Chapter 301

Nantong was already experiencing intense summer heat. Even in the countryside, it was tolerable to sit in the shade of a tree or by the river, but stepping into the sun felt like being scorched.

Zhao Yi unbuttoned his collar and bought a bottle of soda when he passed Aunt Zhang's store. The soda had been sitting on the shelf for a long time, warmed by the sun, so it felt lukewarm when he drank it.

"Young man, how about a frozen candy bar?" Aunt Zhang asked, pointing to her icebox, a square white contraption covered with a thick cotton quilt.

"I'll take one," Zhao Yi replied.

"Here, pick one yourself," Aunt Zhang said.

Given the village's consumption levels, there weren't many types of ice cream. Zhao Yi chose one with a panda head on the wrapper, which was considered a high-end, popular item at the time. He tore open the wrapper and took a bite. It was rich and creamy, with a strong milky flavor. Zhao Yi licked his lips, looking at the brown and white panda in his hand, one ear bitten off. He thought about getting one for that Li kid when he returned from Big Beard's house later. Kids definitely liked things like this. Perhaps because he always came up short in his clashes with Li, he no longer wanted to confront him directly and gradually resorted to ageism.

Aunt Zhang leaned her elbow on the taped counter, resting her chin in her hand. She looked at Zhao Yi, then at the celebrity poster her youngest daughter had put on the store wall. Aunt Zhang used to think the flashy people in the posters weren't that attractive, but seeing the "real person" made her feel differently. What a shame, she thought. Grandpa Sanjiang said this young man was with an acrobatics troupe. A small troupe with only a few people surely couldn't make much money, and the worst part was they had to travel all over the country.

Aunt Zhang hesitated for a long time. Only when Zhao Yi was almost done eating the "panda head" ice cream, standing under the tin awning of the store, did she finally ask: "Young man, are you married?"

"I have four children already," Zhao Yi replied.

"Good heavens!" Aunt Zhang exclaimed, covering her mouth. "How old are you? How old is your wife? You're having children so quickly?"

"I have two wives in my hometown; they can share the burden," Zhao Yi said.

Aunt Zhang picked up the rag on the counter and began wiping frantically, as if trying to chase away something dirty.

Zhao Yi smiled and tossed the ice cream stick into the trash can. Just as he was about to leave, he saw an elderly man and woman pulling a cart towards them. A young girl was lying on the cart, dressed in a yellow floral top, gray pants, and red button-down cloth shoes, with a cloth compress on her forehead.

"Oh, Aunt Guiying, what happened to Yinghou?" Aunt Zhang immediately rushed out from behind the counter to check on the cart.

Cui Guiying, holding another cloth, told Aunt Zhang, "Here, get some water, I need to wring out this cloth."

"I'll do it, I'll do it," Aunt Zhang said. She took the cloth, ran into the store to get water to wash it, paused when she came out, then pulled back the quilt, took an ice cream from the freezer, wrapped it in the cloth, and handed it to Cui Guiying: "Aunt Guiying, use this for Yinghou's compress."

Cui Guiying took it and replaced the cloth on Yingzi's forehead. Li Weihan reached into his pocket to get some money.

"Oh, Uncle Han, what are you doing now!"

"It's to be paid," Li Weihan said, handing over the money.

Aunt Zhang pushed the money away, stamping her foot. "Can't you just let the child have an ice pop normally? Besides, the child is like this; how can I take money for it?"

Li Weihan had an excellent reputation in the village. He was willing to help Liu Jinxia, even when her life was difficult and her reputation was poor, let alone others. He would almost always lend a hand whenever someone in the village was building a house or digging a fish pond. Li Weihan put the money back, nodded to Aunt Zhang, and then sighed.

"What happened to Yinghou?" Aunt Zhang asked.

Cui Guiying explained, "She was in class when she suddenly fell to the ground, started kicking her legs, and foamed at the mouth. The teacher took her to the clinic for an IV drip. She's not convulsing anymore, but she's still disoriented. The doctor said it doesn't seem like heatstroke…"

"Where are her parents?" Aunt Zhang asked.

Cui Guiying replied, "Her father went to work on a construction site in the city with Qu Sihou a while ago, and her mother also went to help cook on the site. All the children are staying with us now." Qu Sihou was a well-known figure in the village, well-connected outside, and often organized villagers to work elsewhere.

"You should have called a car," Aunt Zhang said. "You can't just push the child back like this. If people see her on the road, the village will spread rumors. Aunt Guiying, just tell everyone that Yingzi had heatstroke this time, and there's nothing else wrong."

Cui Guiying looked at Li Weihan, whose eyebrows furrowed into a frown. Some specific illnesses, if contracted, could make it difficult to arrange marriages later.

Zhao Yi had already walked some distance. Although Young Master Zhao had become a "doctor" from suffering chronic illness since childhood, he was never a particularly helpful person.

"There are only a few days left until the college entrance exam," Aunt Zhang said. "Will Yinghou's condition delay her exam?"

"Exactly," Cui Guiying replied. "Her grandfather and I were worried about this the whole way. Our Yinghou studies very hard, staying up late and getting up early every day. If she can't take the exam because of this, it would be such a tragedy."

"Yes," Aunt Zhang said, "your Old Li family has a scholar among this generation. Didn't young Yuanhou become the top scholar? His elder sister certainly won't do badly either."

Zhao Yi, who had been walking forward, naturally started walking backward. He backed all the way to the cart, looked at Yingzi, who was lying unconscious on it, and reached out to take her pulse. He couldn't help it. Young Master Zhao had suffered from illness since childhood, so he empathized deeply and couldn't bear to see others suffer from disease. He had always maintained a heart dedicated to healing and saving the world.

The three of them watched Zhao Yi's actions, unsure what to say. Primarily, Zhao Yi's appearance was too good to seem like he was misbehaving, and his pulse-taking movements were very professional. Withdrawing his hand, Zhao Yi walked to the store counter and took a box of needles. Zhao Yi didn't have his own silver needles with him, but these ordinary needles would suffice. He opened the box, took out three, and rubbed them between his fingers. The needle tips became hot and emitted a faint glow.

"Are you going to…" Cui Guiying stepped forward. She didn't directly stop him, but her face showed unease.

Li Weihan grabbed his wife's hand, holding her back, then stepped forward himself and asked Zhao Yi: "Young man, do you know how to treat illnesses?"

"I am, ah, Li. Don't worry, I'm a friend of young Yuan… young Yuanhou."

Aunt Zhang interjected, "Aren't you an acrobat?"

"I travel widely," Zhao Yi replied, "and I know a few tricks of the trade."

Without further delay, Zhao Yi immediately began acupuncture. After inserting three needles, Zhao Yi flicked them gracefully with his fingertips. *Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!* Three sounds like mosquitoes buzzing.

Yingzi opened her eyes, turned to her side, and spat out a mouthful of thick blood. Immediately, she began to gasp for breath, her gaze sweeping around confusedly. She was truly awake now. Li Weihan, Cui Guiying, and Aunt Zhang all leaned in to check with surprise.

"It's not epilepsy," Zhao Yi explained. "It's excessive worrying, internal heat stagnation, combined with the recent hot weather. Um… let's just say it's an acute emotional outburst affecting the heart. Find an old well, at least thirty years old, and scrape moss from its walls. Plug your nostrils with it for an hour, morning, noon, and night. Also, get some duck blood, pig blood… chicken blood is best. If you can't eat it cold, stir-fry it with tofu or something. Eat a large bowl every day."

Cui Guiying asked while taking notes, "Will she be cured then?"

Zhao Yi replied, "It will worsen her condition, but for these few days, she'll be quite energetic and spirited. She has the college entrance exam, and roughly during the summer vacation after the exam, she will have a severe illness and be bedridden for a month. She's young, and her constitution is good, so it's not a major issue; she'll recover."

Cui Guiying looked at Li Weihan in astonishment. Eating this "blood medicine" would worsen the condition?

Yingzi said firmly, "I want to take the college entrance exam. I want to take the test." Although health is the foundation of everything, for Yingzi, if she didn't perform well in the college entrance exam, her future would forever remain in the village.

Cui Guiying and Li Weihan helped Yingzi up, checked her body, and asked if she felt uncomfortable anywhere else. When they were done and intended to thank Zhao Yi and invite him for a meal, they found he had already vanished. On Aunt Zhang's store counter, there was an opened box of needles, with the money for them placed underneath.

Breaking off a willow branch and biting it, Zhao Yi walked slowly along the field ridge, his hands clasped behind his head. That Li kid had a terrifying mind, yet his cousin was falling ill from pre-exam anxiety. For blood relatives sharing the same surname, the difference was truly vast, like heaven and earth. But then again, it was normal. It was hard to predict the true nature of bloodline inheritance before a child was born. However, once a child was born, clues became clear, like Benben, whom he was about to meet at Big Beard's house. That child made even Zhao Yi envious. If the child's "godfather" wasn't so terrifying, Zhao Yi would have tried to become a godfather himself.

Reaching Big Beard's doorstep, Zhao Yi stopped. He came here to see Old Tian, with no other intentions. The problem was, the peach grove was right there. Given his current condition, going directly might lead to that person misunderstanding it as a deliberate act. The correct approach would be to ask the Li kid to go first, deliver a message, plead his case, gauge their attitude, and then he could come himself. The reason Zhao Yi had been pestering the Li kid to return to Nantong was primarily because of this peach grove in Nantong. To solve the problem of a face appearing on his body, he naturally had to consult with the elder who had countless faces on their body.

"Never mind, never mind. I'll go back and beg the Li kid first. If I go straight there like this, I might get hung up and beaten."

Zhao Yi made a decisive, elegant turn. Just as he was about to stride back, his steps slowed, and the free-spirited, agile demeanor vanished, replaced by the graceful and serene composure of an ancient scholar wandering the countryside. Lin Shuyou wasn't here, so this time, it was truly Su Luo taking over his face. Compared to sitting in a truck driver's seat, Su Luo was clearly more comfortable with the current scenery. The houses on the second floor were more numerous, and the roads were much wider and harder, but these farmlands and small bridges with flowing water truly felt familiar. The only thing was, looking around, he didn't see any mountains.

"I wonder where this plain water village is."

Soon, Su Luo's gaze was drawn to the beautiful peach blossoms ahead. To ordinary people, the peach grove changed with the seasons, and it was long past blooming season. But those with spiritual cultivation could break through this illusion and see eternally blooming peach blossoms. Su Luo was currently using Zhao Yi's body, so he could definitely see them. Upon seeing them, he couldn't help but step inside.

Xiao Yingying had gone out to restock today. Old Tian sat in the shade of the patio, eating a cantaloupe. He had a piece, and Benben, in the crib beside him, had a piece. The melon wasn't the right variety; it wasn't sweet, but both the old man and the baby ate happily. Old Tian held a cattail fan in his other hand, fanning the child. Caring for Benben always reminded Old Tian of his young master's childhood. His young master also loved melon then, but he was so frail and delicate. Many things couldn't be eaten casually as they were hard to digest. Old Tian had to chop the melon, boil it down, add rock sugar, and then feed it to the young master spoonful by spoonful.

His young master was returning today, and he had already prepared food. Ever since Li Sanjiang fell ill and was bedridden, he hadn't gone drinking with him. He only visited briefly once a day and no longer ate meals there. There was just too much pressure there; he couldn't bear it alone.

Turning his head, a familiar figure appeared in Old Tian's sight. "Young Master!" Old Tian stood up and ran over, smiling.

Su Luo was momentarily stunned. He had also been called "Young Master" before, and hearing it again made him feel somewhat disoriented. But after observing Old Tian's face closely, Su Luo immediately smiled. He had seen this old man in his "childhood friend's" memories. This was the man who had raised his "childhood friend." Now, he looked old, his hair was white, and his back was hunched. Just like his own mother, all those who had been truly kind to him would grow old… and pass away.

"Young Master, are you alright?" Old Tian patted Su Luo from head to toe, and after confirming no "parts" were missing, immediately said, "Young Master, please sit down. I'll bring out your food. It's been ready for a long time, just waiting for you to return!" Old Tian ran into the house.

Su Luo walked slowly onto the patio and saw Benben, who was grasping the crib rails with both hands, looking at him. "This child is so plump and exquisite, truly well-cared for." Su Luo instinctively reached to touch his wrist. When meeting children of friends or family, one should offer a small gift. He wasn't short of these delicate trinkets during his life, and he remembered being buried with quite a few after death. But when he touched it, he felt a gleaming, bronze-colored Rolex. "This…"

Benben let go, sat down, and then slowly pushed with his little chubby legs, moving himself to the other corner of the crib. But on his face, he still wore a sweet, innocent smile. Old Tian was overjoyed but also burdened by genuine emotions, so he didn't immediately notice the change in his young master. But Benben noticed; he wasn't the "bad uncle" who used to tease his "little bird."

"Young Master, it's here, it's here!" Old Tian brought out two plates: one with hot mixed noodles and the other with tea cakes. These were his young master's favorite foods since childhood. Every time he finished a "jiang" journey, Old Tian would specially prepare a meal for him.

Su Luo took the chopsticks, picked up a tea cake, bit into it, and savored it, praising, "This is truly delicious." Old Tian's expression changed. He took a few steps back and instinctively flicked his hands. The two daggers he once used for attack were gone. Instead, two small shovels slid into his palms.

"Who exactly are you, and why are you impersonating my…" Before he could finish, Old Tian's throat seemed to seize up, preventing him from making any more sound. He looked at Su Luo with a terrified expression, not because the other party dared to attack him, but because he was horrified by what kind of being dared to commit evil in this village, on this very patio!

Su Luo placed the remaining half of the tea cake back on the plate, looked at Old Tian, whose face was full of discomfort, shook his head, and said: "It's not me."

In the peach grove, a gentle breeze blew, scattering peach petals onto the patio. Su Luo turned to face the peach blossoms. The petals floated before him, seemingly falling slowly, yet also appearing as if they would never land. Subtly, it felt as if a pair of terrifying eyes were staring at him. This feeling of being watched was all too familiar to Su Luo, both in life and after death. He instinctively wanted to let go and allow it to do as it pleased. But he immediately realized this was his "childhood friend's" body, so he promptly put his hands in front of him, adopting a defensive posture.

Benben in the crib looked at Su Luo, then turned his head to look at the area in front of Su Luo. Benben's eyes could see that being because that being allowed him to see. At this moment, Benben began to imitate that being's actions. First, his little face moved forward, and he tried to lower his eyebrows, attempting to look as confused as possible. Then, Benben pulled his face back, revealing a simple, sweet smile. He reached out, tugging at the corner of his mouth, making one side not smile while the other side did. Realizing his imitation wasn't quite right, as the flesh on his face was also smiling, he had to use another hand to knead his face. After much rubbing and kneading, Benben leaned back and fell onto the crib mattress. There was no way; even the most precocious child would struggle to display a chilling, insincere smile at an age when they couldn't even control their bladder.

Clearly, the being under the peach grove had noticed something abnormal about Zhao Yi. At first, it was puzzled. Because it had confirmed that after it threw the black book to Zhao Yi, Zhao Yi hadn't opened it and had given it back to the boy intact to return. So the current situation was: he didn't want the black book's secret method given by itself, but instead learned this secret method from the boy? After a brief moment of confusion, it immediately understood why Zhao Yi had come here at this time. At this moment, the scene Zhao Yi most dreaded and tried desperately to avoid, occurred.

The being under the peach grove didn't mind being used. For someone who had been in self-imposed isolation, awaiting death, there was no price too high to pay, but it required an exchange. That young man was very sensible, always bringing a basket of "fruits" that could please it. But this one truly came empty-handed, not even carrying a real fruit basket. *Sigh*, what did he take it for?

A peach petal landed on Su Luo's brow. Benben had just sat up, his mouth forming an "O" shape, and immediately covered his eyes with both hands, afraid to look, because it was angry.

The peach petals scattered, and Old Tian finally regained his freedom, dropping to one knee with a thud. "Are you really the young master?"

"I am."

"Then what are you doing to my young master's bo—"

Su Luo was pulled by an invisible force, face down, and with a "thud!", he was slammed onto the ground. Big Beard's family used to be the richest in the village, and the concrete floor on this patio was of much higher quality than Li Sanjiang's. Even so, Su Luo still made a dent in it.

"Young Master!" Old Tian's heart ached terribly. Although he didn't know who was possessing his young master, it was still his young master's body. Just as Old Tian darted forward, wanting to check on his young master's injuries, Su Luo, lying face down, began to move rapidly across the patio, as if dragged by an invisible hand, "whoosh," quickly rubbing against the ground. *Thump-thump-thump*, after sliding past the patio steps, he continued to "clatter" and rub against the gravel ground. This scene, even without experiencing it firsthand, looked incredibly painful just to watch.

Old Tian leaped down, trying to catch his young master, but he was a step too late. His young master's body was dragged into the peach grove, while he himself was flung away, slamming heavily onto the ground. Immediately after, Old Tian was lifted again. Every time Li Zhuiyuan came to communicate with that being, he did so with utmost respect. Tan Wenbin and Lin Shuyou, too, were extremely cautious, not daring to make any presumptuous moves. Old Tian's recent attempt to rush into the peach grove was already an offense. To put it bluntly, no matter how good-tempered a tiger is while napping, it's still a tiger.

*Waa-waa-waa…* Benben waved his hands, as if crying.

*Thud!* The lifted Old Tian dropped back to the ground, his body convulsing a few times, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth. He tried to stand up, wanting to enter the peach grove again, but ultimately stopped. Gritting his teeth, Old Tian ran out, clutching his chest. He had to find that young man; only he could save his young master now. However, before Old Tian could run out of Big Beard's property, a peach branch wrapped around him. Old Tian was forcibly pulled up, then swung, and finally settled firmly onto the bench next to the crib. The peach branch entered his clothes, controlling his body. Old Tian stiffly bent down, picked up the cattail fan from the ground, and began to fan himself at a steady pace. Benben, who was originally in the corner, slowly crawled over to Old Tian, buried his head, and pretended to be asleep while being fanned.

*Ding-a-ling!* Xiao Yingying returned on her tricycle, carrying four jars of wine and two cans of milk powder. Pushing the tricycle onto the patio, she saw Old Tian sitting there fanning himself and Benben pretending to be asleep. Xiao Yingying cast her gaze toward the peach grove. Then, without a word, she moved the purchased items into the house, brought out her materials, and began making paper effigies.

Compared to the concrete and gravel paths, the soft earth under the peach grove felt more welcoming. That is, if one didn't consider the dirt constantly getting into one's ears and nose, and the ever-increasing speed.

*Splash!* Su Luo was flung into a pool. The pool was small, only about the size of a common square table, but its surroundings were complete with all the elements: musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting, adorned with wine jars. A man in a wide-sleeved robe was painting with his back to the pool. Su Luo surfaced, blood dripping continuously from his face, mingling with the water in the pool.

"May I ask who you…" The paintbrush in the man's hand paused slightly. The peach blossom mark on Su Luo's brow flashed, and he was slammed violently back into the water.

After a long time, Zhao Yi finally resurfaced. *Gasp… gasp… gasp…* Normally, holding his breath underwater for any length of time wouldn't be an issue, but only if he was prepared. This time, he woke up underwater and immediately felt breathless. This cursed pool was so small yet so deep; Zhao Yi nearly drowned in it. Glancing around, quickly analyzing the situation, Zhao Yi spoke: "You have to believe me. Coming empty-handed, I originally didn't intend to come now. Who knew I'd suddenly have an episode? And that one, being an idiot, probably saw the beautiful peach blossoms here and just veered off course and came over."

A peach branch came down, first binding Zhao Yi, then lifting him, and finally tightening! *Hiss!* Zhao Yi immediately felt as if his body was about to burst from the constriction. Even so, Zhao Yi dared not resist. Although he had made great progress in the last "wave," facing such an existence, there was a theoretical chance of survival if he didn't resist, but once he did, even that theoretical chance vanished.

The peach branch loosened, and Zhao Yi fell back into the pool. Even though his body was still in intense pain, Zhao Yi still opened his mouth to explain: "I wasn't lying. You said I was like you, so how could I do something so foolish? If you don't believe me, at least believe yourself."

Another peach branch descended, this time not binding him, but directly piercing into Zhao Yi's body from the back of his neck. Zhao Yi wanted to scream, but thin branches spread from his neck, preventing him from making a sound. Next, he was pulled out of the water again. The peach branch continued to penetrate deeper, with fine roots constantly traveling through his body. Zhao Yi was truly scared this time, because with a simple thought from the other side, his entire skin would be smoothly peeled off. The shadow of death once again enveloped him. This wasn't Fengdu, nor Ghost Street. He hadn't passed through the great fog and had a contingency left by the Great Emperor. Therefore, if he died here, he would truly be dead. However, this emotion came and went quickly. After all, he had "died" twice in earnest, so he had developed quite a bit of resistance.

The man said, "You surprise me a little." The peach branch at his throat unfurled, granting Zhao Yi the power of speech again.

"After all," Zhao Yi replied, "I take you as my goal to pursue, so I should have made some progress."

The man asked, "Have you seen through life and death?"

"Too early, too far, not quite," Zhao Yi replied.

"Since you're not afraid of death, then…" In an instant, ten peach branches pressed down, extending in front of Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi involuntarily swallowed. The peach branches, like whips, lashed down swiftly, one after another. *Crack! Crack! Crack!* These whips not only struck his body, but their thorns seemed to pierce his very soul. Such agony profoundly illustrated what it meant to be worse than dead.

After one round of whipping, Zhao Yi hung there, blood constantly dripping from his body, flowing into the pool below, gradually staining it red. Looking from below, the flesh on Zhao Yi's body subtly showed signs of coming apart, like deboning pickled chicken feet. Zhao Yi's own consciousness had, at this point, fallen into a coma.

The man put down his paintbrush, picked up a wine jar nearby, took a sip of wine, then flicked the jar upwards, splashing the remaining wine onto Zhao Yi. Flames surged, beginning to scorch him. Zhao Yi's mouth gaped, his eyes wide. His previously fading consciousness was once again stimulated into wakefulness. The sudden series of extreme torments made Zhao Yi's eyes bloodshot, and the aura of his "gate of life and death" rapidly swirled. However, what should have been a magnificent act of self-preservation in adversity was instantly interrupted by a peach branch unceremoniously piercing his heart! Zhao Yi in the flames, his body convulsed violently.

The man remained with his back to Zhao Yi, not looking at him, as if simply enjoying the wails from behind, which could add a touch of inspiration to his painting. "How does it feel?"

"I… I… I…" The flames extinguished, but the peach branch piercing Zhao Yi's chest remained, still slowly twisting. Zhao Yi strained his neck, forcing himself to speak his true thoughts: "I f***ing thank you!"

After talking with his great-grandfather for a while, the old man soon fell asleep. Li Zhuiyuan observed from the side. The young man wanted to confirm if the good fortune had returned to his great-grandfather, but even if it had, it didn't seem immediately discernible. Picking up a coin from his great-grandfather's bedside table drawer, Li Zhuiyuan left the room and went to the balcony. There was a very silly yet effective method.

"Heads." The young man flicked his fingertips, the coin flew up, then landed back in his palm, showing heads. He flicked it again, and it landed again, still heads. Ten times in a row, all heads. Li Zhuiyuan didn't intentionally control it, trying his best to make the results random. Although such a small sample wasn't scientific, it was enough for Li Zhuiyuan to feel that the good fortune was still with him at the moment. He remembered that when he took his great-grandfather's good fortune to play "Golden Flower" (a card game), he didn't need any skill; he could win a lot of money purely by luck.

If it was just using the good fortune for these kinds of things, it wasn't a huge problem. But if he continued to carry it while "walking the river," the karmic entanglement and consumption would be terrifying, especially since this time it involved two "immortals." His great-grandfather's good fortune couldn't be infinite; it must have a limit. If he used it all up, then his great-grandfather's later years would likely come to an end. Li Zhuiyuan admitted that his great-grandfather's good fortune had played a huge role in the last "wave," but if he had the choice, he would choose not to carry it. Next, he would see if he dreamed tonight. If he could dream again, it meant the good fortune could return on its own. If he couldn't dream… he would have to draw that fortune-transferring formation again.

Li Zhuiyuan walked back to his room. As soon as he entered, the young man sensed something unusual. He looked around, including the ceiling and floor, and found nothing amiss, yet the feeling of unease became more pronounced. The young man carefully examined everything again, then closed his eyes, comparing the room's appearance from his memory before leaving home with how it looked now. He couldn't find any discrepancies in detail, but there was a difference in the atmosphere. Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, spread his right palm, and a bloody mist filled the air. Then, with a wave of his hand, tiny, almost imperceptible reddish specks scattered and adhered to the surroundings. The floor was fine, the tables, chairs, benches, and wardrobe were fine, and the surrounding walls were fine. The problem was the ceiling. The ceiling had been repaired and repainted, restored to its original state, so meticulously that no difference from the original could be discerned. There couldn't have been an external intrusion here, nor could an external enemy have caused damage and then calmly repaired it. The only one who could have done repair work in his room was Uncle Qin. Li Zhuiyuan turned his palm upwards, raising it above his head. The bloody mist diffused upwards, and the young man's mind was also reconstructing the scene. Soon, lines of bloody grooves "emerged." This meant that a force had ravaged the ceiling in a very short time, leaving deep marks. Following these marks, he traced them backward to find the point of release. Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and looked at the chair behind the drawing table. Normally, in this room, he would sit behind the desk, while the chair behind the drawing table was always used by A-Li.

Li Zhuiyuan left the room and went downstairs. In fact, when he first returned home and found the East Wing door closed, and A-Li not waiting in her usual prominent spot for him, Li Zhuiyuan knew something must have happened. Liu Yumei was currently sitting at the East Wing doorway, drinking tea. Seeing the young man walk towards her, she smiled slightly and asked: "How is your great-grandfather?"

"He'll be much better soon."

Liu Yumei nodded. She wasn't angry at all that the young man went straight upstairs upon returning home without coming to the East Wing. It was only right to visit a sick, bedridden elder first upon arriving home.

"Grandma, A-Li…"

"A-Li is fine," Liu Yumei said, looking up at Young Yuan's room on the second floor as she spoke. "Nothing serious."

"Then can I go inside and see her?"

"Go ahead."

"Okay."

Watching the young man push open the East Wing door and go inside, Liu Yumei lowered her head and took another sip of tea. A-Li was indeed fine, but that morning, a small incident had occurred, and Liu Yumei was somewhat startled when she noticed it. She was the one who asked Uncle Qin to repair it, not to hide it from Young Yuan, but to hide it from herself. "Alas, what begins with this, must also end with this." She had originally thought her granddaughter was truly getting better, but facts proved that the foundation of all her improvements lay with that young man. Liu Yumei felt sadness and regret in her heart, yet also a sense of relief.

Aunt Liu walked over, her expression a little downcast. Because Mengmeng hadn't returned. Mengmeng wasn't allowed in the kitchen at home. The silly girl wanted to help but knew she couldn't handle food preparation herself, so she often deliberately stood by the kitchen window, chatting and talking with her while she cooked.

Liu Yumei said, "Alright, she's not dead. Is there any need to act like this?"

"It's not your apprentice, is it?"

"On this path, separation by life and death is the norm. It was a miracle that A-Li returned alive when he went alone. What Young Yuan used to do, going out with a full team and returning safely with everyone, that's what's truly rare and unusual. Just assume Mengmeng is dead. Then think again, hey, that girl isn't dead yet. Doesn't that feel much better?"

"That girl loves company. I'm afraid she won't be able to bear being in that place alone."

"The children have their own plans and considerations. If you, as an adult, wear your emotions on your sleeve, you're only putting pressure on them."

Aunt Liu took a deep breath, her expression returned to normal, and she smiled. "You're right to scold me. I was too attached to appearances."

Liu Yumei said, "In any case, it's just a few more years. This matter will surely be resolved before we finish our night journey and blow out the lantern." The story version from Zhuangzhuang's side hadn't been sorted out yet, so Liu Yumei wasn't clear on the details of the previous "wave." However, she still concluded that the matter of Yin Meng wouldn't drag on for too long, at least not until Young Yuan successfully "walked the river" and became a Dragon King. Ordinary Dragon Kings, those old things, might not give face, but Young Yuan was different. The old things merely relied on having lived a long time, but they couldn't withstand the fact that this generation's Dragon King was truly young. Once Young Yuan becomes the Dragon King, he can just sit at the gates of Fengdu and outlast them. Who knows who will exhaust whom to death!

Liu Yumei asked, "By the way, where's Runsheng?"

Aunt Liu replied, "A-Li just called him to go work in the fields. A-Li also cares for his own apprentice."

Liu Yumei rubbed her forehead. "Right, I advised you but forgot to warn that blockhead beforehand. Who knows if he didn't deliberately go to comfort him."

Just then, Lin Shuyou came out of the living room carrying a basin and a cloth. He had just wiped down all the coffins so everyone could sleep in them at night. Liu Yumei looked up at Lin Shuyou. Lin Shuyou respectfully nodded to Liu Yumei and chuckled.

Liu Yumei said, "See? Even A-You didn't go comfort Runsheng. He must have been informed beforehand."

East Wing.

Li Zhuiyuan walked into the inner room and saw A-Li, dressed in a white dress, sitting by the bed. Her headpiece was meticulously decorated, meaning she knew he was coming back today, but she deliberately hid in the room and didn't come out. As the young man walked in, the girl looked up, glanced at him, then lowered her head again, her hands, hidden in her skirt, clenched even tighter. As if she was scared. Li Zhuiyuan knew the girl wasn't afraid of him, but afraid of him knowing something.

"A-Li, I'm back."

The girl's eyelashes trembled slightly. Li Zhuiyuan stood to the girl's left, extended his hand, and said, "Come on, let's go chat on the balcony. My experiences in this 'wave' were quite exciting."

The girl nodded, stood up, and offered her right hand to the boy. Li Zhuiyuan, however, quickly grasped the girl's left hand. The girl's body trembled, and she instinctively tried to pull back her left hand. The young man held fast. The girl raised her eyes, looked at the young man, then lowered her head again, not struggling violently anymore. Li Zhuiyuan held the girl's wrist with his left hand, and with his right hand, he pried open her fingers, one by one. His movements were gentle, but his attitude was firm. The girl's palm was laid open, revealing a glaring wound made by a carving knife. The wound was long and deep, and this was even after it had been treated. Her left hand should have been bandaged, but knowing he was coming back, she was afraid he would see it, so she had removed the bandage herself.

A scene flashed in Li Zhuiyuan's mind: In his room on the second floor, A-Li sat on the chair behind the desk, carving something. Suddenly, her expression froze. She cut open her palm with the carving knife, tilted her head back, and released the blood, which spilled from her palm like a chain of blood sweeping across the ceiling. This image was just Li Zhuiyuan's initial mental reconstruction. He knew the actual scene must have been more extreme, because…

"You sensed that I died, didn't you?" A-Li bit her lower lip, and after a moment, slowly nodded, like a child who had done something wrong. Once, Li Zhuiyuan had self-harmed with incense, and A-Li was very angry when she found out. This time, it was her turn to do the same thing and be discovered. However, Li Zhuiyuan was not only not angry but even gently stroked the wound on the girl's palm with a smile, saying: "A-Li, seeing you do this makes me very happy. If you feel that if I die, you no longer want to continue living in this world that frightens you, you can die with me."

A-Li looked up at the young man, her eyes filled with surprise. She hadn't expected him to say that.

"But you know, I'm not that easy to kill. Things like this might happen many more times in the future, and the intervals between them will only be shorter than this one. Because many people are targeting me, including the heavens above us. When I come back to life, I want to see you as soon as I get home. If I'm not dead, but you are, what am I supposed to do? They can't kill me. Those who want to kill me, I will kill them one by one. You must have faith in me. No matter what you sense in the future, even if Tan Wenbin tells you himself that I'm dead, don't believe him. Because that would be my plan, and this plan cannot be known by a second person, not even Tan Wenbin. You must be well. Wait for me to come back, beautiful as you were before. Wait for me to return. Look now, this hand is injured, it doesn't look good."

The girl quickly pulled back her left hand, covering it so the boy wouldn't see.

"Where's the medicine? I'll reapply it and bandage it for you. Aunt Liu's medicine definitely won't leave a scar. Zhao Yi also has excellent scar removal medicine. I'll ask him for some later to have ready. I didn't see him when I came down just now. I wonder where he's off to, enjoying himself."

Deep within Li Zhuiyuan's consciousness. The true body held a carving knife, standing in the basement, looking at a collection of completed statues before it. More precisely, it was staring at A-Li's statue. The statue wore a white blouse, a horse-skirt, and a wooden hairpin in her hair, appearing dignified and graceful. This was Li Zhuiyuan's favorite outfit in his memories. A-Li also knew Li Zhuiyuan liked it very much and wore it frequently for a while. The true body had replicated this. That time, the true body had briefly taken control of Li Zhuiyuan's body, and at that time, it had one obsession: to test A-Li's strength. The true body, unlike Li Zhuiyuan, didn't view the girl as someone to be protected. In the true body's eyes, there was only clear, tangible value that could be grasped.

Now, the true body had its answer, and this answer greatly surprised it, far exceeding its original estimation: "Entering the game through chess and painting, the landscapes, the myriad phenomena, all enter my eyes, nurturing the essence of the Liu family; Using dreams as a crucible, evil spirits, ghosts, intimidation, and curses temper my soul, sharpening the dragon of the Qin family. Inner demon, oh inner demon, though you bear the weight of two family legacies, but Qin Li… is the true culmination of the Qin and Liu families' inheritances!"