My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult-Chapter 319 - True Dragon Essence Blood of the Qin

Chapter 319: Chapter 319: True Dragon Essence Blood of the Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum

Chapter 319: Chapter 319: True Dragon Essence Blood of the Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum

Great Yan, Yujing City, Cang County.

Cang County wasn’t a large county, but due to its proximity to the capital of Great Yan, the area was teeming with a large population, bustling and lively.

During the Great Zhou Dynasty, this place became famous throughout the world because a Great Grandmaster appeared here; thus, many sects gathered and left behind their legacies, making the local customs here quite valiant. Ordinary people mostly possessed some level of cultivation.

Rangers and people from the Jianghu were countless.

In a secluded courtyard, security was strict, with numerous experts present.

A short man whispered, “Old He, that heavenly assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower is truly a national beauty, beyond compare.”

This man was called Zhang Ming, known in the Jianghu as the River Overturning Tiger, a Second Grade Peak cultivator, and also one of the well-known experts in the Great Yan Martial World.

The burly man beside him with a face full of horizontal meat was not an ordinary person either; he was called He Yunfeng, known in the Jianghu as the Four Directions Soul Seeker. With a hand technique of Heavenly Cold Palm that shook the Jianghu, he had originally been a master on Jiangnan Dao but disappeared from the Jianghu without a trace after being defeated by Liu Qingshan.

He Yunfeng gave a cold laugh, “If His Highness hadn’t spoken, I would have already devoured her to the bones.”

“This woman is fierce, the taste must be extraordinary.”

Zhang Ming’s eyes shone with a glint as he said, “It’s a pity indeed. I’ll go to the Red Moon House tonight to vent my frustrations.”

He Yunfeng took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness in his heart, and just as he was about to speak, he suddenly heard a noise from afar and immediately shouted, “Who’s there!?”

Zhang Ming was also alert and quickly looked in that direction.

“The one who’s here for your life.”

A cold voice rang in their ears, followed by a surge of chilling sword light.

The sword light was cold and fast; by the time they saw it, it felt as though their blood had already frozen.

“Puff!” “Puff!”

The sharp cold effortlessly slit both their throats, and blood spurted out like a gushing spring.

“Thud!” “Thud!”

Zhang Ming and He Yunfeng’s pupils widened dramatically with unbearable terror in their eyes, and they eventually fell heavily to the ground.

A figure emerged, none other than Yi Daoyun, the chief of the White Tiger Seat from Outer Heaven.

“Swoosh! Swoosh!”

The next moment, several experts from the White Tiger Seat stormed the courtyard, slaughtering all the guards within, instantly staining the ground red with blood.

These people moved uniformly and killed swiftly.

They were all experts of the White Tiger Seat.

The Azure Dragon Seat guarded the safety of the Sect Leader of Outer Heaven, the Vermilion Bird Seat managed the properties, assets, resources, the Xuanwu Seat controlled the Black Armored army, and the White Tiger Seat specialized in assassination, being the sharpest blade of the Demon Sect.

The White Tiger Sword in Yi Daoyun’s hand still dripped with blood as he approached the house.

“Creak—!”

“Swoosh! Swoosh!”

The moment the door opened, a black nail shot out from inside, stabbing towards his face.

The black nail was incredibly fast, like a streak of black lightning. Fortunately, Yi Daoyun was already on guard and lifted his White Tiger Sword to block in front of him.

“Ding!”

Carrying an overbearing force, the black nail struck the blade of the White Tiger Sword, causing a spiral pattern to appear on the blade, forcing Yi Daoyun to step back repeatedly.

As the shadow inside the house pressed its advantage, it stomped on the floor and charged at Yi Daoyun.

The shadow was extremely fast, reaching Yi Daoyun in an instant, with a palm thrusting toward his throat.

Just then, a palm strike from behind Yi Daoyun surged forward, aiming directly at the shadow’s heart.

The shadow was forced to convert its claw into a palm and met the attack head-on.

“Bang!”

Upon the collision of the palms, a powerful sound erupted.

As one individual slowly walked in, his aura, though projecting outward and standing right in front, was completely indecipherable.

The shadow spoke in a deep voice, “Li Fuzhou?”

Li Fuzhou said, “The Hermit of the Nine Yin, Zuo Zihua.”

Zuo Zihua challenged, “Your Demon Sect really has some nerve. Do you know who is imprisoned here?”

Li Fuzhou counter-questioned, “Who?”

Zuo Zihua replied, “The rebels who plotted to kill the Crown Prince.”

“Rebels should be in the Heavenly Prison, not here.”

Li Fuzhou sneered, “Yi, you go save people; I’ll kill him.”

Yi Daoyun nodded slightly and dashed towards the house.

Zuo Zihua’s eyebrows raised, and his palm attacked Yi Daoyun once again, but just then, Li Fuzhou met his attack head-on.

Zuo Zihua had once been a top fighter in Jianghu, a contemporary of You Gai, with strength even surpassing the elderly Qingfeng. Later, after aligning himself with Crown Prince Zhao Chongyin, his cultivation had once again advanced.

Although he also possessed Second Qi Cultivation, he was no match for Li Fuzhou.

Especially when Li Fuzhou utilized the Heavenly Human Communication, combining the force of Heaven and Earth with the Heavenly Demon Qi, Zuo Zihua was forced to continually retreat after merely three moves.

“This Li Fuzhou is truly formidable.”

Zuo Zihua retreated step by step, his internal organs trembling, greatly shocked within his heart.

He had long heard that Li Fuzhou had killed Tang Taiyuan, the Great Commander of the Xuanyi Guard, on the Eight Feet Platform; seeing it today, his reputation as a formidable expert was indeed not unfounded.

Zuo Zihua was no fool; knowing he was no match for Li Fuzhou, he had already thought of retreating, realizing the urgent need to inform the Crown Prince about this matter.

Seeing Zuo Zihua attempting to flee, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Li Fuzhou’s eyes. Since his identity had been exposed, it was better to put an end to everything and eliminate Zuo Zihua completely.

With this thought, Li Fuzhou’s movements shifted, his body charging forward like thunder, while the Heavenly Demon Qi surged from behind him like a tidal wave.

The Heavenly Demon Qi itself was an incredibly formidable Qi Mechanism, and after reaching the Grandmaster Realm, it highlighted its terrifying power even more. Moreover, Li Fuzhou, utilizing the force of Heaven and Earth, made this palm strike thunderous and overwhelming.

“Bang!”

Zuo Zihua had no desire for battle, but feeling that palm strike approaching, and already pressed to his limits, he had no choice but to counter with a palm strike of his own. When they connected, Li Fuzhou didn’t hesitate and exerted his full strength.

Zuo Zihua’s forearm bones broke through his skin, his steps retreating backward continuously, his forehead beaded with large sweat droplets.

Such pain struck him; he couldn’t utter a single word.

“Say goodbye to this world.”

Li Fuzhou’s calm voice resonated as he struck another palm, the domineering Heavenly Demon Qi completely swallowing the figure of Zuo Zihua before him.

A master of the Second Qi Grandmaster Realm, ended within a few moves.

Simultaneously, two streams of Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence landed in his palm.

Before long, Yi Daoyun also hurried out, holding an extremely weak woman in his arms, who was indeed Li Yue, the Heaven-ranked assassin from the Wind and Rain Tower.

Yi Daoyun spoke softly, “Sect Master Li, she is unconscious but not in mortal danger.”

“We shouldn’t stay here long.”

Li Fuzhou saw that Li Yue had been rescued and immediately said.

“Alright.”

Yi Daoyun also nodded.

Suddenly, the Demon Sect’s experts vanished from the courtyard.

……

Yujing City, Rain Flowers Courtyard.

Today, the Crown Prince’s courtyard received a distinguished guest, Sect Leader Xiao Qianqiu of the Zhenyi Sect.

At this moment, Zhao Chongyin sat in the seat of honor, while Xiao Qianqiu, with a light smile, sat beside him.

Zhao Chongyin remarked, “State Preceptor, you seem even more imposing than when we last met.”

These words were not mere flattery; the two were not much different in age, and they had met decades ago. At that time, Xiao Qianqiu had already ascended to the position of Sect Leader of the Zhenyi Sect; his genius was already renowned throughout the lands.

Back then, Xiao Qianqiu had given him a rather composed impression, far from the breezy and unfathomable demeanor he possessed now.

If previously he was just a cultivator painstakingly pursuing the Dao, now he was like an Immortal sitting atop the mountain, overlooking the multitude with an extraordinary air.

This feeling was strange, yet it undeniably existed.

Lifting a cup of tea, Xiao Qianqiu said, “The Crown Prince joked. As the heavens increase the years, people’s lifespans increase, but the more one sees, the heavier the heart becomes.”

Some people are strange, some drink only wine their whole lives, never tea, while others drink only tea, never wine, and Xiao Qianqiu belonged to the latter.

“Youth always tends to engage in somewhat semblance-actions.”

Zhao Chongyin gulped down his wine and laughed, “The national advisor’s belly can hold a boat, presumably small matters like these wouldn’t bother him?”

In the past, Zhao Chongyin had deep conflicts with the Zhenyi Sect, but times had changed now. The Demon Sect and the Buddhist sects were flowing into the Great Yan Martial World, and the world’s structure was also quietly changing.

People needed to change too.

For the Crown Prince to lower himself so, this was no trivial ability.

Xiao Qianqiu didn’t seize the opportunity to climb higher and instead replied, “Your Highness is too serious, if Your Highness does not mind the small things, how dare I keep them in my heart?”

Hearing this, Zhao Chongyin’s smile deepened.

As the saying goes, it is better to resolve enmities than to hold on to them, and if he could reconcile with the Zhenyi Sect, that would indeed be a fortunate event.

Just then, Bai Jing hurried in and whispered in Zhao Chongyin’s ear, “Li Yue has been rescued by someone.”

Zhao Chongyin frowned deeply and glanced at Bai Jing.

Li Yue was an important chess piece in his hand, a tool to control Zhou Xianming.

Anyone could see that Lv Guoyong was gradually stepping back. Even if the Great Yan Emperor was dissatisfied with Lv Guoyong, his significance to Great Yan could not be denied. Now, as this pillar was retiring, Zhou Xianming, as Lv Guoyong’s disciple, naturally inherited the Lv Sect traditions and would somewhat be heavily used.

This was a long-term arrangement.

But now, with Li Yue being rescued, it totally disrupted Zhao Chongyin’s layout.

Zhao Chongyin thought for a moment, then whispered softly, “Let Gou Wen mobilize the spies of the Heaven and Earth Net to investigate.”

Gou Wen, the second-in-command of the Heaven and Earth Net and a confidant of this prince.

“Yes.”

Bai Jing nodded and withdrew.

Zhao Chongyin raised his cup and smiled, “National advisor, let’s continue our drink.”

“Please.”

Xiao Qianqiu raised his cup.

The two, one drinking tea and the other wine, Zhao Chongyin added, “I hear the national advisor has a competition with the Ghost Swordsman, is that true or false?”

Xiao Qianqiu didn’t shy away from the topic, “He wants the Beidou Seven Stars Technique from me, and the technique is only for the Zhenyi Sect leader or potential leaders to cultivate. Naturally, I cannot simply hand it over to others. Besides, both he and I are disciples of the Mystical Sect lineage, eventually we have to determine a winner.”

Without a change in expression, Zhao Chongyin said, “According to the information I’ve got, he gained an opportunity at the Dragon Locking Well and his cultivation has improved again. Does the national advisor have confidence?”

The power of the Ghost Swordsman was too elusive, especially since Zhao Chongyin had twice witnessed his capability, and now his strength had increased considerably. Perhaps at this moment, even without using any secret techniques, he could fight a Five Qi Grandmaster. How terrifying was that?

Could Xiao Qianqiu hold his ground against the World’s First Swordsman?

“Confidence lies in our respective hands, depending on whether the moves are bright enough.”

Xiao Qianqiu gazed at the teapot and said, “However, the most pressing issue is not the dispute of our sects’ succession but the crisis facing Yan Country. Tomorrow I must return to Zhenyi Mountain, and then set off for Nanping Dao. This battle, I fear, we won’t know when it could take place.”

The Southern Barbarians had the weakest military strength, so Zhao Zhiwu had arranged for Xiao Qianqiu to confront the Southern Barbarians’ experts, hence he was leaving for Nanping Dao the next day.

Zhao Chongyin secretly frowned, but nodded and said, “What the national advisor says is very true. In fact, the reason I invited the national advisor today was to give him a gift.”

Xiao Qianqiu asked, “What gift?”

“Clap, clap, clap!”

Zhao Chongyin clapped his hands, and a beautiful maid entered, holding a finely crafted box, which she then placed before Xiao Qianqiu.

Zhao Chongyin smiled, “National advisor, please take a look.”

Xiao Qianqiu looked at Zhao Chongyin, then opened the box. Inside was a purple bitter lotus with long-stemmed basal leaves and sparse stem leaves near the bottom; the leaf blades were nearly circular.

Xiao Qianqiu couldn’t help but ask, “Is this a hundred-year purple bitter lotus?”

The preciousness of the item before him was naturally beyond words, no longer measurable by mere money, a heavenly material and earthly treasure.

Zhao Chongyin confirmed, “Correct, this hundred-year purple bitter lotus took me several years to find. It can dispel the cold poison in the meridians, nourish the heart channels, and has many other wonderful uses.”

Xiao Qianqiu’s expression turned solemn, “If it were something else, it would be of no use to me, but I must accept this one; consider it an obligation I owe to the Crown Prince.”

The number of masters in the Zhenyi Sect’s Hidden Mountain was dwindling, among them was a secretive Grandmaster known for his mysterious disappearances. He suffered from Yin Poison in his meridians, and the century-old Purple Bitter Lotus was precisely the rare treasure needed to cure it.

Not only did it cure the Yin Poison within the Grandmaster, but it could also add a top master to the Zhenyi Sect, which Xiao Qianqiu could not but accept.

Zhao Chongyin’s smile deepened, “The State Preceptor truly exaggerates.”

…..

Yujing City, Riverside Restaurant.

Outside the restaurant, the noise of people was deafening, the cries of the small vendors overlapping one another. Inside, the building was filled with beautiful women playing zithers and dancing gracefully, attracting many admirers.

In an elegant and antiquely decorated room.

The Riverside Restaurant, located beside the Linyun Canal, was the largest restaurant around, not only because it was by the canal but also because it housed seven top chefs from around the world. Normally, nobles and dignitaries from the capital enjoyed gathering here to reminisce and talk, where they could taste delicacies from all over the world while enjoying the bustling canal.

And in the most luxurious private room at the top, an exorbitant fee of several hundred taels of silver was charged for just the room’s use, a testament to its luxury.

At that moment, in that room, a stunningly beautiful woman in a light green palace dress was sitting by the window. Her gaze was elegant and serene, her eyes swimming softly like a lovely Jiangnan woman’s, yet she carried a hint of stubbornness, touched with the charm of a northern maiden.

She was none other than Zhao Xuening, the daughter of once celebrated Yan Country’s most beautiful woman, Zuo Linglong.

As time flowed, she had gradually blossomed, her devastating beauty beginning to show.

Opposite her was a man dressed in white, his features handsome and refined, with especially captivating eyes that seemed as if they could speak.

With eyes curved like crescent moons, Zhao Xuening chuckled, “Previously, whenever I asked you out to eat, you would never agree. I didn’t expect you would actually invite me to dine.”

Princess An Le, having received the news that An Jing was inviting her to dinner, had been excitedly preparing since last night, spending an entire sleepless night in anticipation.

At this moment, as she looked into those eyes, her heart thrummed like a deer’s.

After all, it had always been her taking the initiative, perhaps today the sun had risen from the west, as An Jing had taken the initiative.

An Jing chuckled softly, “The Princess jests, but An is merely a crude man from Jianghu, afraid of being presumptuous towards a beauty.”

Zhao Xuening rolled her eyes at An Jing, her voice coquettish, “I particularly like ‘crude men’ like Brother An.”

An Jing coughed lightly. He had met many women, but none as ‘blunt and direct’ as Zhao Xuening, nearly without any pretense.

An Jing quickly pointed to the dishes on the table, “Princess, I hear the food here is quite good, please have a taste.”

“I often eat dishes like these.”

Zhao Xuening’s gaze, devoid of any inhibition, was fixed on An Jing, “I prefer trying different kinds of delicacies.”

Faced with Zhao Xuening’s fiery look, An Jing’s face inexplicably reddened slightly, feeling as if he were a lamb in a tiger’s clutches.

A man should turn passivity into activeness to control the pace.

Thinking this, An Jing’s expression became serious, “Your Highness, since that’s the case, let us discuss serious matters.”

Zhao Xuening placed a piece of flank steak into An Jing’s bowl, “How many times have I told you, just call me Xuening.”

An Jing’s lips parted slightly, “Princess Xuening, then let us discuss serious matters.”

Seeing this, Zhao Xuening did not insist, “What serious matter do you have for me?”

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An Jing pondered for a moment then spoke plainly, “I will soon be heading to Beihuang Dao, and now with the Houjin troops poised and ready, as someone born from the commoners of Jianghu without any firm foundation in the imperial court, I hope Princess Xuening could help.”

Zhao Xuening, intelligent as she was, instantly sensed An Jing’s concerns.

Although nominally An Jing held the highest authority in Beihuang Dao, and could even exaggeratedly be referred to as the local emperor, whether the officials of Beihuang Dao would obey him was yet to be determined.

After all, the roots of these officials from Beihuang Dao extend beyond merely Beihuang Dao. For example, Wang Shiyi had the backing of the Crown Prince.

Moreover, unlike the Zhenyi Sect, which had a certain foundation in the temples, and could sense every little movement within Jianghu, it was very difficult to detect the movements within the imperial court. Hence, they would be very passive, and what was most needed now was an ally or a partner in the court.

“Alright.”

Zhao Xuening agreed without hesitation, “Now we can enjoy the meal and talk about other things.”

“Princess, do you really agree?”

An Jing did not expect Zhao Xuening to agree so straightforwardly. After all, if Zhao Chongyin really wanted to set obstacles, then Zhao Xuening would be directly confronting the Crown Prince.

“I thought it was something difficult, I would help you regardless of what you had said, since you are now defending against Houjin,” Zhao Xuening’s beautiful eyes fixed on An Jing, “You are protecting Great Yan and safeguarding tens of thousands of our people, and by extension, you are also protecting me in the rear. Naturally, I will support you wholeheartedly; anyone who obstructs you is undermining our Yan Country, and I certainly will not allow it.”

An Jing smiled and said, “Princess Xuening is right.”

Zhao Xuening seemed more sensible and easier to talk to than he had expected.

The two then chatted casually about various trivial matters, and it appeared from the conversation that Princess An Le was very keen on making connections with Outer Heaven, hitting it off instantly with him.

Or rather, the princess was particularly eager to connect with him.

Zhao Xuening gently said, “You invited me for a meal, so I shall invite you for a boat ride this evening to see the night market in Yujing City, which is also quite bustling.”

Upon hearing this, An Jing chuckled dryly, about to find a way to refuse, when a crisp voice came from outside the door.

“Son-in-law, you came to Linjiang Restaurant to eat all by yourself without calling me.”

The person wasn’t there yet, but her voice arrived first.

Soon after, a figure ran to the table like a gust of wind, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at the dishes spread out on the table.

Zhao Xuening felt annoyed inwardly, but her face broke into a smile, “Miss Tan, what a coincidence.”

The newcomer was none other than Tan Yun.

Tan Yun feigned surprise, “It truly is a coincidence. I didn’t expect to see Your Highness here; I thought you never left your golden mansion.”

Zhao Xuening smiled and said, “Miss Tan is mistaken, a princess is human too, just like you and me.”

Tan Yun wrinkled her nose and responded, “So that’s how it is, but my brother often says that Your Highness is very busy. It seems he must be mistaken as well.”

Lv Jingchun, just a good-for-nothing sycophant after all.

Zhao Xuening frowned slightly but said nothing aloud.

“Why aren’t you eating? You’re hardly touching your chopsticks.”

Tan Yun sat down, licked her rosy lips, and said, “Son-in-law, Princess, if you’re not going to eat, then I won’t be polite.”

An Jing quickly picked up his chopsticks. Others might not know Tan Yun’s prowess, but he was well aware. He reached for the stir-fried kidneys – while other dishes could be skipped, this one he had to have more of.

“Son-in-law, you’re being cunning!”

Seeing this, Tan Yun began to eat heartily.

Zhao Xuening sat aside, her face a picture of astonishment as she watched the two devour all six dishes on the table without leaving a bite.

Wasn’t this supposed to be my treat?

Zhao Xuening observed their actions, not daring to speak or ask further.

Tan Yun took out a handkerchief, wiped her mouth, touched her slightly bulging belly, and then revealed a look of complete satisfaction.

“The taste of these kidneys is indeed excellent.”

An Jing then looked apologetically towards Zhao Xuening, “Princess Xuening, we’ve finished everything, and you haven’t eaten yet; shall I order another serving for you?”

Zhao Xuening waved her hand, “No need, actually, I’m not very hungry; I get full easily.”

“Eating too little isn’t good for your health.”

Tan Yun glanced at Zhao Xuening’s chest and muttered.

Zhao Xuening noticed Tan Yun’s gaze and then saw Tan Yun’s ample bosom, her face flushed with embarrassment. Although hers was not small, it was far from comparing to Tan Yun’s.

Maybe I really should eat more?

An Jing coughed dryly and asked Tan Yun, “What brings you here all of a sudden?”

Tan Yun pursed her lips, “Son-in-law, I heard from my master that you were leaving Yujing City, and I feared I wouldn’t see you again, so I came to check on you.”

An Jing replied somewhat irritably, “I am not leaving until tomorrow.”

According to plan, he intended to visit the Lv Mansion tomorrow to present his resignation, then return to the Demon Sect Main Hall in You Mountain.

Tan Yun stuck out her tongue, “How would I know? I was just afraid you’d leave quietly.”

Zhao Xuening watched the two start chatting and interjected, “Mr. An, about tonight…”

Tan Yun quickly interrupted Zhao Xuening, “Son-in-law, I have something to tell you.”

At that moment, Zhao Xuening looked furiously at Tan Yun, but because An Jing was present, she held back her anger.

An Jing took out his handkerchief and wiped the grease from the corner of Tan Yun’s mouth, asking, “What is it?”

Tan Yun clenched her fists tightly, her heart seemed ready to burst out of her throat. Gathering her courage, she said, “An Jing, I… I want to go boating with you tonight, just the two of us.”

Hearing this, Zhao Xuening almost jumped up.

Shameless!

So shameless!

Tan Yun had said what she wanted to say.

An Jing blinked, “Tan Yun, do you really want to go boating with me?”

“Of course, didn’t you promise me before?”

As Tan Yun spoke, her face turned completely red.

“Oh right, I did promise you, I almost forgot.”

An Jing looked at Zhao Xuening, saying helplessly, “Princess Xuening, it seems we will have to talk about tonight’s matter some other time.”

“Alright then.”

Zhao Xuening looked somewhat dazed and could only nod.

An Jing then walked outside the restaurant with Tan Yun. It took several moments after they left for Zhao Xuening to come back to her senses.

She had thought she would be able to roam the night market with An Jing tonight, hoping to deepen their feelings, but unexpectedly, Tan Yun had burst in halfway through.

“Huff….”

Zhao Xuening took a deep breath, annoyed, and headed towards the exit.

The two old maids waiting at the door followed her, one on each side, protecting the princess’s safety.

Just as Zhao Xuening was about to leave the restaurant, a maid from the restaurant quickly approached her with a slightly red face and said, “Honored guest, the bill has not been settled yet.”

Zhao Xuening’s eyes widened slightly.

An Jing had invited her for a meal, she didn’t get to eat, and now she had to pay the bill too?

Did she just become the scapegoat today?

…..

An Jing walked out of the restaurant with Tan Yun, who followed behind him like a puppet. They crossed the bustling street and finally stopped.

An Jing asked, “Was it Yu Qiurong who told you I was here?”

Tan Yun kept her head down and replied, “Yes.”

“Right.”

An Jing laughed heartily, “It’s a good thing you showed up, or who knows what trouble might have happened.”

Zhao Qingmei was a woman with strong jealousy and prone to wild thoughts. If she knew about An Jing and Zhao Xuening going boating, she would definitely have created a huge fuss.

Tan Yun raised her head, blinking her eyes, “Right, I am here to help you.”

An Jing sighed with relief and said, “No wonder you said those things earlier, it seems you were deceiving that princess.”

“Of course.”

Tan Yun said proudly, “If it weren’t for me today, you might have been fooled by that princess tonight.”

An Jing tapped Tan Yun’s head, “You understand then?”

Tan Yun hummed, “Why wouldn’t I?”

It then occurred to An Jing that Tan Yun had read three hundred comic books and was no longer the innocent Tan Yun from before.

“Do you still read comic books now?”

Tan Yun pursed her lips and responded, “I stopped reading them a long time ago, it’s the same few tricks over and over, not very interesting or creative.”

An Jing somewhat laughed, “Impressive.”

Seeing this, Tan Yun’s face suddenly turned bright red, “An Jing, you must not speak recklessly.”

An Jing said irritably, “How could I possibly talk about this to others?”

Tan Yun pursed her lips and said, “That includes what happened today, it must not be spoken of.”

An Jing shook his head and burst into laughter, “Today you ate so much, I don’t need to say it, the princess already knows you’re a glutton, do you think this is a secret?”

Saying this, An Jing walked towards the distance.

Tan Yun watched An Jing’s receding figure and whispered softly, “Everything I said just now was true, I wanted to row on the lake with you, just the two of us.”

“Why aren’t you hurrying up? What are you dawdling for?”

At this moment, An Jing’s voice came from ahead.

“Coming, coming.”

With a smile in his eyes, Tan Yun quickened his pace to catch up, “Son-in-law, wait for me.”

“Told you to eat less, look how you’ve become too fat to walk now.”

“Son-in-law, you’re talking nonsense, I already ate very little just now, I even skipped several slices of that kidney dish.”

….

Houjin, Royal Court.

In a quiet room.

Ever since Zongzheng Huachun returned from Yujing City, he had started a seclusion.

Inside the quiet room, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was so dense it ultimately turned a vast swath of white smoke into a liquid form.

The transformation of the spiritual energy into Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence was already incredibly precious, and above that was the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence, an even rarer treasure.

At this moment what surrounded Zongzheng Huachun was the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence.

As Zongzheng Huachun circulated his spell, the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence continuously surged into his body, at the same time exuding an aura that seemed to swallow rivers and mountains.

“Roar!”

A Golden Dragon suddenly appeared, its roar powerful enough to make heaven and earth lose their colors.

This was a thread of spiritual intent from the Earth Vein, but now it had merged with Zongzheng Huachun, absorbing the Heaven and Earth Spirit Essence which looked delectable to the eye, but the unseen benefits were even greater, the greatest being the deepened insight into heaven and earth.

The deeper one’s insight into heaven and earth, the more one could harness the power of heaven and earth.

Jun Qinglin once stated Zongzheng Huachun was among the deepest practitioners of Heavenly Human Communication, yet he too was nearly incapable of reaching the realm of becoming one with heaven and man.

Lv Guoyong shattered the Literary Palace, achieving only a momentary state of oneness with heaven and man, which illustrated the difficulty of such a feat.

Now, the merging with the Earth Vein Spirit gave Zongzheng Huachun a glimpse of opportunity.

His control over the power of heaven and earth plunged Zongzheng Huachun deep into contemplation, deeply refining his understanding of Heavenly Human Communication, appearing to swiftly approach a state of perfection.

It also allowed him to harness more of heaven and earth’s power, even more than when he initially merged with the Earth Vein Spirit in Yujing City, which meant that Zongzheng Huachun’s strength had also significantly improved.

“Huff!”

Exhaling a breath, Zongzheng Huachun slowly opened his eyes and looking at his hands said, “Merging with a thread of the Earth Vein’s spirit intent already brings such benefits, could a complete merge with the Earth Vein Spirit truly break the shackle of the Great Grandmaster?”

Even Zongzheng Huachun felt a tremor in his heart at this moment.

The shackle of the Great Grandmaster, through the ages nearly dozens of Great Grandmasters existed, but not one had broken this shackle, especially now in a time of scarce spiritual energy, making it exceedingly difficult for ordinary people to break through the Great Grandmaster level.

“Holy Master!”

“Father!”

Just then, voices of Taiyin Kui and Zongzheng Yue came from outside the quiet room.

Zongzheng Huachun adjusted his emotions and said softly, “Come in.”

Following that, the stone door opened, and the two of them walked in slowly.

Seeing Zongzheng Huachun’s aura, Zongzheng Yue couldn’t help but say, “Father, have you merged with the Earth Vein Spirit?”

At this moment, Zongzheng Huachun appeared like a mountain, like an ocean, seemingly having completely connected with heaven and earth, a state he previously only achieved while harnessing the power of heaven and earth, but now without the aid of the power of heaven and earth, he still felt this way, a power that had advanced in leaps and bounds.

“The spirit intent of the Earth Vein has already merged into my body, indeed, my strength has greatly advanced.”

Zongzheng Huachun nodded slightly, then he inquired, “By the way, has Zhao Zhiwu broken through to the Great Grandmaster?”

Taiyin Kui replied from the side, “He has broken through, but it is said he did so by consuming a large amount of his essence blood to reach Great Grandmaster level, so he probably won’t have a chance to use True Yuan to refine his organs.”

Without the ability to refine the organs with True Yuan, one could not attain three hundred years of lifespan. Thus, this breakthrough to Great Grandmaster only brought him fleeting strength, and naturally couldn’t compare to a true Great Grandmaster who possessed three hundred years of lifespan.

Zongzheng Huachun said in a deep voice, “Is this matter true?”

Taiyin Kui replied, “It is true, but further investigation is needed.”

“We must thoroughly investigate this.”

Zongzheng Huachun took a deep breath and said, “This is a matter of great importance, absolutely nothing can be overlooked.”

The realm of a Great Grandmaster, after all, has been the strongest throughout the ages. In any era, they are considered top-tier experts.

“Holy Master, rest assured, I will personally investigate this matter.”

Taiyin Kui nodded and added, “A secret letter has come from the south, asking when we will dispatch troops?”

Houjin and Black Ice Platform had already agreed to unite and attack Yan Country, and now the Southern Barbarians are showing unrest, clearly planning to join in this hunt. Now, everything is ready; we just need an east wind.”

Zongzheng Yue, somewhat worried, said, “Zhao Zhiwu has already broken through to Great Grandmaster, and the Demon Sect is suspected to also have a superb expert…”

Carefully considering, Yan Country’s strength should not be underestimated, with numerous masters. If not handled properly, we might end up bitten by this fierce tiger, resulting in more loss than gain.

“Zhao Zhiwu will not take action lightly. The Great Grandmaster of the Demon Sect must have been severely injured, and we have Black Ice Platform and the Southern Barbarians to share the pressure. Our three countries’ armies, numbering a million, will surround Yan Country. How can Yan Country resist? This is a golden opportunity that should not be missed.”

Zongzheng Huachun’s eyes flashed coldly, “But before this, I must enter seclusion for a while longer.”

Although the Earth Vein Spirit cannot allow him to immediately break through to Great Grandmaster, it can greatly enhance his strength. When facing a Great Grandmaster like Zhao Zhiwu again, he might have the power to fight, or at least, to hold him off.

The opportunity to hunt Yan Country must not be missed.

“I understand.”

Taiyin Kui’s eyes also narrowed.

Zongzheng Yue said, “Father, there is another urgent matter to discuss.”

Zongzheng Huachun indifferently said, “Speak.”

Zongzheng Yue took a deep breath and announced, “The Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum has been located.”

Zongzheng Huachun’s eyes narrowed, “Where?”

Before obtaining the Earth Vein Spirit, this was his grandest scheme—to find the Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum and obtain the True Dragon Essence Blood, breakthrough to the realm of Great Grandmaster, and then merge with the Earth Vein Spirit to push through the mysterious gateway of the Great Grandmaster.

All was already calculated.

Zongzheng Yue smiled and said, “The Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum is not in any other place but behind Dongluo Pass, in that desert.”

Zongzheng Huachun thought of something, “The Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum requires the Purple Sun Token, have the tokens been gathered now?”

According to ancient Qin Dynasty texts, entering the Qin Emperor’s Mausoleum requires a Purple Sun Token. Thus, while secretly sending people to look for the mausoleum, Zongzheng Huachun also had people searching for the Purple Sun Token.

Zongzheng Yue saluted and said, “We have one token, Jiang Shang holds another, and we can obtain the one Jiang Shang holds at any time. However, another was found by Ren Meng but then lost.”

“Lost?”

Zongzheng Huachun’s brow furrowed.

Zongzheng Yue hurriedly said, “Father, rest assured, I will find it back as soon as possible.”

“You must find it as soon as possible.”

Zongzheng Huachun pondered for a moment, then turned to Taiyin Kui and said, “You take the Purple Sun Token and go investigate first. The ancient texts are not necessarily completely accurate, and after so many years, the Emperor Mausoleum’s array might have loosened. Investigate the situation first.”

Taiyin Kui nodded and replied, “Understood.”

Zongzheng Huachun waved his hand and said, “If there is nothing else, you may leave.”

Both men saluted and then withdrew.

Zongzheng Huachun looked at his own palm, then clenched it slightly with force.

With the True Dragon Essence Blood and the assistance of the Earth Vein Spirit, breaking through to Great Grandmaster would be almost effortlessly easy.

Having obtained a strand of Earth Vein Spirit had already greatly increased his strength. If he obtained the complete Earth Vein Spirit, who in this world could stop him?

Unifying the world! An emperor for the ages!

This world has never been completely unified; since that’s the case, let him be the first to do it.

Zongzheng Huachun’s heart burned with immense fervor, whispering in a voice only he could hear, “An emperor for the ages, truly the first of all ages.”

……..