Quelling Karmic Fire required a sense of ceremony

The scene shifts, Xu Qi'an sees the "monster," covered in wounds, moving its mountain-like body as it crawls into a bottomless ravine.

The monster's body structure was extremely horrifying, with bulging tendons and bulging muscles, like a mountain made of muscles.

The muscles that make up the "mountain" have rows of pores that spew out dark green smoke that swirls in the sky and forms dark green clouds.

A viscous shadow flowed at the base of the mountain of flesh.

Gu God!

The last time I saw the God of Gu was in a dream after he slept with the Imperial Advisor.

Compared to that time, the current Gu God's aura has weakened to the extreme. Its mountain-like body is covered in wounds, and there are no creatures that mate with it at any time, nor any walking corpses that follow it.

Although it was just a dream, Xu Qi'an could sense the Gu God's weakness.

As the Gu God entered the Abyss, the scene shattered. Xu Qi'an opened his eyes in the dark room and realized that something was biting his arm.

Turning his head, he saw Xu Lingyin clinging to his arm, nibbling on the pig's trotter as she slept, her brows slightly furrowed, as if wondering why she couldn't chew it.

That's enough! How could I have such a stupid and greedy younger sister like you? Xu Qi'an pulled his arm back, pinched Xu Lingyin's little nose, and after a dozen seconds, she woke up rubbing her eyes, looking dazed and adorable.

Are you hungry?

Xu Qi'an asked.

"Hey, I just dreamt about something delicious!"

The little boy waved his arms and legs excitedly and said in an exaggerated tone.

She immediately said, sounding aggrieved, "But I can't bite it."

If you can chew through the Vajra Divine Skill of the Mahayana stage, you can go down to the Abyss and eat the Gu God. Xu Qi'an pointed to her right hand, which was covered with tiny bite marks:

"Look, your hands have been bitten too."

There were still faint teeth marks on her right hand, but the saliva had evaporated. Xu Qi'an guessed that it was probably because it hurt a little when she bit her wrist, so she instinctively didn't bite harder.

When she bit him, Xu Lingyin used all her strength.

The little girl looked at her right hand and, sure enough, there were bite marks. She was shocked and her eyes widened dramatically.

"Who wants to eat my hand?"

"It's Lina!" Xu Qi'an said.

Upon hearing this, the little boy immediately became alert, hesitated for a while, and then said loudly:

She must be craving the meat I'll be eating tonight.

It took Xu Qi'an several seconds to understand what she meant:

Lina wanted to steal the meat she would eat that night by eating her.

"I just chased her away," Xu Qi'an comforted her.

"Thank you, big brother!"

The little bean sprouted a sigh of relief. If her master wanted to eat her, there was nothing she could do, because her master was stronger than her.

Xu Lingyin had just advanced in the competition and her appetite had increased, which is why she felt hungry. Because she was sleepy, she didn't wake up from her hunger, which is why she was eating "pig's trotters" while sleeping.

Xu Qi'an went out and found a thigh of some kind of animal in the kitchen. He sliced it and stir-fried it for Xu Lingyin.

In the dimly lit room, at the table, he looked at his younger sister, whose mouth was dripping with oil, but his thoughts were far away.

Gods and Devils were once the rulers of heaven and earth. Just how terrifying Gods and Devils were, no one can say for sure today.

However, we can glean some insight from the sheer power of some descendants of Gods and Devils.

The demons and barbarians who currently dominate the north, the nine-tailed celestial fox, and some powerful spirit beasts on the Nine Provinces continent, as well as spirit beasts from overseas, are all descendants of Gods and Devils.

This suggests that the Gods and Devils of ancient times were absolutely powerful enough to inspire fear.

Human cultivators of later generations have debated endlessly about the reasons for the end of the Gods and Devils.

The most widespread and mainstream account is that the human and Demon Race rose to power and defeated the gods and Gods and Devils who dominated the ancient continent and ruled over all living beings.

After the Gods and Devils and demons died, their descendants fought against the human and demon races for thousands of years, and were eventually wiped out.

"In the scene I see, there are no humans, nor are there any Demon Race."

"These images, if nothing unexpected happens, should have been transmitted to me by the Seven Deadly Gu. The Seven Deadly Gu is most likely the means by which the Gu God breaks free from the seal. In other words, these images are likely part of the Gu God's memories."

"If it wasn't human, then what kind of being could have slaughtered Gods and Devils? How did the Gu God manage to escape unscathed? It looks like it was almost dead from being beaten."

Xu Qi'an thought of a "gatekeeper," but what kind of gate was he guarding? No, the "gate" must have another meaning.

"The fact that the White Emperor didn't ask about the demise of the Gu Gods and Devils means it knows the truth. If the gatekeeper slaughtered the Gods and Devils, why would it bother asking?"

"The Gu God said that He originally thought the gatekeeper was a Confucian sage, but the Confucian sage was a figure from a thousand years ago. Therefore, it can be seen that the gatekeeper should not be the murderer who slaughtered the Gods and Devils. There must be another reason for the fall of the Gods and Devils."

"The White Emperor first inquired about the whereabouts of the Daoist Master, learning that the Master might have perished, before asking who the gatekeeper was. Does this mean that the White Emperor suspected the Daoist Master was the gatekeeper?"

"When the great era comes to an end, He will be there. Tsk, could this be the reason why the Sage of Confucianism sealed away all the supreme-grade beings?"

Through meticulous logical reasoning, he still managed to arrive at some useful conclusions.

"Oh, right, Duke Wei once said in his will that this world is far more cruel than I imagined. Did he know the secret behind it, or did he have some guesses? If so, Duke Wei's vision suddenly transcends the confines of the court."

At this moment, Xu Lingyin, still savoring the taste, licked the ceramic plate and said:

"I'm full."

Xu Qi'an snapped out of his daze and glanced at the plates that didn't need washing:

Are you really full?

"I wish we could have another round." Xu Lingyin climbed up the pole.

"That's enough, don't eat too much tonight."

Xu Qi'an picked her up and threw her onto the bed. "Go to sleep."

"But I can't sleep if I don't eat my fill."

The little one struggled hard, and after a few minutes...

"Ahu, ahu"

She fell into a deep sleep.

Xu Qi'an disappeared into the shadows and left the clan leader's courtyard.

Sleep is a pleasure for him, not a necessity. The amount of information he received today was too much for him to handle, so he lost the desire to sleep.

After wandering around Boshan, he found a crystal-clear pool of water.

So I decided to take a bath and starch my clothes while I was at it.

Having fought the Gu Clan leader today and gone to the Abyss, I am definitely not clean.

"Sigh, ever since I entered this world, my hygiene habits have gotten worse and worse. I often go to bed without showering or brushing my teeth."

Although hygiene is not that important to an extraordinary strongman.

Thump.

He stripped off his clothes and jumped into the water, where the cool, refreshing water invigorated him.

The pool only reached his waist. He stood in the cool water, his upper body muscles were well-proportioned and beautiful, the smooth lines exuding a sense of power, but not the kind of exaggerated, lifeless muscles.

Add to that a handsome and masculine face, and even without his charisma, he possesses a body that is undeniably alluring to women.

"Tsk tsk! Just seeing Xu Yinluo's figure makes people so greedy they can't move."

A charming laugh drifted from the shore.

Under the moonlight, a tall and beautiful woman stood gracefully on the shore, wearing a white tube top, white panties, and a long, thin gauze skirt.

Her legs were long and shapely, her waist was slender and her abs were defined, her bust was full and alluring, and her face was charming and seductive.

What are you doing here?

Xu Qi'an said irritably, "Although I promised to stay with you for three months, not now."

Luan Yu covered her mouth and chuckled softly, raising her hand to brush against her fragrant shoulder, causing her thin gauze dress to flutter. She slowly walked into the pool, the cool water washing over her slender legs and her slender waist.

She walked up to Xu Qi'an, giving him a flirtatious look:

"During the day, I absorbed that little bitch Chun Yan's love poison. The poison accumulated, and I felt restless and unbearably craving Xu Yinluo."

"Are you sure it's your heart that's itchy?" Xu Qi'an said coldly.

"Go back."

Luan Yu pursed her red lips and said coquettishly, "You men just love to say one thing and mean another. If it weren't for a secret rendezvous with me, what would you be doing here? Don't tell me you didn't notice I was following you."

Xu Qi'an sighed:

"I'm not here to meet you in secret; I'm here for someone else."

Luan Yu's expression changed slightly. "Is it that little bitch Chun Yan?"

Xu Qi'an shook his head. "Look behind you!"

Luan Yu looked back suspiciously. Under the moonlight, on the bank of the pool, stood a woman in feathered robes. She wore a lotus crown, carried an ancient sword on her back, and had a whisk draped over her right arm.

Her features were stunningly beautiful, with a touch of vermilion between her brows that accentuated her ethereal and otherworldly aura.

A night breeze swept by, causing the feathered robes to flutter, as if they might take flight at any moment.

This person actually managed to sneak into within five zhang of her without a sound. Luan Yu's eyebrows furrowed, and she shouted:

Who are you?!

Her eyes betrayed her apprehension, but with Xu Qi'an by her side, she felt confident.

Luo Yuheng's smile was as cold as a pool of water, and his eyes were even more icy.

"The one who'll take your life!"

In an instant, the entire world was filled with Sword Qi, slashing towards Luan Yu from all directions.

Ding ding ding.

The Sword Qi, fine as cow's hair but dense as rain, was blocked by a layer of golden light.

Xu Qi'an activated the Vajra Divine Skill's protective aura, blocking Luo Yuheng's enraged attack and saving Luan Yu from the crisis of being pierced by ten thousand arrows.

"Imperial Preceptor, she is the leader of the Love Gu Clan's Love Gu Tribe and an ally of the Great Feng. Show mercy."

Xu Qi'an hurriedly said.

He then turned to Luan Yu and explained, "She is the Grand Preceptor of the Great Feng Kingdom, and also my dao companion."

Luo Yuheng glanced at him lightly, seemingly disdainful, but then withdrew the Sword Qi that filled the sky.

Let's go!

He pushed Luan Yu, sending her out of the pool and drifting away into the distance.

Luo Yuheng did not stop him.

After getting rid of the light bulb, Xu Qi'an said with a grin:

"I came to the Southern Frontier on business, which is quite far from the Great Feng, so I couldn't contact the Grand Preceptor for the time being."

Luo Yuheng said expressionlessly, "I went to Qingzhou to find Sun Xuanji, and he said you were in the Southern Frontier."

After arriving in Southern Frontier, I found my way here by relying on my connection to the amulet.

Xu Qi'an stared at her for a long time, then said:

"It seems the Imperial Preceptor has managed to quell the karmic fire?"

Luo Yuheng nodded:

"The intensity of the karmic fire has decreased slightly compared to last month."

So you've managed to suppress it until now? Xu Qi'an quickly offered his congratulations. "Congratulations, Imperial Preceptor, you've taken another step closer to becoming a terrestrial immortal."

The highest rank in Daoist School is called a terrestrial immortal.

Luo Yuheng then revealed a slight smile, and the snow lotus flower suddenly became bright and beautiful.

She looked around, her brows furrowing slightly.

"The Southern Frontier is a barbarian land, and we can't find an inn. Let me take you back to the Central Plains."

"Does dual cultivation require a sense of ritual?" Xu Qi'an looked around and smiled.

"This place is perfect, deserted and undisturbed."

Luo Yuheng's pretty face was as cold as frost as she looked at him.

Xu Qi'an walked to the shore and tugged at her wide sleeves.

Luo Yuheng pulled back, his face cold and silent.

Xu Qi'an pulled over again, and Luo Yuheng pulled back.

After some back and forth, Luo Yuheng frowned and was half-heartedly dragged into the water.

Songshan County.

On the city wall, Xu Xinnian, dressed in military uniform and holding a torch, walked along the cracked and potholed horse path, checking the city's military equipment one by one.

The militiamen gathered in twos and threes on the city wall, busily repairing the dilapidated structure.

Songshan County is bordered by steep peaks to the south, with extremely high terrain. Its city walls are also higher than those of ordinary county towns. To the west, there is the Song River, which is a natural fortification that blocked the large-scale gathering of enemy troops.

Therefore, the east and north gates need to be strictly guarded.

This is Songshan County's natural geographical advantage. In addition, Songshan County is located in the area covered by the Grand Canal, where trade is developed. Furthermore, the land is fertile, the county is rich in money and grain, and its granaries have abundant reserves.

For these reasons, it became one of the three most important cities in Yang Gong's second line of defense.

Xu Erlang was entrusted with an important task by Yang Gong: to defend Songshan County.

"The city stands, the people stand; the city falls, the people fall."

This is how he replied at the time.

Yesterday, 6,000 rebel troops arrived at the city gates and engaged in fierce fighting with the defending garrison.

The rebel artillery battalion deployed forty cannons to engage in a firefight with the twelve cannons on the city wall.

The infantry, under the cover of artillery, launched their attack on the city.

The two sides fought until dusk, when the rebels retreated, leaving behind eight hundred corpses.

The defending troops suffered a loss of three hundred men.

"Do you think those bastards might attack under cover of night?"

A casual voice came from behind.

Xu Erlang glanced back and saw that the speaker was an ordinary-looking young man who was holding a knife in one hand and a pancake in the other.

He walked with a slouching gait and wore light armor covered in knife marks.

"A night raid in a siege is a complete blunder."

Xu Erlang said calmly, "Brother Miao, there's no need to worry."