Chapter 351: Threatening Guihua to Seek Mai Dong

Although Zhanli was of the Demon Race, he was naturally intelligent; whatever Lingxiang taught him, he could grasp seven or eight tenths of it in just a day or two.

To speak of what Zhanli had learned from following Lingxiang all these years, to tell the truth, there was actually nothing much.

Lingxiang was skilled in pharmacology and alchemy, but regarding cultivation techniques and Martial Dao, she only knew the basics, so she herself had nothing to teach Zhanli.

But Lingxiang had read through the Langhuan Pavilion since she was young; not to mention whether she herself could fully comprehend it, the principles of the Great Dao within were more than enough to use for teaching Zhanli.

In this life, isn't what one learns exactly these principles? Only after learning these principles can one stand firm in heaven and earth without falling.

When Lingxiang first said she wanted to teach Zhanli the Daoist arts, he had also expressed doubt.

Relying on his identity as a member of the Demon Race, and without a Spirit Root, could he also cultivate that set of methods from the human world?

Lingxiang only smiled and said: "Just relying on your time in the Demon Realm all these years, have you ever cultivated anything of note? Since that set of methods in the Demon Realm is a dead end anyway, why not try another way?"

"The Great Dao is vast and varied, and the path to longevity is long; why not give it a try?"

Things went exactly as Lingxiang had expected; Zhanli succeeded.

Lingxiang had spent half her life seeking to repair her Spirit Root, but it was always to no avail, hence her cultivation was mediocre; yet Zhanli, having no Spirit Root at all, could make rapid progress in the Daoist arts.

But it truly was strange!

And there were even stranger things!

The Demon Race was cold-natured by birth, so even if they were a family, most would not be like the human world, whether it be in the harmony of family life, the leisurely cultivation of virtue, or the clear bonds between teacher and student.

But the strange thing was that even in such a Demon Realm, the heart of a parent's love for their child was no different from that of the human race.

Back under the tyranny of the Former Demon Venerable, most Demon families could not complete the task of offering up souls, so they had to send one person from the household to satisfy the Demon Venerable's private desires.

Yet even so, most families would not send their own children to Yinxu Hall. Many of the Demon Race would rather sacrifice themselves than ensure the safety of their children's lives.

Even the former Demon Venerable, before he died, wasn't he making plans for the future of Ziboyan?

Of course, that was only the majority; after all, in the human race, there were also those unkind parents, let alone the Demon Race?

Seen this way, the Demon Race and the human race truly had no essential difference.

Zhanli's family was just like this.

He originally had a younger brother; during the last time for offerings, Zhanli intended to offer himself, but the night before, he was drugged unconscious by that younger brother of his.

Zhanli's younger brother sacrificed himself to protect him.

Perhaps it was because he thought of his younger brother that Zhanli would indulge Adao in every way the moment he saw him. It was also possible that the actions of his parents and younger brother had planted a seed of kindness in Zhanli.

Therefore, even when drifting through the markets and suffering every humiliation, Zhanli never felt resentment or hatred.

Zhanli's mother often said that no matter who you are, as long as you are alive, you will always encounter good things; even if you are in a gutter, you must look up at the starry sky and yearn for that brilliance.

Although Zhanli did not know what the starry sky was, nor did he understand what exactly brilliance was, he believed that it must be an extremely beautiful thing.

And now, Zhanli had finally met his starry sky, and that was Lingxiang.

Although Lingxiang was always ordering Zhanli around, he understood Lingxiang's meticulous care.

Zhanli felt that perhaps his own mother was like this!

When Zhanli was still small, his mother had once abandoned him in the Bugui Forest of the Netherworld because he did not possess a demon body, but his mother had hidden in the shadows, accompanying Zhanli the whole time, never leaving.

In this cruel Demon Realm, only strength was the capital for survival; his mother was merely using her own method to urge him on.

Zhanli understood, but he was also in pain; yet this pain gradually dissolved in his time spent with Lingxiang.

What Lingxiang gave him was something Zhanli had never felt before, so Zhanli was willing to follow Lingxiang wholeheartedly, even if it meant going through fire and water.

Just after coming out from Guihua's place, he saw Adao waiting outside, his small stature standing there with his arms crossed, looking like a little adult.

The moment Adao saw Zhanli, he began to lecture him with a serious face. Things like not saying too much to Guihua to avoid exposing Master's plan, and that he should learn from him on weekdays about how to deal with these villains with ease, and so on.

Along the way, one was in front and one was behind, one was talking and one was smiling; only when they reached the front of Shiyang Hall did Adao stop and say righteously: "I am your Senior Brother, I entered the Dao earlier than you; if you learn more from me in all things, it will never harm you!"

After receiving Zhanli's perfunctory agreement, the two then entered the hall.

But they had not been inside for long before they were sent back out.

Lingxiang ordered the two to invite Guihua to the main hall.

This word "invite" left Adao and Zhanli filled with doubt—since when had Master been so polite to Guihua?

"Could Master be possessed?" Zhanli really could not figure out why Lingxiang was so polite this time, so he could only ask Adao, who had been with Lingxiang longer than he had.

"Go, go, go! You're the one who's possessed!" Adao would never allow anyone to speak of Lingxiang like that in front of him, "Master doing this has his own reasons."

"What reasons?" Seeing Adao's expression, Zhanli asked intentionally.

Ah, this...

Adao naturally did not know either, but he felt he had to pretend that he did; after all, he was the Senior Brother!

"If I told you every reason, would she still be Master? Naturally, there is a deep meaning behind it."

But Adao could not explain the "why" of it, and all the way there he kept beating around the bush, never once touching on the main point.

Guihua was already burning with anger from boiling water, and then she was ordered by Lingxiang to meet, which made the fire in her heart burn even more; the way she walked over could be described as lightning-fast.

Stinking little girl, she's not even that big, how can she have so many things to do!

But as soon as she arrived at the hall, Guihua was stunned—Lingxiang was actually setting up a banquet waiting for her.

What kind of mischief is this dead girl up to again?

Could it be that she wants to poison her to death?

Hah! Shallow!

This lady is immune to all poisons! Could I be afraid of that little bit of poison of yours?

However, that man beside the dead girl is really...

As soon as Guihua entered Shiyang Hall, she stared at Boluohui and could not take her eyes off him; that straight, unblinking gaze made Boluohui feel completely uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Lingxiang could not help but regret—if she had known, she would have used a beauty trap; why bother spending money to host this whatever-it-is Hongmen Banquet, what a waste!

But what Lingxiang did not know was that what Guihua was thinking about was how she could eat such a delicious man.

It had really been a long time since she had eaten a human! She couldn't even remember how long it had been!

Lingxiang cleared her throat, interrupting Guihua's wild train of thought, and invited Guihua to take a seat, which only made Guihua's suspicions grow deeper.

Could this wretched girl have gone mad?

How is that possible!

Guihua would never believe, even if it killed her, that Lingxiang could be that kind-hearted.

"Speak your mind, spit it out, I'm busy!"

Busy with all your own damn nonsense!

"Tsk! Straightforward!" Lingxiang slapped the table and said, "Then I won't beat around the bush either. Where is Maidong?"

Oh~ so it was for her!

"I thought that since you'd become a Princess, you'd forgotten your old sister!" Guihua said as she took her seat, showing absolutely no sign of respect.

"Hey-yo-yo~"

As soon as Guihua sat down, Lingxiang began to sing, the melody twisting and turning more than any stage performer in the mortal realm, making her shiver involuntarily.

"It's all for the sake of Father Demon Lord! General, you know that his strange illness just won't heal. And I am not skilled in medicine, but whenever I think of Father Demon Lord's condition, my heart aches uncontrollably."

"Maidong's medical skills are superior to mine; she must have a way. As long as Father Demon Lord can be cured..."

As she spoke, Lingxiang put on a show and took a sharp, dramatic breath.

"Could it be that the General does not wish for Father Demon Lord to recover?"

"You!"