Chapter 314: The Evil King Shi Zhixuan

Wanwan stood outside the sleeping quarters, her slender, jade-like fingers toying with her cloud-like long hair, her beautiful eyes sparkling like stars, as if lost in thought.

Suddenly, a series of miserable screams rang out, like the wailing of a night owl, heart-rending and piercing in an indescribable way.

"Sigh." Wanwan gave a light sigh, her moth-like brows slightly furrowed. Yet, there was a strange charm to it, like Xi Shi clutching her heart, mournful and exquisite, enough to make one feel as if their soul were being stolen. She muttered to herself, "This Life and Death Talisman is truly too terrifying; no matter what, I must make Yu Liancheng remove it for me."

Not long after the screams subsided, Yu Liancheng, dressed in black robes, walked slowly out of the hall and said leisurely, "This Wei Lianxiang is worthy of being the Yin Empress's senior martial brother. Although his martial arts may not necessarily surpass Zhu Yuyan's, his mastery of poison is mysterious and unpredictable, reaching the pinnacle of perfection. One might fall victim to his schemes if not careful."

Wanwan giggled, her laughter crisp and melodious, like the singing of a lark: "But once he encounters you, Young Master, he can only bind his hands and wait for capture, obediently having the Life and Death Talisman planted in him."

Yu Liancheng glanced at her and said, "That is an Elder of your Yin Gui Sect; now that he is under my control, you can still laugh."

Wanwan looked at Yu Liancheng with reverent eyes and said, "I am now your person, Young Master, and I am loyal to you. Whatever I do, I must consider you first."

"Your mouth is certainly sweet, but I still won't remove the Life and Death Talisman for you. You girl are full of tricks and changes; you are truly untrustworthy. Only the Life and Death Talisman can make you behave." Yu Liancheng strode forward.

"Pah, stingy ghost, stinky man," Wanwan cursed in a low voice.

"What did you say?"

"Wanwan said that Young Master's martial arts are peerless and you are incomparably handsome." Wanwan stuck out her tongue and quickly chased after him: "By the way, Young Master, Old Madam Dugu You of the Dugu Clan has come and wishes to see you."

"Oh." A flash of divine light appeared in Yu Liancheng's eyes: "Does You Chuhong want to see me as the 'Imperial Tutor', or as Yang Guang?"

Wanwan giggled: "Of course, she is seeking an audience with the Imperial Tutor."

"As the head of a clan, at least she isn't blind." Yu Liancheng's eyes were half-closed, a sharp light seemingly contained within them: "Judging by the Dugu Clan's performance in the Taiji Hall yesterday, it is clear they are not entirely patriotic. Let the old woman wait for a while; give her a show of force first."

"Understood." Wanwan smiled sweetly: "By the way, besides You Chuhong, it seems a young girl named Dugu Feng has also come."

Yu Liancheng paused, pondered for a moment, and said, "Hmm, You Chuhong can be considered a senior of the martial arts world and is the true head of the Dugu Clan. Now that I am short of people to use, I must not be negligent. I should go see her first."

Wanwan: "..."

Although Dugu Feng was the head of the Dugu Clan, the person who actually held the helm of the Dugu Clan was the Dugu Clan's biological mother, You Chuhong.

You Chuhong was nearly a hundred years old; at sixty, she abandoned the sword for the staff and created the "Cloak Staff Technique". In terms of martial arts, she was also the number one in the Dugu Clan.

Yu Liancheng met You Chuhong in a great hall.

The old woman was dressed in black robes, covered by a white silk overshirt. Her forehead was prominent, her cheeks were sunken, and her eyes were half-covered by her eyelids, as if she were blind. Her face was covered in deep wrinkles, yet it revealed a sharp and arrogant air.

A delicate and exquisite young girl was supporting You Chuhong. This girl had a pure and beautiful appearance, her expression as cold as frost, giving one a sense of unapproachable nobility.

But her pair of beautiful eyes were not only as bright as starlight, but also lively and agile, turning around everywhere, extremely cunning. It was clear that this coldness was deliberately put on.

This girl was Dugu Feng, the most brilliant and dazzling existence in the younger generation of the Dugu Clan. In terms of martial arts alone, she was the number two figure, second only to You Chuhong.

"This old woman, You Chuhong, pays respects to the Imperial Tutor. Yesterday, my son neglected his duty, and I have come specifically to apologize for him."

You Chuhong also saw Yu Liancheng walking over from the inner hall. She tapped her jade cane on the ground with her right hand and bowed slightly in salute.

After this movement, another fit of coughing ensued, and a strange flush appeared on her face; this was an old ailment from when she practiced the Cloak Staff Technique.

"Grandmother, take care of your health." Dugu Feng patted You Chuhong's back while raising her beautiful eyes to look at Yu Liancheng, wanting to see what the 'Imperial Tutor' who stirred up the world's winds and clouds actually looked like.

But just as she looked up, she saw Yu Liancheng looking at her with a smile, his gaze as substantial as reality, which made Dugu Feng's heart jump.

The girl bit her cherry lips, but she did not avoid him, instead staring straight back at him.

"Old Madam You, please sit."

Yu Liancheng naturally had no time to 'flirt' with a young girl. After he sat on the stool like a coiled dragon or a crouching tiger, his gaze shifted to You Chuhong: "Yesterday was just a small matter, no need to dwell on it. I will not beat around the bush; Old Madam, you only need to tell me the stance of your Dugu Clan."

"Stance? I do not understand what the National Master is saying." You Chuhong had not expected the other party to be so straightforward, and she was caught off guard.

Yu Liancheng picked up the teacup on the table, took a shallow sip, and said, "Is your Dugu Clan loyal to the Imperial Court, loyal to His Majesty, or do you want to sit on the fence like yesterday, waiting until the situation becomes clear in the future before placing a heavy bet on the side that occupies the advantage?"

You Chuhong was silent for a long time, coughed twice, and said, "What if it is the former? And what if it is the latter?"

Yu Liancheng's eyes were half-closed, and a sharp, electric light seemed to explode within them. He said slowly, "If it is the former, it will naturally be the same glory and wealth as today. If it is the latter, then the Dugu Clan will follow in the footsteps of the Yuwen Clan and vanish into thin air from now on."

"The Imperial Tutor's words are perhaps a bit too absolute." Dugu Feng frowned and gave a dissatisfied low hum, not knowing if she was dissatisfied with Yu Liancheng's 'big talk' or his disregard for her.

You Chuhong patted the back of Dugu Feng's hand and said unhurriedly, "Although the Great Sui is the nominal master of the Central Plains, heroes are rising everywhere. People like Li Mi and Dou Jiande have already become a force to be reckoned with. The Turkic and Goguryeo forces outside our borders are eyeing us like tigers. I wonder what brilliant strategy the Imperial Tutor has to defeat the enemy."

She was clearly waiting to hear Yu Liancheng's decision and plans before making a consideration.

"It is I who am letting your Dugu Clan make a choice, not you who are here to test me."

Yu Liancheng gave a cold snort, golden light flowing in his eyes, and his blood flowed throughout his body, making a sound like a great river rolling. A surging aura escaped, and his powerful presence oppressed every inch of space.

At this moment, You Chuhong felt as if the air in front of her had solidified, turning into a wall of copper and iron, making it almost difficult for her to breathe.

She had been somewhat skeptical when she heard Dugu Feng's terrifying description of Yu Liancheng, but now she knew that this Imperial Tutor was even more terrifying than the rumors suggested.

"The Dugu Clan is willing to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Tutor."

It seemed that in an instant, You Chuhong's thoughts raced, and she made a decision that would affect the entire Dugu Clan, a decision she would be extremely grateful for in the future.

You Chuhong left.

Before leaving, she repeated her decision to Yu Liancheng once more.

—The Dugu Clan is willing to pledge loyalty to the Imperial Tutor.

Yes, loyalty to the Imperial Tutor, not to the Emperor Yang Guang.

The meaning behind this was naturally self-evident.

Yu Liancheng was very satisfied with You Chuhong's decision; she was a very smart old woman.

Now that the Yuwen Clan had been eradicated, the Imperial Court needed a large number of talents to fill the gaps and maintain the peace of Daxing, and the Dugu Clan could provide him with assistance.

If not for this, he would have already taken the opportunity to eradicate the Dugu Clan as well.

"What a pretty little sister, I wonder what your name is?" A charming, seductive giggle suddenly arose, and Wanwan, with her fair, crystal-clear, and dust-free jade feet, floated out like a ghost, silent and soundless.

Her beautiful eyes looked at the petite and exquisite Dugu Feng, who nevertheless possessed a unique heroic spirit, and a sense of crisis arose in her heart for no reason.

Yes, Dugu Feng did not leave with the old woman.

According to the old woman's words: "Feng'er is devoted to martial arts and admires the Imperial Tutor's extraordinary martial arts attainments. This time, she hopes to stay in the Imperial Palace to serve the Imperial Tutor. If she can receive the Imperial Tutor's guidance, the Dugu Clan will be deeply grateful."

Dugu Feng pouted, and although her pretty face was full of reluctance, she still stayed behind; clearly, her elders had worked on her mindset beforehand.

This move was, of course, full of political considerations.

Yu Liancheng did not refuse.

Once refused, the Dugu Clan would inevitably grow suspicious, thinking that Yu Liancheng was unwilling to host them.

What's more, for a beauty like this, Yu Liancheng had no reason to refuse.

Although there were no feelings now, he could just keep her and slowly train her.

"Little sister Dugu Feng, greetings to sister Wanwan." Dugu Feng's eyebrows did not knit, and she suddenly beamed with a smile, her beautiful eyes blinking as she revealed an eager expression: "Little sister has long heard of sister Wanwan's great name, and little sister very much wishes to seek some pointers."

Dugu Feng had loved martial arts since childhood and disliked literature; possessing a set of brilliant sword techniques, she had wanted to spar with Yu Liancheng and Wanwan ever since hearing Dugu Feng's description of yesterday's events.

But from the moment she saw Yu Liancheng, she knew the gap between herself and the other party was already too vast to bridge. Yet, she was very interested in challenging this woman called Wanwan.

Wanwan was startled, then immediately giggled charmingly: "Wanwan has no such interest."

"Then what would it take for you to have this interest?"

On the other side, Yu Liancheng rose to his full height and said: "Wanwan, I am going out for a while; you and Feng'er get to know each other."

Wanwan asked: "Where is Young Master going?"

"The Great Sui is in ruins and waiting to be rebuilt; I am going to recruit a talent, though I will likely return disappointed. Regardless, I must go and see him."

Yu Liancheng strode forward without looking back: "Right, go and spread the news; make sure the whole world knows that in one month, I will open the Yang Gong Treasury. Inside, there are not only various rare treasures but also the Evil Emperor Relic that everyone in the demonic path covets."

"Sheng Relic!" Wanwan exclaimed, but when she wanted to ask further about this matter, Yu Liancheng had already vanished.

……

Wulou Temple.

This was an extremely famous temple in Daxing; it was not large in scale, but it was exquisite and unique.

The Great Hero Treasure Hall, the Scripture Repository, and the Lecture Hall were arranged in sequence. On the east and west sides were the Bodhi Hall, guest rooms, and side courtyards, where the trees and flowers were sparse and the atmosphere was quiet and elegant.

At this moment, the main gate was wide open, and people coming to make wishes and pray were coming and going incessantly; looking inside, one could see a surging crowd and smoke from incense filling the air.

Yu Liancheng stepped on the white jade stairs and arrived before the Great Hero Treasure Hall. Looking into the hall, he saw a group of monks, their backs to him and facing the Buddha altar, striking the chime and chanting Buddhist sutras.

The one presiding over the ritual must be the abbot of this temple; facing the monks, with palms pressed together and eyes fixed on his nose, he led the chanting, looking every bit like a high monk of the Dao.

Yu Liancheng was not in a hurry; he casually found a young monk, handed over some silver, and whispered a few words into his ear.

The young monk's body shook, and he looked at Yu Liancheng with astonishment before running toward the abbot, hurriedly conveying the message.

The abbot only nodded slightly. After the chanting ended and the monks had left, he straightened his abbot's cassock and walked slowly to Yu Liancheng: "The Imperial Tutor has arrived; as a man outside the world, my hospitality has been lacking, and I hope you will forgive me."

Yu Liancheng smiled slightly: "I killed too many people yesterday, so I have come to your temple today to burn incense and worship Buddha."

The Great Virtuous Holy Monk, who had quite a reputation in Daxing, pressed his palms together and admonished: "I only hope the benefactor will commit fewer killings and bring blessings to all living beings; otherwise, you will fall into the Avici Hell in the future and find it hard to enter reincarnation."

Yu Liancheng just laughed: "In this life, I do not cultivate good karma, I only love to kill and set fires. There are too many people in this world who deserve to be killed; this is just how it is."

"'In this life, I do not cultivate good karma, I only love to kill and set fires.' The Great Virtuous Holy Monk recited the two lines, then looked at Yu Liancheng with deep, gentle eyes: "Although this sentence is unfinished, it also contains a bit of Zen. The Imperial Tutor has innate wisdom and shares a good karma with the Buddhist path."

Yu Liancheng laughed heartily: "Quite a few monks have said that to me. Why don't you, Great Virtuous Holy Monk, enlighten me, so that I may become a Buddha or an ancestor and reach the other shore."

The Great Virtuous Holy Monk pressed his palms together, his eyes flashing with the light of wisdom: "The benefactor is joking. As the Imperial Tutor, you are the teacher of the Son of Heaven. As long as you develop a compassionate heart and perform great good deeds, you can save immeasurable living beings. Like a Bodhisattva in the world, you can transcend to the other shore more easily than an old monk like me, who suffers in the void."

Yu Liancheng's eyes lit up, and he clapped his hands in praise: "As expected of a world-renowned Holy Monk; your insight is indeed extraordinary."

"The benefactor is too kind."

Yu Liancheng said: "Since that is the case, why doesn't the Holy Monk return to secular life, join me, seek welfare for the people of the world, and create a peaceful and prosperous age together?"

The Great Virtuous Holy Monk laughed dumbfoundedly: "Amitabha, the benefactor is joking. I am just an old monk who is lazy and ignorant of the world; I am still struggling in the sea of bitterness myself, so how could I seek welfare for the people of the world?"

Yu Liancheng said indifferently: "The Great Virtuous Holy Monk is indeed a useless old monk, but the Evil King Shi Zhixuan is not, and Pei Ju of Hebei is even less so."

……