Chapter 174: How Can One Sleep Soundly Beside My Bed?
"Master, vile traitors like him don't deserve to live!"
"Allow me to send him on his way!"
"No need to dirty your hands, Master!"
The young man who had just stabbed Wei Wuyou to death turned to Jiang Feng, speaking with righteous fervor.
However…
Jiang Feng looked at him with an unfamiliar expression. After a long silence, he sighed. "You acted too hastily, Jiang Qin…"
The young man—Jiang Qin—instantly paled in panic.
Jiang Feng went on, "Only three people knew the full route: you, me, and Madam. No one else had the opportunity to leak the information. If it wasn't you, are you suggesting it was me or her?"
Jiang Qin had hoped to bluff his way through, but now that Jiang Feng had laid everything bare, he could no longer keep up the facade.
His fists clenched, his face flushed, his entire body trembling.
Whether from fear or the shame of having his secret exposed in public, even he couldn't tell.
Coldly, Jiang Qin said, "Since you've already figured out I'm the traitor, do what you will—kill or punish me."
"I've never treated you poorly, Jiang Qin," Jiang Feng said, his voice tinged with grief. "I saw you as a brother. Whatever you wanted, I gave it. Tell me—why would you betray me like this?"
Catching the family traitor didn't bring Jiang Feng satisfaction—only heartbreak. He looked at the young man he had grown up with, eyes reddened with sorrow.
He had truly seen him as a younger brother—there was no falsehood in that.
At those words, Jiang Qin suddenly burst into manic laughter, eyes crazed.
"Why?"
"You're asking me why?"
"Because you're the kindest, most virtuous man under heaven! The beloved Jade Gentleman Jiang Feng, adored by countless women—while I'm just your servant boy!"
"So what if you treated me well? Is your fortune mine to share?"
"Why must you be worshipped by all while I'm stuck in your shadow, serving you?"
"I've had enough!"
Jiang Qin's face twisted with hate, his trembling sword hand betraying his turmoil. Each word stabbed into Jiang Feng like a blade.
Behind him, Hua Yuenu gently patted her husband's back, comforting his unraveling emotions.
"What a sharp-tongued beast," said Li Gexiao coldly. "A servant who dares betray his master and even dares to justify it—vile beyond redemption. You deserve to die!"
He had listened to the whole thing word for word, his heart already ablaze with fury. Sword in hand, he strode toward Jiang Qin.
Raised by his master Zheng Dongliu, Li Gexiao followed an unshakable principle:
Those guilty of heinous evil must die!
"Don't come any closer!"
Jiang Qin shrieked, retreating in terror.
"Brother, wait!"
Soft-hearted Jiang Feng, moved by old feelings, tried once more to spare Jiang Qin's life.
But his words were no match for Li Gexiao's blade.
A flash of steel—and a fine head soared skyward.
As it hit the ground, all anyone could see were Jiang Qin's eyes, wide open in death.
Li Gexiao turned to Jiang Feng and spoke with icy indifference, "You have a wife and children. Your family must come first. Don't let your weakness put them in danger. You'll only regret it when it's too late."
Chu Yang, recognizing the pain behind Li Gexiao's words, patted him on the shoulder—he was thinking of his late wife, Jing Ruyi.
Jiang Feng sensed the good intention beneath Li Gexiao's harsh tone and nodded. "You're right, brother. I'll take this to heart."
"Enough already. All we did was stop for tea, and we end up neck-deep in trouble. Let's move!" Chu Yang waved his hand impatiently and walked off. "Old Li, let's go. Any later and we'll be sleeping in the wild."
As Chu Yang walked away, Jiang Feng hurried after him. "Sirs, I haven't asked your names. One day, I will repay you!"
Chu Yang ignored him, stretching as he walked.
Handsome, wealthy, and noble-hearted—guys like Jiang Feng always attracted women like moths to flame. With someone like that around, there'd be no attention left for the rest of them.
That was a truth Chu Yang had learned the hard way during his years in brothels.
Li Gexiao, however, didn't mind. He laughed and said, "My lord's surname is Chu. His given name is Yang. As for me… I'm Li Gexiao."
"Chu Yang… Li Gexiao…" Jiang Feng repeated the names quietly, then declared, "I'll remember you both. One day, I—"
"Will you shut up already?" Chu Yang snapped, turning back to glare at him. "You keep going on about 'one day this' and 'one day that.' Are you casting some kind of spell?"
Jiang Feng shut his mouth awkwardly.
But no sooner had the two departed than Hua Yuenu quietly ordered her people to follow. The caravan trailed behind Chu Yang and Li Gexiao at a respectful distance.
"Madam, is this really appropriate? We might cause trouble for them."
"The Twelve Zodiac Stars have countless disciples. Word of that battle will spread across the underworld in no time. Our whereabouts are already exposed. If we don't stick close to Lord Chu, we won't survive."
"You're right, Madam. Let's just hope our benefactors don't mind."
"Sir Li already gave you a warning. You just didn't catch his meaning—he told you to put me and the children above all else."
"Truly, they are kind and noble-hearted."
"That Lord Chu is downright terrifying. Never mind anything else—just the sheer force of that sword aura, I've never seen anything like it. I wonder who's stronger—him or the Palace Lord?"
"I'd bet on Lord Chu. That terrifying sword technique—I've only seen something like it in my elder brother. And even he needs a divine sword to unleash that kind of power. Lord Chu did it with a casual flick. The difference is clear."
"It's strange. He's so much younger than us, clearly raised in comfort and luxury—how can he be so powerful?"
"Hahaha, the world is full of prodigies, Madam. You're overreacting. Back in the day, the Unbeaten Wild Child Gu Santong was sweeping the realm at about Lord Chu's age."
With the danger momentarily past, the couple lightened up and chatted more freely. Up ahead, Li Gexiao, riding his horse, occasionally looked back, a faint smile of nostalgia in his eyes.
Chu Yang said with a smirk, "All these years, and still no woman has caught your eye?"
Li Gexiao shook his head. "As long as that old traitor Yan Song draws breath, my heart is like a stagnant pool—dead and still."
Chu Yang drew in a long breath, his gaze sharp as blades. "Then just wait a little longer. That day will come. Killing a Grand Secretary isn't something you rush—it takes skill."
Li Gexiao said seriously, "Thank you, Your Highness, for giving me the chance to personally take revenge. If it weren't for your restraint, you would've cleaned house long ago."
Chu Yang replied, "I'm just a prince. What happens in court isn't my concern. Whether it's full of smoke and filth or crawling with villains—doesn't bother me, so long as I can enjoy my wine and women."
Li Gexiao kept a thought to himself: Sometimes, fate moves whether you want it to or not. The moment you don that royal robe, even if you don't want the throne… it's already yours.
You may long for peace and quiet—
However, to some people, how could they allow others to snore beside their own bed?
Despite hurrying along, the group still failed to reach a town before nightfall. Left with no other choice, they found an abandoned village to rest in temporarily.
In the southern regions, the demon scourge had grown severe. It was not uncommon for entire villages or townships to abandon their ancestral homes and migrate to major cities.
When the population of these towns swelled beyond capacity, the local magistrates would often turn a blind eye, allowing refugees to cultivate nearby land and build homes there.
Although this technically violated imperial law, human lives were at stake, and exceptions had to be made. These matters were usually handled with one eye open and one eye closed.
As a result, the number of abandoned villages had surged dramatically in recent years, to the point that some became dens for demons and monsters.
These creatures were capable of disguising themselves as humans. Some villages appeared bustling and full of life, yet every single person there could be a demon in disguise.
To ensure their safety, before anyone entered the village, Li Gexiao went in alone to scout it out. As a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, this sort of reconnaissance was second nature to him.
After thoroughly inspecting every corner, Li Gexiao finally signaled for the others to come in.
Jiang Feng and his wife, along with the caravan guards, didn't dare venture too deep inside. They found a few relatively intact thatched huts on the outskirts and reluctantly settled in for the night.
The main reason they could rest their eyes at all was because of the mysterious and unfathomable Young Master Chu. As long as he was around, they felt somewhat safe.
Li Gexiao swiftly cleaned out a hut, then silently stood guard outside like a temple guardian. No matter how much Chu Yang tried to persuade him, he remained steadfast.
From a young age, Li Gexiao had been influenced by his master, Zheng Dongliu, and placed great importance on the word "loyalty." Just because Chu Yang was willing to lower himself didn't mean he should lose his own sense of propriety.
Everyone has something they hold dear. Chu Yang couldn't force him otherwise, so he simply set up a wooden bed, leaned against it, and closed his eyes to rest.
By the standards of the cultivation world, Chu Yang had already reached the second stage: Refining Qi and Manifesting Spirit. He essentially didn't need to sleep; a short meditation was enough to restore several days' worth of energy and spirit.
Besides, Chu Yang didn't think he'd get a peaceful night's sleep anyway.
In the original storyline, Yao Yue, Lian Xing, and Yan Nantian of the Palace of Shifting Flowers were supposed to appear only after the Twelve Zodiac Stars. They had just barely missed crossing paths. But since Chu Yang had altered the plot slightly, there was now a chance he might encounter them.
The reason he wasn't completely certain was because the tone of this world had already deviated from normal. No one could say how wildly the story might spiral out of control.
After all, in the neighboring xianxia world, Li Xiaoyao and Xu Changqing had shown up in the same frame.
As his thoughts ran wild into the second half of the night, a thick mist began to rise around the abandoned village. The air suddenly turned damp, as if a heavy rain had just fallen.
Drip… drip… drip…
In the silence of night, the sound of water droplets was piercing, each one like a knock upon the heart.
"Young Master, something's coming..."
Li Gexiao pushed open the door and entered. The usual carefree smile on his face was gone—he looked unusually serious.
They couldn't yet tell whether it was a spirit beast or a demon. If it was the former, it would be manageable. But if it was the latter, there could very well be heavy casualties.
"Go check on Jiang Feng and the others. Make sure they're safe."
"Yes, sir!"
As soon as Li Gexiao stepped out, Chu Yang followed right behind, heading toward the heart of the mist.
He had already caught the scent of a demon.
On the other side—
For some unknown reason, Jiang Feng, his wife, and all their guards were in an unnaturally deep sleep. Even those assigned to the night watch were slumped at the door, fast asleep.
The scene was deeply unsettling.
Since setting out, the couple had been extremely cautious, never letting down their guard. Even during rest, at least one of them would stay awake—usually Jiang Feng.
Yet now, both of them had fallen asleep at the same time. Even with Chu Yang nearby, this level of negligence was uncharacteristic.
The guards were also fast asleep. The mist around the hut grew denser, and damp patches appeared on the walls and ceiling. Their clothes were becoming moist as well.
Mist began to seep through the cracks in the hut, and vague humanoid figures with clawed limbs crept toward the slumbering couple.
"Brother Jiang!"
Li Gexiao's powerful roar rang out from outside the hut like a tiger's roar tearing through the mist. He waved a burning torch wildly, and the faint firelight lit up the interior of the room.
The mist instantly dissipated by more than half, and the shadowy figures concealed within it vanished along with it.
Bang!
Li Gexiao kicked the door wide open. The guard lying outside tumbled in, jolting awake with a start.
The dazed and disoriented guard looked up to see Li Gexiao holding both a torch and his Embroidered Spring Blade. Terrified, he cried out a few times, quickly rousing Jiang Feng and the others.
"Hero Li, what are you doing?" Jiang Feng asked in a daze, his eyes still unfocused as he looked at Li Gexiao.
"Still sleeping? You were nearly eaten by demons just now!" Li Gexiao scolded, disappointed and angry.
"Demons?!" The word snapped Jiang Feng out of his haze. His eyes cleared, and he shouted, visibly alarmed, "Where are the demons?"
The other guards jumped to their feet in panic, scanning their surroundings. Hua Yuenu clutched their two children tightly, her face pale with fear.
Jiang Feng stepped up to Li Gexiao and asked, "Hero Li, what kind of demon was it?"
"I don't know either. Young Master sent me to check on you, worried you might be attacked," Li Gexiao clicked his tongue. "Turns out, his concern was well-founded."
"You came over here—what about Young Master Chu being alone?"
Jiang Feng anxiously rushed toward the door, but Li Gexiao yanked him back.
"No need to worry about my young master. You should be worrying about yourselves. You're barely able to protect yourselves, and you're thinking about saving others?"
Li Gexiao scolded with a frown.
The so-called "World's Greatest Good Man" should just be renamed "World's Greatest Fool." Foolish kindness often comes with a heavy price.
"Don't panic, husband. Young Master Chu is a true Daoist. Whether it's a spirit beast or a demon out there, none of them are his match," Hua Yuenu quickly pulled Jiang Feng back.
Demons and the criminal underworld were two entirely different matters. The latter could still be fought with a slim chance of survival. The former—charging in recklessly was suicide.
Facing the Twelve Zodiac Stars, you might have a one-in-a-hundred chance to live. But facing demons? Not even a one-in-ten-thousand chance. Apart from the Divine Constable Bureau, even top martial artists had an extremely high death rate when encountering demons.
The awakened guards, under Li Gexiao's command, formed a defensive formation. Hua Yuenu and the children were protected in the center as they cautiously exited the hut and moved in the direction where Chu Yang had gone.
The temperature in the air dropped lower and lower, as if winter had arrived in an instant.
Meanwhile, Chu Yang, deep in the heart of the mist, had found the source.
Unlike the last time in Tongfu Inn, where he encountered a monster that was neither quite ox nor snake, this demon looked almost human.
Its entire body was snow-white, smooth like jade, as if sculpted from ice. But within its transparent body, countless human faces flickered—each one twisted in agony and silent screams.
The demon's eyes had no whites, only deep black pupils that stared unblinkingly at Chu Yang.
Suddenly—
Its lips curled upward, revealing a strange, eerie smile.
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