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

Xiao Yunhan's delicate body was like frost and snow, warm yet cool and pleasant. She pondered for a moment in Chu Mingkong's arms and realized that she had been led astray.

"Yes, the prelude to cultivation...any place other than cultivation is fine, it's up to Qiu Chi to decide?"

What's with this sense of déjà vu? I think I've seen two mothers and babies compare like this before, and now you two are doing it again, right?

When Ke Yunhan said "any place other than cultivation is fine," it basically narrowed it down to that wonderful place nearby.

Chu Mingkong remembered the last time he used Daoist essence oil to scrub his master's back, and half of his head slipped into it...

His fingers circled around his beloved master's peach-shaped cave, and he asked, "Master, how about I give you a back massage with essential oils to relax you up first?"

Zuo Qiuchi felt a tingling sensation all over her body from her traitor's fingers. She pursed her red lips and said in an unnatural tone:

"Then you should clear a path for Yunhan first, get that cold little face of hers to show some expression, and then I'll consider it..."

Xiao Yunhan was decisive and efficient. She bent down, her delicate body stretching slowly like a water snake, her curvaceous figure displaying its beauty. Finally, she lay on the soft couch, her full, round, and smooth breasts like a silent invitation.

"Then Mingkong, you're going to make Qiuchi cry later."

Chapter 282 It's Smoking!

Yuhua City was one of the most prosperous cities in Xiling.

The city has a wide variety of agricultural products, such as flowers and fruits, which can be said to be the foundation and characteristic of Yuhua City.

Among a row of vendors, a flower vendor looked disdainfully at what the fruit vendor next to him was doing:

"Why are you faking it when you're selling fruit? You're putting oil on your fruit to make it look shiny, right? Be careful someone finds worms in it and comes to your door cursing you out!"

"Hey! You don't know anything! You think smearing something is counterfeiting? Do you think it's like adding water to wine? When it comes to peaches, some people like fuzzy peaches, some people like fuzz-free nectarines, and some people like unripe and crisp ones, while others like ripe and juicy ones."

My peach trees can't possibly produce peaches of every flavor, can they? I'll have to apply some ripening oil to ensure that what others want to buy can be bought immediately, right?

The fruit vendor ignored him, thinking the flower-selling bird was just a meddlesome busybody pretending to know everything, and continued with his work.

Those perfectly grown, smooth peaches, glossy and white, with their white parts looking tender and red parts looking rosy, softened considerably after being massaged and rubbed, and their sweet juices overflowed beneath their beautiful skins.

At first glance, it looks like you could squeeze a handful of the plump peach flesh and squeeze out a handful of sweet, juicy flesh.

Ripe peaches were displayed separately from unripe ones, and amidst the comings and goings of people, the vendors chatted idly while hawking their wares.

"Have you heard about the sudden appearance of several merchant families in the city who have started worshipping Buddha?"

"It's true. Those wealthy families who sell jade items further down the street are really strange. In just a few days, they've started worshipping Buddha without even realizing it."

"I've heard others say it's eerie, but I don't know the reason, and I haven't been able to get any answers. What's the explanation? Although it's not good to worship Buddha in Xiling, it's a matter of personal preference, so how is it eerie?"

"Have you ever seen merchants remove the ancestral tablets from their family ancestral halls and replace them with a bunch of Buddha statues made of real gold and silver, almost turning their ancestral halls into small temples for people to burn incense and make wishes?"

"That's truly absurd; disrespecting ancestors while worshipping Buddha statues..."

Amidst the conversation, the vendors spotted a woman dressed in a peacock-patterned dress walking past from the opposite side. At first glance, she appeared to be just a strikingly beautiful young woman, but upon closer inspection, they noticed that she seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious and austere red and black mist.

That touch of red draws you into a state of intoxication, while the black skull faintly visible within the red evokes a sense of alarm and unease.

Wherever she passed, people seemed to be mesmerized, their eyes glazed over, frozen in place, before bowing in worship.

This transformation happened in an instant, without any transition.

Those vendors who were a little further away witnessed the whole thing and were filled with fear. They vaguely understood how those merchants had been possessed by evil spirits.

They quickly left the spot, not daring to linger, fearing that the few copper coins they had worked so hard to earn would be taken away by the woman.

Before leaving, the flower vendor noticed the ripe peaches were particularly eye-catching and looked rather unseemly, so he quietly slipped one into his pocket and took it with him.

......

Beneath the bed in the room, Zuo Qiuchi, lying on the soft couch, couldn't help but murmur in her sleep:

"Ugh... this stinky thing... it's so bloated..."

Zuo Qiuchi was both lucid and confused, filled with regret. He really shouldn't have agreed to his traitorous disciple's request.

Remembering how he could hold back when he peeked halfway out to massage Dao Yun Jing Cui last time, and how gentle and docile he was with Yun Han, she never expected that when it was her turn, Chu Ming Kong would start causing a ruckus as soon as he walked in.

After resting for a long time, Chu Mingkong was reluctant to leave Zuo Qiuchi's peerless peach, wishing he could become one with it forever.

However, after resting and regaining her senses, Zuo Qiuchi felt a mixture of joy and guilt. The joy stemmed from her recognition of her rebellious disciple, while the shame lay in the fact that she felt her authority as a master had been greatly diminished. Even a slight recollection of those memories made her blush and feel too ashamed to look back!

"Stop pretending to be asleep, hurry up and take it out for me!" Zuo Qiuchi slapped away Chu Mingkong's pig's trotter that was hugging her proud parts, her face turning red and then pale, and nudged the rebellious disciple behind her with her elbow.

This kid just secretly picked some grapes, and now he dares to pretend to be asleep.

"Let Mingkong leave it if he wants, anyway you're just lying around slacking off and not cultivating, so it makes no difference," Xiao Yunhan said indifferently. She glanced at the closely connected master and disciple, seemingly with a hint of envy.

Hearing Xiao Yunhan's advice, Zuo Qiuchi became even angrier, and the shame and indignation in his heart turned into a torrent of words from his mouth:

"Look, your peach is still oozing juice! Quickly tell Mingkong to stop it for you! I suspect you two conspired to do this to me!"

Hearing his beloved master's displeased tone, Chu Mingkong knew he couldn't continue playing dead. He cleared his throat and said softly:

"Ahem... There's no such thing as collusion or not, it's all because they genuinely couldn't control themselves..."

Zuo Qiuchi was also getting angry when she heard Chu Mingkong speak, and her eyebrows furrowed.

"Still trying to argue? I told you to be tougher on Yunhan, but you were so docile. So you used all the strength you saved on me, huh?"

I told you to slow down, but you sped up like you'd been injected with adrenaline. Try going at Yunhan's speed when I was back then, you'd practically make the ice blocks smoke!

If Chu Mingkong were to explain himself now, it would only be that... he had been craving it for so long that he couldn't resist...

He withdrew silently, ashamed. His deep filial piety towards his beloved master flowed out like a spring, and Zuo Qiuchi's delicate body trembled involuntarily. Perhaps it was because the duration was a bit long, or perhaps it was because the unfilial disciple's filial piety was a bit too profound.

At that moment, she felt as if a part of her body was empty and hollow.

Upon seeing Zuo Qiuchi's face flush with embarrassment, Xiao Yunhan bit her lip, worried that she might make a sound that might offend him. Suddenly, Xiao Yunhan said:

"Qiu Chi, I saw you sticking your tongue out."

Zuo Qiuchi almost lost his composure because of her words, and said through gritted teeth:

"Get lost! Didn't you throw up too? You were like a completely different person, trying to kiss me, but now you're all cold and distant. You have the nerve to say that?!"

Chu Mingkong, the instigator, dared not utter a sound and quietly hugged Zuo Qiuchi, pretending to be dead again.

After spending most of the day lazing around with his sister and master, Chu Mingkong couldn't continue being a useless person; he had to go out and make an appearance.

　 "Yu Huacheng? What's going on here? Did they sneak into Xiling without anyone noticing?"

He asked Zuo Qiuchi and Xiao Yunhan, "Would you like to go outside for a walk?"

Zuo Qiuchi is now using the excuse of being "pierced by a penetrating wound" to avoid moving:

"I'm recovering from my injuries and not leaving. Yunhan, don't even think about leaving, lest you siblings secretly plot against your old mother again!"

Chapter 283 Half-City Salvation

"How about I go with you?" Yuehe suddenly appeared in front of Chu Mingkong and took the initiative to ask him.

Looking at the tall woman with long, dark black hair in front of him, Chu Mingkong felt quite excited. Most of the time, he would take the initiative to approach Yuehe, and she would not refuse. This time, however, she took the initiative to speak to him.

It was because he was running around the mansion too hastily that he attracted Yuehe's attention.

"Can you sense what happened in Yuhua City?" Chu Mingkong asked in return. Logically speaking, Yun Nongyu should also have some senses, but she did not send any information to Chu Mingkong.

He learned of this news through Tianya Lou's channels.

Yuehe gently shook her head, her calm expression revealing that she too was part of the "Qingxin Mansion's Expressionless Group." She said:

"No, I can't sense any strong presence at all. The person who appeared is probably quite secretive. But your sudden, anxious running around the mansion can only be a matter of Buddhism."

"I see."

But Chu Mingkong decided to refuse her kindness this time:

“I would like to continue to have you back me up, but this time is not a good time! When you went to cause trouble for that monk Santong last time, you should have noticed that they had prepared a way to deal with you. I suspect that this one has a similar plan.”

So just stay calm and protect the cats at home. I'll get my teacher's wife to back me up this time!

Chu Mingkong felt no shame whatsoever about clinging to someone's coattails; anyone who wouldn't do it would be out of their mind.

"But hiding all the time isn't a problem either. What if the Buddhists come with some treasures to deal with me, this being of the Yin time? Do you think I can just run away by myself?"

The only solution to problems that have already arisen is to confront them. Sometimes, delaying is actually giving the other party ample time to deal with you effectively.

"If that ever happens, I'll run away with all of you. How could I let you, my best friend, run away alone?" Chu Mingkong laughed, then took Yuehe to Aunt Gu's yard to keep the cat company.

Among those in Qingxin Mansion who can best keep Yuehe in check, the cat is an entity that cannot be ignored.

After confirming that Jinyu wasn't fighting with the cat for food in the room, Chu Mingkong brought Yuehe in, letting the cat act as a "lubricant" to encourage Yuehe to communicate more with Aunt Gu and the others.

Chu Mingkong sat with them for a while, then immediately ran to his master's wife, Shen Xuejun, to report the situation.

These days, the mistress has been taking good care of the maids in the manor. The two little ones have a busy schedule, spending time with the adults everywhere.

Upon hearing what Chu Mingkong said, Shen Xuejun nodded and immediately set off with him to Yuhua City.

During the journey, Chu Mingkong asked, "Master's wife, what's the situation in Yuhua City? According to the intelligence from Tianya City, do you have any information? Has Luohan come over?"

Shen Xuejun explained:

"It can't be an Arhat. While Arhats can certainly move around without being noticed, if they want to convert people on a large scale, they would have to set up a large Buddhist temple. It's impossible for them to do it 'without any warning'."

"So, does this mean the Bodhisattva came directly here?"

"Yes, the existence of a Bodhisattva can influence the surroundings. Not only is the Bodhisattva an enlightened being, but the Bodhisattva can also directly influence others, which is called 'enlightenment by others'. This is the biggest difference between the Bodhisattva and the Arhat, but it also brings about a huge gap in strength. The Arhat only focuses on his own enlightenment, so he is 'self-enlightened'."

This wasn't the first time Chu Mingkong had heard Shen Xuejun say something like this, but he always felt it was vague and unreal. However, after learning about Yu Huacheng's situation, Chu Mingkong had a different perspective on this "other's perception."

The message from Tianya City told him that after the first day of worshippers in Yuhua City, within just three days, half the city's residents began to worship Buddha and offer incense, and even some government soldiers were involved.

Even the sounds of insects chirping, dogs barking, and roosters crowing seem to come alive with a Zen-like quality, following the rhythm of the wooden fish drum. It's almost like a form of indiscriminate salvation...

"Then, Master's wife, what should we do after we get there? Should we confront that Bodhisattva directly and drive her away to eliminate the influence of her salvation?"

"It's difficult. The conversion is irreversible. The people need to wake up and break free on their own. All we can do is drive away that Bodhisattva and reduce its influence. After you explicitly ban Buddhism in Xiling, those people who cannot break free from conversion will bring their property to the Buddhist Pure Land for pilgrimage and offerings."

"...It's really quite bizarre." Chu Mingkong felt disgusted and sneered, but couldn't help worrying about the people of Xiling. "Master's wife, how do you know so much about the actions of these Bodhisattvas?"