This should be the place for receiving guests and discussing matters. The layout was dignified and simple, with several carved chairs and square tables on each side.

A disciple led them to their seats and brought over two cups of tea. Wu Xingxue wasn't polite, taking a sip and tasting a light, faint peach fragrance.

Several disciples in the hall were sweeping. Seeing the guests, they all bowed in greeting.

In the center of Tinghua Hall was a long altar table, upon which sat a jade god statue. The sweeping disciple offered incense to the statue and then withdrew.

This god statue looked exactly the same as the giant one in Chunfan City. It was just that the one in the city was carved from stone, while this one in the Hua Family was carved from hibiscus jade.

"Who is this?" Wu Xingxue asked in a low voice, holding his tea.

"Hua Xin," Xiao Fuxuan replied.

Only then did Wu Xingxue notice that this name was written on the hanging scroll behind the god statue.

"The painting and the jade statue are the same person? They really look quite different," he added in a low voice.

"..." Xiao Fuxuan glanced at the area under his nose, likely wanting him to shut up and talk less.

But seeing his genuine interest, he added after a moment, "The painting is a bit more accurate."

The immortal in the portrait was gentle and handsome, with slightly curved, smiling eyes. One hand caressed a white deer, while the other held a bright lantern. He had the appearance of a benevolent immortal who could shelter people, a completely different air from someone like Xiao Fuxuan who presided over punishment and pardon.

Beside the name "Hua Xin" was his immortal title, "Mingwu."

In the current bleak and chaotic world, there were a hundred or so Immortal Sects of varying sizes. Not to mention the smaller ones, the most renowned sects were all those with ancestors who had ascended to immortality. The reason the Hua Family held such a transcendent status in Chunfan City was because of Hua Xin.

"Do you know him?" Wu Xingxue asked.

"I do," Xiao Fuxuan said indifferently. "The leader of The Twelve Immortals of Lingtai."

The leader of The Twelve Immortals of Lingtai...

The Twelve Immortals of Lingtai...

Wu Xingxue found it somewhat familiar. After a moment, he suddenly recalled Ning Huaishan mentioning with great admiration—that he had also killed The Twelve Immortals of Lingtai.

"..."

Wu Xingxue choked on his tea on the spot.

The Head of the Hua Clan, Hua Zhaoting, arrived at this moment.

He seemed to have run into some trouble. As he passed through the winding corridor, his strides were like meteors, and his expression was displeased. Behind him followed two flustered young disciples, carrying a golden-thread wooden box and trying to persuade him of something.

"I said there's no need. For a minor injury like this, what's the use of applying medicine? What does a pitiful, foolish child know? It's inevitable that he'd be reckless. I've told you many times not to hold it against him. As for Chi Yao and the others, send them to Xuan Terrace for confinement and self-reflection!"

After his reprimand, Hua Zhaoting entered Tinghua Hall, his expression already changed. "I've kept you waiting."

He was, after all, from the same family as Immortal Leader Mingwu, Hua Xin in the portrait. Although their looks weren't very similar, as soon as he smiled, his gentle and clear disposition was practically inherited.

He didn't put on the airs of the head of a major Immortal Sect. He didn't even seem like someone from an Immortal Sect, lacking that sense of lofty, otherworldly pride. His every move was more like that of an elegant merchant.

"I heard that Young Master Cheng entered the city this morning and passed through the Posuo Path of the Endless Sea?" Hua Zhaoting asked with a smile.

Wu Xingxue: "..."

What young master???

He quickly realized what had happened. When they had just entered Yanzi Harbor, Ning Huaishan had a slip of the tongue with those two sword-bearing disciples, twisting "City Lord" into "C... Young Master."

Those two sword-bearing disciples were from the Hua Family. It seemed they had reported everything about their situation.

Fine then...

Wu Xingxue thought to himself: 'Young Master Cheng it is. Saves me the trouble of making something up.'

But the damn thing was, Ning Huaishan had also said Xiao Fuxuan was a puppet.

No wonder Hua Zhaoting was only speaking to him. So he didn't even consider the other one a living person.

Wu Xingxue had originally planned to be a well-behaved "mute" and leave all the talking and asking to Xiao Fuxuan, since he knew nothing about this place.

Great, now he couldn't pretend anymore.

That Ning Huaishan was a real goddamn treasure.

He cursed inwardly, but his expression remained composed as he answered Hua Zhaoting's question unhurriedly: "Yes, the sea last night was truly terrifying. We didn't expect to encounter something like that. This trip was indeed a bit ill-timed."

"When we entered the harbor this morning, I heard that the Canglang Northern Domain really collapsed. Thinking about it now is truly frightening." Wu Xingxue patted his knee and added, "To be honest, even now, my legs are still weak and trembling."

Xiao Fuxuan: "..."

Hua Zhaoting nodded and said, "It was indeed dangerous, which is why I was very surprised to hear today that guests had arrived from the sea. Last night, I had elders and disciples from my sect there, and they all returned in a wretched state. One can only imagine."

Wu Xingxue: "If I had known, I certainly wouldn't have chosen this time to disturb you."

Hua Zhaoting waved his hand. "It's no disturbance at all, Young Master Cheng, you mustn't say that. My Hua Family has the teachings of Immortal Lord Mingwu, and guarding this Peach Blossom Isle, it is our duty to protect the peace of the region and relieve people's worries, regardless of the time."

He paused, then said, "I heard from the reception disciple that Young Master Cheng is here to see Mr. Yi Wusheng?"

Wu Xingxue nodded. "Yes."

"Mr. Yi Wusheng is quite accomplished in the Soul Dream Technique. This is widely known, and most who come to my door seeking him are here for this reason. However... I wonder if Young Master Cheng has heard that when Mr. Yi Wusheng saves someone, he needs to see the patient. The person must be brought here."

"I brought him," Wu Xingxue pointed to himself. "It's me."

Hua Zhaoting was taken aback.

He couldn't help but size up Wu Xingxue, saying, "But, Young Master Cheng, you really don't look like it."

Those who came to the Hua Family seeking Yi Wusheng were mostly suffering from damaged souls—some had part of their soul devoured by an Evil Demon but had luckily escaped with their lives. Some had fallen victim to evil or forbidden arts. And some had deviated while cultivating due to improper methods.

Such patients were either foolish or mad.

Someone like Wu Xingxue, who could speak coherently, was indeed rare.

Hua Zhaoting asked, "Then, Young Master Cheng, your situation is?"

Wu Xingxue: "My living soul has possessed someone else's body, pushing out the original owner. I wish to ask Mr. Yi Wusheng if there is a way to send me back."

For those of the Immortal Sects, soul-snatching was common, life-swapping was common, and summoning gods or ghosts was also common. But Wu Xingxue's situation touched upon none of the three.

Hua Zhaoting asked a few more questions. Seeing that he was frank and hid nothing, he said, "I understand now. Mr. Yi Wusheng's seclusion is nearing its end; he should be able to come out tomorrow. For today, please rest here on my Peach Blossom Isle, Young Master Cheng."

Being allowed to stay meant there was likely some solution, so there was hope of returning.

While Hua Zhaoting was speaking with a disciple, Wu Xingxue took the opportunity, under the guise of sipping his tea, to turn his head, smile and wink at Xiao Fuxuan, and mouth the words: "Thank you, High Immortal."

Xiao Fuxuan was currently holding his sword, pretending to be a puppet. His gaze swept past the shape of his lips.

They were arranged to stay in the west corner of Peach Blossom Isle.

The reception disciple said: The Hua Family has numerous cultivating disciples who have lessons before Mao hour every day. Fearing the sound of swords would disturb their rest, they had been arranged to stay in the place farthest from the Disciple Hall.

Nearby were the Book Pavilion and Qingxin Hall.

The former was Hua Zhaoting's personal Book Pavilion, not used by disciples. The latter was where Yi Wusheng lived, with only some sweeping and medicine-serving disciples.

Overall, it was indeed quiet, but an accident unexpectedly occurred—

While a few disciples were tidying the guest room, a figure rushed in, yelling "Ah! Ah!", and madly knocked over a chair and a basin of water.

"Aiyo—"

"Ah Yao! You can't run around in here—"

"Weren't you told to watch him? How could you let him barge into the guest room! He recklessly injured the Sect Leader today!"

"Ai, how are we supposed to watch him? He hasn't been still for the past two days, his Sword Qi flying everywhere, and he's so strong! The Sect Leader won't even let us be too rough with him. But if we're too gentle, we can't hold him down at all!"

It wasn't appropriate for Wu Xingxue to intervene, so he only helped a stumbling young disciple before moving to the side with Xiao Fuxuan.

The mad person had disheveled hair, their age was indiscernible, and they couldn't speak, only yelling "Ah! Ah!" in a hoarse voice.

At one point, he reached out to grab Wu Xingxue. With a light touch, Xiao Fuxuan dissipated all his strength, and he was then dragged away by the disciples.

"Young Master Cheng, you must be frightened," the reception disciple said apologetically as he cleaned up the mess.

"He is?"

"He used to be Mr. Yi Wusheng's medicine-serving disciple, the one with the most talent and spiritual aptitude. Later, he suffered a shock and ended up like this. It's been many years."

"Mr. Yi Wusheng's disciple?" Wu Xingxue said.

"Mhm," the reception disciple said, then quickly explained, "Oh, no, no, no, our master's Soul Dream Technique is very powerful. Please don't misunderstand. It's not that our master can't cure him, it's that this disciple's madness is too special."

The disciple seemed to feel that just saying it was "special" wasn't convincing enough, so after a thought, he added, "Because the one who hurt him was that Great Demon Lord, Wu Xingxue."

"Who?"

"Wu Xingxue," the disciple repeated in a hushed voice.

Wu Xingxue instantly fell silent.

He subconsciously turned to look at Xiao Fuxuan, only to find Xiao Fuxuan's gaze already on him.

"Ah Yao's fate is truly terrible." The reception disciple's chattering voice filled the room as he recounted Ah Yao's story to a guest for what must have been the umpteenth time.

He said that Ah Yao had been Yi Wusheng's most prized disciple, always by his side, especially when refining medicine, living in Qingxin Hall all day.

Years ago, a guest came to Peach Blossom Isle, seeking Yi Wusheng's help with some matters. The guest had the appearance of a noble young master, with a dashing and heroic air. On Peach Blossom Isle, from the Family Head down to the young sweeping disciples, no one noticed anything wrong with him. On the contrary, everyone was very fond of this guest.

At that time, Yi Wusheng was refining a certain medicine and couldn't spare the time, so he simply let the guest stay on the isle for half a month.

The result was that in that half a month, Yi Wusheng lost his father, elder brother, wife, and daughter—four lives.

That day, Ah Yao ran madly to the front of the hall, stumbling, crying, and screaming, dripping with blood and covered in the aura of an Evil Demon.

At that time, Yi Wusheng and Hua Zhaoting were in a discussion and were greatly startled. Following him back to Qingxin Hall, they saw that Yi Wusheng's elder brother, Yi Wuqi, was nothing but a piece of skin, lying in blood, yet his face was smiling.

One look was all it took to see he had been drained dry by an Evil Demon.

At that time, almost everyone on Peach Blossom Isle had gathered around. Hua Zhaoting immediately ordered an investigation. The result was worse than not investigating at all; they discovered that his own younger sister—Yi Wusheng's wife—his father, his daughter, and several sweeping disciples who served in the guest rooms all had a problem...

Tapping their heads, the sound that came out was like that of a hollow wooden fish. Tapping their bellies, the sound was like the beat of a drum.

—They were already empty husks, having been drained dry before this.

All within the half a month that the guest had stayed.

At the time, they grabbed Ah Yao, wanting to ask what had happened, but discovered that a forbidden art had been placed on him, one that not even Yi Wusheng could undo. And so he was mad, unable to say anything clearly.

Left with no choice, Hua Zhaoting invited people from the Feng Clan of Meng Capital to help.

The Feng Clan had a secret technique, the Spirit Soul Reflection Technique, which could show the last scene a mad or dead person had witnessed.

And so, with the help of the Feng Clan, they saw the scene that Ah Yao could not speak of.

They saw that elegant and noble guest reveal his true form. He stood in Qingxin Hall, one hand gripping Yi Wuqi's throat, the other loosely holding Yi Wuqi's own sword.

Blood trickled down the hilt of the sword, pooling on the floor.

He turned his head and glanced towards the door, the bridge of his nose reflecting the cold, white moonlight. He seemed to have noticed someone outside the door and suddenly smiled, the corners of his slightly down-turned eyes curving upwards at that moment.

He dropped the empty shell in his hand, tossed aside the sword, and pulled a clean cloth from the table to wipe his hands. Then, in an instant, he was in front of Ah Yao and gave him a light pat on the head.

Then, just as he had arrived, he left with a dashing stride, disappearing into the Endless Sea.

Everyone in the world knew that the Demon Lord Wu Xingxue did not have a sword of his own. He was lazy, never carried anything extra in his hands, and never brought a sword.

He always drew someone else's sword to kill them.