"Third Sister, you can just lay a quilt for me in the shed, no need to go to all this trouble."
Chen Yi wasn't in a hurry to start his simulation.
Seeing his Third Sister busily tidying up the small room, he went in to take a look.
He found her meticulously arranging furniture and straightening out clothes and bedding, as serious as if she were preparing a bridal chamber.
"My own younger brother isn't an outsider, why should you stay in a shed?"
"Actually, I was planning to buy a courtyard house in the county town soon and move out then."
"What nonsense are you talking? Why should one family split into two homes?"
"It's just me and your brother-in-law here, no one else. Although your brother-in-law's ancestral home isn't big, isn't it more than enough to accommodate one more person?"
"You keep your money saved. Getting married and having children costs a fortune. You're already an adult and still don't have a sweetheart. Our parents in the underworld must be anxious. As your older sister..."
Chen Yi smiled bitterly. His Third Sister wasn't this talkative before, was she?
Could it be that after their parents passed away, she automatically adapted to the role of eldest sister acting as mother?
Chen Yi shook his head with a smile and didn't say much more on this topic.
Perhaps for his Third Sister, being able to do a bit more for her younger brother right now could make up for the pain of the past few months when she thought he had died too.
However, Chen Yi still intended to buy a suitable house if he came across one.
He was a grown man, it wasn't proper to keep living at his sister's place forever.
After tidying up the small room, Chen Yun pulled Chen Yi into the courtyard to chat.
His sister's warm concern made Chen Yi feel that there were still people in this world who genuinely cared for him.
That was good.
Just as the siblings were talking, a tall figure walked through the gate.
The newcomer was wearing the red-based, black-patterned official uniform of a Demon Slayer, looking dignified and full of righteous energy.
It was none other than Third Brother-in-law, Shen Qingshan.
"Fourth Brother? Isn't that Fourth Brother! Hahaha! Heaven has eyes! Fourth Brother, where have you been these past few months? I searched everywhere for you. If you hadn't come back, your Third Sister's tears would have dried up from crying..."
Chen Yi had no choice but to repeat the story he had just fabricated.
Finally, the family was reunited.
This scene was quite similar to the one in the second simulation.
That evening, Chen Yun prepared a table full of dishes. Chen Yi and Shen Qingshan drank merrily together, chatting very congenially.
"Fourth Brother, since you've also entered the martial path, I'll gift you a few cultivation techniques. Practice them diligently. Once your skills improve, I'll recommend you for a position at the Demon Slaying Division. We can slay demons and monsters together, ridding the people of harm. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
As he spoke, Shen Qingshan went to the bedroom and brought out four thread-bound books.
These were precisely the four cultivation techniques Chen Yi had already obtained in the simulation.
Although he had already mastered them, Chen Yi still had to pretend to accept them and express his gratitude.
Otherwise, if he later used techniques like "Cloud-Scorching Hand," Shen Qingshan might think he had stolen the teachings.
However, unlike in the simulation, the real Chen Yi did not plan to become a Demon Slayer.
In reality, he only needed to focus on cultivation and complete his guidance tasks;
there was no need to do other things that would distract his energy.
He just didn't directly refuse his brother-in-law's goodwill at the dinner table.
"Being a Demon Slayer is a good job, but I might not pass the assessment."
Perhaps he had drunk too much. Shen Qingshan, who was usually very steady, now puffed out his chest.
"Fourth Brother, don't worry. If you have any problems with cultivation, just come to your Third Brother-in-law!"
Third Sister said with exasperation.
"Stop boasting. You're only at the Spirit Gathering realm yourself. Fourth Brother might even surpass you in the future."
Shen Qingshan smiled bitterly.
"Ah... my descendants are not capable enough to restore the past glory of my Shen family..."
After the meal, while Third Sister was washing dishes in the kitchen, Chen Yi broached a serious matter with Shen Qingshan.
"Brother-in-law, have you recently been investigating some murder cases handled by the county office?"
Although Shen Qingshan was quite drunk, hearing this, his eyes instantly became much clearer.
"How do you know that?"
"You suspect that in some of the murder cases concluded by the county office, the accused killers were wrongly convicted, and the real culprits are actually demonkind!"
"You know about this too??"
Shen Qingshan sobered up completely and stood up directly.
Chen Yi, acting very maturely, put his arm around Shen Qingshan's shoulder and made him sit back down.
"Stop investigating. The waters here run deep. The people involved are ones you can't afford to provoke. Even if you yourself are willing to risk your life for the truth, shouldn't you consider Third Sister and Nannan?"
A thoughtful expression appeared on Shen Qingshan's face.
"Although I suspect someone is covering up and falsifying things, I haven't found any concrete evidence. Fourth Brother, how can you be so sure it involves certain people?"
Chen Yi pretended to be mysterious.
"It's my master, who has already gone traveling, who told me. There are some things in Baiyun County that he, in his old age, might understand better than anyone here. I can't say more. Those who understand, understand. In short, you must stop investigating."
Shen Qingshan didn't fully understand but sensed it was profound.
He sighed helplessly.
"Fourth Brother, how could I not know what I might face by investigating these cases?"
"But if you saw the families of those wrongly executed, suffering from public criticism and exclusion, saw their children being treated as freaks, unable to even attend school..."
"I believe you would understand my feelings..."
Speaking of his frustration, Shen Qingshan downed a large bowl of wine.
Chen Yi could understand these "ancients."
Some of them valued integrity more than life itself.
"However, Fourth Brother, you are right. I also have to consider my family. Since a master advises against further investigation, then let it be..."
Seeing Shen Qingshan's demeanor, Chen Yi worried he still couldn't let go of these cases. A thought occurred to him.
"I heard people in the county town say that in six months, a Demon Slaying Lieutenant from the Baling Prefecture Demon Slaying Division will come down to the county for an inspection, is that right?"
"That's correct. The prefecture inspects the demon infestations in its subordinate counties and villages every five years. In another six months, it will be the next inspection."
"I know the locations of all the demonkind lairs in Baiyun Ridge. When the time comes, we can hand this information to that Lieutenant. Wouldn't it be best to let them directly wipe out all the demons in Baiyun County?"
"Those wrongly accused might not have their cases overturned, but at least these demons won't be able to harm people anymore. At the very least, we can prevent further tragedies."
Hearing this, Shen Qingshan's brows and eyes immediately relaxed.
"Fourth Brother, are you serious about this?"
With the "Monster Aura" trait, Chen Yi could indeed follow the demonic aura to track down where the demonkind were.
He just didn't plan to do this in reality.
Wouldn't it be fine to find them in the simulation and inherit the memory?
"Absolutely true! So during this time, Brother-in-law, you absolutely must not touch those cases again."
"Of course! If the Prefecture Division discovers Baiyun County has numerous demon infestations but very few were reported upwards, they will definitely investigate thoroughly. Then, those wrongly accused will naturally have their cases overturned! Hahaha! Good, good, good!"
Shen Qingshan was finally happy.
Chen Yi felt that this brother-in-law's heart seemed quite simple.
Or perhaps the word "sincere" described him more accurately.
No wonder Third Sister took a liking to him.
With Shen Qingshan convinced, Chen Yi felt at ease.
After eating and drinking his fill, Chen Yi returned to his small room, ready to rest.
Of course, before sleeping, he would conduct the third simulation!
Just thinking about Feng Yucheng, the Chief Commissioner of Baiyun County's Demon Slaying Division—the one covering up the series of altered demon cases in Baiyun County—and the look of wielding the power of life and death he had when he killed Chen Yi in the second simulation made Chen Yi furious.
"What Feng Yucheng? I'll give you Feng Yuxiu! This simulation, we'll not only determine superiority, but also settle life and death!"
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