“I’m not your Ninth Brother.”

Bai Gu gave a pained smile. “Ninth Brother, I know you won’t forgive me.”

In a normal situation, anyone would find this absurd.

So Yue Lin cursed, “You’re insane.”

He glanced at Chu Hanjin, who immediately caught on and pretended not to be familiar with him, moving toward a quieter spot behind the courtyard where the coffin was kept. It wasn’t entirely an act either—given Chu Hanjin’s character, ignoring Yue Lin was perfectly reasonable. Even after they both left, the person continued to follow them, pleading pitifully, “Ninth Brother…”

Yue Lin ignored him, walking until they reached a more secluded area. Yet the voice still trailed behind, “Ninth Brother.”

Yue Lin flicked his sleeve, and spiritual energy surged from his palm, slapping Bai Gu several steps back. His footing faltered before he managed to steady himself, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Yue Lin smiled slightly after hitting him. “You’re quite odd—first, you say your Ninth Brother is dead, then you claim I look like him. Now you’re directly calling me Ninth Brother. I’m being harassed for no reason, and it’s becoming quite troublesome.”

Yue Lin’s slap was not gentle. If this had happened in front of others, Bai Gu would’ve lost all face. But instead of reacting with anger, Bai Gu straightened his back, pale and trembling, and said, “Ninth Brother, as long as you forgive me, I won’t mind how much you beat or scold me. I’ll never utter a word of complaint.”

“And what if I beat you to death?” Yue Lin asked.

“If you beat me to death, then so be it. My life belongs to you, Ninth Brother. If you want it back, you can have it!” Bai Gu responded proudly.

Yue Lin chuckled twice. “I don’t care about your family drama, and I’m not interested in your melodrama. The only reality here is that you’re bothering me. Now, take one more step, and I’ll slap you again.”

Bai Gu: “Ninth Brother…”

Spiritual energy gathered in Yue Lin’s hand, and with another slap, Bai Gu was knocked to his knees, spitting blood.

Yue Lin: “Want to keep going?”

Bai Gu crawled forward on his knees, his face covered in blood, as he continued to crawl toward Yue Lin. “I told you before, Ninth Brother, whether you want to kill or torture me, I’m at your mercy.”

The air grew still.

If Bai Gu was truly showing his sincerity, then nothing proved it better than risking his life. Yue Lin smiled coldly, his lips curling with a hint of cruelty. “Then let’s see just how sincere you really are.”

He struck him again.

And again.

And again!

Each blow was filled with immense force, though Yue Lin kept the sound and spiritual energy contained, so it wouldn’t draw attention. Yet each hit pounded Bai Gu’s small frame into the ground, bones creaking under the weight of it, while his body remained intact, but blood soaked through his clothing, spreading across his back, indicating the damage to his internal organs.

The scene was so brutal that Chu Hanjin finally spoke up, “Yue Lin.”

He was really going to kill him.

Perhaps within moments.

At that moment, voices could be heard approaching from the front. “I need to take a piss. Ugh, I’ve been holding it forever!”

Yue Lin stopped his hand, his face dark.

Bai Gu, no longer feeling the blows, raised his head, his weak voice filled with joy, sincere and hopeful. “Ninth Brother… You… You’ve forgiven me, haven’t you?”

Yue Lin only cursed, “What bad luck.”

He pulled Chu Hanjin away from the area, ignoring the person behind him entirely.

As they walked through the bamboo shadows, Chu Hanjin glanced back to see Bai Gu standing, head lowered, his face covered in blood. Despite looking disheveled and filthy, he was calmly straightening his clothes.

Even in his miserable state, there was no sense of weakness about him. In fact, it gave off a strange vibe.

It was hard to explain, but Chu Hanjin felt something unsettling about it.

As they moved farther away, Yue Lin’s low voice reached Chu Hanjin’s ears.

“He’s an expert liar.”

He was referring to Bai Gu.

Chu Hanjin asked, “What do you mean?”

Yue Lin shook his head. “The first time I met him, he didn’t even have the right to sit at the family dinner table. He sat off to the side, waiting for someone to kick off a shoe, and he’d rush to pick it up, kneeling to put it back on for them.

“Seeing how pitiful he was, I wanted to help him. I offered to let him follow me and stop getting involved in his siblings’ petty rivalries. He agreed, looking all weak and obedient, but he turned around and told my older sisters, which got me beaten so badly one of my leg bones broke. Isn’t that infuriating?

“After that, I couldn’t be bothered with him. He played the loyal dog to my sisters, but when they couldn’t beat me anymore, he started sending letters through others, apologizing and saying he wanted to follow me instead.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “Did you agree?”

Yue Lin shook his head. “I didn’t. But one day, he pulled the same stunt he used today. Someone tried to kill me, and he jumped in the way to take the blow, nearly getting himself killed. I was touched—until I found out that the person trying to kill me was hired by him. It’s childish and ridiculous, isn’t it?”

Chu Hanjin: “Indeed, ridiculous.”

“But I didn’t hold a grudge. I just figured he was desperate, willing to use any means necessary to cling to someone powerful so he wouldn’t end up dead. I didn’t expose him, and he assumed I never found out. From then on, whenever he wanted something from me, he’d act all fragile on the surface while using disgusting tactics behind the scenes.”

Yue Lin paused before adding, “But I still didn’t hold it against him. Because, well, he did seem pretty pitiful.”

Chu Hanjin nodded.

Now, he could picture Yue Lin’s younger self—full of spirit and generosity, admired by others.

“Don’t worry, he won’t die,” Yue Lin remarked before changing the subject to something more important. “When I examined the body earlier, I found that in addition to the bite mark on the shoulder, there was a curse mark similar to the puppet curse that was cast on you. It’s an incomplete puppet curse.”

Chu Hanjin’s eyes flashed with surprise. “What?”

Based on his own experience, the puppet curse allowed someone’s mind to be controlled without causing physical harm.

Killing a normal person would be as easy as squashing an ant for a cultivator. If the bite mark was the cause of death, why add the puppet curse?

The puppet curse consumed a lot of spiritual energy, so it made no sense to use it before killing someone. A single sword strike would be much easier than performing a high-level puppet curse.

Chu Hanjin was confused. “Why?”

Something didn’t add up.

If Luo Yang had killed the victim out of jealousy for Xiao Die, why would there be a puppet curse? The original theory no longer explained everything.

It felt as though they were shrouded in mist, unable to see the true mastermind behind the events. Chu Hanjin remained silent for a moment before asking, “Are you certain that the puppet curse was cast by Luo Yang?”

The puppet curse was forbidden magic, known by very few. Combined with the demon from the Celestial Burial Pit, if the same person was responsible for both, then not only had they killed someone in Fengliu City, but they had also tried to turn Chu Hanjin into a sword spirit, and even sought to kill the members of the Six Great Sects.

Could Luo Yang, a mere guardian cultivator, truly be capable of all this, or was there more at play?

Chu Hanjin’s thoughts grew chaotic, as if he were a piece in a chess game, unable to see the hand that moved him.

Yue Lin gestured, “Let’s head back and think things through slowly.”

Chu Hanjin nodded. “Alright.”

On the way, Yue Lin made a quick stop at the boy’s room and left through the front door. The two of them then regrouped at the inn.

Chu Hanjin sat quietly, deep in thought, as Yue Lin washed some fruit and brought it over. “Have something to eat before bed.”

“I can’t sleep,” Chu Hanjin replied.

Yue Lin reassured him, “No need to be so anxious. After all, Young Master Zhou is already dead. All we need to do is solve the case—there’s no need to rush.”

Chu Hanjin glanced at him and took the apricot Yue Lin handed him, biting into it absentmindedly. Juice dripped down his lips, making them glisten with a vivid hue.

Chu Hanjin didn’t seem to notice.

Yue Lin offered a comforting smile. “Maybe it’s not as complicated as we think.”

Chu Hanjin asked, “What do you mean?”

“Take the cause of death for Young Master Zhou: What if Luo Yang just happened to learn the puppet curse and, as Xiao Die’s lover, decided to test it on him as an act of revenge, accidentally killing him in the process?”

Chu Hanjin shot him a skeptical glance. “And after killing him, he just left the curse intact, waiting to be caught?”

“…Good point.” Yue Lin nodded. “You’re right.”

He grabbed a slice of watermelon, took a couple of bites, and continued, “There’s another possibility. Some murderers kill for the thrill of it. They might choose special dates or people who look alike, using the same method repeatedly. There was even a maniac who killed five daughters, each corresponding to the five elements of feng shui, all to achieve immortality. So, what if this puppet curse was used just for fun?”

“…”

Chu Hanjin shot him a long, deep look but had to admit, “That’s more plausible than the first theory.”

Yue Lin chuckled, “See? Besides, the puppet curse wasn’t even complete. Maybe they were planning to do something with the body afterward.”

Chu Hanjin nodded, though his anxiety didn’t dissipate.

He needed to find out who cast the puppet curse.

Yue Lin stepped closer, pressing gently on Chu Hanjin’s shoulder. The soft pressure caused his tense shoulders to relax slightly. “It’s time to rest. You would’ve gone to bed long ago if this were any other day.”

His voice was soft.

But the moment Yue Lin touched his shoulder, Chu Hanjin tensed, his body stiffening as though set ablaze.

He suddenly remembered everything that had happened in the brothel.

Next to him, Yue Lin realized something was off and withdrew his hand. “Wash up and get some rest.”

With that, he fetched a basin of water and placed it in front of Chu Hanjin.

Chu Hanjin washed his face and tidied himself. Yue Lin took the basin away and soon returned with a fresh one filled with warm water.

Chu Hanjin sat on the edge of the bed as Yue Lin knelt down to remove his boots. “Soak your feet. You’ve been walking all day. It’ll help your circulation and make it easier to sleep.”

“…”

Watching Yue Lin naturally and skillfully remove his shoes, Chu Hanjin instinctively reached out but paused mid-air, momentarily stunned.

A memory flashed through his mind—back in the forest cabin, when he had been wandering aimlessly under the influence of the puppet curse, covered in mud and water. Yue Lin had found him and brought him home, undressing him and cleaning him with the same meticulous care, soothing him with soft words as if coaxing a child.

Handling his body was something Yue Lin had become all too familiar with.

By the time Chu Hanjin returned to his senses, Yue Lin had already placed his feet in the basin. “I tested it. It’s not too hot.”

The water was pleasantly warm, the sensation making his feet tingle.

Chu Hanjin watched him for a moment, his fingers tightening slightly, bunching the fabric of his robe.

Yue Lin glanced up, noticing his movement. He laughed lightly, “You’re embarrassed.”

Chu Hanjin: “???”

How did he figure that out?

Yue Lin continued to laugh. “You always act like this when you’re embarrassed.”