In the Plum Courtyard, almost all the maids and servants had rushed out, standing in the back garden, supporting each other and looking around nervously.


    The ground beneath their feet continued to tremble, and most of the trees and flower bushes in the garden were uprooted, leaving the ce inplete disarray.


    Thunderous roars echoed from above the celestial stone, reverberating through the area, filling everyone with unease.


    "What''s happening?!" a young maid shrieked in fear. "Did Manager Yu and the others catch the intruders in the hall?"


    "It must be. With such amotion, the intruders must be incredibly powerful," whispered an embroiderer in the courtyard, her hairpin still stuck in her hair. She held a half-finished new garment in her arms and murmured, "If they seed, maybe we can finally leave this ce..."


    "Sister, are you mad?!" Another maid quickly covered the embroiderer''s mouth, her face filled with terror. "Don’t say such things! What if someone overhears? If they fail, Manager Yu will never let you off!"


    The embroiderer immediately realized her mistake and said with a hint of fear, "Thank you for reminding me, sister. I just..."


    She shook her head, stopping herself, and nced at Ying Ti, who stood pale and uneasy on the other side. Sheforted her, "Don’t be afraid, sister. Everything will be fine."


    Ying Ti snapped out of her daze and forced a smile. "Yes!"


    Only a few servants in the Plum Courtyard knew about the rtionship between Sister Ahuan and Master Shen. Ying Ti was close to the embroiderer and usually shared everything with her, but she had kept this matter entirely to herself.


    The young girl tilted her head, gazing at the dark celestial stone, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt tightly. She was both worried and hopeful.


    Could Sister Ahuan really lead them out of here?


    "Madam," Tao Hong rushed out of the room with a cloak, carefully avoiding the fallen beams and debris. She raised her hand to drape the cloak over Mei Yi and helped her outside. "Madam, let’s go to the open area!"


    Mei Yi came to her senses, tying the cloak securely around herself as she followed the maid. She called out softly, "Tao Hong."


    Tao Hong, panting heavily from running, asked, "Madam, what is it?"


    "Do you hear it?" Mei Yi listened intently, her lips curving into a bittersweet smile. "They’re fighting. Do you hear it, Tao Hong? They’re fighting..."


    Tao Hong pulled Mei Yi along the gravel path, ncing back at her with concern. Her lips trembled as she whispered, "Madam..."


    Before she could finish her sentence, a ck whirlwind suddenly swept through, lifting both mistress and maid into the air. Their frail bodies spun like fallen leaves in the storm.


    The sandstorm was fierce, and everything turned dark. Tao Hong couldn’t see a thing, but she could feel someone pulling at Mei Yi!


    Tao Hong clung tightly to Mei Yi’s hand, screaming in terror, "Madam! Madam!"


    The familiar stench of blood mixed with the smell of fish filled Mei Yi’s nostrils. She immediately realized who was behind this and shuddered in disgust. "City Lord..."


    Ning Hui, the City Lord of Ningzhang City, sneered. His eyes were shrouded in ck mist as he nced at Tao Hong. The mist instantly crawled onto the maid’s face.


    The ck mist seemed like countless mouths, gnawing at the girl’s cheeks and greedily sucking her blood.


    Tao Hong couldn’t even scream. Her once round, slightly chubby cheeks visibly sank, like a deted balloon.


    Yet, despite the agony, Tao Hong still held onto Mei Yi’s hand.


    Tears streamed down Mei Yi’s face as she tried to plead, but Ning Hui had no intention of listening. He sealed her mouth with the ck mist.


    He prepared to leave, dragging Mei Yi and the maid, who would soon be a desated corpse.


    Suddenly, a giant hand woven from five-colored spiritual energy materialized in the air, hovering above Ning Hui!


    The hand formed a w, aiming straight for Ning Hui with an overwhelming, irresistible force!


    Ning Hui’s face turned pale with fear.


    This was no ordinary Nascent Soul cultivator—this was a high-level Nascent Soul expert, with an aura that even hinted at the power of a Mahayana cultivator!


    He had thought he could take one person between the Ghost Fish King and Mei Yi.


    There was more than one Ghost Fish King in the Nine Provinces Continent; he could always capture another in the seas. But Mei Yi was unique.


    It had been an easy choice for Ning Hui, and he hadn’t hesitated.


    Just as now, he didn’t hesitate either. Ning Hui raised his hand and flung both Mei Yi and Tao Hong toward the descending palm of Gu Shan!


    "You vile creature! You’re not even fit to be my appetizer!" Gu Shan cursed angrily, quickly retracting his sword-like palm to save the two instead.


    Ning Hui seized the opportunity, pulling out a teleportation scroll and vanishing in an instant.


    Gu Shan didn’t pursue him immediately. Frowning, he looked at the two young women and waved his hand, dispelling the demonic energy from their bodies before gently cing them back on the ground.


    Tao Hong’s face was a horrifying sight. Her once fair skin was now riddled with holes, revealing the bones beneath.


    Mei Yi rushed over, her eyes red and her voice hoarse. "Tao Hong..."


    A dozen steps away, Liu Lu clung to a pir, clutching a bundle tightly. Hearing her mistress’s voice, she opened her eyes and gasped in horror at Tao Hong’s condition.


    Liu Lu scrambled over, tears streaming down her face as she cried, "Madam, Tao Hong, are you alright? Tao Hong, your face..."


    Tao Hong’s body twitched slightly, her voice distorted with pain as she whispered weakly, "I... I’m fine..."


    "Liu Lu," Mei Yi grabbed her, "quick! Give me the medical kit from the bundle!"


    "Yes, yes, Madam!" Liu Lu hastily set down the bundle and rummaged through it to retrieve the medical kit.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Mei Yi first fed Tao Hong a spiritual pill, then applied medicinal powder and bandages to her wounds.


    Gu Shan stood nearby, stroking his beard as he scrutinized Mei Yi. Suddenly, he asked, "Are you Mei Jing’s disciple?"


    Mei Yi’s hand trembled, spilling most of the powder. She instinctively looked up, her gazending on Gu Shan’s face.


    Mei Yi didn’t recognize the man and hesitated, "You are..."


    Gu Shan snapped his fingers, changing his face to one he had used before.


    He had many enemies and debtors, so in his youth, he had sneaked into the Harmony Union Sect to learn the art of face-changing. He often switched appearances.


    Mei Yi’s eyes widened. "Elder... Elder Gu..."


    Gu Shan changed his face back and nodded. "So it really is you."


    Mei Yi averted her gaze, lowering her head in fear. Her hands trembled uncontrobly, making it impossible to continue treating Tao Hong.


    Fortunately, Liu Lu had learned a lot from her over the years. Mei Yi handed the powder to her. "Liu Lu, you do it."


    Liu Lu hesitated, taking the bottle and ncing between Mei Yi and Gu Shan.


    Gu Shan stared at Mei Yi, his gaze deep and probing. "Girl, do you know what you’re doing?"


    Mei Yi clenched her stiff hands, kneeling on the gravel, her lips pressed tightly together.


    Gu Shan asked, "Have you told anyone about this?"


    Mei Yi shook her head slightly.


    Gu Shan said nothing more. He pointed at Mei Yi’s forehead, quickly searching through her memories.


    After a moment, he withdrew his hand and let out a long sigh.


    The soul-searching technique was extremely taxing, and Mei Yi fainted immediately.


    Liu Lu caught her in her arms, crying out, "Madam!"


    She red at Gu Shan, her lips trembling as she stammered, "W-what did you do to her..."


    Gu Shan couldn’t stay long. He quickly instructed, "Take your mistress to my wayward disciple, the cold-faced young man. You know who I mean, right?"


    Liu Lu looked uncertain.


    Gu Shan threatened, "If you don’t hand her over to him, your mistress will die. Tell them to take her to Antai District, Block Five, House Neen in Ningzhang City and wait for me there. I’ll wake her up."


    With that, Gu Shan pulled out his wine sk and set off to chase Ning Hui.


    Thousands of miles away, the Dingyang Mountain range stretched endlessly, its peaks half-hidden in the clouds.


    Ning Hui put away the teleportation scroll and swiftly moved across the mountain peaks.


    As he ran, he sent a message talisman to a specific person.


    Soon, a deep male voice responded, "What is it?"


    "Your Excellency!" Ning Hui reported quickly, "A Nascent Soul swordsman has broken into the secret hall. I’ve escaped and am currently at Dingyang Mountain!"


    There was a brief silence before the voice asked, "Who is it?"


    "I don’t recognize him, but he’s connected to the Xie Family," Ning Hui exined. "Everyone in the inner hall has been dealt with, but I didn’t have time to handle those in the outer hall. However, they don’t know about the inner hall’s affairs. Your Excellency, what should I do now?"


    "A Nascent Soul cultivator..." the man mused. "Run if you can. If you can’t, Ning Hui, you know the consequences."


    With that, the other party destroyed the talisman.


    Ning Hui pressed his hand against his chest, exhaling deeply as if to expel the heaviness in his heart.


    His mind raced, searching for a way to escape. He swiftly changed direction, heading toward a more popted area, his movements so fast that each step seemed to traverse an entire mountain.


    The sun was setting, and the sky was painted with a dazzling array of twilight hues.


    High above, a swirling arch of multicolored light formed in the air, and Gu Shan emerged, swaying an empty wine pouch.


    “What a miscalction!” he muttered to himself. “When I left the inner hall earlier, I should have snatched that rebellious disciple’s storage pouch and taken those two jars of wine! Now I’m left with nothing to drink.”


    Gu Shan sighed, his gaze following Ning Hui as he darted between the mountains. Absentmindedly, he tapped the wine pouch against his thigh, deep in thought.


    This city lord is a demon. Should I capture him or let him go?


    He must have a Demonic Heart Worm inside him. Those worms devour a demon’s consciousness, so even if I capture him, I won’t get any answers.


    Whenever a demon appears on the Nine Provinces Continent, it usually means there’s already a hidden group lurking in the shadows.


    Gu Shan secured the wine pouch and made up his mind. He pressed a finger to his brow, drawing out a strand of spiritual energy, and in an instant, he appeared behind Ning Hui.


    With a single palm strike, Gu Shan sent Ning Hui reeling. Blood spurted from Ning Hui’s mouth.


    “Such speed!” Ning Hui gritted his teeth, refusing to look back. Instead, he used the force of the blow to propel himself forward.


    He knew better than anyone that engaging in a direct fight with Gu Shan would mean certain defeat.


    Ning Hui leaped down the mountain, his fingers curling into ws as he aimed for the small vige below. A thick cloud of ck mist descended upon it.


    It was dinner time, and the vige was alive with the scent of cooking smoke. A few children chased each other around a pear tree in front of a house, their innocentughter mingling with the distant barks of dogs.


    “How despicable! Utterly despicable!” Gu Shan cursed, his body shing like lightning as he dove downward.


    Ning Hui sneered, a faint glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. Seizing the moment while Gu Shan was busy saving the vigers, he activated a teleportation talisman and vanished into the crowd of Dingyang City, disappearing without a trace.