Chapter 1513 – Cutting Nie Liang, Attacking Yang Tao, Sword Pointing at the World (Fifty-Two)
Nie Qing curiously asked, “How do you know what’s pressing down on my father-in-law’s bookshelf in the third row?”
The Mountain Spirit replied, “I’m just making things up, but it feels like I hit the nail on the head…”
Nie Qing: “…”
Wei Ying stepped forward, his right hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he unsheathed the blade, and both the Mountain Spirit and Nie Qing thought, “My life is forfeit.”
“Wait, Father-in-law!”
The Mountain Spirit raised her hand to halt the approach, her expression filled with tension.
Swallowing hard, she said, “Father-in-law, don’t act rashly. I’ll just take my own life; don’t trouble yourself.”
Earlier, Nie Qing also said that no matter what, he must not die at Wei Ying’s hands, which the Mountain Spirit found quite reasonable.
Fan Chen glanced at Wei Ying suspiciously, confused as he asked, “When did Nie Yang become the son-in-law of Zishun?”
Wei Ying also spoke up, “I’m curious too, where did this ‘father-in-law’ title come from?”
Originally, Wei Ying suspected that the person leaving behind these strange words was related to Nie Qing, but after seeing the real deal, he felt he might be losing his mind.
Fan Chen then asked, “What’s pressing down on your bookshelf in the third row?”
Wei Ying shot a cold glare at him, making Fan Chen inexplicably shiver, “You actually believe his nonsense?”
Fan Chen: “…”
It wasn’t that he wanted to believe, but because Wei Ying’s reaction forced him to take it seriously, he was now curious beyond measure.
Wei Ying turned his gaze towards the Mountain Spirit, her icy eyes filled with murderous intent made both her and Nie Qing tremble slightly.
“Take him back for questioning.”
Fan Chen asked, “Why not just kill him to eliminate future trouble?”
Without turning around, Wei Ying replied, “We can’t kill him just yet.”
The Mountain Spirit was tied up tightly, and as she shouted in pain, even Fan Chen lost his patience.
They brought her to the military tent, where a soldier brutally pushed her to the ground, causing her pain and tears—she felt wronged!
“Who on earth are you?”
Wei Ying dismissed everyone else, leaving only himself, the Mountain Spirit, and Fan Chen.
“I’ve already called you father-in-law, who do you think I am? Your son-in-law…” She was about to complain when Jiang Pengji sent her a message, causing her to pause and continue, “No, technically, this body is your son-in-law’s. Can you show at least a little respect to the Mountain Spirit? I saved your son-in-law, rescued your family’s eldest son, and this is how you treat your savior?”
Wei Ying sneered; he was most impatient with such ghostly stories.
The Mountain Spirit insisted calmly, “I am a Mountain Spirit refined from the wilderness, and yesterday I came out to explore. Finding the camp glowing with demonic energies, I grew curious and came to take a look. Little did I know, I was witnessing a grand drama—this person named Nie Yang fed your son-in-law a transformation pill, using this magic to swap their appearances. As a result, Nie Yang brazenly stole your son-in-law’s identity, while your son-in-law bore the blame!”
“Do you have proof?”
The Mountain Spirit held her head high, “No evidence, but if you kill me, you will have it. Just hope you remain calm seeing your son-in-law perish under your sword. I am but a spirit; if this body dies, I’ll merely leave my soul. Your son-in-law won’t be so lucky.”
Fan Chen listened in silence, initially confused, then horrified.
“Are you really a spirit?”
Following Jiang Pengji’s remote instructions, the Mountain Spirit replied, “You have short memories. Before the Zhong Zhao fell, there was indeed a Demon Empress who turned into a wooden puppet. Why shouldn’t an idealistic spirit like me come out and do good deeds?”
The tale of the Demon Empress turning from a human into a wooden puppet spread far and wide among the common folks. While many thought it was merely gossip, Wei Ying, Fan Chen, and others had access to reliable sources confirming that the Empress indeed transformed under everyone’s gaze.
The Mountain Spirit managed to maintain her composure as she repeated Jiang Pengji’s words.
“I’m just so unlucky; I could have stayed in the mountains cultivating peacefully. Instead, I find myself entangled in this chaotic battle of princes that could lead to endless consequences.” She wore a defiant expression, boldly stating to Wei Ying, “It seems that the Nie Yang you speak of might be involved with some evil entity; I don’t know where he found the transformation pill. Without evidence, once someone dies, the effects of the pill wear off. Want to test its truth? I’m not afraid of death, but your son-in-law only has this one life.”
Wei Ying’s hand trembled upon holding the sword as his mind wavered.
“Were those words left by you?”
“I asked Nie Qing, and he relayed my message for me to write. Since you don’t know whether to believe it or not, why not give him a chance to defend himself?”
Wei Ying inquired further, “If I speak, will he hear?”
The Mountain Spirit sighed in relief internally, knowing that her presence seemed to have shaken Wei Ying.
“He can hear you. If you want to ask anything, I can relay it.”
“If what you say is true, I will consider you a benefactor. If false, then you know what will happen.”
The Mountain Spirit spotted another message from Jiang Pengji, feeling ecstatic. “That’s right; we, the Mountain Spirits, don’t like to get involved in human affairs, especially those concerning the fate of the world. I saved Nie Qing’s life, so remember to express your gratitude appropriately, silver in exchange for help.”
Wei Ying’s expression darkened as he asked multiple questions.
For instance, where they learned from their master back then, what they said to each other, what humorous things Nie Liang joked about when he brought his son to pay respects, and what promises Nie Qing made privately when he married Wei Ying’s eldest daughter… these were personal matters known by few. Even if Nie Yang and Nie Qing were close friends, they couldn’t know every little thing.
To guard against accidents, Wei Ying deliberately set traps.
For example, he asked Nie Qing what books were on the bookshelf in the southwest corner of his study, where, in fact, there were only a few instruments and no bookshelf at all.
Nie Qing answered one by one, and the Mountain Spirit relayed each response.
The more Wei Ying asked, the more alarmed he became, while Fan Chen’s face paled.
“Do you believe now?” The Mountain Spirit delivered a final blow, “You nearly killed your own son-in-law.”
Wei Ying used the sword’s tip to cut the coarse ropes binding her, and the Mountain Spirit was finally free.
“I can only maintain this form for six hours. After that, Nie Qing will regain control of this body.”
Fan Chen pressed on, “Is there any way to negate the transformation pill’s effects and restore the Young Master to his original appearance?”
The Mountain Spirit shrugged, “No idea, I don’t know.”
“If the spirit can help the Young Master return, it would be a great favor we’ll never forget.”
The Mountain Spirit had no clue, when suddenly Jiang Pengji provided insight, “If you ask like that, there might just be a way.”
“What method?”
“Capture Nie Yang and send him to Liu Xi. The knife in Liu Xi’s hands can slay all evil spirits. That evil being is currently inhabiting Nie Yang’s body.” The Mountain Spirit explained, “Once you deal with the malevolent spirit aiding Nie Yang, the effect of the transformation pill will naturally dissolve. Of course, I may be a Mountain Spirit, but I’ve also heard that humans fight fiercely. Liu Xi is your arch-nemesis. But every choice involves giving and taking. Do you want to let Nie Yang occupy your son-in-law’s identity forever, or endure a moment of humiliation to have Liu Xi help eliminate the spirit? You choose.”
Upon hearing this, Wei Ying’s body trembled, nearly losing his balance.
He scoffed, “Liu Xi, is she truly destined to have our support? All spirits of the world assist her?”
The Mountain Spirit was about to affirm, “Of course,” when Jiang Pengji interrupted with another message.
“It’s hard to say; whoever ultimately holds the world’s fate is who the destiny belongs to.” She laughed, “As I said, it’s not easy for Mountain Spirits to cultivate, so we cannot casually interfere in mortal rulers’ transitions. Such a vast fate isn’t something a mere Mountain Spirit can bear… Believe it or not, the choice is yours.”
Fan Chen nodded, “That makes sense. If Mountain Spirits support Liu Xi, then why would they save the Young Master?”
As the Nie Clan grew more chaotic, Jiang Pengji’s benefits would grow exponentially, making it harmful for Nie Qing to regain power.
