Following the direction of the signal, Su Ran soon arrived at a small forest west of Tongcheng. As he approached, he found more than a dozen Demonic Cult disciples who were either dead or severely injured. Only two remained, still struggling against their attackers. Three men—one in his thirties and the other two in their twenties—were beating them, demanding answers. "Speak! Where is the demon?!" one of them shouted.
"Even if I die, I'll never tell you!" one of the Demonic Cult disciples spat, blood dripping from his mouth. His face was battered and bloodied, but his expression remained cold and defiant.
The middle-aged man laughed loudly, a mix of mockery and admiration in his tone. "Impressive! A mere Demonic Cult member with such spirit! Tell me where that demon is, and I'll spare your life."
"Oh? Are you looking for this venerable one?" Su Ran's voice cut through the air like a chilling wind, cold and ghostly. Before the men could react, he appeared before them in a flash, his expression indifferent and his presence unnerving.
The three men were momentarily stunned by the sudden appearance of such a strikingly beautiful figure. But when they realized Su Ran had referred to himself as "this venerable one," their faces paled. Could this be the infamous Su Ran, the ruthless demon feared throughout the martial world? Despite his beauty, the icy, bloodthirsty aura radiating from him left no doubt about his true nature.
"Who... who are you?!" the middle-aged man demanded, his voice trembling despite his attempt to sound stern.
"Didn't you say you wanted to see this venerable one? Well, here I am. But I don't believe we've been properly introduced," Su Ran replied coolly. With a flick of his wrist, a powerful gust of wind erupted from his palm, sending the three men flying. They crashed to the ground, blood spilling from their mouths. The difference in strength was undeniable.
"Leader..." The Demonic Cult disciple who had refused to betray him crawled forward, tears of gratitude and admiration in his eyes. Su Ran didn't even glance at him. Instead, he stepped toward the middle-aged man, his gaze cold and commanding. He looked down at him with the air of an emperor surveying a defeated foe. "What sect do you belong to?" He asked calmly.
"Wretched demon! Even as a ghost, I'll never let you go!" the man roared, though his wide eyes betrayed his terror. His body trembled uncontrollably, his bravado crumbling under the weight of his fear.
Su Ran raised his foot and placed it lightly on the man's neck. Slowly, he applied pressure, his expression unchanging. The man's struggles grew weaker until, with a final spurt of blood from his mouth, he fell still. His lifeless eyes remained fixed on Su Ran, frozen in fear.
The two younger men, witnessing their leader's fate, trembled in horror, scrambling backward in a desperate attempt to escape. Su Ran's gaze shifted to them, his voice calm but chilling. "And you? Which sect do you belong to?"
"Xuanshuang... Xuanshuang Sect..." one of them stammered, his voice barely audible.
"Xuanshuang Sect. I'll remember that," Su Ran said with a cruel smile. In one swift motion, he flicked his hand, sending a flurry of poisoned needles toward the two men. They collapsed instantly, their brief hope of survival extinguished.
"These subordinate greets our leader! May the leader's power reign supreme!" the two surviving Demonic Cult disciples knelt before Su Ran, their heads bowed low.
"Why are you here? And why were those three chasing you?" Su Ran asked coldly, gesturing for them to rise.
"Elder Hua sent us to assist you, Leader, in case of emergencies. But on our way, we encountered members of the Xuanshuang Sect. They recognized us as Demonic Cult disciples and accused you of planning to massacre the martial world. They demanded we reveal your whereabouts..." one of the disciples explained.
Su Ran nodded slightly, then reached into his waistband and tossed them a pouch of silver. "Take this and tend to your wounds. I don't need you here. Return to the sect."
"As you command!" The two disciples bowed deeply, clutching the silver. Despite their injuries, they supported each other as they limped away.
After leaving the grove, Su Ran was lost in thought, unaware that he was being followed. He planned to return to Liuyun Manor to discuss a change of route with Ji Chun in their search for Di Mang. However, as he walked, he noticed bloodstains on his trousers, likely from the middle-aged man he had killed earlier. Disgusted, he decided to find an inn to clean up and change his clothes.
At the inn, he instructed the innkeeper to prepare a bath and bring hot water to his room. After soaking in the tub for a while, he began to feel drowsy, his head growing heavy. Wrapping himself in a robe, he succumbed to his exhaustion and collapsed onto the bed, falling into a deep sleep.
Some time later, the door creaked open slightly. A pair of eyes peered through the crack, fixed on Su Ran's sleeping form. Once certain he was asleep, the figure gestured to others behind them. Three men slipped into the room, moving cautiously toward the bed. One of them leaned closer and whispered, "Su Gongzi?"
Su Ran lay unconscious, deep in a drugged slumber. One of the men leaned closer and called out again, "Su Gongzi?" When there was no response, he confirmed that the drug had taken full effect. Turning to the other two, he whispered urgently, "Take him away!" The others nodded, quickly hoisting Su Ran onto one of their backs. They slipped out of the inn through a hidden path, carrying him away without a sound. Throughout the entire process, Su Ran remained completely unaware, hus unconscious form limp in their grasp.
By the time dusk fell, the inn servants arrived to deliver dinner. It was then that Ji Chun realized Su Ran was no longer in his room. At first, he assumed he had grown tired of Liuyun Manor and had gone out alone, perhaps to clear his mind. He thought he would return soon. However, as the night deepened and Su Ran still hadn't come back, Ji Chun began to feel uneasy. Pushing open the door to his room, he found it untouched—a half-empty cup of tea sat on the table, the bed was unmade, and his clothes still hung on the rack.
He tried to reassure himself. Su Ran was the leader of the Demonic Cult, a skilled martial artist who could handle himself. It was unlikely he'd run into trouble. Besides, no one in Liuyun Manor knew he was associated with the Demonic Cult, and he had no enemies here. Gradually, he convinced himself that he would return soon. After washing up, he sat quietly on his mat to meditate and practice his martial arts.
Two hours passed unnoticed. The meditation had been fruitful; his internal energy had grown stronger, and he felt on the verge of breaking through a long-standing bottleneck. Exhaling deeply, he felt refreshed and revitalized. But his thoughts soon turned back to Su Ran. Has he returned yet? he wondered. Unable to shake his concern, he decided to check on him.
He walked to Su Ran's door and found the room still dark. Frowning, he knocked lightly. When there was no answer, he called out in a low voice, "Sect Leader Su?" Silence greeted him. Ji Chun's anxiety grew. He clenched and unclenched his fists, his mind racing. Maybe she decided to spend the night elsewhere, he thought. The people from Liuyun Manor annoyed him today. Perhaps he needed some space. He tried to convince himself that Su Ran, with his formidable skills, was more than capable of handling himself. Surely, he wasn't in any danger.
Returning to his room, he turned off the lights and lay down to sleep. But rest eluded him. Su Ran's face kept appearing in his mind, and he tossed and turned, unable to find peace. He resolved to speak with him the next day and clarify his plans. If he intended to leave, he wanted to know in advance. Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted into a fitful sleep.
The next morning, Ji Chun washed up and glanced at himself in the mirror. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, evidence of his restless night. He sighed tiredly, then headed straight to Su Ran's room. It was still empty. He hadn't returned. Standing alone in the courtyard, he felt a strange emptiness. He hadn't realized how accustomed he'd grown to his presence until now. The silence of the courtyard felt oppressive.
As he lingered, his thoughts turned to Yun Zizhuo. His old friend's disappointed expression from the day before weighed heavily on him. He felt a pang of guilt. Perhaps it would be best to seek out Yun Zizhuo and explain what had happened with Su Ran that night. At the same time, he could inquire about the background of the Third Young Master's wife, Wen Shi. If he could uncover the truth quickly, he might be able to resolve the situation and return Su Ran to his former clarity. Then, they could set off on their journey without further delay.
As he left the courtyard, he noticed several servants standing guard outside. They looked at him curiously as he approached. "Ji Chun Dashi, where are you headed?" one of them asked.
"I'd like to meet with the Second Young Master. Could you tell me where I might find him?" Ji Chun replied. He could tell these servants had been stationed there to keep an eye on them, and though it irked him, he reminded himself that they were guests in Liuyun Manor. He had to tread carefully.
"Dashi, please wait in the courtyard. I'll inform the Second Young Master and ask him to come to you," the servant said.
Ji Chun's expression darkened. Was Liuyun Manor now imprisoning them? "If this is how your manor treats its guests," he said sternly, "I will not trouble you further and will take my leave."
The servant immediately realized his mistake. Words, once spoken, could not be taken back. Remembering how the Second Young Master had treated Ji Chun upon his arrival, he knew he couldn't afford to offend him. Moreover, the manor's lord's orders had only mentioned keeping an eye on Su Ran, not Ji Chun. Hurriedly, he backtracked. "My apologies, Dashi I misspoke. Please, follow me. The Second Young Master is in the East Study Room, handling some matters."
Ji Chun gave the servant a measured look, then nodded. "Very well. Lead the way."
As they walked, Ji Chun was struck once again by the sheer size of Liuyun Manor. The servant guided him through a labyrinth of pavilions, rockeries, fragrant gardens, and small bridges. Along the way, they passed numerous servants, all of whom seemed to be in high spirits, their faces still glowing with the festive air of the previous day's wedding. After nearly half an hour, they finally arrived at Yun Zizhuo's East Study.