My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult - Chapter 112

Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Tremors in Yu State City (10,000-word Mega Chapter, Please Subscribe)

Yu State City, Constable Room.

After roll call had ended, the constables chatted and laughed as they left in groups of three or five.

“Teng… Teng has killed me.”

Han Wenxin sat in the room, crying out chaotically.

At this moment, his cheek was highly swollen, and his left eye was still a bit bruised—someone unfamiliar with him wouldn’t be able to recognize who he was.

This, however, began last night when he took off his clothes to rest, but suddenly, a person in black appeared and beat him severely without a word. The louder he screamed, the harder the fists came.

“Who on earth is this person? Could they be mad?”

Han Wenxin muttered to himself, “Logically speaking, if someone has gone mad, they should have gone after An Jing, that damn cur. But after a good beating from that person last night, my cultivation seemed to be on the verge of breaking through…”

Although he had suffered a brutal beating the previous night, it seemed as if his cultivation had progressed from the peak of Seventh Grade to the threshold of Sixth Grade—it was indeed close at hand. For him, this was actually good news.

Moving from Seventh Grade to Sixth Grade was a qualitative leap, from the Lower Third Grades to the Middle Third Grades.

“It’s completely dark now, and at Xu Shi, I had planned to meet up with Constable He to enjoy the music at the brothels. I wonder if the girls will still recognize me.”

Han Wenxin cheerfully said to himself, “No matter, they might not recognize me with my clothes on, but once I take them off, they should recognize me right away.”

Seeing that it had turned utterly dark, Han Wenxin cleaned up briefly, planning to go back, take a bath, and then visit a brothel.

“Once my cultivation breaks through, what will I do if I encounter that person in black again? Won’t I knock him silly, making him scramble for his teeth?”

Han Wenxin cursed under his breath.

In truth, he knew that the person in black was exceedingly strong and even if his cultivation reached Sixth Grade, he might still not be a match for him.

He just wanted to satisfy his own mouth.

“Why wait for another time? How about today?”

Just then, a sneering voice echoed.

Upon hearing this voice, Han Wenxin’s body instinctively shuddered before he looked over.

He saw the person in black slowly walking in from the doorway, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

“You… what do you want to do!?”

Han Wenxin trembled as he asked, “What grudge do you have against me that you keep pestering me?”

In his memory, he had always been very measured in his speech and couldn’t possibly have offended such a formidable person, yet this person in black had troubled him over and over again.

“I’m very sad today.”

The person in black sighed.

Han Wenxin mixed with fear asked, “I’ve been in this constable room all day today, I haven’t gone out, what does your sadness have to do with me?”

The person in black said, “I can’t cry, so you cry for me.”

“You… are you crazy?”

Han Wenxin widened his eyes, full of disbelief.

You’re sad and you can’t cry, so why should I cry for you?

“I’ll tell you, a gentleman can be killed but not insulted. You won’t be able to humiliate me today!” Han Wenxin declared through gritted teeth.

The person in black arched an eyebrow, raising a fist.

“Mercy! I’ll cry right now, wuu wuu wuu… I’m so sad.”

Seeing this, Han Wenxin was so frightened that his body went soft, and he knelt down and burst into loud crying.

What pride, what prestige—if it could keep him from getting beaten, he would rather cry.

The person in black remained silent, standing slowly at the door.

Seeing that the person in black had not left, Han Wenxin cried even more sorrowfully, weeping agonizingly as if his heart was breaking…

The moonlight poured down thousands of miles, spilling over the land.

Listening to the crying, the person in black exhaled deeply, feeling a slight sting in the nose.

She wanted to cry, but she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Ever since her mother died, she hadn’t been able to cry again.

A long time passed and Han Wenxin, having no strength left to cry, his throat hoarse, cautiously lifted his head to look.

The person in black seemed to have vanished long ago.

Seeing this, Han Wenxin felt as if all his strength had been drained, and he slumped to the ground.

“Wuu wuu wuu…”

Han Wenxin seemed genuinely hurt, sitting on the ground and continuing to sob softly.

“Why, I have no quarrel or grudge with you, why must you, with your great strength, pick on a weak and pitiful constable like me?”

After a long while, the surroundings were still silent.

The more Han Wenxin thought about it, the more upset he became, and the words he spat out were enough to sadden the listener, bringing tears to their eyes.

“Dong dong! Dong dong!”

“Xu Shi has come, the air is dry, be careful with fire and candles!”

At that moment, the sound of the night watchman’s call came from outside.

Han Wenxin heard this and was momentarily startled before he hurriedly stood up and deftly straightened his clothes and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes.

“It’s the hour of the dog. Time to go to the brothel to listen to the music,” he said.

…..

Jishi Hall, kitchen.

Thick smoke billowed, and crackling sounds came from under the stove.

The water in the pot had not yet boiled.

An Jing looked at the stove and then added some more firewood.

“Son-in-law, are you boiling water for drinking?”

At this moment, Tan Yun’s voice came from outside the door.

“It’s water for washing feet. Do you want some?”

An Jing glanced at Tan Yun and then said somewhat curiously, “What’s the matter with you? You look listless all day. Are you sick?”

Ever since he and Li Fuzhou returned earlier today, Tan Yun had been acting very strangely, not speaking a word and looking rather pale.

“Smelly son-in-law! I certainly won’t drink that foot-washing water!”

Tan Yun’s delicate nose wrinkled slightly, and then she hesitated as if wanting to say more.

“Something’s off with you.”

An Jing looked at Tan Yun and said, “If you talk about it, maybe I can help you solve your worries. After all, I am quite adept at understanding others.”

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” Tan Yun huffed, acting haughtily.

“Crackle, pop!”

The fire under the stove roared, and the water in the pot showed signs of boiling.

“The foot-washing water is almost ready. If you don’t speak up, I’m going to wash my feet,” An Jing pretended to prepare to fetch the water and leave.

“Wait!” Tan Yun heard this and quickly said, “Son-in-law, hold on, I want to ask you a question.”

“Speak,” An Jing replied.

He knew that Tan Yun seemed to have something to say.

In this household, it seemed she was scared of Li Fuzhou and Zhao Qingmei, but she was not afraid of him.

However, An Jing didn’t think too much about it. After all, Zhao Qingmei was Tan Yun’s mistress, who must have been strict at home, and that old fellow Li Fuzhou had a real talent for scolding, even frequently berating Xiaoli just as harshly, much less Tan Yun.

Although Tan Yun had been a maid for a substantial time, she was sometimes rather clumsy.

An Jing even thought that when Zhao Qingmei’s family fell into decline, perhaps it was because Tan Yun was too clumsy to be sold, leading her to follow Zhao Qingmei from Yujing City to this Jiangnan Dao.

Tan Yun was completely unaware of An Jing’s thoughts.

Suddenly, she pursed her lips, then walked over and squatted down next to An Jing, looking at the flames under the stove, “Son-in-law, you’re a doctor, you should know best, what does it really mean to be dead?”

An Jing looked at Tan Yun in surprise. Was this haughty little maid also interested in studying philosophy now?

“Why do you ask that?”

Tan Yun bit her lower lip, puffing up in frustration, “What do you mean by that look, son-in-law? I just want to know, what’s wrong with that?”

“Everyone dies; it’s the natural order,” An Jing picked up some firewood and spoke slowly, “To be born in this world is to walk toward death, and one must inevitably experience death three times.”

“Three times?” Tan Yun asked, puzzled.

An Jing nodded gently, then solemnly said, “When the heart stops beating, the pulse disappears, and the body shows no signs of life, that is the first death—the physical death, as doctors and healers say.”

“When people place the body in the coffin, erect a stele, set up the soul tablet, and mourn, proclaiming to the world, that is the second death, also to declare death to this world.”

“And when the last person who remembers you vanishes from this world, that is the third death, the true death.”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun felt a slight tremor in her heartstrings.

When the last person who remembers you disappears from this world, that is the true death. If I keep them all in my heart, does that mean they are not truly dead?

“Don’t think too much about it. Just go back and have a good sleep; why fret about so many troubles?”

An Jing chuckled, then poured the water from the pot into a basin, “I’ve saved some foot-washing water for you; just remember to put the fire out,” he said.

With that, he picked up the washbasin and walked toward the bedroom.

“Smelly son-in-law, you just like to order me around,”

Tan Yun watched An Jing’s retreating back, her lips curling into a teasing smile.

……

In the bedroom.

Zhao Qingmei took off her shoes and socks, revealing her delicate feet, and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Madam, the foot-washing water is ready,”

An Jing walked in slowly holding the washbasin and placed it in front of Zhao Qingmei.

The water was just the right temperature, still steaming.

Zhao Qingmei curiously said, “There’s an old saying, ‘Idle breeds mischief, either treacherous or thievish…’”

“Conscience of heaven and earth.”

An Jing said with a face full of grievance, “The lady always prepares my footbath, so what’s wrong with me preparing one for her once? My lady, you are just overthinking…”

As he spoke, An Jing placed Zhao Qingmei’s feet into the water.

“Really?”

Zhao Qingmei raised an eyebrow.

An Jing chuckled, “My lady, you had a hard time managing the clinic this afternoon, am I not just rewarding you for your hard work?”

As he spoke, An Jing quickly removed his own shoes and socks as well, and then placed them into the wooden basin.

Zhao Qingmei touched her own fragrant shoulder and said, “That’s just right, my shoulders are a bit sore too. Later, you should give me a good massage.”

Cao Ling’er’s situation had already been explained to her by Li Fuzhou, and she was very clear about it; she didn’t take it too much to heart.

“Alright, I learned this massage technique from a master in the past.”

An Jing chuckled mischievously.

“Master? What master?” Zhao Qingmei asked curiously when she heard this.

“No, it’s nothing.”

An Jing realized he had accidentally let something slip in the heat of the moment, then said, “Didn’t you say you wanted to go out to enjoy the greenery? How about tomorrow? I just observed the stars last night and found that tomorrow will be a clear day, perfect for an outing.”

Zhao Qingmei thought for a moment and said, “Tomorrow I want to go to Wang’s Cloth Store to buy some fabric, and then buy some cotton. After all, winter is approaching, isn’t it? We should prepare some new clothes.”

Tomorrow there’s a big task for you, my husband, so just wait for me to come back home.

“That sounds good.”

An Jing nodded, then something occurred to him, “Since Mr. Zhou has no relatives, let’s make one for him as well.”

Zhou Xianming, who was all alone, truly deserved some pity.

This time, since he came first in the autumn exams, one could consider it a hardship paid off. I wonder how well he will do in the upcoming exams. If he really achieves the Triple Firsts, that would be remarkable.

After all, to call it Triple Firsts, one must come first in all three examinations. Doing well in the first two exams and then being the top scorer in the third does not count as Triple Firsts.

Speaking of having no kin or help, An Jing thought of Jiang Sanjia, who was truly the epitome of having no one; after all, Zhou Xianming could still curry favor, which he seemed to lack even the opportunity to do.

If Zhou Xianming goes to Yujing City for the exam and happens to meet Jiang Sanjia there.

Thinking of this, An Jing couldn’t help but smile; it seemed like an interesting prospect….

Zhou brother, Zhou brother, you haven’t even gone to Yujing City, and you already have an acquaintance.

“What are you laughing at?”

Zhao Qingmei, seeing An Jing silent for so long, couldn’t help but poke his chest with her finger.

An Jing came back to his senses and said, “It’s nothing. I was just thinking, if Mr. Zhou scores high, then aren’t we also basking in his reflected glory?”

“That depends on whether Mr. Zhou has the ability to score high. The title of top scholar isn’t that easy to clinch,” Zhao Qingmei said, stretching out her delicate hand and removing the hairpin from her hair, causing her hair to cascade down like a waterfall.

In the faint candlelight, she appeared even more gentle and beautiful.

“My lady, you are truly beautiful,” An Jing said softly, stepping on Zhao Qingmei’s feet and smiling.

“What mischief are you up to now?” Zhao Qingmei immediately felt a tingling in her feet and couldn’t help but spit gently.

“What mischief could your brother possibly be up to? Isn’t it all for your sake?”

“I don’t believe your sweet words anymore. You said the same thing last time.”

…..

The next day.

The sky was clear and cerulean, with unblemished, wispy clouds and a vast expanse of blue.

It was a perfectly sunny day, seemingly an auspicious day as well.

The pleasant sunshine poured down, covering the bustling and lively Yu State City.

In the western part of the city, in a secluded courtyard where no one was around, Xi Jikui practiced with his Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings as usual, the cutting winds from the rings crisp, accompanied by a whistling sound, chilling to the bone.

Whether in biting cold or sweltering heat, early summer or late autumn, he always trained like this.

To become a master, the first thing to learn is solitude.

These were the teachings of his father Xi Yuanjun, a saying deeply ingrained in his mind. For thirty years, he had practiced thousands of times each day with the double rings, curbing any wild ambitions in his heart.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…”

The autumn wind howled, making Xi Jikui’s clothes flutter noisily.

Xi Jikui put away the double rings, lightly exhaled a breath, and his eyes deepened.

“Thirty-one years, gone in the blink of an eye…”

He remembered, it was also a season bridging late autumn and early winter.

….

Thirty years ago, Xi Family of Yujing City.

“Practice martial arts?”

Xi Jikui teased the fighting dog in front of him, languidly saying, “I won’t go, that’s too tiresome. Father, your martial arts are already so high, and you’re even the Great Heavenly Gang of the Xuanyi Guard nowadays. Do I still need to practice martial arts?”

His father, Xi Yuanjun, who was one of the hottest Great Heavenly Gangs of the Xuanyi Guard, a favorite before the Chief Governor, held a high position and wielded great power, and might even have the chance to be promoted to Vice Governor in the future.

This exact reason rendered Xi Jikui complacent and content with his situation, turning him into a well-known pampered scion in Yujing City, often hanging out with the Third Prince.

But some act like a prodigal, while others truly are prodigals.

Xi Yuanjun stood aside, his brow furrowed as he watched Xi Jikui, who spent his days fighting dogs, gambling on cocks, and playing with crickets. He then smiled and said, “Jikui, what fun is there in fighting dogs alone? Let your father join you for a better time.”

Upon hearing this, Xi Jikui immediately perked up, “Alright, father, come here, let me show you. This is my General Mighty, currently on a seventeen-match winning streak in the dog-fighting arena. Even the Third Prince is envious, and if we could reach thirty consecutive wins…”

Usually, his father would scold him for his lack of education, spending his days on nothing but dog fighting and women. Now he had to show his real talent and let his father see that he had a knack for this too.

The maid nearby trembled slightly at the sight of the fierce dog; just recently, this dog, having broken free from its leash, had bitten a servant to death, a scene she witnessed with her own eyes.

Afterward, Xi Yuanjun and Xi Jikui began walking dogs, and after tiring of that, they fought cocks, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

“You know, this is actually quite fun.”

Xi Yuanjun played with a parrot for a while, his laughter deepening.

Seeing this, Xi Jikui proudly said, “Father, didn’t I tell you? How is practicing martial arts as fun as this? I have even more interesting things to show you, let’s go see.”

“What’s that?”

“Come, father, I’ll take you to see. You’ll know once we enter.”

So saying, the two of them arrived at a room in the corner, which was constructed very peculiarly, with no windows and not a single crack.

There were two guards standing at the door of the room. Upon seeing Xi Jikui and Xi Yuanjun approaching, they promptly said,

“This subordinate pays respects to the master! Young master!”

“Move aside, move aside, today I’ll show my treasured pet to father.”

Xi Jikui waved his hand and then pushed the door open.

The moment the door opened, a putrid stench hit their faces.

Xi Yuanjun slightly raised an eyebrow, and following Xi Jikui inside, saw that the room was smoothly plastered with a large pool beside it containing eels and loaches, and several live chickens nearby.

In a corner, there was a pit that sank into the ground, resembling a lair about a half a meter deep, with sand and straw on the bottom and wood planks on top.

At that moment, a python with a diameter of nearly ten inches, displaying shades of blue and white, lay in that nest, flicking its tongue out as they entered.

Upon seeing the python, a hint of pride flashed in Xi Jikui’s eyes, and he boasted, “Father, this is the flower python I’m raising.”

Xi Yuanjun, unfazed, said, “Not bad, looks quite appetizing.”

“Father, it cost five hundred taels of silver…”

Xi Jikui, jolted by hearing this, hastily said, “We’ve had enough dog fighting; let’s go play with crickets—that’s really fun.”

He couldn’t bear the thought of using his beloved flower python to make wine.

“Good, since there’s nothing pressing lately, I can indeed spend some time playing with you,” Xi Yuanjun readily agreed.

“Sir!”

Just then, a hurried voice came from outside.

“The Chief Governor requests your presence, sir, saying there’s important business to discuss.”

The Chief Governor!?

Hearing these three words, Xi Jikui couldn’t help but tremble inside.

The Chief Governor was none other than the head of the Xuanyi Guard, the real chief, someone close to the Human Emperor and renowned across the land, with the capability to command respect from 99 percent of the sects.

Xi Yuanjun waved his hand and said, “Tell the Great Commander I’m busy at home with dog fighting and cock fighting.”

“This….”

The Silver Constable at the door was stunned; was this really something Xi Yuanjun would say?

Summoned by the Chief Governor, and he was refusing the call over dog and cock fighting?

“Father, are you crazy?”

Xi Jikui blurted out in astonishment, “That’s a summons from the Chief Governor.”

Xi Yuanjun waved his hand, laughing, “No worries, I’ve been toiling for the court everyday, not resting for a long time, nor spending time with Jikui. This time, we must truly enjoy ourselves.”

Xi Jikui nodded hesitantly, saying, “Alright… alright.”

For the next few days, Xi Yuanjun didn’t attend roll call but stayed at home with Xi Jikui walking dogs, fighting cocks, playing with crickets, raising exotic animals and having a blast.

Until this day, the Deputy Head of Xuanyi Guard personally came to the house; only then did Xi Yuanjun briefly leave home to go to the Chief Governor Mansion.

Xi Jikui was not worried; instead, he looked forward to Xi Yuanjun’s return.

“Today is the thirtieth match, and if I win big today, I, Xi Jikui, will surely become famous throughout the dog-fighting arenas of Yujing City.”

Xi Jikui stroked the fierce dog lying on the ground, his heart brimming with pride.

“Young master, something terrible has happened!”

Suddenly, a beautiful maid rushed over, her face filled with panic.

“What’s the matter? What’s there to panic about?”

An Jing frowned impatiently and said,

“Even if the sky falls, my father An Yuanjun will hold it up. Besides, the sky is clear, how could it possibly fall?”

“Master, he… Master…” The maid was gasping for breath, unable to utter a complete sentence.

“What happened to my father?” An Jing said urgently upon hearing this.

Just then, under the moon cave, the steward led two guards carrying a stretcher over.

On the stretcher lay An Yuanjun, covered in blood and barely alive.

“Father!”

An Jing hurried over, then quickly turned to the guard beside him and asked, “What happened to my father?”

Wiping his tears, the steward replied, “Young Master, Lord An disregarded the law and neglected his duties. The Chief Governor executed a hundred lashes as a warning to others. The iron ridge whip and breaking strength crossbow were both made of mother-son Xuan Yang iron. If not for the Lord’s profound cultivation, he might not have made it back this time…”

“What!?” An Jing couldn’t help but cry out in shock.

He knew the severity of the iron ridge whip, and during the whipping, one couldn’t use inner strength. How could anyone survive a hundred lashes?

Even a First Grade expert would be seriously injured if not killed!

An Yuanjun weakly opened his eyes and said, “Kui… my son, bring over that mighty general. Today there’s still the thirtieth great victory…”

“Father!”

An Jing’s heart trembled. He wasn’t foolish; he knew his father’s words were meant for him.

He also instantly understood An Yuanjun’s intention.

Looking at An Yuanjun lying on the stretcher covered in blood, An Jing clenched his teeth, then grabbed the guard’s sword beside him and chopped off the head of a nearby vicious dog, “From today onward, I’ll never engage in dogfighting or cockfighting again.”

The dog’s head rolled away, and its blood spilled all over the ground.

……

An Jing’s eyes became more piercing, and although he hadn’t moved the dragon and phoenix double rings in his hand, they seemed to emit a buzzing sound of trembling qi.

The Fourth Realm!

He had been in the Fourth Realm for a number of years. An Yuanjun once said that with his talent, reaching the Fourth Realm was his limit, and the hope of reaching the Fifth Realm wasn’t great.

An Jing didn’t believe it. He secretly vowed to reach the Fifth Realm, to achieve the same heights as his father.

Following in his father’s footsteps was his lifelong dream.

Just then, a quiet footstep sounded.

“Who is it?!”

A chill ran through An Jing’s heart.

With his cultivation, anyone who could approach within fifteen meters unnoticed was a renowned expert in the world, even if he had been slightly distracted just now.

Following the footsteps, he saw a figure in a black robe under the sun.

He couldn’t clearly make out the person’s face, not because the robe covered it, but because the surrounding qi clouded the view.

However, the figure was somewhat familiar to An Jing.

“You… you are…”

An Jing suddenly realized something, “Are you Jiang Shang?!”

Jiang Shang!

Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang of the Demon Sect!

Even though this person had not caused trouble in the Great Yan Martial World for a long time, just hearing the name still made many people tremble with fear and dread.

Under Jiang Shang’s leadership, the Demon Sect was rampant and brazen, wreaking havoc in the Great Yan Martial World, destroying sects as if they were nothing compared to the Xuanyi Guard.

It’s important to note that among the sects surrounded and annihilated by the Xuanyi Guard, some had dark connections with Zhao Country or Houjin.

The Demon Sect, however, destroyed sects on a whim, with only one rule:

Favor me, and you will thrive; oppose me, and you will perish!

Eventually, under Jiang Shang’s tyrannical actions, the Demon Sect was besieged by forces led by the Zhenyi Sect, aided by the seven major sects and the Xuanyi Guard, and was eventually defeated and driven out of the Great Yan Martial World.

Even so, the Demon Sect’s influence still spread far and wide to this day.

The figure in front of him resembled very closely to the Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang who had fought Xiao Qianqiu on Zhenyi Mountain; An Jing could not possibly forget.

The figure in his mind gradually overlapped with the one in front of him, almost identical.

“Some people are busy living, others are busy dying.”

The person in the black robe gave a faint smile and said, “Clearly, you are the latter.”

Hearing this, An Jing’s heart pounded wildly.

This person was here to kill him.

Sect Hierarch Jiang Shang of the Demon Sect was here to kill him!

“No, you can’t possibly be Jiang Shang.”

An Jing’s spirit tensed, and he cried out, “Jiang Shang is already dead, he’s dead.”

“Did you see it with your own eyes?” The person in the black robe’s tone seemed to carry a hint of mockery.

Xi Jikui’s eyebrows slightly raised.

That day, he had witnessed Xiao Qianqiu strike Jiang Shang right between the eyebrows with one finger.

A Grandmaster’s single finger, moreover, had hit Jiang Shang directly between the eyebrows, and Jiang Shang must have been severely injured.

It is known that Li Fuzhou, after being hit by a palm from Xi Yuanjun, had not recovered his strength for three years, and both were at the realm of Half-step Masters.

But Xiao Qianqiu and Jiang Shang were in the realm of Grandmasters.

Jiang Shang, even if he hadn’t died, had become almost useless.

Yet, Jiang Shang’s appearance now showed he hadn’t died, but he must have been severely injured.

“You survived a strike from Sect Leader Xiao and yet haven’t died, but your strength may not be at its peak anymore,” he said.

Xi Jikui’s eyebrows furrowed tightly, “To dare appear here today, Sect Leader Jiang is indeed very bold.”

His emotions at this moment were extremely complex, filled with surprise, joy, and fear, all mixed together.

“To kill you, I only need one finger,”

The man in the black robe spoke in a calm tone, with his hands behind his back, as if he were discussing a trivial matter.

Even Xi Jikui felt a touch of anger upon hearing this, as the man before him completely regarded him as nothing but an ant.

In this martial world where Grandmasters seldom appeared, how many people could kill him with one move?!

Even if his father exerted his full power, he could withstand five moves.

“Swish!” “Swish!”

Xi Jikui let out a cold laugh as he moved his hands, causing the Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings in his hands to shudder.

Suddenly, the sounds of dragons roaring and phoenixes crying echoed into the distance.

But the next moment, Xi Jikui’s eyes seemed to blur, and he saw the figure in the black robe before him turning into an illusion, then transforming into someone he was even more familiar with.

The man clearly held the Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings, but you couldn’t feel their presence.

Xi Yuanjun!

It was Xi Jikui’s father, Xi Yuanjun, the Vice Commandant of the Xuanyi Guard.

“You… Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms!”

Xi Jikui suddenly thought of something.

As a high-ranking expert of the Xuanyi Guard, he was naturally very familiar with the people of the Demon Sect, who mostly practice the Blood Demon Technique, while some real elite core members practice the Earth Demon Technique of the True Martial level.

People like Li Fuzhou, Huo Zhongyun, and Ghost-faced Buddha were practitioners of the Earth Demon Technique.

In the Demon Sect, only the Sect Hierarch could practice the Heavenly Martial level Heavenly Demon Technique.

Buddhism emphasizes formlessness, while the Demon Sect’s Heavenly Demon Technique emphasizes myriad forms.

The person before him was Jiang Shang, practicing the Heavenly Demon Technique, so it was normal for him to transform into his father’s likeness.

Xi Yuanjun was also one of Xi Jikui’s inner demons.

“Hmph!”

Xi Jikui snorted coldly, “Does the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect also resort to such tricks?”

The figure of ‘Xi Yuanjun’ didn’t speak but slowly walked towards him.

With each step, a black and white flow of Qi appeared beneath his feet.

Heavenly Demon Qi!?

Actually, the Heavenly Demon Qi Li Fuzhou spoke of isn’t really Heavenly Demon Qi, as he practices the Earth Demon Technique, just combining it with his Vast Righteous Qi.

The Qi released by Jiang Shang was even purer and relentless.

As Jiang Shang approached, the black and white Qi formed lotuses step by step, the lotuses mysterious and eerie, filling the whole courtyard, encasing him as if an invisible giant hand had tightly trapped him.

“Step by Step Lotus, Heavenly Demon Qi!?”

At this moment, Xi Jikui felt as if he had hit rock bottom, Jiang Shang in front of him didn’t look like someone who had suffered great injuries.

“Heavenly Demon Technique…”

Suddenly, Xi Jikui seemed to realize something, and a gasp escaped his heart, “You, you aren’t Jiang Shang!”

In the Demon Sect, only the Sect Hierarch could practice the Heavenly Demon Technique and comprehend the Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms.

If the person wasn’t Jiang Shang, it was clear who he must be.

Recently, the Xuanyi Guard had received a secret message, the Demon Sect had appointed a new Sect Hierarch.

The identity of this person was currently unknown, as was his strength.

In an instant, Xi Jikui felt as if he were caught in a tsunami, the person before him was the newly appointed Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect!?

He had actually come to the Great Yan!?

No one would probably expect, the newly appointed Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect had actually come to the Great Yan, and was right inside Yu State City.

The silhouette of Xi Yuanjun once again became blurry, this time turning into a dark mist.

The Qi around him converged like a tide, gathering together in a moment.

“Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!” “Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!”

The Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings in Xi Jikui’s hands began to tremble uncontrollably, emitting a whistling sound as if terrified.

“I really want to see the techniques of the Demon Sect Hierarch.”

Xi Jikui knew he couldn’t just sit and wait for death. Immediately, his inner strength wildly converged in his arms, and the Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings, reinforced by inner strength, finally stopped trembling.

“Roar!” “Swoosh!”

A golden dragon and a phoenix emerged from the Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings, subsequently emitting two deafening sounds.

Xi Jikui’s body leapt up; he grasped as if catching a dragon and a phoenix, his qi mechanism surging wildly around him.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

Because the qi force interwove, a bursting sound resounded throughout heaven and earth.

“What’s going on!?”

“Master Xi seems to be fighting with a top expert.”

“Who is this person?”

……

The expert Xuanyi Guards in the courtyard were all shaken and crazily rushed toward this side.

Xi Jikui soared into the mid-air carrying an unstoppable momentum, and then a cold gleam appeared in his eyes as he thrust the Dragon and Phoenix Double Rings forward.

“Swoosh!”

The air erupted with a piercing sound, chilling everyone’s hearts.

Dragon and Phoenix Auspicious!

The impact of qi force came like golden dragons and phoenixes charging together, accompanied by a rolling surge of qi force, like dragons and phoenixes soaring through clouds and mists, causing the expert Xuanyi Guards around to tremble in their hearts.

First Grade Heavenly Flower at its peak, was this the terrifying strength it provided?

Everyone stared intensely at the person in the black mist ahead, not even daring to breathe.

The person raised his arm, and the surrounding black mist stood immovably like mountains before suddenly pointing forward.

At that moment when he lifted his arm, everyone including Xi Jikui felt a wild trembling in their hearts, as if their hearts were about to jump out of their throats.

Above in the sky, what was originally clear weather seemed obscured by dark clouds, and a fierce wind swept across the land turning into countless sharp blades, lifting the tiles around.

The pointed light streaked across like a shooting star.

This scene occurred extremely quickly, merely in the blink of an eye.

That streak of light, like a shooting star, began to transform at a visible rate, and in Xi Jikui’s eyes, it seemed to instantly turn into a sky-reaching giant pillar.

“Boom!” “Boom!”

As the Sky-reaching Giant Pillar descended, it felt like a massive mountain falling, carrying the weight of tens of thousands of pounds, compressing the air to emit a colossal sound.

Underneath the Sky-reaching Giant Pillar, everyone felt extremely insignificant, as lowly as a floating organism, a speck of dust.

The previously domineering golden dragons and phoenixes touched the giant pillar and instantaneously shattered, turning into waves of qi force spreading to both sides.

As the Sky-reaching Giant Pillar shattered the golden dragons and phoenixes, it continued to fall without any sign of weakening.

“Half-step Master or Grandmaster!?”

Xi Jikui was stunned, his pupils filled only with the reflection of that descending pillar.

The expert Xuanyi Guards around seemed to have turned to stone, their bodies fixed in place, motionless.

“Thud!”

The moment the Sky-reaching Giant Pillar finally landed, the earth began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake had occurred.

Then, waves of qi force erupted from the courtyard as the center, turning into endless raging waves, furiously lashing out all around.

Xi Jikui, the Xuanyi Guards, and other experts, along with courtyards, trees, pavilions, stone gates… everything seemed to be swept up by the raging waves, turning into dust.

In the midst of the qi waves, the black mist gradually dissipated, revealing an exceptionally beautiful face.

“Say I kill you with one finger, then it’s one finger.”

Zhao Qingmei spoke indifferently, walking away with lotus steps.

Behind her, the explosion sound echoed continuously, the turbulence was incessant, and clouds of smoke and dust rose everywhere.

……..

Jishi Hall.

The sunlight was just right, the breeze gentle.

Today was an excellent day.

An Jing sat in a Grandmaster’s chair, enjoying the warm sunlight, holding an ancient medical book in his hands.

His wife went shopping, Li Fuzhou had gone out apparently busy with his Demon Sect affairs, and recently, there had been fewer people coming to the pharmacy for consultations, giving him quite a bit of leisure.

This moment was a perfect time to study; as a doctor, he should engage in deeds that benefit the populace.

An Jing was pondering how modern medical techniques could integrate with, and absorb from, ancient medical methods to promote his methods of nourishing life and vitality.

Live old, learn old, use old, naturally one must also be nourished till old.

Since ancient times, only curiosity can lead to exploration, and exploration can promote development.

“Solidifying essence, locking Yang, and enhancing longevity… Is this method useful?”

An Jing murmured softly to himself.

“Son-in-law, are you looking for the secret formula to immortality?”

Just at that moment, Tan Yun came over with a plate of washed grapes and placed it next to An Jing’s table.

“Longevity?”

An Jing chuckled lightly, “As a doctor, I already have a unique understanding of nurturing longevity. Do I still need to find secret formulas in medical books? I am merely drawing some references.”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun felt a bit surprised, “Son-in-law understands the way to immortality too?”

You should know, from ancient times to the present, countless emperors have indulged in the quest for immortality. One of the major reasons the great grandmasters are so rare nowadays is their ambition to reach the grandmaster realm and achieve those three hundred years of lifespan.

Immortality, whether for noble families, wealthy merchants, princes and generals, or reclusive experts, holds a fatal attraction.

“Of course.”

An Jing closed his book, then picked up a grape and put it in his mouth, “Through diagnosing patients over the years, I indeed uncovered some mysteries about immortality.”

Listening to this, Tan Yun immediately became interested, “Son-in-law, tell me about it.”

Most people in the world can’t resist the secrets to longevity.

“This mystery of immortality, I usually don’t tell ordinary people.”

An Jing said this and paused before continuing, “But you are different. I wouldn’t mind telling you…”

Tan Yun’s eyes widened eagerly as she hurriedly said, “Son-in-law, just tell me whatever you want to eat, spicy rabbit head, fermented black bean flavored rabbit, tangerine peel rabbit, dry shredded rabbit…”

An Jing glanced at the two big, rabbits on his chest, “Actually, no need to go through so much trouble…”

Just a plain, white rabbit will do.

After all, who dares to eat what Tan Yun makes….

“Then son-in-law, what do you want to do?” Tan Yun pouted and asked, “I was even ready to show my family’s secret skills, yet you’re not satisfied.”

An Jing thought for a moment and said, “How about this, lend me Little Blacky for a couple of days?”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun immediately looked alarmed and asked, “Son-in-law, what are you planning?”

Lately, An Jing always stared at Little Blacky as if with nefarious intentions.

“Arf! Woof!”

Just then, Little Blacky joyfully ran out. It seemed to hear An Jing mention ‘Little Blacky,’ instinctively braked with his hind legs, and cautiously approached Tan Yun, defensively eyeing An Jing.

An Jing faced Little Blacky, a hint of a cold smile playing on his lips, “Winter’s here, and in this cold weather, what we most need is something warm to nourish us, especially dog meat, and even more so if it’s black dog meat — that’s truly nourishing.”

“And there’s a saying, the aroma of dog meat would make even an immortal jump the wall. I’ll cook it myself this time, how about preparing a dog feast for you all?”

“Son-in-law, you’re really wicked!”

Tan Yun glared at An Jing, “I don’t want to eat Little Blacky, I’ve raised him for three months already.”

“Woof woof! Woof woof!”

Hearing Tan Yun’s words, Little Blacky excitedly circled around her, justifying his recent efforts in licking…

“I’ve spent a lot of energy and time, it’s been such hard work.”

Tan Yun squatted down and petted Little Blacky, saying, “Only if you give me three big bowls and a dog leg!”

An Jing: “….”

Little Blacky was just so small, and Tan Yun still wanted three big bowls; it seems she really likes Little Blacky.

And Little Blacky, with wide eyes, as if to say: Do you hear what you’re saying?

“Oh come on!”

Tan Yun stood up and said, “Son-in-law, just tell me, I even washed the grapes for you.”

“Washing grapes is useless to me, you didn’t feed them to me either.”

An Jing muttered to himself, then cleared his throat and said, “Alright, I’ll just tell you then.”

Listened to this, Tan Yun immediately pricked up her ears.

“From diagnosing patients over the years and studying medical books, I found out that most people who live long lives are widowers, old bachelors, rogues or eunuchs. They all share a common trait and that’s the secret to longevity.”

“What trait?”

“Being wifeless.”

“Wifeless!?”

Tan Yun’s eyes widened as she looked at An Jing, about to speak when she noticed the clear sky outside suddenly fill with dense clouds, followed by fierce winds swirling around.

“Yes, practice proves the truth, without women, men naturally live longer.”

An Jing sighed lightly, “But at the same time, it also means less happiness, which is the dilemma of not being able to have the best of both worlds. Right now, my research and exploration is focused on how to achieve both.”

Saying this, he picked up the teacup on the table.

“Boom!” “Boom!”

Just then, the earth began to shake violently.

The teacup in An Jing’s hand became unsteady, and the tea splashed all over him.

“Fuck, it’s an earthquake, run!”

Saying this, An Jing immediately grabbed Tan Yun’s hand and ran toward the outside.