Chapter 204: Meikai Erduo

**Starfall Merchant Guild**

"Uncle Long, he's still not back?" Yan Xishou asked, looking at the time from his uneasy position on the sofa.

"Not yet, but he should be soon," the old butler replied slowly. "Young Master, there's no need to worry. The Paper Puppeteer is a powerful fifth-tier master, and his combat strength is the highest among the three guarding the guild. With his skill, nothing will go wrong."

"That's good," Yan Xishou sighed in relief. "Have arrangements been made with law enforcement?"

"Yes, even if there's a big commotion tonight, no enforcers will interfere. As for the aftermath, someone will handle it, and it won't cause any trouble."

Yan Xishou nodded, picking up the teacup from the table and taking a sip. Just then, the door to the room was pushed open.

A figure stepped forward and whispered something to the butler, who nodded slightly.

"Young Master, the Paper Puppeteer is back."

"Oh? Did he succeed?"

"Jian Changsheng has been brought back. Wen Shilin and Lin Yan were cunning; they didn't go home last night at all. However, he said he caught someone suspected to be related to them, and we should get results after soul scrutiny."

"The two most crucial people weren't caught..." Yan Xishou frowned slightly. "Grant him the authority for soul scrutiny. Tell him to use any method necessary to capture those two people today, dead or alive."

"Yes, sir."

Dim torches lit the dungeon corridor, as a hunchbacked man carrying paper figures walked slowly among the many cells. With his appearance, the guards stationed throughout the dungeon looked fearful; they silently lowered their heads, not daring to meet his gaze.

Finally, the hunchbacked man stopped before two of the cells. With a casual wave, two paper figures floated automatically into the cells. As the paper figures unfolded, two figures stumbled out of mid-air and were locked inside the cells.

"Keep a close eye on them. I'll go prepare for soul scrutiny," the hunchbacked man said calmly. "Bring them to the interrogation room in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir!" A man with a scarred face came forward and immediately replied.

The hunchbacked man was about to leave, but he turned back to look at Scarface. "I heard someone escaped from the dungeon a few days ago?"

At these words, sweat immediately beaded on Scarface's forehead. He forced a smile. "That... that was an accident..."

The hunchbacked man looked deeply at the two cells, then was silent for a moment. "Never mind. Both of these individuals are Divine Path users; you might not be able to control them. I'll come for them myself in a moment."

With that, the hunchbacked man waved his hand again. Two paper figures floated weightlessly from his side and positioned themselves at the dungeon's entrance and exit. Only then did he feel reassured, turning and walking towards the interrogation room.

With the hunchbacked man's departure, the atmosphere in the dungeon finally relaxed. Even so, the guards stationed everywhere still felt a chill down their spines as they looked at the two vivid, eerie paper figures by the entrance.

"Does he look down on us that much? He leaves, but still has to leave two lookouts," one guard in the dungeon said, a hint of displeasure in his expression after the man had gone far enough.

"Lower your voice. What if those two paper figures can hear?"

"Paper figures don't have ears; how could they hear?"

"How exactly did that guy named Jian escape last time? I still haven't figured it out..."

"It was uncanny back then. Everything was fine, then we rounded a corner on patrol and came back, and the cell was empty... as if he had evaporated into thin air."

"He's just an ordinary Martial Divine Path user; how could he just vanish? You must have overlooked something; that's how you let him escape."

"Who cares? Where could that kid run off to anyway? He's caught and brought back, isn't he? This time, keep a close eye on him. Absolutely do not let him escape again."

The guards chattered among themselves, with someone periodically checking Jian Changsheng's cell door. Their gazes were full of vigilance, seemingly afraid that if they turned away, Jian Changsheng would disappear again.

Jian Changsheng looked at his familiar surroundings, a bitter expression appearing on his wounded face.

"Circling back... I'm back again."

Jian Changsheng never imagined there would be a day he'd be captured and brought back. This time, he felt utterly despondent. He knew the Twilight Society wouldn't come to rescue him a second time, and it would be impossible for him to escape on his own. He had completely messed up this trial from the Twilight Society. What awaited him was perhaps endless soul scrutiny torture.

"Lin Yan? Are you okay?"

Jian Changsheng leaned weakly against the wall, remembering the unlucky fellow captured with him in the next cell, and spoke helplessly. No sound came from the next cell. Chen Ling was probably still unconscious, or perhaps too disappointed in Jian Changsheng's performance during the fight to bother responding.

"I'm sorry, that Puppet Divine Path user was too strong; I couldn't even get close to him," Jian Changsheng sighed. "This time, I've dragged you down..."

"I thought escaping from here would allow me to start my own life, but fate is cruel. I ended up back here again... Why is my life so miserable? I'm either being killed or being hunted. Ever since I embarked on this Asura Path, my luck has been terrible."

"Is this the price for talent? But I haven't even had a chance to use my talent!"

Jian Changsheng grumbled a few resentful words, his eyes filled with bitterness and helplessness. He was silent for a long time before speaking again:

"Not everyone can endure soul scrutiny. You need to be mentally prepared... Perhaps in ten minutes, it will be goodbye forever."

"Actually, I've been hiding some things from you. My name isn't Jian Wubing; it's Jian Changsheng..."

Given the circumstances, Jian Changsheng no longer needed to pretend. He spoke quietly and sadly, as if delivering his last words or bidding farewell to Chen Ling.

However, he was only halfway through when several patrolling guards passed his cell door. After glancing at him and confirming that Jian Changsheng hadn't vanished into thin air this time, they felt a slight sense of relief. Then their peripheral vision fell upon the other cell next door...

The next moment, they froze in place!

Scarface, who led the group, rubbed his eyes, his mouth agape in shock, as if he had seen a ghost!

"Damn it! Where's the person next door?!!!"