Journey Through Realms: Fulfilling Last Wishes

Chapter 27: The Naive Saintess of the Demonic Sect

The morning after, An Ran woke to find the sect bustling with activity. People moved hurriedly in all directions, their faces tense.

Why does something strange always happen while I’m asleep? What’s going on now? She thought with a hint of frustration. After freshening up, she decided to find Shen Yu for answers.

“Brother Shen Yu, here you are! Why is everyone in such a rush? Did something big happen?” She asked, spotting him busy giving instructions.

“Ran Ran, you’re awake. Yesterday, my father captured Gu Lao and interrogated him. We learned that he was colluding with Jianhai Manor, the Qingcheng city lord, and the imperial prime minister to overthrow the Shen family. Father decided to act preemptively, and we’re preparing for action,” Shen Yu explained.

Last night, Gu Lao, realizing he had no way out, betrayed his allies in a desperate bid to save himself.

“Oh! Why didn’t you call me for the interrogation? Where is Gu Lao now? He’s locked up, right?” An Ran asked, surprised at how quickly Shen Mie had moved. She also had questions of her own for Gu Lao.

“He’s in the dungeon. If you want to see him, I’ll take you there,” Shen Yu offered.

______

The dungeon was located underground, behind the main building of the sect. Shen Yu carefully helped An Ran navigate the slippery steps leading to the water prison. Despite the relatively shallow depth, water pooled up to Gu Lao’s shoulders, making escape impossible.

As soon as Gu Lao saw Shen Yu supporting An Ran, his face twisted with fury.

“You fool, Shen Yu! Blinded by beauty, just like the Valley Master of Yaowang Valley. Do you really think you can protect her forever? What will you do when she grows old and loses her charm? You’ll regret it!”

Shen Yu sneered at his words.

“Someone like you, who knows nothing of love, would never understand. If the person I love is gone, what’s the point of living? Immortality without her is meaningless. Why would I gamble her life on something as uncertain as eternal life? And yet you call me the fool?”

“Foolishness! If you live long enough, you’ll meet someone new. That’s all there is to it,” Gu Lao muttered, seemingly lost in thought.

An Ran stepped forward, her voice calm but sharp.

“I’m here to ask you something. How did you know I was in the Demonic Sect? Don’t tell me it was just a guess. Qin Yuan’s approach to me was calculated, and your cooperation with Jianhai Manor wasn’t random. Someone must have told you who I was.”

Gu Lao hesitated but quickly denied her accusation.

“No one told me. It was obvious. The Demonic Sect only has one woman, and Shen Mie’s attitude toward you makes it clear. Anyone with eyes could figure it out.”

“Oh, really?” An Ran said coldly. “Then how did you know about Uncle Shen’s treatment of me? How did you know I would leave the sect with Brother Shen Yu and prepare an ambush in advance?”

Gu Lao’s face stiffened, but he doubled down.

“I have informants stationed outside the sect. There’s no way I’d have an insider in the Demonic Sect.”

An Ran’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “Amazing patience, Gu Lao. Watching the sect for over a decade—how commendable. But you’re lying. The sect has strict security. There’s no way you could’ve set up a successful ambush without inside help. Someone within the sect tipped you off.”

Gu Lao’s confidence wavered, but he kept denying.

“It’s not true. I don’t have an insider. You’re overthinking things.”

“Of course, you’re waiting for someone to rescue you,” An Ran said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “But here’s the thing: Uncle Shen is already taking steps to deal with your so-called partners. Do you think they’d risk their own exposure to save you? Killing you would be the safer option for them. So, what do you think they’ll choose?”

Gu Lao’s composure finally cracked. His voice rose in desperation.

“No! He won’t abandon me! He owes me his life. Without me, his woman won’t survive!”

“Such confidence. Admirable, really,” An Ran said with icy detachment. “Well, we’ll see soon enough. But with or without you, he’s no threat to us anymore.”

Gu Lao’s once smug demeanor was gone, replaced by a mix of fear and uncertainty. An Ran turned and walked away, leaving him to grapple with the hopelessness of his situation.

An Ran, satisfied that she had extracted enough valuable information from Gu Lao, decided to let him stew in the dungeon. Her primary goal had been to confirm the existence of a hidden traitor within the sect, and now she was more certain than ever.

As she pieced everything together, a grim realization dawned on her.

How could so many people and resources be mobilized for the sole purpose of obtaining my blood? All for an elusive myth of immortality? These people are utterly mad.

An Ran shook her head in disbelief and turned to Shen Yu.

“Brother Shen Yu, you heard him. We should investigate anyone in the sect who fits the profile—someone who suffered severe injuries or disappeared for a long time within the past few years, especially someone with a high position.”

Shen Yu nodded thoughtfully.

“You’re right. That narrows it down. But I think my father might already know. Let’s ask him first—it’ll save us a lot of time.”

With that, he took her hand and led her towards Shen Mie’s study.

______

When they arrived, Shen Yu knocked politely. “Father, I have something urgent to discuss with you.”

“Come in,” Shen Mie’s voice called from inside.

Shen Yu opened the door and entered with An Ran. The room was filled with elders and trusted subordinates, deep in discussion about how to handle Jianhai Manor and the Qingcheng city lord. The imperial prime minister was deemed a lesser concern, as Shen Mie planned to inform the capital and let them deal with it.

“Father, uncles, greetings,” Shen Yu said, bowing respectfully.

“Good day, Uncle Shen. Good day, everyone,” An Ran added with a shy smile.

“What is so urgent that you had to interrupt us?” Shen Mie asked sharply, but his tone softened the moment he saw An Ran. “Ran Ran, have you eaten? Come, sit here. There’s some fresh pastry—would you like some?”

An Ran blushed slightly at the attention.

“Thank you, Uncle Shen, but I’m not hungry. Actually, Brother Shen Yu and I have a private matter to discuss with you.”

Shen Mie raised an eyebrow but quickly understood her hesitation.

“We’ll continue this later. Everyone, you’re dismissed for now.”

The subordinates immediately filed out, leaving the three alone in the room.

“Alright, Ran Ran. What do you need?” Shen Mie asked, his voice warm.

“Uncle Shen, do you recall anyone in the sect who, in recent years, disappeared for an extended period or suffered serious injuries but wasn’t treated here?” An Ran asked directly.

Shen Mie frowned thoughtfully.

“There was one. About seven years ago, Shen Lan went missing during a mission. He was gravely injured and separated from his team. We couldn’t locate him in time, but he claimed a kind woman saved him and nursed him back to health. He stayed with her for about six months before returning to the sect.”

“Did he ever go back to visit her?” An Ran pressed.

“Yes, frequently at first. He would often request leave to see her, but after two years, he stopped entirely. When I asked, he said she had married someone else. I even joked that he should crash the wedding and take her back,” Shen Mie said with a chuckle, though a hint of unease flickered in his eyes.

“Uncle Shen, I think you should keep an eye on him. There’s a chance he betrayed the sect long ago,” An Ran said cautiously.

Shen Mie sighed deeply.

“I hope you’re wrong. My brothers and I have been through life and death together. Without proof, I can’t accuse him of treachery.”

“Don’t worry, Father,” Shen Yu interjected, seizing the opportunity. “I have a plan. It will expose any hidden traitors and also… serve another purpose.”

Shen Mie raised an eyebrow at his son.

“You’re planning to catch a spy, or are you just using this as an excuse to push your agenda?”

“A bit of both,” Shen Yu admitted with a grin, handing over a detailed plan he had prepared in advance.

After scanning the document, Shen Mie chuckled and shook his head.

“You cunning brat. It’s a solid plan. Fine, go ahead. But make sure it’s grand. Don’t half-heartedly involve Ran Ran in this.”

“Of course, Father. I’ll make it unforgettable,” Shen Yu promised, grabbing An Ran’s hand and leading her out of the room before she could protest.

_______

As Shen Yu pulled her along, An Ran couldn’t help but wonder what he was planning.

“Brother Shen Yu, what is this about? It seems like it involves me. What exactly do you want me to do?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” Shen Yu replied cryptically, his mischievous smile making her even more curious.