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

One possibility is that the Golden Crow and Phoenix Body's destiny is used to bear the karmic backlash; another is that something may truly reside within the dragon vein, and the Golden Crow and Phoenix Body's innate divine essence serves as a tonic.

Both of these guesses are actually related to what Chu Mingkong knows to some extent, but since there is no way to investigate further, they can only be put aside for the time being.

Knowing how to deal with this force is key!

"Then how should I deal with this force? Can I sever the emperor's connection with this faith of the common people?"

Yun Nongyu said with certainty:

"It cannot be severed, it cannot be severed. As long as there is even one citizen of the Heavenly Pole Empire who prays to the heavens, this faith will fall upon the emperor. When you stand before the emperor, what you are actually confronting is the grand aspiration of the entire Heavenly Pole Empire for all its people."

Extreme Yin power can erode and devour faith and willpower, but unfortunately, the extreme Yin power within you is not enough to devour it all. You feel that the extreme Yin power is ineffective simply because the other party's faith and willpower are replenished too quickly.

Chu Mingkong grew increasingly angry as he thought about it, and even laughed in anger. He recalled the horrific scenes of hell in Jin:

"The emperor has done so many terrible things, and he doesn't care about the common people at all. Why should this wish for the well-being of the people fall on his shoulders?"

Yun Nongyu hesitated. As a cultivator, she wouldn't willingly get involved in major karmic matters, and her understanding of these matters was naturally limited. She said uncertainly:

"Perhaps it's because the people are ignorant and simple-minded. They just want their lives to be better, and then they pray to Heaven. But the symbol of legitimacy is occupied by the imperial emperor, so the power of prayers to 'Heaven's will' falls on the emperor. As long as he holds the name of legitimacy, regardless of whether the people pray to him or not, the power of their prayers will ultimately fall on him. Moreover, the dragon vein, which is the power of the people's prayers, is now controlled by the emperor."

This was indeed a helpless and troublesome matter, but after hearing what she said, Chu Mingkong felt somewhat enlightened.

The current situation is that even though Xiling has moved to the opposite side of the Tianji royal family, the people of Xiling are still providing the emperor with the power of faith and aspiration for the common people. Perhaps the emperor is even grateful to the Princess Consort of Chu for governing Xiling so well.

But if Xiling were to completely break with the Tianji Empire in the name of Tianya Tower, then in the hearts of the people, the object of their prayers would change from the emperor to the current leader of Xiling, the Princess of Chu.

If the chaotic Jin region could also be brought over, it would be equivalent to weakening the emperor's willpower and resources.

While pondering, Yun Nongyu said again:

"Ultimately, the power of extreme Yin can still deal with the Emperor's dragon vein power, but this requires you to have an extraordinary level of control over the power of extreme Yin. If you want to take a step back, you can also try to use a power similar to the dragon vein. Your Highness is thinking about finding a way out for Xiling in the New Moon Kingdom, right?"

"You mean... after pacifying the Crescent Kingdom, take a portion of the people's willpower from the Crescent Kingdom to deal with the emperor, thereby reducing the pressure of using the extreme yin power?"

"Exactly, but doing so would also be tantamount to getting involved in karma."

Chu Mingkong finally understood why the Daoist sect's holy land, which was so close to the Crescent Moon Kingdom, didn't covet that land at all. It turned out that the Daoist sect was avoiding it at all costs!

Chu Mingkong and Yun Nongyu talked for most of the day. Zuo Qiuchi had long been tired of this uninteresting topic. After eating a few bites of snacks and drinking a few sips of wine, he became swaying and drowsy.

Chu Mingkong saw her swaying and about to fall, so he moved over and caught her.

Zuo Qiuchi complained wearily, "Ouch, your hard, lumpy body almost knocked me out. Quickly, let's find someone soft and sweet."

Yun Nongyu was sore from being hugged so tightly that her back ached, so she quickly slipped away, making an excuse to go and check on Wei Qingning's preparations for the invocation ceremony.

Chu Mingkong pulled Zuo Qiuchi down to lie down. Previously, she had been the one to give someone a bear hug; now it was his turn to give Zuo Qiuchi a bear hug. Holding his master's voluptuous body, he exclaimed in admiration:

"It feels so good to hug something so soft and fragrant!"

Chapter 160 Thirst and Drinking Water (14/18)

"I think you should shrink down before you hug me." Zuo Qiuchi narrowed her eyes, her long, trembling eyelashes like brushes, but she was too lazy to move, wanting her traitor to do it himself.

Chu Mingkong looked at his master up close and thought she was quite good. He had been interested in Yun Nongyu out of novelty, but he couldn't get enough of Zuo Qiuchi after looking at her for so long. Her delicate face and skin were so smooth and tender, like freshly steamed white flour, with only a trace of pastry and celestial wine on her lips.

"Whether it shrinks or grows, it's the same, right? The lean flesh on my body is usually soft, not like the hard lumps you're talking about that made me dizzy. That's an exaggeration."

"So, do you think it's more comfortable to sleep with a lumpy, hunchback-like iron quilt, or a soft, fragrant brocade mattress?" Zuo Qiuchi said irritably, not even bothering to squint.

"If it were me, I would choose the latter. But if it were you, I think you should choose me, Master!" Chu Mingkong said with a self-righteous double standard.

Zuo Qiuchi sighed helplessly. "My apprentice's grown up; he's getting harder to manage..." she murmured.

"And there's something else. I was afraid of hurting your feelings and making you feel like I was discriminating against you, so I kept it from you. But now I have to be honest. Your body is changing between cold and warm, and it's getting more and more obvious. It's starting to affect my experience during my romantic dreams, and it's not very comfortable to hold you!"

So I suggest you shrink down before trying to be cute with your master, otherwise I'll just have to pretend I don't have a disciple like you.

So our master-disciple relationship is actually this fragile... But Chu Mingkong thought about it and realized that carrying such a big lump of something that was sometimes cold and sometimes hot was indeed affecting his rest.

Previously, when she was simply practicing extreme Yin and later when she first began cultivating the path of harmony, her body was dominated by extreme Yin. The single sensation did not affect Zuo Qiuchi much, and she could ignore it by "starting a fire" with her own cultivation power. Now that there are more changes in temperature, she seems to dislike it quite a bit.

"Wouldn't this be considered 'the hardest time to rest during the fickle weather of early spring'?"

Zuo Qiuchi's delicate eyebrows twitched slightly, and she said approvingly:

"Hey, not bad, your dog mouth is starting to spew ivory again. If you finish spewing the ivory, I'll make an exception and allow you to hold an extra cup of tea for a while."

Actually, Zuo Qiuchi kept saying she disliked him, but Chu Mingkong had been clinging to her like this for more than a cup of tea, so she was just saying it. In reality, as long as Chu Mingkong didn't go too far, she was too lazy to slap him away.

But Chu Mingkong still sent a trans-generational blessing of faith to his ancestor Li Qingzhao from his previous life in his heart, and then took out the poem "Sheng Sheng Man".

Zuo Qiuchi asked in surprise, "That's strange. How did you manage to memorize the whole poem from the teahouse and the old man by the river?"

"Some things are always memorable."

Chu Mingkong could actually barely remember the whole poem from before, but he might have misremembered and only said the famous line. This time, Zuo Qiuchi asked him to "recite the whole poem", so he naturally recited the entire poem.

His hands encircled Zuo Qiuchi's slender waist. As he held her, his hands slid down her lower back, following the smooth skin, and grasped her plump, elastic buttocks, the snow-white, fleshy buttocks incredibly firm.

It wasn't that his fingers willingly sank into it, but rather that his fingers were held back by that softness.

The alluring scent of mature women seemed to stir up his heart, filling it with a deep sense of intoxication even before he had a drink, and his body felt restless and hot.

"Looking for a beating?"

Zuo Qiuchi extended her soft hand and gently patted the traitor's face, signifying "Fire Lotus Divine Palm warning!"

Chu Mingkong had his fill of touching her, but he was still not satisfied. He put his pig's trotters back on her slender waist and explored the beauty of her shoulder blades on her back. At the same time, he was planning when to lick his master's lips and make him happy so he could go south again to grope peaches.

“Speaking of which, Master, I suddenly remembered that we owe each other a debt from some time ago.”

Upon hearing this, Zuo Qiuchi knew it was no good and promptly reneged on the deal.

"It's been too long, I can't remember, I'm not returning it!"

Chu Mingkong explained solemnly, "No, it seems that I owe you, Master."

Zuo Qiuchi raised an eyebrow:

"You owe it? Then you can't renege on it. Hurry up and rub my legs, back, and shoulders! If you dare to default on this debt, our master-disciple relationship will be severed!"

Chu Mingkong then explained in detail:

"Do you remember when we were on our way to Xiling from Baihu Plain, outside that desert inn on the sandbar, Master, you gave me a drink? I'm thirsty right now, and for the sake of our enduring master-disciple bond, I have to repay this debt to you!"

Holy crap...

Zuo Qiuchi wanted to draw her sword and cripple him on the spot. This time, she really couldn't deny it. She had just asked Chu Mingkong to return it, but he had tricked her!

Oh no, I really shouldn't have been in such a hurry. I was thinking that I had missed out on a good deal and should have asked first. I actually jumped into a hole myself.

While she was still pondering whether there was any way to renege on the debt and generously forgive Chu Mingkong, Chu Mingkong couldn't wait to take responsibility for his creditor. He quickly slipped under the white dress and began to talk incessantly.

Chu Mingkong, after a long absence, turned on the notification sound for the arrival of filial piety gifts again, so as to monitor whether Zuo Qiuchi's experience was up to standard. If it was up to standard, he would naturally receive the distorted filial piety gifts from her, thus avoiding the embarrassment of wasting his breath and making efforts in the wrong place.

Zuo Qiuchi still had her eyes half-closed, probably because the elixir she had just drunk was only now taking effect. Her breath became hot and sweet, and her beautiful face was adorned with a gorgeous blush from being drunk.

The faint sounds of greedy drinking echoed in the room.

"I'll pay for this once, get out of the way..." Master's voice softened considerably, almost like a gentle whisper.

"No, no, this is not right. It's been going on for so long, and it's such an important debt. Master, you should charge me high interest. I only repaid the principal just now. With the compound interest, I'll have to pay it back at least five or six times. Otherwise, you'll be the one who loses out, and I'll be the one who gains. I can't do something so wrong!"

Zuo Qiuchi was too weak to even hit him; it was the first time he had ever heard of someone who was eager to owe high-interest loans.

"I'll waive the interest for you..." The female sword immortal from the Sword Pride faction was panting heavily as she spoke.

Just as Chu Mingkong was about to hold on a little longer, a light weight suddenly appeared on his shoulder, and a pair of delicate and alluring snow-white feet stepped onto his shoulder.

Watching the master and disciple's playful interaction, Feng Ying reached out and pinched Chu Mingkong's cheek, smiling frivolously and charmingly:

"Oh dear~ Sword Immortal Juque is getting a good deal and still acting innocent. You want to collect interest and still have the reputation of being a good person. Even loan sharks aren't as shrewd as you. You're clearly beaming with joy. Why don't I collect a little profit for you? Mingkong, are you still thirsty? Would you like a maid to bring you some water?"

Chapter 161: Borrowing Land (14.2/18)

Zuo Qiuchi was somewhat embarrassed. It was already awkward enough that Chu Mingkong licked water on him, but then Feng Ying came out to watch the joke. He was losing face.

"What business is it of yours what we, master and disciple, have to do with each other?"

"That's definitely none of my business. No matter what, when that sword immortal was being thoroughly devoured, I was on the outside of the ship keeping watch. I wouldn't have known what happened if I hadn't come back to check."

"Go! Go! Go!"

Zuo Qiuchi waved her hand as if to shoo him away, feeling extremely embarrassed inside, but her face showed utter disgust. She just wanted Feng Ying, that hothead, to leave as soon as possible. However, she found that Feng Ying was still standing on Chu Mingkong's shoulder, watching her and Chu Mingkong with a light laugh, showing no intention of leaving. Zuo Qiuchi said angrily:

"Are you just envious? Fine, I'll give you a chance. Replace Mingkong and let you taste what I'm made of!"

"Pah~ Who cares about your taste?"

Feng Ying spat lightly, then stretched out her delicate, boneless hand and slapped Zuo Qiuchi's snow-white buttocks. If Chu Mingkong hadn't been buried in Zuo Qiuchi's body, pinning her down, Zuo Qiuchi would have already jumped up and pinched Feng Ying's buttocks.

Feng Ying then changed the subject and said to Chu Mingkong:

"You haven't even served me properly yet. Your master just said he doesn't need it anymore, so it's my turn now."

Zuo Qiuchi raised an eyebrow. She suspected that Feng Ying was deliberately stirring up trouble, but there were some things she couldn't give in to, otherwise it would be too embarrassing. She was currently playing around with her traitorous disciple, so how could she let others give her advice and tell them what to do?

"No way! Anyway, Fengying, you're so flexible, just bend over and gnaw on yourself. I'll cheer you on. And Mingkong, you're not allowed to stand there either. You like paying interest, right? Hurry up and pay it back!"

Feng Ying, who had been crouching on Chu Mingkong's shoulder, had unknowingly climbed onto his back. As Chu Mingkong feigned death and groped him, Feng Ying left cool, wet kisses on his ear.

Her tongue, like a snake's forked tongue, ravaged and teased, making a "slurping" sound as if she wanted to suck out Chu Mingkong's brain.

Two nimble, beautiful feet circled around to press against Chu Mingkong's front, easily arousing the burning desire in his heart. Normally, as an assassin, she would attack the enemy's fatal weaknesses, and now she used this skill on Chu Mingkong, manipulating his various weaknesses.

But all of this came to an abrupt end. Feng Ying stopped teasing him and, like a bewitching and beautiful serpent, crawled onto Zuo Qiuchi's body, hooking one arm around her neck and turning the Peach Blossom Well towards Chu Mingkong, as if vying with Zuo Qiuchi for beauty.

Chu Mingkong had heard that the White Tiger signifies misfortune, and that in folk tradition, a woman's "bald patches of hair" were considered an ominous sign, hence such women were called White Tigers.

Looking at the two extremely ferocious white tigers in front of him, the evil fire in his heart was stirred up with a raging flame, and his breathing became much more rapid. It was indeed an ominous sign!

Feng Ying said nonchalantly, "Hurry up, or you won't get that kind of service anymore~ You want to pay interest to your master? You might want her to tease you like that later, but I'm afraid that sword immortal master won't allow it~"

Zuo Qiuchi cursed inwardly that Feng Ying was truly shameless and had no bottom line, and said:

"If you take a bite out of her, you can call her Master from now on. I'm getting tired of her anyway, so I'll go wander off somewhere else and find some fun."

Chu Mingkong was in a dilemma, unable to make a decision or know where to begin.