I Possess a Scroll of Demon-Subduing Records

Hearing Lin Yi speak to her like that, Shang Chang'er quickly said, "It's alright, you just didn't expect so many things to happen, right?"

She was saying she'd haunt him even as a ghost, but now she says it doesn't matter. Women are so fickle.

Lin Yi mentally complained, but said aloud, "Thank you for your understanding, Miss Shang."

His politeness made Shang Chang'er feel embarrassed: "I already said it's no problem. By the way, weren't you escorting that Demon Emperor's daughter away? Why did you come back to Xingsha?"

Lin Yi: "..."

Now the whole world knows that he escorted the Demon Emperor's daughter, right?

Shang Chang'er initially asked this question simply to change the subject and ease the awkwardness, but after asking, she realized that she seemed to have asked a very sensitive question, so she quickly explained, "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just saying it casually, please don't mind."

"Don't worry, with your magnanimity, how could I be a petty person? I was just going back to Xingsha on the way, intending to visit Longhu Mountain, but now I find that it seems I don't need to go. Trouble is already unavoidable, so I might as well find a place nearby and wait for trouble to come to me."

Lin Yi spoke with such ease and composure that Shang Chang'er couldn't help but turn into a reporter and ask, "Didn't you ever think about getting rid of that trouble? Anyway, you didn't intend to steal the Demon Emperor's secret treasure."

"Of course I didn't expect it. When I made the promise, I knew there would be endless trouble. Besides, she's my apprentice now. A master can't just abandon his apprentice, can he?"

"Your master is so good..."

Shang Chang'er looked on with envy. She also wished she had a master who was so good to her, who would never abandon her no matter what difficulties she encountered, and who would protect her no matter what dangers she faced.

Ah Qi silently complained, "Is this what you're missing: a master?"

What you lack is a father!

But now that Shang Chang'er has this idea, she naturally wants to push it forward.

Since you like a master like Lin Yi so much, why not just become his disciple?

Ah Qi recalled the incident between Lin Yi and Qu Jing. Afterwards, Lin Yi's state of mind was not affected at all, but Qu Jing's heart was in turmoil, which showed the firmness of Lin Yi's Dao heart.

At first, he said not to be shy, and Qu Jing took the initiative. Later, Lin Yi took the initiative to get involved, but Qu Jing refused again.

From beginning to end, it was bystander Ah Qi who saw things most clearly.

Lin Yi is no longer bound by physical form; he probably only sees the pure love between master and disciple, rather than vulgar lust.

Therefore, she wanted Shang Chang'er to seduce Lin Yi, but she couldn't just offer herself; she had to make Lin Yi waver emotionally.

Being an apprentice is really great!

"Um, do you still take on apprentices? Uh, I mean, could you take me as your apprentice?"

Chapter 191 I Just Missed

Shang Chang'er's sudden, shy question left Lin Yi stunned.

Ah... If you want to become an apprentice, then become an apprentice. With that shy look on your face, anyone who doesn't know the situation would think you're planning to get engaged!

"Well, we can definitely accept it, but we need to investigate first."

Lin Yi did not make a decision immediately. The master-disciple relationship in this era is closer. If a disciple does something bad outside, the master will bear joint responsibility. Although Shang Chang'er passed Lin Yi's initial test and entered the Jingye Division, it is still uncertain whether she can take on disciples.

Shang Chang'er didn't expect that she would actually say it out loud when she was just thinking about it. She had a master with her by her side. Would her master be angry if she said that?

But it was too late to change her mind now. Lin Yi hadn't refused her; he'd just said he needed to observe her. So she couldn't back out and could only go along with Lin Yi's reply: "What do you want to observe?"

"Time will tell, and a person's true character will be revealed over time. You can stay at the Jingye Division for now. If I can get through these few days, I'll come back. If I can't, then we have no further connection, and you can go your own way."

Shang Chang'er knew what Lin Yi meant; he felt he was currently embroiled in trouble and didn't want to involve her!

She puffed out her cheeks and muttered, "I'm not afraid at all!"

“I know you’re not afraid, but it’s best to avoid some trouble if possible. Alright, you heard it just now, another expert came looking for me. I have to get my men and run away quickly. Be careful in Jingye Division, things have been a bit unsettled lately. I’ve prepared some talismans for you, keep them for protection.”

Lin Yi didn't give anything valuable; he just branded talismans onto them one by one. With talismans in one's spiritual platform, drawing talismans was as convenient as stamping. However, these talismans had an expiration date; at most, their spiritual power would dissipate within half a month.

But Lin Yi estimated that the matter of the Demon Emperor's Secret Realm would be over in the next few days. The rumors had already spread that it would be September 15th, and there were only a few days left until then.

Humans and demons who want to seize the secret realm will definitely flock here in the next few days. Some who have grudges with the former Demon Emperor will also come to cause trouble, like Gui Shan before.

If Lin Yi pulls through, the days ahead will probably be peaceful; if he doesn't, that too will be a kind of peace.

Shang Chang'er accepted the talisman, feeling somewhat moved. She hadn't expected Lin Yi to come all the way to save her and even give her a protective talisman. Now that she knew Lin Yi was leaving, she couldn't stop him, so she could only offer her blessings: "You will definitely be safe and sound. I'll wait for you to come back and take me as your disciple."

"Lend your auspicious words."

Lin Yi waved his hand and walked away in a few leaps.

Shang Chang'er was still staring in the direction he had left, unable to come back to her senses for a long time.

Ah Qi deliberately said sourly, "It's always the case that you only see the new bride laughing, and how often you hear the old bride crying. I can't compare to her youth and good looks, and I can't capture my disciple's heart."

These teasing words made Shang Chang'er feel embarrassed, shy, and a little guilty towards A Qi.

"Master, I'm sorry..."

Shang Chang'er realized she had nothing to say in her defense and could only apologize.

Ah Qi himself was the one who encouraged Shang Chang'er to become his disciple, so of course he wouldn't nitpick about this. Instead, he generously said, "It's good that you become his disciple. I think that person is upright and a gentleman. When I return to the netherworld, I'll feel more at ease knowing that someone will take care of you."

"Master..."

Shang Chang'er was genuinely touched.

She was initially quite wary of Ah Qi, after all, she didn't know where this guy came from, she could only hear his voice and not see him, so who could trust him without any reservations?

But now, hearing Ah Qi's concern for him, his guard has lowered considerably.

Ah Qi couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

This little girl even claims to be the most outstanding successor of the Fengmen sect?

Too young!

People can't always remain rational. If Shang Chang'er had thought of the saying "If you want to take something, you must first give it," she wouldn't have been so easily fooled.

The atmosphere was one of mutual respect and affection between teacher and student. After a long while, Shang Chang'er rode back to the city and went straight to the Jingye Division.

Lu Ningchuan didn't die today, so this matter isn't over yet.

She didn't know if the others were safe. When she arrived at Jingye Division and saw that Xiao Se and Niu Er had returned, she breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's good that you're all alright."

Niu Er said in a simple and honest way, "A man in black saved me. I told him you were also being chased, and he told me to come back first. I was worried about whether he had caught up with you yet!"

Shang Chang'er: "..."

It seems that Niu Er still doesn't know who saved him. It's likely that Lin Yi didn't wait specifically to let Niu Er know his identity.

"He didn't let Niu Er know, but he let me know. Does he really trust me that much?"

Ah Qi: "..."

She didn't actually do anything; it was all in Shang Chang'er's imagination.

She's already a mature host, and everyone knows to conserve her magic power.

Xiao Se said, "I have already written a report on what happened today. Now, recall all the Jingye Division patrol officers who are patrolling outside, to prevent them from being ambushed by Lu Ningchuan again."

Shang Chang'er remembered what Gui Shan Dao Ren had said: that there would be someone who could deal with Lu Ningchuan. So that's what he meant.

To handle official business strictly, if one wants to kill a high-ranking official of the court, and is not subject to the court's influence, then one can only act within the rules.

First, dismiss Lu Ningchuan from his post, then behead him. That would be the right thing to do.

The imperial court's fortune protects the person in that position, not the person themselves.

But at this moment, Lu Ningchuan also wrote a letter and sent it to the capital, detailing what had happened that day, only from a different perspective.

According to Lu Ningchuan's account, he received a report that there might be water bandits causing trouble in the southern part of the city, so he led his troops there. However, he found that the Jingye Division was massacring villagers. When he tried to arrest them, he was met with strong resistance, and more than half of his soldiers were killed or wounded.

Therefore, he requested the imperial court to send more aid and severely punish the perpetrators.

Since it concerned the heir apparent of the Prince of Liang, this matter could not be neglected. Soon, the letter was delivered to the emperor's harem.

When the letter arrived, it was already evening. Emperor Xiao Qian was meditating and regulating his breathing, consuming the essence of the rosy clouds. It wasn't until sunset that he began to read Lu Ningchuan's urgent memorial.

Because the emperor rarely attended to official business, this urgent memorial had already been reviewed by ministers who had written their opinions and sent it over for the emperor's signature.

After all, this matter involved the governor of a prefecture and the heir apparent of the Prince of Liang, and no official could make such a decision on behalf of the emperor.

The minister of the Imperial Secretariat commented: "The evidence is insufficient, and a careful investigation is needed. It is not appropriate to draw conclusions hastily."

"If a governor's own eyes see corpses everywhere, it can be considered insufficient evidence. I wonder when it will be considered sufficient evidence."

Xiao Qian casually made a comment, but the attending eunuch dared not speak, and simply bowed quietly to offer his pen.

Xiao Qian then picked up his vermilion brush and replied: "Detain Xiao Se and his accomplices and bring them to the capital for investigation."

"Pass it on!"

The head eunuch took it, glanced at it casually, and immediately shuddered.

"Why are you trembling? I didn't order him to be killed. Does the son of a prince not even have the authority to summon him to the capital when a governor of a prefecture accuses him of massacring a village?"

"Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

The head eunuch knew he had broken a taboo, so he immediately knelt down and kowtowed to beg for forgiveness. Xiao Qian waved his hand dismissively, telling him to leave.

"Being an emperor is so boring, let's just rebel!"

Upon hearing this, the eunuchs and palace maids trembled with fear, while Xiao Qian leisurely went to carry out his evening cultivation.

The techniques practiced at night were naturally bedroom arts, but we'll skip the details of that process.

Now, once the emperor issues his vermilion edict, the ministers of the Imperial Secretariat, though troubled, have no choice but to comply.

For a time, the old ministers who cared deeply for the emperor could only curse him in their hearts, thinking that this emperor was too much of a troublemaker and impossible to manage.

Anyone with eyes to see knows that the Prince of Liang is not to be trifled with; he's only missing a pretext to rebel.

However, as long as he is not given a pretext, in order to maintain the stability of the court, the King of Liang certainly cannot and dare not rebel. There are still powerful enemies in the north. If the Southern Dynasty is in turmoil and the northern bandits take the opportunity to invade the border, then even if the King of Liang becomes emperor, he will have to apologize to the people in the future.

In this situation, what difference is there between provoking the King of Liang's son, who is also his only son, and courting death?

Even if it's true that the Prince of Liang killed an entire village, so what?

So what if you killed him? You really have to pay with your life!

As long as he doesn't massacre the city, or do anything that is truly outrageous and resented by both heaven and man, there's no need to provoke him. It's better to leave him alone; he might even continue to tarnish the reputation of the Prince of Liang. In that case, the court might still have a glimmer of hope.

Who knew that the emperor didn't see the old minister's good intentions at all, and stubbornly insisted on detaining Xiao Se and bringing him back to the capital. Wasn't he just courting death?