Chapter 55: Hunchbacked Mountain Duke

A dead person naturally could not take office.

If a person died, their body and dao would be destroyed, and everything would be empty.

But the dead Huang Cihe still took office.

Ning Xuan had personally seen the Zhuangyuan Lang’s head knock over the chessboard, and blood and brain matter gushed out from the hole. His eyes were wide open, and he died with a grievance.

But he still took office.

Thinking of the three powerful demons, Ning Xuan actually had a few guesses in his heart, and among them, he was more inclined to believe that a demon had disguised itself as Huang Cihe and took office.

He thought about it again.

Good heavens, it was really a case of having the right time, the right place, and the right people.

First, let’s talk about the geographical advantage. The demon disaster in Shanyang Prefecture was serious, and the previous bureaucratic system had been destroyed to a great extent;

Then, let’s talk about the timing. The seriousness of the demon disaster in Shanyang Prefecture was just the younger brother entering the stage in advance. When the experts among these demons went, wouldn’t it be like kneading dough in the palm of your hand – you could make it round or flat as you wished;

As for the people, these demons protected the common people. In the eyes of the common people, weren’t they good officials?

Then why would a demon want to be an official?

Ning Xuan’s eyes flashed with the frozen corpses with only dragon qi in Ping’an Prefecture. He already had an incredible guess – these demons wanted to take away the dragon qi and the plate.

However, he was also very curious. If a demon took office and was in charge of a prefecture, could it also gather dragon qi by winning the hearts of the people?

He was just curious, but he didn’t know.

The above were all his own guesses.

The water in this world was much deeper than he had imagined.

Shanyang Prefecture was perhaps just a microcosm, and more similar and incredible things were happening everywhere.

As Ning Xuan thought about it, he felt a headache.

But then he thought again.

Why should he have a headache?

The demon world was indeed not simple, but the dragon qi world was not so simple either…

Let it be what it is. Anyway, as long as he was not asked to get involved in the muddy water, and as long as it did not provoke him, then everything was fine.

He would just watch from the side, and would never go deep, and would never get himself and the people around him involved in danger.

A demon could sit in the position of a prefect, and maybe it would sit in other positions, so… he would at most share this information with his big brother and father. As for that immortal aunt who was loyal to His Majesty, forget it.

With his mind made up, he stretched his majestic body more comfortably, and let the five maids around him serve him, knead him, and from time to time, he would open his mouth to eat a local grape.

Since the demon disaster, the carriages of this merchant caravan had been blocked everywhere. It was really not easy to eat a fruit from a distant place.

Looking at the maids who were kneading his hands and legs, and also pressing his head, they were all like paper, and would tear with a pull and break with a touch. Ning Xuan needed to carefully restrain his qi and blood, and could not use a little more strength, otherwise… he would really kill these maids.

As for their appearance, these maids were no different from the young ladies of the Chenxiang Pavilion. Their appearances were similar, their speaking tones were similar, their attitudes towards him were similar, and even the buns on their heads, the perfume on their bodies, and the stories they told were very similar.

These similarities and fragility made Ning Xuan feel a sense of boredom in his heart.

He began to miss the past.

The life of a dandy was really interesting. There were endless chickens to fight, endless horses to race, endless beasts to hunt, and endless beauties to love…

Because a dandy’s body was weak, even if he had a thought, he could only love one beauty at a time, and each time he could love until he was exhausted and returned with satisfaction. How could it be like now?

Ning Xuan felt that he had become stronger, but his life had also become boring.

As he was thinking, a golden light surged from his side.

Ning Xuan waved his hand.

The five maids hurriedly got up, bowed respectfully to this general who did not look muscular but was stronger than a bear when kneaded, and then retreated.

Ning Xuan sat up and glanced at his big brother.

Chou Nu lowered his voice and said, “You clearly told me that Huang Cihe was dead.”

Ning Xuan said, “He is dead.”

Chou Nu said, “Then?”

Ning Xuan told him all his guesses and what he had encountered that day.

Chou Nu sighed after hearing it.

Ning Xuan knew that his big brother was嫌 he was too useless, so he got up and patted his shoulder, “Big Brother, you can go and investigate the demons in my Wangyue Prefecture. When you find them, I will go and kill them, and give you the dragon qi to cultivate.”

Chou Nu nodded and said, “The training of the demonic plague martial artists is not bad. That green jade is really useful. I plan to build a personal guard of demonic plague martial artists. That Great General Qin has such a personal guard, and you should have one too.”

“Their foundation is too deep. We will take it slow.” Ning Xuan said, and then asked, “By the way, how is Dad’s health?”

Chou Nu said, “Mr. Taiyi is retiring in Star River County. His spirit has been good recently. He has been muttering about finding a good wife for you.”

As he spoke, Chou Nu couldn’t help but laugh.

Ning Xuan said, “Let Dad not worry about this. The only one I can marry now is an ordinary girl with no background.”

Chou Nu said, “I have also told him, but he seems to be possessed. I persuaded him a few times, but he actually glared at me and scolded me, saying that if he can’t find a good wife for you and a good background for our Ning family, he will not die in peace.”

Ning Xuan was silent for a moment and said, “Alright, as long as Dad is happy, I will accept whatever he arranges. As long as he brings a woman back, I won’t even ask for her name, and I will marry her without saying a word.”

His father had aged prematurely and had not long to live. He had worried about the Ning family and him all his life.

Ning Xuan would definitely not refuse this wish.

Chou Nu nodded, and then changed the topic, “Recently, some small demons have appeared in Wangyue Prefecture. I will go and find out and then come and tell you. At that time, we…”

Before he could finish, Ning Xuan waved his hand and said, “I will go and solve it alone. Big Brother, you can wait for the dragon qi.”

As he spoke, he gently patted Chou Nu’s shoulder again, “Get stronger early. You can’t be worse than Immortal Aunt Yaozhen, right?”

Chou Nu smiled and said, “She is from the Zixia Temple in the imperial capital, and even the dragon qi is allocated by the Son of Heaven. There is no comparison.”

Ning Xuan clenched his fists and said, “Don’t bully the young and poor. One day…”

Chou Nu smiled and said, “I have passed that passionate age. As for you, you don’t seem to be this kind of person either.”

The two brothers looked at each other and laughed out loud. The atmosphere was quite warm.

Ning Xuan’s boredom did not last long.

Because on the second day after Chou Nu came to find him, his long-lost fox friend, the young master of the Fugui Merchant Guild, Liu Shirong, came.

Ning Xuan rarely had the thought of cockfighting, so he disguised himself a little, put on a cloak that covered his face, and went to the “cockfighting market” in Wangyue Prefecture with Liu Shirong to buy chickens and fight cocks on the spot.

Because it was a gambling fight, a group of dandies nearby were also attracted. Everyone began to bet on the cockfighting, and they had a great time.

Although cockfighting was boring, Ning Xuan was also a little happy to see his former fox friend still having so much fun.

“Horse racing?” Liu Shirong asked.

Ning Xuan waved his hand.

The two of them left the cockfighting market and walked by a small lake next to Wangyue Prefecture.

Ning Xuan said, “You’re not going to marry your sister to me anymore?”

Liu Shirong said, “I can’t afford to.”

As he spoke, he said with a bitter face, “General Ning, please spare me. Our Liu family really can’t afford to get involved in your affairs. If a single spark from your fight splashes out, it will be enough to leave my Liu family with no one left.”

Ning Xuan sighed, “Let’s go horse racing. I haven’t had enough fun yet.”

Liu Shirong smiled mysteriously and leaned closer, “I’ll take you to an interesting place.”

Afterwards, he took Ning Xuan around and around and came to an elegant mansion.

In the mansion, there were beautiful women like orioles and swallows.

They were beauties that Ning Xuan had never seen before.

Western Region beauties.

Liu Shirong smiled and said, “Brother Ning, please take a seat.”

There were only two people at the banquet, but the dishes and fine wine were not lacking, and there was also the “Western Region Bright Pearl” that was far better than what Ning Xuan had eaten before.

Below the banquet, a beauty with a high nose bridge was kneeling on a gold-woven carpet, holding a curved-neck pipa in her arms and playing a piece of music with an exotic flavor;

On the pomegranate-red carpet, a Western Region beauty with glass chains on her feet was dancing. When she saw Ning Xuan, she threw him a媚眼 (mèiyǎn – charming glance), and then suddenly began to spin. The gems on her braids jingled, and the red gauze skirt on her waist spun into a circle. She held a rose in her mouth, and when she passed Ning Xuan, she suddenly stopped, bent back, and sent the rose to Ning Xuan…

Liu Shirong laughed and said, “Brother Ning, Ashiya has taken a fancy to you.”

Ning Xuan asked, “Is there any background?”

Liu Shirong said, “A Western Region dancing girl, what background can she have? In the past, she was like a duckweed outside. If Brother Ning takes her into the mansion, it will be her blessing.”

Ning Xuan took the rose.

He really didn’t have a Western Region beauty in his mansion yet.

Then he could change the person to serve him in the future.

In the following days, Liu Shirong sent him many Western Region treasures.

Ning Xuan did not take them for free, but bought them with silver.

A few days later, Liu Shirong actually came to say goodbye, saying that he was going to the Western Region again.

Ning Xuan said curiously, “With this demon disaster, how dare you go out so frequently?”

Liu Shirong leaned closer and said in a low voice, “As long as you ask for a warding-off plaque, you can get the protection of the Hunchbacked Mountain Duke, and you will be safe all the way.”

After speaking, he emphasized heavily, “It’s really useful. The journey was full of disasters, but since I asked for this warding-off plaque in the Western Region, I have never encountered a demon on the way back.”

Ning Xuan said in confusion, “What Hunchbacked Mountain Duke?”

Liu Shirong said, “It is a kind of belief in the Western Region. You have to be pious for it to be effective.”

Ning Xuan said, “You believe it?”

When Liu Shirong saw his doubt, his face became angry, and he asked back, “The Mountain Duke can protect us, why not believe it? Not only me, but our entire merchant guild believes it! Because as long as there is one person in a team who is not pious and does not worship the Mountain Duke, it will not work. Brother Ning, do you want to try it?”

Ning Xuan said, “Let me see your warding-off plaque.”

Liu Shirong did not hide it from him. He directly pulled him to the Wangyue Prefecture branch of the Fugui Merchant Guild, and respectfully took out a wooden box. In the box was a piece of peach wood soaked in tung oil. The edges were blackened by incense fire, and in the center was written the word “retreat.”

And the moment Ning Xuan saw this warding-off plaque, several pieces of information flooded into his mind.

[Incense-Condensing Mouse]

[Heavenly Demon Nature Attribute, Mouse Class, Incense Fire Family, Incense-Condensing Species (Spirit): 10.0]

[Heavenly Demon Record: Perceive that the Heavenly Demon has arrived, follow its essence and blood, observe the root of its life and nature, forcibly refine the record. If the refinement fails, the body and dao will be destroyed. If the refinement succeeds, it can be used for one’s own purposes.]

[Refine the record?]