Thinking of this, Xiaoxiao immediately felt uncomfortable and reached out to remove the hairpin, but her slender wrist was grasped by Wei Jie.

He said indifferently: “It didn’t cost much. Just consider it the tuition fee you give me as your disciple.”

Wei Jie’s palm was somewhat burning hot. Xiaoxiao hurriedly shook off his hand.

The money a disciple pays to learn skills from their master is called tuition, which is perfectly reasonable. Like those four great sects that widely accept students, not everyone can become immortal, but having so many junior disciples is for financial gain.

The Talismonger Sect was poor as a church mouse, relying only on the two wealthy households of Tang Youshu and Wei Jie. It was nothing to criticize if Wei Jie was tactful enough to show filial respect to his master.

But Xiaoxiao just felt something was off. She struggled free from Wei Jie’s large palm and still pulled out the hairpin, saying: “I’ll accept these clothes, but the hairpin isn’t necessary. If you want to pay tuition, convert it to silver…”

Wei Jie raised an eyebrow and directly pulled out bank notes from his robes, handing them to Xiaoxiao: “Why make it so troublesome? Take however much you want.”

…How could she forget that Wei Jie was a young master from the wealthy Wei family who could rival a nation? The Wei family guarded silver mines – they could lack anything except silver.

Just as Xiaoxiao was rendered speechless by the pile of bank notes thrust at her, that exquisite hairpin was inserted back into her hair by Wei Jie.

Not only did he insert the hairpin, he also helped tighten Xiaoxiao’s somewhat messy hair bun: “You’re wearing a dress now – how can you have messy hair… Don’t move, if you move again, your hair will get messy!”

With her hair gripped by him, Xiaoxiao could only let him fuss with it. But hearing his scolding tone, she still felt somewhat annoyed and could only roll her eyes and glare at him sideways, looking exactly like a little girl having her hair styled by her father.

Ling Zhishan was resting not far from the Talismonger Sect, watching from afar as Wei Jie dotingly helped Xiaoxiao arrange her hair.

A tactless junior brother beside her even whispered: “Wei Jie looks wild and unrestrained, but I didn’t expect him to be so filial to his master…”

Another older senior brother saw through the situation and spoke meaningfully: “These master and disciple are similar in age – filial piety is out of the question. It’s more like mutual respect between husband and wife…”

After he finished speaking, the other male disciples all laughed along. No wonder they said the Talismonger Sect practiced the ways of the Hehuan Sect – with such a young and beautiful female master accepting vigorous young male disciples, how could they restrain themselves!

Thinking of this, they also became eager to join the Talismonger Sect!

But Ling Zhishan couldn’t bear to hear such vulgar talk among men. Angrily, she grabbed a handful of green grass and threw it at her fellow disciples.

“Since we intend to worship Cui Xiaoxiao as master, how can you speak of our future master in such a frivolous way? No wonder she won’t accept us – you must have shown improper expressions that she noticed!”

Just as Ling Zhishan was scolding her fellow disciples, one of them tugged at her sleeve and nodded toward the front.

Ling Zhishan turned to look and saw that Cui Xiaoxiao, having finished arranging her hair, was walking over with several meat buns.

After handing the food to Ling Zhishan, she spoke earnestly: “Miss Ling, you’ve been following me for half a day. Eat these buns and go your separate ways with your fellow disciples. There’s no point in continuing to follow me.”

Ling Zhishan bit her lip and said quietly, “May I ask Sect Leader Cui why you won’t accept me? Is my talent inferior to your disciples, or have I somehow offended you?”

After handing food to Ling Zhishan’s fellow disciples, Cui Xiaoxiao smiled bitterly: “Our Talismonger Sect isn’t some great cultivation sect. I’m puzzled why Miss Ling, clearly from a prestigious background, insists so stubbornly on joining my Talismonger Sect.”

Ling Zhishan didn’t speak, but her gaze couldn’t help drifting toward the handsome man sitting by the carriage, a grass stalk in his mouth, lazily looking up at the clouds.

Xiaoxiao followed her gaze and looked back, then pondered slightly before her expression froze.

Ling Zhishan’s infatuated stare was too obvious – she looked deeply smitten.

This… what was going on? Why was Ling Zhishan, who in the original trajectory had united with her senior brother to betray their master, now showing signs of being enamored with Wei Jie?

Shouldn’t she be in love with Qin Lingxiao?

Ling Zhishan also came to her senses at this moment, seeing that Cui Xiaoxiao had followed her gaze to look at Wei Jie and then turned back to stare at her in shock.

Miss Ling’s cheeks flushed red as she said hurriedly: “It’s… It’s not what you think!”

But Cui Xiaoxiao continued staring at her. Ling Zhishan could never imagine what she was thinking.

However, it was no wonder Ling Zhishan stared so intently.

That man was merely leaning against the carriage in a daze, in a lazy posture of extreme boredom, yet he was captivating in every way.

He had his arms behind his head, leaning against the carriage board, one foot casually resting on the cart frame. His handsome and smoothly contoured profile was dappled with scattered bright spots from the sunlight above. His long, curved eyelashes trembled slightly along with the grass stalk in his mouth. When he occasionally raised his eyes, his pale purple gaze was languid, and under the contrast of his sword-like eyebrows and straight nose, he seemed capable of intoxicating anyone who looked at him…

Seeing Ling Zhishan gazing at Wei Jie with such ardent admiration, Xiaoxiao felt slightly uncomfortable in her heart.

But she was too lazy to think deeply about why she felt uncomfortable. Her smile toward Ling Zhishan simply grew a few degrees cooler. After delivering the food, she turned and left.

When passing by the carriage, she deliberately shook the water pouch in her hand, splashing water all over the front of Wei Jie’s robes.

The man couldn’t help but sit up straight, raising a single eyebrow to silently ask Xiaoxiao what she was trying to do.

Xiaoxiao assumed the dignity of a master and said coldly, “Your sitting posture is improper! Where do you look like a disciple of the righteous Talismonger Sect?”

Wei Jie stood up and leaned close to Xiaoxiao’s face to ask: “Then… how should we righteous Talismonger Sect disciples sit?”

Xiaoxiao puffed her cheeks and pushed him away, thinking for a moment: “At the very least, you shouldn’t fold your body into several angles and put on such a seductive appearance.”

Wei Jie couldn’t help but show his canine teeth in a smile and leaned down to ask again: “Then who am I being seductive toward?”

Of course, Xiaoxiao couldn’t mention Ling Zhishan – that would embarrass the poor girl.

Besides, she regretted her words after saying them, feeling she was being too meddlesome.

Wei Jie originally had a female demon bloodline – asking him not to bewitch people would be like asking him to grow a layer of snake scales. As for how the twisted relationship between him and Ling Zhishan would eventually turn out, it had little to do with her, someone from two hundred years in the future.

Thinking this, Xiaoxiao simply stopped talking and turned to climb the hillside to gaze at distant Luoyi City.

Their purpose was to head to Luoyi City again to gather intelligence about the various sects’ siege of Lord Can’s mansion.

When Xiaoxiao stood on the hillside gazing at distant Luoyi City, Wei Jie also followed, standing behind her.

He looked at Xiaoxiao’s slender, beautiful silhouette and her flowing hair.

Xiaoxiao seemed angry, but he didn’t know what she was angry about, so he could only change the subject: “When I went to buy clothes, I discovered that wanted posters in all the major prefectures and counties had been taken down.”

Xiaoxiao was somewhat surprised and turned to say, “Lord Can is so kind-hearted? Why did he order the cancellation of the wanted notices?”

Wei Jie smiled: “I guess the kind-hearted person should be the Crown Prince, not that treacherous prince.”

However, with the Crown Prince intervening to have the government withdraw the wanted notices, Xiaoxiao and Wei Jie wouldn’t need to cover their faces in public anymore.

Thinking about how in the original trajectory the Crown Prince and his father, the Emperor, were brought down by Lord Can, Xiaoxiao knew that the Crown Prince’s intervention to help them would inevitably lead to some direct conflict with Lord Can.

She just didn’t know who would emerge as the final victor in this secret struggle between the Crown Prince and Lord Can…

Thinking of this, Xiaoxiao asked softly: “The torn page must be in the prince’s mansion, but how should we retrieve it?”

Grandmother Wei had said that little time remained. If that torn page wasn’t returned to its place, a catastrophic disaster would likely befall the Wei family.

Xiaoxiao clearly understood the Wei family’s tragic end in the original trajectory.

Now that she had already become possessed anyway, she was too lazy to consider consequences and only wanted to help Wei Jie retrieve the torn page before considering anything else.

Wei Jie looked at the blood-talisman net formed above Luoyi City, which seemed to be constantly weakening under the assault of various powerful cultivators, and said: “If you were Lord Can, how would you face such a desperate situation?”

Hearing this, Xiaoxiao turned to look at the slightly reddish sky above Luoyi City – although the four great sects were righteous cultivation schools, they ultimately lived in the mortal world. If they truly acted against Lord Can, it would probably be difficult to clean up the aftermath.

From her understanding of the four great sects, they would probably just shout and curse loudly at the mansion gates, forcing Lord Can to hand over Wan Lian Shi and be done with it.

The elders of the four great sects were all shrewd people who wouldn’t do anything to damage their own sects.

So Xiaoxiao said: “What else could he do but naturally pass the blame to Wan Lian Shi and put on an act of being completely ignorant? With his identity as Xia royal family, he naturally has nothing to fear.”

Just as Xiaoxiao thought, the news that Wan Lian Shi was still alive and hiding in Lord Can’s mansion triggered reactions like falling dominoes, becoming somewhat uncontrollable.

But Wei Jie shook his head: “But if he weren’t Lord Can, being watched by famous righteous sects like this would make future scheming difficult…”

Xiaoxiao felt Wei Jie made sense. That Lord Can not only had a mysterious background but also extraordinary methods. She was somewhat curious how he would respond to the four great sects’ crusade…

But just then, Wei Jie suddenly asked seemingly casually: “When Qin Lingxiao asked if you wanted to go back, where was he referring to?”

Xiaoxiao was pondering the situation in the city when Wei Jie’s question almost made her blurt out that she wanted to return two hundred years into the future.

But the words reached her lips before taking a sharp turn: “Naturally… back to Lingshan!”

Wei Jie looked down at her, not knowing whether he believed this or not, only saying: “Good, our Talismonger Sect’s founding place must be blessed with outstanding people and beautiful scenery. When the time comes, I’ll accompany you back.”

Xiaoxiao didn’t respond and turned to look at Luoyi City again.

Because she knew that she and Wei Jie were not from the same era. After their brief miraculous intersection, they would ultimately return to their respective trajectories…

As news that Wan Lian Shi might still be alive was relayed back to their sects by elders from various cultivation schools, immortals descended from heaven daily outside Luoyi City.

Soon, they discovered the blood-talisman net above Luoyi City that hadn’t been removed in time.

The four great sects had many hidden masters like temple-sweeping monks who usually never came out to wave flags and shout with their disciples and grand-disciples. But hearing the name of the Ghost Sect, these true powerhouses also took action. Those with qualifications immediately recognized these blood talismans as indeed the long-lost human-skin talismans of the Ghost Sect.

Cui Xiaoxiao’s words were once again proven correct. More and more powerful cultivators gathered from all directions, clearly intending to destroy Lord Can’s mansion.

If not for the protection of the Xiezhi sacred statue, the gates of Lord Can’s mansion would have been kicked down long ago by the angry righteous cultivators.

However, while they couldn’t get in, no one from Lord Can’s mansion could get out either.

Lord Can was trapped in his mansion, listening to his subordinates report how Cui Xiaoxiao had used a severed arm and silver tongue to cleverly splash a pot of foul-smelling dirty water back onto Lord Can’s mansion.

Now, the powerful cultivators outside were surrounding them, demanding that the prince hand over that white-haired steward for a confrontation to determine whether he was truly Wan Lian Shi.

If it was as Cui Xiaoxiao claimed, then Lord Can should also come forward to explain why his mansion harbored such filth and sheltered so many evil and crooked ways.

While the previous father and daughter from the Wei family could be explained as Lord Can’s oversight and deception by subordinates, if he was also hiding a Ghost Sect member who brought disaster everywhere, no excuse would work.

At this moment, Wan Lian Shi had barely stopped the bleeding from his arm wound. He knelt in the mansion’s study, waiting for his master’s instruction.

At this time, the shouting and cursing from outside the mansion could be heard in the study.

Wan Lian Shi himself was a treacherous villain with devious thoughts, well understanding the principle of discarding useless pawns.

Now that his activities were exposed and brought crusades from all directions, given his master’s temperament, he would probably sacrifice himself to protect himself.

Thinking of this, Wan Lian Shi had to remind Lord Can that keeping him still had great use.

So after careful consideration, he cautiously spoke: “This time it’s my incompetence that let Wei Jie and Cui Xiaoxiao slip out of the mansion and leak news of me. Now with all the sects coming to break down the doors, logically speaking, I should voluntarily step forward and explain clearly to them that I deliberately hid my identity here, and it has nothing to do with Your Lordship.”

Lord Can was writing a letter. He paused his brush, raised his eyes to glance at Wan Lian Shi, and smiled slightly: “You’re much more sensible than Wei Di… But wouldn’t that be too great a sacrifice?”

Wan Lian Shi deeply understood this man’s terrifying scheming, so every word he spoke was extremely careful: “My life was given by the master. Returning it for master’s sake is proper and fitting. However… with all the sects coming so aggressively now, I fear that even if I go out to confess, they won’t let the matter rest and will continue to pester the master. If they also learn about the Wei family losing pages from the Book of Life and Death, there will be even more variables!”

He knew his life wasn’t valuable enough in Lord Can’s eyes, so he could only grasp some important bargaining chips to make Lord Can hesitate. He knew too many of Lord Can’s secrets – Lord Can would have to think twice before handing him over.

Lord Can continued smiling: “What you say makes sense. Then, in your view, how should this prince resolve the current crisis?”

Wan Lian Shi looked up at his expression and continued: “Though I’ve lost an arm, it doesn’t hinder my Ghost Sect talisman work, and I can continue serving my master. Besides, the mansion has secret passages. I can lead my disciples to immediately escort the master and the torn page out of Luoyi City first…”

Hearing this, the smile on Lord Can’s face deepened.

He said leisurely, “You were the one who helped this prince plan and redesign the layout of this mansion originally. This prince still remembers what you said then – that such a feng shui arrangement would gather fortune from all directions for my use and could even extend life. These years, this prince’s smooth sailing here has been partly due to your merit. Now to leave… what a pity!”

Hearing Lord Can say this, Wan Lian Shi felt a surge of secret joy – it seemed Lord Can was truly considering leaving the mansion!

All these years, he had been controlled by Lord Can. But a wolf, even after being a dog for a long time, wouldn’t forget it was once a wolf.

He showed unwavering loyalty to Lord Can on the surface, but privately, like his junior brother Qin He, he used every possible means to find ways to break free from this treacherous prince.

Unfortunately, this treacherous prince had been using methods to absorb others’ lifespans and spiritual power, making his cultivation formidable.

Moreover, this mansion could gather spiritual power from all directions for his use. Combined with the Xiezhi sacred statue’s enhancement, Lord Can was like an old spider sitting in the center of a web, able to hide in the mansion and control all directions while ensuring his safety.

But once he left the mansion and lost the protection of various formations and spiritual objects, Wan Lian Shi would have countless ways to control him.

Although Wan Lian Shi currently depended on the prince to sustain his life, if he could turn the tables and imprison Lord Can like a blood cow without being his dog anymore, that would be even better…

Thinking this, Wan Lian Shi continued persuading: “Since that’s the case, please set out immediately, master. The secret passages in this mansion lead directly outside the city. I will do everything to protect your safety.”

But Lord Can raised an eyebrow: “Safety? Even if this prince opens the mansion gates wide, who among them would dare risk heaven’s great displeasure to harm a Xia imperial heir? My Xia family’s fortune hasn’t ended, and the royal descendants’ blessings were all bought with real gold and silver. By what authority do those rabble outside presume to judge this prince? If they come as mortals, I am a prince and they are commoners – they’re not qualified to judge me! If they come as immortals, how many outside have truly achieved enlightenment? My Xia royal family’s ancestors rendered meritorious service protecting divine emperors and made contracts with gods – it’s not their turn to judge!”

Wan Lian Shi listened with lowered head, somewhat unable to fathom Lord Can’s thoughts. Since Lord Can didn’t take the powerful cultivators besieging the mansion seriously, why did he agree with his words about avoiding them?

Just then, Lord Can approached Wan Lian Shi and looked at his severed arm. The wound was seeping blood again, filling the room with a faint bloody smell.

Lord Can said methodically, “Compared to those rabble, Cui Xiaoxiao makes this prince unable to sleep peacefully. Ever since she appeared, all fates have been thrown into chaos… What exactly is her background? Why does someone so young have such great ability?”

This… Wan Lian Shi couldn’t answer. Lord Can said word by word: “This prince originally thought that since she took Wei Jie’s fate, simply letting her continue becoming possessed would suffice. But now it seems she ultimately isn’t Wei Jie. Look at her methods of stirring hearts in the village and her composure under honor and disgrace – asking such a person to become possessed is like advising Tang Sanzang to eat people, all wasted effort!”

They say demons arise from the heart, meaning a person’s character and state of mind greatly influence demonic possession.

A person naturally cheerful and broad-minded, unless suffering severe blows, would find it difficult to become possessed even if unable to achieve immortality or Buddhahood.

Cui Xiaoxiao, facing everyone’s slander, accusations, and abuse, still smiled playfully and deflected everything with ease.

Her composure and breadth of mind really didn’t seem like a teenage girl’s.

Lord Can felt that although she was possessed by a demon, she could suppress it and couldn’t quickly catalyze her demonic nature.

But he couldn’t wait anymore. These past few days, he couldn’t sleep, increasingly feeling the clumsiness of mortal flesh.

Borrowed life was ultimately not one’s own. To quickly achieve immortality, he still needed to follow Wei Jie’s original path…

He just needed to understand why Cui Xiaoxiao could usurp Wei Jie’s fate and take his place.

Just then, Lord Can said: “Let’s go. You escort this prince to retrieve the torn page first, then leave the city.”

Hearing Lord Can wanted to leave, Wan Lian Shi felt slightly relieved – if so, he probably wouldn’t sacrifice him to the four great sects.

Lord Can seemed unwilling to wait for other guards, taking only Wan Lian Shi into the secret chamber.

Once in the secret chamber, Lord Can went first while Wan Lian Shi, being cautious, deliberately stayed behind.

In the dim light of night, pearls, Lord Can led Wan Lian Shi through passage after passage.

Although Wan Lian Shi knew the mansion’s underground was complex, the secret chamber Lord Can was leading him to now was one he had never visited in all his years at the mansion.

When Wan Lian Shi asked if Lord Can was returning to the capital after leaving the city, Lord Can said without turning back: “As you said, the torn page is crucial. You take it out first – it absolutely cannot be damaged. If it falls into others’ hands, they’d have the chance to change heaven and fate.”

Of course, Wan Lian Shi knew the power of that Book of Life and Death fragment. Originally, he and junior brother Qin He were both dying men – it was the prince having their names appear on that paper fragment that let them escape death.

If he could seize this opportunity to grasp the torn page in his hands…

Thinking this, Wan Lian Shi’s greed suddenly arose. He followed closely behind Lord Can and finally arrived at the secret chamber containing the blood vat and torn page.

When Lord Can stepped toward the large vat in the center, Wan Lian Shi also nonchalantly approached and glanced into the vat. But the bottom only contained thick fresh blood with no torn page visible.

Wan Lian Shi narrowed his eyes and tentatively asked Lord Can: “Your Lordship, could the torn page have been stolen by Cui Xiaoxiao and the others last time? Why is there nothing in this vat?”

Lord Can also looked at the vat and said gravely: “These years, to nourish this torn paper, this prince had countless rare beasts killed, barely maintaining it. Unfortunately, after Cui Xiaoxiao appeared, this torn page became completely blank and no longer displayed anything. This prince originally thought the torn page was unusable. But later suddenly realized that perhaps this torn page was no longer satisfied with beast blood – it needed better nourishment.”

Wan Lian Shi stepped back slightly and asked warily, “Your Lordship has always had people hunt those netherworld fierce beasts. Their blood is extremely yin and truly rare. But if even this blood cannot satisfy the Book of Life and Death fragment, what should be used to nourish it?”

Lord Can smiled slightly and took out a blood-stained cloth from his sleeve, throwing it into the water vat.

Wan Lian Shi’s eyelid twitched slightly, recognizing the cloth as leftover from when Lord Can had helped bandage his wound earlier.

Why would Lord Can throw the blood-stained cloth into the water vat…

Having experienced life-and-death situations multiple times, Wan Lian Shi’s reactions were extraordinary. Sensing danger instinctively, he swiftly lunged forward to intercept the cloth while simultaneously sending a human-skin blood talisman flying straight at Lord Can.

Wan Lian Shi’s movements were quite swift, but unfortunately, he forgot he only had one arm left! No matter how quick his movements, he couldn’t possibly do two things simultaneously.

Just as he threw the human-skin talisman at Lord Can, the cloth had already fallen into the vat…