Duke Manor.
The Duke of Jiujiang, Xiao Heng, was setting up a banquet. He raised his cup to a tall man in golden armor and said, "Here's a toast to General Liu."
The man in golden armor said emotionlessly, "Drinking is forbidden in the Northern Army."
The Duke of Jiujiang smiled and said, "This is not the army."
The man in golden armor said, "The people are not here, but the military rules are."
The Duke of Jiujiang said apologetically, "I didn't know the rules. General Liu, please don't blame me. Men, bring me my precious tea …"
Very soon, the servants of the Regional King's Mansion had finished brewing tea and respectfully served it to the golden-armored man. The golden-armored man took a sip of tea and asked, "Does the Regional King have any enmity with that fox demon?"
The Duke of Jiujiang shook his head and said, "No grudges."
"That's strange." The man in golden armor looked at him and said, "If you don't have any grudges, why do they have to find you? The fox demons value grudges very much. If you don't have any grudges with them, how can there be consequences?"
The Commandery Prince of Jiujiang narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "General Liu, you are wrong. The demonic beasts are our enemies. They want to kill me. Should General Liu ask them why? Let's catch the demonic beasts that are disturbing our county and bring peace back to this place. Isn't that what the government and the northern army should do?"
The man in golden armor blew on the tea and didn't refute the Duke of Jiujiang.
The Second-rank Prince of Jiujiang was right. His duty was to guard the bordering counties, stop the demons from causing trouble, and protect the people of the Jiujiang County. No matter what the Second-rank Prince of Jiujiang did, no matter what those demons were hiding, he had to catch those demons and protect the Second-rank Prince of Jiujiang.
After all, he was the general of the Great Zhou.
After a short period of silence, the Duke of Jiujiang said in a regretful tone, "Those three fox demons have disappeared for two days. If I knew earlier, I wouldn't have ordered the county government to hunt them down. I don't know where they are hiding. If they ran back to the Demon Kingdom, wouldn't General Liu's trip be in vain …"
The man in golden armor put down his cup and said, "It's not in vain. They're here …"
As soon as he said that, two loud noises came from outside.
"What's that sound?" The Second-rank Prince of Jiujiang stood up and frowned. Just as he was about to ask his servant, another deep voice resounded through the entire Jiujiang Commandery Prince's Mansion.
"Xiao Heng, Commandery Prince of Jiujiang, get out here!"
The voice rolled over. The Duke of Jiujiang was stunned for a moment, and then extreme anger appeared on his face.
In Jiujiang County, there was actually someone who dared to call him by his name and tell him to get out of the County King's Mansion?
His face was gloomy as he strode outside.
At the same time, at the entrance of the County King's Manor, Li Mu looked at the array that enveloped the entire County King's Manor after he destroyed the main door. He turned to look at the two head reverends.
Without any exchange of words, one of the high consecrators raised his palm and pressed it down.
Pop …
After a sound similar to a bubble bursting, the entire formation silently disappeared.
When Li Mu walked into the County King's Manor, there were already several figures rushing toward him. They were all the County King's retainers.
"Stop!"
"Who are you?!"
"How dare you barge into the Regional Prince's Mansion! You're courting death!"
…
The three people at the front were all at the fifth level of cultivation. Facing the group of people who barged into the County King's Manor, they did not hesitate to attack.
Three invisible supernatural power attacks came straight at them.
A majestic aura gushed out of Li Mu's body and swept forward.
The three people's attacks disappeared into thin air, and they were forced back a few steps. Behind Li Mu, Hu Jiu could not help but exclaim, "So powerful!"
Huan Ji's gaze was complicated. She rarely had a match among her peers until she met Li Mu, the man who would crush her confidence every time. He made her understand that there was always someone better than her.
The three Jiujiang Commandery Prince's Manor powerhouses looked at the young man in front of them with fearful eyes. This person's strength was beyond their imagination. Then, they saw a few familiar figures behind the young man, and they could not help but exclaim in surprise.
"Lord County Governor!"
"The County Governor and County Lieutenant are also here!"
"Who is he? What is he doing here …"
…
The County King's Manor's retainers were often active in Jiujiang County, so they naturally knew the officers in charge of the county yamen. These people represented the imperial court. Ever since the Divine Capital's Xiao royal family suffered great losses, even the County King was much more polite to them than before. But now, they were standing respectfully behind this young man. It seemed like they did not come with good intentions …
The three of them were fearful and did not dare to do anything for a while.
At that moment, Jiujiang Commandery Prince Xiao Heng had already walked out.
"Who are you? How dare you be so presumptuous here!"
Xiao Heng walked out with a gloomy face. His voice was heard before he even arrived.
However, when he saw the figure at the door, his expression changed drastically.
Although it was his first time seeing Li Mu, the Divine Capital's imperial family had sent him a portrait long ago. It said that this person was the Empress' favorite official and had great power in the imperial court. Both the new and old parties had been suppressed by him to the extreme. His cousin, the County Governor of Nanyang, had died at the hands of Li Mu.
It was because of this person that the Old Party had lost most of their control over the imperial court in a year.
The imperial family warned him that if he met this person, he should avoid him if possible. If he could not avoid him, he should try his best not to provoke him. Xiao Heng did not take this to heart. After all, he was far away in Jiujiang County, which was thousands of miles away from the Divine Capital. No matter how long Li Mu's hands were, they could not reach him. He did not expect this person to come to his residence today.
Although he was furious, Xiao Heng still put on a warm smile on his face. He said, "I've heard a lot about Lord Li. I've wanted to make friends with you for a long time, but I never had the chance …"
Seeing that the County Governor of Jiujiang was taking the initiative to be friendly, Hu Jiu and Huan Ji's expressions changed slightly.
If Li Mu sided with the County Governor of Jiujiang now, they would have nowhere to run.
If Li Mu was in cahoots with the County Governor of Jiujiang and this was actually a trap for them …
At this moment, Phantom Princess's mind was in a mess. She should not have trusted Li Mu so easily. She should not have put herself in danger. She should not have …
Until Li Mu snorted and said to the County Governor of Jiujiang, "Don't try to get close to me. Do I know you? Xiao Heng, you've committed a crime. I'm here today on the orders of the imperial court to bring you to justice!"
Xiao Heng's eyelids twitched, but he still pretended to be calm. He said, "Lord Li, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I've always been a law-abiding person. Why would the imperial court want to arrest me?"
Li Mu said indifferently, "You're heartless. You ordered your retainers to kidnap women for your sexual pleasure. How many innocent women have been harmed? Even if you're a noble, I'll still get rid of this evil for the people!"
Xiao Heng could already tell that Li Mu did not come with good intentions. Today's matter would not be settled peacefully.
His expression changed drastically. He pointed at Phantom Princess and the other two behind Li Mu and said loudly, "Do you see that? The three demons behind him are the three demons wanted by the imperial court. This person is in cahoots with the demons. County Governor of Jiujiang, you're helping the demons. Why aren't you taking him down?"
The County Governor of Jiujiang was unmoved.
They had already verified Li Mu's identity. The two elders beside him were also the most powerful cultivators of the Imperial Court. Who would believe that the imperial court did not order the two high priests to accompany him?
Even if it was not, he had two Sixth Realm cultivators with him. Who would dare to go against him?
It did not matter if he was sent by the imperial court or not. The result was the same. The local government could not get involved, and they could not afford to.
Seeing that the County Governor of Jiujiang and the others did not move, the County Governor of Jiujiang ordered his retainers, "Why aren't you killing this traitor who colluded with the demons?"
The retainers of the County Governor's residence received the order. Some started to form hand seals while others activated their Dharma treasures.
Li Mu raised his hand. A golden light flew out from his hand and turned into a golden rope. It quickly passed through the crowd of retainers. They felt their waists tighten. Then, the golden rope tied them together.
Seeing this, the County Governor of Jiujiang's face paled. Without hesitation, he ran to the main hall behind him and shouted, "General Liu, save me!"
The man in golden armor suddenly appeared beside him. The County Governor of Jiujiang finally saw his savior. He hid behind the man in golden armor and said, "General Liu, save me. This group of traitors wants to rebel against their superiors!"
Looking at the man in golden armor, Li Mu did not make a move.
Li Mu could not see through this person's cultivation at all. This meant that this person's cultivation had surpassed the Fifth Realm. Judging from his clothes, he should be a powerful cultivator in the army.
Other than the imperial guards, the Great Zhou's borders near the Ghost Realm, the Yao Nation, and the Southern Kingdoms were all heavily guarded. They were in charge of monitoring foreign enemies and protecting the local people.
Li Mu took out his waist token and showed it to the man in golden armor. He said, "Li Mu, a member of the Imperial Secretariat, the Deputy Commander of the Empress' Bamboo Guards, and the Commander of the Consecration Department. I have come under the orders of Her Majesty to capture the County Governor of Jiujiang, Xiao Heng. General, please step aside."
The County Governor of Jiujiang shouted, "General Liu, don't listen to him. Look at the three demons beside him. He colluded with demons and brought chaos to this place. His crime is punishable by death …"
The man in golden armor pondered for a moment. He looked at Li Mu and asked, "Do you have an imperial edict?"
Li Mu said, "No, this is an imperial edict from Her Majesty."
The man in golden armor said, "He is a noble. Without an imperial edict, I cannot let you take him away. Lord Li, you can go back to the Fairy's Capital and ask for an imperial edict. I only accept imperial edicts."
Li Mu did not make things difficult for the man in golden armor. From the process, what he did was correct.
If a person could take a county governor away with just a few words, it meant that there was a loophole in the laws of the Great Zhou.
However, he was too lazy to go back to the Fairy's Capital. He took out the spirit conch and whispered a few words to it. Then, he handed it to the general in golden armor and said, "General, since you don't believe me, I will let Her Majesty talk to you personally."
The general in golden armor took the spirit conch and put it to his ear.
Hearing the voice from the spirit conch, he was stunned for a moment. Then, his expression immediately became serious. He said solemnly, "Yes, yes, okay. I will help Lord Li deal with this matter. I will take my leave …"
He slowly took the spirit conch from his ear and handed it to Li Mu with both hands. He said, "Lord Li, take care of this treasure. Her Majesty has ordered me to help you deal with the case of the County Governor of Jiujiang."
The County Governor of Jiujiang panicked when his only reinforcements betrayed him. He grabbed the general in golden armor's arm and said in a trembling voice, "It's fake. It's all fake. General Liu, please don't believe me. Please don't believe me!"
Even though they were far apart, the general in golden armor could feel how powerful the person on the other side of the spirit conch was.
The general in golden armor slowly backed away and said, "If you are innocent, you can report this to Lord Li. I believe that the imperial court will give you justice. You can rest assured that even if Lord Li does not have enough evidence, I will protect you."
"Rest assured? Rest assured my ass!"
The County Governor of Jiujiang was in despair.
He knew what he had done. If this happened a year ago, he would not be afraid. Even if the matter was exposed, there were countless people in the Fairy's Capital who would protect him.
However, it was different now. The County Governor of Nanyang, his cousin, had committed far fewer crimes than him. In the end, he was beheaded and his body and soul were destroyed. Once the matter of the County Governor's Mansion was exposed, his life would be over.
The County Governor of Jiujiang did not hesitate to crush a jade talisman in his hand. His body instantly disappeared from the spot.
At the same time, the space outside the County Governor's Mansion was distorted. He staggered and fell out.
He took out a flying boat and was about to escape when he suddenly noticed that the old man who had been standing behind Li Mu in the County Governor's Mansion was standing at the bow of the boat. He looked at the County Governor with a smile and asked, "Where are you going?"
In his panic, the County Governor of Jiujiang did not even care about the flying boat. He crushed another jade talisman. The next time he appeared, he was dozens of miles away. However, not far ahead, there was a figure waiting for him.
It was a man who looked exactly like the old man. He looked at the County Governor of Jiujiang indifferently and said, "Don't waste your energy. If I let you escape today, how can I stay in the imperial court in the future?"
…
The County Governor of Jiujiang tried to escape, but he was caught by the two Great Reverends.
This time, even the general in golden armor did not bother to pay attention to him.
The County Governor of Jiujiang refused to admit to his crimes. Due to his status, Li Mu could not take any forceful measures against him before the evidence was conclusive. However, it was different for his retainers. The two Great Reverends had already gone to arrest him. The results would be out very soon.
In this period of time, Li Mu and the general in golden armor had chatted for a while, and they had become familiar with each other.
He also learned that this was one of the four great generals of the Great Zhou's Northern Army. He came from White Deer Academy. Apart from the Imperial Army, the Great Zhou also had the four armies of the North, South, East, and West. Of these, the Northern Army was the strongest. The four great generals that guarded this place were all sixth level cultivators.
This was because compared to the three armies, the County Governor of Jiujiang guarded by the Northern Army was more dangerous. The Yao Kingdom had always been eyeing the Great Zhou covetously. The threat it posed was even greater than that of the Ghost Realm and the southern kingdoms.
The general in golden armor smiled and said, "My elder brother once said that this year's Martial Scholar was skilled in martial arts. At the same level of cultivation, even the bravest and most skilled soldier of the Northern Army might not be able to defeat you. Seeing you today, I know that his words were not exaggerated."
Li Mu asked, "Who is your esteemed elder brother?"
The general in golden armor said, "My elder brother was the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War."
A family with two fierce generals, and the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War had even taught him how to use Telekinesis to gather force. Li Mu immediately felt deep veneration. He cupped his hands and said, "My apologies, my apologies."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Li Mu thought of something and asked, "I have a matter that I would like to ask General Liu about."
The general in golden armor smiled and said, "Lord Li, there is no harm in asking."
Li Mu asked, "The former Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Zhou Zhong, was once sentenced to exile because of a case. What is his current situation?"
The general in golden armor shook his head and said, "He was once sent to the Northern Army, but not long after, he disappeared."
Li Mu said, "Disappeared?"
The general in golden armor nodded and said, "He is very strong. In just two months, he made a lot of military contributions. I originally wanted to promote him to Deputy General, but three months ago, after he destroyed a small Yao Kingdom by himself, he completely disappeared and has not been seen since …"
Li Mu was not worried about Zhou Zhong's disappearance.
Until now, he still did not know how much strength Zhou Zhong had hidden. A person like him was strong and could endure. Everything he did was probably calculated by him, so there was no need for others to worry about him.
Li Mu and General Liu did not chat for long before the two Great Reverends came back.
Huan Ji and Hu Jiu were very familiar with the Jiujiang Commandery Prince and his subordinates. They were the ones who suggested who to arrest first and who to arrest later.
Of the Ten Great Heretical Cultivation Masters, four were already dead.
Of the remaining six, none of them managed to escape.
Under the methods of the two Great Reverends, they confessed to their crimes. The Jiujiang Commandery Prince was the instigator. According to the laws of the Great Zhou, his head should be chopped off a hundred times.
The general in golden armor said, "I did not expect such a thing to happen in Jiujiang Commandery …"
Huan Ji said coldly, "You all say that we Yao Clan are causing trouble for the people of Jiujiang Commandery, but the truth is that we Yao Clan are being persecuted by you humans in Jiujiang Commandery. Don't you feel ashamed to say that you want to kill Yao Clan?"
This time, less than ten percent of the victims rescued by the government were humans. More than ninety percent were Yao Clan.
The general in golden armor and the officials of Jiujiang Commandery could not answer Huan Ji. The laws of the Great Zhou protected the people of the Great Zhou, not the Yao Clan. Although this was the truth, they had a balance in their hearts. What maintained this balance was their conscience as living beings.
The atmosphere was a bit awkward. Li Mu said, "That's enough. You cannot represent all Yao Clan, and the Jiujiang Commandery Prince cannot represent all humans. Your view is too extreme. There are many Yao Clan that harm people. Isn't the Imperial Court's investigation of the Jiujiang Commandery Prince a representation of our attitude?"
Huan Ji did not argue with Li Mu. She said, "I want to see the Jiujiang Commandery Prince."
The general in golden armor said firmly, "Impossible."
Although the Jiujiang Commandery Prince was a criminal, he was still a noble. Who knew what this fox demon would do after seeing him? Naturally, he could not let this demon see him.
Li Mu glanced at the golden-armored general and said in a low voice, "General Liu, you've seen the miserable state of those demons, haven't you? You also have a wife and a daughter. Think about it. The Commandery Prince of Jiujiang is a scumbag. He has destroyed so many of those demons. If we don't let them spit and slap them in front of him, we will be too inhumane …"
The general in golden armor thought of the hellish scene in the human world. A ball of anger rose in his heart. He closed his eyes and said, "Lord Li is the Imperial Envoy. Everything is up to you."
Li Mu brought Huan Ji to the door of the prison. He said softly, "I only have one request. Don't kill them. Otherwise, I will not be able to explain myself."
Huan Ji nodded and said, "I know what to do."
She, Hu Six, and Hu Nine entered the prison. After fifteen minutes, they came out.
Li Mu asked, "What did you find out?"
Huan Ji shook her head and said, "Nothing. But someone did tell him."
Hu Jiu punched the wall heavily. She gritted her teeth and said, "It's that person. It's that person who killed Little Snake. Don't let me know who he is. Otherwise, I will smash his ass and cut him into pieces!"
Li Mu patted her shoulder and comforted her, "The dead can't come back to life. My condolences."
Hu Jiu suddenly looked up at Li Mu and said, "Most humans are hypocritical and shameless. They are greedy and cruel. You are a good person. Why don't you join the Meizong Sect? With your ability, you will have a high position in the Meizong Sect …"
Li Mu said, "I also have a high position in the Great Zhou court."
Hu Jiu continued to tempt him, "The beauties of the Thousand Fox Country are unparalleled. You can marry many. Think about it. Aren't the beauties of the Fox Clan beautiful? Aren't the beauties of the Snake Clan clingy? There are also the beauties of the Cat Clan, the Rabbit Clan, the Dog Clan …"
"Stop, stop, stop …" Li Mu looked at Hu Jiu and asked, "Do you think I am that kind of lecherous person?"
Hu Jiu asked back, "Aren't you?"
Li Mu coughed softly and said, "What I mean is, although I am lustful, I don't want everything. I am loyal to the Empress. I am the Empress's man when I am alive, and the Empress's ghost when I die. You should give up."
Hu Jiu thought for a moment and said, "You don't like other people, but do you not like Master Phantom Princess? Do you dare to say that you don't like Master Phantom Princess? If you don't like Master Phantom Princess, why are you so nice to us?"
Phantom Princess's face darkened. "Hu Jiu!"
Li Mu thought that he was very careful in front of Phantom Princess and Hu Jiu. He would never let them think that he was Little Snake.
But he still neglected a very important point.
In order to make up for deceiving Phantom Princess and Hu Jiu, Li Mu had been very nice to them these two days. Although he often dissed Phantom Princess, he actually indulged her and took care of her to the extreme. He even made an exception to meet her unreasonable requests.
As for the real Li Mu, the moment he met Phantom Concubine, he would fight to the death. In comparison, the change in his personality was especially obvious.
He had avoided all the small openings, but revealed the biggest one.
Hu Jiu's question went straight to the point. Phantom Princess didn't realize that when she went back, she might have some associations that Li Mu didn't want her to have.
When Li Mu pretended to be Little Snake, he was ravaged by Phantom Princess every day. He massaged her legs, shoulders, and feet. If Phantom Princess knew that Li Mu was Little Snake, Li Mu would have no face in front of her in the future.
He absolutely couldn't allow such a thing to happen!
There must be a way to explain it, there must be a way to explain it. Li Mu looked at Hu Jiu, and an idea flashed in his mind. He simply admitted, "Yes, that's right. I like Phantom Princess, but you found out …"
Hu Jiu was stunned, and Phantom Princess was even more stunned.
Li Mu's expression became even more indifferent. He said, "You also know that I'm very lecherous. I can't wait to have all the beauties in the world. How can I let go of such a beautiful little fox? I originally wanted to take this opportunity to do you a favor. At that time, Phantom Princess will owe me a big favor. Besides marrying me, what can she use to repay me?"
Hu Jiu was stunned. "You, didn't you say that you want us to help you find evidence of Jiujiang Commandery Prince's crime …"
Li Mu snorted and said, "I'm afraid you've forgotten who I am. I want a little Jiujiang Commandery Prince to die. What evidence do I need to find?"
Hu Jiu's throat moved, and she swallowed a mouthful of saliva. With Li Mu's power, it didn't seem to be so troublesome to kill Jiujiang Commandery Prince …
After Phantom Princess came to her senses, she looked at Li Mu and gritted her teeth. "Don't even think about it!"
On the other hand, Hu Liu pulled down her collar and winked at Li Mu. She said, "Lord Li, as long as you're willing to come to Meizong Sect, I'm also willing to marry you …"
Li Mu shook his head and said flatly, "You're too old. I don't want …"
After a short silence.
"Sister Liu, Sister Liu, forget it. You can't beat him …" Hu Jiu stopped the furious Hu Liu. She looked up at Li Mu and asked, "You don't like Sister Liu. What do you think of me?"
There was another short silence.
Li Mu gritted his teeth and said, "Phantom Princess, Hu Liu, don't stop me …"
Hu Jiu dodged the lightning and said, "Life is short. Why not try? How will you know if you don't try …"
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