Feng Rugu took the silver hairpin off the door panel and smoothly changed his words: "It's not Feng Rugu, not Feng Rugu, it's your Feng family big brother coming to see you."

These words stirred up an even bigger hornet's nest. In an instant, the courtyard was filled with the layered sounds of mechanical devices. Even the ground, roof tiles, and the weeping willows in the yard undulated up and down.

The entire courtyard seemed to come alive, like an angered, enormous creature.

Faced with such a strange scene, Feng Rugu was not anxious or flustered. He tossed out a note and declared loudly: "This time I have a matter to entrust to you, and I've brought remuneration."

The shaking instantly ceased.

A figure flashed across the roof beams, landing lightly on tiptoe without a sound on the roof tiles. He then sat down on a folding screen painted with peonies, lowering his eyes to look at Feng Rugu.

Hai Jing had first heard Luo Fuchun mention this person. Seeing his hastily scrawled handwriting on the note he threw over, and hearing the sounds of mechanical devices turning throughout the courtyard, he knew this person was a master of Lu Ban techniques. In his mind, he had an image that this must be a crude and strong man.

Rulun, the monk specializing in researching temple defense mechanisms at Hanshan Temple, was a burly monk with muscles all over his body.

When he clearly saw the face of the person who arrived, all of Hai Jing's preconceptions shattered.

The person who came was a refined and slender Daoist priest. His black hair was tied up in a cloud-like bun, his complexion pale. Two silver hairpins were used to loosely tie his hair. He wore a dense silver earring on his left ear. His left hand held a book about a finger thick, his right hand gripped a brush.

Jing Sanchai didn't even glance at the others, looking straight at Feng Rugu. When he opened his mouth, his voice was surprisingly soft with a hint of scholarly air: "Let me see, what is the remuneration?"

Feng Rugu pointed to the four little turnip-heads staring blankly at him behind his back.

Jing Sanchai examined the four one by one, showing no interest: "I don't kill demon cultivators whose cultivation hasn't reached the point of harming people yet. The demon pills dug out from them won't sell for much money either."

The four little demon cultivators never imagined that right after escaping the tiger's den, they'd enter a wolf's lair. Each of them trembled in fear.

Feng Rugu said lazily: "Hey. I didn't say these four were the remuneration. They are my 'matter to entrust'."

Jing Sanchai tucked the brush into the book and casually closed it, holding out his hand: "First give me the remuneration."

Feng Rugu: "How come after not seeing you for a few months, you've become even more calculating?"

Jing Sanchai coldly said: "I'm not like this with others."

Feng Rugu happily said: "Sanchai truly has me in his heart."

Jing Sanchai couldn't be bothered to waste words with him and demanded the remuneration.

Feng Rugu had a "can't do anything about you" expression on his face as he opened his palm.

...In his palm was precisely the silver hairpin that belonged to Jing Sanchai.

Jing Sanchai flew into a rage. He reached out to snatch it, but Feng Rugu moved the hairpin with one hand and grabbed his wrist with the other, pulling him down from the folding screen.

Jing Sanchai nearly fell into Feng Rugu's embrace. He angrily shouted: "Feng Rugu, what are you doing here with such thick skin?"

Feng Rugu shamelessly said: "Being good-looking."

Jing Sanchai: "..."

While Jing Sanchai was so angry at Feng Rugu's shamelessness that he couldn't speak, Feng Rugu seized the chance to add: "Brother Jing, still angry at your elder brother?"

Jing Sanchai spat at him: "Get lost, get lost, get lost, who is calling you elder brother?"

The two of them tussled like this, actually making their way all the way to the inner courtyard.

Luo Fuchun turned to the dumbfounded Hai Jing: "You see, Master's relationship with him is truly not bad."

Ruyi, who was beside them, thought that Lord Yunzhong really did seem familiar with people all over the world and was never restrained by etiquette. Perhaps normally, he also joked around like this with his adoptive father Chang Boning.

Thinking this way, Ruyi bit down a little harder on the red sandalwood in his mouth, but tasted an indescribable sourness on the tip of his tongue.

The group followed the two in front into the hall and sat down.

Along the way, they finally understood what the entanglement between the two was actually about.

...It seemed that Lord Yunzhong of Fengling owed the other person.

Jing Sanchai flipped open the thread-bound large book, rustling through more than half of it before stopping: "I won't mention the previous ones for now, just return the three Tianshan lotuses you owed me last time."

Feng Rugu took his account book, looked at the words on it, then looked at him and clicked his tongue.

...Not to mention his temperament, even his handwriting resembled his master's - an illiterate style with a hint of being forced to practice calligraphy.

Feng Rugu closed the account book for him: "These small matters, why bother holding a grudge?"

Jing Sanchai was furious. He cursed while pouring wine: "Since you think they are small matters, then pay them back. Back then in the 'Forgotten World', you saved so many disciples from the Dao sects. The gifts they send each year could fill ten 'Still Water Runs Deep'."

Feng Rugu said: "They can send them, but I won't accept them."

Jing Sanchai nodded: "No wonder despite saving so many people, your reputation is still so bad."

Feng Rugu was puzzled: "I don't hold favors over people's heads, which is clearly a top virtue. How can my reputation be bad?"

"You won't even let people repay your kindness." Jing Sanchai said, "Don't tell me you don't understand the principle that 'heavy favors can turn into resentment'."

"I understand all the principles." Feng Rugu said, "But will you do this business or not?"

Jing Sanchai took a step back: "How to do it?"

Feng Rugu pointed to the four little demon cultivators: "Let these four stay at your place, just provide them three meals a day."

Jing Sanchai held out his hand: "Compensation."

Feng Rugu blinked, "We are all disciples of the Dao sects, and our masters have an even deeper friendship..."

"Shut up." Jing Sanchai drank, "Mention that person again and don't even think about coming here anymore."

Feng Rugu obediently shut his mouth, drank some wine, his cheeks flushing with redness, making him look even more beautiful. He leaned in closer, looking like he was about to say something.

"Beauty is useless." Jing Sanchai saw through his intentions and ruthlessly exposed him, "I'm not your disciple."

Luo Fuchun: "..."

Feng Rugu finally showed a look of being out of options. He sighed, and very reluctantly handed over that pair of silver hairpins to him.

Jing Sanchai glared at the silver hairpins for a while, but in the end deflated. He casually inserted them back into his hair, thinking that the next time Feng Rugu came, he would definitely shoot him with a volley of arrows: "Just keep them alive, that's enough, right?"

Feng Rugu: "Mm, alive is fine."

Hearing this, the four little demon cultivators were greatly horrified, but Ruyi's heart was clear, knowing the weight of this promise.

In this world where killing demons was glorious, raising four demon sect descendants and ensuring they didn't die - how difficult that was.

Feng Rugu drank another mouthful of wine: "Right, there's one more thing. These four little demon cultivators aren't unattached. They still have parents, possibly in..."

He turned his head to ask the little demon cultivators: "When was the last time your parents saw you?"

The young demon cultivator at the front said softly, "Every time they come, the sect leader has us stand on a giant rock in the southeast corner of the mountain for our parents to see us. The last time we went to the giant rock was a month and a half ago."

Feng Rugu nodded, then turned his head back. "Then please wait at the small town at the foot of Wenshi Mountain a month and a half later, intercept a group of demon cultivators who look exhausted, and inform them that their children are with you. If they want to take them away, let them; if they feel it's safer with you, continue raising them here."

Jing Sanchai was so angry he couldn't speak. "...You..."

Feng Rugu pointed to the silver hairpin on his head. "By the way, these two things actually count as one matter. I've already paid the reward, so you can't ask me for more."

Jing Sanchai said loudly, "Go die!"

"Sorry, I'll live for a thousand years."

"Tortoises live for a thousand years."

"Didn't we say before, we only wish to die in the same year and month. That goes for you and me."

After saying that, the two actually clinked cups and drained them, a strange friendship indeed.

After three rounds of drinks, it was already late.

They had spent half a day traveling and another half hour inquiring here. Now that it was late, it seemed they would have to spend the night here.

Jing Sanchai originally planned to casually point out a few side rooms for them to sleep in.

But when he noticed Ruyi and Hai Jing, he was startled. "Where did these bald donkeys come from?"

Ruyi: "..."

Hai Jing: "..."

Feng Rugu, holding his wine cup with a drunken smile, said, "Don't stoop to his level. His eyesight has always been poor, he can only see the people he cares about, which is me."

"Shut up, One-Eye. I'm the one who made those crystal glasses for you." Jing Sanchai turned and asked Ruyi, who seemed more senior, "Is anywhere fine for staying?"

Ruyi nodded.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Jing Sanchai found it strange. "Mute?"

Hai Jing thought, no wonder this mouth would get hit by his master. Then it occurred to him, master and disciple actually have the same temperament. Just imagining the scenes of them interacting made his head hurt.

Ruyi had a cold and aloof nature and didn't really mind. He just pointed to the "Silent" tablet hanging at his waist.

Jing Sanchai had left the Dao Sect and walked the secular world for a long time. With his broad knowledge, he knew what this was. He gave a slight nod and paid them no more attention, continuing to drink with Feng Rugu until the moon rose over the western building before closing the door and coming out.

He casually pushed open the door of a side room and found it was the four young demon cultivators, so he closed the door.

Opening another door, he found it was the two bald donkeys, Ruyi and Hai Jing. He apologized and closed the door again.

After barging into two rooms, he finally found Sang Luojiu and Luo Fuchun next door to Ruyi and Hai Jing.

Luo Fuchun had just finished bathing, his upper body bare, revealing a fit and handsome tan physique; while Sang Luojiu, who had finished earlier, was reading a book on carpentry, water still dripping from his hair. Seeing Jing Sanchai barge in, they couldn't help but be surprised.

Although Jing Sanchai was close with Feng Rugu, he only had a nodding acquaintance with his two disciples. Every time he went to "Still Water Runs Deep", he would have private talks behind closed doors with the master. So Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu felt a bit awkward.

Luo Fuchun hastily put on his outer robe and asked, "Is something wrong with Master?"

The master was always good at causing trouble. Luo Fuchun suspected the master had smashed something again and someone had come to demand compensation.

"I got your master drunk and tossed him on the bed." Jing Sanchai said bluntly, "I'm here to find you two."

Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu exchanged a glance, puzzled.

Jing Sanchai asked, "Does your master still smoke?"

This question was extremely abrupt. He was not from the Dao Sect, so Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu didn't need to respect him. But he was Feng Rugu's good friend, so that was another matter.

Sang Luojiu replied, "Yes."

"Bamboo tobacco leaves?"

"...Yes."

"Where are the tobacco leaves?"

"Master always keeps the tobacco leaves on his person."

"Damn it." Jing Sanchai cursed in his slightly soft scholarly tone, "I knew he didn't have a word of truth in his mouth."

After asking this inexplicable question, he turned to leave. Luo Fuchun's mind turned and he called out, "Um, Senior Jing..."

Jing Sanchai had a look of having seen a ghost. "I'm twenty-seven this year, only a few years older than you. What are you calling me senior for?"

Luo Fuchun was at a loss for words for a moment. "I..."

Jing Sanchai couldn't be bothered to quibble with him either. "What is it?"

At this time, Hai Jing's curiosity got the better of him. Using the excuse of getting water, he went out and eavesdropped at the door.

Before long, Ruyi followed and caught him red-handed.

He was about to take this undisciplined little monk back for punishment when he heard whispers coming from the next room.

"May I ask you something, Senior? When you first saw those four demon cultivators, you said you wanted to dig out their demon cores and sell them..." Luo Fuchun mustered his courage, "Who were you going to sell them to?"

Jing Sanchai raised an eyebrow and said frankly, "Of course to sell to the demon sect. When they cultivate, they need mature demon cores to aid in their cultivation. So you can rest assured, those four young demon cultivators have insufficient cultivation, I won't touch them; their parents are also Rugu's clients who entrusted me with this matter, so I won't touch them either."

Luo Fuchun had already thought of this, but hearing Jing Sanchai admit it so readily, he couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. "You...also do business with demon cultivators?!"

"After leaving Yingtian River and taking off my Daoist robes, I do business with everyone under the heavens. If they tell me to eliminate demons, I go; if they tell me to protect demons, I also go." Jing Sanchai said of himself, "My token is three hairpins - one pin to warn, two pins to protect life, three pins to claim life. As long as they give me enough silver to my satisfaction, I'll do things for people. Once the silver is paid, I never default."

Sang Luojiu secretly thought, no wonder Master would travel thousands of miles to bring these four demon cultivators to Jiangling to seek his help.

But Luo Fuchun felt chilled to the bone upon hearing this. "If one day, someone paid you to kill Master, would you?"

Jing Sanchai didn't even blink. "That would depend on if they paid enough."

Sang Luojiu reached out to pull Luo Fuchun, signaling for him to say less, but Luo Fuchun was young and impulsive and couldn't hold back. He blurted out, "You came from the Dao Sect, but playing both sides like this and doing things for the demon sect, isn't that ruining the Dao Sect's reputation?! Master is your good friend. Back then, Master saved the Dao Sect members from the hands of the demon sect, what a hero. If the things you do here get out, it will implicate Master's reputation..."

"...Hero?" Jing Sanchai repeated Luo Fuchun's evaluation with some disbelief, "Hero!!"

He laughed loudly, "Even now, there are still people in the Dao Sect who sincerely believe he is a hero!"

Luo Fuchun was both shocked and puzzled: "What do you mean by this?"

Jing Sanchai had his hands in his sleeves, and his words were shocking: "Ten years ago, I was also in the 'Forgotten World'."

This statement made both Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu jump in surprise.

He knew that according to the Dao Sect's legend, when Feng Rugu and the others from the sect fell into the "Forgotten World", after escaping the first round of attacks, they disguised themselves as demonic cultivators and hid in a place within the "Forgotten World".

Rumor had it that they hid in a brothel to avoid the search. It's just that these cultivators were too embarrassed to admit it. Otherwise, how could Feng Rugu really have the ability to fight against the demonic cultivators from all over the world for nearly three months with just his own strength, and still emerge unscathed?

Therefore, in the mouths of the rumor-spreaders, the so-called "hero" Lord Yunzhong was just an empty title.

...Could it be that the rumors were true?

Taking advantage of the drunkenness, Jing Sanchai sat down in the room: "How could an eighteen-year-old cultivator, whose cultivation had just reached the edge of the Nascent Soul stage, have the ability to resist the demonic cultivators for eighty-nine days? So he must have survived by being opportunistic, right?"

Both Sang Luojiu and Luo Fuchun remained silent.

"...I've heard enough of this kind of talk," Jing Sanchai said, "I didn't expect that there are still people in the Dao Sect who sincerely revere him."

Luo Fuchun was confused: "Master saved so many people and receives gifts every year, how can you say there is no sincere reverence..."

Jing Sanchai exposed the truth with one sentence: "That's not some damn reverence. They just fear him."

...Fear?

Ruyi had already led Hai Jing back to the side room, but didn't close the door.

The "Forgotten World" incident of the Dao Sect ten years ago was inextricably linked to Ruyi after all, so he wanted to know the inside story.

Listening to the voices coming from the wind, Ruyi frowned slightly:

He remembered that Feng Rugu had also said that Wen Chen feared him.

Why?

"Yes, he indeed couldn't protect everyone for three months. His Guixu sword technique at most only firmly protected everyone for about thirty days, and then everyone was captured by the mastermind behind the scenes."

At this point, there was even a hint of grief in Jing Sanchai's voice: "Do you know how we survived the remaining fifty plus days?"

Just as the atmosphere was right and Luo Fuchun and Sang Luojiu were fully focused, the room suddenly darkened as someone blocked the moonlight from outside the door.

Feng Rugu leaned on the door frame with one arm, his body draped in silver light, smiling brilliantly and incomparably.

In his drunken state, he was like the young man from ten years ago: "You said you were going to drink, but how come you left me alone and ran here?"