Chapter 76

When Liuyu’s sword pierced through Yin Zishi’s heart, Fang Fucang, who was holding Yin Lanruo, happened to pass through the courtyard.

“Miss—”

Liuyu stood up in surprise and shook the blood off her sword, saying, “Why haven’t you left yet?”

“We can’t leave.”

Fang Fucang succinctly explained, “The Shentu family’s cultivators have surrounded the entire estate. It’s like a copper wall and iron bastion. We can only find a place to hide for now…”

“Let’s not mention that neither of us is familiar with this place. Even if we can hide, how are you going to get me out of here?”

Yin Lanruo’s soft, water-like voice drifted through their ears. She patted Fang Fucang’s hand, then slowly released herself from his embrace and walked towards the lifeless Yin Zishi on the ground.

The light purple skirt hem had a little bloodstain, but she didn’t mind it.

After quietly watching for a while, Yin Lanruo stood up and spoke to the two:

“Today, the Shentu family was well-prepared. Every family entering the mansion with the clan has been recorded, and it will certainly be cross-checked when they leave. In this case, how will you explain having one more person from the Jimo family?”

The sound of hundreds of puppets arriving, riding the wind, grew louder.

Yin Lanruo had only seen the eldest daughter of the Yinshan family from a distance before. Her impression of her had always been that of a dazzling celestial being from the heavens, never imagining that one day, this girl would go through so much trouble to plan today’s scene—at least in part for her.

Yin Lanruo’s gaze shifted.

“The day I secretly sent out the book fragments I stole from Shentu Shiyan, I did hope for a chance, hoping the young lady would come to save me. The young lady has tried her best, and I have done my part too. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“The Zhongli family wants me to marry their subordinate, I know why. For families like ours, marriages have never been up to us. When I married Fuzang, it was the same, and it’s still the same today. I can’t fight against such fate, but I also don’t want to just accept it.”

She handed a mustard seed bag to Liuyu.

“Inside is a set of ten warehouse orders from the Yinshan family in the Dongji Yanggu area. Miss Liuyu should know that the supplies in the marketplace, including food and supplies, can be quickly mobilized because of these warehouses. With them, we can truly control the marketplace of the Yinshan family. What Lanruo wants is not much—only that after the young lady regains control of the Yin family, she will treat my daughter well.”

In the past, Yin Zishi used her daughter as leverage, forcing Yin Lanruo to serve him, but it also allowed her to come into contact with the core of the marketplace.

Now that he was dead, Yin Lanruo no longer had any concerns.

“And what about me?”

Fang Fuzang stared at her steadily, his teeth clenched as he spoke.

“You’ve arranged everything so well. Tell me, how did you arrange for me?”

Yin Lanruo’s gaze slowly turned to her former husband.

Today, Fang Fuzang was not his usual disheveled self. He had carefully groomed his beard and neatly tied his hair.

The man in the dark robes, with arrow sleeves, was tall and muscular. He tightly gripped her wrist. Yin Lanruo tried to struggle, but it was just as difficult to break free as it had been in the past when he was serious.

She suddenly broke into a smile. Her originally gentle and mild expression had a sharp beauty under this smile.

“Who could arrange for you? Isn’t it always you, Young Master Fang, who arranges for others?”

When the two families arranged a marriage, the Yin family saw Fang Fuzang’s talent and wanted to win him over. They invited him to a banquet and, in reality, gave him the freedom to choose a wife from the Yin family.

At eighteen, Fang Fuzang had already reached the seventh realm. It was the peak of his youth, but he had little interest in matters of men and women.

Half-drunk, he casually pointed behind the half-open screen and said a few flirtatious words like “smooth neck, soft white skin, light pink dress,” and that was how Yin Lanruo became his wife for eight years.

Eight years later, he used excuses like “worrying about the Fang family losing its mother and retaining the son” to insist on divorcing her and sending her back to the Yin family.

Half a year ago, he faked his death without informing her, and then appeared six months later, forcibly taking her from their marriage bed.

Her whole life had been arranged for her.

No one had ever truly respected her opinions, not even the man who loved her.

Fang Fuzang was momentarily stunned by her gaze, unable to speak.

“I’m doing this to save…”

“My husband is out there fighting for his life. I don’t have time for you two to have a heart-to-heart.”

As the sounds from outside grew louder, Liuyu interrupted Fang Fuzang’s words and, with a quick glance, turned her attention to Yin Lanruo.

“Since your useless ex-husband can’t save you, Miss Lanruo, would you like to take a risk and try to save yourself for once?”

Outside the Shentu family mansion, the ghost woman and mountain goblin stood afar, looking at the clouds tainted with dark-colored flames.

“…What’s really going on inside…”

The mountain goblin muttered in amazement.

He recognized the limitless ghost fire of the master.

But what was that other strange black fire?

It didn’t seem to have been overpowered by the limitless ghost fire. The battle between the two fires seemed fierce, with no clear winner.

But no matter what the situation was, their planned time was fast approaching.

According to the plan, the ghost woman would clear the way. The mountain goblin, who barely resembled Liuyu, had already changed into her attire and was ready to play the role of the injured Liuyu, completing the final step of the plan.

But—

“Wait a moment.”

The mountain goblin lowered his head, looking at the jade slip, and grabbed the ghost woman, who was about to release the ghost worms.

“Respectful Queen said… we might not be needed anymore.”

The sound of puppets attacking the high walls echoed loudly.

The mansion where Liuyu and Yin Lanruo were hiding turned to dust under the puppets’ violent attacks. Zhongli He, looking through the eyes of the puppet, barely made out the figure dressed in golden robes and a jade hairpin amidst the smoke.

…Did it really hit?

Zhongli He was still somewhat doubtful.

Yinshan Liuyu’s power was too great. Even though he had seen with his own eyes the hundreds of puppets strike with all their might at Yinshan Liuyu, he still couldn’t afford to relax.

He had to see it with his own eyes—

“That’s a ruthless strike.”

As the smoke cleared, Zhongli He squinted his eyes and observed the figure that appeared.

The black-and-white skirt fluttered like ink on paper.

Liuyu, now in disguise as Jimo Gui, raised her head, her eyes curving as she looked up at Zhongli He.

“Is the Elder truly here to take the life of Yinshan Liuyu?”

…It was Jimo Gui and her subordinates.

Zhongli He looked at the girl who had mysteriously appeared, and doubts arose in his mind.

“Yinshan Liuyu couldn’t have died so easily… How could Miss Jimo be here?”

The girl stood up, kicking aside a beam near her feet. The figure lying in the rubble was unmistakably Zhong Wuyong, who had been missing for some time.

To give herself time to change identities, Liuyu had knocked him unconscious after he caught up with her and hidden him nearby, waiting for the moment to drag him out and prove the whereabouts of “Ji Mo Gui” during this time.

“Your subordinates were chasing me to kill me. I just happened to escape here, but I arrived a step too late, and Yin Zishi is already dead.”

Zhong Lihe’s pupils suddenly contracted, and he immediately asked, “What about Yin Lanruo?”

Liuyu blinked.

Zhong Lihe quickly realized and immediately turned to look at Fang Fuchang beside her, angrily demanding, “How dare you take advantage of the chaos to steal people from the Zhong Li Clan!”

Fang Fuchang scratched his face, neither admitting nor denying it, giving an ambiguous expression.

“Please, Elder, don’t be anxious.”

Liuyu listened to the sounds coming from behind the walls of the courtyard.

“I originally intended to resolve things peacefully with the Zhong Li Clan. Yin Lanruo marrying someone from the Shentu Clan, what’s the difference between marrying someone from our Ji Mo Clan? If the Elder intends to cultivate Yan Yue Niang, then Yin Lanruo would even be Yan Yue Niang’s teacher, becoming even more closely related—wouldn’t that be a good thing?”

The cold smile in Zhong Lihe’s heart was almost impossible to hide.

If she truly had such sincerity, why hide Yin Lanruo?

Wasn’t she just afraid that the Zhong Li Clan would forcibly take her?

Hundreds of puppet soldiers hung suspended in midair, surrounding Liuyu and the others on the ground.

The tranquility of this place contrasted sharply with the thunderous chaos in the battlefield behind them.

Liuyu, standing with her hands behind her back, slightly tightened her fingers, causing the embroidered cuffs of her sleeves to wrinkle.

“I heard from the servant fleeing from the estate that a giant puppet lost control and actually fought with the demon Mo Lin. Elder, are you not worried about Nan Gong Yao escaping unharmed?”

The elderly man with white hair quietly stared at the girl’s face, as if trying to extract more secrets from her plain features.

“Yin Zishi is dead, and Yin Lanruo is nowhere to be found. Does it even matter if Nan Gong Yao escapes unharmed? Or is it something important to Miss Ji Mo?”

Fang Fuchang’s breathing slowed, and his heart beat faster with this rhetorical question.

Liuyu smiled.

“Of course, it matters. If we can kill Nan Gong Yao today, our Yue Niang will gain fame in one battle. Wouldn’t the Zhong Li Clan offer us a good price for Yue Niang?”

Zhong Lihe’s eyes were silent, making it hard to tell if she believed it or not.

Fang Fuchang glanced at the motionless puppets standing above them, a layer of sweat forming on his back.

He had witnessed the puppets modified by Yue Niang before, and if these puppets charged at them all at once, the two of them would struggle to handle it.

“Such a pity—” Liuyu glanced at the two flames that had colored the entire sky, “It seems like Nan Gong Yao will truly escape unharmed today.”

A brief silence.

Zhong Lihe looked at the heavily injured and unconscious “Yin Shan Liuyu” in the ruins, then turned back to look at the soaring flames in the distance.

She slowly spoke, “It’s impossible.”

“The Zhong Li Clan and the Jiu Fang Family have gone through so much trouble just to ensure Nan Gong Yao dies today—”

Then she would feel at ease.

Liuyu exhaled slowly.

The moment Zhong Lihe threw the puppet staff, countless golden threads scattered in the swirling Qi, like a huge net made of golden threads, extending toward the hundreds of puppets.

As the golden threads enveloped them, the Qi flowing through the puppets quickly calmed.

But Liuyu didn’t care about these ordinary puppets. She leapt onto the roof, following the golden thread that extended toward the distance, her eyes locked onto the giant puppet under its control.

A red sun was about to set.

It was charging toward Liuyu’s direction.

Zhong Lihe gritted her teeth and shouted, “Hundred Refinements Machine, order to retreat—stop!”

The golden threads from the puppet staff suddenly tightened.

When this puppet staff was activated, it should have forcibly shut down all the puppets’ Qi cores, but the out-of-control puppet still didn’t stop and kept charging in their direction.

Its limbs twisted under the golden thread’s restraint.

The heavy legs lost their strength and no longer obeyed its will.

When it crashed to the ground, a tree branch it had crushed pierced its left arm.

The sound of metal grinding from inside its golden armor rang out.

“Tian Jia Thirty-One! Why isn’t it stopping?”

Zhong Lihe angrily shouted, “It’s just a puppet controlled by others. If you resist any further, you’ll be destroyed! You’ll become a pile of scrap metal!”

Liuyu suddenly recalled what Yue Niang had once said.

She had mentioned that every joint inside these puppets was embedded with Kunwu Iron connected to the Machine Puppet Staff, and it was the Kunwu Iron that controlled the puppets’ every move.

These strange grinding sounds… were they the result of the puppet’s bones resisting the Kunwu Iron?

Why?

Was it simply out of control, or was it that it wasn’t a normal puppet, but something… Liuyu still couldn’t understand?

The black mist under the cotton bandages stared in a particular direction for a long time.

As if… watching the only obsession of its existence.

Until it exhausted its last bit of strength and confirmed that it could no longer get up, everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Especially Nan Gong Yao.

Only then did he secretly take the fake-death drug that Xiang Li Hua had given him.

“Come on, kid.”

Nan Gong Yao stretched his limbs and said to Mo Lin, “The fight isn’t over yet.”

The mountain-shaking momentum of battle rose with the sky-high ghostly flames, while Liuyu stood beneath the fiery clouds, watching the giant puppet that had fallen halfway through its course.

The blood-red sunset lay over its damaged golden armor, the edges of its conical hat scorched black, marking the trace of boundless ghostly flames.

It was battered and stubborn.

The disheveled Yue Niang ran from the distance. Seeing that the big puppet, which had ruined their plans, had finally stopped moving, she waved excitedly at Liuyu and shouted.

“Miss! Miss! Nangong Yao is going to lose! We’re going to win… Miss?”

Liuyu snapped back to her senses and looked up, noticing Yue Niang staring at her in slight surprise. Only then did she realize something, touching her face.

It was wet.

Had she… cried?

Why? Why was she crying?

Liuyu gazed at her fingertips in confusion.

As Zhongli He passed by her, he cast a glance at Liuyu. Yue Niang immediately stepped forward and grabbed Liuyu’s hand, firmly saying:

“This must be tears of joy.”

Pulling her gaze away, Zhongli He looked at Zhong Wuyong, who was being carried before her by a servant. She raised her hand and slapped Zhong Wuyong awake.

The slap nearly broke his neck. He coughed up blood and looked at Zhongli He in a daze.

“Long… Elder…”

“Zhongli Elder.”

Liuyu interrupted Zhong Wuyong’s words. After adjusting her expression, she held onto Yue Niang’s shoulder, encouraging her to take a step forward.

“Our child did well, didn’t he?”

Zhongli He narrowed her eyes.

In the distance, the overwhelming military forces dispersed amid the raging ghostly fire, and murmurs from the guests echoed:

“Did he die?”

“Nangong Yao is really dead?”

“The demon Mo Lin killed Nangong Yao… Doesn’t this mean the Yinshan family has lost one of its strongest arms?”

A Zhongli family cultivator bravely stepped forward, checking the large, muscular figure lying in the pit with its eyes closed.

After confirming the Qi Sea had been completely destroyed and no breath remained, they reported to Zhongli He.

Zhongli He’s heart, which had fluctuated several times today, finally settled.

No matter what, Nangong Yao was dead.

But it was unfortunate that the Yinshan family’s market had been taken by this Jimo person, leaving them in a passive position.

However, it’s fortunate that this person intended to align with the Zhongli family. If they could bring him under the Zhongli family’s banner, the market would still essentially remain in their hands.

The overall situation was still secure.

Thank goodness.

Zhongli He’s domineering aura weakened slightly as she exhaled, saying:

“What do you want? Money? Or people? Miss Jimo, name your price.”

Yue Niang blinked, caught between the two.

It sounded like she was bargaining for human trafficking.

Hearing this tone, Liuyu immediately understood that she was determined to win Yue Niang over. She finally let out a slightly relieved smile.

“Money can be discussed later, but the person can be given to you right now.”

Zhongli He asked in confusion: “What person?”

Liuyu looked at Zhong Wuyong beside her.

Yue Niang was puzzled, raising her head in surprise.

What did the miss want with this person? Although this person seemed to have some skill, his words earlier were too much. The miss couldn’t possibly take in every bad person, could she?

However, Zhongli He understood what Liuyu meant.

With a faint smile, she said: “He is the one in the Zhongli family best at controlling puppet generals.”

Liuyu feigned confusion: “I remember, wasn’t it Yue Niang who turned the tide just now?”

Yue Niang puffed her chest proudly.

“The Zhongli family has cultivated him for over twenty years. A great deal of effort has been invested.”

Liuyu responded: “Over twenty years and this is the result? Yue Niang, how old are you this year?”

“Almost eleven!”

Zhong Wuyong’s face twisted with malice; he nearly wanted to devour Yue Niang alive.

What nonsense!

He was a servant of the Zhongli family, his veins carrying their blood. Just one step away, and he could rise to become the son of a first-class noble family. How could he be overshadowed by a mere commoner…

Before he could finish his words.

A sword unsheathed suddenly sounded beside him.

In Yue Niang’s suddenly constricted pupils, a large gash appeared on Zhong Wuyong’s neck. Blood poured out in a waterfall, splattering everywhere.

A few drops landed on Yue Niang’s face.

Human blood, it was so hot.

After a brief period of silence, as hearing returned, Yue Niang saw Zhongli He calmly return the sword to a servant’s waist and smile:

“The person has been given. Consider it a deposit. The remainder will be paid after Yue Niang and our Zhongli family’s weapon masters finish repairing that Tianjia thirty-one. Does Miss Jimo agree?”

Liuyu’s fingers, resting on Yue Niang’s shoulder, slightly tightened.

A cold little hand tightly gripped Liuyu’s hand in return.

Yue Niang was afraid.

…Isn’t this a bit too cruel for a little child?

This thought only briefly lingered in Liuyu’s mind.

Cruelty wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

For a talent like Yue Niang, noble families would give countless sweet temptations to make her quickly forget where she came from, leading her to develop a false sense of superiority, thinking she should be above others.

But in their eyes, both the former Zhong Wuyong and the current Yue Niang were no different.

Life was so cheap to them.

In Yue Niang’s clear black eyes, Zhongli He’s calm face was reflected, and she clearly realized this.

“Give me Yinshan Liuyu.”

A cold and low voice came from behind.

After the intense battle earlier, the Demon Lord, slightly weary, lowered his gaze, glancing at the large body lying in a dormant state on the ground before shifting his gaze away.

“Also, how do you plan to dispose of Nangong Yao’s corpse?”

Destroying a person’s corpse was not the etiquette of noble families. If this got out, it would be an embarrassment. Zhongli He was about to say it should be returned to the Yinshan family, but hesitated for some reason before speaking.

Zhongli He asked:

“What does the Lord intend to do with it?”

He replied expressionlessly:

“Naturally, it will be crushed into bones and ashes, to prevent future trouble.”

“…Lord, you jest.” Zhongli He suppressed the subtle suspicion in her gaze and said to her subordinates, “What are you standing there for? Go find the best coffin.”

Among the ruined walls, guests silently watched as Fang Fucang lifted the fainted “Yinshan Liuyu” from the rubble, slowly walking towards Mo Lin.

A subordinate of the Zhongli family was confused and whispered:

“Elder, why not take this opportunity to also deal with Yinshan Liuyu?”

Before the sentence was finished, another person slapped him on the back of the head.

“Are you crazy? Yinshan Liuyu is the only daughter of Yinshan Ze and Nangong Jing. If you kill her, the entire Yinshan family will come after you!”

Zhongli He looked at the figure in the distance and also felt it was a pity.

Such an opportunity might not come again.

But there was no choice.

Even a dying camel is bigger than a horse—if the Yinshan family truly made a desperate move, it could still cause serious damage.

The disguised Yin Lanruo quietly lay in Fang Fucang’s arms, his heart pounding wildly.

As long as it was handed over to Mo Lin, Yin Lanruo would be able to leave safely today, and he would be completely free.

A long arm emerged from the wide sleeves of the black robe and casually threw the woman, whom Fang Fucang had carefully handed to him, over his shoulder.

Fang Fucang:!!

But Mo Lin gave him a calm glance.

He had promised to reunite Fang Fucang’s family, and today he would ensure Yin Lanruo’s safe escape.

“Um… that is… could you…”

Could you at least hold her properly?

His wife was delicate and fragile, just a gust of wind could blow her over. How could she withstand being carried like a sack?

Fang Fucang gestured for a long time in the air, but Mo Lin could not interpret his meaning from his hesitating expression, so he had no choice but to give up.

… Forget it.

The situation was urgent; they would just have to make do and carry her.

As he turned to leave, Zhongli He’s voice sounded behind him.

“Lord, you personally killed Nangong Yao. What are you planning to tell the Yinshan family afterward?”

His footsteps slightly faltered.

“I don’t need to explain anything to anyone.”

Mo Lin gave a faint glance at the puppet lying on the ground.

“As for your Zhongli family, you’d better give me a reasonable explanation quickly. Otherwise, I can help you kill Nangong Yao, and I can also help the Jiufang family kill you.”

Zhongli He’s expression suddenly darkened.

A mere demon dared to threaten them in front of so many people!

She glanced at the giant puppet lying on the ground.

Let him have his moment of pride for now.

Even the Jiufang family, who helped them create this puppet, didn’t know that this Heavenly Armor Thirty-One’s power was far more than what they saw.

If they could fully and controllably master this power, no demon lord or Jiufang family would be more than a stepping stone for the Zhongli family to dominate the land.

“Zhongli Elder.”

Shentu Xiang stopped Zhongli He, who was about to leave.

Zhongli He suppressed her anger and said calmly:

“Today, I’ve caused a lot of trouble for the Shentu family. I will leave someone to clean up the aftermath.”

Shentu Xiang, however, stared at her sharply.

“You know, I am not asking about that.”

Why did the Zhongli family and Jiufang family join forces with the Nine Hells demons?

What exactly are they plotting, and who are they planning to sacrifice?

Zhongli He’s gaze deepened, and after a moment, she gave a faint smile.

“An official only needs to listen to the master’s orders. Shentu family head, you are overstepping. Go back to your residence and look for Yin Lanruo. Your Shentu family let a living person escape, and the Zhongli family hasn’t held you accountable yet.”

Her large knuckled fingers slowly clenched, producing a crackling sound.

While they were watching the Zhongli family’s people collect Nangong Yao’s body, Liuyu glanced back at Shentu Xiang’s expression and curled her lips.

“There’s a saying, isn’t there, ‘Get promoted, get rich, and kill your uncle’?”

Fang Fucang almost said something but stopped himself:

“I really want to say yes, but it’s not quite like that.”

What’s going on?

Does bad culture spread?

Liuyu didn’t care about such details.

She only knew that, although there had been an unexpected turn of events today, the overall situation was still under her control.

If she wasn’t mistaken, the Zhongli family, at this moment, not only didn’t feel they had lost, but likely thought they had gained a lot.

Her guess was right.

After nightfall, in a separate courtyard in the Bronze City, Zhongli He connected with the communication array to the Immortal City of Yujing, sending today’s events back to the main family.

“—Immediately lift the ban on the Jiumo family. That Jiumo Gui, we must appease him well and make sure he joins the Zhongli family’s camp. We cannot let the Jiufang family get ahead and recruit this Jiumo Gui!”

In the Zhongli family’s ancestral hall, everyone was glowing with joy and energy.

“And that girl, Yan Yue Niang, quickly bring her back to the Immortal City of Yujing. She can modify puppets just by self-study. Such talent is unheard of. She must be brought under the Zhongli family’s wing. Even if she can’t be directly adopted into the main family, we must give her the Zhong surname and nurture her well.”

“Nangong Yao is dead, and we have gained a talent for refining weapons. Truly, the heavens are favoring the Zhongli family!”

One woman in simple clothing seated among them spoke coldly:

“Jiumo Gui cannot be taken into our fold.”

The lively atmosphere in the hall suddenly froze.

Zhongli Yi frowned and looked at his daughter, displeased:

“Ling Zha, don’t speak nonsense.”

“I’m not speaking nonsense. You have been deceived by Jiumo Gui!”

Zhongli Lingzhao stood up abruptly, her gaze as cold as a knife.

“There’s no such thing as coincidence in this world! Jiumo Gui is crafty, deceitful, and ever-changing. You’re letting a wolf into your home! If you trust her, the Zhongli family will bring disaster upon itself…”

“Disaster?”

One of the elders interrupted with a sneer.

“The real disaster almost brought to the Zhongli family was probably from you, Fourth Miss! Just because you lost to Jiumo Gui, you hold a grudge and ordered all the families in the Demon Border to sever ties with the Jiumo family. Do you know how much anger that caused?”

“Although Jiomo Gui picked up something from Yin Zishi and Yin Lanruo in the chaos today, the die has been cast. Now we can only win her over. Do you think we can just cast her out? Fourth Miss, we once thought highly of your intelligence and talent, but it seems you’re too impulsive! You’re nowhere near as wise as your sisters!”

The earlier words could be ignored by Zhongli Lingzhao, but the last sentence struck directly at her soft spot.

There were many girls in the Zhongli family, and she had fought hard among the crowd since childhood, determined to surpass her older sisters and become the pillar of the Zhongli family.

She had clearly succeeded!

Yet, because of Ji Mo Gui, she had been thrown back into the abyss.

Why?

Why should this happen to her?

Zhongli Yi looked at his distraught daughter and shook his head in slight disappointment.

Lingzhao had always been ambitious since she was young. Ambition was not necessarily a bad thing, but when it didn’t match one’s abilities, it became a flaw.

He pondered for a moment, then looked toward Zhongli He in the communication array, tapping the table and saying:

“Tomorrow, the Zhongli family’s artificers will set out to repair the out-of-control puppet. I’ll go with them to see what went wrong with the Tianjia Thirty-One, and also to check if the child you mentioned is really as talented as you say.”

He had another personal motive.

Apart from the daughter of Yinshan Ze, he also wanted to know if there was anyone else in the world who could cause his Zhongli Yi’s daughter to suffer such a crushing defeat.