The next morning, as the first light of dawn appeared, Lin Luochen awoke from his meditation, a trace of doubt still lingering in his brows.
Yesterday's events had gone too smoothly, which ironically made him uneasy.
"Qu Lingyin, do you know about the Heavenly Devil Saint Body?"
Above his Sea of Consciousness, Qu Lingyin was lazily sprawled on the water's surface, her tender little feet dangling, her fingers teasing two koi fish.
"Heavenly Devil Saint Body?" She tilted her head. "Why do you ask?"
"Just asking casually."
Lin Luochen feigned nonchalance, "Do you know what characteristics this physique has?"
Qu Lingyin rolled her eyes, her small face full of disbelief; this kid never spoke a word of truth.
"The Heavenly Devil Saint Body possesses the Heavenly Devil bloodline, with a demonic seed nurtured within their body, allowing them to absorb negative emotions as power."
"It is rumored that they grow through slaughter, capable of devouring others' cultivation for their own use, with a cultivation speed far exceeding that of ordinary people."
Lin Luochen frowned, "Then how does one identify this physique?"
Qu Lingyin casually replied, "The Heavenly Devil Saint Body has Heavenly Devil blood within them, and when they attack, pure demonic energy will leak out. It's very easy to recognize!"
Lin Luochen was deep in thought. Just then, Murong Qiuzhi's gentle voice drifted from outside the door.
"Lin Gongzi, are you awake? Breakfast has already been prepared."
Lin Luochen hurriedly washed up, then followed Murong Qiuzhi to the small building where they resided.
Now that Murong Dongyue was imprisoned, he naturally couldn't entertain them anymore.
The Murong sisters also didn't want to go out and eat with other family members, so breakfast was set up in the Murong sisters' residence.
Leng Yueshuang had always disliked interacting with outsiders, so she was naturally delighted by this arrangement.
Along the way, Lin Luochen looked at Murong Qiuzhi thoughtfully, wanting to investigate but not knowing how to broach the subject.
He couldn't just say, "Qiu Zhi, let me examine your body," could he?
Murong Qiuzhi became embarrassed under his gaze, almost stumbling over her feet, but secretly she was gleeful.
The outfit she had carefully prepared today had indeed caught Lin Gongzi's attention, making her early morning grooming worthwhile.
"Lin Gongzi? Why are you looking at me like that?"
Lin Luochen awoke from his reverie, smiling, "It's nothing..."
A moment later, inside the small building, the morning light streamed through the carved window lattice, illuminating the room.
"Lin Gongzi, please help yourself."
Murong Qiuzhi served Lin Luochen a bowl of spirit rice porridge. The grains of rice were crystal clear, emitting a faint spiritual aura.
"I can do it myself."
Lin Luochen quickly took the bowl. Murong Qiuzhi gently said, "You've been working hard these past two days; you should properly replenish yourself."
Leng Yueshuang's eyes flickered upon hearing this, her small mouth slightly pouting, but then she suddenly blossomed into a radiant smile.
"Yes, you haven't rested well at night these past two days."
She meaningfully glanced at Lin Luochen, "You really need to replenish yourself more so you'll have energy at night."
Lin Luochen almost choked on a mouthful of porridge—why did that sound so ambiguous?
Are you truly a Saintess of the Jade Maiden Sect, and not from the legendary Joyful Union Sect?
Murong Qiuzhi's fingertips trembled. This shameless vixen, did I tell him to replenish himself so you could absorb him at night?
But she showed no emotion on her face, instead smiling as she also served Leng Yueshuang a bowl.
"Leng Xianzi, you've been working day and night; you should also properly nourish yourself."
"Thank you."
Leng Yueshuang was flattered, staring solemnly at the bowl of porridge.
This bowl of porridge isn't poisoned, is it?
Murong Qiuzhi's expression was as usual, and she also served a bowl to Rat, ensuring everyone received their share.
Rat held its exclusive small bowl, eating with puffed cheeks, looking adorable.
Leng Yueshuang couldn't help but feel annoyed at the sight—this little creature was very affectionate towards Murong Qiuzhi, yet it wouldn't even let her touch it.
Hmph, truly a pet follows its master!
Darn it!
Thinking of this, Leng Yueshuang glared fiercely at Lin Luochen, who immediately felt as if he was sitting on pins and needles.
No, who did I offend?
Lin Luochen could only bury his head in his porridge, ignoring the undercurrents at the table, eating as if chewing on wax.
But before he could finish a bowl of porridge, a sudden commotion came from outside, as if something had happened.
Murong Xiazhu asked curiously, "What's going on?"
Leng Yueshuang released her spiritual sense, listened quietly for a moment, and her brows gradually furrowed.
"The city's common folk seem to have been incited. They are surrounding the City Lord's Manor and the Murong Residence, demanding the execution of Sect Leader Murong."
She recounted the information she had gathered with her spiritual sense:
It was unknown who spread the rumor that Murong Dongyue was the demon causing trouble in the city, and the news spread like wildfire.
Recalling how Murong Dongyue had previously protected Murong Qiuzhi, the city's common folk immediately believed it without a doubt.
The common folk were filled with righteous indignation, flocking to the City Lord's Manor and the Murong Residence, demanding Murong Dongyue's execution.
Currently, the Murong Family members were blocking the common folk outside the gate, but they weren't driving them away, seemingly using this to exert pressure.
Inside the residence, Murong Xichen had convened a meeting of all the clan elders, but he had not called the Murong sisters.
Seeing that Leng Yueshuang could explore the outside situation with her spiritual sense without leaving the house, she was even more aware of the situation inside the residence.
Lin Luochen and Murong Qiuzhi exchanged glances, suddenly realizing something, and both froze.
Since Leng Yueshuang's spiritual sense was so keen, wouldn't their previous private conversations also have been overheard by her?
Oh no, they suffered a loss due to their inexperience!
Lin Luochen felt like dying of embarrassment on the spot. Fortunately, he hadn't said he liked her at the time.
Murong Qiuzhi also felt the awkwardness of speaking ill of someone behind their back and then being caught red-handed.
Murong Xiazhu didn't notice their unusual behavior and analyzed, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be Uncle San's doing."
"Uncle San has always coveted the position of family head. With Eldest Uncle's current predicament, he definitely wouldn't let this opportunity pass."
Lin Luochen frowned. At such a critical juncture, the Murong Family was still engaged in internal strife, no wonder they had fallen to such a state.
"Speaking of which, with your Eldest Uncle imprisoned and your Junior Uncle taking over, won't you be unable to get your things?"
Only then did he realize that he had incapacitated the person on his side before he even got the item.
Now, getting the ascension token would be troublesome.
The Murong sisters also realized this. Murong Xiazhu looked at Leng Yueshuang and gave a dry laugh.
"Lin Gongzi, couldn't you just ask Leng Xianzi to give you an ascension token?"
Leng Yueshuang, a righteous cultivator from Xuan Province, naturally didn't have any ascension tokens from Lan Province, so she could only casually prevaricate.
"I'm not qualified to give ascension tokens..."
Murong Xiazhu let out an "Ah" and could only bravely say, "I'll go ask about the situation later."
Lin Luochen nodded, saying indifferently, "I'll go with you."
After the meal, the group arrived at the main assembly hall. The Murong Family's clan meeting had already concluded.
Inside the hall, sandalwood incense wafted, and Murong Xichen sat upright in the head's seat, a hint of a smile on his lips.
Now that Murong Dongyue was imprisoned, and Elder Zhou, who had always supported him, was still out and hadn't returned.
Murong Xichen, as the only Foundation Establishment cultivator from the direct lineage of the clan, naturally became the acting clan head, managing clan affairs.
As long as Murong Dongyue's demonic identity was confirmed, he could logically become the head of the Murong Family.
At this moment, seeing everyone enter, Murong Xichen immediately stood up to greet them, his face brimming with smiles.
"Leng Xianzi and my two nieces, why have you come?"
Murong Xiazhu went straight to the point, "Uncle San, we are here for the ascension token. Eldest Uncle had previously promised..."
"Oh, Xia Zhu niece, the clan is currently in troubled times, and Eldest Brother... sigh..."
Murong Xichen's face showed a difficult expression, and he sighed heavily.
"I know you are in a hurry. Now that the Grand Elder is not here, such an important matter must wait for the elders to discuss."
Murong Xiazhu frowned, "Then how long will we have to wait?"
Murong Xichen said apologetically, "I don't know either, but this matter must be presided over by the clan head, and you also know about Eldest Brother..."
"Unless the clan re-elects a clan head, and then holds a clan meeting, with the consent of all the elders..."
Murong Xiazhu said angrily, "Uncle San, you are clearly stalling for time!"
"Xia Zhu!"
Murong Xichen's face suddenly darkened, but upon seeing Leng Yueshuang, he immediately adopted a pained and regretful expression.
"You child... it's truly not Uncle San trying to shirk responsibility. These are clan rules. Are you trying to split the family?"
"Uncle San is not the clan head and is not qualified to change the clan rules. Moreover, I don't know where the ascension token is..."
Finally, under Leng Yueshuang's gaze, Murong Xichen wiped the sweat from his brow.
"How about this, when Elder Zhou and the others return, I will convene a clan meeting and definitely give you an explanation."
He looked at Leng Yueshuang, smiling apologetically, "Leng Xianzi, what do you think?"
Leng Yueshuang felt that what Murong Xichen said made a lot of sense, so she nodded.
After all, this was a family matter, and she found it difficult to interfere.
The main point was, what if Lin Luochen took the item and ran off with the Murong sisters?
Lin Luochen could run, but she couldn't stand by and watch the city's common folk die without doing anything.
Murong Xichen, seeing her agree, felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, and then quickly excused himself and left.
After he left, Lin Luochen frowned.
Murong Xichen clearly intended to use a delaying tactic, to stall Murong Dongyue until he died, and then deal with it after Leng Yueshuang and the others left.
He couldn't afford to delay that long, so his gaze turned to Leng Yueshuang.
"Leng Xianzi, why don't you just rob the Murong Family?"
Leng Yueshuang was clearly not yet accustomed to the customs of Lan Province, and she said with a look of surprise, "Isn't that inappropriate?"
Lin Luochen knew that asking Leng Yueshuang to rob them was a bit much.
Without Leng Yueshuang's help, he and the Murong sisters would indeed find it difficult to snatch things from the Murong Family.
Moreover, family assets were one thing; it didn't matter if they took too much.
But he didn't know where the ascension token was!
Lin Luochen wanted to leave but couldn't bear to part with the ascension token he was so close to getting, so he could only sigh.
It seemed that unless he dealt with Murong Xichen, he probably wouldn't be able to get the ascension token.
"Keep a close eye on Murong Xichen. There's a high probability that he's the mastermind!"
In Lin Luochen's opinion, the person with the most suspicion at the moment was Murong Xichen.
Framing Murong Dongyue, he was the biggest beneficiary, and he also had the strength to do so.
Leng Yueshuang hummed in agreement, clearly thinking the same thing.
The city's farce didn't last long. After Xu Zhen appeared, he appealed to their emotions and reasoned with them, finally subduing them with force.
Under the city guards' gleaming blades, the rioting common folk suddenly understood righteousness and morality, becoming humble and polite.
However, undercurrents still surged within the city, as someone was clearly inciting trouble in secret, constantly fanning the flames.
Xu Zhen naturally knew who was behind it, but without proof, and with the other party being a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he couldn't do anything to him.
