Chapter 66

The flowing spring trickled through the slanted bamboo tube and into the stone pond in the courtyard.

The unusual sound of the water blended with the stream in the pond, and Jiufang Shaogeng hesitated for a moment, his mind filled with doubts.

An elderly voice came from behind him.

“Young master of the Jiufang family, may I ask what brings you here?”

The night wind blew sharply, rustling the bamboo leaves in the courtyard.

Jiufang Shaogeng turned around in response to the voice, and saw an elderly woman dressed in simple blue cloth standing beneath a banana tree. Despite her gray hair, her presence remained dignified, exuding the calm and elegance of a family of noble lineage.

“It’s getting late,” she said. “If Young Master Jiufang has no urgent matter, perhaps it would be better to speak tomorrow.”

Jiufang Shaogeng indeed had no important business.

He could not stop thinking about the slap Ji Mo Gui had given him in broad daylight, his anger hard to suppress. Unable to calm the burning sense of humiliation, he had wandered in the courtyard for a long time before finally storming outside Ji Mo Gui’s door.

What did he want to ask?

Did he want to ask who her master was, or if the techniques she mastered were inherited from the Ji Mo family or if she comprehended them on her own?

These questions were meaningless.

He simply felt a fire burning in his chest.

This fire wanted to consume the girl who was so indifferent to him, but it didn’t seek to take her life. Instead, it wanted to use the blazing eye to peer into the depths of her heart, to dominate her, tame her, to make her face him, to make her bow down and submit.

Ji Fang Shao Geng unconsciously bit his nails, his eyes dark as he walked toward the courtyard.

A silk umbrella was handed to her.

“The dragonfly flies low, there may be rain tonight.”

Mu Cang Shui’s clear and transparent eyes rested on Ji Fang Shao Geng.

“The second young master is out, your family must be worried, take care of yourself.”

Ji Fang Shao Geng looked at her, finding her somewhat strange.

Beside Ji Mo Gui, there was a mere mortal who hadn’t opened their qi sea, an old woman whose age was hard to tell.

She really collected all kinds of things.

Ji Fang Shao Geng remained silent, walking straight past her, politely thanking her servant, then followed them.

The sound of footsteps echoed.

Mu Cang Shui looked up at the sky. Rain drops fell from the deep blue night sky, and the clouds were heavy, with flashes of hidden thunder, as if some roaring beast was concealed behind the clouds.

She stood quietly, her thoughts swirling like the clouds.

“Old turtle’s spawn really only breeds little turtles.”

As the rain grew heavier, Ji Fang Shao Geng returned to the courtyard from the kitchen, and the servants of the Ji Fang family were standing in attention beneath the eaves.

“Second young master, the eldest young master has been waiting for you in the inner room for some time…”

Ji Fang Shao Geng’s face turned cold, “I’m tired, I’m going to sleep.”

“…And the head of the family is waiting for you in the communication formation.”

Upon hearing the head of the family, Ji Fang Shao Geng’s footsteps suddenly stopped, and the casual expression on his face disappeared.

The cool, damp air from the rainy night rushed in through the half-open door, dispelling the lingering smell of blood in the room.

That bed couldn’t be used anymore. Mo Lin was severely injured today, and he didn’t have the energy to clean it up, nor did he want Liuyu to be uncomfortable. So, he quickly tidied up the glass bed in the right room. Though it was a bit narrow, it was clean.

“Make do for now,” he circled Liuyu’s waist and pressed her into his arms. “Tomorrow, we’ll be in Longdui City. You won’t have to make do like this anymore.”

The aroma of morning mist and grass in his sleeves overwhelmed the smell of blood, and a faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose.

“I’m not that delicate.”

Liuyu’s standards were flexible. Of course, she would enjoy herself in her own territory, but when she was outside, she came for life-and-death situations, not leisure. She wouldn’t be so picky.

The voice above her head fell silent for a while before speaking casually, “You’re not delicate? But you’re going to Ji Fang Zhang Hua’s courtyard just because I didn’t open the door for you?”

Liuyu peered out from his arms, her bright, star-like eyes full of a playful smile.

She blinked and said, “Although the Ji Fang family didn’t suffer greatly on the surface, getting spiritual herbs and the hundred-flower scroll, they actually lost two cities and a powerful grain backup from the Xiang Li family. Such a severe blow, he probably wants to kill me.”

“If he knew who you are, he wouldn’t want to kill you, and Ji Fang Shao Geng doesn’t seem to want to kill you either.”

His large hand landed on the back of her neck, gently rubbing the soft calluses. Mo Lin’s serpent-like teeth itched, wanting to lightly bite her white neck, leaving a mark that belonged to him.

Knowing she had a husband, yet moving closer, knocking on her door in the middle of the night, what kind of noble family son was this, just a disgrace.

“I wouldn’t dare go.”

Liuyu’s soft, delicate fingers brushed over his slightly moving Adam’s apple, her half-lidded eyes holding a lazy expression as she teased, “What can I do, I have a husband who only loves to get jealous and doesn’t speak. He’s drowning in vinegar and only dares to secretly watch. If I really left with them, wouldn’t you cry secretly behind my back?”

After thinking for a moment, Liuyu seriously asked, “You wouldn’t really cry, would you?”

Mo Lin didn’t answer, only pressing his forehead against hers and asking hoarsely, “Are you pitying me?”

He had seen the outcome of their past life in the blood realm.

He finally understood why Liuyu’s attitude toward him had changed so drastically the morning after their wedding.

The person he liked was sometimes so proud that it seemed like she was above the world, but other times, she was like a goddess in the heavens, detached from the dust of the world, filled with compassion.

Even if dying for her was his choice, she would still take the responsibility upon herself.

That was why she accepted him and treated him well.

“It’s fine if you pity me.”

Before Liuyu could speak, as if answering his own question, he softly murmured, “Pity me for a month, for a year, pity me until the day I die—wouldn’t that be a form of growing old together?”

The soft sounds of his movements tangled around her, the cold scales climbing up her clothes. His strength firmly imprisoned her legs and waist, pressing her entirely into his body.

The words he spoke and the actions he took seemed to contradict each other.

At this moment, Liuyu unexpectedly thought of Ji Fang Zhang Hua.

She remembered a long time ago, he seemed to have asked a similar question.

—Did you get close to me just to make Tan Ning angry?

Liuyu never denied this point.

But aside from that, she had grown up with him, appreciating flowers in spring, boating in summer, and playing in the snow during winter. He was the only one allowed to be close to her, brushing the snow off her clothes

. How could there not be any feelings?

In her past life, when Liuyu learned of his betrayal, she sometimes wondered for a moment if she was the one who made a mistake.

Was it because she didn’t wholeheartedly respond to Ji Fang Zhang Hua’s feelings that she deserved such revenge?

This is her punishment.

It wasn’t until she heard Mo Lin’s words that Liuyu was momentarily lost in thought, realizing—so there was such an answer.

“…Why should I pity you?”

Her gaze briefly flicked to the snake tail tightly entwined around her, and she glanced at him.

“Earlier and now, you’ve already been so bold, yet you still want me to pity you? How far are you planning to push next time?”

On the pale side of her leg, red marks from the scales remained, with the cold, slippery touch greedily pressing against her, absorbing her body heat.

“It’s because I like you.”

Liuyu cupped his face, her words soft, wrapped in honey-like sweetness.

“I like you, like you the most, more than anyone else—”

Blood froze instantly.

The noise in her ears disappeared in that moment.

After a while, or perhaps it was a long stretch of a hundred years.

The sound of blood flowing within her, the sound of a heartbeat, the rain beating against the banana leaves outside, the creak of the half-open window in the wind—everything around them erupted in a boiling clamor, flooding Mo Lin’s senses.

The Demon Lord, his forehead against hers, slowly pressed closer to her lips, gently, tenderly sucking. Inhaling.

“Say it again.”

Liuyu looked into his misty eyes, the corners of her eyes curling as she repeated, “I like you.”

His lashes trembled slightly, as if a drowning man was gasping for air, kissing her.

“Say it again.”

Liuyu, breathless from his kisses, gazed at him, her eyes shimmering. She rested her head among the messy clouds of his black hair, lightly laughing as she asked:

“Why am I the only one speaking? Why don’t you say something?”

The wet kiss left her neck, and those moist, moss-like eyes gazed at her with a hint of resentment, tinted by the rain’s melancholy in the night.

Realizing he had already shown his feelings a thousand times over through action, Liuyu didn’t press him further but blinked and asked:

“Then tell me, why do you like me?”

His movements paused.

Liuyu felt the limbs wrapped around her loosen, slowly retreating until almost gone, but she held the tip.

He furrowed his brow in a poor attempt at acting.

“My wound hurts, sleep now.”

“What exactly is there you can’t say?”

Liuyu narrowed her eyes, watching him intently:

“You don’t speak, but I can guess. It’s probably because you’re too downcast and don’t want me to know. I must have seen you before, was it in the colorless city? Did I save you, or help you somehow?”

The young man, pretending to rest with his eyes closed, tilted his head and glanced at her. His deep contours were half-lit, half-shadowed by the dim moonlight.

The limb Liuyu held gently guided her fingers to his lips.

Then, he lightly bit her.

“I know you’ve saved many people.”

“But unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them, really.”

The storm stopped as the first light of dawn broke through.

The discussion at Luo Shui Qing Tan came to a temporary pause. In the morning light, the courtyard outside was filled with

carriages from various families. Shentu Xiang, Jiufang Zhanghua, and the courtyard’s master, Chu Liqiu, stood together, surrounded by many noble families who had come to talk, blocking the entrance.

This caused a traffic jam outside the courtyard, and Liuyu’s group, intending to reach Longdui City by noon, found it impossible to move.

The coachman, Lan Zhu, initially communicated politely with the other families’ drivers, but soon realized that despite the other party’s friendly attitude, the reins of their horses remained unmoved, clearly unwilling to give way.

“There’s so much open space next to us! Try saying you can’t move now!”

Lan Zhu, unable to tolerate it anymore, shouted in anger, attracting many curious gazes.

The other coachman remained friendly:

“Apologies, really can’t give way. Please be patient, once our master gets on the carriage, we will make way.”

Hearing the noise from outside, Liuyu lifted the carriage curtain and peeked out.

It was Shentu family’s carriage.

Inside, Mu Cangshui spoke softly:

“Although we’ve collaborated once with the Shentu family under Jiufang’s mediation, this partnership is temporary. Once Jiufang leaves, the area around the Demon Wall will be dominated by the Ji Mo and Shentu families. Even if we cooperate occasionally, Shentu will still try to suppress our power.”

The ghost woman, leaning by the window, wrinkled her nose.

“Such a bother. If we didn’t have to hide our identity, the small Shentu family would be nothing. We wouldn’t even need our master to make a move—just sending Shen Tu and Yu Lei would be enough to flatten them.”

Moonniang, who had also approached the window to watch, remarked after observing for a while:

“But their carriage uses a mechanism-powered horse—so impressive.”

All the gazes in the carriage turned toward her.

Moonniang shrunk her neck and awkwardly hid behind Fang Fuchang.

Fang Fuchang calmly said, “The Shentu family is affiliated with the Zhongli family. The Zhongli family holds the ‘Immortal Crafts of Opening the World.’ Half of the artifacts and mechanisms they craft are made by Shentu’s workshops. For the Shentu family, these mechanism-driven devices are just everyday items.”

Moonniang, whose family owned a shop selling artifacts, had heard of both the Shentu and Zhongli families’ reputations. Her eyes lit up with envy.

Her shop mainly sold everyday mechanisms and low-grade artifacts for common folk. Though the business was good, their products couldn’t compare to what Zhongli and Shentu produced.

Mo Lin sneered:

“No wonder the Shentu family acts as a watchdog for the Zhongli family.”

Without the Zhongli family’s ‘Immortal Crafts of Opening the World,’ Shentu’s workshops couldn’t operate, so they were naturally at Zhongli’s command.

Liuyu’s gaze passed over several noble families watching the commotion, landing on a figure standing beside Shentu Xiang.

“Is that Shentu Chi over there?”

The man bore a slight resemblance to his master, Shentu Xiang. If she wasn’t mistaken, this was the same Shentu Chi who had fought with Mo Lin. He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward Liuyu’s carriage, his face bearing a hint of arrogance beneath his beard.

Mo Lin said, “That’s right.”

Liuyu gazed at him for a while.

This person walked with confidence, his stride steady, and there wasn’t a single visible scar on his body.

But the deep and shallow wounds she had seen on him last night were all inflicted by this very person.

“That person—”

Inside the carriage, Liuyu extended her finger and pointed to the young man who was speaking with Xiang Lihua outside.

The downcast-faced Xiang Liju was listening to Xiang Lihua reprimanding him. He knew that yesterday he had helped the Jiufang clan against the Jimo clan, but today he was reversing his stance to apologize. His expression was indeed unpleasant.

However, for the sake of survival, he had no other choice but to hope that this distant cousin, who was about to become the new head of the Xiangli clan, could plead for him before the Jimo clan leader.

At first, he had no hope, but then he suddenly saw the young woman inside the carriage pointing at him.

Immediately, the withered face of Xiang Liju showed a bit of life.

“Me? You’re calling me?”

“Yes, you, Xiang Liju.”

Liuyu vaguely remembered that after the discussion ended, he had come to apologize and express his loyalty, but at the time, she was too preoccupied with Mo Lin’s injuries to pay him much attention.

However, the fact that he represented the Xiangli clan from Longdui City meant that he still held some value in the clan.

At least he must have been active in external affairs and was familiar with the aristocratic clans around the Demon Ghost Wall.

“I have a question for you,” Liuyu lowered her gaze and looked at the handsome young man running eagerly to the window. “Which clans do those carriages near the Shentu clan belong to?”

Xiang Liju looked carefully for a moment and respectfully answered, “Miss, those are the carriages of the Beigong clan and Baili clan.”

The girl’s arm gently rested on the window ledge, her sleeves embroidered with butterfly patterns shimmering in the sunlight. Xiang Liju stared at her delicate pink fingertips for a while before hearing her speak.

“Go tell them that tonight the Jimo clan will host a banquet in Longdui City to entertain the aristocratic clans around the Demon Ghost Wall. We will share the Xiangli clan’s agricultural texts, including the Complete Book of Immortal Agriculture and the Hundred Flowers Volume—just say that, and go.”

However, after hearing this, Xiang Liju stood still, unmoving.

Liuyu’s gaze fell on his stunned face, and she tilted her head, asking, “Are you deaf?”

Xiang Liju came to his senses. “No—”

He opened his mouth, still recovering from the shock.

“Share what? With them? You want them to come eat and look at the Xiangli clan’s texts? But why should we do that?”

Because he was a collateral member of the clan, he could only access some secondary texts. He had never even seen the cover of the Complete Book of Immortal Agriculture!

“Because now, the Xiangli clan listens to Miss Jimo.” Xiang Lihua shot him a glance. “Whether we do it or not, there are others who can do it.”

“Do it, do it—”

Xiang Liju quickly agreed and then cautiously asked, “Well, since everyone can see it, may I…”

Liuyu smiled. “Who do you serve?”

At this moment, Xiang Liju’s mind was spinning rapidly, and he elegantly bowed to Liuyu.

“Naturally, I serve Miss Jimo.”

“My people, of course, can see it. Moreover, they can see even more than they can.”

Xiang Liju’s face immediately lit up with joy.

Anyone born into the Xiangli clan had a deep interest in agricultural matters. Since they were interested, who wouldn’t want to take a look at the proud texts of their own clan?

Because of this promise, when Xiang Liju looked at Liuyu, his refined and handsome face was instantly filled with admiration and longing. Without a second thought, he hurried to convey the message to the Beigong clan and Baili clan.

Shentu Chi, who was at a distance, didn’t know what they had discussed.

He only saw the young man from the Xiangli clan moving around among the aristocratic clans. The two clan heads, who had been cold earlier, suddenly showed shock and then overwhelming joy. They immediately walked toward the Jimo clan’s carriage.

When they spoke with the young head of the Jimo clan, the two even acted deferential and flattering.

Shentu Chi gave a look, watching the Xiangli clan youth still chatting with others, and ordered someone to investigate what they were discussing.

This inquiry immediately caused Shentu Chi to change color.

“This yellow-haired girl is so reckless!”

He shoved aside the subordinate who had delivered the message and strode toward Shentu Xiang, who was bidding farewell to Jiufang Shaogeng and Jiufang Zhanghua. He immediately told him that the Jimo clan was about to publicly share the Xiangli clan’s texts with the aristocratic clans around the Demon Ghost Wall.

Upon hearing about the Spirit Herb Volume and Hundred Flowers Volume, Jiufang Zhanghua’s long eyelashes fluttered, and his still eyes subtly turned toward Liuyu.

“What?”

Jiufang Shaogeng was also stunned.

“How could she bear to… Wait, the content we exchanged for the Dragon Dui City, and she’s just going to make it public to everyone? Has she gone mad…”

“She planned this from the beginning.”

Jiufang Zhanghua spoke indifferently.

“These two volumes are no longer secrets, which means the profit the Jiufang clan can gain from them has been minimized.”

Jiufang Shaogeng stared at the Jimo clan’s carriage direction.

In the world of aristocratic clans, most relied on their secret texts to stand strong in chaotic times. In order to solidify their foundation, these secret techniques were only passed down to the main branches, and even collateral branches only learned a little, to prevent them from using the techniques independently and weakening the family’s foundation.

Everyone was hoarding their secrets; how could anyone make their hard-won techniques public?

If it weren’t for some greater benefit, no one would do such a foolish thing.

And to give up a more secure path for this unknown benefit—what kind of courage would it take to make such a decision?

Jiufang Shaogeng followed his elder brother step by step, growing increasingly faster in his heartbeat.

“Is the eldest young master leaving?”

The girl under the curtain cast a faint smile in his direction.

“If this banquet is missing the famous eldest young master, the evening will lose some of its brilliance.”

From Jiufang Zhanghua’s perspective, he could clearly see the young man sitting beside her.

Compared to the hostile gaze from yesterday, today this person’s aura was unexpectedly calm, and he didn’t even spare him a glance.

“I’ve been delayed outside for a long time, and my family is urging me to return. I must leave. Tonight’s grand banquet in Longdui City must be magnificent, and it’s a pity that I can’t attend,” Jiufang Zhanghua said, his gaze falling softly on the girl’s face.

“However, with Miss Ji Mo’s wisdom, I’m sure we’ll meet again in the Immortal Capital Yujing sooner or later.”

“—As long as Miss Ji Mo can survive the revenge of the Fourth Miss Zhongli.”

The morning breeze was warm, and from a distance, the Shentu clan members were sternly staring at Liuyu.

Jiufang Zhanghua spoke gently:

“I look forward to seeing Miss Ji Mo again in Yujing.”

Liuyu fixed her gaze on him for a moment, then turned her head to look ahead at the path cleared by the Beigong and Baili families.

She curved the corners of her lips:

“I too look forward to the expression on Young Master Zhanghua’s face when he sees me again.”

With a graceful turn, her figure left.

But Jiufang Shaogeng lagged a few steps behind and frequently looked back.

As they were about to depart, Jiufang Shaogeng suddenly reappeared beside the carriage, gripping the window edge.

“—Actually, you still have another option.”

Liuyu glanced sideways in surprise, while Mo Lin beside her frowned and gave him a sidelong glance.

Looking into Liuyu’s eyes, Jiufang Shaogeng was momentarily confused but quickly blurted out at high speed:

“Don’t think that because the Ji Mo family swallowed the Xiangli family and Longdui City, you’re that powerful. Zhongli Lingzhao’s thirst for revenge is terrifying, and if she truly goes after you, it’ll be effortless to crush you. You might as well find yourself a powerful backer. My father is about to arrange a marriage for me. If you bring the Xian Nong Quan Shu and three cities as dowries, I wouldn’t mind…”

Liuyu felt a chill run through her spine.

She might have been curious to see Jiufang Zhanghua and Zhongli Lingzhao’s reactions when they found out her identity.

But she never expected such a scene to play out with Jiufang Shaogeng.

Thinking back to how Jiufang Shaogeng had once despised her in Yujing, it was embarrassing for him to say such things. She felt secondhand embarrassment on his behalf.

She placed her hand on her forehead and interrupted: “No need, thank you.”

It seemed that Liuyu’s rejection completely caught him off guard. He froze for a moment, then his expression quickly darkened.

“What did you say?”

Liuyu calmly replied: “I’m already married, and I don’t like you at all. You don’t need to be any kind of backer for me, and there’s no way I’m bringing a dowry to the Jiufang family. Stop dreaming.”

“……”

A long silence followed.

“Ha.”

Jiufang Shaogeng slowly revealed a malicious and cold smile:

“I never said I liked you. I just thought you had some sense, so I wanted to give you a way out. But since you’re determined to seek death, no one can stop you. And as for marriage, demons have no household registration in the Great Zhao, and you don’t even have a marriage contract, so what’s the point of calling yourselves a legitimate couple? Don’t make me laugh. People like you from rural noble families probably don’t know the status of our Jiufang family in Yujing. The noble daughters wanting to marry me line up from the southern lands to the northern wilderness. I’m offering you another chance…”

“What are you waiting for? If we don’t leave now, we’ll miss the noon meal.”

Liuyu coldly instructed the driver ahead.

The driver whistled: “Got it!”

The fiery red birds flapped their wings, and the carriage sped down the path, kicking up dust that landed all over Jiufang Shaogeng.

The ghostly woman, leaning halfway out of the carriage, noticed that no one had chased after them, so she sat back inside and said:

“I was scared. I thought the Lord would definitely be angry. What if we got exposed?”

“Just a bunch of insignificant small fry,” Mo Lin coldly sneered.

“Not worth mentioning.”

The ghostly woman breathed a sigh of relief and grinned: “Right, right, just small fry.”

The Moon Lady sniffed the air.

“Am I imagining things? Why do I smell grilled fish?”

Fang Fucang, quick as lightning, grabbed the Moon Lady from Mo Lin’s left side.

“You’re the one who’s about to turn into grilled fish!”

In the chaos, Mo Lin silently extinguished the ghostly fire that had somehow ignited on the Moon Lady’s sleeve.

Under everyone’s gaze, he calmly turned his eyes away.

“…A mistake.”