Darkness enveloped the Fog Ridge.

Dense black clouds obscured everything in the mountain ridges, making it so dark you couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. Steep slopes flanked by snow-capped mountains, their peaks glistening faintly, barely illuminating the path ahead.

Three figures in long robes walked shoulder to shoulder.

Entering the salt lake from the Fog Ridge was an uphill journey akin to a pilgrimage, where the consumption of spiritual energy in the array was greater than usual. Whether walking or flying on a sword, one would be utterly exhausted near the salt lake, powerless to even lift a finger. This is how the Rongku Sect protected their salt lake.

Yue Lin walked through the waist-deep path, the sound of the wind drowning out his footsteps. As he walked, he scrutinized his surroundings. After entering, he realized the dangers of kidnappings in the Fog Ridge had greatly increased—unfathomable depths all around with no way back.

Chen Yang said, “Walking like this, we won’t reach the station even by dawn. There’s a cable car behind this mountain, we can take it up.”

Bai Gu didn’t respond but asked, “Aren’t the cable cars risky? If we get trapped midway, we’ll be completely stuck.”

“True, it’s risky, but there are few guards. It’s used for transporting supplies from the base to the salt lake atop the mountain. I knew about this from my previous role as a guardian monk in Fengliu Town, supplying the salt lake station. The distance from the top to the bottom is too long, and each transport of supplies is very limited. Sometimes they operate at night too, and if we hide in the cargo boxes, they won’t check midway. The risk then drops significantly; there should be no problem.”

Bai Gu pondered for a moment and then agreed.

They took another path.

Yue Lin was considering what to do next.

Soon, they heard the rapid clattering of hooves. The sound was thunderous, kicking up dust, and several figures rushed by on the trail.

Chen Yang shouted, “Hide!”

The three of them quickly ducked into a ditch to conceal themselves.

Yue Lin looked into the fog only to see fluttering white robes—those riding freely through Fog Ridge were obviously authorized by the Rongku Sect.

He too hid.

The horses galloped wildly, a jade-white hand gripping the reins, black hair fluttering in the wind, the moonlight casting a striking silhouette on a cold, detached face—it was Chu Hanjin!

What was he doing in Fog Ridge?!

Yue Lin then noticed the people following him.

Along with the Far Mountain Sect uniforms, there were monks from the Rongku Sect.

Had he returned to the Far Mountain Sect?

Yue Lin couldn’t figure it out. In an instant, the carriage raced towards the mountain summit, leaving only fading silhouettes behind.

He was still pondering when the three emerged from the ditch, dusting themselves off. Chen Yang couldn’t help but exclaim, “Lord Yue Zhao is truly divine in appearance!”

Bai Gu merely smiled, not speaking, while Song Shu shook his head, “You know so little.”

They headed towards the back of the mountain.

Chen Yang asked, “What do you mean I know so little?”

“You only see him dressed up, not knowing how seductively fragrant and charming he can be without his clothes. Though a divine being, he cannot escape mortal desires,” Song Shu said.

Chen Yang wasn’t a gossip, but after a moment of silence, he asked, “Is it true that he’s colluding with the Demon Lord?”

Bai Gu said, “Not exactly collusion, more like an unfortunate encounter. If it hadn’t been for that incident at the Celestial Burial Pit where they saved each other’s lives, I would’ve had my wish fulfilled by now.” He shook his head, “Damn it.”

Chen Yang, having heard of the incident at the Celestial Burial Pit, bowed and said, “I’m not sure if I should ask this—”

Bai Gu replied, “Go ahead.”

“Who was the person who helped you back then?”

A simple question, but it struck like thunder, making Yue Lin instinctively grip his sword tighter.

The Six Sects, indeed someone else was colluding with him.

Bai Gu smiled, “You’ll see him once we’re up the mountain.”

Chen Yang said, “I see.”

They continued towards the cable car.

In the mist, Yue Lin stood still, unsure whether to follow.

The person colluding with Bai Gu was on the mountain, the truth within reach. But things were never that simple. A delectable feast was surely set with traps.

He sensed a conspiracy brewing.

Yue Lin rubbed his sword hilt, trying to stay calm as he thought.

His initial goal was to confirm Bai Gu’s collusion with Chen Yang and uncover their schemes. Instead of a small trick, he had forced them to play a significant move.

The person connected to Bai Gu was up the mountain; following them would confirm his identity.

Was it really that simple?

A conspiracy outline formed in Yue Lin’s mind, and he furrowed his brows…

But soon he nodded, the fog in his eyes clearing as he followed their figures.

Ahead, Bai Gu sensed the wind shift behind him.

He knew Yue Lin had caught up.

His sudden noisy footsteps were unlike Yue Lin’s usual style.

He exchanged glances with Chen Yang, who appeared pleased.

But Bai Gu felt heavy-hearted.

Yue Lin’s deliberate footsteps were a clear declaration of war, “You play your games, and I’ll play along, let’s see who will prevail.”

Bai Gu sighed softly, thinking, Why won’t he just die?

As long as Yue Lin lived, Bai Gu could never live dignifiedly, brilliantly, or decently—he would always be a groveling, disgusting dog.

Ahead by the cliffside was a bamboo fence surrounding a storehouse, and beyond it, a flat earthen platform with a huge black wooden box, people busily loading it with oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, incense paper tissues, and food supplies.

“The fewer people who know about the magical array and spells, the better, so there are very few monks in this cable car station. Even with more recent visitors, we can’t add many monks. Just be careful, and we won’t be discovered,” Chen Yang reminded.

Indeed, few people were around, and supervision was lax. Taking advantage of a worker returning to the warehouse, the three quickly stuck to the walls and hid in the dark wooden boxes of the cable car.

One box after another was filled with supplies, concealing them. As the cable car neared capacity, Yue Lin did the same and climbed into a box. The “click” of the lock sounded.

The cable car began its slow ascent.

Inside the dark wooden box, separated by thin layers of cargo, they could almost hear each other’s breathing.

“This cable car is great. I was worried about how to get people out. Once up there, you’ll help me knock out those children, then sneak them back here. Remember, don’t alarm the Rongku Sect monks or we’ll never make it back,” Bai Gu cautioned repeatedly.

“Understood,” Chen Yang replied.

Song Shu also responded, “As commanded.”

– 

The horses stopped at the station, and many horses were indeed there, as expected, the area beneath the salt lake bustling with activity.

Chu Hanjin dismounted, his sleeves fluttering in the wind. Someone announced, “Lord Yue Zhao has arrived!” but the voice didn’t carry far as Chu Hanjin entered the hall.

Several tense figures sat inside, seemingly awaiting something.

“Who dares to be so rude—”

The sentence was cut off midway.

Mu Lianchun stood up, “Junior brother.”

Chu Hanjin responded, “Senior brother.”

Xing Jiangxin opened his eyes to glance at him, “Lord Yue Zhao.” Although polite, his tone carried a hint of disdain, “We didn’t plan to notify you of this encirclement, but Sect Master Mu insisted, saying you had urgent matters to report. You may speak now.”

The puppet destroyed at the Celestial Burial Pit now stood behind him, its limbs replaced with steel, forming a metallic behemoth, its appearance dark and terrifying.

Chu Hanjin said, “I’m not sure what you plan to encircle.”

Xing Jiangxin scoffed.

“It’s like this.”

Lord Bao Yang, known for his patience, sat beside him, and unusually, his partner Lord Cang Yuan was also there, his brow furrowed, probably upset over Lord Bao Yang’s previous injury.

“Lord Yue Zhao, you must be tired from your journey, have a seat and drink some tea,” Lord Bao Yang tapped the seat next to him with his fan, “Chen Yang alerted us, saying he was bewitched to help Yue Lin, the Demon Lord, by agreeing to kidnap children from the Rongku Sect as payment for learning forbidden techniques. We thought it over and decided to use this matter as bait to set a trap here and capture him.”

This was exactly what Chu Hanjin had envisioned.

But he shook his head, “It’s not like that.”

“What is it then?”

Chu Hanjin was about to speak when Mu Lianchun coughed softly, neither too light nor too heavy, “Junior brother, let me explain.”

Chu Hanjin felt a surge of anger, “Senior brother—”

Mu Lianchun stepped forward, “Everyone, my junior brother has been missing for a while because he was investigating the origins of the curse at the Celestial Burial Pit. He traveled deep into the North Desert, where he crossed paths with the Demon Lord Yue Lin, and uncovered these matters.”

It was clear Mu Lianchun was omitting Chu Hanjin’s feelings for Yue Lin.

Xing Jiangxin raised an eyebrow, “Oh? How did he investigate? The real culprit isn’t the Demon Lord Yue Lin, did he tell you himself?”

Chu Hanjin replied, “Not from his own mouth, but my own deductions—”

“Enough!”

Xing Jiangxin, clearly at his limit, slammed his palm on the tea table, “Chu Hanjin, I ask you! At the Celestial Burial Pit, when everyone from the Six Sects was supporting each other against the Piano Demon, you were the only one who entered the stone house with that demon, disappearing without a trace, and emerged unscathed!”

Everyone nodded, “Indeed suspicious.”

“And after that! Someone saw you frequently associating with him, moving freely in and out of restricted areas, even in the North Desert you both acted with impunity! Even the courtesans in the brothels accused you both of being lovers, sharing a bed! And now you’re speaking for him without proof, do you think we’re all fools?! Chu Hanjin, don’t forget, the Rongku Sect is still my territory, Xing Jiangxin’s. I know exactly what you’ve been up to!”

This barrage of words was like tearing someone’s face off!

Murmurs and suspicions filled the hall.

“Is that true?”

“Impossible, right?”

“How could Lord Yue Zhao be involved with such a person…”

Mu Lianchun’s face turned pale, wanting to defend Chu Hanjin, but the evidence was overwhelming, and he couldn’t say a word.

But in their eyes, Chu Hanjin, always uninvolved with worldly dust, placed his hand on his sword hilt without rebutting such filthy accusations, calmly stating, “My relationship with him is close, but I have my own judgment. The culprits of these two incidents are indeed not him, but the puppet Demon Lord who succeeded him, Bai Gu.”

Lord Bao Yang cautioned, “Lord Yue Zhao, but such close people’s words can’t be trusted…”

Chu Hanjin nodded, about to speak, when Xing Jiangxin impatiently said, “He’s already deluded, don’t waste our time catching the demon. Bring him in for questioning—”

Hearing this, Mu Lianchun finally couldn’t hold back.

He stepped forward, “Sect Master Xing, ‘Lord Yue Zhao’ is a title conferred by the Six Sects. With such a title, he has the right to speak, to veto, and to be respected by the Six Sects! You can’t just arrest him as you please!”

The hall fell silent for a moment, then nods followed.

“Yes!”

“Yes, yes…”

There was a rule, and considering his prestigious lineage, how could Mu Lianchun dare to take him?

That was too presumptuous.

This also subtly revealed Xing Jiangxin’s ambition to dominate alone. He was the only elder from the post-war generation with power, and over the years, relying on his seniority, he had treated other sect leaders like juniors, commanding and acting tyrannically, even engaging in small actions, encroaching on boundaries, his ambitions laid bare. But others, out of respect, had not brought these issues into the open.

To surpass the Six Sects and strike at powerful families was why he was determined to put Chu Hanjin to death, pressing aggressively.

“…”

Chu Hanjin sighed.

It was because of these constant surface glories and underlying conflicts among the Six Sects that he initially felt he couldn’t handle the responsibility, preferring to cede his position to his senior brother.

Such disputes were ever-present.

Chu Hanjin, holding his sword with one hand on the cold, sharp blade, said, “The Six Sects’ joint council is an alliance, equal and mutually respectful. Sect Master Xing has been overbearing for years, now he won’t even let me finish speaking.”

“Cough, cough.”

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Coughing filled the hall, echoing everyone’s sentiments.

Seeing the awkward situation, the others weren’t fools either. Lord Bao Yang, always adept at smoothing things over, gently suggested, “Since that’s the case, let’s listen carefully to what Lord Yue Zhao has to say about the origins of this matter.”

Finally, they could discuss the matter calmly.

But before Chu Hanjin could say much, someone outside reported—

“Reporting to the sect master, there’s been a disturbance in the back hall bedrooms!”