The fake prince was exposed at the beginning, and I took office as emperor on the spot

Chapter 233 The Incompetent Wife (Four Chapters Combined)

When Gu Fangchen returned to Yi'er's tent, she saw the two women cricketing behind her.

Yi'er covered her mouth and whispered:

"I thought you were a pampered young master, but I never expected you would be able to endure being a common soldier in the army?"

"?"

A question mark appeared above Gu Fangchen's head as she looked at Prajna Lotus Moon.

I asked you to keep an eye on her, not for you to gossip about my embarrassing past!
While it can't really be considered a dark history, if you follow the timeline, it is indeed the path he took to get where he came from.

However, from Yi'er's perspective, Gu Fangchen's image has always been that of a pampered heir of the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion, fitting the descriptions of talented scholars and beautiful women in romantic novels.

Otherwise, Yi'er's attitude towards him wouldn't have been so different back then.

To put it another way, given his character setting and his gender-swapped status in these stories, he would be a cold, aloof fairy in white, with a round, white bottom that he wouldn't even use for pooping, the kind who starts off dismissive but later just starts making a fuss.

She has absolutely nothing to do with the lowly soldiers who wallow in the mud at the bottom of society... But if the white-robed sword immortal was a maid who washed people's feet before, it would probably enrich her character and allow for a threat like "You don't want your dark history to be known, do you?"

But Gu Fangchen's image has never been good. From a spoiled young master to a traitor who murdered the emperor, it did not ruin the impression he had in Yi'er's heart.

Prajna Lotus Moon has a special identity and is always blindfolded. Apart from her personal maid, no one has ever seen her true appearance. As a mortal, Yi'er naturally does not know the true face of the Holy Maiden of the Tara Sect.

Prajna Lotus Moon introduced herself to Yi'er under the identity of "Gu Mingzhu".

She concealed her true identity, only saying that Gu Fangchen was the reincarnation of her adoptive father, and now that the two had recognized each other, she had come to lend Gu Fangchen a helping hand.

When Prajna Lotus Moon saw Gu Fangchen coming over, she immediately sat up straight, her face radiant and holy, looking completely innocent, as if she hadn't said anything.

Gu Fangchen was both amused and exasperated. She stepped forward, bent her fingers, and gently flicked Banruo Lianyue's smooth forehead.

"Don't be ridiculous."

Prajna Lotus Moon covered her forehead, looked up at him, and her blue eyes had a pitiful look in them.

At this moment, the majesty of the Tara sect's holy woman, maintained for five hundred years, vanished completely, leaving only the mischievous little girl who had grown up spoiled by her adoptive father.

The two of them were momentarily stunned when their eyes met.

The reaction was so natural, as if the five-hundred-year gap never existed.

Prajna Lotus Moon's eyes instantly welled up with tears, and the joy in her heart was almost uncontrollable. She knew that Gu Fangchen was currently tormented by her inner demons, and what she feared most was that if Gu Fangchen overcame her inner demon tribulation, she would sever all feelings for her.

After all, his current reaction seems to be a struggle between being sentimental and indifferent.

But now it seems that with the improvement of his cultivation, a portion of his emotions has returned.

This made Prajna Lotus Moon breathe a sigh of relief.

She looked away, shifted to the side, and whispered:
"I'm not being silly. I've already told Yi'er the general outline of what happened. You can tell her about the identity theft."

Gu Fangchen also came to her senses and felt that it was only at this moment that the images of Gu Mingzhu and Banruo Lianyue truly overlapped.

After all, it wasn't just Prajna Lotus Moon who was unaware at the time; he himself didn't know that what he was facing was not an illusion, but reality.

The differences in appearance and personality between two people are difficult to bridge in a short period of time.

Prajna Lotus Moon subconsciously revealed her girlish demeanor, which made him instinctively act in the way he should when facing Gu Mingzhu.

If the inner demon Gu Fangchen is facing right now is indeed a matter of love or indifference from past and present lives, then he should break free from it now.

But unfortunately, that's not the case.

Gu Fangchen shook her head inwardly, sat down next to Yi'er, took her hand, and said:
“Your appearance and temperament are similar to the Dao Master of the ‘Destruction’ Dao. You only need to show up. I will take care of the rest.”

Although Yi'er and the "Four-Phase Tribulation Master" are the same person, her personality is, after all, that of a mortal, and without cultivation, it would be difficult for her to directly deceive others.

Therefore, Gu Fangchen still has to rely on the "Chaos Wheel of Calamity" that is still on her body.

Last time, only by relying on the "Six Star Lords" could the cause and effect between him and the "Chain of Karmic Calamity" be separated, but it was still impossible to completely separate them directly.

The person who "destroyed" the Dao probably already knows that he took the "Chain of Calamity and Karma," so it's definitely not feasible for him to impersonate him.

However, those who "destroyed" the Dao, including the "Six Star Lords," probably still haven't figured out why Yi'er left with Gu Fangchen and then disappeared without a trace.

Yi'er's identity remains impeccable at this moment.

With Yi'er's intervention, coupled with his "Chaos Wheel of Calamity" and "Trickster" skills, even if the other Dao Lords of the Demonic Sects were to arrive, there would be no flaws whatsoever.

Although doing so was indeed a way of half-coaxing and half-deceiving Yi'er, putting her in danger.

But Gu Fangchen had no time left.

Just now, Su Le and Mo He Wu Liang told Gu Fang Chen that after Xiao Sheng ascended the throne, a new dragon vein appeared on Yao Mountain, greatly enhancing the prestige of the new emperor.

In addition, Xiao Sheng had served as the Crown Prince and regent for 150 years, and his own prestige was not low, which immediately brought about a new national destiny.

Although the nation's fortunes are still relatively weak, they are already sufficient to be of use.

The two dragon veins neutralized the Sword Pavilion dragon vein and the National Seal that Gu Fangchen took away.

The "Wrathful Dragon Vein" also contains the resentment of the remnant souls of reincarnations in the Central Plains throughout history. Although it is resentment, it truly spans five dynasties.

The memories and intentions contained within are enough to replace the lost dragon veins of the two dynasties.

Subsequently, Xiao Sheng immediately joined forces with Yaoshan Academy to accelerate the collection of the remaining two dragon veins.

Now, another one has been achieved.

With just one more step, the grand formation of "Eternal Unity" will be completed, connecting the end of the Great Wei Dynasty with the beginning of the Ancient Zhou Dynasty.

What's frightening is that, because the beginning of the ancient Zhou dynasty coincided with the break in the "Great Age of Furnaces," the preceding history had already been completely erased.

To catch up with Gu Zhou, we need to repeat the process.

This means that... it would require the majority of people to die out completely to achieve this.

Xie Qian has remained out of the public eye, presumably to conserve his strength for the end and beginning of this first cycle.

If you think about it carefully, you will find out why the "Hengchang Dao Master" chose to possess each of the beginning and end monarchs of the dynasty.

In this way, no matter how Xie Qian chooses to cycle through his [Eternal Unity], "Master Hengchang" can intervene and control it again, thus still having the opportunity to change everything.

This is the true game between the two.

Gu Fangchen's task now is not only to prevent the completion of [Eternal Unity of Heaven], but also to complete other tasks before all the dragon veins are collected, making it a race against time.

Therefore, although this plan was somewhat risky for Yi'er, he had no choice but to do it.

Yi'er looked at him, blinked, and said:
"Yi'er doesn't know anything about the 'Destruction' Dao, but as long as it's something Young Master asks Yi'er to do, Yi'er is willing to do it."

Gu Fangchen took her hand and said in a serious voice:

"Yi'er, this is a difficult matter. You are not only helping me, but also the people of the world. I will do everything in my power to protect your safety."

Looking at his serious expression, Yi'er blushed for some reason and nodded as if she understood.

"Oh."

Gu Fangchen patted her head:
"Rest now, we'll be leaving soon."

Seeing him about to leave, Yi'er suddenly realized something, grabbed him, and asked very seriously:
"Young master, this journey is very dangerous, and I am very important, aren't I?"

Gu Fangchen, not understanding, nodded.

Yi'er then clenched her little fists as if to encourage herself, and then, with a serious and methodical expression, opened her pair of gentle almond-shaped eyes and said:

"Young master, you don't want the plan to fail, do you?"

Gu Fangchen's face darkened.

It's one thing for the eldest princess to like this trick, but why are you doing it too?
However, it was obvious that the eldest princess was just doing it out of interest, while Yi'er in front of her had undoubtedly been reading some rather improper book... he meant, a storybook.

They're just mimicking the behavior in those storybooks, resorting to forceful threats.

If the "Four Phases of Robbery" personality said such a thing, it would be even more reasonable, and the level of threat would be many times higher.

When Yi'er spoke, she was only slightly more assertive than Xuexiang, that little girl.

How could Gu Fangchen be threatened by such weak words?
"Okay, I really don't want the plan to fail. What do you want?"

Gu Fangchen leaned closer and lowered her head.

Yi'er whispered something to him secretly.

Prajna Lotus Moon heard it clearly, but remained expressionless.

Gu Fangchen's reputation as the Prince of Zhenbei's heir was known to her from the beginning. In fact, when they first met, she even thought for a moment that Gu Fangchen's visit was due to his ingrained nature and that he had designs on her.

Although the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up, one woman after another became entangled in ambiguous relationships with Gu Fangchen.

However, compared to the original Prince Zhenbei's indiscriminate spending in brothels, the "romances" he later attracted were of frighteningly high quality.

Knowing is one thing, but accepting that her adoptive father, whom she had always thought was indifferent to women, was actually a womanizer was quite another.

Of course, in reality, Gu Fangchen was unaware that she was in the real world.

Moreover, at that time, his main goal was to buy time so that the enlightenment mechanism could take effect and allow him to be promoted. Staying at the bottom was actually safer.

If he knew that was reality, he would definitely try to get into the palace to see "Prajna Lotus Moon" and then cause a big stir.

At this moment, Prajna Lotus Moon first witnessed Qiqige taking the initiative to put on the Great Wei clothing to curry favor, and then saw the "Four Phases Calamity Master" threatening her with the plan. Her impression of him was becoming more and more crumbling.

However, the image she had embellished so much that it seemed so distant became increasingly vivid, eventually being overshadowed by the living, breathing Gu Fangchen of today.

"It's a good thing, I guess..." Prajna Lotus Moon comforted herself, but seeing the two getting closer and closer, she felt extremely uncomfortable, and then she said:

"You guys discuss it first, I'll be going now."

She pursed her lips and, under Gu Fangchen's ambiguous gaze, practically fled in panic.

As I stepped out of the tent, the setting sun was just right.

Prajna Lotus Moon took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, feeling an indescribable sense of depression and irritability in her heart.

Remembering that her duty was to prevent the "Four-Phase Robbery Master" from suddenly changing his personality and not to be too far away, she asked Qiqige to arrange an empty tent nearby, lay down on the soft couch inside, propped her head up with her hand, and looked at Gu Fangchen's location through the tent.

If the "Four-Phase Tribulation Master" were to suddenly awaken, Gu Fangchen's intimate relationship with Yi'er would likely cause him to go berserk.

However, since this was Yi'er's initiative to threaten, if Gu Fangchen disagrees, it would be too ruthless for Yi'er, who is facing the "extinction" of the Dao.

If she truly felt that Gu Fangchen was only using her and had no genuine feelings for her, she would be even more heartbroken and would be more likely to immediately transform into the "Four-Phase Calamity Master" to seek revenge.

Therefore, Gu Fangchen's compliance seems to stem from considerations of greater stability...

Prajna Lotus Moon analyzed it again and again, but still couldn't come up with a suitable reason for Gu Fangchen to refuse.

After a long pause, she was stunned.

No, what reason should I give him?
Before she came, Gu Fangchen had already explained the current situation to her.

Gu Fangchen and Yi'er were mutually attracted to each other, and it was a mutually beneficial relationship. She should have thought that Gu Fangchen could "trick" Yi'er into being even more deeply in love.

Instead, they're trying to figure out how he can refuse...

Prajna Lotus Moon shook her head with amusement. She was really silly. She must have been too happy to be reunited with her and had momentarily lost her senses.

She lay on her side, closed her eyes, and began to meditate.

As the sky changed and the sun sank below the horizon, the neighboring tent, though equipped with a barrier array, could not block the divine soul perception of someone like Prajna Lotus Moon.

In the distance, the grassland is lush and green, with cattle and sheep grazing on the grass. A thin stream can also be seen flowing swiftly, washing over the exposed pebbles.

"Meow~"

Before long, a few mischievous lambs tentatively stepped into the clear stream, licking the salt residue on the pebbles, only to be startled away by the sudden splash of water.

The commotion caught the attention of a large, robust black ox, which slowly strolled into the stream, shook its head, and contentedly sank into it, wanting to take a bath.

But the stream was too small to support the black ox's enormous size. After only half of it was submerged, much of the water overflowed.

However, the big black bull was clever. It slowly shuffled and moved from side to side, using its own weight to change the shape of the shallow stream, accumulating the water within, and finally became completely submerged in it, comfortably receiving the water's flow. It even kept adjusting its posture to ensure that every inch of its skin was taken care of.

After an unknown amount of time, it finally emerged from the stream, its fur still damp and dripping with water droplets, leaving behind a waterway that would not recover its original shape for some time...

The grassland became increasingly lively at night, with various sounds rising and falling.

Prajna Lotus Moon tossed and turned, her mind disturbed by the noise, unable to calm her mind and meditate peacefully.

She opened her eyes, exhaled a long breath, and looked increasingly depressed.

—Even though they said they were in a hurry, they didn't hesitate to spend time on this kind of thing, being so careful and meticulous.

The saintess was extremely agitated. She turned over again and suddenly felt something under her pillow.

She frowned and reached under her pillow to pull out a blue-covered notebook.

This empty tent seems to have been a girl's residence before; several storybooks were left under the pillows on the soft couch.

Prajna Lotus Moon was taken aback, turned to the first page, and saw the name of the storybook written on it—

The Incompetent Wife.

Prajna Lotus Moon: "..."

What the hell is this?

Prajna Lotus Moon was quite surprised by the combination of these two words.

A wife...is nothing more than a wife who takes care of her husband and raises children. How can she be "incompetent"? Could this be a story about a shrewish woman with a roaring shrewish wife?

Filled with doubt and curiosity, Prajna Lotus Moon opened the book, her expression gradually shifting to astonishment, anger, bewilderment, blankness, shock, shame, and panic. The story inside was about a hardworking, honest, ordinary peasant woman who married her childhood sweetheart, a handsome young man who had passed the imperial examinations with top honors.

Yes, it was his beauty. The young man described in the book had an androgynous appearance, so alluring like a fairy that all the women who saw him fell in love with him, which sowed the seeds of later trouble.

After achieving the highest rank in the imperial examinations, this top scholar did not abandon his wife as is often depicted in traditional stories. Instead, he immediately brought her to his mansion in the capital for a wedding.

However, this did not stop the noblewomen in the capital from coveting him.

Ultimately, under all sorts of threats, the female general, the prime minister's daughter, the princess, and the female bandit took turns attacking the top scholar while the original wife was asleep or unaware of his presence.

In the end, the peasant woman accidentally discovered all these secrets, secretly shed tears, and then pretended to be asleep to gather evidence and denounce the many women.

Unfortunately, she was outnumbered and outmatched. Her report was discovered midway through, and she was killed to silence her. When the top scholar found out, he was filled with despair and also threw himself into the river to commit suicide.

It was a complete tragedy...

"What kind of nonsense is this!"

Prajna Lotus Moon's chest heaved violently, her cheeks flushed crimson, and her gaze couldn't help but fall in the direction of the next tent before returning to the storybook, followed by a surge of embarrassment.

This plot, no matter how you look at it, is so similar to her current situation!
In terms of time and feelings, five hundred years ago, she and Gu Fangchen started from humble beginnings. How could she not be considered as having shared hardships?

And now, Gu Fangchen is being "threatened" to the point that she can only be "humiliated" in front of someone next door. Isn't this exactly the same plot development?

This book, "The Incompetent Wife," seems to be a blatant allusion to her.

She raised an eyebrow, snapped the book shut, and shoved it back under her pillow.

Although the Tara religion may seem somewhat unorthodox compared to the Garan Temple, leading to frequent misunderstandings and a poor reputation, it is actually a genuine Buddhist sect.

Prajna Lotus Moon acts by any means necessary, but as a saintess, she is also the embodiment of the holy Buddha Mother who is enshrined high above. How could she have come into contact with such obscene and forbidden books that are not circulated?

What's more, this is a deluxe edition with illustrations.

"Where did these barbarians get their hands on these forbidden books from the Central Plains... They truly have no shame!"

Prajna Lotus Moon grew angrier the more she thought about it. She reached out and pressed her hand on the pillow, opening one eye in her palm to examine the cause and effect in the book.

She saw that the causal thread actually belonged to... Qiqige.

In other words, this tent should actually have been where Qiqige lived, and this messy and terrible forbidden book also belonged to the Khan's daughter.

Prajna Lotus Moon fell silent.

No wonder they could accept such clothing designs so naturally; just hearing about them makes me feel incredibly ashamed.

Then, Prajna Lotus Moon discovered that the other end of this causal line belonged to...

It was actually... the Eye God.

This largest intelligence agency, which is adept at playing both sides and is neither entirely righteous nor entirely evil, not only sells intelligence but also engages in smuggling.

It didn't smuggle salt and iron, but it smuggled banned books.

Prajna Lotus Moon's expression became quite interesting as she looked suspiciously at the causal lines in her eyes.

The frequent wars between the Qingman and the Great Wei made it extremely difficult and troublesome for caravans to cross the battle lines. Unless there were sufficiently high profits to be made, smuggling would be an absolute option.

Is this thing really worth more than other goods?

"Never mind... why should I think about this?"

Prajna Lotus Moon lay down again, rolled over, and took a deep breath.

Yeah, what's there for her to be angry about? It's not like she just found out what kind of person Gu Fangchen is.

Prajna Lotus Moon closed her eyes and began meditating again.

after awhile.

She opened her eyes again, looked at the top of the tent, gritted her teeth, and closed them again.

She wasn't angry at all.

half an hour.

Prajna Lotus Moon lifted the tent flap, looked at the neatly dressed Gu Fangchen, and said coldly without expression:

"Are you ready to go?"

Gu Fangchen turned his head. Yi'er, whom he had just helped get dressed, still had some messy hair sticking to her sweaty cheeks. She was still breathing slightly, her eyes were a little unfocused, and her gentle and delicate face had a touch of allure.

Upon seeing Prajna Lotus Moon, she flinched, regained her senses, and tried to stand up, but she simply didn't have the strength.

Gu Fangchen had already given Yi'er a pill to replenish her qi and blood, so she wasn't worried about Yi'er's condition at the moment. She nodded and said:
"Come here."

Prajna Lotus Moon said "Oh," lowered the curtain, and then turned to leave.

The only problem is that the sound of the curtains being drawn is a bit loud.

Gu Fangchen stroked her chin, squinted at the swaying curtain, her gaze thoughtful, then wet a towel to wipe Yi'er's face and neck before leading her out the door.

The medicine took effect quickly, and Yi'er became lively and energetic again, but she became even more clingy and wanted Gu Fangchen to carry her.

Prajna Lotus Moon smiled slightly at Gu Fangchen, then obediently squatted down and carried Yi'er on her back as she embarked on the journey back to the Great Wei.

Prajna Lotus Moon followed behind, her mind filled with images of Gu Fangchen carrying her on her back as a small child, turning around and smiling helplessly at her, and then of a handsome scholar in a storybook being coerced and forced to be humiliated.

In my mind, the handsome top scholar's face unconsciously transformed into Gu Fangchen's.

And the peasant woman who turned her back to sleep beside him, secretly shedding tears, became his own image.

Prajna Lotus Moon shook her head abruptly.

wrong……

With Gu Fangchen's strength, who can threaten him?
It must have been his own choice!
But... what if it's a woman with Xu Fu's strength?

If the Imperial Preceptor were to intervene, Gu Fangchen would have no choice but to obey...

Prajna Lotus Moon took a deep breath, dispelling the mental image she was about to conjure, and her face darkened.

What is she thinking?!

Ultimately, how could such a thing happen? It's completely impossible!

But why am I having these wild thoughts...? My behavior just now seemed out of control, almost like I was throwing a tantrum.

Prajna Lotus Moon frowned, somewhat surprised—no, it seemed like she was throwing a tantrum.

But what was she getting angry about?

Prajna Lotus Moon stared at Gu Fangchen's back as she willingly carried the others, a strange feeling welling up inside her.

Feeling the gaze of Prajna Lotus Moon behind her, Gu Fangchen smiled and quickened her pace.

"Whoosh-"

In the night sky, two figures streaked across the heavens like shooting stars.

In the blink of an eye, they had crossed the boundary of "half of the country" again and returned to the Central Plains.

With the help of the Imperial Preceptor and Maha Wuliang, Gu Fangchen can now conceal his aura and whereabouts, making it difficult even for the "Six Star Lords" at their peak to pinpoint his exact location.

Moreover, the current "Six Star Lords" are too eager for quick success and instant benefits, and have prematurely withdrawn all their karmic threads, leaving them with only a broken body.

Therefore, he was not worried about his whereabouts being exposed.

Xie Qian is currently in a hurry to set up "Eternal Unity of Heaven" and can't even care about the death of his own disciple. Otherwise, the other party would have come looking for him the moment Gu Fangchen killed Gu Yuandao.

There's only one reason why Xie Qian didn't come looking for him: his plan has reached its most critical stage.

Gu Fangchen headed straight for the stronghold where the "Extinction" Daoist sect had taken in the leader of the Wu tribe.

Jichuan Road, the port for the canal merchants to enter the sea.

……

Cui Xiu, known as "King of Flame," is the second-in-command of the "Extinction" Dao, with a cultivation level at the peak of the third rank and half a step towards the second rank.

Besides the "Shape Grass Sword" which has been gaining popularity in recent years, Cui Xiu is the one who is truly in charge of the "Extinction" Dao and has the most resounding reputation.

When the "Four-Phase Robbery Master" was not around, he managed all the affairs of the "Extinction" Path, and his position was equivalent to that of Wu Hui, the confidant of the "Death" Path's "Defeatful Lord".

Besides assisting the Demonic Cult in its daily work, he was also responsible for setting up their grand plan to "destroy" the Dao.

The matters concerning the witch clan, as instructed by the Lord of the Robbery, were of paramount importance.

Once the Wu Clan's strength has been largely restored, they will use the Wu Clan's power to open the rift beneath the "Dragon Soul Sea," allowing the Yellow Springs to enter the human world, causing evil spirits to slaughter humans, creating maximum chaos, and pushing the world towards annihilation.

This is also why Cui Xiu is called "King Yanmolu".

He will be the messenger of hell personally certified by the Lord of Calamity, to open the gates of purgatory!

Although things have not gone as planned, when Cui Xiu saw the "Wrathful Dragon Vein," he still firmly believed that it must be the work of the Lord of Calamity.

Their original goal was to bring the Netherworld to the human world.

This "Wrathful Dragon Vein" would be an extremely powerful evil spirit even in the Netherworld. Its descent into the mortal realm can be seen as a pre-planned act, allowing vengeful ghosts to disrupt human life.

It's a pity that Yaoshan Academy reacted so quickly, and Xiao Sheng is really a madman and ruthless person. He actually managed to seal the "Wrathful Dragon Vein" onto his own body. He's not human!
Even those who "destroyed" the Dao had to admit that Xiao Sheng indeed possessed the qualities of a powerful and ruthless leader.

If this person hadn't had such poor talent for cultivation, the fate of the world might still be uncertain.

"Why did the leader of the robbery go to hunt down Gu Fangchen and never return...?"

After giving instructions to his subordinates, Cui Xiu paced on the dock, gazing at the shimmering sea in the distance, his brow furrowed, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.

The moonlight, as silvery as silver, spilled across the world.

The only sound on the dock was the ebb and flow of the tide, making it exceptionally quiet.

A misty fog hangs over the distant sea, obscuring an island that has been closed off from the world for centuries.

It was once ruled by the Witch Clan, and later occupied by the rebellious Merfolk Clan.

It was also the destination of their "annihilation" plan, which they had been planning for years.

Everything is ready now, just waiting for the right opportunity; the plan is about to begin.

But at this very moment, the Lord of Calamity was nowhere to be found.

If it were someone else being hunted down, Cui Xiu wouldn't need to worry so much, but it just so happens to be Gu Fangchen.

This person is a variable, making him extremely difficult to predict.

Even the Lord of Calamity suffered a loss at his hands, having his "Calamity Sea Karma Wheel" taken away for no reason.

Even the leaders of the Demonic Sect were completely fooled by him, which is simply unbelievable!
But no matter what... he still had to continue doing his own thing. Even if the Lord of Calamity didn't return, he would still continue with his plans.

Cui Xiu took a deep look at the misty, cloud-shrouded sea kingdom, turned to leave, but suddenly a thought struck him, his eyes sharpened, and he hissed:
"Who?!"

He revealed his aura, and with a clench of his fist, a cluster of azure flames appeared out of thin air, illuminating the figures of three people.

A faint, cold laugh rang out.

"Cui Xiu, you don't even recognize me?"

Cui Xiu was startled and looked closely. He saw that the figure at the front was wearing a black robe. Although he couldn't see the face clearly, he was very familiar with the aura.

He blurted out:

"Lord of the Calamity?! You're back?!"

Cui Xiu was initially overjoyed, but then a sense of wariness arose in his heart.

He looked at the two people beside the "Four-Phase Calamity Master". Both of them had their faces covered and he could not detect any aura. However, he could tell that the two of them were not weak.

Cui Xiu narrowed his eyes, not immediately retracting the green flame, but instead asked in a deep voice:

Who are these two people next to you?

The "Four Phases of Calamity Lord" casually remarked:

"Don't worry about it, he's just a new subordinate of mine."

Upon hearing this, Cui Xiu became even more vigilant and immediately continued:
"Please forgive my rudeness, but I have never heard that Lord Jie has taken in a new subordinate of the third rank or above... Would you mind letting these two show their true faces?"

"Be bold!"

The "Four Phases Calamity Master" said coldly:

“When did my decision become something for you to question? After the death of ‘Xingcao Sword’, you are the only third-rank expert left in the ‘Extinction’ Dao. Does that give you the wrong impression that you can say such things to me?”

Cui Xiu was startled, cold sweat immediately beading on his forehead. He quickly extinguished the green flame, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head, saying:
"It was my foolishness! Please punish me, Lord Robber!"

The "Four Phases Robbery Master" waved his hand:
"Fine, you did your best while I was away. How is the Witch Clan doing?"

Cui Xiu quickly pledged his loyalty, and then said:
"Everything is fine."

He paused and said:

"You've just returned, why don't you rest for a while, and then I'll arrange for the chief of the witch tribe to have an audience."

The "Four Phases of Calamity Lord" remained silent for a moment:
"can."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

P.S.: Post first, edit later.

Prajna Lotus Moon's emotional changes require time and a turning point; they cannot be achieved overnight.
(End of this chapter)