Chapter 186 Xuanfeng is about to embark on another long journey
Things went very smoothly!
Baihu, Zangmao, and Fengzhan have been selected as the first batch of candidates to establish a new temple by the Four Little Peaks!
Su Yuyao understood that although the situation of the Four Little Peaks was not complicated, it would take Xuanfeng some time to get his hands on them all. Therefore, this was likely just an excuse. However, she had already given up on the Four Little Peaks, so she couldn't say anything more. She could only watch as Qimen wrote this clause neatly into the contract.
As for Guan Yue, his desire to go to the snow mountain was firmly rejected. No matter how much he begged or made a scene, Xuan Feng just watched silently. When Guan Yue decided to stay at Su Yuyao's thatched hut, Xuan Feng finally spoke to Guan Yue alone. After the conversation, Guan Yue limped for a few days and finally accepted the fact that he could not go to the snow mountain.
At Xuanfeng's behest, Langzhi tearfully bid farewell to his beloved daughter Su Yuyao and Xuanmiao, whom he had raised in his arms, and escorted Guan Yue, along with Baihu, Zangmao, and Fengzhan, back to Jiujiao Mountain. Yuqing stayed behind to take care of Su Yuyao and Xuanmiao, finally giving Qingyue a chance to see Feihua!
The supply deal for the snow mountain was finalized, the route to Sangong City was confirmed, and the servants brought by Qilan left with their bundles under Su Yuyao's indifferent gaze.
Yuantun Palace was as busy as ever, but unlike usual, Su Yuyao was no longer the only one playing on the throne; there was also Xuanmiao, who was just learning to speak!
"My lord!" Qi Men reported in a low voice, "Within the Immortal Mountain, most of the branches have already handed over their incense money, but the branches on the ten peaks of the Southwest Branch refuse to hand over their incense money! They have also publicly stated that they will transport their incense money to Yin Guoyuan!"
Xuanfeng sneered, "If they're going to Yin Guoyuan, they'll have to detour through the southwest branch, the main branch of Immortal Mountain, and the west side of Hidden Deer Mountain. Where do they get the confidence to claim they're going to transport incense money to Yin Guoyuan?!"
Qi Men stroked his beard, looked at the throne, and covered his mouth to laugh.
Xuanfeng followed Qimen's gaze and looked back. He saw Su Yuyao teasing Xuanmiao with a hairpin, while leaning forward, straining her ears to eavesdrop. Xuanmiao was also giving a fake smile and secretly glancing at Xuanfeng and Qimen, half-heartedly playing her game.
Xuanfeng and Qimen exchanged a smile and called out, "Girl! Aren't you tired?"
"Huh?!" Su Yuyao quickly turned around and smiled, "I'm not tired at all!"
"Ah! Ah!" Xuanmiao also gesticulated and cried out.
Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao and Xuanmiao, who had the same expression, and asked with a suppressed laugh, "Girl, what's your opinion?"
"Huh?" Su Yuyao tilted her chubby cheeks and asked deliberately, "What's your opinion on this?"
"Hey! Didn't you hear me!" Xuanfeng said exaggeratedly, "Then never mind..."
"Hey? Don't forget about it!" Su Yuyao picked up Xuanmiao, quickly walked to Xuanfeng, and said with a grin, "I heard you! I heard you! You're talking about the incense money, right!"
Unable to contain his affection, Xuanfeng gently pinched Su Yuyao's chubby nose and said, "Still daring to pretend with me?!"
"Ah! Ah!" Xuanmiao also looked at Xuanfeng with a grin.
"Oh, right, and you little one too!" Xuanfeng smiled and tapped Xuanmiao's little nose, then reached out and hugged Xuanmiao in his arms.
"Hehehehehe!" Xuanmiao laughed heartily, holding Xuanfeng's chin.
Qimen also laughed as he looked at the chubby Xuanmiao.
"I overheard part of what you were saying!" Su Yuyao said boldly, seeing that Xuanfeng and Qimen were in good spirits. "Those ten mountain peaks have always followed Qinggan, and they are undoubtedly the hardest to take down! However, they also know that Qinggan has lost power, so they are using incense money to negotiate with you! As for what the conditions are, I haven't thought of them yet... But whatever the conditions are, just don't respond! Just remember one thing! What we want is always the territory! Not the people!"
"So, according to you, I should kick them all out?" Xuanfeng asked again.
“Kicking them out is going too far. How about… we surround them!” Su Yuyao said with a determined look in her eyes. “Isolate the ten peaks! Let them neither enter nor leave. We don’t need their offerings, but they shouldn’t get anything from here either! Although they have plenty of supplies, they can’t withstand so many people consuming them. Eventually, chaos will break out! Then, some people will come back to join us!”
Xuanfeng admired Su Yuyao's wisdom and said softly, "But I want to talk to them, after all, they are all capable Monument Kings."
Su Yuyao waved her hand dismissively, "If they were truly capable, why would they be withholding the donation money and negotiating with you?! If they were truly capable, they wouldn't have betrayed us!"
"Alright!" Xuanmiao shouted with a stern face.
Xuanfeng was very surprised and looked at Xuanmiao in his arms. "Little one, what did you say?"
"Mom!" Xuanmiao pointed at Su Yuyao with the finger adorned with the Pu'er tea flower. "Ah! Alright!"
"You mean... Mother is right?" Xuanfeng asked tentatively.
"Ah!" Xuanmiao put her hand in her mouth and sucked on it.
Qimen was also extremely shocked. This mysterious creature could distinguish right from wrong at such a young age? It was amazing!
"Hahahaha!" Su Yuyao wasn't surprised at all. "Miao'er also thinks Mother is right, right!"
"Alright!" Xuanmiao leaned on Xuanfeng's shoulder and shouted.
“Little one, do you think your father shouldn’t negotiate with them?” Xuanfeng suddenly became interested.
"Hehehehe!" Xuanmiao laughed, her eyes crinkling.
"Then... can Father bring back those ten mountain peaks?" As soon as Xuanfeng uttered the words, he felt ridiculous. What was he doing? Why was he asking a child who couldn't even speak yet...? Wait, why does this feel so familiar?
He looked at Su Yuyao and suddenly remembered that he had asked the girl a similar question before!
"Miao'er, your father is asking you something," Su Yuyao said gently, taking Xuanfeng's question very seriously, "Can we get back what we've lost?"
“Ah!” Xuanmiao responded.
Xuanfeng was even more surprised and curious. He looked at Xuanmiao in his arms. It was too amazing! How could this child be so special? Could she really be the incarnation of the Mountain Goddess?!
"Miao'er!" Qi Men asked curiously, "Tell Grandpa, what should we do if they don't listen to us?"
"Big!" Xuanmiao frowned, patted her chubby little bottom with her small hand, and shouted loudly, "Big!"
"You mean, fight them?" Qi Men asked with a smile.
"Hehehehehe!" Xuanmiao laughed loudly, pounced on Xuanfeng's chest, Gu Yong lifted his chubby body, patted his little bottom, and shouted, "Big!"
Xuanfeng watched for a while, then suddenly hugged Xuanmiao tightly, looking at Qimen embarrassedly. Qimen had already covered his eyes and was laughing uncontrollably.
Su Yuyao realized what was happening, blushed, and pinched Xuanmiao's little bottom.
"Hmm? Ugh, ugh, ugh—!" Xuanmiao buried her face in Xuanfeng's chest and began to sob softly...
"My lord! Uh..." Flying Eagle pushed open the palace door and found Su Yuyao there as well. He stopped awkwardly in place, unsure whether to go in or back.
"What is it?" Xuanfeng asked while coaxing Xuanmiao.
“Uh…” Flying Eagle glanced at Su Yuyao and said hesitantly, “It was Bi Rong who sent back the message…”
“Speak,” Xuanfeng raised his eyes to look at Su Yuyao, “you should listen too!”
“Oh,” Flying Eagle straightened up and bowed his head, “The Four Little Peaks have been successfully taken over. Lord Zheng Qing has been confirmed as the new leader. As for Qu Feng and Ru Zhuo Peak, which still have a large number of rebels, they have all been…” Flying Eagle glanced at Su Yuyao, “…purged by the Wolf Clan!”
Su Yuyao was stunned for a moment, glanced at Xuan Feng beside her, and put on an innocent look.
"Anything else?" Xuanfeng stared at the guilty Su Yuyao, but turned his attention to Feiying.
"The wolf pack has completely withdrawn, and Bi Rong has taken over the water pool!"
Qimen waved his hand, and Feiying understood and quickly withdrew.
Su Yuyao rubbed her chest and said, "Since you all have important matters to discuss, I'll go out first. Anyway, Miao'er should be having her milk soon!" With that, Su Yuyao went to pick up Xuan Miao from Xuan Feng's arms.
Unexpectedly, Xuanmiao grabbed Xuanfeng's clothes and twisted them left and right, refusing to let go.
"Girl," Xuanfeng asked leisurely, staring at the increasingly nervous Su Yuyao, "Do you want to explain why the Wolf Clan wiped out Ruoqu Peak and Ruzhuo Peak?"
"Huh? I... explain what?" Su Yuyao asked, blinking her big, fluttering eyes in confusion.
"Why did your wolf clan only attack when my people arrived?"
"How would I know? I specifically instructed Shadow to follow Lord Guan Xiao's orders!" Su Yuyao blinked and replied, "I really don't know anything!"
"You don't know? Then how do you know Guan Xiao went?!"
Su Yuyao smacked her lips, oh no, she'd given herself away again!
Xuanfeng tapped Su Yuyao's forehead and said, "You can fool others, but you think you can fool me?! You think I don't know?! You wanted to take over the Four Little Peaks, but you didn't want to go too far, so you left those people behind. Now that I've taken over, you've actually purged them all?!"
Su Yuyao laughed and said, "You can't hide anything from you! That's right, if I take over the Four Little Peaks, I have to leave those people behind, since no one in our wolf clan is capable of doing this! However, since you're taking over, I have the responsibility to clear all obstacles for you!"
"So you're pinning all these deaths on me?!" Xuan Feng frowned slightly and said sternly.
Su Yuyao said with a grin, "If you insist on saying that I pressed it, I won't object!"
"Girl!" Xuanfeng asked curiously, "Why didn't you leave them alive?"
Su Yuyao pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then said, "If those people were under my command, although I can't guarantee their absolute loyalty, I can guarantee they wouldn't harm your interests! However, they are your mortal enemies. Rather than keeping them by your side and constantly on guard, it's better to eliminate them to prevent future troubles!"
Xuan Feng was astonished by Su Yuyao's ruthlessness. From the massacre at the Vermilion Bird Hall to the slaughter of the Four Small Peaks, and now this purge, Su Yuyao spoke of it without any remorse or guilt, instead acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world. He began to reflect on whether he himself was equally cold-blooded after killing people…
"My lord!" Flying Eagle pushed open the door again, quickly stepped forward, spread his palms, and whispered, "Important report!"
A red dandelion floated out of Flying Eagle's hand and landed on Xuanfeng's shoulder.
Xuanfeng's eyes suddenly widened, and he quickly handed Xuanmiao to Su Yuyao's arms, "Girl, take the little one back first, I have urgent business to attend to here!"
"Oh, I understand." Su Yuyao took the mystery and quickly left the main hall.
"Ningbao! Ling'er! You're finally out!" Ruixue quickly came to greet them, picked up Xuanmiao and carried her on her shoulder, then said to Su Yuyao with a smile, "Let's go!"
"Hehehehe!" Xuanmiao and Su Yuyao's laughter echoed in the valley, lingering for a long time.
As darkness fell, the kitchen stove still retained a trace of warmth. Yuqing added water to the pot and some firewood to the stove.
"Auntie, what delicious food have you made again?" Su Yuyao heard the noise from the kitchen and quickly came over.
"I'm boiling water! I haven't made anything to eat!" Yu Qing asked with a smile. "Miss Yao'er, are you hungry?"
Su Yuyao patted her stomach sheepishly and said, "I'm not hungry, I just heard noises from the kitchen, so I came to check! Why are you boiling water?"
"It's so late, Master should be back soon. We can give him a foot bath before bed to help him relax!" Yu Qing lit the stove before looking up at Su Yuyao. "Miss Yao'er, there's no leftover food today. Shall I steam some egg custard for you?"
"Okay, okay!" Su Yuyao nodded quickly and said, "I've had Aunt Hu's steamed egg custard before, it's so delicious!"
Seeing Su Yuyao's greedy expression, Yuqing smiled and said, "Aunt Hu said you love her steamed egg custard, so I specially learned how to make it from her. Please come inside and wait a while; I'll bring it to you when it's done!"
Su Yuyao nodded with a smile.
It was late at night again, and Xuanfeng hurried home. Ruixue was still lying at the crossroads on the hillside, but this time, he actually wagged his tail slightly at Xuanfeng.
Xuanfeng was pleasantly surprised by Ruixue's subtle change. He bowed slightly to Ruixue and nodded as he passed by.
"Girl!" Xuanfeng stepped into the house impatiently and saw Su Yuyao shoveling egg custard into her mouth. His heart melted instantly.
"Huh?" Su Yuyao, holding her bowl, looked at Xuanfeng in surprise. "Xuanfeng? Why are you back so early?"
Xuanfeng stepped forward, took Su Yuyao's bowl, placed it on the table, and then picked her up and hugged her tightly in his arms.
"I haven't finished eating yet..." Su Yuyao licked her lips, tilting her rosy cheeks up to look at Xuan Feng, whose eyes were filled with melancholy. "What... is wrong with you?"
"Little girl," Xuanfeng said softly, stroking Su Yuyao in his arms, "I'm going on a long trip, it might take a long time."
"Where are we going? How long is 'long time'?" Su Yuyao leaned against Xuanfeng's chest, and began to feel sad.
"Just now, Mother Yi sent a message saying that some of the World Origins in the Wuji Dao are on the verge of self-destruction, and asked me to go and take a look, so... I don't know how long it will take."
"The Dao of Limitless?" Su Yuyao looked up, frowning as she said, "You're not the Heavenly Lord of the Dao, what does the Dao of Limitless have to do with you?"
“Girl,” Xuanfeng stroked Su Yuyao’s flushed face, looked into her wet eyes, and said gently, “In the Wuji Dao, there are five world origins, and each world origin has countless lives. I cannot sit idly by!”
“But… there’s Ze Yuan!” Su Yuyao said somewhat angrily, “Ze Yuan is the Heavenly Lord of the Dao! It is his responsibility in the Wuji Dao!”
“Although it is Zeyuan’s responsibility to be in Wuji Dao, and I no longer have any brotherly feelings for him, I can’t let go of Wuji Dao. After all, I spent a thousand years there…”
Xuanfeng sighed deeply, and reluctantly cupped Su Yuyao's face in his hands. "Girl, tomorrow morning, you and Ruixue should take the little one back to the snow mountain. I will send people to protect you."
Su Yuyao's heart sank, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. "When are you leaving?"
"After I send you away, I'll set off..." Xuanfeng looked at Su Yuyao, whose eyes were brimming with tears, and felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He pinched Su Yuyao's cheek and said with a smile, "Let's go to sleep! Let's sleep well tonight, we won't see each other for a long time!"
Su Yuyao's face flushed red, and she muttered with her head down, "Knowing that we won't see each other for a long time, she still has to leave..."
"Girl, I promise you, when I get back I'll go to the snow mountain to find you!" Xuanfeng coaxed softly.
Su Yuyao was deeply worried; she felt that this matter was not so simple! With the power of the Mother Goddess, wouldn't her intervention be far more effective than sending Xuanfeng from afar? Moreover, Zeyuan had the support of the Tide; as long as the Tide intervened, Shiyuan wouldn't be at risk of self-destruction! Therefore, if Xuanfeng really went, his chances of survival were slim!
"Oh! Right!" Su Yuyao broke free from Xuanfeng's embrace and said, "Let me give you a foot bath!" After saying that, she lifted her skirt and ran out.
Xuanfeng took off his outer robe and wrist guards. He looked at the leftover egg custard on the table, then at the pink ruqun hanging on the horizontal rack, and then at the paper full of "mysterious" written by Su Yuyao on the desk. Suddenly, a thought he had never had before came to mind: What if something happens to me? What will happen to the girl and the child?
He was actually a little timid; he wanted to continue living this peaceful and fulfilling life! I am not a Daoist lord, so what does the Dao of Limitless have to do with me? But I am the girl's husband, the little one's father, and the ruler of the Immortal Mountain…
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
