Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 177 - 166: Hidden Valleys_1

Chapter 177: Chapter 166: Hidden Valleys_1

Inside the study of Li Chengji in the outer courtyard, father and son were sitting, but they were as restless as ants on a hot pan and couldn’t calm down.

Li Yan had already drunk seven bowls of cold water, but he still couldn’t resist standing up: "I’m going to the inner courtyard to see how things are going."

"Sit down!"

Li Chengji glared at him: "Given your wife’s intelligence, she certainly won’t be taken advantage of. She knows how to handle things and will only seize verbal advantages. But if you go over there, it will add fuel to the fire and will make your mother even angrier."

At this moment, the housekeeper of his uncle rushed in: "Master, Young Master, things have calmed down in the inner courtyard. Young Lady is heading to the west side yard. She and Madam are saying that they are tired and won’t be attending the banquet in the main hall."

Father and son were overjoyed when they heard this, but then they looked at each other in doubt. They wondered if this mother-daughter-in-law war was over so soon. Why so fast? In the past, it always took a couple of hours.

"I ask you!" Li Yan frowned: "Is there anything abnormal about my mother and Zhaojun?"

"They all look fine." After careful recollection, the housekeeper looked doubtful: "If there was something unusual, it would be that young lady doesn’t let me get close, as if she dislikes me. Yes, it was the same with the old lady, she let me relay the message from outside the hall."

Although father and son found it puzzling after hearing this, they did not take it to heart. They both quickly got up and went towards their residences.

Li Yan was overjoyed, walked quickly; he had been looking forward to this day for a long time.

Thanks to his younger brother, Li Xuan, his mother had recently bought many tonics, and he had eaten a lot of them. He felt full of vigour, like a volcano ready to erupt. This time he was sure he would be able to defeat his wife to the point where she would beg for mercy.

But when he arrived at the west yard where he lived, he saw two maids, one holding a quilt and the other holding a pillow, waiting for him outside the door.

"Young lady said she doesn’t want to see you now and won’t want to for the next few days. She asked you, young master, to sleep in the study room in the outer courtyard."

Li Yan was instantly petrified, and after a while, he slowly regained his senses, staggering towards the outer courtyard. He wondered where he had offended his wife? It was supposed to be the time of a honeymoon after a long separation. How could he have been kicked out by his wife?

And just as he was about to reach the entrance of the outer courtyard, he saw his father, Li Chengji, walking out with a bewildered look on his face, followed by two maids, also carrying pillows and blankets.

The two looked at each other and both looked surprised: "Dad/Yan, you’ve been kicked out as well?"

Then the father and son both empathised and both sighed: "We’ve lost control over our wives."

※※※※

At midnight, the third drum has been sounded at the Guozi Bureau’s branch.

But outside Wenxin House, the students of Guozi Bureau who gathered here were still reluctant to leave. The crowd here not only did not decrease, but grew larger and larger, with many people rushing to hear the news.

Not only are they students of the Guozi Bureau, but even the scholars of Nanjing City are gathering here. Among them, there are even some famous scholars. The noisy discussion echoed back and forth.

"Has anyone found out? Who exactly is it?"

"I have accurate information! The Heart Asking Bell did indeed get out of control, the internal seal broke, and the Artifact Spirit lost its sense. The Jijiu kept it secret, but he did alert several great scholars of this generation."

"Such a situation can break through six barriers in less than two hours, this truly is the reincarnation of a Saint!"

"It’s unbelievable, truly unbelievable!"

"The search has been done, there is no such person in the Zhuque Hall of Liudao Division! All the slay demon Youjiao, none of them fit the conditions. Either the age is wrong, or the personality is not enough. On the other hand, in other places, there are several admirable slay demon Youjiao that are suspicious."

"Find him, we must find him! Such a pearl, such an unpolished jade, how can it be lost outside Confucianism?"

"Isn’t he right upstairs? This matter is being settled by Jijiu and two Siye."

"Ha! How do you know this boy is not a Confucianist? The magnificent scene upstairs just now, such an anomaly is not present in the previous twenty-seven Hufa. This shows that his Dao has surpassed those of the twenty-seven great scholars and reflected it with the Dao of Master Yu."

"Have you not seen the burst of energy that swept out? That is clearly the Knife Qi left by Li Zhetian. So I’m more curious about what exactly he left inside the building?"

Behind the crowd, Jiang Hanyun scratched her face with her finger, looking equally bewildered.

"Although I’m glad that he could safely go up the building, didn’t auntie say that the Wendao hurdle is very difficult and almost impossible to pass? You have to have the knowledge of a great scholar, and also the demeanor of a great scholar. But that boy clearly doesn’t have a clue about anything——"

Lady Jiang scoffed when she heard this: "Stupid girl! Do you really think he is truly unlearned? The person who can create a poem like ’Clouds want to dress, flowers want to look beautiful’ is actually hiding his talent and doesn’t want to show it off."

The expression on Madam Xue’s face was too complex to describe: "Being able to make twenty-seven great scholars and Master Yu approve of his Dao, he must be a person with great thoughts."

The key to this is his character, which is among the very top in this era.

"Very interesting."

The recently arrived Vice Master Zhang, also stroking his long beard, watched with a hint of surprise at the top of the Wenxin House.

"Is the one who stepped on top of the Wenxin House really the second son of Earl Chengyi, Li Xuan?"

He clicked his tongue in admiration, a strange smile appearing on his face: "If it’s true, then Li Chengji’s ability to have such a son is not bad. With just Li Yan, he could hold up Chengyi’s Li’s family, I did not expect that he still has such an outstanding son under his knees. Moreover, Master Yu’s Neo-Confucianism was on the verge of chaos, on the edge of declination, and today, it has the potential to be revived."

Xue Yunrou at the side, felt somewhat shy, and bowed in a salute, "It’s hard for you to take such a long journey for us, I really feel bad about it. One day, Yunrou will go to Penglai Island to buy some good wine to apologize to you."

"No bother, no bother! Didn’t we just watch a good show? Of course, wine is necessary, the more the better."

Vice Master Zhang roared with laughter, then flicked his robe: "Let’s go to the city wall to wait for Li, this place is not where we should talk."

With a sweep of his magic, he carried the four women beside him instantly, to the city wall miles away.

Meanwhile, at the top of the Wenxin House, the atmosphere was rather solemn.

Li Xuan was sitting cross-legged by the window on the south side, and opposite him were Quan Dingtian, the Jijiu of Guozi Bureau, and two Siye of the Guozi Bureau who had arrived not long ago.

"The three of you, after all, I am not a Confucianist, it is really inappropriate for me to be the Hufa of Neo-Confucianism."

Quan Dingtian shook his head slightly: "Master Yu did not explicitly say that this Hufa cannot be held by an outsider."

The Siye from the Guozi Bureau next to him laughed: "I think you, as an outsider, are more suitable, more able to be fair and impartial. Moreover, you should also discuss this matter with Master Yu, after all, he defines the rules, and the seal stamp of Hufa on you is not under our control."

Li Xuan couldn’t help but look up to the sky, thinking to himself, was Master Yu still alive?

Probably? It’s said that after someone breaks through to the heavenly level, their lifespan would be greatly extended.

But the problem was, where should he go to find this Master Yu to discuss?

He thought carefully, and his brows furrowed, his eyes resisting, "That’s too troublesome."

One could imagine how much trouble this large Neo-Confucianism faction would cause.

"It’s not troublesome, you just need to go to Beijing once a year to participate in the Wen Temple ceremony, observe the spirit of our Confucian students. Then there are the Daru’s lectures, you need to occasionally listen and watch, find out the unworthy disciples of our Confucianism, either expelling them from the school or punishing them. Besides, all the Darus above the tenth house level will submit an article every year, and you will review them; also, you’ll have to mediate the disputes within Confucianism."

Seeing Li Xuan’s brows furrowing tighter, the Siye of Guozi Bureau felt guilty, then he changed the tone: "Of course, our Confucianist faction can’t let you work for us in vain. According to past practices, the Ministry of Rites will give you ten bottles of ’Zhongyuan Liqi Powder’ a year, three bottles of ’Penglai Mash’, three rolls of ’Heavenly Brocade’, and other various treasures, including one pair of Hetian Jade, one pair of Jade Ruyi. Besides, we will also present gift money to ask you to review our articles and audit our lectures."

Li Xuan’s spirit moved slightly, thinking to himself, fuck, the treatment is pretty good.

These are all good things, just the Zhongyuan Liqi Powder caught his attention. For a Confucian cultivator, one bottle is equivalent to a Liudao Renyuan Elixir. ’Heavenly Brocade’ is a very good tool-making material, and Penglai Mash, produced overseas, can nourish the Shenpo.

His face, however, showed no sign of emotion, "Oh! This is not a matter of treatment, it’s just really troublesome. Never mind, since this seal stamp has to follow me, and can’t be returned. So before you find a new protector, I’ll reluctantly accept."

Quan Dingtian looked at his two colleagues present and they couldn’t help showing delight.

"However, I have one condition," Li Xuan said, changing the subject. "My current cultivation is shallow, so I hope that the identity of the Hufa of Confucianism will not be made public in the short term, and you must help me hide my identity as much as possible."

He was still very cautious and despicable. The role of the Hufa of Confucianism entails great responsibility, and he himself is just a little Fumo Youjiao with a cultivation at the third house level, his little body definitely can’t take it.

"Reasonable and fair!" Quan Dingtian nodded slightly in response to his words, even showing approving eyes.

"Second, at present I can only listen to the Daru lectures in south Zhili and look at your articles. As for other responsibilities, it wouldn’t be too late to fulfill them in a few years."

"Yes!" Another Siye agreed without any hesitation, "But if there is a dispute or conflict in Confucianism that needs mediation, the protector must go. Of course, those trivial matters wouldn’t actually get to you."

Li Xuan hesitated for a moment, but still agreed.

After discussing the terms with the three Darus, Li Xuan looked at the sky outside and found that it was already the Hour of Zi.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Jiang Yunqi, who had been looking embarrassed and silent all this time. Li Xuan’s face instantly changed.