The room was dead silent.

Chu Hanjin gripped the back of the chair, his eyes tinged with red, staring intently at Yue Lin.

Just recalling even the slightest moment from earlier. The seductive and embarrassing details made Chu Hanjin want to end his own life on the spot, perhaps by bashing his head against a wooden post and dragging Yue Lin down with him.

…It was utterly humiliating.

Completely strange.

Yet, Yue Lin, sitting before him, seemed to feel somewhat better. The insidious nature of aphrodisiacs is that they strip away one’s reason, turning a person into a slave to their desires, their mind blank, leading them to do things they would never normally do.

Like what had just happened.

Like the things Yue Lin had said.

Including the mess Yue Lin had accidentally made on Chu Hanjin’s clothing at the end.

…And the lingering scent in the air that hadn’t fully dissipated. Just the thought of it made Chu Hanjin’s grip on the chair tighten, his knuckles turning white as veins bulged.

He wanted nothing more than to slash Yue Lin with his sword, his shame so overwhelming that his eyes reddened, and he nearly turned away, unable to face him.

Yue Lin, in a panic, stammered, “I’m sorry—”

“Shut up,” Chu Hanjin cut him off.

“I just—” Yue Lin began.

“I told you, stop explaining,” Chu Hanjin interrupted again.

After speaking, his shoulders seemed to sag slightly, and he turned his head away. “Let’s just pretend none of this ever happened.”

When something was too overwhelming to handle, ignoring it was the only option.

In the current urgent situation, Chu Hanjin was doing his best to maintain composure. He glanced at Yue Lin, his expression showing a trace of embarrassment, “Are you… better now?”

“…”

There was an undeniable awkwardness in his tone, though he was clearly asking if the effects of the aphrodisiac had worn off. Yue Lin replied, “Yes, I’m fine now.”

After releasing the tension, the earlier heat and restlessness had dissipated, leaving him feeling more at ease.

But with reason fully restored, the situation now felt more terrifying than before.

Chu Hanjin turned away and walked to another part of the room, avoiding Yue Lin’s gaze. His voice betrayed a hint of unease, “Was it just a simple aphrodisiac? Why would he drug you?”

Yue Lin thought for a moment, “Maybe he wanted to test the nature of our relationship.”

Chu Hanjin narrowed his eyes, “What do you mean?”

“Perhaps we don’t look like a typical master and servant.”

He stopped just short of saying, “We look like a couple.”

Given the close way he and Yue Lin behaved, it was reasonable for others to suspect they were more than just master and servant.

When Chu Hanjin glanced at Yue Lin’s eyes, it was like being pricked by a needle. He quickly turned his head, trying to maintain a serious expression, but the tips of his ears turned pink.

He hadn’t realized yet that when he got embarrassed, his ears would turn red. Struggling to regain his composure, he said, “If he’s actively trying to test us, it must be because he has a guilty conscience. If he were innocent, there would be no need for all this cautious behavior.”

Yue Lin nodded in agreement.

From the clues they had gathered, it seemed clear that Luo Yang and Young Master Zhou had been rivals in love, and it was highly likely that this was a case of murder driven by jealousy.

Chu Hanjin thought for a while, “Someone mentioned that Young Master Zhou was cursed to death. If that’s true, it increases the likelihood that a cultivator was involved.”

“Exactly.”

With that, they had drawn their conclusion.

In the dimly lit room, the two stood quietly, facing each other.

Amid the awkward atmosphere, the tension from earlier seemed ready to reignite. Yue Lin quickly changed the subject, “Tomorrow morning, I’ll have to leave through that door as part of the act. You should…”

He wanted to suggest that if Chu Hanjin was tired, he should go back and rest early.

Unexpectedly, Chu Hanjin avoided his gaze and said, “If he was cursed to death and you noticed something strange when you put your hand in the coffin, it means there’s something suspicious about either the body or the coffin. He’s being buried tomorrow morning. It would be disrespectful to the dead if we were to dig him up later. We should go tonight.”

Yue Lin asked, “You want to examine the body again?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “Yes, we’ll examine it again.”

It was approaching midnight. While the brothel was still lively, the streets were mostly silent, with shops closed and people already asleep. Since Chu Hanjin was insistent, Yue Lin nodded, “Alright.”

Chu Hanjin leaped out of the window. Before leaving, Yue Lin placed another spell on the unconscious boy to ensure he wouldn’t wake up too soon, and then he followed Chu Hanjin out.

They made their way to the Zhou residence. Tomorrow would be the funeral, but tonight, the household was bustling, with people playing mourning songs, and lights illuminated the courtyard. Many cultivators and funeral staff were gathered near the coffin, performing rituals and throwing paper money into the air to bless the soul of the deceased.

Young Master Zhou’s mother was there as well, half-kneeling on a straw mat in front of the coffin, performing a mourning ritual known as “crying for the dead.” This was a custom where the louder and more sorrowful the crying, the more dignified and grand the funeral appeared, bringing honor to the deceased.

Young Master Zhou’s body had been temporarily removed from the coffin and placed on a board. According to the ritual, the priests had calculated the auspicious time for burial, so the body had to be removed tonight and would only be returned to the coffin at the auspicious time the next morning for the deceased to rest in peace.

These procedures could not be done incorrectly, as mistakes could harm the family’s fortune or cause Young Master Zhou to become a vengeful spirit.

A crowd of onlookers gathered, including many elderly townsfolk, shaking their heads while munching on melon seeds. “The Zhou family is really unlucky, losing their son so young.”

“I’ve watched Young Master Zhou grow up. Seeing the madam cry like this breaks my heart.”

“Such a shame. He was so talented and handsome!”

“…”

Many of the maids and women nearby were softly weeping. It was said that Young Master Zhou had a gentle and clever nature, loved poetry and books, and treated people with courtesy. It seemed the rumors were true.

Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin stood among the crowd, blending in easily as the few guards on duty were yawning and sipping tea.

One of the priests called out, “Everyone who wishes to see the deceased’s face one last time, please come forward now!”

The crowd slowly approached the body for one final look.

Chu Hanjin exchanged a glance with Yue Lin.

The two of them walked up to the body, offering condolences to Madam Zhou. When the priest pulled back the white cloth covering the deceased’s face, it revealed a pale yet handsome face.

Because Madam Zhou was tearfully watching, they couldn’t be too obvious, so they quickly glanced at the body and exchanged a look.

Chu Hanjin nodded.

Yue Lin also nodded.

It was clear they both sensed something was wrong with the corpse.

Just as Yue Lin was about to step back, the officiating priest let out a quiet exclamation.

Yue Lin looked up.

Unlike cultivators, ordinary priests lacked spiritual power and often took up the profession either to cultivate their character or to make a living. This particular priest, wearing a yellow robe and a headscarf, was none other than the owner of the funeral shop whom Yue Lin had “settled accounts with” earlier in the day.

Because it was dark earlier and the priest had changed his attire, Yue Lin hadn’t recognized him right away.

The funeral shop priest, upon seeing Yue Lin, recoiled in fear, raising his peachwood sword, his lips trembling as he struggled to speak.

Yue Lin simply smiled and returned to stand beside Chu Hanjin in the crowd.

Chu Hanjin spoke first, “Something’s wrong with the body.”

Yue Lin nodded, “There’s no smell, and no signs of decay.”

Chu Hanjin frowned, “Based on the timeline, he’s been dead for nearly seven days. In Fengliu City, which is close to Mobei, the weather is hot, and the sunlight is intense. There’s no way the body wouldn’t show any signs of decomposition.”

Yue Lin sighed, “We’ll have to investigate further.”

However, with so many people around, it would be difficult to examine the body thoroughly. Tonight, friends and family would stay by the deceased’s side for the “vigil,” and tomorrow they would send him on his way. It would be impossible to avoid the eyes of Zhou’s family and quietly investigate.

After a moment’s thought, Yue Lin said, “I have an idea.”

Chu Hanjin turned to look at him.

Yue Lin stepped into a more visible spot in the crowd. The priest, who had been busy for hours, was finally taking a break, sitting at a table drinking tea and wiping sweat from his forehead. As he glanced around nervously, his eyes landed on Yue Lin.

He hesitated for a moment, then put down his tea and walked over to Yue Lin, his face full of dread, “Immortal Lord, what do you need from me?”

This priest, whose day job was selling paper offerings and moonlighting as a Taoist for extra money, could never compare to someone like Yue Lin, who had survived dismemberment and still lived. He was trembling with fear.

Yue Lin spoke calmly, “Relax.”

“I-I’m not nervous…”

“Your outfit is quite nice.”

The funeral shop priest was confused, stammering, “Huh? What… What do you mean, Immortal Lord?”

Yue Lin replied simply, “I want to borrow it.”

In funerals, only the priest could handle the corpse closely, not even the family.

The priest was baffled, “Immortal Lord, may I ask what you need my robes for?”

“Why so many questions? Just give them to me.”

The priest hurriedly nodded, “Of course, of course, just remember to return it later.”

He quickly took off the outer robe and handed it to Yue Lin.

To the onlookers, it seemed as though the two were simply discussing the proceedings, their quiet exchange not drawing much attention.

Yue Lin donned the priest’s robe and made his way toward the coffin. Realizing what Yue Lin intended to do, the priest finally understood, “Immortal Lord, are you going to inspect the body?”

Yue Lin glanced at him, “What of it?”

The priest clearly knew there was something wrong with the corpse, but he didn’t dare say anything. Now that Yue Lin was going to investigate, his courage grew. He whispered, “There’s something off about the body. Since you’re going to check, I’ll tell the others you’re my apprentice. That way, no one will be suspicious.”

He quickly added, “No disrespect intended, no disrespect!”

Yue Lin gave him a long look.

The priest turned beet red, embarrassed and unsure of what to do.

He had spent his life revering gods and fearing ghosts. The only time he had done something truly immoral was when he cursed a corpse in a coffin in a fit of greed. It had haunted him ever since, and if given a chance, he would have sought to make amends.

Yue Lin said, “Thank you.”

He walked to the center of the ritual, and sure enough, wearing the priest’s robe, everything now seemed proper. He covered part of his face with a handkerchief, and the deceased’s family didn’t dare ask too many questions, afraid of committing a taboo. One relative, with a shaky voice, asked, “Taoist?”

Yue Lin lowered his voice, “No worries, I’m just placing a protective charm on the young master to prevent spirits from harming him in the afterlife.”

It was something he made up on the spot. The others, confused by the jargon, simply nodded and resumed their conversations.

Yue Lin finally approached the body. He lifted the cloth covering the corpse, revealing the pale figure, neatly groomed, wearing a ceremonial hat, mouth stuffed with cloth, hands clutching a paper money bag, dressed in seven layers of burial robes, eyes tightly shut.

If it weren’t for the unnaturally pale skin, the deceased would look as if he were merely asleep.

Yue Lin placed his hand on the back of the neck, probing for a moment.

Sure enough, there were teeth marks, as if bitten.

They matched the wound that had bitten him earlier.

Yue Lin continued examining the body, mentally apologizing as he loosened the burial robes, exposing more of the pale skin.

As he shifted the body slightly, his fingers suddenly froze.

There, on the body, was a pitch-black curse mark, with three hooks, the center glowing a faint red.

Yue Lin’s heart sank. Not good.

Although it wasn’t exactly the same as the curse mark on the back of Chu Hanjin’s neck, the design was similar—clearly an incomplete puppet curse.

Yue Lin calmly re-dressed the corpse, saying, “All done.” He covered the body once more and walked back to Chu Hanjin.

As Yue Lin approached, Chu Hanjin noticed his serious expression and asked, “Did you find something?”

Yue Lin nodded.

Outside the crowd, a man in green robes stood with a folding fan in hand.

The crowd was too thick to tell how long he had been watching.

Soon after, he spotted Chu Hanjin and Yue Lin and smiled.

His gaze then shifted to Yue Lin, and he said, “Ninth Brother?”