Part 6: Even Demons

After the Ghost Venerable departed with Yan Yunqing, Hei Nu cast a puppet spell upon the two physical bodies. When such a spell is cast on paper, the paper puppet lacks consciousness; however, when cast upon a body devoid of its soul, the result is different. The puppet appears indistinguishable from a normal person and possesses consciousness, though this consciousness remains linked to the caster. These sentient puppets continue to obey the commands of the caster regardless.

Inside the room, Shen Xunqing and Yu Huan helped each other to their feet and sat together to continue reading. From where Hei Nu stood, he could clearly see that their arms had almost completely vanished. Without the sustaining energy of the Ghost Venerable and Yan Yunqing, the dissolution of their physical forms naturally accelerated.

Hei Nu silently cast an illusion to make everything in the room appear normal. Even if his master were still here, the performance was already drawing to a close.

As the sky grew dark, Shen Xunqing and Yu Huan ate their meal and retired to their respective rooms to rest.

To prevent Chi from discovering any clues, Hei Nu assigned him a specific task: to travel to the Demon Realm in search of an herb called "Nameless." He warned Chi that he must return to the Asura Palace within the stipulated time, or he would be sent back to the underworld to visit those familiar jailers once again. Upon hearing this, Chi vanished from before Hei Nu in an instant, without even considering the possibility that Hei Nu might be lying.

The timing was perfect. Now, he only needed to place his pieces step by step to resolve this endgame.

Shortly after the Yan Kingdom’s imperial examinations concluded, an investigation into a cheating scandal began. Initially, the Crown Prince had instructed the Second Prince to plant evidence of Yu Huan cheating in the exam hall. Shen Xunqing, however, chose to play along with the scheme, using this trap to set a snare for the Crown Prince himself.

The imperial examination is a method for selecting talent, and it is not unusual for princes to select gifted candidates from among the examinees to bring into their own households as guests. Naturally, the Crown Prince had his own favored "talents" among the examinees. Shen Xunqing had Hei Nu use the same method they had used to frame Yu Huan to deliver a "generous gift" to these protégés of the Crown Prince. Their answer sheets from the first two days were replaced with flawless ones, and the essays from the final day were swapped as well. At a glance, the essays appeared unremarkable, but upon closer inspection by the grand scholars, the arguments within were found to contain subtle criticisms and refutations of the Emperor’s policies.

As expected, the examining officials discovered the discrepancies in the swapped papers. By following this trail, the investigation would inevitably lead back to the Crown Prince. Since these scholars were all members of the Crown Prince’s faction, no one could guarantee that the sentiments expressed in those essays were not the Crown Prince’s own views.

Few who sit in positions of supreme power are without a suspicious nature. Once the Emperor began to harbor doubts, everything else would naturally fall into place.

During his years in the mortal realm, Hei Nu had strictly followed Shen Xunqing’s orders, keeping a constant watch on the movements within the royal court. He had long been aware of the opposition’s plans. The Yan Emperor was ruthless and paranoid; years ago, based on nothing more than a few tavern rumors, he had allowed the Crown Prince to send assassins to end the lives of the Shen family. Now that the court was filled with the Crown Prince's men, the saying "like father, like son" held true. To ensure his position, the Crown Prince had even bribed those closest to the Emperor.

The Crown Prince had obtained a chronic poison from a recluse; it was colorless and odorless. Those who ingested it appeared energetic, but in reality, they were slowly being hollowed out from within. Over time, all their vitality would be depleted. This poison was added daily to the Emperor’s medicinal tonics.

Small incidents like these, when gathered together, were enough to serve as the catalyst—the trigger that would force the Crown Prince into open rebellion.

The following day, Hei Nu went alone to the residence of Zuo Buyu to discuss matters.

After a day of rest for the officials, Zuo Buyu returned from the morning court to find his servants in a state of panic. Following their gazes, he saw a man dressed in dark gray robes standing motionless. If he recalled correctly, this man belonged to Prince Shen’s household.

Zuo Buyu understood the situation. He waved for his servants to withdraw and invited Hei Nu into the inner hall. "Did Prince Shen send you?"

Hei Nu replied silently, "Yes."

Zuo Buyu asked, "What matter required such a visit?" He remembered this man; he was one of the Prince’s trusted confidants, otherwise, Shen Xunqing would not have sent him to the Zuo residence.

Hei Nu pulled an account book-like object from his robes. It contained the evidence and incriminating proof of the crimes committed by various court officials collected over the years, including those of the Crown Prince. Hei Nu handed it to Zuo Buyu and said, "Use this well. I want to see results in the near future."

Zuo Buyu arched an eyebrow. He opened the ledger, and even he was stunned. "This... this is..." The Shen household was indeed formidable. After his initial surprise, Zuo Buyu felt a genuine sense of alarm. He asked, confused, "Why give this to me?" If the Shen household possessed this, why wait until now?

Hei Nu turned away. "My master’s wishes have been fulfilled, and his time is short. Before long, he will resign and retreat into seclusion. Do not let his efforts go to waste..." Hei Nu then tossed a wooden token over. "Take this token to the wealthiest shop in the imperial city. The wealth and the men are all at your disposal."

Zuo Buyu stared at the token in his hand, his eyes dark and unfathomable. "Why help us?"

Hei Nu paused as he walked away. "We will be leaving this place soon. Before we go, I hope to see your results. Of course, you need not be so guarded; this is an outcome that benefits both sides. If you feel any sense of guilt, then ensure that everyone who participated in the tragedy of the Shen household is brought to justice and pays for their crimes." Hei Nu did not hesitate further and left the Zuo residence.

The servants of the Zuo residence watched the light in the study burn all night. The next morning, they saw Zuo Buyu leave his home with a grave expression.

Hei Nu stood watch in the Shen residence, observing the two puppets huddled together, laughing and talking as they spent their remaining time. Suddenly, he recalled memories from long ago—the life he lived with Hua Shang before he ever met his master.

Before long, new rumors swept the imperial city regarding the mastermind behind the cheating scandal, with the Crown Prince being the most frequently named suspect. In the imperial court, the tides of power shifted as various factions collapsed and realigned.

The investigation into the cheating scandal concluded, confirming the Crown Prince's involvement. The Yan Emperor ordered the Crown Prince to be detained and stripped of his title. Following this, the Emperor fell ill; he, who had previously been in good spirits, suddenly became bedridden and appeared to be in critical condition.

Subsequently, the Crown Prince launched a rebellion, which was suppressed by the Fifth Prince’s troops. Upon hearing of the rebellion, the Yan Emperor was struck with immense grief; he ordered the Crown Prince to be given poisoned wine and passed the throne to the Fifth Prince, ordering him to oversee the court while he remained bedridden.

The Yan Emperor did not last many more days before he passed away. The Fifth Prince ascended the throne and ordered a reinvestigation into the Shen family tragedy, proclaiming the truth to the world.

All those involved in the Shen family tragedy were captured. During this time, a peculiar event occurred: the Sixth Princess, Yan Qianqian, vanished overnight.

In the bustling imperial city, Yan Ziqing and Zuo Buyu decided to visit the Shen residence in their spare time. However, upon arrival, they found the manor dilapidated and ruined, as if it had been abandoned for over a decade.

The puppets had vanished completely. Hei Nu calculated the time and returned to the underworld to report.

In the Demon Realm, Mo Qianqian, who had been in the mortal realm, sensed the Ghost Venerable’s departure and intended to follow him. However, an unexpected turn of events occurred: the Second Prince of the Demon Realm, Mo Yi, arrived in the mortal realm and, without a word, dragged Mo Qianqian back to the Demon Realm.

The current Lord of the Demon Realm had three heirs: the eldest, Prince Mo Yan; the second, Princess Mo Qianqian; and the third, Prince Mo Yi.

Mo Yan was a renowned martial arts fanatic and had a close friendship with the Ghost Venerable. The second princess, Mo Qianqian, was spoiled and willful; because of Mo Yan, she had incessantly pestered the Ghost Venerable. The first two had grown up in the Demon Realm.

Only the third prince, Mo Yi, had been lost during the frequent wars that erupted in the Demon Realm at the time of his birth. The Demon Lord had searched for him for years without success, only for Mo Yi to return on his own when he reached adulthood.

Mo Yi had been back for quite some time before he slowly grew close to Mo Qianqian and Mo Yan. Shortly after he had left, he discovered an object missing from his room. Tracing the location of the cloak, he had arrived in the mortal realm and incidentally brought Mo Qianqian back with him. If members of the Demon Realm were discovered in other realms, it would inevitably cause trouble; it was better to prevent such things whenever possible.