With virtue

Zhao Yunshu's eyes flickered slightly, and she pressed further, "What exactly does she want from recruiting you all?"

Jiuyan shook her head: "She didn't go into details, but told us to hide in different places in Dingzhou, and to go to the kiln to fulfill our dreams. I stayed in this desolate village, while the Three Yin Elder went back and forth to deliver messages."

"She instructed us to wait for her orders and not to act rashly. We waited like that for half a year until a few days ago when Mei Xian hurriedly came down the mountain, looking quite disheveled. She only said a few words and left without saying much to us."

"Later, I learned through various channels that on that night, on a mountain outside Dingzhou City, a cultivator and a ghost general were fighting. It seemed that Mei Xian suffered a great loss, and the ghost general was killed there."

Zhao Yunshu remained expressionless and simply said, "Continue, who is behind Mei San Niang?"

Jiuyan's ghostly body trembled almost imperceptibly, and her voice lowered even further: "The Yao behind Meixian is known as 'Rainstorm Lord.' His true form... is a giant serpent, coiled in Sanyakou, Dengzhou, with thousands of demon followers under his command. I have heard that this Rainstorm Lord has been famous since the second year of Shenlong. He has probably been alive for hundreds of years."

"Mei Xian and seven other female ghosts, known as the Eight Beauties, were his concubines. They were taken to the Red Powder Temple by the Rainstorm Lord and each given a magical artifact. These eight alone are beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators."

At this point, she quickly added, "Although I call myself one of the Nine Beauties, it is truly just self-aggrandizement! I have absolutely no connection with those Eight Beauties! I have never even seen the Rainstorm Lord in person. As you just heard, Daoist Master, you know my background perfectly well. If I have uttered even the slightest lie, I will not only refrain from taking action, but I will also have the Rainstorm Lord devour me himself!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunshu switched the Six Jia Talisman to his left hand, placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword, and his gaze darkened.

Although Jiu Yan's words had cleared up many of her doubts, there was still one crucial point she couldn't grasp.

He remembered very clearly that night on the mountain, when Mei San Niang and the ghost general Zhou Heng were talking outside the cave, she clearly mentioned the word "Miss" and said something like "Miss will teach you about the art of rouge and powder".

If the powerful demon behind her is the Storm Lord, why would she be called "Miss"?

So the young Taoist priest said, "Then why did I hear that Mei San Niang referred to the person behind her as 'Miss'? Doesn't that 'Miss' and 'Rainstorm Lord' actually match up?"

Upon hearing this, Jiu Yan knelt on the ground, not daring to raise her head, and whispered, "Replying to the Daoist Master, this matter is not surprising. That Storm Lord is actually a woman, which is why she is called 'Miss'!"

Zhao Yunshu raised an eyebrow, surprised, and asked, "A woman?"

"Yes! She's actually a mirror polisher! She's been imitating men and has started a harem!" Jiu Yan said.

Zhao Yunshu stood there, stunned for a moment.

This news is a bit too shocking...

Uh, okay.

I'd heard that the Tang Dynasty was open-minded, and now that I see it, it's clear that the Tang Dynasty was indeed quite open-minded.

He shook his head, clearing his mind of the jumbled images, and then asked seriously, "Then let me ask you again, do you know the background of that ghost general Zhou Heng? Who is the 'prefect' behind him? Why did Zhou Heng and Mei San Niang meet up and go up that mountain that night?"

Jiu Yan frowned slightly, seemingly considering her words.

After a moment, she replied, "Replying to the Daoist Master, I do not know much about this matter. I have only heard Mei Xian mention it a few times. They went up the mountain not to retrieve anything, but to eliminate a hidden danger."

"Hidden danger?" Zhao Yunshu frowned.

"Yes." Jiu Yan knelt on the ground, her voice low, but she dared not be ambiguous in the slightest: "Mei Xian said that Bao Yu Jun and the Prefect have another important plan in Dingzhou, which is related to the overall situation and cannot be lost. Unfortunately, there may be something in the way on that mountain outside Dingzhou City. If it interferes at the most critical moment, it will ruin everything."

"Therefore, the Rainstorm Lord and the Prefect temporarily put aside their past grievances and each sent their most capable subordinates, namely Mei Xian and Zhou Heng, to join forces and go up that mountain to eliminate the hidden danger before it gets in the way."

As she spoke, she cautiously raised her eyes to look at Zhao Yunshu. Seeing that his face was ashen and he was silent, she felt a sudden unease and quickly lowered her head again, continuing, "As for what the hidden danger is and what its origin is, Mei Xian did not say clearly, and I dare not ask too much. I only know that Mei Xian and Zhou Heng went out for one night, and when they returned, Mei Xian was in a terrible state, and Zhou Heng was nowhere to be found."

"Later I learned that there were cultivators fighting them on the mountain that night. Zhou Heng's soul was scattered, and Mei Xian almost died there as well. That's all I know."

"I understand. It seems that Lord Storm and the prefect have something to do in Dingzhou. They were worried about obstacles on the mountain, so they eliminated them first. I know about Lord Storm's background, but who is the prefect? ​​Do you know?" the young Taoist asked.

Jiuyan knelt on the ground, her face showing difficulty, and cautiously replied, "Replying to the Daoist Master, I am but a wandering ghost, running errands and doing odd jobs. How could I be worthy to know the details of such a person? I only heard Meixian mention a few words when she spoke with Zhou Heng, saying that that person was the 'Prefect of Nanke.' As for his name, where he came from, and what supernatural powers he possesses, I truly do not know! Meixian is very tight-lipped and never reveals a single word. The Three Yin Elder once tried to trick her into revealing information, but she coldly rebuked him, and since then no one has dared to ask again!"

Fearing Zhao Yunshu wouldn't believe her, she hurriedly added, "However, judging from Mei Xian's tone, this Prefect of Nanke and Lord Baoyu seem to be evenly matched, both being powerful demons who control their own territories. While Mei Xian spoke of Lord Baoyu with utmost respect, she showed no less respect when mentioning the Prefect of Nanke! As for anything else, I truly know nothing!"

Judging from this, it seems that this is all Jiu Yan knows.

Thinking this, Zhao Yunshu squatted down and said, "Alright, seeing how can you be so open and honest, let's call it a day. You've fallen into my hands today, consider yourself lucky. I won't subject you to the torment of having your soul refined a hundred times, nor will I let your soul be scattered and never reincarnated. Now that you're by my side, I'll personally escort you to the City God Temple tonight. Whatever sins you commit, the judge will have his mark; I won't interfere. I'll let you go and reincarnate, how about that?"

Upon hearing the words "City God Temple," Jiu Yan trembled violently, her face revealing a fear even deeper than when she had been intimidated by the thunderous sound.

She knew that with her sins, if she went to the City God Temple...

So she resolutely stood up, crawled two steps on her knees, and banged her forehead against the scorched ground repeatedly, her voice shrill and pitiful: "Taoist Master! Taoist Master, spare my life! I will not go to the City God Temple. If I go there, the judge will cast me into the animal realm or the hell realm with a single stroke of his pen, where I will suffer for at least several hundred years! It would be better for my soul to be scattered to the winds!"

She raised her head, tears streaming down her face. Her once charming face was now covered in sobs, making her look quite pitiful.

"Master, Master, I know I was wrong! I will turn over a new leaf and never do evil again. I only beg you to forgive me this time. I will serve you like a slave! I will serve you with my sword, I will do anything!"

"Alright, alright." Zhao Yunshu waved his hand, interrupting her: "I don't need cattle or horses, and I don't have time to watch over you to reform. Since you said it would be better to let your soul be scattered, then I'll give you two options."

"Whether you are truly annihilated by me, or go to hell to be punished, wait to atone for your sins, and be reincarnated, the choice is yours."