Emerging from Agong's guest room, Yan Shouyi tiptoed back to Liu Yiren's small courtyard.
He had slept through the entire day, and with night having fallen again, he seemed to have nowhere else to go but back.
However, upon returning to the courtyard, Yan Shouyi found Liu Yiren sitting on the sofa, muttering to herself with a blushing face:
"I'm so stupid, why did I fall asleep yesterday!"
"Where has Yan Shouyi gone now? Could he have been scared away by me?"
"Will he go find Grandpa and tell him about this... hmm..."
"Liu Yiren, Liu Yiren, why can't you be more reserved!!"
"He is your second uncle!"
Yan Shouyi, standing outside the door, almost burst into laughter.
You actually know I'm your second uncle??
"Who?!"
Hearing Yan Shouyi's laughter, Liu Yiren, startled like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, leaped up from the sofa.
Fearing he would scare Liu Yiren, Yan Shouyi quickly walked in, raising his hands and saying:
"It's me, don't be afraid."
"You you you you... When did you get back?" Liu Yiren's face was red all the way to her ears.
Did he hear all those things she had just said to herself?
If he really heard them, she would have no face left to see him!
Yan Shouyi found it amusing but had to maintain his composure.
He replied, "When I woke up, I saw you were still asleep. I called out a few times but you didn't wake up, so I went out for a walk."
"Called out a few times and I didn't wake up?" Liu Yiren covered her mouth.
It's over, how soundly had she been sleeping?
She probably snored too, didn't she?
Although Liu Yiren had a bit of a tomboyish side, she was, after all, still a girl.
She had to maintain her image!
The thought of sleeping like a pig in front of Yan Shouyi made Liu Yiren wish she could travel back in time and strangle her past self from last night!
In reality, Yan Shouyi hadn't called out to Liu Yiren at all; he had simply left quietly.
He had only said that to tease her, and he hadn't expected such a strong reaction.
Liu Yiren asked again, "Did you hear anything just now?"
Yan Shouyi smiled and said, "No, I just heard two annoying sparrows chirping in the courtyard."
"Then why were you laughing? You haven't stopped!" Liu Yiren didn't believe Yan Shouyi.
"I was laughing? Was I?"
Yan Shouyi touched his face, realizing his body was too honest and hadn't held back at all.
So he explained, "I remembered something happy."
Liu Yiren narrowed her eyes, looking at Yan Shouyi distrustfully: "Why do I feel like you're making fun of me?"
"Don't worry, my dear niece. I've received strict training. No matter how funny something is, I won't laugh... unless I can't help it!"
"You... you definitely heard something!"
Liu Yiren was exasperated and grabbed a cushion from the sofa, throwing it at Yan Shouyi.
With her limited strength, there was no way she could hit Yan Shouyi.
Yan Shouyi lowered his head slightly, and the cushion brushed past him.
"Ouch!"
However, while Yan Shouyi dodged it, Liu Zong did not.
Liu Zong, who had come to visit Yan Shouyi and Liu Yiren, had just stepped into the room when he was hit squarely by Liu Yiren's cushion.
Seeing that the cushion had accidentally hit her father, Liu Yiren's face turned pale with fright, and she quickly ran over to help Liu Zong:
"Dad, are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." Liu Zong rubbed his nose and said, "I just wanted to see how you two were recovering. From the looks of it, you seem to be out of any serious trouble."
Yan Shouyi said apologetically, "Brother, I'm sorry."
"No, it's me who's sorry," Liu Zong said guiltily, "With Yi Yi's personality, it must have been difficult for you to stay with her for a night."
Liu Yiren: "???"
Dad, you really are my biological father!
Pushing your own daughter into someone else's arms and feeling guilty towards the other person.
You're even more compassionate than Buddha!
Yan Shouyi was also taken aback, then, following Liu Zong's lead, he sighed and said, "Who am I to refuse when I'm her second uncle."
"It's not easy!" Liu Zong patted Yan Shouyi's shoulder.
Liu Yiren, standing aside, was grinding her teeth in anger.
However, she now understood that Liu Zong had deliberately arranged for them to stay together last night not to "matchmake" them, but to have Yan Shouyi protect her.
After all, she had gone through so much recently and might still be emotionally unstable. Having Yan Shouyi by her side would provide some sense of security.
Indeed, Liu Yiren had slept very peacefully last night.
But now Liu Yiren was extremely displeased!
With the two of them like this, how could Liu Zong, as a father, not notice anything?
Calling him second brother again and again, are you really treating your future son-in-law as a brother??
In the future, I'll call you Dad, you'll call him second brother, and he'll call me niece.
Everyone calls each other as they please??
Yan Shouyi cleared his throat twice and asked, "Brother, you must have other matters to discuss by coming here at this time, right?"
Liu Zong said solemnly, "The old master's condition has improved, and he can now walk. Everyone is in the main hall, and the old master has asked me to call you over."
"I understand, let's go now." Yan Shouyi felt awkward about lingering in Liu Yiren's small courtyard any longer.
Liu Zong also brought Yan Shouyi a clean set of clothes. Yan Shouyi quickly took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and then hurried to the main hall.
In the Liu family's main hall, the grand master chair in the center position had always been occupied by Liu Mingzhi.
But today was different; Liu Mingzhi had merely moved a chair and sat to the side.
On the grand master chair sat two peculiar paper figures, the paper figures possessed by Liu Jingkang and the Great-Grandmother.
Standing in the main hall were not only the living members of the Liu family but also a large number of paper figures from the Liu family.
After a full day of rest and adjustment, these ancestors of the Liu family had finally recovered.
Yan Shouyi met Agong and Zhu Shanzao at the entrance, and the three of them entered the main hall together.
The previously quiet main hall immediately became lively with their arrival.
Liu Jingkang beckoned, "Mr. Yan, please take the main seat!"
Yan Shouyi was their savior, and Liu Jingkang couldn't wait to offer him his own seat.
Compared to Liu Jingkang, Liu Mingzhi was more familiar.
In his eyes, Yan Shouyi was already considered family.
Yan Shouyi waved his hand casually, "No need for the main seat. It's getting late, and I want to leave the mountain soon. Let's get straight to the point."
"Alright, in that case, let's keep it brief."
Liu Jingkang nodded and said, "Our Liu family has suffered greatly at the hands of the Bai family, which has made me realize that we can no longer wait passively. I have gathered everyone today to make it clear that from this day forward, the Liu family and the Bai family are irreconcilable enemies! Sooner or later, the Liu family will repay double what the Bai family has done to us!"
"Blood for blood, repaid double!"
The paper figures of the Liu family were filled with righteous indignation. They had truly lost their loved ones, and their hatred for the Bai family was beyond words.
Liu Jingkang raised his hand, and everyone quieted down again.
He said to Yan Shouyi, "Mr. Yan, whatever you plan to do against the Bai family from now on, our Liu family will fully support you and await your command at any time."
Yan Shouyi cupped his fists and said, "I dare not accept such praise. We are all friends, and seeking revenge against the Bai family is an act of justice!"
"Then, do you have any plans to deal with the Bai family, Mr. Yan?" Liu Jingkang asked.
When asked about plans, Yan Shouyi truly had no clear ideas at the moment.
Thinking back to a little over a month ago when he first came to Rongcheng, he had only intended to meet the Li family of West Lake and bail his father out of prison.
Who would have thought that so many things would happen afterward, even to the point of having to oppose a Ghost King family?
But after a brief moment of silence, he quickly presented his plan:
"To be frank, based on the clues I've gathered so far, the Bai family has likely joined forces with the Lüshan Sect to conspire in setting up a Demonic Essence Transformation Array in Rongcheng. Shanghang Art School, Ping'an Building, and the Liu family ancestral home are the three nexus points of the array. Therefore, the simplest way to take revenge on the Bai family is to stop them from completing the formation!"
Liu Jingkang declared, "Good! Since you have a plan, our entire Liu family is on standby and will be ready to assist you whenever needed!"
After gaining some understanding, Agong was aware of what kind of existence the Bai family was, and he also knew about the Demonic Essence Transformation Array.
He said in a deep voice, "This matter concerns the common people. If it is an act of justice, I am also willing to contribute."
Zhu Shanzao clicked his tongue, "If you agree to build temples and burn incense for me, I'm also willing to help out."
Yan Shouyi looked at the people in the hall and suddenly realized that the righteous path in the human world was not as desolate as he had imagined.
There is no lack of heroes in the world!
When he used to roam the martial arts world with his grandfather, his grandfather had once said that doing good was a thankless task, often difficult and unrewarded.
Yan Shouyi had initially thought this path would be incredibly lonely.
But now, it seemed there were quite a few like-minded people!
This gave Yan Shouyi newfound confidence in confronting the Bai family.
From initially not wanting trouble, to hoping Liu Jingkang would mediate, and now officially viewing the Bai family as enemies, Yan Shouyi's mindset had been constantly shifting.
It was only now that Yan Shouyi had truly solidified his resolve.
Because the road ahead was not a solitary one.
The Bai family was destined to fail!
...
Although Yan Shouyi was eager to descend the mountain, he still stayed another night at Drunken Blossom.
The main reason was that he needed to personally escort Liu Jingkang and the others to find Old Jin the next day.
Old Jin was located in the suburbs and was a descendant of ancient physicians from the Qihuang Sect. Yan Shouyi felt completely at ease leaving the Liu family members with Old Jin.
Moreover, Old Jin's place was not only safe, but he could also use ancient medical skills to treat the old, weak, sick, and disabled, enabling them to possess fighting strength in the future.
In fact, the ghosts of the Liu family were not weak; any random one of them had a hundred years of cultivation.
However, Liu Jingkang did not allow them to absorb the vital energy of living people.
Unlike the ancestors of the Bai family, who not only permitted their juniors to absorb the vital energy of living people but also had the Bai descendants actively collect vital energy and souls to supply them.
Good people only get bullied.
However, Liu Jingkang had now decided to go to war with the Bai family.
Since they were going to war, they naturally needed to strengthen their own forces.
But they did not want to absorb the souls and vital energy of living people, so they could only rely on Old Jin.
Old Jin must have a way to make ghosts stronger without absorbing vital energy.
Therefore, during this period, Liu Jingkang and the others would recover their strength with Old Jin's help.
On the day of the decisive battle with the Bai family, it would be the day Liu Jingkang and the others would exact their revenge!
After resting for a night, the next morning, Liu Zong instructed Uncle Zhong to arrange a large convoy.
In fact, these paper figures could all be transported in one truck.
But these paper figures were all elders of the Liu family!
How could they be transported in a cargo truck!
So Liu Zong specifically arranged a convoy, with each paper figure having its own seat and receiving the same treatment as living people.
Just as dawn broke, the convoy drivers were still yawning, feeling a bit displeased about working so early.
But when they saw the Liu family members carefully placing lifelike paper figures into the vehicles, their drowsiness vanished.
Imagine, at dawn, the mountain roads still shrouded in mist.
And you, as a driver, with four out of five seats occupied by eerie paper figures...
Wouldn't that jolt you awake?
Several drivers immediately refused to continue.
But the compensation Liu Zong offered was simply too generous...
Furthermore, Liu Zong's explanation was that their Liu family wanted to relocate their ancestral shrine, and these paper figures were their Liu family ancestors.
It was a custom!
The drivers reluctantly accepted but still felt something was strange.
Mainly because these paper figures were too realistic, their dark little eyes seemed to be staring at them.
Agong carried Liu Jiaren's paper figure into the car and sat beside her, whispering in her ear:
"Don't worry, I'll stay with you the whole time."
The driver in the front caught a glimpse, and his hands trembled slightly.
Yan Shouyi quickly stepped forward and whispered into the driver's ear, "This is the eldest son-in-law of the Liu family. He's a bit mentally unstable, so just ignore him."
Agong: "..."
The driver immediately understood and said he would take good care of them on the road.
After much bustling, all the paper figures were loaded into the vehicles.
Taking advantage of the remaining fog and lack of sunlight in the mountains, the convoy set off majestically.
Yan Shouyi, carrying Zhu Shanzao, got into Uncle Zhong's car and looked back to bid farewell to Liu Yiren and the others.
For safety reasons, Yan Shouyi suggested that Liu Mingzhi take the living members of the Liu family away from Rongcheng for a while.
To prevent the Bai family from targeting them again.
Liu Mingzhi also considered Liu Yiren's safety and immediately agreed.
The task of finding Old Jin was now the responsibility of Yan Shouyi and Agong, while Liu Mingzhi planned to take everyone away from Rongcheng within the day to lie low.
At the time of parting, Liu Yiren felt extremely reluctant.
But she also knew what was more important and could only repeatedly urge Yan Shouyi to be careful.
The convoy descended the mountain majestically.
Heading towards Old Jin's Huichun Hall in the suburbs.
Meanwhile, inside Huichun Hall.
Long Feicheng, who had spent the entire day indulging himself in Ping'an Building, was now experiencing the consequences of excessive indulgence.
Due to the invasion of yin energy, Long Feicheng had been feeling weak all over for the past two days, utterly drained.
Even more terrifyingly, Long Feicheng discovered that his nether regions seemed to have shrunk.
"Old Jin, you have to save me!!" Long Feicheng pleaded with a pained expression.
Old Jin laughed heartily, "I told you, kid, to know some restraint a couple of days ago. Can you just go around having fun with ghosts? Do you really think you're Ning Caichen? Besides, if you could just have fun with ghosts anytime, would I, Old Jin, still be single until now? With my status as a descendant of ancient physicians, wouldn't I have three wives and four concubines?"
Long Feicheng cried, "Old Jin, I'll call you Godfather, just stop lecturing me. Saving my life is urgent!"
"Alright, alright, I'll go brew you some medicine. I guarantee it'll cure your ailment and you'll be back in action in three days!"
Old Jin happily went to the medicinal garden to gather herbs, leaving Long Feicheng to mind the shop at Huichun Hall.
As soon as Old Jin left, a group of university students arrived at Huichun Hall.
These students were all wearing glasses, and from their conversation, it seemed they were all medical students.
Long Feicheng quickly recognized them—these medical students were the interns from his master Chen Dawei's hospital last time.
After witnessing Old Jin's skills, they had become interested in ancient medicine.
Later, when Old Jin mentioned it, he said these students visited him weekly to learn about ancient medicine.
Every time Old Jin mentioned this, his face would light up with a proud smile.
It seemed today was another day for them to learn new knowledge.
Long Feicheng forced himself to stand up and went out to greet them, "Old Jin has gone out and will be back in a while. Please have a seat and rest."