Jinyu Tower was located in the southeast direction of Ye City, adjacent to the royal palace and overlooking Baizhong Mountain.

This tower was built extremely tall with carved beams and painted pillars, hundreds of bright lamps. As soon as night fell and streets lit up one by one, this tower became the brightest point in the brilliant galaxy of stars, particularly eye-catching.

Xue Yu went neither hurriedly nor slowly, observing the streets along the way, asking Chao Nian: “On the sixth day of the fourth month, when demons from Baizhong Mountain came out to play, there were no incidents, right?”

“None, Your Highness, can rest assured. The Palace Guard Bureau watched them closely.”

Xue Yu nodded somewhat absently. As she approached the southeast street, she saw Yedu palace guards in armor and weapons clearing the way, standing in a mighty formation from beginning to end. Seeing Xue Yu’s arrival, the palace guards all lowered their eyes respectfully, not daring to look directly.

The internal attendant waiting at Jinyu Tower’s entrance hurried forward, bowing to Xue Yu: “This subject will escort Your Highness inside.”

With such an incident occurring and the Master personally arriving, Jinyu Tower naturally stopped receiving guests. From top to bottom, everything was quiet and silent as the grave.

Xue Yu had timed her arrival carefully – neither fast nor slow, but this amount of time was enough for the Lord of Yedu to cast spells to awaken Xue Rong.

Indeed, just as she turned into the third floor and pushed through two doors, across twelve landscape screens and several zither stands and desks, Xue Rong’s incomparably grief-stricken choking voice reached her ears: “Uncle, in the future, I will have no connection to the cultivation path.”

Immediately after came the Lord of Yedu’s voice, heavily suppressing his anger: “Little Rong, don’t overthink. First, recover from your injuries. Uncle will find a way regarding cultivation matters.”

Hearing this, Xue Rong felt no joy, only a wave of dizzying vertigo. He understood that if even the Lord of Yedu, with his status, couldn’t guarantee anything and only spoke of “the future,” this meant it was over.

His life was over.

Xue Rong suddenly closed his eyes, his brow and eyes filled with deathly stillness, his voice seeming to squeeze through gritted teeth: “Uncle, those bandits—”

Just then, the internal attendant led Xue Yu in. The inner chamber that connected three rooms was very spacious. The physicians kneeling beside the bed, cold sweat streaming down, straightened their backs and bowed toward Xue Yu.

Xue Yu greeted the Lord of Yedu, saying with an expressionless face: “Father.”

The Lord of Yedu clasped his hands behind his back. He seemed extremely angry, yet had to consider Xue Yu’s dignity. His expression dark, he waved his sleeve at the attendants and physicians kneeling everywhere: “Rise, all of you, wait outside the door.”

The physicians felt relieved, one after another picking up their medicine boxes and filing out with drooping shoulders.

The door creaked shut. In the vast inner chamber, incense smoke curled upward. Besides Xue Yu and her father and Xue Rong lying on the bed with venomous eyes, only a few internal attendants remained with lowered brows and downcast eyes, acting as wooden figures. For a moment, the silence was terrifying.

The Lord of Yedu looked deeply at Xue Yu, pointed at the pale-faced, listless Xue Rong on the bed, and said meaningfully: “Look at your elder brother.”

The two words “elder brother” were bitten particularly hard, as if deliberately reminding her of something.

Xue Yu stepped forward, meeting Xue Rong’s furious eyes directly, her gaze then falling on his smooth brow ridge and straight nose bridge.

It must be said that this face alone overlapped five or six parts with Prince Su from her memory. Over two hundred years ago, her uncle and father were called the Twin Paragons of Yedu – they were spirited and outstanding, both first-rate in excellence. Unfortunately, the heavens were unpredictable. Later an accident occurred, and both her uncle and grandfather, who had suffered serious internal injuries in earlier years, died together.

Thus, her father ascended the throne.

The former Prince Su was magnificent and peerless, with capable people and talented scholars serving under him no less than those under the Lord of Yedu. The two brothers each controlled half the realm, yet had excellent relations. Thus, loving the house and its crow, Prince Su of those days treated Xue Yu as the current Lord of Yedu treated Xue Rong.

Extremely doting.

That was young Xue Yu’s only remaining impression of Prince Su.

Meeting Xue Yu’s gaze, Xue Rong’s head seemed to explode with a buzz. He endured and endured again, gritting his teeth, trembling lips letting out a hoarse laugh as he spoke: “I don’t know what wrong I’ve done to make you send Chao Hua to kill me.”

Faced with such questioning, Xue Yu showed no reaction. She only lowered her eyes in thought for a moment, then asked: “When trouble occurred, you immediately suspected me. Why?”

“In the past, every time, for uncle’s sake, I turned a blind eye to you, letting you act recklessly and become a tyrant of Ye City, making countless enemies. Just because of the last justified hundred rod strikes, you think I want to kill you.”

Speaking to this point, she raised her eyes slightly and concluded: “Xue Rong, you consider me your greatest enemy.”

Each word she dropped was like a gleaming blade, almost stabbing into Xue Rong’s heart.

He indeed often resented heaven’s unfairness – having been born into such a family, why must such a catastrophic disaster occur?

He, too, was of direct lineage and older than Xue Yu, occupying both legitimate birth and seniority. Why could Xue Yu speak to him with such condescension, “turning a blind eye,” her words full of charity and grace?

Xue Yu had opportunities for tempering, enjoyed success, with the Lord of Yedu personally teaching her political strategies. The father and daughter’s methods were each more ruthless than the last. In the blink of over two hundred years, the former Prince Su’s faction had long since fallen apart, most switching allegiance to the new master.

And what about him? Due to his grandfather’s vague dying decree, he went from being a precious direct heir to a marginalized “Second Young Master” – Second Young Master, even the title sounded ironic.

He could only get drunk repeatedly at Jinyu Tower, filled with resentment and melancholy, lost in glorious old dreams, wasting his cultivation and neglecting his character development.

Xue Yu had stolen everything from him, naturally becoming a thorn in his eye and flesh, his lifelong enemy.

“My subordinates may not be particularly capable, but they’re all Yedu’s elite. Yet not one could match those masked attackers. The leader’s palm techniques were unmatched – even I was no match for him.”

“Who in the world doesn’t know you have Chao Hua on your left and Chou Li on your right?”

As Xue Rong spoke, he looked toward the Lord of Yedu, his voice grief-stricken: “At that time, my carriage had only traveled about a hundred li from Yedu. Within a thousand li radius, there were no sect strongholds. Besides family members, who could or would dare act so boldly?”

“There are many capable people in the world. What you’ve done and who you’ve provoked, you should know clearly.”

Xue Yu’s slender eyebrows moved slightly. Just when Xue Rong thought she would deny everything point by point and escape through excuses, she suddenly smiled, her voice so low it carried a hint of mockery: “But there’s one thing you got right.”

“Within Yedu’s territory, others wouldn’t dare act presumptuously.”

“Those people were indeed sent by me.”

The Lord of Yedu looked up sharply. Xue Rong’s eyes widened in disbelief, his body then trembling with towering rage.

As if on cue, at that moment came the internal attendant’s careful voice from outside: “Your Majesty, Lord Chao Hua requests an audience.”

The Lord of Yedu looked deeply at the ghost-pale Xue Rong, then at Xue Yu: “Come out.”

He understood his daughter’s character too well. If she normally tolerated someone as much as possible, but when taking action, instead of punishing accumulated crimes, she directly took their life, there was generally only one situation: that person had crossed the bottom line.

What constituted the bottom line?

Treason, betraying the country, colluding with outsiders.

Chao Hua’s arrival would certainly bring evidence.

In the outer room, another guest reception chamber, Xue Yu received a token and three sheets of white paper from Chao Hua, then handed them to the Lord of Yedu. The latter’s expression was indescribably complex as he rubbed the token’s patterns, his gaze fixed unblinkingly on those three snow-white papers.

“If I remember correctly, this was the exclusive communication method of Uncle’s former faction, requiring unique techniques to view the true writing behind the paper.” Xue Yu said, “Father, please take a look.”

The Lord of Yedu was no longer the Prince Lu of old. As master of a sacred land, he naturally knew how to decode many mysterious arts, including the technique he used to convey secrets while appearing blank.

He ignited a cluster of purple fire at his fingertip. The fire condensed without dispersing, its color strange, releasing not heat but ice-cold temperature. Soon, dense writing appeared on those three papers.

Upon seeing it, the Lord of Yedu’s expression paused, his finger frozen in mid-air for an instant, then he closed his eyes.

Xue Yu took them to read. Three full pages seemed to display Xue Rong’s complete dissatisfaction and resentment. Not only that, he also mentioned Prince Su’s death years ago, sharing his speculations.

In his view, this was undoubtedly Xue Yu’s father’s doing. The first page spoke of his father’s injustice and his current situation of being excluded and suppressed everywhere. The following two pages were filled with his plans.

“Spreading rumors to damage reputation, winning hearts, sowing discord between ruler and minister, colluding with outsiders to disintegrate Ye City from within.” After reading, Xue Yu’s eyes lifted slightly, her glazed pupils appearing cold and distant, yet her words remained light, without any trace of anger. She even commented thoughtfully: “With these few schemes, Xue Rong has indeed improved.”

“The letter was written and ready to send to the Xu family.” Xue Yu laughed mockingly: “If I remember correctly, this Xu family is genuinely of Prince Su’s faction. When uncle died in that incident years ago, the cause of death wasn’t announced for long, becoming Yedu’s secret. Many were suspicious with various theories. The Xu family was the first to request a resignation, leaving Yedu to establish their sect.”

“Betraying Yedu is a capital offense. When father ascended, seeing their loyalty and remembering their relationship with uncle, he used the excuse of a new emperor’s ascension to give them only two hundred spirit rod strikes before letting them leave the mountain. Today, it seems they’ve maintained contact with this Second Young Master.”

The Lord of Yedu seemed to remember something, his mind leaping to the words on those three papers. His expression became dejected, feeling nothing but bone-chilling cold.

It wasn’t that child’s hate-filled yet naive schemes, nor his complaints about current circumstances, but that single curse wishing father and daughter a fate worse than death that was enough to completely chill a heart.

That child.

He was his brother’s only remaining offspring.

His brother was brilliantly talented and incomparably handsome, bearing the burden of the eldest legitimate son. In comparison, Xue Lu could be said to act freely and live unrestrained. He rode in flowing robes across heaven and earth, stained with worldly dust.

He never imagined that being urgently summoned back would bring news that he might be established as Yedu’s Crown Prince.

His father mentioned Xue Su, so angry he nearly jumped with rage. He was bewildered and refused to accept, wanting to leave immediately when his brother returned, only to receive double tragic news.

The carefree Second Young Master had to restrain his casual manner overnight, don the Lord of Yedu’s crown, and sit day after day on Wanxiang Hall’s throne, shouldering his father and brother’s burden.

Honestly speaking, Xue Rong’s character was too poor. This child wasn’t as ice-clear and transparent as Xue Yu, didn’t have Xue Yu’s natural talent and comprehension. He was narrow-minded, competitive in everything, and most fatally, he had no bottom line.

Such a child only had eyes for himself, not the people. He couldn’t become the Lord of Yedu.

Therefore, his child, his only daughter, was strictly required from a young age to study rules, etiquette, and imperial strategies. He made her put people first and care for all living beings. He watched her travel constantly, toiling everywhere, watched her gradually grasp great power and become capable of handling affairs independently, also watched her personality gradually become more detached.

But originally, when holding her as a newborn, he had smiled and said: May my daughter live happily and carefree, freely enjoying the human world.

As for Xue Rong, he gave this child more care and love, allowing him to be as carefree and passionate as the former Xue Lu, living as he pleased with the wind.

In all conscience, he had done his utmost.

“How does father plan to handle this matter?” Xue Yu raised her clear black and white eyes, asking straightforwardly.

The Lord of Yedu’s hand tapped the table edge repeatedly, as if he’d made up his mind yet couldn’t bring himself to act. After a long while, he tilted his head back, his voice hoarse: “Shatter his divine palace, sever his meridians, confine him to Jinyu Tower, never to emerge for life.”

He looked at Xue Yu, saying nothing yet seeming to say: Ah Yu, besides you, father has only this one remaining relative.

Xue Yu nodded. Just as she was about to speak, she heard Chao Hua’s rarely serious voice from outside: “Your Highness, there’s a discovery.”

“Come in.”

After entering, Chao Hua presented a letter burned to only half remaining: “This was found at the former Prince Su’s mansion. Your Highness’s prediction was correct – the Second Young Master’s usual residence was clean, nothing could be found, but quite a few things were discovered at Prince Su’s mansion.”

Upon seeing it, the Lord of Yedu’s expression immediately became extremely poor.

Xue Yu then took the letter. Most of it was missing with only a few lines remaining, clearly stating: One thousand demons and ghosts have been transferred out. Hope you keep your promise and remember today’s agreement.

The signature bore Yedu’s great seal, dated four years ago.

Yedu’s greatest abundance was demons and ghosts, but Xue Yu controlled this strictly. The Palace Guard Bureau enforced laws clearly – Xue Rong didn’t have the authority to mobilize a thousand demons and ghosts.

Only one place didn’t fall under Xue Yu’s jurisdiction.

Those were demons and ghosts truly sentenced to death – unforgivably guilty with no intent to repent – who would be taken by the Lord of Yedu’s people to the Execution Platform.

Such demons and ghosts, once released, would certainly cause great chaos in the human world.

“Four years ago, Xue Rong indeed came to request a position escorting demons and ghosts to the Execution Platform. Seeing that he rarely showed interest in managing affairs and wanting to temper him, I agreed.” The more he spoke, the worse the Lord of Yedu’s expression became, his enunciation becoming heavier by the end.

Four years ago.

Four years ago.

Xue Yu was in closed-door cultivation, the Palace Guard Bureau was too busy with other matters, and the Execution Platform wasn’t under their jurisdiction. Even the Lord of Yedu hadn’t anticipated Xue Rong would have such audacity to do something so brazen, thus he truly succeeded.

Xue Yu almost inevitably thought of the human imperial city from three years ago.

So many demons and ghosts, each fierce and savage. She caught them back one by one, yet many people still died, blood seeming to flow in endless rivers.

No wonder.

No wonder Qiu Tong could find so many vicious ghosts in the human world.

“The Human Emperor.” Xue Yu gripped that paper, saying word by word: “Xue Rong dared collude with the imperial court.”

With that, she pushed through the door, carrying a body full of harsh frost into Xue Rong’s room. She threw several white papers at him, her voice indescribably cold: “Have you gone mad?”

Seeing this, Xue Rong knew the matter was exposed. He wasn’t afraid – his already deathly pale face instead showed a sinister smile: “Yes, I’ve gone mad. I went mad long ago when my father died without cause and your father ascended to the Lord of Yedu’s position.”

He looked at Xue Yu, saying word by word: “Why?”

“He speaks of the innocent proving their innocence, yet my father’s cause of death is never announced. If he didn’t secretly murder him, then what about the Crown Prince position? Why does he cultivate his daughter instead of me, who should rightfully be the legitimate heir?”

As if knowing death was imminent, Xue Rong’s voice became unrestrained and loud, his eyes seeming to burn with fire: “Xue Yu, you tell me, why?”

“If I don’t scheme and plan for myself, what should I do – acknowledge a thief as father?”

Xue Yu quietly watched him vent his dissatisfaction. After a while, she parted her lips: “The Crown Prince position – if given to you, could you handle it? Could you sit steadily?”

“Would you be responsible for Yedu’s subjects?”

“Your way of competing for status isn’t through diligence and hard work, earnest cultivation, and dedicated study to become a benevolent ruler. What is your only method?”

“Colluding with the imperial court? Do you think Qiu Tong is someone you can manipulate?”

Xue Yu shook the papers in her hand. As if knowing the argument was meaningless at this point, she calmed down: “Tell me, what was your agreement with Qiu Tong? I can spare your life today, even give light punishment to the former Prince Su’s faction.”

“Hahahaha.” Xue Rong laughed as if hearing a joke. He blinked, revealing a deep wrinkle on his eyelid, suddenly seeming aged: “I’m now no different from a cripple. What meaning is there in living?”

“As for those cowardly creatures, they’re utterly useless. It wouldn’t matter if they accompanied Father and me in death.”

With that, he pressed a sharp blade he’d somehow grasped heavily against his throat. Blood gushed forth, the blade absorbed the blood, and turned a heavy purple-black. In that instant, he transmitted his dying words to every former Prince Su faction head:

“—I want you to oppose Xue Yu in life and death. This enmity will not rest until death.”

Xue Yu stood in place, looking at his corpse for a while, her expression momentarily dazed.

Very occasionally, she would remember the past – the unrestrrained childhood, recalling father’s casual manner leaning against walls then, recalling him holding little her, saying to uncle in an extremely annoying tone that busyness was father and son’s affair while he and his little Ah Yu were born to enjoy life. She would also remember Xue Rong repeatedly patting her head, his smiling tone when saying she looked like a snow doll.

She didn’t have many relatives.

Not much love.

A little warmth could make her remember for a long time.

Xue Yu stood by the bedside for a while, closing her eyes heavily, her curled long lashes casting a dense shadow. When she turned around, she already wore a calm, unruffled expression: “Arrange the Second Young Master’s affairs. Bury him with princely rites.”

Immediately after, she paused and instructed: “Investigate the former Prince Su faction. Chao Hua, examine records from four years ago.”

“Have Chou Li lead people to Luozhou, saying the Second Young Master is critically ill and requesting the Xu family head to return to Yedu for a visit.”

This matter finally ended under the Lord of Yedu’s no-longer-merciful thunderous methods. When a ruler is enraged, corpses pile up for thousands of li. All of Yedu was thoroughly investigated inside and out many times, except that the “one thousand demons and ghosts” agreement’s full picture couldn’t be known.

Though Xue Yu guessed it related to Qiu Tong, without seeing the Human Emperor’s seal or Qiu Tong’s name, no one could say for certain, so the matter was shelved indefinitely.

Time flashed to May, under the scorching sun. The Heavenly Book jumped out once again, the small scroll opening a large crack. This time, the rolling spirit characters didn’t form neat rows and queues but were briefly two words, concise and comprehensive.

—Fine payment.

Settlement time had arrived. Xue Yu’s mission was incomplete.

Xue Yu pressed her lips down somewhat displeasedly, asking: “How much this year?”

An astronomical figure suddenly appeared on the Heavenly Book.

Just as Chao Nian came to report matters to Xue Yu, seeing this situation, as if blessed with sudden inspiration, he remembered something and said repeatedly: “Your Highness, please wait.”

With that, he ran out like smoke.

Not long after, he returned carrying a small jade box, placing it on the desk with a thud. Opening the small lock above, he revealed over ten types of gleaming pills inside: “Su You gave this to this subject before entering the Flowing Current. Before leaving, he specifically calculated the converted amount – exactly enough for Your Ladyship’s fine payment this time.”

The “compensation” was extorted from the Human Emperor and Prince Zhao.

Hearing this, Xue Yu looked over sideways, silent for a moment, then asked: “He didn’t take them into the Flowing Current?”

Chao Nian honestly shook his head.

Xue Yu knew all too well what the Flowing Current was like. Without healing pills meant the difficulty would increase another level. That youth who dared rashly break into Prince Zhao’s mansion, after hesitantly saying “I was wrong,” had done such a thing again.

Those hundred-odd copies of “Where there’s life, there’s hope” were all copied in vain.

After all was said and done.

He hadn’t listened to half a word.

The Heavenly Book collected its full fine payment. Just as it was about to urge Xue Yu to complete the next year and a half’s missions, it heard her speak first: “I want to request extended leave.”

The Heavenly Book alertly trembled, revealing two large characters: How long?

“Five to ten years.” Xue Yu said, “Injury upon injury, and cultivation needs a breakthrough.”

The Heavenly Book helplessly recorded this.

Due to cultivation and closed-door training, Xue Yu’s group couldn’t possibly find time every year to rush about everywhere, hence this leave-taking arrangement. However, fines still had to be paid, just much less compared to incomplete missions.

Years passed swiftly, time like flowing water. In the blink of an eye, ten springs and autumns flickered past.

One autumn equinox, Xue Yu emerged from seclusion. After handling Yedu’s governmental affairs, she began traveling through the human world to complete the Heavenly Book’s missions.

Three days later, the Palace Guard Bureau received Xue Yu’s transmitted message. After the spirit talisman’s light extinguished, Chao Hua swung her legs and jumped down from the desk.

“Sister, what do you say? Does Her Highness lack a capable assistant?” Seeing this, Chao Nian immediately moved closer, patting his chest and being first to speak: “I’ll go assist Her Highness.”

Chao Hua was petite and delicate, standing not as tall as Chao Nian. She stood on tiptoes, using her fingernail to poke Chao Nian’s brow, looking sideways: “You go? Go where? Look at your cultivation level – if you don’t cause trouble for Her Highness, I’ll burn incense daily in gratitude.”

Chao Nian chuckled, seemingly accustomed to being scolded, scratching his head while still appearing undaunted and eager to try.

After speaking, Chao Hua looked at Chou Li seriously: “Unexplained demon gatherings have appeared in Luozhou, showing signs of forming a small beast tide. Her Highness’s mission is as high as four stars and needs multiple people’s assistance.”

“You go.”

Chou Li was a fair, clean woman who frowned and spoke like a spring breeze: “But if I go, the Palace Guard Bureau’s affairs and those difficult characters on Baizhong Mountain will all fall to you. You’ll be stretched thin, unable to manage everything.”

Chao Hua gritted her teeth, about to say “you go, don’t worry about me,” when she heard the Palace Guard Bureau’s door blown open from outside by a gust of wind.

Footsteps stopped.

A man leaned against the doorframe, his voice indescribably clear and refined: “I’ll go.”

Chao Nian turned to look at him. At first glance, he only felt that the temperament was too different. Only when truly looking at that face, those eyes, did he suddenly react. Like seeing a ghost, he exclaimed: “You! You—how did you—”

The man turned and disappeared from the Palace Guard Bureau’s entrance.

Only then did Chao Nian seem to come to his senses, shaking Chao Hua’s arm in shock: “Sister, sister, I didn’t see wrong, right? Was that Su You?”

His voice dropped as if suppressed, his entire facial expression in chaos: “How many years has it been? How did he come out?”

“You ask me, who do I ask?” Chao Hua took a deep breath, irritably slapping away Chao Nian’s hand, asking: “How many years has he been in there?”

Chao Nian reacted, quickly calculating the time, his expression becoming spectacular as he murmured: “Ten years.”

He looked at his sister blankly: “Ten years and seven months.”

Chao Hua seemed to want to merge all the shock and amazement in her heart into one sigh. She slowly exhaled: “Worthy of being someone Her Highness favored. This potential is truly—”

Then she collected herself, slapping Chao Nian’s back: “Why aren’t you following quickly?”

Chao Nian immediately forgot all other emotions. He seemed to come alive, happily about to step out of the Palace Guard Bureau’s main door, when Chao Hua called him again. She pursed her lips, reluctantly reminding: “Don’t be unruly in your conduct. Coming out of the Flowing Current, he’s no longer called Su You. When you meet, remember to call him Commander.”