Shen Xihe’s pupils contracted slightly. “Soul-capturing technique? I’ve heard of it…”

She had indeed heard of it. Back in the Northwest, when her uncles gathered for drinks, as the alcohol took effect, they would inevitably reminisce, especially about the dramatic turns of events on the battlefield.

Father rarely participated, mostly just listening, comforting, or making occasional jokes. Only once did Father, with a grave expression, recount a battle where he had nearly not returned.

It was a campaign to stabilize the rear areas against a mysterious tribe from the Western Regions. The enemy was skilled in manipulating minds. As they passed through valleys, they would hear enchanting songs from the mountaintops. The women’s voices were incredibly bewitching – those weak of will would instantly fall into illusions, even turning their weapons against their comrades.

During night marches, they would constantly hear strange, chilling cries, like mournful whispers, as if surrounded by wandering ghosts. Some soldiers, unable to bear these haunting sounds, chose to end their own lives.

Such inexplicable occurrences were numerous. It was Shen Yueshan’s most devastating battle, yet he had endured it all. Then something even more terrifying happened – they encountered an ambush and were scattered. When the thick fog cleared and they regrouped, Shen Yueshan noticed nothing unusual.

Strange incidents began occurring frequently afterward. People around him started falling one by one. Shen Yueshan suspected someone had replaced his guards, but when he tested them, every single one proved genuine.

This left Shen Yueshan unable to easily suspect anyone – a wrong suspicion would lead to irreversible tragedy.

“Then what happened?” Xiao Huayong rarely heard Shen Xihe voluntarily speak about Shen Yueshan, especially regarding the mysterious soul-capturing technique, which made him even more curious.

“Then…” Shen Xihe lowered her eyes. “My father’s guard captain had been enchanted and became a traitor…”

This person was very similar to the current Yu Wulang – he knew what he was doing and its consequences, was unafraid of discovery, and felt no remorse for his actions.

“Would Youyou like to know how I learned of such extraordinary magic?” Xiao Huayong asked softly.

Shen Xihe composed herself and looked up at Xiao Huayong. Her gaze suggested she found it natural that he would know – in her eyes, he was someone who knew everything, ancient and modern, with vast capabilities. “Was there a special reason?”

Xiao Huayong nodded slightly, his lips barely moving, his voice calm: “I was once under such a spell.”

Shen Xihe stood up abruptly, looking at him anxiously.

A noble lady should maintain composure and grace – aristocratic women were expected to be exemplars of proper behavior and deportment.

This was the first time Xiao Huayong had seen the ornaments in Shen Xihe’s hair shake so violently. He couldn’t help but smile: “It was when I was ten years old. I kept feeling something rhythmically resonating in my ears. Whenever these sounds occurred, it was as if someone was whispering suggestions to me. I couldn’t make out what was being said, but it felt like an invisible rope trying to bind me tightly…”

At that time, he hadn’t yet come into his full power. Though Tianyuan and others were already by his side, they were far from their current capabilities. He had told Tianyuan to investigate, but they couldn’t discover who was behind these supernatural occurrences.

“What happened then?” Shen Xihe asked eagerly, just as Xiao Huayong had earlier.

“Later…” Xiao Huayong’s smile remained unchanged, but a cold glint appeared in his eyes, making his smile spine-chilling. “I couldn’t shake off these bewitching sounds, nor could I find where they were coming from, so I decided to play along…”

He planned to stop resisting and see what this person’s true intentions were.

However, he hadn’t expected to experience a complete blank in his mind for a period. He had no recollection of his actions, and when he regained consciousness, ten days had passed. He couldn’t remember anything he had done during those ten days.

Yet Tianyuan, who had been constantly by his side, said that during those ten days, he had been himself, behaving normally each day without doing anything unusual.

Shen Xihe grew very concerned upon hearing this: “You never remembered what happened during those ten days? Were you ever bewitched again?”

“Never,” Xiao Huayong held her hand. “I can’t recall anything from those ten days, and no one has ever bewitched me since. I’m no longer the ten-year-old child I was then.”

Let alone that his current position was well-protected and ordinary people could hardly approach him, even if someone did break through multiple barriers and infiltrate his inner circle, his current willpower…

Thinking of this, looking at the worried Shen Xihe, Xiao Huayong smiled softly: “Today, only you can bewitch me.”

Such a serious and thrilling conversation was suddenly interrupted by Xiao Huayong’s flirtatious remark. Shen Xihe was caught off guard, her expression fluctuating between clear and clouded, seemingly unsure whether to relax or be angry.

This made Xiao Huayong laugh briefly as he took her hands and gently kissed her knuckles.

Taking a deep breath, Shen Xihe returned to the main topic: “Did you ever find out who cast the spell on you back then? Why they did do it?”

“Never found out.” Xiao Huayong’s smile vanished. “Later, while traveling abroad, I met an expert in this art. Through a coincidental shared hardship, he gave me some guidance.

Only then did I learn I had been under a soul-capturing spell. This expert used his methods to test me, confirmed I was no longer under any spell, then departed.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t recruit such a talented individual,” Shen Xihe said, somewhat amazed.

“Though I eagerly seek talent, I can recognize that some people are like birds soaring in the ninth heaven – if caged, they either lose their ability to survive or gradually decline until they die of depression.” Why force something you admire?

No wonder his people were so loyal to him. Shen Xihe nodded internally, approving of Xiao Huayong’s breadth of mind and temperament.

Born to imperial privilege, enjoying compliance and smooth sailing from birth, most developed an intolerant disposition. Just straight dictatorship – if they couldn’t have what they wanted, they’d rather destroy it.

“Youyou have finally discovered another of my good qualities.” Xiao Huayong was smugly pleased.

Shen Xihe couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. While he tried to divert the conversation, she pulled it back on track: “So, Yu Wulang is under someone’s soul-capturing spell. Prince Jing has such capable people behind him!”

She looked intently at Xiao Huayong: “Beichen, do you have a way to break this spell?”

Yu Wulang’s sabotage of the reservoir was a fact – even if he was under a spell, he couldn’t escape responsibility. Shen Xihe had achieved her goal, but she didn’t want to let Xiao Changyan off so easily, especially now that she knew he had such a dangerous person hidden behind him. This person needed to be rooted out.