Upon hearing Chen Qianfan's conclusion, Shi Jingzhi was a bit hesitant.

Not only did he feel that he lacked the necessary strength, but he knew that Yin Ci would not be willing to use his full power either.

This disciple of his had a mysterious background. It was only when Shi Jingzhi had ventured into the forbidden area, or when he was in extreme danger with the Greedy Butterflies swarming around him, that Yin Ci had revealed his true strength.

Although the Secret Book in front of them was strange, its attacks were not very aggressive. It was just that the Mi Mountain Sect had a "no damage" rule, which forced them to fight bitterly until now.

Shi Zhongyu had lost a fingertip, but the rest of them were unharmed. He and Chen Qianfan didn't even participate in the battle. No matter how you looked at it, this situation had nothing to do with being at a "dead end."

It didn't matter, Yin Ci's investigation was related to the statue, and this trip was only for the purpose of resolving his prohibition. Yin Ci being willing to lend a hand for this matter, was already quite decent.

As Shi Jingzhi thought, he saw Yin Ci walk up to Shi Zhongyu after a moment of contemplation.

"Miss Shi, I have something to discuss with you."

Wait a minute, "Senior Shi" has now become "Miss Shi"? Surprisingly, Shi Zhongyu hadn't ask about the origin of "Ah Ci", what happened to hiding his identity?

Shi Zhongyu had shown a pensive look upon hearing that Yin Ci was still hiding his strength. Now that Yin Ci had taken the initiative to speak, her response had a hint of inquiry: "Please speak."

Yin Ci said, "No need to rush, I'll take a look at Miss Shi's wound first. That Secret Book is extremely strange, and the magic may have some unpredictable effects."

Shi Zhongyu was stunned, half puzzled and half suspicious as she raised her hand: "This... um, you also have knowledge of spells?"

"Just a little bit."

With a flick of his sleeve, Yin Ci lifted Shi Zhongyu's injured hand through the opening. Shi Zhongyu had decisively cut off her broken finger, but the technique used was not easy to deal with. The wound continued to bleed profusely, showing an abnormal bright red color that was alarming to see.

Shi Jingzhi: "..."

Wasn't he the doctor here? Even if not, shouldn't he have gone to Chen Qianfan for help? Why was his disciple showing so much initiative?

...No, Yin Ci was probably just investigating the attack method of the Secret Book.

With a head full of question marks, Shi Jingzhi explained to himself seriously.

Yin Ci didn't notice the doubts in his master's mind and maintained a calm and composed demeanor. "Miss Shi has good judgment and acted promptly. However, this spell is dangerous and relies on blood. The wound is not easy to heal. It would be better for Miss Shi to seek help from Senior Chen."

With a gentle and courteous tone, tinged with a hint of superiority, his demeanor was a far cry from the respectful distance he had maintained earlier.

Shi Zhongyu held a high position in Taiheng, and while she was stubborn, her mind was not made of wood. With just a few words from Yin Ci, she immediately understood the subtle change in his attitude, and even guessed the hidden meaning behind his suggestion to "discuss matters."

"It's just a small injury, it's no big deal. If you have something to say, let's get to the point," she said, her eyes fixed on Yin Ci.

Yin Ci took a step back and performed a simple bow. "I am Yin Ci, and I have met the young lady at the Ghost Tomb..."

Before Shi Jingzhi could interrupt, Yin Ci brought up his previous claim of being a descendant of the Su family. Unlike when he spoke to Shi Jingzhi, he didn't wait for Shi Zhongyu to become suspicious before confessing his identity as the "white-clothed person of the Ghost Tomb".

Shi Zhongyu's face was as still as water, while Shi Jingzhi stood there dazed like a statue.

Sect Leader Shi didn't know how to join the conversation - Yin Ci left him no room to maneuver, completely whitewashing the Ku Mountain Sect. In the mouth of his disciple, he was just a "poor man who was used" and "knew nothing".

Yin Ci's explanation was simple and neat, and Shi Zhongyu didn't remain silent for too long.

"I see," Shi Zhongyu sighed.

"Our sect has also investigated the clues of the white-clothed person, but we had learned nothing. Brother Yin, there is no need to worry. Although there are conflicts between our sect and the Red Hook Sect, we still have some principles and won't find fault unnecessarily with those who leave the Red Hook Sect," Shi Zhongyu said.

"The lady is magnanimous."

"If you were that person in white, your skills would also deserve my respect as a senior. The person in white did not harm the righteous sects in the Ghost Tomb, and with the presence of Dark Blood Witch, the senior did not want to expose the identity of the Su family. I can understand that," said Shi Zhongyu, bowing slightly and showing more respect in her words.

"I am grateful for the senior's care, whether it is visiting the Mi Mountain Sect or dealing with the Secret Book, it is all thanks to the senior's help. I am in your debt," she continued.

"I still have some personal matters to attend to, and I will also act along with the Ku Mountain Sect in the future. I hope that Miss Shi will not reveal my identity, considering our journey together," Yin Ci requested.

"Of course," replied Shi Zhongyu, clasping her fists in agreement.

After the conversation, Shi Jingzhi was still a bit confused, and the cold wind around them also seemed to have chilled a few degrees.

He had originally considered the other's identity and strength to be a secret they shared after experiencing hardships together, a unique connection that only they had. He had only seen a glimpse of the real Yin Ci when he had narrowly escaped death twice, and as a result, Shi Zhongyu only lost a fingertip before this disciple had confessed everything.

To be fair, Shi Jingzhi understood. Even someone as cautious as Yin Ci must have had a good reason to reveal his identity, perhaps even a plan that was crucial to the bigger picture. But he still couldn't suppress the emotions welling up inside him.

Now, Shi Zhongyu was the same as him.

Yin Ci had not lied to Shi Zhongyu. No one knew better than Shi Jingzhi that Yin Ci had personal matters to attend to and needed a small sect to cover his tracks. Ultimately, their friendship was rooted in this joke-like "master-disciple relationship".

Yin Ci's attitude towards Shi Zhongyu was very familiar to Shi Jingzhi. When they first met, he also felt that sense of ease and goodwill.

So when Yin Ci needs a "master", he can be exchanged with a Zhang Jingzhi or a Li Jingzhi. After spending som time together, would Yin Ci also be as dedicated?

Upon careful consideration, although their friendship had grown deeper over time, it was still closer to the care and affection of a "senior" for a "junior", and not as special as he had thought.

Suddenly, Shi Jingzhi felt a surge of misty grievance.

His heart felt like it was being boiled in a teapot over a low flame. His ears were filled with the sound of bubbling bubbles, each one bursting with a tiny "this is unfair".

Shi Jingzhi lifted up his robe and sat cross-legged on the snowy ground, trying to calm down his irrational emotions. In the midst of his inexplicable heartache, he suddenly understood why Chen Qianfan had erased his own memories.

It was because the worldly attachments were too difficult to handle.

If he hadn't decided to connect with his heart on Huilian Mountain, he would have been content to hold onto his existing worldly attachments, regardless of how Yin Ci treated others. As long as he had his attachments, even if Yin Ci paraded around with multiple wives and concubines and wrote his true identity on his forehead while strolling down the street, he wouldn't care.

But now, things were different. Sect Leader Shi was filled with pent-up frustration, not knowing where to direct it.

He felt like a teapot that was about to boil over, while Yin Ci remained completely oblivious.

Yin Ci lowered his voice when he felt the timing was right.

"There is one more personal matter that I would like to ask of you privately."

"What is it?" asked Shi Zhongyu.

"I have a friend who once had feelings for Shi Chongyu. It has been over twenty years, and I have not been able to find any leads on Shi Chongyu. I was hoping to ask you, and give my friend some closure...have you heard of the 'Broken Jade Spear' Shi Chongyu?"

Shi Zhongyu raised an eyebrow, immediately making a connection. "He is Sect Leader Shi's...?"

"No, Shi Jingzhi has nothing to do with this matter. I had the same suspicion before, but it was just a misunderstanding in the end." Yin Ci made it clear that Shi Jingzhi was not involved. "If you help me this time, I will owe a favor to Taiheng."

Shi Chongyu was not a particularly important person, and Shi Zhongyu was very straightforward: "I have heard of this person, but the incident happened too long ago. I need to check the list of disciples within the sect. I do have this authority, and once this matter is resolved, I am willing to help you, senior."

"Thank you, Miss Shi."

This conversation took no more than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Shi Zhongyu went to ask Old Man Chen to bandage her wounds, while Yin Ci walked back to Shi Jingzhi's side - something was wrong, his cheap master's face had turned green. If this were to be framed, it could be directly used as an illustration for a book of ghost stories.

Shi Jingzhi looked unhappy, but the direction and source of his unhappiness were different from when he was in Yuanxian Village.

At that time, Shi Jingzhi's anger was directed outward, but now it was tightly restrained inward, and his fiery temperament was about to burst out.

What was going on?

Did he feel anxious due to the difficulty of dealing with the Secret Book, or was he wavering about his choice after seeing Chen Qianfan erase his own memories, and resenting the unfairness of fate?

Forget it, he would just have to try one by one.

"Don't worry about the Secret Book, Shizun. I have already explained my identity to Miss Shi and will do my best to deal with it later."

Shi Jingzhi gave him a meaningful look and said, "We don't need the talisman, and the Secret Book is useless. Yin Ci, you don't have to work so hard."

Yin Ci choked up, unable to reveal his private request for a disaster-blocking talisman. He had to change the subject, "Chen Qianfan wants the techniques in the Secret Book. If I can contribute a little more, it will show the sincerity of the Ku Mountain Sect. Perhaps he will be more careful when dealing with the prohibition for Shizun."

"Hmm."

Yin Ci sat down next to Shi Jingzhi, trying to keep his tone gentle. "Did Shizun see that spell just now? Senior Chen is skilled and I'm sure he will erase the memory beautifully."

"Even if I forget about returning to Huilian Mountain, it doesn't matter to you?" Shi Jingzhi asked.

Yin Ci was silent for a moment and decided to be honest.

"As long as the green hills remain, there will be no shortage of firewood. The risk of breaking the prohibition's formation is too high, and your life is more important."

"Without the trip to the Huilian Mountain, I will return to the state where I have no Heart Demon and treat you as an object without understanding," Shi Jingzhi finally turned his head, his tone revealing some struggle. "Living like that, it's tasteless and boring."

As he spoke, his voice trembled a little.

His trembling was not born out of anger. When considering the option of "risking his life to break the formation," a tremendous fear rushed into his mind, choking his throat.

It was like a person with acrophobia standing on the edge of a deep abyss, or someone with aquaphobia trapped at the bottom of a lake. Shi Jingzhi's breathing became rapid, his legs a bit weak, and his whole body felt like it had just been plunged into icy water.

Just with this thought, he felt like his heart and lungs were about to burst, and his ears were ringing.

However, he did not fall into madness as he had in the past. It seemed that his newly born conscience still had some use, Shi Jingzhi thought to himself.

Yin Cichao noticed Shi Jingzhi's abnormality and promptly grabbed his wrist.

"The Object Addiction?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's the Object Addiction," Shi Jingzhi replied.

Shi Jingzhi knew he needed to calm down, but he couldn't. The slightest bit of grievance was like adding fuel to the fire, making him restless.

"I don't want to hesitate either, but memories are precious and hard to let go of," Shi Jingzhi stared straight at Yin Ci. "Ah Ci, I know you don't really want anything. If you only expect me to stay alive, it's better if you didn't treat me too well."

He tried to convince himself to abandon that small piece of the past. But the more he remembered, the more his fear grew.

Excluding the memories sealed away, that was probably the best memory he had in his entire life.

Just now, he was thinking that if he were to erase the memory, he would become like Chen Qianfan - even if the person he cared about died in front of him, he could step over their body and continue chasing his own goals.

As he lay there, Shi Jingzhi couldn't help but feel that this was the perfect way to live, with no distractions or worries. But at the same time, he knew deep down that this wasn't what he truly wanted. He longed for the moment when time had stood still on that fateful night, when he had finally found release.

He had never felt such pain before, but at the same time, he had never felt so alive. He was at a loss as to what to do next.

His body was screaming at him to avoid any further "risks," and he could feel his temperature rising as his vision began to turn red. In the midst of this hazy redness, Yin Ci shifted his position and sat down in front of him.

"Not treat you too well? Why would you say something so foolish?" Yin Ci sighed heavily and reached out to cup his master's ears in his hands.

"If the prohibition is causing you so much distress, then I'll just come out and say it - Shi Jingzhi, I only have one wish. I don't want you to die."

After saying this, Yin Ci's eyes softened a bit, as if he had finally let go of some burden.

"Whether you see me as a disciple, a friend, or a senior, I have no right to interfere with your choices. If I forcibly convinced you to abandon your memories just to fulfill that promise of 'living to a hundred years old,' it would be beneath me."

"If you did choose to abandon your memories, I will give you another Huilian Mountain and help you find a human heart again. And if you wanted to take the risk instead, I will also do everything in my power to increase your chances of survival."

"Choose whatever you want, I will protect you."

This person is driving me crazy, Shi Jingzhi thought to himself.

Regardless of whether Yin Ci's words came from his heart or not, at this moment, he couldn't bear to forget them.

The crazy fear still lingered, but Shi Jingzhi's heart was becoming more and more at ease, and his scattered thoughts gradually fell into place, like a warm current.

"I want to break the prohibition."

Shi Jingzhi heard himself say so.

"Otherwise, if I forget about the trip to Huilian Mountain, I will also forget the agreement to 'find out each other's backgrounds...wouldn't that be a big loss?"

He caught hold of Yin Ci's hands and pulled them down, saying, "You only have me as your master, don't be disrespectful."

In despair, there is always a hand to hold onto. He seemed to be gradually getting used to living with that fear.

Yin Ci didn't know what expression to make for a moment. He looked at Shi Jingzhi, whose expression gradually calmed down, and finally showed a helpless smile.

"Well then, I'll use the Sweeping Bone Sword Technique to deal with the enemy later. Shizun, if you have nothing to do, you can watch for a while - maybe you'll find some use for it after watching for a few days."