Xie Zhifei walked to the writing desk, grinding ink as he pondered. Once his mind was made up, he picked up the brush and wrote.

After finishing, he placed the paper behind him. “Yan Sanhe, your turn.”

Yan Sanhe already had a draft in mind. With just a few strokes, she finished quickly.

Though Pei Xiao furrowed his brows tightly, his brush showed no hesitation—the writing was done in one smooth flow.

A moment later, three sheets of paper were simultaneously placed on the table, each bearing different words:

Turn enemies into friends;

Courtesy before force.

Turn swords and spears into jade and silk.

Though written differently, they all conveyed the same meaning.

They’d come to dissolve obsessions and resolve demons—not to investigate which country Zhou Ye was from, why he’d infiltrated the bureaucracy. Making an enemy of Zhou Ye would bring them no benefit whatsoever.

Yan Sanhe extended one finger and lightly tapped the table several times.

“Since we’re all in agreement, let’s think about how to turn enemies into friends, courtesy before force?”

Seeing the other two thought the same as him, Pei Xiao gained confidence. “Here’s what—tomorrow during the day I’ll send Zhou Ye a calling card, then visit him in the evening.”

Yan Sanhe: “What’s the reason?”

Pei Xiao: “Returning to the capital soon, thanking him for his care.”

“Those eight characters are excellent.”

Xie Zhifei clapped his hands. “‘Returning to the capital’ means we’re leaving—from now on, mountains high and roads far, we’ll have nothing to do with each other. It gives him peace of mind. The word ‘thanks’ shows goodwill—we have no ill intentions toward him.”

Yan Sanhe continued: “Visiting in person shows our sincerity. On his territory, it lets him feel at ease.”

Hearing both praise him, Pei Xiao felt a bit proud.

However, just then, Yan Sanhe suddenly changed direction.

“Have you both considered one problem—Zhou Ye may feel at ease, but we’ll be in a dangerous position. Our lives or deaths will be entirely in his hands. What if he decides to kill us…”

Thump, thump, thump…

Pei Xiao felt his heart beating faster and faster.

If Zhou Ye decided to kill them, there would be only one path to take—

The road to the Yellow Springs!

In this world, uphill roads are hardest, downhill roads easiest, but the Yellow Springs road means you’re completely dead.

Should they take this risk?

Was it worth taking this risk?

This was a question everyone needed to seriously consider.

Pei Xiao silently glanced at Xie Zhifei, guilt rising in his heart.

This whole trip, he’d accompanied him through wind and rain. A bit of hardship and exhaustion was one thing, but if something happened, how would he explain it to the Xie family?

“Xie Fifty, don’t go. Stay at Guanyin Temple with Zhu Qing and wait for us.”

Xie Zhifei turned his head. “What do you mean?”

“No particular meaning.”

Pei Xiao’s face was pale. “This matter has nothing to do with you to begin with. If you lose your life over this, it’s not worth it.”

Xie Zhifei sneered coldly. “Pei Mingting, you’re only now telling me it has nothing to do with me? What were you doing earlier?”

“How was I supposed to know that dissolving obsessions and resolving demons could cost us our lives?”

Pei Xiao slammed the table, fury blazing.

“If I’d had eyes in the back of my head, I wouldn’t have let you leave the capital. And if you, you bastard, had dared to follow, I’d have broken your legs.”

Xie Zhifei stared at him coldly. “You’re really something!”

Pei Xiao bit his lip. “Never mind if I’m something or not—you’re not going tomorrow.”

Xie Zhifei’s breathing quickened.

This person had a foul temper and a foul mouth, but one thing about him was fragrant: his heart toward friends.

To say he wasn’t afraid would be a lie. Behind him was a whole household—old ancestor, father, mother, eldest brother, eldest sister…

Every one of them was someone he couldn’t let go of.

But the person before him—he also couldn’t let go of.

“We came together, so we’ll return together.”

Xie Zhifei looked at him. “If you, you bastard, don’t let me go tomorrow, I, Third Master, will no longer acknowledge who Pei Mingting is! Don’t believe me? Try it?”

“…”

Pei Xiao stared somewhat blankly at the person before him, not knowing what to say next.

“Hmph!”

Yan Sanhe frowned, looking like she wanted to vomit.

Her original intention was just to remind them—to think things through carefully, to prepare countermeasures, just in case.

These two masters instead staged a “deep affection” life-and-death parting drama.

“Lord Pei.”

Yan Sanhe said coldly: “I came to dissolve the old madam’s obsession and resolve her demon—not to throw away my life.”

Pei Xiao: “…”

Yan Sanhe: “Since Guanyin Temple has no problems, we should make good use of Changqing and Zhitong monks.”

Lord Pei’s eyes, which had been dim for so long, suddenly blazed like stars.

“Mingting, I actually wanted to tell you the same thing.” Only Yan Sanhe beat him to it.

Xie Zhifei: “Tomorrow give me your official seal. I’ll make arrangements at Guanyin Temple.”

Pei Xiao: “You, how will you arrange it?”

Xie Zhifei: “Remember when we first arrived at Nanning Prefecture at the herbal tea stall—the bet I made with Li Buyan?”

Pei Xiao: “I remember. The loser helps the winner grab the first incense offering at Guanyin Temple.”

Xie Zhifei: “I lost, so I should be the one grabbing that incense.”

Pei Xiao’s eyes brightened again. This excuse came naturally, reasonable and fitting—not jarring at all.

“The question is, can you actually grab it?” Yan Sanhe’s words had double meaning.

The monks at Guanyin Temple have been tormented by us like this—will they still help us?

“That depends on whether Third Master’s mouth is sweet enough.”

Xie Zhifei’s lips curved in a bitter smile.

“If it really doesn’t work, I’ll just have to shamelessly invoke my dear father!”

…

The magistrate’s office.

Deep in the northwest corner was a small courtyard—Magistrate Zhou Ye’s quarters.

The courtyard wasn’t large but exquisite in its simplicity. The decorations and furnishings were very plain. Zhou Ye only stayed here a few days each year.

Lighting lamps, heating water, brewing tea…

As the tea leaves sank, someone pushed open the door and entered. “Sir.”

Zhou Ye set down his tea cup and said coldly, “How is that courtyard?”

“Someone’s guarding the courtyard. The lights have been on until now. Can’t find out anything else.”

Zhou Ye’s unremarkable face seemed covered with a layer of frost, only his pair of eyes—so black, so unfathomable in the candlelight.

“The person who crossed blades with me earlier was that guard called Zhu Qing who follows Xie Zhifei. His sword strikes are fast, his skills solid—he’s a master.”

“Sir, they must be suspicious.”

“I’ve sat in this magistrate’s position for a full nine years, stayed in the Hua Kingdom for over twenty years. I’ve never been exposed before.”

Zhou Ye shook his head. “Yet I never expected to be exposed by those few.”

“Sir, what do we do next?”

“After hiding all these years, I’ve had enough. He’s had enough. You’ve all had enough.”

Zhou Ye turned his head, his expression frank. “Ah Qiang, it’s time for a complete resolution.”

The one called Ah Qiang’s eyes suddenly grew hot. “Brother Zhou Ye?”

“If it’s fortune, it’s not disaster. If it’s disaster, you can’t avoid it. Everything depends on Heaven’s will.”

Zhou Ye’s voice was heavy. “Tomorrow they should make some move. You don’t need to stay too close—just watch two people from a distance.”

“Who?”

“One is Third Master Xie, the other is Lord Pei’s sister.”

“I know about Third Master, but Lord Pei’s sister…”

Ah Qiang didn’t quite understand. “Why watch her?”

Zhou Ye’s eyes showed a hint of intrigue.

“We know the identities of those four, but only she and her maid have unknown origins—they’re variables.”

Ah Qiang thought of that dazzlingly dancing soft sword and felt as if plunged into an ice cellar.

Zhou Ye sneered coldly. “The help they can find, if I’m not mistaken, should be people from Guanyin Temple.”

Ah Qiang’s eyes became bloodshot. “The temple has warrior monks—each one’s martial skills are formidable. Brother Zhou Ye, what do we do then?”

“There’s no retreat.”

Zhou Ye’s eyes suddenly flashed with cold light.

“Ah Qiang, tell the brothers… it’s a battle of life and death!”