An unblemished heart

Stepping out of the inner hall, Xu Erlang looked around but couldn't find any maids.

Although the rear office was the living quarters of the Provincial Administration Commissioner, it was still part of the Provincial Administration Commission's office. As a government office, it was naturally not a place for too many women to be seen. Xu Erlang could understand this.

After walking for a while, he saw the master and apprentice sitting lazily in the sun at a stone table in the small courtyard on the west side, their bellies bulging.

Xu Erlang's lips twitched slightly, his face stern:

"Aren't you two going to the Southern Frontier? Let's set off tomorrow."

Xu Lingyin was taken aback, her mouth agape in exaggerated surprise, and she let out a long, drawn-out "Ah!" Looking at Lina, she said:

"Master, isn't this the Southern Frontier?"

"Of course not, this place is still far from my hometown. Well, it's not that far. I can carry you for seven days and seven nights and we'll get to Southern Frontier."

Lina patted her chest and said.

Xu Lingyin happily climbed onto her, her little bottom sitting on her face.

Lina slapped her away with a "smack," like swatting a fly. "Didn't we say we'd leave tomorrow? Lingyin, you're always so stupid."

"You're not much smarter than her," Xu Erlang coughed and said in a deep voice.

Why didn't you leave me any food?

Lina quickly shifted the blame. "It was Lingyin who said that Erlang and his brother wouldn't be hungry."

Xu Lingyin opened her big eyes and nodded seriously. "Erguo won't get hungry."

Lina said, "Then there's nothing we can do."

Xu Erlang was speechless and stormed off.

He just had the urge to pry open his sister's and Lina's heads to see what they were thinking all the time.

Why is it that someone blinded by greed can speak so naturally and so seriously?

At this moment, he saw a person walk in through the arched gate. Lei Gongzui was ugly and was none other than Sun Xuanji's follower, Demon Race brought back from the Southern Frontier.

As for the name, Xu Xinnian didn't inquire.

"My lord, this official Xu Xinnian."

Xu Erlang came forward and bowed.

The white ape protector, adapting to local customs, returned the greeting with a somewhat imperfect bow.

"How should I address you, sir?"

"Protector Yuan!"

"What a strange name," Xu Erlang asked. "Xu Qi'an is my elder brother. Protector Yuan, could you tell me about his situation in the Southern Frontier?"

Upon hearing this, Protector Yuan's eyes lit up, and his attitude underwent a complete change.

"Lord Xu, you are too kind. This Protector will answer all your questions to the best of my ability."

The two stood in the courtyard, and after a long conversation, Xu Xinnian gained a deep understanding of this Protector Yuan.

He comes from the Southern Frontier and is a protector of the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, with a cultivation level of the fourth rank.

His innate supernatural Divine Ability was to see through people's hearts, and he had also cultivated the Buddhist School. It was because of this ability that he was noticed by Sun Xuanji and taken as a disciple.

"I'm afraid he's not being taken as a disciple, but rather used as a means of communication," Xu Xinnian thought to himself, well aware of Sun Xuanji's language barrier.

Protector Yuan glanced at him, his voice tinged with sorrow:

"You guessed right, I'm just a tool monkey."

Damn it, I forgot he could read my mind. Communicating with someone like that is exhausting. Xu Erlang's face stiffened, and he quickly explained:

"Protector Yuan, you misunderstand. I didn't mean to speak ill of you. Senior Brother Sun simply valued your abilities and was drawn to your talent."

Protector Yuan murmured, "It's exhausting to talk to someone like me, Lord Xu, you shouldn't force yourself."

"."

Xu Xinnian steadied himself and silently recited the classics of the sages in his mind, which finally stopped his wandering thoughts.

Protector Yuan looked at him with her clear blue eyes for a moment, then looked away with little interest.

"What kind of demon is Elder Ye Ji?"

From the conversation just now, Xu Erlang learned that his elder brother didn't even spare female demons.

"Elder Ye Ji is a fox spirit!"

Protector Yuan answered all questions.

The fox clan, ah, they must be bewitching, with alluring eyes and seductive manners, which is why they caught my brother's eye. I'd like to see them someday. Stop, stop, I can't think about it anymore. "Is it not pleasant to learn and practice what you have learned?" Xu Xinnian pulled himself together, noticing Lina and Xu Lingyin not far away, and a thought struck him:

"Protector Yuan, could you please consider my two sisters' thoughts?"

He was often puzzled as to why Lingyin was so foolish.

Having witnessed Yuan Hufa's terrifying mind-reading ability, Xu Erlang felt it was time to unravel the reason for Lingyin's lack of Aperture Opening. If he could understand what Lingyin was thinking all day long and then address the root cause, perhaps he could guide her onto the right path.

This will also relieve one of the mother's worries.

The white ape guardian nodded and moved closer to Xu Xinnian side by side.

His clear, azure eyes gazed gently at Lina and Xu Lingyin.

Xu Lingyin and Lina also noticed the ugly Protector Yuan, but seeing Xu Erlang beside them, they didn't pay any attention. The master and disciple chatted about trivial matters while basking in the sun and digesting their food.

As he watched, the White Ape Protector revealed an extremely solemn expression.

Xu Erlang's heart clenched, and he held his breath, waiting silently.

After waiting and waiting, half an hour later, the white ape protector silently turned and left.

"Protector Yuan!"

Xu Erlang caught up and found that the fourth-rank protector from the Southern Frontier had deep respect in his azure eyes.

What exactly did you see?

After asking the question, Xu Erlang held his breath.

Protector Yuan hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

Xu Erlang's expression immediately turned serious. "Protector Yuan, please speak."

Protector Yuan then nodded and said:

"That girl from Southern Frontier was just thinking about what to have for dinner and what to have for tomorrow."

A huge question mark flashed through Xu Erlang's mind. For a full quarter of an hour, was that all Lina was thinking about?

"As for that child, this protector has met her match. I never expected a little girl to possess such an innocent heart."

Protector Yuan's expression was solemn as he slowly said, "The mind is like a clear mirror, devoid of any substance!"

Her mind was like a clear mirror, devoid of any trace of anything. Xu Erlang was astonished, never expecting Lingyin to be so exceptionally gifted.

But a few seconds later, he suddenly realized—for a full quarter of an hour, Xu Lingyin, who had eaten and drunk her fill, had a completely blank mind and hadn't thought of anything?!

Protector Yuan said in a deep voice:

"I have only ever seen such cases among highly accomplished monks whose understanding of Buddhism is profound and whose minds are free from defilement."

At this point, the White Ape Protector revealed an expression of admiration and approval:

"As expected of Xu Yinluo's sister, she has already reached such an extraordinary level at such a young age."

That's not how it is, Protector Yuan, you may have misunderstood. Xu Xinnian opened his mouth, but couldn't get the words out to explain.

Southern Frontier.

In the secluded valley, Xu Qi'an stood alone, with Shen Shu's two legs in front of him. It is worth mentioning that the two legs were separated, as Shen Shu's legs were severed at the root when he was dismembered.

After several days of "collecting" Qi and Blood, the strength in these legs has been greatly restored.

The remnant soul clinging to the leg is arrogant and warlike, but not cunning. On the contrary, his excessive pride and arrogance make him seem somewhat endearing.

For example, Xu Qi'an made a promise to him that he would remove the two Demon-Sealing Nails before fighting him, and he always kept his promise. His reason was that defeating Xu Qi'an honorably and fighting to the death with a powerful opponent was the most enjoyable thing in life.

Are you ready?

The remnant soul within her legs conveyed a message: "Remove these two Demon-Sealing Nails, and your strength will approach the peak of the third rank. Then, let's have a good fight."

Xu Qi'an nodded. "After I remove the Demon-Sealing Nails, we'll have a good fight, and the entire Southern Frontier will be our battlefield."

Removing the Demon-Sealing Nail greatly depleted Shen Shu's resources.

Shen Shu's legs seemed to be boiling with heat. "I can't wait any longer."

Outside the valley, Ye Ji and the others felt the ground tremble and saw a terrifying column of air shooting up from the valley not far away, tearing through the clouds in the sky.

At this moment, centered on the valley, beasts within a radius of dozens of miles crawled in fear, birds fell from tree branches, and the demons outside the valley with lower cultivation levels trembled uncontrollably.

After a dozen or so breaths, the terrifying pressure subsided, and the valley fell silent.

But the demons still dared not return; the fear in their hearts had not yet dissipated.

"Xu Lang's cultivation has recovered somewhat; only the last Demon-Sealing Nail remains."

Princess Yoru was genuinely delighted.

After spending this time together, she was fully aware of Xu Qi'an's current situation.

Bearing the weight of the nation's fate for half a year, he lived and died alongside the Great Feng, fighting to the death against the rebels in Yunzhou. In this context, every bit of strength was precious.

"Xu Yinluo truly lives up to his reputation as someone capable of slaying two Vajra warriors."

The Red-Tasseled Protector murmured.

Although the demons were terrified, they felt even more joy in their hearts.

The fact that the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons has such an ally is inexplicably reassuring.

Within the valley, Shen Shu's legs weakened, his exhaustion conveying his will:

"Wait here for a moment, I will go and gather the Essence Blood of living beings, then I will return to fight you."

Just as he was about to soar into the sky, he suddenly felt a vast and boundless aura enveloping him.

"You"

Shen Shu's legs "turned around," looking surprised and uncertain.

"Senior, I cannot fight you now, and you can no longer go out to collect Essence Blood."

Xu Qi'an smiled.

"You want to back out?"

Shen Shu's legs were filled with shock and anger. His thigh muscles suddenly swelled up, each muscle bulging as if it were about to explode, ready to pounce.

At the same time, he inflated his body with energy, which surged like waves against the confinement that enveloped him.

Xu Qi'an smiled calmly and leisurely:

"No, it's not that I'm backing out, it's just that the timing is wrong. Of course, no matter how I explain, you won't understand. So let's do it your way."

He said calmly, "The strong rule, and the weak must obey. Now, as the strongest, I demand that you obediently fall into slumber."

The god was furious, but his fighting spirit remained high and his will unyielding, and the power to break through the confinement increased even more.

"This humble monk would rather die than submit."

Xu Qi'an reached out and pressed down hard, and Shen Shu's legs slammed to the ground, making it too weak to move.

Then, he took out the jade bottle given to him by Sun Xuanji, uncorked it, and put the cursing Shen Shu's legs into it.

Devouring living beings and seizing their Essence Blood would cause a great commotion. Fighting against the gods would also cause a great commotion.

Given the current situation, the Buddhist School scouts must have already been dispatched to monitor and search for traces of the Demon Race.

If the Buddhist School scouts were to observe his battle with Shenshu, Asura could appear at any moment. With Sun Xuanji absent and the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox yet to return, Xu Qi'an had no confidence in defeating Asura.

Even with their combined divine legs, they would likely still be no match.

The other remaining limbs were in a weakened state and had not received any replenishment of Essence Blood.

But Shen Shu's legs wouldn't listen to these concerns or these principles; his mind was filled with nothing but battle.

A person with coarse legs is unlikely to accomplish great things.

At this moment, Ye Ji led the demons into the valley. "Master Shen Shu has already been sealed?"

Xu Qi'an hummed in agreement, handed the porcelain bottle to her, and said:

"Keep this safe for now. Tell the Nine-Tailed Fox to contact Bai Ji when she returns to Kyushu, and I will send Shen Shu's left hand over."

Night Princess's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly.

"Is Mr. Xu leaving?"

"I'm going to the Gu Clan. Perfect timing, tell me about them."

Xu Qi'an embraced the beauty and walked into the cave.

Now that he was in Southern Frontier, he decided to take this opportunity to visit the Gu Clan and have a chat with the Heavenly Gu Granny.

The Seven Deadly Gu has an extremely powerful origin; he must find out what it is and why it possesses the memories of the Gu God.

Otherwise, I won't feel at ease.

"I also wish to accompany Xu Lang to the Gu Clan, but alas, there are too many affairs within the clan," Ye Ji said reluctantly.

As they spoke, the two entered the cave. Ye Ji sat down at the table and said:

"Since we're going to the Gu Clan, there are some good things we shouldn't miss. I'll make a list for you, Xu Lang. Xu Lang?"

She stared blankly as Xu Qi'an pulled her up from the chair, pressed her onto the desk, and lifted her skirt to her waist.

"You write yours; the night is too short for us to waste time."

Xu Qi'an pressed down on Fuxiang's back, making her half-lie on the desk.

The next day.

A giant red bird with a wingspan of four zhang (approximately 10 meters) swept over the mountains and flew southeast.

"Brother Hongying, your speed is much faster than that broken tower."

Miao Youfang laughed loudly.

"We, the Crimson Bird clan, are the kings of the sky, proud and aloof overlords."

Hongying responded loudly.

Miao Youfang was taken aback for a moment, thinking to himself, "Brother, you have absolutely nothing to do with the word 'arrogant'."

But he wasn't Protector Yuan, and immediately laughed:

"What a king of the skies! It is my great honor to befriend Brother Hongying."

"No, no, no, it is my honor to befriend Brother Miao. My ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke!"

Are you sure you, a Demon Race, also have an ancestral tomb? Xu Qi'an thought to himself as he listened to the human and demon flattering each other.

"Cough cough!"

He coughed, looked at Mu Nanzhi beside him, and said, "Nanzhi, it's me."

Mu Nanzhi turned her head away and ignored him.

Although the pagoda contained various supplies, enough to live inside for ten days or half a month without any problem, Mu Nanzhi was annoyed that he ignored her and only released her after so many days.

Xu Qi'an patiently explained to her that his journey had been dangerous, as he had just experienced a life-or-death battle.

Fighting wits and courage against the demonesses of the Demon Race race is extremely physically demanding.

Now that his mission is accomplished, he has persuaded the demoness and formed an alliance with the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons.

As Mu Nanzhi listened, her eyebrows suddenly furrowed:

Give me your claws.

The scoundrel secretly put his arm around her waist without her permission.

Xu Qi'an said with a grin that he was afraid she might fall if she didn't sit properly.

Mu Nanzhi "angrily" pushed and punched him. After a while of playful fighting, she suddenly realized what was happening and looked around:

Where is Bai Ji?

"Wasn't I holding you in my arms?"

Xu Qi'an glanced at her arms and said, "Oh, I just threw it out for you."

"Go back and find it quickly, don't fall and die!"

"Mu Nanzhi called out."

"You won't die from a fall, you won't die from a fall."

P. S.: I'll update first and then revise. I'll continue writing and check back tomorrow. Also, please vote with monthly tickets!