Chapter 97: Is it a Dragon's Den or a Tiger's Passage?

At dawn in the Marquis of Weiyuan's residence, as the sky began to lighten, everyone had already gathered in the main hall for the "morning and evening greetings."

Shen Qingyue sat upright in the main seat, his black robe as dark as ink, his posture as straight as a pine tree. His gaze was piercing as he swept over everyone in the hall, carrying an invisible pressure.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; even breathing was done in a deliberately softer tone.

"Zhou'er, there was quite a commotion in the manor last night." Shen Qingyue spoke, his voice low and unreadable, yet it made the air grow even colder.

Shen Yunzhou stood tall and lowered his eyes as he replied, "Father, the slight accident has been dealt with properly." His voice was steady, but his back was slightly stiff.

Fang Li stood a little further back: "Chief! This scene... doesn't it look like the morning court session? I'm under a lot of pressure!" She tried her best to maintain a well-behaved smile, feeling like her face was about to freeze.

System: [“Host! Hang in there! Smile! Just pretend you're... meeting the headmaster! Stare blankly, let your mind wander!”]

Xie Chen, with an elegant and composed demeanor, bowed slightly and replied politely, "Greetings, Lord Marquis."

Ji Qianqiu stood ramrod straight, like a taut javelin, not daring to breathe loudly or even glance around.

Mo Yun bowed calmly, but his gaze subtly swept over the beams, pillars, doors, and windows of the hall.

Ling Shuang stood quietly to one side, her cold face expressionless, but her divine sense had already been quietly released, sensing the subtle atmosphere in the hall and the faint energy fluctuations deep within the mansion.

Tie Pan was so nervous that he stood there awkwardly, while Mo Yun beside him gave him a calm look that said "stay calm." Tie Pan nodded earnestly, trying his best to stand up straight, but beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Shen Qingyue didn't say much. After briefly inquiring about the affairs of the manor, he signaled everyone to disperse.

At breakfast time, the atmosphere was even more solemn. In the vast dining hall, only the soft clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard. No talking while eating or sleeping was a strict rule of the Marquis's household.

Shen Qingyue ate in silence, his movements meticulous, exuding a cold and aloof aura.

Shen Yunzhou sat to the left of his father, his movements slightly stiff.

He picked up his chopsticks, but his gaze occasionally drifted uncontrollably towards Fang Li across from him.

Seeing her carefully picking up the food, trying to adapt to the oppressive atmosphere, he frowned slightly.

Fang Li complained to Tongzi, "Eating is like fighting a war... I miss the gossip at Yixingfeng Dining Hall!" She ate in small bites, feeling that even the delicious food had lost its flavor.

Shen Yunzhou's concern was clumsy but genuine.

He silently noted Fang Li's preference for Jiangnan-style cuisine and instructed the kitchen to prepare some extra delicate pastries. Two days later, Fang Li found a small food box outside her room, neatly arranged with osmanthus cakes and Longjing pastries, still slightly warm.

Fang Li held the food box, somewhat stunned: "Iceberg Senior Brother... actually remembers I like this? And even specially brought it over? System, has he been possessed?"

System: [“Host! This is an iron tree blooming! A sign that the iceberg is melting! (Excited) Although the method is a bit... well, direct.”]

One day, Shen Yunzhou returned home and handed Fang Li a package wrapped in oil paper with a blank expression. Fang Li opened it and found several strings of crystal-clear candied hawthorns and a few pieces of tempting pea flour cakes, all carefully packaged.

"Try it." His voice remained cold and hard, and he looked away after saying that.

Fang Li's eyes lit up, and she said with delight, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Ji Qianqiu, who was watching longingly from the side, couldn't help but lean over and ask bluntly, "Senior brother, where's my share?"

Shen Yunzhou glanced at him coldly: "...Go buy it yourself." His differential treatment was blatant and undisguised.

Ji Qianqiu: "..." He felt wronged, but dared not say it.

The peaceful daily routine was broken by a gilded invitation.

The garment was exquisitely tailored and bore the inscription "Third Prince Li Yan." The letter was earnest, praising the chivalrous spirit of the "Jianghu Hero" Shen Yunzhou and his companions. It expressed deep concern over the recent disturbances caused by demonic creatures in the capital and extended a special invitation to the guests to visit the residence and discuss strategies to "eliminate the scourge for the people."

The invitation was delivered to Shen Qingyue's desk. His cold gaze swept over the words, his fingertips lingering for a moment on the name "Third Prince," before he handed the invitation to Shen Yunzhou, saying in a calm tone, "You decide for yourself." The Marquis's mansion did not get involved in factional strife; that was the bottom line, but he tacitly approved of his son's actions.

The group gathered in a side hall to discuss the matter.

“No banquet is a good banquet.” Xie Chen waved his fan, his words hitting the nail on the head. “Li Yan’s intention is to recruit or test us. But this is also an excellent opportunity for us to get closer to the core of power and investigate the connection between that black powder and the array diagram.”

Shen Yunzhou gripped the invitation tightly, his eyes sharp: "Extreme caution is required. Do not reveal your identity as a cultivator. Act according to circumstances, focusing on investigation."

Fang Li was eager to try: "Go! Of course I'll go! Let's see what this prince is up to! Maybe we can uncover the mastermind behind this!"

Mo Yun pondered for a moment and said, "We need to prepare some talismans to conceal our presence and portable protective magic artifacts in advance, just in case."

Ling Shuang picked up the invitation, held it to her nose and sniffed it lightly, her cool brows furrowing slightly: "This incense... seems strange. The fragrance is subtle and unique, but it has a very subtle similarity to the strange scent of that powder." She spoke with certainty.

The system immediately screamed in Fang Li's mind: ["Host! Senior Sister Ling Shuang's judgment is accurate! Scan confirms! The incense ingredients are of the same origin as the 'Soul-Eating Grass' toxin, but they are processed in a much more concealed way! They are almost undetectable!"]

Fang Li subconsciously touched the "Thinking of Home" hairpin in her hair. The hairpin seemed to tremble slightly, almost imperceptibly, and emitted a faint sense of rejection.

Ji Qianqiu patted his chest and said in a loud voice, "I'll protect my junior sister! Anyone who dares to touch a hair on her head, I'll beat them to a pulp!"

Fang Li immediately glared at him: "Who needs your protection!" She got angry just thinking about the accident that night.

Ji Qianqiu wilted instantly from the glare, clutching the hem of his clothes, and whispered pitifully, "Junior Sister..."

Fang Li turned her head away, refusing to look at him or pay him any attention.

Tiepan nervously rubbed his hands together: "I...I'm strong! I can help everyone keep watch outside! Keep watch!"

On the eve of the banquet, Fang Li was alone in her room, her fingertips unconsciously caressing the warm and smooth "Yearning for Home" hairpin.

During her few days at the Marquis's residence, Shen Yunzhou's clumsy concern, Ji Qianqiu's entanglement, and... that night's icy yet burning kiss from the Immortal Venerable—all these images intertwined, causing her emotions to become slightly chaotic.

Suddenly, the hairpin in my palm felt slightly warm without any warning!

She looked down and saw a glint of light flowing across the hairpin, and the tip of the hairpin began to tremble slightly on its own, as if drawn by some invisible force, stubbornly pointing towards the Third Prince's mansion!

The system immediately exclaimed in her mind: [“Host! The hairpin is reacting! It's pointing towards the Prince's Mansion! Something there is strongly attracting it! The spiritual energy fluctuations are abnormal!”]

Fang Li was startled and gripped the hairpin tightly: "The Prince's Mansion? Could it be... the source of the demons, or the secret of that array diagram, is hidden in the Prince's Mansion?"

She looked out the window toward the direction of the Prince's Mansion; the night was deep, as if a giant beast was lurking there.

"Tongzi," she asked in a low voice, with a hint of nervousness and excitement, "this Prince's mansion... tomorrow, will we be going to the Dragon Pool or the Tiger's Den?"