Chapter 118: If One Wishes to Condemn, Convenient Master Arrives, Negotiating Terms
“I suspected that Ye Xingchen was a hidden agent sent by Beiyu. He had been trying to approach you before, but unfortunately was rebuffed by you. These days he restrained himself somewhat, but he still harboured a thief’s heart, choosing to advance by retreating…”
Shen Yanzhou spoke with an unchanged expression.
Gu Ruoxi, while tidying her slightly messy hair bun and the collar that had been tugged somewhat loose, heard this and asked with slight confusion, “You’re saying that him avoiding me these days was intentional?”
“Mm. This fellow was very clever. When he approached you previously, he must have already known your identity as the Gu Family’s legitimate daughter and wanted to probe the Bureau of Immortal Inspection’s secrets from your mouth.” Shen Yanzhou nodded.
“So that’s how it was.”
Gu Ruoxi appeared thoughtful.
She had always felt that Ye Xingchen carried an air of mystery, and he had even shown her unprovoked kindness before. It seemed it truly was because of her identity.
“Since he’s a hidden agent from Beiyu, and you, as a Thousand-Household Commander of the Chilin Guards, could seize him and throw him into the Heavenly Prison—shouldn’t that be an easy matter?” Gu Ruoxi couldn’t help asking.
But Shen Yanzhou shook his head and sighed. “I originally thought the same. But I contacted Zhou Yang and the others just now and learned that Ye Xingchen entered and exited the Eastern Palace yesterday. He even followed the Crown Prince to the Idle Delight Pavilion in the southern part of the city. It seems he has become a guest retainer of the Crown Prince’s residence.”
When he came to find Gu Ruoxi, he had incidentally sent a message to the spies within the Chilin Guards and learned of Ye Xingchen’s recent movements.
On the surface, the Chilin Guards monitored the hundred officials, but secretly they also watched the movements of all the immortal officers of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection to keep them from relying on immortal arts to flaunt power.
Ye Xingchen, being among the youngest immortal officers of this generation, naturally drew attention.
Thus, his visits to the Crown Prince’s residence were easily discovered by Shen Yanzhou.
Prior to this, Ye Xingchen had never had any contact with the Crown Prince. Yet after a single meeting, he received the Crown Prince’s appreciation and trust.
Such means were truly extraordinary.
“This fellow actually already became a guest of the Crown Prince’s residence?”
“Aren’t immortal officers of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection strictly forbidden from participating in court factions or involving themselves in any political affairs?” Gu Ruoxi was shocked, her moist, rosy lips slightly parted.
Shen Yanzhou wore a solemn expression. “Precisely. What I worry about is exactly this. This fellow approached the Crown Prince with an ulterior motive. With the slightest mishap, it may endanger the very foundation of our Great Qian.”
“The Crown Prince was the Heir Apparent. Although he had yet to ascend the throne, most state affairs were now handled by him. If Ye Xingchen whispered misleading suggestions into his ear, he might very easily stray onto the wrong path…” Gu Ruoxi grew somewhat anxious.
Setting aside her own identity as an immortal officer, the Gu Family—who wielded the authority of the Bureau of Immortal Inspection—was also tightly bound to the safety of Great Qian. Their prosperity and loss were shared.
Shen Yanzhou sighed. “This fellow was smart. If I, as a Thousand-Household Commander, acted rashly against him, I might incur the Crown Prince’s displeasure.”
Hearing this, Gu Ruoxi understood somewhat—Shen Yanzhou wanted to borrow her hand to deal with Ye Xingchen?
“How do you want me to do it?” she asked directly.
“It’s neither difficult nor easy. I need you to use the Gu Family’s power to expel him from the Bureau of Immortal Inspection. As for the reason, you can pick any excuse you like.”
“For a small immortal officer, this should be effortless for the Gu Family.” Shen Yanzhou spoke seriously.
Gu Ruoxi looked troubled. She had entered the Bureau of Immortal Inspection precisely because she did not want to rely on her family.
At the beginning, she only wanted to prove herself to her family. Yet now, she had to rely on their influence to deal with a single person.
Moreover, Ye Xingchen had always been honest and principled in the Bureau. He never offended anyone and instead got along harmoniously with many immortal officers.
How could she cause trouble for him? On what grounds? It went against her original heart in cultivating the Dao.
“Are you truly certain Ye Xingchen is a hidden agent of Beiyu? What if you’re mistaken?” Gu Ruoxi couldn’t help asking, a trace of hesitation showing on her charming face.
Hearing this, Shen Yanzhou seemed to smile. He raised his hand and gently caressed her fair, delicate cheek. “Speaking in the larger sense, this is for the safety of Great Qian’s realm. In the smaller sense, this is for the Bureau of Immortal Inspection. Besides, he and I have no personal enmity. I have no reason to go to such great lengths to deal with him.”
“However, I truly cannot find any evidence right now. Ruoxi, just help me this once.”
His tone was gentle and natural, his eyes carrying a faint plea as they rested on Gu Ruoxi’s soft, moonlike face.
Gu Ruoxi could already feel Shen Yanzhou’s slightly warm breath brushing against her face. Her fair and crystalline ears grew red, and even her legs felt inexplicably weak.
“You… what did you just call me?”
Her eyes seemed to brim with moisture. Shen Yanzhou’s handsome face was right before her, less than three inches away. Her voice trembled, and her mind momentarily blanked.
“What is it?”
“Calling you Ruoxi—what’s wrong with that?” Shen Yanzhou chuckled softly.
“Before, you always called me Immortal Officer Gu.” Gu Ruoxi’s tone carried a trace of grievance.
She felt utterly foolish. Shen Yanzhou had bullied her before and even used the Ten-Thousand Gu Heart-Piercing Pill to threaten her.
Yet she did not feel much resistance toward him.
Now that she had received the antidote and could sever all ties with him, she still couldn’t refuse his request.
Could it be that she liked Shen Yanzhou?
The moment this thought surfaced, she frightened herself. Bah, she merely didn’t dislike him.
“If you don’t like the title, then I’ll call you Ruoxi from now on.” Shen Yanzhou said with a smile.
“I don’t care what you call me…” Gu Ruoxi gave a soft hum from her nose.
“So, you agreed to this favour just now?”
“I agreed. I’ll go speak to Third Grandfather and say that Ye Xingchen becoming a guest of the Crown Prince violates the Bureau’s rules.”
“Good.”
“Thank you, Ruoxi. You’re truly wonderful.”
“You’d better know that… ah…”
“…How can you thank someone like this? This is clearly bullying… mm…”
……
Shen Yanzhou hadn’t returned to the Dragon-Tiger Institute for several days.
When he returned to the Daoist Courtyard, Senior Sister Luo Qiushui was sitting on a meditation cushion, frowning in deep thought, as if her soul had flown to the Ninth Heaven. She didn’t even notice his arrival.
Shen Yanzhou sat down beside her as usual and casually picked several spiritual fruits from the fruit platter to eat.
As the little uncle-master of the Daoist sect, Luo Qiushui’s treatment was excellent. Every day, she received different Daoist spiritual fruits. Not only were they sweet and refreshing, they also contained abundant spiritual energy—one bite equalled several days of bitter cultivation for ordinary Daoist practitioners.
“Junior Brother, your cultivation improved again?”
“When did you step into Fifth Rank?”
Luo Qiushui suddenly opened her eyes, her tone filled with confusion.
“Senior Sister has keen eyes. I was fortunate enough to break through a few days ago.”
Shen Yanzhou was a little surprised. He had been concealing his cultivation, even the Demon Suppression King Shen Jingxiao hadn’t noticed the change in him—yet Luo Qiushui could?
In truth, he was also quite puzzled. What realm exactly was Luo Qiushui at? Sometimes she seemed like she was in the Sixth Rank, but at other times, she gave off a mist-shrouded feeling, as though her depth could not be discerned.
However, no matter how mysterious Luo Qiushui was, she still hadn’t seen through his final layer of disguise.
At present, his realm was already Fourth Rank in both Martial and Dao paths.
The first layer of disguise was maintained through the Heaven-Veiling Pearl, keeping his outward aura at Fifth Rank.
The second layer of disguise relied on the unique nature of The True Explanation of Primordial Unity, allowing the qi vortex within his body to remain utterly calm—appearing as tranquil as an ordinary person.
“Junior Brother truly possesses extraordinary talent. Even though the complicated cases delayed you, your cultivation has not been affected,” Luo Qiushui nodded in praise.
“Senior Sister flatters me.”
“By the way, Senior Sister, have you ever heard of something called the Outer Demons?” Shen Yanzhou asked with a smile.
That was the reason he had come to find Luo Qiushui.
“Outer Demons?” Luo Qiushui was momentarily taken aback.
Then she seemed to think seriously for a moment, recalling something, before nodding slightly. “I have.”
“However, I only heard a little from Master.”
“As for what they are exactly, I’m not very clear.”
“Master? That Master of convenience?” Shen Yanzhou asked in surprise.
“Mhm. By the way, I have good news for Junior Brother—Master has already rushed here from the Void Plane to meet you in person. She should arrive at the Imperial Capital at the beginning of next month.”
“At that time, Master will personally preside over your initiation ceremony,” Luo Qiushui added as she recalled the matter.
“The beginning of next month?”
Shen Yanzhou was once again astonished.
Less than half a month remained before he would meet that mysterious ‘Master’ of convenience?
“Master should be looking forward to meeting you.”
“As for the matter of the Outer Demons, Junior Brother can discuss it carefully with Master. Although I didn’t quite understand all the details she once mentioned, I do remember clearly—Outer Demons seem to be the natural enemies of the Fallen Immortals.”
“In other words, Outer Demons are the destined enemies you must one day face.” Luo Qiushui’s tone grew serious.
“……”
Shen Yanzhou suddenly felt as though he had stepped into a trap; an uneasy feeling quietly stirred within him.
That strange Cold Crow had called him an Outer Demon.
Yet Luo Qiushui firmly believed that he was a Fallen Immortal.
When Shen Yanzhou examined his conscience, he honestly felt he had nothing to do with anything resembling an ‘immortal.’ On the contrary, the title of “Outer Demon” seemed to fit his origins far better.
Could it be possible… that from the very beginning, this was all part of Luo Qiushui’s Master’s scheme?
Perhaps the so-called “Fallen Immortal” wasn’t him—but Luo Qiushui herself?
“Junior Brother, what’s wrong?”
Luo Qiushui suddenly noticed that the smile on Shen Yanzhou’s face had vanished, his expression turning unpleasant.
“I just thought of something a bit sad,” Shen Yanzhou sighed softly.
Luo Qiushui’s porcelain-white, doll-like face revealed confusion, her eyes as clear as a lake as she looked at him. “Is it because of the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion? Does Junior Brother need my help?”
Shen Yanzhou shook his head. “It’s nothing like that. I was merely thinking—if one day I were to become your enemy, what should I do? Senior Sister treats me with such sincerity; how could I ever bear to raise my hand against you?”
Luo Qiushui’s confusion only deepened; she couldn’t quite understand his words.
Why would the two of them ever become enemies?
Between Senior Sister and Junior Brother, wasn’t there supposed to be a bond of deep affection?
Within the Daoist sects, those who shared the same lineage often had ties that lasted for centuries.
……
With a heavy heart, Shen Yanzhou left the Dragon-Tiger Institute.
As a transmigrator, foreknowledge and foresight were his greatest confidence and reliance—yet now, the sudden notion of “Outer Demons” had emerged.
If his identity as an Outer Demon were truly exposed, what consequences would follow? Would the entire world become his enemy?
At that time, not only the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion—perhaps even the entire Great Qian Dynasty, or all the lands of the Nine Provinces, would never tolerate him.
“No, this accusation of being an Outer Demon… someone else must take the blame for it.”
Shen Yanzhou’s gaze grew deep.
He still wasn’t certain what traits or characteristics these so-called Outer Demons possessed.
His greatest secret was that he was a transmigrator. As long as no one searched his soul, it would never be exposed.
Lost in thought, Shen Yanzhou arrived at the dungeon where the Young Duke of the Duke’s Residence, Liu Fu, was imprisoned.
He waved his hand to dismiss the guards in the corridor, then looked ahead. “Young Duke Liu Fu, are you still comfortable living here?”
The once well-dressed, pampered middle-aged man who had worn brocade robes at the Chilin Guards’ headquarters now had disheveled hair, a filthy face, and weary eyes. His wrists and ankles were bound with chains, suspending him against the wall—looking every bit the pitiful prisoner.
“Heh… Shen Yanzhou, what exactly are you trying to do? Why must you bring ruin upon our Duke’s Residence?”
“I have never offended you before. Even if Zi’an had conflicts with you, that was but the rashness of youth—hardly deserving of such punishment!”
As soon as he saw Shen Yanzhou, Liu Fu’s eyes blazed with fury, his voice almost grinding through his teeth.
Shen Yanzhou leisurely approached, straightened his robe, and found a stool to sit on. “Calm yourself, Young Duke. Indeed, I have no deep grudge against your Duke’s Residence. But since Liu Zi’an insisted on making things difficult for me, I simply let him suffer a little. That seems fair enough, doesn’t it?”
“A little suffering? You’ve nearly destroyed our entire Duke’s Residence!” Liu Fu seethed with hatred.
“Don’t be so hasty, Young Duke. Aren’t you still alive and well right now? Your Duke’s Residence is also still standing,” Shen Yanzhou chuckled lightly.
Liu Fu’s anger subsided slightly at that, though his gaze remained cold. “What exactly is your goal?”
He was a clever man. He knew that Shen Yanzhou wouldn’t come here at such a time, speaking so calmly, unless there was a reason.
Otherwise, why go to such lengths to target the Duke’s Residence?
First, he had abducted Liu Zi’an. Then, he had planted a demon beast to frame them.
“I simply wish to discuss a deal,” Shen Yanzhou said with a faint smile.
“What kind of deal?”
Liu Fu asked coldly.
“Simple—help me drag the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion down into the water,” Shen Yanzhou said with a smile.