The court lackeys of the eight-hour workday

Chapter 620 Poor

The figure painting, composed of connective tissue resembling scars, extends from below Madam Xu's collarbone down to her lower abdomen.

The painting is clear and concise, in no way inferior to the works of any master, and the style is not freehand, but a very rare meticulous painting.

He wore a wide robe with long sleeves, and a tall hat and broad belt.

Although his face is blurry, judging from his outline, Kawakami-sama should be a thin-cheeked, clear-eyed, and somewhat effeminate man with an otherworldly air, as if he were a celestial being.

Seeing Li Miao staring at her, Madam Xu's face darkened with anger. She pulled her tattered clothes over her chest, a cold glint in her eyes.

Li Miao narrowed his eyes slightly.

For a seasoned member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard like him, even if the face was blurred, it was enough for him to analyze a lot of information about the old man on the river from the painting.

For example, the divine paintings that record the sword techniques of the deity are all from the hand of Kawakami Takehito, so this is a self-portrait. Self-portraits are often somewhat distorted, but they tend to express the true thoughts of the person who painted them.

The old man on the river was dressed like a Confucian scholar, but his demeanor and movements were more like those of a Taoist priest.

"When Kawakami was painting this, he was in Japan. Moreover, this painting was intended to serve as the foundation for the Shinto religion, yet he painted himself dressed as a Confucian scholar..."

Li Miao's mind raced.

"Therefore, this Confucian scholar's robe is either the clothes he is used to wearing, or the clothes he hopes he will wear... After returning to Da Shuo, consult the ancient books and make some deductions based on the timeline, and you should be able to screen out a few suspects from the Confucian scholars of that time."

"If Master Ji has other clues, combining them might allow us to deduce his true identity."

"Also, didn't Madam Xu blurt out 'The Supreme One is Heartless' earlier? Judging from the context, this sentence was very likely spoken by the old man from the river."

"There is a saying in Taoist classics, 'The Supreme Being Forgets Emotions,' but I've never heard of 'The Supreme Being Is Without Emotions.' It must be the original creation of the Old Man of the River... Judging from the Old Man of the River's past actions, he does deserve the title of 'Without Emotions,' but what does 'Supreme Being' mean..."

While Li Miao pondered deeply, having ingrained detective work into his instincts, it only took him a moment to extrapolate his thought process to this point.

The fighting has not yet ended.

Li Miao temporarily paused his deduction and looked at Madam Xu.

"Angry?"

"Just because I called him disgusting?"

Madam Xu's face was cold and hard, and she did not say a word.

Calmness often stems from not addressing the core issue.

Injury, pain, and even death will not shake this celestial being who is even more ancient than An Qisheng. Although she wears the skin of a young girl, inside her is a heart that has gone through thousands of years of struggle and may have even fought against Bodhidharma and Sanfeng.

But Li Miao's casual remark, "It's disgusting," made without knowing the true nature of the painting, was enough to shake her resolve.

"It's a little weird."

Li Miao rubbed his chin.

"Xu Fu, An Qisheng, and you."

“These three celestial beings have lived for thousands of years. They've eaten more excrement than I've eaten imperial cuisine, and they must have experienced countless life-and-death situations... Why are they all so devoted to him?”

"Let's leave aside An Qisheng, that schizophrenic psychopath."

He pointed at Madam Xu from a distance.

“You are clearly of sound mind. Xu Fu was able to trick the First Emperor into giving him three thousand boys and girls and a huge fleet. He must have been a smart man.”

Why are you two so devoted to someone who keeps hiding his true identity?

"Reality is not a storybook, and loyalty is not a rootless duckweed; it must have a foundation... Simply imparting knowledge and teaching skills is not enough to serve for a thousand years, is it?"

Li Miao suddenly paused.

"Wait."

Sexual function.

“An Qisheng’s memories of him have been erased, so can he also tamper with memories or emotions... tsk.”

Li Miao looked up.

"Hey."

Do you consider yourself to be of sound mind?

He was just spouting nonsense out of habit, and didn't think his casual inferences would reveal any truth, but as he finished speaking, his eyes narrowed.

Mrs. Xu's reaction was somewhat strange.

Normally, upon hearing that her father-in-law on the river was being manipulated by Li Miao at will, she should have felt the same murderous intent as before.

Madam Xu's reaction was indeed like that. Upon hearing the last sentence, Madam Xu's eyes turned cold, and the murderous intent she revealed deepened.

But it only lasted for a moment.

For a fleeting moment, her gaze went vacant.

Then he returned to his previous state of bulging veins, and his surging killing intent returned to the level it was when he heard the words "disgusting".

It's like... my mind has been reset.

Li Miao raised an eyebrow.

"...You actually guessed right?"

"try again."

"The old man on the river is an idiot."

Before she finished speaking, Madam Xu's killing intent surged, and she raised her hand and pointed at Li Miao from a distance, sending the [Mixed Nether] flying towards him.

Li Miao dodged to the side.

"Your master is a despicable person who manipulates the minds of others."

As he spoke, he suddenly rushed forward, his gaze fixed on Madam Xu's face, especially her eyes, taking in every minute detail.

"The interval between [Mortal Confusion] requires one breath."

"At the current distance, it will only take me a breath to reach her, so she will definitely use [Mixed Darkness] when she finishes her breath adjustment, otherwise she will have no chance."

"But if I guess right..."

It's over in a breath!
Madam Xu interlocked her fingers, her killing intent as cold as raw iron, and was about to unleash [Mixed Darkness]... but she suddenly stopped.

Just like before, her gaze went blank for a moment before returning to clarity. She was about to lock onto Li Miao and unleash [Mixed Darkness] when her pupils suddenly contracted!

Li Miao was already standing in front of her!

Just a moment ago they were several feet away!
It was as if a moment of her time had been stolen!
"Jizhao!?"

Madam Xu's mind raced, and she thought that her mind had been shaken, and that Li Miao's Jizhao had taken advantage of her vulnerability and affected her sanity.

Li Miao simply smiled knowingly.

"Pitiful."

With that, he threw a punch!
Madam Xu was caught off guard and had no time to react. She could only turn around and shrug her shoulder, while simultaneously setting up the [Mixed Darkness] formation in front of her, attempting to withstand the punch head-on.

Bang!
scoff!

Blood is flying!

Madam Xu coughed up blood and flew backward, her left shoulder caved in, and half of her fair neck was torn apart by the fist. However, she was still conscious and tried to use the force of the blow to escape Li Miao's attack range.

But how could Li Miao let her off the hook?

With his left hand forming a claw, he grabbed Madam Xu's legs and yanked them down. His right fist pierced through the air and slammed into her waist and abdomen once more.

Bang!
One punch and his intestines would burst open.

Li Miao showed no mercy, pulling Madam Xu down again and throwing another punch at her head!

Madam Xu was barely conscious.

"Dead end."

"Not only are the two Xuanlans so outstanding, but his Jizhao is also so remarkable that he can influence my mind silently... My death is inevitable."

"I can still fire one [Mixed Darkness]."

If Madam Xu were to strike Li Miao's vital points with [Chaos] at such close range, there might be a sliver of hope that she could exchange her life for Li Miao's.

But she didn't do that.

The fist was about to strike her face when she suddenly raised her hand.

"Xu Fu!"

"give it to you!"

A finger was extended over Li Miao's shoulder.

He pointed to the magnificent palanquin carrying Shika Musou, Miyoshi Ryota, and Nanako.

(End of this chapter)