Asianovel

Chapter 76: This Seat Has Met That Guy Again

Chu Wanning had never been the kind of master who patiently guided his disciple. Mo Ran was no longer a naive child of five or six either. He would not bother responding to such playful questions, and simply lowered his gaze, remaining silent and cold.

The hibiscus flower he had thrown out was imbued with a Gale Spell, quickly sweeping through the entire Peach Blossom Spring. In no time, a golden talisman descended from the sky and landed in his hand.

"The Ancestral Abyss?"

The Ancestral Abyss was where furious vultures emerged every day, prompting cultivators to rush over to pluck their feathers. The Feathered people had previously mentioned that beneath the abyss was an endless inferno of true fire. Apart from the vultures that had lived there since ancient times, anyone who fell in would be melted until not even ashes remained.

Chu Wanning cast a barrier around himself and Mo Ran to conceal their presence from the Feathered people.

Upon arriving at the Ancestral Abyss, they saw that it was bottomless, emitting eerie red light. The cliffs were densely inhabited by thousands upon thousands of strange birds, all of which were now sleeping with their heads buried under their wings, appearing as countless tiny dots from afar.

According to Chu Wanning's thoughts, if the Precious Chess Game was set within the abyss, then everything the Feathered people had said about the raging flames and being burned to nothingness must have been made up.

"But how can we be sure that the fire down there won't burn people to death?" Mo Ran muttered, staring at the lurking glow below. "It looks real no matter how you look at it."

"Throw something down first."

"I'll go catch a rabbit then."

"No need." Chu Wanning rose and soared, his white robes billowing as he vanished into the nearby peach grove. In no time, he drifted back like a celestial being from the ninth heaven, holding a peach blossom in hand.

Mo Ran understood now. A peach blossom was more delicate than a rabbit, so if it could withstand the so-called "flames," there would be no danger for a living person to enter.

Chu Wanning's fingers brushed over the peach branch as he muttered incantations. The vibrant peach blossom was instantly enveloped by a gentle, crystalline blue light. He nodded toward the abyss and whispered, "Go."

The peach blossom fell slowly, one foot, two feet, ten feet, a hundred feet.

Its shadow had long since disappeared, but Chu Wanning's spell allowed him to sense the blossom's condition. He closed his eyes, then after a moment, his eyelashes fluttered open again.

"The peach blossom is unscathed. It's safe to proceed."

With Chu Wanning's assurance, there was nothing more to say. Mo Ran immediately leaped into the air with him, both soaring toward the Ancestral Abyss. Their movements were deft, and they reached the bottom without incident. Despite his mental preparation, Mo Ran still felt a chill when he saw the scene at the bottom of the great abyss.

He knew what the red glow within the abyss truly was.

There were thousands of wooden frames packed tightly inside the great abyss, each one suspending a Feathered person. They were all naked, their beautiful bodies dripping with blood. Each of their mouths was stuffed with a Lingchi fruit that glowed with a blinding red light. The thousands of red lights converged together, and from above, it was easy to believe this was the true flame of the crimson abyss.

Chu Wanning's expression was grim. With his extensive knowledge, he naturally knew that this red fruit was a forbidden fruit feared by all in the cultivation world. Placing it in the mouth of a dying person could prolong their last breath for three hundred and sixty-five days.

In other words, someone who could have been released from their suffering instantly would now endure an excruciatingly slow death. What would have been a sudden heart failure would become an unending torment, a form of death by a thousand cuts.

Mo Ran gazed at the layers upon layers of Feathered immortals turned undead and murmured, "…Soul Shackling Array."

Using living beings as pillars to trap resentment within, not even a wisp of the trapped souls' aura would leak out, no matter how many thousands there were in the precious chessboard game!

No wonder he had been unable to detect any trace of the resentful energy from the precious chessboard game despite his meticulous investigations.

Mo Ran felt increasingly chilled. He wondered if the fake Chen Gou he encountered in Jin Chengchi was the same person pulling the strings behind the scenes in Peach Blossom Spring.

From what he experienced in Jin Chengchi, the fake Chen Gou could only use the precious chessboard game to manipulate the underwater spirits rather simply, suggesting that he had only grasped the basics. However, the fake Feathered immortals that filled the outskirts of Peach Blossom Spring were more than just dim-witted; they were nearly identical to the real ones, capable of even casting Feathered immortal spells. The level of mastery over this forbidden technique was clearly advanced. Could the fake Chen Gou have progressed so rapidly?

Chu Wanning arrived at the center of the Soul Shackling Array, where a stone pillar made of crystal stood tall.

Tied to the pillar was a Feathered immortal, though she was already deceased. The Ling Chi fruit in her mouth had withered, and her body had begun to decay. Nevertheless, the golden silk phoenix robe adorned with golden threads that draped over her and the star-shaped curse seal on her forehead revealed her previous status.

"This is…"

Mo Ran exclaimed, "This is a genuine Feathered Immortal!"

"That's right," Chu Wanning gazed at the endless column of people and said softly, "There must be at least eight hundred Feathered people trapped here for the Soul Shackling Formation. If the Feathered Immortal were still alive, how could they endure such a deep blood vendetta? Moreover, when I fought with that Immortal outside just now, I sensed that their strength was inferior to the Ghost Conductor in Butterfly Town. If my guess is correct... the Feathered people of Peach Blossom Spring might have been wiped out long ago. Those outside are likely reanimated corpses under the control of the Precious Chess Game."

"!" Indeed! Chu Wanning had come to the same conclusion as him! Startled, Mo Ran turned around, ready to rush back. Chu Wanning waved his wide sleeves to stop him.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to tell Uncle and the others about this. If it's true, it's too dangerous."

"Don't act rashly," Chu Wanning shook his head. "We're in the open while the enemy remains hidden. There are many cultivators inside Peach Blossom Spring, and we have no idea who's behind all this. Acting impulsively will only make things worse."

"Ha ha. Long time no see, Master Chu is still so cautious."

A light laugh, tinged with mischief, echoed through the air like a sudden clap of thunder in the Ancestral Abyss. The two looked up in alarm to see a bloodied Feathered child swinging its legs on a protruding branch of a cliff. When they turned around, the deceased child tilted its head, its bleeding eyeballs rolling around before a bright smile spread across its mouth.

Mo Ran cried out, "The Precious Chess Game!"

Chu Wanning cursed inwardly and growled grimly, "Yet another white piece."

"hee hee hee, yes, it's just a white chess piece," the Feathered child clapped sinisterly. "Did you really think I'd use my true form to guard this place? I'm not that foolish."

Mo Ran responded, "Sure enough, you're that fake Chongchen from Jin Cheng Lake! You madman, what on earth do you want?"

"Sss, who are you to question me, just a mere Foundation Building cultivator? Have your master come and ask instead."

"You —!"

Chu Wanning casually waved his wide sleeves, extending his slender fingers to press down on the fuming Mo Ran. Lifting his gaze, he asked in a cold voice, "What is it that you are plotting, sir?"

The Feathered being swung his legs nonchalantly, clearly already deceased but manipulated by a forbidden spell like a puppet performing various antics.

"It's actually not a significant matter that I'm after," Chu Wanning's voice was colder than ever. "Then why, sir, have you repeatedly attempted to take my disciple's life?"

"The matter might be insignificant, but coincidentally, your young disciple's spirit core is needed to complete it," the child said with a grin. "All sorts of quirks and oddities, but his spirit core is exceptionally superb. Even better than yours, Grandmaster. I knew at Jin Cheng Lake that he is an exquisite wood spirit essence. Otherwise, I might have preferred you."

His words were slick and coated in grease, yet delivered in an adult tone despite his childish voice. This made Mo Ran feel immense disgust, and he angrily retorted, "If I'm cursed to fall into your hands, I'll immediately self-destruct my spirit core! Don't even dream of touching me!"

"I didn't intend to touch you either," the child replied with that infuriatingly sweet tone. "I had no choice but to chase after you. All men in this world love beauty, and your master is more attractive than you. I'd rather lay a finger on him."

"YOU!!!" Mo Ran's fur stood on end. "You, who dare not even show your face, using white chess pieces as puppets – how dare you even think of touching my master?"

But the child rolled its eyes at him, seemingly not bothering to engage further. It turned back to Chu Wanning.

"Grandmaster Chu, back at Jin Cheng Lake, I advised you not to pursue this matter. But you refused to listen, which made me so sad."

"I am already aware of this situation. Even if you do not lay a hand on Mo Ran again, I will see this through to the end and spare no one."

"Pfft, I knew you'd say that." The child fell silent for a moment before laughing. "Why are all you grandmasters so stubborn? ...Very well, since Grandmaster Chu won't listen to reason, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm curious to find out if your Heaven's Inquiry is mightier or my forbidden techniques are stronger."

Chu Wanning's sword-like brows knitted together as he growled darkly, "Is this really what you aim for – senselessly slaughtering the innocent?"

"All people are like the pomegranates of Huainan."

"What do you mean?"

"Tangy," the child giggled. "So sour, these dead ghosts and rotten people. They're all so sour it makes me hate them. I wish I could crush them all and stomp them into the ground."

Mo Ran: "......."

Chu Wanning's voice was laced with murderous intent. "Are you truly beyond redemption?"

"I may be deemed hopeless by the Master, but I believe the same can be said for you," the child said with a shake of his head. "Master should consider this a game of chess. You won in the match at Golden Lake, but in this current game in Peach Blossom Land, since you've discovered the Ancestral Abyss and encountered my white pawn, I've exhausted all my tricks. I can no longer get to your young disciple, so naturally, you still come out on top."

Pausing, he narrowed his eyes, a smile distorting his face as blood seeped from the corners.

"But you'd better protect him well. I'm curious to see if you can safeguard him for a lifetime, not just a moment."

"......."

"As for the secret beneath the Ancestral Abyss, it would be best if the two of you keep it to yourselves." As the child spoke, a golden-red feather appeared between his fingertips.

Mo Ran was startled. "This is the golden feather used as currency in Peach Blossom Land?"

"Precisely," he replied with a smile. "These golden feathers can be found throughout Peach Blossom Land. If the two of you keep the secret and leave on your own, everyone in the land will remain unharmed. However, if you're disobedient and reveal my whereabouts, the resentment of the Feathered People bound to these feathers might not take their lives, but they will surely strip them of most of their cultivation."

Mo Ran raged. "You planned this from the very beginning?!"

"And what else could there be?" the child wondered. "Do you really think everyone is as foolish and brutal as you?"

Mo Ran: "..."

He was truly, truly furious! He admitted he wasn't one to beat around the bush or understand the intricacies of gaining or losing ground, but having this little beast so openly call him out made him want to summon his ghostly weapon to show the creature what true stupidity and brutality looked like.

"Master Chu, whether or not you speak, your intentions are clear," the child continued. "Even if they learn the truth, with their cultivation greatly diminished, they might not appreciate Master Chu's efforts in ridding the world of evil."

Chu Wanning replied coldly, "You heard me earlier. I never intended to disturb them now."

"Now? Haha, it seems the Master planned to reveal it later. But it won't matter then." The child smiled cheekily. "Once these cultivators leave, Peach Blossom Spring will meet the same fate as Jin Cheng Lake. By then, there'll be no proof left, and who would believe you?"

Chu Wanning's gaze turned icy. "With such actions, how can you still have the face to call Mo Ran ignorant and crude?"

Unfazed by Chu Wanning's sarcasm, the child stood up and twirled on the spot. Suddenly, a flame appeared beneath its feet, slowly burning away flesh, muscle, and bone.

"Wait until you catch me before saying that again. Master Chu, I respect you as a gentleman, so let me give you one last piece of advice. Don't intervene any further. If you don't listen, we... will meet again someday..."

With a loud boom, the flames burst into the air.

The Feathered child puppet was consumed in flames, and a translucent white chess piece fell from the sky, rolling twice on the ground before coming to a stop.

A long silence ensued.

"…" Mo Ran knew that the mysterious figure's words were true, but he still couldn't accept it. He asked, "Shifu, are we really just leaving like this? Are there any other options?"

"Caution is key. We should leave Peach Blossom Paradise first," Chu Wanning said with a grim expression. "Since that person went through such trouble to set up a Soul Shackling Array just to prevent others from discovering his manipulation of the JInglong Chess Game, it shows that he doesn't want this matter to become public knowledge for now. I'll send a message to the Venerated One, asking him to find a way to get Xue Meng and Shi Mo out of here as soon as possible without alerting the enemy. As for you..."

Chu Wanning paused before continuing, "In both incidents at Jin Cheng Lake and Peach Blossom Paradise, he targeted you. By framing you this time, he hopes to isolate you. You don't need to worry about this matter for now. The Venerated One is the head of a sect, so it's best for him to handle the negotiations."

"What can I do then?" Mo Ran asked. "I can't just push everything onto others and do nothing myself."

"What use is your bravado now? The mysterious person's goal is clear. After the divine tree fell at Jin Cheng Lake, he's been searching for a substitute spirit essence. As a Wood Spirit essence, you're the most suitable candidate, but if he can't get you, he'll settle for the next best option, seeking other high-quality spirit essences." Chu Wanning paused and said, "If he finds one, there will likely be another bloodbath. We have to stop him."

"That's true, but Shifu, finding a spirit essence isn't that easy. Even if he wants to look for a substitute, he'd have to..."

Mo Ran suddenly stopped talking and lifted his head, his soft black eyes staring intently at Chu Wanning. After a moment, he said, "That beast would have to investigate every sect to find out who the spirit essence is. Cultivators don't just reveal their spirit roots for no reason. They only use them to sense weapons or refine stones. So, the easiest way to test for spirit essences is by selling weapons and spiritual stones. If we observe the weapon markets in front of major mountains recently, we might catch a trace of that beast."

Upon finishing his explanation, Mo Ran saw Chu Wanning looking at him thoughtfully, and he couldn't help feeling guilty.

"Well... I suppose that's my guess."

"You're not far off," Chu Wanning said leisurely. After a moment, he suddenly felt that there was more to the story than he knew, and his eyes narrowed as he asked, "Mo Ran, are you hiding something from me?"

"I couldn't possibly be keeping anything from Master Chu," Mo Ran said, though every hair on the back of his neck stood on end. He felt as if Chu Wanning's limpid, faintly luminous eyes, like those of a rare glass bead, were piercing through his reincarnated flesh to ensnare the quivering essence of his true soul within.

Fortunately, Chu Wanning fell silent for a moment and didn't say anything further.

He lowered his gaze gently and said in a deep voice, "Starting from today, you will accompany me to secretly investigate the major sects. We will not return to the Peak of Life and Death for now."

Author's Note: The Peach Blossom Spring Boss says, "I'm a man who judges by appearance. Your Master is more attractive than you, so I treat him better."

Mo Ran: Damn it, didn't the author say I'm the most good-looking?

Meat Bun: Yeah, but here's the thing. First, you're still in your youthful form, not fully developed. Second, even though the Boss is a straight man, if he were gay, his preferences would align with yours. Do you think he'd find you more appealing or your Master?

Mo Ran: Aren't there any Bosses who are more submissive?

Meat Bun: There are indeed.

Meat Bun (turning its head): Xue Mengmeng, your cousin invited you to be the big boss!

Today's Weibo features a lovely depiction of the blame-taking Shi Mo by a talented artist! You can find it on my Weibo account, Fluffy Overlord Meat Bun, or on the artist's Weibo, Pouring Wine to Conceal Beauty.

Now, let the main storyline of Master Dog begin!

For now, there are no immediate heartbreaks, but be cautious when encountering flashbacks – they usually come with two possibilities:

First, flying daggers.

Second, high-speed emotional rides.

No warning will be given for the past life scenes; just brace yourself for these two scenarios when they appear, lol 23333.

In the middle of the night, Fu Luoyin felt the emptiness in his arms, followed by an unsettling hollowness in his heart. Still groggy from being drunk, he opened his eyes and woke up.

Rain was pouring heavily outside the window.

Lin Shuicheng was no longer in his embrace. Fu Luoyin looked around the room but found no trace of him.

The only change was the flowers.

Startled, Fu Luoyin turned on the light and saw that the flowers had been neatly arranged. He approached and touched them. The roses were separated into three portions and carefully placed in file bags. His coat was folded and put on the bedside table, while the medicine box had its crushed cardboard restored to its original shape, with the opening neatly refastened, spotlessly clean.

Fu Luoyin's heart was suddenly filled with both sweetness and bitterness.

Even in such circumstances, Lin Shuicheng was so considerate. Did this mean there was still some hope for him, at least for now?

His phone vibrated. Su Yu was sending him information about depression. Fu Luoyin quickly checked the message and then asked, "You're still awake? Have you seen Lin Shuicheng? Did he find another room to stay in?"

Su Yu replied, "I'm pulling an all-nighter to sort out the guest gift lists and prepare for tomorrow's decorations. I haven't slept yet. Isn't your wife with you?"

After a moment, he added, "Ask the front desk, but if you have time, come down to Level Minus Two first. I'll fill you in on your wife's recent situation. It might be more serious than you think."

Fu Luoyin quickly brushed his teeth and washed his face. "Okay, I'll head over. Lin Shuicheng dropped me off and disappeared. He must've found another room to sleep in."

Su Yu was sprawled in his room, going through accounts with a few assistants from the Su family. When he saw Fu Luoyin arrive, he got up from the bed and pulled him into the living room of the suite.

Fu Luoyin furrowed his brow. "What's so serious? What's wrong with Lin Shuicheng?"

Su Yu rubbed his red, sleep-deprived eyes and took a deep breath. "Don't panic. I'll explain it to you slowly."

Ever since that afternoon when Fu Luoyin described the situation to Su Yu, the two of them had gone over every detail about Lin Shuicheng. Su Yu had also read the information Zhou Heng had sent to Fu Luoyin.

With his simple-minded nature, Su Yu hadn't thought much of it at first. But after Fu Luoyin explained things to him, he started to see some issues as well.

"I've looked over your wife's file. First of all, it's completely normal for anyone in her situation to become depressed. Don't put too much pressure on yourself, Shuicheng," Su Yu warned Fu Luoyin, eyeing him intently.

As a former forensic pathologist and now an intern at Yan Zi's clinic, Su Yu had a certain air of authority when discussing serious matters.

Fu Luoyin choked. "I know, but... he didn't really like me that much to begin with."

"It's good that you understand. I mean – it's a positive thing, so you won't dwell on negative thoughts." Su Yu cleared his throat. "Let me continue. I'm not a psychologist, but I've done some research to analyze your situation. Your sister-in-law has had a series of tragedies since childhood: her grandfather passed away in junior high, her father died in a car accident on a rainy mountain road during her senior year of high school, and her younger brother became comatose. These events likely planted the seeds of depression within him. But when did it fully manifest?"

Pointing to a screenshot on his phone, Su Yu explained, "I believe it started when your sister-in-law decided to switch majors and pursue quantum analysis, which was the same year he was with you – no, don't look at me like that, it's not related to you. Psychologically speaking, that year must have been significant for him. He might have faced a similar trauma to losing his loved ones or simply felt the pressure of life. Regardless, something significant must have happened – that's when he chose to change his major to quantum analysis. Did you notice? In his second year, he changed his chemistry focus from medical organic to analytical chemistry and atomic assembly. That year, he joined Yang Zhiwei's laboratory, indicating progress and a forward-moving direction for him."

"But just two years later, he suddenly jumped from chemistry to the relatively unrelated field of quantum analysis, a field that's lucrative and practical. For someone like your sister-in-law, it could be seen as a transition from dreams to reality. I think this particular point in time is worth paying attention to, but the information doesn't mention what happened to him then."

Fu Luoyin whispered, "Was it difficult in the field of chemistry?"

Su Yu shrugged. "I don't know, but I think given your sister-in-law's excellence, it's more likely that the challenge came from reality rather than academic difficulties. None of that matters now. What's important is that his depressive symptoms are gradually surfacing. All the blows he experienced in the past have contributed to his current state."

Fu Luoyin furrowed his brow.

Su Yu inquired, "Minus Two, do you recall the first time you asked me to pick up your wife? Yi Shui's matter was being handled by Department Seven then, so I went to fetch your wife home."

Fu Luoyin nodded. "I remember."

"I only realized it now, but it seems your wife was already showing some symptoms back then. He had a stress response in my car. Let me play the in-car recording for you."

Su Yu's in-car camera captured half of the front seat. In that short video, Fu Luoyin saw Lin Shuicheng sitting in the passenger seat.

He gazed out the window, his fingers gripping the car door handle tightly, his eyes deep and serious, his spine taut, and his lips pressed together, clearly on edge.

"Surveillance footage from that stretch of road was also retrieved. At that time, we passed by Star City's small pier, where construction was ongoing. There were more than one large truck on the road. I suspect that Brother-in-law had a stress response to the trucks—because such vehicles took away his father's life and left Eddi in a coma. That was when his true trials in life began."

Fu Luoyin commented, "But he wasn't at the accident scene back then. As I recall, he didn't have access to the investigation details, right?"

The file mentioned how the case was handled at the time. Since Lin Wang was part of the Alliance's bureaucratic system, the incident was suspected not to be an accident but a matter involving confidential matters. As a recent high school graduate, Lin Shuicheng couldn't access much information.

"There's a psychological phenomenon called cognitive consistency, like the common 'reincarnation scams.' Some people claim they were once someone living in a certain country during a specific century. This often occurs after brain damage or significant trauma. They believe their beliefs fervently and continually add details to their imagination... After experiencing a traumatic event, this kind of behavior is quite normal."

Su Yu continued, "Brother-in-law's situation might very well fall under this category. And there's an important piece of information I need to share with you. This video was originally meant for you, but since you never received it, Zhou Heng sent it to me."

"Let me see it," Fu Luoyin said.

The video showed the airport terminal.

After only a few seconds, Fu Luoyin found it unbearable and looked away, feeling a sharp pain in his heart.

In the footage, the check-in counter was deserted, with Lin Shuicheng standing in a daze before a posted notice about flight cancellations.

Then, he changed his direction as if engaged in a serious conversation with someone, even though there was no one in front of him!

"Zhou Heng sent a lip-reading translation. At that time, Su was discussing meteorology and the butterfly effect, talking to himself and eventually convincing himself to leave. This kind of self-dialogue usually doesn't fall under schizophrenia but is rather a hallucination caused by another part of his consciousness. It seems that the cancellation of the direct flight to Dongtong City had a tremendous impact on Su," Su Yu said. "Su has already experienced hallucinations, but I think he's not yet aware of it."

Fu Luoyin's voice trembled slightly. "...How could it be so severe! It was just a flight cancellation, why would he react like this..."

He couldn't find the right words to describe it.

Su Yu sighed. "In the conversation, Su repeatedly mentioned 'accidents' and 'unpredictability.' I guess that after accidents continuously took away his loved ones, he must despise the word 'accident' deeply."

"I have a suspicion that the academic difficulty he's facing might be related to the butterfly effect. I don't understand these things, but Su mentioned himself that the butterfly effect is inexplicable," Su Yu continued. "Coupled with the closure of the quantum analysis department..."

He sighed again, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Fu Luoyin was almost out of control. "Which room is Lin Shuicheng in? I need to go over, I'll stay with him."

"Don't panic, I'll call the front desk right away," Su Yu hurriedly held him back.

Five minutes later.

"What do you mean he's not at the hotel?" Fu Luoyin stood pale-faced at the reception desk.

The staff member seemed a bit frightened. "There was no Mr. Lin Shuicheng who came to adjust his room, but there was indeed a gentleman who resembled him very much. A handsome man with a red mole beside his eye left with someone else just an hour ago."

Fu Luoyin was on the verge of losing his mind. "With whom? Who could he have gone out with?"

Lin Shuicheng was unfamiliar with the place; who would he go with?

Su Yu promptly requested the surveillance footage.

On the screen, a boy who bore a striking resemblance to Xia Ran entered. Lin Shuicheng engaged in conversation with him while seated, then they both walked out together.

Su Yu was bewildered. "This person... Minus Two..."

He had a strong impression of this individual. Tang Yang was one of the substitutes Fu Luoyin had sought, and Tang Yang resembled Xia Ran the most. He was also the one who spent the shortest time with Fu Luoyin—kissing him first before being kicked out by Fu Luoyin.

Despite it happening a long time ago, given Tang Yang's appearance and the resemblance to Xia Ran, coupled with Lin Shuicheng's intelligence, it wouldn't be difficult for him to deduce something.

Fu Luoyin was unable to speak for a long while.

Half a day later, his voice carried an intense sharpness and coldness: "Investigate, find out who allowed this person to contact Lin Shuicheng!"

"If Lin Shuicheng's condition worsens or anything goes wrong because of this, I'll make sure they…" Fu Luoyin didn't finish his sentence, but the chill in his tone sent shivers down everyone present.

"Fishing, stay put and don't alarm Aunt Yan. Don't cause any trouble at her birthday banquet." In the pouring rain, Fu Luoyin got into his car and turned to Su Yu. "I'll go look for Lin Shuicheng first. Don't worry."

Su Yu instructed, "Be careful in this weather! Watch out for corners on the mountain road. Chasing after your sister-in-law is important, but don't let anything happen to yourself!"

"I know," Fu Luoyin replied as he unlocked his phone.

Activating his A-level clearance, he directly located Lin Shuicheng's ID card.

At that moment, Lin Shuicheng was eight kilometers away from him.

Fu Luoyin stepped on the gas pedal, speeding off like a bolt of lightning.

For some reason, a sense of unease rose within him.

"Brother, you're still riding with President Fu in this car?"

After becoming more comfortable talking to Lin Shuicheng, Tang Yang grew bolder.

He struck up a casual conversation with Lin Shuicheng, openly expressing his thoughts—why would someone who's with someone wealthy buy their own car? Isn't that just inviting trouble?

Upon learning that the car was indeed purchased by Lin Shuicheng himself, Tang Yang was clearly puzzled but didn't press the matter further.

He continued talking on his own, "But this car is good too, it's one of the most cost-effective old models around. I'm planning to buy one for myself when I go back home. That way, I can save some money on delivery costs for my convenience store."

Listening to Tang Yang's plans, Lin Shuicheng inquired about his family, "What about your family? Are they all doing well?"

"My father had a stroke, and my mother has been paralyzed for years due to some viral inflammation – I can't remember the specifics. Anyway, they're on a pile of medications." Tang Yang spoke cheerfully. "But both of them are still capable of handling things. When I go back, I can help them. With so many siblings in my family, I'm the most pampered one. None of them made me change my dad's diapers or clean up after him. They wouldn't let me do those tasks. All I need to do is cook and keep them company to alleviate their boredom. If I had three thousand dollars, I'd even buy a mahjong table."

Lin Shuicheng listened quietly.

Tang Yang also came from a poor background, but he seemed to have always maintained this optimistic disposition, finding joy even in adversity. Although he was shortsighted, he found contentment in his limited view.

He asked softly, "Have you ever thought... if your parents were to recover, if you could attend school normally, would your life be much better than it is now?"

"Brother, I know what you mean, but I'm not cut out for that. Daydreaming about 'ifs' won't change anything," Tang Yang scratched his head. "With the aid we receive from our hometown, we manage alright. I don't want to go to school; it's too tiring."

Lin Shuicheng glanced at him again. "Ordinary people would wonder why these things happen to them specifically. But you're different."

Then, he spoke softly, "That's a good thing."

Upon hearing his praise, Tang Yang felt a little embarrassed. "I guess I'm just foolish with no real aspirations. Everyone is unique, Brother. You look very intelligent; you're definitely suited for studying."

They crossed the sea bridge and began descending along the winding mountain road.

It was a rainy night, making it difficult to see clearly due to the slippery road conditions.

Reaching out to touch the control panel, Lin Shuicheng felt his heartbeat quicken. He suppressed his restless emotions and gradually reduced the car's speed.

Time seemed to revert to that stormy night when he graduated from high school.

"Brother, are you feeling unwell?" Tang Yang, sitting beside him, noticed a change in Lin Shuicheng's expression and grew worried.

Just as they approached a sharp bend, the automated system sounded two warning beeps, and the headlights were turned up to their maximum brightness.

Tang Yang sat up straight, ready to offer Lin Shuicheng some popcorn candy, only to see Lin Shuicheng's face suddenly alter.

In an instant, he saw Lin Shuicheng grab the magnetic decoration from the dashboard and shatter the car window on one side!

At the same time, Lin Shuicheng desperately turned the steering wheel to the right.

The moment the car window shattered, the autonomous driving system was deactivated. Unless in such an unexpected situation, the system wouldn't allow a vehicle in motion to suddenly cancel its autonomous journey. Simultaneously, airbags deployed, pushing the car towards the inner side of the mountain road.

Tang Yang was terrified and started screaming, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

As the airbags continued to deploy, they gradually squeezed the space inside the car. Amidst the chaos, Lin Shuicheng's eyes were fixated straight ahead.

His left car window was broken, allowing rainwater to pour in and the wind to howl. Through the seemingly calm road ahead, a massive shadow began to emerge—

At the bend, a giant truck appeared like a ghostly beast, roaring at an uncontrollable and reckless speed.

That was all Lin Shuicheng had time for – just that one glimpse.

Years of nightmares resurfaced as the butterfly behind Death fluttered past once more.

Their car flipped over to the inner side, getting stuck in a ditch along the mountainous side of the road.

On the other side, the out-of-control truck narrowly missed them, skidding off the winding mountain road due to centrifugal force and plummeting over the cliff, its explosion echoing in their ears like a grim death knell.

Chapter 118: Station 24: Disparity

Just as those rough and dirty hands were about to touch Yan Qiling, the seemingly normal giant suddenly turned and grabbed at the air beside him, as if he had actually grasped something. Following the previous routine, he began to hang the person upside down.

All those suspended saw this scene.

No one spoke. They only stared at the slender figure in the wheelchair, still wearing the hood, with various thoughts swirling in their minds.

Hou Gaoqing didn't initially recognize that person as Yan Qiling, but he knew that the one sitting on the wheelchair might be a crucial point for their escape.

Satisfied with his handiwork after hoisting them all up, the driver paused to admire his creations before lifting the bloodied tattered cloth curtain and entering the compartment.

Inside was a mountain of organs and blood, yet curiously, it resembled a crude "kitchen" by its arrangement.

The driver picked up a fresh liver and stuffed it into his mouth, mumbling indistinctly,

"Ubitos, you're too slow."

The sound of sharpening knives quickened.

The play of light and shadow from the flimsy curtains cast upon the bloodstained walls illuminated not only the lifeless bodies hanging by their chests but also revealed the massive shape of the knife in its entirety.

As the knife's silhouette flickered, everyone became acutely aware of their grim fate awaiting them.

In that moment, the man who had been abandoned on the trolley managed to break free from his ropes and remove his black hood.

This man's striking appearance was utterly captivating; his East Asian features stirred a sense of disappointment, for such a delicate-looking individual seemed unrelated to any hope of survival.

Someone attempted to call out to him, trying to guide him into doing something meaningful. The man's beautiful, contrasting eyes, resembling those of a cat, turned towards them, and he placed a finger to his lips, making a "shush" gesture.

His irises glowed with a faint, lifelike radiance in the dim light, yet they also concealed a lurking danger more perilous than a python's strike.

The person who had intended to speak suddenly fell silent, not quite realizing what was amiss until the man had already gracefully descended from the trolley.

As he passed by the unfortunate souls suspended upside down, the man spoke in perfect British English:

"Wait a moment."

He didn't immediately set about freeing them from their bonds but instead used the interplay of light and shadow to blend into the dark corners, searching for a new path to escape.

The door that had been slammed shut by the coachman had now transformed into an immovable iron barrier.

Yan Qiling recalled the man who had escaped earlier, pounding desperately on the metal. Following the same path, he reached the other end of the room, where he found an operational meat grinder in action.

From the chute of the grinder hung the body of a slaughtered, gutted corpse, its headless form being fed into the buzzing machine. Fresh, crimson blood mixed with the reek of ground flesh as it flowed into the drain.

Large chunks of meat were ground and transported like waste onto a second conveyor belt, destined for an unknown location.

To Yan Qiling, this scene wasn't terrifying, but he couldn't help but wonder about the fate of the meat.

As expected, opposite the meat grinder was a tightly sealed iron door, locked and requiring a key.

Upon seeing the lock, Yan Qiling almost instinctively thought of another person.

If Ming Yiyang were here, perhaps he could have opened it right away.

This dangerous thought was quickly extinguished as he began to recall details about Ubitos and the coachman, remembering how the unshackled driver would occasionally emit strange metallic sounds.

Perhaps those were the keys.

He decided to give it a shot.

Yan Qiling returned to the cart, intentionally making noise, but the sound of sharpening was so loud that he had to slap the cart's railing to get attention.

The group hanging upside down watched his reckless act anxiously, wanting to stop him or say something, but fearing repercussions, they could only glare at him helplessly.

Only Hu Gao Ming looked calmly at the man, not revealing any sign of panic, remaining silent throughout.

The driver, hearing noises aside from the blade sharpening, rushed out from the veil almost instantaneously.

With bloody teeth bared, he stretched out his broad palm, reaching towards the source of the sound like a giant fan—

But he grabbed thin air!

This seemed to enrage him further.

The room was too dark, and all he could see was the tiny creature darting about in the shadows. Frustrated, he flailed his arms blindly in the air, unaware that the person had already circled behind him and taken the key chain from his waist.

Then, they vanished into the darkness, hiding away without a trace.

The coachman angrily searched the shadows for his target, and suddenly, as if he had caught a glimpse of something, he dove into the darkness! However, what he actually dragged out was a broken scarecrow!

Yet, the coachman seemed convinced that he had seized the real culprit. He treated the scarecrow as he would the nameless man, ruthlessly hanging it on the iron hook before storming back to his original position with a veil of fury.

The flickering crimson in Yan Qiling's right eye gradually subsided, and he emerged from the darkness, gently unlocking the iron door next to the meat grinder with a key.

The rusty door creaked softly.

However, due to Yan Qiling's cautious movements and the kitchen ventilator's roaring noise, the creak was insignificant and completely drowned out.

At this point, Yan Qiling pulled out a handkerchief from his sleeve and extracted a long, rusted blade from a corner.

He first untied the ropes around Hu Gaoming's wrists, then handed him the blade, instructing him to curl up and cut the ropes around his own legs.

Afterward, Yan Qiling proceeded to free the others' wrists.

Throughout the process, they didn't exchange a single word, yet their cooperation was seamless.

Hu Gaoming moved swiftly, suppressing any sound even when he fell to the ground.

Assured that the two giants hadn't noticed anything amiss outside, he grasped the blade and began to free the others' bound wrists and ankles.

Everyone tried their best not to make a sound as they successively entered the dark space beyond the entrance, refraining from any sudden movements for fear of attracting new danger.

Yan Qiling made a three-finger gesture to everyone, then pointed at three individuals to accompany him in scouting ahead.

The group quickly understood his intention, and without a word, the three chosen didn't object but obediently followed him.

Beyond the door lay pitch darkness; fortunately, a faint light flickered ahead.

As the light grew brighter in their eyes, they discovered that this path led to a railway that ran right through the upper part of the kitchen!

This railway clearly connected to another room, but the issue was that it was situated inside the kitchen itself. To pass through, they would have to traverse directly over the heads of the two mountainous monsters.

It seemed almost impossible to do so undetected.

Aside from passing through the kitchen, there was another problem with the railway—it was too narrow.

This railway could only accommodate one adult man at a time; anyone slightly overweight might get stuck.

Mobis was among the first to follow Yan Qiling out.

At that moment, he hadn't yet donned his helmet. With the low hum of the whirring fans as cover, he spoke in a hushed tone with a distinct Sacramento accent:

"Let slender women and children go first. Men and the obese should stay back, or we'll all die."

Aside from him, Yan Qiling had selected two others: Hu Gaoming and Steven.

Both had inspected the railway and raised no objections.

Physically, they were by no means heavy, more than capable of passing through the narrow passage. Besides, what Mobis said made sense – it was indeed a way to save more lives.

To survive, choices had to be made.

But Yan Qiling stopped them from going back to announce this plan:

"We can't do it that way."

Mobis lifted his gray eyes, his prominent aquiline nose casting deep shadows in his eye sockets, giving his angular eyes a keen, falcon-like sharpness.

"Why?"

Yan Qiling was not intimidated by the gloomy gaze; human expressions held no sway over him.

"People who have lost all hope are likely to resort to extreme measures. We're all on the same rope now, our fates intertwined: one falls, all fall. You might want to rid yourself of the 'unfit,' but they only need to cry out for everyone to be doomed."

"Our priority now is to prevent such possibilities. It's a difference between 0% and 100%, with no middle ground."

Mobis didn't argue, maintaining his intense stare at the handsome East Asian man.

"What do you propose?"

Yan Qiling was straightforward.

"Order according to the sequence we were initially bound."

Mobis raised an eyebrow.

What about the person squeezed on the bridge by the fatty? And don't forget, according to the order, you're the last one."

The man with an Eastern face uttered icy words:

"No need to do anything. Submit to fate."

The trio, upon returning, tacitly omitted any mention of the situation on the iron bridge.

They only said that they had to hurry across, or else they would be discovered by the monsters.

No one objected to escaping in the order they were captured, as Yan Qiling was at the bottom of the list. Since he proposed the plan, no one could say anything against it.

However, Hu Gao Ming was well aware of the reason for the previous concerns.

The fourth-to-last person to be hung was a significantly overweight man; his girth would directly contribute to his demise.

Silently, Yan Qiling removed the key from the door and closed the rusted iron gate.

Steve headed for the exit. As the leader, he would be the first to confront danger but also the most likely to secure a chance of survival.

As for Yan Qiling, he stood in line in the darkness, the queue stretching as long as a typical line for shopping, with fourteen individuals in it.

Steve held his girlfriend Isabella's hand, endeavoring to tread cautiously across the tracks without making a sound.

Despite their disgust at the scene below.

An endless pile of organs lay below them, a revolting mix of fresh and decaying matter. The driver sat on his chair, indulging in the freshest parts, while Ubitos was sharpening an enormous blade that no ordinary person could wield.

The blade seemed only half-polished, yet its razor-sharp edge sent shivers down their spines.

Despite Steve's utmost caution, he couldn't prevent their shadows from falling upon the feast before the two monsters –

when an additional shadow cast itself directly above the organs they held.

The driver slowly lifted his head.

It was unclear how Rong Xun had dealt with the matter at Ho'an Hall, but for the past half a month, Madam Rong hadn't sent any servants over.

Second Aunt Yu, on the other hand, personally delivered an old ginseng root and softly comforted Rong Shu.

Yu was skilled in social interactions. Over the years, she had maintained good relations with Qiuyun Hall without offending Qingheng Courtyard. Whenever she met Shen, she was always warm and friendly, but that was the extent of it.

Madam Rong managed the household finances, and whenever she needed money, she would send someone to Qingheng Courtyard to request it. At the beginning of every even-numbered month, a servant from Ho'an Hall would deliver the account books.

These listed all sorts of expenses, such as repairs for a courtyard belonging to one of the branches, stationery for a young master, or new clothes for a young lady. All these costs were covered by Qingheng Courtyard.

Shen was generous but also shrewd, meticulously calculating every expense. She would never give more than necessary, and Madam Rong's various attempts to solicit money were firmly rejected by Shen.

As for the lucrative shops and lands that had made Madam Rong envious for a long time, not a single one fell into her hands. This was another reason why Madam Rong disliked Shen.

Back then, the Shen family had narrowly escaped being seized by the government. After the marriage agreement with the Rong family, thanks to Old Master Rong's intervention, they had weathered that crisis safely.

If not for his efforts to mediate that matter, Lord Rong wouldn't have been thrown from his horse, resulting in an illness that took his life within two years.

In Lady Rong's view, Lord Rong had died because of the Shen family, and the Shen family owed the Rong family a debt.

If not for leaning on the mighty Rong family tree, how could the Shen family have escaped that calamity back then? How could they have prospered so greatly in business over the past twenty years?

Rong Shu had heard Lady Rong say more than once that the Shen family's current status and wealth were entirely due to the Cheng'an Marquis Estate.

Shen lady sneered after hearing this. "When I married to the capital, your maternal grandfather transferred most of the Shen family's assets to the Emperor through your grandfather's hands. The credit for that was given to the Rong family. Without that contribution, how could the Rong family have so easily obtained a marquis title? Not to mention all these years—"

Shen lady had never wanted Rong Shu to know about the intricate relationships between the Rong and Shen families. She quickly stopped talking.

In the past, Rong Shu had no interest in understanding the complicated ties between their two families. But now, she had no choice but to care.

While attending to Shen lady's herbal medicine, Rong Shu would seize any spare moment to study the account books.

She meticulously calculated how much money the Shen family had provided to Ho'an Hall, Qiuyun Hall, and even the second branch over the years.

Mother Zhang entered with a bowl of medicinal soup and saw her poring over the ledger by candlelight. Concerned, she said, "Miss, please take a break. You'll damage your eyes if you keep reading like this."

"Anyway, there's no harm in putting my time to good use by sorting out these old accounts of the Marquis household," Rong Shu said, closing the ledger and washing her hands with water before taking the medicinal soup from Mother Zhang.

The prescription prepared by Sun Daoping proved highly effective in replenishing blood and stabilizing her vitality. The once pale and lifeless complexion of Madam Shen had now regained some healthy color.

When Sun Daoping left that day, he wore an expression of great relief.

"Although Lady Marquis's pulse is still weak, it has become stable. She should regain consciousness within three days at the earliest, or ten days at the latest. However, her body has been severely weakened this time. It will take at least a year of continuous medication and proper care for her to fully recover. She must also avoid mental strain and sorrow; it's crucial for her to maintain a calm and peaceful state of mind, and to refrain from extreme emotions like intense anger or grief."

Rong Shu was well aware that maintaining a peaceful heart in an environment like the Rong family was no simple task.

In the past, her mother had endured countless injustices for her and the Shen family.

From now on, she would not let her mother suffer such indignities again.

Mother, it's time to leave this place.

Chapter 28

Rong Shu finished wiping Lady Shen clean and helped her into a fresh set of clothes. Just as she was about to resume studying the ledger, Amao entered and announced, "Miss, the Marquis has arrived."

With a composed expression, Rong Shu put down the ledger, lifted the curtain, and stepped out.

Ever since Mother fell ill, Father visited Qingheng Courtyard every day to see her. He would sit silently by her bedside without uttering a word until Rong Shu urged him to leave.

Now that Mother's health was improving, Amao had put away her initial cold demeanor and was once again wearing a smile. In Amao's view, as long as Mother remained the Lady of the Cheng'an Marquis Estate, she could not afford to fall out with Rong Xun.

However, Rong Shu found it difficult to feign happiness. Exiting the inner chamber, she bowed slightly towards Rong Xun and said, "Father, there is something I need to discuss with you. In two days, it will be the Cold Clothing Festival. In the past, Mother would oversee the celebrations, but given her current condition, she can no longer manage such tasks. Therefore, our Qingheng Courtyard will not be able to take charge of this year's festival."

The Great Yin traditionally placed great importance on the Cold Clothing Festival. On this day, from the emperor to the common folk, all would hold ceremonies to honor their ancestors.

Ordinary citizens typically marked the occasion by crafting paper clothing and burning them as offerings to their deceased loved ones. However, prominent families, especially those from noble backgrounds, would not settle for such simplicity. Apart from burning clothes, they would engage mourners to cry at the graves, set up stages for performances, and host banquets, striving for grandeur and spectacle.

For several years, Mother, as the head of the household, had organized the Cold Clothing Festival at the Cheng'an Marquis Estate, with all expenses covered by Qingheng Courtyard.

But this year, not a single copper coin would be spent by their courtyard.

Rong Xun was rather surprised. His eldest daughter had barely spoken a word to him these past few days; he never expected her to take the initiative to discuss matters with him today.

He was not one to casually involve himself in daily affairs, so he had no idea how much effort and resources were required to organize a festive event. Upon hearing this, he nodded and said, "That should be the case. Your grandmother and Aunt Pei are taking care of the preparations for the Cold Clothes Festival, so you don't need to worry about it."

Rong Shu now lifted the corners of her mouth into a gentle smile and said, "Doctor Sun has advised that Mother must maintain an even temper, avoiding anger or excessive strain. In the future, it is likely that Mother will have little energy to oversee matters within the Marquisate. Father, I heard from Nurse Zhou that Mother's Jiao Wei zither is in your study. Back when I was in Yang State Prefecture, I learned a melody called the 'Purifying Heart Incantation' from Abbess Jingci, which is particularly suitable for playing to Mother. If it is convenient for you, might you have the zither brought to Qingheng Courtyard?"

Chapter 162: On the Way

Wen Ying's expression didn't change much, as if he wasn't the demon who had been left hanging for a day.

"Did they all know about it?"

The Deputy Chief Justice was taken aback. Wasn't he angry?

"I'm not sure if they all knew," the Deputy Chief Justice said ambiguously, "But I do know that some of them were aware."

After answering Wen Ying's question, he propped his chin on interlaced fingers. "I know where the Chief Justice is right now and can take you there."

As Wen Ying picked at his fried noodles with chopsticks, he said indifferently, "There must be quite a few people at a hot spring resort, right?"

The Deputy Chief Justice failed to grasp Wen Ying's meaning, feeling puzzled. This wasn't how he had imagined things would go when he came. Shouldn't this parachuted demon be furious after being ignored for a day and demand an explanation from the Chief Justice?

The Deputy Chief Justice narrowed his eyes slightly, a cold glint flashing through his slender gaze. Quickly adjusting his expression, he became amiable, polite, and approachable.

Wen Ying had spent several months in the Demon Realm and had never seen a truly gentle demon. Lan Jiaying was a good example of this.

Moreover, this demon was far from Lan Jiaying's level in terms of power. At least her aura seemed natural, not so fake.

"The truth is, I don't see eye to eye with the current Chief Justice. He often creates obstacles for me. In the past, there was nothing I could do, but now that we have the chance to replace him, I'm all for it," the Deputy Chief Justice said. "You've noticed, haven't you? Everyone is trying to intimidate you, and he's the one pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Wen Ying lowered his eyes in thought.

"I understand your concerns about your capabilities. If conflicts arise, I'll stand by your side and assist you. I have some subordinates within the headquarters as well, so you don't need to worry," the Deputy Chief Justice smiled. "The sooner you complete your probation and get promoted, the sooner I won't have to see him."

Looking at him, Wen Ying felt a sense of indescribable complexity. He instinctively reached up to twirl his hair, only to remember that he had taken the magic potion and now had short hair.

Demons truly considered the Mirror Demon useless.

"The Chief Justice doesn't plan to return tonight. I'll take you to find him later," the Deputy Chief Justice said. "We'll try to complete your internship registration tonight."

The Deputy Chief Justice was more enthusiastic than the actual Chief Justice himself. Wen Ying vaguely acknowledged him and quickly finished his fried noodles. After eating, Wen Ying put on a mask and followed the Deputy Chief Justice out.

It was evening, and there were significantly more customers in the shop. As Wen Ying descended the stairs, he casually asked, "Who does the money earned by the shop belong to?"

"The public account, used to pay salaries and provide funding," the Deputy Chief Justice replied.

Wen Ying paused in his steps, a bizarre and chilling thought flashing through his mind. Could it be that His Majesty the Devil didn't have much human currency on him? His gaze towards the place shifted instantly.

This was the source of his future income – he had to cherish and manage it well.

The Deputy Judge led Wen Ying out but didn't take the originally planned route, opting for a different path instead.

Unaware, Wen Ying followed behind him. After a while, he asked, "Which hot spring are we going to?" Mu City had several hot springs.

"The Jia Huan Hotel. That guy has been soaking there every night recently," the Deputy Judge subtly added to the Chief Judge's negative impression. "With his constant procrastination, he'll probably delegate those tedious tasks to you."

The Deputy Judge kept applying eye drops throughout the journey.

After walking for a while, the Deputy Judge stopped, his voice a bit hurried. "Tsk, we bumped into a patrolling Exorcist."

On purpose, but when the Deputy Judge turned back, he wore an expression of astonishment – where was that devilish mirror?

He looked around, but amidst the sea of people behind him, he couldn't find the one he was searching for.

The patrolling Exorcist was Wei Ranfeng. As he passed by, he cast a slightly puzzled glance at the Deputy Judge but didn't notice anything amiss and continued on his way.

When Wei Ranfeng left, the Deputy Judge suddenly heard the voice of the Devil Mirror behind him.

"Where to next?"

The Deputy Judge nearly jumped up in shock, turning his head to see the Devil Mirror, though he hadn't noticed it at all just moments ago.

"You..."

How could it appear and disappear like a ghost within his range of perception? The Deputy Judge was puzzled. His rank was higher than this Devil Mirror's, so how had he not sensed it? Under these circumstances, if this intruder had struck from behind, he wouldn't have been able to detect or evade it in advance.

Wen Ying thought to himself that he could face anyone in the Exorcist world without running – except for Wei Ranfeng.

He feared seeing Wei Ranfeng, the man who had once "visited" him, leaving Wen Ying with a PTSD-like trauma.

Turning his head, the Deputy Judge noticed a hint of tension behind Wen Ying's glasses. He inwardly sneered; typical Devil Mirror, getting nervous at the sight of an Exorcist. It probably fled earlier and only dared to return when it deemed the coast clear.

It must've improved its abilities in escaping, the Deputy Judge mocked inwardly, but outwardly he showed concern, his tone laced with worry. "Mu City's newly established Disaster Department has exorcists patrolling daily, around the clock. Be careful when you go out. If you encounter one, remember to avoid them."

Wen Ying nodded sincerely, feeling thoroughly cursed. From the Deputy Judge's words, it seemed Wei Ranfeng was now working at the Mu City Disaster Department. They would be in the same city every day...

Wen Ying inwardly decided that he might as well stay at home from now on – the outside world was simply too perilous.

The Deputy Judge was pleased to see Wen Ying listening attentively. The rumors about the Demon Realm were indeed exaggerated. Demon Mirror Demons were truly as they were described; it was inconceivable how such tales had spread.

There were even rumors that the First Prince of the Demon Realm had been defeated by a Demon Mirror Devil – only a demon with a faulty brain would believe such a fairy tale.

The Deputy Judge had spent many years in the Human Realm and held those rumors in contempt.

To further endear himself to Wen Ying, he led him along the route taken by the Exorcists on patrol.

With the map of Mu City's Exorcist patrols etched in his mind, the Deputy Judge took a detour, only to encounter Wei Ranfeng walking towards them once again.

Just as the Deputy Judge was about to take this opportunity to draw closer to Wen Ying with some comforting words like "I'm here," he found that the Demon Mirror Devil had vanished again after he had prepared his speech.

This was the second time, and the Deputy Judge could hardly believe it. He had been extra vigilant this time, yet he hadn't noticed when the creature had disappeared or where it had hidden!

Although he had suppressed his power, he was still a Mid-Rank Devil – how could he not sense the movement of a Low-Rank Devil? !

Wei Ranfeng saw the slightly odd man again. He walked over, sized him up for a moment, then asked casually, "Sir, have you lost something?"

The Deputy Judge was about to shake his head but then nodded, "I lost some money around here."

"Then you won't be able to find it," Wei Ranfeng said with a serious expression.

The Deputy Judge: "…."

In the depths of winter, this exorcist was only wearing a tight black tank top under an unzipped coat, revealing the well-defined muscles from years of training.

His demeanor didn't resemble that of a righteous figure at all; he seemed rebellious and nonchalant, speaking in a lethargic tone. Yet when he said, "Then you won't be able to find it," his tone was earnest but carried a hint of mockery.

Unable to hold back, the Deputy Judge asked, "... Shouldn't you be comforting me or helping me look for it?"

Wei Ranfeng shrugged. "Are you trying to deceive yourself? With so many people passing by, that money has surely been picked up."

The Deputy Judge nearly lashed out; demons typically had short tempers, but he managed to restrain himself.

"There's still a chance to retrieve it," the Deputy Judge said, striding forward resolutely.

After walking a while, he heard Wen Ying's voice again.

"Why do I always run into that exorcist?"

The Vice-Judge: "?!?" He gazed again at the demon in the magic mirror, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, with an expression of disbelief. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he remained silent.

This demon must practice his escape skills all the time, the Vice-Judge mused.

Despite this, he now held an unconscious sense of reverence towards Wen Ying.

"We'll take a different route. We shouldn't encounter him then."

This time, the Vice-Judge didn't cause any trouble and led Wen Ying straight to the Jia Huan Hotel.

Wen Ying was familiar with the place. It was a comprehensive hotel with numerous hot spring pools and a children's playground, marketed as an ideal weekend getaway for families.

Following the Vice-Judge, Wen Ying observed his confident navigation and deduced that he knew the exact location of the Chief Judge.

He had gathered quite detailed information, it seemed.

They arrived at an outdoor hot spring area filled with people. The Vice-Judge pointed out a man whose appearance stood out from the crowd.

"That's the one with the middle-parted bangs."

Chapter 208: Great Qi

Another autumn had arrived, and the outer edges of the forest had become devoid of human activity, allowing the vegetation to flourish once more.

In the south, the autumn landscape was painted with a deep emerald green, punctuated by golden and crimson hues. Amongst the seven men carrying cloth bags as they traversed the wilderness, one asked another, "Big Mountain, are we really going to find a buyer outside?"

"We will. There are always people waiting at the edge of the mountains for transactions. If they like our goods, they'll get whatever we want from the city in exchange, but they'll try to haggle down the price of our items."

Who could these two men be other than Chen Dashan and his maternal uncle Zhou Dalang?

They were accompanied by Lu Erlang, Zheng Jiaolang, Feng Liangniang's uncle, Dong Ge's father, and Shi Datou, who had turned fifteen that year.

In the depths of the mountains, they could cultivate their own food, and with the help of Chen Youtian, they had even created looms to weave cloth. The only issue was salt, which became scarce after the second year in the mountains. At that time, they had traded some mountain produce for salt by letting someone enter the city to exchange it, naturally offering them incentives.

They weren't the only ones hiding in the mountains; others had clearly preceded them. Gradually, a black market emerged at a distance from the city of Xizhou.

With the emergence of this black market, life for those hiding in the mountains became much more convenient. They grew melons, beans, and vegetables, raised chickens, and despite the lack of paddy fields, they could still subsist on beans grown on the mountain slopes. Those with exceptional strength, like Shen Lie and his group, could hunt, making their lives even more comfortable than the previous years before they fled to the mountains.

Everything they cultivated and reared belonged to them, free from taxes and conscription. They didn't have to worry about being suddenly seized for military service. With several villages uniting to practice martial arts, no one dared to harbor malicious intentions towards them. Wasn't this a peaceful and content existence?

This was Chen Dashan's third trip out, and he had always taken good care of his in-laws. In the past, when he went to buy salt, he would never fail to bring some for them as well. Zhou Lazi, feeling embarrassed to constantly take advantage of his son-in-law's kindness, had this time prepared some goods in advance and sent his eldest son along on this trip.

Both Chen Dashan and Lu Erlang were familiar with the area, having been there before. As soon as they arrived in Shexian, they instinctively made their way to the former black market. However, something seemed amiss; a place that should have had at least a few people was now deserted.

"Did the location change?" Lu Erlang asked, perplexed.

"Let's search the surrounding areas."

They split up and scoured the vicinity for over half an hour, but not a single soul did they encounter.

Chen Dashan was perplexed. "If we're changing locations, it can't be too far away, or else no one would be able to find us if we're too distant from the city."

Everyone was dumbfounded. Only Brother Dong’s father hesitantly suggested, "Could it be that the authorities are investigating?"

Everyone exchanged glances. Uncle Feng Liu said, "Surely not? They’re fighting tooth and nail for territory; how could they have the energy to concern themselves with us?"

Chen Dashan hesitated slightly. "Wait here for a moment. I'll slip closer to the city gate and take a look."

As a professional novel translator, I will provide you with an elegant and contextually faithful rendering of each line in English. Please provide the Chinese text you would like translated.

The city gates of Xizhou were heavily guarded. Chen Dashan observed from a distance. Apart from guards patrolling the watchtowers, there were also sentries at the gates. Occasionally, people entering or leaving would be inspected, but compared to the last time he had seen this scene, something seemed different.

Ah, yes, the posture of the guards.

This time, the guards were not the same batch as the ones he and Shen Lie had seen several months ago. No, they weren't even from the same unit. Their discipline and spirit were entirely distinct.

Another difference was a newly-built earthen wall just outside the city gate. At that moment, three or five people stood by it, seemingly observing something. Seeing that the guards didn't intervene, Chen Dashan approached them casually.

It turned out to be a notice board.

Back in Qiyang County, such a thing used to be placed outside the county office. Now, it was moved outside the city gates?

Chen Dashan looked at the various old and new notices posted on the wall. The characters were beautifully written, but unfortunately, he couldn't read a single one. He turned to the nearby people and asked, "Brother, what does it say?"

The man wasn't much better off. He glanced in the direction of the city gate and replied, "We can't read either. They say a bailiff will come in the afternoon to read it aloud."

Chen Dashan: "..."

He rubbed his forehead and walked away.

...

"They're back!"

"So, what's the news? What happened?"

The few people waiting in the mountains immediately stood up and went to greet them.

Chen Dashan puffed out his cheeks. "Daniu, come with me for a trip."

Shi Daniu was suddenly called upon, confused but unsure of the reason. However, the people in the mountains held immense respect for Shen Lie, Sang Luo, and Chen Dashan. Without questioning, he put down his belongings and followed along.

Chen Dashan led him to the notice board. "Didn't you follow along as they read? Take a look at what it says."

Shi Daniu stared at the wall filled with notices, momentarily stunned. A few villagers who had been waiting for the bailiff to read the notices exclaimed, "Brother, you can read?"

They were astonished by Shi Daniu's simple attire and rough appearance.

With this commotion from the others, Shi Daniu felt a bit flustered and intimidated. His neck flushed red as he stammered, "I-I read slowly, didn't learn much."

He might not even be as good as his young cousin.

He didn't dare to say that out loud.

Chen Dashan urged him, "Read whatever you know. Just go through the ones you can recognize."

Shi Datou nodded and picked the earliest and most worn-out one, stammering, "Ping Li Shiwei... I don't recognize these two characters."

"Self... I don't know the next four characters either."

"Skip those who are unfamiliar."

"Governance in disarray, people wandering, bandits and thieves rampant..." This time, without denying recognition, he paused for a moment before continuing, "...Yu Li... his head, ...severed by... amidst ... chaos..."

Reading up to this point, Shi Datou truly couldn't proceed any further: "Brother Da Shan, I don't recognize enough characters."

Chen Dashan was also at a loss. He pulled Shi Datou aside to look at the other notices. "Take a look at this one."

"Promoting agriculture, I'm unfamiliar with the third character."

With five notices, he stumbled through reading more than a hundred characters, but alas, neither Chen Dashan nor the listeners around him could make sense of their meaning. Lacking status, they couldn't wait for the local officials to read it out to them. They could only return to the mountains and wait for the person who usually helped them with their trading business. It wasn't until late afternoon that he was finally available. Not only did they exchange some salt, but Chen Dashan also asked the man who facilitated the trade about the new notice board outside the city.

Upon inquiry, they learned that Li Shewei was actually a person's name - the Chu King who ruled over their region. He had been overthrown by several generals under the Qi King a month ago.

The man said, "We're back under the rule of Great Qi now."

Oh, another emperor has taken the throne. Wasn't it the one Shopkeeper Xu mentioned last year as being quite capable?

Seeing no reaction from Chen Dashan and his companions, the man continued, "Don't underestimate this. I have a feeling that our current emperor might reunite the world. Qin, Wu, Yan, and Chu have either submitted or been conquered. Now, there's only the state of Chen, which occupies the capital, left as an opponent. It's just a matter of time. Haven't you noticed that fewer people are doing this trading business? It's not as easy as before. Did you see the notices? They were specifically placed outside the city, calling mountain dwellers back. The earliest one even had a deadline. If you keep hiding in the mountains like this, you'll be labeled bandits. This trade is risky now."

Chen Dashan's eyes flickered at the mention of the notices. He asked, "Brother, what did those notices say?"

The man replied, "One was an amnesty proclamation for the defeat of Li Shewei, another was an edict encouraging agriculture, and there was also one about abolishing taxes and labor duties, I think. That's all I know. I can't read; I only heard about it."

Hearing this, Chen Dashan lowered his eyelashes and handed the man a string of smoked meat, "Brother, can you help me with one more thing? I assume the same notices are posted within the city. Could you find someone who can read and copy the notices for me? Consider this meat payment for ink, paper, and labor. When you bring me the copied notices, I'll give you another portion as a token of gratitude. How does that sound?"

The man weighed the meat in his hand - at least six or seven pounds. He glanced at the similar bag still in Chen Dashan's hand, "Will you give me the same amount?"

Chen Dashan smiled, "Don't worry, brother. You won't be shortchanged."

The man laughed. "Alright, then wait here. I'll go buy paper and ink, and find someone to copy it for you. I'll be back within two hours."

...

Chen Dashan's group, carrying over twenty catties of salt, returned to the outer village after seven days. This time, Zhou Dalang, Zheng Dalang, Dong Ge's father, and Feng Liu's uncle did not leave. They sat at a small stone table by the village entrance, waiting for Shi Datou to call for the villagers.

Everyone knew that there were many scholars in the outer village.

It was originally time for an afternoon break. Shi Datou entered the village to make announcements. Upon hearing that Chen Dashan had brought back five proclamations, Shen Lie, Sang Luo, and the Xu family members rushed out. Even the illiterate Elder Chen, Elder Lu, and Madam Chen and Madam Lu followed to listen.

Wei Qinghe, Wang Yunzheng, the Xu father and son, Shen Lie, and Sang Luo each took a copy, quickly read through them, and then exchanged them for another read. Their eyes all lit up with understanding.

When they combined the information from the five proclamations, it became clear that most of the world had been annexed by the Great Qi, and several decrees had been issued to encourage those living outside their territories to return to the mountains and pledge allegiance. The documents mentioned how land would be allocated to new subjects, as well as the abolition of corvée labor and taxes for a certain period, unless specifically ordered otherwise.

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became more solemn, especially the older ones like Elder Chen, Elder Lu, and Feng Liu's uncle. As soon as Shopkeeper Xu finished speaking, they eagerly asked, "Did it say how the land will be distributed?"

"Are the taxes and corvées really being abolished? For how many years?"

"Is it truly peaceful out there?"

"Are they still conscripting soldiers? The war can't be over yet, right?"

They asked each other in turns.

Xu Manager exchanged glances with the others, unsure how to respond. On one hand, the exact duration of the policy wasn't specified. On the other hand, the emperor who had dismantled the Great Qian Dynasty was known for his eloquent proclamations, but what were his true intentions?

He turned to Chen Dashan and the others who had ventured out and asked, "How did you find your trip?"

The rest had been hiding in the mountains and had no idea what the outside world was like. Finally, Chen Dashan replied, "The countryside is deserted, and we didn't have much contact with the city folk. But from the looks of it, that man who bought salt for us seems quite confident in this Emperor of Great Qi's ability to conquer Chen Kingdom as well."

Xu Manager then looked at Shen Lie and Sang Luo. "What's your take on this?"

Shen Lie instinctively glanced at Sang Luo. She lowered her gaze, pondered for a moment, and said, "I think you should investigate further. This ruler's actions seem significant. From what we've seen so far, he's implementing policies for the people's welfare. And this part here."

She placed the paper she held onto the stone table and gently tapped on a line. "Order all provinces to recommend those well-versed in classical texts for examination... Schools shall be established in each state, county, and village."

With a rudimentary understanding of the history of her own timeline, she knew all too well what this implied. The monarchy was about to challenge the influence of the scholar-bureaucrat class. The resources that had long been controlled by the scholars would now be contested by a third party, as per the emperor's decree.

A feeble emperor would neither dare attempt such a feat nor succeed in it. As Sang Luo's gaze fell upon the small print at the end, which read "The 19th of August in the third year of Wu Ding," she knew this was not the case with this great Qi emperor.

Merely three years into the founding of the nation, if indeed the information that Manager Xu gathered last year holds true — this figure, with military power in hand and a resolute, iron-blooded demeanor, now advocating for the encouragement of agriculture and the advancement of education — Suoluo perceives that perhaps this truly is the opportune moment for them to leave the mountains and return to tending the fields.

While the others failed to grasp Sangluo's words, those who were well-versed in literature had already sensed, the moment they saw the edict in her hand, that their long-awaited opportunity might have arrived.

The more seasoned ones, like Wei Qinghe, and the more mature, like Wang Yunzheng, pondered deeper. As for those slightly younger, like Shen An and Xu Wenbo, after reading the imperial edict, they looked at Sangluo with excitement. "Sister-in-law, the new regime is planning to establish schools?"

Sang Luo smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's not just about establishing schools; it signifies an opportunity for commoners' children to advance through education."

Families with children studying were suddenly stirred up, and Lu Erliang promptly approached, carefully holding the paper. He called out to Shen An, his voice trembling with excitement: "Xiao An, come here. Read this for Uncle."

Old Man Chen, Old Man Lu, Mother Chen, Mother Lu, and Gan, among others who stood by, half-understanding, nodded in agreement: "Yes, yes, Xiao An, read it for us."

Undaunted, Shen An smiled and readily agreed. He picked up the imperial edict and began reading it aloud, his youthful voice clear and resonant, his enunciation precise. The person who could draft an edict on behalf of the emperor was undoubtedly a master of literature, every word like a polished pearl. Even though Mother Chen and the others only understood one out of every three sentences, they still found it captivating, not daring to interrupt. They waited patiently until Shen An finished before asking him to explain its meaning.

Amidst the commotion over there, Wang Yunzheng couldn't conceal his excitement even after hearing it a second time. He looked at Uncle Xu and suggested, "Uncle, why don't you try reaching out to your old friends again to inquire about the situation outside?"

The establishment of a provincial school and the selection of scholars through the examination system—after so many years of studying, how could he not be thrilled?

Shen Lie also looked at Sang Luo and said, "Should I accompany Manager Xu on this trip?"

Shen Lie hadn't thought too much about it. He enjoyed reading as well, but most of the time, it was because he could read and practice calligraphy alongside Sang Luo. It was the joy derived from the act of reading and the books themselves that appealed to him. As for anything beyond that, he hadn't given it much thought yet.

At present, his primary desire was to provide Sang Luo with a stable and happy life. This was their third autumn in the mountains. If the situation outside had indeed stabilized, venturing out ahead of time would offer them far more options.

"No," Fu Luoyin whispered insistently. "I won't agree, Lin Shuicheng. I've already told my mother that I'll bring you home for a visit by the end of the year. You can't—"

Whatever else he said, Lin Shuicheng didn't catch it.

Still covering his ears, Fu Luoyin pressed him firmly against the wall and lowered his head to rest it on Shuicheng's shoulder.

Lin Shuicheng asked, "Should I take you back to your room? You've had too much to drink. You didn't have to help me fend off those drinks today."

His alcohol tolerance was neither good nor bad.

Back when he first started the project two or three years ago, he was still an inexperienced student who would be coerced into drinking without knowing how to refuse. Now, he had matured significantly and knew how to assert himself in such social situations.

Fu Luoyin leaned entirely onto him, forcing Lin Shuicheng to wrap his arms around his shoulders and back. He was much taller, so as people passed by, they couldn't help but glance over, assuming something intimate was happening. However, Fu Luoyin simply nestled his head gently against Shuicheng's neck.

After a moment, he mumbled, still incoherent, "Don't listen. I disagree."

With Fu Luoyin's hands clasped tightly over his ears, Lin Shuicheng felt a slight ache. He reached up to remove Fu's hands, gently tugging at him. Fu Luoyin snapped back to reality, staring blankly at his fingers – entwined with his own, slender and soft.

Their fingertips brushed against each other, their breath warm.

In that instant, Lin Shuicheng realized that this gesture might carry a hint of intimacy.

Fu Luoyin's eyes glimmered at the sight of Lin Shuicheng, like an ancient well concealing a hidden river, suddenly sparkling with numerous stars.

Shuicheng attempted to take a step back, but there was nowhere to retreat; the wall was right behind him. Fu Luoyin then leaned in closer—

Shuicheng anticipated a kiss, but instead, Fu Luoyin merely gazed at him intently, as if admiring a beloved treasure. A hint of a smile appeared in his eyes, filled with reverence, joy, and caution.

He then gently lowered his head and kissed Shuicheng's forehead.

"Little kitten," he murmured.

Lin Shuicheng tried to push him away, his voice cool and detached. "Back to the room."

Fu Luoyin obediently followed his instructions, though he insisted on carrying him, his fingers clasped tightly around Shuicheng's. The normally composed and steady man had transformed into a child in this moment.

Unaware of where Fu Luoyin lived, Shuicheng led him to his own room, struggling to help him onto the bed.

As Fu Luoyin reached out to pull him into bed, Shuicheng struggled to cover him with a blanket. While removing Fu Luoyin's coat, a small pill box tumbled out, revealing two missing pills inside.

Lin Shuicheng lowered his head to examine the medicine names, recalling Fu Luoyin's relentless sneezing fits earlier that day. He fell into a moment of silence.

He adjusted the air conditioning to a warmer temperature, then went over to the desk to extract the rose from the eternal flower arrangement. Carefully, he placed it in an empty document pouch.

For the remaining cherry blossom eternal flowers, he took them out one by one, arranging their stems neatly in his hand. Fu Luoyin's approach to flower arranging had been hasty and forceful, causing the fake stems at the bottom to be broken and tangled. Lin Shuicheng separated the flowers into three bunches: one in the vase, another on the table wrapped in a napkin, and the last, with severed stems, he kept only the petals, storing them in transparent document bags.

As he worked on this task, Fu Luoyin called out his name from the bed, "Lin Shuicheng."

Lin Shuicheng acknowledged him, and Fu Luoyin fell silent.

After a while, Fu Luoyin called out again, "Lin Shuicheng!"

Lin Shuicheng turned his head to look at him. When he saw no response from Fu Luoyin, he remained quiet, continuing to tend to the flowers.

Once he finished, Lin Shuicheng retrieved his phone, which had a cracked screen, and checked it.

There were no new messages. As usual, he searched for Chu Shihan's name, but the results were still empty.

He let out a soft sigh.

Just then, he heard a noise behind him. Turning his head, he saw Fu Luoyin staggering to his feet and stumbling over to the bed.

Without thinking, Lin Shuicheng exited the search interface and put his phone in his pocket. He asked, "Why did you get out of bed?"

Rubbing his temple, Fu Luoyin replied gloomily, "I don't know."

They stared at each other for a moment. Lin Shuicheng thought Fu Luoyin was going to repeat their previous conversation, but after sizing him up for a while, Fu Luoyin suddenly reached out and scooped him up into a horizontal embrace!

Lin Shuicheng suddenly found himself suspended in mid-air, startled – but he didn't struggle.

He looked up at Fu Luoyin in silence.

Fu Luoyin gazed into his eyes, gently placing him back on the bed before leaning down to press a kiss to his forehead, just as tenderly as before.

After the kiss, Fu Luoyin didn't do anything else but lay down beside him, holding Lin Shuicheng close. He nestled Lin Shuicheng into his embrace, inhaling his scent deeply, as if savoring it like one would pet a cat, before finally holding him still.

"I remember, Lin Shuicheng, there's something I need to tell you," Fu Luoyin said.

Trapped in Fu Luoyin's embrace, Lin Shuicheng couldn't move or stretch his hands, just as before in the corridor, with his arms wrapped around Fu's back. Fu was warm, exuding a comforting warmth that was characteristic of him.

Lin Shuicheng remained still.

He heard Fu say, "Don't be sad."

After uttering those words, Fu seemed to have accomplished a significant task, drawing Lin Shuicheng closer and drifting off into a peaceful sleep. Half of his body rested on Lin Shuicheng, who tilted his head to look at him and gently lowered his gaze.

He dozed off beside Fu for a while, dreaminglessly.

In the middle of the night, rain began to fall on the island. The pitter-patter outside, combined with the humid warmth, roused Lin Shuicheng from his sleep.

Fu still held onto him in the same position, motionless. Struggling to reach into his suit pocket, Lin managed to retrieve his phone and switched off the room's humidification system using the remote control app.

The bright screen illuminated Lin's face. As he swiped through, a new message caught his attention – a friend request.

Startled, it was due to the profile picture of the applicant, a selfie taken at an oblique angle with hazy lighting, reminiscent of the style favored by teenagers trying to look cool. More strikingly, at first glance, Lin almost believed it was Fu's former boyfriend, Xia Ran.

The eyebrows and facial features bore a striking seven-point resemblance, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't the same person.

His verification message read: "Help me, please! I truly have no other options!"

Lin Shuicheng slightly furrowed his brow and accepted the friend request.

The moment he did, the person immediately sent a flood of messages: "I'm so sorry to bother you, but I'm currently outside the hotel on that island. Do you have time to meet me? I need your help with something!"

Lin Shuicheng replied with a question mark.

The other party sent an audio message. Glancing at Fu Luoyin, who was sound asleep, Lin Shuicheng lowered the volume to a barely audible level before playing it out loud.

A boy's voice, tinged with tears, came through: "I used to work for Mr. Fu. I've exhausted all my options, which is why I'm bothering you now. Can you help me? I took a taxi here and have no money left... I don't mean to disturb you, I'm begging you..."

There were more words following, but Lin Shuicheng didn't play them all.

He shifted gently, gradually extracting himself from Fu Luoyin's embrace. Just as he was about to get out of bed, Fu Luoyin tugged at the corner of his shirt. "Lin Shuicheng."

With his eyes still closed, Fu Luoyin managed to mumble, "Don't go, you're not allowed to leave."

Lin Shuicheng sighed, his lips moving, but ultimately, he said nothing. After straightening his clothes, he quietly stepped out of the room.

The boy who contacted Lin Shuicheng was named Tang Yang, a few years younger than him.

When Lin Shuicheng went out, it was pouring heavily outside. The boy stood alone under the hotel's canopy, drenched in rain and shivering from the wind. Upon seeing him, he gave a timid and nervous smile, addressing him as, "Sister-in-law."

Lin Shuicheng no longer had the energy to correct a stranger's misnomer. He asked, "What can I help you with? —Come inside."

He sized up the young man before him.

He was young, fair-skinned, slender, and dressed in decent clothes that were visibly soiled, likely worn for several days. Under his sleeves, bandages could be vaguely seen wrapped around his hand.

Tang Yang gave him an appreciative glance before following him in. The warmth of the heating system enveloped them, and the boy looked around, exclaiming, "Wow, this place is great, so big and nice."

It was still early, and some people were still enjoying themselves. Lin Shuicheng ordered hot beverages and noodle soup from a convenience store and handed them to Tang Yang.

Tang Yang swallowed, obviously hungry, but he refrained from eating. Instead, he stared intently at Lin Shuicheng, speaking after a while.

"Sister-in-law, I didn't mean to bother you constantly, but I had no choice... Three years ago, I worked for Mr. Fu for a short while, but he dismissed me because he thought I was too dumb and uneducated. He let me go within a week. After that, I found a job adjusting machinery – those huge space vehicle assemblies. Recently, I injured my hand, and my boss was supposed to compensate me with 30,000 yuan."

He held out his bandaged hand for Lin Shuicheng to see.

A pungent odor of cheap disinfectant mixed with an unpleasant stench of decay wafted from the makeshift bandage.

Tang Yang hastily withdrew his hand and, using his uninjured one, touched his nose while guiltily lowering his head and smiling. "Please don't look anymore, it's quite disgusting. Let me continue – I was supposed to receive thirty thousand yuan, but the boss went bankrupt and fled. Now, I have no money, my rented room's lease has expired, and the doctor says if I don't get treated, they might amputate my arm. They also asked me to get some sort of health insurance – I have no money and can't figure out what they want. Then, I saw in the news that some fugitive bosses were being dealt with. Three years ago, I worked for Mr. Fu for a week, so I thought, could Mr. Fu help me get back those thirty thousand yuan?... But I couldn't find Mr. Fu's contact information, only yours. Someone said you're his boyfriend and gave me your number. I'm really sorry, brother, but I had no other choice. I've seen how kind-hearted wealthy people can be, and they often engage in charity work. Can you please help me?"

As he spoke, tears threatened to fall again.

Listening to Tang Yang, Lin Shuicheng remained noncommittal and asked, "Did you bring any identification or documents to verify your story?"

Promptly, Tang Yang handed over everything he had on him: his wallet, ID card, a crumpled certificate of employment and labor contract, and a doctor's diagnosis report.

He felt deeply wronged. "I would've been able to live comfortably for two more years with those thirty thousand yuan – it was such a great opportunity. Who knew the boss would run away... Now, not only do I have no money, I might lose my arm too..."

After checking, Lin Shuicheng confirmed the bankruptcy information of the company's owner mentioned by Tang Yang. The boss was indeed a notorious deadbeat who still owed many people their salaries.

"I'll take you to the hospital first," Lin Shuicheng stood up. "I'll cover the medical expenses, and regarding that thirty thousand yuan, you don't need to worry about it – I'll give it to you."

Tang Yang probably didn't expect things to go so smoothly, so he was momentarily stunned.

When Lin Shuicheng took out his car keys and headed outside, Tang Yang finally snapped out of his daze and followed behind.

As they got into the car, Lin Shuicheng asked, "Do you know how to drive?"

Tang Yang hesitated before answering, "I've driven a forklift in a warehouse before..."

Lin Shuicheng replied, "Then I'll set the car on autopilot. Let's head to the nearest hospital."

There was a medical center on the artificial island for emergencies, but it was clearly inadequate for Tang Yang's situation. He needed surgery.

The nearest hospital was two kilometers away, off the island, requiring them to cross a sea bridge and then descend a mountain road. Lin Shuicheng activated the autopilot and leaned back in his seat, leaving the driving to the car.

Tang Yang, initially cautious and timid, gradually became more daring. He had realized that Lin Shuicheng was a kind person and eventually mustered the courage to sit in the passenger seat, slowly munching on some cheap rice crackers he had in his pocket.

Not daring to speak, it was Lin Shuicheng who initiated conversation throughout the journey.

"How old are you?"

"I'm twenty this year. When I was with Mr. Fu, I was only seventeen. I came for the money; someone introduced us. But don't misunderstand, Mr. Fu didn't even touch me. He despised me."

"Are you studying? You should be in university, right?"

"My family did support me to study, but I'm just not cut out for it. Besides, we're quite poor, so I started working. Initially, getting my hand injured wasn't a loss. After the surgery fees, there would've been a sum of around ten thousand. But then the boss ran away..." Tang Yang chattered on.

This boy was from a completely different world. When he spoke about his injury, there was a hint of self-satisfaction, as if his injury was a stroke of good luck – a free gain with no losses. His hand could be healed, and as long as he didn't consider himself "unlucky," everything would turn out well. What most people would call "bad luck" had become a profitable transaction in his shrewd calculations, as if his injured hand were a golden egg on a TV show that could be smashed without consequence.

A faint stirring occurred within Lin Shuicheng's heart. He asked, "Do you need financial assistance? For yourself or your family?"

Tang Yang was taken aback for a moment before quickly flashing him a smile, "No, no need at all, brother. You're a kind person, I know that. But once my hand is healed, I'll help run a convenience store back home. It's pretty good."

There was an innate optimistic aura about him, or perhaps he was simply easily content.

Lin Shuicheng fell into deep thought and decided not to press further.

As the car smoothly crossed the sea bridge, something else came to Lin Shuicheng's mind. He turned to look at the boy beside him and asked, "Your appearance...?"

Tang Yang looked innocent as he replied, "It's artificial. I had plastic surgery to resemble someone. The person who lured me over to meet Mr. Fu said that if the surgery was successful, he'd give me half the money he earned. He even coined a funny term for it, calling it a 'stand-in.'"

Observing Lin Shuicheng's expression, he quickly complimented, "But in my opinion, brother, you look much better than me, and we don't resemble each other at all."

Lin Shuicheng pondered, "Perhaps there might be some resemblance in other aspects."

His focus was on the speedometer, and he casually instructed, "In a bit, I'll send you a number, it's President Fu's personal number. Tell him about today's incident. After you visit the hospital, mention that I've helped to repay some of his emotional debts."

Chapter 89: Crisis (3000+)

Seeing the situation, Luo Le rushed over to assist.

Huo Lanjing glanced at Chen Chen and hesitated for a moment. Instead of joining the fray, he scooped up Chen Chen and pushed through the crowd towards the house.

Inside, Huo Lanjing found a spot near the window, from which he could observe the battle outside.

Luo Le was engaged in combat with a man dressed similarly to him. The two were evenly matched.

After a while, Luo Le appeared to be losing his stamina, gradually falling behind.

Huo Lanjing watched as the torn fabric of Luo Le's shirt, now stained with blood from a wound on his shoulder, fluttered in the wind.

Unable to remain seated any longer, he instructed Chen Chen to stay put before swiftly dashing out.

Ever since the incident with Huo Lanjing, Luo Le had been experiencing weakness after exerting himself.

In just a dozen minutes, he was already showing signs of great strain.

His evasive movements appeared somewhat sluggish.

The knife was about to descend, yet Luo Le was aware but unable to react physically.

Suddenly, a figure dashed in front of him, seizing the blade. Blood dripped down, some of it trailing along the arm that held it.

Luo Le felt his waist being embraced, and the distinct cold pine scent of Huo Lanjing reached his nostrils. His tense body gradually relaxed.

But in the next moment, Luo Le abruptly remembered something: "What about the child?"

The question stung, and Huo Lanjing bit his lip. "Inside."

"Are you treating me like a decoration? Chatting away?"

Frustrated, the man forcefully pushed the knife downward, causing pain to radiate from the palm of his hand.

Huo Lanjing frowned, kicking the man away and rushing forward.

"You go and keep an eye on Chen Chen."

Luo Le shifted the direction of his lifted foot.

Given the Xu family's wealth, who knew how many mercenaries they had hired.

A defenseless child was incredibly dangerous.

Luo Le's pace quickened, almost turning into a run as he approached the entrance.

The door stood wide open, and a man was forcing a child towards it.

Beside him was another armed man, who noticed Luo Le standing at the doorway. "You, move aside," he demanded.

Upon seeing the child's face, Luo Le froze for a moment before raising his hands and stepping to the side.

Chen Chen, of course, saw Luo Le too, but he didn't call out for help. He remained calm and composed, allowing the captor to hold onto him.

Luo Le secretly sighed in relief upon seeing that Chen Chen didn't cry out.

He planned to make his move once those two were within reach.

However, things didn't go as smoothly as Luo Le had anticipated.

As he swung his arm down, the man seemed to have eyes on his back and turned around, firing a shot at Luo Le's shoulder.

Chen Chen saw this and instinctively called out, "Daddy."

Luo Le took a step back, clutching his shoulder.

"Are you this kid's father?"

The gunman, dressed in a tuxedo, glared fiercely at Luo Le.

He must have been among the guests from the beginning.

Realizing his mistake, Chen Chen subconsciously reached out. However, the chilling blade deterred him from any further action.

"Speak."

Seeing that he remained silent, the burly man pressed the gun against his head.

Luo Le replied, "No."

"You're trying to fool me, huh? Even the kids call you that. Forget it, whether you are or not, you won't be able to... what?"

Midway through his sentence, the burly man's tone suddenly rose, becoming somewhat shrill.

"You're one of Qing's people."

It was a statement, not a question.

Luo Le glanced at his ear without a word, merely silently scanning their surroundings.

The man holding Chen Chen hostage and issuing threats said, "Kill him."

Upon hearing that word, Chen Chen's body trembled.

Luo Le didn't say anything. He just looked at Chen Chen and reached out to touch his face.

A wicked grin tugged at the corner of the gunman's mouth as he pulled the trigger.

A sudden commotion erupted from behind him, and he paused, turning around.

Chen Chen clamped down on the man's hand, yet it remained steadfast; the man even offered him a smile.

No matter how hard Chen Chen bit, the man appeared impervious to pain, his expression unperturbed.

Chen Chen couldn't comprehend and could only apply more force.

"Child, biting isn't a good behavior."

As the speaker uttered those words, the knife in their hand inched forward, and in that instant, blood trickled down their neck.

1. Drizzling onto the pristine white garment.

Upon catching sight of that vivid crimson, a frenzy contorted the person's face.

He firmly restrained Chen Chen, keeping the knife at a distance, veins bulging in his hand.

Anyone could see what he was aiming to do.

In the next instant, a searing pain shot across his face as a dagger suddenly appeared, deflecting his weapon and cutting his hand.

He roared in fury, "Damn it, you're asking for trouble!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his feet were swept out from under him by a powerful kick, sending him crashing to the ground.

- Bang!

The sound of gunfire echoed through the wind from behind him, and a black hole appeared on his right side.

Luo Le paused, then quickly dodged to the other side while still holding Chen Chen.

Just as he regained his balance, the man who had been holding Chen Chen now stood beside the gunman.

Their shadows stretched long, reaching Luo Le's feet.

"Daddy, be careful!"

A cluster of purple light sliced through them, burning everything it touched with its violet glow.

This was a hue of flame never seen before.

Chen Chen crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

Luo Le was already physically drained, and the continuous flow of blood from his shoulder only added to his struggle.

He pushed himself up on his knees, but as he straightened, his vision darkened, accompanied by a roaring in his ears.

It took about five seconds for his sight to return, still blurry. Amidst the haze, the white light transformed into a red glow.

Those were laser bullets.

They were headed straight for Chen Chen. Luo Le sprang into action, dashing over.

Suddenly, the man who had been holding Chen Chen earlier rushed out, grabbing Luo Le's wrist with one hand and the back of his shirt with the other.

Sitting there, Chen Chen's bleeding head obstructed his vision. He kept reaching out to wipe away the blood.

The bullets were mere meters away, yet Chen Chen remained in his previous position, frozen.

Luo Le felt a thread in his mind snap, and he shouted uncontrollably, "Run!"

As he spoke, he struggled fiercely to break free from the person behind him.

The man watched Luo Le break away and wondered how the latter had suddenly found the strength.

Luo Le was unable to catch up. Seeing Chen Chen still wiping blood from his head, his heart was gripped tightly by an invisible hand.

Suddenly, a figure darted forward, scooping up Chen Chen and narrowly avoiding a bullet.

It was Huo Lanjing.

What a close call.

Luo Le couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

But just as Huo Lanjing released Chen Chen, the burly man's gun transformed into a knife, and he charged at Huo Lanjing, engaging him in a fierce struggle.

Chen Chen looked up, his face a picture of confusion. Despite his bleeding head and tender age of less than five, he didn't cry or fuss.

It was unclear if the pain had numbed his senses.

Luo Le rushed over with a worried heart and scooped up Chen Chen. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Chen Chen, who had been calm, suddenly started weeping as he heard those words.

He sounded as if he had suffered the greatest injustice in the world. "Father, it hurts so much, it really does."

Luo Le gently patted the back of the person in his arms, a strange emotion surging within him.

"I know."

As he spoke, Luo Le took out a tourniquet from his spatial ring. "Don't move."

He carefully began wrapping the tourniquet around Chen Chen's leg.

In the end, he tied a neat bow knot.

"Be careful,"

The sudden sound made Luo Le snap his head around.

He saw Huo Lanjing rush over and grab the knife-wielding hands of the attacker with both of his own.

It was an ordinary knife, but it was adorned with an unusual purple hue.

Huo Lanjing was no longer the figure he had been moments ago. His face was slashed with bloody lines, and his clothes were tainted with dust and torn apart.

Luo Le couldn't help but start, "Huo..."

Before he could finish, the blade suddenly pierced into Huo Lanjing's left chest.

Right where the heart was.

Then, Huo Lanjing's body floated like a drifting lily, gently and slowly descending to the ground.

Determination flickered in Luo Le's eyes as the veil of his heart stirred.

*

"The patient has been stabbed in the left chest, suffering excessive blood loss, shock, and suspected cardiac rupture."

"The patient urgently needs blood transfusion."

"Defibrillator..."

...

Each phrase, exchanged almost in a second, brought them closer to the brink of death.

The car's insulation wasn't great, allowing Luo Le to hear every word clearly.

The mercenaries and Xu Bin were captured.

As for what happened next, Luo Le had no idea. The moment the situation took a turn, he rushed with Huo Lanjing to the hospital.

He also arranged for an ambulance to meet them.

There was only one road down the mountain.

During the journey, Huo Lanjing's breathing ceased. Luo Le couldn't recall his thoughts when he first realized it.

All he could recall was the single thought in his mind: to rush Huo Lanjing to the hospital as swiftly as possible.

After the two vehicles collided, upon learning of Huo Lanjing's condition, they transferred him onto an ambulance for immediate medical aid.

Luo Le could still hear the doctors' words ringing in his ears, but their words fell on deaf ears.

He gently touched his bandaged shoulder, his eyes flickering with indiscernible thoughts.

"Daddy, will Uncle be okay?"

Looking down at Chen Chen, whose head was wrapped in bandages, Luo Le couldn't bring himself to say, "I'm not your father."

He bent down to scoop up Chen Chen, patting his head softly. "Go to sleep."

Despite feeling dizzy from excessive blood loss, Chen Chen, upon catching the familiar scent of his father, soon drifted into a deep slumber after being rocked gently.

Luo Le gazed at Chen Chen's sleeping face and, almost instinctively, reached out to touch his forehead.

Realizing what he had done, he lowered his head to look at his own hand.

*

"Daddy, you're here to see Chen Chen again."

Luo Le set the fruit basket aside and walked over to examine Chen Chen's head.

With a puzzled frown, Chen Chen asked, "What's wrong? Daddy?"

Luo Le gave him a thorough once-over and said, "I'm not your father."

Chen Chen was fine. It was the other person who wasn't.

He turned his head to look at Huo Lanjing, who lay in the healing pod on the other side of the bed.

Gazing at the man whose body was hooked up to various wires and tubes, he pressed his lips together.

Suddenly, the person in the healing pod opened their eyes. Luo Le's body jolted.

Chen Chen, who had noticed, cheered, "Uncle's awake! Daddy, Uncle's awake!"

Luo Le acknowledged with a soft hum and turned to call for a doctor.

Two hours later, Luo Le entered with two thermal lunch boxes in hand.

Upon seeing him, Huo Lanjing, who had already tidied up and was lying on the bed, slowly gathered the documents on the small table into a neat stack.

Luo Le glanced around and noticed that Chen Chen was nowhere to be seen.

He placed the items on the coffee table.

"Where's the child?"

Huo Lanjing replied, "He has a name."

Luo Le: "…"

Huo Lanjing tapped the paper lightly with his ring-adorned pinky finger. "Let's talk."

Luo Le asked, "About what?"

After sensing something amiss, Huo Lanjing instructed Captain Lin to resume the interrogation of the previous group of mercenaries.

Chapter 75: This Seat Is Illiterate, Suffer in Silence if You Disagree

Everyone stared at the apparition, then looked at the fiery willow vine around the dead Feathered's neck. Their anger only grew.

"It was you! Just like when you killed No. 18!"

"Why did you do such a cruel thing?"

"Kill him!"

Immortal Fairy Yumen seemed to be annoyed by all the noise. She held her forehead and said coldly, "Mo Weiyu, I'll ask you one last time. Did you kill this person?"

"No."

"Good." Immortal Fairy Yumen nodded. Mo Ran thought she was going to let him go and heaved a sigh of relief, ready to thank her for her understanding. But then, she lifted her hand indifferently and said in a chilly voice, "This person has committed many atrocities and still tries to deny it. Arrest him."

When Shi Mo came out, freshly washed and dressed, he saw more than a dozen high-ranking Feathereds using spells to restrain Mo Ran. Someone was binding his wrists with immortal ropes.

"What are you doing?!"

Shi Mo's complexion paled as he rushed to Mo Ran's side. "What happened?"

No one replied, but the sight of floating corpses in the peach forest silently conveyed the answer. Shi Mo drew a sharp breath and stepped back, bumping into Mo Ran's chest.

"Aran..."

"Stay calm, don't panic," Mo Ran said, his gaze fixed on the Feathered Immortal as he whispered to Shi Mo. "Go invite Uncle and Elder Xuan Ji here."

In this situation, these Feathered Folk might not be able to maintain their rationality. If they attacked him without any regard, he had no chance of winning with his current strength. He needed to get Xue Zhengyong and Xuan Ji over to intervene as soon as possible.

After Shi Mo left, Mo Ran stood alone, his gaze blazing as he scanned the contorted, furious faces.

"Spit!"

Suddenly, a mouthful of saliva flew from the crowd. Mo Ran dodged to the side, but the Feathered Folk who spat at him was too close, and he was still splashed by it.

He slowly turned his head, meeting a pair of bloodshot eyes.

"You've taken so many lives, and now you want backup? I'll take your life right now!!"

With that, a blazing inferno suddenly formed in his palm, hurtling straight towards Mo Ran!

Mo Ran stepped back, and the scorching flames grazed past his temple, crashing into a peach tree behind him. Instantly, the thick trunk was seared in two at waist height.

Boom!

The peach tree toppled, its blossoms scattering like a snowfall.

Mo Ran glanced at the fallen tree, then turned to face the Feathered man. "I'll say it again. I didn't kill those people. In ten days, when the Crimson Child Pill is complete, if you still seek revenge, that will be your chance."

"Ten more days? By then, everyone in Peach Blossom Spring might be dead by your hands!" the man roared. "Give me my sister's life in exchange!" He lunged at Mo Ran once more.

Mo Ran evaded the attack yet again, his gaze landing on the Celestial Feathered being standing idly by. There was no intention of intervention from that side. The injustice infuriated Mo Ran, who bellowed, "Hey! Old Bird! Control your own people!"

Silence.

"Damn it," Mo Ran cursed as she remained motionless. "Choosing to be deaf and mute at a crucial moment, do you want to watch me burn alive? If I had known your flock of birds had no sense of right and wrong, I wouldn't have bothered coming to this damned Peach Blossom Spring for cultivation! And now, I have to suffer such injustice for nothing!"

The celestial immortal listened to these words and was visibly affected. She lifted her sleeve, and with a flick of her garment, it was like a rainbow ribbon sweeping past—yet it struck Mo Ran's face with a sharp slap.

Though the Feathered People resembled mortals in appearance, their minds were fundamentally different.

In the cultivation world, not to mention the leader of an entire clan, even the head of a small martial arts academy would not hastily make judgments without solid evidence. But the Feathered People had half their bloodline from beasts, and their primitive instincts still ran deep within them.

The celestial immortal's black hair turned scarlet, as if each strand was emitting scorching heat. Her beautiful eyes widened, and she said in a menacing tone, "Who is your master? To have taught such a tainted disciple! Clean up your tongue!"

Upon her words, the other Feathered People let out a chorus of fierce cries. Their blood-red eyes brimmed with killing intent as they closed in on Mo Ran.

Whoosh!

An orange arrow of flames pierced through the air, aimed straight at Mo Ran's heart.

Mo Ran didn't dare to neglect this, swiftly using Ghost Dodger, his body flickering with fiery light, to block the attack. However, the arrow was merely a distraction. As he shifted to intercept, a grief-stricken Feathered Person lunged forward with a sword, its blade shining like water, heading straight for Mo Ran's back!

Trapped between arrows and a sword, there was seemingly no escape.

Mo Ran knew that these half-beast creatures had finally resolved to kill. With a steely determination, he recalled Chu Wanning's previous use of the Heaven's Inquiry technique and raised his hand, flicking his wrist—

The Demon Seizer soared into the air, then abruptly tightened, wielding the blood-red willow vine into a blurred, ethereal shadow. It formed a powerful vortex in the blink of an eye, and the willow leaves transformed into sharp blades, slicing through the surrounding air and solid objects.

One of Chu Wanning's signature moves—"Wind!"

He used the vine as windblades, harnessing spiritual energy to absorb everything around him.

Anything caught in the wind would be ground to dust, buried in its depths with no remains left behind!

"AHHH!!!" The Feathered tribeswoman let out a piercing scream. The arrows she had shot were already shattered by the Demon Seizer, and her long sword was sucked in due to its proximity to Mo Ran.

"Clang!" The sound of metal snapping was shrill and jarring. Before she could react, she herself was drawn to the crimson edge of the "wind." She shrieked, "Let me go! Madman! You madman!"

Enraged by the suffering of her people, the Fairy of the Feathered tribe flew up in a billowing red dress.

She conjured a pure, bright pink crystal in her palm, and her sleeves flared as she poured spiritual energy into it. Suddenly, the Peach Blossom Spring was swept up in a furious gale, with grass and trees bending under its force.

A spectral phoenix, ethereal yet potent, materialized behind her in response to her call. The immortal's crimson eyes seemed ready to bleed, and her once matchless beauty was distorted with fury.

"Beast," she hissed. "Do you still not desist?"

"How can I stop now when you've summoned the phoenix's phantom? Am I to wait for death?" Mo Ran's face flickered in the vast shadow of the fiery phoenix. "I'll cease when you do!"

"You—"

The Feathered immortal ascended slowly into the air.

"There is—"

She enunciated each word deliberately, her bloodshot eyes locked onto Mo Ran.

"Right—"

"To—"

"Demand!"

As her words echoed, a deafening explosion rent the air. A phantom phoenix let out a piercing cry as it spiraled downward, diving straight at Mo Ran!

"Bam!!"

Another thunderous boom, even more terrifying than the first. It was as if an ancient azure dragon had awoken from its eternal slumber, bursting forth from the earth's depths.

A beam of golden light collided fiercely with the fiery phoenix, stirring up monstrous waves and gales. The weaker Feathered beings were thrown to the ground by the tempest, some vomiting blood and being flung dozens of feet away.

For a moment, High Heaven Pavilion was engulfed in a sandstorm, the winds howling wildly, houses and trees flattened in an instant!

When the dust settled, a familiar slender figure emerged in mid-air, standing guard before Mo Ran.

"Mi-ster T-eacher...?!"

The man was clad in white, his sleeves billowing like snow in the wind. At the sound, he turned his half-profile, revealing his cool and translucent handsome face. His phoenix eyes swept over Mo Ran, who knelt on the ground.

Chu Wanning's voice was cold and deep, like the clear water in a well during midsummer.

"Are you hurt?"

Mo Ran's eyes widened, unable to process what was happening for a long while. He only stared blankly with his mouth agape, "…………"

Chu Wanning scanned him from head to toe and, upon noticing no obvious injuries, turned to the Feathered being and said, "Didn't you just ask who his master is?"

He descended from mid-air, his formidable spiritual energy subsiding as he gently landed on the ground.

Not bothering to waste any more words, he stated in an icy, minimalist tone, "I am Chu Wanning of the Summit of Life and Death. I'd like to see what you've got."

"What... what did you say?"

Chu Wanning's brows knitted together, his eyes as deep as jade.

Seems these feathered creatures don't understand manners. Perfect, since my patience is already wearing thin.

"I said, his master is me." He paused, "Did I give you permission to harm my disciple?"

Though the Feathered Immortal was revered, her status was merely due to her noble bloodline; she was still far from being a true immortal. Not only did Chu Wanning shatter the phoenix illusion, but her own arm was also slashed by Heavenly Inquiry. She clutched her wound, thick black blood oozing out between her fingers, her expression ghastly.

"You... a mere mortal, how dare you be so brazen! And who gave you the right to intrude upon Peach Blossom Spring? How did you even get in here!!" She raged, "You unassuming—"

"Swish!"

Heaven's Inquiry responded to the call and struck her face directly, causing her lips to split and blood to flow.

"Cowardly and ignorant about what?" Chu Wanning sneered, smoothing out the wrinkles in his sleeves that had been disrupted by his previous action with the willow vine. Then, he grabbed Mo Ran's collar with one hand and lifted him to his feet, his eyes never leaving the Feathered Immortal for an instant. "Tell me, what exactly am I, this cowardly and ignorant one?"

"You... you dare to do this? You—"

"Why wouldn't I dare?" Chu Wanning glanced at her indifferently. "What is there that I wouldn't dare to do?" He paused, then dragged Mo Ran over. "Listen, this person belongs to me. I'm taking him away."

Before Mo Ran could recover from the shock of Chu Wanning's godlike appearance, he was hit once more by the words "this person belongs to me."

"Mas... Master... oh..."

"Shut your dog's mouth." Although Chu Wanning still wore no expression, Mo Ran could clearly see the anger in his eyes. "You're good for nothing but causing trouble."

With that, he slapped the back of Mo Ran's head and soared into the air, darting dozens of feet away. By the time Mo Ran regained his senses, he found himself and Chu Wanning already in the deserted outskirts of Peach Blossom Spring.

"Master! My junior apprentice brother is still over there—"

Chu Wanning cast a glance at him, noticing the anxiety on his face. He coldly harrumphed, "Junior Apprentice Brother? The one with the surname Xia?"

"That's right, that's right. He's still in the High Heaven Pavilion. I need to go save him..."

Chu Wanning lifted his hand to interrupt, "I've already cast a spell to transport him to Xuan Ji. There's no need for you to worry."

Upon hearing this, Mo Ran finally let out a sigh of relief. Lifting his clear black-and-white eyes, he looked at Chu Wanning, "Master, why... are you here?"

Chu Wanning had originally been woken by the commotion outside. Seeing the dire situation, he had swallowed a pill given by Tianlang, temporarily restoring his true form. However, he was not in a position to explain this to Mo Ran now. He merely replied coolly, "Why can't I be here?" With that, he raised his finger and summoned a golden begonia.

"The western pavilion's willows and flowers have withered, but the spring breeze arrived at Qiantang overnight."

Lowering his eyelashes, Chu Wanning gently blew on the bud about to bloom. In an instant, it blossomed, radiating a dazzling glow. With his slender, pale fingers, he plucked the flower and whispered, "Investigate."

The begonia immediately drifted away with the wind, quickly disappearing into the mountain forest.

Curious, Mo Ran asked, "Master, what kind of spell is this?"

"Flower-Throwing Spell."

"What?"

"Flower-Throwing Spell," Chu Wanning replied solemnly, not the least bit like he was joking. "It didn't have a name before, but since you asked, I just gave it one."

Mo Ran: "…."

Was this person really that lazy?

"Your situation, the Lord has already informed me," Chu Wanning said, gazing in the direction where the peach blossom had drifted away. His voice was as cold and deep as a stream flowing over polished jade stones. "This matter likely stems from the same individual who was involved in the incident at Jin Cheng Lake. Inside this Peach Blossom Land, there might already be a game of Xuanzhong Chess set up."

"How is that possible?" Mo Ran was startled.

Xuanzhong Chess was a spell that he had mastered in his previous life. After the incident eighteen years ago, Mo Ran had tried to sense any traces of this forbidden magic. As this taboo technique often accompanied violence and bloodshed, once activated, it would surely claim lives. Therefore, by investigating any inexplicable strong resentment, one could tell if someone had set up a Xuanzhong Chess. If that mysterious person had truly used this forbidden art again, unless they had executed it flawlessly, Mo Ran had no reason to remain oblivious.

Seeing Chu Wanning's slightly doubtful gaze sweep over, Mo Ran hurried to explain, "What I mean is… everyone inside this Peach Blossom Land is at least half-immortal. How could someone set up a forbidden spell without anyone noticing?"

Chu Wanning shook his head. "Back then at the bottom of Jin Cheng Lake, that mysterious person controlled all the ancient spirit beasts. Although their combat power can't be compared with divine beasts, they're on par with wandering immortals. Since he could control Jin Cheng Lake back then, it's highly likely he'll use the same tactic in the Peach Blossom Land now."

"In that case…"

"Um."

Mo Ran lifted his head and smiled bashfully, revealing his deep dimples. "Shifu, what does 'not to be outdone' mean?"

Chu Wanning: "............"

The author has something to say:

System notification: Hello, your friend "Little Cutie Xia Sini" is now offline. Your friend "Heavenly Venerated Chu Wanning of the Big Dipper" is now online. If you encounter any difficulties or need assistance, you can summon him to your side. However, Chu Wanning will not be responsible for any damages caused during battles. Please summon him in an open area, ensuring that there are no dangerous individuals nearby who could harm "Heaven-Stepping Lord Mo Weiyu," the Heavenly Venerated of the Big Dipper. Have a pleasant summoning experience!

Xia Ran and Fu Luoyin had known each other since early on, but their romance only blossomed during junior high school.

It was during Fu Luoyin's second year of junior high when he finally settled down to study at Star City's affiliated high school after years of commuting between the southern branch and Star City. He was in a program that allowed him to continue straight into senior high.

During those hormonally charged teenage days, many of the kids from the compound had developed vague crushes on Xia Ran, but no boy dared to express his feelings openly – Xia Ran was friendly with everyone, making it awkward for anyone to confess their affection.

Thus, Fu Luoyin emerged as an unexpected contender. Although the children in the compound were aware of him due to his frequent travels, they weren't particularly close. For quite some time, Fu Luoyin unknowingly garnered envy from others.

In high school, the class placements were randomized. Su Yu ended up in the same class as Fu Luoyin, while Xia Ran and Dong Shuoye were together.

Fu Luoyin was a relatively low-key person and disliked the overly clingy relationships some couples displayed. Most of the time, he would hang out with Su Yu and Dong Shuoye, reserving weekends for Xia Ran. Breakups and makeups were common among teenagers, but their relationship was unusually stable. Despite frequent arguments, they always reconciled, and neither had ever mentioned splitting up.

Looking back on their youthful infatuations and affections now, they seemed childish, with promises based on fragile foundations.

Fu Luoyin didn't utter sweet nothings, pen love letters, or know how to cajole. Nevertheless, more than half the grade secretly harbored a crush on him. At that time, Fu Luoyin was almost the perfect secret love interest – consistently ranking within the top three academically without being a bookworm, calm and composed yet exceptionally responsible when it mattered. His act of defending a girl who had been harassed by a PE teacher eventually became the talk of the school, though Fu Luoyin himself remained oblivious.

It seemed part of his nature, whereas Xia Ran was the opposite. He could win over anyone, acting like a charming darling with a knack for pleasing people and effortlessly displaying coquettish behavior.

One year, Qixi Festival coincided with a weekend, and half the students stayed at school.

That night, the classroom lights were off. Xia Ran rushed to Fu Luoyin's classroom, nestled under Fu's school uniform jacket, and watched a romantic movie with the others in the room.

As the film's protagonist reached a perfect ending with a diamond bouquet, Xia Ran smiled and made a makeshift ring from a soda can. He held Fu's hand and asked, "Will we get married someday?"

Fu Luoyin didn't respond verbally but gripped his hand tightly, gazing at him intently, just as he had when they first met. In the deserted summer school, Fu, all neat and tidy, sat like a grown-up at his desk, his calm and mature demeanor both soothing and stirring Xia Ran's heart.

"Last time when Teacher Little Lin gave a lecture at Star University, we didn't have a chance to meet. Allow me to offer you this drink as a token of my respect," Fu Xue said, swirling her glass towards Lin Shuicheng. Lin Shuicheng didn't decline and took a small sip of his drink.

Bai Yiyi approached with a grin, raising her glass to Lin Shuicheng. "Hello, I'm Bai Yiyi, a friend of Su Yu's. We played games together before, do you remember? And we also met briefly earlier today at the table."

Lin Shuicheng replied leisurely, "I don't recall."

Bai Yiyi was taken aback, managing an awkward smile. "…You must be a busy person with a lot on your mind. Nice to meet you. Let me introduce the person next to me – Xia Ran, Ran Ran – he and Fu Luoyin were high school classmates. Yeah, middle and high school classmates, so you could say they're childhood friends."

She tugged gently at Xia Ran's sleeve.

Only then did Xia Ran reluctantly come back to reality, his smile a bit forced. "Hello."

He looked at Lin Shuicheng.

Lin Shuicheng was handsome. With his eyes lowered as he sipped his drink, he appeared detached and unfazed, as if nothing in the world could disturb him.

As soon as Bai Yiyi spoke, Fu Xue and Xia Ran sensed that the conversation was veering into uncharted territory. Fu Xue gave Bai Yiyi a warning glance before resuming her smile and engaging Lin Shuicheng in a discussion about some company projects, hoping for his "advice," since she was Fu Luoyin's sister, making them all part of the "family."

Throughout the exchange, Lin Shuicheng didn't say much, simply listening to Fu Xue speak. When it came to crucial points, he either remained noncommittal or simply replied coolly, "Not too familiar with that, what do you think?" throwing the ball back to Fu Xue.

Just as Fu Xue was struggling to keep the conversation going, Lin Shuicheng unexpectedly spoke up, "You mentioned coming here as a friend and relative. Should we discuss something else?"

Fu Xue was taken aback, "Something else?"

Lin Shuicheng spoke calmly and distinctly, "Like Fu Luoyin. Surely there are things related to him that you wish to share with me?"

The air grew still.

He had been too straightforward, catching even Bai Yiyi and the others off guard.

Though Lin Shuicheng was occasionally insensitive to emotions, over time, he had picked up on certain cues.

From Su Yu's evasive hints about "Fu Luoyin's ex-boyfriend" to Fu Luoyin's own attitude towards the topic, it was all perceivable.

He didn't care how Fu Luoyin felt or treated him; he just wanted to know. He wanted to see what part of their story Fu Luoyin had kept hidden and how he could repay the debt of feelings owed.

The other three people present exchanged glances, unsure of what to say for a moment.

Xia Ran spoke up involuntarily, "I... I didn't mean it like that."

"Ah, you?" Lin Shuicheng finally shifted his gaze to Xia Ran, repeating the word with a surprisingly gentle tone, "It's alright, you can tell me."

Xia Ran started trembling slightly. Gathering his courage, he stammered through his quivering voice, "I... I wanted to talk to you because I wanted to ask if you two... if you and he were arguing or have broken up? I saw you both during the day, and I was... uncertain..."

Fu Xue frowned, "Ranran! We agreed not to bring this up!"

But Lin Shuicheng intervened, "It's fine, I'd like to listen. Please go on, or you can tell me about your time together. I know you're Fu Luoyin's boyfriend."

"I..." Xia Ran choked on his words.

He hadn't expected Lin Shuicheng to know. Least of all, he hadn't imagined that Lin Shuicheng had already sensed something.

He now felt like a fool, his mask pierced and disguise torn away. All his anxiety, persistence, and struggles throughout the day had been seen through by someone else!

Bai Yiyi was slightly annoyed. With the encouragement of the alcohol, her voice rose a little as she asked Lin Shuicheng, "What do you mean by asking these questions?"

Lin Shuicheng took a sip of wine, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I have no intention to offend. Fu Luoyin and I have already separated. I just wanted to hear—"

But at this moment, his words were interrupted.

"I didn't agree to the breakup, Lin Shuicheng."

A cold voice came from behind, and Fu Luoyin emerged, reaching out to take the glass from Lin Shuicheng's hand, replacing it with a cup of milk.

The atmosphere suddenly fell silent, the mood heavier than ever.

Fu Luoyin glared at Lin Shuicheng, anger simmering in his gaze, clearly asking: What are you doing here?

Lin Shuicheng ignored him.

Seeing this scene, Xia Ran instead chuckled softly and called out, "Fu Luoyin."

Fu Luoyin tensed slightly.

Xia Ran raised his voice. "...Fu Luoyin."

He stood up and poured himself a glass of wine, saying with a smile, "After all this time...finally seeing Sister-in-law, you won't even let her have a drink? I just want to offer a toast to her and say a few words. We were, after all, old classmates. Even if you really don't want to see me, what you're doing now doesn't make any sense, does it?"

Staring fixedly at Fu Luoyin, he felt that his smile was more miserable than a cry.

Fu Luoyin didn't look at him nor respond to his words.

Bai Yiyi froze for a moment before joining in the laughter. "Of course, you're all old classmates. What's there to fear about having a few drinks?"

"He's unwell and can't consume alcohol, so I'll drink on his behalf," Fu Luoyin said calmly. "As for the rest, I won't disturb you all."

"Very well, I'll start by toasting you and Teacher Little Lin first," Fu Xue stood up as well.

The glass was offered before Fu Luoyin, containing two potent cocktails. With Lin Shuicheng's hand held down, Fu Luoyin drank both servings himself.

Lin Shuicheng whispered, "There's no need for that. I've told them that we've already sep—"

Fu Luoyin's voice trembled with emotion. "I didn't agree! I didn't agree to break up with you, Lin Shuicheng!"

This outburst drew the attention of several people around them.

In a hushed tone, Fu Luoyin continued, "Lin Shuicheng, if you're worried about me, worry about yourself first. Who would do such things to themselves? How could there be someone like you?"

His voice held a tinge of despair and heartache, which left Lin Shuicheng momentarily stunned.

But Fu Luoyin didn't elaborate further; he merely kept drinking in silence.

Throughout the night, he had been investigating Lin Shuicheng's situation with Su Yu. Though more detailed information was yet to arrive, their discussions already suggested that Lin Shuicheng's depression might have reached a critical stage.

He couldn't speak too openly about it, nor could he alarm him. It needed gentle guidance and medication.

As someone who had seen patients before, he knew how to handle such situations.

However, while Chu Jingshu's illness stemmed from Chu Shihan, he had no clue why Lin Shuicheng was suffering. He found Lin Shuicheng utterly inexplicable, which made him frustrated. Moreover, seeing Lin Shuicheng behaving recklessly and even drinking with Xia Ran only fueled his anger.

Frustration mingled with a touch of nervousness coursed through him.

Why could Lin Shuicheng remain so calm?

Fu Luoyin felt anxious and whispered to Lin Shuicheng, "Speak up, why did you come here? Why did you come to see them? Did they say anything to you?"

In that instant, a terrifying thought involuntarily emerged in his mind—could it be that Lin Shuicheng already knew about him using him as a substitute?

Lin Shuicheng didn't resemble Xia Ran, so most people wouldn't think in that direction. Some might even believe that he had changed his heart.

Only Dong Shuoye and Su Yu were likely aware of this matter, but neither of them would directly tell Lin Shuicheng.

If Lin Shuicheng intended to break up with him due to this, or if he was depressed because of it—

Fu Luoyin dared not continue to imagine the consequences.

In the blink of an eye, another glass of wine was poured for Fu Luoyin.

Xia Ran wasn't much of a drinker and was already showing signs of intoxication. Nevertheless, he tried his best to stay alert, maintaining a forced smile as he said, "Come on, let's keep going. Fu Luoyin hasn't seen you in years. Am I that terrifying? You're avoiding me like the plague… Seriously, cherish the person in front of you. You and your wife must be arguing, right? Don't fight—it's not good. Otherwise, it'll end up like how we used to be."

He then added, "But it's good for you two to argue a bit. You'll get along splendidly, really."

He was almost speaking without thinking, with Fu Luoyin accompanying Lin Shuicheng and the effect of the alcohol. His state of mind was much more excited than usual.

Glass after glass of strong liquor burned like a flame in his stomach.

Fu Luoyin's expression grew increasingly grim – he hadn't eaten much that afternoon while investigating Lin Shuicheng's condition. Drinking on an empty stomach made him tipsy easily, and now his stomach ached as he felt his thoughts slipping beyond his control.

He stood up, pulling Lin Shuicheng along. "He needs rest. I'll take him back first. We can have drinks another time, there will be plenty of opportunities to meet in Star City."

He tugged at Lin Shuicheng, trying to help him up and lead him away, but in reality, it was Lin Shuicheng supporting him – Fu Luoyin was already having trouble standing.

Just as they took a few steps, Bai Yiyi and Fu Xue caught up, offering to escort them home.

Impatiently, Fu Luoyin waved them off, even lashing out fiercely, "Scram!"

Everyone around him dispersed, but someone whispered, "He'll find out sooner or later. It's unfair to keep it from him. Lin Shuicheng has the right to know why you approached him in the first place –"

"Scram!" Fu Luoyin wrapped an arm around Lin Shuicheng and quickened their pace, covering Lin Shuicheng's ears with his hand.

The aroma of wine brushed against their cheeks. Lin Shuicheng's gaze was clear, while Fu Luoyin's eyes held a profound intoxication.

He pressed Lin Shuicheng against the corridor wall and looked at him earnestly. "Don't listen to those words. They're all lies, do you understand? Don't listen."

But Lin Shuicheng didn't respond. He gazed thoughtfully at Fu Luoyin before asking after a moment, "Fu Luoyin, if I were to repay all the favors I owe you, would you agree to part ways with me?"

His eyes were so lucid and understanding that it made Fu Luoyin feel a sense of unease. It was as if nothing could be hidden from Lin Shuicheng's sharp perception.

—Lin Shuicheng knew everything.