In the dead of night, the inn's guests were summoned from their rooms and gathered in the common hall.
Su Lingxi sat in a chair, arms crossed, left leg draped over the right, his expression haughty as he smirked. "You'd better have a damn good reason for disturbing this young master's rest. Otherwise, every one of you will leave behind an ear as compensation."
Jia Yi and his group didn’t even glance his way.
Furious, Su Lingxi grabbed a teacup and hurled it at them.
Yu Sanniang cried out in distress, "Ah, my cup!"
Jia Yi effortlessly caught the cup midair and tossed it back to Yu Sanniang, who sighed in relief before hurriedly signaling the waiter to clear away fragile items—lest the wealthy young master grow displeased again and start smashing things.
Jia Yi checked the guest register one by one and frowned. "Where are the other two?"
The others knew it was the pair from Miaojiang who hadn’t shown up, but no one spoke up. After all, the Miaojiang man seemed ill-tempered, and everyone wanted to see what would happen if Jia Yi’s men provoked him. A fight might reveal a glimpse of the Miaojiang man’s true strength.
But since Jia Yi hailed from Canghaizhou as well, Zhou Xian finally spoke up. "Jia Yi, that Miaojiang man is not someone to—"
Before the word "trifle" could leave his lips, a loud crash came from above. A man plummeted from the second floor, smashing a table to pieces and startling the elderly woman and her grandson nearby.
The old woman leaned heavily on her cane, supported by her grandson as they stumbled back three steps. Frail and breathless, she clutched her chest.
"Grandmother, take your medicine!" the grandson urged, quickly retrieving a pill.
The waiter rushed over with water.
After swallowing the pill, the old woman coughed weakly and gasped, "Young people, talk things out properly. No need for violence."
Yu Sanniang helped her sit down, adding reproachfully, "Exactly! You’re scaring my guests!"
A bloodcurdling scream from the fallen man seized everyone’s attention.
Murong Meixin whispered, "Shimei, what’s wrong with him?"
Murong Meifei tugged her brother back a step. "He must be poisoned by a gu."
The man’s eyes were rapidly overtaken by inky blackness, the darkness spilling out like tendrils that crawled across his face, down his neck, and soon engulfed his hands. Black veins bulged grotesquely beneath his skin, a horrifying sight.
Seeing his subordinate ensnared, Jia Yi looked up.
On the second-floor landing stood a crimson-robed youth, his long, silver hair cascading like moonlit silk—ethereal yet sinister.
The young man’s expression was thunderous, his scarlet eyes blazing like wildfire, as if he longed to turn the place into a living hell.
A skittering sound raised the hairs on everyone’s necks. Poisonous spiders had silently swarmed every corner, their hungry gazes fixed on the living flesh below, mirroring their master’s murderous intent.
"Miaojiang scum," Jia Yi growled, stepping forward. "Remove the gu poison from my man, or my Demon-Sweeping Guard will treat you like the fiends of Yunhuang Immortal City and purge you all the same!"
Yunhuang Immortal City.
Chu'he, delayed by dressing, paused at the name. But spotting the beautiful silver strands about to drag on the floor, she dashed forward and gathered the silken hair in her hands.
"Your hair’s about to touch the ground!"
Her sudden exclamation seemed to pull the youth back from the brink of slaughter.
Ninth’s aura shifted. He lowered his gaze, catching the wind-tossed strands and handing them to her. "Chu'he, help me."
Even something this trivial required her assistance—how lazy could he be?
Chu'he wanted to glare at him but decided against it given the circumstances. Instead, she peeked at the crowd below and instinctively retreated half a step, hiding behind Ninth.
Zhou Xian muttered under his breath, "If you want to avoid a bloodbath tonight and save your man, you’d better beg that girl to intervene."
Jia Yi’s face darkened. He could sense this Miaojiang man was no ordinary foe—the unseen skittering confirmed they were already surrounded by venomous creatures.
With his subordinate writhing in agony, Jia Yi swallowed his pride and clasped his hands. "We received reports of demonic activity and came to investigate for the people’s safety. Since we meant no harm, spare my man’s life."
The man’s screams grew unbearable. Inside Jin Yuyuan’s book basket, the sleeping child stirred, on the verge of waking and crying in fright.
Chu'he tugged lightly at Ninth’s sleeve. "Ninth, don’t kill anyone."
To put it kindly, Ninth had no regard for human life. To put it bluntly, he treated lives like weeds.
Chu'he knew he’d been raised in bloodshed. But now that she’d chosen to stay with him, she hoped he’d avoid unnecessary killing.
Only those who respected life would cherish their own.
Ninth pressed his lips together, silent.
Chu'he added, "I’ll buy you tanghulu."
A faint smile touched his lips. "Fine."
The black tendrils dissolved like mist, and the man’s skin gradually regained its color—though now deathly pale. Overcome by pain, he passed out, and his comrades hurried to carry him away.
Murong Meixin rubbed his goosebump-covered arms and muttered, "Between Miaojiang’s methods and Yunhuang Immortal City’s, which is worse?"
Murong Meifei replied, "Yunhuang’s, probably. Miaojiang people won’t act unless provoked."
Jia Yi proceeded to inspect everyone. Given Yunhuang Immortal City’s involvement, most cooperated despite their displeasure.
The only problem was Ninth.
Chu'he quickly pulled him downstairs. "We’ll cooperate too."
While Jia Yi’s subordinates recorded the others’ details, Jia Yi personally handled Ninth.
"Names, origins, destinations?"
Chu'he answered truthfully. "I’m Chu'he, he’s Ninth. We’re traveling from Miaojiang back to Jiangnan."
Jia Yi pressed, "Travel permits?"
Chu'he, standing behind Ninth as she tied his hair, hesitated. "Truthfully, I was kidnapped and taken to Miaojiang. My belongings, including my permit, were lost. Ninth helped me escape, so... we don’t have any."
Jia Yi frowned. "You’ve no proof—"
Ninth lifted his gaze.
Jia Yi cleared his throat, his stern tone softening. "Miss Chu, without evidence, it’s hard to take your word."
