41 methods
"Du Zhijin, if I lied to you, would you forgive me?"
Wanze City has no curfew, and at night it is brightly lit, illuminating the darkness as if it were daytime. But as soon as the full moon appears on the horizon, even the most magnificent lanterns will dim.
Du Zhijin suddenly remembered the moon over Wuling Village. Back then, the moon wasn't as perfect as it is now; it was like her life itself, thin as a hook, hanging by a thread, ready to snap at any moment.
Now, with the moon shining brightly, she has regained her vitality and is no longer in danger of losing her life.
All of this is related to Ying Jianhua. But he alone was not illuminated by the moonlight and still lived in the shadows.
She began, “Prince Chengduan had five sons. He and his heir are both dead. The remaining ones are busy fighting for power and may not have time to act.”
Ying Jianhua did not reply. So her words fell to the ground and were carried away by a gentle breeze.
He was well aware of the underlying principles. That was precisely his plan from the start. Prince Chengduan was dead, but his title remained, and someone would surely inherit it. The heir apparent was also dead, and the remaining princes were equally incompetent, yet none of them would submit to the others. This would lead to endless infighting, with each trying to outmaneuver the other, and by the time they finally decided their victor, he would already be out of danger.
Not only was there a bounty poster for him on the wall, but there were also bounties for many other people, indicating that the other party was casting a wide net and not targeting him alone. Wanze City and Jinxi City had trade relations, so it made sense that the bounty poster from the Chengduan Prince's Mansion would be posted here. Perhaps if he went a little further, he would be completely safe.
How far is "far"? Youzhou, Haizhou, Yizhou, or somewhere else? These days, following Du Zhijin, he has nothing to worry about. His biggest worry every day is how to get rid of Jiangwei, to the point that he has forgotten that he has blood on his hands.
He began to regret not telling Du Zhijin the truth during their first reunion.
If he had revealed everything from the beginning, what would have happened? He had saved her life, and there were extenuating circumstances; he hadn't killed innocent people indiscriminately. Given her personality, there might still be room for maneuver, and things might not have ended up going their separate ways.
But he lied to her, not only deceiving and hiding things from her, but also taking advantage of her time and time again.
If he were her, and someone he trusted completely hid from him, deceived him, and used him, would he forgive them?
Is it because of this that we will never see each other again, even in life or death?
Ying Jianhua couldn't help but shiver. Du Zhijin, who was by the window, noticed this and immediately went over to check on him.
His face was paler than the moonlight, and his eyes were wet as if he had just been caught in a downpour. He stared intently at her as she approached.
Staring should be a somewhat offensive and aggressive action, but when he did it... she felt a wave of tenderness wash over her.
"Are you scared?" She touched his forehead, knowing full well that Ying Jianhua was a doctor, but she still couldn't help but worry.
Ying Jianhua remained motionless as she reached out to touch her, her gaze fixed on Ying Jianhua's face, never looking away.
Without speaking, Du Zhijin took it as an admission. After a moment's thought, she said, "Those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. Prince Chengduan was already guilty of heinous crimes. The people did not report him before only because they dared not because of his tyranny. Now that Prince Chengduan is dead, and none of his sons are capable of taking charge, some people among the people must have developed a rebellious heart. When the truth comes out and the Prince's mansion is brought to justice, your injustice will be redressed."
Seeing that he still didn't speak, Du Zhijin said again, "Why don't we be the ones to beat the drum and appeal for justice? North of Huzhou is Liulijing, and it's just a short distance from Wanze City." "No!" he suddenly burst out, loudly stopping her from saying anything more.
She asked, puzzled, "Why not?"
He was speechless, and unconsciously tightened his grip on her hand.
Because he wasn't innocent. Through their time together, he had come to know what kind of person Du Zhijin was. She would save not only insignificant people, but also insignificant demons; she would draw her sword to help even at the slightest sound of pain.
She had her own path, and she had followed it faithfully for ten years. Even when facing Prince Chengduan, all she thought of was "reporting" him, taking him to court, and letting the law punish him. Demons had no laws, so she created her own; she would only draw her sword when the other party confessed.
“Your benefactor is such an upright and kind person, while your methods are despicable. You two are like the clouds in the sky and the mud in the pond, destined to have no future.”
The words Jiangwei had once said inappropriately popped into my mind. What was he thinking that day? He said that as long as you hide well enough, you won't be discovered.
But is it really possible to avoid being discovered?
In just a few days, his state of mind changed drastically. The moonlight was so cold and indifferent, it shone on him without a trace of warmth, chilling him to the bone.
Perhaps because he had been silent for too long, Du Zhijin changed his tune: "It's alright, the past always carries weight. It's my fault, it's rare that you've moved on, so why should I bring it up?"
Ying Jianhua shook her head, wanting to say that this matter had nothing to do with her, but after opening her mouth, she swallowed her words back.
A voice inside him told him not to speak.
Du Zhijin's gaze dimmed for a moment as she looked at him, but she quickly concealed it. She looked out the window at the increasingly full moon and said, "The night of the full moon is approaching, and the demon within Huo Qing will surely lose its composure."
"I have already asked Elder Jun to inquire about the whereabouts of True Man Yu Nie. I expect news will arrive soon. Once this matter is settled, we will set off to treat your illness."
The True Immortal Yu Nie was the medical cultivator she had mentioned. He hadn't overheard her conversation with Elder Jun at the Forging Peak Hall, assuming she'd forgotten, but not wanting to directly remind her. He hadn't expected her to remember...
Anxiety overwhelmed him like a tidal wave, and a salty, rusty taste rose in his throat, as if he had swallowed a mouthful of blood.
He stared intently at the person in front of him, not wanting to miss a single expression, and asked very softly, "Du Zhijin, if I lied to you, would you forgive me?"
A look of surprise flashed in her eyes, then a smile blossomed like spring water breaking through ice: "I can."
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt as if a prisoner had been granted a get-out-of-jail-free card, and his heart was filled with relief.
Even though he knew in his heart that she said that because he was still lying to her.
Even so, that's enough.
————
Nothing happened at Huo Qing's residence that night.
That's not entirely true. Du Zhijin, biting into his steamed bun, glanced at Jiangwei and then at Ying Jianhua.
Did the human and the demon secretly go to play cards in the middle of the night without her knowledge? Otherwise, why would they both have the same dark blue color?
She asked the question, and Jiangwei smiled wryly and pointed to the sky. She instantly understood.
The moonlight's influence on demons had increased. She thought about it and realized it might also be related to Huzhou's coastal location.
The bright moon rises with the tide over the sea, and the sea amplifies the effect of the full moon night.
This place is not safe to stay any longer; this matter must be resolved as soon as possible. She put down the half-eaten bun and discussed with the two of them, "I suspect that the demon that is haunting Huo Qing is delaying its appearance because of me."
"You?" Upon hearing her voice, Ying Jianhua seemed to wake from a dream and exclaimed in surprise.
Du Zhijin nodded emphatically. Jiangwei was a demon, and after a moment's thought, he understood: "Indeed. Demons, like humans, know how to seek advantage and avoid harm. Our benefactor has such a strong righteous aura that ordinary demons naturally dare not provoke him."
Actually, his words were quite euphemistic. His talk of righteousness was clearly just a euphemism; Du Zhijin was cursed with unrequited love for the demons he had killed. Even an ordinary person encountering a man-eating demon would be too terrified to move.
Ying Jianhua said, "But I've never encountered anything like this before." For example, the previous phantom demon seemed completely unaware of Du Zhijin's appearance. Du Zhijin had said that the phantom demon was a Class C monster, and the monsters in Wanze City were weaker than Class C, so how did the demon on Huo Qing's body become aware of it?
Upon hearing this, Jiangwei looked at Du Zhijin with a complicated expression, hesitating to speak.
Ying Jianhua then realized that Du Zhijin was hiding something from him.
"Ahem." Under his death stare, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "It's a long story... When I first arrived in Wanze City, I practiced with a few demons. I accidentally practiced with a bit too much, so I smell a bit strong."
As for why she sought out demons to practice on? She would never say that it was because she had doubted her own strength after failing to discover the existence of any known demons twice in a row.
However, it later turned out that her skills were not the problem; the problem lay elsewhere.
After listening to her words, Ying Jianhua looked thoughtfully at the fox, who was also a demon.
Since he could smell it, wasn't he afraid? Or did his trust in Du Zhijin far outweigh the fear she brought him?
This profound trust gave him a misconception—a misconception that he was inferior to a demon.
"Is there any way to get rid of the smell? With spices?" he asked, using business as a pretext to hide his inner anxiety. Suddenly, something occurred to him, and his eyes flashed.
He had one thing that could conceal his presence: the black robe his mother had worn. It was thanks to this robe that he was able to sneak into the Prince's study, and he didn't forget to bring it out even during the fire.
He vaguely sensed that this robe was unusual, which was why he hadn't worn it in front of Du Zhijin. But since now was the time to use it, why not use it to show goodwill and loyalty?
Thinking of this, he glanced at Jiangwei without making a sound.
At least in Du Zhijin's heart, he was more important than Jiangwei.
But then he rejected his own idea. He recalled what Master Jun had said when he saw his mother's hairpin, and doubts began to grow in his mind.
No, what if the black robe also has something unusual about it? He can't let Du Zhijin become suspicious.
"Hmm? Amo, do you have any good ideas?" However, Du Zhijin had already noticed his movements and looked over.
Her fingernails dug into the soft flesh of her palm, the pain bringing a slight sense of calm. Ying Jianhua's mind raced, and she actually came up with a plan: "We can pretend to leave Wanze City and tell Miss Huo Qing that we've sold out and need to go back to restock. That demon hasn't shown itself for two days, and even if it's being cautious, it will definitely come out to feed in a few days."
"Pretend to quit?" she asked.
He nodded: "Yes, it would be best if you really left here."
Jiangwei agreed: "Tomorrow is the night of the full moon. If our benefactor is not here, it will surely appear."
“But how can we know it has appeared when none of us are here?” Du Zhijin frowned.
Jiangwei volunteered: "I can stay and use my demonic power to inform you, my benefactor, when it appears."
It sounds like a good idea, but the Crimson-Tailed Demon's power is weak, and there is a risk of injury.
She was about to persuade him to reconsider, or for everyone to think of another way, when suddenly, Ying Jianhua spoke up.
"No, Crimson Tail is easier to spot. Remember how we found him? It was because he was too weak and couldn't hide his presence at all. There are strong and weak demons, aren't there?"
Jiangwei gritted her teeth, wanting to refute but having nothing to say.
Because that's the truth.
Reminded by him, Du Zhijin also realized what was happening and fell into a new round of deep thought.
If the Crimson Tail cannot be left behind, then who should be responsible for relaying the message...?
Suddenly, she felt a gaze fall upon her.
She looked up and found that it was Ying Jianhua who was looking at her.
Could it be...?
"I stayed."
[Author's Note]
Amo wouldn't have random, unfounded thoughts.
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