My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 294 - Qingmei Bewitches the Great Grandmaster

Chapter 294: Chapter 294 Qingmei Bewitches the Great Grandmaster

In the dim moonlight, the old monster that had been trapped under the Sealing Demon Well for over eight hundred years finally emerged.

Those murky eyes sparkled with a bright light that drew attention.

Two hundred years beneath the Sealing Demon Well was equivalent to more than eight hundred years in the outside world.

And according to historical records, that period was the beginning of the establishment of the Great Zhou Dynasty, implying that this elderly woman was a Great Grandmaster from the early years of the Dynasty.

Logically, every Great Grandmaster in history was a renowned figure, certainly not of lower status than an emperor, and in some cases, a Grandmaster’s status was even higher.

After all, a Great Grandmaster could live for nearly four hundred years, and their influence far surpassed that of ordinary emperors.

However, there was no mention of Nan Weiping in the historical annals, which was clearly unusual.

Zhao Qingmei murmured to herself, “Nangong Weiping…”

An Jing said with a somewhat smug smile, “I told you, this old fellow was tricking us.”

Zhao Qingmei gave An Jing a dismissive look and retorted, “So, you’re the smart one?”

At this moment, Nangong Weiping was still immersed in the joy of being freed.

Such intense emotion was beyond the grasp of ordinary people, like being suddenly overwhelmed by raging waves, even suffocating.

More than two hundred years without a sense of time, spent in a dark cave where no light could reach, even a normal person would be devoured by the darkness and possibly driven mad.

It took a long time for Nangong Weiping to come back to her senses, and her cloudy eyes suddenly sharpened, focusing on a notorious couple in the martial world of Great Yan, “Aren’t you two coming over?”

The pair slowly approached, and An Jing said with a smile to Nangong Weiping, “Congratulations to Elder Nangong on escaping the Sealing Demon Well.”

Nangong Weiping looked at An Jing before her and asked, “Is this a good thing or a bad thing?”

An Jing replied, “A great fortune indeed.”

Nangong Weiping stretched out her palm, and the surging True Qi around her seemed to solidify, converging like a viscous liquid. The pressure was so immense that both An Jing and Zhao Qingmei felt as though they were shouldering a mountain.

If the transformation from Inner Strength to True Qi was a qualitative change, then the liquid-formed True Qi in her hand signified another level of transformation.

Nangong Weiping asked, “Do you know who I am?”

Zhao Qingmei answered, “Nangong Weiping.”

Nangong Weiping then asked, “And who is Nangong Weiping?”

Without hesitation, Zhao Qingmei responded, “The wife of the seventh generation Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.”

Nangong Weiping looked at Zhao Qingmei with some surprise and said, “You know? But that’s to be expected.”

The Demon Sect hadn’t faced any major calamities before, so the ancient texts within the sect were well-preserved, and it was natural to find some clues regarding her identity.

After all, Nangong Weiping had only concealed one character in her name.

Zhao Qingmei smiled and said, “Of course, I only know Elder Nangong’s name and identity, I know nothing else.”

Nangong Weiping’s eyes narrowed, and the viscous liquid around her grew even heavier, “So you came prepared.”

They knew her identity, yet they had released her.

“Correct.”

An Jing nodded, “Junior hopes to reach a cooperation with Elder and naturally came prepared.”

Nangong Weiping looked at An Jing with a tinge of hostility, “Let’s hear it then.”

She was curious to see what tricks this young man was playing.

An Jing pondered for a moment and said, “Senior, your time seems short, and it would be a pity for all your cultivation to disperse. I hope Senior can transfer it slowly to my wife through the Demon Seed, and I also hope that Senior can help resolve some matters concerning Outer Heaven to your ability. Of course, my wife and I, even Outer Heaven, will help Senior find some heavenly materials and earthly treasures to extend your lifespan. What do you think?”

There were two purposes in rescuing Nan Weiping, one was to constantly observe her condition, to prevent her from feeding back a large amount of Demonic Qi through the Demon Seed and accelerating the birth of her Heart Demon. The other was naturally to have her come out of her seclusion and stir the waters of the world.

Nangong Weiping began to smile. “You are very confident?”

She didn’t understand how a little fellow, a Three Qi Grandmaster, dared to seek cooperation with her, and it seemed like he was quite certain of himself.

An Jing looked at the Dulu Sword in his hand and said indifferently, “A swordsman with a sword in his hand is the most confident person.”

Nangong Weiping coldly said, “I’ve killed more swordsmen than I can count on my hands.”

An Jing asked, “Does the condition that Senior previously agreed to not count?”

Nangong Weiping said, “Whether it counts depends on my mood.”

An Jing smiled, “I trust in Senior’s character.”

“Hmm?”

Nangong Weiping mocked An Jing with her gaze, just as she was about to speak, her eyebrows suddenly furrowed, “That sword just now?”

She suddenly felt nine strands of Sword Qi within her body, these Sword Qi were strange and incomprehensible, swirling within her, seemingly not very lethal, but they were circling within her Dantian Qi Sea, possessing a significant deterrent force.

The Sword Qi naturally generated by the Dulu Sword was already fearsome, and with the addition of the Sword Qi nurtured by the Immortal Sword, the combination of these two Sword Qis, invading a person’s internal organs, would cause any ordinary grandmaster to explode under An Jing’s command.

This Sword Qi could be considered the sharpest in the world.

If it had been her heyday, she wouldn’t have cared at all, but now her Primordial Energy was greatly damaged, and in addition, she had fed back a large amount of Demonic Qi to Zhao Qingmei, which would mean drawing her life closer and closer if she further expended her essence now. It was very disadvantageous for her.

Moreover, as Zhao Qingmei continued to draw out the Demonic Qi from her body, it would become more and more difficult to eliminate this Sword Qi later.

It turned out.

She had been unknowingly plotted against by this couple.

The two of them had released her but left a backup plan within her body.

An Jing nodded, “That’s right, this is the Sword Qi formed by the Dulu Sword itself and my Sword Dao.”

When he cut the chains earlier, those nine strands of Sword Qi had entered Nan Weiping’s body along the chains.

With her strength and cultivation, she should have noticed quickly, but when she escaped from under the Sealing Demon Well, her mind was in turmoil, and she didn’t realize the invasion of the Sword Qi.

To deal with such an old monster, naturally, some tricks up the sleeve were necessary.

Though it appeared like mere child’s play, sometimes child’s play was also a skill, and when used to perfection, it became an invaluable art.

Nangong Weiping stared at An Jing again and said, “Cunning child, but do you think these nine Sword Qis can trap me?”

An Jing said, “Senior, you have been trapped in the Sealing Demon Well for so long, your strength is no longer at its peak, and moreover, you have fed back a large amount of Demonic Qi with the Demon Seed, already at the end of your rope. If you forcefully expel the nine Sword Qis from your body, you might harm your foundation.”

Nangong Weiping pointed at Zhao Qingmei and said coldly, “When I die, all my cultivation will immediately feed back into her. In her current state having fully developed Heart Demon, can she withstand it?”

An Jing earnestly said, “Therefore, we need a win-win cooperation. My wife and I will do our utmost to help Senior find heavenly materials and earthly treasures to increase your lifespan, and Senior will merely be helping us with things within your ability.”

Things within her ability?

Nangong Weiping looked at the couple and laughed. These two not only regarded her as a seed for Zhao Qingmei to enhance her cultivation, but they also saw her as a problem solver.

An Jing and Zhao Qingmei exchanged a glance, not understanding why Nangong Weiping was laughing.

Nangong Weiping said, “Were you two acting just now?”

Zhao Qingmei shook her head, “Not entirely, subduing the fully developed Heart Demon is a necessary path to take, the only difference is the standard procedure and taking a shortcut. I chose the shortcut.”

Cultivating the final layer of the “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture” would also give rise to a fully-formed Heart Demon, and acquiring Nangong Weiping’s cultivation would do the same; the difference being, the more of Nangong Weiping’s cultivation one acquired, the quicker the fully-formed Heart Demon would grow.

Once trapped by the Heart Demon, one’s cultivation would be fed back to Nangong Weiping, allowing her to restore her powers to their heyday.

But deep within, Zhao Qingmei believed in herself, convinced that while her powers increased rapidly, she could also capture this fully-formed Heart Demon.

“Considering the young lass Qingmei has been rather true to her word,”

Nangong Weiping gave them a deep look and then nodded, “This old one will cooperate with you.”

Her time was running out, and more importantly, there was no one in the world she could trust; at least Zhao Qingmei had kept her initial promise to rescue her from the Sealing Demon Well.

Others, perhaps, were even less worthy of trust and cooperation.

Zhao Qingmei gave a charming smile and said, “I hope the senior will pay more attention in the future, after all, whether I can reach the peak of the Five Qi Grandmaster, or even the Great Grandmaster, requires the senior’s help.”

Nangong Weiping glanced at Zhao Qingmei and said, “Becoming a Great Grandmaster is not as simple as you think.”

Should Zhao Qingmei become a Great Grandmaster, she would lose all her cultivation; if Zhao Qingmei failed to become one, the cultivation fed back to her from Zhao Qingmei would be nearly as great as all of her original powers.

By then, she might restore her cultivation to its peak, and possibly advance even further.

In this era when no Great Grandmaster has emerged in the world, who could stop her?

But at the moment, Zhao Qingmei’s Demon Seed was not yet mature, and the cultivation fed back from a peak Three Qi Grandmaster was almost negligible, so all she could do was wait.

Waiting for the Demon Seed to mature, for Zhao Qingmei’s cultivation to reach the peak of the Five Qi Grandmaster, at which point the fully-formed Heart Demon would surely invade Zhao Qingmei’s body.

And before that, she had to wait, as increasing her lifespan was also a matter of urgency.

At the moment, the two were like gourds on the same vine; the vine’s nutrients could only sustain one gourd, it was a matter of who would eventually get all the nutrients from the vine.

The difference was, the two gourds had different levels of initiative.

An Jing asked curiously, “Senior, your True Qi just now liquefied, could that be the legendary True Yuan?”

The tremendous pressure emanating from Nangong Weiping, even someone with An Jing’s current level of cultivation, was moved by it—to think that this was a severely weakened Nangong Weiping, how terrifying would a Great Grandmaster in her prime be?

Nangong Weiping gave An Jing a sidelong glance and said indifferently, “Kid, if you want to ask this old one questions, shouldn’t you offer some fine wine and dishes first?”

Zhao Qingmei laughed and said, “Senior Nangong’s favorite is roast duck, I have naturally prepared it well in advance.”

With that, Zhao Qingmei took out the roast duck she had prepared from her bag, which she had bought on the road. However, due to time, the duck had cooled somewhat.

Nangong Weiping looked at Zhao Qingmei and said with approval, “You’re a sensible girl after all. At the end of the day, women are always more meticulous than men.”

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As she spoke, Nangong Weiping took the roast duck and began to gobble it up, without a trace of a Great Grandmaster’s demeanor, as if a beggar were spotted by the roadside.

An Jing kept a wary mind as he watched Nangong Weiping.

Zhao Qingmei was conversing with her, sentence after sentence.

Logically, their relationship should have been like fire and water; if Zhao Qingmei overcame the fully-formed Heart Demon, Nangong Weiping would lose all her cultivation, but if Zhao Qingmei was immersed in the fully-formed Heart Demon, Nangong Weiping would regain her powers to their pinnacle, and perhaps even go further.

Yet, their relationship seemed oddly harmonious.

An Jing found it somewhat incomprehensible.

Perhaps between women, a special empathy can be formed.

During her time in the Sealing Demon Well, Zhao Qingmei experienced many highs and lows, and even with her resilient heart, she often fell into despair.

That feeling of waiting, she still vividly remembers to this day.

Nangong Weiping had been nearly eight hundred years in the Sealing Demon Well, and Zhao Qingmei was the only living person she had seen; if there were a happiest time in the darkness of the Sealing Demon Well, it was when the two were trapped together.

That was the only light in the Sealing Demon Well where Nangong Weiping stayed.

As they spoke, it was as if they returned to the time spent under the Sealing Demon Well. Zhao Qingmei picked up a comb and arranged Nangong Weiping’s hair into an upright style.

It’s only when people’s relationships are free of vested interests that they become most harmonious.

“The liquefied True Qi you just saw is, in fact, True Yuan,” she said.

Perhaps in high spirits, Nangong Weiping glanced at An Jing and explained, “The reason a Great Grandmaster can have a lifespan of three hundred years is simply because the True Qi within their body has been converted into the extraordinary True Yuan, which continuously refines the five viscera and six bowels, meridians, and flesh. Human lifespan is exhausted merely because organs and the body age. Once refined by True Yuan, it can rejuvenate organs, meridians, and flesh.”

So that’s how it is!

An Jing suddenly understood. The reason Grandmasters increased their lifespan was due to that True Yuan.

How difficult must it be to turn one’s True Qi into a liquid state?

No wonder the transition from a Five Qi Grandmaster to a Great Grandmaster is a qualitative change.

Nangong Weiping continued, “The difficulty of refinement increases with each attempt. Generally speaking, a Great Grandmaster can only undergo the process two or three times at most, making it extremely difficult to continue beyond that, equating to a lifespan increase of three hundred years. If you are exceptionally gifted, you might be able to live even longer.”

An Jing kept asking, “Senior, have you ever sensed the shackles within this world?”

Jun Qinglin once wrote in a letter that there is a shackle in the world today, a shackle that stops a Five Qi Grandmaster from breaking through to become a Great Grandmaster.

Nangong Weiping casually wiped her oily hands on An Jing, her tone indifferent, “Shackles have always existed between heaven and earth, bounding everything since ancient times. Only now, these shackles have become heavier. It’s no wonder no Great Grandmaster has emerged for hundreds of years. If I were in this era, perhaps I too would have failed to reach the Grandmaster Realm.”

She even sighed towards the end.

The shackles are getting heavier?

An Jing murmured softly, reflecting on how the Great Qin Dynasty once had several Great Grandmasters at the same time. Yet, during the Great Zhou Dynasty, Grandmasters became exceedingly rare, emerging only once every few centuries. By the time of Yan Country, there were no Great Grandmasters left in the entire world.

Logically speaking, with the continuous expansion of martial arts and the flourishing of sects, the world should have more and more experts.

Could it really be due to the shackles of the world?

Suddenly, he thought about the path Jun Qinglin had forged anew.

While everyone else was cultivating through the understanding of ‘Heavenly Human Communication,’ Jun Qinglin was separating himself from heaven and earth. Could it be that his path was the only way to reach the Grandmaster Realm in the current times?

Since attaining the Heavenly Human Communication Realm, An Jing had also been trying to separate from heaven and earth.

However, this path, inherently difficult to cultivate, had become many times harder after An Jing achieved Heavenly Human Communication. He could not find the slightest clue on how to proceed.

Zhao Qingmei asked, “Senior Nangong, are you aware of the sealing?”

Nangong Weiping looked puzzled, “Sealing?”

Zhao Qingmei elucidated, “I mean the reason for the downfall of the Great Qin Dynasty.”

The sealing of the Evil Suppressing Sword was carried out by the Great Zhou Dynasty, by which time Nangong Weiping was already confined beneath the Sealing Demon Well.

Speaking indifferently, Nangong Weiping said, “The fall of the Great Qin Dynasty was very complex. I do not know the specifics, but one of the reasons I am aware of is that the Great Qin exhausted all its national fortune to slay a True Dragon. Even though they obtained the True Dragon Qi and prolonged their national fortune for centuries, they released the impurities of the earth veins, inviting an undeserved calamity.”

An Jing’s mind trembled; “Slaying a True Dragon?”

The Great Qin Dynasty indeed had slain a True Dragon, and the Royal Family obtained the True Dragon Essence Blood, resulting in several Martial Arts Emperors, among whom were Grandmaster Martial Arts Emperors. This allowed the Great Qin to persevere for centuries.

Nangong Weiping’s eyes held a trace of reminiscence. “At the time of the True Dragon’s slaying, not only the Great Qin Royal Family but also experts from the Buddhist and Mystical Sects participated. However, now that you’ve mentioned the Mystical Sect has fragmented, many ancient texts and archives may have already been lost, leaving possibly few records remaining. The Buddhist establishment remains intact to this day; perhaps they know something more.”

Nangong Weiping’s memories had even become somewhat hazy after eight hundred years under the Sealing Demon Well.

An Jing felt it was imperative to unravel these secrets; he was now a towering figure atop the martial world, and the movements of the great currents of the world were intimately linked to him.

After the Great Qin Dynasty fell to ruins for slaying a True Dragon, the Great Zhou established a seal using the Evil Suppressing Sword, only to be destroyed as well. What exactly lies beneath that seal?

Regarding the Dragon Locking Well erected by the present Great Yan, was it any use?

If not used, might the filthy qi from the earth veins resurface once again?

Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something.

The split within the Mystical Sect and the Buddhist’s encounter with the war to extinguish Buddhism—could there be some connection between the two?

The Mystical Sect split in the Great Zhou Dynasty, and the mastermind behind it was the same person who had concocted the Golden Pills and established the Black Ice Platform. Subsequently, a fierce war to extinguish Buddhism broke out across the Nine Kingdoms.

Although Buddhism narrowly escaped, it had to withdraw from its ancestral land, and had since been unable to emerge from the Pure Land. Only with the current chaotic situation in the world did Buddhism have the chance to cross eastward.

Is there some kind of connection between these two events?

Or perhaps, the instigator behind each is the same power.

A series of doubts gradually turned into worries.

Perhaps, a visit to the Buddhist sect was necessary this time.

Zhao Qingmei said with a smile, “Since Senior Nan has already agreed to work with us, why don’t we talk about the details of our cooperation?”

Nan Weiping said indifferently, “If I am to make a move, it’s impossible without benefit.”

“Rest assured, Senior Nan, we would not ask you to act in vain.”

A hint of a smile appeared on Zhao Qingmei’s lips as she said, “The Snow Lotus from the Great Snow Mountain of Houjin is a top-tier heavenly material and earthly treasure that can add years to one’s life if obtained.”

An Jing couldn’t help but twitch at the mention.

It’s known that the Great Snow Mountain is a holy land of Houjin, and the Snow Lotus from the mountain is a sacred object, growing above 800 zhang on slopes, in valleys, crevices, near water, and in meadows, extremely rare and a genuine heavenly material and earthly treasure in today’s world. There are only three of these Snow Lotuses on the mountain’s summit, and only nine Snow Lotus Seeds are born every thirteen years; these seeds are holy medicine for healing wounds.

The Sword Demon was able to quickly restore his cultivation in Zhong Mountain by using these Snow Lotus Seeds.

The Snow Lotus is even more precious than the seeds, not only for healing but also for cleansing the marrow and altering one’s physique, strengthening a hundred years of cultivation, and, according to rumors, even extending one’s lifespan.

Of the entire Great Snow Mountain, only Zongzheng Huachun, the Holy Master of Houjin, had consumed a Snow Lotus.

It must be said that Zhao Qingmei’s strategy of diverting disaster eastward was particularly ruthless; Nan Weiping would undoubtedly head to the Great Snow Mountain to increase her lifespan.

With Nan Weiping’s strength, although not at her prime, even Zongzheng Huachun may not be her match.

Zhao Qingmei intended not only for revenge but also for a punitive expedition on the soul.

This was an outright overt plot.

Indeed, without hesitation, Nan Weiping nodded and said, “The Snow Lotus is indeed a fine thing.”

She had been trapped in the Sealing Demon Well for more than eight hundred years, her will to live far exceeding that of emperors in the human world; otherwise, she would have long since hung herself within the well.

So this Snow Lotus truly aligned with her wishes.

A sly glint appeared in Zhao Qingmei’s eyes as she said, “I also believe this item is most suitable for Senior Nangong at present. I know of an exotic beast called Chenghuang in the south, which looks like a fox with horns on its back. Riding it grants two thousand years of life, and though this may sound exaggerated, its essence blood has miraculous effects and can extend life. Senior Nan could capture it to drink a little of its essence blood daily, which might even be more effective than the Snow Lotus.”

Chenghuang, a creature of good omen for Zhao Country, appeared shortly after the establishment of the Black Ice Platform. Guarding atop the Cloud Tower of the platform, it was one of the rarest and most sacred exotic beasts in the world. To think of killing it for its blood was sacrilege; to merely catch a glimpse was a tremendous fortune for the common folk. She was clearly plotting to have Nan Weiping ransack the Black Ice Platform.

Nangong Weiping clapped her hands with sudden clarity shining in her murky eyes and said, “Good. First, we’ll get the Snow Lotus from the Great Snow Mountain, then we’ll go south and kill this Chenghuang.”

Brilliant!

His wife truly was outstanding!

An Jing’s heartbeat raced with excitement. If there were three Snow Lotuses, perhaps he could also have a share, and there was also the essence blood of the Chenghuang; based on his experience, the effects of consuming essence blood diminish with excessive use. After Nangong Weiping killed it, she certainly wouldn’t be able to finish all that essence blood, and at the least, the flesh would remain—a tremendously valuable treasure.

Nangong Weiping gave An Jing a look and said coldly, “What are you thinking about, young man?”

An Jing responded with a smile, “I was thinking, once Senior Nangong obtains the Snow Lotus and essence blood of the Chenghuang, your lifespan will greatly increase, and perhaps even your cultivation could advance further. I was considering how to congratulate you.”

Nangong Weiping said, “The Dao Heart Demon Planting Method regards all things in the world as oscillations. Your heartbeat has quickened a fraction, I see you are harboring malicious intent, wanting a piece of the action from this old woman?”

An Jing: “…..”

At this moment, Nangong Weiping was completely taken in by Zhao Qingmei’s flowery words, and she would even dare to break into places like the Great Yan Palace and the Buddhist Holy Land.

Nangong Weiping urged, “You lad, quickly take out the map, so this old woman can study where to go first.”

An Jing took out the map from his bosom.

This was a current map of the world, including Houjin to the north, Zhao Country to the south, the Buddhist Pure Land to the west, the Southern Barbarians to the southwest, and the archipelagoes to the east.

“This map is missing Guishuang, the Qianyue nations, and the kingdom of Li beyond the islands of the East Sea…..”

Nangong Weiping shook her head and then, with a fierce glint in her eyes, said, “When do we set off? This place is closest to the Great Snow Mountain in Houjin; how about we start from there?”

At this moment, she had been persuaded by Zhao Qingmei and had turned into a hot-tempered old lady, almost wishing she could immediately stand atop the Great Snow Mountain and stuff Snow Lotuses into her mouth.

Such an impetuous woman!

An Jing stood by, observing with his eyes on his nose, his nose on his mouth, his mouth on his heart.

Of course, if he had the strength of Nangong Weiping, he would have long taken up his sword recklessly and pierced a hole through the world.

Zhao Qingmei pondered for a moment and then said, “Senior Nangong, how about we wait a little while longer before taking action?”

There was an imperial edict from the Great Yan Emperor, requiring her to go to Yujing City. This trip was very likely to involve a great war that would engulf the world, and as the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, she could not shirk her obligations.

Nangong Weiping insisted, “No, the sooner the better. What if someone beats us to it?”

Three black lines appeared on An Jing’s forehead, as he stood by, wanting to speak but holding back.

That was the Holy Land of Houjin, the Great Snow Mountain. Who would dare to rob the Great Snow Mountain?

Even the Buddhist, Zhenyi Sect, or Demon Sect, with their might, wouldn’t dare to go and plunder Snow Lotuses from the Great Snow Mountain.

Inside a country with only one sect, how many masters would there be at the Great Snow Mountain?

You should know that the eight Heavenly Slaughters of the Black Ice Platform are all Three Qi Grandmasters and Four Qi Grandmasters. Even if the Great Snow Mountain is somewhat inferior, it’s only in comparison to the Black Ice Platform. Relative to the Zhenyi Sect or Demon Sect, it must be incredibly formidable, with undoubtedly even more masters.

An Jing thought for a moment, then said: “Then I shall accompany Senior Nangong on a trip to the Great Snow Mountain.”

Nangong Weiping glanced at An Jing and said, “No, you’re dishonest, while the young girl Qingmei is a bit more naive.”

At this point, An Jing felt like a stampede of horses was running through his mind.

Damn it!

He admitted to his own bad intentions, but Zhao Qingmei was clearly even worse than him; how could she seem more innocent to her!?

Could it be that her eyes had been gnawed on by a dog?

The old lady was obviously looking at him through tinted glasses.

Of course, he naturally wouldn’t say this out loud and could only sit sullenly to one side.

After pondering for a moment, Zhao Qingmei looked towards An Jing and said, “For the trip to Yujing City, you go in my place. I will proceed with Senior Nangong first; I haven’t been to the Great Snow Mountain yet, after all.”

An Jing nodded, “Then be careful.”

To raid the Great Snow Mountain sounded like a very interesting and high-profile affair, yet at this moment, An Jing couldn’t join in.

However, it was fortunate that he was not someone who liked to show off.

Nangong Weiping, becoming very impatient, planned to set off for the Great Snow Mountain after resting for a short while.

Perhaps it was the desire to go to Great Snow Mountain, or the wish to leave this cold desert behind.

An Jing controlled the Honghu above the sky, directing it to descend.

The huge wings flapped, stirring up a sky full of sand and dust.

Nan Weiping raised her eyebrows upon seeing the Honghu, “This exotic beast is somewhat strange…”

Clearly, it was a powerful exotic beast, but there was no fluctuation of life force on its body, making it seem like a mechanical puppet of the Mo Family.

However, the mechanical techniques of the Mo Family had been lost before the fall of the Great Qin Dynasty.

An Jing said, “The divine soul of this exotic beast has already been taken by me. Now, it is just a puppet that requires manual manipulation.”

Nan Weiping’s eyes flashed with a cold light, “That’s really miraculous. If a person dies, can they also be crafted into a puppet like this?”

An Jing glanced at Nan Weiping and said, “It is possible just before death.”

This old lady’s way of thinking was really different from others. When Li Fuzhou and Yi Daoyun were exposed to puppetry techniques, their initial thoughts were to create an army of exotic beasts, whereas Nan Weiping thought of living people.

Zhao Qingmei knew how to control the Honghu, and with a leap, she jumped onto it, saying, “Husband, then we shall leave.”

“Alright.”

An Jing gave Nan Weiping a look and transmitted his voice, “Be careful with this old lady, her mind might have some problems.”

Someone who had been locked up for eight hundred years always gave off an extremely dangerous vibe.

“What do you mean her mind has problems? I have my own sense of measure.”

Zhao Qingmei’s charming eyes were like silk, and she couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

Nangong Weiping also landed on the back of the Honghu, looking left and right as if searching for marks left by An Jing when he subdued the puppet.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t hear An Jing’s voice transmission. If she had, it would be interesting to know what she would think.

“Whoosh! Whoosh!”

The Honghu took to the sky with a powerful stroke of its arms, kicking up a large swath of sand and dust, and then its body turned into a red light that disappeared into the horizon.

Under the moonlight, watching the fading silhouette of the Honghu, An Jing looked at the Dulu Sword in his hands and fell into deep thought.

Back at Xuanqing Mountain, his Sword Qi had severed the Heavenly Human Communication for Luo Chongyang and Xiao Qianqiu. He wondered if this Sword Qi could also sever the connection between Demon Seeds.

When he struck Nangong Weiping with his Sword Qi, naturally, it was not meant to simply threaten her.

Although these nine Sword Qi’s were extraordinary, it wasn’t certain that Nangong Weiping couldn’t break them.

An Jing’s true purpose was to sever the connection between Demon Seeds after Zhao Qingmei absorbed a large amount of Nangong Weiping’s Demonic Qi.

In this way, Zhao Qingmei would not only obtain Cultivation but also temporarily free herself from the threat of the Heart Demon.

The faster she reached the Grandmaster Realm, the quicker the Heart Demon would emerge.

Although Zhao Qingmei was confident in resisting the Heart Demon, An Jing still felt somewhat uneasy.

Even if Zhao Qingmei herself had said there was an eighty or ninety percent chance, he still felt it was too low.

“Forget it, there’s still some time before she progresses from the Peak of Three Qi to Five Qi, not to mention other unforeseen changes may arise.”

An Jing shook his head, standing amidst the whirlwind of sand, and looked toward the west, “There’s still half a month before the meeting arranged by the Great Yan Emperor, just enough time to pay a visit to the Pure Land first.”

The Buddhist Pure Land is located in the west of Yan Country, where three thousand Buddha countries are built.

It is the birthplace of Buddhism. During the global campaign to exterminate Buddhism, forces from all over the world participated, yet they were still unable to destroy Buddhism, which demonstrates the terrifying strength of the Buddhist sect.

Although Buddhism has begun to decline in recent years, it remains one of the top sects in the world.

And An Jing had always wanted to see what this Buddha Country was really like.

With this thought, he stepped on the gravel and walked westward.

…..

Zhao Country, Lin’an City.

The Jianghu of Yan Country is diverse, with many factions vying for prominence, while the Jianghu of Zhao Country is much more uniform, with the Black Ice Platform holding absolute reverence. Other Jianghu forces can only proliferate in minor areas and dare not be too presumptuous.

Since ancient times, it has been said that warriors break the law with martial arts, and scholars cause chaos with their writings.

This is a truth that has never changed.

In the Martial World of Yan Country, vendettas and brutal outlaws are rife, with people dying or disappearing all the time, often involving innocent civilians, but under the oppressive rule of the Black Ice Platform in Zhao Country, such occurrences are rare.

Only the bureaucratic elite, those who support the Royal Family, resist the rule of the Black Ice Platform, while the common people steadfastly uphold it.

Zhao Country doesn’t need to establish a National Religion, for the Black Ice Platform’s status in Zhao Country is even higher than that of a National Religion.

Even ordinary people believe that Zhao Country could exist without the Zhao Royal Family, but not without the Black Ice Platform, which speaks volumes about the influence of the Black Ice Platform.

The power of Zhao Country is subtly greater than that of Yan Country, and this is not without basis.

Lin’an City bustles with carriages and horses amidst blooming flowers, appearing no different than any ordinary city in Zhao Country, yet it compares favorably with Lijiang City in Jiangnan Dao.

At this moment, inside a small courtyard, a man and a woman are sitting opposite each other, washing and picking vegetables, chatting about household matters, just like an ordinary couple.

The man, dressed in plain clothes, has a strikingly handsome appearance that inspires involuntary admiration at a glance, while the woman, though not beautiful, is gentle, virtuous, and indeed very pleasant to look at.

If someone from the Demon Sect were present, they would certainly recognize this man as none other than Jiang Renyi, the former leader of the Earth Sect of the Demon Sect.

After he fled from Dongluo Pass, afraid that Zhao Qingmei would root him out completely, he headed south to Zhao Country, where he not only concealed his identity but also got married and had children.

It seemed as if his past in the Jianghu and all its enmities had nothing to do with him anymore.

“That’s right.”

Jiang Renyi suddenly recalled something, “I forgot my carrying pole at Old Li’s place.”

With that, he picked up a cloth next to him and wiped his hands.

“Look at your memory, always leaving things here and there. Go on then, but remember to come back early for the meal,” the woman chided playfully as she glanced at Jiang Renyi.

“I know, I’ll be back before the hour of You,” Jiang Renyi replied with a smile, heading out of the courtyard.

At this moment, he was very happy and relaxed, and his steps became light and brisk unwittingly.

He even thought about how great it would be to have a good drink with Old Li when he got there, wouldn’t that make him the happiest man in the world?

“It seems you’ve been living quite comfortably these days.”

As he approached an alleyway, a familiar voice suddenly rang out next to his ear.

Jiang Renyi was thunderstruck. He turned around and saw an old man standing in the alley. The old man had a ruddy complexion and an air of immortal grace, with a faint smile on his lips.

Even though he was smiling, Jiang Renyi felt a chill.

…….