Chapter 574: Xiao Yanzhi Plays the Demon

"Huh!"

Longji Gongzhu was surprised and suspicious once more; she discovered that the Demon Qi radiating from Hu Xian'er had unexpectedly vanished.

After a moment of reflection, she guessed that it was Nuwa who had taken action.

At the same time, in Zichen Hall.

The corners of Yin Qi's mouth curled up, revealing a faint smile.

Nuwa likely never dreamed that her conversation with Hu Xian'er was being eavesdropped on by him with perfect clarity.

Since he knew Hu Xian'er's identity, how could he not have installed a listening device?

"The seed has already been planted; it just depends on how it sprouts in the future."

Fortunately, the listening device was a product of technology and collected sound passively; even though Nuwa was a Saint, she had not discovered it due to her carelessness.

……

Zhongnan Mountain.

Yunzhongzi, having just returned to the mountain, looked back toward Zhaoge and discovered that the Demon Qi had already vanished.

He could not help but reveal a gratified smile: "Very good, truly worthy of being a sage and virtuous monarch, acting decisively to slay the demon so quickly. With this, the national destiny of the Shang Dynasty may perhaps be extended for a few more years."

……

At dusk.

Zhaoge.

The Imperial Palace.

Yin Qi ordered the Empress Zhou Ji to mobilize the Phoenix Guard to search the inner palace and look for suspicious individuals.

The result was, naturally, nothing found.

The Phoenix Guard, a female guard unit established by Yin Qi's order, was primarily responsible for the safety of the inner palace, and all of them possessed Heaven Realm cultivation.

He did not lack cultivation techniques or resources, so establishing the Phoenix Guard was very easy.

Of course, establishing the Phoenix Guard was also to find something for Longji Gongzhu to do, so she wouldn't be idle all day and bored to death; it allowed her to train them from time to time.

……

Qingluan Palace, the sleeping quarters of Longji Gongzhu.

Longji Gongzhu asked with confusion: "Yin Lang, what was the deal with the Demon-Suppressing Sword earlier?"

Yin Qi smiled slightly: "Today, Yunzhongzi entered the palace and said that a demoness had snuck into the inner palace, likely harboring evil intentions, so he gifted that Juque Sword so that I could slay the demon."

Thus, I followed the plan, shifted the blame, and borrowed a knife to kill.

I had people hang the Juque Sword on Guanxing Tower, while secretly spreading the news of Yunzhongzi entering the palace, and prepared to conduct a major search of the inner palace.

Just as I expected, Hu Xian'er contacted Nuwa.

Nuwa was very angry and has already come to harbor a grudge against Yuanshi Tianzun."

For the last two sentences, he used Soul Transmission, because both sentences mentioned Nuwa.

If one calls a Saint by name, the Saint will have a sense of it.

Nuwa's Saint Consciousness had only just left Zhaoge; if he were to say it out loud now, he would very likely be noticed by Nuwa.

"You are so bad!"

Longji Gongzhu pursed her lips and chuckled, her beautiful eyes sparkling with brilliance.

Even if she is a Saint, so what?

She was still played in the palm of her husband's hand.

"And what about Xiao Yanzhi?"

Yin Qi had also told her about the matter of Xiao Yanzhi, and he did not know whose pawn she was.

Yin Qi said meaningfully: "Next, I will slowly favor Xiao Yanzhi alone. As long as she entered the palace with a purpose, once she receives my favor, she will naturally reveal her true colors little by little."

Ahem, of course, he still missed the pleasure of it.

"Mm!"

Longji Gongzhu nodded, not feeling jealous.

Or rather, from the moment she decided to enter the palace, she was no longer able to feel jealousy.

………

Time passed quickly for three days.

Three days later, Yin Qi had people take down the Juque Sword and even cursed Yunzhongzi as a Demon Dao, daring to deceive him.

When this news reached Hu Xian'er's ears, she could not help but heave a long sigh of relief.

Fortunately, fortunately the Human Emperor did not know that Yunzhongzi was a disciple of the Chan Sect, otherwise this matter would likely not have ended so easily.

Hu Xian'er and Xiao Yanzhi both hoped and hoped, only to find that Yin Qi was favoring other imperial concubines according to plan and had not come to find them, which made them doubt their own charm and techniques.

Finally, Yin Qi finished favoring all the imperial concubines who had entered the palace.

For the sake of cultivation, and also to let the enemy expose their intentions—yes, that is exactly what Yin Qi thought—he began running to Xiao Yanzhi's sleeping quarters every few days, and in the end, he was running there almost every other day, which already counted as favoring Xiao Yanzhi alone.

Of course, Hu Xian'er was very favored, and Su Hu consequently received a large number of rewards.

Xiao Yanzhi came from the Sea of Blood; she had petty cleverness but absolutely no great wisdom, and thus, after being favored, she gradually became arrogant. She very carefully tested Yin Qi's bottom line step by step.

From demanding various rewards and increasing the number of attendants and palace maids in her sleeping quarters, to ordering palace maids to bully the people of other imperial concubines, and even to the point where she dared to openly contradict Zhou Ji in the end, but she was only scolded by Yin Qi a few times.

From then on, Xiao Yanzhi roughly understood where the bottom line was.

However, she did not stop there, but decided to endure for now, determined that one day she would replace Zhou Ji.

That was the Empress, after all.

Not only could she enjoy endless glory, but she also had the National Fortune to assist in cultivation.

……

This day.

The two of them tossed and turned until dawn, embracing each other to enjoy the lingering afterglow.

Xiao Yanzhi suddenly said, "Great King, that National Teacher is so arrogant; he completely disregards this concubine, which is to say, he disregards the Great King."

Yin Qi's eyes narrowed slightly, and he feigned confusion, saying, "My beloved concubine, why do you say this?"

Xiao Yanzhi said, "It is like this, Great King. This concubine has heard that the National Teacher is skilled at Alchemy, and the reason the Empress and the others were able to become immortals is that they consumed the Pills he refined. This concubine was born into poverty and has not cultivated, so I wanted to request an Immortal Pill from the National Teacher. If I could become an immortal, I could maintain my current appearance and continue to serve the Great King forever."

These matters were not secrets, and she had easily inquired about them.

Yin Qi hugged Xiao Yanzhi tightly, appearing moved as he said, "My beloved concubine is so thoughtful. If you want an Immortal Pill, I shall just request it from the National Teacher; why must you go yourself?"

Xiao Yanzhi revealed an expression of anger and grievance: "This concubine wanted to secretly give the Great King a surprise, but after I sent people to his door time and time again, they were all turned away. If he had just refused, that would be one thing, but he didn't even show his face. Great King, how much does he despise me, and despise the Great King, by doing this?"

Yin Qi feigned silence, and only after a long while did he sigh, "My beloved concubine, this matter is the National Teacher's fault; I apologize to you on his behalf. To tell you the truth, I owe seventy percent of my current achievements to him; please do not take this matter to heart."

Xiao Yanzhi spoke with manipulative intent: "Great King, what does it matter if this concubine suffers a little grievance? I am only wondering if he has become arrogant due to favor, and no longer holds the Great King in his eyes."

"The Great King is the Human Emperor of the Human Race, and can sit on equal footing with the Heavenly Emperor."

"He is merely a man from beyond the secular world; it is his good fortune to be able to serve the Great King. For him to be arrogant due to favor, and even slight the Great King, how can this be worthy of the Great King's trust in him?"

This time, Yin Qi was silent for a long while, his breathing only becoming heavier.

After a long time, he got out of bed, and while putting on his clothes, he said, "My beloved concubine, it is getting late; you should sleep."

Creak!

Watching the closed door, Xiao Yanzhi suddenly smiled, a look of Yanran that seemed to make the entire room brighten.

So what if the National Teacher's contributions are great?

Of all things under Heaven, the power of pillow talk is the greatest.

As long as she makes unremitting efforts and continues to whisper in his ear, Yin Qi will inevitably grow to loathe his National Teacher.

As the Human Emperor, who decides all matters alone and stands high above, he will never allow anyone who dares to slight him to exist.

……

Looking back at Jinyang Palace, Yin Qi revealed a look of deep thought.

To sow discord between him and Yang Daoren—could this be Xiao Yanzhi's goal?