Chai Xing’er wore a simple cloth skirt, but it could not hide her natural beauty. She had an attractive, oval-shaped face.
Her pallid, sickly complexion made her already delicate air appear even more pitiable.
She was the kind of woman who could arouse a man’s urge to protect, but in Li Lingsu’s eyes at this moment, she was like the fuse to a cannon.
Li Lingsu forced a smile:
“Xing’er, why have you come out?”
Xu Qi’an affected a sigh with feigned gravity:
“I knew we’d be fighting strong enemies this time, so I set Chai Xing’er free in advance, forgot to mention it to you. Although she bears guilt, she’s still your confidante. I must, of course, take responsibility for her life.”
“My thanks to you!” Li Lingsu responded through clenched teeth.
Chai Xing’er scrutinised Dongfang Wanqing, while Dongfang Wanqing looked Chai Xing’er over in return.
“Li Lang, who is she?”
They spoke in unison.
Li Lang… right, no need to ask further, the way they addressed him made everything clear.
Chai Xing’er and Dongfang Wanqing locked eyes, sparks flying.
Pfft… Li Miaozhen almost had to cover her mouth to stop herself laughing aloud.
She thought to herself, Li Lingsu, oh Li Lingsu, you finally get your comeuppance.
Dongfang Wanqing said bitterly:
“Li Lang, who is this fox-spirit you’ve been flirting with? Aren’t my sister and I enough for you? You seduced that little wretch from the Leizhou Merchants’ Association and still weren’t satisfied. Just how many mistresses do you have out there?”
Plenty, in fact, the Holy Son (Senior Brother) has lovers all over the Central Plains. Perhaps even some in the Wulin Alliance… At this moment, Xu Qi’an and Li Miaozhen were completely of one mind.
“Fox-spirit?”
Chai Xing’er raised an eyebrow and sneered, “And who’s to say who is the fox-spirit? When Li Lang and I pledged our undying love, you were just a little brat who hadn’t even been weaned.”
Dongfang Wanqing, cold and proud by nature, took a step forward.
“Bitch, this palace mistress will tear you to shreds!”
Chai Xing’er gave a desolate laugh: “I’m already just a prisoner, with only a few days left to live.”
Li Lingsu felt a tight twist in his heart, stepped between the two women, and said in a low voice:
“Xing’er, you’ll be fine. Brother Xu has promised me you’ll have a chance at life.”
Xu Qi’an glanced at Chai Xing’er, thinking, impressive, she knows how to turn disadvantage into advantage, winning Li Lingsu’s pity. Her tea skills only come second to my little sister’s.
Chai Xing’er silently shed tears:
“I’ve always known you to be a philandering, fickle man, yet I just can’t let you go, can’t forget you. Back in Xiangzhou, you swore you’d love no other woman but me for this life.”
“Xing’er, every word I said was true…”
Before Li Lingsu could finish, Dongfang Wanqing raised her eyebrows angrily:
“Li Lingsu! Just how many women have you said those same words to?!”
While the quarrel raged here, on the other side, Xu Qi’an, Li Miaozhen, Hengyuan, Chu Yuanzhen, and Mu Nanzhi sat in a row, neither kicking him while he was down nor trying to mediate.
They quietly watched the Holy Son handle his relationship issues.
I should learn a few more tricks so I can coax fishies in future… thought Xu Qi’an.
Li Miaozhen sent a voice transmission:
“My senior brother has no skill worth mentioning, but his way with women is exceptional. It was for messing around with the Dongfang sisters and then abandoning them that he was hunted for a thousand miles and put under house arrest for half a year.”
Chu Yuanzhen sent back:
“Those who indulge in romance always end up dragged down by it. But compared with the awkward situation Ningyan was in that day at the Sitianjian, this is a mere trifle.”
You just came to watch the show, why drag me into it… Xu Qi’an’s gloating expression froze.
Li Miaozhen glanced at Mu Nanzhi and deliberately tutted twice:
“My senior brother is just like that Xu, both notorious womanisers. Princess Consort, wouldn’t you say so?”
So she really is the princess consort… Chu Yuanzhen made a mental note.
“What’s it got to do with me?!”
Mu Nanzhi wrinkled her brow: “I’m just travelling the jianghu with Xu Qi’an. Whether he’s a womaniser or not, what does it matter to me? Are you probing me because you’re his lover too?”
Li Miaozhen’s face changed slightly, and she immediately retorted:
“I only know Xu Qi’an in passing, he’s just a fellow traveller. Princess Consort, don’t talk nonsense.”
Xu Qi’an hurriedly cut off their bickering, saying:
“Miaozhen, Chu, Master Hengyuan, aren’t you the least bit curious who Chai Xing’er is? It’s a long story, let me explain…”
“Not interested!”
“Not curious.”
“Sir Xu, this humble monk isn’t curious either.”
“…”
Meanwhile, Li Lingsu finally managed to calm Chai Xing’er and Dongfang Wanqing down and breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, he had better ways to resolve the tension between his confidantes.
But, damn the lot of his Heaven and Earth Society fellows for watching the drama from the sidelines, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it in front of them.
“My senior brother is certainly adept at coaxing women, they all complain about him, yet still love him madly.”
Seeing the situation, Li Miaozhen sent a sighing voice transmission.
Li Lingsu’s women, their fighting spirit is a bit feeble, eh? Already giving up so soon? Maybe it’s because I’m here and they dare not make a scene… mused Xu Qi’an.
Now that the show was over, he patted his backside and stood up. “I have business to attend to. Would you two please enter the tower for now.”
He summoned the stupa tower, sending Chai Xing’er and Dongfang Wanqing into the first floor.
Chu Yuanzhen took out the Earth Book fragment, poured it over the mirror’s surface, and several shadows tumbled out, it was Liu Hongmian and the others.
Xu Qi’an looked around: “Where’s Jingxin?”
Li Miaozhen puffed out her cheeks: “He managed to get away, I didn’t hold him.”
Xu Qi’an gave a neutral “Oh”: “No worries, he’s just a minor character.”
Li Miaozhen was pleased with his attitude. She casually plucked down a soul pouch and said:
“I sealed their souls inside the bag. How do you want to deal with them?”
Li Lingsu then handed the Huntian Divine Mirror back to Xu Qi’an.
Xu Qi’an stuffed the Huntian Divine Mirror into the Earth Book fragment. In his ear, he heard the mirror moan:
“So good, so good, the Dragon Qi has become even richer…
“Don’t tempt me like this, or I won’t want to return to my little master…”
The voice faded away.
After collecting two strands of Dragon Qi from the Wulin Alliance, the golden dragon within the Earth Book fragment became even more solid and lifelike.
Xu Qi’an took the soul pouch, opened it, and four powerful souls drifted out and returned to their respective bodies.
Qihuan Danxiang, White Tiger, Liu Hongmian, and Jingyuan awoke one after another, opening their eyes.
Bang!
Xu Qi’an brought his foot down, and his qi spread out in ripples. The four were struck as if by thunder, suddenly subdued, and any violent impulse was snuffed out before it could begin.
“Right, let’s have a chat.”
Xu Qi’an grinned and pulled up a small stool to sit in front of them.
Qihuan Danxiang, wild by nature, still looked defiant and scornful.
White Tiger and Jingyuan both wore grave expressions.
Liu Hongmian looked particularly fragile and pathetic.
“Of course, you’re free not to cooperate. At worst, I’ll have to go to the trouble of killing you, then summoning your spirits for questioning.”
Xu Qi’an’s words were like sabres stabbing into the four’s hearts, dispelling any will to resist unto death.
Liu Hongmian weakly said:
“This lowly woman will tell you everything, I’ll hide nothing, I only beg Silver Gong Xu to spare my life.”
Li Lingsu fanned the flames from the side: “If you agree to be Silver Gong Xu’s bedside girl, perhaps you’ll survive.”
Was there any need to hurt each other like this… Xu Qi’an made a note to himself to get his own back on the Holy Son later.
“Truly?”
Liu Hongmian’s eyes brightened.
“Kill her.” Mu Nanzhi pronounced her sentence.
“I’ll help you take her down.” Lady Flying Swallow, always helpful and chivalrous.
Xu Qi’an stopped their nonsense with a look, then turned back to the three besides Jingyuan.
“Tell me the layout, location, and troop details of Qianlong City. Speak honestly, and I’ll spare your lives.”
White Tiger was silent for a moment. “You’re telling the truth?”
Xu Qi’an smiled. “A promise is worth a thousand tons of gold.”
White Tiger nodded at once: “Go ahead and ask.”
A wise man submits to circumstances. Reaching fourth rank was no easy feat, preserving their lives was most vital.
As long as they lived, they could still take revenge on Xu Qi’an later, only the living had such chances.
Qihuan Danxiang was no fool. His heart flickered, but he still kept his proud expression, only feigning hesitation while burying his true thoughts deeply.
For now, swallowing their pride was the only right choice. They had suffered setback after setback at Xu Qi’an’s hands, but the contest between the National Teacher and Xu was not yet over.
One day, they would have their revenge.
And when that day came, Xu’s friends and family would all be put to the sword.
“Qianlong City is deep in the southern mountains of Yunzhou, with seventy-two stockades surrounding the city centre. These stockades are used for troop training and stationing soldiers, and are responsible for raiding populations and trade caravans.
“I’m not clear on the exact numbers, but each stockade holds at least a hundred, or as many as a thousand people. When combined, it’ll be no less than fifty thousand.”
Once White Tiger finished, Qihuan Danxiang added,
“The population of Qianlong City numbers two hundred thousand, with twenty thousand armoured soldiers. All the population is made up of commoners captured from all over Yunzhou. Among them, there are also many people roaming the Jianghu who ended up in Yunzhou.”
Li Miaozhen recalled some past events:
“It wasn’t the Church of the Warlock God who supported the mountain bandits, but your Qianlong City?”
Xu Qi’an shook his head:
“No, the Church of the Warlock God also supported mountain bandits, secretly raising troops. This was most likely the reason Xu Pingfeng helped us back then. The expansion of the Church of the Warlock God affected him.”
As for why he had previously turned a blind eye to the Church of the Warlock God’s behaviour, Xu Qi’an surmised that perhaps Xu Pingfeng was using the Church of the Warlock God as a cover while secretly developing his power.
Chu Yuanzhen frowned, “All told, their military strength can’t exceed a hundred thousand. If he wants to rebel, it’ll be difficult.”
Close to a hundred thousand elite troops was actually a frightening scale.
Wei Yuan had led a similar number of troops back then, all the way to Mount Jing City.
But the Great Feng had a vast population, deeply rooted powers with connections everywhere, and a far more complicated structure than the Church of the Warlock God.
An army of seventy or eighty thousand rebels would still find it difficult to launch a rebellion, in Chu Yuanzhen’s view.
White Tiger said,
“These are just the direct troops of Qianlong City, but don’t forget, the whole of Yunzhou has nearly sixty thousand more soldiers.
“Yang Chuannan, the Commander of Yunzhou, is our man.”
On hearing this, Li Miaozhen gnashed her teeth.
When she had set up the cavalry in Yunzhou to suppress bandits, Yang Chuannan, as Commander, had provided her with enormous convenience and support.
The two had thus become friends.
It was not until after the incident at the capital, when Xu Qi’an revealed public information, that she learned the inside story of Yunzhou. She realised that at the time, Yang Chuannan had been using her to eliminate the mountain bandits fostered by the Church of the Warlock God.
He had neither exposed himself, nor did he directly engage, but let her charge into battle as cannon fodder.
Despite all her sincerity, treating Yang Chuannan as a confidant and friend, her loyal heart as Lady Flying Swallow was in the end misplaced.
“What detailed plans has Xu Pingfeng made for his uprising?” Xu Qi’an asked.
Liu Hongmian and the other two glanced at each other and both shook their heads:
“No one can see through the National Teacher’s thoughts.”
“Besides Qianlong City, how many hidden agents does he have in the Central Plains and even in the court?” Xu Qi’an pressed.
White Tiger replied, “These are handled by the Tianjigong’s secret agents. We don’t know.”
At this moment, someone knocked on the courtyard door, attracting everyone’s attention.
Xu Qi’an, as the host, called out loudly,
“Come in!”
The courtyard door was pushed open, and two beauties in colourful clothing stepped across the threshold: one, the vibrant Miss Rongrong, and the other, a mature and gorgeous woman.
Rongrong’s face was like a blossoming peach, all shyness and springtime yearning, anyone could see she was lovestruck.
She was carrying a bundle of medicinal herbs, and said,
“Silver Gong Xu, you’ve fought many bitter battles and risked your life for our Wulin Alliance, I have nothing else to offer but these healing herbs as a small token of appreciation.”
Xu Qi’an felt the prickling gaze from both sides burning into him, but stood up with an unchanged expression, took the medicine, and smiled,
“Thank you, Miss Rongrong. Since we last met in the capital, your charm has only grown greater.”
Rongrong was overflowing with joy, but then noticed the Holy Maiden of Heaven Sect and an ordinary-looking woman coldly staring at her.
All the things she had been about to say were swallowed back.
She pressed her lips together, then suddenly noticed Liu Hongmian, exclaiming in surprise,
“Liu Hongmian, it’s you!”
Her look held both hostility and surprise.
Liu Hongmian glanced at the master and disciple but ignored them.
“You know each other?”
Xu Qi’an’s gaze moved between the three women.
The elegant lady nodded, her tone gentle as she explained,
“Liu Hongmian was the disciple of the previous sect leader, Tower Master Xiao’s junior. After losing the competition for the sect leader’s position to Tower Master Xiao, she left Wanhua Tower.”
She did not mention Liu Hongmian’s betrayal, after all, that was a family scandal.
Xu Qi’an understood at once. No wonder, in the barracks at Yongzhou, he had found this alluring woman’s demeanour somewhat familiar when he saw Liu Hongmian.
So she was a disciple of Jianzhou’s Wanhua Tower.
At this moment, Rongrong was again captivated by Li Lingsu’s handsome appearance. She let out an “Oh?” and asked in surprise,
“You’re Li Lingsu?”
The Holy Son, half-hidden behind his junior sister Li Miaozhen, stammered, “You, you…”
“Don’t you remember me? Two years ago, you came to Wanhua Tower as a guest, and we drank together. My master was there, too, wasn’t she?”
Rongrong looked playfully at her master, then continued,
“When you flew through the air on your sword to help Silver Gong Xu just now, I thought you looked familiar. I never thought it was really you!”
Li Lingsu finally realised, “Oh, oh, so it was you, Miss Rongrong. Long time no see, I trust you’ve been well?”
He did not greet the elegant lady.
She merely gave Li Lingsu a long, searching look, then withdrew her gaze and said softly,
“Silver Gong Xu seems to have business to handle, so we shan’t disturb you further.”
She brought along the reluctant Rongrong and left.
Afterwards, Xu Qi’an asked for more details about Qianlong City, such as the members of the Ji family, the military structure of Qianlong City, and so on.
Finally, after a slight hesitation, he asked,
“Are you familiar with Xu Pingfeng’s wife?”
Liu Hongmian and Qihuan Danxiang shook their heads, then looked toward White Tiger. The former said,
“He is the leader of the White Tiger constellations, and part of the National Teacher’s direct subordinates.”
Seeing Xu Qi’an looking at him, White Tiger spoke up quickly,
“I’ve only ever seen the lady twice. She is the City Lord’s younger sister, has always lived quietly and never leaves her residence.
“She’s under house arrest, never allowed to leave Qianlong City without permission. The Ji clan members of her branch in Qianlong City hate her, saying she’s the family disgrace.
“The family gave her wealth and honour, but she gave nothing back. For the sake of a discarded child, she betrayed the family.”
Chu Yuanzhen and the others, aware of the inside story, fell silent for a moment.
Only Li Lingsu was ignorant of Xu Qi’an’s true identity.
Twenty years under house arrest, deprived of freedom… Xu Qi’an fell into silence, not speaking for a long time.
Seeing that he remained wordless, Qihuan Danxiang urged him,
“We’ve already told you everything we know. Please, Silver Gong Xu, fulfil your promise.”
Xu Qi’an glanced at him and nodded,
“Sure! I’ll give you your freedom.”
Crack!
He struck Qihuan Danxiang on the crown of his head, making the Heart Gu Master’s eyes roll back, his soul shattered.
He died instantly.
“You—”
White Tiger’s expression changed dramatically. He had barely uttered the word “you” when Xu Qi’an’s hand appeared in his vision.
The next second, his skull was also crushed, and he died on the spot.
“My promises are never given to my enemies.”
Xu Qi’an flicked two child Gu from his fingers. The black, worm-like seeds burrowed into the corpses’ nostrils. After a moment, Qihuan Danxiang and White Tiger stood up again.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder, eyes empty and lifeless.
He had gained two fourth rank corpse puppets.
With the Sevenfold Gu as mature as it was now, the Corpse Gu could preserve nearly ninety percent of a fourth-rank cultivator’s strength.
“Is this the Corpse Gu?”
Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen were full of envy, this was as good as gaining two fourth rank death warriors at once.
As for Master Hengyuan, he did not harbour such worldly desires.
“Now it’s your turn.”
Xu Qi’an looked at the pale Liu Hongmian and the expressionless Jingyuan.
These weren’t like Dongfang Wanqing, who had Li Lingsu to shield her, nor were their allegiances so conflicted as her’s were, giving little reason for enmity.
Qihuan Danxiang and his associates, they were Ji Xuan’s team, people of Qianlong City, his mortal enemies.
Jingyuan was the same.
When it came to enemies who ought to be killed, Xu Qi’an was never soft-hearted, even if the other party was a stunningly beautiful woman.
“Knock knock!”
Suddenly, the courtyard door was knocked. From outside came the mature-sounding voice of Xiao Yuenu,
“Silver Gong Xu, Xiao Yuenu seeks an audience.”
Just hearing her voice, Chu Yuanzhen and Li Lingsu’s eyes lit up slightly.
“Please enter, Tower Master Xiao.”
Xu Qi’an replied.
Xiao Yuenu pushed the door open and entered. She wore a yellow dress, her hair in the latest popular style. She was tall, her face veiled in gauze, her long, seductive eyes extremely alluring.
Chu Yuanzhen was not a lustful man, but even he could not hide his amazement at her beauty the moment he saw her.
Even the princess consort, who held herself in such high esteem, was slightly stunned, surprised that such a gem could exist in the Jianghu of Jianzhou.
Then, she and Li Miaozhen both felt a sinking feeling in their hearts.
“Tower Master Xiao, I trust you’ve been well?” Xu Qi’an greeted her with a smile.
Xiao Yuenu swept her gaze around, pausing for a moment on Liu Hongmian, then gave Xu Qi’an a graceful salute:
“Aunt Mei said that the traitor of Wanhua Tower, Liu Hongmian, is here, now your prisoner, Silver Gong Xu. So I’ve come to have a look.”
“Just to have a look?”
Xu Qi’an gazed at her.
Xiao Yuenu walked slowly forward and said softly,
“Dare I ask, how does Silver Gong Xu plan to deal with her?”
“Kill her, and be done with it!” Xu Qi’an answered plainly.
Xiao Yuenu pursed her lips, bowed again, and sincerely said,
“I beg Silver Gong Xu to spare her life, and hand her over to Wanhua Tower for judgment.”
Xu Qi’an pondered, “How does your sect intend to handle her?”
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