Leaf-Gathering Pavilion

Ever since coming to the Mo clan, Ye Shu's cultivation had been skyrocketing.

The people here were not only high in cultivation—barely anyone below the Core Formation stage—but also stupid. They loved doing bad things, so he could refine them with a clear conscience. There was no better place than this.

What?

You ask how Ye Shu could tell who was good and who was bad?

To be honest, Ye Shu was a bit puzzled himself. Logically, after he'd dealt with those who bullied Jiang Mingyue, the others should have restrained themselves, or at least feared Jiang Mingyue.

But they didn't.

Instead, they doubled down on bullying Jiang Mingyue.

So, Ye Shu decided to use Jiang Mingyue as a malice-detection device. Whoever bullied her was bad, and he'd pay them a visit at night.

This threw the entire Mo clan branch into panic.

Strangely enough, they still didn't stop bullying her, forcing Ye Shu to reluctantly acknowledge their sheer stubbornness.

"Hey, hey, hey!"

One day at the dinner table, Jiang Xin couldn't help tapping her bowl with her chopsticks and frowned. "Are you using Little Mingyue as bait? Going out every night to kill people—aren't you afraid someone might catch on?"

"Let me be clear: it's not that I care about you."

"I'm just worried that if you keep this up and the villagers start targeting you, Little Mingyue and I will get caught in the crossfire."

"Besides, Mingyue gets bullied every day, and I can't stand it." Jiang Xin put down her chopsticks, putting on a facade of caring about the family.

"Daddy, eat some meat!"

As for Little Mingyue?

She didn't seem aware of the bullying at all. Instead, she cheerfully picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Ye Shu's bowl. Seeing him eat it, her eyes narrowed with joy. "Hehe..."

"No need to worry."

Ye Shu chewed on the meat as he spoke. "Not only will those who bully Mingyue die—those who bully others will also die. That way, suspicion won't fall on me too quickly."

Of course, the real reason was...

He wasn't afraid.

Don't underestimate a Half-Immortal, dammit!

Now he was no different from those ancient novel protagonists who reincarnated as Immortal Emperors.

"Dammit..." Jiang Xin watched the two of them—big and small—flaunting their father-son bond in front of her, nearly grinding her teeth to dust. Seriously, wasn't she a part of this family too?

"Alright, I'm full."

Ye Shu put down his bowl and chopsticks, then picked up Jiang Mingyue and headed to the yard to play, leaving Jiang Xin alone to clean up the leftovers. She was so angry she nearly threw the bowl.

Life continued, calm and peaceful.

Until...

"Recently, there have been reports of the Shir Ye Tower in a valley to the west. Go there to investigate. Those demonic women have killed many of our Mo clan—we must teach them a lesson!"

As the branch elder finished speaking, the disciples below burst into anxious discussion, their faces pale with fear.

"The Shir Ye Tower? I don't want to die..."

"It's over. I feel like I need to write my last will."

"If I break my own leg, will I be excused?"

Hearing the disciples' defeatist talk, the branch elder's eyes blazed with anger. He snapped, "A bunch of useless cowards! You're not the main force. The headquarters will send a Soul Integration-stage master. You just need to assist."

Hearing this, the disciples finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Ye Shu, mingling among the crowd, grew curious. Who were these Shir Ye Tower people?

Judging by everyone's reaction, they seemed utterly terrified.

He kept his mouth shut, quietly eavesdropping on their complaints.

"Even with a Soul Integration-stage master—I still think this mission is doomed."

"Exactly. No one who's ever faced those demonic women has come back alive."

"And I heard the Shir Ye Tower isn't even human—they're ghosts!"

"Ghosts?!"

"Yeah!"

"They say all the demonic women look exactly the same, and if you kill one, another appears the next day, like they can never be wiped out."

"Worst of all, their methods..."

"They kill without a trace. You can't even find the bodies!"

Ye Shu listened with a furrowed brow.

Shir Ye. Shir Ye.

It had to be a faction related to him, but as far as he knew, no such connection existed.

Just who was behind this faction?

Regardless, Ye Shu knew he had to check out the Shir Ye Tower.

"Alright, I'm going for it!"

After making up his mind, the first thing Ye Shu did when he got home was inform Jiang Xin of his plans.

"I'm going on a long trip."

"How long?"

"I don't know."

Ye Shu shook his head, then crouched down and tousled Jiang Mingyue's little head, smiling. "Mingyue, be good. Daddy has to go out for a few days. You stay in the yard and don't go out, okay?"

"Mm-hmm!"

"Daddy, don't worry! Mingyue will be good!"

Jiang Mingyue hugged her doll and nodded firmly.

With that, Ye Shu gave a few more instructions before leaving with the others.

Jiang Mingyue watched his retreating figure, the innocent look gradually fading from her eyes. She returned to the small house to find Jiang Xin doing laundry and said coldly, "He's gone."

"Oh."

Jiang Xin didn't even look up. "Good. The sooner, the better."

She no longer wanted to deal with that Old Monster, or that sly little brat who'd turned traitor.

Seeing her unresponsive, Jiang Mingyue continued.

"After he leaves, you have to take over for him."

"Take over? What do you mean?" Jiang Xin looked up, surprised.

"If no one dies in the Mo clan branch after he's gone, the scope of investigation in the village will shrink drastically—it'll be narrowed to whoever left the village during this time."

"But if you pick up where he left off..."

"Then he'll be cleared of all suspicion. He'll no longer be on the suspect list."

At those words, the small yard fell silent.

Jiang Xin stared blankly at Jiang Mingyue's small, serious face, utterly stunned.

"Wait, wait, wait... Have you suddenly become sentient?"

Hearing this, Jiang Mingyue wrinkled her little nose and shot her a disdainful look. "Do you really think I'm a three-year-old brat? I am the Nine Nether Empress!"

"Damn it!" Jiang Xin was furious.

Her own Nascent Soul had gained sentience, and she hadn't even known. Now it had only revealed itself for the sake of some random man.

"I'm asking you: will you do it or not?"

Jiang Mingyue crossed her arms, staring at Jiang Xin. "The soul power of the Mo clan should be quite beneficial to your cultivation, right?"

"Now that he's gone, you don't have to worry about exposing yourself."

Hearing this, Jiang Xin paused.

She glanced left and right, then gritted her teeth. "Fine, I'll do it!"