My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 352 - The Wind Rises and the Clouds Fly

Chapter 352: Chapter 352: The Wind Rises and the Clouds Fly

Chapter 352: Chapter 352: The Wind Rises and the Clouds Fly

Houjin Royal Court.

Ever since the Pingyang Guard marched northward, various Houjin tribes had either received orders or spontaneously brought their armies to defend the Royal Court. Now, a multitude of armies had gathered around the outskirts of the Houjin Royal Court, and the atmosphere had unconsciously become tense.

Not a single Houjin person believed that the Ghost Swordsman could breach the Houjin Royal Court since this was the only unified dynasty on the great plains to this day, and the one sitting in the Royal Court was none other than Zongzheng Huachun, the Holy Master of the Great Snow Mountain.

At this moment, inside a luxurious courtyard in the Royal Court, Jie Se and Jie Lu sat upright in the Dining Hall, with an air of solemnity.

Several beautiful maids were serving delicious dishes, placing them in front of them one by one.

“Stop!”

Jie Se sternly asked, “Who exactly are you? What is your purpose for bringing us here?”

The leading beautiful maid bowed and said, “This servant is only following the steward’s orders; I know nothing else.”

“Hmph!”

Jie Se coldly said, “As a monk, I cannot be corrupted by wealth or moved by poverty, nor can I be subdued by force. How can I be corrupted by your mere extravagance?”

Jie Lu, seeing the distressed expression on the beautiful maid, sympathetically said, “Brother, don’t be hard on them. They surely have no connection with the people who kidnapped us. Look, they bring us food and drink every day and take great care of us.”

Upon hearing this, Jie Se’s expression softened slightly, and he said, “For my younger brother’s sake, I’ll let this pass, but just this once. However, I do like to eat late night snacks. Tonight, come to my room and bring me a serving for my late-night meal.”

“Yes.”

The leading maid responded, then retreated with the other maids.

Jie Lu widened his eyes, swallowed hard, “Brother, with such a lavish meal, you still want a late-night snack?”

Jie Se indifferently said, “‘Without unexpected wealth a man is not rich, and without nighttime grazing, a horse is not fat.’ What’s wrong with having a late-night snack?”

Jie Lu’s mind couldn’t quite keep up. In his memory, his brother never ate meals at night, usually preferring grapes or black fungus. Why was he asking for meals tonight?

“Eat, stop pretending.”

Seeing that everyone had left, Jie Se eagerly started eating and urged, “Jie Lu, this food tastes much better than the vegetarian dishes at Fa Xi Temple. Eat more.”

“I’ve been hungry for a while now.”

Jie Lu also started wolfing down the food, eating mouthfuls at a time.

With no one else around, the two of them had no reservations and started eating their fill.

While eating, Jie Lu asked, “Brother, what do you think their purpose is for capturing us? They provide us with good food and drink every day. Could it be that their family lacks ancestors and they want us to take on that role?”

Jie Se’s movement paused for a moment, then he said irritably, “Which family needs ancestors? With that money, wouldn’t they rather take more wives?”

Jie Lu lamented, “Living here, eating meat and enjoying delicacies every day, makes me not want to leave. Life is much more enjoyable here than outside, especially with so many pretty sisters around.”

Towards the end, Jie Lu’s heart started pounding uncontrollably.

Jie Se sneered, “Back in our family, we also fed pigs well, waiting for them to grow big before slaughtering them.”

Upon hearing this, Jie Lu almost dropped his bowl in shock, “Brother, do you mean they’re fattening us up like pigs?”

Jie Se glanced at Jie Lu and said, “Otherwise, why would they feed you so well? Is it because of your looks?”

Jie Lu thought hard, his expression becoming quite unsightly. Suddenly, the food in his hands seemed tasteless, and he asked, “Brother, what should we do now? Should we run?”

Jie Se said, “I’ve observed that the guards here are more skilled than me; escaping is simply impossible.”

Jie Lu looked utterly dejected, threw down his bowl with a cry, “Are we really going to be slaughtered like pigs? I’m the only heir to my family, I haven’t even continued the lineage.”

Jie Se said, “Why worry about so much? Just eat.”

Jie Lu said with a sad face, “Brother, you already said we’re pigs, how can I dare to eat? What if eating makes us fatter and leads to our slaughter?”

Jie Se looked at Jie Lu’s fat-ridden face and said, “Even if you don’t eat, you look the part.”

Jie Lu: “….”

Jie Se continued eating, “Don’t worry. I had someone predict my future a few years ago; I, Han Wenxin, am not one to die young. I’m sure to turn ill fortune into good.”

Jie Lu looked on hopefully, “Brother, what about me?”

Jie Se looked at Jie Lu, then sighed deeply, “If that day really comes, I’ll burn you some extra paper money.”

……

Within the World Capital City, Houjin’s architectural style was the most distinct, as Zongzheng Huachun sought to incorporate the strengths of all and use the essence of various nations for his own use. This included not only the bold and vast style of the great plains but also the architectural styles of Zhao Country, Yan Country, Southern Barbarians, Pure Land, and others.

Thus, the Houjin Royal Court developed a unique style.

Now, outside the courtyard stood a pagoda-like structure reminiscent of a Buddhist temple. From the highest point, Zongzheng Huachun could overlook the entire Royal Court.

Even as the Demon Sect and the Ghost Swordsman were just outside the city, Houjin was confident, but still tense within the Royal Court. People bustled on the streets since those attacking held the nation’s heavy weapon, The World’s First Swordsman.

Zongzheng Huachun asked, “Based on your observations these past few days, what do you think of this Han Wenxin?”

Jiren Tai pondered before answering, “This person has a bit of cunning, lacks strength and self-awareness, enjoys luxury, and is extremely lustful.”

“Oh?”

Upon hearing this, Zongzheng Huachun’s eyebrows slightly raised, “Such a debased person, is he truly a close friend of the Ghost Swordsman?”

“It is indeed Han Wenxin, without a doubt.”

Jiren Tai said, “Moreover, when the Ghost Swordsman feigned his death, it was this very person who personally laid him to rest.”

Zongzheng Huachun nodded slightly and said, “What do you think of the Ghost Swordsman?”

Jiren Tai was stunned by Zongzheng Huachun’s words. In the past two years, the Ghost Swordsman’s fame had skyrocketed, performing countless deeds. It was impossible to enumerate them all.

To Jiren Tai, the name Ghost Swordsman was as familiar as thunder, but he had never actually seen this famed swordsman who had shaken the world.

Rumor had it that this person was a pure swordsman rarely seen in this world. Some praised him for his indifference to fame and wealth, and his righteousness that was as vast as the heavens; others claimed he was a womanizer and the Demon Sect’s claw…

One could say he was an extremely complex individual. The world’s opinions of him were mixed, and few could clearly define what kind of person he truly was.

The one thing everyone agreed on was that the sword in his hand was indeed very fast.

After pondering for a while, Jiren Tai shook his head and said, “Your subject doesn’t know.”

Zongzheng Huachun spoke slowly, “Bring Han Wenxin to me; I want to meet him.”

“Yes.”

Upon hearing this, Jiren Tai turned and walked towards the base of the Pagoda.

Zongzheng Huachun looked into the distance. Nowadays, countless eyes from all over Great Yan were focused on Houjin, waiting for him to clash with the world’s foremost swordsman. With high-ranking experts from the Great Snow Mountain like Taiyin Kui meeting their end, and the Jin Lv army of six hundred thousand defeated, Zongzheng Yue had fallen into the hands of the Ghost Swordsman. Unbeknownst to many, Houjin had shifted from a favorable position to the current crisis.

Even though most didn’t believe that the Ghost Swordsman alone could annihilate Houjin, the tension and anxiety had already taken hold of the court, with everyone feeling insecure.

Gazing at the horizon, Zongzheng Huachun’s heart was unusually calm.

Before he went to Yujing City the last time, his heart was just as calm. Whenever he faced significant events, Zongzheng Huachun’s heart became even more tranquil.

The reason he was able to remain so calm was that he had let go of the fear of death.

Among the many masters in the world, hardly any were not afraid of death, except for Zongzheng Huachun, who truly regarded life and death with indifference. His sole ambition in life was not immortality but to unify the world under one rule.

Everything he did was for the sake of unifying the vast trends of the world.

Every time he thought about uniting the world, Zongzheng Huachun’s heart surged with fiery passion.

Throughout history, countless emperors, Sect Leaders, and remarkable individuals had tried, yet not one had succeeded in unifying the world. If he could achieve this feat, he would undoubtedly become the foremost person through the ages.

Zongzheng Huachun’s palm gently caressed the rim of his cup, “If the way of the Saint was effective, the Saint himself would have unified the world long ago. Emperors have their own Dao.”

The difficulty of achieving this was akin to ascending to the heavens.

Soon, Jiren Tai returned, bringing the nervous Han Wenxin with him.

At this moment, Jie Se was visibly tense, his heart thumping with extreme nervousness: He couldn’t actually be intending to slaughter me like a pig, could he?

Zongzheng Huachun looked at Jie Se before him and asked, “Do you know who I am?”

Jie Se swallowed hard. He used to be an arrest officer in Yu State City, naturally having often been in the presence of the Yu State City Magistrate. However, whether in temperament or expression, that Magistrate of Yu State City couldn’t compare to the man before him by a long shot.

Moreover, the old man from earlier was taciturn and of no ordinary standing, but he showed such respect to the person before him, which spoke volumes of the man’s exalted status.

Zongzheng Huachun smiled and asked, “Are you frightened?”

“Frightened!?”

Upon hearing this, Han Wenxin immediately snorted, “Do you know who my master is? Why would I be scared?”

Zongzheng Huachun asked, “Fa Wu?”

Han Wenxin’s eyebrows raised, and he said displeasedly, “Fa Wu that you can call so casually? It should be Master Fa Wu.”

His master was a revered figure in the Buddhist order, one of the few top Grandmasters in the world. Despite his youth, he had once intimidated a Five Qi Grandmaster like Qin Shan in Zhong Mountain and was undoubtedly someone who would carry the Buddhist order in the future.

Hence, in Han Wenxin’s view, simply invoking the name of such an important figure amounted to an almost invincible trump card, and it was also what he considered his greatest assurance internally.

As he spoke, Han Wenxin’s small eyes kept darting towards Zongzheng Huachun, monitoring his reactions.

But to his surprise, even after mentioning ‘Fa Wu’, there was no change whatsoever in Zongzheng Huachun’s expression; he didn’t even blink.

Could this old guy be unaware of Fa Wu?

That was impossible. So why had he been taken in and treated so well?

“Presumptuous!”

On the side, Jiren Tai reprimanded, “What is Fa Wu!? Even the Tianyi Bodhisattva must show the utmost respect in front of our Holy Master.”

“What Holy Master do you speak of?!”

Han Wenxin’s face became a kaleidoscope of expressions at Jiren Tai’s words, and then his body collapsed on the ground as if it had lost its skeleton.

Jiren Tai said coldly, “Of course, in this world, there is but one Holy Master. Who do you think it is?”

Han Wenxin’s eyes widened, his mind going blank.

The Holy Master, who else could it be?

That was the Emperor of Houjin!

The Emperor!

He could never have dreamed that in his lifetime he would be able to see an Emperor with his own eyes, especially the Emperor of an enemy state.

With a pleasant demeanor, Zongzheng Huachun said, “Get up and take a seat.”

This is it!

But Han Wenxin’s heart turned to ashes. Rumor had it that Zongzheng Huachun was cruel and ruthless; a man like that being nice to someone meant he was likely plotting his death…

Han Wenxin collapsed onto the ground and wailed, “Holy Master, I had eyes but failed to see Mount Tai and misspoke earlier. Please do not take it to heart and spare my life like you would a dog’s.”

Jiren Tai saw Han Wenxin’s abrupt change and three black lines appeared on his forehead.

Zongzheng Huachun said, “When did I say I was going to kill you? Get up and sit.”

Struggling, Han Wenxin leaned on the chair, trying to support his upper body, but his legs seemed to completely disobey him, slipping and falling to the ground again.

Han Wenxin’s smile was uglier than tears, “My legs seem to be a bit disobedient…”

Zongzheng Huachun said, “It’s alright, just sit on the ground.”

Han Wenxin hurriedly ingratiated, “Holy Master, what urgent matter do you have for calling me here?”

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Zongzheng Huachun asked, “I heard you were an arrest officer in Great Yan?”

Han Wenxin said, “That was in the past. I am now an arrest officer for Houjin, ready to serve before and after the saddle for the Holy Master, to toil like a dog or horse, and to give my all until death.”

Jiren Tai: “……”

Zongzheng Huachun burst into laughter and said, “I’ve heard you have a friend who is very good with medicine.”

“Indeed, his medical skills are the best I’ve ever seen, it’s just a pity.” Han Wenxin said, shaking his head.

Zongzheng Huachun asked, “A pity what?”

Han Wenxin sighed, “A pity he’s dead.”

He remembered An Jing once told him, should anyone ask about him, he must say he’s dead.

Zongzheng Huachun said, “He’s not dead, and he’s alive and well.”

Han Wenxin blinked, “Alive and well?”

Could it be that the Holy Master brought me here because of Brother An?!

How is that possible!?

How could Brother An get into trouble with such an adversary?

Zongzheng Huachun asked, “What kind of person is this doctor?”

Swallowing hard, Han Wenxin said, “Right, what kind of person is he…”

Zongzheng Huachun said, “Tell the truth.”

After pondering for a long time, Han Wenxin earnestly concluded, “From my point of view, aside from being somewhat good-looking, he is good for nothing else.”

Jiren Tai: “???”

If not for Zongzheng Huachun being present, Jiren Tai would have loved to slap Han Wenxin on the head right then.

“Hahaha!”

Zongzheng Huachun laughed heartily, “Interesting, really interesting.”

Seeing this, Han Wenxin continued, “Holy Master, I swear I’m telling the truth. His appearance is fairly alright, I know him through and through… ptooey, ptooey, like the back of my hand—no, I mean, we’re very familiar with each other.”

Smiling, Zongzheng Huachun said, “It seems he is an interesting person.”

Han Wenxin cautiously asked, “Interesting? How do you know he’s an interesting person, Holy Master?”

Zongzheng Huachun said, “Birds of a feather flock together, men are known by the company they keep.”

Han Wenxin scratched his head, choosing not to say more.

That damned An Jing was certainly quite the character.

Zongzheng Huachun stood up, “Some people are destined to become enemies, and some are destined to become friends. Before the furnace of fate, one cannot help but believe in destiny.”

Watching Zongzheng Huachun’s broad back, Han Wenxin swallowed hard, “What do you mean by that, Holy Master?”

Zongzheng Huachun bent down and patted Han Wenxin’s shoulder, “Don’t worry, I won’t kill you.”

Hearing this, Han Wenxin sighed in relief.

Even though Zongzheng Huachun had always been pleasant to him, there was still a trace of fear in his heart.

Zongzheng Huachun pointed into the distance and asked, “Do you find these splendid rivers and mountains beautiful?”

The question seemed to be addressed to Jiren Tai, Han Wenxin, and also to himself.

“Beautiful.”

Han Wenxin nodded vigorously, “The majestic scenery of the grasslands has its own unique charm, especially the continuous Snow Mountains, which are rare in the world.”

Zongzheng Huachun asked again, “How does it compare to Great Yan?”

Han Wenxin said, “I believe each has its own merits.”

With hands clasped behind his back, Zongzheng Huachun pondered deeply, “We all live under the same heaven, naturally we are people of the same world; why should there be a distinction between Great Yan and Houjin?”

“The people of the world have suffered for too long.”

A shock went through Han Wenxin’s heart as he heard Zongzheng Huachun’s ambition and the deepest soliloquy of an emperor.

If one day the world was without Houjin, Great Yan, the Southern Barbarians, but only one strong nation, what kind of prosperous era would that be?

……

Houjin, Ba Mountain City.

In a quiet, elegant courtyard.

Zhao Qingmei was showing off her culinary skills in the kitchen while An Jing sat in the dining hall.

Yu Qiurong, feeling a bit restless, said, “Son-in-law, should I go help her?”

The Sect Hierarch was busy in the kitchen, and here she was, doing nothing but waiting to eat. In her view, this was simply outrageous.

An Jing chuckled, “No need, let her do it.”

Yu Qiurong glanced at An Jing’s arm, which was purple and green in places, before asking, “Son-in-law, are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

An Jing shook his head, “Beating is affection, scolding is love; the harder the beating, the deeper my wife’s love for me.”

Yu Qiurong blinked and said, “Really?”

An Jing replied, “Of course, the pain is on me, but the hurt is in her heart.”

Yu Qiurong covered her mouth and chuckled lightly.

At that moment, Zhao Qingmei walked out of the kitchen, still holding a kitchen skewer, and said, “It seems I haven’t been hard enough on you, not teaching you a proper lesson.”

An Jing hurriedly said, “Wife, shouldn’t you check the pots? They might get burnt.”

“Hmph!”

Zhao Qingmei raised her eyebrows and said, “If they get burnt, you’ll have to eat it all.”

Having said that, Zhao Qingmei turned and went back into the kitchen.

“I was totally deceived; once a woman gets a hold of a man, she starts to take him for granted.”

Watching Zhao Qingmei’s retreating figure, An Jing was reminded of the first time he saw her, back when she was known as the ‘Little Tyrant’ of the alleys.

Her previous gentleness and domesticity seemed to be a facade, and this was her truest self.

Thinking this, the corners of An Jing’s mouth couldn’t help but curl up into a smile.

In fact, he preferred this real Zhao Qingmei.

The “Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture” is the top heart method martial arts of the Demon Sect, emphasizing the cultivation of one’s true self at its highest levels—to return to one’s true nature without suppressing oneself. The higher the realm of Zhao Qingmei’s cultivation, the closer she gets to the state of true self.

Just then, Li Fuzhou hurriedly walked over from a distance.

An Jing made a face and said, “Third Master, you’ve come at just the right time. We haven’t had a drink in a long while, how about a round later?”

Li Fuzhou’s expression was grave as he said, “Son-in-law, I fear the drink will have to wait.”

Seeing Li Fuzhou’s expression, An Jing immediately asked, “What’s happened? Did you get caught messing around in the brothels?”

Li Fuzhou gave a bitter smile, “Duanmu Xinghua is in trouble.”

“She’s in trouble?”

Upon hearing this, An Jing’s brows furrowed, “What exactly happened?”

Li Fuzhou took a deep breath and said, “She has been growing weaker by the day. I suspect her time is about to come.”

“What!?”

A look of surprise flashed across An Jing’s eyes.

At first, he was suspicious and wary of Nangong Weiping, as she had been imprisoned under the Sealing Demon Well for many years. However, after observing a series of her actions, An Jing realized that Nangong Weiping wasn’t as evil as he had imagined.

Humans are complex creatures, yet also very simple.

Regardless, Nangong Weiping had transferred all her cultivation to Zhao Qingmei through ‘subtle influence’ and had been severely injured by Xi Hafu when she came to Houjin to help An Jing. All of this was a favor.

Li Fuzhou said, “I have calculated her lifespan. Even if we don’t count the time in the Sealing Demon Well, she’s over one hundred and ten years old. Adding the time from the well, even the lifespan of a Great Grandmaster is nearing its end, and after several great battles, the foundation of her life has been damaged.”

From inside the kitchen, Zhao Qingmei came out with a furrowed brow and asked, “Is Senior Nangong not going to make it?”

Li Fuzhou bowed and said, “Her condition looks very withered, and the specifics are unclear.”

Putting down her spatula, Zhao Qingmei said, “Let’s go see her.”

An Jing nodded, “Yes, let’s go see her.”

Saying this, An Jing and Zhao Qingmei hurriedly followed Li Fuzhou toward Nangong Weiping’s residence.

Along the way, Zhao Qingmei, with her eyebrows tightly knit, said, “Could it be because she didn’t get the blood of Cheng Huang?”

Originally, Zhao Qingmei had planned to divert disaster elsewhere, letting Nangong Weiping go to Great Snow Mountain and Cloud Tower to steal treasures and, incidentally, kill the experts of the Snow Mountain. The journey to Houjin went smoothly indeed, with Nangong Weiping not only killing the experts of the Snow Mountain but also seizing its treasures. If Zongzheng Huachun had not known when to advance and retreat, he too would have perished at Nangong Weiping’s hands.

However, there were complications when they later went to Cloud Tower; unexpectedly, there was a Great Grandmaster hidden there. If it hadn’t been for Duanmu Xinghua and Zhao Qingmei making a prompt decision, they might not have obtained Cheng Huang’s blood and could even have faced mortal danger.

Before long, the three of them arrived at Nangong Weiping’s residence. The two Demon Sect experts guarding the door quickly bowed when they saw An Jing and Zhao Qingmei.

“There’s no need for formalities.”

Zhao Qingmei waved them off, striding quickly toward the room.

As she entered the room, she saw Nangong Weiping, pale-faced, lying on the bed, her qi mechanism starting to weaken visibly.

…….