“Who is it?” Xue Huai asked subconsciously.
The faithful crow shook its head. “Young Lord Xue, we will answer any questions that the employer may have given us under all known circumstances, but we cannot tell you everything. This is the iron order given to us by the Lord of the Underworld.”
The gluttonous ghost howled angrily—it had been listening attentively, half understanding and half not, but it vaguely knew that someone was trying to harm its owner, and the crow refused to answer.
For the first time, it showed a terrifying and ferocious side, revealing its claws and teeth. It shook its head suddenly, panting heavily as it tried to bite the faithful crow. The faithful crow jumped up in panic, its majestic and cold appearance no longer exists. “Ah! Make your ugly glutton go away! Young Lord Xue! Ah! Help!”
Xue Huai remembered that the underworld faithful crow came and went without a trace, freely weaving through various immortal obstacles and spells, precisely because… they were undead.
To cause harm to the undead unless one happens to be the undead themselves. Coincidentally, this little gluttonous of his is not an ordinary gluttonous, but a gluttonous ghost.
The faithful crow panicked and flew everywhere, while the gluttonous ghost swiftly followed closely behind, running around.
The faithful crow amplified its mournful voice and said, “I’m sorry, Young Lord Xue! The Immortal Realm has its own laws. Think about it: if some random person pays us to tell them about everything in the world and everyone does this, then it will be chaotic! Young Lord Xue! Help—”
Xue Huai reached out to stop the gluttonous ghost, picked it up, and wrapped it in his arms, comforting and patting its head. But for the first time, the gluttonous ghost broke free without caring and flew over, smashing the faithful crow flat with one paw.
Xue Huai had to lower his voice and scold, “Xiao Tao, come back!”
The faithful crow cried and struggled under the claws of the gluttonous ghost, saying, “I will say it, I will say it! I can make an exception and answer your question, Young Lord Xue. This was not originally included in our employment package……but Young Lord Xue, think about it carefully. You only have one chance to ask us questions beyond the information and evidence you hired us to find. No matter when or where, this issue cannot exceed your own capabilities—we’re not an encyclopedia, we’re just movers of information to save time and effort for those who hire us. If, for example, you suspect that there was a mole in your previous life, we can only help you confirm this matter, but we cannot tell you who the mole is.”
Xue Huai nodded. “I understand.”
Before the gluttonous ghost opened its mouth, the faithful crow cried out, “Young Lord Xue—”
Xue Huai went over again and picked up the gluttonous.
The faithful crow quickly rushed to the beam and stood upright, hanging upside down, and asked him, “Do you want to use this opportunity now?”
After pondering for a moment, Xue Huai shook his head and said, “No need for now. Let’s talk about it later. Now you can take out the things I want.”
As soon as the words fell, several faithful crows fluttered outside the window, drilling through the window paper and rubbing their way in, placing a few small things in front of Xue Huai one by one.
There’s also a heavily scented rouge box, a dry, greenish-colored skeleton that looks like a human hand’s bone, and a pile of fly ash wrapped in paper.
Xue Huai reached out and picked up the rouge box, turning his head to look at the faithful crow. The faithful crow shrank its wings and reminded him, “There’s a love poison inside, Young Lord, be careful.”
He gently opened it. In that moment, the fragrant breeze that softened into the bone marrow drifted throughout the room. It even rushed to the cold and calm Xue Huai, making his lower abdomen tighten up, and a tingling shiver appeared all over his body.
He slammed the rouge box shut with a “ppa” followed by a mind-clearing spell, and only then did he manage to calm down.
He whispered, “What a strong emotional poison.”
The faithful crow flapped its wings, observing the movements of the gluttonous ghost as it slowly approached him a few steps: “This is the first one, Young Lord Xue. The immortal family of Mrs. Liu’s origins is mortal, this is a lineage of mortals ascended into the immortal bloodline with women as the majority. In the Mortal Realm, their original surname is ‘Ji.’ They’re known for their seductive skills, soul-capturing, and emotional witchcraft. If they are born men, they will grow up to be beautiful and feminine. If they are born women, they will be gentle and beautiful, with a first-class appearance.”
“The most intense emotional poison of Mrs. Liu, according to legend, can make people abandon their rationality and forget their true love and is effective for life. The most noticeable feature of the mid-poison is that there will be a red line five inches away from the wrist.”
Xue Huai frowned. “So it’s very likely that my father broke his promise and immediately remarried because she bewitched him?”
But instinctively, he felt something was wrong with it. Xue Zong’s actions have not undergone significant changes. Although sometimes he may feel confused, but he is far from being infatuated by emotions. At home, he has always doted on him, this appearance is different from that of those who are poisoned by emotional poison.
He somehow thought of Yun Cuo, thinking to himself that if he didn’t know by heart that he didn’t, he thinks that Yun Cuo actually looks like someone who was bewitched by a love spell.
When he thought of him, his tense mind suddenly eased down slightly with an inexplicable sense of peace of mind.
The faithful crow looked at him. “Young Lord Xue, I could answer that, but it would use up your opportunity to ask a question.”
Xue Huai hesitated for a moment, shook his head, and calmly said, “No need, let’s talk about the second thing.”
He reaches down and picks up the greenish-colored bone—it was human’s fingers, the end of a woman’s little finger, the bone color was dark green. Xue Huai casually wiped it with silver silk that had been soaked in water and saw that it immediately turned black.
Poisonous and highly toxic. If the owner of this finger bone has died, then they must’ve also been poisoned to death as well.
The reason he knew this was a woman’s phalanges was because it was about the same size as his own—it was an adult immortal’s phalanges, but it was especially thin and light.
He pressed a little harder and felt the fragile bones as if they would fall apart at any moment. He immediately restrained his strength, feeling somewhat incredulous: “Why is it so light?”
Too light and delicate, it reminded him of the hummingbirds in spring.
Xue Huai thought for a moment. “Is this… a phalanges of someone of the Fengyu tribe?”
There was silence everywhere.
The sound of over a hundred faithful crows flapping their wings outside disappeared, and seven or eight inside also hung their heads together, shrinking their wings tightly. A speechless blackness, like death.
Xue Huai understood and found it difficult to speak. “This is my mother’s…”
“I’m sorry, Young Lord Xue. Since your instructions to us were ‘to find the most ruthless and accurate kill at all costs and without any constraints’; therefore, we…… entered your mother’s coffin and brought this phalange, and we did not have time to inform you.”
The faithful crow lowered its head and bowed to him, “Apologize for our rudeness. This mistake does not count on the underworld’s head. We can refund a portion of your hiring fee.”
Xue Huai lowered his eyes and gently rubbed this phalange, but did not speak.
His eyes were exceptionally gentle, with some nostalgia and pain.
“So my mother is…” word by word, weighing like a thousand pounds, accompanied by a chilling murderous aura that permeates his entire being. That blade-like killing aura invisibly enveloped the entire room, the air pressure became so low that it was almost impossible to lift one’s head.
He thought that the Fengyu tribe people were born with fragile bones and soft bodies, and that’s why she fell seriously ill during the years when the demon invaded. So, his mother was destined to be taken away by heaven when he was ten years old.
He thought it was the first time he’d realized what ‘fate’ was—death that comes with destiny cannot be avoided, and there is always a yellow spring at the end of the road.
He thought it was his fate, just as the person he secretly liked happened to dislike him, he always thought it was fate.
“She was killed by Mrs. Liu.” The faithful crow said.
Xue Huai looked at the phalange quietly. The indoor lights flickered and illuminated his eyes, which were constantly changing.
He reached out and picked up the next piece of paper filled with ash, gesturing for the faithful crow to continue speaking.
The faithful crow reached out its paw and scratched its head. “What has been found so far are these letters and these ashes. Due to the large number of letters, we did not bring them, and we also didn’t want to startle the enemy. Mrs. Liu has been keeping records of the Shenhua Terrace and Fuli Palace’s various secrets all year round, and half of the communication records have been destroyed and cannot be determined. Whether or not you want to convicted on the basis of these things she has documented is up to you.”
Xue Huai nodded and said, “Okay.”
He stood up.
The gluttonous ghost crawled over and rubbed its big head against Xue Huai’s hand, then bit on the corner of his clothes, wanting him to take it along. Xue Huai patted its head and said, “Xiao Tao, stay here with Yun Cuo. Don’t let him and my grandfather know, they will be sad.”
Yun Cuo went to Murong Jinchuan to listen to the teachings and didn’t stay with him today. The two had originally planned to go to the Mortal Realm to listen to the play in the afternoon.
He tore up the paper and wrote a note for Yun Cuo, just saying that Xue Zong had written a letter saying that things were busy in the Shenhua Terrace and asked him to come back a few days earlier to help.
Yun Cuo watched as Sha Hua handed him the letter, just in time to help him round out his lie.
The faithful crow asked, “Did your father really write about this matter in his letter?”
The letter arrives along with the faithful crow, but Xue Huai hasn’t actually read his father’s letter yet. He has come to the Immortal Mountain to cultivate for several months already, and every seven days, he would send a family letter to the Shenhua Terrace. Xue Zong would reply to him with care and attention.
Remembering this at the moment, Xue Huai opened the letter without a word, ready to skim through it.
It was nothing more than just an ordinary letter, but when he quickly scanned the handwriting in the letters, he almost laughed with anger—
Xue Zong asked if he could allow Mrs. Liu to come back home and live.
He had previously cleaned up Xue He and Mrs. Liu, sending Mrs. Liu back to her mother’s house, threatening Xue He, and almost placing him under house arrest.
Now Xue Zong worded his letter carefully, almost to the point of pleasing: “A woman’s jealousy is nothing more than merely mediocre. Xiao Huai, what do you think?”
Xue Huai sneered and said, “That’s a good one. Instead of asking me about my opinion, I’m afraid this is an act first, then report later.”
Unexpectedly, he looked quite calm. He didn’t expect the day to flash his knives would come so soon—since he cleared the fog of his previous life and no longer looked at the past, all the questions that blocked him suddenly revealed answers.
He said calmly, “But it doesn’t matter anymore.”
—It doesn’t matter, he has reasons to kill them now.
Xue Huai walked straight out and passed through the corridor straight to the weapons room on the top floor of the Warm Pavilion.
The heavy divine wooden door opened with a bang, revealing a long, dragon-like line of weapons on display. The weapons of all the disciples in the whole East Warm Pavilion are placed here, guarded and monitored by seventy-two Chongming birds.
The colorful and gorgeous bird stretched its neck and brought his spiritual firearm to him, but he smiled and refused. “Could you please take off the butterfly knives next to mine for me? That’s something that belongs to my Daoist partner.”
Actually, it can also be considered his thing. In his previous life, he used it all the time, but it was bought by Yun Cuo in this life.
The Daoist partner’s weapons are considered to be used together in the Cangbing Pavilion, so the Chongming Bird didn’t say anything. It placed the heavy box of knives and weapons in his hands. The crimson weapons were one long and one short, with a chilling murderous aura, as if sensing the proximity of their previous owner. Its blade emitted a clanking sound, and its color deepened, demonic as blood.
Xue Huai nodded politely and said, “Thank you very much.”
When Yun Cuo heard that Xue Huai had already left the Murong Mountain Sect, it was already that night.
At that time, he was having dinner with Murong Jinchuan and heard the immortal boy on duty at the entrance of the Xianzhou Formation report on the day’s entry and exit, among them was Xue Huai’s name.
Murong Jinchuan did remember that Xue Huai had asked for leave in advance, but it was not yet time. He’s afraid that there’s a reason for this sudden advance, so he asked Yun Cuo, “Why did Xiao Huai leave now? Did he tell you?”
Yun Cuo doesn’t know anything. After thinking for a while, he finally replied: “Yesterday, Xue Huai received a letter from Uncle Xue, maybe it has something to do with that. There should be an emergency at Shenhua Terrace.”
Murong Jinchuan stopped asking.
The little junior sister heard it and whispered, “Yun Shidi, then you won’t be able to listen to the opera this afternoon? It’s a pity that Xue Shixiong received a letter in the morning and left before noon.”
Yun Cuo didn’t answer and frowned.
He went straight back to the Warm Pavilion and saw the handwriting left by Xue Huai, but a hollow unease suddenly arose in his heart. It is growing bigger and bigger. Something unexpected happened beyond his control…
He suddenly remembered the group of faithful crows. He also has one himself, which was personally given to him by the Lord of the Underworld.
At that time, the Lord of the Underworld told him that the faithful crows could only explain his existing doubts, they could not find answers that he had never thought of for him.
“Is Xue Huai really looking for Aunty’s belongings?” he asked.
The faithful crow chuckled and said, “No.”
“What’s he looking for?”
“No comment.”
“How should I find him?”
“Young Immortal Lord, go to the Cangbing Pavilion and ask.”
Yun Cuo’s heart trembled as he walked out and searched all the way to the Cangbing Pavilion. As soon as the door opened, he understood completely—
Xue Huai took his knives away.
This was the weapon Xue Huai used to kill people in his previous life. Once the knives are unsheathed, they must kill.
It turns out that the reason why Xue Huai no longer needs to practice the mind-viewing technique and no longer dodging the Thunder Calamity was not because he gave up. Rather, he had found his way and was just waiting for one last answer.
Who does Xue Huai want to kill?
What did he know?
Yun Cuo’s fingertips entangled a powerful decree, and the ancient runes summoned all the messengers of the six realms—the green birds, garudas, and Dongjun Envoy. They flew from all directions, gathered in the sky above Murong Xianzhou to hover, and supported a continuous immortal shield for the three million miles from here to Dongzhou.
He can no longer catch up now. Xue Huai set off in the fastest green bird and will arrive in Xianzhou tomorrow.
He was flying away from him at lightning speed, traveling further away.
This feeling seems familiar, Yun Cuo’s fingers are cold. It wasn’t until the gluttonous ghost walked over and rubbed against his leg that he regained consciousness. Yun Cuo leaned down and touched its head, fed it some garbage, and then slowly cleaned up Xue Huai’s room.
After finishing, he sat cross-legged on the bed and continued to feel dizzy.
The setting sun sets in the west, and dusk covers the entire room. The vitality of the day cannot resist the erosion of the night, it is gradually suppressed.
When it was completely dark, Yun Cuo suddenly moved, closed his eyes to concentrate, and let his qi traveling a small circumference.
This room is filled with Xue Huai’s scent, a light orchid scent. He closed his eyes and groped like a blind man, finding hundreds of letters inside his sleeve—all of which were recently written to him by Xue Huai. Starting with his relentless pursuit, they were plain and trivial. Sometimes, when Xue Huai gets lazy, he talks directly to him using the type of paper that can seal his voice.
—”The clothes grandma found for you are by the bed.”
—”When you wake up, cook for yourself, I’ll wash the dishes.”
—”You don’t need to walk Xiao Tao today, let’s go together tonight.”
—“I won’t come back tonight.”
—”Are you free to go out and play tomorrow? I found a delicious Mortal Realm’s restaurant.”
—”Can you please coax Xiao Tao? I made it cried again today…”
Then they got together, sometimes being sticky and without saying anything to each other. Xue Huai rarely indulges in coquettishness with him but often becomes serious. There was a time when Yun Cuo came back from practicing very late, and Xue Huai waited for him until he fell asleep, still pinching the letter that he forgot to close the seal in his hand.
He picked up the letter and listened, only hearing his gentle and peaceful breathing. At the beginning, it was a low voice: “Yun Cuo ya.”
Xue Huai forgot what he wanted to say to Yun Cuo before falling asleep that day. A chapter of writing paper was concealed, and he casually threw it away. Yun Cuo followed closely and quietly picked it up, putting it in his hand.
Now he is holding this one in his hand.
Xue Huai’s voice swayed out of the letter, gentle and cute. He said, “Yun Cuo ya.”
He listened to the gentle breathing.
He concentrates on seeking tranquility, practicing and maintaining his qi at the past. Let the past be the past and be cautious. The door in the mind-viewing technique reopened to him, and this time he took a deep breath before walking straight inside.
Behind the door were countless gates, and the scenes inside were ever-changing. There was the Xunxia Pavilion where they first met, the wilderness military camp where they grew up, and there’s also the silent palace of the immortale.
He walked towards the door where he first met Xue Huai, and the closer he got to the door where he already had memories, the closer it was. Conversely, the farther it was, the dimmer it became. The interior of the entire mind-viewing technique is like a maze, supplemented by countless mind demons and illusions. The overlapping of past and present memories greatly deepens the complexity of the maze, making it difficult for anyone to turn back when they reach such a deep and remote place.
But Yun Cuo ignored it, as long as he could hear Xue Huai’s breathing in his ears, he believed he was walking on the right path.
It was the first time he had gone this deep—much deeper than any time before. Step by step, the more he walked, the colder his body became, but he didn’t turn back.
For the first time, he saw the truth behind the mind-viewing technique.
He saw Xue Huai and him head-on searching all night, and he saw Xue Huai having a big argument with his family about joining his military no matter what.
Seeing the person on the tip of his heart gazing at his departing back with a clueless, youthful smile under his eyes.
Seeing him flying back in a hurry with a letter from his family, he questioned his father, “Why did you just marry me off casually? At least tell me who he is.”
Xue Zong firmly said, “I can’t tell you now because, with your nature, you will definitely be with him regardless. But as parents, we need to consider not only who you like but also their background, nature, and future. That person’s identity is too special, his cultivation and nature are not suitable for you at the moment, so he cannot give you a good future. I give him five years, and if he succeeds, he’ll be the best husband you’ve ever had in heaven and on earth.”
He saw Xue Huai, with all the boldness and sharpness of his youth, slamming out the door like a little hedgehog. He sat in front of the table, the dark ink pen a few strokes out of the dashing handwriting. That is the juvenile heart, it is the past that Yun Cuo did not even dare to think about:
“The best husband in the world can’t be better than Yun Cuo.”
