In the novel "Joy of Life," the protagonist wakes up at Li Chengze's residence.

Chapter 232 Killed over 140... I guess.

"Oh right, I almost forgot about you. Did something happen?" Tao Jingyang naturally steered the conversation back on track, looking at Wu Zhu with a hint of doubt in his eyes.

Wu Zhu pursed his lips, his expression still cold and stern. He slowly took out a book from his robes, which emitted a faint smell of decay and seemed to be soaked in an unknown brown liquid.

"What are you taking out?"

"The mental cultivation method thrown out from the grave of Kuhe".

Tao Jingyang's gaze fell on the ancient book. After a moment of silence, he said, "A gift for me? However, neither of us cultivates this path."

"Of course it's not for you." Wu Zhu replied briefly, then quickly put the book back in his pocket.

"I'm here to borrow an energy bottle," he said in a low voice.

Tao Jingyang instantly understood that what he wanted was probably the one Li Chengze had used before.

She lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then said softly, "Should we give it to Fan Xian? But his meridians are too damaged, and his body has been cleansed by the Soul-Returning Pill."

"This thing is probably not very useful to Fan Xian."

The bottle was made from soil extracted from the very center of the accident site, and its nuclear power was extraordinary.

“It’s not enough to use it alone.” Wu Zhu nodded slightly. “So I need to find more, refine them again, and then try them out.”

Tao Jingyang fell silent in thought, silently reflecting.

"Wow~ Rich young master, even your cultivation has people scouring up rare and precious materials for you."

A short while later, Wu Zhu left with the little white bottle as he wished, his figure quickly disappearing outside the door.

Li Chengze sat to the side listening, and only after the person left did he speak in a cool tone, "Fan Xian is really lucky."

It was something meant for him, but now that someone else wants it, Tao Jingyang gives it to someone else.

Even though he doesn't need this little white bottle right now, Li Chengze still feels jealous.

But it was then negated by a kiss from Tao Jingyang.

......

Oh well, it's just a bottle, I'll give it to him.

......

As evening fell, Zhu Youran jogged into the Imperial Preceptor's residence. As soon as she entered, she cried out in a low voice, "Ah—I didn't pass the exam—!"

Her voice, filled with sorrow, shattered the tranquility of the mansion, filling the entire residence with her anguish. "I cannot even be granted an official position; I have failed the Grand Preceptor in his cultivation of me!"

She beat her chest and stamped her feet in frustration.

Tao Jingyang was in his study when he heard the sound. He silently covered his ears with his fingers, but his pen continued to write and review documents without stopping.

She took a deep breath and calmly reassured him, "No, your reformatory is doing a good job, isn't it?"

She looked up, her gaze passing through the open door to Zhu Youran, her eyes filled with concern.

She understands that her child will be very anxious if they don't pass the exam.

Zhu Youran plopped down in a chair, rested her chin on her hands, and pouted, saying, "But the reformatory is closed now, and the students have all graduated long ago."

A hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes, and her fingers unconsciously traced circles on the table. "Besides, this won't build any influence. If something really happens, I won't be able to help my sister at all."

As she spoke, she let out a long sigh, as if the sky had fallen if she hadn't passed the imperial examination, and she looked completely dejected.

Tao Jingyang got angry when he saw her like this. He put down his pen and said with a sigh of disappointment, "If you can't pass the exam, you can't pass it. No one says that people can only take the imperial examination route."

"Then I'll go into business?" Zhu Youran's eyes lit up, her excitement making her jump up from her chair. "I'll give all the money I earn to you, sir!"

"Don't start a business, the current economic climate is not good."

"Oh...then I might as well go into the military. I can become a general someday. I'll practice and try to pass the military examination next time."

From now on, when you lead troops, you will only be loyal to my sister. If anyone rebels, I will use my iron cavalry to trample them into mincemeat.

Her eyes were fierce as she ate with gusto.

"No, if someone beats you to death, I'll have to save you." He still vividly remembered the time he almost died.

She is beyond saving again.

"Just be a good Duke Kangning, like the heir of Prince Jing, living a leisurely and elegant life without having to worry about anything."

Zhu Youran immediately objected, so she rushed forward and pounced on Tao Jingyang's lap, pleading, "Youran's abilities are limited, so why don't you put me back by your side to serve you?"

"I can do all sorts of things: laundry, cooking, serving tea and water, massaging shoulders and backs, and even acting cute and amusing. I'll definitely take good care of the adults~~~"

She rubbed her head against Tao Jingyang's legs.

Tao Jingyang stretched out his finger, and with each word he uttered, he gently tapped You Ran's forehead with his fingertip. "Is that all you've got? You don't want a good life, you have to come here and serve others. What were you thinking?"

"You Ran just wants to work for you, my boss. You will always be my boss."

Zhu Youran said a bunch of rambling things, but her eyes were incredibly serious.

"You Ran was born to be my sister's person, and she will die to be my sister's ghost."

Having experienced the life of a powerful and wealthy person, she also gained an understanding of the world of the upper class.

Every important figure has their own cultivated forces, whether it's an army like the Tiger Guard or the Black Riders who are willing to risk their lives to protect others, or assassins who can kill and rob and do shady things. Almost every powerful person will keep these under their command.

However, Tao Jingyang, despite his high position, does not have such a powerful force behind him.

Before arriving, Zhu Youran had already thought about her mission. She put her knees down and knelt straight with a thud. "Youran doesn't want to be a cat kept by my sister, only knowing how to enjoy life all day long. If something happens, my sister will have to take care of me."

"After reading the book, I also learned the principles of governing a country. The book said that it is not enough to govern a country with benevolence alone; there must also be some thunderous means to deter others."

As she spoke, she imitated the way the members of the Surveillance Bureau kowtowed to Chen Pingping, placing her hands on the ground and starting to kowtow while Tao Jingyang was not paying attention.

“I am willing to be the long blade you hold behind your back. I will do the things you cannot do; I will kill all those who stand in your way.”

Her voice was deep yet powerful, and her eyes revealed determination and resolve.

"Behind the light lies the shadow. I am willing to be your shadow, so that the blood that cannot be shed in the light will never stain your sleeves."

......

After she finished speaking, Tao Jingyang looked at You Ran lying on the ground in silence for a long time.

Then she wiped her forehead with one hand, as if looking at her younger sister who was having a fit of "chuunibyou" (adolescent delusions of grandeur), and sighed softly, "Thunderous methods are not something you can just talk about. If you really want to do it, then you'll have to do the work of killing people."

"Capable." Zhu Youran looked up and agreed without hesitation, her face suddenly taking on a stern look, as if she had instantly become a different person.

“I killed a few when I was collecting medicinal herbs last year, but they were all bandits who had seized the mountain. I didn’t kill innocent people indiscriminately.”

This was the first time Tao Jingyang had heard her say this, so he continued to press, "How many did you kill?"

She steeled herself and simply told the truth, "More than one hundred...forty."

Zhu Youran was somewhat uncertain, after all, she had killed him together with Xie Bi'an.

The scene was chaotic, and people were in a frenzy of fighting; it was impossible to count the exact number of people.