I Have A Dual World Seal

Chapter 1109: Chapter 1108: The Peach Blossom Celestial Maidens’ Discovery

In the following days, Lu Zheng continued to run between the two realms, but spent most of his time in Great Jing.

Shen Ying claimed to be in seclusion, but she was actually staying at Peach Blossom Plain to cultivate, as it was inconvenient to travel through the realms. So, Lu Zheng continued to visit Peach Blossom Plain.

Si Lingxi didn’t have much to do; besides giving Yang Caiyi some guidance each morning, she would occasionally go out with Lu Zheng to Hai City, enjoying some time alone together.

Luckily, they didn’t encounter Huang Xiumin.

...

On this day, Lu Zheng was playing chess with Si Lingxi in Taohua Village, while Shen Ying watched from the side.

"How many places have Tao Zhen and the others visited?" Lu Zheng asked while playing chess.

Shen Ying replied, "They’ve already traversed Lingbei Dao, Yinan Dao, and Sanjiang Dao, and have now reached the Earth Realm of Pingdong Dao."

"That’s rather fast!" Lu Zheng asked, "Did they run into any trouble?"

"No." Shen Ying shook her head, "They mostly traveled on official roads, and didn’t encounter any trouble at the Taohua Temples under the Court’s jurisdiction. As for some wild temples, a few little demons and little ghosts were easily dealt with."

"Lucky indeed!" Lu Zheng laughed.

Shen Ying nodded, "If they continue smoothly like this, they’ll complete their tour of the Central and Southern Dao and be back in half a month."

Lu Zheng couldn’t help but laugh upon hearing this, "In that case, as their master, you’ve been to fewer places than they have."

Shen Ying pouted, looked at the chessboard, then leaned in closer to Lu Zheng, tracing circles on his chest, "I plan to inspect various places in the second half of the year, Lu Lang, you must accompany me then!"

"Sure, sure!" Lu Zheng agreed wholeheartedly.

As soon as he finished speaking, Lu Zheng noticed a change in Shen Ying’s expression.

"What’s up? Did another Incense and Candle God greet you?"

"No, it’s a message from Tao Zhen!" Shen Ying furrowed her brows slightly and stood up.

Theoretically speaking, the Eighteen Celestial Maidens wouldn’t communicate casually unless there’s an unexpected event.

After all, this kind of long-distance communication consumes a lot of Incense and Candle Qi, and those newly-gained Incense and Candle Gods would often communicate just once to greet, and then refrain from further contact.

Shen Ying stood up and waved her hand gently, conjuring a peach branch filled with dense incense aura.

Compared to Si Lingxi’s Phoenix Divine Fire, which can form images and even showcase the surroundings and the speaker’s authentic voice, Shen Ying’s long-distance communication tech, based on the old peach tree and Incense and Candle Qi, can only transmit through Divine Soul.

But it’s sufficient!

Lu Zheng stopped his move, looked at Shen Ying, and saw her furrow her brows and focus her gaze.

"What’s the matter?"

"Tao Zhen and the others discovered Demonic Qi on a ghost at a wild temple."

"Demonic Qi?" Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow.

Shen Ying nodded, "There’s a wild temple at Lianzhou Du Yan County’s Rotten Peach Mountain in Pingdong Dao. After the spread of ’Peach Blossoms’, some villagers nearby re-erected sculptures at this temple to worship the Peach Blossom Fairy.

When Tao Zhen and the others visited, they found out the temple wasn’t established by the Court. The Incense and Candle God inside was transformed from a raccoon cat, not only requiring villagers to sacrifice live animals each season but also a pit behind the temple where human bones were buried.

So they acted to subdue the demon, but unexpectedly the raccoon cat revealed its Demon Body and wielded magic. Although Tao Zhen and the others eventually killed it, as the incident involved a demon, they dared not delay, hence informed me."

"Is it the Heartless True Desire Demonic Qi?" Lu Zheng asked.

"Not sure, their cultivation isn’t sufficient to identify it." Shen Ying shook her head, "They’ve gone to consult with Du Yan County City God, but since it involves a demon, I instructed them to visit Lianzhou Anomaly Suppression Bureau too."

Lu Zheng rubbed his chin, "During the New Year, Huang Ruoxing mentioned dispatching someone to investigate Lianzhou and Yuezhou. Now it’s almost a month later, why are there still demons lurking in rural areas?"

Si Lingxi shook her head, "If demons were so easily uncovered, Great Jing would have been demon-free ages ago."

Lu Zheng turned to Si Lingxi, "Could the Demonic Qi Elder Song detected be from this wild god?"

"Definitely not." Si Lingxi shook her head, "A minor rural god couldn’t possibly integrate Demonic Qi into the Earth Vein, letting Song Kaichuan perceive it and mistakenly think it’s that old fiend or his disciple."

To cause such a misunderstanding for Song Kaichuan, the demon would have at least a millennium of Dao practice.

Lu Zheng pondered and said, "We’ve killed Black Heart Demon, Profound Heart Demon, Chaotic Heart Demon, and Lingxi eliminated those four imposters in Southern Border. According to Lingxi’s assessment, the remaining true disciples of the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor are likely no more than one or two."

Shen Ying said, "It’s likely as before, secretly inheriting the magic of the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor, which is why the Demonic Skill, Demon Treasure, and demons are scattered all over Great Jing."

Old Demonic Skills disappear and new ones emerge; as long as Upper Realm Celestial Demons exist, demons will never vanish from the world.

"Regardless if it’s a disciple of the Heartless True Desire Demon Ancestor." Lu Zheng frowned, "There’s still a Great Demon behind this demon, right?"

"It’s uncertain." Si Lingxi shook her head.

Perhaps it’s an accidental discovery of a Demonic Skill or Demon Treasure, perhaps some demon head emphasizes passing down skills, perhaps he himself was given a Celestial Demon dream...

"Will Tao Zhen and the others be in danger?" Shen Ying asked worriedly.

"Probably... not..." Lu Zheng thought, "The Observatory staff should still be there, Tao Zhen and the others went to inform Lianzhou Anomaly Suppression Bureau too, then they’ll head to the next place."

"However..." Lu Zheng chuckled, "If you’re worried, why don’t we travel to Lianzhou together?"

Shen Ying considered for a moment and shook her head, "No need, I’m not that worried. It’s just a minor rural god who practiced magic; if we rush over for such things, we won’t be able to do anything else later."

Back when Lu Zheng broke into Jiming Temple, accidentally meeting Rong Song being chased by a demon at Peach Blossom Plain, they didn’t see any major figures backed by these demons anytime, and besides, the Taohua Temple only housed a minor rural god incapable of even defeating Tao Zhen and others, how could there be a powerful Demon Dao protector behind it?

Seeing Shen Ying made a decision, Si Lingxi then nodded, "Put your mind at ease, delegate the tasks to your subordinates; if they can’t handle them, intervene when necessary. If they’re harmed, avenge them."

Shen Ying nodded gratefully, "Thank you, Sister Lingxi, for the advice."

Admittedly, Si Lingxi is indeed a competent leader; the vast power of Phoenix Mountain is managed without her micromanaging.

Of course, Shen Ying wouldn’t forget that the reason they met Si Lingxi was due to Si Lingxi’s palace attendant being killed by a Pig Demon, and they inadvertently avenged the attendant, leading to a more pleasant interaction at Wansong Daoist’s place.

There’s always a trade-off; it’s nothing more than that.

Hence, Shen Ying decided that once the Eighteen Celestial Maidens returned, she would have them enter seclusion again!