Chapter 151: 151 Liuli is Dumbfounded! A Letter from the Master, Wei Youqing's Obsession!

Liuli had observed.

Today, Liu Qingmei was not wearing those black stockings that were so highly decorative.

She did not know when Liu Qingmei would wear them.

Nor did she know how many days this task could be dragged out.

So she thought, while Liu Qingmei was not wearing them today, she would steal them directly, and then decide on the next step.

She kept listening to the movements on the second floor.

Until she was certain that Ning Mu and Liu Qingmei had both left the second floor, a flash of helplessness crossed Liuli's expression.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

Then, she performed a graceful flip.

Her entire body flipped down directly from the third-floor roof.

Immediately, she flashed and landed lightly onto the second-floor balcony.

Standing in the spot where Ning Mu and Liu Qingmei had just been, Liuli's gaze swept across the entire second floor quickly, as if she had a guilty conscience.

Apart from herself, there was no one else.

She immediately let out a slight sigh of relief.

The next moment.

She lifted her legs, preparing to head toward the room where Liu Qingmei was.

But just as she lifted her foot.

She suddenly realized that the sole of her foot seemed to have stepped on some soft, mud-like water stain.

Subconsciously, she lowered her head to look.

She saw that on the waxed solid wood floor, there was a puddle of semi-transparent, white-tinged liquid.

And on top of this water stain, her own footprint was very obvious.

Liuli's face turned red instantly.

Having been influenced by Ning Mu these past few days, she naturally knew what this thing with her footprint on it was! A chill could not help but run through her heart.

She had actually stepped on the thing that had flowed out from Liu Qingmei's place.

Disgusting!

But for some reason.

A feeling that was hard to describe rose in her heart.

Blushing, she secretly glanced at her surroundings.

After confirming no one was there.

She pursed her lips, lifted her right foot, stepped on it lightly, and then... applied a little force to grind it.

It was slippery.

It was a bit sticky on her shoe.

She could not help but feel smug.

Hmph, Liu Qingmei and Ning Mu, if you two dare to tease this nun with your words again in the future.

This nun will fiercely trample on your children!

Harboring these strange thoughts, after Liuli had had her fill of fun, she listened to the sounds of dining in the hall downstairs, hurriedly flashed, and slipped into Liu Qingmei's room.

"Hoo~"

This was the first time for Liuli... no!

It should be said, this was the first time since the dawn of time, something she had never even imagined, that she had transformed into a 'thief' to sneak into someone else's room to steal! Even as a Half-step Divine Origin Realm expert.

Her heart was still incomparably nervous at this moment.

It was as if someone would jump out from the shadows at any moment, point at her nose, and curse her for not being a nun, but a thief.

Carefully, she closed the door.

She turned to look at the furnishings and layout of the room.

There were three rooms; the middle one was a room similar to a living room, and facing the door against the wall were two master chairs and an eight-immortal table.

The room was covered with a rug.

On the left, the room near Ning Mu's main chamber, separated by a curtain, was the bedroom.

The small room separated by a door curtain on the right was clearly a study.

The bookshelf against the wall was piled with books, and a desk was placed facing the curtain.

After taking a close look, Liuli directly lifted the bedroom curtain.

Although she had never been a thief.

She also knew that items like silk stockings were most likely kept in the bedroom.

Her gaze swept over, memorizing what the original furnishings in the room looked like.

Then, Liuli began to search carefully.

At the foot of the bed was a wardrobe, and at the head of the bed was a clothes rack; several long dresses were draped casually on the rack. She searched them one by one but did not find those black silk stockings on the rack.

"Hoo~"

Liuli exhaled lightly, tilted her head to listen for any movement, and then came to the wardrobe.

But just as she was about to open the wardrobe door.

Suddenly.

Her ears twitched, and then her whole body stood numbly on the spot as if struck by lightning; her panicked eyes were full of anxiety! What to do, what to do! Footsteps sounded on the stairs outside, someone was coming up!

Judging by the sound of the footsteps, it was a woman.

But the only people who could live on this floor, besides Tong Yuyue, were Liu Qingmei! In other words, the person outside was very likely Liu Qingmei!

If she were caught on the spot, stealing in her room, she would have no way to defend herself, even if Liu Qingmei was a highly respected figure in the martial arts world and a pride of the Buddha Gate! Should she say she came to clean the room for her? Even a ghost wouldn't believe that, let alone someone as sharp as Liu Qingmei! For a moment, Liuli felt incredibly panicked, wishing she could blast a hole in the floor with one palm and crawl inside.

But doing that would make even more noise!

"... Husband is really something, he doesn't even let me rest while eating, and still makes me change into a short skirt..."

Vaguely, Liuli heard the muttering of the person whose footsteps they were on the balcony corridor outside.

The voice was not heard very clearly.

But it also let Liuli breathe a slight sigh of relief.

It was Tong Yuyue!

Thank goodness, thank goodness...

Liuli patted her bulging chest, leaned behind the curtain, and waited quietly, holding her breath and focusing her attention.

Just in case, this was the only way.

What if Tong Yuyue had nothing to do and ran into Liu Qingmei's room? Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

After waiting for about half a quarter of an hour, she heard Tong Yuyue's footsteps going back downstairs.

"Phew~"

Hearing the sound of silk and bamboo instruments playing in the side hall downstairs, Liuli completely relaxed.

At this moment, she was already drenched in sweat.

That Bodhi Jade Lotus Zen Robe was even a bit damp with sweat.

Putting aside her thoughts, Liuli came to the wardrobe, opened the cabinet door, and hurriedly began to search.

Tsk! After the cabinet door opened, Liuli couldn't help but click her tongue.

These clothes... they were dazzling! The key was that she had never seen Liu Qingmei wear them before! Suspiciously picking up one of them to look at it, Liuli's pretty face instantly turned red as blood.

These... a few scraps of cloth, could these even be called clothes?

Looking at the construction, it was estimated that it could barely cover those private parts, and the two sides were only connected by extremely thin strings that would break with a light tug, right?

This color was also bright enough!

Are these underpants?

Liuli subconsciously tugged at the thin string connected to a piece of red cloth.

But the next moment, she was dumbfounded! Oh no!

Looking at the thin string broken into two pieces before her, Liuli's expression changed instantly, her face turning deathly pale.

She had broken it...

Frowning and thinking for a moment, she hurriedly put it back in its original place.

There were so many similar undergarments in here; she shouldn't notice.

Liuli comforted herself, and then carefully began to rummage through the pile of clothes.

But after turning everything upside down, she simply couldn't find those black long stockings.

Did Liu Qingmei carry them with her? Liuli pondered, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Suddenly.

Her eyes lit up.

Underneath the folded mattress, a section of black was exposed.

Immediately.

She tugged at that black fabric.

Not long after.

She saw two black, semi-transparent long stockings appear in her hands.

Finally found them! Liuli immediately breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Looking left and right, she hurriedly stuffed the silk stockings into her pocket, and after confirming that the furnishings in the room were the same as before, she left cautiously.

The next few days were peaceful.

The entire Ningyang Mountain was bustling with activity, all in a flourishing state.

Liu Qingmei handed the corn seeds to A Diao, and according to the steps in the manual, A Diao began to arrange for the villagers to plant them.

In these past few days, Ning Mu hadn't been idle either, designing and installing a waterwheel to draw water up from the river at the foot of the mountain.

The road leading to the foot of the mountain, under the leadership of the Martial Dao True Person Liu Qingmei, had been worked on by various experts with deep Cultivation Points, and even Liuli Shitai had been pressed into service by Ning Mu for a few days; it was now basically almost finished.

What remained to be done was to use livestock to pull a stone roller back and forth a few times to tamp down the road surface.

This day.

After eating lunch.

Ning Mu was sitting on a lounge chair on the second-floor balcony to enjoy the cool air.

Wearing nothing but a transparent silk gauze long dress, Ning Xiaoxiu, with her hair in twin tails and wearing a short skirt, was dancing on this patio balcony to add to the fun, full of youthful vitality.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from the stairs.

"Husband, a letter came from Yonghang, there's a situation!"

Not long after, Tong Yuyue was seen rushing over with quick steps, holding a small slip of paper in her hand.

Before she finished speaking, she handed the paper to Ning Mu, who was sitting comfortably on the lounge chair.

Ning Xiaoxiu did not stop dancing.

Ning Mu immediately unfolded the paper and took a look.

"Linglong has discovered that the Blood Lotus has sent people to investigate in secret, and it seems an Elder has arrived in the city in person. Our family has not revealed the whereabouts of the master, master please be careful! Ling."

On the slip of paper, a string of elegant handwriting was written with a brush; judging by the signature, it was the handwriting of Jiang Fuling.

The paper was limited, and though there were few words, the matter was explained clearly.

Seeing the content on the slip, Ning Mu was stunned for a moment.

The Blood Lotus Sect is making a comeback!

The message from Jiang Fuling stated clearly that people from the Blood Lotus Sect were secretly scouting for information, but they had been detected by Yu Linglong, and the courtesans in the Yichun Courtyard had not revealed their whereabouts.

However, there are not a few people who know that he has settled down and established a stronghold here on Ningyang Mountain.

After all, Liu Qingmei is a Martial Arts Grandmaster, and there is no shortage of people in the pugilistic world watching in the shadows.

This place will sooner or later be discovered by the people of the Blood Lotus Sect.

Ning Mu raised an eyebrow, immediately signaled for the dancing Ning Xiaoxiu to stop, and then beckoned to her.

"Master~"

Ning Xiaoxiu immediately came over and knelt respectfully at the side of Ning Mu's bamboo chair.

Ning Mu handed the slip to her.

Ning Xiaoxiu was a bit dazed; she glanced at Tong Yuyue, then lowered her head to look at the content on the slip. After reading it, her expression could not help but change slightly.

After her eyes darted around for a moment, she looked at Ning Mu respectfully and said, "Master, if my guess is correct, it should be Pusa Tan'er's father, Pusa Hai, who has come."

"This Pusa Hai is an Elder of the Punishment Hall of the Blood Lotus Sect. He only has this one daughter, Pusa Tan'er, so he dotes on her extremely. According to what this servant knows, Pusa Tan'er often communicated with her father. If he did not receive her message for a period of time, Pusa Hai would immediately set out."

"Last time, Pusa Tan'er died at the hands of Liuli Shitai. So much time has passed without any news being sent back; given the degree of Pusa Hai's doting on her, calculating the time, it is about time for him to arrive!"

Ning Xiaoxiu told Ning Mu everything she knew, down to the smallest detail.

"How is this Pusa Hai's strength?" Ning Mu asked, frowning.

Ning Xiaoxiu immediately said, "Inner Profound Peak. However, there are not a few ordinary Grandmasters who have suffered at his hands. His Cultivation Points are secondary; the main thing is that he is skilled in using poison!"

"He keeps a poisonous creature called a Green Jade Snake, which often coils around his body, and there is also the highly toxic Ice Bone Scorpion hidden in his sleeves. These two types of poisonous creatures can always allow him to win by surprise, especially that Ice Bone Scorpion, which is elusive. Once it is deployed, even a Grandmaster martial artist finds it very hard to guard against. As long as one is bitten by this Ice Bone Scorpion, the victim's bones will stiffen like ice in an instant..."

Ning Xiaoxiu said worriedly.

Hearing this, Ning Mu's brows could not help but knit together.

No wonder Ning Xiaoxiu said this Pusa Hai, with an Inner Profound Realm cultivation, could rival a Grandmaster.

So it was by relying on poisonous creatures!

In a duel between experts, this moment of stiffness is enough to be fatal!

"However, Master, there is a way to restrain this Ice Bone Scorpion!" Ning Xiaoxiu added.

"What is it?" Ning Mu immediately became curious.

Ning Xiaoxiu: "Roosters! The kind of rooster that crows very loudly. This weakness is actually known to many people, but when people in the martial arts world are dueling or fighting, no one brings a rooster to the scene, so Pusa Hai's Ice Bone Scorpion has been able to succeed every time!"

Ning Mu could not help but have his eyelid twitch; he felt a bit strange.

"I will immediately have someone go down the mountain to buy two hundred... no, five hundred roosters to bring up the mountain!"

Tong Yuyue immediately turned around to arrange for people to go down the mountain to buy chickens.

For now, it can guard against the enemy's poisonous creatures.

If there are many in the future, they can also be used as food, so it is not a waste.

"Master, the most critical thing is that I am worried that after they discover our current location, they will sneak in quietly. Pusa Hai using this Green Jade Snake and Ice Bone Scorpion to strike from the shadows—that is what is impossible to guard against. He has always used such underhanded methods in the past!"

After Tong Yuyue left, Ning Xiaoxiu thought for a moment, frowned, and continued to add.

At this moment, Ning Xiaoxiu felt incomparably anxious and uneasy.

She was previously a member of the Blood Lotus Sect. Although she was being raised as a medicine field by the Blood Lotus Sect leader, Pusa Qinlong, she had also committed many evils in the beginning when she was unaware of the situation.

Thanks to the Master not abandoning her, she was able to turn back from her misguided ways.

Not only did she learn of her fate as a medicine field, but she has also been benefiting from the Master's Original Yang, which has allowed her to suppress the growth of the Demon Seed Blood Lotus within her body.

However.

Aside from being able to please the Master, she has achieved nothing and has not brought any benefits to the Master.

Yet she has to let the Master face threats from the Blood Lotus Sect one after another! This makes her feel very guilty! Hearing Ning Xiaoxiu's words, Ning Mu could not help but raise his brows and fall into deep thought.

That is true.

This kind of expert who uses poisonous insects definitely prefers to sneak up on people rather than have a fair and square fight.

This is very difficult to guard against.

On this high mountain, there is no shortage of poisonous insects, rats, and ants.

If one or two appear occasionally, even if they are discovered, no one will pay them any mind.

This makes it very easy to capsize in the gutter! Ning Xiaoxiu hesitated for a moment and continued: "Master, I once heard Pusa Tan'er mention that realgar wine or lime can provide some prevention. However, our stronghold is so large; it is a bit not worth the cost just to prevent two poisonous creatures... And if Pusa Hai drives them forcibly, these two types of poisonous creatures will also brave the restraint of the realgar wine and lime to attack!"

"After all, they are not ordinary poisonous creatures; to them, realgar wine and lime have some effect, but not much!"

Ning Mu was stunned for a moment upon hearing this, then laughed: "Wouldn't it be enough to just protect this main hall and the backyard?"

"Even if he comes up the mountain, he is coming to find you and me, and he won't attack others. He only has those few poisonous creatures; could he possibly bite everyone in the stronghold to death?"

"As long as we can provide some prevention, at least there will be a chance to react!"

"Let's do it!"

Immediately.

Ning Mu got up and went downstairs to find Tong Yuyue, asking her to arrange for people to purchase realgar and lime, and then apply them all around the main hall and the backyard.

Following that, Ning Mu summoned Liu Qingmei and Liuli to inform them about the Blood Lotus Sect.

After all, the two of them are currently the highest combat power in the stronghold.

If there is any disturbance, they can be the first to be alerted!

And taking advantage of this opportunity.

Liuli Shitai also issued an invitation at the right time, asking Ning Mu to accompany her for a walk in the mountains in the afternoon, ostensibly to check the situation at various intersections and see if there are any other medicinal herbs in the mountains that can prevent poisonous insects.

But in reality.

Liuli was thinking about Task Two, Sub-task Three.

Breaking the vow against eating meat and being alone with Ning Mu—this sub-task seems like breaking a vow, but by comparison, it is the simplest one!

Therefore, Liuli intends to complete this task first.

After returning, she will go find Dongxue to ask for advice on the art of makeup to complete Task Three, Sub-task Two.

She has observed carefully; among the few maids, Dongxue is the most reticent, so it is most appropriate to ask her for help.

As for Liu Qingmei or Tong Yuyue... they are not in her consideration at all.

If she were to find those two.

She fears that before she even begins applying makeup, the whole city... the whole Mountain Stronghold would know! The dignified Divine Nun Liuli, in order to please and delight the Stronghold Master Ning Mu, is asking someone for advice on the art of makeup!

Wearing garlands, anointing the body with fragrance, willing to break vows just to please Ning Mu.

Even borrowing gold and silver jewelry to decorate herself, falling in love with luxury.

All for the sake of Ning Mu...

It is imaginable that if these words spread, her image would likely be completely overturned! So, after much thought and several days of observation, she selected the usually quietest Dongxue as her target.

Time passed slowly.

Afternoon.

The people arranged by Tong Yuyue have begun to gradually send the roosters purchased from various farmers down the mountain up to the stronghold.

A small amount of lime and realgar wine is also being sent up one after another.

Wei Youqing, who was wandering at the entrance of the main stronghold, could not help but be puzzled by this scene.

Why are they purchasing so many roosters for no reason? Seeing Ning Mu and Liuli Shitai walking toward the stronghold gate one after the other in the distance, her eyes lit up, and she hurriedly stepped forward. After greeting them, she could not help but eagerly ask about the curiosity in her heart.

"Stronghold Master Ning, why have you suddenly purchased so many roosters to bring up the mountain? Is the stronghold going to hold some major event?"

She thought they were going to hold a wedding, so they were purchasing food.

Ning Mu glanced at Liuli, then smiled at Wei Youqing: "Libationer Wei is overthinking. There are many snakes and insects in the mountains; purchasing some roosters is to prevent snakes, insects, rats, and ants."

Following this, he asked in return: "Is the Libationer recovered and planning to go down the mountain?"

Wei Youqing was startled, then her eyes flickered, and there was a hint of embarrassment in her expression.

"No, no, I still need to recuperate for a period of time... To tell you the truth, Stronghold Master Ning, I received a letter from the Master yesterday, ordering me to invite Mr. Ning to return to the Academy with me. Therefore, if Stronghold Master Ning does not acknowledge the Literary Qi and does not follow me to the Academy, I am afraid I will have to impose upon you for a long time!"

Ning Mu raised an eyebrow.

Is this Libationer from Jixia Academy planning to adopt a war of attrition, intending to wear him down until he enters Jixia Academy? Just as he was knitting his brows.

Wei Youqing coughed lightly, her expression solemn, and her tone extremely grave: "Stronghold Master Ning, to speak the truth, not to mention those before me, since I have been here, this is the first time I have seen the Master take the initiative to write a letter inviting a student to join Jixia Academy!"

"Moreover, the Master's letter states that as long as you, sir, follow me into the Academy, you may choose any teacher you wish; even becoming a disciple under the Master is possible. Furthermore, some resources are yours to take and use without any restrictions!"

"Such great favor is something others would not even dare to imagine, yet it is within reach for Stronghold Master Ning!"

"If you are willing, then you and I can become fellow disciples!"

"Sir, are you willing to follow me into the Academy?"

Wei Youqing stared at Ning Mu with burning eyes.

She was originally waiting for tools to test the Literary Qi, but she received the Master's letter first.

The Master stated in the letter that he had used a Confucian Secret Technique to deduce that this Ning Mu is the person protected by the seven-colored Literary Qi in his eyes, and he is the reformer of the great change that the Academy has not seen in a thousand years, concerning the rise and fall of the Academy!

Therefore, he asked Wei Youqing to bring him back to the Academy with 120,000 percent devotion.

There was more in the letter that she had not fully disclosed.

That was the promise the Master made: as long as Ning Mu is willing to join Jixia Academy, the inheritance of the literary world and the position of the future Master of the Academy would all be his! Such favor, let alone Wei Youqing, she had never encountered it before.

Even counting back thousands of years, no one had ever received such a heavy promise from the Master! The Master had once said that the successor to the literary world would be none other than her.

But now, this promise has been given to this Ning Stronghold Master before her, who leads many disaster victims to survive in the mountain stronghold. This inevitably made her feel somewhat unbalanced, so she did not explain this point to Ning Mu.

Hearing Wei Youqing's words, Ning Mu sighed and raised an eyebrow: "If I never agree, what does Libationer Wei intend to do?"

Wei Youqing was startled for a moment, looking at Ning Mu in a daze.

But immediately after, she gathered her courage and said sincerely: "The Saint has said, sincerity can move heaven and earth; I will surely bring out enough sincerity to make Mr. Ning agree!"

(End of this chapter)