Chapter 136 (1): Yan Nan’s Questioning

Yin Shengong was instantly overcome by a myriad of emotions, including adoration, glee, guilt...

For a moment, he was rendered unable to speak.

"A few days ago, Night Demon suddenly contacted me and told me that he had a request to make, and it was about you. He told me that he killed too many people in the Parasite Ascension Project, so he was concerned that harm would befall you on this trip, and he implored me to look after you."

Yin Shengong felt like a lump had formed in his throat.

"According to my knowledge, he made the same request to Chen Yin as well. He didn't give me anything, but as for what price he had to pay to Chen Yin, that is beyond my knowledge. Chen Yin is not one to do the bidding of others for no personal gain."

Yin Shengong's heart was full of tender warmth and deep guilt. He knew that Night Demon now owed two massive favors because of him, and he was suddenly racked with guilt over the fact that he had recently forced Night Demon to kill those subordinates of his from the Hall of Protectionists.

As always, his paranoia had gotten the better of him, and even earlier in the day, he had been internally blaming Night Demon for placing him in so much peril.

Overcome by emotion, he couldn't help but raise his cup and empty its contents in one go.

With the wine swirling in his stomach, he sighed, "Night Demon is the best disciple I could've ever asked for..."

"I don't disagree," Yan Beihan said with a smile.

Yin Shengong lowered his head to conceal the tears that were swimming in his eyes, while Yan Beihan asked, "Can you tell me about Night Demon's history and background?"

Yin Shengong raised his head with a look of resolve in his eyes as he replied, "I'm afraid I cannot, Mistress Yan. Night Demon's identity is a closely guarded secret, and if he is exposed, then he will instantly be killed."

Yan Beihan's brows furrowed slightly with displeasure.

Yin Shengong was clearly a massive coward, as evidenced by the deep unease and anxiety he had displayed upon his arrival, yet he had just turned down her request for Night Demon's sake.

"Is Night Demon's identity that important?" Yan Nan asked as he raised an eyebrow.

From the moment Yin Shengong entered the room, most of his attention had been focused on the old man, trying to guess his identity.

He had seen Yan Nan in the past during the conferences held at the headquarters of the main church, and the old man's appearance clearly didn't match Yan Nan's, so who was he?

He carried himself with a sense of authority, eating and drinking as he pleased, whereas Yan Beihan had been keeping a constant eye on him, tending to his every need.

Whenever the old man's cup was less than half-full, she would give one of the maidservants a subtle look, instructing them to refill his cup. All of this was done seemingly on a subconscious level, as if it were a habit that she had built up over countless repetitions.

As a result of these observations, Yin Shengong had developed a good idea of who this old man was, and now that the old man was speaking directly to him, he immediately lowered his head in a respectful manner as he replied, "Night Demon's identity is unimportant as far as our main church is concerned, but it's a matter of life and death for him. He's still very young, but he already has more enemies than I dare to imagine."

"I see. In that case, Night Demon must have some alternate identity that allows him to remain out of everyone's sights, is that right?"

"That's correct."

"And I'm assuming he had also disguised his true appearance during the Parasite Ascension Project, is that correct?"

"That is also correct."

"Can you tell me what Night Demon looks like?" Yan Beihan asked with a curious expression. "Surely you can tell me at least that much!"

Yin Shengong pondered the question for a moment, then replied, "Night Demon... I can only say that I've seen many handsome young men in my lifetime, but none can compare with Night Demon."

Yan Beihan's eyes instantly lit up.

"How handsome are we talking? Even more handsome than the young masters of our main church?"

She suddenly recalled what Night Demon had told her about his true appearance after the Parasite Ascension Project, and she had always thought that he had been excessively boastful at the time, but perhaps he had been telling the truth.

Yin Shengong didn't dare to speak ill of the young masters of the main church, but he also couldn't bear to badmouth Night Demon, either, so he replied, "In terms of looks, I would say Night Demon is unmatched, but his disposition is completely different from that of the young masters of the main church. As opposed to an aura of regal authority, there's an air of... unfettered free-spiritedness about him, as if he has nothing to lose and nothing to fear."

Yan Beihan thought back to Night Demon's reckless and ruthless performance during the Parasite Ascension Project, and she felt like this was an accurate assessment.

He was like a free spirit of death that had no regard for consequences and dared to kill anyone who stood in his path.

"If he's so handsome, then why does it sound like he has so little regard for his own life?"

There seemed to be no direct correlation between these two things, but those who truly knew the vicissitudes of life were aware that there was a very real connection there.

"Night Demon is not like other young men. His bloodlust is just about the strongest I've ever seen."

The old man continued to scrutinize Yin Shengong, while the latter remained in a respectful bow, not daring to move.

Sweat was beginning to bead up on his forehead, and he felt like his heart could jump out of his mouth at any moment.

"So you're not going to reveal Night Demon's identity? Even if I'm the one asking?"

Unable to bear the pressure, Yin Shengong collapsed to his knees as he hurriedly replied, "I can tell you! I can tell you anything you want to hear!"

Yan Nan gave a cold harrumph as he took a sip of wine, allowing Yin Shengong to continue kneeling as he asked, "How did you figure it out?"

"I saw that Mistress Yan was constantly looking after you, so..."

Yan Nan took a glance at Yan Beihan at this answer, and the latter immediately pouted as she complained, "You can't blame me, Grandpa! I was looking after you out of habit, it's not like I did it on purpose."

𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"You're still lacking in composure," Yan Nan chuckled with a shake of his head.

"What does this have to do with composure? I can't act high-and-mighty in front of my grandfather just to keep up some facade of composure."

"Alright, all of you can leave now," Yan Nan chuckled. "I want to speak with Pope Yin in private."

Aunt Hong immediately departed with the two maidservants, while Yan Beihan remained seated in her chair with a stubborn pout on her face.

Clearly, she also wanted to hear the conversation.

"You go outside as well."

"Grandpaaa~~~ I'm really interested in Night Demon as well..."

"Go!" Yan Nan ordered with a stern expression.

"Fine!" Yan Beihan snapped as she stomped her way out of the room as a show of her discontentment.

Whenever she did this in the past, Yan Nan would fold and give in to her wishes, and she was hoping that the same would happen this time, but Yan Nan simply let her leave.

***

Following Yan Beihan's departure, Yan Nan raised a hand to conjure up a soundproofing enchantment.

All the way, Yin Shengong remained knelt down on the ground, his entire body tensed up in anxiety.

Never had he imagined that Yan Nan would be present for dinner.

All of a sudden, an unmatched honor had turned into a massive fright!

"You may stand."

"I don't dare to stand, Deputy Pope Yan."

A faint smile appeared on Yan Nan's face as he asked, "Have you had your fill yet?"

"Yes, Deputy Pope Yan. I'm full," Yin Shengong hurriedly replied.

"In that case, let's go talk over there."

Yan Nan drifted over to a corner of the hall as he spoke, and Yin Shengong hurriedly followed along.

He watched as Yan Nan reached behind a curtain to pull out a piece of Amethyst before crushing it into powder.

"She's become a rather tricky little girl. I have to be a lot more careful around her than in the past," Yan Nan chuckled with a look of doting adoration on his face.

Yin Shengong was astonished at Yan Beihan's brazen courage.

She was perhaps the only one in the main church who could get away with trying to eavesdrop on Yan Nan!

Outside.

Yan Beihan was holding an Amethyst in her hand, and she suddenly stomped a foot in annoyance.

Aunt Hong shook her head in dismay with a wry smile.

Aunt Hong knew Yan Beihan better than anyone, even better than Yan Beihan's birth mother did.

On the surface, she appeared to have a very direct and straightforward personality, and she didn't seem cunning or ambitious in the slightest.

Despite her lofty status, she wasn't haughty or overbearing at all.

However, both Yan Nan and Aunt Hong knew that there was more to her than met the eye.

If she really were as simple-minded as she appeared, then Yan Nan wouldn't have been so adoring of her.

The true Yan Beihan was something that only very few people got to see.

***

"We should be fine now."

In private, Yan Nan resembled an ordinary, benevolent old man, and there was nothing about him to suggest that he was one of the most powerful figures on the entire continent.

However, Yin Shengong was not so foolish as to be lulled into a false sense of complacency.

As Yan Nan sat down, Yin Shengong motioned to fall to his knees again, but he was stopped by the former, who said, "There's no need to kneel, you may remain standing. I summoned you to the main church precisely so that I could learn more about this Night Demon."

Yin Shengong was stunned to hear this.

Since when did Night Demon become so important?