"Thank you for the warning."
Lin Shu cupped his hands in response, his expression equally grave.
"You don’t need to worry too much. I’ll report back to my Master immediately and ask him to come investigate. We should have some answers soon."
Fan Qingyang added, trying to reassure him. He could actually understand this disciple’s predicament.
The man was all alone, trying to earn merits while also protecting Yu Sheng. He was stretched thin. Now, with news of a Demon attack, the pressure on him was naturally immense.
With that, he once again pulled the other disciple into the air and flew off toward another Earth City.
Lin Shu nodded and turned to walk back into the inn.
He led Yu Sheng back to their room on the second floor.
"Are they dead?"
The little one was squatting on the bed, only now seeming to process what had happened. A trace of sorrow appeared on her fair, tender face.
"Those two peers of yours? Probably," Lin Shu said casually.
He had no intention of telling the little chick the truth. After all, no matter how badly those people had treated her, they were still her blood relatives.
If she knew, her position would be caught in the middle, and the atmosphere would become awkward no matter what.
"No, I mean the Laborers."
Yu Sheng hugged her knees and suddenly started to sob. "They had just started eating those big pork knuckles... they were smiling so happily. How could they suddenly be gone?"
"Lin Shu, I wish we had a big, big territory of our own."
She looked up, her eyes red-rimmed. "Then these people wouldn’t have to mine or worry about being killed. They could eat good food every day."
Lin Shu was taken aback for a moment.
He gave a helpless smile, reached out to ruffle the little chick’s hair, and said softly, "Maybe someday you will."
Of course, these were just empty words to placate a child.
Even if Yu Sheng really did grow up and the Yu Family arranged for her to enter the Court and possess a territory of her own...
...at most, she would only be able to acquire resources from it. As for what she could actually do, she would still have to follow the State Mansion’s arrangements.
To be precise, she would have to follow the arrangements of the Immortal Families.
’To have a territory with complete autonomy...’
Lin Shu lowered his gaze slightly.
He suddenly recalled the quiet villages scattered throughout the mountain forests that his Soul-Splitting had seen. That was the territory of the Qingming Demon General.
’Unless Yu Sheng doesn’t plan on joining an Immortal Family, but instead wanders the wilderness and becomes a Little Demon.’
’Otherwise, her wish would be nearly impossible to fulfill.’
’It’s just as that Old Demon surnamed Xu lamented: if one can walk the glorious immortal road, who would be willing to take the rugged and perilous Demon Path?’
’In any case, unless I had absolutely no other choice, I certainly wouldn’t be willing to.’
"Stop crying. Those men might not be in trouble."
Lin Shu gathered his thoughts and stood up. "You can get ready to take over a new area. New Laborers should be arriving soon, and you can treat them to big pork knuckles then."
Now that Yu Kui and Yu Qing were both dead...
...and Yu Lin was guarding the medicine fields...
...if the Yu Family didn’t want to abandon Shihu City, then the only one they could choose was Yu Sheng.
Yu Qing’s remaining disciples had lost their master. They needed someone to rely on.
As long as the matter of the White Teeth Mine wasn’t exposed...
...the two of them would have truly established a foothold in Yongzhou Pass.
"Okay."
Yu Sheng rubbed her eyes hard with the back of her hand. She had been in the city for less than half a month.
None of her clansmen were willing to speak to her, and the disciples and Stewards all avoided her from a distance.
Besides Lin Shu, the people this little one was most familiar with were that group of Laborers.
Now, she could only hope they were all truly safe and sound.
Time passed slowly as the two of them talked.
The sky grew darker, and soon it was dinnertime for the local commoners.
Yu Sheng cheered herself up, ready to go downstairs and continue her duties as the little Shopkeeper.
Just then, a cold shout suddenly came from downstairs.
"Everyone, get out!"
"Close up the inn! No one else is allowed in!"
A series of unquestionable commands rang out.
Hearing this, Yu Sheng froze for a moment, then clenched her fists, her cheeks puffed out in anger. She was clearly about to rush downstairs to reclaim her territory.
Lin Shu’s gaze, however, turned cold as he glanced quietly downstairs.
’So much for a bigger territory. Someone still dares to bark like a dog in the very inn under our feet.’
He remembered that voice.
Not long ago, this was the very person who had been riding his horse at the front of the group before being stopped by Fan Qingyang.
"Closing up! Closing up!"
Liao Xing stood in the main hall, taking charge as if he owned the place and beginning to clear everyone out.
He wore the token of the Liu Family at his waist. Never mind ordinary people, even the Stewards in the city had to show him some respect.
The miners from White Teeth Mine had gone to Demon Mountain, but there were many other Laborers near Shihu City, as well as some traveling merchants.
Exhausted after a long day of work, they stood dumbly inside the inn, looking at the food the servers brought out and couldn’t help but swallow hard.
In the end, fear won out over hunger.
They were driven out like dogs, along with the cooks and servers.
BANG! BANG!
Liao Xing reached out and shut the inn doors. He turned and walked toward a corner.
There, a dozen or so Liu Family Disciples had been waiting for a long time.
"You’re back?"
"Mhm."
Liao Xing sat down at the table and, with a wave of his sleeve, took out a booklet. "Black Water City isn’t far from here. I took a casual look around and made some discoveries."
Because of Fan Qingyang, they could no longer ride their Spirit Horses over to investigate so brazenly.
But no one would notice if they went over secretly.
"Any news about the Ink Flood Dragon Sword Bracelet?"
"No, but I found out how Zhang Yi died."
Liao Xing rubbed his temples, feeling a slight headache. He glanced at the closed doors before turning back. "Don’t be impatient. In three to five days at most, I’ll get to the bottom of this."
"And you all shouldn’t just stay cooped up in the inn. Go out for a walk when you have time, do some digging."
"Whoever it is, as long as they leave Black Water City, they’ll have to pass through Yongzhou Pass unless they head for Demon-infested lands. When they pass through here, they have to reveal their identity, whether they’re disguised as a merchant or a Cultivator."
"Even if the Yu Family doesn’t cooperate, you can still ask around."
As Liao Xing was speaking, he noticed that everyone was silently looking behind him.
He turned and saw a tall figure standing there with a smile, seemingly quite interested in their conversation.
"Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear my orders just now? Who told you to come over here!"
Liao Xing frowned, staring at the Shopkeeper with a hostile gaze.
Such a presumptuous act. If this weren’t Yongzhou Pass but Frost Cloud Mansion instead, he would have already struck the man dead with a palm strike.
"Get lost!"
He raised his sleeve, about to lash out in anger.
But another Liu Family Disciple reached out and held him back, saying calmly, "Brother Liao, don’t be hasty. Since this person has approached us, perhaps he has some news."
This was the same person who had told Lin Shu the other day that if he discovered anything, he could report it for a generous reward from the Liu Family.
’Few fools can survive in Yongzhou Pass. There’s no reason for this man to suddenly do something that’s practically a death wish.’
He stared at the young man and asked slowly, "Do you really have a clue?"
"I do."
Lin Shu nodded.
At his words, the others’ faces lit up with joy. Liao Xing couldn’t help but snap in a low voice, "Stop being mysterious! Hand it over, quickly!"
He was now genuinely curious what a mere inn Shopkeeper could possibly have found out.
’If he dares to mess with us, I’ll make sure he knows the consequences!’
Under everyone’s eager gaze...
...Lin Shu unhurriedly patted his Storage Bag and placed a hard object gently on the table. "Does this count?"
The inn was sealed shut, with only the lamplight flickering.
In the dim light...
...the jet-black bracelet lay quietly on the table. Wisps of blood-red threads swam across its surface, giving off a strange and chilling luster.

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