Chapter 145: The Gu Clan and the Three Evils

While Su He insisted that he had concealed nothing, Huai Yin and Sui Yuren left the Gazing Cloud Inn and returned directly to the Jubilee Garden.

At around the hour of *Shen*, Huai Yin quietly cloaked his traces and made his way to the Gu family estate.

Gu Wanfeng still preferred to linger beneath the old tree, teasing the small birds. His days passed in supreme tranquility.

Ding Miao had Huai Yin wait at the entrance while he went inside first to announce his arrival, wishing to avoid any abruptness that might displease his master.

In a brief moment, he stood before Gu Wanfeng and said, "Master, Huai Yin requests an audience outside the gate. Shall I let him enter?"

Gu Wanfeng continued to scatter feed for the birds without lifting his gaze. "Let him in."

"Understood." Relieved, Ding Miao bowed hastily and retreated.

Seeing someone approaching, Huai Yin lowered his voice and asked, "How is it? Did the master agree?"

Ding Miao nodded. Overjoyed, Huai Yin patted him on the shoulder, then hurried past, heading straight for the depths of the estate.

Yet, as Ding Miao thought of how the master had placed Huai Yin and the Second Young Miss together in the Jubilee Garden in broad daylight, words choked his chest. To speak of them felt wrong, and to remain silent felt equally wrong.

In short, he was caught in a difficult dilemma.

However, by the time Huai Yin found Gu Wanfeng, before he could even offer a bow, Gu Wanfeng spoke first. While teasing the birds in the cage, he asked, "What has happened that requires you to disregard the rules and come speak with me in person?"

Hearing this, Huai Yin dropped to his knees with a thud and kowtowed. "The matter arose suddenly, and this subordinate had no choice but to risk seeing Master once. Once I have spoken of this, this subordinate willingly accepts any punishment."

Having reached this point, it was only after a long pause that Gu Wanfeng set aside his bird feed and finally raised his eyes to look directly at Huai Yin. "Speak."

"Yes.

This subordinate has just returned from the Gazing Cloud Inn. From Baili Suhe, I learned that there is likely someone else hidden behind the incident at Little Zhou Village. Moreover, Zou Jiren brought back word from the north of Little Zhou Village that on the night of the incident, the fish and shrimp in the lake connected to the village died for no apparent reason.

Even the beasts that went to the water's edge to drink could not escape death.

In addition, Baili Suhe went out around noon to search for Zou Jiren, but encountered the Spring and Autumn Calligraphy and a mysterious masked person.

According to Baili Suhe's own confession, this person's cultivation is unfathomable."

By the time he finished speaking, a cold sweat was already dampening his back.

Gu Wanfeng stared at Huai Yin, appraising him for a long moment before speaking at a leisurely pace, "What conclusion did he draw?"

"Replying to Master, according to Baili Suhe, though he did not state it outright, his intent points directly to the Three Evils of the Eight Winds Island."

"Oh? Upon what basis?"

"Baili Suhe once crossed swords with the masked person, and Zou Jiren learned through his inquiries in Little Zhou Village that the bellies of the dead fish and shrimp in the lake, as well as the beasts on the shore, all swarmed with black bugs.

This subordinate makes a bold conjecture that Baili Suhe gained some insight after clashing with the masked person, which led him to this deduction.

After all, within the Sea of Desire and Heaven, the use of insects as a method is foremost attributed to the Eight Winds Island. Coupled with the fact that the Three Evils recently broke their seals and wreaked havoc everywhere, one cannot help but make the connection."

Having listened, Gu Wanfeng raised an eyebrow, appearing neither affirming nor denying. Turning back, he pinched a handful of bird feed, scattering it grain by grain to the birds, and spoke with his back to Huai Yin. "What you say is not without reason. Did he mention what comes next?"

Huai Yin replied, "Baili Suhe currently lacks evidence, so he intends to wait first for news from the First Highness."

"Hm?" Gu Wanfeng paused slightly, then recovered his composure. "Regarding this matter, you need only cooperate with Baili Suhe."

"Understood, this subordinate takes his leave."

"Go."

As he reached the door, he was met by a worried Ding Miao. The moment Ding Miao saw him emerge, he asked immediately, "How did it go?"

"The master was not angered. He merely instructed me to bide my time and cooperate with Baili Suhe."

Ding Miao frowned. This did not seem like the master's usual style. "Did Baili Suhe harbor any suspicion during your visit?"

"Not yet. However, apart from Zou Jiren, I observed that Que Yunzi and Yun Xingyu both seem to be intentionally or unintentionally forming a single line. In the future, they may become a hindrance." Huai Yin pondered for a moment and reached up to stroke his chin.

Those past few days had been filled with sudden events; stubble was already beginning to sprout and prickle.

"Do you have a countermeasure?"

"Rest assured, I understand Baili Suhe to a certain degree. We need only steady him. The rest will at most be troublesome, hardly impossible to handle." Huai Yin patted Ding Miao's shoulder, waved his hand, and strode away from the Gu residence.

He had arrived without disturbing anyone, and he departed in the same manner.

Ding Miao stared at the spot where he had vanished, feeling a rather unfathomable and lingering anxiety.

Whether it was his imagination or not, he always felt that Huai Yin was taking matters far too simply.

Yet, upon second thought, given Huai Yin's character, he surely could not fail to see it. Since he saw it and still chose to act thusly, it could only mean the situation was indeed rather thorny.

Just as his worries knitted together within him, Gu Wanfeng's call suddenly drifted from within the garden.

Thus, he reined in his thoughts and stepped into the garden.

"What instructions does Master have for calling Ding Miao?"

Gu Wanfeng said, "Make a trip to White Gourd Mountain."

"What am I to do there?" Hearing this, Ding Miao raised his head.

"Earlier, I recall Huai Yin mentioning in a letter that the female immortals of Jade Peak were wiped out overnight for no apparent reason. White Gourd Mountain is not far from that peak. Go and make inquiries; you might gain something."

This... "This subordinate does not quite understand." Could it be that upon Huai Yin's return, he told the master something? Otherwise, why would there be a sudden demand for a trip to White Gourd Mountain, specifically inquiring about Jade Peak?

Gu Wanfeng teased the birds, making them leap up and down and chirp merrily in their cages—a sight that sent a creeping, unsettling chill down Ding Miao's spine.

He wanted to speak, but found his throat as if swollen, truly unable to voice the words.

In an instant, the oppressive weight bearing down on him was lifted. Ding Miao involuntarily swallowed his saliva, staring blankly at Gu Wanfeng, completely at a loss as to what to do.

Gu Wanfeng's lips suddenly curled into a faint, ambiguous arc. With a smile that was not quite a smile, he said, "I suspect Jade Peak is the handiwork of the Three Evils. If you investigate the origins of this matter, it can also happen to lend Huai Yin a helping hand.

Tell me, is that not so?"

Ding Miao's heart skipped a violent beat. He hastily lowered his head and said, "This subordinate dares not harbor such presumptuous thoughts. If Huai Yin is unable to fulfill Master's commands, it is a failure of his own ability, and his death would give no cause for resentment.

If this subordinate were to give rise to the notion of assisting him, would that not implicitly suggest the master is poor at judging character?"

With these words, he dropped to his knees with a thud and knocked his head repeatedly against the ground.

Gu Wanfeng smiled, picked up the bird cage, and hung it on a branch of the old tree. "Get up and answer. You brothers share deep affection; am I someone who cannot distinguish right from wrong?"

Yet the more he spoke thus, the more panic-stricken Ding Miao became.

Everyone knew his temperament; how could one not understand his character? He had always most abhorred his subordinates growing close behind his back. How could he possibly suddenly display such boundless benevolence?

In Ding Miao's eyes, no matter how one looked at it, this was a fatal trap.

Yet Gu Wanfeng broke from his usual habits, personally helping him up from the ground and saying earnestly, "I know I have been overly harsh with you all in the past. But reflecting on my past faults recently, I realize it was truly my failing.

I know you have the heart to assist Huai Yin, but if you wish to help, how can you do so without a target?"

As the words fell, Ding Miao felt as though he were standing at the epicenter of a thunderstorm, dazed and unfathomable.

Gu Wanfeng did not seem surprised by his reaction. He continued, "Baili Suhe is currently running about in distraction over the affair of Yi Qingchen. If you go there now and sort out the threads of the Jade Peak incident, you can help him resolve his immediate predicament. And if you wish to aid Huai Yin more in the future, this is an opportunity not to be missed..."

Ding Miao listened with constricted pupils, unaware of how he had eventually walked out of the garden. By the time he came to his senses, he was already outside the Gu estate.

Standing on the bustling street for a long while, he finally chose a direction and set off toward White Gourd Mountain.

Meanwhile, upon receiving the report from his servant, a faint, meaningful smile suddenly emerged at the corner of Gu Wanfeng's lips.

On the other side, after traversing the toxic mist marsh, the masked person entered a place filled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers.

Had one not visited in person, no one would ever have imagined that behind the vast marsh lay such a treasured land.

Before long, the masked person arrived at an exquisite courtyard residence. The Red Widow was reclining languidly beneath a tree to enjoy the cool breeze, indulging in the service of several strapping young menservants.

Seeing someone arrive, she showed no intention of dismissing them; instead, she grew even more attentive in her service.

The Red Widow parted her lips to accept a piece of fruit peeled by a servant, casting a sidelong glance from her eyes. "Oh? The busy man has returned?"

In a flash, the masked person transformed back to his true appearance, pushed back the hair covering his forehead, and bared his teeth. "Red... Sister, you can't put it that way.

When I go out, I'm not just messing around blindly."

"Oh? You're actually capable of doing proper work?" The Red Widow was too lazy even to roll her eyes. Having cultivated alongside him until now, how could she not know what kind of creature he was?

The Bug's expression instantly stiffened. Then, ingratiatingly, he said, "Of course, of course. If I hadn't gone out, those few cowards might have been caught by now and confessed everything."

Looking at his gleaming, bright yellow teeth, the Red Widow suddenly found them exceptionally glaring. Half-covering her face, she said, "You'd better turn back into your previous appearance. At least that looked better than this."

Looking deeply wounded, the Bug said with a heartbroken air, "Red Sister, to think you are also a worldly woman who only cares about outward appearances. I am so disappointed."

"I think your skin is itching and you're asking for a beating." The Red Widow's eyes flashed fiercely. She stood up, snatched a fruit-paring knife from a servant, and hurled it straight at his forehead.

"Hehe, don't be angry. I just wanted to tease you." The Bug caught the small knife, walked forward to return it to the servant, and waved his hand to dismiss all the menservants. Then he pulled a low stool over to sit beside the soft couch, leaning close to the Red Widow. "Let's talk business."

The Red Widow truly wanted to slap him across the face; she had never seen skin so thick. She cast a glance toward Chang Daizi in the corridor, the meaning clearly being: *What do you think of this?*

Chang Daizi gave him an indifferent sweep of the eyes, the look equally blunt and straightforward—roughly translating to: *Let's see what nonsense he has to spew.*

Seeing the two of them exchanging glances, the Bug instantly grew fiercely jealous. He grinned broadly at the Red Widow and said, "To tell you the truth, on this trip out, I crossed swords with Baili Suhe and a young man. To be reasonable, I think the two of you are being far too cautious.

We should officially announce our return to the world, and then select suitable prey to strike down."

The Red Widow leaned back and seated herself. The blood-veined spider scuttled back to that scenic spot, wiggling coquettishly at the Bug before taking a satisfying, chomping bite.

The sight nearly made the Bug pop his eyeballs out. That damned spider was definitely doing it on purpose.

Suddenly, the Red Widow raised her hand and dealt him a slap, speaking sharply, "Stare again, and this lady will dig your eyeballs out and step on them like fish bladders."

The Bug hastily covered his face, shrinking back a fraction, and bared his teeth. "Hey... don't be like that. We're talking business here."

"What business? Judging by your appearance, neither the Sea of Desire and Heaven nor the younger generation is anything to be feared, is that it?"

"That's right. I won't deny that given time, these individuals will surely grow up to be capable. But I am no living Buddha; why should I not pinch them to death before they mature, only to let them grow up and deal with me later?

There's no logic in that, is there?"

As soon as these words were spoken, both the Red Widow and Chang Daizi could not help but look at him sideways.

Indeed, since they were in an opposing relationship, why give their enemies a chance to grow?

Even though the Sea of Desire and Heaven indeed possessed hidden forces that had yet to emerge, that was no reason for them to endure and forbear to this extent everywhere. If they couldn't touch the old ones, dealing with the young ones would certainly do.

If they couldn't act in the open, they could resort to the shadows.

In an instant, the Red Widow's previously resolute mindset of cautious action began to waver and grow active.

Seeing her show signs of loosening, the Bug quickly poured fuel on the fire. "I naturally understand that we still cannot touch the old fogies.

But even if an old fogie has a thousand hands and a thousand eyes, there are times when he dozes off, isn't that so?"

This... At the moment of her hesitation, the Red Widow's gaze shifted to Chang Daizi.

*Well?*