Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

Thirteen's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and she stared wide-eyed at Shen Mu.

"You mean Haojing really has feelings for Pei Suisui? But when I asked him back then... he didn't admit it."

She inexplicably recalled that she had personally gone to ask him back then, and Haojing's reaction didn't seem fake, but... that candy was indeed something someone had specially gone to the east of the city to buy.

Is it

Was it really bought by Haojing?

But why won't you admit it?

Shen Mu naturally saw through Thirteen's confusion and explained.

"Don't let Haojing's glib tongue fool you; he's still a simple-minded idiot. If he hadn't kindly saved Yi Sisi back then, he wouldn't have used his admiration for the courtesan to investigate Zuixianlou."

He frowned when Thirteen didn't come.

"You mean he went to the brothel to investigate it? But he also borrowed money from me to drink and dine with women, didn't he?"

"You mean the box the Third Prince gave you?"

Shen Mu picked up the tea that had long since gone cold from the round table and drank it all in one gulp.

Thirteen turned his head to the side and suddenly felt as if nothing could escape Shen Mu's eyes. How did he know everything?

"How did you know about this? It was Zhou Jinghuai who discovered that the box of silver in my courtyard was official silver and reminded me that I couldn't let it circulate freely in the market, so I didn't lend it to Haojing."

Shen Mu's lips curved into a handsome smile. He propped his head up with one hand, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Didn't you ever think about why it was Haojing who contacted you, and not someone else? What if I had asked him to expose that box of silver?"

The moment the Third Prince carried the silver out of the mansion, his men reported the matter to him.

At that time, he was still being raised in the manor after receiving fifty strokes of the cane. Presumably, Thirteen lived a simple life and wouldn't touch that chest of silver anytime soon, so he simply had Haojing find an excuse...

He exposed the Third Prince's conspiracy in front of the Thirteenth Prince.

only

Haojing didn't tell him that Zhou Jinghuai was also in the small courtyard in the south of the thirteenth city at that time.

Thirteen was immediately annoyed by Shen Mu's gaze. She always felt that this man was like a cunning fox, usually quiet and unassuming.

Critical moments are always terrifying.

"You mean you had Haojing borrow money from me, pretending to expose the official silver matter? But where were you then? Why didn't you come in person?"

"I……"

Shen Mu hesitated, naturally not wanting to tell Thirteen.

He was tortured back then, all to save Thirteen.

He pursed his lips and looked away.

Yoshihisa

Thirteen stroked the teacup on the table and slowly began to speak.

"I still have to thank you. If it weren't for your help, I probably would have fallen into the Third Prince's trap long ago, and I'm afraid I wouldn't know where I would be now."

She understood that under imperial power, the common people had no human rights.

If the Third Prince really did set a trap for her, she would probably have to go through a lot of trouble to get out.

"It was just a small favor, but I think if Haojing hadn't been sent to investigate Zuixianlou, you would probably have thought he was a dissolute and unrestrained person."

Shen Mu's eyes darkened.

He could naturally guess the reason why Haojing had run into a wall.

It was simply because Hao Jing, in order to secretly investigate the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, pretended to be even more dissolute than Zhou Jinghuai, causing the young lady to misunderstand.

A man who enjoys brothels

How could he possibly be worthy of the affections of an innocent girl?

It seemed he could finally understand why Haojing had been so stubborn and refused to admit his feelings.

"Why don't I go and explain to Sui Sui on behalf of Hao Jing? Actually, I had the same idea as Sui Sui at first. Hao Jing spends all his time at Zui Xian Lou, and every time I see him, he's covered in the scent of different girls' perfume. Even I can't stand it, let alone the second young lady of the Pei family."

Thirteen, though he had seen many big scenes,

But honestly, I still can't quite accept someone like that pursuing their best friend, let alone the fact that they're still in the mortal realm.

Shen Muyi shared the same thought. He couldn't help but exhale a breath of stale air and slowly spoke.

"Let's put this matter aside for now. Do you still have the things I asked Haojing to give you?"

Thirteen was slightly taken aback, then took out the jade ring that Haojing had given him in Hecheng from his pocket. The outside of the ring was engraved with a tiger pattern.

Upon closer inspection, it appears to be an object from the realm of the gods.

Shen Mu nodded

“You should wear this ring with you at all times. I’ve left some bodyguards in Philadelphia to protect you. Even Xie Qiao can’t order these bodyguards around. They only recognize the ring on your hand.”

Thirteen's body stiffened, as if something had touched his heart.

"This is too valuable. You can't leave it to me. What if you encounter danger in the Southern Barbarian lands? You should take it back."

She wanted to return the ring to Shen Mu.

Shen Mu stopped him as soon as he reached out his hand.

"This is for you, so please accept it. I've taken quite a few men with me now; are you worried I won't be able to defeat them?"

He raised an eyebrow slightly. Although he was also unsure about the outcome of the battle, he still possessed divine power. If he hadn't encountered the true Demon Lord Chongming...

No one should be his match.

Thirteen's hands froze in mid-air; she utterly loathed her own incompetent appearance.

"My divine power... I don't know if it can be restored. If Demon Lord Chongming is eliminated... I don't know if I can go back to find my master."

She feared her divine power would never return.

If that day really comes...

She didn't know if she could ever return to Cangqiong Mountain.

"Everything will be alright. You must believe in yourself. If you really can't regain your divine power, you can come back to Cangling with me... with us."

Shen Mu was never good at comforting people, but when he saw the fleeting look of pain on Thirteen's face, his heart tightened for no reason.

He ultimately didn't want to upset Thirteen.

Thirteen held the ring in his hand, and nodded blankly.

"Cang Ling... is that the God Realm where you and Hao Jing have always stayed?"

She had only heard about it a few times from Haojing; to the four divine realms, her Azure Sky Mountain was a place independent of the four realms.

I've heard of it occasionally, but I've never been there.

"Cangling is most famous for Medicine King Valley. The valley is full of immortal herbs. You should like it there. Every time Haojing goes back, he plunges into Medicine King Valley and can't come out."

"No wonder he's so knowledgeable about pharmacology; he can definitely help you a lot."

Thirteen seemed to still be caught up in his emotions; he was still somewhat dazed.

"Don't think too much, everything will be alright. Right now, I think you still have Prime Minister Pei to look after you. As long as the Crown Prince is safe, you are safe too."

Shen Mu knew that the Crown Prince would eventually wake up.

If they really start fighting

He must ensure Thirteen's safety.

"Don't worry, I lived for hundreds of years before I met you."

Thirteen forced a smile; she naturally knew that Shen Mu was worried about her.

"master--"

"Master—are you there—"

A familiar voice from outside broke their conversation. Thirteen paused slightly and looked at Shen Mu.