A life of idleness in the world of demons

Chapter 26. The World of Dragon Qi
Manfeng Mountain.
This was Ning Xuan's first time entering the mountain, but he was very familiar with the terrain, so much so that he felt a sense of ease, as if he were revisiting a familiar place.

On the other side, Chou Nu actually received Ning Taiyi's pager, but he deliberately did not respond, because he and his father had already agreed that if there was a pager, it meant someone was urging him, and he could act accordingly and make his own decision.

Ning Taiyi is the head of the Ning family.

Ugly Slave is actually the true eldest son of the Ning family.

He naturally has the right to make decisions at crucial moments to determine the future of the Ning family.

At that moment, he suddenly slowed his pace; he had made his decision.

Originally, he and his father planned to use his younger brother as a tool to "continue the Ning family bloodline," letting him live a life of dependence and eke out a living, as long as he could live a good life.

But now, Ning Xuan's power has made him change his mind.

Ugly Slave said, "Qingfeng, there are some things that Master Taiyi should have told you after you passed the test, but things are urgent, so I will tell you now."

Ning Xuan said, "I would like to ask Master Chou for guidance."

Ugly Slave said, "Our world contains extraordinary power, and the source of this power is dragon energy."

Ning Xuan straightened his expression and listened attentively.

What he had been longing to know had finally come to pass.

Ugly Slave said, "The dragon's aura is not found in famous mountains and great marshes, but in the hearts of the people, in the hearts of the common people."

The more people there are, the more united the people are, and the stronger the dragon's aura becomes.

Mr. Taiyi's true identity is the prefect of Wangyue Prefecture. Who among the people of these nine counties and twenty-eight villages doesn't know that county magistrates and prefects come and go, but Master Ning remains constant? And who doesn't know that Master Ning is a great philanthropist, and that almost everyone who is kind to them is arranged by Master Ning?
Even during famine years, when the prefect opened the granaries to distribute grain, it was only after Master Ning argued with him that the prefect agreed. His advocacy for the people was so profound that the officials were convinced, simply because Master Taiyi was the true prefect. Very few people knew this; apart from the prefect and the nine county magistrates, no one else knew. It was all an act.

Therefore, in Wangyue Prefecture, the one who wins the hearts of the people is Master Taiyi.

Ning Xuan asked in surprise, "So, your father is actually very powerful?"

Ugly Slave shook his head and sighed softly, "Perhaps it is the rule of heaven and earth that those who can gather dragon energy cannot cultivate. Not only can they not cultivate, their blood and energy will also decline faster, and they may even die earlier than ordinary people."

Ning Xuan asked in astonishment, "Then what the hell is this dragon energy gathering?"

Ugly Slave said, “Although they cannot cultivate, they can distribute the dragon energy he gathers, and those who receive his dragon energy will be completely loyal to him. If he wants us to die, then we will die. His words have a special magic power over us, and we have no choice but to obey.”

So, if it were you, would you choose to live in ignorance, trembling in fear in an unknown and terrifying world, perhaps one day becoming food for some demon? Or would you seize the opportunity to become one who can gather dragon energy, thus enjoying a lifetime of glory and a illustrious family?

Ning Xuan said, "Of course it's the latter, but what about the emperor? I mean the real emperor. Why doesn't he control all the dragon energy, rule the land alone, and govern the state? Why does he need others to divide it among him?"

Ugly Slave shook his head and said, "I am also very curious about this. I have made many guesses myself. For example, the emperor cannot bear the dragon energy of a country, or the emperor cannot accurately control the hearts of the people in a region. But these are just my own wild guesses and cannot be taken seriously. But without a doubt, the power controlled by the emperor is far greater than that of a prefect."

After saying that, he smiled faintly and said, "Actually, you can tell from the name that the prefect is appointed by the emperor. How could he possibly be superior to the emperor?"
However, wherever the prefect goes, his family will inevitably be involved.

However, the emperor could not tolerate the illustriousness of the second generation of a family.

Now, Mr. Taiyi's vital energy is nearly depleted. At the beginning of this year, he went away for a long time and visited many places. He went to the capital to complete his duties and also went to Hanzhou to arrange a marriage for you.

His replacement will arrive next month.

His official career had come to an end, and his life was nearing its end.

However, Mr. Taiyi had many thoughts on this.

He feared the Ning family would perish.

Ning Xuan said, "So, your father raised you."

Ugly Slave smiled bitterly: "It's not that simple. A new emperor brings a new court. I am Master Taiyi's man. Even if I change masters, I won't cultivate the dragon energy of the new master. Even if I do, as long as the proportion doesn't exceed the previous one, I will still be loyal to Master Taiyi. How could he tolerate me?"

Originally, you went to Hanzhou to marry the illegitimate daughter of General Qin, and I was already prepared to be a dog.

Ning Xuan was somewhat puzzled.

Ugly Slave continued to explain, "Once dragon energy appears, it will not dissipate. If I perish, my dragon energy will naturally sink into this place, and then others can absorb it. Why don't you think he would discard me after I've served my purpose?"

He raised his head and said, "Perhaps the new prefect needs to consider whether anyone is capable of receiving my dragon energy; he needs to consider whether I will fight back to the death, after all, I am a Celestial Master, while he is just an ordinary person."

"Only by finding a balance between being his dog and the threat of force, and by gradually building a bond with him, and truly becoming one of his loyal followers, can I be considered to have truly integrated into the new prefect's system."

Ning Xuan looked at his elder brother with pity. His elder brother's life was more than just a tragedy.

Even if he were to be married off to the Hanzhou Ranch, at least he would have a woman to lie on his belly and a life of luxury, right?
Where's my older brother?
They lost their names, their faces, and had nothing but truth and power.

Moreover, he could easily imagine that his elder brother also bore the mission of "secretly protecting and revitalizing the Ning family."

Is this the life people live?
My elder brother's life was destined to be one of constant fear and trepidation, as if he were standing on the edge of an abyss or walking on thin ice.

Will my brother be able to get to the other side?
"Then, Ugly Celestial Master, what does Father mean by testing me?" Ning Xuan asked.

Ugly Slave said solemnly, "Your power is extraordinary, even reaching the level of those demonic plague warriors."

Ning Xuan asked curiously, "A demon plague warrior?"

Ugly Slave said, "Most people will die if they are infected by the blood and qi of demons, but a small number of martial artists with strong will can resist it and coexist with the blood and qi of demons. They can then gradually master the power of demons through cultivation, blood-devouring and other methods."

However, these plague-infected warriors are usually eccentric and short-lived.
However, you can possess power comparable to a demon plague warrior without being infected.

It should be known that those who cultivate dragon energy are celestial masters. If demons get close to them, even a thousand or ten thousand celestial masters would not be enough to kill them. Moreover, celestial masters need to close their eyes and wander in their minds when casting spells.

Therefore, a Celestial Master needs powerful disciples.

We not only need the Taoist disciples to help us resist the demons, but we also need them to kill the demons that are trapped inside.

Therefore, warriors afflicted by the plague are extremely important.

Those sorcerers are simply not qualified to possess demon-infested warriors; they can only choose slightly stronger martial artists from the Jianghu.

Ning Xuan suddenly realized, "So, I'm not a demon plague warrior, but I possess the power of a demon plague warrior. This will give our Ning family some advantages?"

“Yes,” Ugly Slave replied, then said, “A few days ago, Master Taiyi found me and told me about your special abilities. He also told me that the Emperor had promised that if a warrior with the power of the Demon Plague were to be treated as if he were not infected, he could be granted the title of General.”

The reason for this is that warriors afflicted by the plague have short lifespans, but generals do not. In fact, they may even be able to break through their limits through cultivation, extending their lifespan and eternally protecting the land.

Ning Xuan said, "So you brought this Manfeng Mountain to see what level my power has reached. But last night you overheard the sound of my sword practicing, and then there were some other things, so you made your decision."

“Yes,” said the ugly slave. “I have made a decision.”

"Now that I've determined that you're qualified to become a general, there's no need to specifically reserve Manfeng Mountain for the next prefect."

I have to help Mr. Taiyi get rid of all his debts.

If demons are eradicated in a region, the local prefect will receive an additional gift of dragon energy from heaven and earth.

The stronger the demon, the more it bestows.

Although this kind of gift is not as continuous as the support of the people, and is a one-time event, it is truly abundant.

With this dragon energy, I can go further and better cope with changes.

Our visit to Manfeng Mountain has infringed upon the interests of certain individuals, and they have already come knocking on our door.

And we can get started now.

"Qingfeng, you just need to focus on drawing your sword; I'll handle the demons."

Ning Xuan was taken aback.

There was a lot of information in what the older brother said.

It sounds like the demons of Manfeng Mountain aren't unsolvable, but rather deliberately left unresolved for the next prefect.

That older brother must be very strong.

This dynasty was also very powerful.

As for the general
It's better to be a general than a son-in-law.

Moreover, the strength he displayed was less than half of his true strength.

As time goes on, the difference between his apparent and true power will only grow larger.

(End of this chapter)