolling through her phone, and said with a light chuckle, "Miss, how about we check out the entertainment deck?"
"Entertainment deck?"
"Yes, that's where all the shopping and fun stuff is."
Shopping?
Su Muwan's eyes lit up. "Sure, let's go take a look."
At the elevator, the doors slowly opened, and the two stepped inside.
Su Muwan continued scrolling through her phone, while Qin Luo calmly pressed the button for the entertainment deck.
Qin Luo stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze calm as he observed the scene in the fourth-floor hall.
The lights were still dazzling, the music soothing, and the young heirs of various families were enjoying the food and wine.
Su Muwan finished chatting with her best friend, put down her phone with a satisfied smile, and then looked at Qin Luo curiously. "Qin Luo, what are you looking at?"
She glanced at the scene outside the elevator doors, which hadn't fully closed yet.
It looked the same as always.
"Just thinking... tonight might be quite entertaining."
"Oh, it's just a wedding. What's so special about that?"
Su Muwan pouted and looked away.
Qin Luo smiled without saying a word.
As the elevator doors slowly closed—
Bzzz! Bzzz!!
The lights in the dining hall suddenly dimmed.
Hum—!
Tendrils of black mist rapidly spread throughout the room.
In an instant, the decor became dilapidated and eerie.
The Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples were stunned.
They looked around at the sudden changes, their pupils trembling in shock.
"Evil aura?!"
The disciples quickly pulled out talismans and huddled together, their eyes darting around warily.
Then, they froze.
All around them, the once-friendly cruise staff had lost their smiles.
Their faces were now blank and lifeless.
As if controlled by an invisible force, they all turned their gaze toward the Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples.
Boom!!
The sky outside darkened, and a bolt of lightning streaked across.
A spine-chilling scene unfolded before the disciples.
In that single moment, not only the staff but even the young heirs attending the banquet had... all become hollow-eyed, slowly closing in on the Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples.
"!!!"
The disciples' eyes widened in horror.
What...
Everyone on this floor... was an evil spirit?!
They opened their mouths to speak, but before they could—
A sinister, ghostly laughter echoed in their ears.
[Heh heh heh!!!]
[I never expected to find such pure Taoist souls here!]
[That old fool has been tricked!]
[Now... all of you shall be sacrificed to my newly acquired treasure of evil souls!!!]
Whoosh—!
The evil aura invaded their bodies, instantly robbing them of their consciousness.
Moments later.
Bzzz!
The lights flickered and returned to normal.
The staff resumed their positions, smiling as if nothing had happened.
The sounds of chatter gradually filled the hall again.
The Dragon Tiger Mountain disciples stood solemnly in their places, as if everything was back to the way it had been.