Chapter 117: Too Ashamed to See Anyone

In late August, the Vermilion Bird Army returned to the capital in succession.

Having been away from home for over a month, Make Do told Ding Suian that his chickens, which had dwindled to just three, had now grown to over ten.

He said it was strange that ever since Ding Suian went to City Lan Yang, no more chickens had gone missing from home.

He was very happy.

Zhao Yan was also very happy to hear that the chickens had increased again.

This is called sustainable overfishing.

“This is Great Master Zhisheng, Make Do. From now on, the Great Master will be your colleague.”

However, Make Do’s happiness only lasted for a short while.

When he heard that this bald monk, who didn’t look like a good person, was going to take his gatekeeper job, he was very indignant.

“Gatekeeper, can you do it well? Don’t think this job is ordinary; you need to be observant and vigilant, not only to prevent thieves and robbers but also to greet and send off guests. It’s not that simple!”

Make Do couldn’t even keep an eye on his own chickens, yet he lectured Zhisheng with perfect logic.

Zhisheng silently sized up Make Do, then honestly said, “Donor Hu, you can’t beat This poor monk.”

He meant that if Make Do could be a good gatekeeper, then he, with slightly stronger abilities, could also do the job well.

But this sentence infuriated Make Do. This was blatant provocation!

He completely disregarded Hu Couhe, the first steward, gatekeeper, bookboy, guard, stableman, and gardener of Head Ding’s residence. He immediately declared that he would challenge Zhisheng to a duel.

To determine not only victory and defeat but also life and death!

If Ding Suian hadn’t stopped him quickly, Zhisheng might have agreed.

That night, next door.

Lin Manor, Ji Pavilion first floor washroom.

The candlelight was dim, and through a thin veil, the sound of water splashing in the bath pool was incessant.

It was as if an evil dragon was stirring up trouble, creating waves.

About half an hour later, it finally returned to tranquility.

‘Pop kiss~’

Lin Hansu rose, leaning against the edge of the pool, her disheveled black hair sticking to her cheeks, her face and body flushed with a rosy glow, like the evening glow in the sky, vibrant and dazzling.

“Sister, the matter with Zhao Yan was not intentionally kept from you.”

Ding Suian knew that she was most amenable to talk at this moment.

“Oh.”

Her Phoenix eyes were half-closed, her mind seemingly not yet fully recovered its ability to think, and she mumbled a response.

Ever since Lin Hansu caught sight of Zhao Yan’s true form, things between the two had become subtle.

Outwardly, Lin Hansu was as usual, but privately she would never be alone with Zhao Yan.

She was clearly frightened.

“Tomorrow, let her come to Ji Pavilion. Will you two meet?”

“Oh,” Lin Hansu’s eyes slowly rotated, as if she had just understood what he was saying. She couldn’t help but prop herself up against the pool wall and sit upright, “Young Master! You are too bold!”

Ding Suian, scrubbing himself with a loofah, chuckled at her words, “If I weren’t bold, how could I have today with you, Sister?”

“Bah~”

Lin Hansu took the loofah from Ding Suian’s hand, gently pushed his shoulder, making him turn around, and while scrubbing his back, she said, “In the Central Heaven Imperial Capital, there are countless experts. If you keep a little fox spirit by your side, and someone discovers her, what a huge trouble that would cause!”

“Zhao Yan and I are bound by the Same Life Curse. If I don’t keep her by my side, I won’t feel at ease. A little to the left.”

Ding Suian twisted his body, and Lin Hansu raised her hand to scratch his left back.

“Sister, you just said there are countless experts in Central Heaven, and Zhao Yan might be recognized. What kind of experts are these? Why do I feel that after a demon transforms into human form, no one in the world can tell the difference?”

In his early years, Ding Suian once thought that the State Religion’s Demon-Detecting True Incantation was the only way to identify demons in the world.

But with his experience in City Lan Yang, he discovered that the so-called Demon-Detecting True Incantation was merely a kind of ‘judgment right,’ and had nothing to do with whether the judged was human or demon.

“Turn around, lower your head~”

Lin Hansu did not answer immediately. Instead, she raised her hand to take some soap, rubbing it into Ding Suian’s hair to create a dense foam.

She seemed to know some secrets and was pondering how to explain the matter.

“Hiss~ It stings my eyes! It stings my eyes.”

Ding Suian cried out, lowering his head. Lin Hansu came to her senses and quickly scooped up a handful of water to rinse his eyes, then whispered, “Do you know that the Vitality, Enlightenment, and Silent Sound Realm cultivated by the Literature and Law Academies are Confucian Sect cultivation methods?”

“I know.” He had heard Jiang Yuan talk about it.

“Then do you know why it only reaches the Silent Sound Realm?”

“I don’t know.”

“Esteemed Teacher said that above the Silent Sound Realm is the Illuminating Subtle Realm.”

“Illuminating Subtle Realm?”

“The Illuminating Subtle Realm means understanding profound principles from subtle words, discerning the essence from minute details, and observing with keen insight. It means seeing through appearances to grasp the true nature.”

“…”

Ding Suian suddenly looked up, staring at Lin Hansu’s exposed chest, and said, “Sister, are you saying that the Confucian Illuminating Subtle Realm can distinguish between humans and demons?”

“Yes!”

“Then…”

Ding Suian turned his head and looked at the silent bell hanging quietly nearby. “Students of the two academies can only cultivate up to the Silent Sound Realm before transferring to the Three Sages Palace. Is it because they are worried about students advancing to the Illuminating Subtle Realm? If so…”

They exchanged glances but didn’t speak their thoughts aloud.

Who would be afraid of having their ‘essence’ seen through?

Naturally, it would be demons.

During the Lan Yang plague, Ding Suian had already suspected the high-ranking officials of the State Religion.

It seems there was a great hidden secret behind The Ren-Chen Confucian Rebellion that year.

“Sister, is Supervisor He, that old man, a member of the Confucian Sect?”

“I don’t know. But since I joined, my cultivation method has been almost identical to that of the Law Academy.”

The two academies follow the early cultivation methods of the Confucian Sect. Lin Hansu’s current cultivation method being the same as the Law Academy students naturally indicates that she is also on the Confucian path.

It became even more bizarre. If the upper echelons of the State Religion were demons, the Great Wu court, having been closely intertwined with the State Religion for years, wouldn’t be unaware.

If Teacher Yuan Fengmin was a ‘remnant’ of the Confucian Sect who survived The Ren-Chen Confucian Rebellion, why could he still hold such a transcendent position?

“Lower your head, I’ll help you rinse your hair.”

“No need.”

Ding Suian plunged into the water, and the soap foam covering his head quickly floated up, gradually dissolving on the surface of the water.

A moment later.

‘Splash~’

“Ah!”

Water splashed up, and Lin Hansu exclaimed as Ding Suian, who had suddenly emerged from under the water, carried her out of the bath pool.

Lin Hansu clenched her delicate fists, symbolically punching him twice, then indulged in his playfulness.

Upstairs.

Lin Hansu, familiar with the routine, tidied the bed.

The soft pillow for her waist was placed properly.

A clean silk scarf was placed on the bedside table.

Thick, soft cotton towels were laid out on the couch.

At her age, having suddenly experienced the joys of the marital bed, she was quite lost in pleasure, unable to think of returning to her previous life, and deeply immersed in it.

Furthermore, Lin Hansu vaguely perceived a wonderful benefit: every time after performing the ritual of intimacy, she would notice that her internal Vitality was clearer and more abundant the next day.

It was much faster than slowly accumulating it through reading or meditation.

She couldn’t figure out whether intimacy itself aided cultivation, or if it was due to Young Master’s or her own special Physique.

But there was nowhere to ask about such a matter.

After all, she was nominally a widow. Asking others about the relationship between bedroom matters and cultivation would be too shocking.

The silent bell, which had just been hung by the bed, suddenly vibrated.

Ding Suian “…”

Lin Hansu saw him suddenly turn towards the window and asked, puzzled, “Young Master?”

Ding Suian turned back, put his index finger to his lips, making a’shush’ gesture.

Then he restrained his aura, lightened his steps, and walked to the window.

He pushed open the window forcefully.

‘Whimper~’

With a sound like a baby’s cry, Ding Suian lifted a ball of fur by its scruff and pulled it in.

“What is it!”

Lin Hansu was startled and quickly pulled the quilt over her chest.

It was a small fox.

Its body was suspended in the air, and perhaps because it had been caught red-handed doing something wrong, its fluffy fox tail was tightly tucked between its legs.

Its upturned, pointed fox face showed an extremely human-like fawning smile when it looked at Ding Suian.

“Zhao Yan, are you never going to stop?! Spying again?”

The little fox spoke in human language, “No! Nunu just happened to be passing by.”

This was the first time Lin Hansu had seen Zhao Yan’s true form, and she was dumbfounded.

But then, she reacted.

‘Spying again?’

‘Again’???

It meant she had spied before, and not just once!

Oh my goodness!

Too ashamed to see anyone.