I Killed Gods and Demons in Song Dynasty

Chapter 206: Join the Game, Moon Demon Attacks

While Cao Guojiu was concentrating on thinking, a servant came hurriedly and bowed to report:

"Master, there are several Taoist priests outside the door who want to see you. They say they are old acquaintances of yours and are here to visit you."

Cao Jingxiu's mind moved slightly, and he immediately sensed the breath of the person who came, which was unexpectedly familiar.

His expression changed slightly, and several figures quickly appeared in his mind. He said quickly:
"Open the door quickly and let them in!"

But after a moment's hesitation, he suddenly felt something was wrong, so he stood up and walked out of the lobby quickly:
"Forget it, I'll go and greet him myself!"

He Xiangu, who was standing aside, raised the corner of her mouth slightly, revealing a faint smile.

Although she said nothing, there was a meaningful light in her eyes. Her smile was like a spring breeze, but also carried a hint of sarcasm and mystery.

This subtle movement immediately made Cao Jingzhi, who was standing next to him, intoxicated, as if a gentle electric current penetrated his heart.

He hardly dared to blink, for fear of missing any smile or frown from this Fairy He.

He Xiangu ignored Cao Jingzhi's obsession, slowly stood up, followed Cao Jingxiu with light steps, and walked out of the door silently, carrying a wisp of orchid fragrance that was not tainted by the world.

As the gate slowly opened, the morning light poured into the courtyard.

Outside the door, a group of people filed in, led by none other than Donghua Emperor Wang Xuanfu. He had a calm expression, a pine-like look, and walked leisurely.

The several monks who came with him were all wearing Longhu Mountain Taoist robes. They had solemn expressions, showing the majesty of the world's number one Taoist sect.

Seeing this, Cao Guojiu was startled and quickly stepped forward, bowing and saluting:
"So it's Senior Emperor Donghua who has come to visit us. I apologize for not welcoming you in person!"

Wang Xuanfu nodded slightly, clasped his fists in return, and smiled warmly:
"Is it not a problem for my nephew to come here uninvited? I and a few of my fellow apprentices from Mount Longhu came to Bianliang City on official business, and would like to stop by and bother you for a few days. What do you think?"

Cao Jingxiu didn't dare to be negligent at all, and said quickly:
"Senior, what are you talking about? I am honored to have you and several high-level masters here! I will definitely host a banquet tonight to welcome you and show my hospitality."

Wang Xuanfu nodded in agreement, but when his gaze moved behind Cao Jingxiu, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the graceful lady standing quietly beside him.

He Xiangu was standing there calmly with a cold expression. When she saw Wang Xuanfu looking at her, she smiled slightly, her eyes like water, calm and composed.

A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Xuanfu's eyes, and he couldn't help but speak:
"The fairy is here too? What a coincidence..."

He Xiangu raised her eyebrows slightly, smiled lightly, and asked:

"Emperor Donghua can come, so why can't I?"

Her tone was gentle, but it carried an unquestionable confidence. Her relaxed and somewhat provocative attitude made Cao Jingxiu sweat secretly, and he could only smile to smooth things over:

"Haha, the fairy is joking."

Cao Guojiu has been a powerful figure in the officialdom for decades, and his mind is much more astute than that of ordinary people. Although he tried his best to conceal it, he knew in his heart that although this scene seemed relaxed, it actually concealed a mystery.

It was no coincidence that He Xiangu and Wang Xuanfu came uninvited at the same time. There must be a huge secret behind it.

His heart tightened and he felt as if he was caught up in the edge of a huge conspiracy.

In order to avoid an awkward situation, Cao Guojiu quickly ordered his servants to take everyone to a quiet and elegant courtyard in the mansion.

There, surrounded by bamboo forests and winding corridors, there is a faint medicinal fragrance in the air, as if far away from the troubles of the world, exuding a quiet yet secretive atmosphere.

Soon, after the greetings, Uncle Cao said goodbye and left, and the atmosphere in the courtyard instantly became a little more relaxed.

The surroundings were so quiet that only the sound of wind blowing through bamboo leaves could be heard, and even the air had a hint of the coolness of early autumn.

Suddenly, He Xiangu's expression changed. She put two fingers together and waved them lightly. An invisible spell spread out like ripples, instantly blocking the surrounding space and preventing any outsiders from spying.

After doing all this, she rolled her eyes lightly, leaned lazily on the rocking chair in the yard, with a leisurely posture, crossed her legs, and rocked the chair gently.

Her actions were completely different from her previous cold and aloof image in front of everyone.

That laziness and unruliness made Wang Xuanfu frown, with some doubts in his eyes:

"Why is the fairy here too?"

He Xiangu put her hands behind her head and looked at Wang Xuanfu with a smile, with a hint of ridicule:
"Isn't it because of my brother Chunyangzi? He is worried about his precious disciple and is afraid that something might go wrong without the sixth realm to guard Bianliang City, so he asked me to protect Uncle Cao first."

Wang Xuanfu nodded, and then asked:
"Okay, what specific plans does the fairy have next?"

He Xiangu lazily leaned on the rocking chair, rocking gently, her posture elegant and casual:
"What else can I do? Of course, I will use Cao Jingxiu as bait to catch the big fish, Moon Demon.

"It's a full moon tonight, the Moon Demon will most likely take this opportunity to attack."

She casually glanced at Wang Xuanfu and the people from Longhu Mountain beside him, "The Moon Demon's magic crystal contains a large amount of moon essence, which will be of great benefit to my cultivation.

"If you kill the Moon Demon and get the magic crystal, you may as well name a price so that we can all benefit from it."

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes suddenly stopped at Li Qingyun. Curiosity flashed in her clear eyes, and her tone was a bit teasing:

"Eh? Why is there still a little guy in the Nascent Soul stage? Is Longhu Mountain so short of manpower? At this level, he is not even qualified to be cannon fodder in Bianliang City."

As the eldest senior brother, Zhang Shouzhen hurried forward to explain:
"This is Gao Ren'an. He has formed the Infinite Primordial Infant and is the future successor of our Longhu Mountain. This time, Master asked him to come with us to Bianliang City to see the world and hone his skills."

When He Xiangu heard this, a hint of interest flashed in her eyes.

She raised her eyebrows slightly and smiled even more:

"Oh... Wuliang Immortal Infant? So that's how it is. I was wondering why he has a special aura."

She stared at Li Qingyun, curled her lips, and said jokingly:
"Little Taoist priest, don't blame me for not reminding you. You must hide well tonight. Your special physique is most favored by the creatures in the spiritual world. If they find you, they will definitely eat you up in one bite."

Li Qingyun took a step forward with a smile and saluted:

"Thank you for the reminder, Fairy Senior."

He Xiangu waved her hand and said nonchalantly:

"Okay, okay. Hey, don't call me senior. I like this little girl. Call me 'sister' for me to hear."

Zhang Shouzhen interrupted quickly, with a trace of uneasiness on his face:
"Fairy, this is really not in accordance with etiquette. You are of such a noble status and Ren'an is just a junior. How can you address him like this? This is too..."

He Xiangu rolled her eyes at Zhang Shouzhen and interrupted him rudely:
"You're the only one who talks too much. What's the matter? I'm old and can't be his sister anymore?"

Zhang Shouzhen was embarrassed and his face turned red and white. Just as he was about to explain, he saw Li Qingyun walking towards him with a smile.

He gently pulled He Xiangu's sleeve and said with a smile:
"Sister, you can't call me 'sister' casually. If you do, it might sound old to you. People who don't know you might think you're my sister."

He Xiangu was stunned for a moment, then laughed so hard that her body shook violently, and the chair almost shook over. She raised her hand to cover her lips, unable to hide her smile:
"Little guy, you are really good at talking! Your tongue is much better than those of your fellow apprentices.

"Once things here are settled, if you survive, are you interested in going to the East China Sea with your sister?"

The East China Sea is the frontline position against the creatures from the spiritual world. It is guarded by the four dragon kings and many sixth-level human warriors, and is extremely dangerous.

He Xiangu's words made Meng Jianfang's heart skip a beat and his face turned pale immediately.

She was about to speak out to stop him, but she saw that Li Qingyun did not hesitate at all, and instead showed a faint smile on his face:

"That's great, sister, since you said so, don't break your promise when the time comes." He Xiangu raised her eyebrows slightly, still with that cynical smile on her face:
"Don't worry, sister always keeps her word."

……

As night fell quietly, the hustle and bustle of Bianliang City gradually faded away, and the whole city was immersed in tranquility.

However, the Prince's Mansion was a busy scene.

Servants shuttled back and forth, busy preparing the feast. The aroma of fine wine and delicacies from land and sea were delivered into the hall like flowing water.

The firelight illuminated the high sky, there was singing and dancing, and the music continued, igniting a luxurious feast where the secular world and the immortal world intersected.

When the servants in the mansion saw that the master was going to entertain the immortals on land and the high-level masters from Mount Longhu, they all looked excited and worked even faster.

They whispered to each other, with a hint of pride in their words, as if their master had made friends with the immortals and they themselves had gained some of their immortal aura.

At this time, Cao Jingxiu was wearing a formal suit and sitting in the main seat in the lobby. He had his usual gentle smile on his face, but his heart was already in turmoil.

After three rounds of drinks, his thoughts became more complicated.

Although he was born with a moonlit body and his progress in cultivation far exceeded that of ordinary people, compared with masters like Wang Xuanfu and He Xiangu who have lived for hundreds of years, his cultivation is simply insignificant.

Even in front of the Longhu Mountain Mage who was also in the Yin Shen Realm, he was just a "casual cultivator" without any sect or school. Without the support and protection of top masters, he drifted like duckweed in the waves of the cultivation world.

A slightly larger wave would be enough to drown him.

Cao Guojiu knew very well that the reason why these top monks gathered together was definitely not because of his insignificant status in the court.

Their target was obviously some major operation, and it must be closely related to him.

Thinking of this, Cao Jingxiu's annoyance became increasingly difficult to suppress.

The wine added to his sorrow. He drank a few cups and felt a little restless. He stood up and pretended to smile, then bowed to everyone.
"Excuse me for a moment, everyone. I'm going to go to the bathroom."

Before he finished speaking, he hurriedly left the banquet and walked towards a remote courtyard.

Cao Jingxiu walked alone on the path in the mansion. Although he was away from the hustle and bustle of the lobby, the feeling of being watched could not be shaken off.

The thoughts of the powerful men around him were entangled with him like invisible threads, as if countless pairs of eyes were secretly watching his every move.

Although they did not attack him and had no obvious ill intentions, this silent oppression still made him upset.

He was a Yin spirit, extremely sensitive to Qi. Noticing these undisguised prying eyes, he became increasingly annoyed, and paced around the mansion like a headless fly.

After a moment, he pushed open a moon door and was suddenly stunned. He saw a young Taoist priest standing alone in the quiet and cold courtyard, with his back leaning against a high stone wall, holding a pot of wine in his right hand and a fat and tender duck leg in his left hand, and eating with relish.

The Taoist's clothes were slightly open, with some oil stains on the corners of his mouth, and he looked very casual.

When he saw Cao Guojiu, he was slightly startled, then he smiled brilliantly:

"I am Gao Ren'an from Longhu Mountain, and I am honored to meet His Majesty the King's Uncle."

Cao Guojiu looked at this young Taoist priest who only had Nascent Soul cultivation and was slightly surprised:
"Little Taoist priest, why are you drinking here alone? Don't you feel lonely?"

Li Qingyun shrugged and said with a smile:
"All the people sitting at the same table are seniors. I am a junior with low cultivation and seniority. How can I be qualified to sit with those seniors? Besides, I don't like those kinds of restrained occasions. I can only enjoy myself here."

Cao Jingxiu couldn't help laughing, thinking that this young Taoist priest was quite interesting, so he raised his hand and took out a jar of fine wine from his storage device, gently opened the seal, and the aroma of wine immediately filled the air.

He sat down next to Li Qingyun and handed him a glass of wine:

"I heard that you are the future heir of the Daozi of Longhu Mountain. If even you say that you are not qualified, then I am even less qualified. In this case, how about you and I drink a cup together?"

Li Qingyun said calmly:

"This is your house, my uncle. You can drink wherever you want."

After hearing this, Cao Jingxiu looked at Li Qingyun meaningfully:
"Young Taoist priest is right. How long have you been practicing in Longhu Mountain?"

Li Qingyun looked at the powerful uncle of the emperor in front of him and couldn't help but feel a little funny.

As a royal relative, he actually lowered himself and tried to get close to him, even showing a bit of helplessness and pity. Perhaps he really realized something.

But he didn't care and answered truthfully:
"I just started not long ago, about half a month."

Cao Guojiu was shocked when he heard this: In just over half a month, he was chosen as the successor of the next Taoist priest? Could this young Taoist priest be the reincarnation of the Heavenly Master, or some kind of gifted genius?

His heart was shaken, but he tried to remain calm, poured himself a drink, looked into the distance, and sighed softly with a bit of loneliness:

“I am also a Taoist, and I have always wanted to visit the sacred place of the Heavenly Master Mansion in Mount Longhu. Unfortunately, I have lived for most of my life without the opportunity.

"When I was young, I was ignorant and didn't even know what cultivation was. When I became successful in cultivation, I found that I had been entangled in worldly affairs and couldn't leave this Bianliang city."

As he spoke, he picked up the wine jar, took a few big gulps of the strong liquor, and said with a breath of alcohol:

"Little Taoist priest, do you think I will have a chance to visit Mount Longhu in the future?"

Li Qingyun glanced at Cao Jingxiu and knew in his heart that this uncle of the emperor must have realized the purpose of his and others' visit, but Wang Xuanfu had spent a lot of effort to set up this trap, and he didn't want to point it out easily and ruin other people's good deeds.

Moreover, remembering that Cao Jingxiu had indulged his younger brother Cao Jingzhi in the past to act tyrannically and recklessly in Bianliang City, he did not have much good feelings towards this uncle of the emperor, so he simply kept silent and continued drinking his wine.

When Cao Guojiu saw Li Qingyun's attitude, he knew that his guess was correct after all. He laughed at himself and said:

"Forget it. I don't want to go either. Bianliang City is prosperous and lively, so it's not bad to stay here. If you have the opportunity to meet Master Chunyang in the future, please tell him that Cao Jingxiu has always been thinking about him."

Li Qingyun raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard this.

To his surprise, there was no trace of resentment or fear in Cao Guojiu's tone. Instead, it revealed a kind of calmness and relief, as if he had already accepted his fate.

"My Lord..."

Li Qingyun was about to say something when he suddenly felt a chill in his heart.

A strong sense of oppression suddenly surged in from all directions, as if great terror and disaster were about to befall us from the unknown.

The feeling of being secretly watched by so many eyes was like a thorn in his back, making him uncomfortable all over.

At the same time, Cao Jingxiu's expression suddenly became solemn.

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes as sharp as lightning, staring straight at the dark night sky.

The night wind blew gently, the bamboo forest swayed, and there was deathly silence.

"Enemy attack!"

Before he finished speaking, Cao Guojiu shot up like an arrow, instantly turning into a stream of light and rushing towards the night sky, aiming directly at the outskirts of Bianliang City...

……

(End of this chapter)