Asianovel

Chapter 177: Village Beyond the Village (Slightly Revised)

They were indeed live sheep.

Not just one, but two, with a mother sheep leading the way and her two little lambs following.

It took much effort for Shen Lie and Chen Dashan to guide the mother sheep through the entrance. Thankfully, the two lambs led the way, allowing them to successfully carry the sheep inside.

Descending into the valley was an even greater challenge. The wolves and the dead lamb were manageable as they wouldn't struggle, but the three live sheep had to be bound in a basket, secured with multiple ropes to prevent them from escaping before being carefully lowered down.

The bleating of the sheep first caught the attention of the children in Shen Jinkan's cave. The commotion was so unusual that they rushed downstairs out of curiosity.

After everything was safely lowered, Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang finally descended to the bottom of the valley. The three sheep and the dead wolf were already surrounded by a group of children. The Xu family, who lived nearby, had also heard the noise and hurried over.

Uncle Xu looked at the wolf, swallowing hard. Even mushroom picking could result in encountering wolves.

Xu Wenqing, on the other hand, had his eyes shining with excitement. After digging the pond, the inner part of the valley was too small. Apart from the tree area designated for the children to play, there was no space left for archery practice. He had already moved his practice sessions to the outer part of the valley, precisely where the compost pits were dug...

He didn't mind the stench anymore.

Well, it seems they used a special composting method, so there wasn't a particularly pungent smell.

In any case, everyone was filled with excitement.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan still had to go out and tidy up. Unlike when they previously hunted wild boars, which were processed outside before being brought back, they now brought the sheep directly, one of them still injured. They were worried that blood might have been left behind, so they needed to investigate the area and deal with any traces.

Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang first carried their belongings back to the cave. Upon hearing the news, Old Man Chen and Old Lady Chen came out, calling for Chen Youtian to help them prepare the large cave to accommodate the sheep. Actually, there wasn't much preparation needed; the most crucial task was to build a wooden fence to create a pen. With crops and vegetables growing outside, they couldn't afford to let the sheep wander freely and ruin everything.

A group of children followed, and from the Xu family, Manager Xu, Xu Wenchao, and Uncle Xu came out to assist. The Shi, Zhou, and Lu families also heard about it, and the men brought along extra wooden planks and strips that they had from making furniture at home.

With around ten people working together, led by Chen Youtian, they quickly constructed a fenced enclosure with a gate.

Initially, they planned to enclose the entrance of the cave, but the women, being meticulous, thought that just as humans needed sunlight, the sheep did too. In the end, they created a small circle outside the cave entrance, giving the three sheep a few square meters, similar in size to a modern balcony, to bask in the sun and get some fresh air.

When the three sheep were released, they bleated and scurried into the cave, leaving the children standing outside the fence, disappointed with their long necks stretched out.

Little girls were especially fond of these cuddly creatures. Xu Wenying's attention didn't shift away from the sheep until they were out of sight. She exclaimed to Shen Ning, "You'll be able to drink goat milk now!"

Xili Village was a small village, and Shen Ning had never seen anyone raise goats there before. Thus, the idea of drinking goat milk from raising goats was unfamiliar to him. It wasn't until Xu Wenying mentioned it that he realized what she meant. He turned to look at Sang Luo, asking, "Big Sister, there really is goat milk?"

Sang Luo chuckled. "Yes, but the mother sheep is injured and has to nurse two lambs. She's also timid from being in a new place, so let her settle first."

Upon hearing that there was indeed a sheep, Shen Ning, despite having no idea what goat's milk tasted like, couldn't help but feel delighted.

The adults, being more pragmatic, began considering how they would feed the animal in the future.

Before Sang Luo could speak, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan returned. They immediately sought out a few key household heads to discuss matters, and soon, everyone became aware of their plans.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan proposed occupying several caves near the valley before the refugees entered the inner perimeter.

Shen Lie said, "A’Luo brought it up, and after discussing with Da Shan, we realized that it makes sense. Rather than allowing outsiders to settle here and making our comings and goings passive, we should seize the initiative and occupy the area ourselves, putting up locks on the entrances. That way, whether we're chopping wood nearby or leaving obvious traces from daily activities, the numerous signs will blend in, making them less noticeable. This way, our valley can receive better concealment, and the elderly, women, and children can hide safely."

"It's almost autumn, and our harvest in the valley is limited, but resources outside are abundant. Folks, we can't keep hiding in the valley. Uncle Zhou, Manager Xu, if your families are willing, you can send a few people to join us. We'll venture out to gather more supplies before the season changes, so we can save some food for the winter."

"If we encounter anyone while hunting or gathering, we'll temporarily stay in caves outside. Then, under the cover of darkness, we can transfer our findings back to the main cave at the entrance of the valley. This will save us a lot of trouble. In fact, to avoid leaving obvious traces, the main workforce could even live in those smaller outside caves during the gathering season, only sending supplies into the valley every few days. As long as we set up proper defenses and look out for each other, there shouldn't be any major issues."

Who would refuse such a proposal?

No matter how cautious they were, their movements would always leave some trace. Over time, it would be difficult to conceal them. The valley couldn't provide enough food, vegetables, meat, or firewood to sustain itself. It was unrealistic not to venture out at all.

With people wandering outside, both visibly and invisibly, the valley could be concealed thoroughly in contrast.

Not to mention that with able-bodied men free to hunt and forage, the risk of exposing the valley was significantly diminished.

It was well-known that autumn was a bountiful season in the mountains. Even Lu Erliang and Shi Dalang dared to venture only as far as they were accompanied by Shen Lie and Chen Dashan; the Zhou and Xu families wouldn't dare to burden them at all.

Now, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan offered to secure an external cave, guide them out, and help gather resources – something they hadn't even dared to request before. How could they refuse?

They were more than eager to accept!

One by one, they agreed.

Only then did Shen Lie say, "There's one more thing. Each family needs to decide who they're sending, and they'll have to be approved by either me or Big Mountain. They also need to be someone we can manage to bring along."

In simpler terms, they had to be individuals the group was willing to take with them and not become too much of a burden.

Everyone understood this, and in reality, these rules restricted the four families that needed assistance.

Lao Lu was the first to declare, "For us, it'll still be Second and Third Brother."

Schirr Da-lang declared, "In our family, it'll be my second brother and me."

When it was Zhou Village's turn, he pondered for a moment before saying, "We should also leave some able-bodied men in the valley. I have three sons; they can take turns to go out in pairs."

After hearing all the other households' arrangements, Shopkeeper Xu thought for a while and proposed, "In our family, it'll be me, Uncle Xu, Wenqing, and Qinghe taking turns as well, with two of us going out at a time."

There was no need to discuss matters for the Chen and Shen families. The Chens would alternate between Qin Fangniang and Chen Youtian, while for the Shens, either Shen Lie would bring along Sangluo or Shen Jin. Whether or not Sangluo joined them would be up to her.

With the matter settled, Shen Lie didn't waste any time. "Those who will venture out of the valley later, gather and meet up with me and Big Mountain. Before nightfall, we'll scout the nearby hills, especially the entrances, to determine the number of caves. We'll choose which ones to use and bring along machetes or axes to chop firewood for storage."

Stockpiling firewood was a major task. The large cave above was spacious, and aside from the small area near the entrance that would be used for conveying supplies, it would be best to fill the rest with firewood, as transporting it wouldn't always be convenient.

Sangluo wanted to join them, but with the addition of new sheep and the harvest of silver ear mushrooms, fungi, and wild fruits that needed to be cleaned and dried before sunset, she decided against it. Trusting Shen Lie to handle things competently, she put the matter aside and planned to ask him to bring her along another day.

Before Shen Lie left, she instructed him to collect some tender leaves from shrubs that the sheep enjoyed eating, as well as plenty of fresh grass to feed the chickens, ducks, and sheep.

When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan ventured out again, each carried an empty basket on their backs.

It was already late afternoon, yet a large group of people were still going out. The heads of each household were well aware of the reason, and if their wives inquired, the men would discreetly inform them. However, they did not mention a word to their children.

Although the Lu family had split into different branches, when Old Man Lu counted the number of participants, he made no mention of Lu DaLang.

The members of the Lu family's main branch were not allowed to leave the valley – this was an unspoken understanding among all its inhabitants. Hence, even without Shen Lie explicitly instructing them, everyone tacitly agreed not to mention anything about the cave to their children who were most likely to spread rumors.

When Lu DaLang saw Lu Er and Lu San heading out with their axes at this hour, he assumed that Shen Lie had called everyone to gather firewood and didn't give it much thought.

...

When Shen Lie left, the children led by Shen Ning, having had their fill of watching Chen Youtian prepare hay for the sheep, set up the water and feeding troughs, returned to assist Sang Luo in drying mushrooms and washing silver ear fungus.

A group of children, including Xu Wenying, joined in the fun, making the task proceed swiftly. Towards the end, Sang Luo took out the two clusters of slightly purple wild grapes that Shen Lie had picked and asked Shen Ning to wash them. They were then shared among the children in the valley.

The mere thought of it made her wince, yet the group of children were incredibly fond of it. With puckered faces from the tartness, they still eagerly gathered around, asking for more.

Sang Luo found it amusing and couldn't help but laugh.

During this time, Chen Youtian was called over to skin the wolf and remove the flesh from the wound on the lamb. The meat was then divided between the two families. Sangluo asked Shen An to deliver a portion of the meat to Master Xu's household, along with a bowl of mushrooms. She also shared some among Shen Jin and his brothers.

Shen Lie and his group made two trips back to the large cave, delivering firewood and lowering two baskets of grass leaves from above. After that, they left again, not returning to the valley until it was almost dark.

By then, Sang Luo and Shen Ning had already prepared dinner. It was indeed late, and everyone was famished. However, Shen Lie's eyes sparkled. After washing his hands and face, he whispered to Sang Luo, "Our family's cave is located on another peak beside the entrance. It's the closest cave to the entrance. I'll take you there tomorrow."

Unspoken but noticeable, ever since Sang Luo asked him to sit beside her while she practiced calligraphy, Shen Lie had consistently occupied that spot during meals. At first, Shen Ning didn't catch on and had her seat taken by her elder brother for three or four consecutive days. Gradually, she realized what was happening and silently switched seats.

Thus, Shen Lie now had the opportunity to whisper a few secret words to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo had grown accustomed to his occasional proximity and nodded with a smile.

...

With enough herbs gathered for a substantial amount of medicine, Sang Luo abstained from the next day's gathering. She let Shen Lie take Shen Jin out for a walk, allowing the younger ones to collect mushrooms and hunt some wild chickens. After all, their meals also included what Shen Lie had provided.

Shen Lie, aware of Shen Jin's concerns, invited people from the other families to join them the following day without going herb-gathering. They set off early in the morning, returning in the late afternoon with their prey and mushrooms. Leaving Shen Jin behind, Shen Lie took an axe, hoe, and the young men from each family and headed out again.

They didn't return until the sun began to set, ready to show Sang Luo the cave.

The Shen family's external cave was situated on a neighboring peak above the entrance to the valley. The other families' caves were scattered across the surrounding mountains, all situated around the mountain near the valley entrance. The advantage was that they were close to the entrance, and not too far apart. If someone shouted at the top of their lungs, those in the other caves would hear and could provide assistance if needed. This was a beneficial arrangement.

The drawback, as Shen Lie had mentioned, was that the cave was tiny, extremely small. Sang Luo estimated that her family's cave was no more than six or seven square meters. After placing a bed, there wouldn't be much space left. Moreover, Shen Lie said that there were two other caves even smaller, which resembled recessed rock walls that needed a stone wall and a door to be inhabitable safely.

There were larger caves, but they were too far away. For the purpose of guarding the entrance to the valley and mutual support, these caves were the best choice.

No wonder Shen Lie and Chen Dashan never considered using these caves.

However, as a temporary shelter, they would suffice.

The Shen family's cave already had a door constructed, made from thick logs, several times thicker than a regular door plank, likely for protection against fierce beasts. A thin door wouldn't be enough if a destructive force were to arrive.

Sang Luo examined it closely. Someone had ingeniously left a small opening on the door that could be opened and closed from the inside. It allowed observation of the outside situation and even allowed one to shoot arrows outward in case of an attack. It was indeed a secure design.

Outside the cave was a small clearing. Walking around it, Sang Luo found it relatively flat. She suggested, "In the future, we can put a bed inside and build a shelter outside, along with a simple stove. It should serve well as a temporary residence when you go hunting. Yes, we can also transplant more anti-venomous herbs nearby."

Speaking of planting anti-venomous herbs, Sang Luo suddenly paused. She looked at Shen Lie, who was also looking at her, both their eyes lighting up.

Sang Luo swallowed and said, "Shen Lie, since we're living out here, we can fully cultivate this mountain land. We can still plant a crop of soybeans now, and many vegetables are still viable. As long as we can protect them, they'll be our food source."

If refugees did pour in and they couldn't protect the crops, the loss would only be the seeds and effort. With the seeds they had planted in the valley, they could save some for future use, with minimal loss. As for effort, they currently had plenty of it.

In a land as bountiful as Mountain Full, it was uncommon for an ordinary person to touch something that clearly belonged to someone else. If one did resort to such actions, they were either morally depraved or struggling to survive.

The southern region was mountainous and fertile, so those capable of venturing deep into the wilderness were less likely to be in dire straits. As for those with wicked intentions, Shen Lie and his group weren't pushovers either.

Considering they aimed to conceal the valley by putting up a facade, wouldn't it make more sense to cultivate additional crops besides settling in a cave?

It seemed Shen Lie and Sang Luo were on the same wavelength. They looked at each other and laughed.

"Let's go back for lunch. Afterward, we'll ask Little An to invite the villagers to discuss this matter."

Chapter 131: Harvest

Wen Ying, inhabiting Yang Rixi's body, gazed closely at Hell Orange's face, his heartbeat quickening not just from the fear of being discovered, but also from the excitement of seeing his former idol up close.

He had once been an immense fan of Hell Orange. Before he became accustomed to the handsome and beautiful demons in Mo Jun's world, he considered Hell Orange to be the epitome of handsomeness.

"I'm not from the scriptwriting industry," Wen Ying said bashfully, "I just came here out of curiosity to see what the head of the Devil Mobile Game looks like."

Hell Orange gave off a laid-back vibe, appearing as someone unserious and casual. He sized up Wen Ying with his eyes, which seemed to have a natural smile etched into their curvature, and his eyelids slightly raised.

However, when he was cosplaying as the Three-Headed Hellhound, his aura was entirely different—cold, ruthless, and tyrannical, as if a completely different personality emerged. This was well-known within the industry.

"You're a fan of the mobile game, huh?" Hell Orange stroked his chin. "Although it might sound a bit thick-skinned, I feel like you really like me?"

As he spoke, Hell Orange took out a colored paper from the shoulder bag carried by his assistant. It was a photo of him cosplaying as the Three-Headed Hellhound. He then fetched a golden signature pen and signed his name on it with flourish, handing it over to Wen Ying with a bright smile.

Wen Ying's eyes lit up instantly. The moment Hell Orange finished signing, he stretched out both hands obediently, waiting for the photo to be passed to him.

Hell Orange chuckled as he handed it over. "Seems like it's not just me being thick-skinned. You really do seem to like me."

Wen Ying nodded repeatedly while holding the signed fan art, "I really like your Cosplay of the Cerberus from Hell."

Staring at the sketch of Hell Orange as the three-headed hound, Wen Ying thought of Beros. An odd idea popped into his mind – it seemed that one of them, either Hell Orange or Beros, was an impostor.

He had first fallen for Hell Orange and then Beros, suggesting that Beros was the substitute.

But if he were to be honest with himself, he liked the Cerberus itself, not the unmasked Hell Orange, which made Hell Orange the substitute.

Wen Ying found himself trapped in a peculiar logic of substitution.

"By the way," Hell Orange pulled out a thick sketchbook from his assistant's bag, "this is a sample the company gave me today. If you like it..."

Lost in his thoughts, Wen Ying jumped at the mention of a sample, "I like it! I like it!" He would love anything extra.

Hell Orange chuckled, and the staff around them smiled warmly at Wen Ying's sparkling puppy-like eyes. No one would suspect the young man of pretending, as no acting could appear this genuine.

Wen Qinxue explained, "This child loves these things. So when he heard I was coming over today, he begged me to bring him along."

"One of our employees who accompanied us in said you must have been disappointed," another staff member commented, "Our office interior doesn't have much of a demon mobile game vibe. Those merchandise are mainly kept in the product department and the PR department."

"Wen Ying asked eagerly, "Can I come over and take a look later?"

"It's not a problem. Many people have visited," the person replied. "But you can't enter the room where the unreleased products are kept in the R&D department."

A flicker of excitement sparked in Wen Ying's overheated mind as he picked up on a potential clue. He disguised his curiosity and asked, "Unreleased products? Is there any sign on that room? I'll make sure not to go inside."

A female employee nearby said, "No need to be so nervous. That room is always locked, and only a few people from the R&D department have the key. Relax, just treat it like a casual visit."

Yang Rixi had a pleasant appearance. Though not exceptionally handsome, his youthfulness and cleanliness gave off an innocent vibe, making him easy to get along with. Thus, everyone grew fond of "Yang Rixi."

"Huh?" Hell Orange turned his head. "Why didn't I know about this secret product in the R&D department that's locked up? It makes me so curious."

"In fact, we're not very clear about it either, since our department only deals with film and television production," the person explained.

"Is that so?" Hell Orange pondered.

Wen Ying had a hidden agenda for this visit. With his suspicious mindset, he saw ulterior motives everywhere. He felt that Hell Orange was up to something secretive.

If there was a group within the Exorcist Association collaborating with the extremist faction, there would undoubtedly be another group investigating them.

"Let this sister take you there to have a look," Wen Qinxue suggested at the right moment. "I'll head to the meeting room later, and there won't be anything interesting for you there."

Wen Ying nodded, deeply touched. His mom was far more reliable than his great-grandfather.

The female employee who had spoken earlier led Wen Ying to the product department. Hell Orange watched their departing backs with narrowed eyes.

This shy and innocent boy was a bit peculiar, but not in a bad way. He simply aroused an unusual level of interest in Hell Orange, whose real name was Xiao Le. However, he didn't spend much time pondering over Wen Ying, as he had more pressing matters to attend to, such as that locked research room.

Wen Ying was brought to the product department by the employee, where he greeted the staff and eagerly checked out the merchandise on display. There was so much! It was his paradise of joy.

After admiring the items for a while, Wen Ying left his colleagues behind and moved to a corner where a wall blocked the view from the outside office.

He took out his doll body from his backpack, closed his eyes, and returned to his consciousness.

Yang Rixi was conscious. Since entering the company building, Wen Ying had stopped suppressing Yang Rixi's awareness. He hadn't informed Yang Rixi about his relationship with Wen Qinxue, only mentioning that he had a way to get her to bring him here.

"Do you want to go into that room?" Yang Rixi whispered. "How do you plan to get there?"

Before returning to his doll body, Wen Ying cast a spell to conceal his aura. As he moved around to reacquaint himself with the body, he instructed, "You leave and continue wandering in front of the shelves displaying the merchandise, pretending to be very interested. I shared my senses with you just now, so you understand what I mean, right?"

Yang Rixi nodded. "I see. But how do you plan to get in? The door is locked, and the window might be too."

"I'll check things out first," Wen Ying instructed Yang Rixi to help him divert attention while he, using his puppet body, sneaked over to the window stealthily.

Although ordinary people couldn't see demons, Wen Ying wasn't sure if the security cameras would capture his demonic form. Therefore, he cautiously avoided the surveillance, his small size facilitating his movements.

Flying out of the office window, Wen Ying reached the outside of the locked room's window.

The glass was privacy-protected, so Wen Ying extended his hand to sense that an enchantment seemed to envelop the building's exterior. He couldn't enter from the outside, and his plan to unlock the glass with thin vines had fallen through.

Since he could only enter but not exit, Wen Ying couldn't directly return to the building through the previous window. He sent a telepathic message to Yang Rixi, asking him to use the excuse of buying milk tea to meet up with him before re-entering together.

Assuming Yang Rixi's body once again, Wen Ying returned to the building and, after reaching the product department's office, separated from Yang Rixi at their usual spot. He asked Yang Rixi to go back with Wen Qinxue later, as he intended to stay overnight here.

Yang Rixi fretted, "Will everything be alright?"

"Relax, I've told you that this body isn't my true form. Even if something goes wrong, it won't affect me."

After finishing her discussion with the person in charge of the film and television segment, Wen Qinxue found Yang Rixi sitting on a chair sipping milk tea. Relying on her years of understanding of her son, she immediately realized that the current Yang Rixi was indeed her son, no longer Wen Ying.

She was slightly worried, unsure if Wen Ying had encountered trouble or taken the initiative to do this. However, she couldn't show her concern, feeling anxious inwardly.

Yang Rixi said, "Aunt Wen, I have plans with a friend today. Thank you for bringing me here. I'll take my leave now."

Plans with a friend? Wen Qinxue felt that Yang Rixi's words were meant to imply that Wen Ying was fine. Her smile relaxed a little. "Alright, come find Auntie again next time if you want to visit. Auntie still has some clout to bring someone in for a stroll."

To avoid suspicion, Yang Rixi called a friend to hang out and treat them to dinner as soon as he left the building.

Inside his office, Wen Ying hid patiently, awaiting nightfall.

The Product Department staff stayed for an additional half hour after work hours before finally leaving. Darkness quickly descended, and without anyone working overtime, the office remained unlit, shrouded in gloom.

Wen Ying waited patiently until eleven o'clock. By then, almost no one was left in the building except for the security guards patrolling the area.

Using objects for cover, he flew to the entrance of the office.

Two rooms away from this office was the locked R&D department.

Wen Ying raised his hand, casting a magical mist to envelop the corridor's surveillance camera, disguising the scene. Then, he flew to the locked room's entrance. Wrapping around his arm, vines extended into the lock.

Wen Ying attempted to pick the lock, and after some effort, he successfully unlocked it. He beamed with pride, "Seems like I have a knack for lockpicking."

With the lock open, Wen Ying pushed aside a narrow entrance just big enough for him to squeeze through. After swiftly entering and ensuring there was no danger, he closed the door behind him.

Inside, it was equally dim. The windows were tightly shut, and the glass blocked any external light, resulting in poor visibility for ordinary humans. However, for demons, it was manageable, albeit a bit darker.

Wen Ying scanned the room, confirming the absence of cameras before turning his attention to the items within.

At first glance, the room seemed unremarkable. Along the walls stood numerous shelves filled with merchandise from a demon-themed mobile game. Wen Ying casually inspected a few items, verifying that they were all unreleased products.

As he continued looking, one item inexplicably drew his attention.

It was a thermos cup. There were six of them on the shelf, seemingly part of a collection. The one that captivated Wen Ying had an illustration of a bakeneko, a mythical cat creature.

Observing it closely, Wen Ying couldn't detect anything unusual about the thermos. After a moment's thought, he twisted the cap open. In that instant, a rich vitality escaped, leaving Wen Ying momentarily dazed.

It took a few seconds for Wen Ying to regain his senses. He promptly sealed the thermos again. His instinct urged him to devour the vitality within, causing his eyes to involuntarily transform into a cold, empty hunting state.

A vitality potent enough to entice even a half-demon like Wen Ying must have been abundant. To fit inside the thermos, this vast vitality had likely been compressed and refined, making it even more alluring to demons.

It was merely a small thermos, yet it had caused untold mischief. A cold glint flashed in Wen Ying's eyes as he surveyed the room. He could sense his demonic bloodline stirring with excitement — there was an abundance of life force within this space.

Only by getting close could one confirm the contents of the storage, and only by opening it could one tell that it held life force, not demonic energy. If one wasn't a demon, even an exorcist wouldn't know what was hidden inside without opening it.

Wen Ying no longer worried about receiving a zero on his final exam. Whoever entered and took the life force-containing item would be connected to the extremist faction. At the very least, he'd catch one culprit.

He aimed to secure at least one and hoped for more. It all depended on luck.

In the still of the night, the faint sound of a doorknob turning was as clear to Wen Ying's ears as a key dropping to the ground. Instantly, he hid behind a square cushion.

The person who entered moved quietly. After entering, they seemed to observe their surroundings before the door clicked shut with a soft sound.

Wen Ying stealthily observed, but the person's face was indistinct. Their physique suggested a tall man, someone familiar. Upon closer inspection, Wen Ying realized it was Hell Orange. Why was he acting like a thief on his own turf?

Hell Orange touched this and that, as if searching for something.

Wen Ying felt a sense that Hell Orange was concealing the life force-containing item.

Indeed, humans were unable to detect the contents hidden within these items. As Wen Ying scanned through Hell Orange's merchandise, not even after observing those that piqued his interest did he sense anything amiss.

Hell Orange's luck wasn't on his side. Although he opened a few products, none of them contained the life force he was seeking.

He began tapping on the ground in frustration.

Of course, it was fruitless. With a frown, Hell Orange left the room. Could he have been mistaken? Was it possible that whatever Lin Wenpu had concealed wasn't stored here?

After Hell Orange departed, Wen Ying emerged from behind the square cushion.

He didn't leave but stayed hidden until the following night.

No one entered during the day. At midnight, a person entered with a key.

It was Lin Wenpu.

Wen Ying was thrilled by his stroke of luck, as if he could now draw an SSR in a game. He made sure to suppress his presence even further, not daring to make the slightest sound.

Upon entering, Lin Wenpu started making a phone call.

"…Hurry up, I'm running out of time. The nosy hounds in the Church have already started to suspect me…"

"…Same old spot. We'll consider a different location for future transactions."

After Lin Wenpu finished his call with an unknown individual, he switched on no lights and deftly approached the display of his enlivening products. He picked up a candy tin, opened it, and verified that its contents were as they should be.

"I was clever to hide them well. No exorcist, no matter how powerful, would detect anything amiss here," Lin Wenpu chuckled slyly.

Wen Ying remained utterly still, his heart racing despite the body he inhabited lacking a physical one.

Lin Wenpu was a kind soul, offering buy-one-get-one-free deals and even more besides.

A soft tapping sound came from the window after a while. Lin Wenpu approached cautiously and asked, "How many do you want?"

"Five."

Relieved to hear the correct code, Lin Wenpu slid open the window.

Wen Ying, ever observant, noticed that the opening of the window also created a gap in the protective enchantment, allowing demons from outside to slip in unnoticed.

Outside, there were two demons, both of intermediate rank, with humanoid forms. They flew in through the window and promptly shut it behind them.

"Did anyone follow you?" Lin Wenpu asked casually.

"No, we're scared too," the long-haired demon replied. "These past few days, several of our comrades have vanished. Everyone's on edge."

Upon hearing this, Lin Wenpu anxiously nibbled on his finger. "Could it be the Association?"

"It could also be Exorcists from the Church."

Lin Wenpu continued, "Most of the upper echelons in the Church are ours, and quite a number of the middle-ranking members as well. If anything were to happen, we'd know. So it's likely unrelated to the Church. They've only noticed something amiss but haven't found concrete evidence yet."

"Xiao Le came by yesterday to investigate and didn't find any issues."

"The perpetrator seems to be rather powerful," the short-haired demon commented. "And it feels like there might be more than one of them."

Wen Ying furrowed his brow slightly. It seemed that he was lagging behind. His classmates seemed to have eliminated quite a few individuals and demons associated with the extremist faction.

The long-haired demon added, "The elders in the Demon Realm seem to be undergoing a cleansing recently. They're requesting us to send more life force over to aid in their recovery."

"I won't be able to venture out on the streets anytime soon," Lin Wenpu shook his head. "I'll have to cut off this connection for now and resume it once the heat dies down."

"Our recent plan is to directly target exorcists. The life force within an exorcist can equal that of many ordinary people."

Lin Wenpu frowned. "Won't that cause too much commotion?"

"It'll be the perfect opportunity to get rid of those exorcists who are doggedly pursuing us."

Lin Wenpu promptly asked, "Can you take care of Xiao Le first? He's already investigating me!"

The two demons seemed hesitant.

"Xiao Le is more powerful. We can't defeat him one-on-one, and a group attack would likely be detected by him beforehand. Our previous ploys, which failed with Wei Ranfeng, are now well-known and can't be used again."

Lin Wenpu handed the candy box, thermos, and some other items to the two demons. "Take these and leave quickly. This is all the life force I have here. I won't be replenishing it in the near future."

The two demons took the life force and flew out through the open window.

Lin Wenpu also opened the door and stepped outside.

Wen Ying waited for him to leave before promptly flying out the window, in pursuit of the two departing mid-level demons.

"Who's there?" The long-haired demon turned warily, only to freeze upon seeing a palm-sized doll. However, it was quickly overwhelmed by the intimidating aura emanating from the figure, causing both demons' faces to turn pale with the suppressive power that originated from their bloodline.

They knew they couldn't win.

Without a second thought, they attempted to flee, but Wen Ying's flight speed was swifter, blocking their path.

"Who are you? We shouldn't have any grudges, right?" The short-haired demon cautiously asked.

The long-haired demon's heart skipped a beat as he thought of the box containing the irate spirit. "Could it be that you want these?" he asked, lifting the objects in his hand.

Wen Ying didn't waste time with them. The puppets only possessed a fraction of their original power, so he dared not be reckless. With the utmost caution, he engaged the two mid-level demons in combat.

With an air of arrogance, Wen Ying said, "Tsk, how weak. How large is your organization? Can you contact the Demon Realm?"

Upon hearing this, the two mid-level demons, who had believed they were doomed, exchanged glances, each seeing the surprise in the other's eyes.

The long-haired demon replied respectfully, "We have many companions, though not as powerful as Your Excellency, but together, we're a force to be reckoned with in the human world."

"We have means to communicate with demons from the Realm of Devils. Through transactions with them, we can acquire even greater strength."

Wen Ying's expression remained calm. "Where is your main base?"

"…Longle Mountain."

So it was that scenic spot, Wen Ying nodded slightly, indicating understanding, then furrowed his brow. "Shouldn't your main base be within the church?"

The two demons were utterly horrified.

"Lord, who told you this?"

Although they were indeed conducting business with exorcists, only a select few demons were privy to this information, which was kept strictly confidential. Ordinary demons were completely in the dark. If this were to get out, the Church's exorcists would undoubtedly eliminate them without mercy.

It would also be disastrous for their cause.

"Wen Ying," he said, exerting an even more formidable aura, "take me there."

The two demons hesitated for a moment before leading Wen Ying along.

Such a powerful and arrogant demon didn't seem like someone who would be controlled by an exorcist.

Most of the demons in the human world were on their side, and there weren't many who supported the extremist faction.

Upon arriving at Longle Mountain, Wen Ying untied them directly. The two demons, perceptive as they were, stopped their companions from rushing forward and introduced themselves to him.

Wen Ying's gaze swept over these mid- to low-level demons as he spoke with a hint of arrogance, "I've recently advanced in rank and am looking for subordinates. I think you're quite good, and your connection to the Demon Realm is also excellent. It can help me rise even further."

The group began to chatter, extolling the benefits of their organization to Wen Ying. He decided to join them without hesitation.

"One of our targets is an exorcist," the long-haired demon ventured cautiously. "He isn't weak, but his anger is abundant. What do you think?"

Wen Ying scoffed. "What's there to think about? Tell me his name and appearance."

"Of course, of course, Lord! With your power, it won't be a problem at all!"

Wen Ying put on a show, studying the photo of Hell Orange. He then strolled out of their headquarters with great fanfare, saying before leaving, "I have something to attend to tonight, but I'll come back tomorrow night. If you want me to take action, you'll need to prepare an offering of anger that satisfies me."

"Certainly, Your Excellency. We will prepare the offerings accordingly."

As Wen Ying left Longle Mountain, his arrogant demeanor shifted. He touched his face and muttered to himself, "Joining was that effortless. It seems those demons here hold average positions within their organization."

Wen Ying sighed. The magic within this body was dwindling, and he had just expended half of it during that encounter. Had he possessed more, he would have eradicated those demons on the spot.

He could only possess Yang Rixi's body to deal with the situation.

The following day, Wen Ying, using Yang Rixi's body, headed to Longle Mountain early in the morning, masquerading as an ordinary tourist, wandering near the demons' hideout.

As evening approached and the crowd thinned, Wen Ying scoped the area, confirming no spies were present. He then leaped onto a large tree, silently lying in wait.

The Longle Mountain scenic area closed at six o'clock. When only staff remained, Wen Ying spotted a familiar figure – the young man they'd encountered in the bar on the night of their contract with Yang Rixi.

But his aura was different from that night. Back then, he was an ordinary man under the spell of a bewitching enchantment; today, he exuded a grounded presence with barely any vulnerabilities.

This person's name seemed to be Huo Jue, Wen Ying recalled from his memories.

As expected, "Huo Jue" moved like a hunter who had scouted his prey, storming into the demons' stronghold from the previous night and reaping them with deadly efficiency.

Wen Ying found the situation amusing. Playing the game of the mantis catching the cicada while the oriole is behind, this fellow was undoubtedly Muershi. As "Huo Jue" was almost done with his cleanup, Wen Ying made a swift flying kick, sending the person crashing to the ground.

"Sss..." "Huo Jue" knelt on the floor, rubbing his scraped elbow pitifully. "You already saw through my plan, so why did you still strike so fiercely?" What a waste of effort; Muershi was genuinely frustrated and felt wronged.

Chapter 97 - Tight Defense

The child in the photograph was approximately three or four years old, wearing a creamy-yellow knitted sweater on top.

Below, they had on a blue denim overalls with straps.

The straps were a bit loose and had slipped off the child's shoulders, hanging loosely around their elbows.

What caught the most attention were the child's eyes.

With shiny black irises, when looking up at the camera, they resembled a well-behaved little puppy.

It tugged at one's heartstrings with affection.

If... one could overlook the wriggling earthworms clutched in the child's dark, sooty hands.

Ji Min was somewhat surprised, staring at the photo in his hand for quite some time.

He then looked up at the teenager sitting on the bed.

By now, Lu Ran had already leaped off the bed barefoot and was bending down to pick up the photographs from the floor.

Seeing that Ji Min had them, he wasn't in a hurry anymore.

He just scratched his cheek uneasily and grumbled, "Why did you suddenly come in?"

"Who asked you not to close the door?"

Ji Min casually replied, still engrossed in the photos he held, seemingly quite fond of them.

Lu Ran waited for a moment before extending his hand to prompt him again. "Why haven't you finished looking?"

Ji Min's gaze wandered between the photograph and the young man's face.

He lingered particularly long on those pair of eyes.

"How did you find this picture of me when I was little?" he asked.

Lu Ran reached out to retrieve the photo from his hand, then turned around and jumped back onto the bed.

There was a touch of unease on his face, a characteristic sentiment one might exhibit when encountering childhood photos as a young adult.

Yet, it was intertwined with a hint of confusion and bewilderment.

He rummaged through the stack of photographs on the bed and selected another one.

Gazing at the image of the soft, fair child, he then held the photo beside his face, looking somewhat incredulous as he asked Ji Min,

"Boss, is this really me when I was young?"

Ji Min couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

He maneuvered his wheelchair to the bedside of the young man, countering with the question, "Who else could it be but you?"

Lu Ran retracted the photo and glanced down at it again, muttering, "I thought it was Shen Xingran."

As an adult, Lu Ran had seen photographs of himself from his childhood days in the orphanage.

As a child, he had been in poor health, and every surviving photograph showed him pale and thin.

Despite the orphanage teachers' dedication, it was impossible for them to attend to so many children with equal care.

Therefore, Lu Ran never imagined that he had once looked like this.

Ji Min raised an eyebrow.

Similar to Shen Xingran? This guy must be blind to faces.

Lu Ran meticulously flipped through the photos in the box once more.

Then, he nonchalantly pushed the box onto the bed.

Holding the empty container, he grumbled, "Shen Hongyuan kept it so securely, I thought it would be something valuable. Why are there just photographs?"

"What did you expect?" Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran held the box thoughtfully for a moment before admitting, "A large check."

Ji Min: "..."

He covered his forehead and chuckled for a while before reaching out to grab the photos on the bed.

There weren't many pictures—just a dozen or so.

Yet, Ji Min found these more precious than any large sum of money.

Seated in his wheelchair, Ji Min flipped through the photographs one by one.

Lu Ran, who had complained earlier, also came over to take a look.

The teenager sprawled across the bed, leaning his head close to the man's side.

Big Yellow, seemingly curious about what they were looking at, joined them as well.

All three—two humans and a dog—focused intently on the child in the pictures.

After flipping through for a while, Ji Min noticed that most of the shots were candid portraits of the child alone.

Yet at the edges of some frames, an aged hand or a cane would inadvertently appear.

Flipping through, Ji Min came across pictures of the child with others.

In the photographs was a man in his sixties or seventies, with an exceedingly solemn expression, bordering on severity.

There were only two group photos.

In one, the elder and the child stood on either side, both sternly facing the camera.

The child stood next to the elder as if at attention during military drill.

In the other, the elder sat majestically in a purple sandalwood armchair.

The child sat on the elder's right knee but did not lean into his embrace. Instead, he tried his best to sit straight and look into the camera.

Neither of these photographs conveyed a particularly intimate relationship.

The child in the picture didn't seem as lively as in other photographs.

Lu Ran peered at it and couldn't resist pointing at the elderly man inside, asking,

"Who's this? Is he Gu Ningqi's grandfather?"

Ji Min gave him an unexpected glance before bending down to study the elder's face in the photograph carefully.

After a moment of contemplation, he said, "This should be Elder Shen."

Elder Shen had passed away when Ji Min was only around fourteen or fifteen.

The Ji family and the Shen family weren't closely related, so Ji Min didn't have a strong impression of Elder Shen.

Lu Ran, on the other hand, studied the picture intently before nodding. "I think so. Shen Xingyu would probably look like this when he's old."

"So many photos, and you don't remember any of them?" Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran shook his head. "Not at all!"

"Sigh, your mind…" Ji Min shook his head in exasperation.

But upon further reflection, perhaps it was for the best that Lu Ran didn't remember.

Ji Min pointed at some of the backgrounds in the photos, straining to recall his memories from over a decade ago:

"Are these from the Gu family? They seem to have been taken in the Gu family's garden."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ran gazed at Ji Min for a moment.

Suddenly, he said, "Boss, could you give me Uncle Gu's WeChat ID?"

Ji Min was taken aback.

Looking at the photos again, he suddenly felt that something wasn't quite right.

These pictures didn't appear to be professionally shot; they seemed more like casual snapshots taken by family or friends.

And within the Gu family... it seemed that only Gu Zhi had a passion for photography.

So...

He could only glimpse the adorable appearance of the child through the photograph.

But Gu Zhi had seen him more than ten years ago.

Not only had he seen him, but he had also played with him and even taken pictures?

Ji Min slowly caressed the child's cheek in the photo.

He said nonchalantly, "Which Uncle Gu? Old Master Gu has three sons."

"The one who came on your birthday!" Lu Ran said.

Ji Min put down the photo leisurely.

"Was someone from the Gu family there that day? I don't remember," he said.

Lu Ran gave him a strange look, wondering what kind of goldfish memory he had.

"It's that one..."

Struggling to recall, Lu Ran finally managed to remember the name, "Was it Gu Zhi or someone who cared?"

Seeing that the person couldn't even remember the name correctly, Ji Min felt somewhat appeased and said, "Just call him Gu Zhi. Why bother with 'Uncle Gu'?"

"That's right, that's the one!"

Lu Ran urged him.

Seeing his eagerness, Ji Min suddenly became reluctant once more.

"It's too late today, and I seem to have forgotten my phone when I came."

No sooner had he finished speaking.

The youth lying prostrate on the bed before him crawled forward another two steps, his hand reaching out to pat at his trouser pocket.

"You brought it!"

"..." Ji Min shuddered at the tap.

Silently, he took out his phone.

He thought to himself that some children didn't keep their promises; they clearly said they wouldn't add anyone's WeChat randomly that same day.

Ji Min unlocked his phone and accessed the contacts page, scrolling down through the list.

This was his work phone, so it had many contacts.

After swiping for a while, he couldn't find Gu Zhi anywhere.

The longer he hesitated, the more anxious Lu Ran became.

He gestured wildly from the side, urging, "Search! Tap on that search bar!"

After much dilly-dallying, Ji Min finally found Gu Zhi's contact information.

Lu Ran continued to guide him, "Send me his contact card."

The youth had half of his body leaning over the wheelchair.

The urgency was palpable.

Ji Min's eyebrows rose high, and he decided to be straightforward, saying, "What business card? I don't know how to reject it."

Lu Ran: "???"

He froze. "You don't?"

"Yes," Ji Min replied leisurely. "I'm older now. I don't engage in such games."

"So..."

Lu Ran blinked twice, sensing something amiss.

He furrowed his brows and pondered. "That's not right. You clearly said you wanted to recommend it to me the other day. It was me who turned it down."

"...You must have misheard," Ji Min said.

Lu Ran slowly returned to his bed and sat down.

He silently stared at Ji Min.

After being watched for a while, Ji Min finally sighed.

He spoke with a dignified tone, "It's just Gu Zhi's work WeChat. I'm not sure if he'd be willing to give it to you. If you have any questions, we can chat using my phone."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but secretly malign Gu Zhi, "He has a rather complicated personal life, so I'm not comfortable with you adding him on WeChat."

"But why does his complicated personal life concern me?" Lu Ran asked, confused.

Ji Min didn't respond; he simply handed over his phone.

Yet in his mind, he thought, How is it unrelated?

Lu Ran addressing Gu Zhi as 'Uncle Gu' was not an error.

Unlike him, who had forcefully inserted himself as an "elder," the Shen and Gu families were genuine, long-time friends.

In terms of seniority, Gu Zhi could indeed claim with justification to be Lu Ran's elder.

If we set aside seniority...

Given Gu Zhi's age, fulfilling the arranged marriage between the Gu and Shen families on behalf of Gu Ningqi would pose no issue.

Taking the phone, Lu Ran leaned on the pillow and began sending messages to Gu Zhi.

The calf rested leisurely, swaying gently back and forth.

With the corner of his eye, Ji Min caught sight of the young man's actions, yet his fingers gently rubbed against the metal puppy on the remote control.

After glancing for a moment, the man couldn't resist and reached out to grab the teenager's erratically swaying ankle.

With restraint, his fingertip did not glide.

He simply held it firmly, tucking it securely within the thin quilt beneath the youth's body.

Startled, Lu Ran turned to look at him, instinctively kicking the covers again. "I'm not cold."

"Well, don't sway around then," Ji Min whispered softly.

Lu Ran turned his head to gaze at him for a moment longer.

Suddenly, he put down his phone and sat up.

"What are you looking at? Aren't you going to continue your conversation?" Ji Min asked.

Lu Ran let out an "oh" and slowly leaned back down.

Ji Min stood quietly by the window of the young man's room, his ears pricked attentively for a while, yet no sound of any message notifications reached them.

Realizing my oversight, I remembered that I had silenced my phone after finishing work.

It was unclear what the two were discussing.

Glancing down at Big Yellow, who was obediently lying on the carpet, Ji Min suddenly lifted his finger and gave the command to "speak."

Big Yellow perked up instantly, sitting up and giving a lively "Woof."

Hearing the barking, Lu Ran immediately put down his phone and turned to look at Big Yellow.

"What's wrong, Big Yellow?" he asked the puppy.

The puppy couldn't speak.

President Ji took the initiative to convey its message.

He said, "I'm not sure why it's barking. Does it want to go for a walk?"

"That shouldn't be the case."

Lu Ran got up and picked up Big Yellow for a closer inspection. "At this time, Big Yellow is usually asleep."

"Maybe it needs to use the bathroom," suggested Ji Min.

"But it just went not too long ago." Lu Ran rubbed Big Yellow's head in confusion.

Big Yellow didn't bark again, only gazing silently at Ji Min.

Ji Min cleared his throat softly, eventually asking, "What did you want to ask Gu Zhi?"

"Oh, I gave him my WeChat ID and asked him to add me," Lu Ran shared.

The vigilant Ji Min: "..."

"Then you two add each other and chat."

With a strained expression, Ji Min forced out a few words and grabbed his phone, preparing to leave.

Yet, upon glancing down, he found Gu Zhi's chat window on his phone empty and devoid of any messages.

Ji Min paused, turning to look at Lu Ran.

The youth cradled the little dog in his arms, his smile cunningly playful.

Ask him, "Boss, were you just feeling jealous?"

Ji Min never expected to be outmaneuvered in such a way.

He fell silent for a long while before suddenly turning to look at the young man, fixing him with his gaze and saying, "What if I were to say yes?"

Lu Ran: "Hm?"

Chapter 93: Station 23: Exorcising Evil

Liao Xinya was the last one to be brought to the guest room.

Upon entering the room, she immediately noticed the absence of a man with glasses, and then sensed that the atmosphere inside seemed somewhat peculiar.

Ming Yiyang and Lin Yongjian sat on opposite sides, both wearing grim expressions. Yet, both of them couldn't help stealing glances at Yan Qiling.

Yan Qiling sat at Ming Yiyang's upper seat, intently using the tea lid to skim the floating foam from the tea leaves.

Upon seeing her enter, the man closed his teacup lid halfway and set it aside before rising to bow respectfully.

"Housekeeper Xi Yi," he greeted.

Liao Xin Ya followed the other servants in returning the gesture.

It was precisely because she was the last one that Xi Yi personally escorted her.

As a maid to the young miss, she could only trail behind Xi Yi. When guests of higher status than herself paid respects to Xi Yi, she couldn't simply stand idly by; she had to promptly return the courtesy.

Xi Yi chuckled and returned the greeting with a bow, but he didn't take a seat. Instead, he gestured for Yan Qiling to sit first and surveyed the surroundings before asking:

"I wonder what your thoughts are on the puppet's demise?"

Diao Qingchang, always mindful of the rules, promptly spoke up:

"Housekeeper Xi Yi, this... Two murders in one day. In my opinion, perhaps the marriage between the two ladies should be postponed?"

Xi Yi's triangular eyes, resembling dead fish, lifted to look at him critically:

"Mr. Diao, that might not be the most appropriate thing for you to say. Aren't you more aware of the situation than I am? Nobody knows Madam's intentions better than you; she is wholeheartedly determined to see this marriage through. Now, whether this marriage happens or not, it must happen. Isn't that right, Mr. Diao?"

Diao Qingchang had no intention of directly confronting him. Noticing his words being tactfully dismissed, he laughed it off:

"Yes, yes, mainly... um, ah, it truly is an eventful time, isn't it?"

"You're right about that; it is indeed an eventful time," Xi Yi replied, still maintaining his insincere smile.

Diao Qingchang found his joyful appearance akin to the paper figurines hung at the front of a wedding palanquin, possessing an eerie kind of charm.

Well, it wasn't exactly beautiful.

... Never mind.

Xi Yi surveyed the surroundings once more and spoke leisurely, "There have been some incidents in the family, but they're not significant issues. As long as the bride arrives at the Wen residence on the wedding day, everyone will be generously rewarded. Madam has made it clear that the Bai family will never neglect those who have helped us."

His words held hidden meaning, leaving the others with little to say.

Yan Qiling picked up his teacup again, sipping gently before setting it down and saying softly, "Xiao Ou's death was peculiar, but it seems to have been an accident – a slip and fall into the water. It has nothing to do with any of us. May I ask, Steward Xi Yi, what is the purpose of our presence here? Please enlighten us."

Finally, Xi Yi cracked a wide grin, delighted that someone had paved the way for him to speak further, "To be honest, Madam is also deeply concerned about this matter. Last night, she consulted the Dragon Fish Ciyu Deity, and this afternoon, the revered deity appeared in Madam's dream, revealing that among the recent newcomers to the Bai household, there is someone whose fate is incompatible, carrying a harmful aura. It's said that this person needs to undergo a 'dispelling of evil' ritual to remain in the Bai residence."

Lin Yongjian frowned slightly and asked,

"What would happen if we don't perform the exorcism?"

Xi Yi's smile turned cruel,

"Well, that might require sending her to the 'Pigsty' first. It's an unfortunate necessity for the two ladies' weddings... I hope you all can bear with it temporarily. Once the 'exorcism' is successful, Madam Old Bai will have peace of mind when any of you visit the Bai family."

His sinister triangular eyes shifted to Liao Xinya behind him,

"Xiao Jia, you shall start."

Before the young girl could speak, Yan Qiling promptly interrupted,

"Butler Xi Yi, we naturally follow Madam Old Bai's arrangements. However, since this situation is unexpected, it would be unwise to let the young lady enter the Dragon Fish Hall first. She's young and inexperienced. If she were to offend the divine spirits recklessly, it wouldn't be a good thing."

"How about I go in first, and then she follows? What do you think?"

Xi Yi's expression changed slightly, revealing an appeasing demeanor.

"Madam has instructed that you are an utterly pure and virtuous person. Hence, there's no need for you to participate in the purification ritual. It would suffice for you to sit in the guest room and enjoy some fruits," the servant said respectfully.

Yan Qiling grasped the underlying message.

Although the servant appeared courteous, his words had aroused suspicion among the others.

The "purification ritual" likely wasn't as straightforward as it seemed, especially for ordinary folks like Liao Xinya. It could be a challenging obstacle for them.

By intimidating or even eliminating these people... Old Madam Bai seemed intent on demonstrating a stern lesson through a show of force.

Not insisting further, Yan Qiling suggested, "In that case, let everyone have a cup of tea before we proceed. Since we're invoking the divine power for the purification, we should be adequately prepared to honor the deity's goodwill."

Xi Yi had already refused once, so he didn't wish to decline again. Besides, Madam's attitude toward Yan Qiling was perplexing, and he dared not comment recklessly.

After some deliberation, Xi Yi agreed to the request, stating that he would return to collect the group after finishing his tea.

The moment he left, Liao Xinya briefly recounted the sequence of events, from Yue Pengpeng's plea for help to her disappearance.

Immediately, Yan Qiling unfolded the red note and pointed out the new rules to the others.

However, compared to those rules, he was more concerned about the "eight characters" left behind by the man in red shoes.

Diao Qingchang also noticed it and quickly connected it to the clue in Xi Yi's words:

"Xi Yi just said that 'incompatible fates' carry evil energy. This is indeed related to the eight characters, so perhaps we need to modify them to pass this so-called divine test?"

Lin Yongjian was surprised:

"Don't eight characters determine someone's fate at birth? How can they be changed?"

Diao Qingchang didn't think it was that difficult:

"It can be temporarily concealed, like a charm for good luck. It's not a permanent change. I could draw such a talisman, but the issue is—"

"What kind of eight characters do we need? Who knows what requirements the Dragon Fish Benevolent Jade God has for one's fate. Sigh... if only Boss Chi were here, he would surely figure it out."

Ming Yiyang had long retracted the purple hue in his eyes. He gently twirled the necklace around his neck before releasing it and speaking up:

"Most people have ordinary fates. The so-called 'malefic influence' merely signifies how many lives the Vengeful Spirit King intends to take this time," Ming Yiyang explained.

Others looked slightly alarmed, while Diao Qingchang stroked his blue Utpalaka flower around his neck, deep in thought.

"That makes sense... Then I'll draw some impressive fates for everyone. A fate with pure yang energy will not only be free from malefic influence but also ward off ghosts and deities. Hehe."

Diao Qingchang was an action-oriented person; even before he finished speaking, he pulled out a stack of yellow talismans from his bosom. Ignoring the surroundings, he bit his finger and began to draw.

Ming Yiyang had no objections to his actions but simply said, "Draw them for the others. I don't need one."

Diao Qingchang paused, then nodded in understanding.

However, he soon realized something was amiss. "Where is Shi Wenguang? He hasn't arrived yet."

Previously, when Shi Wenguang was absent, Diao Qingchang had assumed he was just running late, based on Yan Qiling's explanation. But now, with Xi Yi's arrival, Shi Wenguang still hadn't shown up.

Yan Qiling, upon hearing the question, promptly pulled out a red slip from his sleeve.

The last entry on the red slip seemed to have dissolved like ink soaked in water, becoming utterly indistinct.

Diao Qingchang's face paled with shock.

"What does this mean? I lost my side gig?!"

This heaven-defying focus was enough to make Ming Yiyang roll his eyes if he were listening.

Now, the purpose of the red slip was evident: whenever someone died, its rules would instantly alter.

But this was the first time it had blurred into an indiscernible mass, leaving everyone baffled.

Yet, Yan Qiling quickly grasped the reason:

"Shi Wenguang probably hasn't died yet. He's currently in a state between life and death, so the red slip's rule hasn't changed. But once he passes away, a new rule will appear on the slip."

Diao Qingchang, who had been consistently composed, finally revealed a hint of anxiety.

He distributed the drawn talismans to each person, speaking rapidly:

"This yellow talisman can disguise your birth chart. As long as you carry it with you, your birth charts will become what I just described - not only free from negative influences but also capable of repelling ghosts. However, this item can only protect you for two hours, so remember to manage your time."

Then, he pulled out another talisman, intending to give it to Yan Qiling:

"I'll have to leave when Xi Yi comes to collect the person. I need to finish this matter quickly and find Shi Wen Guang. You don't have to worry about me, alright? If anything unexpected happens, use this talisman to contact me. Come on, come on, Mr. Yan, would you please hold onto it?"

Yan Qiling waved his hand in refusal:

"Let Ming Yiyang take it. He's a celestial master and proficient in this."

Diao Qingchang was about to persuade further when a hand reached from behind, snatching the talisman away from the tall youth.

The young man securely rolled up the talisman and put it in his inner pocket, waving at Diao Qingchang:

"I'll take care of it. If there's any issue, we'll contact you."

Diao Qingchang clicked his tongue, nodding slowly and reluctantly.

"Sure, why not."

Ming Yiyang lifted his sharp, snowy brows with a hint of a smile playing on his lips. Diao Qingchang sensed trouble and promptly complimented him:

"How could I not trust Brother Ming holding onto it? Of course, I have absolute faith in you."

Liao Xinya had no objections to Diao Qingchang's self-appointment. However, for her, the current priority lay elsewhere:

"I would like to know if there are any further plans. After tonight, we have less than two days left. Have we found any leads on the exit?"

A faint approval flashed in Yan Qiling's dual-colored eyes as he turned his gaze to Diao Qingchang:

"We haven't seen anything at the Bai family yet. I wonder how things stand at the Wen family's place."

Diao Qingchang shrugged and shook his head candidly:

"No luck there."

"Though I think it's mainly because we didn't stay long enough. Plus, the incident with Mai Zeyu kept us entangled with the Wen family, preventing us from investigating any leads. If possible, we should revisit the Wen family tonight... Oh, indeed, there is something I haven't mentioned to you all. But it was mainly because it's still in the speculative stage, so I held off on sharing."

Seeing everyone's attention fixed on him, he couldn't help but exclaim:

"Are you guys really expecting me to speak now? I feel like the Master of the Abyss is watching us. What if it stops me from finding any clues once I share them?"

Liao Xinya replied calmly:

"You've already revealed that you possess a clue. If It truly is observing you, then whether or not you speak, you'd still be Its next target. It's better to contribute something while you're still alive than to die without leaving any evidence."

Diao Qingchang was astonished by the young girl's decisiveness and ruthlessness:

"Holy shit, what a valid point... Alright."

"I suspect that the Bai family and the Wen family might have a mirrored structure."

Yan Qiling's eyes lit up with interest:

"Elaborate."

Diao Qingchang no longer held back:

"The butler of the Bai family is named Xi Yi, while the one for the Wen family is Yi Xi. The room allocated to me by the Bai family is on the right, and the one from the Wens is on the left. Essentially, their layouts are identical, just flipped in reverse."

"Therefore, I suspect that other aspects might be inverted as well. Anyway, since Brother Ming has a map, I plan to roam around with it, particularly checking the accounts office and the storehouse – I didn't get the chance yesterday."

As he was about to continue, Yu Kui, who had been cowering in the corner, abruptly stood up with a start, staring fearfully at the entrance.

However, there was nothing there.

Just as everyone was puzzled, a page boy carrying a white paper lantern stepped in from outside.

The boy was only waist-high, but his grin was unsettlingly chilling.

With a crisp child's voice, he announced, "May one of you please come out and accompany me to the Fish-Dragon Hall for an exorcism."

Diao Qingchang took a deep breath, patted Ming Yiyang's arm, and gave him a firm handshake.

"Brother Ming, I'll be going."

Ming Yiyang looked at him and, surprisingly, nodded.

Diao Qingchang followed the child away just like that.

As soon as the child left, Yu Kui immediately retreated back into his corner, muttering to himself in an enigmatic manner.

Ming Yiyang rubbed his fingers and met Yan Qiling's gaze.

The man strolled slowly to his front, gently taking Ming Yiyang's hand in his, and whispered, "Let me see your injury."

Ming Yiyang compliantly opened his palm.

In the large, calloused hand, a result of years of wielding a blade, there were no fresh wounds; only a crumpled piece of paper lay there.

As if genuinely inspecting the wound, the man used two fingers to unfold the note, then fully spread it out on the warm palm:

Yu Kui is acting strange, his toes are pointing backward in the mirror.

A fleeting hint of purple flickered in his eyes, but Yan Qiling's palm promptly covered it.

"Stay still."

"It's just a minor injury."

The man's icy breath brushed against the nape of his neck:

"It might come in handy."

Chapter 96: Imprisonment

Shen Xingzhuo carried his coffee up to the second-story balcony.

Shen Xingyu was seated at a round table on the balcony, engrossed in some documents.

The two brothers didn't have the best relationship; they glanced at each other from a distance before attending to their own affairs.

However, Shen Xingzhuo couldn't stay still. He alternated between sitting and standing, peering down from the balcony.

He muttered, "How shameless of Ji Min to even block me, his own brother."

Finding this irritating, Shen Xingyu closed the file he was reading and prepared to leave.

Just as he was about to stand up, Shen Xingzhuo leaned over the balcony again, frowning. "Why is the Lino family's car still here? That old man must be losing his mind to associate with them."

The Shen and Lino families were long-standing enemies.

Even if Shen Xingzhuo was an uninvolved and carefree heir, he didn't have any favorable impressions of the Linos.

He looked down for a moment before turning to ask Shen Xingyu, "Hey, do you know if there's something sinister on the old man's mind?"

Shen Xingyu frowned but didn't respond, instead saying, "That's our father. What kind of address is that?"

Shen Xingzhuo rolled his eyes and ignored him.

After a while, when Shen Xingyu had already reached the balcony door, Shen Xingzhuo suddenly said,

"He's back today. He even brought two bodyguards with him when he returned to his own home."

Shen Xingyu froze, quickly realizing who 'he' was in Shen Xingzhuo's words.

His fingers, which were on the doorknob, relaxed, and he slowly withdrew his hand.

Turning away from the door, he returned to the balcony and sat down at a random seat, continuing to look through the documents in his hands, though clearly not fully focused.

"Don't you want to go down and see him?" Shen Xingzhuo asked.

"There's no need."

Shen Xingyu flipped through the pages in his hand.

Shen Xingzhuo didn't descend either, merely leaning against the railing and gazing down indolently.

After a moment, he asked, "Is Ranran not home today?"

"I don't know," Shen Xingyu replied coldly.

Shen Xingzhuo found his attitude irritating.

He wanted to leave the balcony, but his feet remained still.

Downstairs, Lu Ran was engaged in some unknown activity.

To be honest, Shen Xingzhuo wasn't sure how to approach Lu Ran.

He had always been accustomed to doing as he pleased.

Due to his family background, his playmates usually revolved around him.

Aside from Shen Xingran, Shen Xingzhuo had never tried to curry favor with anyone else.

Treating Lu Ran the same way as he did with Shen Xingran somehow felt odd.

Moreover...

People generally found it challenging to confront their mistakes, let alone make amends for them.

With his own mood spoiled, Shen Xingzhuo found himself particularly intolerant of Shen Xingyu.

"Hey, do you think he carries bodyguards around because of you? It's all because you've been treating him awfully," Shen Xingzhuo commented.

Shen Xingyu's grip on the document paper paused abruptly.

Suddenly, he recalled Ji Min's words.

"At that time, he was so cruel to me, probably because he knew you were my brother," Shen Xingyu mused aloud.

But in the next instant, Shen Xingyu resumed his actions.

Shen Xingzhuo simply walked over and sat down on the sofa beside him.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Xingzhuo spoke with a tinge of injustice, "Why is that? You were so harsh on him, yet why did he spare you so much mercy?"

"Spare me mercy?" Shen Xingyu recalled the events since his return home and raised his eyebrows in disbelief.

Shen Xingzhuo made a thoughtful comparison.

Between having dog feces thrown on his back and accidentally eating a cockroach...

Shen Xingzhuo still felt that he had it worse.

"I only put some bugs there to scare you. Do you have any idea what I've been through?"

Shen Xingyu was unaware and didn't bother to investigate.

He just found Shen Xingzhuo's nagging annoying.

Shen Xingzhuo continued to grumble indignantly, "He definitely held back. This guy has had a crush on you since he was young, always sticking by your side, right?"

Shen Xingyu abruptly closed the file in his hand.

He got up and walked out onto the balcony.

Returning to his room, he put down the documents.

After a moment of hesitation, Shen Xingyu opened his door and stepped out.

Ever since his last encounter with Ji Min, he hadn't seen Lu Ran again.

He descended the stairs slowly, expecting to witness a heated argument between Lu Ran and Shen Hongyuan.

Surprisingly, however, the first floor was unexpectedly quiet.

Not only was Lu Ran absent, but also the Lino family and Shen Hongyuan were nowhere to be seen.

Shen Xingyu frowned as he glanced at the courtyard.

The Lino family's car was still there.

He stopped a passing servant and asked, "Where are the head of the family and the guest?"

Upon seeing Shen Xingyu, the servant showed great respect and said, "Young Master Lu Ran seemed to have something to attend to just now. He asked the head of the family and the guest to follow him to the..."

Pausing for a moment, the servant then pointed in the direction of the first floor restroom, "To the restrooms."

"Did they go together? How long ago was it?" Shen Xingyu inquired.

"A while," the servant replied.

After a moment of thought, the servant added, "It seemed like the two young masters from the Lino family went into the restroom with Young Master Lu Ran first. Later, Young Master Lu Ran rushed out to speak with the head of the family, and then the head went over."

Upon hearing this, a deep frown formed between Shen Xingyu's brows.

He didn't ask further and simply walked toward the restroom.

As he proceeded, his expression grew even more solemn.

Shen Xingyu could roughly guess Shen Hongyuan's intentions.

The HZ project was likely to provoke a fierce battle between the Shen and Lino families.

Currently, there was a severe financial deficit within the Shen family, while the Lino family had just recently shifted their base domestically, with an unstable foundation.

A collaboration between the two families was indeed a viable solution.

Marriage served as a crucial bond to solidify such cooperation.

Even if the collaboration couldn't be negotiated, using marriage to stabilize the Lino family temporarily would still be a decent strategy.

From the perspective of the Shen family, Shen Hongyuan was doing the right thing.

In theory, Shen Xingyu shouldn't intervene at this juncture.

Yet...

Shen Xingyu blinked his eyes shut.

He recalled the eldest son of the Lino family, who was quite unpredictable.

There had been numerous scandalous incidents involving him overseas, engaging in excessive romantic escapades.

But this was the Shen family's residence; surely nothing like that would happen here...

Shen Xingyu paused in front of the bathroom door.

Without knocking, he reached out and pulled the door open.

In that fleeting moment, a horrifying sight greeted his eyes.

Reacting instinctively, Shen Xingyu raised his hand.

With a sharp "slam," he closed the door.

This instinct was born out of sheer terror.

Forgive him for having never witnessed such chaos in his life.

"The... What happened here?" The servant walking beside him asked cautiously.

Shen Xingyu took a deep breath.

Shouldering the responsibility as the family heir, he gathered himself and opened the door once more.

Now, only the "victims" remained inside.

The eldest son of the Leno family was leaning against the toilet bowl, his expression dazed.

The second son was desperately trying to pull a toilet brush out of his mouth while hunched over, spitting repeatedly.

Old Leno had a plunger stuck on his forehead.

As for Shen Hongyuan, the front of his shirt was soaked, and he was holding onto the toilet, muttering deliriously, "Rebellious child! Rebellious child!"

Shen Xingyu double-checked the setting.

Indeed, it was a bathroom.

Washing his face silently, Shen Xingyu finally grasped the meaning behind Shen Xingzhuo's words "go easy on them."

"Go... call an ambulance?"

He instructed the servant beside him with uncertainty in his voice.

To his surprise, the three Lino family members reacted intensely upon hearing this.

They sprang up from the ground and exclaimed, "No way!"

Spotting Shen Xingyu, who hadn't witnessed the incident, standing outside the door, they desperately tried to justify themselves, "No, nothing happened! We were just playing around; there's no need to go to the hospital!"

If news of them being rubbed against the toilet bowl were to spread, how would their Lino family be able to save face?!!

Shen Xingyu: "..."

Meanwhile, Lu Ran hadn't left yet.

He unlocked the door to Shen Hongyuan's study with a key.

Only after entering and locating the cabinet that Shen Hongyuan had mentioned did Lu Ran realize that the cunning fox had once again told a lie.

That was because the cabinet was equipped with a digital lock.

Lu Ran's gaze darkened.

Exiting the study, he spotted Shen Xingyu and promptly approached to seize the man's wrist.

"Come here, to me."

Intent on seeking out someone to "make a formal complaint," Shen Xingyu was momentarily taken aback, allowing the youth to tug him forward by the wrist.

The grip on the wrist was firm and unyielding, held tightly in place.

Shen Xingyu was suddenly reminded of his childhood.

Back then, when his relationship with his younger brother hadn't soured and the child didn't fear him.

Occasionally, he would have the leisure to play with the child for a while.

It seemed to be right after school had ended that day.

Upon entering the house, a soft little hand reached out and grabbed his wrist.

The child eagerly pulled him along to the backyard, eager to show him the small nest he had crafted for the rabbits.

Shen Xingyu blinked, and the blurred scene before his eyes cleared away.

What now held his wrist was no longer that soft, pudgy little hand devoid of any notable strength.

It was not the hand of an elegant scholar, but one with calluses on its palm and fingertips, indicating the strength of a youth who labored frequently.

The one pulling him was no longer that short and plump ball from those years; they had grown into a somewhat slender figure.

Shen Xingyu remained in a daze.

Then, he felt a chill on his fingertips.

His hand was forcefully pressed onto a fingerprint scanner.

What awaited him was no longer the soft nest made of tissues and cotton from years ago.

Recalling his surroundings, Shen Xingyu frowned and asked, "What are you doing?"

But Lu Ran didn't reply.

Fixated on the fingerprint lock displaying an error, he cursed under his breath.

Then, he left Shen Xingyu behind, rushed downstairs, and dragged the unsuspecting Shen Hongyuan, who was washing his face, upstairs.

He pulled Shen Hongyuan over and pressed his hand against the cabinet.

"Beep," the lock unlocked.

Shen Hongyuan was infuriated by Lu Ran's brazen behavior and eventually pointed at Shen Xingyu beside him, asking,

"Look at him, aren't you going to do anything?"

Shen Xingyu's lips quivered.

In the end, he sighed and asked Shen Hongyuan, "What on earth are you hiding?"

"Hiding something?" Shen Hongyuan raged in frustration, "Everything in the Shen family belongs to me! What do you mean by me hiding something?"

Lu Ran paid no attention to the two of them.

The cabinet was almost empty.

As expected, someone like Shen Hongyuan would never trust his sons and wouldn't keep anything important at home.

At the very bottom, there was a box that hadn't been dealt with yet.

Lu Ran glanced at the pattern—it was the same as the gift box for the wristwatch that Shen Hongyuan had given him previously.

He took out the gift box and waved it at Shen Hongyuan. "Old fellow, I hate it when others hide my things."

"However, if you have some peculiar hobby and enjoy drinking toilet water, then by all means, keep hiding it."

With that, he ignored the father and son, and left the Shen residence with the box in hand.

That evening, Ji Min returned home from work.

But one figure was missing from the dinner table.

Ji Min waited for a while, but to no avail.

Somewhat surprised, he turned to ask Manager Chen who sat beside him, "How odd. What could have kept him from even having dinner?"

Manager Chen replied, "He said he was a bit tired and went straight to his room to rest after coming back."

Ji Min paused, then didn't say anything further.

He had a light meal and called over the two bodyguards who had been with Lu Ran.

"Something happened today, right? Why is he so exhausted?" Ji Min inquired.

Upon hearing Ji Min's question, the expressions of the two bodyguards became rather animated.

After pulling off such a grand feat, it was only natural for him to be tired!

Seeing that they were hesitant to speak, Ji Min faintly frowned. "Speak."

He exuded a strong aura of authority on any ordinary day.

Now, with just one word from him, coupled with the bodyguards' guilty consciences, they immediately began pouring out their tale like beans spilling from a bowl:

"I'm sorry, Boss, we didn't intentionally let Young Master Lu Ran take matters into his own hands."

"Though it was quite explosive to push someone into the toilet, we did eventually go to assist. Uh... I was the one who stuffed the toilet brush!"

The other bodyguard also eagerly raised his hand, claiming his part. "I was the one with the plunger!"

Ji Min: "..."

He sighed, resting his forehead in his hand before he continued, "Hold on, that's not important. I'm not asking about that..."

The bodyguards' eyes widened in disbelief.

Not important?

How could this be unimportant? What possibly could be more significant?

They assumed it was because they hadn't been sincere enough and quickly reassured him:

"Please rest assured, Sir. From now on, leave such matters to us. Young Master Lu Ran says whom to massage, we'll massage whom!

"We absolutely won't let Young Master Lu Ran lift his sleeves even once!"

Ji Min: "...."

These two used to be quite reliable.

How did spending time with Lu Ran turn me into this?

Interrupting the duo's detailed account, Ji Min sighed again before inquiring, "I meant, where did he go today?"

"Oh, Young Master went back to the Shen residence."

Upon hearing this, Ji Min had a vague idea of the situation.

He dismissed the bodyguards.

Ji Min lingered downstairs for a while longer before taking the elevator up to the second floor.

Exiting the lift, he steered his wheelchair toward his bedroom.

Yet, his gaze strayed to a room at the other end of the corridor.

Half the lights in the hallway were off, casting a dim glow.

Ji Min paused for a moment, turning to glance at Manager Chen beside him and saying,

"Go check if he's awake and bring him something to eat if he isn't," the butler Chen instructed.

But Chen continued without waiting for Ji Min's response, entering the elevator immediately.

Ji Min: "..."

He stood still for a moment before slowly maneuvering his wheelchair down the dim and tranquil hallway, heading towards Lu Ran's room at the end.

The wheelchair came to a halt in front of the door.

The door was still ajar, not even latched shut.

Ji Min hesitated, knuckles poised to knock, then thought better of it. Perhaps Lu Ran was asleep, and he shouldn't disturb him.

In the soft glow, the usually tightly sealed barrier seemed slightly more permeable.

Gently, Ji Min pushed the door open and rolled his wheelchair inside with barely a sound.

Entering the suite, the door to the bedroom inside was still ajar.

Warm yellow light illuminated the space.

For some reason, Ji Min felt an instant relief.

He's still awake...

The teenager in the bedroom must have just woken up.

With disheveled hair, he was sitting at the head of the bed, engrossed in something, so much so that he didn't even notice someone had entered the room.

Ji Min cleared his throat softly and tapped on the bedroom door with a bent finger.

The youth seated on the bed startled, fumbling in a flustered haste to gather the scattered items upon it.

Owing to the intensity of the movement, some items were sent flying out directly.

Ji Min raised an eyebrow as he cast a glance at the youth, then bent down to retrieve the scrap of paper that had drifted to his feet.

That was a photograph.

In the picture, a fluffy little child was stretching out their arms, asking for a hug directly into the camera.

Chapter 176 - Silver Ear Mushroom

Since the trip was spontaneous and they had just finished breakfast, Sang Luo assumed they would return by the time it was time for the afternoon meal. Thus, she didn't bother packing any food and simply filled two bamboo tubes with cold water.

As she and Shen Lie were getting ready, Shen Ning came downstairs hastily, her eyes sparkling. She whispered into Sang Luo's ear, "Sister-in-law, did Aunt Tian make the divine tofu already?"

Sang Luo chuckled. "She probably did last month, but I haven't had a chance to go out. I'll check when I'm back and bring some for you if I find it."

Shen Ning was overjoyed. Then, she remembered something and said, "Which families are going? If there are too many people, we shouldn't get it. I'm not that hungry anyway."

If the recipe got leaked, they wouldn't have anything to sell in the future, and life would be peaceful.

Seeing how cautious Shen Ning was, Sang Luo's eyes curved into a smile. "Just Aunt Tian and Brother Da Shan. I'll keep that in mind. If there's an opportunity, I'll bring some back. If not, then it's fine."

The two of them whispering together caught Shen Lie's attention, who was sharpening his machete with a longer handle.

Once he finished preparing, the Chen family arrived, and Chen Da Shan held a machete with a new long handle, given to him by Chen You Tian.

Previously, their hunting targets were mainly wild boars and chickens, so they usually ventured towards more open areas near the forest edge, grasslands, and mountain streams. However, Sang Luo and Qin Fang Niang's outing clearly didn't prioritize hunting.

With foraging as their main task, climbing mountains and delving into forests was inevitable. A long-handled machete was crucial for opening paths and scaring away snakes. As long as they kept a safe distance from the valley, they wouldn't worry about being detected. Thus, both families coincidentally prepared similarly.

On the Chen family's side, Qin Fangniang accompanied them. Old Lady Chen exhorted her daughter-in-law and grandson, "That plant grows at the edge of the forest and in broad-leaved forests too. Search carefully and gather as much as you can."

Qin Fangniang nodded.

In this valley, the greatest pressure undoubtedly fell on Shen Lie and her husband, Chen Dashan, since they led every outing. Hence, Qin Fangniang took this matter seriously, feeling more secure with extra means of defense.

Sang Luo had become quite skilled at climbing rocks and entering caves, but it was Qin Fangniang's first time. Relying solely on Chen Dashan's guidance and Shen Lie's strength to pull her up, Qin Fangniang's legs turned weak. Nonetheless, she managed to ascend.

The entrance to the valley was usually locked from the inside. If someone left, it could still be secured, but someone needed to guard it. When Shen Lie and Chen Dashan set out, Shi Erlang immediately volunteered to watch over the cave. After the group exited and he locked the entrance, he sat below it.

The path outside the valley wasn't initially difficult, as they stuck to the forest edges. After about an hour and a half, they had traveled a considerable distance from Yun Valley before venturing deeper into the mountain range. Judging by the height of the surrounding peaks encircling Yun Valley, these mountain ranges were towering. To explore the dense forest would be challenging. Shen Lie and Chen Dashan took turns clearing the way.

Inside the mountain range, the sounds of insects and birds filled the air. Small, unknown animals occasionally darted past them. Sang Luo even saw something leap from the ground to a tree. She grabbed Shen Lie's arm, asking, "Was that a little monkey just now?"

Shen Lie nodded and smiled. "Yes, there should be no large carnivores in this mountain peak."

If large carnivores roamed, small animals wouldn't be so relaxed and active.

Upon entering the mountainous region, although the path was challenging, the rewards were evidently more abundant than in the open areas at the foot of the mountains. They had yet to find any herbs, but due to the continuous rain, mushrooms grew in clusters, especially in places with ample fallen leaves.

Being experienced in navigating the mountains, they wouldn't rashly approach. Instead, they would first use their pointed hoes to disturb the thick layer of leaves, scaring away any insects lurking beneath before venturing closer.

This precaution wasn't just to avoid venomous insects hidden in the leaves; it was also to protect themselves from snakes that could blend seamlessly with the leaf litter. Animals were adept at using similar colors for camouflage.

When both families had filled their baskets halfway with mushrooms, Sangluo finally spotted the herb the old lady had mentioned. After showing it to Shen Lie and the others, who all confirmed its identity, they dug it up. Qin Fangniang smiled upon inspecting the root: "This should be the one. Let's dig it up and take it back to examine it further."

Knowing this herb was poisonous, Qin Fangniang carried a small basket specifically for it.

As they continued to collect mushrooms, wild vegetables, and herbs, Qin Fangniang glanced up and noticed a cluster of green mountain grapes. Although they were still unripe, they were quite large. She paused and asked Sangluo, "Is autumn almost here?"

Qin Fangniang knew that Sangluo had a habit of keeping track of dates. She had seen her doing so when she visited the Shen family previously.

Sangluo nodded, "In about eight or nine days, it will be July."

The calendar of the Great Qian Empire resembled the lunar calendar of later times. According to the Gregorian calendar, by the end of the lunar June, they would have already entered August.

Qin Fangniang sighed, "Time truly flies."

They had fled from Ten Li Village into the mountains in early February; now nearly half a year had passed in the blink of an eye.

She merely sighed with emotion. The grapes before her were more appealing. She plucked a cluster and picked out the biggest one, offering it to Sang Luo. "Try it."

She then picked one for herself, peeled it, and popped it into her mouth. The sourness caused her entire brow to wrinkle, and she even shivered.

Sang Luo watched her, still smiling, and decided to give it a try as well. Shen Lie, standing nearby, couldn't help but laugh at her expression. Before Sang Luo could recover, he averted his gaze, looked around, and took a few steps forward. He used his machete to cut down several branches.

After a long while, Sang Luo managed to stifle a hiss. "These probably won't be ripe for another twenty days or so. Should we come back?"

Qin Fangniang was about to nod when Shen Lie and Chen Dashan had already moved ahead, cutting down a few branches with their machetes. They brought down a cluster that was slightly purple and handed it to Sang Luo. "Try this bunch and see if it's ready."

Sang Luo no longer had the courage to taste it. "Take them back for the children to try. Remember this place, and let's come again in about twenty days?"

Shen Lie wouldn't refuse such a suggestion. He smiled and agreed.

As they continued walking, there were several more clusters of wild grapes. They could easily pick tens of pounds.

Sang Luo found them fascinating. These would make excellent wine ingredients. Honestly, she wasn't willing to use grains for brewing; she had made some sweet rice wine in June and cherished it dearly. She only used a little for making bread and occasionally made rice-wine eggs when she craved them.

Continuing on their path, Sang Luo noticed from a distance a white object attached to a tree trunk. Her eyes lit up, and she halted in her steps.

Following her gaze, Shen Lie inquired, "What is it?"

Sang Luo pointed to the tree above them. "That white thing on the tree trunk looks like a silver ear fungus to me."

It was something that neither Shen Lie, Chen Dashan, nor Qin Fangniang had ever heard of before.

Both Chen Dashan and Qin Fangniang, who were walking ahead, turned back. Following Sang Luo's indication, Qin Fangniang, having encountered this before, was surprised and asked, "Can you eat that?"

In the nearby mountains of Shili Village, she had stumbled upon it once, but it was quite rare.

Those living in the mountains knew better than to taste unknown mushrooms and wild fruits blindly. Qin Fangniang was indeed unaware that this particular one was edible.

Sangluo didn't hide the truth from her and nodded, saying, "It's edible, and very tasty too. It's even considered a nourishing delicacy. However, it needs to be dried and rehydrated before being cooked. Eating it fresh might be poisonous."

It was like a commoner's bird's nest, of course. This referred to the modern era when it could be cultivated artificially. In ancient times, finding Tremella was no easy task, making it a rather rare mountain treasure. In Sangluo's own time, it was treated as a tribute reserved for the royal family; commoners could hardly afford it.

With Sangluo's assurance that it was edible, no one present doubted her.

"Let's go up and take a look," Shen Lie cleared a path, which was rather steep. After climbing up, he turned back to pull Sang Luo along with him, helping her ascend.

As they drew closer, Sang Luo confirmed her discovery with delight, "It's indeed the silver mushroom."

She then turned to Shen Lie and the approaching Chen Dashan and Qin Fangniang, "The environment here seems suitable for the growth of silver mushrooms. Look around on the trees; there should be more."

Chen Dashan and Qin Fangniang both examined the area closely before venturing off to search for more silver mushrooms.

Shen Lie, however, didn't venture too far. He remained just a few steps away from Sang Luo, scanning the surroundings. Even from this spot, he spotted several more locations with the precious fungi.

As Sanlao mentioned, the mountains here are perpetually shrouded in mist, with temperatures and other environmental conditions seemingly ideal for the growth of silver ear mushrooms.

Having wandered in these mountains for over an hour, each family had gathered more than twenty silver ear mushrooms. Shangluo was overjoyed; to her, even if they found nothing else of value that day, merely discovering these medicinal herbs and the silver ears would already constitute a bountiful harvest.

Having climbed over two more mountains, the Guanyin wood was indeed sighted, but today the forest abounds with such a profusion of finds that Sanluo fears her basket may not accommodate them all. Thus, she decides to set it aside for now.

During their exploration, they stumbled upon several caves. This reminded Sangluo of something, and she inquired of Shen Lie and Chen Dashan, "Have you ever come across any hidden caves near our valley that could conceal someone?"

Shen Lie shook his head. "There were one or two shallow ones, but I didn't notice any deep ones. I didn't search thoroughly."

Sang Luo commented, "Actually, I think we should search, especially in the mountains surrounding the entrance of our valley. It would be best to occupy one. Just because there's no one in the inner area now doesn't mean it will stay that way. If it comes to a point where entering and exiting the valley becomes difficult, we'll have a temporary resting place."

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan exchanged glances; she had a point.

Shen Lie replied, "We'll keep an eye out for such spots, Dashan."

By the end of the afternoon, all four of them had filled their baskets, and even the small basket used for digging herbs was overflowing. Seeing that it was getting late, they prepared to return home. However, not long after descending the mountain, they accidentally bumped into two panicked young lambs.

They were truly tiny.

Their horns had yet to grow.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan caught them immediately. The lambs bleated in fear.

The two men were no strangers to encountering flocks of sheep in the mountains. Hearing the distress in their bleats, they straightened their expressions, handed the lambs to Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang, and set down their baskets. They instructed the women to be cautious as they picked up their weapons and headed towards the corner of the mountain.

Before they could fully turn around the corner, the pungent smell of blood reached their noses. Pushing aside the branches and leaves, they saw a wolf tearing at a struggling ewe. Beside it lay a dead lamb, already bitten to death.

No words were necessary. The two of them simultaneously notched arrows and aimed. As the arrows whistled through the air, both struck the wolf, one in its head and the other in its body, causing it to collapse instantly.

After confirming that there was only one sheep, Shen Lie and Chen Dashan dared to call Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang over.

The ewe was still alive but had severe bite wounds. One of her front legs had a large chunk of flesh torn off. She was limping around the dead lamb, constantly looking at the other two lambs being held by Qin Fangniang and Sang Luo.

Shen Lie shot an additional arrow into the wolf, ensuring it was thoroughly dead, before he said, "This ewe must be out foraging with her young for the first time."

Sang Luo looked at the ewe and had an idea. She asked Shen Lie, "Did you bring any wound medicine?"

It was a habit for Shen Lie and Chen Dashan to carry such supplies whenever they ventured out of the valley.

Upon hearing this, Shen Lie raised his eyebrows. "You want to raise it?"

Sang Luo nodded. "Isn't the Big Mountain Cave still empty? With all those layers blocking the entrance, the sheep's bleating wouldn't be heard, right?"

Qin Fangniang's eyes lit up. "That's a good idea. Our firewood pile is in that high cave anyway. It'd be beneficial to keep some livestock. We can cut more grass to dry and store, and sheep can eat hay too."

For farmers, raising livestock was an innate instinct.

"Alright."

Shen Lie didn't say anything further. He took out the medicine and applied it to the ewe.

The ewe tried to evade, but with her lamb in human hands, she had no choice but to submit obediently to Shen Lie's treatment, regardless of how he managed it.

The wolf and the dead lamb were carried on sticks that pierced through their bound legs. Sang Luo and Qin Fangniang held the other two lambs. The ewe, due to her concern for her young, allowed Shen Lie to put a rope around her neck and lead her away.

When they returned to the valley in the late afternoon, Shen Lie pulled open the hidden entrance. Shi Er, who was guarding inside, verified Shen Lie's identity before unlocking the door. Upon hearing the bleating, he was stunned.

"Live sheep?"

Chapter 130: Heading Home

Final exams had been ongoing for six days. Ever since Wen Ying discovered the situation with Yang Rixi's puppet body, he had been supervising his cultivation in the room without leaving. Apart from watching mobile game-related videos on his phone, he did nothing else.

After Yang Rixi beat up his younger brother, Yang Shiming, the latter didn't come to cause trouble for a while. Yang Shiming even claimed that he intentionally let Yang Rixi vent his anger, so Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi didn't comment further.

Wen Ying woke up feeling inexplicably melancholic this morning. It was already the sixth day, yet he still hadn't made any substantial progress. The sword of Damocles hanging over his head made it hard for him not to be restless.

He wondered how the other demons were faring.

No matter how talented Yang Rixi was, he couldn't have advanced his cultivation at a rapid pace within such a short time. Wen Ying's eyes blanked as he pondered over what he should do next. He needed to devise a plan that would consume the least amount of magic power.

Just as he was racking his brains, he suddenly sensed the magic power fluctuations of an exorcist outside. Startled, he jolted awake and kicked Yang Rixi, who was meditating cross-legged, off his pillow.

"Ouch…" Yang Rixi covered his face, a mix of astonishment and fear in his eyes. "What's wrong? Did I mess up my cultivation?"

He asked because he saw an unprecedented level of tension and seriousness on the demon puppet's face.

Wen Ying said, "Quickly retract all your magic power. Don't let even a single bit of it leak out. Official exorcists are approaching for some reason."

"…The authorities?" Yang Rixi's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that his cultivation was illegal? Otherwise, why would this demon puppet be so afraid of being discovered?

Was he destined to live in fear of the police from now on?

Wen Ying flew to the balcony and peeked through the security bars discreetly.

Yang Rixi's room was on the second floor. As Wen Ying cautiously peered out, he saw a group of people standing at the entrance of the villa. Upon closer inspection, the exorcists didn't radiate a strong aura, posing no real threat. Moreover, judging from their vibe, they didn't seem to be approaching with hostile intentions.

Wen Ying returned and found Yang Rixi looking anxious. He asked, puzzled, "Why are you so nervous?" If anyone were to be caught, it would be him.

Lowering his voice, Yang Rixi replied, "Am I practicing illegally?"

Wen Ying chuckled. The joke lightened the tension on his face. Flying back to the door, he pressed his ear against it, listening carefully to the sounds outside while saying, "Don't worry, if anyone's getting caught, it'll be me. You don't need to be concerned about me. My true form isn't here, so even if this body is captured, it's not a big deal. It's just that my... internship score will suffer."

Worried about his scores even at such a time, it seemed that the demon's talk about graduation and internships was genuine, Yang Rixi thought. In his mind, Wen Ying's image was gradually blending with that of a recent graduate on an internship.

As Wen Ying reassured Yang Rixi, he was deeply perplexed. Having stayed indoors for days, how could exorcists have found their way to his doorstep? Was it Old Hong or Diao Mei? They both seemed quite cowardly, so Wen Ying was quite baffled.

Yang Rixi took the initiative to open the door and said to Wen Ying, "I'll go downstairs and see what's going on."

It was still early in the morning, and Yang Zhenxing had yet to leave for work. Cai Yiyi hadn't gone out either. Yang Shiming had been out partying the previous night and was still sound asleep. As for Yang Shize, he had mentioned a few days ago that he was working on a project and would be staying elsewhere for a few days, hence his absence.

Wen Ying pondered for a moment and suggested, "Put on a jacket. I'll come down with you to listen in."

As Yang Rixi changed and descended the stairs, he overheard one of the exorcists say, "We're not frauds. Your adopted son has indeed been using demons for illegal activities."

So it wasn't directed at them. Upon hearing this, Wen Ying's tense nerves relaxed, and a sense of curiosity to witness the drama arose.

Yang Rixi, having learned from Wen Ying about Yang Shize's demonic dealings, understood that this was the reason behind the constant frame-ups and successful schemes against him since he joined the family. The people around them seemed to have their intelligence lowered, blindly trusting anything Yang Shize said.

"We've discovered traces of magic on many individuals associated with Yang Shize, apart from the recent victim."

If not for the national identification cards they presented initially, Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi would have already chased these absurdly speaking men away. However, as their claims became more outrageous, even their patience wore thin.

"Our son used a demon to harm others?" asked Yang Zhenxing.

The lead man replied earnestly, "Not harm, but he exploited a low-level succubus to manipulate the victims into obedience. This act is illegal, and considering the available information, he could face at least a decade in prison."

It sounded absurd but also strangely logical. Yang Zhenxing's expression turned peculiar. "Can you show me this demon you're talking about?"

The group was well-versed in dealing with ordinary people's disbelief in demons. They had a routine. The leader, a man, skillfully stretched out his hand, palm up, and a flame spontaneously appeared in his grasp.

The young men and women behind him also raised their hands, with either water globes forming in their palms, or vines emerging, or even casually attracting a pack of tissues from the nearby table as if they were magnets.

Everyone in the living room, from the young to the old, was left dumbfounded. The servant, who had just brought out freshly baked croissants, was so astonished that she nearly dropped the tray.

The exorcist with the vines in his palm reacted swiftly, commanding the vines to extend and wrap around the tray, preventing it from falling. The servant stumbled, on the verge of falling, but was promptly steadied by the vines.

This was undoubtedly no mere sleight of hand. Who could perform magic that stretched across such a vast distance with such agility?

Everyone felt their worldview shatter and reassemble. Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi's faces fell; if they weren't frauds, then it meant Yang Shize's collaboration with a demon in malevolence was true, and his imprisonment was real as well!

Cai Yiyi immediately said, "My child... he's... inexperienced and unaware of such matters. Is there any way to avoid prison?"

Yang Zhenxing also looked expectantly at the group who claimed to be exorcists.

Since Yang Rixi was carrying the demonic puppet, he didn't dare to approach too closely and stood at a spot where he could still hear clearly. Upon hearing this, he kept praying inwardly, "He must go to jail, he must go to jail, there shouldn't be any other alternatives."

The man looked at the couple with a strange expression. He opened his mouth slowly, his words measured, "Are you aware that there are also traces of bewitching magic on your bodies?"

Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi were startled.

The Yang family was one of the prominent families in Mu City. The story of the switched babies had spread like wildfire, and this man had heard about it too. Immediately, conspiracy theories raced through his mind – perhaps the fake heir had used demonic powers to suppress the real one. It was a common plot in novels. His eyes widened, not missing any expression on Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi's faces.

On the front line of gossip, the exorcist beside them was equally vigilant.

Few in wealthy families were foolish, let alone the heads of the family. Yang Zhenxing was more perceptive than Cai Yiyi. Recalling past events, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he stepped forward and asked, "Mr. Exorcist, do you know when the bewitching magic on us disappeared?"

"It should have been within these few days."

That matched up. Yang Zhenxing's face turned grim, while Cai Yiyi wore an expression of disbelief. Both felt a chill run down their spines as memories of Yang Shize's smiling face – so obedient and gentle – now sent shivers down their spines.

Wen Ying thought that Diao Mei was quite clever. After making contact with the magic on Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi, no traces remained. Diao Mei had returned to cast the spell anew and then erased it.

Though not visually appealing, its abilities were commendable. Wen Ying contemplated truly recruiting Diao Mei. It seemed likely that Diao Mei was the one who leaked the information.

This scheme of framing someone and watching from the sidelines had a certain... Suddenly, Wen Ying became alert. He had just thought that it bore a resemblance to the style of the extremely wicked bird.

Human beings inherently fear the unknown, and at this moment, the couple, both pale with fright, didn't dare to mention the topic of "redeeming" anyone.

From the corner of her eye, Cai Yiyi caught sight of Yang Rixi standing at a distance and gestured for him to come over.

Yang Rixi was enjoying the spectacle, but when Cai Yiyi beckoned him, his leisurely mood instantly turned tense. He had a devil hidden in his pocket!

Pretending not to understand, Cai Yiyi approached and embraced him tightly. The warmth of his body slightly alleviated the chill in her heart as she murmured, "After all, blood is thicker than water."

Yang Rixi hesitantly raised his arms and wrapped them around her.

A few days ago, when he encountered Wen Ying, his face was likely as white as Cai Yiyi's, if not paler, given that it was late at night, making the atmosphere even more terrifying.

"In recent times, we're in a strict crackdown period. There's no escape for Yang Shize. He exploited his devil's powers during the bidding process to make the notary divulge confidential information for profit, forged gold to sell for personal gain, and there are other various offenses," someone explained solemnly.

Curious, Yang Rixi asked, "What other sorts of offenses?"

An exorcist replied awkwardly, "His devil is a succubus. He utilized its powers to implant false memories in several victims, making them believe they had slept with him. The other offenses are similar in nature."

Yang Rixi's expression revealed his astonishment. Yang Shize truly broadened his horizons.

Upon hearing this, everyone present was astonished, especially Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi, who wore expressions of disbelief.

Wen Ying thought to himself that true succubi didn't need magic; they could merely flash a glance or beckon with a finger, and countless people would eagerly offer everything they had. For example, Essence, that devilish creature.

Sending a telepathic message to Yang Rixi, Wen Ying said, "Ask Yang Shize how he was exposed. Why wasn't he caught before?"

Yang Rixi's confusion was evident as he asked, "If he has been using demons for evil deeds for a long time, as you say, why was he only caught recently?"

His words implied that the exorcists were incompetent.

An exorcist, displeased, replied, "We usually deal with demons involved in fatal incidents first. A demon like the one Yang Shize kept is well-hidden among the masses, making it difficult to detect. This time, it just so happened that a few wealthy second-generation kids, whom he had cast spells on, ran into an exorcist on the street. The exorcist noticed a uniform magical fluctuation on them, which led to the investigation."

The leader of the group gestured for the exorcist to be quiet and apologized, "It was our oversight not to have discovered this earlier. Please forgive us. Now, we need all of you to sign a non-disclosure agreement."

...

After signing the non-disclosure agreement, Yang Rixi intended to go upstairs and ask Wen Ying for more details about the incident. However, Yang Zhenxing and Cai Yiyi detained him with their concern. Yang Shiming, awakened by the noise, came downstairs, puzzled. He was spotted by the departing exorcists, who pulled him aside and made him sign the same agreement.

Yang Shiming was also shocked by the news and couldn't believe that Yang Shize, whom he had always perceived as a gentle person, could be capable of such acts. He wondered if they had made a mistake and even suspected Yang Rixi of being the mastermind behind it all. But when he saw Yang Rixi raise his arm inadvertently, he swallowed his words.

Yang Rixi had really hurt him that day.

After Yang Shiming grieved over Yang Shize, he suddenly remembered the crucial matter of magic and wanted to ask if he could practice it. However, the person was nowhere to be seen. He slumped his shoulders and devoured steamed buns dejectedly.

Yang Rixi finally freed himself from the belated affection of his parents. It was almost noon when he hurried upstairs, eagerly shut the door, and took out the puppet from his pocket, asking, "Did you do this?" His eyes curved into a smile.

Wen Ying replied slowly, "Yes and no."

Yang Rixi's smile froze. "What do you mean?"

"It's just… a bit complicated," Wen Ying crossed his arms. "I'll explain when I sort it out. The process is complex, and even I'm not quite sure yet."

He needed to figure out if it was Muershi.

In a luxurious apartment, a handsome young man put down his phone, stretched out his arms, and leaned back on the sofa with a smile in his eyes.

"He's been caught."

Miniature Muershi gradually emerged from the side, holding a small black blob with a large head and tiny body in his hand. The blob trembled and squeezed out a pleading smile. "Um, can I go now?"

Lately, its luck seemed to be at an all-time low, encountering two life-threatening big shots in a row.

Muershi tilted his head. Though his expression was anything but menacing – with a smiling face and casual tone – Diao Mei felt that this demon was even more terrifying than the silver-haired one.

"Not allowed," the mischievous fiend bird relished the sight of the other's anxiety and fear before giving his answer with a laugh. He laughed wildly and carefree, as if he had stumbled upon something delightful, yet the laughter in his eyes was icy cold.

Listening to Huo Jue's light-hearted and nonchalant laughter beside him, thoughts of his own deceived wish soured his mood instantly.

Wen Ying realized he didn't have Diao Mei's contact information. Old Hong had also communicated through Diao Mei, leaving him with a headache. Originally, he thought he could just find Diao Mei by going to Yang Shize, only to discover that Yang Shize had been taken in.

Well, he'd start with Lin Wenpu then. Wen Ying rushed back home, planning to ask his parents if they knew where Lin Wenpu lived in their neighborhood.

It had been a while since he last saw his parents. Wen Ying flew into his room through the window. The burnt cabinet had been dealt with and replaced with a brand new, identical one, though the dolls inside were gone.

After another round of curses directed at the demonic mask, he opened the door and stepped out.

There was someone else's presence in the living room – his father was there. Reunited after a long time apart, Wen Ying's heart raced as he flew over, shouting, "Dad!"

In a house where no one else should have been, Lin Tianbao was startled by the unexpected voice of his son, who hadn't been seen for ages. He straightened up, only to turn around and see a doll calling him 'Dad.' His lips trembled, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the sofa.

Wen Ying: "..." He had momentarily forgotten about his father's timid nature.

Wen Ying clenched his teeth and used an illusion to transform back into his human form, shaking Lin Tianbao awake.

Awoken, Lin Tianbao was still trembling in fear. He sat up, looking around nervously. Seeing Wen Ying, he murmured in confusion, "Little Ying, you're back?"

Memories flooded back, causing Lin Tianbao to shiver. "I think I just had a dream where a puppet called out for my dad."

Wen Ying replied irritably, "That was me. My return to the human realm this time was rather unusual; I came back using a puppet's body."

With that explanation, Lin Tianbao wasn't scared anymore. He placed a hand on his chest. "Next time, give me a heads-up before you appear. Don't scare me like that. I'm quite a timid person."

"I forgot, alright?" Wen Ying muttered softly.

Lin Tianbao picked up Wen Ying and swayed him in his hand. "How amazing! What's it like being bound to a puppet?"

"There's not really any special feeling," Wen Ying said. "Dad, do you know Lin Wenpu, a shareholder of the Devil Mobile Game company?"

Lin Tianbao smacked his lips. "I know, Mom met him just a few days ago."

Wen Ying's eyes lit up. "Does Mom know where he lives in this neighborhood?"

Lin Tianbao pondered. "I think it's in Villa 14. He doesn't have anything to do with demons, does he? I need to tell Mom not to have any contact with him."

"Why would Mom have contact with him?"

"The demon company wants to make a spin-off TV series based on their mobile game and approached Mom for discussions…" Lin Tianbao suddenly panicked as he spoke. "That demon company isn't really owned by a demon, is it?!"

The corner of Wen Ying's mouth twitched. His father's timidity was fortunately not inherited by him.

"For now, it seems like it's actually run by an exorcist."

Lin Tianbao sighed in relief. "That's good to hear."

"By the way, Dad, what has our great-grandfather been up to lately?"

"He said he wanted to go fishing in the countryside, so he's been living in the village for quite some time now."

Wen Ying: "…" Now he knew where his father's bravery came from. He originally wanted to ask Wen Dingjue about Aruda, but he felt embarrassed to inquire about it through the latter's phone.

He would call Wen Dingjue again using his parents' phones in a few days. Rubbing against his father's face, Wen Ying reluctantly said, "Dad, I'll be going now."

Lin Tianbao was taken aback. "Leaving so soon after just arriving?"

"I returned to the human realm for my final exams. I need to earn some points now."

"Then hurry up and don't fail," Lin Tianbao promptly replied. "Don't disgrace us humans, and take care of yourself. Avoid conflicts with other demons. If you can't beat them, just give in."

Wen Ying: "…Okay."

Unaware of the hesitation in Wen Ying's 'okay', Lin Tianbao watched his departure with concern.

It was better not to let his father know about his feats in the demon realm, Wen Ying thought to himself.

He flew to Villa 14 and cast an invisibility spell on himself before sneaking inside.

There were no magical fluctuations within. There were no barriers or detection spells – it was as clean as an ordinary human household.

Lin Wenpu was absent, leaving only a few servants inside. Wen Ying explored the villa but found no signs of anything suspicious. Frowning deeply, he realized that the transaction site wasn't here.

The next location to investigate was the headquarters of the Devilish Company, which happened to be located in Mu City as well. Wen Ying flew over and detected a strong magical reaction from the building. He retraced his path, planning to borrow Yang Rixi's body later. With their causal contract in place, he could do so without attracting undue attention from exorcists.

In the afternoon, when his mother was not at home, Wen Ying returned in the evening. Wen Qinxue was thrilled to see him, and after an emotional reunion, Wen Ying shared his intentions with her.

Wen Qinxue was surprised. How could that company be involved with both demons and exorcists?

"Mother, I'm also puzzled. I'm investigating right now. Next time you discuss that TV drama with them, could you request to have the meeting at their premises? Bring along my current host, Yang Rixi."

"Yang Rixi?" Lin Tianbao leaned in. "Isn't that the main figure in the recent sensational case of the Yang family, where a child was switched at birth?"

"It's him."

Wen Ying recounted the recent events, including Yang Shize's exploitation of demons for personal gain. Lin Tianbao and Wen Qinxue listened in astonishment and relief, grateful that they had not crossed paths with someone like Yang Shize, accompanied by a demonic entity.

{Wen Ying} personally crafted miniature "amulets" for them on the spot, imbuing them with dispelling magic to counter illusions, and further enveloping them in a layer of concealment magic. Thus, the exorcists would not detect any trace of these amulets.

Lin Tianbao immediately swore to wear it constantly, revealing his obvious fear.

Wen Qinxue had yet to discuss the next meeting's time and location with the other party. Taking advantage of the moment, she pulled out her phone to inquire and set a date. The other side agreed without hesitation and even warmly invited Wen Qinxue to visit their headquarters.

The meeting was scheduled for the following day, as they were eager to finalize the TV series adaptation.

With the business settled, Wen Qinxue held the doll gently in one hand while stroking its face, concern etched on her features. "Your life in the Demon Realm must have been tough. I wonder why Grandfather was so insistent on sending you there."

Lin Tianbao nodded. "If he hadn't said that your body would become stronger in the Demon Realm, I never would've let you go to such a perilous place."

Each month, he used Aruda's phone to reassure his parents of his safety, but to maintain his image as an obedient son, he omitted any mention of his aggressive behavior in the Demon Realm – fights and bullying were completely absent from his stories.

Listening to his parents' worries, Wen Ying felt a twinge of guilt and hastily flew away. "Don't worry, I'll possess Yang Rixi tomorrow. Mom, just pick me up at the neighborhood entrance at eight in the morning."

Back at the Yang residence, he informed Yang Rixi that he would need to borrow his body for a day. Delighted that Yang Shize was now inside, Yang Rixi readily agreed.

The next day, Wen Ying accompanied Wen Qinxue as they confidently entered the building through the main entrance.

"Friend's child, bumped into him by chance, said he loves your demon mobile game, so I offered to bring him over for a visit," Wen Qinxue explained to those around them.

Wen Ying followed Wen Qinxue from the elevator to the conference room, observing along the way that several exorcists could be seen casually around the company. These exorcists didn't appear menacing or radical, making it hard to associate them with extremist groups.

Suddenly, Wen Ying spotted a tall and sturdy man approaching them, causing her heart to skip a beat. It was the renowned Cosplayer Hell Orange, also a formidable exorcist. He was chatting and laughing with the nearby employees and politely nodded at their group when he met them.

"Wonderful lad, are you interested in joining the entertainment industry?" Wen Qinxue's eyes lit up at the sight of Hell Orange, envisioning various roles he would excel in on screen.

Hell Orange politely declined, "Sorry, I'm just a Cosplayer, not skilled in professional acting."

Wen Qinxue expressed her regret, "You'd be perfect for portraying the Hellhound in this mobile game."

Hell Orange grinned, revealing his canines, "Your taste is impeccable, I specialize in cosplaying that character."

Hell Orange turned his gaze to Yang Rixi, who was possessed by Wen Ying, and walked over, leaning in with a smile. "Handsome young man, are you also in the scriptwriting field?"

Chapter 92: Stop 23: Ascending Son

Yan Qiling picked up his wolf-hair fine brush, flipped open the red paper, ready to inscribe those two characters.

However, when he clearly saw the rule written on the red paper, his pen tip hesitated.

Because the rule on the red paper had changed.

It originally read: "Say 'may you have a son soon' to a woman, and she will assist you."

Additional words, written in cinnabar, appeared below: Can only be spoken to by married women.

He lowered his gaze, inscribing the eight characters at the end of the red parchment with ink, gently tapping the tip of the calligraphy brush on it.

As he wrote, he witnessed the phrase "Lights out when no one's around, never forget" seem to dissolve as if touched by water, becoming indistinct.

In the blink of an eye, that reddish blur slowly reassembled, forming a new rule:

A lamp must be lit within the first cup of tea upon entering the room.

Yan Qiling gazed thoughtfully at the two lines of rewritten rules.

From behind the shelf, Shi Wenming emerged and noticed his pensive expression, feeling slightly embarrassed but now determined to approach this peculiar yet reassuring man with boldness.

Seeing the extra half-sentence that suddenly appeared in the rules, he blinked, then, after confirming he hadn't misread, asked hesitantly,

"Did... the rule change?"

Yan Qiling nonchalantly hummed in response.

Shi Wenming, however, couldn't remain as calm. He quickly sensed something amiss,

"Is it possible... someone already has...?"

"Mm. We'll know later."

Yan Qiling closed the red slip, appearing unruffled as if the matter didn't weigh on his mind at all.

As dusk settled in, the lights in the room automatically flickered on. He glanced sideways at the lamp, his gaze wandering until it rested on a bronze mirror on the opposite cabinet.

The patina on the copper mirror's surface melted away as swiftly as summer snowflakes, reverting to its original clarity, smooth enough to reflect the faint candlelight.

Before Yan Qiling could avert his gaze, an unfamiliar young servant squeezed himself in through the door.

A servant entered and bowed respectfully towards them.

"Mr. Yan, Mr. Shi, there has been an incident in the main courtyard. At the request of Manager Xi Yi, I humbly ask both of you to come and investigate."

Shi Wenming didn't dare to readily accept such an unexpected invitation, stealing glances at the enigmatic man beside him.

Tucking the red note into his sleeve, Yan Qiling lowered his hands, revealing a perfect, warm smile.

"Lead the way, please."

As they exited, Yan Qiling's fingertips lightly flicked, extinguishing the lights within the room.

The servant cast a glance back but said nothing, continuing to walk hastily with his head bowed.

They passed through several moon-shaped archways and gradually could hear the buzz of voices, though it was subdued, as if many people were whispering in close proximity to one another.

As they entered the gloomy courtyard, they found it already surrounded by quite a number of people.

The men and women stood distinctly apart, with their ranks clearly defined. Essentially, only those servants with some authority could stand forward, leaving a path cleared in the center.

Yan Qiling walked directly down this path, revealing the scene hidden behind the bustling crowd.

A worn-out straw mat was laid on the ground, upon which lay a drenched young girl. Her face was pale, her eyes devoid of life, and water stains could be seen around her mouth and nose – it was Yue Pengpeng.

Her skin had turned white from soaking, and she stared helplessly and resentfully at the foggy sky above her. Her frozen expression revealed an extreme terror, capturing the hope and despair of her final moments in stark clarity.

Flies, seemingly from nowhere, crawled over her open eyes, leisurely grooming their forelegs.

Yan Qiling didn't know Yue Pengpeng well.

But he knew the Master of the Endless Abyss.

He could almost smell the lingering, pungent scent of the soul left behind.

This was what the Master of the Endless Abyss cherished most, the sweetest taste to savor.

The Unbounded Lord relished in souls steeped in despair, agony, hatred, and resentment, savoring the essence of negativity.

This extremity of emotion offered the Unbounded Lord a thrilling sensation, creating an irresistible addiction.

In pursuit of more intense pleasures, the Unbounded Lord would distort their hedonistic inclinations, ultimately descending into darkness.

Torment was the supreme culinary art that the Unbounded Lord inflicted upon their "fare," as evident with Yue Pengpeng, whose soul had been devoured entirely, leaving behind only faint vestiges of her spirit.

In her open palm lay a crimson mark.

It was the character "Sheng," vividly carved with some unknown object, its red hue vibrant.

Drowned.

But the actual cause of death remained unclear.

Shi Wenming didn't dare to examine the corpse up close, so he waited until Yan Qiling had finished his inspection before mustering the courage to whisper softly.

"Weren't they always confined to the embroidery tower? How did she suddenly come out and end up dead here?!"

"I have no idea."

Yan Qiling answered straightforwardly:

"However, since Xi Yi has invited us to inspect, they will likely invite others as well. It doesn't matter how Yue Pengpeng died; what's important is that the Bai family plans to make an issue out of this."

Shi Wenguang broke into a cold sweat from his two sentences.

Before they could discuss further, the servant who had summoned them indeed returned, still respectful:

"Since both gentlemen have had a good look, please follow me to the Fish Dragon Hall."

Shi Wenguang's expression immediately turned grim.

The two, having seen the accounts, naturally knew that the so-called Fish Dragon Hall was the "Holy Temple" the Bai family had always revered.

Yan Qiling lifted his foot to follow, but Shi Wenguang suddenly clutched his stomach and struggled to say:

"Apologies, for the moment... I have a bit of an upset stomach... Could we perhaps postpone it until later?"

The servant didn't give him a hard time but instead glanced at the sky and suggested,

"Mr. Shi, why not endure it a little longer? There's a guest room outside the Fish Dragon Hall where you can rest. According to Butler Xi's wishes, you'll be treated with utmost hospitality, so there's no need to worry about any discomfort."

...Was it truly a hospitable reception, rather than a punishment fit for a VIP?

Shi Wenguang didn't dare to bet on that. At this moment, he only wished to buy himself a few more minutes, and he turned to Yan Qiling with a pleading look.

Yan Qiling didn't stop him but simply smiled at the servant and said,

"Since Mr. Shi wants to rest, let him take a short break before coming. I'll go with you first."

The servant fell silent for a moment, then nodded and led Yan Qiling forward in silence.

As the servant had said, they didn't head straight into the Fish Dragon Hall but instead went to a side guest room prepared outside first.

Indeed, as Shi Wenguang had noticed, he wasn't the only one seated in the guest room.

Ming Yiyang and Lin Yongjian looked up almost simultaneously upon hearing someone enter.

Upon seeing him, Ming Yiyang continued wiping his knife with his head lowered, while Lin Yongjian stood up. He almost called out "Teacher Yan" but held back, addressing him instead with:

"Mr. Yan."

Yan Qiling acknowledged with a soft hum. His gaze swept around the guest room, noticing Quai was also present, hugging the back of his head tightly with both hands, shivering in his chair.

The man's neck was wrapped messily with bindings, suggesting an injury there. Overall, he appeared even more disheveled than earlier that morning.

After a moment of deliberation, Yan Qiling asked:

"Just the few of us?"

"There should be more coming. They were taken to see Yue Pengpeng," Ming Yiyang replied casually, his hand pausing slightly in his knife-wiping motion.

"Shi Wen Guang?" he inquired.

"He's feeling unwell and will arrive later."

Yan Qiling also observed them, turning to Yu Kui and asking,

"Where's Yi Hongda?"

Yu Kui leaped up as if burned, shouting,

"I don't know! He... I don't know! He ran, he ran away!"

Confused by Yu Kui's reaction, Yan Qiling quickly realized what was happening and immediately turned to Ming Yiyang, his tone tinged with surprise,

"He's gone mad?"

"Something like that."

Lin Yongjian seized the opportunity, casually blocking Yan Qiling's view of the silver-haired young man behind him,

"Yi Hongda is no more."

Yan Qiling's gaze, which was about to turn away, paused slightly as he asked for the first time:

"How did he die?"

Lin Yongjian glanced at Yu Kui, who seemed to be mentally unstable, and sighed deeply.

"Madam Bai found out about Yi Hongda and Yu Kui's visit to the Wen family. She used the excuse that they had been tainted by Young Master Wen's aura and sent them to the Dragon Fish Hall to offer a soul lamp to Young Master Wen, saying it would 'boost his yang energy.'"

"Yu Kui mentioned that they were separated into two different rooms, with only a wall between them."

"Suddenly, he heard a cat's meow, but remembering that the rules had changed, he held back and didn't go out... But somehow, Yi Hongda ran out from the adjacent room... After that, he forgot to extinguish the lamp."

"When we found him, he had already been burned to death, his body charred beyond recognition... If not for the watch on his wrist that hadn't been completely burned, we wouldn't have been able to identify him."

Yan Qiling's expression remained neutral. He looked again at Yu Kui, who was trembling from the recounting of events, and asked,

"Were there bloodstains on Yi Hongda's body?"

Lin Yongjian nodded.

"Certainly."

Then, he took the man's surprisingly cold hand in his own.

Startled by the unexpected chill, Lin Yongjian quickly composed himself and wrote the character "Gui" using his fingers on the icy palm.

"It's the 'Gui' from longan," he explained, not releasing the man's hand.

This gesture deepened the silver-haired young man's gaze significantly. With his unchanging dark eyes, he glanced at the interlocked hands of the two without uttering a sound.

Of course, Lin Yongjian sensed that piercing gaze, but he pretended not to notice, maintaining a serious expression as he said, "To be honest, the three characters we've gathered so far—'Jujube,' 'Rise,' and 'Osmanthus'—remind me of the phrase 'Jujubes bear osmanthus flowers.' However, I'm unsure why Yue Pengpeng's 'Rise' refers to 'ascending.'

"Is there a possibility that it's the 'rise' in 'promotions and wealth'?"

The silver-haired youth nonchalantly finished sharpening his blade and stood up immediately.

An imposing figure loomed over the two men, exerting an intangible sense of pressure.

He gazed down at Lin Yongjian's hand holding Yan Qiling's, his expressionless face delivering the words,

"Mr. Lin has finished what he needed to write. It might not be appropriate for you to still be holding Mr. Yan's hand like this."

Lin Yongjian was undaunted and replied straightforwardly,

"I don't mind."

"You might not mind, but I have a feeling Mr. Yan would be quite particular about it."

Ming Yiyang deliberately bent his waist and tilted his head, drawing close to Yan Qiling's countenance, his gaze locking with the mandarin duck-hued pupils of the other. In an almost imperceptible whisper, he breathed out:

"Professor Yan, what do you think?"

His voice was so soft that Lin Yongjian failed to catch what he said.

Yet, Yan Qiling heard every word clearly.

His long eyelashes cast a shadow over his eyes as they turned towards the person beside him, who wore a mischievous smile. He then tugged at the wrist that was being held captive.

Unconsciously, Lin Yongjian tightened his grip, not allowing the other person to break free.

He was about to say more, but Ming Yiyang had already positioned himself half behind Yan Qiling, politely yet firmly grasping Lin Yongjian's wrist with a leisurely smile.

"Mr. Lin, why bother? Forced affection never bears sweet fruit."

The young man stepped closer, and suddenly, countless violets blossomed in his pupils, transforming his dark irises into an exquisite purple hue.

The words that tumbled out turned ominous in an instant:

"Should you touch my people again, don't blame me for being impolite."

Chapter 95: Each Time

Observing Jin land on his bottom in the toilet bowl, Lu Ran clapped his hands, then opened the bathroom door and walked out.

The two bodyguards noticed Lu Ran's exit.

Their tone instantly became respectful and hesitant, "How are we supposed to explain this to Mr. Ji?"

"My boss?"

Lu Ran waved it off, "Oh, he's long accustomed to it."

The bodyguards continued to be astonished.

Lu Ran, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised to see them.

He instructed, "I happen to have something to attend to outside. You two go in there and keep an eye on that one, make sure he doesn't escape!"

With that, Lu Ran left.

The two bodyguards glanced at Lu Ran's retreating figure and then at the one still bent over in the restroom.

They jokingly extended their arms in an "Elang" gesture towards Lu Ran.

However, Lu Ran had already vanished in the blink of an eye.

One of the bodyguards couldn't help but wipe his face as he asked, "Big Brother, what should we do now?"

The other one was equally uncertain.

Eventually, he said helplessly, "What else can we do? Let's go in!"

Lu Ran wandered around the corridor for a bit.

From a distance, he noticed Shen Hongyuan and Old Leon engaged in conversation.

Second Young Master was nowhere to be seen.

Therefore, Lu Ran didn't approach them and continued strolling down the corridor instead.

Sure enough, he soon spotted Yan Lino on his own.

Lu Ran pondered for a moment.

He mussed up his hair slightly and then approached Yan with a flustered expression.

"Second, Second Young Master, can I ask for your help?"

Yan looked at Lu Ran, somewhat surprised.

He was still upset by Old Lino's words earlier.

His father had mentioned that marrying into the Lu family seemed like an incredible opportunity.

Yet, as usual, such fortunate arrangements were made for his older brother instead of him, despite them both being his sons. It was as if he, the second son, didn't exist.

Seeing Lu Ran approach, Yan was still feeling indignant. "Aren't you with my brother?"

"The issue lies with your older brother. He's suddenly acting very strangely, and I still hope that Second Young Master Ji can lend me a hand..."

Lu Ran whispered.

Upon hearing this, Yang perked up unexpectedly.

He had always been overshadowed by his older brother. Now, someone thought his brother was unreliable and sought his help instead?

"I'll accompany you then," Yang said.

"Thank you so much." Lu Ran smiled at him and turned to lead the way ahead.

Yang observed the young man before him the entire journey.

Frankly, he didn't have any particular first impression of Lu Ran. When they first met, he only remembered Lu Ran as a shabbily dressed follower beside Ji Min.

Upon learning that Lu Ran was associated with the Shen family, his impression had soured even further.

That was why he had taken out his frustration on Lu Ran without hesitation, dousing him in alcohol.

Yet, given Jin's evident interest in Lu Ran, Yang couldn't help but study Lu Ran for a while longer.

He even entertained the thought, somewhat distractedly, that perhaps Lu Ran was not interested in his brother but in him instead?

If that were the case, wouldn't he be the one to seize the "opportunity" through an alliance with the Shen family?

Opportunity was all Yang could think about, so much so that he didn't notice when Lu Ran led him towards the restroom.

By the time he snapped back to reality, the young man in front of him had turned around and pushed him into the restroom, shutting the door with a loud "slam."

One could only say that the brothers Jin and Yang shared similar instincts.

Upon witnessing Lu Ran's actions, Young Master Two's heart raced with anticipation.

Assuming they were about to have a moment in the restroom, he raised his arm, ready to pin Lu Ran against the wall.

However, halfway through, his arm froze in mid-air.

For he had finally caught sight of a familiar figure, desperately struggling with their head wedged inside the toilet bowl in one of the adjacent stalls.

If he recalled correctly...

Why does this person wear clothes that resemble his brother's so closely?

Yang devoted himself to his studies for a while, and upon lowering his gaze once more, he found that the very same youth who had just been gazing up at him with an obedient smile now held a toilet brush in hand, its origin inexplicably obscure.

Yang's eyes dilated, and he quickly took a step back. "W-What do you intend to do?"

Lu Ran was somewhat astonished by the second young master's intelligence.

He asked, "You saw your brother in this state and still asked me what I was doing?"

Yang turned his head again to glance at the cubicle over there and then at the toilet brush in Lu Ran's hand.

Only now did he realize, albeit belatedly, how his elegant and captivating lover, who could be found everywhere, had ended up in such a predicament.

"Haha! With your scrawny frame, what can you possibly do to me?"

Yang scoffed disdainfully.

He was no Jin, all show and no substance.

Speaking, he reached out to seize the "weapon" in Lu Ran's hand.

But as both hands extended, brandishing various moves, he astonishingly found that there was nowhere to actually make a move?

"You! Just you wait!"

Realizing the situation was turning unfavorable, Yang immediately moved to open the door and leave.

Lu Ran sighed.

Given Yang's physique, it was indeed a bit challenging for him.

Feeling slightly defeated, Lu Ran could only say, "Come out, then."

Yang was just about to unleash another threat.

Glancing up, he noticed the adjacent stall wide open, and two burly men stepping out from within.

They pinned him down, one on each side.

A muffled cry echoed through the corridor.

moments later, Lu Ran reappeared.

He had deliberately washed his hands thoroughly, meticulously drying each finger with a tissue.

Then, with a look of panic on his face, he dashed towards where Shen Hongyuan and Old Lino were conversing.

Midway, Lu Ran paused.

From a distance, he cast a disdainful glance at Shen Hongyuan.

Afterward, he reached up to tousle his clothing, creating a slightly disheveled appearance.

Meanwhile, Shen Hongyuan and Old Lino were still engrossed in their conversation.

There was Lu Ran, disheveled and rushing over. After standing still, he seemed to suppress his anger with great effort as he shot Shen Hongyuan a glance.

Seeing this expression, Shen Hongyuan knew that he must have suffered a great loss.

Putting on an oblivious facade, Shen Hongyuan smiled warmly at Lu Ran and asked, "What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?"

Lu Ran glanced at him but didn't pour out his grievances. Instead, he turned to Old Renald and said,

"Uncle, Jin Heyang and I... They started fighting over me!"

Both Shen Hongyuan and Old Renald were taken aback by these words.

With a worried look on his face, Lu Ran continued, "Jin was with me... when Yang suddenly came over and punched Jin, asking why it was always him..."

Lu Ran's explanation was vague.

But Old Renald knew his two sons well and immediately connected the dots.

Given Jin's nature, he would certainly be trying to touch someone up right now.

There was even a chance that it might turn into a forced situation.

Yang was a fool who lacked his elder brother's intelligence but insisted on mimicking him.

It was something only a pig-brained person would do to intervene at such a crucial moment.

They were in the Shen family's house right now!

The Linos and Shens had a long-standing feud, yet these two brothers were actually fighting over a member of the Shen family within their home?

This was a massive disgrace.

Old Linos nearly fainted from anger.

He immediately stood up and exclaimed, "These two ungrateful brats, to actually do such a thing. Where are they?"

"They're... in the restroom on the first floor," Lu Ran whispered.

Old Linos promptly headed for the restroom.

In the face of trouble caused by someone from another family in his own home, the head of the family, Shen Hongyuan, naturally followed.

Lu Ran accompanied him, lingering behind.

"You did that on purpose to Jin…" Lu Ran gritted his teeth.

Shen Hongyuan's expression showed genuine surprise, not a hint of guilt for involving his own son in trouble.

He pretended to inquire, "What's wrong? What happened between you and Young Master Jin?"

But seeing Lu Ran's enraged state, Shen Hongyuan completely relaxed his guard.

It seemed something serious had indeed occurred.

Over there, Old Lino was consumed with anger and, without hesitation, pushed open the bathroom door and entered.

Spotting the commotion inside, with figures seemingly engaged in a fight, Shen Hongyuan instinctively followed suit and stepped into the bathroom.

A sharp click echoed in the air.

Upon turning his head, he saw Lu Ran, standing behind him, locking the door.

At that moment, the chaotic scene in the bathroom finally came into view.

With his head down, someone was bound to the toilet, desperately struggling. Yang was held down by two bodyguards, with a filthy toilet brush pressed against his face.

In that instant, not only Old Leon was stunned.

Even Shen Hongyuan, who had personally experienced Lu Ran's "special attacks," was taken aback.

What on earth were they doing!

His understanding of Lu Ran was still limited to that dog.

He never imagined that his son's aggression had extended to human restrooms!

So stunned was Shen Hongyuan that he had momentarily forgotten to hide.

After all, Zhang Lin, Gu Ningqi, and the others wouldn't go into explicit detail about their experiences outside.

The current situation far exceeded Shen Hongyuan's comprehension.

He felt an irresistible urge to investigate and took two steps toward the cubicle.

Upon closer inspection, he confirmed that it was indeed a person bound to the toilet.

Not some form of performance art.

Taking two more steps back, he examined the toilet brush propped against Yang's face with scrutiny.

After much contemplation, he concluded:

This was indeed a genuine toilet brush, and one that had been used before.

Upon this realization, Shen Hongyuan was left profoundly stunned.

He paused in his tracks and began to ponder slowly.

Why did they come in here again?

Old Leino was even more bewildered.

Spotting his eldest son with his head in the toilet, he didn't even realize that it was Lu Ran's "innocent bunny" arm holding him down.

In Old Leino's eyes, Lu Ran was too harmless.

There was no need to consider him a threat at all.

Thus, after much deliberation, Old Leino confronted Yang with an angry expression. "I can overlook your brotherly bickering, but how could you stuff your own brother into the toilet!"

Yang, prodded by the toilet brush, was stunned.

Before Old Leino arrived, he had unwavering faith that his own father would come to his rescue.

For this reason, despite the toilet brush poking at his mouth, Yang gritted his teeth and endured it.

Yet, his father arrived and his first reaction was to interrogate him?

If he were truly guilty, would he be threatened with a toilet brush?

Yang nearly jumped in anger!

"Ugh, ugh, ugh, ugh!" He struggled to explain.

But explaining meant opening his mouth.

His jaw relaxed.

The bodyguard holding him, reacting to his struggle, exerted more force.

A horrifying scene unfolded.

The bodyguard holding the toilet brush stared at it in his hand, his expression breaking down for a moment.

He looked even worse than Yang.

Good heavens.

What had he done?

Was this the beginning of his downfall?

But one had to admit, it was quite an effective way to teach someone a lesson...

At this moment, seeing his own son being stabbed, Old Lino finally realized that he had been tricked.

He was just about to speak.

But Lu Ran, from the tool compartment, took out a plunger and threw it at another bodyguard. "Catch!"

This bodyguard had not yet succumbed to corruption.

Seeing the plunger flying towards him, he panicked.

When he successfully caught it, he was on the verge of tears. "Young Master! Is this something you can just throw around?"

"Relax, I threw it headfirst!"

With that, Lu Ran pointed at Old Lino and said, "That cunning old fellow is all yours!"

After saying that, he turned around and grabbed Shen Hongyuan, who was attempting to escape.

Then, he flashed a smile, "Head of the Shen family, aren't we in your own home? Why are you running?"

Looking at Jin still stuck in the toilet bowl, Yang with a toilet brush stuck in his mouth, and Old Lino facing a plunger, Shen Hongyuan's expression shifted multiple times.

His face flickered between fear, kindness, and malevolence several times.

Eventually, realizing that his acting wouldn't convince Lu Ran, his expression darkened completely.

With a quivering voice, he exclaimed, "This is the Shen family! What are you doing, Lu Ran?"

Lu Ran looked at him with a smile and said, "You ask me what I'm doing? Why didn't you question your actions when you conspired with outsiders to sell your own son?"

Afterward, he grabbed Shen Hongyuan's collar and led him to one of the partitions, pushing the door open.

In a casual manner, as if they were having a chat, Lu Ran sighed to Shen Hongyuan, "That Jin fellow attempted to take advantage of me on several occasions, but I never used this on him."

"Do you know why?" Lu Ran inquired.

Shen Hongyuan's face was rigid, not daring to utter a word, fearing that any wrong remark might provoke this madman.

Lu Ran was indifferent to his response.

He simply offered an expression of delight:

"Because your second son just used it! Of course, I'm saving it for you, the father!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Hongyuan's face contorted in shock.

Lu Ran applied more force.

Shen Hongyuan then toppled straight towards the toilet bowl.

He quickly used his hands to brace himself, staring at the terrifying toilet with trembling lips. "Rebellious child! Rebellious child! I am your biological father!"

Hearing this, Lu Ran was taken aback. "So you do remember?"

He showed no mercy as he pushed the man further into the toilet bowl.

Shen Hongyuan had no strength in his arms; he was about to fall in headfirst.

Petrified, he cried out, "Didn't you ask where the Gu family's gift to you is? I'll tell you right now!"

All that answered him was the calm, indifferent voice of the youth behind him:

"But I don't want to know right now. I just want to press you into me."

"No, no, no!"

Shen Hongyuan didn't believe that there was anything in this world that couldn't be resolved by interests.

If there was, it could only be because he wasn't yet truthful enough.

Hastily, he said, "It's in the cabinet against the wall in my study, to the east. The key... the key is on me!"

Yet, Lu Ran didn't lessen his grip by an inch.

Another roar of "Ah" echoed, followed closely by a thud.

Lu Ran watched silently as he pressed Shen Hongyuan, his father in a biological sense, into the toilet bowl.

In the end, he reached out to pluck a set of keys from Shen Hongyuan's belt, disdainfully flicking them aside.

When he straightened up and surveyed the bathroom, the scene was nothing short of horrifying.

Shen Hongyuan howled as he pulled his head out of the toilet bowl.

Lino, whose face had been pushed into the plunger, and Yang, who had a toilet brush in his mouth, were now in a state of detached souls, seemingly questioning if they were still dreaming.

Jin, through persistent struggles, had managed to break free from the ropes and fell onto the ground.

However, this incident seemed to have deeply affected him.

He sat on the floor with a dazed expression, almost in a state of stupor.

Lu Ran shook his head and asked the trio from Lino's family in a puzzled manner, "Why did you react so strongly?"

Why such a huge reaction?

He actually asked why they had such a strong response?!

Upon hearing this, Jin almost jumped off the ground.

He pointed at the toilet and, in a state of utter devastation, asked, "If you had to drink toilet water, wouldn't you be devastated too?"

Lu Ran, the culprit, tilted his head. In his innocent black eyes, genuine confusion shone through:

"But didn't you two already have that drink together?"

Jin was taken aback by his words.

Upon careful recollection, his expression transformed subtly.

Immediately, he roared, "We didn't drink what your brother poured out; we spat it all out!"

He bellowed out his words, yet all that met his gaze was the youth standing before the washbasin, diligently scrubbing his hands, still gazing back at him in bewilderment, saying,

"But you all drank what I poured, and didn't you enjoy it immensely and even yearn for it afterwards?"

Jin was utterly stunned.

Upon fully grasping the implication nestled within the young man's words, his entire being trembled with a palpable intensity.

"Y-YOU mean..."

"No, no, no, it's impossible!"

With visible struggle, Jin glared at Lu Ran and asked resentfully, "Which time was it?"

Having asked the question, he beheld the youth smiling at him bashfully, a familiar flush of shyness spreading across his countenance as he said,

"Each and every time."

Each time...

"I've been endlessly thinking about the wine you poured for me..."

"It's a truly unique richness."

...

Recalling his own past words, a jet of water burst from Jin's throat in an instant.

Chapter 175 - One Step Closer

The aroma of the food drew not only the Chen family and their troupe of children into the valley to move stones, but also the Zhou, Lu, and Shi families, who lived on the other side.

Although it was already dark, the two blazing fires illuminated the area well enough.

The Shen family's dinner eventually turned into a midnight feast for the entire group in the valley. The ones who truly ate their fill were Chen Dashan, Shen Lie, and the younger Shen siblings.

Shen An and Shen Ning had no dietary restrictions, while the three Shen Jin brothers were reminded by Sang Luo not to overindulge in grilled meat. They were allowed only a small taste of chicken, with a focus on lighter dishes. Thus, they contented themselves with stone-grilled tofu and stone-grilled cabbage. Nonetheless, they were ecstatic, mainly due to the lively atmosphere. The children gathered together, with the Shen kids, excluding the food-obsessed Shen Tie, unable to sit still at the table.

Sang Luo had prepared plenty of food, including three whole chickens and a generous amount of wild boar. As Shen Ning grilled, the children from neighboring families fetched chopsticks and eagerly gathered around the stone stove, waiting for a taste. While the Shens ate, the Chens joined in. It was probably the happiest day for the children since moving into Yun Valley. Even Wang Yunzheng, known for his introverted nature, was lured to the stone grill by Xu Wenbo.

Xu Wenying was the quickest to react. In the midst of eating, she seized an opportunity to approach Sang Luo. "Sister A Luo, where did you find this stone slab?"

Sang Luo laughed upon hearing this. "Do you want to grill too? It's not far from the mountain stream outside the valley. Tomorrow, I'll ask Shen Lie to take your father or Uncle Xu to have a look."

Xu Wenqing chimed in excitedly, "I'll go! I'll go!"

Not only Xu Wenying was delighted, but all the children who heard this were thrilled as well. They promptly pulled their fathers along, asking them to search for stone slabs.

How could they refuse such an offer? Not only were the children eager, but the adults were also enticed. Moreover, this indeed created a lively atmosphere, and everyone readily agreed.

The midnight feast lasted for more than an hour before they gradually dispersed. This was mainly because each family needed to deal with the wild boar meat they had acquired that day.

There was no alternative; in just a few days, it would be the sixth lunar month, and the weather was scorching hot. Even though the cave was cooler than the outside, it was best to handle meat as soon as possible.

The pig's skin and head had been taken care of immediately after the hunt at a suitable location. The Lu and Shi families had more members, but their hunting skills were inferior to Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's. Concerned that the winter in the mountains might be colder than outside, they had taken the skin, leaving the Shen family to deal with the pork and offal.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan were responsible for arranging the tables and chairs, while a few younger ones took charge of washing the dishes and utensils. Even dealing with the wild boar meat became a family affair. The benefits of having many hands were evident; even the youngsters, under the guidance of Shen Ning and Shen An, carried out their tasks competently. Cleaning the offal was primarily the responsibility of these children.

Both Jin and Yin studied diligently, knowing full well that they would need to master these tasks themselves in the future.

Shen Lie skinned and separated the meat, while Sang Luo began preparing the curing mixture for the bacon. It was a simple process: there was no mountain wine available, but fortunately, they had planted plenty of ginger. She prepared a small bowl of minced ginger and borrowed Xu's iron pot to roast salt and Sichuan peppercorns together. With these ingredients, the mixture was complete.

The meat cut by Shen Lie, excluding two large pieces of lean meat set aside, was evenly coated with the ginger and pepper-salt mixture. The pieces were tied up and hung, ready for smoking. There was no need to build a new smoking stove; the stone slab used for grilling had cooled down and was moved back into the kitchen. A bonfire was lit outside the grill, with a rack to hang the meat above it. They constructed a temporary, removable shelter using bamboo poles and wooden planks, allowing smoke to escape while keeping rain out. Periodically adding firewood was all that was needed.

Together, they checked on the children's progress in cleaning the offal, helping them finish the job. They saved the entire pig's stomach and portions of the heart, lungs, small intestine, and liver for a pork organ stew the next day. The remaining parts, along with the two large pieces of lean meat set aside earlier, were placed in a ceramic pot with cold water. They retrieved the spices they had purchased earlier, filling the pot to create a rich, flavorful broth.

The aroma was delectable, but fortunately, the high mountains surrounding the valley and the dense vegetation on their slopes absorbed the scent before it could spread too far. It merely tantalized the appetites of those in the Gou Gou valley, where each household had received their share of meat and was busy smoking their own bacon, each with their unique skills. In the end, the results were fairly similar across the board.

One could say that the only ones feeling down were the members of the Lu family's main branch.

They could only watch helplessly.

There was no other reason; none of them participated in hunting, and naturally, nobody would take them along. As for the meat given by Shen Lie, it was a repayment of gratitude for the rice they had received before, so it wasn't their concern. Thus, they could only watch and yearn with empty eyes.

The elderly couple of the Lu family, Second Brother Lu's family, and Third Brother Lu were still considerate. Whenever there was delicious food, they would invite the children from the main branch to share. However, as for Big Brother Lu and Wang Chunniang, forget it. They were grown-ups, so they should endure it. Could they really expect to be treated like children?

Therefore, on this night, it was Big Brother Lu and Wang Chunniang who suffered the most from the tantalizing aroma.

...

Shen Lie and Sang Luo, accompanied by the younger ones, were busy until late at night before they finally washed up and rested. Exhausted from the day's labor, they slept soundly till dawn.

There was no need to go out hunting today. After breakfast, they only needed to take a stroll around and check if any pheasants were caught in the traps set yesterday. Nevertheless, out of habit, they all woke up early.

Shen Lie and Shen An lit the fire to smoke the meat early in the morning, taking care of household chores and farming matters. Shen An and the children followed their usual routine of morning reading, while Shen Lie called the families he mentioned yesterday to search for slate. He then led them out together.

Sang Luo prepared breakfast with Shen Ning. Today's breakfast was simple. They reserved the rice water from last night's dinner, boiled it for a while longer, cracked two eggs into it, stirred well, and made egg drops in the boiling rice water – an extremely nourishing meal.

Cubed braised meat and wild amaranth are mixed for the filling, while half a bowl of flour is transformed into delicate skins for the pork dumplings.

The only regret was the lack of rice wine, which made it impossible to leaven the dough. The texture resembled that of dumpling wrappers. Sangluo pondered that, given the climate in the valley, producing some rice wine should be feasible. Since Shen Lie often hunted, having rice wine on hand during times when they had more meat or vegetables would be great for making steamed buns or pancakes.

As I kneaded the dough, I pondered the idea of brewing some rice wine when I had some spare time.

At dawn, Chen was indulging in breakfast - a dozen savory meat buns steaming with aroma, and a thick rice soup laced with delicate egg flowers. The simple yet satisfying duo filled the family with contentment.

In the valley, Shen Yin and Shen Tie had been nursing themselves for two days. Though they were still alarmingly thin, their spirits had visibly lifted, and they could now hold their own.

It was Shen Jin that Sang Luo caught a glimpse of, and she noticed the dark circles under his eyes. She found it odd and asked, "Did you not sleep well last night?"

Shen Jin was taken aback but eventually shook his head.

Sang Luo gave him a look but didn't comment further. After breakfast, Shen Lie and the others went out to check if they had any success with the traps they set the day before. When they returned at noon, each of them carried a load of firewood, and all households had caught mountain chickens. Shen Jin had three, plus the one from yesterday, making it a total of four.

He was delighted to rear them.

Shen Lie's mountain chicken was also alive. Since Shen Jin now fetched a large basket full of grass every time he went out, Sang Luo decided to clip the wings of those chickens and raise them until they needed meat.

In the afternoon, when it was time for an afternoon nap, Shen Jin slept exceptionally soundly. While everyone else had already woken up, he remained deeply asleep.

That night, when Shen Lie was about to extinguish the lamp to sleep, Sang Luo stopped him. "Leave the lamp on. Just move it to the lantern stand by the dining table. There are people lying on the platform, and they won't be able to see in the dark if they need to get out of bed. We don't want anyone accidentally stepping on them."

Shen Lie didn't give it much thought. Indeed, there were many people sleeping on the first level – five in total. Thus, he decided not to blow out the lamp and followed Sang Luo's advice, moving the lamp to the lantern stand carved into the stone wall beside the dining table. "If the light bothers you, just pull down the curtain."

Sang Luo smiled and agreed.

Shen Jin let out a sigh of relief, but since he had already lain down, no one noticed.

...

Two days passed in a blink. Chen Youtian and Shen Lie finished constructing the two-tiered bed, door, and a few simple shelves. The remaining furniture like tables, chairs, and cabinets could be made by Shen Lie at a later time.

The three Shen brothers officially moved into their new home. They didn't have much belongings – just a few sets of clothes, a bed, bedding, some pottery pots and utensils, a kitchen knife, and a bow and arrows. The rest were all gifts from Shen Lie and Sang Luo.

Following the agreement they had made, Shen Lie carried several large bags of grain up to the upper cave. Shen Jin, Shen Yin, and Shen Tie stood by and watched as the grains were placed on the upper shelf. All three brothers shed tears together.

When Sang Luo, accompanied by Shen An and Shen Ning, brought up nearly twenty pieces of cured meat, they witnessed this scene.

No one uttered a word. They helped construct a small wooden stand to hang the cured meat, instructing Shen Jin and Shen Yin to air it out on sunny days. Then, she descended again to fetch a jar filled to the brim with pure white salt.

By now, Shen Jin was genuinely weeping, choking out his gratitude to Sang Luo.

Sang Luo smiled gently. "There, there. Take good care of Xiao Yin and Xiao Tie from now on. Time flies, and before you know it, they'll have grown up."

Shen Jin wiped away his tears and nodded repeatedly.

With all the belongings moved, Shen Lie was upstairs installing door frames and doors. Shen Jin led Shen Yin and Shen Tie down to the plot of land designated to the Shen family. There, they had a small chicken coop, which now housed seven fully grown pheasants.

Shen Jin caught one and headed straight for his elder brother and sister-in-law's cave entrance. He didn't need to enter; he could already see Sang Luo moving stone slabs to practice writing. Holding the flapping mountain chicken, Shen Jin said, "Sister-in-law, I'm delivering mountain chickens to everyone. This first one is for you and Brother."

Sang Luo's brows furrowed slightly.

She remembered telling him that they didn't lack such things, and it was true. To someone like Shen Lie, the produce of the mountains was abundant. But seeing Shen Jin waiting for her response with the squirming chicken in hand, she understood his intentions. She smiled and took the bird from him. "Alright, thank you, Little Jin."

Hearing that she would accept it, Shen Jin was delighted. Without letting go, he said, "I'll put it directly in the coop for you."

He turned and dashed to the area enclosed by wooden bars where chickens and ducks roamed. He placed the mountain chicken down, then smiled at Sang Luo and called out to her before leading Shen Yin and Shen Tie to catch more chickens. This time, they were heading to the Xu family's residence.

Sang Luo watched with a smile before turning back into the cave.

...

Shen Lie's promise to take Sang Luo out of the valley didn't come true. As soon as June arrived, the mountain rain increased, making it less convenient to venture out. Occasionally, when the rain stopped, the mountain paths became slippery. At such times, Shen Lie would only go out with Chen Dashan and not bring others along, not even Shen Jin.

When it rained, the valley dwellers had to worry about drainage. Elder Chen, Elder Lu, and Village Chief Zhou gathered to discuss digging more ponds on the inner side of the valley.

The children's playground shrank significantly, but if the water accumulated in the pond, they could divert it to the new ponds. This way, the water wouldn't flood the fields and serve as a water reserve for hot and dry weather. Preparation was always better than regret.

Thus, whenever it wasn't raining, the people in the valley started digging ponds. It wasn't a massive project, and those who usually didn't leave the valley took on the task. Shen Lie, who often ventured out and chopped firewood, enjoyed a rare period of relaxation.

Fortunately, Shen Lie crafted a few cabinets and a comfortable table and chair set for Shen Jin and the others. Shen An, Shen Ning, along with Xu Jia's siblings and Ah Wu and Xiaoyar, found a new hangout spot. They all gathered in Shen Jin's brothers' cave to read and write. The cave was situated higher, providing brighter light, spacious tables, and comfortable chairs.

Shen Jin, having shed his previous laziness, actively joined in their studies. Although his progress couldn't match even the youngest, Ah Wu, he put in genuine effort. He cherished every opportunity to learn, not aiming for perfection but simply to be literate and understand basic arithmetic.

With the Shen family's cave now empty, it suited Shen Lie's intentions perfectly. Most of the time, he practiced calligraphy in the cave using bamboo slips, with one stone tablet each for him and Sang Luo. Initially, they shared half a table, sitting diagonally across from each other. As Shen Lie occasionally asked for explanations of characters and stroke order, within two days, Sang Luo pointed at the bench beside her, "You should sit here."

Unable to suppress his smile, Shen Lie moved his stone tablet and sat down beside Sang Luo.

Sang Luo pretended not to notice the corners of his lips that kept rising and then forcefully held back, focusing on practicing her calligraphy. However, she couldn't help but let a hint of a smile escape her eyes.

...

The rain persisted until mid-June, filling several reservoirs in the valley to nearly three-quarters capacity. Old Man Chen had already consulted Shen Lie about diverting the water if it continued raining, as only the entrance of the valley could handle the drainage.

Fortunately, the heavens seemed to be considerate, and just as the reservoirs and ditches were reaching their limits, the rain stopped and the clouds cleared.

Seeing the sun again, Sang Luo felt an immense sense of relief. Naturally, the valley would now resume its usual routine of drying grains and bedding.

Among all, Xue Shangjia was the most anxious about the prolonged rain. The shelter's door was slanted, supposedly preventing rain from entering, and the grain storage shelves were raised. However, his concern for moisture remained, given that they were underground after all.

As soon as the sky cleared, Xue Shangjia sought Shen Lie and Chen Dashan's assistance, asking them to protect the young and strong from the Xu family as they went out to retrieve grain.

Of course, this help wouldn't come for free. A third of the retrieved grain would be given to the Chen and Shen families.

Shen Lie and Chen Dashan declined the grain, saying, "We'll accompany you on the trip to assess the situation. If it's still safe, we can detour and stealthily transport the grain. If not, we'll have to postpone the operation."

"Of course, safety comes first," Xu Shopkeeper thanked repeatedly.

Shen Lie set the departure date for three days later.

Xu Shopkeeper had no objections. A day or two made little difference in such matters. Honestly, they were still unclear about the situation outside the county, and there was a high possibility of making a fruitless journey.

After Xu Shopkeeper left, Chen Dashan wondered, "Why three days later?"

Looking at Chen Dashan, Shen Lie asked, "Did you forget something that's happening soon?"

Chen Dashan pondered but couldn't recall anything. However, Sang Luo, who was standing aside, concentrated for a moment and uncertainly asked, "Could it be that the medicinal herb that Grandma Chen mentioned is ready to be harvested?"

Shen Lie smiled and nodded. "Yes, it takes time to gather and process the herbs. Before we leave, let's search nearby to see if we can find any. If we do, you can start making medicine in the valley. By the time Dashan and I return, we'll probably have nothing left, so this will ensure continuity. Besides, before we leave, I'll hunt some fresh meat and collect more mushrooms after the rain."

The old lady had taught her family members how to identify the herb, and apart from them, she had only instructed Sang Luo and Shen Lie. Thus, their trip would allow them to accomplish two tasks: finding the herb and gathering mushrooms.

Upon hearing that they could leave today, Sang Luo's eyes lit up.

Heaven knew how long it had been—over fifty days—since she had last ventured out of the valley. The only time she had gone out was when she strolled by the mountain stream and hastily returned.

Assured that they could leave today, Sang Luo reminded Chen Dashan, "Ask Uncle You Tian or Aunt if they want to come along. With all this rain, there must be plenty of mushrooms outside. I bet Aunt would love to go for a stroll."

The old lady might also want to join them, just like her, unable to sit still for long. But in this deep mountain, it was best not to risk it.

Chen Dashan chuckled and replied, "Alright, I'll go ask right away."

As soon as Chen Dashan left, Sang Luo began to prepare her gear— a basket, a pointed hoe, and even her bow and arrows.

Noticing Shen Lie watching her fetch the weapons, she smiled and said, "I'll bring them along, just in case. I've trained hard with them before."

She had used them to provide support while in the forest before, but that was a story she didn't feel like sharing.

Shen Lie laughed. The journey was set for three days later. He had his own motives, too. He had promised Sang Luo an outing, but the rain kept delaying their plans. Seeing how thrilled she was at the prospect of leaving the valley, a smile involuntarily tugged at the corners of his lips. He joined her in packing and preparing.

Before leaving, he informed the younger ones about their departure. Shen Jin put down his brush and sprang up, "Big Brother, take me with you. I haven't hunted in ages!"

Although his brother brought home game every few days, Shen Jin hadn't hunted in nearly twenty days, and it made him uneasy.

Shen Lie couldn't relate. Patting his head, he said, "This time, I'm taking your big sister out. I promised her long ago. Next time, I'll take you hunting. Focus on studying with Xiao An and the others. There's no rush."

He left with a smile on his face.