The female war god

Haoqi Tower, seven stories.

Inside the tea room, besides Wei Yuan, there was no one else. Xu Qi'an, with his upright posture, stepped in with steady steps, clasped his hands in greeting, and said:

"Duke Wei."

Wei Yuan had just poured a cup of tea and placed it opposite him, gesturing with his hand, "Sit."

Xu Qi'an sat down awkwardly, took a symbolic sip of his drink, and then stared intently at Wei Yuan. He had a premonition that Wei Yuan had come to see him about the case of Princess Pingyang.

"The case of Princess Pingyang is over, but the case of Sangbo must continue. His Majesty rejected my proposal." Wei Yuan sipped his tea, speaking calmly and casually as if chatting, recounting the events that had occurred in the Imperial Study to Xu Qi'an.

Xu Qi'an said with a gloomy face, "Minister Sun of the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Revenue Zhou Xianping of the Ministry of Revenue have a past relationship and have disliked me from the very beginning."

Wei Yuan waved his hand dismissively, interrupting him with displeasure. "These are all trivial matters!"

He said with a hint of disappointment, "His Majesty doesn't like you, that's the real problem."

Xu Qi'an's face immediately darkened.

What a coincidence, I don't like him either. When I saw Emperor Yuanjing wearing a Daoist robe during the ancestral worship ceremony, I felt a slight aversion to him.

At the time, he thought it was because the other party represented feudal imperial power. Later, after experiencing the Linglong incident and having close contact with him, he realized that his dislike for Emperor Yuanjing was pure and without any other reason; it was just a heartfelt hatred.

Perhaps it's because my birth chart clashes with the old emperor's? I'm a Monkey (申猴) and he's a Sheep (未羊)? Xu Qi'an forced a bitter smile:

"This humble servant does not know what I have done to offend Your Majesty."

"Perhaps we just don't click." Wei Yuan rubbed his temples and said, "Just wait patiently. There's no need to investigate further. By now, every trace has been erased. You won't find anything. If His Majesty insists on executing you after the deadline, I will arrange for a death row inmate to take your place."

"Heh, don't worry, no one will pay special attention to someone as lowly as you, a mere bronze gong."

Then I naturally became your shady subordinate. Xu Qi'an said, "What if we could capture Zhou Chixiong?"

Wei Yuan smiled, "This matter can be settled."

He then shook his head and chuckled.

After leaving Haoqi Tower, Xu Qi'an returned to Chunfeng Hall and told Song Tingfeng, Zhu Guangxiao, and Li Yuchun about the matter.

Song Tingfeng and Zhu Guangxiao's expressions suddenly froze. The former slammed his hand on the table, cursed, and paced anxiously in the hall, while the latter looked increasingly bitter and resentful, his brows furrowed.

Li Yuchun pondered for a moment and said, "The case of Princess Pingyang has wasted too much time, and it will be difficult for you to investigate the Sangbo case thoroughly. The Bureau of Astronomy's ability to observe the Qi-Watching Technique) cannot indict officials of the fourth rank or above. Unless you can persuade the Director of the Astronomical Bureau to help."

Seek help from the Supervisor? Even if he were willing, would Emperor Yuanjing believe him? Xu Qi'an thought to himself, "I'm not going to go find that old geezer."

Star-Gazing Tower.

"Sister Caiwei, I need to see the Supervisor. Do you have any way to get me to the Eight Trigrams Platform?" Xu Qi'an asked, carrying bags of food, his smile as smug as a sycophant from a past life.

Chu Caiwei ate the delicacies offered by Xu Qi'an without any hesitation, but said, "No, Master is in seclusion and has closed the passage to the Eight Trigrams Platform. No one can go up."

She's just like a goddess who uses her backup options.

Is there no other way?

"No way."

When will our master emerge from seclusion?

Chu Caiwei glanced at him, thinking to herself, what do you mean by "our master"?

She said, "It could take several months at most, or as short as half a month; I reckon it's spent at the Eight Trigrams Platform calculating astrological phenomena."

Xu Qi'an nearly coughed up blood. This was retribution. He had been getting away with things for free all day, and now someone else had gotten away with it too.

No, I can't let him suffer like this. He placed all the food he had bought with two taels of silver on the table and said, "My sister at home has started her period and is having terrible cramps. What can I do?"

Upon hearing this, Chu Caiwei swayed her hips and ran off, returning a moment later with a porcelain bottle. "Take one when it hurts, and it will work instantly."

Although this girl is greedy, she is very generous; she is willing to give away any kind of elixir, whether it is expensive or not.

Yunzhou.

Nestled in the vast mountains, a sizable village is built against the mountainside, its lights twinkling in the dark night.

The village was easy to defend and difficult to attack, and it had a strategic advantage. When it was first built, the government would send troops to besiege it, but after several defeats, they turned a blind eye.

Yunzhou was plagued by bandits, with countless roving bandits and mountain bandits robbing and plundering. The people had suffered for a long time, and the government had been troubled by it for decades.

Decades have passed, and we've gradually gotten used to it. Chaotic areas have their own way of life.

As soon as night fell, the mountain wind began to blow fiercely, and soon after, lightning flashed and thunder roared, followed by a torrential downpour.

On the watchtower, the bandits on guard duty endured the cold raindrops blowing in from the side, looking enviously towards the village.

Today, the village pulled off another big heist, robbing a merchant caravan and bringing back a considerable amount of valuable goods, including silk, tea, and porcelain.

This is all thanks to the newly arrived sixth leader of the mountain stronghold, who is exceptionally skilled in martial arts, proficient in combined attacks, and adept at training soldiers.

He is said to have come from a military background and used to work in the capital of the Great Feng Dynasty. Later, because he could not stand the incompetence and corruption of the court, he simply became an outlaw.

Right now, a victory celebration is being held in the village.

Inside, amidst a roaring charcoal fire, six leaders and some underlings were feasting and drinking, spouting vulgarities and raising their large bowls high.

Half-naked women served him, forcing smiles. They were all kidnapped women, some ordinary commoners, others even daughters of wealthy families.

Those with good looks were chosen to serve the leaders and lower-ranking officers, while those with average looks were shared with the other brothers in the village.

Zhou Chixiong sat at the desk, his back ramrod straight as usual, his demeanor completely out of place among the lecherous bandits. A pretty woman served him, but Zhou Chixiong didn't even bother to look at her.

Such vulgar women are not even worth touching.

Zhou Chixiong brought his whole family to Yunzhou. His wife and son were not in the mountain stronghold, but were instead placed in Baidi City, the largest city in Yunzhou.

That place is one of the few paradises in Yunzhou, where there is no need to worry about bandits or thieves.

The leader was a peak-level expert in the Spirit Refining Realm, with a full beard and a seemingly rugged appearance, but in reality, he was extremely meticulous.

"Brother Zhou, is it that the women here don't suit your taste?"

Before Zhou Chixiong could respond, the leader laughed heartily, "I heard there's a beautiful young woman in the caravan this time, and she's being locked up in the woodshed?"

"Yes, boss, that woman is incredibly beautiful."

"Boss, compared to her, the women in the village are simply... like the difference between mud and sugar."

The image of the woman's stunning beauty flashed through Zhou Chixiong's mind, and his heart burned with desire. He had abducted her, and he knew her best. If he hadn't been a newcomer, he would have already taken her into his room.

The leader pondered for a moment, then laughed heartily, "Men, bring that woman up. Tonight, the Sixth Leader can do whatever he wants with her. He's the one who kidnapped her, so he should be the first to have his fill."

The other members of the family had no objections; it didn't matter who got to taste it first, since they would get to enjoy it sooner or later anyway.

After a moment, a woman was brought up. She was wearing a long, layered white dress, with skin as white as snow, large and bright eyes, and flawless features.

She was somewhat frightened, as timid as a fawn in the forest.

The surroundings fell silent instantly; everyone was mesmerized by her beauty, staring in stunned silence.

A gurgling sound came from Adam's apple bobbing.

The woman seemed to already know her fate. Biting her lip, she timidly asked, "Which master shall I serve?"

Zhou Chixiong swallowed hard, finding the other woman incredibly attractive. He strode over and pulled her to the table.

Zhou Chixiong embraced the beautiful woman, touching and kissing her with insatiable desire, which aroused jealousy among the surrounding bandits, who wished they could take her place.

"Are you Zhou Chixiong?" A woman's gentle voice sounded in my ear.

She knew my name. Zhou Chixiong felt a chill run down his spine, and his desire vanished instantly. At the same time, he noticed that the beauty in his arms was gradually turning pale and losing her life.

In an instant, it transformed into a paper figure as tall as a person.

"Giggle giggle"

The woman's shrill laughter echoed in the room, sending chills down everyone's spine.

The window was blasted open by a strong wind, extinguishing the candles inside.

In the darkness, the sounds of swords being drawn echoed continuously, followed by the leader's shout, "What kind of demon are you, playing tricks on me?"

The woman's shrill laughter stopped, but a few seconds later, everyone in the mountain stronghold heard a piercing scream that echoed through the mountains and into the night sky.

"It's a demon," Zhou Chixiong said in a deep voice, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

The Enchanting Demon, also known as the Alluring Ghost, has almost no combat ability. It excels at using its beauty to lure people and drain their life essence.

Although martial artists are not good at dealing with ghosts and monsters, they can become immune to all ghosts if they can circulate their Qi and Blood. What Zhou Chixiong really cares about is the master behind the demon.

Zhou Chixiong had a vague feeling that the other party was coming for him.

Just then, the sound of drums resounded throughout the mountain stronghold, and shouts from outside came from the bandits, "Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

The bandit leaders and their underlings rushed out of the house, weapons in hand, and peered out into the pouring rain, their vision obscured by the darkness, the rain, and the forest.

A sharp whistling sound came from the sky; it was the sound of arrows flying.

Bandits kept falling to the ground, wounded by arrows, their screams echoing throughout the area.

The leader parried the arrow, feeling slightly relieved. He continued his attack from below, as the arrows weren't very powerful. Unless he was unlucky enough to be hit in a vital spot, he wouldn't lose his fighting ability even if he was hit.

Prepare rolling stones and tung oil.

The mountain stronghold had a strategic advantage in location, and these two things were its defensive Law Treasure. From the very beginning, the stronghold used these things to withstand the government's encirclement and suppression and to get through the most difficult period.

As soon as the leader finished speaking, a silver light streaked across the night sky. It wasn't the light of lightning, but rather the aura emanating from a long spear.

Boom!

A flash of lightning illuminated the scene, allowing the bandits below to see a figure standing atop the silver spear.

She wore scale armor, a bright red cloak behind her, no helmet, and her long hair was tied into a waist-length ponytail. She was heroic and valiant, like a dignified female war goddess.

The goddess of war formed a hand Method Formula, summoning heavenly thunder. "Boom!" Lightning struck down, and she caught it with her fingers, then flicked it away with all her might.

The two arrow towers in front of the mountain stronghold collapsed with a crash.

Daoist School Thunder Control Technique?

Zhou Chixiong felt a chill in his heart, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.