My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 359 - 259 Summer Cicadas in Full Cry

Chapter 359: Chapter 259: Summer Cicadas in Full Cry

Chapter 359: Chapter 259: Summer Cicadas in Full Cry

“I understand.”

An Jing nodded, he too wanted to see the Great Yan Emperor once more.

Whether this emperor, who had stirred the world for decades and presided over the Great Yan Dynasty, had truly suffered a great setback as rumors suggested, or if it was merely another of Zhao Zhiwu’s conspiracies, remained to be seen.

Zhao Xuening expressed her worries, “However, I’m not sure how the Buddhist faction will choose this time.”

The Buddhist faction was also a concerning issue, especially since their top expert, Xi Hafu, seemed to covet the Earth Vein Spirit in the Dragon Locking Well. He had clashed with An Jing in the northern fields of Houjin, making him more enemy than ally to both of them.

Such a rare Grandmaster had the power to change the course of the world.

If he decided to come to Yujing City this time, that would undoubtedly be a major problem.

The only thing that could restrain this Grandmaster was the Imperial Jade Seal in An Jing’s possession.

An Jing frowned and asked, “I’ve heard there is the aura of a True Dragon within the Imperial City?”

Zhao Xuening glanced at An Jing, her mind stirred, but she maintained a calm demeanor and nodded, “That’s correct.”

An Jing explained, “Princess, don’t misunderstand, the Yin Evil Qi of the Yin Soldiers might be suppressed by the True Dragon Qi. That’s what I’m concerned about.”

Yin Soldiers were formed from the accumulation of Yin Evil Qi, while True Dragon Qi was Supreme Yang Qi – naturally opposing forces.

Thus, An Jing was uncertain whether he could deploy the million Yin Soldiers housed within the Jade Seal in the Imperial City, and even feared it might damage them.

These million Yin Soldiers were capable of threatening a Grandmaster.

Zhao Xuening understood and nodded, “In the Imperial City, there is my Royal Family’s True Dragon Disk which accumulates the True Dragon Qi and national fortune of the Great Yan Royal Family. It is the bane of Yin Evil Qi, with a reflective range that reaches hundreds of miles – encompassing the entire Yujing City.”

An Jing regretfully said, “Then it seems these million Yin Soldiers cannot be used.”

Zhao Xuening also expressed her regret with a sigh, “That is truly a shame, as they could have been a method to restrain a Grandmaster.”

An Jing calmly said, “For now, we can only counter the soldiers with generals and stem the water with earth.”

With Xi Hafu, the top Buddhist Grandmaster, and that immortal Qian Qiu, even if these two did not appear, he still had to be prepared.

Zhao Xuening thought of something and said, “Actually, I have a method that could allow the use of the million Yin Soldiers without suppression by the Imperial City’s True Dragon Qi.”

An Jing asked, “What method is that?”

Zhao Xuening slowly said, “If I were to use the National Seal, I possess the bloodline of the Great Yan Royal Family and am the rightful heir, so the True Dragon Qi of Great Yan does not affect me in the slightest.”

Upon hearing this, the entire parlor instantly became somewhat silent.

Zhou Xianming’s eyes briefly gleamed with insight. If Zhao Xuening could get her hands on the Imperial Jade Seal, it would mean something entirely different. This was the genuine Imperial Jade Seal, bearing the inscriptions from the Great Qin Dynasty that promised ‘eternal prosperity’ and ‘mandate from heaven.’

The seal would bestow upon her the unmatched fortune of an emperor’s legitimate succession.

Plus having a million Yin Soldiers at her beck and call, a force that even Grandmasters would fear, meant that the future of the Great Yan Dynasty could very well be in her palms.

Li Fuzhou also narrowed his eyes, a sneer flickering within.

An Jing laughed lightly, “If there truly comes a time when the Jade Seal is needed, I will give it to the Princess.”

Zhao Xuening’s eyes, like shimmering waters, asked, “Do you trust me?”

An Jing nodded, “Of course I trust you.”

Zhao Xuening’s expression turned solemn, and she spoke earnestly, “Master An, I, Zhao Xuening, will never betray the trust you’ve placed in me in this lifetime.”

An Jing replied, “Likewise for An.”

Zhao Xuening’s eyes brimmed with a gentle light, her gaze so tender it could melt even steel.

Li Fuzhou raised an eyebrow, watching An Jing with a hint of amusement. The young man did possess some of the charm and grace that he himself had in his younger days.

After a few more moments of casual conversation, Zhou Xianming arranged rooms for An Jing, Li Fuzhou, and the slumbering Han Wenxin.

Back in his room and certain of their safety, Li Fuzhou asked, “Son-in-law, will you really give the Jade Seal to Zhao Xuening when the time comes?”

An Jing explained, “The Imperial Jade Seal has been tainted with my Essence Blood Qi, to gain complete control one must thoroughly cleanse it of my Essence Blood Qi, which can’t be done in a short time. Others can only use it in my stead; I will remain the true controller of the Imperial Jade Seal. If a Grandmaster expert shows up, we can only let Zhao Xuening use it in proxy.”

Of two evils, one must choose the lesser, and now that he had allied with Zhao Xuening, some basic trust was necessary—but caution was also warranted.

Li Fuzhou nodded, understanding that if Xi Hafu and that immortal Qian Qiu appeared, they would indeed have to rely on Zhao Xuening and the Imperial Jade Seal.

The current world situation was like a chess game, where no one knew what the next move might bring, or what impact it would have.

“By the way, son-in-law.”

Li Fuzhou suddenly remembered something and asked, “Do you think there will be other Grandmasters?”

An Jing, thinking of that hermit king who lingered on Xu Wang Mountain, whispered, “There will be.”

Li Fuzhou’s heart trembled, and he did not press further.

…..

In the guest hall.

Zhou Xianming clasped his fists and said, “Princess, since An Jing has put it that way, he certainly won’t go back on his word. With him influencing Zhenyi Sect and Xiao Qianqiu, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

Seated at the head, Zhao Xuening said solemnly, “Xiao Qianqiu’s strength must not be underestimated. According to information from Heaven and Earth Net, when he was at Nanhua Mountain, Xiao Qianqiu was able to summon Heavenly Thunder. He killed ten great wizards of the Southern Barbarians without even exerting his full strength.”

“Furthermore, the ruler of the Southern Barbarians once visited Nanhua Mountain and seemed to fear Xiao Qianqiu’s power, not daring to make a move.”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xianming furrowed his brows, “Does that mean Xiao Qianqiu truly has the strength of a Five Qi Grandmaster?”

Even though masters of the Grandmaster Realm had begun to emerge in the world, Five Qi Grandmasters were still regarded as the pinnacle above peaks, especially a top Five Qi Grandmaster like Xiao Qianqiu. Given his talent and youth, it was very likely he would reach the Grandmaster Realm in the future.

“I hope An Gongzi can restrain Xiao Qianqiu.”

Zhao Xuening took a deep breath, a glimmer of resolve flashing in her eyes, “Only then can I devote all my energy to dealing with my dear older brother.”

Zhou Xianming said, “The Five Qi Grandmasters who have died at his hands are two in number, his strength will certainly not be weak. The battle between the two will undoubtedly be fierce.”

Zhao Xuening slightly nodded and asked, “Has Zhao Chongyin made any recent moves?”

Zhou Xianming replied, “According to what Meng Zhaodou said, after Zhao Chongyin hosted a banquet for the State Preceptor, there has been no activity. However, I believe it’s not that simple. With the Crown Prince’s cautious nature, even having the Pingyang Guard and the full support of the State Preceptor, he would still prepare a fallback.”

Zhao Xuening’s gentle and warm demeanor was gone, replaced by an icy resolve, “Is that so? Then I shall see what kind of fallback this brother of mine has.”

Zhou Xianming quickly reminded her, “The Crown Prince has great prestige in the court and has been building his faction for many years. He is not to be underestimated.”

“Rest assured, I’m well aware of that.”

Zhao Xuening, with her hands behind her back, gazed at the azure sky outside the hall and said thoughtfully, “If only I had the Imperial Jade Seal in my hands, then I could rest easy.”

After all, it was a vital instrument of the nation. Not to mention the million Yin soldiers within it, just the identity the Imperial Jade Seal represented was an object coveted by emperors.

In fact, Zhao Xuening had two intentions with her earlier probing.

One was to use it, and the other was to actually obtain it.

Zhou Xianming pondered for a moment and said, “If you want the Imperial Jade Seal from An Jing’s hands, I’m afraid some price must be paid.”

Zhao Xuening asked, “What price?”

Zhou Xianming said gravely, “According to my understanding of An Gongzi, at least an item of equal value must be offered.”

Even within the Great Yan Treasure Vault, finding an item that could compare with the vital instrument of the nation was impossible, so it was inherently an unsolvable situation.

Zhao Xuening’s lips curled into a faint smile as she asked, “Do you think I count as an object of equal value to the Imperial Jade Seal?”

In her view, An Jing was like a poppy in this world, only causing her addiction to grow deeper, the inability to obtain him only increasing her desire.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xianming’s pupils constricted slightly.

Zhao Xuening asked, “Why are you silent? Do you think I’m less than an inanimate object?”

“Not at all, but if the Princess wishes to marry An Gongzi, I’m afraid it would be rather difficult.”

Zhou Xianming, with his head lowered, said, “An Gongzi’s wife is the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect, and I believe the Princess knows her temperament.”

Zhao Xuening, with an indisputable tone, asked, “What if I insist?”

Zhou Xianming said, “In my opinion, the priority should still be the overall situation.”

“Don’t worry.”

Zhao Xuening patted Zhou Xianming’s shoulder and said lightly, “I understand the importance of the overall situation better than anyone.”

…..

The night sky was like dense ink, impenetrably dark.

In Yujing City, at the Demon Sect stronghold, within An Jing’s room.

At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on the bed with his eyes tightly closed.

His cultivation had reached the peak of the Four Qi, just one step away from the Five Qi. Furthermore, he had comprehended both Heavenly Human Communication and Separating Heaven and Earth, two distinct skills.

These two skills contradicted each other, yet somehow there was a faint connection between them.

Heavenly Human Communication relies on the power of heaven and earth to greatly enhance one’s own strength, whereas Separating Heaven and Earth involves gradually detaching oneself from this world, reducing restrictions and allowing one to wield more of their innate strength.

With his understanding of Separating Heaven and Earth, An Jing’s insight into Heavenly Human Communication had deepened tremendously.

His Qi mechanism was elusive, ready at any moment to merge with the world around him. He had reached a sophisticated level of Heavenly Human Communication, even surpassing You Gai.

Beyond You Gai’s full guidance, a significant reason for this was An Jing’s own enlightenment of Separating Heaven and Earth.

In such a state, An Jing’s sudden insights into Sword Dao were even further deepened.

An Jing caressed the sword box beside him and whispered, “After the battle with Jiang Shang at Yulong Snow Mountain, it seems I’ve touched upon the Seventh Realm.”

The Seventh Realm of Sword Dao was truly the realm of immortals and gods.

Unity of Man and Sword, both sword and self forgotten.

The closer he got to touching that realm, the more An Jing felt the vastness and depth of the Seventh Realm of Sword Dao.

Just then, the moonlight was obscured by a roiling cloud, plunging Yujing City into darkness.

“Hmm!?”

An Jing’s brow furrowed, and then with a leap, he vanished from where he stood, landing atop a roof.

And the direction from which this Qi Mechanism emanated was precisely the Dragon Locking Well.

“Could this be the Earth Vein Spirit!?” An Jing narrowed his eyes.

The Earth Vein Spirit, with its own consciousness, had always sought to escape from the Dragon Locking Well, but having been tainted, its release would inevitably lead to an overflow of Yin Evil Qi, throwing the world into chaos.

Lately, quite a number of people had been infected by this evil spirit, causing significant upheavals and turbulence.

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The Yan Country, Zhao Country, Houjin, and the Southern Barbarians were all affected, which was one reason for the slowed progress of Zhao Country’s campaign against Jiangnan Dao.

Moreover, there were rumors that the Earth Vein Spirit was related to the secret of breaking through the shackles of the Grandmaster Realm, which An Jing could not afford to ignore.

At that moment, beneath the dark clouds, a figure approached.

It was a simply dressed Taoist holding a horsetail whisk in his hand. Seemingly very far away, he appeared before An Jing in the next instant.

The Daoist was none other than Luo Chongyang.

An Jing chuckled softly, “Uncle-Master, I trust you’ve been well.”

Luo Chongyang replied with a smile, “Been well.”

An Jing inquired, “I’ve heard Uncle-Master has now returned to the Zhenyi Sect?”

Luo Chongyang said, “This poor Taoist is wholly devoted to cultivating and has resolved to steer clear of worldly affairs.”

He did not explicitly state whether he had returned to the Zhenyi Sect or not.

Hearing this, An Jing sighed deeply, “Is it indeed that easy to detach oneself from the affairs of the world?”

Luo Chongyang spoke solemnly, “Jianghu is like a quagmire, the deeper you sink, the harder it is to escape; even if you manage to pull out, you’ll still carry the mud with you.”

An Jing shook his head, “When one has a certain level of power and status, there are corresponding responsibilities that you cannot escape.”

In this world, ability and responsibility are equivalent; with such power, who could avoid the chaos of the world?

After a long silence, Luo Chongyang said, “You are right, one cannot cultivate the Dao in a time of chaos.”

An Jing, thinking of something, asked, “Uncle-Master, have you ever heard of Qian Qiu, the undying man?”

Luo Chongyang, being a disciple of the Zhenyi Sect and considering that Ye Ding had uncovered some clues about Qian Qiu, the undying man, should also be aware of him.

“Years ago, my seniors in the Zhenyi Sect mentioned him, and back then I thought they were just spinning tales of Jianghu. Only now do I realize that it was all true.”

Luo Chongyang glanced at An Jing, adding, “The Great Yan Emperor was gravely injured by him. If what my seniors said is true, this man’s power must surpass all through the ages, truly the first of the ages.”

The first of the ages!

What an immensely grand title!

An Jing’s face grew somber as he asked, “What has this man been lying in wait for all this time?”

Luo Chongyang pointed toward the direction of the Dragon Locking Well and said, “If I am not mistaken, he is after the Earth Vein Spirit. Rumor has it that there are two ways to break through the Grandmaster Realm’s shackles: one is to slay the Earth Vein Spirit, and the other is to merge with it.”

After pondering for a moment, An Jing said, “If there is such a secret, why has no one ever tried to implement it?”

Through the ages, there have not been many Grandmasters, but there were some. If the rumor were true, these Grandmasters would have put it into practice long ago.

Yet why has the Earth Vein Spirit remained unharmed, neither slain nor merged into another’s being?

“In truth, the poor Taoist was not clear on that at first.”

Luo Chongyang paused, then continued, “Qian Qiu once told me that merging with the Earth Vein Spirit requires its consent. But for the Earth Vein Spirit to merge into a human is equivalent to death. Since it has developed consciousness, how could it possibly consent to its own demise? Hence, for thousands of years, no one could merge with the Earth Vein Spirit naturally, and slaying it is even more difficult, for it has only a presence, not a physical form to strike.”

An Jing nodded slightly; he had once dived into the Dragon Locking Well and had seen the Earth Vein Spirit. His sword had swept through it, only to hit empty space, “It seems that breaking through the Grandmaster’s shackles is not easy.”

Luo Chongyang said, “Becoming a Grandmaster is as difficult as ascending to heaven.”

An Jing replied, “It is the difficulty that makes reaching the summit exhilarating.”

Gazing upon that young and confident face, Luo Chongyang said, “Both you and Xiao Qianqiu, my two nephews, do resemble each other in some aspects—equally tenacious, blessed with peerless talents, and never willing to be outdone.”

An Jing’s palm caressed the Sword Box on his back, “Uncle-Master, who do you think will become the Mystical Sect Daoist Master between Xia Qianqiu and me?”

Moments ago he still looked like a youth, but as his palm moved toward the Sword Box, he seemed to transform entirely.

It was as if an invincible Sword Immortal from the human world had appeared before him.

Unrivalled sharpness, unparalleled elegance.

Luo Chongyang’s pupils constricted sharply, as if he had just remembered that the young man before him was no longer that bare-bottomed Ghost Swordsman he used to be.

He was now the world’s foremost swordsman, having slain two Five Qi Grandmasters by his own hand.

He now stood much higher than Lou Xiangzhen, truly an invincible Great Sword Immortal in the world.

Luo Chongyang shook his head, “In the midst of sword and sabre, one laughs as the winds and clouds change color, but who can know who will win or lose?”

An Jing said, “Uncle Master, your purpose for coming this time must be no simple matter, right?”

Luo Chongyang nodded and said, “Qian Qiu wields the fortune of the Mystical Sect, as if a Daoist Master from the Mystical Sect had descended. I am here to remind my nephew.”

“Ha ha ha ha!”

An Jing laughed loudly, “Uncle Master, although you say you do not know, you seem to have already determined that Xiao Qianqiu will become the Daoist Master of the Mystical Sect.”

Obviously, Luo Chongyang still believed that Xiao Qianqiu had a greater chance of winning, which was why he had come to talk to An Jing in advance.

Luo Chongyang looked into An Jing’s eyes and finally said, “He holds the momentum.”

An Jing coldly said, “In this world, no one can represent the momentum.”

Luo Chongyang did not speak, his heart sighing regretfully.

He had learned that the Heavenly Venerate’s Mirror in Xiao Qianqiu’s hands had shattered, which was why he was so astonished, but this was news that could not be disclosed, no one could tell.

So, he firmly believed that in this struggle between the two, Xiao Qianqiu had a great chance of winning.

If the Ghost Swordsman lost, then his unstoppable momentum would be thwarted, and the blow to him would be tremendous. If he could break and then establish anew, it might be a good thing, but if he fell into it, he would end up like Lou Xiangzhen, in decline for decades.

However, the battle between the two was absolutely unavoidable.

Luo Chongyang was very much looking forward to it; he not only wanted to see the strength of Xiao Qianqiu, who was like the Heavenly Venerate in the world, but also how shocking the swordsmanship of the Ghost Swordsman would be when facing such a powerful adversary.

Perhaps An Jing’s Sword Dao could turn the tide against the wind.

So he knew the battle between the two was inevitable, but his heart was full of anticipation for the arrival of this great battle.

Looking at An Jing, who was peerless in sharpness, Luo Chongyang smiled and said, “Then, Uncle Master will just wait and see your Sword Dao.”

Having said that, Luo Chongyang strode into the distance, disappearing on the spot.

And just at the moment Luo Chongyang left, the dark clouds above scattered, and moonlight once again enveloped the earth.

“Then let us just wait and see,” An Jing gently stroked the sword box.

……

Time flies like an arrow, and three days went by in the blink of an eye.

Everyone could feel that Yujing City was in the midst of a storm, with surging waves and dark currents swirling.

During the height of summer, the fierce sun was like fire, the earth was like a steaming cauldron, and the proud willow trees drooped listlessly with their leaves curled up.

People’s clothes were sticky with sweat, and even after bathing, new sweat would quickly emerge. The wealthy families used stored blocks of ice to cool down, and this made them feel somewhat more comfortable.

The cicadas on the trees issued their piercing calls. These cicadas clearly had only one season, but their roaring sounds were desperate, loud and powerful, disturbing people’s sleepiness and mocking their discomfort.

Just then, a yellow bamboo pole parted the leaves and directly tapped the cicada that was chirping. The cicada felt darkness envelop its face and struggled desperately, but soon its limbs were also stuck together, unable to break free.

The cicada sighed inwardly, realizing it should not have been so smug so soon.

A handsome and extraordinary eunuch looked up at this scene, then retracted the bamboo pole and tossed the cicada stuck to it into a bag, a hint of smugness on his lips, “Another dish for wine tonight.”

There were many trees in the Imperial Palace, so there were naturally many cicadas, especially in the heat of summer, when they were countless. The nobles in the palace were annoyed by the chirping, so the eunuchs would stick the cicadas.

This handsome and extraordinary eunuch was none other than Zhuo Yuchang.

Just then, he caught a glimpse of an old figure running over and quickly opened his bag, “Dry grandfather, look, there’s already one plate.”

Standing under the tree and enjoying the shade was eunuch Bai Mei. He glanced over and then said, “Hurry up and have someone clean the dust on the paths of the Imperial City again. Today, someone is coming to the palace to see His Majesty.”

Zhuo Yuchang was stunned and said, “Oh?”

His Majesty had been ignoring state affairs for months, disappearing without a trace just like last time. Now, someone was coming to the palace, and they were cleaning up the paths; who could this visitor be?

Bai Mei indifferently said, “You’ll know when the time comes.”

As whispers spread, the atmosphere inside the palace was also one of restlessness, as the nobles in the palace saw Emperor Yan, Zhao Zhiwu, as the stabilizer of the Great Yan Dynasty. If any mishap befell him, they might lose not only their wealth but potentially their lives, so the palace was marked by an unrestrainable panic.

In this chaos, eunuch Bai Mei was definitely the exception; perhaps he was accustomed to such oddities, as even Emperor Yan had to respectfully address him as ‘father’. One could imagine how old he was.

Even the nobles and concubines in the palace held a mix of fear and aloofness toward eunuch Bai Mei.

Such old age, in the eyes of ordinary people, was already a most peculiar affair.

Bai Mei slowly turned around, his turbid eyes revealing no sparkle. In this changing world, even his vitality was beginning to fluctuate, and his cultivation was continuously climbing.

He walked slowly towards the Imperial Study Room, stooping, like a man on the verge of death, clearly alive but exuding a dead air.

……