My Heart Is Uneasy

Lu Jun was taken away.

Old Man Yun's expression was complicated, a look of "it's just as I thought, I didn't misjudge him."

Mo Jinyi placed the jade thumb ring in his hand onto the table as well, his grip faltering slightly.

Fang Jinyi's chest rose and fell continuously, clearly showing the turmoil of his emotions.

After a long while, Old Man Yun's cloudy white eyes looked towards the two people beside him.

"Everyone, let's vote."

"Is Lu Jun guilty..."

Old Man Yun cast the first vote, lightly taking a 'Not Guilty' wooden token from his sleeve and dropping it into the wooden box placed on the wooden table before the three of them.

Fang Jinyi's expression was conflicted, his face hesitant. The 'Guilty' wooden token remained uncast into the wooden box for a long time.

"Heh heh..." Mo Jinyi, who resembled a golden toad, chuckled twice and also took a wooden token from his sleeve, tossing it in.

Fang Jinyi looked at the wooden token that had been cast, his face suddenly stunned.

Within the wooden box, there were already two 'Not Guilty' wooden tokens.

"You... aren't..." Fang Jinyi's expression was shocked, his lips trembling. He was speechless for a long time.

"Heh heh, Brother Fang, don't bother voting. It'll just make things awkward..." Mo Jinyi said with a smile towards Fang Jinyi.

After Lu Jun was taken to prison, Fang Yilin arrived.

"Not Guilty!" Fang Yilin said to Lu Jun with a smile.

Lu Jun also looked a little surprised, a complex expression flashing in his eyes.

This outcome was indeed beyond his expectations.

He had even prepared himself to defect and become a rogue cultivator.

He just felt a little sorry for Old Man Yun.

In the Hall of Judgment, he had spoken passionately, yet he hadn't expected to be acquitted.

Fang Yilin spoke, "Guess what the voting result was?"

Lu Jun shook his head, "Just tell me directly."

Fang Yilin said, "Two 'Not Guilty' votes, cast by Yun Jinyi and Mo Jinyi for you. As for Fang Jinyi, he abstained..."

Lu Jun's eyes flickered, his expression complex. This voting result was even more surprising to Lu Jun.

As soon as Lu Jun returned to his courtyard, he saw Li Tuo standing at the entrance, looking awkward.

"Lu Jun..."

Li Tuo wanted to say something, but it was stuck in his throat, and he couldn't speak, freezing in place.

Lu Jun smiled and gently patted his shoulder.

"You're finally back, won't you treat me to a meal?"

Li Tuo's lips moved, and then a dry smile appeared on his face, "Okay!"

At this moment, Mo Jinyi also returned to his luxurious courtyard.

He didn't hesitate on the way back and went straight to his room.

He rummaged through the two boxes of treasures that the Commander of the Guards had sent him earlier and opened them.

Mo Jinyi gently caressed the treasures, muttering to himself.

"Glass Grapes, Night-Shining Glass Lamp, Rosy Cloud Qilin..."

After a long while, Mo Jinyi heavily closed the treasures and slowly let out a long breath, then suddenly shouted loudly, "Mo Lou!"

Soon, a handsome and tall young man walked in. The young man had a Demon Slayer Commander's token engraved with 'Silver Robe' hanging from his waist.

Seeing the young man walk in, Mo Jinyi seemed to collapse onto the chair, as if all his strength had drained away.

Mo Lou's expression was confused, and he said with a hint of flippancy, "Dad, what's wrong?"

Mo Jinyi sighed mournfully and slowly instructed.

"Go and deliver these two boxes to the mansion of Commander of the Guards, Xiao Yugao."

"Ah?" Mo Lou's expression turned ugly, "Dad, are you out of your mind!"

"So many treasures, and you're just going to return them!"

Mo Jinyi said helplessly, "Alas, the matter wasn't handled properly. How can I keep the money without delivering the goods? I can only return them."

Mo Lou said with a strange expression, "Is this matter that difficult? I heard all you have to do is nod your head?"

Mo Jinyi chuckled twice.

"A gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it righteously."

"I'm just greedy for money, not for a life devoid of righteousness..."

"Alas, if I were to abandon righteousness and hoard gold and silver, I would have become a cult leader and joined the demons long ago. That would surely earn more..."

"But I am, after all, a Demon Slayer Envoy..."

The last two sentences, Mo Jinyi didn't say aloud, only gently caressed the Demon Slayer Commander token engraved with 'Golden Robe' at his waist.

"Alright. It's rare to see you, old man, in such a mood." Mo Lou nodded, shouldering two chests and walking outside.

"Damn it, you brat!" Mo Jinyi pouted.

Some rejoice, while others worry, since ancient times.

At the residence of Xiao Yungui, the Commander of Yunzhou Guard.

Xiao Yugao knelt silently in a courtyard hall in the backyard, looking with dim eyes at the two plaques before him, with two chests of returned treasures behind him.

Seat of Elder Sister Xiao Yule

Seat of Virtuous Nephew Xiao Yungui

Xiao Yugao sighed faintly, a flicker of remembrance in his eyes.

His family had risen from humble farmers. His elder sister, Xiao Yule, was exceptionally beautiful from a young age. Later, she was taken by the local Thousand-Household as a secondary wife. Relying on the connections his elder sister brought, he also obtained a military position. He rose through the ranks with his bravery and martial arts talent.

Later, that Thousand-Household was executed for colluding with demons, and his sister also died. His nephew, Xiao Yungui, survived because he was not yet as tall as a cartwheel at the time.

When he arrived, only the helpless Xiao Yungui began to kowtow upon seeing him.

"Mother said to wait for my uncle here. When uncle arrives, I must welcome him with a kowtow at every step..."

That tender, childish voice seemed to echo in his ears again.

Fury surged in Xiao Yugao's eyes.

"Blood debt must be paid in blood..." Xiao Yugao hissed softly.

"Alas, in the end, we have forged a blood feud..."

A clear, youthful voice rang out.

Xiao Yugao's eyes suddenly widened, and he abruptly stood up and turned.

Behind him stood a tall, handsome young man.

He leaned casually against a pillar in the courtyard, crossing his arms and looking at him.

"It's you!!!"

"I didn't look for you, but you came to my doorstep!"

Xiao Yugao said indignantly.

"There's no choice. You resent me, and I can't rest easy until you're dead!"

"How can one guard against a thief for a thousand days? If you don't die, how can I have a good night's sleep? Without good sleep, how can I have the energy to slay demons?"

Lu Jun said calmly:

"You lost your nephew, your grief is understandable."

"However, you ultimately blame your nephew's death on me, which I find incomprehensible."

"Your nephew consorted with demons and was bound to die sooner or later. As his uncle, after his mother's death, you failed to guide him properly, leading to this outcome."

"Shouldn't you blame yourself?"

"If I were you, I would commit suicide before these two plaques to atone for my sins."

Lu Jun never engaged in internal struggles, nor did he hold grudges overnight.

The moment he first saw Xiao Yugao, the killing intent the other party exposed towards him was irreconcilable.

He was imprisoned before and didn't have the time to come out and kill him.

Now that he was out, Lu Jun didn't want to wait a moment longer.

"Good, good, good, glib-tongued!"

"Just in time, you came at the right time. I will crush every bone in your body, right before my elder sister and nephew, to comfort their spirits in heaven."

Rage boiled in Xiao Yugao's eyes.