Chapter 114: A Scoundrel in Disguise (Part One)

Su Nanxing chuckled, “You really are slow! That guy deliberately provoked you just to start a conversation. I also know he was hoping you’d ask him for help to solve your problems, to get closer to you, but since you never like to rely on others, he never got the chance.”

Tao Ming rolled her eyes dramatically. “Are you crazy? Only elementary school kids do that, right? I’m an adult. He treats me like that, and you think I’d be interested in him?”

Su Nanxing agreed, “Yeah, it’s a bit foolish.”

Just then, a loud voice came from outside: “Dinner has arrived.”

The two exchanged a glance, then stepped out of the bedroom to see Ling Fei directing several servants as they set the table.

Seeing Tao Ming and Su Nanxing emerge, Ling Fei spoke up, “Young Master Su, where are the others who got off the carriage with you earlier?”

Su Nanxing glanced at Ling Fei, recalling what Tao Ming had said earlier, and cautiously asked, “I’ve visited the sanctuary many times before but have never seen you.”

Ling Fei quickly glanced at the serving servants and replied, “I’ve only been apprenticed under my master for just over two hundred years, Young Master Su, so naturally you haven’t seen me.”

Noticing her hesitation, Su Nanxing said no more.

The meal was laid out, and the numerous servants withdrew one by one. Ling Fei bowed and was about to leave when Su Nanxing spoke, “My wife and I would like to explore the sanctuary a bit later. Would that be convenient?”

Ling Fei stopped, turned, and replied, “It’s already late. Better to explore tomorrow.”

Once the footsteps outside faded away, Su Nanxing waved his hand, casting a ward that enclosed the three of them in a circle. His voice was icy as he asked, “What were you thinking, speaking to my wife like that while I was away?”

Upon hearing this, Ling Fei immediately knelt, forehead pressed tightly against her legs. “Young Master Su, since I came to live in the sanctuary, I have never seen outsiders. Today, seeing all of you, I had no choice but to take a desperate chance.”

This was the first time Tao Ming heard Su Nanxing speak in such a tone. She tilted her head to look at him and saw his expression was grim, radiating a deadly aura that unsettled her deeply. She squeezed the hand he held; Su Nanxing gently squeezed back, tapping her palm twice with his fingers.

This was a small gesture between the two of them.

Sometimes when Tao Ming and Su Nanxing chatted, if the listener didn’t want to interrupt the speaker’s thoughts, they would tap twice on the other’s body to signal they were still listening.

Over time, this gesture came to carry different meanings depending on the situation. At this moment, Su Nanxing’s double tap meant to reassure Tao Ming.

Feeling the subtle movement in her palm, Tao Ming instantly felt much calmer and turned back to look at Ling Fei.

Su Nanxing watched Ling Fei silently, his presence causing a chill in the air.

Ling Fei lifted her head and said, “Today I risked my life just to save innocent people. Ling Qing, known as an elder of the sanctuary, appears to be a gentleman but is in truth a depraved beast. Ling Qing often descends the mountain to abduct innocent women, imprisoning them beneath the Elder Hall for his debauchery.”

Tao Ming couldn’t help but ask, “How do you know this?”

Tears streamed down Ling Fei’s cheeks. “To survive, I was forced to submit to him.”

Tao Ming sighed softly in her heart—another soul trapped in misery.

Ling Fei continued, “I was deceived here by Ling Qian, who is Ling Qing’s greatest accomplice.”

Feeling Tao Ming’s hand trembling, Su Nanxing squeezed it firmly and asked, “How many people are imprisoned beneath the Elder Hall now?”

“More than ten. Yesterday, Ling Qing went down again and brought back a woman. She is very beautiful, but even after threats, Ling Qing couldn’t break her will. She is also locked away beneath the Elder Hall.”

Su Nanxing studied Ling Fei kneeling before him for a long moment before asking, “Why us?”

Ling Fei glanced at Tao Ming and answered, “On the day the Sacred Maiden entered the city, the Heavenly Emperor sent a message, which I also witnessed. The messenger said the Sacred Maiden’s mother was from the Qin family, and her husband was Young Master Su of the Su family. I guessed with such a background, you wouldn’t fear Ling Qing and dared to expose this matter.”

Su Nanxing’s voice turned cold and ruthless. “Ling Qing is insignificant, of course. But why should we get involved?”

Hearing this, Tao Ming scratched Su Nanxing’s palm. Su Nanxing tapped her palm twice again.

Ling Fei kowtowed repeatedly, pleading urgently, “Please, save those innocent women.”

Tao Ming couldn’t contain herself any longer and said, “If what you say is true, I will definitely save them.”

Hearing this, Ling Fei raised her head, her face streaked with blood and tears, trembling as she looked at Su Nanxing. “Young Master Su, please.”

Seeing Tao Ming glare angrily at him, Su Nanxing thought, What’s the rush? He reached out and pinched Tao Ming’s cheek. She opened her mouth to bite him, but Su Nanxing held her nose, preventing her.

Ling Fei on her knees: “......”

Seeing Tao Ming truly angry, Su Nanxing quickly said, “I always listen to my wife. Since she says she wants to help you, I won’t refuse.”

Ling Fei bowed several more times. “Thank you, Young Master Su. Thank you, Mistress Su.”

Tao Ming handed her a soft cloth. “Stand up and wipe your face.”

Ling Fei took the cloth but remained kneeling.

After a moment’s thought, Su Nanxing asked, “Do you know where the entrance to the prison beneath the Elder Hall is?”

“I only know it’s inside Ling Qing’s bedroom but not the exact spot.”

Tao Ming pulled out paper and pen. “It would be best if you could draw a map of the sanctuary. That would make finding it quicker.”

Ling Fei finally rose and took the paper and pen, beginning to sketch.

When the map was finished and Tao Ming received it, she saw that the sanctuary’s main buildings formed a character resembling the shape of a triple box. The two lower boxes represented the Sanctum of the Holy Son and the Sanctum of the Sacred Maiden, while the upper box was naturally the Elder Hall. Surrounding buildings enclosed this shape in the center.

Tao Ming looked at the map and asked, “Are there guards at night?”

“The sanctuary has long been unused and no longer has guards. The servants inside are ordinary people. Except for a few who handle the meals, the rest go to bed after dark.”

Tao Ming hummed in acknowledgment, mentally planning their route for the night.

Su Nanxing looked at Ling Fei. “Until this is resolved, you’ll have to stay here. If what you say is true, you will be freed.”

He then cast a confinement ward around Ling Fei in the bedroom and, together with Tao Ming, entered the Star-Shifting Chamber.

Meanwhile, the two little ones had already woken and were eating with the others in the living room. Ruan Ruan saw Tao Ming and frowned, scolding, “Where did you run off to? You left the kids to others and went out to play. Do you think that’s right?”

Tao Ming hurried to pick up Ruan Ruan and tried to kiss her, but the little girl pushed her face away angrily. “No kissing! I’m mad at you. I won’t forgive you.”

Tao Ming sat down, placing Ruan Ruan on her lap, gently prying open her small hands and showering kisses on her face. Ruan Ruan dodged left and right, shouting, “Kissing won’t work, hmph!”

Tao Ming ignored her protests and continued kissing before coaxing, “Mommy knows she was wrong. Please forgive me just this once.”

“No forgive!”

Tao Ming pouted. “If you don’t forgive me, I’ll be heartbroken.”

They went back and forth like this until finally Ruan Ruan hugged Tao Ming’s neck and said, “Alright, this time I forgive you.”

Su Han leaned close to Su Nanxing and asked, “When Sister-in-law is angry, do you coax her like this too?”