“Who?” Wenren Xiao asked in surprise. “Who are you talking about?”

Wenren Xiao was helping Wenren Zheng back to his chair. With Wenren Xiao’s infusion of spiritual energy, Wenren Zheng barely regained a bit of strength, but the searing pain from the talisman’s backlash still twisted inside him like a dagger tearing through his organs.

He closed his eyes and forced out his remaining words with effort: “HuLü Yan… he knows it’s us now…”

Wenren Xiao placed his palm on Wenren Zheng’s back, continuing to transfer spiritual energy as he frowned. “But we never showed our faces. How did he figure out it was us?”

“He found… our talisman paper…” Wenren Zheng explained weakly. “Only if he knew exactly who was behind the talisman paper… could he reflect the talisman’s power back…”

In other words—

It was precisely because HuLü Yan knew who was behind the talisman that he was able to rebound its power back to Wenren Zheng with such precision.

Only now did Wenren Xiao understand Wenren Zheng’s point, and his frown deepened. Once the backlash in Wenren Zheng’s body subsided somewhat, Wenren Xiao spoke in a low tone: “If we had known, we would have kept sending communication talismans to Wu Wang Gang through Ah Yao. Perhaps it was because we stopped sending messages after we discovered the clues that he became aware of us.”

“No…” Wenren Zheng shook his head.

Seeing Wenren Zheng in so much pain made Wenren Xiao feel uncomfortable as well. He didn’t want to speak further, so he helped Wenren Zheng sit upright and pulled out an elixir from his hundred-pocket pouch, bringing it to Wenren Zheng’s mouth.

Wenren Zheng swallowed the elixir.

After a moment, the contorted, pained expression on his face softened somewhat. Although the elixir had considerable side effects, it at least temporarily sealed off the pain, allowing him to focus and think more clearly.

“Our involvement in Wu Wang Gang should not have exposed us completely; it probably just aroused his suspicion.” Wenren Zheng paused, then continued after a short rest, “The real clue that tipped him off was likely something he glimpsed from Wen Liu Liu’s memories.”

“Wen Liu Liu!” Wenren Xiao cursed under his breath. “That damn woman! Even dead, she’s still causing us trouble.”

Wenren Zheng was silent for a while before he suddenly changed the topic. “Don’t you think all of this happened far too smoothly?”

Wenren Xiao paused, looking at Wenren Zheng in confusion.

“They wiped out the Medical Hall, killed Lin Ji and his group, lay low for four years, then headed directly to the Demon Realm, reached Qi City, encountered Yan Fu’s adopted daughter outside the city gates, and from Yan Fu, they got news of Zhai Feng’s whereabouts…” Wenren Zheng’s face grew darker, and his expression brimmed with a deep, menacing air. “Something is off… very off…”

It was as if someone was orchestrating everything from the shadows.

If HuLü Yan’s journey to find his family was really this smooth, why would he have been repeatedly captured, humiliated, and tortured before? And why would he and Wen Liu Liu have lived together for eight years without him ever learning that his biological mother was someone else?

Someone must be pushing HuLü Yan forward from behind the scenes!

But Wenren Zheng couldn’t figure out who that person was or what their intentions might be.

Wenren Xiao, lacking experience, racked his brains but couldn’t grasp the meaning behind Wenren Zheng’s words.

“Father, what’s wrong? What’s so off?” Wenren Xiao clutched Wenren Zheng’s shoulder, asking anxiously, “Wasn’t it Zhai Feng who led HuLü Yan to Wen Liu Liu’s memories?”

Wenren Zheng fixed Wenren Xiao with a sharp gaze. “Think carefully—why did HuLü Yan head to the Demon Realm before meeting Zhai Feng?”

Wenren Xiao was stumped. “Wasn’t he going to look for Zhai Feng?”

“And who sent him to look for Zhai Feng?”

“That would be Qiu Bei from Tian Ming Mountain…” Wenren Xiao slapped his forehead, talking quickly. “After the Peach Blossom Array battle, only HuLü Yan, Mi Lu, and Qiu Bei from Tian Ming Mountain survived. Since Qiu Bei and Zhai Feng shared a bond as fellow disciples, it’s highly likely he was the one who suggested HuLü Yan look for Zhai Feng.”

“Then who was it that instructed Qiu Bei to do so?” In the exchange of questions and answers, Wenren Zheng’s thoughts became clearer. “Not to mention that Qiu Bei and HuLü Wan were not close enough to involve themselves in the past events. If Qiu Bei really wanted HuLü Yan to know the truth, he should have done something years ago rather than waiting until now.”

Hearing this, Wenren Xiao’s expression grew increasingly strange. He hesitated and then spoke, “Father, are you saying…”

“The one behind HuLü Yan—” Wenren Zheng said in a barely audible voice, “might not be just us.”

A trace of fear flashed in Wenren Xiao’s eyes. He hurriedly asked, “Father, what should we do?”

“For now, we wait.” Wenren Zheng removed Wenren Xiao’s hand from his shoulder, patting his son’s hand lightly. “Although we know nothing about this person, it’s unlikely that they know everything about us. We’re not without a chance.”

Wenren Xiao clasped Wenren Zheng’s hand in return, nodding firmly. “Father, you’re right.”

—

After leaving Wenren Zheng’s study, Wenren Xiao raised his hand to call over Wenren Yao, who had been waiting by a wooden pillar.

“Where is HuLü Wan?”

Wenren Yao replied, “An hour ago, I checked on her. The servants said she’s been inside her room and hasn’t come out.”

Wenren Xiao fell silent, letting out a cold snort through his nose. “I’ll go see her.”

“Alright.”

“Cousin, come with me.”

“Yes.”

Wenren Xiao only took Wenren Yao with him. They reached a desolate courtyard, and as he pushed open the creaky wooden door, a wave of decayed, dust-laden air hit them.

Wenren Xiao pressed his lips together and stepped in, his face dark.

There were no servants to attend here, only about twenty guards stationed outside, rotating to keep watch. Besides Wenren Zheng and Wenren Xiao, not even a fly could get in.

April nights were still cool, and the cold wind brushed against their faces like needle pricks.

Wenren Xiao walked through the silent courtyard without looking sideways, heading straight for the room’s entrance.

As he neared, the scent of blood filled the air.

The smell of blood was so heavy it seemed like the entire room had been soaked in it.

Fortunately, Wenren Xiao had grown accustomed to the stench here. Though still repulsed, his reaction was no longer as strong as the first time.

“Cousin,” Wenren Xiao said, glancing sideways, “wait outside. I’ll go in and check on her.”

Wenren Yao nodded. “Alright.”

Wenren Xiao didn’t want to touch the filthy door, so he kicked it open as usual.

The door slammed against the wall with a dull thud.

Inside, there was no light, not even the faintest glow of a night pearl, but with Wenren Xiao’s cultivation level, seeing in the dark was no problem.

As he entered, the smell of blood intensified, as if his entire body had plunged into a pool of blood.

Wenren Xiao instinctively slowed his steps, approaching the thin figure sitting at the table.

He stared at that figure, unblinking.

It was clear the figure had heard his footsteps but sat motionless, with one hand resting on the edge of the table, still as a statue.

This was HuLü Wan, missing for many years.

No one would have expected that HuLü Wan hadn’t disappeared, nor was her fate unknown. She had been kept here, in this desolate, dilapidated courtyard, day after day, by the father and son.

Her messy hair hung down her back, unkempt and wild, reflecting her neglected and battered state.

The heavy scent of blood that permeated the entire courtyard came from her.

Neither Wenren Xiao nor HuLü Wan spoke.

They remained locked in silent confrontation.

Finally, as always, Wenren Xiao was the first to break the silence. “Mother.”

HuLü Wan’s body stiffened, and she sneered. “Don’t call me that. I don’t deserve to be the mother of someone like you, Young Master Wenren.”

Wenren Xiao’s face twisted momentarily, his fists clenching as he snarled, “It’s been so many days, and you’re still like this. If you’re not my mother, whose mother are you? Are you still dreaming of being that bastard’s mother?”

Before he finished, HuLü Wan picked up the tea bowl on the table and hurled it at him.

The tea, long cold, splashed across his chest, soaking a large area.

Wenren Xiao froze, looking down at his wet chest before glaring at HuLü Wan, who had risen to face him with cold eyes. Anger flared up from deep within him.

“You still don’t get who the bastard is, do you? I, HuLü Wan, never gave birth to a son like you. I don’t even know which woman Wenren Zheng took you from.” HuLü Wan pointed to the door. “Get out. Go find your real mother. Don’t bother me.”

Rage contorted Wenren Xiao’s face, and the hope he had clung to was crushed once again as anger, resentment, and jealousy reclaimed his heart.

He glared at her hatefully.

“You’re still obsessed with that bastard, huh? I’ll make sure you see how I’ll trample that bastard underfoot one day. I’ll even hang his head alongside his useless father’s right above your bed!”

HuLü Wan’s gaze grew cold. In a flash, she lunged at Wenren Xiao, grabbing his sword from his waist and attempting to thrust it into his chest.

But Wenren Xiao was prepared. He sidestepped, easily reclaiming his sword and kicked her hard in the shin.

HuLü Wan let out a muffled groan as she crashed to the ground. Her eyes were red with hatred as she spat, “Get out!”

Wenren Xiao sheathed his sword and stared at her for a moment before a twisted smile appeared. “I’ll be back to see you soon, Mother.”

“Get out—”

—

At the Drunken City Lord’s mansion.

The butler kept his composure as he instructed the servants to clean up the bodies and blood. Despite the lingering tension, the butler brought out a few more pots of fine wine, telling everyone not to dwell on what had just happened.

The crowd: “…”

They didn’t dare say anything else and slinked back to their places.

Only Mi Lu approached, performing the Cleansing Technique on HuLü Yan and then asked the butler to bring hot water. Quietly, he helped HuLü Yan wash his hands.

Throughout the whole process, HuLü Yan was calm and cooperative, no trace of the cold and terrifying look he’d had when he ripped out that person’s heart.

But the people present were trembling.

Now they finally understood why HuLü Yan doted on the City Lord’s wife so much.

With a wife as powerful as the City Lord’s wife, who wouldn’t?