The night had grown deep.
But at this moment, in the Priscian Family.
The secret chamber was brightly lit.
The old man stared at the image within the recording crystal, his expression growing increasingly solemn.
Yisang and Gellenson stood nearby, not speaking.
The air in the entire room seemed to freeze at that moment.
“This soul fluctuation… is he afraid?”
After a long silence, the old man finally spoke, his voice tinged with shock.
Even though Lu Mo had become a cripple, unable to use any combat crystal in the shadows, the demon was still terrified of her to the extreme.
And at that moment, his address to Lu Mo wasn’t simply “human” or “you,” but “you, my lady”…
To prevent the demon from having other ideas, Yisang had placed numerous marks on him before letting him escape.
Through those marks, she could remotely sense the demon’s soul fluctuations, emotional shifts, and even partial sounds.
At the end, the sounds she heard through the marks were severely distorted and indistinct.
But she could still feel an intense terror from those sounds.
The demon, at that moment, had addressed Lu Mo as “you, my lady.”
Afterward, he seemed willing to break the blood contract just to tell Lu Mo something.
But before he could speak, the power of the blood contract ignited his soul and body, burning everything away.
“A noble, so awed and fearful of Lu Mo?”
The old man spoke.
“He knew he was going to die, yet before dying, he still wanted to drag the Priscian Family down with him.”
Gellenson asked at that moment, his heart uneasy.
He knew he was going to die, yet before dying, he still wanted to drag the Priscian Family down with him.
“Could it be that the demon deliberately said that?”
He hadn’t yet emerged from the shadow of the Tribunal incident, subconsciously suspecting a problem.
The old man shook his head.
“It doesn’t seem fake.”
“He could deceive us with words, but this kind of soul fluctuation and emotional shift could never be faked.”
“So that means?”
The old man concluded:
“Lu Mo… indeed has issues.”
“For a demon noble of the Earth Vein Realm to fear her so much, her status among demons is likely no less than an Archduke—perhaps even comparable to a Demon King.”
“Demon King?”
Hearing the old man’s conclusion, Gellenson’s breath caught again.
“But earlier, I united the major families of the Holy Sanctuary to put Lu Mo on trial. In front of the Sword of Judgment, she showed no problems…”
He brought up the Tribunal again, still hesitant.
The Sword of Judgment could not lie.
“The Sword of Judgment also has its limits. It can only judge whether Lu Mo’s soul still belongs to humanity.”
“We don’t know if she has joined the demon side while remaining human.”
“Or maybe she possesses some exceptionally protective items granted by the Demon King.”
“That the Sword of Judgment did not condemn her is a fact.”
The old man said, a strange glint flashing in his eyes.
“But what stands before us now… is also a fact.”
He seemed to have discovered something extremely significant.
Something concerning the demons.
Something concerning the human world.
Something concerning… his own future.
If he made this public, the Priscian Family would undoubtedly be the biggest beneficiary.
But—
How could he announce something like this?
He couldn’t exactly say that he had originally sent a demon to assassinate Lu Mo and accidentally stumbled upon her secret, could he?
If he did, although Lu Mo would be exposed.
They had first committed the assassination of a hero.
The Priscian Family would likely be denounced by other factions and despised by the world.
Tricky.
He had the evidence.
But how could he present it?
The old man was conflicted.
“Do we have to focus all our attention on Lu Mo?”
At that moment, Yisang suddenly spoke again.
The old man paused, as if struck by an idea.
“You mean?”
“Cecilia.”
Yisang replied.
“We’ve been fixated on Lu Mo, but we’ve inadvertently ignored the most important person by her side.”
“Lu Mo and Cecilia have an unusual relationship.”
“Could Cecilia… know something about Lu Mo’s secret?”
At the mention of Cecilia, Gellenson recalled.
He had seen Cecilia waiting for Lu Mo in the Holy Sanctuary a few times.
The girl’s face often carried a hint of worry.
And that day, in the Tribunal, Cecilia was clearly more anxious about Lu Mo than anyone else.
As if…
She was afraid Lu Mo would reveal something.
“What if we invite Cecilia over?”
Yisang suggested.
At that, a ruthless glint flickered in her eyes before disappearing.
Time passed.
It had been over a month since the demon’s assassination attempt on Lu Mo in the town.
Because the demon left no traces and there was too little key information, the Kalis Family and the Holy Sanctuary were completely clueless.
So they had to put the matter aside for now.
But compared to the family and the Sanctuary, Lu Mo knew some things.
Before the blood contract ignited him, the demon had mentioned a God-descendant family.
A God-descendant family…
The only God-descendant family with a grudge against her was probably the Priscian Family—Solaris’s mother’s household.
They had already initiated a trial against her.
“And now they’re thinking of using demons to deal with me?”
Lu Mo murmured.
For a God-descendant family to do such a thing was somewhat beneath the title.
Since they had gone this far.
She wouldn’t let it end here.
She looked down at her notes, densely written, and muttered:
“I’ve already made some headway with the Eightfold Fusion Sublimation Power.”
“Once I have a prototype of the Eightfold Fusion Sublimation Power, shouldn’t I pay a proper visit to the Priscian Family?”
As she spoke, a killing intent flickered in her eyes.
During this time, the Kalis Family had forbidden Lu Mo from going out casually for her safety.
Even if she did go out, an elder of the family had to accompany her.
With someone tagging along, how could she and Cecilia have any fun?
When they were having fun, would the elder suddenly jump out and say:
“Both of you, silently transcribe secret arts to play?”
So Lu Mo didn’t go out with Cecilia.
They played together in the corners of the Manor as before.
By the wall.
By the lakeside.
In the wooden hut.
During this period, besides cuddling with Lu Mo, Cecilia’s greatest wish was for Lu Mo to finish telling the story of Otto and Kallen.
What happened after the death sentence?
Would Otto save Kallen?
Would they elope?
And then hide somewhere no one could find them, living happily ever after?
She waited with eager anticipation.
But the story’s development was the opposite of what she imagined.
Kallen died.
To save a passerby.
For the simple belief in her heart.
She died.
Cecilia’s smile suddenly froze.
“Cecilia?”
Lu Mo tentatively called her name, waving a hand in front of her face.
But the girl remained frozen, unmoved.
Dozens of seconds passed—
“Waaaaah!!!”
Cecilia wailed, collapsing onto the grass.
“Why—”
“Why did someone as good as Miss Kallen have to die?”
“It’s not fair!”
She shouted, her lips trembling, tears sparkling in her eyes.
If this were when she was younger, she would probably be sobbing loudly by now.
“This isn’t the story I wanted to hear…”
“Miss Lu Mo… why are you so cruel—”
So, this story was still too cruel for Cecilia, huh?
Seeing her reaction, Lu Mo smiled bitterly.
And watching Cecilia curl up on the grass, pouting with tears in her eyes, Lu Mo couldn’t bear it.
So she leaned in close, stroking Cecilia’s head.
The girl’s hair antenna immediately reacted, winding around Lu Mo’s finger.
“Alright, alright, don’t be sad, Cecilia…”
“Then… does this story end here?”
Soon, Cecilia asked weakly.
“No, it doesn’t.”
Lu Mo shook her head.
“Or rather, this is just the beginning.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Will Miss Kallen… come back to life in the end?”
“She will.”
“Will the two of them meet again?”
“They will.”
Lu Mo answered.
“No one can stop their reunion—”
“Not even the gods.”
Under Lu Mo’s comfort, Cecilia gradually stopped feeling sad.
She no longer curled up like a grieving cat but stretched out and rolled over.
Dry yellow leaves had fallen on the grass.
As she rolled, the leaves were pressed, making a “crackling” sound.
It was the unique sound of autumn.
Crisp, yet with a hint of tenderness.
She listened to that soft crackle, looked up at the leaves turning golden, and the sky beyond the gold—higher and farther.
Feeling Lu Mo’s gentle touch.
Gradually, she smiled again.
Because of this quiet and gentle autumn.
Because Lu Mo said Otto and Kallen would meet again in the end.
And because…
She and Lu Mo were still together.
If the world were a story.
Then they were the happiest heroines in that story.
Never to be separated.
Seeing Cecilia’s expression, Lu Mo pretended to pull her hand away.
It seemed she was beyond saving.
“Daydreaming again?”
“It looks like your silly symptoms are getting worse…”
“Don’t pull away!”
Cecilia’s hair antenna instantly tightened around Lu Mo’s finger.
“Miss Lu Mo’s story hurt me!”
“I need more head pats to recover!”
“I need hugs to stand up!”
“I’m not going to hug a dummy—I’ll catch it!”
“No, no way—”
Cecilia held Lu Mo tightly, and the two figures frolicked together again.
Another week passed.
Lu Mo received a message from Rumina and returned to the Holy Sanctuary with Cecilia.
As before, Rumina would try to help her restore her talent and cultivation.
Today was cloudy, the sky gray, and the wind felt cold on the face.
“I’ll be going now.”
Lu Mo said goodbye to Cecilia as usual.
Cecilia nodded obediently, standing in place, watching Lu Mo’s figure gradually recede.
At that moment, she looked exactly like a little dog waiting for its owner.
Not long after, another woman of the Holy Sanctuary called out to Cecilia.
“Miss Cecilia… is it?”
The woman said respectfully.
“It’s me.”
Cecilia replied.
“Could you please come with me, Miss Cecilia?”
The woman said respectfully.
“There is a certain person who wishes to meet you.”