Chapter 400: The Secret Hidden for Many Years

Su Yan strode toward the barrier, her eyes shining with an extraordinary brightness.

"Found it."

Having said that, she directly took out a Barrier-Breaking Talisman.

As the light from the talisman flickered, the surrounding scenery began to change.

The signboard of the publishing house vanished, replaced by several extremely crude houses, and the buildings on the street behind them also disappeared entirely.

This place had effectively become another dimension.

"Milady, this is the place! This is where I tracked that person to meet the Feng family members!" Ghost Shadow shouted excitedly.

Su Yan suppressed the excitement in her heart and stepped straight inside without hesitation.

This was indeed the place Granny Li had mentioned in her letter!

The door she pushed open emitted a piercing, screeching sound from years of neglect.

Su Yan had prepared herself mentally for anything, but when she truly saw the situation inside, she was still stunned.

She had considered every possibility, but she never imagined that this place would actually be an ancestral hall.

Yes, an ancestral hall.

A dozen or so memorial tablets were enshrined on the table, but what was most inconceivable was that there wasn't a single name written on any of them.

"Milady, what kind of place is this exactly?"

Last time, when Ghost Shadow was outside, it hadn't seen very clearly; it turned out the inside looked like this.

Su Yan's face was tense as her right hand lightly brushed a corner of the tabletop.

Although she didn't know what this place was, she knew it must be cleaned regularly, because the tabletop was clean enough to be spotless.

"Milady, there seems to be a secret passage over here."

Ghost Shadow's voice came from the northwest corner of the room.

Su Yan immediately gathered her thoughts, but before she could walk over, the sound of footsteps actually came from outside.

Alarm bells rang in her heart, and she instantly prepared for combat.

The footsteps grew closer and closer, and a figure appeared in her line of sight.

The newcomer was carrying a lantern, appearing exceptionally mysterious under the glow of its light.

However, when Su Yan saw clearly who the newcomer was, after a brief moment of surprise, she felt it was only natural.

Auntie Wang.

It really was her!

Auntie Wang walked in holding the lantern, looking at Su Yan with a terribly grim expression.

"I say, why are you such a disobedient girl? I told you not to investigate this place and to hurry home, yet you just wouldn't listen."

Before Su Yan could even speak, Auntie Wang had already begun to complain.

But even so, compared to before, the current Auntie Wang felt a bit closer to Su Yan.

"Milady, that old lady really was lying to you!" Ghost Shadow rushed back to Su Yan's side, shouting clamorously.

Auntie Wang gave it a dissatisfied glare. "You damned thing, do you want to die again?"

Because Su Yan was by its side, Ghost Shadow was absolutely unscrupulous, but for some reason, at this moment, a sudden surge of fear emanating from the depths of its soul made Ghost Shadow shut its mouth immediately, not daring to say another word.

"Auntie Wang, I knew you were connected to this place." Su Yan tried her best to suppress her excited emotions.

Auntie Wang walked past her, took a flint from her bosom, and lit all the candles on the table.

Su Yan watched her quietly, waiting.

Since she had chosen to appear, it meant she had revealed her identity and would speak the truth.

Auntie Wang bowed very respectfully toward those nameless memorial tablets, then took out an incense stick and handed it to Su Yan.

"Girl, you should offer a stick of incense as well."

Although Su Yan did not know exactly who was enshrined here, she fully cooperated with Auntie Wang, offering incense to the deceased with complete sincerity.

Once everything was finished, Auntie Wang let out a sigh.

"Is Granny Li doing well?"

When Su Yan had come to the publishing house during the day and mentioned Granny Li, she knew that the identity she had hidden for many years could likely no longer be kept secret.

"I have been away from Big Willow Tree Village for a while. When I left, Granny was doing well," Su Yan spoke truthfully.

She wasn't sure if it was her illusion, but she felt that the way Auntie Wang was looking at her now was exceptionally complex.

"Granny Li really found a good place to spend her twilight years, unlike me." Auntie Wang only said half of her sentence.

Su Yan stood obediently to the side.

After a few seconds of brief silence, Auntie Wang's voice rang out again.

"Was it Granny Li who sent you here?"

Su Yan nodded. "Granny mentioned this place in her letter. I knew it must be related to my origins or my mother."

"Could it not be that Granny Li knew this was where Gu Yang works and wanted you to have a proper romantic life?" Auntie Wang spoke as if it were perfectly natural, as if Su Yan were simply overthinking things.

But there was no use saying such things now; the fact was that Su Yan's guess was correct.

Su Yan's expression was more sincere than ever before as she slowed her tone and said seriously, "Auntie Wang, I have lived a peaceful life for over ten years. Now, I only want the truth. Please, tell me, okay?"

"It is not that I do not want to tell you, but are you certain you can bear the consequences of knowing the truth?" Auntie Wang's expression was as dark as water; even just looking at her current expression, one could feel a massive amount of pressure.

Su Yan pursed her lips tightly, and after a moment of silence, she nodded forcefully.

"I want to know."

Such an answer was actually within Auntie Wang's expectations.

She also understood that since Granny Li had given Su Yan this address, it meant she was permitted to tell Su Yan some of the truth.

"Fine, if you insist on knowing, then I will tell you about those past events."

After saying this, Auntie Wang looked directly at Ghost Shadow. Before Ghost Shadow could react, it was "sent" out by a wave of Auntie Wang's hand.

Only Su Yan, Auntie Wang, and those nameless memorial tablets remained in the room.

"Do you know who these tablets are enshrining?"

Auntie Wang's thoughts seemed to drift back to a long, long time ago.

Su Yan shook her head.

"These are the successive clan leaders of the four great families who sacrificed themselves over the hundreds of years to exorcise demons and suppress monsters." Auntie Wang's first sentence left Su Yan stunned in disbelief.

She had completely not expected this.

Her wavering gaze fell upon the memorial tablets, and a very terrifying thought rose in her mind.

Calculating by the lifespan of a normal person, there shouldn't be this many tablets; furthermore, if they hadn't died violent deaths, the lifespan of an exorcist would be even longer than that of an ordinary person.

"How can there be so many?"

Auntie Wang could sense the shock and doubt in her heart at this moment, but the secret she was about to reveal would shock the girl even more.

"Do not doubt it. Aside from the last hundred years, the successive clan leaders of the four great families all sacrificed themselves to exorcise demons and suppress monsters, and this place is their final resting place."

Su Yan felt as if a ball of fire was burning in her chest; for a moment, her subconscious even wanted to flee.

Because she knew that the things Auntie Wang was about to recount would likely be truly unbearable for her.

(End of Chapter)