My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 132: Chapter 132 The Moment of Death in Yu State City

“`

Jishi Hall interior.

Tan Yun, holding a feather duster, was dusting the table and humming a tune as she cleaned. Looking at the counters and tables she had wiped spotlessly clean, she suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of achievement.

“Tan Yun, oh Tan Yun, you are getting more and more diligent. Whoever marries you will indeed be lucky for eight generations.”

As she said this, she paused, “No, make that sixteen generations.”

Little Black lay on the ground asleep when suddenly it lifted its head, looking towards the entrance of Jishi Hall.

Tan Yun also heard footsteps and looked over.

At that moment, the curtain was slightly lifted, and a figure walked in slowly.

This person was none other than Mr. Jiang.

“Are you here for a consultation or to buy medicine?” Tan Yun put down the feather duster and asked, “The doctor is out, you will have to wait if you’re here for a consultation.”

“I’m not here for a consultation, not here to buy medicine,” Mr. Jiang shook his head.

Not here for a consultation, not here to buy medicine!?

At this, Tan Yun couldn’t help but feel puzzled, “Then what brings you here?”

“I came to kill someone,” Mr. Jiang said indifferently.

His tone was very calm, as if killing someone was nothing more than a trivial matter for him.

And indeed it was. Many who indulged in killing sought pleasure from it, but he no longer found any pleasure in killing. It had made him somewhat numb.

Instead of being scared, Tan Yun burst into laughter upon hearing this, “Then, dear guest, it seems you’ve come to the wrong place. This is a medical hall, a place for healing and saving lives, not for killing.”

Although Tan Yun had not been in the Jianghu for long, she wasn’t someone unfamiliar with bloodshed. Otherwise, she would not have earned the nickname “Frost Rash” in the Jianghu with only her Futu Sword. However, in the Jianghu, only a handful knew that one of the four guardians of the Demon Sect was known as Frost Rash, but as for her real name and appearance, very few were aware.

Mr. Jiang shook his head, “There’s no mistake. The person I want to kill is right here.”

“Who!?” Seeing that the man did not seem to be joking, Tan Yun discreetly unlocked the sealing within her body.

“The doctor here,” Mr. Jiang smiled. “Tan Yun, whether you unlock the Life Gate Seal or not makes no difference. Today, whoever comes here must die.”

“You…”

Tan Yun’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

The Life Gate Seal was a Concealing Method of the Demon Sect that hid one’s Qi Mechanism. In the Jianghu, there were numerous methods for concealing one’s Qi Mechanism, most of which were quite elementary. Any expert with profound cultivation and sensitive Qi Mechanism could sense them.

There were also relatively advanced Concealing Methods, including the Demon Sect’s Heavenly Demon Secret of Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms, Zhenyi Sect’s Unity of One, and the Buddhist’s Formless and Selfless. These were extremely difficult to detect.

The Human Sect was mainly responsible for investigation and intelligence. They were the top spies of the Demon Sect. While their Cultivation and strength might not be the peak, their methods of concealment were among the best in the Jianghu.

The Life Gate Seal, in particular, cut off one’s own Qi Mechanism and meridians, making the person appear like an ordinary person with absolutely no Qi Mechanism day to day. The only drawback was that one needed to unlock this seal before its use.

How could this person see through her Life Gate Seal!?

How was this possible? She knew that with her Second Grade Cultivation, even a Half-step Master couldn’t sense the Life Gate Seal within her.

And most importantly, the person before her knew her name. She did not recall ever meeting him.

“Who exactly are you!?”

Tan Yun took a slight step back.

“Who am I?!”

Mr. Jiang muttered to himself, then black mists surged from within him, one after another.

“Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms!?”

“`

“`

Upon seeing this, Tan Yun’s heart trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief.

The “Heavenly Demon Secret” and its “Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms” were all too familiar to her, a technique within the Demon Sect that could only be cultivated by the Sect Hierarch. There was little doubt about the identity of the person before her eyes.

The black fog gradually dissipated, revealing an old man with a kind face and youthful appearance, even bearing a semblance of an immortal or a Daoist master in front of her.

She had seen this face before.

“O…Old Sect Hierarch!”

Tan Yun cried out in shock.

The person before her was none other than Jiang Shang, the Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect who had disappeared for many years.

Who was Jiang Shang?

This name carried an intimidating presence in the Great Yan martial world, no less terrifying than Xiao Qianqiu, and even more profound and unforgettable.

Back when the Demon Sect dominated the Great Yan martial world, Xiao Qianqiu did not possess the formidable strength he has today. At that time, the Sect Hierarch of the Zhenyi Sect was still Xiao Qianqiu’s master, Great Heavenly Yang Ye Ding, and the Human Emperor of Taiping had only just ascended to the throne.

Jiang Shang proclaimed himself the number one person in the Great Yan martial world, and the Demon Sect’s arrogance and despotism were extreme, wielding power over the elements at will in the Great Yan martial world.

The Pavilion Master of the Youyun Pavilion was decapitated and his pavilion destroyed by Jiang Shang for arriving late to a banquet held by the Demon Sect.

Brutal and oppressive, ruthless and murderous, with an overwhelming aura…

This was the impression of the Demon Sect amongst the martial world, where almost everyone respected and feared the Demon Sect, yet dared not to speak out against them. Meanwhile, numerous talented youths joined the Demon Sect, which had its own methods of nurturing talent. With the infusion of fresh blood, the Demon Sect did not decline but grew even more powerful, casting a shadow over the entire Great Yan martial world.

The rampant rise of the Demon Sect was largely thanks to Jiang Shang.

This man was ferocious and volatile, causing chills in the hearts of those both outside and within the Demon Sect.

In order to eradicate this scourge, the Sect Hierarch of the Zhenyi Sect, Ye Ding, challenged Jiang Shang to a duel.

The agreed-upon location was the ancestral court of the Mystical Sect, atop Mount Xuanqing.

This event, naturally, became a sensation, with countless experts flocking to witness the clash between two of the era’s top masters.

Aside from the Demon Sect, everyone hoped that Ye Ding would settle the matter in one decisive battle, eliminating Jiang Shang and restoring clarity to the Great Yan martial world.

But the result was unexpected.

Ye Ding fought Jiang Shang for an entire day, and as their inner strengths nearly ran out, neither emerged victorious. Subsequently, they could only agree to fight again once they had recovered from their injuries.

After this battle, the Human Emperor of Taiping could no longer tolerate the rampant Demon Sect and decided to eradicate the Demon Sect forces in Great Yan. He dispatched the Xuanyi Guard and the Zhenyi Sect, together with several major powers in the Jianghu including the Five Poison Sect and the Blue River Sect, initiating a large-scale campaign against the Demon Sect.

Far from being subdued, Jiang Shang let the leader of the Xuanwu Sect lead a force from Dongluo Pass to strike at Great Yan and even organized a rebellion within Great Yan to resist the Great Yan Dynasty.

This shocked the world, as nobody expected Jiang Shang to be so daring.

Although the Demon Sect’s army was quickly annihilated by the Great Yan Dynasty, and the Demon Sect was forced to retreat, it revealed the extent of Jiang Shang’s crazed nature.

Afterward, as the Demon Sect fell back to Dongluo Pass, Xiao Qianqiu, Ye Ding’s disciple, rose rapidly. His strength increased dramatically, and even Ye Ding admitted he was no match for him. Within just over thirty years, Xiao Qianqiu grew to become the number one person in the Great Yan martial world, looking down upon all in Great Yan.

“Who would have thought, who would have thought,” Jiang Shang chuckled softly, then took a seat on his own accord.

Tan Yun’s fear peaked, “The… The young lady, she has returned.”

Even within the sect, Jiang Shang was someone who made everyone inwardly shudder.

Those in power often rule with a combination of kindness and severity, balancing strictness with leniency, but Jiang Shang governed by wielding immense strength and employing ruthless measures to instill fear among his followers, causing great oppression within the hearts of the Demon Sect disciples.

One moment his lips might bear a smile, praising you, and the next, you could be beheaded and destroyed.

Capricious and unpredictable – this was Jiang Shang, the thirty-first Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect.

“I know.”

“`

Jiang Shang’s eyes were calm as the abyss, “I know Qingmei has returned. It was I who had Duanmu Xinghua send her a letter to ask her to go back.”

Upon hearing this, Tan Yun’s heart grew even colder, “Jiang Sect… Sect Hierarch.”

So the Sect Hierarch had returned just for… The old Sect Hierarch came here today with a resolve to kill the groom!

“Qingmei is a very talented and ambitious person, her future is boundless.”

Jiang Shang sat in the chair, saying, “Moreover, she is the present day Sect Hierarch of the Demon Sect. Such a person should not have weaknesses, should not be hindered, not for her own sake, nor for the Demon Sect. It is a misfortune.”

Tan Yun took a deep breath and mustered the courage to say, “But… But if Jiang Sect Hierarch were to kill the groom…”

“She will hate me, but one day she will come to understand. Either be mediocre, or be lonely.”

Jiang Shang smiled faintly, “When she stands on the peak of that mountain one day, she will understand, she might even thank me. Loneliness and solitude are the first steps to reaching the pinnacle of this world, it has always been so throughout history.”

His coming today was for this purpose.

Tan Yun stood to one side, as cold sweat quickly beaded on her forehead.

…..

In Yu State City, on Fulu Street.

An Jing carried his medicine box, his brows tightly furrowed.

For some reason, since he went out this morning, he had felt restless, even more so than when he faced the Thousand-year-old Black Python beneath Qinghe Pier.

His heart was beating incessantly, as if it was about to jump out of his throat.

“Could it be because of Qingmei?”

An Jing muttered to himself, “Or is it that black opportunity…”

Just then, a burst of firecrackers erupted ahead, and the beating of drums and gongs filled the air with festivity.

“Hurry, go have a look, today is Mu Jie’s big day at the Mu Family, they laid out eighty-eight tables for the feast.”

“Really? Eighty-eight tables!?”

“Could this be false? Of course, it’s true.”

“The Mu Family truly lives up to being one of the great four families, so very generous.”

“The bride Mu Jie is marrying is no ordinary woman either; she’s Cao Ling’er from the Cao Family, famously beautiful.”

“Here they come, let’s go and share in the joy.”

…..

The people on the street were all discussing animatedly.

The wedding procession slowly made its way forward, brimming with jubilation. In the lead rode a handsome man on a tall horse, his lips curved in a smile, receiving congratulations from the people around him.

The only fault, if it could be called that, was a light scar on that beautiful face.

This man was Mu Jie.

Two maids carrying bamboo baskets followed by his side, continually throwing wedding coins into the streets.

“It’s him.”

An Jing, watching the man atop the horse, could not help remembering.

When he had gone to the Cao Gang’s Yu State City branch to kill the men from Tieyun Mountain, he had crossed paths with this young man, but since he didn’t want to attract unnecessary trouble, he did not kill him to silence him.

Unexpectedly, this young man was Mu Jie of the Mu Family.

At this moment, Mu Jie rode atop a tall horse, a faint smile hanging on his lips.

He was very pleased with the alliance between the Mu and Cao families. Cao Ling’er was not only attractive but also gentle in nature. He believed she would undoubtedly be a wise and good wife in the future.

After all, a man of his status usually marries a principal wife mostly for a marriage of convenience. Being able to marry a woman like Cao Ling’er was indeed fortunate.

Just then, his eyes spotted a young man in the crowd.

For some reason, looking at that youth, Mu Jie felt a sense of déjà vu.

The tall horse moved quickly, and the clamour of cheers soon pulled his mind back to reality.

“How strange.”

Mu Jie thought nothing more of it and rode the horse into the distance.

The bearers followed with the palanquin, and the sounds of celebration echoed in all directions.

Sitting inside the palanquin, Cao Ling’er’s face bore a hint of sorrow. She wasn’t unsatisfied with Mu Jie – the proud talent of Jiangnan Dao, he was astute, highly intelligent, and treated her with great courtesy and respect.

But looking at Mu Jie, she couldn’t understand why she didn’t feel that true joy and pleasure from her heart.

“Alas!”

Cao Ling’er let out a sigh, then peered outside through the red wedding veil covering the palanquin window.

Suddenly, the figure of a man who had appeared in her dreams countless times suddenly appeared before her eyes.

“An Jing!”

Even though his face and majority of his body were obscured by the crowd, she recognized him instantly amid the sea of people.

Somehow, seeing him at that moment, Cao Ling’er felt as if her heart was being twisted by a knife.

It hurt!

It was a wrenching pain.

Cao Ling’er clutched her chest tightly, and by the time she regained her composure, that silhouette had already disappeared with the tide of people.

She hurriedly lifted the curtain, looking all around amidst the throng, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“Has he left? Did he come today to wish me well?”

Lowering the curtain, Cao Ling’er couldn’t help but recall the first time she saw An Jing in her boudoir.

The image of his strong, reliable back and the smile curling at the corner of his mouth as he turned to face her seemed so vivid as if it were right before her eyes.

Thinking of this, Cao Ling’er chuckled softly to herself, her eyes brimming with bittersweet tears.

Your arrival was like a storm I couldn’t avoid; your departure threw my seasons into disarray, leaving me with a lingering illness beyond cure.

……

“I should go see the patients first.”

An Jing stood among the crowd, watching the wedding procession depart. He sighed, then started walking towards the distance.

Soon, he arrived at Sesame Oil Street.

“Thump thump!”

An Jing stepped up and knocked on the door.

“Coming.”

“Squeak.”

Shortly after, a voice came from behind the door.

As the door opened, there appeared an ordinary-looking middle-aged woman with an honest and simple demeanor.

“Aunt Liu!”

An Jing couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle upon seeing her.

The person who had opened the door was none other than the wife of his benefactor, Niu Fu. It was Niu Fu who had played matchmaker, introducing him to Zhao Qingmei, so An Jing had always felt grateful to Niu Fu.

Aunt Liu hastily said, “Come in quickly.”

An Jing asked, “Has Uncle Niu’s chronic condition flared up again?”

Aunt Liu, with a worried expression, replied, “Yes. I told him not to go fishing, but he insisted on going. In such cold weather, he still thinks he’s in his twenties.”

The two walked through the main hall and arrived at the bedroom.

There they saw a middle-aged man lying prone on the bed, his face showing signs of pain and his forehead covered in beads of sweat.

This man was Niu Fu.

“Doctor An, you’re finally here,” said Niu Fu with a hint of joy in his eyes as he saw An Jing enter.

“Uncle Niu, don’t worry, let me take a look at you first,” An Jing said as he placed his medicine box on the table and took out several silver needles.

Niu Fu was suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. When the weather suddenly turned cold or during rainy days, his joints would be in extreme pain, to the point where they could become numb or even cramp up.

To cure such symptoms completely would require a significant amount of time resting and could not be done overnight.

Niu Fu’s condition had flared up again after he had gone into the water to catch fish.

An Jing picked up the silver needles and pricked them into Niu Fu’s body several times, then infused a faint trace of inner strength to draw out the cold and damp energy within him.

As the cold and damp energy dissipated, Niu Fu’s expression became more relaxed.

After about the time it took for an incense stick to burn, the chill and dampness in his body were entirely absorbed.

To prevent the exposure of his cultivation, An Jing could only use a small amount of inner strength. Otherwise, the cold and damp energy within Niu Fu could have been easily absorbed in just a few breaths.

“All done,” An Jing said, exhaling.

“Doctor An, your medical skills are truly miraculous,” Niu Fu exclaimed, feeling the absence of discomfort in his body.

Aunt Liu also seemed relieved and then scolded lightly, “You old fool, it would serve you right if the pain killed you. Hurry up and thank Doctor An.”

“Yes, yes, yes!”

Niu Fu smiled and said, “It was a bother for you to come here personally, Doctor An.”

An Jing quickly waved his hand and replied, “It’s no trouble at all, this is what I should do. If anyone should be thankful, it’s me who should be thanking Uncle Niu—if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have married such a virtuous wife.”

An Jing felt genuine gratitude toward Niu Fu.

Hearing this, Niu Fu chuckled awkwardly.

Aunt Liu also seemed hesitant to speak.

“Ahem!”

Seeing this, Niu Fu quickly coughed and said, “Hurry and give Doctor An the consultation fee.”

“Alright.”

Aunt Liu quickly took out her purse and retrieved a tael of silver.

“A consultation doesn’t cost a tael of silver. Let’s forget about it this time,” An Jing said as he put away the silver needles and prepared to stand up and walk towards the door.

“Wait a moment, Doctor An!” Aunt Liu became anxious, grabbing An Jing’s clothes and saying, “We can’t just forget about the consultation fee. You must take it. If you don’t, we won’t feel right.”

With that, she placed the tael of silver into An Jing’s hand.

“This…” An Jing raised an eyebrow slightly. “Aunt Liu, the consultation fee you’re offering is too much.”

“It’s not too much, just take it,” Aunt Liu said, waving her hand.

Seeing this, Niu Fu immediately felt a pang of distress and exclaimed, “The consultation and treatment only cost one hundred copper coins, why are you giving so much?”

That was an entire tael of silver!

Aunt Liu glared fiercely at Niu Fu and said, “It’s just a tael of silver, not even worth one-tenth of what you take!”

Upon hearing this, Niu Fu’s neck shrank, and he suddenly looked like a crestfallen quail.

Looking at the silver in his hand, An Jing asked curiously, “What one-tenth?”

He felt something was off with Aunt Liu and Niu Fu today.

Niu Fu quickly said, “No… it’s nothing. Just take the tael of silver and go.”

An Jing insisted, “No, this tael of silver is really too much.”

Such an amount would make others think he was taking advantage, when he prided himself on honesty.

Moreover, Niu Fu was not from a wealthy family. He made a living as a small-time merchant, known to be stingy but also very credible.

The tael of silver must have been saved from the narrowest margins, and An Jing wouldn’t feel right accepting it.

Aunt Liu said, “Doctor An, just take it. If you don’t, we won’t feel at ease.”

“What is this?”

An Jing was puzzled; why would they feel uneasy if he didn’t take the money?

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Niu Fu, hearing this, quickly shouted, “Doctor An, the silver is a gift from us, to express our gratitude for curing my ailment.”

An Jing became even more bewildered, “A gift for me?”

Niu Fu was famously as tight-fisted as a scalded chicken, never parting with a single feather. He was known in Yu State City as a notorious miser, and now he was giving silver to someone else?

“You should leave now,” said Niu Fu, his heart aching at the sight of the silver.

“No, I can’t take this silver,” An Jing insisted, turning to Aunt Liu, “What’s the real story behind this silver?”

“This…” Aunt Liu suddenly looked troubled.

Niu Fu was like an ant on a hot pan, “We can’t say, I’ve sworn not to let it slip.”

That was the equivalent of a hundred strings of copper coins!

Seeing this, An Jing felt even more certain that Niu Fu was hiding something from him.

An Jing turned to Aunt Liu and said, “Aunt Liu, you are an honest person, and deep down, you’re kind-hearted. I trust what you say.”

“That’s a hundred guan of money!”

Niu Fu became frantic.

“Silence!”

Aunt Liu sharply reprimanded, then turned to An Jing, saying, “I’ll just tell you, Dr. An. In fact, Miss Zhao spent a hundred guan for Niu Fu to make this match…”

A hundred guan of money!?

Upon hearing this, An Jing was shocked; his wife actually had so much money.

A hundred guan was equal to a hundred taels of silver, and when converted to copper coins, it amounted to a hundred thousand pieces, while a string of candied haws cost only three copper coins……

“The hundred guan is gone!”

Seeing this, Niu Fu sat down on the chair, muttering to himself in a daze.

Aunt Liu continued, “At first, Niu Fu and I thought the hundred guan was for that young master, but Miss Zhao insisted she would have no one but the doctor from Jishi Hall.”

“No one but me!?”

An Jing felt like he had been struck by lightning.

He had thought that he just caught Zhao Qingmei’s eye or that it was some kind of miraculous fate, that he simply appeared during her most difficult time, giving her a sense of dependency.

But he never expected that Zhao Qingmei had been determined to choose him from the start.

“Yes, she gave far too much,” Aunt Liu sighed, “Moreover, her family fell on hard times, sold all their property, and she, a delicate woman, traveled over mountains and waters from Ping County. I had been against accepting the hundred guan from the start, and you, Dr. An, are such a kind-hearted person. I think you two are truly well-matched.”

“Wuu wuu! Wuu wuu!”

Niu Fu burst into tears upon hearing this, “My hundred guan is gone.”

“You cur!” Aunt Liu kicked hard at Niu Fu’s leg, “Stop embarrassing yourself in front of Dr. An. It’s just a hundred guan, can’t you show a little backbone?”

Niu Fu sighed, wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes, “Dr. An, just wait a moment, the remaining ninety-eight guan is under the bed, I’ll get it for you now; I didn’t dare to spend any of it.”

An Jing stopped Niu Fu, “No need.”

“But…” Aunt Liu interjected.

An Jing smiled, “Since it was given by my wife to you, naturally there’s no reason to take it back.”

Niu Fu was also surprised, “Dr. An, do you truly think this way? Actually, thirty guan of it was a bribe; I can give it to you.”

Saying this, Niu Fu’s face showed great distress.

“I don’t want it.”

An Jing placed a handful of silver coins on the table, then strode towards the exit.

Niu Fu and Aunt Liu looked at each other.

“Old Niu, what should we do with this silver?” Aunt Liu glanced under the bed.

“Let’s use this money to buy some clothes and food for the beggar children in the south of the city,” Niu Fu thought for a moment and sighed, “This winter has passed, I don’t even know how many are left. I had never dared to spend this money before, but now that Dr. An has said his piece, I won’t be polite any longer.”

Aunt Liu smiled and said, “Alright, I’ll go now.”

…….

An Jing left the Sesame Oil Street and glanced at the sky, unable to help but think of Zhao Qingmei, his lips curling up slightly.

For some reason, after hearing the news from Aunt Liu, he urgently wanted to see Zhao Qingmei.

Looking up at the clear blue sky, every white cloud seemed to take on the shape of Zhao Qingmei.

Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but take out the paper figurine from his sleeve and gave it a slight twist.

The next moment, the paper figurine responded.

It seemed that at any time, Zhao Qingmei could respond to him the fastest, as if she was always guarding that paper figurine.

“Time is passing too slowly.”

After a while, An Jing reluctantly put away the paper figurine and quickly headed towards Jishi Hall.

From Sesame Oil Street to Jishi Hall was neither far nor close.

After passing through two or three streets and a stone bridge, with his feet on the cobblestones, An Jing saw the signboard of Jishi Hall, but for some reason, his heart gave a sudden throb.

Impulse!

Such a strong impulse was something he had never experienced before.

Footsteps entered Jishi Hall.

Jiang Shang, who had been resting with his eyes closed, opened them.

“Not good!”

Tan Yun’s breath hitched.

She knew that if Jiang Shang made a move, An Jing would have no chance of survival.

“Son-in-law, run!”

Just as An Jing was about to lift the curtain and step in, he suddenly heard Tan Yun’s loud shout.

Upon hearing her voice, An Jing felt a surge of cold air rush towards him.

Almost instinctively, he retreated backward.

“Tan Yun!”

Jiang Shang glanced at Tan Yun.

“Bang!”

Tan Yun felt an immense pressure assault her, and her body immediately knelt on the ground, her knees hitting the hard floor with a loud noise, creating a spider-web-like crack.

Blood seeped from the corner of Tan Yun’s mouth.

“You should thank Li Fuzhou for your survival today,” Jiang Shang said indifferently, before walking towards the exit.

An Jing also heard the noise inside and instinctively felt a great danger, and he began to sprint away into the distance.

“Planning to run?”

Jiang Shang watched An Jing bolt away with a mild smile at the corner of his mouth.

He enjoyed watching the spectacle of others frantically fleeing, the exhilarating sensation of tension and the pleasure of holding life and death in his hands, which intoxicated him.

“Run… run fast! Get away from here!”

Tan Yun, seeing Jiang Shang chasing after An Jing, suddenly felt her heart sink to the bottom, her voice carrying a sob.