Stop pretending, the fake heiress is actually a master of metaphysics.

"Then this fox...?"

Gu Yuncheng pointed to the red fox on the ground.

Shen Nian thought for a moment and said, "Let's just find a room in the backyard to settle her in. I still have a use for her."

"I'll arrange it right away."

She glanced at the butler beside her and thought to herself that the butler hired by the Gu family was no ordinary person.

Despite witnessing such a bizarre scene, he did not panic.

"Alright, it's getting late, go and get some rest, both of you. Don't just stand here like door gods."

Shen Nian patted the fox fur off her hands and turned to walk towards her courtyard.

The next day.

Shen Nian entered the front hall and saw Gu Qiwen sitting at the small rosewood dining table, holding a cup of coffee in his hand, looking completely at ease. Shen Nian observed him for a moment and saw that his complexion and aura were normal, so she knew that the formation had taken effect and breathed a sigh of relief.

The two greeted each other with "Good morning," and Gu Qiwen did not ask about the fox that Shen Nian had left behind.

He seemed neither afraid of the real-life spirits nor worried that these spirits had nearly killed Gu Yuncheng.

He showed an attitude of complete trust in Shen Nian.

He trusted those he employed, and this man lived up to his imperial destiny. If he had been born in ancient times, he would probably have been a wise and virtuous ruler.

After the two finished breakfast, Gu Yuncheng still hadn't gotten up—in Shen Nian's sect, disciples were required to get up and practice their skills at dawn without fail.

However, Gu Yuncheng has not yet formally become a disciple.

Shen Nian went with him.

Gu Qiwen went to the company, while Shen Nian went to the side courtyard where the red-haired fox lived.

The fox, severely injured, barely regained its human form upon seeing Shen Nian and asked, "Senior, do you have any further instructions?"

Shen Nian said calmly, "You're in such a hurry to improve your cultivation level so you can rescue your sister from the life pit, right?"

The girl choked: "...How did you know?"

How I know it doesn't matter; what matters is that I can help you.

The girl remained silent for a moment.

"What do you need me to do for you?"

Shen Nian thought to herself, "He's not too stupid."

"Gather some medicinal herbs for me."

She wanted to refine elixirs and prepare medicines, but the medicinal properties of mass-produced herbs were definitely insufficient.

To find medicinal herbs with sufficient medicinal properties, one must go deep into the mountains and forests.

These spirits can enter and exit the deep mountains and forests that ordinary people cannot.

"Can I trust you?"

Believe it or not, you have no other choice.

Shen Nian looked at her and saw some scenes from the past through the demonic aura surrounding her.

She saw a girl who looked quite similar to her being buried alive in cement by a group of people.

The background appears to be a building about to be constructed.

Driving live stakes.

An extremely cruel feng shui practice.

Before the commencement of major civil engineering projects, living people or animals are buried alive on the construction site as a sacrifice to the gods to ensure the smooth progress of the project.

The sister of this red fox could be either a human or an animal, but in the eyes of a wicked feng shui master, she was the perfect candidate for a live burial site.

But the red fox was in extreme pain.

Because she is a spirit, she will not die as quickly as an ordinary human.

She will suffer endless pain day and night, and even if her body dies, her soul will not be able to be reborn.

Shen Nian said, "As demons, you shouldn't easily reveal your identities to humans."

Especially in this era when the number of monsters is extremely small.

"He lied to my sister!"

The girl said bitterly, "My sister... thought she had found true love, so she revealed her true identity."

"Who knew that man would turn around and find a Taoist priest, who then used her as a human stake! I must get her out, and I'll make that man suffer a terrible death!"

That's why she desperately wanted to obtain Gu Yuncheng's heart's blood.

The man was wearing some kind of magical artifact, and she couldn't get close to him at all.

She couldn't change the formation of the living stakes either.

"What was that man's name?"

"His name is Meng Ke, and I will never forget his name, even if I die."

Meng Ke?

Shen Nian pondered for a moment and vaguely remembered seeing this name on the invitation list for the Gu family's banquet.

It seems he has a high social status.

"I see."

"You should stay here and recover for now. I promised you, and I will keep my word."

"Oh right, what's your name again?"

"Hu Die."

Hu Die is temporarily staying at the Tiannanshan Villa.

She rarely left the side courtyard, and her meals were always delivered by servants. No one asked the girl why she lived there.

As usual, Shen Nian assigned Gu Yuncheng the task of performing talisman readings live on time.

Now her live stream has a fairly stable and large number of viewers, and almost every time she goes live, she can reach the top of the live streaming platform.

Someone asked her if she would still be broadcasting tomorrow.

Tomorrow is the Gu family's banquet.

She smiled and said, "I'm not doing fortune telling live anymore."

"I might stream some other things."

She didn't say what it was.

While the live stream was still being asked questions in the chat, Shen Nian had already ended the stream.

Saturday is a good day.

It is advisable to sever ties with relatives, make enemies, and take lives.

The main courtyard's banquet hall was now filled with gowns from the most prestigious luxury brands.

Custom-made items that are rarely seen even by ladies from ordinary families are now casually piled up here like cabbages, allowing Shen Nian to choose freely.

Designers from top luxury brands stood beside Shen Nian with smiles on their faces, all hoping she would choose their designs.

Shen Nian: ...

"Actually... it doesn't have to be this complicated."

She rarely wears overly heavy dresses.

The clothes of cultivators are all simple and convenient. When she goes out to participate in events such as sect celebrations, she always wears plain white clothes.

Shen Nian pressed her temples, thinking to herself, "I'm going to sever ties with my family today. Anyone who didn't know better would think I was there for a fashion show."

No need, really no need.

In the end, she chose a simple white satin strapless gown, with no other decorations except for a satin camellia pinned to the waist.

The dress looked rather plain, but when Shen Nian walked out of the dressing room, all the designers present were stunned.

Shen Nian is tall and slender with fair skin. Her silk dress further accentuates her cool and elegant demeanor.

Just like a snow-white camellia that stands alone in the world.

As for jewelry, the stylist only paired her with a pair of simple and elegant pearl earrings and a matching pearl necklace, which was perfect enough.

Her hair was simply tied up without any embellishment.

She seemed beautiful enough; any further adornment would be superfluous for her.

Shen Nian looked at herself in the mirror for a moment and felt fairly satisfied; the outfit wasn't too cumbersome.

As for beauty... in the eyes of cultivators, there is not much difference between mortal bodies; beauty is nothing but withered bones.

She then glanced at the others and said, "Why isn't anyone saying anything?"

Gu Qiwen looked down at her, and after a long while, he said, "She's very beautiful, and it suits you very well."

"As long as it's suitable."

Shen Nian spoke casually, unaware of the fleeting, profound meaning in Gu Qiwen's eyes.

After all, this banquet had only one purpose—to sever the original owner's family ties.

Shen Nian didn't care about anything else.