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Meanwhile, under the cover of darkness and bushes, Yan Furui held his breath and lay in ambush outside the courtyard where Cang Hong and the others were staying.

He faintly heard Shen Yindeng's cold yet resolute voice coming from inside the window: "...Yunxi Village has a unique terrain, making it an excellent place for an ambush. As long as we lure her here, we'll make sure she never leaves!"

He didn't hear the full details of the conspiracy, but he retreated with a pounding heart, just in time to run into Bai Jin, who was admiring the moon alone under the eaves.

The unfathomable master seemed to see through his panic and gave a meaningful insight: "The feud between Shen Yindeng and Miss Si Teng dates back to their ancestors and is irreconcilable."

Seeing his confusion, the kind-hearted intern suspense master Wang Qiankun lowered his voice and added the fatal detail: "I heard that it was Si Teng who killed Shen Yindeng's master, Shen Cuiqiao, back then."

Yan Furui was shocked and instinctively wanted to take out his phone to secretly take a picture of Shen Yindeng as evidence.

However, just as the camera was pointed at him, a cold hand suddenly grabbed his wrist!
Shen Yindeng had appeared silently behind him without him noticing, her eyes gleaming with a cold light.

Under such a piercing gaze, Yan Furui was so frightened that he trembled violently and, in his incoherent speech, even revealed Su Ning's existence and information.

Shen Yindeng snorted coldly, deleted the photo, and lingered her gaze on his pale face for a moment, as if looking at an ant, before leaving indifferently.

"Su Ning? Is he also a member of the Kai tribe?" Shen Yindeng murmured to herself thoughtfully as she watched Yan Furui's departing figure.

……

At this moment, Su Ning and Si Teng were analyzing the clues provided by Cang Hong during the day when Yan Furui rushed in in a panic, covered in sweat.

Just then, Shen Yindeng's figure passed by the path outside the window. Su Ning's heart tightened, and without thinking, she chased after him. In an instant, only Si Teng and the still-shaken Yan Furui remained in the room.

Looking at the aloof woman before him, Yan Furui recalled Wang Qiankun's words and mustered all his courage, pleading in a trembling voice, "Miss Si Teng, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its debtor. Please...please be merciful and do not implicate...indiscriminate killing..."

These words instantly enraged Si Teng.

Her gaze darkened, and the pressure around her suddenly dropped: "Are you trying to teach me how to do things?"

"Ah..." The powerful pressure made Yan Furui's legs go weak, and he dared not hide anything any longer, immediately telling the whole story about Shen Cuiqiao.

"Shen Cuiqiao?" Si Teng's eyes flashed with malice. He suddenly flicked his sleeve, and the teapot and teacups on the table shattered, spilling tea everywhere!
"What a fine revenge! If I really wanted to wipe out her entire Suspended Sword Cave clan, why would I need some kind of slow-acting restriction? I could have slaughtered them all on the spot!"

A surge of anger echoed in the room, yet this rage came quickly and went just as strangely.

She suddenly fell silent, her terrifying aura slowly receding, and a faint hint of self-mockery flashed in her eyes.

“However…” her voice lowered, carrying a coldness that scrutinized the past, “If I had been driven to the brink back then, perhaps… I really would have done something so ruthless.”

She muttered a curse under her breath, unsure whether she was cursing Shen Yindeng or her past self. Without looking at the bewildered Yan Furui, she turned and went to find Qin Fang.

……

Meanwhile, Su Ning tracked Shen Yindeng into a dimly lit alley, but the figure in front of him vanished into thin air like a ghost.

As he looked around warily, a cold voice sounded from behind him: "Are you looking for me?"

Su Ning turned around abruptly, only to be caught off guard by a pair of deep eyes that gleamed with a strange purple light, like a vortex that seemed to suck his soul in!

Just as he was in a daze, a clear, sharp shout pierced the night:

"presumptuous!"

Si Teng suddenly appeared, blocking Su Ning's path, his gaze like an icy blade piercing Shen Yindeng.

The purple light in Shen Yindeng's eyes vanished instantly, returning to normal. She gave the two of them a meaningful smile, then turned and disappeared into the darkness.

Si Teng was extremely dissatisfied that Su Ning was involved with Shen Yindeng, as if his beloved toy had been stolen by someone else.

She then adopted an almost elder-like tone, even adding a rare touch of mockery: "Su Ning, actually, given my age, it wouldn't be an exaggeration for you to call me 'Great-Grandma.' How can you act so recklessly?"

"Hmph! Sito, I'm not your toy."

"That's right! You are my servant."

“You…” Su Ning was both angry and embarrassed by her words, her face turned red, and she finally stormed off.

Under the cold moonlight, only Si Teng stood alone.

She gazed in the direction where Shen Yindeng had disappeared, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

The appearance of this Miao woman was no accident. The past, sealed away by blood and time, was like a hidden undercurrent, quietly surging, about to unveil a new chapter...

……

The members of the Suspended Gate gathered again in the hall, the flickering candlelight illuminating their solemn faces.

The air was heavy; the debate about Si Teng and the Kai tribe had temporarily subsided, and a stifling silence enveloped the surroundings.

Suddenly, Shen Yindeng stood up abruptly, her dress rustling, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

Her tone, filled with an undeniable urgency, broke the silence:

"Yunxi Village!"

She stated unequivocally, "There are indeed traces of the Kagyu tribe in the deep mountains nearby, it's no exaggeration! This demon is called 'Red Umbrella,' and it is extremely ferocious. Not long ago, on the night of the full moon, I encountered it by chance, and only by using all my strength and even the secret treasure inherited from the Shen family was I able to severely injure it!"

Her gaze was intense as she swept over every cultivator present, her voice growing clearer: "That demon fled wounded, and its blood—blood imbued with demonic power—has seeped deeply into the soil of the battlefield. All we need to do is retrieve that handful of 'blood-soaked soil,' and that will be irrefutable evidence! We'll present it to Si Teng then, and see what she has to say!"

However, as soon as he finished speaking, Platinum frowned slightly.

He tapped his knuckles lightly on the table, making a rhythmic sound, and raised a question: "What Silver Lamp said seems reasonable, but Si Teng is not someone to be trifled with. Based on a handful of soil that is difficult to distinguish visually, I'm afraid... it's still hard to convince her. On the contrary, she might accuse it of being a baseless fabrication, which would only increase her suspicion."

To everyone's surprise, Shen Yindeng reacted unusually strongly to this reasonable question.

She abruptly turned to Bai Jin, her chest heaving slightly, a near-obsessive glint in her eyes, and her voice rose a few decibels: "That Crimson Umbrella's demonic power is special; the soil stained with its blood will surely show abnormalities! This is the only way to force her to personally go to Yunxi Village to investigate! Do we have a better option? Should we just sit and wait for her to defeat us one by one?"

Her unusual obsession made it seem as if she regarded "leading Si Teng to Yunxi Village" as the only and necessary goal, even overshadowing considerations of the reliability of the evidence itself.

Bai Jin remained silent, but gave her a thoughtful, deep look, as if trying to pierce through her anxious facade and uncover her true intentions.

The rest of the Suspended Gate members, who were initially hesitant, began to waver when they saw Shen Yindeng's resolute determination and her mention of her family's secret treasures and personal experiences. Amidst whispers, their wavering became increasingly apparent.

The candlelight flickered again in the hall, casting the swaying shadows of the group onto the wall, its flickering light seemingly foreshadowing the turbulent and potentially deadly journey to Yunxi Village that was about to begin.

……

A few days later, one afternoon, sunlight streamed through the oxygen bar's transparent dome as Bai Jin was adjusting his live-streaming equipment, preparing for his upcoming "Suspenseful Talks."

The room was quiet, with only a faint hum of electricity.

Suddenly, a burst of cheerful footsteps broke the silence.

The little girl skipped in like a deer, curiously circling around the gleaming equipment, her tiny hands almost touching the intricate interfaces.

"Oh dear, little darling, you can't touch that!" Bai Jin quickly stopped him, pulling out a few beautifully packaged fruit candies from his pocket with a headache, trying to "bribe" him with sweet words, "Here, Uncle will give you some candy, why don't you go play over there?"

To everyone's surprise, Wafang immediately straightened up, shook his head with a righteous expression, and imitated an adult's tone: "Master and Uncle Su both said that you can't eat things given by strangers!"

Platinum was speechless, not knowing whether to laugh or cry...

This little ingrate, he would accept any snacks and treats from Si Teng without hesitation, but he's suddenly become very strict with me.

Seeing that his gentle approach wasn't working, Bai Jin's eyes gleamed slyly. He deliberately lowered his voice, adopting a mysterious and sinister tone: "Alright! Alright, fine, no candy then. How about... Uncle tells you a story? A story about a monster that lives deep in the mountains and forests, who... um... likes to play with children, called Red Umbrella..."

He vividly described how the Red Umbrella appeared and disappeared mysteriously and had a terrifying appearance, making Wafang's face turn pale and his eyes widen.

Finally, the child cried out "Wah!" and turned to run away, as if something truly terrifying was chasing him. Wafang ran all the way, familiar with the place, and rushed into Siteng's residence.

The hall was quiet and peaceful. Si Teng stood in front of the large mahogany table, holding a brush in her delicate hand, concentrating on writing. On the Xuan paper, sparse branches and vines gradually took shape.

The still-shaken child sidled up to her, tugged at her clothes, and looked up at her pleadingly, "Auntie Si Teng, can you teach me to write?"

It seemed that only by immersing oneself in this peaceful activity could the terrifying stories just heard be dispelled.

Si Teng glanced at him with her eyes down, neither confirming nor denying, but her pen continued to move.

Watching this rare heartwarming scene, Su Ning couldn't help but smile. He quietly took out his sketchbook and charcoal pencil and quickly began sketching.

The bright light streaming through the window, the focused expression of the woman, and the child beside her with his head tilted back, his face full of dependence.

With just a few strokes, the tranquility and gentleness of the room were captured on paper.

After a while, Wafang's attention was drawn to Suning's painting.

He leaned closer to take a look and immediately exclaimed in admiration, "Uncle Su, your drawing is so lifelike!"

Suddenly, as if remembering something, his eyes lit up, and with a childlike innocence mixed with fear and curiosity, he pleaded, "Uncle Su, you're so good at drawing, then... then could you draw the Red Umbrella for me? It's the really scary monster that Uncle Bai Jin mentioned..."

The moment the words "Red Umbrella" were uttered...

Si Teng's wrist suddenly froze, and the ink-soaked brush abruptly stopped in mid-air.

A drop of ink, unable to withstand the sudden stillness, broke free from the brush tip and silently dripped onto the nearly completed painting on the rice paper, quickly spreading into a sudden, bottomless ink stain.

She knew that the Kali tribe was not only not rejected by humans, but also devoured each other within the tribe. At this moment, she understood why things had happened recently.

……

The night was as dark as ink, and the hotel corridor was brightly lit, but the light could not penetrate the pervasive panic.

Yan Furui ate too much in the evening and felt unbearably bloated, so he went out for a walk to digest his food, leaving Wafang alone in the room to sleep soundly.

Inside the hotel, most of the members of the Suspended Gate were meditating quietly in their respective rooms, creating a peaceful atmosphere.

Suddenly, a muffled thud, like a heavy object falling to the ground, came clearly from the room of the president, Cang Hong!

The neighbors were the first to be alarmed and rushed out of the door.

They burst through Cang Hong's unlocked door, and a horrifying scene unfolded before their eyes...

Master Canghong collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, blood oozing from his lips, and his clothes soaked with a dark color, clearly indicating that he had suffered severe internal injuries.

"President!" "Master!"

The crowd gasped and rushed forward.

Cang Hong struggled to open his eyes, his breath faint. With his last strength, he grabbed the wrist of the person closest to him and forced out broken words through gritted teeth: "It was...it was the Kagyu tribe...who did it..."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already fainted again.

The word "Kao" struck everyone like a thunderclap.

In an instant, grief and fear intertwined, and the roars of anger, vowing to fight the injuring tribe to the death, echoed through the corridor.

Just then, Yan Furui returned from his walk. Before he could figure out what had happened, he felt a sudden panic and rushed back to his room.

Pushing open the door, I found the room empty, the bed in disarray, and the tile-roofed house where I should have been sleeping soundly was gone!
He was terrified and hurriedly checked the hotel's surveillance footage. However, what was even stranger was that all the footage showed that everything was normal and no suspicious person had entered or left his room's floor. It was as if the house had vanished into thin air.

The search lasted all night, but to no avail; an atmosphere of despair almost overwhelmed them.

As dawn broke, Shen Yindeng appeared "at the opportune moment." Upon hearing the news, she showed surprise and sympathy, then, as if suddenly remembering something, she muttered to herself casually, "Last time...wasn't Wafang 'invited' by Miss Siteng to be a guest? That child, he's really had a lot of bad luck..."

These words were like a spark falling into an oil drum, instantly igniting Yan Furui's last remaining rationality.

He was completely flustered and no longer cared about his fear. Like a desperate, trapped beast, he rushed towards Si Teng's residence without any regard for his own safety.

Fearing something might happen to him, Wang Qiankun hurriedly chased after him.

"Si Teng! Did you do this?! Where did you move the tile house?!" Yan Furui rushed into the house, his eyes bloodshot, and he shouted angrily.

Si Teng slowly raised his eyes, facing his overwhelming rage, yet his expression remained calm, almost indifferent. "If I really did it,"

She asked calmly, her voice devoid of any emotion, "Why go to such lengths to conceal our tracks?"

Yan Furui was frozen in place by her words. His surging emotions were like being doused with ice water, gradually calming down and his rationality returning.

Yes! With Si Teng's abilities and personality, if he really wanted to take Wafang away, why would he need to ambush Cang Hong, or hide from surveillance?
"Then...who could it be?" His voice trembled, filled with helplessness.

Si Teng's lips curled into a cold smile: "Hmph! It's naturally the one who wants to devour me but is unwilling to show himself."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Shen Yindeng arrived with the so-called "blood-soaked soil" to request an audience. She spoke earnestly, seeking to prove the existence of the Crimson Umbrella and implying that the trip to Yunxi Village was of utmost urgency.

Si Teng carefully examined the handful of soil, his fingertips tracing the dark particles of earth. His gaze was deep and unfathomable, but he didn't utter a word, simply dismissing them indifferently.

With his plan thwarted, Shen Yindeng was extremely anxious.

Unwilling to accept defeat, she tried to contact Su Ning and asked to meet him alone.

After receiving the message, Suning hesitated for a moment, but ultimately handed the phone directly to Si Teng.

Seeing his sincere attitude, Si Teng readily agreed: "Go ahead."

After Su Ning left, Si Teng turned his gaze to the shadows in the corner: "Come out."

Yan Furui lingered, reluctant to leave, emerging from the shadows with a mixture of worry, shame, and a last glimmer of hope on his face.

Upon learning that Wafang was an orphan he had found in Cangcheng Mountain, and that the two had relied on each other for many years, Si Teng remained silent for a moment before finally saying, "Take me to the hotel."

"grateful."

However, just as they were about to set off, Suning called.

Si Teng listened to the phone call, his gaze shifting several times before he suddenly changed his mind.

She instructed Su Ning to immediately tell Shen Yindeng: Set off for Yunxi Village at once.

When the news reached back, the severely injured Cang Hong was unable to move and entrusted his apprentice Wang Qiankun to lead the team in his place.

Bai Jin was the first to express his support, and although the members of the Suspended Gate were uneasy, they had no choice but to agree.

Then, Si Teng personally went to the room in the hotel where the missing person had gone missing to investigate carefully.

Her fingertips brushed across the window frame and the ground as she closed her eyes and focused on perceiving.

After a long while, she opened her eyes and whispered the cold truth to Su Ning, who had returned beside her: "There's no need to look anymore. The tile-roofed house has already met with misfortune."

A cold glint flashed in her eyes, her chilling killing intent almost tangible, and each word she uttered was resounding and forceful:

"This grudge will be avenged."

...(End of chapter)