Luo Yuheng rested a long, pale leg on his belly, blinked her beautiful eyes, and said plaintively,
“How could I bear to hit you, Xu Lang? But it’s only because you’ve been heartless and unfaithful. You obviously already have me, yet you insist on entangling yourself with Mu Nanzhi, taking her travelling in the jianghu.
“In the future, when I give birth to your child, you’ll definitely abandon your wife and run away with that little slut.”
As she spoke, she suddenly summoned a rusty iron sword, pressing the tip against her own lower abdomen, and snorted,
“Then I’ll kill your brat, and it’ll be both lives lost.”
Xu Qi’an began to miss the cold and aloof original National Teacher, and, rubbing his brow in frustration, said, “National Teacher, is there something wrong with your head?”
A cold blade swept across his throat, and in the darkness, those eyes grew icy, her lips curling in a cold smile:
“What did you say? I didn’t catch that.”
“National Teacher, I think there’s something wrong with my head, maybe you broke it when you hit me. After you shattered my soul, did you put it back together properly?”
Xu Qi’an knew when to advance and when to retreat.
Luo Yuheng changed her expression in an instant, tossed aside the iron sword, and, rubbing Xu Qi’an’s head, said, “Good boy!”
Bloody insane. I just need to survive twenty-four hours and send her away… Xu Qi’an forced a smile and tried to deal with it.
Luo Yuheng’s behaviour made him realise how possessive this Daoist Leader of the Human Sect was, and how very wary she was of Mu Nanzhi.
Aside from Little Love, who was strongly jealous and targeted the other ‘fish’ in the pond, the other personalities were only wary of and fearful towards the Flower God.
So, in the National Teacher’s eyes, Nanzhi is her strongest love rival. The other women can’t even compare, and the Flower God is probably the only one who makes the National Teacher feel inferior in beauty…
As he thought this, Xu Qi’an glanced askance at the little ‘Evil’ beside him.
Little Evil blinked.
Xu Qi’an withdrew his gaze, thinking, It’s fine, you’re not as pretty as her, but you’re far more… supple.
Without paying attention to the pale leg rubbing against his belly, he closed his eyes and started to review his battle with al-Asura that day.
“I’ve never encountered the Executioner Phala before, so I don’t know if al-Asura went easy on me, but thinking back now, the power of the Executioner Phala didn’t seem as strong as I imagined. Although it hit me pretty hard, that’s about all.
Now that I reflect on it, something feels off.
For a third rank Vajra, al-Asura didn’t go easy. Also, he really did suppress me in the fight… but, what if he’d unleashed his Asura bloodline from the start?
With both third rank Vajra physique and the Asura bloodline, he could probably have wiped the floor with me. You could explain it by saying he’d converted to the Buddhist Sect and had left his past behind, so wouldn’t unleash the Asura bloodline unless absolutely necessary.
But it still feels forced…
Fact was, he and Sun Xuanji had only been able to beat al-Asura because they worked seamlessly together, used the Demon-Sealing Nail for a ‘fatal blow’ to weaken his strength, and even after grabbing Shenshu’s legs, they had to flee.
It looked like they’d just barely scraped together a win by relying on the Demon-Sealing Nail, the Stupa tower, and so on.
From an outsider’s point of view, it wasn’t that al-Asura wasn’t strong enough, but that Xu Qi’an was just too cunning.
But this couldn’t convince him, because, on the scene, Sun Xuanji had spent most of the time hiding in the sky assisting, while he alone, with just a third rank body, had held al-Asura off for so long.
After sparring with his aunt today, he was shocked to realise that a peak second rank expert was not someone a third rank martial artist could stand against.
So how had he managed to hold off al-Asura for so long?
He was acting… Xu Qi’an sucked in a breath. Al-Asura hadn’t just acted, he had acted extremely well.
At first, when they fought, al-Asura had indeed suppressed Xu Qi’an, and in the end, it was thanks to the Demon-Sealing Nail that he barely won, so it seemed a narrow victory.
In such a situation, it would be perfectly natural to think you’d only just scraped by, that the enemy had been strong.
Who’d think al-Asura was acting?
So now the question is, why did al-Asura put on an act…? For one thing, there’s no way he’s an ally, because once you enter the Buddhist fold, all desires become empty, no chance to be a traitor.
The Bodhisattvas and Arhats in the Buddhist Sect aren’t idiots, either, if al-Asura had a problem, why would they have him guarding the Southern Marches?
So, that leaves just one possibility: conflict within the Buddhist Sect itself. The struggle between Mahayana and Hinayana is much fiercer than I anticipated, so they need the Yao as an external enemy to distract from internal strife?
That makes sense, but it still feels like something’s missing.
Tomorrow I should go to the Hundred Thousand Mountains first. When the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox returns, I’ll tell her about all this and see what she thinks. If my little aunt could spot subtle details, surely the Celestial Fox could too, but so far she hasn’t mentioned it… actually, she has; when I managed to seize Shenshu’s limb, she did have some thoughts.
Aiding the revival of the Wanyao Kingdom, capturing Du’e or al-Asura to pull out the final Demon-Sealing Nail, once the Hundred Thousand Mountains campaign ends, it’ll shock all of Jiuzhou…
While pondering these things, he felt a moist, warm little tongue licking his cheek a few times.
“What are you doing?”
Xu Qi’an turned and looked at the stunning face on the pillow next to him.
Little Evil stuck out her tiny tongue, licked her lips, a wild, seductive smile blossoming on her beautiful face, and, lifting her snow-white chin, provocatively said,
“Come and dual cultivate.”
Xu Qi’an rolled over and pinned her down, “I’m not a third rank martial artist for nothing. Ready to cry?”
…
The next day, inside the Stupa tower.
Xu Qi’an sat cross-legged, hands pressed together, beside the pagoda spirit, the old monk, and said quietly,
“Master, I have become enlightened again.”
As he spoke, Silver Gong Xu’s face was utterly devoid of any mortal desire.
The pagoda spirit, the old monk, glanced at him and nodded with satisfaction, “Good!”
Beside them, Mu Nanzhi held Baiji and sneered,
“Master, he’s already become enlightened twice.”
Xu Qi’an glared at her and pulled the Flower God aside; the Flower God staggered as she was dragged to the corner, scowling.
“Who told you to touch me?”
Baiji lifted her paw and pawed at Xu Qi’an’s hand, which was gripping Mu Nanzhi’s arm, saying loudly,
“Let go, let go!”
Just like a child determined to side with her mother.
Xu Qi’an let go, gave a short laugh, and nudged her with his shoulder,
“Jealous?”
Mu Nanzhi returned a cold smile, “Jealous? You think too highly of yourself. Do you think every woman in the world adores you beyond reason?”
Baiji chimed in, ‘Exactly, exactly.’
No, no, the women who fancy me are nowhere near a tenth of Li Lingsu’s. He’s the real lady’s man… Xu Qi’an glanced at Baiji and said to himself,
“I’ll be going to the Southern Marches for a while tomorrow. In the meantime, you’d better stay inside.”
Mu Nanzhi’s eyes reddened and she gazed at him coldly,
“What, afraid I’m getting in the way of you dual cultivating with the National Teacher?”
She took a deep breath and sneered, “I haven’t even asked how things are going between Silver Gong Xu and the National Teacher. I suppose you’re as inseparable as glue.”
Not that it makes any difference, it’s empty empty empty empty either way… Xu Qi’an put on a serious face.
“That’s not it, actually. You might not know, but Luo Yuheng’s current personality is ‘Evil’, the malicious one. Last night, she forced me to let you out of the Stupa just so she could kill you herself.”
Mu Nanzhi’s expression changed.
Xu Qi’an continued,
“Of course I refused, so we had a fight.”
Mu Nanzhi, both angry and annoyed, gritted her teeth:
“She hit you?”
Xu Qi’an nodded aggrievedly, took Mu Nanzhi’s hand, and said gently,
“I have thick skin and tough flesh, so it doesn’t matter for me, but you’re different. I would never allow her to harm you.”
Most of the resentment in Mu Nanzhi’s heart dissipated. She gently withdrew her hand and snorted,
“There is nothing improper between us, so do not say such wanton things.”
She pursed her lips, taking the chance to hide the smile at the corners of her mouth.
Xu Qi’an knew when to stop, then continued,
“But Baiji needs to go out with me, and I need to use her to contact the Nine-tailed Sky Fox.”
Mu Nanzhi said worriedly, “But you said Luo Yuheng is very malicious, would she make things difficult for Baiji?”
Xu Qi’an took Baiji from her arms, holding her in his own, and said expressionlessly,
“I think this is something she ought to bear at her age.”
Baiji shuddered and hurriedly tried to fix the situation: “I like Silver Gong Xu the most!”
Too late…… Xu Qi’an, holding Baiji, followed the steps up to the second level. Here stood statues of Vajra, some frowning, others poised to strike, solemn and terrifying.
These statues formed a specific formation, imbued with Buddhist law, composing the third level of the Stupa tower, a prison for sealing powerful cultivators.
The “suppression dungeon” power leaking out from the second level could even briefly affect those of second rank.
Chai Xing’er sat cross-legged between two statues. She had always been a remarkably beautiful married woman, with a pitiful and delicate air. Long-term imprisonment only made her softer and more pitiable.
Her face was pale and thin, with black hair falling over her shoulders.
When Miao Youfang was nearby, he played the role of jailor: delivering food at set times and replacing the chamber pot.
In addition, every seven days, Chai Xing’er was allowed a single outing for bathing.
Once Miao Youfang left, Mu Nanzhi took over feeding her, while the tower spirit, the old monk, took charge of changing the chamber pot.
After all, for the tower spirit, it only took a thought to move any item in the pagoda, except for Shenshu’s severed arm.
“I wouldn’t have thought that such a long imprisonment would make your qi even more robust, and your cultivation grow rapidly.”
Xu Qi’an said with a smile.
Chai Xing’er opened her eyes and looked at him, replying neither humbly nor arrogantly,
“There’s nothing to do except breathing and training qi. Anyone in my position would have seen their cultivation rise quickly.”
After a pause, her expression softened a little and she asked,
“How has Li Lang been lately?”
Xu Qi’an nodded,
“He’s forming an army of refugees, preparing to fight in Qingzhou. While you’ve been in the Stupa tower, a cold disaster broke out, causing the people of the Central Plains to become displaced, and Yunzhou’s rebel army marched north to attack Qingzhou. The fighting has been fierce and deadlocked.”
Chai Xing’er was silent for a while before forcing a bitter smile,
“This little Stupa tower has actually become a shelter.”
A shelter, yes, though for the first half, you might want to ask if the tower spirit agrees… Xu Qi’an no longer wasted words, fetching a half-scroll of beast hide map from his arms:
“Look, is this the half-scroll map left by your ancestors?”
Chai Xing’er reached out for it, gave it a look and said,
“It appears so. The material is the same as the map the Palace Lord took from the Chai family back then.”
“Have you ever seen the other half?” Xu Qi’an asked.
Chai Xing’er forced a smile, “Silver Gong Xu, do you think I am qualified to know that?”
Xu Qi’an asked again,
“Do you know anything else about your Chai ancestors?”
Chai Xing’er shook her head,
“For the Chai family now, the ancestor we can trace is the one who returned from the Southern Marches. Further back, the clan was exterminated once, so everything was utterly wiped out.”
This is a headache… Xu Qi’an helplessly put the beast hide map away.
Anyone who could catch Xu Pingfeng’s eye is certainly extraordinary. Who is the owner of the grand tomb, and how did Xu Pingfeng take notice of the Chai family… Sigh, for now, this can wait.
…
In a simply furnished bedroom, Luo Yuheng lazily yawned, fetched clean, tidy undergarments and a dudou from her storage pouch, dressed slowly, and put on her feathered robe.
She played with the lotus crown in her hand, her beautiful eyes lingering on the delicate little pagoda on the table. The corner of her lips curled up:
“Third rank martial artist, is that it?”
She casually tossed the lotus crown on the table and left the bedroom.
Because the young and able-bodied men of the clan had gone off to war, there were much fewer people going up the mountain to hunt. As chief, Longtu had no choice but to go up the mountain to work again.
In the Strength Gu tribe, the chief not only held power but also bore the most responsibility.
Faced with labour shortages and food scarcity, Chief Longtu had to step up and go hunting in the mountains.
Luo Yuheng walked outside into the yard and saw Xu Lingyin and Lina crouched under a tree, lighting a campfire, with six skinned and cleaned rats propped up beside it.
“When we’ve finished with the rats, the sweet potatoes beneath the fire will be cooked too.”
Lina hummed, “Are you looking forward to it?”
“Yeah!” Little Pea wiped her drool away.
Lina sent her disciple off:
“Go get the water pouch for your master, I’m thirsty.”
Little Pea eyed her warily, “Then… don’t steal any.”
Having her master’s promise, Little Pea trotted into the yard on short legs.
“Good day, National Teacher.”
Lina saw Luo Yuheng and greeted her respectfully.
She wasn’t a blockhead like Xu Lingyin, she was well aware of this woman’s strength and lofty status.
Recently, Luo Yuheng and Xu Qi’an had both made a big splash in the Abyss, and the legend of the dual-cultivation couple sweeping through that place had already spread throughout the shaman clans.
Luo Yuheng scrutinised Lina:
“You’re one of those… those earth book fragment holders.”
Lina was startled, she hadn’t expected the National Teacher to know her identity.
Luo Yuheng didn’t stop, continuing to walk away.
Lina’s gaze followed her, sharply aware that there was something odd about the National Teacher today.
She quickly looked back, excited for the soon-ready roast rats… only to find the space around the campfire empty.
The rats, gone?!
Lina stood up in confusion, scanning her surroundings. Where are the rats? Where are my lovely roast rats?
Thud thud thud… At the same time, Xu Lingyin came running out, hugging the water pouch.
Seeing the empty spot by the fire, she froze.
The two master and disciple stared at each other, wide-eyed.
Lina hesitated, then said with difficulty,
“The rats ran away by themselves, do you believe it?”
…… Little Pea dropped the water pouch, sat on the ground, kicked her legs wildly, and began to wail.
In the distance.
In the breeze, black hair flying, feathered robe fluttering, Luo Yuheng’s smile was as radiant as a flower, enchanting and peerlessly beautiful.
…
Nanhua Temple.
Outside the collapsed sealing tower, in the square.
Arhat Du’e, with a seven-coloured halo behind his head, sat cross-legged on a meditation mat, holding a golden alms bowl.
“To pass the Eight Sufferings formation and face the trial of the heart, that is the wish of Samantabhadra Bodhisattva. If you can overcome these two trials, the matter of the ruined sealing tower shall be put to rest.”
The withered, dark-skinned old monk looked calmly at the al-Asura opposite him.
“This Disciple understands.”
Al-Asura pressed his palms together, took a step forward, and entered the golden alms bowl.
Arhat Du’e withdrew his hand, and the golden bowl floated up, projecting a curtain of light.
On the screen, Asura, draped in a kasaya, hands pressed together, stood upright at the entrance of the Eight Sufferings formation, but for some time did not step into it.
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