Chapter 340: Releasing People Down the Mountain

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Chapter 339: Gossip News


"Really? I've never heard of using it as a seasoning before."


"It's from miscellaneous records." Ye Muyu explained with a light smile.


Qian's face instantly lit up with a smile. "I knew that studying could broaden one's knowledge. Eldest daughter-in-law, second daughter-in-law, listen, ever since Muyu learned to read, she knows so many things. You shouldn't say that women studying is useless."


"Mom, why are you bringing this up again?" Shen Shi smiled a bit forced but she didn't want to say much in front of Ye Muyu. Her brows were slightly furrowed indicating that there was something on her mind.


Qin Shi complimented with a smile, "Younger sister must be more capable than us. We just farm the land and it's good if we can grow a bit more grain. After all, Ah Heng is a scholar and we only have one in our family. Who can compare to him?"


"That's not how it works. Our family has been better off than others because we've always had a business-minded person. Most people in the village rely on those few acres of land to eat. If the weather is good, it's fine, but when it's not and the heavens don't grant us food, we've experienced years of famine where we went hungry. I just want to provide more options for the children. Why can't you all understand?" Qian spoke with some helplessness, but she also argued forcefully. However, these were her two daughters-in-law who usually did well, so she could only negotiate with them.


This was about whether to let the girls learn to read and Ye Muyu had no intention of getting involved or offering any advice, even to Qian, whom she got along well with. In the long run, it was undoubtedly beneficial for women to learn to read.


Chu Liushi and she herself were literate. Chu Liushi, in particular became gentler towards people because she could read and she raised a son like Chu Heng who was also literate.


It depended on the individual.


In fact, reading books was undoubtedly beneficial but it depended on one's personal choices to make it more suitable for themselves.


Qian changed the topic when she saw Ye Muyu and it turned to the temple on the mountain.


"Did you hear? There's a rumor that there are monks in the distant Thunderlight Temple who say they want to send children down the mountain."


"What?" Ye Muyu was puzzled, not understanding where Qian had heard this piece of news.


Qian clapped the dust off her gloves, speaking while continuing. "It's Ah Xing. He's been selling Zhuge Suo everywhere these days, right?"


"He went to the Thunderlight Temple yesterday. It's said that the number of pilgrims there has been increasing and those who go to burn incense usually have some extra money. They would definitely be willing to buy these little trinkets, especially since Zhuge Suo are used to test whether a child is intelligent."


Qian had a high opinion of Zhuge Suo. Even if Chu Jin mentioned that they were made by ancient celebrities, the game itself required a certain level of intelligence. It easily aroused a child's interest.


"And then?" Ye Muyu had a good impression of Chu Xing's business acumen. Seeing that he had finished selling in the nearby county and found a temple to sell Zhuge Suo, it showed a certain level of cleverness. She was quite optimistic about him.


"Heard from Ah Xing that it was successful. Many people were interested and he sold a lot of them. It's probably a good business opportunity." Qian said.


She found out that she could buy fresh mountain peppers from Qian and planned to use them to make some dishes when she got home.

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 Chapter 698: You Insist on Entering Hell's Gateless Realm, Seeking Your Own Death!

"Aaahhh!!!"

Shen Ran couldn't bear the thousands of years of demonic power from Lan An's Blue Aralia, and his mouth emitted a wailing cry.

Seemingly harmless tree leaves, like sharp blades, cut through his flesh.

The illusion of Shen Ran's form created by the other side couldn't hold up any longer, quickly revealing his true hideous face.

He wore tattered clothes, his soul was as thin as skin and bones, his cheekbones were high, and his eye sockets were sunken.

This appearance was none other than that of a starved ghost.

The branch below Lan An's right shoulder continued to grow as each leaf was shot out.

Countless blade-like leaves swarmed towards the starving puppet.

In the blink of an eye, the opponent was tortured into surrendering.

"Enough, it hurts so much! Spare me!!!"

The starved ghost the wraith with the same emaciated appearance as in life, grimaced and wailed.

Lan An remained unmoved, his attacks not decreasing but increasing.

Every leaf he shot out found its mark, perfectly attacking the wraith's soul.

Su Wang, standing behind Lan An, was left dumbfounded by the eerie scene before her.

Her knowledge from the past twenty years was overturned.

The wraith continued to wail in agony, its piercing and hoarse cries reaching Qin Ruan's ears as she entered the room.

She saw Su Wang, shielded by Lan An, and the true face of the wraith.

Hou Qiang and Hou Zhi wanted to enter the room with her, but Qin Ruan raised her hand to stop them. "Wait outside."

With hurried steps, she approached Su Wang. Grabbing his sleeve, she said in a low voice, "Zi Lan is downstairs, go find her."

"Why did you come?!"

Seeing Qin Ruan's appearance, both Su Wang and Li Zilan reacted similarly.

They didn't want Qin Ruan to appear at this moment.

Especially knowing she was pregnant, they were even more concerned for her safety.

"Go ahead!"

Qin Ruan had no time to explain to him.

She pulled Su Wang to the door and handed him over to Hou Qiang. "Watch him!"

Just as Hou Qiang took over Su Wang, Qin Ruan closed the door behind her.

"Aaahhh!!! It hurts so much!!!"

"Let me go, I won't eat people anymore!"

The moment the door closed, the agonizing cries of the wraith reached the ears of the three people outside.

Their expressions were beyond words, as if they doubted whether they were hearing correctly.

Inside the room...

Qin Ruan stood at the door, meeting Lan An's cold gaze as he turned around.

His voice was icy. "Do you want me to tear him apart?"

His tone was casual, as if he were discussing something mundane.

"Leave it, I'll handle this!"

Qin Ruan stepped closer, her delicate face as calm as water, her eyes filled with a chilling aura.

Lan An retracted his control over the wraith using demonic power.

The latter was shrouded in faint black mist, its soul unsteady, sitting on the ground.

The pleasure of being able to catch his breath gave the wraith a fleeting sense of being alive.

The recent experience was like reliving the pain of dying.

No, it was even more agonizing than waiting for death to come in life.

Tormented by hunger, he desperately wanted to absorb human yang energy or feast on fresh flesh and blood.

Qin Ruan passed by Lan An without stopping.

She walked up to the wraith, looking down at it from above, her eyes emanating a sinister gleam.

The scent of something enticing wafted towards the wraith's nostrils.

It raised its head abruptly, revealing its greedy and monstrous visage.

Its dark, shiny eyes were fixed on Qin Ruan's abdomen.

That was the scent of food, tempting it to strike and devour the delicacy.

The wraith licked its lips, its bony Adam's apple moving slightly as if swallowing.

Qin Ruan's expression changed, a coldness filling her eyes, and her already displeased face became shrouded in clouds.

How dare he target the child in her belly? He truly courted death.

Qin Ruan reached out, placing her hand on top of the starved puppet's head.

"There's a way to heaven you won't take, but you insist on charging into hell's gateless realm, seeking your own death!"

Without giving the wraith a chance to defend itself, she started to draw the bloodthirsty aura from its body using her dark power.

The wraith, having just caught its breath, was plunged into the agony of its soul being torn apart once again.

This time, the pain was so intense that it couldn't even cry out for mercy.

The wraith's already ugly features contorted into an even more grotesque and terrifying expression. Its eyes, wracked by unbearable pain, rolled out of their sockets uncontrollably.

Two bloodshot spheres fell to the ground, rolling on the worn floor as if they were physical objects.

The aura of bloodthirst and darkness was instantly absorbed by Qin Ruan.

Her hand, which had been placed on the wraith's head, slowly sank.

Her fair and soft hand plunged directly into the starved puppet's weakened, nearly transparent soul.

"Aaahhh!!!"

Finally, the wraith managed to emit a pitiful scream.

Its hoarse voice rose in pitch, almost piercing their eardrums.

Qin Ruan's other hand extended slowly.

A faint tearing sound echoed.

She had torn apart the evil ghost with her bare hands.

The torn pieces of its soul and body fell to the ground. Its head, like a ball, was flung against a wall not far away.

Had it been a solid object, it would have made a dull thud upon impact.

But Qin Ruan continued.

Her actions were brutal and straightforward, devoid of any embellishment.

What was spine-chilling, however, was that despite performing such a cruel act, she appeared as if she were in a flower-arranging class, every gesture exuding an aesthetic sense.

Lan An stood behind her, calmly watching everything unfold.

To him, the scene that was transpiring before him had become routine, and his expression remained unchanged.

What was happening before her eyes was a regular occurrence for him, and his expression showed no surprise or change.

Qin Ruan clapped her hands together, then looked down at the shattered remains scattered on the ground – fragments of epidermis, connective tissue, muscle, and neural tissue that had been etherealized.

Even without a trace of blood, the scene was chilling enough.

Lan An approached, his gaze calm as he observed the scene.

To him, this was a sight he had grown accustomed to, and he showed no signs of surprise.

Qin Ruan's action might have been uncomfortable for others, but to Lan An, it was a raw display of authenticity.

He pursed his lips, and a faint smile graced his face.

His cold, handsome features turned enchanting and bewitching with that smile, captivating everyone who laid eyes on him.

He gazed at Qin Ruan, his expression softening.

"You're impressive."

He didn't directly answer Qin Ruan's.

Qin Ruan raised an eyebrow slightly, her tone icy. "I don't like having people with hidden motives around me. It makes me uncomfortable."

Lan An shook his head at her, his voice clear and firm. "I don't have any."

Qin Ruan looked at him deeply.

She didn't believe a single word he said.

She had learned too many lessons to easily trust others.

Qin Ruan's lips parted slightly. "After dealing with the jujube Tree, you and Ling Feng should return to Qishan."

Lan An nodded. "We were planning to."

He intended to send Ling Feng to Qishan and then return to the capital city.

After all, it wasn't just Qin Ruan here, there were also his old friends.

After waiting for so many years, the opportunity for everyone to reunite had finally come.

Such a heaven-sent chance was not to be missed.

 Chapter 697: Little Devil, How Dare You Be Arrogant in Front of Me!

Qin Ruan took her time to feel better.

Hearing something off in Li Zilan's voice, she looked up to see her standing nearby, emanating a strong aura of bloodthirst.

Frowning, Qin Ruan asked, "Where are Su Wang and Shen Ran?"

Li Zilan looked terrified, "They encountered something upstairs. Get away from here!"

She reached out to push Qin Ruan away to safety, but her wrist was caught firmly by Hou Qiang.

With a cold gaze, Hou Qiang said, "Don't touch her. Speak directly!"

Li Zilan winced in pain from his grip, clearly shocked.

Qin Ruan freed Li Zilan's wrist from Hou Qiang's hold, speaking more gently, "What happened to Su Wang and Shen Ran?"

Trembling, Li Zilan's eyes filled with tears as she said, "There's something evil upstairs. Su Wang went to save Shen Ran. Qin Ruan, please leave this place, something is wrong here."

Qin Ruan patted Li Zilan's shoulder to comfort her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

Her voice turned gentle, but her eyes showed a bloodthirsty and ruthless glint as her killing intent quickly spread.

Qin Ruan hugged Li Zilan and turned to Lan An.

Before she could say anything, he nodded at her, "I'll check it out."

With that, Lan An vanished from the spot.

Li Zilan was left in shock, feeling like it was all a dream.

Qin Ruan handed Li Zilan to Lin Hao and said, "You rest here for a while. I'll go upstairs to check."

"No, Qin Ruan, there's something evil upstairs!" Li Zilan grabbed her hand, refusing to let go.

Qin Ruan's eyes turned cold, "Did you see it?"

Li Zilan hadn't seen it, but she knew it was real.

She could clearly sense something wrong with Su Wang and Shen Ran. They were in danger upstairs, walking on the edge of life and death, and that sense of fear allowed her to perceive the presence of evil.

Tightly gripping Qin Ruan's hand, Li Zilan cried, "It's real! Please believe me!"

Her mind was on the verge of collapse, making her speech unclear and incoherent.

Qin Ruan gently patted her head and comforted her, "I know, I know. Don't be so anxious. Rest assured, the people I brought won't have any problems. You go rest in the car for a while."

She broke free from Li Zilan's grasp, not wasting any more time, and with Hou Qiang and Hou Zhi, she went upstairs.

Upstairs

As Su Wang turned around to find Shen Ran, he was horrified by the sound of crunching and chewing, growing more urgent.

As he approached, the sound became clearer.

He tremblingly took out his phone and turned on the screen.

He was now only a few steps away from the restroom.

Su Wang called out, "Shen Ran?"

"Crunch..."

The response was a chilling sound of eating.

Su Wang took two brave steps forward.

Standing at the door of the restroom, the light from his phone screen illuminated the interior.

The floor was covered in severed limbs and broken body parts, a sight drenched in blood.

The small restroom looked like a river of blood, with no place untouched by the crimson color.

What terrified Su Wang the most was the familiar figure crouched inside the restroom, with his back facing him.

Shen Ran crouched on the floor, seemingly holding something in his hands, his head constantly moving.

The disturbing sound of chewing came from him.

Su Wang's legs weakened, and he had to hold onto the door frame to steady himself.

He cautiously called out, "Shen Ran?"

His voice was so faint that even he doubted if he had made a sound.

"Crack... Crunch..."

In response to his call, the frantic chewing sounds continued, and then something was thrown by Shen Ran.

Su Wang, still bent over from vomiting, subconsciously caught it, feeling something sticky in his hand.

The sensation in his hand was eerie and cold.

As he touched the edges, there was a soft feeling of fragmented flesh.

Su Wang slowly lowered his head, and by the light of his phone screen, he saw a piece of white bone stained with red in his hand.

Where his fingertips touched, there were pieces of flesh that hadn't been completely consumed.

"Ugh!"

Su Wang bent over and vomited again.

His hand went weak, and the piece of bone, covered in blood and flesh, slipped from his grasp.

"Bang!"

The fresh bone fell to the ground, making a crisp and heavy sound.

Shen Ran turned around, his eyes pitch black without a trace of white.

His once handsome face was now distorted and covered in blood, with remnants of red and white flesh sticking to his cheeks.

Seeing Su Wang standing at the door, Shen Ran's black eyes gleamed fiercely.

Before him was a delightful feast, and he greedily licked his blood-red sharp teeth.

Shen Ran stood up, his feet leaving the ground, floating slowly toward Su Wang.

Still bent over from vomiting, Su Wang was unaware of the danger approaching.

He was shivering all over, fear and disgust making it difficult for him to stand.

Through tear-filled eyes, he suddenly saw a pair of legs in front of him.

If the person had both feet on the ground and wasn't covered in thick blood, Su Wang would have mistaken him for his normal good friend.

He lowered his head, sweat on his forehead forming droplets that fell to the ground with a pitter-patter.

Shen Ran stood in front of Su Wang, grinning widely, his mouth full of blood-red sharp teeth.

He reached out to touch Su Wang, ready to continue his feast.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Shen Ran's body was sent flying into the restroom, crashing into the porcelain sink.

The impact was forceful.

By normal standards, Shen Ran would have suffered severe injuries even if not outright fatal.

Yet, he seemed unscathed, standing up straight, glaring angrily at the direction of the door.

Lan An took Su Wang into his arms, shielding him from behind.

His ice-cold eyes fixed on Shen Ran, and in a harsh, hoarse voice, he said, "You seek death!"

The room filled with a powerful demonic aura, unleashed wildly in the confined space.

This was an immense aura that could only be condensed with thousands of years of cultivation.

A dense black mist also emerged from Shen Ran, almost submerging him entirely.

"I'll devour you!"

Shen Ran charged towards Lan An in a frenzy.

Lan An swung his right hand, which transformed into a branch of the blue sandalwood tree.

The leaves on the branch turned into sharp wind blades, shooting towards Shen Ran.

Throughout the encounter, Lan An's face remained calm and composed, showing no trace of solemnity when facing the enemy.

 Chapter 842: Violence Unleashed

"Quack doctor, give me back my mother's life!"

The man's hand trembled slightly, but he forcefully swung the knife forward.

The blade gleamed coldly as it thrust straight towards the senior doctor in front of him.

The elderly doctor, unable to dodge in time, was directly stabbed.

However, the man didn't stop there and pulled out the knife to stab again.

San Ya stood next to the table, and as the knife was pulled out, a few drops of blood splattered onto her face.

The little girl was completely dumbfounded.

Shu Yu, about five to six meters away, was horrified. "San Ya!!"

"Ah..." The scene was instantly filled with screams. The nearby patients turned pale with fright and instinctively pushed and shoved, trying to escape.

As a result, several people were pushed directly onto the man with the knife.

The man, who had intended to continue stabbing the senior doctor, suddenly found himself unable to reach. Filled with anger and resentment towards those obstructing his revenge, he turned around and stabbed at the people around him.

Several people standing beside him were injured in his attack, further escalating the chaos.

San Ya, being small in stature, was pushed and unable to keep her balance, falling to the ground.

But because of this, she unintentionally avoided the knife that had swung above her head, narrowly escaping danger.

Shu Yu's heart nearly jumped out of her chest in fear. She wanted to go over, but was blocked by people and couldn't get close. Even though it was just a few steps away, it felt like an insurmountable gap.

As she watched the small figure of San Ya nearly being trampled in the crowd, Shu Yu couldn't care about anyone else. She used her strength to push and kick the people blocking her, finally reaching San Ya's side.

Pushing aside the people around her, Shu Yu immediately hugged San Ya and anxiously asked, "San Ya, are you okay?"

As she spoke, she hurriedly tried to carry her away.

However, there were no longer any people obstructing the man with the knife. The commotion had created a vacuum in the clinic. While there were guards present, they were being overwhelmed by the other patients trying to flee.

Seeing that there was no one to stop him, the man once again tried to reach the senior doctor who was lying on the ground, intending to continue his violent act.

Just as Shu Yu was carrying San Ya and about to leave, she found herself blocking the man's path.

The man's eyes were bloodshot, and he didn't care who was in front of him. He wielded the knife towards Shu Yu.

San Ya widened her eyes. "Se... Second Sister!!"

Shu Yu abruptly turned her head, still holding San Ya in her arms. With one foot, she swiftly kicked out, directly targeting the man's hand that was coming at her with the knife.

The man's wrist throbbed with pain, causing him to lose his grip on the knife, which fell to the ground and slid about two meters away.

"You dare to interfere as well? I'll kill you!" The man's eyes were filled with rage. Without a knife, he still had his fists and didn't even pay attention to the young girl holding a child in front of him.

With a cold expression, Shu Yu slightly turned her body as the man charged towards her, then turned her head and delivered another kick.

Due to holding San Ya in her arms, Shu Yu's movements were somewhat restricted. The man stumbled forward but didn't fall over.

After regaining his balance, he charged forward again. Annoyed, Shu Yu turned her head and shouted at the people, "He doesn't have a knife anymore, why don't you catch him?"

The people nearby suddenly reacted. That's right, if he didn't have a weapon, what were they afraid of?

Immediately, three to five men rushed over and stood in front of Shu Yu. They skillfully restrained the man, tying him up with ropes, while someone quickly took the knife away.

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 Chapter 696: Devouring in the Darkness – Who is Swallowing Lives?

Xicheng

In an old building, within a narrow corridor, dim and yellow lights were constantly flickering, making the already gloomy atmosphere even more eerie.

Su Wang, Shen Ran, and Li Zilan were accustomed to this. They ascended the stairs with tired bodies.

Walking behind the two of them, Li Zilan complained in a low voice, "Why do I feel like it's unusually cold today? There's a creepy feeling."

As she spoke, she rubbed her arms and even through her clothes, she could feel the goosebumps rising on her skin.

Su Wang also felt that something was off.

He wasn't sure if it was the weather or just his imagination playing tricks on him.

Upon hearing Li Zilan's words, he felt the hair on his body stand on end. "Just shut up!"

Li Zilan protested, "I'm serious, don't you feel it too?"

Su Wang stubbornly replied, "No!"

While the two were talking, Shen Ran remained silent the whole time, creating an even more somber atmosphere.

Li Zilan looked up at Shen Ran, and that single glance caused her face to change drastically.

The dim yellow light above flickered again, and she stood in place, her eyes filled with terror fixed on Shen Ran's shoulder.

"Ran Zi!"

Her voice broke, as if greatly frightened.

"Good heavens! Are you trying to frighten me to death?!"

Su Wang, startled by her shout, felt a shiver down his spine.

Shen Ran remained unaware, continuing to move forward.

As he passed by Su Wang and Li Zilan, Su Wang also noticed something strange.

The light above their heads suddenly went out.

The three of them found themselves in darkness, and their breathing became lighter.

Li Zilan, nervous and afraid, walked over to Su Wang's side, clutching his clothes as her voice trembled, "Did you see that? There's blood on Ran Zi's shoulder."

"Drip... Drip..."

The sound of dripping water filled the air, and the pungent smell of blood permeated the space.

In the darkness, Su Wang's mouth was slightly open, and his body became stiff.

He saw not just bloodstains, but also the charred hand resting on Shen Ran's shoulder.

Shen Ran's footsteps continued as he climbed the stairs.

His steady footsteps echoed clearly in the ears of Su Wang and Li Zilan.

Suddenly, Su Wang shouted, "Shen Ran!"

The footsteps going upstairs didn't stop, continuing as if they hadn't heard the call from behind.

"Tap... Tap..."

The footsteps grew heavier.

Soon, they faded, followed by the sound of a door opening.

Anxious, Su Wang swallowed hard and hurriedly followed.

Li Zilan was tugged along, almost stumbling on the stairs due to his sudden movement.

Steadying herself, she also rushed after him.

Having lived there for some time, they could find their way even in the darkness.

Su Wang and Li Zilan stood outside the door on the fourth floor, gazing at the open door. Both of them had fine sweat on their foreheads.

Li Zilan tentatively asked, "Is Ran Zi injured?"

Even though the likelihood was low, she hoped that Shen Ran was just injured, not involved in something too complicated.

Su Wang saw clearly that Shen Ran had more than just blood on him; there was also a chilling hand.

Realizing that the situation was far from simple, he clenched his lips and mustered the courage to enter the house.

In the cluttered living room, there was no sign of Shen Ran.

Su Wang shouted loudly, "Shen Ran, come out!"

"What's going on?"

Shen Ran emerged from the bathroom, furrowing his brow and looking impatient, as if he hadn't heard the commotion outside.

In the well-lit room, his refined appearance became clearer, hands still wet, and his clothes clean, without any abnormalities.

Su Wang walked up to Shen Ran, his hand reaching to touch his shoulder.

It was clean, without blood, and there was no puppet hand that he had seen earlier.

Relief washed over him, and he embraced Shen Ran's shoulder tightly. "You scared me..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Su Wang's eyes widened in shock, his gaze fixed on the bathroom.

The sight of the bloody mess, nauseating and horrifying, made Su Wang's face pale.

His heartbeat raced, and his whole body trembled, a feeling of dread creeping up his throat.

The overwhelming smell of blood filled the air, causing Su Wang's fingers to tremble as he clung to Shen Ran's hand.

He lowered his voice and exclaimed, "Li Zilan, run!"

Li Zilan, perhaps more sensitive to danger, had been standing far away from them all this time.

Hearing Su Wang's heightened voice, she reacted quickly, turning around to run out.

Su Wang forcefully pulled Shen Ran's arm and turned to run out as well.

"Bang!"

As Li Zilan was about to leave through the door, the door slammed shut on its own.

A cold wind blew through, and the suffocating atmosphere became even more oppressive.

The light on the ceiling flickered, its frequency unusually intense.

"Crack!"

The light bulb, covered in oil stains, shattered with a crack.

Glass shards flew in all directions.

Su Wang felt a shard graze his cheek, and he and Li Zilan were caught off guard, holding their breath.

Shen Ran, whom Su Wang had been pulling along, finally reacted.

He shook off his friend's grip and turned mechanically, heading towards the bathroom.

"Shen Ran, where are you going?"

No one paid attention to Su Wang's question. In the silent house, Shen Ran's footsteps were all that could be heard.

Li Zilan's scalp tingled, and her body was consumed by a chilling fear.

She stood rooted in place, unable to move, feeling as if there were monsters and demons lurking all around.

"S-Su Wang, Shen Ran, I'm so scared!" A quivering voice echoed in the quiet space.

Su Wang didn't dare to move either, fixating on the direction where he knew Li Zilan was. He spoke in a low, steady voice, "Zi Lan, come over here."

"I... I can't move." Li Zilan was on the verge of tears, her legs numb, rendering her immobile.

Gritting his teeth, Su Wang fought to suppress his trembling body, fumbling his way to Li Zilan.

He took hold of her hand, both of their palms sweaty. It was hard to distinguish whose sweat it was.

"Crunch... Crunch..."

Eerie chewing sounds reached their ears, and Su Wang and Li Zilan looked in the direction of the sound.

They knew it was coming from the bathroom.

The crunching eating sounds made their scalps tingle, and they couldn't even dare to breathe.

Shen Ran wasn't acting normal, and Su Wang's instincts told him that it was dangerous to go over right now.

He quivered as he said, "Zi Lan, let's retreat for now."

Leaving was the best option.

As for Shen Ran, he'd deal with him after leaving this place.

Li Zilan protested, "But what about Ran Zi?"

"We can't worry about him right now, let's go!"

Su Wang's survival instinct took over, and he pulled Li Zilan towards the door.

The door was just a few steps away from them.

Su Wang's hand on the doorknob felt sticky.

The sensation and the lingering smell of blood on his hand gave him a bad feeling.

With a strong grip, Su Wang tried to pull open the door.

He expected it to take some effort, but to his surprise, a little force was all it took to swing the door open.

Su Wang's face lit up, thinking about Shen Ran who was still inside. He turned to look at Li Zilan.

In the dim light outside the door, he could see her blurry features.

He didn't need to see clearly to know that she was probably pale with fear.

His thoughts flashed in an instant.

Su Wang suddenly pushed Li Zilan out the door.

Biting his teeth, he shouted, "Go get help, I'll find Ran Zi!"

Li Zilan, pushed outside the door, stood stunned.

She watched the door being forcefully closed in front of her, the eyes of Su Wang fixed on her as he did so.

Li Zilan stood frozen for a moment, but in just a few seconds, she turned around and rushed downstairs.

As she ran downstairs, she could clearly hear a piercing scream from above.

Her body trembling, she almost stumbled as she rushed downstairs. Her panicked footsteps echoed in the corridor.

...

At the entrance of West City, several luxurious cars drove in.

On the way, Qin Ruan learned from Lan An about Su Wang and the others being entangled by evil spirits.

Because of this, she had been anxious the entire way.

Qin Ruan had brought both Hou Qiang and Lin Hao along this time. Behind them, in the car, sat Hou Zhi, along with more than ten hidden guards from the Hou family.

Lan An, who had been in front, pointed the way for Hou Qiang. "Turn left here."

Upon hearing that, Hou Qiang adjusted the steering wheel and turned left as directed.

Lan An could follow the scent coming from Su Wang, Li Zilan, and Shen Ran to find out where they were.

In fact, he hadn't expected those three to be valued by Qin Ruan.

Their connection to Qin Ruan was faint, leading him to believe they weren't close.

That was also the reason why they hadn't been helped when they were entangled by evil spirits.

Seeing that Qin Ruan was worried, Lan An regretted not intervening sooner.

He continued to guide Hou Qiang.

After driving for about ten minutes, they finally reached their destination.

The luxurious car parked under a dilapidated building.

Under the dim yellow streetlights, Qin Ruan and the others in the car saw a figure rushing out from the entrance of the building.

Having known Li Zilan for years, Qin Ruan wouldn't mistake her figure.

She pushed open the car door and got out. However, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen.

Cradling her belly, she instinctively bent over.

"My lady!"

Seeing Qin Ruan in pain, Hou Qiang quickly got out of the car and rushed to her side.

He held onto her arm for support, his face showing shock and worry.

Qin Ruan held onto his strong arm, her nails digging into his skin as she endured the pain, her exquisite face contorted in agony.

"I... sudden... cramp."

Lin Hao and Lan An, seeing something was off with Qin Ruan, rushed down from the car as well.

The three men surrounded Qin Ruan, all of them tense and alarmed.

Ling Feng, standing next to the car, kept her calm gaze fixed on Qin Ruan.

Her icy face revealed no emotions, only a detached calmness.

Li Zilan, running down the stairs like a madwoman, didn't know who to find for help.

From a distance, she saw Qin Ruan standing by the car. "Qin Ruan!"

She rushed over in a hurry. "Why did you come?!"

Her voice was anxious, terrified, and trembling with a mix of emotions.

 Chapter 841: San Ya Has Grand Ambitions

Shu Yu: "..."

She had been too hasty and forgotten that there were many people seeking medical treatment these days. Especially in a large clinic like this, it was crowded with patients.

She lowered her head and looked at San Ya, who also raised her head to look at her.

The two sisters looked at each other for a while before Shu Yu said, "How about we just take a look from outside instead of getting a pulse reading?"

That way, they wouldn't waste resources or money.

Besides, the partition in the adjacent room was only partially covered by a curtain. By standing at a different angle and leaning to the side, they could see the doctor inside.

San Ya immediately nodded. "Okay, let's just take a quick look."

She even pinched with two fingers to indicate that she wouldn't look for long.

Shu Yu smiled and took her forward.

Coincidentally, a patient came out of the partition after being seen by the doctor. As the curtain lifted, the face of the female doctor inside was revealed.

The doctor appeared to be in her mid-twenties, with a woman's hairstyle and simple attire. Her complexion was healthy and radiant, indicating a comfortable life.

It wasn't surprising when she thought about it. Women who had the ability to be doctors and earn money for themselves could still receive respectful treatment from their in-laws, even if they were married.

However, this Doctor Xie had a rather cold expression and spoke with a calm and composed tone, giving off a somewhat aloof vibe.

Shu Yu asked a woman waiting in line next to her, "We're from out of town and heard that this Doctor Xie is very skilled, so we wanted to come and see."

The woman clearly knew about it and immediately replied, "Yes, Doctor Xie is indeed skilled. Who wouldn't be good as a doctor working in Renxin Clinic? All the women here come to see Doctor Xie when they need medical treatment. But she does have a bad temper and lacks patience. But who cares? She's capable, and compared to those male doctors, she's already considered good."

Shu Yu raised an eyebrow and looked down at San Ya.

The little girl listened attentively, even asking questions. "Does she earn a high salary?"

Shu Yu: "..." Why is your perspective so shrewd?

The woman was also taken aback for a moment, then lowered her voice and spoke as if revealing a secret, "Of course, Doctor Xie's salary is high. She not only works at this clinic but often goes to the wealthy families in Dong'an Prefecture to treat the ladies and young misses. Not to mention the generous rewards they give, just the annual fee for the peace-of-mind pulse brings in a lot of silver. I heard that Doctor Xie's family even bought a small courtyard in the eastern part of the city with the money, and they have maidservants at home."

San Ya widened her eyes and softly exclaimed, "Wow."

Then she suddenly turned her head, her shining eyes fixed on Shu Yu. The look on her face was so obvious, as if saying, "In the future, I'll also earn money to buy a big house."

The little girl wanted to ask more, but the woman had reached her turn and walked inside.

Shu Yu smiled, slightly bowed, and said to San Ya, "Alright, we've seen her. Now you know that being a female doctor isn't something rare, right?"

"Yes, yes. I will study medicine diligently and come here in the future."

San Ya had grand ambitions and started observing the place where she would work in the future once she had confirmed her goal.

Shu Yu couldn't help but feel a mix of laughter and tears as she watched the little girl walk towards one of the senior doctors' consultation tables, curiously observing how he treated patients.

The senior doctor didn't say anything since she was just a little girl. He simply prescribed medication for the patient in front of him.

After finishing, he called for the next patient, and San Ya watched attentively.

No one could have anticipated that when the next patient approached and extended his hand, he unexpectedly pulled out a knife.

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