Demoness, where are you Fleeing to?

Li Xuan thought he was going to be severely reprimanded by Li Chengji this time, but to his surprise, Li Chengji stood up and walked to the bookshelf. He fiddled with a penholder, and the bookshelf creaked open, revealing a small door. He went inside for a short while and came out carrying two boxes.

Li Xuan was puzzled, not knowing what was going on. Li Yan, however, looked resigned: "Father, you're not serious, are you?"

"Your brother's life is in danger, how can we be careless?"

Li Chengji gave his eldest son a stern look, then opened the two boxes one by one: "This first box contains a demonic patterned armor, called 'Kuiniu Luminous Armor'. It's capable of withstanding three attacks from an individual at the eighth house level without harm. The second box contains a 'Nayuan Bead'. Your cultivation may not be able to handle the consumption of the Kuiniu Luminous Armor, so you can store Zhenyuan in the Nayuan Bead in advance and use it when facing the enemy."

Li Xuan couldn't help but gulp: "It's all for me?"

Li Chengji looked stern: "These are meant to protect your life. After I was dismissed, it's inevitable that some petty individuals would target my family. If they can't harm me and your elder brother, they will aim for you. Remember, if something happens, you must not hesitate at all. Run straight to the yamen, military camp or Earl's mansion."

Li Xuan was both worried and happy. He was worried about the 'petty individuals' Li Chengji mentioned, for if Li Chengji took them so seriously, they must be grave threats. His happiness came from the fact that anyone could tell the Kuiniu Luminous Armor was extraordinary at first glance.

As he reached out to take the two boxes, he was stopped by Li Chengji: "There is a condition! Starting from today, you must practice the 'Frozen Blade' and the 'Cold Breath Fierce Palm' five times before you are allowed to leave the house."

Li Xuan frowned slightly: "Five times? Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Actually, he was more than willing. Since his arrival in this world, he had been diligently training the unique martial arts of the Earl Chengyi's family. But Li Xuan was worried that if the original personality changed too quickly, it would lead to suspicion.

However, this incident was a good opportunity to give him a chance to turn back and reform.

"I am not negotiating with you!" Li Chengji spoke with a stern face: "In addition to these two family martial arts, your 'Hunyuan Celestial Scripture' needs to reach the third house level within three months! If you can't achieve this, I will break your legs and confine you to the estate for life. Rather than enduring the pain of losing a son in my old age, I would rather be tough and keep you confined at home."

His urgent and harsh voice left Li Xuan stunned, taken aback by Li Chengji's intensity.

Thinking he was frightened, Li Chengji softened his tone and said earnestly, "Xuan, our Earl Chengyi's family may have some influence in the court, and we are rich and powerful. But for those wandering experts, our so-called wealth and power may not be taken into account. Moreover, we are burdened with troubles now, and who knows how many people in Nanjing City are plotting against our family. This, Xuan, is your foundation for survival in any unforeseeable circumstances."

"Ah, alright, I agree! You're so annoying, old man!" Li Xuan decided to play along, holding the two brocade boxes tightly in his arms: "I will practice the sword techniques and palm strikes, but I can't guarantee that I will be able to advance the 'Hunyuan Celestial Scripture' into the third house level within three months. I can only promise to try my best."

Li Chengji paused for a moment after hearing this: "Wait, why did you agree so quickly today?"

He glanced at Li Xuan suspiciously, and then snorted: "I will supervise you personally tomorrow morning. Don't think about being lazy or trying to trick me!"

※※※※

The first thing Li Xuan did after leaving the study was to put on the 'Kuiniu Luminous Armor'. This was a leather chest armor covering only the upper body, but it was capable of providing full-body protection without hindering mobility.

Li Xuan was determined not to take off this protective treasure unless he was bathing or sleeping. Such a bodyguard should never leave his body for a moment.

After that, Li Xuan followed Li Chengji's instructions and went to the ancestral hall to kneel as punishment for two hours. Then, he went to pay his respect to his mother, Mrs. Liu, the Lady of Earl Chengyi's mansion.

Ever since arriving in this world, Mrs. Liu was the person he had interacted with the most. The original Li Xuan was exceptionally filial and respectful to Mrs. Liu, never missing his daily greetings when he was at the mansion.

However, today, Li Xuan found his birth mother, Lady Liu of Earl Chengyi, in a small Buddhist hall near their home temple. She was sitting before the Buddha, chanting scriptures and earnestly hitting the wooden fish.

Li Xuan looked up at the Buddha statue and realized it had been cleaned and polished in the past few days, even refurbished with gold paint. Gone were the cobwebs and dust, and it was so dazzlingly gilded that it could blind a person.

To this, Li Xuan expressed his surprise, "Mother, are you trying to make up for lost time in devotion? I recall you rarely visited this hall in a year. Do you really believe chanting and worshipping now is beneficial? And, the scripture you chanted just now seemed incorrect."

"How dare you utter such words before the Buddha?"

A flash of anger passed over Mrs. Liu's face, but a hint of uneasiness seeped into her words, "The abbot of Baoen Temple said that the sea of suffering is boundless, yet salvation lies within reach. As long as I am sincere and devout, Buddha will never abandon me."

Li Xuan's lip twitched, "Mother, did you donate a considerable amount of money to him this time?"

"Five hundred teals of patterned silver." There was a gleam in Mrs. Liu's eyes, "I also intend to cast a golden statue for the Pure Lapis Lazuli Bodhisattva at Baoen Temple. The abbot praised me as a generous benefactor and assured me that I will become a Bodhisattva if I devote myself to Buddhism."

Perhaps it was due to the lingering emotions of his past life; Li Xuan felt a pang of heartache. Five hundred teals of patterned silver were enough to sustain rampant debauchery in the best brothel along the Qinhuai River for half a month.

At the same time, he realized that his mother, an unparalleled beauty that might surpass the legendary beauties Xishi and Diaochan, ended up marrying his father for a reason.

Mrs. Liu was truly incredibly beautiful. Middle-aged, she showed no signs of age. Her face was as youthful as cherry blossoms and her skin as tender as soft fat. Her beauty could rival that of a forty-year-old superstar named Gao in his previous life.

"Let me see, haven't you donated around 10,000 teals of silver to Baoen Temple, mother? In this case, it's far from sudden passion in devotion; it's more like an everyday practice. You have kept Buddha in your heart, and your devotion is unmatched. There's a saying in Buddhism 'The Buddha sits in the heart, don't look for him on Ling Mountain.' I believe the Amitabha Buddha will surely bless our family."

"Yes! Exactly!"

Mrs. Liu nodded enthusiastically, before looking at Li Xuan concernedly, "I heard that you got into a fight today, were you hurt?"

"Didn't Father tell you?" Li Xuan shook his robe, indicating that he was unharmed, "See, I'm perfectly fine."

"As long as you're well. Your father did say you were fine, but I didn't feel reassured until I saw you myself."

Relieved, Mrs. Liu then furrowed her brows, "Are you aware of what's going on with your father? He said that there may be some tumult both inside and outside the mansion in the future, and that some villains are targeting you. What should we do? Why not resign from your current position and just stay home for a while? We can send out for anything you need."

Li Xuan inwardly admired how fierce his father was. He was simply encouraging Li Xuan to practice martial arts, but his mother grounded him directly. He chuckled, "Mother, that's not right. If I quit my job as a demon hunter, how will I afford to live? I can't always rely on the Earl's mansion, can I?"

He actually wouldn't mind being a spoiled official's child himself, but the current situation seemed to not allow for that.

"Why not?"

Mrs. Liu's voice rings assertively, "Can't this enormous manor accommodate and feed my son? Don't worry, Xuan, I am currently planning something. If it succeeds, you'll enjoy a future of wealth and glory. Even if it fails, there's still my dowry, which is meant for you in the end."