My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult

Chapter 219: Chapter 219 Impending Storm

“We should not be hasty in this matter,”

Zhao Qingmei set down her porcelain bowl and said, “Wait until the spies of the Human Sect have gathered more information, then we can discuss and make decisions.”

An Jing raised his eyebrows and asked, “Madam, do you mean that Cha Rong today…?”

A smile appeared on the corners of Zhao Qingmei’s mouth, revealing dimples, “After all, he is from a different race; it’s never a big mistake to be cautious.”

Looking at the woman in front of him, who seemed to have everything under control, with her spirited and commanding presence, one couldn’t help but be slightly mesmerized.

An Jing thought for a moment and said, “Do we have any information on Qiu Fengsheng?”

He had only heard the name of this martial arts master but did not know much about him.

“I have it here for you.”

Zhao Qingmei walked inside the house, then took out a thick stack of white papers and said, “The majority of Qiu Fengsheng’s lifetime achievements are all here.”

An Jing looked at the stack of white papers; it seemed Zhao Qingmei had long harbored designs on Qiu Fengsheng’s head.

He then carefully began to read through the papers, his brow immediately furrowing slightly.

Qiu Fengsheng was originally a master from Zhao Country and had come from Black Ice Platform just like Qi Xuan Dao, both of them masters of the same era.

The difference was that at that time in Black Ice Platform, Qi Xuan Dao had average talent and was not outstanding, whereas Qiu Fengsheng was a genius, dazzling and brilliant, and was even considered by many to be a future head of Black Ice Platform.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Ɲονǥ0.ᴄο

Qiu Fengsheng indeed did not let down the people of Zhao Country. Under the full cultivation of Black Ice Platform, he reached the Grandmaster Realm by the age of thirty-three. This caused quite a stir, not just in the martial world of Zhao Country but all over the world.

Just when Qiu Fengsheng was at the peak of his fame, gossip spread in Zhao Country about his illicit affair with his master’s wife. Not many believed this gossip, but Black Ice Platform suddenly expelled Qiu Fengsheng and even launched a manhunt for him.

Since Zhao Country was dominated by Black Ice Platform, facing the manhunt, Qiu Fengsheng had no choice but to flee to Yan Country. When Qiu Fengsheng arrived in Yan Country, many powers offered him olive branches, including the Demon Sect and even the Xuanyi Guard of the Great Yan Court.

Qiu Fengsheng chose to join the Xuanyi Guard, and later, due to his outstanding strength and track record of military service, he became the Deputy Governor of the Xuanyi Guard.

He had been stationed at the Eight Feet Platform for several decades, holding considerable prestige in the Great Yan Martial World. Just as everyone thought that one day Qiu Fengsheng would become the Governor of the Xuanyi Guard, he abruptly resigned his office and vanished from the martial world of Great Yan.

This disappearance lasted twenty years. When he reappeared, people found that he had become the head of the Soul Seeker Mansion of Houjin, and his cultivation had reached the Three Qi Realm.

If Qi Xuan Dao is considered a late bloomer, then Qiu Fengsheng seems to be ‘indistinguishable from the masses.’ Given his previously shown talent and his current age, he should be at least in the Four Qi Realm, but now he is only in the Three Qi Grandmaster Realm.

Nevertheless, Qiu Fengsheng is still a top-notch master with a great reputation in the world and one of the very few who have made a name for themselves in the Jianghu of Houjin, Great Yan, and Zhao Country.

Although he has been defeated by Ye Ding and the Great Dharma King of Houjin, both of these men are among the very top masters in the world.

Who is Ye Ding?!

Back then, his status in the Great Yan Martial World was comparable to Xiao Qianqiu of today, suppressing all the masters in the entire martial world, and later even fought to a draw with Jiang Shang, a genius of the Demon Sect. It was not a disgrace for Qiu Fengsheng to be defeated by such a man; the standing of the Houjin Great Dharma King was even more exceptional, said to be the strongest master next to the Holy Master of Great Snow Mountain.

These two were considered the top figures of the time, and to be able to fight with them was an honor in itself.

Moreover, Qiu Fengsheng’s list of victories was also quite splendid; countless masters have died at his hands, including two in the Master Realm.

Zhao Qingmei asked, “Husband, what are your thoughts?”

“This Qiu Fengsheng is rather odd,”

An Jing said thoughtfully, “Logically speaking, his track record before the age of thirty-three is a replica of Qi Shu’s path. Given his age, he should at least be in the Four Qi Realm, with the potential to break into Five Qi. But why is he only at Three Qi now?”

Qi Shu, in his fifties, is already in the Second Qi and even aims to break into Three Qi before his sixties, and then to tackle Four Qi in his seventies.

Qiu Fengsheng’s talent didn’t seem to be beneath Qi Shu’s, yet his advancement in recent years appeared as though it was somehow delayed.

Zhao Qingmei said with a light laugh, “To break through the barriers of the Grandmaster Realm, one finds it increasingly difficult the further one advances. It is normal for Qiu Fengsheng to linger in the Three Qi. It could be largely related to his state of mind.”

The further one advances in realm, the more difficult it becomes to make progress. Each Grandmaster achieved their status through innate brilliance, yet even so, increasing a minor realm might take years, or even decades.

An Jing nodded his head and continued, looking through the papers, “Reviewing his life’s accomplishments, Qiu Fengsheng is quite scheming and handles matters with extreme calm. If the news of Sect Master Duanmu visiting the Russell Clan gets out, he is likely to go there himself to thwart her.”

Duanmu Xinghua has also advanced to the Second Qi Grandmaster level, and the most secure method to slay a Second Qi Grandmaster would naturally be to dispatch someone even higher than a Second Qi master.

In the entire Soul Seeker Mansion, the only person stronger than Duanmu Xinghua is Qiu Fengsheng himself.

“I have thought of this as well. Qiu Fengsheng will surely set many traps in the Russell Clan, and may even take the matter into his own hands. Hence, I plan to set a counter-trap,”

Zhao Qingmei straightforwardly expressed her thoughts, “At that time, with you there, as well as the Black Flood Dragon, who is comparable to a Three Qi Grandmaster, and if I also go, even if Qiu Fengsheng grows wings, he will not escape death.”

An Jing pondered for a moment and said, “It is indeed worth a try, but we should first thoroughly investigate the Russell Clan’s intelligence, and then consider the feasibility of the plan.”

Zhao Qingmei nodded and said, “After listening to the opera tomorrow, the message should be able to get back to us.”

Zhao Qingmei had agreed with Duanmu Xinghua, Yu Qiurong, and others to listen to opera in Dongluo Pass’s opera garden, which subtly felt like a send-off for the Heavenly Sect experts, and could also be used to inform Qiu Fengsheng.

“Alright.”

An Jing continued to pick up the white paper and read it.

Zhao Qingmei casually asked, “Husband, with the Human Sect’s experts in decline, Tan Yun will sooner or later end up in the Human Sect. What do you think about Qiurong’s person?”

Although Tan Yun was the Guardian of the Human Sect, she seemed unaware of it, ‘loitering’ in the courtyard every day, serving tea, pouring water, washing clothes and eating. During the time Yu Qiurong was recuperating, she continued to do the work of a maid.

An Jing, without lifting his head, replied, “Not bad.”

“What about compared to Tan Yun?”

“Tan Yun is older… it’s no problem to let her return to the Human Sect.”

An Jing’s tone shifted, his face remained calm, but his heart gave a sudden jolt, almost letting slip the wrong words.

Fortunately, his reaction was swift.

At that moment, Zhao Qingmei approached like the wind, placing her palm over An Jing’s chest, giving him a coquettish glance, “Brother, why is your heart beating so fast… and now it suddenly slowed down?”

As she said that, Zhao Qingmei’s beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, “Could it be there is something unspeakable in your heart?”

An Jing, holding Zhao Qingmei’s slender waist and embracing her, whispered softly, “The world is so quiet, I dare not let my heart beat too fast, I’m afraid everyone will know I’m thinking of you.”

Zhao Qingmei felt something pressing against her waist, her eyes shimmered like flowing water, she softly moaned, “What does it matter if others find out?”

Just then, Tan Yun came out after washing the dishes, immediately saw Zhao Qingmei lying in An Jing’s arms, and quickly retreated to the back, then hid inside the house.

“Are the son-in-law and the Sect Hierarch here!?”

Tan Yun couldn’t help but recall the scenes from those illustrated booklets, her heart began to throb wildly, and on impulse, she stuck out her little head to peek into the courtyard.

By the time she looked again, there was no trace of the two people in the courtyard.

Tan Yun blinked her eyes and then cautiously slipped out of the yard.

Back in her own residence, she hurriedly bathed and, unable to wait, burrowed into her bedding, pulling out the newly ‘bought’ illustrated book from under her pillow.

Under the dim light, there was a wonderful spring atmosphere.

……

Night fell, and all of Heavenly Water City was enveloped in silence.

In the quiet manor, lights bright in the study room.

Qiu Fengsheng stood outside the window, looking at the bright moon hanging in the sky.

After a while, he couldn’t help but sigh, “A moon overhead in a foreign land is not as comforting as a lamp from home.”

Time flies swiftly as a fleeting horse, in the blink of an eye nearly fifty years had passed since he left Zhao Country. How many fifty years does one have in a lifetime?

“Governor Qiu.”

At this moment, a voice came from outside the door.

“Come in.”

Qiu Fengsheng said indifferently.

“Creak–!”

As the door opened, a middle-aged man dressed in the official attire of the Soul Seeker Mansion walked in.

This man was named Zeng Zhen, also a top expert who took refuge with the Soul Seeker Mansion.

Zeng Zhen said in a low voice, “Governor Qiu, people have been arranged, they can be connected tonight.”

Qiu Fengsheng turned around, sat down on the chair, and asked, “The people from the Russell Clan have entered Dongluo Pass, haven’t they?”

Zeng Zhen nodded and said, “They arrived this morning, by now the Demon Sect must be aware of this news.”

Qiu Fengsheng smiled and said, “The grand task is already half accomplished.”

Zeng Zhen thought for a moment and asked, “My lord, are you so certain that the Demon Sect will send masters through the pass?”

Just a careful consideration of the affairs of the Russell Clan, coupled with Houjin’s recent sanctions against the Demon Sect, would reveal that there must be someone behind it all, pulling the strings.

If the Demon Sect still sends masters, do they truly not fear a trap?

Qiu Fengsheng said indifferently, “It’s like a game of chess between two players, with all the pieces clearly laid out on the board. Now that our army is at the gates of the city, the Demon Sect must come, even if it’s an open plot, because if they don’t, they’re certain to lose a great many pieces.”

“And if they continue to endure in silence, the only opportunity awaiting them is to be slowly dragged to their doom.”

Lacking the merchant caravans to sustain itself, the Demon Sect has already been severely weakened. If they were to lose the mineral resources and jade trade of the Russell Clan, they would truly face a disastrous extinction.

After wielding power and dominance for so many years, how could the Demon Sect possibly accept such a bleak situation?

Thus, the Sect Hierarch Zhao will definitely send masters to resolve the crisis of the Russell Clan. It’s highly likely that it will be Duanmu Xinghua and the masters of the Heavenly Sect.

Once we get rid of this Heavenly Sect and take control of the Russell Clan, the Demon Sect will be reduced to a toothless beast, left at the mercy of others.

Unless Jiang Shang returns or that one master from before comes out of seclusion.

However, both possibilities are extremely unlikely, and even if they were to happen, the colossal Demon Sect would no longer pose a threat to Houjin.

Zeng Zhen pondered for a long while before asking cautiously, “Lord Qiu, do you think the Demon Sect might turn our strategy against us?”

“Of course.”

Qiu Fengsheng smiled and said, “Since ancient times, in a contest of strategy, one must utilize every available resource. We intend to trap and kill them, and naturally, they also wish to blunt our prestige.”

Zeng Zhen showed a trace of hesitation and asked, “Then, Lord Qiu, do you still intend to go personally?”

If the Demon Sect is prepared and Qiu Fengsheng insists on going personally, even as a Three Qi Grandmaster, he might not emerge unscathed.

“A lion still uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit, and when dealing with the Demon Sect, of course I must make a move.”

Qiu Fengsheng narrowed his eyes and said, “That’s why I instructed you to send messages to the leaders of the Flying Horse Banner, Tianying Banner, and the Great Snow Mountain. As soon as the Demon Sect makes any significant move, we can take swift action to cut the ground from under their feet and take their main hall. If not, I will deal with the Heavenly Sect and Duanmu Xinghua myself.”

“What the Ghost Swordsman failed to do, I will do; whom the Ghost Swordsman failed to kill, I will kill.”

In Qiu Fengsheng’s calm words, there was a trace of chilling murderous intent.

Upon hearing this, Zeng Zhen couldn’t help but draw a cold breath. Qiu Fengsheng appeared to be aiming to round up the high-ranking members of the Demon Sect’s Heavenly Sect, but in secret, he also planned to breach the Demon Sect itself.

If the Demon Sect really tried to counter the encirclement against Qiu Fengsheng, they might not only fail to encircle him but also have to hand over their main hall.

It had to be said, his grand scheme was so alarming that even Zeng Zhen was taken aback.

Taking a deep breath, Zeng Zhen cautiously inquired, “Lord Qiu, what are the odds of success for this scheme?”

“Eighty percent.”

Qiu Fengsheng’s gaze was sharp as he said in a deep voice, “The most frightening thing for both sides in a game of chess is the hidden piece. Once that hidden piece is successfully positioned, our chances of victory become absolute.”

Zeng Zhen murmured, “Hidden pieces…”

Qiu Fengsheng straightened his sleeves and said earnestly to Zeng Zhen, “What delivers the fatal blow to the enemy is never what is seen, but what is unseen.”

…….

Dongluo Pass.

Mu Xiaoyun, exhausted, stepped out from Fengyun Hall.

The Vermilion Bird Seat controlled the entire economic lifeline of the Demon Sect—its finances, expenditures, and more. It could be said to hold the heart of the Demon Sect’s economy.

The previous head of the Vermilion Bird Seat was Yu Qiurong, a confidant of Zhao Qingmei.

After Mu Xiaoyun joined the Demon Sect, she was able to become the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat largely because the Demon Sect was short on personnel.

Even though she had become the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat, some of the more important operations were still in the hands of Yu Qiurong and had not been directly handed over to her.

However, Mu Xiaoyun was quite understanding of this; after all, she had joined the Demon Sect not so long ago, and she lacked any significant achievements. If Zhao Qingmei were to entrust the lifeblood of the Demon Sect into her hands, that would indeed be an extraordinarily strange event.

In recent days, due to the blockade by Houjin and frequent attacks by horse thieves, the traffic of merchant caravans through Dongluo Pass had become quite scarce.

This made Mu Xiaoyun, as the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat, even busier with the responsibility of making up for these losses.

Her footsteps were neither fast nor slow, walking through the quiet alley, heading towards the residence she lived in.

“Madam Liu, please stop.”

Suddenly, a voice floated towards her.

“Hmm!?”

Mu Xiaoyun’s pupils suddenly shrunk, as it had been a long time since anyone had addressed her in that way.

Following the sound, she saw a middle-aged man appear under the moonlight. The man had an ordinary appearance and would be unremarkable in a crowd.

“Who are you?”

Mu Xiaoyun frowned, not recognizing the man in front of her.

“Let’s talk inside,” the man glanced around and walked deeper into the alley.

Mu Xiaoyun looked at the man’s retreating figure and hesitated for a moment before following him.

In the depths of the alley, silence and solitude prevailed.

Mu Xiaoyun spoke in a low voice, “Who on earth are you?”

“I am Ma Xing, a secret agent from Soul Seeker Mansion.”

The middle-aged man directly pulled out a token. Under the moonlight, one could clearly see a ‘索’ character emerging on the token.

Soul Seeker Mansion!?

“You really have some nerve,” Mu Xiaoyun exclaimed, a chill suddenly rising in her heart, followed by a scoff, “Now that Soul Seeker Mansion and my Demon Sect are at odds, you still dare to come to Dongluo Pass?”

Without showing any signs of panic, Ma Xing merely smiled, “Madam Liu, let’s not beat around the bush. You haven’t been with the Demon Sect for even a year, and although you are the head of the Vermilion Bird Seat, your power is far less than your predecessor Yu Qiurong. You are not truly a core figure in the Demon Sect.”

“Your reason for joining the Demon Sect was simply hoping that one day it would strike back at Great Yan, allowing you to take over the Cao Gang.”

“Now that the Ghost Swordsman has attacked the Demon Sect, Yuan Feng’s betrayal at the Sealing Demon Platform has greatly weakened it, coupled with Li Fuzhou being trapped and Jiang Renyi missing, the Demon Sect is fading. It seems your wish is about to be thoroughly dashed, isn’t it?”

Mu Xiaoyun glanced at Ma Xing but said nothing.

She had joined the Demon Sect from afar just to rescue her true husband, Liu Qingshan. Now, sunk deep into a quagmire, the Demon Sect could hardly be expected to strike back at Great Yan, let alone withstand the pressure from Houjin.

Seeing Mu Xiaoyun’s silence, the corner of Ma Xing’s mouth revealed a hint of cold laughter, “Our Houjin forces are strong, and Soul Seeker Mansion has a profusion of experts, powerful as clouds and as frequent as rain. Once the Demon Sect is dealt with, our great army can directly march on Great Yan. Then even the Great Yan Royal Family will become easy prey under our horses. Madam Liu, wouldn’t it be child’s play for you to take over the Cao Gang then?”

Mu Xiaoyun asked, “You mean for me to defect to Soul Seeker Mansion?”

“That’s right.”

Ma Xing said straightforwardly, “I think this would be a clear and bright path for Madam Liu.”

Once again, Mu Xiaoyun lapsed into silence.

Ma Xing knit his brows and continued, “Do you really want to go down together with the Demon Sect? Don’t forget that the Sect Hierarch has never treated you as a true confidant. Are you actually willing to die for the Demon Sect?”

Mu Xiaoyun asked in a stern voice, “What do you want me to do?”

Ma Xing replied, “To join Soul Seeker Mansion, one must first present proof of loyalty.”

“What proof of loyalty?”

“By saying this, have you really agreed?”

“I still need to think it over.”

“Then I’ll give you one day to consider. Let’s meet again tomorrow night.”

Without another word, Ma Xing’s figure leapt up and vanished from the alley.

Mu Xiaoyun looked at Ma Xing’s retreating figure, her eyebrows twisted into a knot.

……

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