You Know, I Admire Master Mo

"What do you mean, this time our Mo family and the other hidden clans who went to the Nine Abyss Ruins all perished without a single survivor except Young Master Mo, yet you—a mere branch disciple—not only came back loaded with treasures, but came back completely unscathed, standing here talking to me as bold as brass?"

At this moment, in the Mo family branch's council hall.

Inside the dim hall, the Branch Patriarch, draped in a black robe, leaning on a staff, aged and frail, sat at the high seat, his murky old eyes narrowed into slits as he sized up Ye Shu from head to toe.

The air in the hall was heavy, as if frozen solid.

No one dared to take so much as a deep breath.

Yet Ye Shu stood there unperturbed, completely confident, and replied with cupped fists: "That's right, exactly as I said."

"Hmph!"

The Branch Patriarch slammed his staff hard against the ground, producing a sharp crack, his tone icy cold.

"If I recall correctly, it was the same last time, wasn't it?"

"Back in Paper Doll Valley, it was also the Mo family suffering total annihilation, with only you returning alive."

"And this time, again, you're the only one who came back."

The old man said this, his gaze never leaving Ye Shu's face: "You're just an ordinary branch disciple. What makes you qualified? Are you telling me you're some sort of Chosen One?"

"Once could be a coincidence. But twice? Is it really that convenient?"

"Do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

"Disciple does not understand what the Elder is talking about." Ye Shu lowered his head and cupped his fists, yet his tone carried not a shred of fear—instead, it was laced with a kind of unshakable audacity.

As if he held no fear of the old man before him at all.

This unnatural behavior only made the Branch Patriarch's suspicions grow like wild weeds. How could a mere nobody dare to act so boldly in front of an elder of his caliber?

Unless he had some kind of backing!

And how could Mo Shisan possibly have any backing?

There was only one explanation.

The person before him was no longer Mo Shisan, but an impostor whose methods were unafraid of him!

However, just as this thought crossed his mind—

Ye Shu suddenly reached into his robes and pulled out a round, smooth bead, holding it in his palm.

"What is that?"

The Branch Patriarch was startled. He looked closely and saw that it was none other than a Memory Stone.

"What are you taking out a Memory Stone for?"

The old man frowned, not understanding.

"Elder, you wouldn't know this," Ye Shu said with a slight smile, a smile carrying the distinctive smugness of a man who had risen above his station. "Inside the ruins, it wasn't that I was unwilling to travel with Young Master Mo and the others. Rather, Young Master Mo was worried I might get hurt, so he specially ordered me to wait at the outer perimeter, while he himself led the main branch's brothers deep into danger."

"He went out of his way to protect you?"

Hearing this, the old man let out a snort through his nose.

"Look at yourself. What standing do you have? The heir of the Mo family would worry about your life? If you're going to spin lies, at least make them a little more believable!"

"Heh heh..."

Ye Shu didn't bother to explain. Instead, he raised the Memory Stone high.

The Memory Stone immediately burst into brilliant light, and what it displayed was none other than the scene of Ye Shu, inside the treasure vault, disregarding his own life, shoving Mo Yu aside, and bearing the full brunt of the formation alone—along with images of Mo Yu begging him to leave, unwilling to see him harmed.

Every frame was seamless and lifelike.

There was not the slightest hint of fabrication.

"This..."

The Branch Patriarch's eyes went wide as he stared at the images in the Memory Stone, almost unable to believe his own eyes.

That cold-hearted, petty, vengeance-seeking Mo Yu actually cared about the life of a mere branch disciple!

"You know full well—I have always held Young Master Mo in the highest esteem!"

Ye Shu held the Memory Stone as if it were the key to his entire future, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Tsk... The Elder sitting here picking on me..."

"Could it be that you're questioning Young Master Mo's judgment and decisions?"

"This!"

With such a massive hat being dropped on his head, the old man's face changed drastically. He opened his mouth, but found himself completely helpless.

Given Mo Yu's personality, he would not reason with anyone.

Curse it!

This bastard had actually managed to climb that high!

The Branch Patriarch's face darkened. He finally understood why Ye Shu's behavior had been so different from usual—so he had latched onto a higher power and no longer needed to grovel.

"Since it's the Young Master's intention, this old man naturally has no objections..."

The old man said coldly, flicking his sleeve.

"Go on back. Don't ruin the Young Master's appreciation of you."

"As ordered."

Ye Shu pocketed the Memory Stone, smiled, and turned to leave, his posture utterly carefree.

Was there anything more satisfying than this?

Using an enemy's power to escape an enemy's trap.

This cause births this effect.

Nothing in this world is rarer.

And behind him, the Branch Patriarch stared coldly at Ye Shu's retreating figure, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

A mere junior dared to act so arrogantly toward him?

The Young Master's appreciation was one thing.

But in the end, he was still nothing but a nobody. If he died, no one would even notice.

Only after Ye Shu's figure had completely vanished did the old man let out a cold snort.

"Shadow Guard! Keep an eye on him. Find a chance to..." The old man didn't finish his sentence, merely making a throat-slitting gesture coldly.

"..."

No sound came from the shadows.

The old man frowned and barked: "Where are you?!"

"Have you all turned traitor?!"

The next moment, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

Then a second, a third, a fourth, a fifth—dozens of Shadow Guards appeared from the shadows one after another, answering the old man's call, but their eyes were lifeless, with an eerie purple light flickering deep within.

The latter arrivals encircled the old man in a ring.

The last person of authority in the Mo family branch finally realized at that moment that something was deeply wrong.

He frowned, his gaze warily sweeping across all of them.

"Old bastard, don't bother struggling."

Just then, a crisp, bell-like voice rang out through the hall.

"Who?!"

The old man bellowed, his eyes lightning sharp as he followed the sound.

There, a stunningly beautiful woman slowly emerged from the darkness, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her eyes glowed with a deep purple light in the dim illumination, as if they could suck out a person's very soul.

Jiang Xin traced a circle with her hands on the spot, then let out a coquettish laugh.

"Everyone here is my people. What are you going to fight me with? Might as well... get going early!"

With that, she suddenly waved her hand.

All the Shadow Guards in the hall raised their weapons and charged at the old man with reckless abandon, fearing neither life nor death.

The old man's face changed drastically as he scrambled to defend himself.

But he could fend off the Shadow Guards before him—what he couldn't fend off was Jiang Xin, who waited for the perfect opening.

Seizing the moment while he was blocked, her pupils suddenly flared to life like two purple moons, a faint, entrancing light flowing through the hall, carrying a hypnotic pull that seized one's very soul.

The old man instinctively raised his eyes to meet her gaze, and in that instant, he was frozen in place, his stare vacant.

"You... master..."

"Heh heh..."

Jiang Xin nodded in satisfaction, her lips curling into a smirk.

Originally, she hadn't planned on making her move so soon—but who told this bastard to target her husband?

"Hehe..."

Jiang Xin couldn't help but let out a low, lovesick giggle.

So someday when her husband finds out she's been silently protecting him behind the scenes, he'll be so moved he'll bawl his eyes out and love her to death, right?

Little punk, just keep learning that trick.