In front of the ruined temple, the cross-legged Shenshu was taken aback. He pressed his palms together, his expression unchanged, and said,
“What made you think this humble monk knows how to advance to first rank?”
… Xu Qi’an fell silent for a moment and sighed softly.
As expected, it’s still too much to hope for an answer from a remnant soul. After thinking for a moment, he said,
“I have already fulfilled my original promise and gathered all of your body parts except for your head. If you are willing, I can help you reunite with them.”
Shenshu smiled and said,
“Many thanks, benefactor!”
Of all Shenshu’s parts, this one is the most Buddhist in nature… Xu Qi’an nodded and voluntarily withdrew from Shenshu’s consciousness world.
Just because the right arm did not know something, it did not mean the torso would not. Once all the parts except the head were gathered, perhaps a quantitative change would bring a qualitative one, allowing Shenshu to remember more.
Shenshu was a half-step Martial God. The path of a Warrior Monk was quite similar to that of a martial artist, so if there was still anyone in the world who could be Xu Qi’an’s teacher, it could only be Shenshu.
Besides, the Wanyao Queen of that year was also a first-rank master. The Nine-tailed Fox must know how to advance to first rank.
So the next goal was clear, head to the Southern Marches!
…
In the capital, Lingbao Temple.
Luo Yuheng descended on auspicious clouds from the azure sky and floated into Lingbao Temple.
The disciples in the temple, upon seeing the Daoist Leader return, immediately gathered outside a secluded courtyard and bowed respectfully,
“Daoist Leader, there is a message from the palace. In a month’s time, Silver Gong Xu and Princess Lin’an are to be wed. You must attend the wedding.”
Upon hearing the news, Luo Yuheng subconsciously reached out to summon her flying sword…
But then she suddenly recalled that her ancestral divine weapon had been left in Xu Qi’an’s head. That little brat had all sorts of rubbish in his head and rightly needed a divine sword to clean it up.
Married in a month’s time… Luo Yuheng frowned in thought for a moment, unable to stop herself from gazing in the direction of the royal palace.
Heh, that woman wants to use me as a tool to sabotage the wedding? You are not anxious, so why should I be?
She decided to exercise patience and not respond.
But on further thought, she realised she should indeed feel anxious. The female Emperor and Xu Qi’an had, up to now, kept themselves utterly pure.
But she herself had dual-cultivated with that Xu fellow again and again. However unwilling she was to admit it, she knew her heart was not untouched.
The dignified Daoist Leader of the Human Sect, how could her dual-cultivation partner be allowed to marry someone else?
So, Luo Yuheng said,
“Go to Sitianjian and find the woman Xu Qi’an left there. Tell her that Xu Qi’an and Princess Lin’an will be married in a month.”
She herself was not suited to make an appearance, but she could send out the Flower God. The Flower God was daft and easily manipulated.
Most importantly, the Flower God was beautiful, and no man could resist her tantrums.
The Lingbao Temple disciple did not suspect anything and nodded,
“Disciple understands.”
…
With the Daoist Leader’s order, the disciple did not dare delay and at once set off for Sitianjian, only to find no one there.
Meanwhile, a plain carriage stopped outside Xu Manor. An unremarkable-looking woman lifted her skirt as she stepped down from the carriage and leisurely walked to the gate.
Outside, two guards in sturdy armour stood on duty.
The Xu family’s standing was no longer what it once had been; inside and out, experts had been arranged for their protection, with Nightwatchers covertly posted nearby.
“I am an old friend of Xu Qi’an,” Mu Nanzhi said to the guard. “He has invited me to stay at the manor for a while.”
That morning, someone had come from the palace, saying Xu Qi’an had asked the Emperor to send a message, inviting her to move out of Sitianjian and stay at Xu Manor for a while.
In Mu Nanzhi’s view, this was that Xu’s roundabout way of pleasing her. No matter how nice Sitianjian was, it was still someone else’s place.
Xu Manor, however, was his home.
The two guards exchanged glances, and the one on the left said,
“Please wait a moment.”
He hurriedly entered the residence to make his report.
In a short while, he returned and invited Mu Nanzhi inside.
With the guard, she crossed the outer courtyard and followed winding corridors before finally meeting Auntie in the inner hall, splendidly dressed, beautiful and glowing.
Auntie saw the woman brought in by the guard, but was inwardly dubious. How could her nephew be interested in such a woman?
She had heard that a woman had arrived, claiming her unlucky nephew had invited her in person. Her first thought was that yet another of his affairs had caught up with him, and it would not be right to refuse, so she let the woman in.
After seeing the guest’s appearance, Auntie felt something was not right.
With her nephew’s flirtatious and licentious ways, any woman he fancied would surely be young and beautiful.
But this woman was plain in looks, with unimpressive features, apart from a remarkable bosom and hips made for childbearing. There was nothing of note.
She seemed about the same age as Auntie herself.
No way would Dalang go for this kind of woman.
“Eh…?”
Auntie studied her and said, “Now I remember! You’re the one who shared my carriage to Sitianjian to watch the Buddhist contest back then.”
And you even slandered Lingyin, saying she was just a relative’s girl… Auntie still held a grudge.
“You remember me!” Mu Nanzhi nodded, a little surprised at Auntie’s memory. She glanced around the inner hall and was soon taken by the Nine Star Orchid on display.
Auntie scrutinised her and asked,
“Ningyan sent you here?”
“Would I have come on my own?”
The princess consort, used to being proud, huffed and said, “If he hadn’t pestered me, I’d never have come.”
But Auntie was proud, too, and did not like her tone.
“You’re not taking care of this orchid. It’s thirsty and needs watering. Look at how wilted it is!” Mu Nanzhi said as she went up to the display, tending to the Nine Star Orchid.
“Hey, who said you could touch it!” Auntie’s eyebrows shot up at once.
This pot of Nine Star Orchid was her prized treasure. It could endure the harshest cold, flowering only in winter, always nine blooms, each a different colour, brilliant and beautiful. That’s why it was called the Nine Star Orchid.
This flower was cherished among the rich and powerful, rumoured to have first come from the Zhenbei King’s estate.
What made it truly precious was that it was so hard to cultivate, meaning there were very few in existence.
This pot had been a gift from the former Prime Minister’s daughter, Wang Simu, to curry favour with her future mother-in-law.
No one in the house was allowed to touch it, not even Auntie’s beloved youngest daughter, Xu Lingyin. She would only touch it on rare occasions.
Auntie had done a good job raising it, but for some reason, half a month ago, the blooms had suddenly wilted and had not blossomed since.
“It’s thirsty,” Mu Nanzhi repeated.
“And how do you know it’s thirsty? Did it tell you?” Auntie huffed.
“The Nine Star Orchid is very hardy and does not need much water. Just water it once every five days.”
“Then why is it wilted?” Mu Nanzhi retorted sharply.
Auntie was stumped, then explained,
“It’s because it is delicate.”
Mu Nanzhi pointed to the shoujin coal brazier in the hall and said testily,
“You keep burning charcoal every day, the room’s hot. Of course it’s thirsty! Yet you insist on caring for it as if it were kept outside. You’ve ruined a good plant.”
Auntie was furious, feeling humiliated in her area of expertise. She snapped,
“What do you know about flowers? Do you? What do you know!?”
“I know better than you!” Mu Nanzhi shot back.
“I can even make it bloom right now.”
“Then go on, make it bloom!” Auntie sneered, arms akimbo.
Mu Nanzhi’s eyes flashed and she said,
“If I can make it bloom, you’ll have to call me big sister.”
Auntie huffed, “Agreed!”
Mu Nanzhi gently blew at the Nine Star Orchid, and, miraculously, the orchid rapidly budded and slowly blossomed. Amid the green appeared nine brilliantly coloured flowers, truly a beautiful sight.
Auntie’s mouth formed an “O”, and her face froze.
Mu Nanzhi said calmly,
“Go ahead, call me big sister.”
Now I am Xu Ningyan’s elder. If he dares lay a finger on me again, that would be a grievous breach of propriety.
…
Southern Marches, Nanfa Temple.
On the plaza outside the sealing tower, a flash of clear light appeared, and an azure-robed and white-robed figure appeared, together with a white ape in wooden stocks, shackled at wrists and ankles.
“Who goes there?”
The Yao soldiers patrolling the square spotted them. Weapons in hand, they shouted and closed in.
As they drew near and saw who had come, the soldiers bowed deeply, attitude changing entirely:
“Greetings, Silver Gong Xu.”
Xu Qi’an nodded slightly, released his aura, and, a few moments later, the Nine-tailed Fox rode the wind to the square.
She had silver hair, two furry fox ears on her head, and wore a veil which concealed her stunning beauty.
Her upper body was wrapped in a not-too-loose, not-too-tight corset, her lower half had a beast-skin skirt and a fur pelt around her waist, resembling a split skirt.
Behind her, nine fox tails moved as though alive, sometimes fanning out like a peacock’s tail, sometimes swaying in different directions, a breathtaking sight.
“What’s with that sword in your head?” the Nine Tailed Celestial Fox fixed her gaze on the sword handle protruding from Xu Qi’an’s skull.
“Victim of domestic violence…” he waved his hand, indicating his reluctance to talk further.
“Did you come to get reinforcements? I have no energy to run to the Central Plains and fight for you.”
The Nine-tailed Fox blinked her beautiful eyes and asked with a charming smile.
Her voice was soft and magnetic, carrying a teasing, seductive tone.
“You’re far behind the times. I just advanced to the second rank and fought Xu Pingfeng,” said Xu Qi’an with a smile.
The Nine-tailed Fox was momentarily stunned, sizing up Xu Qi’an. After a while, she chuckled:
“Well done.”
Her expression is too calm. How am I supposed to show off in front of others like this… Xu Qi’an grumbled inwardly, then said:
“I’ve come to deliver Master Shenshu’s right arm… Are you injured?”
The Nine-tailed Fox explained calmly:
“I just fought Samantabhadra and Vaidurya, I was injured a bit. Luckily, Vaidurya was badly wounded by the Jianzheng and injured at the source, so she couldn’t use her full strength, otherwise I’d be more seriously hurt.”
So it seems things in the Southern Marches aren’t peaceful either… Xu Qi’an’s gaze fell on the sealing tower:
“Is Master Shenshu alright?”
The Nine-tailed Fox curled her lips and rolled her eyes at him:
“Unless a Beyond-rank appears, who can truly harm him? Your timing is perfect. Shenshu’s evil thoughts and bone-deep belligerence are really hard to control. The right arm represents his Buddhist nature. Once the soul in the right arm is reintegrated, Shenshu will become gentler.”
As she spoke, the gates of the sealing tower rumbled open. Shenshu strode out, bare-chested and clad only in black trousers.
His whole body was black as ink, his muscles knotted and sculpted like a statue, his neck empty.
The moment Shenshu appeared, the right arm within Xu Qi’an’s body instantly stirred. The outline of a right arm bulged in his chest, rising little by little, separating from his flesh and blood, as if preparing to burst out from his body.
Hurts a bit… Xu Qi’an frowned, feeling a sharp pain as if flesh was being torn apart.
Having lain dormant in his body for years, Shenshu’s right arm had long been fused with his flesh. Being forcibly removed now felt as if his limbs were being ruthlessly ripped apart.
In a moment, a jet-black right arm burst out of his body and flew towards Shenshu’s form.
“No, I don’t want to see that hypocrite.”
Suddenly, Shenshu’s left hand loudly protested and slapped the right arm flying.
With a boom of Qi, the right arm shot far off into the clouds.
Xu Qi’an stood dumbfounded, wondering what was going on.
Just as he thought this, a streak of light whistled back, the right arm flew back like a rocket and launched itself at the left hand, accompanied by the voice of its residual soul:
“This isn’t up to you!”
At this point, Shenshu’s left leg kicked up and struck the flying right arm, sending it spinning away again.
“I don’t like that hypocrite either,” the left leg declared loudly.
“You two are really ungrateful.”
Shenshu’s torso separated from his left arm and both legs, Qi condensing into a new pair of arms and legs, and said in a deep voice:
“Then let’s have a fight.”
The torso and right hand were both gentle in temperament, while the left arm was full of malice, and the legs were wild and belligerent.
So the torso, right hand, left hand, and legs all broke into a fierce brawl. The scene was extremely devastating.
The Nine-tailed Fox pressed her luscious red lips to stop them twitching, took a deep breath, and as the queen of all yao, said expressionlessly:
“Let them fight. Once they’re done, they’ll be in harmony. Hmph, everyone has times when they disagree. Let’s talk while they sort themselves out.”
Everyone has times when they disagree? That’s like how I, during post-nut clarity, always hate myself for being so lustful earlier… Xu Qi’an nodded, having more or less understood Shenshu’s current state.
“I just happened to have something to ask you, Your Highness.”
They left the sealing tower and came to a magnificent palace to the south of Nanfa Temple.
The hall was brightly lit, with exquisite carpets, potted plants, gold and jade ornaments, and the supporting pillars plated with gold and inlaid with jade.
Beautiful, scantily clad fox spirits stood as attendants, each looking charming and lively.
Xu Qi’an also noticed the aloof, noble-looking Qingji sitting by a desk, reviewing documents and dealing with national affairs.
Qingji looked up at the arriving Xu Qi’an, Sun Xuanji, and Protector Yuan, hesitated as if wanting to say something, then looked down and resumed her work.
At the far end of the crimson carpet stood a large chaise, where the Nine-tailed Fox reclined lazily, her nine fluffy, beautiful tails swaying gently.
“Who pulled out the last Demon-sealing Nail from your body?”
The Nine-tailed Fox finally asked the question she had been dying to ask, holding it back earlier.
“Your brother!” Xu Qi’an replied cheerfully.
The Nine-tailed Fox’s flawless, immortal beauty froze. She looked surprised and asked:
“Al-Asura?”
She was a clever fox. After a moment’s thought, she immediately connected it to al-Asura’s previous act of going easy on him.
But she didn’t understand why al-Asura did this.
“Because al-Asura is Number Eight in the Heaven and Earth Society.” Xu Qi’an took out an Earth Book fragment and waved it.
The Nine-tailed Fox had heard a little about this secret society, knowing it was an organisation set up by the Daoists of the Earth Sect, using the Earth Book as a token.
Xu Qi’an briefly explained, and when the Nine-tailed Fox nodded, indicating she understood, he got straight to the point:
“My visit today, besides fulfilling my promise and returning Master Shenshu’s right arm, has another purpose!”
“How one advances to the first rank?” The Nine-tailed Fox raised her eyebrows.
“Your Highness is as wise as ever,” Xu Qi’an praised her with a smile.
“It’s not hard to guess. You want to turn the tide and save the Great Feng, but second rank alone won’t cut it. Agaruka is outstanding among first ranks, and Baidi has shown first rank strength, just these two are enough to give you a headache.
“Not to mention Baidi’s true body is a descendant of an ancient demon, the Desolation!
“It’s secretly plotting something, but we can’t know what. In short, with just second rank, you can’t stand against Yunzhou. Advancing to the first rank is your only way out.”
The Nine-tailed Fox sighed:
“But I can’t offer any advice.”
Xu Qi’an frowned deeply, puzzled:
“What do you mean by that, Your Highness?”
He didn’t believe the Nine-tailed Fox didn’t know how to advance to the first rank, the previous Queen of the Wanyao Kingdom was first rank after all.
The Nine-tailed Fox before him was at mid or peak second rank, with the next step being breaking into first rank.
Striving for advancement was an instinct for all living beings, the Nine-tailed Fox must know the right way.
“The Yao and martial artist systems are very similar, only one relies on innate powers, and the other on ‘Intent’. Apart from that, there is little difference. But the Nine-tailed Fox is not purely Yao.”
The silver-haired beauty sighed:
“We are descendants of gods and demons, and our path differs from today’s major systems. Simply put, spiritual essence is the foundation for us. As long as my spiritual essence fully revives and merges with my body and soul, I can step into first rank.
“So if you want to know how to reach first rank, all I can say is, all you need is spiritual essence from gods and demons.”
That… that’s just like Mu Nanzhi; she doesn’t need to cultivate, just revive her essence and she naturally returns to her peak… Xu Qi’an felt rather disappointed.
“Then, does Master Shenshu know how to advance to first rank?”
Xu Qi’an asked, unwilling to give up.
“Perhaps yes, perhaps no,” the Nine-tailed Fox replied with a sly smile. “When they’re done fighting, you can ask him.”
The hall fell silent.
Protector Yuan glanced at Xu Qi’an, then at the Nine-tailed Fox, looking thoroughly disappointed.
As they were deliberately restraining their thoughts, Protector Yuan’s innate ability couldn’t forcibly read the minds of the beyond-mortal.
Seems it’ll be hard to read Silver Gong Xu’s thoughts in future… Protector Yuan thought with mixed feelings.
The silver-haired beauty looked over the white ape in surprise:
“Oh, this monkey’s not dead yet? Humans are pretty tolerant, aren’t they?”
Xu Qi’an said blandly:
“He’s not that far.”
Protector Yuan lifted the wooden cangue on his neck in token response.
Half an hour later, the violent fluctuation outside abated, and everything became peaceful.
Everyone left the palace together and returned outside the sealing tower.
On the square, Master Shenshu stood proudly, now with a complete set of limbs. It seemed they’d worked things out and come to a compromise.
Xu Qi’an hurried up and bowed:
“Senior, this junior has a question.”
Shenshu was silent for a while, then said with feeling:
“How long has it been since there was a first-rank martial artist in all Jiuzhou? I know what you want to ask, but before I answer, consider this:
“What is the greatest difference between me and other martial artists?”
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