Xi Ping’s whole body was immediately wrapped in a layer of spiritual energy. Faint light emerged from all his exposed skin. The spiritual light filled and leveled all the creases and ravines in his old face. From a distance, he looked like an old eunuch who had powdered his face. 

This tender-skinned Tai Sui radiated light in all directions, completely dispersing his shadow. A beam of spiritual energy within the shadow that had no place to go was forced out, brushing past him as it flew away. 

However small a mosquito was, it was still flesh. Xi Ping made a grab, seizing the spiritual energy before it could disperse.

“There’s a priceless treasure on Wild Fox Country’s black market called the grit worm. It’s said that if you put this thing in a person’s shadow, you can infect a person’s consciousness and spirit without seizing their body.” Xi Ping’s faded mustache turned up. With a fake smile, he said, “When their price is pushed up to the highest, they go for three liang of white spirits each. I suppose I’ve gotten off lightly today.” 

An evil cultivator half a step from an ascended spirit had evaded the search of Sanyue’s shed skin beside Qiu Sha’s corpse. He was certainly a remarkable figure. 

Yu Chang had only been probing slightly. He hadn’t been expecting to succeed. With his method seen through, his expression remained unchanged. He said, smiling, “The grit worm is only a crude kind of spirit-sharing talisman, even lower grade than a bone-sharing talisman. All you can do with it is use the power of the person who drew the talisman once. How well it works depends entirely on the cultivation level of the person using the talisman. Where do you get that it can ‘infect a spirit’? Even I can’t do that, so how could those open-eyed and established foundation cultivators who need to borrow powers? That’s all claptrap made up by vile people to drive up the price. How could you believe it?” 

“Perhaps carving out your own Snake King’s Immortal Palace in another person’s spirit is a little difficult for Your Excellency, but it’s all too easy for you to imperceptibly influence a person’s mind.” As Xi Ping sneered, he made the protective spiritual energy around him thicker and thicker, expanding into a human-shaped gas lamp…until he had even dazzled his own eyes. 

“If a half-immortal uses this three liang of white spirits grit worm, they can change a person’s likes and dislikes unnoticed; an established foundation using it is even more remarkable—as long as they lead someone along properly, they can make the most absurd notion take root and blossom; and that’s to say nothing of you, Your Excellency. I suppose that a miser would ruin himself for you, and even a chaste woman devoted to a dead husband’s memory would fall head over heels for you?” 

“Then you certainly have nothing to worry about, Tai Sui. As far as I know, your debts outweigh your fortune. As for ‘falling head over heels’…” Yu Chang eyed his radiant, precious body, involuntarily blinking several times before he could look at it directly. Politely, he said, “There will certainly be no need for that.” 

Xi Ping: “…” 

What was this little pretty boy playing at? Never mind playing a dirty trick as soon as he walked in, he also dared to ridicule him by calling him poor and ugly?! 

Yu Chang kindly said, “I have come here because I sincerely wish to work with you, Tai Sui.” 

“No deal,” Xi Ping responded coldly. “I don’t know how to remove spiritual image stamps. Even if you plant a hundred thoughts in my consciousness, I still won’t be able to do it. And if I could, I still wouldn’t help you. I can see that you’re bad news.” 

Saying so, he took a bowl of tea from somewhere, raised it, and lifted the lid. A beam of austere spiritual energy bearing a sword aura rushed straight at Yu Chang’s chest. 

Yu Chang actually didn’t dare to meet it head on at first. In an instant, he had retreated out the door. A long spike appeared in his hands, held out horizontally in front of his chest. There was a clank, as if it had knocked against a sword. Yu Chang’s hands went numb. In spite of himself, he was amazed: this person actually seemed to have slightly outdone him! 

Fortunately, as the person behind the “Snake King,” Tai Sui wasn’t about to destroy his den. He had picked up the tea only to see off his guest. The spiritual energy dispersed at a touch. 

Yu Chang staggered before finding his footing. He restrained his smile and said seriously, “Since Tai Sui has perceived my cultivation level, I suppose you will also be able to make allowances for the difficulty I find myself in. Had I not been forced to it, I truly would not have come as an uninvited guest.” 

Saying so, he wiped his hand over his face, rubbing away a bit of camouflage over his features, revealing a pair of red eyes that seemed to be suffering from conjunctivitis. As he spoke, his features were already twitching uncontrollably. His lips were constantly turning up, as if he couldn’t suppress a smile, but the look in his eyes was oppressively violent, and his eyeballs seemed to have split up, unwilling to point in the same direction. 

The most beautiful countenance couldn’t stand up to an expression like this. This originally exquisite face looked freakish and strange. Xi Ping broke out in gooseflesh. 

But Yu Chang’s speech was as composed as before: “You must have perceived that I am now only a thread away from losing my mind. I must cover up the truth of this face before I dare to go out in public—my only hope is to remove the brand on my spiritual image. A person never looks very attractive when clutching at a last straw. If I have been rude, I hope very much you will be magnanimous enough to pardon it.” 

He seemed on the verge of collapse. Anyone with a bit of practical experience knew that a trapped beast shouldn’t be captured and a cornered foe shouldn’t be pursued, to avoid driving them into a dead end and causing them to hurt others as well as themselves. 

Xi Ping hesitated. His tone unconsciously softened somewhat. “Go on, then.” 

Yu Chang saluted him in gratitude. “What you placed on the Zhao family’s altar wasn’t a living person but a fake person made of paper, am I correct in saying that?” 

The paperman was Bai Ling’s, and Bai Ling’s cultivation level wasn’t as high as this lunatic’s. It made sense that he would have seen through it. Xi Ping smiled, neither confirming nor denying. 

Yu Chang’s uncontrollable features gradually displayed fierce yearning, like a wild beast that hadn’t eaten flesh in a thousand years. But the wilder his expression became, the quieter and slower his voice was. 

This frightening willpower truly made one tremble with fear to see. 

“That paperman had a consciousness in it. I do not know how Your Excellency did it. It actually tricked the stamping spike—if not for the fact that that consciousness couldn’t be invaded by the grit worm, I nearly would have made a mistake and thought that you had used some secret art to trap Young Mistress Zhao’s own consciousness inside it,” Yu Chang said. “I would like to request Tai Sui to create a paperman like that, with me as a base.” 

Xi Ping said curiously, “Can a paperman completely remove a spiritual image brand? Even if a brand can be worn away by a similar spiritual image…even if we say that the paperman has a consciousness identical to yours…can it completely wipe clean the brand on your spiritual image?” 

Yu Chang was silent a moment, then summoned the long spike he had just used to shield himself—examined closely, this long spike was identical to the “stamping spike” used to stamp a spiritual image brand, except it didn’t have as many inscriptions on it as the stamping spike. 

“This is my vital weapon. Its name…its name is Engraved Heart.” The corners of Yu Chang’s eyes, which had before held an ominous glint, now began to twitch as though he were suffering immense pain. This made his speech somewhat incoherent. He shattered a spiritual stone and absorbed it through his palm, then finally managed to catch his breath. “Hss…I won’t conceal it from you, the majority of Yu Family Bend’s stamping spikes were made by me.” 

Xi Ping listened intently, meanwhile holding an incomplete talisman in his hand—making stamping spikes evidently violated Yu Chang’s Way of the Heart. Every mention of it made his Way of the Heart undulate. Xi Ping was afraid that he would explode mid-sentence. 

“The technique of making stamping spikes is called the ‘piercing art’. If you want, Tai Sui, I can pass it on to you…well, as long as you aren’t worried that doing too many wicked things will harm your Way of the Heart.” As Yu Chang spoke, his teeth chattered slightly. “You can understand each stamping spike as a special ‘bridge’, specially made to match a spiritual image. This ‘bridge’ can only lead to a specially designated spiritual image. At wu hour precisely, the inscriptions on the stamping spike connect to the sunlight, and the burning sun must cross the ‘bridge’ to be able to reach a person’s spirit and consciousness and form a brand. I only need to make another stamping spike and alter the inscriptions on it to become their reverse, then at wu hour precisely, simultaneously pierce the stamping spike through myself and the paperman—this way, I will be like the midday sun, and the paperman will become the one to be branded. It ought to be able to draw away the ‘raging fire’ on my spiritual image in its original form… I haven’t tried it, but trying it out has no downsides for you, does it?” 

It took Xi Ping a great deal of effort to keep his expression serious. Inwardly, he was slapping his thigh and secretly wondering, “Can you really do that?!” 

Glittering, he maintained his elderly and experienced posture and nodded, unmoved. “The thought is an interesting one, though making an identical fake consciousness sounds a little ridiculous.” 

Yu Chang said gravely, “Yu Family Bend will be yours.” 

HIs voice was low and deep. These words nearly echoed. Xi Ping abruptly raised his eyes. 

Yu Chang stared fixedly at his subtle expressions and said, “I have wavered for many years between my Way of the Heart and my brand. My Way of the Heart has been gravely damaged. After removing the brand, I will go into seclusion to heal. I will not appear in the human world again for at least a hundred years. The offerings Yu Family Bend has supported, a map of the inscriptions and arrays at the main residence, the contents of the treasury…even my own identity, I can give it all to you, Tai Sui, just like you stealthily substituted in a false Zhao Qindan. Never mind a paltry hundred thousand white spirits, after this, you’ll possess endless medicinal herbs, rows of Moon Plated Gold factories, all at your disposal.” 

Xi Ping’s throat moved involuntarily. A hundred thousand white spirits, and he called that “paltry.” 

Yu Chang’s words were like a heart demon come knocking, every word and sentence striking the bottom of his heart. “Yu Family Bend is a close neighbor of Tao County, and the two places can perfectly complement each other. One is rich in resources, the other has easy travel, and they’ll both be yours. With your methods, perhaps you will be able to contend against the Sanyue Spiritual Mountains in the future. I want to see how far you can go.” 

Medicinal herbs were the basis of elixirs, and Moon Plated Gold was a nation’s lifeline. Adding Tao County enveloped in the Law Breaker Bracelet… If he wanted to overturn the spiritual mountains, he could learn methods and refine his cultivation, but resources he couldn’t get no matter what. 

He only needed to make a paperman, only needed to let this Yu Chang come in…

Just then, there was a stabbing pain in Xi Ping’s ears, making him give a start and come back to his senses, his thoughts breaking off at once—he had copied several of the “protective” inscriptions on Zhao Qindan’s consciousness in advance and had hidden one on each of his eyes and ears. Now, the inscriptions in his ears had suddenly been touched, and he found that the thick spiritual energy shell around him had at some point sprung a leak! 

This Yu Chang didn’t use “grit projections.” All he needed to do was to open his mouth and speak, and he could tamper with a person unnoticed. 

Xi Ping reached out and plucked in midair. It was as if an invisible qin in the air made a sharp sound, bouncing back Yu Chang’s voice with spiritual energy hidden inside it. At the same time, the spiritual energy at his fingertips turned into a needle, picking a ball of grey smoke out of his ear. This ball of smoke was about to run away as soon as it saw the light, but Xi Ping squeezed it in his hand and dispersed it. 

The spiritual energy flowing over Xi Ping’s body suddenly became even thicker. As if Yu Chang had been prepared, he made a seal with both hands, setting off a dazzling talisman, knocking away the qin music, which was bearing down on him like the inescapable net of heaven. 

Yu Chang laughed aloud. “Those who can resist threats are many, but those who can resist the lure of gains are few. Very well, fellow cultivator, what strong willpower!” 

Saying so, he raised his hand and smoothed out his horrifying warped features; at once, he became serene. Hardly had he spoken than he was several zhang away, landing on the rooftop of one of the Snake King’s Immortal Palace’s halls. Ignoring the biting cold spiritual energy, Yu Chang glanced towards the northeast—the direction of Yu Family Bend—and quietly said, “That being the case, I can rest assured in handing Yu Family Bend over to you.” 

There was a drone, and the Tai Sui Qin’s music came to an abrupt halt. Several notes that had turned into sharp blades dispersed one chi away from the white-clothed man. The spiritual energy blew aside his stray loose hairs. Two aged and weary eyes appeared on the young face. He held a yellowed volume in his hand that was called The Piercing Art. 

Yu Chang let go, and the volume flew up in front of Xi Ping. 

“For you,” Yu Chang said. “You’re welcome to go find someone to try out the method of removing spiritual images that I told you about. If it works, it can be the last thing I do for my brothers.” 

Xi Ping glanced at the book. Worried that he was playing some trick, he didn’t hastily accept it. 

Yu Chang ignored him, continuing to speak: “The technique of spiritual image brands has circulated among the important people of Western Chu for thousands of years. Bad habits are the hardest to break. The fact that brands can be removed must not be allowed to get out, or else it will bring you trouble. I have a group of little brothers, all of whom had no choice when they were young but to take on brands when they reached a dead end. All of these people found their own Ways of the Heart through hard work. They ought to have gone far along the path of cultivation. But with the brand, they are instead even more at risk of losing their minds than those thieves who steal others’ Ways of the Heart. I’ll have them swear a heart demon oath to keep them from revealing the secret. If the technique for removing the brands succeeds, help them out—you won’t be helping for nothing. All these people have established foundation level cultivation. They are the ‘offerings’ that form the backbones of big families everywhere. They can all help you.” 

Xi Ping frowned. With the vulgar face of Tai Sui, he looked like a big firefly in the night. 

Yu Chang sighed. “Won’t you save some spiritual stones and put out your lamp for a while? You’re going to give me black wind cataracts¹.”  

Holding a string of the Tai Sui Qin, Xi Ping said with a sneer, “What kind of story are you going to spin for me this time?” 

“No story.” Yu Chang waved a hand. “You can believe me or not. If you won’t help, then let’s drop it. Anyway, I’ve passed the technique on to you, you can handle it as you like. It’s not hard to do. Even if I hadn’t given it to you, you would have been able to find out about it somewhere else. If you want to use it to commit sins, it won’t be on my head.” 

Xi Ping’s fingers relaxed slightly. He felt that this old pretty boy sounded like he was delivering his last words. 

“I’ve spent many years working hard to prop up my Way of the Heart, and I’ve exhausted my resources. Even if the brand can be removed, it’s already too late. I can only say that it’s unfortunate I didn’t meet you sooner… Sadly I can’t live to see this evil practice destroyed.” 

“Wait,” Xi Ping couldn’t resist calling him back, “why did you take on the brand in the first place?” 

Yu Chang had been about to leave. Hearing this, he paused. With some effort, he recalled for a moment. “It’s been centuries. It’s a pretty long story.” 

Xi Ping didn’t respond. Suspended in midair, he held the Tai Sui Qin, which he had transformed into a ball of white mist, on his knees. He plucked out a few notes, as if urging him to continue. 

“Back then, Yu Family Bend was still called Precious Jade Bend, split up and ruled by a number of noble families. My family background was humble. My parents were law-abiding commoners. Because my mother had the misfortune to be somewhat attractive in her youth, when I was six years old, my family met a fatal disaster.” 

Hearing this introduction, Xi Ping was a little disappointed. “What, a lordling coveting a common girl?” 

“That’s a ballad,” Yu Chang said with a laugh. “What kind of lordling would look twice at a village woman? It wasn’t a lordling, it was a coachman.” 

Xi Ping froze. 

The white-clothed man went on dully: “The coachman suffered some petty annoyance in his master’s house and got drunk. In his drunkenness, he encountered my mom bringing food to my dad. He said some filthy things to her, and my dad happened to overhear. They fought. The coachman was lame. He had never been considered by a matchmaker, and he spent all day being bossed around. After leaving, he couldn’t get over it, so he found out where my house was, and in the middle of the night he brought lamp oil and set a fire. There was a drought that year, and the direction of the wind just happened to be bad. The fire burned half the village, and the coachman himself died.” 

At this point, Yu Chang said with a laugh, “Masters with Ways of the Heart never deliberately imperil the common people. The ones with bottomless greed are the half-immortals. Half-immortals also rarely make trouble for mortals, unless there’s some profit in it—just like no one but small children will chase after ants to step on them. The wealthy and the noble are all racing towards the immortal mountains. Where would they find the time to torment beasts of burden? The killers are all the dog-butcherers in the neighboring village. My family, they were the butchered dogs. 

“When I was on the point of death, Steward Yu just happened to be passing by with two half-immortal offerings. He ordered those two seniors to put out the fire and rescue the victims. So I lived. I had been burned so badly there wasn’t a bit of intact skin on me. My lungs were destroyed. He saw that even so I wasn’t willing to die, so he ordered them to give me half an elixir pill. But while the pill could save my life, I would still be a cripple covered in scars from then on. I knew there was only one way for me to survive. On the point of death, I desperately held him back. He placed a spiritual image brand on me, gave me a small bag of spiritual stones, and conveyed me onto the path of cultivation.” 

Xi Ping was stunned silent for a moment, becoming somewhat more respectful in spite of himself. “How old did you say you were then? When did you open your spiritual eyes?” 

“Six years old. I opened my spiritual eyes a little over half a year later,” Yu Chang said. “There were too many people who wanted to join Steward Yu. Mortals who hadn’t opened their spiritual eyes were only given half a year. Due to my youth, I was given a few extra months. That was already extraordinary treatment. Our lives depended our master’s single thought. If we wanted any resources, we had to fight for them ourselves. No one dared to slack off.” 

Xi Ping: “…” 

Comparatively speaking, others ought to die—he ought to die, so the third-rate imperial grandson who reportedly hadn’t made a bit of progress in eight years since entering the inner sect ought to be in the lowest level of hell. 

“Yu… Fellow Cultivator, yours is a singular talent, something I have rarely seen in my life,” Xi Ping couldn’t resist saying. “If not for the spiritual image brand, you would have been an ascended spirit…no, I figure you would have been a shed skin by now.” 

“Without that spiritual image brand, I’d have reincarnated a couple dozen times by now.” Yu Chang laughed easily. “The brands are an evil practice, but to this day I remain grateful to Steward Yu. Had I not been pushed to an impasse, personally, I wouldn’t want to betray my master’s family… Even though their conduct in Yu Family Bend has been…” 

Having said this much, he shook his head and stopped talking. His unwillingness to speak evil of people behind their backs made Xi Ping suddenly think of his shifu. Then he saw Yu Chang salute him and vanish in a flash of white. 

Xi Ping momentarily felt a little lost. The Tai Sui Qin poured out a stream of notes. He reached out a hand to take that yellowed old volume. 

But the moment he touched the book, there was a sudden change.