Who is spreading rumors that my filial piety towards them has changed?

Those who can be moved by empty praise are only people of a fairly average level.

"This book was written by an old man named Li Er. Years ago, when I went fishing, an old man lent me a copy. I found it quite wonderful, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why. So I memorized it," Chu Mingkong said respectfully.

"This time it's not the Xiling Teahouse?" Xiao Yunhan asked.

"If I were to say it's a teahouse, it's a teahouse in the capital, and it's located in Xiling now. What if you actually go and verify it..."

Shen Xuejun only glanced at a few pages before noticing that Xiao Yunhan was about to hug the boy. She said to her apprentice:

"Yunhan, give me Mingkong to hug."

"?" Xiao Yunhan asked in confusion, "Why, Master?"

"This book is extraordinary, but its punctuation is slightly different from our usual way of speaking. It seems that Mingkong knows the specific punctuation of this book. Let him read it aloud."

This book contains no punctuation marks or other sentence breaks; the entire content is presented in a continuous flow.

Shen Xuejun took the boy and held him on her lap. She opened the Tao Te Ching in front of him, indicating that he should start reading. Her jade finger landed on the first character, and he would move to the next character after reading each one.

This scene is quite comical, resembling a mature and dignified elder earnestly urging a child to study.

However, Chu Mingkong found it difficult to treat this master's wife as an ordinary elder. His first impression of her was her verbal warning.

Sitting in her ample lap, his sweet and fragrant body scent wafted over him. Her full, snowy breasts against the back of his head were smooth and soft, and her legs were plump and silky. Even the most ordinary contact was incredibly sensual. This feeling seemed to rival that of the Queen Dog and Aunt Gu.

Chu Mingkong banished his romantic thoughts, quickly calmed himself, and began reciting the contents of the Tao Te Ching for her. The short five thousand words were neither too fast nor too slow.

Shen Xuejun and Xiao Yunhan's expressions gradually became solemn and serious. The text contained more than 5,000 words and 81 chapters, each chapter containing only one or two sentences, but it covered many aspects of self-cultivation, governance, and so on. It was all-encompassing and profound in meaning!

Each chapter may seem superficial, but to these experienced and knowledgeable people, every word is a gem.

Although the entire text has nothing to do with cultivation techniques, someone with such broad insights must be a powerful figure in his own right, right?

Moreover, spiritual practice itself is also about cultivating one's own mind. If one can understand the principles behind it and gain knowledge of all things, it is possible to use this knowledge to enrich one's spiritual practice.

Chu Mingkong heard two unaltered filial piety donation notifications ringing in his mind, one from his sister and the other from the beautiful mature woman who was holding him. Both were worth several thousand units each. He wondered if it was because this book was too special or because the system had broken through.

If he has shown filial piety in return, then his master's wife should have accepted his apology gift, right?

"Who is Li Er? Why have I never heard of him?" Shen Xuejun asked seriously.

"I don't know. The old fisherman said it was a sage from beyond the heavens."

“Sages beyond the heavens… It seems there really is a realm beyond the heavens in this world. What a wondrous book!” Shen Xuejun exclaimed. This was probably the most obvious emotional fluctuation Chu Mingkong had shown since meeting her.

"Did the old man say anything else to you?" Xiao Yunhan asked.

Chu Mingkong understood, and from now on he would no longer refer to Xiling Teahouse, but directly say the old fisherman!

"Yes, but I can't remember it right now. The old man saw that I couldn't catch any fish, so he showed me a lot of books to comfort me."

Shen Xuejun tightened her grip on Chu Mingkong's stomach and said impatiently:

"This book is a gift for meeting you. Now you can present your apology gift. I can let bygones be bygones for your ignorance today." It seems that when they met in the courtyard, she really meant to scare him, even throwing away the title of "this one" back to her.

Chu Mingkong was in a dilemma. According to his master's wife, she wanted him to send her a book of equal quality to the Tao Te Ching. Where could he find another book of that level for her to read?

If we're talking about something comparable, it seems like the Book of Changes is one, but he can't memorize this book, let alone understand it; at most, he can only utter a few words from it.

"There is a book called the *I Ching*, but it's too profound for me to recall..."

Shen Xuejun had the good fortune to hear about the extraordinary book *Tao Te Ching* today, and now, upon hearing about the *I Ching*, she was eager to witness its profound mysteries. She said:

"From this moment on, you will eat, sleep, and shower with me. You can go do your own thing whenever you feel like it!"

You can't be serious, can you? Master's wife, you seem pretty heartless, can a book really stir up more of a fuss than helping me get my medicine?!

Chu Mingkong naturally couldn't comprehend the shock a cultivator felt—the shock of discovering a supreme divine treasure!

Just then, Zuo Qiuchi returned. As soon as she entered, she saw Shen Xuejun. Remembering her past youth and recklessness, she thought Shen Xuejun had come to settle scores with her. She instinctively tried to slip away, but when Shen Xuejun saw her, she immediately called Zuo Qiuchi back.

"Miss Zuo, stop right there. I have something to tell you."

Without saying a word, Zuo Qiuchi cupped his hands in greeting: "Back then, I was young and impetuous and called you 'Madam' in a flirtatious way. I hope you will forgive me."

Chu Mingkong was surprised and thought to himself, "Master, what a coincidence, I also called her 'Madam' a few times."

What Shen Xuejun said next once again shocked Chu Mingkong's worldview. She said earnestly:

“I will accept this ‘Madam’ title. But from now on, Mingkong will acknowledge me as his master and you as his master’s wife. I will be the one to teach this naughty child. This disciple will be mine! I will not pursue the matter of your past offenses against me.”

Zuo Qiuchi was dumbfounded, her mind unable to process what had happened. All she knew was that someone had tried to steal her apprentice.

Xiao Yunhan was dumbfounded. Had Zuo Qiuchi suddenly become her elder for no reason?!

Chu Mingkong was dumbfounded. This woman actually had dirt on both him and Zuo Qiuchi. It seemed like his master and mistress were taking turns.

“He won’t agree, and becoming his master requires doing some special things.” Zuo Qiuchi looked at Chu Mingkong with a meaningful gaze.

That look in his eyes seemed to say, "Because I, his master, have bitten this little traitor."

Chu Mingkong felt guilty; his master's wife had also bitten him before...

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PS: Only four updates today. I'm writing slowly, and I still owe one more update.

Chapter 196 Arm (Two chapters combined)

Zuo Qiuchi naturally wouldn't agree, but openly refusing would make it seem like she was very reluctant to part with her rebellious disciple Chu Mingkong, which wouldn't be appropriate either.

She sat down next to Shen Xuejun's chair, and in the brief moment when the voluptuous woman's attention shifted to the book in her hands, she nimbly snatched the boy back into her arms before politely declining:

"I'm sorry, it's not that I don't want to accept Senior Shen's admiration, it's just that many things have passed, and the feelings from back then have faded with time. I will still be the one to teach my disciple."

You're still just talking nonsense... Chu Mingkong gently scratched Zuo Qiuchi's palm with her small hand, reminding her that the other party seemed to have something on her, and said:

"Master, how did you offend Master...Master's wife back then?" He was a little confused.

"Actually, it wasn't a big deal. Back then, I was looking for people to spar with in order to gain experience. I asked Senior Shen Xuejun for advice several times but didn't get a response. I saw that she cultivated the Path of Ruthlessness, so I wanted to see if she could really remain calm and not get angry. That's why I called her 'Madam' or something like that."

So there's such a system as the Path of Ruthlessness? No wonder her demeanor was so strange when I was around her. Could Yunhan have cultivated a similar personality to her? Probably not. Yunhan is usually quite approachable.

Chu Mingkong was not familiar with these complicated systems, and more importantly, he had no interest in them; he couldn't bring himself to meditate.

"Did Senior Shen get angry?"

Chu Mingkong's form of address was quietly changed, but Shen Xuejun immediately corrected him.

“Mingkong, you’ve addressed me incorrectly. If you’re not ready to call me Master, then call me Master’s Wife. The rules have been established for you and cannot be easily changed. You mispronounced it once just now, so now make up for it three times.” The beautiful woman looked at Chu Mingkong with an unyielding gaze.

"Master's wife, Master's wife, Master's wife." Chu Mingkong said without hesitation.

It seems that the people around him all call him by his own name, and no one interferes with anyone else; this is the case with the people in the capital.

Zuo Qiuchi, as always, said with his cheeky tongue:

"It's better to call her Master Shen. That way it'll be easier to distinguish her from others later. I might even find you a few more master wives in the future."

That's great! Remember to find some more luscious ones, anything worse than Shen Xuejun!

Chu Mingkong righteously criticized his master: "This is not right, how can you make such a joke!"

Zuo Qiuchi knew exactly who he was, and said, "Then we, master and disciple, will go back and look for him privately."

"Hmm, let's talk privately! I'll give you my opinion, Master." Chu Mingkong suddenly noticed Shen Xuejun's cold gaze and seamlessly changed his words, "Was Master's wife angry with you back then?"

"She's already given birth, and she's come out to fight me right now. Does that mean I've broken the Path of Ruthlessness?" Zuo Qiuchi looked at Shen Xuejun.

"Naturally not. I challenged you to a duel because you spoke recklessly, broke the rules, and affected the reputation and prestige of our sect. Moreover, your cultivation level is also worthy of attention, so it is appropriate to challenge you to a duel." Her reply remained calm, treating everything as official business.

Chu Mingkong's eyes were fixed on Shen Xuejun, who was as cold and beautiful as a bird. The ruthless path she cultivated was really... unique. How to describe the feeling she gave people?

It's outrageous yet within the bounds of reason.

Chu Mingkong felt it was problematic to judge things without emotion. Take his recent situation, for example; he was being targeted in various ways. Couldn't he even have a temper? If he were truly ruthless, wouldn't he be treated like a child, bullied and fooled, since others assumed he wouldn't get angry or retaliate? However, this didn't happen with Shen Xuejun. Her response was actually quite similar to Chu Mingkong's. If someone offended Shen Xuejun, she would retaliate, but not out of anger; rather, because the other person had broken her rules.

So this mysterious "rule" is the key to communicating with her, right? If Chu Mingkong were to discuss a rule with her, such as that a master's wife and disciple should periodically cultivate together, wouldn't she also act like it's business and come over to cultivate with him with a cold expression?

Zuo Qiuchi suddenly patted his cheek, waking him from his strange reverie, and asked:

"How dare you, you unfilial disciple, offend Madam Shen?"

Chu Mingkong grasped her fingers, considered his answer carefully for a moment, and then said:

"It wasn't as serious as offending Master's wife, but I did talk back and spout grand principles without knowing the truth. However, I still don't quite agree with Master's wife's thinking at the time. By the way, Master's wife, what happened to Princess Ruyu afterward, and what was done with Young Master Ling?"

It can only be said that memories are interconnected; seemingly unrelated events can always trigger strange memories due to certain special circumstances.

Although Ruyu was born to her deceased junior sister, Shen Xuejun treated her as part of her own circle, always remembering her kindness and trying her best to take care of her. However, Shen Xuejun was focused on Ruyu's long-term benefits and didn't care about the small "losses" she suffered in the short term.

In the past, when Ruyu was mentioned, Shen Xuejun thought more about when she would be able to detach herself from the world and cultivate. But now, when Ruyu is mentioned, the first thing Shen Xuejun thinks of is that girl using her delicate tongue to push the antidote back into her mouth, and she, as her mother, had to push it back with her own tongue.

After stirring it back and forth, the antidote became much diluted, probably losing most of its original flavor, leaving only the scent of the two people's saliva. But in the end, Shen Xuejun was forced to use her cultivation to suppress the willful girl and make her take it.

Shen Xuejun took a sip of tea, the warm tea flowing through her mouth, easing the feeling in her heart. She hesitated for a long time before speaking:

"Ruyu is unharmed and resting in the mansion. I have eliminated Ling Gongzi's evil nature and left him in the stable, waiting for General Zhengyuan to bring people to deal with him. As for his little henchmen, Ruyu has already had them captured and found the pills he used to threaten Songde."

It seems that the matter has been handled properly. As for Songde, we won't concern ourselves with it. I guess his merits and demerits will cancel each other out, and he'll be removed from the ranks of our retainers or something like that.

However, the "evil root" that his master's wife mentioned... it shouldn't be what he imagined, right? That would be too cruel. This means that if he were to develop any wicked thoughts in the future and want to have any overly intimate interactions with her, he might be completely "out of luck"!

Chu Mingkong felt a chill run down his waist and immediately realized that his master was still better than his master's wife.

In the past, Master Zuo Qiuchi could at most break his momentum, but Master's wife Shen Xuejun wanted to eradicate him completely.

I misunderstood Zuo Qiuchi before. She is so gentle, I'm so happy!

Chu Mingkong's gaze towards Shen Xuejun had become much clearer, focused on the matter at hand, with fewer distracting thoughts. He pressed on, asking:

"Master's wife, just who is this young master Ling, Princess Ruyu's fiancé?"

"When the Prince of Jin was young and indulging in pleasures, he forcibly took a respectable young woman from a respectable family in the fields. The child born to this woman was Prince Ling, but his status as an illegitimate child has never been recognized."

Later, Young Master Ling accidentally obtained several ancient cultivation manuals, hoping to exchange them for wealth and glory. However, a merchant tried to force him to give up half of the manuals, and Young Master Ling was robbed of half of them. After escaping, he was furious and announced to the cultivators in Jin that he originally wanted to make the cultivation manuals left by his ancestors public to benefit the masses, but the merchant found out and took half of the manuals. Then, the cultivators went together to kill the merchant's entire family and rob them of their property. Young Master Ling had no choice but to make the ancient manuals public.

But it was a blessing in disguise; his generosity spread throughout Jin, his reputation soared, and others respectfully addressed him as "Young Master."

So there was such an inside story. If Chu Mingkong had simply looked into it, he probably would have only known about Young Master Ling's outward generosity.

Xiao Yunhan continued:

"At that time, Prince Jin was indulging in large-scale construction projects and currying favor with his concubines, which caused widespread resentment among the people. Young Master Ling was highly regarded among the common people and other lower-class individuals. Prince Jin directly recruited this neglected illegitimate son to stabilize public sentiment and suppressed the inside story of Young Master Ling's affair. He changed the story of Young Master Ling using martial arts techniques to repay money to the story of Young Master Ling using martial arts techniques to exchange for money to celebrate his biological father's birthday."