CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 36: A BUSTLING NIGHT

"Brother Xiong, this King is so beautiful, truly a rare find in the world... HISS! Ow, ow, ow! What’s the background of that Feng Ge, and how could she attack me so viciously!"

「In the back courtyard of the State Preceptor’s residence, in a secluded loft where Ji Mo had been arranged to stay.」

The previous interrogation meeting had hastily concluded due to the sudden appearance of the King of Women’s country. She scarcely spoke a few words before being escorted back to the royal palace by her guards. The fact that the King had almost been injured by Ling Xiaolan was quite serious. Yet, the King of Women’s country chuckled lightly and said quite generously, "Come to my palace tomorrow, and I will settle accounts with you. State Preceptor, please entertain our three distinguished guests well."

Her enchanting eyes glanced at Wu Wang a few times before she turned and elegantly departed.

What captured Wu Wang’s attention, however...

Ah, not almond-shaped eyes.

This King had also left a deep impression on Wu Wang, with the most charming peach blossom eyes, a prominent nose, and pearly teeth that captivated the spirit.

As Wu Wang was applying medicine to Ji Mo, he said with a calm smile, "It seems they select their King based on beauty in Women’s country... Brother Ji, don’t you think you have a new opportunity now?"

"No, no, my principle is not to get involved with women stronger than me."

Ji Mo sighed despondently. "Brother Xiong, it’s a good thing I met you; otherwise, I would have been ruined here! Alas, Fairy Ling most likely won’t save me now; as soon as they mentioned my name, she immediately believed them."

Outside the screen by the bed, Ling Xiaolan was gently blowing on a cup of tea, pondering how to drink without touching the edges of the bowl.

Upon hearing this, she indifferently said, "It’s because you are indeed capable of such deeds. Have you forgotten what you transmitted to me when we first arrived at the State Preceptor’s residence?"

Wu Wang suddenly became interested. "What did Brother Ji say?"

Ji Mo hurriedly interjected, "Let’s leave the past in the past, let it be."

"HUMPH," retorted Ling Xiaolan. "He said at the time that he was going to find some fun outside tonight and told me not to act rashly. He wanted to wait until he made contact with his liaison before making any further plans."

"Oh~"

Wu Wang feigned sudden realization.

Ji Mo was taken aback and then complained with a bittersweet smile, "Fairy sister, why did you have to bring up the matter of the liaison!"

Ling Xiaolan paused for a moment then added, "Brother Xiong is not an outsider, so why shouldn’t I speak of it? We came to Women’s country because we received a request for help, learning that a rebellion was about to break out here, and came to provide assistance."

Wu Wang said, "Fairy Ling, you should not tell me these things. I’m just passing through here and don’t want to get involved in any strange affairs."

He had no interest in any team collaboration.

Propped up on his side, Ji Mo laughed and said, "But speaking of which, Brother Xiong, how did you end up here? Could it be that you heard Fairy Ling left the Human Domain and came specially to find her?"

CLANG!

Ling Xiaolan drew her Treasure Sword.

Ji Mo instantly recanted, "Wrong, I misspoke! Brother Xiong came to find me!"

"HUMPH!"

Ling Xiaolan, her delicate hand in a glove, slapped the table, abandoned her tea, and left huffily with her Treasure Sword in hand.

After she left, Wu Wang and Ji Mo exchanged a glance and both chuckled a few times.

"Take good care of your wounds."

Wu Wang stretched lazily, stood up, and said, "Whoever framed you was able to overpower you easily, indicating their strength is far superior to both you and Fairy Ling. It’s best not to act recklessly now. I’ll see how things are, and maybe I’ll leave this place tomorrow. Brother Ji, you’d do well to heed my advice: pies don’t fall from the sky, and there’s no such thing as undeserved fortune in the world. If some benefits come too easily, you should reflect on whether they might be a trap."

"Thank you for the advice, Brother Xiong."

Ji Mo said earnestly, "Brother Xiong, may I ask one more question? That True Scripture you mentioned to the State Preceptor, what is it?"

"Ah, I have been commanded by the Star God to venture out and find a True Scripture that can save us from disaster," Wu Wang glanced at Ji Mo. "This should not be something that could have been concealed from the Four Seas Pavilion."

"Well, I did hear something about that before..."

Ji Mo felt a bit embarrassed, and just as he was about to explain further, Wu Wang raised his hand and lightly patted his shoulder a few times.

"Get some rest and recover. You’ve been hanging on the city wall for so long; you must be tired."

"Brother Xiong..."

Ji Mo’s lips trembled a few times. "Now I realize who my true brothers are! Such a great kindness will never be forgotten for the rest of my life! Please give me a chance to repay you, Brother Xiong!"

Wu Wang forced an awkward smile, turned around, and strode away, fearing that if he stayed any longer, he would be roped into forming sworn brotherhood with Ji Mo.

Ji Mo let out a dejected sigh, laid down on the silky soft thin quilt, and his expression gradually settled into calmness.

For some reason, ever since I met Brother Xiong, my luck seems to have turned quite poor. After returning to the Human Domain from the Northern Wilderness, things just went from bad to worse. The few flower houses I frequented had gone out of business by the time I returned. To my surprise, they had even been shut down by people sent by my own grandmother. Then, I disguised myself and went to a large city a bit further away to find some entertainment, only to run into a festival there. The place was packed with people—mostly men and very few women—so I had to return home frustrated...

Footsteps approached from outside the door. Ji Mo’s Spiritual Sense caught a familiar figure, who was already walking up to his door.

KNOCK, KNOCK-KNOCK.

"Young Master Ji, how are your injuries?"

Ji Mo jumped up with a start, grimacing in pain, and immediately replied, "Thank you for your concern, National Teacher. I’ve used an Elixir, and the injury isn’t serious anymore."

CREAK—

The wooden door was already being pushed open.

Ji Mo looked up and saw that the moonlight was strong. The State Preceptor of Women’s country stepped in with a tray in hand, her light makeup and loosely hanging hair complementing her attire of thin, sheer fabric.

GULP!

Ji Mo audibly swallowed. Before he could speak, the State Preceptor of Women’s country had already stepped in, her phoenix eyes brimming with affection, and her slender foot adorned with a Jade Bracelet gently latched the door.

Looking past the screen, the outline of the State Preceptor’s figure was unexpectedly mesmerizing.

The State Preceptor put down the tray, wiped the corner of her mouth, gracefully turned around the screen, muttering, "I’ve heard that Young Master Ji Mo is charming and suave. I wonder, which kind of charm that is."

Ji Mo: ...Could there be such good fortune? No, something isn’t right here!

The lovely State Preceptor turned around the screen, giving Ji Mo a gentle blink. Ji Mo, however, stepped back half a step, his expression quite solemn.

"What are you doing, State Preceptor...?"

"What are you playing dumb for?" the lovely State Preceptor said, a smile in her eyes as her finger traced her collarbone, allowing the thin dress to slip off slowly. "Tonight is such a perfect night, no one can approach this place. No one will know about what happens tonight if you don’t talk and I don’t talk. How do you guys in the Human Domain call it? My lord~ My love~ Why don’t we... just rest for now, hehehe."

’If some benefits come too easily, you should reflect on whether they might be a trap.’ Brother Xiong was right!

"Are you testing me, State Preceptor?"

Ji Mo immediately stepped back two paces, was blocked by a chair, and promptly jumped onto the chair, scanning his surroundings. "Please conduct yourself with dignity, State Preceptor! I am by no means a loose person."

The State Preceptor paused, and asked with concern, "Were you frightened? That Feng Ge has always been straightforward, but... actually, I’m only seven or eight years older than her. Because I carry the duty of the State Preceptor, I usually dress a bit more maturely. Deep down, I am still, still quite shy."

Ji Mo had already retreated behind the screen, watching the State Preceptor warily. He declared, "There’s a recording Magic treasure here, isn’t there? You want to ruin my reputation completely, make it impossible for me to get by in the Human Domain, right? Does the State Preceptor think I would fall for such a trap so easily?"

In another loft in a corner of the State Preceptor’s residence, Wu Wang, sitting behind his desk, was startled by these words. Looking at this scene in the Crystal Ball, he couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

Could the miniature Crystal Ball I hid while applying medicine to Ji Mo have been exposed? This?

Wu Wang analyzed carefully, watching that beautiful State Preceptor play cat and mouse with Ji Mo around the screen, somewhat failing to understand.

Brother Ji, what are you afraid of? As the State Preceptor of an entire country, if this gets out, it would hit her harder. Besides, she’s made everything so clear. In terms of looks and figure, she’s not unworthy of Brother Ji’s handsome talents. Why is Brother Ji avoiding her like the plague?

Wu Wang had hidden several... dozens of miniature Crystal Balls at Ji Mo’s place, not to watch such drama unfold. It was purely to gather some intelligence from Ji Mo.

The logic was actually quite simple: It is known that Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan came to Women’s country because of the upcoming rebellion. Ling Xiaolan inadvertently revealed that someone from Women’s country sent a plea for help to the Human Domain, and they needed to find a contact person. The Four Seas Pavilion responded to the call for help, indicating that the rebellion about to erupt in Women’s country is either beneficial to the Human Domain, meaning they’d send troops to support the rebels, or it is detrimental to the Human Domain, meaning they’d send people to prevent the rebellion from happening. And they treated this task as a trial for Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan. From this, we can conclude that the presence of Ji Mo and Ling Xiaolan will play a decisive role in this rebellion. By keeping a close eye on them, useful intelligence can naturally be obtained.

Indeed, Women’s country was relatively weak overall and lacked top-notch masters. In terms of Divine Thought vibrations, the King, who seemed like she stepped out of a painting, was the strongest, while the State Preceptor, currently playing a game of cat and mouse with Ji Mo, was next. Based on aura fluctuations, Feng Ge was the strongest, truly worthy of her title as the foremost general before the King. Such a nation, without an external Barrier for protection, would struggle to grow to such a large population size, and its overall strength would just barely be equivalent to a mid-sized clan in the Northern Wilderness.

"HUMPH! You don’t appreciate kindness!"

From within the Crystal Ball echoed the curses of the State Preceptor. She was seen pulling up her gauze skirt and picking up the tray, casting a fierce glance at Ji Mo before sashaying away at a leisurely pace.

Ji Mo let out a long sigh of relief, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and a somewhat composed smile appeared on his face.

Once bitten, twice shy. Today, I’ve managed to dodge another... calamity... However, something seemed amiss.

「At that very moment, in Wu Wang’s residence!」

TAP, TAP-TAP... TAP-TAP-TAP...

The Crystal Ball and the window beside the bed suddenly started to emit knocking sounds together. Wu Wang quickly dispersed the scene within the Crystal Ball, draped the black cloth over it, and looked up towards that window.

"Who’s there?"

I’ve spread my Spiritual Sense within a radius of ten miles and have been splitting my attention to observe everywhere, yet I failed to notice this person’s approach. Who has come to Ji Mo’s place?

The window opened on its own, and a head poked in, revealing a charming and pleasant face.

As soon as she spoke, her voice chimed like trickling spring water and was as comforting as a spring breeze caressing the ear, making one’s heart feel a slight tickle.

"May I... come in?"

"Your Majesty?"

Wu Wang hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, please come in. Women’s country is under your reign; you may go wherever you wish."

The visitor chuckled lightly, pushed open the window, sat on the windowsill, and with a skillful turn, her jade-like feet were already inside the room.

Previously, amid the crowd and noise, Wu Wang had only caught a fleeting glimpse of the King of Women’s country’s beauty. But now, with just a few tables and chairs separating them, no more than twenty feet apart, under the lamplight and with moonlight adding to her allure, Wu Wang’s heart truly wavered ever so slightly.

Behold this King: Her black hair was like clouds of silk, and her golden dress burned like the evening glow. Peach blossom eyes captivated with charm, while her cherry lips and pearly teeth revealed a tender smile. Furthermore, her skin was as smooth as mutton-fat jade, her cheeks were framed by petal-like softness, her willowy waist was slightly arched, and her steps were as light as a lotus.

This lady, who knew what kind of fortune she had received, seemed to capture all the beauty of Women’s country.

This was the first person who, simply by standing outside Wu Wang’s room and calling out, "Divine Envoy, how should I address you?" caused Wu Wang’s heartbeat to accelerate, though his mood quickly darkened.

He bore an irreconcilable grudge against the Innate God who had cursed him with that strange illness!

But now, the King scrutinized Wu Wang with a hint of admiration in her eyes.

She saw him: he possessed an outstanding demeanor and a handsome face. His slightly squarish features were well-defined, his facial structure exuded a touch of resolution, and those eyes were the most vivid, sometimes even twinkling with a faint light. The bold spirit of a man from the Northern Wilderness and the refined aura of a male cultivator from the Human Domain had largely merged within him. Currently, dressed in a wide robe and standing behind a desk, he spoke with a smile, "Just call me Xiong Ba."

A blush crept onto the King’s face.

She hurriedly said, "Please, Divine Envoy, do not take offense. I have never seen a man before. Today, upon seeing one at the State Preceptor’s residence, I have been restless and unable to sleep since returning, so I thought to come and meet with the Divine Envoy.

"Meeting at night is indeed a great imposition, and it’s also against decorum to come without an official escort. Please do not take offense, Divine Envoy."

Wu Wang smiled and nodded, gesturing for her to sit. "Your Majesty, please take a seat here. I understand you must have many questions regarding men. If Your Majesty doesn’t mind, I am willing to accompany you in conversation until dawn."

"Really?"

"Truly."

"Then!"

The King of Women’s country immediately pulled out a blank notebook and an ink-dipped jade pen. "I’ve prepared quite a few questions. Divine Envoy, you mustn’t find me annoying."

Wu Wang smiled; he knew it would be like this.

There, the King had already asked her first question: "What do men usually eat? Is there anything that men like to eat that women don’t?"

Wu Wang pondered for a moment, then instantly cast several Talismans, activating a Soundproofing array and a Concealing Shadow Formation. He said with a smile, "Do grilled kidneys count? But then again, it’s hard to say; some women might like them too."

"And what about menstruation? Do men also menstruate?"

"Men do not menstruate. To be precise, men do have similar psychological reactions; they might feel slightly irritable for a few days each month, but that’s about it."

"Wow, men have it so much easier than women."

Sparkling with excitement, the King’s eyes shone brightly, and she occasionally scribbled in her notebook.

Wu Wang tried his best to answer at her side, yet his mind couldn’t help but wonder who exactly had gone to Ji Mo’s attic...

Suddenly, Wu Wang’s brow raised. He raised his hand to signal the King to halt her words.

Outside the light and shadow of the Formation, a graceful figure descended from the sky, standing beyond the light barrier.

Ling Xiaolan.

Wu Wang winked at the King. The latter, remembering something, blushed deeply and was about to hurry towards the window, only to be stopped by a gesture from Wu Wang.

Wu Wang took out a fist-sized Crystal Ball and tossed it to the King. "Use this to hide your traces. Go hide in the wardrobe."

The King nodded gently and tiptoed to the wardrobe, quietly slipping inside with a hint of excitement in her eyes.

She had never played such a game in her life.

"Brother Xiong? Is it convenient to have a chat?"

It was Ling Xiaolan; her voice came in through the Formation.

Wu Wang dispelled the Formation, opened the door to welcome her in. Ling Xiaolan cast out two Talismans, sealing the Formation again.

She sighed first, watching Wu Wang with a trace of apology in her eyes.

"During the trip to the Northern Wilderness, I was unable to thank Brother Xiong enough. Now that we meet here, I am also indebted to Brother Xiong for rescuing my companion. Brother Xiong, although Ji Mo’s character is lacking and he is prone to lust, he is still a close friend to me. I do not want to let the person who plotted against Ji Mo get away. Does Brother Xiong have any good plans?"

Wu Wang pondered for a moment and said, "I have also discussed this matter with Brother Ji. At this time, it’s actually not suitable..."

"Hmm?"

Ling Xiaolan frowned slightly, turned her head to look outside the window, and suddenly saw a shadowy figure sneaking up, looking around furtively.

Looking at the shadow cast on the window, it was voluptuous and strikingly familiar.

Ling Xiaolan was about to leap out of the other window, but she paused as she took a step, glanced at Wu Wang, then flashed to his bed. She hovered half a chi above Wu Wang’s bedclothes, sitting cross-legged in mid-air. Her almond eyes were fixed on Wu Wang as the bed curtain silently drew close.

Stare—

Wu Wang gave an awkward smile and spread his hands to Ling Xiaolan. He then realized that after the bed curtain closed, he could not detect the slightest breath, understanding that Ling Xiaolan’s hiding skills were extremely sophisticated.

KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK~

"Divine Envoy, have you gone to sleep?"

The sweet voice of the State Preceptor came from outside. She pushed the door open directly, her jade-like foot stepping inside, and then... she was dressed in the same attire Wu Wang had seen in the Crystal Ball.

"In this lonely night, why don’t we chat about how to pray and ponder how the two of us can pray together."

Wu Wang stood in front of the desk, calmly coughed, and said, "National Teacher..."

The door flung wide open. The State Preceptor came in holding a wine cup gracefully, again hooked the door with her familiar jade-like foot, again gave a familiar sly wink, and again her thin skirt familiarly slid slowly to the ground.

She pointed her toe forward, and a gentle ripple spread out, invisibly enveloping Wu Wang’s room.

"It’s a long night, Divine Envoy. Are you missing a companion? We both serve the Divine Spirit and should be close; it is only right to be closer."

Wu Wang solemnly said, "National Teacher, please do not make things awkward for everyone."

The State Preceptor sighed deeply. "Alas, Women’s country has no men around all year round. Can’t you satisfy even this one wish I have in my life?"

You said the same thing to Brother Ji, didn’t you? He heard everything loud and clear!

"State Preceptor, I think you might have some misunderstandings about my character."

Wu Wang did not step back but silently took out the small knife and held it against his own neck.

"National Teacher, I regard my purity as importantly as I do the purity of my future wife!"

"How could you..."

"Brother Xiong, have you rested yet?"

A call came from outside the door. The State Preceptor’s pretty face turned pale. When she turned her head, she saw an empty space outside, as if a figure had just descended from the air.

"Oh no! This is bad!"

The State Preceptor was about to cry out but immediately covered her mouth, gave Wu Wang a look, and hurriedly ran to the side wardrobe, hiding inside without a second word.

The wardrobe shook a few times, then quickly quieted down.

Wu Wang: ...

Just then, the outline of a figure appeared outside the door, seemingly having just landed from the air.

What’s going on today? Are they coming here to play mahjong? Can’t they just organize a game instead of all sneaking in one by one like this!

Wu Wang shook his head and was about to move forward. As he took the first step, the necklace on his chest suddenly trembled slightly.

Streaks of azure light burst forth outside the door!

Wu Wang had an immediate sense of alarm and, without thinking, his figure flew backward as two head-sized Crystal Balls hovered in front of him.

Praying Star Technique: Adaptive Protective Device!

CRASH—

The wooden door was blasted into splinters by the azure light. Hundreds of Sword Qi shot into the room, and behind the Sword Qi, the figure lunged forward with a sword.

This person’s face was utterly unfamiliar to Wu Wang, but his eyes... burned with a resolute intent to kill!