Chapter 219: The Ji Wang Fei Waiting to Make a Monkey of Him

The Great Qian Imperial City.

The tall, sturdy demon horse slowed its pace. Over ten armored soldiers recognized at a glance that this was the Qingzhou Regional Commander's carriage, and they all saluted in unison.

Jiang Yuanhua stepped out of the carriage and handed over the documents.

"..."

The soldiers watched the documents float over through the air and hurriedly bent down to receive them with both palms.

It seemed Qingzhou had run into trouble again. This Regional Commander hadn't even brought a single attendant, nor did he wish to show himself in person—he had simply sent out his Yin Spirit.

Looking at the lowered curtain, none of them had any intention of inspecting it.

The Yin Spirit proved his identity far better than that face ever could.

They quickly flipped through the booklet, then returned it with both hands, announcing in loud voices: "Please enter the city, Regional Commander, my lord."

The four demon horses resumed their stride.

Jiang Yuanhua likewise returned to the carriage.

By all rights, a Qingzhou carriage was something most people in the Imperial City need not concern themselves with.

No matter what happened across the Nine Provinces, this towering Imperial City stood eternal.

But as the carriage entered the city, a young servant in a blue shirt suddenly stopped by the roadside. After confirming he wasn't mistaken, he hurriedly turned and ran toward Chengxi.

Gasping for breath the whole way, he finally dashed into a luxurious residence.

He patted down his clothes, steadying his breathing.

The Ji King's Wang Fu ran on strict rules—even a lowly servant could not lose the Wang Fu's bearing. If others caught him looking foolish, he would be beaten to death with rods.

Today counted as a stroke of great fortune; a reward of silver was the least he could expect.

The blue-shirted servant properly requested an audience with two maids, keeping his head bowed low: "Two elder sisters, I went to the South City today and saw something I wish to report to the Wang Fei."

"Speak." The maid glanced at him casually, not taking it too seriously.

"I saw... the Qingzhou Regional Commander has come to Jingcheng." The blue-shirted servant closed his mouth after speaking. After all, though this matter might curry favor with the Wang Fei, it also carried the suspicion of deliberately prying into the master's thoughts.

Hearing this, the two maids' expressions shifted slightly. They exchanged a glance, and immediately one of them turned and hurried away.

In the courtyard.

The Ji Wang Fei listened quietly as the maid finished speaking, then gently set down the tea cup in her hand.

After a long silence, the corners of her lips lifted slightly. Affecting an air of indifference, she said coolly: "After meeting that Miss last time, I had thought Qingzhou had some real backbone, and I admired them for it. I never expected it was nothing more than this."

The maid waited cautiously at the side.

The Wang Fei always maintained her dignity, never letting her emotions show on the surface. But after that incident last time, even servants like them could tell she had truly been furious for many days.

She asked softly: "If the Qingzhou Regional Commander comes to call, does the Wang Fei wish to see him?"

"See him. Why wouldn't I see him?"

A flash of mockery crossed the Ji Wang Fei's eyes as she said casually: "It's just that this palace is feeling unwell, and the Wang Ye is not in the residence. If Commander Jiang is willing, he may wait outside the residence for ten days or half a month. If he's unwilling to wait, then he may return to Qingzhou."

Back then, the disciple was so proud—surely the master taught her well.

Now that the fire is singeing her eyebrows, she finally knows to panic.

Qingzhou may be in a rush, but she certainly is not.

Just wait obediently. We'll talk again once the anger in my heart has subsided.

As for lending a hand...

Heh. The Ji Wang Fei recalled the reluctance with which she had sent her son to the Mysterious Light Cave. Not everything in this world gets a second chance.

"This servant understands."

The maid nodded, and only after bowing respectfully did she withdraw from the courtyard.

She then summoned several guards and relayed the Wang Fei's words: "Oh, and when the time comes to meet him, there's no need to be overly polite. Keep your attitude a bit cold and stiff."

Those coarse martial men of the Zhen Mo Si have grown accustomed to the ways of the Nine Provinces and have forgotten the reverence owed to a Wang Fu. This time, the Wang Fei means to teach them a proper lesson—to learn what the rules of the Imperial City are.

The Wumiao.

The carriage slowly came to a stop before the towering great hall.

On both sides, at the entrances belonging to the Demon Catchers and the Zhen Mo Si main office, stood court experts who had come from the various provinces for tempering.

Last time, what terrible luck had befallen them!

The order had clearly been arranged, yet the Wumiao had simply halted the Nine Provinces' tempering. It had taken this long for it to finally reopen.

One of the Demon Catchers had finally reached the front of the line.

Just as he was about to step inside, his eyelid twitched twice. He instinctively looked behind him, and upon noticing the patterns on the carriage, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Fine, it's just a Regional Commander.

Though the other's status was high, he didn't need tempering—he must be here for something else.

The Demon Catcher was about to turn around, then saw a tall, slender figure step down from the carriage.

A flicker of doubt rose in his eyes, and the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed: "..."

Though the cold, dark armor had been changed, that young face remained as calm as ever.

Damn it! Cutting it right down to the wire, aren't you?!

The Demon Catcher's palms began to tremble. Last time, it was precisely when this youth went in that the Wumiao shut its doors; the echo of "ten times" still rang in his ears to this day.

"Let me in! I was here first!"

He burst into the Demon Catchers' main office.

The others glanced over in succession, somewhat surprised by this man's sudden reaction, and then also looked toward the carriage.

Immediately, surprise also rose in their eyes.

The Zhen Mo Si's carriage, yet dressed in ink-black robes… could this be a Commander?

"So young?"

"Just an Illusory Form Art, an old fellow pretending to be tender."

The few whispered among themselves, but on the surface still respectfully cupped their fists.

Shen Yi gave a slight nod, then looked toward the Wumiao.

"I'll go submit the documents. Wait here a moment — you don't know the place, don't wander off." Jiang Yuanhua called out, then drifted off to the right with his prepared duty report.

This time they had business at the Wumiao, so even a Commander had to follow the procedures.

"Alright."

Shen Yi stood quietly in place.

A moment later, a figure in blue robes paced out from the great hall. The old man let his eyelids droop, glanced at the youth, and said: "Back already and not coming in — standing out here for what?"

He beckoned: "Follow this old man."

"Shen Yi greets Lord Wu."

Shen Yi gave a slight bow with clasped hands, and glanced at the Zhen Mo Si main office.

Toward those existences who delivered treasures to him of their own accord, he was always rather respectful.

"Don't worry. In a moment I'll have someone summon him over."

Lord Wu shook his head, appearing not to care much about a Yin God on the verge of perishing. He led the youth toward the broad courtyard behind the Wumiao.

Watching the two leave.

The rest were dumbfounded — the Temple Warden just left like that? Then the matter of the Refinement…

What on earth could be so important in Outside Qingzhou that the Temple Warden would so casually toss aside his own people?

Surely it couldn't be that the place was about to be overrun by demons?

Besides, even if it were being overrun, given the temperament of this lot at the Wumiao, they'd most likely still not bother.

After another while, Jiang Yuanhua finally drifted out from the main office.

He found the whole group staring in the same direction.

What's there to see?

Jiang Yuanhua habitually looked along with them, and only after a moment suddenly reacted: "Where's the person?"

(End of chapter)