"I don’t know..."

Jiang Ran’s face was a picture of honesty.

He and the old drunkard had depended on each other for twenty years, but because of his fatal condition, the old drunkard had never allowed him to get deeply involved in the martial arts world.

His knowledge of that world was limited.

His main sources of information were taverns and teahouses, where he’d listen to groups of people spreading distorted rumors.

’He’d never even heard the words "Heartless Ghost Mansion" before, so how could he possibly know anything about it?’

Ye Jingshuang didn’t press him for details. Her brow furrowed slightly as she said softly,

"The Heartless Ghost Mansion... is a perilous place in the martial arts world.

"Its location is a complete mystery, known to almost no one.

"Only those who are in need might get a chance to enter."

"Oh?"

Jiang Ran’s brows knitted slightly.

"Now that’s interesting. How would the Heartless Ghost Mansion know who needs to get in? What are their criteria?"

"That, I do know."

Ye Jingshuang said,

"Those who enter the Heartless Ghost Mansion are either infamous master thieves, utterly depraved Demons, or bandits with a massive bounty on their heads from the Court!

"They must be monstrously evil, with no place left for them in the martial arts world, and they must be hunted to the point of desperation.

"Only those who meet these two conditions have a chance of being guided to the Heartless Ghost Mansion."

Upon hearing this, understanding dawned on Jiang Ran.

"The Valley of Evil!"

"And what place is that?"

Ye Jingshuang looked at Jiang Ran upon hearing his words.

"It’s pretty similar to the Heartless Ghost Mansion—a gathering place for villains. The only difference is, it seems no one guides you there. You have to find a way to get there yourself."

Jiang Ran casually explained its premise.

"I see."

Ye Jingshuang’s expression turned grim.

"I thought the Heartless Ghost Mansion was the only place of its kind in the martial arts world, but to think there’s also a Valley of Evil... If I ever get the chance, I will hunt down and kill every last one of those villains!"

As she spoke, a hint of killing intent emanated from her cool, clear eyes.

Clearly, these were not just idle words.

Jiang Ran nodded repeatedly.

"Miss, why don’t you tell me more about this Heartless Ghost Mansion."

"Alright..."

Ye Jingshuang took a deep breath, suppressing the murderous urge in her heart.

"But I don’t know much about the Heartless Ghost Mansion either.

"However, I once heard my father... say that you can enter the Heartless Ghost Mansion, but you can never leave.

"It exists within the martial arts world, yet it is also outside of it.

"There are even four lines about this place that have been passed down...

"Enter the Heartless Sect, and you are one with the Ghost Mansion.

"Try to return to the world of the living, and ten thousand ghosts will devour your heart and soul!"

When she said the words "my father," her eyes instantly dimmed.

Jiang Ran glanced at her.

He knew she had suffered a great calamity tonight, and mentioning her father now must be painful for her.

Just as he was wondering how to change the subject, he saw her reaching for the wound on her back, her face contorted in difficulty.

But she couldn’t quite reach it.

He spoke instinctively,

"Miss Ye, let me help you..."

The moment the words were out, Jiang Ran felt a pang of regret. It was indeed a forward thing to say.

In any other situation, he could have been beaten to death for being a lecher and wouldn’t even have the face to protest his innocence.

But Ye Jingshuang just froze for a moment. Before Jiang Ran could find a way to backtrack, she said in a low voice,

"Then, thank you, Young Master Jiang."

With that, she turned her back to Jiang Ran, slipped off her outer garments, and revealed the gash on her back, the flesh gruesomely split open.

If Jiang Ran backed out now, he’d truly be offending her.

He had no choice but to take the hemostatic and muscle-regenerating balm and begin treating her wound.

As his fingertips gently touched her skin, Ye Jingshuang’s body trembled slightly.

Jiang Ran cleared his throat to break the tension.

"If the Heartless Ghost Mansion is so mysterious, how did those four lines get out?"

"Although no one knows where the Heartless Ghost Mansion is, or how treacherous a place it is,

"you have to remember... what kind of people are the ones who enter it?

"The gates of the Heartless Ghost Mansion remain shut, isolating it from the mortal world.

"One or two years is tolerable. Three or five might be manageable. But to be stuck in one place for eight or ten years, unable to leave for the rest of your life... someone was bound to grow resentful.

"And so, seventy years ago, a great Demon who had vanished for many years suddenly reappeared in the world.

"Immediately, heroes from the Path of Chivalry gathered forces, intending to eliminate this Demon and rid the martial arts world of a scourge.

"They finally cornered him on a barren mountain.

"Unexpectedly, the Demon’s methods were formidable. After a series of fierce battles, not only had they failed to kill him, but the besiegers had suffered heavy losses. For a time, his demonic aura soared, and he seemed utterly invincible."

As Ye Jingshuang told Jiang Ran this story, her awkwardness faded considerably. Besides, there was truly nothing romantic about the situation.

Treating the wound was excruciating. It had to be cleaned with strong liquor, then the ointment applied, the edges of the flesh pulled together, and finally wrapped with a fine cloth to hold it in place.

Each step was agonizing, and a fine sheen of sweat had long since broken out on her forehead.

In such a state, talking actually helped distract her and alleviate some of the pain.

"Years ago, my grandfather also took part in the siege against this man.

"At the time, he had already prepared himself for death. But unexpectedly, just as the Demon was about to unleash a massacre, a voice drifted over, speaking the very four lines I just mentioned...

"When I was a child, my grandfather told me these things like they were stories. According to him, when the speaker said the first line, he seemed to be as far away as the horizon.

"By the second line, he had already arrived in their midst.

"He wore robes of black brocade and a ghost mask on his face. The only things visible were his eyes, which were pale and indifferent.

"And among all the great heroes present, not a single one saw how he had appeared!

"Then, he began to speak the third line. Before he could even finish, that seemingly invincible Demon began to tremble like a leaf, all of its previous arrogance gone.

It cried out, ’Mansion Master, spare me!’

"But the Mansion Master paid it no mind. After finishing the last line as if talking to himself, he tore out the Demon’s heart.

"My grandfather said that the Demon didn’t just close its eyes and wait for death. When the Mansion Master struck, it tried to defend itself, but its efforts were useless. It was defeated in a single move.

"After that, he took a Token from the Demon’s body, and clutching the heart, vanished in the blink of an eye.

"There were many masters present, yet not one dared to stop him.

"My grandfather once said that this man’s martial arts were the most profound he had ever witnessed in his entire life.

"The Heartless Ghost Mansion must hold a great terror!"

After hearing the story, Jiang Ran wore a strange expression.

"The way I hear it... it just sounds like a big prison."

"A prison?"

Ye Jingshuang was taken aback. By now, the wound on her back had been treated. She put her clothes back on and straightened them neatly.

Turning back to look at Jiang Ran, she asked,

"Young Master Jiang, why would you say that?"

"Think about it... The monstrously evil, the most heinous criminals, all locked up together and isolated from the world.

"Isn’t that the same as being thrown into a great prison and locked up for life?

"And when someone breaks out, the Mansion Master is even responsible for coming out to clean up the mess."

Jiang Ran’s casual words left Ye Jingshuang speechless for a long moment. She wanted to argue, but she didn’t know where to begin.

’Because, what Jiang Ran said... actually sounded quite reasonable?’