Early in the morning, just as Yin Zhenghai was preparing to make a big show of dragging his son into the Cliff of Reflection to salvage some of his tarnished reputation, people from the Punishment Hall arrived.
"…Interrogation? What interrogation?"
Yin Zhenghai glared at the little beast of a son he called his own. "What stupid thing did you do this time?"
Yin Cheng: "…"
He had no idea!
He had always been on good terms with everyone!
"Are you making a mistake? I… I…"
"Zhang Minglin died in his own room at the Punishment Hall an hour ago, his soul completely destroyed."
What?
Yin Cheng's face turned the color of dirt.
Yin Zhenghai furrowed his brow. "You suspect my Yin Cheng?"
"No!" Zheng Yuan shook his head. "It's just a routine interrogation. Zhang Minglin's death is rather suspicious, and we must routinely question any cultivator who has had contact with him over the past two years."
Oh, is that so!
Well, then there was nothing to worry about.
"Then go! Tell them whatever you know."
"Yes!"
Yin Cheng nodded. Just as he set off for the Punishment Hall, Wan Linglong, accompanied by Li Chong, also arrived at the array gates of Xiaohe Valley.
"…Zhang Minglin is dead?"
Gu Chengshu frowned. "You suspect me?"
"No!" Wan Linglong shook his head. "His death is far from simple. Chengshu, we now suspect that someone is backing him, and their goal… is to use you to instigate civil strife within the Lingyun Sect!"
Her?
Was she really that important?
Gu Chengshu couldn't help but look toward Senior Sister Feng Lan.
Feng Lan was naturally no fool. "Someone used Zhang Minglin's hand to frame Chengshu, and their target—is me?"
"It should be!"
Wan Linglong nodded. "Junior Sister Gu, I need a list of everyone who has spoken ill of you behind your back or to your face over the past few years. You can tell us about anything that felt unusual to you."
"…"
Gu Chengshu took a step back. "Senior Sister Wan, do you think I'm living too comfortably?"
Though deeply shocked to learn there was more to this matter than met the eye, and desperately wanting to unearth the person behind the scenes, yet...
"I already died once on the Cliff of Reflection. Whether it's Zhang Minglin or Yin Cheng, neither of them will ever have anything to do with me again."
Gu Chengshu's expression was cold. "If you want to investigate now, go ask Yin Cheng. Ask the people who constantly linger around him, and by the way, ask the Yin Family too."
Why obsess over her?
When the original owner needed their attention, they all took a wait-and-see attitude, holding themselves aloof and refusing to stick their necks out.
And now they wanted to investigate…
If it were really that easy to look into, how could Zhang Minglin have ended up dead?
She and Senior Sister Feng Lan hadn't even done anything yet.
The other party…
A chill rose in Gu Chengshu's heart. She couldn't help feeling that Zhang Minglin's death might only be the beginning, and that one casualty would follow another in the days to come.
"Why tear open my unhealed wounds all over again and fill me with malice? Is that what the person behind the scenes wants you to do?"
This?
Wan Linglong and Li Chong fell silent together.
"Senior Sister Wan, as long as it doesn't involve the Punishment Hall, Xiaohe Valley welcomes you."
Gu Chengshu had not the slightest desire to see anyone from the Punishment Hall.
That Hall Master Geng held no goodwill toward her; if she went over there, who knew what might happen?
"…In that case, Junior Sister, get some good rest."
Since the other party was practically showing them the door, Wan Linglong certainly wouldn't force her to go to the Punishment Hall. "Once I finish handling this business, I'll invite you and Senior Uncle Feng Lan for tea!"
She crisply cupped her hands in farewell!
The array gates of Xiaohe Valley quickly closed once more.
"Chengshu…"
"Senior Uncle!"
Gu Chengshu let out a soft breath of turbid air. "Do whatever you need to do, Senior Uncle. I'll stay right here in Xiaohe Valley and go nowhere."
"If their purpose in targeting you is directed at me, you…"
"Senior Uncle, find out who is behind this. If their cultivation is high, kill them the moment you find them." Murderous intent flashed in Gu Chengshu's eyes. "If their cultivation is low… cripple their Dantian and send them to me. I'll make sure they wish for death and can't find it."
"…Alright!"
True Monarch Feng Lan patted her shoulder. "The moment there's any news, Senior Uncle will notify you immediately. The array restriction token for Xiaohe Valley…"
"I already took back the one Yin Cheng had."
"Let me see it!"
Whether there was a problem or not, she needed to check it herself.
Gu Chengshu handed the restriction token to her senior uncle.
"…It should be fine."
True Monarch Feng Lan inspected it on the spot, and only after confirming there were no issues did she hand it back. "Still, it never hurts to be careful. Activate the hidden lethal array as well!"
"Yes!"
Gu Chengshu nodded. "This is the sect, Senior Uncle. Whatever happens, please don't rush ahead alone. We have the Sect Master, and plenty of other senior uncles too."
"…Rest assured! Senior Uncle knows what she's doing!"
Knowing why Gu Chengshu was giving these reminders, Feng Lan's expression looked particularly grim as she left Xiaohe Valley.
Meanwhile, at the Punishment Hall, the people who needed to be brought in had already been gathered.
Yin Zhengjiang and a few other elders of the Yin Family were completely baffled as to why they had been summoned to the Punishment Hall for tea.
Clearly…
"Yin Cheng, what on earth is going on with that Zhang Minglin?"
Yin Zhengjiang desperately wished he could beat this stupid nephew to death. "You and him…"
"It's just a routine interrogation. His death… has nothing to do with us."
Yin Cheng used his father's words to comfort them. "Just answer whatever you know."
"But…"
"No shouting!"
Imbued with spiritual power, Geng Shu's voice resounded in everyone's ears. "No whispering to one another. Now, when your name is called, step inside by yourself. Those whose names haven't been called, line up in the order of your arrival.
Now, first up: Yin Cheng, enter!"
"…"
Yin Cheng steadied his mind and lifted his foot to walk into the interrogation room.
…
Back in Xiaohe Valley, Gu Chengshu could no longer settle her mind to cultivate.
She could only plant her fields at top speed, then storm into the kitchen to deal with the spiritual beast meat True Monarch Feng Lan had left behind.
For a cultivator, what was the most important thing?
Life!
The original owner had already lost her life once, and she… she was going to live the lives of both of them.
Gu Chengshu forced all her focus onto the spiritual beast meat.
In this life, among all the daily necessities, eating came first.
Stir-frying, quick-frying, braising, stewing, steaming, roasting, pan-frying, deep-frying, simmering, boiling, poaching…
Before long, Gu Chengshu became so absorbed in her own culinary craftsmanship that she forgot everything happening outside.
The kitchen's high, low, and medium flames never stopped burning.
When Feng Lan returned, she found the entire small valley filled with an aroma that made one want to swallow their own saliva.
And this aroma was layered…
She…
For a moment, she didn't even know what to say.
"Senior Uncle, you're back just in time. Let's have a drink together!"
Feng Lan: "…"
Fine, the little girl had already set out the wine.
That matter might be better discussed at the dinner table.
"Did you specially study culinary arts?"
"Eating makes people happy!"
Gu Chengshu poured her a cup of wine. "How are things going at the Punishment Hall?"
"Yin Zhengjiang has been detained at the Punishment Hall."
What?
"He…"
"Both he and Zhang Minglin were unwittingly used by someone."
The matter of the Ghost Cultivators could not be made public just yet.
Any Ghost Cultivator who could cross from the Western Transmission Realm to the Fuyuan Realm would have considerable cultivation, and daring to scheme against the entire Lingyun Sect meant they were at least Nascent Soul cultivators.
Such bastards were their problem to deal with.
"They both had their own selfish motives, wanting to get more out of you and Yin Cheng."
Feng Lan pulled out a storage pouch. "I asked the Sect Master for these to give back to you. Keep these talismans on you. If you encounter any trouble, don't hesitate—smash them!"