A life of idleness in the world of demons

Chapter 63. Taking All the Advantages (4.3K words - Long Chapter)

There was no widespread lamentation in Shanyang City.

As the army entered from the outside, Ning Xuan rode a tall horse, holding the reins tightly with both hands. He and his horse were very careful, as the horse sensed his terrifying aura and he was afraid that he might accidentally squeeze the horse and crush it.

He walked through the street, where there were people.

A lot of people.

The people who came from all directions looked up at him with blank eyes, seemingly not understanding why he had come.

The dozen or so cavalrymen leading the way split up, beating drums and gongs, shouting, "Demons vanquished! Demons vanquished! Everyone can go out now!"

The cavalrymen only said "the demons were vanquished," but not "the demons were impersonating the top scholar Huang."

The latter is something that cannot be discussed.

Just as a member of the royal family, no matter how licentious or wicked, would be given a cup of poison to save face, but would never have his deeds made public.

That involves protecting a group, and we cannot be careless.

As Ning Xuan rode through another market town, a respected-looking old man emerged, surrounded by many people.

"I am Lu Yuying, formerly the prefect of Shanyang. I have met the general before."

Ning Xuan glanced at the old man and immediately understood that this should be a prefect in charge of people's livelihood and taxation, a prefect in name only, rather than a prefect who gathers dragon energy.

He nodded slightly and said, "What advice do you have for me, elder?"

The old man also bowed and cautiously asked, "May I ask, General, from which demons were vanquished?"

Ning Xuan said, "Demons lurk deep within the bustling city."

The old man said, "Is Mr. Huang alright? Please do not blame Mr. Huang. He is a good man. Since he came to Shanyang Prefecture, he has led his trusted men to slay demons and monsters, and helped everyone solve many problems."

The old man, having served as the nominal prefect, naturally knew Huang Cihe's true identity. Seeing this situation, he thought that outsiders had come to question him, so he and the others stepped forward to "show the people's will" and prove that the real Prefect Huang had actually done a very good job.

After saying that, he knelt down.

The people around him also knelt down in a dense mass.

"Please, General, do not blame Mr. Huang."

The people in the back rows whispered among themselves.

You say, "Mr. Huang beheads demons every now and then and hangs their heads in the bustling city," and someone else says, "The village of Gouzi was on the verge of collapse, but Mr. Huang paid out of his own pocket to send a cartload of rice, and that's how they survived." And then someone else says, "Mr. Huang is a kind and compassionate man. He saved my eldest son and many other people. Mr. Huang is truly a good person."
Ning Xuan understood.

It turns out that the demon impersonating Huang Cihe also knew medicine.

More and more people knelt down, even blocking the way.

The horse beneath Ning Xuan grew increasingly tense.

Finally, it was the ugly slave who came up.

Compared to Ning Xuan, Chou Nu was better at handling this kind of situation.

Ugly Slave calmed the crowd with a few words, allowing the soldiers entering the city to proceed normally.

He rode alongside Ning Xuan and said softly, "The prefect is popular with the people, but Master Taiyi has even greater prestige in Wangyue Prefecture. This Huang Cihe has only just taken office, so he can do anything. It seems these demons have made quite a few preparations."

Ning Xuan nodded slightly and asked, "The position of Prefect of Shanyang Prefecture is vacant. Who will take up the post?"

Ugly Slave laughed and said, "If even the general doesn't know, then I certainly don't know either. It seems that this time it was personally transferred by the Emperor."

Ning Xuan asked, "Are all Celestial Masters this powerful after reaching the third rank?"

Ugly Slave said, "The third rank is a huge threshold that requires a stroke of luck. It is a realm that one may not be able to reach in a lifetime. It is not easy. I didn't even know anything about this realm. This time, I have broadened my horizons."

As the two brothers talked, Ning Xuan soon arrived at the Huang residence.

The entire Huang residence was shrouded in a layer of dark purple smoke, as if it were bound by ropes.

Many soldiers stood guard nearby.

When Ning Xuan arrived, the soldiers quickly made way for him.

Ning Xuan tried taking out the tiger talisman and waving it over the dark purple smoke.

The dark purple smoke suddenly emitted a strange wailing sound, followed by a scream, and then vanished.

A soldier stepped forward and pushed open the door.

There was no one behind the door.

The soldiers rushed in again, opening each door, and those who found something amiss inside stood guard at the door.
Soon, Ning Xuan stepped inside.

He toured the Huang residence.

Everything in the Huang residence has been restored to a respectable state.

The headless fox, dressed in brocade robes, sat in the main hall. He was the one who had impersonated Huang Cihe. It seemed that this headless fox was planning to lay out his plans for the trouble to come and play a game of strategy, but he never expected to die so suddenly.

It was clearly killed by a human demon.

But what happened to it before it died?
Ning Xuan observed for a moment.

The main hall was in complete chaos, with broken tables, chairs, and bookshelves, countless scratches, and some tattered human skin that had been punctured and lay limply to one side. However, the walls, doors, windows, and floor remained unscathed.

'Such a long distance.'

'Such terrifying and precise suppressive force.'

Ning Xuan couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion as he imagined the scene of the purplish-black seal rising into the sky and covering the entire city.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up.

He watched the headless fox, its blood gushing out, staining his brocade robe red, and then spreading into a small pool of blood under the four legs of the armchair.

He took a few steps forward and dipped his finger slightly into the pool of blood.

Information displayed
【Mysterious Fox】

[Heavenly Demon Destiny, Fox Class, Common Family, Mysterious Hidden Species (Constitution): 1.5]

【Innate Demonic Technique 1: Mysterious Concealment of Qi: Extinguishes demonic energy, exhales as lightly as dust, blending into the human world】

【Innate Demonic Art 2: Mysterious Transformation: Observing bones and imitating skin, listening to voices and stealing appearances, making it difficult to distinguish between the real and the fake】

Can the stored qi take form?

Ning Xuan's pupils contracted slightly.

What a good thing.

Without hesitation, he refined it in an instant.

Although the fox demon's power was negligible, its two life-bound spells were extremely effective.

At the same time, he also realized something.

This fox demon named "Mysterious Hidden Fox" is a special kind of fox demon. Its original constitution was definitely more than 1.5. However, in order to steal dragon energy, after coming here to become the prefect, its constitution was forcibly reduced to 1.5.

Those who gather dragon energy are merely mortals; this is an ironclad rule that no one can avoid.

He thought for a moment, then took out a bottle and filled it with a lot of blood, intending to give it to Xiaojie.

If Xiao Jie wants to become a demon warrior, this demon named [Mysterious Hidden Fox] is the perfect candidate.

Immediately, Ning Xuan searched the Huang residence again and found that, apart from the headless fox, all the ordinary people in the Huang residence were dead, not a single one was left. However, he did not find that Qin Yi'er, who should have become Madam Huang, had not yet married into the family.

On the other side, Chou Nu waved his hand and quickly arranged for the handling of the situation.

Besides the Huang residence, two other mansions and a restaurant were also shrouded in dark purple smoke.

Ning Xuan opened them one by one, and found demons inside, but mostly ordinary people, all of whom had been dignified.

Not a single person was left alive.

To the outside world, they naturally said he died because of demons. The water prison was black, with almost no light.

Moisture gathered on the top of the stone and then fell back down, creating ripples in the accumulated water.

Suddenly, with a creaking sound, the door opened.

The huge, strong, dark figure outside the door hunched over before finally entering. Then, the figure squatted on the stone platform in front of the water prison, looked at a woman who was on the verge of death inside, and lit a wall lamp.

The light from the wall lamp shone down, making the shadowy figure appear even more imposing.

The area around the dark figure seemed to be glowing, as if a blazing fire was burning.

The dark figure suddenly coughed.

The woman awoke from her unconsciousness at the sound. She opened her eyes, and the moment she saw the dark figure, her gaze widened in shock, followed by an indescribable fear.

"mountain tiger"

"Tiger!"

"Husband!"

"My lord, I...I never intended to betray you. When I asked Jin'er to go find Ning Xuan, it was only to help you win him over. I had no other intentions, absolutely no other intentions."

"Ning Xuan is just a greenhorn, how could I possibly think of relying on him? Everything I've done is for you, my husband. After all these years, don't you understand my heart for you?"

The dark figure crouched like a mountain, silent.

The woman continued to ramble on and on, pleading and crying repeatedly.

She worried that if she couldn't win over the man in front of her this time, she didn't know when she would have to wait until next time, and whether she could even hold on until then.

This woman was none other than Madam Zhao.

That day, she was thinking about mobilizing resources to help Ning Xuan when she was suddenly arrested by General Qin Shanjun.

Not only her, but Qin Yier and others were also arrested.

If she had a God's-eye view, she would definitely know Qin Shanjun's purpose in doing this.

Firstly, they feared she would interfere with Huang Cihe's appointment plans;

Secondly, they feared she would interfere with the assassination plan against Ning Xuan;
Thirdly, Qin Yi'er was imprisoned, so she naturally could not go to Shanyang Prefecture or to the demons, thus saving her life.

IV. Perhaps it was meant to be at this very moment.
At this moment, "Shanyang Prefecture has failed".

If Qin Shanjun had known that the Heaven and Earth Society would send down the Rain of Loss of Heart as a warning, he would never have written a memorial saying something like, "I earnestly request Your Majesty to order General An Yuanning and Huang Cihe to set aside their past grudges and join forces to face the demonic calamity."

This statement, after confirming that Huang Cihe is a demon, will also mark the end of his career as a general.

The dark figure crouched down and suddenly said in a deep voice, "Zhao Zhi, your worries are not unfounded. I have colluded with demons."

Zhao Zhi is Lady Zhao.

She was slightly taken aback by his words and was about to say something like, "If you collude with demons, I will collude with demons too," when she was interrupted by the shadowy figure's second sentence.

"I'm leaving and won't be coming back. I've left something in the secret room for you to use in your service."

"Let's find a new master for the Qin family and prolong their bloodline. That lad you've taken a liking to has broken through several deadly traps; he's very wary. Perhaps he can live to become a great general."

As the last few words were written, Qin Shanjun's fingers touched the ground, and he pressed down lightly with a nonchalant air.

Ripples spread across the water, and a ripple struck the steel prison post. The post didn't break, but the shackles on Madam Zhao's hands and feet clicked open.

A wisp of energy traveled dozens of feet without causing any additional aftershocks. It simply exploded with just the right amount of power at a single point, not a bit more, not a bit less.

Even now, if someone goes to see the unlocked shackles, they will assume that the jailer opened them, or that Madam Zhao figured out how to unlock them herself.

After Qin Shanjun finished doing all this, he turned around and left the water dungeon.

He felt no侥幸 (a sense of luck), no anger, and no impulsiveness.

If you lose, you lose; just leave.

More than ten days later
Ning Xuan returned to Wangyue Mansion.

Although Shanyang Prefecture was in chaos, there were people in charge of the overall situation.

He has a veto power and the power to transfer personnel at will, but he doesn't need to manage specific matters.

Although he has not yet obtained the Tiger Tally for the Five Prefectures, the imperial decree has been issued, and his fiefdom has changed from the original Wangyue Prefecture to the five prefectures of Wangyue, Shanyang, Shanyin, Liuyun, and Ping'an.

He was sitting in a viewing pavilion when suddenly golden light surged from the ground beside him. Fairy Yao Zhen emerged from it, holding a bottle in her hand and placing it on the stone table in the pavilion. She said, "If it were before, I wouldn't have helped you refine pills for your concubine with dragon fire, not even second-rate pills. Now you know the benefits of having a larger fiefdom, right? You have enough dragon fire to refine these kinds of pills at will. Not only me, but other celestial masters can also refine pills with your permission."

Ning Xuan and the fairy were already quite familiar with each other, and he smiled and said, "Thank you."

Fairy Yao Zhen flicked her whisk, sat down on his other side, and asked, "How's the digestion of your second-grade elemental demon core going?"

The dark purple Celestial Master Seal flashed through Ning Xuan's mind, along with the several families in Shanyang Prefecture who were wiped out along with the demons. Without hesitation, he said, "I haven't felt anything yet. The medicinal effects probably haven't dissipated."

Fairy Yao Zhen said, "It's quite difficult for a second-rank warrior to fight against a demon plague, but it shouldn't be too difficult for a general."

The truly difficult level is the third rank, which requires undergoing a tribulation, supposedly a tribulation of inner demons.

According to the records, there was once a general who, after consuming a third-grade elixir, failed his tribulation four times. On the fifth attempt, he became a demon.

Ning Xuan remained silent for a moment.

Fairy Yao Zhen said, "Don't worry, even if you go crazy and become a demon, I will still keep you by my side and treat you well. You are my partner."

Ning Xuan thought of Tian Youzi and his six prison carts that he had seen before.

Fairy Yao Zhen was quick-witted and said, "I'll only take you."

Ning Xuan said, "Thank you."

Fairy Yao Zhen said, "Who told me to bind you with my whispers?"

Ning Xuan thought for a moment and then suddenly said, "Yao Zhen, actually, next time, you can ask her again to clarify whether your whisper binding is a lifelong binding to one person or a one-time binding to one person."

Fairy Yao Zhen:
Ning Xuan asked, "Have you asked?"

Fairy Yao Zhen recalled, "I was the youngest one at the Zixia Temple in the capital. My senior brothers and sisters told me that only one could be tied up at a time. Surely it couldn't be that only one could be tied up at a time?"

Ning Xuan was taken aback and asked, "Are you the youngest disciple of the Zixia Temple in the capital?"

Fairy Yao Zhen said, "Don't underestimate me."

After saying that, she added, "What you just said isn't really worth asking. I've given you the pill; I still need to continue my secluded cultivation. I need to break through to the third rank as soon as possible. You can't hold me back!"

Ning Xuan nodded.

A flash of golden light appeared, and Fairy Yao Zhen vanished from the spot.

Several more days passed.

The reclusive fairy Yao Zhen reappeared at the general's mansion.

As soon as she appeared, she said, "Qin Shanjun really did collude with demons. He ran away before our people even arrived."

His Majesty is very angry and now intends to announce to the world that General Qin was assassinated by a demon.

This time, we must break through the Frozen Hell no matter what.

Ning Xuan listened, a sense of emotion rising in his heart.

Before attacking Shanyang Prefecture, he was quite nervous. He thought that even if he came to Shanyang Prefecture, it would be a fierce battle. He not only had to fight Shanyang, but also had to guard against the machinations of General Qin on the outside. After all, the assassination attempt by Zen Master Baiyue made him realize very clearly that "General Qin was preparing to send people, preparing to turn his own hands into his own, arranging a battle between his own people."

But now.
He was like a passerby, taking a brief stroll.

There's absolutely no need for him to be at the forefront.

Shanyang Prefecture has been captured, and General Qin has fled.

Fairy Yao Zhen continued, "Although there are some generals near Hanzhou, none can compare to you. His Majesty has instructed you to set off immediately to take over General Qin's mansion and temporarily stabilize the region. However, in return, you must lead people to the Frozen Hell to assist in this attack."

(End of this chapter)