Chapter 31
The celebration continued long into the night.
Food covered the table.
Empty wine cups were everywhere..
Wen Xiao suddenly clapped her hands.
“I have an idea.”
She placed a small green spirit herb onto the table.
The leaves glowed faintly under the moonlight.
“What is that?” Bai Jiu asked.
“A Lie Detector.”
Wen Xiao smiled.
“If someone lies, the leaves wilt.”
The game began.
Wen Xiao’s eyes landed on Pei Sijing.
The archer immediately frowned.
The spirit herb was pushed in front of her.
Everyone looked serious.
Except Zhao Yuanzhou.
Who was eating fruit.
As if none of this concerned him.
Wen Xiao folded her arms.
“Pei Sijing.”
“What.”
“Are you a spy for Chongwu Camp?”
“The trip to Kunlun wasn’t public knowledge.”
“Yet Chongwu Camp knew.”
“They prepared Qing Geng.”
“They knew our route.”
“Then somehow Ying Lei accidentally teleported us straight into a trap.”
Ying Lei pointed at himself.
“That was one time.”
“Focus.”
Wen Xiao narrowed her eyes.
“You were the only member who previously worked with Chongwu Camp.”
Everyone stared.
Pei Sijing stared back.
“No.”
The spirit herb immediately wilted.
The entire table exploded.
Pei Sijing’s eyebrow twitched.
Then again.
Then she snatched the herb.
She examined the leaves.
Then looked directly at Zhou Yi Chen.
The commander suddenly looked away.
Pei Sijing narrowed her eyes.
“You tampered with it.”
Everyone turned.
“What?”
Zhou Yi Chen calmly drank tea.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
The herb wilted again.
Pei Sijing smirked.
“The leaves are frozen.”
She flicked one.
A tiny piece of ice fell off.
Silence.
Then-
Zhou Yi Chen looked completely unashamed.
“It was scientifically interesting.”
“It was not.”
“It was.”
Wen Xiao buried her face in her hands.
“Why am I surrounded by lunatics?”
With Pei Sijing cleared-
the questioning continued.
Pei Sijing immediately pointed at Wen Xiao.
“Your turn.”
Wen Xiao sat straighter.
“Fine.”
“Do you have any connections to Chongwu Camp?”
“No.”
The herb remained healthy.
“Did you join this team for personal gain?”
“No.”
“My father recommended me.”
“I joined because I wanted to help.”
Nothing happened.
Pei Sijing nodded.
“Acceptable.”
Then everyone slowly turned.
Toward Zhao Yuanzhou.
The ancient demon froze.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Absolutely yes.”
Like a criminal awaiting judgment.
Zhao Yuanzhou looked offended.
“This is discrimination.”
“This is justice,” Wen Xiao replied.
Pei Sijing folded her arms.
“Question.”
Zhao immediately looked nervous.
“Have you ever worked with your enemies?”
“No.”
The demon coughed.
“I mean…”
“OLD DEMON!”
Zhao Yuanzhou looked scandalized.
“Listen.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“No.”
The demon sighed dramatically.
“As a great demon…”
He pointed at himself.
“I would never willingly cooperate with people trying to kill me.”
Everyone laughed.
Even Pei Sijing.
Wen Xiao smirked.
“What aren’t you telling us?”
Zhao looked toward Zhou Yi Chen.
Then smiled.
“Nothing related to Chongwu Camp.”
“But there is someone here I’d happily spend the rest of eternity with.”
The commander nearly choked on tea.
“ZHOU YUANZHOU.”
Pei Sijing immediately covered Bai Jiu’s ears.
The young doctor struggled.
“What happened?”
“You’re too young.”
“I AM NOT.”
“You absolutely are.”
“I’M SIXTEEN.”
“Exactly.”
Meanwhile Zhao Yuanzhou looked very pleased with himself.
Zhou Yi Chen looked ready to commit murder.
The game continued before anyone could die.
Ying Lei went next.
“Are you human?”
“No.”
Healthy.
“Are you a demon?”
“No.”
Healthy.
“What are you then?”
Ying Lei thought for a moment.
Then proudly declared:
“Beautiful.”
Finally-
all eyes landed on Bai Jiu.
The poor teenager immediately panicked.
“What?”
Pei Sijing spoke first.
“Show us your wrist.”
“What?”
“Chongwu Camp soldiers have tattoos.”
Bai Jiu looked horrified.
“You think I’m a spy?!”
Wen Xiao coughed awkwardly.
“Lord Situ’s letter did mention you as a possible suspect.”
Bai Jiu looked devastated.
Absolutely devastated.
“You too?”
Wen Xiao immediately regretted speaking.
The young doctor stood up dramatically.
“I can’t believe this.”
“Bai Jiu-“
“No.”
He marched directly behind Zhou Yi Chen.
Pointing at everyone.
“They’re bullying me.”
The commander sighed.
Then held out a hand.
“Show them.”
Bai Jiu reluctantly rolled up his sleeve.
No tattoo.
Nothing.
Silence.
A long silence.
Wen Xiao looked guilty.
Even Zhao Yuanzhou rubbed his nose.
Bai Jiu stared at all of them.
His expression wounded beyond repair.
“My mother was sick.”
“I learned medicine for her.”
“That’s all.”
Nobody knew what to say…
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The next morning, the Demon Hunting Team woke to discover that Bai Jiu was still offended.
Deeply offended.
Professionally offended.
The young doctor refused to look at anyone.
Refused breakfast.
Refused conversation.
Even Zhao Yuanzhou looked concerned.
“Should we apologize again?”
“You already apologized six times.”
“I can do seven.”
Eventually, Zhou Yi Chen appeared.
Still carrying his usual calm expression.
“Bai Jiu.”
No response.
The young doctor stared dramatically into the distance.
“Bai Jiu.”
Still nothing.
Finally, Zhou Yi Chen sat beside him.
“Are we listening?” Ying Lei whispered.
“We are absolutely listening,” Wen Xiao replied.
Bai Jiu folded his arms.
“I don’t want to talk.”
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
Several moments passed.
Then Zhou Yi Chen spoke.
“You know why I asked you to show your wrist yesterday?”
Bai Jiu looked away.
“No.”
“Because I wanted the truth.”
The young doctor remained silent.
Zhou Yi Chen’s voice softened slightly.
“Justice doesn’t change because someone is important to us.”
Bai Jiu finally glanced at him.
The commander continued.
“If there had been evidence…”
“I would have asked anyone.”
“Wen Xiao.”
“Pei Sijing.”
“Ying Lei.”
“Even Zhao Yuanzhou.”
The demon looked offended.
“What did I do?”
“No interruptions.”
“…Fine.”
Zhou Yi Chen returned his attention to Bai Jiu.
“Because that’s what justice means.”
Bai Jiu lowered his gaze.
The commander paused before adding:
“But.”
The young doctor looked up.
Zhou Yi Chen’s expression softened.
“I also trust you.”
Bai Jiu blinked.
“You do?”
“I do.”
“You suspected me.”
“I suspected everyone.”
“That’s not helping.”
A faint smile appeared on Zhou Yi Chen’s face.
Then he reached over and lightly tapped Bai Jiu’s forehead.
“Idiot.”
The commander rarely used such familiar words.
“You’ve crossed half the country with us.”
“You save lives.”
“You complain too much.”
“But.”
“I still think of you as my younger brother.”
For a moment, Bai Jiu forgot how to speak.
The young doctor’s eyes immediately turned red.
Not from crying.
Definitely not crying.
Absolutely not.
“…Really?”
“Really.”
The answer came without hesitation.
Bai Jiu suddenly stood up.
Completely recovered…
The grudge vanished instantly.
“The Commander likes me best.”
❄️❄️❄️❄️✨✨✨✨⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️⚔️
Soon afterward, the group resumed their journey.
The closer they moved toward Kunlun Mountain-
the stranger the landscape became.
Ancient forests stretched endlessly.
Clouds drifted beneath the mountain peaks.
The air itself felt different.
Older.
Sacred.
Even Zhao Yuanzhou grew unusually quiet.
By afternoon, the towering gates of the Kunlun Mountain Temple finally appeared before them.
Everyone stopped.
The sight was breathtaking.
Massive stone pillars rose toward the heavens.
Ancient runes glowed faintly across the mountain walls.
The place felt less like a mountain-
and more like another world.
Bai Jiu stared upward.
“We actually made it.”
Ying Lei nodded proudly.
“My grandfather has good taste.”
At the entrance stood two figures.
Guardians.
Watching silently.
The moment Wen Xiao saw them-
her eyes widened.
“Ying Zhao.”
The golden-haired guardian looked toward her.
Then smiled faintly.
“And Zhu Yin.”
The second guardian opened his eyes.
Ancient crimson light flickered within them.
Both mountain gods stood at the gates of Kunlun itself.
Then Ying Lei waved enthusiastically.
“Grandpa!”