“That’s strange. If there’s demonic aura at the Bai Manor, why didn’t I sense it before?”

Mu Zhi’an stood by the window, staring at the faint pink mist rising from the courtyard.

He glanced at the abundance of refined spiritual energy, and understanding dawned on him.

The demonic aura had been masked by the impure energy. And there was probably a barrier concealing it as well.

But Bai Ruoxi’s Heavenly Dao Aura had purified the surrounding energy, exposing the demonic aura.

“Is the Bai family secretly collaborating with demons?” he wondered.

He quickly dismissed the thought.

No, if they were collaborating, they wouldn’t have been so easily suppressed by the Gongsun family and the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce.

Then, he remembered the words of the black-robed man’s companion.

He had said they were in Tianxuan City to rendezvous with their comrades, to establish a base of operations and acquire the Heavenly Dao Aura.

In other words, they didn’t have a base yet.

So the question was…

Who had been making moves recently, attempting to establish a foothold in Tianxuan City?

Logically, it could be the Gongsun family or the Morning Glory Chamber of Commerce. The Bai family was the least likely candidate.

But the demonic aura… it was emanating from the Bai Manor.

The Bai family had been targeted, suppressed. Why would the traitor be among them?

Unless…

A thought struck him like lightning, making him freeze.

It wasn’t the Bai family as a whole, but what if it was an individual within the family?

Who had been acting suspiciously during the Bai family’s recent troubles?

He stood there for a long moment, lost in thought.

Finally, he snapped out of his reverie, pushing himself off the desk and jumping out the window.

He landed silently on the balcony, scanning the courtyard, confirming that no servants were nearby. He then leaped onto the roof, his gaze drawn to a small building in the back.

A faint pink mist was rising from its roof, an aura that sent a shiver down his spine.

However, as the impure spiritual energy gradually returned, the mist began to fade, becoming less distinct.

There really is a demon at the Bai Manor.

Mu Zhi’an stared at the building for a long moment, then turned and left, vanishing into the night.

To confirm his suspicions, he needed Wei Mengrou’s protection.

…

In the Bai Manor’s side hall, Bai Heng sat across from his daughter, who sat stiffly, her lips pressed together, her expression unreadable.

“Ruoxi, are you still angry with me?” he asked gently.

“I’m not angry, Father. I’m just confused. Why are you acting as if nothing happened? Young Master Mu and I… we saw Mother with another man…”

She met his gaze, her voice trembling slightly. “You know about it, don’t you?”

“I do… of course I do.” He poured himself a cup of tea and drank it in one gulp.

“But what you see is not always the truth. Tell me, Ruoxi, that night, did you see your mother and Gongsun Xiong… being intimate?”

She bit her lip, her voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t see them… but I heard them talking…”

Bai Heng set down his cup and called out, “Yuanfeng, it’s your turn.”

Bai Ruoxi looked up to see her mother emerging from a back room.

She stared at her, her emotions a tangled mess.

She didn’t know how to face her mother.

They looked at each other, neither speaking.

Bai Ruoxi opened her mouth to speak, but Bai Yuanfeng beat her to it, her voice a low murmur.

Bai Ruoxi’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She stared at her mother, her hand covering her mouth.

After a long moment, her expression softened, a sense of understanding dawning on her.

She left the side hall, her brow less furrowed, but her eyes still held a hint of worry.

She walked back to her room, but as she opened the door, she found it empty. Mu Zhi’an, who should have been meditating, was gone.

He must have left…

She felt a pang of disappointment, but she quickly masked it.

It was understandable. She had kept him waiting for a long time.

And besides… she didn’t know how to face him yet.

Should she tell him about her mother’s explanation?

What would he do if she told him?

Would he report it to Senior Sister Lan?

If he did, she would have to choose a side.

She lowered her eyes, her expression as cold and distant as ever, her beauty marred by the turmoil within her heart.

She sighed, shaking her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

She summoned the Heavenly Dao Aura and began to cultivate, absorbing the refined spiritual energy.

…

Hours passed, and night fell over the Bai Manor.

The wind rustled through the trees in the courtyard, their shadows dancing in the moonlight.

Bai Ruoxi opened her eyes, changed into a white sleeping gown, and instructed a servant to light incense. After dismissing the servants, she prepared for bed.

But then, she heard a soft thud outside her window.

She tensed, looking up to see a young man jumping through the window.

“Young Master Mu?”

She instinctively clutched the blanket, staring at him. “How did you get in?”

“I told the servants I was here to see you. They let me in,” he replied with a smile, his gaze sweeping over her.

She sat on her bed, her figure alluring in the candlelight, her black hair contrasting sharply with her white gown, her skin glowing with an ethereal luminescence.

He sat down beside her, looking at her with concern. “You seem troubled. Did your father say something that upset you?”

She hesitated, her gaze flickering between him and the floor.

Finally, she shook her head. “No… he didn’t say anything that upset me.”

“Did he say something that surprised you? Or made you feel uneasy?” he asked gently, rephrasing his question.

She stared at him, her eyes widening slightly.

His gentle smile, his genuine concern… it touched her heart.

“Young Master Mu… there’s something I need to tell you.”

“This afternoon, Father told me about Mother—”

He placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. “Don’t say anything. You need to rest.”

She gently pushed his hand away. “But it might be important—”

He shook his head, interrupting her. “It is important. But you don’t need to tell me.”

“Someone else will,” he added, his voice calm, assured.

His words implied that he already knew… She looked at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Is there anything I can do?”

He pondered for a moment. “Can I sleep in your room tonight?”

She froze, clutching her robe.

Isn’t this a little too fast? And after everything that happened today, she wasn’t in the mood for anything.

He seemed to understand her reaction. “If I wander around the manor at night, I might be discovered. But if I’m in your room, no one would suspect anything.”

“Would that be alright?” he asked.

So I misunderstood… She sighed inwardly, relieved. “I suppose… But why do you need to stay at the Bai Manor tonight?”

She actually agreed. I could trick this girl into bed ten times over. He decided to keep her in suspense. “You’ll find out tonight.”

She didn’t press him further, simply nodding. “Is there anything else I can do?”

She wasn’t naive, but she had come to trust him implicitly. If he’d wanted to harm the Bai family, he would have done so already.

He looked at her, admiring her beauty. She was the elegant, aloof type, with a hint of fragility, a captivating combination.

“There is one more thing… only you can do,” he said, his expression turning serious.

“What is it?” she asked, curious.

“I want to taste your lips without the lipstick,” he replied, his gaze intense.

She blinked, confused, then gasped as he gently pushed her back onto the bed.

“Mmm…” she tried to speak, but he silenced her with a kiss.

Her hair spread across the pillow, her eyes widening as she looked up at him, her fingers tightening around his hand. Her gaze softened, her resistance fading.

She began to wonder if he was truly here for “business” or for something else entirely…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay