My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 240: Chapter 240: Unrest in Yujing City

Yujing City, Emerald Cloud Tower.

Red clouds filled the sky, golden waves covered the sea, and the sun, like boiling water in a furnace, burst forth in a brilliant golden light, illuminating the interior of the tower.

The entire room was very large, with a screen partitioning off the left side, but one could still vaguely see a zither and a pipa.

Only the head of the ancient zither was exposed, and though its color appeared dark and old—not at all matching the rest of the room’s exquisite and rich style—it still carried an elegant simplicity.

Inside the tower sat a stunningly beautiful woman.

The woman wore a light green blouse, her eyebrows curved, her small nose slightly upturned, her face as white as jade, glorying like the morning sun, with a string of bright pearls around her neck casting a faint halo that made her face seem even more delicately sculpted.

This was indeed the Oiran of the Emerald Cloud Tower.

At that moment, she was languidly leaning against the headboard, looking at the bustling teahouse opposite, her willow eyebrows slightly raised.

Usually at this time, the Emerald Cloud Tower would have been filled to capacity, but today it was deserted, with few carriages or horses.

“Xiaoyu!”

The Oiran couldn’t help but call out softly.

“Creak!”

Soon, a maid hurriedly pushed the door open, “Sister Rou, do you need something?”

The Oiran curiously asked, “What’s going on today? Why is the teahouse opposite so lively?”

The maid immediately became interested upon hearing this and said, “Sister Rou, there’s a storyteller talking about the conflict between the Buddhist and the Demon Sect at Heavenly Martial Gate.”

The Oiran’s interest was immediately piqued, “Has the conflict between the Buddha and the Demon ended? What was the outcome?”

Normally, she enjoyed the swordsmen of Jianghu, who were not only unrestrained and carefree but also very generous in their actions.

The maid said, “This duel was fantastic. The Buddha’s representative was a high monk with divine cultivation, who could even manifest a great Buddha. According to people of Jianghu, he was on the verge of becoming a real Buddha, while the representative from Outer Heaven was a great sword immortal, barely over twenty, handsome and elegant.”

The Oiran couldn’t help but express her curiosity, “Just over twenty, so young?”

“Yes, very young,” the maid said with regret, “It’s a pity I couldn’t witness that great battle. It’s truly a significant regret in life.”

The Oiran chuckled softly, “Let’s go, let’s listen to the story.”

“Really going?”

“Of course, why not? There aren’t any guests to attend to today, and listening to the story next door won’t be a problem. I’m very curious about this sword immortal you’ve mentioned.”

Saying this, the two women walked out of the tower towards the crowded teahouse.

The teahouse was packed to the brim, and in the center stood a man in blue, holding a wooden gavel in his hand.

“Snap!”

He slammed the gavel solidly onto the table, “The Exalted Vajra from the Buddhist side failed to intimidate, and the duel between him and the representative from Outer Heaven had been set in stone. Heavenly Martial Gate had been chosen as the venue, and the night before, spots offering the best views had already been taken. As expected, the next day, Heavenly Martial Gate was swamped with people stretching as far as the eye could see, with members of the Royal Family present including the Great Yan Empress and the Crown Prince and Second Prince by her side, along with the Grandmaster Zhao Tianyi, Minister of Rites Zhu Yongfang, Director Wang Yuyang from Honglu Institute, and many others. Also, many great masters from the seven major sects of Jianghu were there. The high monk Exalted Vajra, representing the Buddhist sect, sat cross-legged in the center of the square, surrounded by a dazzling golden aura that was almost too brilliant to look at directly.”

“Everyone was waiting, can you guess who they were waiting for?”

The storyteller glanced around and then took a sip of tea.

“Go on, tell us.”

“Need we guess? Isn’t it the expert from the Demon Sect?”

…..

The surrounding crowd urged noisily.

The storyteller cleared his throat and continued, “Just at that moment, the Buddhist light was swept away by a massive wave of sword Qi, sweeping across like the water of the Milky Way, unceasing and boundless. Under the watchful eyes of the multitude at the edge of the sky, a white-clothed sword immortal approached on a flying sword, finally landing gracefully in the square of Heavenly Martial Gate, silencing the crowd as everyone gazed at the newcomer with intense anticipation. This was no mere mortal but truly a sword immortal!”

Everyone present was stupefied, and just imagining in their minds, they could feel the spectacle of the white-clothed sword immortal sweeping away the Buddhist light and shocking the crowd upon his descent.

A swordsman clenched his fists, his face turning a vivid red.

He moved with his sword, his white robe billowing in the wind, indescribably carefree and dashing.

The Oiran, standing at the back of the crowd, also pictured that scene in her mind, her heart starting to pound uncontrollably.

At that moment, the storyteller noticed the radiant lady and hurriedly called out, “Lady Shui Rou from the Emerald Cloud Tower is also here to listen to the story, please have a seat.”

The surrounding crowd turned to look, a spark of interest in their eyes.

The Oiran chuckled softly and said, “Mr. Ye, you speak of this great sword immortal, and I am quite curious about him; I wonder where I might catch a glimpse of him.”

The crowd chuckled at this.

The storyteller shook his head and said, “Lady Shui Rou jests. Nowadays, every daughter of a notable family in Yujing City has been clamoring to get into the Three Forests Inn, even the daughter of the Minister of Rites couldn’t get in. It would be extremely difficult for Lady Shui Rou to meet him.”

As the words fell, the Oiran’s face flushed red, and she notably withdrew her previously ready invitation.

“Mr. Ye, please continue, what happened next?”

“Butcher Zhu, weren’t you just at Heavenly Martial Gate for the duel this morning?”

“I was there, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy hearing it retold, right?”

…..

The crowd kept up their noisy encouragement, seemingly oblivious to the Oiran of the Emerald Cloud Tower.

“Lady Shui Rou, please make yourself comfortable,”

The storyteller lightly coughed, then gazing past the crowd, continued, “Next, the truly thrilling part begins…”

“The great sword immortal?”

The Oiran gripped her invitation tightly, feeling an inexplicable sense of loss in her heart. If only she had known, she would have attended the Buddhist-Demon conflict today to witness this unmatched elegance of the great sword immortal.

…….

Lv Sect, Lv Mansion.

Zhou Xianming and Lv Jingchun hurried towards the inner courtyard.

Lv Guoyong was leisurely lying on a chair, eyes closed, resting.

Lv Jingchun quickly approached Lv Guoyong and said earnestly, “Grandfather, I won’t study anymore. I have made up my mind to practice swordsmanship.”

Qiu Lun was right, studying is useless, so why cling to books?

Lv Guoyong opened his eyes and said indifferently, “Are you sure you want to practice swordsmanship?”

Lv Jingchun, with a serious face, replied, “Yes, I’m sure.”

Lv Guoyong nodded slightly and said, “Then go find the steward, he will arrange a swordsmanship teacher for you.”

“Alright, I’ll go now.”

Upon hearing this, Lv Jingchun excitedly ran out of the courtyard, like a wild boar breaking free.

“Teacher?”

Zhou Xianming watched Lv Jingchun’s departing figure and said in a low voice.

He knew too well what kind of person Lv Jingchun was; practicing martial arts not only required Root Bone quality and certain resources and wealth but also required perseverance and determination.

Lv Jingchun did not seem to be someone with great determination and perseverance.

“Let him be.”

Lv Guoyong waved his hand and asked, “Has today’s contest concluded?”

Zhou Xianming nodded and said, “Doctor An won.”

“He really won, huh.”

Even though Lv Guoyong had vaguely sensed the outcome from the continuous Sword Skill, hearing Zhou Xianming recount it still elicited a sigh from him.

Now that An Jing held the National Teaching Order, he possessed great initiative; however, if not used well, it could also bring crises and troubles.

Zhou Xianming smiled and said, “Doctor An is a smart man; he won’t do anything foolish.”

“If he truly is a smart man, indeed he won’t do something foolish at this time.”

Lv Guoyong shook his head and said, “But sometimes, smart people also do foolish things, and that’s what I’m afraid of.”

Zhou Xianming thought for a moment and asked, “Teacher, are you talking about me?”

Lv Guoyong said somberly, “I’m talking about all the smart people in the world, not just you.”

Zhou Xianming fell silent.

Lv Guoyong patted Zhou Xianming’s shoulder and said with a smile, “Alright, don’t overthink it. Let’s go inside and talk over tea; I’m very curious about this thrilling duel.”

Saying this, Lv Guoyong walked towards the house.

“Yes.”

Zhou Xianming chuckled softly and quickly followed him.

……..

Yujing City, Kunning Palace.

Behind the screen, there was a graceful figure which, as it gently dressed, revealed a stunningly beautiful woman stepping out.

This woman was the mistress of Kunning Palace, Imperial Concubine Mu Xiaoyun.

At this moment, she wore a light purple long dress, her fair skin alluring, as if time had left no trace on this beauty.

“What day is it today?”

At her side, the eunuch Guang De said in a low voice, “September 23rd.”

“September 23rd, it’s been two months since I last saw His Majesty.”

Mu Xiaoyun calculated silently, and her red lips parted slightly, “Is the Imperial Buddha Jumps Wall ready?”

Guang De replied, “It’s ready.”

Mu Xiaoyun took a deep breath and said, “Let’s take this Imperial Buddha Jumps Wall and go see His Majesty in the Imperial Study Room.”

Saying this, she walked gracefully towards the Imperial Study Room.

The Imperial Study Room was in the center of the Imperial Palace, not far from Kunning Palace but still a walk away.

Along the way were palaces with golden roofs and red gateways with green tiles.

The glazed tile roofs with heavy eaves, red-painted doors, and same-level bases seemed to bind countless beauties.

Mu Xiaoyun looked around, her calm heart feeling a slight ripple, which quickly dissipated.

Often, a person’s heart experiences fluctuations, but those are only momentary.

Soon, Mu Xiaoyun and the eunuch Guang De arrived at the Zhengyang Palace.

Ancient trees reached the skies, awe-inspiring and majestic.

Just then, a figure hurried towards the Imperial Study Room.

Mu Xiaoyun asked, “Lord Xu, why are you in such a haste?”

As a trusted confidante of the Human Emperor who was allowed to carry a sword before him, Mu Xiaoyun was naturally familiar with him.

Xu Qianyue quickly saluted and replied, “Replying to Imperial Concubine, there’s a result in the Buddhist and Demon conflict at the Heavenly Martial Sect, and I am on my way to report.”

This Imperial Concubine, being the most favored in recent years and a distinguished figure before the Human Emperor, he naturally did not dare to neglect her.

Mu Xiaoyun asked, “Did the Buddhists win?”

Xu Qianyue replied gravely, “Outer Heaven won.”

Mu Xiaoyun furrowed her brows, “Isn’t An Jing of the Demon Sect just a young man? Even with extraordinary talents, he couldn’t possibly defeat the Buddhist Vajra, could he?”

The conflict between Buddhism and the Demon Sect naturally garnered her attention, as it affected the current situation in Yan Country. With her channels, she also clearly understood that this great battle was merely a trap laid by the Human Emperor. The National Teaching Order was intended solely for the Buddhists.

Furthermore, with the Exalted Vajra, the foremost among the Buddhist Vajras, firmly in place, the hope for Outer Heaven to seize the National Teaching Order was also extremely slim.

“An Jing of the Demon Sect has another identity, the Ghost Swordsman, and his Sword Dao has reached the Sixth Realm. Even the Exalted Vajra fell at his hands,” said another.

Xu Qianyue took a deep breath and said, “Please forgive me, Your Highness, the situation is extremely urgent. I must go and report the situation now.”

With that, Xu Qianyue headed straight for the Imperial Study Room.

“What!?”

Upon hearing these three words, Mu Xiaoyun felt as if she had been doused in cold water from head to toe, her whole body numb.

The emissary from the Demon Sect turned out to be the Ghost Swordsman!?

Not knowing how much time had passed, Mu Xiaoyun turned and headed towards Kunning Palace.

Grandmaster Guang De asked softly, “Your Highness, aren’t you going to the Imperial Study Room?”

Mu Xiaoyun, as if she hadn’t heard, continued on her way towards Kunning Palace on her own.

…….

Imperial Study Room.

Xu Qianyue walked in; this was a forbidden place within the Imperial Palace.

The number of people who could enter this Imperial Study Room definitely did not exceed three, and he was one of them.

The atmosphere inside the study room was majestic, filled with an aura of purple mist, mysterious and profound.

Xu Qianyue walked towards the interior, and after about dozens of steps, he saw Bai Mei, the eunuch, and his steps slightly paused.

Next to Bai Mei was a door, behind which was a quiet room.

In this quiet room was the most powerful person in contemporary Great Yan, the Emperor of Great Yan.

Even Zhenyi Sect Leader Xiao Qianqiu, a celestial talent known as the Sect Leader of a hundred thousand disciples, had to bow in the presence of the current Human Emperor.

“Your Majesty.”

Xu Qianyue walked to the door of the quiet room and knelt down.

A deep voice came from within the quiet room, “Buddhism lost?”

Xu Qianyue slowly said, “They lost. The person from the Demon Sect is actually the Ghost Swordsman. His cultivation has reached the rank of the Second Qi Grandmaster, and his Sword Dao has also reached the Sixth Realm, seemingly practicing the Heavenly Dao Sword, but it is different. I feel that his sword skill is even three parts stronger than that of the Heavenly Dao Sword.”

Bai Mei, the eunuch, asked in a low voice, “Stronger than the Heavenly Dao Sword, could it be the rumored Holy Dao Sword?”

The Fast Sword Dao and Killing Sword Dao among the Sword Dao are considered moderate and are not strong, whereas the Heavenly Dao Sword and Human Dao Sword belong to the extremely strong Sword Dao, generally comprehended only by top swordsmen.

The Four Symbols Sword Ancestor of the Four Symbols Sect practiced the Heavenly Dao Sword, while Lou Xiangzhen practiced the Human Dao Sword.

The stronger the Sword Dao, the stronger the sword intent, and similarly, the difficulty of advancing also increases.

There are numerous types of Sword Dao; aside from the Heavenly Dao Sword and Human Dao Sword, there is also the King Sword. Typically, those who practice the King Sword are royals and nobles, and such experts rarely appear in Jianghu, hence the Sword Dao of the King Sword is little known in Jianghu.

Above these diverse Sword Dao, there is also the mysterious Holy Dao Sword.

Compared to the Heavenly Dao Sword, Human Dao Sword, and King Sword, fewer people practice the Holy Dao Sword, and even in history, they are considered extremely rare.

Through ancient times to the present, swordsmen who practiced the Holy Dao Sword were among the very top, but very few have cultivated it to the Sixth Realm; however, without exception, those who reached the Sixth Realm were swordsmen whose fame shook an era or even several centuries.

The person inside the quiet room appeared to be pondering.

Xu Qianyue and Bai Mei remained silent.

After a long while, the individual inside the quiet room finally said, “I want to meet him.”

“Your Majesty…..”

Xu Qianyue was slightly astonished upon hearing this.

Considering the Human Emperor had declared he would not emerge for three years, but now, just for this An Jing, he was willing to emerge?

The tone of the individual inside the quiet room was calm but carried an unquestionable air, “In ten days, I want to meet him.”

“Understood.”

Having heard this, Xu Qianyue headed toward the door of the Imperial Study Room.

Watching Xu Qianyue leaving, Bai Mei inquired, “Your Majesty, has it been confirmed?”

The person inside the quiet room did not answer Bai Mei’s question but instead asked, “Recently, have those two made any moves?”

Bai Mei replied, “All is quiet.”

“That is best.”

Four words came from inside the quiet room, followed by silence.

Bai Mei felt a stir inside, contemplative.

……

The night was like thick ink, deep and unyielding.

In a serene courtyard, the lights were still brightly lit.

Zhao Mengtai looked at the white paper in front of him and said in a low voice, “Is this all the information on An Jing?”

Yue Tingchen stood by, his head lowered without a word.

“Yes.” Mo Yan said quietly from the side, “This is all the information on An Jing from Yu State City.”

Hearing this, Zhao Mengtai picked up the white paper and looked over it carefully. The information was extensive, but most of it was very commonplace, seeming only like an ordinary doctor.

The only thing that was particularly noteworthy was that An Jing’s medical skills were extremely exquisite, earning him the reputation as the Divine Doctor of Yu State City, and he had also married a wife as beautiful as a celestial being.

Zhao Mengtai slightly raised his eyebrows and said, “It seems that this woman must be the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.”

Mo Yan gravely said, “Yes, although An Jing serves as a tributor in the Demon Sect, he has managed to be an ordinary doctor in Yu State City without anyone knowing his true identity, which is quite terrifying.”

After all, who would have thought that an ordinary doctor in Yu State City could actually be a contemporary great sword immortal.

“Interesting.”

Zhao Mengtai took another look and always felt something was off, but he couldn’t pinpoint what exactly was strange at the moment, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Tingchen, take a look, do you see anything strange here?”

Yue Tingchen took over the information and after a moment finally spoke, “Second Prince, it doesn’t seem too strange. The Ghost Swordsman attacking the Demon Sect is to save Zhao Qingmei, after all, according to previous information, Zhao Qingmei was trapped under the Sealing Demon Well, which makes sense and is logical. However, I am curious about what their purpose is for hiding in Yu State city.”

Zhao Mengtai applauded and said, “Exactly, what is the purpose of their hiding in Yu State City as a couple?”

Yue Tingchen shook his head and said, “I can’t guess it at this moment.”

“These issues are minor; the most important thing now is this National Teaching Decree.”

Zhao Mengtai thought for a moment and said, “Check out what hobbies An Jing usually has, the day after tomorrow, I intend to hold a grand banquet and meet this Ghost Swordsman.”

Upon hearing this, Yue Tingchen looked downward and blinked, saying, “Your Highness, this doctor usually enjoys visiting the entertainment quarters and listening to operas.”

……

Although the conflict between Buddhism and Demons had ended, the reverberations had just begun. The sounds of hawks above Yujing City were incessant, spreading the results of today’s great battle to all parts of the world.

In addition, various forces also tried their best to transmit the specific intelligence within their jurisdiction, and undercurrents surged for a time, which was even more intense than before the conflict between Buddhism and Demons.

After all, the current situation of the world is interconnected, especially concerning the events of Yan Country, the Demon Sect, and Buddhism, attracting everyone’s attention.

How this event would develop further, no one knew.

Outside the city, in the inn.

In the room, a lamp was lit.

Qian Cishan smiled broadly, “An Tributor, the sword you wielded today was truly formidable; that leading Buddhist Vajra felt like tofu under your sword, and the people from the Yan Kingdom Court seemed stunned.”

“Moreover, at dusk, an unknown number of noble daughters and aristocratic ladies arrived at the inn entrance, and if it were not for the strict guard of the Imperial Guards, they would have nearly stormed inside…..”

At this moment, Qian Cishan suddenly felt a surge of killing intent and looked up to see Yu Qiurong’s extremely cold gaze.

An Jing took a deep breath and said, “Though we have obtained the National Teaching Order now, we can also start negotiations with the Yan Kingdom Court.”

Yu Qiurong asked, “Son-in-law, aren’t we going back first?”

In her opinion, having obtained this National Teaching Order, they could return to Dongluo Pass and then call on the followers to come back to Yan Country to preach as planned.

After all, this National Teaching Order was issued by the Yan Kingdom Court; surely they wouldn’t break their promise, given that they are a vast empire and such actions would definitely be despised by all people.

An Jing said solemnly, “It would probably be extremely difficult to take this National Teaching Order away.”

The Yan Kingdom Court would definitely not allow the Demon Sect to take away the National Teaching Order so easily, and the Zhenyi Sect would do the same. When that time comes, it might result in an ambush similar to the one at Yunlin Inn.

And this ambush would be unprecedented in scale, because he defeated the Exalted Vajra, others wouldn’t dare to act rashly, but once they did, it would be with a thunderous momentum.

Yu Qiurong’s eyes brightened as she said, “Son-in-law, do you intend to use this National Teaching Order to negotiate terms with Yan Country?”

Although being recognized as the national religion would bring immense glory and greatly enhance the fame of the Demon Sect, beyond that, there wouldn’t be many other benefits. No one knew whether the Court’s support was earnest or insincere. If it was the latter, the National Teaching Order would be nothing more than a title, offering no real help to the Demon Sect.

An Jing nodded slightly, and just then, footsteps arrived outside the door.

A high-ranking expert from the Earth Sect of the Demon Sect walked in and said, “An Tributor, the new Great Commander of the Xuanyi Guard, Xu Qianyue, has arrived.”

Qian Cishan chuckled, “Coming so late, it seems they are really in a hurry.”

An Jing said, “Let him come in.”

The new Great Commander of the Xuanyi Guard, Xu Qianyue, had his information laid on Zhao Qingmei’s desk three days after taking office, so An Jing naturally knew about this visit.

The Human Emperor’s personal sword-wielding guard was no ordinary person.

After a short while, a middle-aged man dressed in black entered alone, his face expressionless like a wooden puppet, with a long saber on his waist, his entire presence condensed, without a trace of Qi leaking.

An Jing couldn’t discern his specific cultivation level; clearly, he possessed a highly sophisticated Concealing Method.

An Jing stood up, smiled faintly, and said, “Lord Xu, you honor us with your presence.”

Even though Xu Qianyue had seen An Jing during the day, he couldn’t help but scrutinize him up close and then said, “Your swordsmanship is very skilled, definitely among the top three of the current era.”

If one knew Xu Qianyue, they would understand that he rarely praised others openly.

In his heart, An Jing was indeed the number one swordsman among all he had encountered to date, surpassing even Lin Yiyang.

As for the battle at Abyss Lake, he hadn’t attended, so he made no judgment concerning Lou Xiangzhen’s strength.

An Jing waved his hand and calmly said, “There are many talented people in this world, who knows? Furthermore, these are just empty honors.”

Xu Qianyue looked deeply at An Jing and said, “You are too modest. Your sword is strong.”

A swordsman who is not burdened by empty honors is extremely rare.

Because he himself was such a person.

And similar people invariably respect each other.

“This saber is not weak either.”

An Jing glanced at the saber at Xu Qianyue’s waist and then laughed out loud, “Lord Xu, you surely didn’t come so late just for mutual flattery, did you?”

“Of course not.”

Xu Qianyue placed his hand on the hilt of the saber and slowly said, “Since An Tributor has taken away the National Teaching Order, Outer Heaven will now be our Yan Country’s national religion. This is a state affair, naturally, it cannot be taken lightly.”

“Therefore, the Human Emperor intends to meet An Tributor in person.”

……

PS: It’s the beginning of the month, so I’m asking for votes.