Li Mu did not belong to the New Party or the Old Party, nor did he belong to the Empress.
If one had to say who he was, he should be one of Liu Hanyan's men.
He was only used by the New Party to achieve some political goals for the Empress.
The conflict between the New Party and the Old Party was about the ownership of the imperial power. The conflict was mainly in the Middle County, which was thousands of miles away from the North County. No matter how far the Old Party's influence stretched, it could not reach here.
He was not worried about being involved in the conflict thousands of miles away. He was just curious. The Great Zhou was not the Great Tang, nor was it the Zhou Dynasty. The Xiao Royal Family had been passed down for so long. How could the imperial power suddenly be controlled by a woman with a different surname?
This matter was not described in detail in the history books. It was only mentioned in a few sentences.
As for the gossip about the Empress, no one knew if it was deliberately spread by the Old Party, but the people had always been talking about it.
For example, when she was still the Crown Princess, she was not liked by the Crown Prince. When the previous Emperor died and the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, she was still a virgin.
Another example was that not long after the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, she used despicable means to murder the Crown Prince. She deceived everyone and obtained the approval of the Ancestral Temple. She obtained the Emperor's Qi and transcended. She intimidated the Xiao Royal Family and seized the imperial power from them.
In recent years, there had been a lot of criticism about a woman becoming the Empress. However, there was one fact that could not be denied.
That was, the ruler of the most powerful country in the Ancestral Land was a young woman.
The Empress of the Great Zhou ascended to the throne at the age of 25. It had only been three years since then. She was only nine years older than Li Mu, but she was already the most powerful woman on the continent. At the same time, she was also a powerhouse in the seventh realm.
Li Mu was still young after all. If the slovenly Taoist priest thought of this, he would probably have a mental breakdown.
He no longer paid attention to these things that had nothing to do with him. He said to Constable Zhao, "Lord Shen is awake. Please help me ask for leave. I want to go back to Yangqiu County."
Constable Zhao waved his hand and said, "I will tell Lord Shen. Be careful. In the past two days, three Jushen cultivators died mysteriously. It's not very peaceful outside …"
The Yunyan Pavilion had four shops in Yangqiu County, but only two in the county capital.
Now that the shops in the prefectural capital were on the right track, Liu Hanyan wanted to go back to the county to take a look. Li Mu offered to accompany her.
While Liu Hanyan was inspecting the store, he could go to Clearwater Bay to see Su He.
The three humans and one demon returned to Yangqiu County City from the county city. The flying boat that Li Mu had exchanged from the Earth Pavilion last time was finally of use. Although Liu Hanyan and Wanwan had been cultivating for a few months, this was their first time in the sky. They hugged Li Mu's arm tightly before they dared to look down from above.
The speed of the flying boat was extremely fast. The journey that would have taken more than half a day only took four hours this time.
Liu Hanyan went to the store to check the accounts while Wanwan and Xiao Bai accompanied her. Li Mu left the county town and headed towards Clearwater Bay.
Just as he walked into Su He's illusion, Li Mu sensed two streams of Yin Qi.
Two female ghosts, one big and one small, were sitting cross-legged outside the wooden house, cultivating. Compared to the last time Li Mu saw them, their auras had improved significantly. They were probably not far from the third realm.
"Young Master, you're here!"
Sensing Li Mu's aura, the older female ghost immediately woke up from her cultivation. When she saw Li Mu, she stood up abruptly and exclaimed in surprise.
Li Mu still did not sense Su He's aura. He asked, "She hasn't come out of seclusion yet?"
The female ghost said, "Sister Su came out once and taught us some cultivation methods. Then she went into seclusion again. She said that she would need a few more months to come out of seclusion completely."
Su He's seclusion this time was longer than expected.
The Thousand Illusions Venerable Master's cultivation was too high. Even a fragment of his soul contained immense soul power. Su He was already close to the peak of the fourth realm. When she came out of seclusion after refining the Thousand Illusions Venerable Master's soul power, she would probably be a fifth realm ghost.
The first ghost general under Chu Jiang Of Gojoseon and Miss Xiao Yu, who had enjoyed the benefits of creating new dao techniques, were in this realm.
Li Mu was a little disappointed that he did not see Su He. However, there was nothing he could do. He walked to the edge of the lake and stared at the dark green water in a daze.
He did not forget that there was still a huge threat to Su He at the bottom of the lake.
Once the female corpse came out of the lake, she would definitely devour Su He and complete herself.
Similarly, if Su He could refine the intelligence born from the corpse and obtain a body to live in, her strength would also double.
The current Li Mu was much stronger than before. He dove into the water again. The altar at the bottom of the lake appeared before his eyes.
After digesting the Thousand Illusions Venerable Master's memories, the mysterious runes on the altar no longer held any secrets.
This was an exquisite corpse-nurturing array formation. It used this water vein to seal the corpse in the altar here.
The altar had obviously been used once before. After Su He died, his body accidentally fell into it, and the spell formation was activated once more. Over the past 20 years, the corpses in the spell formation had already gained sentience, and possessed the Dao of the Fourth Stage.
As if sensing Li Mu's gaze, the female corpse lying quietly on the altar opened her eyes again.
At the same time, Li Mu felt a strong suction force erupting from the altar. It seemed to want to suck his soul over.
However, the current Li Mu was no longer the rookie who had only condensed one spirit and two spirits.
His six spirits had been completely refined, and his three spirits had become primordial spirits. This suction force couldn't shake them in the slightest.
The female corpse opened her eyes and met Li Mu's gaze. Both man and corpse were very calm.
Li Mu couldn't enter.
She couldn't come out either.
Unless this water vein was cut off and the Bay of Clearwater dried up, the altar wouldn't have any spiritual power to pour in. That would be the time for the female corpse to come out.
With the experience of the Thousand Illusions Venerable Master, Li Mu could easily see that the upper limit of a corpse trapped in this array formation was the fifth realm. When she was nourished by spiritual power and evolved into the fifth realm Flying Stiff, she would be able to come out of the altar without the Bay of Clearwater drying up.
Based on the aura on the female corpse and the speed at which the altar gathered qi, it would take her about ten years to reach the fifth realm.
And within half a year, Su He would be able to reach the fifth realm. At that time, the altar's array formation would no longer be able to trap her, and she would be able to leave at any time.
The female corpse underwater was no longer a threat to Su He.
After coming out of the water, Li Mu dried his clothes with spiritual power. After giving the two female ghosts some pointers on their cultivation, he left the Bay of Clearwater.
Although the Thousand Illusions Venerable Master was Li Mu's disaster, he was also his good fortune.
He almost caused Li Mu to lose his second life. But it was also because of him that Li Mu had the experience and knowledge of Dongxuan cultivators when he was only in the Soul Refining realm.
In his mind, other than the evil arts, he also knew a lot about Buddhism, Daoism, demons, and ghosts. It was easy for him to guide the two resentful spirits in their cultivation.
After leaving the Bay of Clearwater, Li Mu didn't return to the county. Instead, he went to the Jinshan Temple.
He sent a little monk to pass the message. After a while, Xuandu walked out and said happily, "Benefactor Li has finally thought it through and wants to convert to Buddhism …"
Li Mu said, "I'm here to see Miss Xiao Yu."
Xuandu said regretfully, "Miss Xiao Yu is doing well in the temple. It's just that the killing intent in her body is too strong. She still needs some time to dispel it …"
He brought Li Mu to the front of the temple. Li Mu saw a young girl wearing monk robes. She was kneeling on a praying mat with many acolytes. She was chanting Buddhist scriptures. Every time she chanted, the killing intent in her body would decrease by a bit.
As she was chanting, she suddenly felt something. She slowly turned her head and saw Li Mu. She quickly ran over and said happily, "Benefactor!"
Li Mu smiled and asked, "Are you used to this place?"
The young girl nodded and said, "I'm used to it. The masters and the little masters are very good to me."
Seeing Xiao Yu's current appearance, Li Mu was relieved.
Before he came, he was worried that she would not be able to let go of her hatred and that it would affect her temperament. Now it seemed that letting Xuandu bring her to the Jinshan Temple was a very correct decision.
Before she died, she used her own resentment to perform that Taoist technique for the first time. She benefited greatly from it and directly advanced from the Yin Spirit to the fifth level. If she lost her temperament and fell into the Devil's Path, Li Mu would also have to bear a large part of the sin.
After seeing Xiao Yu, Li Mu taught her some ghostly techniques. Although her cultivation was high, she did not know how to use it and did not know how to cultivate. In the future, her mana would not increase. Knowing the path of ghostly cultivation, she could continue to cultivate.
Xuandu looked at Li Mu and asked, "The imperial court did not make things difficult for Benefactor Li regarding Miss Xiao Yu's matter, right?"
"No." Li Mu shook his head and said, "His Majesty intends to use this matter to intimidate the local officials and make them restrain the power in their hands. They will not dare to bend the law for personal gain and disregard human lives."
Xuandu put his palms together and said with relief, "Amitabha. It seems that this matter has finally woken up some people in the imperial court."
Li Mu thought of something and asked, "Is Master Puji not in the temple?"
Xuandu smiled and said, "Uncle-Master went to the ancestral court of the Xin Clan to comprehend the state of Mahesvara. I don't know when he will be back. Benefactor Li, are you looking for Uncle-Master?"
Mahesvara was the sixth level of Buddhism, corresponding to the Dongxuan of Daoism. There were not many such experts in the ancestral court of the Xin Clan. No wonder the Jinshan Temple had such a high status in the Xin Clan.
Li Mu said, "There is something I would like to ask Master Puji. Since the abbot is not here, I can only trouble Master Xuandu."
Xuandu said, "Benefactor Li, please speak."
The White Demon King had helped Li Mu a lot. Just being sucked by the Bai sisters a few times was not enough to repay the favor.
Li Mu's Buddhist cultivation was very low and could not send the Buddhist light into the ice coffin. However, Xuandu was at the peak of the fourth level and was only one step away from the fifth level of Dharma. With his help, there might be a chance.
After hearing Li Mu's words, Xuandu nodded and said, "I have heard of the White Demon King's good name. Since it is about the White Demon King, I will accompany you."
Li Mu and Xuandu came to Yang County. They first found the rat demon and asked him to pass on the message.
An hour later, the White Demon King came over on a cloud.
Xuandu put his palms together and said, "Greetings, White Demon King."
The White Demon King returned the greeting and said, "Master Xuandu, I have heard a lot about you …"
Then, he looked at Li Mu and asked, "Little brother, what is it?"
Li Mu said, "This time, I came with Master Xuandu for the White Demon King's wife. Master Xuandu's Buddhist teachings are profound. Perhaps he can awaken her soul."
The White Demon King was touched but still shook his head and said, "In the past ten years, I have invited Dharma and Mahesvara monks, but even they could not do anything …"
Li Mu smiled and said, "Let's try. The situation can't be worse."
The White Demon King thought for a while and nodded. "Then I will have to trouble the two of you."
Not long after, they came to the ice cave. Xuandu saw the woman in the ice coffin and said in surprise, "I did not expect the White Demon King's wife to be a dragon …"
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