Chapter Twenty-Six: Has Hu Mo Been Possessed?

A chilling aura spread endlessly, and soon the temperature throughout Drunken Fragrance dropped by over a dozen degrees. The omnipresent killing intent seeped into everyone’s bones, making many shiver involuntarily.

Hu Mo’s expression at that moment was truly infuriating; he pointed a finger at the fallen Hawk Chief and burst into loud laughter. Bai Han’s face grew increasingly ashen, tinged with a sickly black.

Hu Yihu sensed trouble and stepped quickly to Hu Mo’s side. Seeing Hu Mo’s continued mania, he pressed a hand onto the young man’s shoulder. The moment their skin met, Hu Yihu recoiled as if shocked by electricity—he could clearly feel an astonishing force, madly absorbing his combat energy.

Realizing something was wrong, Hu Yihu shouted and his tiger eyes widened as he gathered a powerful flame attribute energy in his grip and seized Hu Mo’s shoulder.

Hu Mo only felt the power suppressed by that woman suddenly surge, the sealed laughter finally breaking free. In that instant, nearly a fifth of Hu Yihu’s strength was devoured by him.

Hawk Chief’s power was wood-based, while Hu Yihu’s was the purest flame energy. The two complemented each other, enhancing Hu Yihu’s fire attribute by almost a whole level.

Although Hu Mo could absorb another’s strength, there was a limit to what he could take. Under the impact of this fiery energy, his three internal treasures trembled violently, his vision went black, and he collapsed limply to the ground.

Hu Yihu reached out, catching Hu Mo as he fell. His gaze was sharp as a blade, and he muttered, “What was that just now? Such a strange power…”

Situ Feng and Bai Han stared at the grandfather and grandson, utterly bewildered. What play were they acting out? Why had Hu Mo suddenly erupted in laughter, only to fall unconscious? Everything seemed shrouded in mist, leaving them at a loss.

Bai Han propped up Hawk Chief and checked his injuries: shattered shoulder bone, shocked meridians—it looked like he would be bedridden for at least a month or two. Seeing this, Bai Han actually breathed a sigh of relief. Given Hu Yihu’s temperament, this degree of restraint was already merciful.

While worrying about Hu Mo’s condition, Hu Yihu glanced at Bai Han and his companion. “Protector Bai, this matter ends here for now. Another day, I’ll ask that old fox Situ Aoyun myself. For now… you may leave!” he said coldly.

Hundreds of guards stood at the ready, encircling the four of them. The oppressive might was too much even for Bai Han.

Situ Feng’s expression shifted, but he ultimately said nothing. With a slight bow, each man carried one of the wounded out of Drunken Fragrance.

The Situ Manor guards were kept outside by Hu Manor’s men. When they saw their masters emerge, they rushed up and swiftly withdrew from the scene.

“Ah Fu, I’ll leave matters here to you. I’ll take Mo’er back first,” Hu Yihu said, cradling Hu Mo as he strode away.

Not far off, Huang Sheng seemed as though he wished to speak, but ultimately said nothing. With Du Zhong and Lin Meng supporting him, he too led his guards away.

“Boss Wang, for all the damages, our Hu Manor will cover half. For the rest, seek compensation from the Situ Manor. As for the bodies, toss them at the paupers’ graveyard,” Uncle Fu said coldly.

Soon, Drunken Fragrance was left empty, save for the corpses and the teary-eyed Boss Wang. If there were a yearly award for tragedy, Boss Wang would surely make the list.

Back at Hu Manor, chaos reigned once more. The first thing Hu Yihu did upon returning was seal the main courtyard. Layers of guards surrounded the estate, so tightly that not even a fly could get in.

It wasn’t that Hu Yihu was excessively cautious—today’s events were simply too bizarre. How could his usually timid, trouble-avoiding grandson possibly dare confront the Situ family head-on? That demeanor, that bearing, was nothing like the Hu Mo he’d always known. And that strange force he felt when touching Hu Mo’s shoulder—it had cost him a fifth of his strength! All these tangled doubts gave rise to a peculiar suspicion: could this grandson before him actually be an impostor?

And yet, feeling Hu Mo’s steady breathing and familiar aura, everything seemed so real—there was not the slightest trace of falsehood. This contradiction filled Hu Yihu’s heart with unease.

But Hu Mo was unconscious. No matter how many questions he had, they would have to wait. With a long sigh, Hu Yihu’s brows furrowed deeply.

“Marshal, there’s no need to worry. The young master’s meridians have suffered a bit of shock, nothing serious,” Uncle Fu hurried to reassure him, noticing the grave look on Hu Yihu’s face.

“Ah, Ah Fu, you always know my heart, but this time you’re not thinking what I am,” Hu Yihu sighed again, shaking his head with a hint of helplessness.

Uncle Fu’s expression shifted slightly. “Isn’t the Marshal worried about the young master’s injuries? Or… is it the Situ family that concerns you?”

Hu Yihu shook his head again, his gaze suddenly sharp. “There’s nothing unpredictable about the Situ family’s reaction. That old fox Situ Aoyun will at most throw a fit and bark a bit in my presence. Beyond that, there’s nothing he can do.”

A trace of contempt appeared on Hu Yihu’s face; he knew Situ Aoyun to his core.

“Ah Fu, don’t you think Mo’er’s behavior today was a bit much?” Hu Yihu’s tone changed, worry deepening on his face.

“Marshal, is that what troubles you? Heh, then you’re overthinking it.” Uncle Fu looked calm, having grown accustomed to Hu Mo’s recent changes.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, Marshal, if that’s strange, what about the young master suddenly devoting himself to reading? Or wanting to train? Or suddenly becoming polite? Isn’t that odd too?” Uncle Fu smiled with a meaningful glint in his eye.

“Heh, Marshal, if all that can happen, then today’s events are hardly surprising. The only real question is, why was the young master so unruly before?”

“Ah Fu, you mean…” Hu Yihu’s eyes widened as if struck by sudden realization.

“So you’ve noticed, Marshal? In my view, we’ve only seen the surface. Maybe our perspective is too fixed. Why do we question the young master’s newfound ambition, rather than wonder if his previous wildness was an act?” Uncle Fu chuckled, his words lively and animated.

Hu Yihu had guessed Uncle Fu’s meaning before he finished, yet this suspicion was even harder to believe than Hu Mo’s transformation.

“Marshal, you know the situation of our Hu Manor. What the Emperor fears most isn’t the other four kingdoms eyeing our empire, but the strength of our own household. No matter how loyal you are, the heart of an emperor is always filled with suspicion; this has always been true. Back when Young Master Meng’s name shook the land, the Emperor began suppressing our family. Later, when Young Master Meng disappeared and Mo’er grew up mischievous, the Emperor’s suspicion faded, and so our days have been peaceful. You know this well.”

“If the young master displayed such talent, would His Majesty tolerate our family’s continued rise? Think about it—over the years, even with Mo’er’s wild behavior, there have been countless assassination attempts. If he had shown promise…”

“Enough,” Hu Yihu interrupted with a sigh.

Uncle Fu nodded tactfully, and the two of them stood in silence for a long while. Hu Yihu’s face was grave, while Uncle Fu’s gaze was fixed intently on the unconscious Hu Mo in bed. Hu Yihu might still harbor doubts, but Uncle Fu was now completely certain of his own conclusions.

After a long pause, Hu Yihu finally came back to himself. He shook his head lightly. “Let’s not talk about this now; it’s all speculation anyway. Only the two of us must know of it. If anyone asks, we’ll say Mo’er was possessed, hence his strange behavior. If your guess is right, our sole task will be to protect him well.”

A glint flashed in Hu Yihu’s eyes, and his gaze toward Hu Mo grew subtly odd.

“Mo’er, is this truly why you’ve changed? How I wish it were true…” Hu Yihu murmured, then turned and left the room with Uncle Fu.

Though Hu Mo’s eyes were closed, he was not fully unconscious. He heard every word between Hu Yihu and Uncle Fu, and each sigh only deepened his helplessness.

“So be it—perhaps this is the best explanation. I am Hu Meng’s son, Hu Yihu’s grandson. Possessed? Fine, possessed it is.” Hu Mo smiled. Everything was unfolding as planned, and a weight lifted from his heart.