Xiao Chenyan: "..."
He recalled the clear and cold fragrance that entered his nose and mouth like the first snow when his consciousness was muddled last night. That fragrance seemed to churn again now, inexplicably causing a strange heat to rise within his body.
It was as if a ball of fire had rushed into his mind.
Bang—
Qing Wu watched the man leave with a dark expression, slamming the door. She rolled her eyes, cursed "Little brat," and continued to cover her head and sleep.
Outside the door, the personal guards stood guard all night, their hearts in their mouths.
When Bai Sui saw the person emerge, he let out half a breath of relief, which got stuck in his throat. The others had expressions as if they had seen a ghost, all staring intently at Xiao Chenyan's face and neck.
Xiao Chenyan realized something, his expression sank, and he tightened his cloak: "Go to the study first."
However, halfway there, a soldier came to report that Yun Houxing had arrived.
Xiao Chenyan's eyes glinted with sarcasm. It seemed the other party had also waited all night and, not receiving news of his death, had lost his patience.
"That female demon cultivator named Wushuang, have you interrogated her about anything?"
"She's still in a coma. Even with torture, she refuses to wake up. She doesn't seem to be faking it," Situ Jing said.
Xiao Chenyan's footsteps paused slightly.
Situ Jing shrugged, "I've tried every method I could think of." He gestured with his chin meaningfully, "Perhaps the newly arrived one in the manor doesn't want this female demon cultivator to wake up, who knows."
A chilling light flashed in Xiao Chenyan's eyes.
"Directly lead Yun Houxing to the Star Picking Institute. Also, bring Yun Yujiao and that coffin over. Let Yun Houxing, as a father, properly identify his daughter."
A father should be able to determine if his daughter is real or fake, human or ghost.
He also wanted to see what reaction 'Yun Qingwu,' this daughter, would have upon seeing Yun Houxing, the 'good father.'
..
At the Star Picking Institute, when Yun Houxing saw Yun Yujiao's tragically dead body in the coffin, his kneecaps instantly went weak.
He looked at the man sitting under the corridor, wrapped in furs and drinking medicine, his eyes brimming with tears. He spoke first, "Your Highness! My good daughter married into the Prince's Mansion, how could she have died?!"
Xiao Chenyan put down the medicine bowl. A deep sickness was etched on his handsome face, his sharp edge seemingly worn away, yet when he spoke, he still exuded an immense pressure:
"Has Minister Yun forgotten? The dead person in the coffin brought from your manor, and now you question this King about why she died?"
Yun Houxing put on a show of grief, "It's true that my Minister's Manor married off a daughter yesterday, and my eldest daughter died of a sudden illness before her wedding. But my second daughter, Yujiao, was a living person when she married into the manor!"
"Is that so?" Xiao Chenyan raised his eyebrows in feigned surprise.
Bai Sui exclaimed, "Minister Yun must have misremembered. The one who married in alive was the Eldest Young Lady, and the one who died was the Second Young Lady."
Yun Houxing was stunned. The young Daoist priest who had accompanied him and had been resting with his eyes closed suddenly opened them.
This Daoist priest was named Wuji. He was the senior brother of the female Daoist priest who had been by Yun Yujiao's side last night, and the mastermind behind refining the Living Fiend.
Last night, he felt the Living Fiend successfully activate. According to logic, Prince Yan's Manor was doomed. But something was unusual, and there was no news from his junior sister.
That's why he came with Yun Houxing this morning.
Yun Houxing immediately said, "Impossible! The one who married in the coffin was my eldest daughter, Yun Qingwu!"
Thump.
Xiao Chenyan tapped the table with his knuckles, "This is strange. Was the person who married me last night a dead person?"
Yun Houxing was also confused at this moment, subconsciously glancing at Wuji.
What exactly happened last night?
"Someone, please invite the Princess Consort out to meet her father."
Inside the room.
Qing Wu had already been woken up by the noise. She was just slowly getting ready and tidying herself up, not in a hurry to show herself.
"Such dirty thoughts."
As expected of you, Xiao Chenyan, always finding trouble for me.
However, it's good that this idiot Yun Houxing came to my doorstep himself; it saves me a trip.
Qing Wu pushed the door open and met Yun Houxing's shocked gaze, smiling brilliantly, "Oh, Father has arrived~"
Yun Houxing's expression changed drastically. He subconsciously took three steps back, almost blurting out: How could you possibly still be alive!
Wuji let out a fierce shout, "What ghostly being dares to cause trouble in the Prince's Manor!"
Bai Sui feigned shock, "What ghostly being? Isn't this Minister Yun's eldest daughter, our manor's Princess Consort Yan?"
"No! She is definitely not my eldest daughter!" Yun Houxing exclaimed in a mixture of fear and shock, "She is a ghost! She is definitely not human! My eldest daughter Yun Qingwu died yesterday!"
"I know now, it must be this evil ghost who killed my Yujiao, right!"
Malice welled up in the Daoist priest's eyes as he stared intently at Qing Wu, "As soon as this humble Daoist entered the Prince's Manor, I sensed a pervasive ghost Qi, and I was certain an evil ghost was harming people. Now I've found the source."
Yun Yujiao was dead, and Wuji guessed that his junior sister was also lost.
"Who is this?" Xiao Chenyan squinted at Wuji.
"This humble Daoist's Dharma name is: Wuji."
Xiao Chenyan's eyes narrowed slightly. Situ Jing understood and, before long, a woman dressed as a maidservant, unconscious, was carried in.
It was Wuji's junior sister, the female demon cultivator named Wushuang.
Wuji's expression changed, and he immediately stepped forward, sternly questioning, "How did my junior sister become like this?"
"Junior sister?" Xiao Chenyan's face showed confusion, "Isn't this woman the dowry of the Second Young Lady Yun?"
He said casually, "This King thought this woman was loyal and righteous. She was reluctant to leave her old master and wanted to accompany the Second Young Lady Yun, so she fainted by the coffin and couldn't be woken up."
Wushuang had been tidied up before being brought in. Only the external wound on her forehead remained, making it seem as if Xiao Chenyan's words were true.
Wuji knew it was absolutely impossible.
He immediately checked his junior sister's condition. Upon examination, he found that her three souls and seven spirits had been riddled with ghost Qi, like a sieve. She appeared alive on the surface, but in reality, she was already a living dead person.
Wuji was filled with shock and anger.
The next moment, the man's voice, with an unreadable expression but hidden killing intent, rang out, making one feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
"Since this woman is your junior sister, then she is not an ordinary dowry maidservant."
"This King is now curious, what thoughts did a female Daoist priest have in mind by accompanying the dowry into the Minister's Manor?"
Clang—
The surrounding Black Armored Guards simultaneously drew their blades.
Yun Houxing and Wuji's hearts tightened, and they looked at Xiao Chenyan with fearful uncertainty.
They saw the man sitting calmly in the Grand Tutor's Chair. Even with his illness, his hand twirled prayer beads, and the malevolent energy and ferocity hidden in his bones could no longer be concealed.
"Minister Yun, have you thought of an explanation?"
Yun Houxing was sweating profusely. He exchanged a look with Wuji and pointed at Qing Wu, "It's all her! She's the one harming people!"
Wuji quickly said, "My junior sister accompanied the dowry into the Prince's Manor with no intention of harming anyone. It was because yesterday was a very special day, and she was worried that an evil ghost would disrupt the wedding, so she followed to marry in."
Wuji spoke righteously, even showing a pained expression on his face, "I never expected my junior sister to be harmed!" He looked at Qing Wu with malice and said sternly:
"Your Highness may not know, but this kind of evil ghost that can borrow a corpse to revive is best at bewitching people and using evil arts like ghostly illusions to interfere with people's consciousness."
"Her slaughtering Miss Yujiao is just the beginning. After this, she will surely have to eat living hearts and livers daily to remain in the Human Realm."
"If this ghost is not eliminated, the consequences will be endless!"
The Daoist Wuji spoke with conviction, and Yun Houxing nodded repeatedly, "Yes! This evil ghost killed my daughter, we cannot let her remain in the Human Realm to continue her evil deeds!"
The two were birds of a feather. Now that they were certain 'Yun Qingwu' had risen from the dead for revenge, this evil ghost would most want to kill them.
Who told them they were the masterminds behind the Living Fiend.
If they didn't get rid of her quickly, they would surely die before Prince Yan's Manor and others!
"What kind of Daoist priest are you, speaking nonsense? You call me a ghost just like that?" Qing Wu sneered.
The Daoist Wuji swept his horsetail whisk, "Still trying to argue? I will make you reveal your true form!"
He took out five yellow talismans. The talismans ignited without fire and shot directly towards Qing Wu.
A sudden gust of wind swept through, and the five yellow talismans were blown towards Wuji with a swish. One stuck to his sleeve, and flames erupted instantly.
Wuji cried out in surprise, quickly took off his outer robe, his eyes fierce, "What an evil ghost! Your cultivation level is not shallow!"
"What a dog Daoist, you have quite the nerve," Qing Wu sneered, glancing at Xiao Chenyan, her eyes challenging, "I say, Your Highness, are you just going to stand by and watch others come to your doorstep to slander your Princess Consort? Are you even a man?"
With a cold snort, his emotions unreadable, Xiao Chenyan twirled his prayer beads and stood up.
He was extremely tall, nearly 1.9 meters. His eyes were as cold and piercing as an eagle's, and when his expression turned serious, the oppressive aura made it impossible to breathe and dared not meet his gaze.
Yun Houxing and Wuji felt a chill run down their spines.
The two were so focused on dealing with Qing Wu that they forgot this man was even more dangerous than a ghost.
Xiao Chenyan twirled his prayer beads, his voice deep and somber:
"The Princess Consort speaks with reason."
"Since Minister Yun and Daoist Wuji are so certain the Princess Consort is a ghost, then present real evidence. Otherwise..."
Clang—
The Black Armored Guards, who had just sheathed their swords not long ago, all drew them again, their blades pointed at Yun Houxing and Wuji.
Xiao Chenyan: "Then you can all go be ghosts."
Qing Wu raised an eyebrow.
Yun Houxing and Wuji's breathing hitched. The latter gritted his teeth, "This humble Daoist has his ways of proving it. Evil ghosts fear fire. As long as we build a woodpile and light a large fire, the evil ghost possessing the body will naturally be forced to reveal itself!"
"Idiot, are living people not afraid of fire?" Qing Wu sneered, "Anyone, human or ghost, thrown onto a woodpile and burned will become a dead person. If it's a ghost, it'll just become a dead ghost."
"Why don't you suggest chopping off my head directly and see if I can still breathe?"
Qing Wu rolled her eyes, "Stupid beyond salvation."
Wuji's face turned green and then white.
The onlookers from the Prince's Manor, who were enjoying the show and adding fuel to the fire, almost burst out laughing. Unexpectedly, Qing Wu changed the subject, "However, if you want me to willingly undergo this trial by fire, it's not impossible."
Wuji's heart skipped a beat.
Qing Wu stared straight at him, her smile eerily beautiful:
"It's too boring for just me to be on the stake. According to you, only ghosts fear fire. Since you're human, you're not afraid of being burned, so let's do it together~"
"If you're afraid, then it means you're not human."
"Not human~ Then you should be cut down!"
Wuji's face changed drastically. In his panic, he heard Xiao Chenyan order:
"Someone, build a woodpile, light the fire!"
✦✦✦