At this time, it was already dusk. With late autumn approaching, the sky darkened exceptionally quickly.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the setting sun had vanished beneath the horizon, leaving only crimson clouds reflecting the last light of the day.
There was no curfew in the Yang Kingdom, and Zangfeng Prefecture was especially known as a city that never slept.
Its night markets were so prosperous that they had earned the poetic nickname "as if stars of the Silver River had fallen upon the earth," attracting countless poets to compose verses about it.
Now, as night fell, the lanterns were only just beginning to be lit, illuminating all of Zangfeng Prefecture like daylight.
The true bustle was just beginning.
...
"Huff... huff..."
Akan panted heavily as he darted between the shadows of buildings, so fast he was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
He wore black clothing and had a tender, refined appearance, around thirteen or fourteen years old, with the air of a scholar, like a student who had slipped out of his private school unnoticed.
But the large, hideous blade wounds on his arms and back, with blood soaking through his garments, revealed he was anything but ordinary.
His eyes were alert, his expression tense. After sprinting for quite some time, he dove into a narrow alley and vanished into the darkness in an instant.
This alley was a dead end. At its farthest point, a pile of clutter was stacked, mostly discarded bamboo baskets, wooden barrels, and broken furniture from a few nearby homes.
But if one looked closely, they would see he hadn't actually disappeared. Instead, he had transformed into a white-furred rat, burrowing into the heap of junk in the alley.
Through a small hole beneath the alley, he slipped into a residential home on the opposite side.
The interior was pitch black, seemingly empty. But as soon as Akan crept inside, someone immediately spoke up, alert and cautious:
"Akan? Did you succeed?"
Akan transformed back into human form, nodded but then shook his head. He spoke somewhat awkwardly:
"I was nearly caught. I was afraid of revealing my tracks, so I stashed the government silver in various houses I passed along the way..."
The person waved a hand, igniting a small ball of dim flame in her palm, lighting a small circle around her and illuminating her face.
She wore a purple dress, had phoenix-shaped eyes, sharply lifted at the corners, with her brows sweeping up toward her temples, exuding a fierce, commanding aura.
Strangely, at the center of her forehead was a purple scale, and her eyes were blood-red vertical pupils.
Akan was a white-furred rat demon, and this woman in the purple dress was named Wu Man, a snake demon!
Upon hearing his words and seeing his empty hands, Wu Man's expression darkened at once:
"What did I tell you?! If you failed, then you shouldn't have come back! At the very least, you were to stay out all night and wait for the situation to settle before returning!"
"With your 'Heaven-Severing Concealment,' hiding for a night should be simple, shouldn't it?"
"And if you succeeded in taking the silver, then no matter what, you were to bring it back here!"
"You think stashing the silver in a random house means your trail won't be tracked? Those bloodhounds of the imperial hounds, once they pick up a single clue, they'll follow the thread right back to us!"
"You acted on your own, lost the silver, and exposed our location, what use do I have for you?!"
But... I was injured. My Divine Ability was weakened. If I stayed outside, I definitely would have been caught...
Akan silently regretted it, only daring to defend himself in his heart. Natural fear kept his mouth shut in front of Wu Man.
Besides, when he had just taken human form, he had already been hunted down by the Department of Shennong, and it was Wu Man who had saved and taken him in. He had chosen to serve her willingly.
Now that he had failed, of course the blame was all his.
What Wu Man scolded him for wasn't wrong, it was indeed he who had messed things up.
Akan shrank back his shoulders under the verbal lashing and muttered:
"My barrier hasn't been broken yet. I should still be able to retrieve the silver... I can go back the same way! I absolutely won't bring trouble to you, Big Sister!"
Wu Man took a deep breath, then said coldly:
"Tell me where you hid the silver."
Akan honestly recited the locations to Wu Man.
He had stolen ten chests of official silver and hidden them separately in various mortal households along his escape route, laying down barriers and even planting misleading clues at a few locations.
Under normal circumstances, those measures should buy them about three hours of time.
Even if a few hiding spots were discovered, he could still preserve the rest.
Wu Man asked:
"All the barriers are still intact for now?"
Akan nodded.
Wu Man's expression eased slightly:
"I'll send someone to retrieve it... You've done well enough. I was a little too impatient earlier."
Akan lowered his head, guilt-ridden:
"I know this batch of official silver is very important to us. It was my mistake."
Because of the Department of Shennong's dominance in the Yang Kingdom, demons had an extremely difficult time surviving, especially in Zangfeng Prefecture.
Constantly hiding and fleeing already drained most of the demonfolk's strength. Many demons, injured and maimed, had died of starvation or illness.
But still, some demons were unwilling to accept this fate. They hoped to change the condition of their kin and find a place where they could live freely.
Under the Department of Shennong's surveillance, even showing their faces was risky. Naturally, they couldn't earn money through normal means, and thus, robbery became the only option.
As long as this plan succeeded, they would escape the Yang Kingdom and reach the Ehua Continent, a nation on the sea where humans were more tolerant of demons.
At least, that's what Wu Man told him.
Wu Man patted his shoulder:
"Don't blame yourself too much. Go get some rest, you've had a rough night."
Akan nodded, still uneasy:
"If you need help again, Big Sister, please let me know!"
Wu Man curled her lips into a gentle smile and looked at him:
"Of course. Akan's Divine Ability is so useful, it must be used more."
Akan didn't find that strange. He only felt happy in his heart. Over time, he had used his Divine Ability to steal many things for Wu Man.
Treasures, mysterious manuals... And now, ten crates of official silver.
To help his kin, who were in the same predicament he had once been in, this was his wish. So assisting Wu Man made him very happy.
He also wanted to accompany her to confirm the silver's safety. But tonight, he was too heavily wounded. He needed to rest and recuperate.
Besides, Big Sister was always more thorough than he was so he didn't need to worry.
Akan turned around. Once he relaxed, exhaustion of both body and mind flooded over him, causing him to stagger slightly.
He clutched his arm and made his way toward the bed in the darkness.
But just then, his heart skipped a beat.
"No! One of my barriers has been broken?!"
Akan sensed carefully:
"Seems like... it's the one I left in that errand boy's room at Xuni Pavilion..."
He was puzzled:
"How could that one be the first to be discovered? That location was the most out of the way, even though it was one of the decoys. There's no reason the constables would find it first, right?"
But what mattered now was reporting it to Big Sister immediately, lest incorrect intelligence lead to worse outcomes.
Akan took a deep breath, forced himself to stay alert, and turned to go back.
But Wu Man, standing behind him, hesitated for a moment, then ultimately stepped forward. A ruthless glint flashed in her eyes.
She struck him squarely in the back, directly behind his heart with a palm.
"BOOM!!!"
A flicker of cruel light passed through her blood-red pupils. The dark flame in her hand surged violently, and her Spiritual Energy poured into Akan's body in a burst, aimed at destroying his heart meridian.
Akan was only at the Innate Realm, while Wu Man had already reached the Tower Ascension realm, Second Layer.
Caught off guard, he took the blow head-on. Blood spurted from his mouth with a "PUH!"
He turned around in dazed confusion, only to see the pitiless cold glint in Wu Man's eyes.
He collapsed to the ground, instantly unconscious.
Wu Man retracted her hand and sighed:
"Akan, if you had just done what Big Sister told you... there might have been a chance for you to live."
"But alas... why did you come back?"
"Still, I suppose it's for the best. I just happen to need a scapegoat."
Wu Man crouched, lightly patted Akan's pale cheek, and smiled:
"With you, it'll be easier to explain things to Lord Wang."
Then, the firelight in the room went out.
Wu Man transformed into a streak of flowing light and vanished into the night.
...
Zangfeng Prefecture's bustle tonight was unlike before, it carried a faint air of killing intent.
Those who had caught wind of the rumors whispered among themselves. Officers in blue constable uniforms moved swiftly through the streets and alleys, questioning every suspicious person and place.
For a time, there was unrest in the hearts of the people.
However, this did not disturb the comings and goings along the Rouge River, where wine and laughter flowed freely in a scene of extravagance and indulgence.
Those who could enter and exit here were mostly high officials and powerful gentry. Without some background and wealth, just stepping into any roadside pavilion once could cause one to go bankrupt.
As a result, no matter how the constables acted, it was regarded by such people as none of their concern. In any case, it would never touch them. And even if it did... in the Yang Kingdom, was there anything that money couldn't solve?
Among one of the constable patrols, under the gaze of some eyes, a group walked into Xuni Pavilion.
Madam Yu Xiangsi hurried forward to greet them with a fawning smile:
"Sirs, may I ask what brings you here? Please, this way, if there is anything you need, I will do my utmost to cooperate."
The leader of the constables was Cen Jiang, unexpectedly a cultivator with a Tower Ascension Fifth Layer cultivation.
His clothing was clearly different. Fine dark embroidery ran along the cuffs and hem of his uniform, and at his waist hung a palm-sized smooth stone.
The surface of the stone resembled a mirror, yet reflected none of the surrounding scenery.
This stone was called a Mirrorstone, it could reflect only demons and evil spirits, and assist the bearer in capturing monsters and devils.
To wear this stone was to signify one's identity as a disciple of the Department of Shennong.
Cen Jiang was tall and burly, with dark skin and a face covered in a thick beard. Yet when he spoke, he was extremely polite:
"May I trouble Madam to escort us around for an inspection of every area in the pavilion? Not a single corner can be missed."
"There is reason to suspect that the thief who stole the official silver may have entered Xuni Pavilion. This is a direct order from Chief Constable Wang, it is of utmost importance."
But of course, his politeness had its reasons.
Although Xuni Pavilion was technically a brothel, the fame of Liu Qingcheng was unparalleled.
Many influential figures had shown interest in her, and by association, the entire pavilion's status had risen accordingly.
But this flower courtesan of unrivaled talent was proud and aloof. To date, the number of men who had seen her face-to-face could be counted on one hand, and she had refused them all.
It was said Liu Qingcheng loved poetry above all. Unless someone could compose a poem that fully won her over and bested her own literary talent, she would rather never marry, and save enough money to redeem her freedom.
Most people, of course, treated this claim as a joke.
For someone like her, to redeem herself? That was no laughing matter...
Never mind the astronomical cost of her ransom,just the backing behind Xuni Pavilion would never allow such a golden goose to leave.
It was said that the reason Liu Qingcheng could remain untouched to this day was precisely because there was a powerful cultivator's faction supporting the pavilion behind the scenes.
Otherwise, with so many powerful men making offers, a single word from one of them would have sufficed to claim a courtesan.
But if Liu Qingcheng had the pride to act this way, Madam Yu Xiangsi certainly did not.
Though she had once been a famous courtesan herself, she was now nothing more than a brothel madam who catered to whomever held power.
Yu Xiangsi hurriedly said:
"This way, please. I'll guide you through and ensure every nook and cranny is thoroughly examined."
Cen Jiang nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."
Yu Xiangsi replied:
"It's no trouble at all. You officials are working hard for the safety of us common folk. It's only right that we cooperate. Once your inspection is done, do have a cup of tea and take a rest."
"Besides, if we weren't inspected, we'd be uneasy ourselves, what if some evildoer really slipped in? If you didn't come, I would've sent someone to fetch you myself!"
This series of words immediately softened the expressions of the constables.
Ever since the silver theft, they had been rushing nonstop, inspecting and investigating, their tempers had gotten understandably short, and they would often encounter cold faces.
This area around the Rouge River had outrageously high land value.
The residents were all wealthy merchants or local gentry,not people the constables could easily afford to offend.
But Madam Yu Xiangsi's words truly made them feel like a spring breeze.
As expected of the madam of Xuni Pavilion, she knew how to talk.
Cen Jiang nodded again: "Lead the way, then."
Yu Xiangsi led them onward. Xuni Pavilion had three floors, divided into a front and rear section. The front was reserved for the literati and officials to gather over tea, elegantly furnished, fragrant, with servants and maids waiting attentively.
The rear building faced the Rouge River.
The first floor housed the maids and errand boys. The second floor was where Liu Qingcheng occasionally came to play the zither or practice her songs and the third floor was her residence.
The inspection began, of course, with the quarters of the maids and errand workers, the most likely place for a fugitive to hide.
The constables walked along the outer corridor, room by room, opening each door in turn.
Every resident was made to come out, while the constables rummaged through their belongings. Afterwards, the residents could only tidy up on their own.
Lian Mi's room was among them.
But halfway through the inspection, Lian Mi became agitated. With red-rimmed eyes, she blocked one of the chests and cried out:
"Don't touch that! These... these are my personal garments! How can I let you men look through them so casually?!"
The constable she was blocking was shoved slightly and immediately glared, drawing the long blade from his waist: "You dare to obstruct me?!"
He shouted:
"This chest is suspicious! Brothers, come here!"
That chest was only about a foot wide, completely different in size from the government silver chests.
Normally, a quick glance would have sufficed.
But since everyone along the way had been polite, and now this girl dared to obstruct him, the constable naturally felt annoyed. He thought to himself: I'll have to teach this brat a lesson!
Lian Mi jumped in fright, her face pale, and closed her eyes. Stiffening her neck, she cried:
"You are not allowed to touch it!"
To her, this concerned her chastity, something she could absolutely not compromise on.
Her mistress had always told her to guard her purity, never to sink into the filth of this place.
One day, her mistress would buy both of them out. They would open a bun shop by the street, support themselves, and live a peaceful life, no longer be subject to the whims of others...
If someone casually looked through her undergarments, she would be no different from the other maids.
In Xuni Pavilion, the maidservants... were little better than prostitutes. If any patron took a liking to them, they had to surrender their virtue.
A brothel was still a brothel. Lian Mi understood that all too well..
Her mistress had already made many compromises to ensure she would remain different.
There were many occasions when Liu Qingcheng could have refused to appear, but ultimately came out to play music or meet someone.
Madam Yu Xiangsi hurried over to mediate, speaking softly: "Please don't be angry, sir. This girl is Liu Qingcheng's personal maid..."
The constable scoffed in annoyance:
"And so what if she is?! Liu Qingcheng herself is no more than a prostitute. If she were here today, she too would have to speak with humility what more a mere maid?"
"I think she's extremely suspicious! We must conduct a full search today! Otherwise, how are we supposed to report back to Lord Wang?!"
His words were so blunt that even Yu Xiangsi's expression soured.
Cen Jiang took a step forward and said in a deep voice:
"Enough, enough. Why not let Madam Yu conduct the inspection? I happen to be an old acquaintance of hers, and I trust her."
He was trying to smooth things over, but that constable, who was clearly under his command, didn't give him any face at all.
Looking over with a cold sneer, he said:
"You trust her? Does Lord Wang trust her?"
Cen Jiang's face darkened.
"Young Master Chang, this isn't the Wanlin Merchant Guild. Even if your father were here, he'd still have to consider the background of Xuni Pavilion. Are you sure this is something you want to mess with?"
So it turned out, this constable was none other than Chang Yao, son of the branch manager of the Wanlin Merchant Guild.
Chang Yao, still simmering with rage, snapped:
"And you, Cen Jiang, aren't you just an ordinary disciple of the Department of Shennong? Can you afford to offend our Wanlin Merchant Guild?"
Cen Jiang said nothing, sighed, and silently stepped back.
Even if he could suppress Chang Yao in this moment, he still had a wife and children... In other words, no, he really couldn't afford to offend him.
Chang Yao let out two cold laughs, then turned his gaze back to Lian Mi, only to freeze.
The girl who had been hanging her head all this time suddenly lifted her face, so delicate and refined like a lotus on water, her beauty was pure and otherworldly, with a trace of natural charm.
Despite her youth, her looks were in no way inferior to those famed courtesans.
Chang Yao's thoughts immediately shifted.
He said in a low voice:
"You don't want to be searched? Fine. Then just behave yourself a little..."
He reached out, trying to grab Lian Mi's hand.
But Lian Mi immediately dodged away.
Chang Yao's face turned dark: "You...!"
Yu Xiangsi, well aware of what this scoundrel had in mind, happened to have just reached the room that had been assigned to Chen Kuang earlier that day.
Her mind turned quickly, and she suddenly said:
"Oh! I just remembered! That errand boy over there only arrived today! He might be the one with something to hide!"
Cen Jiang's brows furrowed. "Today, you say?"
Yu Xiangsi nodded quickly:
"Yes, yes. Xuni Pavilion has been recruiting some new errand workers recently. We've taken in a few, but this one, he just arrived today."
She deliberately left out the fact that this person had been brought in by Liu Qingcheng herself. She was clearly doing her best to protect her own.
This deflection provided Cen Jiang with an opportunity. He immediately ordered:
"Everyone, over here. Search this room next!"
Lian Mi seized the moment to hug the small box to her chest and hide behind Yu Xiangsi.
Chang Yao, having missed his chance, looked sour, but with everyone else moving on, he could do nothing.
Yu Xiangsi knocked on the door and, finding no response, said with some surprise: "No one's inside?"
Cen Jiang, now increasingly suspicious, directly kicked the door open.
The group swarmed in and began rifling through the room.
Cen Jiang surveyed the room, pulling out the Mirrorstone, preparing to cast a spell.
The Mirrorstone didn't just reveal the forms of demons and spirits, it could also reveal various hidden traces and clues.
But soon, he discovered something off: the room was too clean!
Not only was there nothing suspicious, there weren't even signs of normal human habitation... no dust, no trash, nothing filthy at all.
"Does anyone actually keep things this clean?"
Cen Jiang's instincts screamed that something was off, yet he couldn't find a single piece of evidence.
The others rummaged for a long time and also came up empty-handed.
As far as Cen Jiang could tell, the only spot in the room suitable for hiding something was under the bed, but even that turned up nothing.
With no choice, Cen Jiang finally ordered his men to stand down.
Yu Xiangsi gave a smiling explanation:
"He probably snuck out to wander the night market... These errand boys never listen. I'll fire him in a few days."
They had already checked the first and second floors thoroughly.
Only the third floor remained, Liu Qingcheng's personal residence.
Standing at the foot of the stairs, Cen Jiang asked:
"Would it be convenient for us to inspect upstairs as well?"
Yu Xiangsi hesitated: "That..."
Chang Yao sneered:
"Of course it's not convenient. Everyone knows that Prince Jingnan treats her like his personal treasure. Even a glance from another man isn't allowed."
Yu Xiangsi gave an awkward smile and nodded:
"At this hour, she's probably already resting..."
She hadn't finished speaking when the faint sound of a zither drifted down from above.
There were also faint clattering sounds, as if something had been knocked over in a panic.
Cen Jiang's brow furrowed. "What's that sound?"
Liu Qingcheng's voice followed shortly after, sounding groggy, as if she had just awakened:
"Mama? What is it? Is something wrong?"
Yu Xiangsi called up:
"It's nothing. Are you alright? Did something fall?"
Liu Qingcheng replied:
"I couldn't sleep, so I decided to practice the zither... The stand wasn't set up properly, but I didn't fall."
Yu Xiangsi said: "That's good. Get some rest."
Another fruitless trip..
Chang Yao cursed his luck under his breath. His mind returned to that young maid's half-revealed figure.
The more he thought about it, the more he liked her. His heart burned with lust. He thought: So what if I can't touch Liu Qingcheng? Can't I even have a little maid?
Yu Xiangsi saw the "noble lords" off, finally letting out a breath of relief downstairs.
Meanwhile, upstairs, the elegant sound of a zither echoed faintly once more, causing many passersby to stop and listen, entranced.
Yu Xiangsi murmured in confusion:
"That girl... Could she have been practicing these past few days? When did her playing become this good?"
Liu Qingcheng had never been particularly skilled with the zither. Yet this music, was astonishingly refined.
Upon close listening, Yu Xiangsi felt like it could even match the skill of the pavilion's top musician. Her heart trembled.
...
Chen Kuang finished playing a song, gently muting the strings with his hand. With a smile, he asked:
"Well? How was it?"
Liu Qingcheng gave him a sidelong glance and said irritably:
"I didn't save your life just so you could go and throw it away again! No matter how good you are, this is not the time to be playing for those constables!"
Chen Kuang casually plucked a few more strings.
In truth, if he hadn't used his Heavenly Demon Law passive to calm the constables' agitation downstairs, they likely would have barged in.
But he did not bother arguing.
Before that, he had summoned the Myriad Tribulation Enduring Fire and burned away all the evidence in his room. Right afterward, Liu Qingcheng had unexpectedly come and told him to hide in her room...
Liu Qingcheng spoke again:
"You're a demon, aren't you?"
Chen Kuang replied:
"Is that why you saved me? Most people fear demons, why are you so curious?"
Liu Qingcheng pressed her lips together.
"Just answer the question, are you or aren't you?"
Chen Kuang gave no reply, but his eyes gradually turned into a glazed, crystalline color while cracks split open along his cheeks, and large patches of similarly colored scales appeared across his arms.
This was his first time revealing the demon form of this new body.