Young Master Is Being Jealous Again!
Chapter 376: Lord Huo The Second: To Guard You Completely, To Promise You A Lifetime Without Worries

Chapter 376: Chapter 376: Lord Huo The Second: To Guard You Completely, To Promise You A Lifetime Without Worries

The envoy of the Netherworld that Qin Ruan summoned using her nether power, were the infamous Seventh Master and Eighth Master, two black and white envoys.

Their haste was evident, their eerie tones tinged with urgency.

Qin Ruan pointed at the corpse of Xu Zhenren on the ground, her expressions as cold as ice: "I want the sanhunqipo (three souls and seven spirits) of this man’s body."

Black Envoy Eighth Master walked forward, stared at Xu Zhenren’s corpse for a while, then shook his head at Qin Ruan: "This man’s soul has already disintegrated into ashes."

Qin Ruan could feel her temples throbbing fiercely, she gritted her teeth and asked, "The man just died. Can’t it be gathered?"

White Envoy Seventh Master also stepped forward, before even looking at Xu Zhenren’s corpse, he informed Qin Ruan, "Unless Emperor Beitai were present, none of us, including the Underworld King, would be able to gather the dispersed souls around the earth."

Who was Emperor Beitai? He was the emperor of the Northern Yin Fengdu, the son of heaven of Fengdu, the highest god in the Underworld.

He was also above the five directions of the Ghost Emperor and the Ten Deities of Yama in Taoist gods, his duty was to govern the six deities of the ghosts under Fengdu, and he was the incarnation of Emperor Ziwei in the Netherworld.

Such a high god was not within Qin Ruan’s reach.

Upon hearing this, Qin Ruan’s face instantly cooled down, she grinded her teeth, regretting not killing Xu Zhenren a step earlier.

Black Eighth Master looked anxious, bowed to Qin Ruan and said respectfully: "Miss Qin, if there’s nothing else, we’ll leave, the Zhongyuan Festival is approaching, it’s utterly chaotic down there."

The Zhongyuan Festival was approaching, the Ghost Gate would be wide open, those tortured souls and sinister ghosts imprisoned in Hell would leave Hell and get a brief period to wander, enjoying the blood food of the mortal world.

Both the mortal world and the Netherworld were in chaos, the Netherworld was understaffed, Qin Ruan knew it well and dared not delay these two envoys anymore.

Qin Ruan was considerate towards them, but she was unable to let go of the matter of her third brother being calculated.

Her tightly furrowed brows did not ease, she nodded slightly to the two envoys and said, "Thank you for the trouble of coming all the way up here."

"You’re too polite."

The Black and White Envoys left quickly, the chilling mist that filled the living room also gradually dispersed with their departure.

When Ling Xuzi, Huo Yirong, Huo Chuan, Huo Zhi, and others saw Qin Ruan again, they found a storm of fury around her.

Huo Yirong stepped forward, "Little sister?" he asked, full of concern.

He was afraid that something would happen to Qin Ruan. If it did, he would have to face the wrath of their grandfather and eldest uncle before his third brother woke up.

Qin Ruan took a deep breath, and spoke softly: "I’m fine."

Ling Xuzi approached and asked Qin Ruan, "May I ask if you were summoning souls?"

Qin Ruan looked at the corpse of Xu Zhenren, and casually replied, "You could say that."

Ling Xuzi: "Did you manage to call them?"

The wrinkles between Qin Ruan’s eyebrows deepened: "No, they have already disintegrated into ashes."

Ling Xuzi asked again, "It’s rumored that the Decree of the Tenth Master Yama can summon the envoys of the Netherworld, even the Lord of the Netherworld. May I ask if any of your ancestors had a position in the Netherworld?"

"No."

Under Ling Xuzi’s interrogation, Qin Ruan was responsive.

This man had been taking care of her third brother’s body all the time, so her attitude inevitably contained a bit more patience.

Ling Xuzi wanted to ask more, but Huo Yirong interrupted him, "Master Ling Xuzi, my sister is not well, let’s talk about this another day."

If this interrogation continued, Qin Ruan’s eight generations of ancestors would be dug out.

Even they didn’t know about it, so how could they let Ling Xuzi know first.

After he finished speaking, Huo Yirong glanced at Huo Zhi, "Take the young madam to rest."

"Yes, Second Master."

Huo Zhi stepped forward, supporting Qin Ruan’s arm and leading her away.

Qin Ruan grabbed Huo Yirong’s forearm tightly, "I want to see the Third Master."

She was still worried about Third Master’s health, her heart was in turmoil.

The scene of Third Master spitting out fresh blood, staining his white shirt a bloody red, was etched in her mind and unable to be erased.

Huo Yirong looked troubled, and said soothingly, "Little sister, it’s not that we’re not letting you see him. Right now, no one can see the third young master. If you want him to recuperate, please endure one more night."

Qin Ruan, still holding onto Huo Yirong’s arm, asked in a deep voice, "What if, just what if, Third Master has an accident while he is alone in the secret room?"

Huo Yirong’s tone grew somber, "He won’t. It will truly be a problem if someone disturbs him!"

Seeing the confusion on Qin Ruan’s face, Huo Yirong sighed lightly and explained, "Third Young Master once fell into a coma when he was little. It was his first time, and none of our medical team could find any clues.

All the experts in various specialties of medicine nationwide were invited to the Huo family. However, they were all at a loss towards the sudden coma of the Third Master. Some of them even gave up on him, which angered our grandfather and eldest uncle so much that they drove those "quack doctors" away.

Third Master then survived solely on intravenous nutrition. One night, the hidden guard who was watching over him felt unwell and left for a while. Coincidentally, our grandfather couldn’t sleep and went to see him. He sensed some noises in his room. But when he opened the door and went in, there was nothing unusual.

After leaving the room and closing the door, the noises in the room reappeared. When the unwell hidden guard returned, our grandfather ordered him not to approach Third Master’s room again. He also blocked anyone else from approaching it.

The next day, our grandfather woke up full of hope and saw Third Master walking out of his room, safe and sound."

Qin Ruan let out a small sigh of relief, but her worry remained: "Are you saying that the Third Master’s body can recover by itself?"

"That’s pretty much it." Huo Yirong nodded at her, his tone gentle, "My dear sister, it’s not that we’re preventing you from seeing Third Brother. If you truly care about him, you should go back to your room and get some sleep now. You’ll see him tomorrow."

Qin Ruan recalled something Third Master once said to her, and she asked Huo Yirong, "So is this the mysterious power he possesses? He is aware of it, but unable to speak of it?"

He shook his head at her, "I’m not sure, our grandfather has forbidden anyone from discussing Third Brother’s matter. As long as he stays alive, that is the greatest fortune for us."

His words weighed heavily on her.

As if Huo Yunjiao’s mere survival was a struggle, they all knew that his life was dwindling, waiting for death’s arrival.

Seeing the worry evident on Qin Ruan’s face, pale with concern, Huo Yirong personally escorted her upstairs.

"Stop overthinking it. You’re still young and frail. Go back to your room and get some sleep. Don’t make Third Brother worry about you when he wakes up. You know how much he values you."

His words, especially The detail about Third Brother valuing her, struck a particularly tender chord for Qin Ruan.

The Buddha beads that Third Master wore on his wrist, which he never took off even while sleeping, were removed without hesitation today when Xu Zhenren attacked her.

Such a quick and unquestioning response showed just how much Third Master cared about her, or one might say, the baby in her belly.

Huo Yirong only escorted Qin Ruan to the entrance of her upstairs bedroom.

He cautioned her, "Go rest. I’ll have Huo Zhi call you for dinner, or even have her bring it to your room if needed. Try not to be alone with your thoughts."

Qin Ruan opened the door to her room and took one step in but then turned back to look at Huo Yirong, "Big Brother Yirong, by bringing Xu Zhenren here today, have I disrupted your and Third Brother’s plans, or upset next year’s grand election?"

Even without much political insight, she was aware during the discussions between Third Brother and Huo Yirong of the Nangong Family’s wolfish ambitions and ill intent towards the Huo Family.

Huo Yirong’s lips curved into a smile, and a domineering and arrogant expression crossed his face, "No, you don’t need to worry about the consequences of your actions. Jiaojiao once said, even if you punctured the sky, he would still protect you from any troubles for life."

"Jiaojiao?" Qin Ruan’s delicate eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

Huo Yirong leaned against the doorframe and laughed, "Yunjiao’s ’Jiao’. When we were little, we all called Third Brother ’Jiaojiao’. Isn’t it adorable?"

Qin Ruan’s worries slightly eased as she nodded, the name ’Jiaojiao’ was indeed very cute.

However, Second Master Huo’s next words brought about a sinking feeling in her heart.

Huo Yirong’s laughter faded, his voice full of sentimentality, " ’Jiao’, pronounced as ’qiu’ as well, represents a vast wasteland, desolation. When it comes to Third Brother’s arrival, the Huo family treasures and values him highly."

"Yunjiao is representative of the value the Huo family places upon Third Brother. ’Yun’ is a character that has been passed down in our family for hundreds of years and only Third Brother is allowed to use it."

"What do you mean?" Qin Ruan felt something was off.

Huo Yirong’s words sounded odd and cryptic, leaving her utterly confused.

"You might not understand it now, but there might come a day when you do."

Huo Yirong straightened up, not inclined to say more, and changed the subject, "Speaking of which, you and Third Brother are quite fated. Your surname is Qin, and Third Brother’s name contains the word ’Jiao’. Combined together, your names make up a Chinese medicine called ’Qinjiao’."

Qin Ruan remained silent; even a fool would have sensed him trying to change the subject.

She glanced briefly at Huo Yirong and then stepped into her room.

Huo Third Master’s kindness towards her, as well as the protection of the Huo family, had been somewhat weighty subjects for her.

But Huo Yirong’s words had deepened her understanding of the Huo Family.

Third Master’s frail health, as well as his bizarre abilities, seemed to be well-known facts within the Huo Family.

His identity also seemed to hold deeper secrets.

Qin Ruan would not doubt that Third Master was not a scion of the Huo family- that possibility simply did not exist.

Be it her past life or this one, Qin Ruan could always see the Huo family’s deep affection for Third Master.

Qin Ruan shook her head, dismissing the puzzle brought on by Huo Yirong’s words. At the moment, Third Master’s injury was more important. As for the rest, they were all trivial matters to her.

Regardless of what Third Master’s identity was, it would not affect her desire to spend the rest of her life with him.

Huo Yirong watched as Qin Ruan walked into the room before he finally turned to leave.

The moment he turned his back, his handsome face was enveloped with a foreboding gloom.

Xu Zhenren was dead. The Yin Yang Sect took his life. It must have been the Nangong family pulling the strings.

The fact that the Nangong family was in such a rush to silence him forced Huo Yirong to contemplate whether a larger conspiracy was at play.

After grandfather and his eldest brother returned, they would have to replan their strategy towards the Nangong family.

The Nangong family’s wolfish ambitions were universally recognized. If they were allowed to carry on unchecked, there was no telling what they might act upon.

Perhaps they wanted to test the limits of the Huo family today. Yet they shouldn’t have laid a hand on Third Brother. Using him to test the Huo family’s reaction was out of line.

The line that the Huo family will never allow others to tread upon is Third Brother.

The Nangong family was digging its own grave.