After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Xie Jinchen's eyes turned cold. He subtly shifted half a step to the side, completely shielding Jiang Dusheng behind him and blocking Shi Qinglian's view.

He met Shi Qinglian's gaze, his voice icy, "I cannot accept being called 'junior brother' by the Imperial Preceptor."

"I don't remember having such a senior brother who was plotting to kill me."

Xie Jinchen's tone returned to its usual casualness, as if he were discussing an amusing anecdote unrelated to himself, "But since you've put it that way, I can tell you—"

"I may not cherish my life much, nor do I necessarily want to live a long life." He raised his eyes, his gaze as sharp as a knife, "but... I will never die at your hands, Shi Qinglian."

The phrase "I may not want to live a long life" was like an ice spike, piercing Jiang Dusheng's heart unexpectedly.

That familiar, throbbing pain suddenly surged through her, even catching her breath, and she couldn't help but blurt out, "Xie Jinchen!"

Her voice carried a panic she herself was unaware of, making it all the more clear and jarring in the silence.

The compassionate and peaceful smile on Shi Qinglian's face finally vanished completely, leaving only a bottomless indifference that chilled one to the bone.

"That would be best," he said calmly.

Having said that, he didn't linger and turned to walk straight to the door.

The door opened, and just before disappearing into the night outside, he paused briefly, leaving behind one last sentence:

"I'll cover for you tonight for my sake, as your junior apprentice. Next time... you'd better pray for yourselves."

Then, the figure disappeared outside the door, as if no one had ever been there.

Only the lingering sandalwood scent in the air proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.

Xie Jinchen withdrew his gaze from the doorway and turned to look at Jiang Dusheng, his voice returning to its usual calm, "This place is not safe to stay any longer, let's go."

Jiang Dusheng, however, did not move.

She stood there, tilting her head back, her clear eyes staring straight at Xie Jinchen, her lips pursed, not saying a word, just looking at him.

There was no anger or questioning in his eyes, yet they carried more weight than any words, like a silent net enveloping him.

Xie Jinchen felt a lump in his throat as she looked at him; something beneath his hard exterior seemed to have been gently bumped.

He sighed almost imperceptibly, his tone softening, almost coaxing, "Let's leave here first. When we get back, I'll tell you everything, everything. Okay?"

Jiang Dusheng remained motionless, not even blinking an eye.

"What's wrong?" Xie Jinchen raised an eyebrow slightly, noticing that something was off about her mood, and it seemed that it wasn't just because of Shi Qinglian's words about junior brother.

Jiang Dusheng released his grip on his hand, took a step back, and increased the distance between them.

She raised her head, her gaze now calm and clear as ever, yet colder than ever before.

She spoke each word clearly and distinctly: "Since you say you might not want to live, then I don't need to bother searching for your mother's remains, nor do I need to concern myself with your life-or-death crises."

Jiang Dusheng looked into his eyes, his voice eerily calm, "After tonight, we'll go our separate ways, never to meet again."

After saying that, she turned and walked away, her steps decisive and without a trace of lingering.

Xie Jinchen was stunned for a moment, then realized that this was what she was angry about.

A strange, bittersweet sensation and a scalding heat suddenly rushed into his heart, making it almost impossible for him to control the upward curve of his lips.

Xie Jinchen didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately took a step to catch up. At the corner of the corridor, he reached out and grabbed Jiang Dusheng's hand.

"Jiang Dusheng," he gripped her wrist, gently pulling her toward him, looking down at her profile as she turned away, refusing to meet his gaze.

Xie Jinchen's voice carried an barely suppressed laugh and a deeper emotion, "Are you... worried about me?"

Jiang Dusheng tried to pull his hand back, but failed.

The inexplicable unease in her heart grew even stronger, like a damp wad of cotton stuck in her throat, making it hard for her to breathe.

She didn't answer Xie Jinchen's question, nor could she shake off his hand, so she simply pursed her lips, turned her face away, and remained silent.

The two remained silent as they left the palace, essentially "hand in hand."

They returned to the house in the alley west of the city, where a new plaque bearing the name "Jiang Mansion" had been hung.

Jiang Dusheng looked at the ebony plaque above the door, but lost all interest in appreciating it.

She pursed her lips and pushed the door open first.

Back in the main room, Jiang Dusheng didn't light a lamp. He went straight to the cabinet where he kept his luggage, pulled out an inconspicuous little cloth bag, and took out a silver note from it.

Then she turned around, facing Xie Jinchen, who was still following behind her and holding her other wrist, and with a flick of her wrist, she slapped the stack of silver notes into his palm with a "smack".

"The money spent on buying the house and all the expenses incurred over this period is probably all here, and probably more. Here's your money back; from now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

After saying that, she tried again to pull her hand back.

However, after spending so much time together, Xie Jinchen had already figured out the temperament of the person in front of him.

He appears calm and collected, seemingly unconcerned about anything, but in reality, he values ​​relationships above all else and will give his all once he has made up his mind.

Seemingly carefree and unrestrained, able to abandon everything, yet most... responds better to gentle persuasion than force.

Xie Jinchen didn't look at the silver notes, letting them slide down his palm.

The moment Jiang Dusheng pulled her hand away, he grabbed her hand in return, tightly enveloping her slightly cool fingers in his warm palm.

He leaned slightly forward, closing the distance between them that she had deliberately kept apart.

The room was dimly lit, and the light coming in from outside barely outlined the contours of his downcast eyebrows and eyes.

The usual intimidating sharpness has completely disappeared, replaced by a soft and yielding demeanor.

He asked softly in a deep voice, completely unguarded:

"Jiang Dusheng...you don't even want me anymore, do you?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Dusheng froze, staring blankly at the handsome face so close to his.

She had seen all sorts of ghosts, including some who were exceptionally beautiful in life and retained their handsome appearance even after death.

When have I ever seen a man like this before?

Normally, he is aloof and unpredictable, cold and distant as if separated from the world by an invisible barrier.

But once someone is angered, they can instantly shed all their cold edges and scheming, revealing such a vulnerable side.

Those drooping eyelashes, that slightly hoarse voice, and that gentle trembling from her palms—like a feather, they unexpectedly scratched at the most vulnerable part of her heart.

Could he be a fox spirit from the mountains reincarnated, specializing in this kind of bewitching skill?

The thought even flashed through Jiang Dusheng's mind at an inopportune moment.

She frowned, quickly recalling that she probably hadn't rescued any foxes with glossy fur from traps or hunters, right?

Even if such a thing existed, the kind of story where a fox spirit repays a debt of gratitude by offering herself in marriage seems completely out of place for a Buddhist disciple like her…

However, before she could think about it, that abnormal heartbeat came again, more intense than ever before, making her eardrums buzz and her cheeks feel slightly hot.