An hour had passed since the masked man began her confession. By the time she finished, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. She had been struck by her own words. Though not the most capable among her peers, she knew some secrets were never meant to be spoken. Yet, Zhu Yanyi had used some unknown method to force her to spill everything. Having revealed all, she felt she could no longer face the world. Fainting seemed the only escape.
Zhu Yanyi looked down at the man on the floor and shook her head slightly. She turned to Yan Aohan. "Take him aside to deal with him. Remember, hit him twenty punches first, then handle the rest."
Yan Aohan nodded with a faint smile. He walked over, picked up the masked man by the collar, and led him away.
"Ani, what happened to him?" Medicine Elder asked, watching Yan Aohan leave. He had just returned to his senses.
Zhu Yanyi shrugged. "You shouldn't eat things from strangers. My walnut snacks aren't that delicious. Since she ate them, she had to spit out some secrets."
"(⊙o⊙)…?" Medicine Elder looked at Zhu Yanyi, confused by her meaning.
"I just added a little Truth Powder when she was eating the walnuts," Zhu Yanyi explained with a small smile. "Not much. It probably just made her talk about wetting the bed as a child."
She continued, "I never intended to let her go. If I don't let her go, I must silence her. But before that, I needed to know certain things. Now, I know everything."
Godfather gasped at Zhu Yanyi’s words. She suddenly remembered eating the soup she had made the night before.
Seeing Godfather’s pale face, Zhu Yanyi shrugged again. "Don't worry. I didn't poison you. Besides, I already know most of what you know. There is nothing left to hide, so there is no need to panic."
Zhu Yanyi preferred to defeat her enemies openly and fairly. She disliked using underhanded tricks. This personality meant she would never rely on conspiracy. This was why Yan Aohan sometimes felt uneasy about her. Fortunately, Zhu Yanyi was smart. If she did not use conspiracy, she used open strategy. That was enough.
Godfather had nothing to say. She realized she had no words left for Zhu Yanyi.
Yan Aohan returned quickly. It had taken less than five minutes. For some reason, Godfather felt a wave of relief when he saw Yan Aohan.
Yan Aohan looked at Godfather but said nothing. He threw a mask and a set of clothes at him—the attire of the masked man. "From now on, you are him. When you go there, you must leave everything here behind. I will ask you one last time: Do you still want to go? Do you regret it?"
"I will go. I do not regret it." Godfather did not hesitate. He had no time to change his mind.
Yan Aohan looked deeply at Godfather, then nodded. "In that case, you are no longer a person of this world. Everything connected to you here will vanish."
Godfather was slightly stunned. He understood the meaning but did not know why Yan Aohan said it.
Yan Aohan explained, "From now on, 'Godfather' will no longer be you. All rumors about you in the Holy Church will disappear. In the future, the Holy Church’s Godfather will be Silver Fox. 'Godfather' is just another alias he plays with."
"Playing a game," Silver Fox laughed. "Fine. Let’s say Godfather is my secondary account."
Godfather looked at Yan Aohan, then at Silver Fox. "The Holy Church is yours."
"Rest assured," Silver Fox said with a calm smile. "Since I said the Holy Church is mine, it will be mine. All traces of you will vanish. Those people will no longer remember you."
Godfather frowned slightly. Altering memories required immense power.
She said nothing more, assuming this was Zhu Yanyi’s ability. She never knew that Zhu Yanyi did not yet possess this skill, but Yan Aohan and Silver Fox did.
Yan Aohan raised his hand and placed it three inches above Godfather’s head. A mist-like figure emerged from Godfather’s head and entered Yan Aohan’s palm.
"I have taken one of your souls as the price. Now, I will send you to that plane." Yan Aohan did not wait for Godfather’s reaction. He tapped the air, creating a narrow rift, just wide enough for a person to walk through.
"Go in," Yan Aohan said.
Godfather showed no attachment. He did not look at Zhu Yanyi or Medicine Elder. He stepped forward and walked into the passage.
As soon as he entered, Yan Aohan waved his hand, and the air returned to normal.
Turning to the terrified people nearby, Yan Aohan glanced at Silver Fox. Silver Fox smiled faintly, took out two leaves, placed them to his lips, and began to blow.
Zhu Yanyi felt nothing, but Medicine Elder felt sleepy and fell asleep. Everyone else Godfather had brought also fell asleep.
Silver Fox blew for about ten minutes, then stopped. He did not wake them. He looked at Yan Aohan with a faint smile. "The rest depends on your methods."
Yan Aohan glanced at Silver Fox, said nothing, and flicked his finger toward the sky. No one knew what he flicked. Zhu Yanyi guessed he was altering the memories of those who remembered Godfather.
Zhu Yanyi now knew Yan Aohan’s identity, so she understood his abilities. Altering memories was trivial for him.
"The Wise Mage died three years ago," Yan Aohan said, smiling at Zhu Yanyi. "Silver Fox is Godfather. Because you saved Silver Fox, he released Medicine Elder as a price to repay your kindness." This was the modification for Medicine Elder’s memory.
It was not about distrust. Some memories were better left nonexistent. Yan Aohan’s modification was the best solution.
Zhu Yanyi nodded slightly. "This is good. At least, we do not need to worry about Grandpa Medicine having other thoughts."
Older generations held strong emotions for their peers. Even if Godfather had many flaws, he had lived through hardships with the elders. Such bonds were hard to forget. It was better for them to believe he was dead.
Moreover, the man had gone to another world. Returning was impossible. The connection between this plane and Godfather was completely severed. This outcome was good.