Simulated immortality allows me to calculate talent stats.

Your hands were clasped tightly, yet the moment they touched, they parted.

[Xu Hui subtly wiped her hand on her chest, while you traced your fingertips around her red hair.]

They were both afraid of being tainted by each other's scent.

[It feels unlucky.]

The old Taoist priest peeked out from behind the wall, letting out a regretful sigh, then his pupils suddenly contracted.

A faint glimmer of lightning lurked within, almost bursting into full-blown fury.

He saw you and "Xu Hui" arrive together and walk towards the courtyard.

[The red-haired old monster was already ominous enough, but now there's another unknown inner demon to add to the mix.]

Even the old Taoist priest's arrogant and self-important mindset almost collapsed.

He was not afraid of powerful enemies, because no matter how strong an enemy existed in the human world, they could not surpass him.

[But the old Taoist priest is afraid of getting dirty. Don't let his usual slovenly appearance fool you; after eating roast chicken, he'll grab his hair with his hands.]

[Though they appeared not to have wiped their hands, they had actually been baptized by divine retribution.]

Beneath the slovenly exterior lies a heart obsessed with cleanliness.

He silently withdrew his head, preparing to leave this place of trouble.

[If he doesn't want to get involved, can't he at least avoid it?]

Seeing that messy, unkempt hair drooping down, you quickly called out, "Old Taoist, we're going to find our master, shall we come together?"

Upon hearing this, the old Taoist priest activated the array formation beneath his feet and vanished from the spot.

The sound echoed softly in the night.

"Unless I've lost my mind, I wouldn't associate with two freaks like you."

You sighed regretfully. "If we had a powerful expert like the old Taoist priest with us, the safety factor would be much higher."

[He stopped at the courtyard gate, turned to look at 'Xu Hui': "You wait here and don't move. I'm going to explain some things."]

[Xu Hui's unpredictable thoughts were detected in your ordinary words.]

But I can't figure out what it means.

[You enter the house, and the earth-shattering scene you witnessed earlier seems to have taken place in another world.]

[It did not disturb the tranquility of the other rooms.]

You push open the door, and Zuo Shi, hearing the noise, opens her eyes and gets up from the bed.

[Seeing the ominous scarlet stain at your temples, I ignored it, letting out a sorrowful sigh.]

"Are you leaving?"

You nodded silently.

Will they come back?

You remained silent, then suddenly smiled and said, "If I could, I would."

Zuo Shi didn't care about the odds; as long as there was hope, she would keep waiting.

"I'll wait for you here, I'll keep waiting..."

Zuo Shi forcefully suppressed the tears welling in her eyes, refusing to let them fall and add to the sorrow of parting.

You lean forward and gently press your finger between his brows.

[Left, her jade-like arm encircles your waist, tenderly remembering your scent.]

Then release your hand.

"Go early and come back early."

You walked out of the courtyard, and Xu Hui waited quietly in the same spot, still pondering the words you left behind.

Fearing a trap, they dared not leave their posts even for a moment.

"Let's go, where is the master?"

【"have no idea."】

【"Um?"】

[You're squinting, are you kidding me, little bro?]

[Xu Hui calmly spread his hands: "The Sword of the God of War, so easy to find, why would it be my turn?"]

"Tell me, how do I find it?"

You don't believe a single one of his ten statements.

Without any means of sensing or clues about the location where the body was lost, what gives Xu Hui the right to claim he's looking for his master?

[Want to try wandering the whole world?]

[“Hehe... I don’t know where the Killer Master is, but I can sense its presence.”]

You laughed heartily, "My brother, Two-Fifth Brother, truly possesses extraordinary abilities!"

Yet, a chill crept into my heart.

[Xu Hui's ability to sense the location of his master has further elevated your understanding of his "identity."]

The true nature and essence of inner demons remain unknown.

However, since he could sense the power of the Sword of the God of War—the Sword of Killing His Master—one can draw a conclusion from this.

The inner demons and the God of War must be connected.

The specifics of the relationship can only be determined through mutual probing and maneuvering in the upcoming game.

[Xu Hui, clad in ink-black robes, wore a cool and rational expression, yet revealed a captivatingly wicked and wild demeanor.]

[Contradictory and incongruous.]

[I wonder if, after Huizi returns to normal, she will curl up in bed each night, filled with shame and embarrassment, thinking back on it all.]

"Heading north."

[Xu Hui's eyes flickered with an invisible, unseen fluctuation, and he waved his hand.]

You have no objections.

In late autumn, the mountains are ablaze with fiery red maple leaves, shrouded in a misty rain.

You and 'Xu Hui' traveled north, leaving Xiangyang City, exiting Jingzhou, and crossing Yuzhou.

Standing amidst the mountains, gazing at the rolling Huai River.

There are two directions ahead.

[By traversing the high mountains and treacherous roads of the Northwest, one can reach Shu Prefecture.]

[From the northeast, one enters Huaizhou.]

Currently, Huaizhou remains under the control of the Great Cang Dynasty, facing off against the Wu Kingdom across the Huai River.

Huaizhou is the southwestern gateway to the central court of the Great Cang Dynasty, and is home to a powerful military force.

[Shuzhou is now under the control of the Zhou Kingdom. Relying on its natural defenses, and through years of development, it has become as solid as a rock.]

The center of power in the Zhou Dynasty had already shifted to Shu Prefecture.

"Which way?"

You look at Xu Hui, who stands with his hands behind his back, exuding an eerie and sinister aura.

[Pointing northwest: "Enter Sichuan."]

"Did the assassin kill his master in Shu?"

You asked out of curiosity.

[After sensing it, Xu Hui replied, "Yes, it's getting closer. I can roughly determine its location; it's in Shu."]

【"Um."】

You nodded, without asking any further questions.

[But he was analyzing it in his mind.]

[The killing of his master occurred in Shu Prefecture, while Xu Hui was possessed by his inner demons on the Huai River battlefield.]

Logically, after being controlled by his inner demons, he should have immediately entered Shu upon sensing the location of his master.

Why did he return to Xiangyang after disappearing for a period of time?

[Where did it appear in front of Pang Hai's tomb?]

[Xu Hui's obsession?]

[You reject this idea, because if that were the case, with Hui Zi's methods, he could regain control in a moment of clarity.]

He has countless ways to send you intelligence.

[After disappearing, there has been no further news of them.]

[Clearly, he was completely suppressed by his inner demons.]

Why did Xu Hui come to Xiangyang? Was his cooperation with you truly due to a misjudgment that you were one of his own?

Or perhaps...

Was all of this part of Xu Hui's plan?

You suppressed your chaotic and complex emotions, and sighed helplessly.

Dealing with smart people is difficult enough.

The current "Xu Hui" not only retains his original exceptional intelligence and cunning.

[And then there's that devilish inner demon, adding to the burden.]

[Even a slight increase in the angle of Xu Hui's smile can trigger a mental storm, sparking a thousand speculations in your mind.]

You and 'Xu Hui' crossed the magnificent Huai River.

[Following the rugged and treacherous paths through the towering mountains, we entered Shu Prefecture.]

[Xu Hui leads the way, and you follow silently.]

The Censorate has general intelligence information about Shu Prefecture; you should check it in your mind.

[Xu Hui's direction of travel has been detected.]

[Directly pointing to the capital of the Zhou state.]

[Yincheng.]