The Wicked System: Path of the Devourer Chapter 22 The Price of Power

Hearing this, Qin Lan panicked, but the mind of a mature woman was not as fragile as that of a young girl.

Realizing Zhang Wenbin's arousal, she smiled seductively. Her jade hands gently caressed Zhang Wenbin's leg as she said coquettishly, "Master, what's so fun about a little girl? They don't know how to dote on a man, nor do they know how to serve one properly. I haven't even had the pleasure of enjoying Master's massive cock yet. How could I let someone else have it so easily?"

"Hehe. You're quite the smooth talker. I couldn't tell Teacher Qin was so articulate."

As she spoke, her eyes shimmered with a mist of tears. With the spring of lust in her gaze and the seductive charm in her smile, her mature womanly allure was something Zhang Wenbin found impossibly difficult to resist, even while bolstered by the power of ten thousand vengeful souls.

Fuck it... to hell with this 'cauldron' nonsense. Better to enjoy the pleasures of the moment.

Unable to control himself, his hands moved downwards, unapologetically grabbing her plump breasts for a vicious knead. The dark fire of lust burning within him instantly surged to a roaring blaze.

Seeing her seduction take effect, Qin Lan let out a delicate moan. Rising to her knees, she thrust her chest forward, allowing the man an even better angle to aggressively play with her breasts.

Zhang Wenbin was on the verge of losing control completely. But right at that moment—Dong! The clock in the room chimed. The dull, heavy sound of the old-fashioned quartz clock caused Zhang Wenbin's entire body to shudder.

Qin Lan hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, Master! I forgot to turn this clock off!"

She was terrified that she had ruined Zhang Wenbin's mood. As a mother, her immediate instinct was to draw all the man's fiery lust onto herself so he could vent his desires entirely on her—after all, her daughter's bedroom was just one wall away.

If this man's bestial urges flared out of control, she knew perfectly well she couldn't possibly stop him. This was her only viable option at the moment.

Zhang Wenbin let go of her and stood up. Turning his head, he saw the hour hand had landed exactly on five o'clock.

Seeing Zhang Wenbin neither angry nor smiling, Qin Lan grew frantic with terror. Scrambling to hug Zhang Wenbin's leg, she cried, "Master, it was my oversight! You can punish me however you wish..."

"The Gu master must have told you that every feeding needs to be completed before the Yin hour arrives, which is why you specifically set this alarm."

Having lost all interest, Zhang Wenbin said dismissively while getting dressed, "The Yin hour corresponds to the Tiger. When the tiger roars, the sun rises, and daylight appears. From the perspective of time, this is the exact moment Yin and Yang intersect. We are about to transition from Yin to Yang, from night to day. It is an hour of great taboo."

In many places, the final quarter of the Yin hour was considered the period where Yang first budded and Yin was completely depleted. This was an exceptionally unique period where both Yang and Yin were at their absolute weakest. Not a single practitioner of the vile path would dare to ignore this highly specific point in time.

Remembering the Godfather System's warnings, Zhang Wenbin instantly calmed down. Devoid of sexual interest, his only thought now was to retreat safely while he still could.

"Yes!" Qin Lan didn't find this strange in the slightest, because the teenage boy before her was obviously an incredibly powerful, seasoned expert.

"Put your clothes on!"

The next time Yang Qiang woke up, it was on his own living room floor. Qin Lan was already dressed impeccably and looked profoundly dignified. Like a gentle, virtuous wife, she exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Husband! You're finally awake! You scared me to death!"

Saying this, she approached with a warm towel to wipe his face. But Yang Qiang was in no mood for such things. Shoving her aside, he demanded, "How did I pass out? Where is the gentleman? Where did Master Zhang go?"

Qin Lan fell to the floor, but didn't show a hint of anger. She merely replied, "That boy said he was waiting for you outside. He said you'd wake up on your own once you rested for a bit."

Standing up and feeling a bit dizzy, Yang Qiang hurriedly gathered his things and asked, "How did I faint?"

"I don't know! You were just talking, and then you completely passed out."

Using a tone of slight dissatisfaction, Qin Lan said, "I was so frantic I almost cried, and I wanted to call an ambulance. But he stopped me very roughly, saying it wasn't necessary and that you'd wake up naturally in a bit."

"What the fuck do you know?! Call what ambulance?! Are you cursing me to die?!"

"I didn't, I was just worried about your health..."

Before Qin Lan could even finish, Yang Qiang stumbled out the door and sprinted away.

The fragile, weak demeanor she had just displayed instantly vanished, nowhere to be seen. It was immediately replaced by a look of sheer hatred and profound, venomous resentment.

Collapsing heavily onto the floor, her face was a mask of sheer panic and utter bewilderment. Because the small bowl had been taken away by Zhang Wenbin!

She had witnessed it with her own eyes: that terrifying Ghost Infant had shrunken down significantly to sleep peacefully inside the bowl. In his hands, a heretical, malevolent artifact cursed with black magic looked like a mere child's toy.

"Stop using this trashy, unrefined garbage. I don't know which third-rate hack from Southeast Asia you sought out, but there's one thing you've definitely been scammed on. Did you really think you were only feeding it visible breast milk?"

"In reality, you've been feeding it your very destiny, including your destined lifespan. It might not look like a problem right now, but when Yang Qiang finally dies, you'll have lost at least half your life as well."

The man had smiled evilly. "You are now my slave. If you get yourself killed by this kind of low-class, trashy trick, it will make me lose face. So, if you really want Yang Qiang dead, I can find you another way. Since you don't know a damn thing about the occult, it's best you stop touching these kinds of cursed items."

After all, the man before her was brought home by her husband. Outwardly respectful but secretly unwilling to give up, Qin Lan had gritted her silver teeth and said, "This slave girl will obey Master's every command. It's just... Master said the origins of this item are shady. Could there be any side effects?"

"You're quite clever. Clever enough to be a good bitch for me. At least you aren't stupid."

Right in front of her, Zhang Wenbin had held the small bowl and chuckled casually. "You must have spent a massive amount of money begging for this, right? Did you think that just because you bought it, it actually belonged to you?"

"Isn't that the case?" Qin Lan asked, genuinely surprised.

Zhang Wenbin burst out laughing. "Cult leaders love idiots like you! You piously show up to deliver them money, only to get played like a fiddle! Anyone with even an ounce of actual ability wouldn't touch this kind of petty trinket. Not because it’s dangerous, but because it’s beneath them."

"You keep feeding this thing until your destiny runs out and you can't feed it anymore, and then it'll turn on you. After it takes your life... where do you think it goes?"

Qin Lan was indeed very smart. Even as a layman, she grasped the implication instantly. Her face turned stark white. "You mean... the master is using me to raise this thing. And once I die and lose all value, this thing will return to his hands?"

"That's the best-case scenario. However, the cultivation level of anyone willing to touch these kinds of things is never particularly deep. They're all wild, unorthodox hacks who can't show their faces in the light of day. He might have the ambition, but he doesn't necessarily have the ability. The real fear is that after you've raised this thing to maturity, even he won't be able to control it."

"If he can't control it... what happens?" The more Qin Lan heard, the more horrified she became.

Zhang Wenbin chuckled wickedly. "If your destiny happens to be strong and you feed this thing well enough to unlock its sentience... its death was inherently full of grievance, and it's impossible for it to reincarnate. Once you, its 'mother', disappear, it will either become a malicious spirit that haunts the world and slaughters everyone it comes across... or, clinging to the so-called 'maternal love' you gave it, it will desperately want to be reborn as a human. Without the ability to reincarnate, its primal instinct will drive it to possess your daughter in a Duoshe, entirely replacing her..."

"No... No! That can't happen!"

Hearing this, Qin Lan became intensely agitated and yelled, "I don't care if I live or die! But my daughter cannot be harmed!"

"Whether you live or die isn't up to you!"

While Zhang Wenbin was speaking, Qin Lan—whether it was an illusion or not—clearly saw something resembling an umbilical cord connecting her directly to the Ghost Infant. The cord was densely covered in unreadable runic inscriptions. It radiated an aura of extreme wickedness and profound eeriness.

With a casual flick of his wrist, Zhang Wenbin snapped the connection. "I don't possess a heart full of merciful compassion. I also know that your mental fortitude surpasses that of average women. Today, I'm helping you deal with this mess not because you falsely, hypocritically call me 'Master.' I'm doing it because I discovered something far more interesting."

The moment the umbilical cord was severed, Qin Lan felt her body grow weak, yet simultaneously felt immensely relieved. Unable to remain standing, she slumped to the floor, asking with even greater terror, "Something more interesting?! What is it?"

Zhang Wenbin glanced toward her daughter's room and let out a wicked chuckle. "For now, I can't be bothered to go look. But there is definitely something fishy going on with your daughter. Speaking of which... you truly are a wonderfully fascinating woman."

The moment those words were spoken, the blood completely drained from Qin Lan's face. Her mouth opened, but her lips trembled so violently she couldn't utter a single syllable.

By then, Zhang Wenbin had long since strode out of the room. Before she even had time to fully react, Yang Qiang woke up. Fortunately, this woman's psychological endurance was astonishing; from start to finish, her performance never revealed a single flaw.

As soon as Yang Qiang hurried out of the door, he spotted Zhang Wenbin and frantically asked, "Master! How is it?!"

"Take me back to the hotel. We'll talk on the way." Zhang Wenbin was a little anxious. The final quarter of the Yin hour was about to pass.

According to Godfather System's instructions, his nearly omnipotent abilities only worked during the night. So, he had to hurry back to the hotel before the sky brightened to avoid his facade crumbling.

The car hit the road. Even though the sky was still pitch black without even a sliver of the fish-belly white of dawn showing, Zhang Wenbin could already feel the magical power circulating through his body slowly dissipating, bit by bit.

Yang Qiang didn't dare to ask too many questions, but his apprehension was glaringly obvious. The most pressing matter right now was to stabilize him.

Zhang Wenbin pulled out the small skull bowl and said, "That little thing has been temporarily pacified."

The driver, possessing mortal eyes, couldn't see anything. However, the sight gave Yang Qiang an intense fright. The Ghost Infant had shrunken down significantly and was sleeping peacefully inside the bowl. Although its purplish-black body was utterly horrifying, its expression was incredibly tranquil, exactly like a normal sleeping baby. This intense contrast made one's skin crawl.

Anxiously, Yang Qiang asked, "Master, is there a problem with my house?"

Zhang Wenbin countered, "I don't believe so. When was the last time you went home?"

"Uh... three months ago."

Yang Qiang's words gave Zhang Wenbin pause. It's truly bizarre for someone to only return home once every three months. Even if a married couple’s relationship is fractured and they have lovers on the side, they should at least put on a show for the public, right? It seems the story behind this couple is going to be incredibly fascinating.

As Yang Qiang spoke awkwardly, Zhang Wenbin suddenly raised his hand and completely unexpectedly slapped him across the face! The smack was exceptionally crisp and loud.

Yang Qiang had no idea what was happening. Too stunned to even hold his face, he sat there completely dumbfounded. However, his driver instantly pulled the car over to the side of the road, keeping his hands on the steering wheel while glaring menacingly at Zhang Wenbin like a tiger ready to pounce.

"Keep driving! This doesn't concern you!"

Even though Yang Qiang was scared out of his wits, as an official who had carved out a successful career path, he was naturally no ordinary person. Snapping out of his daze, he barked at the driver without changing his expression. Hearing this, the driver didn't say another word and continued driving.

Not even daring to hold his stinging cheek, Yang Qiang smiled obsequiously and asked, "Master, where is the problem?"

"You're playing me for a fool and wasting my time."

Having already formulated a response, Zhang Wenbin played with the bone bowl. Smiling without any genuine warmth, he said, "You actually had me investigate a place you haven't visited in three months? You think I'm an idiot, don't you?"

"What's the issue, Master?" Rather than getting angry, Yang Qiang asked with pure piety.

Holding up the ancient bowl, Zhang Wenbin said, "No matter how malevolent an occult artifact is, it still has its limitations. Let alone this thing—even if you raised a dog, it would starve to death if you neglected to feed it for a few days. If you haven't been back in three months, that place is fundamentally ruled out as the source."

"If left unfed for ten days, this thing would have gone completely berserk and initiated a backlash. The fact that it's sitting so obediently right now means it was fed within the last five days at the very latest. Therefore, the person doing this to you must be someone who sees you every two to three days at a minimum, if not every single day."

Hearing this, Yang Qiang subtly shot a suspicious glance at his driver before asking piously once more, "Master, what if this person interacts with me every day?"

Zhang Wenbin chuckled wickedly. "Then you would have died a lot faster. Your wife has been cleared of suspicion. As evil as these occult items are, they can't escape certain foundational limitations. Trying to raise a Gu to steal someone's life without seeing them for three months? Even an Immortal descending to the mortal realm couldn't pull that off."

"It must be someone from my workplace!" Yang Qiang growled, grinding his teeth.

Zhang Wenbin declared lightly, "As for exactly who it is, it's difficult to track down now. From the moment I neutralized this little guy, the opposing party completely severed their connection. It will be quite difficult to use my methods to fish them out now."

"Severed?" Yang Qiang asked curiously.

"Indeed. He was absolutely terrified of me. Terrified that I’d follow the metaphysical vine to trace it straight back to him. This proves that they are just an ordinary person and not an occult expert holding the reins. God only knows what consequences such a reckless severance will bring."

Hearing this, Yang Qiang grew a bit scared. "Master, what will the consequences be?"

Zhang Wenbin looked at him and smiled genuinely. "The consequence is straightforward. With its connection severed, there's no one feeding this little thing anymore. Therefore, out of pure habit, it will cling directly to you and unabashedly drain you dry until you're completely dead."

"And after that, it will very likely go completely insane and kill its original master as well. The reason these occult tricks are so rare isn't because they are inherently difficult to cast, but because the variables are too large and far too difficult to control."

Yang Qiang flew into a towering rage. "You mean to say the mastermind behind all this lost their nerve after being discovered?! They severed the tie to cover their tracks, hoping for mutual destruction to ensure they don't get exposed?!"

"It's possible. But it's also possible they simply weren't aware that the consequences would be severe enough to cause a backlash on themselves."

Zhang Wenbin didn't know why his eloquence was suddenly so stellar—it was most likely an enhancement from the Godfather System. His ability to swindle and bluff was improving by leaps and bounds.

"I can't track down the mastermind for the time being. But it is definitively someone you interact with frequently. For this curse to be cast, they must constantly stay in your proximity. You must meet at least every three to five days, or even see each other daily."

Upon hearing this, a murderous glint flashed through Yang Qiang's narrowed eyes. As for exactly who he was suspecting, Zhang Wenbin didn't care in the slightest. Whoever Yang Qiang suspected was utterly out of luck.

Zhang Wenbin chuckled wickedly. "You can handle the investigation yourself. I'm going to take a long nap, and then I'll exterminate this little thing. At the very least, you get to keep your life."

"Master, how exactly are you going to deal with it?"

Despite his relief, Yang Qiang remained deeply frightened. Having seen the Ghost Infant with his own eyes, his heart still quaked intensely while gazing at the evil artifact.

His magical power almost entirely drained, Zhang Wenbin gritted his teeth and sealed the Ghost Infant inside the bowl. "I'll perform a rite of supererogation, an exorcism to help it cross over. This little guy might not be high-grade, but dealing with it incorrectly would still be a massive headache. Fortunately, the Lin family has the grand Gold Seal Paper Fall array layout. Since this little guy hasn't unlocked its full sentience yet, exorcising it within that array shouldn't be difficult."

"Tianlong Hotel's Feng Shui array?!" This raised further questions for Yang Qiang.

"Hehe! Consider this your absolute good fortune. The Gold Seal Paper Fall array is perfectly suited to suppress it." Feeling the power inside his body rapidly evaporating, Zhang Wenbin released a huge yawn. He felt unbearably exhausted.

By the time they arrived back at the Tianlong Hotel, the very first sliver of fish-belly white had pierced the sky. Zhang Wenbin was yawning practically nonstop, entirely unable to keep his eyes open.

"Master, I'll wait for you right here! Please give me a call when you wake up!!"

A sharp ringing erupted in Zhang Wenbin's ears. His head was spinning, and his consciousness grew increasingly blurry. His body felt as if it had entirely lost its equilibrium. Staggering, he collapsed helplessly to the floor, panting from sheer suffocation. His only cohesive thought was to desperately crawl towards the bed.

But before he even reached the mattress, a total blackout claimed him.

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