Minglong

Chapter 172 Three Poisons
rustling...

A light rain fell on the street, and people occasionally passed by on the road outside the carriage, but their voices seemed to be isolated from the world.

The entire piece is written in tiny characters, and the words are about everyday family matters, yet every word is filled with longing.

When Xie Jinhuan saw the familiar handwriting, it was as if he had been transported back to his teenage years when he was a novice in the capital, and he felt a surge of emotion that brought tears to his eyes.

He was even more grateful to Sister Guo, who was beautiful and kind-hearted. If it weren't for the unfinished business in Daqian, he would have turned around and left.

There were still many dignitaries passing by outside, so Xie Jinhuan didn't want to look too closely. He carefully put the letter away and tucked it into his pocket. After calming down a bit, he held up his umbrella and returned to the carriage where the princess had parked. There, he saw a girl in white getting into the carriage.

The girl was dressed in white, without any hairpins or ornaments, and there was not a single other color on her body except for her bright red lips, which contrasted sharply with her round face, making her look like a simple little princess of fifteen or sixteen.

Xie Jinhuan encountered the princess's entourage on the road but didn't look closely, and almost didn't recognize her at this moment.

After all, the landlady used to look young, but she had a very mature and sophisticated aura, and she was also cynical and had the air of an empress or imperial concubine.

The girl, dressed in mourning clothes, looked so young, almost like Zisu...

After giving her such a quick glance, Princess Changning turned her gaze away:
"You should get on the bus too."

Seeing this, Xie Jinhuan followed them into the spacious carriage and sat down with Momo, while Naido poured tea for the two of them.

Seeing that the landlady was in low spirits, Xie Jinhuan thought for a moment and offered some words of comfort:

"Your Highness, please accept my condolences."

Princess Changning sat in the main seat, her hands folded at her waist. Although dressed in mourning clothes, her regal bearing was even more imposing than before. After the carriage had traveled some distance, she sighed softly:
“I grew up in the Prince’s Palace and didn’t see the late emperor many times, so I can’t say I’m sad. In the imperial family, there isn’t that much blood ties.”

Xie Jinhuan felt that these words were a bit taboo, and after confirming that there were no outsiders present, he sat a few steps closer:

"Your Highness is worried that after the new emperor ascends the throne, he will treat the prince..."

Princess Changning paused for a moment, then asked:

"Xie Jinhuan, if you were the Crown Prince, young and newly enthroned, and there was a direct uncle a hundred miles away who, though without troops, was highly respected, held the official position of governor, had extraordinary connections, and had not had much interaction with you since childhood, what would you do?"

How can this be done?
Xie Jinhuan responded:

"Reassign a fief to Lingnan?"

Princess Changning shook her head: "This is still a relatively decent outcome. If there is suspicion, they might be imprisoned in the capital until death; or they might be constantly reassigned, causing them endless trouble. The safest way is to accuse them of treason and eliminate them as soon as possible."

"Father has probably already written his resignation edict, and may still be ill or indulging in pleasures. If the new emperor can allow Father to live out his remaining years in Danzhou, then it can only be said that it is thanks to Xiao Dezi..."

Linghu Qingmo, being a cultivator, couldn't offer any help with such imperial family matters, so he interjected:

“The Crown Prince has always been humble, while His Highness the Heir Apparent… I think that for the sake of his reputation, he won’t make any mistakes.”

Xie Jinhuan nodded:
"Yes, it would be a losing proposition to eliminate the Crown Prince as a potential threat and make all the feudal lords feel insecure. We should deal with whatever comes our way first and see how things develop."

Princess Changning was indeed worried about the new emperor's ascension to the throne and suspected her father of causing trouble, but there was no point in discussing it privately, so she decided to change the subject:

"I helped you choose your new residence. I'll have Duoduo show it to you later. The residence has a bathhouse and a wine shop. I've also ordered a large round bed for you at the academy, which is ten feet in diameter..."

One zhang?
Linghu Qingmo blinked, puzzled, and looked at Xie Jinhuan beside him:
"Why make such a big bed? He's not that tall."

Xie Jinhuan felt that his landlady understood him best, but he didn't want to say it outright. He simply said with surprise:

"Why is the academy still building these things?"

Princess Changning raised an eyebrow slightly:

"Dan Hospital is burning through a mountain of silver every day developing new drugs, and since these drugs have a market price, the profit margin isn't high. How much can a bunch of scholars and talented women at Chongwen Academy make selling calligraphy and paintings?"

"The weapon-making workshop of the Military Equipment Academy is just a way for the academy to make money. They make whatever men and women like. A single piece of Ice Soul Silk soft armor, with a little extra fabric, can be made into three hundred Phoenix Silk Robes, and the demand still can't keep up with the supply. The less material used, the more valuable it is. This way of making money is faster than robbery..."

Xie Jinhuan suddenly realized that he had actually wanted to buy a small gift for his landlady last night, but she had been wearing the 'Phoenix Fairy Robe' and didn't lack any other items, so he couldn't think of what to buy.

Seeing that the landlady wasn't in high spirits, he glanced at her stunningly beautiful face, a face described as "a woman should be pretty, dressed in mourning," and then his gaze fell on her white sneakers:

"I actually have some knowledge of weapon crafting. How about I design a pair of shoes for Your Highness?"

"Oh?"

Princess Changning became somewhat interested: "What kind of shoes?"

"that is……"

Xie Jinhuan wanted to describe it, but it wasn't easy to express, so she took Mo Mo's booklet and used a pen to sketch it on the paper...

rustling...

Linghu Qingmo looked slightly puzzled and moved closer to examine her. Princess Changning also got up and moved to the side, but Duoduo had nowhere to get close and could only peek out from the side.

Xie Jinhuan's technique is extremely steady. With just two or three strokes, he outlined the streamline of the shoe. His drawing skills, such as shadows and perspective, are impeccable.

Princess Changning, who also paints, looked quite surprised.
"You really are proficient in all eighteen martial arts. Are you sure you learned your skills in Fengling Valley, and not at the Male Concubine Hall?"

“The disciples of the Hidden Immortal Sect are all so learned and talented; otherwise, how could they be called ‘extraordinary people’?”

"is it?"

Linghu Qingmo was skeptical, thinking that the fellow Daoist from the Hidden Immortal Sect was really quite cunning...

No wonder he never leaves the mountains; if he didn't have some skill, no one would believe him if he came out...

Xie Jinhuan carefully drew the sketch, and after the high heels were roughly completed, she used the vermilion pen in the carriage to add the most essential details:

Red background!

The three girls waited for the sketch to finish, then examined it together. They thought the shoes were unique and pretty, except for the heels…

"Do you think I'm too short?"

Princess Changning narrowed her eyes slightly, stood up straight, and tried to increase her height, which brought out some of her former lively demeanor.

Xie Jinhuan found it somewhat amusing: "How could that be? Your Highness's bearing is such that being too tall would actually detract from your elegance. These shoes are for home wear, and you don't even need to actually walk in them..."

"what?"

Linghu Qingmo was baffled and thought to himself:
No need to walk?

So what's the use of these shoes?
Red soles facing upwards, unusable as a unique weapon... Although Princess Changning was a pure martial artist, she didn't understand the advantages of these shoes, and decided to put the sketch away:

"Alright. I'll have a skilled craftsman make a pair for you to try. If they fit well, I'll get a pair for Momo and Wanyi too. Go back and get your measurements taken."

……
-
Poplar groves on the outskirts of Beijing.

The temple, abandoned for twenty years due to the Ho family massacre, stands solemnly in the dim forest. The cracked Buddha head lies in the Buddha hall, soaked by rainwater that seeps in through the hole in the dome.

He Can knelt before the fallen Buddha statue, his eyes filled with a poignant sense of loss and the transience of life.

"We parted only a few days ago, and Second Master was executed along with his entire family! He Hai died without a complete corpse! Am I just a cursed star, destined to die with everyone I meet?"

Zhang Chu knelt beside him, his face even colder now, having been ambushed by snake venom last time.

"No matter what you say, it's useless. From now on, you will be a dog of the Underworld God Cult in life and a dead dog of the Underworld God Cult in death."

After wandering around in circles, He Can was about to head to the capital again to outwit and outmaneuver a certain "evil star surnamed Xie," his eyes filled with a helpless "let's just destroy ourselves already" attitude.

"Third Brother Xue, it's one thing for you to bring us both to our deaths in the capital, but why do we have to shave our heads? Our bodies and hair are gifts from our parents. I'm not even a demonic cultivator, and you want me to pretend to be a monk..."

Wipe it off~
Blood Third, wearing a cloak, sharpened a razor blade on his sleeve a couple of times and pressed He Can's head down:

"There has to be a ceremony to join the religion. Your father and mother died in front of this Buddha statue, and your grandfather and brothers are here to see you one last time. From now on..."

"From this day forward, I will shave my head to show my resolve and sever all ties with them. Let whoever wants revenge take it!"

Blood Brother Three nodded slightly:

"Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot. You are a good candidate for Buddhist practice..."

?

He Can's expression stiffened, and he turned his head:

"If that's how you put it, then I'll remember this blood feud. I swear I won't be human until I avenge it in this lifetime!"

"The desire for revenge can make a person fearless of death and devoid of compassion. With this in your heart, you will surely achieve great things in the demonic path..."

He Can spread his hands and said, "So, whether I take revenge or not, I'm still a promising talent in your eyes, is that it?"

"The practice of Buddha and demon in tandem is just like this; whether one has desires or not, or is emotional or not, one's Daoist mind is enlightened..."

"Are you going to dry shave? At least use some soap suds..."

Blood Brother San shaved off his three thousand strands of hair, and with each cut, snake scales faintly appeared on his scalp:
Do you know what the 'three poisons' are?

He Can grinned and snarled, "What Buddhist principles do you, a wicked monk, spout? I'm truly unlucky to have run into a bunch of bastards like you..."

Xue Laosan explained methodically:

"The three poisons are 'greed, anger, and ignorance.' The snake represents anger, signifying resentment, rage, and hatred. Your closest relatives and teachers all died tragically, and you bear a deep-seated blood feud. Once you awaken, this power can transform you into a demon general..."

What is a Demon General?

"That's the higher-ranking Ghost Messenger, and above that is the Cult Leader."

"Oh……"

He Can pondered, "Then He Man's nickname is 'Fei Nu,' which means greed among the three poisons? No wonder he needs the Blood Demon Pill to stimulate his greed."

Blood Elder Three said, "It's easier for you to wake up than for him. As long as you acknowledge this deep-seated blood feud, you can transform from a snake into a dragon on the spot."

"is it?"

He Can took a deep breath, silently gathering his emotions, and then spread his hands:

"I don't think my master died unjustly at all, and the He family deserves to die even more. I can't bring myself to hate them."

"So you're a piece of trash, you were thrown away back then."

"Then why did you drag me along?"

"Waste utilization."

He Can was rendered speechless by the demonic monk's retort. After a long pause, he asked:
"If you want to use me, you have to tell me what to do next, right?"

Blood Brother Three shaved off all his hair and then pressed Zhang Chu's head down:

"Let's see if we can excavate the Tomb of the Corpse Ancestor. Before that, let's capture some sorcerers whose element is Yin."

Zhang Chu was somewhat puzzled: "The location of the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb should only be known by Lu Wuzhen and the Emperor of Daqian. Has the sect found the location of the Corpse Ancestor's Tomb?"

Xue Laosan shook his head and said, "Not yet, but we'll know in a few days. We need to prepare in advance."

He Can's eyes flickered slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he said:
"No, in the past, Third Master and the others always spoke in a secretive manner. You don't hide anything from me at all about this kind of inside information?"

“Your grandfather won’t kill you, so I can’t let you know too much. I don’t have that concern.”

"..."

He Can nodded thoughtfully, but then immediately realized something:
"Capture a sorcerer whose element is Yin? You don't want me to be a vessel for the Corpse Ancestor, do you? Do I deserve it?"

“You are not worthy. You are of pure Yin nature and were born to be nurtured as a vessel, but your innate talent was too weak and you were abandoned. Even so, you are a natural-born ghost witch and are regarded as a treasure by Taishu Dan.”

"Then what use am I?"

"Keep it as a backup. In case the Corpse Ancestor comes out and there's nowhere to stay, we can make do temporarily."

"You bunch of bastards, you've truly lost all conscience!"

"Yes! Hate and venge you, even at the same time. As long as you can awaken your true nature, you are the perfect vessel for evil!"

I'm crazy...

He Can pointed a finger at Xue Laosan, calmly and without saying another word...

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(End of this chapter)