Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 348

Yu Dibei.

The last Dragon King in the history of the Yu family was named Yu Tiannan.

One is "sky" and the other is "earth", one is "south" and the other is "north".

The young man in front of them had the exact opposite name to Yu Tiannan.

The person who gave the young man this name was definitely not negligent; it was done intentionally.

Li Zhuiyuan waved his hand, and Lin Shuyou removed the golden mace that was resting on the young man.

Although he was released from confinement, a clear sense of wariness remained in the young man's eyes.

In the air, a vulture flew in, descending steadily. In its talons was a small yellow dog trembling, the very same one that Yu Dibei had just sent out to warn the villagers.

However, upon seeing this scene, Yu Dibei not only did not become irritable or angry, but seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

The vulture released its claws, and the little yellow dog was thrown down, landing steadily in Yu Dibei's arms.

Immediately afterwards, the vultures began to circle above the heads of the crowd, then spread their wings and flew towards the village.

While stroking the little yellow dog's head, Yu Dibei bowed slightly to Li Zhuiyuan and the others, giving a half-bowing.

"I apologize for my rudeness and offense just now."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Who owns that vulture just now?"

"It belongs to Grandpa."

Grandpa was the one who built this village with his own hands.

Grandpa considers you all honored guests of the village. Now, please follow me.

Yu Dibei made a "please" gesture.

Then, as if he had thought of something, he let go, and the little yellow dog, which had recovered from flying high in the sky, landed smoothly on its own.

Yu Dibei smiled somewhat embarrassedly, faced Li Zhuiyuan and the others, and performed the Yu family's traditional greeting.

He probably rarely used this gesture, and it might even be the first time in his life that he has performed it for outsiders.

That's why I didn't react earlier, and my movements were very slow. While not exactly choppy, they weren't exactly smooth either.

In the martial arts world, more than sixty years have passed, and no true member of the Yu family has performed this salute to outsiders.

The current "Yu family" still retains these etiquettes and refers to themselves as members of the Yu family, but that is nothing more than a monkey wearing a crown.

Chen Xiyuan turned to the side.

After Yu Dibei finished his greetings, she waited for Li Zhuiyuan to return the greetings.

No matter how small or impoverished this village may be, it is still the legitimate residence of the Dragon King.

She tacitly agreed that the boy should be the first to return the gift, as a form of acknowledgment of his place in the hierarchy.

Firstly, because the boy had saved him twice during this wave, and he had agreed to be used by him for the remainder of this wave.
Secondly, there is also a hierarchy within the Dragon King's court. Although it is not made public and no one bows down to acknowledge it to outsiders, there is actually a scale in one's heart.

Even disregarding the "noble and refined" status of the two Dragon King families, if we take the Qin and Liu families individually, their historical prestige and status would surpass that of the Dragon King Chen.

But Chen Xiyuan noticed that the boy didn't intend to return the gift.

Moreover, when Yu Dibei bowed just now, the boy did not turn to the side, indicating that he would not accept the full bow.

After performing the ceremony, Yu Dibei felt somewhat embarrassed.

It wasn't that she was embarrassed that no one returned her greeting, but rather that she felt ashamed of her own awkwardness when she had greeted him earlier.

The young man smiled and was about to wave forward, signaling everyone to follow him into the village.

Chen Xiyuan took a step forward and performed the Chen family salute to the young man.

Yu Dibei was somewhat flustered, unsure of what to do with his hands and feet.

When Chen Xiyuan was halfway through the ceremony, he remembered what his grandfather had taught him and immediately turned around.

While others turned to the side, he turned his head away and faced away from them.

They immediately turned back and readjusted the angle.

After Chen Xiyuan finished her greetings, the young man looked thoughtful, trying hard to recall.

When he was very young, his grandfather taught him some etiquette of the martial arts world, which must include other Dragon King families.

However, firstly, the memory is from a long time ago, and secondly, I was so focused on turning around that I didn't see the other person's bowing gesture completely.

Chen Xiyuan took the initiative to speak, saying, "Chen Xiyuan is the successor of the Dragon King Chen family."

Yu Dibei: "My surname is Yu, no, I am Yu Dibei, a descendant of the Dragon King Yu family."

Li Zhuiyuan remained unmoved, like a roughneck without any manners.

Yu Dibei: "Please excuse my poor appearance, everyone. Please follow me."

The young man led the way, and the others followed behind.

People were working in the fields on both sides of the road.

A cow that was grazing there first looked up in this direction, and then nudged the man who was working in the fields next to it with its hoof.

This gesture is like a friend patting another friend on the shoulder, signaling him to watch the fun.

In the distance, a group of women sat along the river in two separate groups. One group held kitchen knives and had wooden stools in front of them, while the other group had a large basket of salt in front of them.

Fish were constantly being thrown out of the river and landed on the bank. Women with kitchen knives killed the fish, cleaned them, and then threw them back into the river.

After being washed clean of blood in the river, the fish was thrown out and landed in front of another group of women, who began to rub it with salt and marinate it.

The creatures helping to catch fish in the river were a group of aquatic animals. Several thick, long ripples of water occasionally rippled in this area, like a water net driving and controlling the fish in the water. They were several crocodiles.

There is an orchard at the entrance of the village, and a row of donkeys are standing outside.

A group of squirrels were busy inside, each carrying a cloth bag. They first picked the ripe fruits and put them in the bags, and then ran out and poured them into the large basket on the donkey's back when the bag was full.

Once a donkey's basket is full, that donkey will leave the group and head towards the village. If all goes well, there should be other animals there to unload the cargo.

As you walk into the village, you see that although the houses on both sides are all made of wood and bricks and tiles are rare, they are not lacking in style, with flying eaves and carvings.

Through the open window, you could see what was happening inside.

On the bed, there are three children under one year old. One is sleeping, and the other two are playing and crawling.

The old-fashioned wooden bed was very high and had no railings, but a giant python lay there.

Just as a child is about to climb out of the bed and fall off, the python's tail emerges, gently wraps around the child, and pulls him back inside.

The child found it very amusing and crawled back to the bedside, huffing and puffing, as if just to experience that feeling of being lifted up high again.

The environment here is very tranquil, comparable to a paradise on earth. Coupled with the harmonious coexistence between humans and animals, it gives one the feeling of stepping into a fairy tale.

Although the young man wasn't a tour guide, he could still give a simple introduction. However, every time he tried to speak, he would turn around and see Chen Xiyuan, and he would become a little flustered, turning his head back to his original position. The words just wouldn't come out.

We are no longer in a state of hostility.

Chen Xiyuan's lethality to young people is even greater than when they are enemies.

The group continued walking quietly.

Many villagers looked up at the "guests," and many animals also stared at them curiously.

In the center of the village stands an ancestral hall, the only brick and tile building in the entire village.

Instead of leading everyone to the ancestral hall, Yu Dibei went into the three-story wooden building next to the ancestral hall.

That old man should live here.

The first floor is the reception room, with many wooden benches. Village meetings are usually held here.

The most eye-catching feature is the bamboo pattern on the first-floor wall, which is brightly colored, seems to have life, and is extremely beautiful.

But if you get closer, you'll find that these bamboo shoots can also raise their heads and look at you. This isn't paint; it's actually small lizards clinging to them.

Upon reaching the second floor, the first thing that catches the eye is a leopard.

It lay on its side on a straw mat, with a pillow under its head, like a person.

The leopard was old, thin and frail, its skin drooping to the ground, its tail swaying slowly.

Nearby, an old man was sitting there drinking tea. His hair was half white and half gold, and his face was like a withered leaf, but his eyes shone with a sharp and capable light.

As Li Zhuiyuan and the others came up the stairs, he kept sizing them up.

Yu Dibei tiptoed, glanced at the leopard, and whispered, "Master Leopard is taking a nap."

The leopard opened its eyes slightly and flicked its tail a few times as a gesture, before closing its eyes again.

An elderly man drinking tea nearby spoke up at this moment, asking, "Guest?"

"Yes, Master Lion, they are Grandpa's guests. I'll take them to see Grandpa."

The old man said, "The guards must stay on the second floor."

Yu Dibei: "This..."

The old man said, "This is the rule."

Yu Dibei: "Master Lion, how come I didn't know there was such a rule before?"

The old man said, "Because we never had any customers before."

Yu Dibei looked back at Li Zhuiyuan and the others with some embarrassment.

Chen Xiyuan looked at Li Zhuiyuan, seeking his opinion.

Li Zhuiyuan nodded: "I understand."

Chen Xiyuan took the boy's hand, signaling Yu Dibei to continue leading the way.

Yu Dibei went up the stairs first, followed by Chen Xiyuan and the boy side by side.

The old man drinking tea seemed hesitant, but neither the young woman nor the boy seemed to be in the role of a guard.

Besides, there are already three people left on my floor.

After Xiao Yuan and Chen Xiyuan went upstairs, Tan Wenbin walked to the window, took out his cigarette case, took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

As it exhaled a smoke ring, its eyes switched to snake-like pupils, and it began to survey the village.

The old man who rode his rickshaw with three children earlier was so careful when he was out.

At that time, Tan Wenbin imagined that their hideout must be filled with a tense and deadly atmosphere.

But that's not the case.

When Brother Xiaoyuan broke the formation earlier, he said that the formation under the bridge was very simple, equivalent to the gate being undefended, and the village inside was peaceful and harmonious.

Rather than saying they were trembling with fear under the intimidation and surveillance of the "Yu family," it would be more accurate to say they were living a peaceful and tranquil life here.

This is such a stark contrast.

After a thorough, condescending examination, Tan Wenbin actually discerned some things.

That's the village; it's not based on family units.

To be more specific, one could even say that there is no such thing as a "husband and wife" combination in this village.

After finishing one cigarette, Tan Wenbin took out another, thinking to himself:
Could it be that the survival of this village depends on "borrowing seeds"?
Lin Shuyou was very curious about the leopard, so he simply squatted down in front of it.

The leopard opened its eyes again, its chilling gaze fixed on Lin Shuyou, wanting to teach this kid who had disturbed its afternoon nap a lesson in the jungle.

This pressure was nothing to Lin Shuyou at the moment, but it triggered his instinctive reaction, causing his vertical pupils to open.

The leopard's body tensed up instantly, and its previous languid drowsiness vanished in an instant.

Lin Shuyou shook his head, his vertical pupils dilating. Realizing he had inadvertently frightened the leopard, he felt guilty and reached out to pat its head.

"Keep sleeping, keep sleeping."

The leopard's tail slowly curled up.

Lin Shuyou smiled, which reminded him of his pet dog, Xiao Hei, at home.

Because his back was to Lin Shuyou, Lion, who was drinking tea, did not see the vertical pupil. After noticing his old friend's strange behavior, he wanted to stand up and check on him.

Runsheng sat down in front of him and said, "I'm thirsty, I'd like to ask for some water."

Lion sneered, lifted the lid of his teapot, and immediately, wet centipedes and various other crawling insects scurried out.

The color of the tea in the cup was not caused by the tea leaves.

Lion Master flicked his fingers back and forth, pushing back all the poisonous insects that tried to escape, then put the lid back on, pushed the teapot forward, and looked at Runsheng.

He originally thought Runsheng would be so frightened that he would wave his hand, or even fall off the stool in a panic, which would be understandable.

To everyone's surprise, when Lion saw the tall and strong young man in front of him, he was not afraid at all, but instead swallowed his saliva with great anticipation.

"Thank you."

Runsheng picked up the teapot that was pushed in front of him, but instead of pouring tea into a cup, he opened the lid, tilted his head back, and poured both the tea and the poisonous insects into his mouth with a "glug glug" sound.

Next came the sounds of chewing and swallowing.

"call……"

After finishing the tea, Runsheng even shook the teapot to let the two poisonous insects clinging to the inner wall fall into his mouth, without wasting a single drop.

Setting down the teapot, Runsheng licked his lips, still savoring the taste, and said:

"good to eat."

Runsheng knew beforehand that the tea was abnormal, because its aroma could actually whet his appetite.

At home, Tan Wenbin would go and drink Grandma Liu's tea, but Runsheng never did. He didn't like tea; no matter how good the tea was, it tasted bitter to him.

He likes to use a large tea mug, put in a few agastache leaves or a few pieces of dried orange peel, and that's how he enjoys drinking tea.

Lion's lips twitched, and his long whiskers stood on end.

This was tea he brewed for himself. Even he could only neutralize the tea, not eat the poisonous insects inside. But this person in front of him…

At that moment, Lion realized that leaving the other party's guards on this floor was completely pointless.

Because neither he nor the leopard had any ability to stop this group of people.

What difference does it make whether they're here or upstairs?
Lion: "Are you... even human?"

Runsheng: "He is a person."

Lion: "Is this... even human?"

After a pause, Runsheng pointed at Lion: "I know you're not human."

Lion: "You figured it out?"

Runsheng shook his head: "It's from the smell."

Lion: "You can tell by smell? I'm not like that lazy leopard. I take baths regularly and even use soap."

Runsheng: "You are a lion, right? I met another lion, just like you, who looked a lot like a human, but you are old and he is young."

Lion King's expression immediately turned serious, and he subconsciously asked, "Another lion that looks like a human?"

He subconsciously thought of that place; it wouldn't be surprising if any humanoid monster were born there.

Runsheng: "Hmm."

Lion: "You guys are in cahoots?"

Runsheng: "No, he's dead."

Lion himself didn't realize that while he was speaking, his fingers kept scratching at the table, leaving many dents on the otherwise perfectly good coffee table surface.

Runsheng looked down at Lion's fingers and said, "Don't be afraid."

Lion Lord withdrew his hand and shook his head, saying, "I... I'm not afraid. How could I be afraid?"

Runsheng: "Don't be afraid, I've eaten it. Lion meat is not good, it's sour and it gets stuck in your teeth."

The lion was grinding its teeth, not out of spite, but because it was genuinely frightened.

Tan Wenbin withdrew his gaze and looked into the room.

A leopard trembled as Ayou touched it, while a lion chattered in front of Runsheng.

The third floor is where Grandpa lives. These two demonic beasts, who can guard the second floor, are probably the village's top combat force.

Even though Ayou and Runsheng did not actively release any malice, they still managed to intimidate them.

How has such a weak village managed to survive?

No, why do I feel this sense of disappointment?

It's because of the northern part of Yu.

Because they encountered Yu Dibei as soon as they entered through the formation.

That young man could fight Runsheng and even struggle within Chen Xiyuan's domain.

Although Yu Dibei was quickly subdued, the group had the advantage of numbers, and his individual strength was actually quite remarkable.

In other words, excluding the old man he hadn't met yet, Yu Dibei was probably the strongest person in the village.

Is it talent?

No wonder this kid was given this name.

All over the world.

Tan Wenbin walked to Runsheng's side, patted Runsheng's arm, and Runsheng took a few steps back.

Lion King breathed a sigh of relief after no longer having to face Runsheng.

Tan Wenbin: "What's your name?"

Lion: "Everyone in the village calls me... Lion."

Tan Wenbin smiled.

Lion: "Call me whatever you like."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother Lion, can I ask you something?"

Lion shook his head: "I can't tell outsiders the secrets of the village."

Tan Wenbin: "We've already entered the village, so we're not outsiders anymore, unless you want to push us out."

Lion: "That's not what I meant..."

Tan Wenbin: "How do people here have children?"

Lion: "I haven't bred a child in decades."

Tan Wenbin wanted to ask about people, but Lion King probably put himself in that category as well.

Anyway, it's all the same, you can ask them anything.

Tan Wenbin: "Is it because you're getting old?"

Upon hearing this, Lion's face turned red.

Clearly, not only men, but any male would instinctively feel disgusted when faced with such questioning.

Lion: "I'm not old yet. They have a litter here, but I'm the only lion here. You can't see any other lions outside anymore, and I don't even want the lionesses in the zoo."

Even if we were to become a couple, her constitution wouldn't allow her to bear my child.

Tan Wenbin: "That's a real pity, a hero with no opportunity to use his talents."

Lion nodded and sighed, "Yes, I really miss the old days..."

Lion stopped mid-sentence.

That home, it's gone forever.

Tan Wenbin understood that although the Yu family had become a paradise for beasts, there were still some monsters loyal to the Yu family of the past, such as the lion in front of him and the leopard lying there.

The demon beasts were not a unified entity. When the Yu family underwent internal turmoil, there must have been demon beasts that rebelled against the demon beasts' rule.

However, the resources and conditions of the Yu family are unavailable to the outside world. Only in the Yu family can demonic beasts reproduce and develop normally.

Monsters generally live longer than ordinary people.

That's why the Yu family used to have the tradition that when the master died, his companion monster had to be buried with him.

It's probably true that Lion said he's not old.

Without the abundant resources that the Yu family used to provide, both he and the leopard must have aged prematurely, and it seems they have even developed reproductive isolation from other members of the same species.

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, it used to be really good. Even in Henan, there were elephants in history, and it was easy for people to find partners back then."

Lion said awkwardly, "Yes, that's right."

Tan Wenbin then asked, "And what about the people here? Do they get married?"

Lion: "There will be pairings, but they won't get married, and they won't be allowed to have children."

Tan Wenbin: "Why?"

"It's a bit complicated, I don't understand." Lion pointed upstairs, "Only Grandpa understands."

Tan Wenbin: "You call him Grandpa too?"

Lion: "Because of her name, she is called Grandpa."

……

Yu Dibei stopped halfway up the stairs, indicating that he could only go this far; he had not been summoned by his grandfather and could not go up to the third floor.

When Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan went up to the third floor, they saw a young woman waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

Her age seemed to be the same as Chen Xiyuan's.

At first glance, one might mistake her for a villager who takes care of her grandfather, but she lives alone on the entire third floor.

Chen Xiyuan: "You're Grandpa?"

The woman smiled and replied, "I wouldn't dare to act presumptuously in front of such an important guest. 'Grandpa' is my name, although everyone in the village calls me Grandpa too."

Chen Xiyuan: "Villagers, how could you say that?"

The woman raised her head, and then the action continued. With a "snap," her original head folded in, and a new head flipped up.

It was the face of a typical elderly man, kind, generous, and benevolent.

At the same time, her arms and legs began to retract and twist one after another, the skin of the young woman disappeared, replaced by skin and bones with wrinkles and age spots all over her body, and even her back hunched over.

Ah Gong said, "This is the appearance I usually use to manage the village, but you two are distinguished guests, and I don't want to be impolite. Please choose the appearance you wish to present to me."

Chen Xiyuan: "When in Rome, do as the host does."

Grandpa: "Yes."

Grandpa's head flipped over again, and his body twisted back to its original position. The image of the young woman reappeared, but her skin was flushed, her face was covered in a few beads of sweat, and her chest rose and fell slightly.

Chen Xiyuan: "This look is really beautiful."

Grandpa: "Compared to you, I am but a firefly and the bright moon."

This was originally a common self-deprecating remark, but Chen Xiyuan looked at Li Zhuiyuan beside her and pointed to her face:
Am I really that good-looking?

Li Zhuiyuan did not answer the question, but walked directly to a guest table and sat down.

The table and the ornaments around it all trembled twice, but quickly returned to calm.

There was a restriction on the third floor, but the boy has already broken it.

The other party offered something humble and respectful, but Li Zhuiyuan responded with a small show of force.

From the moment she entered the village and encountered Yu Dibei, Chen Xiyuan sensed that something was wrong with the boy.

If it were the first time they met, she would think it was normal. It's perfectly normal for a young man from the Dragon King's family to have a bit of youthful arrogance, or even be disdainful of others.

But she had witnessed the boy and his companions' ability to conceal their auras, and she had also seen the boy's acting skills.

She knew that if he wanted to, he could certainly behave very properly; in that respect, he far surpassed her.

However, despite her doubts, Chen Xiyuan did not ask any questions, but instead went to sit down in the guest seats on the other side.

Grandpa: "Gentlemen, please take a seat."

Chen Xiyuan: "Please sit wherever you like."

Grandpa: "Yes."

Grandpa didn't take a seat; instead, he chose a guest seat diagonally opposite him and knelt down.

"I have already sent people to prepare a feast. The conditions in the village are simple, please forgive me for my poor hospitality."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's get straight to the point."

Grandpa: "I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival."

Chen Xiyuan: "You know us?"

Grandpa: "I don't know these two distinguished guests. I'm just hoping that God will open his eyes."

Just then, a voice called out from downstairs: "Grandpa, the food is ready."

White threads were released from Grandpa's ten fingers, falling from the window and then retracting, landing steadily in front of Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan.

Even the bowls, chopsticks, and spoons were neatly arranged, and not a single drop of the fruit wine in the cup was spilled.

Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan were not surprised by this.

When she changed her appearance before, both of them recognized her true form.

Grandpa isn't human; he's a spider with many facets and tentacles, which allows him to perfectly switch appearances. This isn't the same concept as disguise or disguise.

After setting out the food and wine, Grandpa continued:
"A legitimate Dragon King family has ended up in such a state. I don't believe that God will just let it go like this forever!"

Grandpa was very excited.

Moreover, her judgment was correct.

With her limited abilities, she could only eke out a living here with these genuine members of the Yu family.

She has no way to deal with the current Yu family; any direct resistance would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.

However, it cannot be denied that the Yu family's decision to seal their doors for sixty years did indeed successfully delay Heaven's reckoning against them.

Next, it was Grandpa's turn to cry and vent. She had so much frustration, resentment, anger, and resentment that needed to be released.

In the past, she couldn't express these emotions to the villagers, as it would have caused panic in the village. She has always played the role of a warm elder, bringing stability and hope to the villagers.

Chen Xiyuan picked up the fruit wine in front of her and smelled it. It smelled very good, but she didn't drink it.

When you're out and about, anyone with a brain wouldn't just drink the alcohol or tea offered by someone else.

But Chen Xiyuan soon saw the boy sitting next to her pick up his wine glass and take a sip.

The taste is very good.

This is wine, but it doesn't taste like wine in the traditional sense. It only enhances the aroma of wine, making the fruit honey even more mellow.

After taking a sip of wine, Li Zhuiyuan picked up his chopsticks again and began to eat.

None of the dishes in front of me are complicated; the cooking methods are simple, but the ingredients are all very fresh.

Chen Xiyuan: "Is it good?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Chen Xiyuan was still hesitating. If the boy was poisoned, the situation wouldn't collapse with her there. But if both of them were poisoned, even if there were three other people below, it would be too late.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Drink it."

Chen Xiyuan drank it and then nodded happily, "It's so delicious, how was it made?"

She has always had a special fondness for food; setting aside her identity as a daughter of the Chen family, she is simply a big glutton.

Li Zhuiyuan lowered his head and continued eating.

Chen Xiyuan's question abruptly interrupted Grandpa's venting, disrupting his coherent emotions.

This time, the boy didn't try to interrupt, but ended up interrupting himself.

Chen Xiyuan immediately realized her mistake and apologized, "I'm sorry, please continue. I was being presumptuous."

Grandpa smiled and said, "It's alright. I'm very touched that you two distinguished guests are willing to drink the wine and eat the food here. Really."

Grandpa then clapped his hands, took out an empty box, and opened it.

A moment later, a buzzing sound came from outside, and a swarm of bees flew in through the window and lined up to land in the box.

Grandpa closed and locked the box, got up, walked to Chen Xiyuan, and placed the box on the table.

"Find a scenic spot with clear waters and lush mountains, open the box, mark it, and let them awaken. After a month or so, follow the markings to find the pits where they harvested and brewed the wine themselves. Leave them 20% of it, and take the rest."

"Thank you."

Chen Xiyuan accepted the box.

Instead of returning to his original seat, Grandpa simply knelt down facing Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan.

Next, she stopped venting her emotions and began to seriously recount her experiences.

When the Yu family suffered a tragedy, she was still a child, just a little spider demon in the orphanage, that is, a nanny.

The giant python that Li Zhuiyuan saw watching over the children when he entered the village was not an isolated case.

The Yu family has a long tradition of having demonic beasts take care of their children.

Firstly, it allows the Yu family to get used to living with monsters from a young age. Secondly, being exposed to demonic energy at an early age will make the Yu family's future cultivation path smoother, laying a foundation from birth.

Of course, if ordinary people stay with monsters for too long, their bodies will undergo abnormal changes, either causing serious illness or mental instability. However, the Yu family has a way to solve this problem.

In short, a nanny could not possibly know the truth about the high-level events surrounding the Yu family's downfall; she could only offer her own perspective.

Before the incident occurred, the Dragon King of the Yu family returned.

When the Dragon King left home, he specifically left behind his last instructions.

This means that the Dragon King, in his later years, went to find a burial site for himself.

This is the romance of the Dragon Kings throughout history: to make the most of their lives as they approach the end, and to suppress a powerful evil spirit before their death.

The Yu family had already accepted the reality that their era as the Dragon King was coming to an end.

After all, they are from the Dragon King's faction, so they are more experienced in this kind of thing.

But when Yu Tiannan returned to the Yu family, the entire clan was overjoyed.

After all, everyone hopes that their Dragon King can live a long life. Although the Dragon King's ambition is not for personal gain, the objective existence of the Dragon King can indeed bring protection and stability to the family, as well as the benefit of sharing the rewards of merit.

Grandpa: "However, back then, nobody knew that this was the beginning of a nightmare..."

As the eldest son of the Zhao family, Zhao Yi's "betrayal" could cause a major earthquake in the entire Zhao family of Jiujiang, let alone the "contemporary Dragon King".

Li Zhuiyuan knew that it was not Yu Tiannan who had returned to the Yu family, but the old dog beside Yu Tiannan.

No one would have imagined that the Dragon King, regarded as the supreme being by the entire clan, would actually turn against the Yu family.

This is almost an unsolvable situation.

Although it's unknown how much of Yu Tiannan's former strength that old dog can unleash, it is, after all, a Dragon King's body, and not like Zhao Wuyang's body, which was divided and suppressed for many years. At that time, Yu Tiannan had just died; in worldly terms, his body was still warm.

Therefore, in terms of absolute strength, even if it is not as powerful as the real Dragon King, it must still be quite terrifying.

Furthermore, given that he holds the highest authority within the family, everyone, whether in charge of family affairs or elders, must unconditionally bow before him.

If he wanted to cause trouble or sabotage, it would be incredibly easy for him.

What's even more ridiculous is that if the Yu family hadn't been a legitimate Dragon King family, but rather as "dirty" as the Zhao family of Jiujiang back then, they would have been more likely to have stopped the disaster, or at least greatly reduced its impact.

For example, those immortal ancestors buried in the ancestral home of the Zhao family in Jiujiang were afraid of death and all hid inside, unwilling to sacrifice themselves. But if they were willing to dedicate themselves to the family and were truly the kind of people who would awaken and protect the family in times of future crisis, then it would have been Li Zhuiyuan and Zhao Yi who died then.

But the Yu family doesn't have such "dirty things." The elders of the Yu family are elders in the traditional sense, who live longer, have higher seniority, and are also more capable.

Those who try to survive by special means will likely be eliminated by Yu Tiannan himself as soon as he becomes the Dragon King.

In short, at that time, the Yu family simply did not possess any power capable of stopping Yu Tiannan.

Grandpa: "The occurrence of disasters is preceded by signs. First, those terrifying beings that have been suppressed by the Dragon Kings of past generations suddenly rebelled..."

Under the Dragon King's command, the Yu family paid a heavy price to suppress this bizarre chaos once again.

As a result, many people died or were injured, and I was transferred from the orphanage to treat the wounded.

But at that time, I noticed something strange: those who were seriously injured or killed were mostly members of the Yu family, while their companion monsters were at most only slightly injured.

This is unreasonable.

The demonic beasts of the Yu family have signed contracts with the Yu family since childhood. As demonic beasts of the Yu family, it is only natural for them to protect their masters with their lives in times of danger. It is our responsibility and our mission.

Occasionally, accidents or untimely protection can be understood, but how could it be possible for a large number of owners to die or be maimed while the monsters remain almost unharmed?
Moreover, when the master dies, his companion beast must be buried with him.

At that time, the funeral and the practice of burying people alive with the dead were already being prepared according to ancestral customs.

The Dragon King summoned the remaining core members of the clan to a forbidden area for a meeting, citing the possibility that the previous turmoil might recur. As a result, none of those who went in ever came out.

That very night, the real disaster struck.

Having completed my previous duties, I returned to the orphanage, only to suddenly see raging flames and hear screams and sounds of fighting outside.

I once thought I was hallucinating, or that I was dreaming while asleep.

How could a family that is affiliated with the Dragon King and has the current Dragon King presiding over it possibly be attacked by enemies?
When I ran out of the orphanage, I saw... a large number of demonic beasts slaughtering the Yu family.

Recalling the scene from 60 years ago, tears still streamed down Grandpa's face.

Li Zhuiyuan finished eating and put down his chopsticks.

Chen Xiyuan then picked up her wine glass and drank the rest of the fruit wine.

Grandpa waved his hand, and the wine pot, wrapped in white silk, flew over to pour wine for Chen Xiyuan.

As the wine pot was moved, intending to refill the boy's cup, the boy placed his hand over the wine glass.

"I'm still young, I can't drink too much."

You can just taste it; it doesn't taste like alcohol anymore, but it is still alcohol after all.

Grandpa: "We have some pure fruit drinks, would you like to try some?" Li Zhuiyuan: "No, thank you."

Grandpa nodded and reached out to wipe the tears from his face.

Li Zhuiyuan realized that she had truly put herself into the role of a member of the Yu family.

Although she is a demon, in her own mind she is a member of the Yu family.

This illustrates one thing: back then, the Yu family imposed extremely strict restrictions on demonic beasts, such as requiring them to be buried alive with their masters...

However, the Yu family did not simply enslave and suppress the demonic beasts. Otherwise, people like Grandpa and the two downstairs would not have the self-awareness of being members of the Yu family.

Considering that his grandfather worked at the orphanage and cared for the Yu family's infants, the harmonious coexistence between people and animals that he sees today, both inside and outside the village, is not a "correction," but rather a common occurrence in the Yu family back then.

The four spirit beasts now inside Tan Wenbin's body had to hide carefully when they lived in the city, because Heaven disliked demons, and demons themselves were classified as evil spirits.

Therefore, the Yu family has always provided benefits to the demon beasts within the family, such as survival, reproduction, and protection.

Of course, it's impossible and unrealistic to say that the Yu family members are absolutely equal to the demons, because in the eyes of Heaven, humans and demons are not equal.

Li Zhuiyuan wasn't particularly interested in the specific details his grandfather recounted; they weren't very practical, and the methods used weren't particularly sophisticated—the old dog was far too composed.

What interested Li Zhuiyuan was his grandfather's perspective, which gave him a clearer understanding of the Yu family back then.

The boy now felt that it was inappropriate to describe the Yu family's past misfortunes as a demon beast rebelling against its fate of being enslaved and exploited, thus rising up to take revenge on the Yu family for the vicissitudes of life.

Essentially, it was more like an internal power struggle between different factions within the Yu family. The Yu family members, who originally belonged to the dominant faction, lost to the Yu family members of the monster faction in the competition.

This explains why these demonic beasts belonging to the Yu family still use the Yu family's name.

Because these beasts' perspectives are actually similar to that of the old man in front of them. They truly consider themselves "members of the Yu family" and believe that they share in the glory of the Yu family in the past.

Grandpa: "They kept killing people. Every member of the Yu family who dared to resist was bitten and devoured by them. The entire Yu family ancestral home was filled with killings."

I don't know why they suddenly turned out that way. Many monsters like me risked their lives to protect the Yu family, and then they were also slaughtered by them.

They were incredibly powerful because most of them were companion beasts, and those chosen as companion beasts were the cream of the crop among the Yu family's beasts.

At this point, Grandpa looked at Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan with red eyes and emphasized very seriously:
"That night, the number of demonic beasts that rebelled against them far exceeded their numbers, and the number of demonic beasts killed by them in order to protect the Yu family far exceeded the number of Yu family members who died."

Chen Xiyuan sighed.

Ever since the Yu family announced their closure sixty years ago, speculation about what had happened to them has been constant.

Once the lockdown ended and the details of the chaos within the Yu family were revealed, the general reaction was a mix of regret and schadenfreude.

Even when the elders in the family, such as Chen Xiyuan's grandparents, talked about the Yu family while drinking tea in the yard, they would do so with a hint of sarcasm.

Animals can never be tamed. Since your Yu family wanted to raise animals, but didn't keep them properly chained, one day the animals rode on your heads, turning the world upside down.

But the truth is that most of the demonic beasts of the Yu family stood on the side of the Yu family and died in battle to protect the Yu family.

The reason for the failure was not that the demon beasts as a whole betrayed the Yu family, but that the demon beast born from the companion took advantage of the imbalance of the Yu family's top combat power to launch a coup.

The Yu family's demonic beasts that Li Zhuiyuan has come into contact with, such as Yu Miaomiao and the ape beside her, as well as the demonic beasts carried on top of her head, were all bred after that disaster, or were still young when the disaster occurred and did not experience the true Yu family era.

Therefore, in their minds, the Yu family members were the ones who enslaved and exploited them, and their current bloody captivity of the Yu family members is justified.

In Li Zhuiyuan's view, this message is very important.

This means that among the current high-ranking members of the Yu family's demon beast ranks, there may still be those who were coerced that night or chose to hide themselves because they saw no way to turn the tide.

Although the number must be extremely small, there is a high probability that they exist.

If we could make contact with them, we might be able to get a powerful inside man.

Moreover, given the turbulent situation the Yu family is currently facing, it is even easier for them to strengthen their resolve to turn against the enemy.

Grandpa: "I'm not good at fighting. I stayed in the orphanage to protect the children. Then, General Huang rushed in."

It was a companion monster, and I originally thought it was there to harm these children.

Instead, it instructed me to quickly pick up as many of the Yu family's children as I could, and then General Huang personally covered my escape from the Yu family's ancestral home.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiyuan's eyes lit up. Clearly, she also understood the immense value that General Huang might bring next.

General Huang is likely a nickname, but the fact that he was given the title "General" already speaks volumes about his strength and status.

Chen Xiyuan: "What kind of monster is General Huang?"

Grandpa raised his hand and pointed to the roof.

There was a stone platform on the roof, and the vulture stood on it.

Chen Xiyuan: "Is that General Huang?"

Grandpa: "No, General Huang was originally a companion monster of the next generation of powerful contenders for the qualification to travel the river."

It was General Huang's youngest son, whose bloodline was impure at birth and who had not received the necessary rituals, so he was unable to take human form.

That is precisely why its disappearance did not arouse suspicion.

Occasionally, it would travel between my place and General Huang to deliver things, and it would also receive warnings from General Huang, which allowed me to avoid their detection.

Chen Xiyuan: "So, you're saying that you and General Huang are still able to communicate smoothly?"

Grandpa: "Hmm."

Li Zhuiyuan looked up at the vulture, his gaze gradually becoming profound.

As if sensing something, the vulture lowered its head and looked at the boy, its eyes darting around.

Li Zhuiyuan asked, "Have you informed General Huang about our arrival here today?"

Grandpa: Not yet.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Oh."

Grandpa: "Do you wish to postpone informing General Huang?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do as you please."

Grandpa was a little puzzled by the answer.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Next, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

Grandpa: "Please ask me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "When you led a group of children to escape from the Yu family's ancestral home, why didn't you simply escape further away instead of choosing to continue settling in Luoyang?"

Grandpa: "For a Dragon King's family, how far is far enough? The Yu family's closure only means they are no longer in contact with the martial arts world, but it does not mean they are no longer in contact with their 'family members'."

If they escape to the outside, they will be more easily tracked down and hunted down by them.

They remained in Luoyang because they themselves had 'raised' a large number of Yu family members, making it harder for them to investigate people of Yu family blood within the Luoyang area.

Chen Xiyuan: "The ability to detect and sense bloodlines is truly rare."

Grandpa: "The Yu family used to breed and train this kind of monster called Blood Qi. It was to make it easier to protect and rescue Yu family members who were traveling. Unexpectedly, this monster later became a chain binding the Yu family members."

Chen Xiyuan: "So that's how it is."

Cultivating and leveraging demonic beasts to achieve more possibilities was the Yu family's original path of development.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why are you taking in children from outside?"

Grandpa: "Because when the Yu family's child is in the mother's womb, the blood-like reaction is the most acute and clear. Even in Luoyang, it can be sensed immediately. This is simply a calamity for the newborn."

If one were to become pregnant here, it would be tantamount to clearly and unambiguously conveying the location of this village to the 'Yu family'.

Only those with the "Spring Water Peach Blossom" destiny, when conceiving for the first time with a child of the Yu family bloodline, can have their bloodline's connection to the child disrupted, and this effect can last until the child is five years old.

People with the "spring waters overflowing with peach blossoms" destiny often have an extremely high demand for sexual matters, far exceeding the normal scope of food, sex, and relationships.

Chen Xiyuan looked at Li Zhuiyuan and asked, "I know about this destiny, but the description of this destiny in the books I read doesn't seem to be anything special."

Different versions of ancient books on destiny describe destiny in different ways, often resulting in ambiguity, overlapping interpretations, or even conflicting explanations.

Chen Xiyuan was not an expert in the art of destiny analysis; she only had a basic understanding, so naturally she couldn't make a precise judgment.

There were many books on this type of fate in the basement of his great-grandfather's house. Li Zhuiyuan read a lot of them and compared them with each other, so he could naturally understand the characteristics of various fates very clearly and thoroughly.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Promiscuity."

Chen Xiyuan paused for a moment, then replied, "That's very concise."

In reality, anyone with a decent social circle can probably know one or two people like that.

The kind of person who spends every day either having sex with the opposite sex or on their way to have sex with the opposite sex, has made it an instinct for them, as if their life and existence are meant to be used for that kind of thing, and they never get tired of it.

This has nothing to do with being poor or rich. Even if he is penniless and can't afford to eat, it won't stop him from pursuing this kind of thing. Moreover, cats have their ways and mice have their ways, and he often actually manages to achieve his goals.

This type of fate can occur in both men and women.

However, since the men are unable to conceive, the only option is for eligible men in the village to go outside to find women with this kind of fate.

If there's no time for romance, then money is the only way to quickly move things forward, and you have to make sure the other person is willing to help you give birth to the child. Sun Caijuan from Siyuan Village is an example of this.

The money should have continued to be sent, because the villagers would regularly go out to take the child away. Given Sun Caijuan's personality, as long as there was enough money, she would be happy to hand the child over to her father, thus relieving herself of any burden.

The remittances stopped because that man... died.

The man from the Yu family went to Shanghai with the mindset of going to his death. He was bound to be exposed and then hunted down by the 'Yu family'. If he was killed on the spot, that would be fine, but if he was caught and brought back, it would be worse than death.

Therefore, the reason why this village has been able to continue to thrive is that it has always been looking for surrogates outside the village.

It's not just money you're spending... it's your life too.

Li Zhuiyuan: "There seems to be a more reliable method that can guarantee safety to the greatest extent."

Grandpa: "I know what you mean, but my Yu family is, after all, a legitimate Dragon King lineage, so it's impossible for us to do such a thing. This method is a last resort. For adults, it's a clean transaction, but for the child, he has been wronged since birth."

Grandpa took a deep breath, tried his best to smile, and explained again: "If we use the method of kidnapping and deceiving people, then what difference is there between our Yu family and the current 'Yu family'?"

Li Zhuiyuan did not dwell on this issue, but instead moved on to the next question:
"What's going on in the northern part of Yu?"

Grandpa: "He is the most talented child I have ever seen in the entire village. He doesn't have a good teacher. On weekdays, the only ones who can teach him a little are me and the two downstairs. But the three of us are really bad, and as demon beasts, it's difficult for us to guide the Yu family on the right path."

Most of the time, he could only comprehend and understand through reading books on his own…

Li Zhuiyuan: "A book?"

Grandpa: "Yes, a book."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That night, you not only brought the children out of the orphanage, but you also brought books with you?"

After asking the question, Li Zhuiyuan raised his head again and looked at the vulture above.

The boy asked the question with an answer in mind.

Grandpa: "It was General Huang who sent it. When the disaster first happened, the ancestral home was in chaos. They were busy fighting for courtyards, forbidden areas, and resources. They didn't care much about the Yu family's cultivation manuals, which they weren't used to. General Huang took advantage of the chaos to collect many books. He gave those books to me in the hope that the Yu family's children would not forget the Yu family's heritage."

One day, the Yu family will be able to return to the Yu family and set things right.

I didn't have much hope for this, because there was a lack of matching resources and teaching, and everything was cut off. They were only allowed to cultivate themselves through self-study, and even the more talented children could only end up mediocre.

But all of this changed with the appearance of Yu Dibei.

When I noticed him, I was already certain in my heart that God was about to open his eyes, and the future of the Yu family could be saved.

Chen Xiyuan: "He actually cultivated by reading books on his own, without any teachers or mentors."

As she spoke, Chen Xiyuan looked at Li Zhuiyuan and said with emotion:

"This kind of person is truly a genius, the kind that's terrifying, right?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Chen Xiyuan admitted that Li Zhuiyuan was also a genius, after all, he was already so amazing at such a young age, but she implicitly acknowledged that Li Zhuiyuan was raised as a "childhood sweetheart" from childhood.

The old lady of the Liu family must have poured all her heart and soul into him when he was still a child, regarding him as the hope for the revival of both families' dragon king lineage.

What Chen Xiyuan didn't know was that the old lady of the Liu family had never taught Li Zhuiyuan anything; on the contrary, she had been taught by Li Zhuiyuan.

All told, Li Zhuiyuan has only been in the Xuanmen sect for two years, and he has only been reading books for two years.

Chen Xiyuan: "Tell me, does Yu Dibei belong to the Dragon King's family or to the common people? I feel that most common people have much better starting conditions than him. He can't even leave this village."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do as you please."

The boy stopped discussing "genius" with Chen Xiyuan and instead asked his grandfather another question:
"What do you want us to do for you? You should know that our opponent is the Yu family now, but you should have a more specific idea."

Grandpa: "Back when I was in the Yu family, I heard that there were people in the martial arts world who would move with the gaze of the heavens to deal with evil spirits that harmed the human world. The Dragon King was the most powerful one in each generation, recognized by the heavens and upholding the will of the heavens."

These two distinguished guests must be people like this, right?

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Grandpa bowed and kowtowed to Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan, pleading:
"I beg you two to take this child from Dibei with you and go to the Yu family with him."

This child from the North will not be a burden to you. He will obey your orders and will do anything for you, even his life.

Moreover, this child from Dibei is a true member of the Yu family. If the two noble people take him to the Yu family, they should be able to get some benefits.

At the very least, if the ancestors of the Yu family were alive, they would protect him.

Li Zhuiyuan: "What do you mean by 'taking him with you'?"

Grandpa: "I've heard that there's a kind of ritual to confirm the master-servant relationship?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "They are partners, not masters and servants."

Grandpa: "In my eyes, master and servant are partners."

Li Zhuiyuan did not rush to answer.

Grandpa meant that the Dragon King of Yudibei should follow him along the river.

And right now, this wave is specifically targeting the Yu family.

If someone from the Yu family were to accompany them, and that Yu family member were quite strong, they would not only not be a burden but would actually be a booster. It would be like a pillow falling from the sky when you're sleepy.

More importantly, if we can help the Yu family rebuild their reputation during this wave, it will be a tremendous act of merit, representing the complete achievement of this wave.

Chen Xiyuan raised an eyebrow at Li Zhuiyuan, and at the same time opened her domain, enveloping the two of them.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Hmm?"

Chen Xiyuan: "Let him bow to you."

Li Zhuiyuan: "My team already has a lot of people, and there isn't enough merit to go around."

Chen Xiyuan: "I've seen other teams traveling across the river, and they generally consider five people to be a suitable size. Can't you just gather five people?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I've already exceeded that number."

Chen Xiyuan: "You have two more partners hiding in the shadows?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Yes, one is at home, and the other... is indeed in the deepest and darkest place in this world."

Chen Xiyuan: "One more won't make a difference, will it?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "There's no one around you."

Chen Xiyuan: "I only like and am only used to walking along the river alone."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Aren't you quite used to being with me now?"

Chen Xiyuan: "That's because you're now half my leader. I don't lead others. People who are led by me will probably die very quickly."

Seeing that Li Zhuiyuan remained silent and did not budge, Chen Xiyuan spoke again:

"If you really don't want to, then I'll make him bow to me."

"Isn't it because you're not used to it or don't like it?"

"Didn't I tell you? Before I left, my grandfather hinted to me that one more person kicking someone when they're down wouldn't make a difference, and he hoped that if I could help out, I would."

After all, they are all from the Dragon King's family. The Dragon Kings of the Yu family in the past have also done their part for the common people. If we can help... we should help them.

After all, setting aside personal feelings, from a purely financial perspective, I not only didn't lose out, but I actually gained a lot.

Li Zhuiyuan closed his eyes.

Chen Xiyuan: "So, that's the decision?"

Li Zhuiyuan kept his eyes closed.

Chen Xiyuan: "Hey, I'm being used by you right now. Whatever I want to do, I need your approval. At least give me some kind of answer."

Li Zhuiyuan opened his eyes, looked at Chen Xiyuan, and asked:

"Are you mine now?"

"For the remainder of this wave, yes."

Li Zhuiyuan nodded, then expressed his dissatisfaction with the current state of the domain.

Chen Xiyuan removed the domain that had enveloped the two of them.

In Grandpa's eyes, the two distinguished guests had only been exchanging glances and pondering their own thoughts, without exchanging words.

Li Zhuiyuan: "This matter is very important and very serious."

Grandpa kowtowed again and said:

"We humbly request that you two benefactors grant our request. If the Yu family is restored, we will forever remember your great kindness and virtue, and in the future, we will follow your lead in the martial world to repay your kindness in giving us a second chance."

Li Zhuiyuan: "We need time to consider and discuss this. After all, there are two of us. Whether we agree or not is one thing, but if we agree, who will take care of him will be another round of negotiation."

Grandpa burst into tears of joy again, nodding vigorously, "Yes, yes, you're right, it's only right, it's only right."

She's not young, but her appearance still evokes the pitiful charm of a young girl.

After a pause, Grandpa asked again:
"Would you two be honored guests need to stay in the village?"

"Then let's stay in the village for now. It's safe here anyway, isn't it?"

"Of course. I will immediately have someone arrange accommodations for you distinguished guests. Please rest assured that we will treat you and your servants with the utmost sincerity."

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze sharpened slightly: "They are partners."

"Yes, it's a partner. Please forgive me."

Li Zhuiyuan: "One last question."

Grandpa: "Please ask for my instructions."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Why did we name him Yudibei?"

Grandpa: "Because that disaster was caused by him, I hope that all of this can be turned around in the hands of this child from the North."

Li Zhuiyuan stood up, and Chen Xiyuan followed suit.

Grandpa's body spun and twisted again, transforming back into the kind old man. He accompanied the two to the stairwell and instructed Yu Dibei, who was standing in the middle of the stairs and unable to hear anything due to the restriction:
"Arrange accommodations for our two distinguished guests and their companions, and provide them with the best possible hospitality."

"Yes, Grandpa." Yu Dibei smiled, looked up, and when he saw Chen Xiyuan coming down, his face turned even redder. He hurriedly looked away and said somewhat awkwardly, "Please come with me, both of you."

After Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan came down, Tan Wenbin, Runsheng, and Lin Shuyou followed suit.

On the second floor, Lion King let out a heavy sigh of relief and slumped down on the stool beneath him.

The leopard stretched out its paw and touched its head, where the sparse fur was already soaked with cold sweat.

Grandpa came down and stood on the second floor.

Lion: "The servants of that group are terrifying, but their masters are only stronger."

Grandpa: "Call your partner."

Lion: "Hmm?"

Grandpa: "If he ever hears you refer to his people as servants again, he'll skin you alive."

Lion: "Not even a chance to be warned?"

Grandpa: "Yes, but we've already used up all the warnings we could have given."

Lion: "Being a human is such a hassle."

The leopard's tail lashed out at the floor, making a "thump, thump, thump" sound, indicating that it was right.

Grandpa smiled:

"I have good news for you. The Yu family is saved. The Yu family we once knew will probably be back soon."

……

Yu Dibei led the way, and the group walked through the village toward their lodgings.

Tan Wenbin stepped forward and walked to Xiao Yuan's side.

Lin Shuyou thinks that Brother Bin must have gotten together with Brother Xiaoyuan, and he's reporting the news right now.

At this moment, Yu Dibei turned around and, like a thief, pointed to the corner: "That's the place. It's my room. It's spacious and very clean. After you all move in, I'll go to the ancestral hall and won't disturb you."

He spoke very quickly, as if his tongue was burning his mouth. After he finished speaking, he immediately turned his head to look ahead, and his neck was red.

Lin Shuyou nudged Runsheng next to him with his shoulder: "I've noticed that he's not afraid to look at Brother Xiaoyuan, but he's afraid to look at that person. Could it be that he's fallen for her?"

Runsheng: "I've never seen you so perceptive before."

Lin Shuyou: "What do you mean, 'last time'?"

Runsheng: "When I was in university."

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Yu Dibei opened the door and invited everyone in, while he himself stood outside the door.

"Everyone, Grandpa instructed that if you need anything, please just let me know. As long as it can be done in the village, I will definitely do my best."

Everyone else went inside, while Li Zhuiyuan turned around and stood at the door, very close to Yu Dibei.

Li Zhuiyuan: "I heard from your grandfather that you really enjoy reading?"

Yu Dibei nodded: "I do read a little, but there aren't many books in the village. When my uncles go out to pick up the children and bring them back to the village, they sometimes bring some back with them. My understanding of the outside world is basically through these books."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I come from outside."

Yu Dibei: "Yes, you probably aren't interested in those books."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I also enjoy reading."

Yu Dibei: "Then..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Are there any books here that can't be found outside?"

Yu Dibei: "Are you referring to the martial arts techniques and secret manuals of my Yu family?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Mm."

Yu Dibei: "You should have said so earlier! No problem, I'll go to the ancestral hall and get it for you right away. How much do you need?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I read very quickly, the more the better, there's no other entertainment here."

Yu Dibei: "Okay, I'll go and call Uncle Ma from the village to come and help carry the load."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you."

Yu Dibei: "You're too kind."

At this moment, Chen Xiyuan, who had already entered the house, turned back and came up behind the young man.

Yu Dibei's face, which had just calmed down, immediately boiled over again upon seeing Chen Xiyuan.

"I'll carry your books for you!"

He immediately turned around and walked out with a nervous heart, his steps unsteady.

Watching his retreating figure, Li Zhuiyuan raised his right hand.

Yu Dibei held a special position in the village and enjoyed high status, so there were also restrictions on the house he lived in.

The boy planned to break the restrictions here first, and then temporarily set up a simple isolation array to facilitate conversation.

However, before the boy could do any of this, the domain unfolded again, severing the boy's senses from the house.

Chen Xiyuan was even more anxious than the boy had anticipated.

"Is your talk of consideration and discussion just a perfunctory excuse? In reality, you've already decided that you don't intend for him to come and worship me, nor do you intend for him to worship you?"

"Ah."

"Why?" Chen Xiyuan opened the backpack on the boy's back and rummaged through it.

Li Zhuiyuan reached into his side bag and quickly produced a can of Jianlibao.

"Pfft!"

Chen Xiyuan reached out to take it: "Thank you, how did you know I..."

Li Zhuiyuan took a sip himself.

Chen Xiyuan: "Give me a sip too."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's too sweet, you don't like it."

Chen Xiyuan: "After drinking the fruit wine, I felt a bit thirsty."

Li Zhuiyuan: "What do you think of this place?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I think they are doing very well, but I also think they are having a very difficult time."

Li Zhuiyuan: "That's right, it was the waves that led us here. But that still doesn't change the fact that we got in far too easily."

Chen Xiyuan: "But the strongest one here is Yu Dibei, and he probably doesn't know anything about formations. After all, a person's energy and efficiency are limited when studying alone."

As for the two people on the second floor, and the old lady, their strength level was actually just so-so.

It's impossible to set up a barrier here that makes it difficult to enter, especially for someone like you.

Furthermore, they have already provided very reasonable reasons why they have been able to remain safely hidden here.

Li Zhuiyuan: "But don't you think these reasons are just too reasonable?"

Chen Xiyuan: "I have less experience in this area than you, so is there something I missed?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I believe that the Yu family has developed a monster called Xueqi with special abilities. Its purpose is to sense the scattered members of the Yu family and to provide them with assistance and rescue."

Then tell me, what is the purpose of the Yu family continuing to research methods to break the Blood Curse?

Chen Xiyuan looked thoughtful.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Every research project requires a huge amount of manpower and resources. They have even researched how to solve the problem by relying on special fates. Just how big is the cost of this trial and error?"

The Yu family of the past had no motivation to study this; the Yu family after the change of power was even less likely to do so.

The study explores how to find children born to people with special destinies in order to ensure that one's offspring are not detected by family intuition.

Those who can lead the research direction must have a high status in the Yu family, but anyone who dares to propose this research direction will be immediately suspected of betraying the family and being afraid that their lineage will be wiped out.

Chen Xiyuan: "You're right. Xueqi was cultivated by the Yu family, so the Yu family has no reason to research ways to break Xueqi."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do you think it's possible that this method itself is ineffective?"

Chen Xiyuan's gaze immediately sharpened as she looked outside.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Of course, it can also be effective, because whether it is effective or not depends entirely on the reaction of this beastly Yu family."

If it goes to arrest people, then its efforts are ineffective; if it doesn't go to arrest, from the village's perspective, then its efforts are effective.

Chen Xiyuan: "But I feel that Grandpa doesn't seem like..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Grandpa, no, otherwise, I wouldn't dare drink the wine she poured and the food she provided."

The most convincing lie in the world is the truth.

Grandpa's perspective, her experiences, her original intentions and true feelings are all genuine, without any falsehood.

But she's a spider spirit from the orphanage, so neither the surrogacy method based on destiny nor her suggestion of worshipping us as Dragon Kings and following us across the river are things she couldn't possibly know. Someone must have relayed these things to her.

Chen Xiyuan: "General Huang."

Li Zhuiyuan: "The biggest problem here is this: if you were General Huang, loyal to the Yu family, and on the night the Yu family suffered disaster, you rushed into the orphanage."

What will you choose next?
Should they cover for a spider demon with very low strength, letting her leave with a group of children, or should they simply pick up the children themselves and rush out of the Yu family ancestral home?

"If General Huang had been in charge of building this place, he would have done a much better job, and he would have taught much better. In every aspect, he has far more advantages than that old man."

Chen Xiyuan: "However, if General Huang stays in the Yu family to lie low, he can bring even greater benefits."

Li Zhuiyuan: "General Huang's demonic ability is to open his Heavenly Eye and predict the future, right?"

He knew this day would come, that Heaven would intervene against the corrupted Yu family, and that a genius like Yu Dibei, capable of reshaping the Yu family, would emerge from its bloodline.

Chen Xiyuan: "That's right, he shouldn't have passed this responsibility to Grandpa. Grandpa should be on the second floor, and he should be on the third floor."

As she spoke, Chen Xiyuan reached out and took the Jianlibao from Li Zhuiyuan's hand.

Li Zhuiyuan tried to move his hand away, but found that he couldn't move it.

The drink was taken away, and Chen Xiyuan took several big gulps.

Li Zhuiyuan: "This will not be repeated."

Chen Xiyuan: "There are no shops here where I can buy it. I'll buy a box and return it to you after we leave."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I mean, restricting my activities through domains."

"I was wrong, I'm sorry." Chen Xiyuan bent down and brought her face close to Li Zhuiyuan's face. Her apology was very sincere. "I just thought that you are not only very good-looking, but also very smart. I really like you, so I couldn't help but want to tease you, and I ignored your background."

You know what? I've always wanted a younger brother, but unfortunately, my parents only have me as their child, while my other uncles and aunts have had many children.

My grandfather even said it was because of me.

Please don't be angry anymore, forgive me, okay?

"I'm not angry."

"Only angry people say this."

"Thank you."

Chen Xiyuan: "But how did you come up with such a profound idea? When I thought about it before, I felt that the whole thing was very logical."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Your life has been too comfortable, and your journey has been too smooth."

Chen Xiyuan: "Then what is the purpose of weaving such a lie?"

At this moment, Yu Dibei returned, and he really did call his Uncle Ma, a packhorse.

Chen Xiyuan unlocked the domain.

"Give!"

The two sacks of books were unloaded by Yu Dibei and placed on the ground.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You can also make a reading list, and I can write down which areas you are interested in and show it to you."

"No, no need."

"I don't like owing favors to others."

Chen Xiyuan: "Just write it, don't be shy."

"Then, whatever you like is fine with me, I'm not picky."

Yu fled north as if escaping, and Uncle Ma couldn't catch up with him in time.

Li Zhuiyuan: "Do you know that if you accept someone's worship as the Dragon King and travel the river, then you have to vouch for them and bear the consequences in the face of Heaven's will?"

"And you and I come from the Dragon King's family; we have the Dragon King's clan backing us."

Chen Xiyuan: "This is the first time I've ever heard of your theory. I believe what you're saying is true, but why did you even bother to research this?"

Li Zhuiyuan: Because if it weren't for the Qin and Liu families as guarantors, or even if there were only one Dragon King family instead of two, I might not have been allowed to live until now by the Heavenly Dao.

Seeing that the boy did not answer for a long time, Chen Xiyuan looked at Yu Dibei, who was being chased by horses in the distance, and sighed:
"If that's the case, his acting skills are no worse than yours; he can even portray my attraction to him perfectly."

How could Chen Xiyuan not have noticed the young man's feelings for her? After all, even Lin Shuyou could discover this.

But she felt nothing about it because she had experienced this kind of scene far too many times.

Li Zhuiyuan: "He wasn't acting."

Chen Xiyuan: "Hmm?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "From birth, he was like a blank sheet of paper, but in reality, his life experiences were already written in an unseen place."

Chen Xiyuan: "Why has it suddenly become so mysterious?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "His memories have been sealed away, waiting for the right time to be unlocked, and then he will become a different person."

Chen Xiyuan: "There are actually evil spirits in this world that possess such bizarre abilities?"

Li Zhuiyuan: Yes.

Chen Xiyuan: "You've seen it before?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "I have killed."

Chen Xiyuan: "How can there be someone like you in this world, little brother? You know, this is the first time I've started to feel that God is unfair."

Li Zhuiyuan: "God is much fairer than you think."

Chen Xiyuan: "Since you've already realized something's wrong here, why didn't you just refuse outright, instead of choosing to stay?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "What's most abundant in this wave?"

Chen Xiyuan: "The Dragon King's lineage has the most inheritors, so you were thinking of..."

Li Zhuiyuan: "I want to stay here and see which family will be so lucky as to seize this incredible opportunity."

Chen Xiyuan: "Do you have a grudge to settle?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "There are accounts to be settled."

At this moment, Yu Dibei, who had run far away, turned around while joking with Uncle Ma, pretending to look in their direction unintentionally. He wanted to take another look at the girl.

As a result, he found that Li Zhuiyuan and Chen Xiyuan were still standing at the door, looking in his direction.

The young man blushed again, as if his secret thoughts had been exposed, and waved awkwardly.

Li Zhuiyuan also raised his hand and waved at him.

Old dog,

So, you were trying to use this method to... clear your name and get back on your feet.

(End of this chapter)