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

"That's a bit far-fetched, isn't it? What emperor calls his close ministers 'family'?" Gu Jungui was worried for Chu Mingkong, fearing that his contact with Empress Ba would make things difficult for Chu Mingkong. He had been being polite and cautious just now.

Chu Mingkong explained that he had recognized his grandmother, and Gu Jungui and Yongzhen suddenly realized what was going on and exclaimed how strange it was.

Gu Jungui placed Chu Mingkong's outstretched hand on Yongzhen's lower abdomen, urging him to get closer to the young women, and added:

"To be able to awaken our ancestors from the scriptures, Nongyu is truly remarkable. If she leaves behind a handwritten book recording her life, wouldn't that be equivalent to immortality?"

This idea is wonderful, but it's difficult to realize. Putting aside how to leave "spirituality" in one's diary, just how to possess the Daoist talent of Yun Nongyu is a problem.

Seeing Chu Mingkong smile but remain silent, Gu Jungui thought it was really possible, and she said earnestly:

“Mingkong, I’ve been in contact with the female cultivators here these past few days and asked them about their lives. I feel that their lives are quite different from the secular life in Xiling. As cultivators live their lives, they are mostly alone.”

I was thinking, it's fine for Yongzhen, Nongyu, and Qiuchi to follow Mingkong, but in the future, when Mingkong goes out and it's inconvenient for him to take us with him, he can take our notebooks with him. That way, he won't be hindered by us following him, and when he misses us, Nongyu can awaken the spirits of our books to keep him company.

Similar thoughts arose because Chu Ming had been using the opportunity of "smuggling" himself into the Abyss to handle his affairs for a while.

With the help of the Abyss, things were relatively easy at the Sword Dynasty this time. There was no need to worry about the Immortal Treasure Pavilion all the time, and it was only a short walk back from the Abyss.

But if we want to go somewhere else in the future, we may not have such a lucky geographical advantage.

To put it bluntly, Gu Jun Gui was afraid that these women would hinder Chu Ming Kong's actions, and there was also the issue of lifespan. There was a limit to their talent, and no matter how much they tried to improve it later, they could not keep up with Chu Ming Kong.

Many things are either present from birth or absent from one's entire life.

After listening, Chu Mingkong said with a serious expression:

"Aunt Gu, what are you thinking! I can't control what other people's purpose is in cultivating, but I've figured it out. I cultivate so that we can stay together for a long time and easily overcome any obstacles we encounter, not for one person's immortality."

Don't think like that anymore. Nothing can replace your presence in my life! What I want isn't for me to carry your keepsakes with me all the time to remember you, but for you to always be by my side.

Gu Jun Gui rarely saw Chu Ming Kong's attitude so firm, so she tried to appease him:

"I only told you because I was worried, don't take it seriously..."

Yongzhen timely interrupted, preventing the awkward atmosphere of farewell from building up, she said:

"Aunt Gu, tell me about the Queen of Ba. What did she talk to you about?"

"What could there be? Just chatting, asking about Mingkong, asking about his views on descendants, etc. I figured it's not good to reveal your secrets in other areas, but I don't care about your descendants. I always said that this is too much of a matter of fate. Mingkong is too powerful in his cultivation and has always wanted to have more descendants, but it depends too much on luck."

Chu Mingkong listened and realized it wasn't anything important. He guessed that Empress Ba was just there to chat and build rapport, given the late emperor's influence.

......

Chu Mingkong chatted with her for a while, then pulled the somewhat reserved Yongzhen aside and gave the helpless Aunt Gu a few sips from each of her left and right sides, secretly drinking her slurping food. Only then did he leave satisfied, going alone to find his master's wife to ask about things, leaving Yongzhen to continue accompanying Aunt Gu.

The only question that needed to be asked of the master's wife was about the appearance of Grandma Basheng herself.

Just as Chu Mingkong found his master's wife, Shen Xuejun, Bai Niang appeared. Two Bai Niangs, one in black and one in white, embraced him on either side, seemingly trying to interrupt his contact with Shen Xuejun.

For a moment, the gazes that met between Bai Niang and Shen Xuejun sparked a hint of tension.

Chapter 80 My Master's Wife Won't Massage My Legs Anymore

If we rewind a bit, when Chu Mingkong had just found Shen Xuejun, the best course of action regarding the situation with the late Empress Dowager would be to seek answers directly from his master's wife.

Whether we can cooperate or trust each other, it's always good to ask.

Shen Xuejun did not move into the Sword Emperor Palace with most of the female relatives, perhaps because she wanted to avoid Grandma Basheng.

But her address wasn't far either, just across the street from where Qingse had chosen to set up her new shop.

Inside the room, Shen Xuejun was brewing and sipping tea. Wisps of white steam rose from the teacup, releasing a sweet and refreshing aroma.

She sat on a wooden chair by the window, her plump, rounded legs in white stockings crossed. Looking closely at the elegant patterns on the stockings, it was as if one were looking at frozen flowers through a layer of ice. That beauty was captured, but it was impossible to tell whether the flowers were at the bottom or in the middle of the ice, drawing attention and scrutiny.

Chu Mingkong had visited his master's wife several times in the past few days. He even accompanied her to choose the location, and he was in charge of selecting all kinds of furniture and decorations. He was suddenly fawning over this elder in every way.

“Master’s wife, I brought you some specialty teas from the Sword Dynasty. Considering your preferences, I also selected some flower teas grown in the cold mountains.”

"Yes, that's thoughtful." The proud, aloof beauty nodded gently.

"I've encountered something these past few days that I'd like to ask my master's wife about. It's about the matter that my master's wife mentioned before, that someone from the Sword Emperor Dynasty is trying to win me over."

"Then come and sit down to talk." Shen Xuejun waved her hand, and the cold air around her turned into snowflakes and ice crystals, piling up to form a chair. This chair was very close to her; if the armrests were removed, it would be almost as if they were sitting side by side.

If the chair's appearance were even more flamboyant and arrogant, Chu Mingkong thought it could be named the Frozen Throne.

As dusk approached outside the window, the setting sun cast a blood-red glow, tinging Shen Xuejun's snow-white hair with a warm orange hue. Her exquisite face also shimmered with the light of the setting sun, appearing crystal clear.

There was a reason why Chu Mingkong chose this time to come.

If they chatted a little longer as night fell and it became completely dark, he could try to persuade her to stay. Although staying overnight probably wouldn't lead to anything serious, staying a few more times might create an opportunity.

Whether or not Bai Niang noticed his little thought, just a few steps after Chu Mingkong took a few steps, the black python and the white python emerged from his sleeves, transformed into human form, and embraced him on the left and right.

Chu Mingkong's arm sank deeply into Bai Niang's deep bosom. Her breasts were clearly soft and boudoir-like, and they would sway and tremble when he walked quickly. However, the pressure they exerted on Chu Mingkong's arm seemed quite great.

His steps were abruptly halted by the two White Maidens, who seemed to forbid him from getting close to Shen Xuejun.

"Uh... what's wrong with Bai Niang?" Chu Mingkong asked nervously in a low voice.

"It's getting dark, go back and rest," Bai Niang said calmly, her words slow and gentle.

"..."

Chu Mingkong remained silent. Bai Niang's tone was completely devoid of any provocation, but this could not conceal the increasingly ominous atmosphere.

Shen Xuejun had just asked him to sit down when Bai Niang immediately came out, grabbed him, and tried to take him away.

Why did they have to say it now, or earlier? It's hard to say that they weren't deliberately going against Shen Xuejun.

However, it wouldn't be accurate to say that she was against him. Bai Niang gave Chu Mingkong the impression of being a bit slow-paced and rarely showing any emotional fluctuations. Except when she was provoked, she rarely showed any hostility or ferocity. In any case, she was just moving around among the children and in the end, she was always clinging to Chu Mingkong.

Rather than saying she wanted to go against Shen Xuejun, it would be more accurate to say she didn't want Chu Mingkong to spend time with anyone else but with her.

But Bai Niang clearly didn't mind how he and Yun Han slept so soundly. Was it because his strength posed a threat that she was wary of him?

Chu Mingkong couldn't explain the situation clearly, and with a wry smile, he tactfully said to Bai Niang:

"Bai Niang, I have something to discuss with my master's wife. Now that I'm here, shouldn't I be allowed to ask clearly? Are you suggesting I leave the question for another time?"

Bai Niang and Hei Niang embraced him, their two pairs of bewitching snake eyes, calm as still water, met Shen Xuejun's icy blue eyes, and sparks seemed to fly silently between them.

"Alright, you've asked all your questions now. You don't need to come back next time."

"..."

Isn't this just making things more complicated? It sounds like they're saying he's never allowed to see Shen Xuejun again.

He had no choice but to bite the bullet and stabilize Bai Niang's situation first. If he really left with Bai Niang now, Chu Mingkong figured he might not need to come looking for his master's wife anymore.

He whispered to Bai Niang in a flattering tone:

"Bai Niang, why don't you change back first? There must be something urgent that needs me to go back. Could it be Yongzhen's transformation problem? Let's talk when we get back, it'll only be a little while!"

Under the pressure of his master's wife's gaze, Chu Mingkong, with cold sweat beading on his forehead, coaxed Bai Niang and finally managed to coax her back into his sleeve.

He finally breathed a sigh of relief, gave his teacher's wife an apologetic smile, and tried to find a way to save face:

"Well... Master's wife, Yongzhen got pregnant a while ago, and Bai Niang is very concerned about Yongzhen's baby. She gets anxious if she doesn't see her for a while, which is why she suddenly appeared. Let's continue talking about what we just mentioned."

He walked over and sat down, feeling ashamed, and then heard Shen Xuejun say calmly:

"Since Bai Niang is so worried about Yong Zhen, she can go back first. It's not far."

Chu Mingkong immediately sensed that the beautiful python in his sleeve was about to crawl out again. He quickly bent down to cover his sleeve, steadyed Bai Niang, and looked at Shen Xuejun with a smile.

"Well... cough cough, let's talk about this. How about I massage your legs while I talk to you, Master's wife?"

In the past, Shen Xuejun had always allowed Chu Mingkong to touch her legs, but this time she was refused.

"Your legs aren't sore. Hurry up and finish what you've said so we can go back and check on Yongzhen's condition sooner."

Chu Mingkong was extremely embarrassed and didn't know what to do for a moment, but he could only bite the bullet and tell her about the Sword Emperor's grandmother.

The details of how they met were omitted; the focus was on her mention of winning him over, and Chu Mingkong was unsure whether to listen to her.

Grandma Sword Emperor's goal is to go to the Heavenly Realm. It feels like she could be a good partner. Anyway, Chu Mingkong doesn't see any other hope of getting close to the Heavenly Realm in the short term. It would be good to have more people searching for clues together.

"I feel that we can reach out and cooperate. Moreover, she is not trying to recruit me into the Rakshasa Society. Her attitude towards the Rakshasa Society is quite indifferent. However, remembering your reminder earlier, Master's wife, I still kept an eye on things and came over to confirm."

I wonder what the master's wife thinks?

Despite the brief incident, Shen Xuejun remained composed and answered all questions directly.

“Your unease doesn’t stem from my reminder, but also from your lack of understanding of the Sword Emperor Basheng. If her goal is ‘on the same side’ as yours, then you can first find out what state she is in and what has happened to her before planning to travel together.”

Chapter 81 The Snake's Tongue is Knotted

Chu Mingkong slunk away from his master's wife's room, but this was only a strategic retreat. He would inevitably bring some small gifts to visit her again later.

During their last conversation, Shen Xuejun advised Chu Mingkong to be wary of attempts to win him over from unknown sources. However, after learning about the situation of the female swordswoman Ba ​​Sheng from Chu Mingkong this time, she did not directly deny it. Instead, she let Chu Mingkong understand the situation and make his own judgment, without making a decision for him.

Shen Xuejun's points really struck a chord with Chu Mingkong.

Grandma Sword Emperor did indeed give him a lot of care, from her true form to her scripture will. He had only had one direct contact with her true form so far, but it was still mostly out of goodwill.

She doesn't even mind if her cat nibbles on her dumplings.

"Next time we meet, I should ask Grandma what kind of extraordinary encounter she had that led to her 'coming back to life.' However, her true self seems to be in a much more somber mood than the will of the scripture. She says she's going to cause trouble for the people of the Heavenly Realm, but she doesn't seem to have much motivation."

Chu Mingkong carefully considered the words in his mind. He couldn't say that she was "hypocritical in words but didn't really have a strong desire to cause trouble for the people of Tianyu." It was simply that she had an indifferent attitude.

They treated this as a task to be completed, rather than a goal to be achieved out of genuine passion.

"Grandma herself is known to have entered the Heavenly Realm and has retained her complete memories from that time. We need to ask her about these things."

I wonder when I'll see her again. Looks like I'll have to go to the bathhouse more often.

Chu Mingkong had sorted out his thoughts and rushed back to his Sword Emperor Palace to check on Bai Niang's situation.

Back in his room, he found traces of a woman lying on the bed, the scent of Jin Yu, and the children's wooden toys left behind.

Chu Mingkong was used to this. Even when he wasn't in the room, it was practically the girls' hangout, with women coming in to sit for a while from time to time.

He pounced on the bed and took out the two lustrous female pythons from his sleeve. The white python transformed into a human form, and a mature and beautiful woman wearing a white dress with exposed armpits pressed down on Chu Mingkong. The long, slender body of the black python swam between her and Chu Mingkong's bodies, as if binding the two of them together.

The snake's body, like a black pearl, was hooked onto Bai Niang's fair and smooth body, sometimes slowly wriggling. The distinct contrast of colors highlighted its strange charm.

"Bai Niang, just now at the master..."