Chapter 14: Jiang Xie, Do You Know Your Crime?

Xue Li immediately noticed the old man’s abnormal reaction behind him, and his gaze turned toward him once more.

When he saw the other man give a silent nod, a smile finally appeared on his face.

The entire process had taken only a few short seconds.

The moment Jiang Xie saw the change in his expression, he knew that Xue Li had definitely learned something...

He could not help feeling somewhat regretful. It seemed the other side had already made thorough preparations.

Fortunately, he had already anticipated this possibility, so it was not the worst outcome.

“Where did this...”

The more Ji Wuyue looked at him, the more she found him utterly repulsive.

She had been about to open her mouth and curse Xue Li when she suddenly realized that her right hand had, at some point, fallen into a large hand.

She turned her head and saw Jiang Xie smiling as he shook his head at her.

So Ji Wuyue swallowed the rest of her words.

Xue Li’s eyes, however, lit up.

When he had first seen Ji Wuyue, that utterly ordinary face of hers had already made him lose most of his interest.

But now...

He only felt that her voice was gentle and lovely, like a lark in the mountains, crisp and pleasing to the ear.

At once, he realized that Ji Wuyue’s current appearance was very likely not her true face.

That made sense.

After all, the wife of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master was known as the greatest beauty in Dongzhou.

How could her daughter possibly be any worse?

A look of complete confidence appeared on Xue Li’s face.

Jiang Xie, oh Jiang Xie, no matter how well you hide things, there will still be some flaws that cannot be concealed.

The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat strange.

Jiang Xie said nothing and quietly sipped his tea.

Without Jiang Xie’s instruction, Old Wu also remained silent, merely watching the other side vigilantly.

Ji Wuyue likewise said nothing, but the disgust in her eyes was completely undisguised.

“Jiang Xie! Do you know your crime?!”

Suddenly, Xue Li let out a great roar, like a thunderclap exploding in the air.

Jiang Xie had never expected him to pull something like that out of nowhere, and the tea in his hand spilled immediately from the fright.

He was only a minor figure in the Body Tempering Realm. He could not withstand being startled like that.

Jiang Xie’s reaction only made Xue Li think he was afraid, and the smugness on his face grew even stronger.

“Jiang Xie, do you know your crime?” he asked again.

Jiang Xie set down the teacup in his hand and asked in confusion, “What crime?”

Keep pretending. Go on, keep pretending.

With an expression that said I have already seen through everything, Xue Li sneered. “Very well, then let me ask you this. What is the relationship between us and the righteous forces?”

“We are as incompatible as fire and water,” Jiang Xie replied without hesitation.

Xue Li grew even more delighted inwardly. Good. So you admit it.

“Jiang Xie, do you know that the girl behind you is the daughter of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master?”

“What!” Jiang Xie stood up in feigned shock and shook his head. “Xue Li, have you made some kind of mistake? How could my maid possibly be the daughter of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master?”

Old Wu, standing nearby, was also startled by this revelation.

His gaze could not help lingering on Ji Wuyue’s face for several moments.

Only after finding nothing unusual did he once more shift his gaze back to Xue Li.

At that moment, Ji Wuyue’s heart was in turmoil.

She knew that Jiang Xie had long since known her identity.

But why would the people of the Blood Demon Sect know as well?

Although she was panicking inside, her face remained perfectly calm, with not the slightest sign of anything unusual.

Even Jiang Xie had to admit that her acting was rather good.

“You did not know?”

“I truly did not know. And my maid could not possibly be the daughter of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master.”

“Then do you know who he is?”

Xue Li suddenly pointed at the old man behind him and said with a smile, “He has seen the daughter of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master before! Come, tell him whether she is Ji Wushuang’s daughter or not!”

The old man obediently stepped forward and nodded. “That is indeed correct.”

“You heard him, did you not? Jiang Xie, the righteous forces and we are irreconcilable enemies. You had better hand over your little maid.”

“And how can he prove that my maid is who you say she is?”

“The mark. I saw that mark on her left arm on the daughter of the Haoran Sect’s Sect Master,” the old man said.

A flicker passed through Jiang Xie’s eyes.

He looked toward Ji Wuyue’s left hand, and sure enough, he found a tiny mark there.

He actually had not noticed it before.

But it was of no great consequence.

This too had been within his expectations.

He also saw the trace of panic in Ji Wuyue’s eyes.

“And if I refuse to hand her over, what then?”

“Then we shall wait and see.” Xue Li smiled disdainfully. He had already expected that Jiang Xie would not hand her over.

The purpose of his visit had never been to make Jiang Xie surrender her on the spot, but rather to confirm Ji Wuyue’s identity.

Now that her identity had been confirmed, his task was complete.

Sooner or later, Jiang Xie would have to hand her over.

Otherwise, what he would face would be pressure from all the demonic factions of Dongzhou.

Xue Li did not stay any longer, but strode straight out of the courtyard.

Before leaving, he threw out one final sentence.

“Hahaha, Jiang Xie, make the most of your little maid. I am afraid that in two days, you will never see her again!”

......

After Xue Li left, the courtyard once more sank into silence.

Seeing this, Old Wu could not help but speak. “Xiaoyue, are you really that fellow Ji Wushuang’s daughter?”

That was the question he most wanted answered at that moment.

Ji Wuyue fell silent for a while, then slowly nodded.

“This...” Old Wu frowned and could not help turning his gaze toward Jiang Xie.

“Yes, I knew that long ago,” Jiang Xie said without hiding it.

“Then why...” Old Wu truly could not understand...

Or rather, he had never understood Jiang Xie’s way of thinking in the first place.

Ever since he had come to Jiang Xie’s side to protect him, the things Jiang Xie did had always left him unable to figure them out.

“Then what do we do next?” Old Wu asked again.

“We wait and watch,” Jiang Xie replied, a fierce light flashing through his eyes. Xue Li had already been placed on his must-kill list.

Then he turned to Ji Wuyue and said, “These next few days may be a little hard on you. Do not worry. As long as I am here, nothing will happen.”

“Mm.” Hearing his words, Ji Wuyue felt inexplicably reassured...

Inside the Blood Demon Sect.

The moment Xue Li returned, he hurried toward Xue Tian’s residence.

He immediately explained the situation.

At once, Xue Tian gave the order to send people to the Tiansha Sect and the Jiang Family, inviting them to come discuss an important matter together.

...

That same afternoon, Jiang Xie received a message from Jiang Fengliu telling him to return home.

Jiang Xie did not delay and immediately headed for the Jiang Family.

He made his way smoothly and without obstruction to the great hall where Jiang Fengliu lived.

The moment he stepped through the door, he heard a delighted voice.

“Xie’er is here! Mother has almost missed you to death. Come here quickly and let Mother see whether you have grown thinner...”

Jiang Xie only felt a fragrant breeze rush toward him, and then a beautiful woman appeared before his eyes. Time had left no trace at all upon her face.

She wore a long purple dress, giving her a gentle and graceful air.

Her name was Su Zhirou, Jiang Xie’s mother in this world, and her face was filled with joyous delight.

“Mother,” Jiang Xie called out with a smile.

At the same time, he raised his right hand and removed the mask from his face.

Only here would he ever take it off.

Beneath the mask was an incomparably handsome face, sharply defined, with sword-like brows, bright starry eyes, a high nose bridge, and skin as smooth as jade.

He looked every bit the elegant young nobleman.

The faint wicked smile hanging at the corner of his lips gave him a particularly unique kind of charm.

Standing beside Su Zhirou, they looked less like mother and son and more like an elder sister and younger brother.

Looking at Jiang Xie’s appearance, Su Zhirou revealed a satisfied expression. “Xie’er is growing more and more handsome. You truly have some of your mother’s bearing from back in the day.

“Mm, you have grown taller too. Good thing you have not gotten thinner. Otherwise, your mother would worry herself to death.”

Jiang Xie let Su Zhirou knead his face and body as she pleased.

After chatting for a while, mother and son finally walked into the room.

With a single glance, Jiang Xie saw that man who looked amiable, yet radiated authority from his very person.

“Father.”

“I heard that the maid by your side is that fellow Ji Wushuang’s daughter?”

“Yes.”

“Come with me tomorrow. Have you already thought of a plan?”

“Of course.”

“Good.”

...

That day, Jiang Xie remained in the room with Jiang Fengliu until midnight before finally returning to his own little courtyard.