Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 452 - 363: How to repay kindness if one retaliates against malice with kindness? _1

Chapter 452: Chapter 363: How to repay kindness if one retaliates against malice with kindness? _1

After the morning court, Qing of Dali Temple, Wang Long, returned to Dali Temple with a gloomy look on his face.

His mood was deplorable, and upon seeing Earl Huichang, Sun Jizong, who was waiting for him with a smile on his face inside the gate, his expression became even more unpleasant. With a cold snort, he walked directly towards the main hall.

"What’s gotten into Lord Wang?" the puzzled Earl Huichang, Sun Jizong, asked, looking at the inner chang staff who had followed Wang Long in. He addressed Princess Changning, Yu Yunhuang, "Why is he suddenly so angry?"

"Two tigers compete and the innocent fish suffer, I would be angry too."

Yu Yunhuang looked at Wang Long’s retreating figure with a bit of pity in her eyes: "At today’s morning court, Grand Secretary Chen Xun suggested transferring Lord Wang to Yunnan as the inspector, and the court has approved it."

Sun Jizong was surprised: "So soon? But isn’t this against the rules?"

In the Great Jin Dynasty’s regulations, all promotions and appointments of officials ranking above the 3rd-rank must be decided by a court recommendation.

Firstly, the cabinet proposes a candidate, it is then discussed by a meeting of officials including the Nine Palace Servants, Shilang of the Six Ministries, Imperial Historians, Jishizhong of Six Departments. Once a suitable candidate is chosen, his appointment would be presented to the emperor for final approval.

"What’s irregular about it?" Yu Yunhuang shook her head: "Now the cabinet has seven members. Whoever Chen Xun leans toward holds the upper hand. Minister of Personnel, Wang Wen, is His Majesty’s lapdog, he has long seen Lord Wang as a thorn in his side.

Although people call Chen Xun a blockhead, he has served three reigns and has countless disciples. Once he allies with the Emperor, there’s no one in the court who can stop him, not even Yu Jie."

Sun Jizong could not help but frown, his face serious: "Is Chen Xun planning on switching his loyalty to the pretender emperor?"

"Probably not, he should be repaying Jiang Yunqi for saving his life. As expected of the Grand Secretary, he is discerning and knows our scheme lies in the Dali Temple. Once Wang Long is dismissed, we won’t be able to do anything. It’s like taking the firewood from under the cauldron."

As Yu Yunhuang spoke, she looked in the direction of the Dali Temple Prison: "But next, Lord Wang will try his best to delay the time, try to delay handing over stamped letters until a day later. So, whatever you, uncle, want to do, you only have one day."

Sun Jizong frowned, thinking that only one day’s time would be too tight. The key was that the timing was off. His prepared methods might not produce the best results.

"Please convey my words to Empress Dowager, I will do my best!"

"You must make it happen!"

Yu Yunhuang, with her hand on her waist knife, said solemnly: "You don’t know the kind of pressure the Empress Dowager is under right now. Today, Immortal Master Shuide, Ao Shuying, and Jiang Yunqi, wielding the Ice-Thunder Halberd, are just one step away from pointing their swords at her nose.

If we can’t get rid of Li Xuan this time and obtain the assistance promised by Jinque Palace, we will encounter massive trouble!"

※※※※

Since the Crown Prince left, Li Xuan had been inward viewing with crossed legs, trying to figure out what exactly happened to his body.

However, despite carefully sensing and inspecting inwardly for an entire shichen, he was still unclear of his current situation.

Fortunately, aside from his surroundings becoming more yin and the growth of Yesha in his chest, there were no other adverse effects.

The speed of growth of Yesha was slow, at least slower than when Hongshang leaned on him. It made him feel slightly uncomfortable in his chest.

The Armored Taotie, on the other hand, had been forcefully suppressed by him, no longer swallowing the surrounding Yinsha. Li Xuan remained cautious as he did not know what consequences this would bring.

Then, Li Xuan spent most of his time focused on the Demon Qilin, which was still tied outside the Inspectorate.

With the help of the ’Wenshan Seal’, Li Xuan easily sent his Primordial Spirit over.

At this point, he was indeed trying to catalyze the gold threads in the body of the Demon Qilin.

Li Xuan’s divine power, flowing from Wenshan Seal, was causing the gold threads to grow rapidly, continuously spreading throughout the body of the Demon Qilin.

This was not the first time Li Xuan had done something like this. During the few days he had been waiting on Artifact Mountain, Li Xuan had been doing this kind of ’ripening’ work.

As this set of patterns, similar to human meridians, yet also like an array, gradually became complete, Li Xuan felt that the constitution of the Demon Qilin was improving. The flaw of lacking a demon core was gradually being offset.

Besides, Li Xuan could also feel that the Divine Beast was getting closer to him, giving him the same feeling as he got from his spirit pet, Niulang.

Li Xuan could now feel everything in the body of the Demon Qilin, which made him feel confident that he could instruct the Demon Qilin to do as he wanted, even without using the Heart Controlling Contract.

However, the priority was to recover the Wenshan Seal from the Demon Qilin as quickly as possible. Li Xuan had a premonition that their goal was specifically aimed at this Theurgy artifact.

The Wenshan Seal was also an indispensable part of his counterattack against the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince.

As the saying goes: how can virtue repay resentment? How to repay virtue?

Li Xuan certainly did not have the habit of holding his anger.

And the only way for Li Xuan to recover the Wenshan Seal as soon as possible was to facilitate the completion of this transformation process quickly.

Although Li Xuan did not understand what the purpose of the artifact spirit, Wenshan Seal, was in cultivating these golden threads in the body of the Demon Qilin, he knew that the ’conversion’ process of the Demon Qilin must not be interrupted.

Just as he had guessed before, this was a great benefit to himself, to the Demon Qilin, and to the artifact spirit of the Wenshan Seal.

The Demon Qilin was only a hairsbreadth from the final step of its transformation.

Based on previous experiences, Li Xuan estimated that it would take only half a day to complete the remaining part.

So he ignored Sun Chuyun, who was eager to chat with him, and focused his attention, channeling the power of his Divine Sense into the Wenshan Seal.

But by the Hour of Wu, Li Xuan had no choice but to awaken.

As he opened his eyes, he found a familiar figure standing outside the iron fence.

Li Xuan gazed at him and sneered slightly, "Duke Yansheng?"

Sun Chuyun also frowned, she had seen the disgraceful behavior of Duke Yansheng at the Guozi Bureau, and she really didn’t like this descendant of the Saint.

"That’s me indeed." Kong Xiude stood outside the prison cell with his hands behind his back and a smirk on his face, "It’s been a while, Earl Jingan. It’s unpredictable, I didn’t expect that when we meet again, you, Earl Jingan, are already in jail."

Li Xuan couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his lips, "Watch your words, I haven’t been convicted yet."

He put his hand on his Bixue Leique Sword, suppressing the impulse to split it, and thought to himself that this was indeed a case of a tiger being bullied by a dog when it was down; every Tom, Dick, and Harry came to laugh at him.

"Even without a conviction, you are still a suspect. To my knowledge, almost all all the clues unearthed by the Inspectorate now point to you and your subordinate Luo Yan."

Kong Xiude scoffed, "The Shangshu of Ministry of Punishment, Yu Shiyue, did try to exonerate you under the emperor’s order, but so far he has failed. Your guilt has been proven, and you cannot escape prison."

Having said that, he turned his back, scanned Li Xuan from head to toe with his cold eyes, and said, "Let’s cut to the chase. Give me your Wenshan Seal. You, as a criminal, what qualifications do you have to hold it? Hand it over, and I will leave you an intact body."

"Putting aside the fact that I have not been convicted, even if I were, why wouldn’t I be able to run Wenshan Seal? I’ve said it before, Duke Yansheng, there are only two ways you can take this seal from me. One is to get the permission from Master Yu, or two is to overwhelm me with your Hao Qi and snatch it from my hands."

With a flicker of anticipation in his eyes, he continued, "Actually, I am quite curious. Duke Yansheng, your Wenxin was ruined, how did you manage to recover it? I wonder if Duke Yansheng would give me a chance to see how?"

"Stubborn fool!"

The face of ’Duke Yansheng’ Kong Xiude turned green and then snickered, "As you wish, I hope you won’t regret."

He flicked his robe, walked directly to the prison gate where Earl Huichang and a young man, who floated in the air on a sword with his feet off the ground, were waiting for him.

Behind the two was a Dali Temple Sizhi in blue official robe, and a number of jailers, including the Yucheng.

"Why should Duke Yansheng waste words with him?"

Sun Jizong looked at the approaching Kong Xiude in bewilderment, "We should act directly."

"I sensed something unusual after I came in."

Duke Yansheng Kong Xiude frowned slightly, "I did not sense the Wenshan Seal, it’s not on him."

Both of the men opposite him couldn’t help but look slightly tense.

"Actually, it doesn’t matter!"

Kong Xiude smirked again, "We just need to end his life. Does it really matter whether the Wenshan Seal is on him or not? Can’t you from Jinque Palace retrieve it?"

The boy on the sword nodded slightly, a hint of crimson flashing in his eyes, "Indeed so!"

"Then let’s begin!"

Earl Huichang, Sun Jizong stepped forward and walked in front of Li Xuan’s cell. He looked at Sun Chuyun, who was by Li Xuan’s side, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

At this moment, the Dali Temple Sizhi also came to Sun Jizong’s side, his face expressionless as he looked into the cell.

"Where is Sun Chuyun? Shangshu Yu of the Ministry of Punishment wants to question you, come out!"

Sun Chuyun instinctively felt something was wrong, "I’m not going, do you have any official documents to prove that Shangshu Yu is questioning me?"

Sun Jizong’s face grew colder still, his eyes like icy blades, "You reprobate, get out!"

But Sun Chuyun simply turned her head away, unconcerned. However, Li Xuan next to her gave a soft laugh, "Please go out, Miss Sun. Your father intends to carry out an act of extermination against me, and with you here, I feel uneasy, fearing that I might be attacked from both sides."

Sun Chuyun shuddered and looked at Li Xuan in disbelief.

However, on Li Xuan’s face, all she saw was the coldness of steel and stone. She couldn’t help but clench her fists, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh. Only then did she control the tears welling up in her eyes, and walked out of the cell with a pale face.

"You are quite a character," Sun Jizong said with a satisfied smile, realizing that Li Xuan wanted to force his daughter out.

But then his expression turned cold, "For that, when the Crown Prince takes the throne, I will leave a thin face to your Earl Chengyi Mansion."