**Chapter 11: Qinglin County, the Millennium Tree Spirit Bridging the Worlds** - Ah? The Wives I Abandoned Turned Out to Be Real

**Chapter 11: Qinglin County, the Millennium Tree Spirit Bridging the Worlds** Gazing at the recurring "Demon Path" choices, Su Mo had no intention of opting for them. If choosing those would lead to eternal life. What was the point of continuing this existence? Without delay, Su Mo opted for the second choice. "You chose to indulge in pleasure, albeit moderately. Bai Suzhen sensed something amiss and began advising you to moderate your indulgence." "In addition to studying, you toiled like a tireless ox, to the point where even Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing found it difficult to keep up." "Three years went by." "You succeeded in passing the imperial examination, becoming a ‘Juren’. Upon this achievement, Fahai personally congratulated you." "However, he discovered that your Arhat Golden Body was riddled with cracks; continuing this way might shatter it." "Fahai began to admonish you." “Yuan, with a life filled with lustful thoughts, all other thoughts will arise.” “A remarkable man must cut off his desires; fail to do so, and you risk falling into the indulgent web of demons.” “The Arhat status is hard-won.” “To attain it requires righteous mind and thoughts, diligent cultivation, and widespread benevolence; even then, it takes countless lifetimes to join the multitude of monks in the Pure Land.” “After waiting millions of years, perhaps you might have a chance to become an Arhat.” “You are the reincarnation of an Arhat. If you let desire run its course, your future will only lead to ruin, augmenting sins, unable to achieve Arhat status again.” "Upon hearing Fahai's words, you dismissed them, seeing them as nightmarish warnings. What does an old monk understand of the joys of worldly love?" "At this point, what do you choose?" **Choice One:** Embrace the philosophy that form is emptiness and emptiness is form, heeding Fahai’s advice, patch the gaps, focus on cultivation, and ascend to the Pure Land early. **Choice Two:** Partially accept the advice, reducing your indulgence from nine times a day to three. **Choice Three:** Continue indulging in desires with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing until your Arhat Golden Body shatters, then sacrifice it to fall into the Demon Path. Observing these options, Su Mo decisively chose the second one. Currently, he could simulate for some more time and ease into it. "You chose to partially heed Fahai's advice, reducing your frequency with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing." "On the ninth day after passing the ‘Juren’ examination, your father, Su Donglai, secured a position for you as a magistrate in Qinglin County under Wenzhou Prefecture, albeit just a low-ranking official overseeing a single county." "However, upon learning of your appointment to Qinglin County, Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing expressed concern." "Bai Suzhen informed you that a millennium-old tree spirit resides in Qinglin County, deeply rooted with ties between the worlds of yin and yang. It runs an inn at the nexus, attracting countless demons, ghosts, and even local gods and spirits." "If you proceed there, your Arhat Golden Body will definitely be coveted." "Who knows what complications might arise." "What do you choose upon hearing Bai Suzhen's warning?" **Choice One:** Assure Bai Suzhen that you've long wanted to encounter these wild spirits, and if anyone dares to scheme against you, you'll uproot that millennium tree spirit, and then head to Qinglin County with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing. **Choice Two:** For your safety, go to Jinshan Temple and seek a golden bowl from Fahai. **Choice Three:** Proceed to Qinglin County, absorb all the vital energy of demons and ghosts, and fall into the Demon Path. Confronted with the repeated options leading to the Demon Path, Su Mo felt irritated. Oh dear. With less than half an hour, he could simulate only three to four years more at most. After falling into the Demon Path. It would become endless. Seeking a golden bowl from Fahai was also not appealing to Su Mo. Given how much he had taken advantage of Fahai in the simulation, asking for the golden bowl seemed shameless. Moreover, if he died, so be it. He needed to wrap up this simulation quickly before it interfered with his livelihood. Thus, Su Mo directly chose the first option. "You decided to go to Qinglin County with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing. Xiaoqing was delighted, as she had several friends from the demon clan there and would find it convenient to live." "Moreover, if you encountered complex cases, you could rely on her demon friends for help." "The journey was long, and after half a month, you reached Qinglin County with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing." "Yet, on your first day in office, you noticed an oddity with the officials — everyone seemed perpetually lethargic, with drooping eyes as though their essence had been drained." "Inquiring with the assistant county magistrate about the perpetual fatigue, you were informed that a new brothel had opened recently in Qinglin County, boasting beautiful women and affordability." "In Song Dynasty, officials visiting brothels wasn't prohibited. You found the emergence of this brothel strange — why it chose a small county like Qinglin instead of the lucrative Hangzhou." "Upon returning home, you shared this peculiar incident with Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen." "Xiaoqing, intrigued, suggested visiting the brothel to uncover why so many beautiful women had suddenly appeared in such a small town — something was off." "You were amenable to Xiaoqing’s suggestion, and the three of you set off together." "Xiaoqing and Bai Suzhen disguised themselves as men, accompanying you to the brothel." "Near the edge, a strong ghastly aura emanated from inside the brothel, and sensing this, you immediately felt that something was wrong." "Xiaoqing then pulled you and Bai Suzhen aside, proposing to take you to a place." "The location was called the ‘Ash Smoke Pavilion’." "It was the largest intelligence organization in Qinglin County, bridging the yin and yang worlds." "The pavilion was established by a ‘Grey Immortal’ named Dou Qianli from the Qing dynasty, who, having been split apart by tribulation, could only remain in a half-human, half-rat form." "Xiaoqing intended to gather intelligence on the brothel from Dou Qianli." "Upon learning you were Qinglin County’s new magistrate, Dou Qianli graciously offered the information free of charge." "However, upon hearing that you sought knowledge about the brothel, Dou Qianli fell silent for a long time." "In the end, he uttered just one sentence." “This matter requires a bushel of aged glutinous rice.” "Subsequently, you learned of the brothel’s background; it was a creation of a millennium-old tree spirit amidst its two-thousand-five-hundred-year tribulation, seeking to absorb human essence to withstand a heavenly trial." "Being under the netherworld’s vigilance, it couldn’t act openly and adopted such a strategy." "The women in the brothel were lone souls and wild ghosts seized from the underworld, each beautiful as a flower, and ruthless in draining men’s essence, causing them to lose at least a year of their lifespan per visit." "Facing such an intriguing dilemma right upon assuming office." "What do you choose?" **Choice One:** Feeling intrigued by such a ghostly brothel, return with Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing to enjoy the performances. **Choice Two:** Ignore the situation and allow events to unfold naturally. **Choice Three:** Eradicate the millennium tree spirit and restore peace to Qinglin County. (End of Chapter)