Ex-Wife is a Big Villainess
Chapter 306 - 178 Monsters

Chapter 306: Chapter 178 Monsters

After the madwoman left, Jiang Shouzhong couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief, the tension in his heart finally eased slightly.

Although he had not been able to get Er Liang back, the fact that the other party was a peerless master and had promised not to harm Er Liang, Jiang Shouzhong had to put aside his worries for the time being.

Suddenly, Jiang Shouzhong remembered something, looked up, and shouted, "Mengniang?"

No one responded.

That flash of bright red figure did not appear either.

Jiang Shouzhong called out a few more times, but Mengniang did not respond, and his heart suddenly skipped a beat, becoming tense again.

Could it be that the woman had killed Mengniang?

It was crucial for Mengniang to be by his side all the time; otherwise, if they were separated for a long period, her life would be in danger.

Just then, Mengniang suddenly reappeared inside the room.

The woman’s complexion was as pale as paper, revealing a state of weakness that she could hardly conceal, nearly on the verge of collapsing.

She tried her best to steady her figure, hurriedly glided up to Jiang Shouzhong, a trembling hand placed on his shoulder, then closed her eyes, pressing her face to Jiang Shouzhong’s and absorbing the death qi from his body.

Seeing the woman almost fall, Jiang Shouzhong hurriedly supported her.

Mengniang’s fragile and cold body, almost relying on his sturdy chest.

Seeing that the woman was still alive, Jiang Shouzhong was relieved. However, her condition was clearly due to being separated from him for a long time, and it was even more serious than when the old Taoist had deceived them.

Jiang Shouzhong did not dare to move, allowing the woman to absorb the death qi to recover.

After a while, Mengniang’s pale face regained some color, and warmth returned to her icy body.

Since Jiang Shouzhong hadn’t had time to get dressed, there was only the woman’s cool dress between them at the moment; the warmth and the delicate sensation of their skin contact transmitted clearly through the fabric as though no barrier existed.

Especially his hand that was supporting her waist, the touch of his palm was as if caressing a boneless silken thread, indescribably graceful.

It was then that Jiang Shouzhong truly understood what a "snake waist" was.

After a long while, Mengniang finally recovered completely.

Opening her eyes to see the man bare-bodied, and the two of them nearly embracing each other, the woman’s cheeks turned red hot, and she stepped back quickly, turning around to apologize, "I’m sorry, her cultivation is too high, I couldn’t save you."

"It’s alright, I just needed to confirm that you’re safe."

Jiang Shouzhong, somewhat embarrassed, touched his nose, and quickly put on the clothes that Luo Wanqing had left in the room.

"I haven’t been able to help you with the recent crises," Mengniang sighed softly, her voice gentle yet filled with regret, "Jiang Mo, I’m really sorry..."

Jiang Shouzhong smiled helplessly, "It has nothing to do with you. It’s because of me, meeting enemies that are too terrifying. How many Feathered Transformation Realm experts are there in this world? And I just happened to run into them, truly the worst luck."

"Jiang Mo, perhaps..."

Mengniang bit her thin lips, ultimately unable to make up her mind, "Nevermind, I will try my best to protect you."

With that, the woman disappeared from inside the room.

Jiang Shouzhong was puzzled, not understanding what she had been about to say.

——

Returning to the inn, Jiang Shouzhong packed up his belongings and officially set out for Qingzhou.

This time he decided to travel by water, which could save half the journey; he would reach Qingzhou in at most four or five days.

Jiang Shouzhong arrived at the Zhusui River ferry and found a passenger boat.

It was a long-distance passenger boat with three decks.

The bottom layer contained the cargo hold and the resting place for the servants, the second layer housed ordinary cabins, and the top layer was for luxury suites, inhabited by wealthy merchants and people of status.

Jiang Shouzhong didn’t plan on being ostentatious and booked an ordinary cabin.

The cabin was simply furnished with a hardwood bedstead, a writing desk, two bamboo chairs, and a hanging scroll of landscape paintings on the wall.

Whether it was due to discussing life with Yelü Miao twice and absorbing a good deal of pure Yin energy, shortly after boarding the ship, Jiang Shouzhong’s Golden Taoist Body broke through to the level of Great Profound Sect Master.

Thus, his Earth Tao Body, Fire Tao Body, and Golden Tao Body were all at the Great Profound Sect Master level.

His Wood Taoist Body and Water Taoist Body reached the state of a first-class warrior.

It was as if he had three Great Grandmasters and two first-class experts residing in his body.

With such strength, he could even match some unstable Heaven Desolation Boundary experts in a fight.

Since he had chosen to travel by boat, Jiang Shouzhong switched his Taoist Body to the "Water Taoist Body" and let the two little golden men expand his meridians, hoping to use the journey to boost the cultivation of his Water Taoist Body.

After a simple meal of dry food, Jiang Shouzhong made his way to the deck.

On the deck, the sailors bustled about, checking ropes and arranging sails, a scene of tense and orderly activity.

The three-tiered boat was exquisitely arranged, with each floor housing spacious and bright cabins, featuring delicate window lattices interwoven in elaborate patterns. These provided shelter from wind and rain while allowing passengers to appreciate the passing scenery through the gaps.

And by coincidence, Jiang Shouzhong again saw that young girl on the deck—the one whose fortune he had read before.

Wasn’t that girl in the inn before?

Jiang Shouzhong wondered, puzzled.

Seeing her standing alone at the bow, holding a small cactus with a worried look on her face, Jiang Shouzhong still didn’t approach her to greet her.

It was just a fleeting encounter, and it was uncertain whether she even remembered him.

By noon, the large boat started moving.

There were still quite a few people on the passenger boat, about forty in addition to the crew.

Most passengers stayed in relatively inexpensive shared rooms, ranging from farmers and traders dressed in coarse linen clothes to sword-wearing, travel-worn figures from the Jianghu, and even solitary monks.

There were also a few penniless students holding onto their books.

At that moment, there was a young man dressed in worn-out blue attire, unremarkable in appearance, standing next to Jiang Shouzhong.

With an ancient, yellowed scroll in his hands, the young man looked out over the river, his expression peaceful and remote.

After the boat had sailed some distance, he seemed to be suddenly inspired to poetry, one hand behind his back, the other tapping gently on the ship’s railing, and he began to recite softly, "The river gently glimmers in the sun’s glow, a light boat flutters, riding waves as they flow. Green hills on both banks, face to face they show, a hometown sorrow into my poetry goes..."

As the young man recited, his eyes covertly observed the girl holding the cactus at the bow.

However, the girl remained impassive, completely ignoring everything around her, never once directing her gaze towards the reciting young man, not even when other passengers on the passenger boat didn’t look at him, making the young scholar suddenly feel rather chagrined.

To alleviate the embarrassment, the young scholar took the initiative to strike up a conversation with Jiang Shouzhong,

"Just now, I was abruptly inspired to recite some poetry; I apologize if I was presumptuous and made you laugh."

The young scholar smiled apologetically and intentionally raised his volume, "My family name is Yu, from Tongzhou. Blessed by heaven, I have a modest degree and acquired the title of Scholar. If you don’t mind, you may simply call me Mr. Yu."

Jiang Shouzhong spoke seriously, "Mr. Yu, you did indeed make me laugh just now."

"Pfft!"

A crisp, pleasant laugh, like pearls dropping onto a jade plate, suddenly rang out from the front of the boat.

The girl who was holding the cactus couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Yet the girl did not look in this direction, her gaze still fixed on the river.

"..."

Mr. Yu’s face turned red, and he was at a loss for words for a moment.

That’s when, from the third floor, a wealthy middle-aged man adorned in gold and silver, his face the image of prosperity, laughed loudly, "Poor Scholar, my dog Wangcai barking twice has more feeling than your poetry. You call yourself a Scholar? Are you fooling someone?"

Mr. Yu bristled, retorting angrily, "My scholar’s degree was earned by examination; if you don’t believe it, go check for yourself!"

While the two were arguing, Jiang Shouzhong retreated to his own room.

He didn’t pay much mind to the little interlude and started practicing boxing after entering his room.

Time flew by, and evening soon arrived.

The passenger boat sailed leisurely along, with the bright moon hanging high in the sky, casting its serene glow silently over the river and bathing the boat in its light.

Jiang Shouzhong went to the toilet, and on his way back, he ran into Mr. Yu.

The man was mumbling to himself and, upon seeing Jiang Shouzhong, gave an awkward smile and sidestepped to pass by.

Jiang Shouzhong didn’t pay much attention to him and went straight back to his room.

Mr. Yu’s room was at the far end. After relieving himself, he returned to his room and happened to see a woman dressed in white standing in front of the next door.

The woman stood dignified, facing the door as if waiting for someone, swaying slightly.

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