The iron-willed Chai Zhengzhou, who had endured a lifetime of hardship, at the end of his days, imparted only two words to his grandson: “Bow your head.”

Though he himself had never yielded, the image of innocent blood staining a child’s face served as his grandson’s final, searing lesson. It was a lesson he drilled into the boy, reminding the little demon of the harsh realities of the past, of the imperative to never repeat the same mistakes.

Before the acquisition of the ancient god mirror, Chai A-si had lived precisely as his grandfather had instructed, clinging to existence with a lowered head and a tucked tail. He possessed no true friends, garnered no recognition, and was met with constant scorn. Yuan Yong extorted him without mercy, and Zhu Dali treated him with contempt. His childhood sweetheart, into whose arms he yearned to cast himself, served only to keep him toiling day and night for the benefit of those blood-sucking leeches.

He had ventured into the mountains to gather herbs countless times, and not without success in finding valuable specimens. Yet, he dared not utilize a single stalk for himself, nor could he sell them for a fair price. The selling locations and the prices were strictly regulated. Though no written decrees existed, every demon was bound by these unspoken rules. The herb shop he frequented, despite its owner’s lineage tracing back to the distant Shen Xiang Long Sea, was situated in Mo Yun City and thus beholden to its dictates.

Of a single stalk of herb, the Mo Yun City officials claimed a share, the Mo Yun Yuan family took their portion, the Hua Guo Hui, which handled the transaction, also demanded its cut, and the herb shop itself needed to profit. Precious little remained for the herb-gathering little demon.

While it seemed a pittance, Chai A-si had never before possessed so much as five zhu imperial money. Thus, despite his knowledge of the inherent dangers these coins represented, he still gathered them. Of course, he wasn’t entirely careless. He had, through the black market, laundered the money a few times, transforming it from the spoils of the deceased into relatively clean currency before daring to spend it.

However, under the thorough investigation of the Mo Yun Dog family, his clumsy attempts at money laundering were riddled with obvious flaws. It was only a matter of time before the Mo Yun Dog family’s demons uncovered the money and traced the clues back to him. If not today, then tomorrow.

At that time, Chai A-si, having suddenly become wealthy after a lifetime of poverty, was reluctant to part with his newfound fortune. The ancient god in the mirror, a recent arrival to the demon world, lacked a comprehensive understanding of its currency and failed to detect the secret markings on the five zhu imperial money. Neither did it perceive the targeting of heaven’s intent, nor had it formulated a long-term plan for cultivating Chai A-si as its vessel. This oversight remained.

Heaven’s intent is a mysterious force, and this was but one thread of causality waiting to ignite. One could even argue that Jiang Wang’s very existence made the activation of this dangerous causal line almost inevitable. Now, a mere flicker of suspicion from Hu Tai-sui had prematurely triggered it.

Naturally, once Quan Shou-ceng concluded his initial inquiries, Yuan Lao-xi and his daughter, Yuan Xiao-qing, were swiftly escorted to the old Chai family courtyard. With them were several of Chai A-si’s former subordinates from the Hua Guo Hui, all of whom cried and pleaded, eager to confess everything they knew about Chai A-si, down to when he last relieved himself – not that Quan Shou-ceng wasn’t eager to apprehend more, but simply because Chai A-si truly had no other close kin. Yuan Lao-xi and Yuan Xiao-qing arrived covered in wounds, clearly having already endured painful “lessons” before being brought here.

Hu Tai-sui was the first to speak: “And these are?”

“Consider her Chai A-si’s dao companion,” Quan Shou-ceng replied deferentially. “The clothing in this room belongs to her. Beside her is her elderly father, who also served as Chai A-si’s guide into the Hua Guo Hui and contributed significantly to his rise.”

The Demon King Yuan Jia-zheng, also summoned for questioning, quickly affirmed, “Indeed. This Chai A-si only recently joined the Hua Guo Hui. I haven’t even had a chance to meet him myself.” Yuan Xian-ting’s lingering authority remained, and unlike Quan Shou-ceng, he hadn’t suffered the indignity of a slap. Nevertheless, he discreetly dissipated his drunken stupor and, in a low-key manner, subtly shifted the blame.

“Is everyone connected to Chai A-si here?” Hu Tai-sui, at this moment, sat perched on the broken courtyard wall, his posture relaxed, yet an innate dignity emanated from him.

“Essentially everyone,” Quan Shou-ceng replied.

From the rustling darkness came Ji Xing-kong’s voice: “No father, no mother, no relatives, no connections, not even many friends. If one wished to conduct certain affairs, this identity would be quite suitable.”

“You’re all quite practiced in these matters,” Chan Fa-yuan said with a smile, his expression suddenly hardening. “Take your hand away!”

“Heh heh heh,” Ji Xing-kong, still concealed in the shadows, chuckled. “Clinging so tightly to this bell, why not send it back to Gu Nan Mountain? I can watch it for you here. And as for your disciple, Yu Xiao Guangtou, I, as his martial uncle, will help…”

Chan Fa-yuan once again dispelled Ji Xing-kong’s probing power, smiling, “Save that for when I suppress you to death later.”

Hu Tai-sui paid them no mind, merely asking, “Essentially?”

Quan Shou-ceng dared not conceal anything and quickly replied, “Previously, no one in the entire northern district was truly close to Chai A-si. However, he frequently patronized old Yuan tavern. I’ve already apprehended all the associated little demons. Of the entire tavern staff, only the head bouncer, a pig demon, managed to escape. No one knows his whereabouts.”

“Is this not a coincidence?” Lu Xi-ming, standing beside a fragrant flower, lightly scoffed. “In the Shen Xiao place, there’s also a fugitive, some obscure figure from the Tai Ping Dao.”

“Another connection to old Yuan tavern. This establishment is quite…complex, isn’t it?” Hu Tai-sui looked towards Yuan Lao-xi. “You opened it, did you? You seem to be quite complex yourself?”

He merely glanced at him before continuing, “Hmm, you haven’t had your essence blood drained by some evil creature recently. You’ve even recovered some vitality since taking the god path. But your life has been unremarkable until now. Interesting. Tell me, how did you escape that evil thing, and which god do you believe in?”

Yuan Lao-xi had initially assumed his interrogation would revolve around Chai A-si’s intrusion into the Shen Xiao place. As this matter was genuinely unrelated to him, he believed he could easily clear his name regardless of how he was questioned, as these Heavenly Venerables would not falsely accuse an insignificant nobody like himself. However, he hadn’t anticipated that a single glance from the Sky Demon would completely expose him, probing his deepest, most guarded secret.

He immediately prostrated himself, adopting a posture of profound respect, while his mind raced. He confessed his past misdeeds truthfully to appear open and honest: “This old one was afflicted by a demonic ghost, bloodthirsty and cruel, requiring regular offerings of blood. If insufficient offerings were made for a period, it would drain my essence blood. Possessed, I exploited my position as a Hua Guo Hui incense master to secretly gather blood offerings for it over several months. This was indeed a grave evil, deserving of death. But I implore the Heavenly Venerables to understand that my young daughter, Yuan Xiao-qing, is pure and innocent, entirely uninvolved in these wicked deeds…”

Perhaps a father’s love for his daughter is a universal truth. Zhu Xian, overhearing this, added, “The security office does indeed have corresponding records, and the timing matches. However, that particular blood offering activity later ceased, and the security office’s investigation wasn’t particularly aggressive. It was merely left to a newly appointed security officer to slowly pursue.” According to Mo Yun City law, Yuan Lao-xi’s death penalty was practically assured, but his crimes would not extend to his family.

If Jiang Wang were able to hear this, he would undoubtedly be deeply troubled. This was another dangerous thread of causality. Even after all his efforts and meticulous preparations in the demon world, disaster still lurked everywhere. Even if he hadn’t come to the old Chai family house tonight, and even if he had foresightedly disposed of those dozens of five zhu imperial money, the connection to Yuan Lao-xi still presented a potential path for him to be traced. And under the targeting of heaven’s intent, all dangerous possibilities would inevitably materialize. He was like a broken ship, constantly repairing and mending, battling the waves in the bitter sea, forging ahead with courage, never giving up for a moment, desperately yearning to return home. But within the deep sea of heaven’s intent, there were far too many hidden reefs awaiting collision!

Hu Tai-sui simply sat there, unmoving, perched on the broken wall littered with rubble, his gaze fixed on Yuan Lao-xi, speaking not a word. His silence implied inadequacy. Yuan Lao-xi, prostrated on the ground, could only sob, “The faceless god is mysterious and profound. This old man, this mere remnant body, truly knows no more!”

As things stood, this Faceless Religion seemed to be a relatively benevolent faith. Yu Xin had previously mentioned it during the true secret of Shen Xiao, and it was well-known throughout the city. But what connection did it have to Chai A-si? Yuan Lao-xi had not entered the Shen Xiao place!

As a mid-level demon in Mo Yun City, Zhu Xian was about to speak.

Hu Tai-sui’s gaze had already shifted, settling upon Quan Shou-ceng with an air of authority. “You previously suspected that Chai A-si was the murderer who killed your son, Quan Xi-zai, and disposed of the body. But have you uncovered any other evidence?”

Quan Shou-ceng responded, “At that time, Zhu Lan-ruo of the Zhu family released a golden quest in the Feng Shen Tai hall to collect poisons. My son, Quan Xi-zai, infatuated with her beauty, accepted the task and entered the mountains. Chai A-si also accepted the same task at that time. And precisely after he descended from the mountain at that time, Chai A-si began to stop concealing himself.”

“Is it possible that this Chai A-si is no longer the original Chai A-si?” The voice of Ji Xing-kong echoed from the darkness.

Lu Xi-ming replied, “Unlikely. Although the Shen Xiao place obstructs true perception, Chai A-si’s words, actions, and intent are all consistent with his body, showing no dissonance. How long has he been back from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains? Even a skilled true demon adept at possession would struggle to achieve this level of integration in such a short time.”

If a true demon could not accomplish it, a true person naturally could not either. Zhu Yi had initially considered mentioning that this period coincided with the Great War of the Southern Heaven, but thus abandoned the thought.

“So it is,” Hu Tai-sui’s tone was light. He then asked Quan Shou-ceng again, “Are all the demons related to Chai A-si gathered here? Have you not extracted anything useful from them?”

“No, their mouths are very tight,” Quan Shou-ceng shook his head. “Because I was mindful that several great ancestors still needed to question them, I dared not apply overly severe torture.”

Hu Tai-sui slowly turned his gaze towards Yuan Xiao-qing. Within his amber eyes, a depth was unseen, a dignity immeasurable.

“No, their mouths are not tight! Absolutely not tight! What do you wish to know? I will tell you!” Yuan Lao-xi, still prostrated on the ground, struggled to lift his head, his expression fraught with anxiety. “I will tell you whatever I know!”

Hu Tai-sui, his voice tinged with pity, said, “You have already spoken.” He continued to look at Yuan Xiao-qing. “Now, tell me what you know.”

“I…I!” Yuan Xiao-qing was extremely nervous, stammering, “Little Chai Brother and I are deeply in love! Little Chai Brother is just Chai A-si! He cultivates diligently, he is very kind, he shares all his money with his subordinates!”

“Not these,” Hu Tai-sui sighed with regret. “Forget it, I will do it myself.”

He casually lifted his large hand, and Yuan Xiao-qing’s delicate form was already kneeling before him. Her entire head was held in his massive hand, and her body suddenly stiffened!

“No!” Yuan Lao-xi writhed like a fish cast ashore, his entire body arching. But he could neither utter a sound nor move forward!

“Ah, she truly knows nothing,” Hu Tai-sui’s tone held a hint of surprise. His large hand released its grip, and Yuan Xiao-qing’s corpse slumped to the ground. In an instant, her delicate body became lifeless flesh, her beauty turned to dust. She had no time for a final word, not even a gasp of pain.

At this moment, Hu Tai-sui sensed Yuan Lao-xi’s desperate struggle, sensing the pure and surging power of the god path. He deliberately relaxed the prohibition and watched with interest. The decrepit, useless Yuan Lao-xi was now weeping, his expression wretched and repulsive. From his throat, from the deepest depths of his heart, he emitted sounds of anger, pain, and resentment.

“Since ancient times, who has escaped death?”

“Life is thus, love and hate no more.”

“You and I are both faceless, let all beings paint us!”

In the final moments of his life, he did not call out his daughter’s name, nor did he weep. For in this world, hope was extinguished; rationality revealed no possibility. He could only entrust himself to the vague, to the divine! His body and soul burned, offered as a sacrifice to that legendary ancient god spirit. He did not beg for the power of revenge, for he knew it was impossible. Even the highest Venerables of the god path could not grant him the power to avenge himself against a Sky Demon. The clearer this realization, the more profound the pain. At this moment, he only desired death.

Even if he consumed himself in a desperate act of self-destruction, he could not even tear a corner of Hu Tai-sui’s clothing. Even if his secret was insignificant, even if his information could offer no aid to Hu Tai-sui, he still wanted to carry his secret, his information, and resolutely die! This was his humble counterattack as a weak, insignificant demon. Relying on his efforts in spreading the faith during this period, the surging power of the Faceless God instantly filled his body.

But in the next moment, all was still.

Heaven’s intent is my intent.

The Sky Demon decides everything.

If I wish you dead, you shall not live.

If I wish you live, you shall not die!

You possess neither the right to survive nor the freedom to take your own life.

Hu Tai-sui, devoid of any emotion, still casually lifted his hand and pressed it upon Yuan Lao-xi’s forehead. The body surging with vast divine power suddenly stiffened, his face trembling, before going limp.

“Ancient Yan Luo God?”

“Lord of Hell, King Yan Luo, God of Assassins?”

“Bian Cheng Wang?”

“Within the glorious era, corresponding to the Demon Clan Heaven Court’s Demon Clan Hell?”

Hu Tai-sui finally smiled this time. “Interesting!”

“Great Yan Luo God, ah, if you truly exist, if you truly possess ancient power, please, for me, take revenge! Please, for me, take revenge!”

This was the last information received by the Ancient Yan Luo God in the Shen Xiao place. From his devout believer, from the diligent pope of the Faceless God Religion. From a weak old man. A useless father.

The so-called ancient god spirit, trapped in the mirror world, had no means to respond, only a long, silent stillness.

And at this moment, a crowd of demon clan prodigies continued their exploration of the Shen Xiao place. Chai A-si, walking alongside Yuan Meng-ji, was still happily fawning: “I recognized early on, Young Master Yuan, that your destiny is noble, your birth extraordinary! But I never could have imagined you are actually the descendant of that Heavenly Venerable! Tell me, why wouldn’t I say your face is noble! Your eyebrows, they grow with such defiance!”

“Hahaha, speaking of which, Yuan Xiao-qing from old Yuan tavern and I are deeply in love! When we return, I still wish to invite you to preside over the wedding!”

“Said like a true brother! You are my blood brother, though born of different parents! I have no father or mother, lonely since childhood. You, my elder brother, are like a father to me! How could you not sit in the head seat?”