Chapter 98 - 87: She is the Empress?
After writing a detailed official report on the mission, Jiang Mu went to the Merits Office and redeemed a Star Official Seal.
This time, he chose the Earth Inspection Star.
It was a mid-tier star among the Seventy-two Earth Fiends, and its granted Divine Abilities were geared toward support.
It primarily enhanced visual acuity.
It was especially effective for seeing more clearly in dim or completely lightless environments.
The next time he saw Ling Ye at night, he wouldn’t mistake a fake watermelon for a real one.
As his colleagues watched with a mixture of awe, admiration, and envy, Jiang Mu walked out of the Demon-slaying Bureau’s main gate, feeling rather content.
Now, each of his two Demon Shadows held a Star Position.
Combined with his own primary Star Position, he was running a proper triple-core setup. His cultivation efficiency would skyrocket.
’Too bad Old Ran is so stingy, only letting me get one...’
Jiang Mu shook his head, slightly regretful. "Oh well. There will be other days. I’ll just have to slay more demons."
"Xiaojiang!"
Not long after he walked out of the Demon-slaying Bureau’s main gate, a cool, familiar voice stopped him.
Jiang Mu turned his head.
Not far away, standing gracefully by a green brick wall, was Ling Ye.
She was a stunning sight.
In the sunlight, she seemed to be glowing.
"Sister Ling."
Jiang Mu smiled and walked over to her.
Ling Ye’s gaze fell upon him. She looked him up and down before saying coolly, "Don’t be so reckless from now on. You only have one life. Once you squander it, it’s gone for good. Understand?"
"Mhm. You’re right, Sister Ling. I’ll keep that in mind."
Jiang Mu nodded.
But inwardly, he added, ’Actually, I have two lives.’
Ling Ye’s voice softened a bit. "Come on. There’s something I want to talk to you about. I’ll treat you to a nice meal while we’re at it."
"It’s not more watermelon, is it?"
"..."
The moment he mentioned the word "watermelon," a blush crept up Ling Ye’s cheeks beneath her veil, and her ears grew warm.
She was clearly remembering the last time the two of them had eaten watermelon.
"No!"
she said through gritted teeth.
Jiang Mu said regretfully, "That’s a shame. I rather enjoy it."
She had a feeling he was deliberately trying to steer the conversation. After shooting Jiang Mu a fierce glare, she said, "I’ll treat you next time."
Jiang Mu chuckled.
"Great. But I need to go home, change my clothes, and take a shower first. Slaying demons left me covered in a foul stench. It’s overpowering."
After a moment’s thought, he made a suggestion.
"Sister Ling, why don’t you come over to my place? I’ll treat you to dinner. It’ll be a great chance for you to try my cook’s food."
’Go to a single man’s house?’
Ling Ye hesitated, her fine brows furrowing. "Would that be... appropriate?"
"What’s inappropriate about it? There are no strangers at my house."
Without waiting for her to agree, Jiang Mu nonchalantly turned and started walking.
Ling Ye watched his retreating back, hesitated for a moment, and finally, with graceful steps, followed him.
On the way, because Jiang Mu was such a popular figure, many women who passed by cast flirtatious glances his way.
Some were even bold enough to give him embroidered handkerchiefs and scented sachets with love poems on them.
Ling Ye watched this flock of giggling admirers and was left speechless.
For some reason, she felt a tiny pang of annoyance.
’Yes, just a tiny pang.’
So, she reached up, removed her veil, and deliberately quickened her pace to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with Jiang Mu, closing the distance between them.
Faced with the overwhelming combination of Ling Ye’s stunning looks and killer figure, the women who had been eager to make a move were instantly put to shame.
No one else dared to approach and bother him.
Jiang Mu immediately found his surroundings much more peaceful.
He glanced at Ling Ye. Seeing her calm expression, he just smiled and said nothing.
...
She followed Jiang Mu to the small courtyard where he lived.
As soon as she stepped into the courtyard, Ling Ye’s gaze was immediately captured by Yuan Ahqing, who was on a sandy patch, practicing on a training post with shouts of exertion.
’This girl...’
Ling Ye’s eyes lit up. ’She has such spiritual potential.’
With her level of perception, she could tell at a glance that the little girl had an excellent constitution and was a rare talent for cultivation.
"Ah Qing, come here!" Jiang Mu beckoned.
"Master!"
Yuan Ahqing scampered over, her small face beaded with sweat and flushed like an apple.
"Quick, go heat up some water. I’m going to take a bath. Oh, right, let me introduce you. This is Sister Ling."
Jiang Mu pointed to Ling Ye beside him, then said to her, "Her name is Ah Qing."
"Hello, Sister Ling."
Yuan Ahqing looked at Ling Ye with curiosity.
It was her first time seeing a woman so beautiful and with such a unique presence. Especially...
She stole a glance at the woman’s astonishing chest, and her little face turned even redder.
"Hello, Ah Qing."
Ling Ye gave a slight nod, her voice softening.
After Yuan Ahqing ran off to the kitchen to heat the water, Ling Ye asked curiously, "Is that girl your servant?"
Jiang Mu grunted in affirmation. "I bought her for ten taels of silver."
Ling Ye’s expression turned peculiar.
’Ten taels of silver for a young genius?’
’This guy’s luck is just too good, isn’t it?’
She was worried Jiang Mu would treat Yuan Ahqing as just an ordinary servant, hindering her cultivation.
She couldn’t help but advise him, "Don’t let her talent go to waste."
Jiang Mu’s eyes widened, his expression one of hurt. "Sister Ling, do I look like that kind of beast to you?"
Ling Ye froze, then realized the ambiguity in her words. A faint blush colored her cheeks, but just as she was about to explain, a graceful figure emerged from the kitchen doorway in her peripheral vision.
In the next instant, a jolt went through Ling Ye’s body, and her pupils contracted.
’The Empress!?’
Ling Ye was one of the few people fortunate enough to have seen the Empress of Great Qing in person.
The grace and bearing of that woman, a model for the entire empire, were truly peerless.
Seeing her just once was an unforgettable experience.
Her innate nobility and grace, like the bright moon in the highest heavens or a vibrant phoenix perched on a wutong tree, was something one could only admire from afar, inspiring not a single profane thought.