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

"What kind of herb is this? Did you suffer from famine while you were in the East Sea? Why are you eating grass?"

"Yes, I'm starving, so Master, could you give me some grass?"

"..." Zuo Qiuchi felt that this bastard seemed to be implying something in his words.

He snatched the herb and put it in his mouth like a snack.

With everyone present and safe, and even one more person, Qingse was completely at ease. She no longer needed to stay here, anxiously worrying about being asked by passing cultivators, "What does your Immortal Treasure Pavilion sell?"

She couldn't wait to announce, "It's all good that everyone is alright. We're all ready to leave. While others are fleeing, we can't just sit here and wait."

Yongzhen glanced at the tall woman she had never met before, and said softly to Chu Mingkong:

"Mingkong, aren't you going to introduce us? It's not right to leave us hanging like this!"

Chu Mingkong's lips twitched. The princess's presence was truly imposing. He walked to the side of the Moon River.

"Cat's mom!"

The rest of the journey will naturally involve the familiar storytelling segment, which will be indispensable both after returning to Xiling and now before returning to Xiling.

Chu Mingkong had previously considered something: rather than having a story session in a circle, the women preferred to listen to him tell stories individually.

After a period of separation, coupled with the cultivators' hasty and scattering manner, the girls were very curious and couldn't wait for him to slowly work out with each of them. They directly asked him to act as a storyteller in the hall first.

Zuo Qiuchi didn't get involved. Instead, he pulled Feng Ying aside and asked about the situation with the Moon River Goddess. After Feng Ying explained the whole story, Zuo Qiuchi muttered to himself:

"At the beginning, a Yin-time person only has the power to strike once, and will disappear after that. If they injure those powerful beings, they can replenish their power and live on for a long time?"

Fengying shrugged, shook his head, and sighed:

"I'm not sure if it can last forever, but at least it can stay for now. Some of the Yin people who hid in the East China Sea got a good deal and stayed."

"It sounds to me like a ghost has found a physical body." Zuo Qiuchi only said this once and then didn't pay attention to it. Instead, she asked about Chu Mingkong's situation: "Why is Mingkong starting to eat grass? I also feel that the... extreme yang power on his body is a bit strong, but it's not like his physical body is being enhanced by extreme yang power. Where is it coming from?"

Feng Ying didn't hide anything and explained the true situation at the time, as well as the extreme yang injury that Chu Mingkong's soul had suffered. These were things that the current storyteller Chu Mingkong wouldn't reveal, so as not to worry the girls.

Zuo Qiuchi felt a headache coming on when he heard about the situation, and hissed as he gasped for breath:

"What is all this nonsense? Throwing his own soul into the waters of the Extreme Yang Lake? Putting aside whether there's anything wrong with the Extreme Yang Lake water that appeared in the Extreme Abyss, he's just asking for death by doing this!"

"So, just because their physical bodies survived the wounds of the Abyss, they've become so audacious?"

Even those with profound mastery of the Five Elements would proceed with extreme caution and trepidation after obtaining the Extreme Yang Technique.

It is indeed a dual force in the world. To say that it is gentle is only relative to the extreme yin force. But if a force is really as docile as a rabbit, how can it be called "extreme"?

"So he's taking a lot of herbs now to suppress his mental and spiritual discomfort?"

As he spoke, Zuo Qiuchi turned his gaze to Chu Mingkong, who was increasingly resembling a storyteller in the hall. Chu Mingkong spoke with ease and a smile on his lips, adding exaggerated expressions when he mentioned "ancient Buddha corpse" and "blood-blade Mingwang corpse".

He might criticize, but it was out of concern. If it were someone who had nothing to do with him, no matter how badly they were injured, Zuo Qiuchi would just listen to it as a joke.

Feng Ying remained noncommittal; she was unaware of the situation. Before she ran over to place the teleportation talisman, Chu Mingkong was still lying down.

"It should be. I don't know if Yunhan found the herbs for Mingkong after asking Pavilion Master Shen."

"Alright, I'll ask him when he's finished telling his story, and I'll also ask Cat's mother, the old lady. There's a treasure in the family, maybe she had some ideas in ancient times."

......

The sky was clear and bright, but suddenly a shadow fell over Qingxin Mansion. Everyone in the mansion was puzzled, wondering if the clouds had changed and it was about to rain.

However, this shadow was Qingse's Immortal Treasure Pavilion.

To facilitate parking, the open space opposite Qingxin Mansion has been left unused (the location of the house that Empress Pei chose when she wanted to move out of Qingxin Mansion, but was not rebuilt after being attacked by assassins), and it is now being used as a parking space for Xianzhen Pavilion.

While Xianzhen Pavilion was still aligning itself and slowly descending, Chu Mingkong spotted Gu Jungui, who was walking his child, and jumped out of the window.

After a brief hug with Aunt Gu, he suddenly remembered the matter of the large sum of money being misused as a token of filial piety, but he decided to ask about it later.

He squatted down, his face beaming with delight, looking at the adorable little bean sprout that had shrunk considerably:

"Wow, you've really gotten so small! I almost don't recognize you. Are you a kitten?"

"It's a cat!"

The little girl's voice was even more childlike now, but she was still happy to see Chu Mingkong, stretching out her pink and milky white arms for him to hug her.

The Moon River Cat, held in Chu Mingkong's arms, saw the medicinal plant in his hand that looked like it had been gnawed by a dog. Thinking it was delicious, she leaned over and licked it when her father wasn't looking.

Her round, chubby face immediately pouted, and she burst into tears.

Gu Jungui, standing to the side, lightly slapped Chu Mingkong a few times in annoyance:

"Mingkong, what's wrong with you? You promised to let Maomao come back with a belly so she could ask you for some snacks and get closer to you. Why did you have to trick this little glutton right away!"

Chu Mingkong was in a terrible predicament. He hadn't expected the cat to be so quick, sneaking a bite out of him. He always kept that medicinal herb with him to ease the pain in his soul.

"Kitty, look who I brought you." Chu Mingkong pointed to Yuehe, who had just come down.

The cat immediately stopped crying, no longer wanting this heartless father, and looked at its mother with teary eyes, reaching out for a hug.

Chapter 129 True Knowledge Comes from the Hand

Integrating Yuehe into its new surroundings is neither particularly difficult nor easy.

Compared to Pei Mi and the others who had integrated into life in Xiling, Yuehe was born with a daughter, giving her a significant advantage. However, Yuehe herself was not a talkative woman, and she was aloof and used to being alone.

Based on what I learned in the Divine Kingdom, Yuehe is still growing up and trying to get rid of the lunar power she came into contact with when she was young. Moreover, she was an abandoned child when she was young, so she is even less affectionate towards outsiders. This personality has continued even after the establishment of the Yuehe Empire.

One person hides behind the scenes, while those below are smug, thinking they have broken free from Empress Yueqi's control and successfully sidelined her. In reality, no one has figured out who has given up on whom.

Chu Mingkong didn't think he could persuade such a strong-willed woman with words alone; this important task could only be left to Yuehe Maomao.

After returning, Chu Mingkong repeatedly instructed Tianya Lou to keep an eye on the situation in the East China Sea, and he had to make a trip to the building every day.

"We really need to be careful about this. We don't know how many of those Yin Shi people there are, but it's always good to be cautious. Their combat ability is too strong; they retain the combat power level of ancient times." Chu Mingkong solemnly instructed and repeated, then took a few bites of herbs after he finished nagging.

Elder Ding was still the one on duty at Tianya Tower without fail. He gave a thumbs-up, a gesture that, when made by him, made him seem a bit like a playful old man.

"No problem, we've been keeping these things in mind. We've even asked the sect cultivators not to make any contact with unfamiliar outsiders and to inform us as soon as possible."

"...By the way, Your Highness, since returning from the East Sea, why have you taken a liking to eating herbs? And even eating them directly?"

The correct, or rather the common, way to take elixirs is naturally to take them orally and then refine them. However, it is very rare for someone like Chu Mingkong to treat them like snacks and take a few bites wherever he goes.

Herbal remedies may become less effective over time, a condition known as drug resistance.

However, this was not what Chu Mingkong imagined. The lingering pain from the depths of his soul was unbearable, and he could only suppress it by occasionally gnawing on a few herbs.

Fortunately, this herb is not very potent. It relies on its bitter taste, which can reach the soul, to relieve pain, essentially distracting the mind. As long as you don't get used to the taste too soon, it can last for a long time.

He casually replied, "I was tricked into buying it from Donghai. I paid for it, so I can't just not eat it."

Elder Ding saw through Chu Mingkong's perfunctory attitude, but did not delve into it: "Alright, there are many skilled alchemists in the pavilion. We can try to refine this herb into pills. That way, it will be more elegant to eat."

“That makes sense. Then I’ll trouble Elder Ding to do the work.” Chu Mingkong immediately produced a small mountain of herbs.

The aroma of herbs was mixed with a faint medicinal property. With so many herbs piled together, the bitter feeling in his mind made Elder Ding shudder on the spot.

"It was almost more bitter than life itself!"

"Don't send it directly to Qingxin Mansion after it's made, I'm afraid the cat will secretly take it and eat it like candy."

After leaving a message, Chu Mingkong's work at Tianya Tower for the day was considered finished. He was about to wander around the City Lord's Pavilion, but after taking a few steps, he turned back.

Xiao Zhi went to the East Sea with Wan Hua, leaving her responsibilities behind and secretly following along. Now that they've returned, the two are having a big fight, so it's not advisable for Chu Mingkong to get involved for the time being. Chu Mingkong should wait a few days before going down to appease and persuade them; entering now will not be very effective in comforting them.

He decided to go back to Qingxin Mansion to see Aunt Gu and find out what was going on with that filial piety donation!

The elders of Tianya Tower continued to collect and process intelligence from the East China Sea, gradually learning about the situation there. The group of old men were amazed.

"How dangerous! Look at all these news reports. So many things have happened even in a place where so many cultivators are stationed!"

"The stargazer observed unusual celestial phenomena, then the person who resold other people's burial goods discovered an ancient Buddha corpse, and finally even the abyss there experienced so many problems."

"Who would have thought that the Abyss could evolve into an ancient Buddha? Fortunately, it didn't come from our Xiling. Do you think it might evolve into a Taoist Celestial Master in the future?"

"It's a pity. We only know the facts, but we can't find any information about what happened in the Abyss at that time, or how that ancient Buddha was dealt with."

Gathering intelligence is not just about knowing what happened, but more importantly, how to solve it. At that time, the situation was chaotic; the cultivators were either running away or fleeing. Tianya Tower spent a lot of money offering rewards, but they still couldn't get any definite information.

"I think it has something to do with His Highness. This kind of thing can't be done by anyone else. Who else knows better than us Xiling people how to deal with the ferocious beasts of the Abyss? It just so happens that His Highness is there too!" The elder who spoke left half a sentence unsaid. His Highness is currently taking a lot of herbs, which may be related to that thing in the Abyss.

"The East Sea Dragon Clan also has an organization to deal with the ferocious beasts of the Abyss, right? The current Dragon King used to come from the Abyss, which is called the Land of Exile."

An elder picked up a piece of intelligence, flicked the paper, making a loud "tap-tap" sound to attract the attention of his colleagues:

"I just happened to mention the Dragon King Ao Wei. It is said that someone threw the corpse of an ancient Buddha into the Dragon King's palace, and Ao Wei converted the ancient Buddha's corpse. It just so happens that his deceased wife was a Buddhist, and now Ao Wei's mouth is always talking about Buddha or his wife."

No one noticed his presence in the Abyss back then, so it definitely couldn't have been him. Would a Buddhist dragon king really go and fight an ancient Buddha?

......

Qingxin Mansion.

Two or three days after Chu Mingkong and his men returned safely, Qingxin Mansion returned to its lively state after several days, though it was more of a quiet, quiet place.

Each courtyard is inhabited, and you can easily encounter a woman who can talk if you walk around a little.

Gu Jungui was busy and happy for a month, taking the two little children out for walks every day. But now all the women in the mansion were vying to take their little maids out to play, and Gu Jungui suddenly had some free time.

Whether it was from exhaustion or something else, Gu Jun Gui felt constantly tired and wanted to rest from time to time, so he was lying in the room right now.

Chu Mingkong quietly entered the room and saw the beautiful, plump woman lying quietly on the embroidered couch, her clothes neatly folded to the side. She was only wearing a bodice and undergarments, revealing her fair and delicate collarbone and shoulders.

She rolled over onto her side, revealing a stunningly alluring curve to her plump, snow-white breasts. The smooth, soft flesh flowed like water, forming a full, rounded peak that barely contained her bodice, radiating a captivating blend of sensuality and maternal charm. A glimpse of her jade-like leg peeked out from the edge of the blankets, alluringly white, delicate, and pink.

At first glance, this voluptuous and graceful woman gives the impression of being soft and fair. If you were to hug her tightly, you might find yourself falling into her softness.

Chu Mingkong decided against any surprise attacks, lest he frighten Gu Jungui's peace. He took two steps back, walked to the door, dispelled his concealment, and gently knocked on the door.

Gu Jungui straightened up and looked up, only to find that Chu Mingkong was standing inside the room knocking on the door. He said irritably:

"Mingkong, you really are something! You sneaked inside before pretending to be polite and knocking on the door!"

"I was just afraid of startling Aunt Gu by suddenly appearing, so I knocked on the door. Aunt Gu doesn't need to get up, you can just lie down." Chu Mingkong took off his outer robe and shoes and socks, and as if he was afraid of the cold, he quickly shrank into the beautiful woman's bed.

Incidentally, Xiling was still in the season of swirling snowflakes, the wind carrying a chill, and even a breath of air could produce white mist. It was truly a dramatic change in perspective; the East Sea appeared shrouded in dark clouds, somewhat gloomy and eerie, but the road itself was still covered in greenery. Returning to Xiling felt like winter had suddenly arrived.

As soon as he crawled into bed, Chu Mingkong felt as if spring had arrived. The warm and wonderful body temperature remained in the quilt, still carrying the fragrance of a woman.

Chu Mingkong felt a soft warmth from her, while Gu Jungui felt a hard, burning heat from Chu Mingkong.