Yan Shouyi had a good impression of Liu Yiren, at least her personality was excellent; she wasn't at all spoiled or affected, which was quite similar to Lin Zhitong.
However, he didn't have any special feelings for Liu Yiren. He simply regarded her as a friend in Rongcheng, just like his relationship with Xia Zhi.
For both emotional and logical reasons, Yan Shouyi would not abandon Liu Yiren, especially when she was still in danger.
As soon as Yan Shouyi and Zhu Shanzao walked out of Zuihuali, the Liu family members caught up. Liu Zong, who had just recovered from an illness, still looked a bit sickly, but he ran the fastest and caught up with Yan Shouyi and the others.
Liu Zong panted and asked, "We just checked Yiyi's courtyard, and she's not there. Did something happen?"
The Liu family was quite concerned about Liu Yiren. Yan Shouyi did not hide anything and told Liu Zong about the possibility of Liu Yiren being kidnapped by Agong.
Upon hearing this, Liu Zong's face was filled with worry. He even offered on the spot to have everyone grab their weapons and accompany Yan Shouyi to find Liu Yiren.
But Yan Shouyi refused, "That Agong is a paper figure and his identity is unusual. Even though we have many people, we might not be effective. Perhaps Agong will hide in the deep mountains if he knows so many of us are coming to catch him, making it troublesome for us to find him. So, please stay calm and wait for our news at Zuihuali."
Liu Zong was speechless. Although he desperately wanted to rescue his daughter himself, he had to admit that Yan Shouyi made sense.
So he clasped Yan Shouyi's hands and said, "Second brother, my daughter's life is in your hands. Please be sure to bring her back!"
Yan Shouyi coughed awkwardly a few times, "Definitely, definitely."
Zhu Shanzao couldn't help but laugh from the side, "What, so you and that little girl are like uncle and niece? I thought..."
Yan Shouyi shot Zhu Shanzao a glare, and Zhu Shanzao quickly shut his mouth, not daring to say more.
"Don't tell Old Master Liu about Yiyi for now," Yan Shouyi said to Liu Zong as he turned back.
Liu Zong nodded quickly, "Understood."
Liu Mingzhi was old and had just suffered a serious illness. If he were told that Liu Yiren's whereabouts were unknown at this time, it would definitely affect him.
After settling down the Liu family, Yan Shouyi and Zhu Shanzao continued on their way.
The wooden bead bracelet Yan Shouyi gave to Liu Yiren was made of Hainan Huangtan wood. Hainan Huangtan wood has a special scent that clashed with the ambient smells of Rongcheng. Therefore, to Zhu Shanzao, this scent was particularly noticeable, even from several kilometers away, he could smell it clearly.
The man and the pig ran rapidly through the forest. Even with complex terrain, it was nothing to Yan Shouyi's current powerful physique, so their progress was extremely fast.
As long as Yan Shouyi willed it, by tensing his muscles, the reeds or thorns along the way couldn't pierce or cut his skin.
This made Yan Shouyi have to sigh that the Heavenly Fiend Corpse Puppet had indeed brought him many benefits.
However, obtaining this powerful body also came at a great price for Yan Shouyi, it was almost a near-death experience, and it was only successful due to numerous coincidences.
Others might not be able to replicate it.
Yan Shouyi sometimes wondered if the body of the Heavenly Fiend Corpse Puppet was a coincidence or his father's deliberate arrangement.
If it were a coincidence, Yan Shouyi wouldn't be surprised, but if it were his father Yan Chou's arrangement, then – his father was too terrifying.
Then again, the more capable Yan Chou was, the more reassured Yan Shouyi felt. With such a powerful father as a backing, Yan Shouyi wouldn't have to be so hesitant in his actions.
After passing through several kilometers of mountain paths, Zhu Shanzao found the third wooden bead, and the scent now pointed towards a narrow sheep trail.
This trail looked somewhat familiar to Yan Shouyi. After a brief recollection, he remembered that the last time he went to the Liu family ancestral home, Liu Yiren had taken him along this very path on her motorcycle!
And judging by the direction of the scent that Zhu Shanzao pointed to, it was possible that Agong had indeed taken Liu Yiren to the Liu family ancestral home!
"Liu family ancestral home... has something happened there too?" Yan Shouyi frowned and muttered to himself.
After all, it was Lu Jing, the Grand Elder of the Lu Mountain Sect, who had asked him to go and check the Liu family ancestral home.
Zhu Shanzao smiled and said, "Not possibly, it's definite."
"What do you mean?" Yan Shouyi looked at Zhu Shanzao, "What do you know?"
Zhu Shanzao replied, "After I was released by the Liu family, I encountered that paper figure Agong. Agong told me that the Liu family's fortune is depleted... What does this mean? It means the ancestor behind the Liu family's fortune is depleted! Otherwise, with that Ghost King guarding them, how would Agong dare to attack the Liu family? Let alone me. I ran roughshod in the Liu family for so many days, and I didn't see any movement from the Liu family's ancestor. I think the Liu family's ancestor is probably annihilated!"
Hearing Zhu Shanzao's words, Yan Shouyi had a vague guess in his heart.
But without seeing it with his own eyes, he didn't want to admit the fact that the Liu family's fortune was depleted.
"Sanyuan."
Yan Shouyi took out the wooden bird Sanyuan from his satchel, released it, and instructed, "Go to the Liu family ancestral home first and look for Liu Yiren's whereabouts!"
Sanyuan flapped its wings, circled above Yan Shouyi's head, and then flew straight into the deep mountains.
Yan Shouyi also quickened his pace, hoping to reach the Liu family ancestral home as soon as possible.
...
Liu Family Ancestral Home.
Inside the dim old house, several coffins were placed.
Above the coffins were several lifelike paper figures.
At this moment, these paper figures were all damaged to varying degrees, looking somewhat miserable.
Some paper figures had their heads missing, some had lost their limbs, and some were burned beyond recognition by fire...
If these paper figures were alive, the scene would be even more terrifying and horrifying.
And behind this group of paper figures and coffins was a bed made of broken wooden boards and straw.
Liu Yiren lay on the bed. Her face was pale, as if she was also seriously ill, struggling to move a finger, let alone get out of bed and walk.
Her eyes were vacant as she gazed at the roof beams, looking at the leaky tiles on the roof, where rainwater occasionally dripped in.
At this moment, the door of the room was pushed open, and a man wearing a mask and coarse cloth clothes walked in.
He held a bowl of hot soup, which seemed to be stewed with a fat pigeon, and a layer of golden oil floated on the soup.
The man placed the soup beside the bed and maintained a distance from Liu Yiren, saying from afar.
"Drink it, you'll feel better."
Liu Yiren didn't even look at the man, but weakly asked, "Why did you bring me here?"
"Staying at the Liu family would be less safe for you," the man replied.
"What's wrong with my illness? Did you do it?" Liu Yiren asked again.