Chapter 418: Chapter 55: Half the Reason! Chapter 418: Chapter 55: Half the Reason! Li Yan shook his head after listening, “As a person, I believe in suppressing violence with violence, but once I’m set on a path, I’m accused of acting recklessly. I can take joy in battling thousands, but to ask to be a healer of n, truly, I lack such skill.”
Lady Hu tilted her face up, “The matter I’m requesting, only soone of your caliber has the ability to accomplish it.”
“Then let’s hear it. Wang Sheng and I share bonds stronger than life itself, I won’t hesitate to help if I can.”
Li Yan spoke with a steady voice.
At this juncture, Lady Hu suddenly beca coy, “I must first apologize to Lord Governor, and if what I’m about to say incites your anger, please do not take it out on Shenglang. It’s rely my unfiltered speech, without anyone else’s instigation.”
Li Yan narrowed his eyes, “Just say it.”
Lady Hu lingered for a mont, gathering her courage internally, reasoning that if she didn’t speak now, she would be unable to do so after this crucial mont passed.
“I humbly request that you lend the Official Dragon and Tiger Plaque… just for a mont.”
Li Yan’s expression turned stern abruptly.
Lady Hu felt a surge of panic; just as she was about to prostrate herself, she felt a strong tug on her shoulder, forcibly dragging her backward and causing her to fall heavily to the ground.
Wang Sheng’s face was as if he wanted to eat soone alive; he glared at Lady Hu fiercely, “Get inside!”
Lady Hu dare not argue and had to lower her head and walk toward the house.
“You too, get inside!”
Wang Sheng uttered to Cai Clan in a low voice.
Cai Clan pursed her lips, taking hold of Lady Hu’s hand to walk her inside.
“Forget it, the old mistress is currently fuming; having the two of them go inside would be like pouring oil on fire.”
Li Yan said blandly.
The words left Lady Hu feeling aggrieved as she wiped her tears from behind.
Seeing her state, Cai Clan reached out and squeezed her hand; Lady Hu’s eyes brimd with tears, and as she looked up at Cai Clan, they exchanged a silent, wordless understanding.
Wang Sheng hung his head, his face displaying lingering anger mixed with sha, “Lord, my lowly wife, born of humble origins and lacking refinent, has no sense of propriety. Once ho, I will ensure she is strictly disciplined.”
“You have the nerve to yell at her, yet lack the strength to protect your child and mother. You don’t want to fail the ghost fox, nor shirk your duty to worship your mother. It seems you want to have your cake and eat it too,” Li Yan looked at Wang Sheng.
Wang Sheng knelt on the ground, the sha on his face deepening, “I am ashad! I am confused!”
“You’ve done nothing wrong; you’ve just not done enough,” Li Yan looked at Wang Sheng, his expression suddenly solemn, “Being brave enough to take responsibility is comndable, but he who looks only ahead and ignores the consequences is a foolhardy ghost! I know your situation is tough, but if you want to enjoy a comfortable life, you also need to hold on to what little life you have left. Do you expect to be your savior sent from heaven?”
Wang Sheng’s face turned beet red with embarrassnt, veins throbbing on his neck, rendered speechless.
The words directed at Wang Sheng were the frustration Li Yan had been suppressing since he arrived, releasing it now brought him so relief.
He softened his face a little, asking Lady Hu with interest, “So, what do you intend to do with my banner?”
“I dare not say,”
Lady Hu said, wiping away her tears with a look of grievance.
Li Yan glanced at Wang Sheng and then said to Lady Hu, “Just speak your mind, he won’t dare to discipline you.”
“Yes.”
With reddened eyes and after a respectful curtsy, Lady Hu finally ceased her sobbing and slowly began, “A ghost fox is not tolerated by humans. Living under the sa roof, if the human is strong, the ghost is hard, and if the ghost is strong, the human is hard.This is the way of heaven, but only the Dragon Tiger Qi can balance the rise and fall, benefiting both humans and ghosts. It’s the only solution to the difficulties my husband and I face.”
“I originally thought that once Shenglang beca a high-ranking official, he could use the enshrined Dragon Tiger Qi to replenish the deficits in his body, but now that the scandal has broken, this path is completely blocked.”
“Since the path for Shenglang is not viable, I thought if the two of us could get even a fraction of the Dragon Tiger Qi to shed our demonic origins and beco governnt-licensed heretical ghost foxes, then we could escape this disaster. However, the Dragon Tiger Qi from the court has always been controlled by officials and the Heavenly Master Tao, and is not even accessible to ordinary people, let alone the two of us sisters. Today, my lord, in my greed and confusion, I spoke out of turn…”
Li Yan’s thoughts stirred: “Heretical Demon Immortals can be given imperial seals, is there such a precedent?”
“Yes, according to Dragon Tiger Mountain, those who can wield the Dragon Tiger Qi to cast spells and charms and acquire supernatural powers from postnatal training are considered the right path. On the other hand, those who are born with innate talents, who develop supernatural powers without a teacher and must endure heavenly tribulations, are the heretics. Not just monsters, but many other unusual beings, are included in this,”
After saying this, she glanced at Li Yan, seeing him as one such outlier.
“If a heretic can obtain even a bit of the Dragon Tiger Qi, they would not only beco harmless but could avoid disaster. Many heretics who actively do good and eliminate evil in the world, in the end, aim for an official edict from the court.”
Hearing Lady Hu ntion obtaining the Dragon Tiger Qi, Li Yan beca deeply interested: “Do you have any vivid examples of this?”
“Of course! Seven years ago, to suppress the Japanese pirates, the court conferred titles on two demon immortals in Joseon. One was a 500-year-old tree demon, and the other was a 500-year-old bird demon. They were even exceptionally accepted as disciples by Dragon Tiger Mountain!”
Lady Hu was not the slightest bit secretive, and her tone was even excited.
She too had 500 years of cultivation, and although she was a common fox, her magic was not as potent as that of those two legendary beings, she still greatly yearned for such a teoric rise in status.
Li Yan pressed on: “Do you know where those two demons, who received imperial seals, are now?”
Lady Hu found it strange that Governor Li was so interested in these matters, but she nodded anyway: “There’s an amusing tale to that. The bird demon is nad Nine-Winged Sudu, and just recently, for so reason, it has broken away from Heavenly Master Tao and even recognized the leader of the Three Hidden Demons, Golden Mountain Old Ancestor, as its godfather. The tree demon is nad Niutou Chantan, who has several tis represented Heavenly Master Tao in visiting Qianguang Cave to take people, but every ti it turned out sourly. Correct, correct, the ti when Nine-Winged Sudu left Heavenly Master Tao happens to coincide with the uproar caused by the Green Fla Celestial Demon’s visit to Dragon Tiger Mountain. I wonder if there’s a connection.”
Li Yan still unsatisfied, continued to inquire: “This ti, I am tasked with escorting the plaque because Dragon Tiger Mountain claims it’s to subdue the Green Fla Celestial Demon. You ntioned Golden Mountain Old Ancestor as the leader of the Three Hidden Demons, so who is this Green Fla Celestial Demon?”
“Those kinds of secrets, let’s not even talk about Jiaozhou—likely all the demons and ghosts in Shandong Prefecture don’t know. There’s been no prior buzz, it seems to have co out of thin air. But this person ca ashore from the Yalu River, traveling from Outside of the Pass to Dragon Tiger Mountain. So fellow practitioners suspect that she might be the Celestial Demon who executed Himiko a few years ago and took over the Fusang Demon Country.”
Knowing he wouldn’t unearth further details, Li Yan shifted the conversation: “I understand, but the Dragon Tiger Flags concern the state’s foundation; I cannot lend them to you.”
“Lord Governor, please don’t ntion it again. I was foolish, I acknowledge my mistake.”
Lady Hu shrank her neck back.
“Still, there are surely other thods besides official decrees to obtain the Dragon Tiger Qi, right?”
Li Yan thought of the Zhen family Outside of the Pass, where the nightti demon coveted Elder Mr. Zhen’s posthumous title of a sixth-rank official, undoubtedly for its Dragon Tiger Qi.
Wang Sheng had remained silent, but upon hearing Li Yan’s words, he could no longer hold back, “My lord, I really cannot burden you with more troubles.”
“One might as well be bitten by many fleas as by few, and one need not worry about too many debts. I have offended the entire Heavenly Master Tao, yet you died prematurely. What do I stand to gain?”
Li Yan chided Wang Sheng with these words.
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