Fairy, please don't do this!

Miao Tan bit her lower lip tightly, almost squeezing out the words between her teeth: "Mistress..."

"If you dare to play any tricks again, it won't be just these three light blows."

An Wanxi gave her a meaningful look before gracefully returning to Gu Jinchao's side with a charming smile: "This Buddhist nun still needs some proper training before she can behave properly."

Just as Gu Jinzhao was about to speak, he suddenly heard a muffled thud.

A figure wrapped in an apricot-yellow Taoist robe flew in from outside, crashed heavily against the palace wall, slid down, and suddenly lost its strength.

The life-devouring rat mother has been defeated!

Yu Fengzhi walked in with his sword and saw that Miao Tan had been subdued, but he showed no surprise.

With Gu Jinzhao's current cultivation level, coupled with the "Cause and Effect Fate Technique," even if the opponent is a Zen Buddhist nun, she would have little chance of winning.

"The escaped rat demons will be dealt with by Xiao Li, but what about these two?"

This time, the calico cat secretly accompanied him on his journey south to Jiangnan.

After arriving in Huaiyu County, she disappeared into the mountains and forests surrounding Qingyan Temple, waiting for the rat-catching operation five days later.

Catching mice is a cat's natural duty.

Moreover, with the sun-blocking flag sealing off the area within a hundred miles, even if the rat demon had the ability to burrow underground, it would have nowhere to escape.

Gu Jinzhao smiled and said, "We'll deal with the Mother Rat and the other rat demons later and give her to Little Fox to refine into [Demon Essence Pills]."

"As for Miaotan... we can let her leave later."

Since the calico cat is his beloved pet, it naturally needs to be well cared for.

As for this [Demon Essence Pill], it is similar to the [Blood Essence Pill] made by evil cultivators.

However, for spirit beasts, there is no risk of bloodlust and backlash.

In the world of monsters, the law of the jungle prevails.

Yu Fengzhi frowned slightly: "Why did you let her go?"

Gu Jinzhao didn't explain much, only replying, "For future planning."

Yu Fengzhi remained silent for a moment, and ultimately did not ask any further questions.

Although she didn't know what scheme Gu Jinzhao was setting up, she believed that his actions must have a deeper meaning.

This trust, from the initial master-uncle to Feng'er, and now, has accumulated to the point of near blindness.

As if she had thought of something, Yu Fengzhi's eyes turned cold, piercing Miao Tan like a sword: "As a Buddhist nun of the Zen realm, you should be saving all living beings, but now you are helping this life-devouring rat mother to wreak havoc in Huaiyu County."

"May I ask, Buddhist nun, what kind of Zen do you practice? What kind of Buddha do you worship? Can you face heaven and earth with a clear conscience?"

Miao Tan did not lift her eyelids, but said calmly, "All sentient beings suffer. Only by transcending the cycle of reincarnation can one attain true freedom. This is the true meaning of universal salvation, and it is also my method of salvation in Zen."

Yu Fengzhi sneered: "Using evil arts to harm women, steal the life force of infant spirits, and refine those inhuman and rat-like monsters, this is worthy of being called 'Crossing the Way'?"

Miao Tan finally raised her eyes, her gaze calmly meeting Yu Fengzhi's, a faint hint of mockery appearing at the corner of her lips: "The sword in your hand exudes murderous intent, its light shimmering with blood. Are all the beings you have slain demons and monsters that you deem 'deserving to be killed'?"

Yu Fengzhi replied without hesitation: "Of course!"

The sword in her hand has always been used only to slay demons that wreak havoc on the world.

Miao Tan countered, "Is what you perceive as good and evil the constant 'good' and 'evil' of the Heavenly Way?"

Yu Fengzhi scoffed: "So you're teaching me how to distinguish between good and evil?"

Miao Tan remained calm: "I only want to tell you that there is no absolute good or evil in the world. It is only because our positions are different that you feel that I am aiding and abetting evil."

In her view, although those women died at the hands of the rat mother, they could be reborn in the "all beings are Buddhas" concept that she would later construct in her Zen state.

Their deaths were for transcendence!

In that case, what evil could there be?

Yu Fengzhi's eyes turned cold, and the sword intent of the Crimson Lotus Sword surged forth: "Turning black into white, spreading heresies to mislead the masses!"

Gu Jinzhao grasped her sword-wielding hand at the opportune moment and gently advised, "Uncle-Master, let it go, don't hold it against her."

Those who have attained the state of Zen have long been thoroughly enlightened and regard "all beings are Buddhas" as the only path to transcendence.

For them, the lines between good and evil have long been blurred.

Yu Fengzhi glanced coldly at Miao Tan, and finally sheathed her sword: "I'll go see if Xiao Li has finished dealing with the rat demon."

Gu Jinchao watched her figure disappear before releasing the restriction on Miaotan and said calmly, "You just said that there is no absolute good or evil in the world, and I agree with that."

"But the state of Zen does not represent the constant way of Heaven."

An Wanxi's figure reappeared, and she pointed to the space between her eyebrows, incorporating a wisp of her own divine soul: "After returning to Yujing City, you shall truthfully tell the Buddhist disciple everything that happened in Qingyan Temple."

"Of course, the fact that I was captured and afflicted with the Immortal Control Curse must be completely concealed."

"As for this wisp of divine soul, it is not only for monitoring you, but will also be used to transmit messages in the future..."

Miao Tan glanced coldly at the two of them, then transformed into a beam of shimmering Buddhist light and disappeared from the hall.

……

In the mountains and forests!

Dozens of dark figures dressed in light blue Taoist robes rushed out in a panic, like ants scattered from a nest!

It was those rat demons who usually disguised themselves as nuns!

They had shed their human forms and transformed into enormous rat demons, emitting panicked "squeaks".

"Meow—!"

However, a roar that pierced the clouds and split the rocks, like the howl of a tiger or the angry roar of a cat, suddenly erupted from the depths of the mountains and forests without warning.

The dense forest they thought they could hide in was suddenly illuminated by two beams of golden light, like burning amber!

A figure that was at least three zhang tall appeared.

Its head resembles a fierce tiger, majestic and ferocious, but there is no "king" character on its forehead. Instead, there are three tufts of strange downy hair of different colors, burning and pulsating like flames.

"Still trying to run?"

The calico cat snorted coldly, raised a front paw the size of a millstone, and gently pressed it down on the densest area of ​​the fleeing mice below.

Boom—

The earth trembled, and an invisible force suddenly swept out.

These rat demons trembled like felled wheat, their eyes rolled back instantly, and they fainted completely.

The calico cat retracted its paw with satisfaction, then used the same method with its other front paw to gently press down.

Another earthquake shook the earth, and a group of rat demons collapsed to the ground, stiff and lifeless.

Seeing that no rats had escaped, she waved her claws, creating a gust of wind that swept up the rat demons and threw them back to Qingyan Temple.

The reason they didn't kill them was naturally to hand these rat demons over to their young master for alchemy...

Chapter 162, The Kiss of the Martial Uncle, A Love That Turned Turbulent (3K)

With the matter of Qingyan Temple concluded, Gu Jinzhao and Yu Fengzhi embarked on their journey home.

The horse-drawn carriage rumbled along the country road.

Inside the carriage, the calico cat stared wide-eyed at the three bright red and blue pills in front of it, its mouth practically watering: "Is this the Demon Essence Pill?"

Gu Jinzhao laughed and said, "These three pills were obtained by refining the Life-Eating Rat Mother and all her offspring."

"If nothing unexpected happens, the demonic power contained within will be enough to help you steadily break through to the sixth rank."

The calico cat was originally only at the eighth rank of perfection, but after receiving a lot of "tribute" from the military supervisor's office, and with its master Gu Jinzhao feeding it from time to time, it had already entered the early seventh rank.

These three Demon Essence Pills were, for her, an accelerator to advance from the seventh rank to the sixth rank.

Smelling the alluring fragrance of the pills, the calico cat could no longer restrain itself and pounced to swallow them all.

But Gu Jinchao reacted quickly, grabbing the back of fate's neck: "You can only swallow one."

The calico cat widened its eyes and protested in a sweet voice, "Why?"

Yu Fengzhi took the cat from Gu Jinzhao and gently stroked its soft fur: "The Demon Essence Pill is extremely potent. With Xiaoli's current cultivation level, she can only withstand one pill at a time."

"The second pill can only be taken after it has been completely refined."

"Otherwise... I'm afraid my body will be torn apart."

The calico cat stared intently at the three pills, not even daring to blink: "So that's how it is..."

Gu Jinzhao said irritably, "The remaining two are yours, no one's going to take them from you."

The calico cat's eyes lit up, and she quickly said, "Put them all in my little bag!"

Gu Jinzhao glanced at her: "You eat one, and I'll keep the other two safe."

With her greedy nature, if we really give her everything, she might not be able to resist and secretly nibble on it one day, which could cause trouble.

"OK then."

The calico cat drooped its ears, reluctantly opened its mouth, and swallowed a demon essence pill.

In an instant, a surge of pure and powerful demonic energy erupted, coursing through her body like an electric current, causing her petite frame to tremble uncontrollably.

After shaking like this for about 15 minutes, a strong feeling of drowsiness swept over me.

She nestled softly into Yu Fengzhi's arms, her eyelids drooping: "I...I want to sleep..."

Yu Fengzhi gently stroked her little head and said softly, "Go to sleep."

The calico cat quickly drifted off to sleep, its breathing even, its body shimmering with a faint glow.

Yu Fengzhi lowered her eyelids and suddenly said, "After returning to Yujing City, I will also be in seclusion for a period of time."

Gu Jinchao's eyes flickered slightly: "Is Martial Uncle about to break through?"

Yu Fengzhi was originally at the fifth rank of perfection, with one foot already in the fourth rank.

Over the past six months, I have experienced various things, especially the experience of being subjected to the Earth Sect's "Reversal of Fate Technique," going through the cycle of growing from a child to a young girl and then returning to my original body. My state of mind and understanding are no longer the same as before.

"Ah."

Yu Fengzhi responded softly, then looked up at the man opposite her with a complicated expression. "During my seclusion, I will not be able to protect you. You must be cautious in all matters."

"The waters of Yujing City are deep and turbulent. Even if you have the Empress Dowager's favor and no one dares to touch you openly, there are countless people in secret who do not want you to live."

"The relationship between the Zhao and Chen families and the Zen realm is just like this..."

Gu Jinzhao picked up his teacup and took a leisurely sip: "Don't worry, Uncle-Master, I know what I'm doing."

Yu Fengzhi knew that he cultivated the Dao of Destiny, so there was no need for others to worry too much about his planning and scheming.

Just as she remembered something, her eyebrows twitched, and she earnestly warned, "Also... don't get too close to that vixen."

"Slut?"

Gu Jinzhao blinked, then realized that he was referring to Yuechu'e. He coughed lightly and said, "My relationship with Madam Yuechu is purely cooperative. We are completely innocent. Please don't overthink it, Uncle."

Yu Fengzhi looked uncomfortable and glared at him with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance: "When did I ever ask about your relationship?"

"I'm just reminding you that Yuechu'e is ultimately a demon. Her current show of goodwill towards you is simply because she thinks you have something to use."

Gu Jinzhao sensed a hint of bitterness in her words, but he didn't point it out. He simply smiled and said, "I will keep my distance from Madam E."

Yu Fengzhi glanced at him: "I hope so."

For some reason, she always felt that the relationship between Gu Jinzhao and Yuechu'e was not as simple as it seemed on the surface.

……

Traveling swiftly for three days, the dust and wind lurk in the shadows.

When Gu Jinzhao and Yu Fengzhi stepped back into the towering city gates of Yujing City, dusk had already fallen.

The familiar hustle and bustle of the city and the warmth of everyday life washed over me, greatly diminishing the eerie and somber atmosphere of Qingyan Temple.

The long street was bustling with people and vehicles.

Vendors carrying loads on shoulder poles weaved through the crowd, enthusiastically calling out: "Freshly fried, crispy and crunchy in one bite—"

"Fried sesame seed cakes, stir-fried sesame seed cakes—"

"Candied hawthorn berries, sweet and sour, refreshing and delicious, or your money back!"