After nine lifetimes of reincarnation, the yandere villainous heroine descends.

The autumn wind, carrying a crisp coolness, swept over Ziyan City, breaking up and dispersing the autumn mist that had lingered all night. The morning light, taking advantage of this gap, gently shone over the gray-tiled eaves.

This autumn morning was quite ordinary; wisps of smoke rose from the courtyards deep in the alleyways, swaying gently in the wind, carrying the faint fragrance of grass and trees far away.

Shen Shuchou lowered his hand and added dry firewood to the stove, his fingertips touching the rough texture of the wood.

The flickering candlelight reflected in his eyes, its light unable to suppress the surging thoughts within him, like waves yet to subside.

Now that the matter had been settled, Shen Shuchou knew very well that although he had stopped Su Jueluo in time, he had prevented Su Jueluo from noticing Tantai Chigu's unusual behavior.

However, such deliberate concealment will inevitably arouse deeper suspicion in the other party, and subsequent tests and actions are probably unavoidable.

What troubled him even more was Su Chacha's employment letter.

The little girl who used to follow him, after many years, when he returned to Ziyan City, not only did not change her old feelings, but also directly expressed her feelings with a letter of engagement.

However, Shen Shuchou had no reason to accept this offer.

Firstly, he had never harbored any romantic feelings for Su Chacha; secondly, even if he had, he would never have married her.

His destiny was already predetermined; in each of his lifetimes, the female protagonist was his destined destination.

However, this path is never peaceful, and people like Su Chacha will always emerge.

It wasn't exactly an obstacle, but it added an inextricable entanglement to the threads of his destiny.

The flames in the furnace curled their tongues, licking away at the firewood bit by bit. Shen Shuchou's turbulent thoughts seemed to be enveloped by this warmth, gradually settling down.

Before long, he called out loudly, summoning the little girl who was hiding in the house.

Seeing Tantai Chigu's cheeks puffed out and his little mouth stuffed full of food, a faint smile unconsciously spread across his previously serious face.

Regardless of what storms may come in the future, at least for now, she can stay safely in this little world, and that's enough.

……

......

Inside an inn in Ziyan City, Gu Qingran swallowed the pastry in her mouth and looked up at the opposite side: "Brother, I want to go out for a walk."

Sitting opposite her was Ya Ye. Since his last meeting with Su Han, he had been forced to compromise under the latter's potential intimidation.

Unexpectedly, after that meeting, Su Han never contacted him again, nor did he ever mention wanting to see Gu Qingran.

But Ya Ye knew in his heart that the surveillance surrounding them had never been relaxed in the slightest during these days.

To be on the safe side, he has not allowed Gu Qingran to go out alone these past few days. Even when she goes downstairs for a stroll, she only stays in a small area near the inn and returns shortly afterward.

Upon hearing her words, he simply replied, "I'll take you there after you finish eating."

Gu Qingran gently shook her head, swallowed the rest of her food, and said with a hint of insistence, "Brother, I want to go for a walk by myself."

Ya Ye looked up at her, a hint of seriousness in his eyes, but his voice remained calm: "Purple Smoke City is not the Abyss God Temple. There are risks here, and we can't let you run around recklessly."

Gu Qingran met his gaze, her tone becoming more stubborn: "Brother, I'm not just your sister, I'm someone who can make my own decisions. I'm not a sparrow by your side."

How could Ya Ye not understand the meaning behind those words?

Back then at the Abyss Temple, it was his own fault that he trapped her in that forbidden place with lies.

Now that they've left the temple, he's using the guise of protection to keep her within his sight.

Even though they were already trapped in the invisible cage of Ziyan City, he only wanted to protect her as much as possible in this small world.

However, this thoroughness became a constraint in her eyes.

Just as Ya Ye was about to speak, a clear, sharp crow's cry suddenly swept past the window, short yet distinct.

The words he was about to say suddenly changed, and his tone became more serious: "Let's talk about it when I get back. I have to go out for a bit."

As soon as he finished speaking, he got up and left, not forgetting to fasten the brass lock on the door.

With a soft "click," Gu Qingran's gaze was firmly fixed on the room.

She stared at the closed door, the stubborn light in her eyes gradually dimming.

Outside the inn, Ya Ye followed the crows' calls and hurried through the streets where the morning mist had just dissipated, finally stopping in front of a small stall displaying fruit and snacks.

The stall owner was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man. When he saw him come, he simply nodded and said, "My master has something for you to do."

Ya Ye lowered her eyes to look at the neatly arranged fruits on the stall, her fingertips unconsciously curling up.

He never had a chance to refuse. After a moment of silence, he looked up, his voice calm and even: "What is it?"

"Kill someone for my master."

Zan Qi held a fruit between his fingertips, a faint smile on his face.

Upon hearing this, Ya Ye's lips curled into a faint, mocking smile: "The dignified master of the Purple Smoke Cloud Pavilion, to take a life, actually needs to use my forbidden hand?"

Zan Qi didn't reply, but casually stroked the texture of the fruit.

Ya Ye said no more, his tone turning serious: "Who to kill? When to make our move?"

Zan Qi then put the fruit in his mouth, took a small bite, and the sweetness of the fruit seemed to have no effect on the coldness in his eyes: "Kill a man named Shen Shuchou."

The moment the three words "Shen Shuchou" landed, a sharp glint flashed in Ya Ye's eyes, as fast as a spark, and was quickly suppressed by him, so fast that even Zan Qi did not notice it.

Immediately afterwards, Zan Qi's voice rang out again, carrying an unquestionable command: "I want you to kill him."

"Who is Shen Shuchou? Why did you want to kill him?"

Ya Ye's gaze was fixed on Zan Qi, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

But Zan Qi clearly had no intention of giving him an answer. He simply waved his hand, his tone dismissive yet coldly firm: "You don't need to worry about these things. Just remember to kill him, that's enough."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his face away and loudly called out to passersby about the fruit on his stall.

Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Ya Ye stopped asking and turned to walk towards the inn.

These past few days, the people from Ziyanyun Pavilion have ignored him, but now they've come knocking on his door, demanding that he kill Shen Shuchou.

The name was like a pebble, spreading circles of doubt in his heart, making even his steps seem a little heavier.

Ya Ye couldn't understand why Su Han insisted on killing Shen Shuchou, and why he specifically chose to do it.

But right now he has no choice but to agree; he has no other option.

While pondering the strangeness of the situation, he hurried towards the inn and arrived at the door in no time.

But the moment the brass lock clicked open and the door was pushed open, Ya Ye's blood almost froze.

The room was empty; Gu Qingran, who should have been inside, was nowhere to be seen.

His pupils contracted sharply, his first thought being that the people from the Purple Smoke Cloud Pavilion had made their move. But when his gaze fell on the half-open window, this assumption was instantly overturned.

A faint shoe print was left on the windowsill, clearly indicating that Gu Qingran had climbed out from there herself.

Ya Ye's heart sank to the bottom. Without daring to delay for even a moment, he turned around and rushed out the door.

The chill of the autumn morning was somewhat dispelled by the sounds of people coming and going, and the streets and alleys gradually became lively.

At the street corner, a small head peeked out first. Gu Qingran blinked and looked behind her warily.

After confirming that she did not see Ya Ye, she tiptoed out from around the corner and quickly moved in another direction.

But she had only taken a few steps when a small figure suddenly came into her view.

Almost simultaneously, the other person also looked up, and their gazes unexpectedly collided.

Gu Qingran stopped in her tracks, completely stunned.

She never expected that she would run into Tantai Chigu here after just escaping from the inn.

The last time they met was when she first entered Ziyan City. At that time, Tantai Chigu was accompanied by a young girl, but Shen Shuchou was nowhere to be seen.

This time, the girl wasn't there, and Shen Shuchou wasn't by her side either.

Upon seeing Tantai Chigu, Gu Qingran immediately recalled the way he had stared at her like she was prey the last time, and couldn't help but awkwardly twitch the corners of her mouth: "We meet again."

Tantai Chigu looked up at her with his small face, blinked his round eyes, and didn't say anything.

When she first met Gu Qingran, she thought he looked delicious, but now that they met again, that thought had completely vanished.

Gu Qingran stood there, unsure whether to stay or leave, so she asked again, "Why are you here all alone?"

"Can you read?"

Tantai Chigu suddenly raised his voice, his tone carrying a hint of serious confusion.

Gu Qingran was taken aback, not expecting her to ask this, but still nodded honestly: "A little."

"Does that mean all children have to go to school?" the little girl asked again.

These words suddenly made Gu Qingran realize that the little girl who had previously frightened her was probably struggling with her studies.

She couldn't help but smile slightly: "Of course children need to study."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tantai Chigu's face fell instantly, and even the corners of his mouth were pursed into a straight line.

Seeing this, Gu Qingran quickly changed her tune, suppressing a laugh as she added, "Of course, not all children have to study. It's okay if they don't want to!"

"Really?"

Tantai Chigu's eyes lit up instantly, and he leaned forward with his small body.

This morning, after breakfast, Shen Shuchou was supposed to teach her to read as usual. She couldn't sit still, so she secretly slipped out of the courtyard and bumped into Gu Qingran, who had also run away.

"Of course it's true."

Gu Qingran was amused by her appearance and nodded gently.

"Then how can I stop studying?"

The little girl kept asking, her little hands unconsciously clenching the hem of her clothes, as if she were grasping at the last straw.

Gu Qingran tilted her head and thought for a moment, then replied with a smile, "When you grow up, you won't have to study every day anymore."

But as soon as he finished speaking, Tantai Chigu's face fell again.

She gently swayed her skirt, holding it in her hand. Shen Shuchou had told her the same answer before; it was completely useless.

"It's okay, studying isn't something to be afraid of."

Gu Qingran gently advised, then suddenly changed the subject, "He must be worried about you running away like this, right? Where do you live? Shall I take you home?"

She herself couldn't explain why she suddenly had the idea of ​​sending Tantai Chigu back. Perhaps it was because somewhere deep in her heart, she vaguely remembered someone related to this little girl.

"But didn't you also sneak out?"

Tantai Chigu blinked and his words immediately revealed her predicament.

Gu Qingran was startled again, and subconsciously looked down at herself. How did this little girl figure that out?

"I saw you just around the corner. You were looking around suspiciously, like you were hiding from someone."

Tantai Chigu spoke with certainty, tilting his head and asking, "Did you also run away because you didn't want to study?"

Gu Qingran was amused by her earnest questioning look: "You guessed it! I didn't want to study either, so I secretly ran away. Want to come for a walk with me?"

Tantai Chigu tilted his head and thought for a moment, then quickly nodded.

Anyway, she had only come out to avoid studying, so following Gu Qingran around wouldn't hurt. It would also be a good opportunity to get all those strange questions out of her head.

Seeing that she agreed, Gu Qingran naturally took her small hand and walked towards the streets and alleys she had never been before.

He was already planning to buy some sweet cakes for the little girl to try when they passed by a pastry shop later.

But they hadn't gone far when Tantai Chigu's questions came crashing down on them like beads from a broken string.

What made Gu Qingran both amused and exasperated was that the little girl's questions were getting more and more outrageous.

For example, she was asked questions like whether children can have children, and how to have children, which made her cheeks burn. For a moment, she didn't know how to explain it to a child of this age.

In fact, even she herself is unclear about these issues, so how can we explain them to her clearly?

A person and a child strolled slowly through the Purple Smoke City, constantly being stared at along the way, making the person feel somewhat uncomfortable.

She hadn't gone far when Gu Qingran suddenly stopped in her tracks. A dark figure appeared out of nowhere, blocking her path.

The newcomer was none other than Ya Ye. Since leaving the inn, he had been following the marks left on Gu Qingran's body.

But when he looked up at Gu Qingran, his gaze was instantly drawn to Tantai Chigu, who was holding her hand, and his brows furrowed almost immediately.

When Ya Ye first sensed Tantai Chigu in the forbidden land, he knew very well that this little girl was no ordinary forbidden being.

For forbidden beings to take human form, they must devour sufficiently terrifying forbidden power. Even after taking human form, they will still retain unique markings such as sharp horns and scales.

When Tantai Chigu first appeared, he was in the form of a child, surrounded by an impenetrable black mist. Although he did not exude any sense of oppression, he was like a soul-snatching bait.

This caused all the forbidden creatures around to pounce on it with bloodshot eyes. Even he almost couldn't suppress his instincts and felt a greedy urge to swallow the little girl whole and steal her essence.

In the end, he was able to restrain himself, partly because Gu Qingran was by his side, making him unwilling to go back to his old ways.

The other half was the presence of Shen Shuchou, which made him dare not easily touch this little girl.

The second time they met, her alluring aura was tightly enveloped by another force, as if hidden in an iron box, making it impossible for even him to see through her.

But in this third encounter, Ya Ye's pupils shrank suddenly, and the power that had been concealing him was so weak that it was about to dissipate.

What alarmed him even more was that the seemingly powerless little girl was now hiding a powerful force, like a volcano buried under frozen soil, waiting for the right moment to erupt.

Just as Ya Ye was sizing up Tantai Chigu, the little girl's pupils also moved slightly, and her gaze fell on Ya Ye.

In that instant, Ya Ye felt the forbidden power that had been contained within his body tremble slightly.

As the embodiment of taboo, Tantai Chigu's eyes now held no trace of childlike innocence, only a cold, indifferent scrutiny of Ya Ye.

In the past, Tantai Chigu would naturally have coveted Ya Ye's forbidden power, but ever since Shen Shuchou fed her with his body, becoming the vessel and home of her power.

The rest of the forbidden powers were nothing more than dust to her, not even worthy of her a second glance.

"elder brother."

Gu Qingran caught a glimpse of Ya Ye's sudden appearance and whispered.

Ya Ye withdrew his gaze and looked at Gu Qingran, his tone gentle yet carrying an undeniable air: "Come back with me."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingran did not move, but said in a low voice, "I want to walk around for a while longer, and I'll be back later."

Ya Ye didn't say anything more, took a step forward, and reached out to pull her away, as if to forcibly take her away.

However, just as his hand was about to touch Gu Qingran, Tantai Chigu suddenly moved and stood firmly in front of Gu Qingran.

"She doesn't want to study, don't take her with you."

Tantai Chi Gu looked at Ya Ye; this was the first time she had spoken.

Both Ya Ye and Gu Qingran were taken aback.

Ya Ye frowned, not understanding the meaning behind her words for a moment, while Gu Qingran was secretly surprised.

A casual remark he made earlier had unexpectedly led to her now standing in front of him.

Seeing that Tantai Chigu had made a move, Ya Ye stopped reaching out and just stared at the scene with a furrowed brow.

At this moment, the subtle gazes around them were gathering from all directions, initially lingering on Ya Ye and Gu Qingran.

Just as these gazes were about to fall on Tantai Chigu, wanting to get a closer look at her, a figure suddenly stepped out from the crowd.

The man reached out and took Tantai Chigu's small hand, pulling her a little distance from Gu Qingran and subtly blocking those prying eyes.

"Who gave you permission to sneak out?"

The next second, a gentle voice quietly fell among them.

Upon hearing this voice, Tantai Chigu's face instantly contorted in distress.

Hearing the sound, Gu Qingran subconsciously turned her head to look. The cold and aloof Shen Shuchou was now standing quietly in front of her, his expression unreadable.

Ya Ye's reaction was even more sudden. He abruptly raised his eyes, and the moment his gaze fell on the newcomer, a murderous intent suddenly rose in his eyes.

The killing intent came slowly and deliberately, almost like a deliberate warning.

Shen Shuchou naturally noticed the sharpness in his eyes, but his face remained calm, as if that murderous intent was nothing more than a gust of wind passing by his ear.

P.S.: Oh dear!