The cannon fodder heiress trembled with fear after being recognized as a member of her family.

"Fan'er, today is the fifteenth of July. Lie down inside and make sure you get through this. Get some sleep, and when the Ancestor returns, you'll be fine tomorrow."

The boy in the coffin smiled helplessly and could only do as he was told.

What good would it do if he didn't do as instructed? He would be forced to live a life worse than death, without even the chance to end his own life.

He was alone in the secret room again.

Lying quietly inside, he could hear the sound of blood flowing.

He was injured five years ago and was on the verge of death. The patriarch used extraordinary means to save him.

He's been lying in there for five years now, and his health is getting worse every day.

A few days ago, the old ancestor came over with a happy look on his face; the white fox had finally come in handy.

Since then, he has felt his blood flow faster, and he no longer has to lie there waiting to die like an old man who is about to die.

Just now, his original boyish appearance suddenly changed into this. Half a boy's body, half an old man's body—if there were a mirror, he would be frightened when he saw it.

After suffering for five years, this is how I end up. What can I do if I'm not reconciled?

But the ancestor will eventually be disappointed.

The boy closed his eyes in the coffin, waiting for his ancestor to return.

"Die!" A tailless white fox suddenly appeared, its sharp claws aimed fiercely at the person in the coffin.

"It's no use!" Upon hearing this, the boy lay inside, his eyes remaining completely unmoved.

The runes on the coffin lit up, and the white fox was bounced back by the coffin.

The white fox rolled over, dissipating most of the rebound force, and spoke in human language, "He clearly promised not to capture Redwood, so why is Redwood appearing near Frost Mountain and even entering the formation?"

The boy was used to it; he lay in the coffin without any worry.

"Even if I knew about the ancestor's affairs, I had no power to interfere. You can only blame your bad luck. If you were stronger, you probably wouldn't have been captured and wouldn't have been accused of harming living beings."

As soon as he said this, the white fox's aura turned strange. "I wanted to be captured? I was cultivating peacefully in the Pinglian Mountains, and that old man used underhanded methods to capture me, just to prolong the life of you, the one who has inherited the curse of your family for generations..."

The white fox's claws gripped the walls of the secret chamber tightly, but the shallow scratches disappeared in an instant.

"They probably didn't catch that red fox; the ancestor didn't mention it." The boy could only offer a small consolation as he listened to the fox vent its resentment.

The 15th day of the seventh lunar month is the Ghost Festival.

This day was also the most terrifying day of the Great Ye Dynasty's journey to the capital.

On this day, the entire capital was filled with the stench of blood.

Ordinary people couldn't afford to travel far to avoid it, so they could only sprinkle black dog blood at their door and in their yard.

Every household hangs a wooden sword made of peach wood above their door.

Some even go to Taoist temples and Buddhist temples to ask for things in order to get through this peaceful time.

However, many times, no matter how well you prepare, it's useless.

There will always be some unlucky ones who are destined to not get through today.

In previous years, nearly three thousand people died suddenly in the capital on this day.

This time, it might be even worse.

With all the powerful and influential people gone, the sorcerers left to protect the capital will probably not be as attentive as before.

This year has been tough.

Many people burned incense and kowtowed before the Bodhisattva, kneeling and begging for blessings.

By nightfall, before it was even dark, the streets were deserted.

Every household had its doors tightly shut, while the capital city was brightly lit.

Mo Changdao arrived at the Taoist temple that the royal family had built for them, the national teachers. The others had already been there for some time.

Among these people, Mo Changdao was the oldest and came from a family with a long tradition of learning, so everyone respected him.

Next is Xu Tianyun.

Everyone stood up and bowed, "Grand Preceptor Mo!"

Mo Changdao, still wearing the imperial advisor's robes issued by the royal family, maintained his dignified and otherworldly appearance. The chair next to him was empty. "Sit down! Tianyun hasn't returned yet?"

"The Imperial Preceptor Xu went to Qingshuang Mountain to rescue the Third Prince that day, and then we lost contact with him. We don't have enough manpower here, so we can only go to provide support after today."

Since Emperor Chuyuan didn't send anyone to inquire about it, there was no need for them to rush to ask about it.

All three princes have entered that mountain, so they shouldn't be the ones who are worried.

Perhaps His Majesty, for the sake of the safety of the capital, does not wish to send anyone else.

Anyway, the eldest prince is still outside, and Consort Rui is carrying a little prince in her belly, so the Daye Dynasty won't be wiped out.

These people were both sorcerers who enjoyed royal patronage and subjects.

It's best not to get involved in some disputes, lest you get caught in the crossfire.

No matter how powerful they are, they can't withstand an army of thousands. After all, they are not cultivators, but just martial artists with some skill.

The people in the house each had different thoughts.

“If one person is missing, the power of our formation will likely be weakened, and the number of deaths this year will probably increase significantly,” Mo Changdao said with concern.

Someone below advised, "Let's do our best and leave the rest to fate. We'll only know the outcome after today. Grand Preceptor Mo, please don't be too sad; we'll need your help later."

"No problem, no problem." Mo Changdao perked up. "It's getting dark soon, and Tianyun probably won't be able to get back in time. Let's go to the square and get ready to begin!"

The square was empty, and the lanterns there had been lit early, waiting for them to arrive.

Thirty-five people stood in their respective positions.

"I obey Heaven's command... and beg for Heaven's mercy, Bu!"

The thirty-five people moved and spoke in perfect unison, and even Han Cuiyin, hiding in the shadows, had to cheer for them.

It's just for show; it serves no purpose whatsoever.

I don't know who came up with this idea, it's really funny.

She looked around but couldn't find any trace of Xu Tianyun.

"Could it be that he hasn't arrived yet? If he doesn't show up, how can we catch the person behind this?" Han Cuiyin muttered to herself.

Xu Tianyun looks alright, so why is he so weak? It's been so long and there's still no sign of him.

"Wait for me!" Xu Tianyun's voice echoed in the square, and a moment later he landed.

Mo Changdao took a deep breath. "Quick, let's go together!"

Xu Tianyun drew his longsword and channeled his power into it.

The formation was complete, but it was just an ordinary protective formation and had no effect on those ghosts.

"Does the person who came up with this formation think everyone else is stupid? Didn't anyone notice anything wrong with it? This kind of formation is completely useless!"

Han Cuiyin couldn't help but complain.

What she didn't know was that the Leaf Village had lost its lineage, the Heavenly Dao was incomplete, and many of its rules were different from those elsewhere.

She had just been tracking that black mist in the forest, but somehow ended up somewhere else, and when she came to her senses, she found herself in the capital.

The way the people in the capital responded to the situation aroused her pity; otherwise, she wouldn't have come to the square to lend them a helping hand.

Who knew she would witness such a scene?

Things are getting increasingly bizarre.

Instead of finding the person behind the scenes, they discovered an incredible secret.

After the activity in the square stopped, everyone began to exchange pleasantries with Xu Tianyun.

Xu Tianyun was preoccupied and brushed it off.

"Brother Mo, do you think the Emperor deliberately sent me away? Those people can't get out, is it—"

"Be careful what you say! How is it over there? Why did you take so long?" Mo Changdao stopped him from continuing and instead asked about the situation over there.

Han Cuiyin hid in the distance, listening to the two talking.

A small yellow ball appeared and bounced on her back.

"What? You've discovered a strange place?"

Han Cuiyin glanced over there, but decided to leave with Muyu anyway.

She always managed to learn some secrets from Xu Tianyun, after all, he had just asked her for a stone bead, which was for the Xu family.

He hasn't had time to return to his residence yet, so he must be carrying that stone bead with him.

Han Cuiyin left with peace of mind, but when she arrived at a courtyard in the western part of the capital with Muyu, she frowned.

"This place... is filled with resentment!"