Lu Jinfeng’s greatest love in life was the sword at his waist, and he very much admired those heroes with great talent and ambition.

Listening to this poem now, he seemed to see the many heroes of the co-called “Three Kingdoms” before his eyes, and his blood boiled with excitement.

Chu Jiubian felt that burning gaze upon him, but paid it no mind. Instead, he turned his head toward Bai Gongjin beside him and unhurriedly recited the next lines of poetry: “Thinking back to Gongjin in his prime, newly married to Xiao Qiao, he radiated heroism and vitality. With a feather fan and silk headscarf, he was effortlessly calm as the enemy’s ships and towers were reduced to ashes.”

Zhou Gongjin was not a Confucian scholar driven by power and wealth, who only knew how to write poetry.

His talents extended far beyond literary and military prowess; his battlefields were not political intrigue and power struggles, but in the distant Three Kingdoms period where heroes vied for supremacy.

Bai Gongjin’s eyes were blank, and his hands were trembling slightly.

At that moment, he felt a sense of not being able to measure up. How could he be worthy of being called “Gongjin?”

Good!

Inside a second floor private box, Lu Jinfeng slammed his palm heavily against the railing, nearly breaking it.

What a perfect description of annihilating the enemy while being completely unaffected!

Zhou Gongjin was brilliant!

If it were possible, he would love to have a proper sparring match with him.

Chu Jiubian’s gaze swept over Lu Jinfeng, whose face was flushed with excitement, then to Xiao Yao, whose gaze was deep and dark. The faces of the civil and military officials were filled with shock, and their female relatives clutched their handkerchiefs as they tried to suppress their excitement. Finally, his gaze fell on the grim-faced Wang Huanzhi.

The look in this person’s eyes was the most unpleasant.

Chu Jiubian looked at him as he recited the last two lines: “My thoughts wander to my homeland, my sentimentality and prematurely gray hair a cause for amusement. Life is like a dream; I offer a cup of wine to the moon over the river.”

These lines elevated the imagery of the entire poem, and the magnanimous emotions it expressed, to a higher level.

They also drew everyone’s attention away from the heroic Zhou Yu and back to Su Shi.

Life is like a dream; the past is gone, so let’s raise a cup of wine to the moon and live life to its fullest.

The God of Poetry.

Was this his work?

Such broad-mindedness, such wide horizons…..it evoked the same sense of comfort and exhilaration as the line “There will be a time to ride the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean.”

“God of Poetry. Poet Immortal,” Deputy Minister of Justice Zhen Fu murmured to himself where he was seated near the front on the first floor. “No wonder they were able to become a god and immortal. Their magnanimity is beyond the reach of us mortals.”

The crowd was still reeling in shock.

Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang, who both considered themselves to be of high moral character, also remained silent for some time, their hearts filled with lingering emotion.

Since he had already started, he might as well go even bigger.

Chu Jiubian looked at Bai Gongjin again and said: “Your poem was certainly excellent, but the first line, ‘a swift horse gallops through the clouds,’ reminds me of a line from the poet Li Bai: ‘A silver saddle gleams on a white horse, swift as a shooting star.’”

To everyone’s utter surprise, Chu Jiubian continued to recite more poetry, and the amount information revealed in that short line was incredibly large.

Everyone had previously thought that Li Bai was exceptional for the fact that he had written one truly outstanding poem, but now Chu Jiubian had casually recited another line. Although they didn’t fully understand its meaning, they could tell at a glance that the poem must be quite extraordinary.

However, Chu Jiubian was not finished with his recitation.

“And your line, ‘Gains and losses follow the gull birds, one’s conduct determined by a goblet of wine,’ contains a similar sentiment to a poem written by the God of Poetry.”

Bai Gongjin’s entire person was like a block of wood: “What poem?”

“We are but mayflies in the vastness of the universe, mere grains of millet in the boundless ocean. I lament the brevity of life, and envy the endless flow of the Yangtze River.”

The entire building was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Under all of those nearly tangible gazes, Chu Jiubian maintained a mild tone: “To travel with immortals and wander freely, to embrace the bright moon and live for eternity; those things that cannot be easily attained, I entrust their lingering echoes to the mournful wind.”

Another masterpiece.

Those present were at a loss for words, and were unable to recover for some time.

It wasn’t until Chu Jiubian stepped down from the stage and headed toward the second floor that someone finally let out a sigh.

In an instant, a racket erupted.

Bai Gongin stood there blankly, his mind swimming with the lines he had just heard.

Every word and sentence seemed like a giant standing in front of him, clearly conveying: Kid, you’re still young. Don’t get cocky.

Perhaps he had overdone it, because as Chu Jiubian ascended to the second floor, not a single person dared to approach him and strike up a conversation.

Even after he reached the second floor, none of those powerful and influential people came to seek him out – not even the two family heads.

He didn’t know if they hadn’t processed things yet, or if they had other plans.

Chu Jiubian was leaning more toward the latter.

Those powerful figures had weathered more storms than anyone else, and it was unlikely that they would be stunned by his few lines of poetry. It was more likely that they were overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information conveyed by his words.

From Qin Xiao’s words, Chu Jiubian had already discerned the attitudes the major powers in the capital held toward him.

These people didn’t believe he was a god. They simply felt that there was some mysterious force behind him.

And as for Li Bai and Li Qingzhao, whom he had mentioned early on, they were categorized as his backers.

Since this was the case, Chu Jiubian wanted to solidify such an identity, so that even if these people didn’t believe he was a god, they wouldn’t dare attack him casually for fear of the force behind him.

However, having only two poets as backers wouldn’t be enough, so he took the opportunity today to bring out some new figures.

For example, the God of Poetry Su Shi, the brilliant strategist Zhou Yu, and many other heroes who, although not named, “truly existed.”

The power of imagination was immense.

With just a little guidance, Chu Jiubian had them all filling in the rest of the story for him.

And as a result, the benefits that those powerful figures had previously prepared to recruit Chu Jiubian were no longer sufficient, which was why none of them sought him out.

Chu Jiubian glanced at the System interface and couldn’t stop the upward tilt of his lips.

What a great harvest!

He had not only made those skeptical elites wary of him, but also made them reevaluate their standards for recruiting him. And he had also convinced the easily swayed of his status as a “god,” and earned a large amount of Faith Points from them.

His accumulated points now exceeded two hundred, and were about to break three hundred.

He was now able to summon another Believer!

The astonishment and shock he had brought to everyone was so great that it was clear that the auction could no longer go on.

Most of the people in the building would presumably leave soon, but many of them definitely wouldn’t be able to sleep.

Chu Jiubian’s mind was entirely focused on his new Believer, and he didn’t want to waste time here.

But Qin Chaoyang had yet to return, so he could only wait for the time being.

Qin Xiao would be coming as well.

Even if Qin Chaoyang couldn’t return for a while, when Chu Jiubian glanced at the time, he found that only half of the hour Qin Xiao had given him had passed.

It seemed he would have to wait another half hour for Qin Xiao to arrive.

Walking to the door of the private box, Chu Jiubian was just about to push it open when he realized that it wasn’t shut properly.

He paused for two breaths. Since none of the guards came to stop him, the private box must be safe.

With a guess in mind, he no longer hesitated, and pushed open the door.

Chu Jiubian’s gaze fell upon the room as the door creaked open.

There Qin Xiao was, dressed in black and leaning against the railing. The flickering light of the oil lamp behind him cast hazy shadows across his figure, softening the sharp features of his face.

“You’re back?” Qin Xiao asked with a smile.

It really was him.

Chu Jiubian entered the private box and closed the door behind him.

Rather than stopping at the two seats by the railing, Qin Xiao walked to the round table in the center of the room and poured two cups of tea.

“You must be thirsty after talking so much,” he said.

Chu Jiubian went over to him.

The moment he reached out to take a teacup, a mechanical voice sounded in his head: [This is Longjing tea, free of poison or drugs. Please drink it with confidence. (One Faith Point has been automatically deducted.)]

Chu Jiubian: “…..”

I know it’s not poisoned!

Damnit, was there no way to turn off this semi-intelligent System’s automatic billing?!

Seeing the strange look on his face, Qin Xiao sipped his tea with a smile, saying, “Don’t worry. It’s free of drugs.”

I already said I know it’s not poisoned!

Chu Jiubian sat down on a round stool beside the table and downed the small cup of tea.

Qin Xiao was taken aback, and poured him another cup: “You’re this thirsty?”

“Why has My Lord arrived at this hour?” Chu Jiubian asked instead of answering.

They had agreed on an hour, but he’d shown up after only half an hour.

Lord Ning-wang really had no credibility whatsoever.

“I couldn’t rest easy, ah.” Qin Xiao sat down nearby and sighed with seemingly genuine emotion. “I’m truly worried that this ‘love tribulation’ of mine won’t be able to keep the young master by my side.”

Chu Jiubian chuckled softly: “So the dignified Lord Ning-wang condescended to be my bodyguard for half an hour?”

From the very beginning, Qin Xiao had remained hidden in the shadows while following Chu Jiubian at all times.

When Chu Jiubian asked Qin Chaoyang to chase after those two girls, the reason the other party had obeyed him and left was likely not due to the strength of the secret guards left behind, but because the one keeping an eye on Chu Jiubian was Qin Xiao himself.

Qin Chaoyang had left so decisively only after obtaining Qin Xiao’s consent.

“Nothing can be hidden from you.” Qin Xiao chuckled, his gaze lingering on Chu Jiubian’s throat. “You didn’t use the medicine I gave you?”

The marks left by his strangulation a few days ago were still somewhat blueish-purple.

Chu Jiubian raised a hand to touch his neck. The medicine Qin Xiao had given him was truly effective, because he actually couldn’t feel the pain anymore. It was just that his skin was delicate, with a propensity for bruising, so the marks had yet to completely vanish.

He looked at the perpetrator in front of him and said with a smile: “Perhaps it won’t get better because I’m still angry.”

“It’s my fault.” Qin Xiao took a dagger from his sleeve and handed it to Chu Jiubian hilt first.

Chu Jiubian took it.

What was this about?

Surely he wasn’t suggesting that Chu Jiubian should stab him a couple of times to vent his anger?

The other’s warm, calloused hand grasped Chu Jiubian’s own, completely enveloping it.

Gripping his hand, Qin Xiao pressed the tip of the dagger against his shoulder. Then, with a bit of force, the sharp blade pierced through clothing and flesh.

A bloodstain slowly seeped through his dark clothes, dampening Chu Jiubian’s fingertips as well.

Damn.

He really was a nutjob, ah.

Chu Jiubian’s heartbeat, which had been steadily accelerating, suddenly calmed down.

Releasing the dagger, he pulled his hand back and rinsed it with tea from his cup, then wiped it off with a handkerchief.

Qin Xiao smiled as he casually wiped the dagger on his sleeve, saying: “If the young master feels this isn’t enough, he can stab me a couple more times.”

Chu Jiubian paused in the middle of wiping his hand, a surge of anger rising within him. 

Without hesitation, he snatched the dagger from Qin Xiao’s hand and plunged the blade into the man’s other shoulder. He even hit the same area as the previous stab.

Qin Xiao regarded him with some surprise.

The young man’s eyes were indifferent, lacking any emotion, yet his expression seemed to contain a hint of a smile.

Truly a contradiction.

Qin Xiao was suddenly curious…..what kind of person was Chu Jiubian?

Cursing inwardly, Chu Jiubian withdrew his hand and began to wipe it down again.

“Did you think I wouldn’t dare, you bastard?”

If I was able to kill you now, I would have stabbed you in the heart.

“Has the young master’s anger cooled?” Qin Xiao asked with a smile.

Chu Jiubian initially thought the other man was mocking him, but when their eyes met, he found that Qin Xiao seemed to be sincere, as if he was genuinely concerned that he might still be angry.

Chu Jiubian paused mid-wipe.

Qin Xiao was actually looking for a way to appease him.

Why?

Was it just for the purpose of retaining a rare asset?

Was it really necessary to go to such lengths?

Chu Jiubian didn’t quite understand, but he vaguely felt that he had caught a glimpse of the real Qin Xiao.

Suddenly, a commotion arose downstairs. Unlike the lively poetry discussion just now, it sounded like the turmoil of conflict.

Chu Jiubian got up with a frown and walked to the railing to look down.

Qin Xiao sheathed his dagger and walked to his side.

A number of people had gathered at the entrance to the first floor lobby, including some acquaintances.

A dozen or so Imperial Guards stood there clad in soft armor and with swords at their waists, and were accompanied by their commander – An Wuji.

Chu Jiubian glanced toward Qin Xiao and found that he also wore a slight frown. He probably didn’t know what was going on below them.

An Wuji stepped onto the auction stage, and his sharp gaze swept over the crowd as he said coolly: “The Second Young Lady of Minister Su’s family has vanished without a trace. Has anyone seen her?”

Su Sheng had gone downstairs at some point and was standing with the Imperial Guards, his expression exceedingly grim.

After An Wuji asked this question, Su Sheng quickly bowed to everyone and said: “Esteemed colleagues, if anyone has seen my daughter, please let me know. This Su Sheng will repay your immense kindness tenfold!”

Those present were all powerful and influential figures in the court, and all of them knew that Su Sheng had one son and two daughters, with his youngest daughter being the most doted upon.

He had brought his wife and daughter to the auction with him today, but unexpectedly, Miss Su had gone missing.

Madam Su was sobbing uncontrollably. Supported by a female servant, she reached for Su Sheng’s hand and pleaded in a whisper: “Husband, how can you possibly make something like this public?”

Did he not care about the young lady’s reputation?!

It was so late at night, and a girl had gone missing. Who knew what might have happened to her?

“Is reputation more important than life?” Both angry and anxious, Su Sheng said to the female servant beside him, “Quickly, take your mistress back to the manor.”

Madam Su was helped out of the Treasure Pavilion by the servant, her eyes closed in despair.

In the Great Ning Dynasty, reputation was life itself.

The ladies in the private boxes were also growing restless, and were eager to return to their residences. They all seemed to be quite frightened by this sudden incident. 

But at this moment, a sweet female voice suddenly exclaimed in surprise: “What is Commander An doing here? Didn’t he ask Xi’er to meet him outside?”

---

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Chapter 18 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 20

Chapter 53 – The Time Has Not Yet Come

Tick.

A drop of water dripped from the bamboo shoot-shaped rocks hanging from the ceiling of the cave, falling into a small puddle of water below.

And along with the dripping, there was the dull sound of something heavy falling to the ground.

Feng Ye had found the entrance to the cave at the bottom of the sea, and instead of walking through the entire cave, he had simply walked to the center of the spirit stone mine.

He had avoided the parts where light was sparse and shadows lurked, and where the spirit stones were scarce.

Therefore, he failed to discover that at the other end of the underwater cave, there was a well-hidden passage near the ceiling that led directly to the surface.

At this moment, a dark form leaped down from the passage – a man in black robes.

The man stepped forward, and his face was revealed under the faint illumination of the spirit stones. It was covered in a cold iron mask.

He glanced around, then paced toward the center of the spirit stone mine with great familiarity.

Unlike Feng Ye, who had groped his way through an unfamiliar environment, he went on without pause, with a clear goal in mind.

Because he had been here before, one hundred years ago.

Ling Yun had taken this passage at that time, which was why he was able to avoid the monster guards and obtain the Jianmu seed.

He had happened upon the dark passage on land, and out of curiosity, felt his way down to discover the spirit stone mine three hundred meters below sea level.

He was initially drawn to the densely-packed, excellent quality spirit stones, but when he saw what was placed on the lotus platform – a seed which was absorbing all of the ambient spiritual energy – all thoughts of the spirit stones left his mind.

This seed was different from any other plant he had seen. Its coating was an irregular yellow hue, like a net or a snakeskin.

“There is a seed with skin like a yellow snake, its leaves like a net, and its fruit like a golden rain tree….” One hundred years ago, Ling Yun had recited the records he had read in a book, then reached out to pluck the magic seed.

Every feature matched. Ling Yun’s expression grew increasingly ecstatic, almost to the point of madness.

After he and his fellow disciple Ji Chengyue made their bold vows, he had been searching for a way to reach the heavens. For this purpose, he had looked through various ancient books and records, but the methods he found were bizarre and absurd to the point of being laughable. Either they were shrouded in mystery, or only existed in legends.

But today, he suddenly realized that the legends were true.

This was the tree that reached the sky – Jianmu.

Ling Yun clenched the Jianmu seed tightly in his palm. Filled with ecstasy, he felt that he was only one step from reaching heaven, and was eager to leave.

However, he had not walked far with the seed when he was spotted by monsters lingering near the cave. To this end, he fought a great battle with a group of Nascent Soul stage monsters. Finally, after a long, difficult battle and killing two Nascent Soul stage monsters, Ling Yun, who was at Hedao stage, successfully left with the Jianmu seed.

The events of a hundred years ago flashed through Ling Yun’s mind like a revolving lantern as he once again walked to the lotus platform where the Jianmu seed had been placed – but it was empty.

“God,” he called into the void.

“En, I see it,” replied a deep, magnetic voice. His tone was somewhat perplexed: “If there were another Jianmu seed here, it would definitely disrupt the circulation of spiritual energy. But the flow of energy here is very normal.”

“Unless…..a second Jianmu seed doesn’t exist in the world,” the man pondered, coming to the same conclusion as Feng Ye.

“God, what should we do?” asked Ling Yun.

The man was silent for a moment, then said decisively: “Go seek out Ji Chengyue again. He must still have Jianmu fragments with him.” His tone was resolute and extremely confident. Because after eliminating all possibilities, the only one left must be the answer.

“Yes,” Ling Yun replied, turning around to return along the original route.

But after a few steps, the man suddenly stopped him: “Wait.”

Ling Yun paused in his tracks. He didn’t need the man to remind him, as he had also noticed something strange.

Ling Yun crouched down and peered at the rock wall beside him. Hidden three hundred meters beneath the sea, this cave was not filled with water due to the air pressure, but it was still very damp.

This resulted in dense moss growing on the cave walls along with the spirit stones.

But the stone wall next to him, which should have been completely covered in moss, was missing a very conspicuous patch.

As if someone had brushed against it when passing by.

It definitely wasn’t him. He had come from the opposite side, and never got close to the wall. Then there was only one possibility…..

“Someone has been here,” Ling Yun deduced as he looked at the missing patch of moss.

He touched the stone wall and felt the remaining moisture on it, adding: “They just left, less than an incense stick of time ago.”

This time, the man didn’t answer for a long while.

This voice was always vague and illusory, and would only speak to Ling Yun when he was willing to do so. Ling Yun had no idea what he was doing.

He never knew if the man was listening to him or not.

But this time, he knew that he was.

Because…..Ling Yun reached up and touched his chest, just to the left of middle where his heart was.

His heartbeat was speeding up, not because of his own emotions, but because…..

“God?” Ling Yun asked with some confusion.

“Go find him!” The man’s voice was so urgent that he nearly lost his composure, no longer as contemptuous and mocking as usual.

“The one who jumped into the sea first?” 

The man’s words were abrupt, and it was unclear who he was referencing, but Ling Yun easily guessed it. 

Because ever since he got his heart back, it had been beating regularly, without any abnormal fluctuations. The owner of this heart was not moved by anything, and didn’t experience any emotions, whether joy, anger, or sorrow.

Therefore, the rhythm of this heart was consistent and unchanging.

But in just one day, this heart had already beaten wildly twice.

The reason for this could only be because of the same person. 

“Go find him for me!” The man urged impatiently.

There was no need for Ling Yun to stop and search for the direction Feng Ye had left. In half an incense stick of time, the other party had already run off to who knew where.

The deep sea was no habitat for humans, and Ling Yun wasn’t a good swimmer. Looking for someone in the watery depths – whom he had only met once, and didn’t even see his face clearly – would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Thus, Ling Yun intended to return to land, where it was more convenient for him to search. The other party couldn’t stay in the deep sea for long anyway, and would have to return to the shore.

He moved quickly, hoping to reach the shore first and intercept this person as he surfaced.

Soon after he reached the surface and started to run to the coast, he saw something strange abruptly appear in the sky.

Dark clouds rolled in, and in the blink of an eye, the sunlight was completely drowned out by darkness.

Gazing up at this scene, he felt his heart beating faster and faster, and he could vaguely sense the emotions of the heart’s owner.

Anticipation, mixed with joy.

This man, who had always been indifferent to worldly affairs, was feeling such pure, intense emotions for the first time.

Other people just thought that the weather had shifted. Weather on the seaside was like the masks in a Sichuan opera, changing at any time. It wasn’t surprising for a storm to roll in on a sunny day. 

But Ling Yun knew that those weren’t black clouds at all. The black mist covering the sky was…..

Resentful energy.

Such resentful energy that covered the earth and sky could only be found on a battlefield where tens of thousands of lives were taken. But now, it had appeared above this peaceful floating island.

This was summoned by someone, Ling Yun thought. Immediately after, he watched as a light pierced the sky.

A sword glare.

A sharp, dazzling sword glare.

It cut through everything in its path, whether the three hundred meter-thick rock or the raging waves.

The mountains and seas were severed by the sword glare, and shocking fissures appeared in the ground as it shook violently.

The bisected seawater transformed into a hundred-meter-high curtain of water and slammed against the shoreline. Monsters with low cultivation bases fled across the floating island, desperately escaping from the location of the sword glare.

As the earth trembled, ancient trees toppled, and rocks split apart, only Ling Yun stood firmly in place.

He stared at the dazzling sword glare that reflected in his pupils, and murmured: “That’s…..”

At the same time, he covered his chest as his heart beat more and more violently. This was the rhythm of ecstasy. 

Suddenly, there was a faint laugh in his ears. The heartbeat stabilized when it couldn’t go any faster, but it was still slightly faster than usual.

The man’s tone was more delighted than ever before. He looked toward the place where the sword glare had vanished and said with a nostalgic sigh: “It’s really you…..”

Ling Yun didn’t ask who it was, because he had already guessed the answer. He only asked: “God, should we still go look for him?”

“No need. Now is not the time for us to meet again.” The man sighed with some regret, but then became cheerful again: “After all, you will come and find me…..”

“Feng Ye.” He spoke the name softly, his tone as intimate as a whisper between lovers. 

Contrary to the man’s joy, Ling Yun frowned slightly: “God, will he become an obstacle for us?”

“Haha, an obstacle?” The man laughed again, as if he had heard an amusing joke. He shook his head and asked in turn, “How could he be an obstacle?”

“In fact, by luring him to the human world, my plan is already half successful.” The man’s voice went lower and lower, slowly turning into an uncontrollable laugh that gradually dissipated into the void.

Ling Yun took one last look at the place where the sword glare had vanished, then turned away and kept his distance.

The time had not yet come.

---

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Chapter 52 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 54

Chapter 52 – Breaking Mountains, Splitting Seas

As Fang Yang watched Cao Xirui take out one Water Soul Bead after another, he thought: It’s great to have money.

While chasing after them, Lu Chengye’s attacks were blocked again and again. Seeing that the golden arrow that had just been filled with spiritual power was almost empty again, Lu Chengye thought: Damn rich people!

Lu Chengye reached out and grabbed the golden arrow as it flew back to him. After filling it with spiritual energy, he had shot two more arrows. There was no telling what kind of magic weapon Cao Zirui held in his hands. It was like a hard turtle shell, and wouldn’t break no matter how many times it was hit.

The spiritual power in the golden arrow was only enough for one more strike. The power of this one would be weaker than the first two, and the first, most powerful strike, hadn’t been able to break through the magic weapon in Cao Zirui’s hands. It would be even more impossible for the weaker third arrow to do so.

This isn’t working, Lu Chengye thought as he weighed the spirit stones in his storage bag.

He wasn’t as wealthy as Cao Zirui. This time, even if he took out every last penny, it wouldn’t be enough to charge the golden arrow with spiritual power again.

The few spirit stones he had left could only restore a little over half of the golden arrow’s spiritual power, which only had one third left. That wasn’t even enough to shoot two arrows.

He only had one last chance.

Lu Chengye gritted his teeth. If he failed to kill Cao Zirui and he escaped the Floating Island Secret Realm to expose this matter, forget the sect leader, Xue Ren would be the first person who wouldn’t let him off.

Even though he had sworn a solemn oath that he wouldn’t tell anyone about Xue Ren’s instructions, given Xue Ren’s level of caution, he wouldn’t leave a powder keg behind that could explode on him at any time.

He had no way out. He had to succeed!

With this in mind, Lu Chengye no longer hesitated. He took out all of the spirit stones on him and unreservedly replenished the golden arrow’s spiritual power. 

This strike would consume all of the spiritual power in the golden arrow, even the amount he added later. He was placing all of his hopes on this last strike, hoping that this arrow, which was more powerful than all of the previous ones, would penetrate Cao Zirui’s endless supply of magic weapons.

He had no idea that at this moment, Cao Zirui was on his last legs, completely unable to use the Water Soul Bead to defend against attacks. The bell could only tell him the location, not his opponent’s situation.

Lu Chengye held the golden arrow in one hand and the spirit stones in the other, waiting for the final opportunity to present itself.

Fang Yang, with Cao Zirui on his back, didn’t dare relax for a moment as he continued to run. He looked toward the east. Just like Lu Chengye was placing all of his hopes on the last arrow, Fang Yang was also placing all of his hopes in the Mysterious Big Brother in the bamboo slip. 

Both his and Cao Zirui’s lives were on the line.

He was risking everything on one throw, like a desperate gambler.

“Cao Zirui, wake up! Don’t fall asleep!” Fang Yang felt the hand gripping his shoulder begin to slide down, and quickly tightened his hold on Cao Zirui as he shouted.

Cao Zirui said nothing, but his hand stopped its downward slide.

It was good that he could still react. Fang Yang was constantly worried that Cao Zirui would fall asleep without him realizing. He’d heard that once a grievously wounded person fell asleep, he might never wake up again.

Regardless of whether this was true or not, he simply tried his best to keep Cao Zirui awake. He still needed to surpass him. Cao Zirui must not die!

So even though Fang Yang was panting and out of breath, he still spared some energy to talk to him: “Come to think of it, everyone calls you a walking iceberg behind your back, but you can obviously smile. This shows that rumors can’t be trusted.”

Cao Zirui didn’t respond.

Fang Yang said again: “What level magic weapon is your spiritual sword? It looks extremely sharp, much better than my iron sword.”

Cao Zirui still didn’t speak. His eyes were shut, and his body shivered from time to time.

Fang Yang could feel the form against his back growing colder and colder. It was unknown if it was blood or sweat soaking his clothes, but he looked as if he had just been fished out of water. 

Even though Fang Yang tried his best not to think about it, all sorts of terrible scenarios filled his mind. His voice contained a trace of uncontrollable tears: “Cao Zirui, I’ve run so far carrying you on my back, but I don’t work for nothing. You have to treat me to a good meal once we’re out of here.”

There was still no sound.

The forest was silent, devoid of birdsong or the chirping of insects.

There was only the sound of the young man’s hurried footsteps, not daring to stop for a moment.

As for the increasingly weak sound of breathing, it was nearly inaudible.

Fang Yang sniffled. He wanted to rub his eyes, but couldn’t free his hands to do so.

He could only hold Cao Zirui firmly, clutching him tighter and tighter.

The moisture in his eyes showed signs of spilling over, but just as the tears were about to fall, there was a sound in his ear, so soft that it could only be heard if he listened carefully.

“Okay.”

Cao Zirui’s eyes were still closed. His brow was furrowed in pain, but when he spoke this word, it relaxed a little.

Fang Yang’s tears turned to laughter. He raised his head again and looked ahead at the path that seemed to have no end.

But there was no path in this world that was truly endless. The farthest one was just…..the Yellow Springs road.

Lu Chengye crushed the last depleted spirit stone in his hand. He once again took out the Burning Sky bow and nocked the now-replenished golden arrow.

He drew the bow. The tail of the arrow moved backward cun by cun, and the dark red totem on the bow ignited once more as the heavenly fire that had burned Jianmu appeared on earth again.

The flames spread from the increasingly fiery totem to the golden arrow, and an aura more powerful than any before spread in all directions as the flames danced.

There were no more living creatures in the jungle. They had already fled far away under that terrifying aura.

Lu Chengye’s fingers turned white from exerting so much force. The stronger the force he used, the harder it was to draw this heaven-grade magic weapon.

But no matter how difficult it was, he was finally about to draw it into a full moon shape.

The fire blazed, and each time it flared, the flames rose up nearly a meter high.

Lu Chengye searched for the bullseye through the rising flames, but didn’t use his eyes.

He didn’t need them. The bell in his hand had already pointed out the direction of the other party’s escape.

East.

The moment he locked onto his prey, his fingers released.

It was no longer the same as before, leaving the string with a whoosh.

This time, all of the energy stored in the magic weapon was used as fuel to ignite the golden arrow, and when it left the bowstring, it was with a deafening roar.

Kaboom – a column of fire one meter in diameter shot eastward at high speed.

The branches and leaves in its path were immolated from the heat, leaving only golden-red ashes on the ground.

Wherever it passed, everything became scorched earth.

Fang Yang turned his head back as he ran. The golden arrow was actually still some distance away, but he had noticed something strange. 

Because he heard an increasingly sharp droning sound, as if something was approaching at high speed.

He didn’t know what that droning sound meant yet, but Feng Ye did.

Hao Chen had just attacked him with a hundred-meter wide waterspout, but Feng Ye paid no attention to the danger in front of him.

He was focused on the surface.

He still wasn’t able to make it to Fang Yang after all. The problem that had seemed to be solved still remained, and in the end, it was all up to his decision.

Was it worth risking his identity being exposed to rescue Fang Yang and Cao Zirui?

It really wasn’t.

Compared to the peace of the millions of lives in this world, the fate of two individuals was insignificant.

But…..Feng Ye closed his eyes and listened to the conversation between Fang Yang and Cao Zirui.

There was no question of whether their lives were worth it or not.

For Feng Ye, this had never been a multiple-choice question.

After all, he couldn’t be indifferent to life and death.

As the raging waves drew closer and closer, dazzling flames appeared in the distance. Fang Yang finally discovered the source of the droning sound – a stream of red fire more powerful than ever before.

The violent waves had already swept in front of Feng Ye, and his sleeves waved in the currents. The monsters commanded by Hao Chen consciously withdrew from the battlefield, realizing that they had no place here with these two fighting like gods.

As the center of the vortex approached, the current grew stronger and stronger. This chaotic flow of water now turned into sharp knives, tearing at the living creatures within it.

There was a ripping sound, and Feng Ye abruptly opened his eyes. Regardless of the tear in his sleeve, he shouted to Fang Yang in his sea of consciousness: “Run toward the light! Don’t look back!”

He could understand “don’t look back,” but the other part left Fang Yang perplexed.

He looked up at the bright, cloudless sky full of sunshine…..and as soon as he did so, dark clouds appeared in the previously sunny sky.

These were not ordinary rain clouds. They were much darker, and even though they were far away, looking at them from below filled one with a sense of horror.

No, those weren’t clouds after all! Fang Yang stared at the sky with widening pupils. What rolled through the sky was more like black mist, generating from an unknown source to swallow the sunlight. In the blink of an eye, the sky and earth were plunged into darkness.

The black mist covered the sky like bared teeth and claws, appearing unstoppable. But there was a gap of less than one meter. The black mist didn’t pour into this gap, and golden light shone through it.

Fang Yang immediately realized that he needed to go in that direction.

He ran toward the ray of sunlight breaking through the heavy mist. He was weak from running for so long, but he bolstered himself. Cao Zirui’s life depended on him. He couldn’t stop.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t outrun the golden arrow flying behind him.

Trees that had been standing tall for decades collapsed at the golden arrow’s passing, trunks turning to ashes under the heat before crumbling to the ground.

The flames devoured everything; any combustible organic matter was immolated under the flames.

Even the hardest bones in the human body couldn’t stand up to such temperatures. They would turn to dust in a matter of moments, with no pain being felt.

Sweat broke out on Fang Yang’s forehead. Although he had been sweating all along, it was unusually heavy at this moment, and his lips were slightly chapped due to the loss of moisture.

The heat came faster than the speed of the golden arrow, and Cao Zirui’s cold body was warmed up by the soaring temperature.

Even though Feng Ye had told Fang Yang not to look back, he couldn’t stop the desire to turn and look at the situation.

Looking back would inevitably bring his speed down a bit, so just as he was about to turn his head, Feng Ye shouted sternly: “Don’t look back!”

“But…..” Fang Yang didn’t think it would hurt anything. And if he looked back at the arrow’s flight path, maybe he could dodge it like he had last time?

However, Feng Ye knew that these two incidents could not be compared at all. The arrows shot before had been far less powerful and devastating than this one.

No matter where Fang Yang ran, he would be engulfed in the huge column of flames and surely die.

So Feng Ye interrupted him: “Trust me.”

He didn’t use his usual harsh tone, and was almost gentle.

But despite his gentleness, his tone was also firm, giving one an inexplicable sense of peace. It made one believe that even in a desperate situation with no chance of survival, he would create a glimmer of hope.

Fang Yang pursed his chapped lips. In any case, he had already placed his and Cao Zirui’s lives on the gambling table, so what was wrong with one more bet?

So he put looking back out of his mind and just kept running forward with his head down, drawing closer and closer to the gap in the sky.

Far from the battlefield, Hao Chen’s brow began to furrow. His external incarnation had transformed into raging waves, but Feng Ye had no intention of evading them, and was swallowed up.

He simply let the knife-like water rip his sleeves to tatters, and they hung on his body like rags as he stood there motionlessly and raised his right hand.

What is this guy going to do? Hao Chen thought doubtfully.

He suddenly felt a chill – a chill very different from the bone-piercing coldness of the North Sea.

It was impossible to distinguish colors in the pitch-black sea, so he couldn’t see the black mist in Feng Ye’s hand.

This mist filled with icy killing intent seemed familiar.

The black mist in Feng Ye’s hand took on the shape of a sword.

The temperature had reached a terrifying level, and Fang Yang’s heart had never beat so fast before. With every pulse, he feared it would leap out of his chest.

His skin was burned red by the heat. There was no need to be burned alive by the flames. If he remained in this high temperature for much longer, his brain would melt.

He estimated the distance between him and the sunlight. There were still three steps left!

But he had no time to celebrate, because the fatal golden arrow was only thirty meters behind him.

Judging by the sharp whistling sound as it cut through the air, it was still uncertain who would get there first.

Fang Yang paid no attention to this. Not only did he not look back, but he even closed his eyes.

This was his gamble, betting that a man whose name he didn’t know would save him. 

His right foot stepped into a pothole in the ground. It should have been a depression filled with water, but the soft soil had become hard and cracked under the high temperature. There were two steps left. With Cao Zirui on his back, Fang Yang silently counted the steps.

Another old tree succumbed to the flames, and black woodsmoke billowed into the sky, mixing with the swirling black mist until it couldn’t be clearly distinguished. The arrow was still twenty meters away.

His left foot came down on a nearly carbonized branch. Fang Yang shifted Cao Zirui slightly on his back, more toward the middle so that it would be more convenient for movement. 

The golden arrow flew over the grass, turning it into sparks that scattered and flew into the air. It was ten meters away.

One last step!

Fang Yang stopped running. He jumped up and switched positions with Cao Zirui midair, using his body to completely shield the unconscious youth.

This move was of no use – how could the fragile human body withstand such fierce flames?

When the golden arrow passed by, there would be nothing left but ashes.

But Fang Yang still did it. He actually had no time to think of the usefulness of his actions. He just wanted to save Cao Zirui, even if he couldn’t save himself.

The two boys flew through the air, rushing toward the narrow beam of light, and then fell heavily to the ground.

As they rushed toward the middle of the column of light, the golden arrow also reached the light’s perimeter.

A dot of light appeared in the deep sea. It was so small, so weak, but it was unable to be ignored.

Because that light had never been seen before in the dark depths of the sea.

The spot of light flickered amongst the dark mist, but showed no signs of dying out. Instead, it grew brighter and brighter. 

Something broke through all obstacles, whether it was the black mist or the floating island’s three hundred meter base of rock, as if summoned.

It was…..a ray of light in the sky, penetrating the darkness.

Miraculously, the light from the sky shone down into the dark depths of the sea, echoing the ray of light in Feng Ye’s hand.

Golden light flared, and the blade of a sword took shape!

This was an unparalleled sword!

The moment the blade manifested, an invisible sword glare shot out, and the sword that could cut through anything split through the three hundred meter base of rock above. But it didn’t stop there. The golden arrow flying toward Fang Yang, only one meter away, was also in the middle of the sword glare’s trajectory.

The instant the sword glare came into contact with the golden arrow, it shattered. With no spiritual power to fuel it, the raging flames were extinguished at the same time.

The shattered golden arrow fell to the ground, bouncing against Fang Yang and Cao Zirui’s sides. Apart from the scratches they suffered from their fall, the two of them were unharmed.

The crisis on land had been solved, but the same could not be said for the crisis in the sea. Feng Ye looked at the roaring waves in front of him. The chaotic currents were about to tear him apart. He abruptly swung his sword, and the raging water split in two before him, just the same as the rock formation above his head.

The rest of the people on the floating island just saw a flash of light, and then the earth shook.

The enormous floating island split in half, and the ground shook as the rock collapsed.

The surface of the sea split open and the waves rolled to both sides, surging into curtains of water hundreds of meters high.

Several li away, Hao Chen abruptly opened his eyes. His external incarnation had been completely destroyed by the sword, but this was not the end. The sword glare was heading toward his actual body!

With no time to think, Hao Chen instinctively opened his folding fan to withstand this crisis. It was made out of his hardest tail feathers, and would definitely be able to block a sword glare that had traveled such a distance.

He was full of confidence, and that confidence was justified. The sword glare that could break mountains and split the sea was blocked by the small folding fan held in front of him.

After waiting for the flash of the sword glare to dissipate, Hao Chen went to wave the fan with some pride, and his eyes widened. When he raised the fan horizontally in front of him, the seemingly intact fan suddenly cracked down the middle, the gap growing wider and wider.

Then, the severed halves of the fan fell from his hand.

The cultivators on land were bewildered. The sword glare was so fast that it was difficult to see. They only felt the floating island jolt, followed by an earthquake and a tsunami, as if it was the end of the world. 

Qi Refining stage disciples held onto the trees around them, trying to keep their balance amid the shaking.

And Foundation Establishment disciples took to the air on their magic tools, where they witnessed a horrifying scene: the entire island had split in half. And the fracture was incredibly smooth and flat, as if…..someone had cut it with a sword!

But what kind of person, and what kind of sword, could do something as extreme as this?

No one knew the answer, except…..

Ling Yun suddenly lifted his head toward the fleeting light in the sky, which reflected in his dark eyes as he murmured: “That is…..”

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Chapter 51 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 53

Words he hadn’t heard in many years fell from Oser’s mouth, and Xi En’s body swayed. All of his anger shattered apart, leaving only shock.

“Did you think I was so young when we met that I wouldn’t remember you? Hm?” Oser regained his composure and said, “The captain of the guard at my uncle’s side.”

Xi En’s face paled with weakness and alarm: “Your Highness has a good memory.”

Oser touched the spot where Xi En had struck him.

“As expected of the most glorious captain of the royal guard back then. Despite your weakness, you were able to hit me.”

“I was only thinking you’d thrown that punch as an elder teaching the younger generation a lesson. I just wasn’t sure if you were acting as Ling Yi’s adoptive father or a confidant of my uncle.”

Xi En’s eyes were dull: “Perhaps it was both.”

“Then you are indeed the most qualified person in the empire to hit me,” Oser said with a hint of sarcasm. “After Uncle Bie’er left, his guard was disbanded, and your whereabouts were unknown. You disappeared these years and made a living teaching youngsters fighting skills. It turns out you did all of this just to become a full-time dad.”

Xi En was vigilant: “You looked into us?”

“I’m a suspicious person by nature. To dare place a living person next to my pillow, I naturally had to conduct a thorough background check.”

“How much did you find?”

“All of it, of course.”

“All of it?” Xi En repeated.

“Everything from Ling Yi’s birth to the present has been thoroughly investigated,” Oser said calmly.

Xi En stared at him, as if attempting to discern the truth of his statement.

“Including the fact that Ling Yi is your late uncle’s son?”

With a loud bang, the shelf containing medical instruments closest to Oser was smashed to pieces.

The commotion spread to the corridor, and the two anxious people waiting there started to rush in at the same time. The following silence kept them outside, not daring to enter.

Oser was still smiling, as if the violent destruction just now had nothing to do with him.

But the murderous intent in that smile could no longer be concealed.

“If this is true, you’ll probably have to take this secret with you to hell.”

When he heard this, Xi En felt relieved.

“So you lied to me. You never discovered Ling Yi’s background. I lied to you too. Ling Yi has no blood relationship with Earl Bie’er. Now we’re even.”

Oser slowly leaned back against the wall. No one would be able to guess his recent mood swing from his tranquil appearance.

“My subordinate Tang De isn’t very reliable in other aspects, but he’s the best at gathering intelligence. However, he was unable to find any clues that you, a retired captain, erased.”

“That’s no surprise. Ling Yi is just an orphan I picked up while in the field. He has no past,” Xi En said calmly.

A cold arc appeared at the corners of Oser’s mouth: “Let me ask you one more question. How did Uncle Bie’er die?”

. . . . . . .

Tang De appeared in a travel-worn state to find two people pacing anxiously outside the intensive care unit.

“Your Highness Ling Yi’s father has already woken up. Why are you still standing at the door?”

Ling Yi was vague in his explanation, only saying that Xi En had offended Oser after waking up and was now being questioned inside.

Tang De didn’t take it seriously: “Your adoptive father is His Highness’s father-in-law. Even if he did something offensive, His Highness won’t make things difficult for him.”

Ling Yi forced a bitter smile: “I hope that’s the case.”

Tang De continued to smile brightly: “Aren’t you two going to ask me where I went just now?”

“Where did you go just now?” Xi Lei asked with some effort.

“Where I went isn’t the important thing – it’s who I brought back.”

He stepped aside, revealing a small, timid head.

“Xi Lan!” Ling Yi exclaimed in surprise. 

Xi Lan’s nervousness vanished upon seeing them: “Gege!”

Xi Lei crouched down and hugged him, eager to carefully inspect his face to judge if he’d lost weight.

“How have you been lately? Have you eaten well?”

“There was a person I didn’t know who said he was Dad’s friend, and he took me somewhere else to live. There were also some strangers who took care of me and treated me very well, but they wouldn’t let me go to school.”

Tang De explained: “Those were His Highness’s people. They didn’t allow him to attend school for fear that the Prime Minister would attempt something, and media outlets are always staking out the school.”

“Why do they go to the school?” Xi Lan asked innocently.

Xi Lei’s throat tightened. Just as he was about to say something, he caught Tang De’s meaningful look.

The door happened to open, and Xi Lan caught sight of his father. Disregarding everything else, he ran over and left Xi Lei behind.

The family that had gone through untold hardships was finally reunited. They hugged each other tightly, and everything in the past just seemed like a nightmare.

Upon waking from the dream, everyone was still alive – the best possible outcome in an unfortunate situation. However, the giant sword hanging over their heads had yet to be lifted.

Ling Yi watched the family of three hug each other tearfully, feeling mixed emotions.

“Why are you the only one missing from such a touching family reunion?” Oser walked out of the ward with one hand in his pocket, and asked jokingly, “Aren’t you family too?”

“What did you and Uncle Xi En talk about?” Ling Yi asked eagerly when he saw him.

“You want to know?” Oser kept the secret to himself. “I’ll settle the score with you later. Had he not told me, I would have never known that your life was so colorful.”

Ling Yi had a bad feeling.

Xi Lan also realized that his family wasn’t complete, and looked around until he found Ling Yi.

“Ling Yi-gege!”

He rushed over and hugged Ling Yi. Just as Ling Yi was about to return his enthusiasm, Xi Lan pulled back and looked at him with surprise.

“What’s wrong, Xi Lan?” Ling Yi asked in confusion.

Xi Lan looked lost and confused: “Ling Yi-gege changed.”

He sniffed with his nose: “You smell different than before.”

Ling Yi: “…..”

Xi Lan had just entered puberty, and could distinguish Alphas and Omegas by scent.

Before Ling Yi could figure out what to say, he had already keenly noticed the changes in Ling Yi.

Tears fell like beads from a broken string: “Ling Yi-gege is like me now. Why did this happen? You promised to marry me when I grow up, did you forget?”

Both helpless and embarrassed, Ling Yi reached out to pull Xi Lan in: “Listen to gege’s explanation.”

Xi Lan reacted strongly, avoiding his hands: “Ling Yi-gege clearly promised me. Why did you break your word?”

This was the first time Ling Yi had seen Xi Lan so agitated that he wouldn’t even let him touch him.

“No matter what I become, you are still my most beloved didi.”

“I don’t want to be your didi, I want to be your bride!”

A familiar scoff sounded in his ears. Ling Yi stole a glance and saw Oser leaning leisurely against the wall, his expression one of enjoying a melodramatic family comedy.

‘Having parents to support and young children to raise’ pretty much summed up Ling Yi’s current predicament. He didn’t know how to coax the little one in front of him, nor did he know how to coax the big one later. He was overwhelmed.

Xi Lei then took Xi Lan away. He was also facing the same predicament as Ling Yi. The parent had just offended His Highness Oser, and now the younger one was dancing on his minefield.

That His Highness Oser had tolerated their family living to this point was truly a mercy.

“I thought you were the Xi family’s adopted son, but it turns out you were adopted to be raised as a husband,” Oser commented after watching the melodrama.

“That’s not how it is,” Ling Yi retorted. “You’re taking the kid’s joke too seriously.”

“Your didi was very serious when he said you made him a promise. It didn’t sound like he was joking at all.”

“It was Xi Lan’s seventh birthday wish. I couldn’t ruin his fun.”

On his seventh birthday, Xi Lan had made a wish to marry Ling Yi when he grew up, and the whole family treated it as a joke.

“You know how children are. At three, they want to marry their father. At five, they want to marry their brother. He knew that he couldn’t marry a blood relative when he grew up, and I was the only other Alpha he was familiar with.”

“When he grows up and he’s surrounded by tons of outstanding Alphas his age, he’ll only think of me once every two or three years, even if he has his mind set on me now.”

“And you don’t know Xi Lei well enough. He has an extreme brother complex. If I dared to have such thoughts, he would be the first to strangle me.”

Even after explaining so much in one breath, it seemed that he still hadn’t gained Oser’s trust.

“Looks like we’ll need to expand the defenses. Not only against Alphas, but against Omegas too.”

Ling Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry: “Your Highness, how can you even be jealous of a little kid?”

“There’s nothing I can do. Who can blame me for the fact that the future consort is so charming that Alphas and Omegas alike want him? It’s impossible to rest at ease.”

In order to reassure him, Ling Yi could only be honest.

“Xi Lan is cute and sweet, but he’s not my type.”

“Your ideal type is beautiful and dainty.”

Ling Yi was once again shocked by his ability to read minds: “How did you know?”

“So it’s true. Your adoptive father didn’t deceive me.”

“Uncle Xi En told you that? How did he know…..no, what else did he tell you?”

“He said you had hidden a lot of good stuff on your phone.”

Ling Yi couldn’t think of any other possibility: “So that’s what Your Highness is referring to. That’s not even worth making a fuss about. It’s normal for Alphas to have a few science and educational videos in stock.”

“I don’t.”

“…..” Ling Yi saw Tang De trying hard to hold back his laughter. “You’re different from us common Alphas. You’re an Alpha who has disengaged from vulgarity.”

Oser: “Tang De.”

“Here.” Tang De was serious for a second.

Oser looked at Ling Yi as he asked Tang De: “Do you know who Meng Tian is?”

“Apologies, Your Highness, I don’t know who Meng Tian is. Including Man Zhu, Mei Ying, Wu Wuli, and Sangxiao Mitao, I haven’t heard of any of these people.”

Ling Yi: “……”

He gave Tang De a thumbs up, full of admiration.

Oser extended his hand toward Tang De: “Give it to me.”

Ling Yi thought, what is this, asking for resources? Is His Highness Oser a freeloader?

What Tang De handed him was a report.

Oser: “I have bad news. This is the conclusion issued by a professional psychiatrist after counseling your didi.”

Ling Yi snatched the report and directly turned to the conclusion: “Traumatic amnesia?”

“He doesn’t remember anything that happened that day. The doctor says that this is his subconscious mind protecting him by blocking all memory of the incident.”

Tang De added: “That’s why during this period, the excuse we gave him was that Xi En is sick, and you and Xi Lei had to stay in the hospital to take care of him. He believed it.”

Ling Yi finally realized why Xi Lan seemed to be alright, and that the most difficult thing for him to accept was that Ling Yi had become an Omega.

“This is bad news? It’s actually a good thing that Xi Lan doesn’t remember anything.”

Oser: “His memory has only been blocked, not erased. It may come back if he’s stimulated in the future.”

“It’s better to have it happen later than to have to think about that disgusting experience all this time.”

Tang De: “The doctor said that if his family agrees, they can try to recover his memories through hypnosis.”

“What doctor? Make him scram,” Ling Yi said rudely. “Don’t let Xi Lan see him again. That scumbag doesn’t deserve to take up even a fraction of space in his memory.”

Ling Yi placed his arms around Oser’s neck: “Your Highness, Xi Lan is still young, and my adoptive father is seriously injured. When he recovers and is discharged from the hospital, you can find a place with few people and beautiful scenery to settle him and his family. And also get them new identities to avoid Lu Hulun getting up to no good again. This shouldn’t be difficult for you to do.”

Oser regarded him with a half-smile: “What about my benefits?”

“You will receive my sincere gratitude.”

“You’ll give me a punch in passing?”

Ling Yi smiled, eyes gleaming as he asked knowingly: “What benefits does Your Highness want?”

“I seem to have developed a sudden interest in civilian art.”

“Isn’t that a coincidence? I happen to have a collection of civilian art. I’ll invite His Highness to appreciate it together.”

Oser was satisfied: “Let me, an Alpha who has disengaged from vulgarity, broaden my horizons.”

. . . . . . .

Xi Lan finally fell asleep after crying himself into exhaustion. Xi Lei also advised Xi En to go to sleep early, but was called into the room.

“If Lu Hulun finds out Ling Yi is still alive, he definitely won’t give up. My health isn’t as good as before, and Xi Lan is still young. If we stay, we will become a burden to Ling Yi.”

Xi Lei: “Ling Yi has the protection of His Highness Oser…..”

“Listen to me,” Xi En stopped him from talking. “When I’m better, His Highness Oser will definitely send us somewhere safe to live. After things have been stable for a while, I’ll take Xi Lan away. Your father learned some skills when he was young, and even His Highness Oser won’t be able to find the place I plan to go.”

Xi Lei was becoming increasingly confused: “Dad, what do you mean by that?”

“I want Ling Yi to have no worries at all. Neither Lu Hulun nor His Highness Oser will be able to use me and Xi Lan as leverage to hold him hostage.”

“What about me?”

“You must stay to protect Ling Yi.”

“Why?” Xi Lei wasn’t happy about this. “His Highness Oser is head over heels for him now. Rather than a squadron of guards, he’d even give him an army. He doesn’t need me.”

“It’s not the same. No matter how many people His Highness Oser gives him, they are still His Highness’s men. Only you will truly stand on Ling Yi’s side.”

Xi Lei was emotionally agitated: “You taught me since childhood that I should follow His Highness Oser when I grew up. For so many years, I’ve dreamed of becoming His Highness’s bodyguard. I finally passed the assessment to join the team, but you want me to protect someone I don’t even like?”

“I really don’t get it. It was you who saved his life, not him who saved yours. Why do you act like you owe him something? He saved Xi Lan for the sake of repaying your kindness, so why should I sacrifice my life? When you paved all roads for him, did you even consider that your biological son also has his own ambitions in life?”

Xi En looked at the young man whose appearance matched his own by 70%, and his heart flooded with guilt.

“Son, I’m so sorry…..”

Xi Lei lowered his head and said: “I’m sorry Dad, I can’t accept your request. You should get some rest.”

He turned and left without looking back.

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Chapter 31 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 33

T/N: Sooo, I messed up the last chapter and only posted half of it. I really did think I’d finished it! If you want to go back and read it, the new content starts at “Those two are Wang Huanzhi, the head of the Langya Wang family, and Wang Zhang, an elder and strategist of the clan.”

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The news of Chu Jiubian’s meeting with Gong-xiansheng spread quickly.

Upon hearing that the two seemed to be holding a poetry contest, the crowd was unable to contain their curiosity and rushed to the third floor, which forced a temporary suspension of the auction.

The auction manager was flustered at the thundering footsteps overhead. He rushed upstairs, squeezed into the private room, and shouted: “Everyone! Everyone, please hear me out!”

The clamoring voices finally subsided by a degree. The manager squeezed toward the middle of the private room, where he found Chu Jiubian and Bai Gongjin standing in front of a long table, along with several distinguished officials.

He quickly smiled and bowed: “I apologize profusely for disturbing your enjoyment. However, the third flood is very cramped. How about you gentlemen move to the first floor, where you can spread out a bit?”

Dressed in dark blue robes, Bai Gongjin looked at Chu Jiubian and asked: “Jiu-gongzi, shall we continue this downstairs?”

“Let’s,” said Chu Jiubian.

Diplomacy before force.

When Chu Jiubian met Bai Gongjin, the latter immediately began talking about “The Hard Road” and “A Spray of Plum Blossoms,” expressing how much he loved these two poems and how much he admired Li Bai and Li Qingzhao.

He also said that he had always wanted to meet Chu Jiubian and find out if there were any other such masterpieces that he could appreciate.

Fearing that Chu Jiubian might be unwilling or have a reason to refuse, Bai Gongjin had proposed that he would recite his own poem first to get things started.

He had already humbled himself so much. If Chu Jiubian still didn’t agree, it would seem as if he was intimidated by him.

The multitude of spectators around were practically offering their Faith Points to him with open arms. There was no reason for him not to accept.

Moreover, all of the powerful and influential people present were waiting to see what abilities this “Jiu-gongzi” possessed. If he didn’t show off, they would truly look down on him.

If he were to enter the Imperial Court later, he might be shunned.

More importantly, Qin Xiao would definitely know about everything that happened tonight.

Chu Jiubian needed to maintain their cooperative relationship, and being too timid would not be conducive to their continued rapport.

So, without hesitation, Chu Jiubian immediately agreed to “discuss” poetry with Bai Gongjin.

When they saw the two stars of the show going downstairs, everyone else naturally followed suit.

As darkness fell, the manager ordered oil lamps to be lit throughout the building.

There were quite a few of them, but the light was dim and flickering, only sufficient to illuminate the people present and the path ahead.

This was a common tactic used by the Treasure Pavilion. The auction began in the evening, and even the most ordinary items could be given a more atmospheric feel by the nighttime lights.

Bai Gongjin led Chu Jiubian to the first floor, intending to go directly to the stage for their poetry discussion.

Seeing this, many officials remained on the second floor or returned to their private boxes to watch from above.

Many more people followed them to the first floor, standing or finding a seat. They were all surprisingly quiet.

The vast majority of these people were here today to verify Chu Jiubian’s identity, a fact that Bai Gongjin, burdened with a heavy responsibility, was well aware of.

When both he and Chu Jiubian were standing onstage, he bowed to the crowd and said warmly: “I never imagined that my poetry discussion with Jiu-gongzi would disrupt the auction and spoil everyone’s fun. I am truly ashamed.”

Chu Jiubian stood silently to the side, gazing up at the private rooms on the second floor.

Under the dim light, he could see all of the powerful officials sitting leisurely upstairs, including Xiao Yao.

These people regarded Chu Jiubian as if looking at a commodity waiting to be priced and sold.

Qin Chaoyang stood quietly two steps behind him, seemingly unremarkable yet somehow very present.

At this moment, Chu Jiubian realized with absolute clarity that members of the Qin family were not the same as the people upstairs.

He could even surmise that if Qin Xiao was present at this moment, he would be standing below the stage with his arms crossed, watching with amusement to see how Chu Jiubian handled the situation – but he would never wear an expression as if he was assessing the goods.

Chu Jiubian felt that he might have been wrong from the beginning.

He and Qin Xiao may not be equal in status, but the man never looked down on him or treated his life lightly.

Otherwise, he would have broken Chu Jiubian’s neck on the day of the coronation ceremony.

Chu Jiubian’s feelings were somewhat complicated, but he remained outwardly calm and composed.

“Xiansheng is overthinking it,” said someone in the audience, and more people immediately chimed in.

“Both of you are exceptional talents. It is our honor to witness your poetry discussion in person.”

“Indeed, in no way have we been disturbed. Xiansheng is too kind.”

The atmosphere in the building was harmonious, but then a sudden voice rang out.

Tinged with amusement, that voice asked leisurely: “Are you going to compete or not?”

All noise in the building instantly subsided, and everyone looked toward the source of the sound, including Chu Jiubian.

Beside a vermillion stone pillar on the right side of the hall stood a young man clad in white robes, his arms crossed. His slightly curly long hair draped over his shoulders casually, and contained faint glimpses of silver chains that gleamed like stars in the candlelight.

In the Great Ning Dynasty, which emphasized etiquette and regulations, it was truly odd for a young man who had reached adulthood to have such wild hair.

Chu Jiubian even felt that he himself was more like a local than this person.

But it must be said that this fellow was really quite handsome.

With delicate features and a pair of alluring peach blossom eyes, the corners slightly upturned, every smile or frown exuded a romantic, carefree charm.

At this moment, the other person’s gaze fell on Bai Gongjin.

Bai Gongjin seemed to recognize him, and his expression stiffened.

The young man scoffed at this and said: “I hate people like you who put on airs. Aren’t you just trying to make things difficult for Jiu-gongzi because he stole your thunder? What’s with the pretense of being high-minded?”

“Young Master Wang is being ridiculous,” Bai Gongjin said, barely able to maintain his composure. “I merely wish to discuss poetry with Jiu-gongzi.”

“Then get started, so as not to delay my shopping.”

Young Master Wang?

As Chu Jiubian was pondering this person’s identity, Qin Chaoyang spoke very quietly from beside him: “Young Master, that is Wang Qichen, the eldest son of the Langya Wang family. His birth mother died early, and the current mistress of the Wang family was promoted from her position as a concubine.”

So that’s how it is.

Chu Jiubian raised his eyes toward the private box where the Wang family members were sitting and, sure enough, he saw that the usually composed and gentle Wang family head wore a dark expression on his face.

This father and son had a strained relationship, ah.

Somewhat embarrassed, Bai Gongjin gave Chu Jiubian an awkward smile: “Then I’ll offer my humble poem as a starting point. Please forgive my poor performance.”

“Please,” said Chu Jiubian.

Bai Gongjin slowly exhaled before saying: “A swift horse gallops through the clouds as dawn breaks to a lengthy song. One’s heart fills with lofty ambition, eyes encompassing countless villages.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up at the recitation of these two lines.

They thought to themselves: As expected of the renowned Gongjin-xiansheng. This poem is truly exceptional.

Bai Gongjin felt much more at ease upon seeing everyone’s reactions.

This poem called “Chasing the Wind” was his most satisfying piece in recent days. It was the influence of the line ‘There will be a time to ride the wind and waves, and set sail to cross the vast ocean’ which had put him in such an open-minded state.

He composed himself and proceeded to recite the last two lines: “Gains and losses follow the gull birds, one’s conduct guided by a goblet of wine. With no fixed abode, the wind and moon fill the heart of a wanderer.”

Thunderous applause erupted at the end of the recitation.

If one had read the Three Hundred Tang Dynasty Poems thoroughly, even if writing poetry was impossible, one could at least recite it.

Chu Jiubian was someone who couldn’t write poetry, but could distinguish between good and bad works, so he knew that Bai Gongjin’s poem was indeed of good quality.

However, taking each line of the man’s poem separately, Chu Jiubian could find similar artistic conceptions in the poems he had memorized. Therefore, in comparison, even the best poems no longer seemed so amazing.

But for the onlookers here, this was indeed a rare masterpiece, and for a time, the sounds of praise and discussion enveloped the entire Treasure Pavilion.

Amidst the slightly chaotic scene, Chu Jiubian suddenly caught sight of two slender, furtive figures as they quickly but carefully left through the back door.

Two women?

Chu Jiubian quickly realized that they were two women from the private room on the second floor, one dressed as a young lady and the other as a maid.

It was now completely dark outside, and the street was closed off, with no one coming or going.

If they left for the purpose of relieving themselves, there were several rooms on the third floor specifically prepared for women and guarded by strong matrons, so there was no need to leave the establishment.

Moreover, the women in attendance today had all come with the men and matriarchs of their families. Even if there was some sudden news from home, it wouldn’t be necessary for a young lady and her maid to go back and deal with it.

Their urgent, nervous expressions suggested that they definitely weren’t sneaking out to play.

So what were they doing?

Chu Jiubian turned his head toward Qin Chaoyang behind him, and the other man immediately leaned forward: “What are your orders, Young Master?”

“Two young women are acting strangely. Go take a look.”

Qin Chaoyang hesitated for a moment and sent a subtle glance toward a certain place on the second floor. Then, with a “yes,” he left, his figure vanishing into the shadows in the blink of an eye with no one the wiser.

Chu Jiubian was momentarily stunned.

This was his first time witnessing the martial arts of this era. So cool.

But why had Qin Chaoyang obeyed him to this extent? Could it be that Qin Xiao had granted him some kind of authority?

For example, “Listen to Chu Jiubian while out and about.”

Or perhaps there were other guards watching him from the shadows, so Qin Chaoyang wasn’t worried that he would run away, nor was he afraid of other forces “killing Chu Jiubian if they couldn’t have him.”

It seemed that the people guarding him must be highly skilled martial artists, which set Chu Jiubian’s heart at ease.

Bai Gongjin paid no attention to Chu Jiubian. As he listened to the compliments from the crowd below, he knew that after this night, his reputation as a talent would spread even further, and he couldn’t help feeling a little proud.

He could write poetry, and could comprehend it even better.

Therefore, he also clearly understood how difficult it was to create a poem like “The Hard Road.” Many poets spent their entire lives without being able to write one of such caliber.

He didn’t believe that the poets Li Bai and Li Qingzhao could have produced any better poems for Chu Jiubian to spread, unless there was a third great talent.

“What does the young master think of my poem?” he asked courteously with feigned humility.

Chu Jiubian nodded: “Pretty good.”

“I’m sure the Young Master can do better,” said Bai Gongjin.

The building fell silent once more as everyone awaited Chu Jiubian’s response.

“I’ll do my best.” The faint smile that appeared on Chu Jiubian’s indifferent face was like the snow melting in spring, captivating many among the audience.

Bai Gongjin, the person standing closest to him, was also briefly stunned. When he came to his senses, he subconsciously lowered his eyes, not daring to meet the gaze of the ethereal figure in front of him as his heart began to race. He was even more excited than when he was being praised by everyone earlier.

Chu Jiubian paid no attention to the reactions of others.

His voice was clear and cold, his expression filled with nostalgia as he said: “There is also a Gongjin-xiansheng in our immortal realm, but his surname is Zhou and his given name is Yu. He is a rare talent.”

A dark glint flashed in Xiao Yao’s eyes.

He recalled that when he mentioned “Gongjin-xiansheng” earlier, Chu Jiubian had subconsciously asked, “Is his surname Zhou?”

Therefore, this Zhou Gongjin must have really existed.

Even if he wasn’t a so-called immortal, he was certainly a member of the force behind Chu Jiubian.

A rare talent.

What kind of person must he be to have been described in such terms? Bai Gongjin was surprised that Chu Jiubian would say such a thing, and couldn’t help but ask curiously: “Then is that Zhou Gongjin-xiansheng also a poet?”

“He is,” Chu Jiubian replied without hesitation. “But what I am about to recite isn’t one of his poems. It is a poem by the god of poetry Su Shi, inspired by Zhou Yu, titled “Reminiscence of Red Cliffs.”

“God of poetry?” Bai Gongjin was speechless.

So was everyone else present.

Wasn’t Li Bai the “Immortal Poet?”

Why was there a “God of Poetry” now?

Would there be “Poet Saints” or “Poet Ghosts” in the future?!

The expressions of the nobles and officials in the second floor private rooms shifted. Sure enough, this Jiu-gongzi had more than two great talents behind him. Now, the God of Poetry Su Shi and the “rare talent” Zhou Yu had also emerged.

Wang Huanzhi took a sip of tea and said: “He’s deliberately acting mysterious.”

Wang Zhang had already gotten up and walked to the railing.

Seeing that everyone’s curiosity had been piqued, Chu Jiubian began to recite aloud: “The mighty river flows eastward, its currents washing away countless heroes of the past.”

“West of the old fortress, people say, lay the Red Cliffs of the Three Kingdoms’ Zhou Yu.”

The first two lines alone drew the audience into a profound, desolate atmosphere.

Those who had been sitting calmly in the private rooms on the second floor couldn’t help but get up and walk to the railing, fixing their burning gazes on Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian, however, seemed oblivious to them, and continued to recite in a cool voice: “Rocks pierce the sky and waves crash against the shore, churning up countless heaps of snow.”

Even without his deliberate, impassioned recitation, everyone could still get a sense of the magnificent and awe-inspiring battlefield from this single sentence.

“The landscape is like a painting, from which innumerable heroes emerge.”

How many heroes?

Was Zhou Yu not the only one this poet was reminiscing about?

At that moment, those powerful and wealthy people seemed to feel a chill at the bottom of their hearts.

Where were these so-called “Red Cliffs” located?

And what were the Three Kingdoms?

Was it the name of a place, or was it referring to three countries?

At this thought, everyone felt a chill run down their spine.

Were there other, even more powerful countries or forces lurking in the shadows? What was their purpose in sending Chu Jiubian to the capital?

Why did they hide themselves so well before, but wanted to get involved in this mess in the capital now?

Xiao Yao could no longer maintain the gentle smile on his face.

His gaze burned as he stared intently at the tall figure down below, and his hands nearly snapped his folding fan in half.

In so many years, no one had discovered such a terrifying force.

Either the other side was powerful to an uncanny degree, or they weren’t actually in this realm at all.

If so, was it really as Chu Jiubian said? These poems, that ice-making technique…..were they all from the immortal realm?

This Jiu-gongzi.

Was he truly a “god?”

---

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Chapter 17 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 19

Chapter 51 – Caught You

“How many of these blue beads do you have left?” Fang Yang watched as Cao Zirui on his back took out yet another one, which was exactly the same as the two that had broken before.

It’s like a copying ability! Fang Yang complained inwardly.

“Um…..” Cao Zirui didn’t answer right away, but reached into his storage bag and felt around. He didn’t know how many there were, so he could only give Fang Yang a rough estimate: “The Water Soul Bead is actually a one-use earth-grade weapon. Shifu gave me a string of ten to twenty beads.”

Fang Yang: “…..”

Cao Zirui’s voice was still casual when he said the words “ten to twenty, as if they were simply dozens of worthless stones, but it was completely the opposite in Fang Yang’s ears.

It’s really good to have money, was Fang Yang’s only thought. He attempted to convert these Water Soul Beads into money, but his brain overheated and stopped working.

After some thought, he suddenly realized: “Since you have so many Water Soul Beads, we can resist ten to twenty attacks! We don’t have to be afraid of him at all!”

Cao Zirui shook his head and was about to refute, but the bell at his waist began to ring again.

Without a word, he immediately activated the Water Soul Bead he had just taken out.

Fang Yang once more felt a wave of heat approaching behind him, but wasn’t too panicked, because he also saw the bubble opening up around the two of them again.

The bubble burst as the fire died out. The broken remnants of the magic weapon in Cao Zirui’s hand rolled down Fang Yang’s neck, and he proceeded to tread across the pieces of them.

While running, Fang Yang glanced back with some pride at the retreating golden arrow. With the Water Soul Beads in their hands, Lu Chengye was completely helpless against them.

However, just as he turned his head, Cao Zirui spat out a mouthful of blood. Fang Yang was stunned as it sprayed across his face.

“Cough, cough.” After spitting up blood, Cao Zirui continued to cough and choke.

Fang Yang belatedly snapped back to his senses and asked: “What’s wrong with you?”

“Cough…..I’m fine…..cough cough…..” Cao Zirui may have said he was fine, but he didn’t look fine at all.

Fang Yang certainly didn’t believe it. Although he was dumbfounded at first, he could more or less guess the reason: “The Water Soul Bead was unable to completely block the golden arrow, and the aftereffects hurt you?”

Cao Zirui didn’t answer, and just coughed a few more times.

This could be taken as tacit agreement. Fang Yang smelled the bloody scent near him and heard Cao Zirui’s increasingly weak voice. He couldn’t help but suggest: “How about you give me a Water Soul Bead and I’ll block the next attack?”

He had no serious injuries, and although his cultivation wasn’t as high as Cao Zirui’s, he was still a little stronger now that Cao Zirui was at the end of his strength.

“It won’t work.” Cao Zirui unexpectedly denied him.

He explained to the bewildered Fang Yang: “The spiritual energy required to activate the Water Soul Bead is enormous. It is not a magic weapon for Qi Refining stage disciples. The ninth level of Qi Refining is already the minimum requirement to activate one, so you won’t be able to do it.”

Fang Yang was currently at the third level of Qi Refining, which was far from enough to meet the minimum requirements.

“But you…..” Fang Yang said anxiously. Given Cao Zirui’s physical condition, he would pass out if he coughed a few more times, let alone if he used the Water Soul Bead again.

Fang Yang’s guess was accurate. Cao Zirui truly didn’t have the ability to activate a Water Soul Bead again. His vision was darkening. If not for his strong desire to hold on, he would have passed out long ago.

Fang Yang spoke to him, but he didn’t respond right away. After a long while, he gave a low, incomprehensible reply.

Although the response was very faint, Fang Yang still heard it. Cao Zirui was still alive. His heart could rest at ease.

But he only relaxed slightly, because there was no telling when Lu Chengye’s next arrow would strike. At that point, they would probably really die without a burial place.

Just as his mind was in chaos, Fang Yang once again heard that man’s voice in his mind: 

“Run east.”

Two monsters rushed him at the same time, and Feng Ye dodged at an extremely tricky angle, causing them to crash into each other.

This also freed up some time to communicate with Fang Yang.

During the underwater fight with the monsters, he had been keeping an eye on Fang Yang through his sea of consciousness, and knew that Cao Zirui was exhausted.

He told Fang Yang to run east because he was in the east. And during the battle, he had also been surreptitiously leading the group of monsters in Fang Yang’s direction.

Even though one of them was on land and the other was three hundred meters underwater, the horizontal distance between them was less than one li at this point.

Maybe…..I can catch up to him?

Feng Ye held onto a glimmer of hope that he wouldn’t have to face the choice of exposing his identity to save Fang Yang and the other disciple.

This Mysterious Big Brother living in the bamboo slip was Fang Yang’s last hope, so even though he didn’t know why he had to run east, he obeyed without hesitation.

He held the increasingly dazed Cao Zirui tightly to his back and headed eastward in pursuit of his last resort.

After Feng Ye gave this instruction, he was entangled by the monsters again.

Several shark-like monsters were scattered around Feng Ye, sharp teeth bared in preparation to pounce and bite their prey.

Feng Ye was just about to use his old trick again and let these monsters ram into each other.

He had no bladed weapon, and couldn’t hurt these thick-skinned monsters at all. He’d been able to fight them off until now just by relying on his agile body.

Although he had a human body, he was surprisingly agile when swimming in the sea, and was in no way inferior to Hao Chen, a black fish who lived in the North Sea all year round.

Therefore, the group of monsters besieging him hadn’t even been able to tear his clothes.

However, these monsters seemed to be under someone’s command, and after accidentally injuring their companions numerous times, the troops actually started to be deployed in an organized manner.

Damnit! Feng Ye suddenly realized that the shark-like monsters around him were just a distraction. The real killing move was yet to come!

A monster that looked like a giant whale over a hundred meters long had at some point swum close to Feng Ye. There were so many monsters swimming around him that he couldn’t glean information from the currents, and he barely even noticed when it got so close to him.

In the darkness, the whale opened a mouth that could swallow a dozen sharks in one gulp, and the monsters distracting Feng Ye simultaneously swam away.

It was too late to escape. Feng Ye stared at the enormous mouth in the darkness ahead, which dwarfed his own form.

It seemed the other party wanted the whale to suck him into its stomach.

Feng Ye’s guess was correct. When the whale’s mouth fully opened, its stomach contracted slightly and a swirling flow of water generated at its mouth. The whirlpool drew in all kinds of objects, including mud, sand, rocks, and the shellfish attached to the rock wall. They were all sucked in and swallowed up.

Feng Ye grabbed a protruding rock on the base of the floating island before the mouth completely opened. He was at the center of the vortex, where the suction was the strongest.

His entire body stretched horizontally in the sea, his hair fluttering behind him as he clutched the rock tightly in order to keep from being swept away by the whirlpool.

But he couldn’t hold on for long. He felt the rock under his hand loosen.

Problems came one after another. This was fine.

The most irritating thing was the black fish, which had swum over to the closest position to the whirlpool, tail wagging as it occupied the best seat for spectating.

Although he couldn’t see the black fish’s expression clearly, he knew that it must be wearing a very punchable entertained look.

Feng Ye swayed with the current of the whirlpool, tilting his head to look at the black fish. The rock under his hands was already precarious, and he was about to be sucked into the whirlpool along with it.

This siege drama scripted by Hao Chen was about to reach its climax. The black fish swam in an excited circle. He wanted to see if Feng Ye would be swallowed by the giant whale…..

Or perhaps…..he would reveal the cards he had been hiding.

Just as Hao Chen thought this, something unexpected happened. 

Before the rock under Feng Ye’s hands could break, he actually took the initiative to let go.

Having lost his point of support, his body spun weakly in the whirlpool, but was not swallowed into the whale’s stomach. 

Because Feng Ye’s left hand suddenly clenched into the shape of a claw, and the vortex spinning around him was abruptly cut off.

The flow of water was cut into two distinct halves.

The water in front of the whale’s mouth continued to spin, swallowing up everything around it.

And the water in front of Feng Ye obeyed his command, gathering to form sharp claws that were magnified several times, with their tips being half the height of a person.

These huge claws swung fiercely, and the giant whale attempting to swallow Feng Ye was flipped sideways through the water.

He can actually control water?! The black fish gaped at this scene in astonishment. How could Feng Ye, a human being, control the flow of water?!

Such was his surprise that he couldn’t close his mouth. He knew very well that Feng Ye hadn’t used any spells or magic weapons. There was no prelude before he swung those claws. This guy could actually control the water by himself. 

It seemed that Feng Ye was truly no ordinary person. Who was he? As the black fish thought, he saw Feng Ye stand firmly in the water again after flipping the giant whale, then suddenly turn his head toward Hao Chen in his black fish form.

When their eyes met, there was none of the warmth between old acquaintances.

Hao Chen only saw a smile on Feng Ye’s lips that gave off an inexplicable sense of danger.

This smile caused the black fish to shudder. He looked down at Feng Ye’s right hand, which had been hidden by his side, but was now exposed.

His right hand was clenched into a claw shape like his left hand, but it wasn’t actually doing anything.

When Feng Ye flipped over the giant whale just now, there had only been one set of claws. Where was the other one? 

Could it be that…..

In the same instant that Hao Chen came to a realization and tried to escape, Feng Ye suddenly clenched his right hand, and invisible claws made of water grabbed the fleeing black fish.

The black fish swung its fins, attempting to break free. Logically speaking, it should be almost impossible for human hands to grip his slippery skin.

However, these giant claws were made of water. He put up a struggle, shaking his tail and flapping his fins, but the giant claws only tightened. He was unable to break free.

Feng Ye’s dangerous voice sounded in Hao Chen’s ears: “Caught you.”

How hateful.

The black fish grasped tightly in his claws: “……”

Judging from Feng Ye’s tone, it sounded as if he intended to stew him.

No, not “as if.” Feng Ye’s expression said plainly that he indeed wanted to stew him.

A pot won’t be able to hold all this food, ah, Hao Chen thought aimlessly.

He realized that his thoughts had wandered too far, and hurriedly pulled them back.

But…..Feng Ye’s dangerous tone does sound rather attractive…… His thoughts, which had just been pulled back, went astray again.

Hao Chen immediately shook his head and collected himself.

Feng Ye watched as the giant fish, which could only move its head, stared at him for a moment before shaking it. Who knew what was on its mind?

Feng Ye: “……”

Forget it, he had never understood Hao Chen’s thinking.

He’d finally caught this fat, slippery fish. Although Feng Ye did want to stew him just as Hao Chen had thought, there wasn’t a big enough pot.

And Fang Yang wasn’t out of danger yet – he must rush to the surface immediately. This was just the right time to leave, when he had momentarily pushed the monsters aside and imprisoned Hao Chen.

So Feng Ye had no intention of entangling with Hao Chen here. He left the black fish where it was, firmly grasped by the giant claws, and turned around to leave.

He’s leaving again?! The black fish had been placid after failing to break free, but at this realization, he couldn’t stay still anymore.

He hadn’t settled the score with Feng Ye for luring him into the monsters’ lair. Hao Chen had been magnanimous by not making too much of a fuss, but he actually wanted to abandon him again!

Hao Chen gazed after Feng Ye’s back and grew increasingly angry.

He looked down at the giant claws made of water that had entrapped him. The strength of this incarnation was limited, with not even one tenth of his original body’s strength.

But after all, he was in his natural habitat. No matter who Feng Ye was, if he, a fish, lost when it came to stirring up trouble, he would…..he would…..

He wouldn’t be able to call himself a fish anymore!

After swimming out less than a hundred meters, Feng Ye suddenly turned back as he felt the water under his control abruptly slip through his grasp. The giant claws collapsed in an instant, and the black fish escaped.

The black fish’s silhouette faded into the water, growing increasingly faint until it was indistinguishable from the surroundings. 

In the area of sea where the black fish had disappeared, the water currents were completely out of Feng Ye’s control. They surged violently, transforming into a waterpout one hundred meters wide, kicking up huge waves.

And it was headed straight toward Feng Ye.

---

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Chapter 50 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 52

Xi Lei and the others returned to the medical college sooner than Ling Yi. The difference was that the others walked back, but Bo Rui was carried back.

Da Lun gave Ling Yi a complicated look that contained the multitude of things he wanted to say but couldn’t.

“Bo Rui is in the emergency room. Do you want to see him?”

Ling Yi: “Did he get beaten up?”

“If being attacked by pheromones counts as being beaten, then yeah.”

Xi Lei disdained his roundabout words: “He was sent to the emergency room because he had a nose bleed and went into shock.”

Ling Yi was astonished: “You’re all fine, so why is he so ill?”

“Because he’s 94.33.” Oser’s voice was bone-chilling.

Ling Yi still didn’t understand: “Do you give everyone a code name?”

Oser smiled and said nothing.

Ling Yi pushed open the door of the emergency room just in time to see Bo Rui on a hospital bed slap himself hard.

“Pervert! He’s your own son, ah!”

Ling Yi: “……”

Bo Rui noticed someone coming inside. When he turned and saw that it was Ling Yi, he was so frightened that he fell to the floor.

“Y-y-you! Are you wearing the thing?”

Ling Yi helplessly lifted his hair to confirm: “I’ve already put it on, is that okay?”

Bo Rui appeared relieved, but not completely at ease, still watching him cautiously over the edge of the bed.

Ling Yi hadn’t expected to give this child such a psychological shadow, and had to patiently comfort him.

“I let it out on purpose today in order to escape. Normally, it’s not that intense. If you don’t believe me, ask Xi Lei.”

Xi Lei glanced at him, then glanced away.

Bo Rui actually understood: “Xi Lei says you’re a liar!”

Ling Yi: “……”

Da Lun stepped in to smooth things over: “Alright, stop arguing. We should sit down and let Ling Yi explain what’s going on.”

Ling Yi obediently found a seat and sat down. Bo Rui remained stubbornly crouched on the floor and refused to get up, and Xi Lei leaned against the far wall with his arms folded, seemingly unaffiliated with this tea party.

Ling Yi lowered his head and thought for a moment, then covered his face with his hands.

“What’s wrong?” Da Lun asked with concern. “Did we push you too hard?”

Ling Yi shook his head vigorously, sobbing into his palms: “Lu Hulun. It’s Lu Hulun who made me like this.”

Da Lun was about to touch his back to comfort him, but when he reached his hand out, he realized that it might not be appropriate and retracted it.

“It’s okay, take your time.”

Ling Yi paused briefly, then wiped his face and forced himself to be calm.

“The one who died in the execution van wasn’t me, but a substitute Lu Hulun found. The reason he found someone to replace me was that he didn’t want me to die so easily. He wanted me to die in agony like Lu Dawa, with my gland sliced to pieces.”

Bo Rui had been curled up in an aggrieved ball just moments before, but upon hearing this, he couldn’t help but jump up and curse.

Ling Yi waited patiently for him to finish greeting Lu Hulun’s eighteen generations of ancestors before continuing: “Fortunately, His Highness Oser arrived and rescued me, but my injuries were too severe. I only had two choices: death or a gland transplant.”

Bo Rui: “Of course you couldn’t die!”

“The medical college only had one artificial gland at the time, which was prepared for His Highness Oser’s Omega. It was extremely precious, yet His Highness Oser was willing to use it to save me. He even sent the best surgeons to perform the operation and spent a fortune on my treatment.”

The person leaning against the wall turned his head in disbelief.

“Shortly after the operation, Lu Hulun sent an assassin to sneak into the medical college and kill me. The situation was critical, and in order to protect me from the other Alphas, His Highness Oser had no choice but to mark me, as you can see now.”

These words once again touched upon painful memories, and Ling Yi covered his eyes, not wanting the others to see his vulnerable side.

Through the gaps between his fingers, he could see the look of disbelief on Xi Lei’s face, which was darker than the bottom of a pot. Ling Yi stuck his tongue out at him while the other two weren’t paying attention.

Da Lun had mixed feelings of sorrow and joy. The good news was that Ling Yi had survived, but the bad news was that just by listening to his narration, one could imagine how perilous his life was during that period.

“Why didn’t you tell us such an important thing earlier?”

“I hid it from you before because I wasn’t mentally prepared to face myself, and I worried that you would discriminate against me because of it.”

Da Lun’s heart broke: “How could that be?”

Bo Rui also shouted: “We’ve lived and eaten together for so many years. Don’t you know what kind of people we are?”

“I believe that the other students will accept you, so don’t let this weigh on you.”

Ling Yi wiped away nonexistent tears: “Thanks, you guys. I’ll try to accept my new identity. I don’t want to hide from it anymore.”

Xi Lei: “Heh.”

Bo Rui’s eyes flickered as if he had something else to say.

“I wanted to ask you, that is, the relationship between you and His Highness Oser…..is it based on gratitude?”

Ling Yi had already smelled a certain scent outside the door. Somebody couldn’t control his pheromones, and thus lacked the ability to hide and eavesdrop.

He lowered his head with reddened eyes: “No, it’s based on love.”

When he came out of the emergency room, Oser started to clap.

“Excellent! The film school has lost out on your extraordinary talent.”

Ling Yi calmly accepted the praise: “My goal is to bring hatred down on Lu Hulun. There’s no need for you to bring out the firepower. Since Bo Rui knows, soon everyone at the academy will know.”

He was very confident: “When it comes out that I’m still alive, this version of events will naturally spread. Even surnamed Lu won’t be able to dispute it, because lies based on truth are the hardest to distinguish.”

“Half true, half false. Was your closing remark the false half?”

Ling Yi smiled: “Guess.”

. . . . . .

A day later, Xi En, who had been in a coma for over half a month, finally woke up.

When Ling Yi received the news and rushed over, Xi En had been awake for most of the day and was even able to sit up.

“Uncle Xi En!” Ling Yi’s eyes reddened the moment he saw him. This time, he wasn’t acting.

Xi En saw his lips tremble, and reached his hands out unsteadily.

“Ling Yi, come here.”

Ling Yi rushed over and hugged him, all of the worries and fears of these past days spilling out to wet the fabric over Xi En’s chest.

“I almost thought I’d never see you again.”

Xi En patted him on the back: “I’m alright. You’re the one who suffered.”

After Ling Yi vented the grievances that had piled up over several months, he met Xi Lei’s gaze and immediately turned his head away to wipe away his tears.

A few tissues were handed to him. Ling Yi stared at Xi Lei in confusion, wondering why he was being so kind instead of laughing at him.

“I told Dad the whole story, so you don’t have to make up tales to deceive him.”

“You —!”

“Your acting skills were barely enough to fool those two idiots. Do you really believe Dad wouldn’t see through it?”

Ling Yi gritted his teeth, but in front of Xi En, he chose not to argue with his son.

“Uncle Xi En, don’t listen to his nonsense. Look, I’m fine now, aren’t I? Your injuries and the tumor in your head were all treated by people His Highness Oser hired. The same goes for Xi Lei. If it weren’t for His Highness Oser, he would have been captured and buried by Lu Hulun.”

Xi En nodded slowly: “You’re right. Once I’ve recovered a bit, I’ll have to thank His Highness Oser in person.”

“No need.”

A familiar voice sounded, and Oser himself appeared at the door. 

“I’m here. Just pretend you’ve already thanked me.”

Xi En recognized Oser and struggled to get up.

“Xi Lei, come help me up.”

Xi Lei was apprehensive: “Dad, you just woke up. Don’t force yourself. His Highness won’t blame you for not observing etiquette.”

“His Highness Oser saved our entire family. I should express my sincere gratitude to him…..hurry up and help me!”

Since Xi En insisted on getting up, Xi Lei and Ling Yi had no choice but to assist him. One on each side, they supported him over to Oser.

Facing Oser, Xi En bowed deeply.

“Your Highness saved my family. I sincerely express my gratitude to you.”

Oser: “There’s no need for such ceremony. I was just fulfilling Ling Yi’s request.”

He was caught off guard by pain blooming in his jaw. Xi En’s punch was weak and powerless, but he had actually hit the eldest prince’s noble face.

Ling Yi: “Uncle Xi En!”

Xi Lei: “Dad!”

After using all of his strength to throw one punch, Xi En was completely exhausted and slid straight down. If Ling Yi and Xi Lei hadn’t been holding him up, he would have fallen to the floor.

Everyone was shocked by this sudden development, including Oser, who wore a rare look of surprise on his face.

“The way your Xi family expresses gratitude is truly eye-opening.”

Xi Lei explained anxiously: “No, Your Highness! Dad…..his mind must not be clear after the surgery. He was just momentarily confused!”

“The last person who dared punch me in the face was Ling Yi. Between you and him, I can’t tell which is the real father-son pair.”

Oser rubbed the place he’d been hit: “But I do hope that the next person who takes action will understand the criminal sentence for attacking a member of the royal family.”

Xi En breathed for a long time before regaining enough strength to furiously scold His Highness Oser: “He’s only in his early twenties, in the prime of his life, with lots of youth ahead of him! You took advantage of his misfortune. How could you be so cruel…..”

“Uncle Xi En! Stop talking!”

Ling Yi feared that Oser would order Xi En, who had just returned from the dead, to be thrown in prison. He hurriedly pleaded: “Your Highness, Uncle Xi En has been very kind to me. Without him, I wouldn’t be alive today. He acted impulsively out of concern for me. Please forgive him this time!”

There was no emotion in Oser’s unfathomable eyes.

“Your pleading for him is much more sincere than when you pleaded on your own behalf.”

“As long as you forgive him, I’ll do anything!”

“Me too!” Xi Lei stepped forward. “Please, for the sake of his frail body, don’t pursue this matter. I’m willing to go to prison in his place!”

While holding Xi En up, they tried their best to shield him with their bodies against Oser’s anger.

Oser’s eyes swept over the three of them one by one.

“It’s not impossible for me to waive the punishment. You two go out first.”

Ling Yi couldn’t rest assured: “Your Highness, allow me to stay. I won’t talk.”

“What, are you worried that this half-dead fellow will jump up and punch me again, or that I’ll kill him with one punch?”

Xi En stopped Ling Yi: “This is great. I also want to speak with His Highness privately”

Ling Yi and Xi Lei were driven out, leaving only a high-handed prince and a weak patient in the ward.

“In consideration of your unhealed injuries, I’ll allow you to sit while we speak,” Oser said loftily.

Xi En fell to the edge of the bed. He tried to push himself up with one hand, but after several failed attempts, he was forced to give up. 

“Your Highness, do you understand Ling Yi? If not, then let me, as his parent, give you a brief introduction.”

“Ling Yi has been interested in beautiful, dainty Omegas since childhood. When I was cleaning his room once, I found those magazines under his bed that teenagers like. I didn’t say anything to him, because it’s normal for adolescents to be curious about the opposite sex.”

He paused for a long time before he was able to speak again.

“Later, when Ling Yi went to the military academy, I accidentally discovered the pages he saved in his phone. His favorite porn star was Meng Tian. Considering that he’s an adult, he should have freedom in this regard, and as long as he wasn’t discovered by the school, I let him do as he pleased. If Your Highness feels that I’ve failed to educate my son, I will readily accept criticism.”

Oser’s face didn’t look so good anymore.

“A person’s sexual characteristics can be changed, but their sexual preferences cannot. Your Highness is not Ling Yi’s type in terms of style, age, or sexual characteristics. Even if you force him to be with you, he will never truly fall in love with you, Your Highness.”

Oser held his forehead with one hand and let out a few sinister chuckles.

“I truly want to thank you for introducing me to so many unknown sides of Ling Yi. If your goal was to irritate me, then congratulations, you’ve succeeded……”

“…..Captain Xi En.”

---

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Chapter 30 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 32

Chu Jiubian could sense the omnipresent gazes before he even disembarked the carriage.

In a daze, he even felt as if he had returned to the modern era and was about to get out of a car and walk the red carpet.

As if he would be greeted by excited cheers from his fans outside, as well as blinding flashes from the media.

He lowered his eyes slightly, face devoid of any extraneous expression, and his demeanor became even more distant and aloof.

He hadn’t forgotten his persona – he had to be proud and indifferent.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, and Qin Chaoyang’s voice sounded from outside: “Young Master, we have arrived at the Treasure Pavilion.”

Chu Jiubian stood up, and Qin Chaoyang lifted the curtain at just the right moment.

The people all around no longer hid their gazes, and stared straight at him.

The black and gold curtain lifted, and a slender, pale hand reached out to rest lightly against the door. Then came the hem of a robe trimmed with crimson clouds, along with a black boot.

Long, silver-white hair slid down his shoulders as the young man bent down and stepped out of the carriage.

Once he stood in place, everyone noticed how tall the slender man was, even taller than Qin Chaoyang standing next to him.

Of course, the most eye-catching aspects were his strange head of hair and that face.

Lu Jinfeng crossed his arms and looked him over twice, then turned toward Xiao Yao beside him and asked: “How does this Jiu-gongzi’s appearance compare to that of the Xiao family daughters?”

“Each has their own merits.” Xiao Yao’s eyes gleamed brightly. “However, this Jiu-gongzi’s merits go far beyond just his appearance.”

Having said this, he paced toward Chu Jiubian.

Lu Jinfeng naturally followed suit, unwilling to be left behind.

Everyone had initially thought that Qin Xiao would come along to keep a close eye on Chu Jiubian in order to keep others from taking advantage of the situation.

Therefore, many people, including Xiao Yao, had wracked their brains to come up with a way to strike up a conversation with Chu Jiubian.

Unexpectedly, Qin Xiao had released this person so openly. Was he really that confident that Chu Jiubian wouldn’t be recruited by other forces, or had he made other preparations?

As for Qin Chaoyang accompanying Chu Jiubian, no one saw him as anything other than a servant.

When masters were talking, servants were not allowed to voice their thoughts; their presence or absence made no difference.

Chu Jiubian cast a cool gaze over the crowd. From their positions and expressions, he could pretty much determine who held higher status and who was just there to be part of the fun.

He looked unflinchingly at the people walking toward him.

The newcomers were a slender, effeminate man and a well-muscled man with a cold face. They were both dressed in top-quality fabrics, and the jade pendants hanging at their waists were obviously the best money could buy.

And the moment they arrived, others who were trying to get closer stopped in their tracks. Most of them chose to go into the Treasure Pavilion first, leaving only a handful of people standing outside.

If anyone could read Chu Jiubian’s thoughts, they would be surprised to find that everyone remaining outside the Treasure Pavilion were those he had previously determined to be of high status.

In a private room on the second floor facing the street, Wang Huanzhi, the head of the Langya Wang family, stood at the window. Dressed in white, his figure was as straight as bamboo as he looked down at the people below, gently fanning himself with the folding fan in his hand.

“Has Jiu-gongzi finally arrived?” An elderly man sitting at the table took a sip of tea, no trace of impatience to be seen.

Wang Huanzhi asked: “Does Xiansheng know who else is left downstairs?”

The old man named Wang Zhang – who was also Wang Huanzhi’s strategist – said indifferently: “Just some of the most powerful people in the capital.”

“Three ministers, five deputy ministers, two generals…..” Wang Huanzhi chuckled. “They all arrived rather quickly.”

“Is the patriarch not going down to meet that person?”

“He’s just a charlatan.” Wang Huanzhi turned and sat back down at the table. “My Wang family has been a family of upright officials for generations. To associate ourselves with such a person would surely make all the great scholars and Confucianists of the world laugh their heads off.”

The Langya Wang family was renowned for their literary pursuits, producing many great scholars and Confucianists. They had been at the center of power since the previous dynasty, with a prime minister for several terms, and holding more than a dozen minister and deputy minister positions. Their pupils and former officials were spread all throughout the Great Ning Dynasty, and they were the most well-regarded amongst the four great families.

Whenever members of the Wang family came up in conversation, even the most ignorant people offered them a little more respect.

Therefore, the Wang family was equivalent to the largest public opinion group in the Great Ning Dynasty. If they wanted to promote someone, they could even promote a pig.

Correspondingly, if they wanted to ruin someone, they could drown that person in their spittle.

So-called verbal and written attacks were the foundation of the Wang family’s existence.

Naturally, the Wang family was very concerned about their reputation. They always maintained a proper demeanor, exuding an air of superiority as if they were looking down on everyone around them.

The current head of the Wang family, Wang Huanzhi, was no exception.

Wang Zhang poured him a cup of tea and said in a warm tone: “Has the family head forgotten those two poems?”

Wang Huanzhi paused.

“That Jiu-gongzi is indeed a pretentious charlatan, but the poets behind him, Li Bai and Li Qingzhao, are two great talents.” Wang Zhang patiently persuaded him, “No one, including my Langya Wang clan, would ever accept such a person.”

Wang Huanzhi lightly stroked the rim of his teacup with his fingertips. After a moment of contemplation, he said: “Rest assured, Xiansheng. My Wang family would never stoop to the level of sycophants, but my good-for-nothing eldest son is someone who loves to go along with the crowd.”

He himself was unwilling to stoop to the level of befriending Chu Jiubian, but his eldest son was.

Since that child had already gone astray and embarrassed the Wang family more than once, what harm was there in losing face a few more times?

Seeing his reaction, Wang Zhang could only sigh. He didn’t attempt to persuade him any further.

That young master had long since lost his loyalty to Wang Huanzhi, the family head. Even if he did actually form a relationship with Chu Jiubian, it wasn’t certain that such a relationship would transfer over to Wang Huanzhi.

But Wang Huanzhi was used to this, and never took that child seriously.

Wang Zhang naturally didn’t believe that the young master would amount to much; he was only able to maintain his place in the family due to the old lady’s favor.

But the old lady was getting on in age, and once she passed away, the young master would have no one to rely on in this family and could have no influence on Wang Huanzhi.

At the thought of this, Wang Zhang relaxed. Since Wang Huanzhi was unwilling to befriend Chu Jiubian, they would first observe the outcome of the other powerful figures’ actions.

Downstairs, Qin Chaoyang whispered to Chu Jiubian: “Those two are Xiao Yao, the head of the Xiao family, and Lu Jinfeng, the head of the Lu family.”

So they were the heads of two of the four great families. No wonder the others wisely left first.

Chu Jiubian gazed indifferently at the two people who had approached him, as if he were truly an emotionless god looking down upon all living beings from on high.

Lu Jinfeng’s brow was furrowed, having formed a deep “川” shape over the years. His sharp eyes swept across Chu Jiubian’s face with an immense sense of pressure.

Xiao Yao, however, gave him a warm, genial smile and bowed to Chu Jiubian, saying: “You must be Jiu-gongzi, Chu Jiubian? I am Xiao Yao, or Xiao Zimei, the current head of the Lin’an Xiao family. I have long admired you, Young Master, and it is a pleasure to finally meet you today.”

Lu Jinfeng then cupped his hands in turn and said in a deep voice: “I am Lu Jinfeng, the current head of the Wuwei Lu family, courtesy name Liaoyuan. I have long admired you.”

Chu Jiubian nodded to the two of them in acknowledgement of their greetings.

He was a god, and had only been down on earth for a few days, so he naturally couldn’t act too much like a human.

But if necessary, he would learn such etiquette so that he wouldn’t feel too awkward or embarrassed when attending the morning court sessions.

His attitude just about threw the two people in front of him off balance.

Lu Jinfeng’s frown deepened, while Xiao Yao, after a moment of surprise, smiled again and said: “The auction must be about to begin. Young Master, please.”

Chu Jiubian smoothly stepped forward and walked ahead of the two.

Xiao Yao followed a step behind, then walked beside Chu Jiubian.

Lu Jinfeng didn’t follow, but instead remained where he was. Minister of Revenue Su Sheng, Minister of War Lu Youwei, and Deputy Minister of Works Xiao Wendao were watching, among others. They had originally intended to find an opportunity to speak with Chu Jiubian, but seeing that the other party hadn’t even given face to two family heads, they decided not to make fools of themselves.

“Gentlemen, how about we stop standing here like idiots?” Xiao Wendao gestured around the group.

“Please, Minister Xiao.” The others were courteous to each other as they entered the Treasure Pavilion.

They didn’t linger on the first floor, but ascended to the second.

Chu Jiubian was also led by Qin Chaoyang to the private box the hosts had prepared for Qin Xiao.

Xiao Yao’s private box was right next door. He smiled and said: “If the Young Master gets bored, he can come and find me at any time.”

Chu Jiubian nodded, and his expression seemed to soften considerably.

Xiao Yao’s smile deepened, and he only turned to leave after Chu Jiubian’s door closed.

“Young Master, the view from here is quite good. You can see all of the items up for auction onstage.” Qin Chaoyang wiped off the chair for him.

Chu Jiubian walked over and found that what was called a private box was actually just a railing half a person high facing the other stands.

It didn’t obstruct the view, but it also offered no privacy. Let alone talking, if one even flicked their hair in the private box, the people in other private boxes could see it clearly.

A pair of large mahogany chairs had been placed in front of the railing facing the stands. There was a small table between them, upon which were tea, snacks, and fruit.

Chu Jiubian took a seat on the left and looked at the private box directly opposite him.

Two people sat there: a middle-aged man in flowing white robes and an old, white-bearded man who looked more like a deity than Chu Jiubian did.

“Those two are Wang Huanzhi, the head of the Langya Wang family, and Wang Zhang, an elder and strategist of the clan,” Qin Chaoyang introduced in a low voice.

Chu Jiubian nodded, then looked over at the other private boxes.

The various nobles, officials, and ministers were almost all men, except for two adjacent rooms where women were seated.

A dozen or so ladies and young women were dressed in fine clothes, with thin veils covering the lower halves of their faces.

“Those are the young ladies and wives of various families, who came out with the lords and young masters to have fun.”

Confucianism flourished in the Great Ning Dynasty, and the concepts of the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Virtues, as well as male superiority, had long been deeply-engrained in the minds of the people.

In addition, with books such as <<Female Conduct>> and <<Admonitions for Women>> becoming mainstream, these young ladies and wives kept to themselves and their families, rarely venturing out. They would only attend flower-appreciation banquets or similar events organized by women, and seldom showed their faces in public.

They could only go out with the men in their families on occasions such as auctions and the Qixi Festival, and even then, they had to wear a veil.

Chu Jiubian didn’t look at the women for long, but he had a good eye and was adept at reading people.

Thus, with a quick glance, he remembered their features and figures, and could basically guess their personalities from the liveliness or gentleness of their eyes.

“When will Qin Xiao arrive?” Chu Jiubian asked.

“In an hour.”

This one hour was the chance Qin Xiao was giving others, including Chu Jiubian, to see whether he could be won over by someone else.

If Chu Jiubian truly was persuaded to someone’s side, Qin Xiao wouldn’t move against him tonight – but that may not be the case in the future.

After all, nobody understood Chu Jiubian’s abilities better than Qin Xiao. If such a person couldn’t be used by him, then he must not be allowed to remain.

Chu Jiubian was also very clear on this matter.

With most everyone present, the auction officially commenced.

This was not Chu Jiubian’s first time participating in an auction. In order to excel in the role of an auctioneer, he had even gone to learn how to do it and had observed dozens of auctions in person.

Watching this process that was nearly identical to modern procedures, he wasn’t interested at all.

Of course, this was also because the items up for auction were either paintings by some master, beautiful and exquisite jewelry, and a few so-called martial arts manuals or precious swords that could cut through iron like mud…..

Very few people participated in the bidding, and the selling prices were not very high. In two quarters of an hour, just little over twenty items had been auctioned off.

This was partly because of Chu Jiubian. Most people present today were here for him rather than to bid on anything, so they naturally had no interest in joining the crowd.

However, these people were biding their time, and aside from the two family heads at the beginning, no one came to strike up a conversation with him.

Chu Jiubian’s enthusiasm was waning. Since no one was coming to him, he might as well out to try his luck.

“I’m going out for a walk,” he said to Qin Chaoyang as he stood up. “No need for you to follow me.”

“Yes.” Qin Chaoyang obediently stayed in the private box.

The fact that no one was following him openly didn’t mean that they weren’t doing so in secret.

Chu Jiubian knew very well that even if Qin Chaoyang wasn’t with him, Qin Xiao’s secret guards were still around, so he would still be safe even if someone attacked him.

However, once Qin Chaoyang stopped following him, his goal of being alone became particularly clear.

The first person to spot him was Xiao Yao, who had been keeping an eye on the situation next door.

Chu Jiubian had only taken a few steps out of the private box when Xiao Yao followed him out and said with a look of pleasant surprise: “What a coincidence. Is the Young Master feeling bored too?”

“En,” Chu Jiubian replied.

Xiao Yao came up to his side and smiled: “The Young Master hasn’t been upstairs yet. Many scholars and gentlemen are there, as well as courtesans putting on performances. Would you like to go and have a look?”

It seemed the head of the Xiao family was making his move.

Chu Jiubian readily agreed: “Let’s go.”

Xiao Yao’s smile became more genuine as he led him up to the third floor.

The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by the sound of string and woodwind instruments. Different from the two floors below, there were more private rooms with closed doors, from which zither music and lively conversations drifted out.

“I wonder if you have heard of Gongjin-xiansheng?” Xiao Yao asked.

“Is his surname Zhou?” Chu Jiubian asked subconsciously.

Xiao Yao shook his head: “His surname is Bai.”

Chu Jiubian had automatically thought of Zhou Gongjin from the Three Kingdoms period, but when he ran through the original text again in his mind, he couldn’t find mention of him. “Never heard of him,” he said.

Xiao Yao gave him a sideways glance, seemingly surprised that a dignified young master like Chu Jiubian would speak so bluntly.

However, taking into consideration that he might be from some reclusive family or power base, and was someone who rarely engaged in worldly affairs, it carried a sense of rustic charm.

In fact, Chu Jiubian was simply unaccustomed to how ancient people spoke, and would habitually use some more modern expressions.

However, his chosen identity was not from this world, so he simply declined to change his speaking patterns and spoke however he pleased.

Xiao Yao led him forward to the largest and most central private room: “This Gongjin-xiansheng came from Jiangnan two years ago. He was not yet twenty years old, but his literary talent was outstanding. Rumor has it that he could compose poetry at the age of three, debate the classics with great Confucian scholars by five, and was recommended for officialdom at ten. But he found the vicissitudes of officialdom restrictive, and resigned to wander freely.”

“He has been in the capital for two years now, and runs the Treasure Pavilion. When it comes to poetry, none of the so-called scholars and literary giants in the capital are a match for him; everyone says that he is the most valuable item in this Treasure Pavilion.”

Chu Jiubian nodded and said: “That is indeed impressive.”

He knew what Xiao Yao intended to do.

He wanted to know for himself whether this “immortal” had investment potential, and whether he was really backed by the so-called “Immortal Poet” and “Li Qingzhao.”

His other miracles were difficult to verify, but this one could be determined quickly and with little effort.

Xiao Yao was likely not the only one with this idea in mind. Other powerful figures had been observing without taking action, presumably waiting to see the results of this test.

All of these people were exceptionally shrewd.

However, could their knowledge of poetry compare to his?

Chu Jiubian’s gaze was deep and unfathomable.

Since it was like this, he was definitely about to reap another wave of Faith Points.

---

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Chapter 16 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 18

A light drizzle was falling when the morning court session ended.

Perhaps because ice had been left in his room all night, Bai Lihong had sneezed two or three times when he awoke that morning.

Qin Xiao worried that the child would catch a cold now that it was raining again, so he had him take a palanquin back to Yangxin Palace.

He himself stayed behind and spoke with Su Sheng and others about various matters, expressing that the national treasury would continue to be replenished and that he and His Majesty would gradually improve the lives of the common people.

He and these ministers, who outwardly appeared concerned for the country and its people, made sure to maintain a proper facade before parting ways.

This was the current situation in the Great Ning Dynasty. Regardless of what people really thought, a good reputation and the outward appearance of “a wise ruler and virtuous ministers” must be maintained.

After watching everyone leave, Qin Chaoyang finally spoke: “My Lord, the Imperial Decree has been passed down. Jiannan-wang will depart for Hexi Prefecture tomorrow.”

“Hm.” Qin Xiao took the umbrella from his hand and opened it, then stepped out of the main hall and descended the steps one by one.

Qin Chaoyang held his own umbrella as he followed behind him. He went on to say: “The Empress Dowager just paid a visit to the Young Master, and they discussed the auction. The Young Master was just about to come see you, presumably because he’s guessed that you’re using him.”

Qin Xiao paused in his steps.

Qin Chaoyang stopped as well, and followed Qin Xiao’s gaze when he saw him looking ahead.

Below the long steps, about a hundred meters away, stood none other than Chu Jiubian and Xiao Xiangzi. Speak of the devil.

Qin Xiao paused only briefly before continuing forward, swiftly descending the steps.

Looking on from afar, he saw the young man in dark blue brocade robes holding an oil paper umbrella. His long, silver-white hair was loose, and the slightly curled dark hair over his forehead created an odd and incongruous look that, combined with his delicate and beautiful face, gave him a detached beauty that seemed to belong to another world.

Qin Xiao walked unhurriedly toward the young man and said familiarly: “You wanted to see me again?”

He had played the role of a dandy for so many years, and it was easy for him to say something so flippant.

But because he spoke so naturally and had such a handsome face, his words didn’t seem offensive at all; on the contrary, they sounded flirtatious.

Someone else might feel ashamed or embarrassed, but this was Chu Jiubian.

As far back as he could remember, Chu Jiubian had never experienced any emotion similar to “embarrassment.”

“I thought you might not have brought an umbrella, so I came to pick you up.” Chu Jiubian looked up at the umbrella in his hand and said, “Now it seems I was overthinking it.”

“You weren’t overthinking it.” Without hesitation, Qin Xiao closed his umbrella and handed it to Qin Chaoyang behind him. 

Qin Chaoyang immediately took it, watching as his lord stepped under the young master’s umbrella and took the handle from the other’s hand.

Chu Jiubian naturally released his grip and began to move forward.

Xiao Xiangzi lagged a few steps behind, following the two along with Qin Chaoyang.

Looking up, he could see the two tall figures walking side by side. Both possessed an extraordinary bearing, but their temperaments were worlds apart.

How well-matched, Xiao Xiangzi thought.

Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao strolled leisurely along the long, secluded palace path. Chu Jiubian remained silent for some time, until he felt his left shoulder being soaked by the drizzle and turned his head to look.

Qin Xiao also noticed his wet shoulder, and immediately tilted the umbrella toward him.

Chu Jiubian chuckled softly and said: “Are you looking after me?”

“Of course,” said Qin Xiao. “The Young Master has helped me so much, it’s my duty to do what I can for you.”

Chu Jiubian sent him a glance and thought, You’d better remember what I’ve done for you.

Qin Xiao seemed to understand this look. A smile appeared in his eyes as he said: “Saltpeter is now under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Court.”

“Oh.” Chu Jiubian pretended not to hear the meaning behind his words.

“The Young Master previously stated that there are other uses for saltpeter beyond just making ice.” Qin Xiao didn’t beat around the bush, saying directly: “The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you out of the palace. Teach me another method then, hm?”

Chu Jiubian stopped and turned to face him.

The two stood under the same umbrella, very close in proximity.

Chu Jiubian had to raise his chin slightly to meet Qin Xiao’s gaze. He stared unblinkingly at the man before him and asked: “If I don’t teach you, you won’t take me to the auction?”

This bastard was already willing to use him, and now he wanted to use this to make a deal with him?

Dream on!

Qin Xiao looked down at him. The umbrella still covered most of his head, but his own back was wet.

After a moment, Qin Xiao suddenly let out a soft laugh and lamented: “I really don’t like talking to intelligent people.”

Chu Jiubian had already guessed that he planned to use him as bait for those powerful and influential people in order to see what bargaining chips they had in their hands. It was no longer suitable to use the pretext of “leaving the palace” to obtain another method from Chu Jiubian.

“What do you want?” he asked.

Chu Jiubian: “I’m bored every day. How about you give me an official position?”

This was what Chu Jiubian had wanted from the very beginning.

The Imperial Court may currently appear calm on the surface, but undercurrents were already surging, and the political struggle among these powerful figures would soon reach a fever pitch.

Chu Jiubian couldn’t remain outside the vortex forever. He needed to step in and work with these powerful figures and Qin Xiao in order to keep abreast of the latest intelligence and political developments.

Otherwise, once Qin Xiao had suppressed and defeated these people, the conflict would shift toward Chu Jiubian.

Chu Jiubian now had the Mobei Army as his backup forces, and there would be other believers in the future, but this wasn’t enough to put him on equal footing with Qin Xiao.

He even required Qin Xiao’s permission to inquire about news from the outside world.

Thus, in order to protect himself, Chu Jiubian must possess status and power to rival Qin Xiao’s.

A few flashes of lightning streaked through the gloomy clouds, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.

The rain came down harder.

Chu Jiubian paid close attention to every change in Qin Xiao’s expression. He was actually very apprehensive.

This request seemed to reveal too much ambition, and it would be reasonable for Qin Xiao not to agree.

It seemed like an eternity, yet also like only a few breaths had passed before Qin Xiao nodded: “His Majesty happens to be lacking a teacher.”

“You want me to be the Imperial Preceptor?” Chu Jiubian was not very satisfied.

The Imperial Preceptor was said to be the emperor’s teacher, but in reality, with Qin Xiao being the Regent and the emperor’s maternal uncle, the young emperor rarely paid attention to his Imperial Preceptor.

Moreover, the Imperial Preceptor’s job was only to teach the emperor knowledge and etiquette. He could not attend court, and had no real power, and this would not improve Chu Jiubian’s current problem of being “blind and deaf” with no subordinates.

Qin Xiao knew he was dissatisfied by his frown, but rather than being angry, he smiled and said: “This lord was referring to the position of Grand Tutor, a first-rank official able to attend court and participate in government affairs. Is the Young Master satisfied?”

Chu Jiubian’s brow smoothed out.

It seemed Qin Xiao knew what he wanted.

“I really enjoy talking to intelligent people.” Chu Jiubian’s eyes sparkled, and his deliberately gentle tone seemed as if he was trying to tug on the other’s heartstrings.

Qin Xiao swept his rippling eyes over him and said meaningfully: “Then I trust that the Grand Tutor will consider His Majesty’s well-being in the future.”

He was isolated and helpless in the court, with almost no capable civil officials.

If Chu Jiubian could attend court, with his intelligence and abilities, he was certain to be a sharp blade in Qin Xiao’s hands.

But as of now, the direction this blade would point was unknown.

Qin Xiao was in no hurry. The day after tomorrow, he would know whose hands this blade would end up in.

Chu Jiubian understood his implied meaning. The other party’s offer of the Grand Tutor position seemed to show his sincerity, and he felt that he should reciprocate. He said: “Rest assured, Lord Ning-wang, His Majesty is clever and well-behaved, and I like him very much.”

He would first verbally express his opinion, and then prove it through his actions when meeting with others the next day.

In any case, he had never considered cooperating with other forces. In the end, he would remain standing at the side of Bai Lihong, the male protagonist of this world.

The young man’s stunning face reflected in Qin Xiao’s unfathomable eyes.

“Then this lord shall wait and see.”

*

*

The Yanmen Qiu family was the wealthiest of the four great families.

They had originally made their fortune outside Yanmen Pass by trading in salt, iron, and furs with the grassland tribes, and eventually controlled all of the border trade routes.

Later, when the Imperial Court tightened its control, they abandoned their aboveboard business and became more secretive, expanding their influence into the Central Plains region.

Their caravans now spread across most of the Great Ning Dynasty, and they were also deeply involved with forces in the jianghu.

Because of their trade, the Qiu family always managed to obtain rare and precious items.

In order to sell them at high prices, they opened the Treasure Pavilion in the capital, and an auction was held there every six months.

At present, the first biannual auction was set to begin.

Early on, the Qiu family had released the news that many of the treasures in this auction originated from the Western Regions and the Northern Territories, and were extremely rare in the Central Plains.

The capital city was never short of wealthy and powerful people, and they were all naturally abuzz with interest. Even merchants from the Jiangnan region had come to join in the fun.

On the day of the auction, starting in the afternoon, carriages of all kinds arrived one after another, each bearing the name of their respective families.

The Treasure Pavilion had three floors. The first floor was for ordinary wealthy merchants and officials of all ranks, while the private rooms on the second floor were reserved for the powerful and influential, those whom ordinary people might never have the chance to meet in their lifetimes.

The four great families, as well as officials of the first and second ranks, were basically all on this level.

The third floor above was reserved for the most beautiful and talented courtesans from the most famous pleasure houses and painted boats, who would serve tea and put on performances.

Therefore, many early arrivals would go straight to the third floor to browse, drink tea, and appreciate art.

More carriages arrived as evening drew near, and the flags adorning each one were enough to make one’s heart tremble.

When colleagues from the Imperial Court bumped into one another, they would greet each other and engage in lively conversation.

When Xiao Yao, the head of the Lin’an Xiao family, arrived, he happened to run into Lu Jinfeng, the head of the Wuwei Lu family. Both of them were only in their early thirties.

Xiao Yao was dressed in blue robes and had the appearance of a frail scholar, his temperament even somewhat effeminate.

Lu Jinfeng was dressed in long, dark robes. His face was cold and hard, and the robes were unable to hide his muscular physique. Of course, the most eye-catching thing was the longsword at his waist, which had taken countless lives.

Xiao Yao smiled and stepped forward with his hands cupped in greeting. He said: “Liaoyuan-xiong, it’s been a while. You look even more robust.”

“And you’ve become even more womanly,” Lu Jinfeng sneered.

Xiao Yao’s expression remained unchanged: “Who in the Great Ning Dynasty doesn’t know how beautiful the women in my family are? If I could be half as beautiful as them, I would be most pleased.”

Lu Jinfeng couldn’t be bothered to acknowledge him.

Their entire family maintained their status by relying on the beauty of their women to curry favor with the wealthy and powerful, and were not at all ashamed of it.

To be on the safe side, the street had been cleared out today. Only people with connections in the capital were allowed in; ordinary people could only stand away from the street and watch the excitement from afar.

Normally, the street wasn’t so crowded when there was an auction, and people would come and go inside the Treasure Pavilion to exchange pleasantries.

But today, the area in front of the gate was extremely lively. Influential figures stood there in twos and threes, chatting as they glanced toward the end of the long street now and then, as if waiting for someone.

The setting sun cast a golden glow across the ground, and at last, a horse-drawn carriage slowly approached from the end of the long street.

The carriage was entirely black and gold, with a banner fluttering above it bearing the surname “Qin” in vibrant calligraphy.

This was the Qin family carriage.

To be more precise, it was Qin Xiao’s carriage.

Ongoing conversations gradually fell silent, and countless gazes focused on that one spot.

Everyone knew that Qin Xiao wasn’t the only one in the carriage; the renowned Jiu-gongzi of the capital city was there as well.

---

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Chapter 15 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 17

T/N: Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates it! Here’s a holiday double update.

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[Friendly reminder: There will be intermittent light rain today. Please bring an umbrella when going out. (Rain will start in 20 minutes)]

Having regained a bit of freedom, Chu Jiubian planned to go out for a walk after breakfast and see if there was a chance to trick any palace servants into contributing some Faith Points. 

He was unsurprised to hear the System notification.

It was sweltering hot the day before, with clouds blazing red in the sky come evening, so it was normal for it to rain today. 

He glanced up at the sky.

It was usually cloudy for some time before it rained, but the weather in the Great Ning Dynasty was odd. It was obviously going to rain soon, but the sky was still clear.

This was a good thing for Chu Jiubian. It allowed him to keep up his act.

“Would the Young Master like to go for a walk?” Xiao Xiangzi asked considerately.

Chu Jiubian gave a hum, then said: “Bring an umbrella.”

Xiao Xiangzi immediately sent Xiao Jinzi to fetch an umbrella. Any hesitation would be disrespectful to this “god.”

The umbrellas prepared for the masters of each palace were exquisite, printed with elegant ink-wash landscape paintings. Perhaps because they were so delicate, they were relatively small and could only cover one person. Trying to squeeze two people under one would be a bit crowded.

Chu Jiubian told Xiao Xiangzi to take an extra oil paper umbrella.

This way, Chu Jiubian could just hold his own umbrella later rather than let Xiao Xiangzi get soaked trying to help him.

Xiao Xiangzi understood his motivations, and was deeply moved.

Their young master was really a very good person, and didn’t look down on servants like them at all.

The two of them left Yaotai Residence and walked unhurriedly toward the Imperial Gardens.

With such nice weather, all of the masters and servants in the palace would want to go there.

And where there were many people, there would be many believers.

Although Yaotai Residence was not large, its location was truly excellent, right next to Yangxin Palace. It wouldn’t be long before they reached the Imperial Gardens. This showed how favored Concubine Duan had been when Emperor Yingzong still lived.

After all, she had accompanied Yingzong and given birth to his eldest son. She was also taken under the wing of the Empress Dowager, so it was understandable that she would hold a higher status.

“Young Master,” Xiao Xiangzi said softly, “I hear that the ice is selling very well outside. The rich and powerful are scrambling to obtain it.”

Chu Jiubian maintained an aloof and noble demeanor, but upon hearing this, he couldn’t help the way his lips curved up: “Did he ask you to tell me this?”

Xiao Xiangzi let out a mischievous laugh and said: “The Young Master is correct.”

Xiao Xiangzi had risen early in the morning and went to Yangxin Palace to pay his respects to his shifu. As it happened, he ran into Lord Ning-wang, who had come to attend morning court with His Majesty.

His Lordship had told Xiao Xiangzi to inform Chu Jiubian about the ice being sold outside the palace, and said that in the future, he could tell Chu Jiubian anything he wanted to know.

What Xiao Xiangzi knew was naturally nothing major, at most some rumors or gossip. Nothing worth telling Chu Jiubian.

But because of this, Xiao Xiangzi felt that what Shui Yun and Xiao Yinzi said the night before must be correct, that their lord treated their young master as someone special!

“What else did he tell you to say?” Chu Jiubian asked.

Xiao Xiangzi said honestly, “His Lordship said that I can tell the Young Master anything he wants to know from now on.”

Chu Jiubian hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to allow him such great convenience. It seemed that the ice was selling extremely well, and was perhaps even enough to complete the dam repairs.

His guess was right.

At the morning court session, without waiting for Minister of Works Xiao Wendao to urge him again, Qin Xiao took the initiative to give the order to commence dam repairs.

Minister of Revenue Su Sheng and Xiao Wendao both agreed.

Xiao Wendao bowed and said: “Your Majesty, this official has another matter to address.”

Bai Lihong’s childish voice rang out: “What matter?”

Qin Xiao had taught him that whenever a minister addressed him as “Your Majesty” and said they had a matter to report, he should respond with a word or two.

“In regard to the dam construction in Hexi Prefecture, it would be best to send a supervisor to personally oversee it. This way, the local people will no longer dare to act arbitrarily.”

Su Sheng retreated to the side and didn’t interrupt.

Bai Lihong said: “What does Lord Ning-wang think?”

The child’s voice was crisp and tender, and such words coming from him sounded strange and discordant. But everyone was used to hearing it now, and knew that this was Qin Xiao trying to save face for the young emperor.

“Your Majesty, this official also thinks that we should find a supervisor so as to prevent certain people from becoming greedy.”

Qin Xiao lowered his eyes to look at Xiao Wendao, saying meaningfully: “I believe Minister Xiao already has a candidate in mind. Shall we hear it?”

“This official dares not speak lightly.” Xiao Wendao, as usual, put on a show of being humble.

But just as he finished speaking, Qin Xiao smiled and said: “Since you won’t say it, I will.”

Xiao Wendao’s expression froze, and the looks on the others’ faces also varied.

Su Sheng lowered his head even more to hide the smile on his lips. Could it be that Minister Xiao was just meeting Qin Xiao for the first time?

The identity Qin Xiao had given himself was that of the most notorious dandy in the capital. Although he was pretending for the benefit of others, that rich young master temperament was the real deal.

Attempting to be modest with such a person was simply digging a hole to bury yourself.

However, Su Sheng and the Xiao family were on the same page regarding who to send to supervise the construction of the dam.

They both wanted Bai Lihai to take on this task.

Su Sheng was just wondering whether he should suggest Bai Lihai and get Xiao Wendao out of trouble, when Qin Xiao spoke again: “This lord recalls that Bai Lihai is sixteen years old this year, correct? It is time for him to get involved in government affairs. It isn’t appropriate to allow him to remain by the Empress Dowager’s side, so why not have him take on this mission and gain experience?”

Xiao Wendao and Su Sheng were both somewhat taken aback.

Especially Xiao Wendao, who had originally intended to suggest Bai Lihai for this task.

With him, the Minister of Works, giving the order and the Xiao family backing him, the people below would certainly not dare to engage in corruption as they had before. Bai Lihai would definitely complete this task brilliantly.

At that time, they could find some scholars and writers to create a few poems and essays praising him, and the reputation of Jiannan-wang would be established.

It was just that he hadn’t expected Qin Xiao to take the initiative to bring it up. Wasn’t he afraid of the credit falling to Jiannan-wang?

Qin Xiao was naturally aware of their plan, and just went along with it.

It didn’t matter who got the credit. In the end, it would be counted as the emperor’s achievement.

The most important thing at the moment was to repair the dams in Hexi Prefecture.

It was a rainy year. According to reports from his subordinates, the water levels in Hexi Prefecture had been rising, and the embankments had been in disrepair for many years. If there was more heavy rain, flooding was inevitable.

At that time, the thousands of people living along the river there would not only lose their land and food, but also their lives.

The Xiao family might find ways to make things difficult for him if he sent someone else, and the money wouldn’t reach its destination.

But if Bai Lihai went, with the Xiao family’s protection, everything would go much more smoothly.

It only took Su Sheng a moment’s thought to understand Qin Xiao’s actions.

He couldn’t help but lament to himself that Lord Ning-wang should not be underestimated.

*

*

Chu Jiubian and Xiao Xiangzi walked all the way to the Imperial Gardens.

Along the way, busy palace servants were surprised to see Xiao Xiangzi holding two umbrellas on such a sunny day.

Once the two walked away, the palace servants gathered to whisper amongst themselves.

It was no secret that Chu Jiubian had predicted the rainfall before. Such a miraculous story had spread quickly, and the mystery only grew.

But because they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, most people didn’t believe it.

Now, seeing that Chu Jiubian had brought an umbrella, they cleverly guessed that it might rain again.

“How is it possible?” A servant looked up at the sky in disbelief. “The sun is shining so brightly that I fear the rain will dry up before it even falls.”

“But wasn’t the rain a few days ago like this too, coming on fast and hard?”

“Okay, stop arguing. We can just wait and see if it really rains, right?”

Chu Jiubian deliberately made an appearance in front of more people so that they would notice the umbrellas in Xiao Xiangzi’s arms.

When the rain began to fall, his points would definitely go up.

He was in a good mood, and felt even more relaxed looking at the Imperial Gardens with its clusters of flowers, rockery, and green bamboo.

It was going to rain in three minutes, so Chu Jiubian took Xiao Xianzi to a pavilion to rest. It would be awesome to appreciate the gardens in the rain later with his points rapidly increasing.

Just as he was lost in thought, Xiao Xiangzi suddenly tugged at his sleeve and whispered: “Young Master, the Empress Dowager is here.”

Chu Jiubian glanced to the front left and saw a group of people coming down a small path.

The woman in the lead was wearing a slightly dark yellow palace dress, with emeralds and pearls hanging in her hair. She looked noble and elegant, with a benign countenance.

The novel’s description of the Empress Dowager immediately flashed through Chu Jiubian’s mind: an ambitious, ruthless politician.

In her life, she sought neither men nor money – only power.

To this end, she did not hesitate to kill her half-sister and nephew, or use benefits to get her own family and brothers on her hook.

What little affection and love she possessed was all given to Bai Lihai, whom she had raised with her own hands.

Chu Jiubian stood up for the sake of politeness and waited for the group to approach.

Matron Liu, supporting Xiao Ruohan’s arm, entered the pavilion. When she saw Chu Jiubian standing tall, she couldn’t help but scold: “Audacious commoner, how dare you not bow down to the Empress Dowager!”

Xiao Ruohan’s benevolent gaze fell upon Chu Jiubian, and she looked him up and down.

The young man stood with his hands behind his back, exuding a cool and aloof air. His light-hued eyes were seemingly devoid of emotion.

Xiao Ruohan had previously wondered what such an extraordinary person would look like, having only heard that he was very good-looking.

Seeing him now, he truly possessed a divine appearance.

Xiao Xiangzi raised his eyes to glare at Matron Liu, thinking to himself, Even our Lord and His Majesty have never made the Young Master kneel. Who do you think you are?

This was the first time Matron Liu had seen anyone show such disrespect to Xiao Ruohan. Even Qin Xiao had to bow and say “Greetings, Empress Dowager” when they met.

She started to say more, but Xiao Ruohan interrupted her: “It’s alright, young people have their own way of doing things. If he doesn’t want to kneel, then he shouldn’t kneel.”

She sat down on the stone bench and assumed the role of a host, smiling at Chu Jiubian: “Please sit.”

This person had clearly come here for him, and since Chu Jiubian wanted to know what she was up to, he sat.

Xiao Ruohan smiled at the sight of the two umbrellas on the table and asked: “Will it rain today?”

“En.” Chu Jiubian adopted a mysterious and inscrutable demeanor, his attitude as cool as could be.

“I’ve heard that Jiu-gongzi is able to predict the timing of rain. I wonder if I might have the honor of witnessing it today?”

The Empress Dowager’s entourage was quite large; even when she went out for a casual stroll, she was followed by more than twenty palace servants.

At present, those twenty-odd people were standing nearby and could hear what those in the pavilion were saying.

In Chu Jiubian’s eyes, that was a whopping ten to twenty Faith Points.

And why not take advantage of this opportunity to show off?

The System message stated that it would rain in about thirty seconds.

Chu Jiubian glanced at the young eunuch beside him and said: “Xiao Xiangzi, count to thirty.”

Xiao Xiangzi guessed that his young master was predicting the rainfall, and his heart pounded like a drum.

He had only ever seen the blocks of ice the young master had made before, and this was his first time witnessing one of his rainfall predictions.

Most importantly, the young master was involving him in the process!

Xiao Xiangzi was so excited that he couldn’t contain himself, and his voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

At this moment, the Imperial Gardens fell completely silent. Everyone reflexively held their breath, and all that could be heard was Xiao Xiangzi’s shaky countdown.

As the countdown reached ten, the sky gradually darkened.

When it reached twenty, lightning flashed across the sky, trailed by thunder.

Then the countdown reached thirty, and a light drizzle began to fall.

Silence.

Chu Jiubian watched his Faith Value skyrocket and almost couldn’t hold back his laughter.

He had recovered the 50 or so points he’d spent last night, and his total points once again exceeded 100, with his accumulated points reaching over 180.

With just over ten more points, he could recruit another Believer!

Inside the pavilion, Xiao Xiangzi stared in awe at the steady drizzle, the pounding of his heart unabated.

He felt that no one would be able to understand how he was feeling at that moment.

As he was counting down, the sky had darkened and the rain had begun to fall, as if he was the one controlling it.

He would never forget this feeling!

And the shock in the hearts of the others was no less than his.

Matron Liu couldn’t suppress the fright in her eyes, and Xiao Ruohan’s face was much paler than before. She clenched her hands tightly to just barely calm herself down.

“Jiu-gongzi’s skills are truly remarkable.” Her voice was slightly hoarse.

Chu Jiubian met her gaze and saw the burgeoning ambition and greed in her eyes.

She wanted him.

This wasn’t strange at all. She simply wanted Chu Jiubian as an ally to help her gain greater power and status.

At this moment, Chu Jiubian finally understood.

There must be quite a few people like her.

And they probably all wanted this “god” to themselves.

Xiao Ruohan forced herself to relax, and said gently: “The young master has been confined to the palace for several days now, and I imagine he must feel rather stifled. If you are willing, I can speak with Ning-wang and ask him to let you out to see the world.”

Chu Jiubian said mildly: “He won’t listen to you.”

“No need to worry, Young Master. Just give the nod, and I will help you.” Xiao Ruohan’s eyes gleamed with a sharp light. “The Yanmen Qiu family will be holding an auction in the evening the day after next. I participated once before I married, and it was incredibly lively. I’m certain that you will also find it entertaining, Young Master.”

*

*

As the Empress Dowager’s entourage slowly receded into the distance, Chu Jiubian’s eyes darkened slightly.

The day after tomorrow…..wasn’t that the day Qin Xiao had agreed to take him out of the palace?

Judging from Xiao Ruohan’s words, the auction must be a grand and solemn affair which nearly all of the powerful and influential people would attend, including the four great families.

If Chu Jiubian, the renowned “Jiu-gongzi” of the capital were to make an appearance, these people would surely flock to him.

And judging from Xiao Ruohan’s attitude toward him today, Chu Jiubian knew that there was nobody in the capital who didn’t wish to get on his good side; he was now an absolute hot commodity.

But because he had been imprisoned inside the palace by Qin Xiao, those outside were unable to contact him and could only attempt to get him out.

Qin Xiao must already know this, and even guessed that these people would use the auction to incite Chu Jiubian to leave the palace. So he had decided to play the good guy and personally take Chu Jiubian out.

That way, he could both curry favor with Chu Jiubian and see what benefits those outside would use to tempt him, while also probing their backgrounds.

This was killing two birds with one stone.

Chu Jiubian felt like he was being used again.

He was annoyed. Truly, incredibly annoyed.

Xiao Xiangzi had just realized that the Empress Dowager wanted to sow discord between Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao. Seeing that the expression on Chu Jiubian’s face wasn’t good, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

The young master wouldn’t have a fight with their lord because of this, would he?

He was just wondering whether he should try to persuade him when he heard Chu Jiubian say: “Xiao Xiangzi.”

“This servant is here.”

“Let’s go fetch Qin Xiao after court.” Chu Jiubian picked up an umbrella, opened it, and stepped out into the rain.

Xiao Xiangzi quickly opened his own umbrella and followed, a huge weight lifting from his heart.

It seemed that the young master wasn’t angry. On the contrary, he was worried that their lord hadn’t brought an umbrella and wanted to go and personally pick him up.

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Chapter 14 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 16