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A bit interesting indeed...

Princess Royale couldn’t help the surprise on her face.

She wasn’t shocked that Minister Pang had been replaced; in fact, she had guessed as much when she realized Lumings was in Jiangnan.

That worthless fellow must have sought help from his wife.

And if his wife wanted to help Lumings seize control, replacing Minister Pang was the only way.

What surprised her was that Chen Qing had forced the other to reveal their true form in public.

For many years, this was the first time she had seen the true appearance of that member of the Lu Family, after all.

As the leader of a Southern Clan, Lumings taking a demon as a wife was improper, yet no one had proof.

Even though many knew that Madam Lu came from Earth Dragon Cave, for many years, no one had been able to prove it publicly.

"How audacious!" Chen Qing was the first to show a face of shock and anger, "Which demon dares to impersonate an official of the Imperial Court? Die!"

Although only a few steps away, Chen Qing’s speed startled everyone. It seemed he had leaped through time itself, reaching the monster with snake-scaled face almost instantly, grasping towards it with his bare hands!

His speed was not only fast but the momentum he displayed was extraordinary.

The descendants of the noble families below felt that Chen Qing’s delicate and fair hand was like a Buddha’s giant palm capable of splitting mountains.

With one slap, it was only natural for half of the building to be gone.

Duke of Wei and a few others were stunned.

This Chen Qing... is actually a martial artist?

Before coming here, he had looked at a lot of information about Chen Qing, always assuming that the guy was a direct descendant from a hidden Sorcerer Family with strength beyond his apparent age and possibly a Super First Rank magician’s power.

However, he had never imagined that the guy was actually a martial artist?

Moreover, judging by the speed and momentum of his move, he was almost on the same level as himself, a Super First Rank Warrior!!

Duke of Wei hadn’t expected this, nor had Madam Lu, who almost instinctively wanted to hide inside a bottle when faced with such an overwhelming slap.

But in a split second, she remembered the terrifying cold that emanated from her stomach after opening the space earlier!

Although she didn’t know why, it seemed... the Flying Star Bottle was temporarily off-limits...

In a duel between masters, being distracted is most deadly. Hesitation made it difficult for her to dodge in time. She could only try to fend off the blow, and as one might expect, she was directly slapped away!

It looked quite awkward as she was flung out of the half-collapsed tavern.

This confirmed that the force of the slap was no illusion.

"Impressive skills, Lord Chen!" Duke of Wei squinted his eyes. He never would have imagined that Chen Qing not only possessed those magical techniques, but also had the skills of a Super First Rank Warrior. How had such a monster remained unknown until now?

Elder Shen also examined Chen Qing’s silhouette in detail.

Is his individual ability that strong as well?

He really is a troublesome enemy.

But only Princess Royale felt something odd. Chen Qing being able to publicly expose that monster from the Lu Family meant he should have some understanding of it. With that in mind, why would he choose that kind of approach?

To everyone else, Chen Qing seemed to have the upper hand, but in her eyes, that wasn’t so.

Madam Lu hesitating in the crux of combat was a big taboo for martial artists.

Such an opportunity should have been used to lock the opponent down.

Wasn’t slapping her away just giving her a chance to escape?

The slap might have looked terrifying, but Madam Lu was also a top-tier martial artist. Though her defense was rushed, her exquisite technique had dissipated most of Chen Qing’s force. Now propelled by Chen Qing’s blow, with her speed, it would be troublesome to catch her again.

And according to Princess Royale’s experience, being targeted by that woman was no good thing. Many powerful families had confirmed that this rule-breaking woman could drive one to madness!

"Everyone..." Chen Qing didn’t seem hurried at all.

After sending the monster flying, with everyone looking on in surprise, he calmly stood with his hands behind his back, "Although I don’t understand the situation that allowed such a demon to replace an Imperial Court official, as the host, I must give the Imperial Court an explanation! "

After speaking, he walked towards the direction where the monster had been flung, leaving a dashing silhouette for the onlookers.

"Can you still eat?" Princess Royale asked with a beaming smile.

Duke of Wei took a glance at the boiling hot pot, scooped up two thick slices of meat, and chewed vigorously before downing a beautifully-presented fruit wine in one gulp.

Then, slapping the table, he said, "Let’s go, rare opportunity, of course we need to see the skills of our Prefectural Governor! "

Elder Shen nodded subtly, glancing at the hot pot. Unlike Duke of Wei’s bold approach, he carefully picked up his cup of wine and followed behind.

"Your Highness, shall we go together?" Fifth Elder Shen asked.

"Go ahead..." Princess Royale said with a smile, "I’m curious too, whether he is brainless or has a well-thought-out plan!"

--------------------------------

"Damn it, how could this happen?"

As Princess Royale predicted, although Madam Lu’s defense was hasty, her years of combat experience allowed her to quickly judge the situation.

Since the Flying Star Bottle was temporarily unusable, she used Chen Qing’s slap to distance herself.

As an assassin, fleeing far away after a failed strike was routine.

As long as she got away this time and found out what was wrong with the Flying Star Bottle, she would naturally return for vengeance.

She had the patience. The bigger the power, the easier it was for an unscrupulous assassin like her to target them!

But she had never imagined that she would find herself in such a state after fleeing the tavern!

Having run less than a hundred yards, the cold throughout her body nearly blocked her meridians completely.

Being serpent-like, the rampaging cold within greatly harmed her, and she needed to force it out quickly, or else, if she were caught, she feared she wouldn’t even be able to exert a tenth of her usual strength!

What to do? What to do?

Lumings could save her. If she could just make it to his house, his vitality would instantly help her expel the cold from her body. Then, even if they were surrounded, the two of them together might at least have a fighting chance!

With that thought, she didn’t hesitate to change direction, exerting her last bit of energy toward where Lumings was.

Disregarding the cold piercing into her flesh, Madam Lu burst forth, her blood surging as she raced towards the tavern a thousand feet away in just a few breaths, and without hesitation, she plunged inside.

But upon entering the building, the expected warmth did not come; instead, bone-chilling cold assaulted her face!!

Who else was in the tavern?

The frigid cold inside was many times more exaggerated than outdoors, as if she had plunged into the icy depths of the Arctic Land.....

"Lumings? Lumings?"

Madam Lu looked around anxiously, her heart’s chill surpassing even the cold her body endured.

It hardly took any thought for her to realize that all this was a trap designed by the enemy!

The enemy had long guessed her identity, and the unease she felt when leaving her home was not an illusion; this climate of snow and ice was laid out specifically for her.

Revealing her identity earlier and attacking her was not due to a lapse in the enemy’s judgment, but rather a deliberate move to let her escape, to force her into the clutches of this cold.

In the morning, they purposefully sent soldiers to say that the room was inscribed with runes, impermeable to snow, but in reality, inside this cramped room, the capacity for designed freezing power was far greater!

Why hadn’t she thought of this?

She shouldn’t have come back looking for Lumings; she should have rushed into any common inn, used it as a shelter from the snow, and forced out the cold from within herself; then there might have been a sliver of a chance for survival!

How truly foolish!

Now that she was driven here, the exterior was likely surrounded, and she had no choice but to take a risk!

A vicious distortion flashed across Madam Lu’s face, covered in snake scales, as a strange mark on her abdomen lit up. Right then, her entire body began to blur and twist. If Chen Qing had been there, he would recognize at once that she was about to use the Flying Star Bottle.

Even though Chen Qing might have laid out his design in the Flying Star Bottle, Madam Lu had no choice but to try and make a desperate gamble!

But just as her body was twisting and on the verge of being sucked into the Flying Star Bottle, a chilling force of laws abruptly sealed the surroundings.

The next second, an enormous arm appeared beneath Madam Lu, grabbing her twisted form just before it vanished, and crushed the lower half of her body to a pulp in an instant!

Foul-smelling blood and flesh oozed out from the giant palm. Madam Lu’s face twisted in agony as she spat out a mouthful of purple blood, revealing a look of utter despair.

"Ghost King Arm... Shen Yiyun?"

From the shadows, a figure slowly emerged. Clad in black, Shen Yiyun walked up to Madam Lu and said, "Greetings to Madam Lu....."

"The reports... didn’t they say you were dead?"

"Hmm... I suppose my current state doesn’t exactly constitute being alive," said Shen Yiyun, smiling gently.

"Has your Shen Family really sided with Chen Qing?"

"One could say that," sighed Shen Yiyun with resignation. "Old San and the Fourth are hopeless cases, too pleased with themselves for securing a minor position in the netherworld administration. I couldn’t help it. With my brothers like this, it wouldn’t be right for me to stir trouble, so I had to grudgingly make do. "

"A position in the netherworld administration? What’s that?"

"You’ll find out soon enough."

"Where’s Chen Qing?" Madam Lu spat out with venom. "I want to see him!"

"He’s not available to meet you now," said Shen Yiyun impassively. "His goal in establishing his authority was Lumings from the very beginning. You are just an addition, just an addition. Do you think you’re important enough for him to meet you several times?"

"Is that so?" Madam Lu sneered maliciously. "Don’t be too pleased with yourself. I also have the Reincarnation Seal... So what if you kill me? If you harm Lumings the slightest bit, I swear, I will take care of your Shen Family and the descendants of Chen Qing, one by one, when I return. Then, I’ll turn both of you into Man-Eating Flowers and personally devour you, your wives, and your children bit by bit! "

"That does sound quite creepy," Shen Yiyun remarked, unfazed by her words. "They say the Lady of the Lu Family is malicious, and it seems they are right. Alas, in the land of Jiangnan, it’s not up to you to decide your reincarnation."

Without waiting for her to respond, he activated the Ghost King Arm and crushed Madam Lu into mincemeat!

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"Chen Qing, Shen Yiyun, you wait...."

In the darkness, Madam Lu opened her eyes; the horrific memories still caused her unimaginable pain. She etched these humiliating memories into her mind, against forgetting. She vowed to seek a hundredfold, a thousandfold retribution!

Wait a minute.....

Suddenly, Madam Lu realized something was amiss as she looked around in shock.

How come... this is different from the Reincarnation she remembered?

Why... has she not arrived at the Path of Yin and Yang?

"Look...." a sinister voice emerged from behind her. "What did I tell you? Reincarnating isn’t that easy, right?"

Madam Lu: "...."