My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 266 - : Lament the Impermanence of Life and the World

Chapter 266: Chapter 266: Lament the Impermanence of Life and the World

Dongluo Pass.

The setting sun gave way to a sky filled with wind and sand.

With evening approaching, the number of people on the highway gradually dwindled.

Under the poplar trees lining the road, there stood a stunningly beautiful woman in white, her gaze following the horizon, a rare gentleness in her eyes.

This woman was none other than Zhao Qingmei.

Behind her were Tan Yun, Yu Qiurong, Duanmu Xinghua, Lin Tianhai, along with many other experts from the Demon Sect.

...

At that moment, Duanmu Xinghua couldn’t help but feel nostalgic as she looked into the distance, “The last time I saw the Great Elder was thirty years ago…”

Before Jun Qinglin went into seclusion, he was the pinnacle of martial artists. To seasoned Demon Sect experts like her, they were still considered junior in front of Jun Qinglin.

And experts of his age, ninety-nine percent of them had already become dust, leaving him alone in this jianghu.

“Thirty years really flew by so fast.”

Lin Tianhai also nodded in agreement at her side.

Although both Zhao Qingmei and An Jing were Second Qi Grandmaster experts, especially An Jing, who had defeated the Exalted Vajra and emerged unscathed from Blue Sky Island, sending shockwaves throughout the jianghu, in the hearts of the older generation of Demon Sect experts, Jun Qinglin’s prestige remained unmatched.

Li Fuzhou, the Poison King, Mu Xiaoyun, and others stood behind, their eyes filled with curiosity.

Li Fuzhou had only heard about Jun Qinglin and had never seen this ‘Three-feet of Pure White’ Jun Qinglin for himself; today was the perfect opportunity to witness this legendary supreme expert.

And Mu Xiaoyun had been thoroughly entrusted with a key position, becoming the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat, controlling the Demon Sect’s livelihood and financial power, and thus was part of the Demon Sect’s upper echelons.

Zhao Qingmei was anxious inside, but her face remained calm.

Every time she thought of the gossip in Yujing City, her fists would clench subconsciously: An Jing, I must teach you a lesson.

At this moment, on the highway bathed in the afterglow of the sunset, a figure appeared in their line of sight.

Dressed in white, with a longsword hanging at his waist, his face was indistinct, but the mere sight of his figure made it clear who he was.

Zhao Qingmei’s eyes lit up, as if all the anger in her stomach vanished in an instant, and the corners of her mouth lifted unconsciously.

As if all the grudges in her heart were brushed away the moment she saw him.

Duanmu Xinghua said, “It’s An Tributor!”

Who else could it be but An Jing?

Soon, An Jing approached, gazing at the one he had missed day and night, he said, “I got held up by some matters on the way.”

“It’s good you’re back.”

Zhao Qingmei handed over An Jing’s bundle to Yu Qiurong, then asked, “By the way, where is the Great Elder?”

Duanmu Xinghua, Li Fuzhou, and the others all looked over, a hint of confusion in their eyes.

Hadn’t it been agreed that An Tributor would return with the Great Elder?

Why did they only see An Jing now and not Jun Qinglin?

An Jing glanced in the direction of the Sealing Demon Platform and said, “The Great Elder has gone back to the Sealing Demon Platform.”

Zhao Qingmei understood immediately and said, “The Great Elder must not be accustomed to this anymore; let’s not disturb him.”

Everyone sighed, yet they expressed understanding.

An Jing nodded slightly and then swept his gaze past everyone behind Zhao Qingmei to Lin Tianhai, he bowed with his hands clasped and said, “Section Leader Lin, I apologize for any offense I may have caused previously; I hope you can forgive me.”

Back at the Four Symbols Sect, An Jing had once threatened this Azure Dragon Seat Section Leader with his sword.

Seeing this, the Poison King and Li Fuzhou both revealed an odd smile, clearly understanding the implication in An Jing’s words.

Lin Tianhai’s face turned red as he replied, “No need for such formalities, An Tributor. A little conflict is how we got to know each other. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten all about it.”

An Jing thought to himself: I didn’t mention any specifics and he already took the bait; obviously, he hasn’t forgotten but has remembered it firmly instead.

Li Fuzhou laughed heartily, “What a phrase, ‘familiarity starts with a fight.’ But that’s not what Section Leader Lin said at the time, you said that…”

Lin Tianhai glared at Li Fuzhou, “Let’s not dredge up old affairs, Sect Master Li.”

The Poison King, Liu Simiao, teased with a twinkle in his eye, “What old affairs? It was something that just happened this year, wasn’t it?”

Duanmu Xinghua could tell that Li Fuzhou and Liu Simiao were playing off each other, but she didn’t know the details, so she asked, “Did some misunderstanding happen here?”

Liu Simiao chuckled, “Let me tell you, Duanmu Sect Leader.”

Instantly, Lin Tianhai’s face turned crimson, and he soared forward, covering Liu Simiao’s mouth with his hand, growling; “Damn you, old Liu, I’ll kill you!”

Liu Simiao’s mouth was covered by Lin Tianhai, rendering him utterly speechless.

Duanmu Xinghua saw the unseemly Lin Tianhai and couldn’t help but shake her head.

“Hahaha!” “Hahaha!”

Li Fuzhou and An Jing burst into laughter.

Zhao Qingmei asked curiously, “What exactly happened?”

Yu Qiurong, too, spun her eyes around, brimming with curiosity…

An Jing said with a laugh, “I’ll tell you tonight.”

Zhao Qingmei rolled her seductive eyes at An Jing, “You always say you’ll tell me at night.”

Then, everyone walked towards Dongluo Pass while chatting and laughing.

An Jing’s once gloomy mood also improved quite a bit.

Only Tan Yun, who was hiding behind everyone, just quietly watched An Jing without saying a word.

In her heart, there was actually a tsunami brewing, but this time she didn’t let anyone know, just quietly standing aside, remaining silent.

……

The earth under the moonlight was solid and steady, like a vast and broad chest, comforting everything to sleep soundly in its embrace.

After the Dongluo Tower was rebuilt, Zhao Qingmei moved her residence back to the Dongluo Garden behind the tower.

As the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, naturally, she couldn’t live in a small courtyard house. However, because of the clash between An Jing and Zhao Qingmei, the Dongluo Tower was destroyed, resulting in the Dongluo Garden behind it being affected, forcing her to temporarily stay in the courtyard house.

Inside the bedroom, on the bed.

Zhao Qingmei was lying on top of An Jing, looking left and right, sniffing around as though searching for something.

“What’s the matter, do I have flowers on me?”

An Jing, puzzled, looked at Zhao Qingmei, who seemed to be treasure hunting.

“Nothing.”

Zhao Qingmei searched for a long time and found nothing, which didn’t relax her expression but instead made her frown even more.

“As long as it’s nothing serious.”

An Jing stretched his limbs and said, “These past few days have really been exhausting…”

He had been sleepless for a night on White Bone Mountain, then rushed thousands of miles, and halfway met Zongzheng Huachun. He had been constantly on edge, and even someone with a physique like An Jing’s felt quite fatigued.

Now, lying next to Zhao Qingmei, he finally could breathe a sigh of relief, his eyes tightly shut, looking as though he could fall asleep at any moment.

Zhao Qingmei, leaning on An Jing’s chest, said, “The Earth Sect has always lacked strong experts. It feels like a waste for Qiurong to be just a maid with her current strength. I’m thinking about transferring her to the Earth Sect.”

An Jing, with closed eyes, gently said, “She used to be the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat; now, it would be suitable to make her the Earth Sect Sect Master.”

Zhao Qingmei asked, “What about transferring Liu Simiao to your side?”

“I don’t think that’s necessary; doesn’t the Poison King need to study poison techniques day to day?”

“How could that be okay? I’m not at ease with no one by your side.”

” then do as you wish.”

An Jing naturally saw through Zhao Qingmei’s little schemes but chose not to expose her.

It was merely about having someone keep an eye on him.

Far from being angry, he even felt like chuckling to himself. Could the Poison King Liu Simiao really keep an eye on him?

Seeing An Jing’s listless appearance, Zhao Qingmei was even more upset but didn’t say much more. She just looked at his face that seemed ready to fall asleep at any moment.

When An Jing was just a common doctor, she felt extremely at ease with him, despite knowing she might have to face the vast martial world and carry the pressures of both within the Demon Sect and outside of it all by herself.

But now, An Jing was one of the top Great Sword Immortals in the world. Not only did she no longer need to protect him, but he could also share her worries. However, her heart felt even more uneasy.

It was as if everything was slipping out of her control.

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She couldn’t bear for An Jing to suffer, but she also didn’t want him to suddenly leap to prominence and become the most talked-about person.

The rumors in Yujing City, even though she didn’t believe them and thought them impossible, An Jing didn’t offer any explanations either. What did that mean?

She grabbed An Xiaoruan and said, “I won’t let you sleep.”

An Jing opened his eyes in a daze, looking at the radiant face before him.

Zhao Qingmei continued to tease as she asked, “The Taiping Human Emperor didn’t choose Zhou Xianming as the Prince Consort, did he choose you instead?”

An Jing let out a light laugh and said, “I’ve already married you, how could I make the princess be the secondary wife?”

“What do you mean by ‘little one’?!”

Zhao Qingmei’s eyes widened, her grip involuntarily tightening.

An Jing suddenly felt unbearably constricted and hastily said, “I was just speaking offhandedly, how could I have any other thoughts?”

“Saying it’s not acceptable, even thinking it is even less so.”

Zhao Qingmei’s red lips parted slightly, still holding An Xiao Ruan in her hand, she took it into her mouth.

Only then did An Jing notice something was amiss, “My lady, your cultivation…”

At this moment, Zhao Qingmei’s cultivation was even more profound than his, having reached the pinnacle of Second Qi, just one step away from the Three Qi Realm.

To think that she had reached the Second Qi not long ago, only three months’ time, and now was nearing Three Qi Cultivation, how could this be possible?!

Zhao Qingmei’s lips curved slightly upward, a trace of pride in her heart, “Did you think that just because you became a Great Sword Immortal, you could no longer be suppressed by me? Little Ruan.”

“Could it be the Demon Seed?”

An Jing thought of something and urgently asked, “Is it because of the Demon Seed that your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds?”

Nan Weiping was at the Great Grandmaster Realm, and when she was cultivating Zhao Qingmei’s Demon Seed, she had meddled with it somewhat. Either she would have to undo it herself, or upon her death, Zhao Qingmei would receive all her cultivation.

But with such a lunatic, how could she possibly tell the whole truth.

Zhao Qingmei stammered, “After condensing the Demon Seed, one’s cultivation will indeed greatly increase.”

An Jing’s expression grew severe, “Don’t you feel that the growth is too rapid?”

Zhao Qingmei sat up straight and said, “Too fast? I don’t think so. Hasn’t your cultivation also increased extremely quickly?”

The two fell silent as the lamplight flickered.

Zhao Qingmei’s gaze burned as she looked at An Jing.

At this moment, An Jing too had fully sobered up, having momentarily forgotten the great trouble beneath the Sealing Demon Well.

If this problem couldn’t be resolved, he would ultimately have to take drastic measures, shattering the Demon Seed within him. But would Zhao Qingmei be willing to do that?

Would he himself be willing to dispel all his cultivation and start anew?

The Demon Sect, although seemingly powerful within the Great Yan Martial World, was actually besieged on all sides: Houjin was covetously lying in wait, Black Ice Platform was looking for opportunities to strike at any moment, and the Great Yan Court, despite its promise to support the Demon Sect, was not wholeheartedly committed.

Moreover, Jun Qinglin’s time was running out; whether he could overcome this last obstacle was also uncertain. With crisis upon crisis approaching, An Jing’s brows furrowed deeply.

Seeing this, Zhao Qingmei also raised her brows slightly, “Isn’t this a good thing?”

An Jing spoke softly, “I always feel that it might not be a good thing, that Demon Seed was tampered with by Nan Weiping after all.”

Zhao Qingmei’s rapid increase in cultivation was undoubtedly due to Nan Weiping’s Demon Seed. As for the secrets of the Demon Seed, she had probably only revealed a part, with the majority remaining undisclosed.

“Is that so?”

Zhao Qingmei laughed softly, her voice mixed with unintended confidence, “But the higher my cultivation, the more I can suppress the Demon Seed. As long as my cultivation exceeds Nan Weiping’s, what can her schemes amount to then?”

An Jing looked at Zhao Qingmei and hesitated to speak.

He knew that Zhao Qingmei was forever a woman he couldn’t fully grasp.

Zhao Qingmei was very confident, a confidence that had seeped into her bones.

Just like when she first came to Yu State City, she had been so sure she would marry An Jing.

“Are you awake yet?”

Zhao Qingmei looked at An Xiao Ruan, which was gradually growing larger, “Are you coming or not?”

“I am.”

An Jing replied, knowing that after all the arguing between a man and a woman, it was merely a self-inflicted insult because a woman was always right.

Zhao Qingmei took An Xiao Ruan in her mouth once more.

Delicate as waterbone, her form like a jade mountain, the mandarin duck cover hid a spring breeze within.

With a shudder running through An Jing’s body, the fierce battle ended, leaving only their breaths gasping in the air.

…..

The moonlight was like water, deepening as the night wore on.

In a quiet courtyard in Dongluo Pass, this was the lair of the Poison King, Liu Simiao.

On normal days, aside from his two disciples, hardly anyone visited this place.

Liu Simiao, as usual, returned to his lair, the only place that could provide him a sense of security, a feeling of complete and utter relaxation.

Arriving in the room, he made his way to the secret chamber in the back.

The shelves in the secret chamber were filled with all kinds of bottles and jars, containing the poisons that he had concocted. Among them were the notorious Seven-star Begonia, Three-step Soul Summoning Powder, and Heavenly One Divine Water from the Jianghu.

Each of these bottles and jars bore unique labels for identification.

A careless mistake in handling them was not a trivial matter.

Behind these poisons stood a jade-colored bottle, which had no labels or characters on it.

When Liu Simiao spotted the jade bottle, a glint of light flashed in his eyes. He picked it up and poured it into his hand, revealing a round and lustrous elixir on his palm.

“In one more year, my Hundred Poison Technique will be complete…”

Liu Simiao gazed at the elixir in his hand, the Hundred Poison Pill, made from a hundred types of poisonous herbs.

Every herb carried a toxin, yet each could also cure illnesses and save lives; combined into one, they formed the Hundred Poison Pill in his hand.

With the cultivation of the Hundred Poison Technique and the aid of this Hundred Poison Pill, he could achieve the state of immunity to all poisons.

Without the slightest hesitation, Liu Simiao swallowed the Hundred Poison Pill and, as usual, sat down cross-legged to begin circulating the Hundred Poison Technique.

Inner Strength surged from his Dantian throughout his body, ready to fully absorb the medicinal power of the elixir into his bones.

However, the moment his Inner Strength flowed from his Dantian, a tremendous wave of coldness struck him instantly. His organs felt as if they were shattering, and no amount of circulating Inner Strength could fend off the terrible assault.

“Phwooosh—-!”

Liu Simiao could no longer restrain himself and a jet of blood spurted out.

The black blood splashed against the walls of the secret chamber, immediately sizzling upon contact.

“Poison… poisoned…”

Liu Simiao’s body slumped to the ground, his eyes wide open with rage as he stared at the wall, his chest heaving as if he were a wild beast on the brink of death.

Poisoned!

As one of the four famous physicians in the world, the Poison King, he was well aware that he had been struck by a violent poison.

“Red… Beauty… Drunk…”

Liu Simiao’s thoughts flashed back but, ultimately, he couldn’t draw another breath and ceased breathing.

A generation’s Poison King, in the end, perished from the Red Beauty Drunk poison he had created himself.

…..

The next day.

The body of the Poison King Liu Simiao was laid out in the Heavenly Demon Hall of Dongluo Tower.

Lin Tianhai, Duanmu Xinghua, Li Fuzhou, and others all had gloomy expressions.

“I will find the murderer and have them sliced into a thousand pieces.”

Rage burning in his eyes, Lin Tianhai clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh, unable to be restrained.

The death of Liu Simiao brought an ugly look to the faces of the Demon Sect’s experts, particularly because he had died at the hands of his own poison, which was unsettling and caused much speculation and unease.

At the same time, Liu Simiao’s two disciples, Yu Dou and Zhang Zihao, had disappeared.

This added even more suspicion to the situation. Did they kill the Poison King and fled out of guilt, or were they also victimized?

Everyone knew that things were not as simple as they appeared on the surface. If there was someone behind the disciples, they would not dare to commit such an act of betrayal without good reason. And if these two disciples were also murdered, who could have the audacity?

Who dared to kill the Demon Sect’s Poison King within Dongluo Pass?

Zhao Qingmei issued a direct order to thoroughly search for the whereabouts of the two, to find them alive or dead. Moreover, there was to be an investigation of all suspicious individuals who had entered or left Dongluo Pass in recent times.

Dongluo Pass was a trade hub, with massive numbers of caravans passing through daily, making the search for suspicious individuals extremely difficult.

But with Zhao Qingmei’s order, no matter how difficult, the search had to be conducted, and experts from the Azure Dragon Sect and Human Sect sprang into action.

In no time, the entire Dongluo Pass was in a state of panic, even more tense than the previous assassination attempt on Duanmu Xinghua by Houjin. After all, back then, it was known to be the work of Houjin, and Duanmu Xinghua had not been killed.

But today, the Poison King Liu Simiao was dead, and his bizarre manner of death was chilling.

And who was the perpetrator this time?

Houjin again? Or was it Black Ice Platform, or an enemy of Liu Simiao?

A dark cloud loomed over the hearts of the Demon Sect experts.

…..

The gentle morning sunlight was already piercing through the window into the room when An Jing felt a slight discomfort in his eyes and slowly opened them.

Although a fierce battle had taken place the night before, ending in a draw, An Jing felt refreshed, his exhaustion swept away, and he reveled in a clear mind and invigorating spirit.

He propped himself up; a new set of clothes and shoes were placed beside him, tailored to fit perfectly.

Feeling a warmth in his heart at the sight, An Jing quickly dressed and pushed open the door.

Even deep into autumn, the sun over Dongluo Pass was still blisteringly fierce, making it difficult to keep one’s eyes open.

“First I’ll check on the Black Flood Dragon, then find a secluded place to attempt a breakthrough to the Three Qi Realm.”

With his mind set, An Jing prepared to head towards Dongluo Pass.

At that moment, a small head peeked out from a distance, a pair of eyes fixated on An Jing.

An Jing whispered, “Tan Yun?”

“Prince Consort!”

Tan Yun stuck out her tongue and, with her head down, walked out.

An Jing asked with suspicion, “What are you sneaking around for?”

Tan Yun’s face turned red as she spoke softly, “I wasn’t sneaking around. I was just….”

“Just what?”

“The Sect Hierarch asked me to tell you some news. Poison King Liu Simiao died last night.”

“Oh?”

Hearing this, An Jing’s brow furrowed instantly, his heart somewhat in a daze.

Yesterday, Liu Simiao was still hosting a banquet for him at Dongluo Pass, but today he was dead?

“How did he die?”

“He was poisoned with a heavy dose of Red Beauty Drunk and died in his own secret chamber.”

“Who found the body?”

“A servant who had followed the Poison King for thirteen years discovered it this morning. His two direct disciples have also disappeared; their fates unknown.”

An Jing sighed softly upon hearing this, knowing that the matter was far from simple.

Red Beauty Drunk was a peculiar poison brewed by Liu Simiao, colorless and tasteless, one that even a Grandmaster could fall victim to. Surely Liu would have carefully guarded such a lethal substance, far out of ordinary people’s reach.

And Liu Simiao’s secret chamber was definitely not somewhere just anyone could enter.

“I understand.”

An Jing nodded and began walking towards the courtyard exit.

“Prince Consort, you’re lying.”

At that, Tan Yun called out from behind him.

An Jing turned and asked, “What’s the matter?”

Tan Yun looked at him with big, watery eyes, her pitiable expression irresistibly evoking sympathy.

“You said you would bring me pastries. I’ve been waiting.”

“You’re talking about that.”

An Jing chuckled lightly, recalling a pleasant memory and said, “When I passed by Baigui Fang in Yujing City, the array of pastries reminded me of you.”

For some reason, whenever he saw pastries, he would involuntarily think of that gluttonous girl.

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun pursed her lips and said, “I haven’t seen any pastries, but they reminded me of you.”

You think of me when you see pastries, but even without pastries, I still think of you.

An Jing paused for a moment, then stepped forward and gently touched Tan Yun’s hair, “I forgot this time, but I will definitely bring you some next time.”

Tan Yun pouted, her voice tinged with grievance, “There won’t be a next time, Prince Consort. I will be leaving in a few days. My master wants me to return to the Lv Sect before the end of the year.”

“Are you leaving so soon?”

Hearing this, An Jing felt a sense of loss, although he had known Tan Yun would leave, he couldn’t help but feel reluctant now that the moment had arrived.

It was impossible for him to claim that he felt nothing for Tan Yun.

He had truly grown fond of the naive and plump food-loving girl.

“That’s why I’ve been waiting for you to come back.”

Tan Yun’s heart pounded wildly, as if it were about to leap out of her throat, and her cheeks flushed with color.

As long as An Jing said a word to keep her, no matter what, she would find a way to stay.

Just one word from him.

An Jing smiled and said, “That’s good, going to the Lv Sect will make you the young miss of the Lv family.”

Tan Yun looked into those intoxicating eyes and forced a smile, “Does the prince consort also think it’s quite good?”

An Jing said earnestly, “For you, this is the best.”

The threat of the Demon Sect lurked everywhere, and with Tan Yun’s special identity, it was best for her to return to Yujing City.

But this isn’t what I want. I’d rather stay in Dongluo Pass, stay by the Sect Hierarch’s side, stay by the prince consort’s side… These thoughts she couldn’t voice.

“The pastries in Yujing City are plenty.”

Tan Yun feigned a look of yearning and said, “I can eat as many as I want, and there are so many people who’ll buy them for me, they’ll all have to line up for me.”

An Jing tapped Tan Yun’s forehead and laughed, “Lv is upright and honest, what will he do if you, a foodie, eat him out of house and home?”

“I am not a foodie!”

Tan Yun wrinkled her nose and casually asked, “Prince consort, do you really think of me as a lazy glutton in your heart?”

With hands clasped behind his back, An Jing looked Tan Yun up and down and said, “You do like to eat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lazy.”

She was plump in the right places, otherwise quite slender.

“Of course, I am very diligent, and my cooking skills have improved a lot lately. Tomorrow… next time, I’ll let you witness my culinary skills.”

“Really… Hahaha.”

An Jing, hearing this, broke into a sweat; he found himself unable to continue the conversation.

Both fell silent, and suddenly time seemed to stand still.

“Prince consort.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m leaving, and I hope you and the Sect Hierarch will also stay well together.”

Tan Yun looked at An Jing seriously and said, “The Sect Hierarch truly loves you. Even back in Yu State City, when you were just an unremarkable doctor, she still loved you. She truly fell for you alone. Despite the enormous pressure, she has always been steadfast. I think in this world, the Sect Hierarch is the person who treats the prince consort the best, incomparable to anyone else. When I return to Yujing City, I’ll go to Dragon Spring Temple to offer prayers for you two.”

An Jing pinched Tan Yun’s rosy cheek irritably and said, “I don’t need you to teach me what to do. You just take care of yourself, and don’t you dare lose weight, or I’ll have to deal with you.”

Tan Yun’s face turned slightly red, with her eyes beginning to well up, “I… I’m speaking the truth.”

“Alright, alright, I know.”

An Jing said with a smile, “When do you plan to leave? Do you want me to see you off part of the way?”

Tan Yun, with her head lowered, said, “The prince consort has many matters to attend to, it’s not necessary to bother you with such a small affair.”

An Jing looked at the girl in front of him, wanting to say something, but not knowing how to express it.

“Prince consort, I have to go back and report to the Sect Hierarch.”

Suddenly, as if she remembered something, Tan Yun hurried away into the distance.

An Jing watched her frenzied departure, “Why run so fast? It’s not like you’re rushing to eat.”

Tan Yun dashed out of the guest house frantically; the person she had once tirelessly pursued, one day she would desperately try to flee from.

Finally, she reached a corner, where she leaned weakly against the wall, covering her chest with her palm, feeling heartache as if it were being sliced with a knife.

From her beautiful eyes shone a melancholic light, as if something was rippling in them. Her usual lively demeanor was nowhere to be seen.

A single, burning tear lingered on her delicate cheek, then, as if exploding, tears streamed down uncontrollably.

She couldn’t remember what she had just said because most of it was against her will, all lies, and the things she truly wanted to say, she hadn’t uttered a word.

“Prince consort, I’ll be foolish just this once.”

In the fourteenth year of Xingping, on the twenty-third of November, it was a clear and sunny day. But in Tan Yun’s heart, it was raining heavily.

….

Outside Dongluo Pass, as far as the eye could see was endless sand.

An Jing walked toward the desert, his feet crunching on the gravel.

With threats abounding in Dongluo Pass, Tan Yun returning to Yujing City was a good thing. With the Great Yan Royal Family and Lv Guoyong there, safety was at least guaranteed.

After walking a mile, An Jing saw a figure in the distance.

The woman had a full figure, curves in all the right places, and coupled with her lightly made-up beautiful face, she perfectly embodied the image of a ripe, mature woman, her every move filled with allure that kindled many a man’s imagination.

The pale pink gauze fluttered with the breeze, stirring the blood in anyone who beheld it.

Mu Xiaoyun.

An Jing approached her and said, “Chief Mu, it seems we have quite the coincidence today.”

Mu Xiaoyun glanced at An Jing and replied, “An Tributor, you had me thoroughly deceived back then. If I had known your relationship with the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect was such, why would I have bothered to travel all the way from Yu State City to Dongluo Pass?”

An Jing could only offer a wry smile. If he had known his wife was the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, so many things would not have happened.

“How come Chief Mu is here?”

Pointing towards a distant land shrouded in sand and dust, Mu Xiaoyun said, “The Poison King died under the extreme toxicity of Red Beauty Drunk. I am here specifically to seal off the road ahead.”

An Jing inquired, “Do you have any leads?”

“I have a feeling there is something strange about this matter.”

Mu Xiaoyun shook her head, her voice coming out melancholy, “The person who could kill the Poison King and obtain Red Beauty Drunk from him must undoubtedly be someone from within the sect.”

Someone from within the sect!?

An Jing’s heart trembled, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

If it was someone from within the sect, then the situation was all the more terrifying. It meant there was a traitor within the Demon Sect, and not just any traitor, but one of high rank.

Mu Xiaoyun pointed towards the distance and asked, “Three hundred miles further from here, do you know what place that is, An Tributor?”

Following the direction of her jade-like finger, An Jing murmured softly, “Houjin’s North Camp is there, harboring an army of three hundred thousand from Houjin, and behind those three hundred thousand, an even larger force.”

Three hundred thousand troops might sound simple on paper, just a series of numbers in a book, but in reality, facing them would be terrifying beyond belief.

An army of three hundred thousand could fill the space between heaven and earth, an endless black mass that not even a Grandmaster could escape from if surrounded.

Grandmasters are human, too; they cannot fly. Even surrounded by tens of thousands, not to mention three hundred thousand, escape would be impossible.

Now, these three hundred thousand troops were stationed right in front of Dongluo Pass, eyeing the strategic point with covetous eyes.

Though they had not attacked, their mere presence was enough to send chills down anyone’s spine and exert a massive deterrent force that left people breathless.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Xiaoyun asked, “An Tributor, do you really think we can hold off these three hundred thousand troops?”

An Jing pondered for a moment before responding, “It depends on how you see it.”

Mu Xiaoyun was somewhat puzzled and asked, “What do you mean?”

Gazing into the distance, An Jing said earnestly, “If you are prepared to face death, then surely we can withstand them; if not, then we will undoubtedly fail.”

With a deep sigh, Mu Xiaoyun said, “What’s the point of holding Dongluo Pass then?”

Dongluo Pass had become a gateway for Yan Country. To protect this pass from tens of thousands of Houjin’s troops and lose countless masters from the Demon Sect, was it truly worth it?

In the clash between two nations, could a sect really survive?

The ultimate outcome was not hard to surmise.

Between two behemoths, what chance did Dongluo Pass have to survive?

An Jing remained silent, some things Mu Xiaoyun didn’t understand, and though he understood, he could not verbalize them.

Many things never pertain to being worth it, only about willingness. When you start questioning worth, the answer in your heart is already clear—it’s not worth it.

After looking at the billowing sand for a while longer, Mu Xiaoyun took her leave.

An Jing watched her retreating figure before continuing to walk into the swirling sandstorm.

“Thump!”

A dark shadow burst forth from the sandy winds, turning the sky into a sea of sand and rain.

It was the Black Flood Dragon.

“Roar!”

The Black Flood Dragon, upon seeing An Jing, showed a hint of joy in its lantern-sized eyes and charged toward him with great speed.

The vast force of its approach made even An Jing retreat several paces.

The Black Flood Dragon constantly rubbed its massive head against An Jing, its excitement obvious.

An Jing too caressed the scales of the Black Flood Dragon, which had followed him all the way to Dongluo Pass. It would be impossible for them not to have formed a bond.

“Hm? Why are there injuries?”

Suddenly, An Jing noticed fresh blood on the black scales of the Black Flood Dragon.

The Black Flood Dragon was on par with a Three Qi Grandmaster, yet something had injured it. What level of power must that being have possessed?

The Black Flood Dragon seemed oblivious to the wounds on its body, constantly circling around An Jing, letting out cheerful growls from time to time.

In its world, no one was more important than An Jing.

An Jing sat cross-legged in the sand, talking to the Black Flood Dragon.

About half an incense stick of time later, the surrounding sandstorm swept up fiercer and fiercer, turning the vicinity into a sea of sand.

“You guard me, I will attempt to break through to the Three Qi Realm right here.”

An Jing pondered for a moment and decided to try breaking through to the Three Qi Realm in this place.

Now, with Houjin eyeing covetously, but with no movement for the time being, the top experts of the world also believed he was at Second Qi Cultivation. If he could break through to the Three Qi Realm at this time, he would have a modest, yet significant trump card against Houjin.

Thinking this, An Jing sat down cross-legged.

The Black Flood Dragon also understood the implication in An Jing’s words, and it watched the surroundings vigilantly, with a hint of caution in its eyes.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Earth-shattering True Qi began to surge from all directions, forming a powerful vortex centered around An Jing. The True Qi gathered massively, turning into streams of white waves.

This was indeed the effect of the “Nameless Heart Scripture” being activated.

At the same time, An Jing felt a sensation like flames searing his throat, then moving into his Dantian. That blazing sensation flowed for a moment in the Dantian, slowly entering his meridians.

Boom!

As the scorching sensation surged into the meridians, Heaven and Earth True Qi became even more ferocious, rushing towards An Jing and pouring into his Dantian.

The once mist-enshrouded Dantian began to radiate a tremendous amount of light, reflecting inside An Jing’s body. A different transformation started to occur.

Crack! Crack!

It seemed as though the sudden influx of True Qi was about to burst the Dantian, which expanded several times over.

The Dantian is where True Qi is stored; the larger the Dantian, the more powerful the True Qi it can store.

But with more and more True Qi flooding in, the Dantian couldn’t store such an enormous amount. Despite An Jing’s constant circulation of the “Nameless Heart Scripture,” channeling the True Qi within his body, it was still overwhelmingly vast.

Especially after the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence inside the Dantian began to refine, the True Qi resembled a flood that had broken its levees, overflowing disastrously within his Dantian.

Large beads of sweat appeared on An Jing’s forehead, even soaking his clothes.

Finally, after the Dantian had swollen several times over and could no longer withstand any more True Qi, An Jing began to compress the endless stream of True Qi.

The relentless True Qi surged into the Dantian once again, then, through continual compression, it seemed to form a cycle.

Time passed unknowingly, and the compressed True Qi became extremely pure, its concentration now many times greater than before.

Yet the True Qi continued to rush into the Dantian endlessly, as if there was no end in sight.

The majestic True Qi around him assaulted An Jing, and all the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence remaining in the Dantian ignited as well.

This was undoubtedly a timely assistance for An Jing’s body at the moment, finally revitalizing the fatigued state within. With a thought, the pure True Qi flowed endlessly like gushing spring water within the meridians, eventually pouring into the Dantian, adding to the infrastructure of the massive True Qi needed.

Luckily, An Jing practiced the “Nameless Heart Scripture,” which allowed him to refine such an enormous amount of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence in a short time, and bear the strain of such fierce True Qi. Anyone else might have already exploded and perished by now.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence continued to dwindle, one wisp, two wisps, until it completely vanished.

“It seems to be missing something…”

An Jing, observing the situation inside his body, couldn’t help but frown; breaking through to the Three Qi Realm was not as simple as he had imagined.

A rapid advancement is a considerable strain on the body, consuming a tremendous amount of Essence; especially when reaching the Three Qi Grandmaster realm.

For the breakthrough to One Qi, it wasn’t unusual for Grandmasters to prepare for several years.

But it was only five months ago that An Jing reached the Second Qi. The speed of this breakthrough was too fast, even though he had the support of five strands of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence.

However, it seemed that the five strands of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence were still not enough.

Now, before advancing to the Three Qi, the Dantian had already expanded several times. If his previous efforts were to be abandoned now, then it was essentially a waste, and who knows when there would be another chance to break through the barriers.

With the world situation rapidly changing, and the Demon Sect fraught with crises, how much time does An Jing still have?

Indeed, ascending to a higher realm requires Essence as support, and without it, it’s impossible to break through the barriers.

Unless, like breaking through to Grandmaster, he uses the Essence Blood in his body.

Utilizing Essence Blood can lead to a breakthrough at critical moments, but even at the Three Qi Realm, it would mean a body grievously wounded, and if Houjin attacks, then the advancement would be more of a hindrance.

The Essence within the body dwindled bit by bit, and with the lack of continued Essence support, the opening Xuan Pass seemed to be closing again.

…..