After My Faked Death Failed, My Ex-Wife Came Chasing After Me - Chapter 31

Lin Zheng: “Wife, why are you being so silly~”

The moment those words were uttered, Lu Ting’an’s expression instantly stiffened.

Unaware of the cause, Lin Zheng bowed and said in a deep voice, “Yes, Master.”

As Lin Zheng exited the hall, Lu Ting’an stood beside Sun Youqing, feeling somewhat apprehensive. Her hands rubbed together unconsciously as she spoke awkwardly, “Master, what happened to Madam Cui? Why must it be Liyin’s internal demon core to save her?”

Sun Youqing gave her a strange look and replied, “Madam Cui is of a weak constitution and has suffered a sudden acute illness. Liyin is a thousand-year-old great demon; her core is the most suitable choice to serve as a medicinal catalyst. Why do you ask?”

Lu Ting’an scratched her head in embarrassment, responding repeatedly, “Ah, ah, I see… it’s nothing.”

However, a battle was raging within her mind. Since a life was at stake, it would logically be better to thicken her skin and hand over the core first; if Sun Youqing asked, she could just make up some excuse to gloss it over. But just as her hand moved, a system alarm blared in her mind.

【Ding-dong! The plot node “Steal the demon core obtained by the female lead” is incomplete! You must not hand over the core!】

Lu Ting’an was forced to halt her movements, freezing in place. She then acted as if nothing was wrong, standing to the side and beginning to admire a vase placed in the Shiya Yeyue Pool like a thief with a guilty conscience.

“Master.”

Before long, Lin Zheng returned with a serious expression, followed by a group of fearful medical cultivators.

“Master, for some unknown reason, the demon core in the pharmacy has vanished,” she said somberly. “The past two days have been chaotic with a mixed crowd; I fear a small thief has struck. Now, only the core of a black fish spirit remains.”

The gaze beneath Sun Youqing’s deer-antler mask flickered. Her eyes lingered on the decent-quality core for a moment before she finally sighed. “We can only settle for this for now. An’an, you go out first. Lin Zheng, stay behind to protect my dharma.”

“Right, right.”

Lu Ting’an couldn’t wait to escape, fearing she might be found out. She quickly responded and hurried out of the hall.

The moment she breathed the outside air, she truly felt relieved. She stretched and felt the nanmu box hidden in her robes through the fabric.

“I’m finished. This thing must never be discovered by Lin Zheng…”

She shuddered, slapped her cheeks to clear her head, and walked quickly toward the guest rooms where Chen Yunxiao and the others were staying.

The hour of Si (9 AM – 11 AM) was nearly over.

Chen Yunxiao and the others had been cooped up indoors for two days because their wounds shouldn’t be exposed to the wind. At this moment, a group of them were leaning against the railings, joking around. Zhao Jingyi, whose injuries were lighter, was busy running back and forth bringing them porridge and water. Guo Jingchen took a sip and couldn’t help complaining, “My mouth is so bland it’s like a bird’s nest; the food at Shiya Yeyue Pool is far too plain.”

Chen Yunxiao glared at him and said, “Say less. Do you think other sects are like ours and don’t practice inedia? This is already considered good.”

Zhang Yunming touched the thick bandages on his face and hissed, “It’s… it’s over. There’s definitely going to be a scar.”

Ye Yunlan chuckled and said, “What are you afraid of a scar for? You aren’t getting married anyway; are you worried your future wife will dislike it?”

Choked by his words, Zhang Yunming sat back gloomily and lowered his head to drink his porridge, no longer speaking.

At that moment, Lu Ting’an pushed the door open and entered. When they saw it was her, they were first startled and then collectively showed looks of joy: “Little Junior Sister! Are you alright? We’ve been worried sick these past two days!”

Lu Ting’an was feeling irritable and didn’t care for pleasantries. She gave a perfunctory smile and said, “Thank you for your concern, Senior Brothers. Are your injuries any better?”

“We’ve been better for a long time.” Guo Jingchen hurried forward, holding a bowl of steaming porridge. “If the medical cultivators hadn’t said the snake venom might recur, we would have gone to find you long ago. Little Junior Sister, have you had breakfast? Come, try this porridge.”

Lu Ting’an pushed it away subtly and said, “Thank you for your kindness, Seventh Senior Brother, but I’ve already eaten.”

Chen Yunxiao’s gaze looked past her. Seeing no one else, he asked curiously, “Little Junior Sister, where is Lin Zheng? Yesterday, Master said we would set off for the Baiyun Luying Gate once our injuries improved. Where is she?”

Lu Ting’an shook her head helplessly and sighed. “Second Senior Brother, I’m afraid we won’t be leaving for a while. Madam Cui has returned, but she was so emotional she fainted. Master and Lin Zheng are treating her.”

The group was shocked: “How can that be? Wasn’t it said that Madam Cui and Old Man Cui were distant and never got along? She actually cried until she fainted?”

Lu Ting’an paused, sensing a hint of gossip: “What do you mean?”

Zhao Jingyi’s expression turned strange. He pulled her aside and lowered his voice. “Little Junior Sister, did you forget? Four years ago at the Crane Gathering Bridge Feast, Madam Cui and Old Man Cui attended together. There was also a man named… what was it?”

Ye Yunlan cut in: “Wu Chengkun! Your memory is truly something. Years ago, when the Sect Leader’s legitimate son was still young, he acted as the deputy Sect Leader. Later, his greed grew, and he actually planned to usurp the position, so he was expelled from the sect. With nowhere to go, he was fortunately taken in by Madam Cui and became a guest elder at Shiya Yeyue Pool. Because of this, things became very unpleasant with Old Man Cui.”

Lu Ting’an nodded thoughtfully. The original novel did mention this person, though only briefly, saying he had a perverse temperament and even a touch of wickedness. He always looked for underhanded shortcuts for cultivation; even the method of consuming demon cores to increase power was first proposed by him. She just hadn’t expected him to be favored by Madam Cui.

Guo Jingchen snorted and whispered, “If you ask me, those two are clearly a pair of thieves—they’ve been together for a long time. That pretty boy might be nothing else, but he’s certainly good-looking. Compared to the ‘old but vigorous’ Old Man Cui, he’s probably more to Madam Cui’s liking.”

Lu Ting’an frowned and glared at him. “What nonsense are you talking? Madam Cui comes from a prestigious family; would she get involved with such a treacherous man? Stop spreading rumors behind people’s backs.”

“Hey, hey, it’s my big mouth.” Guo Jingchen quickly slapped his own mouth twice and smiled apologetically. “But Little Junior Sister, this matter has already spread through the cultivation world. It can’t be entirely without merit, right?”

Lu Ting’an didn’t want to argue further and spoke coldly, “Since it’s spread so much, why didn’t we see Wu Chengkun when we came this time? You’re just listening to the wind and calling it rain. Stop wagging your tongue in the future.”

Chen Yunxiao suddenly spoke up: “It’s not that we didn’t see him, Little Junior Sister. It’s that even if you wanted to see him now, you couldn’t.”

Lu Ting’an was stunned. “What do you mean?”

Zhao Jingyi “tisked” twice, though whether in pity or schadenfreude was unclear. “That pretty boy—who knows if he tried something with Madam Cui right under Old Man Cui’s nose. When Old Man Cui caught him, he flew into a rage and had him beaten and thrown off the mountain.”

Lu Ting’an furrowed her brows slightly. “When did this happen?”

“Not long ago,” Zhao Jingyi said. “Probably around the days we first arrived at Yuancheng. I heard it while chatting with the disciples here.”

Lu Ting’an pondered for a moment. Suddenly, a sentence Lin Zheng had once said flashed through her mind.

“I was just thinking… could Old Man Cui’s death not be an accident?”

Since Lin Zheng had said Cui Daoyan didn’t have the ability to kill Old Man Cui, then could this Wu Chengkun—who had high cultivation and held a grudge—have waited for an opportunity to retaliate?

Thinking of this, she suddenly clapped her hands and said, “I have to tell Lin Zheng this immediately! We won’t be returning to the Baiyun Luying Gate today!”

“What?” The others were confused and wanted to ask more, but Lu Ting’an had already rushed out like a whirlwind, leaving them staring at each other.

Guo Jingchen swallowed his porridge and looked awkwardly at Chen Yunxiao. “Second Senior Brother, so today… are we still heading back to the Baiyun Luying Gate?”

Chen Yunxiao glared at him through gritted teeth. “Too much talk. Everything follows the Little Junior Sister’s lead.”

Lu Ting’an ran all the way back to Lin Yuan Pavilion out of breath. She happened to run into Sun Youqing and Lin Zheng, who had finished treating Madam Cui. Overjoyed, she stepped forward. “Lin Zheng, Master, I have something important to say!”

Sun Youqing raised a hand to interrupt her, her tone sounding a bit weary. “An’an, tell your Senior Sister first. A disciple from Shiya Yeyue Pool just reported that Young Master Cui has woken up. Hearing of his father’s death, he is unable to accept it and is throwing a fit in his room. I must go check on him.”

Lu Ting’an had no choice but to swallow her words. She and Lin Zheng bowed together. “Master has worked hard.”

Once Sun Youqing left, Lu Ting’an immediately grabbed Lin Zheng’s sleeve and whispered mysteriously, “Lin Zheng, I’ve found a very important clue.”

Lin Zheng’s brow furrowed slightly. “What is it?”

Lu Ting’an beckoned her closer. Lin Zheng leaned in, and Lu Ting’an recounted everything she had just heard from Chen Yunxiao and the others.

After hearing it, Lin Zheng’s expression was unexpectedly calm. She simply said, “Impossible.”

Lu Ting’an was stunned and said unhappily, “Why is it impossible? Wu Chengkun was a deputy Sect Leader of the Hexi Wu Family Fortress; his cultivation must be high. After being expelled by Old Man Cui, he held a grudge and waited for a chance to retaliate. What doesn’t make sense about that?”

Lin Zheng looked at her quietly, then suddenly raised a hand and tapped her lightly between the brows.

“Ouch!” Lu Ting’an felt a sting and immediately covered her forehead, complaining, “What did you poke me for?”

Lin Zheng’s tone was flat. “I was just curious why you don’t consider the practicalities when thinking about things. Old Man Cui died in the back hall of Lin Yuan Pavilion, which is more than a hundred yards from the main mountain gate. Disciples are constantly coming and going; if Wu Chengkun really snuck into Shiya Yeyue Pool from the foot of the mountain, would the entire sect really fail to notice?”

Lu Ting’an froze. Indeed, how could she have forgotten that? But she was still a bit unwilling. She pursed her lips and continued, “Then… could Wu Chengkun have snuck in from the back of the mountain?”

Lin Zheng gave a soft sigh and pointed upward.

Lu Ting’an was first startled, then reacted immediately. Shiya Yeyue Pool was built against a mountain, suspended on a cliff. There was only a waterfall cascading down from the cliff, and the bottom was a bottomless deep pool. With such terrain, never mind sneaking in to commit a crime; even trying to climb up was nearly impossible.

Thinking of this, she completely lost her spirit. She crossed her arms and said gloomily, “Then it’s truly strange. This whole thing, from start to finish, inside and out, reeks of an indescribable weirdness.”

Looking at her pouting face, Lin Zheng was silent for a moment before suddenly speaking: “I do have a way to test the truth of the matter.”