Inside the room, the orange light of the charcoal fire flickered on and off. The mottled firelight made Abbot Wu Neng’s outstretched hands appear wrinkled and shriveled, aged beyond description, yet when he smiled with squinted eyes, he always gave people a kind and gentle feeling like being bathed in spring breeze.

“I heard Shan Shan mention you—called Xue Yu, right?” Wu Neng warmed his hands over the heat rising from the brazier. Rather than asking a question, it was more like muttering to himself. Without waiting for Xue Yu’s answer, he continued: “The Heavenly Book finally served its purpose and brought you here. Otherwise, how could we interfere in such matters?”

His tone was full of complaints, clearly having been troubled by these affairs for a long time.

Xue Yu wasn’t hearing such rhetoric for the first time. Back when the imperial family fought for succession, she and Lu Qin had drawn Heavenly Book missions. When they faced those “seniors” who had gathered them together with wooden expressions, that group of old men had similarly looked around guiltily while saying, “Alas, we truly can’t manage such things. How could we manage them? If we interfered, the mortal world would fall into chaos.”

Xue Yu asked without showing emotion: “What kind of matter could make both the abbot and the city lord find it troublesome?”

“You also saw that ghost carriage earlier.” Wu Neng shook his head worriedly: “To be honest, when that sea first started causing trouble, someone had already gone to investigate. They indeed saw the troublemaking demon and immediately summoned spiritual weapons to capture it, but suddenly a phoenix flew out from the sea and violently knocked away his spiritual weapon.”

“That phoenix transformed into human form—a young woman, eccentric in behavior and arrogant in speech, residing atop a ghost carriage with twenty-four magnificently dressed attendants standing left and right. Hmph!” Wu Neng snorted coldly through his nose, saying: “What grand airs!”

“If she were an adult, that would be fine, but she’s just a wet-behind-the-ears child. We don’t know which family from the Demon Capital stands behind her, so if we act, we fear going too far.”

“Those people from the Demon Capital don’t follow rules either—they’re extremely unreasonable. They don’t care if their children caused trouble first; they’ll attack first and ask questions later. Then we’d truly be unable to explain ourselves even with ten mouths.”

By this point, Xue Yu had completely and thoroughly understood.

Everything in this world had rules, but there were only three centers of power.

First was the Human Emperor, managing the rewards, punishments, life and death of ordinary people. Second were the Sacred Lands, restraining all those who cultivated the Dao or immortality. The third was what Wu Neng mentioned—the Demon Capital.

If the first two were convincing, then whenever the third was mentioned, it always made people’s expressions subtle.

The Demon Capital, as its name suggested, was a gathering place for many notorious great demons. It housed demons, monsters, and ghosts, with Chi Shui as the boundary. Behind it lay a hundred thousand deep mountains and great forests—all their territory, with the Demon Capital built in the most prosperous and flourishing location among them.

As for what it was like inside, Xue Yu had never seen it, nor often heard people speak of it. The demon race was exclusive, just as the human race now rejected them. Without great demon guidance or a demon bloodline, it was difficult to survive there.

But besides the demons and ghosts residing in the Demon Capital, countless demons, spirits, and monsters in the mortal world developed spiritual intelligence daily. They were confused and ignorant, with no one to teach them, acting purely on instinct, thus creating many troubles.

Speaking of which, Yedu and the Demon Capital had some connected origins.

By rights, all troubles caused by beings that neither cultivated immortality nor possessed pure human bodies should be managed by the Demon Capital, but the Demon Capital simply wouldn’t manage them.

Those old men’s meaning was: young ones causing trouble was demon nature—how could they manage it? If they managed it, they’d be stifling nature. How could they become qualified demons then?

They said this, but someone still had to manage such matters. So the imperial palace and Six Sacred Lands discussed and unanimously turned their gaze toward Yedu, which then managed spirits, anomalies, evil entities, and haunting creatures. The implication was clear: managing one type was managing, managing two types was also managing—for the peace of the world, they could only temporarily be inconvenienced.

Not managing affairs was one thing, but those old men from the Demon Capital always found roundabout ways to add trouble. From time to time, they’d send talismans to the heads of various great families, clearing their throats to inform everyone: “So-and-so from such-and-such family in our Demon Capital went to the mortal world for training today. If you encounter them, absolutely don’t take action. If they cause minor troubles outside, let it pass, but if they cause major incidents, notify us, and someone will naturally handle it. But if anyone bullies the small with the large or the few with the many, then we old men will have to visit someone’s home for tea and heart-to-heart talks.”

Anyway, no matter how they put it, one couldn’t act against them.

Take today’s Nine Phoenix—without even thinking, she must be from the Demon Capital.

But though the Demon Capital was unreasonable, it had one good point: it could accept defeat.

Since one couldn’t bully the small with the large or the few with the many, then in single combat between those of the same age, if the human race beat down any Demon Capital bloodline, as long as they didn’t kill them, the demons wouldn’t interfere. In their eyes, this was called inferior skill—nothing to say about it. Saying even one more word would be embarrassing.

This was probably the main reason the Heavenly Book had specifically caught Xue Yu and Shan Shu.

Xue Yu glanced at Shan Shu beside Wu Neng, whose gentle eyes remained calm and unhurried when encountering problems, thinking, fortunately, it wasn’t Lu Qin who came.

She was truly afraid of teammates who remained oblivious while caught in the situation, yet could be precisely used by others to stab her in the back in the end.

“Abbot Wu Neng, I want to understand that person’s situation from earlier.” Since one wanted to recover the Buddha treasure and the other wanted to complete the mission, Xue Yu decided to speak plainly: “Around Thunder Sea are hundreds of villages, large and small. That demon controls lightning and has Nine Phoenix’s help, yet over all these years, only a few people have died, proving it doesn’t have a murderous nature.”

“There’s even less need to risk itself by targeting his brother when knowing both you and Mayor Chen are present—unless there’s some old connection between them.”

Shan Shu nodded in agreement, turning to look at Wu Neng: “Moreover, earlier, the way the mayor and his brother interacted was indeed strange.”

Wu Neng seemed to anticipate them asking this, squinting as he slowly recalled: “Chen Jianxi is straightforward, forthright, righteous, bold yet careful. Don’t look at his fierce appearance earlier—he’s not usually like that. But there’s one point: you can ask him anything, say anything, just don’t let the topic fall on his brother Chen Huainan.”

“Mention it and he immediately turns hostile.”

Xue Yu asked: “Do you know Chen Huainan?”

“Not well.” Wu Neng shook his head. “Years ago, I owed Chen Jianxi a favor, and we’ve maintained correspondence since, barely qualifying as old friends.”

“Yet in all these years of acquaintance, he never mentioned having a brother named Chen Huainan.”

Shan Shu patiently reminded him: “But earlier, you said in front of Chen Jianxi that Chen Huainan had taken that medicine many times. What illness does he have? What was that pill he just took?”

“You girl, let this old monk catch his breath too.” Wu Neng said with a smile. He tilted his head slightly, as if looking at the morning light through the door crack, or suddenly falling into some memory.

“Chen Jianxi shoulders the burden of being Wudao City’s mayor. When busy, he’s stretched thin with hardly any leisure time. I live year-round at Golden Light Temple, so though we reside in the same city, we meet infrequently.”

“Until two years ago, one day Chen Jianxi suddenly came to drink tea with me.”

Wu Neng pointed to a distant pavilion, saying: “We sat under the tree shade, drinking tea and playing chess. He was heavy with worry, losing game after game, so I guessed he came seeking help.”

“As expected, he asked if I had any medicine that could make someone temporarily forget worries and sleep peacefully without crying or fussing.”

“I owed him a favor, and this medicine wasn’t anything rare, so I readily agreed. Who knew this supply would last two full years?”

“It was what you saw me take out earlier—called Worry-Forgetting Powder.”

Hearing this, both Xue Yu and Shan Shu frowned simultaneously.

This conversation continued until daybreak before dispersing. Abbot Wu Neng shuffled out first with his head hanging, walking unsteadily while shaking his head and muttering continuously.

Shan Shu was accustomed to this. She explained to Xue Yu: “Master Wu Neng has this temperament—seems unreliable, but has the people’s welfare at heart. It’s just that with age and increased worries, he talks more.”

Xue Yu withdrew her gaze, nodding to show understanding, though her thoughts weren’t on Wu Neng at all.

“We need to see this Chen Huainan.” She frowned, her onion-like delicate fingertips tapping the small table beside her lightly or heavily twice, making clicking sounds—this was her sign of being lost in thought.

“Chen Jianxi’s attitude is clear. It won’t be easy to see him.” Shan Shu also rarely showed worry: “Perhaps we should first try to meet Nine Phoenix—since her intention isn’t killing, she must have other motives.”

Having motives made negotiation possible. It was better than being in such confusion, not even understanding the opponent’s purpose.

“She won’t show herself, lurking in the shadows. We have no way.” Xue Yu spoke concisely: “I can’t negotiate with her; she won’t trust my words.”

Shan Shu paused.

Indeed, Xue Yu’s hands were stained with countless great and small demons’ blood. If Nine Phoenix appeared, it would likely evolve into mortal enemies meeting on a narrow path, let alone trust.

“For now, we can only wait.” Shan Shu quickly made up her mind: “That demon doesn’t appear every night. Between appearances, at least fifteen days pass. In these fifteen days, we’ll find ways to understand Chen Huainan’s situation.”

Xue Yu agreed.

What no one expected was that over the next dozen days, no matter how Xue Yu and Shan Shu sought information, they couldn’t discover any news about Chen Huainan. No one even knew where Chen Jianxi had placed him now. He, along with all traces of his existence, had seemingly evaporated from the human world.

Chen Huainan couldn’t be seen, Nine Phoenix didn’t appear, the great demon didn’t show itself—all clues were severed at the waist. Even assembling the complete story’s beginning and end thousands of times in their minds, without actual clues before them, everything amounted to wishful thinking.

The small village where Xue Yu and others stayed was even more peaceful. Ever since that day when Xue Yu became angry and Su You mediated with his words, the villagers looked at them with unfriendly eyes. Children even ran to Chao Nian, sweetly asking when they would return.

One could tell adults had instructed them.

After hearing this, Xue Yu said nothing and visited the mayor’s mansion alone. At that time, Chen Jianxi wasn’t at the mansion, and from the steward’s notification of Chen Jianxi’s appearance, she waited a full hour.

She asked four or five consecutive questions, but Chen Jianxi didn’t even lift an eyelid. Only after she finished speaking did he slowly set down his teacup and say word by word: “Miss, you responded to the Heavenly Book’s entrustment to resolve the Worldly Lamp and Buddha treasure loss. Huainan’s affairs don’t require Miss’s concern.”

Xue Yu extremely disliked people who wanted you to handle matters yet refused to say anything. This caused her to still carry an aura of coldness when returning to the small village.

Giving no clues while only saying to find things—where should she look, in the sky?

First came Nine Phoenix, who didn’t play by conventional rules, then came tight-lipped Chen Jianxi. Xue Yu finally understood how four-and-a-half stars gradually climbed up.

As the weather warmed, flowers bloomed in villages near Thunder Sea, clustering together at branch tips, tremblingly held by spreading branches extending to beneath Xue Yu’s stone house window.

At that moment, Su You stood on a tree branch, sword tip touching the old tree’s cracked bark, three or two pure white petals fallen on his shoulders. At some instant, he seemed to sense something and raised his eyes, seeing her pacing in the room, pearl hairpins trembling among her hair strands, below which was a neck section whiter than snow.

He blinked extremely slowly and gently.

Deep at night, the entire village fell into deathly quiet, as if swallowed skin and flesh by a bloody maw. Though the village had planted so many trees, not even a bird’s call could be heard at night.

Xue Yu was reading Chen Jianxi’s biography that Chao Nian had painstakingly compiled during the day.

Halfway through, she seemed to sense something, turned her head to confirm for a moment, then slapped the scroll onto the table and flashed like green smoke toward a nearby stone house.

Upon entering, she encountered a barrier spell preventing entry. Xue Yu moved her long fingers and passed through without changing expression.

This was where Su You lived. The youth appeared obedient but was solitary, refusing to share a room with Chao Nian.

At this moment, the room was bright with lit lamps. Xue Yu immediately saw the youth leaning loosely against the wall, blood streaming from his wrists, face pale as white paper. At his feet was a nearly completed obscure array formation. The entire room’s temperature dropped again and again due to its presence.

This wasn’t orthodox immortal sect array work—on the contrary, it was supremely evil. Xue Yu had been alarmed by it and followed its trail here.

“Su You.” Xue Yu’s gaze moved from the array at his feet to his face, her voice light and slow, yet with hidden anger: “On the first day you came down from the Judgment Platform, what did I tell you? Have you forgotten everything?”

The youth raised a pair of dark, liquid eyes, speaking in a stubborn tone: “I don’t use it to harm people—it doesn’t count as evil magic.”

“What do you want to use it for? Finding someone?” Possessing thousand-year memories, Xue Yu knew this array’s origins with just one glance: “Find whom?”

Xue Yu suddenly remembered that day when lightning struck down, the youth before her had picked up a destroyed bud with great demon’s aura on it.

Perfect for use as a catalyst for spellcasting.

Xue Yu’s anger suddenly had nowhere to go. She pulled at the corner of her mouth, saying coldly: “Do you know that if this array succeeds, whether you summon that great demon and suffer backlash, or summon Nine Phoenix and get killed on the spot?”

Su You remained silent.

He knew, so he had calculated everything. He had life-saving items that could delay for moments. As long as that demon came, Xue Yu would sense it.

As for him, at worst, a severe injury.

When he came down from the Judgment Platform, he was already severely injured. It was Xue Yu who saved him and allowed his recovery to this point.

This was what he owed her originally.

Seeing him remain silent for so long, his long hair flowing like water covering his face and eyes, leaving only his two shoulders visible, gradually drooping as if desperately suppressing some emotion, Xue Yu suddenly recalled his age, his temperament, and his well-meaning intention to help her even at death’s risk today.

“Come out.” She moved her lips, saying: “I don’t need to complete missions this way.”

Su You slowly raised his eyes, a pair of bewitching peach blossom eyes slightly upturned, his voice so light it seemed ethereal, as if truly extremely puzzled: “One demon ghost in exchange for one Heavenly Book mission.”

And the local villagers’ gratitude, clan elders’ praise, and soaring reputation.

“Isn’t it worth it?” He tilted his head. When asking this, he was as pure as a child. At this moment, his extreme beauty even made his expression seem slightly wronged and helpless, innocently pitiable.

Xue Yu stood quietly for a moment, as if stumped by the question or seriously considering how to answer.

“I don’t know about others.” Her eyes seemed to contain floating, broken light. Meeting Su You’s probing gaze, she spoke word by word: “As for me.”

“It’s not worth it.”

When she spoke again, she extended her hand toward him, saying: “Arrays are easy to form but hard to dissolve. Take my hand and come out.”

“Such things won’t happen again.”

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

Without making Xue Yu wait long, this time, Su You obediently gave her his hand.