After a fierce group battle, the inn was left in complete disarray. Exhausted, everyone slumped to the ground, struggling to catch their breath amidst the chaos.
"Oh heavens, what just happened? You’ve all finished fighting!"
Sang Duo slowly "regained consciousness," pressing a hand to her head with a bewildered and astonished expression.
Cang Yan silently helped her up, standing wordlessly behind her. As a puppet, his face remained expressionless, creating an oddly mismatched contrast with Sang Duo’s exaggerated demeanor.
Su Lingxi, perched on one of the few intact tables, curled her lip and muttered, "Tsk, even more dramatic than me."
Murong Meifei took out medicinal elixirs from the Murong Manor and distributed them to the injured. The members of the Spirit Patrol and Demon Subduing Guards recovered somewhat after taking the medicine.
However, Zhou Xian and Jia Yi had expended too much energy and were still weak, needing more time to recuperate.
Left-hand Knife kicked a pile of debris on the ground and spat, "These fiends are truly inhuman. Not only do they harm the innocent and refine living people into medicine, but they don’t even spare themselves—neither human nor ghost, utterly deranged."
Right-hand Knife added, "They had the chance to be proper humans but chose to become monsters instead. Pathetic."
The ever-graceful Heart Knife somehow produced a bronze mirror and carefully examined his reflection, sighing in relief. "Thank goodness my hair isn’t messed up, and my peerless beauty remains unharmed."
"Cough! Cough!" Black Goose lay on the ground, letting out weak coughs.
"Husband, what’s wrong?"
White Dove knelt beside him, cradling Black Goose with frantic worry.
Pale as death, Black Goose gasped weakly, "During the fight earlier, I—"
White Dove frantically checked his body. "You’ve suffered internal injuries!"
"No… I threw out my back."
White Dove immediately let go. With a thud, Black Goose was unceremoniously dropped back onto the floor.
"Junior Sister, be gentle! It hurts!"
Murong Meixin’s shrill scream pierced the air, but Murong Meifei showed no mercy. She flipped him onto his stomach, sat on his back, tore open his clothes, and sprinkled medicinal powder onto his wounds.
Murong Meixin slapped the ground in agony. "It hurts! It’s filthy! Dirty and painful! I’m dying, I’m dying!"
Murong Meifei promptly chopped the back of his neck. Murong Meixin’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
Everyone else instinctively rubbed their own necks and edged further away from her.
"G-Great, everyone’s alright…"
Jin Yuyuan staggered out, carrying his book chest. When he passed the bloodied severed head, his face turned ghostly pale. Covering his mouth, he rushed to the wall and dry-heaved for a long moment.
During the earlier chaos, knowing he was powerless to help, he had quietly hidden away with the children.
The gruesome scene had already shaken him badly, and now the sight of the severed head dealt another crushing blow to his frayed nerves.
Chu'he sat on the stairs, observing the aftermath of the battle with satisfaction. Propping her chin in her hands, she sighed contentedly. "No one died. That’s good."
The plot had already diverged significantly from the original, and she never dared to grow arrogant just because she possessed omniscient knowledge.
Take this skirmish in the inn—it hadn’t been mentioned in the original story at all.
And in the later events of the Canghai Continent’s destruction, none of these people were mentioned. They must have met tragic fates.
Ninth sat beside Chu'he and, seemingly out of nowhere, produced a handful of shelled sunflower seeds, placing them in her palm.
He must have spent a long time shelling so many.
Touched, Chu'he leaned against him and opened her mouth. "Ah—"
Ninth’s eyes brightened, just like when Chu'he used to feed him. He picked up a seed and placed it in her mouth.
The little green snake poked its head out from Chu'he’s shoulder, eyes sparkling expectantly.
Ninth glanced at it but made no move.
The snake drooped dejectedly.
But the next moment, the pale-skinned boy extended a seed toward it.
The little snake perked up instantly, its tail wiggling excitedly as it nibbled the seed, overjoyed.
Chu'he grinned at the boy.
Flustered, he averted his gaze and muttered, "Never seen such a gluttonous snake before."
After resting for a while, Jia Yi finally regained enough strength to move. He approached Chu'he and said, "Thank you for your assistance, Miss Chu'he."
He believed subduing evil spirits was his duty, while Chu'he, not being a sect disciple, was technically a civilian under their protection. Her risking her life to help meant he owed her a debt.
But Chu'he shook her head. "It was Ninth who helped. The antidote came from him."
Jia Yi was taken aback.
So was everyone else present. After all, Ninth had always seemed detached—content to ignore others unless provoked. That someone like him would willingly lend a hand was unexpected.
Ninth’s gaze lingered on Chu'he’s lovely face. "A'he, it was you—"
"It was Ninth. I can’t fight, and I can’t cure poison. There’s no way I could’ve dealt with Yu Sanniang."
She tugged his sleeve and smiled. "Ninth is learning to help others now. One day, if Ninth is in trouble, someone will surely come to your aid too!"
Ninth tilted his head slightly, still confused.
Jia Yi collected himself and said, "Young Master Ninth, I owe you a favor. If you ever need anything, the Demon Subduing Guards will spare no effort."
Zhou Xian chimed in from nearby, "The Spirit Patrol will never stand idly by either!"
Black Goose lifted his head from the floor. "I always thought Young Master Ninth was cold and indifferent. Turns out you’re just warm-hearted beneath the frost."
White Dove nodded. "Never judge by appearances."
Left-hand Knife declared, "Today, we fought side by side."
Right-hand Knife added, "That makes us comrades."
Heart Knife grinned. "Young Master Ninth, after surviving life and death together, we’re friends now!"
Murong Meifei said solemnly, "We will never forget your antidote’s grace."
Ninth was no stranger to attention—wherever he went, all eyes inevitably turned to him.
But those gazes had always been filled with wariness, scrutiny, or greed. This time, however, was different.
These people’s expressions reminded him of someone he despised.
Fang Songhe had also spouted nonsense about becoming friends out of nowhere.
Now, this group was doing the same—their syrupy voices and nauseatingly earnest stares making his skin crawl.
"Ridiculous." Ninth smirked coldly. "I don’t need any so-called—"
"Wonderful! Our Ninth has friends now!"
The girl’s cheerful voice swept away the strange tension, as if the air itself had cleared, brightening the entire room.
