Zhu Qing thought to himself that since following Miss Yan, his courage seemed to have grown. He dared to speak up in public now.

“The Peach Blossom Well—Old Master discovered something suspicious, became suspicious, but his fate wasn’t good and he couldn’t find it. What about the Fatal Nail?”

“What you really want to ask…”

Yan Sanhe: “Is why Old Master didn’t discover it was him when Old Master Zhu kept doing these underhanded things behind the scenes?”

Zhu Qing nodded vigorously.

Yan Sanhe: “I think there are also two possibilities.”

Zhu Qing: “Which two?”

Yan Sanhe: “First, Old Master Zhu was too young. Second, he hid it too well.”

“There’s another reason.”

Zhu Yuanmo suddenly spoke.

“The Peach Blossom Well and Fatal Nail are fundamentally formations. Formations have large formations, small formations, and micro-formations. Micro-formations are very difficult to detect and don’t take effect immediately—they rely on accumulation over time. Also…”

Young Master Pei raised an eyebrow. “Also?”

Zhu Yuanmo nodded. “The Peach Blossom Well used only one peach blossom petal and a few strands of red fox fur. If such things were used on me now, they would be completely useless.”

He spoke vaguely, but Yan Sanhe understood immediately.

“First, because you’re older now. Second, because you’ve experienced carnal pleasure.”

“The young lady is truly clever.”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Teenage males are at their most vigorous, precisely when they’re most interested in matters between men and women. Setting up a Peach Blossom Well formation at this time—even the smallest micro-formation can have the greatest effect.”

“So the Fatal Nail he placed on Fifth Uncle also worked precisely because Fifth Uncle’s body was already weak.”

Yan Sanhe not only understood immediately but also drew inferences.

“And because he was so interested in feng shui and divination, throwing himself into everything with such immersive devotion, working day and night without rest—that’s why it took effect.”

The hall fell completely silent.

Everyone listening felt goosebumps rising all over their bodies.

A child not yet ten years old not only knew how to set up evil formations but could also tailor the formations based on each person’s different characteristics to ensure they worked, all while deceiving Old Master Zhu’s keen eye.

Was this a child?

This was simply a monster!

“One can only say that Zhu Xuanjiu had been skilled at observation from childhood.”

Yan Sanhe showed a cold smile.

“At such a young age, he had everyone’s temperament figured out transparently, down to the last detail, with thoughts so deep that even adults couldn’t compare.”

One sentence plunged everyone into deep thought.

Xie Zhifei: When I was six or seven, I only knew how to coax girls.

Young Master Pei: At six or seven, I was like a fool.

Li Bu Yan: I still had two strings of snot hanging from my nose.

Ding Yi: I only wanted to eat.

Huang Qi: I only knew how to play.

Zhu Qing: I only knew martial arts practice.

“I have a question.”

Everyone’s gazes turned to Zhu Yuanhao.

Zhu Yuanhao: “Elder Brother, how do you know about these crooked and evil things?”

Zhu Yuanmo: “This is something each generation’s chosen family head must study separately.”

Zhu Yuanhao was shocked. “Study these things?”

“Only by studying these can one have the ability to protect and defend oneself.”

Zhu Yuanmo: “Our ancestor said that in our profession, few enter the righteous path—many enter evil paths, and even more use their knowledge of feng shui and divination to harm people…”

The words stopped abruptly.

Zhu Yuanmo’s face filled with grief. No matter what, he couldn’t continue.

Yet Yan Sanhe’s gaze lowered. She suddenly thought of someone—Zhu Weijin.

Zhu Yuanmo and Zhu Weixi only resembled each other in appearance. Actually, Zhu Weijin was most like Zhu Xuanjiu.

Both skilled at observation from childhood with deep thoughts.

Both never speaking words aloud, only keeping them rotting in their stomachs.

Both unhurried, watching for opportunities to strike their target.

The fundamental reason creating Zhu Weijin’s temperament was that she had been ignored and neglected from childhood. But what about Zhu Xuanjiu?

Why were his thoughts so meticulous and so vicious at such a young age?

Who taught him?

Concubine Fu?

“Xie Chengyu, help me find two people.”

At this point, Xie Zhifei truly couldn’t hold on any longer. Dizzy and light-headed, he had no strength left in his entire body.

He closed his eyes briefly, indicating Yan Sanhe should just speak.

Yan Sanhe: “Help me find the two young servants who used to follow Zhu Xuanjiu.”

Young Master Pei quickly asked, “Why look for them?”

Yan Sanhe: “Where did the red fox fur come from? Zhu Xuanjiu couldn’t have done these things alone—he must have had accomplices.”

Young Master Pei: “You mean…”

“You and Huang Qi—master and servant, close as one person. Huang Qi must have helped you do many secret things…”

“I understand.”

Young Master Pei: “These two people leaving must have been Zhu Xuanjiu’s doing, because they knew too many of his secrets. Keeping them around would be a disaster. Perhaps they’ve already been…”

Young Master Pei drew his hand across his neck in a cutting motion.

Silenced by murder!

The moment Pei Xiao made this gesture, Zhu Yuanmo quickly gripped the table with both hands, fearing in the next instant he would pitch forward.

Zhu Yuanmo remembered very clearly.

Those two young servants, one named Tianshi, one named Taiwei.

They had grown up accompanying Father.

Tianshi had a dishonest heart—he stole talismans Father had drawn to sell for money and was driven from the estate by Mother.

Taiwei took private jobs outside, looked at someone’s feng shui incorrectly, and when the matter was exposed, he secretly ran away.

At the time he was still young and had no mind to think about these servants’ affairs. Only now, prompted by Yan Sanhe’s words and reconsidering it, did he discover many suspicious points.

How could Father casually draw talismans? He would only draw them when others came begging.

Those casually drawn talismans could originally be given away as favors.

Secondly, Taiwei swindling outside, damaging the Zhu family’s reputation—by Zhu family rules, such people must be captured and severely punished.

Father, citing the bond between master and servant, let him go…

This didn’t follow the rules!

“Zhu Yuanmo, have you thought of something?” Yan Sanhe’s eyes were sharp.

Zhu Yuanmo felt cold to his very core. After a long while, he spoke: “There are indeed suspicious points.”

If Zhu Yuanmo said there were suspicious points, then there definitely were.

“Xie Chengyu, whether or not there was murder to silence them, please try to find them somehow.”

Yan Sanhe: “Find them, and we’ll know why Zhu Xuanjiu at such a young age knew these crooked dark arts, and we can know what other unspeakable deeds Zhu Xuanjiu has done.”

“We should have been looking long ago.”

Young Master Pei snorted. “It’s only because we were all dazzled by the human skin he wore.”

Li Bu Yan scoffed. “Don’t insult beasts. Beasts don’t harm people.”

Hearing these words, the three Zhu brothers wished they could find a hole to crawl into.

Utterly humiliated!

At this moment, Zhu Yuanmo suddenly shuddered. “Wait, Third Master. Let me divine their life and death.”

Yan Sanhe’s pupils brightened. “If they’re alive, can you determine a direction?”

“Roughly, yes.”

Zhu Yuanmo exchanged glances with his two brothers. The three simultaneously stood and hurried to the inner room, closing the door.

Li Bu Yan curled her lip. “Looks like the old monk is more capable after all!”

Young Master Pei raised his eyebrows. “The old monk only needed to give a name.”

A moment later, the door opened.

Zhu Yuanmo walked out.

“Third Master, the six-line divination shows that one of them, named Taiwei, is still alive. The direction is northwest.”