Chapter 105: Hu Hanzhi Takes a Blade for Linglong

Seeing the ambiguous red marks on the woman's exposed skin, Qin Daofei felt a lingering trace of sympathy, so he unfastened his cloak and draped it over her.

Sensing the warmth, the woman let out a cry, hoarse and desperate: "Get me out of here!"

Everyone watched this bizarre scene in silence. While finding a collection of books in a scholar's room was completely normal, the fact that a naked woman was also hidden away inside the book repository was utterly unfathomable.

"Master, what is the meaning of this?" Tang Li was thoroughly bewildered by what he saw. He looked at Qin Daofei, seeking answers.

With a cold, mocking curve of his lips, Qin Daofei picked up a volume from the bookshelf. Opening the cover, he found that the pages were filled entirely with explicit paintings of erotic arts.

Curious, someone else followed suit and flipped through a book, only to drop it in shock with a trembling voice: "Isn't this Master Cheng Chun himself?"

Qin Daofei opened another book and frowned, asking, "Are you saying every illustration in these books is Master Cheng Chun himself?"

"Yes, it is truly him!"

Qin Daofei walked to the bookshelf closest to the woman, picked up a newly bound volume, and opened it. The pages were covered with graphic depictions of the woman and Master Cheng Chun entangled together. The beast had used the format of a daily journal to record his entanglements with every single woman.

"Tang Li, take all of his books back. Perhaps there will be clues about his relationship with Hu Meiniang among them!" Qin Daofei glanced at the woman, then turned to the academy's steward and asked, "Scholar, this woman could not have entered this place unnoticed out of nowhere. Do you recognize her?"

The steward looked at the woman, shook his head, and replied, "I truly do not recognize her!"

With his hands on his hips, Qin Daofei pondered for a moment before instructing Wuying: "Take this woman back. Have Ye Lishang treat her and see if we can extract any information from her. As for that esteemed Master Cheng Chun, let us forget about him. The academy really ought to manage its scholars better; how could such a vile creature ever be fit to be a teacher!"

"Master Qin's observation is astute. We will certainly manage things properly, absolutely!"

Qin Daofei led his men away, taking all of the scholar's illustrated volumes with him. However, the academy could never return to its former peace. Within half a day, news spread like wildfire, including the murder of Master Cheng Chun and his disgraceful deeds.

From that day onward, the Qingshan Academy ceased to exist!

As for Qin Daofei, after bringing so many books back to the Xiaoyao Manor, he did not dare to pause for even a moment. He organized a few trusted men and had them review the volumes in the study.

After flipping through two books, Tang Li threw them onto the floor and declared sternly, "Master, I cannot bear to read any more of this!"

Knowing the torment in Tang Li's heart, Qin Daofei said, "If you cannot bear it, stop reading. Go outside, take a break, and get some fresh air."

"To be honest, there is no man who doesn't enjoy looking at certain things, but this... if it weren't for the sake of the investigation, it is truly unwatchable. He is an absolute beast! If he weren't already dead, I would execute justice on behalf of the heavens myself!" an honest-looking man said through clenched teeth.

Qin Daofei acted as though he heard nothing. He gazed gloomily at the volume in his own hands, knowing full well that his own stomach was thoroughly churning.

Hearing that Qin Daofei had brought back a large number of books from the ill-fated Qingshan Academy, Linglong hurried over anxiously, hoping to ask about the progress of the investigation.

However, she was blocked at the door by Tang Li.

"First Madam, it is best if you do not go in there for now. Even as a man I cannot stomach it, let alone someone of your gentle sex!"

Linglong bared her teeth in a smile and retorted, "Who do I think I am? I am Feng Linglong, and there is nothing in this world that scares me!"

Creak!

The door swung open. Qin Daofei stood on the threshold, looking calmly at Linglong before reaching out to pull her away from the study.

"What is wrong?" Linglong asked, noticing his solemn expression.

Qin Daofei recounted the whole affair to Linglong. Her face instantly turned as pale as paper. She grabbed his sleeve and cried out, "Could Xiaoyu's involvement mean that he is... that he is..."

"Unlikely. How could a dead man consciously choose to select targets for murder and rummage through things? Do not let your imagination run wild," Qin Daofei comforted her.

Linglong paused for a second and then asked, "And... and the girl?"

"Ye Lishang is treating her wounds. She is not doing well," Qin Daofei frowned and replied.

Hearing that the woman was in a bad state, Linglong felt an inexplicable pang of pity. She asked him, "Can I go and see her?"

"I did not bring her here. Firstly, I do not wish to burden you with distress, and secondly, I do not want Huaer to be upset. Do not go to see her either. Be a good girl and wait for me at home. Do not go out alone these next few days—at least not until I catch Xiaoyu!" Qin Daofei pulled Linglong into his embrace. Suddenly, he felt a surge of gratitude toward Hu Hanzhi; had Linglong not met him instead, Qin Daofei dared not imagine what would have become of her.

"Then I will not look, and I will not go out. You must be careful yourself!" Feeling the warmth of his affection, Linglong softened and replied.

Qin Daofei instructed Tang Li, "Escort the First Madam back."

"Yes, Master!" Tang Li escorted Linglong back to the Linglong Pavilion.

Aifei was keeping watch in Zhifeng's room. Seeing Linglong return dejectedly, she asked, "What is it? Is there news of Xiaoyu?"

"Feifei, Qin Daofei said that Xiaoyu was witnessed committing murder at Qingshan Academy. He also said that Xiaoyu's body smelled of rotting flesh. I just feel so unsettled inside!" Linglong shared her doubts with Aifei.

Aifei looked at her thoughtfully and asked, "Do you truly believe Xiaoyu is dead?"

"I don't know. I would rather he were alive as a villain than turned into a monster!" Linglong said as tears fell from her eyes.

She dared not cry in front of others, but here, with Aifei, she could let her guard down.

Aifei knew that Linglong held deep affection for Xiaoyu. During those difficult years in the northern frontier, Xiaoyu had given Linglong a great deal of help, and Linglong wanted to treat him as kindly as she would her own younger brother.

"There is no such thing as the dead returning to life in this world, so do not overthink it. I suspect something went wrong along the way. Xiaoyu is no ordinary person; he managed the lives and deaths of most members of the Netherworld Hall. Right now, our most important task is to find him. Only by finding him can we understand why he became so bloodthirsty," Aifei comforted her.

Linglong looked deeply at Aifei and said softly, "Have you noticed? Ever since Xiaoyu committed murder in Xiaoyao Manor, he has not been himself at all!"

"I will go look for him!" Aifei stood up. Zhifeng, who had been sleeping, suddenly woke up, grabbed Aifei's hand, and said, "Take my signal flare. The moment you are in danger, set it off immediately, and the men from Xiaoyao Manor will come to your rescue."

Aifei did not refuse. She picked up Zhifeng's signal flare from his pillow and walked out the door.

Worried, Linglong stood in the doorway against the biting wind and snow, waiting for news from Aifei.

Returning from the study and seeing Linglong standing exposed to the draft, Qin Daofei unfastened his own cloak, wrapped it around her shoulders, and pulled her into his arms. "Why haven't you gone back inside? It is very cold out here."

"Aifei went to look for Xiaoyu. My heart feels so uneasy, I must stay here and keep watch for her!" Linglong stubbornly insisted.

Qin Daofei gently tousled her hair and said nothing.

Linglong asked, "How did things go on your end?"

"No major breakthroughs!" Although Master Cheng Chun's illustrated scrolls contained the shadow of Hu Meiniang, one could deduce from his written descriptions that he was never actually an intimate companion of hers. Everything was merely his own delusion.

However, the hairpin Wuying retrieved from Master Cheng Chun's window lattice undoubtedly belonged to Hu Meiniang.

Even so, Master Cheng Chun was also dead.

This time, without even needing Qin Daofei to investigate, the culprit had preemptively eliminated everyone connected to Hu Meiniang. At this rate, every man in the capital who had ever had dealings with Hu Meiniang would soon be hunted down.

"At least he left behind some clues. Let us keep searching; perhaps we will find some different news?" Linglong comforted him.

Suddenly, a signal flare shot up into the sky from the southern part of the city.

Without a word of hesitation, Qin Daofei vaulted over the fence like a sparrowhawk and sped toward the south like a streak of lightning.

Seeing this, Linglong also dashed swiftly toward the southern district.

At the residence of Lou Xizhi, a wealthy merchant in the southern quarter.

The moment Qin Daofei stepped through the doors, he saw three figures entangled in a fierce struggle. Though he did not yet understand the situation, he immediately recognized them: one was Xiaoyu, who had been committing murders with impunity over the past few days; another was the mysteriously vanished Hu Hanzhi; and the third was Aifei, who had been searching for Xiaoyu.

At that exact moment, Aifei reached out to grab Xiaoyu's hand, but the instant her fingers brushed his skin, she froze in shock and terror.

Realizing Aifei had stopped moving, Xiaoyu raised his dagger to plunge it into her heart.

Seeing this, Hu Hanzhi launched himself forward, shoving Aifei aside before engaging Xiaoyu in combat. Hu Hanzhi wielded a sword, and his blade struck Xiaoyu's body several times, only to rebound as if he were hacking against solid stone.

Undiscouraged, Hu Hanzhi pressed the attack, repeatedly attempting to subdue Xiaoyu.

Suddenly, Xiaoyu clutched his head as if driven completely mad, letting out a wild, agonized roar like a beast. However, this state lasted only a brief moment. Before long, moving with the speed of a gale, he thrust his hand forward and struck Hu Hanzhi squarely in the chest.

Puff!

Hu Hanzhi coughed up blood on the spot.

Grabbing his dagger, Xiaoyu moved without the slightest hesitation to slash Hu Hanzhi's throat.

Just as the tip of the blade pierced the skin of Hu Hanzhi's neck, Qin Daofei intervened. Flying forward, he kicked the dagger out of Xiaoyu's hand. Xiaoyu slowly turned his head, breathing heavily as he glared blankly at Qin Daofei.

Only then did Qin Daofei get a clear look at Xiaoyu. Though it was indeed Xiaoyu, his eyes had no pupils—his entire eye sockets were stark white, save for a tiny black dot right in the center. When his eyes shifted, that minuscule dot moved with them, as if that alone represented his vision. Furthermore, his complexion was a sickly pale mixed with the purplish hue of oncoming decomposition, and his lips were frighteningly white. At a glance, he was nothing more than a walking corpse.

While Qin Daofei stood momentarily stunned, Xiaoyu struck. Though disarmed, he instinctively maintained the posture of holding a dagger, thrusting his bare hand toward Qin Daofei's chest.

When the initial strike failed, he shifted tactics, aiming a throat-slitting motion at Qin Daofei instead.

Qin Daofei drew the soft sword from his waist and slashed at Xiaoyu's arm, but he met with the exact same frustration as Hu Hanzhi. Xiaoyu's body was as hard as iron; even his precious sword, capable of cleaving through iron as if it were mud, could not make a dent.

What kind of sorcery was this?

Realizing blades were useless against him, Qin Daofei lashed out with a long leg, kicking Xiaoyu squarely into the corner of the wall.

Xiaoyu felt no pain whatsoever. The moment he hit the ground, he sprang right back up and resumed his assault.

Nearby, Hu Hanzhi clutched his neck as fresh blood seeped between his fingers. Enduring sharp pain, Aifei rushed over and wrapped her arms around him.

"Hanzhi, how are you?" Aifei asked anxiously.

Clutching his neck, Hu Hanzhi shook his head, his expression contorted in agony.

Tearing a strip of fabric from her own hem, Aifei pulled Hu Hanzhi's hand away and quickly pressed the cloth against his wound. "Hold this, I will bandage you!"

Obediently, Hu Hanzhi pressed down on the injury. Aifei tore another strip of cloth to bind it securely, then helped him sit against the corner. "Wait here a moment, I am going to help Qin Daofei!"

"Aifei, do not kill Xiaoyu!" Hu Hanzhi pleaded, clutching at her sleeve.

Aifei glanced at Xiaoyu and said coldly, "In the state he is in now, who else could even hope to harm him?"

With a dash, Aifei slid her hands under Xiaoyu's armpits, locked him in a full nelson grip, and turned his front directly toward Qin Daofei.

Feeling himself restrained, Xiaoyu let out a roar and flung Aifei away with tremendous force.

Qin Daofei clearly caught sight of something inside Xiaoyu's mouth: crawling insects, dense clusters of writhing bugs.

Daring not to act rashly, he maintained a stalemate with Xiaoyu. Whenever Xiaoyu made a move to advance, Qin Daofei would kick him back, ensuring he could never close the distance.

Aifei slammed hard against the wall after being thrown, coughing up a mouthful of blood. Clutching her chest, she struggled to her feet, intent on subduing Xiaoyu once more.

"Stay back! He has lost all consciousness. I saw insects inside his mouth—go find Ye Lishang, quickly! He will be either at his own estate or the Second Prince's residence!" Qin Daofei instructed, keeping a cautious eye on Xiaoyu.

Gritting her teeth, Aifei immediately bolted out the door.

Sensing Aifei's escape, Xiaoyu made to give chase. With a flick of Qin Daofei's wrist, his soft sword whipped out like a rope, tangling around Xiaoyu's ankles and tripping him to the floor.

Frustrated, Xiaoyu grabbed the blade and crumpled it up in his fists as if it were mere paper, tossing the mangled metal into the corner.

Shocked, Qin Daofei watched him closely. Whenever Qin Daofei moved, Xiaoyu moved; but the moment Qin Daofei froze, Xiaoyu ceased all movement as well.

Realizing this, Qin Daofei held his position completely still.

"Aifei, where are you?" Linglong had arrived. Charging blindly into the room, she was greeted by the sight of Hu Hanzhi slumped in the corner while Qin Daofei stood locked in a standoff with Xiaoyu.

Sensing Linglong's presence, Xiaoyu suddenly leaped forward, his fingers mimicking the grip of a dagger, aiming a lethal swipe straight at her throat.

The chilling proximity made Linglong's scalp tingle with terror. As she threw her hands up defensively, Xiaoyu altered his trajectory, shifting his attack toward her heart.

"Linglong, do not move!" Qin Daofei roared in a harsh, commanding tone, lunging toward her.

Yet at that critical, split-second juncture, Hu Hanzhi—who had been sitting on the floor—suddenly propelled himself upward, throwing his own body in front of Xiaoyu's attack to shield her.

Puff!

Armed with a dagger from unknown origins, Xiaoyu drove the blade straight into Hu Hanzhi's back.

Hu Hanzhi collapsed into Linglong's arms. Panicked and bewildered, she caught him, crying out, "Hanzhi, what has happened to you?"

"Not dead yet!" Hu Hanzhi managed, still retaining enough humor to crack a joke.

Seizing the opportunity, Qin Daofei delivered a heavy blow to the side of Xiaoyu's head, knocking him to the floor. He then scooped up Hu Hanzhi, carried him back to the corner, and warned Linglong, "Stay completely still and he will not be able to see you!"

With that, he stepped back in front of Xiaoyu to resume the engagement.

Knowing his martial arts were entirely useless against Xiaoyu, his only strategy was to contain him and buy time until Ye Lishang arrived.

With their backs pressed against the corner, Linglong placed her hands over the wound on Hu Hanzhi's back. Shocked, she asked, "What has happened to Xiaoyu? When he attacked me just now, I felt no warmth in his body whatsoever!"

"He has no body temperature!" Hu Hanzhi said through clenched teeth. Cold sweat drenched his forehead, and his vision began to blur.

"He is... he is dead, isn't he?" Though she was reluctant to believe it, it was the only logical explanation.

Hu Hanzhi smiled bitterly. "I buried him with my own hands. Yet I cannot fathom how he has come back like this."

"What on earth has he been through?" Linglong's tears dropped onto the back of Hu Hanzhi's hand. He raised a weak hand to wipe them away, saying softly, "Do not cry. Qin Daofei will figure this out... cough, cough!"

With those words, Hu Hanzhi's hands fell limply to his sides. He looked up at Linglong, offering a weak, exhausted smile. "Linglong, I think I can hold on no longer!"

"No, you must hold on! I will take you to see Ye Lishang!" Linglong tried to stand, but Xiaoyu instantly whipped his head around, fixing his pupil-less eyes directly on her.

Fearing for her safety, Qin Daofei immediately lashed out and struck Xiaoyu across the face to divert his attention. Xiaoyu turned back, his cold, empty gaze locking once more onto Qin Daofei.

"Do not move. Aifei has gone to find Ye Lishang. Just... do not move!" Hu Hanzhi murmured before passing out entirely, collapsing weakly into her arms.

Clutching his sleeve, Linglong wept uncontrollably.

Tossing a vial of medicinal ointment from his pocket down near Linglong's feet, Qin Daofei dodged another of Xiaoyu's lunges and shouted over the din, "These are the medicines formulated by Ye Lishang. Use them on him now—some for internal ingestion, some for topical application."

Following his instructions, Linglong forced the medicine between Hu Hanzhi's lips and dressed his wounds.

Seeing that she had finished treating him, Qin Daofei once again froze in place.

Failing to detect any presence from Qin Daofei, Xiaoyu went still once more.

Moments later, the sound of tearing wind heralded someone rushing through the doors. Qin Daofei's eyes brightened, but before he could react, Xiaoyu lunged toward the entrance.

"Watch out!" Qin Daofei shouted a warning just as a familiar, gravelly voice echoed from outside: "Goddamn it, I haven't laid eyes on this filth in at least thirty years! I never expected anyone in the jianghu to still practice this dark sorcery."

As the voice faded, Xiaoyu was sent hurtling back inside, landing squarely in the center of the open floor.

"Old Man Ye, you're finally here!" Qin Daofei narrowed his eyes.

Following right behind him, Ye Lishang—who had never witnessed anything like Xiaoyu before—curiously craned his neck to look. Sensing movement, Xiaoyu lunged at him. Without panicking, Old Man Ye flicked his wrist and drove a single silver needle precisely into the center of Xiaoyu's glabella. Instantly, Xiaoyu stiffened and crashed to the floor like a stone, completely immobilized.

"Ye Lishang, come look at Hu Hanzhi quickly! He is severely injured!" Linglong called out.

Dismissive of Hu Hanzhi for the moment, Ye Lishang waved a hand and said, "Let me inspect this corpse first. This is a rare wonder under heaven!"

"You're courting death!" Aifei muttered coldly, grabbing Ye Lishang by the collar and casually tossing him aside toward Linglong.

Muttering curses under his breath, Ye Lishang wasted no time getting to work. After checking Hu Hanzhi's pulse, he stated calmly, "The bleeding on his external wounds has stopped, nothing major there. But his heart has suffered severe damage and will require a long period of quiet recuperation."

"How could his heart be severely injured?" Linglong asked, confused, since Hu Hanzhi's wounds were on his neck and back.

Aifei explained, "Xiaoyu tried to kill me. He threw himself in front of me to block one of Xiaoyu's punches. I simply had no idea that a blow from Xiaoyu could carry such terrifying force."

Once Hu Hanzhi was settled, everyone turned their attention back to Xiaoyu.

Qin Daofei and Old Man Ye crouched beside him. "Has this man been dead for long?" Old Man Ye asked.

"Yes. He murdered a maidservant in my home a few days ago, and was subsequently killed by the Fifth Elder of the Tongtian Pavilion," Qin Daofei explained.

"Oh?"

Old Man Ye raised his head, staring at him in astonishment. "You mean an elder of the Tongtian Pavilion personally stepped down to commit a murder?"

"Indeed, he captured Xiaoyu with his own hands and killed him," Qin Daofei replied, watching Old Man Ye closely for any reaction.

Showing no particular surprise, Old Man Ye simply remarked, "Those bastards from the Tongtian Pavilion usually act as proud as peacocks. For one of them to actually kill someone is quite a rarity."

Though Old Man Ye maintained a façade of innocence, Qin Daofei remained convinced that something about him was deeply amiss.

"Then how on earth did he become like this? How can a dead man rise again to kill? The stench of rot on him is growing stronger—will he simply disintegrate?" Qin Daofei asked, playing the role of a curious inquisitor.

With an ambiguous smile, Old Man Ye replied, "This fellow is no ordinary case. He is being manipulated through gu-insects embedded within him. His body is as hard as iron; he can neither be beaten to death nor hacked apart. No one yet knows the name of this particular strain of gu, but I once encountered someone afflicted similarly. This specimen is not yet fully mature; if he were, a single strike would reduce a person to pulp, rather than merely damaging their heart vessels!"

"Yet he is blind," Qin Daofei pointed out.

"Precisely!" Old Man Ye nodded. "Right now, his body is teeming with gu-insects of various kinds. The ones controlling his vision are serpent-gu. Consequently, his sensory perception mimics that of a snake—he attacks whatever moves, and remains oblivious to anything that stays still."

"How can he be destroyed?" Qin Daofei asked.

Old Man Ye looked at Linglong. "Girl, do you have the heart to destroy him?"

"He is already dead, and now he is merely being manipulated as an instrument of slaughter. What use is there in keeping him around?" Aifei spoke up when Linglong remained silent.

Looking blankly at Old Man Ye, Linglong asked, "Is the process of destroying him gruesome?"

"Other than fire, nothing can destroy him," Old Man Ye declared.

Linglong drew a sharp breath, lowered her head, and said quietly, "I will leave first. Do not let me watch."

Hearing her request, Qin Daofei let out a sharp whistle. A subordinate instantly appeared, bowing deeply. "Does the Master have instructions?"

"Help the First Madam carry Hu Hanzhi to the Ghost Physician's residence and have him treated!" With those words, Qin Daofei cast a lingering glance at Linglong.

Though Ye Lishang wanted to protest, one look at Qin Daofei's expression made him swallow his words in sullen silence.

After Linglong and the others departed with Hu Hanzhi, Old Man Ye turned to Qin Daofei and said, "I am going to show you something truly heaven-shaking and earth-shattering!"

"Oh?"

Qin Daofei raised an eyebrow. "What could possibly be so astonishing?"

"Have the men of Xiaoyao Manor set up a pyre in a secluded spot. I will let you witness it yourself," Old Man Ye said, pointing at Xiaoyu. "Carry this corpse along."

"Wait, let me check whether Lou Xizhi is dead!" Circumstances had been too chaotic earlier, but now the thought crossed his mind.

Seeing that Xiaoyu was immobilized, Lou's household servants cautiously emerged from hiding.

Qin Daofei asked, "Where is Lou Xizhi?"

"At this hour, our master is usually reviewing account books in his study," a steward-like figure replied, stepping forward to lead the way.

After walking a short distance with the steward, Qin Daofei asked casually, "Tell me, did your master ever cross paths with a woman named Hu Meiniang some twenty years ago?"

Walking right behind them, Old Man Ye missed seeing the sudden, stark change that crossed his face at the mention of Hu Meiniang's name.

Pondering for a moment, the steward replied with absolute certainty, "My master only made his fortune fifteen years ago. Before that, he was merely a humble servant in someone else's household. Back then, how could someone like Hu Meiniang have ever deigned to notice him?"

A servant twenty years ago, yet he amassed a fortune fifteen years ago—could it have any connection to Hu Meiniang?

While Qin Daofei was deep in thought, the steward smiled and said, "Master Qin, here is my master's study!"

With a creak, the steward pushed open the doors to Lou Xizhi's study. The moment the door swung wide, they were all greeted by a gruesome sight: Lou Xizhi's severed head was placed neatly upon the desk, while his mutilated torso hung from the window frame, slashed to ribbons. A pool of dark red blood had congealed on the floor below due to the freezing weather, filling the room with an inescapable stench of iron and decay.

The steward's legs turned to jelly, and he collapsed heavily onto the floor.

Qin Daofei surveyed the corpse calmly before pacing around the study twice. However, he found no secret compartments or hidden mechanisms.

Unwilling to linger and tear the room apart openly, Qin Daofei took his leave.

However, upon returning to the courtyard, they discovered that Xiaoyu's corpse was gone.

"Damn it!" Old Man Ye slapped his thigh, vaulted effortlessly over the courtyard wall, and bolted toward the outskirts of the city.

Without hesitation, Qin Daofei gave chase, keeping pace with Old Man Ye.

The two pursued the trail all the way to the riverbank, only to find a massive wooden pyre blazing fiercely. Through the roaring flames, the silhouette of a medium-sized body was vaguely visible.

"We are a step too late," Old Man Ye said in frustration.

Curious, Qin Daofei asked, "What precisely was this heaven-shaking thing you wanted to show me?"

"Let me tell you, gu-insects are fiercely loyal to their hosts—especially intelligent strains like this. When pushed to the brink, they will exhaust their last ounce of strength to escape the host's body and seek out their true master. If the master rejects them, they simply perish. We could have used this to track down the mastermind pulling the strings behind the scenes all along. What a pity, we grew careless!" Old Man Ye lamented.

Qin Daofei remained silent, his cold gaze fixed on the distance, filled with a mixture of regret and calculation.

Once the fire burned itself out, Qin Daofei asked, "Was that truly Xiaoyu?"

"Judge for yourself. Even amidst such an intense blaze, the body has not been completely reduced to ashes, proving that his flesh underwent a drastic transformation. It must be Xiaoyu. Have your uncle come identify the remains to bring some closure," Old Man Ye said, walking away with his hands clasped behind his back.

Instructing his men to inform Wang Liushu, Qin Daofei followed suit.

At Ye Lishang's medical clinic.

The moment Qin Daofei stepped through the doors, he was greeted by the sound of Ye Lishang shouting in rage: "Feng Linglong, do not touch my herbs! Or so help me, I will brew three hundred types of aphrodisiacs and ensure you and Qin Daofei cannot step outside for three days and three nights!"

Crash!

Yelp!

Crash!

"Feng Linglong, I am going to throttle you! No one can save you today!" Ye Lishang's voice was practically cracking with fury.

Pretending not to notice, Qin Daofei pushed the door open, only to be greeted by a large flower pot flying straight at his face. With a smooth, practiced motion, he caught it, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Linglong.

"Accidental discharge!" Linglong declared blithely. She continued to dodge Ye Lishang's pursuit while casually picking up handfuls of prime medicinal herbs and tossing them at him.

Unable to catch Feng Linglong, a desperate Ye Lishang turned to Qin Daofei for help. "Can't you control your own woman?!"

"She looks like she is having a great deal of fun. Why should I stop her?" Qin Daofei replied heartlessly.

Furious yet daring not to act, Ye Lishang pressed his palms together and pleaded, "Stop this madwoman for me, and next time you need my services, I will waive your consultation fee."

"For a year!" Qin Daofei demanded greedily.

Pointing at a batch of precious herbs Linglong was gathering up to smash, Ye Lishang shrieked, "Feng Linglong, if you dare smash those, you will live to regret it! Those are the exact medicines required for you and Feng Yixiao's treatment. Qin Daofei, if you ever want to hold another child within the year, you had better stop this lunatic right now!"

Before the words had even faded, Linglong hurled the pot straight at him. Narrowing his eyes, Qin Daofei darted forward, safely intercepted the herbs, set them aside, and flashed over to wrap an arm around Linglong's slim waist. "Hu Hanzhi is not dead?"

"Mhm, though he was on the brink of death, they managed to pull him back!" Linglong flashed a bright, cheerful smile. For some reason, Qin Daofei suddenly felt that her smile was thoroughly unappealing—truly, not attractive in the slightest.

Unaware of his petty thoughts, Linglong shoved against his chest and said, "Just now Ye Lishang accused Hu Hanzhi and me of all sorts of improper nonsense. Are you going to let me throttle him or not?"

"He cannot die right now; he still has great utility," Qin Daofei replied, pulling her away from Ye Lishang's devastated garden.

With a brief lapse in logic, Linglong asked, "What use could a quack like him possibly have? He chatters like a village gossip—keeping him around is entirely pointless!"

Hmph!

Aifei brushed past Linglong, letting out a cold snort. "Fool."

"Hey, hey, hey! Who are you calling a fool?" Linglong pointed an accusatory finger at her.

Aifei casually flipped her the middle finger and breezily strolled out of the compound.

Disliking Linglong's presence, Ye Lishang pointed toward the front gate. "I give you three days to haul Hu Hanzhi out of here! From now on, you are forbidden from stepping foot into my courtyard—not even a single step!"

"Who wants to come to your wretched place anyway? Hmph!" After taking a few steps, Linglong looked back at Qin Daofei, her expression a mixture of bashful resentment and annoyance.

Qin Daofei smiled knowingly, a deep sense of amusement in his eyes.

Presumably, she too realized precisely why Ye Lishang was being kept around!

As the two walked away from Ye Lishang's estate along the winding corridors, Linglong spotted two figures dressed in foreign nomadic attire approaching them.

Approaching closer, the two men bowed respectfully to Linglong. "Many thanks to Lady Linglong for saving our master. We have come to take him home!"

"He is gravely injured. Where do you intend to take him?" she asked.

Exchanging a glance, the two men replied, "Our master said he wishes to live in the City of Shule for a while!"

The City of Shule—a city for broken-hearted souls!

Linglong remained silent. Lowering her head in quiet contemplation for a moment, she finally spoke softly, "Then make sure you take good care of your young master."

"Yes!"

The following day, Xiaoyao Manor.

Qin Daofei and Tang Li were reviewing the case files of the individuals murdered by Xiaoyu who had ties to Hu Meiniang. Sitting amid a towering stack of documents, Tang Li looked up in frustration. "Master, why is it that among all those killed, only Lou Xizhi had zero connection to Hu Meiniang? Furthermore, his method of death was far stranger than the others. If Xiaoyu hadn't been caught red-handed at the scene, I would truly suspect someone else orchestrated this."

"It *was* orchestrated by someone else. The pattern of Xiaoyu's murders simply reflected his habits from when he was alive. Even if the gu-insects controlling him possess a degree of cleverness, they are not sophisticated enough to plot such an intricate scheme. Tonight, I plan to make a covert trip to Lou Xizhi's estate; perhaps we will reap some unexpected discoveries. Yesterday, their steward mentioned that when Lou Xizhi was young, he worked as a personal servant." Standing up abruptly, Qin Daofei commanded, "Go investigate: whose servant was Lou Xizhi originally?"

Stepping out from the shadows, Wuying replied calmly, "I have already looked into it. Lou Xizhi's rise to fortune is rather bizarre. Back then, he followed a profligate young master in the capital as a retainer. That young master frequented the pleasure quarters, so it is entirely possible he knew Hu Meiniang. However, fifteen years ago, his entire family died in a sudden accident. It was winter, and while they were gathered around the charcoal brazier, they succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Ever since then, Lou Xizhi grew wealthy."

"A convenient accident, indeed," Qin Daofei said coldly.

Yet the trail had gone cold once again. Even if Lou Xizhi knew something, how could he have ever come into direct contact with Hu Meiniang?

"Still, it is worth a covert investigation. Who knows what we might find?" Qin Daofei added.

Wuying bowed and retreated back into the shadows.

Tang Li chimed in, "Master, we have already rotated all our informants in the capital over the past few days. What do you suppose Old Zhu..."

"Whether Old Zhu manages to see reason or not, after this incident, she can no longer be trusted. Taking precautions against her is always wise. The capital's operations are a bit abnormal right now, but things will settle down in a few days," Qin Daofei said, rising to his feet and walking toward the door.

Someone asked Tang Li, "Brother Li, where is the Master heading?"

"The Linglong Pavilion, do you even need to ask?" Tang Li tossed a book at the man. In truth, he was longing to head to the Linglong Pavilion himself; buried under mountains of paperwork for days, he hadn't seen Huaer in ages.

Catching the flying book, the man tossed it right back, hitting Tang Li squarely in the face.

Tang Li shoved the book aside, but a stray page caught his eye. Picking it up to glance through a few illustrations, his expression darkened. His grip tightened fiercely around the volume until the veins in his forearm bulged ominously.

Sensing a dense aura of murderous intent radiating from him, someone asked, "What is wrong, Brother Li?"

Drawing a deep breath of fresh air, Tang Li concealed the book inside his robes and replied flatly, "Nothing. You all keep reviewing the files carefully, I have matters to attend to outside!"

Returning to his quarters, Tang Li retrieved the book, re-examined its contents thoroughly, shoved it beneath his sleeping mat, picked up his saber, and strode out the door.

At the Linglong Pavilion.

Restless indoors, Feng Yixiao insisted on going outside for a stroll. Anxious that the howling wind and biting snow would freeze her delicate face, Linglong tried to apply anti-chapping cream. Reluctant and squirming, the little girl kept trying to wriggle free, babbling incessantly, "Daddy out! Daddy out!"

"Fine, fine, I know your father is a pig, you don't need to keep emphasizing it," Linglong teased, deliberately misinterpreting her words.

Amused and exasperated, Qin Daofei walked over and pinched Linglong's cheek. "Care to try slandering me again?"

"With the signed agreement in my hand, why should I be afraid of you?" Linglong retorted quite brazenly.

Knowing she was in a fragile mood, Qin Daofei chose not to bicker. He scooped Feng Yixiao up into his arms and said softly, "Your mother is terrified of the cold; she wouldn't step outside in this weather for the world. Daddy will take you out to play instead."

"Mwah, mwah!" Overjoyed, Feng Yixiao planted a resounding kiss on Qin Daofei's cheek.

With that, Qin Daofei carried her outside.

Once they left, Linglong slumped despondently over the desk, resting her chin in her hands with a heavy sigh.

Seeing how low her spirits were, Huaer asked, "Milady, are you hungry?"

"Starving. I want to eat loads and loads of meat, mountains of braised pig trotters!" Linglong muttered, feeling deeply depressed and turning to food for comfort.

Huaer replied, "I will go whip something up, just wait!"

Once Huaer left, Linglong collapsed completely flat against the table. Staring listlessly into space, she felt as though even breathing took too much effort.

Creak.

The door drifted open.

Without even raising her head, Linglong asked lifelessly, "Huaer, why are you back so soon?"

"I am here to take your life!" Standing in the doorway was not Huaer at all, but Old Zhu, holding a gleaming kitchen knife.

Hearing her voice, Linglong snapped her head up just in time to see Old Zhu hurl the cleaver straight toward her.