The world is like a prison, my body is holy

"General, I'm back."

Wan Li pushed open the door and entered, habitually glancing towards the window, where he saw Wang Wen sitting by the window reading a book.

He just couldn't understand what was so interesting about that lousy book...

When Wang Wen heard his voice, he didn't greet him, but simply gave a soft "hmm".

Wan Li walked to his side, gave a perfunctory bow with her hands clasped, and straightened up before he could speak. Then she glanced at the teapot beside him, saw that it was empty, picked it up, turned and went out. Not long after, she returned with a freshly brewed teapot.

Over the course of their time together, he had become quite familiar with Wang Wen, figured out Wang Wen's temperament, and learned that he didn't care much about formalities and was generally easy to talk to.

No outsider would believe it if they heard it from him—that someone as important as him would joke around with someone as insignificant as him?

Even he himself sometimes finds it unbelievable, let alone outsiders who don't believe it.

They even had the illusion that the headman of their own village was more authoritative than Wang Wen.

"You haven't eaten yet?"

Wan Li chuckled: "Not yet, I just rushed back to have dinner with you."

Wang Wen smiled and said softly, "Go to Liu's restaurant and have Old Liu send over a table of food as usual."

Even as he spoke, his eyes never left the Taoist canon in his hands.

Wan Li secretly sized him up, muttering to herself, 'Why is he becoming more and more like a bookworm?'

Perhaps it was because he had been traveling all over Jiangxi these days and could only come back every few days, and had not been able to serve Wang Wen every day, that he was particularly sensitive to changes in Wang Wen's demeanor.

In the past, Wang Wen was imposing, fierce, and arrogant, like a tiger with glaring eyes and a white forehead. Even when he was smiling, he always gave Wan Li a strong sense of danger, as if he would draw a twelve-foot-long cleaver at any moment and cut people into seventeen or eighteen pieces.

Whenever he accidentally met Wang Wen's gaze, he would feel a pang of fear and instinctively look away, not daring to meet his eyes.

Now, Wang Wen is reserved, calm, and refined, like the October sun, giving people a comfortable and reassuring feeling. Subconsciously, you feel that he will not harm you, and sitting next to him will make you feel like you can let go of all your fatigue and take a long breath of relief.

Sometimes, after chatting for a while, he would subconsciously treat Wang Wen as a friend and make little jokes with him...

He didn't understand how a person could undergo such a drastic change in such a short period of time.

But it's a good thing after all.

"Eating cured meat again? You've had it so many times, aren't you tired of it?"

"The only decent thing about Old Liu's family is their cured pork; the other dishes aren't very good..."

"Then why not try a different restaurant? There's more than just Old Liu's restaurant in Xing'an Town."

"I eat at his place every day, I'm used to it, and besides, Lao Liu knows my taste... Go on."

Wan Li had no choice but to clasp his hands in farewell and quickly leave the guest room.

A short while later, Wan Li led Old Liu, the owner of Liu's Restaurant, in and brought in four dishes and a soup, quickly setting them on the table.

"Sir, dinner is ready."

Only then did Wang Wen place the Daoist canon face down on the tea table, casually summon a handful of water to wash his hands, and get up to walk towards the dining table: "Old Liu, do you still have the money for meals deposited in your account?"

Manager Liu grinned, his face crinkling with smiles: "Eat with peace of mind, there's plenty, plenty!"

Wang Wen smiled and waved his hand: "Alright, go ahead and do your thing."

"Oh, the food isn't to my liking, please serve me..."

Manager Liu bowed and scraped with a smile as he left the guest room, and Wan Li handed the small silver bowl filled with rice to Wang Wen.

Wang Wen picked up his bowl and ate slowly, while Wan Li ate and vividly described where he had been, who he had met, and what interesting things had happened.

Wang Wen listened quietly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

It wasn't until Wan Li finished eating and proudly put down his bowl and chopsticks that he suddenly asked, "How long have we been in Jiangxi?"

Wan Li was taken aback, and after thinking for a moment, she replied, "Today marks exactly twenty days."

Wang Wen slowly raised the corners of his mouth and chuckled, "It's been twenty days already... Tell me, have I been too lenient with these people?"

Wan Li was stunned again. Looking at his smile, even though his eyes and smile hadn't changed at all, he suddenly felt a strong palpitation, as if an invisible hand had grabbed his heart!

'Here it comes again, it's the same taste...'

His scalp tingled, but his heart was screaming.

Wang Wen stood up straight and walked slowly to the rocking chair by the window: "Tell the Ma family that even if they don't have time to see me, they should give me an answer within three days."

Wan Li froze for two seconds, then suddenly shivered.

He and Xu Qian were once tasked with investigating Wang Wen, and he knew many things that ordinary people did not.

For example, Wang Wen's true identity is the God of Huangshan.

For example, Wang Wen's most inconspicuous identity is Zhang Mazi.

For example, in Huainan Province, even monsters had to register and pay taxes...

So he knew that although Wang Wen hadn't uttered a single word about fighting or killing, and his tone was even as calm as if he were discussing what to eat for dinner.

However, if the Ma family and the Tian family truly refuse to meet with him, the consequences will be severe.

It was so serious that rivers of blood flowed!
Wan Li's heart tightened, and he subconsciously stood up, his body ramrod straight: "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will do my utmost to persuade the Ma family."

Wang Wenshu sat comfortably in the rocking chair, casually summoned a handful of water to wash his hands, then picked up the Daoist canon lying face down on the tea table, leisurely flipping through it, and softly said, "Don't force it. You can't wake a group of people who are pretending to be asleep, so just let them be..."

Wan Li understood his words, and a mix of emotions welled up in her heart.

He was silent for a moment, then replied softly, "Your Excellency, I would like to try again."

Wang Wen gave a soft "hmm" and waved his hand, saying, "Go ahead."

Wan Li silently clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, then bowed and left the guest room.

The door closed, and the only sound in the room was the rustling of turning pages.

……

Just as Wang Wen was stealing a half-day of leisure in the inn in Xing'an Town at the foot of Longhu Mountain.

Sitting in the main hall of the General of the Demon Slayer's Mansion in Yangzhou, Yang Ying was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, unable to sit still.

A series of hurried footsteps approached quickly. Xu Wu strode into the hall and, before even entering, bowed and said, "Mr. Yang, Mr. Yang, I'm so busy I've been caught off guard. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting..."

"Enough with the nonsense!" Yang Ying waved his hand impatiently, interrupting his pleasantries, and asked with a burning gaze, "Two more days have passed, any news of your general?"

"This……"

Xu Wu looked troubled, and with a wry smile, he bowed and said, "Mr. Yang, if I had any news about my general, how could I not come to report to you immediately?"

Yang Ying was extremely anxious. Losing his composure, he stepped forward and shouted angrily, "What are you all doing? Wang Wen is the General Who Suppresses Demons in Huainan. Who gave him the audacity to abandon his post? What exactly is he trying to do?"

He carried the heavy responsibility entrusted to him by His Highness the Crown Prince and traveled day and night, rushing to Yangzhou, where he had already been for seven or eight days.

To this day, not a single hair on Wang Wen's head has been seen...

With no idea what the situation was like in the capital, how could he not be extremely anxious?
But as soon as he uttered those words, Xu Wu's expression changed instantly...

The smile on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an uncontrollable arrogance and tyranny. His eyes were cold and unfriendly as he said, "What? Does my general need to report to you, sir, where he goes and what he does?"

Anxious and distraught, Yang Ying flew into a rage upon hearing his words. She stepped forward, using her imposing stature to overpower Xu Wu: "You..."

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Xu Wu stiffened his neck and, before he could get close, suddenly turned hostile: "You dare to come to my Demon-Slaying General's Mansion and shout like that?"

"Bastard!"

Yang Ying roared furiously, his refined face contorted with rage, becoming grotesque in its fury: "Upon returning to the capital, I will certainly report to His Highness the Crown Prince..."

Xu Wu didn't reply, but just looked at him with a sinister gaze.

Yang Ying felt a chill run down her spine. She stopped mid-sentence, and her ferocious expression vanished.

Xu Wu raised his chin menacingly: "Go on, what do you plan to do after you return to the capital?"

Looking at the malice in his eyes, Yang Ying began to regret her careless words, but she still forced a stern look and shouted, "Lord Xu, please watch your words and actions. I am the Imperial Tutor of the Eastern Palace, an official under His Highness the Crown Prince. I have come here with His Highness the Crown Prince's important mission. If I delay His Highness's important business, can you bear the consequences?"

Xu Wu ignored his bluster and said to himself thoughtfully, "I remember that your group seemed to sneak into the city, and every time you came to our Demon-Slaying General's Mansion, you mingled with the pilgrims and quietly came from the Mountain God Temple... right?"
Yang Ying froze for a second, then her hair stood on end. Her face was filled with terror as she shouted at the top of her lungs, "Xu Wu, what exactly do you want to do?"

What can I possibly do?

Xu Wu grinned and chuckled, "I just wanted to ask you to shut up, sir, and stop nagging in His Highness the Crown Prince's ear and causing trouble for my general!"

His smile seemed harmless, but Yang Ying's heart was pounding in her chest. She felt a chill run down her spine, and cold sweat instantly soaked her undershirt.

But on the surface, he pretended to suddenly realize something and said, "Oh, you mean this? You're overthinking it. Your general and I are old acquaintances. It's just an unfortunate coincidence. Why would I go to His Highness the Crown Prince and say something nonsense to cause trouble for your general?"

Xu Wu clapped his hands happily: "It would be wonderful if you could agree with my idea... Commander Bai!"

He turned his head and shouted loudly.

As soon as he finished speaking, a beam of white light, carrying a misty vapor, shot towards them and, to Yang Ying's horrified gaze, transformed into an eight-foot-tall snake-like face.

The snake-faced man politely greeted Xu Wu with his hands clasped: "Lord Xu."

Xu Wu nodded expressionlessly, pointed at Yang Ying's nose, and said to the snake-faced man, "This idiot is going to cause trouble for our general. Deal with him and the people traveling with him... Do you know how to do it?"

The snake-faced man immediately replied, "Don't worry, Lord Xu, I have no fewer than nine ways to make him disappear from the world without a trace. I guarantee even Lord Ma won't be able to find him!"

Xu Wu nodded: "You said it yourself. After this is over, I will have Lord Ma investigate. If Lord Ma finds even the slightest clue, you will have to go to the general to accept your punishment."

Snake-faced: ? ? ?

Yang Ying was stunned to see the human and the demon discussing how to murder her, completely oblivious to everyone else!

Is this still a government office?
How can you be even more ruthless than bandits?
Unexpectedly, Xu Wu turned his face and politely bowed to Yang Ying, saying, "Lord Yang, have a safe journey. I won't see you off any further."

Yang Ying glanced at him silently, then suddenly sprang to her feet, sprinting with all her might towards the exit of the hall, shouting as she ran, "I am Yang, the Imperial Son-in-Law of the Eastern Palace..."

"Boom."

Just as Yang Ying was about to rush out of the hall, the hall doors slammed shut, blocking out the gray sky.

The word "Ying" that he hadn't yet uttered came to an abrupt halt as the hall door closed tightly.

A single step can separate life and death!

A moment later, the door reopened, and Xu Wu walked out of the hall alone. He looked at the two Demon Guards standing on either side of the hall, their eyes fixed straight ahead, and said in a deep voice, "Come here, I have a new task for you."

The two demon-suppressing guards were aware of what had happened in the main hall, but they stepped forward without hesitation and silently clasped their hands in salute.

No one in the Demon-Slaying General's Mansion knew that Wang Wen was a god.

But in the Demon-Slaying General's Mansion, Wang Wen is a god!
Because the air of confidence they exuded came from Wang Wen.

All they could do was offer their loyalty!

The Demon-Suppressing Guards who were assigned to guard the main hall of the General's Mansion were not only the elite among the two thousand Demon-Suppressing Guards of the General's Mansion, but also the most loyal among the two thousand Demon-Suppressing Guards.

Let alone the fact that Xu Wu only killed a groom who was washing the crown prince's horse in the main hall.

Even when Xu Wu wanted to buy Wang Wen a new outfit, they all praised how well it fit him…

Xu Wu observed the two men's eyes and said calmly, "The government is planning to select an island in Hongze Lake to set up a secret camp. Pack your things and lead a team to Hongze Lake tomorrow to survey the terrain... Don't worry about your fathers, wives and children at home. With the general here, I guarantee they will have enough to eat and wear and will have no worries about food and clothing."

The two demon-suppressing guards silently clasped their hands in salute, then turned and left.

Xu Wu watched the two leave expressionlessly, muttering under his breath, "What a nuisance!"

He didn't know, nor did he want to know, why Yang Ying had come to Yangzhou to find his elder brother.

But he could guess that it would be an extremely troublesome matter...

Otherwise, Yang Ying wouldn't be so impatient, like he has a nail in his butt, constantly restless and sending people to the yamen to ask several times a day.

That's why he never even thought of informing his elder brother. He even specifically instructed Ma Feng's underworld officers to keep a close eye on the situation outside the city and to stop his elder brother in advance if they discovered that he had returned to Yangzhou.

He originally thought that if he delayed the matter, it might just pass by.

But this Yang Ying not only doesn't know when to back down and is aggressive, he also dares to openly threaten him in the General of Demon Suppression's mansion, saying that he will go back to the capital to complain about his elder brother.

There was no other way but to shut him up.

He couldn't understand it. Given Yang Ying's status, how could she not know what he and his older brother used to do? How could she dare to threaten them on their turf?

'Those who reap what they sow...'

He quickly put the question out of his mind, carefully and meticulously going over the entire matter in his mind. After clarifying his thoughts, he went back to his room, changed into casual clothes, and strolled back to the Qinghe Gang's headquarters. (End of Chapter)