Chapter Seventy-Seven: The Sister-in-Law's Trouble

Who are you?” Yang Jiekai asked in a low voice.

The dwarf was perched on the giant man’s shoulder, staring at Yang Jiekai with eyes shining as though he had discovered some priceless treasure. Ignoring Yang Jiekai entirely, he said to the giant, “Big fellow, it’s a corpse-immortal. Looks like the two of us will have to join forces this time.”

The giant nodded. “Join forces. Absolutely.”

At first glance, it looked as if the giant had grown a second head and the two were speaking to one another.

As they spoke, the dwarf suddenly shot upward, and at the same instant the giant moved!

His body surged forward like a tank, bearing down on Yang Jiekai with overwhelming force. Yang Jiekai raised his powerful claws and slashed viciously at him.

At the same moment, the dwarf’s figure also flashed straight toward Yang Jiekai.

Yang Jiekai could feel that his strength and speed were several times greater than before, yet even so, against these two men who stood at opposite extremes in build, he was still at a disadvantage.

Three figures were locked in combat, and the trees nearby were snapped at the waist and crashing down with crackling sounds, as though wheat were being cut at harvest.

After dozens of exchanges, Yang Jiekai was finally defeated. After taking a heavy punch to the chest from the giant and a blade-hand strike to the nape of his neck from the dwarf, he felt his entire body go limp. He collapsed to the ground, unable to move even a finger.

The dwarf crouched beside Yang Jiekai. Tiny as an infant, he revealed a mouthful of sharp teeth and grinned. “Heh, who would have thought we’d be so lucky today? We actually tamed a corpse-immortal.”

The giant beside him scratched his head and chuckled. “Lucky indeed. Very lucky.”

Though Yang Jiekai could not move at all, his mind was still clear. He had no idea what they intended to do with him, yet he was powerless to struggle.

The little dwarf produced a small syringe, drew some dark green liquid from a container, and was about to inject it into Yang Jiekai’s body.

“Stop!”

Just then, a thunderous shout rang out. At the same moment, a flash of cold light appeared, and the dwarf and the giant were both forced back in an instant.

An old man in a Daoist robe landed before Yang Jiekai. With a single glance, Yang Jiekai recognized him: the old Daoist from the temple beside Anhai Monastery, the one who had once spoken to him of many strange and baffling things. He had never expected to see him here.

“You stinking old Daoist! We have no quarrel with your Daoist sect. Why must you come ruin our good deed?”

The little dwarf seemed to fear the old Daoist greatly. With a hiss, he sprang from the ground onto the giant’s shoulder.

The old Daoist held a treasured sword glowing with a pale azure light and shouted sternly at the dwarf and the giant, “To commit such an outrage against heaven and man alike, you leave me no choice but to spare neither of you today!”

The dwarf sneered. “You think we’re afraid of you?”

With that, his figure flickered into a blur and shot toward the old Daoist, while the giant also lunged forward.

The old Daoist turned in place, his sword light flashing. In a single exchange, he forced both the dwarf and the giant back.

“Azure Cloud Sword!”

The dwarf cried out in shock. “Big fellow, retreat!”

As he spoke, the dwarf suddenly threw up his arm. A dense white mist burst forth, and when it cleared, the two of them had vanished without a trace.

The old Daoist gave chase no further. He sheathed the Azure Cloud Sword and struck Yang Jiekai once each at the Crown Abyss point and the Chest Center point. Yang Jiekai coughed up a mouthful of blood, and only then was he able to move again.

“Daoist sir...”

Yang Jiekai had intended to say more, but the old Daoist cut him off.

“Remember this: today, I ought to have slain you. But in consideration that you have done no evil, I will spare your life for now.”

Yang Jiekai had no idea what had happened. “Daoist sir, can you tell me what on earth is going on? What exactly am I now?”

The old Daoist drew a deep breath, let it out slowly, and sighed. “These matters are not for you to know yet. I shall first help restore your human form. But remember this well: from now on, you must never lose your temper, and you must absolutely keep your mind in check. If you ever transform again, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

He paused, looking toward the direction where the dwarf and the giant had fled, then continued, “Had I been even a moment later, and let those two things succeed, the world would surely have been plunged into chaos. Take care of yourself.”

After saying this, the old Daoist said nothing more and turned to leave.

Yang Jiekai called after him, “Daoist sir, when will I transform again?”

The old Daoist did not answer. He tossed back a pill and said loudly, “This pill will keep you from transforming for three years, and it will also spare you from heavenly tribulation. Conduct yourself properly!”

With that, the old Daoist’s figure vanished completely into the boundless darkness.

After swallowing the pill, Yang Jiekai felt every joint in his body creak and crack. After a long while, his body slowly returned to human form.

Han Ning did not know what was wrong that day. She tossed and turned in bed but simply could not sleep. When she checked the time, it was already past two in the morning, yet that fellow still had no news, and his phone could not be reached.

As she thought about it, Han Ning’s lovely face suddenly flushed red. Was she worried about that fellow?

Impossible!

She immediately denied the idea, telling herself that it must be the pressure of work that had caused her insomnia.

She remained awake all night.

The next morning, barely after dawn, Han Ning could no longer sit still and got up to go downstairs, only to be disappointed to find that Yang Jiekai still had not returned.

Maid Wang grew anxious as well. Though Yang Jiekai’s usual conduct was already rather unreliable, he had never once stayed out overnight. What was going on today? And why was his phone unreachable?

Another week passed like this, yet there was still no sign of Yang Jiekai, as though he had vanished from the face of the earth.

“Miss, why don’t we call the police? Could something have happened to the young master-in-law?”

Maid Wang finally could not hold back and voiced her thoughts to Han Ning.

In truth, Han Ning was just as worried that something had happened to Yang Jiekai, but she still kept a stern expression. “Then call the police. But I’m not worried about him. He is still my husband in name, after all. If something happens to him, I’ll get dragged into it too. I just don’t want trouble.”

Just as Maid Wang was about to call the police, the front door was suddenly opened, along with a voice all too familiar.

“If you’re worried about me, just say so. Why be so secretive? We’re old married couple by now, no need to be shy.”

When she saw who had come in, Maid Wang grew so excited her eyes reddened. “Young master-in-law!”

Yang Jiekai stood at the doorway in high spirits and smiled at her. “Maid Wang, I’m back. Is there anything to eat? I’m starving.”

“Yes, yes, I’ll go cook for you right away!”

Seeing Yang Jiekai return safe and sound, Maid Wang was so moved that her eyes turned red. She hurried into the kitchen with a delighted smile to start cooking.

Seeing that Yang Jiekai was unharmed, the knot that had troubled Han Ning for days loosened all at once. She had wanted to say something, but the words were swallowed back before they reached her lips.

Yang Jiekai took a few steps to her side and grinned. “Good wife, no need to worry. Didn’t I come back safe and sound? Haven’t seen me in a few days—did you miss me?”

For reasons unknown, this time Yang Jiekai’s disgusting way of addressing her did not offend Han Ning at all. Instead, it was as if a great stone had finally fallen from her heart.

Of course, Han Ning would never show it. She still wore her frosty expression. “Miss you? In your dreams. I’ve been hoping every day that you wouldn’t come back!”

After saying that, she made as if it were nothing and went upstairs.

When one’s mood improved, so did one’s appetite.

Yang Jiekai wolfed down the dishes cooked by Maid Wang, feeling so blissful he might have floated to heaven.

No one knew where he had been these past few days, but at last Yang Jiekai could set down the heavy stone that had long weighed on him. At least for the next three years, he no longer had to fear the torment of heavenly tribulation, and could finally live as an ordinary human being.

As the saying goes, good things come in pairs. Not long after Yang Jiekai returned, Han Wei also came back.

During this time, Han Wei had gone abroad in search of projects and had been away for quite some days, so the household became lively again at once.

“Well, look who’s back, our long-legged little sister-in-law. Come on, sit down and eat. Everything’s still hot.”

The moment Yang Jiekai saw Han Wei’s pair of pale, slender legs, he could not resist teasing her.

In the past, Han Wei would certainly have shot back at him. But today was strange. Facing Yang Jiekai’s teasing, Han Wei seemed listless and weak, too lazy even to speak. After glancing at him, she went upstairs without even eating.

“The sun must be rising in the west.”

Yang Jiekai found Han Wei’s demeanor most unusual, but he did not think much of it and continued devouring the delicious food on the table.

Before long, with his fill of food and drink, Yang Jiekai was preparing to return to his room for a pleasant nap when Han Ning came downstairs, gloom clouding her brow, and told him to come to her room at once.

Seeing her expression, Yang Jiekai knew that something must have happened. Otherwise, although Han Ning was usually cold to him, she would not look so troubled.

“Vivi, you tell him what happened. This kind of disgraceful business—maybe he can solve it.”

Inside the room, Han Wei sat on the sofa with a worried face, and Han Ning also wore a look of deep concern.

Yang Jiekai heard this and was immediately displeased. What did she mean, that he was especially good at disgraceful matters? He was a gentleman through and through!

Still, seeing the little sister-in-law with the lovely long legs looking so distressed, he asked, “What happened?”

Han Wei let out a soft sigh. “Someone took nude photos of me.”

“What the hell!”

Yang Jiekai nearly spat out his tongue in shock. How could such a fresh, pretty girl with those long legs have nude photos taken of her?

“Tell me who it was, and I’ll go settle with him right now!” Yang Jiekai said angrily.

Han Wei closed her eyes hard and sighed. “No one forced me. I did it of my own accord.”

“What!”

Yang Jiekai immediately wondered whether he had heard wrong. This little sister-in-law had grown up abroad and, though not exactly conservative, surely she had not reached the point of willingly taking nude photos.

“Don’t rush. Tell me everything from beginning to end.” Yang Jiekai scratched the back of his head, still utterly bewildered.