“What utter blasphemy!” Jia Chiying growled. He released Zhao Cuihong. “I will find out who did this.”

Zhao Cuihong and Nie Chenhui watched as Jia Chiying stomped away, along with the two disciples that remained by his side. Nie Chenhui sighed, the ribs under his thin cloak rattling. He glanced at Zhao Cuihong.

“This is why I say makeup doesn’t help a person look any better. Just one little scare, and you’re as pale as my femur!”

Zhao Cuihong glared at Nie Chenhui. “May I ask why the Vulture Saint is so far away from his station?”

“You didn’t ask when Jia Chiying was here, Nine-Tailed Fox Saint. Dare I say that you are biased?” Nie Chenhui teased.

Zhao Cuihong’s eyes narrowed. “The Black Koi Saint is His Excellency’s nephew and the Young Lord’s cousin. He has autonomy to come in and out of Black Mane Palace as he sees fit.”

“As the Vulture Saint, I also have that autonomy.”

“Your post is the land before the River of Forgotten Souls,” Zhao Cuihong said coldly. “What business do you have to leave your post?”

“I wanted to pay a visit to Black Mane Palace. I got lonely out there,” Nie Chenhui casually said. His cheekbones rose slightly, as if to show that he was smiling. “Unless you want to come with me to the River of Forgotten Souls?”

Zhao Cuihong scrunched his nose, but before he could retort, Nie Chenhui let out a sigh that rattled his ribs. He turned away and walked down the hall.

“Rather than arguing with me over my presence, I believe that we should focus our energy on trying to find the culprit behind this entire incident. That way, we’ll at least have a way to release our anger,” Nie Chenhui said. His skull turned unnaturally far on his neck in order to look back at Zhao Cuihong. “Don’t you think so, Fox Saint?”

The look in Zhao Cuihong’s eyes switched. He took a deep breath and sighed. With one last irritated glance in Nie Chenhui’s direction, Zhao Cuihong stalked off to find Jia Chiying.

Nie Chenhui remained in the hall for a moment. “Little doll, come out.”

There was a shift in the shadows. A moment later, a girl, who was no older than thirteen, appeared expressionlessly beside Nie Chenhui. She looked up at him and her nose wrinkled in a rare show of disgust.

“Put some skin on.”

Nie Chenhui glanced at the little girl. “I’ll put skin on, but how about you learn to move more like a human, Líng Tóng (灵童).”

Ling Tong’s head unnaturally fell to one side as her glassy eyes bore into Nie Chenhui’s eye sockets.

“I won’t argue with you today,” Ling Tong said.

“Oh? How surprising. But I came all the way here just to argue with you,” Nie Chenhui said.

“If you have time, come with me to find the culprit.”

“Aren’t there about twenty other people already doing that job?” Nie Chenhui asked.

Ling Tong shook her head. “I am to search the city. You will come with me.”

Nie Chenhui was flabbergasted, but before he could argue, a heavy pressure collapsed onto his shoulders. He nearly doubled over, but as he was regaining his composure, he heard a loud, echoing voice, rattling in his skull.

“Follow the Python Saint, Lord Nie.”

Although it had been a few months since he had last heard that voice, it still sent shivers down his spine. Nie Chenhui’s expression changed. He bowed to the door.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Although Ling Tong’s expression didn’t change, as they were leaving, Nie Chenhui had the irritated feeling that the stupid doll yao was now mocking him!

Within his chambers, Gě Jìnshēng (盖烬升) breathed a soft sigh. He turned back to the child in front of him and gently squeezed the boy’s hand. The Devil Lord’s eyes remained trained on his son’s face. Every once in a while, his hand would leave the boy’s palm, so that he could wipe away the sweat. Eventually, his other hand came up to gently pat the child’s chest in an attempt to soothe him from whatever horrors he was facing within his dreams.

Unluckily for Ge Jinsheng, even with his vast and expansive territory, a devil cultivator who was skilled in the art of dream manipulation was actually quite rare. As the cultivation technique required time and a strong mental fortitude, it was rarely chosen by others. He had never thought this fact to be a shame before, but as he watched his son toss and struggle, he suddenly wished that he had forced a few of his subordinates to embark on this path of cultivation instead.

The Devil Lord slowly lowered himself until his lips were gently pressed against the small hand that was in his.

“…Nianlan…please…”

The word came out awkwardly, as if the Devil Lord had just spoken in a foreign tongue. His lashes shuddered. He had never once had to beg for anything in his life, but even more shocking was the fact that even his own son’s name felt out of place.

Ge Jinsheng closed his eyes and squeezed the boy’s hand again.

The intense anger he had felt when the physician had given her diagnosis had faded somewhat. What replaced it was a lingering fear and regret. This boy was the last gift his wife had left behind for him, yet he had treated this boy so poorly. If only he had paid more attention to him, then he wouldn’t have fallen into a trap like this.

“Just live,” Ge Jinsheng finally murmured into the back of the boy’s hand. “Please, just live.”

As Ge Jinsheng uttered those words, the boy beside him whimpered softly in response. The man lifted his head and stared steadily at the boy, but when the boy’s eyes didn’t open, he slumped back down once more.

Within Black Mane Palace and without, on the streets of Liuling City, no one dared to breathe a breath out of place. Of the six people active within the Eight Saints, three remained within Black Mane Palace to question everyone, from the servants to the disciples; the remaining three prowled the streets of Liuling City.

News of another assassination attempt had already spread to every nook and cranny of Black Mane Palace and its immediate territory.

When dawn struck, the city that had been tormented all night, was finally freed from the tight grip of the six Saints.

The people who were most suspect were taken in and placed in Black Mane Palace’s underground prisons, but this only caused more anxiety within the people of Liuling (榴灵) City. The last time something had happened to the Young Lord and the late Madam, they still remembered the fury that was unleashed upon everyone until the culprit was found. Now, the people of Liuling could only remain huddled within their homes and hope that this calamity would end without their involvement.

Back at Black Mane Palace, Guān Yǒngqín (关永秦) softly knocked on the door. Only when she was given permission to enter did she open the doors and slowly poke her head in. She looked at Ge Jinsheng’s crouched back and hesitated.

“What is it?”

“We’ve narrowed it down to five people,” Guan Yongqin said. “Would you like to question them personally, Your Excellency?”

“No need,” Ge Jinsheng said. “As long as Chiying and Lord Nie are there, I don’t need to worry.”

Guan Yongqin silently agreed. Her gaze fell onto the Young Lord and she pursed her lips. “Has he woken up at all?”

“Not yet,” Ge Jinsheng murmured. He brushed a hand through the boy’s damp hair. “Bring me a basin of water and a cloth.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

Guan Yongqin exited the room, leaving the Devil Lord alone with his comatose son once more.

Although it was only a few minutes, it felt like hours had passed by before Guan Yongqin returned. The basin of warm water was placed beside Ge Jinsheng and the Devil Lord clumsily began to clean the small child. The child’s brows furrowed in discomfort. As Ge Jinsheng moved the towel to the boy’s neck, he suddenly felt the boy in his arms jerk slightly.

A loud scream escaped from the boy’s lips.

Ge Jinsheng held the thrashing boy as Guan Yongqin stepped forward.

“Let go! Let me go!”

The boy’s screams alarmed the two people within the room and the disciples who were guarding the doors outside quickly burst in.

“Call Physician Lv!” Ge Jinsheng shouted to whoever could hear his command.

“Let go! Let go!” Ge Nianlan screamed. “It wasn’t me! I didn’t do it!”

Ge Jinsheng and Guan Yongqin’s eyes met. They remembered that the cursed artifact the child read would tell one’s worse future and their hearts grew cold. If he had this kind of reaction, it meant that the curse had already tainted his mind. It was difficult to tell how long he would survive.

“Nianlan,” Ge Jinsheng held onto his son tightly. “Nianlan, it’s okay. You’re safe.”

The boy in his arms slowly calmed down, however tears continued to spill down his cheeks. Ge Jinsheng held Gě Niànlán(盖木念) tighter within his embrace. His shoulders were shuddering from distress. He closed his eyes, wishing that he could pull away everything that ailed his poor child. His broad hands gently stroked up and down Ge Nianlan’s back until the boy only let out short, muffled hiccups.

“…Father?”

Ge Jinsheng’s eyes widened. He shifted back slightly and felt a small hand against his chest. He looked into the boy’s eyes.

Ever since the child had returned to his side, his eyes had always been dull without a twinkle of intelligent light. The words he spoke were often slurred and frequently unintelligible. When he called for his father, he would always say something closer to “Dada”. Saying something like “father” had been unthinkable before. Yet, now, the child in his arms was staring up at him with widened eyes. They darted to every corner of Ge Jinsheng’s face, as if he were trying to make certain that it was him. And when Ge Jinsheng didn’t answer, Ge Nianlan looked at him uncertainly.

“How do you feel?” Ge Jinsheng asked.

Guan Yongqin frowned. “Your Excellency—”

Ge Jinsheng held up a hand and waited for the child to speak.

“My body hurts,” Ge Nianlan said with a small pout on his face.

Ge Jinsheng gently rubbed the boy’s head. “Anything else?”

Ge Nianlan stared at Ge Jinsheng for a long time before finally shaking his head. He glanced past Ge Jinsheng’s arm at Guan Yongqin, frowned, then looked around the room again.

“What’s wrong?” Ge Jinsheng gently asked.

“…Mother,” Ge Nianlan said.

“…What?”

“Where is Mother?” Ge Nianlan asked, his gaze swiveling back to Ge Jinsheng.

“What do you mean?” Ge Jinsheng asked.

“Mom,” Ge Nianlan repeated. “She’s gone. Where did she go?”

Ge Jinsheng and Guan Yongqin shared an uncertain glance.

“…Nianlan, do you know how old you are?”

“Ten,” Ge Nianlan replied.

“Then…why do you think your mother…”

“Your Excellency,” Guan Yongqin quickly interrupted them. Ge Nianlan looked up at her and for a moment, she was shocked. She quickly recovered herself and cleared her throat. “Let’s wait for Physician Lv to come first before we ask the Young Lord any more questions. I'm sure he is...tired."

Ge Jinsheng forced himself to calm down. He nodded and gently patted Ge Nianlan’s head. “Lord Guan is right. Nianlan, lay back down and rest until Physician Lv comes.”

Ge Nianlan stared at Ge Jinsheng silently as he lowered himself. He allowed himself to be tucked in, allowed the large warm hand to check him for a fever, and allowed himself to be gently patted to sleep. The longer he allowed these things to happen, the more confused he was.

Moments ago, he had heard a woman’s shrill scream, had begged for his life from a man he had never met before, and had died under a pair of cold crimson eyes, finally fulfilling the wishes of the entire cultivation world. His brain was muddled, his sense of self was highly distorted, and he wasn’t even sure if the image in front of him was real anymore.

Had he gone back in time or had he just seen the future?