Rumble...
The stone door mechanism closed again.
"Brother Song, has something happened?" Qiu Lianyue asked nervously. Though she had been sleeping peacefully for the past two years, the pressure of confinement almost drove her crazy.
She longed to return to the towns of the mortal world, to experience the hustle and bustle of the market, to hear vendors' cries at dawn, and to smell the smoke and dust of the evening streets.
But everything that was once ordinary, even annoying to her, had now become incredibly luxurious.
If not for Song Yan, she would have died long ago.
So, any disturbance involving Song Yan sufficed to make her anxious and worried.
Song Yan had never gone out at midnight.
Something must have happened today.
Song Yan was silent for a while, as if pondering something, then said, "Killed someone."
"Brother Song... th-this..." Qiu Lianyue stammered, thinking there was a conflict between fellow disciples.
Song Yan said, "It was Senior Sister Qi's Furnace."
On the side, Cao Xuerou was abruptly startled, because any Furnace that came here must be of the Great Wei Royal Family bloodline. She might recognize...
Song Yan seemed to notice her small movement and said, "It was your husband. He defected, so I helped Senior Sister Qi kill him."
Pa...
A tender cry from a woman came from the side room, accompanied by the sound of beast skin and a scraper falling to the ground.
Qiu Lianyue was dumbfounded.
Song Yan glanced at the Princess Consort of King Zhen Nan in the side room and sighed softly.
He was not someone who liked taking risks.
Therefore, he would not gamble that "the commotion from killing King Zhen Nan would not be discovered." Rather than being exposed by others, it was better to naturally admit it himself.
After all, killing a fleeing servant is indeed a very normal thing.
As for the Princess Consort of King Zhen Nan.
This poor woman, her husband was dead, yet she was tormented by "Fanatic Fans," driving her to desire to be with her enemy. Such torture... was enough to make her pick up a skinning knife to commit suicide.
For her, this might be a good ending in a bad situation.
And for him, the Princess Consort's death could prove his evil demon style.
Such... though dark, was a tragically winning situation.
Song Yan drew the curtains, lay back on the couch, and called for Miss Qiu, who had been planning to comfort Cao Xuerou, to serve him.
...
...
Many unexpected things will always happen in the world.
For example, early in the morning, Song Yan discovered that the Princess Consort had not committed suicide, but was kneeling before him, saying she was willing to serve him like Miss Qiu.
The Princess Consort said, life is short, make merry while you can. Actually, since being captured by the Blood Spear Sect and sent to this Puppet Sect, King Zhen Nan had already died. It wasn't Song Yan who killed King Zhen Nan, but the unavoidable disaster of the country's demise. King Zhen Nan being decisively killed by Song Yan was actually a blessing. The Princess Consort herself had also died, and now she only wanted to experience the joy of being a woman for the rest of her life.
Song Yan intended to refuse, but suddenly he heard a noise in the distance outside the stone door. It seemed someone had gone to the place where King Zhen Nan died last night.
He squinted, showing a thoughtful look, as if calculating something.
Soon, he sighed softly, lay down again, and waved to the Princess Consort.
The Princess Consort came, and after a while of rustling comfort...
Song Yan operated the Absorption Technique within the "Profound Qi Guiding Technique," performing it twice in succession.
After a long time, the Princess Consort looked weak, lying limp on the bed.
...
After the affair ended, he walked out of the stone door.
As soon as he did, he hadn't walked far before he saw a few disciples gathered on the cliff saying "it seems there was a commotion here last night."
Song Yan went straight forward and honestly said he saw a black shadow running around outside, the shadow didn't respond, he faintly saw it seemed to be a Furnace, to prevent accidents, he struck and killed it.
The disciples laughed, saying "It should be killed, it should be killed."
Song Yan glanced across at Qi Yao's cave mansion.
The stone door was tightly shut.
And he no longer wanted to be entangled with this woman.
Even though there was some fondness before, and some kindness, everything ceased to exist with that strike last night.
After the disciples dispersed, Wang Susu walked up to him and said softly, "Junior Sister Qi is too righteous. The Furnace defected, certainly not willing to use Fanatic Fans.
In ordinary days it's nothing, but at this time... she might be suspected.
Junior Brother, you are a smart person. You killed that defected Furnace last night but did not deny it.
However, there are still issues with your conduct style."
After speaking, she lowered her voice, "Qiu Lianyue followed you for almost three years, yet nothing happened. But with the Princess Consort of King Zhen Nan, do you know if you used Fanatic Fans?"
Song Yan didn't waste words, directly inviting Wang Susu into the cave for a look.
Wang Susu was an old hand with Fanatic Fans, very familiar with the obscene atmosphere in the air. After glancing at the Princess Consort of the South Suppressing King looking weak from being harvested, and the Strengthening Ginseng Pill placed on the table, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle charmingly.
She playfully patted Song Yan's arm and said, "I thought you were more upright, turns out you're this type too. Want to give it a try with Senior Sister sometime? We won't harvest each other, just to compensate for the regret back then. Hehehe..."
Song Yan smiled, saying nothing more.
If... the Peak Master of South Bamboo Peak wanted to pick a confidant from the disciples to help monitor things, he would definitely choose Wang Susu.
Because, Senior Sister Wang is a true Demon Sect demoness, ruthless and cunning, and knows how to ride the wind and avoid danger.
She is not one of those inexplicably fake demonesses who claim to be a demon but act like the most righteous Female Knight, even possessing a harvesting cultivation technique yet still remaining a virgin...
Sure enough, Wang Susu continued to laugh, "This matter, Senior Sister will vouch for you, but as for Miss Qi, Senior Sister can't say for sure..."
Song Yan nodded.
Wang Susu said, "Let's go to the Tannery together."
The two had been "partners" for almost two years.
This sentence of Wang Susu's was as natural as "Let's go have a meal together."
But Song Yan shook his head.
Wang Susu was genuinely stunned.
Song Yan explained, "Today I'm going to Cuique Forest."
Wang Susu asked in bewilderment, "What are you doing there?"
Song Yan replied, "The Skin Painting Technique says that if you want the drafts to preserve their spirit, you must see them with your eyes and observe them with your heart. There are two-headed wolves in Cuique Forest, so I'm going to take a look."
Skin Painting Technique...
Wang Susu was stunned for a long time.
The Skin Painting Soul Summoning Technique is the cultivation technique of a Skin Master, and the status of a Skin Master is unimaginably high.
She nodded blankly but then quickly said, "Is it safe for Junior Brother to go alone?"
Song Yan smiled, "Cuique Forest is also an official path of Shadow Puppet Peak, and I've been refining profound for a long time. My physique is not like that of a mortal. At that time... I'll choose a safe location to observe, should be fine.
How about... Senior Sister accompany me?"
Wang Susu hesitated but shook her head, as she had not yet reached the first level of refining profound and dared not wander around outside South Bamboo Peak.
However, she then rolled her eyes and said, "Don't worry, Junior Brother. If the incident of that furnace's tragic death last night causes trouble, Senior Sister will handle it for you."
"Senior Sister Wang is truly kind."
Song Yan felt somewhat emotional.
Someone as good as Qi Yao keeps adding trouble for him.
Instead, it's Senior Sister Wang, this wicked demoness, who helps him solve many "little tails".
He once devoted his heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon illuminated his misfortune...
Wang Susu laughed heartily, "Junior Brother, you must remember Senior Sister's kindness."
...
...
The lower place is not necessarily safe; when the sky falls, it's never the tall ones who bear it first. Even a sheet of snow from the high place can be an unbearable weight for those below.
Therefore, when Song Yan was able to jump out from the Chores Room, he did not hesitate. The fact proves... those servants who didn't jump out are indeed all dead.
Concealing one's destination is not necessarily clever. Because the people around you are not fools; there will always be eyes watching you, ears hearing you. But when they see and hear that "you want to climb higher, on a path they cannot climb," they will instead elevate you, and offer you green lights everywhere.
Thus, Song Yan not only didn't hide his intention to go to Cuique Forest, he openly announced it.
Not only did he tell Wang Susu, but anyone who asked along the way, he would candidly tell them.
He's heading to cultivate the Skin Painting Technique.
...
Crunch, crunch, crunch...
The two water element walnuts in Song Yan's palm were rapidly rotating, each turn carrying exceptionally rare Water Element Profound Qi into his palm, which was then slowly absorbed by his skin through the secret technique of the Little Five Elements Hand.
After about half an hour, he arrived at a cliff on the outskirts of South Bamboo Peak, beneath which was a lush, wild forest.
This path was most often taken by the official disciples of Shadow Puppet Peak.
But those disciples rode shadow puppets, either flying or traversing the tree tops, never delving deep into the forest.
Hence, the forest was abundant with low-level demon beasts.
Song Yan descended the slope of the mountain, entering the forest.
There was no entrance here, because every place was an entrance, and every place was an exit...
He walked for a long time, luck was on his side; behind a large rock, he spotted two two-headed wolves drinking water from afar, their four big heads clumsily bobbing.
Song Yan began to observe closely, his fingers tracing the outline of the two-headed wolves in the void.
Indeed, seeing the real thing is truly better than seeing a draft.
Much better!