Chapter 94: Father, Save Me!

Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.

"Come, tell me, what exactly were you thinking?"

Li Long personally poured a cup of tea and pushed it in front of Li Qiushui.

"I want to know, who exactly gave you the nerve to act in such a way? You truly do not hold me in your eyes at all."

He had his hair draped loosely and wore a simple sleeping robe, looking somewhat languid.

Li Long did not stare at his daughter, but kept his head down, flipping through memorial documents at will.

He marked the satisfactory ones in red and burned the unsatisfactory ones directly with a flame—the style of a muddled ruler.

But no one would truly mistake him for a muddled emperor.

He is Li Long.

The second son born to the Late Emperor and the Empress Dowager, he was named Crown Prince at ten, swept away his brothers of the same generation at twenty-four, and ascended the throne as emperor at twenty-eight.

Since then, he has suppressed Beigan for three hundred full years, forcing the noble clans and Feudatory Kings to lower their proud heads.

Yet, compared to an emperor, he is more like a practitioner, focusing more on his own cultivation.

Aside from routine morning audiences, he has always lived in seclusion, pushing most of the state affairs onto the Prime Minister and Su Peiqing.

Furthermore, apart from the Empress he married before ascending the throne, Li Long had never selected concubines.

It was not until forty years ago, after the Empress gave birth to the Eldest Prince, that he began to select concubines on a large scale to expand his lineage, eventually fathering twenty-seven princes and princesses in total.

Only in the last ten-plus years has the number of times the people of Beigan see the Emperor increased, and he has gained a bit more humanity, no longer just an Immortal emperor seeking the Dao and Chang Sheng.

The posture Li Long assumed at this moment was not the behavior an emperor should have when summoning a subordinate, but more like a father facing a wayward child.

However, despite displaying such a posture, the atmosphere in the Imperial Study remained extremely oppressive.

The inside and outside of the Imperial Study were like two different worlds.

The outside world could not feel a thing, but being inside it, especially facing Li Long directly, Li Qiushui bore the full weight of this pressure.

Even if Li Long appreciated the decisiveness of Li Qiushui's actions, and even if the result of this operation was good.

Even so, her acting recklessly was true.

Acting first and reporting later, not holding him, this emperor, in her eyes, was also true.

Li Long is the Emperor.

It is impossible for his heart to be entirely free of displeasure.

Especially now, when he has broken free of his shackles and his cultivation is even greater than in the past.

"As long as I do not die, as long as I do not abdicate, you lot will never be able to become this emperor."

This conversation was meant to make her explain her thoughts clearly.

At the same time, it was even more of a reprimand.

Li Qiushui knew this.

Before she rushed to the Imperial Palace, or even as early as when she first had the plan, she had already made preparations.

She did not lower her head, but stubbornly held her head high, looking at her Imperial Father with calm eyes.

She knew her Imperial Father would certainly reprimand her, but... this was a crisis, and at the same time, a rare opportunity.

Even as the Ninth Princess, Li Qiushui could not see Li Long often.

Only the most favored children were qualified to stay by Li Long's side often and receive his guidance.

And unfortunately, Li Qiushui was never a child who knew how to please her father.

As the pressure on her body gradually increased, her bones actually emitted light sounds similar to sword chimes under this heavy weight.

"Hm?"

Li Long raised his head after hearing this sound and examined her carefully.

Although he knew of Li Qiushui's aptitude, he did not expect that at the age of just over twenty, she had already touched upon this step.

Heavenly Sword Spirit Body.

As long as one studies it diligently, one can become an Incarnation of the sword, with infinite talent for the sword Dao.

And now, she was actually already forging her Sword Bone?

Thinking this, Li Long tapped his index finger lightly on the table.

Clang!

Accompanied by a huge boom, the pressure erupted suddenly and then vanished instantly; Li Qiushui coughed up a mouthful of blood from her throat.

The bone fragments mixed within that turbid blood actually shone with a luster similar to metal.

Hum—

Sword Bone, minor success.

Li Long casually burned the memorial document stained by the blood, and looking at the expressionless Li Qiushui, he sighed with emotion:

"Looking at it this way, you are the one truly suited to practice at the Sword Casting Hut."

"To achieve minor success in Sword Bone at this age without anyone's guidance—if you had guidance, that would be incredible!"

"Truly worthy of being my daughter!"

Li Long clicked his tongue in wonder, marveling at the excellence of his own bloodline.

Not bad for me, to be able to produce such offspring!

"I don't need it."

Li Qiushui wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth with her sleeve and spoke slowly:

"Furthermore, I have no interest whatsoever in relying on super sects."

She did not want to become a puppet for the other side, nor did she want to have too much contact with them.

Compared to those external things, she trusts herself more.

Li Long narrowed his eyes, then shook his head with a chuckle.

Similar.

Truly too similar.

Truly worthy of being my daughter; this temperament is carved from the exact same mold as mine when I was young.

It is just...

Still too young.

Being overly rigid leads to breaking.

Li Long did not offer counsel, because he knew very well that no matter how much he said, Li Qiushui would not listen.

People like them only trust their own judgment.

After this commotion, the Emperor, who had been delighted by her talent, no longer held much anger in his heart.

"Enough, we shall speak of the sect matter later; now, explain to me, why exactly did you strike at those two?"

Looking back, the reason Li Qiushui struck at Wang Yuchen and Song Chengyi at the time was unclear.

Before that, she had never had any interaction with those two, so why insist on dealing a lethal blow?

Just because of a rowdy dandy in the market?

Li Long believed this would be part of the reason, but it would never be the entire reason for Li Qiushui's strike.

"Because they are guilty."

"Oh? What crimes do they have? Tell me."

Taking an object from her sleeve and placing it on the table, Li Qiushui said calmly:

"Wang Yuchen, although he shares the same origin as Prime Minister Wang from the Jiangnan Wang Family, he was spoiled by his mother since childhood, committing countless evils and treating human life as grass."

"The Wang Family has great influence in Jiangnan; the local officials collude with them and turn a blind eye to his evil deeds."

"From abducting innocent women to killing people in the street to seize a bride, Wang Yuchen has done it all."

Raising her head, Li Qiushui looked straight into Li Long's eyes and asked in a deep voice:

"May I ask Your Majesty, if one encounters such a scourge, should they be killed?"

Li Long blinked and nodded with a smile:

"Naturally, they should be killed."

"Very well, his death shall be counted as no crime on your part, and I shall even reward you."

"But what of Song Chengyi? And what of the Song Family? What crimes do they have?"

"Don't blame me for not reminding you, the Song Family's reputation in Jiangnan has always been very good; every year, people set up Longevity Tablets for the Song Family."

Unlike the notoriously fierce Wang Family, the Song Family has an excellent reputation in the Jiangnan region and is deeply loved by the people.

But Li Qiushui gave a cold snort at this.

"The people of the Song Family deserve to be killed even more."

Li Qiushui took another object from her sleeve and said calmly:

"This is all the evidence I have collected."

"Although the Song Family appears to cultivate the righteous path and act like gentlemen on the surface, this is merely a facade."

"In the Jiangnan region, through seemingly virtuous means like adopting orphans and giving porridge to beggars, they have secretly kidnapped thousands of innocent civilians to use as test subjects for their cultivation technique."

Frowning, Li Long picked up the Jade Slip recording the crimes and probed it with his divine sense.

"What is the technique?"

"The Transformation Demon Art; its origin is unknown, but the effect of the technique is singular... to transform humans into demons."

Anger rose in Li Qiushui's eyes as she suppressed her fury.

"The Song Family uses a Secret Technique to forcibly catalyze the kidnapped humans into demons through the Transformation Demon Art, then has their own disciples slay them to strengthen the righteous energy within their bodies."

She stood up and questioned her Imperial Father:

"Your Majesty, should a family as hypocritical as this be killed!?"

After quickly browsing the contents of the Jade Slip with his divine sense, Li Long slowly closed his eyes.

"Should be killed?"

The Emperor opened his eyes and spoke calmly to his daughter, who had passion but was too idealistic:

"Qiushui, you are still too young and do not understand the intricacies of this."

"The Song Family is a thousand-year-old aristocratic family; although their ancestral home being raided looks miserable this time, will it have any actual impact on them?"

"The Song Family's foundation is in Jiangnan; as long as they have resources, ancestral homes like this can be rebuilt at any time."

"Killing a few people is of no consequence to them; they can produce countless scapegoats for you to behead at any moment."

"Not only does this have no impact, but it even gives them an excuse to use this to threaten me and demand more benefits."

With brows locked in a frown, Li Qiushui stared fixedly at Li Long, not understanding what he meant at all.

Does he mean to continue yielding to those aristocratic families?

To continue indulging them?

Do you really not know what this means for the people of Jiangnan?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Sitting on this Dragon Throne, one has to consider far more things than you imagine."

Watching Li Qiushui's aggressive demeanor, Li Long chuckled:

"You didn't dare look at me like that just a moment ago, so why do you dare now?"

"Also, do you really think I am the type of person to bow to them?"

Li Qiushui: "... Hmm?"

Haven't you been doing exactly that for these past few decades?

"Heh."

Li Long shook his head with a wry smile, sighing:

"Whether it is you or Shi Anqi, on the surface you all seem ruthless, but in reality, you are all too soft-hearted."

"What is the use of confiscating property? Even if you execute the current head of the Song Family, what does it matter? It is not enough, far from enough, this situation..."

Li Long toyed with the Jade Slip in his hand, a faint murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

He said:

"They must be exterminated."

Swish—

Accompanied by the howling wind passing by her ears, Li Qiushui's eyes narrowed sharply, looking at Li Long in disbelief.

The murderous aura revealed in that instant was even more terrifying than that of Shi Anqi, who had blood on his hands.

The wrath of the Son of Heaven leaves a million corpses and blood flowing for a thousand miles.

This is no empty talk.

Li Long tapped the table and instructed Eunuch Su, who was guarding the door:

"Take my token and have Shi Anqi lead the soldiers out immediately to exterminate the Song Family within three days."

"Leave no one alive."

"If this matter is accomplished, he shall be rewarded, and his previous transgressions will be wiped clean."

"If it is not, then another three thousand lashes of the Entangling Dragon Whip, and let... hmm, let his sister-in-law do it herself."

Su Peiqing, standing guard outside the door, twitched his face upon hearing this and silently mourned for his old brother in his heart.

This is truly miserable...

However, better the Daoist friend dies than the poor Daoist, so what does this have to do with me?

I am just an old eunuch with no one to rely on.

"Yes!"

But just as Su Peiqing was preparing to notify Shi Anqi of this miserable task, his expression suddenly shifted.

"!!!"

Eunuch Su displayed an astonishing speed, completely different from his usual gait that required others to support him, and leaped into mid-air in an instant.

He narrowed his eyes, staring intently in the direction of the south of the city, and then flew into a towering rage.

"A Great Demon!?"

"How could a Great Demon appear? And it is less than a hundred miles outside Wentian City!?"

What is going on?

"How is the City Guard Army doing its job!!?"

A bunch of useless good-for-nothings!!!

Although he was furious, Su Peiqing knew that the top priority was not to punish those good-for-nothings, but that there were more important things to do.

Landing back before the Imperial Study, Su Peiqing reported quickly:

"Your Majesty, a Great Demon has appeared fifty miles south of the city. Please issue an order for the City Guard Army to lead troops to suppress it!"

He lowered his head, waiting for the Son of Heaven to issue the order.

But to Su Peiqing's utter shock, the Son of Heaven inside the door suddenly sighed.

"Mei... in the end, has it really come to this point?"

!!!

The Son of Heaven knows about this?

Then, he heard words that he could understand even less:

"Qiushui, I will give you a chance to make amends for your past mistakes."

"This matter of eliminating the demon, I will leave it to you this time."

!!?

"Your Majesty, this must not be! That is..."

That is a Great Demon of the Earth Realm?

That Demon Qi has already surpassed the Dharma Aspect; it is definitely a Great Demon of the fifth realm, the Transformation Realm!

Although the Ninth Princess is gifted and has just entered the Earth Realm, she cannot possibly be a match for a Great Demon!

Eunuch Su wanted to speak up and advise against it, but before he could, a sound like a sword hissing rang out in the room.

Li Qiushui did not hesitate in the slightest and replied decisively:

"Very well!"

Then, a figure standing as straight as a sword pushed the door open and left.

Heading toward the south of the city, moving forward all the way.

In the outer city of Wentian City, in a dark corner.

Several figures arrived quickly; they covered their faces, and no aura could be discerned from their bodies.

They looked at each other cautiously, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

"The ruins of Mei Garden south of the city, the Seal is broken, a demonic creature has emerged!"

"The City Guard Army will surely go out to eliminate the demon, leaving the inner city empty; this is a heaven-sent opportunity that must not be missed."

"If we want to make a move, this opportunity must not be abandoned."

"We cannot wait any longer; the plan must be moved forward. Is the plan feasible?"

After waiting for a moment, one of the figures, looking somewhat hunched, finally nodded slowly and said hoarsely:

"It is."

"The moment the City Guard Army leaves the city is the moment we strike."

"There is only one chance for this matter. Once we fail, we will never have another opportunity. I hope you all will absolutely not be cowards."

His voice was filled with bewitchment and anticipation as he raised his arms and shouted:

"For a better Beigan!"

……

……

"What are you doing, what are you doing..."

"Why are you attacking without a word? Why do you have no martial virtue?"

Under the plum tree in the illusion, Ren Yidao was skewered like a meat kebab by tree roots and hung in mid-air.

But he was not dead, not even seriously injured; he kept muttering to himself with a pained expression.

It was not because of the pain.

It was because he truly felt heartache!

I am truly so heartbroken!

How could there be such ungrateful ingrates in this world!?

I even listened to you finish a boring story and even said I would help you find release.

But you actually attacked me without a word and even stabbed me in the heart.

Is there no justice in Heaven?

Is there no law left?

The world is going downhill, and morality is collapsing!

Under this bright sky and clear heaven, at the feet of the Son of Heaven, you actually dare to attack an Imperial Brother; you truly have a lot of nerve!

Is there anything else you wouldn't dare to do?

"Didn't I say I could save you? Why are you still acting like a difficult patient?"

While complaining incessantly, Ren Yidao raised both hands and pulled himself off the sharp tree roots.

Leaping down lightly, Ren Yidao stepped onto the piles of bones.

The branch that had just accurately stabbed him now appeared confused; it turned around him several times as if blind without finding him, and in the end, it could only slowly retract.

There was no one here, only Demon Qi.

A small, clean-through wound remained on his chest, and the flesh was healing rapidly.

Although the tree root had indeed pierced his physical body, this level of purely physical damage could not be considered a fatal wound.

Ren Yidao marveled at the strength of his own physical body and sighed:

"It's a good thing I reacted quickly, otherwise you really would have succeeded."

Although the tree root's sneak attack was very concealed, Ren Yidao still reacted at the very last moment.

At that time, two choices lay before him.

One was to shift his position, dodge the strike, and confront this ghost with unknown strength head-on.

At the final moment, Ren Yidao gave up on dodging and chose the other option.

The other choice was to play along, take the hit, and let the opponent mistakenly believe they had finished him off.

On one hand, it was because he realized Mei Yongzhu's strength was not weak and feared he could not take him head-on, so he had to use wit.

On the other hand, it was because he felt a summons.

A summons from beneath the plum tree.

"What exactly is summoning me?"

Looking around, Ren Yidao followed the feeling in his Heart and walked in one direction.

And as it happened, this was the direction of Mei Yongzhu's remains.

Cautiously walking to the side of the remains, Ren Yidao saw the text on the half-page of yellow paper in his hand and began to read...

"【Transformation Demon Art】?"

After seeing the text clearly, Ren Yidao's expression could not hold up.

"There is such a cultivation art in this world?"

Having been a prankster for so many years, this was the first time he felt like he was about to have a Broken Defense.

"Not wanting to be a proper human, insisting on becoming a demon."

"What a waste!"

"I am busy here transforming from a demon to a human, and it was so hard to finally take human form, yet you want to transform into a demon?"

"You don't know how lucky you are; you really are ungrateful."

Glaring fiercely at the skeleton, Ren Yidao muttered under his breath:

"If I hadn't finished my real business yet, I would definitely burn you into ashes and then scatter them all to hell."

Broken Defense, family.

Some people are willing to work like an Ox Star just to one day reach Rome.

But some people are born in Rome, yet insist on running out to happily work like an Ox Star.

Is this some kind of besieged fortress?

People inside the city want to get out, and people outside the city want to get in...

"Huhu, I am somewhat angry now."

Regarding this fellow who had a broken brain and still dared to strike at a good person like him, Ren Yidao expressed extreme fury.

Looking at the kneeling skeleton, he said viciously:

"So, I am going to eat you."

I am going to eat your brain!

With a flick of his finger, Ren Yidao pried open the skull of Mei Yongzhu's corpse and reached inside to feel around.

"It really is there."

Pulling a round ball the size of a quail egg from the skull, Ren Yidao was truly quite moved.

"To be able to cultivate a Demon Pill, you really did transform quite thoroughly."

Although there was not much Demon Qi remaining inside, it was undoubtedly qualified to be called a Demon Pill.

Wiping the Demon Pill on his clothes, he threw it into his mouth without a second thought.

Crunch.

"Come to think of it, does this count as me crazily stealing offerings at a grave?"

"Hmm, this Demon Pill of yours, the taste is not bad."

Tastes like chicken, crunchy and crisp.

"Come to think of it, did I forget something?"

Chewing the Demon Pill like a sugar bean, Ren Yidao suddenly felt as if he had overlooked something.

"Oh!"

"I remember now, my adopted daughters are still outside!"

And my friend Shi Xue...

The Transformation Demon Mei Yongzhu broke through the seal; he must have run straight into them.

But there shouldn't be any major trouble, right?

On one hand, Mei Yongzhu's state was wrong; his obsession with release seemed higher than anything else, and he lacked a strong desire to kill.

If not for that, his own crude faked death would never have succeeded.

On the other hand, Senior Brother gave them protective scrolls... eh?

Gulp.

Smacking his lips, Ren Yidao swallowed the Demon Pill and gasped.

"It seems Shi Xue doesn't have one."

Oh dear, this is awkward.

You have been hanging out with us so much lately that I almost forgot you aren't my Junior Sister or adopted daughter.

"This is a bit awkward..."

Ren Yidao frowned, regretting that he had eaten the Demon Pill in a fit of anger just now.

He swallowed the Demon Pill; naturally, it was not just as simple as venting his anger to retaliate against Mei Yongzhu.

Ren Yidao was about to advance.

Not as a Dao Cultivator, but his demon body.

A long time had passed since he grew his fourth Tail Star, and he was already only one step away from advancing; the Demon Pill he just swallowed pushed him to the brink of advancement.

Sitting cross-legged uncontrollably, Ren Yidao had reached the point where he had to advance and could no longer hold it back...

But advancement requires time.

Although it might only take less than half a cup of tea's time, for Shi Xue right now, this time might be a life-taking Ghost Star.

"There's no other way, I can only do this for now..."

Closing his eyes, Ren Yidao surrendered his body to be controlled by instinct.

"Damn it, why does it keep staring at me?"

Disheveledly dodging a gust of sinister wind, Shi Xue's tied-up hair fell loose, and her face was a mess.

Fresh blood flowed down her cheek, and the sinister, cold aura radiating from the wound made her complexion look even worse.

"Even in that situation just now, he was actively attacking me..."

"Although I don't know the reason, is he coming for me?"

Her eyes sharpened, Shi Xue threw the Yu Yu in her arms into Li Lingling's arms, then ran off in the other direction.

"You two hurry and leave! Don't worry about me!"

Her temperament changed abruptly, radiating an aura like a death warrior; before Li Lingling could react, Shi Xue threw several Dao Talismans toward the sky.

Boom, boom, boom!

The blinding light attracted the attention of the Transformation Demon, and Shi Xue let out a long shout.

"Evil beast! Come!"

Since you want to kill me, then come.

"Xue Jie!!!"

Catching the unconscious Yu Yu in mid-air, Li Lingling screamed miserably.

But Shi Xue didn't even look at her, calmly transmitting her voice:

"Go, don't let me die in vain."

"Run toward Wentian, hold on for a while longer, the City Guard Army will definitely arrive."

"You will be saved."

Death?

No, no, no!

How could it be like this?

It was clearly just a flower-viewing outing, why did it turn into this!?

It is my fault...

It is my fault that Senior Brother Ren Yidao's life or death is unknown, and it is my fault that Xue Jie took the initiative to sacrifice herself.

It is all my fault.

If I hadn't suggested coming to the south of the city, none of this would have happened...

Just as Li Lingling was at a desperate, life-or-death moment, she heard a leisurely voice that was completely out of place with the surrounding environment.

"My daughter, you look a bit disheveled."

The mysterious deity's voice, full of mockery and sounding from afar, rang in her ears:

"It seems you need your father's help?"

!!!

In her desperation, Li Lingling could not care about anything else and shouted at the top of her lungs:

"Father, save me!"

I actually slept for seven hours yesterday for the first time in a long while! Happiness... I will keep up the good work today and strive to sleep even more.