The farce of demon-slaying became a complete laughingstock the moment the anomaly of the Golden Lotus Bearing Witness to the Dao appeared. To insist after that point that Lang Jiuchuan was possessed by a demonic soul was meaningless—even if she had truly been possessed, an anomaly such as that would leave no one daring to call her demonic or evil.

A golden lotus—the kind that only appeared beneath the seat of the Buddha or bodhisattvas—had now materialized above the head of a young girl. To refrain from calling her a bodhisattva descended into the mortal world was already generous enough!

But this scene had already been witnessed by many, and word was spreading. Even without the bodhisattva title, she would surely be seen as a great master reincarnated.

Tantai Cong could not face reality and force the seizure of Lang Jiuchuan against all reason—he had no ground to stand on. He had no choice but to sound the retreat. Yet the hatred for the disfigurement she had inflicted on his face—that he had carved into his memory.

As Lang Jiuchuan watched Tantai Cong slink away in defeat, she calmly tore off a small paper figure and quietly sent it trailing after him. When her gaze swept across the people Daoren Zhishang had brought with him, she called out to the Daoren: “Senior Zhishang—may I have a private word?”

Daoren Zhishang started. She was actually calling him Senior?

He walked over and looked at Lang Jiuchuan. “Are you here to reproach this poor Daoist? Even if you are not evil, I still maintain that my divination was not in error.”

Lang Jiuchuan set up a small ward to block out the listening ears of others. “Senior—this hexagram of yours: was it one you divined on a whim, or was there someone who subtly pointed you in this direction, steering the blade toward me?”

“This poor Daoist only cultivates the Dao and meditates in seclusion. This hexagram was divined several months ago. Something anomalous had emerged, and the national fortune showed signs of being unsettled—though at the time, I was unable to see clearly what the hexagram was pointing to.” Daoren Zhishang continued: “It was not until a few days ago that I looked at this hexagram again…”

His voice suddenly stopped. His brow furrowed faintly, and he instinctively turned his head to look back—only to be called back by Lang Jiuchuan.

“The Quanzhen sect emphasizes inner alchemy cultivation, and also the refinement of the self. I trust, Daoren, that you care only for this Dao—and for the common people.” Lang Jiuchuan looked at him evenly. “Senior should either retreat entirely from the world and cultivate your inner alchemy in solitude, shutting out all worldly affairs—or, if you choose to practice the Dao within the mortal world, you must keep your eyes and ears sharp, and guard against the petty schemers at your side. Lest you be exploited by others and incur karmic debt in return—which can only hinder your inner alchemy cultivation, and will make ascending to the immortal Dao all the more impossible.”

Daoren Zhishang’s expression shifted subtly. He held her gaze for a long moment before at last saying: “I called you a demonic entity—and you harbor no resentment toward this poor Daoist?”

“How could I possibly? Seeing that you, Daoren, have been deceived and misled—your Daoist heart wavering—I am secretly gloating.”

Daoren Zhishang: “…”

She knew exactly how to strike at the heart.

Lang Jiuchuan let out a cold sound through her nose. “Whether I am demonic or evil—that is for me to determine, not for others’ mouths to define. Senior Zhishang carries great merit. You truly should not be kept as some sort of sponsored retainer within the filthy ranks of the Xuan Clan, only to be harmed by them for it. I believe there are quite a few genuine cultivators out there living in seclusion from the world.”

She finished speaking and turned to leave.

“You will bring turmoil and damage to the national fortune.”

Lang Jiuchuan paused in her steps. She turned her head back to look at him. “Has Senior ever considered—if such a thing truly comes to pass, what would cause it? I am the sort of person who does not provoke others unless others provoke me. But if someone provokes me, I will drive them to ruin.”

She pressed her lips together, tilted her head up to glance at the sky, and said: “If this world has been filthy for a long time—a little turmoil might bring some unexpected good. Sometimes things must be broken before they can be rebuilt.”

Daoren Zhishang seemed to gain some measure of understanding from her words. It was then that one of the people who had accompanied him stepped forward. “Daoren, that demonic woman is skilled at bewitching others with her words. Did she speak out of turn to you? That golden lotus she produced was likely a concealment technique she used to fabricate an illusion…”

Daoren Zhishang looked at the man and said: “You have pledged yourself to the Rong Family. Whose bidding are you running—the young master of the Rong Family’s, or the family master’s?”

The man’s face drained of color.

Daoren Zhishang let out a long sigh, shook his head, and walked away. Retreating from the world in seclusion to cultivate—perhaps that was truly where his best future lay.

Lang Jiuchuan beckoned for Gong Qi and the others to enter the Lang Family manor first. Whatever demon needed eliminating was not so pressing that it could not wait a moment. The people of the Lang Family, too—she needed to offer a word of reassurance and leave some instructions.

Xue Shi and the rest entered the Lang manor as well—having come all this way, a cup of medicinal tea was certainly welcome.

The people crowded at the manor gate, there to watch the spectacle and gather information, scattered at the sight of this like startled birds, each rushing back to report to their respective households. After today, the winds among the powerful families of Wu Jing had shifted. Marquis Kaiping’s manor was no longer the fading, obscure manor standing on the margins that it once had been. Even if it had not risen to prominence immediately, it had already gathered enough chips to make it worth building deep ties with.

Setting aside the golden lotus anomaly that had appeared to affirm Lang Jiuchuan’s path—consider only those powerful figures who had stepped forward to publicly vouch for her. Which of them did not hold real authority and power in their hands?

For the Marquis’s manor to have these connections alone was already a chip of considerable weight—even if those connections belonged to Lang Jiuchuan rather than the manor directly. She was still the daughter of the Lang Family. That she had stood before the manor gates and dared to stand against an imperial prince and a gathering of Daoist priests was itself a declaration—this manor, she was protecting it.

On that basis alone, Marquis Kaiping’s manor was worth associating with.

Realistic? Perhaps. But that was simply how the world worked. Whoever commanded connections and resources needed do nothing else—others would come flocking. The world, when all was stripped away, was a world of interests. The strong devoured the weak—every chain of power operated the same way. Those who did not wish to be devoured had no choice but to align with the strong, or to forge their own alliances with them.

Inside Marquis Kaiping’s manor, Lang Jiuchuan personally retrieved the medicinal tea she had prepared earlier, had the water spirit refine and purify a cauldron of well water until it came to a boil, then brewed the tea with it and personally presented it to Xue Shi and the others. It was an expression of gratitude.

Even without their coming, she would have broken through on her own—but they had come, and that deserved to be acknowledged.

Xue Shi and the others, knowing that Shen Qinghe’s case was still waiting for Lang Jiuchuan’s assistance, did not linger long. They exchanged a few words of warm greeting, then each left carrying a parcel of medicinal tea.

Lang Jiuchuan then spoke to Lang Zhengping: “This disaster was aimed at me. The Marquis’s manor was caught up in it because of me—that is my fault.”

“What are you saying? We are family.” Lang Zhengping was somewhat agitated. “We never believed for a moment that you were a demonic entity. Honestly—even if you were, I would accept it.”

Lang Jiuchuan raised an eyebrow at him.

“You have never harmed anyone in this manor. Everything you have done has benefited us—especially in uncovering the truth of your father’s death, ensuring he did not pass into his next life with a false accusation upon him. Compared to what I have done as a useless Marquis, you have accomplished far more.” Lang Zhengping gave a bitter smile. “In truth, it is nothing. Marquis Kaiping’s manor was already on the verge of fading into decline. Had it not been for you, this title might well have been demoted by now—there might not even be a Marquis Kaiping anymore. Now, if those people truly come after us, the worst we can do is follow the Ou Family’s example and return to our ancestral home. I will have Gaoping arrange to buy more ancestral land at the old homestead and set it aside—even if we are stripped of everything, ancestral land cannot be confiscated, and we would still have something to eat.”

This needed to be arranged immediately—without delay!

Lang Jiuchuan smiled. “Buying more ancestral land is a good idea—but we have not reached the point of being stripped of our title. They just finished posthumously honoring my father’s rank. If they turned around now and stripped us of everything—over something as baseless as this demon accusation—they would be slapping their own faces. They have some shame. It will not happen now, and they will not make a clean sweep of it in the future either. But nothing is absolute. If that day does come—do not be seen associating with me.”

Lang Zhengping froze and stared at her blankly. “You…”

“Uncle—if I look after only myself, I can act without anything holding me back. But with all of you, I am constrained. So if that day truly comes, just take everyone in this manor and cut ties with me. Even if you do not cut ties outright, simply turn a blind eye and pay it no mind—as I was on the estate before, as if I do not exist. Give me no reason to worry about those I leave behind, and that is the greatest help you could offer me.”

Lang Zhengping’s eyes reddened, and yet he gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “I understand what you mean—but you have forgotten: when the nest is overturned, can any egg remain unbroken?”