Inner Demons

Chapter 165: A Clear Path Share Comments

Currently, the Yu Family was flourishing, the wealthiest in Weicheng. Even looking across the entire Qing Kingdom, it was one of the richest families.

But only Yu Qi knew best how much of the Yu Family’s wealth was his own, and how much belonged to others.

And as for who these “others” were, some he didn’t know, some he wasn’t sure about. Of the many businesses under his name, those truly under his control did not exceed twenty percent.

If Li Yunxin knew this situation, he would tell him… you are just a “white glove.”

And in this era, in this world, this identity had another name—“white fan.”

Probably no one knew the original meaning of this term or when it began to circulate. But if one were to force an explanation, it could be interpreted as “a white fan waves gently, stirring no dust.”

The nobles of Jinghua also loved money. But the emperor did not like the nobles loving money, believing it was competing for profit with the common people, which was both a loss of benevolence and a threat to integrity. Thus, many people attached themselves to the households of nobles, offering their property or talents in pursuit of greater benefits.

In the eyes of many, Yu Qi was an “incredible and ruthless character.” Because it wasn’t him who went to pledge allegiance to a certain family, but a certain family that sought him out first.

According to popular belief, when Yu Qi first took control of the Yu Family, a certain noble took a fancy to his family business and casually set up an obstacle. With this casual move, the Yu Family was nearly ruined. But that Yu Qi actually endured it.

For a small merchant to have such ability, it made that noble raise his eyes to look at him, and then came several more schemes.But he managed to overcome them all one by one.

This time, Yu Qi truly caught that person’s eye. He laughed at him for not knowing what was good for him, but also sighed that he was interesting. So he got serious and laid a fatal trap.

At this point, everyone thought the Yu Family was doomed. Who would have thought that Yu Qi would obediently and decisively—surrender.

That noble asked him why he had wasted so much effort before, when the result was the same now. It was said that Yu Qi replied at the time that everyone loves a brave and heroic person and would not like a timid and weak one. If he had been timid and afraid back then and offered up his family property, he would not have the opportunity to sit and talk in the main hall of the mansion today. A wise lord loves a hero, and he wanted to be a hero.

After hearing this, that noble laughed out loud. He unexpectedly did not take his family fortune, but instead had him work for him. After handling a few matters and passing six or seven years, he was finally appreciated…

And became one of the most prominent merchants in the Great Qing Dynasty.

But regardless of whether the truth of the matter was as the rumors said—that it was all Yu Qi’s courage and wisdom that resolved the crises one by one, or that there was truly a “divine being” in his family—he had now grown accustomed to this feeling.

The kind of feeling where a wave of his hand or a stomp of his foot could make even Weicheng tremble slightly. Although what he possessed could very well be lost at any moment, at least for now, he believed he could still do something…

He believed he was a hero. How could a hero be willing to be a puppet, a servant, for a lifetime?

It was because of these thoughts that he had originally planned to have a good talk with the Divine Dragon Cult. Or rather, talking was just a polite way of putting it—Yu Qi did not believe the person behind the Divine Dragon Cult had enough capital to sit on equal footing with him.

It was just that on that night—when the Divine Dragon Cult’s Taoist priest went to his son’s room to pretend to deliver a dream, Yu Qi was sitting in his study, reflecting on himself.

He would reflect on himself every month—carefully sorting through everything from as far back as he could remember to the present. Because he knew that his current power and status could easily make a person arrogant. In his line of work, once pride and complacency made him lose grasp of his identity and position, it would lead to big trouble.

Unfortunately, like all people who had gotten on in years, after reflecting for a period of time… he was dragged into his memories by a multitude of past events.

Then he heard the clap of thunder and his servants telling him that something had happened in the city.

He had drunk three cups of wine that night, and the effects of the alcohol had not yet worn off, so he didn't feel particularly alarmed.

Seeing his calm and composed demeanor, the originally anxious servants also calmed down. In that instant, Yu Qi remembered the time he had clenched his fists, took a deep breath, and walked head held high into that noble’s mansion.

At that time, he was making a desperate gamble, forcing himself not to tremble. When he spoke, he took a deep breath so that his voice would not quiver.

However, the noble sitting in the hall was looking down, drinking tea. What he remembered most clearly now was that the noble was wearing a purplish-red robe embroidered with peonies in gold thread.

As he spoke, he stared at the robe, thinking in his heart, if I die here today, it will be like the purplish-red of this robe.

If I escape this calamity today, and become as magnificent and wealthy as this golden embroidery…

In the future, I must be like this noble—be a person like him.

So when he saw the panicked look on the servant, he was reminded of the golden peonies on that robe. The scene stirred his emotions, and he suddenly felt that what he had wanted to do many, many years ago, he seemed to have accomplished now.

But where was the phrase he had said back then, “I want to be a hero”?

It was while he was rarely lost in this subtle mood that someone came to report—what had happened in Yu Meng’s room.

On a normal day, Yu Qi would have frowned, but after hearing this, he suddenly laughed.

Someone, unafraid of death, had set their sights on his family.

This person… was like him.

At least, like him back then.

And that was what led to the events of the next day. Yu Qi really wanted to meet and talk with the leader of the Divine Dragon Cult. And then… use it to do other things.

He wanted to be a hero, not a puppet.

But in these three days, he discovered that this Divine Dragon Cult was not at all the Divine Dragon Cult he had imagined. He found himself… unable to see through it.

What did that group of people want to do?!

Until the fourth day, someone delivered an invitation.

The invitation came from the Divine Dragon Cult, and the sender called himself “Vast Sea Chiwen Dragon Crown Prince Li Yunxin.” It said, “The Divine Dragon Cult wishes to perform good deeds and hopes to meet with the elder to discuss the opportunity.”

Yu Qi stared at this invitation for a long time. But not because of the content—he had seen plenty of invitations with this kind of content. Some self-important people from the martial world would always send him such invitations. They would have a serious and worldly appearance, but they could never hide the awkwardness in their eyes and the arrogance in their words—just like him when he was young.

It was just that the name signed at the bottom was too strange.

He had an impression of the name Li Yunxin.

At first, his son had saved a young man named Li Yunxin on the roadside. He only found out about this much later and paid it no mind.

Later, his good-for-nothing cousin Xuan Chengzi went to the Treasure Blossom Assembly and said there was a Taoist priest named Li Yunxin at the assembly. This time, Yu Qi remembered the name. He was said to be an incredible Artificer, but seemed to have some conflict with Langya Grotto-Heaven.

However, Fairy Lingkong had been very polite to him…

Matters concerning immortals were always hard to say, and Yu Qi did not dare to guess randomly.

After that, it was said that both Li Yunxin and Fairy Lingkong had died—either because they had angered the Dragon King or in a battle with demons. There were many different accounts of these events, and to this day, there was no definite conclusion.

This was a time of many troubles, and a few days ago, there was another unusual movement on Little Hun Street.

Everyone said it was a cultivator from the Divine Dragon Cult exorcising a demon. But in Yu Qi’s view, this matter was completely different from the incident on Taoxi Road a month ago.

A Taoist priest from Langya Grotto-Heaven was in the city; where would it be the turn of a wild Taoist priest from an evil cult to also exorcise a demon? The one who went to Yu Meng’s room that night was simply someone who had a premeditated plan and took advantage of the situation.

As for this name…

If there really was a Dragon Crown Prince, he wouldn't send an invitation to see a mere mortal like him.

This leader of the Divine Dragon Cult… just from this invitation, he exuded the evil air and cunning air of a person from the martial world.

He could indeed create some buzz, but he was unlikely to achieve anything great.

Thus, he felt about thirty percent certain in his heart. With this certainty, he made the Divine Dragon Cult leader wait for a day. When he heard that the people on Taoxi Road seemed to be having some problems with their food and were starting to buy supplies everywhere, he then ordered someone to invite the cult leader over.

And on that day, he was not just sitting idly. When he wanted to investigate something, there would always be results.

On the fifth day after the White Heron Island followers entered the city, Li Yunxin and Liu Gongzan entered the Yu Manor—through the back door.

He had previously promised Yu Meng to provide money and manpower to repair Little Hun Street, thus establishing a connection with the Divine Dragon Cult. Therefore, he had to get everything cleared up as soon as possible. After clearing it up, whether to subdue them or eliminate them would all be decided in a single thought.

But even with such a dismissive attitude, when he saw Li Yunxin enter the main hall, he couldn't help but praise him silently in his heart—what a dragon among men!

He looked to be an eighteen or nineteen-year-old young man, tall and slender, with a face like jade. A pair of sword-like eyebrows slanted up to his temples, and a pair of starry eyes shone brightly.

He was dressed in simple white clothes, lightly fanning himself with a white paper fan with a tear bamboo bone—truly suave and handsome.

Although he loved his child, he also felt that in terms of looks alone, his own son was not as good as that Li Yunxin.

He looked again at the person behind him. Dressed in a blue cloth Daoist robe, he was between forty and fifty years old. He also had a handsome face and a fine five-stranded beard.

Yu Qi tapped his finger lightly—with two people who looked this good, no wonder the Divine Dragon Cult was gaining momentum so fiercely.

These two walked straight into the central hall and stood there. The young man then slightly raised his head, cupped his hands in a salute, and said, “I am the leader of the Divine Dragon Cult, Vast Sea Chiwen Dragon Crown Prince Li Yunxin. Greetings to Lord Yu.”

After saying this, without waiting for Yu Qi’s reply, he lifted the hem of his robe and took a seat to the side.

After sitting down, his eyes first drifted to the small table next to him—where tea cups and plates of dried fruits and candied preserves were placed. That Li Yunxin first stared hard at them for a few moments, then quickly retracted his gaze, sitting upright with his eyes on his nose, nose on his mouth, and mouth on his heart.

Besides these three, there were maids and servants in the hall. The servants of the Yu Manor were always well-informed. Now, seeing Li Yunxin’s rude behavior, they first frowned, thinking to themselves, this person is too arrogant! Even Prefect Zhao didn’t dare to act like this when he saw our master!

But then they saw the way he stared fiercely at the fruit platter, and they understood in an instant. But being people of the Yu Family, they managed to hold back their sneers—he looked so handsome, yet he was an unsophisticated country bumpkin.

This was truly a case of a fine exterior hiding a rotten interior!

A servant who was serving tea on the side was about to rebuke him, but Yu Qi, who had his hand resting on the table, raised it slightly, and the servant fell silent.

Looking at the old Daoist Liu Gongzan, seeing the state of his “leader,” he seemed instantly anxious and angry, yet couldn't express it. It was clear that he couldn't bring himself to say “What did I teach you when we were outside?” He shot a fierce glare at the young man on the seat and quickly cupped his hands towards Yu Qi. “Please forgive us, Lord Yu. Our leader is new to the human world and doesn't quite understand the etiquette and rules of this realm. My name is Liu Gongzan, and I am the Command Elder of the Divine Dragon Cult. I was originally from Weicheng, so I imagine some people might recognize me. Today, I—”

Yu Qi, with a calm expression, raised his hand, pondered for a moment, and said, “Sit.”

This Liu Gongzan quickly thanked him and sat down at Li Yunxin’s side.

At this moment, all of Yu Qi’s good impression of the young man from their first meeting had vanished.

—What ‘new to the human world.’ This line might fool those country folk, but to say it in front of him… they were just two people from the martial world after all. They had found a good-looking young man from somewhere, tricked him into being the “leader,” and then this Liu Gongzan would pull some strings behind the scenes to win people’s hearts.

In the future, when they became powerful, they would provide this “leader” with good food and drink. If something went wrong and they had to take the blame, they could also push this “leader” out—he had used such tricks himself when he was young.

It was just that…

Yu Qi picked up a teacup, brushed away the leaves on top, blew on it, and took a small sip. Without looking at Liu Gongzan, he said, “That name of yours, I’ve heard it before.”

That Liu Gongzan was pleasantly surprised. “Ah, Lord Yu actually knows—”

“You used to be called Ghost Calculator.” Yu Qi put down his teacup. “You were a bandit.”

The pleasant surprise in Liu Gongzan’s voice was instantly stuck in his throat, and he was too embarrassed to speak.

“First a bandit. Your reputation, well, it was alright. But a bandit nonetheless. Later, you turned over a new leaf and went to the Dragon King Temple on Taoxi Road to be a Temple Keeper. And then… some other things happened, hmm?” Yu Qi glanced at Liu Gongzan, only speaking up to this point—he did not fully reveal that he had killed Head Constable Yin.

It was just that—a wandering martial artist, a charlatan by trade, now wanted to enter his Yu Manor.

He, Yu Qi, had never cared much about one’s background. Since this Liu Gongzan had created some buzz, he could also be unconventional and use his talents. It was just that their behavior today, bringing a golden human-skin bag and spouting nonsense about a Dragon Crown Prince new to the human world—did they think he was easy to fool?

If he put his mind to investigating, he could still find out many things!

As expected. After he said this, that Liu Gongzan could no longer sit still. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and he waved his hands frantically in front of him. But he quickly felt that this was undignified and put them down. He only said, “Lord Yu, Lord Yu! Oh my, it’s not good to say, not good to say!”

Although the others in the hall didn't know what their master had left unsaid, seeing Liu Gongzan’s appearance—one moment the demeanor of a calm master, now completely flustered—someone finally couldn’t hold it in and let out a laugh.

Hearing this laugh, Liu Gongzan seemed even more embarrassed. He just kept cupping his hands towards Yu Qi, unable to speak.

Yu Qi remained seated, his face showing no emotion. He said, “Previously, someone from your cult snuck into my son’s inner chamber late at night and said some things. Although I don’t believe it, I still admire someone with such means and courage. Therefore, I helped you out.”

“But don’t think that my Yu Family will fall for your martial artists’ tricks. I still know about your affairs. And that Li Yunxin… is he really the one before me?” (To be continued.)