The contract paper was torn to shreds, fluttering down and scattering across the ground.

In the dilapidated Yinyuan Hall, silence fell so complete that the sound of falling paper could be heard.

Meng Ruji stared at Mu Sui in a daze. Just as her eyes blinked for the second time, Mu Sui grabbed her wrist and pulled her behind him with almost forceful strength.

“Who I am, how we got married—these are our affairs,” Mu Sui said, looking at Mo Li with an icy voice. “It’s not your turn to use this as leverage to threaten her.”

Hearing this, Meng Ruji looked at Mu Sui with some surprise.

Had this young man’s way of speaking changed from before?

He seemed more forceful, more cold, more condescending and arrogant…

And most importantly, he seemed… smarter…

Previously, when Mu Sui had spoken almost exclusively to Meng Ruji, she hadn’t felt it so deeply. But now that they were united “against an outsider,” Meng Ruji suddenly realized the difference.

In this situation, wouldn’t the old Mu Sui have charged forward, saying, “I’ll kill you first”?

Meng Ruji stroked her chin, sizing up Mu Sui, saying nothing more.

Meanwhile, Mo Li and Mu Sui faced each other in confrontation, with no one paying attention to Meng Ruji.

Hearing Mu Sui’s words, Mo Li showed no anger or annoyance. He simply smiled and nodded, directly acknowledging: “You say I’m forcing her, threatening her—then so be it. Otherwise, why would I bring him here to find you?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Mo Li tapped Luo Yingfeng’s shoulder. Luo Yingfeng flipped his palm, and three golden pearls in his hand burst forth with dazzling, blinding light!

Meng Ruji’s eyes widened as she gripped the one silver and four copper coins in her bosom. But before she could act, she saw three silver points of light flash beside her, instantly merging into a piercing silver beam.

The silver light struck with lightning speed, bypassing the golden light before Luo Yingfeng and charging straight at Mo Li behind him!

The speed was so fast, as if Mu Sui had been prepared all along.

Mo Li tried to control Luo Yingfeng to block, but the silver light had already struck his wrist!

The force of the silver light was so great that it directly knocked away Mo Li’s hand gripping Luo Yingfeng’s shoulder. The silver light also turned to powder with a “bang,” just like the golden pearls from the previous night.

But this moment of impact was enough.

Luo Yingfeng broke free from Mo Li’s control, his entire body flung out, crashing to the ground and rolling twice. The three golden pearls in his palm also scattered across the floor with a clatter.

At this moment, hearing the sound of golden pearls hitting the ground, Meng Ruji’s brain engaged in no thought whatsoever. Like a starving tiger pouncing on food, she lunged toward the golden pearls scattered on the ground!

She didn’t even glance at the two men.

And those two men tacitly ignored Meng Ruji as she scrambled for money on the ground.

Mu Sui moved like wind passing through, striking directly at Mo Li’s neck.

Mo Li’s injured wrist hung powerlessly, forcing him to parry Mu Sui with his other hand. But beyond Mo Li’s expectations, in a contest of Body Techniques, Mo Li lost to Mu Sui!

In his shock, Mo Li found himself grabbed by the back of his neck and twisted by the arm, directly pressed face-down to the ground.

With a “thud,” his face hit the earth, causing that pale, almost luminous face to instantly become stained with dust from the ground.

“Stop pestering her, and I can spare your life.”

Though Mo Li was pressed to the ground in a sorry state, his demeanor remained relaxed. Even when pressed so hard he could barely breathe, he still managed to laugh: “Young man, I regret wanting you as my son-in-law.”

This comment made Mu Sui’s expression even darker. He applied ruthless force, making as if to dislocate Mo Li’s arm. But before Mu Sui could exert his strength, a golden light suddenly darted over, transforming into rope-like bindings that sought to wrap around Mu Sui like a snake!

Mu Sui frowned, released Mo Li, and raised his hand to pull out the remaining three silver coins from his bosom…

But!

At this most crucial moment, Mu Sui’s stomach let out a terrible “gurgling” sound. Heart-scratching, liver-clawing hunger swept through his entire body. His hand trembled, and he couldn’t hold onto the coins.

The golden light technique showed no mercy, directly sweeping up to bind Mu Sui completely, wrapping him up like a dumpling.

Mu Sui struggled, but the golden pearl technique bound him even tighter. Though his hand was right against the silver pearls, he couldn’t cast any techniques.

With difficulty, Mu Sui turned his head. Amidst his rumbling stomach, he saw that Luo Yingfeng, who had been thrown aside earlier, was now standing up.

Luo Yingfeng’s fine robes had become filthy from rolling on the ground. Disheveled and dirt-faced, he looked no better than Mu Sui, Meng Ruji, or Mo Li on the ground.

And Meng Ruji…

Not only had money-collecting Meng Ruji failed to collect any money, she had also been bound by the very money before her, just like Mu Sui… Golden silk threads bound her entire body like a dumpling. The ends of the golden threads even covered her mouth.

Mu Sui was speechless: No wonder he hadn’t heard her shouting…

Bound and floating in the air, Meng Ruji struggled with “mmph mmph” sounds. She seemed to have been struggling for quite a while. Seeing Mu Sui get bound, she gave up struggling somewhat dejectedly. Finally, she sighed deeply through her nose with extreme exasperation. Then her gaze shifted, and she rolled her eyes dramatically.

Because…

She saw…

Mo Li on the ground was also bound…

Three golden pearls bind three people, not one missing. This “family” was bound up completely and tidily.

“Good… good…”

Luo Yingfeng patted the dust off his body. He seemed emotionally agitated, his voice trembling slightly from suppressed emotion:

“How many years have I been master of Linlan Mountain? I have never been so humiliated! You… you! Mu Sui!” He glared viciously at Mu Sui. “This is all Zhuliu City’s doing! From killing my people, luring me from the mountain, then using nightmares to control me—good! You want to kill me! Then seize my Linlan Mountain!”

Mu Sui’s mouth wasn’t covered. He wanted to say: Luo Yingfeng, how are you worthy?

But his mouth moved, and in the end, he chose silence.

Here with Meng Ruji, he hadn’t recovered his memories. How could he “reminisce” with Luo Yingfeng?

His silence was taken as acknowledgment by Luo Yingfeng, whose guesses became increasingly outrageous: “From when you bought your way out, was that all a rumor? You’ve set up quite the elaborate scheme!”

Mu Sui felt like rolling his eyes at this. He pressed his lips together, holding back his words.

On the ground, Mo Li, bound like a chrysalis, still enjoyed watching the excitement unfold as he spoke up: “Blame me. As an elder, I failed to dissuade my unfilial daughter. She wanted your Linlan Mountain wealth, so the Zhuliu City Master came up with this scheme.”

Hearing this, Meng Ruji angrily kicked her legs within her “dumpling wrapping,” making muffled sounds through her mouth as if cursing Mo Li: “Shut up!”

Mo Li lay there as if reclining on a couch, smiling as he looked at Meng Ruji, even provocatively raising his eyebrows.

Luo Yingfeng waved his hand, and the golden silk threads directly covered both Mu Sui’s and Mo Li’s mouths. His expression was gloomy, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Outside Yinyuan Hall, Linlan Mountain disciples had already gathered.

Luo Yingfeng glanced outside, then moved his hand, gripping the three golden pearls. The pearls connected to silk threads dragged all three of them over.

“Master!”

“Master, are you alright!”

Luo Yingfeng raised his hand, silencing the Linlan Mountain disciples gathered at the door.

“Zhuliu City Master Qianshan Jun…” Luo Yingfeng dragged Mu Sui out separately, glancing at him coldly: “Conspired with subordinates to ambush my Linlan Mountain first. Now, he has been subdued by me.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the Linlan Mountain disciples outside were all shocked.

Passersby were even more astonished, looking at each other in amazement. The Linlan Mountain Master and Zhuliu City Master both seemed like unreachably distant figures in this small marketplace.

Hearing the crowd’s exclamations, Luo Yingfeng smiled slightly: “Now, I will sink those who offend my Linlan Mountain into the Nai River, so that in the future, no petty villains will dare offend my authority.”

After a brief silence, the Linlan Mountain disciples all responded in agreement, congratulating Luo Yingfeng.

Seeing this, Meng Ruji finally understood that Luo Yingfeng probably didn’t truly believe Mu Sui had staged this to seize his position. He was merely pinning a crime on Mu Sui first, then telling everyone: Look, even the Zhuliu City Master who came to kill me was defeated by me, and I’m sinking him in the Nai River. Others should not think of provoking Linlan Mountain.

He was using this lawless land to kill the chicken to warn the monkeys.

As one of the three chickens to be killed, Meng Ruji still wanted to struggle a bit more…

So she struggled to the banks of the Nai River.

The familiar ferry, familiar “Cannot Cross” banners, familiar Big Red and Little Green.

Unlike before, this time, Meng Ruji and Mu Sui were being carried by Linlan Mountain disciples.

There was also Mo Li beside them.

Big Red and Little Green, who were about to pack up, saw their old acquaintances, but seeing them being “carried” by this crowd, even these normally chatty ones fell silent.

They kept exchanging glances, having an intense conversation with their eyes.

Finally, Big Red asked: “What are you doing?”

A disciple replied impatiently: “Linlan Mountain business. Don’t ask.”

Little Green couldn’t help but add: “What business?”

Luo Yingfeng seemed in good spirits. He stopped the disciple who was about to scold them and answered while watching the disciples work: “Drowning in sacks.”

Hearing these three words, Meng Ruji’s face looked deathly pale.

Mu Sui had remained silent since being bound, his face cold, lost in thought.

Only Mo Li remained leisurely and carefree, looking this way and that.

Big Red couldn’t help muttering: “This is our first time seeing…”

Little Green understood: “Three people being drowned in sacks together…”

“We’re officials of this lawless land. Should we intervene?”

“We don’t have money for official business either. We can’t intervene.”

With that, the two picked up their small stools, moved them aside, sat down, and continued watching the excitement.

Nai River water could dissolve techniques, so the Linlan Mountain disciples bound all three with ordinary rough ropes over the golden silk threads. At the other end of the ropes, they attached large baskets of stones to each person.

After the Linlan Mountain disciples finished these preparations, Luo Yingfeng smiled and waved at Mu Sui: “Qianshan Jun, I couldn’t send you a thousand gold, so I’ll send you with a thousand pounds.”

With that, he raised his hand, and the disciples directly threw all three headfirst into the Nai River.

Three “splashes”—all three were sunk into the river in perfect unison.

The Nai River water appeared calm but flowed swiftly. The stones didn’t immediately sink to the bottom but were carried by the current downstream.

After experiencing brief panic upon entering the water, Meng Ruji felt the golden silk technique on her body quickly consumed by the river water, though ordinary ropes still bound her movements.

She immediately found her direction. Holding her breath, she curled her abdomen, her body moving like a mermaid. Using her abdomen to drive her legs, she kept her legs together and kicked underwater, forcibly dragging the heavy stones below to let her head surface above the Nai River.

The Nai River water was poisonous! She dared not let any into her mouth. She struggled to take a breath, then held it again, breathing rapidly only through her nose. Her gaze swept urgently across the river surface.

Mu Sui was nowhere to be seen—he might be at the river bottom or swept somewhere farther away.

As for Mo Li…

“Thud”—a heavy impact. Meng Ruji seemed struck by some heavy object. She quickly held her breath and closed her eyes, tumbling awkwardly several times in the river. This time, she felt the stone rope dragging her seemed caught by something. No matter how she curled her abdomen and kicked, she couldn’t surface.

The light above water was so close—it seemed just a little more and she could touch the freshest air she needed to survive, but she just couldn’t reach it.

Worse still, under the Nai River’s impact, she began hallucinating. Various bizarre scenes started drilling into her brain and eyes.

As the images became clearer, Meng Ruji suddenly realized these weren’t hallucinations at all, but the past—her memories.

Her parents from when she was very young, their faces now blurred; yellow mud walls; the small river behind their home that always sparkled; the scent of green grass by the river; the smoky smell of burning firewood; sunlight dappled under tree shadows…

Many memories she thought she had forgotten now appeared in her mind like a cavalcade.

How she obtained her Inner Core, how she used its power to begin cultivation, how she took in her five Guardians who were originally orphans, how she found Hengxu Mountain…

To now…

Now…

“Thud”—another dull sound, as if something had struck her again.

In her past, Meng Ruji began seeing strange images. She saw a stone—a massive gray-white rock. On the rock, in heavenly light, stood a figure—a woman.

The woman seemed to emanate layers of hazy radiance.

In her trance, Meng Ruji recalled legends of “Heaven Gods.” It was said that “Heaven Gods” naturally possessed divine light.

But now, there were no “Heaven Gods” left in this world.

“Little nightmare demon, your fate is to die alone.” Meng Ruji heard the Heaven God’s voice with ethereal echoes, gentle yet sorrowful. “I’m sorry to have seen such a destiny for you.”

“Aren’t you a Human God? You can only see human destinies. I’m only half human—the other half is demon.”

Meng Ruji heard another voice, filled with youthful ambition, at the height of spirited confidence.

“Perhaps I can break the fate you’ve seen,” he said. “If I shatter my destiny, Mo Yi, then that proves fate isn’t fixed—your fate isn’t fixed either.”

The words ended there. Heavenly light blazed bright, illuminating Meng Ruji’s mind in brilliant white.

Suddenly, Meng Ruji felt the bonds constraining her body loosen dramatically. She was lifted by a pair of hands to the river surface.

Fresh air came from all directions, awakening her senses. Survival instinct pried open her mouth, nose, and eyes.

Meng Ruji opened her mouth and took a deep breath, completely replacing all the stale air in her heart and lungs.

Gasping, she saw who was supporting her: “…Yan Tianjun…”

It was Mo Li.

Mo Li was soaking wet all over, but his face still bore a smile. With one hand supporting her, he pulled out an equally soaked paper with the other, still bearing the words “Indenture Contract.”

“Either sign, or die,” Mo Li said. “Unfilial daughter, will you support your father in his old age?”

Mu Sui: Yan Tianjun plays dirty.