Xiao Bai Mao’s CPU started overheating again. If she were to emulate her Shifu, and her Shifu genuinely found a man, did that mean she also needed to find a man? But she really had no such thoughts. What a terrible Shifu! She would expel her from the disciples’ lineage as soon as she returned! Anyway, she was only a Shishu now!

Dugu Qingli slowly recovered from her daze, and with an expressionless face, she said, “That’s right, that day will never come for me!”

“What if it does?”

“It will never… No, do we have to repeat this at the mountain gate?”

Shen Tang finally laughed, stepping forward and putting her arm around Dugu Qingli’s shoulder. “Good Qingli, since you’re already here, why don’t you stay and play for a couple of days?”

Dugu Qingli hesitated. Judging by the current developments, it seemed she really didn’t need to rush back. On the contrary, returning might plunge her into a vortex, perhaps leading to her being targeted as an array eye. And she would also become a big ‘lantern’ for the dog-couple, disliked and shunted around. From this perspective, it might be better to hide in Xia Prefecture for a few days… Her past experiences in Xia Prefecture were quite nostalgic, certainly better than her solo travels in the jianghu.

But looking at Shen Tang’s smiling face, something felt off, as if there was an underlying sense of a madam looking at her younger sister. Why are you looking at me with such a kind and benevolent expression? If you have the guts, go look at my Shifu with that expression.

Sure enough, Shen Tang leaned in and whispered, “Qingli, did you see your Shifu when you came?”

Dugu Qingli almost wanted to flee. “No, I didn’t!”

“Hmm?”

“I… I saw Shishu.”

Shen Tang was speechless.

Remembering how she had told her Shifu that even if she was friends with Shen Tang, she would still side with her Shifu on this matter… Xiao Bai Mao felt like she was on pins and needles, not knowing how to face Shen Tang’s gaze. She gritted her teeth and said, “My Shishu wants to steal your man! I’m sorry, I have to help Shishu!”

Shen Tang almost burst out laughing. “How are you going to help? Will you join in?”

Dugu Qingli was dumbfounded. “How can you have such a lewd thought! The Shen Tang I know isn’t like this!”

Shen Tang’s expression turned dangerous. “You personally threw me into a man’s arms. Who’s lewd now?” That implied: Just you wait, one day I’ll throw you into a man’s arms too.

Dugu Qingli shivered, almost turning to run, but she remembered A’nuo. “A’nuo, do you want to see your Shifu?”

A’nuo really wanted to go, but seeing Shen Tang’s menacing gaze, she pitifully sniffled, “No, I’m not going.”

Dugu Qingli was speechless. So, she had to bear everything alone again, did she? But she would rather fight the Bingyu Sect over filling an array eye than face Shen Tang’s unreadable gaze. In the end, she fled in a hurry. “I have important matters in Tianshuang Guo. Since A’nuo isn’t going, I won’t bother you two anymore. Farewell!”

Watching Dugu Qingli vanish like she was fleeing for her life, A’nuo stiffly turned her head to look at Shen Tang, her eyes full of pity. “I miss Shifu.”

Shen Tang bent down and picked her up. “Your Shifu is currently ‘jiangjiang niangniang’ with your Xiangsheng. Don’t go being a ‘lantern’.”

What did ‘Shifu and Xiangsheng’ mean… A’nuo was on the verge of tears but was amused by these words. “Does Jiejie think they’re a particularly good match, one Shifu and one Xiangsheng?”

Shen Tang thought for a moment. “From your perspective, they seem quite well-matched.”

A’nuo asked, “What about from your perspective?”

Shen Tang’s eyes held an incomprehensible light. “I just think the world has gone mad.”

A’nuo was speechless.

“When they lived here for a few days, I thought I was just overthinking… But seeing Qingli’s behavior today, I seem to have unluckily guessed correctly.” Shen Tang’s worldview was no less upended than Dugu Qingli’s. In the past, when she met the Guoshi, it was such a solemn, revered, and stressful occasion… What was this now? Was she going to fight this being for a man? You, go destroy the demon race? Something like that. And she couldn’t directly fight for him; she even had to hold back the ‘lantern’ and create opportunities for them. Where in the world could one find such a pitiful love rival, a sight that would make listeners sad and onlookers weep?

A’nuo said, “Aren’t you panicking? I feel your heart thumping.”

Shen Tang was silent for a moment, then sighed. “If that’s good for him, then I can’t do anything about it… Anyway, anyway, I can’t give him that.”

A’nuo clenched her small fists. “But Xiangsheng probably can’t give it to Shifu either. You can still fight a fair battle.”

Shen Tang blinked. “How do you know he can’t give it?”

“It’s not that he can’t… It’s just that Xiangsheng is so concerned about his reputation, I don’t think Shifu will get what she wants that easily.”

“Wait a moment, A’nuo, how old are you?”

A’nuo wailed, “I want tanghulu…”

“Alright, alright, I know you’re five.” Shen Tang carried A’nuo, bouncing, up the mountain. “Next time, just say it directly. If you pretend to cry and act childish again, I’ll turn you into a tanghulu.”

“Zongzhu!” As they reached halfway up the mountain, a disciple hurriedly ran up from below. “Wan Tongling of Zhenmo Si requests an audience.”

Shen Tang was startled, then turned back. “Wan Cheng usually tries to show he has nothing to do with our jianghu sects. What major event could have brought him here so suddenly?”

Descending the mountain, Shen Tang met Wan Cheng, who was leading a group of men. His expression was very serious. “Shen Zongzhu, we are here to investigate some cases… Um, don’t be nervous, it’s just a routine inquiry.”

Shen Tang asked curiously, “What happened?”

“A student from Jing Shi Danxue Yuan went missing during a trial. The news reached the capital, and His Majesty was furious, ordering all Zhenmo Si across the land to search and solve the case.”

Shen Tang was puzzled. “What does this have to do with our remote Xia Prefecture?”

“The missing student is named Chen Yu. His classmates say that Chen Yu was usually low-key and kind to others, but he once had a conflict with Lu Xingzhou in Jiangmoyu,” Wan Cheng sighed. “So, normally, we would question Gongzi Lu, but he has already been taken out for a trial by Xiangsheng Ye of Danxue Yuan. Our superiors heard that he had returned to Xia Prefecture recently, so they sent us to inquire.”

Shen Tang scoffed. “If he were Xingzhou’s enemy, I would have killed him directly if I saw him, without needing to conceal anything or fear punishment. So, if I haven’t seen him, then I haven’t seen him.”

Wan Cheng was speechless. He hadn’t known her identity before, but now he had some vague idea. If she really wanted to secretly kill a student, she truly wouldn’t be afraid of anyone investigating.

Glancing at A’nuo, whose expression seemed a bit strange, Wan Cheng put on an odd, uncle-like smile. “That’s right, Miss Lu is also a student of Danxue Yuan… Does Miss Lu know anything?”

A’nuo covered her mouth and shook her head.

Wan Cheng’s tone was enticing. “Don’t worry, just say whatever you know. Even if it’s related to your Shifu, we’re all friends here. We’ll help conceal it a bit for the sake of Zongbu Sheng and Miss Sheng.”

A’nuo said, “I’m not saying anything because I’m not sure, and I don’t want to spread rumors or make false accusations.”

Wan Cheng’s eyes lit up. “It’s alright, you tell us, we’ll only use it as reference.”

A’nuo asked, “My Shifu is also friendly with people in Jing Shi. Do you know why she alone would be at odds with Chen Yu?”

Your Shifu is friendly with people in the capital, my foot! Before leaving the capital, she publicly knocked out several teeth of the third son of the Huo family right in front of Prince Jin. Wan Cheng grumbled inwardly, but on the surface, he hummed, “Then why?”

“Because we suspect Chen Yu is involved with the demon race, a demon spy!” A’nuo said. “But Chunshan Ge is also a reputable sect, and they say they have a good relationship with Prince Jin. We have no evidence, so we don’t dare to speak nonsense. As for his so-called disappearance, maybe he went to the demon race…”

Wan Cheng was greatly alarmed. “Is that true? You can’t speak nonsense like that, you have to take responsibility.”

A’nuo cried, “I already said I have no evidence and was afraid of spreading rumors! You told me to say it, and that it’s alright… *Ying ying ying*…”

Wan Cheng was drenched in sweat. He quickly turned to his subordinates behind him. “Send a message back to Sheng Shouzuo, saying to investigate in the direction of the demon race and see if there are any findings.” With that, he bowed to Shen Tang and A’nuo. “Then we won’t disturb you two anymore. I wish Shen Zongzhu further progress in her cultivation.”

Watching the Zhenmo Si personnel leave, Shen Tang grabbed A’nuo’s cheek. “Speak, what’s going on? You look like you know the inside story.”

A’nuo looked left and right, then whispered, “Shifu is playing a game with the Demon Emperor, using Chen Yu’s name. I guess Chen Yu was probably captured by the demon race…”

Shen Tang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

When Long Qinghuang returned to the demon realm, the Demon Emperor’s order to investigate Chen Yu quickly reached Daqian. There were countless demon spies lurking in Daqian, and they immediately provided the investigation results: indeed, there was a young alchemist named Chen Yu, a student of Danxue Yuan, from Chunshan Ge. He was reportedly out on a trial with his mentor. It all matched up. It was also due to Ye Tinglan’s privilege that he took Lu Xingzhou out for trials so early, which prompted other students of Danxue Yuan to also go on trials ahead of schedule. Otherwise, under normal circumstances, Danxue Yuan wouldn’t be at the time for trials with mentors yet, but now Chen Yu really had gone out for trials with his mentor…

News returned to the demon court, and the Demon Emperor quickly issued instructions: “Capture him back, whole and unharmed. Do not injure him.”

Chen Yu had no idea of this sudden disaster. His trial itinerary was not concealed, completely open, and before long, he was followed. Taking advantage of a moment when he separated from his mentor to look for herbs, a group of demons rose up and collectively captured him back to the demon realm. By the time his mentor discovered it, Chen Yu was nowhere to be found. Poor Chen Yu had spent his whole life playing low-key, pretending to be a pig to eat the tiger, only to run into the unreasonable demon race, and his entire charade was for nothing. The mentor hastily led his team back to the capital, which led to Wan Cheng’s inquiry.

At this moment, Long Qinghuang sat in the demon court, leaning languidly on the armrest of her throne, propping her forehead, and a cold smile appeared on her lips as she watched her subordinates push a figure forward. “Chen Yu, do you think you can escape my grasp?”

Chen Yu looked up, indignant. “I don’t know when I offended Your Majesty the Demon Emperor. At least let me die with a clear understanding.” As he looked up, Long Qinghuang’s smile froze on her face. Demonic energy surged, sending sand and stones flying. “Who is this ugly thing!”

Chen Yu was speechless.

The surrounding attendants trembled. “This… this is Chen Yu of Chunshan Ge.”

“This is not the right product! I spent so much effort arranging forces in Daqian, and you hand me such a report?” A group of demons, who had thought they had earned merit, knelt in the court, their eyes glaring fiercely at Chen Yu, wishing they could tear him to shreds. Chen Yu felt more wronged than a dog. “I was inexplicably captured by you, and now you hate me?”

One stubborn one timidly said, “Previously, when we reported the information to Your Majesty, Your Majesty said it was indeed him…”

Long Qinghuang angrily said, “Then tell me, does Chunshan Ge have anyone else named Chen Yu?”

“No, just me.”

“Bang!” Demonic energy swept over, and Chen Yu felt as if he had been struck by a ten-thousand-jin hammer, spitting blood and flying back.

“Then who is the alchemist who went to Dongyue Hanchuan with the mentor! He dared to deceive me!” Chen Yu was almost killed by the sweep. The blood he coughed up contained fragments of his internal organs, and he said weakly, “That person… what other features did that person have…”

Long Qinghuang’s chest heaved. After thinking for a while, she finally said, “He was with a cute younger sister.”

“…No… not a younger sister, that was… his disciple… That person must be Lu Xingzhou, no doubt.”

Long Qinghuang was furious. “Investigate, investigate this Lu Xingzhou for me! If you get the wrong person again, all of you bring your heads to me!”

The subordinates trembled. “Then, how should we deal with this wrong product?”

“Throw him to the dogs!”

“Your Majesty, wait!” Chen Yu was terrified and quickly said, “I have quite a few connections in Daqian and am a trusted subordinate of Prince Jin. I can help Your Majesty!”

Long Qinghuang narrowed her eyes slightly. “First, plant the Wanyao Jin on him. We’ll discuss the rest later.”