Zheng Erniang had awoken.

As Zheng Erniang looked at Zheng Xiu, his features struck her as familiar. Her heart trembled, and she sat up with a start, asking repeatedly who this child was.

Suddenly, all eyes, both inside and outside the house, fell upon the handsome young man within.

Even the Brotherhood members hidden on the roof, in the courtyard, and in the shadows.

Many of them subconsciously perked up their ears. ’This is some juicy gossip,’ they thought.

Zheng Xiu became the center of attention.

For a fleeting moment, the scene gave Zheng Xiu the strange feeling that several of his girlfriends had accidentally run into each other and sparks were flying.

’But it’s no big deal. A minor scene.’

Zheng Xiu, afraid his Evil Child incarnation would trigger the strange Miracle Technique from the unknown Miracle Master again, quickly said to Zizi and the others, "Find some trustworthy people at once. Hurry and make some meat porridge for Second Lady to eat."

Zheng Xiu winked at Zizi, his eyes seeming to say, ’So, still want to be the new lady of the house?’

Zizi understood instantly. She nodded and went to carry out the order.

Although Zheng Erniang had opened her eyes and spoken, she was incredibly weak after days without food or water. She mumbled a few words in a daze and fell asleep again.

When Zheng Xiu stepped outside, everyone, including Feng Bei, was still staring at him.

Zheng Xiu smiled. "It’s a long story, and I can’t explain it all right now."

Qing Shisan cleared his throat. "Actually, Young Master, you could give us the short version."

’Qing Pi, if you don’t speak, no one will mistake you for a mute.’

Zheng Xiu shot a glare at Qing Shisan and blew two whistles—one high, one low. It meant: *Shut up.*

Qing Shisan froze, his gaze turning serious. He was now ninety-nine percent certain that this young master truly was Master Zheng’s flesh and blood. Otherwise, there was no way he could know the Brotherhood’s whistle signals so clearly.

Since he had mentioned "Zheng Shan" out of thin air and claimed to be his descendant... Qing Shisan, Ji Hong’ou, and the others simultaneously turned to look at the calm Feng Bei. Understanding dawned in their hearts, a sudden, great realization.

’So there’s more to the story!’

’Master Zheng, oh, Master Zheng!’

’We never thought you were that kind of man!’

The young man’s ambiguous answer sent everyone’s imaginations running wild as they mentally pieced together a story between Feng Bei and Zheng Xiu.

Zheng Xiu added, "You all know my father’s character well. Unless he had absolutely no other choice, he would never have revealed my existence."

This statement from Zheng Xiu was a case of "one father, two uses."

Whether it was the members of the Zheng Clan, who believed his father to be Zheng Xiu, or Feng Bei, who believed his father to be Zheng Shan, everyone seemed to reach an understanding and nodded to themselves.

After a chaotic night, Zheng Xiu found his horizons gradually broadening.

The family, the Brotherhood, and Zheng Erniang’s situation were all stable for the time being.

After he had shut Qing Pi up, no one else dared to speak out of turn.

With the Master away, the Young Master was in charge.

Everyone stayed far away from Feng Bei, treating her like a harbinger of death.

Everyone in the know knew that Feng Bei of Ye Weiyang’s Upper Three killed without batting an eye and left no survivors in her wake.

Zheng Xiu crooked a finger at Feng Bei. "Sister Feng Bei, a word in private!"

Feng Bei froze for a moment, her hands twisting nervously behind her back.

After a moment, Feng Bei nodded. "Alright."

Feng Bei’s heart was a tangle of complicated emotions.

For years, she had been secretly searching for any sign of Zheng Shan.

Twenty years ago in Baili Village, a Mighty Man named Zheng Shan had not only saved her life but had also brought the first ray of light into Feng Bei’s dim existence.

She could never forget how Zheng Shan had carried her high into the air, flying through the night, allowing the morning dawn to illuminate her face.

Feng Bei was born an ill Omen, bringing ruin to her friends and family. Whoever touched her died. Yet on that night, and that night alone, Zheng Shan had taken her hand.

Feng Bei had only joined Ye Weiyang as a means to secretly search for Zheng Shan.

In Baili Village, she had seen Zheng Shan transform with her own eyes. She knew he was no ordinary mortal and was very likely a Miracle Master as well.

Ye Weiyang specialized in handling strange and paranormal cases, and Feng Bei believed that through these investigations, she might find a clue related to Zheng Shan.

Now, though she had not found Zheng Shan, she had found his son.

To have the fruit of her twenty-year-long search right before her eyes made Feng Bei feel a strange sense of unease.

The two of them went out into the courtyard.

After whistling to tell the Brotherhood members not to eavesdrop, Zheng Xiu prepared to talk.

Feng Bei silently took two steps back.

Zheng Xiu paused, then remembered Feng Bei’s special Constitution and understood.

’Feng Bei really is the same kind girl from all those years ago. She’s worried she might hurt me.’

Even now, Zheng Xiu wasn’t entirely sure if shaking Feng Bei’s hand would get him obliterated. The memory of Feng Bei reaching out to hug Feng Nantian in the Ghostly Realm of Baili Village, only for Feng Nantian to instantly shatter into countless pieces, was still fresh in his mind.

He hadn’t been afraid in the Ghostly Realm, but now Zheng Xiu was out in his [Divine Travel] state, and he couldn’t be sure.

If this Incarnation died, Zheng Xiu’s Main Body should be fine, but he was reluctant to lose this top-tier alt account he had rolled.

Feng Bei remained silent. She didn’t bring up the subject, but her left eye was fixed on Zheng Xiu, unblinking, as if waiting for an answer.

Zheng Xiu thought for a moment. "You want to ask if my father is still alive?"

Feng Bei nodded.

Zheng Xiu was getting better and better at this whole "inventing a father out of thin air" routine. He spun his tale, "My father is still alive."

’Can’t say Zheng Shan is dead,’ he thought. ’What if I need that Incarnation to show up again?’

Feng Bei asked, "Then Senior Zheng... he is...?"

"Secluded cultivation. Deep meditation. Living as a hermit."

"Secluded cultivation? Deep meditation?"

"As everyone knows, my father was born into the Danqing Family. He’s in seclusion, practicing his Danqing techniques."

Feng Bei understood at once. ’So that’s how it is,’ she thought.

Having glossed over the matter, Zheng Xiu observed Feng Bei’s reaction. It seemed she bought it.

Zheng Xiu added a few more details, effortlessly painting a picture of his "Zheng Shan-father" as a reclusive, hidden master.

The gist of it was: My father foresaw the Zheng Family’s trouble and sent me out into the world to resolve the crisis.

Even Zheng Xiu found the reason a bit flimsy, but Feng Bei believed him all the same.

Perhaps it was a case of "love me, love my dog." Over the years, Feng Bei had built up a grand, idealized image of Zheng Shan in her mind.

Now that his son had appeared, how could she not believe?

The resemblance was uncanny.

’They were both faces I sculpted myself, so it’s no surprise they look alike,’ Zheng Xiu mused. ’The Zheng Clan bloodline explains everything.’

Having secured Feng Bei’s trust, Zheng Xiu’s thoughts turned to the night’s events.

"Second Lady... ahem, I mean, my cousin." Zheng Xiu paused, mentally recalculating the family relationships, then started again. "They said it has something to do with a Peace Talisman, which they got from a place called the Immortal Maiden Temple."

"Immortal Maiden Temple." Feng Bei nodded, committing the name to memory. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle it."

"That would be perfect!" Zheng Xiu knew Feng Bei’s power was terrifying—no, it wasn’t just power, she was a human weapon. Whoever she touched, died. With such a brutal ability, Zheng Xiu was confident he could finally speedrun the Ghostly Realm. All his groundwork had been laid just to hear her say those words.

After a moment’s thought, Zheng Xiu asked shamelessly, "Sister Feng Bei, can I go with you to the Immortal Maiden Temple? I’m worried about my cousin’s safety!"

Feng Bei glanced at Zheng Xiu. Without a hint of suspicion, she nodded. "Of course. But you must stay close to me and not wander off."

The instant Feng Bei spoke those words...

Zheng Xiu felt an itch from the lump on his forehead.

The completely unexpected itch made Zheng Xiu freeze for a second.

Text appeared before his eyes.

[You have discovered a Post Station. You can reach "Post Station: Executioner: Ding Wei: Feng Bei".]

[Post Station: Feng Bei has not resisted your entry.]

[You have received permission to enter the Post Station.]

[You may enter and stay at the Post Station at any time.]

This sudden development left Zheng Xiu dumbfounded.

’A Post Station?’

’Feng Bei??’

’Enter... Post Station Feng Bei???’

Of all the strange things that had happened tonight, this was by far the weirdest.

Zheng Xiu was currently in his [Divine Travel] state and couldn’t enter his Heart Prison to take a look. Feng Bei glanced at the sky and arranged with Zheng Xiu to set out for the Immortal Maiden Temple early the next morning. They should be able to root out the culprit who had cast the Miracle Technique on Zheng Erniang before nightfall, finish the job, and return to the Imperial City the day after.

Furthermore, when Feng Bei politely took her leave from Zheng Xiu, she mentioned she had to investigate a few other cases to see if they were also connected to the Immortal Maiden Temple.

After Feng Bei left, Zheng Xiu returned to the East Wing Courtyard. A servant reported that Second Lady had eaten and was now sleeping soundly, which finally put Zheng Xiu’s mind at ease.

He brazenly moved into the Patriarch’s main chambers. As the son of Zheng Xiu, it was perfectly logical, and no one else suspected a thing.

By this point, Zheng Xiu’s Spirit felt drained, and he could feel an insistent pulling sensation from his Main Body.

Returning from his Divine Travel, atop Heaven-Gazing Prison and bathed in the moonlight, Zheng Xiu opened his eyes.

His surroundings were quiet as usual, though Zheng Xiu could faintly hear the groans of prisoners from below.

"Oh, right," he muttered. "Let’s see what this new Ghostly Realm, the Immortal Maiden Temple, and ’Post Station Feng Bei’ are all about."

Remembering the two new locations, a strange look crossed Zheng Xiu’s face. He closed his eyes once more, his consciousness slipping out and entering the Heart Prison.