Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?
Chapter 500 - 399: The Second Stage of Dual Cultivation_1

Chapter 500: Chapter 399: The Second Stage of Dual Cultivation_1

Tongbai Mountain Range is located in the western part of the hilly region of southern Henan, a border area between Henan and Hubei provinces.

This place is the source of the Huai River and also the watershed between the Huai River and Yangtze River. The northern side belongs to the Huai River system, while the southern side belongs to the Yangtze River system.

As the 9th of the first month in the thirteenth year of JingTai, the vicinity of the Tongbai mountain range had been experiencing continuous rainfall for the thirteenth day in a row.

At this moment, in a pavilion in the ’Dushui Bureau’’s Yamen in the Tongbai Mountain, Supervisor Tao Zhen looked tremulously at a bottle of elixir, a flying sword and two scrolls in front of him, his complexion flushed.

Opposite him was a man with a handsome face and dressed in the attire of an Imperial Censor. He casually sipped tea and said, "Supervisor Tao, what are you hesitating about? This is not asking you to dissolve Wu Zhiqi’s seal, only asking you to close one eye and open the other.

Hubei has had continuous heavy rain recently. Your Dushui Bureau needs to manage the water situation. With dozens of rivers and creeks, some omission is inevitable, right? Even if The Court blames you afterward, you’ll just be charged with negligence. The seal of Wu Zhiqi is mainly controlled by the Liudao Division and Qintian Bureau, it has little to do with you, right?"

He tapped the desk with his finger, and sneered at Tao Zhen, "To my knowledge, Supervisor Tao is already close to seventy years old, isn’t he? I guess you’ll only be able to hold the position as the general management supervisor of Dushui Bureau one more turn. If you don’t take advantage now, then when?

A complete set of the Yinglong water control method with visualization chart, a top-quality water-type spell sword, are enough for your Tao family to pass on; Two Return to Origin Peace-Making Elixirs, enough to make your grandson step into the tenth house level, and exceed your accomplishments in the future. Good things like this, won’t be available again after today."

Tao Zhen’s face was contorted, he struggled for a long while, but then he let out a heavy breath, and pushed the items on the table back to the Imperial Censor opposite him.

"Sir, I’m afraid I can’t comply with your request. This matter is of great significance, and I can’t bear the responsibility."

’Tong Bai Dushui Bureau’ belongs to the Hedao Zongdu established by the Jin Dynasty, responsible for managing all water systems north and south of Tong Bai, and also has the power to supervise Wu Zhiqi’s seal.

This point is not too important, as this Imperial Censor said, the main responsibility for guarding Wu Zhiqi’s seal lies with the Liudao Division and the Qintian Bureau.

The problem is, the other party’s method of breaking Wu Zhiqi’s seal needs to use the water systems managed by Tong Bai Dushui Bureau. He can’t avoid involvement in this matter whatsoever.

The Imperial Censor chuckled when he heard that, but he seemed not surprised at all, "Brother Tao, are you afraid of being held accountable afterward? Don’t you trust the Immortal Master Shuide or Earl Chengyi’s mansion?"

Tao Zhen’s face was cold, and he was silent.

What he was really worried about was Earl Chengyi’s mansion.

If The Court were to blame him for the negligence regarding the sealing of Wu Zhiqi, he may be the only one who would bear the blame, but the retribution from Earl Chengyi’s mansion afterward would include more than just administrative measures.

In the 300 years of the Jin Dynasty, how many families have been destroyed due to the Chengyi Earl’s mansion, more than twenty, right? The Chengyi Earl’s mansion has controlled the Yangtze River for over 200 years, and they have never been known for their leniency.

He also recently heard of the fate of the Shenqi Union.

And as for the East Sea Dragon clan, they are certainly not a kindly bunch.

"What if I assure you, at most in half a month, the entire Chengyi Earl’s mansion will no longer exist?"

The Imperial Censor picked up his teacup and said leisurely, "In addition, Fuguogong’s mansion can promise you the hereditary office of the Guardian Commander. With the hereditary officer’s title in place, why would you fear the dragon clan’s revenge? If you really can’t, just go to the Capital City for a stint, they can’t reach you there."

Tao Zhen’s breathing suddenly became coarse. His pupils constricted slightly, "FuGuoGong’s mansion? Don’t lie to me."

The mansion of Fuguogong has two national princes in one house. Both father and son are famous military commanders and are the top ranking noble families following JingNan.

Even after the previous Fuguogong died along with Zhengtong Emperor on the battlefield, the influence of the Fuguogong’s mansion was still extremely significant.

The current Fuguogong is only fourteen years old, and the person in charge is his uncle Huangfu Xuanji. He is now not only the Dudu Tongzhi of the left army commander’s mansion but also the right Dudu of Jingying, he is one of the heads of Jingying.

The Guardian Commander is a military position inherited from the fifth rank, and among the inherited military positions, it is already among the top tiers.

But if it is the Fuguogong’s mansion who takes actions, it would be easy for them to get him this hereditary position.

"Why would I lie to you?" The handsome Imperial Censor then handed another letter to Tao Zhen, "Recently, an incident occurred in Capital City, Supervisor Tao, you might be interested in it."

After some hesitation, Tao Zhen picked up the letter. Then his hand started to tremble slightly again, "How could this be possible? The Crown Prince just ascended to the throne a few days ago, how could he suddenly pass away?"

"Could this kind of thing be false?" The Imperial Censor looked at Tao Zhen with an amused expression, "The Emperor was at the heavenly level before becoming the Emperor, so he’s predestined for his offspring to struggle. Now that the Crown Prince is deceased, Brother Tao, who do you think can inherit the throne in the future?"

Tao Zhen’s face grimaced, but he sighed deeply shortly after, "You must give me some time, I must make some preparations in advance."

Suddenly, a thunderclap sounded in the sky. A flash of blue lightning slashed down, illuminating the faces of the two people in the pavilion, making them look particularly eerie.

※※ ※※

Meanwhile, to the south of the Tongbai Mountain Range, in a valley named Deepwater Abyss, a black-robed Taoist appeared before a stream.

A hint of a smile played in his eyes as he greeted the upstream, "Master Wu, the humble Taoist pays his respect!"

However, in the place where the black-robed Taoist focused, there were no responses for a long time.

The black-robed Taoist shook his head slightly, "It has been raining heavily for thirteen consecutive days on Mount Tongbai. Master Wu, your power should have been restored to its peak, you should be able to produce a little divine consciousness.

Or could it be that Master Wu has forgotten about this old Taoist? An old friend is visiting; Master Wu, why hesitate to meet?"

The stream gurgled along, and a moment later, the water from the stream shot into the sky, forming a monkey-shaped silhouette of a dozen feet high in mid-air.

It looked down at the black-robed Taoist from above, "I seem to remember you, the little Taoist boy from over three hundred years ago? It is interesting that the snotty little lad who used to be moustache-less, has reached the Heavenly Grade today."

"It’s me! After going through three hundred Spring and Autumn cycles, how could I not have grown?" The black-robed Taoist laughed out loud, then his expression turned serious: "I come here to help Master Wu break free from constraints and I also need help with another matter."

After hearing this, the Water Ape Wu Zhiqi gave a cold chortle, "Help me free myself? You sure are confident. Without the ability of the Extreme Heavenly Grade, how could you possibly threaten Dayu’s seal?

You probably want to set another incarnation of me free so that you can wreak havoc on the mortal world and achieve some hidden agenda, right? If so, I, Wu Zhiqi, am not interested, you can leave."

Upon hearing this, the black-robed Taoist appeared completely unconcerned: "I indeed cannot counter Dayu’s seal, but as the saying goes: constant dripping wears away a stone. If you stay outside more times, there will surely be a way sooner or later. Besides, I have another hefty reward awaiting you."

As he spoke, he took out a seed glowing with a spiritual aura from his sleeve: "All you need to do is help me, and I will plant this here tomorrow."

"A seed of the Shatang tree? Where did you get this from?" Wu Zhiqi glanced at it and his expression turned to surprise.

The Shatang tree is one of the top ten divine trees of the ancient times. It is recorded in "The Classic of Mountains and Seas: Western Mountains" that: "On the hills of Kunlun, there is a tree that looks like a hawthorn, with yellow flowers and red fruit, it tastes like a plum and has no kernels, and it is called Shatang; it can prevent water, and eating it prevents people from drowning."

Legend has it that eating this divine tree’s fruit can help non-swimmers avoid drowning. However, Wu Zhiqi knew that this thing can break the seal in a different way.

"That’s not for Master Wu to know." The black-robed Taoist looked at Wu Zhiqi: "So, what does Master Wu think?"

After pondering for a moment, Wu Zhiqi burst out laughing: "Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

A gleam flickered in the eyes of the black-robed Taoist: "Soon, we will destroy the water sources of Nanxi, Sanjia River, and Tang River, making them change their courses. Master Wu, with your help, the seal can be moved.

Afterward, you can guide the flood down the Tang and Han Rivers to the south, attacking Jiangcheng (Wuhan) directly. You will need to flood both banks along the way, killing as many as possible. By the way, you are likely to be obstructed by the Southern Zhili Army commanded by Earl Chengyi, Li Chengji. If Master Wu has energy to spare, you can execute both him and his elder son Li Yan on the river."

The black-robed Taoist’s lips curled into a smirk as he said, "Speaking of Li Chengji, he should actually be your old companion’s descendant. I wonder, Master Wu, if you still remember the first Earl Chengyi, Li Lexing. In the past, he sealed the 300-mile wide Huai River with a single blow, including your Law Body, Master Wu."

"Li Lexing? His descendant," Wu Zhiqi crossed his arms and gleamed with anticipation: "Now that you mentioned it, I am interested."

At this time, less than 120 miles away from them at the Demon Suppression Bureau of the Liudao Division at Tongbai Mountain, the bureau’s ’Fumo Zhonglangjiang,’ Pang Ling suddenly had a premonition. He quickly stood up, his expression filled with concern as he stared at the southern sky.

The heavy rain on Tongbai Mountain enabled Wu Zhiqi’s power to swell to the extreme, and he and all his colleagues in the Demon Suppression Bureau were working tirelessly to suppress it.

But Pang Ling could feel that the energy and power of that water demon were becoming more and more rampant.

※※ ※※

At the time when heavy rains hit Jiangnan, Li Xuan was ’Dual Cultivation’ with Jiang Hanyun.

At this moment, he had been investigating the onset of the Crown Prince’s brain tumor for two whole days, but so far he hadn’t found anything. It was his lateral exercise which had brought his Golden Body Martial Law to the verge of a breakthrough.

Right now, he was just missing a bit of the final impetus, which he needed Jiang Hanyun’s assistance for.

—Now that Jiang Hanyun was transferred to Beijing, they could pick up the "Shentian Dual Essence Technique" they had been jointly cultivating.

The first part, exchanging the divine soul essences, they had already completed.

The second part was ’aura interaction’ and ’blood exchange’, which was almost identical to dual cultivation, where both of them had to be unreserved and let the other’s Zhenyuan flow in their bodies, that is, to exchange the fundamental Dharma of both parties.

The Shenyuan Stone that Li Xuan had was already nearly depleted, and he planned to use ’aura interaction’ with Jiang Hanyun to get past this threshold.

As luck would have it, Jiang Hanyun also ’acquired a taste for it’, she had recently achieved success in her Ice Style cultivation, but was stuck at the realm of the fourth house level and couldn’t make further progress. Thus, she wanted to borrow Li Xuan’s blood to, on one hand, stabilize her blood flow, and on the other hand, make further progress in the Ice Style.

With the circulation of their auras, Li Xuan could already feel the signs of transformation in the flesh and blood throughout his body.