Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The ship sailed on, the setting sun casting shimmering, rippling light across the sea. A few gentle swells occasionally broke the surface. Liu Nanzhou sat quietly at the bow, deep in thought, his hair and hair ribbon fluttering and tangling in the sea breeze.

Qi Wuyu stood beside him, tilting his head to ask, "What are you daydreaming about?"

Liu Nanzhou snapped out of his reverie. "Nothing much. I was just thinking... after spending so many days with Mo Chen, it seems like besides his name, I know nothing about him. He's a bit... mysterious."

Qi Wuyu was slightly taken aback, blinking. A strange, inexplicable pang of sourness stirred in his heart.

Didn't he already leave? Why are you still thinking about him?

However, Liu Nanzhou didn't dwell on it for long. He lifted his head and asked, "Are we almost there?"

Qi Wuyu gazed at a dark shadow on the horizon. "Yes, almost."

Before returning, they needed to resolve the issue of the Yanlu Clan harming people. The ship Han Sheng had given them naturally knew its own way home. Qi Wuyu and Liu Nanzhou had no trouble finding the entrance to the great hall.

Qi Wuyu carried a water-repelling talisman in his robe, while Liu Nanzhou formed a hand seal. The two entered the sea, where Han Sheng was already waiting for them at the entrance to the hall.

"It's been a few days. Is the clan leader well?" Qi Wuyu asked with a smile.

Han Sheng replied, "Taoist Priest Qi, Taoist Priest Liu, all is well."

Liu Nanzhou was somewhat surprised. He glanced at Qi Wuyu out of the corner of his eye, wondering how Qi Wuyu had managed to contact Han Sheng.

"I didn't expect the clan leader to come and greet us personally," Qi Wuyu said with a smile.

Han Sheng explained, "Master Chu told me. Besides, I wanted to see you both anyway, so I waited here."

Liu Nanzhou understood.

Qi Wuyu gave a slight smile. "It seems the clan leader already has a conclusion."

Han Sheng said, "I promised I would give you an explanation."

Qi Wuyu raised an eyebrow. Han Sheng continued, "Follow me."

Han Sheng led Qi Wuyu and Liu Nanzhou to a dungeon cell. Inside, a Yanlu demon was bound by iron chains. He had a half-human form, with some wounds on his body, apparently from punishment. The bloodstains had already dried. His arms were wrapped in chains, around which flowed faint blue talisman scripts. He hung his head, messy hair obscuring his face, hiding his features.

Liu Nanzhou looked at him. Although he couldn't see the face clearly, he still recognized him as the leader of the attack on them at sea that day.

Han Sheng said, "This person is named He Su. He was a general of our clan."

"Oh?"

Han Sheng sighed. "I've investigated. The incidents at sea were indeed his doing."

Qi Wuyu crossed his arms, asking curiously, "As far as I know, your kind aren't carnivores, are you? Why would he suddenly attack people?"

Han Sheng shook her head. "I asked him too, but he wouldn't say anything. He only claimed he acted foolishly in a moment of confusion, admitted his guilt, and asked me to imprison and punish him."

Han Sheng looked at him earnestly and said, "I am not lying. You have seen him and fought him before."

Liu Nanzhou looked coldly at He Su and said, "Over a dozen lives, and all you have is 'a moment of foolishness'?"

He Su seemed to hear their voices. He stirred, the chains clanking with his movement. He slowly raised his head, revealing a pallid face. He looked utterly drained of vitality, yet his eyes were bright, devoid of emotion, even carrying a hint of ambiguous provocation.

Han Sheng met his gaze. He Su lowered his head again.

Qi Wuyu assumed a serious expression. "Clan Leader, it's not that I'm deliberately making things difficult. Those were human lives. This reason... is unacceptable."

He Su gave a light cough, his voice weak, his words not particularly pleasant. "Unacceptable? There's no other reason to give you. That's the fact. Repaying life with life is fine too. I accept the punishment." He took a ragged breath. "Our clan leader knows nothing about this. There's no need to trouble her."

Qi Wuyu studied him and asked, "Just a whim?"

"Yes, just playing with them. Mortal lives are too fragile," He Su replied, his tone full of indifference.

Qi Wuyu tilted his head. "Actually, your life is quite fragile too."

He Su looked up at him and smiled. "Is that so?"

Han Sheng said coldly, "Silence."

He Su obediently fell silent. Qi Wuyu also looked at her.

Han Sheng took a deep breath. "Regardless, he is a member of my clan. Since he has committed a wrong, I will not shield him. Over a dozen lives cannot be brought back from the dead. What do you think should be done?"

Qi Wuyu stood up straight. "Clan Leader, he shows no remorse."

Han Sheng tightened her grip on her staff.

Liu Nanzhou said, "A life for a life. It's only right and proper."

Han Sheng pondered for a moment. Suddenly, she raised her hand. Spiritual light gathered in her palm. With a twist of her wrist, He Su grunted, his entire body beginning to tremble uncontrollably. The spiritual power in Han Sheng's hand intensified. He Su couldn't help but cry out in pain. Spiritual light surged around his waist and abdomen, as if something was being drawn out from within. Liu Nanzhou saw a pearl, emitting a faint blue glow.

It was He Su's demon core.

Han Sheng's hand clenched violently. The demon core shattered instantly. A violent surge of demonic power exploded outward, even breaking a nearby pillar. Liu Nanzhou shielded Qi Wuyu, blocking the scattered demonic energy. The demon core turned to dust, dissolving into the sea.

Han Sheng waved her hand. The chains retracted. He Su fell to the ground like a discarded piece of paper. He was in so much pain he could barely breathe, his chest rising and falling weakly.

Han Sheng declared, "The demon core is the foundation of a demon. Destroying it erases a century of cultivation. From this day forward, I will exile him to the shores of the Wen Sea, never to return. The others who followed him will receive the same treatment. Are the two of you satisfied?"

Qi Wuyu smiled. "The clan leader has gone to such lengths. We have nothing more to say." He continued, "Since we have a resolution, and we have urgent matters to attend to, we won't linger. We'll visit the clan leader another time when the opportunity arises."

Han Sheng led them out. "This incident was indeed our fault. I will keep a closer watch on them in the future."

Qi Wuyu said understandingly, "Being a clan leader is truly not an easy job."

This young girl managing an entire clan must have her share of difficulties.

Han Sheng glanced at him and smiled. "Taoist Priest Qi, don't underestimate me. My father entrusted the Yanlu Clan to me. No matter what, I will take good care of my people."

Qi Wuyu raised an eyebrow. "Hmm... It seems I worried unnecessarily." He then asked, "I have two questions I'd like to ask the clan leader."

"What are they?"

"Are you familiar with the items from the Pingyan Market?"

Han Sheng nodded. "Yes. I inspect all items from the Yanlu Clan before each market opens. Why?"

"Was there anything different this time?"

Han Sheng thought for a moment, puzzled. "Nothing different. I checked this batch too. No problems."

"Alright," Qi Wuyu nodded. "We've troubled the clan leader enough. It's time for us to leave."

"Very well."

Han Sheng sent the two off, giving them the boat. As soon as they were out of sight, she returned to the water prison.

He Su still lay on the ground, barely clinging to life. Han Sheng looked down at him, her expression complex, and asked, "Was this what you wanted?"

He Su remained silent, hanging on by a thread.

Han Sheng took out a pill, crushed it, and channeled its energy into He Su. "This pill can save your life, but that's all it can do."

He Su finally felt a bit of strength return. He took a deep breath and was wracked by coughing fits. Inside, he felt utterly hollow, with not a trace of spiritual power left.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

He Su lay on the ground, looking up at her.

Han Sheng said, "He Su, I've covered up your dealings with the demons for you, but that doesn't mean I forgive you."

A flicker of life finally returned to He Su's eyes. He looked at Han Sheng in surprise.

"Do you really think I spend all day stacking seashells?" Han Sheng asked.

She wasn't a fool; some things weren't hard to figure out.

She pursed her lips, her thumb stroking the scepter, a note of sadness in her voice. "Before he passed, Dad once told me you were someone with great potential. It seems you've disappointed him."

He Su's eyes dimmed.

"I don't get why you did this. You knew that if the Xuanmen found out about killing those commoners, there would be consequences. Why make enemies for the Yanlu Clan? The Yanlu Clan are no fighters. Did you think these Xuanmen cultivators were as fragile as the fishermen you killed?" Han Sheng couldn't fathom it. "Demons are masters of manipulation. Did you truly believe they were sincerely helping you? After all that effort, you just did their dirty work."

He Su lay there for a long time before mustering the strength to speak, his words broken and intermittent. "I'm sorry... but it's too late for words now."

Han Sheng frowned. "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering, He Su gazed at the seawater before him. After a long while, he said, "Ah Sheng, why must we always be suppressed by these Xuanmen?"

Han Sheng didn't quite grasp his meaning.

He Su continued, "We're yao. Isn't killing humans what yao do?"

Han Sheng furrowed her brow. It seemed he hadn't listened to a word she'd said. Feeling weary, she said, "Go."

She turned and left.

Ripples spread across the water as the boat glided swiftly forward. Liu Nanzhou controlled the direction with his spiritual power and asked Qi Wuyu, "Master, when you asked the clan leader those questions, were you suspecting the poison was related to the Pingyan Market?"

"Mm. I originally planned to visit the Pingyan Market again after descending the mountain to see if I could uncover something, but it was already closed by the time we returned," Qi Wuyu said. "But it probably has little to do with Clan Leader Han."

In truth, he vaguely felt the poison was connected to these cultivators killing people, but he hadn't figured it out yet.

Qi Wuyu didn't dwell on it. "Forget it. We'll discuss it after we reach shore."

In about a quarter of an hour, the boat reached the shore. Compared to last time, Furong Town seemed even more desolate.

The sun had already set. Liu Nanzhou and Qi Wuyu ate something and then looked for an inn.

The innkeeper, seeing they were cultivators, immediately closed the shop door, shutting them out.

It was the first time Qi Wuyu had ever been given such a cold shoulder. He chuckled to himself. Liu Nanzhou looked at him, baffled. "Still laughing? We might have to sleep on the streets tonight."

Qi Wuyu's smile didn't fade. "It's understandable. Let's keep looking."

The two searched a few more places and finally found one willing to take them in. Qi Wuyu gave the innkeeper a little extra money. "Great! We won't have to sleep on the streets!"

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Author's note: Will revise tomorrow if I have time.