Hong Chun raised her head up and smiled. But it looked out of all sorts with the color red dyeing her face and body. "So you're done pretending to be a guard in that household?"

Of course, she saw through his magical disguise.

Si Hai sighed.

The well-groomed lady he first met was reduced to a blood-soaked ghost. Couldn't she feel the pain from all those injuries? Just looking at the gaping wound on her forearm and back stung him.

She was already like this but she still had the mood to nitpick on him.

"I had to stay there or else this whole fu will be razed to the ground." His words were said in a hurry. "Don't move."

He didn't explain and Hong Chun blankly stared at his retreating back.

He was also covered in blood but she knew it wasn't his. And judging from the direction he came from...

The main house. Her eyes were profound.

Si Hai went back in no time, holding a lamp.

Like a storm, he gathered leaves and heaped them up on Old Shang's body. He then broke the lamp near his feet.

Sensing the woman's stare, he told her. "He asked to be burned."

Hong Chun turned to the fire. Old Shang was soon engulfed in the flames.

A demon seemed to seduce her, whispering for her to touch it. Maybe the suffocating feeling in her chest would go away.

The light of the fire danced on her face, casting a spell.

When she reached out, the fox saw this and his face turned ugly.

As swift as the wind, he carried her away.

"You crazy woman!"

Her gaze was still blank. It seemed it was better if she was knocked out. They had no time to treat her wounds. Escaping should come first.

Before hitting her sleep acupoint, he said. "I took care of the people in the main courtyard. No need to worry."

But the lady closed her eyes and looked like she didn't hear a thing.

He secured her to his back with three of his tails. He couldn't carry her in his arms if he wanted to get away from here quickly.

"I think... told you... don't like furry things." The crazy woman murmured.

So she wasn't knocked down? Tsk, he should have beaten her to death!

Did she think he was having fun while letting a human so close to his body?

He even had to hold her with his tails so she wouldn't fall off! This girl didn't know how to be grateful.

Pressing down his annoyance, his face turned serious as he looked at the blazing pyre one last time.

He knew that the old man was ready to die. To protect this girl until the end was what Old Shang wanted.

He bowed in that direction before speeding away. Si Hai regretted that he arrived too late.

Crimson Trail...

He took care of three assassins in the main courtyard and there were two here.

He reckoned this number was too few.

He should hide this girl, fast.

Si Hai moved with ease as mundane limitations didn't bind him under the cover of the night. Even if there were drunkards half asleep on the road, they would only feel a breeze as the two passed by.

Hong fu would be a memorable place for him. The average official residence hid as many secrets as the old families of Great Han.

Well, no lies could be hidden from his eyes.

From the first day that he accompanied the old human in that fu, he knew he wasn't a native of Great Han.

It was only a matter of time before he learned the reason why a foreigner was serving under a standard fifth-ranked official. Of course, knowing such a large secret, he tried using it to his advantage.

This venomous woman was never a simple daughter. She was a prisoner of the Great Han to hold Huo Ai in check. But she was unaware. This made him more eager to use her for revenge.

Si Hai remembered the smile on his face while concocting the love potion. But the days of pouring his mind to a great plan were all for naught because she saw through them.

What caught his interest more was she was a seer. A human blessed by the goddess Cai Xie.

Even if he tried to deceive her before, he couldn't let her be harmed. Since ancient times, certain spirit kins were obligated to protect humans chosen by the goddess.

Even if he was a black fox, all fox spirits were highly-intelligent spirit beasts and they recognized Cai Xie's mandates from birth.

Hong Chun thought he was gone for good but he still met with Old Shang regularly.

The old man suspected him for a long time before giving in. He wasn't a normal person either.

He was a great warrior of Huo Ai but was reduced to a mere guard of Hong Chun acting as a senile housekeeper. Forced to spend his days lying low lest people find out his origins. Such a man vowed to die for Hong Chun and carry his identity to the grave in order to protect his master.

But with the coming congregation, the girl's life was in danger.

Si Hai remembered the grave worry in the old man's eyes. Enemies surrounded them.

The throne of Great Han and the rulers of the other nations. When the fox told the old man to just seek help from the Hou Ai representative, he scolded him. People from that country shouldn't be trifled with, the old man said. If they approached and it happened to be the wrong person, the girl was done for. So they didn't take the risk.

Hong Chun's identity was too complicated. Old Shang knew people would use this time to muddy the waters.

Si Hai volunteered to be the old man's eyes and ears. He spied around for a few days before finding out that the Emperor already gained the capable Mao clan as his sword.

The fox used his secret arts to take over one of the guards on Mao Zhu's side.

Hong Chun was correct in saying that Si Hai was a master of disguise. But right now, he had not reached the level of freely transforming on his own. Instead, he needed to take over a real person as malicious spirits did.

By staying at the Mao residence, he was able to monitor the movements of the four nations.

All of them hired the organization Crimson Trail to capture Hong Chun.

And that Mao Zhu...

There was a reason why Old Shang implied not to marry that guy. Si Hai clicked his tongue.

Humans were really fickle.

The humble military man claimed to love but didn't have the gall to prove it with his actions.

Even if he wasn't human, Si Hai still had opinions on affections. And he knew that someone as treacherous as Hong Chun didn't need a lover that was easily swayed by worldly worries.

She wasn't even influenced by a potent love potion so she shouldn't be involved with an irresolute man.

Soon, the capital gate was in sight.

Taking a deep breath, Si Hai seemed to have flown when he jumped, borrowing the color of shadows.

The alert guard saw something flicker from the corners of his eyes but didn't find anything suspicious when he drew closer. Because by that time, the pair was already a few meters away.

This reminded Si Hai of the time he was still under Jiang Ming's command. How many times did he sneak to and fro like this? The tasks went from gathering intelligence, stealing evidence or destroying them, threatening or bribing people, and of course, assassinating.

He felt Hong Chun's weight from behind him. This girl was the biggest reason why he could slip away from the dark cell he created in his mind.

After that night when he confronted her, he had time to think. Previously, he was fueled by his corrupt desire to take revenge that he didn't even stop to ask what it was for.

Now, he understood. He was a spirit, a force of nature that shouldn't be tied down by mere humans.

To think that a menacing fox like him needed a girl's help to escape his own demons. It was a matter of his spiritual advancement which was of the greatest importance to all spirits.

Even if he didn't want to admit it, he was indebted to her. So helping her this time around was just right... he thought.

Si Hai chose the path toward the forest. Somewhere near nature, he could get something to dress her injuries. It wouldn't be good to let her bleed.

Moreover, she'd be safest where there were no humans. The wild beasts here wouldn't dare to go near her because of his presence.

The small animals felt a predator arrive so they all scurried away. But the fox didn't mind as he ran past them.

This forest was just the foot of the mountain. His target was somewhere near the peak. He had to take advantage of the time those people hadn't found out Hong Chun fled.

Using his senses, he searched for a hidden cavern.