A life of idleness in the world of demons

Chapter 71, Section 70: Join or Not? (5.0K words - Long chapter, please subscribe)
Did Ning Xuan use his full strength?
of course not.

He had to unleash the "Heavenly Netherworld Child," first suppressing the enemy with a "Celestial Master's Seal" from tens or hundreds of miles away, and then summon his golden body, draw his Ruyi Blade, transforming his body into a ten-foot-tall figure and his blade into a hundred-foot-tall figure. That was what it meant to go all out.

However, in terms of martial arts, he lost decisively.

It could even be said that even if he used his golden body and the Ruyi Blade, he might still not be a match for Lu Xuezhi.

Night passes and day comes.

Unlike Xiao Jie, who would snuggle in his arms at this time, Lu Xuezhi didn't particularly like cuddling outside of dual cultivation. Even on the bed, if Ning Xuan wanted to touch her, she would block him with her strong long legs and slowly push him away by pressing her five fingers against her lower abdomen. If Ning Xuan still tried to take advantage of her, she would angrily say, "Go to sleep."

As the first rays of sunlight pierced through the window, Lu Xuezhi had already gotten up, changed into a white outfit, and was practicing martial arts in the courtyard.

She wasn't in the same "ladylike curled-up" starting stance as she had last night; instead, she was properly squatting in a horse stance.

Ning Xuan squatted down in a horse stance.

When he was learning from Master Zhang Erquan, known as "Swallow Chasing Wind Knife," this was the first thing he learned.

If you can't even hold a horse stance and your lower body isn't stable, then you can forget about any martial arts skills.

Ning Xuan also got up and sat under the eaves, looking at his wife.

Lu Xuezhi didn't seem afraid of him looking at her at all.

She slowly squatted into a horse stance, then slowly stepped forward as if dragging heavy shackles, kicking and stomping her feet in a slow motion.

As expected, Ning Xuan didn't understand.

Clearly, this is a secret refining method that is completely invisible from the outside.

Finally, Lu Xuezhi mastered the technique. She stood upright, graceful and elegant, and exhaled a long breath. This breath transformed into a giant white python that rushed into the courtyard in the cool autumn morning, circling around before stopping.

Ning Xuan didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Miss Lu, I want to learn this."

Lu Xuezhi turned her head slightly to look at him and said, "Young Master Ning, there is a lineage. If you want to learn, you must become an apprentice."

Seeing her earnest expression, Ning Xuan knew that in her heart, "husband" meant a martial arts partner, and practicing martial arts was the most important thing. Lu Xuezhi might not care about worldly etiquette, but she cared extremely much about the inheritance of martial arts.

Ning Xuan asked, "Then what is the name of our sect?"

Lu Xuezhi said, "If you agree to join, I'll tell you."

Ning Xuan asked again, "Then you have to tell me how many people are left in this sect, and what the sect's development goals are, so that I can have a choice, right?"

Lu Xuezhi said, "Never mind."

After saying that, she went to take a bath.

Since everyone had seen everything at night anyway, she didn't care that Ning Xuan was there.

The bodyguard poured hot water, and she stepped up the ladder, her long legs disappearing into the rising steam. Her toes lightly touched the water's surface like dragonflies, and then she gracefully stepped into the bathtub, her long legs raised.

She carefully washed away the sweat and dirt, then even sprayed some floral dew on herself, before putting back on her favorite scarlet high-necked long coat and spotless white shoes.

She sat in front of the bronze mirror, combing her bangs neatly, but leaving her waist-length hair untied, letting it cascade down like a waterfall.

After changing her clothes, Lu Xuezhi's aura immediately became more imposing.

White as a ghost, aggressive as fire, dark as night.

Beautiful, tall, yet harboring a deadly intent.

Her most striking feature is her long legs, which are also her most terrifying killing weapon.

She walked to the courtyard gate like a proud crane, then paused slightly, turned her head, glanced at her martial arts partner, and asked, "Want to join?"

Ning Xuan laughed.

He smiled.

Lu Xuezhi didn't wait any longer. Instead, she turned around, raised her head slightly, and walked forward.

Ning Xuan watched his wife's retreating figure and sighed softly in his heart.
A person like him can sense the coming of autumn from a single leaf.

Lu Xuezhi's sect is clearly not simple, and Lu Xuezhi is obviously "fishing" for him, trying to lure him into her faction so that he can work hard for that faction.

If it were a peaceful environment, that would be fine.

But after experiencing the "Nightmare of Tianyouzi," all he saw was the extreme chaos beneath the surface of peace on this land. It wasn't about good guys and bad guys, nor was it a simple power struggle between two or three forces. Instead, it was a chaotic mess where right and wrong were indistinguishable and motives were unclear.

Even though she was his own wife, he couldn't possibly listen to her nonsense.

Seeing that Lu Xuezhi had gone far away, Ning Xuan did not follow.

He returned to the "Former Qin General's Mansion". Madam Zhao and the Qin girls had already wisely taken down the "Qin Mansion" plaque. At this time, Madam Zhao was arranging for people to provide compensation to the families of the demon plague warriors who sacrificed themselves in the Frozen Hell.

As Ning Xuan walked in, no one in the mansion dared to look him in the eye.

Ning Xuan entered a secluded cultivation chamber, where candles burned brightly on the walls. He inspected the chamber, then sat cross-legged on the stone platform in the center.

'It's time to try out Tianyouzi's Heavenly Demon Talisman.'

He closed his eyes slightly, a thought forming in his mind.

On the Heavenly Demon Register, the register for the [Secluded Ghost] was brought out.

Ning Xuan's attribute instantly changed from "12" to "28".

The sudden and enormous boost caused his soul to tremble, followed by an overwhelming feeling of comfort.

He instantly understood the source of this comfort—the secret room.

He felt a chilling, icy aura emanating from his soul.

Ghostly aura.

Taiyin Ghost Cultivator uses ghost energy.

He clenched his fists slightly.

Ghostly energy condensed, and numerous black humanoid silhouettes emerged, containing the power to "suppress the soul" and the power to "turn the illusory into the real once the law is triggered." This is the ghost seal unique to the Netherworld Ghost, and the black mist swirling on the surface of the ghost seal is the "Human Head Demon."

To put it bluntly, the "headed demon" is just a "little devil".

But when he tried to "explore the surrounding land" and "burrow underground," he discovered that he did not possess these powers, powers that even a first-rank celestial master could not control.

Ning Xuan instantly understood: Taiyin Ghost Cultivators and Celestial Masters are two different kinds of beings. The spells they wield are completely different, and the sources of their power are also completely different.

Celestial Masters need dragon energy, while Taiyin Ghost Cultivators only need a suitable environment. Celestial Masters can cultivate extremely quickly, but their lifespan is very short; Taiyin Ghost Cultivators cultivate slowly, but as long as their natal evil treasure remains intact, they will never perish.

Most importantly, the Taiyin Ghost Cultivator can possess a physical body, thereby gaining the power of that body.

The Yin ghost cultivators possessed the Celestial Master's body, and thus gained the Celestial Master's power.

Ning Xuan sensed it again.

He also discovered that if the Yin Ghost Cultivator possessed the Celestial Master, they would certainly have the Celestial Master's power, but they would no longer be able to use the dragon energy to cultivate.

At this moment, Ning Xuan's previous doubts suddenly became clear.

Why did the Yin Ghost Cultivator impersonate a Celestial Master and stay at the Zixia Temple? And why did he resist demons?

The reason may be quite simple.

Slay demons, obtain dragon energy, raise a celestial master, and then possess the body of a powerful celestial master within.

Similarly, why was the Taiyin Ghost Cultivator able to accommodate the general?

Slay demons, obtain demon cores, raise generals, and then possess the powerful generals.

Why were they able to tolerate a great general like Qin Shanjun?
According to this logic, as long as Qin Shanjun does not leave this world, wouldn't every step of his growth be a good thing?
The Taiyin Ghost Cultivators themselves do not cultivate quickly, but they have long lifespans, and there are many terrifying old monsters among them.

Those whom Tianyouzi could not possess, naturally could be possessed by the Taiyin Ghost Cultivator.

Above the high priests, elders, and abbots.
God knows how deep this water is.

One's position is determined by one's circumstances. After Ning Xuan summoned the [Netherworld Ghost] and became the [Netherworld Ghost], many of the questions in his mind suddenly had very logical answers. Although they were still just guesses, they seemed quite real, reaching the point where they could "explain most of the questions, but still needed to be verified."

Just as he was testing the power of the [Netherworld Ghost], suddenly, an incredibly strong sense of attraction surged from the depths of his soul. He sensed his source—his natal evil treasure—and another being "born from the same source."

One treasure gives birth to two ghosts. The two ghosts can sense each other, and if they can devour each other, it will be of great benefit.

Ning Xuan slowly turned his head and looked in a certain direction.

He actually saw the other person across time and space—Tian Youzi.

In a faraway place, six prison vans were traveling through the deep mountains and forests.

The ground here is shrouded in shade, making it appear quite eerie.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped. The middle-aged man with a goatee and purple face behind the curtain suddenly twisted his neck and turned his head straight to look behind him. His gaze traveled far, far away and landed on the young man in black robes who was sitting cross-legged in the secret room.

The two actually exchanged a glance from afar.

The next instant, the young man in the black robe disappeared from his sight.

However, though he had disappeared, greed had already arisen in Tian Youzi's eyes. The more he thought about it, the more intense that greed became. However, when he thought that the black-robed youth was Yao Zhenxiangu's partner, his greed subsided slightly.

A look of hesitation appeared in his eyes.

But in an instant, it reignited, burning ever more fiercely.

The carriage suddenly turned around and headed in another direction.

In the secret room.
Even though Ning Xuan had removed the [Netherworld Ghost] Heavenly Demon Talisman, a strong emotion still raged within him.

"Melt him, melt him, melt him!!"

Two [claustrophobic ghosts], but only one possesses a natal evil treasure. What will be the outcome?
Ning Xuan had been thinking about it before.

Now, he had the answer.

Combine the two into one, and that's it.

He glanced into the distance, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

Just then, his expression suddenly changed, because the sound of arguing could be heard coming from outside General Qin's mansion.

He listened intently, and realized that it was Madam Zhao speaking.

Madam Zhao said, "It is true that this person is a distant relative of mine, but I haven't seen him for a long time. Why should I be held responsible for what he did?"

Just then, another woman's voice came from behind.

Ning Xuan listened again.

Isn't that the voice of his wife, who's good at martial arts?
Lu Xuezhi said, "They are deeply entrenched and entrenched, and have committed many evil deeds in the region. How many people in Hanzhou City have acted recklessly and caused immense suffering to the people because of your protection? Look for yourself! These are all the good deeds done by the tyrants of your Qin family over the years!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a box fell to the ground.

The bamboo slips inside the box tumbled out with a "whoosh".

Each bamboo slip contained incriminating evidence collected by Lu Xuezhi's personal guards.

She had already instructed people to do this when she first arrived in Hanzhou, but at that time she was not Ning Xuan's wife, so she only collected the information but did not actually do it.

Now, she has started cleaning the backyard.

She hated evil and could not tolerate such filth.

The air fell silent for a moment.

Madam Zhao seemed to be picking up the bamboo slips, muttering as she looked at them, "It has nothing to do with me, nothing to do with me, I don't know, I know nothing about these things."

Lu Xuezhi said coldly, "Qin Shanjun has colluded with demons and has already defected. Zhao Zhi, you should also be executed."

Madam Zhao jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, saying, "Qin Shanjun has harmed me in many ways! He threw me into the water dungeon, and many people know about it! I almost lost my life! I..."

Lu Xuezhi interrupted, "Don't think I don't know. Qin Shanjun is just using this method to keep you here, exchanging a convenient achievement for the possibility of you staying. As long as you're here, the Qin family will still exist!"

Madam Zhao was about to argue further when Lu Xuezhi shouted sternly, "Seize them! Once the Qin family is all here, throw them all out of Hanzhou City!"

Madam Zhao said in a trembling voice, "General Lu, you can't do this! You're just making wild guesses. No, no, I'm with General Ning now. You have no right to punish me."

Lu Xuezhi said, "You have rendered meritorious service, even if it was arranged. I will not kill you, but you are not allowed to appear in the territory of the Imperial Dynasty again."

Madam Zhao murmured twice, "I want to see General Ning. I want to see General Ning."

As she spoke, she shouted, "General Ning! General Ning!!"

Lu Xuezhi did not stop her.

Inside the secret room, Ning Xuan listened quietly to Madam Zhao's shouts.

His expression was extremely complicated.

He narrowed his eyes, thought for a moment, and did not leave the secret room.

After a long while, the sounds outside ceased.

Clearly, Madam Zhao, Qin Shanjun's clan, and several daughters are being forcibly "expelled" by Lu Xuezhi.

Meanwhile, some of the local bullies and powerful figures in Hanzhou City were directly dealt with by Lu Xuezhi's personal guards, who then sought out the prefect to confiscate their property. A tutor was then hired to go door-to-door to "repay debts" based on the account books. The bullying, seizure of women, oppression, and beatings that had been impossible to calculate in the past were all compensated.

On the street, the people were watching quietly.

Only when they were certain that the imperial court was serious this time and that these tyrants would never be able to turn the tables did they cheer and shout, "General Lu, General Lu!"

A moment later, as if someone had called out to them, they all started shouting "General Ning! General Ning!"
High place
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the world, amidst the endless yellow sands, the setting sun has changed color and is on the verge of collapse.

The sky revealed a sense of emptiness and desolation after burning, like ashes.

Even the hottest and brightest flames eventually turn to dust at the end of their burning.

The girl in the scarlet robe was standing in the place closest to the sky.

She was standing very high up; it was a lookout tower.

She was watching as the Qin family members were driven towards the west gate.

She only looked away when she saw with her own eyes that Madam Zhao and the others had all been driven outside the city gate.

Just then, she heard footsteps behind her.

Familiar footsteps, neither hurried nor slow, ascended the steps and walked up behind her.

Lu Xuezhi did not turn around. Her pretty face was covered with frost. She looked completely different from the young lady who had climbed to the top of the clouds in the middle of the night, like a violent eruption of lava.

She remained silent and said nothing.

Ning Xuan walked to her side, naturally grasped the iron railing on the watchtower with both hands, squeezed the slightly cool railing with his ten fingers, leaned forward slightly, and looked into the distance, watching Madam Zhao, the Qin family girl, and even Steward Zhao and others flee in panic towards the Western Regions in the direction of the desert.

A waning moon hangs in the sky, and the vast sea is as white as snow.

He suddenly said, "Madam Zhao is actually useless now. Since Qin Shanjun's incident, she has acted cleverly. She used the most efficient means to pick out the remnants of General Qin's mansion and send them to the front line."

Afterwards, my original plan was to send her to Xinghe County to live a life of vegetarianism and Buddhist chanting with my mother, so she could enjoy her remaining years in peace.

After saying that, he paused for a moment, and then continued to himself: "However, General Qin actually has many, many enemies. Over the years, he has confiscated countless homes and exterminated countless clans."

Those involved in the past swallowed their anger and dared not retaliate; the children who escaped the net back then endured humiliation and hardship, and have now grown up, some even spanning three or four generations.

I escorted Madam Zhao and the Qin family girl to Xinghe County, genuinely intending to protect them, but deep down I didn't know if I could. Perhaps one day they'd drown, be crushed by rocks, or die suddenly at home. Or perhaps, they wouldn't even make it to Xinghe County before something terrible happens to them.”

Lu Xuezhi's pupils contracted slightly, her voice turned cold, and she asked, "Young Master Ning, what do you mean?"

Ning Xuan said, "Miss Lu, I just wanted to say that your sudden expulsion of them caught their enemies completely off guard. You were worried that I would obstruct you, so you didn't even tell me beforehand."

Lu Xuezhi said, "Don't think nonsense. They went to the Western Regions, to the desert, where they only have one way to die. I am irreconcilably opposed to such old-fashioned generals, how could I possibly help them?"

Ning Xuan nodded and said nothing more.

In the past, his father made him marry into General Qin's family and "marry" a concubine's daughter. It seemed like he was humiliating her and harming him, but in fact, it was a way out that his father had shamelessly begged for more than a month.
The owner of Flying Eagle Tower and his son argued in front of him, to the point that they severed their father-son relationship, but it was actually just out of deep affection for his son.
General Qin imprisoned Madam Zhao in a water dungeon, torturing her day and night. He seemed to be insane, but if it weren't for this well-known torture, the Qin family would have been wiped out long ago. How could Madam Zhao have survived?
What a person says is not important.

The important thing is what results his actions brought about.

Ning Xuan felt that the current outcomes for Madam Zhao and the Qin family girl were quite good.

Qin Shanjun is not dead yet.

Behind the scenes, countless people are still hunting him down.

However, after searching the imperial court for so long, they couldn't find even a trace of him.

Where did Qin Shanjun go?

Ning Xuan looked towards the Western Regions, then glanced at his wife standing straight beside him, like a flame or a ghost, and said nothing more, nor asked any more questions.

He didn't say anything or ask anything, but Lu Xuezhi spoke up.

She looked in the direction Ning Xuan was looking, and suddenly, out of the blue, asked, "Join?"

This was the third time she had asked.

Ning Xuan sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, "Father, oh Father, you've really made my life miserable."

(End of this chapter)