novelapdf Chapter 281 Old Master Duanmu, you've ultimately misplaced your trust.
Chapter 281 Old Master Duanmu, you've ultimately misplaced your trust.
The morning sun shines into the courtyard, giving it a warm and inviting atmosphere.
When Ran Qingshan arrived at the Jiang family's courtyard, Jiang Mu was having breakfast with a group of women around the dining table.
However, Ling Ye did not touch his chopsticks.
After all, I had eaten sausage and a fried egg early in the morning, so I was already full.
"Lord Chief, you've arrived."
Looking at Ran Qingshan, who looked haggard outside the courtyard gate, Jiang Mu smiled.
"Congratulations! I heard that the Master has successfully passed the Star Certification in the capital and broken through to the Ninth Realm Venerable. From now on, you will be the true pillar of the Great Qing."
Ran Qingshan looked at Jiang Mu, his expression somewhat embarrassed.
He opened his mouth and said, "Little Jiang, I have something I'd like to talk to you about."
"Then come in and let's talk."
Jiang Mu led Ran Qingshan to the hall, pointed to the table, and said, "We're having breakfast right now. If you don't mind, Master, please join us." "No need, I've already eaten."
Ran Qingshan forced a smile.
When he saw Ling Ye, he was even more embarrassed and greeted him, "Inspector Ling, you're here too."
Ling Ye simply gave a faint "hmm," his expression indifferent.
Although Ran Qingshan was indeed unaware that Jiang Mu had been sold, what could he do when Ran Chun'er was his own sister?
Love extends to everything connected to the house, and so does hatred.
The fact that Ling Ye didn't immediately draw her sword to kill the man who dared to bully her already showed her great composure.
Jiang Mu still asked Yuan Aqing to go to the kitchen to get a clean set of bowls and chopsticks, placed them on the table, and sighed softly:
"My lord, please sit down and have something to eat first. We can talk again after you've eaten."
This might be the first and last time we eat together.
Ran Qingshan looked at the bowl and chopsticks in front of him, opened his mouth, a thousand words stuck in his throat, and finally just sighed.
He sat down silently, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat with a bland taste.
Breakfast was incredibly depressing and tasteless.
After finishing their meal, Chu Lingzhu took Lan Rou'er to the backyard to sort out medicinal herbs.
After quickly tidying up the table and making hot tea for Ran Qingshan, Yuan Aqing obediently pulled Duanmu Li away from the hall.
Only Jiang Mu, Ling Ye, and Ran Qingshan remained in the hall.
Ran Qingshan held his teacup and glanced at Ling Ye, who was standing not far away, out of the corner of his eye.
He had initially thought of asking the other person to back off, since what was about to be said was somewhat embarrassing, but then he thought that since his sister had done such a thing, there seemed to be no need to hide it anymore.
He put down his teacup and said apologetically:
"Little Jiang, regarding your transfer to Fazhou City... I truly had no idea. Believe it or not, if I were in Huzhou, I would never allow such a thing to happen."
I believe you.
Jiang Mu smiled gently, "I know the Chief's character well."
Ran Qingshan said bitterly:
"That girl Ran Chun'er is short-sighted and did something wrong, hurting your feelings. Although I was unaware of the situation, she is still my sister. A father is at fault for not teaching his son properly, but an elder brother also bears responsibility. The responsibility ultimately lies with me."
I've come here this time, shamelessly, firstly to explain and apologize to you, so that you won't hold a grudge.
Secondly, I sincerely hope that you can stay.
He looked at Jiang Mu with eager eyes.
Jiang Mu calmly shook her head: "My lord, I am very grateful for your guidance and care along the way. I, Jiang Mu, will remember this kindness in my heart."
But the die is cast.
Since I have already promised Chief Water to go to Fazhou City, a gentleman's word is as good as his bond, and there is no reason for me to go back on my word.
Please stop trying to persuade me.
He looked at Ran Qingshan's face, which looked somewhat aged, and his tone softened:
"But don't worry, Huzhou City is my hometown. I will come back to visit often when I have time."
"If you ever encounter any trouble in the future, or if you ever need my help, please don't hesitate to ask. I will never refuse." Ran Qingshan clenched his hands tightly on his knees, the veins on the back of his hands bulging.
His lips moved, and he said bitterly, "Little Jiang, is there absolutely no way to salvage this?"
Jiang Mu shook his head: "I can only apologize, Master."
Ran Qingshan closed his eyes, completely breaking down.
I felt like something inside me was being slowly ground down with a dull knife.
Even breathing was painful.
But he was, after all, a man who had weathered many storms, and after a brief period of sadness and struggle, he became somewhat at peace.
"Never mind..."
Ran Qingshan exhaled a breath of stale air, his suppressed emotions slowly settling down, and he smiled bitterly.
"Actually, with your talent, Xiao Jiang, you'll have to leave Huzhou City sooner or later; it's just a matter of time."
"The luckiest thing in my life, Ran Qingshan, is not reaching the ninth level of Star Realm, but having had such an outstanding subordinate as you." He stood up dejectedly and raised his hand to pat Jiang Mu's shoulder.
He stretched his hand out halfway and then pulled it back.
After two repetitions, it finally landed on Jiang Mu's shoulder and was patted heavily:
"Xiao Jiang, it's the same old story. I said before that I would protect you, and I will definitely protect you."
If you go to the city of Fazhou and anyone bullies you or you suffer any injustice, don't bear it alone; come find me.
"Your former boss is now at least at the ninth realm; I absolutely cannot let anyone bully my subordinates."
"Thank you, Master."
Jiang Mu stood up and sincerely clasped her hands in a salute.
Those words warmed his heart.
Ran Qingshan sighed, took out an exquisite wooden box from his sleeve, and gently placed it on the table:
"This is a small gift I'm giving you before we part. Please accept it."
After saying that, he turned and left without looking back.
He wanted to ask another question about "Shui Miaozheng" to verify whether what his sister said was true or false.
But with Ling Ye there, he ultimately couldn't bring himself to ask.
After personally seeing Ran Qingshan to the door and watching him walk away, Jiang Mu returned to the living room and picked up the wooden box on the table.
The box feels slightly heavy in the hand, with no extra decorations, just two lines.
Ling Ye walked over and commented casually, "Ran Qingshan is not a bad person."
"It's good."
Jiang Mu nodded in deep agreement and smiled.
"If I hadn't promised Aunt Shui beforehand, given his heartfelt words today, I might have stayed anyway. But as he said, leaving is only a matter of time."
As she spoke, Jiang Mu pressed the latch on the wooden box.
The box was opened, and inside lay a cyan ring.
The entire cabochon is jet black.
There are faint, extremely fine silver threads flowing on it.
Jiang Muqi picked up the ring, examined it closely, and her expression was slightly strange.
Giving a ring...
Is he planning to propose to me?
Ling Ye caught sight of the ring, and his usually cold eyes lit up with surprise. He said, somewhat astonished:
"This is the [Lingxi Ring]? Ran Qingshan is really willing to part with it."
This ring contains a trace of ancient, pure energy. Wearing it not only calms the mind and dispels inner demons, but it can also help you comprehend martial arts techniques more deeply and quickly, bringing immense benefits.
"Comprehension?"
Jiang Muxin became curious and put the [Lingxi Ring] on the index finger of her left hand.
"Buzz"
The moment I put on the ring, a cool sensation slowly seeped into my consciousness from between my fingers along my meridians, and my mind immediately became much clearer.
His consciousness seemed to have been washed by water, becoming unprecedentedly clear and transparent.
Many sword techniques that seemed straightforward at first, upon reflection now, revealed that I had overlooked quite a few details.
Jiang Mu exclaimed in admiration:
"These are indeed good things. These are all debts of gratitude owed."
Ling Ye said softly, "I have other things to do, so I won't keep you company any longer. I'll come find you again when Chief Shui returns."
"what?"
Jiang Mu snapped out of her reverie, looking at her with some disappointment.
"I thought you could stay a couple more days. You don't even appreciate such a good opportunity to be alone with me."
"Once Aunt Shui comes back, you won't have a chance to eat alone anymore."
Ling Ye blushed and glared at him, both embarrassed and annoyed: "If you can't eat it, then don't eat it. Who cares about you?"
With that, she lightly touched the ground with her feet, and her figure transformed into a black shadow as she left the courtyard.
Jiang Mu clicked her tongue and sighed:
"I was originally planning to take advantage of today's free time to practice all forty-nine high-difficulty moves that I had studied with Madam Peach Blossom in the Divine Realm on you."
"Never mind, I'll make it up next time."
After Ling Ye left, Jiang Mu decided to calm down and study the cultivation technique.
Since I'm just killing time anyway, I might as well test how powerful this ring really is.
As for the news of Prince Sheng, he didn't rush to send a message to Quan Shanhai. The other party would definitely come to him on his own initiative, so there was no need to rush.
Jiang Mu returned to the house and sat down cross-legged.
He took out the jade slip given to him by Duanmu Hanshan from his companion space and immersed his divine sense into it.
The entire manual of the Blood Frenzy Blade Technique flowed into my mind like a stream.
This complete version of the sword technique is too profound and obscure.
Previously, he had been lazy and left the entire process to the demonic shadow in his sea of consciousness to perform idle deductions, but the progress was outrageously slow.
Several days have passed, and I still haven't figured out any qualitative change in the effect.
But things are different now.
With the blessing of the clear energy of the [Lingxi Ring], Jiang Mu felt her mind was clear and her thoughts were as swift as lightning.
The sword techniques and the flow of qi, which were originally a tangled mess, were now being revealed in his mind with crystal clarity, layer by layer, as if unraveling a cocoon.
Time passed by, second by second.
After an unknown amount of time, Jiang Mu opened her eyes, a look of realization flashing in them.
"The core of this sword technique... the first step is actually abandoning the sword?"
"Weapons in hand, not in mind. Ordinary swordsmen wield their blades with their hands and nourish them with their blood. But this complete realm of Blood Frenzy requires breaking free from the shackles of weapons and transforming the body into the blade."
Having figured out this most difficult hurdle, Jiang Mu no longer hesitated.
He closed his eyes again and placed the Blood Frenzy Blade, which had drunk the blood of countless demons, across his knees.
He slowly activated his technique, following the supreme sword principles he had just comprehended.
It no longer infuses star power into the blade as usual.
Instead, he did the opposite, using his own meridians as a furnace to forcibly resonate with the violent, malevolent energy within the blade.
As Jiang Mu's understanding deepened, he vaguely caught the last thought left on the jade slip.
It was a wisp of obsession that Duanmu Lie had etched into the deepest part of the sword technique when he created it.
The knife is not a weapon; it is bone, blood, and an extension of the meridians.
The moment you grip the knife, you're already separated from it by a layer.
Only by discarding the sword can you obtain it!
"Buzzing"
After a long while, the Blood Frenzy Blade lying across his knees began to tremble.
Immediately afterwards, the hard blade began to disintegrate inch by inch, like red snow melting in a raging fire.
First the scabbard, then the hilt, then the bloodstains on the blade...
Finally, even the shape of the blade became blurred.
It turned into a cloud of blood.
The blood-red light traveled along the Laogong acupoint in Jiang Mu's palm and seeped into his flesh.
In an instant, Jiang Mu felt as if a long river of lava-like blades was rushing and roaring through his veins and meridians. But he endured the excruciating pain and gritted his teeth.
The blood-red light continued to travel through his limbs and bones, eventually converging in his dantian and spine.
When the light fades.
Jiang Mu looked down and saw that her knees were bare.
The heavy longsword had completely merged into his body, becoming a part of his flesh and blood.
At this moment, Jiang Mu clearly felt that his bones, his blood, and even every slight breath contained the sharpness of a sword. The sword is me, and I am the sword!
He stood up, pushed open the door, and found that it was already noon outside.
The courtyard was deserted; the shadow of the ancient tree had shrunk to a tiny ball at my feet, and the sunlight was somewhat dazzling.
Jiang Mu looked up at the sky and gently waved her arm.
"cut!"
A dark red blade flashed out.
The shadow of the blade stretched for over ten feet, resembling moonlight pouring down or a long river hanging upside down.
With a grand momentum that cuts off all shackles of the mortal world and makes ghosts and gods flee, it soars straight into the sky!
High above, the clouds piled up.
It was cleaved in two by this sudden, powerful blade shadow!
Looking up from the ground, it seems as if someone with supreme power had ruthlessly cleaved a blood-red chasm into the sky, which has been unable to heal for a long time.
Sunlight streamed down along the knife mark, as if a divine miracle had occurred.
"So that's how it is... Cutting anything at will, nothing is beyond severing—that's the complete 'Blood Frenzy Blade Technique'!"
Jiang Mu could not hide his excitement, "Master Duanmu is truly a master of the Dao family."
I heard it was originally designed for someone, but that person didn't like it.
It made Grandpa Duanmu depressed.
It can only be said that Old Master Duanmu was blind and ultimately misplaced his trust.
Guxia Manor is the residence of Princess Xiang Xiuxiu.
The villa is built against the mountain.
The green tiles and white walls are hidden among layers of ancient cypress trees, and from a distance, they look like a white crane with its wings folded, perched in the lush greenery.
The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, but only two figures were visible.
One was kneeling on the ground, and the other was sitting at the head of the table.
The matriarch of the Divine Sword Sect, He Shan'er, was utterly devoid of her usual elegance and grace. Her hair was disheveled, and she knelt on the ground like a stray dog, her breath weak and listless. "Your Highness,"
He Shan'er sobbed uncontrollably, "Jiang Mu, relying on his breakthrough to the seventh realm, disregarded the law, trespassed into my Divine Sword Sect, killed my husband, slaughtered my disciples, and looted my sect's foundation built over hundreds of years."
"Now my Divine Sword Sect is shattered, and my disciples are scattered... I beg Your Highness, to do me justice!"
Above the head seat.
Xiang Xiuxiu rested her chin on her hand, lowered her eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
In fact, she had already received word of the destruction of the Divine Sword Sect and Jiang Mu's various deeds.
Back then, in the secret realm of the Fallen Soul Swamp, she, a dignified princess, was kicked out of the secret realm like trash by Jiang Muru, who stole her opportunity.
After she came out, she planned to wait for Zhou Yuanzhi to capture that guy, skin him alive, and teach him a good lesson.
As a result of an emergency at home, she had to rush back first.
Unexpectedly, this departure saved him.
Not long after, news came that Yun Xiaocheng had been killed by Jiang Mu. Then, that guy actually broke through to the seventh realm.
Upon learning this news, Xiang Xiuxiu couldn't help but feel a sense of lingering fear.
This guy is terrifying.
But as frightened as she was, it was absolutely impossible for her to swallow her anger and give up on revenge.
The Seven Realms are indeed terrifying, but there are people in this world who can suppress those who are at the Seven Realms.
No matter how much you, Jiang Mu, can outrun those old monsters standing at the top of the Great Dao, can you?
Of course, seeking revenge right now would be extremely foolish.
We can only wait for the right opportunity.
Xiang Xiuxiu looked at He Shan'er, who was crying and pleading below, and a feeling of disgust welled up in her heart for no reason. She said coldly:
"Jiang Mu is now a favorite of the imperial court. Who would dare to touch him?"
Doesn't your Divine Sword Sect have connections in the General Headquarters? You donated so many resources to the General Headquarters back then, and the General Headquarters even gave you a protection order. Why don't you go and complain to those people instead of coming to me, the Princess?
Do you really think I, this princess, would personally go and kill Jiang Mu for you?
He Shan'er trembled, speechless after being rebuked, and could only timidly lower her head, not daring to say another word.
Xiang Xiuxiu leaned back in her chair and snorted coldly:
"Shuanghe is currently in seclusion, so don't bother him with these troublesome matters and disturb his Dao heart."
As for Jiang Mu...
"If the Grand Commander chooses not to pursue the matter of your Divine Sword Sect's destruction in order to protect him, then it is not appropriate for me, a mere princess, to overstep my bounds."
At this point, Xiang Xiuxiu's lips curled into a cold, sinister smile:
"However, he acts so arrogantly and has made enemies everywhere. Which of the powerful families and sects in Daqing, or even the Imperial Guard, is easy to mess with? Just wait and see. The path of cultivation has its ups and downs. Today he stands on a cloud, and everyone flatters him, but when he falls one day, those who want to trample on him will naturally line up."
"At that point, you can go up and stomp on them one by one, who can stop you then?"
He Shan'er looked unwilling, but she knew that the princess was telling the truth, so she could only swallow the blood and kowtow in agreement.
Then, she put on a pitiful and sorrowful expression and pleaded:
"Your Highness, please understand. However, I am now like a stray dog. If I leave the manor, I fear that little beast will secretly hunt me down on my way back..."
"You stay here for now."
Xiang Xiuxiu waved her hand impatiently.
After all, this woman was her lover's mother; she couldn't just watch her die in the street and be branded as someone who wouldn't help someone in distress.
He Shan'er's face lit up with joy, but she pretended to be worried and said:
"Then... if Jiang Mu follows the clues and comes to the princess's manor, it might implicate Your Highness."
"joke!"
Xiang Xiuxiu let out a cold laugh.
"If Jiang Muruo really has the guts to storm into my Lonely Cloud Manor with a knife, I truly respect him as a man of honor. You can stay here without worry; with me here, no one will dare to lay a finger on you."
"Thank you so much, Your Highness!"
He Shan'er kowtowed repeatedly.
Xiang Xiuxiu was too lazy to look at her like that anymore. She called a maid to arrange a room for her and then waved for He Shan'er to leave.
The hall returned to silence.
Xiang Xiuxiu's initially disdainful gaze gradually deepened, and her slender fingertips gently tapped on the armrest of the chair.
"I once overheard Shuanghe mention that his birth mother's star position was the 'Tianyin' star in the 'Mao Ri Ji' system of the Western White Tiger Seven Mansions..." Xiang Xiuxiu murmured to herself.
"Once Shuanghe successfully emerges from seclusion and we complete our wedding, there's not much point in keeping this mother-in-law around."
Perhaps, we could use her Star Core to make a deal with that lord.
Thinking of this, Xiang Xiuxiu walked to the desk.
He picked up a small pen from the table and wrote a few lines on a piece of paper.
After she finished writing, she rolled the paper into a thin tube, raised her hand to summon a jet-black eagle, and tied the bamboo tube to the eagle's talons.
The eagle spreads its wings and silently disappears into the night.
"If this deal goes through, it will not only bring huge political capital, but also pave the way for Brother Shuanghe's path to becoming a Venerable." The candlelight illuminated half of the woman's face, while the other half remained in shadow.
Xiang Xiuxiu's lips curled up slightly as she murmured,
"What does sacrificing a promiscuous mother-in-law matter?"
On the other side, He Shan'er arrived at a side room in a secluded courtyard, led by a maid.
After the maid left, He Shan'er, who had been struggling all the way, lay exhausted on the bed and stared blankly at the canopy above her head.
Looking back on the past month or so, the Divine Sword Sect has fallen from a prestigious sect to a desolate wasteland.
An overwhelming sense of sorrow welled up in the woman's heart.
For some reason, she thought of her ex-husband, Yuan Wugen.
The man whose star core she personally dug out.
Perhaps, this was the only man in her life who treated her wholeheartedly without any ulterior motives.
Two lines of bitter tears slid down the corners of the woman's eyes and disappeared into the pillow.
Despite her grief and longing, He Shan'er felt no regret whatsoever deep down.
The path of righteousness is one that leads only by climbing over corpses.
She would still make a move if given the chance.
But now, this outcome is ultimately too desolate and too lonely.
When she thought of Jiang Mu, her heart was filled with hatred.
Ever since Jiang Mu, this plague god, appeared, the Divine Sword Sect has been plagued by bad luck, with one misfortune after another befalling them.
From losing my orthodox star position, to my father's tragic death, and now to the sect's shattering...
Ultimately, it was all Jiang Mu's fault!
He Shan'er clenched her fists, her knuckles cracking.
She vowed that one day she would skin that guy alive!
Knife after knife!
Let him suffer a fate worse than death, to vent my hatred!
However... she has to endure it for now.
Live well.
Even if it's not for myself, it has to be for...
He Shan'er's hand slowly moved down and gently covered her lower abdomen.
The woman's brows gradually relaxed.
The ruthlessness and resentment she had shown earlier gradually faded, revealing a kindness and gentleness that she herself was unaware of.
Time flies, and two more days have passed in the blink of an eye.
Shui Miaozheng has finally returned.
The beautiful woman, dressed in a light blue long dress, looked travel-worn.
Her voluptuous figure drooped like a ripe pear branch, and when her waist sank in, it rolled into a swaying millstone, solid and bouncy.
Every step exudes a mature charm.
"Aunt Shui, are you injured?"
Jiang Mu noticed a very thin line of blood on the side of the woman's neck, clearly drawn by sword energy, and immediately frowned.
Seeing how concerned the young man was for her, Shui Miaozheng felt a sweet warmth in her heart and smiled:
"It's alright, Xiao Jiang. She was just a little careless while fighting for the Star Pill and got grazed. It's just a minor injury, nothing serious. But..." Her beautiful eyes swept around the courtyard.
"Where's Ling Ye? I thought she'd be glued to you while I was away these past two days."
"I'm not as shameless as you."
Before the words were finished, a clear, cold voice came from above the roof.
Ling Ye was already standing on the eaves at some point.
Her high ponytail was gently lifted by the wind, tracing a neat arc.
Ignoring the two women's usual bickering, Jiang Mu leaned forward and carefully examined Shui Miaozheng's pulse and other parts of her body.
Only after confirming that the mature woman had not suffered any other internal injuries did they feel relieved.
Shui Miaozheng looked at Ling Ye, who was gracefully descending from the rooftop, with a half-smile, her tone tinged with mockery:
"So, in the two days I've been gone, Inspector Ling hasn't had any marital relations with Xiao Jiang?"
Ling Ye's pretty face flushed red, and she guiltily looked away, saying in a muffled voice:
"Of course not!"
"..."
Jiang Mu was about to speak when Ling Ye glared at her fiercely. She abruptly changed the subject, forcing a sheepish smile and saying:
"There's definitely no such thing, absolutely no."
Sister Ling said she didn't want to achieve star status ahead of schedule; she insisted on waiting for Aunt Shui to return so they could go into seclusion together, saying that would be fair.
Shui Miaozheng was slightly taken aback, then turned around and bowed earnestly to Ling Ye: "If that's the case, then I thank Inspector Ling in advance." "So pretentious."
Ling Ye snorted coldly.
He then looked at Shui Miaozheng and said calmly:
"It seems you have all the Star Cores. Let's begin today."
"Little Jiang, you promised me you'd protect me. There's no time to lose; come with me to the underground palace for seclusion now."
As soon as she finished speaking, Shui Miaozheng stepped forward and took Jiang Mu's arm, saying softly:
"Little Jiang, we agreed beforehand that you're specifically here to protect Aunt Shui, so you can't be biased."
"Well..."
Jiang Mu looked left and right, feeling utterly overwhelmed, and finally proposed a compromise:
"What I mean is, why don't you two just go into seclusion at my house? I can stay here and protect you both. Besides, there are four silly girls in this house. If something happens, there won't be anyone who can fight back."
In fact, given the two women's current cultivation levels, the best option for them to achieve Star Certification is to go into seclusion at the Star Tower of the Capital Command, just like Ran Qingshan did.
There, the ancient spirit-gathering array provides protection, making the star power several times denser.
It can also isolate all external interference.
However, the two women were clearly too lazy to go to the capital to make a fuss.
The journey back and forth will take several days, and besides, no matter how good the formation is, it can't compare to the peace of mind of having a trusted man by your side. "Hmph, just as I thought."
Ling Ye glanced at Jiang Mu with a hint of resentment, but didn't press him further, and compromised, saying, "Fine, then I'll go into seclusion at your house." Shui Miaozheng didn't say anything more, which was considered an acceptance of the plan.
And so, the two women officially settled into Jiang Mu's home.
That evening, Jiang Mu personally cooked a delicious meal with the petty, bullied Lan Rou'er.
This meal can be considered a send-off banquet for the two women before they become stars.
It was also a rare opportunity for the whole family to gather in this small courtyard, so they could have a lively reunion dinner.
The dinner table was filled with women.
Looking at the table full of stunningly beautiful dishes, each with its own unique charm, Jiang Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of absurdity.
What happened?
Two days ago, when Aunt Baixiang left, I was prepared to be sad and depressed for a few days.
Before he could even finish relieving his sadness, the women in his family started appearing like mushrooms after rain, one after another. His romantic luck was so strong that he didn't even have a chance to feel sentimental.
I'm sorry, Aunt Bai Xiang, all I can say is that I "loved her".
During the meal, Little Doctor Chu Lingzhu held a bowl, her big, bright eyes darting around the table.
First, they looked at the towering watermelon, then at the giant millstone.
The girl's lips involuntarily pursed, and she poked at the rice in her bowl with her chopsticks, stabbing harder and harder.
Sure enough, the boss is still the same boss, he likes mature women, he hasn't changed at all.
The young female doctor was frantically stabbing Jiang Mu's little figure in her heart.
Meanwhile, Ling Ye and Shui Miaozheng were also sizing up the girls.
Especially when you see Chu Lingzhu's youthful vitality with her face full of collagen, and Lan Rou'er's delicate and gentle appearance that seems to be able to be squeezed for water.
The two mature women exchanged a glance.
Even though they were just jealous of each other, at this moment their eyes met, and they reached a rare strategic consensus.
A sense of crisis and vigilance arose in everyone's hearts.
After the meal, Jiang Mu originally planned to prepare a room for each of the two women so that they would not disturb each other during their seclusion.
Ling Ye said it wasn't necessary, and that they could share a room.
Shui Miaozheng nodded in agreement, a rare instance of them agreeing.
Jiang Mu was taken aback for a moment, then immediately understood.
These two women were clearly afraid that the other would sneak out and "cheat" while they were in seclusion.
Therefore, mutual supervision is necessary.
He didn't expose it, but instead cleaned up the largest room and set up two beds.
They also dug out the spirit stones they had looted from the Divine Sword Sect.
One was placed in each of the four corners of the room, forming a simple spirit-gathering array.
"Sister Ling, Aunt Shui, the spirit-gathering array is set up. Is there anything else we need?"
Jiang Mu dusted off her hands and turned around to ask.
Shui Miaozheng was already sitting cross-legged on the soft couch. Upon hearing this, she gently shook her head, her tone tender and considerate:
"No need, Xiao Jiang, these are enough."
"You just need to go out and keep watch. You don't need to stay up day and night. You should rest properly when you need to, and don't ruin your health." Jiang Mu nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to Aunt Shui."
As he reached the door, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he turned to say:
"However, I think that before breaking through such a bottleneck, it is especially important to relax one's mindset."
How about the three of us seize this opportunity for one last in-depth discussion? A harmonious balance of yin and yang might greatly improve your condition.
"Get lost!"
Two sharp, angry shouts, tinged with embarrassment, came crashing down.
"Hehe, alright, my two ladies, you can continue your seclusion. I'll be off now."
Jiang Mu gave an awkward smile and closed the door behind her.
As Jiang Mu closed the door, a brief, delicate atmosphere filled the room.
The two women, who had just been secretly vying for the emperor's favor, now gazed at each other silently through the misty spiritual energy of the spirit-gathering array.
Shui Miaozheng broke the silence first, speaking softly:
"You saw it too, didn't you?"
"What do you see?"
Ling Ye sat cross-legged on the futon, his brows and eyes cold and aloof.
Shui Miaozheng rolled her eyes at her, exuding charm yet carrying a hint of camaraderie common among peers:
"Alright, you're an old lady, stop trying to bluff. I don't believe you didn't have any thoughts when you saw those pretty young girls at the dinner table."
One was as tender as a newly sprouted willow branch, the other as agile as a deer leaping out of a mountain stream.
The moment he sat there, the whole room was filled with youthful energy.
This made Shui Miaozheng, an older woman, feel both envious and inferior.
Ling Ye smiled faintly: "So what if you have ideas? Being young is a wonderful thing; everyone has been young once."
Shui Miaozheng sighed:
"Although I say I don't care, I still feel bad when I see those girls. Women, in the end, care most about age. But Jiang Mu is quite shrewd."
"First he'll flirt with us old folks, then he'll hook up with the younger ones, and maybe even keep a couple of kids around. Anyway, no matter what, he'll never lack young people around him." Ling Ye said calmly.
"Back when he was a playboy in Huzhou City, his reputation for being a womanizer was already legendary. It's not surprising that he would do something like this. Anyway, I've already made up my mind. The road ahead is long, and I'll accompany him for as long as I can."
If he ever tires of me or thinks I'm too old, I'll just pick up my sword and leave, without bothering him again. The world is so vast, surely I'll find somewhere to go. For some reason, she thought of her master again.
Back then, she couldn't understand why her master, such a peerless and proud woman, was still so infatuated, willing to be a moth drawn to a flame, even to the point of death, despite being disliked and neglected by the great demon.
Now she understands.
When it comes to feelings, they're never something that can be reasoned about.
Reason stood on the shore, shouting until its throat was hoarse, but its heart still pounded into the deep water.
Shui Miaozheng's eyes flickered for a moment, but in the end she just smiled self-deprecatingly and said nothing more.
Close your eyes and immerse your consciousness in the sea of stars.
Seeing this, Ling Ye also abandoned his distracting thoughts and closed his eyes to enter meditation.
outdoor.
Jiang Mu moved a bamboo chair and sat down imposingly outside the room.
He acted as a door god.
Although there was Shangguan Luoxue, the garrison commander, in Huzhou City, no one dared to cause trouble.
However, the Star Certification stage is one of the most dangerous hurdles for cultivators.
If one is not careful, going into qi deviation is a minor matter; the real trouble is suffering a backlash from the laws that severely damage one's foundation.
The night breeze was cool and refreshing.
"Sir, would you like a foot bath?"
A clear, melodious voice, like that of a nightingale, rang out beside me.
Yuan Aqing came over carrying a basin of warm water, with a clean cloth draped over the rim of the basin.
The girl was wearing a plain-colored blouse today, with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her two slender, white arms.
The misty air made her increasingly beautiful face appear even more delicate and lovely.
Jiang Mu didn't stand on ceremony and leaned back in her chair: "I'm feeling tired, so I'll trouble my Ah Qing."
"It's no trouble at all!"
Yuan Aqing gently placed the wooden basin at his feet, squatted down, and stretched out her slender, fair hands to remove the man's brocade boots and cloth socks.
After pressing those large feet into the warm water, the girl looked up at her delicate face and asked:
"Sir, is the water too hot?"
"Just right, not bad."
Jiang Mu let out a long, comfortable sigh.
The girl lowered her head and carefully began to wash his feet.
Warm water flowed over the insteps of her feet, and Yuan Aqing's movements were very gentle, her fingertips pressing along the meridians on her feet inch by inch.
From ankle to instep, every part is taken care of meticulously.
Jiang Mu leaned back in his chair, gazing at the girl's increasingly beautiful and delicate face, and asked softly:
"Ah Qing, you must have had a tough time cultivating lately, right? You need to rest when you need to, don't push yourself too hard."
Yuan Aqing shook her little head: "It's not bitter, sir."
However, a hint of sadness and dejection quickly appeared on the girl's delicate face:
"I just feel that Ah Qing is a bit slow. She seems to understand some sword techniques perfectly, but when she tries to practice them, something always seems to be missing; no matter how she practices, it just doesn't look right," Jiang Mu chuckled.
"You are still young. Cultivation techniques take time to comprehend. You can't rush it. Haste makes waste."
Besides, you are born with a clear and bright sword heart. In terms of talent, there are few people in the whole world who can compare to you, even more so than your master. As long as you work steadily and surely, sooner or later you will completely surpass me and become above me.
"No way!"
Yuan Aqing raised her head and looked at him earnestly, "Master will always be above Aqing."
Jiang Mu chuckled silently, without replying.
However, at this moment, he suddenly remembered the cave where the reincarnated demon had set up an altar when he was on a mission in Yancheng and was behind Jingouzi Village.
At that time, the wolf demon named Mu Zilang confessed that the cave contained an unparalleled opportunity left behind by a former sword immortal.
Xiao Doutou was born with a sword heart, and his affinity for the way of the sword far exceeded that of ordinary people.
If we take her along to try our luck, we might actually be able to get our hands on that sword immortal's opportunity.
This trip to Fazhou City will conveniently pass through Yan City, so I'll take her there.
As his thoughts wandered, Yuan Aqing had already carefully washed his feet, wiping away the water stains little by little with a white towel, and then poured the water under the tree in the courtyard.
When she returned, she asked:
"Sir, would you like Ah Qing to give you a shoulder massage to relax your shoulders?"
Jiang Mu waved her hand: "No need, it's late, you should go back to your room and rest early."
"Will you be staying here tonight, sir?"
Yuan Aqing tilted her head and asked another question.
Jiang Mu nodded:
"Yes, your two aunts are in seclusion and need someone to watch over them. This matter of Zhengxing cannot be taken lightly; if someone breaks in and attacks the house, it will be a huge problem."
"Go to sleep peacefully. Your master's cultivation is very high now. He can guard the palace for days, even ten days or a month without sleep and he won't get tired." "Oh..."
Yuan Aqing obediently responded.
However, instead of going back inside, she turned around, grabbed a small wooden stool from under the eaves, and ran back.
He sat down next to Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu was taken aback, then Qi laughed and said, "Zi Yao, are you going to stay with me too?"
"Sir, I'd like to talk to you."
The girl's voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of sadness that was rarely seen in her voice.
Jiang Mu raised an eyebrow in surprise: "What's gotten into you today?"
Yuan Aqing lowered her head and after a long while, she said:
"Master, these days, I keep dreaming about my mother, my father, my younger brother, and my grandmother."
Jiang Mu was taken aback and fell silent.
Time flies so fast.
Back then, he was still a naive and impulsive young man.
At that time, she was a thin, desperate little girl.
In the blink of an eye, these withered little bean sprouts have grown into tall and graceful plants.
Jiang Mu's heart softened. He reached out and gently stroked the girl's soft hair, then slowly pressed her head against his knees.
The girl obediently leaned closer.
Her soft cheek pressed against his leg, her hair spread out like a piece of dark satin on her knees.
Jiang Mu said softly:
"Don't be sad, your family will be proud of you. One day in the future, if you become a sword immortal, your parents, your brother, your grandmother, and many more people will remember you."
Yuan Aqing blinked her clear, bright eyes and said in a crisp voice:
"Master, Ah Qing doesn't want to become a sword immortal. Ah Qing just wants to stay with you forever."
However, Ah Qing was also terrified.
Sister A-Li said that cultivating the Great Dao is like climbing a ladder to heaven. A-Qing fears that one day, she might walk too slowly, and when she looks up, she'll no longer see Master. At that time, Master will surely be in the heavens, very, very high, very far away…
Ah Qing was afraid that Bu would leave.
That's why Ah Qing has to work very hard to practice swordsmanship and cultivate herself.
The hope is that when that day comes, Ah Qing can stand taller and see the master from a higher vantage point.
Jiang Mu smiled slightly and reached out to pinch the girl's pert little nose:
"It must be that Ah Li, that idiot, who instilled some kind of 'great way of life' in you."
Yuan Aqing blushed and stammered, "What Sister Ali said... also makes a lot of sense."
Jiang Mubi spoke again.
He placed his hand on the girl's soft hair and looked up at the starry sky.
The two of them quietly nestled together under the eaves.
The smaller one curled up beside the larger one's knees, while the larger one leaned against the bamboo chair.
Insects chirped in the corner of the courtyard, a cat darted across the wall, and the distant sound of a night watchman's clapper could be faintly heard.
Once, twice, three times.
The night is still long, and the starry sky is high.
But at this moment, no one is thinking about those distant things.