Undercurrents

The moment the words fell, terrifying, twisted crimson lines surged outward in all directions from Madame Wan like an overwhelming tide, ultimately colliding with the towering willow standing across the mist! In an instant, an ominous, twisted madness saturated every corner of the air, and the entire estate seemed to transform into a desolate ghost domain! Leaning unhurriedly against the square Eight Immortals table beside him before sitting down, Xu Yuan gently rubbed the rough grain along its edge. Slanting his gaze toward her, his tone was indifferent: "What? From the look on your face, are you planning to bear that bulging belly of yours and fight this seat here and now?" Madame Wan fought to suppress the instinctual impulses surging within her, her voice raspy and sharp: "If you insist, sir, then this concubine will have no choice but to oblige." "Heh." Xu Yuan chuckled softly, locking eyes with her crimson pupils for an instant. Then, his lips parted slightly: "With that broken body of yours?" "..." The moment the words left his mouth, the temperature in the room plummeted to the freezing point. The thrill of dancing repeatedly along the knife-edge of death brought a faint rush of excitement to Xu Yuan's heart. There were far too many unknowns surrounding the wretched woman before him; by all rights, he shouldn't be taking such risks. Simply demanding some compensation, letting bygones be bygones, and parting peacefully should have been the way to go. Yet over these past days, all the scattered threads of clues had suddenly coalesced into two crucial deductions. First, Madame Wan was also a Saint Tier yin ghost. Otherwise, she could never muster the confidence to threaten a fight to the bitter end right now. Second, and most importantly: Madame Wan was very likely weakened at this moment. Amidst the silence, Xu Yuan slowly straightened up. His fingertips brushed across the grain along the edge of the table as he stepped across to stand before her, his voice even and measured: "Madame Wan, did you know? Tens of thousands of years ago, this Thousand Thorns Gorge was called the Valley of Swords." "..." Madame Wan said nothing. Seeing this, Xu Yuan shook his head with a faint smile, a hint of reminiscence showing in his eyes as he spoke softly: "This was the battlefield for the decisive clash between humanity and the demons back then. The billions of souls that perished here forged a sanctuary for our kind, giving rise to eleven Saint Tier yin ghosts. "Perishing and devouring occurred every waking moment, yet we Saint Tier yin ghosts, still in our primordial haze, suppressed our instincts and refrained from slaughtering each other. "Because even if one succeeded in devouring another, it could hardly compensate for the deficit suffered during the slaughter." Having reached this point, Xu Yuan paused, staring straight into her eyes: "So, ever since sensing your unprovoked malice, this seat has spent the past few days pondering why you dared to make a move. Yet rack my brain as I might, I could not comprehend your motive." A smirk curled on his lips, and Xu Yuan let his gaze drop playfully onto Madame Wan's swollen belly: "But when that little thing appeared today, this seat suddenly understood everything. As long as you devoured me—a mere passerby—your child could be born successfully, couldn't it?" Madame Wan's gaze flickered erratically. She reflexively moved her hands to protect her belly: "Regarding this matter... this concubine can offer compensation." "Don't be in such a rush. This seat isn't finished yet." Xu Yuan waved a hand, gesturing for her to shut up, his gaze sweeping over her: "Madame Wan, a piece of advice: do not indulge your child in everything. If you fail to discipline it and it becomes too willful, someone else in this world will discipline it for you." Hearing this, Madame Wan took a deep breath, her tone yielding not an inch: "Sir, Nuonuo's previous offense—this concubine—" "Shut up. It seems you still haven't grasped the situation." Xu Yuan took a deep breath, his gaze darkening: "Though you appear somewhat unique, I can sense that at your core, you are still a yin ghost. Breeding a new ghost spirit must be accomplished by damaging your own origin, right? "And judging by the speed that little thing displayed just now, how much of your original strength do you have left? "Seventy percent? Fifty percent? Heh..." Madame Wan's expression did not change in the slightest. After a brief silence, she spoke up: "Sir, you have said so much. It seems you do not wish to come to blows directly either. Is it because of those two human women?" Xu Yuan frowned slightly: "Are you threatening me?" Madame Wan's expression gradually returned to normal, her voice turning gentle and demure once more: "This concubine merely wishes to remind you, sir, that if there is something you desire, you might as well state it plainly." "Heh. Among humans, the thing this seat has learned most deeply is that one must place their bargaining chips on the negotiation table. It is indeed time to begin." Xu Yuan pulled out a chair beside him and sat down, dismissing the illusory phantom of the giant willow standing across the mist outside, and made a slight gesture toward Madame Wan. The two sat opposite each other across the square table. Xu Yuan tapped the surface gently and said with a chuckle: "This seat wants three things." Madame Wan stroked her belly as if soothing it, her voice calm: "If it is within this concubine's power, I will do my best to compensate you." Xu Yuan did not press her too hard, stating placidly: "First, this seat wants the true location where that demonic dragon appears." "Very well. One thousand eight hundred li southeast from here lies a place called the Evil Ghost Gorge Abyss. It was there that this concubine originally encountered that demonic dragon." "..." Xu Yuan silently committed the location to memory and continued: "Second, this seat wants the Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique in the guest quarters." Thud. The moment the words fell, a dull thud suddenly echoed through the quiet hall. Xu Yuan raised an eyebrow and looked toward the source of the sound, chuckling: "It seems that little thing isn't too pleased." "..." Madame Wan knitted her brows; the previous disturbance seemed to have caused her a measure of pain. She said softly: "Could you change this condition, sir? Nuonuo... he is very fond of that Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique." Hearing this, Xu Yuan's expression remained unchanged, though surprise flickered in his heart. Over these past days, he had observed that Su Jinxuan's cultivation was merely at the Grandmaster level; for a yin ghost, consuming her would yield roughly the same benefit as that Wolf Raid Guard commander just now. Taking her away shouldn't have been difficult, yet Madame Wan had actually refused. Could Su Jinxuan's physique have taken effect? That succubus constitution truly was terrifying, able to bewitch even a yin ghost. Unfortunately, though, yin ghosts expressed affection somewhat differently from humans. While both sought to become one, yin ghosts did so by eating you through their mouths. With these thoughts in mind, Xu Yuan shook his head: "There is no room for negotiation on this. This seat is very fond of her." Thud! Another thud sounded, accompanied by a low, infantile growl. Seeing this, Xu Yuan said with a smile, enunciating each word: "Little guy, this seat won't bully the small. If you are truly unwilling, why don't you crawl out so this seat can discuss it with you face to face?" "..." Silence fell from that side. Madame Wan looked somewhat hesitant and probed: "Sir, if you desire one, this concubine can provide an Origin Realm soul chanter..." Halfway through her sentence, Madame Wan caught sight of Xu Yuan pointing his finger toward the jade box on the table, and her voice trailed off. This eccentric Ghost Willow Saint did not eat people. After communicating with the ghost infant in her belly, Madame Wan made one last effort: "If you desire a beautiful human woman, sir, this concubine could..." "Could take her place?" Xu Yuan cut her off directly, chuckling: "That wouldn't be out of the question either. This seat does have a bit of a penchant for married women." "..." Hearing this teasing remark, Madame Wan's expression turned rather unsightly. After a brief silence, Madame Wan asked: "May this concubine ask, what is your purpose in taking her, sir?" Xu Yuan answered crisply with a laugh: "Didn't you already know that when we first met?" "But you are a yin ghost." "I already told you, do not lump me together with lowly beings like you." "..." To his surprise, Madame Wan did not refute him. Stroking her lower abdomen, she said: "If you insist, sir, then you may take Miss Su with you." Xu Yuan smiled with satisfaction and continued: "Third, I want to know..." Mid-sentence, Xu Yuan paused abruptly. He wanted to ask about Li Junwu. Since the guard commander of his good chest-brother had appeared here, Madame Wan undoubtedly knew the inside story. However, in his current persona, asking this question seemed ill-advised. With that in mind, Xu Yuan changed his query to something that fit his persona: "...how you managed to conceive a child, Madame Wan." Hearing this question, a watery tenderness reflexively surfaced in Madame Wan's eyes. Pursing her lips, she murmured softly: "About this... this concubine does not know either. It is likely related to the physique of Nuonuo's father." "What kind of physique?" "I am not entirely clear, but it is indeed because of him." "..." After pondering for a moment, Xu Yuan decided it was about time to make his exit. After all this, besides this half-crippled Saint Tier yin ghost, that ghost infant actually had a father? The Big Ice Block had literally dragged him straight into a boss's den. Taking a deep breath, Xu Yuan slowly stood up, his tone airy and distant: "It seems that for monsters spawned by the heavens, leaving behind flesh and blood is truly difficult..." Seeing him rise, Madame Wan hurriedly stood up as well and probed: "If you harbor such thoughts, sir... if humans do not suffice, why not try a demonic beast?" "..." What kind of repulsive suggestion was that? Could this woman have conceived the ghost infant with a demonic beast? Cursing silently under his breath, Xu Yuan adapted at lightning speed and laughed: "Why else do you think this seat is seeking out that demonic dragon?" Hearing this, Madame Wan lowered her gaze: "It seems you already have a plan in mind, sir. Forgive this concubine for speaking out of turn." "Explain the situation clearly to that Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique. This seat will depart today." Xu Yuan waved a hand, pushed back his chair, picked up the jade box on the table, and walked slowly toward the hall's exit: "This seat understands a mother's eagerness to protect her child, but I hope you will conduct yourself with care, Madame Wan. Not many Saint Tier yin ghosts remain in this world of mortals today. I hope we can still meet and chat a century from now. When that time comes, this seat wouldn't mind giving this little tyke of yours a small gift..." As his faint, cool voice drifted away, Xu Yuan's figure gradually faded into the mist of the veranda. Silence settled over the hall, but it was soon shattered by a crazed, shrill child's voice: "Why?! Why?! Why?!!" "How dare this 'gentleman' dislike me! How dare he threaten me?! How dare he take my Sister Su?!! "I want to eat him! I will definitely eat him!!" "..." "..." The savage child's voice rose and fell with frantic bloodlust, only subsiding after half a quarter of an hour. Madame Wan gazed deeply in the direction where the Ghost Willow had departed. Stroking the infant in her belly tenderly, her tone was stripped of its former caution, cold as ice: "Fret not, Nuonuo. It won't be long before you can eat him." "Ah?" "Even a being like you cannot resist your Sister Su's Bewitching Soul Fiend Physique, let alone that gentleman who desires to copulate with her." Saying so, Madame Wan turned and walked toward the inner hall. "Besides, your grandfather is over at Evil Ghost Gorge. When your Sister Su makes her move, your grandfather will be able to capture them all and bring them back for you, Nuonuo." "R-Really?" The child's voice held an innocent delight. "Of course. Your grandfather loves you the most, Nuonuo. He will definitely capture them for you." *** Monan Protectorate, the Mu clan's secret manor. Sunlight poured down like a waterfall. The dry air burned like fire, and scorching dust swept through every corner of the atmosphere. Because it transported massive volumes of goods for the Marquis of Zhenxi's Manor, the Mu Merchant Guild had been granted special permission to form an elite force of "guards." After years of expansion, it had grown to the scale of one of Great Yan's military commands. To train these guards, the Mu Merchant Guild had undertaken massive construction projects, secretly building dozens of camps and hidden compounds across Monan. At this moment, on the vast drill ground in the center of the secret manor, a burly, white-haired and white-bearded old man stood bare-chested at the center, holding a halberd and panting heavily. Sweat dripped down his chiseled muscles to the ground, only to evaporate an instant later in the scorching heat. Radiating outward from him, countless massive gouges scarred the entire drill ground. Just as the old man was about to resume swinging the halberd, he caught sight from the corner of his eye of a tall man in brocade robes walking in through the entrance. His white brows twitching slightly, the old man lifted his halberd and strolled toward him. Upon approaching, the brocade-robed man dropped to one knee. The white-browed elder channeled his energy to shake the sweat from his body, pulled out an overcoat, slipped it on casually, and asked: "How did it go?" The brocade-robed man fell silent for a moment before saying hesitantly: "Father, Xingyi... was rescued by a giant insect." The white-browed elder raised an eyebrow, his gaze calm and unruffled: "Oh? So the task I assigned you failed?" "..." Hearing this, the brocade-robed man shuddered slightly. Lowering his head, he hurriedly explained: "Father, this—this wasn't my fault! That insect must be at the Transcendent—" Pfft! The halberd stabbed in through his shoulder, skewering the brocade-robed man diagonally and pinning him firmly to the ground. "..." The brocade-robed man. Mu Shanhai looked down at the terrified man, his tone indifferent: "Inept in cultivation, incompetent in service. What use is keeping you alive?" "..." The brocade-robed man died. Watching him breathe his last, Mu Shanhai slowly turned his eyes toward the eastern wall of the drill ground and spoke nonchalantly: "Since you're already here, you might as well show yourself." "Even a vicious tiger won't eat its cubs..." A figure manifested from the void, cloaked in black robes, and landed nearby, glancing at the still-warm corpse. "Old Mu, you truly are ruthless." Mu Shanhai, clad in his robe and holding his halberd, stared at the newcomer for a moment: "He knew too much. If word leaked and that old fellow the Marquis of Zhenxi found out, our situation would become dire." With that, he jerked the halberd out with a sharp flick, spattering blood across the scorching ground in a vivid arc. Looking at the visitor, Mu Shanhai asked: "Your people should have tailed that insect, yes?" The black-robed figure chuckled: "If we missed this chance, trying to find that insect in this vast desert would be like searching for a needle in the sea." Mu Shanhai nodded slightly, his voice deep and heavy: "As long as there's no issue. The Qin family has already succeeded in Di'an. A mishap occurred on our side earlier, allowing the Divine Maiden and Li Junwu to escape; we must use that insect to locate them as soon as possible." Hearing this, the black-robed figure sighed softly and whispered: "Someone from the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion has arrived as well, and her status seems quite exalted." Mu Shanhai's brows furrowed, his grip on the halberd tightening instinctively: "What do you mean?" The black-robed figure thought for a moment and smiled: "Just reminding you to stay alert, that's all. Though they seem to have gone missing right now." Mu Shanhai's somber eyes bored into the black-robed figure for several seconds. He snorted coldly and said in a low voice: "You'd better not feed me useless information. We have virtually zero margin for error. A layout decades in the making—one wrong move, and the entire board is lost." The black-robed figure shrugged and sighed: "Relax. According to the intelligence I've received, we still have plenty of time, because it will take a while before the Qin family's people reach us." Mu Shanhai's eyes narrowed, his tone dropping: "Say whatever you have to say all at once. My patience is limited." "Tsk, tsk... All right, all right, don't get angry, Old Mu." The black-robed figure shrank his neck and took two steps back, speaking sheepishly: "The Secret Investigation Bureau seems to be sending some powerhouses to tail them. Shaking them off might prove a bit difficult." "The Secret Investigation Bureau?" Mu Shanhai's brows knitted tightly. "How did Old Qin and the others handle things?" "You can't really blame Old Qin for this; it's mostly that Chancellor Xu." The black-robed figure's tone carried a touch of helplessness as he sighed: "The Chancellor's Manor reacted too quickly. The moment the Qin family's Second Young Master entered the Imperial Prison, the Chancellor's Manor began applying pressure. There was simply no way to fish him out through normal means, so they actually had to break him out of prison. Naturally, the Secret Investigation Bureau had to intervene." At this point, the black-robed figure's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone carrying a trace of flippancy: "But don't worry, Old Mu. The Secret Investigation Bureau can only bully common folk. Shaking them off shouldn't be a problem."