Chapter 185: The Demoness Arrives

Lin Fu.

Night deepened, and the vast mansion had quieted down.

In the boudoir of the rear courtyard, Lin Wanyi sat at a round table wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with a small food box before her containing various snacks.

On the grounds of the snacks, the pitch-black Meiqiu performed the various tricks she once used to beg on the island, such as spinning around on a pen holder, spreading her wings to dance the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, and practicing the two-and-a-half-year cross-step Iron Mountain Lean:

"Gugu~..."

Lin Wanyi couldn't understand what deity Meiqiu was dancing for, and naturally had no mind for it now; she was secretly worried about the man's safety and feared being targeted and snatched away by those unknown kidnappers.

To prevent accidents, Lin Wanyi had almost turned the boudoir into a 'Ten Thousand Poisons Array'; the door, windows, and roof were all traps.

But as the saying goes, fear brings what you fear; just as she waited in dread for the man's return, a faint sound came from outside the room:

Hush~

Amidst the faint sound of wind, a shadow appeared before the window.

"Gu?"

Meiqiu sensed something was wrong and immediately turned her head.

Lin Wanyi thought Xie Jinhuan had arrived, her heart leaping with joy, but a glance revealed the figure outside the window wore a cloak and hood, clearly the attire of a villainous rogue; her face paled, and she silently drew the Gu needle poison weapon from her sleeve:

"Who goes there?"

"Me."

"Who are you? I warn you, my man is very powerful, and I am no ordinary person either; I just don't want to fight at home..."

Tap tap tap...

While speaking, footsteps reached the door:

Creak~

The door pushed open, revealing a figure draped in a black cloak; fine dust scattered from above the doorframe, dusting the newcomer, but the newcomer paid it no mind:

"What use is putting Soft-Bone Powder on the door? Wait for the药效 to take effect... It took effect so fast..."

Thud~

Before finishing her words, the cloaked figure swayed twice and collapsed softly to the ground; the hood slipped open, revealing a face covered by black gauze and wearing black silk glasses, along with a slender waist sword, throwing knives, and a medicine case beneath the cloak...

"Gugu?"

Meiqiu was utterly shocked, first spreading her wings as if to say 'Is that it?', then looking at the gold-rimmed glasses lady, then at the fallen black-silk-glasses lady, comparing them back and forth.

Because both wore glasses and were quite striking, they looked very much like sisters.

Seeing this attire, Lin Wanyi was stunned!

Isn't that my master?!

Oh my, hasn't she become so stunning in two years...

Little Auntie me, could I possibly betray my master and destroy my ancestors...

Holding Meiqiu, Lin Wanyi walked forward half-believing to verify, even pinching the tender, fat-like skin; only after confirming the newcomer was the Master did she take out the antidote and bring it close to the high nose bridge.

"Hush..."

The woman with her face covered by black gauze furrowed her brows slightly, then slowly opened her eyes; her peach-blossom eyes gave an elegant yet sharp mature feel, and her gaze was not awkward at all, but carried a third of approval:

"Wanyi, two years no see, you have also graduated; meeting me, you gave your master a graduation gift."

Her voice was soft and gentle, like a well-read and polite mistress.

Lin Wanyi was full of surprise and hurriedly helped the person up:

"I didn't know Master would come; why did you fall as soon as you were touched?"

Bu Yuehua's meridians were locked by the Seven Stars Nails; as time passed, her meridians were now as fine as a wandering thread, and even Wanyi might not be able to defeat her, but before her disciple, she still had to maintain the Master's demeanor:

"I've been running around in Danyang these past two days; hearing Jingcheng had an incident, I came to check. Bu Hanying has already returned to Xiaoyao Cave, so no need to worry."

As Bu Yuehua spoke, she stood up, removed her cloak, revealing Bai Xi's fair, white wrists adorned with a beaded silver bell bracelet; her hair was coiled at the back of her head, fixed with a purple-blue petal butterfly hairpin, exuding a sexy, mature temperament, and the figure beneath the cloak was delicate and lush.

But paired with the cloak and face veil, it gave people a mysterious sense of a Wu Sect demoness; the slender waist sword hanging from her belt resembled a snake's fangs, faintly visible.

The whole person looked like a capable sect master's wife; although dignified and elegant, she could be wild on the battlefield and wild in the boudoir...

Lin Wanyi studied under Bu Yuehua, but only practiced the Shamanist cultivation technique, so she could only be wild in the boudoir.

Seeing this heroic yet intellectual and gentle appearance, she felt envious; like pulling her flirtatious sister over, she sat at the round table to brew tea, asking after her health and well-being:

"Master, what are you plotting in Danyang? The situation is tight now; the imperial court is arresting evil spirits and heterodox sects everywhere, and you are a proper Wu Sect demoness..."

Bu Yuehua had gone to Danyang to block the gate at Mount Zihui and negotiate with Nangong Ye; she casually explained on the spot:

"People walk upward; staying in Southern Jiangnan has no future; I plan to find a feng shui treasure land in the Central Plains to open a branch sect..."

"Ah? Master plans to secretly collude with the righteous path?"

"How can you say 'secretly collude'? My Que Yue Shanzhuang is inherently righteous; only because we were implicated by the Chi Dragon Cave did we end up in Southern Jiangnan..."

As Bu Yuehua spoke, she removed her face veil, revealing soft, red lips; her face looked not at all demonic, even possessing a dignified and approachable quality befitting a righteous sect master's wife; paired with thin-framed glasses, it added a third of intellect, and her speech was slow and deliberate, full of the charm of a married woman...

As a Physician, Lin Wanyi often received wealthy ladies; just looking at Master's wind-fragrant and water-charming features, she knew she was the type of small woman who was fierce and loyal to the outside, yet virtuous and gentle inside the house.

But people are forced into it.

The Gu Gu Gu Du Pai Pai surviving in the man-eating Southern Jiangnan was already difficult, and they were treated as soft persimmons by both the righteous and evil paths; if Master were as soft and sticky as her, she would have been captured as a furnace long ago; one must be ruthless to run the household.

The Que Yue Shanzhuang's single-minded desire to become the leader of the Gu Gu Gu Du Pai Pai and enter the Central Plains as a righteous famous sect was also because being the second-in-command had been oppressed for too long; the foundation was not hard enough, and no matter how great the grievance, they could only endure it.

Lin Wanyi hadn't seen Master in a long time and had many questions in her heart; she asked now:

"Master, what exactly is the situation between you and Sect Master Nangong? Uncle Bu speaks nine lies and one truth; I really can't figure out the ways..."

Bu Yuehua patted the big Meiqiu who was tilting her head to examine her eyes, and shook her head:

"It is just cultivators fighting over treasures; it is not as sinister as the Jianghu rumors say, but it indeed hasn't been resolved. I came on this journey to settle the grudge. I heard you could find the cure for the Seven Stars Nails; what is the result?"

Seeing her former master, who used to come and go at will, fall asleep immediately upon entering the door, Lin Wanyi had already guessed the gist; she thought for a moment and said:

"I can indeed find out, but... but they require a Sixty-Year Lotus..."

Bu Yuehua took a black cloth pouch from her waist:

"For the solution to the Jiazi Lotus, how much I lost, you should know clearly. If not for the dire situation, and since your man is also my son-in-law, I would not have been so generous.

"Only because of your face did I make this deal. From now on, you must remember your master's kindness, and do not always bend your elbows outward."

"That is natural."

Lin Wanyi inspected the pouch, seeing a sealed long wooden box inside, and hurriedly put it away:

"The solution to the Seven Stars Nails is to sequentially unblock Zhongfu, Quchi, Taichong..."

Seeing this, Bu Yuehua stood up, came to the embroidered bed, took off her shoes, and sat cross-legged with her beautiful buttocks resting on the soft bedding, secretly stimulating the acupoints with her Qi mechanism according to Wanyi's instructions.

As each sealed passageway was opened, it was like a torrent surging forth; her momentum visibly climbed step by step, and her heart felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

Lin Wanyi hadn't seen her formidable master in two years and felt a bit of longing; sitting before her, she asked curiously:

"What does Master plan to do next?"

Bu Yuehua, with eyes closed, secretly circulated her cultivation, thought briefly, and replied: "Wei Wu Yi is convening a Hero's Assembly; the victor of the martial contest will receive a stalk of Hu Gu Teng. Next, I plan to go to Sanjiangkou to take a look."

Lin Wanyi pressed down on Meiqiu, who was tilting her head to inspect:

"Master is from Southern Jiangnan; going to the Great Qian's Martial Arts Assembly to snatch treasures? Aren't you afraid of being attacked by all?"

"Just change your name. Hmm... Hua Ruyue of the Qingming Sword Manor, what do you think?"

"Qingming Sword Manor..."

Lin Wanyi had heard of this sect—Southern Little Sword Seed, three to five people per generation, extremely low-key, considered semi-immortals. As long as they didn't run into people from the Sword Manor on the spot, they likely wouldn't be exposed.

"The name is fine, but the Qingming Sword Manor should use swords, shouldn't it? Master is a blade wielder..."

"Your master is not incapable of using a sword. By then, there will certainly be no sub-par results. With your master's Martial Path cultivation foundation, even with a pair of chopsticks, I could slaughter on all sides..."

"That's true..."

Master and disciple chatted like this.

After Bu Yuehua unsealed the Seven Stars Nails, because it was too late, she prepared to rest for one night at her disciple's place.

But as soon as she took off the purple-blue butterfly hairpin, she discovered the skin lotion placed by the bedside, and the waist cushion...

?

Bu Yuehua blinked, thought of Wanyi's man, and looked at the bed she was sitting on with some suspicion:

"Have you and your man been intimate here?"

Lin Wanyi's expression stiffened: "Master, what are you saying? How could I..."

Bu Yuehua secretly shook her head and tied up her hair:

"I'm going out for a stroll; you sleep early."

Seeing that her master had figured it out, Lin Wanyi's cheeks burned:

"I changed the bedsheet; it's fine for Master to sleep here..."

"If your man comes in halfway through and touches the wrong person, what then? I know your personality; you would definitely speak up for your man, and I wouldn't know how to deal with him."

"Uh... hehe~, how about I tidy up the guest room?"

"No need."

Bu Yuehua put on her hood, covered her face with black gauze, and rubbed Meiqiu, who was shaking her head back and forth:

"Rest early; I'll come back in a few days."

"Alright, Master, take care on your way."

——

Suburbs of the Capital, Yanglin Temple.

Dim starlight filtered through the roof, sprinkling onto the moss-covered floor tiles.

An old poison master with white hair flew into the Buddha hall through a broken hole, swept his gaze around to confirm no one was present, then came behind the collapsed Buddha statue and tapped the floor tiles:

Dong dong dong...

Hua la—

Soon, the stone tiles slid open below, revealing an underground passage.

A black-robed cultist wearing a cloak first exchanged the secret signal, then hurriedly clasped his hands:

"Elder Blood, you have finally returned."

Elder Blood's three bodies had been blasted until they were charred on the outside and tender on the inside; now he was deceiving a poisonous rat to walk in his shell, his strength as weak as an ant, until he returned to the Luoyang Capital headquarters and finally breathed a sigh of relief:

"What is the situation at Songhe Bay?"

The black-robed cultist respectfully reported: "Young Master He Xun died for the Sect; everyone below was wiped out, and all the captured poison masters fled."

Elder Blood frowned: "I held them up for so long above; didn't the people below know to transfer the person?"

"?"

The black-robed cultist thought Elder Blood hadn't even held them up for two moves, but dared not say so openly, and only awkwardly said:

"Our Hall Master rushed to rescue upon hearing the news, but was a step too late; the inner courtyard was already completely empty. We couldn't find He Can or Zhang Chu; we don't know if they died for the Sect or are still in hiding."

"Those two run faster than rabbits; they couldn't have died for the Sect. I'll go catch them back later."

While Elder Blood spoke, he walked quickly inward; within a short while, he arrived at the center of the Luoyang Capital headquarters.

The central hall was supported by eight stone pillars; the dome painted a three-headed, six-armed Rakshasa statue. Directly in front was the 'Merit Shrine', upon which nearly a hundred spirit tablets were placed; Tai Shu Dan, Ye Shirong, He Xiu, He Hai, and others were all among them.

Further ahead were the Second Uncle and Third Uncle of the He family, along with their wives, all of whom perished in the Jian'an Incident protecting the He family's direct lineage.

At this moment, in front of the Merit Shrine, a figure in a scholar's robe gazed at the spirit tablet inscribed with the two characters 'He Man'; his long hair moved without wind, and he wore a ghost-face mask on his head, the mask bearing two horns, a green face, and fangs, resembling a green-faced Asura.

Beside him, a figure draped in a black cloak turned prayer beads in his hand while chanting the Rebirth Mantra.

Blood Old Third saw the situation and hurried forward to clasp his hands in salute:

"This subordinate deserves death; please, two Altar Masters, punish me."

The figure in the brocade robe turned back, glanced over, and said nothing of remembrance, only stating:

"Evil Daoists are by nature those who lick blood from blades; it is good that Blood Old has returned."

The man in black robes, the helmsman of the Northwest Branch Altar, paused his prayer beads:

"When this monk arrived, He Man was already on the brink of death. I wished to act to save him, but this boy Xie Jinhuan was too ruthless; with his life hanging by a thread, he silenced the witness first before plotting an escape, and his fortune is so deep he withstood this monk's single punch. If this boy is not dealt with, future matters may yet go awry."

The figure in the brocade robe shook his head: "To withstand your punch and not die, it must be a Daoist of the Immortal Path at the level of Zhang Sect or above who applied the Jin Guang Spell; there must be a Dao-protecting person by Xie Jinhuan's side. Currently, Jingcheng has only these few hands; we cannot afford further losses of soldiers and generals. For now, the grand plan of the sect must take precedence."

Blood Old Third asked: "Has the location of Corpse Ancestor Ling been found?"

The figure in the robe of letters drew a booklet from his sleeve:

"The location is quite remote; one must follow the star chart guidance to find it. The Human Emperor Cauldron, used to suppress Corpse Ancestor, is also within."

"Although this attempt is merely to break the tomb, mainly to gauge the defenses of the Righteous Path, if Corpse Ancestor is truly released, he must be given a place to stay and recover some strength; for this, cultivators with Yin-leaning Five Elements must still be captured."

"Additionally, on the day of Li Dong, Wei Wu Yi will hold a Hero Gathering. Some of the Righteous Path experts around Jingcheng will depart; the Imperial Observatory and the Temple of National Protection will shift their attention to Sanjiangkou to prevent martial artists from causing chaos. This is a good opportunity; act quickly."

Blood Old Third took the booklet, glanced at it, and nodded slightly:

"This subordinate will go and handle it immediately."

———

There is one more chapter; it is being polished and will be released in half an hour or2

(End of this chapter)