Yan Ruchu was stunned for a moment.

His gaze became dull, as if he had lost his soul.

“Punishment…”

Yan Ruchu staggered slightly, then steadied himself and called out, “Mr. Chen…”

Chen Changsheng looked at him calmly and said, “I did not lie to you.”

Yan Ruchu lowered his head.

For a good while, he said nothing more.

Chen Changsheng then spoke, “What you wanted to know, I have told you. Please leave now if there is nothing else.”

Yan Ruchu raised his head and asked, “Mr. Chen, how can I save Xian Yue?”

Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, “Your Highness, do you think that a mortal from the Mortal Realm can interfere with the affairs of the Underworld?”

“Your Highness, please go now.”

After saying that, Chen Changsheng went inside and casually closed the door.

“Thud.”

Yan Ruchu stood in the empty alley.

His face suddenly turned pale, and his legs went weak, almost making him fall.

“Young Master!”

The old servant waiting nearby hurried up to support him.

Yan Ruchu waved his hand slightly and said, “I am fine.”

But at that moment, he seemed totally different from usual; his voice was faint and soft, like someone who was very sick.

Yan Ruchu lowered his head and said, “Let us go back.”

The old servant helped Yan Ruchu as they slowly left the alley.

After exiting the alley, Yan Ruchu heard the noisy and loud sounds on the street, and he couldn’t help but ask himself.

What exactly was he now?

Xian Yue was suffering in the Netherworld Tribunal, while he was here in the Mortal Realm, living as a king and acting powerful.

He lived on weakly, and sometimes even longed for fun and ease.

Yan Ruchu laughed at himself, sounding a bit crazy.

“Young Master…”

The old servant was surprised, not knowing what had happened to His Highness.

…

Wang Sanniang wrapped some vegetable dumplings in the afternoon and brought some over.

Chen Changsheng got to taste something good too.

Ruyi and Ping’an were both eating with great enjoyment; the dumplings had a bit of lard added, which made them greasier and tastier, and Ping’an made the biggest mess with them, his mouth all oily.

When it grew almost dark, Ping’an and Ruyi went back with Wang Sanniang.

It was dark, and without candlelight, they couldn’t practice writing.

As she was leaving, Ruyi seemed a bit unwilling to go and said, “Uncle Chen, I will come back tomorrow morning to study reading.”

“Good,” Chen Changsheng replied with a nod and a smile.

Ruyi held Ping’an’s hand and followed Sanniang back to their courtyard.

Yan Huanglou sat nearby and said, “Those two kids are very good.”

Chen Changsheng smiled and said, “Ruyi is more lively, while Ping’an does not like to talk, but he is not cold. Wang Sanniang teaches them well.”

Yan Huanglou breathed out and said, “If I had married earlier, I would have grandchildren older than Ruyi now.”

Chen Changsheng glanced at him and asked, “That so? Are you tired of living alone and want a partner now?”

Yan Huanglou sighed and said, “Forget that, I can barely feed myself. I was just saying that seeing this family makes me feel good. After all, who doesn’t wish for their family to be larger?”

“But in this world, it is too hard.”

His life was nearing its end, so he just sighed about it sometimes.

After Yan Huanglou finished his chatter, he went back into his room. Maybe he was tired from setting up his stall, and he wanted to lie down for a bit.

Having nothing to do, Chen Changsheng broke off a tree branch and started practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard.

It was said he had not practiced for a long time.

Actually, since coming back from the Spirit Cage, Chen Changsheng had rarely drawn his sword again. Maybe he felt a bit bored, but he thought he shouldn’t stop, since sword-fighting was one of his few skills.

The branch waved in Chen Changsheng’s hand without any sign of Sword Qi; it was just normal swinging.

Swishing sounds rose in the courtyard.

When it was almost dark,

Ping’an in the other courtyard heard the sounds from next door.

He found a stool and put it under his feet, then climbed onto the wall to look over.

Chen Changsheng stopped moving and turned toward the head peeping over the wall.

Chen Changsheng smiled and said, “If your mother sees you climb so high, she will hit you.”

Ping’an said, “If Uncle Chen doesn’t tell her, she won’t know.”

Chen Changsheng said, “Get down quickly.”

“Okay.”

Ping’an agreed with hesitation, then climbed down from the wall.

He stood under the wall and called out, “What was Uncle Chen doing?”

Through the wall, Chen Changsheng answered, “Sword-playing.”

“Is it fun?”

“Fun? Well, I suppose it could be considered fun.”

As he spoke, Ping’an heard the swishing sounds again from behind the wall.

Ping’an did not understand what sword-playing meant; he just knew it was waving a branch around.

“Why is Uncle Chen so amazing? You seem to know everything.”

Chen Changsheng kept swinging the sword and asked, “For example?”

“Writing, reading, telling stories, and sword-playing… well, even though I don’t know what sword-playing is.”

“Those aren’t very hard things.”

“Right.”

Ping’an said, “Reading isn’t hard, and writing isn’t hard. I just don’t understand as many truths as Uncle Chen.”

Behind the wall, the swishing sounds continued.

Ping’an thought it over, then stood on the stool, tiptoed, and peeked into the courtyard again.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he looked over, Chen Changsheng stopped.

Ping’an blinked and asked, “Uncle, why aren’t you sword-playing anymore?”

“I am not doing it now, I am taking a rest.”

Chen Changsheng blinked back with a smile and said, “Ping’an, do you believe that if you don’t get down now, within three breaths, your mother will pinch your ear and lock you inside the house to spank your bottom?”

Ping’an shook his head and said, “I don’t believe you.”

Just as he spoke, a gentle shout came from the courtyard next door.

“Ping’an!”

Ping’an froze; as he turned, he saw her mother’s fierce, angry face.

“Mother, mother…”

Ping’an quickly pulled his head back.

Sitting in his courtyard, Chen Changsheng immediately heard Ping’an’s wails from the next yard.

“I won’t dare again, Mother, I won’t dare…”

“Are you brave now! You dare to climb the wall! Today you’re getting punished for sure!”

Ping’an naturally got beaten, his bottom turning red all over.

The wall wasn’t very high, but if he twisted his ankle and fell, it would hurt badly, especially for a kid like Ping’an who was just a few years old.

Chen Changsheng in the courtyard smiled.

To him, this counted as something very interesting.

…

When it turned completely dark, Yan Huanglou also woke up.

He came into the courtyard, and in the moonlight, he could still see Chen Changsheng sitting there, propping his chin and resting a little.

Yan Huanglou asked, “Aren’t you going inside to sleep?”

Chen Changsheng opened his eyes and said, “Just sitting here for a while. I will sleep soon.”

Yan Huanglou came over and sat beside him.

Chen Changsheng saw that Yan Huanglou seemed a bit listless and asked, “Didn’t you sleep well?”

Yan Huanglou said, “A little. These days, I feel very sleepy, and sometimes I can’t sleep even if I want to. My head feels heavy too.”

He yawned and said, “I am just too old.”

Chen Changsheng looked Yan Huanglou over. He paused and started to say something, but then thought better of it.

Instead, he asked, “What happened to the fan from earlier?