Zhuge Mingyue's face immediately darkened.
"Do you think Nightmare-level ghosts are handed out freely?" she scoffed. "And furthermore, our Thunder Talisman Master Sect doesn't even have any Nightmare-level ghosts. Not even a basic one."
The Thunder Talisman Master Sect strictly forbids the breeding of ghosts.
"Do you think I'm some kind of charity? That I'll simply return the Thunder Talisman to you without reason?" Mo Lin retorted in the same tone.
For Mo Lin, the Thunder Talisman still had other uses; he certainly wouldn't return it so easily.
"Tch..." Zhuge Mingyue huffed coldly. If she hadn't known how powerful Mo Lin was, she might have even attempted to snatch the Thunder Talisman by force.
"I heard you're now the deputy director of the Ghost Command Association?" Zhuge Mingyue asked, looking at Mo Lin.
"Yes," Mo Lin nodded.
"I advise you to reconsider that position," Zhuge Mingyue cautioned him kindly.
"Why?" Mo Lin asked, knowing that Zhuge Mingyue was not the type to make baseless suggestions—there must be something she knew, which made her offer such advice.
"Because you will die," Zhuge Mingyue said plainly. "Everyone in the North Sea Ghost Command Association will perish."
"Seriously? Is death just a casual affair in your world?" Mo Lin teased her lightly.
"Do you think I'm joking?" Zhuge Mingyue's tone hardened. "This isn't aimed at you personally. It's aimed at the entire North Sea Ghost Command Association. Someone wants to see it disappear from the North Sea altogether."
This had nothing to do with Mo Lin directly. He had simply been inadvertently drawn into this matter.
"Tell me why," Mo Lin asked, his expression turning serious.
Zhuge Mingyue extended her hand again.
"Give me the Thunder Talisman, and I'll tell you everything."
"Not a chance!" Mo Lin scoffed. He wasn't foolish enough to trade the Thunder Talisman for just a snippet of information.
"If you don't give me the Thunder Talisman, then I have nothing more to say," Zhuge Mingyue said, leaving the conversation unfinished to irritate Mo Lin.
Suddenly, Mo Lin remembered something and asked, "Do you know Ice Jade?"
"I do. Her entire family was slaughtered. Her father stole the Thunder Talisman from the Thunder Talisman Master Sect to avenge them."
This wasn't just something Zhuge Mingyue knew—most of the North Sea was aware of this, and a simple inquiry would reveal the truth.
"Who killed her?" Mo Lin's gaze darkened, a murderous intent flickering in his eyes.
"Are you planning to avenge Ice Jade?" Zhuge Mingyue asked, noticing the killing intent emanating from Mo Lin.
"It's because they provoked me. I just want to ask," Mo Lin said, his voice cool.
The ones behind Ice Jade's death had planned to use her to kill Mo Lin, and that crossed his bottom line.
"People don't bother me, and I don't bother them. But if you provoke me, then I'll show you just how powerful I can be," Mo Lin thought silently. He didn't often lose his temper, but that didn't mean he couldn't handle anyone who dared to provoke him.
And recently, the one who had killed Ice Jade was planning to control her again. Fortunately, Ice Jade was trapped within the Ghost Suppression Book, and their plans had failed.
"I don't know," Zhuge Mingyue replied, not wanting to share further.
Mo Lin slowly retrieved the blue Thunder Talisman.
"If you don't speak, I'll tear this Thunder Talisman up," he threatened.
"You dare?" Zhuge Mingyue shot him a sharp look.
"What do you think?" Mo Lin replied calmly. "This thing is just a tool to me, but I'm sure it holds far more meaning for you."
His words struck at the core of Zhuge Mingyue's heart. The Thunder Talisman was, after all, her grandfather's legacy and a treasured artifact of the Thunder Talisman Master Sect. She couldn't afford for it to come to any harm.
"Are you going to speak?" Mo Lin pressed.
Zhuge Mingyue sighed in defeat.
"Fine. Tomorrow, come to the North Sea Hotel, and I'll let you meet the mastermind behind Ice Jade's family's massacre."
"Okay," Mo Lin nodded.
Zhuge Mingyue grimaced, turning and walking away.
At the North Sea Hotel.
Mo Lin, wearing a black coat, arrived at the hotel and waited for Zhuge Mingyue.
He couldn't quite figure out why so many people had gathered at the hotel today.
In less than ten minutes, over a hundred people had arrived.
Another ten minutes passed, and finally, Zhuge Mingyue appeared.
She was dressed in a white coat, her hair neatly tied up, exuding an elegant aura. Her fair cheeks carried a hint of joy as she smiled, chatting with a man beside her.
She then approached Mo Lin.
"Let's go. Follow me inside," Zhuge Mingyue said, leading him into the lobby.
"I'm only bringing you to meet that person. Don't cause any trouble," she warned with a hint of caution.
"Alright," Mo Lin agreed.
"Is there some special occasion today?" he asked. "Why are there so many people here?"
Zhuge Mingyue answered slowly, "It's just a simple exchange meeting for the North Sea. The people here are all influential figures in the ghost-catching circle."
Zhuge Mingyue had been invited to this gathering as well.
Mo Lin didn't recognize anyone here, but one thing did strike him as odd.
There were no members of the Ghost Command Association present. It was almost as if this group was deliberately excluding them.
4o