National Division

Chapter 135 Xue Zhihua: So it's all her fault?

州学
With just a few words, Shen Xian ruined the future of an "ambitious young man".

The eldest princess chatted with Daoist Dongyang for a while before going to visit a friend. Shen Xian then took his leave and returned to the state office with Xue Zhihua to rest.

On the way back, Xue Zhihua whispered, "Since Daoist Dongyang is willing to help, Anzhou is at least as stable as Mount Tai."

Shen Xian nodded and said, "But the strength is still insufficient. Now it depends on Her Highness the Princess's mobility."

The benefits of Da Jing having a princess join the Yuqing Sect are now becoming apparent.

Upon arriving at the prefectural government office, a junior official hurried over, bowed respectfully, and reported, "Scholar, Cui Xu's niece, Cui Mei, is currently in the prefectural city. She says she has come to visit Prefect Cui."

Seeing the look of doubt on Shen Xian's face, Xue Zhihua said, "Cui Mei is Cui Youzhi's sister."

"Cui You's sister?" Shen Xian was surprised and instructed the clerk, "Cui Xu has been dismissed from his post as governor. His relatives are not allowed to stay in the prefectural office. Go and inform the two of them to leave the prefectural office within a specified time."

He had no good feelings towards the Cui family.

Xue Zhihua didn't take Cui Youzhi's sister seriously either, and said, "In the meantime, let's discuss how to deal with the enemy."

"The key is to hold the Heshan and Guhe lines to buy time for the imperial court to send troops." Shen Xian walked along the corridor to the backyard and said, "We will head to Heshan tomorrow."

Xue Zhihua hummed in agreement and followed closely behind.

Upon reaching the door of the side room, Shen Xian said, "I'll go back to cultivate first. I still have some questions about the Shangqing Lingbao Heavenly Scripture, and I'll need to ask you for guidance."

Upon hearing this, Xue Zhihua softly replied, "Yes."

Upon entering the room, Shen Xian picked up the teapot, poured a cup of tea for Xue Zhihua, and smiled as he asked, "You don't seem to be in high spirits today?"

Xue Zhihua's clear eyes, beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, darted away as she took the teacup: "I'm considering the number of people the Corpse Yin Sect has."

"So what did you come up with?" Shen Xian asked.

Xue Zhihua shook her head, it was unclear whether she didn't have an answer or simply didn't want to.

Shen Xian smiled without saying a word.

He stepped closer, gently took the woman's slender hand, and asked earnestly, "Are you jealous?"

Xue Zhihua's delicate body trembled, a hint of embarrassment and annoyance appearing in her eyes. When she met those clear and bright eyes, her heart was filled with panic.

What nonsense is this person spouting?

When did she get jealous?

However, since the two had already held hands, they didn't feel too shy, or rather, they were only one step away from actually meeting.

Shen Xian said to himself, "However, today's sweet and sour fish is sour enough."

Xue Zhihua: "???"

So, you mean this?
But in the blink of an eye, he saw the boy looking at him with a half-smile, and he knew that the boy had already seen through his thoughts.

A surge of shyness and annoyance welled up in the beautiful woman's heart, and a faint blush rose on both sides of her fair and delicate face, like peach blossoms.

"Let me go." The beautiful woman bit her full, moist lips and gently struggled to break free.

Shen Xian had no choice but to hold on tightly, not wanting to be pulled into his arms all at once. Looking at the beautiful woman with trembling eyelashes and blushing cheeks, he said softly, "Don't move. I still have some things about the path of immortality that I need to ask you."

As he spoke, he released her hand and put his arm around her shoulder.

The beautiful woman, nestled in the young man's arms, felt the indescribable warmth of his presence and said in a trembling voice, "Tell me."

Why are you hugging her when you're just asking for advice? Are you worried about leaking confidential information?
"There is a saying that there is a talisman for fixing zombies. Ordinary people can use it to fix zombies. Could the Shangqing Sect draw such talismans and distribute them to the army and civilians to suppress the zombie demons?" Shen Xian looked thoughtful, his eyes flickered, and he said in a low voice.

It really does sound like they're asking for advice on important matters.

The tension in the beautiful woman's heart eased slightly. She pursed her pink lips and said softly, "This time, regarding the corpse demon, I seem to have read about it in ancient books. It should be that the zombie has fused with the blood of the demon beast, so the talisman is not very effective. This is probably something that the Corpse Yin Sect deliberately avoided."

"Were you really thinking about the Corpse Yin Sect's various plans before?" Shen Xian thought for a moment, then asked with surprise in his tone.

With her in his arms, his arms around her sculpted shoulders, and the fragrance of her hair wafting from his nose, he couldn't help but feel a little distracted.

Zhihua naturally liked him and had always done her best to help him. How could she not like and be moved by her?

"Otherwise what?" The beautiful woman raised her eyebrows and said in a clear voice, then looked up and gave the young man a reproachful look.

When faced with a real battle, all she knew was to indulge in matters of the heart.

Shen Xian thought for a moment and asked, "Then what kind of demonic beast's blood do you think the Corpse Yin Sect has fused with?"

"It's hard to say for sure." Xue Zhihua's expression was clearly absent-minded. She pursed her pink lips and said in a low voice.

Shen Xian took the beautiful woman's slender hand and asked, "Are there any fellow disciples in the sect who have done extensive research on this?"

Xue Zhihua felt the warmth and softness between the young man's fingers and said, "Among the peak masters who went this time, there are people from my Shangqing Sect's Yuanfu Peak. They should be able to capture the corpse demon for research."

Shen Xian hummed in agreement, looking thoughtful.

Xue Zhihua's fair face flushed red like a sunset, almost as bright as brocade, and she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Let me go first."

As time passed, the atmosphere became somewhat romantic.

"I don't think I used much force, did I?" Shen Xian asked in surprise.

Xue Zhihua: "..."

This person is absolutely outrageous! So it's all her fault?

Just as she was still in shock, the young man moved closer, his warm breath brushing against her face, making Xue Zhihua almost freeze on the spot.

Xue Zhihua's face was flushed red, her heart filled with shame and anger. But then she felt her lips soften, and it was clearly the young man who had come close and pressed his lips to hers. Her heart fluttered and her body trembled.

"Humph."

While my mind was trembling, I suddenly felt my breathing become a little rapid.

After an unknown amount of time, Shen Xian lowered his eyes to look into the misty, ethereal eyes.

Her snow-white face was as beautiful as a peach blossom. The cinnabar flower mark between her brows made her even more stunning. Shen Xian said, "These past few days, I'm afraid I'll need to consult you about some matters of the immortal path."

This was a completely different feeling from Qingchan's; it was cool and refreshing, like a piece of ice jade surrounded by the fragrance of orchids.

Although Zhihua appears cold and aloof, she seems to harbor a volcano within her, both raw and passionate.

Xue Zhihua hummed in agreement, her fair cheeks flushed red like rosy clouds, her heart pounding wildly, and a hint of tenderness and domineering power still lingering on her lips.

However, in a flash, a look of embarrassment and annoyance appeared on the beautiful woman's face.

With a flash, she disappeared from the room, leaving only a lingering fragrance.

Shen Xian remained silent for a while, seemingly still able to taste the sweetness and savory flavor between his lips and teeth.

The secret passage reads: This body is indeed very young.

Suppressing the slight flutter in his heart, he decided to cultivate the path of immortality.

Shen Xian focused his attention on the data panel and discovered that his merit points had increased to 600,000.

It seems that by capturing Qiu Ying, the Prefect of Anzhou, Huo Shu, the Chief Administrator of Anzhou, and Feng Chong, the Assistant Administrator, my merit points have increased again.

Since his merit points skyrocketed, he, like many wealthy people, has become less sensitive to gains of ten or twenty thousand.

"If I want to break through my cultivation level quickly, I need to condense my martial will. I only have 20% of the Night White Blade Intent, so I can only comprehend it in battle. This can't be rushed," Shen Xian pondered.

"As for immortal cultivation, one should try to break through to the Heavenly Gate Realm."

Just as Shen Xian closed his eyes to begin his cultivation, a commotion suddenly erupted in the courtyard: "Where is Shen Xian now?"

Shen Xian frowned, thinking to himself that he hated being disturbed by others when he was cultivating.

The cultivation atmosphere here is indeed much worse than that of the Eternal Green Tower.

Upon exiting the room, they were greeted by two young girls, one in a red dress and the other in a green dress.

The woman in the red dress held the sword at her waist with a hostile expression, while the woman in the green dress had a much more peaceful expression.

Cui Mei's fair and delicate face was as cold as frost. She gripped a precious sword at her waist and snapped, "You surnamed Shen, what business is it of yours if we're just resting at the prefectural office?"

Zheng Nianxi looked at the boy with a curious expression.

This was the first time Zheng Nianxi had seen the recently famous Scholar Shen in the capital so closely.

Shen Xian said in a deep voice, "Cui Xu is no longer the Prefect of Anzhou. It is not proper for you, as relatives, to linger in the prefectural government office. There is also the possibility that you may leak state secrets."

Cui Mei's eyebrows shot up, her phoenix eyes shrouded in a murderous aura, and she shouted, "What do you mean? Are you saying we would collude with demonic cultivators and tip them off?"

"I didn't say that," Shen Xian said casually, glancing at Cui Mei and coldly adding, "It's just that you shouldn't be in the state office."

Then, he instructed the guards standing to the side, "Please ask all irrelevant personnel to leave."

Cui Mei's face flushed red with humiliation. Her slender hand reached for the precious sword at her waist, and she shouted, "Let's see who dares!"

Zheng Nianxi grabbed the girl's arm immediately: "Don't be impulsive."

The person before them was an official appointed by the imperial court. The Cui family still needed to make a living in the officialdom, and besides, they had been caught in the middle.

Shen Xian said, "Someone, see the guest out."

"Yes," the Thousand Bull Guard replied, bowing.

Cui Mei looked at Shen Xian with icy eyes, and left the state office while being pulled by Zheng Nianxi.

Shen Xian shook his head secretly.

He turned around and returned to his room, where he sat down cross-legged again to continue his meditation.

Cui Mei and Zheng Nianxi left the prefectural government office, their faces still showing no signs of anger.

Zheng Nianxi advised, "Why are you getting angry with him? He is now an imperial envoy and a favorite minister of the Empress."

Cui Mei's anger subsided, but beneath her willow-leaf eyebrows, her bright eyes held a chilling aura as she coldly said, "I'm just still angry."

She could never endure such humiliation, being driven out like this.

Zheng Nianxi said, "Let's find an inn first and then make further plans. Anzhou has been quite unsettled these past few days."

Cui Mei nodded and said nothing more.

……

……

Three days later——

Ningyang County has already gathered the corpse demons from both counties, preparing to surge towards Guhe County and take it over in one fell swoop.

At this moment, on the official road of Guhe County, a large number of disciples of the Corpse Yin Sect dressed in green Taoist robes, holding copper bells, were driving away the blood-stained corpse demons.

A dense horde of corpses swept across the mountains and plains along the wide official road, appearing as a dark, oppressive mass from the air.

"Master Zhou, we've encountered government troops at Heshan ahead." A disciple of the Corpse Yin Sect flew over and reported as green smoke drifted by.

The sect leader of the Corpse Yin Sect, his face hidden beneath a green robe, was pitch black, and his nose had been cut off for some reason. He asked, "How many people are there?"

The Corpse Yin Sect disciple said, "Master, there are approximately two thousand people."

"A mere two thousand men? What's the big deal?" Master Zhou said disdainfully. "Let's take Heshan in one fell swoop and enter Guhe County!"

In Shen Xian's original plan, they would ambush the corpse demons and disciples of the Corpse Yin Sect through the canyon entrance of Heshan.

Heshan is a mountain range that is 300 feet high. It is a relatively famous mountain range in the southwest of Anzhou. When viewed from the air, it looks like a crane with its wings spread and resting.

The official road was located at the beak of the crane. The passage was narrow and rugged, and Guhe County had placed deer antlers and barbed wire on it, with rolling stones and firewood on both sides.

At this moment, the 300 soldiers guarding Guhe County, with the Tuanjie Army as the main core, set up camp relying on the mountain terrain, while 1,700 able-bodied men were also distributed with weapons and stood ready for battle.

(End of this chapter)