Fu You growled through gritted teeth, “You damn peacock! Are you seeking death?!”
Liu Lixue clutched the fish and darted behind Su Xuan, shouting as he did, “If you’re not going to eat it, isn’t it a waste? You’re so rich; why are you being so stingy? Sovereign Lord, he’s going to hit me—stop him!”
Clearly valuing his own survival, he pushed Su Xuan forward to shield himself.
Fu You, furious, was practically fuming as ghostly flames flared from his head. Channeling his spiritual energy, he materialized a ghost blade and swung it at Liu Lixue.
“Sovereign Lord!!!”
Sang Dai sighed, exasperated. She was about to step in to stop the blow when Su Xuan made his move.
With a flick of his wrist, a wisp of hellfire appeared in his palm. The flickering flame, like a living nightmare, sent shivers down Fu You’s spine at just a glance.
The memory of being burned by that same hellfire last night, leaving his entire body in agony, was still fresh. His wounds hadn’t even healed yet. Fu You hurriedly retreated.
Su Xuan stood protectively in front of Liu Lixue, his stance unmistakably one of shielding his own.
Meanwhile, that damned peacock took a bold bite out of Fu You’s Silver-Patterned Autumn Carp.
Fu You’s heart shattered into countless pieces.
Meanwhile, a certain peacock remained oblivious, frowning deeply as he criticized, “Tsk, the fish is mediocre at best. So fishy. You spent all that money on this thing? Such a peculiar taste—hard to agree with.”
Saying that, he handed the fish to Su Xuan. “Sovereign Lord, Sovereign Lord.”
If nothing else, their childhood bond was evident. The moment Liu Lixue extended his hand, Su Xuan, understanding his intent, summoned his hellfire and incinerated the already-charred Silver-Patterned Autumn Carp into ashes.
The ashes scattered into the wind.
Liu Lixue grumbled, “You wasted my chili powder! My mother made that batch by hand, and I only had that one bottle.”
Su Xuan nodded. “It smelled terrible anyway.”
Sang Dai: “…”
Fu You: “…………”
A few breaths later, Fu You unsheathed his blade. “Damn peacock, your father will take your life today!!!”
Liu Lixue cried out, “Sovereign Lord!”
Before Su Xuan could intervene, Sang Dai had seen enough. She drew Su Xuan’s Qingwu Sword from his waist and stepped forward.
Last night, Su Xuan had severely injured Fu You. Now, Sang Dai only needed one strike to block Fu You and knock his ghost blade to the ground.
The swordsman calmly sheathed the blade and said flatly, “Fu You, we ruined your roasted—your fish, and yet you want my life for it.”
Fu You knew very well that Su Xuan hadn’t killed him last night because of Sang Dai. Otherwise, with the Beast King’s temperament, he would have beaten Fu You to death on the spot.
Sang Dai had indirectly saved him once, and Fu You couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsh to her. Instead, he cast a vicious glare at the peacock hiding behind Su Xuan.
Su Xuan and Liu Lixue had grown up together. Liu Lixue’s lively nature and sharp tongue had gotten him into plenty of trouble over the years, but no one dared to harm him.
First, because he was the young master of the Peacock Clan. Second, because Su Xuan was fiercely protective of him.
This peacock was Su Xuan’s to command, but no one else could order him around, let alone hurt him.
Although their relationship was nominally master and servant, they were more like brothers. Few people knew how brutal Su Xuan’s rise to power had been, but Fu You, as the ruler of Bairen Alley, was one of the exceptions. At that time, the only one by Su Xuan’s side had been Liu Lixue.
They were comrades who had faced life and death together—brothers in arms.
Anyone who dared to harm even a single feather of this peacock would be reduced to ashes by Su Xuan’s hellfire.
Fu You picked up his ghost blade and sheathed it. “The Beast King visited just last night. What now? Have you missed this city lord?”
Su Xuan narrowed his eyes, his voice icy. “Does that disgust you?”
Fu You: “…”
He held back!
Gathering his tattered clothes, Fu You replied coldly, “Say it. What do you want this time?”
Before Su Xuan could answer, Fu You hastily added, “You should know I’m seriously injured. If you dare use the Soul-Seizing Technique on me again, my sea of consciousness will be irreparably damaged, and you won’t get anything from me.”
Su Xuan knew this too. The Soul-Seizing Technique was a last resort, and anything it could uncover wasn’t worth expending his spiritual power for.
Calmly, he walked over to a stone table, brushed away the dust, and even cleaned the stone stool beside it. Taking out a silk cloth, he carefully spread it over the surface.
Su Xuan said, “Sit.”
Just as Fu You was about to sit down, that peacock appeared out of nowhere, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him back.
Liu Lixue grumbled, “At your age, don’t you feel any shame? Did he mean you? And you were just going to sit down?”
Fu You: “?”
Meanwhile, the silent swordsman beside them calmly replied, “Alright.”
She set down the Qingwu Sword and took a seat next to Su Xuan, who thoughtfully spread a silk cloth to keep her robes clean.
Liu Lixue, not wanting to be left out, dusted off a stool for himself and sat down on Su Xuan’s other side.
The three of them turned to look at Fu You in unison.
Fu You: “…”
He gave them a thumbs-up. “You’re really something else.”
If he’d known better, he should’ve put up a sign at the gate of Bairen Alley a long time ago:
“No dogs or members of the Spirit Beast Hall allowed.”
The maid nearby shrank back in fear, watching as ghost flames began to flicker from her city lord’s body. Worried he might lose control and set her on fire, she quickly scrambled to prepare a chair for him.
“City Lord, please have a seat,” she whispered nervously.
Fu You sat down, his jaw clenched tightly, seething with anger.
Su Xuan, unfazed, leisurely took out a tea set and some tea from his spatial pouch. He poured the first cup for Sang Dai. “Have some tea. Did you inhale any ashes just now?”
He was, of course, referring to the ashes of the Silver-Patterned Autumn Carp.
Sang Dai accepted the tea. “Thank you. I’m fine.”
Liu Lixue clasped his hands together, blinking expectantly.
Su Xuan shot him a glare. But considering how well he had performed earlier, driving Fu You to the point of smoking with rage, Su Xuan grudgingly poured the second cup for him.
Liu Lixue’s face lit up. “Oh wow, thanks, Sovereign Lord!”
This was a once-in-a-lifetime moment—he was actually drinking tea poured by Su Xuan himself!
Fu You: “…Are you done yet?”
Su Xuan raised his eyes. “Not satisfied?”
Fu You lifted his chin defiantly. “Not—”
Su Xuan cut him off with a cold glance. “If you’re not satisfied, deal with it.”
Fu You: “…………”
“Why exactly are you here?!” he finally burst out, unable to hold back any longer. “If you’re free, just head down the mountain and go play somewhere else! Stop hovering around here; I’m getting a headache just looking at you!”
Sang Dai said, “We came to ask you some questions.”
Fu You: “I don’t want to answer.”
Su Xuan lifted his gaze.
Fu You: “…If you have something to say, just spit it out.”
Sang Dai nodded, holding the warm cup of tea in her hands as she asked, “What kind of deal did the person who handed over the Immortal Velvet Grass and Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root make with you?”
Fu You: “…”
He let out a mocking laugh. “Miss Sang, do you really think I’d tell you?”
Sang Dai replied sincerely, “But if you don’t say it, Su Xuan will use the Soul-Seizing Technique, so I suggest you speak.”
Her reasoning was sound.
Fu You held back his temper once more.
Clenching his fists, he ground out, “I don’t know about Ji Cang’s side, but as for me, he promised…”
Fu You’s words trailed off abruptly.
His hands tightened, and something flickered in his eyes that caught Sang Dai’s attention—a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite place.
Struggle, regret, hatred…
Too many conflicting feelings were jumbled together, leaving her unsure of what she was witnessing.
Taking a deep breath, Fu You finally said, “He promised to help me save someone—as long as you die.”
Sang Dai: “Save someone? Save who?”
Fu You sneered coldly. “Miss Sang, there are some things I’ll never tell anyone in this lifetime. If you’re still dissatisfied, then go ahead and use the Soul-Seizing Technique. I’ll shatter my soul if I must. You don’t want me dead just yet, do you?”
Su Xuan, unfazed, replied decisively, “Alright, then I’ll use the Soul-Seizing Technique.”
Sang Dai hurriedly covered his eyes. “No!”
The swordsman’s hand shielded his eyes, blocking his vision. All Su Xuan could perceive was the faint fragrance of her sleeve, her cool body temperature, and the slightly calloused pads of her fingers.
He blinked, his long lashes brushing lightly against Sang Dai’s palm, tickling her and making her quickly withdraw her hand.
Su Xuan’s gaze shifted toward the swordsman beside him, his Adam’s apple bobbing noticeably.
Meanwhile, Liu Lixue, with a handful of sunflower seeds, chuckled and popped one into his mouth before offering some to Fu You. “Want some?”
Fu You glared at him. “No, get lost!”
He wanted nothing more than to smash this damn peacock to pieces.
Liu Lixue pointed at him with his slender fingers and asked in mock disappointment, “Does insulting me make you feel cultured?”
Without waiting for a reply, he pointed to himself instead and said with exaggerated seriousness, “No, it only makes me look like a bigger person for not stooping to your level.”
Fu You’s fists clenched tighter.
Sang Dai awkwardly sipped her tea, avoiding even a glance at Su Xuan beside her. She steadied her voice and said, “Fu You, I won’t pry into your personal affairs, but there are some things only you can answer for me.”
She didn’t dare to meet Su Xuan’s gaze, knowing full well what shameless nonsense she might hear if she did. His eyes practically stayed glued to her.
Forcing herself to focus on business, Sang Dai asked, “Fu You, where is the Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root?”
Fu You crossed his arms and scoffed. “No idea. The collection was just tossed around carelessly. You’ll have to find it yourself.”
Su Xuan glanced at him.
Fu You sighed reluctantly. “…I really don’t know. Even if you use the Soul-Seizing Technique, I’ve forgotten where in the Burning Heaven Realm I threw it. A Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root might be a treasure to others, but to me, it’s worthless. I don’t need it.”
“Alright, then I’ll ask something else,” Sang Dai said as she set down her teacup. Her voice was calm and deliberate as she asked, “Where is Senior Ling Yin?”
Fu You’s expression froze. His lips pressed tightly together, and a faint ghostly flame flickered in his pupils.
Sang Dai stared straight at him without hesitation. “Where is Senior Ling Yin?”
Fu You smirked. “Ling Yin? How would I know? She’s a Tribulation-Stage ghost cultivator, capable of defeating even Su Xuan. Wherever she wants to go, she can go. She has legs, doesn’t she?”
Sang Dai shook her head. “No, you know where she is.”
Fu You sneered. “You’re overestimating me. I’m just a minor city lord of Bairen Alley with a mere Nascent Soul cultivation.”
Sang Dai looked directly into his eyes and said, “Because Ling Yin can’t leave the Burning Heaven Realm.”
Fu You’s pupils contracted slightly.
Sang Dai continued, “Senior Ling Yin’s legs were cut off, weren’t they?”
She had thought about her brief meeting with Ling Yin for a long time the night before.
Ling Yin’s dress had been long, trailing on the ground, concealing her legs. However, Sang Dai recalled that even though they had been in the same room and not far apart, it had taken Ling Yin a long time to walk over.
Her hair dragged on the floor, as did her garments, making her appear inexplicably shorter.
Yet Ling Yin’s upper body was tall and slender, clearly indicating she was about Sang Dai’s height.
But when standing, Ling Yin was visibly shorter than Sang Dai.
Sang Dai’s tone turned cold. “Ghost cultivators are different from human cultivators. Though they cultivate with their spirits, their physical bodies can still restrict them. Many ghost cultivators who die in the wild and expose their bodies often become lost and confused wandering spirits. If I’m not mistaken, your method of trapping vengeful ghosts in the Burning Heaven Realm involves finding their true bodies and imprisoning them there, preventing their souls from leaving the realm.”
“Six thousand years ago, Senior Ling Yin, a Tribulation-Stage cultivator, would not have been easily controlled even if she became a vengeful ghost after losing her body. So, someone must have taken her physical body and used forbidden techniques to control her.”
“You severed her legs and trapped her in the Burning Heaven Realm, didn’t you?”
Sang Dai’s voice grew colder with each sentence, until finally, it carried no warmth at all.
Su Xuan sipped his tea unhurriedly, looking as if he couldn’t care less.
Even Liu Lixue let out a heavy sigh, dropping his usual carefree demeanor.
Only Fu You stared coldly at Sang Dai, locking eyes with her.
Sang Dai didn’t press him further. She simply waited in silence for his answer.
Time passed slowly. It dragged on until Su Xuan finished an entire pot of tea and reached for another.
Finally, Fu You broke the silence.
“Sang Dai, it wasn’t me who cut off her legs or trapped her.”
His voice was low and solemn.
“She cut off her own legs and trapped herself in the Burning Heaven Realm.”