"Are you afraid of him?" she asked, looking at Zhong Zi beside her.
Zhong Zi was silent for a long time, then slowly nodded. "The Clan Elder witnessed both me and Dong Ling grow up. He taught us cultivation since we were young..."
Although they hadn't formally become his disciples, he was considered half their master.
The Clan Elder was a strict person, meticulous in everything he did. His rigorous and decisive teaching methods had caused Zhong Zi and Dong Ling much hardship, leaving them with lingering shadows even now.
"When you returned to the Ghost Clan, did you go to see him?"
Zhong Zi pursed his lips, his face showing more helplessness. "Not yet..."
"Since the Clan Elder entered the tomb, he has locked himself inside and sees no one."
Bai Ran rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought. She then looked at Zhong Zi again. "Tomorrow, you two will accompany me."
...
Meanwhile, in the Demon Realm.
"Your Highness, a large number of demonized people have appeared in the Upper Realm!" Jing Yun hurried in, his steps so fast he seemed to be sparking.
In the dim palace, Long Jin Han stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze extremely cold. "Have the cause been investigated?"
Jing Yun bowed and slowly shook his head. "Not yet..."
Ever since the madam's inner demon escaped, the demonized people seemed to have begun gathering, plotting some conspiracy.
The problem was, they couldn't find the whereabouts of the inner demon, nor could they ascertain the reason for the demonized people's gathering.
The Upper Realm... why would demonized people appear in the Upper Realm?
"Has Zhong Yi Chuan sent any news recently?" Long Jin Han asked in a low voice, slowly turning around.
Jing Yun nodded and replied unhurriedly, "Replying to Your Highness, Zhong Yi Chuan sends news daily, saying that the Divine Realm has been very quiet lately."
Not only Mo Ze, but even the Divine Emperor had been acting normally, with no hint of abnormality.
"En," Long Jin Han nodded slightly. "Continue to monitor the Upper Realm."
"Yes." Jing Yun bowed and then quietly withdrew from the main hall.
Tang Yi walked in, frowning as she looked around, seemingly searching for someone. "Jing Yun, have you seen Jing Feng?"
Upon hearing this, Jing Yun shook his head. "No, what's wrong?"
"That fellow followed Dong Fang Wu Ji somewhere to mess around. I haven't seen him for a whole day."
Tang Yi sighed, her face full of helplessness. "When these two get together, they can overturn the sky. I can't let them run wild."
Jing Yun pondered for a moment, then looked up at her. "Have you tried contacting them with a communication jade pendant?"
Speaking of which, Tang Yi was even more helpless. She pouted and took out two communication jade pendants from her embrace, handing them to Jing Yun.
"You mean this? We found them in their room."
Jing Yun stared at the two jade pendants in her hand, and his mouth couldn't help but twitch.
The jade pendants in Tang Yi's hand belonged to Dong Fang Wu Ji and Jing Feng, who weren't even carrying them.
"Really, where did they go? They didn't even bring their most important communication jade pendants."
Jing Yun pursed his lips, a guess flashing through his mind, and his expression darkened. "Not bringing their communication jade pendants, there was a similar incident before..."
Tang Yi blinked, her face full of confusion, then her eyes widened instantly, as if she had guessed it.
"You don't mean... that time they went drinking?"
It was not long after Luo Qian Qian's death. Dong Fang Wu Ji was in pain and drowned his sorrows in alcohol day after day.
Jing Feng, out of good intentions, went to comfort him. However, he couldn't stand Dong Fang Wu Ji's stubbornness and turned from a persuader into a drinking companion.
The two drank until they were completely inebriated. As if the alcohol had taken over, they directly threw their communication jade pendants into the river and sank them.
Jing Yun, Tang Yi, and Zhong Yi Chuan searched for two whole days before finally finding them passed out in a back alley, reeking of alcohol.
The result was that after they sobered up, they were severely punished by Your Highness, and they had to retrieve the communication jade pendants from the cold river water, looking miserable.
"Did they go drinking again? But that doesn't make sense!" Tang Yi's brows furrowed tightly. This time they hadn't gone through any significant ordeal.
Jing Yun sighed. "Have you checked Hua Man Lou?"
Hua Man Lou was the restaurant Dong Fang Wu Ji frequented the most. Perhaps they were drinking there now.
Tang Yi shook her head, a smile curving her lips. "I haven't been out yet. Shall we go together?"
If Jing Feng saw Jing Yun personally come looking for him, he would surely behave.
Jing Yun nodded, settled the matters of the Upper Realm, and then went out with Tang Yi.
Half an hour later, they indeed found Dong Fang Wu Ji and Jing Feng at Hua Man Lou. Before them were many empty wine jars, and they were both drunk beyond recognition.
Even more fatally, a group of colorful maidservants stood beside them, enthusiastically serving them.
Jing Yun stood behind the two, his face as black as ink. Even Tang Yi felt a chill run down her spine...
"Wake up, look who's here!" She nudged the sodden Jing Feng, her tone somewhat urgent.
"Don't bother me..." Jing Feng hugged a jar, his breath reeking of alcohol, his eyes still closed peacefully.
Dong Fang Wu Ji, hearing this, straightened up and looked over. With this glance, his previously hazy mind instantly cleared.
"You all go down first." He said to the maidservants, generously handing them a bag of gold coins.
Facing Jing Yun's stormy face, Dong Fang Wu Ji swallowed and nudged Jing Feng, who was slumped over the table, with his elbow.
"Hey... turn your head and look..."
Under Dong Fang Wu Ji's constant urging, Jing Feng rubbed his eyes and impatiently turned his head.
Their eyes met, and for a moment, the air became frighteningly silent...
"You! You, you, you, let me explain!" Jing Feng suddenly stood up, trying anxiously to explain something.
But before he could say more, Jing Yun walked out with a grim expression, his posture indicating that ten oxen couldn't pull him back.
"Hey—!"
Jing Feng chased after him in a hurry. Before leaving, he glared at Dong Fang Wu Ji behind him. "It's all your fault!"
Dong Fang Wu Ji turned his face away, scratched his cheek, a hint of guilt flashing in his eyes...
"Why did you two come to drink again? And you invited so many maidservants. Aren't you deliberately trying to anger Jing Yun?"
Tang Yi sat opposite Dong Fang Wu Ji with a smile, asking with gossip.
Dong Fang Wu Ji rolled his eyes at her and sighed, "Isn't it because this wine is too tempting?"
In reality, Hua Man Lou's hundred-year-old vintage was half-price today. Dong Fang Wu Ji, having a craving, pulled Jing Feng along. When they came out, they realized they hadn't brought their communication jade pendants.
"But I didn't know this place had so many girls..."
Halfway through drinking, they realized that a circle of women had somehow surrounded them.
And then, Jing Yun and Tang Yi arrived.
"Isn't this just Hua Man Lou's strategy? You fell for it?" Tang Yi looked at Dong Fang Wu Ji as if he were an idiot.
The wine was half-price, so they attracted a group of maidservants who devised ways to make customers spend money.
With fine wine accompanied by beauty, which man wouldn't spend double the amount of money?