Chapter 168: Chapter 141: One Move Ahead

Luckily, Xiao Liu couldn’t see it now, otherwise Sang Que’s instinctive reaction would have given it away.

But hearing Xiao Liu’s words, Sang Que belatedly realized that He Buning had indeed shown some interest in Xia Chan before.

Although it’s unclear how He Buning reached such an outrageous conclusion, retrospectively, without knowing that Xia Chan and her biological mother could traverse between realms, Xia Chan was indeed the most suspicious target.

“Sixth Brother, my mind is a bit muddled. Don’t say anything yet. Let me sort through it.”

Sang Que continued to drive towards the inn while pondering.

Xia Chan’s mother and her biological mother were about the same age. Both were pregnant at the time and mysteriously appeared in Black Mountain Village, each giving birth to a baby girl on the same day.

The conditions were extremely similar in every aspect.

But in Black Mountain Village, He Buning only needed to ask the villagers to find out there were two pregnant women at that time.

Wait a minute!

Sang Que suddenly pulled the reins sharply, causing the Black Donkey to tilt its head and neigh strangely. Xiao Liu almost fell off again.

If the villagers’ memories in Black Mountain Village became confused, causing them to remember Xia Chan’s mother’s appearance as her biological mother’s and completely forget her biological mother’s existence?

Then Xia Chan would truly become ’her,’ becoming the sister He Buning was searching for.

A chill rushed to the top of her head as Sang Que suddenly remembered the locust tree in the Liu Family Courtyard in Black Mountain Village, capable of erasing Liu Tianyou’s existence from everyone’s memory…

It’s terrifying to think about!

It’s likely Xia Chan’s mother was chosen on purpose due to the similar conditions, unable to deduce anything with the divination techniques from the Deceit Dynasty.

Yet Xia Chan, with her incomplete mind, knows nothing. Even if they verify this with Xia Chan, the information obtained would be very limited.

At this moment, Sang Que suddenly wanted to return to Wangshan City quickly to confirm with Kou Yushan and see if his current memory matched what he’d told her before.

“Sister, are you hot? You’re sweating.”

Xia Chan raised her sleeve, full of concern, and wiped the cold sweat from Sang Que’s forehead.

Sang Que smiled, “Yes, it is a bit warm.”

Sang Que thought, her biological mother did this certainly to protect the secret of the Yansheng coin and also to protect her, but implicating the innocent Xia Chan to ’replace’ her identity would inevitably bring danger to Xia Chan.

This made Sang Que conflicted, with a touch of guilt towards Xia Chan.

But what should she do now?

Should she continue to follow her biological mother’s arrangement and mislead further, or reveal the truth?

Considering Xia Chan as an Evil Person, yet so pure, it’s easy for Evil Taoists to target her in this world, to kill her or use her to refine corpses or make yin objects, Sang Que thought that if He Buning could protect Xia Chan, it would be beneficial.

She decided not to break this matter for now but also wouldn’t deliberately mislead.

If He Buning could find out by himself, she wouldn’t deny it. If he couldn’t, she’d find a chance to explain before this year’s New Year’s Eve. There were still many matters she needed to investigate first.

For instance, why did her biological mother suddenly leave with her? If it was just marital issues, then it’s inconsequential, but if it concerns life and death, she must be cautious and not recklessly risk her own life.

Before that, she would also strive to protect Xia Chan.

This time, going back, she planned to discuss with her mother and see what opinions she had.

After making up her mind, Sang Que tethered the donkey cart inside the inn’s shed and said, “No wonder you were always inquiring about Little Chan before. I’m indeed not a blood sister to Little Chan. I’m from Dongyang County, originally wanting to go to Black Mountain Village during the Mid-Autumn Festival to learn their masked dramas.”

“But unfortunately, encountered a sacrificial event. Fortunately, Captain Kou Yushan of Black Mountain Village was alert enough to discover the Ghost Opera Troupe’s conspiracy early and led most villagers to escape. That’s when I met Little Chan. Maybe it’s fate; Little Chan was particularly close to me, always calling me her sister. I am an orphan too, having an extra sister feels nice.”

After pondering, Sang Que added, “I don’t know much about Little Chan, but don’t be fooled by her incomplete mind. She does have some special abilities.”

This was to set up for Xia Chan’s future ability revelation. Evil People also fall under the Evil Suppression Bureau’s jurisdiction, though they are rare.

As long as Xia Chan’s identity passed through the Wangshan Town Evil Suppression Bureau, there would be no need for her to hide anymore.

After tethering the donkey cart, Qin Ze also came over, helping Xiao Liu down. They had some food at the inn, and Xiao Liu again asked Sang Que some questions about Xia Chan. Sang Que only talked about what everyone knew.

Xiao Liu tried to ask Xia Chan, but Xia Chan was too focused on eating, mumbling unclear words. She remembered very few things, and Xiao Liu couldn’t gather much useful information.

“You eat so much, just like my family’s Colonel every time after using yin fire—”

Xiao Liu suddenly gasped, having suddenly discovered the similarities between Xia Chan and his family’s Colonel. His Colonel always needed to eat something good to replenish strength after using yin fire due to weakness.

Could it be that Xia Chan, like his Colonel, had special abilities causing this?

Xiao Liu had never encountered Evil People and didn’t know what they were like. Due to this conjecture, he was so excited he nearly couldn’t sit still, eager to quickly report to He Buning.

After dinner, Qin Ze pulled Sang Que aside to express his concerns.

Regarding this point, Sang Que didn’t know either. After all, Yan Daozi didn’t have family before, so Sang Que could only tell Qin Ze that while pretending to be Evil Spirits, he had to be as similar as possible, but not completely identical. He needed to leave himself an anchor point for his identity to avoid being replaced by Evil Spirits.

Sang Que didn’t have a solution, but Qin Ze felt Sang Que had a masterful air, and he hadn’t grasped it yet. Hence he didn’t dare ask further, fearing Sang Que would think him foolish, never giving him guidance again.

With an uneventful night, the group continued back to Wangshan City the next day.

Xiao Liu was talkative, always on the move, possibly pent up from usually staying with He Buning. He spoke the entire journey, while Sang Que listened.

Besides discussing He Buning’s various matters, he also told Sang Que many strange tales of Wangshan City not involving Evil Spirits or Evil Ghosts.

Qin Ze followed silently, pondering Sang Que’s words, whether he could return home or not.

Xuan Yu sprawled on the roof, sunbathing, Xavier continued eating.

This leisurely journey finally led them back to Wangshan City by the next afternoon.

Sang Que asked Qin Ze to take Xiao Liu back to the Wangshan Town Evil Suppression Bureau, saying she had some personal matters to handle and would report to the Bureau in three days. Then she took Little Chan to Kou Yushan.

He Buning did go to find Kou Yushan, but Kou Yushan surprisingly didn’t remember discussing anything with He Buning, only knowing about this matter. He Buning showed him a woman’s portrait that seemed familiar but not recognizable.

Sang Que reconfirmed the matter regarding her biological mother with Kou Yushan.

Kou Yushan had completely forgotten everything!

He even asked Sang Que when they met, only remembering that when escaping from Black Mountain Village, Sang Que was already there. His trust and fondness for her were still there, but his memories were missing some parts.

The parts concerning Sang Que’s biological mother were completely missing.

Sang Que wasn’t surprised by this at all, imagining other people from Black Mountain Village likely wouldn’t remember much either.

After greeting Kou Yushan, Sang Que left the city before curfew, casually capturing a few Suicide Ropes from the copper mirror outside the city, then crafted a simple wooden door, and took Xuan Yu home.

The next time she returns, she’ll be joining the Evil Suppression Bureau, becoming a Night Traveler!

*

At night, Wangshan Town Evil Suppression Bureau.

He Buning stood in front of his desk, looking at the woman’s portrait placed on the desk.

Years have passed, yet he still clearly remembers his mother’s appearance, able to draw her instantly.

He asked nothing from Kou Yushan but that confirmed that Kou Yushan had seen his mother.

Because the moment he showed the portrait, Kou Yushan forgot everything about his mother.

“Why didn’t you let my father and me also forget you? You went through great lengths to take her away, yet finally left her in Black Mountain Village, going to the Immortal Country yourself?”

He Buning frowned, his heart ached, helplessly leaning into the chair, now nearly certain Xia Chan was his sister.

The storyteller also said she was different from his imagination.

In his imagination, his sister should be gentle and wise like his mother, worthy of the Divine Envoy title of Witch Lady, not foolish like Xia Chan.

“Is this your retribution?”

He Buning chuckled with a complex gaze, picked up the portrait on the desk, and without hesitation, burned it under the lamp.

A fool is fine; that thing likely isn’t in her possession, let her continue living ignorantly, saving him from acting.

Once Nine Songs is destroyed, and the Holy Object of Nine Songs is obliterated, this dynasty can finally be peaceful!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep