Ling had already packed her luggage and was waiting for Song Cheng.

But since Song Cheng hadn't returned, Tong Jia was also anxious.

By evening, they suddenly heard someone announce "the young miss is back," and then they also heard "the young miss has taken Song Cheng to the back room, closed the door, and it's unknown what they are discussing."

Ling and Tong Jia hurriedly ran over, arriving at the door, they saw Ying leaning against the wall.

Ling rushed forward and said in a delicate voice, "Yingying, you've come back so early?"

Ying, clad in a silver sword robe, cold brows and cold eyes, did not utter a word, just holding her knife.

Ling grinned and giggled.

She really didn't know what mystery was at play here.

Why had the young miss come back early, and why was she with Song Cheng?

Both of them had the power to decide her fate, making Ling's heart flip and flop.

As she laughed, she intended to walk into the courtyard, saying, "Yingying, I'm going to make a pot of hot tea for the young miss."

Ying suddenly glared, her eyes firmly fixed on Ling.

Ling awkwardly retreated and scolded with a hint of jest, "Heart's Eye, how many years have we been sisters?"

Ying coldly said, "My sisters wouldn't betray the young miss."

Ling was stunned, then understood, and without arguing, she tearfully said, "What could I do? Shi Yi is the chief guard, he pressured me with his power, I'm just a little maid..."

Ying scoffed coldly, but ignored her, only gripping the handle of her knife, preventing her from entering the courtyard.

Those times flirting with Shi Yi, did she really think others were blind?

...

...

Inside the house.

"How did Shi Yi die?" An Chenyu's face was frosty, as if she were an ice sculpture etched in darkness.

Her long legs crossed, under her pitch-black, ink-like hair, her apricot eyes seductive and bright, flickered with an enthralling light.

Even Song Cheng had to admit that in terms of appearance, An Chenyu was more beautiful than his own wife.

Uh...

The aura perhaps as well.

However, the two were not of the same type.

One was like the cold ice and snow, the other brimming with vigor.

Hearing this, Song Cheng responded in a formulaic manner, "Sister An, the government office is investigating..."

An Chenyu said, "Song, I did not just come back, but returned in the afternoon.

I was stopped by the County Magistrate upon my return, who demanded something from me."

Her beautiful eyes calmly looked at Song Cheng, as if noticing every detail of his reaction, her lips slightly moved, "A Cultivation Technique, 'Grass Sea Astonished Snake Form'."

After speaking, she took a deep breath and said, "Song, come sit beside me."

Song Cheng nodded and sat next to her, the two conversed side by side across a desk.

An Chenyu said, "Shi Yi secretly made a deal with a powerful force to exchange for that force's Form Realm Techniques, and that force gave him the first half.

The price Shi Yi promised was that after he controlled Ruyi Commerce Chamber, not only would he let Ruyi Commerce Chamber submit to that force, but he would also pay an annual tribute."

"Five Thousand Taels."

An Chenyu's face showed frost, her eyes icy cold, yet a calm fire began to kindle within.

"That force is quite powerful, and if we submit, we would be involved in certain matters.

I am unwilling to be involved, yet Shi Yi dared make such promises on my behalf.

Not only that, but now the County Magistrate has approached me to continue fulfilling the promise.

Moreover, because Shi Yi died and the first half of 'Grass Sea Astonished Snake Form' was lost, it's a serious matter. The County Magistrate demands we double the tribute as compensation."

"He demands Ten Thousand Taels!"

Song Cheng, puzzled, wondered aloud, "Sister An, wasn't Shi Yi dealing with that powerful force?

Why then did the County Magistrate come to you?

Could it be... that the County Magistrate is also part of that force?"

An Chenyu did not address this, but instead shifted the topic to something else.

"Song, I have a bad habit. I always love to inquire about a place before I go there, even if it's coming back to the commerce chamber in Shanghe County, or my own home.

Before I arrived, I had my men rush back secretly to gather recent occurrences in the mansion.

As a result, I knew about Ling getting close to you.

I've known what kind of person Ling is.

In front of me, she's attentive and lively, outside she's arrogant, but deep down she's very fearful, insecure, and naturally admires the powerful.

I actually knew Ling was conspiring with Shi Yi.

But what surprised me was that after Shi Yi died, Ling immediately got close to you.

I thought that you managing to escape with your wife from the Ghost Tide was quite extraordinary, so I wanted to establish a relationship with you, to integrate you here, and have you stand with me.

But I still underestimated you."

An Chenyu took a sip of tea, and with an exceptionally calm tone said, "Song, it was you who killed Shi Yi."

She did not wait for a response and continued, "But it doesn't matter, if you hadn't killed him, someday I would have had to do it too.

But now the problem is, my An family has suffered a great loss.

However, I managed to delay slightly and told the County Magistrate that I would agree to the tribute, but it must be delivered to their force's headquarters, not to him.

Interestingly, the County Magistrate did not agree.

He... wants to embezzle this money, at least half of it."

Song Cheng remained silent.

He discovered that not only was the young miss smart, but she also possessed far more extensive information than he did.

After An Chenyu finished speaking the words above, she casually brushed them aside and then said, "Song, before I answer your question, I want to know one thing first.

What are your plans now?"

Song Cheng fell silent, then suddenly looked up at An Chenyu.

Their eyes met.

Song Cheng said, "I want to marry you."

As the four words dropped, the air suddenly became extremely quiet.

An Chenyu rested her chin on her hands, thoughtful. She slightly closed her eyes, then opened them to elegantly respond, "Okay."

Song Cheng: ? ? ?

An Chenyu continued, "You protect me, hold the fort at my Ruyi Commerce Chamber, and help me avoid the trouble of getting married.

I will provide you with money, connections, and an alliance relationship that excludes sleeping together.

If in the future we genuinely get along, then I will sleep with you and become a true husband and wife.

If not, when we no longer need the name of husband and wife to maintain the alliance, we can easily divorce."

"But if you're unwilling and only thinking of sleeping with me,

Given that you could kill Shi Yi, you might not be averse to using force.

However, I guarantee that even if you risk it to have my body, you won't get anything else."

The young miss retained her composure.

Song Cheng said, "Okay."

An Chenyu indifferently said, "Now you know my terms, so... since we'll bear the name of husband and wife, can you show me your bargaining chip for this transaction?"

This was explicitly a transaction.

At this point, Song Cheng didn't bother with small talk or hesitations. He stood up, slightly increased the distance between them, and stood in the middle of the hall, gripping the hilt of his thin sword...

An Chenyu looked at that hilt, her almond-shaped eyes revealing some astonishment as if recognizing it.

Song Cheng's vigor was consistent, Xuanwu True Force surged from all directions, overlapping in three forces—plunging, relaxing, absolute—seeming like rivers flowing into the sea, and the hand that was drawing the sword was that sea.

His hand was like the sea, and the sword was... a form of Transforming into Jiao.

The sword cut through the air.

Buzz!!

A jarring cry of Jiao echoed.

Although An Chenyu's strength data was only 8~8, it appeared she was very experienced as she suddenly looked up at Song Cheng in utter shock.

Although Song Cheng was strong, it wouldn't have amazed her, but in that slash, she actually saw traces of Willow Brushing Force and Extreme Force.

It was a fusion of the two forces, plus the original force of the slash.

Though it seemed to be Force Realm power, the difference was actually quite substantial.

This discrepancy might not have been so apparent at first, but as it progressed, it would become vastly different.

"Willow Brushing Force? Extreme Force?"

An Chenyu's always calm voice finally showed surprise.

Song Cheng looked at her and asked, "Sister An, do you believe in geniuses?"

An Chenyu covered her mouth and actually began to smile, then her expression sobered, and she said indifferently, "The sky is high and the earth vast; the ghost calamity surrounds the city. It's normal not to have time to tell my parents.

In two days, it will be an auspicious day; let us marry then.

I'll give you divorce papers, and you can dissolve this relationship whenever you want, without any restrictions.

After we marry, you and Madam Tong should move to my residence.

Madam Tong will have to bear with it a bit; publicly, she can be said to be my personal maid, used for your convenience.

In reality, she and I will be referred to as sisters."

Song Cheng said, "As Sister An arranges."

An Chenyu said, "Song, regarding the County Magistrate and the Ghost Tide, it's not really a secret among the upper-middle class of this land; it's just a long story. Do you want to hear it now?"

Song Cheng nodded his head. He was patient with this information, even if it took a whole day and night, he wouldn't lose interest.

An Chenyu said, "Which one do you want to hear first?"

Song Cheng said, "The Ghost Tide."

An Chenyu said, "The Ghost Tide has existed since ancient times. It is like a tide, while the towns are like islands.

When the tide floods in, the islands are submerged in the Ghost Tide, and they are isolated from each other.

Just like the current situation in Shanghe County...

As for when the tide will recede, I can only say it won't be too long, but it's unpredictable."

Since ancient times?

Song Cheng's longstanding doubts were immediately answered.

His previous doubts were: Why is there an Extreme Joy World? Where did the Extreme Joy World come from? On his panel, the "Forbidden" had always shown as "unlocked." If Yune's appearance had triggered the beginning of the world's prohibitions, then Yune should have been the first taboo.

This preconceived notion is what had kept him in Tang River Village's mountainside...

But now, with An Chenyu's words striking like a wake-up call, he suddenly knew: the "Forbidden options" on his panel were not so much "unlocked" as they were "unrevived."

This land slumbered with many ancient and terrifying taboos.

Now, they had merely awakened.

Compared to them, Yune, the Drowning Ghost... was just a newborn child.

No wonder the Ghost Servants who had infiltrated Shanghe County didn't seem to come from Yune; it turns out Yune had also been overshadowed, pressed down to the bottom of the Ghost Tide.

Whether human or ghost, those who ride the waves at the tip of the storm are always... the powerful ones.

But he did not want to ride the tides.

He needed to hurry and break through the "Yellow Level Grade B" and then... turn the Ruyi Commerce Chamber into a "safe environment" suitable for Longevity People to live in.

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