novelapdf Chapter 214 The Ink Fairy's Deal
Chapter 214 The Ink Fairy's Deal
Chapter 215 The Ink Fairy's Deal (Two Chapters Combined)
Perhaps it was because the pressure of the Great Dao emanating from Mo Huaisu was too strong, the red mist array that enveloped the Divine Sword Sect dissipated rapidly the moment she appeared.
Some hidden monsters also exploded, turning into wisps of black smoke.
And there were eerie sheets of noodles floating in the sky.
It was like a ghost encountering the blazing sun, vanishing without a trace.
As the black and white Dao Domains slowly faded away, the world returned to its original colors.
Bright, dazzling sunlight pierced through the clouds, pouring down and bringing peace and tranquility back to the previously chaotic Divine Sword Sect.
"Where is the prince?"
The woman, addressed as "Princess" by the head of the guards, spoke in a cold voice.
The head guard turned pale and knelt down with a thud, his expression one of utter grief. He pointed at Jiang Mu and accused her, "Reporting to the Princess, the Prince was suddenly assassinated in the Sword Tomb, and his fate is unknown."
We, your humble servants, are eager to protect our lord and fought our way out of the encirclement to seek help.
"But—but Jiang Mu, as the head of the Demon Slayer Division, not only failed to slay the demons in time to save the Prince, but instead used his position to settle personal scores and slaughter our comrades. We implore Your Highness to see the truth and seek justice for us."
The woman lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping indifferently over the corpses of the guards on the ground, her expression calm.
"so----"
The princess's red lips parted slightly, her voice soft yet laced with sarcasm, "You failed to protect the prince, yet you want to shift the blame for this dereliction of duty onto the head of the Demon Slayer Division?"
The head guard trembled, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead. He hurriedly kowtowed, "This humble servant deserves to die! This humble servant failed in protecting His Majesty, and I am guilty beyond redemption! But this Jiang Mu, he truly..."
The princess ignored his nonsense and gently waved her fair wrist.
The head guard, who was kowtowing, suddenly stopped speaking.
His body first froze, then rapidly carbonized from skin and flesh to bone, turning into a pitch-black charcoal sculpture.
A gentle breeze blew by.
The coke sculpture instantly turned into a puddle of black ash and scattered with the wind.
Jiang Mu's eyelids twitched.
His grip on the knife hilt tightened unconsciously, and he was secretly shocked.
This princess is amazing.
Previously, when I looked at that Prince Sheng, his aura was weak and he had no star power at all; he was just an ordinary person.
Who would have thought that his wife was actually a top-notch martial arts expert?
Having dealt with the noisy wretch, the princess turned her head and her gaze fell on Jiang Mu.
His face, which had been covered in frost, softened as if a spring breeze had come. A smile of appreciation appeared on his lips as he looked Jiang Mu up and down: "I was originally planning to go to the Demon Slayer Division to see what kind of person Hall Master Jiang, who was praised by Elder Tian as the Demon Slayer Division's number one genius in a hundred years, really was. I never expected to meet him now."
Indeed—seeing is believing. Master Jiang, you're quite impressive.
Jiang Mu sheathed the Blood Frenzy Blade and cupped his hands in greeting: "Greetings, Your Highness. Your Highness flatters me. The Prince is currently in the Sword Tomb, his fate still uncertain. I am making preparations."
"Alright, Hall Master Jiang, you can go back now. We'll take care of things here."
Zhou Yuanzhi interrupted him calmly.
After saying that, she turned to look at Mo Huaisu, who had been standing quietly to the side, and said softly, "Sect Leader Mo, let's go to the Sword Tomb first."
Mo Huaisu nodded slightly.
With a gentle step forward from the embroidered shoes beneath her skirt, two swimming black and white yin-yang fish immediately appeared beneath her feet.
The next instant, the two disappeared from the spot as if they had blended into a traditional Chinese ink painting.
Jiang Mu frowned, looking at the empty square, then glanced at the black ash left by the guard chief on the ground, smacked his lips, and muttered to himself, "That woman—she's really ruthless."
"Old Jiang!"
Just then, a panting shout came from behind.
Yan Fenghuo, carrying a knife and covered in sweat, ran out from a path not far away.
Seeing Jiang Mu and Duanmu Li, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Finally found you! What happened? You were just circling in the red mist, how did it suddenly dissipate? And those demons vanished like ghosts?"
Jiang Mu said, "Mo Huaisu from the Dao Sect has arrived."
"what?"
Yan Fenghuo looked bewildered. "Why did she suddenly come here?"
Jiang Mu said, "There was another woman with her. She's Prince Sheng's wife. Do you know anything about this princess?"
"princess?"
Yan Fenghuo's expression turned strange, and even showed a hint of awe.
He lowered his voice and leaned closer to Jiang Mu, saying, "Prince Sheng has only one principal wife, named Zhou Yuanzhi. In her early years, she was a well-known cultivator in the martial arts world. After marrying into the Prince's mansion, she received a lot of resources and is now a master of the eighth realm."
However—rumor has it that the couple had a falling out years ago for some unknown reason and have long since become estranged, each living their own separate lives.
Everyone goes their own way?
No wonder the woman's expression showed no sign of anxiety or grief upon hearing of her husband's assassination.
Yan Fenghuo continued, "Moreover, Zhou Yuanzhi's current position is the chief inspector of our Demon Slaying Division, a position of great power and influence."
This woman has a cold and aloof personality; one could even say she's cold-blooded.
She has only one principle in doing things: whether you are of value to the court.
As long as you are useful to the court, even if you commit murder or other crimes, as long as the problem is not serious, she can give you the green light in the law and give you special treatment.
But if you're no longer useful, even if you're the King of Heaven, she'll still throw you out like trash without hesitation.
After listening, Jiang Mu murmured thoughtfully, "So, her sudden appearance here this time wasn't to save her husband, but purely for business."
'
He's definitely got that ruthless capitalist boss persona.
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Mu turned to Duanmu Li and Yan Fenghuo and said, "You two go down the mountain first and wait for me in Huzhou City."
"And what about you?" Yan Fenghuo was taken aback.
Jiang Mu looked in the direction of the Jian family, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "I have to go and check the situation. We need to find out whether Prince Sheng is dead or not."
With Sect Leader Mo and the Chief Inspector keeping things under control inside, He Qingyang can't cause any trouble. It's absolutely safe here, so don't worry about me.
Yan Fenghuo knew this kid was incredibly audacious and couldn't be dissuaded, so he could only warn him, "Then be careful and don't mess with that living devil."
Jiang Mu nodded, then leaped forward and quietly slipped away towards the Jian family's direction.
Deep within the Sword Tomb.
The cave now resembled a slaughterhouse, filled with the stench of blood.
The ground was covered with scraps and bits of meat.
There were the remains of mutated monsters and human limbs torn to pieces, mixed in with the dark red mud.
Not a single intact corpse could be found.
Zhou Yuanzhi stood at the edge of the pool of blood, bent down and picked up a piece of cloth covered with bits of flesh.
This is the fabric of the clothes the prince is wearing.
She raised her head and looked at a huge rock not far away.
There was a pile of half-destroyed corpses.
Judging from the jagged bite marks on the edges of the corpse, it was clear that it had been frantically devoured by a monster before it died.
With a flick of her wrist, Zhou Yuanzhi revealed a small bronze bowl in her palm.
The woman's fingertips shimmered with starlight as she lightly touched the rim of the bowl.
"Buzz—"
'
A soft light rippled in the bowl, spreading out like waves.
Guided by the light, a few scattered pieces of meat and bone fragments slowly floated up and fell into the bronze bowl.
Zhou Yuanzhi frowned slightly.
She then took a small piece of her fingernail from her sleeve and casually tossed it into the bowl.
Catalyzed by the star's power, the minced meat and fingernails dissolved rapidly in the bowl, merging together into a pool of blood.
"The energy flow matches perfectly—it is indeed him."
Zhou Yuanzhi stared at the blood in the bowl without a change in expression. She put the bronze bowl away, a slight smile playing on her lips: "Heh, now I really am a widow."
The woman showed no trace of grief or sorrow at losing her husband.
It was as if a completely insignificant stranger had died.
Just then, a gray figure swept in from outside the cave with a gust of wind.
The newcomer had disheveled hair and beard and looked quite disheveled.
It was none other than He Qingyang, the patriarch of the Divine Sword Sect.
"Lord Zhou!"
He Qingyang hurriedly bowed to Zhou Yuanzhi.
The old man's face was filled with resentment and unwillingness. He gritted his teeth and said, "I never expected that the painted-skin demon would launch a surprise attack at this critical moment, destroy the sword furnace, and steal the Dragon-Slaying Sword."
"Just now, as soon as it saw Sect Leader Mo appear, it used its Blood Escape Technique to flee. I am truly ashamed that I failed to kill it!"
Zhou Yuanzhi's eyes flickered slightly, and she said coldly, "The Dragon-Slaying Sword, lost?"
He Qingyang squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth: "————Yes."
"So now, aren't you just a piece of trash?" Zhou Yuanzhi asked in a flat tone.
He Qingyang's face turned a deep, purplish-red, and he looked extremely unsightly.
He was a Grandmaster of the Ninth Realm and the patriarch of the Divine Sword Sect. When had he ever suffered such a blatant humiliation?
But he dared not lash out, and could only solemnly defend himself, "Lord Zhou, rest assured, as long as that divine artifact of destiny, the Sword Edge Gold, is still in my hands, even if the Dragon Slayer Sword is missing, I have other secret methods to successfully forge my Dao foundation."
Since Jiang Mu's attempt to seize a star position led to the investigation of the Divine Sword Sect's private breeding of demons, He Qingyang has taken the initiative to contact the Chief Commander.
They revealed their hand in an attempt to gain some support.
The princess in front of him was the person he had been in contact with.
Zhou Yuanzhi stopped looking at him and turned her gaze back to the pool of blood and flesh on the ground. She said in a low voice, "He Qingyang, you didn't tell me before that you were going to secretly extract the royal dragon energy from him."
Upon hearing this, He Qingyang felt as if he had been struck by lightning.
My back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.
He hurriedly lowered his head and explained repeatedly, "My lord, the sword blank for the Dragon Slayer Sword came from the extremely Yin spiritual mine beneath Huzhou City, and its Yin energy is too heavy. If we want to forge it to be flawless, we must borrow some of the true dragon energy of the royal family to neutralize and suppress it."
I swear to God, I never intended to harm Prince Sheng, nor would I have the guts!
I only intended to borrow a wisp of dragon energy while he was taking the sword to recognize its master—who would have thought that a demon would infiltrate and suddenly attack—”
Zhou Yuanzhi twitched the corners of her rosy lips, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes: "Borrow a wisp of dragon energy? Ha."
Elder He, before weighing your chips on the scales, you'd better consider whether you truly have the qualifications to make such a head-risking deal with the imperial court.
He Qingyang was speechless after being rebuked, his old face turning bright red.
Zhou Yuanzhi stood with her hands behind her back and said, word by word, "He Qingyang, you need to understand one thing."
Sometimes, I cannot fully represent the will of the court, so what I say here today does not represent the court's final decision.
Yes, I did promise you. As long as you have the ability to successfully forge your Dao Foundation, gain the approval of the Heavenly Dao, and enter the Tenth Realm, I will use the resources of the General Headquarters to help you compete for that Radiant Star Position.
This will allow you to rightfully replace Shangguan Luoxue and become the new garrison commander of Huzhou City.
but----"
The woman's gaze suddenly turned cold, like a sharp blade scraping against He Qingyang's bones: "Since I can make you a promise, I can naturally take it back at any time. Do you understand?"
He Qingyang's expression changed drastically, his knees buckled, and he almost knelt down.
He hurriedly cupped his hands, his voice trembling, "Lord Zhou, please give me some more time. I will do my utmost to give you a satisfactory result."
"It doesn't satisfy me."
Zhou Yuanzhi stared coldly at him, then extended her jade-like finger and pointed to the empty sky above, "It's to satisfy Heaven."
"I'm only giving you one month."
If Shangguan Luoxue has not been able to repair her damaged Dao foundation a month later—
If, a month later, the court discovers another replacement who has more potential and performs better than you —
"Then you and your entire Divine Sword Sect should be prepared to bear full responsibility for Prince Sheng's death. Understand?"
"Yes—I understand." He Qingyang nodded with difficulty.
After hesitating for a moment, a look of pain appeared on his face, and he tentatively spoke: "Lord Zhou, there is one more thing. When I was fighting the Painted Skin Demon just now, I noticed that the boy named Jiang Mu took advantage of the chaos to forcibly extract the spiritual veins that my Divine Sword Sect was suppressing."
That spiritual vein is related to the foundation of my sect. May I ask—"
He didn't finish his sentence.
But everyone present was intelligent, and the subtext was self-evident.
Zhou Yuanzhi looked at him with a half-smile: "Elder He, let me say something unpleasant. In the eyes of the General Headquarters, Jiang Mu's value is now far greater than yours."
He Qingyang's face turned pale and then flushed again, and he felt a tightness in his chest.
How could a mere fifth-realm brat be more valuable than a dignified ninth-realm grandmaster like himself?
Anyone who hears this would think it's a joke.
But hearing it from the mouth of this Inspector General made him feel a deep sense of powerlessness and humiliation.
Zhou Yuanzhi ignored his unpleasant expression and said calmly, "The headquarters has already decided to focus on cultivating him, and has even prepared intelligence and resources for the next star level for him. Do you think it's appropriate to take action against him now?"
Hearing this, He Qingyang completely gave up hope.
He certainly understood the weight of those words.
Since the imperial court has decided to protect Jiang Mu's path to promotion, this kid is now a key resource that the court is protecting.
If he dares to touch Jiang Mu at this time, the consequences will be severe.
Unless he can break through to the tenth realm within a month and demonstrate absolute value that crushes Jiang Mu.
Thinking of this, He Qingyang felt even more intense hatred for the Painted Skin Demon.
If it weren't for that vile demon suddenly appearing and disrupting all his plans, he would have already extracted the dragon's energy and forged a divine weapon.
There's no need for me to be here like a dog, watching people's faces.
Zhou Yuanzhi said indifferently, "Whether the Divine Sword Sect's spiritual vein exists or not is actually irrelevant."
If you perform well within this month and truly become the garrison commander of Huzhou City, you will have complete control over the geomantic energy of the entire Huzhou.
So what if the spiritual vein of a mere small sect is gone?
He Qingyang wanted to say something more, but Zhou Yuanzhi waved her hand impatiently, interrupting him: "Alright, stop with your little schemes."
Clean this place up. As far as possible, piece together the prince's remains, put them in a coffin, and send them to the Demon Slayer Division in Huzhou City.
"About the prince's cause of death, not a single word is to be revealed to the outside world, understand?"
Although He Qingyang was unwilling, he could only lower his head and agree.
At this moment, a tall and imposing figure appeared inside the Jian family's cave.
It was Jiang Mu.
He stepped over the mutilated pieces of flesh on the ground, his gaze first sweeping over the remains of Prince Sheng, then past the ashen-faced He Qingyang, before finally reaching the two women.
"Greetings, Lord Zhou; greetings, Sect Leader Mo."
Jiang Mu bowed slightly.
Mo Huaisu stood quietly at the edge of the pool of blood, as if he were in another pure land.
Those clear, aloof eyes, untouched by the world's troubles, lingered on Jiang Mu for only a moment before nodding slightly in response.
Zhou Yuanzhi, who had just been cold and sharp-tongued towards He Qingyang, immediately broke into a warm, spring-like smile when she turned to look at Jiang Mu: "Hall Master Jiang, didn't you already go down the mountain? Why did you come back?"
The woman spoke gently.
It was as if he were facing not a subordinate, but a younger relative whom he valued highly.
Jiang Mu straightened his face and said loudly, "Reporting to Your Excellency, I have returned because I have important case information to report to you in person."
The Divine Sword Sect privately raises demonic creatures, uses evil magic to induce mutations, and secretly abducts innocent people to perform blood sacrifices in the tower, employing cruel methods.
I saw all of this with my own eyes; the remains are still there.
"If you don't believe me, sir, I can lead the way now so you can verify it for yourself."
Upon hearing this, He Qingyang's eye twitched slightly.
Zhou Yuanzhi's beautiful eyes sparkled as she looked at Jiang Mu with great interest: "Oh? So, what does Hall Master Jiang want me to do by telling me all this?"
Meeting the woman's gaze, Jiang Mu said in a deep voice, "As the Chief Inspector, you are in charge of the law and oversee the Demon Slayer Bureau and all martial arts sects. Shouldn't such crimes be thoroughly investigated and severely punished to set an example and reassure the people?"
Zhou Yuanzhi looked at the indignant young man before her, smiled and nodded, saying in a relaxed tone, "Alright, I understand. I will handle this matter. Hall Master Jiang, you've worked hard. Go back and rest now."
"Will they really be able to handle it?"
Jiang Mu stood still, staring directly at her.
Zhou Yuanzhi's smile faded slightly.
She paused for a moment, then raised her hand to brush a strand of hair from her temple, her voice becoming calm: "Jiang Mu, all your files and records are in the secret archives of the Capital Command."
I know you are a genius, one in a million, and your achievements are indeed dazzling. But in the cultivation world, geniuses are the least in short supply.
Throughout history, how many brilliant and talented individuals have perished prematurely, turning to dust?
Until you truly grow up and possess the strength that everyone takes seriously, you are just a decent cultivator, nothing more.
so----"
The woman leaned forward slightly, a hint of coldness flashing in her alluring eyes. "Focus on your own duties and cultivate your own path. Don't meddle in things that aren't your business."
Don't let the court down.
Did you understand?
Faced with the woman's icy gaze, Jiang Mu fell silent.
He certainly understood the subtext behind those words.
In the eyes of those in power, the lives of innocent people, the concepts of good and evil, are all less important than He Qingyang's ability to forge a foundation for the Dao.
Jiang Mu stopped bothering the other party and turned to walk up to He Qingyang, whose face was gloomy. He said indifferently, "Elder He."
Just now in that tower, I killed your inhuman, ghostly grandson He Shuangdiao with a single blow.
Because he had mutated into a demon and wanted to kill me, I took the opportunity to clean up his mess and chopped off his head.
You shouldn't have any objections to this, right?
Upon hearing this, the air within the Jian family seemed to freeze.
Zhou Yuanzhi frowned slightly, but then chuckled and crossed her arms, watching the scene with great interest.
A chilling killing intent flashed in He Qingyang's eyes.
The blood on the ground around him was slightly boiling because of the protective aura he was releasing.
to be frank.
He wished he could slap this arrogant little beast in front of him right now and turn him into mincemeat!
It seems that from the moment this guy first showed his talent in the Demon Slayer Division, he became entangled with their Divine Sword Sect.
Because of this guy, the Divine Sword Sect suffered heavy losses.
From losing his star position and his grandson being killed, to attracting the attention of the Demon Slayer Bureau, being forced to move his privately raised demon nest, being blackmailed, and having his daughter humiliated.
Now, they've even drained the spiritual energy and fortune of the Divine Sword Sect.
He Qingyang had never felt so frustrated in his entire life of wandering the martial world.
Normally, he would have skinned Jiang Mu alive.
But not now.
After all, just now, Zhou Yuanzhi had clearly warned him that this kid was now a key resource that the headquarters was cultivating.
He Qingyang gritted his teeth and swallowed back the murderous intent.
Nothing.
At most one month.
Once he becomes the new garrison commander, he can kill a nobody like Jiang Mu at will!
He Qingyang said calmly, "If Hall Master Jiang believes that he colluded with demons and did unjust things, then he should be killed."
As the head of a prestigious and righteous sect, I am obligated to uphold justice even at the cost of family ties, in order to rectify the sect's reputation.
"That's good."
Jiang Mu reached out and patted He Qingyang's shoulder twice.
Like patting a younger brother.
"I heard that your Divine Sword Sect has a lot of good stuff. For example, that thing called 'Karmic Fire Heart-Burning Powder', I really like it."
"You have three days to get two carts delivered to my Eighth Hall's office. Do you understand?"
After saying that, Jiang Mu stopped looking at He Qingyang's ashen face, and didn't even greet Zhou Yuanzhi again. She turned around and walked out of the Jian family.
He Qingyang stared in the direction Jiang Mu had left, his gaze dark and gloomy.
He could faintly hear the hissing of sword energy around him, but he suppressed it.
"Heh, youthful exuberance, huh?"
Zhou Yuanzhi shook her head and chuckled softly, her tone unreadable, neither praising nor expressing anything else.
She turned to Mo Huaisu, who remained silent and composed beside her, and said, "Sect Leader Mo, now that this matter is settled, let's go."
Mo Huaisu remained indifferent and lightly nodded.
With a slight sway, the two left this bloody place.
Outside the Divine Sword Gate, amidst verdant, rolling mountains.
Zhou Yuanzhi and Mo Huaisu strolled side by side.
Mo Huaisu's simple Taoist robe fluttered in the wind, and the black and white Taoist aura surrounding him kept all worldly dust and impurities at bay.
"To slaughter innocent lives and use evil methods for blood sacrifice is ultimately against the will of Heaven and will leave one with a malevolent aura."
Mo Huaisu suddenly spoke, his voice ethereal and clear, "He Qingyang's attempt to forcibly establish his Dao foundation through such means is unlikely to succeed. Even if he manages to succeed by chance, it will surely sow the seeds of future trouble."
Zhou Yuanzhi raised her red lips slightly and smiled nonchalantly: "He is just one of the few candidates selected by the court."
If he were to succeed by sheer luck, that would be for the best. After all, he was a local strongman, possessing the advantage of location, and had the favor of the times, in addition to the human resources and favors secretly provided by the imperial court.
Once he breaks through, he can perfectly replace Shangguan Luoxue and quickly stabilize the situation in Huzhou City.
But if he fails, the court will not lose anything.
There are many people in this world who want to take the position of governor. At worst, we can just bet on someone else.
Mo Huaisu gazed into the distance at the drifting clouds, remained silent for a moment, and then asked, "Shangguan Luoxue—is there really no chance at all?"
The smile on Zhou Yuanzhi's lips faded, and she let out a long sigh: "Sect Leader Mo, to be honest, we've tried every possible method. We've exhausted all options, but we just can't help her repair her damaged Dao foundation and stabilize her star position."
Even with the use of several life-extending treasures from the national treasury, we could only barely delay the damage, not reverse it.
There's at most one month left.
Within a month, her astrological position will inevitably collapse and be lost; this is an undeniable fact.
The woman's tone regained some of its rationality and indifference, "To put it bluntly, the imperial court's resources don't just come from thin air."
The authorities would never waste the incense offerings and prayers of hundreds of thousands of people in a city on a crippled body destined to become useless.
That's why we were willing to give someone like He Qingyang a chance. Unfortunately, He Qingyang made a terrible mistake this time.
Adding legs to a snake only exposes its shortcomings.
Mo Huaisu listened quietly.
A mountain breeze blew by, lifting a few strands of her ink-black hair and gently brushing against her fair, jade-like cheeks.
The dark skirt swayed gently, rippling like water.
A hint of sadness flashed across the woman's eyes.
Although she cultivated the path of asceticism, severing all emotions and love, her relationship with Shangguan Luoxue was merely a nodding acquaintance.
However, she was also a woman in the cultivation world, and the other party was undoubtedly a genius who had made countless male cultivators pale in comparison.
Now that she has fallen into such a desolate state, about to perish in the mortal world, even her cold and indifferent heart cannot help but feel a little sad and sigh.
The great road is as clear as the blue sky, yet I alone cannot find my way out.
The difficulty of cultivating the Tao is greater than ascending to heaven.
One wrong step, and even if you were once a dazzling swan in the heavens, you will eventually turn into a handful of ashes scattered by the wind.
Zhou Yuanzhi continued, "Of course, some time ago, Shangguan Luoxue tried to use the Zifu Cantongqi to recover from her injuries in order to save herself."
Although this extreme method of cultivating both Yin and Yang can theoretically help her rebuild her Dao foundation.
But the problem is—
In this world, there is no one who can successfully cultivate even half of the "Purple Mansion Cantong Qi".
In fact, we also secretly distributed that cultivation technique to all the male cultivators of the third realm with outstanding aptitude within the department, including some geniuses that we spared no expense in cultivating.
Without exception, they all failed; they couldn't even get started.
Mo Huaisu said, "I remember that this technique was later modified by Jiang Ruoxi. Didn't you go to find her?"
"Of course I looked for it."
Zhou Yuanzhi said, "At that time, Yancheng was in dire need of a garrison commander, and the situation was extremely precarious."
One of the conditions the imperial court originally negotiated with her was that she should find a way to solve the cultivation problem of the "Purple Mansion Cantong Qi" or find a way to enable a male cultivator to successfully cultivate it.
Unfortunately, the negotiations broke down.
The imperial court had no choice but to request that you, Master Mo, intervene to relieve the siege of Yan City.
Mo Huaisu said softly, "The Purple Mansion Cantong Qi is a demonic method that reverses Yin and Yang, and its cultivation conditions are extremely harsh."
It seems that unless truly driven to a point of no return, a woman of Shangguan Luoxue's noble and proud character would never choose this method to save herself.
"yes,"
Zhou Yuanzhi sighed, "It can only be said that it is a matter of timing and fate. Perhaps this is her destiny, an inescapable tribulation."
Immediately, she composed herself and said seriously to Mo Huaisu, "Sect Leader Mo, I'll trouble you to stay in Huzhou City for another month this time. During the period when the new garrison commander is appointed and takes office smoothly, we need you to be here to guard against any unforeseen circumstances."
On one hand, it's to prevent the Red Umbrella Cult's sorcerers or powerful demons from outside the city from taking advantage of the situation. Those guys are also very good at intelligence gathering.
Shangguan Luoxue was severely injured because of this last time, so we must be careful.
on the other hand----
When the time comes, those few candidates will inevitably fight each other too fiercely for the coveted position of garrison commander, which may even affect the stability of the city.
With you here, the situation can be kept under control and won't get out of control.
The imperial court is currently facing a severe shortage of resources. Huzhou City is located in a strategic location and has just experienced the chaos caused by the Fog Demon, leaving the people's hearts unsettled.
If a suitable and reliable new garrison commander cannot be found quickly to replace Shangguan Luoxue after her fall from grace, thus stabilizing the situation and restoring the city's prosperity, the city may be in danger of collapse.
If evil spirits were to rise again, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Mo Huaisu remained indifferent, his whisk draped over his arm, and said softly, "It's no trouble at all. My relationship with you, and with the imperial court, is nothing more than a transaction. I help you stabilize Huzhou City, and you give me what I need; each of us gets what we want."
Zhou Yuanzhi knew the temperament of these reclusive masters well, so she smiled and did not dwell on the matter further.
"The death of Prince Nasheng—"
Mo Huaisu suddenly changed the subject, his clear eyes looking at Zhou Yuanzhi.
Zhou Yuanzhi's tone carried a hint of meaning: "Sect Leader Mo, I won't hide it from you."
As far as I know, there are indeed people who want Prince Sheng to have a dignified death. But it certainly won't be the kind of death he's experiencing now.
Moreover, we had already noticed that He Qingyang had gone to great lengths to lure Prince Sheng to the Divine Sword Sect, and he must have some ulterior motive. Most likely, he wanted to do something to Prince Sheng and take advantage of his dragon energy.
We did not stop it, and even tacitly approved of it.
The reason was simple: at the time, He Qingyang's value far exceeded that of my useless husband, who spent his days traveling, composing poems, and utterly utterly detrimental to the court.
anyone?
Mo Huaisu understood.
In this world, besides the emperor sitting on the dragon throne, who else would dare to kill a prince of the current dynasty?
Clearly, the emperor had already arranged the final fate for his once most respected and closest uncle.
An ending that is in line with royal dignity, and perhaps even something that can be exploited.
However, plans can't keep up with changes.
The unexpected death of Prince Sheng from a demon completely disrupted some people's plans.
How the emperor and the court would handle this matter afterward remains unknown.
"in addition----"
Zhou Yuanzhi stopped, gazing at the faint outline of Huzhou City below, and softly instructed, "Please also ask Sect Leader Mo to secretly provide appropriate protection for that brat Jiang Mu."
Seeing Mo Huaisu's questioning gaze, Zhou Yuanzhi explained, "This kid has exceptional talent and is a promising talent."
However, his personality is sometimes too arrogant and domineering. He acts without considering the consequences and is too sharp, which has made him quite a few enemies.
But he is, after all, a rare talent with great potential. It would be a great pity if he were to die before he could fully develop.
The commander-in-chief had high hopes for him.
certainly----"
Zhou Yuanzhi's tone shifted, a sharp glint flashing in her beautiful eyes: "If this kid continues to be so arrogant, acting like he owns the place, doing things without thinking, and recklessly making enemies—"
Sect Leader Mo, there's no need to be polite; the lesson that needs to be taught must be taught.
It's a good thing that young people are energetic and driven.
But excessive rigidity leads to breakage; someone has to make him understand that not every place in this world allows him to act as he pleases.
Mo Huaisu remained silent.
Recalling the bizarre duality of the Dao heart that the boy displayed when he was torn apart by desire and abstinence in the illusion.
A ripple appeared in Mo Huaisu's eyes.
Her slender white fingers gently twirled the whisk, and her clear, moon-like voice carried on the wind: "Alright."
When Jiang Mu arrived at his courtyard, radiating a bloody and menacing aura, it was already dark.
Duanmu Li, who had been standing guard at the door, peeking out from time to time, had her cool eyes light up when she saw that familiar figure appear. She instinctively wanted to rush over to greet him.
But after taking only two steps, the girl suddenly stopped and stood still.
She tried to flatten the upturned corners of her lips and put her hands behind her back.
-
She slightly raised her delicate, porcelain-like face, forcibly adopting her usual aloof and reserved demeanor.
Are you alright?
The girl spoke calmly, her slender fingers twisting slightly behind her back.
Seeing her trying to act cool despite her obvious worry, Jiang Mu felt a little relieved by the anger she felt over the Divine Sword Sect incident and couldn't help but find it amusing.
He vigorously ruffled the girl's high ponytail twice, messing up her usually neat hair, and laughed, "It's nothing, not a scratch."
Go get me some hot water; I need to take a good bath to get rid of the bad luck.
Jiang Mu looked around the courtyard but didn't see Bai Xiang.
I guess they went to buy groceries.
"Wow!"
Just as Jiang Mu finished speaking, a small head suddenly popped up from the side.
Yuan Aqing darted out from the direction of the kitchen like a cheerful whirlwind.
Duanmu Li turned around and followed, preparing to go to the kitchen to help.
After walking a few steps, she suddenly stopped again.
Turning around, her clear, bright eyes looked directly at Jiang Mu, but her voice was a little awkward: "Want me to scrub your back?"
"Well----"
Jiang Mu was stunned for a moment.
An image inexplicably flashed into my mind of that girl holding that huge tomb knife, taller than herself, and scraping my back with a "scraping" motion, and I couldn't help but shudder.
He smiled and waved his hand, "No need, we'll talk about it later, I'm too short now."
Duanmu Li blushed slightly at his words, glared at him irritably, tossed her long, black ponytail behind her head, and strode towards the kitchen.
Watching the girl's retreating figure, Jiang Mu felt a surge of emotion.
This girl is starting to act more and more like a normal person.
When I first brought it home, it was as cold as ice and covered in thorns. Now, it's learned to take care of people.
She'll be trained into a sweet and considerate daughter soon.
>