A master of metaphysics is farming.

Chapter 166 The Art of Soul Swapping

He was physically weak but had flesh on his thighs. His forehead was red with a hint of black. His nose was straight but fleshy, and his nose tip was round with a bluish-gray tinge.

The most terrifying thing was that when Xiang He saw her face, there were clearly two outlines that did not completely overlap, making Ye Shuyao look unreal.

Her words carried a hint of disdain, and her tone suggested that she knew Xiang He quite well.

When she saw Ye Shuyao for the last time, a thought suddenly came to her mind. She used her fingertips to calculate the eight characters of the lotus flower. She never expected that Ye Shuyao would die young and then come back to life after being suspended in the void.

Since fleeing Xiangjia Village, no one has heard from Xiang Lianhua. As a weak woman, she either needs to rely on others to survive.

“You are Xiang Lianhua.” Xiang He picked up the large umbrella and slowly approached. “Your Excellency is from a prestigious family, yet your words and actions are frivolous and you do not resemble a lady of high birth at all.”

Her voice wasn't loud, and the two of them weren't close to the visitors, so only the two of them could hear her.

The two were less than half a meter apart, and Ye Shuyao had already become the center of attention. Xiang Lianhua's eyes were full of arrogance, as if she had been favored by her status, and at this moment she was superior to everyone else.

Ye Shuyao snorted softly, lifted her shoulder slightly, and whispered in Xiang He's ear, "I knew it! How could a person suddenly change their personality like that? It turns out it wasn't a ghost that possessed them, but a spirit that possessed them."

Her eyes were full of contempt. "You hurt me so badly back then. Now I, Xiang Lianhua, have changed completely. I have wealth and power in my hands. You won't have an easy time from now on."

The provocative words echoed in her ears. Xiang He turned away with a forced smile, "Don't think that having a status will make you successful overnight; in the end, you're still just a village girl from Xiangjia Village. You're still just a village girl from there. You'll never become a lady of a prominent family in your life."

Once you cross a new identity, you realize how unbearable your past was.

For Xiang Lianhua, life in Xiangjia Village and her family were a disgrace.

Xiang He struck a nerve with her, her arrogance now obscured by anger, her cold face making her already disjointed features appear even more terrifying.

Seeing her sudden change in expression, he was now quite certain that it was Xiang Lianhua.

Xiang He chuckled, turned around, and picked up the silver on the table. "Thank you for the consultation fee, Miss Ye. Please come again."

She tossed the silver in her hand, and He Sui'an followed behind her. The two of them left the shop together.

"Is she Xiang Lianhua?"

Xiang He was holding the silver coins, which were shining in the sunlight. He nodded slightly. "The soul was switched. It must have been that rainy night. The old woman said she heard the words 'Save me.' It must have been the original owner's voice calling out."

That night, trouble broke out in the Qi family, and a soul-swapping ritual was being performed elsewhere. Was this all part of a pre-planned scheme...?

A shadow fell, and He Sui'an took the silver from her hand. "You think it was the Imperial Advisor's doing?"

With his hands behind his back, he nudged He Nu with his chin in thought, "It should be... She won't say, but since the Imperial Advisor knows about the soul-swapping technique, I wonder if he has any way to get me back..."

Seeing the wistful look in her eyes, He Sui'an blinked to suppress the disappointment in her eyes.

"Shouldn't you be concerned about Ye Shuyao's original body first? Where did she go? And why did the Imperial Preceptor perform this soul-swapping technique?"

"This is truly a difficult problem..." Xiang He sighed softly, "Xiang Ling seems to have a grudge against me, and the Imperial Advisor has no intention of seeing me either. What should I do..."

They were so close to the truth, yet they were at a loss.

Seeing her troubled expression, He Suian tossed a silver coin into his hand, "Don't you know how to summon spirits? See if you can summon Ye Shuyao."

"I don't have her birth date and time, so it's a bit difficult."

He Sui'an opened her palm and placed the silver on it. "If Xiang Lianhua can possess her, does that mean someone whose birth charts don't match can?"

Suddenly enlightened, Xiang He grasped He Suian's hand and exclaimed, "How did I become so stupid!" As she held his hand, she also grabbed He Suian's fingers, shaking her hand excitedly, "It's all thanks to your quick thinking!"

The two appeared to be shaking hands on the street, and onlookers teased the young couple about their good relationship.

Both of them had good hearing, and Xiang He immediately let go of his hand when she realized what was happening. "I was too excited... Sorry."

He Sui'an gave a light shout and put his hands behind his back, "Let's go, let's go to the West Market and take a look at Rongxing's shop."

"go!"

With a solution found, Xiang He's mood immediately improved.

The two walked ahead, with Xing Ji and Zhu Nan following closely behind. As soon as the four of them arrived at Ping'an Avenue, they heard a burst of cheers.

The group looked over at the same time and saw a troop of soldiers marching towards the entrance of Ping'an Avenue, which connects to the city gate, amidst the cheers of the people.

The general at the front rode a large black horse and was clad in black armor. As they drew closer, his features became clearer: deep-set eyes and a smiling face as he waved to the people.

As he turned his gaze, his eyes met Xiang He's, and he nodded to her.

Xiang He tilted her head in confusion, "Is that the general?" She saw He Sui'an also looking at the general, his deep gaze revealing a peculiar smile, "You know him?"

He didn't answer, but just watched the line get closer and closer, and he reached out and pulled Xiang He back a little.

As soon as they stopped, the procession approached. The general on the black horse smiled and turned his head. "Long time no see. And this gentleman is...?"

"You go to the palace first, and we can have a drink another day when you have some free time."

The general raised an eyebrow slightly, squeezed the horse's flanks with his legs, and the black horse rode away amidst cheers.

As the crowd receded into the distance, Xiang He moved the hand that had been grabbed, saying, "You know quite a lot of people."

He Suian withdrew his hand and walked towards the West Market. "I made many friends while traveling and studying, but I met him eight years ago."

Xiang He followed slowly, the large umbrella swirling behind him. "No wonder... you know soldiers, you know businessmen, your friends have quite a wide range of interests."

Hearing her words, I vaguely recalled my past experiences, and a smile appeared on my lips. "We all achieved our youthful ambitions."

"Huh?" Xiang He looked up in realization. "So you two had a promise!"

Such youthful ambition, so full of youthful energy!

He Sui'an glanced at her sideways and said, "The three of us met in Jinzhou eight years ago and made vows to each other. Now, only I am missing."

This was something Xiang He hadn't expected; the three of them had actually met at the same time.

"You're only missing the palace examination, aren't you? Let's go back early. We won't go anywhere today. We'll take you to the palace gate tomorrow morning."

Looking back, it seems she was very nervous about the imperial examination. Even if something was very important, she would put it aside and do it after the examination.

He knew Xiang He was trying to put him at ease, but it seemed like she was taking it too seriously.

Her gaze flickered, a glint of light appearing in her eyes. "Why are you so worried about my exam?"

He could clearly see the glint in Xiang He's eyes. He hesitated for a moment, then quickly smiled and said, "As the old saying goes, of all professions, only studying is noble; without a belly full of knowledge, one cannot even do business."

She walked with a cheerful gait, saying, "Of course you should value your ability; it's very difficult to climb the ladder of success here, not to mention your lofty ambitions. I can't hold you back."

Even the uncouth people in Xiangjia Village know they should learn a few characters.

Xiang He could guess what he was thinking, but right now he shouldn't focus on himself; instead, he should first realize his own ambitions.

Having the ability to criticize with words and actions, he still needed even greater power to help him fight against the He family.

"Let's go. Mirror Flower Water Moon must miss us. We always leave them to watch the house."