Six Doors!

That's when I remembered where I'd heard of those techniques!

It turned out that Jiu Gui had mentioned them to me before.

Six Doors constables aren't Jianghu (martial world) practitioners. They don't need to be secretive in their actions, nor do they need to explain anything to their employers. They're quick to act and quick to handle matters.

They're known as being able to: 'Summon ghosts with one command, dispatch gods with another.'

What that person drew on the tree earlier was the Six Doors' 'He Gui Ling' (Ghost Appeasement Command), wasn't it?

I squatted down and slapped him across the face. "Speak human language!"

He was stunned by the slap. "Big brother, what do you mean by this?"

I said coldly, "Six Doors has long since faded away. Where in the world is there a Six Doors?"

I wasn't just spouting nonsense. The truth was that Six Doors didn't exist anymore.

Six Doors had been gradually declining since the late Qing Dynasty. With the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Six Doors was also disbanded. Since then, Six Doors has never been reorganized.

Six Doors existed from the Tang Dynasty all the way to the Qing Dynasty. It could be said to be the longest-existing Yamen (government office), or the longest-existing sect.

There were two reasons why Six Doors was able to continue for so long. One was because their identity was that of constables, but only constables. They didn't participate in court politics, nor would they sacrifice themselves for the dynasty's demise.

The other reason was that the dynasty needed them to continue monitoring the Jianghu.

During the chaotic wars after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, no one needed the Six Doors people to do anything anymore. Naturally, they had to find another way to survive.

The once-famous Six Doors had since disappeared without a trace.

The man I had slapped senseless shouted, "Everything I said is true! I am a descendant of the Six Doors!"

I reached out and tore his sleeve down, exposing his shoulder, and slapped him again. "Damn you, trying to deceive me? I think you've lived long enough."

Six Doors disciples have special hidden marks on their shoulders. They use the Four Symbols (Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise) and numbers to represent their identities.

For example, if 'Azure Dragon' was written above 'twenty-one,' it would mean that his code name in Six Doors was Dragon Twenty-One, and his main area of activity was in the east.

The man said with a mournful face, "Big brother, I really didn't lie to you!"

"My boss is Bei Yan Yun Gui (North Wild Goose Returning to the Clouds). Please, give him some face!"

My brows furrowed slightly. "Say that again. Who is your boss?"

The man thought I was intimidated by Bei Yan Yun Gui's name. "My boss is Bei Yan Yun Gui. Code name: Dragon One."

"Oh—" I drawled out an "oh," and then slapped him again. "I haven't heard of Dragon One, only Dog Three."

While I was arguing with that man, one of them tried to run away while I wasn't paying attention, but before he could get out of the alley, Feng Ruoxing kicked him back.

Feng Ruoxing and Ye Yang arrived, carrying a person in their hands.

I threw the man I was holding next to Feng Ruoxing's feet. "I'll leave him to you. Interrogate him well. I have other things to do here."

I left the man and walked into the alley with Wang Xiaohuan.

I didn't have time to waste words with them. If I missed the time, it would be difficult to find the ghost.

It would take some time for me to light the white candles and set out the offerings to summon the ghost. That time would be just enough for Feng Ruoxing to handle things.

I walked back to Feng Ruoxing and said, "Feng Ruoxing, how did the interrogation of those people who claimed to be from Six Doors go?"

Feng Ruoxing said, "They've spilled everything they know. I've already dealt with them."

"There is indeed someone secretly reorganizing Six Doors. The Bei Yan family is one of the main forces behind the reorganization."

"The Bei Yan family was the leader of the Azure Dragon in the Six Doors back then."

"Those people first searched for the descendants of the Six Doors who were scattered among the people back then. After several years of searching, they found some of them. However, most of these people are useless. Only the Bei Yan family and the Song family have some talent."

"For Six Doors people to want to gain a foothold in the Jianghu and reopen Six Doors with this rabble is simply wishful thinking."

"So, they thought of the elite branch of Six Doors that remained in the secret realm."

I interrupted Feng Ruoxing here. "Is that elite branch the Xianyang River guard?"

"I don't know!" Feng Ruoxing said, "Those three people were too low-level and hadn't come into contact with that level."

"However, I think the elite they're talking about should be in the Xianyang River."

"I really can't think of any other force in the術道 (Shudao, the world of esoteric arts) that can rise up and dominate one side?"

I nodded. "Yes, your speculation should be correct. What else?"

Feng Ruoxing said, "Those three people said that they were also ordered to find a woman surnamed Luan in the hospital. After finding her, they were to take her back. They didn't know anything else."

I lit a cigarette and said through gritted teeth, "Leng Gou, we've probably been played."

Ye Yang said coldly, "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath of smoke and said, "What Bei Yan Jinyun disappeared! I think someone set up a trap!"