Killing Dao Fruit
Chapter 224 - 221: City Foxes and Social Rats, Clothed Beasts in Human Attire

Chapter 224: Chapter 221: City Foxes and Social Rats, Clothed Beasts in Human Attire

Seeing the phrase "A thousand miles of marriage tethered by a single thread," Qingyan’s initial shock was replaced by a sense of relief as her anxiety, anger, and unease dissipated in an instant.

But when she looked at her daughter Huang Wu and her... "nephew?" Wang Yuan, she couldn’t help but feel that her gaze took on a rather odd quality.

Just now, Huang Wu had meticulously recounted to her everything that had happened over the years.

The absolute protagonist of those stories was none other than Wang Yuan, who had grown up with her since childhood and upon whom she depended.

Breaking into the Owl God Tomb, wiping out the Yifan clan, saving Luoyang City, resolving the water disasters in Dengzhou, eradicating the entire Xue family, pacifying Penglai Immortal Island...

Listening to all this was like hearing tales of fantasy and adventure.

Especially in terms of his protective feelings for her daughter, she didn’t know how many times stronger they were than Zhou Wenrui’s, who used his own wife and daughter as stepping stones.

Qingyan was gradually getting over the initial shock and grief of the terrible news she had heard.

Now, as she considered what her daughter had just said, she suddenly realized it was all too clear. This was a young girl in the spring of youth, boasting to her mother about the object of her affections.

This "little cotton-padded jacket" of hers had clearly already become someone else’s darling.

Moreover, the person who had used the Spiritual Response Method "A thousand miles of marriage tethered by a single thread" was the children’s grandma, her own mother.

Childhood sweethearts overcoming obstacles together, love between a young couple, and elders playing matchmaker... it seemed that the red thread of fate between them had been tightly knotted by themselves long ago; how could it ever be undone?

Even though it was only their first meeting, Qingyan had not yet realized Wang Yuan’s many innate qualities such as:

Being young and rich, abundant in morality, devoted in love, ruthless in action, and dark-hearted...

She couldn’t help but think that keeping this ’fertile water’ within her own field was indeed a brilliant idea!

After the untimely passing of her younger sister Lingwei, her son became her own, and her son-in-law was half her own; half plus half equaled a whole.

Both the palm and the back of the hand were flesh to her, and whether she stepped into the role of aunt, mother, or mother-in-law, the match seemed beneficial from every perspective!

After much consideration, this was the only piece of good news she had heard all day.

At this moment, under Qingyan’s watchful eye, Wang Yuan seemed to suddenly discover that his foot was tied with a red string, and feigned innocence as he exclaimed:

"Hey? What’s this? Sister, when did you tie this on me?"

But the girl by his side promptly kicked him in the shin.

The wily fellow then reluctantly shut his mouth.

In fact, without seeing this "A thousand miles of marriage tethered by a single thread," Huang Wu’s most powerful Deceit Object, the Yin Yang Heart Bell, had already explained everything.

Only a loving couple, together possessing it, could receive its acknowledgment and unleash the full power of this treasure. Single individuals, especially men, were expressly forbidden from using it, as they would be devoured if they break this taboo.

Without Wang Yuan’s Small Book of Life and Death and the Heart Communication Conch, how could anyone who obtained a Deceit Object become aware of all its powers and prohibitions?

It tells its master by itself!

Since Deceit Objects and Weirdesses are essentially ’knowledge’ come to life, they naturally transmit their essence at all times.

Simply keep the Deceit Object close to one’s body, and over time, one would naturally uncover the secrets it harbors, averting a senseless loss of life.

It had been a long time since Huang Wu had acquired the Yin Yang Heart Bell.

Even if Wang Yuan never mentioned the first prohibition to her, the Yin Yang Heart Bell had already made everything crystal clear long ago.

It was just that both of them were playing dumb, avoiding a straightforward confrontation.

Now, with the paper screen suddenly punctured in front of Qingyan, Huang Wu felt a bit embarrassed and dared not look at her mother.

However, when Qingyan suddenly said with a deep voice:

"Oh, so neither of you knows what this is either. How about I help you untie it?"

The sibling pair glanced at each other and lifted their hands in unison, forming a large cross, and said in unison:

"No need! Thank you!"

Qingyan: ...Heh.

Primarily not wanting to overly shock her aunt, Wang Yuan quickly added:

"Aunt Qing, do you know how we can break free from the Living Dragon Gate? We’ll take on any task, even if it means going through fire and water."

Now that the Life Creation Pill had revived Qingyan’s clarity, there was no longer a need for the Heavenly Mechanism Mirror’s guidance.

Being the Wood Element Green Dragon, she was the one who knew her own situation best and naturally had strategies for self-rescue.

Seeing her children’s eyes brimming with laughter, Qingyan finally spoke with a serious expression:

"The three Dragon Gates continuously gather the spirit mechanisms of the Turbid River. Every thirty-six years, they exhale them. Next year, on the second day of the second month, when the Dragon lifts its head, the Dragon Gates will open wide.

But even when the Dragon Gates open, only the spirit mechanisms of heaven and earth will be expelled; anything too large will still be locked behind the gates. For example, me.

Unless on the second day of the second month, another flood dragon swims downstream, entering the sea as a ’flood dragon entering the sea’ and carrying with it the moisture of the entire river to completely break through the Dragon Gate, I won’t be able to be rescued."

"Go to Mirror Lake and find your Little Concubine, Long Shao.

If anyone above the Turbid River has the capacity and temperament to successfully ’flood dragon entering the sea’ and transform into a dragon next year, it surely must be none other than Long Shao..."

...

Under the same night sky in Dengzhou Prefecture, Shanyang City.

The Xue Mansion, which had been newly renovated and filled with an abundance of servants, was overflowing with guests celebrating all through the night.

The tragic extermination seemed to have left no trace here.

In the garden, over a hundred people were gathered, toasting with goblets and accompanied by the sounds of silk and bamboo instruments, and there were countless delicacies and fine wines.

A group of dancing girls with pleasing appearances, clad only in a layer of brightly colored sheer dance garments, twirled gracefully to the beat of the drums.

With elegant and flowing moves like the wind, they displayed their beauty with lifted sleeves as delicate as jade, each dancer’s figure either plump or slender—so stunning it was almost unbearable.

The lead dancer, Lady Huaiyu, was even more exquisitely beautiful, her clothing shedding more and more as she danced, with every lift of her hands and point of her toes, her gaze enticing as a hook, leaving the guests as if their souls were about to be drawn out.

Yet even in the face of such beauty, the guests did not dare to treat the host of the banquet with the slightest disregard, frequently coming forward to offer a toast.

"Young Master Xue, this official toasts to you. It is our fortune to witness such a spectacular dance at your residence today. After this, the charm of ordinary women will be tasteless for three months, haha..."

"I had been pondering over the lack of attendants by Young Master Xue’s side and considered sending my daughter to serve as a maid.

But after seeing the unmatched beauty in your residence today, I’m afraid she doesn’t have the luck."

"..."

The guests present were all officials with real power from within Dengzhou Prefecture, many of whom were already acquainted with this "new" Young Master Xue.

They knew him as Xue Dongjun from the third branch of the Xue family. Although he was reasonably capable in both literary and martial arts, he wasn’t particularly noteworthy. However, after the unexpected "illness and death" of Xue Donglou, he was adopted into the main branch, under the knees of Prime Minister Xue, Xue Jiexi.

His name was even changed to Xue Donglou.

At the adoption ceremony presided over by the major steward Xue Ping, most of them were witnesses and enviously regarded Xue Dongjun’s stroke of fortune.

They thought how wonderful it would be if they too could be adopted by Prime Minister Xue. They wouldn’t mind calling him father or even licking his boots every day if necessary.

Regrettably, after the Xue family massacre, they could only try their best to please this new Young Master Xue, hoping to preserve their families’ lives in the imminent wrath of Prime Minister Xue.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Xue Donglou lightly clapped his hands, and the dancing girls, under the lingering gazes of the officials, withdrew one by one. Next, a "No-Life Dao" demon brought forward a tray.

Observing the officials, who suddenly sat up straight with not even daring to take a deep breath, he smiled slightly:

"No need to be tense, everyone. If my Xue family really held a grudge against you, we would not have invited you all to the feast today.

This is a treasure my father brought from the capital. Please, distinguished guests, take a moment to appreciate it. If you speak well of it, past grievances will be wiped clean. If you don’t, well..."

Hearing this, the officials immediately perked up, left their seats, and crowded around Xue Donglou.

When he unfurled that item, the officials fixed their eyes on it, realizing it was an official robe.

They had seen many an official robe of civil and military officials, each with its carefully considered patches.

Civil servants were represented by birds to signify civility: cranes, pheasants, peacocks, wild geese, great white egrets, herons, white partridges, orioles, and quails.

Military officers were represented by beasts to signify ferocity: lions, tigers, leopards, bears, panthers, rhinoceroses, and sea horses.

For most people, their life’s pursuit was nothing more than these "clothes-beasts and crowned-birds".

However, the patches on this official robe were not any of those "civil birds or martial beasts".

Instead, it depicted a slyly smiling fox and a self-satisfied grey-haired big rat.

What was the same, however, was that they both wore official robes and were seated in the hall of justice, with various beasts and henchmen arrayed on either side.

Upon closer inspection, it could be seen that the patches on the fox and rat’s official robes were also embroidered with images of themselves, identical to them.

The patches on the fox and rat nested within each other, seemingly endless.

"Wow! This craftsmanship is simply extraordinary!"

"It’s astonishing!"

The officials couldn’t help but express their admiration, praising the extraordinary embroiderer, and despite straining their eyes, they seemed unable to see where this unique patchwork ended.

Then, an official who understood the robe’s implication knelt to the ground with a "thud".

"This lowly official willingly becomes a ’door dog’ to Prime Minister Xue and Young Master Xue, ready to climb mountains of swords and descend into seas of flames without a second word!"

The others also came to realization and knelt down in succession.

"Willing to become a ’door dog’!"

"The lowliest of dogs greets Young Master Xue!"

In the past, scholars always spoke of integrity, never stooping to such self-degrading acts. But today, a precedent was set.

However, none of the officials seemed to notice that their shadows cast on the ground were gradually growing claws, pointed ears, feathers, and tails...

[Deceit Object · Official Robe]

Origin: Transformed from the death of a Great Scholar who practiced the [Dragon Gate Technique of the Scholars’ Sect] (Chapter 127) after he became utterly disillusioned and deeply detested the court’s politics.

It still retains some ability to perform the [Sacrificial Technique].

Abilities:

[Among the twelve characteristics of "rat-like cunning and fox-like guile", including flattery and sycophancy, lying constantly, deceiving subordinates and superiors, double-dealing, arrogance, bullying with power, disregard for the law, greed, and lechery...

If an official matches any three of these traits and then kneels and worships this official robe, or has ever knelt before an official robe-wearing superior, he will gradually be corrupted as the robe steals the dragon energy and the aura of office.

Becoming, in name and fact, a "city fox or a country rat, clothed beast wearing a crown", he transforms into a bizarre henchman!]

The world hustles and bustles, everyone seeks personal gain; the world bustles and hustles, all for the sake of profit.

The Sects, led by the "No-Life Dao", had never thought of completely wiping out the mortals of this world.

They only wished to utterly shatter the [Dragon Qi Prohibition], breaking the spine of humanity, letting humans willingly become livestock generation after generation.

Content to stay at the very bottom of the food chain, serving as the most basic sustenance for those demons, [Deceit Objects], [Heavenly Officials]... as their most basic source of food!

By then, the entire world would be nothing more than a pot for growing the [Killing Tree], all "nutrients" to be taken at their discretion!

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