Chapter 136: Divine Protection

"Forget for now what Feng Feng Nipo came here for—I want to know: did you tell her that I, seeing Yu'er's bride-price was lavish and her family wealthy, fawned on her, telling her to demand whatever she wanted in the Wang household—even her farts should smell sweet?" The old matriarch's face turned ashen.

Before Nie Shi could answer, she continued firing off words like a machine gun: "Yu'er's bride had her birthday yesterday—Madam Zhang personally prepared eight gift boxes and sent her steward to deliver them. Shouldn't I have returned the courtesy?"

We're all children of our parents. When Madam Zhang sends gifts to her daughter, it shows she misses her."

The old saying goes: every gift deserves a reply."

I arranged for someone to fetch Madam Zhang to our home for a visit—what's wrong with that?"

What kind of cruel person would slander me behind my back for climbing the rich, licking the anus of the wealthy?"

Nie Shi began to sneer. "You're right—we're all children of our parents. I have a birthday too, and parents."

I entered the Wang household before Zhang Shi. Now, after so many years, who has ever mentioned 'Nie Shi's birthday'?"

My poor mother loved her daughter too. Though she couldn't afford eight gift boxes, she came through the side gate to see me—yet who paid her any attention?"

No special banquet was ever prepared. Just a hasty meal of tea and rice, and she was sent away."

Look at how grand and noisy your sister-in-law's celebration was."

She paused, then added bitterly: "In these years as a Wang daughter-in-law, my in-laws have never spent a single silver coin on my birthday."

Yesterday, for your mother's birthday, she already spent two taels of silver to host a banquet."

My mother added another one tael, five mace, and eight candareens, saying her in-laws were coming, so the feast must be lavish and dignified."

Not only did she send silver, she worked in the kitchen all afternoon."

Exhausted and drained, she was haunted by spirits that night."

This morning, when Zhang Shi came to pay respects in your room, you secretly slipped her a jade bracelet, saying you'd forgotten to give it last night."

I was still planning to exorcise the evil spirits and calm her soul!"

When I heard this news, wasn't it natural for me to feel injustice?"

Even if I resented it, I never stood in the courtyard shouting it to everyone's ears."

I only whispered it to Lao Shenshen Feng—how did that harm anyone?"

The old matriarch gasped. "How do you know about one tael, five mace, eight candareens—and the jade bracelet?"

Her face grew thoughtful. She turned her head to look past her daughter-in-law toward the courtyard.

Nie Shi said: "Don't ask how I know. The matter is out now. You're angry and determined to make me your enemy."

You're my elder. If you kill me, I'll just be 'dead sooner, reborn sooner, still a young soul.'"

I only hate Zhang Shi pretending to be virtuous."

Having won your favor, she still stirs up trouble, turning me into a wicked, unfilial woman—how hateful!"

Now it's come to this—I fear I won't survive. But when I reach the Netherworld, I'll go straight to the City God and cry out my injustice—I'll demand Zhang Shi pay with her life!"

By now, Wang's second daughter-in-law, Zhang Shi, had already arrived."

She was supporting the old matriarch, whispering soothing words to calm her."

Hearing her elder sister-in-law target her, her cheeks flushed red. She snapped: "Elder sister, why are you bullying me like this? I'm the younger, the junior—I've never dared speak up. How am I the one stirring up trouble?"

Facing the old matriarch, Nie Shi held back. But facing her sister-in-law, her arrogance soared three zhang higher."

She immediately planted her hands on her hips and shouted: "I was whispering private words with Lao Shenshen Feng in my own room. Only your maid, Song'er, came by to deliver pastries."

She must have overheard us, then spread rumors and sent letters to you. You ran to your mother and spread gossip—wasn't that it?"

Xiao Yu's expression turned strange. Could Feng Feng Nipo, who could 'peer into heaven and earth,' really have her secrets overheard by a common maid?"

"Who do you eat with? Whose master do you protect?" Zhang Shi cried. "You slandered my mother-in-law as a greedy, status-seeking worm—and dragged me into it. Shouldn't she protect her own master instead of covering for you?"

Nie Shi pointed at her nose, sneering: "Look, look at this virtuous auntie—today her true, arrogant, brutal nature is finally exposed. She sows discord between me and my mother-in-law—and dares to act righteous!"

Heh heh, I get it—you think yourself a rich man's daughter and have always looked down on me, a daughter of a craftsman."

I only regret my father didn't endure poverty, drink thin porridge, and build a great fortune—so my daughter wouldn't be trampled on."

Zhang Shi flew into a rage. "You insult me, fine—but why drag in my dead father? This is too infuriating, too infuriating!"

The eldest daughter-in-law laughed. "Lao Shenshen, you're talking nonsense again. I'm just lamenting my own fate—how did I insult your father?"

"You hide a club under your soft tongue," Zhang Shi said coldly. "Don't think I can't hear it. My father might have been stingy—but at least he wasn't a thief stealing from Buddha's belly."

Nie Shi snapped. She screamed and lunged at Zhang Shi, trying to claw her face."

Zhang Shi, raised in a wealthy household, had trained in martial arts since childhood. She kicked out, striking Nie Shi square in the chest."

"Pūtōng!" Nie Shi was kicked flying several meters."

"Aōū~~~"

Whether her body was injured, her heart was truly shattered. She pounded the ground and wailed uncontrollably."

Xiao Yu couldn't help laughing—but halfway through, she shouted: "The old matriarch is collapsing! The old matriarch's falling! Zhang Da, catch her!"

Thanks to Zhang Shi's martial training, she reacted swiftly, stepping sideways to catch the old matriarch, whose face was pale and body trembling."

"You—you're in my house?" Zhang Shi turned, shouting as she held the old woman."

"Your house is lively—I came to watch the show," Xiao Yu said frankly."

Zhang Shi rolled her eyes in fury."

"This is madness! Absolute madness!"

Master Wang strode over, gripping a withered bamboo pole."

He first checked his wife's pulse, then glanced at both daughters-in-law. He glared and puffed his cheeks—but said not a single word of blame."

"Quickly, help your mistress up!" he roared at the maids."

The maids rushed toward Nie Shi, who was rolling on the ground, wailing."

Xiao Yu stood on the eaves, bowing with an awkward smile."

The old man's face flushed with embarrassment. He turned his head away from her gaze and hurried toward the eldest son's courtyard."

Soon after, Feng Feng Nipo came running out, wailing."

Besides her 'peering into heaven and earth,' Feng Feng Nipo had never cultivated martial arts. Her body was even less agile than Master Wang's."

Several bamboo strikes landed on her, making her cry "Aiyo! Aiyo!" nonstop."

"Wang boy, how dare you strike me? Don't you know that when your grandfather was alive, he called me 'Grandma'?"

She howled, still turning to curse him."

Master Wang grew angrier. "I'm beating you, this shameless old witch who ruins families!"

This time, he truly lost his temper. He struck harder."

"Pūchī!" The bamboo pole landed on Feng Feng Nipo's fatty waist, sending her stumbling, toppling toward the ground."

Xiao Yu hesitated—should she go down and help her? After all, Feng Feng Nipo's 'peering into heaven and earth' was truly powerful. She was envious."

"Gūdōng~~~" Her vision blurred. She saw a golden lump, the size of a melon, roll out from Feng Feng Nipo's chest and land on the ground first."

"Dare to bring evil into my home? You deserve a beating!"

Master Wang swung the bamboo pole again—this time striking the glowing golden lump."

The golden lump shrieked, then dissolved into golden light and shot into the sky."

Seeing the golden light, Xiao Yu's Purple Palace stirred again (earlier, when she called Feng Feng Nipo 'Lao Shenshen,' the Purple Palace had almost stirred—sometimes twitching, mostly still)."

"Harboring evil spirits? You deserve it!" Master Wang struck Feng Feng Nipo again."

Feng Feng Nipo was now kneeling on the ground. He struck her thick, fatty lower back."

"Gūdōng~~" Another golden lump rolled out from Feng Feng Nipo's liver, and another blow sent it screaming away."

"Violating heavenly law, neglecting your duty, disturbing the people, harming others? You deserve it!"

Master Wang struck six more times, knocking out three more golden lumps."

Five golden lumps total—all rolled out from Feng Feng Nipo's belly. Her face twisted in agony."

Xiao Yu leapt down beside Feng Feng Nipo and stared at Master Wang, astonished: "What were those golden lumps you struck?"

As the five golden lumps vanished, the "Feng Feng Nipo Annihilation Method" ceased. The Purple Palace stopped moving entirely."

So it was truly those five golden lumps that stirred the Purple Palace!"

Master Wang's face showed even greater shock. "You can see the Heavenly Court's Divine Edict Envoys?"

"Heavenly Court's Divine Edict Envoys?"

Xiao Yu was stunned."

She didn't know what a Divine Edict Envoy was—but she understood what "Heavenly Court" meant."

Who exactly was this old squire?"

She studied him closely—still found not a trace of Qi cultivation or training."

Master Wang pressed his lips tight, pointing the bamboo pole at Feng Feng Nipo. "I don't care how you deceive ordinary mortals. But my Wang household is protected by gods and Buddhas—every evil spirit is repelled. This is no place for someone like you to act recklessly."

You may visit as a guest—but if you ever use dark arts again, I'll strike you once with this pole every time."

Feng Feng Nipo's face wrinkled in pain—and now her mind was growing foggy."

Master Wang sighed, placed a hand on her shoulder, helped her up, and slowly led her out, calling for servants to prepare a carriage for her."

Xiao Yu hurried over to support Feng Feng Nipo's other arm."

After leaving the Wang household and seeing Feng Feng Nipo onto the carriage, Xiao Yu followed Master Wang to a side hall in the front courtyard."

He poured her a cup of tea, speaking calmly: "Heavenly secrets must not be revealed. Don't ask more. I'll only advise you: never associate with Feng Feng Nipo again."

"I saw the golden glow—but I don't know what it was," Xiao Yu said."

Master Wang had no intention of discussing this further—but he couldn't help asking: "How can a mortal like you see them?"

Xiao Yu replied: "Those envoys were probably stunned by your bamboo strikes—they slipped up, and I saw them."

It's connected to the "Heart Sea Scripture" and the "Feng Feng Nipo Annihilation Method."

The "Heart Sea Scripture" is a technique derived during the refinement of the "Thousand-Handed Thief Annihilation Method," enhancing perception.

It resembles the early "rooster blood breathing method," both having become techniques usable in daily life.

The Heart Sea Scripture primarily targets the spatial fluctuations of the "Transportation Technique"; enhancing perception is merely incidental.

Xiao Yu long ago activated the "Feng Feng Nipo Annihilation Method," but Feng Feng Nipo's state is extremely unstable.

Most of the time, Feng Feng Nipo can be casually crushed by Xiao Yu; the Purple Mansion need not deduce its flaws or countermeasures.

But sometimes Feng Feng Nipo can slightly stir the Purple Mansion, prompting Xiao Yu to begin deducing the "Secret Assassination of Feng Feng Nipo Method," only to halt it quickly.

It is very strange, yet somewhat effective.

The "Secret Assassination of Feng Feng Nipo Method" caused the Heart Sea Scripture to evolve once more toward enhanced perception.

In the state of the Heart Sea Scripture, Xiao Yu faintly "saw" a cluster of Jin Guang, yet could not discern its true form.

"What exactly is a Tiangong Talisman Envoy, and why is it hidden within Feng Feng Nipo's body?"

Seeing Wang Wang Chushi remained entangled yet silent, Xiao Yu asked again.

"The Talisman Envoys are divine spirits; I am uncertain whether they serve the Tiangong, or perhaps are guardian deities nurtured by some Daoist temple. Talisman Envoys can surveil the mortal realm, know past events, and slightly perceive future ones."

"Feng Feng Nipo used dark arts to cultivate her five viscera into a 'Five Viscera Temple,' where five divine talisman envoys are enshrined, thus allowing her to know many hidden secrets."

After a pause, Wang Wang Chushi looked at Xiao Yu and sincerely warned again: "The methods of divine talisman envoys are utterly imperceptible to ordinary people."

"Even though your spiritual sense far exceeds that of ordinary people, your ability to see the envoys today is due to exceptional circumstances—they dared enter my courtyard."

"In any other place, you would see nothing at all."

"Therefore, for your own sake and for those around you, you had best pretend you know nothing and saw nothing."

"Why can you see them—and even strike them? What is special about your family?" Xiao Yu asked curiously.

"My family is protected by gods and Buddhas," Wang Wang Chushi said calmly.

Xiao Yu widened her eyes, awaiting further explanation.

Wang Wang Chushi sighed: "In the past, you were quite courteous; why have you become so reckless today?"

"How can a stranger like you casually pry into another's secrets?"

As he spoke, he lifted his teacup.

Xiao Yu, helpless, rose to take her leave.

Some readers say the current plot reveals no clear main storyline.

First, let me ask a question.

Everyone hopes Xiao Yu escapes Tianmen Town, escapes Shu State—so in this world, how does one escape?

Or do people even understand what kind of world Xiao Yu inhabits?

Xiao Yu achieving true freedom is as impossible as a modern person carrying a knife, slashing randomly as she walks, yet remaining unharmed and unchallenged.

In fact, the main thread of this stage is "understanding the world" and "breaking free from the prison of the divine realm."

More specifically: first, learn that ghosts and gods are surveilling the mortal realm, watching every move she makes; second, learn to see them; third, learn to harm (kill) them; fourth, after killing Heavenly Court deities, learn to conceal one's trail and evade pursuit by celestial soldiers and generals.

If one cannot achieve this, the entire world is merely a vast Tianmen Town—a larger prison.

Only when one reaches this level does one qualify to participate in the Qin-Han Great Calamity.

Otherwise, every action you take is calculated by immortals with a flick of their fingers and immediately captured—how can you survive?

Or, readers may leave comments: in a world where the Netherworld's ghosts, divine talisman envoys, and celestial beings can transcend time and monitor every action comprehensively, how does one break the deadlock?