So it turns out I'm the demon!

The emperor seemed to realize that his speculation was too absurd, so he did not pursue the matter further and instead changed the subject:

"That monk is dead, and Hailing Prefecture is now leaderless. Who can help guard this land and protect it from demons?"

Yao Wenxian replied respectfully:

"According to Zhao Xianzheng's report, a new female bodhisattva has emerged at Jingtan Temple and has taken over the temple."

It is said that his cultivation level is extremely high and unfathomable, and his methods are no less than those of the deceased abbot. However, Zhao Xianzheng did not specify his Dharma name or its origin in the official document.

"Female Bodhisattva..."

The emperor tapped his fingers lightly on the jade pillar beside him, remained silent for a moment, and then said softly,

"Whether it's the Buddha or the female Bodhisattva, as long as they can stabilize Hailing Prefecture, we'll keep using them for now."

The court can grant her whatever she desires, at its discretion.

Once the imperial court has the resources, they can send another garrison commander to take over; by then, she won't be needed anymore.

"Yes, that's what I think too."

Yao Wenxian nodded in agreement, and then added,

"Furthermore, I and several other officials discussed the matter at the General Headquarters. Now that Ye Zhifei is dead, Hailing Prefecture cannot be without a leader for even a day. I propose that Deputy Head Zhao Xianzheng temporarily take over the position of Head, in order to reassure the people."

He deliberately concealed the fact that the suggestion was actually recommended by Jiang Mu using a flying eagle to transmit messages.

After all, he could tell that the emperor was jealous of Jiang Mu.

If the emperor were to find out that Jiang Mu, a mere outlying hall master, dared to interfere in the appointment and removal of a prefecture's governor, it would surely bring about a catastrophic disaster.

"Your headquarters can decide on this minor matter."

The emperor waved his hand dismissively.

"Yes. Your humble servant takes his leave."

Yao Wenxian breathed a sigh of relief, cupped her hands in greeting, and stepped down from the high platform.

Silence returned to Gao Shang.

The stars within the pillar of light continued to revolve, and the white-robed disciples continued to chant complex incantations.

The emperor gazed at the deep sky, a cloud of gloom churning in his eyes, and suddenly uttered a seemingly unrelated sigh:

"This kid named Jiang Mu has a talent that's frightening... Tell me, is he a blessing or a curse for Daqing?" Upon hearing this, the supervisor, who had been waiting by the side, felt a jolt in his heart.

He cautiously observed the emperor's expression, hesitated for a moment, and then lowered his voice to probe:

"If Your Majesty is worried that this child will be difficult to control in the future, perhaps it would be better to..."

The emperor glanced at him sideways, then chuckled and shook his head, saying:

"What are you thinking? A mere seventh realm cultivator is not enough to make me so worried. Besides, he has received the star position from the court, so he is destined to stay in my Great Qing for the rest of his life."

As long as he continues down this path, he can only be my blade. No matter how sharp the blade, the hilt is still in my hand.

The supervisor immediately bowed and agreed.

What Jiang Mu forcibly took from Shen Hufei was the Yangmen star position under the Kang Jinlong system.

This star position, and even the star position within Zhou Yuanzhi's body, had actually been secretly tampered with by the imperial court's secret methods, with restrictions placed upon it. Although the rules of Heaven cannot be interfered with at will.

However, as long as it is within the reasonable scope of the rules, some loopholes can always be found.

Therefore, once Jiang Mu develops disloyalty, or when the "harvest" season arrives, the imperial court can use any means to strip the star position from his body, turning him into a complete cripple.

It's like pulling out the claws of a tiger or clipping the wings of an eagle.

There has never been a true prodigy who could break free from the control of the imperial court.

not a single one.

The supervisor knelt on the ground with a fawning expression and said respectfully, "Your Majesty's wisdom and foresight are far beyond my reach."

Your Majesty, please rest assured that as long as things progress smoothly here, when the time is right... we will summon Jiang Mu, along with the other exceptional talents being cultivated in the court, back to the capital.

With the added talent of these prodigies, His Majesty will surely break through the shackles of the True Dragon bloodline, achieve the Supreme Realm, and attain true immortality.

"It's just a pity."

The emperor sighed softly, "But when it really comes to sacrificing them, I still feel a little reluctant. After all, they are all subjects of my Great Qing, and can be considered my children."

The supervisor slammed his head heavily against the jade brick and shouted:

"Your Majesty is benevolent and cares for the world; this is a blessing for all people and a fortune for the nation."

But the way of Heaven is clear, and the great way is unique. Since ancient times, which emperor who has achieved unparalleled success has not needed to sacrifice some lives? For the sake of the people and the country, what does it matter to sacrifice some outstanding talents?

It seems that Heaven will understand Your Majesty's good intentions and will not punish you.

Those ministers who dedicate themselves to Your Majesty's great cause will surely feel honored in death and rest in peace.

It was evening.

The carriage left the official road and stopped in a secluded and quiet mountain forest for a temporary rest.

There happens to be a crystal-clear natural stone pool in the woods.

Jiang Mu lit a campfire in an open area not far from the pool, skillfully processing the wild rabbits and pheasants he had just caught, roasting them over the fire. Meanwhile, Chu Lingzhu and Lan Rou'er took advantage of the opportunity to hide in the pool and bathe.

The pool is not large, but its water is crystal clear.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, scattering across the water's surface and breaking into shimmering silver scales.

Two flawless, graceful bodies were partially visible in the water.

Chu Lingzhu had a slender and well-proportioned figure, with a narrow waist and long legs. Lan Rou'er, on the other hand, had a more delicate beauty, with sloping shoulders, a slender waist, and a petite frame that seemed to be formed from autumn water.

"Rou'er, do you think the master will marry me or not?"

Chu Lingzhu leaned against a round rock by the pool and scooped up a handful of clear spring water with her hands.

Watching the clear water drip down her slender fingers, creating ripples on the surface, a hint of melancholy appeared on the girl's bright face.

Hearing this, Lan Rou'er, who was gently washing her long hair with soap, looked up at her best friend.

She asked softly:

"Lingzhu, although I know you've always liked Brother Jiang, I've never seen you in such a hurry before. Why are you suddenly so eager to marry him?"

Chu Lingzhu pouted her pink lips, water droplets clinging to her long eyelashes, fluttering gently.

"It's precisely because we weren't in a hurry before that we missed the opportunity."

Didn't you see that big-butt Water Master and that ridiculously big Ling Envoy in front of him?

They're both quite old, and usually seem aloof and dignified, but when it comes to fighting over a man, they're more ruthless than anyone else. If I'd known the competition would be this fierce, I should have made my move much earlier!

"But it's also the employer's fault. Who told him to be so annoying back in Huzhou City, always acting like a spoiled young master? I used to avoid him like the plague..."

The girl muttered complaints to herself, then suddenly sighed as if to comfort herself:

"Anyway, my father already said that I belong to the Dong family in life and in death. The Dong family also said that they would marry me in the future. Since I am destined to be tied to him for the rest of my life, I will not dwell on it."

At this point, Chu Lingzhu seemed to have figured something out and suddenly turned her head.

He stared at Lan Rou'er with a fierce look.

Lan Rou'er felt uneasy under her gaze and instinctively shrank back into the water, clutching her chest with both hands, and timidly said:

"Lingzhu, why...why are you looking at me like that?"

Chu Lingzhu grabbed her slender wrist, pulled her closer, and asked seriously, "Rou'er, tell me honestly, do you really not like the master?"

"I...I..."

Lan Rou'er panicked and avoided eye contact.

A girl's innate reserve and shyness prevented her from uttering a complete sentence even after stammering for a long time.

Seeing her hesitant expression, Chu Lingzhu already understood most of what was going on, but she didn't expose her.

She sighed, her tone becoming pitying:

"If I really marry the boss in the future, you'll be all alone and miserable. How pitiful that will be. No one will sleep with you, no one will play with you, and you won't even have anyone to talk to when you're wronged."

Lan Rou'er felt a lump in her throat from her words.

Chu Lingzhu's eyes suddenly lit up, and she clapped her hands together:

"Why don't you marry me?"

"Huh?!"

Lan Rou'er's beautiful, clean almond-shaped eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly.

Chu Lingzhu counted on her fingers and said, "Look, if you marry me, we can be together legitimately forever. When I consummate my marriage with Dongjia, I can also consummate my marriage with you."

In this way, the conditions for that broken cultivation technique to need your assistance are met, allowing me to smoothly embark on the path of cultivation.

At the same time, you weren't taken advantage of by your employer.

Most importantly, now that you've become my concubine, you naturally won't have to compete with those two old women for the position of my principal wife.

That's killing three birds with one stone—it's absolutely perfect!

Lan Rou'er was speechless upon hearing these explosive and outrageous words.

She felt that Chu Lingzhu had gone mad.

She was a perfectly normal girl when she worked at the pharmacy. Could she have been through something traumatic these past few days?

Chu Lingzhu sighed softly, her playful tone fading, and said seriously:

"Rou'er, to be honest, I used to really not care about birth, aging, sickness and death. I thought that living a happy life was enough."

But now, when I think about it, if I really ended up with my master, he's a cultivator with such freakish talent; he'll definitely live a very, very long time. And what about me? I'm just an ordinary mortal. Even if I'm healthy and free from illness, I'll only live for a few decades, wrinkles appearing around my eyes, turning into a white-haired old woman. Isn't that too short?

She looked at Lan Rou'er, her usually smiling almond-shaped eyes now reflecting the fragmented moonlight, so bright it was almost dazzling:

"Rou'er, I think we must cultivate ourselves, live for a very long time, and stay with the people we love forever."

Otherwise, life is really too short.

It was so short that I didn't even have time to finish saying what I wanted to say before it was over.

Lan Rou'er fell silent.

She submerged half of her exquisitely beautiful face in the water, her large, almond-shaped eyes peering through the gaps in the bushes and landing on the figure of a pheasant roasting by the campfire not far away.

Lingzhu is right.

With Brother Jiang's exceptional talent, he is destined to reach the pinnacle and achieve great things.

They could easily live for hundreds of years.

If mortals like them cannot keep up with his pace on the path of cultivation, they will sooner or later become those he leaves behind on the other side of time. At that time, they will not even have the right to stand side by side with him.

Right now, I've unexpectedly found myself with an opportunity to step into the world of cultivation.

This seemed to be a special opportunity arranged for her by God.

If she were to give up because of momentary shyness and fear, she would only be able to watch helplessly as Brother Jiang soared higher and higher until she could no longer see his back.

more importantly……

If I agree, I can also help my best friend.

Buddhist scriptures say that conditions arise and cease. This condition has already been handed to her; whether she reaches out or not is entirely up to her.

Thinking about this, the girl felt conflicted.

Half an hour later.

After the two women finished bathing and changed into clean clothes, they returned to the campfire, still carrying a faint, damp fragrance.

Jiang Mu had already roasted several prepared pheasants and rabbits.

He handed the grilled meat to the two women, his gaze sweeping over their faces before he asked with some curiosity:

"Why does the atmosphere seem a bit off after you two came back from the shower? What happened?"

"Something's not right."

Chu Lingzhu took the roasted meat and took a big, hard bite.

As she chewed on her meat, she looked up, her bright, beautiful eyes sparkling in the flickering firelight, staring intently at the man before her. Suddenly, she uttered a sentence:

"Master, I have a question for you. If I agree to marry you, can you make me your principal wife?"

Without even thinking, Jiang Mu decisively shook her head: "I can't accept that at all."

"Why?!"

Chu Lingzhu's face instantly fell.

The initial anticipation was like a punctured ball, leaking out completely.

She angrily questioned:

"You wouldn't be thinking of making that Inspector Ling or that Water Master his official wife, would you?"

In fact, I'm the most suitable one.

I am not only young and beautiful, but I also know medicine!

"In the future, as you travel far and wide slaying demons and monsters, if one day you damage your very foundation, or if you become impotent due to excessive indulgence, I can still use my exclusive secret formula to help you restore your health."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Jiang Mu's face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and he said irritably,

"What do you mean by 'impotent in that area'? Your boss is exceptionally gifted, with the vitality of a dragon. Even at eighty, I'll remain vigorous for life. Do I need your help?"

"Heh heh, you're just bragging."

Chu Lingzhu curled her lip and gave him a disdainful look.

Jiang Mu looked at her with a hint of helplessness and asked curiously:

"Logically speaking, given your personality, you've never cared about the title of 'legal wife' before. Why are you suddenly trying to argue about this trivial matter?"

Chu Lingzhu was silent for a while, then said in a muffled voice:

"I didn't care before because I didn't like you. Now that I like you, of course I care."

"..."

Faced with the girl's passionate and straightforward honesty, Jiang Mu was momentarily speechless.

He pondered for a moment, then said seriously:

"I don't have any rules about legal wives here. As long as I, Jiang Mu, marry a woman, I will treat her the same, without any distinction of rank or status."

However, the elaborate procedures of getting married and holding a wedding banquet may have to wait a while. The situation is turbulent right now, and I'm really busy; I don't have the time for that." Hearing this conciliatory remark, Chu Lingzhu suddenly lost her appetite.

She took out a silk handkerchief to wipe the oil stains off her fingers, hugged her knees with both hands, rested her chin on her knees, and stared blankly at a piece of firewood burning red in the campfire.

The firelight illuminated the girl's suddenly quiet face, casting several faint shadows.

After a while, the girl said softly:

"Actually... the woman you truly want to be your legal wife is that named Bai Xiang, right?"

Jiang Mu paused slightly in her grip on the wooden stick, then smiled and said:

You're overthinking it.

Chu Lingzhu raised her head, her clear eyes seemingly able to see through people's hearts, and said, word by word, "Master, there is a difference between sincerity and greed. Do you understand what I mean?"

Jiang Mu opened her mouth, then fell silent.

After finishing their meal, the three continued their journey.

The journey was smooth sailing, without any major setbacks.

Inside the carriage, Chu Lingzhu continued her incessant chatter, tirelessly explaining to Jiang Mu the 108 benefits of being his legal wife. Lan Rou'er, on the other hand, kept her head down, her emotions oscillating between shyness and inner conflict.

Midway through the journey, because the little princess swept away all the food on the train with the speed of autumn leaves, Jiang Mu had to detour to a nearby town to buy half a carriage's worth of dry food and snacks.

By the time they reached the edge of Huzhou City, it was already noon on the third day.

When they were still some distance from Tree Village, where they had been teleported last time, Jiang Mu reined in the demon horse.

He sensed a strong demonic aura coming towards him on the mountain breeze.

"You all stay in the carriage and don't go anywhere. I'll go ahead and scout out the situation first."

Jiang Mu gave the two women a few words of advice, then flashed away along the path in the mountain forest.

After passing through a dense forest, Jiang Mu stood on a hilltop and looked down.

Hundreds of strange and grotesque monsters were gathered in a dark mass on the outskirts of the valley ahead.

They are completely surrounding the valley.

Jiang Mu was very familiar with that valley.

That was the first time he displayed his true nature as a killing god on a large scale, single-handedly defeating five hundred demon soldiers at Luanshi Slope.

"I wonder who these demons are trying to trap and kill by surrounding us here in such a grand manner."

Jiang Mu squinted and looked around for a moment, then simply rushed off.

Who cares who it is? My mana gauge is empty, so I'll just go and charge it first.

After Jiang Mu left, Chu Lingzhu yawned out of boredom.

"Spirit Bamboo".

Lan Rou'er suddenly called out weakly.

"What's wrong?"

Chu Lingzhu turned her head and asked.

Lan Rou'er blushed, her slender fingers tightly gripping her dress, and whispered:

"I've made up my mind, I... let's cultivate."