“It has been tough on daoists! I represent the common people and thank everyone!”
Duke Gong enthusiastically received all of them back to the mansion and then toast them as he thanks them.
Liu Yi takes a look. The feast on the table has been changed. There is also a fragrance lingering in the room, very nice to smell.
But he did not touch the chopsticks and only stared at Duke Gong.
Fe Shenhua is anxious to tell Long Yingying what had happened earlier and thus ask, “Duke Gong, may I ask where is my wife?”
Duke Gong smiles and replies, “Ah, Miss Long said that her body is uncomfortable. I already ordered my servants to arrange a room for her to rest.”
“So that is the case then thank you Duke Gong!”
Ge Shenhua says in his heart, perhaps due to the long and difficult trek my wife who was feeble might be really tired. Letting her rest for a while is also good. After she awakens, telling her these will definitely make her very excited!
“Come, come, come. Everyone let me give you guys a toast!”
Duke Gong once again raises his wine cup while Liu Yi only stretches out a hand and says, “Please hold. Duke Gong I have a few questions that I wish to ask you.”
“Oh? What is the matter does Daoist Liu wish to ask?”
“Firstly I wish to ask you why do you want to block the waterway that leads to the outside of Yangzhou City? Since the normal road is already blocked by the demon you also seal off the waterway, as well as collecting high toll. Isn’t this breaking the path of the common people?”
“There is something that daoist does not know about this.”
Duke Gong’s expression did not change as he smiles and says, “It is not me who wished to block the waterway. It is the orders of the current emperor. The Grand Ca.n.a.l was originally the emperor’s main road to transport soldiers and provision as well as the only road he can take to go down south. You think this kind of official path, how can it be pa.s.sed through by common people as they wish. So, Daoist Liu this is really not my intention. I am also only following orders. As for the high toll fees, actually, it is not toll fees but transportation fees. If people really wish to exit from the waterway, they must take my soldiers’ transportation boat and escort them out. This money also does not enter my own pocket but is to be used for military purposes.”
Liu Yi ask, “Oh? Then let’s take what you say as reasonable. Now let me ask you another thing, why is it just before the demon died he said that he wanted to save his son? Duke Gong what did you do to his son?”
“This is also not related to this duke ah!”
Duke Gong immediately shakes his hand, “What Daoist Liu does not know is that a while earlier a daoist came to my Yangzhou City. He said that my Yangzhou City was filled with demon aura and is afraid that there are demons causing mischief. I heard that he is here to slay demon but is also a daoist. Naturally, I pa.s.sionately received him as my mansion guest. He stayed in my mansion for a few days before going out of the city and restrained a snake demon before leaving. What happened afterward I am also not clear. After which the demon came along and blocked outside of my Yangzhou City and caused my Yangzhou commoners to be unpeaceful ah!”
“Is that really the case?”
Liu Yi still has not put down his suspicion.
Although Duke Gong’s reply is watertight, but there are places which makes Liu Yi feel strange.
“Duke Gong works hard for the country and its people. you are really a model example of an official.”
Ge Shenhua cups his hands, “Having Duke to help with worries is the fortunes of the imperial courts and the good fortune of the common people ah!”
“You are overpraising me…”
Duke Gong waves his hand.
“There is also no need for Daoist Liu To think too much. How can you treat what that demon said as real!”
Ge Shenhua also comforts Liu Yi, “Like the saying ‘Demon words mislead the crowd’ the words of the demons are all lies!”
Lin Tong who was lying on Liu Yi’s shoulders, upon hearing what Ge Shenhua says her tail instantly raises up and says through clenched teeth, {That demon Wine Sword Immortal how dare he looks down on us demons! Big idiot! Go and bash him up!}
But since Ge Shenhua is considered as his half teacher, how can Liu Yi go and beat him up.
He can only says, “Fine then. But Duke Gong, I hope that you will be like what you say. If I come to know that there is anything false in what you say. The I am sorry even if you are a duke, I will also claim your severed head.”
“Hahaha, daoist don’t scare this duke. This duke’s guts have always been small ah.”
Duke Gong smiles, “Actually saying the truth you see this duke’s life of luxuries and seem to live quite well, but who will understand the worries in this duke’s heart.”
“Oh? Duke Gong also has worries?”
Ge Shenhua becomes curious, “Why don’t you let us hear about it?”
“Of course.”
Duke Gong continues to drink his wine and says, “I am only a duke that all. Famous but no authority. Being conferred here by my imperial brother, every day it is appreciating flowers and raising birds. These days how long can a person stand it? Sooner or later I will die. At that time, dust to dust, dirt to dirt. What will I, this so-called duke be left with?”
Hearing Duke Gong’s words Liu Yi’s heart moves.
“Duke Gong, hearing the meaning of your words, you wish to cultivate?”
“Hahaha, I do indeed have this thought.”
Ai Ling sneers and mocks, “Tsk how is cultivation like that one. Cultivating when you wish to cultivate. You need to have that immortal fate. Furthermore, you are already too old. Most of your inner vitality has already scattered and is completely not suitable to cultivate. It is best if you honestly go and be your duke.”
“What Daoist Ai says is indeed true.”
Duke Gong is not angry, instead, he nods his head heavily, “I have also asked a capable person. He had also said that most of my inner vitality had already scattered. Trying to cultivate with this kind of body is basically extremely difficult! So if I wish to cultivate then first I must first replenish my vitality!”
A gleam flashes across Liu Yi’s eyes, “Which able person told you this?”
“There is no need for Daoist Liu to be anxious, first listen to this duke finish.”
Duke Gong clucks and continues speaking, “When this duke heard this, naturally I was unwilling. Thus I asked that able person since that is the case then what this duke should do? That able person is indeed an able person. He gave me an idea. He says that outside Yangzhou City there is a snake demon. As long as I extract his demon dan and let him refine it into medicine and let me consume it, I will be able to replenish my vitality and can start cultivating.”
“What!”
When Liu Yi and the rest hear it their bodies shook!
“That demon was indeed killed by you old thing!”
Ai Ling immediately stands up and pulls out her sword, “I’ll kill you old dog…”
She originally was about to use immortal qi to execute a sword technique but sways and collapsed back onto the chair.
“What is going on?”
Ge Shenhua is shocked while a few soldiers rush up from the sides and press him onto the table.
“Oi, oi, why are you guys catching me for. I am a scholar, a guest of honor of Duke Gong ah!”
“Hahaha, what guest of honor do you count as. You poor scholar also wish to have a relationship with this duke?”
Duke Gong sneers as his earlier niceity completely disappeared.
Hearing this Ge Shenhua is so shocked that he is unable to speak.
While Liu Yi only sits on the chair and slightly raises his eyebrow, not speaking at all and watches everything coldly.
“I do not understand. Ai Ling did not eat your stuff but how come she got poisoned by you?”
“Daoist Liu is indeed cautious.”
Duke Gong points at the censer which is emitting smoke by the side, “Don’t you feel that the room smells nice? This is the Intoxication Buddha Bewildering Immortal that the able person gave me. The immortal qi and the likes in your body will be sealed after smelling this. Without three days and nights, you will not be able to remove it.”
“So that is the case.”
Liu Yi nods his head, “Did not expect that you are actually a person with such rigorous schemes and deep foresight. Just now you beat around the bush for so long was to let us breathe in enough of this bewildering fragrance right! Duke Gong, I admire you but I also look down on you.”
“Hahaha, on the other hand, I admire Daoist Liu even more!”
Duke Gong laughs loudly, “After being poisoned by my Intoxication Buddha Bewildering Immortal and still is able to sit there and calmly mock me, you really are indeed courageous!”
While they are speaking the soldiers have already surrounded all of them and pulled their bows open aiming the arrows at Liu Yi and Ai Ling.
Liu Yi is calm as he continues to ask, “From the looks of it, you say that you knew the Sword Emperor…was to trick us! But why did you go through so much trouble to make us slay the demon? What is it for?”
“Hehe, the able person said that a single demon dan is not enough. That small snake demon years in cultivation was too small and is not enough to refine into a medicine. So I made use of you guys to slay his father to take his demon dan! This way this duke will be able to cultivate hahahaha!”
“What lunatic ravings.”
Liu Yi sneers, “Demon dan is demon dan. No matter how you refine it, the demon qi within will never be removed. After you eat that demon dan you will only become a demon that’s all. Wishing to cultivate, dream on.”
“This duke knows all of this.”
Duke Gong nods his head, “That is why I also need Daoist Liu and Daoist Ai this kind of immortals. As long as I refine the two of you in as well, I will be able to make use of your immortal qi to purify the demon dan.”
“You are ruthless!”
Hearing this Ai Ling’s face turns pale.
“Hahaha, this duke is left with being the relative of the emperor this is the care that the heavens give me. Being sacrificed for this duke is the glory of you guys.”
Duke Gong laugh sinisterly, “Wait till this duke becomes immortal. This duke will naturally think about you guys, hahahaha….”
“I can also be at death’s gate, but you also let me die with understanding.”
Liu Yi sighs and says, “Let me take a look at just who is the able person behind you, do you mind?”
“Why not.”
Duke Gong claps his hands, “Daoist Xue, please come out and meet these people.”
A woman wearing white walks into the hall.
Seeing this girl Liu Yi and Ge Shenhua take a breath in shock.
What a clear as ice and clean as jade beauty! This woman has a small powdered face perfect 5 features and so beautiful that it stifles people.
But the cold aura which is not blocked is being emitted from her. Furthermore, Liu Yi is as able to sense a dense ghost qi….
This girl is not a cultivator!
Furthermore, Liu Yi is unable to sense any human aura from her!
The woman snorts coldly and says in dissatification. “Just hurry up and deal with the two of why. Why did you summon me out for.”
Duke Gong immediately smiles and reply, “Daoist Xue it is also not possible for you to not come out. This duke also does not know how to deal with the two of them.”
The beauty waves her hand and says directly, “Very simple, tie them up and toss them into my pill making cauldron.”