《If You See Snow》


 CH 1

    ¡¾Consciousness disruption¡­consciousness reconnection¡­consciousness successfully online. Status check: no abnormalities.¡¿


    ¡¾Worldview loaded successfully, ground environment loaded successfully, host information imported successfully, body matching¡­body matching successful.¡¿


    ¡¾System permission opening level: 30%¡¿


    ¡¾Host 000, Su Ru Hui, welcome back.¡¿


    Su Ru Hui opened his eyes, his vision blurry as if a thin layer of mist enveloped him. His whole body ached, and his meridians seemed to have been shattered and then stuck back together inch by inch. He moved his fingers and his arm immediately went numb. He took a few sharp breaths and lay there silently, waiting for his vision to clear.


    What happened? Memories slowly came back to him. He remembered that he had died. In his days imprisoned in Kun Lun, poisoned and with no cure, the Kun Lun Sect had taken a risky move and cut open his lungs to search for the heart core. It was deeply implanted in his body yet did not belong to him.


    Unfortunately, the wound bled profusely, the meridians failed to be sutured, and in his final moment, he felt life quietly slipping away, flowing out of his body like a small stream.


    It seemed like he had experienced a long period of darkness before he was awakened by this strange voice in his head.


    System. He remembered this voice, which had been intermittently nagging him since he was ten years old. What exactly was it? Where did it come from? He had no idea, and had even entertained the thought of cutting open his own skull to find the source of this voice¡­


    ¡¾Friendly reminder: The host cannot use this method to find me. You will have another major hemorrhage. In addition, you will lose your skull and scalp. While others become bald, you will be worse than them.¡¿


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    ¡¾Congratulations on the host¡¯s reconnection. It is now the winter of the 12th month of the 1239th year of the Kun Lun calendar, at noon. During the five years, three months, twenty days, and seven hours since the host¡¯s disappearance, the three pillars of the ¡°Phantom Puppet¡± ¨C the puppet, the spirit fire gun, and the meteorite iron skeleton ¨C have made a leap in development, and the world has transitioned from the spiritual power era to the era of mechanized spiritual power. Currently, the ¡°Phantom Puppet¡± and the spirit stone reserves that drive it are monopolized by the Kun Lun Sect. Due to the fact that this world does not protect intellectual property rights, the host has no recourse but to be an honest pauper.¡¿


    The system¡¯s wording was always strange, but miraculously Su Ru Hui could understand it.


    That¡¯s right, the ¡°Phantom Puppet¡± was something he invented.


    ¡°The heavens are the ancestors of all things, and all things will not be born without the heavens.¡± People believe that the stars contain the origin and rules of all things, and by deducing star charts and counting star groups, one can understand the relationship between heaven and man. People are born with qi, which can awaken spiritual power. Spiritual power is innate, and combined with cultivation that corresponds to heaven and earth, one can accumulate qi and activate spiritual power. If people are compared to cannons, then qi is the gunpowder, and spiritual power is the barrel. Only with spiritual power can qi be released, and different spiritual powers have different ways of releasing it. People who have spiritual power can become lovers to increase the probability of their offspring awakening spiritual power. Therefore, prominent families around the world tend to intermarry with each other to maximize the chances of spiritual power inheritance.


    Unfortunately, Su Ru Hui lost his spiritual power due to an accident when he was ten years old.


    In short, for the sake of survival, Su Ru Hui created the ¡°Phantom Puppet.¡± They were powered by spirit stones. The puppet was impervious to fire and water, the meteorite iron skeleton invulnerable to swords and spears. The spirit fire gun could open fire and blast everything. Even ordinary people without spiritual power could have the immense killing power comparable to those with spiritual power. Without innate spiritual power as the barrel, the ¡°Phantom Puppet¡± was an external barrel for ordinary people.


    Therefore, many people respectfully called him ¡°Boss Su.¡± The Great Jing hierarchy was strict, with a clear separation between the nobles and the common people. Su Ru Hui went against the norm and gave the masses the ability to challenge nobles, making him the most hated person by the Kun Lun Sect and other prominent families. He has been the top-ranked wanted criminal by the Kun Lun Sect for years, and was chased everywhere by Sang Chi Yu.


    He originally thought that the Phantom Puppet could give the common people a place to stand, but he never expected that the Kun Lun Sect could monopolize the spirit stones and also his Phantom Puppet. Su Ru Hui sighed heavily and moved his limbs again. Finally, the pain in his meridians disappeared, and he turned his body to look around.


    Before him was a rather exquisite room, built of stone bricks and decorated with carved windows, a raised bed, and a table. Everything looked typical of an aristocratic style. Su Ru Hui hadn¡¯t lived in such a room for a long time, having spent years living in the streets and the caves in the outskirts. He felt somewhat unaccustomed. Many scarlet curtains hung around the room, indicating that the previous owner had just gotten married. Many books and notes were spread out on the table, densely packed with tiny writing. The redwood window frames were open, the wind rustling the papers. There were many meteorite iron parts, puppet devices embedded with spirit stones, and worn-out artificial meridians scattered on the ground.


    A mirror was facing him, and Su Ru Hui saw his appearance, which was somewhat similar to his original self, only much younger. His bone structure was clear and sharp, with slightly pointed eyebrows, and the most outstanding feature was his eyes, dark and imposing, with a compelling sharpness when looking at people, giving him the look of a noble young gentleman.


    Su Ru Hui touched his pale cheek and finally asked the first question after his rebirth:


    ¡°Who am I now?¡±


    A semi-transparent panel jumped out in response¨C


    Name: Jiang Que Xie


    Race: Human


    Gender: Appears to be male, but is currently wearing women¡¯s clothes


    Age: Seventeen, still young and not yet experiencing any sexual dysfunction


    Identity: Appears to be the youngest son of the Jiang family in Yun Zhou, who didn¡¯t inherit the family¡¯s spiritual power. Got married three days ago. The system wishes the host and his husband a passionate love and a happy marriage. Other identities to be explored.


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°?¡±


    Cross-dressing was one thing, but he was also married!?


    Jiang Que Xie. Su Ru Hui had never heard of this name before. The Jiang family in Yun Zhou was a prominent aristocratic family, and every generation had many members who awakened the spiritual power and joined the Kun Lun Sect. For a family member to not have any spiritual power was equivalent to being disabled, and the most common way out was to marry into another aristocratic family. Obviously, this was Jiang Que Xie¡¯s current situation.


    ¡°How did he die?¡± Su Ru Hui asked again.


    ¡¾Insufficient system permission. Only basic information can be provided at the moment. Please explore the rest on your own.¡¿


    Ugh¡­ how troublesome. Su Ru Hui rubbed his forehead. The ¡°other identities to be explored¡± on the panel was worth thinking about. It seemed that the original owner of this body was not simple. He touched himself up and down. His skin was intact. There were no wounds, and there were no traces of a fight around him.


    Was it natural death or murder?


    Su Ru Hui got up from the ground and looked around. He opened the closet and saw rows of neatly arranged clothes. He took out a skirt and looked at himself in the mirror. This child had good taste; it looked good on him. He turned his head and looked at the books on the long table. He randomly flipped through a few of them. They were ¡°Quick Illustration of the Phantom Puppet¡±, ¡°Meteorite Bone Material¡±, and ¡°Puppet Joint Analysis¡±. It seemed that this child was studying his Phantom Puppet. Su Ru Hui¡¯s gaze moved upward, and saw a shoe print on the windowsill.


    The toe pointed inward. Someone had stepped on the windowsill and entered this room.


    Su Ru Hui took off his shoes and compared them with the shoe print. The shoe print was one size larger than the original owner¡¯s, so it was not the original owner¡¯s.


    It was probably the murderer.


    How did this person kill Jiang Que Xie? There were no injuries; maybe they used some strange and mysterious secret technique. There were no traces of a fight, and the murderer was likely someone familiar to Jiang Que Xie. Now that Su Ru Hui had taken over this body, Jiang Que Xie had not died in the eyes of outsiders, so would the murderer come back to kill again?


    More importantly, there were no footprints in the room. The murderer was very cautious and took off their shoes after entering the room, but only left this one on the windowsill. This person probably planned to wipe it off before leaving, since they were going to wipe away the footprints they left outside anyway. Since they didn¡¯t wipe it off, and there was only one footprint entering the room but no footprints leaving, it meant that ¨C


    The murderer was still in the room.


    Being in the same room as the murderer was really terrifying. The situation seemed dangerous, but¡­


    Whatever. Su Ru Hui was bored with life and didn¡¯t care.


    Come on, kill me. Su Ru Hui waited for a while, but the person didn¡¯t come out.


    If you¡¯re not coming out, forget it. He turned his back, sang a joyful tune, and swaggered out of the room. When he looked outside, he was amazed by how big the courtyard was. The wooden corridor twisted and turned, the bamboo mat hung down from the blue tile eaves, and the scarlet lanterns spun around like bees. The sunlight felt warm on his shoulders. The courtyard was really big, and it was good to have money, but where were the servants? He had been out for a while, but he hadn¡¯t seen a single person. Looking closely, the house was very old, with peeling pillars, missing railings, and brick walls covered with green vines. Only the lanterns and curtains were new, probably replaced for the owner¡¯s wedding.


    How strange. Where exactly was this?


    Su Ru Hui rubbed his chin thoughtfully and caught sight of a locked room across from him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve locked it, but I¡¯m going to open it anyway.¡±


    Without bothering to find a key, Su Ru Hui kicked the red sandalwood door open.


    Inside, it was pitch black and filled with a chilling yet refreshing coolness. The furnishings were old and simple. The first thing Su Ru Hui saw was a lonely bed with white gauze curtains covering a blurry figure, like an abandoned grave that no one paid attention to. A skinny old dog lay by the edge of the bed and lifted its eyelids to glance at him when he opened the door.


    Su Ru Hui went in silently, lifting the curtains with one hand to see the person inside. It was a man with a face that was originally white as jade, but now excessively pale. He was sweating profusely. He wore a plain white shirt that was soaked in blood. Despite his pale face, he couldn¡¯t conceal his cold and stern temperament.


    Su Ru Hui fell silent.


    He knew this person even if he turned to ashes. Sang Chi Yu, the sharpest sword of the Kun Lun Sect, his nemesis who had been fated to live and die together.


    When he wanted to create the Phantom Puppet, Sang Chi Yu destroyed it. When he wanted to kill his enemies and burn down their family, Sang Chi Yu saved them and put out the fire, driving them to flee in all directions. He still remembered a time when they met in a snowstorm with freezing air that made his ears hurt. But even colder was Sang Chi Yu¡¯s voice:


    ¡°The Phantom Puppet has been unleashed, and the world is in chaos. I will stop you.¡±


    How did he respond? He couldn¡¯t recall, but he knew it wasn¡¯t pleasant.


    ¡°Little rascal, we meet again.¡± Su Ru Hui lifted the covers and saw that Sang Chi Yu¡¯s right knee was shattered. ¡°What happened?¡±


    [Information unlocked: Sang Chi Yu made a mistake and was expelled from the Kun Lun Sect five days ago. His name was removed from the disciple¡¯s list. His master stripped him of his spiritual power and disabled his right leg. Now he is powerless and at the mercy of the host. Friendly reminder: The candle is on the third floor of the Duo Bao Pavilion, the whip is on the second shelf of the bedroom, and the iron collar is in the wardrobe.]


    If you touch a key person or item, the system will automatically unlock some related information, but whether the information is useful or not is another matter. Su Ru Hui automatically filtered out all the strange things and wondered in his heart: So why is he here?


    ¡¾Jiang Que Xie¡¯s new husband, your cheap husband, is Sang Chi Yu. As the saying goes, enemies can become lovers.¡¿


    Su Ru Hui remembered that Sang Chi Yu had a marriage contract with the Jiang family. As a popular and talented young man, a martial official of the Kun Lun Sect, if everyone who wanted to marry him lined up, they could go from Yun Zhou to the South China Sea. The Jiang family had already discussed the marriage contract with his master. If he remembered correctly, Sang Chi Yu¡¯s fianc¨¦e was Jiang Xue Ya, the twelfth young lady of the Jiang family. Now it seemed that Sang Chi Yu had become a waste of a person, and this marriage was handed over to her useless younger brother.


    No wonder there was no one in this courtyard, and the furnishings were old. It turned out to be the old house of the Sang family. Sang Chi Yu was from the Yun Zhou Sang family. When he was three years old, the Black Street Gang attacked the Kun Lun Sect. The Sang family fought to the death, leaving only this child. With his master and everyone else dead, his servants naturally dispersed. Sang Chi Yu also lived in the border city for many years, and naturally no one took care of the Sang family¡¯s old house.


    This poor child was so miserable that Su Ru Hui would be embarrassed with himself if he bullied him. He stood in place for a while, staring at the old dog sleeping next to the bed with big eyes. Su Ru Hui returned to his bedroom and rummaged through his boxes and cabinets to find gauze and medicine. As he was leaving, he looked at the windowsill and saw that the footprints were gone. The culprit must have run away. Returning to the room, he cut open Sang Chi Yu¡¯s clothes and saw his horrifying wounds. They looked like whip marks. Many places were swollen and blackened, and there were signs of pus.


    The injuries were too severe, and the rotten flesh needed to be cut out and blood needed to flow before applying medicine so that the wounds could heal. Some places also needed stitches. Su Ru Hui found alcohol and a knife. He sprayed a large amount of alcohol onto the blade, and then heated it over the candle flame until it turned red. He first applied anesthesia to Sang Chi Yu, and then gradually cut away the rotten flesh.


    At that moment, the person on the bed frowned and his eyelashes trembled slightly. He slowly opened his eyes.


    Su Ru Hui lifted his eyes and met Sang Chi Yu¡¯s gaze. After so many years, this kid¡¯s eyes were still so black and deep that looking into them was like looking into an ancient, endless sea. Upon closer inspection, he felt that something had changed, but he couldn¡¯t say what had changed.


    Su Ru Hui smiled slyly. ¡°Oh, husband, you¡¯re awake? You¡¯ve been unconscious for a long time, and I was worried sick about you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu just looked at him and didn¡¯t say anything.


    Sang Chi Yu had always been a taciturn person, and Su Ru Hui knew him well, so he didn¡¯t say much and just helped him apply medicine. Sang Chi Yu was like a puppet, with no reaction at all.


    What mistake did he make to end up in such a situation? Based on Su Ru Hui¡¯s understanding of Sang Chi Yu, this guy was a stubborn person with a narrow mind, who took the rules set by Dan Tai Jing and the deceptive teachings of the Kun Lun Sect as the rules of life. How could he make a mistake?


    Thinking of this, a ¡°beep¡± suddenly sounded in his ear.


    Beep ¡ª


    Mission release: How do I save you, my disabled husband?


    Mission description: Investigate the truth behind Sang Chi Yu¡¯s expulsion from the sect.


    Mission reward: Unlock 10% of the system¡¯s benefits. The host can request everyday items from the system.


    Su Ru Hui continued to concentrate on bandaging Sang Chi Yu¡¯s wounds. The chest bandage was done, and he noticed that there was also blood on the bedding. Sure enough, this kid had been laying here quietly for so long. Didn¡¯t he have any sense of pain?


    Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t bear to watch anymore. ¡°The whip has injured you so badly. Who was so cruel to you? It¡¯s inhumane.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu quietly raised his eyes and said something for the first time: ¡°You.¡±

 CH 2

    The two looked at each other again and fell into silence.


    Su Ru Hui thought of the locked door, and the fact that this kid was lying alone in a cold and dilapidated room. He understood that Jiang Que Xie hated this marriage and his disabled husband. It was normal for aristocratic families to have homosexual relationships with male servants, but for the sake of continuing the family line, they had to marry a woman as a formal wife. Unexpectedly, the Jiang family didn¡¯t play by the rules, and married their son to the Sang family. They didn¡¯t care what happened to Jiang Que Xie, their own son.


    Jiang Que Xie had shifted his anger to Sang Chi Yu, leading to the current situation.


    This was awkward now. Jiang Que Xie has become Su Ru Hui, but Su Ru Hui was not so vicious.


    Su Ru Hui held back for a long time and said, ¡°Yes, my point is that I am really inhumane!¡±


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t respond to him and silently put on the torn and tattered undergarment that Su Ru Hui had cut. Even though the undergarment couldn¡¯t conceal his body anymore, Sang Chi Yu still meticulously tied the knot. He had no expression on his face ¨C no surprise, anger, sadness or happiness. Su Ru Hui felt very uncomfortable about it. Sang Chi Yu was always fastidious about cleanliness, and his clothes were always spotless, but now he was wearing such tattered clothes without any change in expression. Su Ru Hui felt that even if he whipped him again, Sang Chi Yu would silently endure it without any resistance.


    Su Ru Hui turned back and rummaged through his cabinet; he found a clean undergarment and threw it to him.


    ¡°I won¡¯t hit you again. Rest assured. You also know that my parents made me marry you to replace my sister. I am a seven-foot-tall man, and it is inevitable that I feel ashamed about this. But¡­¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s tone changed sharply, ¡°Last night I had a strange dream. I dreamed that we were destined to be a perfect couple in our past life, but unfortunately, our parents separated us, and we promised to reunite in the next life. So you jumped into the Qing Chi River and I hung myself on the branch of a tree. Although this dream is bizarre and irrational, we cannot rule out the possibility that it is a sign from the highest heavens. Therefore¡­¡± Su Ru Hui patted his shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s treat each other well in the future. I won¡¯t despise you, and you won¡¯t resent me. If I have a chicken head to eat, then you will have a chicken tail. What do you think?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu remained silent. Obviously he did not believe a word of what Su Ru Hui said. Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyes, took off the dirty undergarment, and put on the clean one. He also had injuries on his hands, and his pale wrist seemed like it could be broken with a twist. When he tied the belt, his hands trembled. After changing his clothes, he lay down and closed his eyes, facing away from Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui shrugged. ¡°If you don¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll take it as you agreeing.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu still didn¡¯t respond. Su Ru Hui helped him tuck in the covers, picked up the dirty clothes he changed out of, and left the room.


    ¡ª


    As soon as Su Ru Hui left, the old dog lying on the footstool slowly opened his eyes and said, ¡°Interesting. I clearly saw this person die, but now he¡¯s alive and kicking.¡±


    A dog speaking like a human was an extremely strange sight, but Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t react at all.


    ¡°When will you stop delaying this matter?¡± the old dog grumbled, ¡°The Kun Lun Secret Sect has brought you to this point. Are you still thinking about Dan Tai Jing, your master? You may be thinking of him, but he¡¯s not thinking of you. Listen to my advice and take the secret medicine prepared for you by Hei Guan Yin (1), and you¡¯ll be as good as new, even better than before. Then you can seek revenge and make the Kun Lun Secret Sect regret their actions.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu opened his eyes but ignored the dog. He reached out and took out a round box on the bed and opened it. There was a heart core inside. It was black in color and stained with blood spots. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes dimmed, and his lips were as pale as paper.


    The old dog was lying under the bed and couldn¡¯t see what Sang Chi Yu was doing. It babbled for a while without getting a response, then finally deflated.


    Suddenly, Sang Chi Yu asked, ¡°Did you kill him?¡±


    He spoke without any context, but the old dog immediately understood. It quickly said, ¡°I have nothing to do with it. When I got there, Jiang Que Xie was already dead. Do you want me to kill him again? Just give the order¡­¡±


    ¡°Silence.¡± Sang Chi Yu closed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re too noisy.¡±


    The old dog shut up and turned its head towards the door. It muttered, ¡°Your wife came back from the dead. Is there really such a secret technique in this world? Moreover, he was hostile towards you before, but now he is so gentle. He¡¯s like a completely different person. Is it possible that someone else is controlling him? Interesting, interesting. I need to investigate and report to Hei Guan Yin. It¡¯s sure to be a great achievement.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was leaning against the doorpost outside and heard the entire conversation. A talking dog? Could it be a secret technique that allowed one to change forms? Su Ru Hui rubbed his chin and pondered. Hei Guan Yin; he had heard of that name before. The person was the head of Great Compassion Temple at Black Street, highly knowledgeable in herbs, and had many strange drugs, such as He Huan Powder and Wu Shi Powder, which were prohibited by Kun Lun Secret Sect. He had heard that Hei Guan Yin had a secret medicine called Wu Ji Powder, which could awaken a person¡¯s potential and allow ordinary people to awaken spiritual powers. However, the side effects were enormous, and many people went insane as a result.


    Su Ru Hui shook his head. My nemesis, don¡¯t stray from your path.


    Su Ru Hui washed his and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s clothes and hung them in the courtyard to dry. It was still early for dinner, so he wandered around the Sang family¡¯s old mansion like a boss, with his hands behind his back. The old mansion was located on the outskirts of Yun Zhou and was quite large, with pavilions and towers aplenty, but it was overgrown with weeds and in a state of disrepair like a desolate grave. As the evening approached, the mansion became even more eerie.


    Su Ru Hui went to the kitchen, and as soon as he entered, he saw the old dog. The old dog was rummaging through the stove, and as soon as it saw Su Ru Hui, its ears perked up in a vigilant manner. Su Ru Hui raised an eyebrow. Jiang Que Xie certainly wouldn¡¯t cook for Sang Chi Yu. Had this old dog been cooking for the past few days?


    ¡°Get out of here.¡±


    Su Ru Hui kicked the old dog out and started cooking. Sang Chi Yu was seriously injured, and he needed to eat meat to recover quickly. Su Ru Hui killed a chicken, gutted it, rubbed it with salt, stuffed it with scallions, ginger slices, and mushrooms, and then steamed it in boiling water. After about half an hour, the fragrance drifted out. Su Ru Hui turned his head and saw the old dog sitting at the door with its tongue out. It seemed to be waiting.


    Su Ru Hui picked up a bone and threw it out. The old dog snarled at Su Ru Hui, but didn¡¯t dare to act suspicious. It reluctantly went to fetch the bone back. Su Ru Hui threw it again, and the old dog angrily scratched the ground with its paws, unwilling to continue fetching.


    ¡°Good dog.¡± Su Ru Hui grinned, ¡°Hasn¡¯t my husband given you a name yet? From now on, I¡¯ll call you Wang Cai (2).¡±


    The old dog was so angry that it almost vomited blood.


    After considering that the time was about right, Su Ru Hui opened the lid of the pot. The chicken had turned golden. He poked it with chopsticks, and the meat was soft and immediately dented, indicating that it was cooked. Finally, he sprinkled some sauce on top, took out the chicken, and brought two bowls of rice to the room where Sang Chi Yu was staying.


    ¡°Husband, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± Su Ru Hui put the dishes on the table and rolled up the curtain.


    Sang Chi Yu looked up at him. Jiang Que Xie was a 17-year-old young man, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his pale arms, looking vibrant. Sang Chi Yu remained silent. His gaze swept toward the steaming chicken on the table.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sit on the bed and eat.¡± Su Ru Hui brought over a small table and placed it in front of Sang Chi Yu.


    Sang Chi Yu slowly sat up, propped up the bed, and moved his body back. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t rush him and waited until he had settled before bringing the dishes to the small table.


    Su Ru Hui tore off a chicken leg and gave it to Sang Chi Yu. Sang Chi Yu looked at the delicious food and pursed his lips. He hadn¡¯t eaten such a delicious meal in a long time. When he was imprisoned in Kun Lun, they gave him leftovers and cold dishes to eat. Occasionally, the old dog in the Sang family cooked some food for him, but most of it was hard to swallow. No matter how much suffering he endured, he didn¡¯t care because he deserved it.


    This person in front of him was not Jiang Que Xie. He shouldn¡¯t be here, and he shouldn¡¯t receive this person¡¯s kindness.


    His fingers touched the hot edge of the bowl, and he whispered, ¡°Tomorrow, I will write a letter of separation.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was stunned for a moment. ¡°Why divorce for no reason? Do you hate me for hitting you? Or are you unsatisfied because I can¡¯t give birth to a child and can¡¯t continue the Sang family lineage?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was silent for a moment and said, ¡°You treat me well, and I can¡¯t repay you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui smiled. ¡°Who wants you to repay me? Between husband and wife, what else can I ask for besides your body?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui laughed. ¡°Just kidding. I have no interest in your body. Hurry up and heal your wounds; that¡¯s enough to repay me. Eat, taste my cooking.¡±


    But Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t move his chopsticks, only saying, ¡°Tomorrow, leave this place.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Su Ru Hui raised his eyebrows. ¡°Are you trying to drive me away?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°If I don¡¯t promise to leave, you won¡¯t eat?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyes and didn¡¯t say a word, which was considered acquiescence.


    Su Ru Hui crossed his arms and looked at him sideways. Was this guy crazy? When Jiang Que Xie had beaten him up, he didn¡¯t drive him away. Now that he was treating him well, he wanted to drive him away. Was he asking for punishment?


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave tomorrow,¡± Su Ru Hui said, ¡°Can you use your chopsticks now?¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Sang Chi Yu whispered, finally picking up his chopsticks.


    The old dog wagged its tail desperately, looking at them pitifully. Su Ru Hui threw a piece of meat to it, and it whined and carried the meat away. Sang Chi Yu ate quietly, chewing without making a sound. Even though he was covered in injuries and in a dilapidated room, he still maintained the etiquette of a Kun Lun Secret Sect disciple.


    Su Ru Hui ate quickly, and after finishing, he propped his head up and scrutinized Sang Chi Yu across from him. Sang Chi Yu had eaten hot food, and his face had a slightly better complexion. Su Ru Hui suddenly laughed. ¡°How come you trust me so easily? You¡¯re just going to eat whatever I give you?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s movements paused.


    ¡°I put aphrodisiacs in the chicken,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his head and coughed violently. The old dog below, who was gnawing on the meat, heard Su Ru Hui¡¯s words and stared with wide eyes, barking loudly.


    Su Ru Hui saw him coughing so hard that his chest was shaking and worried that his wound might reopen. He quickly said, ¡°I¡¯m just teasing you. I ate it too, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu stopped coughing and put down his chopsticks. He didn¡¯t pick them up again for a while.


    Su Ru Hui laughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t really put any aphrodisiac in it. Don¡¯t just eat things that people give you in the future. They might be bad for you. Except for what I give you, of course.¡±


    His words carried some hidden meaning beyond just the food. Sang Chi Yu looked up at him silently. Su Ru Hui maintained his smile, showing his big white teeth as if he were a harmless young boy. Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyes and picked up his chopsticks again.


    The old dog watched Sang Chi Yu continue to eat, hesitating for a while before succumbing to the temptation of the meat and taking another bite.


    Su Ru Hui said again, ¡°Sleep with me tonight.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow slightly and called out, ¡°Jiang Gongzi (3).¡±


    Don¡¯t tease him anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m not teasing you. I mean it this time,¡± Su Ru Hui said. ¡°Although I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, we are still husband and wife now. What¡¯s the point of sleeping in separate rooms?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s brow furrowed even more tightly. He had been lifeless before, but now he had some expression on his face, which was a sign of life. Su Ru Hui pulled his sleeve. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be honest with you. Someone snuck into my room last night and tried to kill me. As a weak man with no fighting skills, I¡¯m really scared. Can you keep me company, husband?¡±


    With the bad dog here, Su Ru Hui had to watch this guy closely. It wouldn¡¯t be good if he really drank the secret medicine and had to suffer its terrible side effects.


    He also wanted to see if he could find out the reason for Sang Chi Yu¡¯s exile. Sharing a bed was the best time for intimate conversations.


    The old dog barked loudly, spinning around in place with anxiety.


    Sang Chi Yu, don¡¯t trust him. He just wants to take advantage of you!


    Footnotes


    1. Hei Guan Yin ¨C the literal translation is ¡°Black Bodhisattva.¡±


    2. Wang Cai ¨C a very generic name for dogs in China, similar to Fido.


    3. Gongzi ¨C the literal translation is ¡°young master.¡± It is a honorific for young men

 CH 3

    At night, Su Ru Hui stubbornly refused to leave Sang Chi Yu¡¯s room. Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t force him out, so he reluctantly allowed him to sleep on the floor with the old dog. The dog, being unable to speak, didn¡¯t mind Su Ru Hui¡¯s presence, but Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t want him on his bed.


    Suddenly, the system spoke up:


    ¡°Temporary task assigned: Climb onto Sang Chi Yu¡¯s bed.¡±


    ¡°Task description: The bed belongs to Sang Chi Yu, and neither the dog nor Su Ru Hui is allowed to sleep on it. The dog is content to stay off, but Su Ru Hui shouldn¡¯t be satisfied with this situation.¡±


    ¡°Time limit: 15 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Reward: System privileges will be increased by 5%, and the host will be able to see the secrets of people within his field of view that they don¡¯t want others to know.¡±


    The room was dark, and the canopy bed where Sang Chi Yu slept was shrouded in white gauze that made it difficult to see inside. Su Ru Hui stroked the dog¡¯s fur slowly, and the dog, sensing that something was amiss, perked up its ears warily.


    It knew that Su Ru Hui was up to no good.


    Su Ru Hui sighed softly and said, ¡°Poor Wang Cai. You have to share a bed with me. If only my husband weren¡¯t so cruel; he wouldn¡¯t even let me sleep on his bed after cooking for him.¡±


    The dog said nothing.


    Sang Chi Yu, who was lying in the bed, slowly opened his eyes.


    Su Ru Hui continued to complain, ¡°The ground is so cold. I¡¯m going to catch a cold tomorrow. Even if I¡¯m sick, I still have to get up and cook for my frail and helpless husband. Someone wants to kill me, but my husband doesn¡¯t care. Oh, Wang Cai, my life is so miserable.¡±


    The dog yawned lazily. It wanted to tell Su Ru Hui that whining wouldn¡¯t help his situation, and that Sang Chi Yu would never let him sleep on the bed. When it first arrived, the dog found the ground too hard to sleep on, so it sneaked to Sang Chi Yu¡¯s feet and slept there. When he woke up and found out, he sat on the bed all night, refusing to sleep with anyone. The next day, he changed the bed sheet.


    If Sang Chi Yu found a clean and cute dog like him repulsive, there was no chance he would let this unknown and shameless little bastard sleep with him.


    Su Ru Hui clenched his fist under his lip, exaggeratedly coughing a few times to create the illusion of being cold and windblown.


    The old dog had no expression on his face


    His acting was so fake, he was worse than a dog.


    However, at this moment, they heard the person on the bed let out a low sigh and say, ¡°Come up.¡±


    The old dog stared in disbelief.


    Su Ru Hui happily hugged a pillow, crawled into the white gauze canopy, and climbed onto Sang Chi Yu¡¯s bed. He stopped playing any tricks and climbed into bed beside Sang Chi Yu¡¯s feet, sleeping against the wall. There was a spacious gap between the two of them, enough for another person to sleep in.


    ¡°Goodnight, my husband,¡± he said.


    After speaking, he closed his eyes and his breathing became steady, already asleep.


    In the darkness, Sang Chi Yu did not close his eyes again. The night was extremely quiet ¨C so quiet that it seemed as if one could hear the sound of time flowing. He looked at Su Ru Hui¡¯s sleeping face shrouded in shadows and stayed awake until dawn.


    Su Ru Hui only woke up when the sun was already high in the sky. He turned his head and saw Sang Chi Yu sitting next to the bedpost, the sunlight softening the contours of his face, making him appear serene and indifferent. Su Ru Hui got up and said, ¡°Are you hungry? I¡¯ll make you breakfast. What do you want to eat?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu said indifferently, ¡°You should leave now.¡±


    He reached under the thin quilt and handed Su Ru Hui a divorce letter. The handwriting was elegant and neat, just like him.


    Su Ru Hui did not take it, clicking his tongue and sighing. ¡°My husband, you are so heartless.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu maintained the posture of handing him the letter, making it clear that he would not move if Su Ru Hui did not take it.


    ¡°If I leave, what will you do?¡± Su Ru Hui glanced at the old dog sleeping belly-up and drooling. ¡°Are you going to rely on this thing to take care of you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Sang Chi Yu said coldly.


    This look was somewhat familiar, reminding Su Ru Hui of what Sang Chi Yu used to be like.


    Su Ru Hui knew that Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t count on anyone to take care of him, and he was waiting to die.


    So what if his legs were broken and he was stripped of his spiritual powers? Su Ru Hui had long lost his spiritual powers and was no different from an ordinary person. He was expelled from the Kun Lun Secret Sect and wandered the Black Streets at eighteen. At twenty-five, he suffered from a poison that left him increasingly weak. He hadn¡¯t given up, but this kid had given up on himself so easily. He had obviously never experienced the hardships of life.


    Su Ru Hui felt a headache coming on and changed his approach. ¡°Someone wants to kill me. What if I leave and get killed just a few steps away? We¡¯ve been husband and wife for four days. Aren¡¯t you even a little worried about me?¡±


    This time, Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t say anything, but after a long silence, he said, ¡°You¡¯ll find a way.¡±


    Su Ru Hui raised his eyebrows. ¡°How do you know? You just trust me like that?¡±


    ¡°You always have a way. There¡¯s nothing that can stop you.¡± Sang Chi Yu placed the divorce letter in front of him. ¡°And I¡¯m useless, only a burden to you. Leave, don¡¯t waste your time with me.¡±


    Su Ru Hui looked down at the divorce letter Sang Chi Yu had written. There wasn¡¯t much content, just some customary phrases. But at the end, Sang Chi Yu had added a few extra lines that said, ¡°May my husband be strong and healthy, live a thousand years.¡±


    Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help but smile. Did Sang Chi Yu want him to become an immortal turtle?


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll keep this for now. But I don¡¯t plan on leaving. Besides, you can¡¯t beat me right now.¡± Su Ru Hui folded the divorce letter and climbed down from the bed. ¡°I¡¯ll go make breakfast for you.¡±


    They had known each other for so many years. He couldn¡¯t just let this kid fend for himself.


    After saying that, Su Ru Hui left without waiting for Sang Chi Yu¡¯s response. The rice and grain in the kitchen were almost gone, so Su Ru Hui made a bowl of lean pork porridge and put it on Sang Chi Yu¡¯s table. Then he kicked the old dog and said, ¡°Come with me to buy groceries. Otherwise, you won¡¯t get any meat today.¡±


    Before he left, Su Ru Hui looked around Jiang Que Xie¡¯s dwelling. Sadly, he didn¡¯t leave much money. The silver in his hands would only last another ten days at most. As for Sang Chi Yu, it was needless to ask. His room was a mess of junk and it was obvious that he was broke. This damn system, it was useless besides spewing trash talk. Why couldn¡¯t it assign some quests to help him earn money?


    Su Ru Hui looked at the iron valves, bearings, and balancers scattered on the ground. He rubbed his chin. Maybe he could make use of this scrap metal. But for now, buying groceries was more important. The murderer was targeting Jiang Que Xie, and it was fine for Sang Chi Yu to stay here alone; otherwise he would¡¯ve died the previous night. Su Ru Hui took some silver with him and headed to the city with the old dog. It was pouring rain and there were no horses. The stable only had a broken puppet horse. They had to walk with an umbrella for almost half an hour before they entered the city, and by then it was already noon.


    Yun Zhou was the largest province in Great Jing. Not counting the thirty-nine townships and counties under its jurisdiction, the main city alone had over fifty blocks and markets. The vertical and horizontal Tian Street divided each block, like tofu pieces stacked together. A towering statue was located in the city, with a huge iron-gray face full of compassion and silence, like a god. That statue was modeled after Sang Chi Yu¡¯s master and Kun Lun Secret Sect¡¯s Grandmaster, Dan Tai Jing. Jiang Huai Cang, the head of the Jiang family, had used tens of thousands of laborers to complete this stone sculpture on his 60th birthday. All the buildings surrounded the statue, and because the population was too dense, the buildings were piled up like towers, blocking out the sun, with countless skywalks connecting them. Pedestrians under the statue¡¯s feet were like ants.


    Su Ru Hui walked under the volley plank road, where a group of prostitutes with white powder on their faces and wearing bright red skirts were gathered overhead, laughing and playing in the rain. Various lanterns hanging under the eaves of the wine shops swayed in the wind, and the candlelight shining through colored paper cast colorful hues on the women¡¯s pale faces, making them look like demons.


    Some of the ¡°women¡± had glass-like eyeballs that sparkled with a blue light emitted from their built-in spirit stones as they rolled around. Raindrops falling on their flawless skin created a non-human porcelain-like sheen. They were not real people but mechanical puppets. Despite not being real humans, their prices were much higher than those of real people, as wealthy young men were willing to pay a high price for the novelty.


    A vendor in a raincoat approached him, offering him a book titled Phantom Puppets and rapidly trying to sell it to him. ¡°Authentic merchandise passed down from the Kun Lun Secret Sect. If it¡¯s fake, I¡¯ll give you ten times the price. There¡¯s also an appendix that details the love, hate, and grudges between Su Ru Hui and Miss Jiang Xue Ya of the Jiang family. Would you like to buy a copy, sir?¡±


    ¡°Su Ru Hui and Jiang Xue Ya?¡± Su Ru Hui was stunned.


    The vendor spoke fluently, ¡°Sir, you don¡¯t know? Su Ru Hui and Miss Jiang were a match made in heaven. Miss Jiang¡¯s undershirt was stolen by two guards from the Long Xiang Guards of the Kun Lun Secret Sect, and Su Ru Hui, in a fit of anger, killed the two lechers on the spot. Killing is a great sin, and Su Ru Hui had no choice but to bid farewell to his beloved and disappear into the Black Street. Sang Chi Yu stepped in and persuaded the Kun Lun Secret Sect to arrange a marriage between him and the Jiang family. Su Ru Hui was melancholic all day long and died of illness. Fortunately, karma caught up with Sang Chi Yu, and he became a cripple¡­ Hey hey, sir, where are you going?¡±


    What is this all about? Su Ru Hui avoided the vendor and turned into another street where many small newspapers were posted on the walls, soaked through by the rain, such as ¡°Grade A Dual Cultivation Puppets, Second-Rank Humanoid Puppets,¡± and ¡°Iron Ban: Those who sell spirit fire guns and blade metalware privately will be killed without mercy¡±¡­


    ¡°Dual cultivation puppets are so popular now?¡± Su Ru Hui stroked his chin.


    [Information unlocked: Dual cultivation puppets are the best-selling type of puppet on the market. With high prices, even used ones cost a hundred gold. This system recommends that the host find Sang Chi Yu for dual cultivation directly, which is free and a better experience than using dual cultivation puppets.]


    There were many small stalls covered with waterproof oilcloth leaning against the wall, where vendors were dozing off inside. They sold puppets that had been discarded by noble families and the Kun Lun Secret Sect, incomplete sword manuals and martial arts collections, as well as stacks of talismans. Su Ru Hui knew that if even one of these talismans was effective, it would be a godsend.


    He walked on without stopping and bought groceries in another alley before finally selling the old dog to a meat shop.


    ¡°Sorry, Wang Cai.¡± He grinned and walked away from the old dog¡¯s angry gaze.


    He wandered around in the crowd for a while, trying to find out about the incident that caused Sang Chi Yu to be expelled, but he didn¡¯t learn anything. The Kun Lun Secret Sect always controlled speech very tightly, so it seemed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to find out anything without going into the Black Street. However, to enter the Black Street, he needed a letter of introduction. In his past life, he killed two Secret Sect disciples in public, so the Black Street opened up to him on its own initiative. This life, he didn¡¯t want to kill anyone. He just wanted to be a diligent citizen who supported his disabled husband. That made it difficult.


    He didn¡¯t find out anything, and he was being followed. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t know where he had exposed himself and attracted attention, or was it¡­ the murderer who killed Jiang Que Xie? He entered an alley and turned back. He saw a man standing in the rain.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come find me? According to our agreement, we should have met yesterday.¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded like that of an older man.


    It was someone the original owner knew. Su Ru Hui subconsciously looked at the man¡¯s feet, but he couldn¡¯t see how big his feet were through the rain curtain, so he couldn¡¯t compare them to the shoe prints in his memory.


    Was this guy from the Jiang family, or was he someone else?


    [Li Bao Cai, the original owner¡¯s direct supervisor. Hoped to climb to the top of his career by using the original owner¡¯s appearance.]


    This was the damn ¡°little secret unknown to others¡± that the system mentioned? It was equivalent to saying nothing. Su Ru Hui wanted to beat the system up.


    Jiang Que Xie¡¯s identity was unknown, so Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t say too much, or he would be easily exposed. He didn¡¯t answer the man¡¯s question directly, only saying, ¡°Someone tried to assassinate me the night before.¡±


    ¡°Someone tried to assassinate you!? Did you see their face?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The man calmed down. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the people from the Great Compassion Temple. They are also monitoring Sang Chi Yu. You don¡¯t need to worry about this matter. I will investigate. You don¡¯t need to contact me in these few days. Just play the role of Jiang Que Xie well and try to dig out everything about the Kun Lun Secret Sect from Sang Chi Yu¡¯s mouth.¡±


    That was an important information; so Jiang Que Xie was fake. Su Ru Hui exclaimed ¡°Wow¡± in his heart.


    The Great Compassion Temple was the largest sect in the Black Street, always mysterious. He had contact with people from there a few times in his past life. The old dog had mentioned ¡°Hei Guan Yin,¡± so he should be a member of the Great Compassion Temple.


    [Host guessed correctly. Information unlocked: The old dog¡¯s monastic name is Ji Wu. Hei Guan Yin sent him to dig up information from Sang Chi Yu. His special power is shapeshifting. To disguise himself, he chose to become an old dog, but he didn¡¯t expect that dogs were the animals Sang Chi Yu hated the most.]


    The man said again, ¡°Get ready tonight. Han Ye will come to see you.¡±


    Upon hearing the name, Su Ru Hui roughly understood that this fake Jiang Que Xie was a member of the the Paradise Pavilion gang in the Black Street. Paradise Pavilion was the largest gang in Black Street, and Su Ru Hui had the been their leader once. Of course, compared to being a leader, he preferred if others called him ¡°boss.¡± The title of leader was too old-fashioned and sounded like a brothel owner, which couldn¡¯t even qualify for a male protagonist in a novel. Fortunately, he didn¡¯t hold the title for long because in his second year as leader, there was a traitor who sold the secret passage to the Kun Lun Secret Sect. The power difference was too great, and Black Street had no chance of winning, so the only condition for a peace agreement was to hand him over. Sacrificing one person to save everyone else was the inevitable outcome.


    Han Ye was the one who handed him over.


    He didn¡¯t expect to meet his old enemy again. Should they have a warm-up fight? Han Ye was a spiritual power user, possessing the secret technique ¡°Black Flame Fire.¡± On the other hand, Su Ru Hui had no tricks up his sleeve. Forget it, let¡¯s just be a little brother honestly, and we¡¯ll have a chance to deal with him later.


    The man noticed that Su Ru Hui hadn¡¯t said anything, and seemed to misunderstand something, saying, ¡°What, are you going to back out? We¡¯ve already agreed, and I¡¯ve already reported your name to the higher-ups. It¡¯s impossible to change it now. Don¡¯t worry, your face after the facial reconstruction looks a lot like Su Ru Hui, and Han Ye will definitely like you. You¡¯re sensible. Please Han Ye, and you¡¯ll have a bright future in Paradise Pavilion, and I¡¯ll benefit from it too. Don¡¯t think about rebelling. Jiang Que Xue is your warning; that kid is already dead.¡±


    [Information Unlock: The real Jiang Que Xue was taken into Paradise Pavilion half a year ago and has since died due to excessive use of aphrodisiacs.]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    What the hell is going on?

 CH 4

    After parting ways with Li Bao Cai, Su Ru Hui fell into contemplation. Han Ye used to be his number one little brother, always following him and calling him big brother. Later, Su Ru Hui learned that this guy thought he was being held down by Su Ru Hui and always wanted to take down Su Ru Hui and replace him. Calling him ¡°A Hui Ge¡± was all fake, and he was ashamed of it.


    Su Ru Hui felt puzzled about when Han Ye fell in love with him and went crazy looking for a substitute. It was strange just to think about, and Su Ru Hui felt goosebumps rise all over his body.


    Starting a new life, he didn¡¯t meet any old friends, only encountered enemies. Su Ru Hui sighed with emotion, returned to the grocery store he passed by earlier, and bought a large bag of saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal. He hurriedly carried the bags and went back to the old house of the Sang family.


    It was raining heavily, and when Su Ru Hui returned home, his back was completely soaked. He put his things in the kitchen and turned to look for Sang Chi Yu. The door to the room was closed tightly, just like when he left. Su Ru Hui changed into dry clothes and began cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks Sang Chi Yu used to eat porridge in the morning. As he approached the bed, he noticed that the bowl of lean meat porridge on the table had not been touched at all and was still sitting there.


    Sang Chi Yu was sitting cross-legged on the bed. Perhaps due to the cold and rainy weather, his cheeks were even paler than yesterday. Su Ru Hui tilted his head to look at him. He was the number one blade of the Secret Sect, notorious for his ferocity, and few people noticed that he was actually a pretty handsome man. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s beauty was like that of an inanimate object, calm and steady. At this moment, because of his illness, he had an added sense of fragile beauty, like a white jasmine about to wither.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Su Ru Hui asked Sang Chi Yu.


    Sang Chi Yu remained motionless, only saying, ¡°You should leave.¡±


    This stubborn kid. Su Ru Hui was so angry that his teeth itched. He asked, ¡°What can you do if I don¡¯t leave?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu remained silent, and his lowered eyelashes cast a shadow on his cold, white face.


    Su Ru Hui glanced at the porridge on the table and asked again, ¡°Are you going on a hunger strike?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu still didn¡¯t respond.


    Su Ru Hui asked again, ¡°If someone wants to kill me, will you run with me?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu glanced at him and said, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to leave with me?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s response was the same as always, ¡°No.¡±


    This kid was like a stinky stone in a pit. Unfortunately, he was also sick and couldn¡¯t be beaten or scolded. Su Ru Hui shook his head and sighed, turned his face to look at the rain outside the window. The sky was low and oppressive, and it seemed like you could reach out and touch it. The raindrops hit the tiles with a pattering sound, creating scattered silver light on the ground.


    Han Ye was coming tonight, and Su Ru Hui had originally wanted to take Sang Chi Yu and escape together, but with the rain pouring down like this and Sang Chi Yu looking half-dead and refusing to eat, he wouldn¡¯t be able to run half a mile without falling ill.


    He couldn¡¯t leave him behind either, so Su Ru Hui was worried. Han Ye was a lunatic, and if he and Sang Chi Yu were to meet, it would be like sending a little white rabbit into the wolf¡¯s den. With Sang Chi Yu¡¯s tendency to collapse at the slightest breeze, it would be better for Su Ru Hui to fight against Han Ye himself.


    ¡°Do you know that I can read faces?¡± Su Ru Hui suddenly said.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyelashes trembled slightly, and he slowly raised his eyes to look at him, quietly watching him.


    ¡°Leave, Young Master Jiang,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    Su Ru Hui suddenly reached out and pinched his cheek with a malicious smile, saying, ¡°I can tell from your face that you are a possessive person.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I have a guest tonight, so just stay in bed and don¡¯t come out if you¡¯re not feeling well,¡± Su Ru Hui said as he cleaned up the dishes.


    ¡°A guest?¡± Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow slightly.


    It was the first time Su Ru Hui had heard him ask a question, as if he too had found something of interest.


    Su Ru Hui laughed maliciously. ¡°Yes, a guest who will make you jealous.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was a bit absent-minded, unconsciously grabbing the fabric on his knee and creating tiny folds.


    After a while, Sang Chi Yu closed his eyes and said, ¡°Do as you wish.¡±


    He didn¡¯t say another word. No matter how Su Ru Hui teased him, he didn¡¯t react. Su Ru Hui tried to ask about his expulsion from the Kun Lun Secret Sect, but he remained silent.


    Su Ru Hui was at a loss and left after clearing up the dishes. He didn¡¯t send lunch or dinner again. As the day faded and raindrops fell, the flowers in the courtyard were battered and scattered. The room gradually darkened, and Sang Chi Yu sat alone in the darkness, watching the sparkling light slowly leave his fingertips.


    Had he finally given up? That¡¯s good. Sang Chi Yu thought.


    Actually, Su Ru Hui had no time to cook at all. He was busy preparing for the upcoming battle with black gunpowder and flintlock rifles. Due to the limited materials, he could only bury some homemade guns with saltpeter at the four corners of the house. He sprinkled saltpeter powder in specific areas on the ground and connected the homemade guns at the corners of the walls. He carefully covered the traces with books and puppet parts to avoid being discovered. Finally, there were the flintlock rifles, which were extremely crude with bamboo tubes as gun barrels, but had some power and a range of up to 150 steps. The chamber was filled with many pieces of broken iron, which would immediately scatter and spray if they exploded. These guns didn¡¯t need to be aimed specifically and could still cause great damage. Even if he couldn¡¯t kill Han Ye, he could at least turn him into a hedgehog.


    It was dark outside, and he leaned against the wall, waiting. The candle burned silently, with droplets of wax falling and accumulating in a white porcelain dish. Su Ru Hui was bored and started dismantling the mechanical parts on the ground, making small spider-like mechanisms. His puppets were divided into four grades: wooden, iron, leather, and flesh puppets. The degree of authenticity increased from the fourth grade to the first grade, with the flesh puppets being almost indistinguishable from living creatures.


    He once created a group of beast puppets, consisting of tigers and lions, with the occasional addition of small cats and dogs. This beast puppet army once captured the White Emperor City in the Western Province for the Black Street. Su Ru Hui then transformed the city into a mechanical fortress, with the entire city operated by complex and tightly-organized machines, rendering soldiers unnecessary for defense against a million-strong army. This was the peak of the Black Street¡¯s power. Unfortunately, Su Ru Hui was captured by the Kun Lun Secret Sect, and the beast puppets were handed over to them, and the White Emperor City was recaptured by the Kun Lun Secret Sect.


    Su Ru Hui implanted the Wind-Stealing Star Formation in the brain of the spider puppet. This star formation was simple and easy to learn, but of little practical use. It allowed Su Ru Hui to listen to the wind¡¯s whispers, which he would usually use to gossip about the Black Street.


    He made four or five wind-stealing spider puppets, but it was already past midnight, and nobody had arrived yet. Su Ru Hui¡¯s stomach grumbled, so he got up and went to the kitchen to steam a basket of large white buns. Sang Chi Yu hadn¡¯t eaten all day, and he would get stomach problems if he continued like this. Su Ru Hui planned to find a way to feed him tomorrow. Carrying the buns back to his room, he pushed open the door and immediately sensed danger. A man was sitting in the dark, with half of his face hidden in the shadows. Only his clean white chin and thin lips were visible in the light.


    The man scrutinized Su Ru Hui, and even though they were separated by a thick wall of darkness, Su Ru Hui could still feel his menacing gaze.


    [Information unlocked: Han Ye, the current head of the Paradise Pavilion. Has a chaotic personal life and is a prime example of a man who does not uphold male virtues. Host, I support you in spanking him and castrating him.]


    He spoke, his voice low and hoarse, ¡°Little thing, you really do look like him.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was speechless. Little? Sorry, but he was actually quite big.


    Su Ru Hui swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth and approached the table, his spirit fire gun hidden under the table. Judging from Han Ye¡¯s words, he had probably never met the original owner of the body, so Su Ru Hui could improvise. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, boss, for troubling you. I¡¯m young and inexperienced, and I rashly offered to serve you without understanding the situation. After thinking it over, I think it¡¯s better for me to concentrate on being a spy. How about I cook you a meal as an apology, and you can leave after you finish eating?¡±


    Han Ye chuckled softly. ¡°Have you done your homework? You speak like him. Among those useless people sent over to please me, you¡¯re the only one I find acceptable.¡± He crossed his legs and tapped the table with his fingers. ¡°Come over here and let me take a closer look at you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui remained motionless and said, ¡°Boss, you should find someone else. It¡¯s late at night and the dew is heavy. Have a safe journey.¡±


    Thinking that Su Ru Hui was trying to play hard to get, Han Ye asked, ¡°What do you want? Gold? How much do you need? I¡¯m in a good mood today, so I¡¯ll grant your wish.¡±


    ¡°I just want you to leave and not come to me again in the future,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Han Ye stared at him silently for a moment before standing up. Light and shadow flickered around him, and the candlelight illuminated his cold, white cheeks. Five years of time had settled on his eyebrows, making him look much more mature. His features were deep-set and his eyes were deep and dark. He was no longer the little brother who followed Su Ru Hui and acted cute, but a dangerous criminal who held the power of life and death.


    ¡°Who did you learn your tone from? What¡¯s your name?¡± Han Ye asked.


    Oh no, Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t even know the original owner¡¯s name. He urgently called out to the system in his mind.


    Fortunately, Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t have to answer, as Han Ye figured it out himself. ¡°I remember now. Your name is A Qi. They say you¡¯re a street thug who¡¯s been hanging around, and that you joined the Paradise Pavilion when you were eleven and have killed people and set fires. No wonder you¡¯re like him. That guy was also a thug.¡±


    Wow, there¡¯s no need to insult him like that. Su Ru Hui felt depressed. After all, he came from a prestigious family.


    Han Ye said, ¡°Those guys before you either cry and beg for mercy, or fawn over him, doing things he wouldn¡¯t do and it¡¯s disappointing. Jiang Que Xie was a bit more likeable, but unfortunately, the people in the Paradise Pavilion fed him too many drugs to please me.¡±


    Following this logic, as long as he became more like Su Ru Hui, he would be fine. Su Ru Hui breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°But you have to have a sense of propriety and not go too far. After all, I used to hate that guy.¡± Han Ye reached out to him and said, ¡°A Qi, come here.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was confused. ¡°Do you like him or hate him?¡±


    Han Ye replied, ¡°You-¡°


    Before Han Ye could finish his sentence, Su Ru Hui pulled out a spirit fire gun with his left hand, lit the fuse with his right hand, and a brilliant spark of fire burst out from the bamboo tube. Su Ru Hui loved to fire the gun before finishing his sentence, catching his opponent off guard. The sound of the gun was like thunder, and after the smoke cleared, Su Ru Hui retreated to the door while Han Ye remained in place. The gun missed. The aim was too poor, and the shot went awry.


    Apart from a scratch on his cheek, the flying shrapnel failed to injure Han Ye. His black robe seemed to be custom-made with a faint glow on the surface, which Su Ru Hui could tell was due to the effects of talismans. By drawing blood and painting symbols, spiritual power users could partially transfer the effect to their power. Han Ye¡¯s robe had talismans that had the effect of a ¡°Shield,¡± similar to a suit of armor.


    ¡°A gun?¡± Han Ye whispered, ¡°He always liked to tinker with these things. Who taught you?¡±


    Su Ru Hui shrugged. ¡°Take a guess.¡±


    Han Ye suddenly looked up. ¡°Unfortunately, your aim is not good enough.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s enough,¡± Su Ru Hui said softly, turning around and running out of the room.


    Behind him, sparks from a sudden firearm explosion ignited the gunpowder on the ground. The sparks flew and within moments ignited the four cannons in the corner. A thunderous blast shook the earth. Flames shot in every direction, and the fragile wooden windows shattered into pieces. Bricks turned to dust under the tremendous impact and the bedroom collapsed into rubble.


    With the four cannons fired, the house had crumbled. Su Ru Hui stood in the courtyard, dusting himself off.


    ¡°Goodbye, you little bastard. I¡¯ll burn a hundred paper men to keep you company in the underworld,¡± Su Ru Hui chuckled, hands on his hips.


    As the dust settled, Su Ru Hui¡¯s laughter abruptly stopped.


    A shadow stood amidst the ruins, a dark flame engulfed in his palm. Except for a small scar on his face, Han Ye was unscathed.


    He looked down at the flames in his palm, and said, ¡°My spiritual power has already reached the Dong Xuan realm. Anything with fire is under my control. You were too careless.¡±


    Dong Xuan realm spiritual power!?


    Spiritual powers in the world were divided into ten realms, with the tenth realm further divided into five stages, from low to high: Dong Xuan, Tong You, Guan Huo, Chao Sheng, and Tian Ren. Those who have just awakened to spiritual powers could not even be considered as having reached the first realm. It usually took gifted individuals over a decade to reach the Dong Xuan realm, while many took forty to fifty years. Chao Sheng level practitioners in Great Jing were few and far between, and Dan Tai Jing was one of them. He was the head of the Kun Lun Secret Sect and had just turned one hundred this year. As for the grandmasters of the Tian Ren realm, there had never been one throughout history.


    Han Ye, at most, was only twenty-five years old and had already reached the Dong Xuan realm. Su Ru Hui understood that this man had controlled the flames that had attacked him, turning them into a shield to block his attacks.


    It was too much to bear. Su Ru Hui felt exhausted. Why didn¡¯t he have such a powerful technique?


    At this moment, a slender, cold hand pressed down on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Sang Chi Yu¡¯s calm profile. Sang Chi Yu leaned on his crutch and walked to his side step by step. Despite his ragged appearance, he still had an unyielding spirit.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Sang Chi Yu stared at the man in front of him.


    Han Ye looked at Sang Chi Yu from afar with an unfriendly gaze, then suddenly smiled. ¡°I know now, it was you who taught Jiang Que Xie everything about Su Ru Hui. Sang Chi Yu, you are the one who killed Su Ru Hui. Why do you keep a fake person around? Aren¡¯t you enemies? Do you still care about the childhood friendship between you and Su Ru Hui? You, who pretend to be moral, are really disgusting.¡±


    While Han Ye kept talking on the other side, Su Ru Hui wracked his brain quietly. Han Ye was strong, and he couldn¡¯t confront him head-on. The Paradise Pavilion wanted to extract information about Kun Lun Secret Sect from Sang Chi Yu¡¯s mouth, but all they could get were maps and defense plans. Sang Chi Yu was a disciple of the Kun Lun Secret Sect, and no one knew more about these things than him. Paradise Pavilion wouldn¡¯t kill Sang Chi Yu for the time being, nor would they expose A Qi¡¯s undercover identity.


    Having figured out these details, Su Ru Hui knew what to do.


    He turned around and threw himself into Sang Chi Yu¡¯s arms, pinching his throat and fake crying, ¡°Husband, it¡¯s him, Han Ye. He said I look like Su Ru Hui and wanted to rape me. How can a man serve two husbands? Husband, this wife can¡¯t live like this anymore.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Han Ye: ¡°¡­¡­¡±

 CH 5

    Su Ru Hui leaned against Sang Chi Yu, his warm body making Sang Chi Yu stiffen up. He held onto his crutch tightly with his other hand. He pulled Su Ru Hui behind him, using his body to shield him from view, and looked up at Han Ye with eyes as cold as ice.


    ¡°No matter what business you have for visiting so late, I¡¯m afraid I cannot let you have your way,¡± he said.


    Han Ye sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re a useless person now. What can you do to stop me from sleeping with your wife?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s face remained expressionless. He took a dark red tube-shaped object out of his pocket with one hand, opened the cap, and a bright red light with a sharp whistling sound shot straight up into the sky, exploding in a circle of light rain. Seeing this thing, Han Ye¡¯s face changed.


    Sang Chi Yu said coldly, ¡°Although I am a useless person, I still have friends. There are ten people within the Kun Lun Secret Sect who possess the power to teleport and arrive in places in an instant. Once this arrow is shot, the Kun Lun Secret Sect will come. Ten against one; you have no chance of winning. It takes five breaths to activate the spiritual power, and conservatively speaking, you have ten breaths to leave.¡±


    Han Ye¡¯s smile disappeared, and his eyes were filled with anger. Sang Chi Yu grew up in the Kun Lun Secret Sect and even though he was expelled, he must have many acquaintances. Han Ye didn¡¯t dare to underestimate him. He turned his gaze to the person behind Sang Chi Yu, who was peeking out. He took out a letter from his waist pouch and said with a sinister smile, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, your good wife accused me of having ulterior motives, but I am innocent. He invited me to a meeting under the moon, but he backed out at the last minute. This letter is the evidence. ¡®Waiting for you under the west room, with the half-opened the door. You are right ¨C the Jiang family is evil. I will wait quietly for you.¡¯ You can see for yourself.¡±


    He tossed the letter, and it fluttered like a butterfly made of gold and landed at Sang Chi Yu¡¯s feet.


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    Han Ye, this little bastard, was probably infuriated and forgot that A Qi¡¯s task was to gather intelligence. He was trying to create a rift between him and Sang Chi Yu. How was he supposed to gather information this way? The evidence of Jiang Que Xie¡¯s infidelity was right in front of them. Sang Chi Yu had been tricked and betrayed by his wife. The original body¡¯s actions were being blamed on Su Ru Hui, causing him to feel exasperated.


    Sang Chi Yu remained calm and said, ¡°My heart belongs to another, and I will seek another lover. I do not blame you, nor should you force me.¡±


    This meant that if Su Ru Hui wanted to cheat, he could cheat, and Sang Chi Yu wouldn¡¯t blame him. But Han Ye was in the wrong for trying to force himself on him.


    Don¡¯t mention Su Ru Hui, even Han Ye didn¡¯t expect Sang Chi Yu to be so magnanimous. He accepted the proof of infidelity with stability, without a hint of resentment.


    ¡°¡­¡± Han Ye sneered, then looked at Su Ru Hui before saying, ¡°Jiang Gongzi, until we meet again.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he turned and left.


    Su Ru Hui formed a megaphone shape with his hands around his mouth and shouted at Han Ye¡¯s back, ¡°I am not Jiang Gongzi.¡±


    Han Ye and Sang Chi Yu were both stunned.


    Su Ru Hui continued, ¡°I am Madam Sang!¡±


    Han Ye seemed to be at a loss for words for a while, then left with a wave of his sleeve.


    ¡°That guy finally left.¡± Su Ru Hui breathed a sigh of relief. Han Ye¡¯s spiritual powers were powerful, and he had even advanced in rank. If they were to really fight, Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Su Ru Hui patted Sang Chi Yu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Thank goodness you have the flare arrow. Otherwise, we would have been in trouble.¡± He checked the time. ¡°Ten counts have passed, and your friend is moving too slowly. By the time they arrive, we will both have already been buried together.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu turned around and slowly made his way back with the help of his wooden crutch.


    ¡°I have no friends,¡± he said in a flat voice.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Ru Hui was stunned, then realized that Sang Chi Yu had deceived Han Ye. The Secret Sect wouldn¡¯t have sent anyone to save him. Su Ru Hui picked up the empty tube of the flare arrow Sang Chi Yu had just fired and realized that it wasn¡¯t a distress flare from Kun Lun Secret Sect at all. It was a firework tube, probably left over from their wedding.


    This guy¡­ Su Ru Hui was speechless. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s popularity was already terrible before he died, and he couldn¡¯t believe that even after five years, it was still that bad.


    Sang Chi Yu had been standing for too long, and his knees were hurting. He couldn¡¯t walk more than a few steps without resting. Su Ru Hui understood him. He was inherently proud and wouldn¡¯t want others to help him too much, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t always be thinking of ways to get rid of Su Ru Hui. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t offer to help and just accompanied him, jokingly asking, ¡°Husband, are you really not concerned that I will cheat on you?¡±


    ¡°We are already divorced,¡± Sang Chi Yu said. ¡°It has nothing to do with me.¡±


    It was the same old attitude that kept everyone at arm¡¯s length. It was written all over his body that he wanted Su Ru Hui to stay away from him. Su Ru Hui was helpless. No wonder he had no friends. But this temper made Su Ru Hui want to talk to him even more.


    Sang Chi Yu paused for a moment and suddenly asked, ¡°Did you know the person from earlier? Have you met them before?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him,¡± Su Ru Hui replied half-truthfully and half-jokingly. ¡°But Su Ru Hui must know him. Remember, that Black Street genius, the founder of Phantom Puppets? You two used to fight all the time, didn¡¯t you? He seems to be looking for someone who looks like Su Ru Hui. When he catches one, he uses them. I heard that many people died in his bed ¨C all handsome and exceptional young men like me.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was often criticized for his behavior. He was admired by many, but also hated by many. Many people wanted to punch him in the face. However, Sang Chi Yu remained silent, as if he had long been accustomed to Su Ru Hui¡¯s unconventional behavior, and listened quietly as he rambled on.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult. I don¡¯t think that bastard is going to let me go.¡± Su Ru Hui sighed deeply as they finally reached the threshold of the private room.


    ¡°I will find a way,¡± Sang Chi Yu said as he stepped across the threshold.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Ru Hui wanted to say that if the members of the Kun Lun Secret Sect were unwilling to save him, what could he do? He looked up and met Sang Chi Yu¡¯s calm gaze. His eyes were deep, and Su Ru Hui immediately saw the serenity in them. Sang Chi Yu was always a calm person, a model of ¡°reliability.¡± He never made promises lightly, but once he did, he would die to keep them.


    This person, despite his own situation, still wanted to help others. Even before they turned against each other, Su Ru Hui was already very worried about him. He followed Dan Tai Jing¡¯s teachings meticulously, striving to be a true gentleman, but Su Ru Hui often worried that he was too fragile. He tried his best to be kind to others; Su Ru Hui was worried that he would be deceived.


    Su Ru Hui was helpless, but on the surface, he had a smiling expression and said, ¡°I will rely on you, husband, for protection.¡±


    In fact, Su Ru Hui did not really intend to rely on Sang Chi Yu, but he was accustomed to teasing him.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s face turned slightly red after hearing those words. He kept calling him ¡°husband,¡± and he had just referred to himself as ¡°Madam Sang,¡± but it was obviously insincere. He always spoke without a filter, leading to misunderstandings. Sang Chi Yu pursed his lips, turned his face to the side, closed the door, and his voice turned a little colder. ¡°It¡¯s late at night, please go back.¡±


    ¡°Eh!¡± Su Ru Hui blocked the door. ¡°Husband, my room collapsed, and I have nowhere to sleep. Can I stay in your room tonight?¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of empty rooms.¡± Sang Chi Yu gave him no face at all and directly shut the door.


    Su Ru Hui felt very sad and left with his hands behind his back.


    Sang Chi Yu returned to his bed and took out a small, round box from under the covers. He unlocked it and opened the lid, revealing a black heart core stained with blood inside. No one knew the origin of this heart core. The people of the Great Compassion Temple took medicine to gain power, and the banned medicine was circulated on the black market. It had always been the key target of the Kun Lun Secret Sect. Some people speculated that this black heart core was the masterpiece of the Great Compassion Temple. Its previous owner was Su Ru Hui, and the heart core gave him strength, but also inflicted him with a terrifying poison. When Su Ru Hui was 25 years old, the poison flared up, and his body rapidly declined. In the end, he died with no hope of a cure.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s palm held this heart core, which was dug out of Su Ru Hui¡¯s body by the Kun Lun Secret Sect.


    No one knew what the heart core brought to Su Ru Hui; some speculated that it was an extraordinary talent beyond ordinary people. After all, when Su Ru Hui left the Kun Lun Secret Sect, he was still a second-generation young master who was up to no good, but after he fled to the Black Street, he shone brightly and created the shocking Phantom Puppets.


    Although Sang Chi Yu knew that the rumors were false, Su Ru Hui was never an ordinary person.


    However, perhaps this heart core could be tested.


    Sang Chi Yu took off his clothes, removed the gauze from his chest, and the wound that was still hideous the day before now had been covered with powder and didn¡¯t look so bad. He pinched the heart core and inserted it into his own wound. The scab that had just formed was torn off, and the wound was forcibly opened, with blood flowing out and soaking the black heart core.


    When the heart core was halfway through entering his flesh and blood, it emitted a faint blue light and automatically squeezed deeper into his meridians. Sang Chi Yu let go, and the heart core disappeared deep into his wound. What kind of person would he become? He didn¡¯t know. In any case, he would be like Su Ru Hui.


    In fact, when that guy talked about dreaming that they were destined in their past lives, he knew that Su Ru Hui had returned. Su Ru Hui had said that kind of nonsense to deceive people before, just not to him. He really hated Su Ru Hui. He was the person who hated Su Ru Hui the most in the world. People might not be able to recognize the person they once loved at a glance, but they could certainly recognize the person they once hated at a glance.


    A long, long time had passed, and many things had changed. The respected elders had become hideous, and Kun Lun Secret Sect had become corrupt. It had the appearance of justice and righteousness, but was actually full of violence and wanton behavior. And he, Sang Chi Yu, had gone from being a first-class military officer in the palace to a useless waste of a person.


    Only Su Ru Hui remained the same ¨C detestable, causing trouble everywhere, and creating emotional debts.


    The wound was too painful, and his chest seemed to be frozen by snow and ice. His body suddenly lost its warmth. Sang Chi Yu curled up in pain on the bed. In a daze, he recalled the past when the Grandmaster asked him, ¡°My disciple, Chi Yu, do you know your mistake?¡±


    He said, ¡°I know my mistake.¡±


    The Grandmaster nodded with satisfaction. ¡°You finally figured it out. Where did you go wrong?¡±


    He raised his eyes and spoke word by word, each one carving into his bones.


    ¡°I was wrong¡­ for not saving Su Ru Hui!¡±


    So the Grandmaster thundered with anger, stripped him of his spiritual powers, broke his right leg, expelled him from the Secret Sect, and never allowed him to return.


    He lowered his head, sweat dripping onto his hand, and the hair that hung on the bed had already changed color. He slowly turned his head, and the mirror on the table reflected his current appearance, with snowy hair on his temples and his long hair turning white. Even his eyes had turned into an icy blue. His vision seemed to have subtle changes, with light and shadow clearly distinguished, and he could hear rustling outside the window, the wind sweeping away fallen leaves, as if they were whispering.


    His visual and auditory abilities had greatly improved, and this body was no longer that of an ordinary person. The transformation was so thorough that it surpassed that of Su Ru Hui from the past. He moved his limbs, and the wounds on his chest and back healed. His right leg could move again, as if he had been reborn. He felt the long-lost power of spiritual power surging in his body.


    He knew he had become a monster.


    Su Ru Hui was taken by the Black Street and sold to the Secret Sect. Su Ru Hui was good to the sect, and the sect stole his secrets.


    The world had lost its righteousness, so why should he, Sang Chi Yu, continue to hold onto his moral principles? Being an ugly monster was better than being a hypocritical person.


    ¡°Sang Gongzi, I¡¯m back!¡± The old dog climbed in through the window, not noticing the change in the person on the bed, and spoke angrily, ¡°That Jiang Que Xie is so vicious. He sold me to a meat shop. Luckily, I was smart enough to turn back into human form and escape. It makes me so angry that I was seen running naked. The Yun Zhou Daily might write an article about ¡®Naked Man Running Wild on the Streets¡¯ tomorrow. I will definitely report this to Hei Guan Yin. He will be interested in his spiritual power, and we may have to dissect him and study him thoroughly.¡±


    The old dog crouched at the foot of the bed, looked up, and saw that Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hair had turned white like snow. He was stunned. ¡°What happened to you¡­ Wait a minute, you took the Wuji Powder? Wow, your degree of mutation is too severe. How do you feel? Oh, wait, I haven¡¯t given you the secret medicine yet, have I?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him with his ice-blue eyes as still as the deep sea, without any ripples or emotions. The inhuman appearance made the old dog involuntarily feel frightened. He thought that Sang Chi Yu probably found the Wuji Powder he had hidden; otherwise how could he have turned into this?


    Sang Chi Yu asked, ¡°I have heard that the Great Compassion Temple has a saying: eating one person makes you a level one bodhisattva, and eating ten people makes you a bodhisattva at level ten. What level of bodhisattva are you?¡±


    The old dog proudly puffed out his chest. ¡°I am already a third-level bodhisattva.¡± He grinned. ¡°Two men and a child. The baby was tender and delicious.¡±


    ¡°Did you report the matter of Jiang Que Xie just now?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± The old dog rummaged under the bed and pulled out his communication compass. ¡°I will report to Hei Guan Yin right now!¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu suddenly raised his hand and covered the old dog¡¯s head. Countless ice-blue meridians emerged from his palm and penetrated into the old dog¡¯s eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. The old dog¡¯s seven orifices bled, and he flailed his limbs. In an instant, he transformed from a naked human body to an empty skin as his flesh visibly decayed.


    Sang Chi Yu withdrew his hand and looked indifferently at his palm. The beam-like meridians retracted, and his palm returned to its original state.


    Special power: Devouring.


    Whoever he devoured, he would gain their special power.


    Few people knew this power which he was born with, because he despised it and rarely used it.


    After devouring the old dog, he gained the special power ¡°Shape-Shifting.¡± After meditating for a moment, the spiritual power silently activated. His hair gradually turned back to its jet-black color, and ink marks seemed to hover in his pupils, covering his deep blue irises. Then he leaned down and picked up the communication compass on the ground, manipulating the eight trigrams above it. The symbols on the left side of the compass glowed faintly, connecting him to someone on the other end. The other person remained silent, waiting for the person on this end to speak.


    ¡°Did I make a satisfactory promise by killing your dog?¡± asked Sang Chi Yu.


    A hoarse laughter sounded from the compass, ¡°Sang Gongzi, the old dog served you for many days. You killed him just like that. Don¡¯t you feel guilty?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his head and looked at his palm, his eyes serene. He had just killed someone he shouldn¡¯t have, but he felt no emotions, as if he had just crushed an ant passing by his feet. Everyone thought he was a good person; even Su Ru Hui thought so. They didn¡¯t know that he felt nothing when he killed. To him, killing a person was no different than killing a pig. He only meticulously followed the precepts that Dan Tai Jing taught him, conducting himself with integrity, kindness, and justice.


    Is pretending to be just, actually just?


    ¡°No feeling,¡± he said.


    The other person laughed softly. ¡°Sang Gongzi is different from the rumors. As expected, rumors are not to be trusted. I have prepared your spot for tomorrow¡¯s gathering.¡±

 CH 6

    Sang Chi Yu was unable to sleep all night, as he tried to merge the heart core with himself. Meanwhile, Su Ru Hui tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. In order to preserve his chastity, Su Ru Hui had fought with Han Ye. If he had killed Han Ye, it would be fine. In the Black Street, strength was everything, and whoever had the ability was the boss. Killing the boss would not result in retaliation, but it would make people respectfully acknowledge you as the new boss. However, now that Han Ye was still alive, Su Ru Hui was not only likely to be suspected by the Paradise Pavilion as not being A Qi, but Han Ye¡¯s vengeful character would not let it go easily.


    Oh well, if he died, he died. He had died before, and he had gotten used to it. It was just that his helpless and weak husband made him very worried.


    What mistake had Sang Chi Yu made to become so pitiful?


    What had happened to his former acquaintances?


    He fell asleep in a daze, his consciousness becoming a faint thread, pulling him back to a clear springtime in the past. This was his past that he could only return to in his dreams at midnight. In this dream, he was ten years old and still a disciple under Ming Ruo Wu. He was living in Zhuo Luo Mountain with its beautiful mountains and rivers. At that time, he and Sang Chi Yu were not enemies, and he was still a good boy from a prestigious family.


    His master¡¯s medical skills were superb, and he was also very strict. If someone had a hidden illness that couldn¡¯t be treated by others, they would come to the temple for treatment. When Su Ru Hui was ten years old, Dan Tai Jing came to ask his master to treat someone.


    ¡°Shh¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui stuck his head out of the grass, followed closely by two other heads behind him. The round-faced, almond-eyed one was his junior sister, Zhou Xiao Su, and the other one was the twelfth Miss of the Jiang family, Jiang Xue Ya. Jiang Xue Ya was studying martial arts while treating patients in the Zhuo Luo Mountain, making her his half senior sister.


    ¡°Is the beautiful little brother really here?¡± Jiang Xue Ya asked. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see anything?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, senior brother, are you just playing with us again?¡± Zhou Xiao Su said.


    ¡°Who¡¯s playing with you? I opened the door and I saw him with my own eyes.¡± He put his finger to his lips again. ¡°Shh¡­ Let me see if my uncle is here.¡±


    He looked around, smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®maze formation¡¯ used to hide people. No wonder we couldn¡¯t see him. I learned this formation just a few days ago. Wait here, I¡¯ll go find someone.¡±


    Without waiting for both of them to agree, he turned his head and entered the maze. From Zhou Xiao Su and Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s perspective, his figure twisted for a moment and disappeared instantly. Su Ru Hui leaned down and walked under the tree, looking back. Several old trees around him were buried with spirit stones, interlaced with complex star lines, and they formed this ¡°maze¡±. He tiptoed around the strange and grotesque rocks and entered a cold cave. At the end of his vision, there was a small stone bed, and a child wearing a white cloak was sitting against the wall, holding his knees, looking lonely and alone, like a solitary mushroom.


    Su Ru Hui entered the cave, and the child heard footsteps and turned to look at him. The small face under the furry hood was small, just like Su Ru Hui. In an instant, their eyes met.


    Curiously, Su Ru Hui approached him and asked, ¡°I am Su Ru Hui, who are you? Why did my uncle hide you?¡±


    The child didn¡¯t say a word and just looked at him.


    ¡°What did you eat to grow up so beautiful?¡± Su Ru Hui boldly poked his cold face and said, ¡°When Jiang Xue Ya sees you later, she will be so jealous. She always says she is the most beautiful in the world.¡±


    After talking for a while, the child still didn¡¯t respond to him. Su Ru Hui scratched his head and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you speak? Are you afraid of me? Don¡¯t be afraid, I am not a bad guy. I am a good person who specializes in beating bad guys. The person who brought you here, named Dan Tai Jing, is the Grandmaster of the Kun Lun Secret Sect. He is my uncle, and his younger sister is my mother. You are his disciple, and we are relatives.¡±


    He deliberately didn¡¯t say who his father was. The difference in status between a nobleman and a commoner was distinct, and he was afraid that the little boy would stop playing with him if he knew his father¡¯s identity. His father was a commoner, a relatively unknown teacher who was forcibly brought into the imperial palace because of his good looks and his mother¡¯s favor.


    A fruit that is forced to ripen is not sweet. Su Ru Hui learned from rumors in the alley that his parents were estranged lovers. Even more unfortunate was that his mother died shortly after giving birth to him during a civil unrest. His father was destitute and taught people how to read under a big tree while carrying him, still a small baby. He even sold grass shoes on the side of the road. Dan Tai Jing couldn¡¯t bear to see it and took him in, entrusting him to the scholar, Ming Ruo Wu. His father would visit him from time to time and bring some strange wooden dogs with three heads to make him happy. The dogs even had a mechanism inside, and when the string behind their butts was pulled, they would run and make a funny noise.


    To be honest, dogs with three heads were a bit scary, and dogs that made a ¡°hehe¡± noise instead of a ¡°woof woof¡± noise were even more terrifying. But he was a sensible child, so he pretended to like them and accepted them every time.


    He picked up a stick and wrote his own name on the ground. ¡°Here, this is my name, Su Ru Hui. What¡¯s your name? Write it down for me to see.¡±


    Su Ru Hui handed the stick to him, but the little boy didn¡¯t take it and still hugged his knees.


    Su Ru Hui thought the little boy didn¡¯t want to talk to him and felt a little disappointed. He was about to take back his hand when he heard a small voice.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er,¡± the little boy said softly. ¡°My name is Yu¡¯er.¡±


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yu¡¯er! That¡¯s a really nice name. Wait for me, I¡¯ll go get Zhou Xiao Su and Jiang Xue Ya to come over.¡±


    He ran far away with a single shout, and Yu¡¯er stood there in a daze for a while. The noise from outside the cave grew louder, and Su Ru Hui led two little girls inside. The two girls saw Yu¡¯er and surrounded him like butterflies, staring at him. Su Ru Hui was very proud and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t lie to you. I said he¡¯s very handsome.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him? Does he have to stay here every day and not go out?¡± Zhou Xiao Su said tearfully, ¡°He¡¯s so pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Su Ru Hui asked Yu¡¯er, ¡°why did my uncle lock you up?¡±


    Yu¡¯er¡¯s voice was soft, ¡°He said it¡¯s because I harm people.¡±


    ¡°Harm people?¡± Su Ru Hui was confused.


    ¡°I know!¡± Jiang Xue Ya clenched her fists. ¡°It¡¯s because Yu¡¯er is too beautiful. The Secret Sect is worried he¡¯ll bewitch people. They¡¯re just talking nonsense. You won¡¯t harm anyone, Yu¡¯er. It¡¯s those stinky men who harm others. They like to push the blame onto us beautiful women.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a man,¡± Su Ru Hui interjected.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right,¡± Zhou Xiao Su chimed in. ¡°We¡¯ll take you out to play in the future. We¡¯ll have Su Ge dig up the spirit stones, so you can leave this place. We¡¯ll send you back in the evening and put the stones back. I guarantee that Master and Uncle won¡¯t find out. If they do¡­¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya continued, ¡°You can say that Su Ru Hui kidnapped you and took you out to play.¡±


    They chattered away, not noticing that Yu¡¯er wasn¡¯t listening. He was staring at the words on the ground with his long, curled eyelashes hanging down.


    Su Ru Hui protested, ¡°You guys are always pushing everything onto me. Last time we stole some money together, and in the end, I was the only one who knelt in front of our ancestor.¡±


    No one paid attention to him. Zhou Xiao Su clapped her hands and said, ¡°Let¡¯s let Yu¡¯er join our gang!¡±


    She took out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and spread it out on the stone bed. On the right side was written ¡°Dragon Gods Gang,¡± and on the left were the names of the members. Su Ru Hui was the gang leader. Zhou Xiao Su was the leader of the Azure Dragon Hall, and the leader of the Crimson Dragon Hall was Jiang Xue Ya. Each name was signed with a bright red handprint. Others like ¡°Gang Leader¡¯s Wife¡±, ¡°Gang Member¡±, ¡°Servant¡± were all blank.


    Su Ru Hui said to Yu¡¯er, ¡°This is the gang I founded, the Dragon Gods Gang. When we grow stronger, you¡¯ll be an elder of the Dragon Gods Gang, like Zhou Xiao Su and Jiang Xue Ya.¡±


    ¡°I like red, so I¡¯m the leader of the Crimson Dragon Hall, and Xiao Su likes blue, so she¡¯s the leader of the Azure Dragon Hall. What color do you like? I¡¯ll add it for you,¡± said Jiang Xue Ya.


    Yu¡¯er shook his head.


    ¡°What does shaking your head mean? You don¡¯t have a favorite color?¡± Zhou Xiao Su lowered her head and saw Yu¡¯er¡¯s snow-white feet, ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have shoes. How can you go out and play without shoes? There are many small stones outside.¡±


    ¡°Your hair is not tied up,¡± Su Ru Hui said. He took the black ebony hairpin from his own hair bun and tied Yu¡¯er¡¯s hair into a small bun.


    Jiang Xue Ya made a decision. ¡°Then you can be the gang leader¡¯s wife. In the future, Su Ru Hui will carry you on his back. He will also be responsible for your new clothes, hair accessories, and powder. If you want to buy something, just ask Su Ru Hui. This hairpin is too plain. You should ask him to buy one made of gold in the future.¡±


    Su Ru Hui rolled his eyes.


    Zhou Xiao Su hesitated. ¡°But he¡¯s a boy.¡±


    ¡°What does that matter?¡± Jiang Xue Ya didn¡¯t care. ¡°My dad has three male concubines.¡±


    ¡°What are male concubines?¡± Yu¡¯er lightly frowned, his delicate eyebrows clouded, looking puzzled. This look was so beautiful that Zhou Xiao Su and Jiang Xue Ya were both mesmerized and couldn¡¯t get enough of it.


    Su Ru Hui exclaimed, ¡°Jiang Xue Ya, don¡¯t come up with random ideas. I don¡¯t want a gang leader¡¯s wife. I want a little brother.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then be a little brother. Su Ru Hui will still carry you.¡± Jiang Xue Ya made a decision, wrote Yu¡¯er¡¯s name on the paper, took out a box of ink, and pressed Yu¡¯er¡¯s handprint on the paper.


    Yu¡¯er hadn¡¯t reacted yet to what had happened, but everything was already arranged. Meanwhile, Su Ru Hui had long been used to it, as Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su dug pits for him every day. There was no way around it ¨C someone had to take care of little Yu¡¯er, and they couldn¡¯t rely on Jiang Xue Ya or Zhou Xiao Su. Su Ru Hui squatted in front of Yu¡¯er, who hesitated for a moment before climbing onto Su Ru Hui¡¯s back.


    Su Ru Hui stood up and ran out like a gust of wind, with Yu¡¯er bouncing on his back. The spring breeze blew off Yu¡¯er¡¯s hood and brushed up his dark hair. Later, Su Ru Hui learned that at the time, Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t know how to read. The first three characters he learned were Su, Ru, and Hui.


    It was dawn when Su Ru Hui woke up. He got dressed and pushed open the window. He saw Sang Chi Yu sitting outside the window, leaning on a wooden crutch. Sang Chi Yu heard the noise and turned his head to look silently. His black hair and eyes were still as beautiful as when he was a child. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what did he eat to grow up like this?


    ¡°Do you want to see Jiang Xue Ya?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Su Ru Hui was puzzled. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°You were calling her name in your dream,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s bed was by the window, and he didn¡¯t know how long Sang Chi Yu had been sitting here, but he had apparently heard Su Ru Hui¡¯s sleep talk.


    ¡°¡­ ¡± Su Ru Hui coughed nervously, wondering if this guy had heard anything else.


    There was a hint of melancholy in Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes. Sang Chi Yu avoided his gaze and said, ¡°Today, we¡¯ll return to the Jiang family.¡±


    ¡°Return to the Jiang family?¡± Su Ru Hui frowned and thought for a moment. According to custom, he should return to the bride¡¯s family within three days of the wedding, and it had already been four or five days since they had married. The Jiang family hadn¡¯t sent anyone to ask, so they probably didn¡¯t care about this useless youngest son. But returning to the Jiang family was indeed a good choice, as the Jiang family was heavily guarded, and the people from the Black Street wouldn¡¯t dare to cause trouble there.


    Su Ru Hui nodded. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back.¡±


    Maybe he could also inquire about his junior sister¡¯s news. Since she got married, he had been stuck in Kun Lun, so he hadn¡¯t seen Zhou Xiao Su in a long time.


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyelashes and no longer responded.


    Sure enough, he understood that Su Ru Hui had been thinking about Jiang Xue Ya all along.


    Suddenly, Su Ru Hui heard a ¡°beep¡± in his ear.


    Beep ¨C


    Temporary mission release: Find Jiang Xue Ya.


    Temporary mission description: Reconnect with an old friend who you haven¡¯t seen in a long time and see how she¡¯s doing now.


    Temporary mission deadline: One day.


    Temporary mission reward: The system¡¯s worship and praise X1


    Su Ru Hui: ????


    What the f*** kind of reward is this?

 CH 7

    Time was of the essence, so Su Ru Hui packed the wind spider and spirit fire gun he had made earlier into a bundle. He also made a few meat-filled buns wrapped in oil paper for Sang Chi Yu to eat as breakfast on the way. Then, he went to the stable and dug out the scrapped puppet horse. Nowadays, most people didn¡¯t use real horses to pull carriages anymore, instead opting for puppet horses. These things didn¡¯t need to be fed. As long as they had enough spirit stones and regular oiling of their gears, they could run just as fast as a real horse and were much more convenient.


    After a thorough inspection, Su Ru Hui was relieved to find that the horse could be fixed. He replaced the balance meter in the horse¡¯s stomach, and it was ready to run. He also laid a small furry blanket on the seat. Sang Chi Yu hobbled over, step by step, using his crutch, and climbed into the carriage. He moved slowly, and Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t rush him. He watched as Sang Chi Yu crawled into the compartment and threw the warm meat buns into his lap.


    Sang Chi Yu caught the meat buns and said, ¡°After we return to the Jiang residence, I will inform your father about our divorce.¡±


    After returning to the Jiang family, Su Ru Hui wouldn¡¯t have to go back to the Sang family. Su Ru Hui understood. It turned out that what Sang Chi Yu meant last night when he said he would figure something out was this plan. When they returned to the Jiang family, the people from the Black Street wouldn¡¯t dare to come and harass them, so they would naturally avoid disaster. If that¡¯s the case, why bother going with him personally? Su Ru Hui could go by himself.


    Oh¡­ Su Ru Hui understood. Sang Chi Yu was afraid that the people from the Paradise Pavilion would come looking for trouble on the road.


    Ah, this kid, what could he do even if he came along? The fireworks and firecrackers were all used up and he couldn¡¯t borrow the power of the Kun Lun Secret Sect to scare people anymore. If they really met people, was he going to knock them dead with his wooden crutch?


    Why was he so kind-hearted? Su Ru Hui was very helpless. He raised his hand and flicked him on the forehead.


    Sang Chi Yu was stunned for a moment, and there was a strange color in his black eyes.


    Su Ru Hui smiled and said, ¡°You just got married, and now you want to leave. Aren¡¯t you afraid of my dad killing you? Just take it easy. I know you don¡¯t want to be with me. To be honest, I don¡¯t want to be with you either. But we got married not too long ago and now we¡¯re divorcing. It¡¯s not good for my reputation. I was counting on leaving you after a while and then getting married again. If it spreads that I was cruel to my ex-husband and caused a divorce, who would want to be with me?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu remained silent for a long time. The raven-like eyelashes trembled, and he nodded slowly.


    ¡°Now, can you eat something?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s gaze fell on the meat bun in his hand. He had fasted for a whole day yesterday, and his stomach was really hungry. He opened his mouth and took a bite. The salty and fragrant beef filled his mouth, and his empty stomach was soothed. Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t like oily and greasy food, but the meat in the bun had a chewy texture and the oil was just right. He didn¡¯t dislike it.


    Su Ru Hui was satisfied and put down the carriage curtain. He pulled the reins, and said in his heart: ¡°System, show me the way.¡±


    [Information unlocked: Jiang family route map.]


    A green arrow pointing out the direction appeared in front of Su Ru Hui. He started the carriage and rolled slowly onto the main road, gradually speeding up until it was almost as fast as lightning. When it was almost noon, he arrived at the Jiang family¡¯s mansion, which was located in Jing¡¯an Fang in the northwest of Yun Zhou. The mansion had a red gate and white walls, with a red lantern hanging under the eaves. Looking along the eaves, every ten steps had a lantern, and the end could not be seen. Any house with a ¡°Jiang¡± lantern hanging under the eaves was a Jiang family house.


    The gatekeeper saw Jiang Que Xie but didn¡¯t show any change in expression. He sent someone to inform the master of the house and had someone bring a wheelchair. The servant was truly thoughtful, and there was no hint of neglect towards Jiang Que Xie. However, this businesslike attitude already indicated a problem. Jiang Que Xie had lived in the Jiang family¡¯s mansion until he was seventeen years old, but no one had noticed that he had been replaced half a year ago. Even now, the attitude of the servants was not particularly warm or familiar, indicating that Jiang Que Xie had little presence in the Jiang family.


    [Reminder: Jiang Que Xie has 26 siblings, and his father Jiang Huai Cang probably doesn¡¯t even remember what he looks like.]


    This was a good thing. There were not many people familiar with Jiang Que Xie, which made it easier for Su Ru Hui to pretend to be him. The servant pushed the wheelchair for Sang Chi Yu and brought them to the small building where Jiang Que Xie used to live. Although it was remote, it was quite exquisite. The building was built over blue water, with eaves and ridges towering high, and red lotus blooming brightly in the pond. A beautiful woman stood by the doorstep. When she saw Jiang Que Xie, she burst into tears and cried out, ¡°My son!¡±


    [Judging from her appearance, this person is Jiang Que Xie¡¯s birth mother, Bai Cai Ping. She is 33 years old and is Jiang Huai Cang¡¯s 30th concubine. According to the information known to this system, Bai Cai Ping is having an affair with Jiang Huai Cang¡¯s eldest son.]


    Su Ru Hui smiled awkwardly and hugged Bai Cai Ping, shouting, ¡°Mother dearest!¡±


    Sang Chi Yu nodded and paid his respects to Bai Cai Ping without saying much. Bai Cai Ping turned her head away and wiped away tears when she saw Sang Chi Yu, saying to Su Ru Hui, ¡°My poor child, it¡¯s all because of your heartless father that you have to marry such a¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui instinctively glanced at Sang Chi Yu, who was sitting in a wheelchair, looking at the red lotus in the pond as if he hadn¡¯t heard anything.


    Bai Cai Ping choked up and said, ¡°Your unfortunate mother has never been the favored concubine. Your father won¡¯t come to see us today even though you¡¯ve returned. Luckily, your elder brother has always taken care of us and has gone to prepare a feast in the kitchen. Let¡¯s have a good reunion as a family today.¡±


    Su Ru Hui nodded. ¡°Elder brother is really kind. With him taking care of mother, I¡¯m very reassured.¡±


    Bai Cai Ping didn¡¯t notice anything amiss and cried, ¡°My child, you don¡¯t have to force a smile. If you¡¯ve suffered any grievances, tell me about them.¡±


    Su Ru Hui laughed, pushing Sang Chi Yu forward. ¡°Mother is worrying too much. My husband loves me very much, right, husband?¡¯


    Sang Chi Yu said nothing.


    Bai Cai Ping was half-believing, half-skeptical, and followed them into the small building.


    At the banquet, Su Ru Hui asked about Jiang Xue Ya, and Bai Cai Ping only said, ¡°The twelfth lady leads the Secret Sect¡¯s Iron Cavalry and is a busy person. I am a woman who only knows how to embroider and never leaves my house, so how could I meet her?¡¯


    It seemed that Su Ru Hui would have to try to run into her when she went out for a walk. The mansion was so big that the walking distance was a bit long, and Su Ru Hui felt tired just thinking about it. After dinner, Su Ru Hui led Sang Chi Yu back to their room to rest. After all, they were husband and wife, and Bai Cai Ping only gave them one room, which was originally Jiang Que Xie¡¯s room.


    Su Ru Hui was the first to see the four-poster bed in the room.


    [Information Unlocked: Jiang Que Xie¡¯s four-poster bed, where Bai Cai Ping and Jiang family¡¯s eldest son had a 300-round battle last night, and Bai Cai Ping was exhausted and defeated.]


    Su Ru Hui silently changed the bedding on the bed.


    Sang Chi Yu said, ¡°You rest here for the night. I¡¯ll leave first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re leaving right after dinner. That¡¯s so rude. I just told my mother you¡¯re good to me,¡± Su Ru Hui exclaimed.


    Sang Chi Yu was silent for a moment and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to go?¡± Su Ru Hui sat on the edge of the bed and looked at him.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why? Is my room not big enough for you?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t say anything. He sat there quietly, looking calm and ethereal, like a person made of ice and snow.


    Su Ru Hui felt depressed. He really didn¡¯t know why Sang Chi Yu had become like this, half-dead and half-alive. He endured it when others treated him badly, but when others treated him well, he pushed them away.


    What had he gone through?


    ¡°Husband, you¡¯re such a melancholic person.¡± Su Ru Hui sighed. ¡°When I hit you, you didn¡¯t want to leave me, but when I treat you well, you want to leave me. Why? I¡¯m curious, tell me why.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked away, his black eyes devoid of emotion. He didn¡¯t respond for a long time, and Su Ru Hui thought he was going to remain silent. Then he suddenly answered, ¡°I have guilt in my heart and I¡¯m suffering to atone for my sins.¡±


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    Indeed, Sang Chi Yu was the type of person who could do anything he set his mind to. Su Ru Hui had no words to reply.


    He continued to ask, ¡°Is it that you¡¯ll stay if I abuse you, trample on you, and bully you? Fine, you should have said so earlier. I¡¯m an expert at bullying people.¡±


    He stood up and walked step by step towards Sang Chi Yu. He had a wicked smile on his face, and just by looking at his face, one could tell he was full of bad intentions. He had a good-looking face, and when he smiled, his eyes sparkled, but he had a sly attitude that was not like a good person at all.


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him, his brow furrowed slightly. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Before he could finish his sentence, Su Ru Hui hugged his slim waist with one hand and put the other hand under his knee, lifting him up horizontally.


    ¡°Your waist is so slender,¡± Su Ru Hui laughed.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes widened with surprise, but he quickly suppressed it and said coldly, ¡°Put me down.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want me to bully you? I¡¯m not done yet.¡± Su Ru Hui walked to the bed and threw him onto it.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hairpin was askew, and Su Ru Hui crawled onto the bed, pressing against Sang Chi Yu. He lifted his hand and took away Sang Chi Yu¡¯s jade hairpin. His long, black hair fell like a waterfall. Su Ru Hui held his hair and smelled it, saying, ¡°It smells nice.¡±


    This finally made Sang Chi Yu angry. His face turned pale, and his arms trembled as he supported himself on the bed. He gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Get out.¡±


    ¡°What can you do if I don¡¯t? You can¡¯t beat me now that you have a lame leg, lost your spiritual power, and your body is weak.¡± Su Ru Hui grinned and put down his hair, then hooked his chin. ¡°Your appearance is really pleasing to the eye.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu could hardly pretend anymore and wished he could kick him off the bed. He moved his hand but suppressed it again. He didn¡¯t want Su Ru Hui to know that he had merged with the heart core and devoured the old dog.


    Sang Chi Yu closed his eyes and turned his head away, unwilling to look at this shameless lecher. Su Ru Hui moved closer, kneeling between Sang Chi Yu¡¯s legs. Su Ru Hui¡¯s gaze fell on his earlobe, which was pure white, like a small piece of jade. Su Ru Hui smiled maliciously and blew on his earlobe. Sure enough, the person beneath him trembled all over, like a plucked string.


    ¡°Why are you always so shameless?¡±


    Many people had called Su Ru Hui shameless, and he usually took it as a compliment. While feeling proud, Sang Chi Yu suddenly opened his eyes and kicked Su Ru Hui¡¯s knee. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t support himself and fell on top of Sang Chi Yu. Sang Chi Yu flipped over, and in an instant, their positions were reversed, with Su Ru Hui being pressed down.


    Su Ru Hui met Sang Chi Yu¡¯s deep black eyes. Like a deep sea, one could sink into them endlessly. In the quiet depths of his eyes, Su Ru Hui saw his own surprise.


    The two stared at each other for a moment, with hot breaths audible.


    After a while, Sang Chi Yu covered his eyes with his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this again next time.¡±


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s view was blocked, and he couldn¡¯t see Sang Chi Yu¡¯s face, but he could hear his voice, which sounded slightly hoarse.


    Su Ru Hui was about to move, but Sang Chi Yu thought he was going to cause trouble. He flipped him over, wrapped him in a blanket, and rolled him up tightly so that he looked like a human stick, with only his head sticking out. Su Ru Hui was taken aback. ¡°Let me out,¡± he said.


    Sang Chi Yu sat up and looked at him expressionlessly.


    Su Ru Hui wriggled like a caterpillar, but Sang Chi Yu held him down at the waist, making it impossible for him to free himself from the blanket.


    ¡°Please, let me out. I was wrong. Can¡¯t you forgive me?¡± Su Ru Hui pleaded.


    ¡°Sleep,¡± Sang Chi Yu said, covering his eyes with his hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep. Please, let me out,¡± Su Ru Hui begged.


    Sang Chi Yu remained motionless, his cold hand covering Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyelids. Surprisingly, it felt comfortable. After tossing and turning for a while, Su Ru Hui finally settled down. He could smell the fragrance on Sang Chi Yu¡¯s sleeve, which was reminiscent of medicine. He fell into a deep, sweet dream.


    When he woke up, it was getting dark outside. The room was dark and gloomy. Sang Chi Yu was gone, and the wheelchair was missing. Su Ru Hui assumed he had taken it with him.


    Su Ru Hui looked over and saw a communication compass on the edge of the bed. Obviously, Sang Chi Yu had left it in case he needed to call for him. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help but laugh. After laughing, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sad. Staying at Jiang family¡¯s house was only a temporary measure, and he couldn¡¯t stay here forever. He had to find a way to solve the big problem ¨C Han Ye.


    Casually lifting his eyes to look outside, he suddenly froze.


    Because he saw a dark figure outside the opposite window. A blurry face appeared on the white paper pasted on the window frame.


    Someone was peeking outside the window.


    Su Ru Hui was still in the shadow of the bed curtain, and the person outside should not have noticed that Su Ru Hui was already awake. Su Ru Hui remained motionless, and the shadow also remained still. The Jiang family was rich, and the window paper was thick, so the face only had a rough outline and the features could not be seen clearly. Su Ru Hui squinted and looked for a long time, but he could not make out the person¡¯s appearance. He stayed in this uncomfortable position for a long time, and his neck became extremely sore, like being pricked by a needle. When he could not hold it any longer, the shadow walked away.


    Su Ru Hui asked in his heart, ¡°System, who is that?¡±


    ¡¾The system can only recognize clear images. The other party¡¯s image is blurry and cannot be recognized.¡¿


    Useless system. Su Ru Hui cursed silently. He picked up the communication compass, put it in his pocket, and quietly walked out of the door, going to the window. The person was gone, but there were footprints on the ground. Su Ru Hui took a closer look, and his heart suddenly became cold. The shoe print was exactly the same as the shoe print Su Ru Hui had found on the windowsill of the Sang family on the day he woke up. Su Ru Hui had a good memory and could not have been mistaken.


    The killer was in the Jiang family.

 CH 8

    Night gradually fell, and everything in the Jiang family was shrouded in darkness. The moonlight was faint and scattered, shattered into starry dots and falling on the ripples of the pool. Dead water plants floated far away, all black, and the sparse and scattered silhouettes had a foreboding appearance.


    Staying at the Jiang residence was very dangerous and there could be trouble at night. Su Ru Hui quickly made a decision. Leaving the Jiang residence meant facing Han Ye, while staying at the residence meant facing the killer. Han Ye knew everything about the Jiang family, but the killer¡¯s spiritual powers were elusive and killing without a trace, making it difficult to deal with. Su Ru Hui made a quick decision to leave the mansion. After putting on his clothes, Su Ru Hui was about to leave when he stepped on something hard. He looked down and saw a cat¡¯s eye stone earring, with a barely visible bloodstain on the gold hook.


    This valuable earring could only belong to Bai Cai Ping, but how did it get bloodstained?


    Su Ru Hui furrowed his brows and crouched down to carefully examine the surroundings. There were bloodstains on the bed corners, the patterns on the Persian carpet, and the edges of the rosewood footrest, all centered around this four-poster bed.


    What happened between Jiang family¡¯s eldest son and Bai Cai Ping last night, apart from a three hundred-round battle?


    Su Ru Hui leaned down and looked under the bed. He met a pair of wide-open eyes.


    Bai Cai Ping¡¯s face was blue-black, with a look of astonishment. This expression was quite terrifying and scared Su Ru Hui. After a while, Su Ru Hui realized that this was a corpse. After pulling the body out for inspection, there were bruises on the forehead and the back of the head, only one earring on the ear. An ice cicada jade was placed in her mouth to preserve the corpse.


    [Obtained one dead Bai Cai Ping of the day.]


    Su Ru Hui was shocked. Bai Cai Ping had died last night, so what was the thing he saw during the day?


    Su Ru Hui remembered that when the system introduced the living Bai Cai Ping, it started with ¡°judging from her appearance.¡± Damn this system, playing word games with him. The living Bai Cai Ping was a fake. No wonder she didn¡¯t recognize Jiang Que Xie as a fake too.


    Jiang mansion was no longer safe. Su Ru Hui quickly packed his things and left. He did not see any servants on his way out, and the mansion was as silent as death. Su Ru Hui sighed to himself, realizing that trouble was everywhere.


    As he descended the stairs to the hall, he saw ¡°Bai Cai Ping¡± sitting behind a lacquered screen. Her silhouette was reflected on a piece of paper. She was blocking Su Ru Hui¡¯s path and was very difficult to deal with. Su Ru Hui bent down and drew a dagger from his boot, which he then placed behind his back. He slowly circled around the screen from behind. He could see Bai Cai Ping¡¯s profile. She had a gentle smile, just like during the day, but her beautiful and delicate face seemed somewhat stiff and horrifying now.


    He approached her step by step, but ¡°Bai Cai Ping¡± did not move. Su Ru Hui waved his hand in front of her face, but she did not react. He found it very strange. Su Ru Hui leaned closer to her face and examined her eyebrows, eyes, and lips in detail. He finally understood that she was a puppet. He drew his dagger and cut the flesh on the back of her neck. There was no blood. He tore off the skin to reveal a rusty meteorite skeleton covered with layers of artificial meridians wrapped in cowhide. The head contained a set of spirit stones, forming Su Ru Hui¡¯s own eight-trigram spirit star formation, which was the center of the flow of spiritual power and allowed the puppet to learn human behavior.


    This puppet had a delicate appearance, but it had been used for too long. The meridians had aged, and the flow of spiritual power was blocked. The puppet had broken down.


    [Information Unlock: This old but beautiful puppet was the first batch of song and dance puppets produced by the host when he was the boss of Paradise Pavilion. It has been modified for other purposes, such as disguising as Jiang Que Xie¡¯s mother.]


    Su Ru Hui lifted Bai Cai Ping¡¯s face. His snowflake emblem was carved in the center of her brow, indicating that this puppet was his creation.


    ¡°This is interesting. Hasn¡¯t the Secret Sect already taken control of my Phantom Puppets? Why does Jiang family still use the puppet I made?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    [Indeed, the Secret Sect has taken control of the Phantom Puppets. However, they have not cracked the core secret of the puppet, so they cannot create second-tier or higher mechanical puppets. Most second-tier puppets are fake, and the world recognizes the great genius Boss Su as the true master of the dual-cultivation puppet-making technique. Only you can create the perfect sexual intercourse experience!]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was not a reputation he wanted.


    Second-tier and fourth-tier puppets could only perform simple commands from their masters, but a first-tier puppet could learn how to speak and even think like a human. The so-called ¡°super-first-tier puppet¡± was no different from a living human, and was even stronger than one. Puppets could learn from humans, but they were still not human. They followed their master¡¯s orders and saw themselves as their master¡¯s tools.


    Forget it. It¡¯s all in the past. These things had nothing to do with him anymore.


    Su Ru Hui left the house and as he turned around, he saw a dark figure standing at the end of the wooden corridor. He stopped, and the figure slowly walked towards him. A fair face appeared from the shadows, and he saw a familiar face ¨C Jiang Xue Ya. She had a smile on her face, her delicate eyebrows curved like a new moon, and she called out, ¡°Little brother, you¡¯re finally back.¡±


    When Su Ru Hui was imprisoned in Kun Lun, Jiang Xue Ya visited him several times. At that time, the situation was not good, and their conversations were monitored. Every time they met, they couldn¡¯t say much. Later, he fell seriously ill, and in his last meeting with Jiang Xue Ya, he struggled to say to her, ¡°Senior sister, Zhou Xiao Su depends on you. Her husband has a twisted mind, and I¡¯m really worried.¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya held his shoulder and said solemnly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of Xiao Su. If that scumbag dares to bully her, I¡¯ll lead my troops to crush You Zhou. You don¡¯t have to worry, just die in peace.¡±


    Sighing, Su Ru Hui thought to himself, this woman really didn¡¯t know how to speak.


    Su Ru Hui was still very worried, so he said, ¡°What about you and Sang Chi Yu¡­¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s expression became even more sorrowful. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault. I didn¡¯t find out about that earlier.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Su Ru Hui asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the matter of both of you being in love with me.¡± Jiang Xue Ya sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s my fault, causing you two brothers to become enemies.¡±


    What the hell? Su Ru Hui was shocked and said, ¡°No¡­¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya interrupted him, ¡°No need to say more, I already know. Although I don¡¯t have any thoughts in that direction towards you or Sang Chi Yu, based on our many years of friendship, I can allow you both to enter my household together, as long as you get along well with my close friends. It¡¯s a pity that you¡­sigh, your health is a bit poor. I don¡¯t know if you can hold on until that day.¡±


    Su Ru Hui struggled to explain, ¡°Listen to me¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need an explanation,¡± Jiang Xue Ya said firmly.


    ¡°I must explain¡­¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya sighed. ¡°Alright, just say what you have to say. There¡¯s no need to pour your heart out. Sorry, we¡¯ve known each other for so many years. I feel a bit embarrassed.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui wanted to speak, but suddenly felt dizzy from the effects of the poison. He fainted. So he couldn¡¯t explain even until death. God had pity on him and gave him a chance to be reborn. He must make it clear that he didn¡¯t like Jiang Xue Ya! It was a misunderstanding, a huge one!


    But now he was Jiang Que Xie. How could he tell Jiang Xue Ya that Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t like her? His gaze shifted to Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s face. She smiled at him with narrowed eyes, the candlelight illuminating her eyebrows. Her eyes seemed to radiate an alluring light.


    Wait.


    Su Ru Hui suddenly realized that although he had met Jiang Xue Ya, the system didn¡¯t give him the completion prompt for the ¡°Find Jiang Xue Ya¡± task. This person was not Jiang Xue Ya at all.


    [This is a poor imitator. If the host¡¯s acting skills deserves an Oscar, she only deserves a Razzie.]


    Although he didn¡¯t understand what the system meant by Oscar and Razzie, Su Ru Hui realized that this person was a fake. Jiang Xue Ya had trained in martial arts with her master since she was young and excelled in swordsmanship and combat knife skills. She was not inferior to Sang Chi Yu at all. The fact that she could be replaced by someone else made Su Ru Hui¡¯s heart tremble. However, he remained calm and respectful, bowed and said, ¡°Sister, I pay my respects.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to see our father.¡±


    It felt like a pot was hanging over Su Ru Hui¡¯s heart. His fingers slightly tensed. Where was the real Jiang Xue Ya? Was she still alive? With the ¡°Find Jiang Xue Ya¡± mission, were they looking for a living person or a corpse? Su Ru Hui wondered if the so-called ¡°father¡± was still Jiang Huai Cang.


    What had happened to the Jiang family?


    Su Ru Hui lifted his head and quickly changed to a shy expression. ¡°Please wait, Sister, I need to go to the bathroom.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± smiled kindly.


    She was really a ¡°poor imitator,¡± Su Ru Hui thought. Jiang Xue Ya would never smile like this.


    He entered the bathroom, closed the door, and turned to the chamber pot. He was about to take out his communication compass when he inadvertently glanced at the dirty chamber pot next to his feet. It hadn¡¯t been cleaned for a long time and there were many people¡¯s residues inside. Just as he took a glance, Su Ru Hui¡¯s hand, which was reaching for the compass, froze. He saw ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s¡± face reflected in the yellowish liquid in the chamber pot. She was peeking from above the wooden door of the bathroom. Her round eyes stared directly at his back, and Su Ru Hui¡¯s feelings were complicated.


    Had he been exposed? Did she suspect him? Su Ru Hui¡¯s heart tightened.


    He glanced back at the liquid, and ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± seemed quite interested, showing no intention of leaving. This peeping posture was incredibly familiar. The person who had spied on him outside the window of the small building must have been her.


    It seemed that it wasn¡¯t suspicion, but rather curiosity. This weird person seemed to have a habit of peeping.


    However, if Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t use the bathroom, he would probably be suspected.


    Su Ru Hui gritted his teeth, untied his belt and took off his pants. He felt his scalp loosen, and the burning gaze behind him seemed to have disappeared. He turned his head, and the person was no longer there. Carefully peering out from the door, he saw her waiting at the end of the path and she didn¡¯t approach again.


    He squatted down and hurriedly took out a communication compass.


    The spiritual power of the compass flowed through, and a light blue symbol appeared on the compass. He heard Sang Chi Yu¡¯s voice: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you at home?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°What was the last sentence in the letter of divorce you wrote to me?¡±


    There was silence on the other end, and it was only after a while that Sang Chi Yu replied, ¡°May my husband be strong and healthy, live a thousand years.¡±


    It was indeed Sang Chi Yu himself, and Su Ru Hui was relieved. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll pass that sentence on to you verbatim. Although I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re ashamed of or why, I know it¡¯s no use being half-dead all the time. Take care of yourself first, and then you can find a way to make up for whatever mistake you¡¯ve made.¡± Su Ru Hui spoke quickly, ¡°There are a few meat buns in the kitchen. Eat them for dinner, and I¡¯ll make breakfast for you tomorrow when I come back.¡±


    After speaking, Su Ru Hui closed the compass. Sang Chi Yu was like a mud statue crossing the river, so he didn¡¯t want to add to his troubles by telling him about the danger at Jiang residence. Jiang Xue Ya had to be found, alive or dead, and he had to see her. However, the situation at Jiang residence was unclear and dangerous, so it was better to plan for the long term. Retreating was the best strategy.


    Su Ru Hui pulled up his pants, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door.


    Author¡¯s Note:


    This time, the role of intelligence was played by Su, the shou. He¡¯s probably the smartest shou out of all four novels I have written.


    Xiahou Lian: Am I stupid?


    Qi Yin: Should I leave?


    Bai Li Jueming: If I burn everyone smarter than me, then I¡¯m the smartest.

 CH 9

    On the other side, Sang Chi Yu stared at the silent communication compass for a long time without saying a word.


    ¡°Sang Gongzi, are you ready?¡± A man not far in front of him opened a deep blue vortex. ¡°This is my power, the Gate of Nothingness. Through this gate, you can go anywhere. My cultivation is still shallow, so I can only connect up to 300 miles away, which is enough to get you to the Black Street. Once you step into this gate, you will be one of us ¨C a member of the Black Street. So, how about it, Gongzi? Do you need to think about it?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu did not answer, but asked, ¡°How long does your transmission take? Can it be finished by tomorrow morning?¡±


    ¡°Gongzi can leave at any time. This time, it¡¯s just to let Gongzi get familiar with our Great Compassion Temple. Does Gongzi have other important matters?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu put away the compass and stepped into the vortex. The scenery before him changed dramatically. He arrived at a dilapidated temple, with the smell of charred meat in the air. Bright bonfires hit his eyes, and his cheeks felt the scorching heat. Countless men and women were drinking and eating meat around the bonfire, wrestling and fighting naked with each other, and some even rolled in the mud for fun. Most of them were people with spiritual power, whose appearance had undergone some slight mutations, with some having vertical pupils in their eyes, hairs growing on their cheeks, or lines appearing on their faces.


    Along the dilapidated red wall, there were many happy Buddha sculptures, either sitting or lying down. Each Buddha statue was having intercourse with a delicate and charming woman in its arms. Various lanterns swayed around, casting eerie and mysterious shadows on the Buddha¡¯s face.


    Those who couldn¡¯t walk in the sun gathered here, in the Black Street ¨C a settlement for refugees, murderers, and scum. Some of them entered the Great Compassion Temple to become monks, and the temple bestowed upon them a secret medicine that gave them the power to confront the forces of light.


    At the forefront of the temple was a strange black statue of Guan Yin (1). It had many twisted arms which stretched out in all directions, reminiscent of the terrifying tentacles of sea monsters. Standing on the statue was the owner of the Great Compassion Temple, and also the extraditor of Sang Chi Yu in the Black Street ¨C Hei Guan Yin.


    As soon as Sang Chi Yu entered, it was as if a bucket of ice had been poured into a boiling cauldron, and the noise immediately stopped. Everyone stared at him without blinking. Sang Chi Yu used to be their biggest enemy, and this man¡¯s hands were stained with the blood of scum. Almost all of the top one hundred evil people on the Black Street had been killed one by one by Sang Chi Yu.


    Hei Guan Yin reached out his hand towards Sang Chi Yu, and Sang Chi Yu stepped towards him.


    Everyone else watched this silent man pass by, whispering to him:


    ¡°Sang Chi Yu, my brother was killed by you, do you remember?¡±


    ¡°My beloved woman died in your hands. You took her pretty little head.¡±


    ¡°Eleven years ago, during the opening of the Secret Sect, you killed my husband.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu walked to the forefront. Hei Guan Yin smiled and said, ¡°But we don¡¯t hold any grudges against you. Killing on the Black Street is not a crime. In fact, we have long known that you will come to us someday. I don¡¯t know if you have noticed, but the sins on your hands are much heavier than ours, despite being a descendant of a noble family and the first disciple of the Secret Sect. However, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t force you to do anything you don¡¯t want to do.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin knew that Sang Chi Yu coming to the Black Street was a last resort. Kun Lun Secret Sect was where he grew up, and it was impossible to sever ties with his teachers, friends, and relatives in just one day. Moreover, Sang Chi Yu was a person of upright character, and it was already impressive that he could be persuaded to come to Black Street. As long as Hei Guan Yin could obtain information about Kun Lun Secret Sect from Sang Chi Yu, he would be satisfied.


    ¡°I want to ask you about someone,¡± Sang Chi Yu spoke up.


    ¡°Who?¡± Hei Guan Yin asked kindly.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion in the crowd as a group of men with painted faces entered the ruins of the Great Compassion Temple. They carried spirit fire guns and swaggered in with unfriendly expressions. The monks gritted their teeth and stood at the ready. A black-haired man walked slowly into the ruins. He was the only one without paint on his face and without a gun. His pure black outer robe shone with a radiant aura, as if moonlight were splashed over it.


    As long as one lived in the Black Street for a period of time, they would know that this was the most difficult gang to deal with in the Black Street ¨C the Paradise Pavilion. They had no faith, no rules, and their only creed was to indulge in pleasure.


    Han Ye clapped his hands and laughed, with a tone of sarcasm in his voice, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin ignored him and only asked Sang Chi Yu, ¡°Who does the gentleman seek? Ask me anything you want.¡±


    ¡°No need, he¡¯s already here.¡± Sang Chi Yu¡¯s gaze fell on Han Ye.


    Han Ye stood under the Thousand-Armed Guan Yin statue and faced Sang Chi Yu from a distance. He spoke first, ¡°Your Secret Sect has always regarded us as trash, as poisonous insects. Last time, when your people came to the Black Street, they all wore steel masks and claimed that the air here was toxic, and that just one breath would cause skin ulcers. Since Sang Gongzi has come, I have specially prepared something made of gold for you.¡±


    He threw the thing in his hand forward, and a shiny golden object rolled to Sang Chi Yu¡¯s feet. However, it was not a mask, but a muzzle.


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him expressionlessly.


    Han Ye laughed with malice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you try wearing it? I have always treated people from your Secret Sect with respect. Don¡¯t believe me? Come on, let Sang Gongzi see his colleague.¡±


    He clapped his hands and one of the subordinates from the Paradise Pavilion brought forward a crawling man, chained with a golden chain. The man wore the exact same golden muzzle as the one Han Ye had thrown at Sang Chi Yu, crawling on all fours like a dog. As soon as he tried to stand up, someone whipped his back immediately. His back was already bloody and mutilated, a gruesome sight. Sang Chi Yu recognized this man. His name was Li Meng. They were both part of the Secret Sect and often saw each other. His special power was Teleportation ¨C a common power among members of the Secret Sect.


    Li Meng also saw Sang Chi Yu and immediately burst into tears, calling out unintelligibly, ¡°Save me!¡±


    Han Ye raised his hand and the Paradise Pavilion member loosened the chain. Li Meng crawled and scrambled, dragging the jingling chain towards Sang Chi Yu, clinging to his leg with all his might. Han Ye laughed sinisterly. ¡°Hei Guan Yin, you are too naive. Would Sang Gongzi really harm a colleague? Do you expect him to attack Kun Lun when they face each other in the future? I suggest you think about whether he will remember past kindness or seek revenge.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin shook his head and laughed. ¡°I believe Sang Gongzi is not that kind of person. The Great Compassion Temple has shown him goodwill, and he will not let us down.¡±


    ¡°You are extremely foolish.¡± Han Ye¡¯s face turned cold.


    As soon as he finished speaking, a scream of horror sounded from behind him, and everyone around took a sharp breath. Han Ye frowned, seeing the shocked expressions around him and feeling suspicious. He turned around and saw Sang Chi Yu calmly inserting his fingers into Li Meng¡¯s eye sockets. The man, who had clung to Sang Chi Yu as if he was his last hope, trembled violently like a fish out of water. Blood flowed in rivulets, twisting around his face like snakes. He gradually weakened until he was motionless.


    As Sang Chi Yu withdrew his fingers, the moment they left the man¡¯s eye sockets, icy blue meridians retracted from his fingertips, unnoticed by anyone. He turned his face and met Han Ye¡¯s astonished gaze with emotionless eyes. Only then did Han Ye realize that Sang Chi Yu had changed; he was no longer the first disciple of the Secret Sect who had helped the needy and saved the world.


    The others did not expect Sang Chi Yu to really take action. Even Hei Guan Yin was somewhat surprised. What was even more surprising was that Sang Chi Yu not only made a move, but also did it so ruthlessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that killing is not illegal in the Black Street,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Han Ye suppressed his shock and said, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, I didn¡¯t expect¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t get to finish the sentence. A chill ran down his spine as a shadow enveloped him. He once again saw the shocked expressions of the others. Sang Chi Yu, who had been standing in the distance, had disappeared without a trace. At the same time, a cold hand clasped his neck from behind.


    The unexpected speed caught him off guard. He guessed that Sang Chi Yu had drunk a secret medicine, but he had not anticipated his power. The Black Street had a secret book that recorded all the information they had obtained about the Kun Lun Secret Sect so far, including the special powers of the Secret Sect¡¯s top experts that they knew of. Sang Chi Yu was a blank slate in it. Even though they knew he was a spiritual power user, the Black Street had never heard of Sang Chi Yu using his power in the many years of confrontation. Unexpectedly, Sang Chi Yu¡¯s special power, like his colleagues, was Teleportation. Han Ye¡¯s heart turned icy, and his fingers grew cold inch by inch.


    It would only take him five breaths to activate his Black Flame Fire, but he believed that Sang Chi Yu¡¯s speed in breaking his neck would not exceed one breath.


    He was doomed.


    However, Sang Chi Yu did not make a move. He instead released his grip on Han Ye¡¯s neck.


    The icy breath receded, and Han Ye¡¯s stiff back relaxed slightly. He turned his head in confusion, wondering why Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t kill him. He could clearly feel Sang Chi Yu¡¯s chilling killing intent. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s gaze seemed to fall on the top of his head, and he reached up to touch his hair, realizing that the black sandalwood hairpin was missing.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing anything? Don¡¯t expect me to be grateful,¡± Han Ye sneered.


    Sang Chi Yu brushed past him, walking towards Hei Guan Yin.


    This kid seemed to think he was better than him. Han Ye¡¯s temple twitched as he restrained himself and said to Sang Chi Yu¡¯s back, ¡°Since you¡¯ve made up your mind to join the Black Street, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. By the way, my undercover agent retrieved some information from the Kun Lun Secret Sect, and I thought you might be interested.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Hei Guan Yin became interested. ¡°Please tell us more.¡±


    Han Ye waved his hand, and the people of Paradise Pavilion stepped back. Hei Guan Yin nodded and the monks of Great Compassion Temple slowly withdrew. In the ruins, only the core members of the Paradise Pavilion and Great Compassion Temple remained. Sang Chi Yu was not interested in their conversation and wanted to leave, but Hei Guan Yin asked him to stay.


    Han Ye slightly raised his lips and lowered his voice, ¡°Su Ru Hui is not dead. My people saw him with their own eyes. The Kun Lun Secret Sect has hidden him.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was slightly startled, and his calm eyes looked at Han Ye without any ripple.


    Footnotes


    1. Guan Yin ¨C a bodhisattva in Chinese Buddhism, is a figure who has attained enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world to help others reach enlightenment. Guan Yin is often depicted as a female figure, and is associated with compassion, mercy, and kindness.

 CH 10

    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± stood at the end of the path waiting, but Su Ru Hui was taking a long time in the bathroom. She looked over and took a step forward. Suddenly, a dark shadow fell from above, crushing her back. Su Ru Hui used his knee to press against the back of her neck, causing her to fall heavily into the mud.


    It had been a long time since he had used violence, so Su Ru Hui¡¯s actions were somewhat rusty. He had intended to press down on her shoulders, but had inadvertently pressed down on her neck instead. The neck bones of the human body are very fragile, and with Su Ru Hui¡¯s weight pressing down, they could easily have been shattered. However, the person beneath him was completely unharmed, and the eye that faced up rolled around in its socket like a bouncing ball before settling on Su Ru Hui.


    She said, ¡°Little brother, you took your time in the bathroom.¡±


    This scene was too eerie, and Su Ru Hui was deeply frightened. He quickly bound her arms behind her back and dragged her to a nearby tree.


    ¡°Who are you, really?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m your sister, Jiang Xue Ya,¡± she replied with a smile.


    ¡°Don¡¯t play games.¡± Su Ru Hui drew a dagger and gestured towards her chest and abdomen. ¡°Don¡¯t make me use force. I won¡¯t be merciful.¡±


    The curve of her smile did not diminish at all, and her face seemed to be wearing a delicate mask, making her look very strange.


    Her answer changed, ¡°Child, you cannot defeat us. Do not try to resist us, and do not try to kill us. Your power is meaningless in front of us. We have been waiting for you for a long time. Please go to the main hall to see Jiang Huai Cang ¨C your father.¡±


    This answer was as good as none, and Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t have time to argue with her. He asked, ¡°Where is the real Jiang Xue Ya?¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± maintained her smile and remained silent.


    Since she wasn¡¯t cooperating, he could only resort to torture. Su Ru Hui stabbed her shoulder with the dagger, and blood poured into the groove, but her smile remained unchanged, as if she couldn¡¯t feel the pain at all. Su Ru Hui understood that using torture on her would be useless.


    If only there was a special power that could make this guy tell the truth.


    [Reminder: Jiang Mansion is covered by the Dong Xuan Realm special power ¡°Pure Land,¡± which nullifies all unassigned spiritual powers within the area.]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    These monsters are really not to be underestimated. Su Ru Hui knocked out the girl with a punch.


    Better run for now. Su Ru Hui returned to the small building where Bai Cai Ping¡¯s puppet was still sitting there, with the same exquisite smile as ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡±, which made people¡¯s hair stand on end. Su Ru Hui tore off her face and pasted it on his own face. He changed into Bai Cai Ping¡¯s dress and tied the dagger to his thigh. The disguise was very crude and could be easily detected during the day, and the dress was too short for him, with the hem only reaching his calf. Fortunately, it was nighttime now, and the flaw couldn¡¯t be noticed from a distance.


    He recalled the route he took during the day, which required passing through two courtyards and a winding corridor. Walking along the covered corridor, he exited through the door. Outside, there were vague figures of people everywhere, like ghosts wandering in the shadows of trees. He quickly turned around and walked up another winding corridor. The red light of the lantern shrouded his face, a very ominous blood red color, and the entire mansion was enveloped in a crimson light, as if blood was flowing everywhere.


    After walking down the corridor, he noticed crowds of people moving in the dark forest ahead. He broke out in cold sweat. He turned around and wanted to run, but saw that the wooden corridor was already crowded with people. These people walked without a sound, like ghosts. His actions had long been discovered, and they watched him scurry around like teasing a mouse in a cage.


    Su Ru Hui was panting. He sat on the railing with his baggage, waving his hand. ¡°I won¡¯t run anymore. If you want to kill or torture me, do as you please.¡±


    A hand was placed on his shoulder, and he turned his face to see an old man¡¯s face. The face was smiling extremely strangely, and Su Ru Hui almost passed out.


    SuRu Hui pushed away the hand covered with spots from his shoulder and forced a dry smile. ¡°To be frank, your imitation is really clumsy. Why don¡¯t we meet each other properly?¡± As he spoke, he tore off the fake skin on his face. It was really stuffy to wear this thing, and he didn¡¯t think these weird people were faring any better.


    Jiang Huai Cang shook his head. ¡°Our appearance is too ugly for you. If you see it, you will definitely be very frightened. Don¡¯t think about running away anymore. Among us, there is a companion who possesses the ¡®Heavenly Eye¡¯ special power, and the Jiang Mansion is under his surveillance at all times. No matter where you escape, he can see it.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± walked out from behind him, still with the same smiling eyes.


    Having seen it many times, Su Ru Hui got used to it, and he put on a careless smile, hands in his sleeves, saying, ¡°You should have told me earlier, making me tire myself to death. Come on, old man, let¡¯s talk nicely.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang squinted his eyes and smiled. ¡°Talk? What is there to talk about between us? You should be begging us to spare your life.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no.¡± Su Ru Hui waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s you who need me, not the other way around. You need me.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Huai Cang feigned a smile. ¡°What gives you such confidence when you are so insignificant? Beg for our help, and we won¡¯t take your life.¡±


    Su Ru Hui mimicked his fake smile. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but you have infiltrated the Jiang family mansion and replaced Jiang family members, making you very powerful. Unfortunately, from what I have seen, your acting and disguise skills are very poor. In terms of imitation techniques, you are worse than monkeys. You can¡¯t show up in front of people everywhere, or you will be easily discovered. You are strong, strong enough to wipe out the Jiang family unnoticed, but your biggest reason for success is the element of surprise and the suppression of other spiritual power using the ¡®Pure Land¡¯ technique. If you were to face other spiritual power users head-on, the situation would likely be drastically different. I think you should be very wary of the Kun Lun Secret Sect, where there are many skilled practitioners.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang maintained his smile.


    ¡°So you need someone ¨C a true Jiang family member who doesn¡¯t need to disguise himself. Someone who can work for you.¡± Su Ru Hui rubbed his chin. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you chose me a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Tell us why we chose you?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t trust me because I¡¯m not of your kind. So you control the lives of the Jiang family members. I don¡¯t think your original purpose was to kill, only to replace. You replaced carefully, even continuing the habits of the late Jiang eldest son¡ªsleeping with my mother. But I¡¯m afraid my mother found out about your trickery and even resisted fiercely, forcing you to kill her.¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed in embarrassment. This was the real meaning of the system¡¯s ¡°fighting for 300 rounds.¡± This trash system was not speaking clearly and misleading him.


    He continued, ¡°Even so, there should still be a considerable number of Jiang family members alive, and you want to use their lives to threaten me.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang sighed. ¡°You are a smart child.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not the most important reason why you chose me,¡± Su Ru Hui pondered. ¡°I really can¡¯t figure out what makes me so special.¡±


    ¡°Because you don¡¯t have any spiritual power,¡± Jiang Huai Cang told him. ¡°We need someone to enter the Secret Sect and explore a place that a spiritual power user cannot enter. You are a Jiang family member, and your entry into the Secret Sect is easier than that of an ordinary person. You are Sang Chi Yu¡¯s wife, and you can learn the complete map of the Secret Sect from his mouth. Note that I said the complete map. There are some areas of the Secret Sect that are not marked on the map, and the highest level of security is set up there. Sang Chi Yu was once the head disciple, and only he knows where those places are. Among them, there is a place that hides the deepest secret of the Secret Sect. As far as we know, that place has a maze. The secrets of the maze are mysterious, and we cannot understand them. But this maze has a feature: it allows ordinary people to pass through it.¡±


    ¡°A secret?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Jiang Huai Cang¡¯s eyes became deep. ¡°More than thirty years ago, a woman from the Secret Sect stole our unparalleled sword, and sealed it within the Secret Sect. Our clan has been wandering for many years, traveling thousands of miles in the rain and snow, just to find our weapon.¡±


    ¡°What does this peerless blade look like?¡± Su Ru Hui asked, ¡°Draw me a picture.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang smiled mysteriously. ¡°When you enter the Maze Array, we will naturally give you further instructions.¡±


    Finding something was not a difficult task, but what was worth investigating was the identity of these strange people. Su Ru Hui calmly assessed these weirdos, feeling an indescribable sense of discomfort from them. It was difficult to describe this feeling, like a dog speaking human language or a human behaving like a dog. It was very jarring.


    They claimed to be a group which opposed the Secret Sect, which was possible. In recent years, the Secret Sect had expanded its territory, and had indeed eliminated many of the old clans in the deep mountains, such as the Southern Marsh Miao and the Desert Sea Qiang tribes. Their land was now full of crops and houses, incorporated into the forty-nine states. Which tribe were these people from?


    ¡°Shall we make a deal, little brother?¡± ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± asked gently.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Su Ru Hui readily agreed, ¡°This is a good deed of helping others, and I cannot refuse. Rest assured, I love to see happy endings. If I see a cat and a dog on the road, I will chase them to make a pair.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± tilted her head and looked at him. ¡°But we killed your mother. Don¡¯t you hate us? I know that you often have a discrepancy between your words and actions. When you speak, it is always a string of lies. Perhaps you are just compromising, waiting for the opportunity to turn against us in the future. Tell us the truth, don¡¯t hide anything. My special power is ¡®Lie Detector,¡¯ and you cannot lie in front of us.¡±


    Su Ru Hui innocently blinked. ¡°I really don¡¯t want revenge, and I don¡¯t hate you at all.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± and Jiang Huai Cang looked at each other.


    ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth. My technique has been activated,¡± said ¡°Jiang Xue Ya.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang smiled and sighed. ¡°He¡¯s a cold-hearted child.¡±


    Su Ru Hui smiled falsely. These weirdos would never think that just as they could replace the Jiang family, others could also replace the Jiang Que Xie. He had no blood ties with Bai Cai Ping, so he wouldn¡¯t want to seek revenge for her, although he regretted that she had to die.


    ¡°Compared to the dead, I care more about the living,¡± Su Ru Hui said slowly. ¡°How many people in the Jiang family are still alive?¡±


    ¡°Your father, brother, and sister are still alive,¡± Jiang Huai Cang replied.


    Having obtained the information he wanted, Su Ru Hui nodded readily. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do this deal. I¡¯ll take on the task of exploring the Kun Lun Secret Sect for you.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang nodded with a smile. ¡°Very good. From today onwards, you are our representative. Your mission is to find out the secrets of the Kun Lun Secret Sect and bring them to us intact, despite their best efforts to conceal them. To dispel your doubts, we promise that giving us that secret will not pose any threat to you or your family.¡±


    Su Ru Hui also solemnly declared, ¡°From today onwards, I am your representative. I swear to the heavens that if I betray you, let me be struck by lightning!¡±


    Under the power of the Lie Detector, he could not lie, of course. The strange people nodded happily.


    With such a vast difference in strength, they could control him. Jiang Xue Ya was temporarily safe, so he agreed to the conditions of these strange people, waiting to rescue Jiang Xue Ya in the future. But how could he do such a dangerous thing for them without asking for some benefits?


    Su Ru Hui rubbed his hands and smiled. ¡°Senior brothers, you know that I am a poor person without any spiritual power. The Kun Lun Secret Sect is a dangerous place, and I will be going alone. Except for my courage, I have nothing else to rely on. Senior brothers are all great masters of spiritual powers. It must be no problem to give me a few talismans for self-defense, right? If possible, I would like to have some ¡®Lie Detector¡¯ and ¡®Pure Land¡¯ ones.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang agreed, and the black shadows around them flickered with golden light between their fingers. Blood seeped from their fingertips as they wrote countless talismans. The talismans floated towards Su Ru Hui, who hastily accepted them. He received five ¡®Lie Detector¡¯ talismans, two ¡®Pure Land¡¯ talismans, seven ¡®Teleportation¡¯ talismans, one ¡®Gate of Nothingness¡¯ talisman, one ¡®Divine Concealment¡¯ talisman that could temporarily make someone invisible, and one ¡®Divine Eye¡¯ talisman that could see through objects, a total of sixteen talismans. Spiritual power users consumed a great deal of energy and blood to draw talismans, and they couldn¡¯t recover without resting for seven or eight days. These strange people gave him sixteen talismans all at once, truly generous.


    Su Ru Hui was a cunning person and wouldn¡¯t stop until he had stripped them bare. He put on a smiling face and said, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a bit tight on cash lately. You know, we mortals rely heavily on social connections, and it costs money to make connections. Not to mention, I have a weak and helpless husband at home, so that¡­¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang said, ¡°Jiang Mansion has always been your home. You can take whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Su Ru Hui patted his chest. ¡°Seniors, please rest assured that I will take care of your affairs! I am willing to do anything for you!¡±


    Wait a minute, Su Ru Hui suddenly remembered something. After talking for a while, he was able to confirm that these monsters really had no intention of killing Jiang Que Xie. When Fake Jiang Xue Ya sneaked into his bedroom that day, it was only for observation and surveillance. After all, he was their chosen candidate, and they did not want to kill him.


    Someone else was plotting to kill Jiang Que Xie.


    As he pondered heavily on this matter, ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± handed him a communication compass and said, ¡°This is a compass specially designed to contact us. The spell has been engraved. We have learned that the Frontline Guards of the Secret Sect will issue a recruitment notice in various places. This is the best opportunity for you to enter the Secret Sect. Our imitation is not enough to deceive others, so I will change to a suitable identity and wait for you in Kun Lun.¡±


    Su Ru Hui took the compass and left with a bulging purse. ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± and Jiang Huai Cang watched him disappear around the wooden corridor. Jiang Huai Cang smiled and sighed. ¡°You have learned to lie.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my special power is not ¡®Lie Detector,¡¯ but ¡®Mind Reading.¡¯ When I concentrate, I can read the thoughts of the person in front of me.¡± ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± said, ¡°In the mortal world, lying is the first rule.¡±


    ¡°So, can we trust him?¡±


    ¡°Whether he can be trusted or not is not important. What matters is whether he can be useful to us. After all, he is Su Ru Hui.¡± ¡°Jiang Xue Ya¡± looked towards the northern sky. ¡°The Black Street betrayed him, and the Secret Sect imprisoned him. Both are his enemies. The person he truly cares about is Jiang Xue Ya. As long as he thinks that Jiang Xue Ya is in our hands, he can be useful to us. Please ask Lord Shen Tu to search for Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s whereabouts and find her before Su Ru Hui does.¡±


    Jiang Huai Cang nodded. He saw Su Ru Hui¡¯s floral cloth bundle fall. There were a few spiders crawling on the cloth, so Jiang Huai Cang brushed them off and ordered someone to send the bundle back to Su Ru Hui.

 CH 11

    Black Street, the Great Compassion Temple.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible,¡± Sang Chi Yu spoke up, ¡°Su Ru Hui is already dead.¡±


    Han Ye glanced at him and said slowly, ¡°Three days ago, the Kun Lun Secret Sect secretly invited the divine physician Huang Zhi Bei from Yu Zhou. One of my capable subordinates infiltrated Huang Zhi Bei¡¯s team. The sect was very cautious and only allowed Huang Zhi Bei to bring one disciple into the mountains. My subordinate replaced his senior disciple and successfully infiltrated the sect. The sect put them to sleep, and they were awakened in the Immortals Cave.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin unfolded a map of the border region. The map showed a snowy mountain range with bustling markets and buildings below.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking. The maps circulated on the market won¡¯t have the Immortals Cave marked on them,¡± Han Ye said, crossing his arms. ¡°According to reliable sources, the Immortals Cave is where the Secret Sect is holding Su Ru Hui captive. It is surrounded by three layers of maze arrays, which even the practitioners of spiritual powers cannot enter. Ordinary people without spiritual powers will also lose their way in the arrays. Five years ago, the Secret Sect announced to the world that Su Ru Hui was seriously ill and had died. However, the last message my subordinate received was ¡®Boss Su is still alive. The Secret Sect is crazy. Come and save him.¡¯ After that, he was discovered by the sect and lost contact with us. His situation is probably not good.¡±


    He looked at Sang Chi Yu and said, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, why did you say that Su Ru Hui was dead? Did you see it with your own eyes?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t respond. His black and deep eyes were as calm as the sea.


    Not only did he see it with his own eyes, but he also killed Su Ru Hui with his own hands.


    Besides, Su Ru Hui had already been reborn in Jiang Que Xie¡¯s body. How could there be two Su Ru Huis in this world?


    ¡°Hey, answer me,¡± Han Ye called out to him.


    ¡°Never mind,¡± he lied.


    ¡°Well, that settles it. You were just guessing. Su Ru Hui is still alive, but to be honest, I only know that he is alive. The Secret Sect secretly invited a divine physician, so Su Ru Hui¡¯s situation is not optimistic. He is poisoned and was already seriously ill when he left Black Street. Even if we save him, he may not live long.¡± Han Ye rubbed the steel ring on his thumb. ¡°But, the Paradise Pavilion will definitely go to save him.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin sighed. ¡°To make up for your betrayal?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think of it.¡± Han Ye arrogantly lifted his chin. ¡°Hei Guan Yin, are you in or out?¡±


    Hei Guan Yin laughed hoarsely. ¡°Boss Su has helped Black Street. Who among us has not received his kindness? Now that we are certain that Boss Su is still alive, the Great Compassion Temple will naturally do its best to help him leave Kun Lun. However, the Secret Sect is dangerous, and our journey is fraught with danger. I think it¡¯s not too much to ask for the ¡®Mechanical Arsenal.''¡±


    As soon as these words were spoken, everyone whispered about Su Ru Hui¡¯s ¡°Mechanical Arsenal.¡± Its fame was widespread, and everyone knew about it.


    When Su Ru Hui was captured by the Secret Sect, all of his puppets, designs, and formations were obtained by them. This included his beast puppets, flesh puppets, and various unfinished works. The Secret Sect hid these things in one place, which outsiders named the ¡°Mechanical Arsenal.¡± The puppets were already enough to make people envious, butrt there were even rumors that Su Ru Hui¡¯s Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet was also among them.


    Han Ye laughed. ¡°Old fox, your plan sounds good. Okay, if we win, the Mechanical Arsenal is yours. Paradise Pavilion only wants to bring Su Ru Hui home safely.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin thanked him with clasped hands. ¡°The Great Compassion Temple will definitely assist with all its strength. Please give us the instructions.¡±


    Han Ye said, ¡°Last month, Kun Lun Secret Sect¡¯s Frontline Guards returned from mining with heavy losses. Tomorrow, they will post notices in Yun Zhou City to recruit people. Those with excellent physical skills will have priority, and those with spiritual powers will be directly admitted. I have bought a batch of household registration documents, and our people can use these to enlist. The Frontline Guards rarely expand their recruitment, and this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if it¡¯s not for saving Su Ru Hui, it¡¯s a good opportunity to infiltrate the Secret Sect.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your information.¡± Hei Guan Yin clasped his hands. ¡°But we don¡¯t need your household registration documents.¡±


    Han Ye sneered. He knew Hei Guan Yin was a crafty old fox. If he used his household registration documents to enlist, Han Ye would be able to obtain a list of undercover agents in the Great Compassion Temple. Hei Guan Yin was wary of this and refused to use Han Ye¡¯s household registration documents. Hei Guan Yin said he had promised to save Su Ru Hui, but in reality, he was plotting something. This old monster¡¯s words were not to be trusted at all. However, regardless of the situation, Han Ye had already achieved his goal. With the Great Compassion Temple causing trouble for the Secret Sect, the probability of Paradise Pavillion rescuing Su Ru Hui would be much greater.


    ¡°Those with spiritual powers are qualified to receive official titles, and background checks are very strict. The Secret Sect will also use ¡®Lie Detector¡¯ to inspect those who are selected. I suggest you disguise yourselves as ordinary people and apply.¡± He waved his hand and said, ¡°The message has been delivered. I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu suddenly spoke up, ¡°I¡¯ll join.¡±


    He wanted to investigate what exactly the Secret Sect was hiding in the Immortals Cave.


    Han Ye narrowed his eyes and looked at the man sitting in meditation under the Happy Buddha statue. He had been silent all along, like a shadow with no presence, and Han Ye thought he was not listening. After all, he and Su Ru Hui had been archenemies for many years, and even if Sang Chi Yu was not a person who sought revenge for the slightest grievance, he would not lend a helping hand to Su Ru Hui. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s sudden request to join them surprised Han Ye for a moment.


    Sang Chi Yu raised his eyes, and the candlelight sank between his eyebrows, with a hint of coldness. He said, ¡°Five years ago, I guarded the Immortals Cave and had a way to break the formation.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin nodded. ¡°With Master Sang¡¯s assistance, we will be like tigers with wings. This time, the Paradise Pavillion and the Great Compassion Temple will join forces to deal a heavy blow to Kun Lun.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, old fox,¡± Han Ye said to Hei Guan Yin, ¡°Can I speak alone with Master Sang for a while?¡±


    Hei Guan Yin smiled but did not move.


    ¡°I won¡¯t try to steal your thunder, it¡¯s just a private matter,¡± Han Ye said.


    Hei Guan Yin tucked in his sleeves and bowed. ¡°Please go ahead.¡±


    After everyone had left, only Han Ye and Sang Chi Yu were left, one standing and the other sitting. The bonfire was burning high, crackling, and the Happy Buddha¡¯s compassionate face was illuminated by the flickering light, occasionally revealing a hint of ferocity.


    Han Ye said, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, if I save Su Ru Hui in the future, I will imprison him as my slave. Please don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    The scorching air around them suddenly cooled, and Han Ye felt killing intent from the other side.


    Sure enough. He sneered inwardly.


    ¡°Sang Chi Yu, people say you are upright and virtuous, but they don¡¯t know that you have ulterior motives. I used to think you were different from those hypocritical officials, but it turns out that you are even worse than them. However¡­¡± He smirked. ¡°Black Street welcomes people like you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s expression did not change at all, as if he did not hear Han Ye¡¯s slander. He calmly asked, ¡°The hairpin, did he give it to you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about this?¡± Han Ye took the wooden hairpin from his hair, made of black ebony and carved with a rough little flower on the top. ¡°Yes, it was given to me by him. My mother was a prostitute, and half the people on the Black Street were her customers. One day she died in bed, and I became a street urchin. Su Ru Hui gave me this hairpin, and told me to go to the Paradise Pavilion. He told me not to give up, calling me little brother. At that time, I thought he was a good brother, and for him, I wanted to survive. I worked hard to climb to his side and became his most capable right-hand man. Then I saw him give the same wooden hairpin to another child and told him to report to the Paradise Pavilion. That¡¯s when I realized that most of the orphans in Paradise Pavilion had his carved wooden hairpins. He would carve little trinkets whenever he had time, and they piled up in his room, leaving no place to step.¡±


    Han Ye sneered. ¡°He can casually give something away, and make a child who was crawling in the mud willing to do anything for him. If he did it on purpose, I would admire his cunning. But he¡¯s not like that. He¡¯s just a good-for-nothing person. He wants to take in orphans and save old people. That¡¯s what I hate the most about him. He saves so many people that when I came to him, he had already forgotten who I was. What¡¯s the use of saving so many people? When the Secret Sect attacked, the person who sold him out was someone he had saved before.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu remained silent, with his lips pursed.


    ¡°I betrayed him,¡± Han Ye¡¯s voice was bitter. ¡°I thought he would remember me for the rest of his life because of that.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyelids and said, ¡°You betrayed him because he was terminally ill, and the Black Street had no way to help him, but the Secret Sect could recruit doctors from all over the world. But you didn¡¯t expect that the Secret Sect was equally helpless.¡±


    Han Ye¡¯s expression became desolate for a moment. ¡°Even you can see that, but he couldn¡¯t. When he left, he looked at me with eyes full of disgust, and I still remember it to this day.¡± He didn¡¯t speak for a while, then put on a malicious smile. ¡°He¡¯s someone who can¡¯t sit still. He likes to tinker with all sorts of things. The Secret Sect has kept him prisoner for so long, and he must have suffered all this time.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t answer, silently gazing at the jumping campfire beside him.


    Han Ye didn¡¯t need to say it. Sang Chi Yu knew what kind of person Su Ru Hui was. Since he was ten years old and met Su Ru Hui, he had never been short of admirers. Why did so many people like Su Ru Hui? It was really strange. He was noisy, shameless, vulgar, and annoying to everyone.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing,¡± Han Ye continued. ¡°Jiang Que Xie¡­ Did he give you a hairpin too? That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t attack me when you saw this hairpin. I advise you to forget about him. He probably forgot about giving you a hairpin a long time ago.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyebrows and eyelashes. Han Ye was right. Su Ru Hui was always like that. He was good to everyone. His kindness overflowed, and his memory was poor.


    Facing Han Ye¡¯s mocking gaze, Sang Chi Yu said, ¡°Leave him alone.¡±


    Han Ye sneered. Sang Chi Yu, a hypocrite who became a villain after entering the Black Street, still wanted to help the needy. It was embarrassing to fight just to win the favor of one man, and Han Ye lost interest. He said, ¡°Forget it then. One last piece of advice for you, Hei Guan Yin is not a good person. You better be careful of him. There are dangerous ingredients in his Wuji Powder. If you can, find a doctor to check it out.¡±

 CH 12

    Han Ye left the Great Compassion Temple and walked along the narrow alley of the Black Street. The sticky sewage water wetted his boots. The houses were piled up like blocks, and some of them were even hanging under others like cages, not much bigger than a carriage compartment. A family of three lived in such a small house. Han Ye sometimes felt like they were in prison, rotting in the small house.


    The thugs from Paradise Pavillion followed him silently. ¡°Brother Ye, did you really give up Boss Su¡¯s Mechanical Arsenal just like that?¡±


    Han Ye smirked and said, ¡°Without Su Ru Hui¡¯s crystal mirror, no one can control the puppets in the arsenal. Otherwise, why hasn¡¯t the Secret Sect used them in so many years?¡± He took out a single-sided crystal mirror from his pocket and turned the copper legs of the mirror, on which several short thorns as fine as hair slowly extended. ¡°The beast puppets are different from other low-grade puppets. They need to execute complex tactical commands, and simple commands cannot control them. When wearing this crystal mirror, the thorns will pierce behind the ear and import spiritual energy flow, establishing a channel between the manipulator¡¯s spiritual consciousness and the puppet¡¯s spiritual star array. Only then will the beast puppets obey orders.¡±


    The thug suddenly realized. ¡°Brother Ye is wise. With this crystal mirror in our hands, the Arsenal is ours no matter what.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much.¡± Han Ye put the crystal mirror back in his pocket. ¡°This mirror broke a long time ago. Nowadays, no one in the world can make a second one except for Su Ru Hui.¡±


    ¡ª


    It was barely dawn outside when Su Ru Hui returned home. He lifted his palm, and a small iron-armored spider climbed onto his fingertip.


    ¡°Back already?¡± Su Ru Hui smiled and said, ¡°What did those strange people say? Tell me what you learned.¡±


    He deliberately left his package in the corridor to let his Wind-Stealing Spider eavesdrop on their conversation. As expected, the spider moved its mouthparts and repeated word for word what the fake Jiang Xue Ya and Jiang Huai Cang had said after he left.


    After listening, Su Ru Hui raised his eyebrows in surprise. He didn¡¯t expect the real Jiang Xue Ya to not be with those weirdos, but where could she be? Fake Jiang Xue Ya could read minds, and this special power was quite tricky. Su Ru Hui put away the small spider and counted the items in his hand. He now had a pile of secret talismans, and even if he couldn¡¯t defeat the Paradise Pavilion, he had plenty of escape options, so he wasn¡¯t worried at all. But just to be safe, he still had to think of ways to arm himself as much as possible.


    Suddenly there was a ¡°beep¡± in his ear.


    [¡°Find Jiang Xue Ya¡± mission failed. Host receives system degradation and insult X1.]


    Su Ru Hui was surprised. What was this thing?


    [¡°Su Ru Hui, you are an ordinary little trash.¡±]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    Die, useless system.


    The corridor was cold and deserted. The windows and doors of Sang Chi Yu¡¯s room were closed tightly, and Su Ru Hui thought he was still asleep. He didn¡¯t disturb Sang Chi Yu and went straight to the kitchen to make breakfast. He first made two large rice balls, stuffed with golden-yellow salted egg yolk and finely chopped beef. Sang Chi Yu wasn¡¯t picky; he ate whatever Su Ru Hui gave him. Even though Su Ru Hui knew he didn¡¯t like meat, considering his weak body, he still had to stuff him with more meat.


    He poured two cups of plum juice, and breakfast was almost ready. He listened outside the door of the room and there was still no sound. Usually, Sang Chi Yu would already be up by now. He had regular routines and was strict with himself, and he never slept until mid-morning. Su Ru Hui looked at the sun in the sky, frowned, and pushed open the door.


    The room was empty.


    Su Ru Hui was stunned and searched for Sang Chi Yu everywhere, but he couldn¡¯t find a single strand of hair. All his clothes and shoes had been taken away. If the bad guy had abducted him, there was no reason for them to pack up his things. Sang Chi Yu left on his own. Su Ru Hui was so angry that he could spit blood. He thought that he and Sang Chi Yu had already made everything clear. They would leave in a few days as Sang Chi Yu wished. He didn¡¯t expect this heartless guy to leave without saying anything.


    This guy was covered in injuries and had a lame leg. Where could he go?


    Su Ru Hui was so angry that he wanted to beat someone up. He calmed down and thought about where Sang Chi Yu could go and who he could turn to. Sang Chi Yu said he had no friends. Did he have to rely on himself to survive? He had been in Kun Lun Secret Sect since he was a child, rarely socialized with outsiders, and didn¡¯t even know how dangerous the world was. He was the first disciple of Kun Lun, living a privileged life, and had never tried to make a living by himself. Su Ru Hui could almost imagine this idiot becoming a homeless person.


    Su Ru Hui thought sadly that he should go to the poorest part of the town or slave mine in a few days to see if he could find him.


    As he was thinking, he saw clothes flash by the corner door. Su Ru Hui was startled and shouted, ¡°Sang Chi Yu!¡±


    No one answered, and Su Ru Hui intentionally screamed, ¡°Ah! I twisted my foot.¡±


    The courtyard was quiet for a while, and a black figure appeared outside the corner gate. Sang Chi Yu wore a black robe and stood quietly in front of the gate.


    Su Ru Hui had nothing to say. The fact that such a clumsy lie could fool this kid showed his naivety. If he walked out of the house and took three steps, he would be taken down by bad guys.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Su Ru Hui was helpless. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu did not answer, staring at his foot, as if judging whether he had really twisted it.


    Su Ru Hui looked at him standing normally, and frowned. ¡°Your leg is okay?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu saw that his foot was fine, slowly raised his head, and answered with a ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s face became very ugly. ¡°Did you take the secret medicine? Are you crazy? Did you get hit in the head?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Sang Chi Yu answered indifferently.


    Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t know if he was saying that he hadn¡¯t taken the secret medicine, or that his head hadn¡¯t been hit.


    ¡°Come here,¡± Su Ru Hui beckoned to him.


    Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving,¡± he said.


    Su Ru Hui was so angry that his eyes went black. This heartless bastard was well-fed and well-cared for, as if he was a Buddha. But he was leaving just like that. If Su Ru Hui hadn¡¯t seen him leaving from the corner of his eye, he probably wouldn¡¯t even say goodbye.


    Su Ru Hui tried to calm his anger and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°Black Street.¡±


    This guy really took the secret medicine. Su Ru Hui was completely furious. ¡°Why are you going there? Do you know what the Black Street is? I really can¡¯t believe you. I thought you had a clue, but it turns out you¡¯re clueless. The Great Compassion Temple recruited you, right? I heard everything from that old dog earlier. Hei Guan Yin of the Great Compassion Temple recruits many monks and nuns every year. Do you know why? Because many people die under his hand every year, and no one knows why they died, but most likely it¡¯s related to the secret medicine given to them by Hei Guan Yin.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    His indifferent attitude seemed as if he didn¡¯t care about life or death. Su Ru Hui had never been so angry before and wanted to beat Sang Chi Yu. But he thought for a moment and realized that it was understandable. Sang Chi Yu had suddenly turned from a genius to a waste, and if he didn¡¯t care, he wouldn¡¯t have been so dejected for so long.


    ¡°Come back, don¡¯t go,¡± Su Ru Hui said seriously, speaking to him for the first time in earnest. ¡°I¡¯ll figure out a way to counteract the effects of Hei Guan Yin¡¯s secret medicine, so come back to me.¡±


    Under the bright sky, Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes were still as water. He had always had this demeanor. When Su Ru Hui first met him, he thought he was an obedient and gentle little girl.


    ¡°Su Ru Hui,¡± he suddenly said.


    Su Ru Hui was startled. Did he hear it wrong? Sang Chi Yu called him ¡°Su Ru Hui¡±!


    ¡°Why did you come back to life?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    Su Ru Hui felt embarrassed that his identity was exposed. How did this guy know it was him? And after figuring it out, he didn¡¯t even say anything!


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you,¡± Su Ru Hui muttered.


    This little guy Sang Chi Yu had become so sly. He pretended as if nothing had happened, even though Su Ru Hui had been calling him ¡°Husband¡± for so many days. Su Ru Hui was so embarrassed that he wanted to dig a hole and hide in it. He thought it might be better to end it all. There was nothing left for him in this world, Su Ru Hui thought in despair.


    Sang Chi Yu whispered, ¡°Thank you for these past few days. However, there are things I must do, so please don¡¯t try to find me or worry about me anymore. You should stay away from me and forget me. Nobody except me knows that you are Su Ru Hui. The Sang family¡¯s house is yours now. You can carve wood, plant flowers, and do whatever you want here. From now on, no one will disturb you.¡±


    He took out a talisman, and the golden light on the yellow paper flickered. The talisman turned into a vortex of light and shadow.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Su Ru Hui shouted to him.


    ¡°One last piece of advice,¡± Sang Chi Yu said. ¡°Don¡¯t wear strange clothes.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he stepped into the vortex and didn¡¯t look back. Su Ru Hui chased after him, but only managed to touch a twisted line of light before the vortex closed with a loud boom in front of him, and Sang Chi Yu disappeared without a trace. Su Ru Hui faintly smelled the scent Sang Chi Yu had left in the air, a cold, snow-like smell that lingered wherever the man had been, no matter what season it was, always like a harsh winter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t wear strange clothes?¡± Su Ru Hui looked down at himself and realized that he had forgotten to change out of Bai Cai Ping¡¯s dress that he had put on to disguise himself. He felt embarrassed and angry at the same time. What was wrong with him wearing strange clothes? He would even run naked next time! This annoying thing made him so angry. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t calm down for a while. ¡°Go ahead and leave. Don¡¯t ever come back! I swear I won¡¯t care about you again, or else I¡¯m a stupid donkey and a foolish pig.¡±


    When did Sang Chi Yu find out that he was Su Ru Hui? Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t figure it out and felt a little guilty. The two of them used to be enemies, and Sang Chi Yu hated him the most. He couldn¡¯t believe that this kid had been so unaffected with him around for so many days, calling him ¡°Husband¡± every day. After feeling guilty, Su Ru Hui felt suffocated again. He had cooked for this kid for so many days, but he was so heartless, just leaving like that. Su Ru Hui had never cooked for anyone before. When he first learned to cook, his teacher mysteriously told him that there was a strange curse in his cooking ¨C the first person to eat his food would become his wife. He stared blankly and asked, ¡°What if a man eats my food?¡± The teacher knocked him on the head with a spoon and called him stupid. Although he later found out they were just teasing him, since then, whenever he cooked, he would just throw away any food he couldn¡¯t finish. Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su would never get a chance to taste it.


    Just then, his stomach growled, and he cleared his mind and went to the kitchen to get breakfast. When he got there, he found that there were only two cups of plum juice left in the red lacquer plate, and the rice balls were gone.


    Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and he angrily smashed the plate. ¡°If you want to leave, just leave. Why take my rice balls? At least leave me some!¡±


    What the hell, it was just the Black Street, wasn¡¯t it? Did Sang Chi Yu think he couldn¡¯t make it there?


    Su Ru Hui pulled out a stack of talismans with a fierce momentum and pulled out the Gate of Nothingness talisman. He was about to use the spell by holding up the talisman, but hesitated for a moment and then put it away sullenly. This long-distance teleportation magic was the best escape talisman, and there was only one, so he decided to save it for later.


    He searched the dilapidated courtyard for a while, thinking that A Qi was from the Paradise Pavillion and should have a pass to the Black Street, but he didn¡¯t know if it had been destroyed in the explosion that day. After searching for a while, he couldn¡¯t find it. He was starving, so he went to the kitchen and made a big rice ball to relieve his hunger. Suddenly he noticed that the brick next to the stove was loose. He broke it open and found the pass hidden inside.


    It turned out that A Qi had hidden the pass in the kitchen. Su Ru Hui blew on the wooden pass in his hand and put it into his pocket. After finishing the rice ball, he put on his hood, covered his face, and rode his horse out of the mansion.


    The carriage entered the city, and Su Ru Hui rubbed his chin, thinking that he needed to get something from the Black Street before going to the Secret Sect.


    Hmph, he was not going to find Sang Chi Yu. Let that heartless man live or die on his own.


    He turned onto the suspension bridge and walked along the path to the slums, where he found an inconspicuous grocery store. The store had a dark storefront, and a bronze god of wealth was enshrined in the guest hall. Su Ru Hui got off his horse, knocked on the counter, and a bearded man behind the counter straightened up weakly and said, ¡°Pass.¡±


    Su Ru Hui shook the wooden pass in front of him.


    The bearded man looked at it, pointed with his right hand, and a small vortex of light and shadow opened in front of Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui raised his eyebrows and said, ¡°Do you want me to crawl through that dog hole?¡±


    The bearded man rolled his eyes and said, ¡°Don¡¯t use it if you don¡¯t want to.¡±


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was the most common way for people to return to the Black Street. The specific location of the Black Street was highly confidential and was generally only known to the core members of the gangs. When ordinary thugs entered the Black Street, they were given a clearance pass. With the pass, they would go to a secret contact location in the city, and the gatekeeper would open a Gate of Nothingness for the holder of the pass. Previously, Su Ru Hui had a Gate of Nothingness special power user with him, and he could directly open the door to return to the Black Street. At worst, he could use a talisman. He rarely returned to the Black Street from a contact location. Unexpectedly, the gatekeeper of the contact location could only open a dog hole. That was reasonable, because if he could open a door, he would not be a gatekeeper here.


    Well, Boss Su could bend and stretch. Couldn¡¯t he just crawl through the dog hole?


    Su Ru Hui crawled into the dog hole of nothingness, and suddenly the scene in front of him changed. He had arrived at Black Street. The narrow street was almost touching the eaves on both sides, and various lanterns shed a magical light. Prostitutes and men with rank badges were smoking pipes on the street, their bare chests exposed in the light. The smoke they exhaled made them look ethereal. Passers-by hurried along the street, like phantoms. A damp smell filled his nose. It was the familiar smell of decay.


    If you looked down on the Black Street from high above, you would find that it was actually a huge city. The population was too dense. There were many houses, and they were squeezed together, so the streets were very narrow. Also, because the houses were so high, it was hard for light to reach the bottom, so the streets were dark all year round. The residents of Black Street were like snakes, rats, insects, and ants, entrenched in this dark corner.


    Few people knew where the Black Street was located. Su Ru Hui happened to be one of the few who knew.


    It was a mobile city. Every three months, the star formations in all four directions of the city would open. The star formations were powered by spirit stones, had no attacking power, and were usually used to enhance the effects of spiritual powers. The one on all four sides of the Black Street was an enlarged star formation. At that time, people who had the Gate of Nothingness special power in the Paradise Pavilion and Great Compassion Temple would cast their spells simultaneously. Under the enlarging effect of the star formation, the world¡¯s largest Gate of Nothingness would appear under the Black Street, and the Black Street as a whole would be moved to the next hiding place. When the Secret Sect invaded, it was because the hiding place was leaked, and the Secret Sect coalition army waited at the target location and caught them off guard.


    Su Ru Hui found the largest bank in the Black Street, Heng Tai Bank, which had a sealed counter with several small windows, revealing the smiling faces of the clerks. The counter was covered with talismans, mostly for defense purposes. Anyone who dared to do business on Black Street must have some tricks up their sleeve. Su Ru Hui walked through the crowded guest hall, passed through a small central courtyard, and entered a red-painted wooden partition in the back. He knocked on the crossbar window panel three times in a row, pausing for a moment, and then knocking again.


    The wooden board creaked open, and a voice came from the dark window hole, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Su Ru Hui lazily replied, ¡°The number one bastard in the world.¡±


    This response was random, and the voice inside paused for a moment, followed by the sound of flipping through the pages of a book. ¡°It¡¯s been more than seven years since you last came?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Su Ru Hui said carelessly, ¡°I was caught by someone and just escaped.¡±


    People in the Black Street were notorious for their wrongdoing, and it was common for them to be captured, imprisoned, or even executed. Seven years in Black Street was not uncommon. The person inside asked, ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡±


    ¡°Not caring about tomorrow¡¯s suffering, only seeking pleasure in the present.¡±


    A locked box was moved out from behind the window hole and handed to Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui carried the box out of the partition and suddenly found the guest hall quiet. The people who had been doing business earlier were all gone, replaced by the gangsters of Paradise Pavilion. They carried black guns, were adorned with colorful tattoos, and had oily faces with unfriendly expressions. In the middle of the courtyard, a purple sandalwood armchair was placed. Han Ye sat cross-legged on it, with his hands crossed on his knees. Sunlight spilled into the courtyard, soft as feathers, and settled on his fair and clean fingertips. It was a pleasant sight, but unfortunately, the steel ring on his thumb was flashing wildly in the light, adding a touch of hostility.


    ¡°A Qi.¡± Han Ye laughed mischievously. ¡°I told you we would meet again.¡±


    Seeing that the situation was not good, Su Ru Hui ran away.


    The author has something to say:


    Sang Chi Yu: I¡¯m leaving, and I¡¯m taking my wife¡¯s little rice ball with me.

 CH 13

    In all four directions, countless barrel muzzles aimed at Su Ru Hui, and he froze in place.


    ¡¾Friendly reminder: Host has been surrounded by thirty firearms. Does the host need the system to provide a solution?¡¿


    Su Ru Hui thought anxiously, ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡¾According to my calculations, the survival rate of fierce resistance is 3.654%, the survival rate of begging for mercy is 80.357%, and the survival rate of selling sex appeal is 100%.¡¿


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    He knew that this damn system wouldn¡¯t have any good solutions. Su Ru Hui turned his head and bowed. ¡°Boss, what a coincidence. Have you had breakfast yet? You¡¯ve been working hard since early morning, while I have been enjoying the blessings of Paradise Pavilion.¡±


    Smiling apologetically, Su Ru Hui cursed in his heart. He had covered his face tightly, so how did this guy know he was here? A Qi must have some kind of tracking device on him.


    ¡°Yes, not many people can bother me to mobilize so many people to catch someone early in the morning.¡± Han Ye pointed at Su Ru Hui¡¯s luggage. ¡°What¡¯s in there?¡±


    Su Ru Hui smiled wryly. ¡°It¡¯s just a trivial thing that¡¯s not worth the boss¡¯ attention.¡±


    ¡°Open it.¡± Han Ye held out his palm, and black flames burst out with a hiss. ¡°Otherwise, let it be your funeral accessory.¡±


    Su Ru Hui had no choice but to turn the lock on the box obediently. There was a series of gear sounds coming from inside, and finally, with a click, the lock on the box opened. Su Ru Hui opened the box and turned it towards Han Ye. There were neatly arranged gold bars inside. The ruffians of the Paradise Pavilion all showed a greedy look.


    Su Ru Hui said, ¡°It¡¯s half of my life savings.¡±


    Han Ye said, ¡°Hmm,¡± with a smile that was not quite a smile. ¡°You¡¯re good at hiding and saving money. Are you going to leave with all your money? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to avoid me?¡±


    This guy was like a sticky candy, impossible to shake off. Even if he used Gate of Nothingness to escape, he still had Paradise Pavilion¡¯s tracking device on him and would be found again. Su Ru Hui¡¯s mind raced for a way to keep Han Ye from being able to do anything. Suddenly, an idea came to him. He bowed and said, ¡°Boss, I¡¯m not suited to serve you with my humble appearance. Originally, I wanted to run away to protect my chastity, but after seeing how hard you work day and night, going hungry and sleepless, I suddenly realized that I belong to the Paradise Pavilion, alive or dead. It is an honor for me to be chosen by the boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve come to your senses?¡± Han Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise.


    ¡°But boss, I can be more useful to you than just serving you! I am willing to take on any task for the Paradise Pavilion, no matter how dangerous!¡± Su Ru Hui said earnestly.


    ¡°How so?¡± Han Ye was clearly intrigued.


    ¡°A few days ago, I went to the Jiang family and was summoned by Jiang Huai Cang in the middle of the night. He said there was a rare treasure hidden deep in the Kun Lun Mountains, and that it was sealed with a Maze Formation that could only be broken by an ordinary person. Jiang family covets this treasure, but only an ordinary person like Jiang Que Xie could pass through the Maze Formation to obtain it. Now I am posing as Jiang Que Xie and have received Jiang family¡¯s help, so infiltrating the Secret Sect is no problem. When I find the treasure, I will bring it to boss, and Paradise Pavilion will surely become even more famous!¡±


    Han Ye¡¯s face changed slightly. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    His fingers tightened. Could the ¡°treasure¡± Jiang Huai Cang spoke of be Su Ru Hui?


    ¡°I never lie.¡± Su Ru Hui took out five talismans and handed them to Han Ye. ¡°Boss, please take a look. These are the talismans Jiang Huai Cang gave me for self-protection. I don¡¯t have the ability to get so many talismans myself. They were all given to me by Jiang family.¡±


    Han Ye glanced at the talismans and believed Su Ru Hui¡¯s words.


    ¡°But since you have the intention to escape and have ulterior motives, how can I trust you? I don¡¯t need someone who is not loyal to me to pass through the maze. I can easily catch plenty of ordinary people in Paradise Pavilion. A Qi, I decided to let you go yesterday, but you came back on your own. You are so interesting, I just can¡¯t bear to let you go. Stay here and serve me well.¡±


    He raised his hand, and the people of Paradise Pavilion were about to catch Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Su Ru Hui shouted. ¡°I have another reason! Boss, do you know that Sang Chi Yu has already entered the Great Compassion Temple?¡±


    Han Ye laughed. ¡°Of course I know.¡±


    ¡°Sang Chi Yu has drunk the secret medicine, and his body has recovered. The Great Compassion Temple is now even stronger. Paradise Pavilion and Great Compassion Temple each occupy one side of the Black Street. Although they seem to coexist peacefully, there can only be one tiger on the mountain. If Great Compassion Temple becomes stronger, where will Paradise Pavilion find its place? Master, to tell you the truth, Sang Chi Yu has deep feelings for me. We just got married a few days ago, and I have taken good care of him. He already has deep feelings for me. As long as I make good use of him, he will definitely be useful to the Paradise Pavilion, and Hei Guan Yin will lose control over Sang Chi Yu.¡±


    Han Ye laughed so hard that he couldn¡¯t stand up straight. ¡°A Qi, you are just as good at telling lies as Su Ru Hui. Sang Chi Yu has deep feelings for you? Listen to yourself, do you believe what you are saying?¡±


    Su Ru Hui nodded seriously. ¡°Boss, although it sounds unbelievable, it is all true. The night before last, we were intimate, and that¡¯s how I found out he entered the Great Compassion Temple. Otherwise, how could I know? Naturally, he told me when he was confused and infatuated. By the way, he gave me a map to navigate around Immortals Cave. Boss, you should know who was trapped there before. It was Su Ru Hui, the previous boss. His bones are probably still there. With the map, we may be able to bring his bones back to the Paradise Pavilion for burial.¡±


    ¡°Did Sang Chi Yu tell you all of these things?¡± Han Ye squinted his eyes.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Su Ru Hui said solemnly. ¡°Sang Chi Yu has been sincere with me, but I have deceived him. I am willing to be the bad guy for the sake of Paradise Pavillion.¡±


    Since Sang Chi Yu was not present, Su Ru Hui could lie without consequences. However, the information he provided was true, and Han Ye would find a way to verify it.


    Han Ye smiled and pulled out a communication compass. ¡°Okay, let me ask if what you said is true. If you lie even the slightest bit, I¡¯ll break your limbs and keep you in a jar. I like you. You say interesting things, but you only need your mouth to speak.¡±


    Su Ru Hui stared at his compass, feeling confused. Who was Han Ye going to ask? Could it be Sang Chi Yu himself?


    ¡°I forgot to tell you,¡± Han Ye said, ¡°Paradise Pavillion and Great Compassion Temple have reached a cooperation. I already met Sang Chi Yu yesterday and got his communication token.¡±


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    The communication compass lit up, and spiritual energy flowed through it. A green rune hung in the air, indicating that the person on the other side had received the communication.


    Han Ye made a gesture, and someone immediately came forward and covered Su Ru Hui¡¯s mouth to prevent him from suddenly screaming for help.


    ¡°Hello, Brother Sang,¡± Han Ye said. ¡°Yesterday, you said not to disturb Jiang Gongzi. I thought about it and couldn¡¯t bear it. If Brother Sang has feelings for Jiang Gongzi, then I, Han Ye, naturally cannot snatch a friend¡¯s wife. However, if you two are only a superficial couple and you have already entered the Black Street, you will never return to the Sang family again. Jiang Gongzi will soon be single again, and I can still visit him, right?¡±


    There was no response from the other side.


    Su Ru Hui reached into his pocket and secretly touched the Gate of Nothingness talisman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Han Ye said. ¡°I won¡¯t force him. I¡¯ll just send some fruit and pastries to show my sincerity.¡±


    The rune on the compass fluctuated, and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s voice could be heard, still with the same clear and cold tone.


    ¡°What do you want to ask?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu sensed that Han Ye¡¯s intentions were not just about sending gifts.


    Han Ye smiled and said, ¡°Excuse me, I¡¯m just curious. Brother Sang, did you develop feelings for Jiang Gongzi? He said so, but I don¡¯t believe him.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And,¡± Han Ye slowed his tone, ¡°you two have not been intimate yet, have you?¡±


    There was a long silence on the other side.


    The courtyard was silent, and everyone was waiting for Sang Chi Yu¡¯s answer. Su Ru Hui had already anticipated what Sang Chi Yu would say; the kid never lied and would never inexplicably admit to having slept with a man if he hadn¡¯t. Touching the talisman, Su Ru Hui counted down from five in his heart; he was about to run away.


    On the other side of the compass, Sang Chi Yu replied. ¡°Um.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Han Ye frowned.


    ¡°As you said,¡± Sang Chi Yu said, ¡°it¡¯s happened.¡±


    His voice was clear and sharp, not loud, but enough for everyone to hear.


    Su Ru Hui was stunned, and his fingertips released the talisman.


    Han Ye laughed loudly and said, ¡°Well done, Sang Chi Yu, you make me look at you in a new light. It¡¯s one thing to be indecisive, but now you¡¯re even using a stand-in. In the past, Su Ru Hui listed the masters of the Secret Sect on the Black Street and said that they were unworthy of their status. Only you, Sang Chi Yu, were worthy of being his only respected opponent. How could Su Ru Hui have imagined that you, Sang Chi Yu, were in the same league as us scumbags?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s tone remained unchanged. ¡°Jiang Que Xie is in your hands.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a question, but a plain statement. He guessed it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t touch him. He¡¯s so cute, how could I bear to?¡± Han Ye chuckled softly.


    Su Ru Hui cursed in his heart, ¡°Cute my ass.¡±


    ¡°Jiang Que Xie, speak up.¡± Han Ye waved his hand, and the thugs from Paradise Pavilion loosened their grip on Su Ru Hui¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m here,¡± Su Ru Hui replied.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    Su Ru Hui said bitterly, ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Han Ye,¡± Sang Chi Yu¡¯s voice was icy. ¡°I want to see him at Sang mansion at one quarter past the hour. If he¡¯s missing even a hair, I¡¯ll kill you.¡±


    After speaking, the spiritual power flowed and cut off, and the compass talisman disappeared.


    The thugs from Paradise Pavilion looked at Su Ru Hui with a different look, and Han Ye¡¯s gaze was also quite complicated.


    Han Ye stood up and patted Su Ru Hui¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I underestimated you, A Qi. You have to remember that you are a member of Paradise Pavilion. Paradise Pavilion will not mistreat its brothers, and I respect people who have abilities,¡± he said with a sly smile. ¡°No matter what kind of ability it is.¡±


    Su Ru Hui straightened his back and said, ¡°Boss, A Qi will do anything for Paradise Pavilion!¡±


    Han Ye looked into the distance with his hands behind his back. ¡°Since you already know about the treasure, go get it back. I learned about this yesterday. Paradise Pavilion and Great Compassion Temple have reached a cooperation and will infiltrate Kun Lun when they are recruiting for the Frontline Guards. You should go too. You are still Jiang Que Xie, and Paradise Pavilion won¡¯t reveal your identity to Great Compassion Temple. Do it well. I heard that you used to be a thug in Dong Shi gambling house before becoming Jiang Que Xie. From now on, you are the owner of that gambling house.¡±


    Su Ru Hui breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that he had been upgraded from being a ¡°plaything¡± to a ¡°little brother¡± in Han Ye¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Thank you, Boss!¡± Su Ru Hui put on a grateful smile and bowed.


    ¡°Come back alive, A Qi,¡± Han Ye said meaningfully. ¡°I despise Su Ru Hui, but not you.¡±


    With that, Han Ye left the bank with his group of thugs. Su Ru Hui looked at his back and felt that he was still harboring lustful intentions towards him. What kind of rotten peach blossom debt (1) was this? Su Ru Hui had a headache. He went home with his luggage. In the end, he was too weak, and he was at the mercy of these bastards. Su Ru Hui took out A Qi¡¯s Black Street pass, sawed the wooden board open, and found an iron bar inside, inlaid with a tracking star formation. So this was how Han Ye found him. He couldn¡¯t destroy the star formation; Han Ye would know. Su Ru Hui glued the wooden board back together and put it aside.


    Then he opened his luggage, and the little golden bricks caught his eye. Su Ru Hui picked up the golden bricks and smashed them on the ground one by one. The golden bricks cracked, revealing hidden spiritual stones, meteorite skeleton parts, copper mirror frames, and polished crystal stones. Han Ye didn¡¯t notice that these golden bricks were all hollow and were only containers for what Su Ru Hui really wanted to get back.


    He turned the lock again. The box completely fell apart, and the barrel of a small hand-held firearm was exposed to the daylight. Su Ru Hui assembled the wrist guard, retractable steel plate, and the barrel together and attached them to his arm, finally loading the gun with bullets. This small firearm was compact and lightweight, making it difficult to notice.


    His only regret was that Yun Zhou County had banned iron, making it impossible to obtain swords or other iron weapons. Su Ru Hui took out a polishing tool and ground a crystal stone into thin pieces, which were then mounted in a copper single-lens frame. He put on the crystal glasses, and the lens showed a faint blue light, revealing the intricate patterns of a small star formation in front of his eyes.


    There was no time to create puppets above the second level, and the crystal glasses were not needed for the time being. But with talismans and a hand-held firearm, Su Ru Hui felt that he was ready to go to the Secret Sect.


    Looking up at the sky, it was already a quarter past nine, but Sang Chi Yu had not shown up.


    Ah, he knew that Sang Chi Yu wouldn¡¯t come. He just didn¡¯t expect that Sang Chi Yu had learned to lie. Su Ru Hui felt a complicated emotion in his heart. That guy had really changed a lot. If he had to change, why not become smarter? He even got mixed in with the Great Compassion Temple, but he didn¡¯t want to hang out with Su Ru Hui?


    Thinking about it made him angry. It was useless to be in a hurry, so he had to think of a solution slowly. Su Ru Hui changed into a sleek narrow-sleeved dark blue robe, pulled down his sleeves to cover the hand-held firearm, put on deer leather boots, and carried his bag before setting out.


    He didn¡¯t notice that Sang Chi Yu was standing on the roof, watching Su Ru Hui¡¯s figure. After confirming that Su Ru Hui was okay, Sang Chi Yu put on his hood and turned to leave.


    Footnotes


    1. Peach blossom debt ¨C a debt of gratitude that one person owes to another due to a favor, kindness, or help they have received. The debt is often seen as a result of a peach blossom fate, which is a romantic or social connection between two people that was initiated by chance or fate, like the falling of a peach blossom from a tree.

 CH 14

    After three days of traveling north, they came across many refugees on the road. There were too many people in this world, and Great Jing was as crowded as a steaming pot about to explode. Despite the severe punishment of the Secret Sect, which exiled many prisoners to the snowy wasteland or sent them to mine spirit stones every year, there were still many homeless people wandering the streets. Even though Su Ru Hui wanted to help them, he had to be on guard against thieves and bandits. Along the way, there were ragged beggars lurking and watching the carriages on the straight road. Su Ru Hui was never without the flintlock pistol hidden in his sleeve.


    While Su Ru Hui stopped to rest in various towns and cities, he learned that the news of Sang Chi Yu¡¯s rebellion had already spread. The Secret Sect posted notices to capture Sang Chi Yu, and he had overtaken Su Ru Hui¡¯s position as a class A wanted criminal. The wanted notice depicted Sang Chi Yu¡¯s cold and indifferent face. The Secret Sect had superb painting skills and depicted him in a very lifelike way. Su Ru Hui halted his horse, recalling that guy¡¯s expressionless face and how he didn¡¯t eat or drink. He sighed inwardly.


    Sang Chi Yu wasn¡¯t like that when he was a child, at least when he was being treated by Su Ru Hui¡¯s master.


    Su Ru Hui remembered when Dan Tai Jing left Shu Luo Mountain. Su Ru Hui had volunteered to take on the task of delivering food to the cave every day, and he also taught Sang Chi Yu how to break the maze array. If Sang Chi Yu felt bored, he would come find him. They sneaked out to play without anyone noticing, and later, Su Ru Hui¡¯s courage grew. He, Jiang Xue Ya, and Zhou Xiao Su secretly took Sang Chi Yu down the mountain.


    These group of children had a small courtyard called ¡°Pear Blossom Courtyard.¡± Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su lived in the main house, and Su Ru Hui lived in the east wing. The west wing was originally a pile of clutter, but Su Ru Hui and his friends cleared it out to create a sleeping area. Su Ru Hui contributed his bed, a velvet carpet, and a lion-shaped pillow that his father gave him for his birthday. Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su respectively contributed bedding, blankets, and wooden screens. Sang Chi Yu lived there.


    Ming Ruo Wu opened a private school at a temple, where children within a few miles could attend without restriction. Half of the children from Zhi Luo Town at the foot of the mountain came to study here, including Su Ru Hui, Jiang Xue Ya, and Zhou Xiao Su. Su Ru Hui went to Ming Ruo Wu¡¯s school during the day and played with Sang Chi Yu in the house at night. They hid for nearly half a month, and no one knew that there was an extra ten-year-old child in their courtyard. Many years later, Su Ru Hui remembered this and thought that Ming Ruo Wu had known all along that they were hiding Sang Chi Yu but chose to turn a blind eye.


    Later, Su Ru Hui measured Sang Chi Yu¡¯s feet with his hands and noted down his shoe size. He had a friendly little girl in Zhi Luo Town make a pair of shoes for Sang Chi Yu to make it easier for him to walk. Sang Chi Yu cherished those shoes. Su Ru Hui did not know that they were his first pair of shoes.


    Sang Chi Yu polished his shoes clean every day and refused to step on them when the soles got dirty from mud. Jiang Xue Ya always ordered Su Ru Hui to carry him on his back when he didn¡¯t want to walk. Su Ru Hui was frustrated because he had asked someone to make shoes for Sang Chi Yu so that he could walk by himself. However, despite being the leader of the gang, Su Ru Hui was actually the lowest in status, and his protests were always ignored.


    On the surface, Su Ru Hui was the leader of the gang, but in reality, Jiang Xue Ya was in charge of the gang¡¯s internal affairs. Therefore, the daily activities of the gang were mostly games played by girls, such as jumping rope, braiding flower ropes, and cross-dressing. Sang Chi Yu was beautiful, and Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su enjoyed dressing him up in various outfits every day.


    Su Ru Hui was a mischievous person and would intentionally cause trouble. When Jiang Xue Ya asked him to help Sang Chi Yu comb his hair, he would make it messy. When Jiang Xue Ya carefully picked out pretty flowers to put in Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hair, Su Ru Hui would replace them with ugly pomegranate flowers. When Jiang Xue Ya dressed Sang Chi Yu in a colorful skirt, Su Ru Hui secretly put a small praying mantis on it, scaring Zhou Xiao Su into screaming. Su Ru Hui laughed heartily, but then was beaten up by Jiang Xue Ya.


    Once, the master told Jiang Xue Ya to take a medicinal bath, and Zhou Xiao Su accompanied her. Su Ru Hui had a day off from the classes, so only he and Sang Chi Yu were left in the Pear Blossom Courtyard. Su Ru Hui slept until the sun was high, bored and idle, and went to the west wing to find Sang Chi Yu. Pushing open the door, he saw Sang Chi Yu sitting by the drawer, a small figure in a white dress, looking like a lonely little mushroom.


    Su Ru Hui approached to take a closer look and saw that he was putting the flowers that Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su had picked for him, one by one, into a small drawer, including the big red pomegranate flower that Su Ru Hui had picked. All the flowers had withered, their petals turning black and smelling foul. Su Ru Hui thought Sang Chi Yu had thrown them away long ago, but he had kept them.


    ¡°Why did you keep them when they¡¯re all dead?¡± Su Ru Hui squatted beside him and said listlessly, ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll pick some new ones for you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu shook his head and said, ¡°I want to keep them.¡±


    A blue-green mantis crawled from behind Sang Chi Yu and onto his shoulder, startling Su Ru Hui. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was the mantis he had placed on Sang Chi Yu¡¯s skirt a few days ago as a prank.


    ¡°Why is it still here!?¡± Su Ru Hui exclaimed.


    Sang Chi Yu cupped it in his palm and said, ¡°You gave it to me.¡±


    Su Ru Hui wanted to say it wasn¡¯t a gift, but something he had brought out to scare him. As he turned his head, he met Sang Chi Yu¡¯s large, black eyes, which clearly reflected Su Ru Hui¡¯s small figure. Su Ru Hui inexplicably swallowed his words.


    ¡°I remember now, I did give it to you,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Glancing at the flowers in the drawer, Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t bear to throw away any of them because they were gifts from his friends. Su Ru Hui, who was usually carefree, felt guilty for the first time. Yu¡¯er was too easy to fool; he would believe anything and cherish anything given to him.


    If others were to see such a well-behaved child, they would surely feel pity and develop a touching love story. Unfortunately, Sang Chi Yu met Su Ru Hui, who was never a good person. While others loved and cherished precious things, he would purposely destroy them. At this moment, Su Ru Hui suddenly thought of the pile of stinky socks in his room. He quickly forgot about any guilt he had felt.


    He raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°Chi Yu, are you my younger brother?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu nodded.


    ¡°Younger brothers must help elder brothers wash their stinky socks. You haven¡¯t helped me wash them yet.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu hesitated for a moment and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash them.¡±


    ¡°You promised, don¡¯t go back on your word.¡± Su Ru Hui was ecstatic.


    Sang Chi Yu nodded and said, ¡°I won¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    Su Ru Hui led Sang Chi Yu into his small room and pulled out all of the stinky socks from his cabinet. Su Ru Hui¡¯s room was a mess, with an Eight Pole Boxing Scripture, Mysterious Grip Scripture, and Broken Cloud Blade Scripture scattered on the ground. Sang Chi Yu picked them up and saw that they were filled with simple drawings of people made by Su Ru Hui.


    While sorting out the socks, Su Ru Hui said, ¡°These are all exercises that my master gave me. He said that I must practice physical skills and learn the star array in the future to make a living.¡± Su Ru Hui hated practicing, spending his days either carrying sandbags and climbing mountains or waving a wooden sword at a wooden man. After a day of training, he would be panting and exhausted like a dog. He especially disliked the star arrays. The Wind-Stealing Star Array in the Mysterious Grip Scripture had countless variations, and even a basic array had several hundred different forms. He couldn¡¯t even remember the directions. He didn¡¯t want to learn it. In the future, he could become a cook. There were so many things in the world that he could do. Why couldn¡¯t he find work? Su Ru Hui rolled his eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s so boring. There¡¯s nothing to see. Let¡¯s go wash the socks!¡±


    Su Ru Hui handed him a wooden basin, and Sang Chi Yu sincerely carried the basin to the river, rolled up his sleeves, and scrubbed Su Ru Hui¡¯s socks with a grunt while Su Ru Hui fooled around. There were too many socks. Sang Chi Yu worked hard until past afternoon, but he still hadn¡¯t finished washing them. Su Ru Hui still had a conscience, so he picked a large lotus leaf and sat next to him, shielding him from the setting sun.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er,¡± Su Ru Hui instructed him, ¡°don¡¯t tell Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su. If they ask, just say that I took you out to pick flowers.¡±


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I tell them?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked in confusion.


    ¡°Never mind why. You are my little brother and I am your big brother. You have to listen to me,¡± Su Ru Hui cajoled. ¡°You can pretend to listen to Jiang Xue Ya on the surface, but you should actually listen to me.¡±


    Although Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t understand why, he still nodded.


    ¡°Remember, we are in this together. Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su are outsiders.¡± Su Ru Hui grinned. ¡°Come on, call me Ru Hui Gege (1).¡±


    ¡°Ru Hui Gege,¡± Sang Chi Yu obediently said.


    Su Ru Hui happily said, ¡°Jiang Xue Ya needs to soak in the medicinal bath for three days. While she¡¯s not around, I¡¯ll teach you how to massage my back and legs tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Sang Chi Yu shouted again, ¡°Ru Hui Gege.¡±


    ¡ª


    The terrain was elevated and the air became drier and colder. Frost began to form on Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyelashes. He initially wore only a single layer of clothes, but later changed into a padded jacket. A felt hat covered his head and a scarf covered his face, with only his eyes exposed.


    Great Jing had forty-eight prefectures. After leaving the bustling Yun Zhou, the world became vast and expansive. Rugged rocks were everywhere, and the bare land resembled the stiff veins and bones of an old man. In the distance, snow-capped mountains rose up, surrounded by clouds and mist. Their serene and contemplative appearance looked like a compassionate Buddha overlooking the world. The mountains came closer, and snow particles mixed with the wind. In the hazy world, Su Ru Hui¡¯s solitary lamp in front of the carriage was like a twinkling star, slowly heading towards the direction of the mountains.


    In the early morning, the puppet carriage entered a border city at the foot of Kun Lun. The city gate had checkpoints and martial law; all entry and exit had to be checked. Many people had already gathered here, mostly those who came to join the army.


    The border city was the capital of Great Jing, with Kun Lun situated here. The towering mountain range guarded the frontier of Great Jing, isolating the snowy wilderness outside. The Frontline Guards was a military unit that specialised in exploring mines deep in the snow. Refugees and escaped prisoners lived in the wilderness, and wild beasts burrowed underground like animals. When they were recruited by the Black Street to become part of the evil army, they became enemies of the Frontline Guards. The Black Street was always coveting the Secret Sect¡¯s spirit stone resources, and because they were deep in the snow and constantly faced the Black Street¡¯s invasion, this unit had the highest mortality rate among the Secret Sect¡¯s military.


    Most of the people who were excluded from aristocratic families or commoners who wanted to gain fame and fortune were sent here. Jiang Xue Ya and Sang Chi Yu had both been in the Frontline Guards before. Sang Chi Yu was forced to undergo training by his master, and Jiang Xue Ya was driven to the Frontline Guards due to persecution from her family.


    With so many people coming, most of them had the idea of hitting it big in the city. The Secret Sect monopolized spirit stones and controlled the world. Once they were a member of the Secret Sect, one could rise to a high position and control others¡¯ lives and deaths, no longer being trampled upon like ants in the dust. Of course, that was true as long as they did not make mistakes like Sang Chi Yu.


    Su Ru Hui drove to the conscription office in the Yamen (2). The mansions here were all official buildings, with red gates and white walls. Crows perched on the trees in front of the doors. A military officer of the Secret Sect had set up tables and chairs on both sides and placed two signs that read ¡°ordinary people¡± and ¡°spiritual power users¡±. The officer behind the table shivered and yelled in a breathless voice, ¡°Those who have spiritual powers come to this side, and those without power go to the other side. Report your name and village, line up in formation! Move quickly or I will take your heads. It¡¯s freezing cold out here!¡±


    The queue of spiritual power users was very small. The aristocracy monopolized the bloodline of spiritual power users, and it was extremely rare for ordinary people to awaken their power. Although the probability was low, it was still possible to find some. After waiting for a whole morning, only three people came. They waited for a while longer but no one else came, so the officer on the other side who was registering spiritual power users closed the register and left to drink.


    Su Ru Hui joined the queue of ordinary people, surrounded by tall and strong men like iron towers. He was already considered tall, but he looked like a white rabbit compared to them. The crowd was bustling, and Su Ru Hui¡¯s system had taken the initiative to mark every person¡¯s head with their identity. Most of them were ¡°ordinary people¡±, and there were also some from the Paradise Pavillion marked as ¡°rascals¡± or ¡°thugs¡±. Those marked as ¡°monks¡± were probably from the Great Compassion Temple. There was also someone in black clothes with the label ¡°mysterious youth¡± on his head, which was quite unusual.


    Su Ru Hui withdrew his gaze and touched the hand warmer in his sleeve. Some people were staring at him, more than one person. He had been low-key all the way and had not revealed his identity, but it seemed that there were people who knew he was Jiang Que Xie and had followed him from Yun Zhou.


    Footnotes


    1. Gege ¨C older brother. It¡¯s a term of endearment, doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be related by blood


    2. Yamen ¨C a term used in ancient China to refer to a government office or administrative building where officials carried out their duties. Yamen served as the central hub for government officials, who managed local affairs, including taxation, law enforcement, and civil disputes.

 CH 15

    It was his turn to register, and the disciple who was registering was yawning and gesturing for him to write his own name. Su Ru Hui wrote ¡°Jiang Que Xie¡± and put down his pen, then walked to another queue arranged for him.


    At this moment, someone stopped behind him and whispered, ¡°A Qi, we¡¯re from the Paradise Pavillion. The Secret Sect is about to conduct a trial, so stick with us and we¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui turned to look at them. One had a scarred face, another had pockmarks, and the third was hook-eyed.


    They looked somewhat familiar. They were probably among the thugs who had surrounded Su Ru Hui at the bank that day.


    The system explained in real time: [These three thugs sent by Han Ye all have hidden illnesses. From left to right, this one is impotent, that one is an eunuch, and the last one has hemorrhoids.]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui was an undercover agent planted by Han Ye in the noble families. Anyone who could be brought out to protect him must be Han Ye¡¯s trusted confidants. Su Ru Hui went along with them and said, ¡°Thank you so much, brothers.¡±


    He turned his eyes and met the gaze of a young man on the opposite team. They were pitch black, like two pieces of clear glass. He had just felt someone staring at him and thought it was the three skinny guys behind him. He didn¡¯t expect it to be the ¡°mysterious youth.¡± He wore narrow-sleeved black clothes and looked fifteen or sixteen years old.


    The system noted: ¡°[This unremarkable-looking mysterious youth hates dogs and Su Ru Hui the most in his life.]


    Su Ru Hui was surprised. He was so likable, yet this person actually disliked him.


    There must be something fishy about this person.


    Su Ru Hui smiled at the mysterious youth.


    The youth, caught in the act of peeking, remained calm and averted his gaze.


    ¡°Name,¡± said the officer from the Secret Sect with a tired expression.


    The youth paused, realizing that he had forgotten to come up with a suitable alias for himself.


    After seeing Su Ru Hui, he casually said the first name that came to his mind: ¡°Su Yu.¡±


    Su Yu, or Sang Chi Yu, turned around and walked to the other side of the team. Su Ru Hui was a few feet in front of him, leaning lazily against a crooked tree. That guy never stood or sat still, always looking like a hoodlum. He was too noticeable, and Sang Chi Yu saw him as soon as he arrived.


    Why was Su Ru Hui here? Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow. Kun Lun Secret Sect was not a good place, and Su Ru Hui died the last time he was here. Why did he come back? Sang Chi Yu remembered that Su Ru Hui was afraid of the cold and hated going to cold places. He remembered a time when this guy was confined to bed with a lingering illness in the Immortals Cave, shivering even in the face of a raging fire.


    As he was thinking, there was suddenly a commotion on Su Ru Hui¡¯s side. Sang Chi Yu looked up and saw a giant man blocking Su Ru Hui¡¯s way. Despite the bone-chilling weather, the man wore only a single garment, his biceps bulging and looking terrifying. He looked Su Ru Hui up and down. ¡°You¡¯re Jiang Que Xie? I saw you writing your name just now. You¡¯re Sang Chi Yu¡¯s husband?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me,¡± Su Ru Hui replied candidly. ¡°What advice do you have, big brother?¡±


    As soon as he spoke, many people looked over at them.


    The big Han (1) man sneered. ¡°So, you are the one who married the disabled son of the Sang family. I heard that your husband drank a secret medicine and entered the Black Street, becoming a useless dog, a scum of society. In order to restore his spiritual power, he didn¡¯t hesitate to associate with the scum of the Black Street. Everyone knows that the Sang family sacrificed their lives to resist the evil people of the Black Street, and yet Sang Chi Yu betrayed the Secret Sect and became a villain! Jiang Que Xie, since you followed Sang Chi Yu, how dare you show your face here?¡±


    Sighing, Su Ru Hui turned to look at Han Ye¡¯s men, who said they were going to protect him. They had no intention of helping and were just standing by, watching the show.


    ¡°They are unreliable,¡± Su Ru Hui lamented.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the people around whispered, ¡°this guy is really bold. His husband defected and he still dares to come and join the Secret Sect.¡±


    ¡°After all, he is from the Jiang family. His sister is Jiang Xue Ya. With the Jiang family backing him up, the Secret Sect has to give the Jiang family some face.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the whole story. Jiang Xue Ya was supposed to marry Sang Chi Yu, but Jiang Que Xie was pushed out to be the substitute. The Jiang family abandoned him long ago.¡±


    The place suddenly became lively, like a pot boiling over a low flame, with bubbles popping up.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hiding it from you.¡± Su Ru Hui lazily smiled. ¡°He divorced me, and now I¡¯m his ex-wife. We have no relationship anymore.¡±


    A man becoming an ex-wife sounded ridiculous. The big Han man sent Su Ru Hui a disdainful gaze.


    Jiang Que Xie was from a noble family, and although he wasn¡¯t favored, he still lived a life of luxury, unlike commoners who had to endure hardship. This man had a fair face and sharp features, with eyes that often carried a smile, softening the sharpness and vigor of a young man and giving him a gentle appearance. He was tall and thin, like a small white poplar tree, lean but powerful. His demeanor was somewhat casual, not like a noble, but had a bit of a rogue air.


    However, compared to the muscular Han man, he was still inferior.


    Everyone couldn¡¯t help but think: a nobleman, a pampered man who enjoys good food and wine every day, dares to come and join the army?


    The big Han man was about to continue mocking him, but Jiang Que Xie suddenly wiped away his tears and said, ¡°I was originally a good son of the Jiang family. Although I have no spiritual power, I have aspirations. Unfortunately, my father favored my sister and ordered me to be the substitute. I accepted my fate and married Sang Chi Yu. As a wife, I have to do my duty. I provide him with good food and drink. I get up before dawn every day to make him breakfast. On the first day, I made steamed chicken, on the second day, meat buns, and on the third day, salted egg yolk rice balls. I, a young master who has never done any manual labor, have roughened my hands for him. Except for not giving birth to a child for him, I have done everything. Who would have thought that he would abandon me and never ask about my life or death.¡±


    The big Han man was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°This big brother!¡± Su Ru Hui said with grief, ¡°Do you know that Sang Chi Yu is the number one hypocrite in the world? He made me work like a horse during the day and bullied me in every possible way at night. He used candles to burn me, whips to beat me, and ropes to tie me up!¡±


    The big man¡¯s face turned red and he said anxiously, ¡°Please don¡¯t say anymore, keep it in your heart!¡±


    Su Ru Hui said emotionally, ¡°I know that I have been pampered and indulged since childhood, and I have no ability compared to you big brothers.¡±


    Unexpectedly, he had such self-awareness, and many people present started to change their minds about him.


    ¡°But Sang Chi Yu deceived my body and mind, and he deserves to die.¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice was powerful. ¡°So I made up my mind to join the Frontline Guards, and from now on, I will be at odds with that ungrateful man! Big brother and everyone, let us unite and punish the ungrateful man, and overthrow Sang Chi Yu!¡±


    Someone nearby sighed. ¡°Jiang Gongzi, I didn¡¯t expect you to have such hardships!¡±


    The big man who was looking for trouble blushed. ¡°Gongzi, I thought you were a spoiled rich kid. I was too narrow-minded.¡±


    Others were indignant. ¡°So Sang Chi Yu is such a person! Jiang Gongzi, you said it very well. Let¡¯s punish the ungrateful man and overthrow Sang Chi Yu!¡±


    Everyone was angry and shouted, ¡°Punish the ungrateful man, and overthrow Sang Chi Yu!¡±


    From time to time, someone would come forward to comfort Su Ru Hui and express sympathy for his miserable past, encouraging him to look forward and live well. In the blink of an eye, several people, including the big Han man, had recognized Su Ru Hui as their younger brother.


    Sang Chi Yu, who witnessed the whole process, remained expressionless. He had known Su Ru Hui¡¯s ability for a long time. Su Ru Hui could even call a chicken on a tree or a duck in the river as his brother, let alone these people.


    Just as everyone was clamoring, someone suddenly banged the table, and the whole scene fell silent.


    The Secret Sect military officer who was registering the roster put away his book and slowly said, ¡°The time has come. Registration is closed. There are a total of 130 people present. Next, I will announce the rules of the trial. The rules are simple. You will have three days and two nights to climb the Kun Lun snow line by any means necessary. Three days later, we will meet at the finish line. The first fifty people will enter Kun Lun, and the rest will be eliminated.¡±


    Everyone looked at each other and whispered.


    Su Ru Hui furrowed his brow. ¡°This rule seems a bit off. The border is at the foot of Kun Lun, a distance of over ten miles. It¡¯s neither far nor near, and three days and two nights is more than enough time. The so-called selection process is just a way to set a threshold to eliminate some people who can¡¯t make it. Using this level of trial to select people will inevitably lead to many people arriving at the same time, rendering the selection meaningless.¡±


    Soon someone raised a question about Su Ru Hui¡¯s concern. ¡°What if multiple people arrive at the same time?¡±


    ¡°Also,¡± someone else raised their hand, ¡°there are no towns or villages along this path. What if someone is injured by wild beasts?¡±


    The young officer casually replied, tapping his ear, ¡°Can¡¯t you understand what I¡¯m saying? You have three days and two nights. We don¡¯t care how you do it or what you encounter. On the third day at noon, we will arrive at the finish line. If you can make it, good for you. If not¡­ that¡¯s your own fate.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was suddenly shocked.


    He knew what this guy meant. Three days and two nights was too much time. There would definitely be people arriving at the finish line at the same time. Kun Lun¡¯s intention was for them to fight amongst themselves, with the last fifty people standing being the winners. And they couldn¡¯t arrive early. If they did, they¡¯d just be a sitting duck.


    Suddenly, a ¡°beep¡± sounded in his ear. The system had issued a new mission.


    Mission: Stay alive!


    Mission description: Survive the inhumane trial for three days and two nights.


    Mission reward: One unknown secret about any person, 10% release of system permissions, and unlocking the danger warning function.


    Su Ru Hui felt a sense of unease in his heart due to these strict rules. He didn¡¯t have time to worry about whether or not to accept the mission. He calmly stepped back from the crowd.


    This place was bound to become a slaughterhouse soon, and he didn¡¯t want to be the lamb.


    There were still many people who didn¡¯t understand the rules, but many had quietly gripped their knives at their waist.


    Sang Chi Yu turned his head and saw Su Ru Hui slip into the alleyway like a sneaky little mouse. In the blink of an eye, Su Ru Hui disappeared without a trace. Sang Chi Yu wanted to find him, but Su Ru Hui had slipped away too fast.


    Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the military officer¡¯s voice thundered out, ¡°Time¡¯s up, the trial begins!¡±


    Footnotes


    1. Han ¨C the majority ethnic group in China and one of the world¡¯s largest ethnic groups, with an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide identifying as Han.

 CH 16

    Among the 130 people, there were many who were from the Black Street. The Black Street was full of lawless people, and the monks of the Great Compassion Temple even liked to eat human flesh. The people from Paradise Pavillion were also untrustworthy. To be safe, Su Ru Hui decided to go it alone. Before anyone could react, he had already left the battlefield. Sure enough, he hadn¡¯t gone far when he heard screams coming from the direction of the Yamen. The killing had already begun. Su Ru Hui plunged into the white birch forest.


    The carriage would leave tracks, and since it was a big target, it would be easy to expose. Su Ru Hui gritted his teeth and abandoned the carriage, running on foot. His plan was to find a secluded and warm place to rest for two days, and on the third day, he would set foot on the mountain. With those people killing each other, it was hard to say whether fifty people could survive in the end. There were likely more spots available than people who qualified, so Su Ru Hui planned to be a scavenger.


    He ran a mile into the woods and was about to rest when he heard footsteps behind him. Someone was following him? Su Ru Hui frowned and turned around. Three figures appeared from behind the white birch trees. They were the three ruffians from Paradise Pavillion.


    ¡°A Qi, why didn¡¯t you wait for us?¡± Scarface laughed. ¡°Luckily, we kept an eye on you, otherwise we would have lost you. How do we explain that to the boss?¡±


    Hook-Eye and Pockmarks approached from both sides, and the three of them surrounded Su Ru Hui. Su Ru Hui sighed inwardly, realizing that these people were not friendly.


    ¡°Have I offended you three before?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Hook-Eye chewed on a mint leaf. ¡°We didn¡¯t know you before you came to the bank.¡±


    They first met at Heng Tai Bank, and Su Ru Hui understood. ¡°Oh, you are interested in my gold and talismans.¡±


    Scarface nodded in approval. ¡°Smart. No wonder the boss sent you to infiltrate the Jiang family. Now that you understand the situation, don¡¯t be foolish. Two of us are spiritual power users, and as a regular person, you can¡¯t beat us.¡±


    ¡°But I have talismans,¡± Su Ru Hui said, ¡°five of them!¡±


    ¡°We saw your talismans when you came to the bank. You have three Teleportation talismans and two Lie Detector talismans. In a fight, what good are Lie Detector talismans? Teleportation can save your life, but unfortunately, it¡¯s useless against my ¡®Cage¡¯ power.¡± Scarface smiled slowly. ¡°Once my power is activated, you can only move within a radius of fifty feet and can¡¯t use Teleportation to escape. If you don¡¯t have any common sense and want to spar with us, we¡¯re happy to oblige.¡±


    ¡°It seems like the other big brother¡¯s special power is quite powerful.¡± Su Ru Hui lazily smiled.


    Pockmarks activated his special power, and a dark iron color slowly spread all over his body.


    ¡°¡®Hundred Forged Steel¡¯. It¡¯s impervious to swords and guns.¡± The scaly-skinned man¡¯s eyes were sinister. ¡°Surrender; hand over your gold and talismans. We don¡¯t want your life. We¡¯ll guarantee your entry into Kun Lun if you give us the money.¡±


    Hook-Eye pulled out a short knife hidden in his chest and looked at Su Ru Hui with a lewd and evil gleam in his eyes. He laughed. ¡°We both grew up in the Black Street, so you know how things work there. You¡¯ve been used by Sang Chi Yu, so it won¡¯t hurt to let us use you too. You can keep us company for three days and two nights, and we¡¯ll leave you a gold brick.¡±


    ¡°You guys are going too far.¡± Su Ru Hui had a headache. ¡°I¡¯m fine with giving you the talismans and gold, but my chastity is off-limits. And besides, two out of three of you don¡¯t even look human.¡±


    The scaly-skinned man was furious. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting?¡±


    ¡°You little waste, who do you think you are?¡± Hook-Eye grinned menacingly. ¡°Quickly¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, there was a thunderous explosion, and a black hole appeared in his forehead. Hook-Eye maintained his grin as he fell to the ground. Su Ru Hui raised his right hand and a hot smoke emerged from the gun in his sleeve.


    ¡°He has a firearm!¡± Scarface roared, and ¡°Cage¡± was immediately activated.


    Su Ru Hui disappeared in front of their eyes. In the next breath, he appeared behind Scarface, his gun aimed at Scarface¡¯s back. The bullet shot out, carrying dazzling flames and hitting Scarface! Scarface, however, remained standing, turning back ominously. He took off his coat, revealing a chain mail made of refined steel inside. The gun was too small, and its power was insufficient, leaving only a shallow pit on his chain mail.


    He made a mistake.


    As a surge of energy rushed to his brain, Su Ru Hui¡¯s killing intent was as intense as a mountain. In the instant that Su Ru Hui retreated, he loaded his ammunition and fired another shot. His entire body operated like a precision mechanical device, completing all actions inconceivably within three breaths. Pockmark¡¯s fist grazed his cheek by just an inch. At the same time, Su Ru Hui fired his pistol, hitting his crotch.


    ¡°Boom¨C¡°


    Another loud sound. Pockmarks retreated two or three steps, but was unscathed.


    Su Ru Hui said disappointedly, ¡°Even that part has become as tough as steel.¡±


    Pockmark was furious. ¡°You¡¯re looking for death!¡±


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s swift and agile moves made Scarface¡¯s heart tremble. He squinted his eyes and asked, ¡°Do you have spiritual power? What school of martial arts are you from?¡±


    ¡°None.¡± Su Ru Hui lazily smiled. He had already retreated to the side of the dead body. He bent down and picked up the short knife on the ground. ¡°I just practiced some common martial arts. You¡¯ve all learned them.¡±


    Su Ru Hui assumed a starting position, hiding the knife behind his elbow. Indeed, it was a common move that Scarface and Pockmarks had seen before.


    But in that moment, the intense momentum made Scarface¡¯s heart tremble.


    Scarface was very concerned about his own safety, so he opened his bundle and put on his helmet. ¡°Brother, this kid is not right, be careful.¡±


    Su Ru Hui advanced and swung his knife. The blade flicked out from behind his sleeve, grazing Pockmark¡¯s waist and creating a flurry of sparks. Pockmark¡¯s skin was too tough; the knife was useless. Su Ru Hui turned around, fired another shot from his pistol at Porkmark¡¯s back, but even after the explosion, he was unscathed. Pockmark swung his fist in anger, but Su Ru Hui climbed onto his back like a fish and clasped his head tightly with his legs, twisting with force in mid-air.


    The skin was tough, but the bones could be broken. If the neck bone was shattered, the man would be disabled. However, Pockmark took advantage of the situation and rotated his body, causing both of them to fall to the ground together. This thug was quite clever, but Su Ru Hui quickly escaped and retreated three feet away.


    Pockmark sneered. ¡°Kid, I¡¯ve already told you that my ¡®Hundred Forged Steel¡¯ is invincible. I¡¯m also trained in martial arts, so your tricks won¡¯t work on me. Save your energy and beg for mercy. Maybe I¡¯ll spare your life.¡±


    Su Ru Hui checked the time and smiled. ¡°Boring, I¡¯m not playing anymore.¡±


    He activated a Teleportation Talisman and disappeared into thin air like steam.


    Scarface was taken aback. ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    He looked around but there was no trace of Su Ru Hui. Scarface suddenly realized, ¡°He must have another talisman!¡± Then he tried to calm himself down. ¡°No matter, it should be ¡®Divine Concealment¡¯. The duration of this talisman is limited. He can only hold on for half an incense stick at most before he reappears. Let¡¯s wait.¡±


    Pockmark grinned, ¡°Is there a difference between living a moment longer and dying a moment earlier, A Qi?¡±


    ¡°There is,¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice sounded behind him, ¡°the difference lies in who dies.¡±


    As Su Ru Hui spoke, a black arrow with a yellow paper talisman flew into the ¡°Cage¡± domain. The arrow sent the talisman straight into Pockmark¡¯s face. As the talisman stuck to his skin, it immediately dissolved and his skin began to decay. Pockmark screamed in agony as his skin melted away, revealing his bones and internal organs. In an instant, he turned into a puddle of blood.


    Scarface was stunned. Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice was clearly behind him, but the arrow came from the front. Did A Qi have reinforcements?


    He panicked and fled, but the black arrow with the talisman attached followed closely behind. In one breath, he too turned into a puddle of blood.


    The duration of Divine Concealment was shorter than imagined. Suddenly, Su Ru Hui reappeared, and a whistling sound came to his ears. The black arrow almost hit his forehead; Su Ru Hui could almost see the cold light on the arrow tip.


    The trial required people to fight each other, so Su Ru Hui deliberately fired three shots from his gun, exposing the location of Scarface and Pockmark with the sound, and someone would definitely come to ambush them. Su Ru Hui used Divine Concealment to hide, leaving only Scarface and Pockmark as targets. As expected, the two of them were killed.


    The method of killing with borrowed knives was clever but also dangerous. The effect of the Divine Concealment talisman was too short. Before Cage lost its effect, Su Ru Hui had already reappeared. The next target was himself.


    He activated Teleportation and disappeared again, avoiding the deadly black arrow and appearing ten steps away. The black arrow kept chasing him, and Su Ru Hui activated the talisman again. The black arrow missed and hit a white birch tree behind Su Ru Hui. The arrow was about half an arm long, and the crossbow used to shoot this short arrow should not be too big and could be used with one arm. The range of a single crossbow was about one hundred steps, and the arrow came from the southwest. The maximum distance of Teleportation was thirty steps. Su Ru Hui quickly locked on to the opponent¡¯s position and used four Teleportation talismans. After four flashes, Su Ru Hui appeared behind the shooter.


    He was hiding behind a tree, staring straight ahead, looking for Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui touched his chin and asked, ¡°Your talismans are good. Do you have any more?¡±


    The shooter was shocked and felt cold as if an ice snake was slithering up his spine. He quickly turned around, but Su Ru Hui was faster than him. He stabbed him in the back with a short knife.


    ¡°Sorry, brother.¡±


    Warm and sticky blood soaked Su Ru Hui¡¯s leather gloves. Su Ru Hui pushed him away, and the shooter fell to the ground with his eyes wide open. Su Ru Hui was a responsible person who used to take care of both killing and burying. However, this place was not suitable for staying long, and others would definitely come after hearing the noise, so he would make an exception for now.


    Su Ru Hui quickly searched the dead bodies for talismans and weapons and left.


    After half an incense stick¡¯s time, Sang Chi Yu arrived to find two naked corpses on the ground. Not only were their bags stolen, even their clothes were stripped off, leaving only leather boots on their feet.


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    This was clearly Su Ru Hui¡¯s style. That guy must have used his firearm earlier.


    He knew it, Su Ru Hui was afraid of the cold.

 CH 17

    As Su Ru Hui traveled north, he came across many corpses along the way. There were signs of sword fights on the trees, as well as traces of spiritual power. Su Ru Hui counted the number of dead bodies. Including the ones he had killed. There were a total of fifteen. The trial had only just begun for fifteen minutes, yet there were already so many casualties.


    Su Ru Hui secretly clicked his tongue in disapproval. He still wanted to follow his old plan ¨C concealing his tracks, finding a cave on a cliff halfway up the mountain to hide. This place was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it was also conducive to reconnaissance. The terrain was high, and everything below could be seen at a glance. If anyone came, they could be spotted easily.


    Su Ru Hui burned the clothes he took from the corpses as firewood, and kept a padded robe as a blanket. He counted the collected baggage and obtained two bags of cold steamed buns, as well as three talismans. The talismans were all from the archer¡¯s bag, and Su Ru Hui had never seen the runes before, but they were all the same, so they were probably a special power that could dissolve swords and iron weapons. The archer was quite wealthy, and his crossbow was also a good thing, with five short arrows left. As for the little beggars, they were even poorer than Su Ru Hui, with only dry rations in their baggage.


    The consumption of talismans in battles was too great, and Su Ru Hui sighed. He had used up many of the talismans that the strange people had given him just to deal with these few small fries. He only had one Teleportation talisman left, and Divine Concealment had been used up. He decided to live frugally and stay in the cave until the last day.


    He chopped off many branches and piled them at the entrance of the cave, blocking the entrance and leaving a few small holes to monitor the outside. It was difficult to see that there was a cave here from the outside. After everything was arranged, he slept peacefully.


    ¡ª


    Kun Lun Secret Sect, Bei Chen Palace


    In the center of a black marble palace, a brilliant golden star array silently operated in a pool of water. The three major star officials, Draconis, Leonis, and Ursa Major, sat around the pool. The Leonis star official, Mo Tuo Yan, was a blind monk dressed in a black and silver thread kasaya. He placed his hand on the water, and the star array presented what he saw with his Heavenly Eye in the water curtain. The water curtain showed scenes of the trial under Kun Lun Mountain, with fighting, struggle, people carrying knives, blood splattering three feet, and people using spiritual powers, stirring up the vortex.


    Mo Tuo Yan sighed. ¡°Many spiritual power users have infiltrated the common people. They must be from the Black Street. The Black Street thinks they can infiltrate the Secret Sect, but they are underestimating us.¡±


    ¡°A rabble.¡± Ursa Major star official Kun Wu sneered.


    In front of the three of them, on a high platform, a man in black sat with closed eyes. His silver-gray long hair draped down to the ground, and the bright light from the skylight cast a shimmering glow on him. As a spiritual power user in the Chao Sheng realm, his lifespan was not the same as an ordinary person¡¯s. He was over a hundred years old, yet he still had the appearance of a thirty-year-old. He had a handsome face and exuded the majesty and indifference of a superior being. He was as aloof as a mountain peak, only allowing others to look up to him.


    Dan Tai Jing was in closed door cultivation year-round in Bei Chen Palace, and even the members of the Secret Sect could hardly see him face-to-face. Few people knew his true appearance, which led to the statue in Yun Zhou City that did not match his actual appearance.


    Mo Tuo Yan lightly flicked his finger, stirring the water waves. ¡°They are from the Black Street. Is Sang Chi Yu one of them now?¡±


    ¡°Why bother mentioning the name of a coward?¡± Kun Wu said.


    ¡°He is a child raised by Dan Tai Jing himself.¡± Mo Tuo Yan shook his head and sighed softly. ¡°Stripped of his spiritual powers, his kneecaps smashed, and the Jiang family using a substitute to fulfill his marriage contract. With such humiliation, no wonder he fled to the Black Street. It is said that those who drink the secret medicine will become crazy. How many monsters have been locked up in Secret Sect¡¯s prison because they lost their minds due to the secret medicine? Are we just letting Sang Chi Yu run free?¡±


    Dan Tai Jing opened his eyes, his pale, almost colorless eyes devoid of emotion.


    Dan Tai Jing finally spoke, ¡°If he goes crazy, I will personally kill him.¡±


    So cold and indifferent, there was no one else like him in the world. Sang Chi Yu had been following such a person for years, and had grown to act exactly like him.


    Lang Ya Guang, the Draconis star official, quickly changed the subject and bowed to Dan Tai Jing on the high platform. ¡°The conscription notice has been posted in various states and counties. There are 27 spiritual power users and 200 ordinary people who have applied. There are ten people who possess the Heavenly Eye special power, all of them from humble backgrounds without any aristocratic blood. The third batch has already arrived at the snow line. Please give us your guidance, Dan Tai Jing.¡±


    Dan Tai Jing said, ¡°Su Gou, take them to report.¡±


    A smiling man walked out of the shadows. His face looked like it was made of white porcelain, clean and fair, exquisite to the point of being somewhat excessive. Upon closer inspection, there was a chilling non-human feeling. If Su Ru Hui were here, he would surely be surprised. Because this was the first Grade A puppet he created in Paradise Pavillion. He named it Su Gou Dan (1), and he created it to help him handle all kinds of miscellaneous affairs in Paradise Pavillion, and also to serve him tea, water, and give him massages.


    He did not know that Su Gou Dan had been acquired by the Secret Sect, and the star array in his brain had been modified to make him loyal to the Secret Sect. He was in charge of the Secret Sect¡¯s internal affairs, and was renamed Su Gou (2) by Dan Tai Jing, who disliked his original name.


    Su Gou bowed politely. ¡°Yes, Dan Tai Jing.¡±


    The three major star officers also left. Dan Tai Jing sat on the high platform and watched them leave Bei Chen Palace. After a moment, he stood up. Pinching a Gate of Nothingness talisman between his index and middle fingers, a light and shadow vortex opened in front of him. He stepped into it and entered a dark and sunless prison. The narrow corridor, cold stone walls, and the Secret Sect¡¯s architectural style were always so dull and unfriendly. The madmen¡¯s screams were incessant, and even normal people were driven crazy by years of confinement. Dan Tai Jing set his gaze forward. Step by step, he walked along the spiral rocky staircase and arrived at the bottom of the prison.


    This was a secret cell, with star array symbols engraved on all four walls. Pure Land symbols were embedded in the hard rock, suppressing the prisoner inside with the most strict and overbearing magic. Two faceless steel puppets with swords stood outside the prison, mercilessly slaying anyone who entered or left the prison without permission.


    The prisoner was a woman with disheveled black hair and a fair complexion. She sat with her hands folded in chains as thick as an arm, which coiled around her limbs like a python. She heard Dan Tai Jing¡¯s footsteps and slowly opened her eyes. She had a pair of beautiful eyes with slightly upturned corners, exuding a fascinating beauty. However, few people dared to look directly into her eyes, perhaps because her gaze was as sharp as a knife.


    Dan Tai Jing did not approach her. He stopped outside the prison. He spoke slowly with a deep and majestic voice, ¡°Mechanical Arsenal key.¡±


    ¡°I do not know,¡± Jiang Xue Ya answered crisply.


    ¡°Su Ru Hui was imprisoned in the Immortals Cave. You visited him three times and carried away puppet designs from the Secret Sect three times. We have found the designs, so there¡¯s no need for you to lie,¡± Dan Tai Jing said.


    Jiang Xue Ya sighed desolately as she held her forehead. ¡°Dan Tai Jing, just look at me. Do I look like someone who can understand those designs? If I were that smart, why would my father make me a military officer? Moreover, if you have found those designs, you should be able to decipher them. Maybe the key is inside.¡±


    ¡°It is not,¡± Dan Tai Jing said.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Jiang Xue Ya thought for a moment. ¡°How about this. Dan Tai Jing, you chat with me. If we have a good time, maybe I¡¯ll remember something.¡±


    Dan Tai Jing¡¯s voice became even colder, ¡°Jiang Xue Ya, procrastination is useless.¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya had been locked up for half a month, and Dan Tai Jing had only asked her about the key and nothing else. The poor thing had only helped Su Ru Hui a few times with drawings and running errands, but Dan Tai Jing was too suspicious and refused to believe that she didn¡¯t know about the key. Of course, it was also possible that Jiang Xue Ya was just a scoundrel and her words were not trustworthy.


    Jiang Xue Ya saw him standing rooted in front of the prison door like a nail, and her smile became even more teasing. ¡°Why stand so far away? I won¡¯t eat you. Are you afraid of me? You¡¯re a spiritual power user in the Chao Sheng Realm and the Secret Sect¡¯s master. Why would you be afraid of me, a convicted criminal? Lang Ya Guang¡¯s special power is ¡®Huaxu Dream.¡¯ If you want to know something, just ask him to make me dream and take a look.¡±


    Seemingly anticipating that she would say something nonsensical, Dan Tai Jing¡¯s brows furrowed, and he sternly said, ¡°Silence.¡±


    But Jiang Xue Ya had no intention of stopping. Her malicious and arrogant smile widened. ¡°I know. You¡¯re afraid that Lang Ya Guang will see the night we spent together, afraid that others will see me pressing you down on the bed. An all-powerful spiritual power user, the great master of the Secret Sect, bullied by his own disciple¡¯s fianc¨¦e. To cover up the incestuous affair, you expelled Sang Chi Yu and imprisoned your future daughter-in-law, switching the engagement candidate in secret. What a clever way to deceive yourself. But even if your disciple finds out, he won¡¯t blame me. Everyone knows he loves me to the bone and he even turned against Su Ru Hui for me.¡±


    Dan Tai Jing¡¯s voice contained suppressed anger, ¡°If you dare to speak nonsense again, you will be severely punished.¡±


    He raised his hand and turned the eight-trigram lock of the star array. The chain slowly tightened, and Jiang Xue Ya let out a painful groan.


    Jiang Xue Ya licked her chapped lips. ¡°Dan Tai Jing, my father didn¡¯t love my mother and she died young. We never had a family reunion for the New Year¡¯s Eve dinner, and my family never saved a seat for me. Those siblings of mine either wished for my early death or wished for me to get married soon, so there would be one less person to compete with them for land and power. Su Ru Hui was my junior brother. Zhou Xiao Su is my junior sister. I treat them as my own siblings. You imprisoned my junior brother and coveted his inventions. Do you still expect me to betray him?¡±


    Dan Tai Jing once again turned the eight-trigram lock and spoke in a cold and stern voice, ¡°You just passed the point of no return. You¡¯re responsible for your own actions.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it. I always value loyalty,¡± Jiang Xue Ya said with a suggestive smile, then changed the topic, ¡°However¡­ a brother is not as close as a husband. If you are willing to compromise and marry me off, I will reveal all the Mechanical Arsenal keys without reservation.¡±


    Footnotes


    1. Su Gou Dan ¨C the literal translation is Boss Su¡¯s Little Rascal.


    2. Su Gou ¨C the character for ¡°Gou¡± here is different from Su Gou Dan. This one can mean dirt, grime, or filth. It can also be used to describe something that is impure or corrupted.

 CH 18

    On the second day, Su Ru Hui¡¯s provisions in his bag were about to run out, so he had to go out to look for food. It was freezing cold that day and all the animals were hibernating, so he had to think of a way to find food. As he walked for about half a mile, he suddenly heard three screams ahead of him. Su Ru Hui immediately turned and went in the opposite direction, away from the battlefield. However, the person behind him was running fast, and soon the sound of footsteps approached urgently. Su Ru Hui had no choice but to find a thick piece of grass and lie down in it.


    A big man was being chased by two spiritual power users. One of them, wearing purple, leaped over the heads of the two big men like a swallow and blocked their way. The other one, wearing yellow, held a bloody arm in his hand and slowly walked forward, biting off a piece of meat fiercely. The big man was shocked to see this.


    Su Ru Hui sighed with emotion. ¡°The Cannibalistic Buddha of the Great Compassion Temple. It¡¯s always disgusting to see him every time.¡±


    ¡°You are crazy!¡± the big man cried out in indignation. ¡°If you want to kill us, just do it. Why do you have to insult our bodies?¡±


    The yellow-clothed spiritual power user laughed viciously. ¡°I didn¡¯t bring any food with me. I¡¯ll eat a few bites of you and let you be reborn in my stomach. It¡¯s your blessing.¡±


    The voice of the big man was quite familiar, and Su Ru Hui remembered him. He was the one who was looking for trouble with Su Ru Hui before ¨C the big Han man.


    Just as he was thinking about this, he heard a rustling sound in his ear. Someone was beside him! Su Ru Hui was startled and peeled off the grass next to him, meeting a pair of bright eyes. The system marked the words ¡°Mysterious Youth¡± in shining letters above his head. The youth wore black clothes, with dried blood stains on his sleeves and a white cloth stretched tightly around his face. This kid must have been lying here waiting for the two sides to be exhausted, so he could take advantage of the situation. He stared at Su Ru Hui without blinking, as if he was on guard against him.


    Su Ru Hui reached into his waist pouch and pulled out a handful of watermelon seeds, holding them up in front of him with a smile. The youth grabbed his collar suddenly and dragged him out of the bushes. Watermelon seeds spilled onto the ground and several sharp arrows pierced the grass where they had been hiding.


    ¡°Two nosy rats,¡± said the purple-clothed spiritual power user, putting down his crossbow. ¡°We¡¯ve had a good harvest today. We won¡¯t go hungry for the next two days.¡±


    They must have been discovered by someone using the Heavenly Eye technique. The person in yellow clothes seemed to be a user of the Telekinesis technique, as Su Ru Hui could see many floating bone knives swirling around him.


    ¡°Brother Jiang, it¡¯s you!¡± exclaimed the big man next to them with surprise, but then he immediately became worried. ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t have any spiritual powers. Run away quickly, I¡¯ll hold them off!¡±


    He charged towards the one in yellow clothes, but the two bone knives turned around and stabbed into his hands, pinning him to a white birch tree. The big man screamed in agony.


    Ah, there aren¡¯t many people left in this world who are both loyal and foolish. Su Ru Hui had originally planned to run away, but now he stopped in his tracks.


    The yellow-clothed person¡¯s special power was an attacking type, so it was easier to deal with than supporting types. He was about to take action when the youth next to him moved faster than he did, pulling out a frosty white sword from his sleeve and sending it flying like an arrow. It was as if a ferocious hawk had plunged into the wind, and the boy¡¯s blade enveloped the purple-clothed man¡¯s face with a chilling aura.


    The monks of the Great Compassion Temple did not recognize Sang Chi Yu because he had used a disguise. He couldn¡¯t use spiritual powers because of Mu Tuo Yan¡¯s Heavenly Eye. He knew that the Great Compassion Temple did not fully trust him, so Hei Guan Yin did not inform him of the names of other undercover agents. He also did not trust the Great Compassion Temple, so he did not inform them of Mu Tuo Yan¡¯s existence, which complicated things for them. With such a large-scale conscription, it was impossible for Dan Tai Jing to not know that the Black Street would send people to infiltrate, and the Heavenly Eye of the Secret Sect must have covered this area. Sang Chi Yu needed someone to expose their identity to divert the Secret Sect¡¯s attention, so that he could hide.


    The young man drew his sword resolutely, and his sword energy rose like a mountain.


    At the moment of the sword¡¯s contact, the blade of the purple-clothed man shattered, and fine cracks spread across the blade. The young man held the sword in both hands and pressed the blade down expressionlessly. The purple-clothed man showed a look of horror. He didn¡¯t expect a young man of fifteen or sixteen to have such great strength. Behind the young man, three bone knives rapidly approached. The man who wore a yellow robe saw that his friend¡¯s swordsmanship was inadequate and wanted to force the young man to retract his sword.


    However, Su Ru Hui abruptly intervened in the battle.


    ¡°Xiao Huang (1), your opponent is me.¡± Su Ru Hui smiled.


    The yellow-clothed was puzzled. Who was Xiao Huang? He looked down and saw his own yellow shirt, and suddenly became very angry.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking for death.¡±


    Three bone knives stabbed towards Su Ru Hui. Su Ru Hui activated the talisman Pure Land, and all unspecified spiritual powers became invalid¡­ However, the bone knives were not affected in the slightest and continued to fly!


    What¡¯s going on?!


    As the flying knives rushed towards him, Su Ru Hui immediately activated a Teleportation talisman. In the moment he disappeared, the bone knife pierced through the area where he originally was. Su Ru Hui was in danger, and seeing this, Sang Chi Yu withdrew his knife. The purple-clothed man barely managed to block the youth¡¯s attack and let out a sigh of relief when he withdrew his force. However, at that moment, he felt a chill behind him, and a short knife was sent into his back.


    Su Ru Hui appeared behind him, and sticky blood splattered all over his hands.


    He never thought that in that critical moment, Su Ru Hui not only managed to dodge the bone knife but also thought to use Teleportation to sneak up on him from behind.


    The purple-clothed figure fell, leaving only the yellow-clothed one stunned.


    Now it was two against one. One of them was an expert swordsman, and the other seemed to own a good number of talismans. The yellow-clothed figure quickly made a decision and retrieved his bone knife before turning to run away.


    The two didn¡¯t chase after him and instead released the big Han man from the tree.


    ¡°Hmm, why didn¡¯t my Pure Land talisman work?¡± Su Ru Hui touched the remnants of the talisman.


    The man gasped for air and said, ¡°That person didn¡¯t use spiritual powers; he used talismans. His bone knife was imbued with talismans.¡±


    No wonder Pure Land didn¡¯t work. It restricted the spiritual power users, not the talismans.


    Su Ru Hui felt heartbroken. He had wasted a good talisman.


    ¡°Brother Jiang, and this young man, thank you both for saving my life.¡± The big man kowtowed.


    ¡°This place is not suitable for staying for long. Let me take you to my hiding place for treatment.¡± Su Ru Hui said, ¡°Young man, I think you have your own hiding place, so let¡¯s part ways here.¡±


    Su Ru Hui helped the big man up, and the two walked a few steps away. The young man stood still, watching them leave. He stood alone, like a discarded little mushroom, with a pitiful feeling.


    Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t invite the young man for some reason. The big man hesitated for a moment and whispered to Su Ru Hui, ¡°Brother Jiang, why not take this young man with us, so we can watch out for each other.¡±


    Their murmuring voices were very low, but Sang Chi Yu had merged with the heart core, and his hearing had greatly improved. The big man¡¯s words fell into his ears word by word. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s foot that was about to lift was stuck, and he remained in place as if by magic.


    ¡°Forget it,¡± he heard Su Ru Hui say.


    ¡°Why?¡± The big man didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Because he looks like Sang Chi Yu,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­ ¡°


    The youth stood still, a lonely shadow. He had a blank expression, but the big man somehow sensed a hint of loneliness in him. The man and Su Ru Hui walked far away, leaving the youth standing there watching their cold-hearted backs. The man felt guilty and struggled with his conscience, and reluctantly proposed to take the boy in. Su Ru Hui, however, had no compassion and repeatedly refused, but eventually gave in to the man¡¯s reproachful gaze and took in the poor boy.


    Su Ru Hui only had five steamed buns left. One of them was injured, the other was a growing youth, and only Su Ru Hui was healthy and strong. In this situation, Su Ru Hui felt ashamed to take the largest portion, so he decided to give two buns to each of them, and he would eat one alone. But the man was a kind and righteous person who would not let anyone go hungry. Su Ru Hui gave two buns to the boy first, then handed two to the man and insincerely said, ¡°Big brother, you can have one more. I¡¯m not hungry.¡±


    Su Ru Hui thought the man would push the bun back to him, and he would politely accept it. But unexpectedly, the man, with tears in his eyes, took both buns and said, ¡°Brother Jiang, I haven¡¯t eaten all day. If I hadn¡¯t met you, I would have been killed or starved to death.¡±


    Saying that, the man wolfed down both buns.


    ¡°By the way, my name is He Sheng. Brother Jiang, from now on, you can call me Brother He.¡±


    The cold bun lay in Su Ru Hui¡¯s hand, and he shed tears in his heart.


    A large pork bun was handed to Su Ru Hui. He looked up and met the boy¡¯s eyes. Firelight danced in the child¡¯s eyes, which reflected Su Ru Hui¡¯s face.


    ¡°You can eat it,¡± the boy said.


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, you eat it,¡± Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t want to compete with a child for food. ¡°It¡¯s okay if I eat less for a meal.¡±


    The boy said nothing and didn¡¯t move. The bun still lay in front of Su Ru Hui.


    This scene reminded Su Ru Hui of Sang Chi Yu. That guy also acted like this when he handed over the divorce letter. He wouldn¡¯t let Su Ru Hui go until he accepted it.


    Su Ru Hui broke the bun in half and placed it in the young boy¡¯s palm.


    ¡°One for each of us,¡± Su Ru Hui said with a smile.


    The young boy slowly withdrew his hand and muttered, ¡°Think more about yourself in the future.¡±


    Don¡¯t always be so kind-hearted.


    His words held a deeper meaning, but Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t pay attention and started rambling again. ¡°Ah, what can I do? I¡¯m just a kind person. I do good deeds every day. If I don¡¯t do good deeds, I won¡¯t feel at ease. If I see an old lady, I have to help her cross the street. Sometimes I help her and only then realize that she doesn¡¯t even want to cross the street.¡± He turned his head and smiled at the boy. ¡°May I ask for the little brother¡¯s name?¡±


    ¡°Su Yu,¡± he replied succinctly.


    ¡°So you¡¯re Little Brother Su,¡± He Sheng said, bowing. ¡°The three of us are fated to meet. How about we become sworn brothers here? Brother Jiang married Sang Chi Yu, and everyone knows their age. They¡¯re both just seventeen this year. I¡¯m twenty-three this year, so I¡¯ll be your older brother. Little Brother Su, how old are you? You look a bit younger than Brother Jiang.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen,¡± Sang Chi Yu casually said a number.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s great.¡± Su Ru Hui rubbed his head. ¡°Good boy, call me Gege.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu pursed his thin lips and didn¡¯t respond.


    He noticed that Su Ru Hui had a habit of wanting others to call him Gege. When they were young and lived together at the temple, Su Ru Hui would coax him to call him Gege. Later, when Su Ru Hui went to the Black Street, Han Ye also called him Gege. Perhaps in places he didn¡¯t know, many people were gathered around Su Ru Hui, chattering and calling him Gege.


    He remembered five years ago when the Secret Sect¡¯s doctor couldn¡¯t cure the poison in Su Ru Hui¡¯s body. The poison from his heart core was wreaking havoc on his organs. The doctor had no choice but to take a risk and open Su Ru Hui¡¯s chest to remove his heart core. Su Ru Hui was bleeding profusely and hanging on the edge of death. Even in his final moments, he maintained his nonchalant demeanor, holding Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hand and saying, ¡°I¡¯m going to die soon. Before I go, grant me a wish.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu trembled and tightly held his bloody hand. His voice was weak like a thread, ¡°Call me¡­ Ge¡­¡±


    Before he could finish speaking, Su Ru Hui¡¯s hand lost its strength. Although he didn¡¯t finish his sentence, Sang Chi Yu knew that he wanted to hear him call him Gege. Facing death, he had such a trivial wish.


    Su Ru Hui was really boring. Why did he like to adopt siblings everywhere? Sang Chi Yu wondered.


    He was silent for a while, then spoke softly to the firelight, ¡°Gege.¡±


    Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t reply. The young man thought he didn¡¯t hear him and shouted again, ¡°Gege!¡±


    Su Ru Hui chuckled, embraced his neck, and said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll protect you after you call me Gege. From now on, I¡¯ll take care of you.¡±


    He Sheng wanted to say something, but felt it was not appropriate to speak at this time. Su Yu didn¡¯t say anything after calling Su Ru Hui Gege, as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he himself had just said. He Sheng suddenly realized that he seemed a bit redundant among these sworn brothers.


    Footnotes


    1. Xiao Huang ¨C ¡°Huang¡± means ¡°yellow.¡± It¡¯s like calling someone Blue just because they¡¯re wearing a blue shirt.

 CH 19

    At dawn on the third day, Su Ru Hui and his companions set off for the snow line. It had just snowed the night before, and the ground was completely covered with a thick layer of snow. They passed countless corpses along the way, all frozen into sticks, with hollow eye sockets filled with dust and snowflakes. In order to avoid encountering other trial-takers, they chose a slightly steep route, which bypassed the mountain cliff, crossed a mountain ditch, and climbed up the bare slope to reach the snow line.


    The mountain road was steep, especially with snow piled up. Every step sank to the calf, and the three of them walked with difficulty. When the sun had completely risen, they finally bypassed the mountain cliff and reached the mountain ditch. The three of them were connected by a hemp rope and walked north along the narrow protruding edge of the mountain ditch. The edge was too narrow, like walking on a tightrope. Fortunately, the weather was good during the day, unlike last night when wind and snow raged.


    Suddenly, He Sheng, who was in front, screamed. The snow under his feet collapsed, and he didn¡¯t step on it firmly, so he rolled down the slope. When he rolled down, Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu were pulled down too. The three of them rolled down like a ball to the bottom. Su Ru Hui was buried in the snow, and his mouth was full of cold snow particles.


    They were lucky it snowed heavily last night. The mountain was covered in sharp stones. If they had rolled down like this without anything to cushion them, they would have been done for. Su Ru Hui was almost frozen stiff at the bottom, struggling to open his eyes. Suddenly, he met a pair of lifeless eyes.


    Sang Chi Yu grabbed him by the collar and pulled him out. The two of them saw a corpse under him, with its eyes wide open.


    On the other side, He Sheng also stood up. He was not far from Su Ru Hui. The three of them looked back at the mountain valley and saw countless bodies lying haphazardly under the snow. Some of them were buried deep with only their hands and feet showing, others their heads. Their skin was frozen to a pale blue color, and each one was as stiff as an ice stick. If they hadn¡¯t fallen down and collapsed the ice layer, they wouldn¡¯t have seen so many bodies buried here.


    [Congratulations to the host for obtaining Frozen Meat X37.]


    ¡°They¡­¡± He Sheng exclaimed in fear. ¡°Are they the trial takers?¡±


    Su Ru Hui squatted down and examined their faces. He had a photographic memory and remembered all the trial takers from before. After a quick scan, he did see a few familiar faces. ¡°There are indeed some trial takers, but most of them are new faces.¡±


    Su Ru Hui turned over one of the bodies. The clothes were intact, but the expression was terrified, as if this person had seen something extremely horrifying before dying. The collar was embroidered with red thread, forming characters that read ¡°Bao Tai,¡± presumably the name of the dead person.


    ¡°Why did they die here?¡± He Sheng asked.


    Su Ru Hui shrugged, indicating that he didn¡¯t know.


    This was the leeward side, and it¡¯s steep. Normally, no one would come here, so it became a place to abandon corpses. Who abandoned them here? Su Ru Hui turned to look at Su Yu. The young man¡¯s face was solemn, lost in thought.


    Time was running out. There was no time to deal with these corpses. The three continued to climb upwards, stepping on the snowline but not daring to go up. They hid in the snow, waiting for noon to arrive. They set up a shelter and looked out, but there was no one on the snowline. They were probably waiting nearby.


    At noon, several Frontline Guards officers came up the mountain in a puppet carriage, just like two days ago. They set up a table and waited for people to report in. Finally, a few scattered individuals came out and told the officer their name and hometown. There were already more than ten people, including the Cannibalistic Buddha who fought with them before. Su Ru Hui glanced at the others for a moment, then crawled out of the snow.


    After reporting their names, they waited until noon. No one else appeared in the snowline. The officer counted the names and said, ¡°Fifty-two. Two more than expected.¡±


    The people looked shocked and frightened. ¡°Are we going to fight again?¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± The officer squinted at the book. ¡°Jiang Que Xie? The Jiang family from Yun Zhou?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s me!¡± Su Ru Hui stepped forward.


    ¡°You are a member of a prominent family, and you cannot enter the Frontline Guards.¡± The officer waved his hand and ordered someone to take him away. ¡°Bring him to another place.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was puzzled. ¡°Why can¡¯t I enter? My sister used to be in the Frontline Guards.¡±


    ¡°Orders from above. You cannot enter from today.¡± The officer said impatiently, ¡°Hurry up, don¡¯t delay our work. There are plenty of members from prominent families in the Secret Sect; one more or one less won¡¯t matter. Make a fuss and we¡¯ll just throw you out.¡±


    He Sheng comforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother. You have a prominent family background; they will definitely give you a better position.¡±


    Something was off. Su Ru Hui had a bad feeling. He had stayed in the Secret Sect for a while before, selecting good soldiers to join the army. It was always a stage performance or a martial arts competition, and he had never heard of such a brutal trial by combat. Looking at the remaining participants marked as ¡°ordinary people,¡± there weren¡¯t many left. The ones left were mostly ¡°monks¡± and ¡°thugs.¡± It was easy to see that spiritual power users who concealed their identities and skills would have an advantage over ordinary people, and the odds were in their favor.


    ¡°Add to that the bodies we encountered before, it feels even more unusual,¡± Su Ru Hui thought.


    The purpose of the Secret Sect trial was probably not for conscription, otherwise they wouldn¡¯t need to screen out the children of prominent families.


    He cupped his hands and said, ¡°Sorry to trouble you, Sir. I have two brothers of different surnames here, and I would like to take them to the nearby garrison with me. Could you help us?¡±


    He walked up with a smile, blocking the view of the trial participants behind him, and sneakily handed each of the two officers a handful of silver.


    The officers took the silver, put on a smile, and said, ¡°We never thought that a young gentleman from a prominent family like you would be so considerate. To be honest with you, we just follow orders, and if we can make some accommodations, we will. There are 52 people here and we only need 50, so you can take one person with you. It¡¯s hard for us to explain if there are any missing people, so please understand, young master.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me why the children of prominent families cannot enter the Frontline Guards?¡± Su Ru Hui asked softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a command from higher-ups. We don¡¯t even know why.¡± The officer lowered his voice and continued, ¡°Last month, the Frontline Guards out for the Snow Territory with 500 people, but only a dozen returned. Almost the entire army was wiped out. I heard from the survivors that many refugees disappeared in the underground cave, and we don¡¯t know where they went. There were too many missing people and even people from the Black Street are retreating. The Snow Territory is not peaceful right now, young master. You can go to another garrison such as the Dragon Guards or the Eagle Guards, which are better than the Frontline Guards.¡±


    ¡°Lastly, one more question. Have we only gone through one round of conscription?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    The officer nodded. ¡°Indeed, we still need to go down and clear the dead bodies and throw them into the slope.¡±


    No wonder there were so many bodies. Su Ru Hui now knew where those bodies came from.


    ¡°Young master, please choose a person and leave. We are busy,¡± the officer urged him.


    Su Ru Hui stood up straight and turned to apologize to He Sheng. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry, I can only take one person with me. Third brother is young and can¡¯t take care of himself, so I¡¯ll take him. Are you okay on your own?¡±


    He Sheng pushed Su Yu out and said, ¡°Of course, no problem. I came here specifically for the Frontline Guards. I have been looking forward to it for several years. It¡¯s fortunate that there¡¯s a conscription, otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t be willing to go to another place.¡±


    Su Ru Hui held Su Yu¡¯s shoulder and whispered to He Sheng, ¡°Then we¡¯ll take third brother and leave. Big brother, take care of yourself.¡±


    With that, Su Ru Hui took Su Yu onto the puppet carriage.


    The carriage rattled along a mountain road, getting farther and farther away from the snow line. Su Ru Hui turned his head and asked Su Yu, ¡°Were you scared just now?¡±


    Su Yu shook his head gently and said, ¡°The Secret Sect is strange.¡±


    The two fell into silence, both feeling heavy in their hearts.


    Just now, when Su Ru Hui fell into a snowdrift and hit a corpse, Su Yu pulled him up, and the two saw the face of the corpse together.


    It was He Sheng¡¯s face. It was pale, his nose and mouth were bleeding, and he died with his eyes open.

 CH 20

    [Task completed. Obtained a secret X1 that is unknown to anyone. Please specify the person you want to learn the secret of, host.]


    [Task completed. System authority released by 10%, and the warning function is now activated. Host, please continue to work hard. The next authority upgrade will activate the pet module.]


    Su Ru Hui was not interested in the pet module and asked, ¡°The secret you tell me must be something I don¡¯t know, right?¡±


    [That¡¯s right.]


    ¡°Can it be anyone?¡± Su Ru Hui asked again.


    [Even a dog would do.]


    This crappy system loved to spout meaningless nonsense just like Su Ru Hui. Most of the secrets it revealed were probably boring things like impotence and hemorrhoids ¨C things that Su Ru Hui had no interest in knowing.


    Su Ru Hui pondered as he stroked his chin. The system must know things he didn¡¯t, but if the range of ¡°unknown¡± was very small, he wondered what useful information the system could provide.


    Su Ru Hui had an idea. ¡°Tell me a secret about myself.¡±


    There were things he truly didn¡¯t know about himself, such as what that heart core in his body was in his previous life. This question troubled him for his entire brief life, and he exhausted all means to trace it back to its source. He finally found some clues in the Snow Territory, but was imprisoned by the Secret Sect in the Immortals Cave and died without ever finding the truth. Perhaps the system could tell him the answer.


    [Target confirmed, retrieving background information¡­ secret intelligence extraction complete.]


    [Secret Intelligence Disclosure: Su Ru Hui, you are not human.]


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡­¡±


    He felt offended. His first reaction was that this crappy system was insulting him, but his second reaction was that his first reaction was wrong.


    He had been with this system for many years, and he knew its temperament. When the system said ¡°you are not human,¡± it wasn¡¯t an insult, but rather it meant that Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t belong to the human race in the sense of his species.


    This was a mind-blowing secret.


    If he wasn¡¯t human, then what was he?


    However, he quickly realized that the choice of the character ¡°Su Ru Hui¡± was ambiguous. He was a person who had returned from the dead, and ¡°Su Ru Hui¡± could refer to the previous Su Ru Hui who had already died, or it could refer to A Qi, the rogue whose body he was now occupying. Was ¡°not human¡± referring to Su Ru Hui or A Qi?


    He asked the system this question.


    [Secret Intelligence Disclosure Complete. The system cannot provide an answer. Please rely on yourself.]


    Su Ru Hui inwardly rolled his eyes.


    The puppet carriage carried them back to the capital, passing through Tian Street and entering Tai Palace directly. The towering palace of the Secret Sect appeared in their view through the window, and they entered the magnificent gate.


    Countless soldiers stood at attention with their swords, and fine snow fell all over them without melting, making them look like rows of ice and snow sculptures from a distance.


    Su Ru Hui stuck his head out and looked into the distance from under the shade. At the end of his vision stood the most magnificent palace in the capital, Bei Chen, where the mysterious leader of the Secret Sect, Dan Tai Jing, sat holding the fate of the world in his hands.


    A long time ago, Sang Chi Yu also came and went in that dark rock corridor. He was Dan Tai Jing¡¯s first disciple, stepping onto the palace with his sword and having a noble status. But because of this, no one dared to approach him. They said he was the knife in Dan Tai Jing¡¯s hand, cutting down traitors and rebels, and wherever he went, blood flowed like a river. Su Ru Hui had seen his back countless times. While others walked in groups of three or five, he walked alone and looked extremely lonely and small under the huge palace.


    As the carriage turned, it rattled and drove into the other side of the capital, down a straight road piled with snow. It gradually slowed down in speed, and finally stopped at a guard station. A black gold-plated plaque with the words ¡°Eagle Guards¡± hung high above the official office. Su Ru Hui knew this garrison. The Secret Sect had three major star officials and thirteen garrisons. The Eagle Guards was the last of the thirteen garrisons, responsible for patrolling, arresting, and killing traitors and rebels. Sang Chi Yu had previously worked in this office, but for some reason, he had a rank but no official position, no superiors or subordinates, and only listened to the orders of the leader of the Secret Sect.


    The guide led them into the courtyard, and there were soldiers inside and outside the official office. The atmosphere was tense, with a sense of being ready for battle. Su Ru Hui felt that something was wrong. Did they know that he was an undercover agent in the Black Street and sent him directly for interrogation?


    As they arrived at the bottom of the courtyard, a medical officer carrying a medicine box came up.


    The system provided the following information: [The chief male specialist of the Secret Sect, proficient in treating impotence, premature ejaculation, and various sexually transmitted diseases. It is recommended that the host follows all the instructions of this specialist.]


    The physician said, ¡°Take off your clothes.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was stunned. ¡°Take off my clothes?¡±


    Su Yu clearly did not expect to have to take off their clothes right away and furrowed his brow lightly. ¡°Why?¡±


    The physician unfolded a woolen cloth package, revealing gleaming silver needles inside. He explained, ¡°As a military officer, your body must be in good condition. If you have any strange diseases, the guards won¡¯t accept you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this rule before,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    ¡°Now you have.¡± The physician urged him, ¡°Take everything off, not a single piece left.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡± Su Ru Hui looked around the snowy landscape. ¡°Can¡¯t we go inside? It¡¯s so cold out here.¡±


    The physician slammed down the silver needles, his face full of impatience. ¡°A grown man like you afraid of the cold? Hurry up and take off your clothes.¡±


    ¡°A screen,¡± Su Yu said.


    ¡°What?¡± the physician asked.


    ¡°Give me a screen,¡± Su Yu said with a dry frown.


    ¡°You¡¯re picky.¡± The physician waved his hand, and a few soldiers brought in a screen and placed it in the open space.


    Su Yu turned to the other side of the screen, lowered his head, and unbuttoned his collar.


    Su Ru Hui had no choice but to follow suit. They took off their padded jackets, then their cotton pants, and then their undergarments. Each piece was piled on a chair. Su Ru Hui stamped his feet and exhaled, shivering from the cold. Through the screen, he could only see Su Yu¡¯s thin figure. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help feeling strange. With the screen set up in the open air, wouldn¡¯t the other soldiers still be able to see this guy¡¯s naked body?


    ¡°The cloth around your waist also needs to be untied,¡± the physician said.


    ¡°Is it really necessary!?¡± Su Ru Hui was about to collapse.


    ¡°To see if you have any sexually transmitted diseases. If you do, the sect won¡¯t accept you,¡± the physician urged them.


    Su Ru Hui had no choice but to untie the cloth around his waist. The two naked young men stood in the snow, feeling extremely embarrassed. The only thing worth celebrating was that there were only men around, and Su Ru Hui felt that his face had thickened another layer.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be ashamed of? In my eyes, you are just pieces of pork. You two should just treat yourselves like pieces of pork,¡± the physician said.


    The physician examined them one by one, stuck needles into them, and made them sit down and tap their knees while asking them, ¡°Does it hurt? Is it sore?¡±


    They answered one by one, and the physician seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. He burned the silver needles on a candle and said, ¡°Alright, you two are very healthy. Exercise more on weekdays and don¡¯t drink alcohol. However, you, surnamed Jiang. You seem to have some kidney deficiency. There¡¯s nothing else to worry about, just report to the sect.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was so angry that he wanted to spit blood. His kidneys were not weak at all! This was definitely a quack doctor.


    [After being evaluated by the system, the physician was found not to be a quack.]


    Su Ru Hui cursed loudly, ¡°Go to hell!¡±


    Su Ru Hui put on his clothes and walked inside while shivering. Su Yu followed him, whispering, ¡°He was checking our twelve meridians and acupoints.¡±


    ¡°Why was he checking these?¡± Su Ru Hui was puzzled. Could it be that they were really checking if they were sick? Compared to the past, the sect seemed to be much more cautious now.


    Su Yu shook his head, indicating that he didn¡¯t know.


    There was no time to think. The two crossed the courtyard and entered the main hall, where soldiers still guarded the doors. There was a black-robed military officer and a white-clad man standing under the eaves of the long corridor. The military officer was a short and fat middle-aged man, less than forty years old, with a sparse beard that made him look mature and steady. The smiling man next to him was dressed in white linen and had beautiful features.


    When he saw this person, Su Ru Hui¡¯s gaze paused slightly.


    [Su Gou, who was originally named Su Gou Dan. He looks a bit like Sang Chi Yu. It was said that when the host created him, he used Sang Chi Yu¡¯s beauty as inspiration. The system has reason to suspect that the host had ill intentions.]


    [Xia Jing, the eldest son of the Xia family. Seems to have a secret relationship with Jiang Xue Ya. Su Gou also seems to be hiding a secret.]


    Secret? Su Ru Hui frowned secretly. Su Gou was just a puppet. What secret could he have?


    And Xia Jing; how could he have any relationship with his senior sister? That shameless woman, she didn¡¯t even let go of old men!


    [Yes.]


    Su Ru Hui: ???


    [But not with that old man.]


    When Xia Jing saw Su Ru Hui, he patted his shoulder and smiled. ¡°Nephew, I am Xia Jing, the commander of the Eagle Guards. I received a letter from your father this morning, instructing me to take care of you more. You are truly formidable to have passed such a cruel trial at a young age. It seems that the rumors of your weakness are not to be believed, and you are no less impressive than your sister.¡±


    Su Ru Hui pretended to be shy. ¡°Fourth Uncle is too kind, but I am ashamed. My reputation is not good, and with this trial, I hope to gain some recognition.¡±


    Xia Jing smiled. ¡°You have a point. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s defection has caused a lot of trouble, and there will be a small interrogation later. You have stayed with him for a few days, and there is a connection between you. I have to ask you some questions. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s just a formality, and I hope you won¡¯t take offense, my nephew.¡±


    ¡°Of course not, Fourth Uncle can ask anything, and I will answer truthfully,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Xia Jing pointed to Su Gou. ¡°This is Su Gou, a puppet who serves under Dan Tai Jing. He will be asking most of the questions later, and you just need to tell the truth.¡±


    Su Gou bowed and said, ¡°Su Gou greets Young Master Jiang.¡±


    Su Ru Hui looked at this guy and felt very melancholy. Looking at his respectful appearance, Su Gou must have had his star array modified by the Secret Sect and now devoted himself wholeheartedly to serving them. Making a puppet was troublesome, and the higher the grade of the puppet, the longer it took to make. In the past, it took him three months to make a first-grade flesh puppet, and he couldn¡¯t even make it perfect. His most perfect puppet was Su Gou, which took him six months of hard work, but now the Secret Sect had taken advantage of it.


    Xia Jing put his arm around Su Ru Hui¡¯s shoulder and walked into the room, while Su Yu stood outside the door and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    ¡°Good boy.¡± Su Ru Hui rubbed his head affectionately.


    Su Gou closed the pearwood door and bolted it shut. The door separated the inside from the outside, making the room very dark. The high burning candle only illuminated a small space on the table. The three of them sat down around the table. When Xia Jing sat down, his expression became serious, and he appeared imposing, unlike his earlier gentle and easy-going demeanor.


    Su Gou nodded to Su Ru Hui and said, ¡°I will use a Lie Detector Talisman. Young Master can only speak the truth from now on.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was experienced with the Lie Detector Talisman, so he did speak the truth, but it was a selectively truthful response.


    Xia Jing made a gesture, indicating that Su Gou could begin questioning.


    Su Gou picked up the brush and asked, ¡°The first question. Was there any sign before Sang Chi Yu defected?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Su Ru Hui remembered that period of time and cursed Sang Chi Yu for being heartless, ¡°I thought he was going to live a good life with me. I had even planned out what dishes to cook for him for the next month.¡±


    Su Gou wrote down Su Ru Hui¡¯s response and asked, ¡°Why do you think Sang Chi Yu defected?¡±


    ¡°He probably wanted to restore his spiritual power. What else could it be? He couldn¡¯t have gone to the Black Street for sightseeing.¡± Su Ru Hui pulled the corner of his mouth.


    ¡°Before Sang Chi Yu defected, did he meet anyone besides you?¡± Su Gou asked.


    A dog didn¡¯t count as a person, Su Ru Hui thought. ¡°He came with me to the Jiang family¡¯s residence, met my mother, had dinner, and left shortly after.¡±


    Outside the door, Sang Chi Yu stood under the eaves, watching the snowflakes fall from the sky. It was snowing again in Kun Lun. A familiar scenery, a familiar official residence.


    Since he was twelve years old, he had been coming and going under this roof, walking to the end of the long corridor, turning a corner, going down three wooden stairs, and the first room on the left was his room. He moved there when he was twenty-five years old and never left. It should belong to someone else now.


    The door couldn¡¯t stop Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice, and he heard Su Ru Hui¡¯s response. Su Ru Hui was a person who talked a lot, with only a few words being true and most of it being false. Only under the effect of a truth-telling spell would he speak the truth.


    ¡°Jiang Gongzi, you didn¡¯t marry Sang Chi Yu willingly, but we heard that after marriage, you managed the household and cooked for Sang Chi Yu, showing your virtue,¡± Su Gou said. ¡°How do you feel about Sang Chi Yu now?¡±


    A dangerous question. Su Ru Hui felt a little heavy in his heart. Sang Chi Yu had betrayed the Secret Sect, and he had to distance himself from Sang Chi Yu. He had to answer the question carefully.


    He casually laughed. ¡°That guy seems carefree on the surface, but he actually dislikes me a lot. I¡¯m not a masochist who enjoys being disliked. I took pity on him and took care of him, but he didn¡¯t appreciate it and only wanted me to leave. In the end, he even went to the Black Street. I don¡¯t care anymore. I won¡¯t cook for him again; let him go hungry.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Su Gou smiled.


    Suddenly, Xia Jing, who had been silent, spoke up, ¡°Que Xie, you need to answer the next question clearly. For example, ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯, ¡®will¡¯ or ¡®will not¡¯. Su Gou¡¯s record will be submitted to Dan Tai Jing for review, and if your answer is too vague, it will be hard to explain to him.¡±


    The old fox had some tricks up his sleeve and saw through Su Ru Hui¡¯s attempt to be evasive. Su Ru Hui¡¯s answer was now limited, and he wouldn¡¯t be able to find any loopholes in the interrogation. Was there any way out? He could use the Pure Land talisman.


    No, he had used his only Pure Land talisman in the trial grounds, and he had no other way.


    Su Ru Hui cleared his throat and said, ¡°I understand, Fourth Uncle. Please continue with your questions.¡±


    ¡°Based on your earlier answer,¡± Su Gou asked slowly, ¡°it seems like you hate Sang Chi Yu a lot?¡±


    Su Ru Hui pretended to think. ¡°This¡­ ¡°


    Xia Jing pressed on, ¡°Que Xie, you need to answer clearly. Do you hate him or not?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate him.¡± Realizing he responded too quickly, Su Ru Hui added, ¡°It¡¯s not quite hate, not to that extent, but he and I are not on the same path.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Su Gou asked, ¡°How does Jiang Gongzi view Sang Chi Yu? It¡¯s said that Sang Chi Yu once bullied Gongzi. Shouldn¡¯t Gongzi hold a grudge?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t avoid the question. If he answered ¡°no¡± again, wouldn¡¯t that mean there were still some lingering feelings? The Secret Sect valued loyalty the most. Although they wouldn¡¯t kill him, he certainly wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the Eagle Guards. Su Ru Hui felt desperate. He was being pushed into a corner by his own creation. You¡¯re killing your master, you stupid dog (1).


    Never mind, let¡¯s try to lie again.


    Su Ru Hui spoke, trying to lie.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    He said the first word, and his heart trembled. The talisman was malfunctioning. Lie Detector didn¡¯t take effect; he could lie!


    His eyes narrowed slightly, calmly looking at the man in front of him, who was smiling knowingly. It seemed that this guy had been intentionally guiding his answer. Su Gou first mentioned ¡°hatred,¡± then brought up ¡°grudges,¡± which was an intentional or unintentional hint to Su Ru Hui on how to answer.


    In the flickering candlelight, the two men looked at each other. Su Gou¡¯s smile reminded Su Ru Hui of fake Jiang Xue Ya.


    Su Ru Hui finally knew Su Gou¡¯s secret. So it was this guy.


    He smiled, leaned back, and said casually, ¡°Not hatred, but more like dislike. That guy always looks like a wooden man, so boring. He also likes to be alone, thinking he¡¯s unique. Fourth Uncle, you and he were colleagues before. You should be familiar with his mannerisms.¡±


    Xia Jing was very satisfied with Su Ru Hui¡¯s answer, and his expression relaxed a lot.


    He deeply sympathized with Su Ru Hui¡¯s words and sighed. ¡°Yes, he considers himself the top disciple of Dan Tai Jing, always looking down on his peers. When he saw me in the past, he just nodded and didn¡¯t bother to greet me. If you didn¡¯t know him, you would have thought he was the commander of the Eagle Guards.¡±


    Outside the door, Sang Chi Yu stood still like a wooden stake. He reached out and caught a snowflake which floated down like a goose feather. His fingertips were cold, and the coldness slithered like a small snake, drilling into his limbs and body, and his heart.


    So this was how Su Ru Hui saw him.


    Su Gou put away the paper and pen and made a solemn bow to Su Ru Hui. ¡°Jiang Gongzi, the Secret Sect is convinced that you have no connection with Sang Chi Yu. Congratulations on passing all the trials and joining the Eagle Guards of the Secret Sect.¡±


    Xia Jing vigorously patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Nephew, there happens to be a vacancy for a school lieutenant. You can try it out. Work hard, and your future is boundless.¡±


    The three of them chatted and laughed as they left. When they passed by Su Gou, Su Ru Hui received a note. He hid the note in his sleeve, smiled, and accompanied Su Gou and Xia Jing until they reached the gate before turning back to the interrogation hall.


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s stomach was empty, and at this moment, he only wanted to go eat with Su Yu. When he returned to the corridor, he found that the snowy ground was empty.


    Su Yu had agreed to wait for him. Where was he?


    Author¡¯s note:


    Sang Chi Yu: I¡¯m angry, come and comfort me.


    Countdown to becoming a cat, haha.


    Footnotes


    1. The ¡°Gou¡± in Su Gou Dan means ¡°dog¡±

 CH 21

    Su Ru Hui asked a servant if he had seen Su Yu. Since Su Yu was new, no one knew him. Su Ru Hui gestured for a long time to describe his appearance before the servant suddenly remembered and said that he had gone in the direction of the internal affairs hall.


    Did someone ask him to help out with some work? Su Ru Hui thought to himself. The boy was honest and easy to bully.


    When he arrived at the internal affairs hall, he saw Su Yu. The young man was now equipped with swords, guns, and crossbows. He had just tried on his official robe and was still wearing it. He was dressed in a neat black collarless robe, with leather arm guards on his wrists, and a crossbow and a sword hanging from his waist. He was tall and slender like a bamboo shoot. Now dressed like a military official, the previously inconspicuous boy suddenly looked sharp and decisive.


    ¡°Master Jiang is here,¡± the internal affairs clerk greeted him and handed him the standard equipment one by one. ¡°These are your clothing, leather armor, and two sets of each. They are easy to change and wash. The weather here is dry, and the clothes can be dried after hanging overnight. This is a meteorite iron sword, with a continuous firing spirit fire gun and a single shot crossbow. The gun has a range of one thousand steps, nd can be fired five times in a row. It comes with thirty rounds. The single-shot crossbow has a range of three hundred steps, and comes with thirty short arrows. Master should remember that without orders, the spirit fire gun cannot be used within the city walls.¡± He also handed him a string of keys. ¡°This is the house that the commanding officer ordered to prepare for you, located on the South Street in Shun Kang District. You came in a hurry, and I didn¡¯t have time to find a good place. If you are not comfortable living there, just tell me, and we will find another place.¡±


    This was the advantage of being from a prestigious family. Su Ru Hui sighed in his heart. With a letter from Jiang Huai Cang, he didn¡¯t even need to look for a house, and he probably didn¡¯t have to pay rent either.


    Su Ru Hui thanked him repeatedly, took the things readily, and secretly slipped a bag of silver to the clerk, who immediately smiled from ear to ear.


    Su Yu was not from a prestigious family and had a low status. Throughout the journey, no one paid attention to him. He carried his things and was about to leave. Su Ru Hui caught a glimpse of the lonely figure and quickly said goodbye to the attendant. He picked up his own belongings and caught up with Su Yu.


    ¡°You were supposed to wait for me. Why did you come to the inner hall first?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    Su Yu stopped and turned his face away, saying in a low voice, ¡°It¡¯s cold.¡±


    It was indeed very cold outside, and Su Ru Hui had overlooked it. He suddenly realized his mistake and apologized. ¡°You haven¡¯t rented a house yet. Do you want to live with me? The yard they gave me must be big. It¡¯s a waste for me to live alone.¡±


    Su Yu shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll live on my own.¡±


    Su Ru Hui looked at him for a while and clicked his tongue. ¡°Wait a minute, what¡¯s wrong with you? Are you mad at me? Tell me, why are you mad at me?¡±


    Su Yu remained silent and expressionless. He couldn¡¯t understand Su Ru Hui¡¯s personality. Although he was obviously disgusted with him, he still pretended to be close like brothers. Perhaps that was why Su Ru Hui was so likable. He never embarrassed anyone, never made anyone feel uncomfortable, and was friendly to everyone. He could easily become close friends with someone just by chatting with them for a few minutes.


    This included Su Yu. Even though he found him uninteresting, Su Ru Hui still treated him well, taking care of him and caring for him every day.


    He suddenly felt disgusted with Su Ru Hui¡¯s behavior and didn¡¯t want to talk to him.


    Su Ru Hui looked at him and suddenly smiled. ¡°Did you eavesdrop on them interrogating me?¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s face remained expressionless as he replied, ¡°No.¡±


    He took a step forward, but Su Ru Hui grabbed his wrist with too much force, causing him to stumble and fall into Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms. He was so small now that he was a full head shorter than Su Ru Hui. It felt uncomfortable to be covered by Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms, and he raised his head with a cold expression.


    ¡°Let go,¡± he said coldly.


    ¡°What can you do if I don¡¯t let go? Bite me?¡± Su Ru Hui laughed teasingly. ¡°Why are you mad at me for talking about Sang Chi Yu behind his back?¡±


    His heart skipped a beat. Was he discovered so quickly?


    Indeed, he had been acting too suspiciously and shouldn¡¯t have gotten angry.


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡± Su Ru Hui looked him up and down. ¡°You¡¯re a fan of Sang Chi Yu?¡±


    Su Ru Hui was too close to him, and his ears turned red. Su Yu gritted his teeth and warned again, ¡°Let go.¡±


    Su Ru Hui continued, ¡°You actually admire him? Xiao Yu, now that he has joined the underworld, you have to distance yourself from him. If others find out that you see him as a role model, the Secret Sect will definitely kick you out.¡±


    Su Yu lowered his eyelashes and nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°And,¡± Su Ru Hui let go of him, tilting his head and smiling at him, ¡°what¡¯s so admirable about that guy? He¡¯s fickle, heartless, and even stole two salted egg yolk beef rice balls from me without a word.¡±


    As he spoke, Sang Chi Yu¡¯s body stiffened.


    He didn¡¯t mean to take both rice balls. He just felt that¡­maybe he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat Su Ru Hui¡¯s food again in the future.


    Su Ru Hui seemed to notice his strange behavior. ¡°Do you like him or not?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu pursed his lips and took a long time before he said, ¡°I don¡¯t like him.¡±


    ¡°Is he good or bad?¡±


    ¡°Bad.¡±


    ¡°Does he deserve to be fucked?¡±


    ¡°He does¡­¡±


    Just as he was about to respond to Su Ru Hui¡¯s words, Sang Chi Yu suddenly realized what he had said and stopped himself in time.


    ¡°Sorry, I said something stupid,¡± Su Ru Hui said without changing his expression, still with that wretched smile. ¡°I mean, does he deserve a beating?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to speak anymore.


    Su Ru Hui had had enough of playing and crossed his arms. ¡°Anyway, I promised to take care of you, so I hope you¡¯ll stay with me. But if you want to go out alone, I won¡¯t stop you. Be careful and come find me on the South Street if anything happens.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was right. Sang Chi Yu suddenly remembered He Sheng, who had become sworn brothers with them. Su Ru Hui had a good relationship with He Sheng, so maybe He Sheng would go to find him. There was something fishy about He Sheng and Su Ru Hui could very well find himself in danger.


    Su Ru Hui was about to leave when his clothes were grabbed from behind. He turned around to see Su Yu¡¯s jet black hair. He looked small and pitiful, like a mushroom covered by dark clouds.


    Su Yu turned his gaze away and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you want to live alone? Why are you changing your mind? Young master is unhappy now and doesn¡¯t want to take you.¡±


    Su Yu remained silent, still holding onto his clothes.


    Su Ru Hui was merciless and told him to let go, but he suddenly spoke up, his voice soft but loud enough for Su Ru Hui to hear.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wash your socks for you.¡±


    He lowered his head, his long and curled eyelashes like butterflies resting peacefully on his cheeks. Su Ru Hui was slightly stunned for a moment, seeming to remember something, and then laughed.


    ¡°Xiao Yu,¡± Su Ru Hui pinched his face and said slowly, ¡°have you ever been to the Black Street? Do you know what it means to call someone brother and to rush to live together with them?¡±


    Su Yu slowly furrowed his brows.


    Su Ru Hui smiled. ¡°It means offering oneself as a bedmate.¡±


    Su Yu froze instantly, his face turning pale, but his ears were red as if blood had rushed to them. He clenched his fists and remained silent.


    How frivolous. Sang Chi Yu knew Su Ru Hui¡¯s true nature, but he didn¡¯t expect him to be so bold with a stranger he had just met; truly the number one thug in the world. Sang Chi Yu closed his eyes and returned to his indifferent appearance, saying, ¡°I¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui laughed loudly and threw his baggage of swords, guns, crossbows, and arrows into Su Yu¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not interested in you. Whether male or female, I like those who have big chests, thin waists, and a well-rounded butt. You are like a small bean sprout, no fun. As you said, I will let you wash my socks in the future.¡±


    After speaking, he turned around and walked out with his hands behind his back. Su Yu held his luggage and followed him.


    The two arrived at South Street, where Xia Jing had generously given Su Ru Hui a small courtyard with a front door facing the street, a main hall with two side rooms, and a kitchen at the back, which was just enough for Su Ru Hui and Su Yu to live in. The furniture and furnishings were all complete, left behind by the previous owner. Su Ru Hui was hungry and asked Su Yu what he wanted to eat before he went out to buy groceries.


    Su Yu was taken aback and said, ¡°I want a roujiamo (2).¡±


    Su Ru Hui agreed and went out to buy groceries. Su Yu took the broom and began sweeping the house. As he was halfway through, the compass in his waist pouch vibrated. He took out the small compass, and the star formation symbol appeared automatically, with the voice of Hei Guan Yin coming out, ¡°Sang Gongzi, have you passed the trial? How is the scenery in Kun Lun Mountain? Is it still the same?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    ¡°Except for you, all the undercover agents sent by Great Compassion Temple to the Secret Sect have lost contact. Do you know why?¡± Hei Guan Yin asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Sang Chi Yu replied. ¡°They are with the Frontline Guards.¡±


    ¡°You are not there?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    There was silence on the other end for a while, and Hei Guan Yin said, ¡°Sang Gongzi, you have left a backdoor open, and you have not told the Great Compassion Temple the truth. Has the identity of the undercover agents been exposed? Does the Secret Sect have a person who can use the Heavenly Eye technique? It seems that my people used their spiritual power during the trial and were detected by the Secret Sect.¡±


    ¡°You have also left a backdoor open,¡± Sang Chi Yu said, putting the compass on the table and picking up the broom to sweep the floor.


    Hei Guan Yin laughed hoarsely. ¡°Okay, Sang Gongzi, I need your help, and you need the Black Street as your refuge. Otherwise, you will be a wandering duckweed, and fighting alone will not yield good results. It¡¯s better to be frank from now on.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu ignored him and focused on sweeping the floor.


    ¡°Wuji powder is addictive and contains opium. If Sang Gongzi¡¯s body is uncomfortable, taking a small amount of opium powder can provide relief. Opium powder can be found in the slums everywhere, and one or two silver coins are enough to buy three bags. If Sang Gongzi is willing, I can provide opium powder for you for free,¡± Hei Guan Yin said with a sigh. ¡°Sang Gongzi, rest assured that Wuji powder will not become a tool for me to restrict you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was busy and wanted to end the communication quickly.


    ¡°What do you want me to do? Say it.¡± he asked.


    ¡°I not only sent spiritual power users to the Secret Sect, but also five ordinary monks. These five people are newcomers who have recently entered the Great Compassion Temple. They are undercover agents who do not know each other¡¯s existence. Heavenly Eye cannot find them, and the Secret Sect cannot obtain their names through torture. Unless they confess their identities or escape on their own, it is impossible for them to lose contact with me,¡± said Hei Guan Yin. ¡°Sang Gongzi, I request that you find out the whereabouts of these five people for me. After dusk, I will put their names and portraits under the roof of your residence.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu stared at the compass without making a sound.


    Hei Guan Yin threatened him, implying that his whereabouts had been exposed. Sang Chi Yu slightly furrowed his brow. He had clearly changed his appearance. How could Hei Guan Yin know his location?


    Sang Chi Yu understood that Hei Guan Yin was not monitoring him, but Su Ru Hui. The undercover agents of the Great Compassion Temple were missing, and other trial participants of the Frontline Guard were likely missing as well. Among the participants, only he and Su Ru Hui had joined the Secret Sect. Hei Guan Yin was monitoring Su Ru Hui, so he could naturally see that Sang Chi Yu was always by Su Ru Hui¡¯s side.


    ¡°Why are you concerned about Jiang Que Xie?¡± His voice became cold.


    ¡°I heard from someone in the Paradise Pavillion that Sang Gongzi has a deep affection for Jiang Gongzi. Perhaps Wuji powder cannot motivate for Sang Gongzi to help me, but Jiang Gongzi can,¡± Hei Guan Yin said slowly. ¡°We haven¡¯t reached that point yet. I¡¯m just reminding Sang Gongzi to be in sync with the Great Compassion Temple. I entrust the whereabouts of those five people to you and look forward to good news from you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I need two Gate of Nothingness talismans,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    Hei Guan Yin did not expect Sang Chi Yu to compromise so quickly. He understood that Sang Chi Yu was a sealed box that was difficult to pry open, but Jiang Que Xie was his biggest weakness. As long as Jiang Que Xie was used as the key, this sealed box would automatically fall apart.


    Hei Guan Yin smiled and said, ¡°It was my oversight. The border is vast, and Gongzi has no carriage. It is indeed inconvenient to enter and leave the Secret Sect. The talismans will be sent to your residence together with the portraits.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu put away the compass and pushed open the door. People were coming and going on the street, and Su Ru Hui had not yet returned.


    He sat under the steps, waiting for Su Ru Hui. Tonight, he would return to the Great Compassion Temple and kill Hei Guan Yin.


    Author¡¯s note:


    Kitty Sang is being treated unfairly, harassed, and forced to be a bodyguard and wash stinky socks.

 CH 22

    Not only was there a ban on iron in the border city, but there was also a curfew. The Secret Sect had strict laws and punishments, and if one stole even a pack of salt, they would be brutally beaten with ten planks on a bench. If they stole ten packs, they would be exiled. Anyone caught wandering the streets after curfew would be arrested by the patrolling officials and thrown into prison. No one wanted to eat prison food, so as the sun began to set, the market began to close. Su Ru Hui managed to buy a string of meat from the last pork vendor before he left. He was starving and hoped that Su Yu would heat up the pot and boil some water before he got home.


    Su Ru Hui trudged through the snow-covered ground, sunlight far behind him. He turned into a small alley and saw a tall man leaning against a white cloth tent, blocking his way. Su Ru Hui felt hopeless and wished he had brought a knife with him. He was hungry enough to kill anyone who stood in his way of getting home to eat.


    As he thought this, he saw the tall man emerge from the shadows. He put on a forced smile and said, ¡°Boss, what brings you here? If you need to contact me, just send someone to deliver a message. Why bother coming here yourself?¡±


    ¡°Just wandering around with nothing to do.¡± Han Ye looked at him with a smile that did not reach his eyes. ¡°I heard that the trial this time for the Frontline Guards is to throw a hundred people into the Kun Lun snow line to kill each other. I didn¡¯t expect you, a person without any spiritual power, to survive. A Qi, you¡¯re more capable than I imagined.¡±


    Su Ru Hui humbly said, ¡°I just have some survival skills. I¡¯m not good at fighting. Running away is my specialty.¡±


    ¡°Paradise Pavillion had eyes on the entire journey of your trial. There was only one puppet carriage that came out of Kun Lun Mountain, carrying you and the little friend next to you. Only you two came out of the Secret Sect, with weapons and official clothes from the military office.¡± Han Ye crossed his arms. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many undercover agents the Great Compassion Temple sent, but our Paradise Pavillion sent three. Two of them are spiritual power users. Did they contact you? How did they not pass the trial?¡±


    This was awkward. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t tell him that he had killed all three of his little brothers. Not only had he killed them, but he also stripped them naked and used their clothes as firewood.


    Wait a minute, Han Ye said that other than Su Ru Hui and Su Yu, no one else had come down from the mountain. He Sheng hadn¡¯t come down either? Did that mean that all fifty people who passed the trial did not come down?


    Su Ru Hui quickly regained his composure and played dumb. ¡°No, this trial was too brutal and inhumane. I went into a cave as soon as I entered the mountain and hid there for three days and two nights. The three brothers you mentioned must have missed me.¡±


    Su Ru Hui figured Han Ye wouldn¡¯t suspect that one person could take down all three. Han Ye frowned. ¡°You must have been exposed. The Secret Sect must have some way of monitoring the trial.¡±


    ¡°Exactly, there might be someone who can use Heavenly Eye among them,¡± Su Ru Hui agreed.


    Han Ye was a spiritual power at the Dong Xuan Realm, and he had many little hooligans under his command who could be used to investigate the Secret Sect. If he had his help, it would save Su Ru Hui from fighting alone and being too risky. Su Ru Hui actively reported the incident of the corpse in the mountain ditch and He Sheng to Han Ye, and as he listened, Han Ye¡¯s brow furrowed deeper and deeper. This matter was just too strange. Death and resurrection were things that only happened in books.


    Han Ye¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Do I look so easy to fool? Did you not prepare your lies beforehand?¡±


    ¡°I swear to heaven, I speak only the truth,¡± Su Ru Hui solemnly said. ¡°Not just me, my little brother Su Yu also saw it.¡±


    ¡°Little brother?¡± Han Ye¡¯s gaze was complicated. ¡°Why are you always like Su Ru Hui, fond of taking in little brothers as attendants?¡±


    Su Ru Hui was puzzled. Who said he liked taking in little brothers? It wasn¡¯t him who proposed becoming brothers with Su Yu.


    Thinking that Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t dare to deceive him with nonsense, Han Ye looked up at the sky and said, ¡°The weather is good today. There won¡¯t be any wind and snow on the mountain. I¡¯ll take people to that snow ditch tonight.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going too!¡± Su Ru Hui volunteered.


    ¡°Of course you¡¯re going.¡± Han Ye sneered and pinched his face. ¡°If you dare to play tricks on me, I¡¯ll throw you into the snow ditch to accompany those corpses. Meet me at the city gate at midnight. Don¡¯t be late, I don¡¯t like waiting for people.¡±


    Su Ru Hui returned home and pounded meat while Sang Chi Yu helped out. They were too hungry. Their stomach had almost merged with their backs. Making meat buns was too slow. Su Ru Hui promised to make some for Sang Chi Yu to eat later. They casually stewed a plate of braised pork, added a bowl of pickled vegetables, paired with rice, and the two of them cleaned the dishes spotlessly.


    Feeling like he had just come back to life, Su Ru Hui stretched lazily. He still had to go out at night, so he had to take a nap. Sang Chi Yu watched him enter the house. He looked up at the roof and saw an extra cloth bundle at the ridge. He took the cloth bundle down, lit an oil lamp, opened the bundle, and saw five portraits and identification information, plus two Gate of Nothingness talismans.


    The portraits included the two monks who pursued He Sheng that day. One was killed by Su Ru Hui, and the other passed the test. Sang Chi Yu remembered seeing the yellow-robed monk who used a bone knife on the snow line.


    Sang Chi Yu took the broadsword he received today, with a meteorite blade and a sharkskin hilt, as well as a blade with a Ruyi pattern. This standard issue sword from the guard post could easily cut through most firearms. He laid the sword horizontally on the table and placed his crossbow, spirit fire gun, and dagger on the table as well. After some thought, he chose the sword and dagger. Although firearms were powerful, he was used to using blades.


    He sat in front of the oil lamp and waited. Time passed slowly like flowing water, and the light reflected on his peaceful face. His calm and serene expression was like a Buddha meditating, not that of a criminal preparing to kill.


    At midnight, he picked up a talisman and activated his spiritual power.


    Meanwhile, Su Ru Hui had been waiting at the city gate. He left the city before it closed and brought his own single-shot crossbow and a sleeve gun. The weapons issued by the guard post were good, but the number of arrows and pellets were limited, and it would be troublesome if the guard post asked where they were used. Su Ru Hui decided to use his own weapons. As for the sword, he could use the one from the guard post. He lowered his head and looked at the hilt of the broadsword at his waist. The sword had a good weight and a narrow blade, a good sword indeed.


    At midnight, Han Ye and several gangsters from Paradise Pavillion arrived on time, making a total of eight people, each holding an oil lamp and heading up the mountain in groups. It was difficult to recognize the road at night, but fortunately, the system helped. In Su Ru Hui¡¯s vision, a glowing blue line was projected on the ground.


    The night was as heavy as iron, and their fur boots made rustling sounds as they sank into the snow. Looking around, withered white birch trees stood in the darkness like grimacing shadows, giving off a somewhat eerie vibe. The lights from the gangsters¡¯ oil lamps scattered in the forest, moving towards the snow ditch together.


    After walking for a whole hour, they finally crossed the mountain cliff and arrived at the snowy ravine. The range that the oil lamp could illuminate was extremely limited. Standing on the snowy ravine and looking down below, they could only see a pitch-black hole.


    ¡°Do we need to go down?¡± asked one of the thugs.


    Han Ye called someone over. ¡°A Pan, listen down there.¡±


    The boy named A Pan nodded and crouched down to listen. After a while he said, ¡°There¡¯s no living creature down there. It¡¯s safe.¡±


    A Pan. Su Ru Hui remembered this kid. He had visited a literacy school in Paradise Pavillion before, and A Pan was one of the children at the school. He never thought that after five years, the children who were small at the time had grown up so much.


    A Pan was a ¡°Keen Hearing¡± spiritual power user. Su Ru Hui had previously seen spiritual power users of the same type, with hearing so good that they could hear the heartbeat and breathing of a person three hundred steps away.


    Han Ye ordered the thugs to check the body in the snowy ravine. Seeing Su Ru Hui standing there doing nothing, he kicked him and said, ¡°You also go down.¡±


    Su Ru Hui almost got kicked down. He felt irritated but unable to do anything. Since he was under someone else¡¯s roof, he had to bow his head. Su Ru Hui comforted himself that a real man could bend and stretch, and slid down the snow slope into the ravine. When he reached the bottom and turned back to look, Han Ye had also come down, taking the lead.


    The thugs took turns examining the bodies, and the dim oil lamp shone on their faces. They were all pale from the cold, and their bodies were harder than bricks. It was the middle of the night, and it was extremely cold on the mountain. Su Ru Hui felt that he would freeze to death soon. While shivering, he searched for He Sheng¡¯s body. He had to carefully examine it to see what had happened to the corpse.


    As he was searching, he heard the cry of one of the thugs from the other side, ¡°Boss, I found Li Jin Bie!¡±


    Su Ru Hui walked over slowly and saw that it was Hook-Eye ¨C the one who had died by his hand. It turned out that his name was Li Jin Bie. What a good name.


    Han Ye bent down to examine the bullet hole in the center of Li Jin Bie¡¯s eyebrow, and gave Su Ru Hui a meaningful look.


    Su Ru Hui felt a chill in his heart. He had forgotten about this incident. He never thought that the military men from the Secret Sect were so efficient that they had brought all the trial ground¡¯s corpses here in half a day. He nervously explained, ¡°Boss, I can explain. It wasn¡¯t me who started the fight. They wanted to rob me and defile me. I had no choice.¡±


    ¡°Defile you?¡± Han Ye¡¯s face turned dark.


    A thug next to him whispered, ¡°Li Jin Bie was indeed a handsome man, and he was very popular with the young masters in the public hall.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Han Ye kicked Li Jin Bie back into the pit of corpses. ¡°Then he deserved to die.¡±


    Su Ru Hui thought to himself, who are you to judge him?


    Someone had already walked to the bottom of the pit and shouted, ¡°Boss, I found another brother! It¡¯s Dao Xiao Liu!¡±


    ¡°Another one?¡± Su Ru Hui furrowed his brow. He remembered Han Ye saying that besides him, there were only three people ¨C Scarface, Hook-Eye, and Pockmarks. Two of them had melted away into a puddle of blood. How could there be another one?


    Following the group deeper into the area, several thugs surrounded a corpse with an oil lamp placed beside it, illuminating the face.


    It was Scarface.


    Su Ru Hui felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively held back Han Ye, who wanted to step forward.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Han Ye turned his head in confusion.


    Su Ru Hui looked closely, and indeed, the corpse was Scarface¡¯s ¨C robust build, scar across the nose, everything identical.


    How was that possible? He saw Scarface melt into a pool of blood with his own eyes. How could he appear here?


    Two other thugs brought over another corpse ¨C Pockmarks. One of them wiped the sweat off his face and asked, ¡°We finally found them all, boss. Shall we burn them here or take them back for a proper burial?¡±


    Before Han Ye could answer, several other thugs rushed over in a panic and came face-to-face with Su Ru Hui, their faces full of fear as if they had seen a ghost.


    ¡°Boss, come and take a look!¡±


    They led Han Ye to another corpse, and as soon as the oil lamp was set down, everyone¡¯s faces turned deathly pale.


    The corpse lay still with closed eyes, cheeks as pale as snow ¨C it was Su Ru Hui¡¯s face.


    ¡°A¡­ A Qi,¡± someone stepped back a few steps and asked anxiously, ¡°how could your corpse be here?¡±

 CH 23

    It was a rainy night on the Black Street. Lights swayed in the rain, illuminating Hei Guan Yin, who was hurriedly returning to the Great Compassion Temple. Tonight, the Great Compassion Temple was unexpectedly quiet. Usually, there were people hiding under the Happy Buddha to have sex. He didn¡¯t mind and went straight to his own sleeping quarters. He lived in the chest of the Happy Buddha, which was actually a giant puppet. There weren¡¯t many guards at the Great Compassion Temple because the giant puppet was his best bodyguard.


    He opened a secret door behind the Buddha and went up a spiral stone staircase. The walls were made up of gears, though they weren¡¯t moving at the moment. The core star array of the puppet was suspended above, inside a heavy stone slab. He was a cautious person, and the faint sound of the star array¡¯s operation did not disturb his sleep but instead gave him a sense of security.


    He returned to his sleeping quarters, lit a candle, and took off his cloak, placing it on the back of a chair. It was quiet inside the puppet. He took two steps forward, looked up at the stone slab above his head, and was surprised to find that he didn¡¯t hear the sound of the star array.


    Someone had invaded his home. He realized it belatedly, and his heart was pounding. He slowly turned around. In the dim candlelight, a man in narrow-sleeved black clothes sat on the back of a chair. His hair was wet from the rain, his fair face expressionless, as cold and indifferent as ever.


    Hei Guan Yin smiled and hoarsely asked, ¡°How did you find your way here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following you,¡± Sang Chi Yu said lightly.


    Right, Hei Guan Yin remembered that this guy¡¯s special power was Teleportation. He stuck to his back and followed him, hiding in the shadow, so Hei Guan Yin couldn¡¯t hear his footsteps. Dan Tai Jing trained him well, and he was calm and collected when doing things, killing cleanly. The Great Compassion Temple was so quiet tonight. Perhaps his monks had all been assassinated. After doing all this, he still didn¡¯t rush to take Hei Guan Yin¡¯s life, but followed him all the way, which allowed him to discover the secret of the giant puppet and destroy its core star array. Hei Guan Yin had no cards left to play.


    Smart people didn¡¯t need to say much. From the moment Sang Chi Yu sat there, Hei Guan Yin understood his intentions.


    Hei Guan Yin said, ¡°Considering I¡¯ve helped you join the Black Street, at least let me say a few words before you take my life.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu nodded.


    Hei Guan Yin took a deep breath. ¡°People like us always tend to be self-righteous. I thought I could control you and make Kun Lun¡¯s strongest weapon mine, but I didn¡¯t expect this blade to be so sharp that it cut me instead. It seems that Jiang Que Xie is really important to you. Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s a next time, I won¡¯t threaten his life again. You and I are equal and mutually beneficial, on equal footing.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him quietly, unmoved.


    ¡°Allow me to show you something. This is something that the monks of the Great Compassion Temple discovered in the Snow Territory. It was just delivered here at dusk, and I believe that Mr. Sang will be interested.¡± Hei Guan Yin took out a communication compass. ¡°A Nan, bring that thing to the temple. Come here alone, and tell the others to leave the Great Compassion Temple. Stay at least fifty feet away.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin made a gesture of ¡°please¡±, and Sang Chi Yu stood up silently and walked down the stone steps.


    The people in the Great Compassion Temple acted quickly. A Nan was waiting for them in front of the Happy Buddha. He had placed the item Hei Guan Yin requested on the floor, covered with white cloth.


    Hei Guan Yin squatted beside it. ¡°Mr. Sang should know that the Secret Sect¡¯s law is strict, and many people are exiled to the Snow Territory every year. Those poor people can only build ice houses or live underground like beasts, naked and unprotected against the extreme cold. They have been abandoned by the Secret Sect, and only Black Street can provide them with shelter. However, even Black Street has very limited capacity to accommodate them, and we can only select some strong and resilient people with enough potential to resist the Secret Sect¡¯s soldiers. The Great Compassion Temple and Paradise Pavillion will regularly search the Snow Territory and scout qualified refugees. However, recently, my people have reported that several cave dwellers have disappeared into thin air. The once-crowded caves are now empty.¡±


    A Nan did not know that Sang Chi Yu had come to kill someone. He thought that he was Hei Guan Yin¡¯s new confidant, and said, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very strange. We go to specific locations every two weeks to distribute food and clothes, helping them survive the harsh winter. Every time we go, the place is packed with people; there is not enough food and clothes to go around. But in the past month, fewer and fewer people are there, and when we ask them, they say that people are disappearing inexplicably and they don¡¯t know where they went. Among the refugees, there are rumors that ghosts come with the wind and snow and take those people away.¡±


    ¡°Thirteen days ago, I ordered the monks to search all the caves within ten miles of their settlement,¡± Hei Guan Yin said. ¡°They didn¡¯t find out the reason for the people¡¯s disappearance, but they found this strange thing.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin lifted the white cloth, and a skeleton was exposed to the light.


    This skeleton was ninety percent complete and roughly shaped like a human body. Strangely enough, according to the size of this skeleton, the person¡¯s physique was terrifyingly tall, about two times as tall as Sang Chi Yu. If Sang Chi Yu stood in front of him, he might look like a child.


    ¡°I found this in a cave,¡± A Nan said. ¡°The cave was sealed with shattered rocks, and there was only this pile of strange bones inside. You know, we at the Great Compassion Temple eat people, so I am very familiar with human bones. At first, I thought he had been eaten by someone, but soon I found out that something was wrong. These bones were too big and there were too many of them, and I couldn¡¯t piece them together no matter how hard I tried.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu examined it carefully, adjusted the skeleton, and began to piece it together.


    The skeleton on the ground had been assembled, with all the bones in place without any omission. Surprisingly, Sang Chi Yu managed to put together eight arms, which stretched out from the central torso, making the somewhat thin and tall skeleton look very strange.


    No wonder A Nan always failed to assemble it. He always tried to fit the structure of a human body onto this skeleton. But if the skeleton has eight arms, all the bones could be put together.


    Hei Guan Yin said, ¡°The Secret Sect¡¯s mining site is deep in the Snow Territory. It is said that the Frontline Guards who guarded the mining site returned to the border city last month with only a few dozen people left in the group. The Frontline Guards all withdrew, indicating that the mining site has been abandoned by the Secret Sect. This retreat is considered a great shame by the Secret Sect, and many martial officials in the Secret Sect have vowed to take revenge on the Black Street.¡±


    A Nan smiled bitterly. ¡°Until yesterday, we all thought it was the work of Paradise Pavillion. The Great Compassion Temple did not take any action against the Secret Sect last month. Coincidentally, something strange happened in the Snow Territory, and I went to find the people from Paradise Pavillion, asking if they had a similar experience. While asking, I casually mentioned the Frontline Guards, and found out that they thought we were the ones who attacked the Secret Sect. They never attacked the Secret Sect at all.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin said, ¡°Neither Paradise Pavillion nor Great Compassion Temple have anything to do with this matter. So who could have such great ability to make hundreds of guards die in the Snow Territory?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu remembered He Sheng and his heart slowly sank.


    Perhaps there is an even more terrifying question ¨C


    Are those dozens of soldiers who returned from the snowy region really human?


    Hei Guan Yin said earnestly, ¡°Sang Gongzi, this matter is very suspicious, not only threatening Black Street and the Secret Sect, but also threatening people all over the world.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyes and looked at the skeleton in a daze. He bent down and peeled off a black core from the chest of the skeleton. Looking at it under the light, the more he looked at it, the more shocked he became. It looked very similar to the heart core excavated from Su Ru Hui¡¯s body, except that this core didn¡¯t glow.


    While Sang Chi Yu was distracted, Hei Guan Yin made eye contact with A Nan. After a moment of hesitation, A Nan understood and discreetly retreated to Sang Chi Yu¡¯s blind spot, pulling out a spirit fire gun.


    Hei Guan Yin continued, ¡°Sang Gongzi, I implore you to give me a chance to investigate this matter. Otherwise, Black Street and the Snow Territory refugees are in danger.¡±


    A Nan slowly raised the spirit fire gun, aiming it at Sang Chi Yu.


    Sang Chi Yu put away the sphere and looked up at Hei Guan Yin with calm, emotionless eyes. Hei Guan Yin wasn¡¯t sure if his words had moved him. Before he arrived in Black Street, Hei Guan Yin had thought that he was like Su Ru Hui ¨C a person abandoned by the Secret Sect who had no choice but to come to Black Street and become a bad person, but not entirely so. Usually, if someone didn¡¯t go all the way to the dark side, they would end up in a miserable situation, like Su Ru Hui. But looking at those emotionless eyes, Hei Guan Yin suddenly became unsure.


    ¡°I heard that you are very knowledgeable,¡± Sang Chi Yu suddenly spoke up.


    Hei Guan Yin forced a smile. ¡°Sang Gongzi flatters me.¡±


    A Nan observed Hei Guan Yin¡¯s eyes and, at his signal, placed his finger on the trigger.


    ¡°Then you should know that the ingredients of gunpowder are sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal,¡± Sang Chi Yu said in a calm tone.


    Hei Guan Yin didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly brought up these things. He just casually talked as if he was chatting with Hei Guan Yin.


    ¡°I have had a keen sense since I was young, especially my sense of smell. The smell of sulfur is unpleasant, and I really hate it,¡± Sang Chi Yu whispered.


    Hei Guan Yin¡¯s expression suddenly changed, realizing that this guy had smelled the gunpowder in the spirit fire gun. Did he have a nose like a dog? Hei Guan Yin shouted hoarsely, ¡°A Nan!¡±


    A Nan pulled the trigger.


    Sang Chi Yu disappeared instantly, and the underground chamber was filled with the sound of fierce wind and sharp screams. Hei Guan Yin¡¯s expression froze in surprise as Sang Chi Yu appeared behind him, his palm pressing against his head. A Nan saw many ice-blue meridians crawling out of Sang Chi Yu¡¯s palm and spreading through Hei Guan Yin¡¯s shattered cheek.


    ¡°What is Hei Guan Yin¡¯s special power?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    A Nan was shocked by this scene and couldn¡¯t say a word.


    Sang Chi Yu raised his face and glanced at him. The man¡¯s gaze was cold and murderous.


    A Nan fell to the ground, stuttering, ¡°The ¡®Divine Eye¡¯. He can see through walls.¡±


    Hei Guan Yin¡¯s head was shattered, and Sang Chi Yu withdrew his hand, expressionless. His face seemed to be frozen, with frost covering the bottom of his eyes.


    ¡°There¡¯s something you haven¡¯t explained about the strange skeleton.¡± Sang Chi Yu pressed his palm against A Nan¡¯s head.


    ¡°How could that be?¡± A Nan forced a smile. ¡°I would never dare to deceive the young master!¡±


    ¡°The Snow Territory is filled with boulders. Using shattered rocks to block the cave is not natural,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    A Nan felt the terrifying meridians spreading around his head. Trembling, he collapsed like a piece of soft mud. ¡°Sir, you¡¯re sharp. I haven¡¯t told you all the information yet. We found traces of gunpowder outside the cave. Someone deliberately blew up the cave to cover up the skeletons inside. If we hadn¡¯t accidentally found another way into the cave, we wouldn¡¯t have discovered the corpses at all. Based on the remaining gunpowder and the thickness of the snow layer on the stones, the explosion must have occurred at least seven years ago.¡±


    ¡°Seven years ago¡­¡± Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow in thought.


    ¡°Continue to investigate. If there¡¯s any progress, inform me.¡± Sang Chi Yu opened a Gate of Nothingness and turned around to leave, treading on the blood-stained ground.


    ¡ª


    On Kun Lun Mountain, the thugs were all extremely frightened, and someone pointed a spirit fire gun at Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui bitterly smiled. ¡°What a coincidence. I also want to know why there¡¯s a corpse that looks like me.¡±


    The system said he wasn¡¯t human, so was he actually a ghost?


    Han Ye was calm, looking at the corpse at his feet with great interest. He pulled Su Ru Hui in front of him and touched his face inch by inch. Su Ru Hui thought he was having a perverted idea and tried to hide, but Han Ye pressed him down and impatiently said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in you. I just want to see if you¡¯re wearing a human skin mask. If you keep hiding, I¡¯ll strip your face off!¡±


    Su Ru Hui surrendered and let him touch his face with a wooden expression. After touching for a long time, Han Ye confirmed that the person in front of him was indeed A Qi from the Paradise Pavillion. He said, ¡°You really didn¡¯t deceive me. There are a lot of strange things going on here. Bring someone to inspect the corpse.¡±


    ¡°Boss, he¡¯s a ghost!¡± one of the thugs exclaimed.


    Han Ye sneered. ¡°If he were a ghost, how could he talk nonsense with you for so long? Hurry up, dissect the body and see what it is.¡±


    The henchmen drew their knives and approached the body, following their boss¡¯ orders.


    Su Ru Hui squatted on the side and waited. Suddenly, he remembered the note that Su Gou had given him earlier in the day, which he had not yet read. He reached into his pocket and unfolded the crumpled note under the lamp.


    It read: ¡°There are strange creatures in the snow mountains. They only come out at night, and it¡¯s best not to leave the city at night.¡±

 CH 24

    This was such an important message. How could Su Gou just write it on a piece of paper? Su Ru Hui was at a loss for words. Looking around, the night had soaked into the snow-capped mountains, and except for the dim light of the wind lamps in the mountain gullies, darkness was everywhere. The light also swayed, like a shaky star, and would soon be swallowed by the darkness. Su Ru Hui looked up at the slope and, since he had seen the note, he could not help but be suspicious that there was something hidden in the dark, peeping at them.


    This was not a place to stay for long. It would be better to leave early. Su Ru Hui planned to come up with an excuse to get Han Ye to leave quickly. As he stood up, he heard the henchmen¡¯s low exclamation. Su Ru Hui went over to take a look, and saw that they had already cut the chest and abdomen of the body lengthwise. The red chest cavity and internal organs were exposed under the light of the wind lamp, and the organs inside were jumbled together. The heart was on the left side of the abdomen, the intestines were squeezed into the chest cavity, and the stomach was next to the gallbladder. It was a truly gruesome sight.


    Su Ru Hui furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°You are supposed to examine the body. Why are you stirring up his internal organs?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t stir them up,¡± the henchman grumbled. ¡°He was already like this.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was taken aback. He approached the body and found a walnut-sized core in the chest cavity.


    The henchman behind him asked, ¡°Hey, do you see that? Is that a relic?¡±


    Su Ru Hui took out the core and examined it closely. This thing was interesting. It looked exactly like his heart core from his past life.


    ¡°This guy took a shot in the back from a spirit fire gun, and the pellet got stuck in his spinal column,¡± the examining henchman said. ¡°One pellet was enough to kill him, but not enough to mess up his internal organs like this. And,¡± the henchman reached into the body and pulled out two hearts from the bloody abdominal cavity, ¡°he actually has two hearts.¡±


    Han Ye poked the body with his knife. ¡°Interesting. If I cut open the other bodies buried here, are their organs also messed up? Are all the ones buried here freaks?¡±


    ¡°Boss, this is not a freak,¡± someone exclaimed, ¡°it¡¯s a monster! Who can have two hearts and a messed up stomach?¡±


    He was right. Su Ru Hui remembered the secret medical examination he and Su Yu underwent during the day. Checking for sexually transmitted diseases was just an excuse. The medical officer was actually checking their twelve meridians and the major acupoints of their body, which corresponded to the organs and blood vessels in a human. In other words, he was checking if they were human or not.


    ¡°Boss,¡± Su Ru Hui whispered, ¡°there are so many corpses in this mountain valley. It seems that the Secret Sect has a plan to eliminate these strange creatures. They may still be lurking in the shadows and watching us. We should leave as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°A Qi, you weren¡¯t so cowardly when you planted the explosives on me.¡± Han Ye glanced at him with a teasing tone.


    Although Han Ye didn¡¯t take it seriously, he still chose to act cautiously. After all, they were under Kun Lun Mountains, in the Secret Sect¡¯s territory, and it was not wise to disturb the peace. He waved his hand. ¡°Clean up the scene and retreat.¡±


    As everyone was about to climb the hill to leave, A Pan suddenly panicked. ¡°I can hear footsteps above us!¡±


    The system¡¯s voice sounded: [Advanced danger warning: Life-threatening beings detected. Please take evasive measures immediately, host.]


    This was the first warning after the system activated its warning function. Su Ru Hui was startled by the high-level warning.


    ¡°How many are there?¡± Han Ye reacted quickly.


    A Pan listened carefully. ¡°I can¡¯t count, there are too many. Boss, our whereabouts must have been exposed. The Secret Sect¡¯s people are here!¡±


    This was Han Ye¡¯s impromptu secret operation, and few people within the Paradise Pavillion knew about it. Everyone subconsciously looked at Su Ru Hui, who had a previous history of betraying Han Ye. If there was a spy within the group, it was most likely Su Ru Hui.


    Without waiting for Han Ye to suspect him, Su Ru Hui took the initiative to grab Han Ye¡¯s hand and put it around his neck. ¡°Boss, my life is in your hands. This should be enough to prove my innocence, right? Everyone, turn off the lights and lie down in the corpse pile. It¡¯s too cold and dark for them to see us clearly.¡±


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s action pleased Han Ye, who clenched his hand around his cold neck and smiled. ¡°You are smart.¡± He then ordered decisively, ¡°Everyone turn off the lights and hide!¡±


    The lights suddenly went out, and everything sank into darkness. Everyone hid themselves, and Han Ye lay down among the corpses with Su Ru Hui. Han Ye was quite cautious and still didn¡¯t fully trust Su Ru Hui. His hand was on Su Ru Hui¡¯s neck, and if Su Ru Hui showed any signs of wanting to escape, he would immediately twist his neck. Su Ru Hui rolled his eyes secretly and lay on his side, in a bed of cold snowflakes, slowing his breath and trying his best to lower his presence.


    Even without Keen Hearing, Su Ru Hui could hear the gradually approaching footsteps. It seemed like many people were walking on the snow and slowly entering the ditch. But it was strange that this group of people didn¡¯t light any torches, and Su Ru Hui still couldn¡¯t see anything.


    There were many people, and their footsteps hurried past. Someone even stepped on Su Ru Hui¡¯s back, and he clenched his teeth and endured the pain without making a sound. They gradually walked away, and the sound of their footsteps slowly disappeared. Su Ru Hui felt like he was turning into an ice block and finally dared to stand up.


    Being able to walk in the dark without any light, those things were probably not human at all.


    ¡°They¡¯ve gone far, boss, let¡¯s leave,¡± someone said.


    Han Ye ordered, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Su Ru Hui took two steps forward and bumped into a white birch tree. The twisted branches of the white birch tree stretched towards the sky, and Su Ru Hui could vaguely see some strange shadows. It was difficult to move around in the dark, but since those monsters had gone far away, there was no need to worry. Some of the hooligans behind him lit lanterns one after another, and Su Ru Hui also lit his lantern. The dim yellow light flickered, flowing like ripples of water.


    As soon as he lit the lantern, Han Ye and a group of hooligans stared at him in shock. Many people¡¯s faces showed fear, as if they had seen a ghost.


    Su Ru Hui understood what was going on and turned his head slowly. The thing he had just bumped into was not a white birch tree, but a person ¨C an incredibly tall and thin person. He had mistaken it for the branches of a white birch tree, but this guy actually had eight arms ¨C pale and withered like the old branches of a tree.


    What kind of thing could grow eight arms?


    [The Eight-Armed Spider, in a state of hunger, urgently needs to feed. The host has good muscles and high protein content, making you the best choice for the large spider¡¯s prey.]


    Su Ru Hui slowly lifted his eyes and saw He Sheng¡¯s pale face.


    Su Ru Hui forced a smile and greeted, ¡°Good evening, Big Brother.¡±


    He Sheng¡¯s eyes rolled and he seemed to recognize him. He said, ¡°Second Brother, what a coincidence.¡±


    Su Ru Hui chuckled. ¡°Well, you seem busy, so I¡¯ll head back home to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t leave,¡± He Sheng said, staring straight at him before suddenly opening his mouth wide.


    ¡°Hunker down, A Qi!¡± Han Ye shouted.


    Su Ru Hui quickly reacted, crouching like a raccoon and darting out from between He Sheng¡¯s legs. At the same time, Han Ye¡¯s black flames instantly ignited, burning the monster¡¯s body. He Sheng emitted a piercing scream. On the hillside, in the direction where the other monsters were leaving, there were continuous screams.


    Su Ru Hui shouted sternly, ¡°Run!¡±


    The thugs were terrified and scrambled up the snowy slope. He Sheng was burned to ashes, and other monsters rushed at Su Ru Hui, who raised his gun from his sleeve and shot their faces. The head of the closest monster was blown apart. Su Ru Hui saw dark shadows moving on the other side of the slope. Countless monsters were charging towards them.


    Han Ye was covered in flames and punched a monster that was chasing Su Ru Hui. Surprisingly, Han Ye¡¯s punch didn¡¯t damage the monster at all, but the flames burned its cheek, and its whole body caught fire. Su Ru Hui quickly turned around and climbed up the slope, followed closely by Han Ye. The black shadows pounced from behind, almost biting their buttocks.


    The thugs who climbed up the slope raised their guns and covered them as they climbed up. Su Ru Hui took out a talisman and threw it behind him, and a monster turned into a pool of blood. After finally climbing up the slope, everyone ran for their lives towards the road. Su Ru Hui ran towards the woods.


    The system suddenly spoke up: [Advanced warning, it is strongly recommended that the host change route.]


    ¡°Don¡¯t go into the woods!¡± Su Ru Hui stopped in his tracks and shouted loudly.


    Unfortunately, the thug who was running ahead couldn¡¯t hear his shouts and ran straight into the woods. Soon everyone heard the thug¡¯s screams. In the darkness, he ran back with blood all over his head, with a long forked tongue covered in spikes chasing after him. It looked like a lizard¡¯s tongue, but it was too long and sharp with spikes like steel needles.


    [This is a snow lizard that is too low in intelligence to transform into a human. Its meat is delicious, and one barbecue grill is not enough. Its favorite food is human meat mixed with coriander.]


    ¡°Help me!¡± the thug screamed in agony.


    They were too far away to save him. Everyone watched in horror as the forked tongue swept up the swirling snow and wrapped around his head, the sharp spikes piercing his face. Blood gushed out all over his body. The young man didn¡¯t even have time to cry out; he was dragged back into the white birch forest.


    Everyone was stunned.


    Someone collapsed. ¡°What kind of monster is this?¡±


    They couldn¡¯t afford to be stunned for too long because the group of weird creatures behind them was about to catch up. Su Ru Hui saw many strange and bizarre things swaying towards him, some with three heads, some with eight arms, all wildly waving.


    ¡°They¡¯re chasing too closely. If we open the Gate of Nothingness now, those monsters might also enter the city.¡± The Secret Sect must have set up some sort of prohibition outside the border checkpoints to keep these things in the snow mountains. Su Ru Hui absolutely could not bring them into the city.


    The thugs set up their guns in confusion and suppressed these things with firepower.


    Someone shouted, ¡°What should we do? Which way should we go?¡±


    ¡°Into the woods!¡± Su Ru Hui made a quick decision.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy,¡± the thug shouted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you see what happened to Xiao Hu just now!?¡±


    ¡°Wolves in front and tigers behind.¡± Han Ye¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about going into the woods later. That tongue monster needs time to eat Xiao Hu, and we¡¯d better pray that there¡¯s no second tongue monster.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, another tongue swept over, heading straight for his back.


    Han Ye didn¡¯t have time to react, but Su Ru Hui kicked him hard, flipping him over and just dodging the tongue. Unexpectedly, the tip of the tongue turned, wrapping around Su Ru Hui¡¯s ankle. Su Ru Hui felt a sharp pain in his ankle, as if his flesh and bone had been crushed together. Then the tongue shrunk, dragging him like a torn sack into the white birch forest.


    ¡ª


    Sang Chi Yu stepped through the Gate of Nothingness and onto the bluestone steps of Su Ru Hui¡¯s courtyard. He turned his head and looked at Su Ru Hui¡¯s room. The redwood windows and doors were tightly closed, and the plain window screens were dark. Sang Chi Yu stood silently for a while before walking lightly towards his own room. He passed through the courtyard where his laundry was hanging on the clothesline, along with Su Ru Hui¡¯s socks of various colors. That guy was really messy, always piling up socks and washing them all at once when he was running out. He had never changed this habit from childhood to adulthood.


    He took a step forward, and his heart suddenly contracted. He narrowed his eyes and stopped suddenly.


    What¡¯s going on? He held his chest.


    There was something warm in his chest ¨C a small, round point. Suddenly, he understood that it wasn¡¯t his heart hurting, but his heart core. He opened his shirt and saw that his chest was covered with faint blue veins, emitting a faint glow, as if countless stars were hidden in his heart. The blood flow in his meridians was accelerating, and the spiritual power within was also surging restlessly. He felt an indescribable sense of restlessness and madness.


    The glowing veins and rushing blood¡­ he seemed to have seen this scene somewhere before.


    The pain became more and more intense. Within a short moment, he was unable to walk and bent over in pain.


    Why did it happen so quickly? He knelt on the ground.


    He couldn¡¯t wake up Su Ru Hui. He tried to endure the pain deep in his meridians and crawled inch by inch towards his own room.


    If there was someone else here at this moment, they would be surprised to find that Sang Chi Yu¡¯s meridians were emitting a blue glow all over his body. His eyes gradually turned blue, the color of the deep sea. Then his hair began to turn silver from the tips. His transformation technique could no longer be maintained, and his true form was revealed.


    ¡ª


    Suddenly, all the monsters stopped moving, all tilting their heads and staring straight ahead towards the direction of the border. Su Ru Hui stood still in the snow, and the long tongue entwined around his ankle loosened and retreated into the white birch forest.


    Everyone didn¡¯t know what had happened, holding their guns and feeling at a loss.


    The monsters¡¯ veins suddenly emitted a blue glow. In the dark snow mountain, it looked as if a vast blue sea of stars had appeared, extremely spectacular. Su Ru Hui stared blankly at everything, feeling that the scene before him was somewhat familiar. Where had he seen it before?


    One of the thugs asked, ¡°Boss, why aren¡¯t they moving?¡±


    Han Ye looked at them warily. ¡°How would I know?¡±


    ¡°Never mind them. Let¡¯s run now.¡± Su Ru Hui stood up with a limp and took out a talisman from his waist pouch.


    The monsters were only still for a moment, and several slowly resumed their movements.


    The thug was nervously screaming, ¡°Do you have a solution? Hurry up, they¡¯re moving again!¡±


    ¡°Stop yelling. The more you yell, the slower I go!¡± Su Ru Hui said, sweating profusely.


    The more panicked he felt, the harder it was to find what he was looking for. He felt several sheets of paper, but they were all Lie Detectors. How could there be so many Lie Detectors!


    Han Ye watched as he searched through each sheet of paper, laughing sinisterly. ¡°You¡¯ve hidden them well, so many talismans. Last time, you only brought out five. You were trying to fool me.¡±


    Found it! Su Ru Hui pulled out a talisman and opened a Gate of Nothingness that led directly to his courtyard. Everyone hurriedly went inside, and Su Ru Hui jumped in with one foot. As the door closed, the monsters¡¯ roars rang out again.


    Everyone was exhausted and lying on the ground, panting. Su Ru Hui sat on the ground and took off his shoes to check his ankles. His furry boots were torn to pieces by the steel studs of the tongue, but his ankles were okay, just a little bit of skin was broken. Fortunately, he wore the thickest and heaviest boots for fear of the cold; otherwise, he would have disabled one foot today.


    Han Ye walked over and examined his feet in the moonlight. ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Su Ru Hui shook his head and said he was fine. He pulled up his socks and put on his torn boots again.


    ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Han Ye asked while crossing his arms. ¡°If I died, no one would threaten you anymore. Weren¡¯t you trying to blow me up before?¡±


    To be honest, Su Ru Hui regretted it now. This little thug Han Ye should have been eaten by the monsters.


    ¡°What are you talking about, boss?¡± Su Ru Hui forced a smile. ¡°My loyalty to you is like the sun and the moon. As long as you don¡¯t have any designs on my chastity, I will throw my head and spill my blood for you, and do anything for you.¡±


    ¡°You think too highly of yourself,¡± Han Ye sneered. ¡°I¡¯m only interested in Su Ru Hui, not you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    Han Ye kicked a gangster lying next to him. ¡°Get lost. Don¡¯t say a word about tonight¡¯s events.¡±


    Han Ye kicked each gangster one by one, and they left together. The courtyard was small, with several dead potted plants placed against the wall. Under the moonlight, Han Ye saw an Eagle Guard uniform on the ground, and its sleeve was bulging slightly, seeming to be wrapped around something. Han Ye lifted up the sleeve and revealed a sleeping kitten under the moonlight. The cat was all white, with fluffy long hair like soft clouds, and its two ears drooped, looking somewhat sickly.


    ¡°A Qi, your little cat slave took down your clothes to dry,¡± Han Ye said, lifting the cat by the nape of its neck.


    Huh? Su Ru Hui turned around and looked over. He didn¡¯t have a cat?


    As soon as Han Ye finished speaking, the little cat trembled and slowly opened its eyes. Its round blue pupils shrank as it met Han Ye¡¯s eyes.

 CH 25

    The Secret Sect.


    In a secluded temple, Su Gou pushed open a window. If anyone were present, they would notice the dazzling blue light in his eyes. A faint halo shone around his porcelain-white cheeks, as if fireflies were crawling on him.


    Su Gou lowered his head and looked at his palm, smiling slowly. ¡°Lord Shen Tu, can you feel it?¡±


    Behind him was a strange shadow, tilting its head and looking in the direction of the market.


    ¡°What unfamiliar spiritual energy,¡± the shadow spoke up.


    Their clan possessed the gift of spiritual resonance. When they were injured and weak, their spiritual energy would scatter outward, and nearby clansmen could sense the distress signal and come to rescue. Today¡¯s spiritual energy was very unfamiliar. Su Gou had never received such a quiet and profound flow of spiritual energy. The flow was intermittent, and only their clansmen could understand the distress signal hidden behind it.


    ¡°This spiritual energy flow is so unstable. It seems that this child has just retrieved a demon core. The demon core has not yet fully merged with his body, and he must have used spiritual power recklessly, causing the energy to erupt uncontrollably, even losing control of his own form,¡± Su Gou said. ¡°Unfortunately, we are too far away to determine the exact location. It would be great if we were closer. He suddenly appeared, so he must be an outsider who just entered Bian Du. In the past few days, besides the candidates of the Frontline Guards, has anyone else entered Bian Du?¡±


    ¡°As far as I know, no. Bian Du has been on high alert,¡± the shadow replied.


    ¡°Most of those candidates are dead. Only Su Ru Hui and the little child who¡¯s with him are left,¡± Su Gou said. ¡°It seems like Su Ru Hui is hiding something from us. Let¡¯s go meet them tomorrow.¡±


    Bian Du, Shun Kang Lane on the South Main Street.


    The moment the kitten met Han Ye¡¯s gaze, its fur stood on end, and its previously fluffy hair stood up like javelins. It slapped Han Ye¡¯s cheek with a paw. Han Ye reacted quickly and threw it out. Seeing that the kitten was about to fall hard on the ground, Su Ru Hui quickly opened his arms and caught it, holding its butt and hind legs in his arms.


    [A weak and harmless baby kitty, the best choice for warming hands, feet, and bed. It is a male and has not yet reached its sexual maturity. To prevent it from yowling and urinating everywhere, it is recommended that the owner take immediate measures to neuter it. The system provides a free guide for the owner on the entire process of neutering.]


    Han Ye raised an eyebrow and smiled. ¡°Your cat is quite fierce.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my cat. I don¡¯t have a cat,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    The cat in his arms was not small, with a big fluffy body, quite heavy in his arms, but it was still a kitten. It stared at Su Ru Hui without blinking, its round eyes wide and seemed to be shocked. Su Ru Hui had never seen such beautiful eyes, shimmering with waves, as if a deep universe was hidden inside.


    The cat, or rather, Sang Chi Yu, was shocked for a long time before gradually coming to terms with what had happened to him. He had turned into a cat, held in Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms. Everything in front of him had become much larger, and Su Ru Hui seemed like a giant to him. His senses seemed to have strengthened again, and he smelled a faint smell of soap on Su Ru Hui. He stuck to Su Ru Hui¡¯s chest, feeling the warmth in his embrace.


    Why was this happening? The influence of that strange heart core on him was far greater than the influence it had on Su Ru Hui before. Was it because of the difference in their physique or some other reason? He sensed fluctuations of spiritual power within his body, as if something was different, but he couldn¡¯t say what.


    Would his body decay? How long could he hold on? Could he turn back into a human?


    A sense of powerlessness and sadness welled up in his heart. Perhaps he could no longer be considered a human now.


    Su Ru Hui lifted him up. ¡°Little kitty, where did you come from? How did you end up in my house?¡±


    ¡°A stray cat?¡± Han Ye looked at it. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like it. It¡¯s pretty clean.¡±


    ¡°Probably from a neighbor¡¯s house.¡± Su Ru Hui rubbed its small head, liking it more and more. ¡°This little kitty is so adorable. Fate brought us together. I might as well keep it. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll knock on doors and ask which house it¡¯s from, and buy it if I can.¡±


    Han Ye sneered. ¡°A cat is not a toy. If you want to keep it, you have to take care of it. Its fur is so long, it will get tangled and sticky, and you¡¯ll suffer from it. You haven¡¯t raised a cat before. I suggest you send it back. If the cat is clean, it will lick itself, but if it¡¯s messy, it will run around and leave its waste everywhere. Then you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at Han Ye coldly, and his deep blue eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of frost.


    Why was Han Ye here?


    Wasn¡¯t Su Ru Hui trying to kill Han Ye? But now, they were talking and laughing with each other, acting quite friedly. Sang Chi Yu furrowed his eyebrows slowly.


    Han Ye asked in surprise, ¡°Is it glaring at me?¡±


    Su Ru Hui lifted the cat¡¯s big tail and checked if its butt was clean. As he lowered his head, he saw a small pink anus hidden under its messy white fur, and two round and furry testicles hanging below. Su Ru Hui laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a clean cat.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu suddenly felt a chill behind him, and his entire body shivered.


    Su Ru Hui, this impudent bastard!


    Sang Chi Yu struggled fiercely, trying to get out of Su Ru Hui¡¯s embrace. Sang Chi Yu had fought before, been injured before, and had even been on the verge of death, but he had never suffered such humiliation. He was actually held down by his most hated person, and his tail was lifted for an inspection of his butt!


    Su Ru Hui grabbed the cat¡¯s front legs with one hand and its hind legs with the other, and held it in his arms. Sang Chi Yu was unable to move. His strength was far weaker after turning into a cat than it was when he was a much larger human. He had no strength to resist.


    Su Ru Hui said, ¡°Don¡¯t move. It¡¯s freezing cold outside. Do you know you¡¯ll freeze to death if you run out? Be good and stay here. I¡¯ll adopt you as my son.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu felt hopeless.


    ¡°You have to discipline the cat,¡± Han Ye taught him. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t listen to you, you have to spank its butt, so it knows who¡¯s the boss. Otherwise, it will walk all over you and treat you like its subordinate.¡±


    As soon as Han Ye finished speaking, he felt an icy-cold stare. He lowered his head and met the small cat¡¯s blue eyes. He found it strange that a cat¡¯s eyes could be so cold. He also had an inexplicable feeling that he had met those eyes before.


    If Su Ru Hui dared to spank his butt, Sang Chi Yu thought coldly, he would¡­ he would¡­


    He sadly realized that there was nothing he could do at the moment.


    His ears drooped down, looking weak and feeble. He would rather be a homeless stray cat freezing to death on the street than endure humiliation from Su Ru Hui.


    Hitting the cat was the farthest thing from Su Ru Hui¡¯s mind. He held it like a baby. Its soft and warm body was like a little heater. Su Ru Hui happily thought that it could warm his feet at night.


    Han Ye looked up at the sky and said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave the city. Stay in the Secret Sect honestly. You don¡¯t need to worry about those things in the snow mountains. I will send someone else to investigate. Your top priority is to determine the location of the Secret Sect¡¯s treasure.¡±


    He asked Su Ru Hui to take out the communication compass and left his symbol on it so that Su Ru Hui could contact him. There were strange things in the snow mountains, and the Secret Sect was also a dangerous place. Although A Qi was smart, he still worried about his safety.


    After several days of contact, he had a better understanding of A Qi¡¯s temperament. He looked sly, but he was stubborn and not like those corrupt boys in the underworld who were willing to do anything to climb up. He probably got sent to Han Ye by those sycophantic people because he looked clean-faced and had a resemblance to Su Ru Hui.


    He was a little worried about A Qi, but only a little. His primary goal was to get Su Ru Hui out of the Secret Sect. When he was about to say something caring, it turned into, ¡°A Qi, make sure to carry the compass with you. I don¡¯t like not being able to find people.¡±


    Su Ru Hui just nodded and complied.


    Sang Chi Yu looked up at the two of them, his eyebrows getting tighter and tighter.


    Why did Han Ye call Su Ru Hui ¡°A Qi¡±? What was their relationship?


    Suddenly, Sang Chi Yu remembered that Su Ru Hui¡¯s birthday was on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.


    ¡°A Qi¡±¡­was that his nickname?


    Han Ye took a step to leave, but then turned around and casually asked, ¡°Has Sang Chi Yu contacted you?¡±


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s alarm bells went off in his heart. He had convinced Han Ye to spare his life by saying that Sang Chi Yu had feelings for him and could use him to manipulate him. Regardless of whether there was news from Sang Chi Yu or not, he had to come up with a lie to fool Han Ye.


    Su Ru Hui decided to lie and say they were still communicating via messenger birds. However, before he could speak, Han Ye laughed first. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Do you think I¡¯m stupid? Sang Chi Yu definitely didn¡¯t come to see you.¡± He was in a good mood and his tone was relaxed. ¡°We¡¯re done with Sang Chi Yu. In the future, there¡¯s no need to keep in touch with him. I don¡¯t need you to find out anything from him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Su Ru Hui was a little surprised.


    ¡°You¡¯re not willing?¡± Han Ye narrowed his eyes and his gaze became dangerous.


    He took two steps forward, forcing Su Ru Hui against the wall. Su Ru Hui held the cat, which made a threatening snarling sound and showed its sharp little teeth. Su Ru Hui realized that the kitten was angry and was very moved in his heart. He had just recognized it as his son, and it was already helping him fend off bad people. It was truly his obedient son!


    ¡°Sang Chi Yu is a complete hypocrite. Don¡¯t have any contact with him anymore.¡± Han Ye said, ¡°Just take care of the things I asked you to do, understand?¡±


    Su Ru Hui solemnly said, ¡°I understand!¡±


    Han Ye was satisfied and flicked his forehead with his finger. ¡°Idiot.¡± He glanced at the cat in Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms. ¡°Have you thought of a name for it yet?¡±


    ¡°I have decided to name it Jiang Bao Bao (1),¡± Su Ru Hui replied.


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    Another thick stroke was added to his book of shame.


    ¡°Change the surname.¡± Han Ye smirked. ¡°Call it Han Bao Bao.¡±


    Su Ru Hui: ¡°¡­¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    Han Ye glared at him, his eyes threatening. ¡°What, don¡¯t agree?¡±


    Su Ru Hui shamefully surrendered, ¡°Agree, agree. It will be called Han Bao Bao.¡±


    Su Ru Hui finally sent away Han Ye. After the little bastard had left, he cursed in his heart, ¡°Han Bao Bao, your uncle!¡±


    He insisted on opposing Han Ye and even named his cat Sang Bao Bao. Regardless of whether Sang Chi Yu agreed or not, he had decided on the name. Su Ru Hui looked down at his precious son, who was completely white and looked like a furry steamed bun with a silent and arrogant expression that was somewhat similar to Sang Chi Yu.


    The cat looked listless, with drooping ears and a limp tail hanging from Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms. He thought it might be because it was too cold. Su Ru Hui picked up the piece of clothing on the ground. Apart from the robe, there was also a sword on the ground that he recognized as Su Yu¡¯s. He couldn¡¯t help but feel strange. Why did Su Yu leave the sword here?


    He passed through the door, and Su Yu¡¯s room was quiet without any lights on, probably sleeping soundly. He didn¡¯t want to disturb him, so he left the robe and sword in the main hall.


    He held Sang Bao Bao in his arms and returned to his own room. He lit the candles, and put Sang Bao Bao on the bed. Sang Bao Bao nestled in the bedding and turned its back to Su Ru Hui, unwilling to look at his face.


    Could cats also have emotions? Su Ru Hui sensed a bit of sadness in its back view.


    The little cat¡¯s head seemed to be covered with a heavy dark cloud.


    Is it just not used to the new home? Su Ru Hui guessed as he rustled out of his clothes.


    He turned off the lights, climbed into bed, and hugged Sang Bao Bao. Sang Chi Yu struggled twice, but Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t let him go and held him tightly. Helpless, Sang Chi Yu gave up and softly nestled in Su Ru Hui¡¯s arms. He only wore a thin undershirt and was very close to Su Ru Hui, separated by only a thin layer of silk. He could even feel Su Ru Hui¡¯s warm and shallow breath, hitting his head, one after another.


    In the darkness, his ears gradually turned red.


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s grip on him loosened, and he felt that Su Ru Hui had fallen asleep. This was his best chance to escape, but perhaps he was reluctant to leave the warmth of the blanket. He didn¡¯t move.


    His vision became very good. Even in the dark, he could see Su Ru Hui¡¯s appearance clearly. He had a peaceful sleeping face. Su Ru Hui was only so quiet when he was asleep, not as annoying as usual.


    He felt tired too, and his drowsiness deepened. He closed his eyes and entered a sweet dream in the dark.


    Time passed slowly. The night gradually faded into a hazy light blue as if the world was immersed in a melancholic wave. After an unknown period of time, perhaps several hours, Sang Chi Yu woke up from his dream. The first thing he saw was his white hair spread like silk on Su Ru Hui¡¯s arm. He sat up dazedly, feeling confused and disoriented. He stared blankly for a moment and then realized that something was wrong. His body felt cold, and when he lowered his head, he saw his naked body.


    He had turned back into a human.


    And he was not wearing any clothes.


    His pupils suddenly shrank to the size of a needle. Dawn was approaching, and the sky was getting brighter. He heard Su Ru Hui¡¯s low groans. That guy had also woken up and sat up rubbing his eyes. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s mind seemed to snap like a broken string. He didn¡¯t have time to think too much and gave Su Ru Hui a chop just as he raised his head.


    Su Ru Hui had just woken up and vaguely saw a naked white-haired man sitting in front of him. Before he had a chance to feel surprised and frightened, a sharp pain hit the back of his neck, causing him to fall back and into the man¡¯s arms.


    Sang Chi Yu held Su Ru Hui, listening to his heart pounding like a drum.


    He was so close, so close to being discovered by Su Ru Hui.


    Footnotes


    1. Bao Bao ¨C baby.

 CH 26

    Sang Chi Yu held Su Ru Hui and gently put him back into the bed. He couldn¡¯t go out without any clothes on, so he took Su Ru Hui¡¯s coat and draped it over his shoulders, then walked back to his own room barefoot. After closing the door, his rapid heartbeat gradually calmed down. He frowned and looked down at his palm, observing the ice-blue external meridians that extended from his palm like thin tentacles. His external meridians connected with others¡¯ meridians, allowing him to steal their special power. He retracted the meridians into his palm. He closed his eyes, feeling the flow of spiritual power in his body, which seemed a little unstable and had signs of rioting.


    Why was this happening? Why did he suddenly turn into a cat?


    He tested the Teleportation technique. Suddenly, the technique was activated, and his figure disappeared instantly, reappearing at the other end of the room. He tested the Transformation technique. His eyes and hair turned ink black, and the mirror reflected his stern face. Then, he checked the third technique. Divine Eye was activated, and the scenery changed instantly. Everything became transparent, and the walls and bricks lost their solidity, leaving only a gray-black structure. Through the wall, he saw the front hall outside the door.


    The more techniques he used, the more unstable his spiritual power flows became. He dared not use any more techniques. It seemed that his powers should not be used too much. But this still couldn¡¯t explain why he suddenly turned into a cat. Could it be related to the heart core? But when Su Ru Hui had the heart core, he had never turned into a cat before.


    Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brows tightly, unable to understand. Could it be that he devoured too many powers, triggering some kind of mechanism in the heart core? This was only his guess. He decided not to devour any new powers temporarily and forcefully removed ¡°Divine Eye¡± by using his spiritual power.


    Removing the power required him to repeatedly wash his meridians with spiritual power, a painful and difficult process. However, Sang Chi Yu had become accustomed to it. He was sweating all over his body after removing the ¡°Divine Eye¡± power. After changing his clothes, he pushed open the window and looked at the sky. It was about time to go to the guard post for the morning shift. Sang Chi Yu hid Su Ru Hui¡¯s outer robe in the cabinet and took out the Transformation talisman he prepared earlier. The talisman burned, and he once again transformed into the inconspicuous 15-year-old boy, Su Yu.


    Su Ru Hui woke up slowly, feeling a soreness in his neck. He rubbed his neck and sat up. After sitting for a while, he suddenly remembered what happened before he passed out. There was a naked man in his room! He shuddered and quickly checked his whole body. Fortunately, there were no signs of being violated. Climbing down from the bed and looking around, he realized that one of his robes was missing, and Sang Bao Bao was also gone. He was extremely shocked. That naked man stole his clothes and his son!


    He opened the door and bumped into Su Yu, who was about to knock and wake him up.


    ¡°Have you seen anyone suspicious?¡± Su Ru Hui asked, pulling on Su Yu¡¯s shoulder.


    Su Yu calmly shook his head.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Su Ru Hui cursed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Su Yu frowned.


    Su Ru Hui was so angry that he had a headache. ¡°A naked man sneaked into our house and stole the cat I found last night!¡± He shivered in the cold wind and hurried into the house. As he put on his coat, he said, ¡°There are all kinds of weird people these days. It¡¯s driving me crazy. I¡¯m going to the police station today and post a wanted notice for that cat thief.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Su Yu fell silent for a moment. ¡°Do you remember what he looks like?¡±


    Su Ru Hui thought for a moment, but he only remembered that the naked man had silver hair all over his head. ¡°He knocked me out before I had a chance to get a good look at him. He seemed to be an old man in his seventies or eighties. How could he survive the cold weather outside, walking around like that?¡±


    Su Yu¡¯s expression was very complicated.


    Su Ru Hui was extremely frustrated, but there was nothing he could do. The person must have run far away by now, and he had to go check in. Su Ru Hui put on his armor, carried his sword and wore his arm guard, and hung his bow and arrows. He was usually very sloppy, but now he looked very handsome and impressive. His tall and straight figure, coupled with his slightly sharp eyebrows and eyes, was somewhere between a man and a boy, with a mature yet youthful spirit, very striking.


    Since he was a child, Su Ru Hui had always been the center of attention wherever he went. Even without any magic or a family backing him up, he was still among the best bachelors. Sang Chi Yu stood aside, silently watching him.


    He lowered his head to check his outfit and smiled at Su Yu. ¡°How does it look?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu nodded. ¡°Very handsome.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Sang Chi Yu used to wear this outfit too. I wonder how he looked in it,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Sang Chi Yu fell silent for a moment and said, ¡°Not as handsome as you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui hugged Su Yu and went out. ¡°You have such a sweet mouth. Come on, I¡¯ll treat you to some sweet pork steamed buns.¡±


    In fact, Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t like to eat sweet things. Only Su Ru Hui liked to eat meat with added sugar, which was so disgusting. But¡­ it didn¡¯t matter. It was okay to eat it occasionally.


    As they headed for the guard post, officials and servants came and went, and the conference hall was packed with people hurrying around. Xia Jing saw Su Ru Hui and waved at him, leading him and Su Yu to the duty room. Xia Jing pushed open the cypress wood door and said, ¡°This used to be Sang Chi Yu¡¯s duty room, but now it¡¯s yours. He didn¡¯t have a lot of stuff, so if you see anything useful, keep it, and if not, just throw it away.¡± He looked behind Su Ru Hui and saw Su Yu standing silently like a shadow. He smiled and said, ¡°This child is Su Yu, right? He came in with you, and since you two are familiar with each other, he¡¯ll be at your disposal.¡±


    Su Ru Hui thanked him repeatedly, and Xia Jing continued, ¡°Next month is the grand annual court session, where all the aristocratic families from the forty-eight provinces will gather in the border city. We¡¯ve been busy preparing for this, so you should be prepared to work hard and not sleep for several days.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. I¡¯m still young and can handle it,¡± Su Ru Hui said confidently.


    Xia Jing patted his shoulder and suddenly changed the subject. ¡°The snow mountain trial lasted for three days and two nights. So where did you spend those two nights? Were you and Su Yu together the whole time?¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t together on the first night, but we ran into trouble the next day. Fortunately, this little brother helped me out, and we decided to team up,¡± Su Ru Hui said modestly. ¡°I don¡¯t have much skill, so I didn¡¯t dare to fight head-on with others. We found a cave to hide in, and stayed there for three days. Please don¡¯t laugh at me, Uncle.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not laughing. This kind of dangerous trial requires you to be smart and hide. You two are lucky,¡± Xia Jing said with a smile.


    Su Ru Hui smiled on the surface, but cursed the old dogs of the Secret Sect in his heart. Fortunately, he adopted the strategy of survival, otherwise he would have died without even realizing it. Strange creatures appeared on the snow mountain at night and could even transform into humans. The so-called ¡°winners¡± on the third day were probably no longer human. Out of more than fifty people, he and Su Yu were the only ones who survived and were still breathing. It made Su Ru Hui¡¯s teeth ache just to think about it.


    The Secret Sect recruited both spiritual power users and ordinary people for the trial. The selected spiritual power users were the ones they really wanted to recruit, while the other group of ordinary people was used as bait to lure in the monsters. The Secret Sect knew that the monsters would replace the living, so they sent people into the mountain to give them a chance to do so. The difference in strength between ordinary people and monsters was too great, so the chances of survival were very small.


    The final winner of the trial was usually a monster rather than a human, and the sect would set a trap to catch them all. Even if one or two people survived, the sect would have known that the Black Street would take advantage of the situation to infiltrate, and those who survived were likely to be from the Black Street and would be better off dead.


    The trial had occurred more than once. Before Su Ru Hui, there were many others. In order to lure these monsters out, the sect has sacrificed many people in the snow mountains. Fortunately, Jiang Que Xie was a nobleman and couldn¡¯t die inexplicably in the snow mountains, so the sect pulled him out to verify his identity. Otherwise Su Ru Hui and those frozen pieces of meat would have had the same fate.


    ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Xia Jing clapped his hands. ¡°Su Gou, take them to see those things.¡±


    Su Gou appeared under the eaves. He wore white linen clothes, with just the right amount of smile on his face. The curvature of his smile was exactly the same as when Su Ru Hui first met him. Su Ru Hui felt that these people were always looking at him with this creepy smile.


    Su Gou bowed and said, ¡°Please follow me, sirs.¡±


    Su Ru Hui had some suspicions, but still pretended to be ignorant. ¡°What are we going to see?¡±


    Xia Jing touched the beard on his lips and said slowly, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see it.¡±


    Su Gou led the way. Su Ru Hui followed behind him, and Su Yu followed behind Su Ru Hui, like Su Ru Hui¡¯s shadow. Su Ru Hui occasionally turned his head to look at Su Yu, who was still a young man and had not fully grown. He only reached Su Ru Hui¡¯s chest, and followed him around like Su Ru Hui¡¯s little tail. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help but touch his head. He looked up and gave him a questioning look.


    ¡°Follow me closely.¡± Su Ru Hui mouthed to him, still smiling and walking forward.


    Su Gou led them into the Abyssal Prison. The other buildings were built upwards, but only the Abyssal Prison was dug downwards. The prisoners held on the surface were of little importance, while the spiritual power users held underground were the ones who needed to be guarded closely. The walls of the prison were carved with star formation runes, and the prison warden of the sect, who had cast the Cage technique, sat above, eating, drinking, sleeping, and suppressing the Abyssal Prison without rest for twelve hours. The gates were made of meteorite iron, and a gate was set every hundred steps. The gates could only be opened from the outside, and once closed, could not be opened from the inside. Every twenty steps, there was a soldier with one hand on his sword and the other on his pants. The sword was equipped with a spirit fire gun that was always loaded.


    Su Ru Hui had never been to the Abyssal Prison before. In his previous life, although he was a prisoner, he received the highest level of treatment. Especially because he was unwell, the sect was afraid that he would bring the secret of the Super First-Grade Puppet to the underworld. They provided him with good food and drink, and occasionally sent Sang Chi Yu to accompany him. Although that kid was always unwilling, he stayed outside the Immortal Cave and refused to step inside or say a word.


    Unfortunately, those fools didn¡¯t know that Su Ru Hui had no way of creating those puppets. They said Su Ru Hui¡¯s Super First-Grade Puppet was no different from a living being in terms of flesh, skin, mind, and thoughts. In fact, the Super First-Grade Puppet and his fondness for Jiang Xue Ya were complete rumors.


    After passing through many strict iron gates, with two finger-wide holes in them, Su Ru Hui saw pairs of sinister eyes watching him as he passed. Su Gou walked steadily all the way to the end of the corridor and stopped at a stone wall, where a locking star formation automatically appeared before him. Su Gou opened the star formation. The circular and intricate halo divided into two, and the gate slowly rose.


    A blast of cold air hit them.


    Before them was an ice cellar, with many animal carcasses frozen in the ice on either side of the wall. Most of them were incomplete, but some were still intact. Judging from the remaining limbs, many looked strange, such as a giant three-headed dog the size of a bear, frozen in the innermost layer of ice, with its two heads cut off and frozen separately on the other side of the wall.


    Su Ru Hui and Su Yu walked along the ice wall, looking up at these strange animals. The system provided a label for them: [Lovely three-headed dog, with three clever brains and the ability to make ¡®hehe¡¯ sounds, suitable for cheering up children.]


    Su Gou stood on one side and said, ¡°Last month, the remnants of the Frontline Guards returned. Not long after, these soldiers began to show strange symptoms. A colleague of the Dragon Guards saw a military officer walking around with three heads and even asking him if he wanted to have breakfast together. The colleague remained calm and politely refused the invitation of the three-headed officer, and then brought a team of men to capture him on the spot. Later, the Secret Sect found that these soldiers who returned from the Snow Territory were all abnormal. Almost all of them had bodily distortions, either with eight arms or four legs. If you can¡¯t see any difference from their appearance, cutting open their chests and abdomens would reveal that their organs were also strange.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu stopped in front of an ice wall. His eyes slightly widened.


    He saw a cat, with short hair and ice-blue eyes, similar to him, but much larger.


    ¡°They are not human,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Su Gu nodded. ¡°The Secret Sect soon found out that these soldiers who returned from the Snow Territory were not the same people as before. They were counterfeit products, disguised as humans among the crowd. They were able to reorganize their flesh and blood, making their form as close to human as possible. However, their state was not stable. After a long time, they would be unable to control their flesh and blood, and grow extra limbs. More importantly, they were unable to perfectly imitate the complete form of a human from the inside out. Even if their appearance was imitated, the inside was a mess. That¡¯s why yesterday, when the two of you arrived at the guard post, the medical officer checked your meridian acupoints.¡±


    Su Ru Hui asked, ¡°What if some monsters are clever enough to imitate perfectly?¡±


    Su Gou helplessly smiled. ¡°Then we can only wait for them to reveal their true colors.¡±


    ¡°Where did they come from?¡± Su Ru Hui asked again.


    Su Gou shook his head. ¡°The Secret Sect only knows that they come from the depths of the wind and snow. Jiang Gongzi, have you ever seen a map?¡±


    ¡°The forty-eight provinces of Great Jing?¡± Su Ru Hui shrugged.


    ¡°No.¡± Su Gou¡¯s smile carried a deep meaning. ¡°I mean, outside of the forty-eight provinces.¡±


    ¡°I am ignorant and inexperienced. I have never seen it,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    ¡°Outside of the forty-eight provinces is a snowy wasteland where the wind and snow rage. The Secret Sect¡¯s exploration of the Snow Territory is very limited. The furthest mining camp is only one hundred miles into the Snow Territory. The Secret Sect doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s in the depths of the Snow Territory or if there is an end to it. These terrible monsters come from the north of Kun Lun, disguising themselves as guards to cross Kun Lun. Their origin is from the depths of the Snow Territory. This is the first time in thousands of years that something has walked out of the Snow Territory,¡± Su Gou said. ¡°The Secret Sect knows too little about them, only that they are naturally cruel, love to fight, and especially enjoy eating people. The old stories always said that demons lurk in the wind and snow, so a mother would keep her child in her arms to prevent them from venturing into the snow and losing their lives. The Secret Sect was inspired by these legends and named these creatures ¡®demons¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Wow, cool!¡± Su Ru Hui applauded. ¡°Have you ever caught one alive?¡±


    Su Gou nodded and led them through the second gate. There was a meteorite iron cage behind the door, with a binding star formation engraved on the ground, and a man lying in the center of the star formation. The man¡¯s eyes were covered with black cloth, muttering to himself, ¡°I sense it¡­I sense it¡­¡±


    ¡°What is he saying?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    Su Gou said he didn¡¯t know. ¡°He doesn¡¯t want to communicate with us. Even if we use extreme torture, he remains indifferent.¡±


    Su Gou manipulated a thunder and fire star formation, and spiritual stones filled the star formation. All the dim lights lit up one by one, and lightning and fire flickered among them. The man was burned and convulsed incessantly, but he still gritted his teeth and didn¡¯t make a sound. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t bear to watch and asked Su Gou to stop. Su Gou stopped manipulating the star formation, and a blue light appeared on the man¡¯s body. Under his charred skin, his meridians were shining, leaving Su Ru Hui stunned. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes were deep and complicated.


    ¡°Why is he glowing?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°The Secret Sect has not yet come up with an accurate answer. For now, they only know that it may be related to self-healing after bodily damage,¡± came the response.


    The blue glow was extremely familiar, and Su Ru Hui¡¯s head began to ache.


    He must have seen it somewhere before, but he couldn¡¯t remember.


    Su Ru Hui took a few steps forward and stared closely at the man¡¯s glowing body.


    ¡°Jiang Gongzi?¡± Su Gou called out to him.


    ¡°The Secret Sect is certain that this is the first time something from the Snow Territory has come to our world?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Su Gou replied.


    No, it was not the first time. A voice in Su Ru Hui¡¯s mind spoke up.


    He remembered where he had seen this blue light before, when he was a child, on Mount Yi Luo.

 CH 27

    This story had a long history, dating back to twenty-two years ago when he was still living in Yi Luo Mountain.


    At that time, Su Ru Hui was nodding off in his master Ming Ruo Wu¡¯s lecture hall. Ming Ruo Wu was putting in a lot of effort to pass down the ¡°Qi Qi Jing (1)¡± to him, calling him in every other day to memorize it. His master was a genius, proficient in the art of star formations. Of the forty-eight states¡¯ aristocratic families, thirty states¡¯ defense formations were set up by his master, and almost all of the aristocrats came to him for medical treatment. Not only was his master¡¯s medical skills excellent, but he was also a good person. Those aristocratic descendants with difficult-to-cure and embarrassing diseases begged him for treatment. This was mainly because his master never gossiped. If they went to another family for treatment, rumors would fly the next day.


    Ming Ruo Wu had already thought about passing down his unique skills to his disciples. He would pass on his medical skills to Zhou Xiao Su, who had talent and the special power ¡°Deadwood Meets Spring,¡± which could heal painful diseases. The Wind Star Formation would be passed down to Su Ru Hui, whose special power was ¡°Infinite Deduction.¡± No matter how complex the calculations were, Su Ru Hui could arrive at an answer in an instant. The Wind Star Formation contained infinite changes, and Su Ru Hui had excellent talent for practicing it. He was born to practice the formation.


    It was a pity that Su Ru Hui, this little scoundrel, was single-minded about becoming a cook.


    Daylight gradually receded, and the bamboo curtains cast a long shadow over the area. The sound of children reciting scriptures could be heard far away on the wind. Most of the children in the private school came from Zhi Luo Town, and there was a huge difference between the rich and the poor. It was rare for Ming Ruo Wu to give lectures, and the children studied diligently, reading the scriptures word by word. Only Su Ru Hui was slowly nodding off.


    Ming Ruo Wu put down the ¡°Qi Qi Jing¡± with a sigh and walked up to Su Ru Hui, tapping his head to signal him to come outside to talk. Su Ru Hui followed Ming Ruo Wu to the wooden porch. Ming Ruo Wu touched his head and said, ¡°A Hui, if you don¡¯t study hard, you won¡¯t be able to get married in the future.¡±


    Su Ru Hui shook his head and said confidently, ¡°Master, what you said is not right. My father has no special skill and cannot earn money, but he still married a princess of the Secret Sect. It shows that whether or not you can get married depends on your appearance, not your skills. I look decent, so don¡¯t worry. I will definitely find a girl who likes me in the future.¡±


    ¡°You are full of nonsense. I can¡¯t argue with you.¡± Ming Ruo Wu shook his head and smiled bitterly. ¡°You grew up with Xiao Su and Xue Ya since you were young, which one do you like? Xiao Su comes from the Zhou family and has already started learning medicine. Xue Ya comes from the Jiang family in Yun Zhou and has a rare, strong offensive power. Study hard, and when you are fourteen, I will help you propose to either Xiao Su or Xue Ya.¡±


    Whether he married Zhou Xiao Su or Jiang Xue Ya, it would be a great disaster for Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui was silent for a while before saying, ¡°Please don¡¯t force me. Jiang Xue Ya said that her husband must be the hottest man in the world, and Xiao Su said that she wants the most gentle man in the world. I am neither gentle nor hot, so they won¡¯t like me.¡±


    As he spoke, the evening drum sounded, and the noise spread through the mountains and startled countless birds.


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Master, school is over. See you tomorrow!¡±


    He went back to his room to get his schoolbag, but accidentally bumped into a teenager named Da Long. He had been eavesdropping on Su Ru Hui and his master¡¯s conversation from behind the door. Da Long was fourteen years old, much taller than Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°Su Ru Hui, don¡¯t you have eyes?¡± Da Long glared at him.


    He had been eavesdropping on other people¡¯s conversation yet he still acted so arrogant. Da Long had never liked Su Ru Hui and often picked on him, but he didn¡¯t dare go too far because Su Ru Hui was Ming Ruo Wu¡¯s apprentice. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t want to provoke him, so he took his schoolbag and left. However, as soon as he stepped off the wooden porch, he was blocked by Jiang Xue Ya.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jiang Xue Ya glared at him.


    Her voice was cold. Su Ru looked around and saw Zhou Xiao Su glaring at him with hands on her hips. Su Ru knew it was not good and was about to leave when Jiang Xue Ya caught up and used her martial arts to catch him like a tiger catching a sheep.


    Jiang Xue Ya said to Ming Ruo Wu: ¡°Master, we still have things to do. You go ahead.¡±


    She then dragged Su Ru Hui away. Ming Ruo Wu waved his handkerchief and said: ¡°Have fun, don¡¯t fight!¡±


    As Su Ru Hui had expected, Zhou Xiao Su had found out about him asking Sang Chi Yu to wash his socks. Zhou Xiao Su told Jiang Xue Ya, who then captured Su Ru Hui like a prisoner and brought him back to the courtyard. They coincidentally saw Sang Chi Yu coming into Su Ru Hui¡¯s room to collect the socks. Jiang Xue Ya chased Su Ru Hui, and he jumped up and down, finally hiding behind Sang Chi Yu who was holding a large wooden basin.


    ¡°Su Ru Hui, your face is so thick,¡± Jiang Xue Ya scolded him. ¡°You let others wash your stinky socks. Aren¡¯t you afraid of suffocating Yu¡¯er?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right,¡± Zhou Xiao Su chimed in. ¡°You should be ashamed of yourself!¡±


    ¡°First, my socks don¡¯t stink.¡± Su Ru Hui poked his head out from behind Sang Chi Yu and smiled. ¡°Second, Yu¡¯er is my younger brother. It¡¯s only natural for younger brothers to help their older brothers in times of trouble. Yu¡¯er, would you like to wash my socks?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Su Ru Hui made faces at Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su. ¡°He volunteered.¡±


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, he¡¯s tricking you!¡± Zhou Xiao Su stamped her foot. ¡°He just wants you to be his slave. If you wash his socks for him today, he¡¯ll make you wash clothes, cook, sweep the floor, and wash dishes tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, come here,¡± Jiang Xue Ya said. ¡°We¡¯ll take you to catch some loaches. Let¡¯s not play with Su Ru Hui.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at Su Ru Hui and then at Jiang Xue Ya. His black eyes were full of confusion. He didn¡¯t know who to choose.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to them. Only kids catch loaches.¡± Su Ru Hui dragged Sang Chi Yu and ran. ¡°My younger brother and I will go first. Please go ahead.¡±


    While Su Ru Hui was running, he heard Zhou Xiao Su shout loudly: ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Master and the Secret Sect¡¯s leader! You wait to kneel before the ancestors!¡±


    Su Ru Hui sneered. She was good at telling on others. He turned his head to look at Sang Chi Yu, who had a fair and clean face with clear eyes. Sang Chi Yu was much better than Jiang Xue Ya, who was like a female devil, and Zhou Xiao Su, who was a snitch. Su Ru Hui might as well marry Sang Chi Yu!


    The two people ran directly to the mountain stream. Su Ru Hui was panting heavily while Sang Chi Yu seemed to have no problem at all, as if he could run another 800 miles in one breath. Sang Chi Yu placed the wooden basin by the creek and asked somewhat confusedly, ¡°Can¡¯t we play with Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su together?¡±


    He hung his head, seeming a little upset. Su Ru Hui comforted him, ¡°It¡¯s okay. In a few days we can play together again.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Sang Chi Yu asked.


    ¡°Really,¡± Su Ru Hui assured him, patting his chest. ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu felt relieved. Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su were both his friends, and he didn¡¯t want to break off ties with them. Sang Chi Yu squatted down and started washing socks with difficulty. Su Ru Hui also squatted down beside him, looking at his fair arm that didn¡¯t enter the rippling water. In the sunset, the water was shining and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s arm seemed to be shining too.


    Su Ru Hui propped up his head and suddenly said, ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you marry me?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was taken aback and looked at him with confusion.


    Su Ru Hui was bored and he flicked the water waves with his hand. ¡°My master has gone crazy. He wants me to marry either Jiang Xue Ya or Zhou Xiao Su. If I marry either of them, I¡¯ll be tortured for life. If you¡¯re willing to be with me, I¡¯ll marry you. Although we¡¯re both men, Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su¡¯s dads both have male concubines, so why can¡¯t kids do what adults do, right?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu vaguely understood and murmured in agreement.


    Su Ru Hui patted Sang Chi Yu¡¯s shoulder hard and said seriously, ¡°Our Dragon Gods Gang has recently added a new rule: if the big brother can¡¯t find a wife, the little brother must be his wife. Since I only have you as a little brother, you are my wife.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was naive at the time and didn¡¯t know what getting married meant. He didn¡¯t care who he married, so Su Ru Hui fooled him into marrying him. Although Su Ru Hui was a bit smarter than Sang Chi Yu at the time, he didn¡¯t really know what marriage meant either. In his mind, his definition of a husband and wife was limited to the concept of two people living together for a lifetime, which he learned from the romance novels Zhou Xiao Su collected. He didn¡¯t want to live with Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su, this a pair of angry hens, for the rest of his life, but he was willing to stay with Sang Chi Yu for a lifetime.


    Anyway, there was no difference between being a husband and wife and being brothers. He naively thought that the only difference between being a husband and wife and being brothers was that husbands and wives had to raise children. Adults always said that they had to marry women with big hips and good fertility. Su Ru Hui disagreed. He thought he was already annoying enough, and if his future wife gave birth to a little Su Ru Hui, wouldn¡¯t that mean there was one more annoying person in the world? He was very self-aware; he wouldn¡¯t go and bother others, but he didn¡¯t want anyone to come and bother him either.


    ¡°Chi Yu, would you like to be my wife?¡± he asked.


    Sang Chi Yu nodded. ¡°I am willing.¡±


    ¡°Younger brother, call me Gege,¡± Su Ru Hui shouted at him.


    ¡°Gege,¡± Sang Chi Yu responded.


    ¡°Wife,¡± Su Ru Hui shouted again, ¡°call me husband.¡±


    ¡°Husband,¡± Sang Chi Yu responded once more.


    Yu¡¯er was so obedient that Su Ru Hui was deeply moved. He felt that he had everything he needed in life with his younger brother and wife by his side. His father had said, ¡°A man who comprehends the Dao in the morning can die content in the evening,¡± but Su Ru Hui felt that ¡°having a wife in the morning and dying content in the evening¡± was just as good.


    Seeing that Sang Chi Yu was done washing the socks and had nothing to do, Su Ru Hui suddenly had a rare moment of kindness. ¡°Wife, you don¡¯t have to wash my socks anymore.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him in confusion. ¡°Why?¡±


    Su Ru Hui, with a mischievous smile, pinched his cheek and said, ¡°Because I love my wife.¡± He wiped the sweat from Sang Chi Yu¡¯s forehead. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll go pick some mulberries for you to eat.¡±


    After Su Ru Hui left, Sang Chi Yu turned his head and looked at the grass on the other side of the stream. Sang Chi Yu had always been sensitive since he was young, almost too sensitive to be normal. Dan Tai Jing had once told him not to let anyone know about this, not even Su Ru Hui. Now, he could hear some people hiding in the grass on the other side, thinking they were hiding well, but Sang Chi Yu could hear their faint sounds clearly. Since a while ago, they had been eavesdropping on Su Ru Hui and him talking.


    Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow slightly and focused on washing the socks.


    He heard the people on the opposite bank coming closer to the stream.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A small stone hit him, leaving a mud mark the size of a copper coin on his white cloak.


    He looked up and saw a group of scruffy children on the opposite bank. The oldest one looked about fourteen years old. Most of them were barefoot, with patched clothes.


    ¡°Big Brother Long.¡± A child grabbed the oldest boy¡¯s wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t hit him. He¡¯s a nobleman.¡±


    ¡°Hey, are you a disciple of Dan Tai Jing?¡± Da Long asked him.


    Sang Chi Yu looked at them and remained silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re a nobleman. Why did you marry a commoner like Su Ru Hui?¡± Da Long asked. ¡°How could you fall for him? His father is a teacher, just like us commoners. He only knew how to write some poems, and was lucky enough to hook up with Su Wu, the princess of the Secret Sect. His father even sold grass shoes in our town not long ago. Look at what I¡¯m wearing on my feet. They¡¯re made by his father. He can¡¯t rise to the surface, and aristocrats look down on him. Let me tell you, Su Ru Hui is not good enough for you.¡±


    The children behind him greeted him shyly. ¡°We¡¯re from the town of Lu Luo under Lu Luo Mountain. My name is Xiao Chong. Do you remember me? I go up the mountain to study every day.¡± The child said bitterly, ¡°I envy Su Ru Hui. He is Teacher Ming¡¯s personal disciple. He is friends with the young ladies of the Jiang and Zhou families, and he can marry Dan Tai Jing¡¯s disciple.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu slowly furrowed his brow. He felt anger in the boy called Da Long and didn¡¯t know why. It was like an instinct to be alert to hostility and killing intent. He knew that this often signaled attack and death.


    ¡°Since you can marry Su Ru Hui, you can also marry me. I¡¯m better than Su Ru Hui. His special power is useless, just calculations. Look at my special power.¡± Da Long held his palm against the stream, and a water ball was sucked up by him. He said proudly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it amazing? I can also hunt with water arrows. Last time I caught a wild boar and brought it back to the town. Even the village head said that I have the ability to enter Secret Sect¡¯s guards garrison if I were from an aristocratic family. Don¡¯t marry Su Ru Hui, marry me.¡±


    The children behind him cheered. ¡°Big Brother Long, if you become Dan Tai Jing¡¯s son in law, don¡¯t forget us!¡±


    Da Long proudly said, ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll all be nobles in the future!¡±


    Sang Chi Yu shook his head. ¡°No, I want to marry Ru Hui Gege.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Long asked angrily. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me compared to Su Ru Hui? He¡¯s just lucky enough to have Master Ming Ruo Wu as his master!¡±


    Sang Chi Yu replied, ¡°Ru Hui Gege doesn¡¯t get angry.¡±


    Long was stunned and couldn¡¯t speak for a while. He liked Su Ru Hui just because he didn¡¯t get angry. Long remembered Su Ru Hui laughing and joking all day. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t get angry because he was a carefree second-rate guy!


    Everyone left in a gloomy mood, leaving only Sang Chi Yu behind, who was fully engrossed in washing socks. Sang Chi Yu used a soap with osmanthus fragrance to create bubbles, making the water in the basin smell wonderful. After wearing these socks, even Su Ru Hui¡¯s stinky feet would smell good.


    After half an incense stick¡¯s time, Su Ru Hui still hadn¡¯t returned. That¡¯s when Da Long appeared behind Sang Chi Yu. He turned around and silently looked at the fourteen-year-old boy.


    Da Long said, ¡°Su Ru Hui fell off a tree while picking mulberries and broke his leg. He¡¯s now in our town, and the village chief has already gone to inform Master Ming. Do you want to go see him?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was taken aback but stood up and said, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then come with me, little brother. Watch your step,¡± Da Long said.


    Footnotes


    1. Qi Qi Jing ¨C a Chinese book on traditional Chinese medicine, specifically on the theory of qi and its flow within the body.

 CH 28

    Su Ru Hui returned to the stream with mulberries in his robes and was followed by Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su. Su Ru Hui made a face at them and said, ¡°You two aren¡¯t supposed to be playing with us anymore. Why are you following us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not playing with you. We¡¯re looking for Yu¡¯er,¡± Zhou Xiao Su retorted.


    Zhou Xiao Su walked to the edge of the stream, but she couldn¡¯t find Sang Chi Yu. There was only a wooden basin full of Su Ru Hui¡¯s dirty socks on the ground. Zhou Xiao Su was puzzled and said, ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Yu¡¯er?¡±


    Su Ru Hui was also surprised. ¡°He was just here a moment ago.¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya leaned over to look at the stream. ¡°Did Yu¡¯er accidentally fall into the water and get washed away?¡±


    ¡°Shame on you for jinxing it,¡± Su Ru Hui exclaimed, noticing the footprints on the ground. There were one big and one small footprint leading down the mountain. Su Ru Hui frowned. ¡°Someone came and took Yu¡¯er away.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu followed Da Long down to the foot of the mountain. They walked on high ridges with fields on both sides. The mountain slopes were dotted with terraces resembling tofu cubes, and farmers buried their heads in the soil. Their skin was as dark as the soil. Sang Chi Yu stood out among them, dressed in pure white, looking like a little immortal who had lost his way in the mortal world. The rural areas were more impoverished than the cities, and their houses were made of stacked stones. Da Long brought Sang Chi Yu to his house, pushed open the fence, and led him into the yard. He pointed to the low stone house and said, ¡°Su Ru Hui is inside.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. There¡¯s no one inside.¡± Sang Chi Yu listened carefully but couldn¡¯t hear any voices coming from the house.


    Da Long¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡°Maybe the village chief took Su Ru Hui away. Let me go and ask where he is. You can go inside and have a cup of tea while you wait for me.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu said, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Da Long refused too eagerly, causing Sang Chi Yu to look at him. Da Long felt uneasy looking into those clear eyes. Su Ru Hui hadn¡¯t actually broken his leg; this was the first time he had deceived a child of the nobles, tricking someone of such a different social class. His heart pounded as he looked around and said, ¡°You¡¯ve walked such a long way, aren¡¯t you tired? Even a little bug would be half-dead from walking the mountain road. Don¡¯t you want to rest and have some tea?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was startled. ¡°I¡¯m tired. I want to have some tea.¡±


    He remembered Dan Tai Jing¡¯s words. He wanted to act like an ordinary person.


    Da Long breathed a sigh of relief. He opened the door to the stone house, and forced himself to calm down as he watched Sang Chi Yu step over the threshold and into the dark little room. As soon as Sang Chi Yu was firmly inside, Da Long quickly locked the door. Sang Chi Yu turned his head, and with his ink-black pupils, looked at Da Long. As they met each other¡¯s eyes in the dim light, Da Long inexplicably felt a wave of doubt. He had only just realized that Sang Chi Yu had shown no emotion from the time they walked from the stream to here. It was like he was an emotionless porcelain doll. Da Long thought that maybe he was just naturally slow-witted, and didn¡¯t think much of it. Excitement had already spread through his body, and even his fingertips were trembling.


    It¡¯s better that he¡¯s slow, he thought, because then he won¡¯t understand what¡¯s going to happen next.


    He waved his hand and cast a spell, causing the water in the large water tank in the corner to fly out and twist into chains, tightly binding Sang Chi Yu. Sang Chi Yu looked down at the chains and furrowed his delicate eyebrows. Da Long comforted him in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, little brother. I will treat you well, better than Su Ru Hui does. He made you wash his socks, but I won¡¯t. In the future, there will be many servants serving us. As long as you behave well and sleep with me, then we can show the entire village, and the Secret Sect will have to betroth you to me.¡±


    Da Long kept talking, but Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t understand most of it, so he remained silent as usual when faced with something he couldn¡¯t comprehend.


    Da Long approached him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even though you can¡¯t bear children, you have a noble identity, and I won¡¯t make you a concubine. You are my legal wife, and when I take on concubines and have children, the children will belong to you. You nobles have many servants and slaves. When my family takes on that many slaves, I might become the future leader of the Secret Sect. Dan Tai Jing only has you as an apprentice. If I marry you, then I will be the future leader of the Secret Sect!¡±


    The more he thought about it, the more excited he became, and he trembled as he put down Sang Chi Yu¡¯s white hat and unbuttoned his shirt. Sang Chi Yu felt uncomfortable and frowned. ¡°You lied to me. Ru Hui Gege isn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°Ru Hui Gege, Ru Hui Gege. Why do you always call him Ru Hui Gege?¡± Da Long was disgusted with this nickname. ¡°Listen to me. From now on, you¡¯re my woman. If you dare to call him Ru Hui Gege again, I¡¯ll beat you like Zhong Shu beating his wife next door.¡±


    ¡°I want to find Ru Hui Gege.¡± Sang Chi Yu stood up and prepared to leave.


    Da Long became furious and pushed Sang Chi Yu to the ground. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s forehead hit the ground, leaving a big scratch.


    ¡°I told you not to call him Ru Hui Gege! Why do you all like him so much? Clearly, I also have a special power that only I possess in this town. Why did Ming Ruo Wu refuse to take me as his disciple? I kneeled and begged him, but he said we¡¯re not fated to be teacher and disciple! We¡¯re both commoners, so why can Su Ru Hui marry Jiang Xue Ya, Zhou Xiao Su, and you?¡± Da Long grew angrier and angrier. ¡°If I could become Ming Ruo Wu¡¯s disciple, I¡¯ll be ten thousand times stronger than him!¡±


    Sang Chi Yu struggled to get his hand out of the water chain and stubbornly crawled towards the door without saying a word.


    ¡°You noble dogs who look down on people.¡± Da Long grabbed Sang Chi Yu and choked him, his eyes turning red. ¡°I understand now. You look down on me and think I¡¯m lowly. Do you think I¡¯m dirty and smelly, so you don¡¯t want to marry me? You, with your white face. Do you think you¡¯re a god with ice-cold purity? Today, I¡¯ll make you as dirty and smelly as me!¡±


    Da Long tightly choked Sang Chi Yu and pressed his face to the ground. He was so angry that he didn¡¯t realize the water chain was tightening around him. Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t speak, and his ribs broke like bamboo chopsticks. He was running out of air in his lungs. His dark eyes gradually lost their luster and became hollow.


    Da Long was panting heavily, his anger gradually dissipating as he slowly regained his composure. The little boy lay limp on the ground, like a rag doll. He panicked and pulled Sang Chi Yu up, but Sang Chi Yu¡¯s face was pale and lifeless. He was so startled that he let go of Sang Chi Yu, and the boy collapsed back onto the ground. Da Long tried to prop Sang Chi Yu up, but if he didn¡¯t hold him up forcibly, Sang Chi Yu would slump back down like a sack of flour. Da Long¡¯s heart was beating faster and faster, as he shook Sang Chi Yu desperately, hoping to wake the child up.


    After a while, Da Long gradually realized that Sang Chi Yu would never wake up again.


    He had killed him. Da Long was beside himself with panic, realizing that he had killed the Grandmaster¡¯s disciple.


    When his parents came back home and saw the little boy¡¯s lifeless body on the ground, they almost fainted in shock. Da Long¡¯s father slapped him twice, then smoked two pipes, and made a terrible decision. The father and son carried Sang Chi Yu to the back of the house and dug a hole in the ground with shovels. Da Long¡¯s mother tearfully wrapped the child¡¯s body in a mat and picked up a shovel to help dig.


    When they had buried the child, nobody would know that Sang Chi Yu died here.


    Halfway through digging the hole, Da Long¡¯s mother turned her head and saw that the mat was empty. The three of them were horrified to see the boy who had supposedly died standing there, expressionless and covered in dirt like a mud doll. Da Long dropped the shovel and muttered, ¡°How¡­ how did he come back to life?¡±


    Da Long¡¯s father said, ¡°Maybe he wasn¡¯t quite dead yet.¡±


    ¡°Is anyone there?¡± They heard someone shouting outside the fence.


    Sang Chi Yu turned his head in that direction, and his dark eyes had a hint of vitality. He hoarsely called out, ¡°Ru Hui Gege.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let them find this child here!¡± Da Long¡¯s father quickly regained his senses and rushed over to tightly cover Sang Chi Yu¡¯s mouth, while signaling Da Long¡¯s mother with his eyes. She straightened her clothes and put on a smile as she went out to greet the three children outside the fence. The girl looked to be around eleven or twelve years old, while the two younger ones were probably only ten.


    ¡°Have you seen a good-looking child wearing a white cloak, about this tall?¡± The boy gestured to his chest.


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen anyone like that.¡± Da Long¡¯s mother rubbed her hands nervously.


    Sang Chi Yu listened to Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice and tried to forcefully remove Da Long¡¯s father¡¯s hand from his mouth. Da Long¡¯s father¡¯s hand was too tight, like a piece of iron soldered to his mouth, and Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t pull it off. Perhaps he could kill Da Long¡¯s father using spiritual power, but he remembered what Dan Tai Jing had said, that he must not use Devour.


    Once he used that power, they would find out that he was different from others. By then, would Ru Hui Gege still treat him as a little brother or as a wife?


    Outside, Su Ru Hui continued to ask, ¡°Please think again. Have you seen him? His footprints are heading towards the town, but there are too many footprints in the town, and I don¡¯t know which direction he went.¡±


    Ru Hui Gege. Ru Hui Gege.


    Sang Chi Yu wanted to scream and run out. He dug deep into Da Long¡¯s father¡¯s hand, leaving five deep scratch marks.


    ¡°I really haven¡¯t seen anyone like that,¡± Da Long¡¯s mother said earnestly. ¡°You should go look elsewhere, but be careful not to let any bad people take him away.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Su Ru Hui said urgently, ¡°then we¡¯ll go look somewhere else. If you see him, please stop him from running around.¡±


    ¡°Definitely, definitely. You should hurry and go look for him,¡± Da Long¡¯s mother replied.


    The sound of Su Ru Hui¡¯s footsteps faded away, and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes widened as tears welled up in them. A strange emotion, like a creeping vine of fear and sadness, rose in his heart. Was he going to die? Would he never see Ru Hui Gege again? A flash of blue light appeared in his meridians, and spiritual power erupted in his body for a moment. He didn¡¯t know where the strength came from, but he forcibly broke free from Da Long¡¯s grip.


    Su Ru Hui had not gone far, and he shouted loudly, hoping that Ru Hui Gege could hear him. He opened his mouth to shout, ¡°Gege¨C¡°


    Just as he was about to call out, a hand suddenly grabbed his hair from behind and slammed his head hard against a rock.


    He split his forehead open, and blood flowed out profusely. Da Long¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he grabbed Sang Chi Yu and smashed his head against the rocks until blood stained the stones. Sang Chi Yu slipped lifelessly to the ground, his ink-black eyes now red with blood.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it,¡± Da Long cried. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. It¡¯s your own fault for not listening.¡±


    Da Long¡¯s mother rushed over and exclaimed, ¡°What are you standing there for? Bury him quickly! If the nobles find out, our whole family will be executed!¡±


    Da Long¡¯s father was drenched in cold sweat. ¡°Right, right. We¡¯re done for now. Hurry up and bury him!¡±


    Da Long¡¯s mother squatted down and gathered Sang Chi Yu¡¯s body, feeling guilty but helpless. The child was from a noble family, and if others found out that Da Long had kidnapped him, their whole family would be torn apart.


    ¡°Child, we¡¯re sorry. Rest in peace. In your next life, may you be born into a good family and live a peaceful life,¡± she murmured, touching Sang Chi Yu¡¯s clothes. The silky fabric was something they, as farmers, would never wear in their lifetime. Guilt gave way to greed in her heart. She could alter it and make clothes for her grandson. After all, he was already dead, so keeping the clothes would serve no purpose. Da Long¡¯s mother stripped Sang Chi Yu¡¯s clothes off and left him lying half-naked on a straw mat.


    As she lifted her head, holding the clothes, Da Long¡¯s mother suddenly met a pair of emotionless eyes.


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s face was covered in fresh blood, with only a pair of eyes visible that were eerie and ice-blue. He had no expression as he looked at the terrified woman who sat frozen in place. Da Long¡¯s mother covered her mouth, holding back her screams, as she watched the child sit up on his own. It was impossible ¨C he had clearly died. With such a severe head injury and so much blood loss, how could he be alive? The child¡¯s body began to glow with a faint halo, as if there were many fireflies hidden beneath his skin. His skin was so pale and translucent it was almost unbelievable.


    ¡°He¡¯s alive¡­he¡¯s alive¡­¡± stuttered Da Long¡¯s mother.


    Sang Chi Yu seemed to ignore her words and instead focused on her heart. It was the richest place of blood flow in the human body. His vision suddenly became strange, as he saw the intricate web of blood vessels beneath her skin. The scent of flesh and blood attracted him, making his mouth dry.


    He furrowed his brows slightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m so hungry.¡±


    He reached out his hand towards the Da Long¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Aaaahh¡­¡± came a sharp and tragic scream from the stone house.


    In the distance, Su Ru Hui suddenly turned around.


    He ran towards the source of the screaming, with Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su chasing after him. He ran back to the house he had visited before, flipped over the fence, and turned to the back of the house. There, he saw the ground covered in blood, with the bodies of a man and a woman lying horizontally on the ground. Sang Chi Yu stood half-naked next to a pit, holding onto the hair of a fourteen-year-old boy. The boy was barely alive, with a large wound in his chest. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s meridians were emitting a cold blue light that flowed slowly, as if a vast starry sky was hidden deep within his body.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er¡­¡± Su Ru Hui called out to him in a daze.


    Sang Chi Yu slowly turned his head, and his icy blue eyes locked onto Su Ru Hui.


    Su Ru Hui had never seen such cold eyes before. There was an icy sea in the depths of Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes.


    Was it a special power gone awry? Su Ru Hui quickly assessed the situation. Ming Ruo Wu was an expert in treating difficult and complicated illnesses. As his disciple, Su Ru Hui had seen many patients who had lost control of their spiritual power and gone insane, eventually dying in a burst of energy.


    Su Ru Hui was anxious and called out to Sang Chi Yu in a soft voice, ¡°Yu¡¯er, do you still recognize me?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± Sang Chi Yu said.


    Su Ru Hui breathed a sigh of relief. If he still recognized people, then there shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Su Ru Hui slowly approached Sang Chi Yu and tried to calm down his spiritual power. ¡°Yu¡¯er, listen to me. Put him down, and I¡¯ll take you home. Come on, breathe with me, take deep breaths.¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su finally arrived, both gasping for breath. Zhou Xiao Su saw the mess on the ground and screamed in terror. Jiang Xue Ya noticed Sang Chi Yu¡¯s abnormality and shouted loudly, ¡°A Hui, don¡¯t go near him!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Yu¡¯er still recognizes me,¡± Su Ru Hui said, inching closer to Sang Chi Yu. He held his hand, pried it open, and released the boy¡¯s hair. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hand was so cold, chilly as if it was dead. Su Ru Hui vaguely guessed that something terrible had happened to Sang Chi Yu. He blamed himself for leaving Yu¡¯er alone by the creek. While shedding tears, he took off his coat and draped it over Sang Chi Yu, helping him button it up one by one.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll take you home.¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya was so anxious that she was sweating profusely. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Su Ru Hui, come back quickly. Don¡¯t go near him. He¡¯s gone crazy! Let¡¯s go find your master first!¡±


    ¡°You go.¡± Su Ru Hui gently embraced Sang Chi Yu. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here with Yu¡¯er. I left Yu¡¯er alone last time and something happened. I can¡¯t leave him again, and besides, Yu¡¯er still recognizes me.¡±


    ¡°I recognize you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu raised his head, and in his view, the spiritual power flowing in Su Ru Hui¡¯s body was fully revealed, shining brightly. He couldn¡¯t see Su Ru Hui¡¯s face; he could only see the blood vessels. The desire to prey surged, and his blood boiled. Spiritual power users were more delicious than ordinary people, and he knew this by instinct.


    ¡°You are food, and you smell so good,¡± Sang Chi Yu said softly.


    Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su only saw Su Ru Hui¡¯s body stiffen, and then countless bright red blood lines protruded from his back. Something pierced through Su Ru Hui¡¯s body, and blood dripped down in rivulets. Su Ru Hui¡¯s spiritual power surged towards Sang Chi Yu, and in less than ten breaths, Su Ru Hui¡¯s power was completely destroyed.


    ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Zhou Xiao Su screamed in horror.


    Su Ru Hui almost fainted from the pain. He looked down and saw numerous ice-blue meridians stretching out from Sang Chi Yu¡¯s palm, like a snake, entering his body. Su Ru Hui was dizzy and realized that Yu¡¯er¡¯s special power was so terrifying. No wonder Yu¡¯er never wanted to show them his special power. Zhou Xiao Su was still screaming, and Su Ru Hui¡¯s eardrums were almost shattered. Su Ru Hui thought that his junior sister was really foolish. Instead of screaming, she should hurry up and find their master.


    He hugged Sang Chi Yu with all his strength, so that Sang Chi Yu wouldn¡¯t kill him and go after Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su. Both of them were covered in blood.


    ¡°Yu¡¯er, wake up quickly.¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s voice became fainter and fainter. ¡°Otherwise, I¡¯m really going to die.¡±


    His hands and feet were getting colder and Su Ru Hui could barely stand. Blood and heat flowed out of his body, and his spiritual power was also dissipating rapidly. As more blood flowed, Zhou Xiao Su ran off to call their master, leaving Jiang Xue Ya watching the two of them. More and more townspeople gathered around, pointing and talking. Sang Chi Yu felt Su Ru Hui¡¯s warm blood soak into his body, and a strange feeling re-emerged, as if his heart had restarted after stopping. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s cold eyes once again gained warmth, and then Su Ru Hui heard Sang Chi Yu¡¯s faint and trembling voice before he fell into a coma:


    ¡°Ru Hui¡­Gege.¡±

 CH 29

    When Su Ru Hui was sent back to his quarters, he was almost at the brink of death. Ming Ruo Wu gave him a pill to stimulate his last bit of life force. He woke up from his coma with a muddled mind, feeling as if his head was filled with fog and he was in a daze. Many people surrounded him, with many servants coming in and out carrying basins of his blood. Su Ru Hui¡¯s vision became increasingly blurry, with a layer of curtain-like mist covering his eyes, making it difficult to see clearly. However, he felt as if Jiang Xue Ya and Zhou Xiao Su had been there all along, as well as a blood-stained Sang Chi Yu.


    Zhou Xiao Su couldn¡¯t stop crying, while pushing and shoving Sang Chi Yu. ¡°You go away. You killed my senior brother. I will never forgive you for the rest of my life.¡±


    Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t hear Sang Chi Yu¡¯s response, only Zhou Xiao Su¡¯s constant crying. Was Yu¡¯er all right? Why wasn¡¯t he making any sound? His thoughts were like strands of floating silk, dispersing, as if they were about to completely break. Suddenly, a drop of water splashed onto the back of his hand, followed by a series of pattering sounds as a string of large drops of water fell on his hand, cold and icy. He was confused and thought, ¡°Is it raining?¡±


    Beside him stood Sang Chi Yu, white as a ghost, constantly being pushed by Zhou Xiao Su, standing there like a puppet without moving. Su Ru Hui slowly realized that it was Yu¡¯er who was crying, his little wife weeping for him. He wanted to get up and tell Zhou Xiao Su to stop pushing him around. He and Sang Chi Yu had already agreed to spend the rest of their lives together. If he died, even if Sang Chi Yu became his widow, Zhou Xiao Su would have to call him ¡°brother-in-law¡± in the future.


    Suddenly, Zhou Xiao Su¡¯s crying stopped, and the gentle voice of their master came through, ¡°Yu¡¯er, Ru Hui¡¯s five organs are ruptured, and he¡¯s bleeding profusely. There¡¯s no medicine in this world that can save his life. However, I have a risky plan. You may not know this, but your physique is different from others. As long as you cut out your heart and save Ru Hui with your blood, there may be a chance to turn the tide for him. Are you willing to give Ru Hui a bowl of your heart¡¯s blood?¡±


    What kind of method is this? Su Ru Hui was shocked. If his heart was ripped open to extract a bowl of blood, could Yu¡¯er still survive? This wasn¡¯t saving someone ¨C it¡¯s clearly using a life for a life! He moved his fingers and his lips trembled, but Jiang Xue Ya pressed him down and said, ¡°Even if we¡¯re all going to die, you need to stay still!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t agree, whatever you do,¡± Su Ru Hui screamed in his mind. He wasn¡¯t afraid of death, not at all!


    He screamed, but no one could hear him. In the silence, Sang Chi Yu spoke up, ¡°I will give him my whole heart.¡±


    Afterwards, Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t remember what happened when Ming Ruo Wu cut open his chest and implanted something inside his body. He drank some anesthesia and slept until the third day before waking up. Jiang Xue Ya told him everything that had happened ¨C how dangerous the process was, how Zhou Xiao Su was summoned into the medicine room twice to use her special power to heal Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s wounds. She also said that Dan Tai Jing had received the news and opened a Gate of Nothingness to come to Yi Luo Mountain overnight. Finally, Jiang Xue Ya sighed and said, ¡°Dan Tai Jing is so handsome. I was so busy looking at him that I forgot to look at you.¡±


    As soon as he woke up, he saw that he was in his own small house, and his swordsmanship manual had been neatly arranged on a black wooden table. He sat up, loosened his belt, and checked his body. There was no scar or even a scratch. Everything was the same as before, not even a broken skin. Su Ru Hui almost thought that his trip to the netherworld was just a dream.


    His master¡¯s medical skills had improved.


    Su Ru Hui felt that his wound had healed too well, but he didn¡¯t know what was wrong. At that time, he was ignorant and only thought about eating, drinking, and having fun. He didn¡¯t think about serious matters.


    There was a commotion outside the door. Su Ru Hui put on his deer leather boots and pushed open the door while getting dressed. The daylight was just right, and the yard was so bright it was blinding. Su Ru Hui put his hand on the cool pavilion to block out the light and saw Zhou Xiao Su standing on the opposite side, at the door of the west wing, directing servants to pile up backyard debris in the west wing. Sang Chi Yu held a bundle in silence and stood at the door.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve recovered, leave quickly. You¡¯re not allowed to stay here anymore. Go back to your cave.¡± Zhou Xiao Su pursed her lips and urged Sang Chi Yu.


    Sang Chi Yu hesitated for a moment, then lowered his long eyelashes and grabbed his bag to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Zhou Xiao Su snatched his bag and checked its contents. There was nothing valuable inside, mostly small trinkets given to him by Su Ru Hui, Jiang Xue Ya, and Zhou Xiao Su. It was hard to believe that Sang Chi Yu, who came from the Secret Sect, had nothing of value and was even poorer than Su Ru Hui, who had no mother.


    Zhou Xiao Su picked out the three-headed dog toy given to him by Su Ru Hui, the flower and the praying mantis given to him by Jiang Xue Ya, and hummed. ¡°These are all from us, you¡¯re not allowed to take them. You leave the same way you came ¨C empty-handed. Listen, we¡¯re cutting ties with you. Don¡¯t come to play with us again.¡±


    ¡°Cutting ties¡­¡± Sang Chi Yu repeated softly.


    ¡°Yes, cutting ties!¡±


    ¡°Zhou Xiao Su!¡± Su Ru Hui was so angry that he saw black in front of his eyes. He held onto the pillar to steady himself. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Zhou Xiao Su shouted, ¡°Senior brother, look at what he¡¯s done to you! They say he¡¯s a little monster, and Da Long¡¯s parents lost their lives because of him. Luckily, he has a good master, Dan Tai Jing, who helped him suppress the matter. I heard everything when Master saved you. Even Dan Tai Jing said he¡¯s a monster and asked Master to turn him into a normal person!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s chest hurt, and this time he really felt that he had just been through a major surgery.


    ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not talk about it,¡± an old nanny came to mediate. ¡°Master Su has just woken up. Let¡¯s go inside and rest. Xiao Su, don¡¯t be angry with your senior brother anymore. Since young master Sang came down from the mountains, let him go back up. Don¡¯t be angry with each other anymore.¡±


    Zhou Xiao Su pouted and murmured, ¡°I won¡¯t live with monsters anyway.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was in pain and couldn¡¯t stand up straight. He tried to say something, but the old nanny picked him up and sent him into the house. Sang Chi Yu stood under the wooden porch and watched Su Ru Hui disappear behind the door. He handed his bag to Zhou Xiao Su, not bringing anything with him, dressed in all white. Zhou Xiao Su told the servants to take him back to his cave. The servants looked at each other fearfully. They were all afraid of Sang Chi Yu, who had caused the tragic death of Da Long¡¯s parents.


    ¡°No need. I know the way,¡± Sang Chi Yu said calmly.


    He left Pear Blossom Courtyard alone and walked to the door. He glanced back and looked at Su Ru Hui¡¯s closed doors and windows. He pursed his lips and left silently.


    Su Ru Hui had been locked in his room for two days. During these two days, he often heard crying and shouting coming from the entrance of the residence, saying that Da Long¡¯s relatives had placed the bodies of his parents at the entrance, forcing Ming Ruo Wu to hand over Sang Chi Yu. This case involved a direct disciple of the Secret Sect, and the county magistrate personally came to inspect the case. The final result was that the Long couple was convicted of abducting a noble child and sentenced to death by a thousand cuts. As the criminals had already died, there was no punishment. Long family was dissatisfied, but Ming Ruo Wu gave them silver, and did not charge them for treating Da Long¡¯s injuries, so they stopped causing trouble.


    Su Ru Hui was not satisfied in his heart. Da Long was not a good person at all. Da Tai Jing was not dependable either. He created the regulations of the Secret Sect and had been promoting laws and enforcing regulations in recent years, setting a good example. He was Sang Chi Yu¡¯s master, but he did not investigate the case at all. If the county magistrate had acted recklessly and sentenced Sang Chi Yu, Su Ru Hui believed that Da Tai Jing would not hesitate to lock Sang Chi Yu up in prison.


    After lying down for another day, Su Ru Hui finally realized that he had lost his Infinite Deduction power. Ming Ruo Wu had originally planned to talk to him about it, but was afraid that he might become emotionally unstable. Zhou Xiao Su and Jiang Xue Ya had been extremely careful with him these past few days, afraid that he might become depressed. Spiritual power users were not the same as ordinary people. The former were like the clouds and cranes in the sky, while the latter were like dogs and cattle on the ground. Losing their special power was a huge blow. Su Ru Hui lay under his covers, feeling depressed for an hour before getting up to eat and drink. He slept more soundly than a pig. Ming Ruo Wu sighed repeatedly, saying that this kid had no heart or soul.


    On the fourth day, Su Ru Hui found an opportunity to pack up his bedding and clothes, carrying a huge bundle as he sneaked out of the door in the middle of the night. He crept cautiously, but couldn¡¯t make it past the gate before running into his master, Ming Ruo Wu, and Dan Tai Jing.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ming Ruo Wu asked him with a smile.


    Su Ru Hui chuckled. ¡°Master, if you already know, why bother asking?¡±


    Da Tai Jing frowned. ¡°Yu¡¯er has a murderous nature. You should not get too close to him. Almost dying once was not enough to make you understand?¡±


    ¡°Never mind what Zhou Xiao Su said. You¡¯re his master. Why would you speak about him like that?¡± Su Ru Hui grumbled unhappily. ¡°Don¡¯t say it in front of him. He¡¯ll get upset. I¡¯m leaving now. You two continue to enjoy the moon.¡±


    ¡°Ru Hui.¡± Ming Ruo Wu stopped him, handing him a scripture. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have cured Yu¡¯er¡¯s illness. His special power won¡¯t go berserk again. Bring him to morning class tomorrow. He¡¯s ten years old and doesn¡¯t even know how to read. It¡¯s not acceptable.¡± He looked displeased as he glanced at Da Tai Jing. ¡°If you want him to learn to be a human, he needs to learn manners, reason, and propriety. If he is kept locked up in a cave all day, he¡¯ll turn into a wild beast.¡±


    Da Tai Jing furrowed his brows slightly but did not object.


    Su Ru Hui took the scripture and left. He entered the cave and found Sang Chi Yu sitting on a stone bed, hugging his knees. It was so late, yet Sang Chi Yu was still awake, sitting there alone like a solitary mushroom. When Su Ru Hui arrived, his eyes became vacant. His round, black pupils made Su Ru Hui think of a little wildcat in the woods.


    Su Ru Hui placed his bundle down, untied the rope, and spread out the bedding on the ground.


    ¡°Zhou Xiao Su won¡¯t let you stay in Pear Blossom Courtyard, so I¡¯ll live with you in this cave,¡± Su Ru Hui said, sitting cross-legged on the bedding and patting his pillow. ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll sleep here.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Sang Chi Yu retreated to the corner, staying far away from Su Ru Hui. ¡°I hurt people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not you who hurts people. It¡¯s Da Long¡¯s family who hurt you,¡± Su Ru Hui said, displeased.


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyes and whispered, ¡°But I killed them.¡±


    Da Long¡¯s parents were dead, and everyone saw how Sang Chi Yu went insane. Even though it was Da Long¡¯s family¡¯s fault for taking Sang Chi Yu, everyone was afraid of the child who could not control his spiritual power. Furthermore, even his master claimed that he had a murderous nature. Su Ru Hui felt bitter. Why did the victim have to bear the blame? He wanted to argue with those people and tell them that Yu¡¯er was a good child, but adults would always rely on their age and reasoning. He was too young to make a valid argument.


    The atmosphere was too heavy, and the two of them remained silent for a while.


    After a while, Sang Chi Yu spoke up, ¡°My master said I¡¯m different from others.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± Su Ru Hui said dejectedly. ¡°I can tell that you¡¯re prettier than others.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu pursed his lips and said, ¡°When we were in town, I thought you smelled nice.¡±


    ¡°Nice?¡± Su Ru Hui blushed. He couldn¡¯t believe that this kid, who looked so quiet and demure, would say such bold things. He scratched his head and said, ¡°You think I smell nice because you like me.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked puzzled. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Su Ru Hui looked like he knew everything. ¡°It¡¯s all written in Zhou Xiao Su¡¯s book. Phrases like ¡®fragrant with sweat,¡¯ ¡®national beauty and heavenly fragrance,¡¯ ¡®fragrant skin, slim waist, peach blossom beauty that intoxicates the soul¡¯¡­ Whenever a scholar likes a young lady, he thinks she smells good. In the end, you¡¯re a boy, and you¡¯ve made me your fragrant lady. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not embarrassing to like me. You¡¯re my wife, and you¡¯ll like me sooner or later.¡± Su Ru Hui reached out to him. ¡°Smell me, am I fragrant?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lowered his head and sniffed, hesitated, and shook his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t smell nice anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ¡± Su Ru Hui muttered, ¡°No wonder Jiang Xue Ya always says that men are fickle and unreliable. You¡¯ve fallen in and out of love for me too quickly.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu said gloomily, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind.¡± Su Ru Hui asked, ¡°How¡¯s your injury?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu undid his buttons, opened his shirt, and Su Ru Hui saw his bandaged chest, thin as paper, with a trace of bloodstains on the bandage. Su Ru Hui felt a pang of pain in his heart.


    Sang Chi Yu buttoned up his shirt and said, ¡°You should go now.¡±


    Su Ru Hui snorted and lay down on the ground, acting like a spoiled child. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving. If you have the ability, then move me away.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu climbed off the bed and moved him. This child looked weak, but he was actually quite strong. Su Ru Hui was actually moved by him. ¡°You¡¯re my wife. Are you going to listen to me or them?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu looked at him, frowning tightly.


    Su Ru Hui coaxed him, ¡°If you don¡¯t listen to me, then you¡¯re a bad wife. Are you a bad wife?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes became a little aggrieved, and he shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, go to sleep. Sang Chi Yu is a good wife.¡± Su Ru Hui pushed him onto the bed.


    Su Ru Hui was incorrigible, and Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t win against him. The stone bed made a rustling sound as they both lay down to rest. Su Ru Hui quietly opened one eye and saw Sang Chi Yu sleeping above him, curled up like a cat. His silky long hair spilled over the edge of the bed, hanging in front of Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyes. Unable to resist, Su Ru Hui used his hand to brush through Sang Chi Yu¡¯s hair, counting each strand.


    One strand, two strands, three strands. Sang Chi Yu was his silly little wife.

 CH 30

    Secret Sect¡¯s Interrogation Prison, Ice Cellar.


    Su Ru Hui remained silent for a long time, while Su Gou smiled at him with narrowed eyes, his curved pupils filled with deep meaning.


    Su Gou¡¯s fingers under his sleeve moved slightly, and the Mind Reading technique silently activated.


    Childhood memories rushed past Su Ru Hui¡¯s eyes, making him sigh with emotion. He had long been curious about the truth behind Sang Chi Yu¡¯s out-of-control spiritual power. How could a bowl of ¡°heart¡¯s blood¡± save a person¡¯s life? And what was the origin of the mysterious heart core within him? Everything that happened twenty-two years ago was full of mysteries. After pursuing the truth for half his life and dying once, all his questions finally had answers.


    Now it seems that the heart core was the so-called ¡°heart¡¯s blood¡± that Su Ru Hui¡¯s master mentioned. This heart core seemed to be the source of demonic power, the root of demonic nature, and held the secret to ¡°blood and flesh reorganization¡± ability of the demon race. Ming Ruo Wu used the power of the heart core to heal Su Ru Hui¡¯s internal organ injuries, but the heart core couldn¡¯t merge right with ordinary people. As Su Ru Hui grew up, the side effects gradually became apparent. In the end, Su Ru Hui¡¯s body deteriorated due to the heart core, and he couldn¡¯t continue living.


    And this heart core that both saved his life and caused his death came from Sang Chi Yu. His biggest gain today was the confirmation of this point ¨C Sang Chi Yu was not human, but a demon. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t help but ponder, if the demons came from the wind and snow, how did Sang Chi Yu fall from the Snow Territory into the mortal world? And why did Da Tai Jing adopt Sang Chi Yu, and even give him the identity of a noble family¡¯s son? More importantly, what was Sang Chi Yu¡¯s true form?


    Could it be a dog or a snake? The thought made him sweat with anxiety. He didn¡¯t particularly like either of these animals.


    Su Gou¡¯s eyes flickered, and he slowly asked, ¡°Jiang Daren (1) doesn¡¯t seem to believe Su Gou¡¯s words. Have you ever encountered a demon before?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Su Ru Hui quickly replied. ¡°I¡¯m a delicate nobleman who never goes out. How could I have seen such a thing?¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Su Gou smiled. ¡°There¡¯s still time. Would Jiang Daren like to hear about the peerless sword we asked you to find?¡± He turned to Su Yu and said, ¡°Please excuse us, Little Su Daren.¡±


    Su Ru Hui hooked his arm around Sang Chi Yu¡¯s neck, pressing his face against his chest. Sang Chi Yu was greeted by the fresh scent of soap on his clothes. Sang Chi Yu couldn¡¯t help but recall the scene from last night when he slept in Su Ru Hui¡¯s bed, his ears turning slightly red.


    Su Ru Hui raised his eyebrows and smiled. ¡°My little brother is my confidant. No need to leave him out.¡±


    Su Gou nodded. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s converse together.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu furrowed his brow slightly and asked, ¡°What peerless sword?¡±


    Su Gou¡¯s voice deepened, revealing a nostalgic tone. ¡°For thousands of years, our clan has lived in a treacherous environment, dwelling in rough and humble places. Those with powerful spiritual powers survive, while the weak perish in the raging winds and snowstorms. To ensure our survival, the wise among our clan have spared no effort to explore the laws of spiritual power inheritance. It is well known that there is no fixed rule for the awakening of spiritual power, and the power that each person awakens is unique. He devoted himself to finding a method to awaken the most powerful technique among the children of our clan.¡±


    ¡°Over thirty years ago, he proposed a plan ¨C to select a Holy Maiden from our clan to receive the seed of our clan¡¯s elders. Our clan has five elders, with profound spiritual power and superb mastery of techniques. If they were to be placed in the human world, they would be grandmasters of the Chao Sheng Realm. The elders readily agreed to participate, but unfortunately, our clan has always struggled to reproduce, and a month later, the Holy Maiden was still not pregnant. The physician said that the Holy Maiden¡¯s depression was affecting her ability to conceive. At that time, our clan had coincidentally captured an outsider, who was offered to the Holy Maiden as a pet. Unexpectedly, the Holy Maiden had sexual relations with him, and half a month later, became pregnant.¡±


    Su Ru Hui felt embarrassed. This Holy Maiden was truly unlucky.


    ¡°In consideration of the difficulty our clan faces in reproducing, the elders made a decision to kill the outsider and keep the fetus.¡± Su Gou had just told them such a horrific event, yet this guy showed no reaction whatsoever, as if murder and dismemberment were commonplace. Su Gou continued with a smile, ¡°The fetus was born after full term and awakened a special power that we had never seen before.¡±


    ¡°What power?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    ¡°¡®Devour,¡¯ he can steal other people¡¯s special power. Anyone whose essence and blood he consumes, their power will be transferred to him,¡± Su Gou explained.


    When Sang Chi Yu consumed Su Ru Hui¡¯s essence and blood, Su Ru Hui¡¯s power disappeared. Now, everything was clear, and Su Ru Hui realized that Sang Chi Yu was the sacred infant. However, Su Ru Hui still had doubts in his mind. He had never seen Sang Chi Yu use his ¡®Infinite Deduction¡¯ technique, and in fact, he had hardly seen Sang Chi Yu use any special power at all.


    Beside Su Ru Hui, Sang Chi Yu lowered his eyelashes, hiding the complexity in his eyes.


    Su Ru Hui raised an eyebrow and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that this child is your clan¡¯s peerless sword.¡±


    ¡°You guessed it, Daren.¡± Su Gou nodded with a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised to hear about this special power.¡±


    ¡°Surprised? How could I not be surprised!¡± Su Ru Hui covered his chest, feigning fear. ¡°It¡¯s too powerful. I¡¯m already starting to feel afraid.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if his acting was convincing, but Su Gou just laughed a few times without any special reaction.


    Su Gou continued, ¡°But then something shocking happened. One night more than thirty years ago, the Holy Maiden fled the royal city with the Holy Child. They met a traveler from the Secret Sect who took the mother and son on a journey to the west. The Holy Maiden died on the way, and the infant was taken into the Secret Sect and disappeared. We have been cautious of the Secret Sect and dare not venture too deeply. Only now have we made adequate preparations to venture into the Secret Sect.¡± Su Gou bowed to Su Ru Hui. ¡°Jiang Gongzi, now you understand how important this child is to us. If you have any information about this child, please let us know.¡±


    ¡°I just entered the Secret Sect and haven¡¯t even familiarized myself with the roads, let alone the people.¡± Su Ru Hui pretended to be ignorant. ¡°It¡¯s been thirty years. He should be in his prime now. Wait for me, I¡¯ll go to the Eagle Guards to retrieve the case files and make a list of all Secret Sect members over thirty. Maybe you can find him.¡±


    Su Gou shook his head regretfully. ¡°Jiang Gongzi, you are not being honest. To be frank, I have already received a clue about this child, and your past is closely related to him. You know something. If you don¡¯t tell the truth, there is no need for us to cooperate.¡±


    ¡°Well, breaking up is better. I don¡¯t want to be with you and your mess.¡± Su Ru Hui sneered. ¡°You locked up a woman for the sole purpose of giving birth to a child, and you¡¯re self-satisfied about it, thinking it¡¯s a good plan to save your clan. Did that woman even agree to being this bullshit Holy Maiden?¡±


    Su Gou did not get angry. ¡°Dedicating oneself to the future of our clan is her honor.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± Su Ru Hui laughed in anger. ¡°If I tell you that as long as you sleep with ten old men every night, you can save your clan from disaster, are you willing to do that?¡±


    Su Gou fell silent.


    Su Ru Hui turned around and looked at Su Yu, who was silent all along. The boy¡¯s face was covered in shadow, and his expression couldn¡¯t be seen clearly. He was even quieter and more silent than usual, seemingly devoted to being Su Ru Hui¡¯s shadow.


    Sang Chi Yu was a calm person who had practiced inner peace for many years. Even if a storm raged, the surface of his heart could only ripple. It was not so much that he was slow, as he was indifferent. Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t know that he had a hard time empathizing with others. To him, his parents were too unfamiliar, and their tragic experiences could not arouse too much emotion in him. However, at this moment, he felt an indescribable sadness. He touched his chest, where there was a burning pain in the tip of his heart.


    It turned out that all of Su Ru Hui¡¯s illness and suffering throughout his life were caused by him. He felt a deep sorrow because of Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°I have said it before,¡± Su Gou sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be our enemy. Your strength is not worth mentioning compared to ours. Why do you seek a dead end? You are very smart. I once hoped that you could be of use to us and walk in the mortal world for us. But I never expected that you and I would still end up fighting each other.¡±


    His Mind Reading technique had long penetrated Su Ru Hui¡¯s mind and seen Su Ru Hui¡¯s childhood memories. He had said so much just now because he truly pitied Su Ru Hui and wanted to give Su Ru Hui a sincere opportunity. As long as Su Ru Hui could be open and honest, they could continue to work together.


    Unfortunately, the result was not satisfactory.


    Su Gou took two steps back and activated the star array¡¯s killing line. The golden light interweaved into a net. These were the star lines of the star array. By pulling one, the entire star array¡¯s pattern changed immediately. Such star arrays were found everywhere, and they could be restored even if the spiritual power user died. Compared to spiritual power users, the Secret Sects was more willing to rely on the exquisite and meticulous star arrays. The Secret Sect cultivated star officials and spent decades letting attacking or defending star arrays soak into every inch of the Secret Sect¡¯s soil.


    As soon as the star line changed, the originally gentle star array instantly transformed into a deadly killing array. An enormous thunder and fire star array enveloped Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu, and the flames blazed in front of them. The flames could almost lick the sky. Sang Chi Yu slowly unsheathed his blade.


    Su Gou stood outside the array and praised, ¡°What a beautiful killing array. I never expected mere ant-like mortals to have such intelligence. This thunder and fire killing array is exquisite beyond measure, with hundreds of variations. Unless you can predict which variation you will face from the hundreds of possible variations, you have no chance of escape. Child, we¡¯ll meet again someday.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu observed his surroundings calmly. He was an expert in swordsmanship but not proficient in star arrays. However, all star arrays were based on the distribution of star lines. As long as the star lines were destroyed with absolute violence, the star array could not function. Su Gou and his tribe had impure intentions and wanted to escape from the Snow Territory even if it meant sacrificing the Holy Maiden¡¯s life. It was evident how vicious Su Gou¡¯s clan was. Sang Chi Yu would not disclose his identity and hand himself over to these monsters. He had to save Su Ru Hui, even if it meant exposing his spiritual power in front of Su Gou.


    If necessary, he could even reveal his identity.


    He was about to attack when Su Ru Hui raise his hand and say, ¡°Wait, wait, I¡¯ll talk. The person you are looking for is that unfortunate man, Sang Chi Yu. I have seen him emit light from his body, and he has also taken my special power. His features match those of the child that you described. Without any doubt, he is the child that you have been searching for.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±


    Su Gou nodded with a smile. ¡°Correct. His spiritual energy network and Devour special power are indeed those of our Holy Child. You must have guessed by now that our clan is not ordinary humans. We come from the perilous and unpredictable land of wind and snow, and our tribe is far more superior and ancient than you humans. We are born with a powerful self-healing ability and the innate ability to restructure flesh and blood. Most of you cannot even awaken spiritual power.¡±


    ¡°You look down on us like this?¡± Su Ru Hui said, hugging his arms. ¡°But my husband has half-human bloodline.¡±


    Su Gou regretfully said, ¡°The lowly human bloodline has tainted our Holy Child. But according to your human saying, disaster and fortune depend on each other. If he were a pure demon, he probably would not have survived until today. If I guess correctly, Dan Tai Jing has removed his heart core. We dispatched spiritual power users to search for him secretly for months but still couldn¡¯t find his whereabouts. Ordinary demons would undoubtedly die if they lose their heart core, but Sang Chi Yu is only half-demon. After losing his demon blood, he only has his human blood left.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why he can survive.¡± Su Ru Hui whispered to himself.


    But did Dan Tai Jing and Ming Ruo Wu know this when he removed the heart core? Su Ru Hui secretly felt afraid. He was willing to bet that his uncle and master did not have a hundred percent assurance that Sang Chi Yu could survive after losing his demon heart core. They were planning to use Sang Chi Yu¡¯s life in exchange for his own.


    ¡°Child, I didn¡¯t expect you to give in so easily.¡± Su Gou sighed with a smile. ¡°I thought you had a deep friendship with that child, but it seems that I overestimated you. My tribe was right. Most humans are cowards who are afraid of death.¡±


    Su Ru Hui suppressed his complex emotions and composed himself. ¡°You¡¯re overthinking things. He¡¯s never been interested in talking to me. And¡­¡±


    Su Ru Hui gave a mysterious smile and said something that shocked Su Gou:


    ¡°And you can read minds, right? Whether I say it or not doesn¡¯t matter. You already know.¡±


    Su Gou¡¯s voice faltered, ¡°How did you know I can read minds? I told you my secret technique is Lie Detector.¡±


    Su Ru Hui clapped his hands, and a shabby little spider made of steel crawled down from Su Gou¡¯s shoulder. It was as small as a fingernail and looked like a speck of dust. Su Ru Hui pinched one of the spider¡¯s legs, and after struggling for a while, the spider stopped moving, pretending to be dead.


    ¡°My ¡®Wind Stealing Spider¡¯,¡± Su Ru Hui introduced it with a grin. ¡°I left it in the Jiang residence the other day. Who would have thought I could hear your conversation? Your special power is so troublesome, and I tend to overthink things. I¡¯ve been training for a long time to control my thoughts and not think too much, so as not to let you see something you shouldn¡¯t have seen.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Su Gou was slightly surprised. ¡°Did you intentionally show me your thoughts today?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡± Su Ru Hui nodded.


    ¡°You deliberately recalled the incident when Sang Chi Yu lost control of his power as a child, when he took away your special power, and when Ming Ruo Wei implanted his heart core for you?¡± Su Gou couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How could that be possible?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Su Ru Hui smiled. ¡°I suspected your identity and Sang Chi Yu¡¯s identity even before today.¡±


    Su Gou narrowed his eyes. ¡°I see. My fellow clansman told me you left the city last night. You saw the spiritual meridians on our bodies and thought of Sang Chi Yu, so you began to suspect his identity.¡±


    ¡°Not just that. I started getting suspicious even before last night.¡±


    ¡°Before last night¡­¡± Su Gou pondered carefully. ¡°We met for the first time at the Jiang residence, the second time at the Secret Sect, and the third time was last night. Before last night, did I reveal something at the Secret Sect? Or did you already suspect something at Jiang residence? How could that be? We haven¡¯t exposed any fatal flaws, shown any spiritual meridians, or displayed any abnormal characteristics. Why do you think the heart core and Sang Chi Yu are related to us?¡±


    ¡°You are too confident in your disguise, but the main reason is that I have seen similar monsters like you before ¨C in other words, I have seen your fellow creatures.¡±


    Su Gou couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Impossible. Except for me and Sang Chi Yu, this is the first time our clan has come to the human world.¡±


    ¡°Who said I saw you in the human world,¡± Su Ru Hui said slowly. ¡°I saw you in the Snow Territory.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was shocked and suddenly remembered something. A Nan from the Great Compassion Temple had once said that the skeleton of an eight-armed monster was found in a cave underground in the Snow Territory. Seven years ago, someone had blasted the cave and covered up the strange corpse. Now he knew who that person was. It was Su Ru Hui. Seven years ago, Su Ru Hui had already known about the existence of demons.


    Su Ru Hui brushed his sleeves and crossed his arms. ¡°Since the disaster in my childhood, I have noticed something unusual about Sang Chi Yu¡¯s body. I¡¯m not a fool. When I was ten years old, I could barely be fooled by the lie that he saved me with his blood. When I was twelve years old, I knew there was something strange about it. When I was eighteen years old, I accidentally learned that Sang Chi Yu was not the Sang family¡¯s orphan. This is really strange. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s identity is fake, and the person who made up this identity for him can only be my uncle, Dan Tai Jing. My uncle is an extremely rigid person, who didn¡¯t hesitate to make up a big lie to protect Sang Chi Yu.


    ¡°Later, I entered the Black Street and found a guy who possessed the Divine Eye special power to examine my internal organs. Sure enough, there was a strange ¡®heart core¡¯ in my chest. Seven years ago, I found one of your dead clan members in the Snow Territory and found the same heart core in his body. Since then, I have known that Sang Chi Yu¡¯s identity is suspicious.¡±


    ¡°You deliberately recalled the past in front of me, to find out Sang Chi Yu¡¯s true identity from my mouth?¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you for being willing to chat with me. If I met a boring person like Sang Chi Yu, I might talk to him all day, and he probably would only say three words.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Su Gou couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    ¡°You¡¯re, very, noisy,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Sang Chi Yu: ¡°¡­¡±.


    Sang Chi Yu pursed his lips and remained silent. He couldn¡¯t say that he had never called Su Ru Hui noisy.


    Su Ru Hui smiled, revealing a rare sense of loneliness on his face. In fact, that memory was not over yet. The night he slept in Sang Chi Yu¡¯s cave, he suddenly felt a huge pain in his chest. It was because his body had a severe rejection of the heart core. Ming Ruo Wu and Dan Tai Jing took him away to a small sanctuary in the middle of the night. He had a fever for five consecutive days. When he was able to get out of bed, Sang Chi Yu had already returned to the Secret Sect.


    Since that separation, they had not seen each other for seven years.


    More importantly, when he woke up again, a snowflake fell from the sky and landed in his eyes. From then on, there was a voice in his head ¨C the system.


    He would never forget the day when the system¡¯s voice sounded in his ear:


    [Detecting that the host has lost his special power and the survival rate is less than 10%. The system is online. Host information confirmation in progress¡­ Confirmation complete. Host 000, name Su Ru Hui, male, current status severely injured.]


    [Nice to meet you for the first time. I am your system. I will do my best to keep you alive until you discover the mysteries of this world.]

 CH 31

    ¡°Boss Su is indeed naturally intelligent. It¡¯s good to be a wise man and have no regrets when you leave this world.¡± Su Gou bowed and clasped his hands. ¡°Are you ready to die?¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed. ¡°You demons are quite considerate. Killing and cremation all in one go.¡±


    As he spoke, he turned his head and met Su Yu¡¯s eyes. He asked with a smile, ¡°Xiao Yu, he just called me Boss Su. You don¡¯t seem surprised at all.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu lied without changing his expression, ¡°Who is Boss Su? I haven¡¯t heard of him. Why did he call you Boss Su?¡±


    This lie was foolproof. Sang Chi Yu, who was now a teenager, was only seven or eight years old when Su Ru Hui was making waves, so it was normal for him to have never heard of this name.


    ¡°With Little Su Daren by your side, your journey to the underworld won¡¯t be lonely.¡± Su Gou nodded. ¡°I have other matters to attend to. Boss Su, please die quickly.¡±


    He was about to activate the killing formation when Su Ru Hui suddenly shouted, ¡°Actually, I still have an ace up my sleeve.¡±


    Su Gou shook his head and laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t struggle anymore. The Ice Cellar is hidden deep underground, and no one outside knows the situation here. No one will come to save you.¡±


    ¡°This big brother, I still have a purpose in talking with you for so long.¡± Su Ru Hui smiled. ¡°Let me test you. How long does the Thunderfire Star formation need to be activated before the ice in the cellar melts?¡±


    Su Gou lowered his head. His feet were already soaked. The Thunderfire Star formation had been activated for at least the time it took to burn an incense stick, and the intense flames had caused all three people in the room to sweat profusely. Su Ru Hui had already taken off his robe because he was dressed too thickly. Su Gou moved his feet, and the water rippled beneath them. With this much water, the ice cellar was probably already more than half melted.


    But so what?


    Su Gou¡¯s ceramic face smiled as usual. ¡°Boss Su, do you have an unrealistic idea of wanting the frozen corpses of the demon race in the ice layer to save you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s exactly my unrealistic idea,¡± Su Ru Hui¡¯s smile was extremely irritating. ¡°I was born lucky. Except for defeating Sang Chi Yu, I can make any crazy idea come true.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu was speechless once again.


    He suddenly felt that Su Ru Hui was deliberately teasing him. But how could this guy know that he was Sang Chi Yu? His height and appearance were not the same as before, and even his voice was that of a fifteen-year-old boy. Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t possibly have figured it out. He couldn¡¯t help but turn his head to look at Su Ru Hui. The guy¡¯s expression was as usual and he didn¡¯t look his way. He felt a little relieved. This guy was just naturally talkative.


    Su Ru Hui said quietly, ¡°Su Gou, look behind you.¡±


    Impossible, Su Gou shouted in his heart. There was no way the corpses of his kin could come back to life. Even if they did, how could they confront him with bared teeth? He slowly turned his head. Under the bright flames, the two ice walls had already melted away, and the bodies of the demon race were nowhere to be seen.


    Su Gou felt a chill run down his spine. He lowered his head and saw his shadow on the ground getting larger, becoming burly and fierce, with fangs bared. He raised his head and met the eyes of a three-headed dog perched on the rafters. It was the one frozen in the innermost layer of the ice, with two heads separated from its body. Now it was using the eyes on its remaining head to stare at Su Gou sinisterly. Light and shadow danced on its strange face, and its two large copper bell-like eyes glowed green, like two spirit stones.


    More green eyes opened behind it. The demons gritted their teeth and approached slowly.


    Su Gou didn¡¯t know what method Su Ru Hui used, but he knew that Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t be allowed to live.


    He urgently reached out to stir the killing formation. The three-headed dog leaped down and bit off his arm. He struggled with the demons, and several pale hands stretched out from inside the ceramic puppet he was inhabiting. The smooth porcelain face started cracking, and gradually shattered, revealing his horrifying face hidden underneath. Black as iron, with tentacles moved like surging waves ¨C that was his true face.


    Su Ru Hui was stunned. This demon was really ugly. Would Sang Chi Yu¡¯s original form also be this ugly?


    [Information unlocked. Hundred Hands Centipede, with 108 hands. Once sewn 108 gloves for himself. Highlighted attention, only broken iron bullets can kill him.]


    The corner of Su Gou¡¯s eye caught Su Ru Hui clapping three times, and the three-headed dog turned its head, biting his severed arm. The killing formation instantly went out, and all the flames subsided. His body began to transform and elongate. Countless hands and feet stretched out, and the ceramic puppet shattered like rain. He gritted his teeth and fought his way through, his hands and feet shaking wildly, piercing the bodies of countless demons. These demons were even more abnormal than him. Even if they lost half of their brains, they still struggled to stand up, their mouths biting towards his neck.


    He gradually had an answer in his heart, these ¡°demons¡± were not his clansmen.


    They were not demons!


    He roared and writhed around the ceiling, throwing the ¡°demons¡± to the ground, smashing them into pieces. Many of the ¡°demons''¡± eyes dimmed and their movements became sluggish. He was overjoyed in his heart and crawled towards Su Ru Hui. He could kill Su Ru Hui!


    Suddenly, a sharp whistle sounded in his ears. A surge of flames rushed towards his center of vision. Then, a sudden pain hit his chest. A bullet had penetrated into his chest. He couldn¡¯t support his body. His hands and feet loosened, and he crashed to the ground like a collapsing mountain.


    ¡°Only a broken iron bullet can take the lives of your clansmen.¡± Su Ru Hui looked down at him. ¡°You have the innate ability to regenerate flesh and blood, and have strong self-healing abilities. The demons in the snow mountain were all killed by firearms, using broken iron bullets. Broken iron bullets shatter upon impact. If it can¡¯t be dug out, you can¡¯t heal yourself. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°I underestimated you,¡± Su Gou looked around at the scattered demon corpses. ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°My Mechanical Arsenal. Have you heard of it?¡± Su Ru Hui squatted down. ¡°The Secret Sect collected my First-Rank Beast Puppets, and everything here was made by me, including the Thunderfire Star Formation you just used. My beast puppet is not bad, right?¡±


    ¡°Is it based on my clansmen?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it. It was inspired by a toy puppet my old man left me.¡± Su Ru Hui sighed, propping up his face. ¡°You see, you¡¯re too confident in your disguise. Someone noticed you the moment you set foot in the Sect. He deliberately made you mistake the Mechanical Arsenal for a refrigerated morgue for your clansmen¡¯s corpses.¡±


    ¡°Why did he do this?¡± Su Gou asked hoarsely.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s for me. My identity has also been exposed, and someone suspects me. You brought me here. If I can control these beast puppets, without a doubt, I am Su Ru Hui. If I can¡¯t, I am Jiang Que Xie. If I am Jiang Que Xie, and you kill me here, the next moment Secret Sect soldiers will be here, and you will be captured. It was you who killed me, not related to the Secret Sect, and the Jiang family won¡¯t blame the Secret Sect,¡± Su Ru Hui explained.


    ¡°If you are Su Ru Hui¡­¡± Su Gou trailed off.


    Su Ru Hui stood up and fired the spirit fire gun at the wall, blowing a circular hole through it. Through the hole, the three of them could clearly see the gears behind it. The mechanism had been activated, and the gears were spinning rapidly. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he asked, ¡°What mechanism is this?¡±


    The system provided an answer: [An enormous Wind Stealing mechanism, a super-amplified version of the Wind Stealing Star Array. It contains 105 gears and is made up of 88 Wind Stealingl Star Arrays. The mechanism is powerful, and can even eavesdrop on the host¡¯s flatulence.]


    Su Ru Hui fired a few shots at the gears, but they were undamaged. It was made of meteorite iron. Su Ru Hui drew Su Yu¡¯s sword and inserted it into the gears. The gears stopped rotating, but stubbornly continued to try to move, making a cracking sound under the strain.


    Su Ru Hui laughed. ¡°What a huge Wind Stealing mechanism. If I am Su Ru Hui, he will know everything I learned from you.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s heart sank. Apart from him, who else knew Su Ru Hui¡¯s identity? Who was behind this?


    The saber shattered, and the gears started turning again. Su Ru Hui inserted his own saber into the gears.


    Su Ru Hui grabbed Su Gou by the collar and said, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left. I¡¯ll ask you one last question: what is Sang Chi Yu¡¯s true form? If you tell me, I¡¯ll help you get out of here.¡±


    Su Gou was about to speak, but suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. Many thin, thread-like things invaded his body, taking advantage of the cover of his black, wriggling tentacles on the ground.


    Sang Chi Yu stood behind Su Ru Hui, his right hand behind his back, his palm releasing countless meridians.


    Su Gou stared at Sang Chi Yu, his pupils almost shrinking to a needle. So this boy was Sang Chi Yu in disguise!


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s gaze was indifferent, as if he was looking at a lump of dead flesh.


    Su Ru Hui shook him and urged, ¡°Hurry up and tell me.¡±


    Su Gou¡¯s ugly face froze in a shocked expression. He was dead.


    Su Ru Hui was surprised. ¡°He¡¯s too weak. How did he die so quickly?¡±


    Oh well. Su Ru Hui searched his body for a compass or a letter, and found an envelope sewn into the lining of his white linen robe. He tore open the fabric and took out the envelope, which had a short message written on it:


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya is in the deepest level of the Secret Sect¡¯s torture chamber. ¨C Shen Tu¡±


    Jiang Xue Ya wasn¡¯t in the hands of the demon clan. Su Ru Hui was surprised to learn that she was being held captive by the Secret Sect. What had his senior sister done, and why was she imprisoned by the Secret Sect?


    And who was this Shen Tu?


    ¡°Jiang Xue Ya?¡± asked Sang Chi Yu, also confused.


    Su Ru Hui checked the remaining beast puppets on the ground, looking for any that were still usable. Most of them were ruined, with their eyes no longer emitting the glow of spirit stones. They had either been destroyed by Su Gou or their spirit stones had been depleted. The person behind this attack had been extremely accurate, deliberately leaving the beasts with spirit stones that were about to run out of power, ensuring that each could only be used once.


    There was no choice but to abandon the beast puppets. Su Ru Hui led Su Yu to open the giant stone gate and head straight down to the bottom floor. They saw no one on the way down, and all the soldiers who used to guard this place were nowhere to be seen. Su Ru Hui felt increasingly uneasy as they descended.


    At the bottom floor, there was only one cage with a thick chain hanging inside it, but no one was inside.


    ¡°She¡¯s been moved,¡± Su Ru Hui breathed a sigh of relief. If she had really been there, Su Ru Hui wasn¡¯t sure he could have gotten her out.


    The two of them retraced their steps and headed back to the surface, where they found to their surprise that the meteorite iron gate was open, and they encountered no resistance as they made their way out.


    ¡°What kind of trick is this?¡± Su Ru Hui thought to himself.


    ¡ª


    In the Secret Sect¡¯s torture chamber, the Ice Cellar.


    After Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu left, the man who had been lying in the prison cage silently stood up. His body melted into a puddle of mud, turning into a shadow on the ground. He slipped out of the cage and slithered like a snake to Su Gou¡¯s side.


    Special power, Shadow of the Drifting Current.


    He reverted to his original appearance, tall and slender with snow-white skin and a red mark half an inch long on his forehead.


    Su Gou¡¯s stiff eyes moved. Je was not dead yet, just pretending to be dead. Although he was not far from death, he could still struggle to say a few words.


    ¡°Lord Shen Tu, you heard everything.¡±


    ¡°I heard, I¡¯m not deaf.¡± Shen Tu squatted down and looked at him.


    Su Gou smiled bitterly. ¡°I was too careless. I never understood why Su Ru Hui could become the first on our clan¡¯s kill list. Now, I understand. Wang Jun put a lot of effort into making the list, telling us that the people on the list pose a great threat to our clan, but I was still naive.¡±


    Shen Tu patted his head. ¡°Poor little centipede. Can I pickle you in alcohol and eat you after you die? Mortals say that centipedes pickled in alcohol can strengthen male virility.¡± He asked again, ¡°What does male virility mean?¡±


    Su Gou¡¯s face stiffened for a moment, struggling to deliver his last words, ¡°Send a message back to the Snow Palace, wake up Elder Wang Jun, and tell him we have found the child who was lost in the mortal realm. The young man named Su Yu who is with Su Ru Hui is the Holy Child, Sang Chi Yu.¡± Su Gou said hoarsely, ¡°Elder Wang Jun has been recovering from his wound for so long. It¡¯s time for him to wake up.¡±


    After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and lost all signs of life.

 CH 32

    At the entrance of the prison, Xia Jing was standing under the plaque, hands in his sleeves, constantly stomping his feet to keep warm. On this cold day, the chilly wind went straight into his collar.


    Su Ru Hui was shivering and sneezing, quickly putting on his robe. Xia Jing saw them coming out and smiled at Su Ru Hui. ¡°Nephew, come with me.¡±


    Upon seeing this person, Su Ru Hui understood. It was Xia Jing who had led Su Gou to the ice cellar, tricking him. Xia Jing must have someone backing him up, and now was the time to meet him. Su Ru Hui had already figured out who the bigshot was. He sighed and looked back at Sang Chi Yu.


    Sang Chi Yu grabbed his sleeve and said with a cold face, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    They had nowhere to escape in enemy territory, so they might as well move forward or backward together. Su Ru Hui also put on a fake smile and said to Xia Jing, ¡°Please lead the way, Fourth Uncle.¡±


    In the midst of snowy winter, the quiet palace was buried under white snow. Soldiers guarding the palace stood like silent puppets in the snow. They walked through a long snow-covered street and stone steps that seemed to have no end, and finally arrived at the magnificent Bei Chen Palace.


    There were many officials waiting to be summoned standing on the steps, apart from them. The officials formed small groups and whispered when they saw them coming. Fire in front of the palace boiled like a pot, making a gurgling sound. Only officials above the fifth rank were qualified to meet Dan Tai Jing. Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu were dressed in the robes of low-ranking military officers, which made them stand out.


    Fortunately, Su Ru Hui had thick skin, and Sang Chi Yu didn¡¯t care at all. Su Ru Hui looked up at Bei Chen Palace and felt sad. He knew that the person behind Xia Jing was Dan Tai Jing, a real weirdo who could see through everything. Su Ru Hui had only come back to life for a few days and had already been exposed. However, he really didn¡¯t want to see his uncle. He was not afraid of anything, except for his uncle.


    Xia Jing bowed. ¡°Please wait a moment, nephew. I¡¯ll go in and inform him.¡±


    Su Ru Hui watched him go in and crouched in the snow, waiting for the message. After a while, a limping man walked over and stopped in front of Su Ru Hui. He was wearing black boots embroidered with gold thread, which looked very luxurious. Su Ru Hui looked up and saw a black-and-gold embroidered robe with auspicious clouds on it, followed by a handsome but somewhat cold-looking face. He wore a headdress and a golden belt around his fair chin.


    ¡°Jiang Que Xie?¡± he asked.


    Su Ru Hui looked back, and many officials were pointing at him. It seemed that they didn¡¯t know he was Su Ru Hui, or they would have drawn their swords to kill him.


    Su Ru Hui stood up and smiled. ¡°Who are you, brother?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to claim a relative. I am not your brother.¡± The man snorted. ¡°I am the Crown Prince of You Zhou, Yan Jin Yu.¡±


    [Yan Jin Yu, the husband of Zhou Xiao Su. Hates the host and Sang Chi Yu the most. He often says that you two are a pair of gay lovers. Although everyone thinks that the host and Sang Chi Yu are arch-enemies with deep hatred, only Yan Jin Yu persistently believes that you two have a secret relationship.]


    So this was the guy. Su Ru Hui almost didn¡¯t recognize him. The world was really small. Su Ru Hui never expected to see this scoundrel here.


    He didn¡¯t think much of this person and had advised Zhou Xiao Su many times not to be fooled by a man¡¯s appearance. Just look at Su Ru Hui ¨C a man so handsome and extraordinary, but unfortunately, he was the biggest scoundrel in the world. Moreover, this guy had a deep-seated hatred with Su Ru Hui and Sang Chi Yu.


    However, Zhou Xiao Su was stubborn. When she got married, Su Ru Hui was already imprisoned by the Secret Sect and could not attend the wedding in You Zhou. He sent a mechanized ring through someone else, but he didn¡¯t know if Zhou Xiao Su had received it.


    ¡°Why are you here, Jiang Que Xie?¡± Yan Jin Yu narrowed his eyes and looked at him with disdain. ¡°That Sang Chi Yu has betrayed the Secret Sect and become a traitor, and you even became his concubine. As a man, you should commit suicide to preserve your dignity. You became a concubine and dare to show your face? Even if you don¡¯t kill yourself, you should be ashamed and stay at home, reciting scriptures and reflecting on yourself. Or is it that you lack proper upbringing because you are the son of a concubine? Didn¡¯t your mother teach you these things?¡±


    Su Ru Hui laughed. ¡°What business does the prince have in Bei Chen Palace?¡±


    ¡°I was appointed as a prince, and according to the etiquette of the aristocratic family, I am waiting for the head of the sect to give me the seal of approval,¡± Yan Jin Yu replied slowly.


    ¡°Oh, as for me, I¡¯m just taking a walk,¡± Su Ru Hui said casually.


    ¡°Taking a walk?¡± Yan Jin Yu rebuked, ¡°How can you, a trivial person, be allowed to wander around in the Secret Sect?¡±


    Su Ru Hui caught a glimpse of the ring on Yan Jin Yu¡¯s hand. Although it looked ordinary, Su Ru Hui recognized it at a glance. Wasn¡¯t this the mechanized ring he made himself? He pursed his lips and said, ¡°This ring looks quite unique, Your Highness.¡±


    Yan Jin Yu showed a proud expression and said with his hands behind his back, ¡°You have a bit of taste. When I fought against Su Ru Hui in the past, I defeated him with just three moves. He begged for mercy under my sword, and sent this ring as an apology. I originally intended to spare his life, but I found this ring interesting, so I let him go. If I had known that he would cause chaos in the world later, I should have killed him back then.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was speechless, and soon felt sorry for Zhou Xiao Su. What did she marry?


    ¡°Amazing, amazing.¡± Su Ru Hui repeatedly praised, ¡°Don¡¯t mention Su Ru Hui. Even I feel inferior.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu silently glanced at Su Ru Hui and said nothing.


    Yan Jin Yu sneered. ¡°You should study for a few more years. The Secret Sect is not a place for idle people. Why don¡¯t you leave quickly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m leaving, I¡¯m leaving,¡± Su Ru Hui replied nonchalantly. Seeing Xia Jing coming out of Bei Chen Palace, he said casually, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Commander Xia? It¡¯s probably your turn to enter the palace. Hurry up and get ready.¡±


    Yan Jin Yu quickly adjusted his clothes and waited for Xia Jing¡¯s summons. Xia Jing approached, and just as Yan Jin Yu was about to bow, Xia Jing nodded at him and went straight to Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°Nephew, the Sect Leader wants to see you. Go in and greet him now.¡±


    ¡°What? He¡¯s summoning me?¡± Su Ru Hui pretended to be surprised and grinned, patting Yan Jin Yu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the Sect Leader to have time to see a nobody like me. The prince is a busy man, so I won¡¯t bother you. I¡¯ll go in first.¡±


    Yan Jin Yu couldn¡¯t believe it and asked Xia Jing, ¡°Why does the Sect Leader want to see him, a low-ranking military official and a disgrace to his family?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m curious too. Is the Sect Leader going to discuss the Three Obediences and Four Virtues with me?¡± Su Ru Hui said to Yan Jin Yu. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go in together and you can ask the Sect Leader?¡±


    Even if Yan Jin Yu was slow, he could tell that Su Ru Hui was teasing him. Yan Jin Yu¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Jiang Que Xie, are you mocking me?¡±


    ¡°Not only mocking you, but I also want to beat you up.¡± Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t say anything else and smiled, shaking his head and heading towards Bei Chen Palace.


    ¡°Jiang family¡¯s bastard, how dare you mock me!?¡± Yan Jin Yu gritted his teeth and unconsciously touched his mechanized ring. The ring contained three poisoned needles that wouldn¡¯t kill, but would make a person uncomfortable for a while.


    As he touched the ring, Sang Chi Yu suddenly kicked him, sending him rolling down the white marble steps like a soccer ball in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    Yan Jin Yu¡¯s servants cried out and chased after him, shouting, ¡°Prince, Prince!¡±


    Everyone crowded around the steps like a pot about to boil over. Sang Chi Yu stood on the high steps, his expression indifferent. He acted like he had just kicked a soccer ball, not the esteemed Prince of You Zhou. He was just an inconspicuous military official, but he exuded a proud and unyielding aura. Even Su Ru Hui didn¡¯t expect him to have the audacity and stared at him in shock as Yan Jin Yu rolled farther and farther away.


    ¡°Do you always kick people you don¡¯t like?¡± Su Ru Hui asked.


    No wonder you have poor people skills, brother.


    Sang Chi Yu replied coolly, ¡°If he dies, it¡¯s my responsibility.¡±


    Xia Jing stroked his beard. ¡°Su Yu, the Crown Prince of You Zhou is known for being vindictive. You¡¯re in for some trouble.¡±


    In reality, Su Ru Hui was worried about Su Yu. Su Ru Hui was already backed into a corner, and he had nothing left to lose. He was not afraid to offend Yan Jin Yu, and his crime would not be greater than what he had done before. Su Yu was a young man who had suffered since childhood and had just entered the Secret Sect. He had already offended the aristocracy, and he was likely to encounter more trouble in the future.


    Su Ru Hui had originally intended to leave Su Yu outside the hall. If he couldn¡¯t get out of Bei Chen Palace after he went in, the Secret Sect wouldn¡¯t make trouble for a child like Su Yu. But the situation was different now. It was better to take Su Yu with him to the dragon¡¯s den.


    ¡°You make things difficult for people,¡± Su Ru Hui said.


    Sang Chi Yu walked toward Bei Chen Palace. ¡°There¡¯s no need to fear.¡±


    ¡°I have to leave Yan Jin Yu some face. He is my junior sister¡¯s husband.¡± Su Ru Hui caught up with him.


    ¡°She may not appreciate it,¡± Sang Chi Yu replied.


    Su Ru Hui was speechless.


    This kid was right. Su Ru Hui thought to himself that he and his junior sister had long been like strangers. When Zhou Xiao Su got married, she didn¡¯t even send him an invitation. If she had sent him one, Dan Tai Jing might have agreed to let him go take a look.


    Su Ru Hui suddenly ran back to the stone steps.


    Xia Jing asked in surprise, ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kick him again!¡± Su Ru Hui yelled.


    The three of them entered the hall together. An imposing black-clad man knelt on the high platform, his long silver-gray hair hanging in front of his knees. His bearing was like that of a king, and his presence was like that of Mount Tai. Standing in front of him, one would unconsciously want to kneel down. The door behind Su Ru Hui and the others closed, leaving only the dim yellow light from the candles on the walls. Dan Tai Jing was like a delicate statue in the candlelight, with his eyes closed, his gray eyes lowered and his eyebrows furrowed, showing a Buddha-like compassion.


    [Dan Tai Jing, the Grandmaster of Kun Lun Secret Sect, a venerable virgin. A month ago, Dan Tai Jing suffered a tragic deflowering, but his virginity record remains at 100 years old, surpassing all male creatures in the 48 states of Great Jing.]


    Su Ru Hui was shocked and couldn¡¯t recover for a long time.


    Author¡¯s Note:


    I found that some readers seem to have misunderstood the relationships between the characters, so I¡¯ll explain them here.


    Su Gou = fake Jiang Xue Ya = centipede demon


    The real Su Gou had long been impersonated by the centipede demon and had already been crushed into powder. The real Jiang Xue Ya was imprisoned in the Secret Sect and her whereabouts are currently unknown.

 CH 33

    Dan Tai Jing¡¯s eyes turned slightly cold, and he lightly opened his lips. ¡°What¡¯s all the noise outside the palace?¡±


    Su Ru Hui was forced to learn Dan Tai Jing¡¯s secret, and couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit guilty. He coughed softly. ¡°I kicked Zhou Xiao Su¡¯s husband. If he comes to seek revenge later, could Uncle help me out?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still as reckless as ever,¡± Dan Tai Jing coldly commented.


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Su Ru Hui grinned. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re still as beautiful and charming as before.¡±


    Dan Tai Jing: ¡°¡­¡±


    Based on past experience, if Su Ru Hui dared to speak to him like this, Dan Tai Jing would have already been furious and thrown him into the dungeon. But now, Dan Tai Jing only had a slightly cold gaze and seemed to remember something, causing a slight disturbance in his expression. Su Ru Hui waited and waited, but Dan Tai Jing remained silent. He sat upright with a blank expression, like a Buddha without anger or complaint.


    Not only Su Ru Hui, but even Sang Chi Yu was confused.


    ¡°Uncle, how did you know that I¡¯m Su Ru Hui?¡± Su Ru Hui asked first.


    ¡°Black Street, Heng Tai Bank,¡± Dan Tai Jing replied.


    Oh right, that was the only time Su Ru Hui had acted in his own name. He didn¡¯t expect that in just five short years, Dan Tai Jing already had spies in the Black Street.


    ¡°I was careless,¡± Su Ru Hui regretted. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have gone to retrieve the hidden gun.¡±


    ¡°Puppet key,¡± Dan Tai Jing said.


    Su Ru Hui was embarrassed. ¡°You still haven¡¯t given up? I really haven¡¯t developed any Super First-Grade Flesh Puppets. You¡¯re such an intelligent person. How can you just listen to rumors and believe them wholeheartedly?¡±


    ¡°Wind and Snow Demon,¡± Dan Tai Jing said. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it with your own eyes. These demons are rampaging and infiltrating the mortal world. The situation is critical and we¡¯re in danger. Are you going to stand by and do nothing? They keep saying they¡¯re only looking for the Holy Child. Do you believe their lies?¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed. ¡°Even if they really want to do something, I can¡¯t do anything about it. I¡¯m a useless person who doesn¡¯t even have any spiritual power. Uncle, you really overestimate me. Didn¡¯t you clear out the demons in Kun Lun Snow Mountain quite well? Half of them are dead. The rest dare not even approach the border and only move at night.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because their elder hasn¡¯t appeared yet,¡± Dan Tai Jing said.


    ¡°Among all the top cultivators in the 49 provinces of Great Jing. You are undoubtedly the first. In addition to you, the three Star Officials are all first-class experts. The Holy Maiden of the Qu family who lives in seclusion in Kui Men is said to be able to kill ten thousand enemies with one sword. When you were in the Black Street, you two fought once, right? As long as you call for help, everyone will respond and fight together against the demons,¡± Su Ru Hui suggested. ¡°I¡¯m not needed.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Su Ru Hui¡¯s thoughts are too simplistic,¡± Mo Tuo Yan interjected by the water pool. ¡°People in the 49 provinces all have different goals, and they will only stand by and watch. They will wait until the Secret Sect is exhausted and then reap the benefits. Unfortunately, the demons are not fools. How could they tolerate them lurking in the background? I¡¯m afraid that when the Secret Sect is destroyed, the demons will settle in the human world, and they will never be driven out of the snow realm again. It¡¯s not the aristocratic families who will suffer, but the common people.¡±


    Su Ru Hui understood the logic, but these old men still didn¡¯t believe that he didn¡¯t have the key.


    Su Ru Hui grabbed his head and said, ¡°What do I have to do for you to believe that I¡¯m not lying? Should I be locked up in the Immortal Cave again?¡±


    Bei Chen Palace fell into silence.


    Su Ru Hui was taken aback. Did he say something wrong? Why did it suddenly become quiet?


    ¡°You do have it. You just forgot,¡± Dan Tai Jing said. ¡°In that case, let¡¯s make a deal. We¡¯ll let you go and you try to remember. When you recall the answer, tell me. In exchange, I¡¯ll tell you where your father went.¡±


    Su Ru Hui suddenly looked up.


    When he was twelve years old, his father went west and never returned. His master and Dan Tai Jing knew where his father went, but kept it a secret. Sometimes he suspected that his father had remarried and didn¡¯t want him anymore. Dan Tai Jing and his master didn¡¯t tell him because they were afraid he would be heartbroken. But his father was not that kind of person.


    Su Ru Hui felt that the greater possibility was that his father couldn¡¯t survive the arduous journey of cultivation, and died. Therefore, adults had to tell him the lie of ¡°Your father went to a very faraway place and will come back when you grow up.¡±


    After all, his father had been cultivating for eleven years, and he was always covered in bruises every time he came to visit.


    Yes, his father was a guy with a scew loose, who firmly believed that cultivation could awaken spiritual power when he was otherwise an ordinary person. A teacher who only knew how to compose poems wanted to awaken spiritual power. Many people ridiculed and mocked him. He was like a fool, wiping off the saliva that others spat on his face, kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times, traveling thousands of miles, and begging for mercy from heaven.


    But Su Ru Hui was his son. Others could ridicule him, but Su Ru Hui couldn¡¯t.


    So Su Ru Hui let go of his worries. Whatever, he could live well without his father. He was a domineering figure, a stunning character. Who in the world didn¡¯t know Su Ru Hui? Even three-year-old children knew Su Ru Hui, the world¡¯s number one thug. If his father heard his name in a corner, he could boast to his companions: ¡°This is my son. Isn¡¯t he awesome?¡±


    Su Ru Hui turned around and walked towards the door. ¡°So I really can leave?¡±


    Dan Tai Jing silently looked at him.


    Su Ru Hui pushed the door open and tentatively stepped out of the threshold. ¡°I¡¯m really leaving. Uncle, don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°You can leave,¡± Dan Tai Jing said.


    It was too strange. Su Ru Hui felt puzzled. How could Uncle let him go so easily?


    Su Ru Hui was surprised and hesitant for a moment, and asked: ¡°May I ask, what is Sang Chi Yu¡¯s true identity?¡±


    Dan Tai Jing replied, ¡°Once you tell me where the Puppet Key is, I will tell you.¡±


    Su Ru Hui disappointingly said, ¡°Oh.¡± He pulled Su Yu and walked a few steps out, and then turned back and said, ¡°Oh, Uncle, although I don¡¯t know how Jiang Xue Ya has offended you, we grew up under your care, and she¡¯s just used to being mischievous. You can scold her, but don¡¯t push her too hard. She¡¯s a girl after all¡­¡±


    Before Su Ru Hui finished speaking, Dan Tai Jing, who was calm like a Bodhisattva, suddenly became angry and sternly rebuked, ¡°Leave!¡±


    As soon as the words were spoken, the ground beneath Dan Tai Jing¡¯s feet froze three feet deep, and frost grew along the ground, making a cracking sound. In an instant, the temperature in Bei Chen Palace plummeted, and the piercing cold wind penetrated everyone¡¯s bones. Dan Tai Jing¡¯s special power was ¡°Blizzard,¡± a rare offensive-type technique. As soon as the spiritual pressure of his technique was released, everyone was terrified.


    ¡°Y-yes, I¡¯ll leave, I¡¯ll leave. You can keep me imprisoned for as long as you want, but that girl must be punished!¡± Su Ru Hui immediately cowered and took a few steps back, but then remembered something and ran back, risking being frozen by Dan Tai Jing.


    ¡°Yun Zhou¡¯s Jiang family has been occupied by demons. Uncle, can you help? And also, can I borrow the demon locked in the iron cage in the ice cellar for questioning?¡± He was really curious about Sang Chi Yu¡¯s true identity.


    Xia Jing was bewildered. ¡°Where did the iron cage in the ice cellar come from? Besides your strange puppet creatures, are there any demons? Are you talking about Su Gou? Didn¡¯t you kill him?¡±


    ¡°No, there¡¯s another live one.¡± Su Ru Hui frowned.


    Dan Tai Jing¡¯s face was cold. ¡°Demons are obstinate and will commit suicide if captured alive. We have never caught a live one.¡±


    In an instant, Su Ru Hui understood what was happening.


    What a cunning move by Su Gou. Su Ru Hui was trying to trick him, but Su Gou was also trying to trick him. The Secret Sect was treacherous, and Su Gou knew that he might not be able to pass on the message, so he arranged a pawn just in case.


    ¡°This is bad. Sang Chi Yu¡¯s identity has been exposed!¡± Su Ru Hui gritted his teeth.


    The Secret Sect was put on high alert, and the highest level military order was issued from Bei Chen Palace, with all the palace gates sealed. Although this was of no use; the demon had probably already fled. Dan Tai Jing issued a directive to find Sang Chi Yu and secretly bring him back to the border. Sang Chi Yu looked at his former master with a blank expression and handed over the letter of authority, then followed behind Su Ru Hui as they left Bei Chen Palace.


    The heavy gates closed, and only Dan Tai Jing and Mo Tuo Yan remained in the cold hall. The other two Star Officials walked out of the shadows and knelt by the pool.


    Mo Tuo Yan whispered in admiration, ¡°What a wonderful puppet. He looks no different from a living person, responds calmly, and has quick reflexes, unlike other puppets that are clumsy and inferior. I never thought a puppet could have intelligence and emotions, and could speak and laugh. I never thought he really thought he was Su Ru Hui.¡±


    Mo Tuo Yan dipped his long, fair hands into the water, and a watery curtain appeared, revealing the Secret Sect¡¯s Immortal Cave. Many medical officials wearing white linen robes were busy in the cave, sorting out herbs, brewing thick medicinal juices. Eight furnaces were lit, and smoke curled up to the dome.


    In the center of the cave was a Vitality Star Array, with spirit stones inserted into every groove, maintaining its operation for twelve hours without stopping. In the center of the star array was a jade bed, on which lay a man with a wasted body. He was naked from the waist up, and countless veins and arteries made of cowhide were inserted into his chest, connected to the medicinal pot. Thick, black medicinal juice flowed into the man¡¯s body through the veins.


    He had been like this day and night, and what flowed through his body was no longer blood, but medicinal juice. Sometimes he coughed, and the sharp edges of his ribs were visible as his chest heaved. He stared blankly at the painted dome, his eyes empty and lifeless. After a while, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep. It was hard to believe he was still alive; he didn¡¯t look like a living person, but more like a dead one.


    Dan Tai Jing stared at the man in the watery curtain for a long time and asked, ¡°What about his dreams?¡±


    Lang Ya Guamg said, ¡°Since the failed chest biopsy five years ago, he hasn¡¯t been able to dream. He hasn¡¯t spoken a word for five years. Since the day that Sang Chi Yu broke into the Immortal Cave and severed his external veins, his waking time has become shorter and shorter.¡± He paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Not being able to dream means that this child¡¯s spiritual consciousness is basically gone. He can¡¯t be considered alive, relying on the infusion of medicinal juice through the veins to sustain his life. For the past five years, you have asked me to make him dream, trying to find clues to the Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet in his dreams. But for five years, we haven¡¯t made any progress. Today we finally saw Su Ru Hui¡¯s masterpiece. Why did you let him go?¡±


    Dan Tai Jing¡¯s voice was cold and indifferent, ¡°Su Ru Hui¡¯s flesh puppet is extremely exquisite, unique in the world. Why do you think that is? Is it because the materials are hard to find or the structure is complex? No, it¡¯s because there is no second Su Ru Hui in the world. Even if you catch Su Ru Hui¡¯s puppet, open it up, and observe it, even if you have thirty years, you still won¡¯t find its essence. That puppet inherits Su Ru Hui¡¯s thoughts, memories, and emotions. If Su Ru Hui could develop a Super First-Grade Puppet, maybe it can too. Why not give it the power to roam freely in the borderlands and let it replicate its owner¡¯s miracles?¡±


    ¡°Great Sect Master is wise.¡± Mo Tuo Yan bowed his head, ¡°What about Su Ru Hui? He is already on his last legs. Li Zhi Bei said he doesn¡¯t have much time left. If he takes the Blood Spirit Pill, he might be able to regain strength for a short time and talk to you.¡±


    The man on the high platform remained silent and did not reply.


    After a while, a soft sigh came from the high platform. ¡°The Su Ru Hui created by Su Ru Hui himself, is it still Su Ru Hui?¡±

 CH 34

    The puppet carriage carried Su Ru Hui and Su Yu back to their residence. Su Ru Hui stopped at the market to buy meat for cooking at home. He remembered that Su Yu had said he wanted to eat meat buns, so he specially bought a piece of beef. After choosing the meat and preparing to pay, he looked up and saw that the meat seller, who had a prominent belly, had become Han Ye.


    Han Ye reached out to him. ¡°What are you staring at? Pay up.¡±


    Su Ru Hui handed him the coins and took the beef. Han Ye weighed the coins and asked, ¡°Why did Dan Tai Jing summon you to Bei Chen Palace? What did you say?¡±


    Su Ru Hui was secretly surprised. This guy was too well-informed. He must have his own spies in the Secret Sect, and his official rank was not low. It was easy to get caught lying, so Su Ru Hui decided to tell the truth and said with a smile, ¡°Today, the Eagle Guards led us to visit the Ice Cellar, but it turned out to be Su Ru Hui¡¯s Mechanical Arsenal. I have some knowledge of machinery and couldn¡¯t resist playing with the beast puppets. Dan Tai Jing suspected that I was Su Ru Hui and summoned me to Bei Chen Palace for questioning.¡±


    Han Ye smirked. His gaze swept over Su Ru Hui¡¯s face, and he suddenly attacked. Su Ru Hui instinctively wanted to dodge, but then he remembered that A Qi was a small gangster on the black street and his skills were definitely not good. If he made a move now, he would reveal himself. So he gritted his teeth and let Han Ye drag him into the store. Han Ye pinched his neck, pressed him against the wall, and sneered. ¡°You¡¯re getting bold, daring to lie to me.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie!¡± Su Ru Hui protested.


    He had told the truth, but he had omitted Su Gou and Shen Tu. Why did Han Ye think he was lying?


    ¡°I forgot to tell you earlier. Su Ru Hui is still alive and is in Immortal Cave. How could Dan Tai Jing mistake you for Su Ru Hui?¡± Han Ye patted his face. ¡°You have three breaths to come up with a convincing lie.¡±


    This was like a bolt of lightning for Su Ru Hui. Su Ru Hui was still alive? How was that possible? He had clearly died five years ago! If ¡°Su Ru Hui¡± was still in Immortal Cave, then who was he?


    ¡°Your information is wrong,¡± Su Ru Hui said through gritted teeth, clutching Han Ye¡¯s hand.


    Han Ye coldly sneered and took out a Lie Detector Talisman, sticking it to Su Ru Hui¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Why did Dan Tai Jing summon you to Bei Chen Palace? What did you say?¡± he asked again.


    Su Ru Hui gritted his teeth and answered, ¡°I would give you the same answer even if you asked me ten thousand times. Dan Tai Jing suspected that I was Su Ru Hui!¡±


    Under the effect of the Lie Detector, he couldn¡¯t lie, or else he would vomit blood. The only symptom he had was that he was having a little difficulty breathing because of Han Ye¡¯s grip on his neck. Han Ye also frowned and retracted his hand. ¡°You didn¡¯t lie?¡±


    Su Ru Hui coughed incessantly, and did not want to bother with him.


    Han Ye muttered to himself: ¡°How is this possible? My information cannot be wrong. Su Ru Hui must be in Immortal Cave. You previously said that Jiang family suspected that there was a treasure in Immortal Cave, protected by a formation that only those who have spiritual power can pass through. That so-called treasure must be Su Ru Hui.¡±


    Previously, Su Ru Hui was trapped in Immortal Cave, and Dan Tai Jing indeed surrounded the cave with a formation. However, the formation did not prevent him from escaping, but rather prevented those outside from coming in to rescue him and leave the Kunlun Secret Sect. Su Ru Hui¡¯s imprisonment was not due to the formation, but due to Sang Chi Yu, who guarded the cave day and night for twelve hours without rest.


    Han Ye was pondering, and Su Ru Hui was also very puzzled. Why did Han Ye receive news that he was still alive? Today, Dan Tai Jing¡¯s attitude towards him was very strange. His uncle was a ruthless and uncompromising person. Years ago, Su Ru Hui killed two Secret Sect officials, and Dan Tai Jing was impartial and sentenced him to be executed publicly. He fled the Secret Sect, and Dan Tai Jing didn¡¯t stop pursuing him for years.


    Now, Dan Tai Jing was determined to obtain the Puppet Key, and firmly believed that Su Ru Hui held the Puppet Key. According to reason, he would never let Su Ru Hui go.


    But he did let Su Ru Hui go.


    Also, why did he insist that Su Ru Hui made the Super First-Grade Puppet?


    Su Ru Hui¡¯s heart was pounding like a drum. Suddenly, a terrifying guess surged in his mind. Seeing is believing. Did Dan Tai Jing see the Puppet?


    He coughed and saw a copper mirror placed on the counter with his peripheral vision. It was an old object, with a dirty surface that reflected a mottled and eerie image. Su Ru Hui calmly reached into his waist pouch and took out a ¡°Divine Eye¡± talisman.


    On the other side, Sang Chi Yu stood behind the shop window. Su Ru Hui had been buying meat for too long, so he came to check it out. When he entered the street, he saw Han Ye bringing someone into the shop. He didn¡¯t rush to save him but observed his surroundings. Many people¡¯s gazes were focused on the butcher shop. They were members of the Black Street, disguised as pedestrians or vendors, or perhaps they were originally lurking in the vicinity as vendors.


    Special power ¨C Mind Reading.


    The level was too low. He could only read one person at a time. No wonder Su Guo did not read his mind. He passed by these Black Street gangsters and heard them muttering in their minds, ¡°What is the boss doing with that kid? Are they having sex in there?¡± He frowned and went around to the back window of the shop. The window frame opened a gap, and he saw Su Ru Hui¡¯s silhouette, and Han Ye whispering something beside him.


    He lowered his head, pulled out his crossbow, loaded a short arrow, and aimed at Han Ye.


    He didn¡¯t really care if Han Ye lived or dies. He just felt like this guy was getting in the way. Han Ye was always bothering Su Ru Hui, so maybe it was better to just kill him. Just as he was about to pull the trigger, he suddenly realized a problem. If Han Ye died, would Su Ru Hui be sad?


    After hesitating, he used his Mind Reading on Su Ru Hui. Strange thoughts flooded his mind, like a whisper:


    ¡°Why did Uncle let me go?¡±


    ¡°Did Uncle see the Super First-Grade Puppet? Why is he so sure that the Puppet Key exists in this world?¡±


    ¡°If Su Ru Hui is still alive, then who am I? Could it be¡­ I am that Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet?¡±


    In an instant, both of them were shocked by the sudden thought.


    Su Ru Hui looked at the bronze mirror and cast a spell. The scene in front of him changed instantly, with the skin and flesh disappearing, revealing a skeleton. Han Ye became a standing skeleton frame, with a hot red heart beating regularly in his chest. The earth and brick walls became transparent, and he saw people coming and going on the street, all of them skeletons, with blue meridians interweaving like a net and blood flowing.


    Looking back at the bronze mirror, he saw himself. He was also a lonely skeleton, with spider-like meridians, but in the center of his head, there was an extra golden star array core. He clearly saw his snowflake emblem, at the center of the star array, deep in his skull.


    This was the biggest difference between puppets and humans. Whether it¡¯s a Fourth Grade Wood Puppet, a Third Grade Iron Puppet, a Second Grade Leather Puppet, or a First Grade Flesh Puppet, they all need a core star array. Even a Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet couldn¡¯t escape this rule.


    A world-changing event only takes a moment. It was as if all the sounds had gone away, and the world was silent, so silent that Su Ru Hui could hear the sound of his own heart breaking.


    He was not Su Ru Hui. He was a puppet made by Su Ru Hui¡¯s own hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Han Ye gently shook him. ¡°Why are you in a daze?¡±


    Su Ru Hui woke up from his daze as if he had just woken up from a dream. ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer when I called you.¡± Han Ye frowned and looked at him. ¡°You were daydreaming.¡±


    Wasn¡¯t it a dream? Su Ru Hui thought sadly. Has something gone wrong with the spell? He suddenly remembered the secret revealed to him by the system. So, ¡°not human¡± means this. His name did not belong to him, his memory did not belong to him, and maybe even his emotions did not belong to him.


    Su Ru Hui grabbed his head and began to despair. He was Su Ru Hui¡¯s creation. Su Ru Hui was his father and Sang Chi Yu was his wife. Should he call Sang Chi Yu mother?


    ¡°Boss,¡± Su Ru Hui asked with a dejected look, ¡°do I look a lot like Su Ru Hui?¡±


    ¡°You look very much alike.¡± Han Ye looked him up and down, crossing his arms. ¡°The first time I saw you, I thought he had come back.¡±


    Su Ru Hui hung his head and asked again, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m better or worse than Su Ru Hui? Are there any differences between us?¡±


    ¡­Han Ye¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tighter and tighter. ¡°Why are you suddenly asking this?¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just feel like my life is particularly fake. I thought I was myself, but in the end, I am actually a fake, a substitute. You haven¡¯t answered my question. How do I compare to Su Ru Hui?¡±


    ¡°You still want to compare yourself to him?¡± Han Ye sneered. ¡°A hundred of you can¡¯t compare to one Su Ru Hui.¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed again. ¡°I understand.¡±


    This guy looked like he had given up on himself, and for some reason, Han Ye suddenly felt uneasy in his heart. Ever since A Qi looked like he had taken the wrong medicine and was going to die. Han Ye thought back, and it seemed that everything stemmed from Su Ru Hui. A Qi had always been comparing himself to Su Ru Hui.


    Han Ye had heard that substitutes were easy to get jealous because they knew they couldn¡¯t compare to the person that their lover truly loved in their heart, so they always tried to prove that they were better and more deserving of love than that person.


    Didn¡¯t A Qi dislike him? Why did he care so much about Su Ru Hui?


    Han Ye looked down at A Qi. This boy really did resemble Su Ru Hui. He was smart, knowing when to yield and be flexible, and having a slick tongue. But Han Ye also felt that they were different in some way. What was it? The person in front of him was dejected, like a withered trumpet flower. He seemed¡­ even cuter than Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°Are you very upset?¡± Han Ye asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m so upset that I feel like dying,¡± Su Ru Hui said, covering his face.


    This kid really did fall in love with him, Han Ye thought. He had resisted him so much before because he didn¡¯t want to be Su Ru Hui¡¯s substitute. Han Ye couldn¡¯t help but laugh. What a stubborn kid. He not only didn¡¯t dislike him, but he even appreciated him a bit.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Su Ru Hui stood up. ¡°If there isn¡¯t, I¡¯ll leave first. I have to hurry back home for dinner. Life is fake, but we still have to eat.¡±


    He stepped down the stone steps, facing a bustling crowd. Just as he was about to leave the butcher shop, Han Ye suddenly reached out and pulled him back. He didn¡¯t stand firm and took two steps back, falling into Han Ye¡¯s arms. A carriage rushed past in front of them.


    ¡°Pay attention to the road. Don¡¯t be absent-minded,¡± Han Ye scolded.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Su Ru Hui waved his hand nonchalantly. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Han Ye shouted.


    Su Ru Hui turned around. He was a seventeen-year-old boy wearing a black robe with missing sleeves. Despite his youthful appearance, he was a striking young man with a tall and slender figure, standing out among the bustling crowd like a cedar tree. Amidst the blur of the crowd, he shone brightly.


    Han Ye turned away because his radiance was too dazzling.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to compare yourself to Su Ru Hui. You¡¯re not inferior to him,¡± Han Ye said.


    Su Ru Hui smirked and turned to disappear into the crowd. His smile faded instantly as he vanished into the crowd.


    The difference between him and Su Ru Hui was their memories.


    Su Ru Hui knew the method of creating a Super First-Grade Puppet, but he didn¡¯t. He didn¡¯t receive all of Su Ru Hui¡¯s memories, except for the Puppet Key. Perhaps Su Ru Hui was hiding something else.


    If he was a puppet, he was neither A Qi nor Jiang Que Xie. Someone killed A Qi and used Su Ru Hui¡¯s Super First-Grade Puppet to impersonate A Qi as Jiang Que Xie. Who was that person? What was special about Jiang Que Xie¡¯s identity that he had to be placed in it?


    Jiang Que Xie was Jiang Xue Ya¡¯s younger brother, and A Qi had been lurking in the Jiang family for half a year when Jiang Xue Ya was not imprisoned. Jiang Xue Ya was one of Su Ru Hui¡¯s few friends and the only one who could be contacted when Su Ru Hui was trapped in Immortal Cave.


    The answer lay with Jiang Xue Ya, and he had to find Jiang Xue Ya.


    He returned to the puppet carriage and bent down to enter the compartment. Sang Chi Yu sat upright on the side, his expression as calm and indifferent as ever. His jet-black eyes were like a quiet and deep antique mirror.


    Su Ru Hui sat down in front of him, snapped his fingers, and the carriage creaked into motion.


    Sang Chi Yu stared out the window, and the light and shadow changed on his face. The crowd outside the carriage receded rapidly like a surging tide of time.


    Some people¡¯s sadness was like a river pouring down, causing the world to collapse, while others were like a hidden current beneath a calm sea, suppressed and restrained. Sang Chi Yu was the latter. The sadder he was, the more silent he became. The world was shrouded in a layer of amber at dusk, and everyone seemed to be enveloped in it. He couldn¡¯t help but remember when Su Ru Hui whispered in his ear in Immortal Cave, ¡°Sang Chi Yu, if I die, will you cry for me?¡±


    Would he? He actually didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I just received some news,¡± the man across from him suddenly spoke.


    He turned his head silently and looked at the puppet Su Ru Hui.


    ¡°I have a friend whose father passed away, leaving behind a young, beautiful, and destitute lover,¡± Su Ru Hui said, hugging his arms and tilting his head. ¡°Do you think my friend, who will take care of the lover for the rest of his life, will make his father¡¯s spirit happy?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu¡¯s brow furrowed tightly.


    Su Ru Hui smiled and said, ¡°I think so.¡±


    Sang Chi Yu clenched his fist tightly, his veins bulging. He said coldly, ¡°Shameless scum.¡±


    Su Ru Hui was stunned. ¡°Why are you scolding me for something my friend is going to do?¡±


    Sang Chi Yu ignored him and leaped out of the carriage. Like a black swallow diving into the wind, his figure disappeared in a flash. Su Ru Hui rushed to the curtain but didn¡¯t even manage to grab his clothes.


    ¡°Su Yu!¡± Su Ru Hui panicked and shouted, ¡°Sang Chi Yu!¡±


    Author¡¯s Note:


    Yang Su: I thought it was a stand-in literature.


    Su Ru Hui: I didn¡¯t expect it to be a little mother literature.

 CH 35

    Su Ru Hui looked for him for a long time but couldn¡¯t find Sang Chi Yu. As curfew was approaching, he had no choice but to return home alone. The empty courtyard still had Su Ru Hui¡¯s socks and clothes hanging on the clothesline. The night wind crept into his sleeves and collar, causing his sleeves to rustle and flap against each other. Su Ru Hui stood in the courtyard and opened his communication compass, which was engraved with Sang Chi Yu¡¯s symbol. He pursed his lips and tried to contact Sang Chi Yu. The symbol on the compass was dim, indicating that there was no response from the other party.


    ¡°Bastard,¡± Su Ru Hui cursed under his breath.


    He put away the compass and was about to step into the dark main hall when he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His instinct told him that there was someone in the house. He stopped in his tracks, and a faint oil lamp lit up deep in the main hall. Golden light covered the entire hall, illuminating the person sitting on the purple sandalwood armchair.


    Xia Jing smiled slightly, and his thin beard twitched on his lips. He said, ¡°Nephew, you stayed out too late playing around.¡±


    This person was inscrutable. Could he be up to no good? Su Ru Hui quietly put his hand on the spirit fire gun at his waist.


    ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t even think about trying to do anything to me.¡± Xia Jing put his hands in his pockets. ¡°I¡¯m just someone who finished my shift and can¡¯t go home to cuddle with my wife by the fire. I had to come here to freeze my ass off and ensure that a certain person¡¯s message is accurately conveyed to you.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you jest.¡± Su Ru Hui served him tea. ¡°May I ask whose message it is and what it is?¡±


    ¡°This message is from your senior sister, Jiang Xue Ya.¡± Xia Jing sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much of it. I¡¯m just repaying a debt. I received a lot of help from your senior sister when I was in the Frontline Guards. Did you encounter any trouble while you were out?¡±


    ¡°It seems that this matter is related to senior sister.¡± Su Ru Hui smiled and bowed. ¡°Please enlighten me, Uncle.¡±


    ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s related to you,¡± Xia Jing said. ¡°She didn¡¯t tell me the details, but the gist of it is that in the past, you racked your brains trying to create a Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet. Your other puppets may be exquisite, but they are still just puppets. They have no self-awareness or knowledge. For over a decade, you hoped your puppets could think freely like humans and even develop emotions. To be honest, you¡¯re really bored, aren¡¯t you? Why not just make a person and marry them?¡±


    Su Ru Hui sighed. ¡°I thought the same thing, but unfortunately¡­ um, unfortunately, my ¡®wife¡¯ is a man.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Xia Jing said, looking knowledgeable. ¡°The good news is that you have indeed made progress, and that progress is the flesh puppet body you are using now. The bad news is that you still failed to develop a true Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Aren¡¯t I Su Ru Hui¡¯s puppet?¡± Su Ru Hui frowned.


    ¡°She said you can find out the specifics by looking around this courtyard. This courtyard was prepared for you by her. When you left Yun Zhou, she had already prepared to rent it to you. While you were stuck in the Immortal Cave, all the blueprints for your Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet were taken from the Secret Sect and stored here by her. It was also from that time that she began her plan to rescue you from the Secret Sect,¡± Xia Jing explained, holding up a finger. ¡°The first step of the plan was to prepare a new identity for you. Jiang Huai Cang is fond of beautiful women, and there are many illegitimate children in his household. I bought a woman named Bai Cai Ping and sent her to Yun Zhou, where I fabricated a son for her to pass off as Jiang Huai Cang¡¯s illegitimate child. This nonexistent son is Jiang Que Xie, the new identity she prepared for you.¡±


    ¡°The second step was to create a flesh puppet. Your senior sister spent five years creating a perfect puppet body for you according to your blueprints. The Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet is incredibly exquisite. Even someone who just held the blueprints could have successfully made one. We should have started preparing for you to replace Jiang Que Xie with this puppet body. But something unexpected happened ¨C people from the Black Street snuck into the Jiang household, as well as some strange individuals with unclear identities. Your senior sister spent some time dealing with them. She took care of the Black Street people, but she never figured out who the other group was. And now, they¡¯ve started to go after her.¡±


    ¡°Individuals with unclear identities?¡± Su Ru Hui said, sensing something. ¡°Were they the demon clan?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. It seems that way now. Since I¡¯ve been stationed at the border, I¡¯ve only been able to communicate with your senior sister by letter, so I¡¯m not sure about their conflict. In short, it seems she lost. I heard that she lost quite a few capable people, but managed to retreat safely. The only thing to be thankful for is that the plan to replace Jiang Que Xie went smoothly. I was in charge of that. I was outside the Jiang household and am not related to them in any way, so I wasn¡¯t noticed. You woke up at the Sang family¡¯s old mansion on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, and our plan was finally successful.¡±


    Su Ru Hui clicked his tongue. ¡°So it was you who killed A Qi.¡±


    ¡°Does this child from the black street go by the name ¡®A Qi¡¯? At only 17 years old, he¡¯s doing such dangerous things. The world is getting more chaotic, and the more people die, the more children have to become adults after the adults die.¡± Xia Jing sighed.


    After taking a sip of tea, Xia Jing continued, ¡°After your senior sister retreated, the situation became extremely dangerous. Not only were the demons hidden in the Jiang family searching for her, but when it was discovered that she had smuggled the blueprint for you, Dan Tai Jing also targeted her. Nephew, you should know that Star Official Lang Ya Guang of the Secret Sect possesses a special power which can explore memories through people¡¯s dreams. Your memories about the flesh puppets have already been extracted by one of us who can extract memories, but as the executor of all the plans, your senior sister cannot lose her memory. If she is caught back to the Secret Sect, the Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet will be exposed, and you will be imprisoned again shortly after being resurrected, all in vain.¡±


    Indeed, this situation was very tricky. Su Ru Hui shook his head in amazement.


    ¡°This girl is clever. She came up with a way to kill two birds with one stone. She can not only escape the pursuit of the demons in Jiang family but also make it impossible for Dan Tai Jing to explore her memory.¡±


    ¡°What way is that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either.¡± Xia Jing shook his head. ¡°All I know is that after the plan was made, she was secretly imprisoned by Dan Tai Jing in the Secret Sect, first in the Ice Prison, and now in Immortal Cave. You don¡¯t have to worry about her; I have a way to help her leave the Secret Sect. It¡¯s about time, she should be in action. She has always been a wise and decisive person, which is one of the reasons why I chose to help her, but she has repeatedly encountered danger for you.¡± Xia Jing deeply sighed. ¡°It¡¯s tough being a beauty and having to face the danger of being with heroes.¡±


    ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re overthinking. If you have anything else to say, please say it quickly. If you come home late, Auntie will think you have someone outside,¡± Su Ru Hui said with embarrassment.


    Xia Jing took out a crystal-clear glass lamp from his sleeve, which contained a star storage array. He handed it to Su Ru Hui and said, ¡°This is your memory. When the spiritual power user extracted your memory, he didn¡¯t control it and took a bit more. Losing memory is not a pleasant feeling, but even so, I still don¡¯t recommend that you reabsorb your memory. The Secret Sect is watching you, and if you want to protect the Puppet Key, forgetting it is the best way.¡±


    After Xia Jing finished speaking, he left. Outside, snowflakes began to fall, covering the earth. Su Ru Hui also felt that it was not a good time to absorb memories, so he put the glass lamp in the cabinet. He searched for the puppet blueprint mentioned by Xia Jing. The guy did not distinguish him from the real Su Ru Hui, making him feel very uncomfortable.


    After half an incense stick¡¯s worth of time, Su Ru Hui found an empty space on the wall. He smashed the wall with the handle of his knife, creating a gap. He reached in and took out a sealed box made of meteorite iron, which was indestructible even by explosives. On top of the box was Su Ru Hui¡¯s special lock, with over three thousand variations that only he could unlock.


    Su Ru Hui opened the lock, and a series of gears turning sounded from inside. The lid of the box popped up, and the lock loosened. Inside the meteorite box were many yellowed papers, with clear handwriting. He sat down and looked at them one by one. The papers contained everything from the initial design to the blueprints of the Super First-Grade Flesh Puppets, as well as the bottleneck that could never be overcome, which was how to generate spirits for the puppets. He remembered the years Su Ru Hui had spent toiling away on this project. The warehouse of the Flesh Puppet Department in Paradise Pavillion was filled with defective Super First-Grade Flesh Puppets, and in the Secret Sect¡¯s Immortal Cave, Su Ru Hui had persisted in writing while he was bedridden.


    He remembered the first pile of blueprints, but he could not recall the last pile. Judging from the size of the paper, it was eight-foot-long raw silk paper that the Secret Sect exclusively used. It should have been completed by Su Ru Hui in Immortal Cave.


    The core of the puppet was the inspiration star array. The star array was like a human brain, with countless possibilities for inspiration changes, corresponding to the endless thoughts of humans. Su Ru Hui¡¯s previous exploration was to simulate the human brain with the star array, but the mystery of the mind was infinite, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not touch the secrets of consciousness. After flipping through a few of the Immortal Cave¡¯s blueprints, he realized that he seemed to have changed the direction of his efforts.


    Suddenly, the function of the star array changed from thinking to teleportation.


    Teleportation? What was being teleported?


    Snow fell outside the window, and bare branches leaned against the windowsill. His shadow was reflected on the high-quality paper, like a puppet show framed by the window. He did not stop for a moment and finished looking through the last piece of paper. He was extremely shocked. He knew that he had not succeeded; he had never created a real Super First-Grade Flesh Puppet. But he had found a way to teleport a spirit for the puppet. He had created a path between himself and this puppet, allowing him to change his human body with this puppet¡¯s body.


    This was an unparalleled technique in the world, an unparalleled Teleportation Star Array. If someone with evil intentions knew about it, it would cause chaos in the world. With this Teleportation Array, people would obtain immortality. If their previous body deteriorated, they could create another puppet body to accommodate the spirit, and they would live on forever.


    No wonder he refused to hand over the Puppet Key. In order to escape captivity, he even had Jiang Xue Ya erase his memories and remove the part about the Spirit Teleportation Array.


    He understood now. He understood everything. His way of escaping from captivity was to abandon his physical body and transfer his spirit. He had found a new life for himself with the Super First-Grade Flesh Puppets.


    He was a puppet, and he was also Su Ru Hui.


    The so-called ¡°Su Ru Hui¡± in the Secret Sect was probably just an empty shell.


    According to the belief that human consciousness and physical body were two separate systems, he created a First-Grade Flesh Puppet. With the spiritual power provided by the inner spiritual stone of the puppet, the puppet could breathe and blink like a human being through these spiritual flows. In addition, if given orders through the central spiritual inspiration star array, the puppet could perform more complex activities, such as attacking, simple conversation, and even laughing and crying.


    The Secret Sect must have set up a life-sustaining star array for him, which would continue to supply spiritual power day and night to extend his life. These spiritual flows activated his extraordinary meridians, stimulated his muscles, and allowed him to remain alive and perform activities that did not require consciousness, such as breathing, coughing, opening and closing his eyes. However, he couldn¡¯t do actions that required conscious participation, such as speaking or walking.


    In any case, he was a dying person, and any sign of his imminent death was not surprising. As long as the body occasionally opened its eyes and coughed, it could create the illusion that he was still alive and deceive the idiots in the Secret Sect.


    When the truth was revealed, he breathed a sigh of relief. Great, he didn¡¯t have to worry about calling Sang Chi Yu his mother anymore.


    Su Ru Hui took out the crystal mirror he carried with him, placed it on his nose, and inserted the needle into his acupoints. The subtle spiritual power reached his central inspiration star array. Through the transparent lens, his eyes shone slightly, reflecting the scene inside the star array. He saw the complex star lines crisscrossing, like the changes of ancient stars, all in this small array. In the center of this vast array, he saw a twisted line as thin as a spider web. This was the path leading to his original body.


    He spread out the puppet construction blueprint and used a vermilion pen to sketch the back neck of the puppet, which indicated where the spiritual stone was inserted. He touched his own neck and felt that the temperature here was obviously higher than other areas of his body, which was because the spiritual stone was inserted here.


    ¡°How long can the spiritual stone in my body last?¡± Su Ru Hui asked the system.


    [Scanning¡­ Scan complete. The spiritual stone in your body can last for at least one year. To be safe, you need to find a reliable person to replace the spiritual stone for you before the spiritual power of the stone is exhausted.]


    ¡°It¡¯s still one year away. Let¡¯s talk about it later.¡± Su Ru Hui felt relieved, but the spiritual stone was a bit difficult to handle. Spiritual stone distribution was controlled by the Secret Sect and couldn¡¯t be bought like iron tools or firearms.


    The system kindly reminded him: [After completing ¡®How do I save you, my disabled husband?¡¯, I will activate the daily item access function. This function is equivalent to an ¡®unlimited gold coin¡¯ or ¡®unlimited props¡¯ plug-in, and it is very easy to use.]


    ¡°What are you exactly?¡± Su Ru Hui was surprised that the system could even activate a plug-in.


    The system fell silent for a moment and said: [Your permissions are not high enough, and there is not much information I can provide. However, you can understand my nature in this way:


    The living environment in this world is extremely harsh, with narrow territories, dense populations, and a strict hierarchy. In order to increase the survival rate of the race, the creators opened a backdoor for some of the people, which is what you call spiritual power. Ordinary people who practice spiritual power formed an alliance called the ¡°Kun Lun Secret Sect¡± and maximized the use of magical resources, reaching the strongest peak in human history. However, the survival rate of individuals is not directly proportional to the survival rate of the race, and the survival rate of non-spiritual power users is much lower than that of magic users. It can even be said that spiritual power users increase their own survival rate by plundering the survival resources of ordinary people.


    When you were ten years old, you lost your spiritual power and went from being a plunderer to being plundered, greatly reducing your survival rate. Most people can only resign themselves to fate, but you are different. If this world is a game, then I am your modifier. While others follow the rules, you modify them. I will do my best to help you survive and increase your survival rate. But please note that I am your deepest secret, and do not reveal me to anyone.]


    ¡°Why?¡±


    [Because cheaters will be hunted down by everyone in the server.]


    The communication compass suddenly vibrated, and Su Ru Hui opened it to reveal Xia Jing¡¯s symbol shining.


    ¡°Just received news that Sang Chi Yu has invaded Immortal Cave, and the Secret Sect has issued a Class A alert. Sang Chi Yu now belongs to the Black Street, and his purpose in invading Immortal Cave is unknown. Nephew, stay at home and don¡¯t go out if there¡¯s nothing to do. Hey, nephew, can you hear me? Reply!¡±