The Dissolution and the Desperate Search

Meanwhile, a group of people huddled around a crackling bonfire. Heads bowed, a heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the low hum of the fire and the sparks that danced away on the wind. These were the Su family members and their retainers who had fled alongside Su Mo, narrowly escaping their pursuers. With their former prestige shattered, the harmony that once existed between the Su family and their servants had completely dissolved. Especially after Miss Su Mo had excused herself to relieve herself, a volatile tension had steadily brewed with each passing moment, threatening to ignite into an explosive confrontation.

“How long has my sister been gone to relieve herself?” Su Yi Yuan asked, his voice a low rumble. As the Third Young Master of the Su family, he was, perhaps, Su Mo’s last remaining kin.

“It’s been almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn,” Lian Huan, the maidservant, replied, glancing sideways. The other servants nearby remained silent, yet their eyes exchanged knowing, significant glances. In a sense, the survival of their current group hinged entirely upon Su Mo and Su Yi Yuan. Should either of them falter, the entire group would inevitably crumble. Branded as cultivators of the demonic path by the righteous sects, few among them possessed the resilience to endure such immense pressure, and even fewer remained truly loyal. What’s more, Su Mo had deliberately prolonged her absence, using the excuse that she ‘disliked being disturbed while relieving herself’?

“Why has it taken so long? Lian Huan, would you mind checking on her?” Su Yi Yuan, being a man, prudently sought to avoid any impropriety. Coincidentally, Lian Huan, the maidservant, possessed a cultivation base at the peak of Foundation Establishment, matching his own. She had originally been a trusted confidante groomed by his mother.

“The Third Young Master is too kind,” Lian Huan responded, her tone formal. In the next instant, her eyes rolled back, revealing only the whites, her pupils vanishing from sight. Shadows danced erratically, and the faint whispers of the wind seemed to carry unseen presences. In a flash, the entire dim forest transformed into a spectral graveyard, with ‘people’ appearing to materialize everywhere.

“Wuwuwu~” The wind wailed mournfully, a continuous, silken lament. Lian Huan inclined her head, listening intently, as if an invisible ‘person’ stood beside her, whispering secrets. The longer she listened, the deeper her brow furrowed in concentration. Finally, she spoke in a hushed tone:

“Miss Su Mo may have encountered a demon.”

“What?!” Su Yi Yuan shot to his feet, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at her. Everyone present had heard it clearly, and everyone believed it, as if a long-anticipated outcome had finally arrived. The servants, having waited for this moment, were already stirring restlessly. Only the Third Young Master remained unconvinced, his disbelief laced with a hint of hysteria and profound doubt.

“Third Young Master… it’s quite far, with heavy bloodstains… there are traces of demonic creatures… no other signs… I have conveyed everything. What are your orders?” Lian Huan stated, utterly devoid of mercy, as if Su Mo had never been her mistress. Or perhaps, in this very moment, she simply felt a profound sense of relief. The person she had served and learned from since childhood was gone. For a fleeting moment, Lian Huan felt lost, yet swiftly, a sensation of boundless freedom washed over her. A similar sentiment resonated among the other servants. Their spirits had fractured, or perhaps, they had never truly been united to begin with.

“Will anyone accompany me in the search?” Su Yi Yuan asked, his head bowed, all traces of his usual arrogance gone from his voice. Such a humbling plea, so beneath his usual demeanor, failed to elicit even a whisper of response. As people began to disperse, the bonfire cast its light further into the emptiness, revealing only desolation. He dared not look, but when he finally raised his head, the Third Young Master found only a handful of individuals remaining. There was Yú Rén, Bǎi Xiàng, and Yōng Cái. These three were all notorious villains who had sought refuge with the Su family, having committed countless misdeeds in their past lives and now seeking to lie low and retire from the martial world. They were hardly paragons of virtue; their decision to remain now begged the question of their true intentions. Yú Rén, with his youthful face and white hair, exuded an aura of immortal grace, a state he had achieved solely through the unsavory practice of cultivating by ‘采补女子’ [harvesting essence from women]. Bǎi Xiàng, on the other hand, radiated a heavy, silent murderous aura; while Yōng Cái appeared utterly foolish, muttering incoherently to themself.

“Then I shall trouble you all to accompany me in this search,” Su Yi Yuan said, bowing with cupped hands.

“It is our honor.”

“No need for such politeness.”

“@%#￥%！%…”

****

Unaware of the group’s dissolution, Su Mo supported Xu Qingzhu as they took a secluded, hidden path, finally emerging from the dense mountain forest.

“Young Master, do you reside here often? This narrow path along the cliff face—surely few people know of it?” Su Mo inquired, her tone deceptively casual.

“I once recuperated here for several years after sustaining an injury,” Xu Qingzhu replied. His recovery was progressing well, his breathing now much steadier and deeper.

“Oh.”

They continued in silence. After traversing a steep slope, the flickering lights of a distant village suddenly appeared. The moon hung high in the sky, casting a dim, ethereal glow. Tree shadows and houses loomed as dark, oppressive shapes, and a few barks echoed eerily through the night. A small river flowed nearby, and as Su Mo helped the Young Master toward the village, she could hear the gentle murmur of flowing water.

“Woof woof woof!” Several wild dogs suddenly burst from around the corner, circling the two ‘blood-stained figures’ and barking ferociously. Clutching the corner of her robes, Su Mo stepped forward, pointing and shouting firmly:

“Good dogs don’t block the path!”

“Woof woof!!” The dogs barked with renewed fervor, baring their teeth and pressing their forelegs to the ground, poised as if to pounce. Unbeknownst to them, Su Mo instinctively recoiled, bumping squarely into Xu Qingzhu’s chest. She glanced back to find his sharp chin, paired with an intense, piercing gaze, looking down at her, causing Su Mo to let out a sheepish chuckle. ‘Was she truly expected to confess to the Young Master that she harbored a deep fear of dogs, having once outrun a rabid one in an alley, appearing like a blur of lightning on surveillance footage?’

Their eyes met briefly before Xu Qingzhu silently turned his gaze towards the pack of dogs. “…” In that instant, the pebbles beneath their feet subtly vibrated, and the world abruptly plunged into absolute darkness. A chilling aura of desolation, solitude, and death permeated the air. With another blink, everything reverted to normal, the brilliant moon still suspended high in the sky.

“Wuwuwu~…” The pack of dogs fled, tails tucked between their legs, and the flickering lights in the distance were abruptly extinguished. Hesitantly rubbing her eyes, Su Mo sensed that something had been profoundly amiss just moments ago; the Young Master had seemed like an entirely different person. ‘“Like what?” she mused, unable to pinpoint the exact change.’

“Let’s go,” he uttered, two clipped words, before slumping against Su Mo’s shoulder, using her to support his weary body. Whatever secret technique he had employed, it had clearly drained him, leaving his spirit significantly depleted. ‘“If you can’t handle it, don’t push yourself. Scaring a few dogs clearly took too much out of you,” Su Mo grumbled inwardly, one hand steadying his slipping form.’ She couldn’t shake the feeling that following him would only lead her life into perpetual gloom. Raising her gaze, Su Mo watched as cloud shadows veiled the crescent moon, letting out a soft sigh.

“Hm?” An inexplicable pressure settled against her chest, accompanied by warm, damp breaths. She looked down to find the Young Master, who appeared to be on the verge of death, had now completely slumped forward, his face resting squarely on her chest. ‘Could it be that Su Mo’s impressive bosom, so high and round, truly couldn’t support his face?’ After several seconds of strained silence, Su Mo suppressed the urge to ‘forcefully cleave his skull’ and gently lifted his head.

“Young Master, are you asleep?” she whispered, attempting to rouse him. Receiving no response, Su Mo’s brows furrowed slightly as she halted, gazing down the unfamiliar path stretching before them. She was a transmigrator, yet she knew nothing about this small village—not its name, nor its location. Her strength was far from recovered; she hadn’t even had the chance to practice, and all her power felt as though it were veiled, making it awkward and unfamiliar to wield. In the evening breeze, it was still the presence of her ‘life-and-death brother’ beside her that offered a strange sense of reassurance. Nevertheless, someone needed to guide them, so Su Mo cautiously whispered:

“Young Master, if you don’t wake up, I’m leaving…”

“Buzz.” The familiar longsword, pressed against her familiar neck, confirmed that he had not truly fallen unconscious.

“Go that way,” he mumbled, his face still buried against Su Mo’s body, the words muffled.

“Mhm mhm.” Following his vague direction, they found that in the utterly dark village, a single lamp glowed, seemingly lit for them. Following the Young Master’s implied instruction, Su Mo approached and knocked on the door. Despite the late hour, an old woman opened the door, her back hunched, as she slowly raised her head to gaze at them. Her face was deeply wrinkled, and her eyes, though clouded with age, possessed rare, silvery-white pupils.

“My child, have you finally returned?” the old woman whimpered, a tear tracing her cheek. “Eh?” Meeting her gaze, Su Mo repeatedly checked, then finally, with a discreet touch to her own milky-white bosom, she understood. The old woman’s silvery-white pupils were not natural; they were a result of blindness. ‘And was the one leaning against her shoulder still the wandering child who had yet to return home?’

“Ah, so it’s my daughter-in-law,” the old woman said, as if suddenly enlightened. Observing her move aside to let them in, Su Mo found the situation utterly bizarre. In ancient times, late at night, for an old woman to eagerly invite strangers into her home? ‘Was this some ancient scam? She hadn’t even downloaded an anti-fraud app yet.’ Fortunately, Xu Qingzhu interrupted her suspicions:

“It’s fine. Go in.”

Looking down at her half-dead benefactor, Su Mo gritted her teeth and stepped into the seemingly gentle cottage. “Clang.” The door automatically swung shut. ‘Was it the wind? Or something else?’