Chapter 1521-1520: The Grand Finale (Twenty-Three) [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Shen Tang and the Panda Hero reached a preliminary consensus on the plan to steal the sky and change the sun; the details could be discussed later. As the ancient demon king, the Panda Hero granted Shen Tang considerable authority to show his sincerity—such as choosing the race to be reincarnated.

Shen Tang: "Aren't they all demons?"

The panda warrior, idly flipping through the memorials Shen Tang had approved, said: "Even among the mortal human race, there are different classes, let alone the relatively barbaric and uncouth demon race. How much effort would it save to be reborn with a better background? Your Highness, the world has changed. It's no longer the era where even a vine or wood background could lead to sainthood. In the mortal realms of both the great and small worlds, dragons and phoenixes are revered, and anyone even remotely related is considered superior."

Shen Tang said sarcastically, "The dishes are all over the place."

Panda Hero: "Since Your Highness doesn't mind the form you take after reincarnation, let's make it random and let the Six Paths of Reincarnation arrange everything?"

Shen Tang naturally refused.

The six realms of reincarnation in both the great and small worlds are still under the monitoring of the Heavenly Dao.

Shen Tang has reached an agreement with the Demon King of the Demon Clan, who was once despised. It's hard to guarantee that the Heavenly Dao won't interfere, especially since that old man's reputation is already ruined. She said, "No need, I will make the arrangements."

The panda patriot was not surprised at all by changing his tune.

"Then I will wait for Your Highness to finalize the list."

Having secured a major deal, the panda hero was in high spirits. Since destiny had turned against the demon race, their lives had been incredibly difficult. Awakening their spirituality was a struggle, and transforming into human form was a perilous journey. However, he believed this cooperation would greatly improve their situation.

It would be effortless to open a back door for future demon masters.

What reward did the panda heroes receive?

A wise ruler was bound to a war chariot.

After the human race, even if destiny does not return to the demon race, they will not be squeezed to the point of having almost no space to survive as before.

Shen Tang: "Wait a minute."

"Does Your Highness have any further instructions?"

Shen Tang looked at the panda warrior who had reverted to his panda form, his fur fluffy and soft like a cloud, her gaze occasionally sweeping over his round ears. She suppressed the urge to pet him: "...Since I have a choice, being of the same race as you is fine too?"

Just imagine that scene.

Dozens of distinct black and white sesame-like clumps lay on the lawn.

Panda Hero: "..."

For some reason, she recalled the scene of Shen Tang seducing her back then, when Shen Tang tried hard to poach her "cat" and her obsession hadn't subsided: "It's not impossible, but there might not be enough spots."

Giant pandas have a low reproductive rate and a small population.

Those with the aptitude to cultivate and ascend to heaven are extremely rare.

The panda warrior rummaged through the demon clan subordinates scattered across the worlds, feeling it would be difficult to find a number that met Shen Tang's standards.

Personal preferences should be respected in such matters.

Shen Tang thought about it and agreed.

So, amidst their busy schedules, someone received a strange survey questionnaire. The questionnaire was very simple, asking what kind of animal they would like to be reincarnated as. Chu Yao immediately became wary. He knew that the Heavenly Dao was not very friendly to Shen Tang, and he also knew that the other party could not do whatever they wanted. He was afraid that Shen Tang might offend the Heavenly Dao because of momentary favoritism, and suffer bitterly in the future.

Shen Tang quickly waved his hand: "Wu Hui, don't overthink it."

She said she was just curious.

Chu Yao was not so easily fooled.

Shen Tang could only use Shen De as an excuse: "Ru Gui is precocious, but she is still a child and has some childlike nature. So I thought of combining education with entertainment and learning with fun, and had someone make some animal-shaped toys for her to play with. What do you think, Wu Hui?"

Chu Yao remained suspicious, but knew he couldn't ask directly.

Speaking purely from personal preference—

Chu Yao said, "Anything is fine as long as it's not a cat."

Then he added, "I love yellow dogs even more."

Unlike Qi Shan, who was a philanderer, he only had an old dog at home. This old dog was raised in He Yin County years ago and had accompanied him for many years, guarding his house and yard, serving him both faithfully and diligently. Even now that it was old and frail, Chu Yao did not despise it.

They were always fed and cared for well.

Shen Tang: "..."

Not surprising at all.

Wu Hui is the kind of person who would help his own dog fight against Yuan Liang's Su Shang.

Speaking of yellow dogs—

She inexplicably felt that Chu Yao and the golden retriever looked somewhat alike.

After the questionnaire, it was confirmed that the Lord had indeed ordered animal plush toys made for the young prince to play with, and Chu Yao gradually dispelled his doubts. This little incident did not cause much of a stir until news from the front lines broke the calm. Shen Tang initially thought it was news of a tense war—that damned Heaven had banned her from the competition, meaning that Shen Tang could not participate in the battle of Qu Kingdom and could only watch from the sidelines.

This is clearly not in line with her personality.

Even Shen Tang was stunned when he saw the message.

Everyone gathered in the main tent, waiting for her to announce the contents.

Shen Tang said, "Zhai Xiaofang is willing to submit."

These few words evoked a rollercoaster of emotions in everyone, ultimately culminating in an overwhelming sense of joy. The enemy's willingness to surrender without a fight was more advantageous than disadvantageous for them. Their elite troops were deployed abroad, consuming astronomical sums of supplies daily. A war would only intensify the financial strain. Even a major victory would mean exorbitant post-war compensation and reconstruction costs, a painful drain on the Ministry of Revenue. The Qu Kingdom's willingness to surrender was a stroke of incredible good fortune!

Shen Tang added, "But there are conditions."

"These can be discussed gradually."

"Zhai Xiaofang wants to meet with me to talk."

Kang Shi immediately changed his tune.

"My lord, this is not appropriate!"

His reason for refusing was also very straightforward: Shen Tang is now banned from the competition and his combat power is on par with ordinary people. What if Zhai Le's discussion is fake or the other party finds out? Wouldn't the master be in danger? The consequences would be unacceptable to everyone, so this matter cannot be agreed to.

"A son of a wealthy family will not sit under a dangerous roof."

“Zhai Xiaofang is open and generous; he’s willing to agree, so I can’t judge him with my petty mind, or I’ll become a laughingstock. He’s upright and honest, so I can’t hide and act furtively. Let’s talk. These kinds of things really require open communication to convince Zhai Xiaofang that I will treat his people well.” While others suspected that Zhai Le was trying to take advantage of the situation, Shen Tang had the opposite attitude. She felt that Zhai Le wanted to see her again to discuss things because he was worried about the people of Qu Kingdom and wanted to make one last plan for them.

Seeing her determination, no one could stop her.

They could only place their hopes on Gong Xichou and his men for thorough protection.

Shen Tang briefly explained the situation here and led a group of people to the front lines. This matter couldn't be delayed, so Shen Tang directly had Gong Xi Chou conjure up the Martial Courage Totem: "Sigh, I miss the days before I was banned and suspended, when I could go wherever I wanted—land, sea, and air..."

Don't ask her why she refuses to ride in a carriage.

The roads between the front lines and the rear were only roughly cleared, and the road conditions were harsh. If Shen Tang had honestly traveled by carriage for ten days or half a month, any kidney stones in her body would have been shaken to pieces. For the sake of her backside, she took Shen De by air for a leisurely trip.

Shen De found all of this novel.

Her chubby little face was flushed with excitement.

"dragon!"

"Mommy, a dragon!"

She wasn't afraid of heights at all; on the contrary, she was eager to break free from the adults' protection and wobbled forward. Shen Tang didn't stop her; even if Shen De really lost his footing, he wouldn't actually fall to his death. Gong Xi Chou and the other martial arts masters were all watching, not to mention that he had specially manipulated a dragon's whisker to wrap around Shen De's waist, which was also a layer of protection.

only--

Shen De, with his short legs, sprinted towards a dragon horn.

He stretched out his arms, wanting to hug her.

"Horn, horn!"

After saying that, he drooled and wanted to take a bite to taste it.

Gong Xichou's expression twisted into a ferocious rage for a moment, his dragon whiskers tightening as he pulled Shen De towards him, feigning ferocity as he said, "Who said it could bite?"

Shen De pouted and pondered for a few moments.

Without hesitation, he grabbed Gong Xichou by the braid.

He was very interested in the colorful beads that Gong Xiqiu had braided into his hair.

Gong Xichou's scalp ached from being pulled so hard: "Let go!"

"Zhuzhu!"

I said let go!

Shen De opened her mouth and bit down on a bead, soon covering it with glistening saliva. Gong Xi Chou didn't dare tear it off, but he snapped angrily. Even when someone grabbed her by the back of her collar, threatening to throw her off the Martial Spirit Totem, she just thought they were playing a game.

The clear, bell-like laughter pleased some, but annoyed Gong Xichou. In the end, he sat with his arms crossed, letting Shen De use him as an obstacle to climb up and down. Gong Xichou's hair, clothes, ears, and even cheeks suffered greatly.

Shen Tang: "Feng En is incredibly patient with children."

These words carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Gong Xichou said irritably, "How can you be a parent?"

They neither give birth to him nor raise him, yet they come to watch the spectacle.

Perhaps it was because they hadn't gotten along since their little red flower days, but Shen De always seemed to enjoy tormenting Gong Xi Chou whenever she saw him, especially his hair. Sigh, even Liu Shan (A Dou) wasn't as mischievous as Shen De. Gong Xi Chou, who thought himself experienced in raising children but still suffered a crushing defeat at Shen De's hands, felt a surge of anger. He could only console himself that once Shen De's martial arts skills matured, he would definitely teach her properly!

Shen Tang: "The capable should do more work."

Free, exploitable labor is free, so why not use it?

Shen De has already caused him trouble, so he can't cause trouble for himself now.

The clever little devil who made Gong Xichou grit his teeth became very obedient and adorable in Ji Moqiu's hands, like a kind and lovable fairy child.

Gong Xichou: "...Two faces!"

This also reflects the true feelings of his childhood friend, Qi Shan.

I wish I could tear Yu Hai's face to shreds.

Zhai Le let loose, but he couldn't just wait for Shen Tang to come over to talk; he also had a lot of preparations to do beforehand.

Yu Hai couldn't help but mock, "Why are you so eager to do this?"

He wondered if it was just his imagination, but he felt that Zhai Le was much more cheerful today, unlike his usual miserable self who only reluctantly handled government affairs when he needed supervision from both sides and always looked at memorials with a bitter and resentful expression. Today, however, he was all smiles.

The changes before and after are too great.

"Guilong, I had a dream yesterday."

"What dream?"

“My brother appeared in my dream.”

Yu Hai: "...This is not surprising at all."

Zhai Le's brother complex has reached an outrageous level.

Yu Hai casually remarked, "Why would a scoundrel send you a dream?"

Zhai Le didn't hold Yu Hai's address to Zhai Huan against him; he had complained about his brother being a scoundrel more than once. Zhai Le's attention was focused on the dream he had last night: "After entering my dream, my brother first lightly tapped my forehead and complained that I hadn't slept the night before."

Zhai Le was in a state of emotional turmoil the night before and couldn't sleep at all.

I only had a short rest last night to rejuvenate.

In a daze, he returned to the Zhai family's old residence, where his elder brother had been waiting for him for a long time—because he hadn't slept, causing Zhai Huan to appear in his dream and delay the process by a day—Zhai Huan had come to give him some simple instructions, saying that he was going to be reincarnated and that although there would be a chance to regain his memories in the future, he didn't know when that would be. Before leaving, he couldn't bear to leave his younger brother behind, so he came to visit him in his dream.

Yu Hai simply said that what he thought about during the day, he dreamed about at night.

Zhai Le thinks about Zhai Huan every day, so it's normal for him to dream about her once in a while.

only--

"Only now are you going to reincarnate?"

The underworld is a bit inefficient.

He thought Zhai Huan was already of marriageable age.

Zhai Ledao said, "My brother said that after his soul returned to heaven and earth, his soul was taken away by a force. He has been living in a closed place all these years. It is said to be some kind of Investiture of the Gods. After his death, he occupied a god's position, which gave him the opportunity to regain his memories of his previous life after being reincarnated."

Yu Hai: "You put it very well."

Zhai Le paused for a moment: "The Investiture of the Gods is in Shen Youli's hands."

Yu Hai: "...You mean, it wasn't a dream?"

Zhai Ledao said, "I hope it's not a dream."

Time was of the essence, so the elder brother did not reveal much.

It didn't say which family the child would be reincarnated into.

He only said that he had received a small favor and was reincarnated near his sister-in-law. If fate allows, he can return with his wife to reunite with his brothers once he regains his memories. Zhai Le listened in a daze, hoping his dream would come true.

Zhai Le's voice was very soft.

"Whether it's a dream or not, we'll find out by verifying it."

I'd like to verify whether the Investiture of the Gods actually exists!

After waking up from the dream, Zhai Le became much more enthusiastic about the negotiations.

“If the dream is real, I might be able to find out from Shen Youli where my brother was reincarnated, and—” Zhai Le’s expression twisted for a moment as he said this, “I wonder if his family is any good after he was reincarnated. I can’t let my brother suffer like this.”

Most importantly, my elder brother and sister-in-law.

The elder brother was previously imprisoned by the Investiture of the Gods and could not be reincarnated, but the sister-in-law was different. If she were to be reincarnated early, she would certainly be much older than the elder brother. People in this world marry young, so if the sister-in-law finds a good husband after reincarnation, the elder brother would be at a disadvantage from the very beginning.

Zhai Le scratched his hair.

They began to worry about whether they should become accomplices to evil in the future.

On one hand, there's my brother; on the other, there's morality; and then there's the dilemma of whether my sister-in-law, who has no memory of her past life, is still considered my sister-in-law. Will my brother be caught in this entanglement of past and present lives? Sigh, it's so difficult.

Yu Hai: "..."

Zhai Le was completely absorbed in speculation that hadn't even materialized yet.

Does Zhai Yuewen really need her younger brother to aid and abet evil?

This guy is a menace when he goes crazy.

Yu Hai shook his head, banishing these absurd thoughts from his mind. How had he been led astray by Zhai Le? Zhai Le had made his decision, and he too needed to make targeted adjustments to ensure the best possible outcome for his side. Therefore, he volunteered to serve as an envoy to the Kang camp to conduct preliminary negotiations. Zhai Le didn't immediately agree, but looked at Yu Hai with concern: "Gui Long doesn't want to see Qi Yuanliang?"

Yu Hai said, "You can escape the first day of the month, but you can't escape the fifteenth."

He wasn't the one who felt guilty or in the wrong.

What is there to be afraid of seeing?

but--

He was in charge of selecting the people to go to Kangying.

Zhai Le had no doubts: "This matter is entirely entrusted to Gui Long."

The person he felt most sorry for was Yu Hai.

The other party had helped him for many years without expecting anything in return, yet he couldn't fulfill Yu Hai's lifelong wish; he felt truly guilty. Yu Hai knew this, so he decided to complete it himself. Before setting off, he gave Tan Qu the clothes that the embroiderer had hastily made.

"Le Zheng, please come with me on this trip."

＿|￣|●

Back to the bug from a few days ago, Shiitake Mushroom's kitchen hasn't been used since it was renovated, and it's quite far from the study. Then it suddenly occurred to me that the kitchen upstairs from the study is a partitioned kitchen by the neighbor _(:з」∠)_, so it's possible that's how the bug came about.