The torches illuminated the dungeon brightly, and an indescribable smell of rotting dampness was swept by the wind rushing in toward the exit, making sounds like a child’s wailing.

The entire private prison seemed to be under some kind of immobilization spell the moment Xue Yu entered—inside and outside the cells, all was silent as death.

Having forced himself to say three or four sentences, Su You was already at the end of his strength. His fingertips curled under his sleeves, each one bent and bleeding profusely, like strings stretched to their absolute limit that would suddenly snap, shatter, and turn to dust with just one tiny movement.

After saying “Please don’t look,” Su You forced his gradually dimming eyes to stay open, his gaze carefully and stubbornly falling on Xue Yu’s face that was cold as frost.

No expression could be read from it, so he searched her eyes, almost suspiciously analyzing every fleeting emotion within them.

It should be regret, indifference, disdain, or perhaps disgust.

All these years, he had lived under such gazes, and that was even before the world had seen his ugly wings.

Perhaps if he closed his eyes now, when he woke again it would be in some sunless mine, barren mountain, or dark undercurrent, doing the things a waste should do. Not standing by her side, sharing a desk with her, looking at maps and documents together, being cultivated as a trusted minister.

The blood in his entire body seemed to flow backward through his meridians. Su You could even hear another self in his heart saying that all dreams had their limits—he should return to his original life trajectory.

But against the firelight, looking into her eyes, for a moment, it was like returning to when he first saw her after coming down from the Judgment Platform.

There was no contempt, hatred, or disdain—because of the constant coldness, it was like a lake in early spring that hadn’t completely thawed. But beyond that was a rare display of anger that could be seen at a glance.

“What nonsense are you thinking?”

Xue Yu leaned toward him, her sleeve silk flowing like water, gently draping over the ends of his hair. Her long finger touched his whip-scarred wrist, feeling the shattered, chaotic energy within his body, and immediately frowned.

With a cold face, she flicked a thread of endless vital spiritual energy into his body. When their eyes met, her gaze inevitably fell on his eye corners that seemed flushed red as if steamed by high fever.

Seeing this, Xue Yu held back, then seemed unable to restrain herself as she called his name in a condensed voice: “Su You.”

The youth nervously shifted his gaze, then pressed his lips together, not daring to respond, only lightly nodding his head, as if waiting for some belated judgment.

“Do you know you’re in your growth period?”

Her words were heavy, each word showing her rare anger: “Don’t you want your life anymore?”

Chao Nian had never seen her scold someone like this. He looked back and forth between Xue Yu and Su You, who was barely breathing on his shoulder, and quickly said: “My lady, Su You knows he was wrong. He’ll never dare again.”

“Never dare?” Xue Yu asked: “Ask him if he knows how to write the words ‘never dare.'”

Chao Nian quickly leaned close to Su You’s ear to remind him: “You broke into Prince Zhao’s mansion on your own. My lady guessed you were in mortal danger, threw all the demon monk business to Shan Shu, and led us to force our way in directly.”

“She was worried sick—I’ve never seen my lady this angry.”

With that, he urged: “Quickly say you know.”

Su You had imagined ten thousand possible outcomes, but never this one.

Only when she truly stood before him now, angry with every word, did he finally find some sense of reality. He opened his lips, and after a long while finally made a sound, carrying a bewildered show of weakness, his throat producing only some kind of burning breath: “…I know.”

Xue Yu’s gaze then traveled from his trembling throat down to his wrist bones marked with whip scars. She frowned as if unable to accept it, then turned to look at Prince Zhao and the black-clothed men standing in the prison, asking: “Who used the torture?”

From when she entered until now, Prince Zhao had been ignored throughout, his face alternating between blue and white. At this moment, he stepped forward with a dark expression and said, “Miss Xue Yu, this person broke into a prince’s mansion in the dead of night. Half of this prince’s mansion was nearly razed to the ground, and you brought people to force your way into Prince Zhao’s mansion. What exactly does the Sacred Land intend? Are you completely disregarding the court and the Human Emperor?”

Given the current situation, he was putting on a strong front while being weak inside, only able to turn the tables and strike first.

Under normal circumstances, when it involved the Sacred Land and the court, even Sacred Land successors should stop to explain a few words and not dare act rashly, giving him enough time to deal with the night’s incidents.

But Xue Yu didn’t.

As if she hadn’t heard Prince Zhao’s words at all, she immediately issued orders one after another: “Enforcement Hall, surround Prince Zhao’s mansion. Without my command, no one may enter or exit.”

“Liang Yan, interrogate the prisoners in the private prison.”

“Qing Luo, you and the female attendants from Shan Shu’s side, take people to search the lake on the eastern side of Prince Zhao’s mansion. Report any unusual activity immediately.”

“I’d like to see who dares!” Prince Zhao laughed in extreme anger. He stepped forward to face Xue Yu eye to eye and said, “Xue Yu, this prince is a court prince. By what right does your Sacred Land forcibly search a prince’s mansion?!”

“Qiu Zhao, does the Human Emperor know you’ve caused such trouble for him?” Xue Yu looked at him quietly, mercilessly exposing the truth: “Colluding with demonic creatures—does he dare acknowledge such a crime? Or do you dare acknowledge it?”

“Nonsense! This prince has no idea what you’re talking about.” Prince Zhao denied it to the death.

“If you don’t understand, then let someone who does understand listen.” Xue Yu said, “Chao Nian, contact the Human Emperor.”

Chao Nian responded with an “Ay.” Tao Zhi stepped forward to support Su You, saying softly, “I’ll take you back first. Leave this to them to handle. Don’t worry.”

Jiu Feng lazily leaned against the private prison entrance, her gaze falling on Su You’s golden wings gradually retracting into his body. A flash of uncertain doubt crossed her eyes as she said: “Su You’s wings look somewhat familiar to me, though the patterns and colors are different—fine, you go first. There’s no use staying here anyway.”

The string that had been taut in Su You’s mind all night quietly loosened at this moment. Wave-like exhaustion surged over his eyelids. He heard the words behind him in that uniquely clear, cold female voice.

“Clear conscience? A clear conscience means Prince Zhao was so eager to torture my person?”

Su You paused his steps, as if struck by those few words in some thought. The ink color in his pupils softened like it was mixed with water, showing a kind of almost bewildered helplessness. Then, tenacity that grew wild like vines burned like raging wildfire.

The extreme emotional ups and downs made his body completely unable to bear it. Before Su You’s vision completely dimmed, one last thought flashed through his mind.

Demons who had passed their growth period would grow rapidly.

He would do everything in his power to catch up to her pace.

He was willing to restrain his claws, fangs, and the base nature in his bones to become a trusted minister under Xue Yu’s command.

The private prison immediately became chaotic. Xue Yu’s people completely ignored Qiu Zhao’s orders—they only listened to Xue Yu’s instructions. Those locked in the private prison were all servants who originally served Prince Zhao’s mansion, extremely good at reading expressions. Before being asked more than two questions, they all confessed everything.

“Yes, yes.” The timid servant wiped tears while saying, “The commotion in that lake was enormous. Every night, if it wasn’t pouring rain, it was howling black wind. The sound was so loud we couldn’t sleep night after night. We servants of the mansion, if we accidentally got too close to that lake during the day, would immediately be captured and held here for quiet disposal. Because of this, the corpses piled up on the back mountain have formed a mountain.”

“Immortal, please allow us to report—it’s not that we didn’t want to escape, but this Prince Zhao’s mansion is simply a death prison. Once we entered, we couldn’t leave. No matter how far we walked, we’d still circle back to the original place like going through a maze.”

Listening to these words, Xue Yu looked at Prince Zhao, whose face was alternating between blue and white, and asked: “Wind and rain—what’s hidden in the lake?”

“Tell me, what are you saving the ghost infant for?”

“Xue Yu, are you interrogating this prince?” Prince Zhao turned his head away with sinister coldness, asking.

“Yes.” Xue Yu coldly nodded, saying without saving face: “I am interrogating you.”

Chao Nian had burned two spiritual talismans and now retreated to Xue Yu’s side, saying in a low voice: “My lady, I can’t contact the court side.”

Xue Yu nodded, indicating she understood. She looked at Prince Zhao, who had instantly turned pale, and said: “In that case, since this concerns malevolent demons, to ensure the safety of Su Zhou’s common people, I can only act first and report later, search the prince’s mansion, and explain the truth to the Human Emperor afterward.”

Prince Zhao’s composure completely cracked for the first time.

Afterward.

After the mansion was searched and evidence was found, even if Qiu Zhao died at Xue Yu’s hands, what could the Human Emperor do, what could the court do? Not saying “he deserved to die” would already be showing utmost benevolence.

Even if Xue Yu didn’t kill him, once the things in the lake were discovered, Qiu Tong wouldn’t spare him either.

Both paths led to death, all because he had captured a half-demon and pushed himself into such desperate straits.

Not long after, Qing Luo hurriedly entered. She leaned close to Xue Yu’s ear and said in a low voice: “My lady, the Human Emperor has arrived. We couldn’t search that lake.”

Xue Yu showed a surprised expression for the first time.

The Human Emperor was tens of thousands of miles away in the imperial capital, holding court daily with countless matters to worry about. How could he suddenly appear in Su Zhou?

She said, “Bring Prince Zhao over.”

Actually, rather than “bring,” it was more like half-forcing him there. Prince Zhao felt deeply humiliated. His face, already pale with sickness, flushed and changed color as he began coughing continuously.

Xue Yu was unmoved by this and turned to head toward the eastern lakeside.

At midnight, with a bright moon and sparse stars, the lakeside was full of Enforcement Hall people because of the lake search. At this moment, they held torches and knelt in unison toward the direction of the pavilion in the lake’s center.

This lake was extremely large, almost occupying the size of two ordinary southern city residences. Moonlight scattered down generously, and the lake surface rippled with the wind’s movement, like the surface of a dress embedded with thousands of gems—everywhere one looked were brilliant points of light.

In the simple grass pavilion at the lake’s center, layers of fine curtains and bead screens had been hung at some point, making it impossible to see the true appearance of the person standing inside.

Two eunuchs dressed as chief palace managers stood outside the pavilion, each holding a snow-white fly whisk.

One of them, seeing Xue Yu arrive, stepped forward to greet her. In a sharp, thin voice, he paid his respects while making a guiding gesture, saying: “Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence.”

Xue Yu had seen him before, when Qiu Tong was still a prince.

This meant Qiu Tong was truly inside.

She frowned, realizing things might be somewhat troublesome.

At least the lake search could not continue.

Another eunuch bowed to lift the bead curtain for her. The crackling sounds fell one by one behind her, and the tall figure with his back to her also turned around, revealing Qiu Tong’s face, pale and weak from illness.

He coughed a few times with his hand pressed to his fist, then smiled: “Miss Xue Yu, it’s been a long time.”

“Human Emperor.” New and old grievances accumulated together. Xue Yu had no mood to exchange pleasantries and pay respects to him. She went straight to the point: “The Human Emperor spent a fortune to use a teleportation array to appear here. You must have also heard about Prince Zhao’s mansion.”

“Yes.” As if he had expected her to be so unforgiving, Qiu Tong smiled helplessly and said: “Ah Zhao’s personality is naturally like this—he can never settle down. I sent him to Su Zhou to temper him, thinking he would gain some sense and think more before acting. I didn’t expect him to still cause trouble.”

“If there are any offenses against Miss Xue Yu, I apologize on his behalf.”

Facts proved that this sickly prince, who had used extraordinary means to ascend to the Human Emperor’s throne, was as flexible as ever. When he spoke, he naturally had a comfortable feeling like being bathed in the spring breeze. Those who hadn’t openly or secretly competed with him would truly think he was a benevolent ruler and a caring elder brother.

“I cannot bear the Human Emperor’s apology.” Xue Yu asked: “How do you explain the demon monk and ghost infant? What exactly is buried under this lake?”

“Before coming, I thoroughly understood this matter from beginning to end.” Qiu Tong good-naturedly laughed, his eye corners bending accordingly, as if he had endless patience: “The ghost infant matter is entirely Miss Ah Yu’s speculation. Ah Zhao doesn’t have the guts or ability to provoke such things.”

“As for what’s under this lake.” Qiu Tong turned around, his fingertips parting the gauze curtain to one side. The lake surface immediately came into Xue Yu’s view. “I have an old friendship with Miss Xue Yu. Those crooked, evasive words that the young lady wouldn’t believe, I won’t use to deceive Miss Xue Yu either.”

“There’s a teleportation array underneath, leading directly to the imperial capital.” Qiu Tong spread his hands toward Xue Yu, saying unhurriedly: “That I can appear here, Miss Xue Yu should have thought of this answer too.”

“A teleportation array isn’t enough to make Prince Zhao’s mansion go to such extremes, killing to silence people.” Xue Yu said, “The Human Emperor might think of another excuse that could convince me.”

Qiu Tong seemed amused by her direct reaction and laughed twice, then began coughing briefly. When Xue Yu impatiently lowered her brow, he slowly spoke again: “The young lady’s thoughts are meticulous. I can’t deceive you, so I’ll tell you truthfully.”

“When Father Emperor toured the south years ago, he was amazed by Su Zhou’s beautiful mountains and waters and stayed for over a year. I was born at that time.”

“I was born insufficient, weak, and sickly, taking medicine daily, not knowing when I might die. This time I ordered my younger brother to come to Su Zhou—first to temper him, second to have him complete the construction of my mausoleum after my death.”

“As the saying goes, fallen leaves return to their roots. Since I was born here, I should naturally be buried here.”

Emperors who possessed vast territories in life also wanted to enjoy equal treatment in death, so they would often build grand mausoleums while alive and order living people to be buried with them after death. This was imperial top secret.

To prevent endless, audacious thieves, they would secretly execute the craftsmen who built them. Large amounts of resentful energy and death energy concentrated in one place would indeed cause some minor disturbances, such as sudden wind and rain, sounds like weeping.

In this way, the lake’s strangeness and the tragic deaths of servants all matched Qiu Tong’s explanation point by point.

As for the demon monk and ghost infant, if Qiu Tong and Qiu Zhao refused to the death, Xue Yu had no recourse without being able to forcibly search the mansion.

The balance between the Sacred Land and the court, not interfering with each other, couldn’t be easily broken.

Moreover, truly speaking, the Human Emperor’s status was equal to the Ye Lord. Before Xue Yu sat in that position, it wasn’t appropriate to clash head-on with him.

She didn’t believe the Human Emperor’s explanation—not a single word. But the court had its internal political secrets, just as the Sacred Land had its rules that outsiders couldn’t interfere with.

Taking ten thousand steps back, she couldn’t go to the lake bottom to see someone’s imperial mausoleum prepared for a hundred years later.

Xue Yu took a deep breath. She took out the Heavenly Mystery Book scroll and tapped the small characters of the task “Find the Wordly Lamp,” and saw that line of small characters scatter into sand before her eyes.

This meant the task was finished with no further entanglements.

Seeing this, Qiu Tong’s hands, clasped behind his back, seemed to relax and move. He looked at Xue Yu, suddenly relaxed his brow, and smiled: “Besides myself and Ah Zhao, no outsider knows of this matter. How my final resting place will be after my hundred years—whether in Chang’an’s underground or with bones scattered—depends entirely on Miss Xue Yu’s magnanimity and merciful heart.”

Xue Yu: “…”

She held back for a moment, then, after a long while, raised her eyes and said: “Prince Zhao severely injured my capable minister. For the Human Emperor and the court’s sake, I won’t hold it against him, but the subsequent medicinal pills and heavenly materials, and earthly treasures for treatment cannot be one bit less.”

Qiu Tong nodded very graciously: “Young lady, rest assured. Only more, not less.”

Xue Yu frowned with forbearance, perfunctorily nodded her chin, turned, and left.