The man rested one hand on the wheelchair's armrest and held a birdcage in the other. Instead of birds inside, a little white monkey curled up in a ball.

Bai Fanlu frowned and glanced at Wei Lin.

Wei Lin once again gave an expression that vaguely carried a hint of a smile, "Had a good talk?"

He directed the question at He Sang with a gentle tone that was somewhat different from the volatile look on his face.

He Sang whispered, "My Lord, please don't make things difficult for him.”

As he said this, Wei Lin stretched out his hand to him. He Sang stood up and slowly approached the wheelchair before kneeling and looking up at the man religiously as if worshipping a god.

Bai Fanlu could see now, the merman had a pair of human legs, but he walked extremely slowly, step after step, as if he were treading on the tip of a knife. Anyone could tell it was tough.

Wei Lin tenderly stroked He Sang's long and light blue hair, "Don't worry, I only wish to seek his advice."

As he said this, Wei Lin raised his hand and waved, making Bai Fanlu take a step back vigilantly. Then, a cloud of black fog appeared between the two and gradually dissipated and materialised into a scene.

From the scene's viewpoint, all that could be seen was a large patch of white flushed skin under the open lapels of a man in white and the low-angled side of his face. The man was biting his lips lightly, saying, "Come closer, and I'll tell you."

Bai Fanlu widened his eyes at this.

That person's lips in the scene were like flower petals and were extremely attractive. The man then slowly uttered, "I am...' Young Master Ming'..."

The scene ended here abruptly. That man, without a doubt, was Bai Fanlu himself.

So, it was because of that Flower Thief!

What was Wei Lin's relationship with that bastard? How could he conjure up a scene witnessed by someone right before his death?

Legend had it that certain demons had the ability to record their memories during their lifetimes and leave them to demons of the same origin for them to exact revenge on their behalf.

Bai Fanlu detected an ominous hunch. He did not expect the hidden branch plot would intersect with the main plotline.

Was that what the system meant when it mentioned that Bai Fanlu had unlocked a hidden event when he completed the side mission ‘Retribution for evil’?

‘The horse proudly gallops in the gentle breeze of spring’ was easy to understand. As long as Bai Fanlu could tame a horse, it would be considered accomplished. But what of ‘The reflection of the moon was never real’...

"Dare I ask Young Master Bai, what is your opinion on the death of my brother?”

Bai Fanlu definitively strung these points together, and his brain cells were immediately overwhelmed.

Therefore, the Flower Thief happened to be Yingzhou City's Governor's younger brother. Bai Fanlu had planned to handle this mission secretly, but never thought he would be targeted when he entered the city. That also explained the abrupt Parade of Offering, which started when he arrived.

Later on, the fake identity he had used happened to be He Sang's benefactor. He Sang sought to save him, but the Governor wanted him dead. The couple probably secretly got into a dispute with each other and brought him here as a last resort.

Bai Fanlu didn't need to worry—Xiao Liu's face did not appear in the scene because he was behind the Flower Thief at the time. That was probably the only silver lining in this unfortunate event.

"I alone am responsible for this," Bai Fanlu declared, "However, my friend is innocent. Dare I ask the Governor, why did you arrest him earlier today?”

Wei Lin raised his eyebrows, "He was audacious and offended me. So why shouldn't I?”

"I assumed the Governor was using him as bait to trap me," Bai Fanlu smiled, "it seems that I am overthinking."

"Ha!" Wei Lin also twitched his lips, "I just didn't expect that Young Master Bai is a man of passion."

He Sang's shoulders quivered a little while on his knees.

Wei Lin patted him comfortingly, "My Lady, are you tired? You have just taken your medicine. You need rest."

"But Bai Dage..."

"It's fine. I will be keeping him as a guest at the Residence for a few days, then I will personally send him out of the city."

What?!

Bai Fanlu's spirit was jolted. That man was clearly accusing him the moment before, yet he promised to send him out of the city?

Bai Fanlu feared it was not going to be that simple. What does the Governor have up his sleeve?

"Young Master Bai, this way, please."

Bai Fanlu responded with a gesture of concession, "Governor, please."

Wei Lin said no more and moved his wheelchair with Bai Fanlu following behind. When he looked back, He Sang was already lying down with his back facing him.

A servant girl drew down the curtain before turning and walking over.

A breeze gently raised the curtain, but the maid took no notice and hung her head down, moving quietly with lotus steps. It was a rather ordinary scene, but Bai Fanlu sensed something strange.

Suddenly, a white shadow sprung out from behind the curtain. A rabbit leapt out from nowhere and jumped at the maid's feet. Once again, it was ignored and accidentally kicked as she continued to walk. The creature struggled a few times, tumbled then ran back behind the curtain.

"..." Bai Fanlu frowned slightly.

After leaving the building at the heart of the lake, Wei Lin didn't bother to pay any attention to Bai Fanlu. He merely manoeuvred his wheelchair and approached the other side of the corridor.

Bai Fanlu wasn't sure if what the man mentioned earlier was true or false. But he couldn't delay finding out, so he approached and expressed, "Governor, I'm sorry for what happened to your brother, but..."

"I know," Wei Lin turned in his wheelchair to face him. With a faint expression, he said, "But he is guilty and deserves to die. What is Young Master Bai worried about? Perhaps concerned that I might hunt you down to seek revenge?"

"..." Bai Fanlu couldn't answer straight away. He didn't expect Wei Lin to be so direct, and to be honest, Bai Fanlu could not discern whether this Governor was telling the truth or not.

"Young Master Bai, please be at ease and stay here for a few days. As for that young man, if you miss him, I will send someone to bring him here."

Bai Fanlu said immediately, "There is no need. The present arrangement is fine."

Wei Lin left with an indistinct smile. Bai Fanlu sensed a menace in the man's words, but he had no other choice but to observe from the sidelines.

At the moment, Bai Fanlu wondered if the Demonic Energy Rift and the sealing formation had been discovered.

"Young Master, this way, please."

A servant girl beckoned along a narrow side corridor, and Bai Fanlu followed her into a wing room.

He wanted to ask some questions, but the maid bowed her head and quickly withdrew.

Bai Fanlu sat down at the table. The teapot and cup were placed upright in the middle of the table. Bai Fanlu poured himself a cup of tea, dipped his finger into the tea and tapped it twice on the table. The droplets took on an eerie deep red colour.

Bai Fanlu brought his finger closer and detected the stench of blood.

It was an illusion technique. Bai Fanlu surveyed the surroundings, got up and walked outside.

Just by using a bit of spiritual energy, Bai Fanlu had already discovered something wrong with this mansion. However, he could not make out the larger picture of what was amiss.

In the novel, as soon as Yun Zhan and the Bai Fanlu arrived in Yingzhou, they noticed the demonic energy shrouding the Governor's Mansion. The duo directly sneaked in at night to investigate. Unfortunately, Wei Lin discovered them, and they didn't have time to probe before being imprisoned. Later on, after sealing the rift, the battle with Wei Lin also took place outside the Mansion.

Bai Fanlu went out of the quarters and looked around. The corridors looked like any corridors, rooms were merely standard rooms. There were guards armed with swords patrolling and maids who ambled silently...

Nothing was out of the ordinary, no matter where he looked.

Bai Fanlu recalled the barrier when he entered the door and the weird gatekeeper standing watch at the door, the maid who passed him by, and that cup of...blood tea.

All of a sudden, Bai Fanlu realised something. He abruptly opened his eyes, clenched his fists, and stepped back into the room.

Now he knew precisely where the problem lay.

Within the barrier, in this official Residence of red-bricked walls and blue ceramic tiles, there was not a single living person, no matter where he glanced!

It was then that Bai Fanlu felt a genuine sense of fear.

This was like a scene from a zombie movie, the servants and attendants were performing their duties and moving around the mansion like the living dead.

They all lowered their heads, but Bai Fanlu could detect countless pairs of eyes prying at him greedily in the dark. All that was left was for a command, and they would all pounce on him to tear him apart.

Bai Fanlu was horrified and swiftly returned to the room and shut the door. Just as he was about to cast a restriction seal on the door, he stopped again.

If Wei Lin wanted to do something, this was his territory and within the boundary of his barrier. A restriction seal was as good as a praying mantis's attempt to stop a car. Not only was it useless, but it would also directly reveal his current identity as an immortal cultivator. Bai Fanlu would lose his only leverage to scheme against the opponent.

Bai Fanlu simply settled down and gathered his focus to meditate. When he had sealed the Demonic Energy Rift underground earlier, there was something different about his body, and he was now trying to regulate back to normalcy quickly.

Cangjin, which he secretly wielded, was wrapped around his wrist like a faint dark golden ribbon. It had multiplied from one to three strips, which implied that it had absorbed something.

Could it be from the sealed Demonic Energy Rift?

The change in Cangjin's form reflected the changes in his body. Bai Fanlu shut his eyes and only felt that his body's spiritual energy was circulating smoothly.

At the same time, the serpent-like force within did not fade away, but on the contrary, seemed to have grown stronger. The initial pain was somehow subsiding under his suppression and merging with his spiritual energy in an indistinguishable manner.

Bai Fanlu secretly coalesced and cast the fire spirit spell, which was his strongest attack spell at present. A massive ball of fire formed in his palm, reflecting two flames in Bai Fanlu's eyes.

His strength had been restored!

Bai Fanlu quickly suppressed his aura and gained another ten percent certainty in victory. He only had to wait for the right moment until the seal completely contained the Demonic Energy Rift, causing Wei Lin to weaken, before he struck.

However, he had no idea about Wei Lin's purpose for allowing him to stay here for a few more days.

Did that man believe or doubt his identity as a demon?

If he accepted, then they were both of the Demon Clan. Wei Lin shouldn't be intent on harming him in that case. But if he didn't believe it, why didn't he act on it directly?

While pondering the possible connections between the series of events, Bai Fanlu covertly reviewed the spells that the book's Bai Fanlu knew. He even tried teleporting, but all attempts were inevitably futile within the opponent's barrier.

In this way, two hours passed, and the sun set as evening drew in. Bai Fanlu got up, opened the door, and strolled along the corridor at will. He ambled to the front of the small building in the middle of the lake.

Bai Fanlu didn't know if He Sang had woken up. He only saw the personal servant girl standing outside the door.

Bai Fanlu watched her from a distance and approached after a while. The servant girl had bowed her head and didn't move, but she blocked him when Bai Fanlu was about to step across the threshold.

"The lady is resting. Please come back later, Young Master.”

"Oh..." Bai Fanlu answered, "Pardon my intrusion then."

He cupped his hands and was about to turn around, suddenly his feet slipped and he bent down, his hands inadvertently touching the ground.

The light breeze generated slightly lifted the servant girl's skirt and revealed her right ankle.

The half-black tip of her blade was diagonally tucked in at the back of her ankle.

Bai Fanlu's eyes lit up. Found it!

Before he could make a move, he heard an apprehensive voice call out, "Bai Dage? What's wrong?"

"Ah, it's nothing..." Bai Fanlu's half-clasped his fingers and pressed against his foot, "I twisted my foot by accident. I wanted to look for you, but I heard you were still resting."

He Sang held the door, seemingly struggling to stand upright.

"Why are you here?" Bai Fanlu asked, secretly anxious. If only he came out a second later!

"I heard you," He Sang smiled softly, "I get to come out occasionally, since it's too boring to stay inside all the time."

This man also went out during the day at the Parade of Offering, so it was not surprising to Bai Fanlu.

"The Lord is not here. Bai Dage, take a walk with me."

"Of course."

"Is your foot all right?" He Sang asked out of concern.

Bai Fanlu replied, "I'm fine. I have to move around more, and it will be completely healed. But you…Do you wish to take a seat? Or, would you like me to push you?"

What he meant was that he could move He Sang in a wheelchair like Wei Lin, but He Sang shook his head and insisted, "No, I can walk."

After He Sang finished speaking, he raised one hand, revealing a staff he held. It was made of red jade and carved in the shape of bamboo. Carried against his thin, flowing blue robes, it was very eye-catching.

Bai Fanlu glanced at the ornate staff, leaned in slightly, and strolled side by side with He Sang.

After taking a few steps, Bai Fanlu asked, "He Sang, your legs...?"

"Bai Dage must think that this is weird, right? I am a merman; how can I have human legs?"

"It is indeed peculiar. Legend has it that the merfolks have never left the sea for generations. Anyone who comes into contact with humans will eventually lose their freedom because of being rendered immobile on land due to their fishtail. They also tend to be held in captivity as a result..."

Bai Fanlu's tone changed, "Although I can see that Governor Wei treats you very well, and you have a pair of human legs, so have your freedom and the ability to protect yourself."

There was a touch of emotion in He Sang's gentle eyes, "Actually, my legs are formed by the differentiation of my fishtail. Speaking of which, it was due to the help of an expert that the Lord found a year ago.

"Oh? What kind of expert?"

There were only a few crucial characters in this novel, but after encountering the Flower Thief, Bai Fanlu realised that he should have a proper understanding of the branching plotline. At this time, he was curious to know who the expert who helped He Sang was.

"He was wearing a veiled hat, and because he stood far away from me, I couldn't see what he looked like. I only remembered him wearing green attire and sensed that he should have been a profound immortal cultivator.

Green-robed immortal?

Bai Fanlu hurriedly asked, "Was his hair white or black?

He Sang thought carefully, "It should be...black."

Then it couldn't be Ling Qingzi.

If it weren't his Shizun, who else could fit the description of a peak level immortal cultivator who wears green robes?

"Did he ever mention his name?"

"Never."

Bai Fanlu was a little disappointed, but when he noticed He Sang casually mentioning ‘immortal’, he turned to ask, "He Sang, do you know that Governor Wei...is a practitioner of demonic cultivation?”

"De..." He Sang slightly lowered his head, "I know. He is doing it for me."

Listening to He Sang's melancholy tone, Bai Fanlu took the opportunity to convince him, "All Merfolk carry the bloodline of the ancient gods. If he becomes a demonic cultivator, not only will he have no way back, the two of you can never be together ultimately. Have you tried to dissuade him or take any other means to stop him from hurting innocents?"

"I...did try to persuade him." He Sang sighed.

"He wouldn't listen?"

"En. He said that I was foolish and that those he had killed all deserved to die."

Pausing, Ha Sang looked at Bai Fanlu and added, "Bai Dage may not believe this, but when the Lord found out about his brother's demise, he hated Bai Dage. However, he was soon relieved when he knew more about his brother's deeds. He told me that his brother deserved the punishment for his crimes, and no one else should be held accountable.”

"And the young master who was in your company was arrested in the Lord's moment of anger. He knew that the boy had escaped but let him go.”

So that was how it was! Bai Fanlu didn't expect it at all.

Seeing Bai Fanlu's surprised expression, He Sang sighed, "In the eyes of outsiders, the Lord is cruel and unpredictable, but in my opinion, he just used the wrong method, and it was I who implicated him."

Before he went up the steps, He Sang stopped and took a difficult stride. Bai Fanlu wanted to help him but was gestured to stop.

He Sang clenched his lower lip, and the knuckle tendons of the hand holding the staff were protruding. Blue-green veins appeared under his pale and almost transparent skin, exposing how hard it was to take these steps.

"Ha...so much for the bloodline of the ancient gods," He Sang mocked at himself as he walked, tears glistening in his eyes, "We have no strength, and even if we face ordinary mortals, we can only be slaughtered."

"Only the Lord truly cares for me. Even if I can't support him, I don't want to be a stumbling block to him."

He Sang's words carried too much information that was disruptive to the original plotline that Bai Fanlu had been going over repeatedly in his mind. It was hard for him to absorb all that at once.

He did not speak, and He Sang was also briefly silent.

He Sang paced very sluggishly, and Bai Fanlu naturally slowed down. It was evening when they started the walk, but the sky was almost completely dark when the two of them got to a few hundred metres away.

Bai Fanlu looked at the dreamlike night sky above his head due to the barrier and sighed lightly with mixed emotions.

"Bai Dage, He Sang has a question. Could you please help me to clarify?"

"Go ahead."

"Young Master Ming is the current leader of the Demon Realm and is also the blood relative of Bai Dage. If so, Bai Dage should be a member of the Demon Race. Why does He Sang feel that...you resemble the otherworldly expert who once rescued me?"