As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 262 The Return Journey, Following
Two days passed quickly.

In the height of summer, under a clear blue sky, the bright sunlight fell on their faces. A handsome young man, holding a child's hand and accompanied by a small snake, bird, and dog, stood in front of the gates of Beilie Qingcang City. His good looks attracted admiring glances from passersby from time to time.

It was Mingchen and his group.

It's time to go.

He didn't seem to cause any big commotion during his visit to Beilie.

He usually just lived in the Crown Prince's residence, and would go out for a stroll in his spare time to meet with the Northern Emperor a few times.

That's it.

He came with the Crown Prince, but left as calmly as an ordinary person, waving his sleeves without taking away a single cloud.

Qin Lou did not come to see him off in person, nor did he even send anyone. Few of the civil and military officials in the court even knew that Ming Chen had come.

The crown prince wanted to see him off, but he refused.

A true friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water; it requires no superficial formalities.

Once we leave Qingcang City, our next meeting may well be on the battlefield.

In the end, His Majesty the Northern Emperor broke the promise, neither marrying off his daughter nor sending the pet.

Mingchen didn't see the little fox again until he left.

However, he didn't insist, didn't go looking for the little fox, and didn't wait foolishly there; he left as soon as he said he would.

Sometimes things have to come to an end. Whether or not to leave him is his own choice, and Mingchen cannot bind him with a rein.

No...maybe it's possible, but Mingchen doesn't want to.

As he grew older, his vision broadened and he became more open-minded.

"Shy Butterfly, did you have a good time on this trip?"

He looked up at the bright sun and pinched the cheek of the well-behaved child.

The journey was not peaceful; there were battles along the way, but the child remained calm and quiet throughout.

If she needed to follow Mingchen, she would; if she needed to wait for Mingchen somewhere, she would wait patiently, being extremely obedient and not very noticeable.

She was an observer, watching quietly without making any comments, simply keeping everything in her mind.

The child remained expressionless as always, his dull eyes reflecting Mingchen's face, and whispered, "Being with my brother makes me happy."

"Just be happy!"

Mingchen smiled upon hearing this: "Let's go home!"

The purpose of this trip has been basically achieved.

Having witnessed the final battle between Qi and Chen, Wang Huai fulfilled the historical mission that Mingchen had expected of him.

I saw a dangerous mermaid who seized opportunities and pursued immediate benefits to the extreme, and who yearned for freedom.

Having witnessed the current progress of the canal construction in Beilie, he enjoyed a drink with his newfound friend, the Northern Emperor.

They also encountered some unexpected events.

In conclusion, it's time to bring this to a close.

He has settled down in Jiqu; he has a home. After being away for more than half a year, it's time for him to embark on his journey home.

In a place unnoticed, atop the high city wall, the Northern Fierce Black Tiger Banner fluttered in the wind. A petite figure lazily lay on the eaves of the city wall, seemingly aware of something. With a flash of red light, she disappeared.

……

"Mingchen is gone?"

Meanwhile, at the Tiger Palace.

The loyal guard knelt on one knee and reported to the king, "Yes!"

Has the Tian family made any move?

Tian Hong came to see him yesterday and strongly urged Qin Lou to get rid of Ming Chen.

When Mingchen arrived, he rode a white wolf with the Crown Prince. Although he didn't publicize it, some observant people could still see some clues.

This highly decorated general of the Northern Army was one of the few who knew the truth.

In Tian Hong's view, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Letting Mingchen go would be tantamount to releasing a tiger back into the mountains. However, Qin Lou still had no choice.

Seeing Qin Lou's resolute attitude, Tian Hong finally sighed and withdrew.

As Qin Lou grew up, he understood the monarch he had protected and supported all the way to the throne less and less.

The guard shook his head: "No."

Qin Lou lowered his eyes and murmured softly, "Brother, we've supported each other all this way, and our relationship as ruler and subject has been harmonious. Don't let me down..."

He toyed with the wine cup in his hand. Qin Lou was not actually fond of wine, and wine cups were rarely placed in the Tiger Hall.

It's just because I've met a kindred spirit that I can't drink a thousand cups of wine.

He was indeed pleased with his conversation with this cheap friend.

But Mingchen's departure ultimately placed him on the opposite side.

He felt a faint sadness for those he was destined to never have.

He raised an eyebrow and asked again, "Have you found the fox?"

He did not agree to give the fox to Mingchen, and Mingchen did not insist.

The matter was dropped because he was in the wrong.

Afterwards, he went to Qin Xuan's palace in person, but all he received was the news that the fox had already escaped.

Qin Xuan was overjoyed to hear that she didn't have to marry Ming Chen. Even if the little fox was lost, it didn't matter. Ming Chen said he would use the little fox in her place, and she was willing to do so.

Pets are indeed lovable, but they can never compare to the happiness of one's own life.

Qin Lou didn't say much, but he carefully questioned Qin Xuan about the fox. He learned that she had been to the Crown Prince's residence and talked about Mingchen's matter. The fox had also disappeared for half a day.

By piecing together all the information, we can make some guesses.

This psychic fox probably saw Mingchen during that half-day.

Mingchen wasn't stupid; he spoke to him with such conviction that he wasn't afraid of Mingchen's opposition.

The decision-making power was not in his hands.

After all, it was a spirit creature, and it had been treated roughly by him before, like a pet. It must have harbored resentment and was unwilling to serve Bei Lie.

What's meant to leave can't be stopped.

The guard shook his head: "No."

The answer is reasonable.

Qin Lou sighed.

A monarch, who controls the power of the world, is naturally the person with the strongest desires and the strongest need for control. When something exceeds his control, it will naturally cause him distress.

Mingchen is one, and the little fox is another.

One by one, they all became his adversaries.

But... so what? Let's just go!
For every person who opposes him, there is someone who supports him.

He stood up, went outside the hall, and gazed into the distance, looking south.

This vast world was where his ambitions lay.

His gaze was intense, and an invisible aura emanated from him. Behind him, there seemed to be the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling. The heavy imperial power pressed down on the shoulders of his personal guard, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Qin Lou's eyes were fixed on the vast天地 (heaven and earth): "Jinglan, Qi, Qianyuan, the southern kingdoms... are you ready?"

"I am coming!"

Suddenly a strong wind arose, and the flags fluttered in the wind, while the Tiger King's sideburns were blown by the wind, making him look majestic and imposing.

After the canal was completed, he had already prepared all the follow-up plans step by step.

He wanted to bleed the country dry to raise money, send troops south, unify the world, and achieve that unparalleled feat.

This behemoth of a man will rush onto the card table, go all in, defeat all the players, seize all the chips and wealth, and establish a legacy destined to be remembered for eternity.

He wanted to be the greatest emperor of all time.

Heaven and earth cannot stop me.

……

The magnificent white wolf darted and weaved through the mountain paths, galloping freely.

It's faster than a sports car, yet incredibly agile.

At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure that the owner sitting on his back is comfortable.

This is a skill; you can't just eat all that delicious food for nothing, you have to provide the same level of service.

Mingchen didn't take the Little Bird's flight attendant service directly back. He came by water, but he would go by land to see the scenery.

After all, he had previously promised the mermaid that he would come to see her again.

"Tatsuro~~~"

"Was Qin Xuan, whom I saw that day, really that fox in disguise?"

The little bird looked like its worldview had collapsed and asked Mingchen.

Now that she's a phoenix, she's incredibly powerful, and she's become a bit arrogant and conceited.

She really couldn't understand why the fox was able to evade her detection.

However, Mingchen wouldn't lie to her about something like this. The strange 'Qin Xuan' and the conversation between Mingchen and Qin Lou have already explained the situation.

She searched the entire city of Qingcang for the past two days, but couldn't find any trace of the little fox.

Mingchen: ...

"From now on, if you don't become human, you're not allowed to call me Chen Lang!"

Mingchen poked her head and said fiercely.

This guy is clearly not one to listen when it comes to these little romantic gestures; he's been completely led astray.

While dipping the beans, two affectionate "Chen Lang" phrases suddenly popped out.

It's not that it sounds bad, it's just so cloying it gives me goosebumps.

That's fine, but now that he's acting like a little bird and using such cloying nicknames, Mingchen is really afraid that one day his sexual orientation will be questioned.

The little bird simply stuck out its tongue in a very human-like way: "Hehe~"

This kid has become increasingly spoiled and unruly; the snacks and storytelling warnings he used to receive are clearly no longer effective.

"Young Master hasn't answered me yet!" Mingchen simply shrugged: "Yes!"

"How did you know, young master?"

The young master clearly has no cultivation at all; he can only borrow magic from that strange magical artifact.

Sometimes, however, one's senses are even more acute than that, which is truly strange.

Mingchen smiled and said, "Back then, I could tell at a glance that you were special! How do you think I knew?"

"Oh...that's true!"

Grandpa Tree said that cultivation is about cultivating the mind. Young Master has a clever mind, clearer than anyone else, and perhaps he can also glimpse the origin of all things in the world.

"Now what?"

“We’ve already left Qingcang City, and the fox is lost. Didn’t you want to take it with us, young master?”

Unlike ordinary people who fear monsters like snakes and scorpions, Mingchen is actually quite fond of them.

"It's okay, maybe we'll see each other again soon?"

While they were chatting, the white wolf had already run several miles away.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping horses came from ahead. The white wolf darted out of the forest. Around the bend in the mountain road, the view opened up, and they encountered another group of people.

"My goodness... what is this?!"

"A wolf...goodness, such a big white wolf?"

"Big brother, is there someone backing it up?"

"Who...who is this?"

"Big brother, what should we do?"

……

In contrast to the chaos of Qian Yuan, where mountain bandits roamed freely.

The public security in Beilie is quite good.

However, no one will do a losing business, but there will always be people willing to risk their lives. Human nature will never change, criminals will never be eradicated, and there will always be bandits.

The bandits had just left a nearby village after robbing and looting, and were carrying some women and supplies back to their stronghold.

Coincidentally, love came around this corner.

The white wolf's appearance was quite striking; it suddenly leaped out of the forest, startling the twenty-odd fierce mountain bandits.

The two sides looked at each other, frozen in place.

The bandit leader was cautious. Despite having an overwhelming numerical advantage, he still wanted to question and investigate the person opposite him.

This white wolf is handsome and majestic; someone who can tame such a strange beast must be no ordinary person.

Being cautious is the key to long-term success.

He raised his hands and bowed slightly.

He wanted to ask this hero where he came from and whether he had any grudges against them.

However, at that moment, he suddenly felt as if something had hit his brain, and it seemed as if someone was whispering in his ear.

He opened his mouth, and when he spoke, his voice became powerful and energetic: "Brothers, charge! Kill him!"

He was immediately jolted, his eyes widened in disbelief.

However, it was clear that his subordinates around him did not pay close attention to his expression.

This bandit leader, the king of the mountain stronghold, sat firmly in his position, and everyone listened to him.

Upon hearing his command, the entire scene immediately descended into chaos.

"Kill!"

"He's just one person, what's there to be afraid of!"

"Big brother, can I ride this wolf?"

The bandits were used to running rampant and bullying people, and few were as shrewd and cautious as their leader.

The white wolf looked majestic, but there was only one of it, and it was carrying only one person and a burdensome child.

Unity is strength. These twenty or thirty men hacked Mingchen to death with a flurry of blows.

They grinned maliciously, drew their blades, and charged towards Mingchen.

The gleaming blades shone with a chilling light under the sunlight, and the stench of blood filled the air. The fierce bandits exuded murderous intent, and an ordinary person would be terrified at the sight of them.

However, Mingchen just smiled when he saw it.

He glanced around, seemingly searching for something.

Once the thugs had charged forward with knives, he took out a short jade staff and patted the white wolf beneath him: "White Wolf, take care of them."

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, blood has soaked the land.

"This this……"

"No, no, no, don't kill me, don't kill me, sir, please spare my life!"

"I have an eighty-year-old mother to care for..."

……

"Dangdang!"

The large sword that had killed countless people fell to the ground.

The thug, who usually bullied others, sat down on the ground, wriggling backward, his eyes wide open, staring at the menacing figure opposite him.

His face was filled with panic, and he was deathly pale, as if he had seen a demon from hell, and he was pleading with the person in front of him.

Hell and heaven are separated by a single thought.

They clearly had an overwhelming numerical advantage, and before long, he was the only one left standing.

Strange... a monster, they encountered a monster.

The white wolf's spotless white fur was splattered with a few streaks of crimson. Its eyes were bloodshot, and its fangs were sharp. Its already terrifying face became even more ferocious. It held a large knife in its mouth, and blood flowed down the blade in small streams onto the ground.

Those he rammed into had all been cut in two.

Corpses littered the ground, resembling a scene from hell; there were hardly any fully alive corpses on the ground.

On its back, a strange man swung a short stick, a smile on his face, more devilish than any demon.

The next instant, a green light flashed.

The bandit, filled with fear and pleading for mercy, trembled violently and collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Tens of thousands of people were killed on the Xiongnu steppe.

With Mingchen's current strength, dealing with these bandits would be a piece of cake.

……

Meanwhile, in the forest beside the battle between Mingchen and the bandits, the slender figure stopped in her tracks.

A woman with a ponytail and dressed in a red outfit casually tossed the long sword in her hand aside.

Its pupils tilted slightly upwards, gradually becoming narrower and longer. Its red clothes transformed into crimson fur, and its form shrank to the size of a small fox.

He ran and jumped up the tree, and from the clearest viewpoint, he looked out at the young man surrounded by corpses.

Those bandits were useless; they couldn't cause any trouble at all.

It was resolved in a crushing fashion.

Her helping out was more like adding icing on the cake; it didn't really make much difference.

The plan for the female knight-errant to enter the scene has failed.

In that case, let's activate the alternative plan.

She turned her gaze to the women the bandits had abducted, and pouted with some displeasure.

These bandits had such poor taste; after picking and choosing, the few peasant women they picked were all undesirable.

There was something that even the little fox was curious about.

How exactly did that person figure it out?

It was confident enough that even ancient monsters that had existed for thousands of years couldn't see its true form.

How did this person, who seems to have no magical powers whatsoever but is extremely intelligent, make his discovery?
Is it because you noticed that her performance was completely different from Qin Xuan's own personality, and that's your guess?
Or is there some kind of amazing magic or secret technique?

……

A few bandits were nothing to Fuyao.

Compared to that, other aspects were clearly more important to her. The little bird's expression became more serious: "Young master, someone just cast a spell."

A slow-witted bird only needs to misjudge once.

This time, she sensed a very slight fluctuation of magical power.

I don't know what kind of technique was used.

The little snake also poked its head out from Mingchen's arms, confirming the little bird's point of view: "Young master, someone did indeed cast a spell just now, and the spell was extremely skillful."

Magic requires cultivation and practice.

Magic power is a prerequisite for activating spells.

Casting a spell is like pouring oil into a narrow-necked bottle; some people spill a little when they pour it, causing some waste.

Some people can come up with all sorts of tricks, but they never miss a single drop.

Both involve releasing spells, but their styles and characteristics are completely different.

Fuyao's learning time is still short. Although he can cast spells, it's like pouring a bucket of oil into a bottle all at once—a huge waste.

However, Fuyao is a wealthy dog, with plenty of magic power and oil, which she can squander as she pleases.

Most people use that little bit of wasted 'oil' to sense whether someone is casting a spell.

The person performing this spell is incredibly skilled; if one weren't highly perceptive, they wouldn't be able to detect it at all.

"Really?"

We killed a group of bandits and stretched our muscles.

Mingchen narrowed his eyes, seemingly sensing something, and suddenly turned his head to look into the forest.

All that could be seen was a fleeting red shadow.

(End of this chapter)