The team set off, first passing through the town.

They walked past the shop where the “Zhou Yunyun wood carving” had been consigned earlier.

The owner, holding a cup of tea in his right hand and a cigarette in his left, sat leisurely on the doorstep, basking in the sun.

It was evident that he was in good spirits after completing a cost-free deal.

Seeing Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin approaching again, the owner enthusiastically greeted them, speaking in a local dialect mixed with a bit of Mandarin. He was essentially asking if they wanted to exchange contact information so they could come back and see more good merchandise in the future.

Tan Wenbin stepped forward and offered the owner a cigarette; the owner also gave Tan Wenbin one. Both men tucked their cigarettes behind their ears and exchanged contact details.

Chen Xiyuan, curious, asked Lin Shuyou why Zhao Yi, who was said to be his closest friend, would carve Zhou Yunyun instead of Chen Lin.

Lin Shuyou remained silent.

Chen Xiyuan patted her forehead, realizing her oversight. It must have been Tan Wenbin who went to gather information, so naturally, the carving would be of Zhou Yunyun.

Lin Shuyou nodded.

Chen Xiyuan blinked.

She still felt something was amiss.

No logic, just a gut feeling.

Having heard so many bedroom whispers since childhood, her sensitivity to such matters was like an old person’s achy knees predicting the weather.

Although Zhao Yi and Tan Wenbin had a good relationship, it wasn’t particularly intimate. Without that deeper connection, intricately carving someone’s partner could easily cause offense.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the time to sit on Grandfather Li’s patio, and she knew it wasn’t appropriate to press for more details.

After Tan Wenbin rejoined the group, Li Zhuiyuan gestured for everyone to continue. Soon, they left the town and entered a valley.

The valley wasn’t grand; it could even be described as “petite.” But once inside, if one followed a specific path, mist would quickly rise around them.

This barrier served to prevent ordinary people from wandering in, but for those with a bit of cultivation, it acted as a guide.

Throughout history, many supernatural tales frequently feature such a plot.

A woodcutter, hunter, or scholar, walking through the mountains, would suddenly stumble upon a mansion, a reclusive paradise, or two old immortals playing chess.

In reality, many of these stories were not fabricated; it was simply that people were either incredibly lucky or possessed unusual spiritual sensitivity, truly passing through the miasma and entering the territory of these Jianghu families and sects.

Amidst the endless worldly distractions, powerful Jianghu forces of a certain caliber would choose this semi-reclusive way of life to minimize karmic entanglements.

It was unusual for someone like the Zhao family of Jiujiang to specifically build a new residence in a city.

Emerging from the mist, a suspension bridge appeared before them.

At each end of the bridge stood a stone lion, carved with patterns that appeared cracked, but upon closer inspection revealed a strictly symmetrical and regular design.

Above the bridgehead was a stone plaque with “Zhou Family Residence” written in the center, flanked by carvings of birds, poised for flight, lifelike and vivid.

Given the Zhou family’s Jianghu status, this kind of entrance decoration could be considered modest.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to one of the stone lions, reached out, and touched its belly.

A faint red light flashed along the lion’s belly patterns, then quickly darted to the adjacent lion, then instantly moved to the stone plaque, and then followed the suspension bridge inward.

Li Zhuiyuan waved, signaling to proceed.

Rùnshēng and Lin Shuyou walked in front, Chen Xiyuan accompanied Li Zhuiyuan, and Tan Wenbin brought up the rear.

Li Zhuiyuan: “There should be an assessment ahead. You should conceal your family’s style.”

Chen Xiyuan: “I don’t mind.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I do.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Oh, alright.”

After crossing the suspension bridge, an open space appeared, behind which steps ascended to the main gate of the Zhou family mansion.

The ground of the open space was not dirt or rock, but seemed to be covered with a wooden floor.

An old man, leaning on a cane, emerged, surrounded by a group of young people.

“My apologies, everyone. Our Zhou family has sealed its gates recently and it’s inconvenient to receive guests. We apologize for the discourtesy today and will make amends another time.”

Tan Wenbin stepped forward and said:

“We came here at the invitation of Brother Zhao of Jiujiang to help the Zhou family overcome their calamity. What, can’t we even enter the gate?”

The old man stroked his goatee, waved for the young people behind him to make way, and then gestured with his cane for them to enter.

The Zhou family must have offered Zhao Yi good terms, so naturally, there were requirements for the price paid. Those who came to help had to be tested first, to prove their worth.

The group moved forward, their feet touching the wooden planks beneath them.

The next moment, large holes sank into both sides of the floor, and two wooden hands reached out, clapping together in the middle.

Rùnshēng and Lin Shuyou split apart, one on each side. Rùnshēng blocked one hand with his Yellow River shovel; Lin Shuyou successfully parried the other with his twin maces.

The ground beneath them began to undulate continuously, the wood behaving like water, dislodging everyone’s center of gravity.

Streaks of black energy flowed around Rùnshēng, ensuring that his strength remained ample.

Considering that Rùnshēng’s *Qin Shi Guan Jiao Fa* (Qin’s Dragon Observation Method) could easily be recognized by those with discerning eyes, Li Zhuiyuan had specifically created some disguise improvements for Brother Rùnshēng.

Changing the pure *qi hai* to malevolent *qi* was merely a change in form, yet it was enough to overturn the perceptions of most discerning individuals, because no one would expect a member of the Qin family to cultivate a *qi* akin to that of a revenant.

On the other side, Lin Shuyou’s footing constantly adjusted to the rhythm of the ground, as if walking on flat land.

This was merely a simple test, not a life-and-death struggle. Being able to pass calmly was enough.

Li Zhuiyuan and the other two continued forward. The floor ahead sank, as if something was about to emerge, another obstruction.

Chen Xiyuan took a few steps forward and stomped her foot down.

A series of “crack” sounds immediately followed from below, and then the ground leveled out. This meant she had directly crushed the test element within its core.

The old man’s eyes twitched.

If Rùnshēng and Lin Shuyou’s performance was an acknowledgment of their strength, then Chen Xiyuan’s stomp truly intimidated the old man.

Such a character no longer needed testing. The old man’s face lit up with joy. He first tapped the ground with his cane, restoring everything, then bowed solemnly:

“Thank you all for coming to rescue my Zhou family from peril. Such great kindness, our Zhou family will never forget. Please, enter!”

From then on, the path was clear. When they reached the main gate of the Zhou family, it opened automatically.

The mansion’s interior was vast, but due to the prior dismissal of many clan members, it seemed quite deserted.

They were led to the main hall, where from afar they saw Zhao Yi and an elegantly dressed old lady drinking tea.

The old lady had white hair and was clearly aged, but her skin was as delicate and fair as a child’s. Her name was Zhou Ruiyao, and she was the current head of the Zhou family.

On either side below them sat the Liang sisters, Xu Ming, and Chen Jing. On the other side sat older members of the Zhou family, each with an extraordinary demeanor.

The old man entered first, whispered something to Zhou Ruiyao, who smiled and nodded, then said to Zhao Yi:

“The helpers Young Master Zhao invited are indeed extraordinary.”

Zhao Yi chuckled freely, saying, “Old Madam Zhou knows my reputation in Jianghu. How could anyone who can socialize with me and is willing to show me face by coming to help be ordinary?”

Zhou Ruiyao: “Young Master Zhao still enjoys joking.”

Zhao Yi: “Old Madam, let me remind you first, my friends here all have rather short tempers and are very petty. They came at my invitation, but your Zhou family set up an assessment outside. No one would feel comfortable with that.”

“On that, Young Master Zhao can rest assured.”

Zhou Ruiyao stood up, personally greeting Li Zhuiyuan and the others as they entered, and said:

“For the discourtesy at the gate earlier, this old woman, on behalf of the Zhou family, apologizes to you all. As a token of our sincerity, the remuneration for this invitation will be doubled.”

“Ahem…” Zhao Yi, sitting at the back, coughed as a reminder.

Zhou Ruiyao: “Young Master Zhao’s portion will also be doubled.”

Zhao Yi clasped his hands and said, “Old Madam is very generous.”

Tan Wenbin: “I say, Young Master Zhao, we came here out of respect for you. But who exactly is this ‘Nantong Lāo Shī Li’ (Nantong Corpse Salvager Li) you mentioned? We’ve never heard of him in Jianghu.”

Zhao Yi: “He is an extraordinary character. He is narrow-minded, vindictive, insatiably greedy, and bloodthirsty. He likes to cut off roots and leave no room for survival.”

Tan Wenbin: “Sounds rather interesting. So, how did the Zhou family offend him?”

Zhao Yi: “Old Madam and I discussed this for several days and couldn’t find the reason, but he has indeed already made his move.”

Zhou Ruiyao: “Everyone, please follow this old woman.”

Old Madam Zhou led everyone to the Zhou family ancestral hall.

Inside the ancestral hall, candlelight was bright, and there were many plaques. Logically, it should have been a solemn and clean place, but at this moment, all the spirit tablets of the Zhou family were either moldy or covered in moss; not a single one was in good condition.

Tan Wenbin: “This… is a curse?”

Zhou Ruiyao nodded: “Several days ago, while this old woman was asleep, she felt a sense of dread. Startled awake, she came to the ancestral hall and discovered this situation. What you see now is already an improved scene after Young Master Zhao came and helped lift the curse. The situation at that time was countless times worse than now. This clean ancestral hall was crawling with snakes, insects, rats, and ants, and various poisonous creatures appeared from nowhere, gnawing on incense sticks or entwining around the spirit tablets, presenting an image of a shattered and collapsing family.”

At this point, Zhou Ruiyao closed her eyes, and two streams of clear tears flowed out:

“My Zhou family has always valued its prestige and dislikes conflict in Jianghu. Our ancestors have always been dedicated to the study and promotion of机关術 (mechanism techniques). I never imagined we would suffer such humiliation! This old woman truly feels ashamed of her family and her ancestors…”

Zhao Yi stepped forward, gently supporting Zhou Ruiyao, and comforted her:

“Old Madam, rest assured, with me here, the Zhou family’s tribulation will surely be resolved. I’ve been displeased with that Nantong Corpse Salvager Li for a long time, and this is a good opportunity. I will ensure he has the guts to come, but not the life to return.”

Zhou Ruiyao nodded, her tearful eyes once again scanning the ancestral hall, which had not yet fully recovered its original state:

“This person’s viciousness is truly rare. He did not curse just one member of my Zhou family, but my entire clan and all our ancestors. This is clearly an attempt to sever my Zhou family’s lineage. Since this is the case, my Zhou family has no choice but to throw everything into this and respond with all our might! Please rest assured, Young Master Zhao, if my Zhou family can overcome this tribulation, in the future, if Young Master Zhao wishes to rebuild Jiujiang Zhao, my Zhou family will fully support you, granting all your needs without exception!”

Zhao Yi: “Old Madam, you are too kind.”

Zhou Ruiyao wiped away her tears and looked at Li Zhuiyuan and the others: “It’s my oversight. I haven’t asked for your esteemed names yet.”

Zhao Yi: “Old Madam, for those who are my disreputable friends, their esteemed names are best left unmentioned.”

Zhou Ruiyao: “This…”

Zhao Yi: “They just want benefits from me, but don’t want to be burdened by my bad reputation. So, as long as they’re here, that’s enough, isn’t it?”

Zhou Ruiyao: “In that case, this old woman will respect that. Everyone, I have ordered drinks to be prepared. You have traveled a long way, please enjoy and rest first. As I have dismissed many of our clan members in advance, the meal may be simple and sparse. Please do not take offense.”

“Rest assured, Old Madam, they will understand.” Zhao Yi looked up at Li Zhuiyuan and the others, “Everyone, please eat, drink, and rest well. Although I don’t know when that Nantong Corpse Salvager Li will arrive, I estimate it will be soon. When he comes to our door and makes his move, I will naturally call upon you all to assist.”

With that, Zhao Yi helped Zhou Ruiyao out of the ancestral hall.

The two were very close, like a true grandmother and grandson.

The old man reappeared and led Li Zhuiyuan and the others to a separate courtyard, where a lavish spread of food and wine was already laid out, and the rooms for resting were spacious and clean.

Old man: “If you have any other needs, please feel free to say so. As long as it can be met, our Zhou family will do its utmost.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “On our way here, I saw a small courtyard full of fallen leaves, desolate and dilapidated, as if it hadn’t been cared for in years. May I ask why?”

Old man: “That is where a sinner of our Zhou family resides. He has been paralyzed and bedridden for many years. Apart from a single meal of gruel each day, the Old Madam forbids anyone from approaching him.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “A sinner can still live in a separate courtyard?”

Old man: “That sinner was once a direct descendant of the family. The Old Madam said that keeping him in the mansion instead of the dungeon is to make him lie in bed, hear the outside commotion, and endure the stark contrast between warmth and cold, gnawing at his heart and lungs.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Has he been moved away as well?”

Old man: “Never. A sinner is not worthy.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Alright, you may go.”

“Please enjoy yourselves.”

The old man withdrew.

Li Zhuiyuan sat at the table, looking around to confirm there were no formations or restrictions here.

The dishes on the table were indeed plentiful, but they were all home-style meals. Truly exquisite dishes would have to be prepared by chefs raised by the family for generations, and the current Zhou family certainly didn’t have the conditions for that, which was why Zhou Ruiyao had mentioned it in advance, hoping for their understanding.

“Brother Rùnshēng.”

Rùnshēng spread his hand, and a parasitic insect flew out, lingered on each dish, then burrowed back into Rùnshēng’s sleeve.

“Xiao Yuan, no poison.”

Li Zhuiyuan picked up his chopsticks: “Eat.”

Chen Xiyuan only ate heartily when she encountered delicious food; for normal meals, she had a bird’s appetite.

After Li Zhuiyuan finished eating and put down his chopsticks, Chen Xiyuan couldn’t help but ask:

“When do we make our move?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “We wait for Nantong Corpse Salvager Li to make his move first.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Hmm?”

In front of the main hall, a live stream flowed down from the roof, merging into the flowerbed path below. Li Zhuiyuan took some water to wash his hands and rinse his mouth.

Chen Xiyuan: “This is the first time I’ve realized that revenge can be so simple.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “First, because my initial move stirred up too much trouble, the scale was too frightening; second, although Zhao Yi’s reputation in Jianghu isn’t entirely positive, he’s now a prominent figure; third, Zhao Yi arrived very quickly, and we followed up just as fast. The Zhou family itself has too many concerns, not only having to guard against the so-called Nantong Corpse Salvager Li, but also against prying eyes from Jianghu; fourth is…”

Chen Xiyuan: “What’s the fourth?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Fourth is that you almost got buried in the Luoyang Ancient Tomb Museum back then. It truly wasn’t unjust.”

Chen Xiyuan frowned slightly, then her face showed a hint of grievance: “Little brother, you’re still calling me stupid.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Not as stupid as before.”

Chen Xiyuan: “That’s a compliment… right?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Much smarter than before.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Hehe.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Come with me to that courtyard. I want to go see Zhou Yunfan’s father.”

That person, who participated in the conspiracy against Uncle Qin back then.

The courtyard had restrictions, but it wasn’t difficult for Li Zhuiyuan. He casually lifted them and entered.

Inside, weeds grew rampant, and it was a scene of desolation.

In a corner, there were also broken children’s toys.

Zhou Yunfan’s father had secretly taken a family heirloom related to their lineage and used it to *dian deng zou jiang* (light a lamp and traverse the rivers). In the end, not only was he himself crippled for life by Uncle Qin, but that treasure was also shattered by Uncle Qin.

He had thoroughly become the sinner of the entire Zhou family.

Old Madam Zhou’s method of punishment truly showed a bone-deep hatred, and this hatred also extended to Zhou Yunfan.

This forced Zhou Yunfan to leave the Zhou family at a very young age and go to the Ding family, seeking resources and development. Although he endured hardships, he truly succeeded.

It was just bad luck that during the wave at the Yu family, even choosing to enter through the back door, he still ran into him.

Pushing open the door, a foul stench wafted out.

The room was empty, save for a bed.

On the inner side of the bed lay a man with greying hair and an emaciated appearance, while on the other side of the bed were two bowls; one contained a few grains of rice, and the other held half a bowl of murky water.

He ate, drank, and relieved himself entirely on the bed. The servants’ cleaning was not always timely, leaving not only the bed but the entire room smelling as if it had been pickled.

Chen Xiyuan covered her nose. She disliked this environment immensely, but she noticed that her little brother’s expression was normal, and he even gradually curved his lips into a slight smile.

Indeed, this scene must be a kind of enjoyment for her little brother.

Seeing his family’s enemy living such a miserable life must make him very happy.

Li Zhuiyuan walked to the bedside. There was no place to sit, and he didn’t dare to.

The man on the bed turned his head, his gaze slowly moving upwards, resting on Li Zhuiyuan’s face.

His disability was not static.

Li Zhuiyuan could detect that a lingering, active *qi* remained in his spinal area.

This *qi* would constantly entangle and torment him, preventing him from recovering.

Unless another Qin family member, who had cultivated the *Qin Shi Guan Jiao Fa* to an extremely high level, could safely extract this *qi*, attempting to forcibly dispel it would cause the man to die violently along with it.

Given Uncle Qin’s personality… he certainly wouldn’t have done this intentionally to torment him.

Uncle Qin had killed his way out while clinging to his last breath. At that time, Uncle Qin must have been fighting madly.

So, it wasn’t Uncle Qin deliberately targeting him. His role in that siege back then was insignificant; Uncle Qin probably hadn’t even given him a second glance.

However, he had kept his hatred for Uncle Qin, and even passed it on to his son, which in turn led to his son’s death.

Zhou Tingfeng: “Who are you…”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Do you hate?”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Hate whom…”

Li Zhuiyuan looked around.

Zhou Tingfeng: “Who exactly are you…”

Li Zhuiyuan remained silent.

After a long while, Zhou Tingfeng spoke: “I hate, I hate the Zhou family, I hate that the family treated me unfairly, I hate that the family regarded me as a cripple, a cast-off!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “That’s more like it.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “It’s been so quiet outside these past few days. Tell me, has something happened to the Zhou family?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Hmm.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Did the Zhou family provoke something they shouldn’t have outside?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Something like that.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Hehehe… hahahaha…”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Do you know something?”

Zhou Tingfeng: “What?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Your son is dead.”

Zhou Tingfeng’s eyes widened: “What!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Didn’t they tell you?”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Yunfan, Yunfan he… how could this be, how could this be!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “It seems they indeed didn’t tell you.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Who exactly are you…”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I am a helper invited by the Zhou family to defend against enemies.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Then why are you here, why did you specifically come to see me?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “I wanted to see, so I came to see.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Are you really here to help the Zhou family?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “What do you think?”

Zhou Tingfeng: “I want the Zhou family to die, I want the Zhou family to suffer the same fate as me, to collapse, to rot!”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Perhaps, it’s not far off.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “Thank you.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “You’re welcome.”

Chen Xiyuan thought her little brother would inflict some torture on the man lying in bed, but after saying these words, her little brother turned and prepared to leave.

“Leaving already?”

“Do you like it here? Doesn’t it stink?”

“That’s not what I meant.”

As Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan reached the door, the sound of a bowl shattering on the floor came from behind them, followed by a sound like a broken sack hitting the ground. Zhou Tingfeng, like a puddle of squirming mud, had fallen off the bed. He painfully reached out his hand, pointing at Li Zhuiyuan:

“Tell me, tell me, what is your surname, what is your surname!”

“What do you wish my surname to be?”

“I wish your surname to be… Hehehehe, I always told them, it’s not my fault, it’s really not my fault, they just didn’t see how terrifying that guy was. I don’t know if everyone from that kind of sect is like that, but no one really expected that such a being could be nurtured in an orphaned and widowed family… I hope you have that surname, I want them to also experience the despair I felt then, that way, they will understand me, it really wasn’t my fault, it really can’t be blamed on me! I’ll wait, I’ll wait and see, I’ll wait and see, hahahaha!”

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the house.

Inside the room, Zhou Tingfeng, lying on the ground, was still muttering: “Fan’er… my Fan’er…”

After leaving the courtyard, Li Zhuiyuan wandered around the Zhou family mansion for a while.

From an architectural aesthetic standpoint, the Zhou family’s mansion was far inferior to the Jiujiang Zhao family’s he had visited previously.

One could spend an entire day exploring the Jiujiang Zhao family’s residence without getting bored, but the Zhou family’s mansion was merely cloaked in a respectable façade.

The entire Zhou family compound was a massive mechanism. Generations of Zhou family members lived on mechanisms, and the architectural style merely added a touch of embellishment on this foundation.

Symmetrical rockeries, symmetrical flowers, symmetrical trees, even the pebbles in the stream meticulously adhered to the mechanism’s calculations. It was too precise, making it dull.

As Li Zhuiyuan walked through it, his mind would instinctively begin to deduce and analyze, as if constantly taking exams.

“Let’s go back.”

“Mhm, alright.” Chen Xiyuan lifted her arm and sniffed. “I want to go back and take a shower. The smell from that place simply won’t go away.”

Upon returning to their allocated residence, Tan Wenbin was squatting in front of a small rockery, intently studying something with paper and pen.

He was a polymath; after following the young man, he read all sorts of books, knowledgeable in many things but an expert in none.

Lin Shuyou lay on the long corridor railing, holding a twig, looking at the murals.

Rùnshēng sat on the living room threshold, smoking a “cigar.”

Everyone, in fact, had nothing to do.

The calm before the storm was always the most boring.

When Li Zhuiyuan returned, everyone’s gaze turned to him, waiting for Brother Xiao Yuan to give the order to act.

But Brother Xiao Yuan only said, “Call me for dinner.”

Then, Li Zhuiyuan entered his room, lay on the bed, closed his eyes, and began to sleep.

Chen Xiyuan took a shower, changed her clothes, and her mood improved considerably.

She now also had a backpack, prepared for her by Tan Wenbin, matching the style of their backpacks. Tan Wenbin told her it was an “outside team” perk.

Upon receiving this gift, Chen Xiyuan was delighted, clutching it and smiling exceptionally brightly.

Backpacks weren’t expensive to begin with, and even expensive designer bags meant nothing to Chen Xiyuan, but the emotional value embedded in this bag was extremely high.

Unlike the others whose backpacks contained various equipment and materials, Chen Xiyuan’s bag, aside from a few clothes, was entirely filled with Jianlibao.

After her shower, she had intended to find her little brother for a drink, but seeing him asleep, she went to the courtyard. With four consecutive “puchi” sounds, she handed out a can to each person.

Chen Xiyuan first squatted beside Tan Wenbin and asked, “Do you understand it?”

Tan Wenbin: “It’s like a female classmate in school. I know her name.”

Chen Xiyuan: “And then?”

Tan Wenbin: “Then if I beckon her, she won’t go for a walk with me on the playground. Instead, she’ll roll her eyes at me and ask who I am.”

Chen Xiyuan: “This is actually not complicated.”

Tan Wenbin looked at Chen Xiyuan.

Chen Xiyuan gestured a few times with her finger at the small rockery in front of them.

“Buzz buzz buzz!”

The rockery split open, spewing out plumes of white smoke, fresh and fragrant.

Chen Xiyuan: “This smoke can repel mosquitoes and is harmless to humans.”

Tan Wenbin: “The ‘outside team’ is truly impressive. I studied it for a long time and only recognized it as mosquito repellent, but I didn’t know how to open the box.”

Chen Xiyuan: “I don’t understand mechanism techniques either, but my family has similar things.”

Tan Wenbin: “I see.”

Chen Xiyuan: “But I rarely use it. If I find mosquitoes when I sleep at night, I just open my domain and crush all the mosquitoes in the room. Then it’s quiet.”

“Indeed.”

Tan Wenbin lowered his head and, following the steps he had calculated in his notebook, waved his hand back and forth at the rockery.

“Buzz buzz buzz!”

The rockery successfully closed.

But the “mosquito coil” didn’t extinguish; white mist continuously seeped from the cracks, and bubbles constantly churned in the small pond.

Chen Xiyuan: “I heard you and your partner were high school classmates?”

Tan Wenbin: “Mm.”

Chen Xiyuan: “That must have been very romantic. Did you start dating in high school?”

Tan Wenbin: “No, I pursued her for three years in high school, and she ignored me. Later, we both went to university in Jinling. I continued to pester her, threatening to die, and finally, she reluctantly agreed to be my girlfriend temporarily.”

Chen Xiyuan: “Although I know you’re making that up, I like the story.”

Tan Wenbin: “Then wait for me to elaborate on it, and I’ll tell you slowly?”

Chen Xiyuan: “Okay.”

Miss Chen’s gaze shifted to Rùnshēng, and she quietly asked Tan Wenbin: “How did that Mengmeng get together with Rùnshēng?”

Tan Wenbin: “Rùnshēng’s family was poor, and he never had enough to eat since childhood. Besides occasionally salvaging corpses with his grandfather, he mostly herded cattle. One day, while herding, his cattle bumped into a tombstone near a grave, breaking it. Mengmeng happened to be lying inside, and that’s how she and Rùnshēng met. Their feelings for each other gradually grew. Who knew Mengmeng was a princess of Fengdu Hell? When the Great Emperor of Fengdu found out, he captured Mengmeng and suppressed her beneath the eighteen layers of hell. Only on the night of the full moon can the two lovers exchange messages by burning paper offerings.”

Chen Xiyuan took a big gulp of Jianlibao: “Deputy leader, this one also needs more detail. I love listening to it.”

Tan Wenbin: “Alright, alright.”

Chen Xiyuan: “What about Ayou?”

Tan Wenbin: “Ayou, ah, don’t let his honest appearance fool you. He’s actually a philanderer who goes on countless blind dates every year.”

A few days ago in Jinling, Tan Wenbin drove Ayou to Zhou Yunyun’s school.

Before he helped Zhou Yunyun move, Ayou and Chen Lin sat opposite each other in a coffee shop. When they passed by again after the move, they found Ayou and Chen Lin still in the same posture.

Finally, Zhou Yunyun said that after the two sat in the coffee shop all afternoon, Chen Lin claimed she twisted her ankle and asked Ayou to carry her back to her school dormitory.

This was a clear case of a girl taking the initiative, wanting to create an opportunity for intimate contact.

However, upon hearing this, Ayou directly took off her shoes and socks, placed her feet in his lap, and proceeded to massage and set her bones.

Lin Shuyou, lying under the long corridor, turned his head and looked their way.

Tan Wenbin picked up a small pebble from the pond in front of him and threw it at Lin Shuyou.

“Look at you, and then look at Zhao Yi! That guy can even handle old ladies!”

Li Zhuiyuan slept a long afternoon nap, only to be woken when dinner was brought.

After washing up, the young man sat at the table.

As usual, the parasitic insects tested the food for poison. Once it was confirmed safe, everyone picked up their chopsticks and began to eat.

After dinner, Li Zhuiyuan told Tan Wenbin to take out some money and place it under the dinner plates.

Then, Li Zhuiyuan sat on the threshold, leaned his head against the doorpost, closed his eyes, and continued to doze.

Rùnshēng, sitting beside him, extinguished the “cigar” he had just lit.

It was already dark, and the moon was enchanting tonight.

Tan Wenbin called Lin Shuyou and Chen Xiyuan, and the three went up to the roof to play Three-player Fight the Landlord.

Until,

“Boom!”

A loud bang shattered the night’s tranquility.

The old man from the daytime, covered in blood, ran over, shouting:

“Nantong Corpse Salvager Li is here! He’s here!”

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes and stood up.

The people on the roof tore off the paper strips on their faces and descended.

The old man: “The ancestral hall, the ancestral hall! We can’t hold them off! He went to kill, to kill the Old Madam! Hurry, save, save the Old Madam…”

With that, the old man’s neck twisted, and he lost his life, dying.

Tan Wenbin went up and checked, confirming he was thoroughly dead.

Chen Xiyuan gasped in astonishment: “Nantong Corpse Salvager Li has broken in, so who are we?”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Let’s go, to save the Zhou family from peril.”

Everyone walked out of the courtyard, and along the way, they saw many bloodstains and corpses.

Tan Wenbin examined a few, confirming they were indeed members of the Zhou family, as all Zhou family members practiced *jiguan shu* (mechanism techniques) and had calluses in specific locations on their hands.

During the day, Zhou Ruiyao had taken everyone to the Zhou family ancestral hall.

At this moment, the flowerbeds on both sides in front of the ancestral hall were in disarray, with traces of recent burning, and the floor tiles leading to the ancestral hall were covered in cracks and bloodstains.

Inside the ancestral hall, intense sounds of fighting were erupting, and screams were incessant.

Zhou Ruiyao: “Lāo Shī Li, where has my Zhou family offended you that you must be so ruthless in wiping us out?”

A man’s voice: “Offended me where? Heh, go ask Yama King.”

Li Zhuiyuan waved, signaling to enter the ancestral hall.

Rùnshēng and Lin Shuyou led the way, one in front and one diagonally, Chen Xiyuan consciously moved closer to Li Zhuiyuan, and Tan Wenbin turned, walking backward while looking behind him.

Once everyone had entered the ancestral hall, the preceding clamor of fighting instantly fell silent.

“Bang!”

The ancestral hall’s main gate swiftly closed.

“Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!”

Gusts of chilling wind swept in. They first circled around, then continuously rose upwards, finally creating an echoing resonance at the very top.

This meant the internal space of the ancestral hall was terrifyingly high.

“Buzz!”

Red lights ignited, then linked up, and sconces appeared on the surrounding walls, illuminating the place completely.

There was no altar, no candlelight, no spirit tablets. What stood before everyone was a colossal statue of Maitreya Buddha.

This Maitreya Buddha differed from traditional Buddhist imagery; there was no trace of compassion on it, but rather a chilling and sinister aura.

In front of the Maitreya statue lay a pile of dismembered and mangled paper puppets, which had been the source of the previous fighting and voices.

On the side walls were rows of recessed niches, arranged like the Longmen Grottoes, but instead of Buddhas, various human figures sat within.

All these figures had their eyes closed, devoid of any living aura.

A rope lowered a person from above, stopping at the Maitreya Buddha’s chest. It was Zhou Tingfeng.

“Hehehehehe…”

Zhou Tingfeng let out a chilling laugh.

“Dare to lay hands on my Zhou family… you’re asking for death!”

Behind Zhou Tingfeng, Maitreya Buddha’s hand lifted. From the side walls, all the corpses also raised their hands, making the same gesture.

In an instant, a dense, murderous aura spread out.

Especially at the center of Maitreya Buddha’s forehead, an opening appeared, revealing a chair within, upon which sat a corpse.

The corpse was clad in a kasaya, wearing a Buddhist hat, skeletal, with a distorted and sinister face, and its skin was an eerie red.

The corpse’s right hand was also raised.

An opening裂 (split) appeared on Zhou Tingfeng’s forehead, and blood continuously dripped. An invisible wind carried this blood, adhering it to the corpse.

The corpse sitting in the chair jolted.

The gigantic Maitreya Buddha slowly stood up.

All the corpses in the surrounding wall niches also rose.

Chen Xiyuan lowered her head, glanced at her little brother beside her. She instinctively wanted to say something, then instinctively swallowed the useless words back.

We… seem to have fallen into a trap?

Suspended in mid-air, Zhou Tingfeng, despite the blood still flowing down his face, looked at Li Zhuiyuan and the others below and asked:

“Do you know where this is? Heh… This is the central mechanism of my Zhou family. This colossal Maitreya statue is the core of the protective formation that generations of my Zhou family ancestors painstakingly built for our home! These niches on both sides house the ancestors of my Zhou family. Before their deaths, they voluntarily transformed themselves into puppets, and after death, they were further crafted by their descendants and preserved here. All for the purpose of being activated at critical moments to defend my Zhou family and protect our legacy! Today, this will be your burial ground!”

The loud bang in the night, and the claim that “Nantong Corpse Salvager Li” had broken in, were all orchestrated by the Zhou family themselves. The old man’s death was a deliberate message.

The purpose was to use curiosity to lure Li Zhuiyuan and the others here.

The Zhou family had secretly altered the layout of two buildings in the mansion. Upon entry, the burnt flowerbeds and damaged, blood-stained tiles in front of the ancestral hall were meant to prevent Li Zhuiyuan and the others, who had been there during the day, from noticing any differences in the exterior environment.

At this moment, Zhao Yi’s voice came from outside the ancestral hall:

“Hahaha, didn’t expect this, surnamed Li!”

At this time, Zhao Yi was still carefully supporting Zhou Ruiyao. After Zhao Yi laughed, the Old Madam also looked up, smiling as she looked at Zhao Yi.

Zhao Yi: “Surnamed Li, you can only blame yourself for offering too little. The Old Madam is truly generous; she’s willing to give me everything she has, even herself. Alas, don’t blame your brother for not being loyal to you. It’s just that you’ve become increasingly outrageous, daring to do all sorts of taboo things. I don’t dare to fool around with you anymore.”

Saying this, Zhao Yi even turned his head to look at Old Madam Zhou.

Zhou Ruiyao: “Young Master Zhao’s taste is truly unique. This old woman is old and cannot endure Young Master Zhao’s torment. I ask Young Master Zhao to be gentle.”

Zhao Yi: “Old Madam, what are you saying? I, Zhao Yi, have always cherished flowers. It’s truly not easy to gain your trust, Old Madam. Before, it was always your puppet speaking with me. Now that I’ve finally sold these guys to you, you’re finally willing to grace me with your true appearance. Come, let me smell.”

Zhao Yi leaned his face close to Zhou Ruiyao’s neck, sniffing carefully.

Zhou Ruiyao: “Young Master Zhao, how is it?”

Zhao Yi nodded in admiration: “Fragrant, truly fragrant. Indeed, a puppet and a warm, real person are worlds apart. I can barely wait.”

Zhou Ruiyao: “Why is Young Master Zhao in such a hurry? After all, it’s a long night, there’s plenty of time.”

Zhao Yi: “This young master always acts this way!”

“Pfft!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Zhao Yi’s palm pierced through Zhou Ruiyao’s chest.

His palm was jet black, covered in dragon scale skin, truly indestructible.

Zhou Ruiyao’s body trembled, blood continuously spilled from her mouth, and her vitality rapidly faded before their eyes.

“You… you… you actually…”

The surrounding Zhou family members all turned to face Zhao Yi, their eyes filled with fury and ferocity.

Zhao Yi shook the blood from his hand and said, “The core of the protective formation here is with you, right? If you die, that great formation inside should also stop.”

Zhou Ruiyao’s eyes showed a hint of mockery: “Young Master Zhao… are you so certain that I am *me*?”

Zhao Yi looked down at the blood that had already pooled on the ground, and the fragments of organs continuously flowing from her chest.

“You are a living person, definitely not a puppet.”

Zhou Ruiyao: “I am a living person… but my name isn’t Zhou Ruiyao… my name is… Zhou Ruixin… don’t you also have a pair of twins by your side… I am the twin… sister of my older sister.”

Zhao Yi: “You two sisters are truly willing to sacrifice.”

“With the calamity of annihilation imminent… what is there to be unwilling to sacrifice… it was difficult for Young Master Zhao… to flirt with this old woman for so long… Young Master Zhao must have been inwardly infuriated for a long time, right…”

Zhao Yi let go, and Zhou Ruixin’s body fell to the ground.

“Young Master Zhao, why be like this?” Zhou Ruiyao’s voice came, and she herself walked in from outside the courtyard.

However, beside Zhou Ruiyao, there was also a stern-looking middle-aged man.

As the two of them walked in, a group of figures holding long swords immediately flew onto the wall and landed, each exuding an extraordinary aura.

Even if some members of the Zhou family practiced swordsmanship, it would be impossible to gather so many powerful swordsmen, and the attire of these swordsmen was completely different from that of the Zhou family members.

Zhao Yi: “Ding family members?”

The middle-aged man beside Zhou Ruiyao spoke: “Precisely, this old man is Ding Qinglin, the patriarch of the Ding family of Hegou!”

Ding Qinglin let out a cold snort: “Hmph, these young people nowadays truly act with such a grand flourish, and such arrogant tempers. To dare to curse two families at once, do you truly think there’s no one left in Jianghu?! Jiujiang Zhao Yi? In Jianghu, your reputation is indeed prominent, but you still underestimate us old folks too much. These schemes and methods you’re employing now are ridiculously petty in our eyes, yet you yourselves are still self-satisfied. First casting a curse, then lifting it, gaining trust, then calling your Jianghu friends to help fight the enemy… Do you truly think we are Jianghu children? Why don’t you calm down and think carefully, if we were truly so foolish, how could both the Zhou family and the Ding family have stood firm in Jianghu for so many years?”

As Ding Qinglin spoke, another figure appeared behind him and Zhou Ruiyao: it was the owner of the handicraft shop in town.

The current situation was: inside the ancestral hall building were Li Zhuiyuan and his group, and in the courtyard outside the ancestral hall were Zhao Yi and his group.

The Liang sisters stood on either side of Zhao Yi, Xu Ming stood in front of Zhao Yi, and then a short figure stepped forward voluntarily.

Looking at Chen Jing, Zhao Yi felt a great sense of comfort.

This was the good thing about honest kids. Although in his heart, his “Brother Yuan” was his most revered figure, he also knew who his current leader was.

Zhao Yi had always been open-minded; Ah Jing was willing to die ten times for the surnamed Li, but only once for himself. The emotional intensity was different, but in reality, it made no difference.

However, looking at the Zhou family members in the courtyard who had already summoned their puppets, and the group of Ding family members with sharp sword *qi*, Zhao Yi felt a pang of toothache.

The essence of the Zhou and Ding families was all here. The pressure was undeniably immense.

Even many ants can bite an elephant to death, let alone that they were not ants, but a pack of wolves.

Zhao Yi gently pushed aside the Liang sisters and pressed Xu Ming’s shoulder, signaling him to crouch down.

Immediately after, Zhao Yi pointed at the still-warm corpse of Zhou Ruixin on the ground, and waved at Zhou Ruiyao, who was standing with Ding Qinglin in the distance:

“Old Madam Zhou, you misunderstood. I realized this impostor wasn’t really you, thinking it was another trick by that cunning surnamed Li, so I simply went all the way and killed her. It was a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding! My heart, my stance, has always been on your side, Old Madam. You must believe me!”

Zhou Ruiyao’s hand dropped: “Kill!”

Ding Qinglin: “Kill!”

The Zhou family released their puppets, and human- and beast-shaped puppets roared out.

The Ding family members, each with chilling sword *qi*, surged forward in unison.

Clearly, it wasn’t that Zhou Ruiyao and Ding Qinglin didn’t want to know the true reason, but that they feared their guess would be confirmed.

Zhou Ruiyao knew who had crippled her son and who had shattered the Zhou family’s heirloom.

Logically, in the *zou jiang* competition, it wasn’t impossible for a Dragon King’s family member to die. Losing and dying were normal.

But the methods her son employed back then, and that particular scheme, clearly broke the rules. For this, even the top forces, much stronger than the Zhou family, who truly plotted the scheme, suffered karmic backlash, including members of the Dragon King’s family.

She was angry at her son for being so foolish as to become someone else’s henchman back then; she was even angrier at those top forces for, once they had done it, not going all the way and completely finishing the job, leaving those two Dragon King families, though teetering, to survive until now.

Even a fallen Dragon King family was still a Dragon King family. Zhou Ruiyao had heard many stories about that Old Madam Liu when she was young, and she had once lamented why that woman could be so unrestrained, display her temper, and marry whomever she wanted, while she herself had to sacrifice her own happiness for the family’s continuation.

She truly feared that one day, that Old Madam, as old as herself, would arrive at the Zhou family’s doorstep with a sword, seeking revenge for the schemes of yesteryear.

One must know, historically, her Liu family had once produced a Dragon King who even settled scores from the river onto the land!

Nantong Corpse Salvager Li, whether it was the place name, profession, or surname, had no relation to those two families.

But precisely because there was no relation, it was easier for people to make that connection.

Zhou Ruiyao was truly afraid that these were people from the Dragon King’s family, and she had no choice. The only thing she could do was to use the Zhou family’s most lethal core mechanism to trap and kill that group!

Ding Qinglin’s mindset was similar to Zhou Ruiyao’s. He knew what Zhou Tingfeng had done in the past, and he was aware that accepting Zhou Tingfeng’s son as his son-in-law was already a provocation to the Dragon King’s family.

If it were a normal Dragon King family, he would have long since chopped off Zhou Yunfan’s head and sent it as a gift. But precisely because of the current state of the Qin and Liu families, he harbored this侥幸 (hope against hope). He truly valued his son-in-law’s potential too much; he genuinely saw the Ding family’s hope of touching the Dragon King’s family in his son-in-law.

The ones outside didn’t dare to ask, but Zhou Tingfeng inside asked:

“Now you can tell me, what is your surname?”

Li Zhuiyuan walked towards the colossal Maitreya statue, and also towards Zhou Tingfeng.

From the pit walls on both sides, the self-made puppets of generations of Zhou family ancestors jumped down, attacking towards them.

The Maitreya statue in front continuously made various movements, manipulating and guiding these ancestral Zhou family mechanisms.

Rùnshēng, holding his Yellow River Shovel, charged forward to block for the young man. After three consecutive swings, although he knocked some mechanism puppets away, the remaining force was undiminished, forcing Rùnshēng to retreat.

It had been a long time since he had felt such strain in terms of sheer power.

Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin, relying on their agile movements, fended off the mechanism puppets attempting to bypass them and attack Brother Xiao Yuan. Although effective, they quickly felt the same way as Rùnshēng: continuing at this intensity was absolutely unsustainable!

These mechanism puppets weren’t like swarms of revived undead that were easy to deal with and could be killed in large numbers. These were different; each one, with a single lapse in attention, could deliver a heavy blow. If surrounded by them, death would be imminent.

Chen Xiyuan opened her domain. Following the young man’s instructions, she didn’t use the Qiongya Chen family’s domain too conventionally, but instead deliberately blended the domain’s color variations into the dim candlelight here.

She first rushed to Rùnshēng’s side, relieving him and giving him a chance to breathe, then came to Lin Shuyou and Tan Wenbin, knocking away the puppets around them.

But as more and more Zhou family ancestor puppets from the pit walls awakened, jumped down, and joined in, even Chen Xiyuan felt a sense of ominous despair.

Because the first batch of activated mechanism puppets were already emitting self-destructing *qi* fluctuations.

“Boom!”

One mechanism puppet self-destructed, blasting through Rùnshēng’s *qi* barrier. The remaining mechanism puppets followed up with various attacks, and as long as they could entangle someone, they would soon begin to self-destruct.

“Boom!”

Lin Shuyou had just smashed a mechanism puppet’s head with his golden mace, and then it exploded. There was simply no way to avoid it.

Lin Shuyou, who had been blasted to the ground, before he even landed, slammed his mace onto the ground, springing back up, and crashed into another mechanism puppet that was attempting to rush towards Brother Xiao Yuan.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Three puppets clinging to Rùnshēng exploded. Fortunately, Chen Xiyuan’s domain activated in time, helping Rùnshēng retreat while also weakening the explosion’s power.

But Rùnshēng still became covered in blood.

Even Chen Xiyuan felt a sweetness in her throat.

Little brother, if this continues, we will truly die very soon!

The Zhou family’s protective formation had a major drawback: its range was limited to the Zhou family mansion and could not extend beyond it.

Therefore, it could not be used as an offensive means, but it was perfectly suited for home defense. This meant that anyone attempting to invade the Zhou family would have to pay a terrible price.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Explosions continuously erupted. To increase their destructive power, the explosion range was not large.

Even with Chen Xiyuan constantly extinguishing the flames, the fire was growing larger and larger, and what’s more, more mechanisms made from the Zhou family ancestors within the pit walls were awakening.

Tan Wenbin wanted to burn his blood, Rùnshēng wanted to open all his *qimen* (qi gates), and Lin Shuyou clutched a large handful of talisman needles, whose exact number he himself didn’t know.

Bringing out their ultimate trump cards could perhaps buy a little more time, but now, they truly couldn’t hold on any longer.

But this resolute will of theirs was suppressed again after a voice appeared in their minds.

Li Zhuiyuan finally reached the foot of the Maitreya statue.

This wasn’t a matter of distance, but rather, analyzing and contemplating the core of someone else’s mechanism always required a bit of time.

Thanks to *Qi Shi Chun Qiu* (Qi’s Spring and Autumn Annals), and also to the mechanism technique legacy he inherited from Zhou Yunfan’s memories, the young man’s skill in mechanism techniques had already reached a very high level.

Zhao Yi knew this very well, because he had visited his own training ground and personally witnessed how he used mechanism techniques as a medium to instruct his subordinates.

And Zhao Yi also knew that, next, once he had the materials, Li Zhuiyuan was going to upgrade his training ground, which meant that the level of mechanism techniques currently displayed in the training ground was far from Li Zhuiyuan’s full potential.

Plans, by nature, can never keep up with changes.

This was also why Zhao Yi’s role had always been irreplaceable: he truly had the skill to play blind chess against him.

So many ways to send a message, yet he had to carve a Zhou Yunyun, place it in that shop, and the letter hidden inside even had a heart design.

He was joking with Lin Shuyou, which also meant that the rough plan he had previously made with him had also become a joke.

In front of the suspension bridge, Li Zhuiyuan slapped the lion’s belly, and the light went inwards, indicating that the Zhou family’s grand mechanism array had all been directed inwards.

This was a classic… “inviting the wolf into the house.”

At that moment, Li Zhuiyuan confirmed that the old plan had been abandoned and Zhao Yi had a new plan.

Of course, it was also possible that Zhao Yi had discovered a better method, and deliberately showed flaws in his acting to let the other party see through it.

This was indeed a simpler method, allowing the other party to voluntarily deliver themselves to the front of their own central mechanism array.

This move was tantamount to presenting one’s sharpest blade to one’s enemy-turned-bandit.

Truly simple.

Li Zhuiyuan looked up and clapped his hands.

“Click! Click! Click!”

A series of sounds, like unfastening clasps, continuously emanated from within the Maitreya statue, from top to bottom.

Zhou Tingfeng, suspended in mid-air, heard the sound and immediately realized what was happening. His expression instantly changed:

“How… how could this be!”

The Maitreya statue sat back down, and one of its massive hands extended downwards, coming to rest before Li Zhuiyuan.

The young man stepped onto the palm of the Maitreya statue, and the palm began to ascend.

During this process, the distance between him and Zhou Tingfeng inevitably shortened.

“No, no, impossible! How can you know mechanism techniques? How can you know mechanism techniques!”

Here, “know” refers to possessing a mastery of mechanism techniques that surpasses his own, and being able to dismantle and control his family’s central mechanism in a short amount of time.

Li Zhuiyuan: “Just mastering mechanism techniques is a narrow path. Combining mechanism techniques with formations and fengshui is the true broad road.”

Zhou Tingfeng’s eyes widened.

Li Zhuiyuan wasn’t clarifying for him. The young man’s answer was akin to telling a high school senior that if they scored perfect marks in all subjects, they could choose any university they desired.

What truly terrified Zhou Tingfeng was that, as a genius of mechanism techniques from the previous generation, he had encountered a terrifying prodigy.

When Liu Yumei witnessed Li Zhuiyuan demonstrating his understanding of the new *Liu Shi Wang Qi Jue* (Liu’s Qi Observation Art) to her, she immediately made the decision to bestow the inheritance of the Twin Dragon King Families upon him.

Only a true genius who has seen the world truly understands what the existence of this child signifies.

Since then, neither in words nor in her heart did Liu Yumei ever again utter the word “matrilocal.”

Give him time, let him grow, and he will become increasingly terrifying. He can even defeat and crush you in your most擅長 (proficient) field, bringing you a deeper level of despair.

The Maitreya statue continued to lift the young man with one hand, while the other swept downwards.

“Rumble!”

With a single sweep, a multitude of mechanism puppets were knocked away, granting the comrades below a moment of respite.

Chen Xiyuan’s hand, gripping the dizi, was dripping blood, but her attention was entirely focused on the little brother above.

Her bleeding hand reached into her pocket, pulled out melon seeds, and tossed them into her mouth.

No wonder the little sister liked to draw scenes of the little brother on his river expeditions. Oh, she, as an older sister, also loved to watch.

Pity, the little brother was still a bit too young. If he were an adult, taller, a big brother, she could also draw him.

Zhou Tingfeng suddenly understood, and shrieked:

“Even if you break through and control the core, what good will it do? My blood has already merged into the Buddha, and I have sacrificed my crippled life. So, today, you will still die here!”

Below, all the mechanism puppets of the Zhou family ancestors, who had already jumped down from the pit walls, collectively emitted a self-destructing aura.

A terrifying storm was brewing, and it was enough to reduce everything within this large building to dust.

Li Zhuiyuan was carried by the Maitreya statue’s hand to its forehead, level with the Buddha’s corpse sitting there.

The Zhou family had taken a shortcut by turning their ancestors into puppets.

Because the people were dead, not clinging to life, it couldn’t truly be said to violate taboos.

However, being alive and being dead are two different concepts. So many puppets, specially treated and made from the corpses themselves, their existence and use would be accompanied by the generation of resentment.

As a result, over time, this mechanism core would become unmanageable. But if they were to clear and replace them every few years, not to mention the cost, the Zhou family alone… wouldn’t have enough good seedlings to use as raw materials.

Moreover, any normal family hopes that their foundation will grow richer and their family roots stronger.

Therefore, the other Zhou family members here could understand it as “voluntary,” but one person was forced: the Buddha sitting in the center of the Maitreya statue’s forehead.

He was the core within the mechanism core, and all mechanism commands had to pass through him, to be cleansed, so that the resentment could be purified in the subsequent manipulations.

Even Li Zhuiyuan couldn’t help but marvel at this ingenious approach.

For others, it was indeed as Zhou Tingfeng said: unstoppable, certain death, because the command had already been issued. Even if the mechanism core was destroyed, these vast numbers of Zhou family ancestor mechanism puppets would still carry out the previous command.

But for Li Zhuiyuan, this was a simple matter.

A corpse sitting on a chair… and a corpse that had been killed, forcibly confined here, and denied transcendence after death.

Ordinary people treated this way would accumulate resentment, let alone a Buddha, for whom it desecrated their very faith.

His resentment was so intense that it could be clearly seen from the corpse’s expression.

The secret arts of the black leather book loved such targets the most.

You don’t even need to modify his memories; just igniting the lingering spirit within him, causing it to awaken, would instantly transform even the most compassionate Buddha into a wrathful Vajra, annihilating all Zhou family members before him!

However, considering his own people were there, and Zhao Yi and the others were outside, Li Zhuiyuan still had to control this Buddha slightly.

He couldn’t let him awaken and immediately attack indiscriminately. The young man was only there for revenge, not to perish with his enemies.

Therefore, Li Zhuiyuan put his palms together.

Closed his eyes, then opened them.

From Zhou Tingfeng’s perspective, the young man instantly became solemn and dignified, and behind him, faint streaks of Buddha light seemed to flow.

Next, an even more unbelievable scene unfolded before Zhou Tingfeng: the Buddha sitting in the chair at the center of the Maitreya statue’s forehead actually opened its murky, grey eyes and pressed its palms together.

The next moment,

Li Zhuiyuan and the Buddha said in unison:

“Amitābha.”

Below, all the Zhou family ancestor mechanism puppets that had been on the verge of self-destruction immediately froze, and the aura of self-destruction also subsided.

Rùnshēng reached up to wipe the blood from his face, Tan Wenbin gritted his teeth and tore at the clothes stuck to his flesh, and Lin Shuyou reset his own bones.

With a “snap,” it was crisp and clear.

In the past, when the Yin Shen (Netherworld Deities) descended, people didn’t cherish the乩童 (spirit mediums), causing their bodies to frequently suffer problems. Long-term injuries led to becoming like doctors, so the Guan Jiang Shou (Spirit Generals) would casually fix simple ailments for those who came to the temple to pray.

Tan Wenbin: “No wonder you were so professional at setting Chen Lin’s bones?”

Upon hearing this, Lin Shuyou’s face instantly turned red, redder than the bloodstains on it.

Li Zhuiyuan turned around, facing the tightly locked main door.

On the pit walls on both sides, the Zhou family ancestor puppets, which had previously fallen a few at a time like dumplings, were now jumping down in batches.

In a short while, they had all descended. The space below was large, but when they all stood there, the area actually seemed a bit cramped.

Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand, and the Buddha in the center of his forehead behind him mimicked the young man’s gesture.

All the Zhou family ancestor puppets collectively turned, facing the direction of the main gate.

Uniform and orderly, following commands precisely.

Even the Zhou family members themselves could not control their ancestors as fluidly as the young man could.

Zhou Tingfeng had already anticipated what would happen next. He couldn’t accept it, not only the outcome but also the ethical implications…

Li Zhuiyuan: “This afternoon, you made a request of me. I will fulfill it. I will make the Zhou family collapse and rot before your eyes, and let the Zhou family members witness the terror and despair you once experienced. Believe me, they will soon understand you and forgive you.”

Last time, Zhou Tingfeng had seen that Qin family member, fighting alone for a long time in desperation, covered in blood, bones exposed, yet still relentlessly smashing and breaking those who besieged him, one by one.

This time, Zhou Tingfeng witnessed an even more terrifying scene.

Zhou Tingfeng: “You… are you surnamed Qin?”

Li Zhuiyuan was noncommittal.

Zhou Tingfeng: “Qin Li is your…”

Li Zhuiyuan: “My uncle.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “You’re a Qin family member… no wonder… you’re here to take revenge for your uncle… for the Dragon King’s family… he must… hate me terribly…”

Li Zhuiyuan:

“You misunderstand. If it weren’t for your son coincidentally encountering me during his *zou jiang* journey, and he deliberately tried to provoke me, resulting in his death, I wouldn’t even know of your existence. My family’s matriarch only cares about the top Jianghu forces who were truly behind and orchestrated that incident back then, not the Zhou family at all.”

Zhou Tingfeng: “No… impossible… impossible… absolutely impossible… he hated me so much… that he deliberately left that *qi* in my body… to paralyze me for life!”

Li Zhuiyuan:

“Impossible? Heh, otherwise, why do you think your Zhou family still exists? Because back then, you were just an inconspicuous minion in the crowd. My uncle merely shattered your Zhou family’s treasure and incidentally sent you flying, not even giving you a second glance. After returning home severely wounded, when he confided in the matriarch, he didn’t even mention your name or family. Believe me, if you were to beg at my house in your current state, my uncle would see your pitifulness, bring you a bowl of rice, and remind you to eat slowly, so you don’t choke.”

In an instant, Zhou Tingfeng’s eyes turned to ashes.

His body was destroyed that day; his spirit died today.

Li Zhuiyuan didn’t like engaging in such lengthy chatter with a dying man.

But today’s events, if the opportunity arose, he would tell Uncle Qin, Aunt Liu, and Granny Liu.

So, he needed to say more now, so that in the summer evenings later, when sitting on his great-grandfather’s patio enjoying the cool air, he would have enough to talk about and make everyone laugh.

However, that was enough conversation. They couldn’t continue.

Outside, Zhao Yi was truly at his limit.

Because he was already shouting “Ancestor.”

“Roar!”

Chen Jing let out a roar, his figure like lightning, charging out.

Zhao Yi raised his fist, black dragon scales covering his entire body, each punch containing terrifying power. The Liang sisters protected him, helping him deflect attacks.

Xu Ming stood in place, summoning vines to provide whatever defense and healing he could for all his companions.

Zhao Yi’s side appeared to be actively attacking, but in reality, it was still a passive defense.

Everyone fears death, especially when they feel victory is assured. No one wants to become cannon fodder right before victory. Therefore, both the front-line Ding and Zhou family members fought cautiously, and the more one wanted to fight desperately, the less willing they were to exchange blows.

Of course, this period of grace was very short.

Soon, as blood was drawn on both sides, tempers flared. Moreover, the patriarchs of both families were watching, providing them with ample pressure.

In short, Zhao Yi’s side quickly became very difficult, with everyone sustaining injuries.

Zhao Yi: “Surnamed Li, I told you not to do these things in the first place! Couldn’t you just sneak in every night and kill a few? Damn it, you just wouldn’t listen to me!”

The pressure continued; the opponents were numerous and powerful.

Chen Jing was covered in blood, some his own, some the enemy’s. His speed was slowing, and his stamina was gradually failing.

Zhao Yi: “Li Zhuiyuan, I really can’t hold on any longer!”

Chen Jing roared, disregarding his wounds tearing further, and charged towards Zhou Ruiyao and Ding Qinglin who stood on the steps in the distance, forcing the two families’ experts besieging them to divert their attention to reinforce, easing the pressure on Brother Yi and his group.

Zhao Yi: “Brother Xiao Yuan, we really can’t hold on!”

With a series of charges, Chen Jing actually broke through layers of obstacles and reached Zhou Ruiyao.

A black shadow suddenly appeared in front of Zhou Ruiyao—a mechanism python that directly coiled around Chen Jing. Ding Qinglin thrust his sword, creating a large hole in Chen Jing’s body.

Chen Jing could no longer charge, and coupled with successive injuries, he instinctively began to retreat.

The Liang sisters joined hands, disregarding their injuries and charging forward as well; Zhao Yi himself unleashed a black mist, violently exploding into the crowd; Xu Ming seized the opportunity to bind Chen Jing with vines, pulling him back.

Zhao Yi and the Liang sisters also quickly retreated. A battle flag was planted, linking with the stakes Xu Ming had arranged as instructed, and the formation activated.

But this formation could not provide much protection. When the surrounding people attacked together, it collapsed completely in less than ten seconds.

At this point, Chen Jing here was unable to stand, Xu Ming was drained to the point his face was ashen, and the white clothes of the Liang sisters had become bloodied.

Liang Yan: “Boss, we’ll clear a path for you. You go out alone!”

Liang Li: “Don’t mind us, just get out!”

Zhao Yi: “There’s a formation outside. All the formations here are inward-facing. I can get out of here, but I can’t get out of the mansion.”

Immediately, Zhao Yi shouted again:

“Little ancestor, if you don’t come out now, you’ll be seeing the old mourn the young!”

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The tightly sealed main gate suddenly opened, and terrifying shockwaves and chilling *qi* furiously surged outwards.

This scene made all the experts of the two families besieging Zhao Yi instinctively retreat.

Zhou Ruiyao: “Why the panic? It’s just that the intruders inside have been executed. My son, Tingfeng, has finally done something for the family.”

Ding Qinglin: “What are you staring at? Finish them off! So many people besieging them, and you let them hold on for so long. Disgraceful!”

The experts from both families responded in unison, but just as they were about to press forward, they saw a female figure descend. With a sweep of her dizi, she snapped all the swords of the Ding family members in front of her.

Rùnshēng and Lin Shuyou stood on her sides, one pushing forward, forcing the opponents back. Behind them, Tan Wenbin’s five senses created a deterrence, causing many Zhou family members to lose control of their puppets.

With the addition of a fresh force, Zhao Yi’s precarious situation was once again stabilized.

Ding Qinglin: “Why did this happen? Why did this happen! Your Zhou family’s central mechanism, why couldn’t it kill them?”

Zhou Ruiyao: “It doesn’t matter. We have more people; we can wear them down to death.”

Ding Qinglin: “Then do you know how many of us will die?”

Zhou Ruiyao: “Then what do you propose? Let them leave? Did you hear what Zhao Yi just shouted? He said he’d attack outside and kill a few every day. Can your Ding family endure that, or can my Zhou family endure that? Furthermore, guess if they are still on the river now? If we don’t seize this opportunity while they’ve attacked us first, giving us a legitimate reason to retaliate and kill, if we let them leave alive, no matter how severely wounded, as long as they survive a few more waves, they will become even more terrifying! Kill!”

Ding Qinglin: “Kill!”

Li Zhuiyuan walked out of the threshold, dragging a mud-like body in his hand.

Upon seeing Li Zhuiyuan’s figure, Zhao Yi finally let out a sigh of relief. He had to admit, at moments like these, only the surnamed Li could give him a true sense of security.

Furthermore, Zhao Yi saw the dense, lantern-like eyes gradually appearing behind Li Zhuiyuan.

“Ancestor, it seems my fate is not to die, I just managed to hold on until you came out.”

Li Zhuiyuan: “Apologies, I could have come out earlier, but I talked for a bit longer inside.”

Zhao Yi licked his bleeding lips: “It’s understandable, your words are important, Ancestor. It’s my fault for not holding out longer, preventing you from talking to your heart’s content.”

Injuries had been sustained, blood had been shed. It was time to capitalize, but he couldn’t act on impulse. He had to endure for now and get the benefits first!

Li Zhuiyuan: “When we return, I can give you a copy of the *Zou Jiang Xing Wei Gui Fan* (River Traversing Conduct Code).”

Zhao Yi: “Surnamed Li, you speak like a stranger. I willingly do things for you; why would it be for such trivial matters? However, we are currently surrounded. Should you not first resolve this life-and-death problem?”

Li Zhuiyuan raised his arm and pointed forward.

The next moment, a surging mass of Zhou family ancestor mechanism puppets charged out, launching a frenzied assault on the Zhou and Ding family members before them. Upon encountering any obstruction, they would unhesitatingly self-destruct.

Screams, one after another, composed the most enchanting melody; blood mists, in clusters, bloomed into the most dazzling fireworks.

The protective mechanism core, originally intended to shelter the Zhou family, had now become the most ruthless butcher’s knife, harvesting Zhou family lives.

Ding Qinglin: “Why is this happening, why is this happening!”

Zhou Ruiyao: “It’s over… it’s over… the Zhou family is finished…”

Li Zhuiyuan sat on the threshold, reached out, grabbed Zhou Tingfeng’s hair, and thoughtfully repositioned his head, allowing him to witness the Zhou family’s current tragic fate firsthand.

That year, the combat strength of the Qin and Liu families collectively perished, and with them, the spirits of the two Dragon Kings also dissipated.

Granny Liu also dismissed the servants of the Qin and Liu families. She faced the exact same pressure.

But even so, you still wanted to cut off Uncle Qin’s *zou jiang*, severing the only possibility of revival for the Qin and Liu families at that time. When it was time to actively step forward and sacrifice, you were absent. Once others had sacrificed, you eagerly schemed against the orphaned and widowed behind their backs.

You were the ones who wanted to wipe out my family, so I’ll show you what truly wiping out a family means.

“Let me tell you some good news: you are not the only one, and your Zhou family is not the only family. I will not let go of a single person or family who participated in that incident back then.”

A flicker of light appeared in Zhou Tingfeng’s withered eyes, a sickly smile surfaced on his face, and a repulsive stream of saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth.

Li Zhuiyuan:

“Tonight is just the beginning.”

20,000 words updated!

Yesterday I owed a thousand words; today I made up 10,000 words.

Everyone,

Please call for monthly votes again, let the dragon see the effect!