Revealing heaven's secrets

"It really isn't easy climbing all the way up here..."

Wang Youxian followed Feng Haixuan and climbed up to Cloud-Stilling Temple once again.

Looking at the Taoist temple before him, he felt his legs trembling.

Seeing this, Feng Haixuan immediately laughed. "Say, did you have too much fun last night? You're even struggling to climb up here."

Wang Youxian rolled his eyes at that, but then began wondering to himself.

Should I really start exercising more?

After thinking it over, he shook his head. He should deal with the matter at hand first.

He would follow Feng Haixuan and see whether he could resolve his predicament first.

But when the two entered the temple, all they could see was an endless stream of worshippers coming to offer incense.

As for Fang Weiyan, they did not spot him among the worshippers.

Feng Haixuan paused at the sight, then remembered that Fang Weiyan did not seem to be that easy to find.

"Looks like we'll have to wait. This Taoist priest doesn't show himself often."

Feng Haixuan said this to Wang Youxian, hoping he could be a little more patient this time.

He hoped Wang Youxian would not rush off again after coming all this way, like last time.

Hearing this, Wang Youxian gave him a look. "Don't worry. Even if I have to spend the night up here, I'll wait until he comes out and see him."

Feng Haixuan immediately felt reassured.

As long as Wang Youxian had the patience. He had been afraid that Wang Youxian would grow impatient again and head down the mountain alone.

Linbei County.

Fang Weiyan scratched his head as he looked at yet another koi that had been delivered, feeling rather baffled.

Had I stirred up a koi nest? Another one?

"My lord, would you consider selling this koi to this humble girl?"

Tao Lingluo came running from afar and cautiously spoke to Fang Weiyan.

As she gazed at the fiery-red koi in the bucket, her eyes brimmed with craving.

Although she did not know where the previous koi was, having this one now was still a good thing.

At that thought, a hint of pleading entered her gaze as she looked at Fang Weiyan.

But Fang Weiyan firmly shook his head at her words.

What a joke. This thing can bring me good luck.

Recently, offerings of incense at his temple had increased considerably.

Perhaps the koi deserved some credit for that. If he brought another one back now, his temple's incense offerings would presumably flourish even more.

Under such circumstances, Fang Weiyan naturally had no desire to sell the koi to anyone else.

Besides, seeing how much this peach tree demon craved it, Fang Weiyan reckoned that the koi really was useful.

"No."

Fang Weiyan shook his head decisively, then took the fiery-red koi to his government office.

The peach tree demon was stunned at his answer, then grew bewildered.

Could he know that this koi is undergoing a tribulation?

She studied Fang Weiyan carefully, but no matter how she looked at him, he did not seem to have truly realized it.

"My lord..."

Growing anxious, the peach tree demon wanted to try persuading him further.

But Fang Weiyan had made up his mind not to sell the koi. There was no way he would listen to her pleas.

"You should give up on that idea. Although His Lordship doesn't know this koi is undergoing a Human Tribulation, he already knows it can improve his fortune. Why would he give it to you so easily?"

The Land God's voice sounded in Tao Lingluo's ears.

Hearing this, Tao Lingluo sighed inwardly as she felt the condition of her whole body.

If this continued, her demise was only a matter of time.

What am I to do?

Fang Weiyan paid the peach tree demon no heed. After returning to the government office, he thought that, being a demon, she might well come and steal his koi.

In that case, he had to send the koi to the temple as soon as possible.

At this thought, Fang Weiyan immediately stirred his mind, intending to send the koi away.

But the next moment, he felt slightly dizzy, and an irresistible wave of sleepiness swept over him.

Then Fang Weiyan fell straight to the ground and fell asleep.

"This humble demon pays her respects, my lord."

When Fang Weiyan opened his eyes again, he immediately saw an old woman draped in black bowing to him.

Fang Weiyan glanced at her, then hurriedly looked around and asked, "Where is this?"

He remembered being in the government office, so where was this?

"This is your dream, my lord. Please forgive this humble demon for appearing in your dream."

The old woman bowed to Fang Weiyan again, then tears and snot streamed down her face. "But the koi delivered to your residence today is this humble demon's daughter. I beg you to spare her life, my lord."

What? This koi is a demon's daughter? Doesn't that mean it's a demon too?

Fang Weiyan was immediately startled by her words. "Then was that silver koi from before your daughter too?"

"Yes. That was this humble demon's daughter undergoing her Human Tribulation, so..."

The old woman was about to continue when a heaven-shaking thunderclap suddenly rang out. The next moment, flames began rising from her body.

"M-my lord, please spare my daughter's life."

Seeing this, the old woman hurriedly knelt before Fang Weiyan, but as soon as she finished speaking, she vanished without a trace.

The next moment, Fang Weiyan opened his eyes and heard peals of thunder outside Linbei County.

Enormously thick bolts of lightning came crashing down, one after another.

Even from so far away, Fang Weiyan could see how thick those bolts were.

Fang Weiyan turned to look at the koi beside him, then thought of the one he had brought back. His heart immediately sank.

Pitiful as that old woman was, if the one he had brought back had discovered his secret, he would have to slay it.

At this thought, Fang Weiyan hurried toward the Land God Temple. He had to get a clear answer from the Land God. Hadn't he said before that there was nothing wrong with the koi?

Besides, if he wanted to kill that koi, would it fight back or anything?

He was only mortal flesh and blood, after all. He must not end up being killed by the koi when he tried to kill it.

A short while later, Fang Weiyan arrived before the Land God Temple and asked without another word, "Land God, didn't you say there was nothing wrong with that silver koi? It's clearly a demon undergoing a tribulation! What's going on?"

Fang Weiyan bombarded him with questions, feeling extremely nervous. Had a demon learned his secret?

The Land God had already sensed the heavenly punishment outside, so he understood how Fang Weiyan had learned of this.

"My lord, that is a koi demon undergoing a Human Tribulation. A demon undergoing a Human Tribulation has its Divine Sense sealed within its body. It cannot use demonic arts or Divine Sense and cannot harm you, so you are safe, my lord."

"If this minor god had told you, that would have been revealing heaven's secrets. Look at the tribulation lightning striking down now. That is the consequence of that koi revealing heaven's secrets. By now, her soul has likely scattered into oblivion."

At this point, the Land God gave a long sigh.

For the sake of her children, this demon had willingly endured that lightning tribulation, only to meet an end that left not even her bones behind.