Ye Feihan scratched her cheek with a finger, looking genuinely vexed. "So hard to remember. I'll just call you Brother Shou from now on. And that surname, Zong—it’s really strange! Hmm, though it sounds vaguely familiar."

Zong Shou smiled without speaking. The Seven-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan Zong, at least in this era, was quite renowned, one of the few truly powerful clans among the Demon Race. It wasn't surprising that this girl had heard of it.

But was his name, Zong Shou, truly so difficult to recall?

A moment later, Ye Feihan’s worries vanished, and she dove back into eating the fish. Her mouth was tiny, just like Chuxue's. No matter how wide she opened it, only a minuscule bite could fit, yet her speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, a Snow Carp in her hand was reduced to just bones. Then, she looked at Zong Shou with expectant, watery eyes.

Zong Shou sighed and tossed another grilled fish her way. Together, in a few swift movements, they devoured all the Snow Carp. Afterwards, they sat by the campfire, staring at each other across the flames.

Zong Shou was wondering just how long this girl intended to stay when he suddenly saw two streams of tears roll down Ye Feihan’s cheeks. He was instantly flustered, unsure of what to do or how he could possibly have made her cry. Then, he heard her sniffle, "Brother Shou, you’re a good person! It’s been so long since I ate such delicious fish! I’m so touched, it’s even better than the fish Mother used to grill—"

Zong Shou felt a knot of frustration tighten in his chest. All over a grilled fish, and she was crying? These Ye sisters were both Eight Meridian Secret Martial Masters and possessed considerable wealth; where couldn't they find meat and fine food?

After weeping for a while, Ye Feihan finally dried her eyes, though her expression remained pitiful. "Brother Shou, can you grill a few more fish for me? Feihan still wants to eat, and my sister hasn't had any either. Sister is so pitiful too! She worked hard all day yesterday, but the fish all got burnt."

Hearing this, Zong Shou felt a wave of helplessness wash over him. So they didn't have fish to eat—what does that have to do with me? However, his temperament was such that he yielded to softness and disliked seeing girls cry.

He thought, It’s still early, and I need another good half-hour to fully recover my strength, and nodded his agreement.

Ye Feihan immediately beamed. "Brother Shou, you really are a good person!" With that, she darted away like a swallow returning to its nest, disappearing into the bamboo grove.

Zong Shou was left by the bonfire, his expression stiff. "Good person." Those two words didn't carry any pleasant connotation in later ages; he certainly didn't wish to be known as some "good person."

Ye Feihan returned after roughly the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. Her movements were swift, but slung over her slender, small arms were six whole, fiery-red large fish, which she carried as she flew back.

Each one weighed over a hundred catties. Ye Feihan showed no sign of strain, stopping before Zong Shou without even pausing to catch her breath, grinning sheepishly.

Zong Shou's gaze instantly narrowed. "These are Flame-Blood Fish? Where did you catch these?"

Then, his eyes inadvertently lingered for a moment on the knot of hair atop Ye Feihan's head. He could vaguely make out what seemed to be a small, white horn hidden within her locks.

Flame-Blood Fish were extremely precious. As for taste, they were arguably on par with the Snow Carp. However, their blood was exceptionally valuable; the key ingredient in more than ten kinds of spiritual elixirs in the world. Even the Human Extremity Pill required the blood of these Flame Fish.

Yet, these fish typically inhabited places where extreme cold and extreme heat converged. They favored icy environments but often needed to absorb intense heat nearby to counteract the deep chill.

In the vicinity, there were indeed a few locations where Flame-Blood Fish gathered. But without exception, venturing near them risked disturbing that one Cold Mosquito.

Ye Feihan, completely guileless, shook her head vigorously. "I don't know. I caught them just a few miles away. Han-jie said there's an underground thermal vent below, and she forbade me from getting close. But there were lots of these fish swarming around there!"

Zong Shou’s expression relaxed slightly. He mused that if he had the time, he might go take a look himself.

The preparation for Flame-Blood Fish was different. Zong Shou first selected one, carefully peeling off its skin and fashioning it into a temporary pouch.

Then, he bled all the Flame-Blood Fish. The blood was fiery red, like flickering flames. He added a pinch of medicinal powder and shook the pouch gently, ensuring the powder dispersed evenly throughout.

Once this step was complete, he gutted and cleaned the fish. He threaded them onto bamboo sticks as thick as a fist and set them over the fire.

As he turned the skewers, Zong Shou casually inquired, "So, you two sisters live around here? You seem very familiar with the area?"

Ye Feihan shook her head again. "No way! We only arrived the day before yesterday. Shuangshuang-jie and I have only been here for four days. We came here following Mother’s instructions to seek out an elder nearby. But that elder is no longer here."

"Oh, right, Shuangshuang-jie’s name is Ye Feishuang. Don't let her stern temper fool you; Sister is actually very kind, just outwardly tough but soft-hearted inside—"

Zong Shou chuckled inwardly. He had already observed as much. Knowing the two girls were not permanent residents put his mind at ease. He then asked, "You seem to have a horn on your head. Are you perhaps of the Demon Race?"

Ye Feihan touched the top of her head, a flicker of oddity flashing briefly in her eyes before she immediately laughed heartily. "Sort of! Mother never told me. Do humans not grow horns? Wouldn't that be awfully ugly? Having horns is much better looking!"

Zong Shou was speechless again. Did this Ye Feihan not even know what a 'human' looked like? If that were the case, in her eyes, wasn't he also quite 'ugly'?

Still, he was relieved. This girl likely had nothing to do with that Cold Mosquito.

He was secretly curious, however, about which branch of the Demon Race sported horns on their heads. He had no relevant information stored in his memory banks.

While they talked, in just a short while, Zong Shou managed to extract a good deal of information from the innocent girl.

The two girls were twin sisters. They used to live on a small island, though it wasn't the Water Lily Lake. Their mother, Ye Feihan said, was incredibly powerful, capable of summoning wind and rain, shattering boulders. But just how powerful, Ye Feihan couldn't clearly explain.

It seemed they were recently forced to separate from their mother after encountering some vicious people and fled to this area.

As for the exact reason, Ye Feihan seemed to have been specifically instructed and refused to elaborate.

Zong Shou tried probing subtly several times but yielded no results, so he stopped pressing the issue. Sword Emperor Tan Qiu wasn't so shameless as to scheme against two little girls. He had only asked these questions to clarify any possible connection between the sisters and that Cold Mosquito.

The Flame-Blood Fish were slowly grilling, and Ye Feihan’s gaze grew increasingly infatuated, her mouth watering. "Brother Shou, I'll tell you a secret, okay? Don't tell anyone. Actually, Sister cried after going back yesterday! She said her cooking skills weren't good enough, and she was seen by someone again, so she’d never be able to marry. I joked that maybe Sister should just marry Brother Shou, since he’s so handsome anyway. But Sister got mad at me, saying it's useless for you to be handsome if you don't practice martial arts or spiritual techniques. She even called you a good-for-nothing. I actually think it’s fine; I don’t quite understand. Why don't you just marry me, okay? Hanhan can do everything, and I can even fight people—as long as you grill fish for me every day—"

Zong Shou rubbed his head. So, even without horns, in this girl's eyes, he was still considered quite 'handsome.'

Just as she was saying this, a cold snort echoed from the direction of the bamboo grove: "Han-mei, what nonsense are you spouting? Why are you here instead of diligently cultivating your spiritual techniques?"

Ye Feihan jumped, turning to look. She saw Ye Feishuang standing at the edge of the bamboo grove, her expression stern. A blush was faintly visible on her face, suggesting extreme anger, yet she dared not meet Zong Shou’s eyes, forcing out a cold tone: "Why haven't you left yet? Didn't I tell you collecting that Jade Lake Stone is dangerous? You could lose your life if you’re not careful! Don't come here again in the future!"

Ye Feihan just giggled, completely ignoring her sister’s words. She snatched a freshly grilled fish and ran over, holding it close to Ye Feishuang's lips. "Sister, taste this. Brother Shou isn't just a good person; his fish-grilling skills are comparable to Mother’s!"

Ye Feishuang frowned. Seeing the fish thrust right up to her mouth, she reluctantly parted her scarlet lips and took a bite. Her eyes instantly brightened, and she glanced at Zong Shou with a hint of surprise.

Then, she let out another heavy snort and turned her head away. "Little sister, don't forget! Mother’s life or death is still unknown! If something unfortunate happens to Mother, what will we do afterward? And if Uncle fails this time, we’ll have to rely on ourselves to avenge Mother. How can you still be so careless? If you have any ambition left, you should be working ten times harder than before!"

Ye Feishuang’s voice abruptly paused, and her gaze fixed on a brocade pouch lying near the pool. Her willow-like brows then rose again. "I know some humans are arrogant and dislike accepting handouts or eating scraps given out of pity. But having backbone is a good thing. However, what right to pride does a worthless person like you have who refuses to cultivate Qi? Collecting stones is perilous—don't you think of your own family? If something happens to you, do you think your loved ones will be sad for you?"

After this sharp tirade, Ye Feishuang turned away with a frosty expression and swept out. Ye Feihan’s eyes welled up with tears, which she forced back. She glanced at Ye Feishuang’s retreating figure, then at the fish. After a moment of hesitation, she picked up three more fish that were almost done grilling, along with the two Flame-Blood Fish, and rushed after her sister with great speed.

Zong Shou just chuckled, unconcerned, looking at the remaining fish on the fire. He conceded that Ye Feihan had some conscience, as she hadn't taken all the fish.

He swallowed the remaining fish in two bites. Zong Shou then retrieved the fish blood he had set aside. Due to the medicinal powder, the blood had not yet solidified, and a pungent, sharp stench immediately assailed him.

Zong Shou frowned slightly, but then grit his teeth and swallowed it all down. Though fish blood was foul, it tasted quite delicious once in his mouth. As soon as it entered his stomach, he felt an intense, unbearable heat surge through his entire body, making him want to tear off all his clothes.

Zong Shou stripped off his outer garment again and leaped violently into the Dark Water Pool, finally feeling a slight measure of comfort.